Lupe Fiasco - Samurai (Official Music Video)

Japanese Zen Music - Samurai Meditation Ambient

So, there are a ton of these AI generated music videos now on YouTube. It is so bad it is hard to find relaxing music that isn't AI generated anymore.

Needless to say I don't really like them much, most of them are 2 or 3 hours long (which is a sure sign they are AI) and the music isn't good at all, just a bunch of endless "relaxing" tones or whatever. I usually listen for maybe two minutes and then get sick of it and click to another video.

I will give credit to the "Shinkai" channel however, the videos on that channel are only a few minutes long, and the music is better, the visuals as well.

I'll keep an eye on this channel and maybe change my mind eventually about this AI stuff.

I knew this day would come

artwork by Mobo Boehme on artstation

New Shogun mini-series coming in 2024

(movieweb.com)

Amidst the blockbuster TV shows set to release in 2024 – like Prime Video's Fallout and Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender – lies the potential sleeper hit of the year in FX's Shōgun miniseries. If the name sounds familiar, FX's new 10-episode series shares its name and its source material with a short-lived series from 1980 starring Richard Chamberlain and Toshiro Mifune, which has gone on to be considered a cult classic.

FX officially announced the series way back in 2018, however, multiple delays, including shooting being halted due to the COVID pandemic, pushed the release date back by half a decade to 2024. Shōgun finished shooting in June 2022 and has since been in post-production, with the series set to hit Hulu in 2024, although a specific date has yet to be unconfirmed. But what is Shogun about? And why could this story of a Western samurai be the sleeper hit of 2024?

Written by Australian/British writer James Clavell, Shōgun is a 1000+ page epic first published in 1975. Filled with murder, romance, war, and intrigue, Shōgun tells the story of British sailor John Blackthorne, whose shipwrecks off the coast of Japan. After being taken captive by a local lord, Blackthorne, fearing for his life in an unknown foreign country, works his way to the right-hand side of the local Daimyo (lord) Yoshii Toranaga. Meanwhile, Toranaga finds himself outnumbered by his rivals at Osaka castle and uses Blackthorne as a pawn to secure his courtly power. Sprawling well over a thousand pages, Shōgun's story slowly unravels as dozens of new characters, threats, romances, and rivals play their part in one of the best-written historical political thrillers.

Alongside its impossible-to-put-down story, Shōgun was also heavily praised for its accurate depictions of Japanese culture during the 1600s. Author of the companion academic journal Learning from Shōgun: Japanese History and Western Fantasy, Henry Smith, said, "In sheer quantity, Shōgun has probably conveyed more information about Japan to more people than all the combined writings of scholars, journalists, and novelists since the Pacific War."

What makes Shōgun's story even more incredible is that it is actually loosely based on a true story. In 1600, English navigator William Adams was recorded as the first English person to sail to Japan and became closely involved with the Shōgun, becoming the first Western Samurai.

Providing FX do right by the source material – which is never a guarantee with adaptations of any kind – 2024's Shōgun has the potential to be one of the best modern samurai stories ever told. Alongside the true story of William Adams, the novel has identifiable influences from the works of Akira Kurosawa, especially in the novel's sprawling battles, and to see these brought to life with 21st-century filmmaking technology would be breathtaking. It is vital that FX's Shōgun nails the action design, as the novel is filled with incredible fights, both large-scale battles and one-on-one duels, and a lazy reliance on CGI would remove the sense of spectacle found in classic Japanese action cinema.

As previously mentioned, Shōgun was previously adapted into a TV show in 1980, which ran for five episodes before being canceled. Although that series has received renewed popularity with modern audiences as a cult classic, it is far from a perfect adaptation. The biggest criticism the show received was its reluctance to explore the Japanese characters' perspectives, one of the most intriguing and important aspects of the book. Instead, the 1980 series honed in on John Blackthorne as the show's sole protagonist, with everyone else relegated to supporting characters.

FX's Shōgun has the opportunity to make things right and live up to the educating presence the novel has had on Western audiences since publication. At its soul, Shōgun is a story of cultural exploration, where members of two sharply contrasting societies collide and grow from each other. The novel dove head first into exploring and breaking the stereotypes the two cultures had formed of each other, not just from a Western perspective, but also dissecting how the Japanese viewed Westerners at the time – through the influence of both the sailors that shipwrecked, and the various Christian missionaries sprawled across Japan during the time period.

The incredible source material isn't the only reason FX's Shōgun has the potential to be one of 2024's best series. The show also boasts an incredible creative team and cast. The new series has been developed by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks (Top Gun: Maverick), with Marks acting as Showrunner. James Clavell's daughter, Michaela Clavell, will serve as an Executive producer on the show. The series will star Hiroyuki Sanada (John Wick 4), Cosmo Jarvis (Lady Macbeth), Anna Sawai (F9: The Fast Saga), and Tadanobu Asano (Thor) in front of the camera.

The novel is also the first book in a much larger series known as the Asia Saga. This means that if FX's Shōgun is a success, there is the potential to see the entirety of James Clavell's acclaimed series brought to life. The brand-new trailer for Shōgun can be found below. The series will air on FX and stream on Hulu when it releases in February 2024.

https://movieweb.com/shogun-samurai-series-based-on-novel/

Zen seven, ken three

"Zen seven, ken three" is a samurai saying that you hear in a martial arts dojo (training hall) even today. It means that technical ability with the sword (ken) or any other weapon is only 30 percent responsible for your success or failure.

The 70 percent factor (the Zen of the saying) in any battle—crossing swords in kendo, or solving a problem—is inside you. Inner training is devoted to cultivating that inner power.

Sakura and Samurai

(from the Samurai Art Facebook page)

"Hana wa sakuragi, hito wa bushi" (花は桜木人は武士) is a revered Japanese proverb that carries with it the profound depths of the nation's culture, especially its feudal past. Literally translated as "the [best] blossom is the cherry blossom; the [best] man is the warrior", this saying originated in Japan's medieval period and encapsulates the essence of the samurai warrior class.

The proverb can be alternatively rendered as "among blossoms the cherry blossom, among men, the warrior". This interpretation illustrates a profound comparison: just as the cherry blossom (known as sakura in Japanese) is esteemed above all other flowers, so too is the warrior (or samurai, often referred to in Japanese as bushi) considered the finest among men.

This proverb does not merely rank the samurai as supreme among men, but it also draws a poignant parallel between the warrior and the cherry blossom. The life of a samurai, though marked by glory, was susceptible to an abrupt end during military service - a fate mirrored by the cherry blossom. Known for their ephemeral beauty, cherry blossoms bloom brilliantly for a short period before their petals are shed, reflecting the potential fleetingness of a samurai's life. This enduring metaphor serves as a reminder of the samurai's commitment to live a life of honor and duty, understanding the transience and fragility of existence, akin to the beautiful but brief bloom of the cherry blossom.

Samurai artwork by Lucius Romero

 

Enemies?

"When you reach real ability you will be able to become one with the enemy. Entering his heart you will see that he is not your enemy after all." - Tsuji (1650−1730), sword master

Joe Rogan Explains the Meaning Behind His Samurai Tattoo

Haiku and Samurai Death Poems

(from medium.com)

The haiku is one of the most recognizable poetry forms in the world. It consists of seventeen syllables arranged in three lines: five syllables, seven syllables, and five syllables again. Many people, poetry enthusiasts and laypersons alike, know that haiku is a Japanese form of poetry. However, the history and cultural legacy of haiku are also important to consider. This applies even more when speaking about the Edo period — the era in which haiku became a revered form of poetry.

Haiku has its roots in the 13th century with an older form of poetry called renga. Renga was a much longer style of oral poetry that was often a hundred stanzas long, also composed syllabically. The opening lines of these poems were known as haikai or hokku. In the 16th century, these opening lines broke away to become short-form poems in and of themselves.

As a general rule, haiku describe a brief moment in time, usually with significant nature symbolism. These poems often incorporate provocative and colorful images and are meant to leave the reader with a sense of enlightenment. The ideal haiku can be read in a single breath and imparts great insight.

The haiku form was often used for death poems, which were written by samurai and other literate people just before their deaths. Here’s an example written by Matsuo Basho (1644–1694), famed 17th-century haiku poet:

On a journey, ill: My dream goes wandering Over withered fields.

Tabi ni yande Yume wa kareno o kakemeguru

Haiku will be one of the poetry forms featured in Tale of Ronin. The samurai class was expected to be educated and well-studied in literature and other scholarly pursuits, including poetry. Even the most destitute ronin players meet on the road may be able to compose a haiku on the spot.

https://medium.com/@taleofronin/haiku-and-samurai-death-poems-7ace71aa2288

The sword that saves lives

"At times because of one man's evil, ten thousand persons suffer. So you kill that one man to let the tens of thousands live. Here, truly, the blade that deals death becomes the sword that saves lives." - Yamamoto Tsunetomo (Hagakure)

Courage

 

Samurai and Dragon

 artist unknown

Artwork by Mark Fong

 Two warriors battle.

If the bird doesn't sing

What type of martial artist are you? 

There is a famous Japanese children's poem about a fictional account of a Zen master asking the three most powerful warlords of the Sengoku or Warring States period (Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu) what they would do if a hototogisu or cuckoo didn't sing. It was a parable that illustrates the character of each of these three individual leaders.

Oda Nobunaga was known for his fierceness and cruelty and thus would answer, "If a bird doesn't sing, kill it."

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the most cunning and would therefore coyly say, "If a bird doesn't sing, make it sing."

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the most diplomatic and patient so he would say, "If a bird doesn't sing, wait for it to sing." 

The evolution of every martial artist is much like the philosophies of these famous Japanese Daimyos. 

The beginner usually wants to "kill it", the intermediate person wants to "force it", while an expert is willing to "wait for it."

Which of these most resonates with you? 

Morihei Ueshiba quote

 "Everything - even mountains, rivers, plants and trees - should be your teacher." - Morihei Ueshiba

O-Ren Ishii - 石井 オーレン

 

Neon Samurai Girl wallpaper

 

Ridicule

 "Anyone who loses their temper and offends others deserves ridicule. People who are truly kindhearted think and care even for those who hate them." - Shikibu Murasaki

Engage in combat

 "Engage in combat fully determined to die and you will be alive; wish to survive in the battle and you will surely meet death." - Uesugi Kenshin