The strange and horrible block known as Kamigawa was a bad time in MTG. The cards in that set were so dependent on each other that many are useless outside of the block. However, some are. This list talks about the samurai cards. These were really good creatures! As a note, the samurai on this list are ones that do not boost other saumrai and function on their own. These are stand alone samurai, just as it should be.

(All pictures come from www.magiccards.info)

#10 Inner-Chamber Guard

This card is cool because it doesn’t have defender. If you throw something to boost this card’s power, it can be a formidable force for only two mana. If it blocks/is blocked it becomes a 2/4. Quite a bargain.

#9 Devoted Retainer

This card is good at the beginning of the game. Your opponent most likely won’t attack you because this card will be able to kill it. Also, this card easily hits your opponent for one damage again and again because they let it through. People figure its easier to take one damage than lose a creature with one or two toughness.

#8 Bushi Tenderfoot/Kenzo The Hardhearted

This card is hard to flip, but if you can do it, oh man! In case you can’t read the upside down text, Kenzo The Hardhearted is a 3/4 that has double strike and bushido two. A creature like that can do serious damage to just about anything. If he is unblocked he will deal six damage, and if he is blocked he will do ten damage to a creature!

#7 Brothers Yamazaki

An interesting card, Brothers Yamazaki took me back to the days of Homelands. It’s nice to see two illustrations for this card. It makes sense and it’s cool. With two of these cards in play they get a lot better!

#6 Konda, Lord Of Eiganjo

This card can go in any white deck that needs a big creature. Indestructible cards are awesome to begin with, but this one has vigilance and bushido five! Abilities like that make this card a powerhouse in offense and defense.

#5 Hand Of Honor & Hand Of Cruelty

These two cards are Saviors Of Kamigawa’s versions of Black Knight and White Knight. Although these don’t have first strike, they have bushido one, which isn’t bad either! These cards are an interesting twist on a classic. Comparing the flavor text is fun too.

#4 Ronin Cliffrider

This card is amazing for an uncommon. It works almost like Pestilence, but only on your opponent’s creatures and only once. This card is great for clearing away those little chump blockers. A niffty card indeed.

#3 Sensei Golden-Tail

This card slowly boosts up the power of your creatures by giving them more bushido points. Eventually, they will be quite formidable. This card really does train your creatures.

#2 Toshiro Umezawa

This is a crazy good samurai. All your instants basically gain flashback. Terror, Dark Ritual, etc. All these cards can now be played more than once. Any black deck that has instants can use a card like this.

#1 Fumiko The Lowblood

This card is amazing both offensively and defensively. It forces your opponent’s creatures to attack and then boosts this card based on that. Then, after you fend off your opponent’s assault, you can launch your own in response. This is a great way to open up your opponent for some damage. I reccomend this card in any red deck that focuses on offensive strikes.