Yoshitoshi's 'Selection of 100 Warriors' (7/1868 - 3/1869)

Introduction

The English name for the series given above is the conventional one, but it is not really a strict translation of the Japanese title, which includes a number of novel compound words. Kaidai seems to mean something like 'the subject is those who charge ahead', so 'warrior' doesn't fully capture it; perhaps 'aggressive warrior' would be better.

This series dates from early in Yoshitoshi's career, and the artwork constitutes some of his most important work from this period. It was one of his first major series, but only 65 of the 100 prints were ever published (although sketches of several un-produced prints also exist).

The series is renowned for its graphic and bloody depictions of warriors in battle. During the events of the Imperial Restoration (Meiji), Yoshitoshi witnessed bloody battles with his own eyes, often drawing at the scene of the battlefield; this influence can be clearly seen in the many blood-splattered and gruesome images below.

Technical details

• Dates: 1868 (7) - 1869 (3)
• Size: Ōban
• Signed: Ikkaisai Yoshitoshi hitsu
• Seal: Kiri
• Publishers: Ohashi (Daikyōdō)
• Text by various authors: Umpō Sanjin , Katsushika Hatamori, Seiryushi Kasen

Previous cataloguings

	Roger. S. Keyes, "Courage and Silence: A Study of the Life and
		Color Woodblock Prints of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 1839-1892",
		Cinncinnati, 1982

	Eric van den Ing, Robert Schaap, "Beauty and Violence: Japanese
		Prints by Yoshitoshi 1839-1892",
		Havilland, Eindhoven, 1992

	Shinichi Segi, "Yoshitoshi: The Splendid Decadent",
		Kodansha International, Tokyo, 1985

More recently, the complete series was documented in:

	"100 Dogs Of War: Samurai Art by Yoshitoshi (Ukiyo-e Master
		Specials)", Shinbaku Books, 2014

We use the Keyes numbers to order the prints below.

The rōmaji for the names have been checked against those given in Satomi Aoki's "Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's Samurai Road".

The Prints

If we have a higher-quality image, that image can be viewed by clicking on the "Large Image" link, which gives the size of the image (for the benefit of those on slow links). Sometimes there is more than one, if our best-quality image has issues (e.g. trimmed margins).

In a few cases, we do not have large images, and no other source gives the kanji, for those particular titles, which has made the transcription of the kanji somewhat dubious in those cases. Lacking any cross-check, it is possible an incorrect character was occasionally selected.

Characters which are questionable for this reason are marked with a small '?'. Sometimes there are two possible kanji; such cases are denoted 'A/B'.

Note that for some prints in this series (e.g. #4, #6, #8, etc), the 'large' image is not a larger version of the 'full-screen' image; this is because the quality of the print in the full-screen image is better, but we only have that image in a moderately-high resolution.

Thumbnail	Large image	Number	Date	Title (Kanji)	Title (Rōmaji)	Description/Comments
	260KB	#1	7/1868	土屋 惣藏	Tsuchiya Sōzō	The last character of his name is usually written 蔵 now.
	258KB	#2	8/1868	上杉 輝虎 入道 謙信	Uesugi Terutora Nyūdō Kenshin	Shown in a battle helmet, he is normally known simply as Uesugi Kenshin.
	729KB	#3	8/1868	會津 黄門 景勝	Aizu Kōmon Kagekatsu	Shown examining a head, he is normally known as Uesugi Kagekatsu.
	502KB	#4	8/1868	薄田 隼人	Susukida Hayato	Shown here signalling with a flag, he participated in the Winter and Summer Campaigns at Ōsaka Castle, on the side of the Toyotomi, the so-called 'Western' side (the Tokugawa being known as the 'Eastern' side).
	765KB	#5	8/1868	島 左近 友之	Shima Sakon Tomoyuki	Normally known as Shima Sakon, he is shown here at the Battle of Sekigahara being hit by bullets, with his juzu (rosary) swinging in the air.
	202KB	#6	8/1868	駒木根 八兵衛	Komagine Hachibyōe
	932KB	#7	9/1868	足利 義輝公	Ashikaga Yoshiteru-kō	Ashikaga Yoshiteru wearing a ceremonial cap and court robe.
	932KB	#8	9/1868	秀頼公 北之方	Hideyori-kō Kita-no-Kata	Hideyori's consort Kita-no-Kata standing by a window; given the fire and smoke in the background, this scene is probably the firing of Osaka Castle at the end of the Winter and Summer Campaigns.
	537KB	#9	9/1868	根來 小密茶	Negoro no Komitsucha	The Negoro-gumi were a order of warrior monks. The second character is usually 来 now
	1062KB	#10	9/1868	冷泉 判官 隆豊	Reizei Hangan Takatoyo	Normally known as Reizei Takatoyo, he is shown here dying from seppuku (ritual self-disembowelment).
	1072KB	#11	9/1868	昌木 大膳 時善	Masaki Taizen Tokiyoshi
	229KB	#12	9/1868	塼 團右エ門	Ban Dan'emon	Shown rowing beside a steamship, he was better known as Ban Naoyuki.
	663KB	#13	9/1868	辻 弥兵衛 盛昌	Tsuji Yahei Morimasa	He was a retainer of Takeda Katsuyori; he was involved in the latter's attempt to escape after his defeat at the Battle of Temmokuzan, although there is still debate as to whether or not he turned on his master on that last day.
	732KB	#14	9/1868	小幡 助六郎 信世	Obata Sukerokurō Nobuyo commits seppuku at Omiji temple.
	776KB	#15	10/1868	大塔 宮	Ōtō no Miya (Morinaga Shinno), son of Emperor Go-Daigo, lifting a sedge hat over his head
	646KB	#16	10/1868	滋野 大助	Shigeno Daisuke raising hand to brow
	220KB	#17	10/1868	元桐 東市 正 且元	Katagiri Tōichi no Kami Katsumoto writing a document
	720KB	#18	10/1868	木村  長門 守 重成	Kimura Nagashito no Kami Shigenari examining a helmet
		#19	10/1868	後藤 又兵衛 基次	Gotō Matabei Mototsugu on horseback with banner of Naitō Masanaga.
	201KB	#20	10/1868	佐久間 大学	Sakuma Daigaku drinking blood from a severed head
	871KB 765KB	#21	10/1868	阪井 久藏	Sakai Kyuzō hurling a spear
	517KB	#22	10/1868	平手 監物	Hirate Kenmotsu raising a baton
		#23	10/1868	鬼小島 弥太郎	Onikojima Yatarō with two severed heads and sword.	Yatarō was an Uesugi warrior.
	187KB	#24	10/1868	齋藤 内 藏介	Saitō Kuranosuke bound with rope
	240KB	#25	10/1868	明智 左馬之介	Akechi Samanosuke beside a cannon
		#26	10/1868	秦 桐若	Hata no Kiriwaka supporting a comrade
	226KB	#27	10/1868	鷺 池 平九郎	Sagino Ike Heikurō holding a severed head	He was a retainer of the Kusunoki family, renowned for his strength.
	233KB	#28	11/1868	森 坊丸	Mori Bōmaru	He is shown facing left, with a sword raised over his head.
	721KB	#29	11/1868	森 力丸	Mori Rikimaru	He is shown holding an upright spear, and a pair of severed heads.
	857KB	#30	12/1868	金吾 中納言 秀秋	Kingo Chūnagon Hideaki	Normally known as Kobayakawa Hideaki, the Chūnagon was his rank ('middle counselor') at the Imperial Court. He is shown here looking up at a ghost. This print is known in two distinctly different colour schemes (see images).
		#31	12/1868	楠 正行	Kusunoki Masatsura, eldest son of Masashige, tightening armor with sash.
	757KB	#32	12/1868	天海 僧正	Tenkai Sōjō	Tenkai was a priest; he died in 1643 at the age of 108. This print is also known in two distinctly different colour schemes (see images).
		#33	12/1868	滋野 左エ門佐 幸/奉村	Shigeno Saemonsuke Yukimura giving water to a wounded soldier.	Yukimura was a daimyo who served first Hideyoshi, and then Hideyori. He attempted to assasinate Tokugawa Ieyasu.
	273KB	#34	12/1868	森 蘭丸	Mori Ranmaru (Nagayasu) by a window with a spear	Ranmaru was an attendant to Oda Nobunaga, and committed seppaku with him at Honnōji temple in 1582. The second kanji is not quite right; the correct character does not seem to be available in Unicode.
	474KB	#35	12/1868	?倉 小十郎 宗貞	Katakura Kojūrō Munesada in battle dress facing left.	The first kanji is given as '?', not because it can't be seen clearly in the image, but because it seems to be an archaic form which is not available in Unicode. The first character of this name is now given as 片, but this one looks more like 元 or 斤.
	837KB	#36	1868	羽柴 太閤 豊臣 秀吉 公	Hashiba Taikō Toyotomi Hideyoshi Kō holding a child on his shoulder.
	262KB	#37	1868	伊?達 少将 政宗	Date Shōshō Masamune in armor looking at banner.	The first kanji is marked '?' because it can't be seen clearly in the image; it probably is the correct character, though, as sources confirm this is the one used in this name.
	230KB	#38	1868	小寺 相模	Odera Sagami holding sword with impaled head.
	747KB	#39	1868	鳥井 彦右エ門 元忠	Torii Hikoemon Mototada shooting himself with rifle.
	246KB	#40	1868	相良 遠江 守	Sagara Tōtomi no Kami peering over pile of mats.
	255KB	#41	1868	明石 儀太夫	Akashi Gidayu loading rifle in rain.
	692KB	#42	1868	比田 帶刀	Hida no Tatewaki waring a red wig.
	254KB	#43	1868	宦 和泉	Kan Izumi aiming rifle from behind rice bales.	The first kanji is not quite right; the correct character does not seem to be available in Unicode.
		#44	1868	外記 孫八	Geki Magohachi in smoke and rifle fire.
		#45	1868	鈴木 孫市	Suzuki Magoichi leaning on a spear and eating a riceball.
	467KB	#46	1868	天野屋 利兵衛	Amanoya Rihei bound to a post.
	602KB	#47	1868	菅谷 九右エ門	Sugenoya Kuemon supporting himself in wind on sword.	The first kanji is not quite right; the correct character does not seem to be available in Unicode.
	269KB	#48	1868	鈴木 飛弾 守 重幸	Suzuki Hida-no-Kami Shigeyuki aiming pistol.	Here he lies in ambush, attempting to shoot Oda Nobubaga.
	652KB	#49	12/1868	堀井 恒右エ門	Horii Tsune'emon crucified.	He was a retainer of Okudaira Nobumatsu, who died in 1575.
		#50	1/1869	滋野 與左エ門	Shigeno Yozaemon and an exploding shell.
	1115KB	#51	3/1869	三木 牛之助	Miki Ushinosuke ducking a bullet.
	654KB	#52	3/1869	神官 左馬介 昌永	Shingu Samanosuke Masanaga raising sword in rain.
	531KB	#53	3/1869	蒲生 大膳	Gamō Daizen with hat tied around neck	The first kanji looks slightly different from the one given here, but this appears to simply be calligraphic style.
	896KB	#54	3/1869	小菅 五郎兵衞	Kosuge Gorobei peering around post	The second kanji is not quite right; the correct character does not seem to be available in Unicode.
	743KB	#55	3/1869	松原 久兵衛	Matsubara Kyubei in armor leaning on spear
	548KB	#56	3/1869	田中 宦八	Tanaka Kanhachi falling in mud
		#57	3/1869	多羅尾 半左エ?門	Tarao Hanzaemon creeping below rifle fire
	818KB	#58	3/1869	座王堂 源八	Saōdō Gempachi in armor holding a standard
	518KB	#59	3/1869	松永 春松	Matsunaga Harumatsu raising hands
		#60	3/1869	岩間 小熊	Iwama Kokuma with painting of bloody head on jacket.
	465KB	#61	3/1869	佐久間 傳内	Sakuma Dennai	He is shown using a bamboo fence as a shield.
	343KB	#62		柴田 伊賀守 勝豊	Shibata Iga no Kami Katsutoyo	Shibata Katsutoyo defended Nagahama castle, and surrendered to Hideyoshi in 1583.
	818KB	#63		井上 五郎兵衛	Inoue Gorōbei	He is shown standing next to an ishi-dōrō (Japanese stone lantern).
		#64		宗像 掃部?	Munakata Kamon	Munakata Kamon Shigetsugu was a vassal of the Nakagawa lords of Oka castle; he supported Ōtomo Yoshimune during the Sekigahara campaign.
		#65		若狭局	Wakasa tsubone	Court lady Wakasa (usually known as Wakasa no Tsubone) was the daughter of Hiki Yoshikazu, a famous warrior-noble of the Kamakura period, and wife of Minamoto no Yoriie, one of the last Shōguns of the Seiwa Genji line. They were involved in a famous episode of feudal Japan, when her 6-year old son with Yoriee, Minamoto no Ichiman, was killed during a power struggle over the Shogunate. Reportedly, she soon afterwards drowned herself in despair, in a nearby well.

Acknowledgements