People of the Sengoku period in popular culture
Encyclopedia
Many significant Japanese historical people of the Sengoku period
appear in works of popular culture such as anime
, manga
, and video games. This article presents information on references to several historical people in such works.
Akechi Mitsuhide
Akechi Mitsuhide is featured in various fictional works, mostly as a hero.
Azai Nagamasa
Chōsokabe Motochika
Date Masamune
Honda Tadakatsu
Hosokawa Gracia
Gracia frequently appears as a character in Japanese historical fiction, both novels and drama. One website lists her as a character in over 40 stage dramas, movies, TV dramas, etc., from 1887 to 2006. She is also frequently referred to in popular writing or talks on the history of the period.
Imagawa Yoshimoto
Ishida Mitsunari
Izumo no Okuni
Unlike her role in history, Okuni's appearances in fiction often portray her as a , a capable fighter skilled with weapons and magic.
Katakura Kojūrō
Kuroda Kanbei
Maeda Matsu
Maeda Toshiie
Maeda Toshimasu
Toshimasu (often depicted under the name of Keiji or Keijirō) is often portrayed as somewhat of a prankster and is often dubbed crazy, or kabukimono
, by others for his wild ways. Sampling this where is was showed/mentioned in a few video games that he filled his uncle's (Toshiie)'s bath with cold water, a feat the historical man was well known for.
Additionally, Keiji's famed horse, Matsukaze, appears in a number of games and movies as well.
Matsunaga Hisahide
Mōri Motonari
Mori Ranmaru
Ranmaru has appeared as a character in fiction & has appeared in several video games (such as Sengoku Basara
, Onimusha, Kessen III
and the Samurai Warriors
series) in which he is usually portrayed as having a feminine to an androgynous appearance, in which leads to usual confusion of his gender by some of the other characters. He is also depicted as truly loyal to Oda Nobunaga, who in return praises Ranmaru for his skills (and possibly his beauty) in battle.
Naoe Kanetsugu
Nene
Nōhime
Unlike her role in history, Nōhime is usually portrayed as a femme fatale
, in line with the traditional villainous portrayal of her husband, Nobunaga Oda.
Oichi
Oichi has made an appearance in the video games Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny
, Samurai Warriors
, Warriors Orochi
, and Sengoku Basara 2
. She is usually depicted as a beautiful, chaste, and loyal woman. Though her relationship with her brother Nobunaga usually formed into rebellion, due to her romantic involvement with her husband, Asai Nagamasa. She is also known as "Ichi".
Ōtani Yoshitsugu
Saitō Dōsan
Otomo Sorin
Sanada Masayuki
Sanada Yukimura
Sasaki Kojirō
Shibata Katsuie
Shima Sakon
Shimazu Yoshihiro
Tachibana Ginchiyo
Tachibana Muneshige
Takeda Shingen
The 1988 NHK
Taiga drama
television series Takeda Shingen was a fictionalized account of his life with Kiichi Nakai in the title role. His life is also dramatized in NHK's 46th Taiga drama Fūrin Kazan
. Akira Kurosawa
's 1980 film Kagemusha
was also inspired by his life; it brought the musket-wound theory to public attention outside Japan.
Takeda Shingen appears in Toshirō Mifune
's historical film Samurai Banners
(風林火山 Furin Kazan).
One of his notable descendants is video game music composer Ryu Umemoto
(1974-2011).
Takenaka Shigeharu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Uesugi Kenshin
Yagyū Muneyoshi
Yamamoto Kansuke
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
appear in works of popular culture such as anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, and video games. This article presents information on references to several historical people in such works.
Akechi MitsuhideAkechi Mitsuhide, nicknamed Jūbei or called from his clan name and title, was a samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan.Mitsuhide was a general under daimyo Oda Nobunaga, although he became infamous for his betrayal in 1582, which led to Nobunaga's death at Honno-ji...
Akechi Mitsuhide is featured in various fictional works, mostly as a hero.
- He is featured in CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's Onimusha as Samanosuke Akechi's uncle/relative, as well as Onimusha TacticsOnimusha Tacticsis a strategy installment in the Onimusha series released for the Game Boy Advance. It does not follow the storyline of the previous PlayStation 2 games and is considered a side story...
as a playable character. - Mitsuhide is also one of the playable characters in Koei's Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series. He wields a katana, obviously taking techniques from the sword school of IaidoIaidois a modern Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard...
, and is portrayed to have a very close relationship with Mori RanmaruMori Ranmaru, born Mori Nagasada , was the son of Mori Yoshinari, and had 5 brothers in total, from the province of Mino. He was a member of the Mori Clan, descendants of the Seiwa Genji....
. He goes against Oda Nobunaga but lets him live in one story. In another story, he is forced to kill Oda Nobunaga and Mori Ranmaru. In the second installment of the series, the relationship with Ranmaru is not present, instead he becomes closer to Nobunaga (and takes longer to fall out with Nobunaga) to a point where he doesn't want to kill him. This caused Saika Magoichi to assassinate Nobunaga from afar, leaving Mitsuhide as to blame. Akechi Mitsuhide somehow defeats the Toyotomi and the Saika, uniting the land in Nobunaga's name. In a special side story, he has to fight off and defeat the Tokugawa and the rest of Japan. He also appears in the Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
spin-off series as a starting character in the "Samurai"/"Sengoku" story lines. In this game, he shows no intention of killing or betraying Oda Nobunaga and follows him faithfully; in fairness, this depiction is based on the Samurai Warriors 2 incarnation. In Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
, he and Hosokawa Gracia, his daughter, are rescued by Xing Cai and Inahime. They become allies of Shu, and they tell Liu Bei of Taira Kiyomori and Sun Wukong. He has a dream mode stage where he teams up with Ling Tong and Yue Ying to battle Masamune Date. He is also in the spinoff of Samurai Warriors called Samurai Warriors Katana. - He is also featured as a playable character in Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
, where in he is portrayed as a sadistic psychopath who wields dual scythes, and enjoys killing his opponents. His counterpart in Devil KingsDevil KingsDevil Kings, known in Japan as Sengoku Basara , is a 2005 video game for PlayStation 2, developed and released by Capcom...
is known as the "Reaper". He appears in Sengoku Basara 3 in a new costume as well as a mask concealing his mouth, under a new name of TenkaiTenkaiwas a Japanese Tendai Buddhist monk of the Azuchi-Momoyama and early Edo periods. He achieved the rank of Daisōjō, the highest rank of the priesthood....
. - Mitsuhide plays a part in KonamiKonamiis a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
's video game Demon ChaosDemon ChaosDemon Chaos known in Japan as Ikusagami , is a 2005 action-adventure game published by Konami for the PlayStation 2. The game is in vein of the well known Dynasty Warriors series....
. - In Eiji YoshikawaEiji Yoshikawawas a Japanese historical novelist, probably one of the best and most famous authors in the genre. Among his most well-known novels, most are revisions of past works. He was mainly influenced by classics such as The Tale of the Heike, Tale of Genji, Outlaws of the Marsh, and Romance of the Three...
's novel Taiko ki (released in English as Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan), Mitsuhide is emotionally abused by Nobunaga, who calls him by the nickname "kumquat head". - In Koei's video game Kessen IIIKessen IIIis a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
, he is portrayed as an ally turned main villain through the game; this is because Oda Nobunaga is portrayed as the hero and unifier of Japan. - In Hikaru no GoHikaru no Gois a manga series, a coming of age story based on the board game Go written by Yumi Hotta and illustrated by Takeshi Obata with an anime adaptation. The production of the series' Go games was supervised by Go professional Yukari Umezawa...
a character named Yuki Mitani plays Mitsuhide in a school play. - In the manga series Tenjho TengeTenjho Tengeis a Japanese manga authored by Ito "Oh! great" Ōgure. The story primarily focuses on the members of the Juken Club and their opposition, the Executive Council, which is the ruling student body of a high school that educates its students in the art of combat...
, the character Sōhaku KagoSohaku Kagois a character in the manga series Tenjho Tenge. He is the true head of F, and Souichiro Nagi's estranged father.- Character outline :Sōhaku is the first and only person to ever be head of the Kago family, as he has lived for several centuries because of his unique power. He also is the true head...
initially went by the name Akechi Mitsuhide, and killed Oda Nobunaga by decapitationDecapitationDecapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
. He then faked his death and became the High Buddhist priest called Tenkai, manipulating the Tokugawa from within. - In the James ClavellJames ClavellJames Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
historical novel ShōgunShogun (novel)Shōgun is a 1975 novel by James Clavell. It is the first novel of the author's Asian Saga. A major bestseller, by 1990 the book had sold 15 million copies worldwide...
, the character of "Akechi Jinsai" is a pastiche of Mitsuhide. - Akechi Mitsuhide is one of few captains who have non-generic faces in the erogeErogeAn or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...
Sengoku Rance. He can be replaced with his daughter GraciaHosokawa Gracia', usually referred to as ', was a Christian convert, a daughter of Akechi Mitsuhide and the wife of Hosokawa Tadaoki....
after doing two of his events using Rance's satisfaction points. - In the anime series Sengoku Otome: Momoiro ParadoxSengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox, also known as Battle Girls: Time Paradox, is a 2011 Japanese anime television series based on a Pachinko game developed by Heiwa. Produced by TMS Entertainment under the direction of Hideki Okamoto, the anime series aired on TV Tokyo between April 4, 2011 and June 27, 2011.- Plot :Yoshino Hide,...
, Mitsuhide is portrayed as a gender switched version of himself, played by Eri KitamuraEri Kitamurais a Japanese voice actress and singer, who was born on August 16, 1987 in Tokyo, Japan. She is primarily known for her role in Blood+ as Saya Otonashi and singing the third ending for the anime series Konjiki No Gash Bell . She is also known to be an amateur manga artist in Japan in her spare time...
.
Azai NagamasaAzai Nagamasawas a Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japan. His clan, the Azai, were located in northern Ōmi Province, east of Lake Biwa. He was both the brother-in-law of Oda Nobunaga, starting in 1564, and one of Nobunaga's enemies from 1570-1573. Nagamasa and his clan were utterly destroyed by Oda...
- Nagamasa makes appearances as a general in the Main Campaign and in various Historical Battles and Historical Campaigns in the strategy game Shogun Total War.
- Nagamasa is a featured playable character within the video game series Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
, in which he is depicted as an extremely honorable man who will stop at nothing to ensure that his notions of justice are enforced. As like in history, Nagamasa decides to collaborate with his erstwhile allies, the Asakura, and fight against Nobunaga at Anegawa; he also expresses a more dramatized showing of love towards his respective wife, Oichi, and cares deeply for her welfare. In appearance, Nagamasa is depicted with his traditional kabuto helmet and carries a lance as his weapon of choosing. He is also in the spinoff of Samurai Warriors called Samurai Warriors Katana. This version of the character also appears in the spin-off series Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
as an unlockable character for the Cao WeiCao WeiCao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
storyline. Cao PiCao PiCao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
and Mitsunari Ishida attack Nagamasa's forces, including his wife OichiOichior a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who married well -- Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo....
and Gan NingGan NingGan Ning was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was born in Linjiang, Ba Commandery .-Early life as a pirate:...
of Wu. Instead of death, as they wanted, Cao Pi enlists the three of them into his army against Orochi. Later, Azai Nagamasa, Oichi, and Gan Ning work with Honda Tadakatsu in repelling Lu Bu and Orochi's forces. In WO2, Azai Nagamasa, the Asakura, and Oichi arrive as reinforcements for Jiang Wei and Maeda Toshiie. In Dream Mode, he works with Naoe Kanetsugu, Sanada Yukimura, and Ma Chao in rescuing peasants from Taira Kiyomori. - Nagamasa is an NPC in Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2 is a sequel to the video game Sengoku Basara , released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released on November 29, 2007...
, along with Oichi, but becomes playable in the expansion Sengoku Basara 2: Heroes. He wields a long sword and carries a shield with him and is portrayed as a justice loving man. - Nagamasa are two of the captains who have generic faces in the eroge Sengoku Rance (they take the names "Azai Nagamasa" and "Asai Nagamasa").
Chōsokabe MotochikaChosokabe Motochikawas a Sengoku period daimyo in Japan. He was the 21st chief of the Chōsokabe clan of Tosa Province . He was the son and heir of Chōsokabe Kunichika and his mother was a daughter of the Saitō clan of Mino Province....
- Motochika appears in the video game series Sengoku BasaraDevil KingsDevil Kings, known in Japan as Sengoku Basara , is a 2005 video game for PlayStation 2, developed and released by Capcom...
as a playable character who takes the persona of a pirate commander. He wields a long anchor-like spear that is respectively equipped with a metal chain and appears within many variable conflicts as a supposed rival to Mori MotonariMori Motonariwas a prominent daimyō in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.-Early years:Mōri Motonari was born under the name Shojumaru in a small domain of Aki province in 1497. He is said to have been born at Suzuo Castle, his mother's homeland...
. - Motochika has also been featured within Samurai Warriors 2 Empires, but as an infamous general, he became playable in Samurai Warriors 2 Xtreme Legends where he wields a shamisenShamisenThe , also called is a three-stringed, Japanese musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usually "shamisen" but sometimes "jamisen" when used as a suffix . -Construction:The shamisen is a plucked stringed instrument...
and sports a Glam rockGlam rockGlam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
inspired appearance, which leads him to continuously calling himself as "The Bat King", due to Nobunaga historically referring to him as a "bat without a home". He joins the Toyotomi to keep Shikoku safe, but his son is killed by Shimazu Yoshihiro at Kyushu. Surprisingly, he forgives Yoshihiro. In his ending, Motochika, Tachibana Ginchiyo, Yoshihiro, and Ishida Mitsunari defeat the Tokugawa at Sekigahara. In Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
, he finds a resting place in Wu. He works with Sun Quan, Sun Ce, Da Qiao, and Minamoto Yoshitsune in flooding out the battlefield and repelling Taira Kiyomori and Lu Bu. At Chi Bi, the final battle for Wu, he teams up with Wu and Lu Bu in defeating Maeda Keiji, Orochi X, and Da Ji. In Dream Mode, he works with Diao Chan and Zhang He in convincing Lu Bu to turn traitor and repel Da Ji's forces at Osaka Bay. - In Total War: Shogun 2 he is the daiymo of the Chōsokabe Clan.
Date MasamuneDate Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
- The Helmet of Date Masamune was an inspiration for the costume of Darth VaderDarth VaderDarth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
of the Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
trilogy. - Date Masamune has been featured in several video games including Koei's video game KessenKessenis a PlayStation 2 launch title produced by Koei and published by Electronic Arts. This was the first DVD-ROM format game for the PS2. It was initially the only real-time wargame game available for the PlayStation 2....
series (where he is a relatively minor officer), and Inindo: Way of the NinjaInindo: Way of the NinjaInindo: Way of the Ninja is a role-playing video game developed by Koei...
as the daimyo of the Rikuchu province. - In Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
, he is depicted as a young and hot-headed ruler who is chaotically interrupting the battles of other warlords, usually attacking multiple armies at once. His weapon in the first game is a pair of bokkenBokkenA bokken , "wood", and ken, "sword") , is a Japanese wooden sword used for training. It is usually the size and shape of a katana, but is sometimes shaped like other swords, such as the wakizashi and tantō...
. In the second game, he now looks a little more older, though still with the iconic crescent moon helmet, with his weapons changed to a western-style sabre and a pair of pistols. He frequently expressed ambitions to explore the world beyond Japan, and acquire new, foreign technologies. In the first game, Date's childhood name, Bontenmaru, is the name of one set of his weapons. In the third game, Masamune has been aged up even further, with longer hair and a more stylish costume. In this expansion, he has more of a friendship with Saika Magoichi and Naoe Kanetsugu, and still expresses his desire to explore the world beyond Japan. Masamune also appears in the related series Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, he is an officer for Orochi's forces, but is unlockable in the 5th Gaiden for Shu HanShu HanShu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
. With the help of Xing Cai and Zhu Rong, Magoichi Saiga defeats Masamune, and convinces him to join Shu's quest to save Liu BeiLiu BeiLiu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
. In the sequel, however, he returns as a permanent member of Orochi's forces. He also has a dream mode stage where he teams up with Sima Yi and Mitsunari Ishida. - In the manga series Samurai Deeper KyoSamurai Deeper Kyois a manga series written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo. The manga was serialized from October 15, 1999 to May 10, 2006 in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine, and collected over 38 volumes....
Date Masamune (referred to in the series by his childhood name, Bontenmaru) is a member of the Shiseiten and former follower/rival of the main character Kyo In the series, he is depicted as a tall, muscular, and physically imposing man with a heart of gold. Like his historical version, he wields a wooden sword as his primary weapon and can perform incredible feats of swordsplay with it, but is an even stronger fighter when unarmed. As a member of the Shiseiten, he goes by the name Bontenmaru. - In the anime series Yoroiden Samurai Troopers, the character Date Seiji is a descendent of Date Masamune. Seiji wears his hair covering one eye, and is at one point asked by Hashiba Touma if he does so because he is related to the One-Eyed Dragon.
- CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's highly successful hack-&-slash series Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
, includes Date Masamune as one of the main characters. In Basara, a distinguishing trait of Date Masamune is his usage of Japanese-style English, or EngrishEngrishrefers to unusual forms of English language usage by native speakers of some East Asian languages. The term itself relates to Japanese speakers' tendency to inadvertently substitute the English phonemes "R" and "L" for one another, because the Japanese language has one alveolar consonant in place...
. Masamune is portrayed as a brazen young lord bent on having fun while conquering the country, dressed in blue and black with a tsuba as an eyepatch over his right eye as well as the historically accurate golden arc on his kabutoKabutoA kabuto is a helmet used with traditional Japanese armour as worn by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan....
. He is also known in-game by his nickname, the One-Eyed Dragon (Dokuganryu). He is also depicted in constant rivalry with Sanada YukimuraSanada Yukimurawas a Japanese samurai, second son of the Sengoku period daimyo Sanada Masayuki . His proper name was Sanada Nobushige , named after Takeda Shingen's younger brother Takeda Nobushige, who was a brave and respected warrior. He and his father were known as being excellent military tacticians...
, although there is no clear historical record to suggest such a rivalry ever existed. - Masamune also appears in the strategy game Shogun: Total WarShogun: Total WarShogun: Total War is a turn-based strategy and real-time tactics computer game developed by The Creative Assembly and published by Electronic Arts. Released in June 2000, the game is the debut title in The Creative Assembly's Total War series...
as a general in the Uesugi army but not until later in the game (around 1580). He also appears as the leader of the Date Clan in the Samurai Warlords Mod (aka the Shogun Mod) for Medieval Total War. - He is also one of the Leaders (a class of SamuraiSamuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
) in Throne of DarknessThrone of DarknessThrone of Darkness is a Japanese-themed action-oriented computer role-playing game released in 2001 by Sierra Entertainment, a subsidiary of Vivendi Universal. Players control up to four different samurai at a time...
. - Date Masamune was also the main subject of the Japanese network NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
's taiga dramaTaiga dramais the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music...
Dokuganryu Masamune (One-eyed Dragon, Masamune) in 1987, starring the then young Ken WatanabeKen Watanabeis a Japanese stage, film, and television actor. To English-speaking audiences he is known for playing tragic hero characters, such as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in Letters from Iwo Jima and Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in The Last Samurai, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best...
as Date Masumune. To-date, this series is the highest rated NHK Taiga drama. - In the Thomas HarrisThomas HarrisThomas Harris is an American author and screenwriter, best known for a series of suspense novels about his most famous character, Hannibal Lecter...
's novel Hannibal RisingHannibal RisingHannibal Rising is a novel written by Thomas Harris, published in 2006. It is a prequel to his three previous books featuring his character, the cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The novel was released with an initial printing of at least 1.5 million copies and met with a mixed...
, Hannibal LecterHannibal LecterHannibal Lecter M.D. is a fictional character in a series of horror novels by Thomas Harris and in the films adapted from them.Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon as a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer...
's aunt, Lady Murasaki, is said to be a descendant of Date Masamune. It is one of Masamune's swords that Lecter uses to commit his first murder by killing a butcher named Paul Momund for insulting Lady Murasaki because she is Japanese. - In Age of Empires III: The Asian DynastiesAge of Empires III: The Asian DynastiesAge of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties is the second official expansion pack for real-time strategy video game Age of Empires III developed through a collaboration between Ensemble Studios and Big Huge Games, and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The Mac version was ported over and developed...
, Daimyo Date Masamune is available as a daimyo unit. In the game, he's available with Shogunate wonder, only for Japanese civilization. Daimyos can receive shipments and train troops, while they are a powerful hand cavalry unit. They also provide an attack boost to nearby troops. - In the eroge Sengoku Rance, the youkai king of Oushuu is Dokuganryuu Masamune. "Dokuganryuu" is "One-Eyed style" and also the nickname of Date MasamuneDate Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
, "One-Eyed Dragon". - Masamune also makes an appearance in several smaller manga series such as Brave 10 and Neo Dragoon, as he is a popular figure within Japanese history and culture.
- Date Masamune also appears in Sengoku Otome: Momoiro ParadoxSengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox, also known as Battle Girls: Time Paradox, is a 2011 Japanese anime television series based on a Pachinko game developed by Heiwa. Produced by TMS Entertainment under the direction of Hideki Okamoto, the anime series aired on TV Tokyo between April 4, 2011 and June 27, 2011.- Plot :Yoshino Hide,...
as a gender-switched version of his real-life self - A hat similar to the Kabuto worn by Date Masamune is obtainable in Team Fortress 2Team Fortress 2Team Fortress 2 is a free-to-play team-based first-person shooter multiplayer video game developed by Valve Corporation. A sequel to the original mod Team Fortress based on the Quake engine, it was first released as part of the video game compilation The Orange Box on October 10, 2007 for Windows...
, called the "Samur-Eye".
Honda TadakatsuHonda Tadakatsu, also called Honda Heihachirō , was a Japanese general of the late Sengoku through early Edo period, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu. - Biography :A native of Mikawa Province in...
- Honda Tadakatsu appears in numerous Japanese jidaigekiJidaigekiis a genre of film, television, and theatre in Japan. The name means "period drama" and is usually the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—Portrait of Hell, for example, is set during the late Heian period—and the early Meiji era is also a popular...
that show the rise of the Tokugawa to power. He is a minor role in Akira KurosawaAkira Kurosawawas a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
's movie KagemushaKagemushais a 1980 film by Akira Kurosawa. The title is a term used for an impersonator. It is set in the Warring States era of Japanese history and tells the story of a lower-class criminal who is taught to impersonate a dying warlord in order to dissuade opposing lords from attacking the newly vulnerable...
. - Honda Tadakatsu also appears in the video games KessenKessenis a PlayStation 2 launch title produced by Koei and published by Electronic Arts. This was the first DVD-ROM format game for the PS2. It was initially the only real-time wargame game available for the PlayStation 2....
and in the Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series, in which he is in almost every way the equivalent of Lu BuLü BuLü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
of the Dynasty Warriors series: extremely powerful, with his own theme music which plays when he is engaged in battle by the player character, and in any series trying to fight him alone usually results in death, unless you're playing as a character that is on par with him, such as Yukimura, Keiji, or Musashi; even then, he could very well defeat you easily. - In Onimusha 3, he is one of Akechi Samanousuke's allies in defeating Oda Nobunaga.
- In Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
, he appears to be part machine and wield a giant drill. A unspeaking giant, Tadakatsu moves by way of jet packs in his armor, and is extremely hard to defeat. - In Samurai Warriors Xtreme Legends and Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
, he works with Tokugawa Ieyasu to unite the land. In one ending in Xtreme Legends, he kills Maeda Keiji. He is also in the spinoff game Samurai Warriors Katana. In Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, he is one of the resistance leaders against Orochi. In WO2, he is reunited as a starter character with his daughter, Inahime, and his lord, Tokugawa Ieyasu. He works with Zhang Fei in repelling Lu Bu's forces at Nagashino. He and Zhang Fei give Inahime and Xing Cai, their daughters, advice, and they see them go off to find information on Taira Kiyomori. In Dream Mode, he has two stories. In one, he fights alongside Maeda Keiji and Lu Bu. In another, he works with Zhang Fei, Miyamoto Musashi, and Inahime in rescuing Xing Cai and Tokugawa Ieyasu from the Toyotomi at Hinokawa. - Honda Tadakatsu is one of the five racoon dog captains of the Tokugawa clan ruled by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the racoon dog youkai, in the eroge Sengoku Rance.
Hosokawa GraciaHosokawa Gracia', usually referred to as ', was a Christian convert, a daughter of Akechi Mitsuhide and the wife of Hosokawa Tadaoki....
Gracia frequently appears as a character in Japanese historical fiction, both novels and drama. One website lists her as a character in over 40 stage dramas, movies, TV dramas, etc., from 1887 to 2006. She is also frequently referred to in popular writing or talks on the history of the period.
- A work that has been translated into English is Ayako MiuraAyako Miura' was a Japanese novelist. She published over eighty works of both fiction and non-fiction. Many of her works are considered best-sellers, and a number have been remade as feature-length films....
's novel, Hosokawa Garasha Fujin (English title: Lady Gracia: a Samurai Wife's Love, Strife and Faith), which follows history fairly closely. - James ClavellJames ClavellJames Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
used Gracia as the model for the character of Mariko in his novel ShōgunShogun (novel)Shōgun is a 1975 novel by James Clavell. It is the first novel of the author's Asian Saga. A major bestseller, by 1990 the book had sold 15 million copies worldwide...
, which was later adapted for television as a miniseriesShogun (TV miniseries)Shōgun is an American television miniseries based on the namesake novel by James Clavell. As with the novel, the title is often shown as Shōgun in order to conform to Hepburn romanization. The miniseries was broadcast over five nights, between September 15 and September 19, 1980 on NBC in the...
. Elements of Mariko's story follows Gracia's quite closely, although the manner of her death is different and the two characters do not fundamentally have anything in common. - A very heavily fictionalized Gracia also appears in Futaro YamadaFutaro Yamadawas the pen name of , a Japanese author.He was born in Yabu, Hyogo.In 1947, he wrote a mystery novel and was awarded a prize by a novel magazine .He was discovered by Edogawa Rampo and became a novelist....
's novel Makai TenshoMakai Tenshois a novel by Futaro Yamada.It is a tale of historical fiction in which Mori Sōiken resurrects other dead historical figures to overthrow the Shogunate. Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi rises to fight Amakusa and his warriors of the dead...
, as a sidekick to Amakusa Shirō Tokisada. - In the video game KessenKessenis a PlayStation 2 launch title produced by Koei and published by Electronic Arts. This was the first DVD-ROM format game for the PS2. It was initially the only real-time wargame game available for the PlayStation 2....
, there is a cut-scene depicting Gracia dying heroically because her religion (Christianity) forbade her to commit suicide. - Gracia is her father Akechi MitsuhideAkechi Mitsuhide, nicknamed Jūbei or called from his clan name and title, was a samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan.Mitsuhide was a general under daimyo Oda Nobunaga, although he became infamous for his betrayal in 1582, which led to Nobunaga's death at Honno-ji...
's replacing general in the erogeErogeAn or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...
Sengoku Rance after doing two of Mitsuhide's events using Rance's satisfaction points. - Gracia is among the playable characters included in Koei's Samurai Warriors 2 Xtreme Legends. Her story mode, which differs greatly from historical events, depicts her having run away from home, eager to learn more about the world. She befriends and tags along with Magoichi Saika. She also wields a pair of bracelets sealed with magical powers, conflicting that she has one of the most powerful musou attacks, despite her low stats. In her ending, Saika Magoichi redeems himself and rescues her from Ishida Mitsunari. In a special side story, she saves many legendary Japanese females from Saika Magoichi.In Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
, she and her father are rescued by Xing Cai and Inahime. In Dream Mode, she fights alongside Guan Ping and Cao Pi in surpassing their fathers in a test.
Imagawa YoshimotoImagawa Yoshimotowas one of the leading daimyo in the Sengoku period Japan. Based in Suruga Province, he was one of the three daimyo that dominated the Tōkaidō region. He was one of the dominant daimyo in Japan for a time, until his death in 1560....
- Imagawa Yoshimoto is a playable character in the Koei action game Samurai Warriors: Xtreme LegendsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
. He also appeared earlier in the company's action-strategy game Kessen IIIKessen IIIis a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
. Both games depict Imagawa as a childish dandy, although Samurai Warriors takes this to an extreme by giving him a kemariKemariKemari is a form of football that was popular in Japan during the Heian Period. Kemari has been revived in modern times.-History:The first evidence of kemari is from A.D.644. The rules were standardized from the 13th century. It was the first Japanese sport to become highly developed.The game was...
(a Japanese kickball), which he uses as a weapon (though he used a generic sword in the original Samurai Warriors game). In his story mode ending, Yoshimoto miraculously manages to defeat both Takeda Shingen and Oda Nobunaga in Kyoto, and then plays kemari to his heart's content in front of the other warlords who look on in amusement and disgust. In Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
however, due to time constraints (as well as an overall shift away from Nobunaga's life towards the post-Nobunaga years), the Battle of Okehazama was shown as part of Nobunaga, Noh, and Mitsuhide's intro movies, and Yoshimoto was only mentioned and shown impaled to death within his palanquin by Nobunaga's spearmen. However in Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends, the battle was brought back, and Yoshimoto himself is given an updated appearance and additional moves as well as a new story mode that tells about his quest for somebody to play kemari with him due to his extreme loneliness. He is once again made a free mode only character for Samurai Warriors 3Samurai Warriors 3is the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, Europe on May 28, 2010, Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 27, 2010 for the Wii....
. He is also in the spinoff of Samurai Warriors called Samurai Warriors Katana. In Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, he is found retreating from the burning Wan Castle but, is rescued by the Tokugawa and escapes. Later, he becomes part of the Resistance against Orochi aiding Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin but, ends up supporting Wei after being defeated by them in the Saika Territory. Days later he had been ordered by Cao Pi to give Lu Meng aid at Osaka Bay. In the sequel, he joins Liu Bei. In Dream Mode, he works with Xing Cai and Tachibana Ginchiyo in rescuing their allies at Chen Cang Castle. - Yoshimoto is also featured as an unplayable character in the Japanese video game Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
, as well as the sequel (he becomes playable in Sengoku Basara 2: Heroes). - In the translation of Path of the AssassinPath of the Assassinis a gekiga manga created by the writer Kazuo Koike and the artist Goseki Kojima and published in Weekly Gendai magazine . Unlike their previous collaborations on Lone Wolf and Cub and Samurai Executioner, this story focuses on two historical figures from 16th-century Japan.Path of the Assassin is...
, a Dark Horse Comics translation of Hanzo no Mon, which focuses on Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hattori Hanzō's perspectives, Yoshimoto is viewed more positively (perhaps ironically, compared to Nobunaga) and even decides during the Okehazama campaign to replace Ujizane with Ieyasu (then Matsudaira Motoyasu) as his heir, though dying before doing so. - Imagawa Yoshimoto is the Hanny's king who rules a province full of hannys in the erogeErogeAn or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...
Sengoku Rance. - He also appears briefly in the short manga Kacchu no Senshi Gamu by Yoshihiro TakahashiYoshihiro Takahashiis a Japanese manga artist. He writes under a pen name in which his first name Yoshihiro is spelled out in hiragana .Takahashi was born September 18, 1953, in Higashinaruse, Akita. He was very interested in drawing growing up and, in the 60's, started publishing small comics in several newspapers...
. - Yoshimoto appears as a gender-switched character in Sengoku Otome: Momoiro ParadoxSengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox, also known as Battle Girls: Time Paradox, is a 2011 Japanese anime television series based on a Pachinko game developed by Heiwa. Produced by TMS Entertainment under the direction of Hideki Okamoto, the anime series aired on TV Tokyo between April 4, 2011 and June 27, 2011.- Plot :Yoshino Hide,...
.
Ishida MitsunariIshida MitsunariIshida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibunoshō...
- The story of James ClavellJames ClavellJames Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
's novel ShōgunShogun (novel)Shōgun is a 1975 novel by James Clavell. It is the first novel of the author's Asian Saga. A major bestseller, by 1990 the book had sold 15 million copies worldwide...
is based on the strife between Ishida (called Ishido in the novel) and TokugawaTokugawa Ieyasuwas the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
(Toranaga) over the Taiko'sToyotomi Hideyoshiwas a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
sonToyotomi Hideyoriwas the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga....
. - Portrayed by Hiro KanagawaHiro KanagawaHiro Kanagawa, born , is a Vancouver-based actor.He was born in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. He is perhaps best known as Principal Kwan from Smallville. His most notable anime role is Gihren Zabi from Mobile Suit Gundam...
in the 2008 BBC docudrama Heroes and Villains, centering around the Battle of SekigaharaBattle of SekigaharaThe , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
. - Mitsunari also appears as one of the main characters of Koei's KessenKessenis a PlayStation 2 launch title produced by Koei and published by Electronic Arts. This was the first DVD-ROM format game for the PS2. It was initially the only real-time wargame game available for the PlayStation 2....
. He is the first of three commanders under the Toyotomi forces depicted opposing Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasuwas the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
. Whether or not he survives the Battle of Sekigahara and defeats Ieyasu depends on the Player's actions. - Mitsunari is a villain in Age of Empires III: The Asian DynastiesAge of Empires III: The Asian DynastiesAge of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties is the second official expansion pack for real-time strategy video game Age of Empires III developed through a collaboration between Ensemble Studios and Big Huge Games, and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The Mac version was ported over and developed...
campaign. In the Japanese campaign, players must kill him in order to win and unify Japan. - He appears in Koei's Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
, as a cold and sarcastic man who, despite his devotion to his lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, alienates many of his peers with his attitude. He wins the battle of Sekigahara in his ending, but is shown to disappear in many other stories. He also appears in the sequel with an updated character design and a closer friendship to Kato Kiyomasa, and in the spin-off series, Samurai Warriors Katana. - Mitsunari assumed the role of one of the main antagonists in Capcom's Onimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha series, released in March 2006. Dawn of Dreams focuses on a new protagonist, Soki Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha...
, and featured in the opening video fighting against Nankobo Tenkai using a folding fan. - Mitsunari is the lead character in Koei's DS game Saihai no Yukue.
- In the Japanese eroge Sengoku Hime, the character "Ishida Futanari" is a parody of Mitsunari.
- Mitsunari appears in Capcom's Sengoku Basara 3, as a man with white hair wielding a katana, able to slash his foes with inhuman speed. He shows an immense hatred towards Tokugawa Ieyasu for the death of his mentor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Izumo no OkuniIzumo no Okuniwas the originator of kabuki theater. She was believed to be a miko at the Grand Shrine of Izumo who began performing this new style of dancing, singing, and acting in the dry riverbeds of Kyoto.-Early years:...
Unlike her role in history, Okuni's appearances in fiction often portray her as a , a capable fighter skilled with weapons and magic.
- She is a playable character in Koei's Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series as a fighter using a parasol. As the game portrays her having a flirty personality, she is the cause of competition between Maeda Keiji and Ishikawa Goemon. In Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
, she is a special character who is unlocked by clearing the SugorokuSugorokurefers to two different forms of Japanese board game, one similar to western backgammon and the other similar to western Snakes and ladders.Sugoroku plays identically to backgammon , except for the following differences:...
game. She additionally appears in the spin-offSpin-off (media)In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
series Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
as a member of the Sengoku force, where she had developed a closeness with Ling TongLing TongLing Tong was a military general of the state of Eastern Wu during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He started his service to the Sun family since his childhood, and throughout his entire life, he had been contributing to the foundation and solidification of Eastern Wu...
and a friendship with Xiao Qiao. The three join the Wu forces in Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
. Her dream stage has her enlist the help of Meng Huo and Goemon Ishikawa to assist her in collecting donations for her Izumo shrine. Okuni appears in Samurai Warriors 3Samurai Warriors 3is the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, Europe on May 28, 2010, Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 27, 2010 for the Wii....
, with the same hairstyle as before, with slight enhancements. - In the manga and anime Samurai Deeper KyoSamurai Deeper Kyois a manga series written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo. The manga was serialized from October 15, 1999 to May 10, 2006 in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine, and collected over 38 volumes....
, she is initially a foilFoil (literature)In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
for the main character, Mibu Kyoshiro, but later becomes a spy for Oda NobunagaOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
. - Okuni is a playable character in the CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's video game Onimusha TacticsOnimusha Tacticsis a strategy installment in the Onimusha series released for the Game Boy Advance. It does not follow the storyline of the previous PlayStation 2 games and is considered a side story...
. She fights with a spear and can use healing magic. She is also mentioned as a close friend to Jubei Yagyu in Onimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha series, released in March 2006. Dawn of Dreams focuses on a new protagonist, Soki Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha...
, where she is described as being a great dancer and fighter. According to the game's comic tie-in "Night of Genesis", she's also a long-standing friend of Tenkai Nankobo. - Okuni also appears as a character in the NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
's dramaJapanese television drama, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...
Musashi; however, in this series she remains a performer and does not have any fighting skills. - Okuni makes a small appearance as a little girl in ŌkamiOkamiis an action-adventure video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. It was released for Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console in 2006 in Japan and North America, and 2007 in Europe and Australia...
singing about the Water Dragon. - The courtesan and geisha Kiku from James ClavellJames ClavellJames Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
's novel ShōgunShogun (novel)Shōgun is a 1975 novel by James Clavell. It is the first novel of the author's Asian Saga. A major bestseller, by 1990 the book had sold 15 million copies worldwide...
is based on Okuni.
Katakura KojūrōKatakura Kojurowas the common name of the head of the Japanese Katakura clan, who served as senior retainers to the Date clan. Following the Date clan's move into Sendai han, they were granted holdings at Shiroishi Castle , which they held through the start of the Meiji Era...
- Katakura has appeared as a character in fiction, appearing in the video game Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2 is a sequel to the video game Sengoku Basara , released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released on November 29, 2007...
. - Kojuro is the name of Dokuganryuu Masamune's okero car in the eroge Sengoku Rance.
- Kojurou is often in any series where Date Masamune is present, though he may sometimes be a generic character.
Kobayakawa Hideaki
- Kobayakawa HideakiKobayakawa HideakiKobayakawa Hideaki was fifth son of Kinoshita Iesada and the nephew of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.He was adopted by Hideyoshi and called himself Hashiba Hidetoshi and Shusen . He was then again adopted by Kobayakawa Takakage and renamed himself Hideaki...
appears as a unique NPC in Sengoku Basara 3. He is portrayed as a young, cowardly, glutton and as a result carries a pot and pair of wooden spoons to use as weapons. He will be made playable in the upcoming expansion, Sengoku Basara 3:Utage - Portrayed by Louis Ozawa ChangchienLouis Ozawa ChangchienLouis Ozawa Changchien is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the 2010 film Predators.-Early life:...
in the 2008 BBC docudrama series Heroes and Villains.
Komatsuhime
- In the video game Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
, she goes by her childhood name, Ina. She wields a long bladed bow, and can attack in melee combat and also at range. She is depicted as a proud daughter of Honda Tadakatsu, and that she would make her Lord and her Father proud as well. She also has a strong tomboyish tendency, where she may rather be fighting than be a regular woman. In the first installment, she is friends with Kunoichi. Additionally, in the game, she is charged with one of Hattori HanzoHattori Hanzo, also known as , was a famous samurai and ninja master of the Sengoku era, credited with saving the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu and then helping him to become the ruler of united Japan. Today, he is often a subject of modern popular culture.-Biography:...
's accomplishment during Ieyasu's journey in Iga: escorting Anayama NobukimiAnayama Nobukimi, also known as Baisetsu Nobukimi, was a Japanese samurai. He was the son of Anayama Nobutomo and a nephew of Takeda Shingen. He became famous as one the Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen....
, while Hanzo escorts the lord personally. Historically, Hanzō took both tasks at once and succeeded them both. Inahime is in the spinoff of Samurai Warriors called Samurai Warriors Katana on the Nintendo Wii. Ina also appears in the crossover game Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
. In it, she befriends Sun Shang Xiang after Orochi blackmails the TokugawaTokugawa shogunateThe Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
and the Wu Army into servitude. Although both of them are forced to fight for Orochi against their will, they end up joining the Resistance after Ina convinces Sun Shang Xiang to reunite with her older brother Sun CeSun CeSun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to...
at Sekigahara. In Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
, the Tokugawa clan, Hattori Hanzo, Shang Xiang, Honda Tadakatsu, and Inahime join Shu. Inahime and Xing Cai become friends, and they rescue Hosokawa Gracia and her father, Akechi Mitsuhide. In Dream Mode, Inahime works with Huang Zhong and Xiahou Yuan in fire ambushing an enemy coalition led by Date Masamune.
Kuroda KanbeiKuroda Kanbei, other name Kuroda Kanbei , was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku through early Edo periods. Renowned as a man of great ambition, he was a chief strategist under Toyotomi Hideyoshi.-Early Life:...
- Appears in Koei's Samurai Warriors 3Samurai Warriors 3is the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, Europe on May 28, 2010, Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 27, 2010 for the Wii....
video game, in which he is chief strategist of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, feared by many for his demonic look. He later goes on to serve Tokugawa Ieyasu. His weapon is a magical orb. - He appears as a playable character in CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's Sengoku Basara 3. He appears as a convict with his hands cuffed together and chained to a giant metal ball, which doubles as his weapon.
Maeda MatsuMaeda Matsu[known in Japan as o-Matsu no Kata ] was a Japanese woman of the 16th century. She was the wife of Maeda Toshiie, who founded the Kaga Domain. Matsu had a reputation for intelligence; she was skilled at both literary and martial arts...
- Matsu is despicted in Capcom's Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
video game series as a woman who wields a naginata as her respective weapon, able to summon animal familiars, and possesses a significantly close relationship with her husband, Toshiie. - Matsu had also been featured within a TV drama shown by NHK called Toshiie to Matsu, depicting her relations with Toshiie, and thus making her a primary figure of romantic fame.
- Although not a real playable character, Matsu is also a bodyguard in Koei's Samurai Warriors 2 under the "Lady Samurai" class.
Maeda ToshiieMaeda Toshiiewas one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. His father was Maeda Toshimasa. He was the fourth of seven brothers. His childhood name was "Inuchiyo" . His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as...
- Maeda Toshiie appears as a playable character in Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends, in which he is depicted as an apprentice to Shibata KatsuieShibata Katsuieor was a Japanese military commander during the Sengoku Period who served Oda Nobunaga.-Biography:Katsuie was born in the Shibata family, a branch of the Shiba clan . Note the differences between , , and the .Katsuie was the retainer of Oda Nobukatsu...
and a man that would sacrifice himself in the name of a warrior, one of the common romanticizations that Koei regularly use to individualize their characters. He wields a serrated sword, accompanied by two spears. In his ending, he sees Shibata Katsuiie die in a flaming castle with Oichi, and he takes his wrath out on Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
, he and Saika Magoichi are rescued by Xiahou Yuan. He later works with Jiang Wei, the Azai, and the Asakura in capturing Da Ji. In Dream Mode, he works with Pang De, Shibata Katsuiie, and Sun Ce in defeating Da Ji and Himiko. - His Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
portrayal implies that he serves the Oda clan off screen, but his story mode depicts him as a dysfunctional familyDysfunctional familyA dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often abuse on the part of individual members occur continually and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such actions. Children sometimes grow up in such families with the understanding that such an arrangement is...
man, in which he has a close relationship with his wife Matsu and their "nephew" KeijiMaeda Toshimasu, better known as ' or Keijirō , was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku Period through early Edo Period. Toshimasu was born to the Takigawa Clan of Owari, originally the son of Takigawa Kazumasu. He was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa, the older brother of Maeda Toshiie. Toshimasu served under Oda...
, where the first two story modes tell on their unusual methods to support one another. - The 2002 NHK Taiga dramaTaiga dramais the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music...
Toshiie to Matsu (利家とまつ～加賀百万石物語～) was based on the story of their lives together. Maeda Toshiie was played by Toshiaki KarasawaToshiaki Karasawais a Japanese theatre and film actor. He made his theatrical debut in the play Voice Review Stay Gold in 1987. He specialises in theatrical action sequences such as swordplay and fighting...
, and MatsuMaeda Matsu[known in Japan as o-Matsu no Kata ] was a Japanese woman of the 16th century. She was the wife of Maeda Toshiie, who founded the Kaga Domain. Matsu had a reputation for intelligence; she was skilled at both literary and martial arts...
by Nanako MatsushimaNanako Matsushimais a Japanese actress and model. She is known outside Japan for her role in the horror film Ring. She was also a main character in A Story of Love, where she starred next to Hiroyuki Sanada, who also played Ryuji Takayama in Ring....
. Karasawa later made a special appearance as the same character in the 2006 NHK Taiga drama Komyo ga Tsuji (功名が辻) (eps 39 and 40). - Maeda Toshiie is one of the few captains who have non-generic faces in the eroge Sengoku Rance. He can transform to Maeda Keiji after doing two of his events using Rance's satisfaction points.
Maeda ToshimasuMaeda Toshimasu, better known as ' or Keijirō , was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku Period through early Edo Period. Toshimasu was born to the Takigawa Clan of Owari, originally the son of Takigawa Kazumasu. He was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa, the older brother of Maeda Toshiie. Toshimasu served under Oda...
Toshimasu (often depicted under the name of Keiji or Keijirō) is often portrayed as somewhat of a prankster and is often dubbed crazy, or kabukimonoKabukimono
or appeared in Japan, between the end of the Muromachi era and the beginnining of the Edo period, . Kabukimono is often translated into English as 'strange things' or 'the crazy ones', believed to be derived from kabuku meaning 'to slant' or 'to deviate'...
, by others for his wild ways. Sampling this where is was showed/mentioned in a few video games that he filled his uncle's (Toshiie)'s bath with cold water, a feat the historical man was well known for.
- He is a playable character in the Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series and is usually one of the strongest enemies to defeat. His weapon is a two-pronged spear, similar to a sasumataSasumataThe is a Japanese mancatcher and firefighting tool. Historically, it was usually around 2 meters in length, with a U-shaped head. This head looks similar to a koto bridge, so it is sometimes called a kotojibō. The pole is often sturdy wood, reinforced with iron. Small spikes or other sharp...
. He also appears in Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
on the Orochi Army, later serving the Wu Army as a Gaiden character. - Maeda Keiji debuted as a playable character in Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2 is a sequel to the video game Sengoku Basara , released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released on November 29, 2007...
. This version of the character wields a giant ŌdachiOdachiAn , was a type of long Japanese sword. The term nodachi, or "field sword", which refers to a different type of sword, is often mistakenly used in place of ōdachi. It is historically known as ōtachi....
and has a pet monkey. He is old friends with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and helps defeat the man in his ending. He appears in Sengoku Basara 3 as the representative of the both the Uesugi and Maeda clans. - Keijiro also appears in Onimusha Blade WarriorsOnimusha Blade WarriorsOnimusha Blade Warriors, released in Japan as , is a multi-player game from the Onimusha series. Similar to Super Smash Bros., Blade Warriors is a simple 2D fighter game featuring many of the characters of the Onimusha franchise....
as well as the first Onimusha game, under the name: Yumemaru (a little boy that Princess Yuki takes care of). - Maeda Keiji is also a secret playable character in Kessen IIIKessen IIIis a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
through loading a Samurai Warriors data file from the memory card. - A manga series loosely based on Keiji's life illustrated by Tetsuo HaraTetsuo Harais a Japanese manga artist famous for drawing the series Fist of the North Star , which he co-authored with Buronson...
(of Fist of the North StarFist of the North Staris a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon edition by Shueisha...
fame) was produced titled KeijiKeiji (manga)is a period manga authored by Tetsuo Hara, which was serialized in the Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1990 to 1993. It is an adaptation of the novel by Ryu Keiichiro and serves as a fictionalized account of the life of Keiji Maeda.-Main characters:...
. - In the NHK television drama series Toshiie to Matsu, Maeda Keijiro is depicted by the actor Mitsuhiro Oikawa.
- Maeda Keiji is Maeda ToshiieMaeda Toshiiewas one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. His father was Maeda Toshimasa. He was the fourth of seven brothers. His childhood name was "Inuchiyo" . His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as...
's transformation in the eroge Sengoku Rance after doing two of Toshiie's events using Rance's satisfaction points.
Additionally, Keiji's famed horse, Matsukaze, appears in a number of games and movies as well.
- Matsukaze is a ridable horse in the Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
and Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
game series. - The jetbike Keiji rides in the VasaraVasara (game)Vasara is a vertically scrolling manic shooter released in 2000 by Japanese company Visco Corporation. The game has an unusual setting and gameplay as a curtain fire game.-Story:...
game series is said to be the model "Matsukaze 1000".
Matsunaga HisahideMatsunaga HisahideMatsunaga Hisahide was a daimyo of Japan following the Sengoku period of the 16th century.A companion of Miyoshi Chokei, he was a retainer of Miyoshi Masanaga from the 1540s. He directed the conquest of the province of Yamato in the 1560s and by 1564 had built a sufficient power-base to be...
- Matsunaga Hisahide is featured as a character in Sengoku Basara 2: Heroes, in which he is depicted as a man of treachery who enjoys any course of action that would subsequently present to him a greater sum of pleasure. He takes a primary role in Katakura KojūrōKatakura Kojurowas the common name of the head of the Japanese Katakura clan, who served as senior retainers to the Date clan. Following the Date clan's move into Sendai han, they were granted holdings at Shiroishi Castle , which they held through the start of the Meiji Era...
's story; and by the end of such a scenario he sets aflame his initial base with explosives as a showing of defeat. Hisahide was announced as one of 14 characters to be made playable in the upcoming expansion to Sengoku Basara: Samurai HeroesSengoku Basara: Samurai HeroesSengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes, known in Japan as , is a 2010 action-adventure video game developed and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 3 and Wii. The game is the sequel to Sengoku Basara 2 and was released on July 29, 2010 in Japan... - He also appears in Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
as a purchasable Bodyguard under the "Fire Ninja" class.
Mōri MotonariMori Motonariwas a prominent daimyō in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.-Early years:Mōri Motonari was born under the name Shojumaru in a small domain of Aki province in 1497. He is said to have been born at Suzuo Castle, his mother's homeland...
- He (along with King LearKing LearKing Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
) was the basis of Hidetora Ichimonji in the Akira KurosawaAkira Kurosawawas a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
film RanRan (film)is a 1985 Japanese-French jidaigeki film written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film starred Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-era warlord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons. It also stars Mieko Harada as the wife of Ichimonji's eldest son...
. - Motonari has also made an appearance in video games such as that of CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2 is a sequel to the video game Sengoku Basara , released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released on November 29, 2007...
initially as a playable character who is relatively inconsiderate to his subordinates, abandoning them if they are below his standards and employing other means that can be deemed cruel. Motonari wields a large wheel as his weapon, which possesses an outer-layer of blades. He is the only character who can inflict damage on his own men in combat. - Motonari also appears in Samurai Warriors 3Samurai Warriors 3is the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, Europe on May 28, 2010, Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 27, 2010 for the Wii....
, wielding a crossbow mounted to his arm. He comes out of retirement to help Japan fight off the threat of Oda Nobunaga. - Motonari is the main protagonist of the NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
36th drama Motonari. - Motonari is one of the lords in the eroge Sengoku Rance. He has been cursed by a youkai named Daidaara, the player can ask for Sakamoto Ryouma's information after recruiting her to lift his curse. His three daughters' names: Mori Teru, Kikkawa Kiku and Kobayakawa Chinu are based on historical MotonariMori Motonariwas a prominent daimyō in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.-Early years:Mōri Motonari was born under the name Shojumaru in a small domain of Aki province in 1497. He is said to have been born at Suzuo Castle, his mother's homeland...
's three sons: Mōri TakamotoMori Takamotowas a daimyo of Aki Province during Japan's Sengoku period. He was the eldest legitimate son of Mōri Motonari.-Life:Born in Tajihi, Aki province, Takamoto was sent at the age of 14 to Suo province as a hostage of Ōuchi Yoshitaka. This was done to ensure his father's loyalties to Ōuchi...
, Kikkawa MotoharuKikkawa Motoharuwas the second son of Mōri Motonari, and featured prominently in all the wars of the Mōri clan.When Motoharu was young he was adopted into the Kikkawa clan by Kikkawa Okitsune. He then became head of the family around 1550. Motoharu fought in many battles alongside his brother, Kobayakawa Takakage,...
, and Kobayakawa TakakageKobayakawa Takakagewas a samurai retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during Japan's Sengoku period, and the son of Mōri Motonari. Adopted by the head of the Kobayakawa clan, Takakage took his name, and succeeded his adoptive father to become head of the Kobayakawa clan following his death in 1545.As head of the Kobayakawa...
. - The board game Shogun features Mōri Motonari as one of the daimyos to choose.
Mori RanmaruMori Ranmaru, born Mori Nagasada , was the son of Mori Yoshinari, and had 5 brothers in total, from the province of Mino. He was a member of the Mori Clan, descendants of the Seiwa Genji....
Ranmaru has appeared as a character in fiction & has appeared in several video games (such as Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basara
is a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
, Onimusha, Kessen III
Kessen III
is a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
and the Samurai Warriors
Samurai Warriors
is the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series) in which he is usually portrayed as having a feminine to an androgynous appearance, in which leads to usual confusion of his gender by some of the other characters. He is also depicted as truly loyal to Oda Nobunaga, who in return praises Ranmaru for his skills (and possibly his beauty) in battle.
- Ranmaru is depicted greatly in Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
as Nobunaga's most loyal bodyguard, where he wields a nodachiNodachiA nodachi is a large two-handed Japanese sword. Some have suggested that the meaning of "nodachi" is roughly the same as ōdachi meaning "large/great sword". A confusion between the terms has nearly synonymized "nodachi" with the very large "ōdachi"...
. Differentiating all the other portrayals was seen in the first Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
, where he also has a close friendship with Akechi MitsuhideAkechi Mitsuhide, nicknamed Jūbei or called from his clan name and title, was a samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan.Mitsuhide was a general under daimyo Oda Nobunaga, although he became infamous for his betrayal in 1582, which led to Nobunaga's death at Honno-ji...
, who at the time planned to assassinate Nobunaga, leaving Ranmaru in a state of confusion on which path he will follow. In Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
, Ranmaru has no storyline, but is seen in some cutscenes and cinema cameos and is a special character unlocked by completing the first two Ranmaru's and Mitsuhide's requests in Survival Mode. He is also in the spinoff Samurai Warriors Katana, in where he helps you to find and rescue Oda Nobunaga at Honnouji, temporary replacing Hideyoshi as your guide in this stage. He also appears in Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
as fighting for the Resistance Army alongside Ma ChaoMa ChaoMa Chao was the oldest son of Ma Teng and a military general during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he received the nickname "Ma Chao the Splendid" due to his elaborate armour and grand skill...
in Mt. Ding Jun. Sun CeSun CeSun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to...
of the Orochi Army later on captures Ranmaru after a duel, yet was set free due to Sun Ce feeling some comfort fighting him. From then on, Ranmaru joins Sun Wu to understand more about the Sun Family's unbreakable bonds and is still serving them in the game's sequel. Though from his Dream Mode in Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
along with Zhou TaiZhou TaiZhou Tai , style name Youping , was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Early life and career:...
and Dian WeiDian WeiDian Wei was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Famed for his enormous strength, Dian Wei excelled in wielding dual halberds, each of which was said to weigh 40 jin...
, it can be stated that Ranmaru is still on full alert to protect Nobunaga. - Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
portrays a different appearance for Ranmaru as a young, boyish, and eager archer in his early teens who seeks recognition from Nobunaga. He is apparently the most childish in all his portrayals, seeking only KompeitōKompeitoKompeito, also spelled as konpeito is a Japanese candy.-History:The word "konpeito" comes from the Portuguese word confeito, which means a sugar candy. This technique for producing candy was introduced to Japan in the early 16th century by Portuguese traders. The infrastructure and refining...
as a reward from his master in his endings. - The eroge Sengoku Rance portrays him as a girl, Ranmaru. She is one of the loyal retainers of Oda Nobunaga. She is in love with Shibata Katsuie, also Oda's retainer.
- The character Ranmaru Morii's name in Perfect Girl EvolutionThe Wallflower (manga), a.k.a Perfect Girl Evolution, is a manga series written by Tomoko Hayakawa. The individual chapters have been serialized in Bessatsu Friend since its premiere in 2000, and in 27 tankōbon volumes in Japan by Kodansha...
is a nod to the historical Ranmaru. - Mori Ranmaru is one of the main characters in a manga oneshot by Inui Miku, Akatsuki no Fumi, where he is portrayed with slightly feminine features.
Naoe KanetsuguNaoe Kanetsuguwas a Japanese samurai of the 16th-17th centuries. The eldest son of Higuchi Kanetoyo, Kanetsugu was famed for his service to two generations of the Uesugi daimyo. He was also known by his court title, Yamashiro no Kami or his childhood/adolescent name, Higuchi Kanetsugu .Kanetsugu served first as...
- Naoe is the star of Yuji Takemura's manga Gifu Dodo Naoe Kanetsugu: Maeda Keiji Tsukigatari (義風堂々 直江兼続 -前田慶次月語り-)
- Kanetsugu is the protagonist of the 2009 NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
Taiga dramaTaiga dramais the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music...
Tenchijin. - Naoe Kanetsugu was featured as a playable character in Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
, wielding an ornate sword and paper charms, portrayed as originally serving Uesugi Kenshin at the Battles of Kawanakajima and Tedorigawa, then serving Hideyoshi and later the Western Army against Tokugawa Ieyasu, though being concerned with justice and honor primarily. In his own scenario, he wins the Siege of HasedoSiege of HasedoThe siege of Hasedō was one of a series of battles fought in the far north of Japan's main island of Honshū contemporaneous with the famous and decisive campaigns between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Ishida Mitsunari further south...
with Maeda Keiji's help and along with Uesugi KagekatsuUesugi Kagekatsuwas a daimyo during the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history. The son of Nagao Masakage and husband of Uesugi Kenshin's elder sister, Aya-Gozen. After his father died, he was adopted by Kenshin....
, and Sanada YukimuraSanada Yukimurawas a Japanese samurai, second son of the Sengoku period daimyo Sanada Masayuki . His proper name was Sanada Nobushige , named after Takeda Shingen's younger brother Takeda Nobushige, who was a brave and respected warrior. He and his father were known as being excellent military tacticians...
leads an Uesugi-Sanada force against Edo CastleEdo Castle, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
, killing Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasuwas the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
's son HidetadaTokugawa Hidetadawas the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.-Early life :...
and later avenging Ishida MitsunariIshida MitsunariIshida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibunoshō...
's death by annihilating the victorious Eastern Army that returns to Edo CastleEdo Castle, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
, ending the Tokugawa ShogunateTokugawa shogunateThe Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
and along with Yukimura, they vow to create a greater world based on righteousness. He also depicted as having an extremely close friendship with Maeda Keiji, Ishida MitsunariIshida MitsunariIshida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibunoshō...
and Sanada YukimuraSanada Yukimurawas a Japanese samurai, second son of the Sengoku period daimyo Sanada Masayuki . His proper name was Sanada Nobushige , named after Takeda Shingen's younger brother Takeda Nobushige, who was a brave and respected warrior. He and his father were known as being excellent military tacticians...
. Kanetsugu also appears in Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, a crossover between Samurai Warriors and Dynasty WarriorsDynasty Warriorsis a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
, usually alongside Kenshin Uesugi. - The female character Naoe Ai from the eroge Sengoku Rance is based on him. She is the strategist of Uesugi Kenshin.
- Kanetsugu briefly appeared in the anime TV series of Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
, only to be defeated by Honda TadakatsuHonda Tadakatsu, also called Honda Heihachirō , was a Japanese general of the late Sengoku through early Edo period, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu. - Biography :A native of Mikawa Province in...
in a comical fashion. - In Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2 is a sequel to the video game Sengoku Basara , released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released on November 29, 2007...
, he appears as a generic officer of the Uesugi army who constantly claims to be invincible. He appears again in Sengoku Basara 3, but has Kanetsugu's trademark helmet with the large kanji "Ai" ("love").
NeneNene (person)or One was an aristocratic lady during the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history known for her intelligence and marriage to Toyotomi Hideyoshi...
- Nene is a featured playable character within the Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series and acts as an ultimate replacement of Kunoichi. Being the wife of Toyotomi HideyoshiToyotomi Hideyoshiwas a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
, Nene respectively acts as his bodyguard and supporter in the persona of a female ninja, with almost the same moves as her predecessor, Kunoichi. Contrasting this is her special skills and her strange motherly personality, in which she refers to everyone (especially to her husband's retainers) as her "children". An example of her motherly personality can be found in one of her cutscenes, where she "lectures" her defeated enemies to make them get to know one another. In her ending, she kicks out Hideyoshi's other wives and concubines and helps Hideyoshi unite Japan. In her special side story, she brings the Toyotomi clan back together at Sekigahara. She is in a spinoff of Samurai Warriors called Samurai Warriors Katana. In Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, she works with Kunoichi against Orochi. Nene later joins Wei. In the sequel, she reunites with Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In Dream Mode, she works with Yuan Shao and Zhu Rong in protecting a castle from falling. - Nene appears in flashbacks in Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2 is a sequel to the video game Sengoku Basara , released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released on November 29, 2007...
in Keiji's story. It's implied that her husband killed her to achieve power. - Nene is a major character in Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Taiko ki.
NōhimeNohimealso Kichō or Lady Noh, was the wife of Oda Nobunaga, a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Her proper name was Kichō, but since she came from Mino Province, she is most commonly referred to as Nōhime . She was renowned for her beauty and cleverness.Nōhime's father was the...
Unlike her role in history, Nōhime is usually portrayed as a femme fataleFemme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
, in line with the traditional villainous portrayal of her husband, Nobunaga Oda.
- Her role in Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
depicts a kind-hearted woman who would stop at nothing to achieve her husband's unity of the land, despite the fact that Nobunaga never cared about her. She wields a pair of guns (Ebony and Ivory from Devil May CryDevil May Cryis an action game developed and published by Capcom, released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. Although it is the first game in the series of the same name, the events in Devil May Cry are second in the series storyline's chronological order, taking place after Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening and...
), but her charge/prime attacks unleash a whole variety of gun weaponry. - In Onimusha 3: Demon SiegeOnimusha 3: Demon SiegeOnimusha 3: Demon Siege, released in Japan and Europe as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. It is the third game of the Onimusha series and was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 27, 2004. It was later ported to Windows on December 8, 2005.-Plot:The game opens...
she goes by the name of 'Vega Donna' and has been transformed into a demon woman to join her husband. - Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
depicts Nōhime as the "Viper's Daughter", a sadistSadism and masochism as medical termsIn psychiatry, the terms sadism and masochism describe a personality type characterized by the actor or actrix deriving pleasure and gratification from inflicting physical pain and humiliation ; and from suffering pain and humiliation upon the self ; such pleasure often is sexual, but not...
, who wields a pair of retractable claws, adding this is her use of bombs to add range. In the first installment, her relationship with Nobunaga is considered bipolar, in which she is torn between her sexual admiration for him and her desire to kill him for her father's wishes. One of her endings show an attempt of murdering Nobunaga at his moment of weakness, but failed at the moment he wakes up. Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
has a less prominent role for Nōhime, as Nobunaga treats her instead like any other retainer but in a sense that she still loves him loyally throughout the game(although one of her lines states that she has "already tamed Nobunaga".) In Samurai Warriors 3Samurai Warriors 3is the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, Europe on May 28, 2010, Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 27, 2010 for the Wii....
, Nōhime's role is still less prominent, but she is alongside her husband in most of his battles. Her sadism is more emphasized here, as even when she is in danger, she expresses enjoyment. She is also in a spinoff of Samurai Warriors called Samurai Warriors Katana. In Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, Lu Meng & Taishi Ci rescues her, and she joins Wu. In WO2, she is reunited with Oda Nobunaga. In Dream Mode, she works with Zhen Ji and Xiao Qiao in rescuing Cao Pi, Xing Cai, Tachibana Ginchiyo, Da Qiao, and Shang Xiang from Dong Zhuo. - A different view of Nōhime is presented in the game Kessen IIIKessen IIIis a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
. Under her childhood name of Kicho, she is presented as a chaste and innocent princess. - Nōhime was portrayed by Japanese actress Miki Nakatani in the 1998 film Oda Nobunaga, and by Haruka AyaseHaruka Ayase, born in Hiroshima Prefecture, on March 24, 1985, is a Japanese actress.-Career:In 1999, she successfully passed a Horipro audition. She first achieved widespread recognition for her starring roles in the short film Justice; in 2004 she rose to stardom as Aki in the TV series Crying Out Love, In...
in the 2005 sci-fi film Sengoku Jieitai 1549Sengoku Jieitai 1549or Samurai Commando Mission 1549 is a feature-length film and manga series focusing on the adventures of a modern day Japan Ground Self-Defense Force element that accidentally travels through time to the Warring States period of Japanese history.Both the film and manga are based on Sengoku Jieitai...
. Emi Wakui played Nōhime in the 2006 NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
drama Kōmyō ga tsuji. - In the eroge Sengoku Rance, Oda Nobunaga Kazunosuke's deceased wife's name is "Kichou", other popular name of Nouhime.
- She appears alongside Oda Nobunaga in the manga Sengoku Strays.
OichiOichior a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who married well -- Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo....
Oichi has made an appearance in the video games Onimusha 2: Samurai's DestinyOnimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny, released in Japan as is the second installment in the Onimusha series of video games. The plot revolves around a new protagonist, , as he battles a demonic Genma army which is invading 1571 Japan. Nobunaga Oda, a sinister warlord who was slain in the previous game,...
, Samurai Warriors
Samurai Warriors
is the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
, Warriors Orochi
Warriors Orochi
, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, and Sengoku Basara 2
Sengoku Basara 2
Sengoku Basara 2 is a sequel to the video game Sengoku Basara , released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released on November 29, 2007...
. She is usually depicted as a beautiful, chaste, and loyal woman. Though her relationship with her brother Nobunaga usually formed into rebellion, due to her romantic involvement with her husband, Asai Nagamasa. She is also known as "Ichi".
- She was depicted in Samurai Warriors as a young peppy teen who loves both her brother and her husband to the point that she wants them no longer to fight. She wields a kendamaKendamaA is a traditional Japanese toy which consists of a wooden, hammer-like object with a ball connected to it by a string. In English, kendama may be referred to as ring and pin and bears similarities to the classic cup-and-ball game, known in the Latin American world as balero...
. In Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
, she matured, and that her relationship with Nobunaga became dissolved due to her more romantic involvement with Nagamasa. She also appears in Samurai Warriors 3Samurai Warriors 3is the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, Europe on May 28, 2010, Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 27, 2010 for the Wii....
with an updated character design and a new weapon in the form of large, interconnected bladed rings. In the first Samurai Warriors game, she has two endings. One ending allows her to keep both her brother and her husband alive, but in the other ending, she is forced to wipe out her brother's clan and live on the run with her husband. In SW2, she is forced to leave him and kill him, becoming heartbroken, but in Nagamasa's ending, she gets to live with her husband and her brother in happiness. She is in a spinoff of Samurai Warriors called Samurai Warriors Katana. In Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, she, Azai Nagamasa, and Gan Ning are captured by Cao Pi and join Wei. They work with Honda Tadakatsu in repelling Lu Bu and Orochi's forces. In WO2, Oichi, the Asakura clan, and Azai Nagamasa save Jiang Wei and Maeda Toshiie from death. In Dream Mode, she works with Shang Xiang, the Nanman, and Da Qiao in rescuing their husbands from Da Ji in Kyushu. - Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2 is a sequel to the video game Sengoku Basara , released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released on November 29, 2007...
s version Oichi is a gloomy, soft-spoken woman who wields a dual-bladed naginata (where she can also split it into two). She worries constantly for her husband (who seems to be slightly irritated by it), but stops at nothing for a deeper connection was made. As she is the blood sister of Nobunaga, it is implied that she is a demon herself, with demonic hands and an evil laugh or two appear at moments of low consciousness. She was voiced by Mamiko NotoMamiko Notois a Japanese voice actress working under Office Osawa. She was born in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa, and graduated from Hokuriku Gakuen Senior High School.-Voice:...
. In Sengoku Basara 3, she now appears without her naginata, rather having her demonic hands be used as weapons. - Oichi was depicted by the actress Tanaka Misato in the 2002 NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
taiga dramaTaiga dramais the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music...
. - The gunner mercenary in Atlantica OnlineAtlantica OnlineAtlantica Online is a free to play 3D massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by NDOORS Corporation. The game is set in an alternate history Earth, with the game map consisting of large parts of the northern hemisphere...
is based on Oichi, referencing her brother'sOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
claim to fame by using gunners in the battle of Nagashino. - Oichi was named Oyu in Onimusha 2, in which she works with Yagyu Jubei, Saika Magoichi, Ekei Ankokuji, and Fuma Kotaro in defeating her brother. Oyu also is also in Onimusha Blade WarriorsOnimusha Blade WarriorsOnimusha Blade Warriors, released in Japan as , is a multi-player game from the Onimusha series. Similar to Super Smash Bros., Blade Warriors is a simple 2D fighter game featuring many of the characters of the Onimusha franchise....
. - She is a character in Nobunaga's AmbitionNobunaga's Ambitionis a series of turn-based grand strategy role-playing simulation video games, first released in 1983 by the Japanese video game developer Koei.Games in the franchise have been released on a variety of gaming platforms, including the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive,...
, a game series similar to Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
. - She is a character in Kessen IIIKessen IIIis a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
, in where she looks the closest to her traditional paintings of her.
Ōtani YoshitsuguOtani Yoshitsuguwas a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period though Azuchi-Momoyama Period. He was also known by his court title, . He was born in 1559 to a father who was said to be a retainer of either Ōtomo Sōrin or of Rokkaku Yoshikata. He become one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's followers...
- Yoshitsugu has made an appearance as a masked samurai of the Western army in KessenKessenis a PlayStation 2 launch title produced by Koei and published by Electronic Arts. This was the first DVD-ROM format game for the PS2. It was initially the only real-time wargame game available for the PlayStation 2....
. - Yoshitsugu is also a character in Koei's video game Saihai no Yukue. He is covered with bandages, due to his leprosy.
- Yoshitsugu appears in CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's Sengoku Basara 3 as a man covered with bandages sitting on a floating altar, aiding Ishida MitsunariIshida MitsunariIshida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibunoshō...
in the story. His weapons are floating orbs. - Yoshitsugu is a minor character in James Clavell's tale Shogun where he appears as a Leprous Christian Daimyo called Onoshi.
Saitō DōsanSaito Dosanwas a daimyo who dramatically rose and also fell from power in Sengoku period Japan. He was also known as the for his ruthless tactics.-Life:Originally a wealthy merchant from Yamashiro Province , he entered the service of Nagai Nagahiro of Mino Province , assuming the name Nishimura Kankurô.He...
- Saito Dosan made an appearance at the eroge Sengoku Hime.
- He also appears in the eroge Sengoku Rance as the head of the Saito clan, the girl "Aburako Dousan", after being crushed by the Ashikaga clan and wanders around Mamushi Oil Field, which is a pun about his nickname "". Aburako Dousan can be recruited after recruiting the Mino Three, her retainers, through using Rance's satisfaction points.nThe "Mino TriumvirateMino TriumvirateThe ' was commanded by three Japanese samurai generals serving Saitō clan during the Sengoku Period:*Ujiie Naotomo also known as Ujiie Bokuzen*Andō Morinari also known as Andō Michitari*Inaba Yoshimichi also known as Inaba Ittetsu...
", Saito's chief vassals, were made into the game, with InabaInaba Ittetsu, also known as Inaba Ittetsu , was an officer under the Saitō clan and one of the famed ' during the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods of the 16th century in Japan....
's name changed to "Ganko Ittetsu", AndouAndo Morinari, also known as ' was renowned for being part of the ' under the Saitō clan during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan. He served as a head retainer under Saitō Dōsan after Dōsan overthrew Toki Yorinari and became daimyō of Mino Province...
to "Andou Kyuuri", and Ujiie to "Takuwan-sama".
Otomo SorinOtomo Sorin, also known as Fujiwara no Yoshishige and Ōtomo Yoshishige , was a Japanese feudal lord of the Ōtomo clan, one of the few to have converted to Christianity. The eldest son of Ōtomo Yoshiaki, he inherited the domain of Funai, on Kyūshū, Japan's southernmost main island, from his father...
- Otomo Sorin appears in Sengoku Basara 3 as an NPC. He is a young man who leads a religious cult like Xavi did.
Sanada MasayukiSanada Masayukiwas a Japanese Sengoku period daimyo. He was the third son of Sanada Yukitaka, a vassal daimyo to the Takeda family in Shinano province. He is known as a master strategist. Sanada Nobuyuki and Sanada Yukimura were his sons.-Biography:...
- Sanada Masayuki is a major character in the 2005 movie Azumi 2: Death or LoveAzumi 2: Death or Loveis the sequel to the Japanese film Azumi based on the manga series by Yū Koyama.- Plot :Azumi 2 continues shortly after the end of the previous film with Aya Ueto returning in the title role of a young assassin charged with keeping the nation from falling into a new civil war.Azumi and her only...
. - He is also a non-playable character in the Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
and Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
video game series. - He also appears as a playable unit in KessenKessenis a PlayStation 2 launch title produced by Koei and published by Electronic Arts. This was the first DVD-ROM format game for the PS2. It was initially the only real-time wargame game available for the PlayStation 2....
.
Sanada YukimuraSanada Yukimurawas a Japanese samurai, second son of the Sengoku period daimyo Sanada Masayuki . His proper name was Sanada Nobushige , named after Takeda Shingen's younger brother Takeda Nobushige, who was a brave and respected warrior. He and his father were known as being excellent military tacticians...
- Sanada Yukimura appears in numerous films, including the musical filmMusical filmThe musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
Brave Records of the Sanada ClanBrave Records of the Sanada Clanis a Japanese film directed by Tai Kato in 1963. It is a jidaigeki musical about Sasuke Sarutobi and the Sanada Ten Braves who, under the leadership of Yukimura Sanada, try to defend Toyotomi Hideyori during the siege of Osaka Castle by the Tokugawa armies...
(1963), where he is played by Minoru ChiakiMinoru Chiakiwas a Japanese actor who appeared in such films as Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress.In Seven Samurai, he was the good-natured samurai Heihachi, and he was the first of the samurai to be killed. Ironically, in real life, he turned out to be the last of the seven actors to...
of Seven Samurai fame as a rather ineffectual leader. - Koei's Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series. Similar to Zhao YunZhao YunZhao Yun was a military general who lived during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. For most of his career, Zhao served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of state of Shu Han...
of the Dynasty WarriorsDynasty Warriorsis a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
series, Yukimura is the icon for Samurai Warriors and thus usually placed on the game manual/cover Perhaps because of this, in both games so far his lifespan and prominence have been greatly extended. In the first game, he was portrayed as Takeda Shingen's second-in-command even at the Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima - which occurred 6 years before he was born historically. In the second game, the extension is more modest, but he is still portrayed as a major Takeda officer at the Battle of Nagashino, when he would have been 8. Both games feature the Summer Siege of Osaka Castle as his last and most notable battle. In many character storylines and endings, he is killed in battle at Osaka Castle. In one of his SW endings, he, Kunoichi, Uesugi Kenshin, and Takeda Shingen unite the land. In his SW2 ending, he proves his strength to his friend Maeda Keiji, and he saves Naoe Kanetsugu. Together, they united the land in honor of Ishida Mitsunari. He is also in the spinoff called Samurai Warriors Katana. Throughout the games Yukimura had a somewhat romantic relationship with his bodyguard Kunoichi. In the related series Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
he was tricked by Orochi into thinking that Zhao Yun and the other resistance were phantoms. After losing to Zhao Yun in a fight, he realized that he was deceived, and apologizing, compensated his error by joining forces with Zhao Yun to help rescue Liu BeiLiu BeiLiu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
. In the sequel, he works with Shima Sakon and Zhang Jiao to save Naoe Kanetsugu. In Dream Mode, he works with Zhao Yun and Shimazu Yoshihiro in saving Liu Bei and peasants. - Akimine Kamijyo's popular anime and manga series Samurai Deeper KyoSamurai Deeper Kyois a manga series written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo. The manga was serialized from October 15, 1999 to May 10, 2006 in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine, and collected over 38 volumes....
has Sanada as a main character. He is depicted as a lighthearted, beautiful trickster with a love of battle, wine, women, and almost supernatural prowess as a tactician. - In CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's series Sengoku BasaraDevil KingsDevil Kings, known in Japan as Sengoku Basara , is a 2005 video game for PlayStation 2, developed and released by Capcom...
he is traditionally one of the main characters. He serves under Takeda ShingenTakeda Shingen, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...
alongside Sarutobi SasukeSarutobi Sasukewas a famous ninja in Japanese folklore. He is generally believed to be a Meiji period fictional creation based on the historical ninja ', although some argue for his actual existence.- In folklore :...
. He wields two spears and is shown to have an intense rivalry with Date Masamune. In Sengoku Basara 3 Yukimura becomes the commander of the Takeda forces after Shingen's disappearance. Hoshi Soichiro provides Yukimura's voice in the games and anime. - In the popular anime and manga series Prince of Tennis, Japan's #1 school Rikkai Daigoku's captain is named Seiichi Yukimura, and their vice-captain is named Genichiro Sanada. Likewise Echizen Ryoma who defeated the two forementioned players shares his last name with the commander whose troops killed Sanada Yukimura.
- Sanada Yukimura appears in his own anime called Sanada Juyushi Special (together with his brother Angelo Sanada), directed by Shimizu Keizo.
- Sanada Yukimura was portrayed by comedian Gino Jinnai in the movie Kamen Rider Den-O: I am Born!. His Braves also made a cameo in the movie.
- In the anime series Musashi GundohMusashi Gundohis a Japanese anime television series, based on the story by Monkey Punch. It premiered in Japan on the satellite station BS-i on April 9, 2006, and is also set to be broadcast across Japan by the anime satellite television network Animax from October 2006. It is also legally distributed over the...
, the voice of Sanada Yukimura is played by Sayaka KinoshitaSayaka Kinoshitais a female Japanese voice actress from Chiba, Japan.-Anime cast in:*Aki Sora as Sora Aoi*Elemental Gelade as Lapis*Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha as Director Makihara ; Player ; Student ; Woman...
. - In the manga series Tenjho TengeTenjho Tengeis a Japanese manga authored by Ito "Oh! great" Ōgure. The story primarily focuses on the members of the Juken Club and their opposition, the Executive Council, which is the ruling student body of a high school that educates its students in the art of combat...
, he appears during a flashback taking place days before the summer siege of OsakaSiege of OsakaThe was a series of battles undertaken by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi clan, and ending in that clan's destruction. Divided into two stages , and lasting from 1614 to 1615, the siege put an end to the last major armed opposition to the shogunate's establishment...
castle. - Sanada is one of the three playable characters in the videogame VasaraVasara (game)Vasara is a vertically scrolling manic shooter released in 2000 by Japanese company Visco Corporation. The game has an unusual setting and gameplay as a curtain fire game.-Story:...
. - Yukimura is one of the main characters in the manga series "Brave 10", drawn by Shimotsuki Marlin.
Sasaki KojirōSasaki Kojirowas a prominent Japanese swordsman widely considered as a Kensei, born in Fukui Prefecture. He lived during the Sengoku and early Edo periods and is most remembered for his death while battling Miyamoto Musashi in 1612.-History:...
- The epic historical adventure fiction novel MusashiMusashi (novel)is a Japanese novel written by Eiji Yoshikawa and serialized in 1935 in Asahi Shimbun.-Introduction:It is a fictionalized account of the life of Miyamoto Musashi, author of The Book of Five Rings and arguably the most renowned Japanese swordsman who ever lived.The novel has been translated into...
, by famed Japanese author Eiji YoshikawaEiji Yoshikawawas a Japanese historical novelist, probably one of the best and most famous authors in the genre. Among his most well-known novels, most are revisions of past works. He was mainly influenced by classics such as The Tale of the Heike, Tale of Genji, Outlaws of the Marsh, and Romance of the Three...
, features a separate parallel plotline and various sub-plots highlighting the exploits of Sasaki Kojirō Ganryũ. Eventually the Musashi and Kojirō plotlines intertwine, with the pair's famous duel the climax and final chapter of the novel. - In the game Brave Fencer MusashiBrave Fencer Musashiis an action role-playing game developed and published by Square in 1998 for the Sony PlayStation. The game involves real-time combat in a 3D environment, and features voice overs for most dialogue. Brave Fencer Musashi was scored by Tsuyoshi Sekito, a former Konami employee...
, the title character's sworn rival was named after Kojirō. And in Musashi: Samurai LegendMusashi: Samurai LegendMusashi: Samurai Legend, known in Japan as , is a third-person action game developed and published by Square Enix in 2005 for Sony's PlayStation 2. Much like its predecessor, Brave Fencer Musashi, the game involves real-time combat in a 3D environment, and character designs by Tetsuya Nomura.The...
, the main villain was named Gandrake (Ganryũ). - The birth and growth of Sasaki Kojirō is also featured in VagabondVagabond (manga)is an ongoing manga by Takehiko Inoue, portraying a fictionalized account of Miyamoto Musashi's life, on a loose adaptation of Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi....
by Takehiko InoueTakehiko Inoueis a Japanese manga artist, best known for the basketball manga Slam Dunk, which has become a success both in Japan and overseas. Many of his works are about basketball, Inoue himself being a huge fan of the sport, and many Japanese children started to play basketball because they read the manga...
, a manga dedicated to the life of Miyamoto Musashi, though in it, Sasaki Kojirō is portrayed as being deaf and a good looking young man who was popular with the ladies. - In the manga by Masami KurumadaMasami Kurumadais a Japanese manga artist and writer, known for specializing in fighting manga featuring bishōnen and/or mahō shōnen. He is famous as the creator/author of popular manga, such as Ring ni Kakero, Fūma no Kojirō, Saint Seiya and B't X. His male protagonists are a reflection of the classical and...
, Fuma no KojiroFuma no Kojirois a manga series by Japanese author Masami Kurumada, later adapted to anime. It tells the story of sword legends and rivalry between ninja clans. The main character Kojirō is a young boy who is a member of the Fūma clan...
, Sasaki Kojiro and Miyamoto Musashi are main characters. An Anime version of Fuma no Kojiro was released in 1992. - Kojirō appears as the main spirit in the manga Kensei Tsubame (剣聖ツバメ lit. Sword Saint Tsubame), a story about kendo practitioners who become possessed by the spirits of many famous Japanese swordsmen. The protagonist, who is possessed by Kojirō, is named Tsubame Kamoshita. His name is probably a reference to Kojirō's technique.
- In PokémonPokémon (anime), abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
, the Japanese names for Giovanni and James (of Team Rocket) are Sakaki and Kojiro, respectively. Additionally, James's partner Jessie's Japanese name is Musashi, a reference to Miyamoto MusashiMiyamoto Musashi, also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman and rōnin. Musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his excellent swordsmanship in numerous duels, even from a very young age...
. - In the visual novel and anime series Fate/stay nightFate/stay nightis a Japanese visual novel developed by Type-Moon, which was originally released as an adult game for the PC. An all-ages version of Fate/stay night, titled Fate/stay night Réalta Nua, was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 19, 2007, and features the Japanese voice actors from the anime series...
, the Servant Assassin introduces himself as Sasaki Kojirō. However, it is debated whether his true identity is actually Sasaki, as he claims that he only took Kojiro's name. In Episode 18 of the anime, SaberSaber (Fate/stay night)is a fictional character from the Japanese visual novel and anime series Fate/stay night by TYPE-MOON.She is Shirō Emiya's servant, an agile and powerful warrior. Saber is loyal, independent, and reserved; she appears cold, but is actually suppressing her emotions to focus on her goals. Her class...
recognizes Assassin as Kojiro. Assassin then claims Kojiro is but a fake name and that the person called Sasaki Kojirou does not exist; he is but a character with a fabricated past that has been made into a master swordsman inside people's memories. - In Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
by Koei, Kojiro appears as an enemy officer and an unlockable bodyguard, but not a playable character except through NeneNene (person)or One was an aristocratic lady during the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history known for her intelligence and marriage to Toyotomi Hideyoshi...
's special ability (taking on the appearance and moveset of an officer nearby) and in Samurai Warriors 2: Empires. Kojiro is a playable character in Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends, with his own Story Mode, focused mainly on pursuing and fight Musashi. The ending features Kojiro becoming rather upset after killing Musashi, and his Dream Stage has Kojiro realizing that he wants to fight alongside Musashi, rather than kill him, and they battle their way through a series of officers and challenges to reach Oda Nobunaga. His skin color is bone white (possibly as white face paint), and he is depicted as an evil minded and bloodthirsty fiend who claims to give his enemies a "beautiful end". He appears in Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
where he joins the Samurai faction under Sakon Shima to be "closer to" Musashi. - Tachibana Ukyo from the Samurai Shodown series, is based on Kojiro just as Haohmaru is based on Musashi.
- In an 80's comedy shōnen anime and manga YaibaYaibaYaiba, also known as , is a shōnen manga series by Gosho Aoyama. It ran in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday from issue 39 of 1988 to issue 50 of 1993, collected in 24 tankōbon volumes. It also came in 12 double volumes...
Sasaki Kojirou was revived from his death after the final battle with Miyamoto Musashi, Yaiba's teacher. He was brought to life by Yaiba's nemesis Onimaru in an attempt to defeat Yaiba. However, after a twisted turn of event he then join Yaiba and the gang. His reputation as cool, handsome, and know his way around girls as often portrayed in many fiction about him was parodied in this series as he is shown as a complete womanizer, playboy, and even has a radar for beautiful woman. His appearance in this series was almost entirely comedic although the same would also apply to almost all of the character. The author of the manga is Aoyama Gosho the same author of Meitantei Conan or Case ClosedCase ClosedCase Closed, known as in Japan, is a Japanese detective manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama. The series is serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday since February 2, 1994, and has been collected in 73 tankōbon volumes as of September 2011...
in the USA. - In Dr. SlumpDr. Slumpis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama. It was serialized in Shueisha's anthology comic Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1980 to 1984 which were collected into 18 tankōbon volumes...
, Arale, Gatchan, and Taro used the "Time Slipper" to travel to the day of Musashi's duel with Kojiro. It states that Musashi was late for the duel over a two-day game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Kojiro is shown waiting impatiently for Musashi, and is left waiting after Musashi goes with Arale to the future. - KojiroSasaki Kojirowas a prominent Japanese swordsman widely considered as a Kensei, born in Fukui Prefecture. He lived during the Sengoku and early Edo periods and is most remembered for his death while battling Miyamoto Musashi in 1612.-History:...
's Tsubame Gaeshi is a technique used by Shusuke Fuji in Prince of Tennis, and by Sanada Kazuki in Fighting Spirit. - The sword Monohoshizao appears in Soul Blade, the first game of the popular Soul series fighting games. It was an extra weapon for Mitsurugi, but it was simply named "Kojiro's sword". It later became an alternate weapon for Yoshimitsu in the third part: Soulcalibur II where it is described as a sword that was used by the renowned Japanese swordsman named Kojiroh Sasaki. In Soulcalibur III, it appears as an alternate weapon for the bonus character Arthur, a counterpart to Mitsurugi who himself is based on Miyamoto Musashi.
- Kojiro is an unlockable character in the Ubisoft/Genki game Sword of the Samurai. Which also has Ganryu Island a selectable arena. Also the game features Miyamoto with an actual oar instead of a self modified oar-Suburito.
- Akane Takeda, from the Visual Novel HanachirasuHanachirasuis a Japanese eroge visual novel by Nitroplus released September 30, 2005. Like many Nitroplus titles it is both an action and graphically dark visual novel.-Plot and Setting:...
, develops Kojiro's Tsubame Gaeshi technique to counter Igarasu Yoshia's Hiru-no-Tsuki, which is an attack in which Igarasu launches himself overhead to attack the back, thus Akane literally "Cuts a swallow from flight."
Shibata KatsuieShibata Katsuieor was a Japanese military commander during the Sengoku Period who served Oda Nobunaga.-Biography:Katsuie was born in the Shibata family, a branch of the Shiba clan . Note the differences between , , and the .Katsuie was the retainer of Oda Nobukatsu...
- Shibata's army plays a major role in the 1953 classic film Ugetsu monogatariUgetsuUgetsu is a 1953 Japanese film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. Set in 16th century Japan, it stars Masayuki Mori and Machiko Kyō, and is inspired by short stories by Ueda Akinari and Guy de Maupassant...
. - Shibata is a playable general in Koei's Kessen IIIKessen IIIis a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
in which he is clad in black 'Oni' armour, and looks the same facially in both Kessen III and Samurai Warriors 2, showing some continuity. he appears as a non-playable character in the sequel to Sengoku PeriodSengoku periodThe or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
-based video game Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
as it's known in the US and Europe and also in Samurai Warriors Katana. He is available as an unlockable bodyguard through Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
'Survival' mode. He returns in the Empires expansion as a fully playable character. However, in Samurai Warriors 2 Xtreme Legends, uses a pair of hand-axes instead of a spear, making him a fully fledged unique character. In his story, he eventually gets to marry his love, Oichi, and he helps to teach Maeda Toshiie to be a true warrior. He and Oichi kill themselves by way of setting their castle on fire in his ending, preventing Hideyoshi from getting them as allies, and making Maeda Toshiie sad and upset. In Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
, he works with Oda Nobunaga, Ishida Mitsunari, and Xiahou Dun at repelling Dong Zhuo and killing Taira Kiyomori at Tong Gate. In Dream Mode, he works with Maeda Toshiie, Sun Jian, Sun Ce, and Cao Ren in protecting Oichi from Yuan Shao and Liu Biao. - He is portrayed in the eroge Sengoku Rance as a children's lover so that Rance thinks he is a loliconLolicon, also romanised as lolikon or rorikon, is a Japanese portmanteau of the phrase "Lolita complex". In Japan, the term describes an attraction to underage girls or an individual with such an attraction...
. He will eventually become Ranmaru's husband after doing Ranmaru's events to clear her. His feelings about Kōhime, Oda Nobunaga Kazunosuke's younger sister, may be a bun of Shibata being the second husband of OichiOichior a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who married well -- Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo....
, younger sister of the true Oda NobunagaOda Nobunagawas the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
.
Shima SakonShima Sakon, also known as , was a Japanese samurai of the late Sengoku period. Shima eventually left the service of the Tsutsui, and eventually joined Ishida Mitsunari under the banner of the Uesugi Clan...
- Sakon is a playable character in Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
, where he is portrayed as a former servant of Takeda ShingenTakeda Shingen, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...
and wields a ludicrously huge falchion. He also makes vague impersonations of Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, which are seen on his sideburns and his quotes ("Thank you. Thank you very much.", "Sakon... has left the battlefield."). He must be defeated by the Eastern Army in the Battle of Kusegawa. In his ending, he and Ishida Mitsunari unite Japan. He also appears in the spinoff called Samurai Warriors Katana. He also appears in Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
as an enemy and later ally in the Wu storyline. He developed a friendship with Lu MengLü MengLü Meng was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served as the commanding general in the invasion of Jing Province that led to the death of Guan Yu.-Early life:Lü Meng was born in Fupo, Runan Commandery in 178...
. In the sequel, Sakon is the leading character of one of the five storylines of the game, as Sakon unites the various samurai clans of Oda, Takeda and Uesugi, along with the Kingdom of Wu, in an attempt to prevent the resurrection of Orichi. He also develops a friendly relationship with the mystic Fu Xi. - He also appears in the KessenKessenis a PlayStation 2 launch title produced by Koei and published by Electronic Arts. This was the first DVD-ROM format game for the PS2. It was initially the only real-time wargame game available for the PlayStation 2....
series and in Samurai Warriors Katana. - Sakon appears in Onimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha series, released in March 2006. Dawn of Dreams focuses on a new protagonist, Soki Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha...
, where his mind is twisted and brainwashed by Ophelia, one of the Genma Triumvirate. Tenkai Nankobo uses his purification skills to free Sakon of the evil mind altering. - Sakon is a manga series loosely based on Sakon's life, illustrated by Tetsuo HaraTetsuo Harais a Japanese manga artist famous for drawing the series Fist of the North Star , which he co-authored with Buronson...
. He survives Sekigahara and is ordered by his lord to disrupt a plot set by Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasuwas the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
's kagemushaImpersonatorAn impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for someone to be an impersonator, some common ones being as follows:...
. - In the manga Tenjho TengeTenjho Tengeis a Japanese manga authored by Ito "Oh! great" Ōgure. The story primarily focuses on the members of the Juken Club and their opposition, the Executive Council, which is the ruling student body of a high school that educates its students in the art of combat...
authored by Oh! GreatOh! greatOh! great, whose real name is , is a Japanese manga artist most recognized for the manga series Tenjho Tenge and Air Gear. In 2006, he received the Kodansha Manga Award for shōnen for Air Gear. Oh! great also created the adult series Silky Whip...
, a character is directly named after him, Sakon Shima.
Shimazu YoshihiroShimazu Yoshihirowas the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. It had traditionally been believed that he became the seventeenth head of the Shimazu clan after Yoshihisa, but it is currently believed that he let Yoshihisa keep his position....
- He appears in the Koei game KessenKessenis a PlayStation 2 launch title produced by Koei and published by Electronic Arts. This was the first DVD-ROM format game for the PS2. It was initially the only real-time wargame game available for the PlayStation 2....
. - He also appears in Capcom's Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
, where he wields a giant sword. In the game's sequel, Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2 is a sequel to the video game Sengoku Basara , released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released on November 29, 2007...
, he is determined to duel Honda Tadakatsu to determine who is stronger. - Yoshihiro is present in Koei's Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
. While still portrayed as an old man, he wields a giant mallet and has a rivalry with Tachibana Ginchiyo (heiress to the Tachibana of Kyushu), while the surprise attack before Sekigahara is proposed by Toyohisa (and rejected by Mitsunari for honor's sake) at the opening of the Sekigahara stage. He unites the land under the Shimazu. He also appears in the spin-off series Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
as a starter character for Shu HanShu HanShu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
, along side Zhao YunZhao YunZhao Yun was a military general who lived during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. For most of his career, Zhao served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of state of Shu Han...
and Xing Cai. He assists Xing Cai and the mystic Zuo CiZuo CiZuo Ci is a legendary personage of the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms periods of Chinese history. Though he is known as a local of Lujiang, the years of his birth and death are unknown. It is believed that he had existed before the collapse of the Han Dynasty, and it is claimed that he lived...
in freeing Zhao Yun from Orochi's prison in Ueda Castle. In the sequel, he joins the samurai alliance. He works with Huang Zhong in saving Lu Meng and Gan Ning from Lu Bu's forces. In Dream Mode, he works with Zhao Yun and Sanada Yukimura in rescuing Liu Bei and peasants. - In the eroge Sengoku Rance, the four brothers of Shimazu family are Yoshihisa, Kazuhisa, Toshihisa and Iehisa. While YoshihisaShimazu Yoshihisawas a daimyo of Satsuma Province and the eldest son of Shimazu Takahisa. His mother was a daughter of Nyurai'in Shigesato , Yukimado . Shimazu Yoshihiro and Shimazu Toshihisa are his brothers....
, ToshihisaShimazu Toshihisawas a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, who served as a senior retainer of the Shimazu clan of Satsuma Province. He was also the commander when Hideyoshi Toyotomi Invaded Kyushu....
, IehisaShimazu Iehisawas a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who was a member of the Shimazu clan of Satsuma Province. He served in a command capacity during his family's campaign to conquer Kyūshū....
really were Yoshihiro's brothers, the second brother, Kazuhisa's name may be the reference of Shimazu KatsuhisaShimazu Katsuhisawas the fourteenth head of the Shimazu clan and the third son of Shimazu Tadamasa following the Sengoku or Warring States period of 16th century Japan....
, Yoshihiro's father TakahisaShimazu Takahisa, the son of Shimazu Tadayoshi, was a daimyo during Japan's Sengoku period. He was the fifteenth head of the Shimazu clan.On 1526, Takahisa was adopted as the successor to Shimazu Katsuhisa and became head of the clan. He launched a series of campaigns to reclaim three provinces: Satsuma, Osumi,...
's adopted father. - He was mentioned by Haruo Niijima in Kenichi: The Mightiest DiscipleKenichi: The Mightiest Discipleis a Japanese manga by Syun Matsuena serialized in the weekly manga magazine Shōnen Sunday.The first tankōbon was published on August 9, 2002...
when Niijima was trapped and planned to use the method Shimazu used to charge through the Ragnorok's surroundings.
Suzuki Magoichi
In most of his fictional portrayals, he is often referred to his more common name, Saiga Magoichi.- In Onimusha 2, Saika Magoichi is a calm musketeer trying to protect Saiga village from Nobunaga's army. He feels indebted to the women of the village because his mother died at a young age, so the women raised him. He raises doubts among Ankokuji EkeiAnkokuji Ekeiwas a diplomat of Mōri clan, a powerful feudal clan in the Chūgoku region, Japan, as well as a Rinzai Buddhist monk following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century. He went with Toyotomi Hideyoshi on his invasion of Korea, was named abbot of Tōfuku-ji in Kyoto Prefecture, and was given a...
and Yagyu Jubei (actually he was the first Jubei, grandfather of the infamous Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi, Yagyu MuneyoshiYagyu MuneyoshiYagyū Sekishūsai Taira-no-Munetoshi was a samurai in Japan’s Sengoku period famous for mastering the Shinkage-ryū school of combat, and introducing it to the Tokugawa clan.-Early life :...
) when Tokichiro Kinoshita/Toyotomi HideyoshiToyotomi Hideyoshiwas a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
accuses him of serving Nobunaga. This same Magoichi is also in Onimusha TacticsOnimusha Tacticsis a strategy installment in the Onimusha series released for the Game Boy Advance. It does not follow the storyline of the previous PlayStation 2 games and is considered a side story...
, as well as Onimusha Blade WarriorsOnimusha Blade WarriorsOnimusha Blade Warriors, released in Japan as , is a multi-player game from the Onimusha series. Similar to Super Smash Bros., Blade Warriors is a simple 2D fighter game featuring many of the characters of the Onimusha franchise....
. He also served as a mentor to Ohatsu, Oichi's/Oyu's daughter, from Onimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha series, released in March 2006. Dawn of Dreams focuses on a new protagonist, Soki Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha...
, tutoring her in the wielding of firearms. - Magoichi is also a playable character in the Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series, wielding in all installments a musket with underbarrel bayonet. Magoichi is laid back and dressed in a trench coat. He bears no resemblance to either Suzuki Shigetomo nor Suzuki Sadayu (in fact, he cannot be Suzuki Sadayu; Suzuki is a separate character in the sequel). He fights to protect the people he cares about most as well as for the ladies, and even makes a friendly rival out of Maeda Keiji. He has a slight womanizing obsession. In his story path, beginning with the Battle of Ise (a fictional representation of the fall of Nagashima), and following a continuing anti-Nobunaga campaign, one ending has him becoming a wanderer after the surrender of the Ishiyama Honganji (having joined their campaign against Nobunaga), whereas a second ending has him years later raiding Azuchi CastleAzuchi Castle' was one of the primary castles of Oda Nobunaga. It was built from 1576 to 1579, on the shores of Lake Biwa, in Ōmi Province. Nobunaga intentionally built it close enough to Kyoto that he could watch over and guard the approaches to the capital, but, being outside the city, his fortress would be...
and killing Nobunaga. - In Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
, his storyline is revised to have him be a mercenary leader originally on friendly terms with Hashiba HideyoshiToyotomi Hideyoshiwas a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
, first fighting for Nobunaga at Anegawa and then opposing him in a later stage at Osaka Bay (intended to briefly touch on the Honganji). Angered by a retaliatory attack on his village (though he is able to mitigate the damage) and temporarily breaking his friendship with Hideyoshi, he rushes over to Honnō-ji where, amidst the chaos, he shoots and kills Nobunaga, and repentant Akechi MitsuhideAkechi Mitsuhide, nicknamed Jūbei or called from his clan name and title, was a samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan.Mitsuhide was a general under daimyo Oda Nobunaga, although he became infamous for his betrayal in 1582, which led to Nobunaga's death at Honno-ji...
is the one to take the blame. Ironically enough at the end of the Battle of Yamazaki (his final stage) while standing over Mitsuhide's body he is mortally wounded by a random shot in the back fired from offscreen, and his ending has him surviving long enough to stagger into camp before collapsing and apparently dying in Hideyoshi's arms. He is shown surviving in several endings however, even though they are set years after Yamazaki. In Date MasamuneDate Masamunewas a regional strongman of Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful daimyo in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai...
's ending, the two strike an alliance, a relationship that is shown further in Samurai Warriors 3Samurai Warriors 3is the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, Europe on May 28, 2010, Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 27, 2010 for the Wii....
. In Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, Magoichi helps Zhao Yun and his army to free Yue Ying from Orochi's forces, and later joins forces with Shu Han at the end of the stage. His personality still is of a womanizer, attempting to flirt with the female Chinese characters such as Xing Cai, Yue Ying, Da Qiao, Zhu Rong, and even, Orochi's strategist, Da Ji. He even attempts to flirt with Zhang HeZhang HeZhang He was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He continued serving the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period until his death....
at one point, not knowing that the extremely feminine Zhang is a man. - Koei also depicts him in the Nobunaga's AmbitionNobunaga's Ambitionis a series of turn-based grand strategy role-playing simulation video games, first released in 1983 by the Japanese video game developer Koei.Games in the franchise have been released on a variety of gaming platforms, including the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive,...
series (in particular installments XI and XII) and in Taikou RisshidenTaikou Risshidenis a Japanese video game series produced by Koei. It was later re-released on the Wii Virtual Console on September 1, 2009, ported from the Super Famicom version.The name of the game roughly means "the Taikō's success story"...
(in particular V). He also appears as an enemy general in Kessen IIIKessen IIIis a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
. - He is also a hidden playable character in Visco GamesVisco Corporationis a Japanese software company located in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan. It was founded in by , and later became corporate on August 8, while revealing itself as "Visco" in Kanamecho, Toshima, Tokyo Japan. They originally developed video games for several platforms from the arcades and NES, to the...
' arcade shoot 'em upShoot 'em upShoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
Vasara 2, and is the grandfather of the female Saiga Magoichi in the original game, VasaraVasara (game)Vasara is a vertically scrolling manic shooter released in 2000 by Japanese company Visco Corporation. The game has an unusual setting and gameplay as a curtain fire game.-Story:...
. - Magoichi are two of the captains who have generic faces in the eroge Sengoku Rance (they take the names "Saiga Magoichi" and "Saika Magoichi").
- Magoichi appears in Sengoku Basara 3, appearing this time as a woman named Saika Magoichi (or Lady Saika in historical records). As Magoichi was the common name for the leader of the Saika Renegades, it still fits. This version of Magoichi carries a set of revolvers and other firearms at her disposal.
Tachibana GinchiyoTachibana Ginchiyowas the head of the Japanese clan of Tachibana during the Sengoku Period of the 16th century. Ginchiyo was the daughter of Tachibana Dōsetsu, retainer of the Ōtomo . Because Dosetsu had no sons, he requested that Ginchiyo be made family head after his death...
- Ginchiyo appears in Koei's Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series of video games. She is a popular character despite her debut and only appearance in Samurai Warriors 2Samurai Warriors 2is a sequel to the original Samurai Warriors, created by Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, and received a port to Microsoft Windows in 2008....
, Samurai Warriors 2 Empires and Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends (not counting Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
). In the game, she has a rivalry with Shimazu YoshihiroShimazu Yoshihirowas the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. It had traditionally been believed that he became the seventeenth head of the Shimazu clan after Yoshihisa, but it is currently believed that he let Yoshihisa keep his position....
, the daimyo of SatsumaSatsuma Provincewas an old province of Japan that is now the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. Its abbreviation is Sasshū .During the Sengoku Period, Satsuma was a fief of the Shimazu daimyo, who ruled much of southern Kyūshū from their castle at Kagoshima city.In 1871, with the...
. In Xtreme Legends, she becomes an ally of Chōsokabe MotochikaChosokabe Motochikawas a Sengoku period daimyo in Japan. He was the 21st chief of the Chōsokabe clan of Tosa Province . He was the son and heir of Chōsokabe Kunichika and his mother was a daughter of the Saitō clan of Mino Province....
alongside Shimazu YoshihiroShimazu Yoshihirowas the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. It had traditionally been believed that he became the seventeenth head of the Shimazu clan after Yoshihisa, but it is currently believed that he let Yoshihisa keep his position....
. In reference to her father Tachibana DosetsuTachibana Dosetsu, born Hetsugi Akitsura, was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period who served the Ōtomo clan. He was the father of Tachibana Ginchiyo and adopted father of Tachibana Muneshige.-Biography:...
her attacks are centered around lightning; one of her special abilities is to summon a lightning storm, or augment her sword with a lightning attribute. In her ending, she forgives the Shimazu clan and lets them live, but Shimazu Yoshihiro dies from battle wounds. In the sequel, she is joined by her husband. She also gets the honor of being the first female character in the Warriors series as a whole to wield a sword. He is also a character in Samurai Warriors Katana, a spinoff of Samurai Warriors for the Nintendo Wii. She also appears in the Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
crossover game. She is seen by Zhao Yun, Xing Cai, and Yoshihiro Shimazu, escaping Ueda Castle, at the same time Cai and Shimazu are freeing Zhao Yun. She escapes with them, and joins Zhao Yun's Shu Han forces. In the sequel, Okuni brings Ginchiyo to Wu. She works with her equal in strength, Zhu Rong, in defeating Cao Ren. In Dream Mode, she works with Imagawa Yoshimoto and Xing Cai in saving their allies in Chen Cang Castle. - Ginchiyo also appears in Koei's Kessen IIIKessen IIIis a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
as a hidden character, voiced by Naomi Shindō.
Tachibana MuneshigeTachibana Muneshige, known in his youth as Senkumaru and alternatively called Tachibana Munetora , was a samurai during the Azuchi–Momoyama period and a Edo Period daimyo. He was the eldest biological son of Takahashi Shigetane, a retainer of Ōtomo clan...
- Muneshige appears in Koei's Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series of video games. He first debuted in Samurai Warriors 3Samurai Warriors 3is the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, Europe on May 28, 2010, Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 27, 2010 for the Wii....
, wielding a sword and shield and is shown to have a peculiar relationship with his wife. The Tachibana fight together with Mouri Motonari to protect Japan from Oda Nobunaga's threat. - In the eroge Sengoku Rance, he, along with his adopted father (also father-in-law) Tachibana Dousetsu, are generic-faced captains.
- In Sengoku Hime, his fathers Tachibana Dousetsu and Takahashi Shouun are gender-swapped and they are major generals of the Otomo family.
- He appears in Sengoku Basara 3 as a loyal (but troubled) retainer to the Otomo. He wields a set of katarKatarThe katara or suwaiya is a type of push dagger from India. It is characterised by its H-shaped horizontal hand grip, which results in the blade of the sword sitting above the user's knuckles. Unique to South Asia, it is the most famous and characteristic of Indian daggers...
with chainsaws on them and is depicted to be a large, solid man.
Takeda ShingenTakeda Shingen, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...
The 1988 NHKNHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
Taiga drama
Taiga drama
is the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music...
television series Takeda Shingen was a fictionalized account of his life with Kiichi Nakai in the title role. His life is also dramatized in NHK's 46th Taiga drama Fūrin Kazan
Furin Kazan (Taiga drama)
was the 46th NHK Taiga drama beginning on January 7, 2007. It was aired throughout 2007.The four characters from left to right are wind, woods, fire, and mountain. The title is a reference to the war banner used by Takeda Shingen, which in turn was taken from Sun Tzu's The Art of War...
. Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
's 1980 film Kagemusha
Kagemusha
is a 1980 film by Akira Kurosawa. The title is a term used for an impersonator. It is set in the Warring States era of Japanese history and tells the story of a lower-class criminal who is taught to impersonate a dying warlord in order to dissuade opposing lords from attacking the newly vulnerable...
was also inspired by his life; it brought the musket-wound theory to public attention outside Japan.
Takeda Shingen appears in Toshirō Mifune
Toshiro Mifune
Toshirō Mifune was a Japanese actor who appeared in almost 170 feature films. He is best known for his 16-film collaboration with filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, from 1948 to 1965, in works such as Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, and Yojimbo...
's historical film Samurai Banners
Samurai Banners
is a Japanese samurai drama film released in 1969. It was directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and is based on the life of the famous Sengoku-era battle strategist, Yamamoto Kansuke.- Plot :...
(風林火山 Furin Kazan).
- He also appears in the epic film Heaven and EarthHeaven and Earth (1990 film)Heaven and Earth is a 1990 film directed by Haruki Kadokawa starring Enoki Takaaki, Tsugawa Masahiko, Asano Atsuko, Zaizen Naomi and Nomura Hironobu.-Plot summary:...
. The film's title is a reference to Takeda Shingen's famous quote, "In heaven and earth, I alone am to be revered". - In the science-fiction film Sengoku JieitaiSengoku Jieitai (1979 film)is a 1979 Japanese feature length film focusing on the adventures of a modern day Japan Ground Self-Defense Force team that accidentally travels in time to the...
, in English also known as Time Slip and G.I. Samurai, a group of JSDF soldiers take on his forces. - He is a playable character in the Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
series by Koei. In SW1, he frees Uesugi Kenshin and lets him live. Another ending and his ending in SW2 have the Uesugi and the Takeda uniting Japan together. He is also a character in Kessen IIIKessen IIIis a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
by the same company and in Samurai Warriors Katana. In Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, he arrives to meet Nobunaga Oda at Honnoji, but ends up helping Oda, Huang ZhongHuang ZhongHuang Zhong was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was most noted for his victory in the Battle of Mount Dingjun, in which his force routed that of Xiahou Yuan, who was slain during battle...
, and Xiahou DunXiahou DunXiahou Dun was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Cao Cao's original family name was Xiahou, but his father Cao Song was the adopted son of the eunuch Cao Teng, so Xiahou Dun and Cao Cao share blood relations...
fend off Da Ji's forces. He forms an alliance with his nemesis, Kenshin Uesugi. In the main story, Uesugi and Takeda fall at Nagashino, while Nobunaga's forces are at Guan Du. In the Gaiden stage, aid is sent by Nobunaga to Nagashino, in the form of Huang Zhong and Guan Ping. Takeda and Uesugi join with Nobunaga in the Wu Zhang Plains to defeat Orochi's forces. At Koshi Castle, the Takeda, the Uesugi, and the Oda kill Orochi. In Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
, Sakon reunties, the Takeda, the Uesugi, and the Oda to fight Orochi. Takeda Shingen recruits Sima Yi and defeating him at Chang Ban. He and Naoe Kanetsugu tried to do the same for Date Masamune, but it doesn't work. Takeda Shingen works with Fu Xi and Shima Sakon in killing Orochi at Sekigahara. In Dream Mode, he works with Zhuge Liang, Gan Ning, Taishi Ci, and Zhou Yu at He Fei Castle, repelling Shima Sakon's forces, Uesugi Kenshin, and Sima Yi's forces. - He is a playable character with a very large staff axe in Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
. In Sengoku Basara 3, he is rarely seen due to his sickness. In Yukimura's second story, he appears, completely healthy, to watch over Yukimura's final battle with Masamune. (At least, the last in this particular sequel.) - Takeda Shingen is the main character in the NESNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
game Shingen the RulerShingen the Ruleris a turn-based strategy game for the Nintendo Entertainment System , produced by HOT・B in 1989, and released in North America in 1990. The original Takeda Shingen video game was never released in North America. This game was called Takeda Shingen 2 in Japan.-Summary:left|thumb|A typical screen in...
, and his conquests are also portrayed in the video game, Takeda. Shingen also appears as a character in the Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
and in Nobunaga's AmbitionNobunaga's Ambitionis a series of turn-based grand strategy role-playing simulation video games, first released in 1983 by the Japanese video game developer Koei.Games in the franchise have been released on a variety of gaming platforms, including the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive,...
(信長の野望 Nobunaga no Yabo) game series, as well as Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film... - The board game Shogun features Takeda Shingen as one of the daimyos to choose.
- In the eroge Sengoku Rance, he is the ruler of the Takeda clan, who might be dead before the events of the game. His four chief retainers, the advisor Sanada Tourin, the cavalries Baba Shouen and Yamagata Masakage, the ninja Kousaka Yoshikage are based on four of Takeda ShingenTakeda Shingen, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...
's 24 head generals: Sanada YukitakaSanada Yukitakawas a daimyō of Shinano Province who became one of Takeda Shingen's 'Twenty-four Generals' , submitting to become Takeda's vassal after a long and difficult struggle against him....
, Baba Nobufusa (Baba Nobuharu)Baba Nobuharu, also known as ', was a samurai of Japan's Sengoku period and one of Takeda Shingen's so-called "Twenty-Four Generals"; they were his most trusted commanders. Baba fought at the battles of Mikatagahara and Nagashino, where he led the vanguard of Takeda Katsuyori's right-wing.When Takeda Shingen...
, Yamagata MasakageYamagata Masakagewas one of the 24 generals of the Takeda clan. He was famous for his red armour and skill in battlefield, and was a personal friend of Takeda Shingen. He was the younger brother of Obu Toramasa who was also a retainer of Shingen leading the famous "red fire unit"...
and Kōsaka MasanobuKosaka Masanobualso known as was one of Takeda Shingen's most loyal retainers, and one of his "Twenty-Four Generals" during the Sengoku period of Japan. He is often credited as the original author of Kōyō Gunkan, which records the history of the Takeda family and their military tactics...
. - In the series Mirage of BlazeMirage of Blazeis a shōnen-ai light novel series by Mizuna Kuwabara, which are published under Shueisha's Cobalt label. It was adapted into a TV anime series directed by Susumu Kudo in 2002 and an OVA in 2004....
, Takeda Shingen is an evil spirit ready to be awoken by loyal retainers who have been reincarnated in the modern age. His resurrection is stopped by those in Uesugi Kenshin's army—more inclusively, his adopted son Uesugi KagetoraUesugi Kagetorawas the seventh son of Hōjō Ujiyasu; he was adopted by Uesugi Kenshin, and was meant to be Kenshin's heir. However, in 1578, he was attacked in his castle at Ōtate by Uesugi Kagekatsu--Kagetora's respective brother-in-law—and was subsequently defeated. Kagetora committed suicide the following...
.
One of his notable descendants is video game music composer Ryu Umemoto
Ryu Umemoto
Ryu Umemoto was a Japanese video game music composer, born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is known for composing soundtracks to various visual novel and shoot 'em up games since the 1990s, for several companies including FamilySoft, C's Ware, ELF Corporation, D4 Enterprise, and Cave...
(1974-2011).
Takenaka ShigeharuTakenaka Shigeharu, who was also known as Hanbei , was a Japanese samurai during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. He initially served the Saitō clan of Mino province, but later plotted an uprising and took over the Saitō clan's castle at Mount Inaba. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was so impressed by this tactic that he...
- Shigeharu is often likened to Zhuge LiangZhuge LiangZhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
of Romance of Three Kingdoms. This is mostly due to a romanticized tale of Hideyoshi needing to visit Shigeharu many times before gaining his services, much similar to Liu BeiLiu BeiLiu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
's three visits to Zhuge LiangZhuge LiangZhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
. - Shigeharu (as Hanbei) is featured in the game Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
by CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
. Voice actor Akira IshidaAkira IshidaAkira Ishida is a prolific male seiyū born in Nisshin, Aichi, Japan.He was a part of Mausu Promotion from 1988 until March 2009...
voices him. He wields a whipsword and is shown to be very physically weak and ill. Despite his impending death due to his illness, he is very faithfully devoted to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. - He also appears as Hanbei in Samurai Warriors 3Samurai Warriors 3is the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, Europe on May 28, 2010, Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 27, 2010 for the Wii....
where he is depicted as a young precocious teenager fighting with a bladed sundial. He is shown to have a close relationship with Kuroda KanbeiKuroda Kanbei, other name Kuroda Kanbei , was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku through early Edo periods. Renowned as a man of great ambition, he was a chief strategist under Toyotomi Hideyoshi.-Early Life:...
.
Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
- Within the video game series Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
, Ieyasu is depicted as a man that values patience and the welfare of his subordinates above all else. Equipped with the kabuto that he was historically valued for, Ieyasu also wields a romanticized spear that has the ability to shoot flames and cannonballs from its center. He is in the spinoff called Samurai Warriors Katana. In Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, he is a starter character, for Wu, alongside Sun CeSun CeSun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to...
and Hanzo Hattori. Although resenting having to carry out the evil Orochi's orders, he resolves to patiently wait for the right moment to rebel, and encourages Sun Ce to do the same. In Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
, he joins forces with Shu. He tries to save Date Masamune's soul at Saika village, but he fails. For Shu's ending, he tells Liu Bei that though Taigong Wang was young and cocky, "he was a good man at heart." In Dream Mode, he works with Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi in proving their strength to Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Sun Quan at Fan Castle. - The Akira KurosawaAkira Kurosawawas a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
film KagemushaKagemushais a 1980 film by Akira Kurosawa. The title is a term used for an impersonator. It is set in the Warring States era of Japanese history and tells the story of a lower-class criminal who is taught to impersonate a dying warlord in order to dissuade opposing lords from attacking the newly vulnerable...
tells a fictionalized account of the events leading up to the Battle of NagashinoBattle of NagashinoThe ' took place in 1575 near Nagashino Castle on the plain of Shitaragahara in the Mikawa province of Japan. Forces under Takeda Katsuyori had besieged the castle since the 17th of June; Okudaira Sadamasa , a Tokugawa vassal, commanded the defending force...
. - Portrayed by James SaitoJames SaitoJames Tomio Saito is an American actor of stage, motion pictures, and television. He is best known for his physical portrayal of Shredder in the 1990 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; the character was voiced by David McCharen. Saito also appeared in films like The Devil's Advocate, Home Alone 3,...
in the 2008 BBC docudrama series Heroes and Villains. - The novel Kagemusha Tokugawa Ieyasu by Keichiro Ryu tells the fictional story of the Ieyasu's double who changes places into assassination Ieyasu ahead of the Battle of SekigaharaBattle of SekigaharaThe , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
. The novel was adapted to manga by Tetsuo HaraTetsuo Harais a Japanese manga artist famous for drawing the series Fist of the North Star , which he co-authored with Buronson...
. - Another novel, The Kouga Ninja ScrollsThe Kouga Ninja Scrollsis a historical fantasy novel written in 1958-1959 by the Japanese author Futaro Yamada. The novel was adapted into several comics, a live-acion film and an animated series. It been translated into English by Geoff Sant, and was published by Del Rey in December 2006....
and its adaptations, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade and Basilisk (manga), are fictional stories in which Ieyasu is central to the storylines. - Ieyasu appears as the leader of the Japanese civilization in Sid Meier'sSid MeierSidney K. "Sid" Meier is a Canadian programmer and designer of several popular computer strategy games, most notably Civilization. He has won accolades for his contributions to the computer games industry...
turn-based strategyTurn-based strategyA turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...
game Civilization IIICivilization IIISid Meier's Civilization III, commonly shortened to Civ III or Civ 3, is the third installment of the Sid Meier's Civilization turn-based strategy computer game series. It was preceded by Civilization II and followed by Civilization IV. The game offers very sophisticated gameplay in terms of both...
, as well as in its sequel Civilization IVCivilization IVSid Meier's Civilization IV is a turn-based strategy, 4X computer game released in 2005 and developed by lead designer Soren Johnson under the direction of Sid Meier and Meier's studio Firaxis Games. It is the fourth installment of the Civilization series...
. He also appears as the Japanese leader in the series' console version Civilization RevolutionCivilization RevolutionCivilization Revolution is a 2008 iteration of Civilization developed by Firaxis with Sid Meier as designer for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, and iOS. A Wii version was originally expected but was put on indefinite hold...
. - Ieyasu is a recurring character in the manga series Samurai Deeper KyoSamurai Deeper Kyois a manga series written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo. The manga was serialized from October 15, 1999 to May 10, 2006 in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine, and collected over 38 volumes....
. - Tokugawa Ieyasu is depicted as one of the six survivors of the destruction of the colony ship Mesopotamia in the anime series Saber Marionette JSaber Marionette Jis a Japanese anime produced by Hal Film Maker, aired on TV Tokyo from October 1, 1996 to March 25, 1997. It is the second installation of the Saber Marionette line of series, preceding Saber Marionette J Again and succeeding Saber Marionette R...
. He and the other five survivors (all male) land on the planet that becomes known as Terra II, and each man founds a new city-state reflective of his respective heritage. Each city-state is populated by clones of the founder; the Ieyasu that appears at the start of the series is the 15th cloned incarnation of the original. - He is also featured as a non-playable character in Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
. He appears as a man of short stature but has command of a very powerful general, namely Honda TadakatsuHonda Tadakatsu, also called Honda Heihachirō , was a Japanese general of the late Sengoku through early Edo period, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu. - Biography :A native of Mikawa Province in...
. He appears in Sengoku Basara 3 with an updated, more mature character design and using new gauntlets in battle. His goal is to unite Japan by the force of "bonds". He has a rivalry against Ishida MitsunariIshida MitsunariIshida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibunoshō...
, and his ending confirming that they used to be friends, as he weeps over Mitsunari's death. - The history of his rise to power is fictionalized in James ClavellJames ClavellJames Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
's novel ShōgunShogun (novel)Shōgun is a 1975 novel by James Clavell. It is the first novel of the author's Asian Saga. A major bestseller, by 1990 the book had sold 15 million copies worldwide...
under the name "Toranaga," and in the television showShogun (TV miniseries)Shōgun is an American television miniseries based on the namesake novel by James Clavell. As with the novel, the title is often shown as Shōgun in order to conform to Hepburn romanization. The miniseries was broadcast over five nights, between September 15 and September 19, 1980 on NBC in the...
based on it. - The board game Shogun, features Tokugawa Ieyasu as one of the Daimyos to choose.
- In the game Age of Empires III: The Asian DynastiesAge of Empires III: The Asian DynastiesAge of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties is the second official expansion pack for real-time strategy video game Age of Empires III developed through a collaboration between Ensemble Studios and Big Huge Games, and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The Mac version was ported over and developed...
, Tokugawa's reunification of Japan is one of the campaigns of the game.He can also be unlocked in normal mode and is available as Japanese Shogun. He can train units, receive shipments and boosts attack of units around him. - Tokugawa Ieyasu is the birth father of Yuki HideyasuYuki Hideyasuwas a Japanese daimyo who lived during the Azuchi-Momoyama and early Edo periods. Born the second son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, he established the Echizen Fukui Domain.-Birth:...
, who is the lead of the video game Onimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha series, released in March 2006. Dawn of Dreams focuses on a new protagonist, Soki Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha...
. In game, he goes by the alias Soki. - Tokugawa Ieyasu is the racoon dog youkai lord of the Tokugawa clan in the eroge Sengoku Rance. His five chief retainers: Honda TadakatsuHonda Tadakatsu, also called Honda Heihachirō , was a Japanese general of the late Sengoku through early Edo period, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu. - Biography :A native of Mikawa Province in...
, Hattori HanzoHattori Hanzo, also known as , was a famous samurai and ninja master of the Sengoku era, credited with saving the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu and then helping him to become the ruler of united Japan. Today, he is often a subject of modern popular culture.-Biography:...
, Sakai TadatsuguSakai Tadatsuguwas one of the most favored and most and successful military commanders serving Tokugawa Ieyasu in the late-Sengoku period. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa .along with Honda Tadakatsu, Ii Naomasa, and Sakakibara Yasumasa.-Sakai clan genealogy:The Sakai clan originated in...
, Sakakibara YasumasaSakakibara Yasumasawas a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku period through early Edo period, who served the Tokugawa clan. As one of the Tokugawa family's foremost military commanders, he was considered one of its "Four Guardian Kings"...
, Ii NaomasaIi Naomasawas a general under the Sengoku period Daimyo, and later Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa along with Honda Tadakatsu, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu.-Early life:...
are portrayed as racoon dog youkais like him. Another racoon dog youkai in this game is also based on a general of Tokugawa clanTokugawa clanThe was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
, Honda MasanobuHonda Masanobuwas a commander and daimyo in the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu in Japan during the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods.In 1563, when an uprising against Ieyasu occurred in Mikawa Province, Masanobu took the side of the peasants against Ieyasu...
. - Tokugawa is a main character in the video game KessenKessenis a PlayStation 2 launch title produced by Koei and published by Electronic Arts. This was the first DVD-ROM format game for the PS2. It was initially the only real-time wargame game available for the PlayStation 2....
. - He appears in a flashback sequence in the manga Tenjho TengeTenjho Tengeis a Japanese manga authored by Ito "Oh! great" Ōgure. The story primarily focuses on the members of the Juken Club and their opposition, the Executive Council, which is the ruling student body of a high school that educates its students in the art of combat...
, as a man who is literally possessed by Sohaku KagoSohaku Kagois a character in the manga series Tenjho Tenge. He is the true head of F, and Souichiro Nagi's estranged father.- Character outline :Sōhaku is the first and only person to ever be head of the Kago family, as he has lived for several centuries because of his unique power. He also is the true head...
. His granddaughter Senhime also makes a more prominent appearance. - Tokugawa is mentioned in Vampire WeekendVampire WeekendVampire Weekend is an American indie rock band from New York City that formed in 2006 and signed to XL Recordings. The Band has four members: Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Tomson, and Chris Baio. The band released its first album Vampire Weekend in 2008, which produced the singles "Mansard...
's song, "Giving up the Gun". - His name is used for Vongola Primo's Japanese name in Katekyo Hitman Reborn!.
- A gender-switched version of Ieyasu appears in Sengoku Otome: Momoiro ParadoxSengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox, also known as Battle Girls: Time Paradox, is a 2011 Japanese anime television series based on a Pachinko game developed by Heiwa. Produced by TMS Entertainment under the direction of Hideki Okamoto, the anime series aired on TV Tokyo between April 4, 2011 and June 27, 2011.- Plot :Yoshino Hide,...
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Toyotomi HideyoshiToyotomi Hideyoshiwas a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
- Eiji YoshikawaEiji Yoshikawawas a Japanese historical novelist, probably one of the best and most famous authors in the genre. Among his most well-known novels, most are revisions of past works. He was mainly influenced by classics such as The Tale of the Heike, Tale of Genji, Outlaws of the Marsh, and Romance of the Three...
's novel Taiko ki (English title: Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan) is about the life of Toyotomi. - Hideyoshi appears in the Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
and Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
game series. In Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends and SW2, he unites the land and allows many enemies to live. In Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
series, he works with Oda Nobunaga in killing Orochi twice. He is reunited with Nene, his wife, in Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
. In this series, he finds many women throughout the battlefields to be attractive. In Dream Mode, he works with Oda Nobunaga, and Tokugawa Ieyasu in proving their strength to Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Quan at Fan Castle. He is also in Samurai Warriors Katana, a spinoff of the SW series. - He is a playable character in the game Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2Sengoku Basara 2 is a sequel to the video game Sengoku Basara , released in Japan on July 27, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. A revision with additional features named Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes was released on November 29, 2007...
as a giant man able to grab onto soldiers, even blowing off a volley of arrows, with his bare hands. He wants nothing more but power, so much that he killed his historical wife in order to become a unifier of Japan. He had a one-sided friendship with Maeda Keiji a long time ago until he was changed while being humiliated and injured by Matsunaga HisahideMatsunaga HisahideMatsunaga Hisahide was a daimyo of Japan following the Sengoku period of the 16th century.A companion of Miyoshi Chokei, he was a retainer of Miyoshi Masanaga from the 1540s. He directed the conquest of the province of Yamato in the 1560s and by 1564 had built a sufficient power-base to be...
. in Sengoku Basara 3, Hideyoshi is killed by Ieyasu Tokugawa before the events of the game. Mitsunari Ishida seeks to kill Ieyasu to avenge Hideyoshi. - He is also the center of Koei's Taikou RisshidenTaikou Risshidenis a Japanese video game series produced by Koei. It was later re-released on the Wii Virtual Console on September 1, 2009, ported from the Super Famicom version.The name of the game roughly means "the Taikō's success story"...
series of games, which focus primarily on Hideyoshi's rise to prominence. - In the game Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion, in the "Kyoto" scenario, the player, as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, must fight to avenge "Lord Nobunaga's" death in Kyoto.
- He is one of the principal villains in the first three OnimushaOnimusha seriesis a series of video games by developer Capcom. The series makes use of the historic figures that shaped Japan's history, retelling their stories with supernatural elements...
games and becomes the main villain in the fourth installment, Onimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha series, released in March 2006. Dawn of Dreams focuses on a new protagonist, Soki Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha...
. - Toyotomi (or his faction) is a selectable character in the Shogun: Total WarShogun: Total WarShogun: Total War is a turn-based strategy and real-time tactics computer game developed by The Creative Assembly and published by Electronic Arts. Released in June 2000, the game is the debut title in The Creative Assembly's Total War series...
and Throne of DarknessThrone of DarknessThrone of Darkness is a Japanese-themed action-oriented computer role-playing game released in 2001 by Sierra Entertainment, a subsidiary of Vivendi Universal. Players control up to four different samurai at a time...
games. - The character Taikō Nakamura in James ClavellJames ClavellJames Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
's novel ShōgunShogun (novel)Shōgun is a 1975 novel by James Clavell. It is the first novel of the author's Asian Saga. A major bestseller, by 1990 the book had sold 15 million copies worldwide...
is a pastiche of Toyotomi. - The board game Shogun, features Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hideyoshi as one of the Daimyos to choose.
- In the eroges Sengoku Rance and Sengoku Hime, he is portrayed as a monkey named Toukichirou, which is Hideyoshi's other name (in Sengoku Rance) or a monkey general (in Sengoku Hime).
- Hideyoshi also appears in the anime series, Sengoku Otome: Momoiro ParadoxSengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox, also known as Battle Girls: Time Paradox, is a 2011 Japanese anime television series based on a Pachinko game developed by Heiwa. Produced by TMS Entertainment under the direction of Hideki Okamoto, the anime series aired on TV Tokyo between April 4, 2011 and June 27, 2011.- Plot :Yoshino Hide,...
, where he is instead portrayed as a modern day school girl named Yoshino Hide (a pun on Hideyoshi) who somehow winds up in Feudal Japan where she meets gender-swapped versions of the heroes during the Sengoku Period.
Uesugi KenshinUesugi Kenshinwas a daimyo who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku period of Japan.He was one of the most powerful lords of the Sengoku period. While chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield, Kenshin is also regarded as an extremely skillful administrator who fostered the growth of local industries...
- Kenshin, as Kagetora, is the main character in the film Heaven and Earth.
- Kenshin, as Nagao Kagetora is a central character in the Japanese sci-fi film Sengoku JietaiSengoku Jieitai (1979 film)is a 1979 Japanese feature length film focusing on the adventures of a modern day Japan Ground Self-Defense Force team that accidentally travels in time to the...
. - Kenshin, played by Abe Hiroshi, is a major supporting character in the NHK Taiga Drama TenchijinTenchijinis the 48th NHK Taiga drama. It airs on NHK from January 4, 2009 every Sunday from 20:00 to 20:44 JST to November 22, 2009 spanning 47 episodes. The story centers on the life of the 16th century samurai Naoe Kanetsugu....
. - Kenshin is featured in Koei's video game series Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
and Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
. He wields a seven bladed sword and prays to Bishamonten every time he starts a battle. - In the game Age of Empires III: The Asian DynastiesAge of Empires III: The Asian DynastiesAge of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties is the second official expansion pack for real-time strategy video game Age of Empires III developed through a collaboration between Ensemble Studios and Big Huge Games, and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The Mac version was ported over and developed...
players must raise an army to defeat him in order to pacify a rebellion against the player. - In Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
, one ending has him allow many warriors to join him. Another ending has him release Takeda Shingen, and they become friends. A third ending has him working with Kunoichi, Takeda Shingen, and Sanada Yukimura in rebuilding Japan after its unification. In SW2, he lets go of Takeda Shingen. In the Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
series, he works with the Oda and the Takeda twice to wipe out Orochi. In Dream Mode, he teams with Guan Yu and Xu Huang to rescue Inahime, Tokugawa Leyasu, and Mori Ranmaru from Sima Yi, the Date, and Taira Kiyomori. - He also features in Koei's Nobunaga's AmbitionNobunaga's Ambitionis a series of turn-based grand strategy role-playing simulation video games, first released in 1983 by the Japanese video game developer Koei.Games in the franchise have been released on a variety of gaming platforms, including the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive,...
series of games. He makes another appearance in Kessen IIIKessen IIIis a PlayStation 2 video-game produced by Koei and is based on the life of Oda Nobunaga.-Historical background:The game's time frame is roughly between the years 1550 to 1590...
, also by Koei. - Kenshin is also featured in CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's Sengoku BasaraSengoku Basarais a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, as well as a bigger media franchise based on it, including two anime series and an animated film...
. In there, he is depicted as a much more feminine figure who would sometimes act rather narcissistic. He's assisted with Kasuga, a fictional Kunoichi who is apparently in love with him (she may possibly be named after Kasugayama CastleKasugayama Castle' was the primary fortress of the Japanese warlord Uesugi Kenshin during the Sengoku period. It is situated in what is now the city of Jōetsu, Niigata prefecture, and was originally built and ruled by the Nagao clan....
, Kenshin's primary fortress). - The board game Shogun features Uesugi Kenshin as one of the daimyos to choose.
- Kenshin is portrayed by Japanese pop culture icon GacktGacktis a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, voice actor and author. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, he is known for his career as a solo artist and as the former vocalist for the defunct visual kei rock band Malice Mizer....
in the Japanese taiga dramaTaiga dramais the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music...
Fūrinkazan (風林火山). - In the anime Rurouni KenshinRurouni Kenshin, also known as Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The fictional setting takes place during the early Meiji period in Japan. The story is about a fictional assassin named Himura Kenshin, from the Bakumatsu who becomes a wanderer to...
, the main character is a wandering samuraiSamuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
named Kenshin, whose fighting style includes moves related to dragons in a reference to "The Dragon of Echigo." The anime character is also noted for his "godlike speed," and eventually comes into conflict with a gun-wielding entrepreneur whose surname is Takeda. - In the SNES (Super Nintendo) game Inindo: Way of the NinjaInindo: Way of the NinjaInindo: Way of the Ninja is a role-playing video game developed by Koei...
, Uesugi Kenshin is Daimyo of the province Echigo. - In the eroge Sengoku Rance, Uesugi Kenshin is presented as one of the winnable girls who is also lord of two provinces in JAPAN.
- A gender-swapped Kenshin appears in Sengoku Otome: Momoiro ParadoxSengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox, also known as Battle Girls: Time Paradox, is a 2011 Japanese anime television series based on a Pachinko game developed by Heiwa. Produced by TMS Entertainment under the direction of Hideki Okamoto, the anime series aired on TV Tokyo between April 4, 2011 and June 27, 2011.- Plot :Yoshino Hide,...
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Yagyū MuneyoshiYagyu MuneyoshiYagyū Sekishūsai Taira-no-Munetoshi was a samurai in Japan’s Sengoku period famous for mastering the Shinkage-ryū school of combat, and introducing it to the Tokugawa clan.-Early life :...
- The second installment of the Onimusha video game series as well features a swordsman by the name of Yagyū Jūbei, but this is in fact Jūbei's grandfather, Yagyū Muneyoshi. In the fourth gameOnimusha: Dawn of DreamsOnimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha series, released in March 2006. Dawn of Dreams focuses on a new protagonist, Soki Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha...
a female Yagyu by the name of Akane took the name of Jūbei as the strongest of her clan and is on a mission to go after Munenori; in this installment, he is represented by the name Sekishūsai Yagyū, one of his famous names.
Yamamoto KansukeYamamoto Kansukewas a Japanese samurai of the 16th century who was one of Takeda Shingen's most trusted Twenty-Four Generals. Also known by his formal name, Haruyuki . He was a brilliant strategist, and is particularly known for his plan which led to victory in the fourth battle of Kawanakajima against Uesugi...
- Kansuke was the subject of the 1969 film Samurai BannersSamurai Bannersis a Japanese samurai drama film released in 1969. It was directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and is based on the life of the famous Sengoku-era battle strategist, Yamamoto Kansuke.- Plot :...
, directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, where the role of Kansuke was played by Toshiro Mifune. - The 2007 NHK Taiga drama Fūrinkazan (風林火山) features Yamamoto Kansuke as the main character (played by Uchino Masaaki). It is based on the novel by Yasushi Inoue.
- Kansuke also appears in the Yoshihiro Takahashi's manga Kacchu no Senshi Gamu.
- He is also featured as one of the generals in the strategy game Civilization IV: WarlordsCivilization IV: WarlordsCivilization IV: Warlords is the first official expansion pack of the critically acclaimed turn-based strategy video game Civilization IV.-Features:Warlords added many new features to the original game...
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