Evaluate the historical accuracy of the Samurai way of life represented in the film, 'The Last Samurai'

"What does it mean to be Samurai?" A class of self-sacrificing knights of ancient Japan, who are bound by a code too sacred to be written down; the ultimate warriors who will take a life, even their own, upon command; and at the same time they are aesthetes, appreciating the beauty of the cherry blossom, comparing its short term to his own life. A Samurai's family was responsible for maintaining the strict moral values placed …

…not a strong source of historical information, it accurately represents the main themes that are focused on. The Samurai's family and home life; Zen and Shinto beliefs and how they are performed; their utter devotion to Bushido; their utmost respect for the Katana; and finally their ultimate downfall brought upon by their own Emperor; all are powerfully and precisely portrayed and the end result a film epic doing justice for the forgotten warriors, the Samurai.