Street Samurai: Difference between revisions

The [['''Street Samurai]]''' is the classic protagonist archetype in [[Cyberpunk]] and [[Post Cyber Punk]], but also shows up on occasion when those genres are mixed with [[Dungeon Punk]] and [[Urban Fantasy]]. Hackers, warriors, and anti-authoritarian loners, these characters fight against the [[Dystopia|dystopiandystopia]]n governments, and [[Mega Corp|Megacorps]] that rule their worlds. They are down on their luck souls that [[Walk the Earth]] because their own personal codes of honour make refuse to sell out to the authority. Typical goals for this sort of character are [[Information Wants to Be Free|information wants to be free]], and bringing down the very society in which they live in order to make a better one.

They are the tech-savvy mercenaries, [[Bounty Hunter|bounty-hunters]], assassins, bodyguards and general [[Badass|badassesbadass]]es of the urban jungle. They're far cooler than standard [[Mooks]], often sporting a [[Badass Longcoat]], [[Cool Shades]] and other stylish gear. Edged weapons are common despite being strange for the era, and [[Katanas Are Better|Katanas are recommended, but not mandatory]]. Street samurai by no means eschew firearms however, and are frequently expert [[The Gunslinger|gunslingers]], but expect [[Cool Guns]] and [[Abnormal Ammo]]. In classic [[Cyberpunk]], the samurai would often be [[Cyborg|heavily augmented with cybernetic parts]], but this is no longer mandatory. Hacking, at least at a rudimentary level, or other similar tech skills (creating prothetics, building custom weapons systems and vehicles etc.) is required.

Compare [[Samurai Cowboy]] and [[Corporate Samurai]]. Note, that merely having the toys of a [['''Street Samurai]]''' does not make you one if you don't have the personality and skill set. Not to be confused with the [[Ace Attorney|Steel Samurai]].

* ''[[Ronin (Comic Bookcomics)|Ronin]]'' is probably the [[Trope Codifier]] for comics.

* The eponymous character from ''[[Ghost Dog]]'' is a gangster hitman who lives by the code of Bushido and has a number of anachronistic habits, such as communicating by messenger pidgeon. [[Wu -Tang Clan|RZA]] has a cameo as another one of these.

* ''[[Kill Bill]]'': The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad is a group of assassins, some of whom use katanas. While The Bride is in a coma for several years {{spoiler|and Bill is in semi-retirement raising their daughter}}, the group disbands and the members either retire or work solo, essentially becoming [[Ronin]].

* Molly from ''[[Neuromancer]]'' and [[Sprawl Trilogy|other works]] by William Gibson is the [[Trope Namer]] and ur-example.[[Ur Example]].

* Hiro Protagonist in ''[[Snow Crash]]'' is a pizza deliveryman and freelance hacker, but his combat skills, talent for working high-tech espionage, and willingness to take on enemies far larger than himself to do what's right are what make him an example. Raven does work as a mercenary, but he's got his own agenda.

* Future Hiro in ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'' has the jacket and katana in a [[Crapsack World]] and seems to be this type, as well as a [[Shout -Out]] to Hiro in ''[[Snow Crash]]''.

{{quote| ''Sent Joey to the Supreme Court''<br />

''Cause he made a statement, they called it''<br />

''Desecration of the symbol that was meant to represent''<br />

''The freedom of so-called choice and dissent''<br />

''They almost had me believin' it, I was bleedin' it''<br />

''He said, "Burn, baby, burn"''<br />

''Til the [[Street Samurai]] said to my face''<br />

''That any flag that's worth shit''<br />

''Was woven from fire in the first place.''<br />

* ''[[Shadowrun]]'' uses this name for one of the classic runner archetypes, specifically the independent fighting guy who augments his abilities with lots of cyberware. Fighters who augment themselves with magic, who augment themselves with corporate backing, or who rely on pure skill rather than augmentation, do not fit this definition., although those who use biotechnology instead of cyberware do, oddly enough.

* There's an obscure [[PSPlayStation 2]] game called ''Seven Samurai 20XX'' based on the ''[[Seven Samurai]]'' set in a cyberpunk world.

[[Category:Alliterative Trope Titles]]