Masaaki Hatsumi, known as the last living true ninja, was interviewed recently by Hans Greimel for the Associated Press. Some advice he gives can be useful to traders: "always be able to kill your students" and that you should "only teach 50% of what you know." He thinks the image of the modern ninja is "pathetic." Another thing he suggests is to "focus on the future for 50%, on the present for 40%, and on the past for 10%." When Hatsumi first challenged his teacher, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, he was impressed:

The pain of his technique was different from any pain I had ever suffered before. I had only felt a cold, momentary pain, while with Sensei I was exposed to a hot, burning pain. It was as if something would explode, if my blood would be sucked up and I would die right away. He didn'tjust apply one GYAKU but four or five. I immediately knew this is what I was looking for. I asked to be his student.

"Your life is on the line. Practice well."