Side Story

The title Ninja Gaiden is the western given name to the original Japanese name Ryukenden. Ninja Gaiden, "Gaiden" a Japanese word which stands for Side Story was given to the Western name for some unknown reason. Other title for Ryukenden was also known as Shadow Warriors. The name Ryukenden which is solely based on a ninja called Ryu hence the title Ryu and Kenden which has no meaning.

Ryukenden for Jap and Ninja Gaiden for US.

Classic Ninja Gaiden was all about Ryu; or even saying the original name Ryukenden is still all about Ryu. Though Team NINJA bought out Hayabusa as a fighter in DOA 1, it was done for a reason. Soon later we learned later that their Project Progressive was Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox 1. It was a retelling of the Classic Ninja Gaiden. Bare in mind, Ninja Gaiden stands for side story. So how come this game still attained the Western name Ninja Gaiden as the official title? Why didn't it retain it's original Japanese name Ryukenden for Eastern Ninja Gaiden revamp?

Why was Hayabusa included in DOA in the first place? since Hayabusa is in DOA, it makes him PART of DOA's universe! Therefore Ryu's main game is actually Dead or Alive and not Ninja Gaiden, however his own spin off is Ninja Gaiden which is his side story. Since the word Gaiden means Side Story!

Talking more about the name Gaiden which was all about Ryu in Classic Ninja Gaiden. When ever people refer to Ryukenden, it is always hinted at Classic Ninja Gaiden. Even his unlockable blue costume is called Ryukenden.
Ryukenden costume

Now that NG is a remake of the classic and Ryu is tied to DOA world, thus connected to all Ninjustu fighters, Ninja Gaiden shouldn't be is own game anymore.
Ryu Hayabusa has a lot in common and relation with the other Ninja characters in DOA; to make things more complex, why was Ayane added to Ninja Gaiden 1?

How many ninjas are there in DOA? there are total of 4 ninjas including Ryu, Ayane, Kasumi and Hayate.
The title Ninja Gaiden, (Ryukenden is NO MORE!) stands for Ninja Side Story and it is now refers to has 21st Century retelling of Ryukenden. But whose side story is it for revamp NG? It can't be Ryu's side story because he doesn't have his name to the title, it's called Ninja Gaiden. If Ayane can be added to Ninja Gaiden, why can't all 4 ninjas from DOA appear in NG?

Just because the title states "Ninja" doesn't mean 1 person, the title Ninja could be cumulative of all ninjas in DOA bound as 1. So Ninja Gaiden can be the story of all the Ninjas from DOA, thus starting Ryu as the main character. If we have Ninja Gaiden which is a side story of Ryu, what should Hayate's side story be called then?

What's wrong with all Ninjas appearing in NG3? They all share something in common in DOA- which is being a Ninja!
Remember Resident Evil Gaiden/Side Story, Gundam Gaiden, Hokuto No Ken, Roah Gaiden.
Basically Side Story tells a story of what happened before the main event of a story. In this situation we can now say Ninja Gaiden tells a story of what happened to Ryu, Ayane, Kasumi and Hayate before they joined DOA 1 Tournament. We still don't know how a softy like Kasumi ended up loving a killing machine like Ryu Hayabusa. We don't know why Hayate and Ryu are rivals.

So my point is all the ninjas and kuniochis from DOA should all star in Ninja Gaiden. Ninja Gaiden is not Ryu's game alone!
Ninja Gaiden is a name, doesn't contain Ryu's name or clan in the title Ninja Gaiden. Ninja Gaiden is a side story. Whose side story is it? Title doesn't say, it just says Ninja Side Story! So it could be ANYONE of DOA's Ninjas.
Ninja Gaiden 3 can even star Hayate.


So now that you understand that New Ninja Gaiden isn't all about Ryu alone, so I'm asking this question:
 should all ninja characters from DOA star in Ninja Gaiden 3?



UPDATE

Hayashi recently confirmed that Ninja Gaiden (3) will not feature any DOA characters or have any cameos!
This is a good news and also a bad news. I'll start with the bad news first- Ninja Gaiden (3) will not be like Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 with Team Mission online play...this is probably speculation as we may still have Team Missions and can select from Ninja Gaiden universe characters. And also eliminating the use of seeing a DOA character interact with Ryu (Kasumi most asked for).

Now the good news is that Ninja Gaiden name will stay official and to be Ryu Hayabusa's main game, making Ryu Hayabusa fighting in DOA universe just a side story. Much like how Yoshimistu fights along all Tekken characters in every Tekken games or best like every Soul Calibur games or better like every Namco games.

Further to add to the good statement above; it would give Ninja Gaiden remake an opportunity to build up on its universe (story bible). With this we might see Ninja Gaiden characters cameo in Dynasty Warriors games.


So overall this is a good news and also saves the `Ninja Gaiden` name title.

2 comments:

  1. xD
    remember!
    the first Ninja Gaiden was made before DOA series then Ninja Gaiden is the story of ryu

    Itagaki decided introduce ryu in DOA but it was a lot of time before.

    but i share my wishes with you ( would be great play with other characters in Ninja Gaiden 3 (KASUMI PLEASE!! XD)

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  2. my point is the name, name was originally called Ryukenden in Japanese and Ninja Gaiden in Eastern, Gaiden in Japanese means Side Story. Back before it was a Side Story of Ryu Hayabusa.

    Now Team NINJA revived the Ninja Gaiden franchise and revamped it, everything has changed, the new Ninja Gaiden is now the modern day NInja Gaiden. But if they planed on reviving Ninja Gaiden, why didn't the Japanese version keep it's original name Ryukenden? Therefore Ryukenden is no more and it's only to be known as the Classic Ninja Gaiden, hence the name of the Classic blue costume which is called Ryukenden.

    Now that the modern day Ninja Gaiden is known to be NINJA GAIDEN, it shares a connection to DOA, Ayane already being in this game doesn't make Ninja Gaiden only Ryu's story alone. If Ayane was in Ninja Gaiden as a cameo, then that's fine but taking a big part in Ninja Gaiden should mean Ninja Gaiden isn't all about Ryu.

    All 4 ninjas share connection togethers in DOA world, they might as well be in Ninja Gaiden since NG isn't just Ryu's game alone.

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