True Warrior

The Lone Wolf and Cub

"For one who knows the way of the true warrior there is no rank."

I doubt that it's any secret that I occasionally, oh alright, about every week, watch a martial arts film. Whilst I am a fan of Jet Li (especially Hero) and Andy Lau (especially the IP Man collection) my greatest joy in watching martial arts movies is in watching the Japanese films that were made for Japanese people.

Of these, I really like the Zatoichi series of movies. Ichi is such a lovable "rogue". A kind hearted blind swordsman who is addicted to gambling (and he is a good cheat too).

However, the best of the best are the seven movie set of Lone Wolf and Cub, the continuing stories of a very respectable samaurai turned ronin due to circumstances beyond his own control.

Itto Ogami roams the country pushing his very young son Daigoro in a baby cart.

For those who are unaware of the samaurai code of behavior let me inform you that to be a samaurai is not simply to be a bold and ruthless warrior. Although sometimes portrayed as a swashbuckling hero, undoubtedly to attract sales at the box office, samaurais are actually more like policemen. Bravehearted, skilful individuals who are ready and willing to lay down their lives at any moment, in a time and place where law and order were often non-existant.

A samaurai who loses his life protecting the innocents, often people whom he has never met previously, is a samaurai who lives and dies for others. In a land where poverty is so common that a bowl of rice can be considered a little luxury, dacoits, thieves and the exploitation of stand-over tactics were an omni-present threat to smallholder farmers and merchants, alike.

To forgo the small comforts of life in such an harsh environment, risking one's life on a daily basis, for the safety and comfort of complete strangers, was considered to be a great honour, yet many a samaurai slept in the rain whilst those whom he protected had a roof over their head.

Many samaurai opted to work for the local lord of the feif, they were looked after by their Lord, but due to rivalry amongst clans there was often violent conflict. A samaurai might occasionally find himself without a master, without a home. Such wandering samaurai were called ronin, and they still did their best to protect the innocent although it was not too uncommon to accept temporary, short-term, freelance, mercinary employment if the offer became available.

Thus, samaurai, especially ronin, and even more especially "demons" who, masterless and often in defiance of corrupt Lords, lived each moment on the brink of death, never more than a few footsteps away from hell or heaven. Thus, these true warriors lived a precarious existence, maintained only by their swordsmanship and wits, and all for the benefit of others.

Thus the statement quoted below from the lips of Itto Ogami has much more meaning than first meets the eye. Axiomatically, all these warriors are equal by way of their bravery and heroism, in accepting life and, especially death, in fearless dignity.

"For one who knows the way of the true warrior there is no rank."

Itto Ogami
Lone Wolf and Cub

Joy to all beings