Why I'm keeping the Ninjas in

The presence of ninjas in the story was challenged by both of my professors so I'm going to go ahead and explain a few reasons why there have to be ninjas.

First, they're integral to the plot I'd basically be starting from scratch without them.

Second I think a lack of ninjas in a story like this would be a disappointment to the audience. We briefly discussed audience expectations during the pitch. I feel there's a difference between going against audience expectations to challenge and surprise them and intentionally disappointing them.

The idea of a rapier fencer standing up to a samurai with a katana is the former. The audience may expect the flimsy little sword to get hacked in half with a single swipe from the samurai. Instead, they'll see the faster lighter weapon slash out the samurai's jugular with a single flick before he even raises his sword for that great sundering cut. Audiences aren't typically disappointed by this sort of surprise hence the fact that its used in countless movies.

Omitting ninjas when I have a plot based reason to feature them, simply because its what the audience expects is the latter. Ninjas aren't the type of base expectation born out of ignorance that aught to be left out. Its perfectly legitimate to find ninjas fascinating and want to see them in action. In a light-hearted, anachronistic swashbuckler story that takes place in Tokugawa Japan its entirely reasonable to expect ninjas.

The main complaint was that ninjas would somehow push the culture shock too far. I don't see why this is. If I were adding Yakuza I would definitely see a problem. Yakuza would require my audience and my characters to learn more about 17th century Japanese culture then they ever wanted to know in much too short of a time frame. Ninjas on the other hand aren't too difficult. I have the kabuki play scene set up, so that we can avoid a painful "What is that?!?! Its called an automobile" type exposition scene. We cut in, a bit of dialog reveals the play is about ninjas, and further we can assume that off screen Smets explained to Jim what a ninja is.