Musui's Story Analysis

According to the Prologue of Musui’s Story, Katsu Kokichi recognizes the ideal themes of bushido, laying the groundwork that every samurai should follow—to be “frugal, have moral obligations, train in the military arts, and bring prosperity to one’s family and lord” (Kokichi 5). Even though Kokichi grew up into a “privileged samurai family” (Kokichi 12), and had a military background of judo and horseback riding (17), his selfish attitude and lack of bushido during his childhood made it hard for him to adapt the idealistic “ways of the samurai” (De Bary 206), later in life. Throughout Musui’s Story, Kokichi was always getting into trouble, talking back to his own family members (Kokichi 103). “May I remind you that I, too, am an honorable retainer