Darth Samurai

[john m roberts]

I don't have the pic where I can get at it, but there is a well-known suit of Samurai armor that has a kabuto nearly identical to Darth's. It belonged to a Christian Daimyo who ended up in exile in the Philippines and its kabuto's forepeak comes down to a point over the bridge of the nose just like the Vader helmet, the only such Japanese example I know of. I am pretty sure that it inspired the original Vader helmet, though its menpo is the kind that covers only the cheeks, chin and throat.