We have re-released our original epic The Soldier and the Samurai. Thanks to some new editing software and newly aquired skills, we were able to go back and make some fixes on our first ever if we dare say ambitious generational epic. For those unfamiliar with our story, it is based on a real life rumor that surfaced in 1965 about a reported encounter with the famous lost Samurai Harada Sanosuke of Shinsengumi fame. Where rumor meets imagine, fiction takes over and the result is a generational tale of adventure and one of grattitude. Please enjoy!
Seen here is the first Promotional Trailer for American Mishima's epic generational saga: THE SOLDIER AND THE SAMURAI by Louis Edward Rosas.This book is available on Amazon.com While this is is only a visual representation made from an earlier film, we hope that this book will one day be made into a full length feature film that will convey the story's epic scale for all to behold!
Our long awaited Historical epic has finally been published!
Story Synopsis:
When the Elite Corps of Samurai known as the Shinsengumi were driven from their base in Kyoto, they were branded Imperial Rebels. Of their 300 members, few survived. Of its three famous surviving Captains, no one knows for certain what became of 10th Unit Captain Harada Sanosuke. Based on a real life 1965 rumor that surfaced in Japanese newspapers, The Soldier and the Samurai is a tale of gratitude and redemption that tells the story of a mysterious old man who claimed to be the famous lost Samurai who surfaced in 1895 Manchuria saving the lives of three Japanese Soldiers during the first Sino-Japan War before disappearing again. It will be up to Nishida Keisuke who must return to Manchuria during the Japan-Russo War to solve the mystery of the elderly Japanese man’s identity who saved him and that of a mysterious inscription written on the back of a Tanto knife that will alter the course of his life and that of the Nishida family for generations to come!
The long awaited first novel by American Mishima has been completed and ready for publiscation. This is an original work of historical fiction which our plot goes as follows: When
Nishida Keisuke, a Lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Army, is
caught in a deadly ambush during the First Sino-Japan War in
Manchuria 1895, he is rescued by a mysterious old man rumored to be
the famous lost samurai Harada Sanosuke of The Shinsengumi who will
pass onto him a legacy that will alter the course of his life and
that of his family for generations to come.
We are looking for a Literary Agent or Publisher that would be interested in publishing our work.
ありがとうございます!
Please contact us here or at through our email at lrosashiro@gmail.com
In continuing with our series inspired by The Military Channel's “An Officer and a Movie,” we would like to introduce to you another Real Officer and a Movie. While many of the great Samurai films we have featured take place during the Sengoku Jidai – The Warring States Period or the Boshin War, little has been made of The Satsuma Rebellion which was the basis for the Tom Cruise movie “The Last Samurai.” Some will say there is Hollywood and then there is History. When it comes to Japanese History, we at American Mishima could not argue more.So let us introduce you to our featured Officer Kirino Toshiaki aka Nakamura Hanjiro who is the subject of our feature 2010's Hanjiro starring Tataaki Enkoki as who recently appeared as Takeda in the Sakuradamon Incident but for Samurai fans best remembered as Kagetora in 1990's Samurai Epic Heaven & Earth.
Kirino who was born in Kagoshima December 1838, was a low ranking Samurai from Satsuma whose lethal Ko-Ji-Gen-Ryu sword style distinguished him as one of the four Bakumatsu Shidai Hitokiri or man slayers who were considered to be undetectable during the Boshin War. His most famous action was against the retreating Shinsengumi during the Battle Toba-Fushimi in 1868. Near the end of the Boshin War he rose to become a senior commander of the Satsuma forces battling the remaining Tokugawa Loyalists and it is Kirino who accepted the Lord of Aizu Matsudaira Katamori's surrender at Wakamatsu Castle. At the conclusion of the Boshin War Kirino became an officer in the newly formed Japanese Imperial Army and rose to the rank of Brigadier General. But life wasn't so happy in the New Meiji Era for those who fought for Satsuma. The loss of stipends and Samurai Privilege led former Satsuma Commander and then current commander of the Army Saigo Takamori to resign his commission and return to Satsuma. Feeling this sense of dissatisfaction with the New Meiji Government and their policies governed by former Satsuma Samurai Okubo Toshimichi, Kirino joined with other officers to follow Saigo Takamori back to Satsuma where they would form private military academies teaching the Chinese Classics such as Confucius but also military hardware and tactics. This of course did not sit well with Okubo Toshimichi who dispatched government troops to Kagoshima which had all but declared itself a free state. From the outset, the valiant Satsuma Samurai fought with antiquated rifles and cannon against the better armed professional army of the New Meiji Government. Unlike in the last Samurai there were no Americans present. This was strictly a Japanese affair only with western uniforms and deadly Gatling Guns. On September 24th, 1877 Kirino was killed along with Saigo Takamori in the last battle ending the Satsuma Rebellion. He was left with a wife Hisa who lived on well until the Taisho Era in 1920.
And now to 2010's Hanjiro. The film is set in the Satsuma Domain 1862 present day Kagoshima, Japan. A lone upstart sweet potato farmer named Nakamura Hanjiro (brilliantly played by Tataaki Enoki) seeks an audience with the Satsuma Domain military Commander Saigo Takamori (played by Tanaka Seiji) to present him with the gift of sweet potatoes. With Saigo seated, Nakamura becomes intimidated as Okubo Toshimichi joins Takamori to see his skills he had obviously came to demonstrate to curry favor. Before Saigo can say anything a subordinate laughs at the notion of sweet potatoes which not only embarrasses the gracious host but offends Saigo to force him to apologize to Nakamura pointing out that sweet potatoes are hard to grow so best show some appreciation for this humble gesture. Humble or not, Nakamura's ulterior motive was indeed to be given the opportunity to demonstrate his sword skills in hopes that he could be made a Samurai. Impressed by both his skill and utter audacity, Saigo grants his wish and sends him to Kyoto to join other Satsuma Samurai in their quest to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Nakamura quickly distinguishes himself with his lethal sword skills defeating scores of pro-Shogunate Shinsengumi forces and quickly rises to become a senior commander for the Satsuma forces ultimately rising to the rank of general in the new Japanese Imperial Army. But years following the end of the Boshin War that toppled the Tokugawa Shogunate, Saigo Takamori is unhappy with the policies of New Meiji Government and at odds with his fellow Satsuma Samurai turned politician friend Okubo Toshimichi. Saigo quietly resigns his post as military commander and returns to Satsuma. Philosophically united, Nakamura Hanjiro joins with other officers and resigns from the army to go join Saigo Takamori in Satsuma where they formed private military academies. The fever to rise up runs ramped among the young Satsuma Samurai who seize weapons and munitions from the New Meiji Government. Despite warnings from his friend, Kirino takes command as the passive Saigo Takamori gives little support to what becomes a doomed rebellion. This does not go unnoticed by Okubo Toshimichi who dispatches the army to restore order in what would become The Satsuma Rebellion.
As any student of Japanese History knows, this does not go well for Satsuma. In each battle they are overwhelmed by government forces in their failed attempt to revolt against a government for the second time in the span of a decade.
Directed by Igarashi Sho and also featuring J-pop idol Akira, 2010's Hanjiro is the first real film to cover the tragic events that led up to and ultimately became the Satsuma Rebellion at length since Kenji Misumi's 1974's remastered classic The Last Samurai which featured legendary actor Ken Ogata as Hanjiro the Slayer. This is the real story of Nakamura Hanjiro and the real Last Samurai of Japan. Please Enjoy!
Please Enjoy!
To get your copy of Hanjiro or any
other great Samurai Films with English Subtitles please visit our man
Eddie at Japanese Samurai DVD
みんな-さん, Here is our directoral debut for our first promotional video for the first play by American Mishima - Tamashi no Soba aka Soba for the Soul. Tamashi no Soba is a fictional story whose premise is based on a real life incident that occured in Japanese Newspapers in 1965 where an alledged rumor surfaced from an elderly veteran of the First Japan-Sino War of 1895 who claimed he and two of his men were saved in battle by an old Japanese man in Manchuria claiming to be the famous lost Samurai Harada Sanosuke of the Shinsengumi. Our story starts in 1935 and will go back to the Bakumatsu Period of Japan through to the the Japan Russo War of 1905 and back to 1935 Seattle. Fundraising will begin by June 1st 2012 with a slated production start of September 1st and a late September performance.
With our co-producer Kaneda Yoshitomo, we plan to debut this play as part of a charital event to benefit orphans of Fukushima. This event is currently being negotiated with plans to hold it in Little Tokyo. If you would like to help produce or help in some way please contact us here. Work on the novel version is already in progress and hopefully be available in print in time for our theatrical debut. Stay Tuned!
When The Last Sword is Drawn aka みぶ ぎし でん (Mibu Gishi Den) is a film by Yōjirō Takita. Made in 2003, this Samurai Drama tells the tale of the little known Shinsengumi member Yoshimura Kanichiro (played by Kiichi Nakai) as a recollection from an elderly Saito Hajime (played by Koichi Sato who later played Serizawa Kamo in NHK's 2004 Shinsengumi). This film also features Sakai Masato of Atsuhime fame ( who also played Yamanami Keisuke in NHK's 2004 Shinsengumi) playing the famed sword progeny Okita Sōji. Set in the last days of the Tokugawa Shogunate (Bakumatsu), a young Saito Hajime who is portrayed as a heartless killer whose personality clashes with Yoshimura who comes across as a humble yet money grubbing country Samurai from Nambu Morioka as they both serve as members of the Shinsengumi. Yoshimura quickly gets on the nerves of Saito Hajime with his politeness and constant need for money. With tests of swordsmanship, the two are a breath away from clashing swords. But what Saito does not realize at the time is the degree of sacrifice Yoshimura is making for his wife and children who has now been driven from the clan he left behind to pursue the emerging Meiji Era in Kyoto. History goes into overdrive as the "Wolves of Mibu" leave Kyoto to support the Shogun in Osaka. The end of the Sword Age comes to a climax of deadly proportions for the defiant defenders of the Shogunate as they face the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance who has equipped themselves with modern rifles and the Imperial Banner all while Yoshimura fights to the end to support his family.
Loosely based on actual historical events, When The Last Sword is Drawn is a gem for any true Bakumatsu affectionado or fan of the Shinsengumi. Told in the now familiar style of Saving Private Ryan look back to one's embattled youth ala Otoko tachi no Yamato, Saito Hajime is flooded with memories of his days with Yoshimura in the Shinsengumi when he runs across a framed photo of his former comrade when elderly Saito takes his grandson to the doctor in 1899. There are touching scenes of Yoshimura with his wife and family as well as excellent sword play starting with Yoshimura's test to qualify in the Shinsengumi when he must spar with Nagakura Shinpachi before the watchful eyes of Kondo Isami, Hijikata Toshizo, Okita Sōji, and Saito Hajime. All these events will come back to the elder Hajime who like his real life persona is recorded to have memorialized his former comrades and memories of the Shinsengumi. If you really loved the 2004 NHK Taiga Drama of the same name then you will love this well told chapter of the Shinsengumi story. We sure did! It's a keeper and an excellent addition to our Samurai DVD Collection!
The Shinsengumi has been the subect of films and television drama for some time. I had first heard of them when I first had seen the 1969 classic film of the same title starring Toshiro Mifune. But looking back to that film, I was left unsatisfied due to the way they tried to tell a long in depth story in brief. So recently I recently purchased a bootleg copy of the 2004 NHK 43rd Taiga Drama Shinsengumi that featured the exploits of the Shogun's "Newly Selected Corps" that policed the streets of Mibu to protect the Tokugawa Shogun in Kyoto during the last years of the Bakumatsu Period. So far we are thirteen episodes out of this 49 episode drama and we are loving it!
Shinsengumi stars Katori Shingo as Kondo Isami - the leader of the Shinsengumi, Yamamoto Koji as Hijikata Toshizou, and Fujiwara Tatsuya (who you may remember from Battle Royale) as the famed progeny Okita Soji. So far the acting is superb and the storyline riviting in the fashion you would come to expect from an NHK Taiga Drama. Depending on who you talk to, the Shinsengumi will always been seen as heroes, villianous ronin, or stubborn patriots who are both villified and revered to this day. We still have many episodes to go, so we will write more about this as we continue this series.
“American Mishima” is the work of Louis Rosas, the son of Mexican Immigrants, whose father served in Vietnam for the US Army and who grew up on glamorized war films and military aviation in the sleepy seaside plains of Oxnard, Calif. With an early fascination of the Second World War embedded in his young mind during the post-Vietnam era, it was his exposure to Akira Kurosawa's samurai epic Ran (Toho, 1985) that changed his views of war while creating a lasting impression of Japanese culture and history. Further inspired by the works of Japanese writer Yukio Mishima, Rosas would go on to study Japanese language and swordsmanship, which led him to the practice of Shingon Buddhism and Shinto. Rosas is also a former student of Shinkendo, the ideal and practice of the samurai code of Bushido in the modern world, which helped shape the creative force that is “American Mishima.”
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