Yamato Takeru was a legendary Japanese prince and the first example of the Japanese "loser-hero" archetype, defined loosely as a man of great strength and bravery who dies tragically after achieving a noble goal. This archetype is a mainstay in Japanese lore, and was especially popular during Yoshitoshi's time. Exhibiting wily determination, Yamato Takeru disguises himself here in women's clothing to infiltrate an enemy encampment. Smitten by Yamato's feminine beauty, two enemy chieftains invite him to sit with them at a dinner. Yamato obliges, subsequently revealing his identity and assassinating them both, slashing them to pieces "like a ripe melon." After subduing the rebels, Yamato begins his long journey home, during which a malevolent deity causes Yamato to fall ill, resulting in his lonely, inglorious death in the inhospitable wilderness. This tragic end has made Yamamoto a poignant character and a quintessential "loser-hero".
