Lurking in the shadows is a mysterious figure. He conceals himself behind a giant kite, a flipped tatami mat, or a sliding door. Only his eyes are visible from beneath his dark robes. Yes, it’s a tiny ninja, and with a distinctly modern purpose: to protect your smartphone from would-be assailants!
There are three different warriors to choose from, each using a different ninja art to fend off attacks:
1) Giant kite
Legend has it that ninja used colossal kites, larger than a man, to leap into the sky and evade their enemies. Here, your smartphone acts as a counter-weight, stopping clan leader Fuma Kotarou from being swept away on the wind. The kite’s motif is the kanji character 忍 (nin) from the word ninja, too, which is a pretty sweet touch.
▼ Just don’t drop my phone when you’re gliding about on that kite, ok?
2) Flipping the tatami
This famous ninja move, called tatamigaeshi in Japanese, involves flipping a floor mat up at lightning speed to deflect incoming missiles. Crouching behind the tatami mat (and your smartphone) is Sarutobi Sasuke, ready to slash anyone who lays a greasy finger on your touchscreen.
▼ Sasuke is a fictional character, anyway, making this a perfect likeness of him!
3) Blowgun
Peering out from behind a sliding door is our most lethal assailant: touting a Japanese blowgun, it’s Hattori Hanzou. Just don’t turn your back on him, or you might end up with a dart in an uncomfortable place.
▼ Hanzou crouches behind what appears to be a giant bar of dark chocolate.
Your new ninja friends are available for 2,000 yen (US$20), and can assist you with any kind of smartphone or small tablet:
However, seeing as the art of ninja warfare hasn’t developed much since the 17th century, it’s unlikely these little guys will be able to do much to protect you from phishing scams or phone hacking. You’ll have to rely on your own ninja skills for that.
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