Afro Samurai Inspired Dog Names

In Japanese culture, self-control, loyalty and integrity are routinely revered and for good reason. And although much of Afro Samurai’s overt themes center around hierarchy, the pursuit of power and revenge, the main character himself is often faced with questions of loyalty, whether that be to his father, his childhood friends or himself. Eventually, he is forced make the choice about Hachiro, a young man who attacked him in his youth — who also happens to share a name similar to a dog that stands for the ultimate loyalty in Japan: Hachiko. 

Hachiko’s story is one of legend and that’s no overstatement. He is one of the most widely respected and celebrated dogs in Japan, let alone the world and there’s little question why. 

In 1924, an agriculture professor from the Tokyo Imperial University named Hidesaburō Ueno was at a farm in the Akita Prefecture and decided to bring a golden brown Akita puppy back to live with him in Shibuya, Tokyo. Because of Ueno’s highly-regular schedule, he would leave and return home from work at nearly the same time every day. His dog, which he had named Hachiko, quickly joined him after learning his master’s routine, escorting him from home to the train station, then returning later in the day to wait for his human companion to return. 

This went on for over a year until May of 1925, when Ueno unfortunately suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage during a lecture and passed away, leaving his faithful dog waiting for him near the platform. Over the next few months, Hachiko would return to the platform daily to wait for his master. One of Ueno’s students who had an expertise in the Akita breed discovered the dog one day and decided to follow him home, which was then with Ueno’s former gardener. After hearing the dog’s story, he began to publish several works about the breed and eventually Hachiko himself. In 1932, it caught national attention, which led to travelers from all over going out of their way to stop and see the dog as he sat and waited for Ueno to return, leaving him blankets for warmth and food to eat during his wait. 

The process went on for a total of nine years, nine months and fifteen days before he passed away at 11 years old from terminal cancer. In the following years, several statues were erected in his name to cement him as a symbol of endless loyalty.