What Were The Japanese Trying To Accomplish By Hiring Tom Cruise’s Nathan Algren?

In the 1870s, Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a cynical veteran of the American Civil War, who will work for anyone, is hired by Americans who want lucrative contracts with the Emperor of Japan to train the peasant conscripts for the first standing Imperial Army in modern warfare using firearms .

What is the message of The Last Samurai?

While nations shift and change, the traditions and customs should never be forgotten by its people . That is the main message of the film and why the Samurai fought and died to preserve their place in Japanese society rather than be changed into something they are not.

What is Captain Algren hired to do in Japan?

Answer: He was hired to train the Japanese army .

Gant, who told him about a job offer. They went to dinner with their commanding officer, Col. Bagley, and some Japanese businessmen. Algren agreed to accept the job to train the army, provided they pay him $500 a month.

How did Tom Cruise train for The Last Samurai?

Cruise kicked into his own high gear, beginning with research – boxes full of books. ... But Cruise didn’t just read up to get ready for the part. He also endured eight months of strenuous training in Japanese martial arts and sword fighting , so he could do all of his own stunts.

Was Katsumoto a real person?

The fictional leader Katsumoto was based on the influential and honorable Saigō Takamori , leader of the final rebellion. ... Katsumoto/Takamori dies at the hands of a thoroughly modernized Imperial Army thus ending the rebellions. The samurai in combat are wonderfully depicted in the film from an entertainment perspective.

Is The Last Samurai based on true story?

Not many people know the true story of The Last Samurai, the sweeping Tom Cruise epic of 2003. His character, the noble Captain Algren, was actually largely based on a real person : the French officer Jules Brunet. Brunet was sent to Japan to train soldiers on how to use modern weapons and tactics.

Do the samurai still exist?

The samurai warriors do not exist today . However, the cultural legacy of the samurai exists today. The descendants of the samurai families also exist today. It is illegal to carry swords and arms in Japan.

What is the ending of The Last Samurai?

After a protracted battle, all the samurai are killed . Algren survives because he does not believe in suicide after defeat, and because he seems to be unkillable. After dropping off Katsumoto’s sword with the emperor, Algren returns to the village that once held him captive to live out his days.

Was The Last Samurai popular in Japan?

But among all these, The Last Samurai [Zwick 2003] received the most positive Japanese audience reaction. This film, about an ex-Civil War American soldier who takes up arms to fight with the last of the samurai, played to mixed reviews in the U.S. but enjoyed a wildly popular reception in Japan .

What does Mr Omura want to hire Algren to do?

What does Mr. Omura want Captain Algren to do? He wants him to train Japanese soldiers to fight like westerners . ... American civil war and American Indian wars vet, who sets out to train Japanese soldiers to fight like westerners.

When was last samurai set?

Plot. Set in Japan during the 1870s , The Last Samurai tells the story of Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), an American military officer hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country’s first army in the art of modern warfare.

How much did Tom Cruise get paid for the last samurai?

The Last Samurai: $25 million from salary and profit percentage points ($140 million total budget, $455 million total gross) War of the Worlds: $100 million from salary and 20% of profits ($132 million total budget, $604 million total gross)

Who was the last samurai in Japan?

Saigo Takamori of Japan is known as the Last Samurai, who lived from 1828 to 1877 and is remembered to this day as the epitome of bushido, the samurai code. Although much of his history has been lost, recent scholars have discovered clues to the true nature of this illustrious warrior and diplomat.

Did Tom Cruise attend stunt school?

Tom Cruise trained for an entire year to perfect one of the stunts in Mission: Impossible 7. A featurette for the film, which debuted at CinemaCon, detailed Cruise’s intense training for a stunt where he performs a motorbike jump off a cliff into a valley in Norway.

What would Samurai bring back from battle?

When the war was over, the army returned home. Promises kept were rewarded, wealth gained was distributed, promotions were given, new land was settled, wives and children were greeted, the dead were mourned and celebrations and ceremonies were had by all. The gods were praised, for victory had been achieved.

Why did Japan get rid of the samurai?

Relative peace prevailed during the roughly 250 years of the Edo Period. As a result, the importance of martial skills declined , and many samurai became bureaucrats, teachers or artists. Japan’s feudal era eventually came to an end in 1868, and the samurai class was abolished a few years afterwards.

Why did the samurai end?

The role of the samurai in peacetime declined gradually over this period, but two factors led to the end of samurai: the urbanization of Japan, and the end of isolationism . As more and more Japanese moved to the cities, there were fewer farmers producing the rice needed to feed the growing population.

Is The Last Samurai whitewashed?

So no, the movie was not whitewashed , because Tom Cruise’s character is not cast as The Last Samurai. He is not a samurai at all. He is just a white American who fights alongside The Last Samurai.

Is the 47 ronin a true story?

The film is based on an actual historical event during the Edo Period known as “Chushingura .” It involved a lord who was wrongfully put to death and his followers — ronin — who sought revenge. Rinsch said he took on the film subject and sat down with Keanu Reeves about two years ago.

What do they call a female samurai?

Onna-musha (女武者) is a term referring to female warriors in pre-modern Japan. These women engaged in battle alongside samurai men mainly in times of need. They were members of the bushi (samurai) class in feudal Japan and were trained in the use of weapons to protect their household, family, and honour in times of war.

Are there still ninjas?

Japan’s era of shoguns and samurai is long over, but the country does have one, or maybe two, surviving ninjas . Experts in the dark arts of espionage and silent assassination, ninjas passed skills from father to son – but today’s say they will be the last. ... Ninjas were also famed swordsmen.

Who are the 47 ronin in Japan?

47 rōnin. 47 rōnin, the 47 loyal samurai of the lord of Akō , whose vendetta ranks as one of the most dramatic episodes of Japanese history. The incident began in April 1701, when imperial envoys from Kyōto arrived in Edo (now Tokyo), the capital of the shogunate.

Where is the grave of the 47 Ronin?

Sengakuji (泉岳寺) is a small temple near Shinagawa Station in Tokyo. The temple is famous for its graveyard where the “47 Ronin” (also known as Akoroshi, the “masterless samurai from Ako”) are buried.

Are Ninjas Chinese or Japanese?

A ninja (忍者, Japanese pronunciation : [ɲiꜜɲdʑa]) or shinobi (忍び, [ɕinobi]) was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included espionage, deception, and surprise attacks. Their covert methods of waging irregular warfare were deemed dishonorable and beneath the honor of the samurai.

How does 47 Ronin end?

Oishi brings Kira’s severed head before everybody , ending the battle. The ronin travel to the grave of Lord Asano, now having avenged his death and allowing him to rest in peace.

Did the samurai fight the imperial army?

The samurai were defeated by the Imperial Army on September 24, 1877 . Battle of Shiroyama Summary: Having risen up against the repression of the traditional samurai lifestyle and social structure, the samurai of Satsuma fought a series of battles on the Japanese island of Kyushu in 1877.

Are Ninjas a real thing?

If you’re a fan of ninjas, you’ll be pleased to know that ninjas were indeed real . ... Shinobi lived in Japan between the 15th and 17th Centuries. They were in two areas of Japan: Iga and Koga. The regions surrounding these two villages were ruled by samurai.

What happened to Jules Brunet?

In 1898, Chanoine, his former senior officer in the Japan mission, by then Minister of War, made Brunet his chef de cabinet and promoted him to general of division. In January 1903, Brunet retired into the army reserve . After a long period of illness he died in Fontenay-sous-Bois, on 13 August 1911.

What does Katsumoto order Algren to assist him in?

Katsumoto, observing Bushido, asks Algren to assist him in performing seppuku ; Algren obeys, ending Katsumoto’s life. Led by their captain, the Imperial soldiers show their still-lingering respect for the old order by kneeling and bowing before the fallen samurai.

Does Netflix have The Last Samurai?

Watch The Last Samurai | Netflix.

Why is Tom Cruise famous in Japan?

Cruise is enormously popular in Japan, particularly because of his interaction with fans . In his new film, a sequel to the 2012 film “Jack Reacher,” Cruise reprises his role as the title character, a lone wolf former elite military secret agent on a quest to uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy.

What does Algren learn from his first conversation with Katsumoto?

Algren is taken to Katsumoto’s village to live among his family. While he is poorly treated at first, he eventually gains the samurai’s respect and actually becomes friends with Katsumoto. Algren overcomes his alcoholism and guilt, and learns the Japanese language and culture .

Why does Katsumoto choose to keep Algren alive?

Katsumoto, who conveniently speaks English, explains he has kept Algren alive because he wants to know his enemy . Algren at first refuses to speak, but gradually, during a long, rainy winter of captivity, he begins to have philosophical conversations with the other man about the ethics of war and warriors.

Did the Samurai use guns?

During it, guns were still manufactured and used by the samurai , but primarily for hunting. It was also a time when the samurai focused more on traditional Japanese arts, with more attention being given to katanas than muskets.

Who invented samurai?

The craft was perfected in the 14th century by the great swordsmith Masamune . The Japanese sword (tachi and katana) became renowned around the world for its sharpness and resistance to breaking.

How tall was the average samurai?

Despite their appearance of looking large and imposing in their armor, most Samurai were no taller than 5 feet five inches , while the knights in Europe during this time were as tall as 6 feet 5 inches.

Was Shogun based on a true story?

Shogun was therefore based on an actual series of events involving Adams , who reached Japan in 1600 and became involved with the future shogun Tokugawa.

Why is The Last Samurai Rated R?

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R

For strong violence and battle sequences .

Who was the last Shogun?

Tokugawa Yoshinobu, original name Tokugawa Keiki , (born Oct. 28, 1837, Edo, Japan—died Jan. 22, 1913, Tokyo), the last Tokugawa shogun of Japan, who helped make the Meiji Restoration (1868)—the overthrow of the shogunate and restoration of power to the emperor—a relatively peaceful transition.

Who is richest actor in world?

Is Tom Cruise a billionaire?

Tom Cruise’s estimated net worth is $600 million . Cruise earned $75 million between May 2011 and May 2012, making him the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, according to Forbes. ... With his career still going strong, it’s likely that Cruise’s net worth of $600 million will continue to rise in the coming years.

Is Will Smith a billionaire?