History Main / StreetSamurai

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[[caption-width-right:350:Doesn't need to see to kick your ass.]]

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'', this trope describes the archetypical Shadowrunner, i.e. the PlayerCharacter. The title 'Street Samurai' is used in-game for one of the classic runner archetypes, specifically the independent fighting guy who augments his abilities with lots of cyberware, though not so much to the point where they end up [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul killing themselves]] [[FateWorseThanDeath or worse]]. Fighters who augment themselves [[SupernaturalMartialArts with magic]], who augment themselves with [[CorporateSamurai corporate backing]], or who rely on [[WeakButSkilled pure skill rather than augmentation]] do not fit this definition.

* The protagonist from ''Film/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)

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.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'', this trope describes the archetypical Shadowrunner, i.e. the PlayerCharacter. The title 'Street Samurai' is used in-game for one of the classic runner archetypes, specifically the independent fighting guy who augments his abilities with lots of cyberware. Fighters who augment themselves [[SupernaturalMartialArts with magic]], who augment themselves with [[CorporateSamurai corporate backing]], or who rely on [[WeakButSkilled pure skill rather than augmentation]] do not fit this definition.

* Molly Millions from ''Literature/{{Neuromancer}}'' and [[SprawlTrilogy other works]] by Creator/WilliamGibson is the TropeNamer and ur-example. She's a "razorgirl" with cybernetically enhanced reflexes, lenses grafted over her eyes, and double-edged scalpel blades implanted under her fingernails.

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

* Dechs, the title ''AntiHeroForHire''.

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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/9891ca1ce1119577a34b575818f46d56.jpg]]

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'', this trope describes the archetypical Shadowrunner, i.e. the PlayerCharacter. The title 'Street Samurai' is used in-game for one of the classic runner archetypes, specifically the independent fighting guy who augments his abilities with lots of cyberware. Fighters who augment themselves [[SupernaturalMartialArts with magic]], who augment themselves with [[CorporateSamurai corporate backing]], or who rely on [[WeakButSkilled pure skill rather than augmentation]], do not fit this definition.

* In the CrapsackWorld of ''ComicBooks/JudgeDredd'', the Judges of future Japan dress and act like high-tech Samurai warriors.

* Batman as portrayed in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'', moreso than other versions of the character. He wages a vigilante crusade against a corrupt society, is bound by a strict personal code of honour and tends to use fighting techniques originating from medieval Japan against foes using modern weapons and tactics. Given this particular incarnation's constant use of advanced computer tech (his mask's detective mode, the disruptor, the remote hacking device) and the notably cyberpunk-influenced plots of the series (City's focus on government control and surveillance, Knight's focus on drone warfare, the prominent role the Bat-family's resident hacker Oracle has throughout the series), this version of Batman is actually one of the purest examples of the trope.

* Batman as portrayed in ''VideoGame/Batman:ArkhamSeries'', moreso than other versions of the character. He wages a vigilante crusade against a corrupt society, is bound by a strict personal code of honour and tends to use fighting techniques originating from medieval Japan against foes using modern weapons and tactics. Given this particular incarnation's constant use of advanced computer tech (his mask's detective mode, the disruptor, the remote hacking device) and the notably cyberpunk-influenced plots of the series (City's focus on government control and surveillance, Knight's focus on drone warfare, the prominent role the Bat-family's resident hacker Oracle has throughout the series), this version of Batman is actually one of the purest examples of the trope.

* Batman as portrayed in ''Video Game/Batman:ArkhamSeries'', moreso than other versions of the character. He wages a vigilante crusade against a corrupt society, is bound by a strict personal code of honour and tends to use fighting techniques originating from medieval Japan against foes using modern weapons and tactics. Given this particular incarnation's constant use of advanced computer tech (his mask's detective mode, the disruptor, the remote hacking device) and the notably cyberpunk-influenced plots of the series (City's focus on government control and surveillance, Knight's focus on drone warfare, the prominent role the Bat-family's resident hacker Oracle has throughout the series), this version of Batman is actually one of the purest examples of the trope.

* 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''.

* [[BlindWeaponmaster Mamoru Hijikata]] from ''UntilDeathDoUsPart''.
* Tetsujo from Manga/{{Dorohedoro}}, he literally looks like a samurai.
* [[HandicappedBadass Nicholas Brown]] from Manga/{{Gangsta}}, albeit, he's not from a {{Cyberpunk}} world.

* Molly Millions from ''{{Neuromancer}}'' and [[SprawlTrilogy other works]] by Creator/WilliamGibson is the TropeNamer and ur-example. She's a "razorgirl" with cybernetically enhanced reflexes, lenses grafted over her eyes, and double-edged scalpel blades implanted under her fingernails.

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.

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

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 [[Franchise/AceAttorney Steel Samurai]].

* In ''Film/{{Elysium}}'', the main villain is Krieger, a cyborg for hire who carries a katana.

* Tetsujo from Manga/''{{Dorohedoro}}, he literally looks like a samurai.