Can there be such a thing as an "honorable ninja"?

[Andrew NDB]

And if so, how?

[AquaParade]

Depends on your definition of honor. Seems that is sort of self-imposed or at least has the boundaries set by a specific group.

I’d say yes, since I think we define our own sense of honor.

Although, maybe not by the standards of most, given some of the behavior ninjas are associated with. But what if the ends justify the means. Maybe there can be honor in that. Maybe not.

[IMJ]

I suppose if a Ninja is a "anonymous assassin" then the "honor" part falls into some certain behavioral code down to the criminal level. "The ninja for hire doesn't kill women and children", etc - it's "honor" although way down on the spectrum of scumbags.

Of course, we glamourize this in pop culture, so there the answer is "yes".
In real life, any sense of "honor" would be on a twisted, convoluted scale in relation to the ninja basically being a murderer.

Honor in the real world is more complicated. For example, when AquaParade tries a fad diet and eats a salad to be less fat, he is harming the spirit of his favorite character, Swamp Thing. His efforts to lose fat are honorable, but still - he hurts Swamp Thing which is dishonorable for a guy who has a moss and mold fetish.

[Cowabung-Gal]

The samurai sure don’t think so, hence the tense relationship between the two groups.

[CyberCubed]

Weren't all ninja's designed to be thief's and assassin's? If so, they are all trained to do bad things. However if some are used to protect their villages/clan instead of going out to do harm, then it could be the case.

[IndigoErth]

Ehhhh..... I need an in between answer option. I suppose technically if a ninja only worked as a spy to gather intelligence, not the assassin angle, and the targets are all legitimate bad actors who need to be stopped, but via means other than assassination, I guess that could be possible? Is or was that realistic though, I dunno.

[triplexxx]

They can do honorable things with their skills and talents; the modern day definition of ninjitsu doesn't necessarily have to revolve around murder or thievery. They can serve honorable masters/employers, or go into business for themselves and do good work.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by triplexxx

They can do honorable things with their skills and talents

I mean, I guess a serial killer could help an old lady or two to cross the street on the way to this killing or that killing... does that make him an "honorable serial killer"?

[Coola Yagami]

I mean, ninjas are only as honorable as whoever hired them.

[ResidentEvil7]

For the past 2 years almost daily, I read books about Japanese culture including the ninja and the samurai and for what I've learned, I say yes, ninjas can be honorable. If they're going in to spy and get information on their enemies to bring back to their masters to use against the enemy, then yes, they're honorable.

[Stu_Padasso]

If my great uncle who was a Marine who participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima was still around, he might have a thing or two to say about the subject.

“Honor” only means that you have an external or internal set of rules or a code of conduct. It does not mean that you are a good person. History is full of horrific things done by people despite or even because of their code of “honor.”

Originally Posted by Cowabung-Gal

The samurai sure don’t think so, hence the tense relationship between the two groups.

There were a few notable Samurai that were shinobi/ninja. And they frequently collaborated with each other.

A lot of people believe about the Samurai is Happy Hollywood Horsesh-it. They were brutal bastards, especially during the Sengoku Period. Genocide. Slavery. Rape. Betrayal. Ever ask yourself why Japan has historically had trouble getting along with its neighbors?

By the Edo Period, the Samurai were basically glorified tax collectors for the Shogunate. Real heroes, right?

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Weren't all ninja's designed to be thief's and assassin's? If so, they are all trained to do bad things. However if some are used to protect their villages/clan instead of going out to do harm, then it could be the case.

If you’re looking at the shinobi/ ninja thing as a a skill set, it depends on how you use it.

Indiscriminately killing people for money? No.

Engaging in Irregular Warfare to repel an opponent that you believe to be a tyrannical regime or invasion, yes.

In the US, we called them Minutemen.

Seriously, be humble and kind.

[ToTheNines]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

I mean, ninjas are only as honorable as whoever hired them.

This.

(I know this isn’t a TMNT section but whatever.) I imagine Saki’s NYC branch of the Foot as being willfully violent and criminal. We know they engage in arms dealing and assassinations. They probably pull off heists, move drugs, blackmail people, all that good stuff.

I envision Karai’s Japanese Foot as being a mostly legit business that invests their money wisely, but has a significant number of trained fighters if the need arises. These fighters probably provide entirely legal services such as private security or even mercenary work that could be sanctioned by Japan’s equivalent of the State Department.

But to Coola’s point, if you’re running security for some pedophile politician who gets their money from insider trading… is that honorable? You may be upholding an ancient tradition and living a “warrior lifestyle”, but in the big picture… it doesn’t amount to much in this scenario.

So yeah, it’s just like any other profession at the end of the day. Is a solider honorable if they’re fighting in an unjust war? Is a police officer honorable if they’re enforcing an unjust law? Is a mutant rat honorable if he’s training 4 innocent teenagers for the singular goal of revenge?

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

I mean, ninjas are only as honorable as whoever hired them.

Definitionally, no. I would say. To use another crude example... "prostitute." We can be OK with it, maybe even respect it to a certain extent... but can that ever be considered an "honorable" profession?

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

but can that ever be considered an "honorable" profession?

Unfortunately, many will insist just that.