You might have to be more specific. Like why did the chief retainer appear to worship it? Or why it looked the way it did?
I don't know why the first one. But the second one is that in the days of sword versus sword combat, it is very difficult to distinguish an enemy from a friend when its whole armies that are fighting. They made their outfits look outlandish and distinct in order to avoid accidentally killing an ally.
It was symbolic for the actual hollowness of the "honor" supposedly exhibited by samurai and ensured by the Bushido code
shareIt was symbolic for the actual hollowness of the "honor" supposedly exhibited by samurai and ensured by the Bushido code
I'm unsure if the hollowness of the armor is the point at all. It certainly could be, but I don't think that exact metaphor was ever made explicit.
I would say that the armor represents Iyi house's supposed dedication to their ancestors, who lived and fought in a time where armor like that was worn by samurai.
As far dbeane's other points, I totally disagree. According to the film, it is the code in general that is a facade, not simply Iyi house's use of it. This is the purpose of showing us Motome's story: he is a perfect example of someone who explicitly violates the code, first by selling his sword, and then by begging for money at Iyi house. However, Hanshiro praises him for doing these things, because he did them out of love for his family. It was to his credit that he was willing to violate the code.
There is another level to the film, a kind of social commentary that goes beyond simply criticizing Iyi house or the samurai code. Hanshiro is a veteran who has spent his entire life fighting, but it is only upon his daughter's marriage to Motome and the birth of his grandson that he truly experiences happiness. The film is making an argument against militarism or a way of life centered around war/the military.