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Yamato (大和 (やまと), Yamato) is a drug smuggler who works in Shanghai for Mitsuhirato and the Kih-Oskh Brotherhood who appears in The Blue Lotus.

Appearance[]

Yamato is a tall, gangly Japanese man probably in his 30s. His head is shaved bald, and he wears a beige "spitfire" cap over it. He also wears a burgandy turtleneck jumper, black trousers, and brown shoes. Yamato is almost always seen grinning or scowling.

History[]

Born in Japan, Yamato moved to Shanghai on assignment as Mitsuhirato's bodyguard and lackey. Yamato even accompanies Mitsuhirato when he and a European man sabotage a railway line in the middle of the night, as part of a scheme to accuse the Chinese locals of terrorism. However, Tintin is caught watching from a distance, and Yamato helps capture him.

Further on in the story, Yamato notices Tintin walking free in Shanghai, and immediately informs his boss. Later, as per Mitsuhirato's orders, Yamato and two other grunt workers beat up an old man who they assume is Tintin in disguise. After they realize the man is not Tintin, Mitsuhirato lets him go, and then reminds Yamato to get to the trucks by midnight.

That night, Yamato and some other of Mitsuhirato's men are seen loading opium onto a truck to take to the Blue Lotus. Tintin seizes the opportunity to get closer to a story and climbs into one of these barrels. However, Yamato realizes Tintin's presence and marks the barrel with a large X.The opium shipments are brought to the Blue Lotus, and Yamato and Mitsuhirato immediately apprehend Tintin.

Yamato and the other men bring in the Wang family, who they've recently kidnapped, and they and Tintin are tied to chairs. Wang Didi is still under the influence of the Madness Poison, and he is ordered to cut off the heads of Tintin and his own parents. Mitsuhirato assures Rastapopoulos, the Kih-Oskh grand master, that Yamato will shoot Didi dead after the deed is done. Fortunately, Didi is stopped when Chang Chong-Chen and the Sons of the Dragons crew emerge from the other opium barrels. Mitsuhirato, Yamato, and Rastapopoulos are then arrested.

While Yamato's only major role is in The Blue Lotus, he does later make a cameo appearance in Land of Black Gold.[1]

Name[]

"Yamato" is a significant word in Japan. it is the name for the dominant native ethnic group of Japan, the Yamato people, and the Yamato Period, an era of Japanese history between AD 250 and AD 710. It was also the name of the largest battleship in the Japanese Navy, Yamato, which was sunk during World War II.

References[]

  1. The Adventures of Tintin: Land of Black Gold, pg. 7. Methuen Publishing, 1972.
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