Uesugi Kenshin


Regarding the scene where Forest Whitaker fires a gun up through a drain, killing a man in the bathroom. This may well draw its inspiration from the fabled death of one of Japan's greatest samurai, Uesugi Kenshin, who revived the practice of single combat between respected samurai opponents during the 16th century. Officially he died of an apoplectic fit while in the lavatory, but there is a tradition that a ninja had hidden himself in the cess pit and killed Kenshin with an upward thrust of his spear. Think there might be something to it?

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Thanks a lot, I didn't know this samurai and the story behind him.
Even though in this scene there's a direct link to Suzuki's Branded to Kill, Kenshin's dead would also make complete sense as a reference. :)

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