Wikipedia

Kenuichio Harada

Kenuichio Harada,also known as the originalSilver Samurai,is afictionalcharacter appearing inAmerican comic bookspublished byMarvel Comics.Created by writerSteve Gerberand artistBob Brown,the characterfirst appearedinDaredevil#111 (July 1974).[1]Kenuichio Harada belongs to the subspecies of humans calledmutants,who are born with superhuman abilities. He is a recurring antagonist of the superheroWolverine.The character is known under the codenameSilver Samurai.[2]

Kenuichio Harada
Silver Samurai
Kenuichio Harada / Silver Samurai
fightingWolverine.
Textless variant cover ofPowers of X#1
(July 2019).
Art by Mike Huddleston.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceDaredevil#111
(July1974)
Created bySteve Gerber
Bob Brown
In-story information
Alter egoKenuichio Harada
SpeciesHuman mutant
Team affiliationsLegion Accursed
Clan Yashida
Big Hero 6
HYDRA
PartnershipsBlack Spectre
Mandrill
Viper
Notable aliasesSilver Samurai
Silver Shogun
Abilities
  • Ability to generate atachyonfield capable of cutting through almost anything
  • Extensive knowledge of criminal organizations
  • Carries katana, shuriken and other weapons
  • Wears a lightweight steel alloy body armor
  • Master samurai and martial artist
  • Teleportation ring

The character has appeared in severalX-Men-relatedanimated seriesandvideo games,as well asHit-Monkey,voiced by Noshir Dalal. Kenuichio Harada made its live-action debut in the 2013 filmThe Wolverine,played byWill Yun Lee.

Publication history

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Kenuichio Harada debuted inDaredevil#111 (July 1974), created by writerSteve Gerberand artistBob Brown.[3]He appeared in the 1972Marvel Team-Upseries,[4]and in the 2021Marvel's Voices: Identityone-shot.[5]

Fictional character biography

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Kenuichio Harada is the illegitimate son ofShingen Yashida.AJapanesemutantwho uses his powers to charge hiskatana,hissamurai-style armor made of a silvery metal led to the Silver Samurai moniker.

He became a professional criminal and appeared to clash withDaredevilwhen he was hired byMandrillandBlack Spectre.[6]

Harada was the bodyguard for the international terroristViper,and was an occasionalmercenary.While working for Viper, he foughtSpider-ManandBlack Widow.[7]After recovering Viper's teleportation ring, he fought Spider-Man again on the set ofSaturday Night LivewhenStan Leeappeared as a host and encountered the original (2nd season)Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time-Players.[8]He joined Viper andBoomerangin fighting Spider-Man,Nick Fury,Shang-Chi,and Black Widow on the originalS.H.I.E.L.D.helicarrier.[9]Harada and Viper attempted to kidnap Michael Kramer and fought the originalSpider-Woman.[10]

At some point during Hydra's attack on Japan, he killed police officer Kioshi Keishicho which led toAmatsu-Mikaboshigiving Koishi a deal that involved him turning Kioshi into theEbon Samurai.[11]

Harada and Viper attempted a theft of cavourite crystal and battled theNew Mutants.[12]They battled theX-MenandYukio.[13]He attempted to possess the Black Blade and battledWolverine,Lindsay McCabe andO'Donnell.He rescued Wolverine and Jessica Drew from cultists.[14]

He became theOyabun(leader) of Clan Yashida after his half-sisterMariko Yashidadied.[15]He attempted to pay off his clan's debts to theYakuzaand restore its honor.[volume & issue needed]Though once one of Wolverine's greatest enemies, Wolverine entrusted him with the care ofAmiko Kobayashi.[volume & issue needed]

The Silver Samurai once helped Wolverine destroy "Doombringer"[clarification needed][volume & issue needed],and later helped Logan rescue Amiko and Yukio from their kidnappers.[16]During his time as a hero, the Silver Samurai became the leader of the first JapanesesuperheroteamBig Hero 6.[17]

The Silver Samurai wasbrainwashedbyBlindspotinto forgetting his time as a hero, believing his redemption was just a result ofProfessor X's brainwashing.[volume & issue needed]As a result, he returned to his previous criminal activities.[volume & issue needed]Harada was operating as the chief security officer for the Prime Minister of Japan.[18]

The Silver Samurai was abducted, incarcerated in the Raft prison in America without trial, and official records stated he was dead. He was freed by Madame Hydra and theHandwho transported him back to Japan. They wanted him to lead the Hand and unite the Japanese criminal underworld, hoping he could take on shadowy figures controlling both HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. that Madame Hydra was reluctant to name. Harada wasn't interested in a war and helped theAvengersdefeat them. Afterward, he decided to try to earn his good name back by serving the people of Japan once again.[19]

Silver Samurai is one of the few mutants that retained their superhuman powers afterM-Day.Wolverine made way to Japan in search of Harada and engaged him in battle. Wolverine's memories were recovered due to the events of House of M and asked Silver Samurai questions about the past during the course of their fight. Silver Samurai was able to run Wolverine through with one of his swords. Immediately afterward, Wolverine's claws severed Harada's hand at the wrist. When last seen, Silver Samurai was kneeling on the floor cradling the bloody stump where his hand once was.[20]

After theSkrullinvasion,Viper left the Silver Samurai to rejoin Hydra. Viper later came with a new version ofMadame Hydrato negotiate support to be given to Typhon (Hydra's production front) from the Yashidas. They took a mysterious box; the Yashidas claimed that those who opened the box never lived to see another day.[21]Some time later, warriors ofLeviathanattacked the Silver Samurai to make him divulge the box's location.[22]

While defending his home from the Red Right Hand, the Silver Samurai was mortally wounded. With his last bit of power, he made his way to his half-sister's grave.[23]He later appeared inHellblaming Wolverine for the recent deaths of people and was beheaded byMarduk Kurios's Soulcutter after speaking.[24]

The original Silver Samurai was revealed to be the father of Shingen "Shin" Harada.[25]

Silver Samurai was resurrected inKrakoaby the Five and became responsible for officiating combat at the Arena in the Quarry.[26]

Powers and abilities

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Kenuichio Harada is amutantwith the ability to generate atachyonfield which he generally focuses through his katana.[27]He commonly uses his power on his sword, enabling it to cut through nearly anything, except substances as hard asadamantium.[28]When working with theViper,Kenuichio possessed ateleportationring, which allowed him to teleport from one location to another, granting him great mobility and stealth. As a self-styled samurai, he is a master ofkenjutsuand other martial arts. Kenuichio specialized in edged weapons, hand-to-hand combat, andmilitary tactics.He usually wears a suit of lightweight steel alloy body armor, modeled after traditional samurai armor, but made of modern protective materials. He carries a katana (long sword), shuriken (throwing stars), and other weaponry. Keniuchio has extensive knowledge of the operations of criminal organizations due to his shady past, which he used in the service of his government to combat such organizations. He is an expert in the history and customs of the samurai class (Bushido).

Reception

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Tim Webber ofComic Book Resourcesnamed Silver Samurai one of Wolverine's most iconic villains.[29]Silver Samurai was the winner of a popularity contest held by Marvel Comics in 2023, which served to determine who would be a new character inMarvel Puzzle Quest.[30]

Other versions

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Age of Apocalypse

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In the "Age of Apocalypse"story, published in 2005 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Age of Apocalypse storyline, the Silver Samurai was a key member of the X-Men. He wore no helmet and had a red upside down Omega symbol tattooed on his forehead. He was one of the team's more visible members, rash yet strong. It was revealed that the Silver Samurai and Wolverine met each other in Japan, some time before Logan rescued Mariko from thugs. He was aware of the existence ofPsylocke,a rare telepath, but how the Silver Samurai was convinced to joinMagneto's X-Men in the first place was not explained.[31]He was much later reported by theAge of Apocalypseversion ofWilliam Strykerto have been killed in action while defending the last human stronghold from the forces of the now crazedAge of Apocalypseversion of Wolverine.[volume & issue needed]

Exiles

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InExiles#83 (August 2006), another alternate version of the Silver Samurai was revealed. Originating from Earth-172, the Silver Samurai appeared to have a nice relationship betweenMariko Yashidaand that Earth's Wolverine who was a briefly seen member of the reality-hopping counterpart team of the Exiles calledWeapon X.Wolverine had vanished out of their sight for months to join the said team, and was later killed in action and returned by the Exiles to his home world. The Silver Samurai and Mariko of that alternate world still don't fully know what happened to their version of Wolverine, but honored the man's death with a proper funeral by burning Logan's ashes via cremation.[volume & issue needed]

House of M

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In theHouse of M,Kenuicho Harada was a powerful businessman and secretly the head of Clan Yashida, a powerful crime family. His daughter Mariko Harada was kidnapped byMadame Hydrawho wanted to blackmail Harada into revealing his illegal businesses.[32]

Marvel Noir

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In theMarvel Noiruniverse, Lieutenant Kenuichio Harada appeared as a Japanese policeman in the "X-Men Noir" sequel titled "Mark of Cain".[33]

Marvel Zombies

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InMarvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness#4, the Silver Samurai andSunfireare bitten and infected byQuicksilver.During theSilver Surfer's globe-spanning travels, they are seen attacking innocent civilians.[34]

Ultimate Universe

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During the "Ultimate Invasion"storyline,MakerremadeEarth-6160into his own image. Silver Samurai is shown to wear full samurai armor and is a member of the Harada-Yoshida Alliance, a consolidated union of three clans ruling over Hi No Kuni, a power bloc which includes Japan's territories. Alongside the Alliance's"Sun Emperor"andViper,he attends an international event in The City atLatveria,as part of theMaker's Council.[35]

While attending a gathering following the death ofObadiah Stane,it is mentioned in a discussion betweenHoward StarkandEmmanuel da Costathat Silver Samurai prevented Howard from interacting with Sun Emperor by showing his blade. Emmanuel explains to Howard that the Emperor does not speak when his mask is on and has Viper as an intermediary.[36]The Alliance's members are among the leaders that meet after The City closes up with the Maker, Kang, and Howard Stark still inside as they make plans to divide up the North American Union among themselves.[37]

What If?

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In theWhat Ifstory "What If Wolverine Had Married Mariko", Kenuichio Harada united with Mariko and Wolverine in their struggle against theKingpinwho had taken control of the Yakuza and engaged in a turf war with the Shingen clan for control. At that time, the Silver Samurai was secretly working for the Kingpin, and upon their final encounter, he assassinated Mariko, whereupon Wolverine killed him in retaliation.[38]

In other media

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Television

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  • Kenuichio Harada / Silver Samurai appears in theX-Men: The Animated Seriesepisode "The Lotus and the Steel",[39]voiced byDenis Akiyama.[40]This version is a gang leader who uses thugs to terrorize villages for tributes to him.Wolverineencounters him while gathering timber and is warned not to interfere, butJubileehelps the villagers stand their ground while Wolverine defeats Silver Samurai in single combat.
    • Silver Samurai makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in theX-Men '97multi-part episode "Tolerance Is Extinction".[41]
  • Kenuichio Harada / Silver Samurai appears in theWolverine and the X-Menepisode "Code of Conduct",[42]voiced byKeone Young.[40]This version isMariko Yashida's power-hungry husband and a member of theYakuzawho previously fought Wolverine over Mariko and was defeated by him. In the present, Harada seeks a rematch with Wolverine to redeem himself of the defeat and become the Yakuza's head. Following an unsanctioned attack on Wolverine and theX-Menhowever, Harada's leader calls for a duel between Wolverine and Harada without their mutant abilities per samurai code. The following night, the duel takes place, with Harada taunting Wolverine with the claim that the former only married Mariko to keep her away from him. Despite this, Wolverine defeats Harada once more. Angered, Harada attempts to cheat by using his powers, but is knocked out by the attending members of the Yakuza, who forfeits the duel on his behalf and take him away. Mariko later tells Wolverine that Harada will be driven out from the Yakuza in shame and that he will never be admitted again.
  • Kenuichio Harada / Silver Samurai appears inMarvel Disk Wars: The Avengers,voiced byTakanori Nishikawa.[43][40]This version is an old enemy of Iron Man.
  • Kenuichio Harada / Silver Samurai appears inHit-Monkey,[44]voiced by Noshir Dalal.[45]This version is conceited and known as Japan's biggest hero.

Film

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Kenuichio Harada appears inThe Wolverine,portrayed byWill Yun Lee.[46]This version is a human archer, the leader of the Black Ninja Clan, which is sworn to protect the Yashida Clan, a former lover of Mariko Yashida's, and is not stated to be connected toShingen Yashida.When the Yakuza attackIchiro Yashida's apparent funeral to kidnap Mariko, Harada protects her, though he later leads the Black Ninja Clan in kidnapping Mariko for the mutantViperand Ichiro. While fightingLogan,Harada realizes the error of his ways and attempts to stop Ichiro, only to be killed by him.

Video games

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Merchandise

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In 2020,Iron Studiosreleased a Kenuichio Harada / Silver Samuraiaction figure.[51]

References

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  1. ^Rovin, Jeff (1987).The Encyclopedia of Supervillains.New York: Facts on File. pp. 316–317.ISBN0-8160-1356-X.
  2. ^Avina, Anthony (January 26, 2020)."Marvel Comics: Ranking Every Member Of Big Hero 6 From Weakest To Most Powerful".Comic Book Resources.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  3. ^Nolan, Liam (August 30, 2023)."MARVEL SNAP Explained: Who Is Silver Samurai?".Marvel.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  4. ^Cowsill, Alan; Manning, Matthew K. (2012).Spider-Man Chronicle: Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging.DK Publishing. p. 104.ISBN978-0756692360.
  5. ^Zachary, Brandon (August 26, 2021)."X-Men: Silver Samurai Forges a Surprising Bond With a Young X-Man".Comic Book Resources.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  6. ^Daredevil#111. Marvel Comics.
  7. ^Marvel Team-Up#57. Marvel Comics.
  8. ^Marvel Team-Up#74. Marvel Comics.
  9. ^Marvel Team-Up#83–85. Marvel Comics.
  10. ^Spider-Woman#42–43. Marvel Comics.
  11. ^Big Hero 6#2. Marvel Comics.
  12. ^The New Mutants#5–6. Marvel Comics.
  13. ^X-Men#172–174. Marvel Comics.
  14. ^Wolverinevol. 2 #2–3. Marvel Comics.
  15. ^Cable#2
  16. ^Wolverinevol. 2 #140–143
  17. ^Sunfire and Big Hero 6#1–3. Marvel Comics.
  18. ^Wolverinevol. 3 #36. Marvel Comics.
  19. ^The New Avengers#11–13. Marvel Comics.
  20. ^Wolverinevol. 3 #37. Marvel Comics.
  21. ^Secret Warriors#6. Marvel Comics.
  22. ^Secret Warriors#11. Marvel Comics.
  23. ^Wolverinevol. 4 #1. Marvel Comics.
  24. ^Wolverinevol. 4 #3. Marvel Comics.
  25. ^Wolverinevol. 4 #300. Marvel Comics.
  26. ^Cablevol. 4 #1. Marvel Comics.
  27. ^Vaux, Robert (November 21, 2021)."Every Marvel Comics Cameo in Hit-Monkey".Comic Book Resources.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  28. ^Brueheim, Jackson (July 8, 2022)."The 15 Strongest Swordfighters In Marvel Comics, Ranked".Comic Book Resources.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  29. ^Webber, Tim (February 26, 2017)."Logan's Zeroes: Wolverine's 15 Weirdest Foes".Comic Book Resources.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  30. ^Dietsch, TJ (April 3, 2023)."Silver Samurai Takes Gold in MARVEL Puzzle Quest Poll".Marvel.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  31. ^X-Men: Age of Apocalypse#1–6. Marvel Comics.
  32. ^The Pulse: House of M.Marvel Comics.
  33. ^X-Men Noir: Mark of Cain#1–4. Marvel Comics.
  34. ^Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness#4. Marvel Comics.
  35. ^Ultimate Invasion#2. Marvel Comics.
  36. ^Ultimate Invasion#3. Marvel Comics.
  37. ^Ultimate Invasion#4. Marvel Comics.
  38. ^What If?vol. 2 #43 (1992). Marvel Comics.
  39. ^Sims, Chris (July 14, 2014)."The X-Men Episode Guide 4x12: 'Lotus And The Steel'".ComicsAlliance.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  40. ^abcdefg"Voice Of Silver Samurai – Behind The Voice Actors".Behind The Voice Actors.RetrievedMarch 5,2024.
  41. ^Jennings, Collier (May 2, 2024)."Each of Those Cameo Appearances in 'X-Men '97's Latest Episode, Explained".Collider.RetrievedMay 3,2024.
  42. ^Phillips, Dan (August 25, 2009)."Wolverine and the X-Men:" Code of Conduct "Review".IGN.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  43. ^Loo, Egan (2014-05-22)."T.M.Revolution Plays Silver Samurai in Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers – News".Anime News Network.Retrieved2016-02-17.
  44. ^Robbins, Jason (December 1, 2021)."Which Marvel Characters Appear in 'Hit-Monkey'?".Collider.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  45. ^Chaudhry, Anubhav (October 16, 2023)."Marvel's Hit-Monkey Streaming: Watch & Stream Online via Hulu".ComingSoon.net.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  46. ^Goldberg, Matt (July 10, 2013)."THE WOLVERINE Featurette for Harada/Silver Samurai. THE WOLVERINE Stars Will Yun Lee".Collider.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  47. ^Kurland, Daniel (October 3, 2023)."The Most Replayable X-Men Video Games, Ranked".Comic Book Resources.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  48. ^Damore, Meagan (July 13, 2023)."Piecing Together MARVEL Puzzle Quest: Silver Samurai (Kenuichio Harada)".Marvel.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  49. ^Miller, Greg (2013-07-20)."LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Characters and Cast Revealed".IGN.Retrieved2016-02-17.
  50. ^Baqery, Mohsen (December 2, 2023)."Marvel Snap: The Best Silver Samurai Deck".Game Rant.Retrieved2024-03-05.
  51. ^Roberts, Tyler (October 23, 2020)."Marvel Comics Silver Samurai Joins the X-Men at Iron Studios".Bleeding Cool.Retrieved2024-03-05.
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