We’ve seen all sorts of samurais in Hulu’s Shogun, and they belong to different classes. Some have a higher ranking than others, but as clichéd as this may sound, it also means that they have heavier responsibilities.
The Edo Period in Japan became heavily stratified, and even samurai had rankings to follow. Blackthorne earning the rank of a “hatamoto” in Shogun made him an invaluable asset under Lord Toranaga. The hatamoto were bannermen and considered to be the highest-ranking samurai under their feudal lord. As per their title, the hatamoto (旗本) were men who stood beneath the general’s banner.
This doesn’t mean that Blackthorne’s job would be just to carry the banner for Lord Toranaga once war breaks out. Hatamoto were vassals who directly servedthe shogun, their daimyo, or their lords. They could be advisors, messengers, guards of the lord, or in Blackthorne’s case, strategists. If you’ve played enough historical Japanese games, you’ll probably see the word hatamoto translated as “retainer.”
John Blackthorne proved himself capable of fighting foreign troops. His expertise in naval battles was crucial, especially when Lord Toranaga had ambitious plans. Blackthorne may only see himself as a humble sailor, but Toranaga sees differently. This is like the Japanese version of being knighted, which isn’t a bad survival strategy for Blackthorne himself.
Aside from becoming a strategist as a hatamoto, Blackthorne will also be in charge of teaching Yabushige and Lord Toranaga’s son about naval battles. The job description is vague, but a hatamoto does whatever his lord tells him to, even at the cost of his own life.
(featured image: Hulu)
