Samurai
The Samurai of Japan reigned for 700 years from the late 12th to the mid-19th century These warriors inspired terror by wearing fierce masks with horned helmets, and on the battlefield they used their swords to harvest heads.
When a battle ended the warrior would ceremoniously present trophy heads to the general who would reward him in gold, silver, or land from the defeated clan. These were the samurai who lived by a code that valued death over defeat. To avoid the dishonor of capture the Samurai would have an attendant behead him as soon as he stabbed himself. When his honor is questioned a true samurai would prefer death.
The deeper instincts of the samurai for power was displayed in frequent warfare between 1300-1500. This period was named Sengoku Jidai, the Age of the Country at War.
We can understand the lasting appeal of the samurai when we realize he was the action figure of Japan who slays his enemies against impossible odds. Consider that the samurai of Japan was one character that embodied Japan’s cowboy, knight, gladiator, and the Jedi of Star Wars.
The samurai carried Japan from the medieval period into the modern era. The samurai spirit is still within the Japanese psyche.