Moritsugu Katsumoto

Moritsugu Katsumoto is one of the main characters of the movie The Last Samurai and is in fact the last samurai the title is referring to. He is played by Ken Watanabe.

History
Moritsugu is initially in the good graces of the Japanese Emperor but disapproves of how in his zeal to change with the times he begins to completely forget about the Samurai's code of honor known as Bushido. Disgusted with the Emperor's actions and hoping he can convince him of his error, Moritsugu rebels and gathers to him what few Samurai remain, forming from them a rebellion against the Emperor's rule. Moritsugu's hope is that his and the other Samurai's deaths will make the Emperor realize that the old ways must not be abandoned in favor of the new, all the while still believing that he is serving the Emperor in his own way.

When Moritsugu first sees the American Algren in action he becomes intrigued by him and orders his capture. Algren comes to learn much about the Samurai and the Japanese in general from Moritsugu and his fellows, and eventually switches his allegiance over to Moritsugu.

However, as Moritsugu's Samurai rebellion fails to make any real progress, and Moritsugu himself is later arrested simply for displaying a sword, he begins to lose faith in the cause and after his rescue that causes one of his Samurai to sacrifice himself he considers committing ritual suicide, deciding that the ways of the Samurai are no longer necessary after all. Algren however, having now come to believein Bushido himself, convinces Moritsugu that if he is to die it should be fighting rather than a shameful sucide. His confidence renewed, Moritsugu works with Algren to rally the Samurai against the Japanese military.

With Algren's tactics the Samurai are able to do much better than the Japanese military predicted, massacring the soldiers that attack them but ultimately suffering severe casualties in turn. Soon only Moritsugu, Algren, and a handful of others remain. Gathering them up on a hopelessly doomed ride, Moritsugu assures Algren that this will not be his death but rather he can live again. Sure enough, when the Samurai are massacred, Algren becomes the sole survivor, comforting Moritsugu in his last moments and assisting him in commiting ritual suicide so he may have an honorable death. Right before he dies from the combined toll of all of his wounds, Moritsugu sees the blossoms fall, remarking how perfect the sight is.