Black Spider Ninja Clan

Black Spider Ninja Clan
Black Spider Ninja Clan
Members
Masters	Genshin (deceased), Unnamed Master (Deceased), Obaba (deceased)
Dark Sect Shadow Ninjas	Tengu Brothers (Deceased), Rasetsu (Deceased), Gyuki (Deceased)
Elders	Koshimaru (Deceased)
Ninjas	Izo (Deceased), Gamov (Deceased), Denji (Deceased), Inukoma (Deceased), Yogenta (Deceased)
Allies	Lords of Alchemy, Vazadah's Greater Fiends
Location
Country	Japan, Vigoor Empire
Region	Global
Base	Flying Fortress Daedalus, other unknown locations

The Black Spider Ninja Clan (Jigumo Ichizoku 地蜘蛛一族; Earth Spider Clan) is an evil ninja clan of foot soldiers along with the Shadow Ninja Clan whom are longtime foes of the Hayabusa Ninja Clan known for their use of modern weaponry alongside traditional ninja weaponry. Though a powerful clan, they are second only to the Hayabusa Ninja Clan, a fact that, combined with their inability to surpass the clan, contributes to their hatred. Similar to their hated enemy, the Black Spider Clan's bloodline includes that of the Fiends.

They served as one of the antagonists throughout the Ninja Gaiden installments, being one of the main ones in Ninja Gaiden II, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2.

History

The Black Spider Ninja Clan were descended from both ancient human tribes and those of the Fiend bloodline and have came into conflict with the Hayabusa Ninja Clan and those of the Dragon Lineage. As a result, they harbor a deep hatred for the other but have always come up short in terms of capability compared to their bitter rival.

During the modern era, an elderly ninja assumed position as head of the Black Spider Clan. He sought to expand and globalize the Black Ninja Clan. From activities of smuggling to taking a weapon's factory to build the Daedalus, he succeeded in amassing vast resources to the clan despite some members feeling he wasn't "ninja material". During this period, much of the Black Spider Clan had internal problems with the philosophies undertaken by members and their swaying towards evil.

Plot

Ninja Gaiden Sigma

The Black Spider Clan was among the factions that also sought out the location of the Dark Dragon Blade in Tairon under the order of their master so that he could make tea out of it (although the original objective told was so that he could heal his aging body). Although prepared to fight the likes of the Dragon Lineage, they were unprepared for the formidable forces of both Vigoor Military and the Fiends that inhabited Tairon.

Between Sigma and Dragon Sword

At some point, the master of the Black Spider Ninja Clan died due to his old age. With no one around to oppose her at the moment, Obaba later became head of the Black Spider Clan.

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword

Allied with Ishtaros, the Black Spider Ninja Clan seeks out the Dark Dragonstones, the Eye of the Dragon, and the Dragon Sword to resurrect the Vigoor Emperor. Capturing Momiji in an attempt to gain the Eye of the Dragon, they learn that she fused the object into her soul, making it difficult to gather the Eye from her possession. Eventually, Obaba is killed during a conflict with Ryu Hayabusa and the Black Spider Clan along with the Fiends lead by Ishatos fail to ressurect the Vigoor Emperor, instead bringing forth the Dark Dragon whom is defeated by Ryu.

Between Dragon Sword and Sigma 2

After Obaba's death, Genshin took over as head of the Black Spider Clan and was approached by Elizébet. Despite the reluctance of the clan members, He hesitatingly entered into an alliance with hopes that the Black Spider Ninja Clan can finally prove their superiority over the Hayabusa Ninja Clan.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2

The Black Spider Ninja Clan are the main antagonistic force Ryu faces along his journey, having allied with the Fiends in their efforts to revive the Archfiend Vazdah. They kidnap C.I.A. agent Sonia to distract Ryu while their leader, Dark Ninja Overlord Genshin, leads an attack on the Hayabusa Village, dueling Jô Hayabusa to claim the Demon Statue for Elizébet to begin reviving Vazdah's Four Greater Fiends: Alexei, Volf, and Zedonius. Ryu battles the Fiends and numerous members of the Black Spider Ninjas across the world, taking the fight to their flying aircraft fortress, the Daedalus, where he duels Genshin a second time, their battle ending in a stalemate as the airship splits in two.

Ryu is not the only one fighting the Black Spider Clan during their efforts to revive the Archfiend. The shrine priestess, Momiji, confronts the Tengu Brothers to save the life of a young village boy they had kidnapped, while Ayane battles the Black Spider Ninja clan in her efforts to recover the Eye of the Dragon, stolen by the Black Spider ninjas and absorbed into the body of the witch Obaba. Both succeed in their respective missions, with Momiji chasing off the Tengu Brothers and Ayane striking down Obaba for the second time to reclaim the Eye of the Dragon, which she would pass on to Ryu later.

After Ryu has defeated the Four Greater Fiends, Genshin informs him of where the Archfiend is being reborn, inside Mount Fuji, and awaits Ryu's arrival at the peak. As Ryu races for the mountain, he battles several battalions of Black Spider ninja, receiving aid from the weapon smith Muramasa, before confronting Genshin a final time. The two duel, and Ryu defeats and kills Genshin with the True Dragon Sword. As Ryu heads inside the mountain, Elizébet revives Genshin and turns him into a Fiend.

Inside Mount Fuji, where the Underworld has merged with the living world, Ryu battles the revived Greater Fiends and corrupted undead Black Spider ninja before facing Genshin in his Fiend form deep in the bowels of the Underworld. Ryu defeats Genshin a final time, and freed from the curse, Genshin reveals he had joined with the Greater Fiends to forge a new future for his clan, something he knows Ryu can understand, and passes on to him his cursed sword, the Blade of the Archfiend. Ryu uses the sword in conjunction with his True Dragon Sword to defeat Elizébet once again, then strike down the infernal priest of Vazdah, Dagra Dai, and then defeats the Archfiend itself.

With his quest over, Ryu would impale the Blade of the Archfiend at the graveyard of weapons at Mount Fuji's base, in honor of his departed rival.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge

Due to Genshin's death, the leaderless Black Spider Clan either ally themselves with the LOA, or have their services bought by them, and participate in their attack on Paris, France, where Ayane and Irene Lew note their presence. When Ryu Hayabusa returns to his village seeking answers to the Grip of Murder curse afflicting his arm, he first stops at the weapons grave site at the base of Mount Fuji, where he takes up the fallen Genshin's Blade of the Archfiend to use in place of his lost Dragon Sword.

This action prompts the enraged Black Spider Clan ninjas to attack Ryu as he makes for his village, infuriated to see their fallen leader desecrated in such a fashion, unaware that Genshin had personally passed the sword onto Ryu before his death. Ryu defeats all the Black Spider Ninjas in-between him and his village, and after resting briefly, resumes to find his father, Jô Hayabusa at his private residence outside the village. Ryu is joined by his apprentice Momiji and the two kill more Black Spider Ninjas on their path, only for the bodies to resurrect again and again each time.

The culprit is quickly revealed to be Obaba, back from the dead once more, and now grown to titanic proportions, attempting to literally crush Ryu and Momiji in her hands in vengeance for the numerous defeats the Black Spider Clan had suffered at their hands. Ryu and Momiji work together to send Obaba back to the grave again, and the Black Spider Clan Ninjas aid LOA as they abscond with the Black Narwhal, fighting Ayane as she works to place a GPS tracker on the ship.

The Black Spider Clan ninjas defend the fleet of ships flanking the Black Narwhal on the seventh day, and join LOA's mercenaries as they aid The Goddess's attack on Japan. While Genshin is long dead, his spirit appears before Ryu in a dream and entrusts the soul of the Blade of the Archfiend to his rival, reawakening the blade's true power, giving Ryu a weapon that can stand against the Goddess and his stolen Dragon Sword. With the Goddess's defeat and LOA's plans ruined, the Black Spider Clan ends their partnership with the Lords of Alchemy.

Society

Throughout the modern area of the Black Spider Ninja Clan, members of the group are somewhat split into two general groups based on age. Older and aged members of the clan (such as Genshin and Koshimaru) uphold the traditional view in which that Black Spider Ninjas do not operate on a good/evil scale because those who commit "evil" are viewed as truly understanding to the horrors in the world. Some older members of the clan worry that the youth of the clan being easily impressed and arrogant will lead to their downfall if not addressed. Younger members, however, are more attracted to the path to evil. Elder Koshimaru claims that the youth of the Black Spider Ninja Clan do not grasp what makes a "true ninja" and are too easily amused by ninja techniques. He also claimed that due to the youth not grasping "true brutality", the path of evil seems "fashionable" to them. In response, the youth of the clan generally find the older members to be annoying.

However, even both sides can come to hold high reverence for specific members. Those who hold the title "Supreme Ninja Overlord" like Genshin are highly respected, many finding him respectable. The youth of the Black Spider Clan often hope to become as skilled as him.

Relationship to the Hayabusa Ninja Clan

The clan is well-known for their hatred for the ninja clan and would go to great lengths in an attempt to destroy the clan, resorting to dirty tactics and traps in order to spell the demise of the clan. Although hating the clan altogether, they have different views of specific members. Ironically, some members view the Hayabusa Ninja Clan as the bad guys, one member citing them to be the "big, bad" in their entry.

• Many clan members possess a hatred for Jô Hayabusa. Although they recognize his skill, his age makes some members believe he is quickly approaching irrelevancy in the world of ninja.
• Due to his young age, Ryu Hayabusa's status as a Master Ninja surprises many members of the clan, both older and younger. Journal entries show some members initially held a lower view of him but after proving himself to be extremely dangerous, many were eager to go into battle and hope to be the one to end Ryu's life.

Dark Sect

The Dark Sect of the Black Spider Ninja Clan are the group of ninjas that do the very bidding of the master of the Black Spider Clan, specializing in doing so usually with stealth. Those within the sect are referred to as "Shadow Ninjas" and are capable of transforming themselves into Fiend-like monsters. They are held in high regard to members of the Black Spider Ninja Clan. However, they also have a reputation in the clan for losing their minds during the frenzy of combat..

Ranking & Title

Similar to that of the Hayabusa Ninja Clan, the Black Spider Ninja Clan has special, unique titles befitting certain members of the clan. Some of them include:

• Master/Head: The Master or Head of the Black Spider Clan refers to the leader of the Black Spider Ninja Clan. None is known of the requirements befitting to becoming a Master/Head of the Ninja Clan.
• Supreme Ninja Overlord: A Supreme Ninja Overlord is an individual who is hailed as the strongest and most proficient ninja in the clan. The only known Supreme Ninja Overlord is the former head of the clan, Genshin. Those with this title are greatly respected among the clan.
• Class A Ninja: A Class A Ninja is a designation among the clan (whether friendly or enemy) that is the equivalent to a Master Ninja from the Hayabusa Ninja Clan.
• Shadow Ninja: A Shadow Ninja in the Black Spider Ninja Clan are individuals with the capability of transforming into a Fiend monster. Rasetsu was a known, former Shadow Ninja.
• Elder: Elders are the respected, older ninjas in the clan that act as mentors to younger Black Spider Ninjas.

Operatives

The Black Spider Clan´s ninja operatives have changed from game to game. On the first Xbox game (and it´s consequent upgrades), they were agile ninja in an all-black shozoku. They were first found in Tairon, where they were scouting the place looking for the Dark Dragon Blade (in higher difficulties, they appeared first in the Shadow Clan Ninja Fortress, but that can be considered apocryphal), and wielded normal katana and Incendiary Shurikens. They were trained to fight against fellow ninja, like Ryu, but they were extremely unprepared to face fiends and the Vigoorian military, since many of them died in the raid before facing the Dragon Ninja. It is also worthy of notice that they carried diaries as a common practice, since many could be found while scavenging the bodies of the deceased ninja, learning about their hardships and deaths. While loyal, many of these ninja questioned their motivations for their quest: searching for the Dark Dragon so their leader could make Tea out of it, asking themselves if so many lives and sacrifices were justified with such a inane objective.

In the second game, their attire changed to dark-green jumpsuits with spiderweb designs. They were also armed differently: while the katana was still their weapon of choice, many of the ninja preferred Talons, and fought with those.

One of the most recognizable action from the clan is that most of them (or all) have kamikaze action, to which they will grab Ryu and explode using an Incendiary Shuriken.

See also

• Black Spider Ninja

References

The Black Spider Ninja Clan (Jigumo Ichizoku 地蜘蛛一族; Earth Spider Clan) is a defunct evil ninja clan of foot soldiers along with the Shadow Ninja Clan whom are longtime foes of the Hayabusa Ninja Clan known for their use of modern weaponry alongside traditional ninja weaponry. Though a powerful clan, they are second only to the Hayabusa Ninja Clan, a fact that, combined with their inability to surpass the clan, contributes to their hatred. Similar to their hated enemy, the Black Spider Clan's bloodline includes that of the Fiends.

They served as one of the antagonists throughout the Ninja Gaiden installments, being one of the main ones in Ninja Gaiden II, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2.

History

The Black Spider Ninja Clan were descended from both ancient human tribes and those of the Fiend bloodline and have came into conflict with the Hayabusa Ninja Clan and those of the Dragon Lineage. As a result, they harbor a deep hatred for the other but have always come up short in terms of capability compared to their bitter rival.

During the modern era, an elderly ninja assumed position as head of the Black Spider Clan. He sought to expand and globalize the Black Ninja Clan. From activities of smuggling to taking a weapon's factory to build the Daedalus, he succeeded in amassing vast resources to the clan despite some members feeling he wasn't "ninja material". During this period, much of the Black Spider Clan had internal problems with the philosophies undertaken by members and their swaying towards evil.

Plot

Ninja Gaiden Sigma

The Black Spider Clan was among the factions that also sought out the location of the Dark Dragon Blade in Tairon under the order of their master so that he could make tea out of it (although the original objective told was so that he could heal his aging body). Although prepared to fight the likes of the Dragon Lineage, they were unprepared for the formidable forces of both Vigoor Military and the Fiends that inhabited Tairon.

Between Sigma and Dragon Sword

At some point, the master of the Black Spider Ninja Clan died due to his old age. With no one around to oppose her at the moment, Obaba later became head of the Black Spider Clan.

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword

Allied with Ishtaros, the Black Spider Ninja Clan seeks out the Dark Dragonstones, the Eye of the Dragon, and the Dragon Sword to resurrect the Vigoor Emperor. Capturing Momiji in an attempt to gain the Eye of the Dragon, they learn that she fused the object into her soul, making it difficult to gather the Eye from her possession. Eventually, Obaba is killed during a conflict with Ryu Hayabusa and the Black Spider Clan along with the Fiends lead by Ishatos fail to ressurect the Vigoor Emperor, instead bringing forth the Dark Dragon whom is defeated by Ryu.

Between Dragon Sword and Sigma 2

After Obaba's death, Genshin took over as head of the Black Spider Clan and was approached by Elizébet. Despite the reluctance of the clan members, He hesitatingly entered into an alliance with hopes that the Black Spider Ninja Clan can finally prove their superiority over the Hayabusa Ninja Clan.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2

The Black Spider Ninja Clan are the main antagonistic force Ryu faces along his journey, having allied with the Fiends in their efforts to revive the Archfiend Vazdah. They kidnap C.I.A. agent Sonia to distract Ryu while their leader, Dark Ninja Overlord Genshin, leads an attack on the Hayabusa Village, dueling Jô Hayabusa to claim the Demon Statue for Elizébet to begin reviving Vazdah's Four Greater Fiends: Alexei, Volf, and Zedonius. Ryu battles the Fiends and numerous members of the Black Spider Ninjas across the world, taking the fight to their flying aircraft fortress, the Daedalus, where he duels Genshin a second time, their battle ending in a stalemate as the airship splits in two.

Ryu is not the only one fighting the Black Spider Clan during their efforts to revive the Archfiend. The shrine priestess, Momiji, confronts the Tengu Brothers to save the life of a young village boy they had kidnapped, while Ayane battles the Black Spider Ninja clan in her efforts to recover the Eye of the Dragon, stolen by the Black Spider ninjas and absorbed into the body of the witch Obaba. Both succeed in their respective missions, with Momiji chasing off the Tengu Brothers and Ayane striking down Obaba for the second time to reclaim the Eye of the Dragon, which she would pass on to Ryu later.

After Ryu has defeated the Four Greater Fiends, Genshin informs him of where the Archfiend is being reborn, inside Mount Fuji, and awaits Ryu's arrival at the peak. As Ryu races for the mountain, he battles several battalions of Black Spider ninja, receiving aid from the weapon smith Muramasa, before confronting Genshin a final time. The two duel, and Ryu defeats and kills Genshin with the True Dragon Sword. As Ryu heads inside the mountain, Elizébet revives Genshin and turns him into a Fiend.

Inside Mount Fuji, where the Underworld has merged with the living world, Ryu battles the revived Greater Fiends and corrupted undead Black Spider ninja before facing Genshin in his Fiend form deep in the bowels of the Underworld. Ryu defeats Genshin a final time, and freed from the curse, Genshin reveals he had joined with the Greater Fiends to forge a new future for his clan, something he knows Ryu can understand, and passes on to him his cursed sword, the Blade of the Archfiend. Ryu uses the sword in conjunction with his True Dragon Sword to defeat Elizébet once again, then strike down the infernal priest of Vazdah, Dagra Dai, and then defeats the Archfiend itself.

With his quest over, Ryu would impale the Blade of the Archfiend at the graveyard of weapons at Mount Fuji's base, in honor of his departed rival.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge

Due to Genshin's death, the leaderless Black Spider Clan either ally themselves with the LOA, or have their services bought by them, and participate in their attack on Paris, France, where Ayane and Irene Lew note their presence. When Ryu Hayabusa returns to his village seeking answers to the Grip of Murder curse afflicting his arm, he first stops at the weapons grave site at the base of Mount Fuji, where he takes up the fallen Genshin's Blade of the Archfiend to use in place of his lost Dragon Sword.

This action prompts the enraged Black Spider Clan ninjas to attack Ryu as he makes for his village, infuriated to see their fallen leader desecrated in such a fashion, unaware that Genshin had personally passed the sword onto Ryu before his death. Ryu defeats all the Black Spider Ninjas in-between him and his village, and after resting briefly, resumes to find his father, Jô Hayabusa at his private residence outside the village. Ryu is joined by his apprentice Momiji and the two kill more Black Spider Ninjas on their path, only for the bodies to resurrect again and again each time.

The culprit is quickly revealed to be Obaba, back from the dead once more, and now grown to titanic proportions, attempting to literally crush Ryu and Momiji in her hands in vengeance for the numerous defeats the Black Spider Clan had suffered at their hands. Ryu and Momiji work together to send Obaba back to the grave again, and the Black Spider Clan Ninjas aid LOA as they abscond with the Black Narwhal, fighting Ayane as she works to place a GPS tracker on the ship.

The Black Spider Clan ninjas defend the fleet of ships flanking the Black Narwhal on the seventh day, and join LOA's mercenaries as they aid The Goddess's attack on Japan. While Genshin is long dead, his spirit appears before Ryu in a dream and entrusts the soul of the Blade of the Archfiend to his rival, reawakening the blade's true power, giving Ryu a weapon that can stand against the Goddess and his stolen Dragon Sword. With the Goddess's defeat and LOA's plans ruined, the Black Spider Clan ends their partnership with the Lords of Alchemy.

Society

Throughout the modern area of the Black Spider Ninja Clan, members of the group are somewhat split into two general groups based on age. Older and aged members of the clan (such as Genshin and Koshimaru) uphold the traditional view in which that Black Spider Ninjas do not operate on a good/evil scale because those who commit "evil" are viewed as truly understanding to the horrors in the world. Some older members of the clan worry that the youth of the clan being easily impressed and arrogant will lead to their downfall if not addressed. Younger members, however, are more attracted to the path to evil. Elder Koshimaru claims that the youth of the Black Spider Ninja Clan do not grasp what makes a "true ninja" and are too easily amused by ninja techniques. He also claimed that due to the youth not grasping "true brutality", the path of evil seems "fashionable" to them. In response, the youth of the clan generally find the older members to be annoying.

However, even both sides can come to hold high reverence for specific members. Those who hold the title "Supreme Ninja Overlord" like Genshin are highly respected, many finding him respectable. The youth of the Black Spider Clan often hope to become as skilled as him.

Relationship to the Hayabusa Ninja Clan

The clan is well-known for their hatred for the ninja clan and would go to great lengths in an attempt to destroy the clan, resorting to dirty tactics and traps in order to spell the demise of the clan. Although hating the clan altogether, they have different views of specific members. Ironically, some members view the Hayabusa Ninja Clan as the bad guys, one member citing them to be the "big, bad" in their entry.

• Many clan members possess a hatred for Jô Hayabusa. Although they recognize his skill, his age makes some members believe he is quickly approaching irrelevancy in the world of ninja.
• Due to his young age, Ryu Hayabusa's status as a Master Ninja surprises many members of the clan, both older and younger. Journal entries show some members initially held a lower view of him but after proving himself to be extremely dangerous, many were eager to go into battle and hope to be the one to end Ryu's life.

Dark Sect

The Dark Sect of the Black Spider Ninja Clan are the group of ninjas that do the very bidding of the master of the Black Spider Clan, specializing in doing so usually with stealth. Those within the sect are referred to as "Shadow Ninjas" and are capable of transforming themselves into Fiend-like monsters. They are held in high regard to members of the Black Spider Ninja Clan. However, they also have a reputation in the clan for losing their minds during the frenzy of combat..

Ranking & Title

Similar to that of the Hayabusa Ninja Clan, the Black Spider Ninja Clan has special, unique titles befitting certain members of the clan. Some of them include:

• Master/Head: The Master or Head of the Black Spider Clan refers to the leader of the Black Spider Ninja Clan. None is known of the requirements befitting to becoming a Master/Head of the Ninja Clan.
• Supreme Ninja Overlord: A Supreme Ninja Overlord is an individual who is hailed as the strongest and most proficient ninja in the clan. The only known Supreme Ninja Overlord is the former head of the clan, Genshin. Those with this title are greatly respected among the clan.
• Class A Ninja: A Class A Ninja is a designation among the clan (whether friendly or enemy) that is the equivalent to a Master Ninja from the Hayabusa Ninja Clan.
• Shadow Ninja: A Shadow Ninja in the Black Spider Ninja Clan are individuals with the capability of transforming into a Fiend monster. Rasetsu was a known, former Shadow Ninja.
• Elder: Elders are the respected, older ninjas in the clan that act as mentors to younger Black Spider Ninjas.

Operatives

The Black Spider Clan´s ninja operatives have changed from game to game. On the first Xbox game (and it´s consequent upgrades), they were agile ninja in an all-black shozoku. They were first found in Tairon, where they were scouting the place looking for the Dark Dragon Blade (in higher difficulties, they appeared first in the Shadow Clan Ninja Fortress, but that can be considered apocryphal), and wielded normal katana and Incendiary Shurikens. They were trained to fight against fellow ninja, like Ryu, but they were extremely unprepared to face fiends and the Vigoorian military, since many of them died in the raid before facing the Dragon Ninja. It is also worthy of notice that they carried diaries as a common practice, since many could be found while scavenging the bodies of the deceased ninja, learning about their hardships and deaths. While loyal, many of these ninja questioned their motivations for their quest: searching for the Dark Dragon so their leader could make Tea out of it, asking themselves if so many lives and sacrifices were justified with such a inane objective.

In the second game, their attire changed to dark-green jumpsuits with spiderweb designs. They were also armed differently: while the katana was still their weapon of choice, many of the ninja preferred Talons, and fought with those.

One of the most recognizable action from the clan is that most of them (or all) have kamikaze action, to which they will grab Ryu and explode using an Incendiary Shuriken.

See also

• Black Spider Ninja