17 The Last Samurai Trivia Questions & Answers

Answer: He was hired to train the Japanese army.

At the beginning of the movie, Algren was giving a presentation to a crowd of people and speaking about the war against the Native Americans. After the presentation, he was approached by Sgt. Gant, who told him about a job offer. They went to dinner with their commanding officer, Col. Bagley, and some Japanese businessmen. Algren agreed to accept the job to train the army, provided they pay him $500 a month.

Answer: San Francisco

We see Nathan sitting in a room behind the stage, when the stage manager starts to introduce him. At the bottom of the screen it says San Francisco 1876.

Answer: The army wasn't ready.

To prove to Col. Bagley that the army wasn't ready, Algren walked down the firing range to stand in front of a target. He then commanded a soldier to shoot him. The soldier refused and Algren threatened to kill him if he didn't obey. After Algren shot at the soldier several times, he shot at Algren but missed. Even though Algren had proven his point, the army was sent off anyway.

Answer: Ken Watanabe

This was the first Hollywood made movie that he has been in. Before he was given the role of Katsumoto, he was in many Japanese TV programmes and movies.

Answer: Hirotaro

Hirotaro was only shown during the battle where he was killed, but his name was revealed to Algren during his stay in the village. Algren had been injured and Hirotaro was about to kill him when Algren stabbed him. After the battle, Algren was taken captive and went with the samurai to their village. The woman who took care of him and kept him in her house was actually Hirotaro's widow.

Answer: Yokohama

We see the harbor, and on the bottom of the screen it says Yokohama Harbor 1876. Yokohama Harbor still exists to this day, on the coast of Japan.

Answer: Bob

Bob followed Algren wherever he went, but he never spoke to Algren, no matter how much Algren tried to talk to him. One day after Algren had been beaten by Ujio, he was sarcastically thanking the old samurai for watching out for him when he decided to call him Bob. He then added that he knew a Bob once, but that he was very ugly. In the final battle against the Japanese army, it was Bob who called out to Algren and got in the way of a bullet that would have killed Algren.

Answer: Tiger

Nathan was fighting the Samurai on his own because the amateur Japanese army that he was leading fled. Nathan was knocked off his horse, and no one was there to help him fight, so he picked up a flagpole with a picture of a tiger on it and used that to protect himself. At the beginning, the Samurai leader, Katsumoto had a vision that in his upcoming battle a tiger would fight them, he spared Nathan because he could come in handy in a battle.

Answer: Sister

Taka was the widow of Hirotaro, the samurai with red armor that Algren killed during the first battle. Though she took care of him, she was not thrilled about it at first and even went to her brother Katsumoto to try and get out of it. After Algren spent some time with her and her two sons, he began to learn Japanese and he apologized to Taka for killing her husband. Taka eventually grew to care about Algren.

Answer: What is your name?

When Katsumoto asks Nathan this question, he does not reply. One of the Samurai walks over and tells Nathan, in Japanese, to reply. Nathan doesn't reply because he is weak, and also he didn't want to be ordered to say something. The warrior then spits at him and turns around, only to quickly get out his sword and swing at Nathan's neck, stopping just in time.

Answer: Algren

Algren was watching the play when he noticed movement on the rooftops. He called out to Katsumoto just in time to save him from being shot by an arrow. The samurai battled against the ninjas who had been sent by Omura, one of the emperor's advisors. Algren helped to protect Taka and her family and fought beside Katsumoto to defeat the ninjas.

The part of Nathan Algren was played by Tom Cruise. Algren had been a captain in the army during the wars against the Native Americans and had even fought under General Custer. After going to Japan to train the Japanese army, he was captured by the samurai and lived amongst them during the winter. During that time, he learned to speak Japanese as well as how to fight like a samurai.

Answer: Pigs

Nathan is invited to eat with Taka's family, he is invited because Katsumoto wants them to look after him. While Nathan starts to eat, Taka tells Nabutada that he smells like the pigs, and asks him whether he can at least make Nathan take a bath.

Answer: Omura

Omura was one of the businessmen who had hired Algren to train the army. He was against the samurai and used his position as the emperor's adivsor to take measures against them. When the samurai came to Tokyo to return Algren, Katsumoto tried to reason with the emperor and he was allowed to join the emperor's council. It was at the advisors' meeting that Omura informed Katsumoto that he would have to relinquish his sword because of the new law. When the emperor refused to intervene, Katsumoto refused to give up his sword and Omura had him escorted to his house to remain under arrest.

Omura was the one who sent the ninjas to attack the samurai. He was also the main one pushing for the westernization of Japan by making agreements with the Americans and other foreigners for weapons.

Answer: To serve

As the camera shows the village, Nathan narrates that he really likes the people and the culture. "I have never seen such discipline. I am surprised to learn that the word Samurai means 'to serve' and that Katsumoto believes his rebellion to be in the service of the Emperor."

Answer: Nobutada

Nobutada was Katsumoto's son and it was his village where the samurai stayed in the mountains. Nobutada was often at his aunt's house and helped to look out for Algren during his stay in the village. He also helped Algren learn Japanese and trained him in their ways.

During the escape, the samurai had to cross a bridge to get away from Katsumoto's house. They were being shot at by soldiers, but Nobutada and some of the other samurai were knocking them off with bows and arrows. Nobutada tried to run across the bridge, but he was shot. The others managed to get him behind a tree, but he was badly injured. He knew it was his time to die, and while the others were escaping, he made one last charge at the soldiers on the bridge.

Answer: The Ninjas

This happens when the village people are watching a play starring Katsumoto. Nathan is enjoying the show until he notices a black ninja on top of the house about to shoot Katsumoto. Nathan stands up and warns Katsumoto, the ninja shoots, but kills the performer who was standing right next to Katsumoto.

Answer: 42

When Colonel Bagley first enters the room, the door is wide open and the number "42" is visible behind him.