Did you know that a real-life Afro Samurai really existed?
When feudal Japan’s most powerful warlord Nobunaga Oda met a certain black slave-turned-retainer, in 1581, he believed the man was a guardian demon or “Daikokuten,” a god of prosperity usually represented by black statues in temples. Oda tried to rub the pigment off the African’s skin, believing it was black ink. Once convinced it was real, he immediately threw a feast in his honor.
In an era racked by political espionage, merciless assassinations and ninja attacks, this African was seen as an asset. Nobunaga soon made him a samurai – even providing him with his own servant, house and stipend, according to Jesuit records.
Do you know the name of the original afro samurai?