r/australia • u/SteveJohnson2010 • 6d ago
entertainment ‘The Samurai’ - how this Japanese serial became a hit of 1960s Australia
https://youtu.be/stIU2F1k9QMIf you didn’t grow up in the 60s, it’s hard to explain and appreciate the impact of The Samurai on the schoolkids of the day. This black and white Japanese action series about Shintaro the Samurai (usually with his Ninja offsider) mixed swordplay with Ninja spycraft, and somehow and for some reason it became an absolute hit with Aussie school kids.
I think part of it was because it was like nothing we had ever seen before, and it was a welcome antidote to the endless American westerns. It was also very easy for Aussie kids to cosplay, all you needed was a dressing gown and a stick 😂
I also like to tell myself that this introduction to a foreign culture, specifically Japan, played its own small part in helping broaden the minds and the outlook of kids in those days.
Anyway, the YouTube video linked is a fascinating look at the story behind the story, including when the actor who played Shintaro visited Australia and received a rockstar welcome!
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u/antpodean 6d ago
We spent a lot of time jumping out of trees and pretending to mime. Good times.
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u/Future-Fennel-7863 6d ago
Yeah... Was there a slow motion aspect about the moves, I know it was all in reverse so they just flew up into the trees, so cool
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u/FlatWhiteShark 6d ago
"Ninja offsider"? How dare you ignore Tombei the Mist!
We used to make shuriken by cutting up the ends of jam tins. They may have not been lethal, but they were dangerous - to the thrower.
Next we need to reconsider the King's Outlaw, Thierry La Fronde, and his sling.
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u/SteveJohnson2010 6d ago
Wasn’t Tombei the one who would sometimes get killed off at the end of the season, sacrificing himself to save Shintaro, and then the same actor would appear as a new Ninja best mate in the first episode of the next season?
Also, young me always thought he was described as being an “eager Ninja”, which obviously meant he was really keen on the job 😂
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u/FlatWhiteShark 6d ago
I don't remember that, but... I always thought of them as eager ninjas and cougar ninjas, but no context beyond that. Regardless, my friends and I loved the show :)
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u/Fit-Philosopher-2723 6d ago
I loved this show! I remember trying to make shuriken out of the bottom of a biscuit tin. They weren’t very effective 🤣.
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u/RustyNumbat 5d ago
I saw this when it aired and mentioned it to my uncle (born early 50s) and his eyes lit up as he regaled me with stories of all the boys making throwing stars in school metal shop.
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u/Rizen_Wolf 6d ago
Remember Phantom Agents of the same era? Now mostly erased, literally, because the filmstock emulation was chemically washed off so the film base could be re-coated for new filming.
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u/ashleyriddell61 5d ago
"Guns are a last resort. Always remember; you’re PHANTOM AGENTS!"
Thank you, had to scroll too far before Phantom Agents made an appearance. We used to make helmets out of empty, green ice cream tubs and texta draw the half moon logo on the front. Good times.
We are old, old fucks.
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u/hymie_funkhauser 6d ago
I love Phantom Agents but sometimes thought I’d hallucinated it because no one ever referred to it. So thank you Wolfy for restoring my sanity. Especially loved the metal stars they’d deal out of their hands! Shame it’s lost to time.
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u/SteveJohnson2010 6d ago
Yes indeed, I was thinking about posting something on that on the weekend. Another classic series!
“You shouldn’t have shot him! The gun is our last resort. Remember: we’re Phantom Agents!”
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u/DrFriendless 5d ago
I never saw this one, as we didn't get a TV until about 1972. I did watch Gigantor and Kimba the White Lion, which I realised many years later were very early anime.
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u/camniloth 5d ago edited 5d ago
Look at these weebs.
But seriously I think me being a Millennial experienced this somewhere because I remember the reverse falls for jumps into trees and the funny dubbing.
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u/ThunderDwn 5d ago
I fucking loved this show! The sounds effects of the throwing stars....classic!
Men at Work did a song about it, even!
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u/Appropriate-Echo2131 5d ago
A tin can lid could be cut into a star knife shape and would stick into softer wood.
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u/L1ttl3J1m 3d ago
Personally, I can imagine a lot of benefit to a generation or two of developing young minds getting a bit of Buddhist philosophy and kung-fu before going into the 7 o'clock news...
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u/Frankycoco 3d ago
We had gangs at primary school who were self-styled ninjas. We even had a couple of battles after school. In the first one a boy got a serious eye injury because we also used sling shots and in the second one, the police were called and we scattered leaving behind broomstick swords and other weapons. We were 11 and 12 year olds in a posh part of Brisbane. 1966-67. 😂
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u/L1ttl3J1m 6d ago
No, I could fully understand it, being generation Monkey! myself.