Loyalty

Three types of **loyalty** come into play in the course of the film: personal - that is, loyalty to other individuals; political - that is, loyalty to rulers or institutions; and loyalty to one's ideals or philosophy.

##### Personal Loyalty

Tobimaru, one of the principal characters, is the best example of personal loyalty in the film - fittingly, as dogs have long been seen a symbol of perfect loyalty. Tobimaru is utterly devoted to Kotaro. Tobimaru is protector, comforter, companion, friend, guide. It is he, not Kotaro, who recruits Nanashi into their band: he shares his food with Nanashi when Kotaro won't, and he takes a knife for Nanashi even after only having just met him. Tobimaru apparently senses an ally in Nanashi and is willing to go to great lengths to ensure that Nanashi is there to protect and rescue Kotaro, including leading Nanashi to the ritual site after Kotaro is kidnapped.

Jurota, whose surname is the sign of the dog in the Chinese zodiac, is perhaps unsurprisingly another example of personal loyalty. He looks up to Itadori as a mentor as well as his commanding officer, and follows his orders without question or hesitation. His personal loyalty to Itadori far outweighs his loyalty to Lord Akaike, even though, as a low-ranked samurai, his loyalty should be to Akaike above everything, including above his own life.

##### Political Loyalty

The Ming warriors have come to Japan in search of Kotaro, at great trouble and expense, because the Ming Emperor wishes to become immortal and is willing to send his people on a wild goose chase based on a (no-doubt spurious) prophecy on the off chance that the Xian medicine will work. The Ming are sick of being overseas and want to go home. They are dutifully chasing down Kotaro not out of loyalty to the Emperor, but out of the desire to finish their mission so they can leave and go back to China. The exception is Bai Luan, who believes that if he faithfully carries out the ritual and brings the Xian medicine to the Emperor, the Emperor will allow him to partake of it, as well.

Bai Luan expects the same extreme loyalty to political authority of Lord Akaike's soldiers - perhaps because of his own attitudes, perhaps because of the samurai tradition that lionizes political loyalty through legends like that of the 47 Ronin. He kidnaps Akaike, intending to use him as a hostage to keep his men from attacking while the ritual proceeds. Instead, he is shocked to discover that the men are loyal to Itadori instead, and bear no loyalty whatsoever to Akaike. Jurota shoots Akaike in the head, immediately removing him from the situation - and from power. The Ming observe that the Japanese aren't as loyal to their lords as Bai Luan is to the Emperor, perhaps appreciating themselves what it is like to serve an authority that is only concerned for his own gain, no matter the costs. However, it is only Luo Lang who finally rebels against the Ming Emperor's commands: he stops Bai Luan from shooting Nanashi, even though this will prevent the ritual, because he cares more about achieving his personal dream of fighting a worthy opponent than he does the commands of a distant, disinterested ruler.

##### Loyalty to Ideals

When Master Zekkai announces that he intends to turn Kotaro over to Lord Akaike and the Ming, Shoan is appalled because such a cowardly act is against the teachings of the Buddha. However, Zekkai is insistent, preferring to act out of self-preservation instead of in accordance with the precepts of his religion.

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