Paul Varley's Loser-Hero

The Analysis of “Loser-hero”, “Tragic loser-hero” and “Failed loyalist hero” Archetypes in Japanese Literature

In the book “Warriors of Japan as Portrayed in the War Tales”, as the title suggests, author Paul Varley studies numerous war tales from hundreds of years of Japanese history, throughout the rise of the samurai warrior culture and the societal change that went along with it. From ancient war tales like the Shōmonki to tales firmly in the medieval times like the Taiheiki, the changes in battlefield customs and warrior society are presented and studied as they change and evolve. Despite all the social changes occurring in these time periods, a certain element stays the same throughout all these tales, the warriors themselves.
Some defining traits of a tragic loser-hero are that he is always aided by an ever-faithful follower who is always at his side, and that his indecision and inactivity in his last moments leads to his defeat. Minamoto no Yoshitsune from the Heike Monogatari tales is a perfect example of the classic tragic loser-hero. Though a “vigorous commander”, Yoshitsune eventually fails because of his “political ineptitude” and “his rash handling of Kajiwara no Kagetoki” (Varley, 155). One thing that makes tragic loser heroes so interesting is that they are often rather relatable; they have flaws that in their character, they make bad decisions and lose their temper. This evokes a sense of sympathy in the reader, and this underdog characteristic lends well to fictionalized tales and song celebrating the warrior spirit. There are many tragic loser-heroes throughout the war tales studied in “Warrior of Japan”, because it is an important archetype that has its place in Japanese