Taka will act in accordance with Confucianism, and will be refined and calm in her demeanor, incredibly caring and compassionate, but also very headstrong in her beliefs. It is her indomitable spirit that is the focus of her written character, never giving up, refusing to stay down. Taka is very family oriented, and will be concerned about the fate of her family members, in particular her mother and sister, that fought in her unit. Taka should be humble and would not boast, even playing down the events of her own death as simply being in service to her Lord and country.
DETAILS
‘Samurai’ is a masculine word and so will not apply to Taka. She would not refer to herself as samurai, instead referring to herself as onna-musha. While some of the people that you converse with will not know the term, you can easily explain that it is the word for a female Japanese warrior. It would be beneficial for the actress playing Taka to do some research on Confucius and his teachings, as this will not only impart the knowledge that Taka will have known but will also provide insight into her poise, attitude and behaviours.
She’s based on Nakano Takeko, whose bravery, morality, and unrelenting spirit has made her a paragon in Japanese history. Her unit of onna-musha displayed unrivaled bravery and were vital to the shogun’s attempt to resist the Imperial forces as Japan bent to the influence of the West. OUR fictitious Nakano lived earlier, and spent many years wandering Japan and the lands upon in an attempt to hone her skills. She returns to her village after hearing about the peril of her family, and she died by gunfire, along with her Onna-musha in a suicide mission to protect them and preserve their way of life.
Daughter of a wealthy Lord and one of the most skillful female warriors who lived in 18th century Japan. She is skilled with a katana but her preferred weapon is the naginata.
