| evilcartoonist | 04 Feb 2014 10:50 p.m. PST |
Does anyone know of any books (fiction or nonfiction) detailing the life or history of (16th- to 17th-Century) Japanese gangs, such as the kabukimono, otokodate or machi yakko? |
| evilcartoonist | 04 Feb 2014 11:19 p.m. PST |
… and just a little more searching yielded this result: link |
| Pentaro | 05 Feb 2014 3:12 a.m. PST |
Sadly, that article is the only thing I've ever read about that intriguing subject. |
Sturmpioneer  | 05 Feb 2014 8:16 a.m. PST |
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| Carlos13th | 05 Feb 2014 8:21 a.m. PST |
The only thing I have seen about Japanese gangs is modern day Yakuza sadly. I will share a link to the Wikipedia for it anyway. link |
| evilcartoonist | 05 Feb 2014 9:11 a.m. PST |
My goal is less academic and more about looking for material to game, so the Wargames Illustrated article was a great start. I'll also look over the wiki articles, and keep on with the Google-fu. Thanks for the help (and for any future help) I think this subject would make a good Osprey title. |
| Lion in the Stars | 05 Feb 2014 2:24 p.m. PST |
I'd check the histories around the 1860s in Kyoto, during the Bakumatsu and Meiji Restoration. There was a whole lot of skirmishing between various factions then, and a lot of it was relatively well-recorded. |
| Sergeant Paper | 05 Feb 2014 3:37 p.m. PST |
Here's some basic info from a historian, nothing new but reinforces what you've got:
link |
| Ancestral Hamster | 05 Feb 2014 10:27 p.m. PST |
Thanks to all for the links. Very interesting, and of course, the Edo period stuff is just ripe for skirmish gaming! |
| evilcartoonist | 11 Feb 2014 5:44 p.m. PST |
Thanks to everyone for the digging for information. I got enough to work with to play some good gang fights, now. The Wargames Illustrated article had just enough to work with. I've commissioned Steve Barber to sculpt a 42mm Japanese bandit for me, which I will use to beef up my "gangs" I'll use for some skirmish gaming. I also found this neat little print of some "yakko" fighting; not really "useful," but still has some inspirational value (and maybe some painting reference ideas):
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| evilcartoonist | 01 May 2014 11:53 a.m. PST |
In case anyone is still interested, I just ordered Turnbull's "Samurai Swordsman: Master of War," which appears to have a good selection of street battle and gang warfare stories (including fighting firemen?!) Sounds like a great read- I'll let you all know who wins :) Edit: "Interested" as in interested in the book, not that I purchased it :) |
