Ninja vs Samurai: WHO WOULD WIN?

[A Black Falcon]

As for The Last Samurai, the movie was an empty, pretentious piece of Hollywood trash, the kind I've seen a hundred times before. Take a historical event, change it almost completely to have the main hero an American, attempt to show whatever foreign culture it is about as noble and misunderstood and pander to the audience, and let the story be a laughable mess disguised in nice cinematography. That's all it was. If you've seen a real Samurai movie before you'd feel the same way. If you're not really into movies though, like I know you are, then sure: it's fine, empty entertainment. But I'm surprised you liked that movie but not Troy which did the same thing.

Hmm... yeah, it is Hollywoodized in a way like Troy was, and that is a big part of what got me to dislike that movie... lack of following the facts, merging events, etc, with the goal of making it into a form more accepted for films by audiences, etc... but I guess I was able to ignore it more in Last Samurai. (of course, I didn't hate every minuite of Troy or something, but my overall impressions were definitely negative.) And sure, Last Samurai tries too hard to present the culture as "noble/misunderstood', as you say. Within that they simplify the culture greatly and present it in an inaccurate light... and, of course, have an American as the hero. I didn't really think about it then, but that's definitely a part of Hollywood films... but they made it make enough sense that I wasn't thinking 'that's really stupid'.

A Samurai movie? Sure, I doubt it's much like a real Samurai movie. Haven't seen one, so I can't compare, but Last Samurai feels like an American film for sure. I'm just saying that I didn't think it was an awful movie or something. Not the best movie ever, but not awful.

Since the Meiji period was so short and tied directly into the later Edo Period (mid-19th century) many historians consider Meiji in the same basic period of Japanese history, especially when referring to the downfall of the Samurai and the downfall of the then-current Japanese society as it was for centuries. During the Edo period the Samurai class lost much of its stature which led to many becoming Ronin or simply ignoring the Bushido code and becoming swords for hire and/or mercenaries. There was a loss of stature but not skill as you are suggesting.

Samurai warriors, you mean. Not all of them fought. :) A lot of them didn't, if I'm remembering correctly...

And drawing lines is hard... but it's definitely true that after the point America forced Japan open to trade the nation changed greatly. But also that it hadn't really gotten to be like therest of the world either, of course... transitionary period really of course.

In the end, of course, the Samurai lost their power, gauranteed rights, etc... so of course they revolted a bunch of times but Meiji won. As for what happened after that, that I know a lot better. :)