Blood & Honor: The Warrior in East Asian Cinema
In this 6-week course, students will explore and discuss the "warrior" (or martial arts) film genre found across East Asian cinema in Japanese (samurai), Chinese (wuxia), and Korean (muhyeop) films.
Jennifer M. Yoo
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(96)
What's included
6 live meetings
7 hrs 30 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
From Kurosawa Akira (Seven Samurai, Ran) to Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers), directors in Japanese, Chinese (Mainland and Hong Kong), and Korean cinema have been telling the story of the warrior for decades. In this 6-week class, students will be presented a comprehensive guide to one of the largest genres in East Asian cinema. This class will be primarily lecture and discussion-based. No previous knowledge or experience required, but some familiarity with East Asian martial arts films is recommended (having seen at least one film, for example). For the first 3 weeks, the focus will be mostly on understanding the "warrior" film genre as it is found in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cinemas, focusing on one country each class. The one exception to this is the week spent on Korean cinema's genre, which is comparatively younger than the ones found in Japanese and Chinese cinemas. The last 3 weeks class focus will be on current film trends in each country and changes to the "warrior" figure and how it is used in East Asian films today. Students will be taken through PowerPoint presentations and are encouraged to take notes and ask questions throughout. Lectures will also be supplemented with video clips of key films which students will be encouraged to analyze and discuss, sharing their thoughts and observations with both the teacher and other classmates. The class schedule will be as follows: Week 1 - Class Introduction & Japan: Introducing the Samurai Film Genre & the Warrior Behind the Silver Screen, Defining the Samurai Film, Developing the Samurai Film Week 2 - China/Hong Kong: Introducing the Wuxia Film Genre & the Warrior Behind the Silver Screen, Defining the Wuxia Film, Wuxia vs. Kungfu Films, Developing the Wuxia Film Week 3 - Korea: Introducing the Muhyeop Film Genre & the Warrior Behind the Silver Screen, Defining the Muhyeop Film, Muhyeop or Wuxia? Developing the Muhyeop Film, Muhyeop Films & Current Trends Today Week 4 - Japan: Samurai Films & Current Trends Today, Discussing the Use of the Warrior Figure in Japanese Cinema Week 5 - China/Hong Kong: Wuxia Films & Current Trends Today, Discussing the Use of the Warrior Figure in Chinese Cinema Week 6 - East Asia: Comparing Genres in East Asian Cinema, Trivia Game & Wrap-Up
Learning Goals
By the end of class, students will:
- Be able to recognize the corresponding "warrior" genres found in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cinemas and their respective key characteristics.
- Be able to identify key films, directors, actors and recognize their contributions and or significance to the genre in their respective country's cinema.
- Have developed a better understanding of East Asian cinema and how this essential genre has evolved and changed
- Have practiced thinking creatively and actively discussing various topics regarding East Asian cinema and its use of the "warrior" figure.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Video clips shown in class may contain some violence.
Supply List
Video clips will be shared as part of PowerPoint presentations via screen-share on Zoom and won’t require any external resource to view. Students may want to have a notebook and pen/pencil to take notes in class. For the first 3 weeks of class, students may take an optional online quiz game to test their knowledge on what they learned after each class. These will be made available on and will require access to SurveyMonkey (link to be provided in the Classroom). In order to complete the final assignment, students will need to be able to watch a "warrior" film. A list of what films can be used for the assignment, as well as where they can be viewed/rented/purchased will be made available in the Classroom.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined April, 2020
4.9
96reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Doctoral Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from University of Hawaii at Manoa
Not only am I a huge movie fan, I am also experienced in teaching Film Studies, especially East Asian Cinema. Over the years I have watched well over 200 East Asian films, and have studied Japanese and Chinese cinema in depth. I have a particular interest in Asian martial arts films, which I conducted an independent study research project on while in college.Reviews
Live Group Class
$55
for 6 classes1x per week, 6 weeks
75 min
Completed by 5 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-17
2-10 learners per class
