Andrew Cooper/Miramax Films

Lucy Liu (left) and Uma Thurman in "Kill Bill Vol. 1."

SEDIC INTERNATIONAL

Ebizo Ichikawa in "Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai."

KYODO NEWS SERVICE VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS

Toshiro Mifune (foreground) in Akira Kurosawa’s "Seven Samurai."

NBC

John Belushi’s samurai was a recurring character on "SNL."

NBC

Richard Chamberlain and Yoko Shimada in the miniseries "Shogun."