Samurai are not simply historical figures. Rather, they are potent cultural symbols who have been depicted again and again in a variety of genres. In the lectures, I have an argument about standard samurai myths that get repeated again and again. This assignment is designed to test that theory. For this assignment, you will be reviewing a historical film, video-game, novel or manga focused on the samurai.
Pick ONE of the films, video games, novels or manga from the list below.
Some of these films are available via the library, some via a database called Kanopy and these are marked. Others are more difficult to find but will reward you if you are able to locate them.
- Seven Samurai (Kurosawa, 1954) available on Kanopy
- Yojimbo (Kurosawa, 1961) available on Kanopy
- Kagemusha (Kurosawa, 1980) available on Kanopy
- Sanjuro (Kurosawa, 1962) available on Kanopy
- Harakiri (Kobayashi, 1962) available on Kanopy
- Tasogare Seibei (Eng: Twilight Samurai) (Yamada (2002) available in the Library
- The Last Samurai (Zwick, 2003) available in the Library
- Ghost Dog (Jim Jarmusch, 1999) available in the Library
- 47 Rnin (Mizoguchi, 1941)
- 47 Ronin (Rinsch 2013) This is the only truly bad film on the list. For this reason, I dont really recommend it unless it especially appeals to you.
Novels and manga:
There are a vast number of samurai connected novels and manga. Here are two that I recommend for the purposes of this assignment as both are set in or around the Tokugawa period
- Lone Wolf and Cub (Kazuo Koike) read at least two or three volumes of this manga series
- James Clavell, Shogun (1975) This novel is extremely long but its well worth reading. It was enormously popular when it was first published.
Video games:
- Ghost of Tsushima (2020)
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019)
- Nioh (2017)
When completing this assignment, keep in mind that this is not a film or game review in a conventional sense. We are not interested in how the film was shot, whether it was well acted or how good the graphics were. Rather we are interested in its presentation of the samurai and whether it supports or undermines the standard myths.
You should be guided by the following questions:
- When is the film/game/novel set and what happens (around 250 words)
- What kind of samurai do we see in this film or game? Loyal? Treacherous? Honorable? Corrupt? A warrior? A bureaucrat? Brave? Cowardly? Traditional? Disruptive? (around 250 words)
- How does this depiction of the samurai compare with standard images and myths of the samurai? Does it reinforce them? Does it challenge them? (around 250 words)
- What is your overall assessment of this depiction? Would you recommend it? Why? (around 250 words)