Halloween is a good time to be a ninja in Los Angeles. Not the fake, once a year for a friend’s party kind of ninja, but the real, music playing kind. The kind that can beat on drums or work a bass like nobody’s business.

On this holiday Ninja Academy can slip on to Gold Line unnoticed. Almost. Every once in a while there’s a stolen glance from someone who senses that unlike the ballerina that got off at the Wilshire/Vermont stop, or the zombie that hopped aboard at Pershing Square, these guys aren’t just trick-or-treating, they’re the real thing. And they are, they insist.

Together, Ninja Academy members Indo-Ninja and Outdo-Ninja have infiltrated the L.A. music scene with their unique brand of stripped down bass and drums. Their self-produced debut album, “Enter the Ninja,” represents a new school, they say.

“It’s melodic at times, experimental at times, but 100 percent Ninja,” Indo says of the music that can range from heavy punk rock to bossa nova.

Still don’t get what they’re all about?

“It’s as if Bruce Lee met Halle Berry at a party,” explains Outdo.

In some cases some people will never understand the ninjas’ mission, like the showgoer in Idaho who called them terrorists, an accusation that the ninjas don’t completely dispute.

“We’re sonic terrorists,” explains Indo. “We assault your ears and your senses.”

Of course they could go completely unnoticed if they just left the ninja outfits at home and donned regular clothes. Do they even own regular clothes?

“I have a couple of wife beaters,” says Outdo.

“Whatever we can get at JCPenny’s “ adds Indo.

Behind the Masks

Stripped of their disguises, Ninja Academy is Robert Shaffer and Joey Maramba (known as Outdo and Indo respectively), friends who have been playing since the days when the 626 was still part of the 818. More than 16 years.

While each is a devoted member of the Academy, they both hold down day jobs and play in other bands.

The ninja outfits may seem like just another L.A. gimmick, but these boys really can play. Maramba runs his own music studio and Shaffer holds a music degree from UCLA.

In the beginning Shaffer and Maramba played covers of current popular songs from bands like The Cure and The Smiths. In 1994 the duo began calling itself bra’ka dOm, an onomatopoeic word for drum beats.

“We used to jam in my bedroom and then go to a gay bar, Nardi’s, in Sierra Madre and jam there on Tuesday nights,” Shaffer says. “That’s where we cut our teeth.”

That’s also where many Ninja Academy songs like ‘Robot Falls in Love With Computer,’ ‘Maniac,' and ‘Jungle Wabbit’ were born.

Bra’ka d’Om became Ninja Academy in 2001 when Shaffer returned to Los Angeles after a short stint working in Japan.

“Joe and I started playing again and he said, ‘I have a new name for the band, Ninja Academy,'” Shaffer recalls. “Although I loved the name bra’ka dOm, Ninja Academy had this ring to it and I thought it would probably be more memorable, so it was all good.”

Soon, Ninja Academy took on a new meaning for them.

“Academy implies a school, a new school, so we can do whatever we want to do,” Maramba says.

Ninja Academy’s biggest move so far is having two of its songs played on the Real World:Philadephia. You can hear about 15 seconds of ‘Bounce’ in Episode 6 and about a minute of ‘Jungle Wabbit’ in Episode 12.

“It’s kinda funny actually, I never thought about being on MTV,” Maramaba says. “Some guy just walked into a gig and said our music would work for the show.”

The band is now looking forward to producing a second album and already has 15 songs ready to be recorded. Now, it’s just a matter of time and money.

“The second record is going to be it,” Shaffer says. “We have to do it right, so it might take a while to do it.”

They’re keeping their fingers crossed for a summer 2005 release.

In the meantime, Ninja Academy will be rockin’ its music live throughout Los Angeles. Keep up with the band at www.ninjaacademy.com (which may be going through a redesign when you read this), or at www.myspace.com/ninjaacademy .