Takeda Shingen's Portrayal

Takeda Shingen and His Portrayal through the Schemes of Media and Time

Historical truths can come in many different shapes, forms, and sizes but may not always be apparent; the truth doesn’t always have to come from the accuracy of a depiction but sometimes can be revealed through the essence of its meaning. And while every single portrayal of an occurrence or person may or may not be one hundred percent true to the reality, each perspective nonetheless reveals the accuracy of at least one definitive aspect. An example of this is Takeda Shingen, a very well known Daimyo from the Kai province during the 1500’s in fuedal Japan, and his multiple portrayals throughout the scheme of medium. Shingen was known as a leader by some, a fighter
For many warriors “the essence of warfare was recognition” and they were “bewildered by the concept of the unknown soldier” (Conlan 1). Shingen built a reputation and once established, it continued to build upon itself. So it is no surprise that Kurosawa’s film Kagemusha put a definitive emphasis on Shingen’s reputation and the growth of his persona through other’s perception of him. Within the film, after Shingen’s death, the unknown thief has no problem falling into his lifestyle because of what he observed and is told about the warlord. He knows who he needs to be and what he needs to do to pull off the ultimate act. It is clear that the reputation of a samurai defines him, and Shingen is no exception. When the thief first begins to imitate Shingen, many are skeptical because they recognize the change of character within Shingen’s personality. His grandson in the film even calls the thief out on the modifications of his disposition “It’s true. He has changed.” However, no one doubted the thief’s existence as Shingen because of how he performed around others and how that held up to how people perceived Shingen to be. In meetings with his fellow colleagues the thief acted “unmovable,” in battles against his enemies he was brave, much like Shingen’s reputation had implied he was. The film focuses “on the process of signification” says writer Marsha
His legendary battling and revered fighting skills have appealed to audience throughout the threshold of time in many different ways. Kurosawa’s film Kagemusha was released in the 1980s, a positive time in Japan’s history and particularly prosperous for the entertainment industry. The economy in Japan and the standard of life people indulged were on the rise, as well as advances in technology. This decade was generally a feel good time for Japan, and the culture’s/people’s regard of Shingen reflects this positivity. Kagemusha shed light on the admirable reputation of Shingen, it showed him as a wise samurai and noble in his intentions to battle. However, this portrayal is a far cry from the Kadakawa film Heaven and Earth in which Shingen is defined by his aggressive military tactics and his hunger to take over all of Japan. Heaven and Earth was released in the 1990s, a decade full of despair in Japan; the 90s were considered the “Lost Decade.” Following the economic boom from the previous decade, Japan began to lose momentum on this front and the unemployment rates went up and the country was hit by a major recession. The negative situation in which the people of Japan found themselves in this time period contributes to the difference in interpretations of Shingen. Shingen’s exploits to take over Japan were depicted as greedy