Samurai War Cry!

Cummins, A. (2016). Samurai and Ninja: The Real Story Behind the Japanese Warrior Myth that Shatters the Bushido Mystique. United States: Tuttle Publishing.

A single person cries out “Ei, Ei” (this is pronounced “A-A”); after this everyone cries out “Ou” (pronounced “O”), making the war cry “A-A-O” (as said in the alphabet).

When the head inspection has finished, normally the lord will start the war cry—this is probably just the “A-A” section and the company around him should finish with “O.”

It’s details like these that add flavor and bring stories to life. You can be sure our Vikings will hear this was cry a lot.

And wouldn’t you know it, as soon as I jotted this note down, I just heard the war cry in Akira Kurosawa’s Ran.