Ikusa Historical Figure

*Ikusa no Kuni* (戦の国), the Country of War is where historical figures of the **Sengoku Period** live.

## **Mori Ranmaru**

In our world Mori Ranmaru was a vassal to the daimyo (feudal lord) Oda Nobunaga. His whole family served Nobunaga and Ranmaru especially is remembered for his bravery and loyalty to his lord, as well as his beauty.

He became Nobunaga's page at a young age and quickly became known as a hard worker who was fiercely loyal to his lord. Ranmaru's father died when he was young, leaving only Ranmaru and his younger brothers. Nobunaga and Ranmaru were very close, possibly to the point of having a sexual relationship (a common thing amongst samurai). It was said Ranmaru was one of Nobunaga's three favorite things in the world.

Ranmary died at only 17~18 during the Honno-ji incident where he committed seppuku after Nobunaga did, following his lord to the grave.

Other places you can see Mori Ranmaru used as a character:

* *Sengoku Basara* (as a side character in the game franchise and anime)
* *Samurai Warriors* (video game franchise)
* *Nobunaga Concerto* (minor character in manga, drama and anime)
* *Sengoku Night Blood* (otome game)
* *Geten no Hana* (otome game)

## **Oda Nobunaga**

In our world Oda Nobunaga was a feudal lord and one of the three unifiers of Japan.

Nobunaga was the feudal lord of a small province, Owari. He rose to power by defeating and conquering other provinces with the goal of unification in mind. He had conquered the majority of Honshu, Japan's largest island, by the time of his death. Nobunaga was eventually killed by one of his previously loyal retainers, Akechi Mitsuhide. While the reason for Mitsuhide's betrayal is not known some claim he may have been jealous that Nobunaga favored another of his vassals, Mori Ranmaru.

Nobunaga is known by his nickname "the fool", which he received in his youth, one which remained when his battle tactics often seemed mad yet somehow he succeeded. He is also remembered for cruelty in battle, during one famous incident he burned down a temple of opposing warrior monks with everyone inside, including the women and children. Additionally Nobunaga was one of the first people to use guns in warfare in Japan. He was fascinated with the western world and learned a lot about it from Portuguese missionaries he befriended.

Other places you can see Oda Nobunaga used as a character:

* *Nobunaga Concerto* (manga, anime, drama)
* *Onna Nobunaga* (drama)
* *Kagemusha* (Kurosawa film)
* *Warriors Orochi* (game)
* *Nobunaga the Fool* (anime)
* *Sengoku Basara* (manga, anime, game)
* *Ikemen Sengoku* (otome game)
* *Sengoku Night Blood* (game, anime)
* *Samurai Night Romance* (otome game)
* *Shall we date: Ninja Love* (otome game)
* and a million others

## **Akechi Mitsuhide**

In our world Akechi Mitsuhide was a retainer of Oda Nobunaga and is best known for killing his lord.

Mitsuhide was originally a servant of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki. After successfully defending the shogun from an attempt on his life Nobunaga asked him to join his cause and Mitsuhide decided, as Nobunaga was at the time a tentative ally of the shogun, to serve them both. Mitsuhide was one of Nobunaga's most trusted retainers, however their relationship deteriorated over the years. The exact reasons are unknown but eventually Mitsuhide led an army he was supposed to take to fight an enemy to Honno-ji, setting fire to the temple and causing Nobunaga's death.

After Nobunaga's death Mitsuhide declared himself shogun and tried to seize power. However another of Nobunaga's retainers and his eventual successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, immediately set upon Mitsuhide to avenge Nobunaga. Mitsuhide managed to escape the battle but died on his way to the next city, only 13 days after the incident at Honno-ji.

Other places you can see Akechi Mitsuhide used as a character:

* *Sengoku Basara* (manga, anime, game)
* *Samurai Warriors* (game)
* *Onna Nobunaga* (drama)
* *Nobunaga Concerto* (manga, anime, drama)
* *Akechi mitsuhide: Kami ni ai sarenakatta otoko* (film)
* *Ikemen Sengoku* (otome game)
* *Sengoku Night Blood* (game, anime)
* *Samurai Love Ballad* (otome game)
* and many more

## **Takenaka Hanbee**

In our world Takenaka Hanbee, also known as Takenaka Shigeharu, was a samurai who worked under Toyotomi Hideyoshi and, by proxy, Oda Nobunaga.

Hanbee was originally working for the Saito clan but after Nobunaga's forces defeated them Hideyoshi had found Hanbee's strategies to be so good that he invited him to join them. Hanbee, being an expert strategist, helped Hideyoshi greatly in battle from then on out. He died of illness.

Hanbee's son, Shigetoshi, went on to support first Ishida Mitsunari but then Tokugawa Ieyasu during the battle of Sekigahara, the battle which marks the end of the Sengoku period.

Other places you can see Takenaka Hanbee used as a character:

* *Samurai Warriors 3* (game)
* *Sengoku Basara* (manga, anime, game)
* *Pokémon conquest* (game)
* *The Ambition of Oda Nobunaga* (female version of him, light novel, manga, anime)
* FR: Sengoku Princess (otome game)
* *Geten no Hana Yumeakari* (otome game)

## **Ishida Mitsunari**

In our world Ishida Mitsunari was a samurai and military commander.

Mitsunari worked for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Oda Nobunaga's successor. He was one of Hideyoshi's top administrators and was known to be especially good with calculations and finances. After Hideyoshi's death Mitsunari kept his position but not his power and so fought against Tokugawa Ieyasu, the leading regent, at the battle of Sekigahara, the battle said to mark the end of the Sengoku period. Mitsunari's forces lost and Ieyasu, now near undisputed, ended up becoming the first shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Other places you can see Ishida Mitsunari used as a character:

* *Sengoku Basara* (manga, anime, game)
* *Samurai Warriors* (game)
* *Pokémon Conquest* (game)
* *Yokai Watch* (ep 47, anime)
* *Brave 10* (side, anime)
* *Sekigahara* (novel, film)
* *Samurai Love Ballad* (otome game)
* *Sakura Amidst Chaos* (otome game)

## **Date Masamune**

In our world Date Masamune was a famous warrior, leader and tactician known as the One-Eyed Dragon.

Masamune succeeded his father as the feudal lord of Yamagata at only 17 years old. He lost his eye to smallpox and was thereafter given his nickname due to his prowess in battle. He was also recognized by the crescent moon on his helmet. After Toyotomi Hideyoshi came to power Masamune was forced to become his underling. After Hideyoshi's death Masamune supported Tokugawa Ieyasu, who made him one of the most powerful lords for his services.

In addition Masamune was interested in foreign culture and technology and, before Ieyasu outlawed Christianity, let foreign missionaries practice their religion in his domain. There were even rumors that one of his daughters was a Christian.

Other places you can see Date Masamune used as a character:

* *Samurai Warriors* (game)
* *Sengoku Basara* (manga, anime, game)
* *Dokuganryū Masamune* (drama)
* *Sengoku Otome* (female version, anime)
* *Samurai Love Ballad* (otome game)
* *Ikemen Sengoku* (otome game)
* *Forbidden Romance: Destiny's Princess* (otome game)
* *Iza, Shutsujin! Koi Ikusa* (otome game)
* and many more

## **Saika Magoichi**

In our world Saika Magoichi was actually a hereditary name for the leader of the Saiga-ikki, a group of warriors. This particular sect were known for their skill with guns and there are three people thought to have gone by the name Saika Magoichi: Suzuki Sadayu and two of his sons, Suzuki Shigetomo and Suzuki Shigehide. All three of them were on the defending side of an 11 year siege Oda Nobunaga made on Ishiyama Hongan-ji.

Sadayu was a renowned warrior who led an army of riflemen to the battle and won fame for that. Nobunaga is said to have called him Kennyo's (leader of the Hongan-ji monks) left and right hand man. He died shortly after the siege.

Shigehide was known as a great warrior. The stories vary on what happened to him after Nobunaga won the siege, some claiming he became a wanderer, some that he unwillingly served Hideyoshi and others that he worked with Date Masamune.

The final man known to bear the name, Shigetomo, joined Hideyoshi after the siege and became one of his generals, fighting on his side during the battle of Sekigahara. He is also said to have joined Date Masamune after said battle.

Other places you can see Saika Magoichi used as a character:

* *Sengoku Basara* (female version, manga, anime, game)
* *Nioh* (game)
* *Samurai Warriors* (game)

## **Ikkyuu Soujun**

In our world Ikkyuu Soujun was a buddhist monk and poet. He was one of the leaders of introducing Zen ideals into Japanese culture.

Ikkyuu became an acolyte at a Zen temple in Kyoto at only 5 years old. There he studies Chinese language, poetry and literature. Ikkyuu began writing poetry which was not in a traditional form, earning him criticism. Ikkyuu trained in many other temples, searching for what he considered the correct way of Zen.

Ikkyuu was a bit of a troublemaker, for example he was said to drink a lot and make rude comments to guests. He had a bit of a rivalry with a fellow student, Yaso, who features in some of his poetry. When Yaso became the heir of their temple Ikkyuu left to become a vagabond, traveling with other artists, including a blind singer named Mori who he had a relationship with. During old age Ikkyuu was elected abbot of a temple and reluctantly held that position until his death.

Other places you can see Ikkyuu Soujun used as a character:

* *Read or die* (anime)
* *Akkanbe Ikkyu* (manga)
* *Afterschool Charisma* (manga)
* *Ikkyu-san* (anime)
* *Ikkyu-san* (drama)

## **Sen no Rikyuu**

In our world Sen no Rikyuu was the most influential master of the 'way of tea', particularly in the wabi-sabi (beauty of simplicity) style.

Rikyuu studied under another wabi-cha master, Takeno Joo, before becoming the tea master for Oda Nobunaga and later his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Under Hideyoshi Rikyuu became the most influential tea master there was at the time and for example organized the Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony. They however had a falling out late during Rikyu's life and Hideyoshi ordered him to commit seppuku.

During his later years Rikyuu began to use small, rustic tea rooms which are now considered traditional. He also designed many tools used in tea ceremonies. Although Rikyuu didn't invent the wabi-sabi style he was definitely a leader in popularizing it.

Other places you can see Sen no Rikyuu used as a character:

* *Rikyu* (film)
* Death of a Tea Master (film)
* *Hyōge Mono* (manga, anime)
* *Ask This of Rikyu* (novel, film)
* *Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi* (game)

## **Kuroda Kanbee**

In our world Kuroda Kanbee, aka Kuroda Yoshitaka, was a feudal lord and renowned strategist and adviser to Toyotomi Hideyoshi and by proxy Oda Nobunaga.

Kanbee joined the Oda clan and together with Takenaka Hanbee was Hideyoshi's lead strategist and adviser. While working for them he was imprisoned by a revolting lord for about a year and due to his ill treatment there lost sight in one of his eyes and got a leg disorder. This did not stop Kanbee from continuing his work for the Oda clan and he fought with Hideyoshi to avenge Nobunaga in the battle that mortally wounded Akechi Mitsuhide.

Kanbee was known as a frugal person and was additionally friendly with Sen no Rikyuu.

Other places you can see Kuroda Kanbee used as a character:

* *Samurai Warriors 3* (game)
* *Sengoku Basara 3* (game)
* *Gunshi Kanbei* (drama)
* *Kessen 3* (game)
* *Pokémon Conquest* (game)
* *Sengoku Night Blood* (otome game)
* *Geten no Hana Yume Akari* (otome game)

## **Maeda Keiji**

In our world Maeda Keiji, aka Maeda Toshimasu, was a famous samurai.

He served under Oda Nobunaga along with his uncle and was known as a fierce and wild warrior, often claimed to have turned the tide of battles nearly single handed. One tale tells of how during the failed invasion of Aizu Maeda led the rear guard during the retreat and because of him most of the forces got away intact. Another tells of how he once broke enemy lines with only 8 men.

Maeda's horse, Matsukaze, was said to have been a wild beast bred of great horses who only Maeda managed to tame. He supposedly ran away and disappeared after Maeda's death.

Other places you can see Maeda Keiji used as a character:

* *Samurai Warriors* (games)
* *Sengoku Basara* (games, anime)
* *Kessen 3* (game)
* *Keiji* (manga)
* *Toshie to Matsu* (drama)

## **Shima Sakon**

In our world Shima Sakon was a samurai working under Ishida Mitsunari.

Shima Sakon was a highly regarded samurai, there is even a story that Mitsunari offered him half his salary to recruit him. He participated in the battle of Sekigahara, the battle that ended the Sengoku period, and was in charge of 1000 men. During the battle he was shot by Kuroda Kanbee's son and his fate after that is unknown.

Other places you can see Shima Sakon used as a character:

* *Samurai Warriors 2 (game)*
* *Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams (game)*
* *Sakon (manga)*
* *Sengoku Basara 4 (game)*
* *Samurai Love Ballad (minor character, otome game)*
* *Nioh (game)*
* *Sekigahara (film)*