The story of a black samurai will be played by the Black Panther

Yasuke is depicted as a servant to Jesuit priests.

A movie is in the works about a samurai who came from Africa and fought for several Japanese warlords. Unlike the Tom Cruise starrer The Last Samurai, this is based on real historical figure.

Chadwick Boseman, who played the title character in Black Panther and more recently in Avengers: Endgame, has been cast as Yasuke, the legendary samurai from16th century Japan.

“The legend of Yasuke is one of history’s best-kept secrets, the only person of non-Asian origin to become a Samurai,” Boseman was quoted as saying. “That’s not just an action movie, that’s a cultural event, an exchange, and I am excited to be part of it.”

Yasuke, who used to be a servant, was the first non-Japanese samurai ever, according to François Solier of the Society of Jesus. In his book, “Histoire Ecclesiastique Des Isles Et Royaumes Du Japon“ written in 1627, Solier wrote that Yasuke was a Muslim from Mozambique.

By Solier’s accounts, Yasuke first set foot in Japan in 1579 as the servant of the Italian Jesuit Alessandro Valignano. 

Yasuka created a stir among the Japanese, who had never seen a black person before. He developed a friendship with a local warlord Oda Nobunaga. Historians assume that Yasuka could speak Japanese.

Nobunaga gave him the name of Yasuke, who ended up under Nobunaga’s service. Under Nobunaga, he learned how to become a samurai and written accounts say he fought several battles as one of his retainers. 

The final fate of Yasuke is lost in history but his story became the stuff of legend.

It is interesting to note that Africans were admired rather than discriminated against in Japan at the time since the Buddha was often portrayed in black in Japanese temples.

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