Cultural appropriation, revision of history or just appreciation of the culture. What are your thoughts on Yasuke in the new Assassin's Creed.

[Exicide]

- There are conflicting facts, on one hand he was given a weapon and a stipend

This comes from one of Oda Nobunaga's Retainer's writings, Ota Gyuicihi I think his name is, it has been faithfully translated for centuries, it is also known as the
Shinchō Kōki, Nobunaga Kōki. "The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga"/"Lord Nobunaga Chronicle"

The exact quote is "The black man was employed by Lord Nobunaga as a vassal and received a salary. His name was Yasuke. He was given a short sword and a house. He was occasionally made to carry Lord Nobunaga's tools."

I also want to say the other fact you listed that is conflicting apparently doesn't actually conflict with what you said?

 

[Old Gamer]

However, had them decided to go to Japan before 2020 I bet they wouldn't even have considered using a black protagonist.

Why not? They already did AC Freedom Cry long before that.

It's one thing to point out marketing that is skewed towards virtue signaling. But to say a dark skinned protagonist would be out of the question is a wrong assumption.

 

[ToTTenTranz]

Why not? They already did AC Freedom Cry long before that.

It's one thing to point out marketing that is skewed towards virtue signaling. But to say a dark skinned protagonist would be out of the question is a wrong assumption.

Freedom Cry was originally a DLC for Black Flag, but even before that there was Liberation with Aveline. And afterwards there was Bayek in Origins. In all of them having a black character made sense as their ethnicity was prominent in that time and place.


What I said was Ubisoft would have never thought of using a black main character for their first game set in feudal Japan. Not before 2020 when ESG money started coming in and virtue signaling actually meant higher credit score and cheaper loans.

 

[Yurinka]

Freedom Cry was originally a DLC for Black Flag, but even before that there was Liberation with Aveline. And afterwards there was Bayek in Origins. In all of them having a black character made sense as their ethnicity was prominent in that time and place.

What I said was Ubisoft would have never thought of using a black main character for their first game set in feudal Japan. Not before 2020 when ESG money started coming in and virtue signaling actually meant higher credit score and cheaper loans.

Yep, I don't remember people complaining about the skin color in Freedom Cry, Libeation or Origins. Considering the setting and historical period made total sense.

As would have been to choose the average Japanese folk for Shadows. But obviously, they did choose having a woman and black guy because of what you say. But well, at least Yasuke's story seems interesting.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Probably the best take I've seen around this subject, it's worth a watch:

His conclusions after consulting with Thomas Lockley himself, the historian who wrote the African Samurai book (the fictional story that keeps getting quoted as historical record):

- There's no proof whatsoever that Yasuke was made samurai.
- There's no proof he wasn't made samurai either.
- There are conflicting facts, on one hand he was given a weapon and a stipend, on the other he was not required to commit seppuku after Oda Nobunaga did.
- Which is also not all that important because the term Samurai wasn't really used during that period anyways. Nobles would be called by their formal titles (like William Adams was given the title of Hatamoto). Regardless, whether or not Yasuke achieved some kind of nobility is unknown.

So.. yeah, the guy who wrote the "African Samurai" book that everyone keeps quoting as proof that Yasuke was a Samurai... says there's no way to know for sure whether he was given any type of nobility / Samurai.


As for me, after reading Luís Fróis' mentions in Portuguese I still interpret Nobunaga's interest in Yasuke as curiosity and "entertainment" (this is actually the word Fróis uses to describe Nobunaga's reaction to Yasuke). Had that been written in modern times I'd definitely keep that interpretation, though I guess 1586 Portuguese can be different from modern day Portuguese.

After the video I'll change my stance from "no way he was ever a Samurai" to "there's no way to know for sure".

This 2016 article from a guy who studies Oda Nobunaga also seems to point out that it was Luís Fróis who seemed to be fond of Yasuke, so his descriptions ended up a bit biased.


I don't change my stance on Ubisoft's choice for using a black samurai and a ninja woman to be rooted in DEI ideology, though. It has nothing to do with artistic vision, only corporate virtue signaling and far-left activists in the story team.

Thnks I'll chk it out.

 

[ToTTenTranz]

Follow-up from the last video on this subject.

- talking about how you perceive that racism manifested itself in ancient times does not make you a racist either.

Since I'm now being harassed in defamation attempts by a member for saying he was treated like a pet by Nobunaga, perhaps it's best to just post the original text and let people take their own conclusions.




My translation, but anyone can use e.g. Google Lens to translate.

Father [Alessandro Valignano] took a cafre (African) because one had never been seen in the Miaco (Miyako, capital), which left everyone astonished. People without count would come and see him. And master Nobunaga was astonished to see him and there was no way to persuade him that he was naturally black instead of being painted. And so he [Nobunaga] would never get tired of seeing him [Yasuke], talking to him, as he spoke mediocrely the language of Japan, was very strong and did some nice tricks which he liked a lot (not sure if this last "he" points to Nobunaga or Yasuke but I assume Nobunaga). Now he favors/likes him so much that he sent him around town well dressed so that everyone knows he loves/enjoys him and is making him Sir.

Of course this text is 410 years old and some words' meaning might have changed somewhat, but sending another human being to parade around town for people to look at him, because you enjoy the color of their skin and the tricks he makes, isn't exactly something you'd do to a person you actually respect. It could be that Nobunaga changed his stance Yasuke afterwards.

Then again, further context needed here is that in the 16th century most Japanese would consider most non-Japanese as lesser beings (like most contemporary Europeans, Africans, Asians, etc).
Nobunaga was known for being very curious about everything the missionaries would bring to him and would often ask / demand to keep that stuff, from western armor and weapons to clothes. At this point, Nobunaga was probably one of the least racist and xenophobe lords of all Japan.

 

[TrishaCat]

i'm not japanese and thus my opinion does not matter but my opinion is: black samurai cool
that is all