Some depictions of what appear to be samurai women are actually illustrations of beautiful men, such as this Kiyonaga Torii drawing from 1785-1789.
The "lady" shown here wears a long veil and civilian clothing over lacquered armor. According to Dr. Roberta Strippoli of Binghamton University, this actually is not a female, but the famously pretty male samurai Minamoto Yoshitsune.
The man next to him, kneeling to adjust his shoe, is the legendary warrior/monk Saito Musashibo Benkei (c. 1155-1189). He is famed for his half-human, half-demon parentage and his incredibly ugly features, as well as his prowess as a warrior. Yoshitsune defeated Benkei in hand-to-hand combat, after which they became fast friends and allies. The two died together at the Siege of Koromogawa in 1189.
