The Last Samurai: Encyclopedia II - The Last Samurai - Plot

The Last Samurai - Plot

Algren, a disenchanted army captain (once under the command of George Armstrong Custer), travels to Japan to help the new Meiji Restoration government in training its first Western-style army, whose first task will be to crush a rebellion being led by Katsumoto, a samurai and leader of a small clan. Algren leads the army into battle against Katsumoto's men, is routed and captured, and is imprisoned in Katsumoto's isolated village. While there, Algren begins to learn of the code of bushido and through this, he has an epiphany and becomes somewhat of a samurai. The movie's climax occurs as a rebel cavalry charge is stopped by Gatling guns.

Although many of the film's cast members are Japanese, the production crew is entirely American, and most of the movie was filmed in New Zealand.

Due to the fact that samurai (like most Japanese words) does not have a plural form, many erroneously assumed that Algren was the "Last Samurai" of the title.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Plot", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki