The Last Samurai
    The  movie is a about a fictional character named Captain Nathan Algren, played by Tom Cruise. The battles he once fought in the United States now seem distant and futile. Once he risked his life for honor and country, but, in the years since the Civil War, the world had changed. Pragmatism replaced courage, self-interest took the place of sacrifice and honor was nowhere to be found - especially out West where his role in the Indian Campaigns ended in disillusionment and sorrow. Somewhere on the unforgiving plains near the banks of the Washita River, Algren lost his soul.
     A universe away, another soldier saw his way of life about to disintegrate. Katsumoto, played by Ken Watanabe, was the last leader of an ancient line of warriors, the venerated Samurai, who dedicated their lives to serving emperor and country. Just as the modern way encroached upon the American West, cornering and condemning the Native American, it also engulfed traditional Japan. The telegraph lines and railroads that brought progress threatened values and codes by which the Samurai had lived and died for centuries. But Katsumoto did not go without a fight.
     The paths of these two warriors converged when the young Emperor of Japan, wooed by American interests who coveted the growing Japanese market, hired Algren to train Japan's first modern, conscript army. But as the Emperor's advisors attempted to eradicate the Samurai in preparation for a more Westernized and trade-friendly government, Algren found himself unexpectedly impressed and influenced by his encounters with the Samurai. Their powerful convictions reminded him of the man he once was.
     Thrust now into harsh and unfamiliar territory, with his life and perhaps more important, his soul, in the balance, the troubled American soldier found himself at the center of a violent and epic struggle between two eras and two worlds, with only his sense of honor to guide him.
     In order to better appreciate this work of historical fiction it is important for us to bring to the table enough understanding of Samurai history and culture. This will enhance your understanding of the filmakers messages and supply you with tools to analyze the degree of poetic license the filmakers took to achieve this desired end.
     Follow the steps below to prepare for viewing Warner Brothers film The Last Samurai.
Step 1:
Before the movie- complete the text assignment
Step 2:
Before viewing the movie- Read about life in Tokugawa Japan and the transformation that took place when the Meiji rule replaced the Tokugawas.

After the movie- How accurate did the filmakers portray The struggle of this transition from the Tokugawas to the Meijis? Use scenes that to describe accuracies and innaccuracies of the filmakers.
Step 3:
Before the movie- read and view the links below regarding samurai warfare.
History of the Samurai
Samurai Armor
Samurai Life

After the movie- How well did the filmakers portray the samurai in terms of historical military accuracy? Use evidence from the movie to support your statements.
Step 4:
Before the movie- Read about the principles of the Bushido Code

After the movie- Give evidence, using scenes from the movie,  that the filmakers incorporated each of the principles in the story.
Step 5:
After the movie- Consider the early scenes of the movie where Captain Algren is on the side of American progress and expansion, yet in Japan joins the side of the samurai who wish to thwart modernization. In what ways were the experiences of the samurai in late 19th century Japan similar to those of the Native American Indian in the United States at that time?
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