I Am Samurai

As soon as I got up and come down stairs to make breakfast and wake up, my father put on "The Last Samurai". I love this movie so very much. It's so touching and makes me proud. See, I am part Japanese, and I am the descendant of a Samurai. Anyway, back to the movie. I've never been a Tom Cruise fan. Hate just about every movie he has ever been in. I personally don't think he can act.

In this movie though... I was impressed. It seemed he actually learned to act for this part. Heh. Seriously though, he was very good in it. Everyone was. When I first heard of this movie, I was skeptical... Seeing only a teaser poster, I thought Tom Cruise was playing a Japanese man... He doesn't even look Japanese... Then I read he played an American in Japan, so I was down with that. Seeing the actual movie though... That was a trip.

Like I said though, I am from a samurai decent. If things were different, I could have been training to be a samurai since I was like 3. See, in Japan, the samurai were like the nobles of England. So technically, I am of noble blood. Sad that that means nothing now...

Anyway, the message this movie portrayed is just so... noble. I cry each time I see it. This is my heritage going on. I know most samurai became corrupt and treated peasants really badly, but I know there were some respectable ones. Besides, the code of the samurai (bushido) is just so... wonderful... Like the knight's chivalry times 10. I am proud of who I am...

Heh, my grandmother told me a story once about my Great Great Great Grandfather that she heard when she was young. He was one of the last samurai in Japan... I liked to say he is that samurai in "The Last Samurai" that won't die. He got shot several times then got on a horse to fight and shot some more. I liked him. At least now I know where my stubborn side came from.

Back to the story I was told. See, when the Meiji Emperor took over, he wanted Japan to be Westernized and Modern... So he destroyed the samurai and the symbols of the samurai and old ways. One symbol of the old ways is the top knot men wore. Men wore very long hair, so they would tie the length into a bundle and place it on top of their heads. To be "modernized" and "Westernized" the emperor ordered the people to cut their top knots and wear short hair. Samurai were against changing into the new ways, so refused to cut their hair, which was very illegal.

Now that you've had that little lesson, I will get back to the point. My grandmother told me that my Great Great Great Grandfather refused to cut his top knot, so his own sons had to hold him down and cut it off of him. It's kind of funny that he was that stubborn, but sad at the same time. I am sure it pained his sons to do so, but they did not want their father killed or arrested...

Anyway, please go see "The Last Samurai" if you have not yet. It really is a wonderful movie. But as for the rest of my day? A whole lot of nothing. After the movie I went to work and we were really busy. Got nothing personal done, and couldn't even finish engraving every thing I was so swamped...

Now I am listening to Do As Infinity. They are a huge band in Japan. They are going to have a concert at A-Kon in two weeks. This will be their very first performance in America. I am happy to be apart of that historical event. I am also looking forward to hearing Nami Tamaki there. She is an over night sensation in Japan. 15 year-old Pop singer who won awards for at least one of the two themes songs to an award winning anime series called "Gundam Seed". Impressive much?

This A-Kon is going to be great. It will be my first to attend. I've wanted to for years, but was never able to. Sadly, my worthless older brother will be there too with another group... I hope I do not see him. Anyway, I am going to CosPlay at A-Kon. In fact, it's the major reason I want to go.

CosPlay is Costume Play. We take a favorite anime or video game character and make a costume from scratch to look like that character, then wear the costume at the convention. I love doing it, and this will be my first public appearance in one of my costumes. I am CosPlaying as Vincent Valentine from Final Fantasy VII. It's not done yet. I hope to have it 95% done after Sunday and Monday. So far it is... 20% complete. I also plan to make fake blood to add a special touch to the costume I don't think anyone else has ever done...

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