List of Samurai Warriors characters
This is a list of characters who appear in the "hack and slash" video game Samurai Warriors.
Notes
- Most of the characters are based on historical figures. However, the characters' backstories and scenarios are not always faithful to historical events. For example, Mori Ranmaru was born two years before Inabayama Castle fell whereas in the game, he defends it beside Akechi Mitsuhide. Another example is Naoe Kanetsugu who was an infant during the time of the fourth Battle of Kawanakajima but in the game is Uesugi Kenshin's second-in command. Again, Sanada Yukimura was a boy during the events of Nagashino.
- In Samurai Warriors 2, the second instalment of the game, some events and many of the relationships of the characters are altered. For example, the battle of Okehazama and the siege of Inabayama castle are omitted; Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Saika Magoichi are best of friends; Ranmaru and Mitsuhide are indifferent to one another and Oda Nobunaga and Mitsuhide are close.
- Wikipedia (and the game itself) list the characters' names with their personal (first) names first and their surnames (family names) second. In the Japanese Sengoku (Warring States) period, the surname was given before the personal name.
- Kennyo Honganji Hidetada Tokugawa, Hideyori Toyotomi are the only non player characters who does not become a playable character in the franchise. Instead, only Hidetada and Hideyori are the only non player type characters to have an unique appearance in anime adaption.
Playable Characters
- Hideyoshi Toyotomi, Ina, Tadakatsu Honda, and Yoshimoto Imagawa were not playable in the original Samurai Warriors, but were later added in Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends.
- Katsuie Shibata and Kojirō Sasaki were not playable in Samurai Warriors 2, but were later added in Samurai Warriors 2: Empires.
- Gracia, Motochika Chōsokabe, Toshiie Maeda, and Yoshimoto Imagawa were not playable in Samurai Warriors 2, but were later added in Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends.
- Aya, Gracia, and Masanori Fukushima were not playable in Samurai Warriors 3, but were later added in Sengoku Musou 3: Moushouden/Z.
- Takamaru was removed in Sengoku Musou 3Z, though he did appear in the original game and in Sengoku Musou 3: Moushouden.
- Though Munenori Yagyū, Naotora Ii, and Takatora Tōdō made their first appearances in the spin-off Samurai Warriors: Chronicles 2nd, Samurai Warriors 4 marked their first appearances as playable characters in a main Samurai Warriors title.
- Naomasa Ii was not playable in Samurai Warriors 4, but was later added in Sengoku Musou 4-II.
Unique Non Player Characters:
Goemon Ishikawa (石川 五右衛門)
Voiced by: Hisao Egawa (Japanese); Bob Papenbrook (English) Goemon, is a professional thief whose goal is to steal the "Plover Urn" from Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Although Goemon is a kabukimono (a rogue samurai) and a braggard, he is also a Robin Hood figure who feels a personal duty to keep the peace in his hometown, Kyoto and steal from the rich to give to the poor. He admires the dancing priestess Okuni and follows her as would a bodyguard. Until Samurai Warriors 4, Goemon has not make appearance in any of the following games, save for a cameo in the Sugoroku mode of Samurai Warriors 2, although he still appears as a playable character in the crossover Warriors Orochi series, using his debut attire.
Goemon has strength and toughness, but he is rather slow in both movement and attacking. His weapon is the "Kai-basara", a single-handed mace. It doubles as a flail and a cannon mounted on his back. His attacks are direct and predictable, consisting of simple clobbering, flailing and smashing actions with his mace and blasts of his cannon. His Musou attack involves him bending forward, continuously loading his cannon (also at a low speed) to blast everyone around him.
Hanzō Hattori (服部 半蔵)
Voiced by: Takaya Kuroda (Japanese); Troy Baker (English) Hanzō is a ninja in the service of Ieyasu Tokugawa. He is loyal to Ieyasu and will kill anyone who threatens him. Hanzō describes himself as a 'shadow'. In the first game, Hanzō aided Ieyasu in his quest for independence, eliminating anyone who can prevent his rise, such as the Imagawa and the Toyotomi clan. The second game has him being portrayed as the leader of Iga ninja while still assisting Ieyasu. He also has a rivalry with Kotarō Fūma. In the third game, he is still the leader of the Iga ninja with fellow ninja and Hideyoshi's wife Nene aided him in his operations. When the Tokugawa and the Toyotomi's conflict arise, Nene regrets for have to side in the opposing side as she wants to see a perfect world with Hanzō, though he dismisses her claims. After saving Nene from Kotarō during one of Hideyoshi's invasion, he faces him while Nene cheers for him. However, Hanzō has to fight and kill Nene later on when she becomes the leader of several of Hideyoshi's loyalists after his death. Later, he goes on to live a peaceful life, as Nene had envisions him to.
Hanzō's weapon is the yari (spear/lance) and a kusari-gama (chain & sickle) called the "Chained Dragon." Typical of the ninja, Hanzō has good running and attacking speed. He has an agile fighting style and ninjutsu skills making him a formidable opponent. In some of the games, Hanzō is one of the few characters able to cross the "ninja path", being a ninja himself.
Keiji Maeda (前田 慶次)
Voiced by: Yuji Ueda (Japanese); Roger Craig Smith (English)
Toshimasu served under Oda Nobunaga. During the Nagashino he disagreed with Nobunaga's mass use of rifles against the Takeda Cavalry and afterwards, he became a wanderer. (He later joins the Uesugi forces). In keeping with the historical figure on which his character is based, Toshimasu is always seen riding his horse, Matsukaze. The horse is his companion. Toshimasu's personality is very relaxed. He has a close friendship with Yukimura and Kanetsugu Naoe and a romantic relationship with the Priestess Okuni (more so in SW1 than 2). Toshimasu has a wild fighting style. He sees battle as exciting and fun. His weapon is a two-pronged spear (similar to a sasumata) called the "Divine Mandible". Although armed with a spear, he fights like a halberdier (akin to Zhang Fei in Dynasty Warriors) as his moves are mainly swings and hacks rather than stabs. Toshimasu is strong enough to carry his spear with one hand and this gives him good attacking speed and range. All of his sets of moves end with a buoyant "Ha-ha!". Matsukaze compensates for Toshimasu's slow running speed. In Samurai Warriors 2, Toshimasu rescues Yukimura Sanada from Oda riflemen at Nagashino and helps the Uesugi forces escape at Hasedo. Although Toshimasu is the series' equivalent to Lu Bu in Dynasty Warriors, in SW2 this position is taken by Tadakatsu Honda.
Kenshin Uesugi (上杉 謙信)
Voiced by: Jōji Nakata (Japanese); Beau Billingslea, Troy Baker (English) Kenshin is an avatar of Bishamonten who lives only to fight. He is a stoic warrior also known as "Dragon of Echigo" and "God of War". Kenshin sees Shingen Takeda as a devine nemesis. He has nothing but respect for Shingen and treats any battle with him as sacred. Kenshin loves to drink sake and he prays to Bishamonten at the start of every battle. Kenshin's weapon is a large seven-bladed sword called "Frozen Flame". He uses the sword to make broad slashes and hacking movements. Kenshin can also throw exploding "shikigami" and he can create giant phantom doubles of himself.
Kunoichi (くのいち)
Voiced by: Cecilia Yip, G.K. Bowes Kunoichi is a female ninja in the service of the Sanada and Takeda clans. She is a non-historical character based on the Sanada Ten Braves who accompanied Yukimura Sanada. Another possibility is that the character is based on "Anayama Kosuke", a woman who posed as a man. Kunoichi is mischievous and sarcastic and she is fond of making casual insults. She will taunt her enemy or flirt with them. In Samurai Warriors, she is first tasked to guard her master, Yukimura at the orders of Yukimura's lord Shingen Takeda. When Shingen dies, she decides to follow Yukimura ever since, assisting him in his battles and protecting him from his enemies such as Ieyasu Tokugawa. Kunoichi is removed in Samurai Warriors 2, though she does appear in the "Sugoroku" mini-game, where she can steal the player's gold during gameplay. She returns in Samurai Warriors 3 where she solely follows Yukimura. She had developed feelings for him, but she is struggling it with her duties as a ninja. She also forms a rivalry with Kai, a member of the army of Ujiyasu Hōjō, whom she hates being compared with. After Ujiyasu died, he entrusts Kunoichi with the protection of Kai.
Kunoichi's weapon is a pair of kunai (throwing knives). She is noted to be the fastest character of all Samurai Warriors characters and this feat is best utilized with her attacks. She attacks rapidly and can deal high damage despite her relatively low attack power. Like Hanzō, she is a ninja and can access the special "ninja path" in the first game.
Magoichi Saika (雑賀 孫市)
Voiced by: Hiroshi Isobe (Japanese); Lex Lang, Skip Stellrecht (English) Magoichi is a leader of a mercenary group. He bears a grudge against Oda Nobunaga, whom he assassinates. Magoichi has an unconventional friendship with Hideyoshi Toyotomi and (later in the game) with Masamune Date. Magoichi is a cheerful womanizer who flirts with many of the female characters. His weapon is a musket with an oversized bayonet called "Marksman's Pride". He fires the gun in various "fancy" ways. He has moderate strength and speed. In SW2, Magoichi offers his services to Nobunaga even though Magoichi despises him. Magoichi befriends Gracia (Mitsuhide's runaway daughter), after rescuing her from soldiers. He also saves her from Mitsunari Ishida.
Masamune Date (伊達 政宗)
Voiced by: Nobuyuki Hiyama (Japanese); Darrel Guilbeau (English) Masamune is a young (eleven- or twelve-year-old), ambitious ruler of the Date clan. He aims to rule all the land. He is called the "One-Eyed Dragon" because his right eye is missing. With typical teenage arrogance, Masamune regards everyone around him as "Idiots," "Imbeciles" and "Losers". The other characters tease him for his youth and his annoying ways. For example, he has a habit charging in unexpected and uninvited into battles between other clans, attacking both sides. Masumane is a close friend of Magoichi Saika. His weapons are a pair of bokken (wooden swords) called "Botenmaru" (a reference to his childhood nickname). Masamune has a high rate of attack and moderate range. In SW2, Masamune is fifteen or sixteen. His weapons are a western-style saber and a pair of pistols, collectively known as "Manhunter." He has a Musou attack which involves him shooting wildly into the surrounding crowds with his pistols. He bitterly opposes Kanetsugu Naoe, whose values of love and righteousness conflict with Masamune's ambitions of personal gain. However, Masumane has garnered respect and clout and his lust for power is replaced by a desire to change and improve Japan. His ambition is to open Japan to foreign trade and to explore other lands. Masumane will appear in the third installment, with minor costume changes (to the appearance of a young adult).
Mitsuhide Akechi (明智 光秀)
Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese); Michael Gough, Vic Mignogna (English) Mitsuhide is a vassal of Oda Nobunaga and a mentor and friend to Ranmaru Mori. He is one of Nobunaga's most loyal and trusted retainers but is proud and easily swayed and has his doubts about Nobunaga. Later, he disapproves of Nobunaga's methods and rebels against him at Honnō-ji. The fight he has with Nobunaga in the burning temple is one of the iconic moments of the series. (He serves under Nobunaga for only one stage before assassinating him). Mitsuhide's weapon is a katana called "Guilded Talon" and later he wields a battōjutsu. He defeats Hideyoshi Toyotomi at the Battle of Yamazaki and later he defeats Ieyasu Tokugawa. In SW2 he is not associated with Mori and he does not serve the Saito Clan of his native Mino. He is selfless, noble and unwaveringly loyal, desiring only peace for Japan. In fact, in SW2, Mitsuhide decides at the last minute that he cannot assassinate Nobunaga and puts down his weapon. However, Nobunaga is then shot by Magoichi Saika, leaving Mitsuhide to be blamed for Nobunaga's death.
Nō (Nōhime) (濃姫)
Voiced by: Mariko Suzuki (Japanese); Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (English) Nō is the wife of Oda Nobunaga. In Samurai Warriors, her father Dōsan Saitō had arranged her marriage with Nobunaga, with the promise that she will assassinate him later on. However, she continues to procrastinate as she gradually develops love for him, adopting a wait-and-see tactic; saying that only "she" will be the one to kill him. Her decision to assist her husband in eliminating her old clan however, proves to be surprising and motivates her sister-in-law, Oichi in doing the same. When she is eventually given the chance to assassinate Nobunaga, she instead lets him live out of her satisfaction in making her husband helpless. In Samurai Warriors 2, she instead becomes a faithful and loyal wife to Nobunaga; even though they are considerably more distant. She also appears younger and less mature. Nō has no story in the original Samurai Warriors 3, though the Xtreme Legends and Z expansion gives her one. In it, she is pitted in an arranged marriage and an assassination plot against Nobunaga, as in the first game. Likewise, she is hesitant in doing it, even impressing Nobunaga who eventually knows about it. After she assists her husband in eliminating her old clan, she felt that she has no meaning in this world that she would like to live in hell. She ruthlessly cuts down enemies to accept the darkness in her mind until eventually Mitsuhide Akechi's revolt in Honnō-ji makes her thanking him for giving her a satisfactory end. She tries to commit suicide when she is trapped in the burning temple, but Nobunaga stops and tells her that he is willing to stay so they could go to hell together.
Nō's weapon is a pair of claws which she hides in her sleeves. However, she often starts her attacks with kicks and occasionally, with bomb-throwing. Due to this, her attacks are short-ranged and best suited for one-on-one attacks. Nō's fighting style is serious and almost sadistic. For example, Nō laughs hysterically before throwing a knife into Yoshimoto Imagawa's back.
Nobunaga Oda (織田 信長)
Voiced by: Jūrōta Kosugi (Japanese); Christopher Corey Smith (English)
Nobunaga is a powerful warlord who seeks to unify and rule Japan. Due to his cunning, his ruthlessness and his habit of burning rebellious cities to the ground, killing innocent civilians, he is considered very evil. In the Honnoji incident, Nobunaga declares to Akechi Mitsuhide that he is the man to give Japan absolute justice and to do so he will take life without hesitation. Nobunaga stands out as a demon king whose nature imbues the glowing, humming mystical sword that he wields. This appearance has led to some game reviewers to jokingly refer to him as Darth Vader, inadvertently reinforced by Nobunaga being the only character to use an overtly supernatural power, a "Force push". Nobunaga has ambition and a resolute and unscrupulous way of thinking. For example, his slaughter of the Ikko rebels is known for its infamy. Nobunaga's wife is No; Oichi is his sister and Nagamasa Azai is his brother-in-law. Unlike the historical character, Nobunaga does not disdain Nōhime but instead treats her with the etiquette given to any typical retainer (other than some remarks about their dual relationship). Meanwhile, he belittles others. For example, he calls Toyotomi Hideyoshi, "monkey". The only exceptions to this belittling are Mori Ranmaru, (his bodyguard) and later, Akechi Mitsuhide. Nobunaga's weapon is a two-edged straight sword called "Demon Regalia" which is imbued with dark energy. In contrast, in the related video game series, Warriors Orochi, Nobunaga is a heroic general whose ferocity and legend as "the Demon King" belies the fact that he fights to free the land from the titular villain of the series. Here, Nobunaga is a main protagonists and the mastermind of Orochi's defeat. (Of course, this may be so that he can conquer the land himself at some later date). When Cao Cao is missing, his son is under Orochi's control and Liu Bei and Sun Jian are prisoners, Nobunaga personally leads a Resistance force without hesitation. Nobunaga is often mistaken for Cao Cao.
Oichi (お市)
Voiced by: Ai Maeda (Japanese); Wendee Lee, Tara Platt (English) Oichi is the sister of Oda Nobunaga and the wife of Nagamasa Azai who she loves dearly. In the first game, she is portrayed as a cheerful fifteen-year-old teenager with plenty of pep. At first, she aids her brother in his battles. Later, she decides to marry Nagamasa Azai with some words from her sister-in-law, Nō. However, she is forced to fight her brother due to her position in later years. She is given the option to continue opposing her brother in regards to her husband's seat or make her brother and husband reconcile. The second game give her a maturer look and personality, turning her into something of a tragic heroine. She is loyal to Nagamasa after marrying him, and gives distrust to his alliance with her brother. When her brother does defy, she decides to assist her husband rather than her brother, though she is eventually sent back to Nobunaga due to Nagamasa's critical position and regretfully has to fight and kill Nagamasa as per his wish. She makes a brief appearance in a cinematic in the second game's expansion, as the wife of Katsuie Shiibata, discussing his relationship with Toshiie Maeda; this is the series' only mention of her life after Nagamasa's death. In the third game, she begins by helping her brother in his battles before meeting with Nagamasa and decides to marry him when they fall in love. They share their dream to create peaceful country, but many warlords, including her brother oppose Nagamasa's position. With their victory over them, they agree to give their consent and she and Nagamasa enjoy their newfound peace.
In Samurai Warriors and Samurai Warriors 2, her weapon is a kendama (a ball and cup). To emphasize her maturity, she switched her weapon to a pair of dual chakrams in Samurai Warriors 3.
Okuni (阿国)
Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki (Japanese); Karen Strassman (English) Okuni is a travelling miko who seeks funds for her shrine, known for founding the Kabuki. Okuni is unwaveringly polite and kind and always has a compliment for everyone she meets. She uses aristocratic and noble education, saying phrases like "Pshaw" and "For shame". In 'Samurai Warriors', Okuni travels around the world along with Goemon Ishikawa; her friend and partner, mainly to stop the wars or performs dance to raise funds. She has a romance with Keiji Maeda while visiting a city, though she does flirt with other male characters during her travel. She goes home to repair the Izumo Shrine after raising enough funds, but not before reuniting with Keiji. She has no personal story mode in Samurai Warriors 2, rarely appearing in other character's stories where she is harsher, less forgiving, and her romantic outlook has shifted to flirtation only. In the original Samurai Warriors 3, she is not given a story, though she receives one in the Xtreme Legends expansion or the Z version. She stays true as a priestess, traveling around the world to help people who are destined to die to "live to their fullest" before guiding them when they die and granting them peace. These people include those who lived in the state of war, such as Hanbei Takenaka and Yukimura Sanada. In her ending, she leads the dead through Izumo to their final resting place and disappears with them when they arrive at a Torii, implying her as some sort of personification of death.
Her weapon is an umbrella. Her fighting style resembles the dances frequently used in Kabuki theater. She mainly spins her umbrella as a main form of attack, or she can use it in tandem with her physical attacks such as kicks. She also can use it as a parachute. Her attacks have long reach due to the size of the umbrella, but it is typically weak and she has to delay her attacks to open and close the umbrella.
Ranmaru Mori (森 成利)
Voiced by: Naomi Shindō (Japanese); Tara Platt (English) Mori is the apprentice of Oda Nobunaga. The historical character was young and androgynous and in the game, his appearance and voice are very feminine. Mori has an intimate friendship with Mitsuhide. His weapon is a nodachi called "Iron Vengeance". In SW2 Mori is only available in free mode. He has some unique stages such as The Siege of Odani Castle and Honnoji. He is not close to Mitsuhide. Rather, he is loyal to Nobunaga and his clan.
Shingen Takeda (武田 信玄)
Voiced by: Daisuke Gōri, Ryūzaburō Ōtomo (Japanese); Richard Epcar (English) Takeda is a military strategist and leader of the Takeda clan, known as the "Tiger of Kai". He is a cheerful old man who laughs a lot. Kenshin Uesugi is his nemesis. Takeda's weapon is a dansen uchiwa (strategist's fan) called "Heaven's Sign". The name alludes to an incident when Kenshin storms Shingen's camp during the Kawanakajima campaign.
Yukimura Sanada (真田 幸村)
Voiced by: Takeshi Kusao (Japanese); Johnny Yong Bosch (English)
Sanada is the standard "Samurai" character. He is loyal, a warrior and a gentleman. His progress in the game follows the corresponding historical character. Together with Kunoichi, Sanada is th SW1 cover character. Sanada is a vassal to Shingen Takeda. After Takeda's death, he joins Hideyoshi Toyotomi and fights against the Tokugawa forces. Sanada's weapon is a jumonji yari (spear) called the "Dragon's Tail". He dies in a battle with Ieyasu. There is a hint of romance with Kunoichi. In SW2, in his dream stage, he saves Ishida Mitsunari at Sekigahara. In fact, he is friends with Keiji Maeda, Kanetsugu Naoe, and Mitsunari Ishida.
Unique non player characters
Hideyoshi Toyotomi (豊臣 秀吉)
Voiced by: Munehiro Tokita (SW XL), Voiced by: Hideo Ishikawa (SW 2) Toyotomi is one of Oda Nobunaga's closest generals. He becomes the unifier of Japan. Toyotomi is friends with Magoichi Saika. His nickname, "Monkey" is due to his strange looks and large sideburns. In battle, Okuni mistakes Toyotomi for a monkey. Although Toyotomi is married to Nene, he is a womanizer, playful and perverse. For example, he asks Nene to deliver a concubine called Chacha to him before a battle. He has many concubines such as Kaihime. On several occasions, Oichi calls him 'rodent' due to his unwanted advances. For example, in SW1 cutscene, Toyotomi spies on Oichi and Nagamasa through his telescope. In SW2, when he is encouraging Oichi to leave Nagamasa, Toyotomi says, "Maybe you and I can get to know each other better, hm?". Despite his infidelity, Toytomi is serious about unifying Japan and turning it in to a "world where everyone can laugh". Toyotomi's weapon is a bo staff that doubles as a sansetsukon called "Simian Sansetsu". It gives him good range to compensate for a lack in strength. His Musou attack plays on his nickname "Monkey": he is able to jump about vigorously and pommel others with each landing. (An alternate costume design, in-game, depicts Toyotomi in the rough guise of Sun Wukong, complete with a monkey-like facial makeup design.)
Ina (Inahime) (稲姫)
Voiced by: Makiko Ohmoto [Japanese] Wendee Lee, Jessica Straus Ina is the daughter of Tadakatsu Honda. Her husband is Nobuyuki Sanada and her brother in-law is Yukimura Sanada. In Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends, she is mentored by her father in becoming a warrior in the battlefield, protecting their lord Ieyasu Tokugawa. She is teased by Kunoichi for her dedication to the life as a warrior, but Ina proves her wrong by cutting her bow strings and they become friends. During an assault of Mitsuhide Akechi, she can choose to give in to bloodlust and slays anyone in the path of her lord or carefully controls her actions in battle, which can net different results. She becomes an experienced warrior and continues serving Ieyasu in Samurai Warriors 2. She assists him to unite the country by slaying his enemies, such as the Toyotomi. Her Samurai Warriors 3 appearance tries to emphasize her connections with the Sanada family as well as her relationship with her brother-in-law, Yukimura Sanada.
Her weapon is a bladed bow and arrow. She fights alternatively with her slashing with her bow in melee and shooting arrows in range. Her arrows have weak attacks compared to her slashes, and she is best suited to fight in range.
Tadakatsu Honda (本多 忠勝)
Voiced by: Akio Ōtsuka (Japanese); Grant George (English) Tadakatsu is the father of Ina. He is a loyal general in the service of Ieyasu Tokugawa. He tries to ease Tokugawa's pain caused by the deaths of his previous generals. Tadakatsu is a mighty, intelligent warrior and his name strikes fear into virtually all of the characters in the game. He is said to have returned from all his past battles unscathed. (In the game, the player is ordered to target him first or avoid fighting with him at all and when he appears, the music becomes more intense). Tadakatsu's weapon is a very large spear. It gives him a long attack range. Historically, Tadakatsu's weapon was a Tonbogiri (which is his fourth weapon in SW2). He is SW's equivalent to Dynasty Warriors' Lu Bu: the most renowned warrior of the Three Kingdom era of China.
Yoshimoto Imagawa (今川 義元)
Voiced by: Takahiro Kawachi (Japanese); Vic Mignogna (English) Yoshimoto is an eccentric daimyo (feudal lord) who likes to play kemari (a popular ball sport) in Kyoto. Yoshimoto is very wealthy but childish in nature. He has a comical appearance with grey skin and tiny eyebrows on a small face. The other characters find his appearance comical or disgusting. His weapon is a katana and kemari ball called "Noble Kemari". Yoshimoto isn't in SW2 but is in SW2XL where he gets bored and lonely and decides to rule Japan.
Unique non player characters:
Ginchiyo Tachibana (立花 誾千代)
Voiced by: Naomi Shindō (Japanese); Cindy Robinson (English) Ginchiyo is the daughter of Dosetsu Tachibana. She is also the wife of Muneshige Tachibana, although their relationship is not confirmed until the spin-off titles. After her father dies, Ginchiyo becomes head of the clan and carries a grudge against the Shimazu clan for killing her family. Due to her siding with the Toyotomi clan, she has to work together with Yoshihiro Shimazu, but she states that she will never consider him as her true ally. The third game maintains the same storyline as the previous game, but adds Ginchiyo's relationship with Muneshige, who is adopted by her father to be the successor of the Tachibana clan. She has a tsundere-like personality with Muneshige, telling him that she considers him a thorn in her side and that they can never be together, though when backed off by the Tokugawa forces, she eventually admits that she cannot lead the Tachibana clan by herself and wants him to fight by her side. Ginchiyo has the characteristics of a samurai but maintains her femininity. She is often praised for her beauty as well as her skill in battle. Ina, who strives to be a warrior, sees Ginchiyo as a role model. Ginchiyo's weapon is a serrated sword called "Heaven's Bite". Ginchiyo can also command lightning.
Kanetsugu Naoe (直江 兼続)
Voiced by: Masaya Takatsuka (Japanese); Michael Linsday (English) Kanetsugu is the Karō(house elder/advisor) of the Uesugi clan under Kenshin. Kanetsugu loyally serves the Uesugi family for two generations, from Kenshin Uesugi to Kenshin's son, Kagekatsu. Kanetsugu follows a philosophy of love and justice. He fights in the name of honor, love and righteousness. After the death of Kenshin, he joins Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Kanetsugu is good friends with Mitsunari Ishida, Yukimura Sanada, Keiji Maeda and Sakon Shima. In SW2, Kanetsugu and Masamune Date are opponents because of their different values although Masamune does respect Kanetsugu as an accomplished general. He also has differences with Hattori who expresses a philosophy of shadows. Kanetsusu regrets the loss of his men because of the differences. For example, he says, "I will not let my men die at the hands of these unjust scoundrels". Kanetsugu's weapon is a Taoist sword and o-fuda (paper charms) called "Evil's Bane". With them, he can generate purple force fields and laser beams.
Kotarō Fūma (風魔 小太郎)
Voiced by: Nobuyuki Hiyama (Japanese); Keith Silverstein (English) Kotaro is a ninja in the service of the Hōjō clan. He is a cover character for SW2. Kotaro has bluish gray skin, ink-colored facial tattoos, bright blue eyes and long, bright red braids that are blown around in every direction like fire when he moves. Kotaro is a "lord of chaos". He ambushes and tricks players regardless of their allegiance. On joining a battle, he says, "What fools these mortals be." His weapon is a pair of clawed gauntlets called "Thorns of Peril", which give him the ability to stretch his arms. (In a cutscene, at the start of his story, he is seen diving off a mountain into the mist). Kotaro is also clairvoyant. In his second chapter he predicts Nobunaga's death by ominously saying that he does not wish to interfere with Nobunaga's demise in a sea of fire, alluding to his assassination at Honno-ji.
Ieyasu Tokugawa (徳川 家康)
Voiced by: George Nakata (Japanese); Dave Mallow (English) Tokugawa is an ally of Nobunaga who desires to unify Japan. In SW1. He is an enduring and patient man. He values the lives of his men. For example, in SW2, after the Battle of Mikatagahara when he barely escapes with his life, he is found in his castle weeping for the men he left behind. His weapon is a spear with a hidden cannon called "Quake Maker".
Mitsunari Ishida (石田 三成)
Voiced by: Eiji Takemoto (Japanese); Wally Wingert (English) Mitsunari is a vassal of Hideyoshi Toyotomi who leads the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara. He is good friends with Sakon Shima, Yukimura Sanada, Kanetsugu Naoe and Keiji Maeda. He is a determined, snobbish and cold-hearted man who believes that battles are won through reason alone. However, this changes when he befriends Kanetsugu, Yukimura, and Sakon as they make him realize that he needs the support of other people to win battles. His weapon is an iron fan called the "Golden Frill".
Musashi Miyamoto (宮本 武蔵)
Voiced by: Hidehiko Kaneko (Japanese); Sam Riegel (English) Musashi is the creator and master of Niten Ichi-ryū and the rival of Kojiro Sasaki. He is a bold, loud and brash young man. (Ieyasu refers to him as 'a boy' during their in-game encounter at Sekigahara). Musashi fights to improve his swordsmanship and reputation and hopes to see his sword protect people. He is a friend of Yukimura Sanada. At the Battle of Sekigahara, he joins the Western forces and continues to fight for the Toyotomi family at Osaka. Musashi is absent in Samurai Warriors 3 and its expansions, although he still makes constant appearances in the Warriors Orochi series in his debut attire. He is set to return in Samurai Warriors 4.
Musashi's weapon, based on the historical figure, is called "Mastery & Vision". It is a katana in his dominant hand and a wakizashi in the other. His fourth stage weapon represents a carved oar that the historical character used in his legendary duel with Kojiro Sasaki.
Nagamasa Azai (浅井 長政)
Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya (Japanese); Spike Spencer (English) Nagamasa is a daimyo of the northern Ōmi Province. He is married to Oichi. In SW1 he was a non-player character. The first four stages of Nagamasa's story is a dream. In the last stage, he joins the Oda (which his historic character did not). Nagamasa is a noble and moral man who believes in love and honour (his words during a musou attack). He is brave and kind. He is torn between his great love for Oichi, his allies, the Asakura and Oda Nobunaga who is his brother in law. Nagamasa commits suicide because of these tensions. Nagamasa's weapon is a jousting lance.
Nene (ねね)
Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki (Japanese); Emily Bauer (English) Nene is a kunoichi and the wife of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, known for her loyalty to her husband even at the dire state. In Samurai Warriors 2, she helps her husband to avenge his lord Nobunaga Oda after Mitsuhide Akechi betrayed him at Honnō-ji and later prevents other lords from overthrowing her husband's position after he becomes the new ruler of Japan. Again in Samurai Warriors 3, she helps her husband and "children" to oppose their enemies. She also has a close friendship with Hanzō Hattori, a fellow Iga ninja who greatly inspired her.
Nene has a strange maternal personality throughout the game, often punishing "Naughty children" (enemy generals) and refers to her husband's retainers (notably Mitsunari Ishida, Kiyomasa Kato and Masanori Fukushima) as her children. Her maternal personality is evident in her alternate ending, where she ends the Battle of Sekigahara by defeating all of the generals and later lectures them on how to make a peaceful world. she does this with the help of Okuni and her nephew Hideaki Kobayakawa. Hideaki fears Nene 'more than musket fire' so he does not defect to the Tokugawa. Nene becomes jealous of women who are close to Hideyoshi and those who are his enemies. She claims to do everything for her husband but she does have a selfish desire for fame and power. For example, she says to Okuni, "When these wars are over, I will be the most powerful woman in Japan! What do you think of that?"
In her debut, she is considered as a replacement to Kunoichi, a fellow ninja who was removed in that game (later returned in Samurai Warriors 3). As such, she has the same weapon as her (a pair of kunai) and shares many of her techniques such as the invisibility technique.
Sakon Shima (島 左近)
Voiced by: Shinichi Yamada (Japanese); Steve Kramer (English) Sakon is an elite general in the service of Ishida Mitsunari. His military skills rivals those of Tadakatsu Honda. Sakon is a former servant of Shingen Takeda. Sakon becomes Mitsunari's loyal retainer when Mitsunari says he wants a general who fights for justice and not just for money. Sakon's Sakon is a free-spirit who tends to be blunt, self-serving and a womanizer but despite this, he is passive. Sakon's weapon is a two-handed falchion called "Wrecking Blade".
Yoshihiro Shimazu (島津 義弘)
Voiced by: Hisao Egawa (Japanese); Tom Wyner (English) Yoshihiro is a daimyo of Satsuma and is the head of the Shimazu clan, rivals of the Tachibana clan. Yoshihiro enjoys fighting for its own sake, especially when the odds are against him. His weapon is a large hammer called "Beast Crusher".
Gracia (ガラシャ)
Voiced by: Jun Shikano (Japanese); Jasamine White-Gluz (English) Gracia is the daughter of Mitsuhide Akechi and the wife of Tadaoki Hosokawa. Naive and optimistic, she is an innocent girl who is constantly curious about the world. Gracia is also subject to tricks from other people, particularly her unlikely friend, Magoichi Saika, as she takes words too literally. In her debut appearance, Gracia starts out by leaving her Akechi household to learn more about the world. She befriends Magoichi, whom she follows almost everywhere. Magoichi is apparently killed by the Oda forces later on, and a disappointed Gracia returns home to marry Tadaoki. Later, when her home is attacked by the forces of Mitsunari Ishida, Gracia is held hostage for Tadaoki's allegiance. She is rescued by Magoichi, and together with him frees her home from the army. Her second appearance tones down her relationship with Magoichi and instead makes her secretly following her father, Mitsuhide, in his battles by hiding inside a box. Mitsuhide later disappears when the two are attacked by the Toyotomi clan, and a distraught Gracia meets Tadaoki who tries to execute her for being a traitor's daughter (as Mitsuhide had staged a revolt that killed Nobunaga Oda), although he ultimately could not because of his love for her. She is reunited with her father after she had made allies with Kai and Nene, and together with Tadaoki (who abandons his duty to Ieyasu Tokugawa) fights both the Eastern and Western Armies at Sekigahara, eventually winning out with the Akechi now ruling the land. Her weapons are bracelets that allow her to fight with her hands and give her various magical powers.
Katsuie Shibata (柴田 勝家)
Voiced by: Eiji Takemoto (Japanese); David Lodge (English) Katsuie is a general who serves Nobunaga Oda. He is also the second husband of Oichi. Known as the Demon Katsuie, he feels utmost duty at battles, loyally serving his lord. In Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends, Katsuie mentors the young Toshiie Maeda, who strives to become a great warrior like him. He harbors a crush on Oichi, who at that time is married to Nagamasa Azai. When the Azai revolts, Katsuie battles them, although he saves Oichi who would become his lover afterward. When his lord, Nobunaga is assassinated at Honnō-ji, Katsuie gradually opposes his former ally, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Although Toshiie offers his help, Katsuie refuses and makes his last stand against Toyotomi clan, ultimately failing and has to retreat his castle, which he burns out with himself still inside. His Samurai Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends similarly has him serving Nobunaga first, and also battles against Nagamasa's revolt, in which the latter entrusts him to protect Oichi after his death. Following disagreements with Hideyoshi, which Hideyoshi unsuccessfully attempts to repair by holding Katsuie and Oichi's marriage, Katsuie and his wife opposes Hideyoshi and Toshiie (who is tempted to side with Hideyoshi by Mitsunari Ishida). He manages to defeat both of them, and as he weeps over Toshiie's death, Oichi comforts him by encouraging him to pick a new opportunity for his life. Katsuie wields two poleaxes as his weapon.
Kojirō Sasaki (佐々木 小次郎)
Voiced by: Yuji Ueda (Japanese); Johnny Yong Bosch (English) Kojiro is a skilled swordsman and Musashi Miyamoto's most famous rival. He has bone white skin and wears red garments with his long black hair braided into a ponytail. Kojiro is a sadistic psychopath who loves to fight and kill (in a 'beautiful end') his strong opponents. He also sees weak opponents as wastes of the world. Kojirō first meets Musashi when the latter unexpectedly helps him to fend off a crew of pirates and becomes interested in giving Musashi "a beautiful death". He later joins the Tokugawa clan and participates in the Eastern Army at Sekigahara, which the Tokugawa triumphs on. As the Tokugawa attempts to eradicate any remaining pieces of the Toyotomi clan, Kojirō battles with Musashi three more times, all of which he ends up winning in, and thus finally achieves his goal, although Kojirō is rather saddened by his loss of a rival. Kojirō does not appear as a playable character in Samurai Warriors 3 and its expansions, though he appears as an NPC in Samurai Warriors: Chronicles 2nd and is also still featured as a playable character in the crossover Warriors Orochi series (debuting in Warriors Orochi 2). He has been confirmed to return in Samurai Warriors 4. Kojiro's weapon is an "ex-dimensional" nodachi.
Motochika Chōsokabe (長宗我部 元親)
Voiced by: Ryōtarō Okiayu (Japanese); Wally Wingert (English) Motochika is a daimyo of the Chōsokabe clan. He is a rebel who claims to hear the voices, 'Who can't be heard' and chooses to fight for the Toyotomi forces to ride the 'tides of history'. He becomes upset when his son, Nobuchika, dies protecting him from the Shimazu forces, although Ieyasu Tokugawa calms him down. Through this, he manages to peacefully work together with his fellow general who is a member of the Shimazu clan, Yoshihiro Shimazu. In Samurai Warriors 3, Motochika instead becomes a friend of Mitsuhide Akechi, and willingly lends his troops to help Mitsuhide's lord, Nobunaga Oda. When Mitsuhide becomes conflicted in his loyalty because of the increasingly questionable actions of his lord, Motochika advises that he should let his true will speaks for itself, which encourages him to stage a rebel on Honnō-ji, resulting in Nobunaga's death. Motochika continues to help Mitsuhide in countering Ieyasu's rebellion and his eventual status as a warlord of Japan. His weapon is a shamisen (Japanese guitar).
Toshiie Maeda (前田 利家)
Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi (Japanese); Dave B. Mitchell (English) Toshiie is a young general who is the protégé of Katsuie Shibata and eventual friend and subordinate of Hideyoshi Toyotomi. He is also Keiji Maeda's uncle. He is stated several times to have a wife, Matsu, although save for her minor role as a lady samurai-type bodyguard, she never appears elsewhere. Toshiie, who wants to live up to Katsuie's expectations, joins up Hideyoshi's ranks. However, when Hideyoshi and Katsuie eventually become enemies with each other, Toshiie is pleaded with guilt as he tries to convince his master to join Hideyoshi, but he refuses. After Katsuie loses and eventually dies in the battle, Toshiie vows to uphold his master's ideals by keeping an eye on his lord. Toshiie does not have a story in Samurai Warriors 3, although the Xtreme Legends expansion gives him one. In it, he is a part of the Nobunaga Oda's forces, but due to his recklessness, he is expelled from his clan. He is eventually forgiven by Nobunaga and becomes friends with Hideyoshi, who succeeds his lord on his conquest after his death. When Hideyoshi becomes enemies with Katsuie, Toshiie initially supports Katsuie, but later becomes an ally of Hideyoshi, although he is heavily ridden with guilt in that. His conflicting ideals causes his nephew, Keiji to leave him, although the two reconcile after Hideyoshi has managed to unite Japan. Keiji later accompanies Toshiie in his deathbed, stating that he can finally reunite with his former master, Katsuie. His weapon is a large sword.
Unique non player characters:
Hanbei Takenaka (竹中 半兵衛)
Voiced by: Umeka Shoji (Japanese); Yuri Lowenthal (English) Hanbei is a brilliant strategist who initially serves the Saitō clan. After his lord falls during an attack by Nobunaga Oda, Hanbei becomes interested in him, but later changes his mind to instead serve Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Under his new lord, Hanbei meets with Kanbei Kuroda, a fellow strategist who would become his steadfast companion. Hanbei has a bright personality and prone to making sarcastic comments to others, which contrasts with Kanbei's apathetic nature. He is also somewhat lazy, as he prefers to take nap instead of participating in battles. During the Toyotomi clan's quest in conquering Japan, Hanbei faces with another strategist, Motonari Mōri. When Hanbei defeats him, he ignores the urge to kill him and instead invites Motonari to join him and Kanbei to become a trio of unstoppable strategists so they may create a peaceful world together. His weapon is a bladed compass which he utilizes like a yo-yo.
Kai (Kaihime) (甲斐姫)
Voiced by: Masami Suzuki (Japanese); Luci Christian (English) Kaihime is the daughter of a Hōjō general, Ujinaga Naritai, who serves the Hōjō clan, specifically, Ujiyasu Hōjō. Having raised as a warrior since childhood, Kai takes pride in participating in battles. She is very feisty and tomboyish in nature, which earns her joking remarks from other characters about her lack of femininity; something that she is annoyed with, as she secretly wants to become a proper woman of her class. Kai almost always bickers with her companion, Kunoichi, and they are often compared with each other, a fact that Kai hates. She respects Yukimura Sanada, which adds up to her rivalry with Kunoichi, who secretly has feelings for him. Kai takes part in defending Odawara Castle; the castle is eventually taken over after Ujiyasu's death, who entrusts the Hōjō's future to Kai, by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who also takes Kai as his concubine. After the Toyotomi clan is in a state of chaos following Hideyoshi's death and Mitsunari Ishida's failure and subsequent death at the Battle of Sekigahara, Kai supports Yukimura's desperate attempt at defending Osaka Castle from Ieyasu Tokugawa's forces. Her weapon is a whip sword.
Kanbei Kuroda (黒田 勘兵衛)
Voiced by: Masaya Takatsuka (Japanese); Gideon Emery (English) Kanbei is Hideyoshi Toyotomi's main strategist. He has a close relationship with Hanbei Takenaka, a fellow strategist at Nagashino, whom he considers as his only friend. Kanbei has a cold and calculating personality; he believes that the only thing that rules the world is power. He shows no mercy in his opponents and considers them his obstacles; nevertheless, all he wants to achieve is peace, which he will try to gain by any means, even eliminating his "obstacles" by doing so. After his friend, Hanbei's death in suppressing Motonari Mōri's uprising, he advises Hideyoshi to continue what the latter's late lord, Nobunaga Oda (who was assassinated at Honnō-ji) wants to do: domination. However, shortly after Hideyoshi manages to do that, he dies of illness, and Kanbei decides to defect to Ieyasu Tokugawa, who is rising in power. After the Tokugawa wins at Sekigahara, Kanbei supports his attack at the Toyotomi's last defense; he confronts his former ally, Kiyomasa Katō, who manages to bring him down after faking his death. Kanbei then accepts that his end lies among his former allies. His weapon is a floating ball imbued with magic.
Kiyomasa Katō (加藤 清正)
Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita (Japanese); Ted Sroka (English) Kiyomasa is one of the Toyotomi clan's most loyal general who is also known as one of the Seven Spears of Shizugatake. He is best friends and rivals with the Toyotomi's other generals, Masanori Fukushima and Mitsunari Ishida; Sakon Shima jokes that all three of them are "trio of idiots". Out of the trio, Kiyomasa is the most mature; he commonly tries to take care of Masanori's carelessness and Mitsunari's cockiness. While they are all considered the "children" of Hideyoshi Toyotomi's wife, Nene, Kiyomasa seems to harbor romantic feelings for her, something that his friends are bothered with. Kiyomasa helps Hideyoshi in achieving the domination of Japan; however, their victory is cut short by Hideyoshi's untimely death and Ieyasu Tokugawa's rise of power. He and Masanori decide to defect to the Eastern Army during the Battle of Sekigahara as he views that the Toyotomi clan's future is doomed; however, he secretly still keeps his ties with his old home, as when the Eastern Army eventually wins the battle, Kiyomasa and Masanori go back to defend Osaka Castle from Ieyasu who aims to destroy any remaining pieces of the Toyotomi clan. His weapon is a scythe.
Motonari Mōri (毛利 元就)
Voiced by: Hideo Ishikawa (Japanese); Matthew Quinn Forbes (English) Motonari is the head of the Mōri clan during the early Sengoku period. Chronologically, he is the oldest character in the series; he is already well into his twilight years by the time of Nobunaga Oda's quest in conquering Japan. However, the game portrays him as having lived past his death with his main enemy being Nobunaga himself. Motonari is a calm and reserved individual who possesses old-fashioned antics. He is also very intelligent, being able to predict many of his battles' outcomes. In the beginning, Motonari has been known as a great warlord who is planning to retire; however, he decides to return to the battlefield due to his grandson, Terumoto Mōri's insistence. During his battles, he befriends and has a humorous relationship with fellow strategists, Hanbei Takenaka and Kanbei Kuroda. He wields a crossbow which can shoot three arrows at once; this is based on a famous legend of himself where he asks his three sons to break three arrows to teach them cooperation.
Muneshige Tachibana (立花 宗茂)
Voiced by: Hiroki Tochi (Japanese); Peter Doyle (English) Muneshige is the husband of Ginchiyo Tachibana who is adopted by her father, Dōsetsu Tachibana, to become his successor. Clashing with Ginchiyo's general hotheadedness and pride in battles, Muneshige has mostly reserved personality, however, he does eager to join into battles, especially when Ginchiyo's recklessness causes her trouble. Muneshige has good reputation among his fellow warriors, which suitably impresses even the likes of Tadakatsu Honda. He is also noted to have good looks, which makes him popular among all women (as seen in Kai's ending), particularly Kai and Kunoichi, both of whom are distracted enough to almost agree on his advice in leaving the battlefield. After both his biological and adoptive fathers are killed by Yoshihiro Shimazu, Muneshige bears hatred to him, although he has to put aside it when working with him under Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Alongside his wife, he takes part in the Western Army during the Battle of Sekigahara, following Hideyoshi's death. His weapons are western-style sword and shield.
Ujiyasu Hōjō (北条 氏康)
Voiced by: Unsho Ishizuka (Japanese); Kyle Hebert (English) Ujiyasu is the leader of the Hōjō clan during the early Sengoku period. He gains his lands from his predecessors and thus is frequently called the "fool of Sagami" by his enemies; however, he manages to prove them wrong when he is dangerous enough that he is able to defend his land from the Takeda and Uesugi clan, both of which are considered the two most powerful clans of his time, and eventually becoming a major ruler in the Kantō region. Ujiyasu shows no fear in battles, often becoming reckless in the process. While he is enemies with Shingen Takeda and Kenshin Uesugi, he highly respects them, although both men tend to look down upon him. Ujiyasu also likes to tease his subordinates, particularly Kai, by calling her "brat". His weapon is a sword cane.
Takamaru (鷹丸)
Voiced by: Hiroshi Okamoto Takamura is a guest character from Nazo no Murasame Jō who only appears in Samurai Warriors 3. He is a playable character in a special mode of the game, Murasame Castle (based on the original game he appears in), which tells his story after being transported one hundred years to the past by the titular Murasame. With the help of a woman named Ayame, he goes through the castle to find Murasame. Takamaru can also be unlocked in other modes by fulfilling requirements in the Murasame Castle mode. Due to his property being owned by Nintendo, he does not appear in the PlayStation 3 port of the game.
Aya (綾御前)
Voiced by: Umeka Shoji (Japanese); Laura Bailey (English) Aya is the older half-sister of Uesugi Kenshin. She initially appears as a unique NPC in the original Samurai Warriors 3, before being made as full playable character in the Xtreme Legends expansion. She is a calm and composed woman who cares for the priority of her clan more than any other of her gains. Aya is respected by both Kenshin, who holds her as a "goddess", and her clan's retainer, Kanetsugu Naoe, who looks up to her as a teacher. In the game, she mainly supports her brother's campaigns while also taking Kanetsugu as an apprentice. However, after Kenshin's death, she opposes one of his possible successor, Kagekatsu, and Kanetsugu, supporting his other successor, Kagetora, instead. After defeating Kanetsugu, he is ashamed that he has swayed too far from Kenshin's ways and attempts to take his life, although Aya stops him, telling him that she is willing to see how he handles the Uesugi's future. Her weapon is a magic staff.
Masanori Fukushima (福島 正則)
Voiced by: Takahiro Fujimoto (Japanese); Dan Woren (English) Masanori is a loyal general of the Toyotomi clan and one of the Seven Spears of Shizugatake. He is initially unplayable in the original Samurai Warriors 3, although he is made as a playable character in the Xtreme Legends expansion. Being indebted to Hideyoshi Toyotomi since childhood, Masanori is undoubtedly loyal to Hideyoshi, serving as one of his finest generals, alongside his rivals, Kiyomasa Katō and Mitsunari Ishida. Out of the trio, Masanori is the loudest and the most immature, being a boastful and light-hearted individual, thus contrasting him with the others. While he highly respects Kiyomasa, he is annoyed by Mitsunari, referring him as "big-headed" due to, other than his arrogance, his battle helmet. However, he mostly forgoes his loud personality in favor of a more timid approach when confronting his "mother", Nene to avoid her lectures. After Hideyoshi's death, Masanori and Kiyomasa decide to serve Ieyasu Tokugawa during his rise of power; however, Mitsunari is still loyal to the Toyotomi clan, thus disappointing the two. The two attempt to convince him to change his ways during the Battle of Sekigahara, although he does not want to and eventually dies after losing the battle. However, Ieyasu still wants to charge the Toyotomi clan despite them having losing the side, and thus Masanori and Kiyomasa go on to defend the Toyotomi at Osaka Castle, wanting to preserve their dead friend's will. His weapon is a double edged kanabo.
Munenori Yagyū (柳生 宗矩)
Voiced by: Hiromu Miyazaki Munenori is a swordsman of the early Edo period who is the founder of the Edo branch of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū swordsmanship. He loyally serves Ieyasu Tokugawa, wanting to stop the wars in the land and to bring peace. Munenori is a passionist of one-on-one duels who does not like his predecessors' old antics in battles and strives to "rough" battles in order to make them enjoyable. His weapon is a tachi.
Naotora Ii (井伊 直虎)
Voiced by: Yuka Saitō Naotora is known as one of the few women in the Sengoku period to have held a position of power; specifically, she is regarded as the twentieth head of the Ii clan. She becomes the head of the clan after her cousin, Naochika was executed, and also adopts her nephew, Naomasa. Being forced into the battlefield, Naotora is very reluctant and frequently apologizes whenever she has to defeat or kill her enemies. In Samurai Warriors 4, although Naomasa still appears as an unplayable generic officer, Naotora seems to have become a composite of his character, being one of Ieyasu Tokugawa's primary officers as well as living past her death to participate in Battle of Sekigahara, where Naomasa's attack on the Shimazu forces is instead played by Naotora. Her weapon is a pair of bladed boots.
Takatora Tōdō (藤堂 高虎)
Voiced by: Masaya Matsukaze Takatora is a daimyo who is known for having served eight different warlords during his life, mainly due to his conflicting loyalty. The last warlord that he serves is Ieyasu Tokugawa, whom he chooses to side with during the Battle of Sekigahara, a battle that the Tokugawa clan triumphs on. While Takatora seemingly has appearance that suggests bitterness and coldness, he actually has a warm heart and is very loyal to his lords, even multiple of them, including in particular Nagamasa Azai. His weapon is a saiken (a kind of rapier).
Hayakawa (早川殿)
Voiced by: Satomi Satō Hayakawa is the daughter of Ujiyasu Hōjō who marries Yoshimoto Imagawa's son, Ujizane Imagawa, to cement the three-way alliance between Hōjō, Imagawa, and Takeda clans. A maiden pampered by her countrymen, retainers, and brothers alike, Hayakawa may appear fragile, but she has strong will that rivals even the might of her father, Ujiyasu. Her weapons are a Giccho stick and ball.
Hisahide Matsunaga (松永 久秀)
Voiced by: Kōji Ishii Hisahide is the daimyo of Yamato Province who surrenders to warlord Nobunaga Oda during the latter's march to Kyoto. He considers himself as a man of high class and talent who appreciates tea ceremony and its instruments. He also does not like the concept of being tied by fate. His weapon is a sickle.
Kagekatsu Uesugi (上杉 景勝)
Voiced by: Ryota Takeuchi Kagekatsu is the son of Masakage Nagao and Aya who is adopted into the Uesugi clan by Aya's younger brother, Kenshin Uesugi. He seldom talks as he believes that actions speak more than actual words. He also masks his gentle soul under his constant frowning. His weapon is a pair of large swords.
Kojūrō Katakura (片倉 小十郎)
Voiced by: Ryota Takeuchi Kojūrō is the loyal retainer of Masamune Date, formerly serving under Masamune's father, Terumune. Famous for his wit in battles, he is known as "Kojūrō the Wise". His weapon are a sword, a shield, and a flute.
Koshōshō (小少将)
Voiced by: Ryoko Shiraishi Koshōshō is the name assigned to the historical concubine of Motochika Chōsokabe, supposedly being much older than him. A bewitchingly beautiful woman, she self-proclaims herself as the "unluckiest" woman due to her apparently always bringing misfortunes to whoever men close to her. She is prone to seduce other men so she could conquer Shikoku and repel the efforts of Motochika in pacifying the island. However, when she discovers that Motochika is not susceptible to her charms, she becomes enamored with him and helps him in his conquests, taking Mitsuhide Akechi's daughter, Gracia as her self-proclaimed "apprentice". With Motochika dying partway through the era, she resolves to uphold his legacy by defending the island from the ultimately successful invasion of Hideyoshi, then attempting to protect the Toyotomi clan from the Tokugawa, in which she is defeated and escapes to keep living and preserve Motochika's memory.
Koshōshō wields a magical cloth as her weapon. She can shoot what appears to be disco lights as part of her special attacks, which reflects her predominantly western style of clothing and themes compared to other characters.
Nobuyuki Sanada (真田 信之)
Voiced by: Daisuke Ono Nobuyuki is the fifth ruler of the Sanada clan, the older brother of Yukimura Sanada, and the husband of Ina. He begins his career as a loyal general of the Takeda clan, alongside his family. Responsible like the rest of his family, Nobuyuki is easily swayed by emotions and will forgo logic if his loved ones are in danger. He initially joins the battlefield due to his concerns for his brother's safety. His weapon is a dual katana.
Takakage Kobayakawa (小早川 隆景)
Voiced by: Hiroshi Okamoto Takakage is the third son of Motonari Mōri who is adopted by the Kobayakawa clan whose surname he took from. He later swears loyalty to Hideyoshi Toyotomi and adopts the latter's adopted son, Hideaki. Like his father, Takakage is a brilliant and intellectual youth who prefers to build on strategies that would benefit people, rather than for war effort. His weapons are a sword and a book.
Toyohisa Shimazu (島津 豊久)
Voiced by: Shunzō Miyasaka Toyohisa is the nephew of Yoshihiro Shimazu. He is narrow-minded and reckless, making him involved in a lot of troubles, although he is very loyal to Yoshihiro and would do anything even if he has to lay his life for it. His weapon is a giant axe.
Yoshitsugu Ōtani (大谷 吉継)
Voiced by: Satoshi Hino Yoshitsugu is a loyal friend of Mitsunari Ishida, initially serving the Azai clan before changing to Hideyoshi Toyotomi. While at first he tends to accept philosophical benefits that events have on times instead of people, he changes his mind when meeting both Mitsunari and Takatora Tōdō. His weapon is a saihai.
Sengoku Musou 4-II
Naomasa Ii (井伊 直政)
Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi Naomasa is a renowned general serving Ieyasu Tokugawa. He is also a first cousin once removed of Naotora, who eventually adopts him to be the successor of the Ii clan after his father's death. Naomasa wields a pointed spear as his weapon.
Bodyguards
The following lists non-playable characters which can be recruited as bodyguards throughout the series. They are listed based on their specialized occupations. Those who have been made as proper or generic playable characters in the games are not listed here.
- Jōun Takahashi (高橋 紹運) - Muneshige Tachibana's real father and a retainer of Ōtomo clan with Dosetsu Tachibana.
- Kosuke Anayama (穴山 小助) - one of Sanada Ten Braves, He is sometimes a female in fiction.
- Masatoshi Hoshina (保科 正俊) - a samurai serving Takeda clan.
- Moriyasu Tozawa (戸沢 盛安) - had a friendship with Nobunaga Oda, later surrendered to Hideyoshi Toyotomi.
- Nobutsuna Kamiizumi (上泉 信綱) - a samurai who created Shinkage-ryū.
- Sekishūsai Yagyū (柳生 石舟斎) - a samurai of Shinkage-ryū, grandfather of Jūbei Yagyū.
- Shikanosuke Yamanaka (山中 鹿之介) - a retainer to the Amako clan.
- Takanobu Ryūzōji (龍造寺 隆信) - a warlord of Ryūzōji clan.
- Yoshiteru Ashikaga (足利 義輝) - the 13th Ashikaga Shogun.
Lady Samurai
- Koma (駒姫) - Yoshiaki Mogami's daughter, Masamune's cousin, Hidetsugu Toyotomi's concubine, and one of Hideyoshi's adopted daughters.
- Inu Oura (大浦 戌) - Tsugaru Tamenobu's wife and Tamenori Oura's daughter.
- Matsu Maeda (前田 まつ) - the wife of Toshiie Maeda.
- Nana (菜々) - Motochika Chōsokabe's wife who was also known as Motochika Fujin (Lady Motochika).
- Isuke Ninokuruwa (二曲輪 猪助) - Rumored to be a Fūma shinobi who was personally taught by Kotarō Fūma.
- Koji Kanshin (果心 居士) - a fictional illusionist who confronted Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, Yoshihiro and other daimyo with his sorcery.
- Nagato Fujibayashi (藤林 長門守) - one of the three heads of the Iga ninja school.
- Sasuke Sarutobi (猿飛 佐助) - one of Sanada Ten Braves.
- Tamba Momichi (百地 丹波) - an Iga ninja who was also known as Momoji Sandayū. He secretly joined forces with Magoichi Saika to end Nobunaga and targeted his son, Nobukatsu Oda.
- Chiyome Mochizuki (望月 千代女) - a Takeda's kunoichi, a woman who created a kunoichi group.
- Maria Konishi (小西 マリア) - Yukinaga Konishi's sister and Yoshitoshi Sō's wife.
- Tiger Gamō (蒲生 虎) - One of Ujisatu Gamo's younger sisters and Ieyasu's aunt.
- Tsune Katō (加藤 安) - Nagatomi Okumura's wife.
- Usui (碓氷姫) - one of Tadatsugu Sakai's wives.
Musketeers
- Dojūn Igasaki (伊賀崎 道順) - an Iga ninja who served Yoshikata Rokkaku and Ieyasu. His family name is also spelled as Iganosaki though it is possible that he could be Yazaemon Kido.
- Hisatoki Tanegashima (種子島 久時) - sixteenth head of the Tanegashima and a Shimazu vassal.
- Jūzō Kakei (筧 十蔵) - one of Sanada Ten Braves.
- Sukenao Inadome (稲富 祐直) - a professional gunner who served Tadaoki Hosokawa and was present at Gracia's death.
- Zenjūbo Sugitani (杉谷 善住坊) - a man of unknown origin who sniped Nobunaga during the battle of Kanegasaki.
Archers
- Chiyo Yamauchi (山内 千代) - Kazutoyo Yamauchi's wife.
- Kōshōshō (小少将) - Yoshikage Asakura's concubine who gave birth to their son, Aioumaru. She was one of Saitohyo Bushoryo's children.
- Myorinni Yoshioka (吉岡 妙林尼) - Kagamiokuro Yoshioka's wife and one of Sōrin Ōtomo's vassals.
- Tatsuko Kyōgoku (京極 竜子) - Takayoshi Kyōgoku's daughter and one of Hideyoshi Toyotomi's concubines.
- Sansa Honinbo (本因坊 算砂) - a Nichiren Buddhist monk since his early days, Sansa was also a master of Go, Shougi, and other strategic table games.
- Shoki Kaisen (快川 紹喜) - also known as Kaisen Jōki, he was a monk of the Rinzai sect in Zen Buddhism.
- Sōhō Takuan (沢庵 宗彭) - a major figure in the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism.
- Sūden Ishin (以心 崇伝) - one of the influential members of Rinzai Buddhism. He is also known as Sūden, Konchi-In Sūden, or the "Prime Minister in Black Robes".
- Tenkai Nankōbō (南光坊 天海) - a famous monk, some folks claim he actually was Mitsuhide Akechi.
- Ise (伊勢姫) - Beautiful woman who is said to have romantic relations with Kenshin.
- Itoko Ikeda (池田 糸子) - Kiyohide Nakagawa's daughter and Toshitaka Ikeda's wife.
- Sayuri (小百合姫) - Narimasa Sassa's legendary concubine (sometimes said as wife).
- Kumakawa (熊若) - a Kai shinobi who was eventually hired by Shingen Takeda.
- Isa Miyoshi (三好 伊三) - one of Sanada Ten Braves.
- Mataichirō Namasue (鯰江 又一郎) - possibly a former Rokuro vassal.
- Seikai Miyoshi (三好 晴海) - one of Sanada Ten Braves.
- Yoemon Aochi (青地 与右衛門) - a professional sumo wrestler (rikishi) who also impressed Nobunaga.
Fire Ninja
- Danzō Katō (加藤 段蔵) - a shinobi who once tried to serve Kenshin Uesugi.
- Ginpachirō Ōno (小野 銀八郎) - one of Koroku Hachisuka's subordinates who excelled in pyrotechnics.
- Rokurō Mochizuki (望月 六郎) - one of Sanada Ten Braves.
- Saizō Kirigakure (霧隠 才蔵) - one of Sanada Ten Braves.