Arashikage is a fictional ninja clan from the G.I. Joe series of comics, television shows, and action figures. The name is derived from the Japanese words for storm (arashi) and shadow (kage).

History

The Arashikage is a fictional Clan of Ninjas that were part of The G.I. Joe comic book story line. (Marvel & DDP)
The clan was founded many centuries ago by the Emperor of Japan in order to protect the Jewel of Amaterasu. The jewel allows its owner to control the chi surrounding him. The "map" to the jewel is a kata that only members of the Arashikage ninja clan have access to.

Centuries later, the Arashikage clan went to the temple that housed the jewel and performed the kata in order to access it. Soga, of the rival Nichira Clan stole the jewel just before the Arashikage could claim it. The Arashikage clan attacked Soga at his headquarters, inciting a clan war in which Soga was killed. Storm Shadow, of the Arashikage clan, took the jewel to a location on Mt. Fuji and hid it.

Japan's military class, the Bakufu clan, began destroying all ninja clans in Japan. For years, war ensued and the Arashikage clan ultimately became farmers. Many years later, Storm Shadow sought to learn the clan's teachings and the clan was reinstated.

Storm Shadow, Snake-Eyes, Kamakura, and Jinx, were all members of the clan.

Rivals of the clan include the Omikana and Bakufu clans.

Members of the Arashikage clan wore a tattoo on their right forearm, representing the 63rd hexagram of the I Ching. Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow were first shown to have this tattoo in their first battle at the Silent Castle.

In February of 2007 comic book company Devil's Due Publishing announced that Larry Hama would write a new comic book titled Storm Shadow about the character of the same name. The new G.I. Joe spin-off series will begin in May of 2007.