Yojimbo A Lonely Samurao Character Analysis

When we gather all the facts, notions, beliefs, prejudices, and all the things that encase human perception of other humans, what truly defines a “good” or “bad” person? Is it even really clear who is “bad” and who is “good” in the world? Are there definitive factors, such as crime or sinful actions, that are critical in determining the conclusion of whether someone is righteous or immoral? Are we even capable of dictating the difference? One might think that someone who seems to disregard the law, consistently, or someone who commits sinful acts, religiously based or morally based, would be decided as a “bad” person due to their overall disrespect to rules and normality, according to societal standards. In the film Yojimbo, a lonely samurai

One instance in which he puts another person before his own personal gain—in fact three people—was when Sanjuro saved Nui from being Tokuemon’s sex slave any longer and reuniting her with her husband, Kohei, and her own son. By restoring this family, Sanjuro knew he would likely face deadly consequences by Ushitora and his gang of loyal followers if he was revealed as being the culprit behind the escape of Nui and the family. He even gave the family an abundant amount of money so that they could start a new and better life by escaping the dangers within the town. This determination to save someone who was stripped of her right of being with her family is a clear case in which Sanjuro shows unwavering selflessness and kindness to others in order to keep the people of the town safe, regardless of whether he may face consequences to himself later on. In fact, when he is later discovered to be the one who released Nui, Sanjuro is beaten to the brink of death by Ushitora’s followers, but he still refuses to give up any details as to where Nui might be. Due to Sanjuro’s risk and aid to the family, it is clear that he sees others’ safety as a priority and that their safety is even more valuable than his own for the sake of the greater good; to help the town is evidently his main focus through his

By sacrificing himself to save an innocent family, of which he has no ties to, shows his undeniable selflessness persevere through determination to preserve the town. His mercy towards the coffin maker, mayors, Hansuke, and farmer’s son is also meant to further a positive future to restore the town because of their being decent, deep down. All in all, Sanjuro is, at his core, a “good” person who ends up becoming the savior of a struggling