"Originally edition: Samurai - Dall' ukiyoe alla cultura pop A Nuinui SA 2021"--Colophon.
Contents:
The samurai mystique / Alexander Bennett -- Origins of the samurai : the rise of a warrior class -- Battle of the clans : the Taira and the Minamoto -- Samurai versus the Mongols : the kamikaze "divine wind" -- Tools of the trade : swords, bows, spears, firearms, castles and armor -- The Sengoku period : an age of ceaseless war -- Legendary samurai : from Musashi to Yoshitsune -- Female samurai -- Myth and reality -- Bushi in peacetime : samurai, Zen and the arts -- Influence on today's martial arts -- Samurai on film -- The samurai in manga, anime and video games -- The legacy of the samurai in modern Japan and beyond.
Summary:
"The Samurai are continuously celebrated as the greatest warriors the world has ever seen. They ruled Japan for centuries, finally uniting the nation after a prolonged period of brutal war and bloodshed. Though famed for their loyalty, honor, and chivalry, they could also be treacherous, bloodthirsty, and merciless. This book tells the story of their rise and eventual demise through carefully curated images, both historical and contemporary, with an engaging and authoritative text by Gavin Blair--a notedcommentator on all things Japanese. It exposes the myths surrounding the Samurai and reveals their many secrets, while examining their enduring influence on global culture in anime, manga, books, and video games"-- Amazon.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.