Quite right. The failed hero is a very deep part of Japanese culture spanning centuries. To continue to the bitter end even in the face of insurmountable odds,

Quite right. The failed hero is a very deep part of Japanese culture spanning centuries. To continue to the bitter end even in the face of insurmountable odds, even beyond the point where it's become obvious you'll lose and nothing will be gained from it, is considered a very honorable act. An American published a study of this aspect of Japanese literature in the 70s. "The nobility of failure" I think it was called.