#kiso no yoshinaka

[glitchkilldelphinixdj]

Genpei Toumaden Most Likely To... Part 1

Most likely to draw and/or write dumb shit in public bathroom walls: Yoshitsune, he would literally make random messages and stuff.

Most likely to appear late at things: Yoshinaka (He's slow to wake up)

Most likely to accidentally break something: Kagekiyo (if he gets scared, shocked, or suprised as a distraction into breaking something) or Yoshinaka (mostly in rage or high tension on an object from grabbing it), they have competition, lol.

Most likely to start a fight: Yoritomo, obviously, once he sees Kagekiyo, LOCKED ON TARGET.

Most likely to get arrested: Yoshitsune, despite being small and quick, lil man-bro can't hide too well from all the cackling he does.

Most likely to get married: Kagekiyo, literally a total sucker for chicks.

Most likely to have memorabilia of his or her crush, even through the crush doesn't love him or her: Yoshinaka, to literally my S/I OC, Niko.

Most likely to make sweets for another to enjoy: Andabaa (She gives Kagekiyo a bit of grandparent love to him.)

Most likely to whack a roach with a musical instrument: Benkei, due to his strength, but usually with a guitar or an electrical keyboard.

Most likely to lose his or her temper quickly: I'm between Yoritomo and Kagekiyo, depends on who loses it first.

Most likely to bump into things: Yoshinaka or Benkei

Most likely to get stuck in things: Literally Yoshinaka, takes some time to get through certain areas.

Most likely to fall off a mechanical bull first: Yoshitsune, due to his small stature.

Most likely to marry his or her bed: Yoshinaka mostly, aka the snooziest man-bitch of the planet.

Most likely to whack somebody or something for the hell of it: Benkei, occasionally to let off steam.

Most likely to have a bro-like relationship: Yoshitsune with Benkei.

Most likely to do dumb stuff on monkey bars: Kagekiyo, generally.

[kikaruuni]

Fate Samurai Remnant Digital Artbook

part 4

[lastencoregraphics]

FATE/SAMURAI REMNANT REFERENCE SHEETS: ROGUE SABER

[reignsan]

[avicebro]

also.... a shitpost for the @nasuversekinkmeme prompt:

tomoe gozen gets top surgery

[ original prompt ]

[getmoneyghoul]

collection of bad doodles that made me realize i dont actually want to draw anyone in this game. its too difficult. only iori and saber for the rest of my days. goodbye

[canis-majoris]

[empty-dream]

Fate/Samurai Remnant: *is announced* Me: Ok. Fate/Samurai Remnant: *has melancholic maybe-not-really Jalter, Ruler Gilgamesh, and possibly Yoshinaka* Me: HELL YEAAAAHHHH

Jeanne Alter (???)

Tbh I didnt care much about her in FSR at first cuz isn't she only capable of existing in FGO-verse and getting out of it is blatant cash cow exploitation breaking the rule which I'm not interested in the detail.

Until I realized that this Jalter looks exclusively somber while FGO Jalter always has this smug look. And then there is the theory that either this is just Jeanne but corrupted (which breaks the "Jeanne's so holy any attempt to corrupt her will fail" rule so instead it'll create a new version of Jalter instead of FGO Jalter) or this is a different person altogether.

Anw, long live that somber look.

Boss

*Gilgamesh is the shopkeeper in FSR* WHAT

*He is also a Ruler* WHAAATTTTT

Well he considers everything to be his anyway so yeaah he basically never cares about the Grail or who should win it, which technically does qualify him as the ever impartial Ruler.... (I guess the Catholic saint requirement for that class is completely obsolete by now.)

Though ngl I did imagine Ruler Gil at least once after the Caster incarnation was introduced.

Rogue Saber

HOLY SHIT YOSHINAKA-SAMA IS THAT YOU???????

[thessidy]

The former Defense cut across the valley, crumbling, crumbled, its shadow greater than its height.

“Tell me,” Lord Kiso said, “which of these stones is most important?”

“The largest,” the girl answered too quickly, “around whom others build.”

But the great leader shook his head. So, “the keystone,” the girl pointed to a stone, the size of her calloused fist, “without whom those above would fall apart.”

The great leader said, “No. It is these,” he swept his hand along the top, scattering easily the countless pebbles bouncing, cracking against the gravel ground below, returning to their brethren. “These hold us down under their weight, these fill in each crack and cranny, these serve as mortar when expertly placed, yet unlike foolish Eutopian marble, they jostle and flex and hold under the mightiest earthquake. These, Kai, are who we must prioritize, without whom you and I and all true heroes would be boulders toppling down the crags.”

[cestacruz]

Sweet jesus this is absolutely gorgeous

I am . Dying. This is so good..!

Thank you so much for this, this was everything and more than i hoped for

Everyone please read this gorgeous piece or i Will show up. Eventually.

And thank you So Much again! I am incredibly grateful😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Falls to my knees , hiii so like... the requests.... would you be so kind as to consider Ushiwakamaru|Yoshitsune (and her wife Shizuka Gozen....) (she gets 1 dialogue in Heian-Kyo (Incredibly romantic line about wishing to follow Yoshitsune until the very end) and mentioned in Little Big Tengu)

Scenario... Ushi getting reminded of Shizuka and realizing how much she misses her...im basic i am starved

The idea of Ushi joining the "i miss my spouse" club and Tomoe being there is hilarious honestly. I am rambling

I am very sorry if this ask was too late </3

The monkey's paw curls.

Sure i can write that for you!

/\/\/\/\/\/\

It’s a quiet, clear night, the full moon shining brightly down on the trees, the courtyard, the roof of the mountaintop compound.

Sitting on that rooftop, one knee tucked up and the other dangling casually from the edge, foot swaying back and forth, a figure clad in a Japanese armor sits alone, drinking and looking out at the light of the city far below, long unbound hair fluttering slightly in a gentle breeze.

Behind them, a scattering of gold motes of light blows into shape and coalesce, as a woman dressed in similar armor stands behind them, posture straight and proper, sharing the same view.

“Ah, Lady Archer.” Her voice, normally energetic or cheerful, is subdued yet friendly. She turns, casual and unmannered, to smile thinly through the weight of emotion at her guest. “Please, come,” she says, offering the bottle and a small cup to her visitor. “Share a drink with me, and some familiar company in this foreign land.”

Archer ignores her offer, continuing to stare out into the city.

“…Lord Saber. I would kill you here, now, if our Masters were not allied.”

“Mm.” She nods, acknowledging the statement as true, if not important. “Such is the nature of the war we fight.”

Archer’s eyes narrow.

“…I will state the truth plainly, then. I would kill you if there were no war. Knowing you live, I would seek your death. Only duty now stays me from seeking vengeance for my Lord.”

Saber takes in a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh, staring out over the city.

“…Fair enough. I can’t apologize for anything I’ve done to serve my own Lord. But, if my Master permits, once our alliance is over, I will give you a proper fight to the death.”

The wind blows through the trees, rushing, cool. The tips of Saber’s hair blow in the breeze. She takes a sip, and studies the bottle of alcohol with casual interest.

Archer’s fists clench, the sound of friction audible like a creak of leather, before she lets her fair, callused hands relax.

“I am surprised to hear you’d take consideration for anyone other than the master you serve.”

Saber’s head bobs in positive appraisal. She continues to stare out into the night.

“My Master told me to convey to yours that he is to meet her in the shed tomorrow in the morning to discuss plans regarding Caster and Rider.”

Saber nods again. She stares into space for a moment, as she convey the message through the link.

Then, she takes another sip of alcohol, looking up at the moon.

Archer waits a few minutes longer.

Her eye twitches.

Just as she prepares to leave, Saber speaks again.

“It was a night like this, when I last saw my love.”

Archer regards her carefully.

Saber smiles, wistful, fond. “She liked to go for walks at night, and I would go with her, and stand close to keep her warm. Even on hot summer nights.”

For a moment longer, she looks out over the edge, features softened into a sad smile.

Then her face falls.

“But the last night I saw her… we didn’t have time for such happiness, such peace.”

She looks down, now, into the courtyard, at the earth.

“My retainers managed to convince me to run, when my brother decided to put me down. I gave it my best, really. But I knew he would catch up to me. And… I think she knew, as well.”

Archer stares at her, uncompromisingly.

“She wanted to stay with me, even so. I never… really understood people, or love. I don’t know what I did to deserve such loyalty. Or maybe that’s just how she was. But I appreciated it. I needed it. To know there was someone with me who would never move, never leave, even as I am… how I am. Who really cared.”

“If you really appreciated it,” Archer says, voice heavy, tinged with venom, “then why. Why did you send her away, before the end?”

Saber turns and looks at her. She smiles, faintly.

“Because I wanted her to live.”

Archer snaps.

“Selfish! You say you appreciated her loyalty, yet you would trample it for your own selfishness!”

“…Mm. It was selfish.”

Archer stalks toward Saber, where she sits balanced at the edge of the roof, “If her love, her loyalty truly meant so much to you, then why deny her the chance die alongside her Lord!” she demands, breathing hard, long-restrained anguish bleeding through into her fury.

Saber makes no move to respond, to back away or take a defensible position. She curls, hugging the knee tucked up against her chest, eyes cast down.

“Because… I always knew she would die for me, but I… I would always serve my liege, first. In the end, though, when my brother decided I should die… I thought, for once, I would like to return that devotion. To thank her, for always… for always supporting me. If I was to die… then I could still give her a life, to live on. I could do that for her, at the end.”

“I was never good at expressing my feelings. I knew enough, to know it would hurt her. But still… I wanted to do that for her.”

She takes a sip of alcohol, and smiles ruefully.

“I failed in the end, though. My brother captured her anyway. I was dead, by the time it happened, but…”

Archer stares at her, still breathing hard, glaring, body tense. But the earlier fire is gone from her eyes, and they instead search through old emotions.

“… We do not decide how fate will turn. It is the choices we make that speak for us.”

A moment later, she turns away.

She pauses.

“…Saber. The Master you serve…”

“Hmm?” Her face brightens visibly.

“…” Archer looks up, over the compound, fists balled at her sides. “…That person is not worthy of your devotion.”

She dissolves again into swirling gold motes of light, and they blow away in the gentle night breeze.

“… I wouldn’t know,” Saber says, to the empty rooftop. “I'm not the best judge of people. All I want… is the chance to faithfully serve, until the end.”

—

Cautiously, Tomoe Gozen enters the ruined compound, the remaining fires burning low. The building where she spoke with Saber on that night in the first days of the War is rubble, pulverized by the shock of Rider’s Noble Phantasm, and then cleaved in half.

Master— she begins, reporting out of habit.

Foolishness. Her gentle, composed Master is gone. She feels the loop of prayer beads at her side where they hang under her robes.

Rest easy. For my Master’s sake… I will see your wish granted. I will save them.

She is cursed, cursed to always be the survivor.

She’s too late to witness the conflict, but the state of the war has shifted dramatically. She picks her way through the buildings to see what she can still learn.

The night is darker, now, the moon waning. The courtyard is in ruins, stones broken and split, the lonely pear tree torn up from its roots. Great slashes are carved into the walls of the sturdy storage building that makes up its other side, and the wall has fallen over.

As she proceeds toward the center of the compound, she finds the headless body of Rider’s Master, lying flat on its back.

One of Caster’s siege defense machines has fallen from the rooftops, burnt almost completely, its bolt still loaded lying on the floor.

She tightens her grip on her self control as her oni blood flares, threatening to overtake her reason. She looks up to survey the surroundings

The other giant crossbows that line the remaining buildings are mostly intact. The one farthest back is split in half, jagged wooden remains stained by a heavy spray of blood.

But they are pointed into the heart of the compound, not at its surroundings.

A trail of blood leads her way deeper into the compound

A pit of dread fills her stomach. She worries at the prayer beads that keep her temporarily sustained with mana, her Master’s parting gift to her.

She materializes her sword with a lick of flames, and raises it in preparation before turning the highly defensible corner.

She finds the remains of the body Assassin was puppeting, leaking black ichor.

A few paces away, one of the giant crossbow bolts has buried itself into the earth. It’s stained red with blood.

The trail of blood thickens beyond it. There are bloody handprints, smears against the walls.

Tomoe Gozen narrows her eyes, and steels herself, and proceeds through the bounded field into the heart of the compound.

It’s burning. Ichor and bloodstains everywhere.

At the far side of the space, the largest crossbow is spattered with blood. Beneath it, the severed sleeve of Caster’s robe lies trampled on the ground. And beside that, a mangled figure.

Maintaining her alert, she makes her way quickly across the space.

Saber—Yoshitsune lies slumped against the building’s wall, still clutching her sword in her hands. Her skin is blistered, her long hair burnt away. Cuts and pierces litter her ruined armor. And a crossbow bolt the size of a wooden beam pins her against the building behind her.

So it’s true. Saber’s Master has taken Rider as his Servant.

The loyal general Minamoto no Yoshitsune has once again been betrayed and cut down by the lord she serves.

Tomoe Gozen feels no joy at the sight of her husband’s killer.

The lively, energetic Saber is almost inert, staring blankly up at the sky with dulled eyes. But as she approaches, she looks up at her in awe. Her sword falls from her fingers. Her bare, dry voice whispers.

“…Shizuka?” Tomoe’s heart drops.

She kneels by her foe, and takes her remaining hand in her own. Sightless, dull eyes cast toward her, feebly.

“… ah. My Shizuka. You’re safe. I’m glad… I’m glad.” She sighs, shuddering. “If you live… then all was not lost. I—“ she heaves a breath, and smiles. “can meet my death, without regret.”

Tomoe takes a ragged breath. Suddenly, her vision is full of tears.

—

“Lord Yoshinaka, I beg of you—“

“I have given you my command!” Her husband shouts, voice trembling with fervor. “Leave this battlefield! I will meet my death with Kanehira at my side!”

He looks at her, then, and feeling flashes over his face. Love. Sorrow. Pain. “I will not—“ his voice chokes, rough, raw. “—be shamed by dying together with a woman.”

She takes in a deep breath, trembling, spine straight, mastering her feelings. Then she bows stiffly.

“—As my Lord orders it.”

Before she turns away for the last time, filled to overflowing with mastered emotion, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes—

She sees something like peace come over her husband’s face.

—

She trembles, kneeling before Saber.

Her mortal foe takes in a slow, desperate breath.

“Ah, but Shizuka. Your Ushiwaka… has so rarely received an injury. It really… hurts, after all.” she laughs weakly, and then coughs, and trails off.

Tomoe draws in a deep breath, steadying herself.

“Lord Yoshitsune,” she says. “Allow me to ease your pain.”

“…thank you,” that haggard voice says, relieved. “Thank you.”

Saber slumps forward, presenting her bare neck.

Tomoe stands, and draws her sword.

“…forgive me!”

With one swing, she separates Yoshitsune’s head cleanly from her shoulders.

A moment later, in a shower of gold mana, the body of her great enemy, of her husband’s killer, dissolves and fades away into the smoke-filled night air.

Tomoe stands alone. She cleans, and sheathes her sword.

“Lord Yoshinaka,” she whispers. “Your wife has avenged you. And if it gave you peace, then I will proudly carry forever the shame and sorrow of surviving you.”

With one final lingering glance at the place where a crossbow bolt lies embedded in the wall, she leaves the place of death behind.

Her Master, still, remains to be avenged.

There are yet more ghosts for Tomoe Gozen to carry.

[itsmarjudgelove]

Tomoe Gozen, Wife of Kiso Yoshinaka, Defeating Uchida Saburō

[noticiasarquelogicasjaponesas]

Sean bienvenidos, japonistasarqueológicos a una nueva entrega en esta ocasión hablaremos de Tomoe Gozen una vez dicho esto pónganse cómodos que empezamos. - Tomoe Gozen en hiragana (ともえごぜん) pertenece a Onna-bugeisha (女武芸者) mujeres luchadoras en japonés se conoce más como Ba Yuqian, al hablar de samurais se nos viene imágenes de hombres, las mujeres también tuvieron un gran papel y Tomoe Gozen fue una mujer que participó en el conflicto Genpei 1180-1192, su existencia está un tanto discutida. - Kiso Yoshinaka es muy hábil en las artes marciales y es bueno en el uso de arcos y flechas, os pondré una foto de la Estatua de Kiso Yoshinaka y Bagomae en la prefectura de Nagano. Fue una gran estratega, ya que cuenta la leyenda que en la Batalla del paso de Kuligara uso toros de fuego. - El Cantar de Heike: Son los poemas clásicos más importantes de la historia y la literatura japonesa, en el cual hablan de un sinfín de personajes y leyendas de la época. Fue escrito a principios del siglo XIII. - Espero que os haya gustado, os deseo una feliz semana y nos vemos en próximas publicaciones. 考古学ジャポニストの皆���ん、新しい連載へようこそ。今回は巴御前についてお話します。そうは言っても、気を楽にしてから始めましょう。 - ひらがなで「ともえごぜん」は女武芸者に属し、日本語では巴玉銭として知られる女性戦士です。武士といえば男性のイメージが思い浮かびますが、女性も大きな役割を果たしました。 1180年から1192年にかけて源平合戦に参加した女性ですが、その存在については若干の議論があります。 - 木曽義仲は武芸に優れ、弓矢の扱いにも長けており、長野県にある木曽義仲像と馬籠前の写真を載せておきます。 クリガラ峠の戦いでは火の雄牛を使用したという伝説があるため、彼女は優れた戦略家でした。 - 平家の歌: 平家の歌は、日本の歴史と文学において最も重要な古典詩であり、その中で当時の無数の登場人物や伝説について語られています。 13世紀初頭に書かれました。 - 気に入っていただけたなら幸いです。楽しい一週間をお過ごしください。また今後の出版物でお会いしましょう。 Welcome, Archaeological Japonists to a new installment, this time we will talk about Tomoe Gozen, having said that, make yourself comfortable and let's start. - Tomoe Gozen in hiragana (ともえごぜん) belongs to Onna-bugeisha (女武芸者) female fighters in Japanese is better known as Ba Yuqian, when talking about samurai images of men come to mind, women also had a great role and Tomoe Gozen was a woman who participated in the Genpei conflict 1180-1192, her existence is somewhat disputed. - Kiso Yoshinaka is very skilled in martial arts and is good at using bows and arrows, I will put you a photo of Kiso Yoshinaka Statue and Bagomae in Nagano Prefecture. She was a great strategist, since she tells the legend that in the Battle of Kuligara Pass she used bulls of fire. - The Song of Heike: They are the most important classical poems in Japanese history and literature, in which they speak of an endless number of characters and legends of the time. It was written at the beginning of the 13th century. - I hope you liked it, I wish you a happy week and see you in future publications.

[intrepid-fictioneer-7]

I've come to the conclusion that, in my humble opinion, Higashide is the writer in TYPE-MOON who makes the best ships involving Heroic Spirits.

Which might sound really weird. After all, the central couple in Fate/Apocrypha is Sieg/Jeanne d'Arc, and it's a pretty divisive one. No offense to those who like it, but it's always a dynamic I thought made no real sense narratively and didn't have much chemistry. Sieg on his journey of self-affirmation and personhood didn't need a romance (except maybe with Astolfo, with whom the dynamic is much more fun). Jeanne, the historical figure who rejected a marriage proposal, wore male clothing, and whose famous nickname refers to her celibacy, getting into a romance just never vibed with me (especially when it felt like the parallels/relationship between her and Shirou Kotomine were far more relevant). Add to that the ending copying Last Episode without what made LE have a strong impact, and it makes the whole even less appealing.

But despite that, Apo is also the work where there is the surprising ship of Shirou Amakusa and Queen Semiramis of all people: the semi-legendary Assyrian queen credited with making one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world falling in love with the young charismatic Japanese Christian who rebelled against the shogunate and failed. It's a very strange crossover ship between two people who never could have met if not for being brought back and it somehow works in being endearing.

(Achilles and Atalanta kinda count I guess, but it's a one-sided ship with little reasoning, that I care so little about, and is eclipsed by the more compelling foils each get, Chiron for Achilles, Jeanne for a Jackie the Ripper-driven mad Atalante.)

Higaside having grown and improved as a writer by the time of FGO, what followed this growth was him not doing a repeat of Sieg/Jeanne, but writing better ships mostly involving Servants. Asterios the Minotaur and Euryale the Gorgon; last Byzantine emperor Constantine IX and fictional Popess Johanna; heck, you can even see the relationship between Mordred and Dr. Jekyll this way (it also works as simple close friendship). Being characters from usually completely different mythologies and historical cultures, there is care done to make it clear why they fall for each other and as a result these couples are very different from one another instead of being the same formula everytime. In a game where a lot of (female) Servants are made to fall for the last Master of Chaldea for sometimes very little reason, these are a breath of fresh air.

For all my problems with her, Sakurai does something similar, though her ships are usually people who canonically were together in their legends: Sigurd/Brynhild, Aslaug/Ragnar Lodbrok, Julius Caesar/Cleopatra, Ozymandias/Nefertari, Tomoe Gozen/Kiso Yoshinaka, etc. They can be one note and there is a repeated thematic tendency of hers of writing "inhuman woman discovering humanity by falling in love", but they tend to be very cute and I easily understand that these people are in love even beyond death, so I root for them to reunite. Higashide also has "canonical" pairings, but the results are more muddled here: Siegfried and Kriemhild are adorable as a divorced couple where there are clearly still feelings, no matter what the tsundere wife says. But Rama and Sita are just...there. I understand the point of their separation, but it's not very engaging and Rama essentially disappeared after the American Singularity, while Sita was yeeted to Arcade. A mark against Higashide, but not as bad as Sieg/Jeanne and overshadowed by the numbers of better ships he wrote in FGO.

And there's Orion and Artemis, where I'm split. Super Orion and LB Artemis was really good and poignant. Orion the teddy bear and ditzy Artemis are a realy bad joke that overstayed its welcome.

FGO prioritizes Master/Servant relationships, both because the last Master of Chaldea is a blank slate for players to self insert into, and also because human×Servant is the type of ship Nasu specializes in (Shirou/Saber, Rin/Saber, Kuzuki/Caster, Caren/Angra Mainyu, and to a lesser extent Bazett/Cu, Yukika/False Assassin, and Ayako/Medusa in FSN; Fate/Extra as a whole; Ritsuka/Castoria in FGO). But even there Higashide made better choices than when he penned Sieg/Jeanne. Charlotte Corday is a surprisingly well-done choice for her archetype, it seems like it's going to be another Kiyohime but no, he actually makes her a good character you get attached to.

And then there is Kadoc and Anastasia. Words cannot describe how much I love them, how their personalities clash and complement each other in the best way, how aesthetically good they look put next to each other, etc. And it's not even just that we got a MasterxServant relationship outside Ritsuka, though that helped.

Basically, Higashide has become my go-to source for good ships, especially intra-Servants ones where Ritsuka is not involved and characters are allowed to not orbit around their Master. Sakurai also provides in that last aspect, but Higashide is doing that and also giving that crossover flavor you see in things like that one Cartoon Network ad with Johnny Bravo and Velma, and that works really well for me.

[moonstone-vibe]

"SAMURAI WOMEN"

WERE THERE SAMURAI WOMEN?

In early medieval Japan there was an elite of women trained in martial arts and the use of weapons whose mission was to be prepared to defend their honor and their home in times of war, when men had died or marched to the front. These were the onna bugeisha (literally translated as “warrior women”), the samurai women of ancient Japan.

Despite the submission to father and husband that Japanese society imposed on women, converted into cultured wives and devoted mothers by the mentality of the Heian period, there is evidence of women belonging to the noble and warrior classes who were prepared for enter combat if necessary.

These women were trained in the use of the naginata, a spear with a long shaft and curved blade that allowed them to keep their distance from the enemy, the kaiken (a straight-bladed dagger) and the Tanto (a short katana). Although they were prepared for defensive situations in which they could repel enemies that came to their home when there were no men to fight, there were cases in which women participated in offensive actions.

The best-known direct antecedent is that of Empress Jingu, a semi-mythical character who took the place of her husband and assumed the government of the islands and command of the army in an attempt to conquer Korea. Although historians question the veracity of the facts, Jinpu is represented as a fierce warrior who imposed her will on a society that rejected her and ended up overcoming the obstacles that would have prevented her from ruling.

Tomoe Gozen's deadly katana

But without a doubt, the best-known samurai woman in Japanese history is Tomoe Gozen, who is mentioned in the Tales of the Heike and whose beauty and bravery in combat stand out. Tomoe went a step further and she surpassed the standards of the onna bugeisha both because of her skills and the situations in which she was involved. In addition to weapons such as the naginata or the Tanto, Tomoe Gozen was an expert in the use of the katana, archery and horseback riding.

It is one of the few cases in which a woman actively participated in an offensive war action, specifically in the battle of Awazu (1184) where she led a small number of troops in the charge against Minamoto Yoritomo's troops. It is said that Tomoe Gozen fought alongside her husband (or lover) Kiso Yoshinaka and her end is not clear since, depending on the source, some claim that she died or committed suicide in combat and others that she was one of the few survivors of that battle. .

Other famous samurai women

Although history forgot them (or tried to do so), cases of female warriors in Japan are much more common than one might think and extend in time until the very end of the samurai. A striking case is that of Hojo Masako, a contemporary of Tomoe Gozen but with a better documented and less mythologized life. This woman was the wife of a shogun and as such she decided to accompany him in his skirmish as his lieutenant. It is said that when her husband died she abandoned the warrior life and became a nun, but later she took up arms and continued working as an onna bugeisha.

The most recent case, and perhaps therefore one of the best known, is that of Nakano Takeko. She lived between 1847 and 1868, she was the daughter of an officer who educated her in both literature and combat. During the Boshin War, which pitted the worn-out Tokugawa shogunate against a group of nobles seeking to return power to the emperor, Nakano Takeko turned her loyalty to the shogun and led a small army made up entirely of women. She died during the Battle of Aizu when she, seriously injured, decided to perform seppuku (suicide ritual) to avoid being taken alive.

[reignsan]

Autographed art of Tamario Aria and probably-Yoshinaka by their original designers, Wada and Shirabii. Will be given away for a FSR contest being held in Japan.

[gainprincess]

THUD. THUD. THUD.

"..."

The heavy footfalls of Tomoe Gozen are not unusual within Chaldea. They're not very common at this time of day, since Tomoe is usually inside of the Rec Room at this hour, but they are still not unusual.

She is making her way to the summoning chambers, fully clad in her armor. It still fits well enough around her obese frame, and it feels more proper than her summer attire for what she assumes is an incredibly serious event. Many people have been talking about her this weekend, and she is VERY concerned that something bad will happen to her.

Thud. Thud. Thud....

"...Gh."

She has arrived. The summoning chambers are unassuming, but nonetheless intimidating. Especially since Master is busy preparing something for Mash, therefore leaving the one in charge...

"Hiiiii, Archer!~ Are you excited for some summoning?~"

BB is the one most experienced with Chaldea's summoning system after the Master themself, and thus has been granted this singular responsibility (only when the Master is gone, and only under the supervision of DX and Xiang Yu). She actually also volunteered this idea, so she was given the chance to oversee it herself in addition.

"Unfortunately, BB-dono...No. No, I am not. I am rather on edge, thanks to all this secrecy...Is Tomoe in trouble?"

Tomoe fidgets from side to side as she stares at the summoning circle, the inert Round Table, the Crossroads of Heroes...It's beautiful, in a way.

Terrifying, in another.

"Wh- No, you're not in trouble, who told you that?! I just want you to be here for our next Servant summoning! It's a special one! Jeez, people are fucking terrible at communication here...."

"A-Ah...! I can certainly do that! Yes, let us summon away!"

Tomoe's smile is gentle, as her nerves are assuaged. Surely it must not be so bad, if it is something as simple as that!

As BB fires up the Summoning Circle, she thinks on who could've warranted her being there. Maybe someone dangerous? One of those detestable Genji? No, if it were, they wouldn't have called someone so quick to rage to guard.

The lights swirl, and Tomoe shifts her weight from one hip to another in thought.

The lights flash a brilliant rainbow, and Tomoe shields her eyes with a gauntleted hand as the overwhelming birghtness subsumes the room.

SHWWWIING!

The telltale sound of a Servant's appearance blasts into the oni woman's ears, and she slowly lowers her hand to take a look at the new Servant.

"...Servant. Saber."

"....!"

Armored sandals, like those of a warlord. Of a man who fights alongside his men, for the sake of his ambitions.

"I have come in response to your summons."

A blade that is all-too-familiar to the woman, with a hilt that resembles the very sun. Wielded by him in many battles, where the blade blazed with the force of a million men.

"As your Servant, I pledge myself to your cause, so long as it is righteous."

Pure-white armor, with a large winged shoulder-piece. An insignia over the middle, exactly like her own. (They had them fashioned together.) A padded blue tunic with sun logos emblazoned along it, signifying his title. She suggested that to him. What a silly idea, but he, like always, took her seriously.

"I am the Warlord of the Rising Sun, and the Bearer of Infinite Faith."

"...!"

Tchk.

His mask and helmet are removed in a single motion, as those gloved hands reach for them simultaneously. Pulled away in moments, leaving Tomoe to gaze in awe at a sight she has not seen for centuries.

"My True Name is Kiso-no-Yoshinaka. As a member of the Minamoto Clan, I swear my allegiance to my new Master....and, of course."

"I am overjoyed to see you once more...My dearest Tomoe."

"A-A-Ahh...Y-Y-Y-Y...Y-Y-Yos...Yoshin....Yoshinaka-s-s-sama....?! I...I...Ohhhh....!"

WHUD, SLAM.

"T-Tomoe?! Are you alright?!"

Tomoe's body, currently face-first on the ground, is practically steaming with how overheated she's become, leaving a very amused BB and a very concerned Yoshinaka alone with her as the curtain falls.

An eventful first moment in Chaldea...but surely not the last of them.