In the 2010 film *13 Assassins* (directed by Takashi Miike), the main character is **Shinzaemon Shimada**, portrayed by the renowned Japanese actor **Kōji Yakusho**.
Shinzaemon is a weary, aging samurai serving as a high-ranking official under the Shogunate. He is a man of rigid integrity who has grown disillusioned with the lack of honor in a peaceful era. When he is tasked with the secret mission to assassinate the sadistic Lord Naritsugu, he sees it as a final chance for a "noble death."
Below are his most memorable lines, which define his philosophy and the tone of the film:
### 1. "I shall accomplish your wish... with magnificence."
* **Context:** This is arguably the most famous line of the film. Shinzaemon says this to Sir Doi (the Shogun's advisor) after being shown the horrific evidence of Lord Naritsugu’s cruelty—specifically a woman who had her limbs and tongue severed by the lord.
* **Significance:** It marks the moment Shinzaemon accepts the suicide mission. His use of the word "magnificence" reflects the samurai's desire to die for a meaningful cause after decades of bureaucratic peace.
### 2. "No mercy! There’s no samurai code or fair play in battle! No sword? Use a stick. No stick? Use a rock. No rock? Use your fists and feet! Lose your life, but make the enemy pay!"
* **Context:** Spoken as a rallying cry to the other assassins as they prepare for the climactic battle in the village of Ochiai.
* **Significance:** This line highlights the film's gritty realism. Shinzaemon acknowledges that while they are samurai, the mission is a desperate slaughter where survival and the code of Bushido are secondary to the absolute necessity of killing Naritsugu.
### 3. "He who values his life dies a dog's death."
* **Context:** This is a recurring philosophical sentiment Shinzaemon expresses throughout the film, particularly when discussing the nature of their suicide mission.
* **Significance:** It encapsulates the "Seppuku" mindset—that a life lived without purpose or cowardice is worthless, and only by being willing to throw one’s life away can a warrior achieve a "true" death.
### 4. "How fate smiles on me. As a samurai in this era of peace, I have been wishing for a noble death. Now fate has called me here."
* **Context:** Spoken early in the film when he first realizes the magnitude and danger of the task he has been given.
* **Significance:** It reveals Shinzaemon's internal struggle. To a modern audience, the mission is a horror, but to him, it is a gift—a chance to fulfill the traditional role of a samurai before the era ends.
### 5. "There are no big or small tasks. All are equally important."
* **Context:** Shinzaemon says this to the master swordsman Hirayama when recruiting him.
* **Significance:** This line establishes the egalitarian nature of the group. Despite the varying social statuses of the 13 assassins (ranging from high-ranking samurai to a common hunter), they are united by a singular, absolute purpose.
### 6. "I gambled my life in this senseless war of power and politics."
* **Context:** Spoken during the final confrontation with his old friend and rival, Hanbei Kitō (Naritsugu's head retainer).
* **Significance:** In his final moments, Shinzaemon reflects on the futility of the political systems they serve. It provides a somber counterpoint to his earlier "magnificence," acknowledging that while the cause was just, the system that required such a sacrifice is fundamentally broken.