The Japanese Samurai: Westernized?

    In feudal Japan, the warriors who were samurai were the military nobility of the country. They were revered and courageous warriors who loyally served the Emperor. After the Meji restoration, the Samurai were phased out of the army in favor of a more modern fighting force. Though still used during traditional ceremonies in Japan, Samurai outfits have spread to the Western World. Samurai have become very popular in Western Culture as they appear in comics, television shows, movies, music, and many other places. Why do Samurai appeal to Western sensibilities, and how has the West changed the traditional explanation of what it means to be a Samurai?

       The Western version of the Samurai is yet other example of our obsession with the oriental. It is interesting that even though the Samurai is a warrior, many Westerners see them as a different that is safer. The samurai uses a sword, a much more appealing and traditional (peaceful) weapon than a gun. The Samurai is also viewed through a religious light as they represent a type of Zen Buddhism. The peaceful nature of Zen Buddhism is definitely appealing to many Westerners and makes the Samurai very popular. As with rap music, religion plays a heavy role in the life of the Samurai, as they follow a very strict code, which has also helped them gain more interest in the West. Tom Cruise's The Last Samurai was Hollywood's take on the noble life of the Samurai, and it grossed about a half billion dollars.   This peaceful version changes the original meaning of the Samurai, as they were fierce warriors throughout their existence. The Samurai were nobility, never really appealing to the masses of Japan, though today, their mainstream appeal is massive. The Samurai achieves all of the points on the checklist that Jane Iwamura says an Oriental icon needs to do in order to become mainstream in the West: "[a] spiritual commitment, [a] calm demeanor, [an] Asian face, and [a] manner of dress." (p. 2) The Samurai is something safe but different from the mainstream, and appeals to Western sensibilities of the wanting to be different from the rest of society.