women warrior pics!

**Alison2805** · 10th August 2006, 04:05 PM

Hi everyone,

I was looking for pictures of women in kimonos for some painings I want to do, and found some pics of japanese women with naginata and swords. I think they are absolutely beautiful and wanted to share them with you all!!

I havent had time to add a blurb for each one saying who it is and when it was painted and by who, but I can do that if anyone is interested.

Enjoy!

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...oshitoshi1.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...irakashiko.gif (my favourite one)

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...05/shizuka.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...5/eizaburo.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...5/03007nor.jpg

and heres a little naginata comic-like pic:
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...ginatagirl.jpg

**Saigo** · 10th August 2006, 04:52 PM

Dont mean to barge in "being a guy and all" but I love the pics there great and the second one is the best.

Thx

**ne0r** · 10th August 2006, 05:19 PM

Yeah, the pics are great! Very, very interesting... I like the last one most and then the first one...

**Alison2805** · 10th August 2006, 05:20 PM

thats ok! I just put them in this section because all the picks were women, guys can look and comment on them too!

**rottunpunk** · 10th August 2006, 05:33 PM

i really like the traditional stuff. and its great not seeing pictures of gieshas for once.
the anime style one is my fave though. where did you find that one?

**Alison2805** · 10th August 2006, 06:23 PM

I searched google for pics of "girl + sword". That was the only decent one that came up.

If you want to see some amazing japanese art, go to http://www.japaneseprints.net/, click on Print Gallery, click on any of the artists names (I personally LOVED Kunisada's Magicians) and then you can expand and save any images you like.

Another amazing website is of the artist Paul Binnie, http://www.paulbinnie.co.uk/. He has done unbelievable Kabuki Woodblock prints. When you look at them its gobsmacking how he did such detail with woodblocks.

Im not doing advertising for these people, I just love the art and as rottenpunk said, its so nice to see pictures that arent geishas for once.

**rottunpunk** · 10th August 2006, 07:12 PM

they are amasing.
especially the woodblock ones.
i prefer landscapes to people pictures, and they are superb.
wish i was as good as that in just sketching....

**Kenzan** · 10th August 2006, 11:26 PM

Amateurs.....sigh..

LOL

http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/youen-bijutsu/saya.html

**WolfofMibu** · 11th August 2006, 01:23 AM

Those are some really good pics...its nice to see some women warriors for once....they are quite good

**rottunpunk** · 14th August 2006, 02:14 AM

Originally Posted by Kenzan

Amateurs.....sigh..

LOL

http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/youen-bijutsu/saya.html

hmmn, i like the artwork in that one, though it seems a bit modern looking to be classed as traditional art.
oh and i dont like naked wimmin with boobies hanging out all over type pictures
and the hakama are too low
and shes gonna drop the sword and chop off her foot any moment

**kendokamax** · 14th August 2006, 03:47 AM

that horse has a weird face

**Alison2805** · 14th August 2006, 04:45 PM

I did some digging around on the net and this is what I found about the identity of them:

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...oshitoshi1.jpg

This is a woodblock print of Tomoe Gozen, done in ~1868 by Yoshitoshi. "…Tomoe was especially beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features. She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot. She handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first captain, equipped with strong armor, an oversized sword, and a might bow; and she preformed more deeds of valor than any of his other warriors."
(Tale of the Heike, McCullough, pg. 291)
The HM goes on to say that Tomoe was one of the last five of the Kiso standing at the tail end of the Battle of Awazu, and that Yoshinaka, knowing that death was near, urged her to flee. Though reluctant, she rushed a Minamoto warrior named Onda no Hachiro Moroshige, cut his head off, and then fled for the eastern provinces.
Some have written that Tomoe in fact died in battle with her husband, while others assert that she survived and became a nun.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...irakashiko.gif

I was unable to get any info on this, other than the name of the painting is Shirakashiko.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...05/shizuka.jpg

This is a painting of the actor Bando Shucho as Shizuka, by Natori Shunsen, 1925. The story the play is based on revolves around the characters of Yorimoto and Yoshitsune.
Early in the winter of 1185, Yoritomo secretly dispatched a small troop of warrior-monks from his headquarters in Kamakura (near modern Tokyo) to Kyoto, where Yoshitsune had established himself with his mistress in the Horikawa mansion, the clan's headquarters in the imperial city, on Rokujo Avenue. Under orders to take Yoshitsune dead or alive, the troop attacked on the night of the 17th of the 10th month. According to the legends, the young hero's mistress, a lovely dancer named Shizuka, gave the alarm and roused the household. Benkei, the swashbuckling monk who was Yoshitsune's lifelong companion (and hero, in his own right, of a separate cycle of legends), almost single-handedly held off the foe until other retainers quartered elsewhere in the city could be alerted.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...5/eizaburo.jpg

This is a woodblock print of the actor Onoe Eizaburo as the charactor Okaru,
by Natori Shunsen, 1926> Unfortunately, Okaru performs the role of the temptress. She is the central female character in a play that, more often than not, portrays women as nothing better than mere obstacles to samurai duty and virtue.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...5/03007nor.jpg

I couldnt find any info on this character.

I hope someone finds that interesting :] Tomoe Gozen is the only "warrior" as such...even if her horse has a wierd face!

**Alison2805** · 14th August 2006, 04:47 PM

By the way, the text descriptions were cut and pasted from websites, its not my own words. Let me know if anything is incorrect.

**Lounge** · 14th August 2006, 06:08 PM

Just for information the Anime/Manga picture you liked is by the same author as your avatar. Have a look for Rumiko Takahashi on tinternet, the two pics are from Ranma 1/2.