
African samurai: The enduring legacy of a black warrior in feudal Japan - chirau
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/19/asia/black-samurai-yasuke-africa-japan-intl/index.html
======
keiferski
Related and interesting: a full list of foreign-born samurai.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign-
born_samurai_i...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign-
born_samurai_in_Japan)

------
Tor3
I got interested in the story of Yasuke
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuke))
when I was visiting Gifu, Oda's seat of power. The Wikipedia article has
generally more information than the CNN article, but is perhaps a bit more
sober. At 188cm he would indeed have been a giant among the locals at the
time. There's a possibility that maybe, just maybe, the person to the left in
this picture is Yasuke: [https://www.museu-caramulo.net/upload/photo/38-arte-
japonesa...](https://www.museu-caramulo.net/upload/photo/38-arte-
japonesa-2-1419262043.jpg)

------
yhoneycomb
Holy shit I never knew Afro Samurai was based on a real story

That’s so cool haha

~~~
b_tterc_p
I think this is getting downvoted because it sounds racist but Afro Samurai is
a real and fairly popular anime / manga which is indeed inspired by Yasuke.
This is cool.

~~~
luckydata
Why would that sound racist? Honest question, as an immigrant I don't pick up
100% of all the things Americans perceive as racist.

~~~
yeahitslikethat
Because "afro" was a hair style worn by _primarily_ black people a few decades
ago when racial tensions were higher.

It's an old term and as such is considered to be used by people who don't care
enough to adopt more modern language to refer to people of the race and their
culture.

In this case, it's the title of a real show and the protagonist is very
respectfully portrayed in the anime. Recommended.

------
bradenb
I learned about Yasuke from playing "Sekiro." There's a black samurai/ronin
that you can interact with. I thought nothing of it, but others postulated
that it might be a reference to Yasuke. I was fascinated to learn about his
journey.

~~~
flohofwoe
Nioh has an even more obvious reference with the "Obsidian Samurai":

[https://nioh.fandom.com/wiki/Obsidian_Samurai](https://nioh.fandom.com/wiki/Obsidian_Samurai)

PS: the player character in Nioh is also a "Foreign Samurai", William Adams:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Adams_(sailor,_born_15...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Adams_\(sailor,_born_1564\))

~~~
bradenb
Good point! I forgot about those ones. Also a really fun game.

------
karmakaze
Movie? Yes please.

~~~
willvarfar
[https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/08/entertainment/chadwick-
bo...](https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/08/entertainment/chadwick-boseman-
yasuke/index.html)

------
lettergram
I heard about this recently in the Kings and Generals YouTube channel:

[https://youtu.be/0RZaHgXEhJ4](https://youtu.be/0RZaHgXEhJ4)

It’s a fairly interesting story, but does seem there is limited information.

------
bayareanative
I hear Forest Whitaker may option a prequel. GD needs a reincarnation movie.

------
quadcore
Django meet Kill Bill. Can't wait a good movie on that story.

~~~
bayareanative
SMH. There's already Ghost Dog.

------
bertomartin
The real last Samurai lol

