Why was "Ninja" related things "off limits" in some countries for awhile?

[MJN SEIFER]

For some reason, during the 90s (mid to late I think, but don't hold me on that) some countries (including the UK) decided that Ninjas or anything vaguely Ninja related could no longer be represented in the media - this lead to many Ninja related aspects to films, TV shows and video games being either removed, or being changed in some (in my opinion stupid) manner. For example (and I realize this contradicts something I said years ago, but I remember it now, and realize I was wrong) the "Ninja Turtles" were no longer allowed to be called "Ninjas" so the were called "Hero Turtles" on the TV series (of course most fans already knew them as "Ninja Turtles" and still reffered to them as such.)

Video games also suffered, "shurikens" (those cool star-shaped things) would either be removed, be replaced by throwing knives.

Nunchucks (or Nunchaku?) were also banned and needed to be removed from the media, one example I can think of is the video game "Soul Blade" (aka, "Soul Edge" - although it was only the "Blade" version that suffered) one character orignally used nunchucks, but in some versions these where replaced by a fictional(?) weapon which is never reffered to by name - the game just calls it "an unusual weapon" or "a strange weapon", the game even implies that the character created the weapon himself. Strangley, there was another character in the game who actually was a Ninja, and the game still called her one, so maybe the ban was slightly weakening at that point...

The Anti-Ninja thing has obviously gone now (Ninjas and there equipment are now allowed to appear in media in these countries), but why did it take so long? Why were we unable to acknowledge the existence of Ninjas at first? Anyone know? Also any more examples of this?

On a side note; Are "nunchucks" and "Nunchaku"(sp?) the same thing?

[theundeadhero]

I never knew about this. I wonder why too?

[Mirage]

On a side note; Are "nunchucks" and "Nunchaku"(sp?) the same thing? :confused:

Yes.

[Rantz]

I remember the whole "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles" thing and being confused as to which was the correct name. Don't know much else about it.

[Shoeberto]

Ninjas, and weapons related to ninja, were considered to be symbols of violence back in the '80s and early '90s in those places, if I recall correctly. It was all to protect THE CHILDREN!!!

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

"<a href="http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/nes/image/587488.html?box=39691">Ninja Gaiden</a>"? I believe you mean <a href="http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/nes/image/587488.html?box=3137">Shadow Warriors</a>!

Natsume's Ninja Gaiden knock-off, <a href="http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/nes/image/587607.html?box=46979">Shadow of the Ninja</a>, also became "<a href="http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/nes/image/587607.html?box=59131">Blue Shadow</a>."

Shadow!

[Vermachtnis]

(SPOILER)

[Psychotic]

Yeah Britain did this and I have no idea why. Sorry, I will always call them the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles and I can't help it.

Also I don't get why shurikens are bad but throwing knives are perfectly okay.

[Rye]

Because throwing stars are foreign.

Vote BNP!

[Rad Bromance]

Too bad it's not still like that.

The British localization of Naruto would have been hilarious.

[Jessweeee♪]

Too bad it's not still like that.

The British localization of Naruto would have been hilarious.

I would have had to track it down and watch it if that had happened xD

[Madame Adequate]

Quite a few people did actually get injured by nunchucks back in the day. Of course what the media didn't bother pointing out that it was in literally every case because nunchucks are really hard to use and people kept braining themselves.

Of course Europe has long since decided that it is in fact appropriate to legislate in an attempt to protect people from their own stupidity so it likely wouldn't have made any odds.