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So there's a nifty Japanese RPG called Shinobigami that I received as a gift from my Japanese group. It's a game about ninjas in the modern age, doing crazy ninja stuff like battling. It's really awesome, and one of the most revolutionary games to have come out in Japan in recent years. Half the book is a replay and half is the rules section. I read through the book in a couple of weeks because I was totally hooked.

I threw together an English translation of the basic rules, so if anyone is interested, drop me a line. You'd probably need a copy of the book, though, especially since I don't want to encourage piracy of RPG books.

Anyway, are there any other Japanese TRPG games that people have interest in? I recently went on a binge and bought a LOT of them before I go home and I have a few more books that I want to translate soon, including Sword World 2.0 and Ryuutama. Oh yeah, Meikyu Kingdom, too.

MAID RPG is amazing. Seriously, no troll. Check it out. Luckily, an English version came out. Look for it on /rs/

The premise probably doesn't have universal appeal, but I'm really interested in trying Yuuyake Koyake. It's a "no fighting" RPG about a bunch of helpful youkai in rural Japan. Interestingly, it has what you might call an indie RPG feel, with a Nobilis-esque diceless resolution system and a heavy mechanical emphasis on building and maintaining relationships with NPCs and other PCs. I've got the core rulebook mostly translated to boot.

I've heard good things about Sword World 2 as well. It's sitting on my amazon list of things to buy, not least because the core books are so cheap.

I picked up Yuuyake Koyake and the first supplement, Mononoke Koyake. Yeah, it looks really interesting. I'm definately going to give it a shot when I get home. Maybe it's something my girlfriend would enjoy playing (she hates fighting). It's by the same guy who did the Maid RPG if I remember correctly.

Ryuutama is another one that's not focused on fighting, but rather exploration. The rules are somewhat simple for that one, too, and shouldn't take long to get into a workable translation. I think others have already started translating it.

So many games, so little time!!

I've been working on the ninpo/ninja magic, and thought I'd share a few of the ones I've translated.

There is a big list of generic ninpo that any ninja can take, but also a list of ninpo that is unique to that school, that no ninjas from other schools may learn. It really helps give a sense of individuality and flavor to each school. The best part, though, is that each ninpo is sort of a rough framework. For example:

Shagekisenkougeki (*) “Ranged Combat Attack”
Type: Attack Distance: 2 Cost: --
Skill: Any
Ranged Combat Attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 ranged combat damage to the target.
A normal ranged combat attack.

The skill for this ninpo is listed as any; you choose it when you write the ninpo on your character sheet. This means that you can use your imagination to come up with some crazy attacks that are completely within the bounds of the rules. Want to throw fireballs? Ok, how about you use the kakutou skill, which usually means hand to hand, but maybe in this attack, you throw a fireball like Ryu. Or how about an attack in which you snap your fingers and a machine in the area shoots screws at you. Use karakurijutsu. This is one of the basic attack ninpo available to everyone.

Banka “Savage Song”
Type: Support Distance: -- Cost: 2
Skill: Kotodamajutsu
You may use this instead of an attack when there are no other characters on the same Plot Number as you. On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may inflict the “Breakdown” status effect on any character in the battle.
A cursed word disabling your opponent’s ninja tools.

This support ninpo is another generic ninpo. Most of the support ninpo have pretedermined skills, though some give you an option. A lot of them let you change your Plot Number, add or subtract damage, or even break into a scene.

Kinin “MechaNinja”
Type: Equip Distance: -- Cost: --
Skill: --
You may now select any ninpo from any ninja school, even those outside of the Hasuba Ningun and it’s (subsidiary?) schools. (But not hiden ninpo or Enemy ninpo) However, those ninpo skills become Karakurijutsu and the cost is raised by 1 (if the cost is --, it becomes 1).
Mechanize a part of your body.

This is an equip ninpo. These stay active at all times. This Hasuba Ningun ninpo allows a ninja of the Hasuba Ningun school to take any ninpo from any school. This particular school specializes in science and using machines and tools, so it's a really flavorful and useful ninpo. The ninpo particular to each school tend to be pretty powerful, but even the generic equip ninpo seem pretty strong.