Hollywood has a samurai fetish. Whether it’s “Kill Bill,” “Westworld” or the acclaimed new FX remake of the “Shogun” miniseries, samurai often prove to be a one-way ticket to pop culture cool — and thus given a glamorous portrayal.
This is starkly different from the depiction of ninja, even in the recent, skillfully produced Netflix series "House of Ninjas." This divergence is remarkable, considering the ninja likely sparked many of our initial "Japan is cool" moments in childhood.
The entertainment world's differing representations of the two iconic figures, however, align with the true-to-life Japanese experience with the samurai and ninja: The former were the glitterati of the warrior class, decked in shiny armor and touting to the strict ethos of Bushido, and the ninja were seen as dishonorable.
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