Ninpo (忍法, ninpō, lit. "ninja arts") in the Dead or Alive series, as well as Ninja Gaiden series are offensive and defensive magic spells and techniques used by shinobi. One of the most destructive forms of attack that shinobi have at their disposal, the techniques for using ninpo are written on ancient scrolls and are powered by the shinobi's ki energy.
Ninpo Techniques in Dead or Alive[]
Named Abilities[]
(裂空陣風殺, Rekkū Jinpū Satsu, lit. "Deadly Wind Formation Sky Tear") A deadly technique that allows the user to generate a large lightning-like blast of energy from their hands and shoot it toward their target. The color of the energy summoned differs from person to person: Hayate summons white energy, Raidou red, and Kasumi pink.
(忍法･覇神震山, Ninpō: Hajin Shinzan; lit. "Ninja Arts: Divine Conqueror Mountain Shaker") A very powerful and mortal technique that allows the user to draw in energy from the surrounding area and expel it in a large blast of energy around themselves.
- Gessen Goryu Ha
(月旋轟龍波, Gessen Goryū Ha, lit. "Moon Rotating Roaring Dragon Wave") Similar to the Torn Sky Blast, it is an energy attack used by Ryu Hayabusa, which originally started out as a powerful ki powered strike in Ninja Gaiden and was elevated into a ninpo attack. In Dead or Alive: Dimensions, he tried to use it against Hayate but missed (thanks to Ayane) and used it to take down DOATEC airships. In Dead or Alive 5, Alpha-152 in its completed form, switched its physical form to match Hayabusa's and fired this in an attempt to kill Hayate and Ayane, but Hayabusa countered it with his own blast, destroying the MIST laboratory they were in.
Ayane teleporting in Dead or Alive 4.
- Teleportation
Teleportation abilities used by some of the shinobi allow the user to leave one place and arrive at another without the need of walking, usually used for traveling long distances or for a quick escape from danger. Actions performed for teleporting differ from person to person: Kasumi spins around until she appears or disappears within a whirlwind of sakura petals; Hayate teleports in a flash of light (although, in Dead or Alive 4, the flash had leaves and in Dimensions, it was white feathers); Hayabusa teleports in a short whirlwind, normally with green leaves dancing around him; Alpha-152 disappears in a flash of blue-green light.
Ayane also possessed the ability to teleport in the first Dead or Alive in a flurry of light blue stars. However, for the rest of the series until Dead or Alive 4 , she does not teleport. In Dead or Alive 4 and Dimensions small purple butterflies appear when Ayane teleports. In Dead or Alive 5, the butterflies are replaced with iris petals.
- Art of Substitution
In Dimensions, Hayabusa managed to create a perfect copy of himself with a small log. This copy was good enough to fight against Hayate but was defeated. After being defeated, it turned back to its normal form, much to Hayate's surprise.
Unnamed Abilities[]
Other ninpo abilities include:
- An energy blast attack that requires the user to mutter a long spell in Japanese, and use both of their arms to aim the energy. Ayane tried using this spell against Kasumi during the second tournament. Ayane also used it against Genra with the aid of Hayate, which doubled the power of the spell to a deadly force.
- Kasumi’s singular "hand-blast ability" (as seen in Dead or Alive 3), which was used to fight back assassins.
- A spell Hayate used on a bow and arrow to destroy a DOATEC airship (in Dead or Alive 4).
- A spell Hayate uses to sense for people around him, even those who are hiding (as seen in Dead or Alive: Dimensions).
- An ability to leap or jump very high. In Kasumi's story mode in Dead or Alive 4, Ayane jumps a long distance from cliffs to a wooden bridge. In Hayate's ending in the same game, he leaps very high between moving cars.
- In Dead or Alive 5, Hayate and Ayane can enhance their speed to run much faster than anyone else.
- Genra possesses an ability to change the environment of wherever he is located.
See Also[]
Ninpo used in Ninja Gaiden.