Exactly what a person from the land of Tron would say...🤔

Ken showed that. I just didn’t see it back then.

But I see it now.

Over the years, I’ve redefined what being a man means to me. It’s not about the sword or the stoicism. It’s about trust. About taking care of your people. About being confident enough to laugh, to dance, to sparkle if you damn well want to.

Ken Matsudaira is an actor. That samurai? A role. The samba? Also a role—but one that takes courage. It’s flamboyant, joyous, and ridiculously popular in Japan. He’s not just doing it once, either—he’s been performing that number for over 20 years. It became a national treasure.

I remember thinking, “This is gay. This sucks.” That wasn’t the man I idolized. I felt disappointed.
Now here’s where life catches up to you.

Yesterday, my father-in-law was watching that same samba performance. And I had a moment. A real, reflective pause.

Then he’d laugh with his companions and walk off into the sunset like justice incarnate.
Fast forward a bit—I'm watching a show and there he is, same guy, in a gold kimono, singing and dancing about something called Matsuken Samba.

About 20 years ago, I first got into Japanese TV. There was this old samurai show starring a guy named Ken Matsudaira. He played this high-ranking samurai—cool as hell. Stoic, sharp, surrounded by villains with 30 henchmen each. He’d barely move his sword and three guys would drop.