Hey Guys Talon here with our very first Creature Feature :D You Guys chose the Samoorai(or samurai) so here it is:
Samurai were actually very respected people in early Japanese culture, right up their with sumo wrestlers! They were nobility, and served a shogun, or War-lord. They were grouped in "Clans" and were skilled in archery and horseback combat. The Samurai thought themselves as followers of "the way of the warrior", and considered being a warrior Honorable.
Japanese Swords are the weapons that have come to be synonymous with the samurai. Ancient Japanese swords from the Nara period (Chokutō) featured a straight blade, by the late 900s curved tachi appeared, followed by the uchigatana and ultimately the katana. Smaller commonly known companion swords are the wakizashiand the tanto.[33] Wearing a long sword (katana) or (tachi) together with a smaller sword such as a wakizashi or tantō became the symbol of the samurai, this combination of swords is referred to as a daishō (literally "big and small"). During the Edo period only samurai were allowed to wear a daisho.
The yumi (longbow), reflected in the art of kyūjutsu (lit. the skill of the bow) was a major weapon of the Japanese military. Its usage declined with the introduction of the tanegashima (Japanese matchlock) during the Sengoku period, but the skill was still practiced at least for sport.[34] The yumi, an asymmetric composite bow made from bamboo, wood, rattan and leather, had an effective range of 50 meters (about 164 feet) or 100 meters (328 feet) if accuracy was not an issue. On foot, it was usually used behind a tate (手盾), a large, mobile wooden shield, but the yumi could also be used from horseback because of its asymmetric shape. The practice of shooting from horseback became a Shinto ceremony known as yabusame (流鏑馬).[35]
Pole weapons including the yari and naginata were commonly used by the samurai. The yari (Japanese spear) displaced the naginata from the battlefield as personal bravery became less of a factor and battles became more organized around massed, inexpensive foot troops (ashigaru).[citation needed] A charge, mounted or dismounted, was also more effective when using a spear rather than a sword, as it offered better than even odds against a samurai using a sword. In the Battle of Shizugatake where Shibata Katsuie was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, then known as Hashiba Hideyoshi, seven samurai who came to be known as the "Seven Spears of Shizugatake" (賤ヶ岳七本槍) played a crucial role in the victory.[36] A full suit of traditional Samurai armour could include the following items:
Armour
Dou or dō, a chest armour made up of iron and or leather plates of various sizes and shapes with pendents *kusazuri made from iron or leather plates hanging from the front and back of the dou (dō) to protect the lower body and upper leg.
Sode, large rectangular shoulder protection made from iron and or leather plates.
Kote, armoured glove like sleeves which extended to the shoulder or han kote (kote gauntlets) which covered the forearms. Kote were made from cloth covered with iron plates of various size and shape, connected by chain armor (kusari).
Kabuto, a helmet made from iron or leather plates ( from 3 to over 100 plates) riveted together. A neck guard shikoro made from several layers of curved iron or leather strips was suspended from the bottom edge of the kabuto.
Mengu, various types of lacquered metal and or leather facial armour designed in a way that the top heavy helmet kabuto could be tied and secured to them by various metal posts. Mengu had throat guards yodare-kake made from several rows of iron or leather plates or kusari(chain armour) sewn to a cloth backing, suspended from the bottom edge.
Haidate, thigh guards which tied around the waist and covered the thighs. These were made from cloth with small iron and or leather plates of various size and shape, usually connected to each other by chain armour (kusari) and sewn to the cloth.
Suneate, shin guards made from iron splints connected together by chain armor (kusari) and sewn to cloth and tied around the calf.
Samurai were actually very respected people in early Japanese culture, right up their with sumo wrestlers! They were nobility, and served a shogun, or War-lord. They were grouped in "Clans" and were skilled in archery and horseback combat. The Samurai thought themselves as followers of "the way of the warrior", and considered being a warrior Honorable.
Samourai in full armor
Samurai used the following weapons and armor( Thank you Wikipedia :D:
Weapons
The yumi (longbow), reflected in the art of kyūjutsu (lit. the skill of the bow) was a major weapon of the Japanese military. Its usage declined with the introduction of the tanegashima (Japanese matchlock) during the Sengoku period, but the skill was still practiced at least for sport.[34] The yumi, an asymmetric composite bow made from bamboo, wood, rattan and leather, had an effective range of 50 meters (about 164 feet) or 100 meters (328 feet) if accuracy was not an issue. On foot, it was usually used behind a tate (手盾), a large, mobile wooden shield, but the yumi could also be used from horseback because of its asymmetric shape. The practice of shooting from horseback became a Shinto ceremony known as yabusame (流鏑馬).[35]
Pole weapons including the yari and naginata were commonly used by the samurai. The yari (Japanese spear) displaced the naginata from the battlefield as personal bravery became less of a factor and battles became more organized around massed, inexpensive foot troops (ashigaru).[citation needed] A charge, mounted or dismounted, was also more effective when using a spear rather than a sword, as it offered better than even odds against a samurai using a sword. In the Battle of Shizugatake where Shibata Katsuie was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, then known as Hashiba Hideyoshi, seven samurai who came to be known as the "Seven Spears of Shizugatake" (賤ヶ岳七本槍) played a crucial role in the victory.[36] A full suit of traditional Samurai armour could include the following items:
Armour
Dou or dō, a chest armour made up of iron and or leather plates of various sizes and shapes with pendents *kusazuri made from iron or leather plates hanging from the front and back of the dou (dō) to protect the lower body and upper leg.
Sode, large rectangular shoulder protection made from iron and or leather plates.
Kote, armoured glove like sleeves which extended to the shoulder or han kote (kote gauntlets) which covered the forearms. Kote were made from cloth covered with iron plates of various size and shape, connected by chain armor (kusari).
Kabuto, a helmet made from iron or leather plates ( from 3 to over 100 plates) riveted together. A neck guard shikoro made from several layers of curved iron or leather strips was suspended from the bottom edge of the kabuto.
Mengu, various types of lacquered metal and or leather facial armour designed in a way that the top heavy helmet kabuto could be tied and secured to them by various metal posts. Mengu had throat guards yodare-kake made from several rows of iron or leather plates or kusari(chain armour) sewn to a cloth backing, suspended from the bottom edge.
Haidate, thigh guards which tied around the waist and covered the thighs. These were made from cloth with small iron and or leather plates of various size and shape, usually connected to each other by chain armour (kusari) and sewn to the cloth.
Suneate, shin guards made from iron splints connected together by chain armor (kusari) and sewn to cloth and tied around the calf.
Samurai believed in a code of honor, but were sometimes know to break it. They also believed in seppeku, which was "honorable" suicide for a disgraced samurai. If you guys want to know more about Samurai, go here!
So that was our first Creature Feature! Tell me what you guys think, like should I put more info, or should I put more Pictures. Just tell me in the comments! New poll for new Creature Feature will be up after I post this, so choose between Centaurs, Dryads, Wyverns, or Cyclops' :D.
Happy Magiking!
P. S Added a new Tab called Comics :PYou can find all my previous comics there lol
P. S Added a new Tab called Comics :PYou can find all my previous comics there lol
