Why is the game actually called "Kenshi"?

[AlduinTWE]

I guess what I'm asking is, what is the lore behind this name if there is any. I just got the game and was curious to know a little more about its world.

In real life the name Kenshi is of Japanese origin and means swordsman. Is the game's title a reference to the fact that the player usually starts out as a lone swordswan/wanderer?

The the world/continent itself called Kenshi?

Or is Kenshi a character that is mentioned in the game's lord/history of the world.

Is the term ever used within the game itself or is it just something the devs thought would make for a good title, because if that's the case, I know what I'm about to name my next character!

[bunny de fluff]

Most probably because it is Swordman just like you said. I would call the game Beak Thing because I think it is what shocked me the most in this game but alas.

[Grinch]

Just a cool name that fits the type of game and setting.
I don't think there's a single mention in game of any "Kenshi", person, land or otherwise. so feel free to use it as a character name.

[Hatsune Neko Gaming]

in all the years i known Chris, i do not think he has once mentioned why he named it Kenshi. other then that it fits the theme he made.

[Cattrina]

On early production this game was called 'Forgotten' this is where we get the modding tool name; Forgotten Construction Set. At some point Chris decided to change the name to 'Kenshi'. We do not know why exactly, but the theme most certainly was a factor. We know the world is not named Kenshi, it is a tidal locked moon, but its name has never been revealed. But Chris has confirmed several times the world is not named Kenshi.

[Zeel Ara]

Originally posted by bunny de fluff:

I would call the game Beak Thing

That is now my head canon name for the game.

[AlduinTWE]

Hmm, might be worth asking him sometime!? I'm always interested in little tidbits like this and I'd love to know if there was any special in-universe significance to the title.

[Shidan]

Here was a reply of his when asked about it before:

It's japanese for "Swordsman". A samurai was a swordsman who loyally served a lord, a ronin was an ex-samurai with no master, but a kenshi is literally just a dude with a sword, a nobody.

He didn't really elaborate more, but you can kind of get where he was going with the reasoning and theme of the game. You're a nobody at the start of Kenshi, just a random person with a sword, and no skills, money, influence, or claim to fame. You have to earn those things through survival.

"Forgotten" evokes a more lore and history based feeling, and was probably chosen at the time based on vague outlines for the lore and history of the world he'd written at that point. And my guess would be the shift came from a focus down a to a more character level in the theme.

Another name it once went by is "Gunners", unclear if it was before or after the "Forgotten" name. At this point it was basically planned to be Kenshi but with guns instead, though swords and martial arts were still present.

[Cattrina]

Originally posted by AlduinTWE:

Hmm, might be worth asking him sometime!? I'm always interested in little tidbits like this and I'd love to know if there was any special in-universe significance to the title.

We do not actually have a direct conversation line to him. We modders are just enthusiastic fans XD

[Velber]

Originally posted by Shidan:

Here was a reply of his when asked about it before:

It's japanese for "Swordsman". A samurai was a swordsman who loyally served a lord, a ronin was an ex-samurai with no master, but a kenshi is literally just a dude with a sword, a nobody.

He didn't really elaborate more, but you can kind of get where he was going with the reasoning and theme of the game. You're a nobody at the start of Kenshi, just a random person with a sword, and no skills, money, influence, or claim to fame. You have to earn those things through survival.

"Forgotten" evokes a more lore and history based feeling, and was probably chosen at the time based on vague outlines for the lore and history of the world he'd written at that point. And my guess would be the shift came from a focus down a to a more character level in the theme.

Another name it once went by is "Gunners", unclear if it was before or after the "Forgotten" name. At this point it was basically planned to be Kenshi but with guns instead, though swords and martial arts were still present.

that makes sense i guess since it has a lot of Japanese themes and items in it...

[Bandy]

Can't believe nobody posted this for OP... Worth the watch and a 'like' if you like Kenshi.

Kenshi | The Making of (27 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4xExgudU_g

[Bleiser]

Originally posted by Bandy:

Can't believe nobody posted this for OP... Worth the watch and a 'like' if you like Kenshi.

Kenshi | The Making of (27 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4xExgudU_g

Wow, I've never seen that. Thanks for the link!

[AlduinTWE]

Originally posted by Bandy:

Can't believe nobody posted this for OP... Worth the watch and a 'like' if you like Kenshi.

Kenshi | The Making of (27 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4xExgudU_g

Thank you! :)

[SaltyPeanuts]

As others have noted, Kenshi is a Japanese word. There are Japanese references are all over in this game.

Kenshi - swordsman
Meitou - named sword
Shinobi - ninja
Samurai - warrior/knight
Katana / Nodachi / Naginata / Wakizashi / Jitte - weapons from Japan
Gohan - cooked rice
Rice bowls - a common staple, just not commonly seen in games. Rice farming however, is uncommon, and you can farm your own in Kenshi.
Sake - historically an alcohol from Japan (fermented from rice), and you can craft your own in-game.

To a certain extent- unarmed combat, including the Gi's and Martial Artist Bindings.

Some in-game clothing from Japanese history/lore: Samurai armor, Assassin Rags, Wooden Sandals (look like Geta, Japanese footwear). The Straw Hat.

Some factions utilize Japanese words: Floatsam Ninja, Ronin (armor shop, weapon trader, unnamed shop keepers), and Shinobi Thieves.

Politically, the United Cities follow a Noble/Samurai/Conscript/Peasant political system. What I read about historic Japan- is the samurai nobility had authority to kill a peasant over a slight insult; in Kenshi you can be killed merely for being destitute in the first place (which I guess being destitute insults them); so this appears to be loosely based on that historical political system.

And there are other references I probably missed.

[punknugget]

1000s of hours of thinking how to even describe this game, I've taken the meaning of the word kenshi as akin to how one would refer to a gunslinger.

Kenshi's a wild post-apocalyptic samuraiSwordpunk western, so it's named perfectly?

Gunslingers can be lawmen, bandits, outlaws, bounty hunters, maybe try their hand at cattle handling?....

Maybe after Kenshi 2, LoFi starts work on something called Pistolero. ♥

I dream of electric Beeps

[Makeithappen]

Originally posted by Cattrina:

Originally posted by AlduinTWE:

Hmm, might be worth asking him sometime!? I'm always interested in little tidbits like this and I'd love to know if there was any special in-universe significance to the title.

We do not actually have a direct conversation line to him. We modders are just enthusiastic fans XD

so question, whats with the brown color on your name?