SPAR #3: Pirates vs. Ninjas

Ninjas are better than pirates.

Throughout the history of classical piracy, it has always been the domain of males. The few female pirates that we know existed spent their careers disguised as men. By contrast, Kunoichi, the female ninja, was a recognized and equally lethal counterpart to the male ninja.
The inclusion of the female half of the population, both in historic participation and in modern storytelling makes ninjas better.

Okinawa. (2011, July 27). Kunoichi: Japan's Female Ninjas. [Online Guidebook]. Retrieved January 30, 2012, from Japan Guidebook website: http://www.japanguidebook.com/articles/kunoichi-88.html

Vallar, C. (2004, March). Women and the Jolly Roger. [Website]. Retrieved January 30, 2012, from Pirates and Privateers website: http://www.cindyvallar.com/womenpirates.html

Pirates are better than ninjas.

Pirates have a varied and colorful costume. Bright colors, shirtless guys, tattoos, jewelry, stripes! Those are just a few of the pirate’s visual assets, and doesn’t even go into the broader setting: sailing ships, tropical islands, parrots, cannon fights, and so on.

On the other hand, ninjas (at least fictionally) are dressed in black, and that’s it. Historical ninjas dressed like regular Japanese citizens, probably nothing too exciting so as not to draw attention to themselves.

When comparing the appearance of ninjas to that of pirates, the pirate stands out as sexier, more interesting and visually unique.