Sasaki Tadasaburo

Sasaki Tadasaburo (, Sasaki Tadasaburō) is a major antagonist featured in Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!/Like a Dragon: Ishin! based on the real-life historical figure of the same name.
He is the commander of the the Mimawarigumi and shares his in-game appearance with Masaru Watase.
== Profile ==
=== Appearance ===
Sasaki bears a near perfect resemblance to Masaru Watase; being a middle-aged man with black, slicked back hair with a widow's peak, and a goatee on his face. The only difference being that he also wears his hair in a top-knot, like other samurai.
=== Attire ===
Sasaki wears a slate colored hakama and a light-grey kimono with dark patterns, underneath a charcoal haori with a large, white crest on its back.
=== Personality ===
Sasaki laments that Japan's stability has left samurai purposeless, since they are born and raised to be warriors. As such, he wishes to plunge Japan into a new period of warfare, whether it be war between the Loyalists and the Tokugawa Bakufu or war against foreign invaders, so that samurai like him can finally live up to their true potential.
== Background ==
Sasaki was born into a samurai clan high in the Tokugawa Bakufu's hierarchy. Befitting of his station, he was eventually made into the first commander of the Mimawarigumi, a special police force of high-ranked samurai whose job was to guard the Imperial palace from potential Shishi plots to kidnap the Emperor. Though the Mimawarigumi are ostensibly allied with the Shinsengumi, another special police group in Kyoto, an intense rivalry exists between the two organizations nonetheless.
==Involvement==
===Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!/Like a Dragon: Ishin!: 1867===
In 1867, in light of the many casualties the Shinsengumi's command structure has suffered, Sasaki goes to the Shinsengumi's headquarters in Mibu with a group of Mimawarigumi members at his back, demanding an audience with their commander, Kondo Isami. However, he is turned away at the gate by Ito Kashitaro, who tells them Kondo is too busy to meet with unscheduled visitors. The Mimawarigumi's leader eventually relents and leaves with his men.
Days later, Sakamoto Ryoma (acting under the alias of "Saito Hajime") and Okita Soji lead a raid on Teradaya to capture the imposter who's been using Sakamoto's name and plotting against the Bakufu. During the raid, the fake Sakamoto manages to escape the Shinsengumi men by jumping out of a window, but before Sakamoto and Okita can pursue him, they are stopped by Sasaki and his men. Sasaki claims that the Mimawarigumi has been tasked by the Tokugawa Bakufu to deal with "Sakamoto" and his plots, so the Shinsengumi can no longer pursue him. Angered by the news, Okita insists that the Shinsengumi must pursue the fake Sakamoto, since he's responsible for the murders of many of their Unit Captains, but Sasaki is unmoved and mockingly retorts that if they have any issues with his orders, they should take it up with the official who issued them, Katsu Rintaro.
After a few weeks, Ito betrays the Shinsengumi by forging orders from Commander Kondo instructing their troops to start fires throughout the capital. When Sakamoto and Okita return to the city after being away on a mission, they are attacked on the street by Sasaki and his men, who seek to retaliate against the Shinsengumi for their actions. After the Mimawarigumi Commander is defeated, more of his men show up to provide reinforcements, so Okita stays behind to distract them while Sakamoto travels to Commander Kondo's home to investigate the fires.
Eventually, Sakamoto and his Shinsengumi allies set-up a trap for the fake Sakamoto (who has been revealed to be the real Sakamoto's childhood friend, Takechi Hanpeita). On December 10 of 1867, they lure him to Omiya by promising a meeting with rebel leaders Katsura Kogoro and Saigo Kichinosuke and then assault the place, intent on killing him and his allies. However, when Sakamoto reaches Takechi's room to confront him, he is instead met by Sasaki, who notes the strange irony of how Takechi, the man who is using Sakamoto's name to change the country, is to be killed by the true Sakamoto, who is too old-fashioned to bring about needed change. After Takechi makes his presence known, an enraged Sakamoto attacks him, but he is stopped by Sasaki and Ito, who've joined forces with Takechi to overthrow the Bakufu. Takechi proclaims that "Sakamoto Ryoma" has died at Omiya, but their story is not over yet and they must end it together where they grew up, in Tosa Province. Afterwards, Takechi escapes alongside Sasaki and Ito.
Within the week, Sakamoto, Okita, Nagakura Shinpachi and Hijikata Toshizo sail for Tosa to put an end to Takechi and his co-conspirators. When the samurai arrive at the castle of Takechi's financial backer, Yamauchi Yodo, they are met at the gate by Sasaki and his troops. The Mimawarigumi Commander tells the four men that he doesn't care if the Bakufu have given up their power, and that he is glad to be living in a new era, after which he and his followers engage them in combat. After being bested for the second time, Sasaki calls upon more reinforcements to help snuff out the intruders, so Nagakura chooses stays behind and hold them off so that Ryoma, Okita and Hijikata can continue their assault on the castle. Despite having him outnumbered, Nagakura ultimately defeats the reinforcements and kills Sasaki before re-joining his Shinsengumi brothers in confronting Lord Yodo.
== Fighting Style ==
=== Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! ===
Sasaki is fought twice in the game, and is backed up by horde of Mimawarigumi members both times. He holds his katana in the hassō-no-kamae stance, and his fighting technique is made up of an equal amount of precise, controlled, single-slash moves; and wild, brutish, one-handed swings. His moveset is listed as follows: 
* a one-handed Rush Combo, including a downward diagonal left slash, a horizontal rightward slash, an downward diagonal left stab and an upward diagonal right slash;
* a second one-handed combo, consisting of two downward slashes, followed by an upward slash;
* a downward diagonal left slash,
* an upward diagonal right slash,
* a horizontal leftward slash,
* a forward sword thrust, and
* a one-handed downward stab as a downed attack.
His aura is reddish orange.
A heavily watered-down version of Sasaki's moveset is used by some katana-wielding enemies fought throughout the game.
=== Like a Dragon: Ishin! ===
Sasaki retains his moveset from the original Ishin!, but also has a plethora of additional attacks taken from two katana enemy movesets, based on his own moveset and Tokugawa Yoshinobu's. These include the following:
* a combo consisting of a vertical downward slash, a horizontal rightward slash, and a downward diagonal left slash;
* an upward diagonal left slash,
* a downward diagonal right slash,
* a horizontal rightward slash,
* an upward vertical slash,
* a downward vertical slash,
* a running horizontal leftward slash, and
* a downward diagonal left slash-upward diagonal right slash combo as a second running attack.
Sasaki can now perform his downward stab downed attack regardless of whether his opponent is downed or not. When he enters Heat Mode, he can use Sakamoto's 'Essence of Lightning's Spear' ability.
His aura is now pale yellow.
==Gallery==
===Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!===
Masaru Watase (Sasaki Tadasaburō).png
RGGI! - Character Render - Sasaki Tadasaburo.jpg
Sasaki ishin.png
Watase ishin.png
Sasaki.png|Sasaki's crest
===Like a Dragon: Ishin!===
LADI! - Character Render - Sasaki Tadasaburo.png|Full-body Like a Dragon: Ishin! render of Sasaki
=== Ryu Ga Gotoku Online ===
RGGO - Card - SSR Sasaki Tadasaburo.png|SSR Sasaki Tadasaburo
Category:Historical Figures
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! Characters
Category:Like a Dragon: Ishin! Characters
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! Antagonists
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin! Bosses
Category:Like a Dragon: Ishin! Bosses
Category:Ryu Ga Gotoku Online Characters
Category:Tokugawa Bakufu
Category:Mimawarigumi