is a Japanese television series that aired on TV Asahi and its affiliates from January 24, 1988, to January 22, 1989, lasting 50 episodes. It was the seventh installment in Toei's Metal Hero Series franchise of live-action superhero shows and the last of the Showa era. The series centers around a young ninja master named Toha Yamaji, who must face numerous ninja masters from different parts of the world by donning a special armor to become his alter-ego Jiraiya.
The English title given by Toei's international sales department is Ninja Olympiad, a reference to the Seoul Olympics and the Calgary Olympics that was held at the time the series was airing.
Story Tetsuzan Yamaji is the 34th grandmaster of the Togakure Ryū Ninpō, sworn to guard a stone tablet detailing the location of an artifact of untold power called the Pako which came to Earth. But a fallen disciple of Togakure Ryū Ninpō named Dokusai stole one-half of the tablet years prior and established the Sorcerers Clan to steal the rest. Besides his daughter Kei and her younger brother Manabu, Tetsuzan entrusts their clan's sacred duty to make friends with Toha while bestowing the Jiraiya Suit that has been in their family for generations. As Jiraiya, Toha faces the Sorcerers Clan along with numerous ninjas gathering from around the world to acquire the Pako for their own agendas.
Characters
Yamaji Family
The are the main characters of the series, descendants of , an ancient ninja order whose duty is to protect the Inscription, a piece of stone that points the location of Pako, a capsule that fell from space somewhere in Japan over 300 B.C., said to be the most valuable treasure in the world. /: The protagonist. The 19-year-old (46 years old in Ninninger) adoptive son of Tetsuzan Yamaji. He has been given the task of protecting the Yamaji's half of the clay tablet showing the location of the Secret Treasure Pako. To become Jiraiya, he wears the Jiraiya Suit and wields the deadly to defeat evildoers. He later gains the ability to upgrade his Jiraiya Suit by equipping over it the Jiraiya Power Protector. He works several part-time jobs to support his family. Toha is actually a descendant of the alien that brought the Pako to Earth 2300 years before the start of the series. He was adopted by Tetsuzan when he was an infant after his true parents,Episode37 and , were killed. Decades after the Sorcerers Clan's fall, Toha makes a guest appearance in episode 34 of Shuriken Sentai Ninninger. He later appoints a successor, , who inherits his suit and appears in Uchu Sentai Kyuranger vs. Space Squad. /: Tetsuzan's daughter, a 16-year-old high school freshman. She often teases her adoptive brother Toha, leaving most of the housework and chores to him, but cares deeply about him. When she dresses as Emiha to assist Jiraiya, she wears a white ninja armor similar to Jiraiya's. Her special technique, the , allows her to put enemies to sleep with a rain of white cherry blossoms. Her other technique, the , allows her to create face masks of other people to disguise herself. : Tetsuzan's young son, a 9-years-old third grade student. He becomes dissatisfied with himself after feeling that his older siblings and father treat him as being only half-capable as they are. He eventually creates a homemade battle armor as he becomes more involved in the war against the Sorcerers Clan, wielding a slingshot with steel marbles as his main arsenal. He is also a talented artist when it comes to drawing portraits. Manabu makes a guest appearance in episode 31 of Kidou Keiji Jiban. : The 34th Grandmaster of the Togakure-ryū Ninpō school. The adoptive father of Toha and biological father to Kei and Manabu. His wife was the daughter of Tetsuzan's master, but she was killed during a crossfire between Tetsuzan and the Sorcerers Clan eight years prior to the start of the series (when Manabu was an infant). He opened the ninpo dojo at his own apartment complex, but has received very few students outside his own children. He raises Bonsai trees at his spare time and owns two pets: , a carrier pigeon; and , a ninja-trained canine. One of his most notable characteristics is his great knowledge of the World Ninjas.
International Secret Police The Yamaji Family are assisted by a pair of secret agents from the , who are assigned to apprehend various criminals from around the world.
/ - A mysterious kunoichi descended from the Shadow Yagyu clan. She holds a secret power which she releases when her pupils glow green and uses a ninjato. Like Toha, she is descended from the alien that brought Pako to Earth, thus she is the only person whose blood type is compatible with Toha's. In Episode 11 she overuses her power and suffers a memory loss as a result, but she eventually recovered when was almost being killed by Dokusai, in the episode 24. / - A young spear-wielding ninja who works together with Rei. He was played by Issei Hirota, who previously played Akira/Blue Mask in Hikari Sentai Maskman. In the end of the episode 24, the narrator says that Ryu Asuka has accepted a mission and would left Japan for a short time, even though he will never more be seen in the show.
Allies : A British ninja descended from a Crusader who is a devout Christian, dressed like a knight in a golden helmet who rides a white horse named . He wields a broadsword called the , as well as crucifix-shaped shurikens. While he sought the Pako in memory of those who died for their faith, he becomes Jiraiya's ally. : A mohawk and black mask-donning Turkish ninja who is a devout Muslim with a preference of sleeping outdoors due to his loud snoring, tasked with the protection of the Green Flame, a precious emerald from the Topkapi Palace. Wields a large knife and sword, as well as a Kusari-fundo. In Episode 3, he is tricked into fighting Jiraiya by the Sorcerers Clan, but reconciles with him by the end of the episode. In Episode 15, he inadvertently releases Manin Sylvia from her prison and returns to Japan to seek Jiraiya's assistance. : A wandering ninja who collects valuable swords, his mastery of various sword fighting skills and ninjutsu making himfeared by even Dokusai himself. He wields lizard-shaped throwing stars and bombs, as well as a hand cannon, while having the ability to transform into a large lizard. In Episode 5, he attempts to challenge Jiraiya for the Optical-magnetized Light Vacuum Sword, but fails. He becomes Jiraiya's ally and in Episode 31, he discovers the Nobutora, a sword that belonged to Shingen Takeda, that was stolen from a museum in Paris, but is forced to return it to authorities. In Episode 41, he becomes possessed when he wields the Dark Sword that originally belonged to Demost. : An American ninja who specializes in explosives and gunpowder. Wields a rocket launcher, which he usually carries on his back and wields a dagger for close-combat. However, he is not adept at close-quarters combat. A Vietnam War veteran, he decided to flee from the conflict after he encountered a young girl named whose parents were killed. He faked his death and adopted Tao as his own daughter. In Episode 14, he goes to Japan for the first time in order to clear his name after the Sorcerers Clan framed for a bombing and kidnapping he didn't commit. In Episode 44, he is forced to fight Jiraiya against his will when Tao is kidnapped by the Sorcerers Clan. After Tao is rescued, he returns alongside Mafuuba and Wild in order to assist Jiraiya in the final battle against the Sorcerers. His ninja mask is a conical hood resembling a rocket. : An American ninja from the West descended from Billy the Kid. He works as a bounty hunter and calls himself the "Ninja Sheriff from Lincoln's Union Army". His ninja outfit is made of blue denim. Wields a Magnum revolver along with a knife. In Episode 20, he hunts down Jiraiya in order to collect the bounty offered by the Sorcerers Clan, but joins forces with Jiraiya in the end when the Sorcerers betrays him. Afterward, he begins working for a public entertaining company in order to collect money to pay for his trip back to America and ends up challenging Jiraiya again in Episode 33 to duel. From that point onward, he becomes one of Jiraiya's recurring ally in the battle again the Sorcerers Clan. : A member of the Holy Ninja Clan, a religious clan that inhabit the desert lands. Wields a large katana and a knife. He has several Ninpo skills such as creating a Sand Blizzard that seals his enemies' weapons in sand, throwing stars that feeds from certain energy sources, the ability to levitate giant objects, and so on. The red stone on his head is the source of his powers. He is ignorant of modern society due to his upbringing. In Episode 21, he is tricked by the Sorcerers Clan into blackmailing the Governor of Tokyo and stealing all of the gasoline in Tokyo, but he is taught the errors of his way by Jiraiya and becomes his ally. In Episode 47, he is brainwashed by Madam Spider into destroying Jiraishin, but he comes to his senses before he could accomplish such a task. : A fortune-telling half-Japanese female ninja from Canada who seeks to help her poor hometown. She can shoot a Diamond Shower from her chest. Demost uses her good intentions against her by forcing her to lead Jiraiya to a trap, but ended up saving him instead by giving up her own life. : A ninja who can manipulate paper, he is employed by his own clan to hunt down deserters. He first appears in Episode 12, where he is assigned to hunt down a deserter named . However, he is reluctant to finish job, having had a romantic relationship in the past with Mimura's daughter . After Mimura is killed, Oruha abandons the clan to elope with Kasumi. He retires and moves to Yamanakako with Kasumi, but is brought back into action in Episode 26 after becoming involved in a plot by the Sorcerers Clan. He has ability to create paper doll minions and uses dismantled scissors as throwing knives. In Episode 45, he and Kasumi are both killed by his former clan leader, but they are both brought back to life by the powers of Jiraishin. : A female ninja apprentice from the Flower Ninja Clan, a clan from Lake Hamana which branched off from the Togakure school. She was raised by the clan's leader as his own after being abandoned by her birth parents when she was an infant. She was given the task of preventing the cursed armor of the Devil King from falling into the wrong hands. She has the ability to use falling flower petals as weapons, as well as the small branches from cherry blossom trees. She is assisted by Jiraiya in Episodes 17 and 18, and returns in Episode 32 to team up with Emiha and Reiha. : After the Special Ninja Team was defeated, the Sorcerers Clan revived Kaze by turning him into a cyborg ninja. Mafuuba has all abilities from his deceased Special Ninja Team comrades in addition to his own, while fully overcoming his phobia of strong winds. He wields a pistol and sword cane and rides an enhanced motorcycle known as the , which rivals the performance rate of Jiraiya's Black Saber. Although an enemy of Jiraiya at first, he was unable to tolerate the injustices committed by the Sorcerers and departed from the group to become Jiraiya's ally. The name "Mafūba" translates "Destroying Wind Horse". : A comical fortune teller who gets himself involved with the activities of Toha and co. Although he was trained to become a ninja, he gave up and ran away from his master's place. Has a one-sided crush on Mei.