Writer's Block: Pirates or Ninjas?
For all practical purposes, ninjas are better. Their skills are real, they're more likely to be helping the innocents (versus exploiting their weakness), their pastimes lend easier to kid-friendly stories, and monkey ninjas are cute. However, I prefer pirates' clothing and weapon choice in style if not effectiveness--swords are so cool! Unfortunately, both genres have been overdone recently, from the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy to the kung-fu panda movie coming out; so I'd choose the spy Sean Connery over either ninja or pirate.
Later!
Cricket