Kagemusha(Shadow Warrior) by Akira Kurosawa Essay

The Samurai’s Tale by Erik Christian Haugaard is about a boy named Taro, the protagonist in the story. The major characters in the story are Taro, Yoshitoki, Lord Takeda Katsuyori, Lord Akiyama Nobutomo, and Togan. The setting of the story is in Japan, in around the 16th century. In the beginning of the story he was presented as a gift by the great Lord Takeda Shingen to Lord Akiyama after his parents had been killed. By using his wits and suppressing his fierce pride, Taro slowly escalates the ranks of his lord’s household until he achieves his greatest goal—becoming a samurai like his father and Lord Akiyama, whom he has come to admire. The life of a samurai is not so easy, Taro finds himself sacrificing opportunities of love and friendship

Shadow Jumper by J.M. Forster is a nonfiction novel about a young boy named Jack who struggles to live a normal teenage-life, but can't due to his illness. Jack’s disease prevents him from being able to go in the sunlight. Jack’s inability to go into the sunlight prevents him from being a normal boy; playing outside and developing friendships like other kids his age. Early in the book, Jack’s dad leaves him and his mom which causes Jack’s illness to get worse. In order to get his mind off of his miserable life jack entertains himself by shadow jumping. Shadow Jumper is about Jack’s adventures as he tries to escape his loneliness from his illness and the loss of his dad.

“The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life” (Zwick). These are the words of Katsumoto, an important samurai warrior. The movie The Last Samurai directed by Edward Zwick is about an American War Captain named Nathan Algren who is hired to train, lead and modernize a group of Japanese soldiers to defeat a rebellion of the country's remaining Samurai in 1876. Algren is captured by the Samurai and soon becomes part of the village he is being held hostage in. There, Algren learns from the Samurai and comes to respect them. He finds that his true warrior is becoming unleashed as he trains to become a Samurai with the very people we once called his

Like walking through a barren street in a crumbling ghost town, isolation can feel melancholy and hopeless. Yet, all it takes is an ordinary flower bud amidst the desolation to show life really can exist anywhere. This is similar to Stephen’s journey in The Samurai’s Garden. This novel is about an ailing Chinese boy named Stephen who goes to a Japanese village during a time of war between Japan and China to recover from his disease. By forming bonds with several locals and listening to their stories, he quickly matures into a young adult. Throughout the novel, Gail Tsukiyama shows how disease forces Stephen into isolation; however, Matsu’s garden and Sachi lead him out of solitude.

they had it. They have nobody but themselves which leads to nothing but evil. Isabelle-Marie

Musui 's Story is a samurai 's autobiography that portrays the Tokugawa society as it was lived during Katsu Kokichi 's life (1802 - 1850). Katsu Kokichi (or Musui) was a man born into a family with hereditary privilege of audience with the shogun, yet he lived a life unworthy of a samurai 's way, running protection racket, cheating, stealing, and lying. Before we discuss how Musui 's lifestyle was against the codes that regulated the behavior of the samurai, it is essential that the role of the samurai in Japanese society be understood.

I believe Murakami is one of the best leaders in The Samurai’s Tale when compared to Wada Kansuke, and Lord Akiyama due to his caring, trustworthy, and loyal ways. The reason why I think Murakami is better because he shows many skills and he likes to go all out and doesn’t hesitate much on things he thinks he should do or not to do. Lord Akiyama is a good leader because he gives good orders and people listen to them. Murakami and Wada Kansuke are mostly the same because of their personality and because they have honor, and they are reliable. Lord Akiyama is merciful and he is kind to other people and he favorites Murakami the most. Wada Kansuke is a wise, kind, and smart leader, but he is not as caring as Murakami. Murakami always listens to the commands he is given. The comparison between the three characters are very similar and their personalities are too.

Everyone anticipated a huge battle from which either Lord Takeda Shingen or Oda Nobunaga would emerge as ruler of Japan. When Murakami was 18, Lord Takeda decided to go to war and Murakami was disappointed to find himself appointed aide to the officer in charge of food supplies. When a thief tried to steal some rice, Murakami showed both firmness and compassion by beating him, but not killing him. Murakami won a sword fight with a ronin bandit loyal to Lord Obu, but

Fredrich Nietzsche once said, “Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one.” This means that if a person isn’t careful, the evils that person fights against might be the very thing that person will become. This statement is valid and holds true in both life and literature. Night by Elie Wiesel supports the idea to not fight like the enemy. Wiesel uses setting and characterization to develop his story and to get this point across.

In Giles Milton’s novel, Samurai William, the reader is taken to the other side of the globe to experience the history of old world Japan. Though out the book, Milton provides reason for complex historical events and actions, while still communicating the subtleties and mysterious customs of the Japanese. The novel also closely examines the wide range of relationships between different groups of Europeans and Asians, predominantly revolving around the protagonist, William Adams. The book documents the successes and failures that occur between the two civilizations, then links them back to either the positive or negative relationship they have. As the book goes on, the correlation is obvious. Milton shows us the extreme role that religion,

The samurai were a warrior class in feudal Japan who served the lords of clans in Japanese feudal society. They were highly respected elite warriors in both grand military strategy and individual martial arts. The warrior code that they embodied and the myth of the samurai warrior are still alive in modern Japan today. In his book American Samurai: Myth and Imagination in the Conduct of Battle in the First Marine Division 1941-1951, Craig Cameron draws parallels between the United States Marine Corps and the feudal Japanese samurai. Writing from a post-Vietnam view, Cameron

Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today

Throughout the work, Fujitani draws evidence from, and references, a plethora of different sources that add validity to his statements and accounts of not only what the Japanese and United States did, but also why they acted the way they did. In a time of war, both countries took different actions that were not readily understood. Japan

Twilight Samurai is a movie that revolves around the live of a samurai, years before the Meiji Restoration. The main issues that the movie looked at include stereotype of samurais, genders and social class differences. Unlike many typical samurai-themed movies which involve fighting, woman and pride, the director of Twilight Samurai focused on the everyday life and difficulties faced by the main protagonist, Iguchi Seibei.

The 47 Ronin Story takes place in 1701, approximately 100 years after the Tokugawa Shogunate was formed. The story displays much of the changes going on in Japanese society and culture. From the declining importance of the Samurai, to the rising influence of the merchant class, and finally to the inevitable changing of values that are all exacerbated by the long peace imposed by the Tokugawa Shogunate. The changing of values were not just commonplace among the classes, it also reached into the high echelons of the court. The corruption of the court sparked the beginnings of a series of events that at it's conclusion would inspire a nation and ultimately define them.