Lady warriors in Japanese cinema...

estee · Post by **estee** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 9:43 -0700

Okay we all know (and love) how there is a bevy of women who carry swords in Usagi...but I can't recall if there have been any in any period Japanese movies.

Does anyone know a samurai movie where a woman openly carries a sword?

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 11:33 -0700

With few exceptions, Samurai women did not openly carry swords. They did have a dagger, usually hidden in their obi sash.

In the movies, however, there was Lady Snowblood, though it's been so long since I've seen the movie I don't remember if she carried her sword openly or not. Oichi, aka The Crimson Bat, was the female equivalent of Zatoichi the blind swordsman. Like Ichi, Oichi carried her sword hidden in her cane. There was also Quickdraw (I forget her last name), but I remember her carrying a sword sword rather than a katana, though I could be mistaken.

Etsuko Shiomi (the visual inspiration for Tomoe Ame) played a few samurai women. My favorite was her recurring role in the tv series Kage no Gundan 2, where she played the head of a rival ninja clan. She also played one of the 8 samurai in the Sonny Chiba remake of Satomi Hakkenden movie.

hakucho · Post by **hakucho** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 11:57 -0700

I recall reading that samurai women were also trained in using the naginata or polearm in order to defend their homes. Perhaps this is why we don't see many women openly carrying swords in these films?

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 12:25 -0700

hakucho wrote:I recall reading that samurai women were also trained in using the naginata or polearm in order to defend their homes.

Yes, that is true. There was a naginata or yari over a doorway in every samurai home so she could defend herself and her family.

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 22:14 -0700

This might be a good spot to comment on the release of Dark Horse Comic's English language translation of Lady Snowblood, which should ship this wednesday to comic shops. Written by Kazuo Koike, author of the Lone Wolf & Cub and Samurai Executioner series.

Abayo...

chickrockguitar · Post by **chickrockguitar** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 14:03 -0700

Oo! I think I might go and pick that up. Hehe.
Any other "Samurai" comics out at the mo?

Also, how about Azumi? She carried just a Katana.
I so want the Azumi Comics, lol. Can't find 'em anywhere...