Japanese historian claims Yasuke from Assassin's Creed: Shadows was a samurai

The controversy surrounding Assassin's Creed: Shadows is getting more interesting. Recently, Hirayama Yu, who holds a master's degree in Japanese history and has written several books on the Sengoku period, joined the defenders of the game. According to him, «there is no doubt» that the black Yasuke was indeed a samurai.

In defense of his theory, Hirayama Yu presented several arguments. The historian wrote that there are not many details about Yasuke's life, but existing documents suggest that the African could hold the status of a samurai. This is evidenced by his relationship with daimyo Oda Nobunaga: it is claimed that he gave Yasuke a house and a sword, and also paid a salary. Simple servants were not allowed to carry weapons.

The historian added that Yasuke probably remained a slave, but judging by the gifts, he became a samurai of his own free will. He also recalled Toyotomi Hideyoshi — a political figure who became a samurai despite his low social status.

Some readers objected that Yasuke could not be awarded the important title because he was not given a surname. The historian agreed that this is an important point, but recalled several cases when warriors without a surname were considered samurai.

How the Japanese community will react to the game itself, we will find out at the release. Assassin's Creed: Shadows will be released on November 15 on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5.