History Main / EverythingsbetterWithSamurai

* Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}}'s original [[ComicBook/BatmanAndTheOutsiders Outsiders]] team had fairly standard-issue superheroes... and [[Characters/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica2013 Katana]], a steely-eyed female samurai.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Epic}}'' the Leafmen's armor seems to draw a lot of inspiration from the samurai. Referenced with Ronin's name. His helmet is also an obvious tribute to UsefulNotes/DateMasamune.

* In ''Film/{{Alien}}'', for the design of the EVA suits used by the crew of the ''Nostromo'', Creator/{{Moebius}} was inspired by samurai armors, which lead to Ron Cobb coining the movie's fictional company "Weyland-Yutani" with a Japanese owner in mind. Originally Creator/RidleyScott had already planned on a Japanese aesthetic for his [[RecycledInSpace SciFi reimagining of]] Literature/TristanAndIseult, which carried over into ''Alien''.

** Oshawott/Mijumaru and Dewott/Futachimaru, who have both appeared in the anime as of the latest episode in Japan, have their origins in samurai. (More blatant in Dewott than in Oshawott, though) Ash even gets an Oshawott of his own. Fans are hoping it will finally avert the trend of water-type starters Ash owns never evolving.

** Micaiah Chevelle of ''Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaVivid'' is an even straighter example. She's a Mid-Childan who's also a traditional samurai, complete with katana, dojo, Japanese attire, and an [[IaijutsuPractitioner Iaijutsu fighting style]]. [[FanNickname Fans were quick to dub her as Signum Mk II]]. A bit of a surprise, what with Mid-Childa being an alien world with a European-like society.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' added the Samurai class in its third expansion, ''Stormblood''. While the setting does contain Japanese {{Fantasy Counterpart Culture}}s complete with ninja, the countries of Doma and [[{{Wutai}} Hingashi]] in the continent of [[FarEast Othard]], these are only available after reaching level 61 of the Main Story. Instead, players can learn the job as early as level 50, in the Eorzean city-state of [[{{Qurac}} Ul'dah]], from a Hingan ''ronin'' who has traveled to Eorzea to vanquish evil there.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' added the Samurai class in its third expansion, ''Stormblood''. While the setting does contain a Japanese FantasyCounterpartCulture complete with ninja, it's somewhat odd that players learn to be samurai in Ul'dah ({{Qurac}}) instead of Ala Mhigo ({{Wutai}}). They made it that way because players didn't like being forced to go through the entire story content before unlocking the new jobs from the last expansion, but still.

* Creator/{{Sega}}'s arcade FightingGame ''Burning Rival'' has a samurai fighter, Ghost Shingen, whose helmet and armor are possessed by the soul of an ancient samurai named Shingen Yagyu.

* Franchise/{{Batman}}'s original [[ComicBook/BatmanAndTheOutsiders Outsiders]] team had fairly standard-issue superheroes... and [[Characters/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica2013 Katana]], a steely-eyed female samurai.
* [[Characters/{{Wolverine}} Silver Samurai]]

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' added the Samurai class in its third expansion, ''Stormblood''. While the setting does contain a Japanese FantasyCounterpartCulture complete with ninja, it's somewhat odd that players learn to be samurai in Ul'dah ({{Qurac}}) instead of Ala Mhigo ({{Wutai}}).
*** They made it that way because players didn't like being forced to go through the entire story content before unlocking the new jobs from the last expansion, but still.

* The Hissho from ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace'' are the [[Franchise/MassEffect Turians]] but swap their Space Prussia sensibilities for Space Feudal Japan. A civilised and honourable alien race [[UpliftedAnimal artificially evolved]] from pterodactyl-analogues to serve as a SlaveRace for the Concrete Endless to fight in the gladiatorial arenas of Sykagoja, but a Virtual invasion allowed some of them to escape. Their culture revolves around a clan structure and is dominated by notions of tradition, bloodshed and vengeance, and like the United Empire they make no secret their desire to conquer the galaxy, though not for resources or xenophobia [[ProudWarriorRace but for the honour emerging victorious in such a conflict would bring them]].

* The ShowWithinAShow ''The Steel Samurai'' in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney''. Note that in the original version, ''Gyakuten Saiban'', the ShowWithinAShow was ''not'' about a samurai, but rather, a feudal lord-based superhero known as ''"Soldier of Oedo, Tonosaman"''. There's also Simon Blackquill, the main prosecutor of the fith game. He claims to be a samurai and certainly has the look and motif going on.

* Setsuna of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'', a [[HalfHumanHybrid half]]-[[WingedHumanoid bird demon]], DemonSlaying, [[SchoolgirlLesbians lesbian-in-denial]] {{Samurai}} in an UrbanFantasy. Also one of the most popular characters in the series, whose prominence was [[EnsembleDarkhorse quickly raised after her introduction in the fourth volume]].

* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' has a samurai for the Assassin class. And no, it doesn't suit him in the slightest. He does no sneak attacks, no dirty fighting, doesn't go for Masters like he is supposed to when he has the chance, and finally he is the only Japanese hero amongst all the Servants. The rest of them? Greeks, Celts and English make up over half the Servants and he is an Arab. He wasn't even supposed to be here at all. Also, he's a better swordsman than Saber and even [[BloodKnight Lancer]] doesn't want to fight him.

* In ''Film/{{Brazil}}'', Sam's later {{Dream Sequence}}s have him fighting a giant samurai with an armor made out of the parts of his telephone, symbolizing the [[CrapsackWorld crapsack reality]] he hates living in. Apparently, "samurai" is supposed to be a StealthPun.

* ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' has several notable examples, including the most well-known one, Musyamon/Mushamon. Other examples include Yashamon, one of V-mon's armor evolutions, Zanbamon, a Ultimate/Mega level digimon whose lower body is a war horse, Tactimon from ''Anime/DigimonXrosWars'', and Gaioumon, who is a samurai ''Greymon.''

* ''Samurai Purinsesu: Gedō-hime''. She's actually more of a Ninja, but still takes the name of Samurai.

** Even the final evolution to this line, Samurott/Daikenki, is based off a samurai, though they have the capacity to dual wield the [[AllThereInTheManual seami]][[UnfortunateNames tars]], and spend most of their time as quadrupedal Pokemon.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'':

* Franchise/{{Batman}}'s original [[ComicBook/BatmanAndTheOutsiders Outsiders]] team had fairly standard-issue superheroes... and ComicBook/{{Katana}}, a steely-eyed female samurai.

* Music/BareNakedLadies. In their song "One Week", mention is made to this mentality. "Kay I don't make films, but if I did, they'd have a samurai."

* In ''Film/{{Alien}}'', for the design of the EVA suits used by the crew of the ''Nostromo'', Creator/{{Moebius}} was inspired by samurai armors, which lead to Ron Cobb coining the movie's fictional company "Weyland-Yutani" with a Japanese owner in mind. Originally Creator/RidleyScott had already planned on a Japanese aesthetic for his [[RecycledInSpace SciFi adaptation of]] Literature/TristanAndIseult, which carried over into ''Alien''.

** Even the final evolution to this line, Samurott/Daikenki, is based off a samurai, though they have the capacity to dual wield the [[AllThereInTheManual seami]][[UnfortunateName tars]], and spend most of their time as quadrupedal Pokemon.

* [[http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img194/1364/masamunyanscanbykhall.jpg Masamunya]] [[Anime/NyanpireTheAnimation from The Gothic World of Nyanpire]] is a cat and also a Samurai and carries a sharp sword. [[HoYay He has a secret crush on Nyanpire but is too shy to admit it to him.]] [[http://www.animate-onlineshop.jp/resize_image.php?image=05111025_4fac6a730d45d.jpg However even though he's a samurai, he barely uses his sword besides being threatening.]]

* Not used or invoked in the film itself, but Creator/GarethEdwards, director of ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'', has [[http://www.scified.com/site/godzillamovies/epic-new-godzilla-2014-movie-still-discovered said]] that if this incarnation of Franchise/{{Godzilla}} were a human, he would be "the last samurai".
-->'''Gareth Edwards''': He's an ancient warrior who's the last of his kind, and his kind has long since died out. He lives a very solitary lonely existence and he's very happy to keep away from everyone, but we keep doing things to force him to return and put things right.

* [[SpellMyNameWithAnS His name may be spelled with a Y]] but everyone knows a certain Gran Apache student by Samuray Del Sol because of this trope.

* Bandai released the Tamashii Nations Movie Realization figure line, which portrays movie characters in a feudal Japan aesthetic. It begins with ''Franchise/StarWars'' characters such as Boba Fett, Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers. Later on, the line extended to comic book characters such as Franchrise/SpiderMan.

* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''

* ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires''

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''

* ''Franchise/TouhouProject''

* ''VideoGame/EmpireEarth'' has a truly bizarre example in the expansion's Asian campaign, or more accurately the United Federation of Asian Republics, basically China and neighboring mainland countries. A few decades later, their leader Hu Kwan Do wears basically future-samurai armor with LaserBlades (that shoot laser beams)... yet Japan is still a separate country.

* The Hissho from ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace'' are the [[Franchise/MassEffect Turians]] but swap their Space Prussia sensibilities for Space Feudal Japan. A civilised and honourable alien race [[UpliftedAnimal artificially evolved]] from pteradactyl-analogues to serve as a SlaveRace for the Concrete Endless to fight in the gladiatorial arenas of Sykagoja, but a Virtual invasion allowed some of them to escape. Their culture revolves around a clan structure and is dominated by notions of tradition, bloodshed and vengeance, and like the United Empire they make no secret their desire to conquer the galaxy, though not for resources or xenophobia [[ProudWarriorRace but for the honour emerging victorious in such a conflict would bring them]].

* The ShowWithinAShow ''The Steel Samurai'' in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney''. Note that in the original version, ''Gyakuten Saiban'', the ShowWithinAShow was ''not'' about a samurai, but rather, a feudal lord-based superhero known as ''"Soldier of Oedo, Tonosaman"''.
** There's also Simon Blackquill, the main prosecutor of the fith game. He claims to be a samurai and certainly has the look and motif going on.

* At one point in Issue #10 of ''WebAnimation/TeenGirlSquad'', a tiny samurai jumps out of a pile of corn during their school cafeteria's "Corn and Corn Alone Day," proclaiming that "Corn is no place for a mighty warrior." [[Main/MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext Don't ask.]]
** He later jumps out of a bowl of corn chips at The Ugly One's birthday party and "lathes" a [[ItMakesSenseInContext rotating]] What's-Her-Face with a Naginata. [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext Again, don't ask.]]

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''

* The gratuitous [[RuleOfCool (but cool)]] "Blind Nigga Samurai" sequence in ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks''.

* Bushido Brown from ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks'', an [[AfroAssKicker African-American karate expert]] who uses a katana sword on occasion.

* Setsuna of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'', a [[HalfHumanHybrid half]]-[[WingedHumanoid bird demon]], DemonSlaying, [[SchoolgirlLesbians lesbian-in-denial]] {{Samurai}} in an UrbanFantasy. Also one of the most popular characters in the series, whose prominence was [[EnsembleDarkhorse quickly raised after her introduction in the fourth volume]].
* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha''

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}''

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Touhou Project]]''

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' expansion "Mothership Zeta" has a Samurai abducted from ancient Japan and awakened from cryogenic suspended animation.

* ''Film/RealSteel'' is a movie about wrestling androids and the main character controls "Noisy Boy", the samurai design of which makes it by default one of the slickest looking robots in the film, [[TooCoolToLive but also makes its destruction much bitter to watch]].

* ''Film/RealSteel'' is a movie about wrestling androids and the main character controls "Noisy Boy", the samurai design of which makes it by default one of the slickest looking robots in the film, but also [[TooCoolToLive makes its destruction much bitter]] to watch.

* ''VideoGame/EnsembleStars'' is a game about modern-day high schoolers who are training to become idols. The cast, naturally, includes a character (Souma) who acts in every way like an Edo-period samurai, right down to carrying a katana with him everywhere he goes. It's explained that he comes from an ''incredibly'' old-fashioned family which is proud of its samurai heritage, but more than a few characters have noted how out of place he looks, as though he's [[GenreRefugee from a totally different genre.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' deconstructs this with Da Samurai; a JiveTurkey guy in disco pants that is more or less a thug with a katana, which he uses more like a club than an actual sword, who uses his self-proclaimed status as a "samurai" to bully people and (fail to) pick up ladies. The show's actual Samurai humbles him by the end of the episode, by kicking his ass without breaking a sweat while also teaching him a bit about the real values of a samurai.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': The [[OurElvesAreBetter Craftworld Eldar]] have curved swords, naginata-like polearms and guns that fire monomolecular shuriken, and some of their warriors, such as Prince Yriel, have back-banners, as do [[MiniMecha wraithlords]]. The Path system in their society also bears a number of similarities to the tenets of Bushido. If that wasn't enough, [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything they view humans as hairy barbarian upstarts and isolate themselves on their planetoid-sized colony ships]].

* In ''Film/{{Brazil}}'', Sam's later {{Dream Sequence}}s have him fighting a samurai. Apparently, "samurai" is supposed to be a StealthPun.