The Samurai (1962)

Ninja Training (8x14)

Ausstrahlung: Okt 04, 1964

This episode was made as a filler before the interruption caused by the Olympic Games later in October 1964. It depicted Tonbei's early life as a young ninja in training and was an extended flashback. It is told in a somewhat post-modern style with Shūsaku asking questions of Tonbei exactly as if he were watching him in the past (or watching Tonbei's home movies). Flashback Tonbei at one point says "Ssh" to Present-day Tonbei as he is narrating. and at another point, looks over his shoulder (towards the camera) and says as if to the future Tonbei and his audience (and the TV audience) "Look at that, it worked like a charm". The "fourth wall" may not have been broken but it was worn awfully thin., Basically this was "everything you wanted to know about ninja" and then some, a kid's dream. On a visit to Iga country, Tonbei tells Shintarō and Shūsaku of his first mission, ten years before, where he was tasked with stealing the plans of Takada Castle from the mansion of Hori Tado. Along the way he describes the different disguises ninja use, the tools and weapons, the methods of disappearing, various ninja tricks and so forth. At the end Shūsaku wants to train as a ninja but Shintarō points out ninja live in darkness, that they belong to a time of war, and Tonbei adds their weapons and skills are designed to sneak into places or kill people. Shūsaku decides he likes the sun too much to be a ninja. . Tonbei says if ever he has a child he won't train him to be a ninja. Shintarō foresees a time when ninja society will collapse and all will be peaceful. Tonbei hopes there will come a time when he can forget every ninja trick he learnt.