Perspective

Musui's Story is told in the first-person. This is the autobiographical account of samurai Katsu Kokichi (later Musui), told directly from Musui himself as he tells stories from his life. There is a strong (however unintentional) sense of the unreliable narrator in the book. Perhaps wishing to paint himself in the best light for posterity, Musui is always quick to justify the worst sins he commits. A fencer he bullies may be portrayed as a bully in his own right. Or Musui's refusal to help his landlord out of a financial issue may be motivated by the landlord's cruel behavior towards Musui before the trouble started. Stealing from his brother is framed as simple payback for the wrongs committed to him. Also, Musui's grandmother's scoldings are framed as a product of innate meanness rather than anything Musui did to deserve such scoldings.

There are also several incongruous moments...