Shuriken

The shuriken (Japanese 手裏剣) is a Arme traditional Japanese woman of launching, who is used within the framework of the Shuriken-jutsu. This martial art formed integral part of the study of the Ninja.

Contrary to certain generally accepted ideas, this weapon relatively not very effective, and thus is used little, in direct combat. It was rather used in order to distract the adversary or in ambushes where the speed of attack is essential.

One could soak it in poison to increase the effectiveness by it.

The Kanji ken indicates in a generic way a blade, the shurikens can thus have several forms. There exist several types of Shurikens:

Bo Shuriken (棒手裏剣), which is in the shape of pens
Hira Shuriken (or Shaken or shaden, 車剣, or semba), which are in star form
of Shuriken in form of charts to launching

Use and techniques

The shuriken was used with four principal aims, not necessarily distinct:

to divert the attention;
to wound;
to kill;
like a tool.

To divert the attention

The shuriken is a flat and discrete tool, but out of metal. That had several advantages: once launched, it was almost invisible, but caused a noise of fall which can draw the attention one moment.

However, the most effective method to distract was to attack with the face: the enemy tried to avoid the shuriken, leaving with the launcher a short respite to flee or attack - it was not essential to aim well, the important one was not to touch the target but to weaken it as much as possible.

To wound or kill

To wound an adversary was more difficult. On the one hand it is necessary well to aim, on the other hand it should be known where to attack. Certain strategic points prevent the enemy running or from counteracting.

To kill an adversary with a launched shuriken was almost impossible, the majority of the inflicted wounds not being mortals. This use thus remained exceptional, except if the Ninja employed the shuriken with an aim of killing.

On the other hand, some shuriken are voluntarily coated poisons, generally resulting from plants. These blades, if they wounded the adversary, could also poison it and cause its death.

Let us note that the shurikens were not necessarily launched but could be used held in hand. They were thus more discrete than knives, but did not have their lengthening-piece.

A tool

The shuriken was a tool particularly adapted to do-it-yourself which the ninja can need: it could be used to notch wood, to cut cords, to scrape the ground, to gather plants Hallucinogène S which will be used with the combat, to clean its weapons or quite simply to cut food.

Defense against a shuriken

To defend oneself against the shurikens, the combatants had developed three techniques, which they could combine:

to move to avoid the shuriken;
to block it;
to catch it.

Displacement

Once launched, the shuriken follows a perfectly foreseeable trajectory - simple a Parabole. To avoid thus consisted in moving apart from this trajectory. The difficulty lay in necessary speed and the effectiveness.

Blocking

One could also interfere with the trajectory of the launched shuriken: a blow of saber could deviate it completely. Cords, books… all could be used, on the condition of being sufficiently fast.

Attrapage in flight

If, finally, the shuriken could not have been intercepted before, and if the combatant could not move, it could try to catch the shuriken with the vol. This technique, extremely dangerous, required, in addition to one perfect coordination, a good knowledge of the trajectory of a shuriken. These techniques are not taught any more in the schools of Ninjutsu because of this dangerous character - a student could lose the hand and same to die.

See too

Ninja
Tantō
Ninpō
the forum [[Okuden]]
To launch a shuriken

Practical parallel physics

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