The Samurai were legendary Japanese swordsmen and warriors, known for their loyalty and adherence to a strict code of honor. Josh and Chuck tackle the Samurai in this episode.
AI Summary
In this Stuff You Should Know episode, Chuck and Josh dive deep into the fascinating world of samurai warriors, exploring their origins as horseback archers in ancient Japan's violent feudal period. The hosts cover everything from the intricate details of samurai armor and the legendary craftsmanship of their curved katana swords, to the strict code of Bushido that governed their lives and the ritualized practice of seppuku. They trace the samurai's rise to power through centuries of clan warfare and their eventual decline in the 1800s when Japan modernized and opened to the West, transforming these elite warriors from feudal knights into historical legends.
Dead Man
1995
2h 2m
★ 7.3
"More than Deadman, huh? I think it's probably in a dead heat with Deadman. — Josh and Chuck discuss their favorite Jim Jarmusch films, comparing Ghost Dog to Dead Man."
— Josh
Friday the 13th
1980
1h 35m
★ 6.4
"Four being shi, shi, meaning remember the Friday the 13th podcast in Japanese? — Josh references their previous podcast episode about Friday the 13th when explaining Japanese superstitions about the number four."
— Josh
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
2003
1h 51m
★ 8.0
"I vaguely had some sort of conception from Kill Bill, Vol. 1 and 2. — Josh mentions these films as his limited understanding of Samurai before researching the topic."
— Josh
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
2004
2h 16m
★ 7.9
"I vaguely had some sort of conception from Kill Bill, Vol. 1 and 2. — Josh mentions these films as his limited understanding of Samurai before researching the topic."
— Josh
Seven Samurai
1954
3h 27m
★ 8.5
"We would be remiss, Josh, before we leave, if we didn't mention a few movies, notably The Seven Samurai, 1956. — Chuck lists important samurai movies they should mention in their episode about samurai."
— Chuck
Star Wars
1977
2h 1m
★ 8.2
"George Lucas absolutely modeled the Darth Vader look and helmet after the samurai cabuto. — Chuck explains how Darth Vader's helmet design was inspired by samurai armor."
— Chuck
The Evil Dead
1981
1h 25m
★ 7.3
"This is my boomstick. — Chuck references the famous line from Evil Dead when discussing European missionaries bringing guns to Japan."
— Chuck
The Last Samurai
2003
2h 34m
★ 7.6
"And he was short. Yeah, he was real short and is still. I didn't like that movie. — Chuck makes a joke about Tom Cruise being the last samurai and mentions he didn't like the movie."
— Chuck
The Magnificent Seven
1960
2h 7m
★ 7.5
"And The Magnificent Seven, the awesome Western with Yul Brenner, was based on The Seven Samurai, but a Western version. — Chuck explains how this Western was based on The Seven Samurai."
— Chuck
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