A Brief History of the Samurai

A Brief History of the Samurai is a book by Joanathan Clements.  It is 319 pages, and covers a little more than a thousand years of the samurai class in Japan.  It is a good primer, but, it is hard to get a grip on Japanese history up to the Tokugawa reign because of all the players and all the rieign changes and civil wars.  I've never really studied the hhistories of European nations before those countries stabilized so I wonder if Japanese history is that much more complicated.  I feel pretty lucky that U.S. history is relatively simpler compared to older nations.

4 Star Review for Sword of the Undead

Got a 4 star reader review on Amazon today.  Sure, I would have liked 5 stars, but it's still a great review.
Click here for the book's Amazon page scroll down for the reviews

San Diego Comic-Con 2010

Boy, this should be re-named Movie-Con.  There were lines to get into lines.  No, I didn't get in.  I just hung around as much as I could outside.  And as far as next year, the 4-day passes are already sold out.  Oh, and I predict that Scott Pilgrim vs the World will be the go-to movie of the year.

some photos

Samurai Action

There is a samurai action group that puts on display of film type chambara.  Check out there website. 
http://www.samuraiaction.com/

Matsuri at the Imperial Palace

I thought Matsuri was going to be like a Cirque du Soleil type of Chinese acrobats type show, but though that is the closest comparison I can make, it is unique upon itself.  It is a show that combines acrobatics, with magic and gymnastics and dance.  It's at the Imperial Palace, which I love, but it is the blue collar of hotels on the Center Strip, and the prices reflect it - but all that means is that the show is a real deal - you don't have to spend hundreds to see a good show. Regular prices are 49 - 59. 

Check it out

Sengoku Period

Also known as the Age of the Warring States, this period lasted for about 250 years years, from around the mid 1400's to the early 1600's.  This period ended when Tokugawa Ieyasu beame Shogun in 1603.  This is one of the most confusing times in Japanese history. The Ashikaga clan controlled the shogunate, but really hadn't secured the loyalty of many daiymos, thus weakening their power.  This is an age where local warlords fought each other to expand their territory.  Eventually, Oda Nobunaga would rise as the dominant warlord, unifying about a third of Japan.  He was asssassinated by one of his own generals, paving the way for Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who would unify the nation.  In a cumming move, Tokugawa Ieyasu usurped power from the Toyotomi clan and became Shogun, thus ending the period and Japan entered a new period known as the Edo period.

Many of the books and movies during this period focus on stories involving either Takeda Shingen or Oda Nobunaga.

Lone Wolf and Cub - Collection 2 Out

Lone Wolf and Cub - Collection 2 was released on June 22, 2010.  I just checked with Amazon and it was available.  I will buy it from my local mom and pop bookstore, but they have not received their shipment, yet. I can't wait to buy it.