One day, a controversy arose concerning Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which is now at the center of new debate and scrutiny. Two days ago, Ubisoft unveiled the final game name, its first CGI trailer, details about gameplay, characters, story, open world, collector’s editions, and pricing. Among several announcements, attention was drawn to Yasuke, the renowned black samurai whose inclusion has been questioned by some due to doubts about his historical existence. In the midst of this discussion, an individual came forward claiming they worked on this Assassin’s Creed project in Japan, specifically on the story development. According to their statement and a message posted on Twitter, Yasuke was not initially part of the planned narrative for this Japanese setting; it was originally conceived differently. We learn that early drafts of this Assassin’s Creed installment set in Japan date back to 2013-2014, indicating Ubisoft has been considering bringing its flagship series to this culturally significant and influential country for over a decade.Here is the translation of their tweet:
I contributed to certain narrative elements of Japan’s Sengoku era during my employment at Ubisoft from 2013 to 2014, while based in San Jose and Tokyo. It appears that the project eventually incorporated a black samurai character named Yasuke, despite initial plans suggesting otherwise. I am no longer involved with that industry. My contributions to those studios seem to have faded over time, much like the work I did on various MMO shooter games which were later abandoned. Here is a brief summary of the original story as I remember it (though it has been about a decade):—(Note: The rewritten paragraph maintains the original meaning and details without altering names or facts.)
The narrative focused on the young monk “Yamauchi Taka” as a playable character. “Taka” translates to “Hawk,” aligning with the naming convention of the time, where each playable hero was named after a bird of prey (I am unsure if this has changed given the newer games that no longer feature Desmond as the main protagonist tying them together). The primary conflict centered around “The Sword of Eden” (also known as “Excalibur,” “Honjō Masamune,” “Genghis Khan’s Sword,” etc.), and how it had provided an unfair advantage to its last bearer, Oda Nobunaga, during his conquest of Japan.
To make matters worse, Hattori Hanzo is assassinated as he contemplates retiring as a monk. His lord, Tokugawa Ieyasu, tasks Taka with finding the killer (and retrieving the sword). Despite the successor of Nobunaga acquiring the sword, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and a subsequent uproar extending to Korea, Taka steals the sword, causing the power-mad daimyo to lose his grip on power, weakening his campaign in Korea. Frustrated by the theft, Toyotomi believes he has been betrayed by the Templars and virtually exterminates all the Jesuits (Templars) in Japan. Taka infiltrates Toyotomi’s castle and confronts him in a final battle, leading to Toyotomi’s death. The ambitious daimyo meets his end as Taka escapes before his servants can intercept him. The seasoned assassin spares the young heir of Toyotomi, knowing the clan has lost its teeth and will eventually wither without Hideyoshi. He then begins his ambitious power grab, demanding that Taka and the Confrérie return the sword to him and aid in eliminating all his enemies in Japan to fully unite it under his clan’s banner. Taka and the Confrérie decline and vanish into the shadows with the sword.
An intriguing scenario, undoubtedly addressing critics skeptical of Yasuke’s inclusion despite his historical legitimacy. Opting to frame the next Assassin’s Creed through Yasuke’s perspective also presents a unique and nearly unprecedented narrative. This approach offers the French publisher an opportunity to distinguish itself from existing samurai games. As known, Yasuke was born on Mozambique Island in the 1530s or 1540s, belonging to the Makua community, recognized for hunting and fishing. He was captured by slave traders while pursuing an injured lion with his spear. The young man was then forcibly taken aboard a ship filled with enslaved Black men, chained together, prostrated, and overwhelmed. The conditions were deplorable, with a particularly noxious odor from the mixture of urine, feces, and sweat. Despite the unbearable air, Yasuke spent several months on this ship until reaching Goa in India, then under Portuguese rule.
In this location, Yasuke is purchased by a Jesuit who assigns him routine tasks such as fetching water and carrying it in large jars throughout the day. While these duties are not physically demanding, they are repetitive, and within his Makua community, such chores are typically reserved for women, which Yasuke finds humiliating. However, on September 6, 1574, his situation changes when Father Alessandro Valignano, tasked with inspecting Jesuit missions in his jurisdiction, seeks a strong man to serve and protect him. He chooses Yasuke. On September 20, 1577, the two embark on a journey lasting nearly two years, stopping at Malacca (present-day Malaysia) and Macao (China), before arriving in Japan on July 25, 1579. Upon arrival, Yasuke causes a stir among the populace, who had never seen a black man before, with soldiers traveling great distances just to see him. At the time, displaying an African slave to earn money was a common practice among Jesuit priests.
Ubisoft has indeed remodeled Yasuke’s narrative to fit their preferences, much like they did with other historical figures in previous Assassin’s Creed games. This approach led Jean-Luc Mélenchon to protest upon the release of Unity in 2014 due to Robespierre being portrayed as a villainous antagonist. In Ezio Auditore’s trilogy, Leonardo da Vinci is depicted as an inventive genius who assists Ezio. Additionally, Julius Caesar meets his end directly in Assassin’s Creed: Origins. Ubisoft adapts historical facts to craft their own stories, and this practice is acceptable.
