The Movie 'Samurai Time Skipper': A Displaced Samurai, Resonating Sincerity, and the Question of Whether Bushido Still Holds Up in the Reiwa Era

I missed it in theaters. But now it's streaming!

Samurai Time Skipper. Honestly, I missed it while it was in theaters. Between the remaining work, students being busy with clubs, extracurriculars, exams, and part-time jobs, I couldn't find the time, and before I knew it, the run was over—that kind of pattern.

However, I recently saw on social media that it started streaming on Amazon Prime Video. I thought, 'I have to watch this!' and pressed the play button that very night.

It wasn't as 'light' as I thought. It wasn't just a comedy.

At first, I didn't have high expectations, thinking, 'A samurai coming to the modern day? Is this just another cliché comedy?' But as soon as I started watching, that impression changed. Sure, there are many funny scenes, but there are moments that stay with you even more.

In particular, the straightforward way of life shown by the protagonist, the samurai Shinzaemon Kosaka. Even though he is out of sync with modern society, he definitely conveys something. I felt that while this is a 'time-slip' story, it is also a 'drama of values.'

The protagonist Shinzaemon's overly straightforward personality

He doesn't lie, he has no hidden agenda, and he always keeps his promises. He can't say no when someone relies on him, and he tries to respond with complete sincerity. From a modern perspective, he's at a level where it wouldn't be strange to call him 'too clumsy' or 'anachronistic.'

However, that clumsiness actually starts to look charming. In a world today where convenience and efficiency are often prioritized, I felt that a 'person who can be serious for someone else's sake' is actually quite precious.

4. In today's society, isn't sincerity a disadvantage?

A way of life like Shinzaemon's might be a 'losing way of life' in the modern era. It's undeniable that there is a trend where honest people are taken for fools, and speed and results are demanded more than sincerity.

But even so, the reason his figure remains in my heart is because he truly makes me feel 'genuine trust.' The sight of someone continuing to be sincere to others is stronger than efficiency and resonates with people's hearts.

The clash with Reiwa values

Living for yourself and using time for your own benefit is the modern standard. The idea of risking your life for someone else might seem like something out of a manga.

However, Shinzaemon's values are the exact opposite. He acts without hesitation for the sake of 'the person he must protect.' I felt a sense of freshness in the strength of that conviction.

Does 'loyalty' still have meaning in this day and age?

The 'loyalty' he shows in the film—it's not so much about following orders as it is about the figure who decides for himself, 'I will protect this person.' That is why, rather than being anachronistic, it comes across as the strength to stick to one's own convictions.

The word 'loyalty' itself is old-fashioned, but I thought that 'being serious for someone else's sake' still has real meaning in this day and age.

He's out of sync, but precisely because he's out of sync

Shinzaemon's actions are out of sync in many ways. He can't use a smartphone, and he doesn't understand what it means to leave a LINE message on 'read.' But precisely because of that disconnect, he brings into focus things that modern people have become blind to.

He played a crucial role as someone who allows us to take a step back and view modern sensibilities that have become 'taken for granted'.

The 'power of belief' that modern people had forgotten

Throughout the story, Shinzaemon's sincerity gradually moves the hearts of modern people. Even if he is met with caution at first, an atmosphere slowly develops that makes people think, 'Maybe I can trust this person.'

That means the 'power of belief' is still very much alive today. If someone engages with others with genuine sincerity, people will respond in kind. Watching this movie made me realize that simple truth all over again.

Samurai are not 'outdated,' but rather 'something that should be remembered'

There is a view that 'samurai equals old-fashioned,' but that is probably only half the truth. The other half is that they were beings who possessed a spirit that is needed now more than ever.

They might not be smart. They might be inefficient. But the 'straightforwardness' and 'sincerity' that samurai possessed might be exactly what we need to cherish today.

A displaced samurai illuminates our values

'Samurai Time Skipper' is a film that makes you laugh, cry, and enjoy the action. But its greatest appeal is the presence of the samurai as a 'mirror of values'.

Because he is out of place, there are things we can notice. Words that shouldn't resonate end up touching our hearts. I want to say thank you to this movie for giving me that experience.

📝 Summary

The samurai way of life is certainly out of sync with the current era.
But perhaps it was precisely because of that disconnect that we were able to notice things we had forgotten.

What is right or what the correct way to live is, is surely different for everyone.
However, the sight of someone becoming truly earnest for the sake of another, or continuing to keep a promise,
is still straightforward and cool, no matter how much the times change.

'Samurai Time Skipper' was a movie that taught me that such 'straightforwardness' still holds true in today's world.

Even if you are out of place, sincerity will surely get through.
It was a night that made me think just that.