Featured

ronin

Japanese Internet baffled by culturally confused Hollywood adaptation of 47 Ronin legend

Hollywood is carrying on its tradition of making white people the lead protagonists in movies about samurai with the 2013 47 Ronin, headed by Keanu Reeves.

But while the Japanese didn’t seem to bat an eyelid when it was revealed (spoiler) that Tom Cruise was literally the last samurai, the 47 Ronin trailer is raising eyebrows in Japan for its weird comic book treatment of the famous national legend that is said to be the most revered example of the samurai code of bushido.

Read More

Shiba Inu Makes Sure Her Master Won’t Fail the School Entrance Exam

By now, students in Japan have completed the entrance examinations required to enter high school and college, and until this past week, they had been diligently studying for the early March test. The tests, which cover core subjects such as math, English, and science, require hours of studying for several months to pass. Sometimes, students study for so long that they become burnt out, falling asleep right at their desks.

In a video taken two weeks before the big test, a little Shiba Inu is making sure her master doesn’t become a ronin. This term literally means, “wandering samurai without a master to serve,” but in modern times the term is used to describe a student who is waiting for another chance to pass the entrance exam. Watch the adorable video after the break.

Read More