Oboromaru

(おぼろ丸, Oboromaru?)

* Remake
* Original

“I see you, vengeful spirit!
”

—Oboromaru, attacking the party in the final chapter

**Oboromaru** is the protagonist of the Twilight of Edo Japan chapter, The Infiltrator. He is a prodigious shinobi of the Enma Clan, sent on a mission to rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Ode Iou, for the sake of Japan's future.

## Profile

### Appearance

Oboromaru has bushy purple hair, a brown ninja outfit fitted with chainmail, armored gloves, tabi with sandals and a red scarf. A cowl covers half of his face, exposing only his blue eyes. He also dons a gold headband. He has a sword sheath strapped to his back.

### Personality

Oboromaru is a stoic, silent, and resourceful warrior, utterly devoted to his clan and his duty. He rarely expresses his personal thoughts or desires, carrying out his mission with the utmost proficiency. Quick with a blade, he carries no qualms with taking a life if deemed necessary, though he is not above forming allegiances. Ultimately, Oboromaru shares his clan's philosophy in seeking a better future for Japan.

## History

### Twilight of Edo Japan: The Infiltrator

Oboromaru is a ninja of the Enma, a clan of shinobi that guides history from the shadows. Though his training is incomplete, he is selected by the clan's master to undertake a critically important mission. He is tasked with infiltrating Ode Castle, the fortress of the Ode Clan, and rescuing an influential politician being held captive within. To assist in his mission, fellow shinobi Hayate grants Oboromaru his Shadowed Self technique, allowing him to become completely invisible.

Arriving at Ode castle, Oboromaru infiltrates the heavily guarded fortress. How Oboromaru chooses to accomplish his mission is up to him: he may make the prisoner's rescue his priority, or he may deign to confront Ode Iou first. Additionally, Oboromaru may choose whether to sneak past the castle's many inhabitants, or to fight them and take their lives. As he makes his way through the castle, Oboromaru evades its many tricks and traps, while doing battle with the many malicious spirits summoned by Ode Iou himself to guard his estate.

Oboromaru successfully recovers the prisoner, and confronts Ode Iou on the castle's rooftops. There, he witnesses Iou transform into a demon, the Gamahebi, proclaiming himself eternal ruler of Japan. Fighting together for the future of their nation, Oboromaru and the prisoner slay the demon, putting an end to the Ode Clan. Standing on the rooftops, the prisoner, Ryoma Sakamoto, offers Oboromaru the choice join him in his quest to bring peace to Japan, or to remain a shinobi. No matter what he chooses, Oboromaru watches a new dawn rise from the horizon, along with a new dawn for Japan.

Alternately, Oboromaru may choose to abandon his mission and the Enma by leaving Ode Castle. In this case, Oboromaru is fated to spend the rest of his life fending off the vengeful members of his former clan. His defection eventually leads to his death, by a suicide attack from Hayate.

### Final Chapter: The Dominion of Hate

   Oboromaru, along with the other six heroes across time, is transported to the Dominion of Hate by the will of Odio soon after his ordeal, and may be chosen as the chapter's protagonist.

As a recruitable party member, he is found by examining the blood-encrusted signpost before the Archon's Roost. Dropping down from above, he assumes the party to be monsters and attacks them. After being defeated, he acknowledges the party and offers to accompany them. Oboromaru may be reacquired at any time by simply examining the sign.

Oboromaru's Trial is the Trial of Keys, located in the Seat of the Betrayers's village. A labyrinth of locked doors serves as the ninja's challenge, each one requiring a key to be opened. His ultimate weapon, the Murasame, lies at the very end.

If Oersted is chosen as the protagonist, Oboromaru is instead fought as an enemy, with the player in control of the Gamahebi. In this outcome, Oboromaru and the prisoner are slain by the demon, unable to prevent his impending reign.

After Odio is defeated once and for all in the true ending, Oboromaru, if chosen as the protagonist, confronts Oersted over his actions. He confesses that he too was once willing to take lives without consideration, but through his meeting with Ryoma, he had come to realize the true value of mercy and trust. Moved, Oersted returns the seven heroes to their original time periods with his final breath.

Oboromaru's fate depends on his answer to Ryoma's offer to join him. If he chose to accompany Ryoma, he is made a member of his entourage, going on to save his life from an assassin. If he instead chose to remain with the Enma, Oboromaru continues to protect Japan from the silence of the shadows.

## Etymology

The kanji used to write Oboromaru's name (朧) means misty or hazy, often related to the moon. The kanji used to write the diminutive suffix -maru (丸) originally means round or circle. This word used to be put at the end of the names mainly of Japanese people of the warrior class during childhood as a way to repel evil.

## Trivia

* Oboromaru has two weapons in his chapter that share the same stats: the Mutsuokami (known as Yoshiyuki in the SFC fan translation), acquired from Ryoma if Oboromaru had 0 kills, and the Muramasa, protected by the secret boss Majin Ryunosuke.
* Oboromaru has no dialogue with any character in his chapter, however, unlike the other silent protagonists Pogo, Cube and Oersted, Oboromaru's dialogue options and internal monologue are voiced.
	+ The strictly non-canon "abort the mission" ending has Oboromaru speak exactly one line, "Master..." to Hayate before the fight.