120 Warrior Tattoo Ideas to Bring Out the Soldier in You

From samurais to angel warriors, there are plenty of warrior tattoos out there.

As an art history buff, warrior tattoos are some of my favorite tattoos to design. This is because warriors have been depicted in artwork and texts since the beginning of time. I love bringing these designs to life in the form of a warrior tattoo!

In this post, I will show you the top warrior tattoo ideas and explain the different concepts that you can use for your own warrior tattoo. Let's begin.

The Best Warrior Tattoos

Here are the top warrior tattoo designs that you can use for inspiration for your own ink:

Samurai Tattoos

You've probably been interested in samurai warriors since you were a child. While many of the stories regarding these ancient warriors were romanticized, there is no denying that they were some of the most noble fighters in history.

THE SAMURAI CODE

The samurai were more than just about brute force - they lived by a very special code of honor known as the bushido. This was known as the way of the warrior. This code was based on Confucian teachings as well as the practices of Zen Buddhism.

Due to this, a samurai tattoo is a good choice for someone who holds themselves to a higher moral standard. Yes, you have a fighting spirit but you also embody loyalty and honor.

Samurai were known for these tendencies so much that when their services as military men were no longer needed, they became teachers and advisors instead.

DEPICTION OF SAMURAI WARRIORS

You're probably wondering what a samurai warrior tattoo design will look like. Well, this depends on the kind of aesthetic you want.

You can get a realistic warrior tattoo for your body art. This means having a man in the samurai uniform, complete with the katana or a bow and arrow.

For this kind of warrior tattoo, you can choose whether you want to reveal the person's face or whether you want to keep it covered by the traditional kabuto helmet and the mempo mask.

If you want to get a warrior tattoo with the mask, consider customizing it according to your own personal style. This is what some of the ancient warriors did as well.

In case you want to get a truly authentic warrior tattoo design, I suggest looking at historical texts to get some idea of what these soldiers looked like.

On the flip side, you could get a warrior tattoo that is based on traditional art. Here, the features of the warrior in your tattoo will be exaggerated. They will also be wearing traditional garb.

Once again, look through real paintings to determine how your warrior tattoo should be done up.

Of course, as with all warrior tattoos, you're free to go your own route and to get as creative as you like with your warrior tattoo.

You can choose to combine old designs with newer ones based on pop culture to create an entirely new warrior tattoo concept.

Here are some cool samurai tattoos to check out:

SAMURAI TATTOO VS. RONIN WARRIOR TATTOO

An interesting fact is that not all samurai worked for masters. There were some loners who worked as mercenaries. These warriors were referred to as Ronin.

If you see yourself as a warrior, but want to create your own archetype of what this looks like, a Ronin tattoo would be a good fit for you.

So, how would a Ronin warrior tattoo differ from a samurai tattoo?

Well, there aren't specific depictions of what Ronin warriors looked like so your Ronin warrior tattoo is largely dependent on your imagination.

However, such a warrior tattoo could have a mysterious look - the Ronin figure in your warrior tattoo may have his face hidden. Although he may have the weapons of a samurai, he may not wear their uniform.

Check out some of the Ronin warrior tattoos that you can borrow from:

Ninja Tattoos

While you have likely heard stories about samurai warriors, there may not be as many legends about the ninja. Why is that?

Well, unlike the samurai, ninjas didn't follow a code of conduct. Instead, they were stealth warriors who operated behind the scenes. Despite their fighting prowess and unique fighting styles, these men were essentially spies.

It was believed that they didn't have the same honor as samurai. People weren't as quick to spread stories about them.

However, warfare and the world in general can't really function without cunning and stealthy people pulling the strings.

If you're someone who feels that your intelligence and knowledge rivals your physical capabilities and if you have qualities of a chameleon, then a ninja tattoo is an excellent warrior tattoo design for you.

What you should know about getting ninja warrior tattoos is that the ninja has been heavily adopted and altered by pop culture. The true design and essence of this warrior has been lost.

So, if you want an authentic warrior tattoo design, it is best to consult a historical text for inspiration.

On the other hand, if you don't mind if your ninja warrior tattoo is based on modern designs, you can take inspiration for your warrior tattoo from wherever you like.

Here are some of the best warrior tattoos of this kind:

Chinese Warrior Tattoos

Chinese warriors may not be given as much importance as those from Japan, but China had an impressive army.

Chinese warriors weren't quite so exalted is because most people looked down on war, especially the learned and visionary leaders of the country. It was a common part of ancient life but it was downplayed as much as possible.

Despite this, there are many Chinese warriors who continue to be exalted today. Sun Tzu, in particular, was a general known for his well thought out and organized combat.

This warrior tattoo can also be a good idea for anyone who has a vested interest in martial arts. Many Chinese warriors were trained in these arts and getting a Chinese warrior tattoo could be a way of honoring this ancient tradition.

Here are some of the Chinese warrior tattoos to be inspired by:

Roman Warrior Tattoos

It's not surprising that you might want to get a tattoo of Roman warriors. After all, they were some of the greatest warriors in the ancient world.

Roman warriors were were well-trained. Unlike many other armies of the time, the Romans were taught how to work together as a unit. This allowed them to gain an advantage over their enemy.

So, if you want to get a Roman warrior tattoo, it shouldn't just be about your fearless character. You could also be admitting that you need other people to really succeed in life. So, there can be a hidden meaning to your Roman warrior tattoo.

If you want to get Roman tattoos, you will need to determine how authentic you would like your warrior tattoo design to be. If you want something very close to what a real Roman soldier would have looked like, look at the artwork from this period.

Otherwise, you can just use movies and popular culture references to come up with your own warrior tattoo designs - the choice is yours.

Check out some of the warrior tattoos you can use as a base for your own ink:

Gladiator Warrior Tattoos

If you're looking for unique warrior tattoo ideas, I would suggest going with a gladiator warrior tattoo.

Sure, gladiators weren't soldiers but is there any argument that they weren't warriors? Of course not. Not only did these people face fearsome foes and even wild animals, theirs was a battle to the death. Can you think of anything more inspiring than this?

In some cases, you may feel that you have more in common with the gladiator than with traditional soldiers. After all, gladiators were slaves who were forced to fight for their lives.

It is likely that you haven't asked for the battles you are currently dealing with in your life. Nevertheless, you have to face them head on. Like the gladiators, you may feel that you're not as well-armed as you should be.

Like the gladiators, you may have no choice but to take on the battles ahead of you, especially if you're in a sink or swim situation.

Check out these really cool warrior tattoos:

Greek Warrior Tattoos

Greek warriors are not as famous as the Romans, but there were still some notable soldiers. Unlike the Romans, the Greeks were known for breaking into smaller groups to fight their enemies.

If you want to get a traditional Greek warrior tattoo, know that modern artists often get Roman and Greek warriors mixed up. They have a tendency to make them look similar.

In case you want a more authentic aesthetic to your warrior tattoo, look at the art from that period. This will give you a better idea of what details to include in your own warrior tattoo.

SPARTAN WARRIOR TATTOOS

This is a different subset of Greek warriors. Like most people. you would have heard the story about the three hundred Spartans - they took on hundreds of thousands soldiers in the Persian army.

However, this isn't the only reason why the Spartans are well-known. They were some of the most powerful warriors because they belonged to a warrior-based culture. They were trained since children, often using some of the most brutal methods known to man.

If you want to get this popular warrior tattoo, here are the warrior tattoos to check out:

Viking Warrior Tattoos

A lot of people owe their cultural heritage to the warring and traveling Vikings. Since they traveled across the world, these warriors built up quite a rich history. So, this may be the perfect warrior tattoo for you!

Now, contrary to popular belief, not all Northmen were referred to as Vikings. Only the warriors were known by that name.

One of the interesting things you should know before you get this warrior tattoo is that the Viking were fearless and had a strong spirit. They believed that it was the greatest honor to die on the battlefield with a sword in their hand. It was the only way to guarantee that they would go to Valhalla.

Here are the warrior tattoos you can get based on this concept:

Indigenous Warrior Tattoos

If you're looking for warrior tattoos that are a little closer to home, you may want to consider a tribal warrior tattoo based on the indigenous tribes of the land.

However, the term Native American warrior is a bit broad. Prior to colonization of the Americas, the indigenous peoples were separated into distinct tribes. Each of these tribes had their own warriors.

Below are examples of Cherokee, Lakota, and Navajo warrior tattoos. If you want a warrior tattoo that's true to these tribes, it is best to do your research.

This is especially true since many such warrior tattoo designs have been highly anglicized. If you want to pay homage to the original warriors, it's best to stick to the original designs.

Angel Warrior Tattoos

If you're looking for unusual warrior tattoo ideas, you may want to consider a warrior tattoo based on an angel tattoo.

This kind of warrior tattoo is a great idea for anyone facing spiritual instead of physical battles. An angel warrior tattoo can be a good reminder that God will defend you against anything that stands in your way.

If you are looking for warrior tattoos based on angel tattoos, here are the warrior tattoo concepts to check out:

Now you are all set with your warrior tattoo ideas! There are so many warrior tattoo designs for you to choose from - everything ranging to ancient warriors to celestial ones.

Now that you know what warrior tattoo designs are available, all you have to do is pick one that suits your tastes. Good luck!