People of the Sengoku period in popular culture

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Many significant Japanese historical people of the

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 villain.

Azai Nagamasa

Chōsokabe Motochika

  • Motochika is a playable character from
    Samurai Warriors 2 Empires
    .
  • In
    daimyō
    of the Chōsokabe Clan.
  • Motochika appears in the anime and video games Sengoku Basara as a sea-faring Pirate and is loved by his crew, who calls him "Aniki" (Big Brother). His ability was fire-based and armed himself with a ship anchor spear fastened with a chain.
  • He is a playable character in Pokémon Conquest (Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan), with his partner Pokémon being Dewott and later Samurott.

Date Masamune

His voice actor,

Kakihara Tetsuya also sang the opening song 「リターン乱世独眼竜」 "Ritān Ransei Dokuganryuu",[3]
which is related to his nickname 'Dokuganryuu'.

Hattori Hanzō

  • Hattori Hanzō appears in various movies such as: Shadow Warriors (1980), Goemon, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, Castle of Owls,...
  • Hattori Hanzō and characters inspired by him are also featured in manga and anime series like: Basilisk, Naruto, Brave 10, Samurai Deeper Kyou, Oda Nobuna no Yabou, Tenkaichi Nihon Saikyo Bugeisha Ketteisen, Ninja Hattori-kun, Hunter x hunter, One Piece,...
  • Hattori Hanzō is an NPC and boss in Nioh series.
  • Hattori Hanzō is a playable character in Samurai Shodown series.
  • In Sengoku Basara, Hattori Hanzō is a bodyguard NPC.
  • Hattori Hanzō is a playable character in Samurai Warriors video game series.

Honda Tadakatsu

Hosokawa Gracia

As a samurai wife or other invented roles, Hosokawa 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 Miura's novel, Hosokawa Garasha Fujin (English title: Lady Gracia: a Samurai Wife's Love, Strife and Faith), which follows history fairly closely.
  • James Clavell used Gracia as the model for the character of Mariko in his novel Shōgun, which was later adapted for television as a miniseries. 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
    Amakusa Shirō Tokisada
    .
  • In the video game Kessen, there is a cut-scene depicting Gracia dying heroically because her religion (Christianity) forbade her to commit suicide.
  • Gracia is her father
    Sengoku Rance
    , after doing two of Mitsuhide's events using Rance's satisfaction points.
  • Gracia is among the playable characters included in
    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 2
    , 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.
  • She is a playable character in
    Gothitelle
    .

Imagawa Yoshimoto

  • As a young man, Imagawa Yoshimoto is a playable character in the Koei action game Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends, as well as in Kessen III, an action-strategy game. Both games depict Imagawa as a childish dandy, although Samurai Warriors takes this to an extreme by giving him a kemari (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 2 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 Katana
      .
    • In Warriors Orochi, he is found (using his Samurai Warriors model) 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 Warriors Orochi 2 Imagawa (using his Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends model) 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 Basara 2: Heroes
    ). In the anime, he was portrayed as a coward, weak and a pathetic leader that uses his men as scapegoats to save himself, but he was killed by Oda Nobunaga.
  • In the translation of Path of the Assassin, 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 name of the man who has disguised himself as the Hanny King who rules a province full of haniwa in the
    Sengoku Rance
    .
  • He also appears briefly in the short manga Kacchu no Senshi Gamu by Yoshihiro Takahashi.
  • Yoshimoto appears as a gender-switched character in
    Sengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox
    .
  • In Sengoku Basara, he was portrayed as a coward general that attacks with puny force, retreating further and using his subordinates as decoys by raising them as the same rank. He is also shown with facial make-up, carrying a folded fan and moves like a kabuki.
  • He is a playable character in
    Forretress. He was portrayed as an innocent dandy who likes the game Pokémari, which is based on kemari
    .
  • He is a non-playable character in Inazuma Eleven GO 2: Chrono Stone.
  • In Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga, Yoshimoto is reincarnated in modern-day Japan as a Dachshund nicknamed "Gilbert".
  • Yoshimoto is a playable character in the Japanese version of the visual novel game (purchasable through Apple and Samsung) Ikemen Sengoku; Romances Across Time, produced by Cybird (company). He has been added to the English version but is as yet not playable.
  • He appears as a boss in Nioh 2 as the first human boss due to the player helping Oda Nobunaga in his campaign to unite Japan. He uses a naginata and dual swords, along with the lightning element. He spirit guardian takes the form of six-tusked elephant.

Ishida Mitsunari

  • The story of James Clavell's novel Shōgun is based on the strife between Ishida Mitsunari (called Ishido in the novel) and Tokugawa (Toranaga) over the Taiko's son, Toyotomi Hideyori.
  • He was portrayed by Hiro Kanagawa in the 2008 BBC docudrama Heroes and Villains, centering on the Battle of Sekigahara.
  • Mitsunari also appears as one of the main characters of Koei's Kessen. He is the first of three commanders under the Toyotomi forces depicted opposing Tokugawa Ieyasu. 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 Dynasties campaign. In the Japanese campaign, players must kill him in order to win and unify Japan.
  • He appears in Koei's
    Samurai Warriors Katana
    .
  • In Capcom's Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, Mitsunari is the host of the Genma Cladius and serves as a major antagonist for most of the game.
  • 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 Ishida 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 and uses Iaido. He shows an immense hatred towards Tokugawa Ieyasu for the death of his mentor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, although in Sengoku Basara: The Last Party
    , he hates Date Masamune more than Ieyasu, blaming him for his mentor's death.
  • Mitsunari also appears in the Goemon movie. He is a retainer to Lord Hideyoshi but secretly has his own ambitions to overthrow his master. He was killed at Sekigahara by Goemon which prompts his army to retreat.
  • In the Strategy game Shogun 2 Total War, he is one of the generals in the Sekigahara Historical Battle
  • Professional wrestler Danshoku Dino wrestled as Ishida Mitsunari for the Dramatic Dream Team promotion on February 10, 2013.[4]
  • He is a playable character in
    Bisharp
    . He is straightforward and cold, but is actually a good person and never forgets a favor done for him. He has a friendship with the other two warlords Kiyomasa and Masanori. The trio are depict as pre-teens in the game.
  • Mitsunari is a playable character in the social romance sim Samurai Love Ballad (天下統一恋の乱 Love Ballad) produced by Voltage (company).
  • Mitsunari is a playable character in the visual novel game (purchasable through Apple and Samsung) Ikemen Sengoku; Romances Across Time, produced by Cybird (company)
  • Mitsunari is one of the primary antagonists in Nioh, having allied with Edward Kelley in order to gain power to fend off the Tokugawa forces. He uses a sword and the wind element. His guardian spirit is a fox.

Izumo no Okuni

Unlike her role in history, Izumo no Okuni's appearances in fiction often portray her as a fictional besshikime (別式女), a capable fighter skilled with weapons and magic.

Katakura Kojūrō

  • In series with Date Masamune,
    Sengoku Basara 2
    , as second in command to Date Masamune, but is often depicted at times as a swordsman meeting his equal and showing a superior tactical ability to Date, although respecting Masamune's superiority.
  • Kojuro is the name of Dokuganryuu Masamune's
    Sengoku Rance
    .
  • Kojurou is often in any series where Date Masamune is present, though he may sometimes be a generic character.
  • Kojuro is a playable character in the social romance sim Samurai Love Ballad (天下統一恋の乱 Love Ballad) produced by Voltage (company).
  • Kojuro also makes an appearance in the video game Samurai Warriors 4 as a playable character. He is depicted as a man who helds huge loyalty towards his lord Date Masamune, and the Date clan who will do anything to ensure their survival. Kojuro is depicted as a wise man that acts as a clear voice of reasoning as Masamune's closest advisor, sometimes nullifying the recklessness of his young lord.
  • He is briefly mentioned in Nioh due to passing away from an illness and leaving behind his son Katakura Shigenaga. He gives Date Masamune his guardian spirit, a fish-man hybrid.

Kobayakawa Hideaki

  • 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 is made playable in the upcoming expansion, Sengoku Basara 3:Utage[6]
  • Portrayed by Louis Ozawa Changchien in the 2008 BBC docudrama series Heroes and Villains.
  • In Sengoku Basara: The Last Party, he was under Tenkai's clutch. He always likes to cook. He also tricked all generals to go to Sekigahara under guise if Ieyasu Tokugawa's invitation, but discovered by Ieyasu himself and plays along with his plans. He was also last seen falling down in the cauldron.
  • In Nioh, Hideaki is presented as a vainglorious and cowardly lord who participates in the battle of Sekigahara on the Ishida side, but is later convinced by William to defect to the opposing side. He guardian spirit is a bat.

Komatsuhime

Kuroda Kanbei

Kyōgoku Maria

  • Kyōgoku Maria, the older sister of Azai Nagamasa, is depicted in Capcom's Sengoku Basara 4 video game as a sorceress with the ability to manipulate her sleeves in combat and uses her charm to deceive enemies.
  • She appears in Koei's Samurai Warriors 4: Empires as a unique NPC that can be playable if selected. However, she is not considered as a true playable character, due to being assigned with edit character parts and weapons.

Maeda Matsu

  • Matsu is depicted in Capcom's
    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
    Samurai Warriors 2
     under the "Lady Samurai" class.

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 it was shown/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 Warriors series and is usually one of the strongest enemies to defeat. His weapon is a two-pronged spear, similar to a sasumata. He also appears in Warriors Orochi on the Orochi Army, later serving the Wu Army as a Gaiden character.
  • Maeda Keiji debuted as a playable character in
    Sengoku Basara 3
     as the representative of both the Uesugi and Maeda clans. On game, if you fight him, his men appear to be partying, stopped when a giant person sounds the alarm.
  • Keijiro also appears in Onimusha Blade Warriors 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 III through loading a Samurai Warriors data file from the memory card.
  • A manga series loosely based on Keiji's life illustrated by Tetsuo Hara (of Fist of the North Star fame) was produced titled Keiji.
  • In the NHK television drama series Toshiie to Matsu, Maeda Keijiro is depicted by the actor Mitsuhiro Oikawa.
  • Maeda Keiji is
    Sengoku Rance
     after doing two of Toshiie's events using Rance's satisfaction points.
  • Maeda Keiji appears as a minor character in the social romance sim Samurai Love Ballad (天下統一恋の乱 Love Ballad) produced by Voltage (company).

Additionally, Keiji's famed horse,

Matsukaze
, appears in a number of games and movies as well.

  • Matsukaze is a ridable horse in the Samurai Warriors and Warriors Orochi game series.
  • The jetbike Keiji rides in the
    Vasara
     game series is said to be the model "Matsukaze 1000".

Matsunaga Hisahide

  • 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 Kojūrō's and Maeda Keiji's stories; and by the end of such scenarios 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 Heroes[6]
  • He also appears in Samurai Warriors 2 as a purchasable Bodyguard under the "Fire Ninja" class. He later appears in Samurai Warriors 4 as a playable character.
  • in Sengoku Basara, he also appears during the challenge, involving his mercenaries to destroy 2 gates. Then if you repulsed all attempts, he appears. If failed, he was shown waving his sword as it explodes. He excels in sword fights, mixing it with his fascination in explosives and fire-based techniques.
  • In Nioh, William can interact with the ghost of Hisahide who refers to himself as Danjo. His guardian spirit is a spider.
    • He also appears in Nioh 2 as a supporting character where he continues to support the player as Dango due to blowing himself up after betraying Oda Nobunaga and destroying himself, his teapot, and his castle rather than surrendering to Nobunaga. His guardian spirit remains as a spider.
  • In Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga, Hisahide is reincarnated in modern-day Japan as a Chihuahua nicknamed "Whip".

Miyamoto Musashi

Main article: Miyamoto Musashi in fiction

Mōri Motonari

  • He (along with King Lear) was the basis of Hidetora Ichimonji in the Akira Kurosawa film Ran.
  • Motonari has also made an appearance in video games such as that of
    Sengoku Basara 2
    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 3, 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 NHK 36th drama Motonari.
  • Motonari is one of the lords in the eroge
    Sengoku Rance. He has been cursed by a yōkai named Daidaara, the player can ask for Sakamoto Ryouma's information after recruiting her to lift his curse. His three daughters' names: Mōri Teru, Kikkawa Kiku and Kobayakawa Chinu are based on historical Motonari's three sons: Mōri Takamoto, Kikkawa Motoharu, and Kobayakawa Takakage
    .
  • The board game Shogun features Mōri Motonari as one of the daimyōs to choose.
  • Motonari also appears in the strategy game
    Servine
    .
  • In the video game League of Legends Yorick Mōri has characteristics that are references to Mōri Motonari.

Mori Ranmaru

Ranmaru has appeared as a character in fiction and has appeared in several video games (such as

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

  • Naoe Kanetsugu 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 NHK taiga drama Tenchijin.
  • Naoe Kanetsugu was featured as a playable character in
    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 television series of Sengoku Basara, only to be defeated by Honda Tadakatsu in a comical fashion.
  • In
    Sengoku Basara 3
    , but has Kanetsugu's trademark helmet with the large kanji "Ai" ("love").
  • Appearing in a semi-fictional biography as the main protagonist of the historical manga Gifuu doudou Naoe Kanetsugu by Tetsuo Hara.
  • In
    KissxSis
    , he was shown as one of Keita's teacher's fetish, Japanese samurai generals.
  • He is a playable character in
    Kadabra and later Alakazam
    . He appears as a warlord who is warmhearted and dutiful, and honors love and justice very much.
  • Kanetsugu appears as a minor character in the social romance sim Samurai Love Ballad (天下統一恋の乱 Love Ballad) produced by Voltage (company).

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.

Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga has appeared in a number of works across various media.

Oichi

Ōtani Yoshitsugu

  • Ōtani Yoshitsugu becomes a playable character in Samurai Warriors 4. His appearance with a white mask was inspired by his iconic exploits at Sekigahara for simple recognition. He is Ishida Mitsunari's loyal friend who sided with him at Sekigahara.
  • Yoshitsugu has made an appearance as a masked samurai of the Western army in Kessen.
  • Yoshitsugu is also a character in Koei's video game Saihai no Yukue. He is covered with bandages, due to his leprosy.
  • Yoshitsugu is a minor character in James Clavell's tale Shogun where he appears as a Leprous Christian Daimyō called Onoshi.
  • Yoshitsugu is a character in
    Sengoku Basara 3
    who rides a floating chair with orbs as weapons.
  • He also appeared in Sengoku Basara: The Last Party as Mitsunari's aide and lieutenant, doing anything to achieve Mitsunari's vengeance, alongside Oda Clan's Oichi. He was killed by Nobunaga when he tried to delay the Demon King for Mitsunari to recover. In Justice End, he never forsakes his master Mitsunari until he was defeated by Kojuro.
  • Yoshitsugi is a secondary antagonist in Nioh, where he introduces Edward Kelley to Mitsunari and during the battle of Sekigahara fuses with his Guardian Spirit to fight William. He uses dual swords and the wind element. His guardian spirit is a butterfly-human hybrid.

Saitō Dōsan

  • Saitō Dōsan makes an appearance in the eroge Sengoku Hime.
  • He also appears in the eroge
    Ujiie
    to "Takuwan-sama".
  • Dōsan appears as a supporting character in Nioh 2. He is also revealed to be the protagonist's father. He recognizes the protagonist as his son but does not tell him prior to his death. His guardian spirit is a white viper.

Ōtomo Sōrin

  • Sengoku Basara 3
     as a non-player character and is playable in later games. He is a young man who leads a religious cult devoted to Xavi.

Sanada Masayuki

Sanada Yukimura

Sasaki Kojirō

  • Sasaki Kojirō is featured in Japanese author Eiji Yoshikawa's epic historical fiction novel about Miyamoto Musashi, Musashi. He and Musashi each have separate parallel plotlines and various sub-plots before they intertwine, with the pair's famous duel the climax and final chapter of the novel.
    • Sasaki Kojirō is portrayed by Kōji Tsuruta in two installments of the Samurai Trilogy of films, based on Yoshikawa's novel. He is featured in Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple and Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island, the latter centered on his battle with Musashi.
    • The birth and growth of Sasaki Kojirō is featured in Vagabond by Takehiko Inoue, a manga based on Yoshikawa's novel, though in it, Kojirō is portrayed as being deaf.
    • Yoshikawa's novel is also the basis of the 42nd NHK taiga drama of the same name from 2003. The NHK serial retains the novel's plot structure, developing parallels between the lives of Sasaki and Musashi and thus rendering Sasaki a major character, portrayed in the show by Matsuoka Matsuhiro.
  • In the game Brave Fencer Musashi, the title character's sworn rival was named after Kojirō. And in Musashi: Samurai Legend, the main villain was named Gandrake (Ganryũ).
  • In the manga Wangan Midnight, Gen Sasaki is named after Sasaki Kojirō, as they share the family name, Sasaki.
  • In the manga
    Shūmatsu no Valkyrie
    , Sasaki Kojiro is retratem like the greatest loser of history and is the third fighter from humanity's side that fights against the God Poseidon.
  • In the manga by
    Fuma no Kojiro
    , 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
    Pokémon, the Japanese name of James (of Team Rocket) is Kojiro. Additionally, James's partner Jessie's Japanese name is Musashi, a reference to Miyamoto Musashi
    .
  • In the visual novel and anime series
    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, however, it is later proven that at least a person known as Sasaki Kojiro exists in the universe due to said appearing in Fate/Samurai Remnant
    .
  • 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 2
    where he joins the Samurai faction under Sakon Shima to be "closer to" Musashi.
  • In Gosho Aoyama's Yaiba, Sasaki Kojiro 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.
  • In Dr. Slump, 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.
  • Fighting Spirit. The technique is also featured in Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game as the card "Swallow Flip", as well as in Pokémon game series as the move "Aerial Ace". It is also the signature technique for the character Seraphim in "Is This A Zombie?
    ".
  • The sword Monohoshizao appears in
    Arthur
    , a counterpart to Mitsurugi.
  • 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 Hanachirasu, 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 Katsuie

Shima Sakon

  • Fu Xi
    .
  • He also appears in the
    Samurai Warriors Katana
    .
  • Sakon appears in Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, 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 Hara. He survives Sekigahara and is ordered by his lord to disrupt a plot set by Tokugawa Ieyasu's kagemusha.
  • In the manga
    Oh! Great, a character is directly named after him, Sakon Shima
    .
  • Sakon is playable in Sengoku Basara 4 as a cheerful young man who enjoys gambling and his flirtatious look. He serves under Ishida Mitsunari.
  • Sakon appears as a minor character in the social romance sim Samurai Love Ballad (天下統一恋の乱 Love Ballad) produced by Voltage (company).
  • Sakon appears as a secondary antagonist in Nioh, being a loyal servant of Mitsunari who survives the battle of Sekigahara and is later present at his master's execution. He uses a spear and the lightning element due to his guardian spirit, a lion-like creature. Later in the game he uses the wind element and gains the guardian spirit of his master, a fox.

Shimazu Yoshihiro

Suzuki Magoichi

In most of his fictional portrayals, Suzuki Magoichi is often referred to his more common name, Saiga Magoichi.

Tachibana Ginchiyo

Tachibana Muneshige

Takeda Shingen

The 1988

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).

Takenaka Shigeharu

  • Takenaka Shigeharu is often likened to Zhuge Liang of Romance of the 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 Bei's three visits to Zhuge Liang.
  • Shigeharu (as Hanbei) is featured in the game Sengoku Basara 2 by Capcom. Voice actor Akira Ishida voices him. He wields a whipsword and is shown to be very physically weak and ill due to tuberculosis. Despite his impending death due to his illness, he is very faithfully devoted to Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
  • He also appears as Hanbei in
    Kuroda Kanbei
    .
  • He is a playable character as Hanbei in Pokémon Conquest (Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan), with his partner Pokémon being Pikachu and later Raichu. He appears as a sleepy teenager with astonishing brainpower.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Hideyoshi as he appears in Capcom's Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
  • Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Taiko ki (English title: Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan) is about the life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
  • Hideyoshi appears in the
    Samurai Warriors Katana
    , a spinoff of the SW series.
  • He is a playable character in the game
    Sengoku Basara 3
    , Hideyoshi is killed by Ieyasu Tokugawa before the events of the game. Mitsunari Ishida seeks to kill Ieyasu to avenge Hideyoshi, although in anime, he was killed by Masamune Date and Mitsunari wants to kill Masamune for revenge.
  • Appearing in the
    Onimusha series, Hideyoshi was a major antagonist in the first two games while vassal to Nobunaga. Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
    , where he is one of the principal antagonists, gives a fictional portrayal of Hideyoshi's reign and death.
  • He is also the center of Koei's
    Taikou Risshiden
     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.
  • Toyotomi (or his faction) is a selectable character in the Shogun: Total War and Throne of Darkness games.
  • The character Taikō Nakamura in James Clavell's novel Shōgun is a pastiche of Toyotomi.
  • The board game Shogun, features Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hideyoshi as one of the Daimyōs to choose.
  • In the eroges
    Sengoku Rance
    ) or a monkey general (in Sengoku Hime).
  • Hideyoshi also appears in the anime series,
    Sengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox
    , 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.
  • In the strategy game
    Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition
    , he is featured with a Monferno. A special Wi-Fi episode focusing on him later reveals his connection to Reshiram, like Nobunaga is partnered to Zekrom.
  • Professional wrestler Michael Nakazawa wrestled as Hideyoshi for the Dramatic Dream Team promotion on February 10, 2013.[4]
  • A version of Hideyoshi appears in Gaim's portion of Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle. He is the lord of the Double Army and appears alongside his wife Cha-cha. When Bujin Double is killed by Bujin Gaim and the Nephenthes Inhumanoid (assisted by Armored Rider Zangetsu/Takatora Kureshima who mistakes Bujin Gaim for his world's Gaim), Hideyoshi prepares to fight them himself but Cha-cha gives him an ultimatum: choose her or the war. Hideyoshi chooses her and they retreat. He is portrayed by Minehiro Kinomoto who previously portrayed Ryu Terui/Kamen Rider Accel (who Hideyoshi's personality and mannerisms are similar to) in Kamen Rider W.
  • Hideyoshi is a playable character in the social romance sim Samurai Love Ballad (天下統一恋の乱 Love Ballad) produced by Voltage (company).
  • Hideyoshi is a playable character in the visual novel game (purchasable through Apple and Samsung) Ikemen Sengoku; Romances Across Time, produced by Cybird (company)
  • The protagonist in Nioh 2 and their companion, Tokichiro, are collectively referred to as 'Hideyoshi' after helping Oda Nobunaga with is campaign to unify Japan and is granted the new name in reward for their service. Later Tokichiro becomes corrupted due to Kashin Koji (Õtakemaru) and commits many of his evil crimes due to the possession, including releasing Shuten Dõji and Tamamo no Mae. The player kills Tokichiro which frees him from his possession. He is later revived by Maria at the end of the game and helps the protagonist combat Ōtakemaru. He uses dual swords, along with fire and lightning elements. His guardian spirits are a monkey and a baku (while possessed).
  • In the manga series, Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga, Hideyoshi is reincarnated as a bull terrior dog in 21st century Japan. Hideyoshi is portrayed as filial towards Nobunaga, stating that he had unified Japan to fullfill Nobunaga's dream. Characters remark on Hideyoshi's exciteability as well as his eccentricism and love to be "flashy."[15]

Uesugi Kenshin

  • Uesugi Kenshin, as Nagao Kagetora, is the main character of the NHK 1969 Taiga drama Ten to Chi to based on the same-titled epic historical novel by Chōgorō Kaionji.
  • Kenshin, as Nagao Kagetora, is a central character in the 1979 sci-fi film
    Sengoku Jietai
    .
  • Kenshin, played by Eiichi Kanakubo, is a minor character in Akira Kurosawa's 1980 jidaigeki Kagemusha.
  • Kenshin, as Kagetora, is the main character in the 1990 film
    Heaven and Earth
    .
  • Kenshin is portrayed by Japanese singer-songwriter Gackt in the Japanese taiga drama Fūrin Kazan (2007), as well as in the anime of the gag manga, Tono to Issho (2010).
  • Kenshin, played by Abe Hiroshi, is a major supporting character in the NHK 2009 Taiga Drama Tenchijin.
  • Kenshin is featured in Koei's video game series Samurai Warriors and Warriors Orochi. He wields a seven-bladed sword and prays to Bishamonten every time he starts a battle.
  • In Samurai Warriors, 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 Orochi 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 Ieyasu, and Mori Ranmaru from Sima Yi, the Date, and Taira Kiyomori.
  • He also features in Koei's Nobunaga's Ambition series of games. He makes another appearance in Kessen III, also by Koei.
  • Kenshin is also featured in Capcom's Sengoku Basara. In there, she is depicted as female (voiced by Romi Park) with an androgynous figure who would sometimes act rather narcissistic. She is assisted by Kasuga, a fictional Kunoichi who is deeply loyal to her (she may possibly be named after Kasugayama Castle, Kenshin's primary fortress). She also attacks using Iaido and ice-based attacks.
  • The board game Shogun features Uesugi Kenshin as one of the daimyōs to choose.
  • In the Super NES video game Inindo: Way of the Ninja, Uesugi Kenshin is Daimyō of the province Echigo.
  • In the eroge
    Sengoku Rance
    , Uesugi Kenshin is the feared and respected female lord commander of the Uesugi House.
  • A gender-swapped Kenshin appears in
    Sengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox
    .
  • In the anime Nobunaga the Fool Kenshin is portrayed as a Giant War Armor pilot and leader of the Uesugi Clan
  • He is a playable character in
    Gallade
    .
  • Kenshin is a playable character in the social romance sim Samurai Love Ballad (天下統一恋の乱 Love Ballad) produced by Voltage (company).
  • Kenshin is a playable character in the visual novel game (purchasable through Apple and Samsung) Ikemen Sengoku; Romances Across Time, produced by Cybird (company).
  • In Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga, Kenshin is reincarnated as a Borzoi nicknamed "Julian" in modern-day Japan.
  • Uesugi Kenshin was the inspiration for the 2021-2022 free skating from Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu, in which Hanyu portrayed the warrior. The skater himself said he identified with Kenshin's story because both became leaders at an early age and faced many hardships that helped them to grow. [16]
  • A female version of Kenshin appears in the mobile game Fate/Grand Order under the name Nagao Kagetora.
  • Another female version of Kenshin as the main protagonist appears in Akiko Higashimura's manga Yukibana no Tora, serialised in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Hibana from March 2015 to August 2017.

William Adams

  • William Adams is the main protagonist in Nioh.
  • William also appears in Tenkaichi manga.
  • Nathaniel William "Rock" Adams is a character in Soul Calibur.

Yagyū Muneyoshi

Yamamoto Kansuke

  • Yamamoto Kansuke was the subject of the 1969 film Samurai Banners, directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, where the role of Kansuke was played by Toshiro Mifune.
  • The 2007 NHK Taiga drama Fūrin Kazan (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: Warlords.
  • Kansuke appears as a minor character in the social romance sim Samurai Love Ballad (天下統一恋の乱 Love Ballad) produced by Voltage (company).
  • A statue of Kansuke appears in a Sony Spider-Man video game.[
    which?
    ]
  • Yamamoto Kansuke was portrayed by Isao Natsuyagi in the 1990 Japanese movie Heaven and Earth (天と地と, Ten to chi to)

Yasuke

  • In 1968, author Yoshio Kurusu published a children's book, Kurosuke, about Yasuke.[17]
  • Yasuke appears in the 2005 to 2017 manga series Hyouge Mono.
  • Yasuke is featured in the 2016 to 2020 manga The Man Who Killed Nobunaga.
  • Yasuke appears in the 2017 game Nioh, where he is manipulated by Edward Kelley into helping revive Oda Nobunaga, believing the latter can finally grant him the title of samurai. After William defeats him, Yasuke sees the errors of his ways, granting the former a piece of his Guardian Spirit.
    • In the sequel, Nioh 2, Yasuke can be optionally fought as a sparring opponent in a match Nobunaga sets up. During the burning of Honnoji Temple, Yasuke is ordered by Nobunaga to not let anyone claim the latter's corpse. He can be found by the protagonist afterwards with Nobunaga's corpse in his possession.
  • A character named Yasuke appears in the time-travel manga Nobunaga Concerto.
  • Yasuke is the protagonist of the eponymous Netflix ONA series Yasuke, released in 2021.
  • Koei Tecmo's 2021 game, Samurai Warriors 5, adds Yasuke as a playable character.
  • It has been claimed that the Afro Samurai franchise is based on Yasuke.[17]

References

  1. ^ Darth Vader and Date Masamune Archived 12 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ Video Research (Japanese) Archived 2016-04-07 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ^ "Sengoku Paradise Kiwami: Opening Song CD". sgpk.jp/. Archived from the original on 2012-01-22. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  4. ^
    Dramatic Dream Team (in Japanese). Archived from the original
    on 8 April 2013.
  5. ^ First appearance in the manga: chap. 11; first named: chap. 12
  6. ^ a b "株式会社カプコン：Capcom World Japan".
  7. ^ a b c "Nobunaga + Zekrom". Characters. Pokémon conquest. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  8. ^ Haugaard, Erik Christian (1984). The Samurai's Tale. Houghton Mifflin. p. ix. Lord Oda Nobunaga – Lord Takeda Shingen's rival and enemy, well known for his merciless cruelty
  9. ^ "木村拓哉＆綾瀬はるか:出演の東映70周年記念作「THE LEGEND ＆ BUTTERFLY」総事業費は20億円 手塚治社長「判押すとき手が震えた」". Mantan-web. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  10. ^ "English Translation and Backstory of the song 1582". Kattun-hyphens. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012.
  11. ^ Civilisations, Civilisation 5.
  12. ^ a b "Ginchiyo + Luxio - Pokémon Conquest characters". Pokémon. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  13. ^ "Muneshige + Staravia - Pokémon Conquest characters". Pokémon. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  14. ^ Audi. "A Dragon's Journey: Ryu Umemoto in Europe". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  15. OCLC 1133181366
    .
  16. ^ https://thevarsity.ca/2022/03/20/yuzuru-hanyu-figure-skating/
  17. ^ a b Words by Emiko Jozuka, CNN Graphics by Natalie Leung (2019-05-20). "African samurai: The enduring legacy of a black warrior in feudal Japan". CNN. Retrieved 2021-05-03. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
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