The birth of the Edo period marked a turning point for samurai. After over a century of near-constant warfare in the Warring States period, Japan was united under Tokugawa Ieyasu. His campaign culminated in his triumph at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, a moment that has been called the greatest battle in Japanese history. …
Samurai in the Edo Period: The Beginning of the End Read More »
The samurai is one of the most iconic figures in Japanese history, but the ronin is one of his only rivals. Ronin, meaning “wave man,” refers to masterless samurai who were no longer retainers serving a daimyo. Although warriors had served daimyo — and lost them — during most of Japanese history, ronin were especially …
When honor is all that you live for, when it is ingrained in your soul throughout your life, when it is what defines your identity as a samurai, the question is will it ever leave you? Honor is constructed on the foundation of a code of honor, a reference to evaluate your every action. For …
The samurai were more than men. Bound by honor, fueled by discipline, and conditioned by their code, Bushido, they were fighting machines. Used by warlords and shogun in unending political games, they were not men, but pawns to be maneuvered and sacrificed. Their lives not their own, their honor not in living, their joy completely …
A very interesting aspect of a masterless Samurai, Ronin, is the freedom they have to do whatever they wish or roam wherever they desire. This sense of freedom is an important goal in our game design and ideally we would like to let the gamer experience this freedom to create his own story in the …