Anyone is free to think of what he prefers.
I do not have a deep knowledge of the Chinese culture but I tried to get as much of it as possible in the last few days, in order to understand how complicated and multifaced the figure of Ronin was, as well as the events leading to being a Ronin.
I take as granted what I read (as I do not know anything else about this matter). As far as what I read is concerned, it is almost impossible that a Ronin finished by fighting for himself or for anyone for cash, using arms and armors, not always belonging to them.
For sure this is a different representation of Ronin, if compared to the trivial one, but anyway far away from being false.
In the last picture You can clearly golden lances worn by Ronins. You say that it is an art interpretation made by the author and so not a real-to-life one.
I think we are comparing a Samurai in his armor and without it. Actually we are always talking about a Samurai.
A little bit like the Attila figure in the trivial culture, represented as extremely cruel together with cut heads almost everywhere, the one You can read in historical biographies, where he is described as a very calm and reflexive leader.
In that case, what would the right representation be?
I do not want to create troubles for a nonsense,nor defend a product that is not mine, that I do not sell and that was not created by me.
I think that saying "this is not a Ronin, this is a Samurai" is false.
I would say it is a less usual representation of a Ronin.
I hope I have not misunderstood the other posts because of mylack of knowledge of the English language (I asked a friend to translate this one for me), this is only my opinion, expressed not in order to offend anyone, regarding some opinions that leave space to doubts, given by the interpration of events of the past and represented by painters or told by historians that could have given personal interpretations of facts and people.
I hope to see You many of You in Folkestone and talk together about our common passion and about the problems we like to create