Of topic, but …
My son has decided that when he grows up, he’ll be a pirate. And after he’s done being a pirate, he’ll be a ninja.
If I told him he could be a ninja pirate I think his head would explode.
Cooler hair, cooler clothes, much more jewelry, immortal phrases that have entered the language centuries ago and show no signs of leaving…pirates all the way.
In a fight, the pirates win because they gang up and fight dirty.
Pirate have pistols–POWIE!
Ninjas, on the other hand, are always ill, due to genetic problems brought about by mutation.
No contest. 
Ninja’s kick ass very stealthily. and actually Encinitas, ninja swords are not curved. they are straight and slightly shorter than normal samurai swords. still look damned cool tho, and they will still cut you in half easily. i feel stealth shall win over lack of washing/teeth anyday…
how bout
FINNISH OPABINIA PIRATE NINJA ELVES!
Based on this thread and the various PotC threads, our current candidate for the overall coolest mascot is:
Coin-filching Zombie Robot Guitarist Pirate Ninja Monkey from Space!
Cutters, of course!
Oddly enough, I have a movie with Ninja pirates in it 
“The East is Red” with the swoonerific Brigitte Lin, has a gang of ninja pirates. But this is the really cool part…their ship (yes, a ship!) also converts into a submarine!
Ahhrrr me mateys, most ships convert to submarines when the canonballs hit them below the waterline, ahhahhhr.
Well, let’s look at this…
The traditional source of ninja information comes from Anime and Manga. In those highly-accurate sources, there’re ALWAYS hundreds of ninjas, and they ALWAYS kick ass… UNLESS they’re facing a main character, in which case they become more inept than Stormtroopers and Redshirts combined.
Ergo, in you pitted a hundred ninjas against a hundred pirates, the pirates would lose. However, if you pitted a hundred ninjas against, say, Jack Sparrow, the ninjas would be slaughtered with ease.
Ahem - there’s actually debate over this?
Ninjas, obviously, are far superior to any other creature of violence and mayhem.
And I fully expect look!ninjas, Little Plastic Ninja, and any other Ninja Dopers to be in here shortly for a full-on demonstration of our Ninja Powers.
Hmph. Pirates. I scoff (but silently, of course.)
Alas, NinjaChick, I don’t know if I can back you up in this fight. While I have seen the might of the ninja (and they are mighty), I have a soft spot in my heart for the dashing, daring pirates. I recall the shipwreck near that little island in the South Seas, and the adventures that led to my brief, tumultous affair with the roguish Captain McPucky…
In the end, I find myself agreeing with Scuba_Ben. The Coin-filching Zombie Robot Guitarist Pirate Ninja Monkey from Space!™ kicks more ass than anyone else going.
Gosh, I’m terribly sorry. I didn’t even see this thread before.
Well, I’ll resurrect it zombie style, because zombie pirates are SO FREAKIN’ COOL.
I like ninjas and all, but ninjas have never given me free illegal movies and music.
Pirates all the way!
Ninjas, being from the far east, most likely subscribe to an eastern philosophy that eschews personal belongings.
Pirates bury their money.
draw
Ninjas (again, drawing on eastern philosophy) meditate to acheive an altered state of consciousness.
Pirates get smashed out of their gourd.
advantage, pirates
Also, the greatest movie of all time, “The Princess Bride”…
Nary a ninja to be found, but pirates abound!
Pirates all the way, baby!
Heh heh heh . . . good point, Bippy.
But what would happen when the apocryphaballs hit 'em?
(Sorry . . . so damned sorry . . . )