[:it]

Hattori Hanzō

Hattori Hanzō (服部 半蔵, ~1542 – 4 Novembre, 1596), conosciuto anche come Hattori Masanari o Hattori Masashige (服部 正成), è stato un samurai dell’era Sengoku. È famoso per aver salvato la vita di Tokugawa Ieyasu e per averlo aiutato a diventare il dominatore del Giappone.

Photo Credits: wonderslist.com/

Era il figlio di Hattori Hanzō Yasunaga (服部 半蔵(半三) 保長), samurai minore al servizio del clan Matsudaira (successivamente Tokugawa). In seguito, per via delle tattiche utilizzate per le sue operazioni, gli venne dato il soprannome di Oni no Hanzō (鬼の半蔵, Demone Hanzō). Ciò per distinguerlo da Watanabe Hanzo (Watanabe Moritsuna), il cui soprannome era Yari no Hanzō (槍の半蔵 Lancia Hanzō).

Si narra che Hanzō iniziò il suo addestramento sul monte Kurama a nord di Kyōto all’età di 8 anni, divenne un guerriero esperto a 12 anni e fu riconosciuto come maestro samurai a 18.

Combattè la sua prima battaglia a 16 anni (un attacco notturno al Castello di Udo). Successivamente, riuscì a portare a termine con successo il salvataggio delle figlie di Tokugawa al Castello di Kaminogō, nel 1562, prendendo poi d’assedio il Castello di Kakegawa nel 1569.

Si distinse inoltre nelle battaglie di Anegawa (1570) e Mikatagahara (1572).

Secondo il Kansei Chōshū Shokafu, una genealogia di grandi samurai completata nel 1812 dallo shogunato Tokugawa, Hattori Hanzō rese meritevole servizio a Mikatagahara, diventando poi comandante dell’Unità di Iga costituita da 150 uomini. Catturò infatti una spia di Takeda Shingen chiamata Chikuan e, quando le truppe di Takeda invasero Totomi, Hanzō contrattaccò con soli 30 uomini presso il fiume Tenryū.

Durante la guerra Tenshō Iga, nel 1579, difese il paese natale dei ninja nella provincia di Iga dalle mire di Oda Nobukatsu, secondo figlio di Oda Nobunaga. E di nuovo combattè valorosamente nel 1581, questa volta però senza successo, per prevenire che la provincia di Iga venisse eliminata dalle forze sotto il comando personale dello stesso Nobunaga.

Il suo più grande contributo arrivò però nel 1582, dopo la morte di Oda Nobunaga. Guidò infatti il futuro shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu verso la salvezza, nella Provincia di Mikawa, attraversando il territorio di Iga con l’aiuto dei rimanenti ninja locali. Hanzō sembra abbia anche aiutato a salvare la famiglia di Ieyasu che era stata catturata.

Prestò servizio durante l’assedio di Odawara e fu premiato con 8,000 koku. E nel momento in cui Ieyasu entrò Kantō, ricevette altri 8,000 koku, 30 yoriki e 200 pubblici ufficiali a suo servizio. Si diceva inoltre che Ieyasu avesse cominciato a assumere al suo servizio più ninja di Iga con Hanzō come leader.

Hanzō era famoso per essere un esperto stratega e maestro nella lotta con la lancia. Fonti storiche dicono che trascorse gran parte dei suoi ultimi anni come monaco sotto il nome di “Sainen”,  e che avesse costruito il tempio Sainenji. Tempio eretto per commemorare il figlio maggiore di Tokugawa Ieyasu, Nobuyasu. Nobuyasu infatti era stato accusato di tradimento e di cospirazione da Oda Nobunaga e gli era stato ordinato di fare seppuku da suo padre Ieyasu. Hanzo fu chiamato come suo secondo ufficiale per mettere fine alle sofferenze di Nobuyasu. Ruolo che rifiutò non volendo sollevare la spada sulla discendenza del suo stesso signore. Sembra che Ieyasu, dopo aver saputo delle traversie affrontate da Hanzo, avesse apprezzato la sua lealtà e disse: “Anche un demone può versare lacrime”.

Alcuni racconti gli attribuiscono abilità sovrannaturali come il teletrasporto, la psicocinesi, e la precognizione. Tutto ciò ha contribuito a renderlo sempre più importante nella cultura popolare. Morì all’età di 55 anni.

Dopo la sua morte, il 4 Novembre 1596, a succedergli fu suo figlio, il cui nome era sempre Masanari scritto però con kanji differenti. Ricevette il titolo di Iwami no Kami ed i suoi uomini di Iga furono posti a guardia del Castello di Edo, il quartier generale del governo del riunito Giappone. Ad oggi, è ancora possibile vedere una parte dell’eredità lasciata da Hanzō. Il Palazzo Imperiale di Tokyo ha ancora un cancello chiamato Hanzō’s Gate (Hanzōmon), con una omonima linea metropolitana Hanzōmon.

Hattori Hanzō nella cultura di massa

Photo Credits: bastardosenzagloria.com

Come figura storica e protagonista di uno dei più grandi periodi della cultura dei samurai in Giappone, Hattori Hanzō ha molti ammiratori, sia Giapponesi che non. Nella cultura moderna è spesso associato ai ninja di Iga.

Molti film, speciali e serie tv sulla vita di Tokugawa Ieyasu descrivono gli avvenimenti menzionati sopra. L’attore Sonny Chiba ha interpretato il suo ruolo nella serie Hattori Hanzô: Kage no Gundan (Guerrieri dell’ombra), in cui lui e i suoi discendenti sono i personaggi principali.

La sua vita ed il servizio reso a Tokugawa Ieyasu sono stati ripresi nella manga  Path of the Assassin, mentre il giovane Hanzō è il personaggio principale del manga Tenka Musō.

Il romanzo The Kouga Ninja Scrolls ed i suoi adattamenti ritraggono i 4 Hattori Hanzo che hanno servito come capi ninja sotto il comando di Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Hanzō appare anche nel romanzo Fukurō no Shiro (Owl’s Castle), nonché in tutta una serie di manga. Nel manga ed anime Gintama ad esempio è presente un personaggio parodia chiamato Hattori Zenzo, mentre nel manga Naruto il personaggio chiamato Hanzō è il leader del villaggio segreto di ninja Amegakure. In Samurai Deeper Kyo, un inusuale colpo di scena rivela che Hattori Hanzō è in realtà Tokugawa Ieyasu travestito. Compare anche in Tail of the Moon, e nel live-action Goemon, oltre che nell’episodio “Spartan vs. Ninja” del programma televisivo Deadliest Warrior.

Hattori Hanzō appare come un personaggio ricorrente nella serie di video game Samurai Shodown della SNK, apparendo in ogni gioco della serie, nonché nell’adattamento anime. Fa alcune comparse anche nella serie The King of Fighters. In World Heroes, un altro videogame della SNK, Hanzō è uno dei personaggi principali insieme al suo rivale Fūma Kotarō. Nel video game Samurai Warriors è invece ritratto come un ninja altamente qualificato, molto leale a Tokugawa Ieyasu. Appare anche in diversi altri video game come Taikou Risshiden V, Kessen III, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword, Shall We Date?: Ninja Love, Pokémon Conquest, Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes, e la serie Suikoden. Nell’edizione limitata di Total War: Shogun 2 è il capo del Clan Hattori, una delle fazioni che lottano per la supremazia in Giappone, e ha una unità DLC chiamata”Hanzo’s Shadows”.

Alcuni lavori, come il gioco di carte collezionabili Force of Will, la serie Hyakka Ryōran, l’anime Sengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox, ed il video game Yatagarasu, lo reimmaginano come ninja donna.

Nel film Kill Bill, Hattori Hanzō è il nome di un abilissimo maestro forgiatore di letali spade che ha creato una katana speciale per la protagonista, nonostante avesse giurato a sè stesso che non avrebbe più realizzato strumenti di morte.[:en]

Hattori Hanzō

Hattori Hanzō (服部 半蔵, ~1542 – November 4, 1596), also known as Hattori Masanari or Hattori Masashige (服部 正成), was a famous samurai of the Sengoku era. He is famous for saving the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu and then helping him to become the ruler of Japan.

Photo Credits: wonderslist.com/

Born the son of Hattori Hanzō Yasunaga (服部 半蔵(半三) 保長), a minor samurai in the service of the Matsudaira (later Tokugawa) clan. He would later earn the nickname Oni no Hanzō (鬼の半蔵, Demon Hanzō) because of the fearless tactics he displayed in his operations. This is to distinguish him from Watanabe Hanzo (Watanabe Moritsuna), who was nicknamed Yari no Hanzō (槍の半蔵 Spear Hanzō).

It is said that Hanzō started his training at the age of 8, on Mount Kurama situated north of Kyoto, became an expert warrior by the age of 12, and was recognised as a full-fledged samurai at the age of 18.

He fought his first battle at the age of 16 (a night-time attack on Udo Castle). He later made a successful hostage rescue of Tokugawa’s daughters in Kaminogō Castle in 1562 and went on to lay siege to Kakegawa Castle in 1569. He also served with distinction at the battles of Anegawa (1570) and Mikatagahara (1572). According to the Kansei Chōshū Shokafu, a genealogy of major samurai completed in 1812 by the Tokugawa shogunate, Hattori Hanzō rendered meritorious service during the Battle of Mikatagahara and became commander of an Iga Unit consisting of 150 men. In fact, he captured a spy of Takeda Shingen named Chikuan and when Takeda’s troops invaded Totomi, Hanzō counter-attacked with only 30 men at the Tenryū River.

During the Tenshō Iga War, in 1579, he defended the ninja homeland in Iga province against Oda Nobukatsu, the second son of Oda Nobunaga. And again he valiantly fought in 1581, though unsuccessfully this time, to prevent the Iga province from being eliminated by forces under the personal command of Nobunaga himself.

But his most valuable contribution came in 1582 following Oda Nobunaga’s death. In fact, he led the future shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu to safety in Mikawa Province across Iga territory with the help of remnants of the local Iga ninja. According to some sources, Hanzō also helped in rescuing the captured family of Ieyasu.

He served during the siege of Odawara and was awarded 8,000 koku. And by the time Ieyasu entered Kantō, he was awarded an additional 8,000 koku and had 30 yoriki and 200 public officials for his services. Ieyasu was said to have also begun to employ more Iga ninja with Hanzō as their leader.

Hanzō was known as an expert tactician and a master of spear fighting. Historical sources say he lived the last several years of his life as a monk under the name “Sainen” and built the temple Sainenji. Temple that was built to commemorate Tokugawa Ieyasu’s elder son, Nobuyasu. Nobuyasu had been accused of treason and conspiracy by Oda Nobunaga and was then ordered to commit seppuku by his father, Ieyasu. Hanzo was called in to act as the official second to end Nobuyasu’s suffering. A role that he refused to take on because he didn’t want to take the sword on the blood of his own lord. It is said that Ieyasu valued his loyalty after hearing of Hanzo’s ordeal and said, “Even a demon can shed tears.”

Some tales often spoke of him as possessing various supernatural abilities, such as teleportation, psychokinesis, and precognition. All these contribute to his continued prominence in popular culture. He died at the age of 55.

After his death, on 4 November 1596, Hattori Hanzō was succeeded by his son, whose name was also Masanari, though written with different kanji.  He was given the title of Iwami no Kami and his Iga men would act as guards of Edo Castle, the headquarters of the government of united Japan. To this day, artefacts of Hanzō’s legacy remain. Tokyo Imperial Palace still has a gate called Hanzō’s Gate (Hanzōmon), and the Hanzōmon subway line.

Hattori Hanzō in modern culture

Photo Credits: bastardosenzagloria.com

As historical figure and as one of the protagonists of one of Japan’s greatest periods for samurai culture, Hattori Hanzō has many admirers, both within Japan and abroad. In modern culture, he is most often portrayed as involved with the Iga ninja clansmen.

Many films, specials and series on the life and times of Tokugawa Ieyasu depict the events mentioned above. The actor Sonny Chiba played his role in the series Hattori Hanzô: Kage no Gundan (Shadow Warriors), where he and his descendants are the main characters. His life and his service to Tokugawa Ieyasu are fictionalised in the manga series Path of the Assassin, while the young Hanzō is the main character in the manga Tenka Musō. The novel The Kouga Ninja Scrolls and its adaptations feature the four Hattori Hanzos serving as ninja leaders under the rule of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Hanzō also appears in the novel Fukurō no Shiro (Owl’s Castle), as well as in many manga. In the manga and anime series Gintama he appears as a parody character named Hattori Zenzo, while in the manga Naruto the character named Hanzō is the leader of a hidden ninja village of Amegakure. In Samurai Deeper Kyo, an unusual plot turn reveals that Hattori Hanzō is actually the real Ieyasu Tokugawa in disguise. He also appears in Tail of the Moon and in the live-action film Goemon, other than in the episode “Spartan vs. Ninja” of the TV show Deadliest Warrior.

Hattori Hanzō appears as a recurring character in the Samurai Shodown video game series by SNK, appearing in every game in this series, as well as in its anime adaptation. He also has some guest appearances in The King of Fighters series. In World Heroes, another SNK video game series, Hanzō is one of the main characters along with his rival Fūma Kotarō. In the video game series Samurai Warriors, he is portrayed as a highly skilled ninja, highly loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hanzō is also featured in several other video games such as Taikou Risshiden V, Kessen III, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword, Shall We Date?: Ninja Love, Pokémon Conquest, Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes, and the Suikoden series. In the limited edition of Total War: Shogun 2 he is the heir of the Hattori Clan, one of the factions fighting for supremacy over Japan, and has a DLC unit called “Hanzo’s Shadows”.

Some works, such as the trading card game Force of Will, the series Hyakka Ryōran, the anime series Sengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox, and the video game Yatagarasu, reimagine him as a female ninja character.

In the film Kill Bill, Hattori Hanzō is the name of an incredibly skilled master swordsmith who creates lethal swords. He is the one who created a special katana for the protagonist, although he had sworn to himself that he would never create instruments of death again.[:ja]

Hattori Hanzō

Hattori Hanzō (服部 半蔵, ~1542 – November 4, 1596), also known as Hattori Masanari or Hattori Masashige (服部 正成), was a famous samurai of the Sengoku era. He is famous for saving the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu and then helping him to become the ruler of Japan.

Photo Credits: wonderslist.com/

Born the son of Hattori Hanzō Yasunaga (服部 半蔵(半三) 保長), a minor samurai in the service of the Matsudaira (later Tokugawa) clan. He would later earn the nickname Oni no Hanzō (鬼の半蔵, Demon Hanzō) because of the fearless tactics he displayed in his operations. This is to distinguish him from Watanabe Hanzo (Watanabe Moritsuna), who was nicknamed Yari no Hanzō (槍の半蔵 Spear Hanzō).

It is said that Hanzō started his training at the age of 8, on Mount Kurama situated north of Kyoto, became an expert warrior by the age of 12, and was recognised as a full fledged samurai at the age of 18.

He fought his first battle at the age of 16 (a night-time attack on Udo Castle). He later made a successful hostage rescue of Tokugawa’s daughters in Kaminogō Castle in 1562, and went on to lay siege to Kakegawa Castle in 1569. He also served with distinction at the battles of Anegawa (1570) and Mikatagahara (1572). According to the Kansei Chōshū Shokafu, a genealogy of major samurai completed in 1812 by the Tokugawa shogunate, Hattori Hanzō rendered meritorious service during the Battle of Mikatagahara and became commander of an Iga Unit consisting of 150 men. In fact, he captured a spy of Takeda Shingen named Chikuan and when Takeda’s troops invaded Totomi, Hanzō counter-attacked with only 30 men at the Tenryū River.

During the Tenshō Iga War, in 1579, he defended the ninja homeland in Iga province against Oda Nobukatsu, the second son of Oda Nobunaga. And again he valiantly fought in 1581, though unsuccessfully this time, to prevent the Iga province from being eliminated by forces under the personal command of Nobunaga himself.

But his most valuable contribution came in 1582 following Oda Nobunaga’s death. In fact, he led the future shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu to safety in Mikawa Province across Iga territory with the help of remnants of the local Iga ninja. According to some sources, Hanzō also helped in rescuing the captured family of Ieyasu.

He served during the siege of Odawara and was awarded 8,000 koku. And by the time Ieyasu entered Kantō, he was awarded an additional 8,000 koku and had 30 yoriki and 200 public officials for his services. Ieyasu was said to have also begun to employ more Iga ninja with Hanzō as their leader.

Hanzō was known as an expert tactician and a master of spear fighting. Historical sources say he lived the last several years of his life as a monk under the name “Sainen” and built the temple Sainenji. Temple that was built to commemorate Tokugawa Ieyasu’s elder son, Nobuyasu. Nobuyasu had been accused of treason and conspiracy by Oda Nobunaga and was then ordered to commit seppuku by his father, Ieyasu. Hanzo was called in to act as the official second to end Nobuyasu’s suffering. Role that he refused to take on because he didn’t want to  take the sword on the blood of his own lord. It is said that Ieyasu valued his loyalty after hearing of Hanzo’s ordeal and said, “Even a demon can shed tears.”

Some tales often spoke of him as possessing various supernatural abilities, such as teleportation, psychokinesis, and precognition. All these contribute to his continued prominence in popular culture. He died at the age of 55.

After his death, on 4 November 1596, Hattori Hanzō was succeeded by his son, whose name was also Masanari, though written with different kanji.  He was given the title of Iwami no Kami and his Iga men would act as guards of Edo Castle, the headquarters of the government of united Japan. To this day, artifacts of Hanzō’s legacy remain. Tokyo Imperial Palace still has a gate called Hanzō’s Gate (Hanzōmon), and the Hanzōmon subway line.

Hattori Hanzō in modern culture

Photo Credits: bastardosenzagloria.com

As historical figure and as one of the protagonists of one of Japan’s greatest periods for samurai culture, Hattori Hanzō has many admirer, both within Japan and abroad. In modern culture he is most often portrayed as involved with the Iga ninja clansmen.

Many films, specials and series on the life and times of Tokugawa Ieyasu depict the events mentioned above. The actor Sonny Chiba played his role in the series Hattori Hanzô: Kage no Gundan (Shadow Warriors), where he and his descendants are the main characters. His life and his service to Tokugawa Ieyasu is fictionalised in the manga series Path of the Assassin, while the young Hanzō is the main character in the manga Tenka Musō. The novel The Kouga Ninja Scrolls and its adaptations feature the four Hattori Hanzos serving as ninja leaders under the rule of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Hanzō also appears in the novel Fukurō no Shiro (Owl’s Castle), as well as in many manga. In the manga and anime series Gintama he appears as a parody character named Hattori Zenzo, while in the manga Naruto the character named Hanzō is the leader of a hidden ninja village of Amegakure. In Samurai Deeper Kyo,an unusual plot turn reveals that Hattori Hanzō is actually the real Ieyasu Tokugawa in disguise. He also appears in Tail of the Moon, and in the live-action film Goemon, other than in the episode “Spartan vs. Ninja” of the TV show Deadliest Warrior.

Hattori Hanzō appears as a recurring character in the Samurai Shodown video game series by SNK, appearing in every game in this series, as well as in its anime adaptation. He also has some guest appearances in The King of Fighters series. In World Heroes, another SNK video game series, Hanzō is one of the main characters along with his rival Fūma Kotarō. In the video game series Samurai Warriors, he is portrayed as a highly skilled ninja, highly loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hanzō is also featured in several other video games such as Taikou Risshiden V, Kessen III, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword, Shall We Date?: Ninja Love, Pokémon Conquest, Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes, and the Suikoden series. In the limited edition of Total War: Shogun 2 he is the heir of the Hattori Clan, one of the factions fighting for supremacy over Japan, and has a DLC unit called “Hanzo’s Shadows”.

Some works, such as the trading card game Force of Will, the series Hyakka Ryōran, the anime series Sengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox, and the video game Yatagarasu, reimagine him as a female ninja character.

In the film Kill Bill, Hattori Hanzō is the name of an incredibly skilled master swordsmith who creates letal swords. He is the one who created a special katana for the protagonist, although he had sworn to himself that he would never create instruments of death again.[:]