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Soga Japan Center Special Talk: Streaming Samurai: Historical Japan in Contemporary Media

Posted by Elizabeth Braaksma for Haenicke Institute for Global Education

"Streaming Samurai: Historical Japan in Contemporary Media"

Although the age of samurai ended more than 150 years ago, medieval Japanese warriors continue to fascinate people today as characters in video games, movies and on television. 

This talk analyzes the depiction of samurai in three recent streaming shows: “Shōgun” (2024), “Blue Eye Samurai” (2023) and “Age of Samurai” (2021). Can they promote historical understanding while conveying entertaining stories? How do they balance accuracy with viewer expectations? 

What does their popularity reveal about Western ideas of Japan? This talk explores these and related questions of historical authenticity, spectatorship and reception, and the stakes inherent in the transposition of contemporary issues onto historical but fictionalized settings.

"Streaming Samurai: Historical Japan in Contemporary Media" is presented by Dr. Ethan Segal, associate professor from Michigan State University. Join us Nov. 6 at 3:30 p.m. in Brown Hall, Room 3025. The event is free and open to the public.

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  • "Japan: People, Society, Tradition and its Relations with the US" presented by Yusuke Shindo, the Honorable Consul General.  Shindo, a career diplomat of Japan, joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in 1986. At the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry, he was, among others, in charge of economic development assistance, trade negotiations, climate change and arms control. He served several overseas postings such as Saudi Arabia, Germany, Los Angeles, Indonesia, Geneva and Pakistan. In July of 2021, he moved to Michigan from Pakistan as Consul General of Japan in Detroit.

Accessibility

We are happy to provide reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. To request accommodation, please contact Soga Japan Center staff at @email at least five business days before the event.

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Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025
3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
3025 Brown Hall
1903 W Michigan Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI 49008 US
Michiko Yoshimoto, Program Manager Soga Japan Center