The Samurai (2003)

They were the knights of medieval Japan an elite warrior class that held the reins of power and the fascination of the people for more than 700 years Masters of sword and bow driven by an unforgiving code of ethics they proved ferocious in combat They beat back foreign invaders and fought each other for land status honor and glory The Samurai explores the extraordinary legacy of martial artistry ceremony selfdiscipline and tenacity in battle that reaches to this day Modernday samurai explain the ways of life in the Bushido while scholars detail the pivotal events in their centurieslong history From the heyday of the Heian Period 7941185 to the inevitable decline that followed the opening of Japan in 1853 this is the definitive study of some of worlds most famous fighters