Media Research Project: The Samurai Genre

1. Media Research Project: The Samurai Genre Bijal Shah 13C3

2. 1. Manga and the Representation of Japanese History edited by Roman Rosenbaum • Both Mugen, Jin (Samurai Champloo) and many of the characters in Gintama such as Gintokiare characters seen to be heroic in both programs. However though Jin from Samurai Champloo appears to be seen as the masculine ideal, the character is somewhat deceiving in personality as he constantly clashes with Mugen. • Similarly Sakata Gintoki (Gintama) Alongside Mugen (Samurai Champloo) also contradict this ideal heavily. Though it is still seen as a generic convention of the samurai genre, there are many examples of ronin who no longer hold the ideal or have become a combination of the two. • “Samurai can be viewed as a masculine ideal: beautifully attired. well versed in literature and art. A balance between military and cultural strengths.”

3. 2. Romanticising the Shinsengumi in Contemporary Japan (PG 168) • A convention of the samurai genre would be how Western influences tend to corrupt Japanese people. In the case of Gintama the story revolves around how instead of the Americans coming to Japan, the Amanto do instead. • In Gintama many of the characters have their own bushido which they follow, which usually doesn't concern what is going on around them but about 'protecting what they want to protect'. As too in Samurai Champloo the state of the government isn't mentioned all too much as it is in a different time period one of peace and prosperity. The Last samurai as with Gintama suggest that outside Western influences were corrupting the 'people' but the characters were not as affected by it.   • A popular feature of the samurai genre (depending on the time period) would be to include the Shinsengumi. In particular the 1st division, commander Kondo Isami, vice commander HijikataToshizo, and captain of the 1st division OkitaSoji. [[Yamazaki (?) was also included sometimes.]] The versions of the Shinsengumi'sfukuchou seem to vary slightly as nearly all versions seems to hold the Shinsengumi dear to himself.

4. Understanding Manga and Anime By Robin E. Brenner pg151 • “Samurai are stock characters in manga: they may be heroes or louts, historically accurate or intentionally anachronistic. In fact, they have become such classic characters that they are the most mocked, reinvented and tweaked types”. • Gintama could be seen as one of the anime/manga’s that has taken up many of the conventions of a samurai genre media and changed it to turn it into something that still shows the stereotype yet changes it in a way such that it something completely different.

5. Samurai Films – Roland Thorne pg. 16 • “Ronin in samurai films are typically portrayed as much more effective individuals than samurai in service. In many ways the two are polar opposites of each other: the employed samurai well dressed and cultured, the ronin unkempt and rude.” • This could be seen not only in film but also in TV programs such as Samurai Champloo in which two of the main characters seem to act as polar opposites at first glance. However both are ronin but only Jin is portrayed as a ‘samurai in service’ yet he does appear to be more effective as an individual.

6. LEARNING BUSHIDŌ FROM ABROAD: JAPANESE REACTIONS TO THE LAST SAMURAI – Jason Chun • “The Last Samurai would thus imply that Western influences were corrupting, while the old Japanese values, as learned by Tom Cruise's character, were pure.” (http://ijaps.usm.my/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/JaysonChun-BushidoTheLastSamurai.pdf)