History of the Samurai: Outsiders to Legends

Paragons of virtue, exemplars of honour, beacons of integrity and masters of warfare - the knights of the east. This is what we generally picture when we think of the infamous Samurai. While it is an attractive view of these legendary warriors, it is nevertheless quite a misleading one. In this video, we shall do our best to correct this, and cover the even more fascinating roles and perceptions of the samurai in Japanese society from the earliest days all the way to the modern day.

The video was made by our friend Cogito, while the script was researched and written by Matt Hollis.

Sources:
Jonathan Clements - A Brief History of the Samurai
Jonathan Clements - A Brief History of Japan: Samurai, Shogun and Zen: the Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun
Stephen Turnbull - The Samurai

#Documentary #Samurai #KingsandGenerals

[austinhornbeck]

As a Japanese historian who specializes in the Sengoku, this was really well done. Many samurai especially in Sengoku Jidai betrayed their lords, moved up to the leadership of Japan.Things you wouldn't think was honorable. Christian samurai were seen as a threat to local lords and created social mobility for peasants. Which were stopped by Hideyoshi, there are a few good books out there that state that Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea was to get rid of the Christian diamyo and samurai on Kyushu and western Honshu. Sengoku Jidai is probably some of the most interesting samurai. Although, during the Edo that is when we get a lot of daimyo rewriting history to make themselves seem more honorable, but if you look at the history you find out that is quite to the contrary. Its just an interesting time period.

Also love how you depict early Japanese as pretty much the cowboys of frontier Heian court politics. Its not something that is usually depicted outside of those of us who study it.

[christosvoskresye]

Perhaps most noteworthy, though, was Samurai Jack, who defeated the Shogun of Sorrow, Aku.

[efe_aydal]

Akira Kurosawa's movies portray the time of samurai really well. I just watched "Ran" which is basically a Game of Thrones in Japan. So many betrayals everywhere.

[KyoushaPumpItUp]

Haiku about Samurai:

I can see my men
Running from the battlefield
*A shamefur dispray*

[redxblood]

Who watching this after playing Ghost of Tsushima?

[OfficiallyDevin]

Last time I was this early I read the script in advance and even recorded myself reading it!

[impicklerick]

So the myth of how the Katana (made from glorious Nippon Steel folded 1, 000, 000, 000, 000 times) can easily slice an American WWII tank cleanly in half is true, right?

[StefanMilo]

God damn is there anything asian horse archers can't do!? I feel like they could go down in history as the most influential unit / tactic of all time.

[Frozone]

Short, direct, and easy to digest for those unfamiliar with the topic. Really well put together considering the complexity of social and political changes throughout the various eras. Very well done.

[zakkart]

I love how you always use the music from shogun 2 whenever you make a vid about Japanese warfare.

[verycasul]

Japanese really take interest in firearm, people of Tanegashima and Sakai only need few years to fully producing firearm since the first time they got it from Portuguese

[FlashPointHx]

Shogun 2 always seemed to display Japanese Death Poems. A poem a solider would say either going into battle or bleeding to death on the field. Not surprisingly, the poems had to be very. . .short. I guess even in the agony of dying on the battlefield the Japanese are artistic.

[verycasul]

Katana barely used by Samurai, especially the mounted samurai. They usually goes with bow, spear, or naginata. Katana usually used last in CQC or some footed charge (when you expect a really close combat)

[not_marcus]

Samurai Death poem:
Though my body may decay in the land of Ezo
My spirit guards my lord in the east

Hijikata Toshizō 
1835-1869
Died: Battle of Hakodate, Boshin War

[napoleonibonaparte]

None sense, we all know they all wield katanas and ride their horses while charging at unlikely odds like modern Gatlings.

[TheJupiterKnight]

This is really well done and informative. I had the honor of marching as the only gaikoujin samurai in the Shingenko omasturi, in Shingen’s personal guard. The sandals were too small for my feet (I am over six feet tall mind you), but it was a lot of fun and gave me a chance to honor the daimyo I revere most.

[ThisisBarris]

Remarkable work. I especially love debunking historical myths, and this video did a stellar job at that. I'm currently looking into Gallic myths myself and it's astonishing how much misconception is spread and repeated without second-guessing.

[DarkLordOfSweden]

*Draws katana*
"Noting personal, kid"

[andersschmich]

Out of curiosity, do you plan to cover many more far Eastern topics such as the clashes between the Tang dynasty and Tibetan Empire, of the failed Ming invasion of Vietnam?

[FurobaOA]

Actually, at one point, Japan was the largest producer of firearms worldwide. Production and development were curtailed after unification under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Larger caliber canons are a wholly different story.