Pirates versus Ninjas

{{Short description|Internet meme}}

{{about|the Internet meme|the video game|Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball}}{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

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Pirates vs. Ninjas was a comedic Internet and gaming meme from the late 2000s regarding a theoretical conflict between archetypal Western pirates and Japanese ninjas, generally including arbitrary "debate" over which side would win in a fight.{{cite news |last=Crecente |first=Brian D. |author-link=Brian Crecente |date=31 March 2007 |title=Pirate-vs.-ninja debate rages |work=Rocky Mountain News |publisher=E. W. Scripps Company |url=https://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/other_spotlight/article/0,2777,DRMN_23960_5453894,00.html |access-date=2 March 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108091950/https://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/other_spotlight/article/0,2777,DRMN_23960_5453894,00.html |archivedate=8 January 2009}}{{cite news |last=Rehagen |first=Tony |date=August 2006 |title=Revenge of the Nerds |page=252 |work=Indianapolis Monthly |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0gsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA2-PA252 |access-date=2 March 2023 |issn=0899-0328}}{{cite news |last=Ellis |first=Chip |date=24 October 2009 |title=Charleston's CharCon attracts hundreds of gamers |work=Charleston Gazette |url=http://sundaygazettemail.com/Entertainment/gazzart/200910240613?page=1&build=cache |access-date=2 March 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830054642/http://sundaygazettemail.com/Entertainment/gazzart/200910240613?page=1&build=cache |archivedate=30 August 2011 |quote=Possibly originated from the Facebook game "Pirates vs. Ninjas"}}. The meme is sometimes referred to as PvN and has a long history on the Internet.{{cite news |last=Seabrook |first=Andrea |author-link=Andrea Seabrook |date=7 July 2006 |title=Pirates vs. Ninjas: Which Side Are You On? |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5542447 |url-status=live |access-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916094456/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5542447 |archive-date=16 September 2022}} Humorist Jake Kalish writes (in the pro-ninja column) that the reason for the popularity of the meme is that "pirates and ninjas are both cool, but kind of opposite, see, because one is loud and the other ... never mind."{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/santavssatanoffi0000kali |url-access=registration |title=Santa vs. Satan: The Official Compendium of Imaginary Fights |first=Jake |last=Kalish |page=[https://archive.org/details/santavssatanoffi0000kali/page/143 143] |publisher=Three Rivers Press |location=New York |isbn=9780307449665 |date=2008}} Several competitive web sites and games based upon the ninjas vs. pirates theme appeared later, including Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball.{{cite news |last=Sung |first=Lydia |date=28 August 2008 |title=Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball heads to Wii |work=Neoseeker |url=http://www.neoseeker.com/news/8707-pirates-vs-ninjas-dodgeball-heads-to-wii/ |url-status=live |access-date=2 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122093113/https://www.neoseeker.com/news/8707-pirates-vs-ninjas-dodgeball-heads-to-wii/ |archive-date=22 November 2021}}

Ninja supporters hold the position that a ninja would win over a pirate because of their superior mental and physical capabilities, as well as usage of gadgets such as nunchaku and shuriken. Those who support pirates argue that a pirate's use of both sword and gun would ensure their victory in battle.{{cite magazine |last=Silver |first=Curtis |date=9 September 2008 |title=Great Geek Debates: Pirates vs Ninja |url=https://www.wired.com/2009/09/great-geek-debates-pirates-vs-ninja/ |url-status=live |magazine=Wired |publisher=Condé Nast |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122093156/https://www.wired.com/2009/09/great-geek-debates-pirates-vs-ninja/ |archive-date=22 November 2021 |access-date=2 March 2023}}

The debate has accumulated a wide following in cyberculture. A wide array of YouTube videos, websites, and online debate forums can be linked to the pirate vs. ninja conflict.