The last samurai biography
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The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori
First off: This is a scholarly text and not a spinoff from the Hollywood movie. The choice of title (the book appeared in , the movie in ) was clearly motivated by commercial concerns and not by historical considerations, but the extensive research that went into this text was begun many years before the movie was released and the book comes complete with all the standard academic apparatus. Moreover, most of the sources used bygd the author, a professor of Japanese history at Emory University, are Japanese, including primary literature and not just secondary literature.
Just in case you are interested, as enjoyable as it was, the movie bears little resemblance to the actual events, and Tom Cruise's character did not exist.
So, with that out of the way, what about the content of the book, which has provided an excellent supplement to my readings on the end of the Tokugawa Bakufu and the beginnings of the Meiji
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Saigo Takamori: The Last Samurai
Saigo Takamori of Japan is known as the Last Samurai, who lived from to and fryst vatten remembered to this day as the epitome of bushido, the samurai code. Although much of his history has been lost, recent scholars have discovered clues to the true nature of this illustrious warrior and diplomat.
From humble beginnings in the capital of Satsuma, Saigo followed the path of the samurai through his brief exile and would go on to lead reform in the Meiji government, eventually dying for his cause—leaving a lasting impact on the people and culture of s Japan.
Early Life of the Last Samurai
Saigo Takamori was born on January 23, , in Kagoshima, Satsuma's capital, the oldest of seven children. His father, Saigo Kichibei, was a low-ranking samurai tax official who only managed to scrape by despite his samurai status.
As a result, Takamori and his siblings all shared a single blanket at night even though they were large people, sturdy with a few sta
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The Last Samurai
film by Edward Zwick
This article is about the film. For the unrelated novel, see The Last Samurai (novel). For other uses, see The Last Samurai (disambiguation).
The Last Samurai is a American[4]epicperiodaction drama film directed and produced by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay with John Logan and Marshall Herskovitz from a story devised by Logan. The film stars Tom Cruise, who also produced, along with Timothy Spall, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, Tony Goldwyn, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Koyuki Kato in supporting roles. The film's plot was inspired by the Satsuma Rebellion, led by Saigō Takamori, and the Westernization of Japan by foreign powers.[a]
Cruise portrays Nathan Algren, an American captain of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, whose personal and emotional conflicts bring him into contact with samurai warriors in the wake of the Meiji Restoration in 19th century Japan. The character of Algren is very loosely based on Eugèn