Bushido
| Bushido | |
|---|---|
 Bu (武) Shi (士) Do (道) | |
| First reference: | Godsend |
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Bushido (武士道) literally means "Way of the Warrior" and is the samurai code of conduct, similar to Europe's code of chivalry. Becoming part of Japanese feudal law in the Middle Ages, the bushido code follows seven basic virtues: equanimity (gi 義), bravery (yu 勇), compassion (jin 仁), courtesy (rei 礼), honesty (makoto 誠), honor (meiyo 名誉), and devotion (chugo 忠義).
References
Godsend
When Hiro decides to steal the sword from the Museum of Natural History, Ando reminds him that stealing isn't part of the bushido code. Hiro rationalizes that if he doesn't have the sword, the museum will explode anyway.
The Hard Part
While watching Sylar through a window of Virginia Gray's apartment, Ando encourages Hiro to kill the killer. However, Hiro has reservations: he doesn't think he can kill a man who is asking for forgiveness. Hiro says, "It's not the bushido code. Everyone deserves a second chance." Ando disagrees.
Graphic Novel:Past Experience
Kensei snaps the sword's blade in half and gives each samurai one half as a reminder of how their pride had damaged their honor.
Heroes Evolutions
Hiro's blog
- In an entry in Hiro's blog, Hiro debates stealing the sword: "Stealing, no matter how you put it, is wrong. It is against the bushido code. But, I need to save the world and I need the sword."
Saving Charlie
- Hiro, trying to psych himself up to ask Charlie out, asks himself, "Were the samurais scared when they rode into battle? Were the Bushido warriors scared when they had to face the unknown?" He realizes that "yeah, actually. They were probably were. But the point was, they faced their fear." (Chapter 2)
- During his last year in high school, Hiro talks with his guidance counselor. When she asks him about what he wants to do when he is finished with his schooling, Hiro says, "Well, I've been reading a lot about the Bushido lately." He explains to her all about the seventeenth-century samurai warriors, their code of chivalry and honor, the Bushido code, the Way of the Warrior, and the seven principles of the samurai. Hiro says that if he could choose to be anything in the world, it would be a Bushido. (Chapter 3)
- Hiro is frustrated that there isn't a definitive set of rules about the theories of time travel, like a "Bushido code for mucking around with history." (Chapter 7)
- When Charlie says that it would be nice if Robogirl ended up happy, Hiro says that finding happiness is not the point of life in Japan — it's about finding gi. Hiro then explains that gi is one of the seven principles of the Bushido code, along with yu, jin, rei, makoto, melyo, and chugo. Hiro says that even though chugo is listed last, it's the most important, according to Takezo Kensei, the "greatest Bushido warrior of all time". Hiro doesn't believe he would be a good samurai because he can't find gi (equanimity). (Chapter 13)
- When Hiro realizes it's June 2006 and he hasn't made any progress towards saving Charlie, he chides himself for being a bad Bushido. (Chapter 17)
- The legend of Kensei and the Dragon is Hiro's favorite of the stories about Kensei, the "great Bushido warrior". (Chapter 22)
- Hiro tells Charlie the story of Kensei and the Dragon, which ends with Kensei committing suicide and being "strong enough to lose his heart". Hiro says that although the story has a sad ending, he knows that for Kensei, it was all part of finding gi. "To the Bushido, death comes in its course." (Chapter 23)
- Hiro takes courage from a stone statue of a Bushido warrior, which seems to be smiling at Hiro, agreeing with him. Hiro remembers that Takezo Kensei had chugo, or devotion, the seventh attribute of the samurai, as dictated by the Bushido code. Hiro feels he has chugo also. (Chapter 40)
Trivia
- "Bushido" is the name of a DC Comics superhero who was a superior skills in swordsmanship and used a sword imbued with mystical powers of generations past.
- The bushido code still influences people today. In fact, in the 1990s, the United States Army adopted "The 7 Army Core Values," which is basically a version of the seven bushido values.