In Japan, 300 years ago, there were two secret societies of people who called themselves ninja. One group was called Iga the other Koga. They were professional spies and assassins, experts in acrobatics, swordsmanship, judo, karate and hypnotism. In the 1960s, an 18th century samurai named Shintaro appeared on Australian television screens. With TV in Australia barely ten years old, The Samurai became a surprise hit - thousands of Australian kids tuned in each weekday afternoon at 3:30 to catch Shintaro and his ninja friend Tonbei battle rivals. Samurai mania swept the nation with children crafting their own weaponry and wreaking havoc in playgrounds and backyards across the nation, while a visit from the shows star Koichi Ose resulted in thousands of fans flocking to greet the Samurai at airports across the country!