Arashikage

The Arashikage are a clan that features in G.I. Joe.

History

The Arashikage were a clan of ninja that operated in Japan. According to one account, they were founded many centuries ago by the Emperor of Japan to protect the Jewel of Amaterasu. The location of the relic was hidden within a kata with members of the Arashikage able to access it. For over a century, the Arashikage were noted to had fierce rivals in the Omikana clan until the leaders of the two sides called an alliance to stop the endless killing. However, their world changed forever when the Bakufu military class began destroying all the ninja clans across Japan with the Arashikage becoming farmers during this time. (G.I. Joe: Arashikage Showdown v1 #1) They were said to had been a minor group operating in a rural district that remained unnoticed until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. During this time, a modernised Japan required a secret service with a number of the ninja clans being recruited to form a clandestine espionage and covert action organisations. During the Russo-Japanese War, the Arashikage began to establish themselves as infiltrators and skilled fighters. They came to refuse the calls to join the other clans and instead kept themselves apart as well as separate with them not wanting to share their secret forms. After World War I, the Arashikage clan claimed to had retired from covert operations and instead opened a martial arts school. Despite this being the case, there were suspicions that the clan still remained active with them doing contract work for the government. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #247)

By the time of the Vietnam War, the size of the clan had dwindled yet it still remained powerful in Japan with its head being the Hard Master.

Years ago, the brother of the Soft Master and Hard Master namely the Middle Master went on a secret mission to Vladivostok. Whilst there, he was badly wounded and nearly crippled by an explosion from an ammunition dump. This resulted in him being imprisoned in a gulag in Siberia by the NKVD. Whilst in the prison, a strong Russian in-mate attempted to take some of the bread that the Middle Master had saved but the man was defeated. The large Russian then came to become an acolyte of the ninja master with other prisoners flocking to him where they were taught ninja techniques such as calisthenics with these being ignored by the guards who were confident that escape was impossible from the gulag. In time, the Middle Masters followers came to be a clan who were marked with the Arashikage tattoo. Twenty years later, the Middle Master had died but left behind a sub-clan of over fifty adherents. The gulag was eventually closed with the first Russian acolyte leading them to Moscow to continue their clan from a headquarters where they became the Russian branch of he Arashikage. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #170)

Doctor Mindbender came to use mind control techniques on the Black Dragon Ninjas to create a loyal cadre of warriors to serve the Cobra Commander in case the Arashikage clan ever turned against Cobra. Upon learning of this, Storm Shadow used the atsu nami technique to implant his own commands in them. Thus, the Black Dragon Ninjas outwardly appeared loyal to Cobra but were secretly under the command of Storm Shadow.

Overview

In appearance, the Arashikage were a centuries old and highly revered ninja clan that were famous for their martial arts techniques. The clan's symbol tended to be tattooed on a member's right forearm with it taking the form of the ba gua symbol for 'water' and 'fire', representing the 63rd hexagram of the I Ching. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #21)

The clan had a number of special techniques that included:

• Mind Set : a form of hypnotism that requires extreme concentration and focus. It was perhaps the most powerful and dangerous of the Arashikage secrets, granting a warrior unshakable resolve and tenacity. The Mind-Set will cause a warrior to ignore pain and fear, and has proven capable of casting off the effects of brainwashing.
• The Cloak of the Chameleon : Using extreme physical control, the Cloak of the Chameleon alters breathing and circulatory patterns, in order to perfectly mimic the sounds of another person.
• The Ear That Sees : a sense of hearing so acute that living creatures behind solid objects became tangible objects for the deadly arts. It was said that the only way to hone and test this power was by killing. It was said that the only way to counter this technique was by disguising the natural sounds one made in the course of breathing and moving. This led to one using the form of ‘Donning the Chameleon’s Mantle’. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #26)
• The Sleeping Phoenix : a technique that mimicked death whereby they exerted extreme physical control over involuntary bodily processes that could prove invaluable in fooling enemies and extending the chances of survival. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #47)
• The Blind Sword : a lesser sword fighting technique that allowed the practitioner to defend themselves in low-visibility conditions with this consisting of the warrior extending their sword and using its scabbard for touch to compensate for the loss of sight. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #27)
• The Way Of The Inner Anvil : the most well kept secret technique handed down from ninja to ninja through countless generations whereby one may still one's breath and heartbeat to the semblance of death itself. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #10)
• Form of the Caterpillar :
• Atsu Nami : a deep mind control technique capable of undoing brainwashing.

One technique was the Darkened Room with a particular form being the Blind Sword. This involved the sword being extended by the scabbard until it tapped the target. Touch was transmitted via the cord whereupon the scabbard dropped and the sword cut the target. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #26)

Arashikage legend spoke of a terrifying figure in history named Kirigun the red wizard who was a powerful undead ninja that could summon others to serve him. Tales of him were known to the clan with these being told to children as the Grave Master. It was used to terrify children of the clan and it was prophecised that the being would emerge over the centuries as part of the Deadgame where he would seek out his Sword of the Dead. (Snake Eyes: Deadgame v1 #1)

A great treasure of the clan was the Jewel of Amaterasu that was said to be able to allow the user to harness all the chi surrounding them. (G.I. Joe: Arashikage Showdown v1 #1)

One site that was linked to the clan was known as the Secret Mountain.

Members

• Hard Master : a bald-headed male head of the Arashikage who alongside his brother the Soft Master came to train Snake-Eyes in their martial arts techniques.
• Soft Master : an elderly man who once served as vice president in charge of finance for the clan. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #26)
• Young Master : the son of the Hard Master and Soft Masters deceased younger brother with Tommy serving as a junior partner but holding full voting rights in the clan. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #26)
• Silent Master : an American war veteran who joined the clan after Storm Shadow saved his life during the Vietnam War with him eventually taking the name Snake Eyes. He was Hard Master's most talented student and appointed heir of the clan leadership.
• Blind Master : a black male who became the wise and mysterious leader of the Arashikage clan who was said to see things that others could not. A tough master, he was skilled in multiple weapons that included the bladed shield, a flying aw and a legendary nine-ring sword. The Blind master was noted to had trained Snake-Eyes, Storm Shadow and Kim Arashikage.
• Middle Master : the brother of the Hard Master and Soft Master where he was known as Nakunatta by Storm Shadow which meant "to become nothing". He was on a mission in Russia where he was badly injured and he came to be imprisoned in a gulag where he attracted followers under him that became the Russian branch of the Arashikage. He died with his followers continuing his tradition from their clan headquarters in Moscow. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #170)
• Iron Master : a mystic swordsmith who came to be the mentor to Tiger Claw.
• Master Sato :
• Onihashi : mystic swordsmith who trained T'Jbang and Zartan and fathered the Vypra Twins. He committed a ritual suicide after finding out Zartan's true intentions.
• Kamakura :
• Kimi Arashikage :
• Obake Obaasan : a Japanese female member of the clan whose name translated to mean 'Granny Demon'. (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v1 #246)
• Ashiko : N. Kaeru was a male member who combined martial arts expertise with advanced motorbike skills where he served as a professional stunt rider and worked alongside the G.I. Joe Team.
• Ophelia :
• Junko Akita :

Notes

• The name was derived from the Japanese words for storm (嵐 arashi) and shadow (影 kage).

In other media

Television

• In G.I. Joe: Sigma 6, the Arashikage were referenced in the setting of the animated television series. It was said that they were based at the Arashikage Mountains where the clan of ninjas were noted to conduct duels based on the three elements of Steel, Air, and Water. The greatest technique of the clan was said to be the Kagami Triangle that combined all three elements whereby the participants combined their sword talents to transcend the elements themselves and strike the killing blow on their target.
• In G.I. Joe: Renegades, the house of the Arashikage appeared in the animated television series starting in the two-part episodes "Return of the Arashikage". They were shown as being a ninja clan led by the Hard Master who at times indulged in criminal acts. One day, Hard Master's daughter Jinx along with her older cousin Storm Shadow were out in the market when they were ambushed in a treacherous attack by Koga assassins with them being saved by a young boy. He took the wounded Storm Shadow back to his home where he was greeted by a grateful Hard Master who decided to induct the child into the family. Upon adopting the boy into the clan, they decided to give him a name which was Hebi no me ("Snake Eyes") due to him possessing the 'steely gaze of a serpent'. Whilst there, he trained in the arts of ninjutsu and became a skilled practitioner with Jinx deeply caring for him. This was until one day when Hard Master was fatally poisoned by tea offered to him whereupon Snake Eyes attempted to save his master through a tracheotomy. However, he was interrupted by Storm Shadow who believed that Snake Eyes had killed the master leading to him throwing stars which cut Snake Eyes throat making him mute. This led to Snake Eyes fleeing the Arashikage and taking Jinx with him to protect her leaving Storm Shadow the new master of the clan.

Films

• In G.I. Joe: Ninja Battles, the Arashikage appeared in the 2004 direct-to-video DVD film. The clan's war with the Red Ninja was explained by revealing the start of the rivalry between Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes that sparked the conflict. During their training were "Mizu" the Trial of Water, "Tsuchi" the Trial of Earth, "Kaze" the Trial of Wind and "Hi" the Trial of Fire. Among their enemies were the Red Ninja who were once their sword brothers. One of their leaders was the Iron Master who maintained the clan's forge and developed their weapons with him speaking of their history.
• In G.I. Joe: Resolute, the Arashikage appeared in the animated mini-series. It was said that among their clan that striking another Arashikage ninja meant a vendetta between the two individuals. The Seven Steps to the Sun were a technique known to the Araskikage and was what made their clan famous as it was taught by Storm Shadows uncle. The Sixth Step was a powerful blow capable of breaking a piece of log thrown at a practitioner of this move whilst the Seventh Step brought death to an enemy.
• In G.I. Joe: Retaliation, the Arashikage appeared in the setting of the live-action film. The Blind Master sends Snake Eyes and Jinx to apprehend Storm Shadow. Once Storm Shadow is apprehended, he tells the Blind Master that Zartan was the person who killed the Hard Master.
• In Snake Eyes, the Arashikage appeared in the setting of the 2021 live-action film. A sacred treasure of the clan was the Jewel of the Sun that was a gem that granted the bearer magical powers. The clan by the modern day was led by Sen who was the grandfather of Thomas Arashikage. Kenta Takamura was once in line to leadership of the Arashikage and headed a Yakuza gang. Akiko was a member of the Arashikage where she served as the head of security.

Toys

• In G.I. Joe: Sigma 6, the accompanying toyline introduced several Arashikage characters. A character that was never introduced in the series was the Dark Master who was a villainous Arashikage member imprisoned underneath the Arashikage Mountain where he discovered the Moon's Blood that was a Dark Ninja Mastera mystical stone of great power. With it, he was able to channel the energy of dead ninjas making him almost unstoppable. Seeking revenge, he had emerged from his subterranean prison to destroy all ninjas.

Appearances

• G.I. Joe:
• G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero:
• Snake Eyes: Deadgame v1: (2020)

External Link

• G.I. Joe Wiki Entry
• Comicvine Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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