11 Rebels (2025)

 First movie trailer for 11 Rebels starring Yamada Takayuki

From the wiki

11 Rebels (Japanese: 十一人の賊軍) is a 2024 Japanese samurai, period action film directed by Kazuya Shiraishi, starring Takayuki Yamada and Taiga Nakano.^[2][3] The film had its world premiere at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival as opening film with screening on October 28, 2024.^[4]

Synopsis

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The Shibata clan's historic betrayal in Niigata occurred during the intense Boshin War, Japan's most ferocious conflict. The story follows an 11-member suicide squad on a desperate mission to defend a fortress. As the Shibata clan, the old shogunate, and the new government clash, their heroic struggle unfolds.

Interesting new Osprey

The restoration of the Meiji Imperial dynasty in 1868, after 250 years of the Tokugawa Shogunate, decisively opened Japan to the outside world and the monarchy embraced modernization, including the creation of a new Westernized army. However, this modernization process was resisted by the traditional Samurai feudal nobility, leading to a series of battles. The first clash between the two cultures came swiftly. During the Boshin War of 1868–69, a French military adviser, Jules Brunet, changed sides to join the insurgents. They won several engagements before the final crushing of the rebel Ezo Republic. After this point, the Imperial Army continued to modernize along French lines, and social changes began to impoverish Samurai noblemen, who lost their social and political role and their associated privileges. During 1876, the powerful Satsuma Domain, around Kagoshima in south-west Kyushu, became a focus for discontent. Its leader Saigo Takamori effectively ignored the central government, and in January 1877, increasing unrest broke out into open rebellion. The Imperial forces were now much stronger, and the Navy could land troops and bombard Kagoshima. The bitter Satsuma siege and attempted capture of Kumamoto Castle finally failed in April, and the Samurai made a last stand at Shiroyama on 24 September, choosing to go down fighting. This marked the final defeat and displacement of the Samurai class. This fully illustrated title explores the fall of the Samurai in detail, examining the arms, tactics, key figures of both sides, and charting the increasing Westernization of the Imperial forces.

General Nogi / Hakugaku Kuribayashi

Dear Ralphus,

I've just found & have enjoyed perusing your blog Warfare in the Age of 
Steam.

Its reminded me of a living Russo Japanese War anachronism I came across 
when I was looking into that conflict some years ago. Hakugaku 
Kuribayashi, an octogenarian Japanese WWII veteran is also the curator 
of his private Nasu War Museum, in the small town of Nasu, Japan. The 
museum is predominantly WWII but what I find fascinating about Mr. 
Kuribayashi is this, which I quote from a piece written about his 
museum:

"The museum is privately run by a right-winger with a penchant for 
dressing up like General Nogi, a hero of the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) 
who performed rather less well during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05). 
The General is also famous for having committed suicide (with his wife) 
when the Meiji Emperor died in 1912.

Mr. Kuribayashi is also seen dressed in Meiji period uniform as 
General Nogi during ceremonies at the Yasukuni Shrine War Memorial in 
Tokyo. I admire his devotion to the Emperor & his unapologetic imperial 
patriotism. I see this as reenacting brought to an almost transcendent 
level.

I hope you find this of interest & I include some links below.

Respectfully, William Voorhest, Montauk, NY

http://members.shaw.ca/nambuworld2/militarymuseums.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdxuj0SZnhc

http://robgilhooly.photoshelter.com/image/I0000y74i5rSfGmM

http://www.achikochi-kanko.jp/spot/detail.php?kaidoId=&categoryId=1&lang=english&spotId=41700

Felice Beato

One of the main photographers of the last days of the Samurai is this man who also photographed many other subjects from theatres of war such as India and the Crimea.

Bakufu troops in 1867

Painted by Jules Brunet (see below) the man who probably inspired the fictional film 'Last Samurai'. See Shogun for definition of Bakufu. Boshin War wikipedia

19th century Samurai photographs

According to the Youtube notes:
These Photographs were taken in the final days of the samurai class, before its abolition in 1867.It should be noted that some of these photographs date to the Meiji period. Many of these pictures were taken in the 1880's -therefore they show former samurai, or sometimes just ordinary people posing as samurai.

Port Arthur (1980)

I think the clip below is from this movie 203 Kochi - or Hill 203. Of course there is actual newsreel of this conflict.