History Main / StreetSamurai

* Daniel, the protagonist of ''Webcomic/AcidRain'' looks the type, is a mercenary, and has weapon of choice, but just in the [[AwesomeButImpractical first chapter]].

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

* The protagonist from ''LeSamourai''. 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)

* There's an obscure PS2 game called ''Seven Samurai 20XX'' based on the ''SevenSamurai'' set in a cyberpunk world.

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 honor make them refuse to sell out to authority. Typical goals for this sort of character are InformationWantsToBeFree, 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 [[KatanasAreJustBetter 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. Hacking, at least at a rudimentary level, or other similar tech skills (creating prosthetics, building custom weapons systems and vehicles etc.) is required.

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, and bringing down the very society in which they live in order to make a better one.

* ''TabletopGame/{{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 [[CorporateSamurai corporate backing]], or who rely on pure skill rather than augmentation, do not fit this definition.

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

* The main character from ''Film/GhostDogTheWayOfTheSamurai'' is a gangster hitman who lives by the code of Bushido and has a number of anachronistic habits, such as communicating by messenger pigeon. [[WuTangClan RZA]] has a cameo as another one of these.

* The protagonists of ''RoninGalaxy'' take the "samurai" part a bit literally.

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 [[VisualNovel/AceAttorney Steel Samurai]].

* ''TabletopGame/{{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.

* ''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}}.

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 recognizable types drawn from hard-boiled private-eye literature and FilmNoir.

* Any Solo in ''TabletopGame/{{Cyberpunk}}2020'' would count.

* The main character from ''Film/GhostDogTheWayOfTheSamurai'' is a gangster hitman who lives by the code of Bushido and has a number of anachronistic habits, such as communicating by messenger pidgeon. [[WuTangClan RZA]] has a cameo as another one of these.

* Any Solo in ''Cyberpunk2020'' would count.

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 [[KatanasAreJustBetter 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. Hacking, at least at a rudimentary level, or other similar tech skills (creating prothetics, building custom weapons systems and vehicles etc.) is required.

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/{{Ronin}}'' is probably the TropeCodifier for comics.

* [[BlindSwordsman Mamoru Hijikata]] from ''UntilDeathDoUsPart''.

* Molly from ''{{Neuromancer}}'' and [[SprawlTrilogy other works]] by Creator/WilliamGibson is the TropeNamer and ur-example.

* The eponymous character from ''GhostDog'' is a gangster hitman who lives by the code of Bushido and has a number of anachronistic habits, such as communicating by messenger pidgeon. [[WuTangClan RZA]] has a cameo as another one of these.

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 [[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. Hacking, at least at a rudimentary level, or other similar tech skills (creating prothetics, building custom weapons systems and vehicles etc.) is required.

* All the player characters in the ''DeusEx'' series can end up this way, depending on the path you choose.