Samurai Arms, Armour & the Tactics of Warfare
I jump headfirst into this epic saga, VIKINGS vs SAMURAI, all fired up to bring some serious cinematic thunder. But then it hits me—like a wakizashi to the gut—I don’t know jack about samurai. My whole understanding of these warriors is cobbled together from a bunch of chanbara flicks. Tactics? Strategies? Not a damn clue. Their ranks, their gear? Hell, I might as well be trying to read kanji in the dark. If I’m gonna spin a story worth its weight in katana steel, I better get my facts straight.
And just when I’m about to drown in my own ignorance, in swoops Antony Cummins (listen to my Q&A with the dude here) , like a sensei in the final act, dropping knowledge bombs with his killer book, Samurai Arms, Armour & the Tactics of Warfare. Part of his acclaimed Book of Samurai series, it’s got the whole deal—translated scrolls from the legendary Natori-Ryū school of war. This ain’t your run-of-the-mill samurai handbook; it cracks open the vault on the weaponry, armor, and battlefield tactics of the era.
You get two secret scrolls from the man himself, Natori Sanjūrō Masazumi—aka Issui-sensei. Natori Sanjūrō, seventeenth-century tactician, the big cheese of the Natori-Ryū school—this guy wasn’t just swinging a sword; he was rewriting the rules of war. His scrolls give us a backstage pass to the samurai mind—how they thought, what they valued, the codes they lived by, even their deepest fears and aspirations. It’s like a direct line to the psyche of a warrior class that’s been as misunderstood as it’s been romanticized.
First up, Heieki Yōhō, which dishes out advice for every damn situation you could find yourself in, from moving troops like a chess master to storming castles with swagger. Flip a coward into a soldier? Done. Eavesdrop like a pro to get the juiciest intel? Absolutely. Dig deep into the motives of those who slander or praise? You bet.
Then there’s Heigu Yōhō, diving deep into the nitty-gritty of samurai gear—130 line drawings, strategic diagrams, and calligraphy so fine it could cut you. This is the gospel for anyone who wants to get down with samurai culture, martial arts, or just has a hard-on for war stories.
With Antony Cummins’ Samurai Arms, Armour & the Tactics of Warfare, you get a rare, unfiltered look into the heart and soul of the samurai world, beyond the pop culture veneer. It’s a deep dive into the wisdom of a warrior class that knew how to live, fight, and die by a code that’s as fierce as it is fascinating. Whether you’re a comic book writer like me, a martial artist, or just a fan with a burning passion for the real deal, this book is your ultimate guide to unlocking the secrets of samurai strategy and spirit.
