Maybe they aren't (or weren't) feudal style-ninjas. Maybe they were just another assassin type organization that dressed as ninja and referenced themselves as such. That's all I can think of, but whatever. Although it IS just a video game, so I wouldn't think too far into it.

^true. Just hit me today when I was doing story mode, and I was thinking about MK legacy before hand.

By staying hidden and keeping themselves secret. It's pretty fuckin' easy. Have you ever seen the movie Ninja Assassin? If not, go do so.

Is Ninja Assassin worth a DVD purchase, then?

I liked it, but I don't know if I liked it enough to own it and watch it all the time. Two or three was enough for me and it's been on HBO a lot lately.
I recommend it so often mainly as an example of how exactly ninjas in fiction work, which people somehow seem to be confused by lately.

I ask mostly because I don't have cable service right now and don't know when exactly I will. Unless it's completely uncensored on youtube...

One who has access to amazing electronic network of the world wide innertubes could always hoist the jolly roger high, sir.

Never leave the innertubes, good sir.

Back on topic we go please.

This is on-topic, the movie Ninja Assassin features a perfect example of a secretive ninja clan that fights with ancient feudal Japan weapons and traditions managing to exist hidden and functional in the modern world.

There's also the League of Shadows in Batman Begins.

Mr. Masaaki Hatsumi would like to have some words with you.


They did not. As with every secretive social sect in the sociosphere they were integrated or dispersed during the Meiji Restoration period which saw the rise of modern Japan.

Currently the surviving -somewhat- institutionalized ninja is Togakure-ryu ninpo school led by aforementioned gentleman and doctor.

These societies would not and did not survive dictatorial regimes as one of the principles of said system is the elimination of subversion to gain total control of the state. Mind you, they were nowhere near Mussolini, Franco, Hitler or Stalin.

The problem lies with the concept of staying hidden: originally ninja villages were not secluded because of widespread persecution (which was present) but because of the remote location necessary to practice buddhism (promotes seclusion) opposed to shintoism. The origins of ninpo ironically do lie somewhat in china and chan/zen buddhism.

Ninjas would NOT seclude themselves from society, since SOCIETY was the thing that provided them with the opportunity to sell their services, but also society provided AMPLE COVER to disguise and blend-in, something a hidden village is incapable of doing once word gets out - which is inevitable as no such village would be self-sustaining especially in Japan where resources, especially fertile farmland were scarce.

With pre-industrial and industrial Japan seclusion is impossible. Not just improbable, impossible. The romantic notion that they would find a secluded self-sustaining piece of Lost World is impossible. Ninjas need society, need resources, need connections and need to keep an eye on society. Modern 19th century Japans ninpo survived by blending into the social system the same way as China and her martial arts did.

So, basically the were emergent coalitions of individuals, a decentralized web. Even if they would call on it like a secluded shaolin monastery it would be called out on immediate bullshit, as the monastery, the shaolin cloyster itself is HEAVILY BASED ON SOCIAL FUNDING and INTERACTION.

But if you really want to go with the G. I. Joe simplicity of the original world, sure: infact, a MK-verse logical explanation would be that the Lin Kuei headquarters exists apart Earth like Shang Tsung's island fortress and the Lost Sea.


IDEAS:

My iteration would be that the shirai-ryu would be a yakuza-like system of a third party coalition of Japanese assassins. Not a clan, but an elite sphere of people whom the yakuza, the triads turn to for delicate solutions. High class executioneers, Scoprion could be a traditionalist ninjutsu expert with a lineage that for example traces a grudge for generations over with the Lin Kuei Sub-Zero's.

The Lin Kuei could be a small sect, or a cabal practicing magic, mysticism and -hell- give a reason for the Quan Chi fuckery, originally trained as an organization to kill sorcerers (hence Quan ensuring that both the best of either side kills itself and becomes handpuppets for him. Kill the only one capable martial artist that poses a threat- Scorpion, and the specialist that is explicitly able to kill him: Subs. I dunno, Quan could have an old grudge, or more characteristically the benefit of sorcerers overall)

Let's mindfuck canon a bit more: Bi Han's wealthy benefactors from MK1 would be the White Lotus who would want to ensure the absolute demise of Tsung either by having him Kang'ed or eliminatetd by outside party help, same way Shang bent the tournament rules. Pay evil unto evil perhaps.

And the Lin Kuiei could have abducted cryomancers and created their own lineage of sorcerer killing freezers.

So either way they are hidden both logically to our and the MK verse's logic. An untracebale coalition in the social web, and a magical sect. Which could rely on more mainstream clans etc. (Black Dragon, Red Dragon) to assemble separately the puzzles for the Cyber Initiative. Then they would provide the absolute best half-human assassins as chunky salsa for the best of two worlds.

Scorpion obviously. If you looked at this spoiler, you cant possibly be an MK Badass. Or option 2, you just felt like looking at the spoiler because they are extra coll highlighty thingies.

Maybe there kinda like the Amish.

On four separate occasions I've tried watching Ninja Assassins and I can never finish it due to being how bad it is.

anyways,

Well, I think they stay hidden due to their magic powers, if you've played Mythologies, you see strange locals like the earth, wind, and fire levels. And you have to ask yourself, there is no way these places would hold together by themselves, naturaly.
I mean you have floating platforms, portals, and secret temples. etc

Simple mortals wouldn't be able to find them.

I loved Ninja Assassin They could've lived in secrecy

Shang Tsung's island exists outside of Earthrealm? Well, if so, then I guess there's an explanation. I guess that goes for the Shirai Ryu too? I mean, they all look like they came from a Kurosawa movie.

The explanations about the Shirai Ryu being a yakuza-like group are cool and all, but then again, in Quan Chi's little vision thing that he shows Scorpion in MK9, (which supposedly happened 2 years before MK1, AKA the modern day), it shows the Shirai Ryu village and everyone in it looking like they came straight from a Kurosawa movie. Outside of festivals, otaku-heavy areas like anime cons or Akihabara, and the Iga Ninja Museum, I highly doubt anyone in Japan actually looks like that anymore.

Hm...maybe the Shirai Ryu were very good cosplayers from Akihabara who work at the Iga Ninja Museum, AND were having a festival at the time!