Shinobigami RPG

SHINOBIGAMI: GOD OF THE NINJA

Shinobigami is an original Japanese tabletop role-playing game published originally by Adventure Planning Service Inc., written by Touichirou Kawashima, and lavishly illustrated by Shie Nanahara (cover, interior illustrations) and Nagomi Ochiai (interior Nittoushin/”Chibi” art pieces). It was originally published in 2009, then revised and updated for a 2014 re-release.

The game is about goals, relationships, and power, in the backdrop of a modern day Japan in the midst of a secret ninja clan cold war. 3-5 competent shinobi characters aim to take control of an object of power, meanwhile they pursue unique hidden goals that may lead them to cooperate or compete with each other. Often there is an antagonist non-player character with monstrous goals that must be stopped (though even as they do so, the cooperation and competition between the shinobi continues). Forming relationships puts you at risk but also opens you up to learn more secrets and information. Everyone’s secret goal is unique and often puts the characters into conflict with some of the others, or perhaps drives them to protect or love others.