From the renowned author: Dr. Reiner Knizia

Master Makatsu is the most famous ninja mentor in the land. Being trained by him is considered a great honor.
Every year, different schools, called dojos, present their best ninjas. For three days, these ninjas undergo a series of trials to impress Master Makatsu with their skill. However, he keeps a watchful eye and notices the slightest mistake!

Play your ninjas at the right time to avoid receiving penalty tokens. The player with the fewest points at the end of the three phases wins the game.

Each player has a deck of 24 cards numbered from 1 to 8 and available in three colors. You must play these cards wisely during the three rounds, because each turn, the player who plays the highest card of a color receives a number of points equal to the round number. The played cards are removed from the game, while the unplayed cards are returned to your hand for use in subsequent rounds.