#saika takeda

[getmoneyghoul]

last week or so i wanted to draw every gudaguda character at least once and then. i got distracted

[nero-draco]

New servants from new Guda Guda event

5* Rider Shingen Takeda

4* Berserker Nagakura Shinpachi

4* Archer (welfare) Magoichi Saika

[koorinokujira]

Ok this is just an idea, but who do you think would suit the trope s/he (reader) fell first, and s/he fell too late? it's just such an angsty idea i can't comprehend this gosh 😭😭

Oh, such drama! Such angst! But of course, I'll gladly deliver, Anon. Now, this actually made me think pretty hard, because let's be real- most of these people are probably very touch starved, because, you know, war. But I eventually came to the conclusion that it could be a few of our "less approachable/romanceable" leaders. So, our dearest Magoichi, Mitsunari... and honestly, I also decided to include Shingen (not saying he's unapproachable, we love our warlord dad). I chose him because he has great angst potential. So, happy reading! Well... not really happy, but hopefully enjoyable nonetheless.

💔 Too Little, Too Late - SB Imagines 💔

Ever since you met the one you fell so hard for, you felt nothing but affection. Sure, there were flaws, but you were willing to accept them, or try to help fix them if they could be fixed. You were loyal, devoted, and always willing to lend a hand. Hoping that maybe, just maybe, your efforts would be noticed and your love reciprocated. But it wasn't. Not until it was too late... but you aren't the one left to pick up the pieces.

💔 Magoichi 💔

Magoichi was always... fond of you. She didn't even realize it herself for the longest time- after all, relationships weren't exactly her forte. She had the Saika Faction to run, and even when she had time for herself between all those battles and price negotiations, she preferred to remain in solitude. Alone, as she was supposed to be. In her mind, at least.

She found you a bit strange, perhaps. Too good to be true. When she gave an order, you never hesitated and went for it. When she scolded you, you never complained and used it to become an even better soldier. Your skills with a rifle also weren't anything to scoff at. Really, you were a model member of the Faction. Always there, always willing to lend a hand. She appreciated it, as any superior would, though she rarely ever said anything out loud. Actions speak louder than words, after all. And she couldn't play favorites, nor allow herself to be anything but the strong leader everyone needs her to be. She had a legacy to carry.

But now, things are different. It all started innocently enough- she's been getting reports here and there that no one could find you. Of course, you always made sure to have all your tasks completed before sneaking out who knows where. And it happened only every once in a while, so there was no reason to worry. But slowly, it became more and more frequent, to the point where she just had to find out what was going on. Why would you sneak off like that? You were always more than content to spend your free time either alone or with the others- the Saika Faction was like family to you.

She feels your absence most of all, she realizes as she watches you leave from the encampment again, thinking that no one can see. It was like things got... grey, whenever you left. Dull, without that trademark friendly grin you gave her whenever she sent you out to do one thing or another. The way you'd pat your fellow warriors on the back and gave them uplifting words when they needed it. And the way your eyes softened when you talked to her- well, there weren't enough words to describe the feeling.

She hates this, hates this realization. That someone somehow bypassed the walls she built around her heart, and she didn't even notice. And she hates it even more at this moment, because the very reason she plans to follow you now is to check if you're not compromising the Faction somehow. Why else would you sneak off? The chances of you being a spy are small, of course... but never zero, and she owes the Faction at least this much.

Screw it all.

Magoichi makes sure to follow you at a good distance- your senses are not to be scoffed at, of course. You lead her across various paths, through a small forest, over a wooden bridge that's barely stable to walk on, and then... you get to a farm. A village is nearby, too. Everything around it has seen better days, but clearly, the place is still being tended to. There are crops, and Magoichi swears she hears some animals in the distance. But that's not what she focuses on, no.

She focuses on him. The kind looking farmer who looks to be only a bit older than you. You chat and laugh, with you giving him the same look you used to give her once upon a time. And he looks at you the same way. There is a certain... tenderness in the way you move, and the leader of the Saika Faction feels a strange ache in her chest.

You look happy.

And she has to turn away, feeling like a fool for the first time in a long while. Of course she missed all the signs, all the times you passed by her and "accidentally" brushed fingers with her, all the times you made a point to stay nearby after your tasks were finished. She never reciprocated... and so you eventually found someone who cares about you as much as you do about them.

It is a bittersweet feeling, this love. She looks at you one last time before heading back towards the hideout. It hurts badly, to finally let down her guard only to realize it was for nothing. But at the same time... it is strangely reassuring to know that despite her harsh exterior, someone still developed feelings for her, fleeting as they may have been. She knows they were true, this wasn't like that foolish vagabond that pestered her for affection. And she hopes that maybe, just maybe...

...there will be another who will disarm her with such ease. She will be ready this time.

💔 Mitsunari 💔

It's all so... stupid.

The war, the way he has to constantly fight to be respected, the fact that every single day he feels like he loses himself more and more... he hates it. He wants to scream, but how many times did he do that already? How many times did he lose his temper when someone even dared to think of going against him? And where has that gotten him? What was it all for?

Nothing.

If only he had a shoulder to cry on right now. Someone to tell him that all hope is not yet lost. He used to have that. But he took it for granted, and now it's gone. He would like to believe otherwise, of course, but as he stares back at your grave, he is reminded of the painful reality he's found himself in.

He knew these feelings before you died, of course. The deaths of Lord Hideyoshi and Lord Hanbe were more painful than a blade in his heart. The grief and thirst for revenge was what propelled him forward since then. And he'd keep going until he took Tokugawa's head, and everything would be right in the world. It was terrible, painful... but also simple. To him, at least.

But this... this is different. It started with rage, like before, but then it changed into something new. This pain, it's quiet. Instead of a raging tempest, it's a gentle breeze, bringing back the sweet smell of what he once held in his grasp. A soft requiem instead of a battlecry. And somehow, that makes his heart bleed more profusely than anything else before.

It was spring when he first met you, he remembers. He didn't really have time to appreciate the blooming flowers, though. His lord was already dead by that point, and it was all he could think of. And then you showed up, dragging him back to reality by force. You weren't like the others, walking on eggshells as to not upset him even further, no. You fearlessly locked eyes with him, introduced yourself and told him it was an honor to be serving in his army now. He was upset that someone interrupted his moment of quiet, of course, but something compelled him not to unsheathe his blade this time. He still remembers how he just grunted in annoyance and dismissed you without a word. Why even bother?

But you were hard at work, nonetheless. Fighting, doing as you're told, even showing an aptitude for strategy. With each battle won, you rose through the ranks, until he had to see you basically every single day. He would never admit it, but he found your presence refreshing. You were honest - too honest at times - and he never felt like you had some ulterior motive, unlike with a certain someone that acted as his right hand. Terribly stubborn, too; once he showed that he at least tolerates your presence, you refused to leave his side, taking it upon yourself to guard him.

No matter how much he ranted about how he wants to kill Ieyasu, no matter how unfriendly or harsh he was, no matter how much he was falling apart and being a terrible leader, you stuck by. Watching, listening. And more often than not, you had something to say, too. Usually something uplifting. Oh, how he hated you for not letting him wallow in misery back then. How you tried to get him to move on and fight for something else than revenge, that he had potential to even surpass those he missed so dearly. How dare you say such things?

And so he constantly dismissed you, belittled you for your naive hopes for a better tomorrow, for trusting in him so blindly. However, that was just his fear talking. The idea of having hope and it instantly getting shattered by this war, by his enemy, seemed much worse than the pain he was already feeling. He knew that pain, at least.

Mitsunari kept refusing to acknowledge you, despite the mounting feeling in his subconscious that he cared. And before he knew it... you sacrificed yourself. For a wounded brother in arms, despite being wounded yourself. You bought him time and lost all of your own by that deed. He wasn't even there to see it... he just saw your body getting carried into the castle and heard the story from the other soldiers.

Only when he picked up your bloodied blade that day did he realize how much he's really been holding back. He didn't just care, he... he loved. And it wasn't just about the comfort you provided, it was about... well, you. Your smile, the way you'd tap the hilt of your blade whenever you were thinking, the entertaining anecdotes you told him about the time you were still training as a warrior. Oh, and rain, you loved the rain. You'd stand in the middle of the courtyard during thunderstorms with the biggest smile on your face and come inside only after you looked like someone threw you into a lake, shaking with the cold. It makes you feel alive, you told him. Like you can finally breathe.

He kept that blade, using it instead of his own since then. The blade is a warrior's soul, after all. But it doesn't make it much better. He still feels that ache in his chest, even though it's been months. When Lord Hideyoshi died, he could feel angry, he had something to work towards. But there's no Ieyasu Tokugawa to blame this time. Only a battered blade of someone dear, a heart full of regrets and affections unsaid...

...and the flowers he could only place near your headstone now.

💔 Shingen 💔

Hindsight is 20/20, as they say. Not that the Lord of the Takeda clan would know such a phrase. But that doesn't stop him from feeling the crushing weight of its meaning. He's not used to such emotions anymore. When he loses someone, he's sad for a while, and then he moves on. As a leader, he can't afford to dwell on such things. He needs to move forward, lead his clan and help it thrive.

Except this time, he can't seem to shake it off.

And so here he is again, on the battlefield where it began and ended in what seemed like seconds. There's still a few places where grass hasn't really grown back yet after the ordeals of battle, but nature has mostly reclaimed it. There's a soft breeze blowing, and the sky is fairly clear. It's... peaceful. And yet, there's an ache in his heart that not even nature's beauty can cure.

As he sits down into the soft grass, he can't help but think back on the first time you two met. It was thanks to Yukimura, he remembers. You and his young mentee had become friends, and so it didn't take long for you to be dragged over to meet the Lord. Yukimura ranted and raved about how amazing of a fighter you are, while you just politely stood behind him. He remembers how respectful you were the entire time. And it didn't take too long for him to recognize your loyal, honorable ways, either. You were a great soldier.

But there were things he didn't notice fast enough. Like how your clear, formal tone started to soften whenever he discussed strategy with you. How the first thing you did when coming back from battle was to go see him and report personally, even if anyone else could have done it. And that one night when he couldn't sleep and found you in the courtyard, staring wistfully at the stars. You gave him such a kind smile that day, and invited him to join you. So he did. And it was a night that brought great comfort to his weary mind.

Why did he take it for granted?

Time went on, and the day of that fateful battle came. It seemed just like any other that the Takeda clan faced. Armed with both wits and weapons, the troops were ready. Yukimura was getting riled up, while Sasuke dropped his casual attitude and braced himself for the upcoming fight. And you stood proudly right at the front, ready to break through the enemy lines. However, no one expected how wrong it could get.

An ambush. They tore into the left flank, and the situation turned an organized battle into a chaotic bloodbath. There was confusion, screaming, and soldiers were dropping left and right. And as Lord Shingen tried to get a hold of the situation again, he didn't even notice the bow aimed at his back. But you did...

...and the arrow that should have hit him hit you instead.

He won't forget that terrible noise, followed by the thump of your body dropping on the ground. Seconds turned into eternity as he spun around and saw you, clutching the arrow in your chest. He didn't even notice how your fellow soldiers went after the bowman right after as he knelt down. The world seemed to go silent, interrupted only by the sound of you struggling to breathe. There were tears in your eyes and your hands trembled like they never did before. But it wasn't fear of death he saw in your eyes. It was regret.

And then you spoke. It was hard to understand... but he managed. You finally confessed. How much you admired him, and how his very presence made your days brighter. How you loved all his little quirks, and just... everything about him. How much it hurt that you were so close and yet so far. And then you just... apologized and begged him to forgive you for such dishonorable thoughts. But that if you were to die that day, you wanted to die with nothing left unsaid.

He remembers how your hands were still warm when he gently took them into his, realizing with horror that... he didn't want to let you go either. When did you become so important to him, and more importantly, why didn't he realize it sooner?! In his mind, he cursed whatever god made him so oblivious.

But on the outside, he simply shook his head.

"There is nothing to apologize for. I couldn't stop such a feeling even if I wanted to. But I don't. So please... keep it close, until we meet again. And then let me share it."

He still doesn't know how he spoke so calmly. Perhaps he hoped that those tears would stop running down your face, or that the wound in your chest would close with his comforting words. But all he got was a look of relief, before you took a last, shaky breath.

He looks up at the clouds lazily drifting above him, letting the memories flow. He hears birds chirping in the distance, and a white butterfly lands on the nearby flowers.

If only you could enjoy this scenery with him.

---

Whew, finally finished it! Many apologies for the delay. I felt super burnt out because of schoolwork, and these imagines gave me a bit of trouble.

Originally, Motonari was supposed to be here too (so the stories would be two scenarios where the reader lives, and two where they due), but after I wrote almost a 1000 words, I decided I hate it and that I need to practice writing him more before I do any scenarios with him lol. Our cold-hearted tactician will get his spotlight later, don't worry!

I have two more requests lined up right now, so I'll get to work again tomorrow.

Thanks for reading, and as always...

...have a spectacular day!

[colourless-hydrangeas]

Ikesenverse J's opinions on the Warlords and her many siblings~

Oda Forces:

Nobunaga: "I prefer to avoid him as much as I can. He once asked me to warm his bed. I've been avoiding him since then."

Hideyoshi: "He's odd... and kind of motherly. He adopted me as soon as he met me, though I already had a parent. He deserves a good long vacation, honestly.

Akechi: "He is... strange. How do I say it? He seems rather 'uncultured' to me... He is not what I expected from the Akechi Mitsuhide..."

Masamune: "Chaotic but good guy. I quite like his personality. I wonder if I should teach him to cook Indian food someday..."

Mitsunari: "I like him. He's very nice and loves reading, like me. He is fun to talk to, too, as he knows a lot of books. He often suggests me material to read."

Ieyasu: "He would love Indo-Chinese dishes."

Keiji: "I simply do not understand him. I have met him only a few times."

Ranmaru: "He's also a nice guy. He's like a brother to me. His pet weasel is also very adorable."

Uesugi-Takeda Forces:

Shingen: "When I first appeared at Kasugayama castle, he tried to save me from Uesugi-sama's suspicions. I am grateful that he adopted me as his child and gave me a place to stay."

Kenshin: "I do not understand him, but I wish I did. He is not a bad person at heart."

Sasuke: "Fellow bespectacled person. He's a good friend of mine."

Kanetsugu: "He knows a lot of things and is fun to talk to. We talk about a vast range of topics, ranging from religion to warfare."

Yukimura: "My nice, but not so nice older brother. Please do not hate him. He may be weird sometimes."

Yoshimoto: "He has a huge collection of art and antiques... I love visiting him at times to appreciate art."

Lone Forces:

Kennyo: "I have met him only twice or thrice, but I cannot trust that man to be a terrible person, as he says. Have you seen how gentle he is to the forest animals? I wish he was not so hard on himself..." Sighs.

Motonari: "I do not like him. He seems almost crazy... But I have heard that he is a health freak..."

Kichou: "I have so many questions..."

Others:

Mai: "She needs to be more respectful... That is all I would say."

Bonus! Saika Magoichi from the Stage Play: "Magoichi is not really a bad man. He's quite like Kennyo in a way. I wish that the wars would end and he too, could go back to living normally, as a monk should."

Amaryllis(@silkkorchid): "The potion brewer! I would like to get to know her better. She is adorable in her fox form, though."

Morgan(@morgan-squad): "They seem like a good person. If they have finally healed Kichou's heart, then they must be a very good person indeed."

((Please let me know if I missed any of you out of this. If you want your OC's to be listed here, please do let me know.))

[yeonchi]

Koei Warriors Retrospective Part 5: Samurai Warriors 1

Samurai Warriors (戦国無双) Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox Release dates: Japan: 11 February 2004 (PS2)/29 July 2004 (Xbox) USA: 6 May 2004 (PS2)/13 July 2004 (Xbox) Europe: 25 June 2004 (PS2)/24 September 2004 (Xbox)

After working on DW3XL, the series being headed by Akihiro Suzuki, Hisashi Koinuma wanted to create a game based on Nobunaga's Ambition to reflect the Sengoku era of Japan, just as Dynasty Warriors was based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms for the late-Han and Three Kingdoms periods of ancient China. Koinuma apparently wanted to make a multiplayer game with up to four or five characters fighting a single boss, but online multiplayer was premature at the time. Thus, a new team was formed and the Samurai Warriors series was born.

The series celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024. Let's take a look at the game that started... well, some complicated feelings and situations later on down the line.

Samurai Warriors

Samurai Warriors focuses on the stories of three warlords of the era, namely Nobunaga Oda, Kenshin Uesugi and Shingen Takeda. Masamune Date was introduced in this game even though his relevance in history began a few years after Nobunaga's death. Goemon Ishikawa and Okuni were also introduced even though they weren't samurai or affiliated with the main clans, though for the former case you could say that for the female characters in Dynasty Warriors. Here's a full list of the characters who were introduced in this game:

Yukimura Sanada

Keiji Maeda

Nobunaga Oda

Mitsuhide Akechi

Goemon Ishikawa

Kenshin Uesugi

Oichi

Okuni

Kunoichi

Magoichi Saika

Shingen Takeda

Masamune Date

Nō (spelled Noh in this game only)

Hanzō Hattori

Ranmaru Mori

The following unique NPCs were introduced in this game as well:

Hideyoshi Hashiba

Yoshimoto Imagawa

Ieyasu Tokugawa

Nagamasa Azai

While Kennyo Honganji and Dōsan Saitō are also NPCs in this game, the former only appears in Magoichi's story and the latter only appears in a movie for Nō, so they have been separated from the list.

Unlike in Dynasty Warriors, where scenarios are defined by kingdom or taken from a shared pool of scenarios, Story Mode in Samurai Warriors is individualised and versions of each battle will be different for each character. Each character has five stages, but for most characters, there is a split path after the third or fourth stage. In the case of Keiji and Magoichi along with Goemon's upper path, their fifth stages are unlocked by fulfilling certain requirements in the stages before it. Okuni does not have such restrictions.

Because of the individualised Story Modes, Free Mode of course gives you the option to play any Story Mode scenario as any character. As I alluded to in the review for DW3, movies are unskippable when they are first played, but at least they're subtitled (captioned) in the English version. Some scenarios have third-party enemies, represented in yellow (instead of blue for allies and red for enemies) that can fight both armies in the battle.

Much of the stages revolve around Nobunaga's main campaigns such as Okehazama, Mt. Inaba Castle, Anegawa, Nagashino and Honnōji. Post-Nobunaga stages include Yamazaki, Ueda Castle and Ōsaka Castle (Siege of Ōsaka/The Ōsaka Campaign). Some stages are field battles and some are castle battles. Some, however, are siege battles, meaning that they are two-part field and castle battles. Yeah, you'll know if it's a siege battle when you see it.

At the end of each Story Mode, there are two endings you can unlock. Most of them are as simple as clearing the upper or lower paths, but for some, there are conditions you have to fulfil to unlock them, like achieving a certain mission or defeating a certain officer. I said that Okuni didn't have split paths or a fifth stage that needs to be unlocked a certain way, but Okuni has multiple "Dreams and Illusion" endings that are unlocked by achieving certain objectives.

Each battle has objectives/missions to guide you. The first mission typically begins at the start of each battle and certain missions occur depending on whether other missions are successful or failed. Certain missions also occur when you approach certain officers or areas. These factors matter if you are trying to 100% the game. Of course, you could disregard the missions, but the battles become a bit harder that way.

If you thought having your player character being listed as a subofficer was diminishing enough, imagine playing in Free Mode as a non-listed character only to be listed under the allied commander as literally "Player 1" or "Player 2". Not even that, it's also there on the battle preparation screen just before you start the battle. Even DW3 didn't do this.

New Officer Mode is the CAW system implemented differently, because after you name and pick a model for your character, you have to go through 12 months (sessions) of training and pass the Trials of Acceptance with a clan in order for your character to be saved. In each month, you pick a training exercise, which is the same as those in Challenge Mode, and at the end, two of those exercises become your Trials depending on the clan you decide to serve under. You need a combined score of 100 to pass (it is possible to pass with the first test, even if you go over 100), you are assigned the weapon you are the strongest with (sword, spear or naginata) and an element depending on the clan you picked, and your stats carry over into your growth in the main game. New Officer Mode is good, but I prefer to be able to directly create my characters rather than going through this training bullshit.

There are a total of 12 character models available, but four need to be unlocked. This can be done by having your weapon attack stat over 50 by the fourth month of your training, at which point you will encounter a Strike Ninja who has come to wreck the place. You'll fight him, but then you'll discover that he recovers his health every time. Your master will discover that Musou Attacks are his weakness and you'll use it to defeat him.

There are also other encounter events that are available if you select a particular challenge with certain stats above certain levels. Hanzo gives you an item for the game, Magoichi allows you to use a rifle instead of a bow for your R1 ranged attack and other characters allow you to unlock a particular skill once your character is saved. Do note that in most cases, you won't face a challenge with the same weapon you're training with, which can be detrimental if you've been training with a spear or naginata and you're suddenly given a sword (that you never trained with) for the challenge.

Speaking of these challenges, giving your characters certain names in the Japanese version will boost certain stats, which can help to achieve the encounter events particularly if you use the eight names listed below (I allowed space in my list just to do that). I don't know if such a feature exists in Western releases, particularly on the PS2 as the entry I found on GameFAQs apparently relates to the Xbox version.

Sometimes, your master, his daughter Saya or his other student Dokkimaru will give you something to boost/nerf your life/musou or recover your health (if you haven't recovered it during training). If you train with a particular weapon too frequently, your master will ask you to use another weapon for the next training session just to mix it up. Once your character is saved, they can then be played in Story Mode as they will have their own story. In fact, all the CAWs share the same Story Mode where they fight with different clans.

Each of the challenges make use of the game's battle mechanics. The Melee challenge is your usual "defeat as many enemies as possible" trial, Musou has you do that with only your Musou attack, Combo asks you to rack up 5+ hit combos, Archery has you shoot enemies to stop them from getting past you, Deflect requires you to skilfully deflect arrows with your attacks, Burst is where you get to the goal as fast as possible, and Riding has you run two laps around an obstacle-laden Honnōji on horseback as fast as possible. With regards to Riding, there'll be an enemy ambush you need to clear in the second corner of your second lap and after clearing the third corner there are two paths you can choose; one with obstacles and one with recovery items. I think it's obvious what players will likely pick.

Although it isn't mentioned on the wikis (or elaborated on in the manual) for some reason, Versus Mode is a thing in this game, where you can play challenges against another player or the computer. There is Showdown, where you race to be the first to defeat all your opponent's officers; Pursuit, where you gather information to find the real Goemon; and Strike, where you race to be the first to defeat 1000 enemies (enemy officers get you 50). You have infinite lives in this mode and you can defeat your opponent to delay them.

Finally, there is Survival Mode, aka the Infinity Castle Mode. In Abyss, you fight your way 30 floors deep into the castle where you will encounter Lu Bu (of the Bu Army) as a secret character. In Tower, you try to clear as many floors as possible within 20 minutes. There are items to be obtained when you clear 30 floors in either challenge. The game automatically saves every 3 floors so you can pick up where you left off. Of course, this mode gets harder the longer you play it, but since I was mostly playing to obtain all the items, I put on some cheats near the end. No additional voices are recorded for this mode except for Lu Bu.

Moving onto the battle mechanics of the game. You can keep up to 3 weapons per character. The item selection is similar to DW3 where you can pick up to five items (including saddles) to use in battle. Some items are specially made for field or castle battles. You can also select from three groups of up to 4 bodyguards to accompany you in battle, selecting their uniform colours and their orders. The bodyguard groups can also be edited and renamed, the various types being infantry, spear, ninja, archer, musket and lady ninja.

Depending on the weapon, characters can perform up to 8 Normal Attacks and 4 triple-tiered Charge Attacks. This moveset would become known in later games as the Charge/Power Attack moveset. There are four elements available; Fire, Ice, Lightning and Dark, the latter being where the player drains life from an opponent to recover theirs. There is still a bit of lock-on happening when you perform charge attacks, however, but it's not as bad as it was in DW.

Like in the Dynasty Warriors games, holding down R1 allows you to perform a ranged attack by shooting arrows, or becoming a sniper in the case of Magoichi Saika. There are no arrow stocks to collect so you essentially get unlimited arrows. Using the bow can help you in castle battles as sealing off strongholds/bases/checkpoints can give you an extra 60 seconds of time.

Musou Attacks in this series use up the whole gauge when activated and not for as long as you hold down the Circle button like in DW. If you're not holding down the button, you can freely perform other attacks until the Musou Attack ends with a shockwave finish. When triggering your Musou Attack, you will see a kanji character that is representative of the character at the start of it and you will see a different kanji for the True Musou Attack. For custom characters, the Musou kanjis vary depending on the gender of your character's model and the weapon they are using (for this game only, the spear Musou is different depending on the gender of your character). In the Japanese script, Musou Attacks are called Musou Ougi (無双奥義) instead of Musou Ranbu (無双乱舞) in Dynasty Warriors.

When playing with a second player, you both work to charge one Musou gauge from both sides and when one player activates their Musou, the other can perform their Attack too, before ending with the True Musou finisher (even if you haven't done anything). This is called the Double Musou Attack, or the Final Musou Attack (無双最終奥義) in Japanese.

When you end up in a deadlock and you push your enemy over the edge by pushing your bar up to the end, you perform a Deadlock Attack to deal damage. Pressing R2 also allows you to evade enemies by doing a somersault.

When on horseback, you have the same 8 normal attack and 4 charge attack string you would have on the ground. This moveset would remain the same in future games. The horseback C1 usually has the horse stomp its front feet on the ground if you're stationary, but if you're moving then the Triangle button allows you to jump with your horse. Exclusive to this game, the horseback Musou has you swing your weapon back and forth while charging forward, similar to DW.

Aside from the ordinary horse saddle, the rare saddles you can obtain are those for Matsukaze and the Persian Mare, aka the Arabian Steed, the legendary horses for Keiji Maeda and Masamune Date. Take note that while riding on Matsukaze, you run the risk of running over allies and depleting their health.

At the end of each stage, you can earn skill points to unlock or upgrade skills. Skills can be upgraded up to Level 3, but when you reach level 20 at 99,999 XP, you stop earning skill points or boosting stats, which means you have to be conservative about what skills you decide to unlock.

The English dub of this game was produced by Voicegroup, which had previously dubbed DW4. As such, you can hear the likes of Douglas Rye as Nobunaga Oda and Tadakatsu Honda, Richard Cansino as Hideyoshi Hashiba and Yoshimoto Imagawa and Wendee Lee as Oichi and Ina. Those three voice actors would prominently be featured in future Dynasty Warriors games. I'm especially highlighting this here because I want to discuss the state of the Samurai Warriors English dub as time goes on. Narrations are not dubbed in this game, but the narrator in the Japanese version is Hiroshi Isobe, who also voiced Magoichi Saika.

Samurai Warriors Xtreme Legends

Samurai Warriors Xtreme Legends (戦国無双 猛将伝) Platforms: PlayStation 2 Release dates: Japan: 16 September 2004 USA: 9 November 2004 Europe: 25 February 2005

Like with the Dynasty Warriors games before it, the Samurai Warriors series also received its own Xtreme Legends expansions.

Hideyoshi Hashiba and Yoshimoto Imagawa were unique NPCs in the vanilla game, but in the expansion, they are made playable. Tadakatsu Honda and Ina make their debut as Tokugawa officers to complement Hanzō. All four officers have their own Story Modes with split routes.

Survival Mode is upgraded to provide gold rewards after playing. The two existing modes are also upgraded to Deep Abyss and High Tower. A new stage is added, Gold Rush, where you have five minutes to collect gold in the Training Hall while completing challenges to extend that time limit. You can only keep the gold you earned if you exit the stage in time, which is absolutely bullshit for someone like me who only bothers to play up to Level 3 weapons. With such a small time limit, you should be able to keep the money you earned (or part of it at least) if you run out of time and not die during the stage.

After clearing Gold Rush, you will be brought to the Armory, where you can upgrade weapons at the weaponsmith or engrave a name on a weapon (per character). This can't be done for Level 6 weapons at all and Level 5 weapons until you get the Level 6 weapon. You can also buy or upgrade items here, with the Golden Rune being a rare item only available through this mode for 50,000 gold. Also, you should be able to directly access the Armory without having to go through Gold Rush.

Three more challenges have been added to Versus Mode, those ones being those actually covered on the wiki. Duel is a simple one-on-one fight where you can also select different stages to give you a bit of a challenge; Sumo is where you play as Strike Ninjas to force enemies out of the ring; and Gatekeeper is where you defend the checkpoint and prevent enemies from escaping behind you.

Among other improvements to the game, you can still earn skill points and develop basic abilities even after reaching 99,999 XP and you can also upgrade your skills to level 4. You may also see a green frame when you select a character; that character is a lucky character and playing as them will give you a higher chance of getting good weapons and items. The lucky character changes every time the game is booted.

In the options, Player 2 can be set to have an individual Musou gauge and unleash Musou Attacks independently at the cost of you being able to use the Double Musou Attack. The expansion also introduces the Novice and Chaos difficulties to the game.

Throughout the game, you will get bonus (rice) points to use in rewards. You can unlock voice tests for characters, change the save icon in the memory card, unlock additional models for characters, enable those models to appear in the game when you use them on your character), reduce the minimum difficulty to unlock Level 5 and 6 weapons (from Hard and Chaos to Normal and Hard respectively) and allow character levels to progress past the normal limits.

I don't know if it's a thing in the English versions, but in the Japanese versions of the Warriors games, you can install data to the HDD/BB Unit to reduce loading times. This would also later become a thing in the PSP games, but in DW6 Special and Empires for the PSP, installing data to the Memory Stick Duo would also enable encounter and defeat voices in battle dialogue.

Rant: The benefits of the Create-A-Warrior system

More of a ramble than a rant this time around.

So at this point, we have two mainline games with CAW capabilities, namely being DW4 and this game. This would become relegated to the Empires games before coming back to the forefront in SW3 and SW4. Earlier implementations of CAWs were quite limited in their customisation, though there is more freedom for this in future games.

Edit characters allow for a more unique experience in games as aside from being able to be played in Free Mode (and possibly other modes), they also get other unique modes through which to shine. With Samurai Warriors, that unique mode is the New Warrior Mode, where creating characters involves having to pass a trial with a clan in order to pass and save them.

As CAW characters are a main feature of the Empires games, it would be ideal if they had functionality to import CAWs from the save data of the main games to save time on having to create characters. DW7 and DW8 do not have CAWs in the main game, but even without a unique mode for them, they can get a chance to shine in the auxillary modes before being able to be imported into the Empires games.

Samurai Warriors is a decent adaptation of the Sengoku era into a hack-and-slash game while also making it distinct from Dynasty Warriors in terms of gameplay. It had its own fantastical and romanticised elements (just like Dynasty Warriors and its source material, Romance of the Three Kingdoms), plus there are quite a few pop culture references in the Japanese version, particularly with the True Musou Attacks and victory poses. These references would be toned down in future games as Koei began to get more serious with these games.

Next time, we take a look at this game's spinoffs, namely State of War and the Pachislot game. Why the hell am I even covering the latter? You'll have to find out then.

[rex101111]

Takeda Shingen in armor and riding a huge horse...Magoichi Saika as a woman...my god. This isn't going to be a GudaGuda event...it's SENGOKU BASARA.

[hassiegfrieddoneanythingwrong]

Three (!) new Servants from the GudaGuda event on JP, those being Saika Magoichi (welfare, Archer), Nagakura Shinpachi (4 star, Berserker), and Takeda Shingen (5 star, Rider).

And apparently Nasu wrote the incoming Christmas event...

[daeva-agas]

I am playing Sakuya route in SLBP (mostly for the reward) and I wonder, where Nobunaga hatred toward ninjas comes from? This is like the 3rd game where he shows his disdain towards them. Can you explain why? Because I'm curious.

Oh no, it's that thing again.

Remind me what are the other ones. Is it Ninja Love? Nightshade? Non-otome games?

Anyway, this is a huge rant and IDK, could clog up people's dash so I will put it behind a cut.

I probably shouldn't say these about Japanese people writing about their own history and legends, but I hate this stupid "Nobunaga hates ninjas" trope, so my very grumpy answer is:

BECAUSE STUFFY CORPORATE SUITS ARE SO TERRIFIED OF CHANGE AND CAN'T BE ASSED TO TRY NEW THINGS. IF BULLSHIT TROPES STILL MAKE MONEY, THEN BY GOD THEY WILL KEEP MAKING IT UNTIL JESUS RETURNS.

And I'm giving the benefit of the doubt that they're doing this because "it's a trope that people seems to like", and not because they're just running off "I saw it in an anime/manga/novel/movie once" and never bother to Yahoo search it or open a book about it.

(I'm not all that mad anymore, but like, I will still go AAAAAAAAAAA every time it comes up)

"Nobunaga hates ninja" is a long-standing trope that's been around for decades in Japan. The oldest one I was able to find is this movie series called "Shinobi no Mono". Maybe there's something older, I don't know.

It's a historical fact that the Oda did invade Iga. However, there is so many context for it. Among many other things... one record says it's actually the people of Iga who sicced Nobunaga ON THE PROVINCE THEMSELVES.

It ended up being transformed into a "Nobunaga hates ninja" plotline because the above historical fact is being combined with the long-standing legend that "Iga is a place where ninjas live".

Also, in the 60s and 70s there’s this like... movement where people are really disgruntled at the government, and so because they can’t flat out write works about how much they hate the Japanese government of the time, they just write stuff about peasant heroes or vigilantes fighting against evil samurai lords as a way to vent their frustrations. Nobunaga being one of the easiest character to caricaturise because it’s not like the “evil stuff” they make him do is entirely wrong. The facts are just taken out of context and twisted for the sake of fiction. Evil/demonic/horrible Nobunaga as a trope in general seems to be relatively new from this era too, since Edo and Meiji works seems to present Nobunaga is an admirable heroic figure.

(well, they wrote about him doing kinda mean things, but it’s presented in a way that makes it sound like the writers think it’s “something that just happens” and not a big deal/not an entirely negative thing)

In real life there is no such thing as "sekrit ninjer village uwu", so honestly, if the above account is true, then it's possible that there's in-fighting among the people of Iga. It's what happens with the Saika people. Suzuki (Saika) Magoichi surrendered to Nobunaga and then some time later makes a request for the Oda army to come in and destroy this one guy he really hates.

If the story about the Iga folks inviting Nobunaga in themselves is actually false, I’ve not seen any other explanation for it yet, but I still think Nobunaga invading Iga is just business as usual. At the time of the Iga invasion, the surrounding provinces are already conquered, leaving Iga as this one tiny hole in the middle of what is technically "Oda territory". Maybe Nobunaga thinks this hostile province could cause problems in the surrounding regions, so he wants them gone. It's no different than, say, Nobunaga fighting a war against the Takeda and conquering them.

It's not even Nobunaga in command of the army (as far as reliable records go), so any depiction of Nobunaga personally leading his army into Iga is garbage. He sent one of his sons and a few generals to go off and fight, while he himself only comes in for inspection after everything's cleaned up.

The standard reasoning in bullshit Sengoku trope/fiction is that Nobu just doesn't trust woo woo shit, and only wants to do things the "legit" way (with soldiers and stuff). Ninja is considered woo woo because of their “secret arts”, and because they’re usually depicted as having no lords/masters but themselves, I guess he is wary of them rebelling against him or something.

Funny thing is, even if you actually buy into the ninjas thing, supposedly even the “guidebook of ninjas”, the Bansenshukai, says that the Oda has ninjas, so “Nobunaga hates ninjas” is just silly all around. Bansenshukai is this book supposedly detailing ninja clans and secret techniques and whatever, written in the 1600s, by one of the Fujibayashi descendants (IDK Sakuya’s grandkids I guess) 

[vermillion1177]

Ladies and gentlemen I'm vermillion and this is the Chaldean masters cafe in cafe news jp has released new servants and this is them, saika magoichi she is a archer class, nagakura shinpachi he is a berserker class and the guy below is takeda shingen he is a rider class servants. Get your saint quarts and summon tickets ready 🍜🍷

[ao3feed-danganronpa]

Danganronpa:Ransei's Tears

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/eh0H1nG

by Spinnetossa_Shipper

After the great Ransei War, it is believed that peace has returned to the region. However, as the 38 Warlords and Junior Warlords suddenly vanish without a trace, peace seems unlikely. Waking up in an unknown environment, these warlords must now fight for their survival. What will it take for these closely bonded warriors to kill once more?...

(This is more of a Pokemon Conquest centric fanfic so you do not need to be a Danganronpa fan to understand this story)

(First Chapter is an authors note and not part of the story)

Words: 187, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Dangan Ronpa Series, Pokemon + Nobunaga no Yabou | Pokemon Conquest

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Categories: Multi

Characters: Shujinkou | Hero (Pokemon), Shujinkou | Heroine (Pokemon), Oda Oichi, Maeda Keiji, Fukushima Masanori, Ishida Mitsunari, Katou Kiyomasa, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Kuroda Kanbei, Takenaka Hanbei, Mouri Motonari, Chousokabe Motochika, Tachibana Ginchiyo, Tachibana Muneshige, Imagawa Yoshimoto, Shimazu Yoshihiro, Uesugi Kenshin, Naoe Kanetsugu, Aya Gozen, Takeda Shingen, Sanada Yukimura, Kunoichi (Samurai Warriors), Houjou Ujiyasu, Narita Kaihime, Fuuma Kotarou, Nene | Toyotomi Yoshiko, Hattori Hanzou, Date Masamune, Saika Magoichi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Honda Tadakatsu, Komatsuhime | Honda Inahime, Saitou Nouhime, Izumo no Okuni, Akechi Mitsuhide, Hosokawa Gracia, Mori Ranmaru (Historical RPF), Oda Nobunaga

Additional Tags: Crossover, Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Character Death, Original Character(s)

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/eh0H1nG

[odaclan]

「恋愛戦国ロマネスク ～影武者姫は運命をあやなす～」

Ren'ai Sengoku Romanesque ~ Kagemusha-hime wa Unmei o Ayanasu ~

Website: https://koiroma.renaigame.jp/

Look at the top poster. Which one of those characters is supposed to be Nobunaga, do you think?

If your answer is the menacing-looking black-haired individual at the back, you’re wrong. That’s Shingen. Nobunaga is the one with reddish-brown hair in front.

This romance game app was, well, one of the avant-garde adaptation types. That is, by using “alternate universe/multiverse” as an excuse, they can still keep the Sengoku samurai names and a vaguely Sengoku-esque setting, but forgo history facts beyond the barest of minimum (Shingen being the Tiger of Kai, Nobunaga won against Yoshimoto in Okehazama, and other primary school level minimal facts).

My previous post is also another one of these wild adaptations. I don’t know if the creators thought that the audience are tired of the “old tropes”, or if they just want to run wild and create original fiction, but use the samurai names as clickbait. There are many people who would flock to a product just because a famous samurai’s name is on it.

According to the summary in promotional material, the heroine “timetravelled” from modern Japan into an alternate reality where Nobunaga’s conquest is not entirely successful because Shingen lived and managed to push back against him. Upon seeing the heroine, Nobunaga formulated a strategy where he will release a propaganda saying that “Oda Nobunaga is actually female”, and hire the heroine to play the role of that “fake female Nobunaga”.

I’m not sure how that’s supposed to work, but I imagine from this point on it will just essentially be an original fiction with little to no semblance to actual history.

Whatever happened to change the “history as we know it” also changed the lineup of the clan alliances. For some reason Ieyasu broke off his alliance to Nobunaga, and is now part of the Shingen faction. Hideyoshi is already an indenpendent lord, who seems more or less on equal standing with Nobunaga in this universe, although he didn’t turn into an enemy (as far as I know). He seems to be still “Oda ally”. 

The weirdest part of this whole thing is probably Saitou Dousan being not dead and also a romantic option. I mean, naturally he is depicted as a quite handsome man here, but when I think of his usual depiction of a big, bald old man... I'm having a hard time reconciling the two.  

”Ｏｄａ　ｕｎｉｔ”: Oda Nobunaga, Akechi Mitsuhide, Saitou Dousan, Azai Nagamasa

”Ｔｏｙｏｔｏｍｉ　ｕｎｉｔ”: Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Katou Kiyomasa, Kuroda Kanbei, Chousokabe Motochika

”Ｔａｋｅｄａ　ｕｎｉｔ”: Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, Sanada Yukimura, Tokugawa Ieyasu

“Ｏｔｈｅｒ”: Saika Magoichi, Tachibanaya (another timetraveller)

[incorrectsamuraiwarriorsquotes]

don’t ask me how long I’ve been meaning to make this video but kept forgetting

[koorinokujira]

✧ Fic and Imagines Request Rules ✧

So, I thought I would make a small rule list, since I really want to do requests as well, apart from the stuff I think of, and want it to go smoothly for all of us! I'll do it in the form of a small Q&A so it's easy to read! I may make small changes to this list. ☆ ～('▽^人)

✧ Will you write about all Sengoku Basara characters, or only some? ✧

Currently, I'll write only about characters I like, know more about and am comfortable with. I'm still fairly new to the fandom, so more will probably be added to the list!

The characters I will write about for now:

✎ Date Masamune

✎ Katakura Kojūrō

✎ The Maedas (Matsu, Toshiie, Keiji)

✎ Saika Magoichi

✎ Uesugi Kenshin

✎ Kasuga

✎ Sanada Yukimura

✎ Sarutobi Sasuke

✎ Fūma Kotarō

✎ Azai Nagamasa

✎ Mōri Motonari

✎ Chōsokabe Motochika

✎ Oichi

✎ Ishida Mitsunari (?)

✎ Takeda Shingen

Of course, when it comes to crack fics and the like, I will most likely involve other characters as well, and they will often be mentioned even in the regular ones. They just won't be the main heroes of the stories or the focus of my imagines.

✧ Can I request a fic with an OC of mine? ✧

Of course! As long as you provide me all the information about them, I'm up for it! I love to see the little fictional people others make, and it would be my honor to write about them too (ships included of course). The more information you give me, the better, and I'll do my best to portray them accurately! As I write, I may ask some additional questions and discuss some ideas (without spoiling too much), to make it the best I can. ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝

✧ How detailed should the request be? ✧

However much you want. For imagines, it will of course be simple, as they're just small thoughts or scenes of the characters in certain scenarios. For fics, it can also be super simple, just give me an idea and I'll do my best to match your expectations. But if you have something more detailed in mind, go ahead and tell me! Have a song in mind that you think would fit for a certain character or scene? Send me that too, music gives me inspiration like nothing else! AUs? Absolutely! As long as there is something for me to work with, it's good! ( ´ ▽ ` )

If you wish to request something, send an ask or a message. You can even do it through a reblog, if that's even a thing? I will ocassionally post about opening requests, so you can do that on there I suppose.

✧ Will you do NSFW, Gore, etc? ✧

NSFW - As is stated in my blog introduction, I don't really do NSFW. I can imply it, or kind of skip over it in another way if needed, but I will never straight up write about sex.

Gore - I mean, Sengoku Basara is about a huge war, so some gore is expected. I don't mind it, but don't expect me to be too detailed either (because of pacing, mostly). I'll describe the violence as needed, but my main focus is how the characters feel, think and act. So in short, there will be gore, but the detail of it will vary depending on how much it actually matters to the scene, and you don't have to worry about anything too mentally scarring I think.

As for other things, it depends, I'll speak out if I'm not comfortable with something apart from the obvious things. I will put trigger warnings where they're needed, but forgive me if I omit something on accident.

✧ Do you do fics on other things than Sengoku Basara? ✧

Currently? No.

But, in the future I will! Once that happens, this section will be updated. You can probably expect some Ghost of Tsushima or Final Fantasy stuff when that happens.

That should be all for now!

Thanks for reading all this, and have a great day!

[simpforroses]

With *chef’s kiss* Chapter 1039, and the line “Your era ends here,” my love for Law and the Kamakura/Sengoku Jidai/Azuchi-Momoyama periods was rekindled, so expect a gradual drawing series of notable daimyo, samurais, and figures crossed with One Piece characters soon: I already have a couple in mind!! —M. 🌹 (my internal history buff is quaking and geared up to make these 😆)

Trafalgar Law—Date Masamune (harsh upbringing, had an unconventional father figure bring him up, reckless-but-strategic, the black-gold-blue color palette, the badass threat against era giants, playing by his own rules: yes. The stand at Hitotoribashi still gives me chills)

Monkey D. Luffy—Toyotomi Hideyoshi (though he has a free spirit like Miyamoto Musashi in his early years & the heart of a hero like Sanada Yukimura; the monkey motif & the fact Hideyoshi was the 1st shogun fits him)

Roronoa Zoro—Miyamoto Musashi

Vinsmoke Sanji—Hattori Hanzo

Eustass Kid—Chosokabe Motochika

Donquixote Rosinante—Katakuro Kojuuro

Whitebeard—Takeda Shingen

Portgas D. Ace—Sanada Yukimura

Marco the Phoenix—Kirigakure Saizo or Uesugi Kenshin (Kenshin was Shingen’s greatest and most respected rival, but the calm personality, color palette, and sparrow motif in the Uesugi kamon makes it so fitting to draw him as Kenshin)

Izou—Saika Magoichi

Charlotte Katakuri—Toshiie Maeda

Killer—Fuuma Kotarou

-> The list may grow or change depending on time, inspiration, and a memory refresh of different notable figures!

[yeonchi]

Warriors Orochi: The Recollective Redux Part 3.2: Wei Side Stages

Again, some conditions have been made easier. Obtaining most characters in this hypothetical project game should be 100% guaranteed.

Chapter 2-X: Invasion of Nanzhong 南中侵攻戦 (uses DW5 map)

Orochi Army and Zhang He Troop vs. Resistance Army Allied characters: Cao Pi, Yoshitsugu Ōtani Third-party characters: Zhang He Enemy characters: Zhao Yun, Yukimura Sanada, Nobuyuki Sanada, Zhang Bao, Ginchiyo Tachibana, Meng Huo, Zhurong

Unlockable character: Zhang He

Clear Chapter 1 to unlock this stage.

Many officers of Wei were not happy to be used as Orochi’s puppets under the name of an alliance. Zhang He began to feel discontented with the situation. He accompanied Cao Pi to Nanzhong to supress the Resistance. The battle progressed smoothly until Zhang He stopped fighting, forcing Cao Pi to convince him to fight.

Xu Shu is replaced by another generic officer for this battle. Nobuyuki Sanada and Ginchiyo Tachibana also appear in this battle.

To unlock Zhang He, defeat the two enemy officers attacking him and have Cao Pi speak with him, whether as a player or an ally. Once he is convinced, Zhang He needs to stay alive to the end of the battle, which is when all enemies are defeated.

Chapter 3-X: Conquest of Ji Province 冀州討伐戦 (uses DW5 Yellow Turban map)

Orochi Army and Goemon Ishikawa vs. Resistance Army Allied characters: Dong Zhuo, Zhang Liao, Li Dian Third-party characters: Goemon Ishikawa Enemy characters: Nene, Kiyomasa Katō, Masanori Fukushima, Kotarō Fūma, Hanzō Hattori, Kunoichi

Unlockable character: Nene

Clear Chapter 2 to unlock this stage.

Nene’s ninja troop managed to maintain its independence from Orochi. Dong Zhuo was sent to elimate them.

Li Dian replaces Yue Jin in this battle.

When Kiyomasa Katō and Masanori Fukushima are defeated, they will retreat.

To unlock Nene, defeat the second clone within 5 minutes (originally 4) of defeating the first one.

Chapter 4-X: Battle of Saika 雑賀の戦い

Orochi Army vs. Resistance Army Allied characters: Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Xu Zhu, Yue Jin Enemy characters: Kenshin Uesugi, Shingen Takeda, Kanetsugu Naoe, Kagekatsu Uesugi Yoshimoto Imagawa

Unlockable character: Yoshimoto Imagawa

Clear Chapter 4 to unlock this stage.

Upon hearing that Resistance units under Shingen Takeda and Kenshin Uesugi were using a base in the Saika Territory, Cao Pi ordered Zhang Liao to investigate. When this was confirmed, immediate suppression was necessary.

Yue Jin replaces Man Chong in this battle. Kagekatsu Uesugi will appear in place of Kageie Kakizaki when the Takeda and Uesugi forces arrive.

To unlock Yoshimoto, prevent the enemy engineers from infiltrating the central garrison and launching a fire attack. There will be a total of 8 coming in two waves, at first one at a time then two at a time. They will all appear in an anti-clockwise direction on the map.

Chapter 5-X: Battle of the Five Gates 五関突破戦

Coalition Army and Diaochan Troop vs. Orochi Army Allied characters: Mitsunari Ishida, Zhang Liao Third-party characters: Diaochan Enemy characters: Dong Zhuo, Lu Bu, Chen Gong, Lu Lingqi

Unlockable character: Diaochan

Clear Chapter 5 to unlock this stage.

Diaochan joined the Orochi Army with Lu Bu when he was defeated in the initial battle at Xiapi. However, she was unhappy and disillusioned with the path that Lu Bu was taking and chose to defect, hoping to make Lu Bu see his own folly. However, an incensed Dong Zhuo immediately began pursuit before they spot Mitsunari Ishida, who had decided to help Diaochan.

Lu Lingqi will be past the first gate while Chen Gong will advance with Dong Zhuo.

To unlock Diaochan, make sure she stays alive during the battle and clear the battle within 10 minutes (originally 6:40 min).

Chapter 6-X: Battle of Liang Province 涼州の戦い

Coalition Army and Zhenji Army vs. Orochi Army Allied characters: Cao Pi, Xiahou Yuan, Xiahou Ba, Guo Huai Third-party characters: Zhenji Enemy characters: Dong Zhuo, Kotarō Fūma, Cao Pi (fake)

Unlockable character: Zhenji

Clear Chapter 6 to unlock this stage.

When Cao Pi declared Wei’s independence from Orochi, Zhenji followed suit and led an army to Liang Province. Orochi dispatched Dong Zhuo to eradicate this resistance and so, the three clash at Liang Province…

Xiahou Ba and Guo Huai respectively replace Cao Xiu and Hideie Ukita in this battle.

To unlock Zhenji, defeat all sorcerers and the imposter Cao Pi within 10 minutes of the start of battle. Make sure you get all these goals before defeating Dong Zhuo. Help Zhenji clear the enemies around her if you can.

Chapter 7-X: Struggle for Nanzhong 南中争覇戦 (uses DW5 map)

Coalition Army and Honda Army vs. Orochi Army Allied characters: Nagamasa Azai, Gan Ning, Oichi Third-party characters: Tadakatsu Honda Enemy characters: Masamune Date, Kojūrō Katakura, Lu Bu, Dong Zhuo

Unlockable character: Tadakatsu Honda (2/4)

Clear Chapter 6-X to unlock this stage.

Cao Pi ordered Nagamasa Azai to lay siege to the key Orochi outpost of Nanzhong in the south, but he saw a mysterious army in battle with Orochi…

When Tadakatsu roars on the battlefield, Chen Lan and Lei Bo (newly added) are the officers who defect.

This is one of four battles required to unlock Tadakatsu Honda. To impress him, rescue his two sons, Tadamasa and Tadatomo, and defeat Lu Bu by yourself (no kill-stealing!).

Chapter 8-X: Battle of New Hefei Castle 合肥新城の戦い

Coalition Army and Sun Ce Army vs. Orochi Army Allied characters: Cao Cao, Yue Jin, Yoshitsugu Ōtani Third-party characters: Sun Ce Enemy characters: Orochi, Da Ji, Lu Bu, Keiji Maeda, Kojirō Sasaki, Hisahide Matsunaga

Unlockable character: Lu Bu (2/4)

In Chapter 7, defeat Da Ji within 3 minutes of her defection (originally 1) to unlock this stage.

With the news that Cao Cao was still alive, Orochi became enraged and challenged Wei to a battle to end all battles.

Kojirō Sasaki and a generic officer will appear in the northwest as reinforcements. Hisahide Matsunaga and two more generic officers will arrive in the northeast just as Sun Ce arrives, which is either when Cao Cao’s plan is successful (they would originally not appear in this case) or when 10 minutes have passed and the plan isn’t successful yet or has failed. Hisahide’s unit is a fire attack unit, so if they are not defeated in a few minutes, all the ships in the east will go up in flames.

Orochi will appear in this battle if Chapter 8 has been cleared.

This is one of four battles required to unlock Lu Bu. To impress him, just defeat him without running away from him.

[samurailoveballadhistory]

This is a bamboo shield (竹束 taketaba):

According to the Koyo Gunkan, these bamboo shields were invented by Takeda vassal Yonekura Shigetsugu (other sources say his name is Munetsugu). In a battle against Murakami Yoshikiyo (this person), the Takeda who has never seen guns was helpless under gunfire. Yonekura then had the idea to gather bamboo that were growing nearby, and bundle them up. The bundle’s thickness was able to withstand the bullets, and the Takeda turned the tides.

Legend says that the Saika’s “rolled bamboo shells” was essentially a grenade launcher. I forgot to take a screenshot of this event in the Japanese app, but according to this article it’s called 焙烙火矢 hourokukaya. The description says that it’s smaller bullets packed into a bigger shell together with gun powder. This is then attached to a bamboo shaft, and then shot from either a gun or a rudimentary cannon. 

This is a legend, and I have no idea what the original documentation is called. The article linked unfortunately did not cite their source. Trying to Google this further only turned up a manga, and trying to Google the names from the manga turns up absolutely nothing. Maybe it’s not even real, who knows. The name and description is similar to the actually-existing bou-biya 棒火矢, a rocket-like explosive that was invented somewhere around the 1590s. 

Minor detail, but since legend says the one who invented the shield-busting shells is just “Suzuki Magoichi”, we might not actually know who this is.

As I wrote in my previous post, there are more than one person who go by the name “Suzuki Magoichi”. This is because it’s the common courtesy in those era to write someone’s name as “surname + alias (”middle name”)” or “surname + official title” in paperwork. It’s not very common that the actual given name is written. So if a document has the name “Suzuki Magoichi”, it’s very hard to tell which one is this referring to. 

The article said it was “Magoichi son of Suzuki Sadayuu”. All of the known Magoichis have somewhat unclear parentage. The person who fought Nobunaga is Suzuki Magoichi Shigehide. His (possibly adopted) son Suzuki Magoichi Shigetomo later became one of Hideyoshi’s gun captains. See why this is very confusing?

Since it’s vague, it’s very fair game for fiction writers to use all the Magoichis interchangeably.