Who's your favorite samurai?

[GigaHz]

Tom Cruise in the last samurai.

Agreed.

Tom Cruise > all these scrubs.

 

[TheTim]

Hajime Saito from Rurouni Kenshin

Souji Okita from peacemaker

 

[Rorigon]

For my money it's Kenshin by a mile.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I got a few favourites like the guys from Samurai Champloo, the guys from the anime Samurai 7 (sorry I haven't seen the film yet) and Afro. However my favourite is Jack.

 

[demoman_chaos]

Zhou Tai comes to mind. His mass murder skills far surpass most.
My DW4 custom character Wang Pu is a murder maker from way back.

The guy defending the wall with the spear in this video is a beast:

Spoiler: video

Can't deny little miss kill a lot in a yellow jumpsuit, Beatrice Kiddo from Kill Bill.

Bruce Lee trumps all. This is unarguable.

 

[Cybele]

I reject your anime, movies, and tv, and give you Miyamoto Musashi [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyamoto_Musashi]

I personally prefer the manga version:

Spoiler

Oh, and one shouldn't forget Manji from Blade of the Immortal:

Spoiler

 

[Gorobrin]

Without a doubt, Mifune from Soul Eater. But I i don't really know any realistic samurai's...

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

..Did I mention he can bend time and space?

Fucking hell yes. It's a shame he got used so much as just comic relief. Future Hiro was so incredibly badass.

 

[Xaio30]

Samurai Jack > all...

Quoted for truth and bacon.

 

[Saltyk]

No mention of Miyamoto Musashi? Considered to have been one of the greatest samurai that ever lived. A man who won his first duel at the age of 13. Who defeated an entire school single handedly. Who created his own style of dual wielding techniques. Who beat Sasaki Kojiro in a duel and then escaped his followers attacks using the receding tide to his advantage. A man said to have won over 100 duels.

Okay, so he's a real samurai, but how did we get this far without him being mentioned? He's been in games, movies, anime, and there's even an (incomplete) manga based on his life.

EDIT: Damn. Someone finally mentioned him while I was reading and then replying.

I reject your anime, movies, and tv, and give you Miyamoto Musashi [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyamoto_Musashi]

You're no samurai! You're a ninja!

Except for the whole part where Musashi wasn't a samurai, and absolutely refused the notion of service to any lord as a vassal. Of course, we're apparently allowing characters like Himura Kenshin and Mugen to be considered samurai, so I've no place to complain.

Anyway, my vote is for Hattori Hanzo.

If you want to be technical, he was a Ronin. He was still an incredibly skilled swordsman. And he did try to enter a few lords services and even did serve a few for small periods of time. He was apparently largely respected by even some thought to be his enemies.

Of course, we could also refer to him as a writer or an artist. He was renowned for that as well. Let's just say that Musashi was just too much bad-ass for any lord to handle.

 

[Sunrider]

Katsumoto from the Last Samauri because... well, he's just that awseome.

This. The movie would be mediocre at best without him, but he lifts it up with his awe-inspiring performance. Ken Watanabe is fucking awesome.

 

[Keepeas]

Samurai Jack is freaking awesome.

I also like the Steel Samurai just because of the awesome theme song:

 

[Sunrider]

..Did I mention he can bend time and space?

Call me a retard and whatnot, but I have no idea who that is. Enlighten me please. =)

 

[postblitz]

himura kenshin's teacher or anyone with a similar personality.

 

[War Penguin]

Gorōbei Katayama from Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.

Though any of the band qualify. If you haven't seen the film yet - do so.

That is all.

While I agree, being the stereotypical *insert insult here* that I am, I prefer Kyuzo:

Spoiler: The Swordsman

I agree. No one can beat Kyuzo.

Spoiler: Proof

Sorry the video is in spanish, it was the only one I could find.

A runner up is Zatoichi, the blind samurai. I watched that movie in my freshman japanese class. T'was awesome.

 

[Durgiun]

The one who's fighting back. Back from the past. Samurai Jack.

 

[JKain]

Kuwabatake Sanjuro from Kurosawa's "Yojimbo"

As for a "modern samurai" I as well vote for...

Ghost Dog...Story of a Samurai by choice and the Mafia...doesnt't get any more awesome than that.
Best Jim Jarmusch-Film by far imo