The Official Ninja Webpage: Real Ultimate Power is a

satire Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming ...

website A website (also written as a web site) is a collection of web pages and related content that is identified by a common domain name and published on at least one web server. Examples of notable websites are Google Search, Google, Facebook, Amaz ...

created in 2002 by the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

ous Robert Hamburger. Written using the persona of a 13-year-old boy, the site is a parody of adolescent fascination with

Ninja A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enem ...

s. Warren St. John, columnist for ''The New York Times'' described it as "a satirical ode to the masculine prowess of ninjas". In 2004, it was chosen by

Kensington Books Kensington Publishing Corp. is an American, New York-based publishing house founded in 1974 by Walter Zacharius (1923–2011)Grimes, William"Walter Zacharius, Romance Publisher, Dies at 87,"''New York Times'' (MARCH 7, 2011). and Roberta Bender ...

for their inaugural book release in the new fratire genre—non-fiction literature marketed to young men in a

politically incorrect ''Political correctness'' (adjectivally: ''politically correct''; commonly abbreviated ''PC'') is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in socie ...

and overtly

masculine Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some behaviors con ...

fashion. Due to the website's fan base, the ''Real Ultimate Power, The Official Ninja Book'' became a cult hit, selling 35,000 copies in two years.Warren St. John
"Dude, Here's My Book "
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', April 16, 2006, pt2 The success of the book prompted Kensington's release of other fratire books by

Tucker Max Tucker Max (born September 27, 1975) is an American author and public speaker. He chronicles his drinking and sexual encounters in the form of short stories on his website ''TuckerMax.com'', which has received millions of visitors since Max lau ...

and Maddox. The Real Ultimate Power concept developed an

internet meme An Internet meme, commonly known simply as a meme ( ), is an idea, behavior, style, or image that is spread via the Internet, often through social media platforms. What is considered a meme may vary across different communities on the Internet ...

with the creation of dozens of imitation parody websites.

Website

The Real Ultimate Power website is written under the pseudonym "Robert Hamburger," who was described in 2006 as a

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

writer in his 20s. The author has declined to be identified, stating that it would diminish the satirical concept of the fictional pre-adolescent boy. The homepage describes ninjas through three "facts": Number one, Ninjas are

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

s; Number two, Ninjas fight all the time; and Number three, the purpose of the ninja is to flip out and kill people. The three facts became an internet meme which spawned numerous imitation Real Ultimate Power websites dedicated, for example, to

Conan O'Brien Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known for having hosted late-night talk shows for almost 28 years, beginning with ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' (19 ...

, liquor store clerks, wizards, and sorority girls. Other content on the website includes "pump-up" movie scripts and short stories about ninjas. One frequent theme titled " Ninjas versus Pirates" is commonly referenced in video games and other mainstream media. There is a

photograph A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now create ...

gallery with fan-submitted images, links to other Ninja-related sites, and a forum. A popular feature is the Hate Mail section. For example, one letter disputed the site's claim to have seen a real ninja on the grounds that "there are less than 50 real ones left, and only 5 live in the US". Regarding the authenticity of the hate mail, the author said that some of the hate email is written by him, while others, such as the ones from an apparent real ninja signed Soke D. Fujita, were authentic.Carp, Alex
''The Art of Fighting: The Indy talks to Robert, webmaster of "The Official Ninja Webpage."''
The College Hill Independent,

Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...

, Spring 2003

Book

''Real Ultimate Power, The Official Ninja Book'' () was published on July 1, 2004, by

Citadel A citadel is the core fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of "city", meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. In ...

."Real Ultimate Power: The Official Ninja Book"
Book Review, '' Fortean Times'', November 2005 The book was rejected by 11 publishers before being chosen by Kensington Books, the parent company of Citadel. According to Nielsen BookScan, 35,000 copies were sold by 2006. In 2008 a sequel was released, titled '' Ghosts/Aliens''.

References

{{reflist

External links

* Al Creed
"The Real Ultimate Power"
OMG Internet!, TCR Comix, April 28, 2008 American comedy websites Internet memes Ninja parody Fratire books Internet properties established in 2002 Japan in non-Japanese culture

Website

Book

See also

References

External links