The Real Last Samurai Was French
2026-08-21
The Real Last Samurai Was French

The Real Last Samurai Was French

Many people know The Last Samurai, the 2003 movie starring Tom Cruise. While the story is fictional, one of the historical figures often associated with its inspiration was not American. He was French.
 
Jules Brunet was a French army officer sent to Japan in 1867 as part of a military mission to help modernize the Tokugawa shogunate’s army.
 
When the Boshin War began and the shogunate collapsed, France ordered its military advisers to leave Japan. Brunet made a remarkable decision. He resigned from the French army and stayed behind to fight alongside the former shogunate forces.
 
Brunet traveled north with Enomoto Takeaki and other Tokugawa loyalists to Hokkaido, where they established the short-lived Republic of Ezo. He helped train and advise their forces during the final battles against the new Meiji government.
 
After their defeat in 1869, Brunet returned to France. Surprisingly, he later resumed his military career and eventually became a general.
 
Hollywood gave us an American hero.
 
History gave us a Frenchman who chose to stand beside the Japanese soldiers he had trained.
 
 
Disclaimer: I use AI as a tool to help create images and proofread my writing. However, the ideas, opinions, experiences, and messages in my posts are my own. AI does not generate my posts for me. It simply helps me present my own words and ideas more clearly.






Kenichi Uchikura
Founder & CEO

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.
Uchikura & Co., LLC

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

I was born and raised in Japan and have spent most of my adult life in the United States. Through this blog, I share Japanese culture, language, expressions, and wisdom. My goal is not to say one culture is better, but to explore different perspectives and what we can learn from them.

Your comments are always welcome.

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