Netflix: Everything You Need to Know About the History of Yasuke’s Titular Protagonist
There have been several announcements regarding upcoming anime in recent weeks by Netflix. It seems that the streaming giant had realized the potential of the ever-growing anime fandom. Therefore, in the last few months, Netflix has looked to increase its content to woo anime fans. In one of the latest announcements, the company has teased the premiere of Yasuke in 2021. The story follows the titular samurai who, after a lifetime of combat, decides to settle down. However, he is disappointed that he won’t get to enjoy his retirement after he is pulled back into Japan’s conflicts. Although Japan is fictionalized on the show and has mechs and magic, interestingly, the protagonist is a real person. Unlike most shows, the show’s main character is not a figment of imagination but a real person who lived an intriguing life.
However, a few things about him are well known. He was taken to Japan by Alessandro Valignano as a slave in 1579. Valignano was a Jesuit missionary, and it was his task to ensure that every mission in this part of the world was inspected and all the procedures were followed. If the Legends are to be believed, large crowds will gather just to have a glimpse of Yasuke because of the color of his skin and his intimidating height. According to the reports, his height was over six feet and compared to the average Japanese height, which was around five feet, he was enormous. The crowd would get mad just to get a glimpse, and the balconies, as well as buildings, would collapse under their weight.
When Yasuke first met Oda Nobunaga, the warlord, he impressed him with his wealth of knowledge. It is revealed in a letter from 1582, written by Luis Frois to Lourenco Mexia, in which the former explains what happened when Yasuke and Oda first met. Oda initially thought that Yasuke was dirty because of his skin color, so he told him to get himself cleaned. However, when he realized that it was Yasuke’s real skin color, he found him fascinating. Yasuke knew several languages and told Oda a lot of stories about Africa and India in Japanese. Oda was impressed, and he gifted him a sum of money, which was unusual.
With time, Oda and Yasuke’s relationship only got better. Yasuke even went on to enter Oda’s service, and he was the only non-Japanese samurai, which remained a unique distinction for a long time. Oda never treated Yasuke as his slave, and he even trusted him with personal secrets. He was given the title of Weapon bearer because of his rich knowledge and high skill. It is even said that he had his residence and a katana too. All of this showed how much Oda looked after Yasuke.
Yasuke went on to fight many battles alongside Oda, including the Battle of Tenmokuzan. In 1582, Akechi Mitshuhide attacked the Honno-Ji temple when Oda and his advisors were inside. After a lot of fighting, it became evident that the invaders were going to win. So, Oda committed seppuku, which is a form of suicide. It is said that Oda has ordered Yasuke to behead him and wanted his head to be given to his heir, Nobutada. It shows that even in his death, Oda Nobunaga trusted Yasuke.
Yasuke somehow survived and got to Nobutada in Nijo Castle, where he was trying to avenge Nobunaga. Yasuke dedicated himself to fighting Oda’s enemies; however, he ended up on the losing side. He was captured and presented to Akachi; since Yasuke was not Japanese, Akachi decided to let him go. He was then taken to a church in Kyoto, although his fate is still debated.
Nothing is known about Yasuke after the battle in Nijo Castle for sure. However, his fascinating life has been the focus of several works, and he has inspired many legends in Japan. Netflix’s version of Yasuke’s story is sure to deviate from historical tales, but it is much more important than it will hopefully draw people’s attention to the legendary samurai.
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