Saburo Sakai became a living legend in Japan during World War II. Pilots everywhere spoke in awe of his incredible exploits in the air.
Sakai enjoyed a singular and most cherished reputation among fighter pilots. Of all Japan’s aces, Saburo Sakai is the only pilot who never lost a wingman in combat. This is an astounding performance for a man who engaged in more than two hundred aerial melees, and it explains the fierce competition, sometimes approaching physical violence, among the other pilots who aspired to fly his wing positions.
The reader will doubtless be surprised to learn that Saburo Sakai never received recognition by his government in the form of medals or decorations. The awarding of medals or other citations was unknown to the Japanese. Recognition was given only posthumously. Where the aces of other nations, including our own, were bedecked with rows of colorful medals and ribbons, awarded with great ceremony, Saburo Sakai and his fellow pilots flew repeatedly in combat without ever knowing the satisfaction of such recognition…

Wrote a review on this book about 10 years ago. Recently changed the shown book cover in LT and the review disappeared! Found my old review on Amazon. Copied below.

A couple of months ago a friend handed me a magazine with an article about modern fighter pilots. In it was a reference to a book called, SAMURAI! by Saburo Sakai about the experiences of one of the very few surviving Japanese fighter aces of WW2. Curiosity got to me and (by luck) I found an original edition in a local bookstore (Powell's City of Books). A fascinating read. Don't usually read war aviation books, but this one was very good. From the perspective of the Japanese, I thought it was akin to I-Boat Captain by Zenji Orita (the submarine counterpart to SAMURAI!). If you are follower of the Pacific War, both books are worthy reads. They provide a different perspective from the usual. I recently shared SAMURAI! with one of my friends and he also enjoyed it. It was not hard reading so for its ease of reading and unique subject matter along with excellent content, I gave it 5 stars. ( )

I couldn't put this book down. What a revelation to read the Japanese side of the aerial war in the Pacific. The story is written in the first person by the Japanese Ace, Saburo Sakai. He relates in detail dog fights against American pilots. I read these 'at the edge of your seat' stories with mixed feelings as the Japanese Ace tells how he often out maneuvered my fellow country men and shot them down. He tells of the courage, daring and fearlessness the Americans showed even though they were out numbered and out flown. However, he relates sadly, by 1944, the war had gone full circle and it was the Japanese turn to be out numbered and out gunned. While his culture is different from our's, Saburo Sakai's feelings, goals, thoughts were the same as ours. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in aerial combat, WW2, human nature and the war as the Japanese experienced it.

Another reader's review: Reads like a novel more than an autobiography. Author appears to be honest in his self evaluations, but seems to progressively suffer from self delusions, and idolizing the few in their minute and superior clique. Most of their Glory Days (early in the war) kills were on our pieces-of-crap P-39's, P-40's, Buffaloes, and Wildcats. When the Hellcats entered the war, things turned around - fast. A few left-handed compliments were given to the American pilots, but mostly credited the Hellcat aircraft itself and by sheer superiority of numbers. One wonders if American pilots were really that mediocre to downright incompetent. Methinks this just doesn't Jive w/ other historical evidence available.

La inolvidable saga del más grande de los pilotos de caza que produjo japón: el legendario ‘ángel de la muerte’. Los pilotos de caza del mundo entero, desde los de la Luftwaffe hasta los de la Real Fuerza aérea británica, todos pronunciaban su nombre con admiración. Saburo Sakai, el as del aire japonés, cuya inimitable pericia y salvaje valentía, hicieron de él el indisputado maestro del combate aéreo, SAMURAI es el impresionante relato de un héroe que sobrevivió a más de doscientos combates en el aire, que derribó cantidades de aviones del adversario y que jamás debió enfrentar la tragedia personal. Es ésta una historia verdadera, increíble, pero también llena de emoción, de gloria, de derrota, y de victoria final. Todo ello narrado por el hombre que la supo vivir.

5359. Samurai! by Saburo Sakai with Martin Caidin and Fred Saito (read 16 Mar 2016) This book was first published in 1957 and this edition was published in 1991 by the Naval Institute Press, Annapolis. It is an often gripping account telling of the Japanese author joining the Navy, and becoming a pilot. He flew in China and after Pearl Harbor he was transferred to the south Pacific. He claims to have downed 64 enemy aircraft and he tell of many of the air battles, which unless one is a fighter pilot is not too interesting. But his account of a flight when he was injured and almost blind, traveling 560 miles back to Rabaul, New Guinea, is exciting and attention-holding. Even though he lost the sight of one eye he did flying thereafter. The final months of the war were sad for him but of course I was delighted that he was no longer out-dueling American planes. Whether the account is over-hyped I do not know, but the book is exciting and easy to read and the finale is sad for the author--except he does get married--and joyful for one favoring the USA. ( )