Originated in 1987 as a groundbreaking arcade title and became one of Sega's flagship franchises alongside Sonic and Alex Kidd Protagonist Joe Musashi among the most iconic ninja characters in gaming, with a legacy spanning nearly four decades Shinobi: Art of Vengeance (2025) revived by acclaimed developers Lizardcube, creators of Streets of Rage 4, with hand-drawn 2D animation Universal Pictures movie in development with director Sam Hargrave (Extraction), expanding reach across film and licensed merchandise Series games celebrated for exceptional art direction, music composition, and challenging gameplay mechanics that influenced action game design Five million copies sold across fifteen titles and ports, demonstrating sustained fanbase and multi-platform appeal since 1987