Talk:Heshikiri Hasebe/@comment-180.253.252.114-20150514174254/@comment-31.33.217.53-20150531181325

No... that simply means Heshikiri Hasebe is the product of a feudal society. One of the bad aspect of feudal society is that it is, in it's purest form, like a pyramid of masochists with a single sadist at it's summit.

Dai Rokuten Ma'ô Oda Udaijin Taira-no-Nobunaga... was a sadist.

Unlike the 3 previous comments, I don't think it's because Nobunaga did Teuchi on one of his servant (Daimyô priviledge to slay a traitor or criminal retainer on the spot, because sometime a samurai could try to kill the lord or something, that is why, in many cases, only the Daimyô had his katana with him, and all the others only had small weapons such as wakizashi, tantô and tessen). It's because Nobunaga had a bad reputation as a whole, and was betrayed many times by his retainers, allies and even his brother (2 times). It's rather unsurprising that Hasebe Kunishige would grow tired of slaying friends instead of foes, or even innocent looking dudes. He even got a name, Heshikiri, after slashing one of them in such a terrible fashion.

Nobunaga was well known as a visionnary, and it's possible he used the medias of the time as a tool of propaganda, to boost his reputation and make other lords and nobles fear him even more. Heshikiri just happened to participate in that, and it's not like Nobunaga asked for his opinion. This Daimyo was well known for not listening much to his retainers since his youth !

Hasebe has the personality of a samurai, a weaponized servant of nobility.

Even today, there is still a "servant culture" in Japan (for exemple meido kafe or animes such as Hayate the Combat Butler or Kimi ga Aruji de Shitsuji ga Ore de) because Meiji Oligarchs such as Ito Hirobumi and friends didn't take off japanese traditional mentality, they only removed the good aspects of it, making the whole system of values crumbles apart and become a monster (though it has yet to become really monstruous, and the Japanese people know it well).

Even though there are no samurai anymore, there is still remnants and the japanese people are mostly proud of them (also, pretty much all of them have at least 1 samurai ancestor, since at some points, samurai population was 10% of the japanese population, and never below 5%). Martial artists, butlers, the Emperor's Jijû and Imperial Guards (original Konoe Shidan was formed of Shizoku) among others. And also, people who simply want to serve (whatever one might say about Japanese Mafia, Yakuza are almost the only one left in Japan who practice Seppuku, and that desserve Respect). And also people with the nostalgy of the Sengoku era, a glorious time when grasping your sword meant grasping your own destiny... something we miss today, that goes without saying.

Even in Heisei era's generation & Taishô era latests generations, well known for having developped a self loathing culture, average opinion about the Emperor is either uncarring indifference (mostly for the youth) or respect (mostly old folks). But if destiny makes them meet an Imperial Family member or the Emperor himself, the natural reaction for most of them would be to stand in awe. Most won't bend the knee like they would do in front of Stannis the Mannis, unless the situation is fitting (look, for exemple, at the videos of the Emperor and Empress visiting disaster refugees after the earthquake and tsunami in 2011). And it's the natural reaction in front of the most exhalted person in your country (or the Country itself, since the Emperor of China is said to be Heaven in the guise of a human being and that is pretty much the same for Kings in general since the antiquity), isn't it ? But when it becomes strange, it's when Communists guys says they hate the government, but that they support the current Emperor and that he does a good job. Dreadfull, isn't it ?

Well... that is also an aspect of the "servant culture" in Japan.

Anyway... samurai are servants, and sometimes, masters are cruels. But servants obey, because they have sworn to serve and protect, not to judge.

Confucius said : "The Gentleman (Junzi / Kunshi) do not criticize his ruler/lord/master/sovereign in front of strangers."

That is why even Heshikiri Hasebe don't badmouth Nobunaga nor openly express his... lack of approbation toward his master actions. As a sword, he can not fight by himself, he can not decide... it is the one holding it and use it who decide.

In the past, some victims of Mao Zedong even hesitated to badmouth him or to criticize him, even when he well deserved it, just because Confucius said that and Mao was China's ruler. That is why even today, even if Mao is seen as controversial, they tend to forget all his crimes (for those who don't know, Mao Zedong is responsible for the greatest number of death in History, far, far beyond Hitler and Staline combined). If a chinese who suffered because of Mao hesitate to critisize him, of course, Oda Nobunaga's own sword would show some restraint. One might Wonder why I talk about Confucius, but in Edo period, all samurai learned Confucianism, even today it's still part of the official learning (don't work verry well though, if I dare say ^^').

Maybe there is 1 more reason... Heshikiri may fear if he blames his previous master, his current one, the Saniwa, will stop to trust him. And so, Heshikiri prefers to not take any risk. Like a Maai he guards a distance of security. He is a Nihontô, after all.

Heshikiri Hasebe had such a tragic life... but in a sense, he represent the sufferings of both ancient and modern Japanese, and all the men who devoted there life to a master.

Don't think it's a critic of Feudal society, though, if feudal is bad, then every kind of political regime is bad too (including anarchy, even though it is precisely the absence of a political regime, that goes without saying), because all have good and bad points, benefits and defaults, and most of them have a short existence (and thus lack stability, monarchy is the one with greatest longevity though). And it's not like Heshikiri or the samurai were slaves, Japanese and Chinese lived quite well actually for medieval societies.

Edo period Japanese were even the only country in the world to enjoy Culture in a pre-modern society, a verry nice change that was made possible by Oda Nobunaga.

Right or wrong, a samurai do not know, he lives only to serve and hope he serves the right master, with a just cause and possibilities to realise his dreams someday.