Saber (Fate/Mythos - Samanosuke Akechi)

*"So... Fortune has smiled upon me this day. With the power of this gauntlet... I will destroy all of those monsters and save the princess!"* - Samanosuke Akechi.

**Saber** (セイバー, *Seibā*) is the servant of ??? in the ??? Holy Grail War.

## Profile

### Identity

Saber's true identity is **Samanosuke Akechi**, a master warrior and samurai who would become an Onimusha, a warrior with the powers of the Oni clan, to stand in opposition of the Genma and defend humanity from them. He is a master swordsman aiming to be the strongest in the world, wandering the country in search of worthy adversaries. His quiet nature may make him seem coldhearted, but in truth, he's driven by a strong sense of justice. He is the companion and partner of the ninja Kaede.

Going from a wandering Samurai to eventually a man with a mission to protect the world from the Genma, he's quite often seen as one of the greatest heroes, if not the greatest himself. Samanosuke being the first one to become an Ultimate Onimusha Warrior in his final confrontation with Oda Nobunaga. After his defeat of Nobunaga, he is not as active as he was before is still an important figure as he heavily aids Soki and the others in stopping Fortinbras.

Although most of Japan's medieval history has been played out, his ending is slightly ambiguous with Samanosuke still needing to seal away the gauntlet's powers for good.

#### History

##### Background

Samanosuke was born in the year 1535, during Japan's Sengoku Period. The circumstances of his birth (location, exact date) are unknown, but it is implied that Samanosuke was a samurai in service to the Saito clan of Mino province (now Gifu Prefecture). A struggle for leadership in the clan (the historical in-fighting between Dosan Saito and his son Saito Yoshitatsu), saw Samanosuke separate himself from the clan and travel the world, effectively becoming a ronin. During these travels, he encountered and befriended the female ninja Kaede, who became his partner and confidant.

Over the next four years, they developed trust, honor, respect and deep feelings of love for each other. Upon his return somewhere in 1571, Samanosuke and Kaede return to assist his uncle, Akechi Mitsuhide, in absolute secrecy. For the next eleven years, Samanosuke and Kaede travel all over Japan, slaying Genma wherever they may find them.

## Abilities

Samanosuke usually wields a sword; the only exception being the Chigo, which was an axe. Each one had their own advantages and elemental power.

### Notable Skills and Techniques

* **Magic Resistance** (B Rank):
* **Independent Action** (C Rank):

## Quotes

* *"Even if I die... I will destroy you!"'* - Samanosuke to Fortinbras.
* *"Kaede, it is you that givens me the strength to fight. It has always been so and always will."* - Samanosuke to Kaede.

## Trivia

* He is loosely based on the historical figure Akechi Hidemitsu, one of the nephews of Mitsuhide Akechi.
	+ It is rumored that he may have been born in 1536 or 1538. Some speculate that he is a nephew or cousin to Mitsuhide (others say son-in-law), but not much is said about Samanosuke (Hidemitsu), just that he helped Mitsuhide in the attack on Nobunaga, and lived somewhat longer than Mitsuhide. His death is also a mystery; it was either seppuku or death in battle against Hideyoshi's troops.
	+ He may also be inspired by Nankōbō Tenkai, who amongst other things was rumored to be either Mitsuhide or Hidemitsu's disguise after the Akechi's downfall.
* Samanosuke was created based on the likeness of Japanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro.

## References

* https://onimusha.fandom.com/wiki/Samanosuke\_Akechi
* https://hero.fandom.com/wiki/Samanosuke
* https://capcom.fandom.com/wiki/Samanosuke
* https://vsbattles.fandom.com/wiki/Samanosuke\_Akechi
* https://comicvine.gamespot.com/samanosuke/4005-9106/