Ise

**Ise** is a character in the Netflix series, *Blue Eye Samurai*, who is voiced by Stephanie Hsu.

## Biography

Ise is a prostitute working for Madame Kaji who performs a 'princess act', posing as a noble-born courtesan.

## Personality

While she has accepted her current lot in life and looks after her fellow prostitutes, Ise is understandably somewhat bitter about it, since as a favourite she tends to be paired with many of the most unpleasant men to visit the brothel. She becomes jealous when Akemi, a genuine member of the samurai class, upstages her with a client without even engaging in physical activity or intercourse. However, she isn't cruel; when they later encounter Akemi at her wedding in Edo, she forlornly notes that she will be a victim of Fowler's plot as well. When Akemi unexpectedly liberates all of Madame Kaji's women from their contracts, Ise is overwhelmed by this kindness and decides to confess Fowler's plot (which she overheard him discussing with Heiji Shindo) for Akemi's safety.

## Plot

She was first seen amongst the other prostitutes in Madame Kaji's brothel; she was shown to have some jealousy towards Akemi because she was an actual noble princess and a rich one unlike herself. When a newly recruited to the brothel Akemi picked up one of Ise's ornate cloths gifted to her likely by one of her clients, Ise did not seem happy about it, this cloth would be swapped with another one which a prostitute gave to Akemi claiming it to be an older one of Ise's. Whilst Akemi was servicing a client named Watari, Ise was outside listening with her colleagues and showed to be impressed by Akemi's skills to pleasure the man. When Boss Hamata came to slaughter Madame Kaji and her workers (after he found his slave Kinuyo had been killed and deduced it was Madame Kaji's work) Ise would follow Mizu's instructions to seek refuge in the brothel's cellar, as Mizu, Ringo, and Akemi defended them.

Several days after not seeing Akemi (who had been found by her father's guards and brought back to him), the two would cross paths again; during Akemi's trip to the Itou Household for her arranged marriage, Akemi would ask her vehicle to be stopped and ran out of the transport to meet up and see Madame Kaji and her fellow prostitutes. It was here that Akemi told Kaji that she would be marrying into the Shogunate's family against her will and also asked her how to gain control of her life. Ise was seen amongst Kaji congratulating Akemi, and after Akemi left, Ise shared that she felt sorry for Akemi (knowing Fowler's plan to massacre the Shogun and his family).

After Akemi married to Itou Takayoshi at the Itou Household, she quickly invited Madame Kaji and her workers to her new marital home, where she shared that she wanted to buy their freedom from prostitution, and offered them new jobs as her attendants, and shared that she needed friends experienced in the world to help her in her new position. Ise was delighted to hear this and thanked Akemi for her kindness. Having been touched, Ise would then tell Akemi about Fowler's plan to attack the Shogun and his family, after hearing this, Akemi assured Ise to tell Akemi's father, Tokunobu Daiichi about Fowler's plot, for their safety, which Ise did, as Daiichi spoke warmly and pretended to be caring to the woman, he suddenly threw Ise out of the Itou Household (their current location) several metres down to her death, which both shocked and upset Akemi as she realised her father's true colours and intentions.