enturies ago, the island of Honshu was, like the rest of its native Japan, in a continuous state of civil warfare. The corrupt rulers constantly harassed the villagers, subjecting them to unfair taxation and persecution. To outwit the evil rulers, the strongest of the people formed an underground resistance. It was called Ninjutsu. Its warriors, the ninjas, drew their strength from the earth. They would walk through fire, stand beneath freezing waterfalls, and hang over the edges of cliffs in an effort to overcome fear and assume the powers of nature. By mastering the arts of invisibility, hypnotism and weaponry, the ninjas would defeat their most lethal opponents.

It was during this time that the four grandmasters of Ninja emerged. These four great warriors emulated the energy and spirit of nature's greatest forces. Their mastery of stealth and sorcery earned them the name THE SHADOW NINJAS. SHADOW PHOENIX, Messenger of Fire, scouts evil adversaries and delivers them warnings of doom with his fiery nunchucks. The sheer brute force and skill of the sword of SHADOW DRAGON, Relentless Force, assure the fierce and formidable anger always known by the evil opponents who face him. SHADOW PANTHER, Master of Patience, lies waiting for careless evil adversaries to expose their weaknesses, and then he pounces on them with his ninja claw when least expected. Moving easily through the darkness of night, SHADOW BAT, Stealth Fighter, strikes unwary evil opponents with his dagger swiftly, clearly, and without mercy. Embodying the strengths and virtues of all that is fair and good, the Shadow Ninjas use the laws of nature to defeat evil.

So to all who are of the dark, the Shadow Ninjas send out a warning:

YOU CAN'T OUTRUN YOUR SHADOW.