History Main / StreetSamurai

The StreetSamurai is the classic protagonist archetype in CyberPunk and PostCyberPunk, but also shows up on occasion when those genres are mixed with DungeonPunk and UrbanFantasy. Hackers, warriors, and anti-authoritarian loners, these characters fight against the {{dystopia}}n governments, and {{Megacorp}}s that rule their worlds. They are down on their luck souls that WalkTheEarth because their own personal codes of honour make refuse to sell out to the authority. Typical goals for this sort of character are [[InformationWantsToBeFree information wants to be free]], and bringing down the very society in which they live in order to make a better one.

Compare SamuraiCowboy and CorporateSamurai. Note, that merely having the toys of a StreetSamurai does not make you one if you don't have the personality and skill set. Not to be confused with the [[AceAttorney Steel Samurai]].

* Being inspired by ''{{Neuromancer}}'', the human protagonists of ''TheMatrix'' exhibit characteristics of this, especially Trinity.

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* Molly from ''{{Neuromancer}}'' and [[SprawlTrilogy other works]] by William Gibson is the TropeNamer and ur-example.
* Hiro Protagonist in ''SnowCrash'' is a pizza deliveryman and freelance hacker, but his combat skills, talent for working high-tech espionage, and willingness to take on enemies far larger than himself to do what's right are what make him an example. Raven does work as a mercenary, but he's got his own agenda.
* Neal Stephenson's ''TheDiamondAge'' has a DecoyProtagonist, Bud, who behaves a bit like one of these. He's mostly just a street hoodlum who spends his money on bionic weapons. He's messily executed in short order.

The StreetSamurai is the classic protagonist archetype in CyberPunk and PostCyberPunk, but also shows up on occasion when those genres are mixed with DungeonPunk and UrbanFantasy. Hackers, warriors, and anti-authoritarian loners, these characters fight against the {{dystopia}}n governments, and {{Megacorp}}s that rule their worlds. They are down on their luck souls that WalkTheEarth because their own personal codes of honour make refuse to sell out to the authority. Typical goals for this sort of character are [[InformationWantsToBeFree information wants to be free]], and bringing down the very society in which they live in order to make a better one.

They are the tech-savvy mercenaries, [[BountyHunter bounty-hunters]], assassins, bodyguards and general [[BadAss badasses]] of the urban jungle. They're far cooler than standard {{Mooks}}, often sporting a BadassLongcoat, CoolShades and other stylish gear. Edged weapons are common despite being strange for the era, and [[KatanasAreBetter Katanas are recommended, but not mandatory]]. Street samurai by no means eschew firearms however, and are frequently expert [[{{The Gunslinger}} gunslingers]], but expect CoolGuns and AbnormalAmmo. In classic CyberPunk, the samurai would often be [[{{Cyborg}} heavily augmented with cybernetic parts]], but this is no longer mandatory. Hacking, at least at a rudimentary level, or other similar tech skills (creating prothetics, building custom weapons systems and vehicles etc.) is required.

Compare SamuraiCowboy and {{Corporate Samurai}}. Note, that merely having the toys of a StreetSamurai does not make you one if you don't have the personality and skill set. Not to be confused with the [[AceAttorney Steel Samurai]].

* ''KillBill'': The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad is a group of assassins, some of whom use katanas. While The Bride is in a coma for several years [[spoiler: and Bill is in semi-retirement raising their daughter]], the group disbands and the members either retire or work solo, essentially becoming {{ronin}}.

* Molly from ''{{Neuromancer}}'' and [[SprawlTrilogy other works]] by William Gibson is the TropeNamer and ur-example.
* Hiro Protagonist in ''SnowCrash'' is a pizza deliveryman and freelance hacker, but his combat skills, talent for working high-tech espionage, and willingness to take on enemies far larger than himself to do what's right are what make him an example. Raven does work as a mercenary, but he's got his own agenda.

* ''{{Shadowrun}}'' uses this name for one of the classic runner archetypes, specifically the independent fighting guy who augments his abilities with lots of cyberware. Fighters who augment themselves with magic, who augment themselves with corporate backing, or who rely on pure skill rather than augmentation, do not fit this definition.

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* Dechs, the titular ''AntiHeroForHire''.

Compare SamuraiCowboy and {{Corporate Samurai}}. Note, that merely having the toys of a StreetSamurai does not make you one if you don't have the personality and skill set.

Compare SamuraiCowboy and {{Corporate Samurai}}. Note, that merely having the toys of a StreetSamaurai does not make you one if you don't have the personality and skill set.

* ''KillBill'': The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad is a group of assassins, some of whom use katanas. While The Bride is in a coma for several years, the group disbands and the members either retire or work solo, essentially becoming {{ronin}}.

The StreetSamurai is the classic protagonist archetype in CyberPunk and PostCyberPunk, but also shows up on occasion when those genres are mixed with DungeonPunk and UrbanFantasy. Hackers, warriors, and anti-authoritarian loners, these characters fight against the {{dystopia}}n governments, and {{Megacorp}}s that rule their worlds. They are down on their luck souls that WalkTheEarth because their own personal codes of honour make refuse to sell out to the authority. Typical goals for this sort of character are information wants to be free, and bringing down the very society in which they live in order to make a better one.

The StreetSamurai is a stock character in CyberPunk and PostCyberPunk, but also shows up on occasion in DungeonPunk and UrbanFantasy. They are the mercenaries, [[BountyHunter bounty-hunters]], assassins, bodyguards and general [[BadAss badasses]] of the [[{{dystopia}} urban jungle]]. They're far cooler than standard {{Mooks}}, often sporting a BadassLongcoat, CoolShades and other stylish gear. Edged weapons are common, and [[KatanasAreBetter Katanas are recommended, but not mandatory]]. Street samurai by no means eschew firearms however, and are frequently expert [[{{The Gunslinger}} gunslingers]], but expect CoolGuns and AbnormalAmmo. In classic CyberPunk, the samurai would often be [[{{Cyborg}} heavily augmented with cybernetic parts]], but this is no longer mandatory.

Compare SamuraiCowboy and {{Corporate Samurai}}.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* While it's more UrbanFantasy than CyberPunk, Hei of ''DarkerThanBlack'' probably fits, being an urban mercenary in BadassLongcoat, armed with a sword, GrapplingHookPistol and garrote.
** From the second season, is the Contractor Mina who might be a better example, dressing in ninja-gear with her own GrapplingHookPistol and wielding a LaserBlade katana.
* ''BlackCat'' has "sweepers" (bounty hunters) who might fit
* Possibly the protagonists of ''GetBackers'' and others like them in the series
* Pretty much every character in ''Battle Angel Alita''.
* The Knight Sabers of ''BubblegumCrisis'' are essentially a marriage of this trope with the costuming of {{Tokusatsu}}.
* Mamoru, the protagonist of ''UntilDeathDoUsPart'' is a [[HandicappedBadass blind]] swordsman/mercenary who wields a high tech ultra-sharp [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana]] and is provided some measure of sight through high tech CoolShades.
* To a large extent, Honoka, the heroine of ''TheThird'' qualifies. She is a mercenary/jack-of-all-trades and fights with a katana. Unusually, she actually does fit the {{samurai}} archetype (rather than being more like a {{ninja}}), following bushido and having a code against killing people. What makes her a less than perfect example is that she lives in a DesertPunk world, not a CyberPunk one.
* Expected of every ''{{Karas}}'', as Otoha and Homura showed.
* Frankly, the Major of the various ''GhostInTheShell'' series counts, being a kickass ActionGirl and expert hacker. While she may be in law enforcement, she doesn't follow the rules to the letter (she's big on The Law, less so on individual laws), and has posed as a hired gun on occasion.
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* At times, Wolverine of ''XMen'' has had aspects of this to his character
* [[SinCity Deadly little Miho]], although she also doubles as a {{Ninja}}.

* Hiro in ''SnowCrash'' is not a mercenary, but his combat skills and talent for working high-tech espionage make him a passable example. Raven does work as a mercenary, but he's got his own agenda.

* Tosh from ''VideoGame/ArcTheLad'' is a regular samurai tossed into a SchizoTech universe... more precisely, he comes from a clan of samurai traditionnaly responsible to protect the capital city of Arc's country, and his clan retained his traditional role, even after the country went through an industrial revolution.

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* Tosh from ArcTheLad is a regular samurai tossed into a SchizoTech universe... more precisely, he comes from a clan of samurai traditionnaly responsible to protect the capital city of Arc's country, and his clan retained his traditional role, even after the country went through an industrial revolution.

* The eponymous character from ''GhostDog'', also has a cameo by [[WuTangClan RZA]] as another one of these.

* Hiro in ''SnowCrash'' is not a mercenary, but his combat skills and talent for working high-tech espionage make him a passable example. Raven does work as a mercenary, but he's got his own agenda. 0

* Future Hiro in ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' has the jacket and katana in a CrapsackWorld and seems to be this type, as well as a ShoutOut to Hiro in SnowCrash.

** By extention so does the protagonist from ''LeSamourai'', to which ''GhostDog'' is a SpiritualSuccessor. Besides the title, it gets points for having a protagonist who wears a BadassLongcoat. And it was an inspiration to JohnWoo (hence the gun-slinging and CoolShades elements)
* While not CyberPunk or UrbanFantasy, the movie {{Film/Ronin}} is based on this concept. Government operatives lose their jobs after the Cold War ends and go rogue in order to find work. There is even a scene relating the story of [[TheFortySevenRonin the 47 Ronin]].

* Molly from ''{{Neuromancer}}'' and [[SprawlTrilogy other works]] by William Gibson is the TropeNamer and ur-example. Though considering she works a lot through stealth (hidden blades in her hands, shurikens, etc.) it could be argued that she's closer to a {{ninja}} than a {{samurai}}, but that's probably just overgeeking about it.
* In a way, both Hiro and Y.T. in ''SnowCrash'' fit, particularly when involved in intelligence work. As the novel is a PostCyberpunk AffectionateParody, Hiro is presented as kind of ridiculous in carrying around a katana, and Y.T. is a BrattyHalfPint. BadAss mercenary Raven might count as a straighter example.
** Also by Stephenson, ''TheDiamondAge'' has a DecoyProtagonist who is one of these, but gets messily executed in short order.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* Dechs, the titular ''AntiHeroForHire''.
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* Being inspired by/plagiarized from ''{{Neuromancer}}'', the human protagonists of ''TheMatrix'' exhibit characteristics of this, especially Trinity.

The StreetSamurai is a stock character in CyberPunk and PostCyberPunk, but also shows up on occasion in DungeonPunk and UrbanFantasy. They are the mercenaries, [[BountyHunter bounty-hunters]], assassins, bodyguards and general [[BadAss badasses]] of the [[{{dystopia}} urban jungle]]. They're far cooler than standard {{Mooks}}, often sporting a BadassLongcoat, CoolShades and other stylish gear. Edged weapons are common, and [[KatanasAreBetter Katanas are recommended, but not mandatory]]. Street samurai by no means eschew firearms however, and are frequently expert [[{{TheGunslinger}} gunslingers]], but expect CoolGuns and AbnormalAmmo. In classic CyberPunk, the samurai would often be [[{{Cyborg}} heavily augmented with cybernetic parts]], but this is no longer mandatory.

Despite the name, these characters have a lot more in common with ''{{ronin}}'' and sometimes ''{{ninja}}'' than they do with ''{{samurai}}'', being essentially descendants of recognisable types drawn from hard-boiled private-eye literature and FilmNoir.

Compare SamuraiCowboy. corporate samurai----

* Expected of every ''[[Karas]], as Otoha and Homura showed.''

* ''{{Shadowrun}}'' uses the name as a player class, as most 'runners are of this type.

Compare SamuraiCowboy.
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* While not CyberPunk or UrbanFantasy, the movie {{Ronin}} is based on this concept. Government operatives lose their jobs after the Cold War ends and go rogue in order to find work. There is even a scene relating the story of [[TheFortySevenRonin the 47 Ronin]].

The StreetSamurai is a stock character in CyberPunk and PostCyberPunk, but also shows up on occasion in DungeonPunk and UrbanFantasy. They are the mercenaries, [[BountyHunter bounty-hunters]], assassins, bodyguards and general [[BadAss badasses]] of the [[{{dystopia}} urban jungle]]. They're far cooler than standard {{Mooks}}, often sporting a BadassLongcoat, CoolShades and other stylish gear. Edged weapons are common, and [[KatanasAreBetter Katanas are recommended, but not mandatory]]. Street samurai by no means eschew firearms however, and are frequently expert [[{{TheGunslinger}} gunslingers]], but expect CoolGuns and AbnormalAmmo.

* The eponymous character from ''GhostDog'', also has a cameo by [[Wu-TangClan RZA]] as another one of these.

* Literal version; ''Ghost Dog'' from the movie of the same name.