Sanda Shana

**Sanda** of the Shana Clan is an ally of Hachimaru and company. After being taken in by the criminal Benkei in his youth, he adopted the name **Kotsuga** and became a rogue Bushi loyal only to money. After learning about his master's connection to the tragedy in his past, he reclaimed his true name and became a supporter of Hachimaru's mission.

## Personality

Sanda started out as a selfish and cowardly individual. He resorted to deception and theft to get what he wants without regard for others. However, he is not without his principles: he dislikes harming women and will avoid it if possible. Kotsuga is also a flirt, evidenced by his repeated advances on an uninterested Ann.

Because of events in his childhood, Kotsuga has lost his ability to trust in other people. He also developed a strong disdain for all Samurai, particularly those who teach. He distrusts Samurai who mentor and believes they will inevitably turn their backs on their students. He adopted the belief that money is the only thing anyone can or should trust, which is why he is willing to serve anyone who can pay him.

After Benkei's defeat, Sanda resolved to start being a better person. Admitting his wrongs, he began attempting to trust others again. He became friendlier towards those around him, particularly with Ryu and Hachimaru. However, he still likes to tease the latter occasionally.

## History

Sanda is the son of Yoshitsune the Ship-Jumper, a legendary Samurai and a prominent clan head. He was expected to one day become a Samurai and take his dad's place. However, his father discovered that he was unable to become a Samurai; the odds of him surviving the seppuku ritual were too low for an attempt to be worth it. Despite the low odds of survival, his father tried to force the issue by killing him with a ritual blade tied to a Locker Ball. Sanda overheard his father telling his mother he wasn't compatible with a Locker Ball. Knowing he would not survive, he resisted his father. During the scuffle, his mother intervened and was hurt. After Sanda tackled him, Yoshitsune's student Benkei told him the woman died from the stab wound, which hurts Yoshitsune enough that he is forsaken by Fudo Myo-o and dies.

Now an orphan, Benkei chose to take him in and had him change his name to from Sanda to Kotsuga. The Samurai took him on as a student in the art of illegal money-making, and taught him to only connect to those willing to pay him. Benkei began sending him to find and lure powerful Samurai to him he could steal their Keys. During one such outing, he found an amnesiac Ryu wandering around, and decided to sell him to Benkei. Putting on the front of being a decent person, he convinced Ryu to travel with him, stealing from others while on his way back to his caretaker.

## Relationships

### Yoshitsune

As a child, Sanda cared for his father the way any child would. He bore no hate for Yoshitsune, even though the man was more interested in Sanda's potential to become a Samurai. However, after his death and the death of his mother, Sanda's love turned into hate, as he believed him to be his mother's killer.

### Benkei

Sanda was indifferent towards Benkei; following his teachings, Sanda was only loyal to him because he paid well. However, after learning Benkei was the true killer of his mother, and by extension - his father, Sanda immediately turned on Benkei and became focused on helping take him down.

### Ryu

Sanda initially cared little for Ryu, even though his ally trusted him wholeheartedly. He only kept Ryu around because he was useful. After realizing the error of his ways, he started considering Ryu a true friend. To reflect this, Sanda made it a goal of his to uncover Ryu's true name and origin.

## References

*Samurai Eight: Hachimaruden* Manga; Chapter 26, page 9