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.
Roger. S. Keyes, "Courage and Silence: A Study of the Life and Color Woodblock Prints of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 1839-1892", Cinncinnati, 1982where it appears as series #223; it is also listed in:
Eric van den Ing, Robert Schaap, "Beauty and Violence: Japanese Prints by Yoshitoshi 1839-1892", Havilland, Eindhoven, 1992where it appears as series #22 (pg. 13, 46-47, 108); and:
Shinichi Segi, "Yoshitoshi: The Splendid Decadent", Kodansha International, Tokyo, 1985where it appears as color plates 10-14, pages 35, 40-41, 103, 112.
More recently, the complete series was documented in:
"100 Dogs Of War: Samurai Art by Yoshitoshi (Ukiyo-e Master Specials)", Shinbaku Books, 2014It does not contain any text about each individual print (other than the name of the subject), but it does contain a survey of Yoshitoshi's musha-e.
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".
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. |
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Last updated: 20/June/2014