History Characters / SamuraiShodown2DFightingGames

Characters introduced in the first ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown''

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* MakingASplash: Unusually for fighting games, where augmenting elements are typically restricted to fire, wind and lightening, he fights with ''water''-based powers, including geyser and bubble attacks, as well as a puddle teleport.

-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Wataribashi-no-shita, Hizen Province, Japan]] [[note]]literally "under a bridge in Hizen Province"; he and his brother were found under said bridge as infants[[/note]]''

-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Wataribashi-no-shita, Hizen Province, Japan]] [[note]]"under a bridge in Hizen Province"; he and his brother were found under said bridge as infants[[/note]]''

->''"I'm all burned... It feels great!"''

->''"You're so weak... I feel like a god taking pity on the feeblest of beings."''

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-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Wataribashi-no-shita, Hizen Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_49.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]literally "under a bridge in Hizen Province"; he and his brother were found under said bridge as infants[[/note]]''

-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Wataribashi-no-shita, Hizen Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_109.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]"under a bridge in Hizen Province"; he and his brother were found under said bridge as infants[[/note]]''

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown''
->''Characters/SamuraiShodownI''

!Debuting in '''''Samurai Shodown II'''''
->''Characters/SamuraiShodownII''

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown III''
->''Characters/SamuraiShodownIII''

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown V''
->''Characters/SamuraiShodownV''

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown VI''
->''Characters/SamuraiShodownVI''

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown (2019)''
->''Characters/SamuraiShodown2019''

[-'''Samurai Shodown 2D Fighting Games''' | [[Characters/SamuraiShodown3DFightingGames Samurai Shodown 3D Fighting Games]] | [[Characters/SamuraiShodownOther Samurai Shodown Guests & Others]]-]]]]]

[[folder:Iroha]]
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-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Urushiyama, Ōshū Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_81.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] Urushiyama is best known as the setting of one of Japan's famous crane stories The Grateful Crane Wife, which is linked to the Chinzo Temple in the town.''[[/note]]
-> '''Weapons:''' ''[[DualWielding Hourin Ousai]]'' [[note]](''[[AnimalThemeNaming "Feng Horn" and "Huang Beak"]], [[TheDividual predecessors to / genders of]] [[ThePhoenix the Fenghuang]]'')[[/note]], [[DualWielding twin butterfly swords]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Mayumi Shindo (VI, Neo Geo Heroes, [[Anime/QueensBlade Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos]]), Saori Gotō (Oni), Jun Miruno (2019)[[/note]]

->A crane who is able to transform herself into a Japanese maid. She serves her master and sees her duty to him/her as the most important aspect of her life. She often bows and speaks to the player directly before and after her fights and [[WordOfGod the game's producers have confirmed her master is indeed the player him/herself]]. Iroha is an obedient and cheerful maiden. She deeply cares for her master, trying her hardest to stay in her human form whilst in front of him/her. Despite debuting only in ''VI'', Iroha went on to star in many {{Meido}} based spinoff games. She finally makes her canon debut as part of the 2nd DLC character pass of ''2019''.
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* AmbidextrousSprite: Canonically, Iroha's left leg is the one with the bandage on it. In practice, it's whichever one is further away from the player at the time. It still happens in ''2019'' despite using 3D models.
* AscendedExtra: Before ''2019'', Iroha had only appeared in one mainline game in the series, but it was a dream match. However, she quickly became one of the series' most popular characters due to her fanservice-heavy design and demure personality. Although left out of the initial roster for developmental reasons, she was eventually brought in as a DLC character.
* AssKicksYou: Her stance-break in ''2019''.
* {{Animorphism}}: Seamlessly shifts between crane and human forms.
* BattleStrip: One of her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqb5z6Uczz8 super moves]] (which happens in shadow) involves her stripping off her clothes, resulting in her silhouette appearing nude, then beating the crap out of her opponent [[GoodOldFisticuffs with her bare hands]] before morphing into her crane form momentarily to cause some more damage, then morphing back to her human form, still nude, to lay the final blow. It returns in ''2019'' as her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUy_khAfo-U Super Special Move]], unchanged.
* DatingSim: Her SpinOff games by SNK is usually this, having two game series for mobile (''Maid by Iroha'' and ''Koi by Iroha''), as well as appearing in various ''Days of Memories'' games.
* DistractedByTheSexy: During her BattleStrip super move, her opponent is ''just standing there'' letting her beat the crap out of him[=/=]her.
* DoesntLikeGuns: She's not fond of firearms or ranged weapons, as seen in her interactions with Andrew and Mina. It's implied she was injured in her crane form by a hunter (per the original folktale), which would explain her distaste for such things.
* DownloadableContent: She returns to the series in ''2019'' as part of the second wave of DLC characters.
* DualWielding: She fights with a pair of butterfly swords.
* EnvironmentalSymbolism: All four of the new characters in ''VI'' came with an applicable stage. Iroha's stage is set in her snow-covered home of Urushiyama, and features a watermill and a riverbank where [[LoyalAnimalCompanion multiple black and white cranes]] flock together. Her accompanying {{Leitmotif}}, a melancholic ''Enka'' (Japanese ballad), is unusual in that it features full lyrics. These motifs carry over into ''2019'', though instead of her home stage which is not featured in the game, she shares Rimururu's stage: a winter version of Kamuikotan which features several wild animals and ''lots'' of snow.
* FreakinessShame: In what is a clear reference to the fable she is based on, during the super where she transforms into her crane form (albeit screened by a ''shoji''), she begs the player not to look...''no matter what''.
* HandicappedBadass: The bandage around Iroha's leg isn't just for show; the crane in the original ''Crane Wife'' folktale was injured by a hunter, and Iroha seems to have suffered a similar injury. She hops around on one foot in her idle and walk animations, and one of her victory animations has her wince and clutch at her bad ankle. Despite this, she can leap and spin around the battlefield without any problems, and in the hands of a skilled player, she can kick just as much ass as any other fighter in the game.
* ImpossibleHourglassFigure: Iroha has a curvaceous figure complemented by very large breasts and fairly wide hips measuring at B91 W59 H85.
* {{Homage}}: Iroha's entire character is based on an old story called ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuru_no_Ongaeshi The Grateful Crane Wife]]'', which is linked to the Chinzo Temple in Urushiyama, her hometown. During one of her special attacks, she hides behind a ''shoji'' while saying "Please don't look, no matter what", referencing a scene from the story.
* MeaningfulName: Her namesake are the first syllables from the Heian poem of the same name, which is a pangram used until the Meiji era for learning the hiragana syllabary -- a cultural translation would be "ABC".
* {{Meido}}: At first, she was designed to be a mostly nude character, though eventually, her image changed to a "graceful crane" and "Asian wife" motif -- hence her skills at housework.
* MorphicResonance: Her maid's apron is designed so as to resemble a crane's wings.
* MsFanservice: Her default costume, ''definitely''. She even breaks the fourth wall to serve ''you'' at the end!
* NoFourthWall: Her "master" is YOU, and she speaks to the player as such. In ''2019'', she quests to take down Shizuka in defence of her master’s happiness, and her story is presented as if the player is personally accompanying her.
* NinjaMaid: Probably the most literal example ever. Her clothes look like a cross between a kunoichi's clothing (or lack thereof) and a stereotypical FrenchMaidOutfit.
* ShapeshiftingLover: She tries her best to maintain her human form for her master when in front of him/her.
* {{Shotoclone}}: She's one of the more basic and easier to use characters, and has special moves that mirror those of Ryu/Ken via her own equivalents of Hadouken, Dragon Uppercut, and Hurricane Kick.
* SpinAttack: She has two -- one where she can twirl herself toward her opponent, slicing them with her swords, and another as a rolling attack that can also send her spinning upwards to counter aerial attacks.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Skimpy kunoichi-inspired French maid wardrobe that reveals her cleavage and even some side-boob? Check. Wide hips on show? Check. Toeless thigh-highs? Double check. She was literally ''[[IncrediblyLamePun maid]]'' for FanService.
* SuplexFinisher: If she is rendered weaponless while performing her Crane Dance moves on her opponent, she'll instead finish her full-frontal assault by seductively approaching her victim only to sucker them into an [[WrestlerInAllOfUs unexpectedly brutal suplex]].
* YamatoNadeshiko: Kind, domestic, submissive but not exactly weak, obedient to her master, feminine yet ''very'' capable of holding her own in battle. [[ShapeshiftingLover Her true form as that of crane helps too.]] Pretty much the ''only'' non-characteristic trait she has is her revealing wardrobe.
* {{Youkai}}: Yes, the beautiful Iroha counts as such. Whilst she presents as human, and is undoubtedly a pure, true-hearted character, she's absolutely ''not'' human but rather an entity known as a ''Tsuru Nyōbō'' ("Crane Wife"), which are the subject of many Japanese folktales, including ''The Grateful Crane Wife'' detailed above.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Andrew]]
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-> '''Origin:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{TheThirteenAmericanColonies}} Virginia, United States]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagus.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]The flag shown here is the "Betsy Ross" flag of the thirteen colonies, adopted after the Declaration of Independence in 1776.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[NamesTheSame White]] [[FloralThemeNaming Lily]]'', [[BayonetYa a musket with a bayonet]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Kazuki Ishii[[/note]]

->He is portrayed as an American soldier who goes to Japan to stop a new menace to his relatively young country. In his ending, he befriends Yoshitora. He is a serious and dedicated individual, always thinking about his duty to his country above all else.
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* BayonetYa: Using blade of his bayonet, he can slash his opponents from afar and keep them at a distance with his projectile attacks.
* BlingOfWar: Sports bright red military dress complete with epaulets, a black sash, and white gloves.
* {{Eagleland}}: Variant 1 -- a heroic leader of men with a just cause.
* MixAndMatchWeapon: A mundane variant. He uses a musket with a bayonet attached, which offers him both mid and long-range reach.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Based on UsefulNotes/AndrewJackson, an American soldier and statesman who served as the seventh President of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, Jackson gained fame as a general in the United States Army and served in both houses of Congress.
* PatrioticFervor: Takes part in the events of ''VI'' to protect the fledgling United States from demonic powers.
* ThePioneer: Source materials note he is the son of an ambitious English merchant who sought a new life in the colonies.
* ShipTease: Fans tend to pair him with Iroha, the new female character in the 6th game.
* StereotypeFlip: In dramatic contrast to the loud, brash, energetic manner in which Americans are typically presented in this series (and most fighting games in general), Andrew is presented as a quiet, stoic, bookish young man who enjoys taking tea and whose complex is his lack of success in talking to women. The stereotype is further turned on its head via his in-series buddy and Japanese counterpart, Yoshitora, who is depicted as a louche, cocky, womanizing layabout, which is in complete contrast to the usually stoic, humble Japanese archetype -- they've essentially switched roles.
* StoicSpectacles: He's reserved and his glasses help show that off, he's also smart enough to take them off before a fight.
* TheGlassesComeOff: Takes his glasses off before a match starts.
* WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant: His father is English (so he's almost a proto-WASP given he's first-generation American), and he exhibits the typically reserved, stoic personality.
* TheWhiteHouse: His stage is set at the White House during its construction, which (sort of) fits into the series' overall timescale, as the build started in 1792.
* WouldntHitAGirl: One of his pre-battle lines has Andrew feeling reluctant about fighting a female opponent.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sugoroku Matsuribayashi]]
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-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Edo (Asakusa quarter), Musashi Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_78.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{JapaneseHolidays}} Matsuribayashi Hitokyu]]'' [[note]](''"The [[AncestralWeapon Matsuribayashi]] [[ItOnlyWorksOnce One-Shot]]"'')[[/note]], [[ImprobableWeaponUser a fireworks]] [[{{BFG}} cannon]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Tarō Masuoka[[/note]]

->A plump, jolly man who really enjoys festivals (''matsuri'') and having fun. He joins the fight to spread some cheer and help the foreigners who've come to Japan to fight enjoy themselves in a traditional festival. His character design and mannerisms are based on the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadaka_Matsuri Naked Festival]] that occurs annually in Japan. He was designed to follow a festival motif after the game designers decided on creating a "lame but cool" character.
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* ActionDad: Kicks butt and is father to a daughter named Koma.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: He may look goofy, but he isn't regarded as the best fireworks technician in the world for nothing!
* {{BFG}}: Wields a huge cannon used for shooting fireworks.
* BigBeautifulMan: Muscular, shapely, nice fat ass, and wears nothing but a ''fundoshi'' to cover his modesty.
* BigFun: He's extremely cheery.
* TheCutie: The guy's a ''genuine'' sweet, lovable NiceGuy who fights so that everyone will be happy and have fun. Then there's that smile of his...
* EarnYourHappyEnding: His arcade run in a nutshell -- thinking that the game's foreigners would like to participate in a traditional festival, he decides to enter the brawl. He's also hoping to have a good time while he's at it!
* FamilyMan: Has a wife and child back home. His wife accompanies him before the fight starts, and his daughter (alongside the wife and dog) will pose with him if he's victorious. His family even assists him during battles!
* FunPersonified: ''Definitely''. This is a man who ''always'' carries a smile on his face, goes to every festival he can and wants everybody in the world to have fun!
* HappilyMarried: To his beloved Karuta.
* {{Homage}}: The ''entirety'' of his character is inspired by the attendees of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadaka_Matsuri Hadaka Matsuri]], an event in Japan held at least once every year. Participants, usually male, wear virtually no clothing (normally just a thong ''fundoshi'' but occasionally nothing at all) while celebrating the harmony of a fruitful harvest and fertility.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: In a series with some pretty out-there weapons, his fireworks cannon might take the cake. As a large, heavy object, he can smash the opponent with it, spin it like a top for a multi-hit, mount it to jet-propel himself into the opponent and, of course, [[HumanCannonball blast the enemy away]] ([[ExplosiveOverclocking fireworks may be involved]]). His super involves him calling on a group of shrine-carrying festival-goers to trample the opponent -- hilariously weird.
* LethalJokeCharacter: His design was intended to be this way, according to the developers. Developers even claims he's supposed to be a "Lame, but cool character."
* LifeOfTheParty: In his capacity as a festival aficionado.
* MeaningfulName: A "Matsuri bayashi" is the musical accompaniment to the Japanese festivals. A ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugoroku sugoroku]] is a typical Japanese board game.
* MrFanservice: His default costume leaves ''very'' little to the imagination. His design and mannerisms also have a strong BaraGenre vibe (despite having a wife).
* StoutStrength: He's a plump little cherub of a man, but has good stamina in-game.
* ThemeNaming: His whole family is named after things related to the new year's celebration: his wife Karuta [[note]]Japanese playing cards - an uta-garuta set is commonly played each new year[[/note]], his daughter Koma [[note]]"top" - spinning tops in new year symbolize good luck (what goes around turns around), things going smooth and strength (as in winning a battle of tops)[[/note]], his father Kadomatsu [[note]]Shintoist gate decorations put up for new year's day[[/note]], his mother Kine [[note]]wooden pestle - probably related to the communal ''mochitsuki'' pounding used to make mochi cakes, as the pestle and the mortar symbolize fertility[[/note]], his grandfather Hatsuyume [[note]]The first dream of the year[[/note]] and his grandmother Hagoita [[note]]Ornamental paddles sold on new year's day[[/note]]. His dog Pochi is the one who [[OddNameOut doesn't clearly fit with the motif]].
* TinyGuyHugeGirl: His wife is taller than he is, as he's only 5'1".
* UnskilledButStrong: He's a fighting ''fireworks technician''!
* UnusualWeaponMounting: Carrying an active fireworks cannon at all, let alone carrying one into combat, is unadvisable for obvious reasons.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ocha-Maro Karakuri]]
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-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan North of Tsuchimikado Street, east of Nishinotouin Street, Heian-kyō, Yamashiro Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_475.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]his origin is very precise, referencing two ancient roads in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heian-ky%C5%8D Heian-kyō]] (now known as Kyōto) which pinpoints his place of construction as being in the top right corner of the ancient capital.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapons:''' ''[[CombatHandFan Kirigane Okina]]'', ''[[CombatHandFan Uragane Onna]]'' [[note]](''"[[AbsurdlySharpBlade Slicing]] [[OlderIsBetter Iron Elderly Man]]" and "[[DualWielding Opposing]] [[OlderIsBetter Iron Elderly Woman]]"'')[[/note]] ''[[ImprobableWeaponuser & Kurogane Chuuzou Hagane Yakiire Hakugin no Haguruma]]'' [[note]](''[[NamedWeapon Black iron, casted steel, heated metal, blank-inserted Silver Cogwheel]]'')[[/note]], [[CombatHandFan two steel fans]] [[ImprobableWeaponuser and a cogwheel]].
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Mayu Shindou[[/note]]

->During the Heian period, a famous onmyōji learned about the existence of the demon world and foresaw the dangers. He created an army of wooden ''karakuri'' puppets to combat said dangers after his death. A century before the events depicted in the game, his fellow puppets are all destroyed by Mizuki when they attempt to seal her. He is the only survivor, and when he reawakens, he departs to fulfill his duty as a warrior who fights demons.
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* TheCameo: Apart from ''VI'', Ocha-Maro also appears as a Counter Card for ''[[Videogame/SNKVsCapcomCardFightersclash SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS]]'' and in the ''Maid by Iroha'' games.
* CreepyDoll: Despite being one of the good guys, Ocha-Maro is more than a little unsettling, especially for players completely unfamiliar with the concept and appearance of ''karakuri''.
* DanceBattler: Fights using the ritual Shinto ''Kagura'' dance.
* DeadlyDisc: The giant cogwheel concealed within his under-carriage can be spun rapidly at opponents to deliver considerable damage.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: His sole purpose is to battle demonic forces, and he never hesitates to complete his pre-programmed mission to do so.
* LethalJokeCharacter: Once developers decided that they wanted to add an odd-ball character to the cast, the concept of an endlessly powered karakuri emerged, making Ocha-Maro one of the weirdest if not ''the'' weirdest fighting game characters in existence. Despite this, in the right hands, he's a deadly opponent for the very reason that his style is so strange and unpredictable.
* MeaningfulName: Translates as "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakuri_puppet Karakuri]] tea boy", a reference to the typical Japanese tea-serving clockwork robot.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Due to Ocha-Maro's age, a handful of Japanese fans believe that he was created by [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abe_no_Seimei Abe no Seimei.]]
* UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}: Ocha-Maro was built by a famous onmyōji, and he's the only person it shows respect to.
* PuppetShows: Karakuri puppets (''karakuri ningyō'') are traditional Japanese mechanized puppets or automata. The dolls' gestures provide a form of entertainment and the word karakuri means "mechanisms" or "trick". Ocha-Maro is based on a ''zashiki karakuri'' -- a puppet designed to serve tea, which is referenced in his name, literally "tea-boy". His unique stage in ''VI'' is set in the ''Tenkaku-za'' puppet theatre, and features multiple ''singing'' puppets who look like smaller versions of him -- ''eerie''.
* RidiculouslyHumanRobot : [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakuri_puppet Karakuri puppets]] were one of the first automata in history, and the predecessors of modern robots.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Darli Dagger]]
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-> '''Origin:''' ''[[YouWakeUpOnABeach Somewhere at sea]]; resides in the [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merina_Kingdom Kingdom of Madagascar]][[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/merinak_2.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] the developers have made it known that she has African roots and it’s clear she lives on Madagascar, as her (canceled) stage was set there, as seen in the game's accompanying artbook. The flag shown here is, therefore, that of the historic Malagasy Merina Kingdom[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[SwissArmyWeapon Libertalia]]'' [[note]]([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertatia named after a purported pirate colony]])[[/note]], [[SerratedBladeOfPain a saw-blade]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Yuu Kobayashi[[/note]]

->A shipwright who has mastered the use of various tools. She washed ashore on the island of Madagascar at an early age, where carpenters taught her how to make things and pirates taught her how to protect herself and survive. She is currently building a ship said to be unsinkable with her comrades at the island’s workshop, and finds herself entangled in the events of the game while pursuing a masked man responsible for wrecking one of her ships.
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* AffirmativeActionGirl: According to game developer Nobuyuki Kuroki, giving her unique weapon to a muscular male character didn’t feel distinct enough, which is why they decided to make the character a powerful and strong-willed female with African roots, a region not usually represented in the series.
* AmazonianBeauty: In contrast with the petite [[NatureHero Nakoruru]], tall, elegant [[LadyOfWar Charlotte]], and lithe, slimly-built [[FemmeFatale Shiki]], Darli is broad-framed, physically ''ripped'', and attractive all in one.
* BerserkButton:
** Make the mistake of calling her a lowly ship-builder and you'll soon learn that her hands are just as capable of breaking bones.
** Damaging one of her ships, which is what triggered her to get involved in the events of the game.
* {{BFS}}: Wields a giant saw with a serrated edge resembling a shark's teeth.
* BoobsOfSteel: She has one of the largest busts of any female character in the series and uses a fighting style that revolves around extremely hard-hitting blows.
* BreakoutCharacter: Darli managed to prove popular enough that she managed to clinch a spot as the third member of the team representing the series in ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXV'', managing to beat out other big names from the series such as Genjuro, Shiki, and Iroha.
* DreadlockWarrior: Sports shoulder-length dreads that are colored pinkish-purple at the tips.
* TheDrunkenSailor: Befitting her nautical background, in one of her win-poses she grabs a huge barrel of grog and enthusiastically chugs away.
* FashionableAsymmetry: Has various holsters for holding tools strapped onto her left leg.
* ForeignFanservice: She certainly looks the part in her capacity as the series’ sole African character.
* ICallItVera: Her sword gets its name from the supposed anarchist, free colony founded by the pirate Captain James Misson in UsefulNotes/{{Madagascar}} in the late 17th century, though historians don't believe it actually existed.
* TheLadette: She's physically ripped, fights in a highly aggressive, masculine style, loves a drink, works in construction, speaks in a bluff, boisterous tone and has no time whatsoever for weaklings.
* MartialArtsAndCrafts: She developed a fighting style based on her advanced construction skills and her weapon, “Libertalia", is more like a multi-tool than a traditional weapon, but she's no less deadly with it.
* MeaningfulName: "Darli" is an abbreviation of "darling".
* PartsUnknown: Almost all (human) characters in the series are ascribed a city/province/country of origin (all three for many of the Japanese characters). Darli is the exception, and her birthplace is simply listed as "somewhere at sea", which could literally be ''anywhere''. So far, we know she has “African roots” as confirmed by producer Nobuyuki Kuroki and that she was born “at sea” as per her bio. '''However''', there are some key clues that help to pinpoint her current origin. The first is that she named her weapon “Libertalia”, which was a semi-mythical pirate state based on the (African) island of Madagascar, which fits her ship-builder/piratey vibe. Even more compelling evidence is found in the game’s accompanying art book, which not only confirms that her red/white/green color-scheme is based on Madagascar's national flag, but also that she was originally going to receive her own home-stage, designed around a ship-yard situated on the lush, tropical beaches of the island itself -- a locale similar to the one depicted in her ending artworks.
* PirateGirl: In looks only. She’s specifically described as “the most badass sailor and shipwright to ever sail the seven seas" and her weapon is adorned with a [[SkeletonMotif skull and crossbones motif]], but according to developers, she's not an actual pirate and was in fact saved by a group of pirates as a child and is now the leader of a group of female ship-builders. She even explains this misunderstanding herself in her epilogue:
--> "A pirate? Yes, many make that mistake about me... I'm merely a shipbuilder that can build pretty much anything. Well? Pretty cool, no?"
* PunchedAcrossTheRoom: Even if she loses her weapon, she's still a force to be reckoned with and comes equipped with an attack-absorbing, wind-up punch that sends the opponent flying if it connects.
* ShaggyDogStory: Her story mode features her traveling around the world in search of the mysterious masked man who wrecked the ship she was building. She never actually finds him because he isn't one of the fighters. After she goes home (upon defeating Shizuka), she finishes construction of her ship and finally finds the guy, who was on her home island all along.
* ShoutOut:
** Her full name is a nod to the Music/JimiHendrix song ''Dolly Dagger'', which describes a dangerous woman [[note]]his ex-girlfriend, Devon Wilson in fact[[/note]] who'll "make you stagger" and "drinks blood from a jagged edge."
** Her unique unarmed special is a haymaker that's unblockable and will probably kill you in one hit, but it's charge up time and predictability make it AwesomeButImpractical in a nod to Ralf Jones' ''Galactica Phantom'' super from ''VideoGame/{{The King of Fighters}}''.
* StatuesqueStunner: She's a very attractive woman and by far the tallest female character — she's noticeably taller than most of the men, even.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Wearing a halter-neck bikini and only a sarong to cover up, she sports one of the briefest outfits of all the women in the series.
* SwissArmyWeapon: While her "Libertalia" starts out as a [[SerratedBladeOfPain giant saw]], she can switch out the bit at the end with other tools such as a [[DropTheHammer giant hammer]], and a [[ThisIsADrill drill]].
* TokenMinority: The sole Black woman of the cast.
* TooManyBelts: Sports three belts around her waist, some sort of belted holster on her thigh and a further belt around her calf for a grand total of ''eight'' individual buckles.
* TropicalIslandAdventure: Her sadly canceled stage was set at her shipyard on the tropical beaches of Madagascar.
* WrenchWench: She's the nautical equivalent of one, sporting various tools you'd expect of a shipwright. Even her main weapon is a giant sized saw.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Wu Ruixiang]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/17_wuruixiang.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{Beijing}} Imperial Palace, Beijing]], [[ImperialChina Qing Empire]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagqingdynasty_2.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]her bio at the Japanese site lists her birthplace as "Chūgoku, Peking no yakata" -- the Beijing Palace, China -- meaning she was likely born in the Forbidden City itself.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[ImprobableWeaponUser Chaoji Zhāolóng Luopan]]'' [[note]](''"Superior dragon-beckoning [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luopan Luopan)]]"''[[/note]], [[MagicCompass a Chinese compass]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Seira Ryuu[[/note]]

->A young woman who serves the Qing Dynasty, and the descendant of a venerable fengshui clan. For generations, they have been charged with the defense of the ley lines''[[note]]apparent alignments of landmarks, religious sites, and man-made structures. The pseudoscientific belief that these apparent lines are not accidental speculates that they are straight navigable paths and have spiritual significance[[/note]]'', traveling the world at the behest of the Qing Emperor. Though wise, she is extremely clumsy. Worse yet, she isn't athletically inclined and prefers to stay indoors. Her secret arts manifest the powers of divine beasts and as the best of the Dynasty's fengshui practitioners, she can even call forth a dragon.
----
* AncestralWeapon: Her enchanted compass was bestowed upon her by grandfather and she cares for it deeply, expressing concern that it has become scratched after some battles.
* AnimeChineseGirl: The series’ very first version, she sports a prerequisite UsefulNotes/{{Qipao}} in jade green.
* AttackReflector: ''Kirin Earthen Rampage'' -- a counter that reflects projectiles and any mid/high attack hitting her ''luópan''.
* BadassAdorable: A very powerful summoner who is endearingly shy, clumsy and polite.
* TheBeastMaster: She calls forth the elemental powers of divine beasts, and can even summon a dragon for her super.
* BespectacledCutie: She exhibits the sweet, intelligent, endearing qualities and becomes adorably befuddled if she loses her glasses.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: A seemingly timid, studious girl whose appearance belies her deadly summoning powers.
* BilingualBonus: Despite speaking Japanese in all her cutscenes, Ruixiang speaks Mandarin Chinese when performing her special moves. Said Mandarin Chinese is also very dialect-accurate, as her voice actress is half-Chinese.
* BlindWithoutEm: If she loses her weapon, she also [[DroppedGlasses drops her glasses]], which causes her to walk around unsteadily, muttering “megane...megane” (“my glasses”) as she tries to locate them.
* BlueBlood: As noted [[MeaningfulName below]], ''Wu'' is an august, aristocratic name dating back to the offspring of the sons of a ''Zhou'' Dynasty duke. According to her bio, Ruixiang herself was born within the Imperial Palace (AKA the "Forbidden City") and her family is stated to be a venerable clan who serves the Emperor himself.
* BuxomIsBetter: Her voluptuous figure is emphasized in most of her accompanying artworks.
* CombatStilettos: Wears a pair of jade-green court shoes with built-up heels.
* CuteClumsyGirl: She’s adorably uncoordinated, often tripping over her feet and unsteadying herself from the momentum of some of her stronger attacks.
* DifficultButAwesome: On initial inspection, her speed is lethargic, her damage output low and her standard hits have short reach and are quite sluggish. However, she has arguably the best projectile game out of the entire cast, with high, medium and low fireballs that become active very early in their animation. Her shield counter can also reflect projectiles, in addition to being a strong anti-aggression tool, but Ruixiang’s most defining feature is, without doubt, her ground trap -- ''White Tiger Fangs'' -- which makes her a character for players who like crazy setups and stylish juggles.
* DragonsAreDivine: The dragon she summons in her super is listed in the move-list as a Yellow Dragon, which is likely Huanglong. Her rage move invokes the nine-headed dragon Kuzuryu, and her lightning bolt special move is based on Seiryuu.
* DragonsUpTheYinYang: Ticks both boxes -- her ''luópan'' features a large yin-yang motif and she can call forth an enormous Oriental dragon to incinerate her opponents.
* ElementalPowers: Ruixiang is able to use elemental-based attacks, thanks to her enchanted compass, via which she can fire a shard of ice, blast the opponent with flame, lay a trap of razor-sharp branches, and summon a lightning bolt.
* TheFourGods: Among her animal-based moves are the Black Tortoise Torrent, Vermilion Bird Blaze, White Tiger Fangs, and Azure Dragon Thunderstrike.
* GeniusDitz: Despite her clumsiness, she's actually quite wise.
* GorgeousPeriodDress: Notwithstanding the large splits up the sides, her beautiful dress and hairstyle are an accurate representation of the court fashions of Qing Dynasty China.
* ImperialChina: Taking into account her traditionally elaborate costuming, her role as an Imperial fengshui practitioner, her august ''Wu'' heritage, her exotic weapon (complete with yin-yang motif), and the fact she commands an actual ''dragon'', she's Imperial China practically incarnate.
* ImpracticallyFancyOutfit: Her UsefulNotes/{{Qipao}} dress, ornate hair-style, and high-heels are rather impractical for combat, although she is a bit less physical in her fighting style compared to other characters, relying far more on magic to augment her moves.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: All of her fellow fighters use real-life weaponry (albeit with a [[MagicRealism fantasy twist]]). In contrast, Ruixiang’s ''luópan'' (Chinese compass) stands out as being far more magic-based and fantastical as a primary weapon.
* LadyOfBlackMagic: She's one of the series' purely magic-based fighters, and her special moves rely on summoning the elemental powers of divine beasts to do the fighting for her.
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Her compass has a handle in the back and functions just like a shield, with which she is able to defend herself. It also functions as an attacking weapon, and she is able to [[ShieldBash shield bash]] her opponents too.
* MagicCompass: Her weapon appears as some form of gong or shield, but it is in fact an enchanted compass, used to summon divine beasts.
* MeaningfulName: "Wu" is a catch-all term commonly used to refer to various Chinese dynasties, rulers, people, and names. Her given name, Ruìxiāng (瑞香), is the Chinese name of the [[FlowerMotifs winter daphne, a species of fragrant pink flowers that are also poisonous]]. Ukyo directly addresses her as "Winter Daphne" in his win-quote after fighting her.
* MsFanservice: Ruixiang is a beautiful young woman, and sports a jade-green UsefulNotes/{{Qipao}} that's slashed to the waist, which [[MaleGaze draws attention]] to both her [[BuxomIsBetter huge breasts]] and [[ShesGotLegs long, shapely legs.]]
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: For her super, she trips over and accidentally summons a gigantic golden dragon, who proceeds to incinerate her opponent whilst she looks on in horror, trying to calm it down, apparently feeling she's gone too far.
* NiceGirl: While she may be shy, Ruixiang is a kind and thoughtful woman who abhors violence unless pushed. She apologises to her defeated opponents for any pain that she may have caused.
* NobodyTouchesTheHair: Her hairstyle is complicated and elaborate, and in her win-quote to Yashamaru, she recounts a traumatic hair-related incident:
--> "Urgh! Looking at you reminds me of the day when a bunch of crows stole my hair accessory!"
* ReluctantWarrior: As loyal as she is to the Emperor, if she can avoid it, she’d rather not go into battle on his behalf, which is exemplified in her ending where, having defeated Shizuka, she is soon summoned to the Imperial throne room and given orders to head out from the comfort of the palace once again on a new mission — the look on her face is a picture of horrified bewilderment.
* ShesGotLegs: Her court dress is split on both sides up to the waist, revealing her shapely legs. Her repertoire of kicks is lacking somewhat however, due to her being an indoorsy kind of girl.
* ShieldBash: All of her standard hits involve walloping the opponent with her shield-like ''luópan'', either as a blunt smash or with its serrated edge. As one of the very few characters who wield a blunt weapon, her attacks aren’t accompanied by the usual slashing/hacking sound effects, but rather a gloriously satisfying metallic ''*CLANG*'' upon contact with the opponent.
* ShrinkingViolet: She tends to seclude herself indoors and is of a rather shy disposition.
* SignatureHeadgear: She sports easily the most extravagant hairstyle in the series, with her very long hair piled up on top of her head in an elaborate Qing Dynasty coiffure that's held in place with a large clasp and various ornamental pins. Two large goldfish-shaped pendants swing down from either side.
* SmartPeopleWearGlasses: She’s an Imperial fengshui practitioner and sports a pair of neat, black spectacles.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yashamaru Kurama]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/18_yashamaru.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Otagi District, Yamashiro Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_680.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] An appropriate birthplace, as the (historic) Otagi District contains the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple, which applicably hosts an annual tengu festival each November to this very day.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[{{BFS}} Shanaō]]'' [[note]](literally "''King Shana''", an abbreviation of Birushana (Vairocana), but here it's a reference to one of Minamoto no Yoshitsune 's early names)[[/note]], [[{{BFS}} a nagamaki]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Kouhei Amasaki[[/note]]

->A young, fallen samurai. He loathes villains who exploit the weak for financial gain, and stalks the shadows as the phantom thief ''Karasu-Tengu''. Because his father was executed on false charges in the past, he has developed a deep and unparalleled hatred for the Shogunate. Brandishing his heirloom nagamaki, Shanaō, he fights using the ancestral tengu powers he has inherited. ''[[PurpleProse When Karasu-Tengu sows the breeze above with his blade, the wicked below shall reap the whirlwind...]]''
----
* AnimalMotifs: He associates himself with crows.
* CodeName: Uses the alias ''Karasu-Tengu'' -- "the Crow Tengu".
* CoolMask: Wears a samurai mask designed so as to resemble a crow-tengu's beak.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Wears full-plate samurai armor in deepest black, but is more of a WellIntentionedExtremist than a straight-up bad guy and cares for the common people.
* DashAttack: He has a special move where he dashes forward and thrusts his nagamaki. This move can also be done in the air as part of his strong aerial capabilities.
* DoubleJump: In keeping with his avian theme, he is capable of jumping twice in the air and is the only character in ''2019'' to be able to do so.
* FlechetteStorm: His weapon-flipping move features him firing a volley of energy-infused feathers at the opponent.
* ItsPersonal: Having his father executed for a crime he didn't commit shattered his faith in the Tokugawa Shogunate and turned him into one of its most bitter enemies. For this reason, Yoshitora Tokugawa is his rival in his story.
* KatanasAreJustBetter: Wields a nagamaki, which is a long-handled katana traditionally used by infantrymen against cavalry.
* KnightInSourArmor: He's a brooding, despondent ronin who became totally disillusioned with fighting for what he sees as a completely corrupt Shogunate.
* JustAKid: Hattori Hanzo is surprised to find out how young the Karasu-Tengu really is.
* JustLikeRobinHood: He's a thief who preys on villains who exploit the weak for financial gain.
* MeaningfulName: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kurama Mount Kurama]] is a mountain associated with tengu legends, and "Yasha" is the Japanese rendition of "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaksha Yaksha]]", a Buddhist nature demon.
* MysticalWhiteHair: Sports a mop of grey-white hair tied up in a samurai top-knot -- possibly a side-effect of his tengu bloodline. [[PowerDyesYourHair His hair changes to black when using his tengu powers.]]
* PerpetualMolt: Many of his movements and attacks are accompanied by a scattering of shedded crow's feathers, befitting his crow-tengu heritage.
* PhantomThief: Moonlights as the phantom thief Karasu-Tengu.
* {{Ronin}}: He’s a fallen samurai who abandoned the Shogun after his father’s death.
* SpinAttack: Yashamaru has a special move where he leaps into the air before spinning himself and his nagamaki at a vertical angle, slashing at his opponent and ending with a final downward slash.
* StealthHiBye: Yashamaru's match-winning animation sees him turn his back to the player — a crow then flies on-screen with Yashamaru disappearing off-screen just as it flies away, leaving only feathers in its wake.
* SteppingStoneSword: His intro animation and certain moves have him perched on the top of his nagamaki's handle.
* SuperMode: Yashamaru's Rage Explosion functions as this. When activated, he taps into his tengu powers which enhances all of his moves and makes him act more aggressively in battle. He'll even change some of his phrases when using said powers.
* SupernaturalGoldEyes: Yashamaru's eyes shine gold when using his tengu powers.
* {{Tengu}}: His long-nosed mask is supposed to evoke the crow-billed variant. Additionally, the power of the tengu has also been passed down to him and his blood-type is listed in his official bio as "not applicable as his bloodline is that of the tengu."
* TheStoic: He's a stern and serious individual who rarely expresses any emotions other than anger in battle.
* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: He can throw his nagamaki like a javelin before it returns to his hand via teleportation.
* WeaponTwirling: Certain animations show him spinning his nagamaki in his palm.
* YouKilledMyFather: Albeit indirectly, he blames Yoshitora, who was too busy being a playboy and shirking his responsibilities to notice the growing corruption in his family's government, which resulted in Yashamaru’s father being framed and executed.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shizuka]]
%%[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shizuka_2.png]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a9015f3d_d50e_494d_b6d6_4888b8a9d44f.jpeg]]

-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Iso Aminochō, Tango Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_295.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] Her birthplace (when still human) is generally accepted to have been the Iso (shoreline) district of Amino town, in the historic Tango Province, where she is regarded as one of the "seven princesses of Tango". She still has a shrine in the town and represents its principal deity.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon (Round 1):''' ''[[FlowerMotifs Shirotae]]'' [[note]]("Pure white cloth")[[/note]], [[FlyingWeapon four telekinetic]] [[CombatHandFan hand fans]]
-> '''Weapon ([[IAmNotLeftHanded Round 2]]):''' ''[[InstrumentOfMurder Hatsune no ko]]'' [[note]]("''Hatsune drum''", [[MementoMacGuffin a keepsake that Minamoto no Yoshitsune gave to Shizuka]])[[/note]], [[FlyingWeapon a katana]]-[[SpontaneousWeaponCreation summoning]] [[MusicalAssassin drum]] & [[FlyingWeapon six telekinetic]] [[CombatHandFan hand fans]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Junko Ueda[[/note]]

->Fully titled Shizuka Gozen (Lady Shizuka). Based on the Heian era poet of the same name, she is the source of the mysterious evil manifesting in Japan during 1787. Shizuka died sometime before the game's events, however, her bitterness and grief over her own death and that of her beloved made her soul unable to move to the afterlife. Although initially appearing to be a vengeful spirit, her actions and words seem contradictory, as though she is merely a vessel for a higher, more malevolent power...
----
* BarbieDollAnatomy: In her vulnerable state, Shizuka loses her kimono, but is covered in blue light and has no visible genitalia or nipples.
* BeginWithAFinisher: She starts her second phase by charging her fans for a humongous energy beam. If you don't block the moment the round starts, you'll take heavy damage.
* BigBad: She's the last boss of ''2019'', and following Mizuki, she's also the second ''female'' boss in the series, and the third (after Amakusa and Gaoh) to be based on a real person.
* BlackEyesOfCrazy: When her veil gets knocked off in Round 2, it's shown she has black irises with yellow pupils.
* BlueBlood: She was the daughter of Imperial court dancer Zenji of Iso, and whilst she is usually ascribed the title “Gozen” (Lady), she was also known as one of the “seven princesses of Tango” (her home province), so in terms of rank, she’s right up there with Yoshitora.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Her soul was prevented from moving on to the afterlife by an unknown entity and corrupted to serve their ends. The post-ending credits reveal that Ambrosia was the one behind her resurrection, as Amakusa's orb is shown manifesting.
* BreakMeter: In her normal state, she tanks all hits and takes only tiny damage. Batter her enough though, and she'll groan with horror and drop (naked) to the floor, stunned. In this [[BossVulnerability vulnerable state]], she can be attacked normally, though she'll only take 3-5 hits before reverting to her more powerful state.
* CombatHandFan: She fights with multiple hand-fans which are controlled through telekinesis. They can be spun at the opponent, and also shield her from aerial attacks.
* DisappearsIntoLight: After she is defeated, Shizuka regains her consciousness and is finally freed from the demonic possession. She thanks the chosen character for saving her and soon fades into light, ascending to the heavens above.
* DemonicPossession: She isn't actually evil, but the unknown entity controlling her definitely is. The post-credits scene reveals that Ambrosia was behind her summoning.
* DoItYourselfThemeTune: The theme of her second phase, "Dance of Evil Spirits -Part II-", is sung by her voice actress.
* FishOutOfTemporalWater: Shizuka Gozen lived during the Heian era, at least 600 years before the events of the game.
* FlyingWeapon: Her weapons are telekinetically-controlled fans that hover around her.
* GorgeousPeriodDress: Her beautifully voluminous, long-sleeved kimono is Heian-era in style, evidencing her ancient origin.
* HellIsThatNoise: As soon as she starts tapping on her ''tsuzumi'', '''beware''' -- the ominous taps herald her deadly floating katana attack, and it's, therefore, a sound players will soon come to dread.
* ImmuneToFlinching: You can't stop her attacks, she'll just tank them (meaning you can't connect with a Rage move like a Weapon Flip Technique or Issen). However do enough hits and she'll revert to her vulnerable form, at which point unload whatever you've got on her.
* ImpracticallyFancyOutfit: She sports possibly the most elaborate, encumbering outfit seen in the series thus far (even more than Amakusa, which is saying something), with a hemline and sleeves that are both ways beyond floor-length.
* InstrumentOfMurder: Wields the ''Hatsune'' drum in the second round. According to folk tales, Hatsune was a keepsake given to her by Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and it carries the souls of two magical foxes that were used to create the drum's skins. The story is featured in the Bunraku / Kabuki plays ''Yoshitsune Zenbon Sakura'' and ''Hatsune no ko''.
* KimonoFanservice: Her elaborate kimono not only shows off her great legs, but it’s also draped low around her shoulders.
* MeaningfulName: “Shizuka” typically translates to “quiet flower”. True to the translation, she is TheStoic. "Gozen" is an archaic Japanese honorific used for noble women analogous to the English title ''Lady''.
* MindOverMatter: In battle, for the most part, she is serenely still and uses telekinesis to control her weapons, which are multiple dart-like fans she can fire at the opponent.
* MusicalAssassin: In the second round of the battle against her, she produces a small ''tsuzumi'' drum, which she taps ominously to control a deadly floating katana that strikes quickly and causes merciless damage.
* MysteriousMist: Some form of swirling, eldritch mist flows and roils out beneath her as she glides about.
* MysteriousVeil: Her face is part-covered by drapery from her head-piece. It gets destroyed when you win a round.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: She's based on the Heian-era poet, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shizuka_Gozen Shizuka Gozen]] (one of the mistresses of the legendary general UsefulNotes/MinamotoNoYoshitsune), and much like several other characters in the series including fellow boss Amakusa, she actually existed in ancient times.
* PowerFloats: She glides about the arena in a seated pose, her hands folded demurely, whilst her kimono billows out around her.
* PurgatoryAndLimbo: Her tragic death[[note]]she was either killed under the orders of the Kamakura Shogun or committed suicide -- the tales vary[[/note]] led her to dwell in a dark area of ''Rengoku'' (purgatory), which allowed Ambrosia's evil aura to contact and consume her in order to unleash its terrible power upon Japan.
* ShesGotLegs: Her outfit draws a lot of attention to her exposed legs.
* SNKBoss: Like you wouldn't believe. She takes inspiration from [[VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}} Bloody Marie]] and is fought in phases. In her normal state, she tanks your attacks effortlessly, has no hit-stun whatsoever, and spams high-damage fan attacks from across the screen including a command grab that hits on both sides. Oh, and you cannot use Issen against her. Fortunately, attacking her enough times puts her into a vulnerable state that takes more damage.
* TranquilFury: Unleashes hell onto her opponents, but remains pretty much motionless, sitting serenely like she's about to take tea.
* TurnsRed: Much like Amakusa in the first game and Zankuro in the third, she powers up once you win a round and becomes much harder.
* UndeathlyPallor: Her skin is porcelain pale.
* UnwittingPawn: She is merely a vessel for a greater evil. As the post-credits scene reveals, the evil in question is Ambrosia, as Amakusa's orb is shown being created.
* WhenSheSmiles: Shizuka gives a beautiful smile of happiness after she is freed from her demonic possession.
* {{Youkai}}: She appears to be in the thrall of a ''Tsukimono'' (literally "possessing thing") until the player literally beats it out of her.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yoshitora Tokugawa]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/15_yoshitora.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Edo, Musashi Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_30.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapons:''' ''[[WalkingArmory Nadeshiko, Shirayuri, Botan, Tsubaki, Asagao, Yūgao and Yoshitora]]'' [[note]] ([[FloralThemeNaming "Dianthus", "White lily", "Tree peony", "Camellia", "Japanese morning glory", "Moonflower"]] -- the names of his girlfriends -- [[AndStarring and Yoshitora himself]]) His last sword also has the given name of ''Yuchōka'' ([[PurpleProse Butterfly over flowers]])[[/note]], [[WalkingArmory four shirasaya]], [[DualWield a daisho pair]] [[{{BFS}} and a zanbatō]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/HiroYuki (V-VI), Creator/MakotoFurukawa ([=SamSho=] 2019)[[/note]]

->Heir of the Tokugawa regime (yes, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_Ieyasu that Tokugawa]]), he’s rebellious, party crazy and would rather hit on women than govern. He is called back to leadership when his master Gaoh pulls a coup and he is compelled to take him down, helped by Hanzo and Jubei. Finally realizing that WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility, Yoshitora took the position of Shogun. [[ExcusePlot He is also responsible of arranging the tournament behind the sixth game]].

* AnimeHair: Wild even for this series, he sports hair like a huge, coiffed broom.
* ArrogantKungFuGuy: He's very cocky in his skills, which is only rivaled by his confidence in his looks.
* AwesomeButImpractical: Connecting with every single one of his special moves opens up access to his ''Yuchōka'' special, a screen-filling projectile that is so powerful it can win entire matches by itself. The problem? A few of the moves you need to unlock it are very situational and nigh-impossible to land in a real match. Fortunately, his overall move-set is considered well-rounded as it is, so unlocking the Final Sword is more for style points. In both ''VI'' and ''2019'' he has a super move that basically amounts to him comboing all his special moves together, which also unlocks the move, but this has its own issues.
* {{BFS}}: That huge ''zanbatō'' (giant katana) he carries on his lower back. It's only used for his OneHitKO attack (see AwesomeButImpractical).
* TheCasanova: In victory, he never leaves the battlefield without a lady (or three) in tow.
* ChivalrousPervert: He's definitely a skirt-chaser, but seems to respect and treat women well at the end of the day.
* ComesGreatResponsibility: The weight of having the Tokugawa surname lays heavily on his party-loving shoulders.
* EveryoneHasStandards: Despite his womanizing ways, his bio lists him as despising alcohol.
* FlowerMotifs: All of his special moves are accompanied by bursts of floral energy corresponding to the flowers his girlfriends/weapons are named after -- "''Nadeshiko!''"
* TheHedonist: Like many an aristocrat, his main hobbies are partying and the pursuit of female admirers. Under the "likes" section of his bio, he lists "any kind of amusing diversion".
* {{Hunk}}: He's definitely got the looks, build and charm.
* KingIncognito: He likes playing this, as the Tokugawa name is a fun-impeding burden he'd rather ditch sometimes.
* MeaningfulName: The august family name ''Tokugawa'' means "River of Virtue", and his given name means "[[BitchInSheepsClothing Pleasant Tiger]]", alluding to his charming, yet somewhat predatory sexual appetite.
* {{Narcissist}}: He's dashingly handsome, but doesn't he just know it.
-->'''Yoshitora''': "Don't worry, you're not dead. I really am this good-looking."
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Based on the year ''V'' occurs (1786), his character is loosely based on ''Tokugawa Ienari'', the eleventh Tokugawa shogun who ruled a rather decadent era.
* RebelPrince: Although he's heir to the Shogunate, he's more interested in women and partying than politics, and runs away from his palace home, refusing to be the next ruler. It takes Gaoh starting a rebellion against his family to lure him back to governance.
* RoyalBlood: A few of the characters would be considered nobles in the Japanese sense, as the samurai class is analogous to the English knightly class, though Yoshitora is ''easily'' from the most august family, as he's heir to the Tokugawa Shogunate and his father is the ''de facto'' ruler of Japan.
* RoyalHarem: One of his defining characteristics is his insatiable sexual appetite, and he keeps a harem of six beautiful women of varying types (cute and sweet, demure and vampish) close to hand — all of whom he names his swords after.
* RuleOfCool: Way too many swords to handle by any normal person, no matter how skilled.
* ShoutOut: He was designed by Nobuhiro Watsuki of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' fame and was made to be a tribute to Chō, from the multiple swords and broom hair, but not the Shogun heritage.
* SimpleYetOpulent: He sports a golden-yellow ''yukata'' that on the surface appears quite simple, but in ''2019'', on closer inspection, it is beautifully dyed, fading into lime green at the hem and embellished with beautiful embroidery on the lining and collar, befitting his royal status.
* SwordBeam: He can create a large vertical sword beam when using the ''Yoshitora'' zanbato.
* ThemeNaming: All his attacks are named after flowers, as are his swords, which are named for his girlfriends, who all sport one of the so-called "Geisha names" — that is, names (often florally inspired) that follow conventions and forms typical to the {{Geisha}} community.
* WalkingArsenal: '''Seven friggin' swords!''' Four short-swords, two regular-length swords, and one giant sword as long as he is tall. He's able to DualWield these blades at will and slice with them almost too fast to see.
* WarriorPrince: He's the heir to the Tokugawa Shogunate and is also a highly competent swordsman.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mina Majikina]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/22_minamajikina.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryukyu_Kingdom Okinawa, Ryukyu Kingdom]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagryukyu.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] The flag shown here is that of the Ryukyu Kingdom. At the time the series is set, the Ryukyu Kingdom (which included modern-day Okinawa and other islands) was independent of mainland Japan. [[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[ReligiousandMythologicalThemeNaming Chinshei Hachijo]]'' [[note]](''"[[EmbodimentOfVirtue The Holy Suppressor of Eight Purifications]]"'')[[/note]], [[GreatBow a yumi bow]] [[ArcherArchetype and arrows]]
-> '''Helper:''' ''[[KillerRabbit Chample]]''
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/SatsukiYukino (V & V Special), Creator/RieTanaka ([[Anime/QueensBlade Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos]]), Creator/YuiIshikawa (2019)[[/note]]

->A young Ryukyuan (Okinawan) girl blessed with a certain demon-hunting power. She was revered as a ''Kaminchu'' (literally "god person"), but ends up being shunned due to locals fearing her power, which causes her to seclude herself from others. Her only companion is a... creature...''thing''... named Chample, whom she met after she returned from a demon-hunting trip. After a demon levels her village, she sets out on a quest to destroy it...only to find that the demon was, in fact, Chample. Initially believed to have then killed Chample and committed suicide out of despair, she returns in ''2019'' alive and well, now sporting an eyepatch, along with Chample.
----
* ArcherArchetype: Mina has incredible range, but is VERY vulnerable up close. She's also pretty downbeat and emotionless, to better her 'stern archer' image.
* AwesomeMcCoolname: To a western audience, “Mina Majikina” sounds like she’s some sort of cartoon witch — as in, she’s ''[[CuteWitch 'Magic Mina']]''. However, “Majikina” is very much a real Okinawan surname, and she’s likely named after the scholar Anko Majikina, who also hailed from Okinawa.
* AmbiguouslyBrown: Okinawans are viewed as somewhat exotic by mainland Japanese, perhaps explaining her grey-white hair and tanned complexion.
* BalanceBuff: In ''V'', Mina's moveset is focused entirely on zoning with high-risk, high-reward arrow shots. Everything about her moveset, including her normals, revolved around her firing arrows, making her a case of CripplingOverspecialization, which made her very annoying and high-tier in the original version before she was nerfed in ''V Special''. In ''2019'', however, Mina received a radical overhaul to her moveset, completely reworking it to the point where she almost feels like a new character. She still has strong zoning capabilities, but she is now much more well-rounded, being able to hit opponents with her bow and go on the offensive with stance cancels and mixups.
* BareYourMidriff: Wears a mini kimono top that only really covers her breasts.
* DoomedHometown: Her story kicks off after a demon (later revealed to be Chample) destroys her village, which sets her on a mission to exorcise it.

* DoesNotLikeMen: Is very apprehensive and edgy around males.
* TheDogWasTheMastermind: The conclusion of her story in ''V'' amounts to this. In her ending, the [[BeneathSuspicion seemingly adorable, innocuous Chample]] reverts back to his true ''Shisa'' form and Mina senses his energy to be akin to the one responsible for her village's destruction. Mina prepares to necessarily kill Chample and promises to follow him in death soon afterward...
* DrivenToSuicide: The very purpose of her mission is to kill the demon responsible for destroying her village, but having found out that it was Chample all along, she is necessarily compelled to kill him. Having realized she has killed her only friend, it's heavily implied she commits suicide in what is undoubtedly one of most down-beat, nay [[DownerEnding depressing endings]] in the fighting game genre. However, her ending in ''Samurai Shodown 2019'' (set a year after ''V'') reveals that she was unable to go through with killing Chample, choosing instead to seal his evil within her.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: In ''2019'' it's revealed that she chose to absorb the evil within Chample rather than killing him. This results in frequent bouts of agonizing pain as the evil tries to escape. It is only in her ending that she is finally able to rid herself of the evil by dispatching Shizuka, thereby also fully saving Chample. Her mission complete, she sails back to the Ryukyu Kingdom, now finally free of her burdens.
* EmotionlessGirl: She’s a morose, downbeat kind of girl — likely due to her village being mysteriously destroyed.
* EyeScream: She wears an eyepatch over her right eye in her ''2019'' redesign, which seals the evil within Chample, preventing his murderous rampages. The evil’s frequent attempts to escape cause her terrible pain.
* EyepatchOfPower: Sports one over her right eye in the ''2019'' game. It's actually a seal that binds the evil within Chample.
* GlassCannon: Despite her high damage output and extremely annoying screen controlling tactics, she can't take a hit at all. One or two mistakes on her part, which aren't that hard to make, and she'll be killed quickly.
* HandicappedBadass: According to her bio in ''2019'', she sealed Chample's darkness inside her and she’s slowly being consumed by it. Furthermore, this has taken a toll on her fighting prowess, forcing her to modify her fighting style by adding a blade to her bow for close-quarters combat.
* LonersAreFreaks: Being born with strong spiritual powers, she was raised separately from her family, worshipped but also feared, and shunned because of her powers.
* LongRangeFighter: Mina has a full-screen range with her bow and easily the longest reach in the series.
* MagicalGirlWarrior: Mina is a ''Kaminchu'' (神人, "god person") -- a type of priestess specializing in Ryukyuan magico-religious practices, usually those involving incorporeal beings. Her social role corresponds to that of a shaman, medium, or healer/guardian, as well as a demon-hunter.
* MeaningfulName:
** Majikina means "True mirror name". “Mina” is a broad-spectrum name encountered in many languages but in Japanese, in names like “Mina(ko)”, it typically means “Beauty” — which of course Mina is. Furthermore, as seen in her ending, an Ainu priestess confirms to her that in the Ainu tongue, her name means "to laugh", and that she hopes to see Mina live up to her namesake in the future.
** "Chample" appears to be a muddled romanisation of ''Chanpurū'' [[note]]literally "something mixed"[[/note]], which is a traditional [[EdibleThemeNaming Okinawan stir-fry]] -- he's apparently named after the national dish. It's a word often used to refer to the mixed culture of Okinawa itself.
* MechanicallyUnusualFighter: Her bow and arrow weapon sets her apart dramatically from the series’ other fighters, who are all armed with a variety of melee weapons which require directly engaging with the opponent. Mina’s bow demands a completely different approach, requiring fire-and-flight tactics to keep the opponent far out of their own attack range and her out of harm's way, as up close, she’s incredibly vulnerable.
* MultiRangedMaster: In ''2019'', Mina's fighting style is quite different than in ''V''. Explained by her having lost an eye, her archery skills are less prevalent and she has attached a small blade to the tip of her bow, allowing her to be more effective (and balanced) up-close.
* MysticalWhiteHair: A potential by-product of her demon-hunting powers, or because of albinism.
* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: She is likely named after revered Okinawan scholar, Anko Majikina.
* NonHumanSidekick: She’s consistently accompanied by Chample, a seemingly RidiculouslyCuteCritter who is, in fact, a ''Shisa'', a traditional Ryukyuan cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions (often seen in similar pairs) resembling a cross between a lion and a dog from Okinawan mythology.
* PromotedToPlayable: Chample in the home ports of ''VI''.
* {{Retcon}}: It was believed that she had killed Chample and then committed suicide afterward. However, to excuse her appearance in ''2019'', Mina's story was reworked, explaining that she chose to seal the evil controlling Chample within herself, necessitating an eyepatch and a radical change in fighting style.
* SlidingScaleOfGameplayAndStoryIntegration: Of the '''Deliberate Integration''' type. According to Kuroki-the game's producer- he added an eyepatch to Mina's sketches on a whim because he thought it would look cool. The rest of the staff liked the addition so much than it was decided to write it into her story and change her moveset accordingly.
* SealedEvilInACan: Following Chample's battle to the death with Mina after the events of ''V'', in ''2019'' he now sports a demonic seal shaped like a bandage across his forehead -- likely to stop him wreaking any more havoc.
* ShoutOut: Her fighting style — ''The Secret Way of the Drawn Crescent Moon'' — is named for a book written by author Kyokutei Bakin and her bow is named after Chinzei Hachirō Tametomo, better known as Minamoto no Tametomo, a legendary samurai archer.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Aside from the long skirt she ties around her waist, she's basically wearing a bikini.
* ThrowTheDogABone: As opposed to her depressing ending in ''V'', her non-canon ending in ''VI'' was much more hopeful, with Yoshitora revealing that he had investigated the whereabouts of Mina's father. This led her to his grave, where an awaiting elderly Ainu lady assured Mina that her father loved her and she should try to smile more since her name means 'to laugh' in the Ainu tongue. Her ''2019'' ending, as detailed above under EarnYourHappyEnding, is even more positive.
* {{Youkai}}: Chample is referred to as an ''ayakashi'', and is specifically a ''shisa'', which are guardian deities in Okinawan mythology. The evil energy corrupting and controlling him, however, renders him contrary to their usual depiction, at least until he is finally freed from it in Mina's ''2019'' ending.

[[folder:Liu Yunfei]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/29_yunfei.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[ImperialChina Chang'an, Tang Empire]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/800px_flag_of_tang_dynasty_china.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]The flag shown here is that of the Tang Dynasty, who ruled China from 618 A.D. to 907 A.D.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[CoolSword Tensen Enkou]]'' [[note]](''Heavenly Flash Skillful Swallow'')[[/note]], [[CoolSword a dàdāo]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Satoshi Taki (V, V Special), Creator/ToruOkawa (VI)[[/note]]

->An old warrior who can fly with the power of the wind. He was actually born in the year 740 A.D. during China's Tang Dynasty, and by 800 A.D., he was living in relative peace with his beloved wife. Desiring to gain more power, that same year he made a deal with a demonic being calling himself "The Dark Emperor" (Kuraki-sumeragi) which caused him to go berserk. He killed his wife before finally being sealed inside a boulder by his eight students. He reenters the world a millennium later after the evil entity leaves his body to possess Gaoh. He makes it his final mission to stop Gaoh by any means possible...

* TheAtoner: Having killed his own wife, due to the influence of an evil spirit he'd allowed to possess him, he attempts to atone for his past crimes.
* BadassTeacher: He had to be a great master if it took ''eight'' of his own students to seal him away when he was BrainwashedAndCrazy.
* BlowYouAway: One of the few wind-based fighters in the series.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: When he was under the influence of a demonic entity.
* DealWithTheDevil: Forged a deal with an evil spirit in an attempt to become stronger.
* FishOutOfTemporalWater: Due to his possession by an evil demon, his spirit was necessarily sealed by his students inside a boulder in the year 800 A.D. In the late 1700s, when the series is set, he is freed once more after the evil demon leaves his spirit to possess Gaoh.
* KillTheOnesYouLove: Under the influence of a demon, he slaughtered his own wife.
* MeaningfulName: Yunfei translates as "Flying cloud" in keeping with his WireFu style.
* OlderThanTheyLook: He's physically 60 years old, but chronologically, since he was actually born during the Tang Dynasty, he's over 1000 years old.
* OldMaster: 'Old' being the operative word. He comes complete with flowing silver hair and a long beard.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: He redeems himself by allowing himself to become repossessed by the demon he originally struck a deal with and then having Goah kill him, which also destroys the demon's evil essence. After he is struck down, he is reunited with his wife (presumably in heaven).
* ShoutOut: His name is composed of Shu's three sworn brothers from ''[[Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'': Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei.
* SoulPower: His fatality allows him to ''[[DeaderThanDead extract the soul of the victim and cut it in half, killing him/her]]''.
* WindIsGreen: Sports a grass-green, typically Chinese outfit and specializes in wind-augmented moves.
* WireFu: He takes inspiration from typical ''wuxia'' traits, with the most notable of these being his ability to float through the air, an exaggerated approximation of ''qinggong'' or "lightness skills".

[[folder:Sankuro Yorozu]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/36_sankuro.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Sakai, Izumi Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_616.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon(s):''' ''[[MultiMeleeMaster Tenka Ippin]]'' [[note]](''"[[BadassBoast Peerless Masterpiece]]"'')[[/note]], [[DropTheHammer a giant wooden mallet]]
-> '''Helpers:''' [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Fuyo, Ippachi and Goshichi]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Tomoyuki Shimura (V, V Special), Shinsuke Fukui (VI)[[/note]]

->A lowly thug who's looking for an easy way to make a quick buck. He is the gang leader of a group of miscreants consisting of him, Goshichi, Fuyo and Ippachi -- all three appear to assist him in attacks. His mission is to become the Lord of Hinowa with minimal effort, so he hires Genjuro Kibagami to dispatch Gaoh, though due to his own duplicity, Genjuro turns on him and he has to beat a hasty retreat, never to be seen again. Maybe he died...

* AssholeVictim: ''No one'' missed him when Genjuro sent him packing.
* AssistCharacter: His partners Goshichi, Fuyo, and Ippachi, who can all attack or stall the opponent.
* BadBoss: While His minions worship him, Sankuro doesn't think too highly of them.
* DirtyCoward: Needs to cheat with assists to win a bout. Also, in his ending, he's too chicken to take on Genjuro face-to-face and only attempts to strike when his back is turned.
* DropTheHammer: His wields a big wooden hammer.
* HumanTraffickers: In pre-match dialogue with some of the female characters, such as Nakoruru, Charlotte or Rimururu, he claims he'll sell them at the slave-markets, which alongside his myriad of other negative qualities, only goes to emphasize how ''vile'' he actually is.
* {{Jerkass}}: Literally has no redeeming features whatsoever and was seemingly designed to be as irritating as possible, both in character and in terms of having him as an opponent.
* LargeHam: His poses are pompous and his dialogue full of bluster.
* MidBoss: Of ''V'' -- he's one of the {{sub boss}}es of the game along with Yumeji.
* NumericalThemeNaming: His own name is made up of the kanji for three (San), nine (Kyu/Ku) and six (Roku/Ro). His associates are Goshichi (Five-Seven), Fuyo (Two-Four), and Ippachi (One-Eight). Sort of fitting that they all debut in ''Samurai Spirits '''Zero'''.''
* ReusedCharacterDesign: He comes across like a bad sprite-swap of Genjuro, as seen in his PaletteSwap costume and some of his poses and moves. His animations are sub-par, and his assistants' animations are even ''worse'', with barely any movement at all -- Ippachi is basically a flat image that sails in to "grab" your feet. This lends Sankuro a tacked-on, lazy feeling in a series where this is usually not the case.
* ShoutOut:
** His personality and some elements of his design were modeled after the characters Jagi and Amiba from ''Manga/HokutoNoKen''.
** Ippachi and Goshichi are very similar to Boyacky and Tonzura from ''[[Anime/{{Yatterman}} Yatterman]]''.
* SmugSnake: He thinks he's terribly clever in trying to manipulate Genjuro -- but fails to realize he's dealing with a sadistic killer. He also sports a shit-eating grin whenever he summons his cronies in battle, just to further infuriate you.
* SmallNameBigEgo: Goes so far as to call his style 'The Strongest Style'. He fails to exhibit the charm that [[Franchise/StreetFighter Dan Hibiki]] possesses though.
* SNKBoss: Well, mid-boss. Fighting him is required and '''HELLISH''' in every way possible due to his interrupting minions, heavy damage, and frickin' pistol, which can outright ''kill'' you in one.
* TooSpicyForYogSothoth: Kusaregedo will eat anything... except this guy. He apparently doesn't taste too good, for some reason...
* TheTrickster: If summoning assists in a one-on-one fight is already unfair, Sankuro also has hidden bombs and even a ''revolver'' to finish his opponent.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: His yukata is slung off his shoulders like Genjuro's.
* WouldHitAGirl: With relish -- he claims he's looking forward to beating up Mina and Rera specifically because they're female.

[[folder:Kusaregedo]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/30_kusaregedo.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Sado Island, Sado Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_68.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] His origin when he was still human. Sado Island is one of the smallest historic Provinces, and at the time the series is set, it was something of a dumping ground for criminals, waifs, and strays.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[BodyHorror Mukidashi no Hone]]'' [[note]](''"[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Exposed bone]]"'')[[/note]], [[BodyHorror his own exposed bone arm]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/GoShinomiya (V, V Special), Tarō Masuoka (VI)[[/note]]

->Fully titled {{Youkai}} Kusaregedo. A giant ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preta#Local_traditions gaki]]'' who was once a kind man... except for his [[ImAHumanitarian cannibalistic]] tendencies (caused by the Great Tenmei Famine), which cursed him into becoming the terrifying creature he is now. All he cares about eating, eating and [[RuleOfThree more eating]] -- and he likes eating humans... ''especially little girls''. One day, he happens to pick up the scent of Rimururu and proceeds to chase her, only to be stopped by his own daughter Hakana, who pleaded him with to revert to the man he used to be. Kusaregedo manages to remember her... [[MoralEventHorizon but then proceeds to EAT her.]]

* {{Autocannibalism}}: One of his victory poses is him taking a bite out of his own arm.
* BadWithTheBone: His weapon is a sharpened bone jammed into his forearm.
* BaldOfEvil: His giant head is bald on top.
* ChildEater: His TrademarkFavoriteFood.
* CompositeCharacter: He seems to combine aspects of Earthquake and Shiranui Gen-An, who oddly enough, are missing from the game in which he debuts. The biggest difference being that while they have ''some'' good qualities, he has none present. Whatsoever.
* EldritchLocation: His home-stage is set on the real-world Sado Island, but the stage's propping suggests an evil, haunted locale.
* TheGiant: Standing 14'11", he's easily the tallest character in the series.
* {{Gonk}}: He’s one of the most horrifying characters in fighting games in general, let alone his home-series.
* HulkSpeak: In place of his biographical information are various disturbingly hilarious quips such as "I want some roashted childly wildies!"
* ImAHumanitarian: His transformation into a gluttonous youkai in the first place was [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment punishment]] for cannibalism in his lifetime, though his backstory's great emphasis on his former kindness brings some doubt as to whether it was of his own volition. He'll eat all kinds of humans, children being his favorite, but for reasons unrelated to [[EvenEvilHasStandards having standards on cannibalism]], he finds Sankuro [[TooSpicyForYogSothoth very un-tasty and refuses to eat him.]]
* KarmaHoudini: Despite being a murderous cannibal, he's never brought to justice. Maybe he got away scot-free, or if he was killed, we don't know who by -- his ending in V just lists him as being 'never seen again'. In his ending in ''VI'', Kusaregedo ate pretty much ''[[KillEmAll everyone]]'' and was never heard of again.
* MeaningfulName: His name translates to "Rotting fiend".
* ObviouslyEvil: A giant, terrifying ogre-like creature that eats children and has a horrific exposed bone as a weapon.
* TragicVillain: Despite being a terrifying, disgusting monster, he didn't become the {{Youkai}} he is right now by choice. The Great Tenmei Famine drove him to cannibalism, cursing him into his current form.
* VillainousGlutton: His killing instinct is led by his insatiable appetite.
* WasOnceAMan: He was once a kind man living peacefully on Sado Island, however, due to the Great Tenmei Famine, starvation led him to develop [[ImAHumanitarian cannibalistic]] tendencies, which cursed him into becoming the terrifying creature he is now.
* {{Youkai}}: Gaki (known as "Preta" in Sanskrit: प्रेत) and "Hungry Ghost" in other Asian cultures), are a type of supernatural being described in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Chinese and Vietnamese folk religion as undergoing suffering greater than that of humans, particularly an extreme level of hunger and thirst.

[[folder:Rera]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/31_rera.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[WildWilderness Kamuikotan, the Ainu Lands, Ezo]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagainu_7.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[EveryJapaneseSwordIsAKatana Houtou Chichi-ushi]]'' [[note]] (''"Treasured sword [[AnimalThemeNaming Father Bull]]"'')[[/note]], [[EveryJapaneseSwordIsAKatana a kodachi]]
-> '''Helper:''' ''[[NobleWolf Shikuru]]''
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/HarumiIkoma (''Nakoruru ano hito kara no okurimono'' game), Creator/KyokoHikami (''Nakoruru ano hito kara no okurimono'' OAV, V, V Special), Creator/MikakoTakahashi (VI)[[/note]]

->The story of her creation is an interesting one, unique in the series, and goes as follows; -- during the early days of ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'', the palette swap of Nakoruru was often seen with a naughty/malicious grin, instead of her usually innocent face. The intrigue built up until she started to become unique enough that when the Slash/Bust system was introduced, she was partnered with a wolf named Shikuru instead of Mamahaha. Fans originally thought her to be the EvilTwin of Nakoruru, but eventually, the character was fleshed out further by SNK and named Rera, thus becoming a character in her own right.

* {{Anti Hero}}ine: She loves nature as much as Nakoruru does, but is much more extreme in the way she goes about protecting it.
* AscendedExtra: She was only a palette swap at first, and eventually becomes more and more integral to Nakoruru's story.
* BigDamnHeroes: She took over Nakoruru's body twice, and both times it was to save both their lives.
* TheBeastMaster: She commands the wolf Shikuru -- she can even ride him into combat.
* GrandTheftMe: A ''slightly'' necessary version, given that, in Rera's view, Nakoruru is a tad ''too'' good sometimes.
* HeadSwap: Somewhat justified due to her origin, though she's essentially just a Nakoruru clone with a few added techniques.
* JapaneseRanguage: Her name provides a textbook example. In the Ainu language, there is no "R/L" ambiguity, as there is in modern Japanese, so her name is undoubtedly supposed to be romanized as the far more lyrical ''"Lela"''.
* MeaningfulName: "[[DramaticWind Rera (Lela)]]" means "wind" in the ''Ainu'' language, and true to her name, she's one the series' fastest characters.
* MyFutureSelfAndMe: Being a DreamMatchGame, in ''VI'' you can choose Rera '''AND''' Purple Nakoruru and make them fight.
* PurpleIsPowerful: In the early days of the games, when she was "Purple Nakoruru", she had a sadistic grin, which lent the impression that Nakoruru was more powerful and lethal in that palette. Reaffirmed in ''III'' when she controlled the wolf Shikuru.
* TheStoic: Maintains a grim, granite-like facade.
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: She's this for Nakoruru, but she's not actually ''evil'', just a WellIntentionedExtremist, who was sickened with Nakoruru's [[TechnicalPacifist unwillingness to hurt people to achieve her goals]], and therefore forcibly possesses her body in times of peril.
* WasTooHardOnHim: Eventually, she comes to understand that sometimes peaceful methods can be a viable option to solve problems, rather than just fighting, and thus she returned Nakoruru's body. Subsequently, Rera never possessed Nakoruru's body again.
* WhatTheHellHero: To Nakoruru in her opening sequences, before going ahead and possessing her.

[[folder:Rasetsumaru]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/32_rasetsumaru.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[HellOnEarth Makai (the demon world)]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagmakai_6.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[KatanasAreJustBetter Yōtō: Torikabuto]]'' [[note]](''"Demon Blade: [[FloralThemeNaming Aconite]]"'', a toxic plant that shares Rasetsumaru’s color, but written as ''[[BloodierAndGorier Slaughtering]] [[BringMyBrownPants Diarrheal]] [[OffWithHisHead Helmet]]'')[[/note]], [[EvilCounterpart a blood-red katana]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Tsuguo Nakajima (V, V Special), Shinsuke Fukui (VI)[[/note]]

->A demon released from Makai when Amakusa made a deal with Ambrosia. He exists purely to kill, reflecting his red blood blade. He's a failed clone of Haohmaru, created by Amakusa to be the perfect warrior. In his storyline, he hates not only Haohmaru but also Amakusa for creating him and hunts both of them down.

* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Rasetsumaru has an unearthly purple skin-tone.
* AxCrazy: His "bio" is a collection of obsessive quotes with regards to his homicidal urges.
* BeatStillMyHeart: His [[FinishHim Zetsumei Ougi]].
* CanonImmigrant: Rasetsumaru is directly based on Haohmaru's EvilKnockoff from the ''Samurai Spirits: Haohmaru Jigokugyo'' manga and his move set is based on Bust/Rasetsu Haohmaru.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Likes doing this to his victims.
* CombatSadomasochist: One of his specials involves cutting himself across the chest with his blade, causing him to bleed and take damage to fill up his rage gauge.
* EvilKnockoff: According to some sources, Rasetsumaru was Amakusa's failed attempt at creating his own minion modeled after Haohmaru.
* MeaningfulName: "Rasetsu" (The Japanese term for "Rakshasa") was the name used for the alternate gameplay mode in ''III & IV''.
* SelfHarm: Can cut himself to instantly achieve POW state, but at the cost of 1/3 of his life-bar.
* UnstoppableRage: Notable in that his gameplay style actually ''revolves'' around the Rage mechanic. Normally, Rasetsumaru plays like a slightly nerfed, more combo-oriented version of Haohmaru. The latter part is very important, because he has THE best super in ''V'' and he can combo into it VERY easily, making him extremely deadly during POW state.

[[folder:Enja]]

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/33_enja.jpg]]

-> '''Origin:''' ''[[HellOnEarth Makai (the demon world)]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagmakai_3.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon(s):''' ''[[ReligiousandMythologicalThemeNaming Agni no Kusari]]'' [[note]](''"Chains of Agni"'', referencing the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni Hindu fire deity]])[[/note]], [[ChainedByFashion a pair of broken handcuffs]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Shintarō Ōhata (V, V Special), Atsushi Yamanishi (VI)[[/note]]

->Enja is one of Liu Yunfei's disciples from 1,000 years ago, who succumbed to the powers of the demon world. He became a powerful elemental demon that was eventually sealed by Hazuki Kazama, who fused his spirit with Kazuki's sword.

* DifficultButAwesome: Carrying over from Kazuki's Bust mode, his move-set is based around a rekka chain that ends in a one-frame link. Succeeding allows Enja to potentially end the round in a single move. Failure, however, leaves him wide open for retaliation.
* {{Expy}}: Of Kazuki's Bust Mode in 64 games.
* MeaningfulName: "Evil flame", originally used as a title for ''Warrior's Rage (Neo Geo 64)'' Rasetsu Kazuki.
* NoIndoorVoice: To say the least...
* TheUnintelligible: He speaks entirely in {{Angrish}}.
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: He lost his mind when he became a demon, leaving him nothing more than a savage beast fuelled only by hate, rage, and destructive impulses.

[[folder:Suija]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/34_suija.jpg]]

-> '''Origin:''' ''[[HellOnEarth Makai (the demon world)]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagmakai_9.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon(s):''' ''[[ReligiousandMythologicalThemeNaming Rudra no Wa]]'' [[note]](''"Bracelets of Rudra"'', referencing the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudra Hindu storm diety]])[[/note]], [[ArsenalAttire a pair of golden bracelets]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Ikuji Nose (V, V Special), Naoki Oikawa (VI)[[/note]]

->Enja's brother, and unlike his berserker of a brother, Suija is a much more composed person... with an ambition to become a God. Like Enja, he ends up being sealed into Sogetsu's weapon by Hazuki.

%%* AnimeHair
* {{Expy}}: Of Sogetsu's Bust Mode in 64 games.
%%* GodhoodSeeker
%%* KillItWithWater
* MeaningfulName: "Evil water", originally used as a title for ''Warrior's Rage (Neo Geo 64)'' Rasetsu Sogetsu.
* RainOfBlood: What his Zetsumei Ougi results in. He's currently the image provider too.
%%* WalkingShirtlessScene

[[folder:Yumeji Kurokochi]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/35_yumeji.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Edo, Musashi Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_577.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' [[NoNameGiven a nameless]] ''[[IaijutsuPractitioner iaitō]]''
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Mitsuki Saiga[[/note]]

->The child of Ukyo's mentor. Apparently based on UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga's {{Uke}}, Mori Ranmaru, who looked as equally feminine. Expelled from their dojo of origin, Yumeji ends up becoming Gaoh's right-hand person. They are later defeated by Ukyo, but avoid execution. Yumeji later becomes a nun and is responsible for permanently killing Rasetsumaru.
----
* AloofDarkHairedGirl: Sports waist-length hair pulled into a long pony-tail, and is a very serious person, with body issues that are probably gender-related
* AmbiguousGender: Yumeji is unique in the roster in terms of having no definite canon gender. The developers of the game, Yuki Enterprise, encouraged players to "believe whatever you believe Yumeji to be". To add to the confusion, Yumeji speaks in gender-neutral Japanese in both official their story and in-game text, and Yumeji's voice actor is known for voicing both genders. Due to the openness of the statement, players still argue over Yumeji's gender to this day. The gender-neutral pronoun "they/them" is therefore used here.
* CrissCrossAttack: Yumeji has a MeteorMove where they move at lightning speed towards the opponent, passing through and behind him or her before sheathing their sword. A split second later, the opponent is sliced by various slashes and collapses to the ground.
* DittoFighter: They are the "Tsungxpert" variant. At their debut, Yumeji's specialty move is the ability to morph into the other fighters and use their moves at will, à la Twelve of ''StreetFighter'' fame.
* TheDragon: To Gaoh -- exemplified in-game where they act as the SubBoss in ''V''.
* HeirToTheDojo: For a while, though they were expelled for unknown reasons.
* IaijutsuPractitioner: Just like Yumeji's father and Ukyo, sharing some moves with the latter.
* ImportantHaircut: When defeated by Ukyo, Yumeji begged for death, but Ukyo just cut their ponytail off and ordered them to go home.
* MeaningfulName: "Kurokuchi" translates as "The black river within", and "Yumeji" as "Dreaming".
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: As stated, with their AmbiguousGender and being the right-hand person of a conquering warlord, Yumeji is based on the young page who served UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga, Mori Ranmaru.
* NunTooHoly: Instead of going back home after Ukyo defeats them and orders them to do as such, Yumeji becomes a nun -- but still somehow manages to kill Rasetsumaru at some point.
* SubBoss: Of ''V'' -- they are always encountered before the final assault on Gaoh.
* TomboyishPonytail: Well, until Ukyo cuts it off.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gaoh]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/37_gaoh6.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:250:Gaoh]]
[[caption-width-right:250:[[labelnote:Demon Gaoh]] https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/37_gaoh2.jpg[[/labelnote]]]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Hinowa Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_100.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[AwesomeMcCoolname Onijūji Shihōin]]'' [[note]](''"{{Oni}} Cross: [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Dharma_Seals Four Dharma Seals]]"'')[[/note]], [[BladeOnAStick a jumonji-yari]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/KenjiUtsumi (V and V Special), Creator/AkioOhtsuka (VI)[[/note]]

->Fully titled Gaoh, Rebellious Earl of Hinowa (Kyogoku Hinowa no Kami Gaoh). Based on the [[DemonKingNobunaga Demon King]] UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga himself, Gaoh is a general of Tokugawa who became sickened with how the shogunate, not to mention the heir Yoshitora, whom he mentored, was becoming disgustingly slack and undisciplined. Feeling it his responsibility to set the tone straight, Gaoh led a rebellion, assisted by Yumeji. Along the way, he was possessed by the same demon that made a deal with Yunfei. Yunfei later hunts him down and helps free him of the demon's influence and banishes it. He is later beaten by Yoshitora and in death, he is finally able to see Yoshitora reassuringly maturing.\\
\\
In the sixth dream match game, there's a version of him called 'Gaoh, Tyrant of Makai' or 'Demon Gaoh', which is a continuation of his and Kuraki Sumeragi's stories after they are defeated and banished to the Demon World by Yunfei in the previous game. Once there, he conquers the Demon World and rules it as the Demon King, with his next objective being to conquer "the world above."
----
* AmbiguouslyBrown: As Demon Gaoh.
* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: His status in VI. In the default game, Gaoh didn't end up becoming a demon completely, as Yunfei's interference restored his humanity enough to face Yoshitora as a human. In the dream match, Yunfei's exorcism also sent him to the Demon World and Gaoh started to relish his demonic power.
* AnimatedArmor: Dark Emperor's "true" form is a ghostly living suit of armor.
* BigBad: With the Dark Emperor demon as the ManBehindTheMan and GreaterScopeVillain.
* BladeOnAStick: To be more precise, '''3''' blades on a stick! It also magically grows in size when Gaoh transforms into the Dark Emperor!
* BlueBlood: He's the feudal lord or ''Daimyo'' (literally “large private land”) of Hinowa Province, with a title analogous to a British ''Earl'' or ''Duke'' and is therefore amongst the highest-ranking Japanese characters in the series -- only Yoshitora really exceeds him in terms of power and status.
* TheCameo: In the ''2019'' story mode intro scene, you can see Gaoh fighting in the background.
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: His intro image in the dream match, whereas he beckons the player to engage with him while simultaneously ''stomping on Satan's head''.
* KilledOffForReal: He is defeated and executed by Yoshitora for his betrayal of the shogunate.
* MeaningfulName: He’s titled “[[AuthorityEqualsAssKicking Rebellious Earl of Hinowa]]". His given name, Gaoh, translates as "[[AuthorityEqualsAssKicking The thriving one]]".
* NobleDemon: A villain that nonetheless has the best interests of his nation at heart. And he's not amused with some of the more obviously evil characters in the game, like Kusaregedo.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: As stated, he's based on UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga, although his demonic status was at first unwilling, and his mission was not to conquer Japan but to reform the Shogunate, which he saw as corrupt, and make Yoshitora a responsible person in the process. The WhatIf story in the sixth game was a take on the popular concept of DemonKingNobunaga.
* OneWingedAngel: The Dark Emperor/Kuraki-Sumeragi
* SNKBoss: One of the toughest out there -- aside from being able to transform into his demonic form, his jumonji spear gives him one of the longest reaches in the games, both on the ground and in the air. He is also one of the stronger characters, dealing greater damage even if his hits are blocked.
* ShoutOut: Gaoh is one enormous shoutout to ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'', from being voiced by Kenji "Raoh" Utsumi to shouting such things as "[[KiManipulation Tenha Kassatsu!]]" and ''"[[AttackAttackAttack Hikanu!]]"'', two famous lines of Kenshiro and Souther respectively.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: He saw the Shogunate growing corrupt, and his student, the heir Yoshitora, as being a slacker that had almost no interest in ruling. For that, he commanded a rebellion to either reform the state or make Yoshitora take the responsibility befitting his position.
[[/folder]]

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown VI''

[[folder:Iroha]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/24_iroha.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Urushiyama, Ōshū Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_81.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] Urushiyama is best known as the setting of one of Japan's famous crane stories The Grateful Crane Wife, which is linked to the Chinzo Temple in the town.''[[/note]]
-> '''Weapons:''' ''[[DualWielding Hourin Ousai]]'' [[note]](''[[AnimalThemeNaming "Feng Horn" and "Huang Beak"]], [[TheDividual predecessors to / genders of]] [[ThePhoenix the Fenghuang]]'')[[/note]], [[DualWielding twin butterfly swords]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Mayumi Shindo (VI, Neo Geo Heroes, [[Anime/QueensBlade Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos]]), Saori Gotō (Oni), Jun Miruno (2019)[[/note]]

->A crane who is able to transform herself into a Japanese maid. She serves her master and sees her duty to him/her as the most important aspect of her life. She often bows and speaks to the player directly before and after her fights and [[WordOfGod the game's producers have confirmed her master is indeed the player him/herself]]. Iroha is an obedient and cheerful maiden. She deeply cares for her master, trying her hardest to stay in her human form whilst in front of him/her. Despite debuting only in ''VI'', Iroha went on to star in many {{Meido}} based spinoff games. She finally makes her canon debut as part of the 2nd DLC character pass of ''2019''.
----
* AmbidextrousSprite: Canonically, Iroha's left leg is the one with the bandage on it. In practice, it's whichever one is further away from the player at the time. It still happens in ''2019'' despite using 3D models.
* AscendedExtra: Before ''2019'', Iroha had only appeared in one mainline game in the series, but it was a dream match. However, she quickly became one of the series' most popular characters due to her fanservice-heavy design and demure personality. Although left out of the initial roster for developmental reasons, she was eventually brought in as a DLC character.
* AssKicksYou: Her stance-break in ''2019''.
* {{Animorphism}}: Seamlessly shifts between crane and human forms.
* BattleStrip: One of her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqb5z6Uczz8 super moves]] (which happens in shadow) involves her stripping off her clothes, resulting in her silhouette appearing nude, then beating the crap out of her opponent [[GoodOldFisticuffs with her bare hands]] before morphing into her crane form momentarily to cause some more damage, then morphing back to her human form, still nude, to lay the final blow. It returns in ''2019'' as her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUy_khAfo-U Super Special Move]], unchanged.
* DatingSim: Her SpinOff games by SNK is usually this, having two game series for mobile (''Maid by Iroha'' and ''Koi by Iroha''), as well as appearing in various ''Days of Memories'' games.
* DistractedByTheSexy: During her BattleStrip super move, her opponent is ''just standing there'' letting her beat the crap out of him[=/=]her.
* DoesntLikeGuns: She's not fond of firearms or ranged weapons, as seen in her interactions with Andrew and Mina. It's implied she was injured in her crane form by a hunter (per the original folktale), which would explain her distaste for such things.
* DownloadableContent: She returns to the series in ''2019'' as part of the second wave of DLC characters.
* DualWielding: She fights with a pair of butterfly swords.
* EnvironmentalSymbolism: All four of the new characters in ''VI'' came with an applicable stage. Iroha's stage is set in her snow-covered home of Urushiyama, and features a watermill and a riverbank where [[LoyalAnimalCompanion multiple black and white cranes]] flock together. Her accompanying {{Leitmotif}}, a melancholic ''Enka'' (Japanese ballad), is unusual in that it features full lyrics. These motifs carry over into ''2019'', though instead of her home stage which is not featured in the game, she shares Rimururu's stage: a winter version of Kamuikotan which features several wild animals and ''lots'' of snow.
* FreakinessShame: In what is a clear reference to the fable she is based on, during the super where she transforms into her crane form (albeit screened by a ''shoji''), she begs the player not to look...''no matter what''.
* HandicappedBadass: The bandage around Iroha's leg isn't just for show; the crane in the original ''Crane Wife'' folktale was injured by a hunter, and Iroha seems to have suffered a similar injury. She hops around on one foot in her idle and walk animations, and one of her victory animations has her wince and clutch at her bad ankle. Despite this, she can leap and spin around the battlefield without any problems, and in the hands of a skilled player, she can kick just as much ass as any other fighter in the game.
* ImpossibleHourglassFigure: Iroha has a curvaceous figure complemented by very large breasts and fairly wide hips measuring at B91 W59 H85.
* {{Homage}}: Iroha's entire character is based on an old story called ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuru_no_Ongaeshi The Grateful Crane Wife]]'', which is linked to the Chinzo Temple in Urushiyama, her hometown. During one of her special attacks, she hides behind a ''shoji'' while saying "Please don't look, no matter what", referencing a scene from the story.
* MeaningfulName: Her namesake are the first syllables from the Heian poem of the same name, which is a pangram used until the Meiji era for learning the hiragana syllabary -- a cultural translation would be "ABC".
* {{Meido}}: At first, she was designed to be a mostly nude character, though eventually, her image changed to a "graceful crane" and "Asian wife" motif -- hence her skills at housework.
* MorphicResonance: Her maid's apron is designed so as to resemble a crane's wings.
* MsFanservice: Her default costume, ''definitely''. She even breaks the fourth wall to serve ''you'' at the end!
* NoFourthWall: Her "master" is YOU, and she speaks to the player as such. In ''2019'', she quests to take down Shizuka in defence of her master’s happiness, and her story is presented as if the player is personally accompanying her.
* NinjaMaid: Probably the most literal example ever. Her clothes look like a cross between a kunoichi's clothing (or lack thereof) and a stereotypical FrenchMaidOutfit.
* ShapeshiftingLover: She tries her best to maintain her human form for her master when in front of him/her.
* {{Shotoclone}}: She's one of the more basic and easier to use characters, and has special moves that mirror those of Ryu/Ken via her own equivalents of Hadouken, Dragon Uppercut, and Hurricane Kick.
* SpinAttack: She has two -- one where she can twirl herself toward her opponent, slicing them with her swords, and another as a rolling attack that can also send her spinning upwards to counter aerial attacks.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Skimpy kunoichi-inspired French maid wardrobe that reveals her cleavage and even some side-boob? Check. Wide hips on show? Check. Toeless thigh-highs? Double check. She was literally ''[[IncrediblyLamePun maid]]'' for FanService.
* SuplexFinisher: If she is rendered weaponless while performing her Crane Dance moves on her opponent, she'll instead finish her full-frontal assault by seductively approaching her victim only to sucker them into an [[WrestlerInAllOfUs unexpectedly brutal suplex]].
* YamatoNadeshiko: Kind, domestic, submissive but not exactly weak, obedient to her master, feminine yet ''very'' capable of holding her own in battle. [[ShapeshiftingLover Her true form as that of crane helps too.]] Pretty much the ''only'' non-characteristic trait she has is her revealing wardrobe.
* {{Youkai}}: Yes, the beautiful Iroha counts as such. Whilst she presents as human, and is undoubtedly a pure, true-hearted character, she's absolutely ''not'' human but rather an entity known as a ''Tsuru Nyōbō'' ("Crane Wife"), which are the subject of many Japanese folktales, including ''The Grateful Crane Wife'' detailed above.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Andrew]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/38_andrew.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{TheThirteenAmericanColonies}} Virginia, United States]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagus.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]The flag shown here is the "Betsy Ross" flag of the thirteen colonies, adopted after the Declaration of Independence in 1776.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[NamesTheSame White]] [[FloralThemeNaming Lily]]'', [[BayonetYa a musket with a bayonet]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Kazuki Ishii[[/note]]

->He is portrayed as an American soldier who goes to Japan to stop a new menace to his relatively young country. In his ending, he befriends Yoshitora. He is a serious and dedicated individual, always thinking about his duty to his country above all else.
----
* BayonetYa: Using blade of his bayonet, he can slash his opponents from afar and keep them at a distance with his projectile attacks.
* BlingOfWar: Sports bright red military dress complete with epaulets, a black sash, and white gloves.
* {{Eagleland}}: Variant 1 -- a heroic leader of men with a just cause.
* MixAndMatchWeapon: A mundane variant. He uses a musket with a bayonet attached, which offers him both mid and long-range reach.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Based on UsefulNotes/AndrewJackson, an American soldier and statesman who served as the seventh President of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, Jackson gained fame as a general in the United States Army and served in both houses of Congress.
* PatrioticFervor: Takes part in the events of ''VI'' to protect the fledgling United States from demonic powers.
* ThePioneer: Source materials note he is the son of an ambitious English merchant who sought a new life in the colonies.
* ShipTease: Fans tend to pair him with Iroha, the new female character in the 6th game.
* StereotypeFlip: In dramatic contrast to the loud, brash, energetic manner in which Americans are typically presented in this series (and most fighting games in general), Andrew is presented as a quiet, stoic, bookish young man who enjoys taking tea and whose complex is his lack of success in talking to women. The stereotype is further turned on its head via his in-series buddy and Japanese counterpart, Yoshitora, who is depicted as a louche, cocky, womanizing layabout, which is in complete contrast to the usually stoic, humble Japanese archetype -- they've essentially switched roles.
* StoicSpectacles: He's reserved and his glasses help show that off, he's also smart enough to take them off before a fight.
* TheGlassesComeOff: Takes his glasses off before a match starts.
* WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant: His father is English (so he's almost a proto-WASP given he's first-generation American), and he exhibits the typically reserved, stoic personality.
* TheWhiteHouse: His stage is set at the White House during its construction, which (sort of) fits into the series' overall timescale, as the build started in 1792.
* WouldntHitAGirl: One of his pre-battle lines has Andrew feeling reluctant about fighting a female opponent.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sugoroku Matsuribayashi]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/40_sugoroku.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Edo (Asakusa quarter), Musashi Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_78.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{JapaneseHolidays}} Matsuribayashi Hitokyu]]'' [[note]](''"The [[AncestralWeapon Matsuribayashi]] [[ItOnlyWorksOnce One-Shot]]"'')[[/note]], [[ImprobableWeaponUser a fireworks]] [[{{BFG}} cannon]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Tarō Masuoka[[/note]]

->A plump, jolly man who really enjoys festivals (''matsuri'') and having fun. He joins the fight to spread some cheer and help the foreigners who've come to Japan to fight enjoy themselves in a traditional festival. His character design and mannerisms are based on the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadaka_Matsuri Naked Festival]] that occurs annually in Japan. He was designed to follow a festival motif after the game designers decided on creating a "lame but cool" character.
----
* ActionDad: Kicks butt and is father to a daughter named Koma.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: He may look goofy, but he isn't regarded as the best fireworks technician in the world for nothing!
* {{BFG}}: Wields a huge cannon used for shooting fireworks.
* BigBeautifulMan: Muscular, shapely, nice fat ass, and wears nothing but a ''fundoshi'' to cover his modesty.
* BigFun: He's extremely cheery.
* TheCutie: The guy's a ''genuine'' sweet, lovable NiceGuy who fights so that everyone will be happy and have fun. Then there's that smile of his...
* EarnYourHappyEnding: His arcade run in a nutshell -- thinking that the game's foreigners would like to participate in a traditional festival, he decides to enter the brawl. He's also hoping to have a good time while he's at it!
* FamilyMan: Has a wife and child back home. His wife accompanies him before the fight starts, and his daughter (alongside the wife and dog) will pose with him if he's victorious. His family even assists him during battles!
* FunPersonified: ''Definitely''. This is a man who ''always'' carries a smile on his face, goes to every festival he can and wants everybody in the world to have fun!
* HappilyMarried: To his beloved Karuta.
* {{Homage}}: The ''entirety'' of his character is inspired by the attendees of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadaka_Matsuri Hadaka Matsuri]], an event in Japan held at least once every year. Participants, usually male, wear virtually no clothing (normally just a thong ''fundoshi'' but occasionally nothing at all) while celebrating the harmony of a fruitful harvest and fertility.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: In a series with some pretty out-there weapons, his fireworks cannon might take the cake. As a large, heavy object, he can smash the opponent with it, spin it like a top for a multi-hit, mount it to jet-propel himself into the opponent and, of course, [[HumanCannonball blast the enemy away]] ([[ExplosiveOverclocking fireworks may be involved]]). His super involves him calling on a group of shrine-carrying festival-goers to trample the opponent -- hilariously weird.
* LethalJokeCharacter: His design was intended to be this way, according to the developers. Developers even claims he's supposed to be a "Lame, but cool character."
* LifeOfTheParty: In his capacity as a festival aficionado.
* MeaningfulName: A "Matsuri bayashi" is the musical accompaniment to the Japanese festivals. A ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugoroku sugoroku]] is a typical Japanese board game.
* MrFanservice: His default costume leaves ''very'' little to the imagination. His design and mannerisms also have a strong BaraGenre vibe (despite having a wife).
* StoutStrength: He's a plump little cherub of a man, but has good stamina in-game.
* ThemeNaming: His whole family is named after things related to the new year's celebration: his wife Karuta [[note]]Japanese playing cards - an uta-garuta set is commonly played each new year[[/note]], his daughter Koma [[note]]"top" - spinning tops in new year symbolize good luck (what goes around turns around), things going smooth and strength (as in winning a battle of tops)[[/note]], his father Kadomatsu [[note]]Shintoist gate decorations put up for new year's day[[/note]], his mother Kine [[note]]wooden pestle - probably related to the communal ''mochitsuki'' pounding used to make mochi cakes, as the pestle and the mortar symbolize fertility[[/note]], his grandfather Hatsuyume [[note]]The first dream of the year[[/note]] and his grandmother Hagoita [[note]]Ornamental paddles sold on new year's day[[/note]]. His dog Pochi is the one who [[OddNameOut doesn't clearly fit with the motif]].
* TinyGuyHugeGirl: His wife is taller than he is, as he's only 5'1".
* UnskilledButStrong: He's a fighting ''fireworks technician''!
* UnusualWeaponMounting: Carrying an active fireworks cannon at all, let alone carrying one into combat, is unadvisable for obvious reasons.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ocha-Maro Karakuri]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/41_ochamaru.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan North of Tsuchimikado Street, east of Nishinotouin Street, Heian-kyō, Yamashiro Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_475.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]his origin is very precise, referencing two ancient roads in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heian-ky%C5%8D Heian-kyō]] (now known as Kyōto) which pinpoints his place of construction as being in the top right corner of the ancient capital.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapons:''' ''[[CombatHandFan Kirigane Okina]]'', ''[[CombatHandFan Uragane Onna]]'' [[note]](''"[[AbsurdlySharpBlade Slicing]] [[OlderIsBetter Iron Elderly Man]]" and "[[DualWielding Opposing]] [[OlderIsBetter Iron Elderly Woman]]"'')[[/note]] ''[[ImprobableWeaponuser & Kurogane Chuuzou Hagane Yakiire Hakugin no Haguruma]]'' [[note]](''[[NamedWeapon Black iron, casted steel, heated metal, blank-inserted Silver Cogwheel]]'')[[/note]], [[CombatHandFan two steel fans]] [[ImprobableWeaponuser and a cogwheel]].
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Mayu Shindou[[/note]]

->During the Heian period, a famous onmyōji learned about the existence of the demon world and foresaw the dangers. He created an army of wooden ''karakuri'' puppets to combat said dangers after his death. A century before the events depicted in the game, his fellow puppets are all destroyed by Mizuki when they attempt to seal her. He is the only survivor, and when he reawakens, he departs to fulfill his duty as a warrior who fights demons.
----
* TheCameo: Apart from ''VI'', Ocha-Maro also appears as a Counter Card for ''[[Videogame/SNKVsCapcomCardFightersclash SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS]]'' and in the ''Maid by Iroha'' games.
* CreepyDoll: Despite being one of the good guys, Ocha-Maro is more than a little unsettling, especially for players completely unfamiliar with the concept and appearance of ''karakuri''.
* DanceBattler: Fights using the ritual Shinto ''Kagura'' dance.
* DeadlyDisc: The giant cogwheel concealed within his under-carriage can be spun rapidly at opponents to deliver considerable damage.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: His sole purpose is to battle demonic forces, and he never hesitates to complete his pre-programmed mission to do so.
* LethalJokeCharacter: Once developers decided that they wanted to add an odd-ball character to the cast, the concept of an endlessly powered karakuri emerged, making Ocha-Maro one of the weirdest if not ''the'' weirdest fighting game characters in existence. Despite this, in the right hands, he's a deadly opponent for the very reason that his style is so strange and unpredictable.
* MeaningfulName: Translates as "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakuri_puppet Karakuri]] tea boy", a reference to the typical Japanese tea-serving clockwork robot.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Due to Ocha-Maro's age, a handful of Japanese fans believe that he was created by [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abe_no_Seimei Abe no Seimei.]]
* UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}: Ocha-Maro was built by a famous onmyōji, and he's the only person it shows respect to.
* PuppetShows: Karakuri puppets (''karakuri ningyō'') are traditional Japanese mechanized puppets or automata. The dolls' gestures provide a form of entertainment and the word karakuri means "mechanisms" or "trick". Ocha-Maro is based on a ''zashiki karakuri'' -- a puppet designed to serve tea, which is referenced in his name, literally "tea-boy". His unique stage in ''VI'' is set in the ''Tenkaku-za'' puppet theatre, and features multiple ''singing'' puppets who look like smaller versions of him -- ''eerie''.
* RidiculouslyHumanRobot : [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakuri_puppet Karakuri puppets]] were one of the first automata in history, and the predecessors of modern robots.

[[/folder]]

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown (2019)''

[[folder:Darli Dagger]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/15_darlidagger.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[YouWakeUpOnABeach Somewhere at sea]]; resides in the [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merina_Kingdom Kingdom of Madagascar]][[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/merinak_2.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] the developers have made it known that she has African roots and it’s clear she lives on Madagascar, as her (canceled) stage was set there, as seen in the game's accompanying artbook. The flag shown here is, therefore, that of the historic Malagasy Merina Kingdom[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[SwissArmyWeapon Libertalia]]'' [[note]]([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertatia named after a purported pirate colony]])[[/note]], [[SerratedBladeOfPain a saw-blade]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Yuu Kobayashi[[/note]]

->A shipwright who has mastered the use of various tools. She washed ashore on the island of Madagascar at an early age, where carpenters taught her how to make things and pirates taught her how to protect herself and survive. She is currently building a ship said to be unsinkable with her comrades at the island’s workshop, and finds herself entangled in the events of the game while pursuing a masked man responsible for wrecking one of her ships.
----
* AffirmativeActionGirl: According to game developer Nobuyuki Kuroki, giving her unique weapon to a muscular male character didn’t feel distinct enough, which is why they decided to make the character a powerful and strong-willed female with African roots, a region not usually represented in the series.
* AmazonianBeauty: In contrast with the petite [[NatureHero Nakoruru]], tall, elegant [[LadyOfWar Charlotte]], and lithe, slimly-built [[FemmeFatale Shiki]], Darli is broad-framed, physically ''ripped'', and attractive all in one.
* BerserkButton:
** Make the mistake of calling her a lowly ship-builder and you'll soon learn that her hands are just as capable of breaking bones.
** Damaging one of her ships, which is what triggered her to get involved in the events of the game.
* {{BFS}}: Wields a giant saw with a serrated edge resembling a shark's teeth.
* BoobsOfSteel: She has one of the largest busts of any female character in the series and uses a fighting style that revolves around extremely hard-hitting blows.
* BreakoutCharacter: Darli managed to prove popular enough that she managed to clinch a spot as the third member of the team representing the series in ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXV'', managing to beat out other big names from the series such as Genjuro, Shiki, and Iroha.
* DreadlockWarrior: Sports shoulder-length dreads that are colored pinkish-purple at the tips.
* TheDrunkenSailor: Befitting her nautical background, in one of her win-poses she grabs a huge barrel of grog and enthusiastically chugs away.
* FashionableAsymmetry: Has various holsters for holding tools strapped onto her left leg.
* ForeignFanservice: She certainly looks the part in her capacity as the series’ sole African character.
* ICallItVera: Her sword gets its name from the supposed anarchist, free colony founded by the pirate Captain James Misson in UsefulNotes/{{Madagascar}} in the late 17th century, though historians don't believe it actually existed.
* TheLadette: She's physically ripped, fights in a highly aggressive, masculine style, loves a drink, works in construction, speaks in a bluff, boisterous tone and has no time whatsoever for weaklings.
* MartialArtsAndCrafts: She developed a fighting style based on her advanced construction skills and her weapon, “Libertalia", is more like a multi-tool than a traditional weapon, but she's no less deadly with it.
* MeaningfulName: "Darli" is an abbreviation of "darling".
* PartsUnknown: Almost all (human) characters in the series are ascribed a city/province/country of origin (all three for many of the Japanese characters). Darli is the exception, and her birthplace is simply listed as "somewhere at sea", which could literally be ''anywhere''. So far, we know she has “African roots” as confirmed by producer Nobuyuki Kuroki and that she was born “at sea” as per her bio. '''However''', there are some key clues that help to pinpoint her current origin. The first is that she named her weapon “Libertalia”, which was a semi-mythical pirate state based on the (African) island of Madagascar, which fits her ship-builder/piratey vibe. Even more compelling evidence is found in the game’s accompanying art book, which not only confirms that her red/white/green color-scheme is based on Madagascar's national flag, but also that she was originally going to receive her own home-stage, designed around a ship-yard situated on the lush, tropical beaches of the island itself -- a locale similar to the one depicted in her ending artworks.
* PirateGirl: In looks only. She’s specifically described as “the most badass sailor and shipwright to ever sail the seven seas" and her weapon is adorned with a [[SkeletonMotif skull and crossbones motif]], but according to developers, she's not an actual pirate and was in fact saved by a group of pirates as a child and is now the leader of a group of female ship-builders. She even explains this misunderstanding herself in her epilogue:
--> "A pirate? Yes, many make that mistake about me... I'm merely a shipbuilder that can build pretty much anything. Well? Pretty cool, no?"
* PunchedAcrossTheRoom: Even if she loses her weapon, she's still a force to be reckoned with and comes equipped with an attack-absorbing, wind-up punch that sends the opponent flying if it connects.
* ShaggyDogStory: Her story mode features her traveling around the world in search of the mysterious masked man who wrecked the ship she was building. She never actually finds him because he isn't one of the fighters. After she goes home (upon defeating Shizuka), she finishes construction of her ship and finally finds the guy, who was on her home island all along.
* ShoutOut:
** Her full name is a nod to the Music/JimiHendrix song ''Dolly Dagger'', which describes a dangerous woman [[note]]his ex-girlfriend, Devon Wilson in fact[[/note]] who'll "make you stagger" and "drinks blood from a jagged edge."
** Her unique unarmed special is a haymaker that's unblockable and will probably kill you in one hit, but it's charge up time and predictability make it AwesomeButImpractical in a nod to Ralf Jones' ''Galactica Phantom'' super from ''VideoGame/{{The King of Fighters}}''.
* StatuesqueStunner: She's a very attractive woman and by far the tallest female character — she's noticeably taller than most of the men, even.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Wearing a halter-neck bikini and only a sarong to cover up, she sports one of the briefest outfits of all the women in the series.
* SwissArmyWeapon: While her "Libertalia" starts out as a [[SerratedBladeOfPain giant saw]], she can switch out the bit at the end with other tools such as a [[DropTheHammer giant hammer]], and a [[ThisIsADrill drill]].
* TokenMinority: The sole Black woman of the cast.
* TooManyBelts: Sports three belts around her waist, some sort of belted holster on her thigh and a further belt around her calf for a grand total of ''eight'' individual buckles.
* TropicalIslandAdventure: Her sadly canceled stage was set at her shipyard on the tropical beaches of Madagascar.
* WrenchWench: She's the nautical equivalent of one, sporting various tools you'd expect of a shipwright. Even her main weapon is a giant sized saw.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Wu Ruixiang]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/17_wuruixiang.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{Beijing}} Imperial Palace, Beijing]], [[ImperialChina Qing Empire]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagqingdynasty_2.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]her bio at the Japanese site lists her birthplace as "Chūgoku, Peking no yakata" -- the Beijing Palace, China -- meaning she was likely born in the Forbidden City itself.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[ImprobableWeaponUser Chaoji Zhāolóng Luopan]]'' [[note]](''"Superior dragon-beckoning [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luopan Luopan)]]"''[[/note]], [[MagicCompass a Chinese compass]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Seira Ryuu[[/note]]

->A young woman who serves the Qing Dynasty, and the descendant of a venerable fengshui clan. For generations, they have been charged with the defense of the ley lines''[[note]]apparent alignments of landmarks, religious sites, and man-made structures. The pseudoscientific belief that these apparent lines are not accidental speculates that they are straight navigable paths and have spiritual significance[[/note]]'', traveling the world at the behest of the Qing Emperor. Though wise, she is extremely clumsy. Worse yet, she isn't athletically inclined and prefers to stay indoors. Her secret arts manifest the powers of divine beasts and as the best of the Dynasty's fengshui practitioners, she can even call forth a dragon.
----
* AncestralWeapon: Her enchanted compass was bestowed upon her by grandfather and she cares for it deeply, expressing concern that it has become scratched after some battles.
* AnimeChineseGirl: The series’ very first version, she sports a prerequisite UsefulNotes/{{Qipao}} in jade green.
* AttackReflector: ''Kirin Earthen Rampage'' -- a counter that reflects projectiles and any mid/high attack hitting her ''luópan''.
* BadassAdorable: A very powerful summoner who is endearingly shy, clumsy and polite.
* TheBeastMaster: She calls forth the elemental powers of divine beasts, and can even summon a dragon for her super.
* BespectacledCutie: She exhibits the sweet, intelligent, endearing qualities and becomes adorably befuddled if she loses her glasses.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: A seemingly timid, studious girl whose appearance belies her deadly summoning powers.
* BilingualBonus: Despite speaking Japanese in all her cutscenes, Ruixiang speaks Mandarin Chinese when performing her special moves. Said Mandarin Chinese is also very dialect-accurate, as her voice actress is half-Chinese.
* BlindWithoutEm: If she loses her weapon, she also [[DroppedGlasses drops her glasses]], which causes her to walk around unsteadily, muttering “megane...megane” (“my glasses”) as she tries to locate them.
* BlueBlood: As noted [[MeaningfulName below]], ''Wu'' is an august, aristocratic name dating back to the offspring of the sons of a ''Zhou'' Dynasty duke. According to her bio, Ruixiang herself was born within the Imperial Palace (AKA the "Forbidden City") and her family is stated to be a venerable clan who serves the Emperor himself.
* BuxomIsBetter: Her voluptuous figure is emphasized in most of her accompanying artworks.
* CombatStilettos: Wears a pair of jade-green court shoes with built-up heels.
* CuteClumsyGirl: She’s adorably uncoordinated, often tripping over her feet and unsteadying herself from the momentum of some of her stronger attacks.
* DifficultButAwesome: On initial inspection, her speed is lethargic, her damage output low and her standard hits have short reach and are quite sluggish. However, she has arguably the best projectile game out of the entire cast, with high, medium and low fireballs that become active very early in their animation. Her shield counter can also reflect projectiles, in addition to being a strong anti-aggression tool, but Ruixiang’s most defining feature is, without doubt, her ground trap -- ''White Tiger Fangs'' -- which makes her a character for players who like crazy setups and stylish juggles.
* DragonsAreDivine: The dragon she summons in her super is listed in the move-list as a Yellow Dragon, which is likely Huanglong. Her rage move invokes the nine-headed dragon Kuzuryu, and her lightning bolt special move is based on Seiryuu.
* DragonsUpTheYinYang: Ticks both boxes -- her ''luópan'' features a large yin-yang motif and she can call forth an enormous Oriental dragon to incinerate her opponents.
* ElementalPowers: Ruixiang is able to use elemental-based attacks, thanks to her enchanted compass, via which she can fire a shard of ice, blast the opponent with flame, lay a trap of razor-sharp branches, and summon a lightning bolt.
* TheFourGods: Among her animal-based moves are the Black Tortoise Torrent, Vermilion Bird Blaze, White Tiger Fangs, and Azure Dragon Thunderstrike.
* GeniusDitz: Despite her clumsiness, she's actually quite wise.
* GorgeousPeriodDress: Notwithstanding the large splits up the sides, her beautiful dress and hairstyle are an accurate representation of the court fashions of Qing Dynasty China.
* ImperialChina: Taking into account her traditionally elaborate costuming, her role as an Imperial fengshui practitioner, her august ''Wu'' heritage, her exotic weapon (complete with yin-yang motif), and the fact she commands an actual ''dragon'', she's Imperial China practically incarnate.
* ImpracticallyFancyOutfit: Her UsefulNotes/{{Qipao}} dress, ornate hair-style, and high-heels are rather impractical for combat, although she is a bit less physical in her fighting style compared to other characters, relying far more on magic to augment her moves.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: All of her fellow fighters use real-life weaponry (albeit with a [[MagicRealism fantasy twist]]). In contrast, Ruixiang’s ''luópan'' (Chinese compass) stands out as being far more magic-based and fantastical as a primary weapon.
* LadyOfBlackMagic: She's one of the series' purely magic-based fighters, and her special moves rely on summoning the elemental powers of divine beasts to do the fighting for her.
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Her compass has a handle in the back and functions just like a shield, with which she is able to defend herself. It also functions as an attacking weapon, and she is able to [[ShieldBash shield bash]] her opponents too.
* MagicCompass: Her weapon appears as some form of gong or shield, but it is in fact an enchanted compass, used to summon divine beasts.
* MeaningfulName: "Wu" is a catch-all term commonly used to refer to various Chinese dynasties, rulers, people, and names. Her given name, Ruìxiāng (瑞香), is the Chinese name of the [[FlowerMotifs winter daphne, a species of fragrant pink flowers that are also poisonous]]. Ukyo directly addresses her as "Winter Daphne" in his win-quote after fighting her.
* MsFanservice: Ruixiang is a beautiful young woman, and sports a jade-green UsefulNotes/{{Qipao}} that's slashed to the waist, which [[MaleGaze draws attention]] to both her [[BuxomIsBetter huge breasts]] and [[ShesGotLegs long, shapely legs.]]
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: For her super, she trips over and accidentally summons a gigantic golden dragon, who proceeds to incinerate her opponent whilst she looks on in horror, trying to calm it down, apparently feeling she's gone too far.
* NiceGirl: While she may be shy, Ruixiang is a kind and thoughtful woman who abhors violence unless pushed. She apologises to her defeated opponents for any pain that she may have caused.
* NobodyTouchesTheHair: Her hairstyle is complicated and elaborate, and in her win-quote to Yashamaru, she recounts a traumatic hair-related incident:
--> "Urgh! Looking at you reminds me of the day when a bunch of crows stole my hair accessory!"
* ReluctantWarrior: As loyal as she is to the Emperor, if she can avoid it, she’d rather not go into battle on his behalf, which is exemplified in her ending where, having defeated Shizuka, she is soon summoned to the Imperial throne room and given orders to head out from the comfort of the palace once again on a new mission — the look on her face is a picture of horrified bewilderment.
* ShesGotLegs: Her court dress is split on both sides up to the waist, revealing her shapely legs. Her repertoire of kicks is lacking somewhat however, due to her being an indoorsy kind of girl.
* ShieldBash: All of her standard hits involve walloping the opponent with her shield-like ''luópan'', either as a blunt smash or with its serrated edge. As one of the very few characters who wield a blunt weapon, her attacks aren’t accompanied by the usual slashing/hacking sound effects, but rather a gloriously satisfying metallic ''*CLANG*'' upon contact with the opponent.
* ShrinkingViolet: She tends to seclude herself indoors and is of a rather shy disposition.
* SignatureHeadgear: She sports easily the most extravagant hairstyle in the series, with her very long hair piled up on top of her head in an elaborate Qing Dynasty coiffure that's held in place with a large clasp and various ornamental pins. Two large goldfish-shaped pendants swing down from either side.
* SmartPeopleWearGlasses: She’s an Imperial fengshui practitioner and sports a pair of neat, black spectacles.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yashamaru Kurama]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/18_yashamaru.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Otagi District, Yamashiro Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_680.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] An appropriate birthplace, as the (historic) Otagi District contains the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple, which applicably hosts an annual tengu festival each November to this very day.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[{{BFS}} Shanaō]]'' [[note]](literally "''King Shana''", an abbreviation of Birushana (Vairocana), but here it's a reference to one of Minamoto no Yoshitsune 's early names)[[/note]], [[{{BFS}} a nagamaki]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Kouhei Amasaki[[/note]]

->A young, fallen samurai. He loathes villains who exploit the weak for financial gain, and stalks the shadows as the phantom thief ''Karasu-Tengu''. Because his father was executed on false charges in the past, he has developed a deep and unparalleled hatred for the Shogunate. Brandishing his heirloom nagamaki, Shanaō, he fights using the ancestral tengu powers he has inherited. ''[[PurpleProse When Karasu-Tengu sows the breeze above with his blade, the wicked below shall reap the whirlwind...]]''
----
* AnimalMotifs: He associates himself with crows.
* CodeName: Uses the alias ''Karasu-Tengu'' -- "the Crow Tengu".
* CoolMask: Wears a samurai mask designed so as to resemble a crow-tengu's beak.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Wears full-plate samurai armor in deepest black, but is more of a WellIntentionedExtremist than a straight-up bad guy and cares for the common people.
* DashAttack: He has a special move where he dashes forward and thrusts his nagamaki. This move can also be done in the air as part of his strong aerial capabilities.
* DoubleJump: In keeping with his avian theme, he is capable of jumping twice in the air and is the only character in ''2019'' to be able to do so.
* FlechetteStorm: His weapon-flipping move features him firing a volley of energy-infused feathers at the opponent.
* ItsPersonal: Having his father executed for a crime he didn't commit shattered his faith in the Tokugawa Shogunate and turned him into one of its most bitter enemies. For this reason, Yoshitora Tokugawa is his rival in his story.
* KatanasAreJustBetter: Wields a nagamaki, which is a long-handled katana traditionally used by infantrymen against cavalry.
* KnightInSourArmor: He's a brooding, despondent ronin who became totally disillusioned with fighting for what he sees as a completely corrupt Shogunate.
* JustAKid: Hattori Hanzo is surprised to find out how young the Karasu-Tengu really is.
* JustLikeRobinHood: He's a thief who preys on villains who exploit the weak for financial gain.
* MeaningfulName: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kurama Mount Kurama]] is a mountain associated with tengu legends, and "Yasha" is the Japanese rendition of "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaksha Yaksha]]", a Buddhist nature demon.
* MysticalWhiteHair: Sports a mop of grey-white hair tied up in a samurai top-knot -- possibly a side-effect of his tengu bloodline. [[PowerDyesYourHair His hair changes to black when using his tengu powers.]]
* PerpetualMolt: Many of his movements and attacks are accompanied by a scattering of shedded crow's feathers, befitting his crow-tengu heritage.
* PhantomThief: Moonlights as the phantom thief Karasu-Tengu.
* {{Ronin}}: He’s a fallen samurai who abandoned the Shogun after his father’s death.
* SpinAttack: Yashamaru has a special move where he leaps into the air before spinning himself and his nagamaki at a vertical angle, slashing at his opponent and ending with a final downward slash.
* StealthHiBye: Yashamaru's match-winning animation sees him turn his back to the player — a crow then flies on-screen with Yashamaru disappearing off-screen just as it flies away, leaving only feathers in its wake.
* SteppingStoneSword: His intro animation and certain moves have him perched on the top of his nagamaki's handle.
* SuperMode: Yashamaru's Rage Explosion functions as this. When activated, he taps into his tengu powers which enhances all of his moves and makes him act more aggressively in battle. He'll even change some of his phrases when using said powers.
* SupernaturalGoldEyes: Yashamaru's eyes shine gold when using his tengu powers.
* {{Tengu}}: His long-nosed mask is supposed to evoke the crow-billed variant. Additionally, the power of the tengu has also been passed down to him and his blood-type is listed in his official bio as "not applicable as his bloodline is that of the tengu."
* TheStoic: He's a stern and serious individual who rarely expresses any emotions other than anger in battle.
* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: He can throw his nagamaki like a javelin before it returns to his hand via teleportation.
* WeaponTwirling: Certain animations show him spinning his nagamaki in his palm.
* YouKilledMyFather: Albeit indirectly, he blames Yoshitora, who was too busy being a playboy and shirking his responsibilities to notice the growing corruption in his family's government, which resulted in Yashamaru’s father being framed and executed.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shizuka]]
%%[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shizuka_2.png]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a9015f3d_d50e_494d_b6d6_4888b8a9d44f.jpeg]]

-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Iso Aminochō, Tango Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_295.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] Her birthplace (when still human) is generally accepted to have been the Iso (shoreline) district of Amino town, in the historic Tango Province, where she is regarded as one of the "seven princesses of Tango". She still has a shrine in the town and represents its principal deity.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon (Round 1):''' ''[[FlowerMotifs Shirotae]]'' [[note]]("Pure white cloth")[[/note]], [[FlyingWeapon four telekinetic]] [[CombatHandFan hand fans]]
-> '''Weapon ([[IAmNotLeftHanded Round 2]]):''' ''[[InstrumentOfMurder Hatsune no ko]]'' [[note]]("''Hatsune drum''", [[MementoMacGuffin a keepsake that Minamoto no Yoshitsune gave to Shizuka]])[[/note]], [[FlyingWeapon a katana]]-[[SpontaneousWeaponCreation summoning]] [[MusicalAssassin drum]] & [[FlyingWeapon six telekinetic]] [[CombatHandFan hand fans]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Junko Ueda[[/note]]

->Fully titled Shizuka Gozen (Lady Shizuka). Based on the Heian era poet of the same name, she is the source of the mysterious evil manifesting in Japan during 1787. Shizuka died sometime before the game's events, however, her bitterness and grief over her own death and that of her beloved made her soul unable to move to the afterlife. Although initially appearing to be a vengeful spirit, her actions and words seem contradictory, as though she is merely a vessel for a higher, more malevolent power...
----
* BarbieDollAnatomy: In her vulnerable state, Shizuka loses her kimono, but is covered in blue light and has no visible genitalia or nipples.
* BeginWithAFinisher: She starts her second phase by charging her fans for a humongous energy beam. If you don't block the moment the round starts, you'll take heavy damage.
* BigBad: She's the last boss of ''2019'', and following Mizuki, she's also the second ''female'' boss in the series, and the third (after Amakusa and Gaoh) to be based on a real person.
* BlackEyesOfCrazy: When her veil gets knocked off in Round 2, it's shown she has black irises with yellow pupils.
* BlueBlood: She was the daughter of Imperial court dancer Zenji of Iso, and whilst she is usually ascribed the title “Gozen” (Lady), she was also known as one of the “seven princesses of Tango” (her home province), so in terms of rank, she’s right up there with Yoshitora.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Her soul was prevented from moving on to the afterlife by an unknown entity and corrupted to serve their ends. The post-ending credits reveal that Ambrosia was the one behind her resurrection, as Amakusa's orb is shown manifesting.
* BreakMeter: In her normal state, she tanks all hits and takes only tiny damage. Batter her enough though, and she'll groan with horror and drop (naked) to the floor, stunned. In this [[BossVulnerability vulnerable state]], she can be attacked normally, though she'll only take 3-5 hits before reverting to her more powerful state.
* CombatHandFan: She fights with multiple hand-fans which are controlled through telekinesis. They can be spun at the opponent, and also shield her from aerial attacks.
* DisappearsIntoLight: After she is defeated, Shizuka regains her consciousness and is finally freed from the demonic possession. She thanks the chosen character for saving her and soon fades into light, ascending to the heavens above.
* DemonicPossession: She isn't actually evil, but the unknown entity controlling her definitely is. The post-credits scene reveals that Ambrosia was behind her summoning.
* DoItYourselfThemeTune: The theme of her second phase, "Dance of Evil Spirits -Part II-", is sung by her voice actress.
* FishOutOfTemporalWater: Shizuka Gozen lived during the Heian era, at least 600 years before the events of the game.
* FlyingWeapon: Her weapons are telekinetically-controlled fans that hover around her.
* GorgeousPeriodDress: Her beautifully voluminous, long-sleeved kimono is Heian-era in style, evidencing her ancient origin.
* HellIsThatNoise: As soon as she starts tapping on her ''tsuzumi'', '''beware''' -- the ominous taps herald her deadly floating katana attack, and it's, therefore, a sound players will soon come to dread.
* ImmuneToFlinching: You can't stop her attacks, she'll just tank them (meaning you can't connect with a Rage move like a Weapon Flip Technique or Issen). However do enough hits and she'll revert to her vulnerable form, at which point unload whatever you've got on her.
* ImpracticallyFancyOutfit: She sports possibly the most elaborate, encumbering outfit seen in the series thus far (even more than Amakusa, which is saying something), with a hemline and sleeves that are both ways beyond floor-length.
* InstrumentOfMurder: Wields the ''Hatsune'' drum in the second round. According to folk tales, Hatsune was a keepsake given to her by Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and it carries the souls of two magical foxes that were used to create the drum's skins. The story is featured in the Bunraku / Kabuki plays ''Yoshitsune Zenbon Sakura'' and ''Hatsune no ko''.
* KimonoFanservice: Her elaborate kimono not only shows off her great legs, but it’s also draped low around her shoulders.
* MeaningfulName: “Shizuka” typically translates to “quiet flower”. True to the translation, she is TheStoic. "Gozen" is an archaic Japanese honorific used for noble women analogous to the English title ''Lady''.
* MindOverMatter: In battle, for the most part, she is serenely still and uses telekinesis to control her weapons, which are multiple dart-like fans she can fire at the opponent.
* MusicalAssassin: In the second round of the battle against her, she produces a small ''tsuzumi'' drum, which she taps ominously to control a deadly floating katana that strikes quickly and causes merciless damage.
* MysteriousMist: Some form of swirling, eldritch mist flows and roils out beneath her as she glides about.
* MysteriousVeil: Her face is part-covered by drapery from her head-piece. It gets destroyed when you win a round.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: She's based on the Heian-era poet, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shizuka_Gozen Shizuka Gozen]] (one of the mistresses of the legendary general UsefulNotes/MinamotoNoYoshitsune), and much like several other characters in the series including fellow boss Amakusa, she actually existed in ancient times.
* PowerFloats: She glides about the arena in a seated pose, her hands folded demurely, whilst her kimono billows out around her.
* PurgatoryAndLimbo: Her tragic death[[note]]she was either killed under the orders of the Kamakura Shogun or committed suicide -- the tales vary[[/note]] led her to dwell in a dark area of ''Rengoku'' (purgatory), which allowed Ambrosia's evil aura to contact and consume her in order to unleash its terrible power upon Japan.
* ShesGotLegs: Her outfit draws a lot of attention to her exposed legs.
* SNKBoss: Like you wouldn't believe. She takes inspiration from [[VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}} Bloody Marie]] and is fought in phases. In her normal state, she tanks your attacks effortlessly, has no hit-stun whatsoever, and spams high-damage fan attacks from across the screen including a command grab that hits on both sides. Oh, and you cannot use Issen against her. Fortunately, attacking her enough times puts her into a vulnerable state that takes more damage.
* TranquilFury: Unleashes hell onto her opponents, but remains pretty much motionless, sitting serenely like she's about to take tea.
* TurnsRed: Much like Amakusa in the first game and Zankuro in the third, she powers up once you win a round and becomes much harder.
* UndeathlyPallor: Her skin is porcelain pale.
* UnwittingPawn: She is merely a vessel for a greater evil. As the post-credits scene reveals, the evil in question is Ambrosia, as Amakusa's orb is shown being created.
* WhenSheSmiles: Shizuka gives a beautiful smile of happiness after she is freed from her demonic possession.
* {{Youkai}}: She appears to be in the thrall of a ''Tsukimono'' (literally "possessing thing") until the player literally beats it out of her.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rimururu]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/17_rimururu_0.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[WildWilderness Kamuikotan, the Ainu Lands, Ezo]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagainu.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]The flag shown here is that of the Ainu people, of which Rimururu is a member. At the time, Hokkaidō (the modern-day name for Ezo) was a land apart, ungoverned by the Shogunate, and therefore represented a distinct culture and ethnic group from the mainland Japanese. It was only in 1868 that the region officially became incorporated into what constitutes modern Japan. Kamuikotan (literally "the dwelling place of the Gods") is a scenic area located in the valley of the Ishikari River.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[KatanasAreJustBetter Hahakuru]]'' [[note]](literally "to beat / thrash" in Ainu)[[/note]], [[KatanasAreJustBetter a kodachi]]
-> '''Helper:''' ''[[NatureSpirit Kon]][[AnIcePerson ru]]''
-> '''Voiced by:'''[[note]] Creator/TomoSakurai (III), Creator/MegumiMatsumoto (IV, RPG (live-action commercial included)), Creator/KyokoHikami (RPG Drama CD), Keiko Kamitani (64 series, DistantFinale, Nakoruru ADV), Creator/HitomiNabatame (V), Creator/RieKugimiya (VI), Creator/EmiriKatou (Oni), Creator/YuukoOono (2019).[[/note]]

->Nakoruru's [[NotBloodSiblings adoptive]] little sister. She is also a priestess of the Ainu tribe and fights using an ice spirit named Konru, as well as her ''kodachi''. At first, Nakoruru forbade her from fighting, but she managed to build up enough resolve to be acknowledged as capable enough by the time of the third game.

* AnIcePerson: Wields a kodachi, but also uses her companion ice-spirit in combat. This primarily manifests as spears of ice that pierce the opponent, as well as large chunks of ice used for crushing attacks.
* BadassNative: Like her sister, she is a member of Hokkaidō's indigenous [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ainu_people Ainu people]], and her debut costume was a very realistic depiction of traditional Ainu women's national dress. Her ice-based powers reflect the Ainu's close relationship with the natural world, as well as her native Hokkaidō's bitingly cold polar winters.
* BigBrotherWorship: Rimururu idolizes her sister and wants to be like her every way possible.
* CheerfulChild: Jolly, smiley and full of beans!
* CloseRangeCombatant: She has probably the shortest range in the entire series due to her petite stature and short ''kodachi'', which is why using ''Konru'' effectively is an absolute must when playing her.
* DownloadableContent: She was the very first DLC character to drop for ''2019'', and like many of the other characters, she sports an updated look (including a [[PrettyInMink fur cape]] and longer hair) that still retains her classic silhouette.
* JustAKid: And she doesn't like being treated as such -- she lists her greatest dislike as being treated like a child.
* KillTheCutie: Her age and cute looks don't save her in the slightest from the life-and-death brutality of combat.
* LittleMissBadass: An adorable teenage girl whose cheerful facade belies her deadly combat skills.
* NatureSpirit: Her companion spirit Konru manifests as a prism of ice which spins in the air just behind her, and all of her special moves are ice-based. [[ADogNamedDog Konru literally means "ice" in the Ainu language]].
* NotBloodSiblings: She’s Nakoruru’s adopted sister, though their bond isn't any less strong.
* PluckyGirl: Despite the terrifying, bloody circumstances she finds herself confronted by, she maintains an admiral level of pluckiness.
* PromotedToPlayable: Rimururu appeared in the first two games as part of Nakoruru's story, stages, and endings, but it wasn't until ''III'' that she finally appeared as a playable character.
* SnowMeansCold: Rimururu's stages are all set in the village of Kamuikotan on Ezo during the winter. In ''2019'', her stage is the same village location as her sister's, but it's set in the absolute depths of winter and is a snow-covered, icy variation -- which is perfect for AnIcePerson like her.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS:
** In some games, her name is mistranslated as ''Rimnerel''.
** Also, her ice spirit is sometimes called ''Konril''.
* {{Tomboy}}: Much more energetic than her sister and sports a short, choppy hairdo and baggy shorts.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Basara]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/18_basara_5.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Tamba Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_34.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[EpicFlail Togabitogoroshi]]'' [[note]](''"[[BadassBoast The Evil-Doer Killer]]"'')[[/note]], [[FuumaShuriken a Fuuma shuriken]] [[EpicFlail hooked to a chain]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Masahiro Nonaka (III-V Special), Motoki Takagi (VI), Yuji Murai (2019)[[/note]]

->Fully titled Basara the Executioner (Kubikiri Basara). A restless spirit who was killed alongside his lover Kagaribi at the hands of the "demon" Zankuro Minazuki. He is brought back to the living world, remembering only his intense hate for "the demon". Convinced by an apparition of Kagaribi that he must "slay evil souls", he embarks on a vengeful killing spree. He is eventually sealed away in a stone pillar for eternity by Aku Amakusa.
----
* AxCrazy: He's a mindless, violently insane killer who doesn't discriminate among the victims he murders.
* BallOfLightTransformation: Basara can use his ghostly powers to transform into a [[HitodamaLight ball of spirit flame]] and back into humanoid form.
* ConfusionFu: One of the cornerstones of his play-style is to spawn shadow clones of himself to fake-out the opponent.

* DrivenToSuicide: His ending in ''2019'' sees him trying to do this in order to be with Kagaribi. [[ForegoneConclusion It doesn't work.]]
* FuumaShuriken: Wields a giant shuriken attached to a length of chain.
* {{Gorn}}: His fatality, where he drags the opponent into a hellish black pit before an enormous eruption of blood blasts their severed ''head'' back out.
* HighlyVisibleNinja: Although Basara's powers are explained mainly through his ghost abilities, they also resemble powers usually identified with ninja. This is complemented by Basara's weaponry and costuming which are also associated with ninja -- respectively his shuriken weapon and baggy pants, for example.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: His vengeful rampage has turned him into a bloodthirsty man-slayer.
* HitodamaLight: As a restless spirit, Basara can summon a hitodama called "Soul of Nue" that he uses as an attack, as well as [[BallOfLightTransformation to transform in and out of a hitodama]] himself.
* ImplausibleDeniability: In ''2019'', it's revealed that this is his reaction to the revelation that he killed Kagaribi in ''V''. Basara denies the horrible truth, convinces himself that it's all Zankuro's fault and that his death will finally reunite him with Kagaribi.
* KillTheOnesYouLove: In his previous life, Basara lived in peace with his lover, Kagaribi, until the monstrous demonic swordsman Zankuro appeared on the scene and began slaughtering everyone. He blames "the demon" for Kagaribi's demise but, in ''V'', it is revealed that Basara himself killed her.
* LaughingMad: Less so in earlier games, but exaggerated in the ''2019'' game, where half his dialogue consists of [[Characters/FatalFury3 Yamazaki-esque]] cackling.
* LoveMakesYouEvil: All he wants is to be with his beloved Kagaribi again, so he kills people indiscriminately under the belief that he will be able to see her again.
-->"Tell me, Kagaribi... How many more must I hunt before you forgive me? Because I will not stop hunting until you do!"
* MeaningfulName: The title of "Kubikiri" means "Executioner" and/or "Beheader". His name is written as "[[FloralThemeNaming Sal tree destroyer]]", but is pronounced as "[[AxCrazy unrestrained]]".
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: In a plot twist revealed in ''V'', it was Basara who killed Kagaribi in a delirium caused by Zankuro fatally wounding him.
* OnlyOneName: First assumed to be his last name, but "Kubikiri" is a title for Basara. His real last name is unknown.
* PrecisionGuidedBoomerang: The way his giant shuriken works -- it spins off its chain at some points but always returns.
* ShoutOut: Considered by many as the Japanese version of ''Franchise/TheCrow''.
* TogetherInDeath: Averted and GoneHorriblyWrong. He and Kagaribi both certainly died together, but he remains a RevenantZombie and she a ghost surrounding the former.
* TheUndead: The series’ resident zombie character.
* UndeathlyPallor: Depending on the game, Basara's skin can be pale or sickening rotting flesh color.
* UnknownRival: For Zankuro.
* UnwittingPawn: To Amakusa, who resurrected him for the purpose of harvesting souls in order to call forth Ambrosia. Basara is none too pleased when he finds out about this in ''IV''.
* VengefulGhost: Wants nothing more than to see the one who killed him and his lover dead. After finding out it was he himself who killed Kagaribi, he turns on Zankuro. After he finds Zankuro dead, he turns on Amakusa, who is behind his resurrection. It's revealed in Basara's ending in ''2019'' that Kagaribi is this to ''him'', holding a grudge against him for murdering her and forcing him into punishment by means of denying him death until she is appeased.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: Fights topless, combined with baggy ninja trousers.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Aku Amakusa cruelly disposes of him in ''IV'' by trapping him inside a stone pillar, never to be released again.
* {{Youkai}}: A ''Yurei'' (幽霊), which are figures in Japanese folklore, analogous to Western legends of ghosts.

[[folder:Shizumaru Hisame]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/21_shizumaru_3.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Japan (exact whereabouts unknown)]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_60.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapons:''' ''[[ParasolOfPain Kirisame ]]'' & ''[[KatanasAreJustBetter Oharae no Magagami Shizumaru]]'' [[note]](''"Drizzle" & "[[TheNamesake Shizumaru's]] heavenly wrath"'')[[/note]], [[ParasolOfPain an oil-paper umbrella]] & [[KatanasAreJustBetter wakizashi]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Miho Kaneta (main series), Motoki Takagi (VI), Makoto Koichi (2019)[[/note]]

->An amnesiac boy who was deemed a "demon" by fearful villagers. Following a traumatic past, he trains and seeks advice from Haohmaru, who he views as a big brother figure. After learning about the great "demon" Zankuro Minazuki, he travels with Haohmaru to defeat him.

* AdorablyPrecociousChild: He's a polite, well-meaning young boy with a keen sense of responsibility and exhibits a plucky, serious attitude towards his mission to warn others about the "demon" within him.
* AmbiguouslyRelated: His relation to Zankuro Minazuki, the boss of the third game. According to the developers of ''III'', they are not related but, by contrast, the staff working on the later fifth game state that Shizumaru's real name is Jin / Yaiba [[ConnectedAllAlong Minazuki.]][[note]]Both "Jin" and "Yaiba" are possible readings of "刃", but SNK never confirmed which one.[[/note]]
* AmnesiacDissonance: He can't remember his very early childhood, and was adopted by a monk in infancy.
* ApologeticAttacker: Some of his win-poses see him do a double-take, mutter an apology, and bow respectfully to his fallen opponent. Also, after performing his fatality in ''V Special'', the poor boy will be horrified to see his rival dead [[TenderTears and collapse in tears]].
* BadassAdorable: Just look at him. Would you believe this little guy can keep up with seasoned samurai and ninja masters?
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Because he was deemed to be a "demon" since childhood, he had to live and survive alone.
* DemonicPossession: His Super Special Move in ''2019'' confirms that he does have some sort of demonic power or entity within him, which drives him into a berserk frenzy complete with BlackEyesOfCrazy.
* DownloadableContent: He returns to the series in ''2019'' as a surprise bonus amongst the first season of DLC characters.
* KidHero: One of the youngest characters, if not ''the'' youngest and in most of the games he appears in, he’s a tender 12 years old.
* KidSamurai: Certainly in terms of his age, and his role as a “little brother” figure to some of the older samurai men in the cast.
* KillTheCutie: Despite his tender years, he's spared none of the series' legendarily graphic brutality and is subject to the same horrific fatalities as all of the other characters, which can be uncomfortable, all things considered.
* MeaningfulName: "Hisame" translates as "Scarlet Rain", although the developers made a pun with "RainOfBlood". "Shizu" translates as "[[TheQuietOne Quiet]]". If you take his alleged true name into account, "Jin / Yaiba" means "sword", while his surname "Minazuki" translates to "moonless sky on the 9th sign of the Chinese calendar". The latter in particular refers to the phenomenon of a crimson moon. Put them both together and you essentially get "sword of the blood-red moon", which not only ties into his theme regarding the color red but also denotes his latent thirst for violence.
* ParasolOfPain: He wields an oil-paper parasol with a bladed edge, which acts as his primary weapon. He can whap the opponent with the tip, send it spinning towards them in the manner of an arcing fireball attack, and deadliest of all, spin it round rapidly to suck the opponent in and deliver a horrific multi-hitting rotor-blade style attack. He [[DualWielding also wields]] a ''wakizashi''.
* RainOfBlood: His super in ''2019'' is amongst the most horrifically gory in the game. After hurling his parasol at the opponent, he lunges at them screaming and carves a huge gash up their middle, which sends a veritable ''shower'' of blood pouring all over the arena floor whilst he looks on horrified from beneath his blood-soaked parasol.
* RedIsViolent: In his main outfit and hair-highlights, the color red is predominant, and despite his tender look, he's [[GoodIsNotNice as dangerous as anyone else in the roster]].
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: His "seppuku" animation in ''IV'' causes him to bow to his opponent and run like hell.
* ShoutOut: Visually to [[Manga/RurouniKenshin Himura Kenshin]]. Most westerners saw him as one to ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', having Ranma's hairstyle and female hair color as well as Ryouga's trademark weapon (an umbrella).
* ShrinesAndTemples: His stage in ''2019'' is set in the courtyard of the beautiful Tōshō-gū temple complex in Nikko, which has for centuries been a sacred site known for its architectural and decorative masterpieces.
* ShrinkingViolet: A relatively rare male example, he's very sweet-natured, if a little melancholic.
* SicklyGreenGlow: During his fatality in ''V Special'', Shizumaru becomes engulfed in a terrifying green aura, accompanied by a glowing hallucination of Zankuro, hinting at their connection. The aura returns in ''2019'', only this time it also makes his eyes glow green.
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: He was rumored to be a 'demon' by his fellow villagers, and eventually he finds out that he ''does'' indeed have a demon bloodlust within him, similarly to Zankuro. This is alluded to in Shizumaru's fatality in ''V Special'' -- as he prepares to finish off the opponent, a hallucination of Zankuro appears behind him. He misses the killing blow and blacks out from the mental stress, but the phantom Zankuro slices the opponent clean in half, leaving Shizumaru horrified when he regains consciousness. Eventually, he comes to [[BeYourself accept his "demon" as a natural part of himself and makes peace with his past]].
* TheyCallHimSword: The monk who adopted him in infancy named him 'Shizumaru' after the inscription on [[MementoMacGuffin the sword found with him]].
* TroubledButCute: Sweeter than the standard, but with a VERY DarkAndTroubledPast.

[[folder:Gaira Caffeine (Kafūin)]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/23_gaira.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Hida Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_67.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nianfo Namu Amida Butsu]]'', [[ImprobableWeaponUser a giant ojuzu]] [[note]]buddhist prayer beads — analogous to the christian rosary[[/note]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Kōji Suidzu (III), Takeshi Watanabe (IV-V Special), Takumi Satō (VI)[[/note]]

->Nicotine's enormous, slow-witted grandson. After an argument with Nicotine, Gaira ran off from Koka-in temple to train, and witnessed Zankuro's killing spree, but was too afraid to stop him. After Amakusa and Zankuro are defeated for good, Gaira eventually returns in peace to the temple.

* BareFistedMonk: He's a ''giant'' monk of the Koka-in Temple in Hida, and fights with his huge fists and a Buddhist rosary.
* DoesNotLikeShoes: Fights with his (gigantic) feet uncovered.
* DumbMuscle: An incredibly strong guy who sports a ''very'' impressive musculature for someone as young as 18 years old, but he's certainly not the smartest of the series’ characters.
* GentleGiant: From ''III'' to ''IV'', he represented the "giant" character of the series, until the appearance of Kusaregedo in ''V'' and the return of other large-sprite characters in ''VI''.
* TheGiant: He's 7'5" -- ''enormous'' for a Japanese man in the 1700s and only really possible due to medical disorders of the pituitary gland.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: A huge Buddhist rosary which he smashes into the opponent with deadly force -- characters like Mina and Nakoruru can only take two or three heavy hits.
* IronicName: Gaira translates as "[[LightningBruiser lightweight body]]".
* MightyGlacier: He's positively enormous and very slow with it.
* TheSlacker: His blasé, carefree attitude contrasts strongly with the solemn nature of his profession, leading to several arguments with Nicotine over his behavior, and although he acts as though he doesn't care for the temple, in reality, he is hesitant to accept his responsibilities to the Buddhist faith at such a young age.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: As with his grandfather, his last name would usually be written as "Kafūin", but the pun on "caffeine" carried over with him too.
* TakenForGranite: His Fatality turns the enemy into stone. He then proceeds to shatter him/her.
* TransatlanticEquivalent: He's known as Kim Ung Che in ''Fighters Swords'', the Korean version of the third game, made for the South Korean market. The name is a direct Korean translation of “Gaira”. Said counterpart appears as a separate character in ''VI'' with the look of ''III-IV'' Gaira, but with a white outfit instead of Gaira's blue, and they can actually be pitched against each other in a MirrorMatch.

[[folder:Zankuro Minazuki]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/24_zankura.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Kyōto, Yamashiro Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_88.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[{{BFS}} Akahagane Ongokumaru]]'' [[note]](''"[[BloodSplatteredWarrior The Crimson Steel]] [[HeWhoFightsMonsters of Hell's Grudge]]"'')[[/note]], [[{{BFS}} a zanbatō]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Hiroyuki Arita (III), Enma Itō (IV), Kazuhiro Nakata (V Special), Creator/AkioOhtsuka (VI)[[/note]]

->The third game's final boss. Trying his hardest to perfect his swordsmanship, he became a brutal killer, likened to a demon. He slaughtered people indiscriminately until he came across a girl named Shiori and couldn't bring himself to kill her (she is actually revealed to be his daughter). [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone Realizing what kind of man he has become]], he calls it quits and retires into his hermitage, swearing only to raise his sword to fight a WorthyOpponent. In later games, he's revived and killed a few times (once by a [[LightningCanDoAnything lightning bolt]] of all things), but is eventually KilledOffForReal by Sogetsu.

* AmbiguouslyRelated: Shizumaru (birth name Jin/Yaiba Minazuki) is either his son, nephew, or simply shares his surname -- it's never been clarified -- though the fact that Zankuro appears as a looming, ghostly presence in Shizumaru's fatality is telling.
* AntiVillain: He was once a cold-blooded killer but he has since retired and [[EvenEvilHasStandards won't kill people indiscriminately]] — yet he's still the BigBad.
* BadassNormal: Unlike [[EnergyBall Amakusa]] and [[BlackMage Mizuki]], Zankuro doesn't rely on sorcery or the dark powers of Ambrosia, being the first boss character to do so in the series. He wields a ''zanbatō'' which he uses to attack with amazing speed and strength. In his first boss appearance, he could easily defeat his foe in two to three strikes.
* {{BFS}}: His ''zanbatō'' (a giant katana) is absolutely massive, standing about as tall as he is when it's planted in the ground.
* BloodKnight: A brutal version -- he was once a kind man who lived happily with his family. He eventually went blind with blood lust and started to slay others to compensate, unintentionally killing his wife in the process.
* HijackedByGanon: ''IV'' (subtitled AMAKUSA'S REVENGE for crying out loud) revolves around a new plan formulated by a re-reawakened ClassicVillain, so you would think said classic villain would be the final boss. Nope, after defeating Aku Amakusa, the big stone obelisk in the background of the final stage explodes, Aku Amakusa gets sliced in half, and in walks, a newly resurrected Zankuro, who in the third game--it should be noted--was just a normal human who was killed by lightning!
* LargeAndInCharge: He's ''huge'', standing 7'11", with gigantic arms and an intimidating stance.
* MeaningfulName: Minazuki translates as "[[BadMoonRising Moonless sky on the ninth sign of the Chinese calendar]]". Zankuro as "[[BloodSplatteredWarrior Crimson beheader son]]".
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Calls time on his killing spree after coming across a girl named Shiori, who he discovers (thankfully just in time) is his daughter. This causes him to rethink his approach and only fight worthy opponents.
* RatedMForManly: Definitely!
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: His fearful reputation started when a Karō (high-ranking samurai) and his minions kidnapped his child, Kakunoshin. After Zankuro found out, they were soon all dead -- even his son.
* SealedEvilInACan: What he becomes after his death in the third game... which Amakusa tries to release.
* SNKBoss: By ''IV'', he had the greatest reach and base strength of all bosses, as well as great speed.
* SwordBeam: His fatality in ''V'' consists of a super-powered slash that fires a green wave of death at his foe, totally obliterating him/her except for the lower parts of their feet.
* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: In ''III'', where combos are restricted and doing them from behind is one of the few effective ways, he can't be combo-ed from behind, as he will magically block any second hit you might attempt to land on him, leading to some heavy retribution. From that same game, he has a TrueFinalBoss form, where you must knock him down a third time, the cheating part being that even if you have not been knocked out before, you'll lose if he wins the round, and if you win by time out, you also lose the game. Finally in ''IV'', his Desperation Attack is a one hit kill if it catches you in the air.
* TrueFinalBoss: In ''III'', as mentioned above.

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown IV''

[[folder:Kazuki Kazama]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/19_kazukikazama_1.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Wataribashi-no-shita, Hizen Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_49.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]literally "under a bridge in Hizen Province"; he and his brother were found under said bridge as infants[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[TheFourGods Suzaku]]'' [[note]](''"Vermillion Sparrow"'')[[/note]], [[StockNinjaWeaponry a ninjatō]]
-> '''Weapon (as Enja Kazuki):''' [[ExtremityExtremist Punch-based]] [[KungFuWizard martial arts]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Atsushi Yamanishi (IV-V Special, 64-2), Masahiro Okazaki (VI), Masaki Masaki (2019)[[/note]]

->A ninja of the Kazama clan, younger brother of Sogetsu, and way too HotBlooded. He typically fights in defense of his sister, Hazuki, who frequently finds herself kidnapped at the hands of the series' various [[BigBad BigBads]], or to subdue the fire demon Enja, who is eventually sealed within his FlamingSword.

* AnimeHair: Sports big, ''Dragon Ball''-style red hair.
* TheBerserker: As Enja Kazuki, he is reduced to this state due to not being strong-willed enough to control Enja, causing the fire demon to completely overwhelm and possess his body. This serves to starkly contrast with his brother, whose empowered form sees Sogetsu in total control and making Suija subservient to him.
* BigBrotherInstinct: He cares deeply for the safety of his sister Hazuki, which typically forms his motivation for fighting.
%%* BigOlEyebrows
* ChargedAttack: Kazuki can use his special move ''Flames Of Disaster'' to charge up a floating fireball. The fireball can be charged up to three levels and its size will indicate the level charged. It can then be used for his projectile move or command grab move, dealing large amounts of damage.
* CurtainsMatchTheWindow: Sports red hair and eyes.
* DifficultButAwesome: His Bust version revolves around a combination of a slide kick to trip his opponent, a hammer punch to slam them against a wall and a rising punch and kick combo to hit them afterward. If timed perfectly (which is tough), the opponent is caught in a full set of attacks, which he follows up by taking out his sword and slamming the opponent into the ground, doing up to half their health in a single combo.
* DownloadableContent: He returns to the series in ''2019'' as part of the first season of DLC characters.
* FamilyThemeNaming: When looking at the Japanese characters of the Kazama siblings' names, they all have the kanji (月), which means moon. The first kanji of their names also match their color scheme and elemental abilities, with Kazuki's being (火), which means flame.
* FestivalEpisode: His character stage in ''2019'', ''Sumidagawa'', is new to the series and is based on the mother of all summer fireworks festivals in Tokyo, the ''Sumida River Fireworks Show'', which is still held annually every July.
* FieryRedhead: Sports ''bright'' red hair and a fiery personality -- his whole character is essentially fire incarnate.
* FlamingSword: His ''ninjatō'' is permanently inducted with fire, yet it's unclear if this is achieved through coating it in an accelerant, or whether via some ninja spell.
* HighlyVisibleNinja: He's wearing a friggin' RED costume and his sword is actually ''on'' fire. Blending techniques clearly aren't his thing...
* HotBlooded: In keeping with his fire-based theme.
* KnightTemplarBigBrother: Hurt Hazuki in any way, and he'll crisp you.
* MeaningfulName: The "Kazama" clan name translates as "Windy place", but it is also a different way to write the "Fuuma" clan name. "Kazuki" translates as "Fire Month / Fire Moon".
* NinjaLog: A morbid variant: Kazuki can disappear in an explosion of fire and reappar elsewhere, leaving behind what appears to be his torsoless lower half where he once was.
* PlayingWithFire: The most overtly fire-based fighter in the series. He IS fire.
* RedIsViolent: Kazuki has red clothes, hair and ''eyes''.
* RedOniBlueOni: Obviously, he's the Red Oni for Sogetsu's Blue Oni.
* SayMyName: ''[[DeathCryEcho HAZUKIIII!!!]]''
* SiblingYinYang: In keeping with the Kazama brothers' antithetical fire/water theme.

[[folder:Sogetsu Kazama]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/23_kazamasogetsu.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Wataribashi-no-shita, Hizen Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_109.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]"under a bridge in Hizen Province"; he and his brother were found under said bridge as infants[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[TheFourGods Seiryu]]'' [[note]]("Seiryu", the Azure Dragon (青龍 Qīnglóng), is one of the Dragon Gods who represent the chthonic forces of the Five Forms of the Highest Deity)[[/note]], [[StockNinjaWeaponry a ninjatō]] [[note]]Changed to [[OddlyShapedSword a curved tachi]] in the Neo Geo 64 games and ''2019'' [[/note]]
-> '''Weapon (as Suija Sogetsu):''' [[ExtremityExtremist Kick-based]] [[KungFuWizard martial arts]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Naoki Oikawa (IV-V Special, 64-2), Creator/JunjiMajima (VI), Yoshiaki Hasegawa (2019)[[/note]]

->Kazuki's big brother, and a lot more aloof and calm in manner. When their younger sister Hazuki gets kidnapped and Kazuki runs off to rescue her, Sogetsu was assigned with the mission to kill his brother for desertion. He doesn't go through with it and fakes Kazuki's death so they may all live in peace. Inside his weapon is a water-demon named Suija, who is sealed in the same way as Enja is sealed in Kazuki's weapon.
----
* ArrogantKungFuGuy: Oh, yes. Almost all of Sogetsu's win quotes involve him being a total dick towards his opponents and telling them how much they suck. Notably, even after absorbing Suija into his weapon, Sogetsu's personality completely dominates Suija's whenever he channels the water demon's presence, meaning he's ''always'' been like this. Suija's egomania has no effect on him because Sogetsu is ''just as egotistical as Suija''.
* AloofBigBrother: To Kazuki and Hazuki.
* DownloadableContent: He returns to the series in ''2019'' as part of the second wave of DLC characters.
* DrowningPit: For his super in ''2019'', he traps his opponent inside a huge ball of water, suffocating them. He then hurls two watery-blades into the ball, savaging the opponent and turning the water inside a grim blood-red, before finally firing off a bubble-attack, exploding the ball and the enveloped opponent.
* FamilyThemeNaming: When looking at the Japanese characters for the Kazama siblings' names, they all have the kanji (月), which means moon. The first kanji of their names also match their color scheme and elemental abilities, with Sogetsu's being (蒼), which means blue.
* FriendOrIdolDecision: In ''IV'', he has to decide between the life of his brother, or his duty to his clan. He picks Friend and [[TakeAThirdOption sets it up so that it looks like he picked Idol]] to avoid banishment or the death of Kazuki.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: As his win quotes can attest, he can be quite the vain jerk when he wants to. That said, it's clear he cares a lot about the people closest to him from his interactions with Kazuki and Hazuki.
* LongHairedPrettyBoy: He's ''almost'' as beautiful as Ukyo.
* MakingASplash: Unusually for fighting games, where augmenting elements are typically restricted to fire, wind and lightening, he fights with ''water''-based powers, including geyser and bubble attacks, as well as a puddle teleport.
* MeaningfulName: The "Kazama" clan name translates as "Windy place", but it is also a different way to write the "Fuuma" clan name. "Sogetsu" translates as "Azure Month / Azure Moon".
* {{Ninja}}: Unlike Kazuki, he's not as overtly visible, as he can hide in water.
* NotSoStoic: When defeated, he screams his brother's name.
* RedOniBlueOni: He's the Blue for Kazuki's Red.
* SiblingYinYang: In keeping with the Kazama brothers' antithetical fire/water theme.
[[/folder]]

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown V''

[[folder:Yoshitora Tokugawa]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/15_yoshitora.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Edo, Musashi Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_30.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapons:''' ''[[WalkingArmory Nadeshiko, Shirayuri, Botan, Tsubaki, Asagao, Yūgao and Yoshitora]]'' [[note]] ([[FloralThemeNaming "Dianthus", "White lily", "Tree peony", "Camellia", "Japanese morning glory", "Moonflower"]] -- the names of his girlfriends -- [[AndStarring and Yoshitora himself]]) His last sword also has the given name of ''Yuchōka'' ([[PurpleProse Butterfly over flowers]])[[/note]], [[WalkingArmory four shirasaya]], [[DualWield a daisho pair]] [[{{BFS}} and a zanbatō]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/HiroYuki (V-VI), Creator/MakotoFurukawa ([=SamSho=] 2019)[[/note]]

->Heir of the Tokugawa regime (yes, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_Ieyasu that Tokugawa]]), he’s rebellious, party crazy and would rather hit on women than govern. He is called back to leadership when his master Gaoh pulls a coup and he is compelled to take him down, helped by Hanzo and Jubei. Finally realizing that WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility, Yoshitora took the position of Shogun. [[ExcusePlot He is also responsible of arranging the tournament behind the sixth game]].

* AnimeHair: Wild even for this series, he sports hair like a huge, coiffed broom.
* ArrogantKungFuGuy: He's very cocky in his skills, which is only rivaled by his confidence in his looks.
* AwesomeButImpractical: Connecting with every single one of his special moves opens up access to his ''Yuchōka'' special, a screen-filling projectile that is so powerful it can win entire matches by itself. The problem? A few of the moves you need to unlock it are very situational and nigh-impossible to land in a real match. Fortunately, his overall move-set is considered well-rounded as it is, so unlocking the Final Sword is more for style points. In both ''VI'' and ''2019'' he has a super move that basically amounts to him comboing all his special moves together, which also unlocks the move, but this has its own issues.
* {{BFS}}: That huge ''zanbatō'' (giant katana) he carries on his lower back. It's only used for his OneHitKO attack (see AwesomeButImpractical).
* TheCasanova: In victory, he never leaves the battlefield without a lady (or three) in tow.
* ChivalrousPervert: He's definitely a skirt-chaser, but seems to respect and treat women well at the end of the day.
* ComesGreatResponsibility: The weight of having the Tokugawa surname lays heavily on his party-loving shoulders.
* EveryoneHasStandards: Despite his womanizing ways, his bio lists him as despising alcohol.
* FlowerMotifs: All of his special moves are accompanied by bursts of floral energy corresponding to the flowers his girlfriends/weapons are named after -- "''Nadeshiko!''"
* TheHedonist: Like many an aristocrat, his main hobbies are partying and the pursuit of female admirers. Under the "likes" section of his bio, he lists "any kind of amusing diversion".
* {{Hunk}}: He's definitely got the looks, build and charm.
* KingIncognito: He likes playing this, as the Tokugawa name is a fun-impeding burden he'd rather ditch sometimes.
* MeaningfulName: The august family name ''Tokugawa'' means "River of Virtue", and his given name means "[[BitchInSheepsClothing Pleasant Tiger]]", alluding to his charming, yet somewhat predatory sexual appetite.
* {{Narcissist}}: He's dashingly handsome, but doesn't he just know it.
-->'''Yoshitora''': "Don't worry, you're not dead. I really am this good-looking."
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Based on the year ''V'' occurs (1786), his character is loosely based on ''Tokugawa Ienari'', the eleventh Tokugawa shogun who ruled a rather decadent era.
* RebelPrince: Although he's heir to the Shogunate, he's more interested in women and partying than politics, and runs away from his palace home, refusing to be the next ruler. It takes Gaoh starting a rebellion against his family to lure him back to governance.
* RoyalBlood: A few of the characters would be considered nobles in the Japanese sense, as the samurai class is analogous to the English knightly class, though Yoshitora is ''easily'' from the most august family, as he's heir to the Tokugawa Shogunate and his father is the ''de facto'' ruler of Japan.
* RoyalHarem: One of his defining characteristics is his insatiable sexual appetite, and he keeps a harem of six beautiful women of varying types (cute and sweet, demure and vampish) close to hand — all of whom he names his swords after.
* RuleOfCool: Way too many swords to handle by any normal person, no matter how skilled.
* ShoutOut: He was designed by Nobuhiro Watsuki of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' fame and was made to be a tribute to Chō, from the multiple swords and broom hair, but not the Shogun heritage.
* SimpleYetOpulent: He sports a golden-yellow ''yukata'' that on the surface appears quite simple, but in ''2019'', on closer inspection, it is beautifully dyed, fading into lime green at the hem and embellished with beautiful embroidery on the lining and collar, befitting his royal status.
* SwordBeam: He can create a large vertical sword beam when using the ''Yoshitora'' zanbato.
* ThemeNaming: All his attacks are named after flowers, as are his swords, which are named for his girlfriends, who all sport one of the so-called "Geisha names" — that is, names (often florally inspired) that follow conventions and forms typical to the {{Geisha}} community.
* WalkingArsenal: '''Seven friggin' swords!''' Four short-swords, two regular-length swords, and one giant sword as long as he is tall. He's able to DualWield these blades at will and slice with them almost too fast to see.
* WarriorPrince: He's the heir to the Tokugawa Shogunate and is also a highly competent swordsman.

[[folder:Mina Majikina]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/22_minamajikina.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryukyu_Kingdom Okinawa, Ryukyu Kingdom]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagryukyu.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] The flag shown here is that of the Ryukyu Kingdom. At the time the series is set, the Ryukyu Kingdom (which included modern-day Okinawa and other islands) was independent of mainland Japan. [[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[ReligiousandMythologicalThemeNaming Chinshei Hachijo]]'' [[note]](''"[[EmbodimentOfVirtue The Holy Suppressor of Eight Purifications]]"'')[[/note]], [[GreatBow a yumi bow]] [[ArcherArchetype and arrows]]
-> '''Helper:''' ''[[KillerRabbit Chample]]''
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/SatsukiYukino (V & V Special), Creator/RieTanaka ([[Anime/QueensBlade Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos]]), Creator/YuiIshikawa (2019)[[/note]]

->A young Ryukyuan (Okinawan) girl blessed with a certain demon-hunting power. She was revered as a ''Kaminchu'' (literally "god person"), but ends up being shunned due to locals fearing her power, which causes her to seclude herself from others. Her only companion is a... creature...''thing''... named Chample, whom she met after she returned from a demon-hunting trip. After a demon levels her village, she sets out on a quest to destroy it...only to find that the demon was, in fact, Chample. Initially believed to have then killed Chample and committed suicide out of despair, she returns in ''2019'' alive and well, now sporting an eyepatch, along with Chample.

* ArcherArchetype: Mina has incredible range, but is VERY vulnerable up close. She's also pretty downbeat and emotionless, to better her 'stern archer' image.
* AwesomeMcCoolname: To a western audience, “Mina Majikina” sounds like she’s some sort of cartoon witch — as in, she’s ''[[CuteWitch 'Magic Mina']]''. However, “Majikina” is very much a real Okinawan surname, and she’s likely named after the scholar Anko Majikina, who also hailed from Okinawa.
* AmbiguouslyBrown: Okinawans are viewed as somewhat exotic by mainland Japanese, perhaps explaining her grey-white hair and tanned complexion.
* BalanceBuff: In ''V'', Mina's moveset is focused entirely on zoning with high-risk, high-reward arrow shots. Everything about her moveset, including her normals, revolved around her firing arrows, making her a case of CripplingOverspecialization, which made her very annoying and high-tier in the original version before she was nerfed in ''V Special''. In ''2019'', however, Mina received a radical overhaul to her moveset, completely reworking it to the point where she almost feels like a new character. She still has strong zoning capabilities, but she is now much more well-rounded, being able to hit opponents with her bow and go on the offensive with stance cancels and mixups.
* BareYourMidriff: Wears a mini kimono top that only really covers her breasts.
* DoomedHometown: Her story kicks off after a demon (later revealed to be Chample) destroys her village, which sets her on a mission to exorcise it.
* DownloadableContent: She returns to the series in ''2019'' as part of the second wave of DLC characters.
* DoesNotLikeMen: Is very apprehensive and edgy around males.
* TheDogWasTheMastermind: The conclusion of her story in ''V'' amounts to this. In her ending, the [[BeneathSuspicion seemingly adorable, innocuous Chample]] reverts back to his true ''Shisa'' form and Mina senses his energy to be akin to the one responsible for her village's destruction. Mina prepares to necessarily kill Chample and promises to follow him in death soon afterward...
* DrivenToSuicide: The very purpose of her mission is to kill the demon responsible for destroying her village, but having found out that it was Chample all along, she is necessarily compelled to kill him. Having realized she has killed her only friend, it's heavily implied she commits suicide in what is undoubtedly one of most down-beat, nay [[DownerEnding depressing endings]] in the fighting game genre. However, her ending in ''Samurai Shodown 2019'' (set a year after ''V'') reveals that she was unable to go through with killing Chample, choosing instead to seal his evil within her.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: In ''2019'' it's revealed that she chose to absorb the evil within Chample rather than killing him. This results in frequent bouts of agonizing pain as the evil tries to escape. It is only in her ending that she is finally able to rid herself of the evil by dispatching Shizuka, thereby also fully saving Chample. Her mission complete, she sails back to the Ryukyu Kingdom, now finally free of her burdens.
* EmotionlessGirl: She’s a morose, downbeat kind of girl — likely due to her village being mysteriously destroyed.
* EyeScream: She wears an eyepatch over her right eye in her ''2019'' redesign, which seals the evil within Chample, preventing his murderous rampages. The evil’s frequent attempts to escape cause her terrible pain.
* EyepatchOfPower: Sports one over her right eye in the ''2019'' game. It's actually a seal that binds the evil within Chample.
* GlassCannon: Despite her high damage output and extremely annoying screen controlling tactics, she can't take a hit at all. One or two mistakes on her part, which aren't that hard to make, and she'll be killed quickly.
* HandicappedBadass: According to her bio in ''2019'', she sealed Chample's darkness inside her and she’s slowly being consumed by it. Furthermore, this has taken a toll on her fighting prowess, forcing her to modify her fighting style by adding a blade to her bow for close-quarters combat.
* LonersAreFreaks: Being born with strong spiritual powers, she was raised separately from her family, worshipped but also feared, and shunned because of her powers.
* LongRangeFighter: Mina has a full-screen range with her bow and easily the longest reach in the series.
* MagicalGirlWarrior: Mina is a ''Kaminchu'' (神人, "god person") -- a type of priestess specializing in Ryukyuan magico-religious practices, usually those involving incorporeal beings. Her social role corresponds to that of a shaman, medium, or healer/guardian, as well as a demon-hunter.
* MeaningfulName:
** Majikina means "True mirror name". “Mina” is a broad-spectrum name encountered in many languages but in Japanese, in names like “Mina(ko)”, it typically means “Beauty” — which of course Mina is. Furthermore, as seen in her ending, an Ainu priestess confirms to her that in the Ainu tongue, her name means "to laugh", and that she hopes to see Mina live up to her namesake in the future.
** "Chample" appears to be a muddled romanisation of ''Chanpurū'' [[note]]literally "something mixed"[[/note]], which is a traditional [[EdibleThemeNaming Okinawan stir-fry]] -- he's apparently named after the national dish. It's a word often used to refer to the mixed culture of Okinawa itself.
* MechanicallyUnusualFighter: Her bow and arrow weapon sets her apart dramatically from the series’ other fighters, who are all armed with a variety of melee weapons which require directly engaging with the opponent. Mina’s bow demands a completely different approach, requiring fire-and-flight tactics to keep the opponent far out of their own attack range and her out of harm's way, as up close, she’s incredibly vulnerable.
* MultiRangedMaster: In ''2019'', Mina's fighting style is quite different than in ''V''. Explained by her having lost an eye, her archery skills are less prevalent and she has attached a small blade to the tip of her bow, allowing her to be more effective (and balanced) up-close.
* MysticalWhiteHair: A potential by-product of her demon-hunting powers, or because of albinism.
* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: She is likely named after revered Okinawan scholar, Anko Majikina.
* NonHumanSidekick: She’s consistently accompanied by Chample, a seemingly RidiculouslyCuteCritter who is, in fact, a ''Shisa'', a traditional Ryukyuan cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions (often seen in similar pairs) resembling a cross between a lion and a dog from Okinawan mythology.
* PromotedToPlayable: Chample in the home ports of ''VI''.
* {{Retcon}}: It was believed that she had killed Chample and then committed suicide afterward. However, to excuse her appearance in ''2019'', Mina's story was reworked, explaining that she chose to seal the evil controlling Chample within herself, necessitating an eyepatch and a radical change in fighting style.
* SlidingScaleOfGameplayAndStoryIntegration: Of the '''Deliberate Integration''' type. According to Kuroki-the game's producer- he added an eyepatch to Mina's sketches on a whim because he thought it would look cool. The rest of the staff liked the addition so much than it was decided to write it into her story and change her moveset accordingly.
* SealedEvilInACan: Following Chample's battle to the death with Mina after the events of ''V'', in ''2019'' he now sports a demonic seal shaped like a bandage across his forehead -- likely to stop him wreaking any more havoc.
* ShoutOut: Her fighting style — ''The Secret Way of the Drawn Crescent Moon'' — is named for a book written by author Kyokutei Bakin and her bow is named after Chinzei Hachirō Tametomo, better known as Minamoto no Tametomo, a legendary samurai archer.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Aside from the long skirt she ties around her waist, she's basically wearing a bikini.
* ThrowTheDogABone: As opposed to her depressing ending in ''V'', her non-canon ending in ''VI'' was much more hopeful, with Yoshitora revealing that he had investigated the whereabouts of Mina's father. This led her to his grave, where an awaiting elderly Ainu lady assured Mina that her father loved her and she should try to smile more since her name means 'to laugh' in the Ainu tongue. Her ''2019'' ending, as detailed above under EarnYourHappyEnding, is even more positive.
* {{Youkai}}: Chample is referred to as an ''ayakashi'', and is specifically a ''shisa'', which are guardian deities in Okinawan mythology. The evil energy corrupting and controlling him, however, renders him contrary to their usual depiction, at least until he is finally freed from it in Mina's ''2019'' ending.

[[folder:Liu Yunfei]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/29_yunfei.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[ImperialChina Chang'an, Tang Empire]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/800px_flag_of_tang_dynasty_china.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]The flag shown here is that of the Tang Dynasty, who ruled China from 618 A.D. to 907 A.D.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[CoolSword Tensen Enkou]]'' [[note]](''Heavenly Flash Skillful Swallow'')[[/note]], [[CoolSword a dàdāo]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Satoshi Taki (V, V Special), Creator/ToruOkawa (VI)[[/note]]

->An old warrior who can fly with the power of the wind. He was actually born in the year 740 A.D. during China's Tang Dynasty, and by 800 A.D., he was living in relative peace with his beloved wife. Desiring to gain more power, that same year he made a deal with a demonic being calling himself "The Dark Emperor" (Kuraki-sumeragi) which caused him to go berserk. He killed his wife before finally being sealed inside a boulder by his eight students. He reenters the world a millennium later after the evil entity leaves his body to possess Gaoh. He makes it his final mission to stop Gaoh by any means possible...

* TheAtoner: Having killed his own wife, due to the influence of an evil spirit he'd allowed to possess him, he attempts to atone for his past crimes.
* BadassTeacher: He had to be a great master if it took ''eight'' of his own students to seal him away when he was BrainwashedAndCrazy.
* BlowYouAway: One of the few wind-based fighters in the series.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: When he was under the influence of a demonic entity.
* DealWithTheDevil: Forged a deal with an evil spirit in an attempt to become stronger.
* FishOutOfTemporalWater: Due to his possession by an evil demon, his spirit was necessarily sealed by his students inside a boulder in the year 800 A.D. In the late 1700s, when the series is set, he is freed once more after the evil demon leaves his spirit to possess Gaoh.
* KillTheOnesYouLove: Under the influence of a demon, he slaughtered his own wife.
* MeaningfulName: Yunfei translates as "Flying cloud" in keeping with his WireFu style.
* OlderThanTheyLook: He's physically 60 years old, but chronologically, since he was actually born during the Tang Dynasty, he's over 1000 years old.
* OldMaster: 'Old' being the operative word. He comes complete with flowing silver hair and a long beard.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: He redeems himself by allowing himself to become repossessed by the demon he originally struck a deal with and then having Goah kill him, which also destroys the demon's evil essence. After he is struck down, he is reunited with his wife (presumably in heaven).
* ShoutOut: His name is composed of Shu's three sworn brothers from ''[[Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'': Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei.
* SoulPower: His fatality allows him to ''[[DeaderThanDead extract the soul of the victim and cut it in half, killing him/her]]''.
* WindIsGreen: Sports a grass-green, typically Chinese outfit and specializes in wind-augmented moves.
* WireFu: He takes inspiration from typical ''wuxia'' traits, with the most notable of these being his ability to float through the air, an exaggerated approximation of ''qinggong'' or "lightness skills".

[[folder:Sankuro Yorozu]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/36_sankuro.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Sakai, Izumi Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_616.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon(s):''' ''[[MultiMeleeMaster Tenka Ippin]]'' [[note]](''"[[BadassBoast Peerless Masterpiece]]"'')[[/note]], [[DropTheHammer a giant wooden mallet]]
-> '''Helpers:''' [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Fuyo, Ippachi and Goshichi]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Tomoyuki Shimura (V, V Special), Shinsuke Fukui (VI)[[/note]]

->A lowly thug who's looking for an easy way to make a quick buck. He is the gang leader of a group of miscreants consisting of him, Goshichi, Fuyo and Ippachi -- all three appear to assist him in attacks. His mission is to become the Lord of Hinowa with minimal effort, so he hires Genjuro Kibagami to dispatch Gaoh, though due to his own duplicity, Genjuro turns on him and he has to beat a hasty retreat, never to be seen again. Maybe he died...

* AssholeVictim: ''No one'' missed him when Genjuro sent him packing.
* AssistCharacter: His partners Goshichi, Fuyo, and Ippachi, who can all attack or stall the opponent.
* BadBoss: While His minions worship him, Sankuro doesn't think too highly of them.
* DirtyCoward: Needs to cheat with assists to win a bout. Also, in his ending, he's too chicken to take on Genjuro face-to-face and only attempts to strike when his back is turned.
* DropTheHammer: His wields a big wooden hammer.
* HumanTraffickers: In pre-match dialogue with some of the female characters, such as Nakoruru, Charlotte or Rimururu, he claims he'll sell them at the slave-markets, which alongside his myriad of other negative qualities, only goes to emphasize how ''vile'' he actually is.
* {{Jerkass}}: Literally has no redeeming features whatsoever and was seemingly designed to be as irritating as possible, both in character and in terms of having him as an opponent.
* LargeHam: His poses are pompous and his dialogue full of bluster.
* MidBoss: Of ''V'' -- he's one of the {{sub boss}}es of the game along with Yumeji.
* NumericalThemeNaming: His own name is made up of the kanji for three (San), nine (Kyu/Ku) and six (Roku/Ro). His associates are Goshichi (Five-Seven), Fuyo (Two-Four), and Ippachi (One-Eight). Sort of fitting that they all debut in ''Samurai Spirits '''Zero'''.''
* ReusedCharacterDesign: He comes across like a bad sprite-swap of Genjuro, as seen in his PaletteSwap costume and some of his poses and moves. His animations are sub-par, and his assistants' animations are even ''worse'', with barely any movement at all -- Ippachi is basically a flat image that sails in to "grab" your feet. This lends Sankuro a tacked-on, lazy feeling in a series where this is usually not the case.
* ShoutOut:
** His personality and some elements of his design were modeled after the characters Jagi and Amiba from ''Manga/HokutoNoKen''.
** Ippachi and Goshichi are very similar to Boyacky and Tonzura from ''[[Anime/{{Yatterman}} Yatterman]]''.
* SmugSnake: He thinks he's terribly clever in trying to manipulate Genjuro -- but fails to realize he's dealing with a sadistic killer. He also sports a shit-eating grin whenever he summons his cronies in battle, just to further infuriate you.
* SmallNameBigEgo: Goes so far as to call his style 'The Strongest Style'. He fails to exhibit the charm that [[Franchise/StreetFighter Dan Hibiki]] possesses though.
* SNKBoss: Well, mid-boss. Fighting him is required and '''HELLISH''' in every way possible due to his interrupting minions, heavy damage, and frickin' pistol, which can outright ''kill'' you in one.
* TooSpicyForYogSothoth: Kusaregedo will eat anything... except this guy. He apparently doesn't taste too good, for some reason...
* TheTrickster: If summoning assists in a one-on-one fight is already unfair, Sankuro also has hidden bombs and even a ''revolver'' to finish his opponent.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: His yukata is slung off his shoulders like Genjuro's.
* WouldHitAGirl: With relish -- he claims he's looking forward to beating up Mina and Rera specifically because they're female.

[[folder:Kusaregedo]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/30_kusaregedo.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Sado Island, Sado Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_68.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] His origin when he was still human. Sado Island is one of the smallest historic Provinces, and at the time the series is set, it was something of a dumping ground for criminals, waifs, and strays.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[BodyHorror Mukidashi no Hone]]'' [[note]](''"[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Exposed bone]]"'')[[/note]], [[BodyHorror his own exposed bone arm]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/GoShinomiya (V, V Special), Tarō Masuoka (VI)[[/note]]

->Fully titled {{Youkai}} Kusaregedo. A giant ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preta#Local_traditions gaki]]'' who was once a kind man... except for his [[ImAHumanitarian cannibalistic]] tendencies (caused by the Great Tenmei Famine), which cursed him into becoming the terrifying creature he is now. All he cares about eating, eating and [[RuleOfThree more eating]] -- and he likes eating humans... ''especially little girls''. One day, he happens to pick up the scent of Rimururu and proceeds to chase her, only to be stopped by his own daughter Hakana, who pleaded him with to revert to the man he used to be. Kusaregedo manages to remember her... [[MoralEventHorizon but then proceeds to EAT her.]]

* {{Autocannibalism}}: One of his victory poses is him taking a bite out of his own arm.
* BadWithTheBone: His weapon is a sharpened bone jammed into his forearm.
* BaldOfEvil: His giant head is bald on top.
* ChildEater: His TrademarkFavoriteFood.
* CompositeCharacter: He seems to combine aspects of Earthquake and Shiranui Gen-An, who oddly enough, are missing from the game in which he debuts. The biggest difference being that while they have ''some'' good qualities, he has none present. Whatsoever.
* EldritchLocation: His home-stage is set on the real-world Sado Island, but the stage's propping suggests an evil, haunted locale.
* TheGiant: Standing 14'11", he's easily the tallest character in the series.
* {{Gonk}}: He’s one of the most horrifying characters in fighting games in general, let alone his home-series.
* HulkSpeak: In place of his biographical information are various disturbingly hilarious quips such as "I want some roashted childly wildies!"
* ImAHumanitarian: His transformation into a gluttonous youkai in the first place was [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment punishment]] for cannibalism in his lifetime, though his backstory's great emphasis on his former kindness brings some doubt as to whether it was of his own volition. He'll eat all kinds of humans, children being his favorite, but for reasons unrelated to [[EvenEvilHasStandards having standards on cannibalism]], he finds Sankuro [[TooSpicyForYogSothoth very un-tasty and refuses to eat him.]]
* KarmaHoudini: Despite being a murderous cannibal, he's never brought to justice. Maybe he got away scot-free, or if he was killed, we don't know who by -- his ending in V just lists him as being 'never seen again'. In his ending in ''VI'', Kusaregedo ate pretty much ''[[KillEmAll everyone]]'' and was never heard of again.
* MeaningfulName: His name translates to "Rotting fiend".
* ObviouslyEvil: A giant, terrifying ogre-like creature that eats children and has a horrific exposed bone as a weapon.
* TragicVillain: Despite being a terrifying, disgusting monster, he didn't become the {{Youkai}} he is right now by choice. The Great Tenmei Famine drove him to cannibalism, cursing him into his current form.
* VillainousGlutton: His killing instinct is led by his insatiable appetite.
* WasOnceAMan: He was once a kind man living peacefully on Sado Island, however, due to the Great Tenmei Famine, starvation led him to develop [[ImAHumanitarian cannibalistic]] tendencies, which cursed him into becoming the terrifying creature he is now.
* {{Youkai}}: Gaki (known as "Preta" in Sanskrit: प्रेत) and "Hungry Ghost" in other Asian cultures), are a type of supernatural being described in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Chinese and Vietnamese folk religion as undergoing suffering greater than that of humans, particularly an extreme level of hunger and thirst.

[[folder:Rera]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/31_rera.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[WildWilderness Kamuikotan, the Ainu Lands, Ezo]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagainu_7.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[EveryJapaneseSwordIsAKatana Houtou Chichi-ushi]]'' [[note]] (''"Treasured sword [[AnimalThemeNaming Father Bull]]"'')[[/note]], [[EveryJapaneseSwordIsAKatana a kodachi]]
-> '''Helper:''' ''[[NobleWolf Shikuru]]''
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/HarumiIkoma (''Nakoruru ano hito kara no okurimono'' game), Creator/KyokoHikami (''Nakoruru ano hito kara no okurimono'' OAV, V, V Special), Creator/MikakoTakahashi (VI)[[/note]]

->The story of her creation is an interesting one, unique in the series, and goes as follows; -- during the early days of ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'', the palette swap of Nakoruru was often seen with a naughty/malicious grin, instead of her usually innocent face. The intrigue built up until she started to become unique enough that when the Slash/Bust system was introduced, she was partnered with a wolf named Shikuru instead of Mamahaha. Fans originally thought her to be the EvilTwin of Nakoruru, but eventually, the character was fleshed out further by SNK and named Rera, thus becoming a character in her own right.

* {{Anti Hero}}ine: She loves nature as much as Nakoruru does, but is much more extreme in the way she goes about protecting it.
* AscendedExtra: She was only a palette swap at first, and eventually becomes more and more integral to Nakoruru's story.
* BigDamnHeroes: She took over Nakoruru's body twice, and both times it was to save both their lives.
* TheBeastMaster: She commands the wolf Shikuru -- she can even ride him into combat.
* GrandTheftMe: A ''slightly'' necessary version, given that, in Rera's view, Nakoruru is a tad ''too'' good sometimes.
* HeadSwap: Somewhat justified due to her origin, though she's essentially just a Nakoruru clone with a few added techniques.
* JapaneseRanguage: Her name provides a textbook example. In the Ainu language, there is no "R/L" ambiguity, as there is in modern Japanese, so her name is undoubtedly supposed to be romanized as the far more lyrical ''"Lela"''.
* MeaningfulName: "[[DramaticWind Rera (Lela)]]" means "wind" in the ''Ainu'' language, and true to her name, she's one the series' fastest characters.
* MyFutureSelfAndMe: Being a DreamMatchGame, in ''VI'' you can choose Rera '''AND''' Purple Nakoruru and make them fight.
* PurpleIsPowerful: In the early days of the games, when she was "Purple Nakoruru", she had a sadistic grin, which lent the impression that Nakoruru was more powerful and lethal in that palette. Reaffirmed in ''III'' when she controlled the wolf Shikuru.
* TheStoic: Maintains a grim, granite-like facade.
* SuperpoweredEvilSide: She's this for Nakoruru, but she's not actually ''evil'', just a WellIntentionedExtremist, who was sickened with Nakoruru's [[TechnicalPacifist unwillingness to hurt people to achieve her goals]], and therefore forcibly possesses her body in times of peril.
* WasTooHardOnHim: Eventually, she comes to understand that sometimes peaceful methods can be a viable option to solve problems, rather than just fighting, and thus she returned Nakoruru's body. Subsequently, Rera never possessed Nakoruru's body again.
* WhatTheHellHero: To Nakoruru in her opening sequences, before going ahead and possessing her.

[[folder:Rasetsumaru]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/32_rasetsumaru.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[HellOnEarth Makai (the demon world)]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagmakai_6.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[KatanasAreJustBetter Yōtō: Torikabuto]]'' [[note]](''"Demon Blade: [[FloralThemeNaming Aconite]]"'', a toxic plant that shares Rasetsumaru’s color, but written as ''[[BloodierAndGorier Slaughtering]] [[BringMyBrownPants Diarrheal]] [[OffWithHisHead Helmet]]'')[[/note]], [[EvilCounterpart a blood-red katana]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Tsuguo Nakajima (V, V Special), Shinsuke Fukui (VI)[[/note]]

->A demon released from Makai when Amakusa made a deal with Ambrosia. He exists purely to kill, reflecting his red blood blade. He's a failed clone of Haohmaru, created by Amakusa to be the perfect warrior. In his storyline, he hates not only Haohmaru but also Amakusa for creating him and hunts both of them down.

* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Rasetsumaru has an unearthly purple skin-tone.
* AxCrazy: His "bio" is a collection of obsessive quotes with regards to his homicidal urges.
* BeatStillMyHeart: His [[FinishHim Zetsumei Ougi]].
* CanonImmigrant: Rasetsumaru is directly based on Haohmaru's EvilKnockoff from the ''Samurai Spirits: Haohmaru Jigokugyo'' manga and his move set is based on Bust/Rasetsu Haohmaru.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Likes doing this to his victims.
* CombatSadomasochist: One of his specials involves cutting himself across the chest with his blade, causing him to bleed and take damage to fill up his rage gauge.
* EvilKnockoff: According to some sources, Rasetsumaru was Amakusa's failed attempt at creating his own minion modeled after Haohmaru.
* MeaningfulName: "Rasetsu" (The Japanese term for "Rakshasa") was the name used for the alternate gameplay mode in ''III & IV''.
* SelfHarm: Can cut himself to instantly achieve POW state, but at the cost of 1/3 of his life-bar.
* UnstoppableRage: Notable in that his gameplay style actually ''revolves'' around the Rage mechanic. Normally, Rasetsumaru plays like a slightly nerfed, more combo-oriented version of Haohmaru. The latter part is very important, because he has THE best super in ''V'' and he can combo into it VERY easily, making him extremely deadly during POW state.

[[folder:Enja]]

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/33_enja.jpg]]

-> '''Origin:''' ''[[HellOnEarth Makai (the demon world)]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagmakai_3.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon(s):''' ''[[ReligiousandMythologicalThemeNaming Agni no Kusari]]'' [[note]](''"Chains of Agni"'', referencing the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni Hindu fire deity]])[[/note]], [[ChainedByFashion a pair of broken handcuffs]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Shintarō Ōhata (V, V Special), Atsushi Yamanishi (VI)[[/note]]

->Enja is one of Liu Yunfei's disciples from 1,000 years ago, who succumbed to the powers of the demon world. He became a powerful elemental demon that was eventually sealed by Hazuki Kazama, who fused his spirit with Kazuki's sword.

* DifficultButAwesome: Carrying over from Kazuki's Bust mode, his move-set is based around a rekka chain that ends in a one-frame link. Succeeding allows Enja to potentially end the round in a single move. Failure, however, leaves him wide open for retaliation.
* {{Expy}}: Of Kazuki's Bust Mode in 64 games.
* MeaningfulName: "Evil flame", originally used as a title for ''Warrior's Rage (Neo Geo 64)'' Rasetsu Kazuki.
* NoIndoorVoice: To say the least...
* TheUnintelligible: He speaks entirely in {{Angrish}}.
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: He lost his mind when he became a demon, leaving him nothing more than a savage beast fuelled only by hate, rage, and destructive impulses.

[[folder:Suija]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/34_suija.jpg]]

-> '''Origin:''' ''[[HellOnEarth Makai (the demon world)]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagmakai_9.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon(s):''' ''[[ReligiousandMythologicalThemeNaming Rudra no Wa]]'' [[note]](''"Bracelets of Rudra"'', referencing the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudra Hindu storm diety]])[[/note]], [[ArsenalAttire a pair of golden bracelets]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Ikuji Nose (V, V Special), Naoki Oikawa (VI)[[/note]]

->Enja's brother, and unlike his berserker of a brother, Suija is a much more composed person... with an ambition to become a God. Like Enja, he ends up being sealed into Sogetsu's weapon by Hazuki.

%%* AnimeHair
* {{Expy}}: Of Sogetsu's Bust Mode in 64 games.
%%* GodhoodSeeker
%%* KillItWithWater
* MeaningfulName: "Evil water", originally used as a title for ''Warrior's Rage (Neo Geo 64)'' Rasetsu Sogetsu.
* RainOfBlood: What his Zetsumei Ougi results in. He's currently the image provider too.
%%* WalkingShirtlessScene

[[folder:Yumeji Kurokochi]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/35_yumeji.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Edo, Musashi Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_577.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' [[NoNameGiven a nameless]] ''[[IaijutsuPractitioner iaitō]]''
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Mitsuki Saiga[[/note]]

->The child of Ukyo's mentor. Apparently based on UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga's {{Uke}}, Mori Ranmaru, who looked as equally feminine. Expelled from their dojo of origin, Yumeji ends up becoming Gaoh's right-hand person. They are later defeated by Ukyo, but avoid execution. Yumeji later becomes a nun and is responsible for permanently killing Rasetsumaru.

* AloofDarkHairedGirl: Sports waist-length hair pulled into a long pony-tail, and is a very serious person, with body issues that are probably gender-related
* AmbiguousGender: Yumeji is unique in the roster in terms of having no definite canon gender. The developers of the game, Yuki Enterprise, encouraged players to "believe whatever you believe Yumeji to be". To add to the confusion, Yumeji speaks in gender-neutral Japanese in both official their story and in-game text, and Yumeji's voice actor is known for voicing both genders. Due to the openness of the statement, players still argue over Yumeji's gender to this day. The gender-neutral pronoun "they/them" is therefore used here.
* CrissCrossAttack: Yumeji has a MeteorMove where they move at lightning speed towards the opponent, passing through and behind him or her before sheathing their sword. A split second later, the opponent is sliced by various slashes and collapses to the ground.
* DittoFighter: They are the "Tsungxpert" variant. At their debut, Yumeji's specialty move is the ability to morph into the other fighters and use their moves at will, à la Twelve of ''StreetFighter'' fame.
* TheDragon: To Gaoh -- exemplified in-game where they act as the SubBoss in ''V''.
* HeirToTheDojo: For a while, though they were expelled for unknown reasons.
* IaijutsuPractitioner: Just like Yumeji's father and Ukyo, sharing some moves with the latter.
* ImportantHaircut: When defeated by Ukyo, Yumeji begged for death, but Ukyo just cut their ponytail off and ordered them to go home.
* MeaningfulName: "Kurokuchi" translates as "The black river within", and "Yumeji" as "Dreaming".
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: As stated, with their AmbiguousGender and being the right-hand person of a conquering warlord, Yumeji is based on the young page who served UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga, Mori Ranmaru.
* NunTooHoly: Instead of going back home after Ukyo defeats them and orders them to do as such, Yumeji becomes a nun -- but still somehow manages to kill Rasetsumaru at some point.
* SubBoss: Of ''V'' -- they are always encountered before the final assault on Gaoh.
* TomboyishPonytail: Well, until Ukyo cuts it off.

[[folder:Gaoh]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/37_gaoh6.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:250:Gaoh]]
[[caption-width-right:250:[[labelnote:Demon Gaoh]] https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/37_gaoh2.jpg[[/labelnote]]]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Hinowa Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_100.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[AwesomeMcCoolname Onijūji Shihōin]]'' [[note]](''"{{Oni}} Cross: [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Dharma_Seals Four Dharma Seals]]"'')[[/note]], [[BladeOnAStick a jumonji-yari]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/KenjiUtsumi (V and V Special), Creator/AkioOhtsuka (VI)[[/note]]

->Fully titled Gaoh, Rebellious Earl of Hinowa (Kyogoku Hinowa no Kami Gaoh). Based on the [[DemonKingNobunaga Demon King]] UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga himself, Gaoh is a general of Tokugawa who became sickened with how the shogunate, not to mention the heir Yoshitora, whom he mentored, was becoming disgustingly slack and undisciplined. Feeling it his responsibility to set the tone straight, Gaoh led a rebellion, assisted by Yumeji. Along the way, he was possessed by the same demon that made a deal with Yunfei. Yunfei later hunts him down and helps free him of the demon's influence and banishes it. He is later beaten by Yoshitora and in death, he is finally able to see Yoshitora reassuringly maturing.\\
\\
In the sixth dream match game, there's a version of him called 'Gaoh, Tyrant of Makai' or 'Demon Gaoh', which is a continuation of his and Kuraki Sumeragi's stories after they are defeated and banished to the Demon World by Yunfei in the previous game. Once there, he conquers the Demon World and rules it as the Demon King, with his next objective being to conquer "the world above."

* AmbiguouslyBrown: As Demon Gaoh.
* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: His status in VI. In the default game, Gaoh didn't end up becoming a demon completely, as Yunfei's interference restored his humanity enough to face Yoshitora as a human. In the dream match, Yunfei's exorcism also sent him to the Demon World and Gaoh started to relish his demonic power.
* AnimatedArmor: Dark Emperor's "true" form is a ghostly living suit of armor.
* BigBad: With the Dark Emperor demon as the ManBehindTheMan and GreaterScopeVillain.
* BladeOnAStick: To be more precise, '''3''' blades on a stick! It also magically grows in size when Gaoh transforms into the Dark Emperor!
* BlueBlood: He's the feudal lord or ''Daimyo'' (literally “large private land”) of Hinowa Province, with a title analogous to a British ''Earl'' or ''Duke'' and is therefore amongst the highest-ranking Japanese characters in the series -- only Yoshitora really exceeds him in terms of power and status.
* TheCameo: In the ''2019'' story mode intro scene, you can see Gaoh fighting in the background.
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: His intro image in the dream match, whereas he beckons the player to engage with him while simultaneously ''stomping on Satan's head''.
* KilledOffForReal: He is defeated and executed by Yoshitora for his betrayal of the shogunate.
* MeaningfulName: He’s titled “[[AuthorityEqualsAssKicking Rebellious Earl of Hinowa]]". His given name, Gaoh, translates as "[[AuthorityEqualsAssKicking The thriving one]]".
* NobleDemon: A villain that nonetheless has the best interests of his nation at heart. And he's not amused with some of the more obviously evil characters in the game, like Kusaregedo.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: As stated, he's based on UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga, although his demonic status was at first unwilling, and his mission was not to conquer Japan but to reform the Shogunate, which he saw as corrupt, and make Yoshitora a responsible person in the process. The WhatIf story in the sixth game was a take on the popular concept of DemonKingNobunaga.
* OneWingedAngel: The Dark Emperor/Kuraki-Sumeragi
* SNKBoss: One of the toughest out there -- aside from being able to transform into his demonic form, his jumonji spear gives him one of the longest reaches in the games, both on the ground and in the air. He is also one of the stronger characters, dealing greater damage even if his hits are blocked.
* ShoutOut: Gaoh is one enormous shoutout to ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'', from being voiced by Kenji "Raoh" Utsumi to shouting such things as "[[KiManipulation Tenha Kassatsu!]]" and ''"[[AttackAttackAttack Hikanu!]]"'', two famous lines of Kenshiro and Souther respectively.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: He saw the Shogunate growing corrupt, and his student, the heir Yoshitora, as being a slacker that had almost no interest in ruling. For that, he commanded a rebellion to either reform the state or make Yoshitora take the responsibility befitting his position.

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown VI''

[[folder:Iroha]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/24_iroha.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Urushiyama, Ōshū Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_81.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] Urushiyama is best known as the setting of one of Japan's famous crane stories The Grateful Crane Wife, which is linked to the Chinzo Temple in the town.''[[/note]]
-> '''Weapons:''' ''[[DualWielding Hourin Ousai]]'' [[note]](''[[AnimalThemeNaming "Feng Horn" and "Huang Beak"]], [[TheDividual predecessors to / genders of]] [[ThePhoenix the Fenghuang]]'')[[/note]], [[DualWielding twin butterfly swords]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Mayumi Shindo (VI, Neo Geo Heroes, [[Anime/QueensBlade Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos]]), Saori Gotō (Oni), Jun Miruno (2019)[[/note]]

->A crane who is able to transform herself into a Japanese maid. She serves her master and sees her duty to him/her as the most important aspect of her life. She often bows and speaks to the player directly before and after her fights and [[WordOfGod the game's producers have confirmed her master is indeed the player him/herself]]. Iroha is an obedient and cheerful maiden. She deeply cares for her master, trying her hardest to stay in her human form whilst in front of him/her. Despite debuting only in ''VI'', Iroha went on to star in many {{Meido}} based spinoff games. She finally makes her canon debut as part of the 2nd DLC character pass of ''2019''.

* AmbidextrousSprite: Canonically, Iroha's left leg is the one with the bandage on it. In practice, it's whichever one is further away from the player at the time. It still happens in ''2019'' despite using 3D models.
* AscendedExtra: Before ''2019'', Iroha had only appeared in one mainline game in the series, but it was a dream match. However, she quickly became one of the series' most popular characters due to her fanservice-heavy design and demure personality. Although left out of the initial roster for developmental reasons, she was eventually brought in as a DLC character.
* AssKicksYou: Her stance-break in ''2019''.
* {{Animorphism}}: Seamlessly shifts between crane and human forms.
* BattleStrip: One of her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqb5z6Uczz8 super moves]] (which happens in shadow) involves her stripping off her clothes, resulting in her silhouette appearing nude, then beating the crap out of her opponent [[GoodOldFisticuffs with her bare hands]] before morphing into her crane form momentarily to cause some more damage, then morphing back to her human form, still nude, to lay the final blow. It returns in ''2019'' as her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUy_khAfo-U Super Special Move]], unchanged.
* DatingSim: Her SpinOff games by SNK is usually this, having two game series for mobile (''Maid by Iroha'' and ''Koi by Iroha''), as well as appearing in various ''Days of Memories'' games.
* DistractedByTheSexy: During her BattleStrip super move, her opponent is ''just standing there'' letting her beat the crap out of him[=/=]her.
* DoesntLikeGuns: She's not fond of firearms or ranged weapons, as seen in her interactions with Andrew and Mina. It's implied she was injured in her crane form by a hunter (per the original folktale), which would explain her distaste for such things.
* DownloadableContent: She returns to the series in ''2019'' as part of the second wave of DLC characters.
* DualWielding: She fights with a pair of butterfly swords.
* EnvironmentalSymbolism: All four of the new characters in ''VI'' came with an applicable stage. Iroha's stage is set in her snow-covered home of Urushiyama, and features a watermill and a riverbank where [[LoyalAnimalCompanion multiple black and white cranes]] flock together. Her accompanying {{Leitmotif}}, a melancholic ''Enka'' (Japanese ballad), is unusual in that it features full lyrics. These motifs carry over into ''2019'', though instead of her home stage which is not featured in the game, she shares Rimururu's stage: a winter version of Kamuikotan which features several wild animals and ''lots'' of snow.
* FreakinessShame: In what is a clear reference to the fable she is based on, during the super where she transforms into her crane form (albeit screened by a ''shoji''), she begs the player not to look...''no matter what''.
* HandicappedBadass: The bandage around Iroha's leg isn't just for show; the crane in the original ''Crane Wife'' folktale was injured by a hunter, and Iroha seems to have suffered a similar injury. She hops around on one foot in her idle and walk animations, and one of her victory animations has her wince and clutch at her bad ankle. Despite this, she can leap and spin around the battlefield without any problems, and in the hands of a skilled player, she can kick just as much ass as any other fighter in the game.
* ImpossibleHourglassFigure: Iroha has a curvaceous figure complemented by very large breasts and fairly wide hips measuring at B91 W59 H85.
* {{Homage}}: Iroha's entire character is based on an old story called ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuru_no_Ongaeshi The Grateful Crane Wife]]'', which is linked to the Chinzo Temple in Urushiyama, her hometown. During one of her special attacks, she hides behind a ''shoji'' while saying "Please don't look, no matter what", referencing a scene from the story.
* MeaningfulName: Her namesake are the first syllables from the Heian poem of the same name, which is a pangram used until the Meiji era for learning the hiragana syllabary -- a cultural translation would be "ABC".
* {{Meido}}: At first, she was designed to be a mostly nude character, though eventually, her image changed to a "graceful crane" and "Asian wife" motif -- hence her skills at housework.
* MorphicResonance: Her maid's apron is designed so as to resemble a crane's wings.
* MsFanservice: Her default costume, ''definitely''. She even breaks the fourth wall to serve ''you'' at the end!
* NoFourthWall: Her "master" is YOU, and she speaks to the player as such. In ''2019'', she quests to take down Shizuka in defence of her master’s happiness, and her story is presented as if the player is personally accompanying her.
* NinjaMaid: Probably the most literal example ever. Her clothes look like a cross between a kunoichi's clothing (or lack thereof) and a stereotypical FrenchMaidOutfit.
* ShapeshiftingLover: She tries her best to maintain her human form for her master when in front of him/her.
* {{Shotoclone}}: She's one of the more basic and easier to use characters, and has special moves that mirror those of Ryu/Ken via her own equivalents of Hadouken, Dragon Uppercut, and Hurricane Kick.
* SpinAttack: She has two -- one where she can twirl herself toward her opponent, slicing them with her swords, and another as a rolling attack that can also send her spinning upwards to counter aerial attacks.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Skimpy kunoichi-inspired French maid wardrobe that reveals her cleavage and even some side-boob? Check. Wide hips on show? Check. Toeless thigh-highs? Double check. She was literally ''[[IncrediblyLamePun maid]]'' for FanService.
* SuplexFinisher: If she is rendered weaponless while performing her Crane Dance moves on her opponent, she'll instead finish her full-frontal assault by seductively approaching her victim only to sucker them into an [[WrestlerInAllOfUs unexpectedly brutal suplex]].
* YamatoNadeshiko: Kind, domestic, submissive but not exactly weak, obedient to her master, feminine yet ''very'' capable of holding her own in battle. [[ShapeshiftingLover Her true form as that of crane helps too.]] Pretty much the ''only'' non-characteristic trait she has is her revealing wardrobe.
* {{Youkai}}: Yes, the beautiful Iroha counts as such. Whilst she presents as human, and is undoubtedly a pure, true-hearted character, she's absolutely ''not'' human but rather an entity known as a ''Tsuru Nyōbō'' ("Crane Wife"), which are the subject of many Japanese folktales, including ''The Grateful Crane Wife'' detailed above.

[[folder:Andrew]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/38_andrew.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{TheThirteenAmericanColonies}} Virginia, United States]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagus.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]The flag shown here is the "Betsy Ross" flag of the thirteen colonies, adopted after the Declaration of Independence in 1776.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[NamesTheSame White]] [[FloralThemeNaming Lily]]'', [[BayonetYa a musket with a bayonet]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Kazuki Ishii[[/note]]

->He is portrayed as an American soldier who goes to Japan to stop a new menace to his relatively young country. In his ending, he befriends Yoshitora. He is a serious and dedicated individual, always thinking about his duty to his country above all else.

* BayonetYa: Using blade of his bayonet, he can slash his opponents from afar and keep them at a distance with his projectile attacks.
* BlingOfWar: Sports bright red military dress complete with epaulets, a black sash, and white gloves.
* {{Eagleland}}: Variant 1 -- a heroic leader of men with a just cause.
* MixAndMatchWeapon: A mundane variant. He uses a musket with a bayonet attached, which offers him both mid and long-range reach.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Based on UsefulNotes/AndrewJackson, an American soldier and statesman who served as the seventh President of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, Jackson gained fame as a general in the United States Army and served in both houses of Congress.
* PatrioticFervor: Takes part in the events of ''VI'' to protect the fledgling United States from demonic powers.
* ThePioneer: Source materials note he is the son of an ambitious English merchant who sought a new life in the colonies.
* ShipTease: Fans tend to pair him with Iroha, the new female character in the 6th game.
* StereotypeFlip: In dramatic contrast to the loud, brash, energetic manner in which Americans are typically presented in this series (and most fighting games in general), Andrew is presented as a quiet, stoic, bookish young man who enjoys taking tea and whose complex is his lack of success in talking to women. The stereotype is further turned on its head via his in-series buddy and Japanese counterpart, Yoshitora, who is depicted as a louche, cocky, womanizing layabout, which is in complete contrast to the usually stoic, humble Japanese archetype -- they've essentially switched roles.
* StoicSpectacles: He's reserved and his glasses help show that off, he's also smart enough to take them off before a fight.
* TheGlassesComeOff: Takes his glasses off before a match starts.
* WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant: His father is English (so he's almost a proto-WASP given he's first-generation American), and he exhibits the typically reserved, stoic personality.
* TheWhiteHouse: His stage is set at the White House during its construction, which (sort of) fits into the series' overall timescale, as the build started in 1792.
* WouldntHitAGirl: One of his pre-battle lines has Andrew feeling reluctant about fighting a female opponent.

[[folder:Sugoroku Matsuribayashi]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/40_sugoroku.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Edo (Asakusa quarter), Musashi Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_78.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{JapaneseHolidays}} Matsuribayashi Hitokyu]]'' [[note]](''"The [[AncestralWeapon Matsuribayashi]] [[ItOnlyWorksOnce One-Shot]]"'')[[/note]], [[ImprobableWeaponUser a fireworks]] [[{{BFG}} cannon]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Tarō Masuoka[[/note]]

->A plump, jolly man who really enjoys festivals (''matsuri'') and having fun. He joins the fight to spread some cheer and help the foreigners who've come to Japan to fight enjoy themselves in a traditional festival. His character design and mannerisms are based on the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadaka_Matsuri Naked Festival]] that occurs annually in Japan. He was designed to follow a festival motif after the game designers decided on creating a "lame but cool" character.

* ActionDad: Kicks butt and is father to a daughter named Koma.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: He may look goofy, but he isn't regarded as the best fireworks technician in the world for nothing!
* {{BFG}}: Wields a huge cannon used for shooting fireworks.
* BigBeautifulMan: Muscular, shapely, nice fat ass, and wears nothing but a ''fundoshi'' to cover his modesty.
* BigFun: He's extremely cheery.
* TheCutie: The guy's a ''genuine'' sweet, lovable NiceGuy who fights so that everyone will be happy and have fun. Then there's that smile of his...
* EarnYourHappyEnding: His arcade run in a nutshell -- thinking that the game's foreigners would like to participate in a traditional festival, he decides to enter the brawl. He's also hoping to have a good time while he's at it!
* FamilyMan: Has a wife and child back home. His wife accompanies him before the fight starts, and his daughter (alongside the wife and dog) will pose with him if he's victorious. His family even assists him during battles!
* FunPersonified: ''Definitely''. This is a man who ''always'' carries a smile on his face, goes to every festival he can and wants everybody in the world to have fun!
* HappilyMarried: To his beloved Karuta.
* {{Homage}}: The ''entirety'' of his character is inspired by the attendees of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadaka_Matsuri Hadaka Matsuri]], an event in Japan held at least once every year. Participants, usually male, wear virtually no clothing (normally just a thong ''fundoshi'' but occasionally nothing at all) while celebrating the harmony of a fruitful harvest and fertility.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: In a series with some pretty out-there weapons, his fireworks cannon might take the cake. As a large, heavy object, he can smash the opponent with it, spin it like a top for a multi-hit, mount it to jet-propel himself into the opponent and, of course, [[HumanCannonball blast the enemy away]] ([[ExplosiveOverclocking fireworks may be involved]]). His super involves him calling on a group of shrine-carrying festival-goers to trample the opponent -- hilariously weird.
* LethalJokeCharacter: His design was intended to be this way, according to the developers. Developers even claims he's supposed to be a "Lame, but cool character."
* LifeOfTheParty: In his capacity as a festival aficionado.
* MeaningfulName: A "Matsuri bayashi" is the musical accompaniment to the Japanese festivals. A ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugoroku sugoroku]] is a typical Japanese board game.
* MrFanservice: His default costume leaves ''very'' little to the imagination. His design and mannerisms also have a strong BaraGenre vibe (despite having a wife).
* StoutStrength: He's a plump little cherub of a man, but has good stamina in-game.
* ThemeNaming: His whole family is named after things related to the new year's celebration: his wife Karuta [[note]]Japanese playing cards - an uta-garuta set is commonly played each new year[[/note]], his daughter Koma [[note]]"top" - spinning tops in new year symbolize good luck (what goes around turns around), things going smooth and strength (as in winning a battle of tops)[[/note]], his father Kadomatsu [[note]]Shintoist gate decorations put up for new year's day[[/note]], his mother Kine [[note]]wooden pestle - probably related to the communal ''mochitsuki'' pounding used to make mochi cakes, as the pestle and the mortar symbolize fertility[[/note]], his grandfather Hatsuyume [[note]]The first dream of the year[[/note]] and his grandmother Hagoita [[note]]Ornamental paddles sold on new year's day[[/note]]. His dog Pochi is the one who [[OddNameOut doesn't clearly fit with the motif]].
* TinyGuyHugeGirl: His wife is taller than he is, as he's only 5'1".
* UnskilledButStrong: He's a fighting ''fireworks technician''!
* UnusualWeaponMounting: Carrying an active fireworks cannon at all, let alone carrying one into combat, is unadvisable for obvious reasons.

[[folder:Ocha-Maro Karakuri]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/41_ochamaru.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan North of Tsuchimikado Street, east of Nishinotouin Street, Heian-kyō, Yamashiro Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_475.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]his origin is very precise, referencing two ancient roads in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heian-ky%C5%8D Heian-kyō]] (now known as Kyōto) which pinpoints his place of construction as being in the top right corner of the ancient capital.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapons:''' ''[[CombatHandFan Kirigane Okina]]'', ''[[CombatHandFan Uragane Onna]]'' [[note]](''"[[AbsurdlySharpBlade Slicing]] [[OlderIsBetter Iron Elderly Man]]" and "[[DualWielding Opposing]] [[OlderIsBetter Iron Elderly Woman]]"'')[[/note]] ''[[ImprobableWeaponuser & Kurogane Chuuzou Hagane Yakiire Hakugin no Haguruma]]'' [[note]](''[[NamedWeapon Black iron, casted steel, heated metal, blank-inserted Silver Cogwheel]]'')[[/note]], [[CombatHandFan two steel fans]] [[ImprobableWeaponuser and a cogwheel]].
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Mayu Shindou[[/note]]

->During the Heian period, a famous onmyōji learned about the existence of the demon world and foresaw the dangers. He created an army of wooden ''karakuri'' puppets to combat said dangers after his death. A century before the events depicted in the game, his fellow puppets are all destroyed by Mizuki when they attempt to seal her. He is the only survivor, and when he reawakens, he departs to fulfill his duty as a warrior who fights demons.

* TheCameo: Apart from ''VI'', Ocha-Maro also appears as a Counter Card for ''[[Videogame/SNKVsCapcomCardFightersclash SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS]]'' and in the ''Maid by Iroha'' games.
* CreepyDoll: Despite being one of the good guys, Ocha-Maro is more than a little unsettling, especially for players completely unfamiliar with the concept and appearance of ''karakuri''.
* DanceBattler: Fights using the ritual Shinto ''Kagura'' dance.
* DeadlyDisc: The giant cogwheel concealed within his under-carriage can be spun rapidly at opponents to deliver considerable damage.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: His sole purpose is to battle demonic forces, and he never hesitates to complete his pre-programmed mission to do so.
* LethalJokeCharacter: Once developers decided that they wanted to add an odd-ball character to the cast, the concept of an endlessly powered karakuri emerged, making Ocha-Maro one of the weirdest if not ''the'' weirdest fighting game characters in existence. Despite this, in the right hands, he's a deadly opponent for the very reason that his style is so strange and unpredictable.
* MeaningfulName: Translates as "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakuri_puppet Karakuri]] tea boy", a reference to the typical Japanese tea-serving clockwork robot.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Due to Ocha-Maro's age, a handful of Japanese fans believe that he was created by [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abe_no_Seimei Abe no Seimei.]]
* UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}: Ocha-Maro was built by a famous onmyōji, and he's the only person it shows respect to.
* PuppetShows: Karakuri puppets (''karakuri ningyō'') are traditional Japanese mechanized puppets or automata. The dolls' gestures provide a form of entertainment and the word karakuri means "mechanisms" or "trick". Ocha-Maro is based on a ''zashiki karakuri'' -- a puppet designed to serve tea, which is referenced in his name, literally "tea-boy". His unique stage in ''VI'' is set in the ''Tenkaku-za'' puppet theatre, and features multiple ''singing'' puppets who look like smaller versions of him -- ''eerie''.
* RidiculouslyHumanRobot : [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakuri_puppet Karakuri puppets]] were one of the first automata in history, and the predecessors of modern robots.

!Debuting in ''Samurai Shodown (2019)''

[[folder:Darli Dagger]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/15_darlidagger.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[YouWakeUpOnABeach Somewhere at sea]]; resides in the [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merina_Kingdom Kingdom of Madagascar]][[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/merinak_2.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] the developers have made it known that she has African roots and it’s clear she lives on Madagascar, as her (canceled) stage was set there, as seen in the game's accompanying artbook. The flag shown here is, therefore, that of the historic Malagasy Merina Kingdom[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[SwissArmyWeapon Libertalia]]'' [[note]]([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertatia named after a purported pirate colony]])[[/note]], [[SerratedBladeOfPain a saw-blade]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Yuu Kobayashi[[/note]]

->A shipwright who has mastered the use of various tools. She washed ashore on the island of Madagascar at an early age, where carpenters taught her how to make things and pirates taught her how to protect herself and survive. She is currently building a ship said to be unsinkable with her comrades at the island’s workshop, and finds herself entangled in the events of the game while pursuing a masked man responsible for wrecking one of her ships.
----
* AffirmativeActionGirl: According to game developer Nobuyuki Kuroki, giving her unique weapon to a muscular male character didn’t feel distinct enough, which is why they decided to make the character a powerful and strong-willed female with African roots, a region not usually represented in the series.
* AmazonianBeauty: In contrast with the petite [[NatureHero Nakoruru]], tall, elegant [[LadyOfWar Charlotte]], and lithe, slimly-built [[FemmeFatale Shiki]], Darli is broad-framed, physically ''ripped'', and attractive all in one.
* BerserkButton:
** Make the mistake of calling her a lowly ship-builder and you'll soon learn that her hands are just as capable of breaking bones.
** Damaging one of her ships, which is what triggered her to get involved in the events of the game.
* {{BFS}}: Wields a giant saw with a serrated edge resembling a shark's teeth.
* BoobsOfSteel: She has one of the largest busts of any female character in the series and uses a fighting style that revolves around extremely hard-hitting blows.
* BreakoutCharacter: Darli managed to prove popular enough that she managed to clinch a spot as the third member of the team representing the series in ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXV'', managing to beat out other big names from the series such as Genjuro, Shiki, and Iroha.
* DreadlockWarrior: Sports shoulder-length dreads that are colored pinkish-purple at the tips.
* TheDrunkenSailor: Befitting her nautical background, in one of her win-poses she grabs a huge barrel of grog and enthusiastically chugs away.
* FashionableAsymmetry: Has various holsters for holding tools strapped onto her left leg.
* ForeignFanservice: She certainly looks the part in her capacity as the series’ sole African character.
* ICallItVera: Her sword gets its name from the supposed anarchist, free colony founded by the pirate Captain James Misson in UsefulNotes/{{Madagascar}} in the late 17th century, though historians don't believe it actually existed.
* TheLadette: She's physically ripped, fights in a highly aggressive, masculine style, loves a drink, works in construction, speaks in a bluff, boisterous tone and has no time whatsoever for weaklings.
* MartialArtsAndCrafts: She developed a fighting style based on her advanced construction skills and her weapon, “Libertalia", is more like a multi-tool than a traditional weapon, but she's no less deadly with it.
* MeaningfulName: "Darli" is an abbreviation of "darling".
* PartsUnknown: Almost all (human) characters in the series are ascribed a city/province/country of origin (all three for many of the Japanese characters). Darli is the exception, and her birthplace is simply listed as "somewhere at sea", which could literally be ''anywhere''. So far, we know she has “African roots” as confirmed by producer Nobuyuki Kuroki and that she was born “at sea” as per her bio. '''However''', there are some key clues that help to pinpoint her current origin. The first is that she named her weapon “Libertalia”, which was a semi-mythical pirate state based on the (African) island of Madagascar, which fits her ship-builder/piratey vibe. Even more compelling evidence is found in the game’s accompanying art book, which not only confirms that her red/white/green color-scheme is based on Madagascar's national flag, but also that she was originally going to receive her own home-stage, designed around a ship-yard situated on the lush, tropical beaches of the island itself -- a locale similar to the one depicted in her ending artworks.
* PirateGirl: In looks only. She’s specifically described as “the most badass sailor and shipwright to ever sail the seven seas" and her weapon is adorned with a [[SkeletonMotif skull and crossbones motif]], but according to developers, she's not an actual pirate and was in fact saved by a group of pirates as a child and is now the leader of a group of female ship-builders. She even explains this misunderstanding herself in her epilogue:
--> "A pirate? Yes, many make that mistake about me... I'm merely a shipbuilder that can build pretty much anything. Well? Pretty cool, no?"
* PunchedAcrossTheRoom: Even if she loses her weapon, she's still a force to be reckoned with and comes equipped with an attack-absorbing, wind-up punch that sends the opponent flying if it connects.
* ShaggyDogStory: Her story mode features her traveling around the world in search of the mysterious masked man who wrecked the ship she was building. She never actually finds him because he isn't one of the fighters. After she goes home (upon defeating Shizuka), she finishes construction of her ship and finally finds the guy, who was on her home island all along.
* ShoutOut:
** Her full name is a nod to the Music/JimiHendrix song ''Dolly Dagger'', which describes a dangerous woman [[note]]his ex-girlfriend, Devon Wilson in fact[[/note]] who'll "make you stagger" and "drinks blood from a jagged edge."
** Her unique unarmed special is a haymaker that's unblockable and will probably kill you in one hit, but it's charge up time and predictability make it AwesomeButImpractical in a nod to Ralf Jones' ''Galactica Phantom'' super from ''VideoGame/{{The King of Fighters}}''.
* StatuesqueStunner: She's a very attractive woman and by far the tallest female character — she's noticeably taller than most of the men, even.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Wearing a halter-neck bikini and only a sarong to cover up, she sports one of the briefest outfits of all the women in the series.
* SwissArmyWeapon: While her "Libertalia" starts out as a [[SerratedBladeOfPain giant saw]], she can switch out the bit at the end with other tools such as a [[DropTheHammer giant hammer]], and a [[ThisIsADrill drill]].
* TokenMinority: The sole Black woman of the cast.
* TooManyBelts: Sports three belts around her waist, some sort of belted holster on her thigh and a further belt around her calf for a grand total of ''eight'' individual buckles.
* TropicalIslandAdventure: Her sadly canceled stage was set at her shipyard on the tropical beaches of Madagascar.
* WrenchWench: She's the nautical equivalent of one, sporting various tools you'd expect of a shipwright. Even her main weapon is a giant sized saw.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Wu Ruixiang]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/17_wuruixiang.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{Beijing}} Imperial Palace, Beijing]], [[ImperialChina Qing Empire]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagqingdynasty_2.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]her bio at the Japanese site lists her birthplace as "Chūgoku, Peking no yakata" -- the Beijing Palace, China -- meaning she was likely born in the Forbidden City itself.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[ImprobableWeaponUser Chaoji Zhāolóng Luopan]]'' [[note]](''"Superior dragon-beckoning [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luopan Luopan)]]"''[[/note]], [[MagicCompass a Chinese compass]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Seira Ryuu[[/note]]

->A young woman who serves the Qing Dynasty, and the descendant of a venerable fengshui clan. For generations, they have been charged with the defense of the ley lines''[[note]]apparent alignments of landmarks, religious sites, and man-made structures. The pseudoscientific belief that these apparent lines are not accidental speculates that they are straight navigable paths and have spiritual significance[[/note]]'', traveling the world at the behest of the Qing Emperor. Though wise, she is extremely clumsy. Worse yet, she isn't athletically inclined and prefers to stay indoors. Her secret arts manifest the powers of divine beasts and as the best of the Dynasty's fengshui practitioners, she can even call forth a dragon.
----
* AncestralWeapon: Her enchanted compass was bestowed upon her by grandfather and she cares for it deeply, expressing concern that it has become scratched after some battles.
* AnimeChineseGirl: The series’ very first version, she sports a prerequisite UsefulNotes/{{Qipao}} in jade green.
* AttackReflector: ''Kirin Earthen Rampage'' -- a counter that reflects projectiles and any mid/high attack hitting her ''luópan''.
* BadassAdorable: A very powerful summoner who is endearingly shy, clumsy and polite.
* TheBeastMaster: She calls forth the elemental powers of divine beasts, and can even summon a dragon for her super.
* BespectacledCutie: She exhibits the sweet, intelligent, endearing qualities and becomes adorably befuddled if she loses her glasses.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: A seemingly timid, studious girl whose appearance belies her deadly summoning powers.
* BilingualBonus: Despite speaking Japanese in all her cutscenes, Ruixiang speaks Mandarin Chinese when performing her special moves. Said Mandarin Chinese is also very dialect-accurate, as her voice actress is half-Chinese.
* BlindWithoutEm: If she loses her weapon, she also [[DroppedGlasses drops her glasses]], which causes her to walk around unsteadily, muttering “megane...megane” (“my glasses”) as she tries to locate them.
* BlueBlood: As noted [[MeaningfulName below]], ''Wu'' is an august, aristocratic name dating back to the offspring of the sons of a ''Zhou'' Dynasty duke. According to her bio, Ruixiang herself was born within the Imperial Palace (AKA the "Forbidden City") and her family is stated to be a venerable clan who serves the Emperor himself.
* BuxomIsBetter: Her voluptuous figure is emphasized in most of her accompanying artworks.
* CombatStilettos: Wears a pair of jade-green court shoes with built-up heels.
* CuteClumsyGirl: She’s adorably uncoordinated, often tripping over her feet and unsteadying herself from the momentum of some of her stronger attacks.
* DifficultButAwesome: On initial inspection, her speed is lethargic, her damage output low and her standard hits have short reach and are quite sluggish. However, she has arguably the best projectile game out of the entire cast, with high, medium and low fireballs that become active very early in their animation. Her shield counter can also reflect projectiles, in addition to being a strong anti-aggression tool, but Ruixiang’s most defining feature is, without doubt, her ground trap -- ''White Tiger Fangs'' -- which makes her a character for players who like crazy setups and stylish juggles.
* DragonsAreDivine: The dragon she summons in her super is listed in the move-list as a Yellow Dragon, which is likely Huanglong. Her rage move invokes the nine-headed dragon Kuzuryu, and her lightning bolt special move is based on Seiryuu.
* DragonsUpTheYinYang: Ticks both boxes -- her ''luópan'' features a large yin-yang motif and she can call forth an enormous Oriental dragon to incinerate her opponents.
* ElementalPowers: Ruixiang is able to use elemental-based attacks, thanks to her enchanted compass, via which she can fire a shard of ice, blast the opponent with flame, lay a trap of razor-sharp branches, and summon a lightning bolt.
* TheFourGods: Among her animal-based moves are the Black Tortoise Torrent, Vermilion Bird Blaze, White Tiger Fangs, and Azure Dragon Thunderstrike.
* GeniusDitz: Despite her clumsiness, she's actually quite wise.
* GorgeousPeriodDress: Notwithstanding the large splits up the sides, her beautiful dress and hairstyle are an accurate representation of the court fashions of Qing Dynasty China.
* ImperialChina: Taking into account her traditionally elaborate costuming, her role as an Imperial fengshui practitioner, her august ''Wu'' heritage, her exotic weapon (complete with yin-yang motif), and the fact she commands an actual ''dragon'', she's Imperial China practically incarnate.
* ImpracticallyFancyOutfit: Her UsefulNotes/{{Qipao}} dress, ornate hair-style, and high-heels are rather impractical for combat, although she is a bit less physical in her fighting style compared to other characters, relying far more on magic to augment her moves.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: All of her fellow fighters use real-life weaponry (albeit with a [[MagicRealism fantasy twist]]). In contrast, Ruixiang’s ''luópan'' (Chinese compass) stands out as being far more magic-based and fantastical as a primary weapon.
* LadyOfBlackMagic: She's one of the series' purely magic-based fighters, and her special moves rely on summoning the elemental powers of divine beasts to do the fighting for her.
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Her compass has a handle in the back and functions just like a shield, with which she is able to defend herself. It also functions as an attacking weapon, and she is able to [[ShieldBash shield bash]] her opponents too.
* MagicCompass: Her weapon appears as some form of gong or shield, but it is in fact an enchanted compass, used to summon divine beasts.
* MeaningfulName: "Wu" is a catch-all term commonly used to refer to various Chinese dynasties, rulers, people, and names. Her given name, Ruìxiāng (瑞香), is the Chinese name of the [[FlowerMotifs winter daphne, a species of fragrant pink flowers that are also poisonous]]. Ukyo directly addresses her as "Winter Daphne" in his win-quote after fighting her.
* MsFanservice: Ruixiang is a beautiful young woman, and sports a jade-green UsefulNotes/{{Qipao}} that's slashed to the waist, which [[MaleGaze draws attention]] to both her [[BuxomIsBetter huge breasts]] and [[ShesGotLegs long, shapely legs.]]
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: For her super, she trips over and accidentally summons a gigantic golden dragon, who proceeds to incinerate her opponent whilst she looks on in horror, trying to calm it down, apparently feeling she's gone too far.
* NiceGirl: While she may be shy, Ruixiang is a kind and thoughtful woman who abhors violence unless pushed. She apologises to her defeated opponents for any pain that she may have caused.
* NobodyTouchesTheHair: Her hairstyle is complicated and elaborate, and in her win-quote to Yashamaru, she recounts a traumatic hair-related incident:
--> "Urgh! Looking at you reminds me of the day when a bunch of crows stole my hair accessory!"
* ReluctantWarrior: As loyal as she is to the Emperor, if she can avoid it, she’d rather not go into battle on his behalf, which is exemplified in her ending where, having defeated Shizuka, she is soon summoned to the Imperial throne room and given orders to head out from the comfort of the palace once again on a new mission — the look on her face is a picture of horrified bewilderment.
* ShesGotLegs: Her court dress is split on both sides up to the waist, revealing her shapely legs. Her repertoire of kicks is lacking somewhat however, due to her being an indoorsy kind of girl.
* ShieldBash: All of her standard hits involve walloping the opponent with her shield-like ''luópan'', either as a blunt smash or with its serrated edge. As one of the very few characters who wield a blunt weapon, her attacks aren’t accompanied by the usual slashing/hacking sound effects, but rather a gloriously satisfying metallic ''*CLANG*'' upon contact with the opponent.
* ShrinkingViolet: She tends to seclude herself indoors and is of a rather shy disposition.
* SignatureHeadgear: She sports easily the most extravagant hairstyle in the series, with her very long hair piled up on top of her head in an elaborate Qing Dynasty coiffure that's held in place with a large clasp and various ornamental pins. Two large goldfish-shaped pendants swing down from either side.
* SmartPeopleWearGlasses: She’s an Imperial fengshui practitioner and sports a pair of neat, black spectacles.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yashamaru Kurama]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/18_yashamaru.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Otagi District, Yamashiro Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_680.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] An appropriate birthplace, as the (historic) Otagi District contains the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple, which applicably hosts an annual tengu festival each November to this very day.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[{{BFS}} Shanaō]]'' [[note]](literally "''King Shana''", an abbreviation of Birushana (Vairocana), but here it's a reference to one of Minamoto no Yoshitsune 's early names)[[/note]], [[{{BFS}} a nagamaki]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Kouhei Amasaki[[/note]]

->A young, fallen samurai. He loathes villains who exploit the weak for financial gain, and stalks the shadows as the phantom thief ''Karasu-Tengu''. Because his father was executed on false charges in the past, he has developed a deep and unparalleled hatred for the Shogunate. Brandishing his heirloom nagamaki, Shanaō, he fights using the ancestral tengu powers he has inherited. ''[[PurpleProse When Karasu-Tengu sows the breeze above with his blade, the wicked below shall reap the whirlwind...]]''
----
* AnimalMotifs: He associates himself with crows.
* CodeName: Uses the alias ''Karasu-Tengu'' -- "the Crow Tengu".
* CoolMask: Wears a samurai mask designed so as to resemble a crow-tengu's beak.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Wears full-plate samurai armor in deepest black, but is more of a WellIntentionedExtremist than a straight-up bad guy and cares for the common people.
* DashAttack: He has a special move where he dashes forward and thrusts his nagamaki. This move can also be done in the air as part of his strong aerial capabilities.
* DoubleJump: In keeping with his avian theme, he is capable of jumping twice in the air and is the only character in ''2019'' to be able to do so.
* FlechetteStorm: His weapon-flipping move features him firing a volley of energy-infused feathers at the opponent.
* ItsPersonal: Having his father executed for a crime he didn't commit shattered his faith in the Tokugawa Shogunate and turned him into one of its most bitter enemies. For this reason, Yoshitora Tokugawa is his rival in his story.
* KatanasAreJustBetter: Wields a nagamaki, which is a long-handled katana traditionally used by infantrymen against cavalry.
* KnightInSourArmor: He's a brooding, despondent ronin who became totally disillusioned with fighting for what he sees as a completely corrupt Shogunate.
* JustAKid: Hattori Hanzo is surprised to find out how young the Karasu-Tengu really is.
* JustLikeRobinHood: He's a thief who preys on villains who exploit the weak for financial gain.
* MeaningfulName: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kurama Mount Kurama]] is a mountain associated with tengu legends, and "Yasha" is the Japanese rendition of "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaksha Yaksha]]", a Buddhist nature demon.
* MysticalWhiteHair: Sports a mop of grey-white hair tied up in a samurai top-knot -- possibly a side-effect of his tengu bloodline. [[PowerDyesYourHair His hair changes to black when using his tengu powers.]]
* PerpetualMolt: Many of his movements and attacks are accompanied by a scattering of shedded crow's feathers, befitting his crow-tengu heritage.
* PhantomThief: Moonlights as the phantom thief Karasu-Tengu.
* {{Ronin}}: He’s a fallen samurai who abandoned the Shogun after his father’s death.
* SpinAttack: Yashamaru has a special move where he leaps into the air before spinning himself and his nagamaki at a vertical angle, slashing at his opponent and ending with a final downward slash.
* StealthHiBye: Yashamaru's match-winning animation sees him turn his back to the player — a crow then flies on-screen with Yashamaru disappearing off-screen just as it flies away, leaving only feathers in its wake.
* SteppingStoneSword: His intro animation and certain moves have him perched on the top of his nagamaki's handle.
* SuperMode: Yashamaru's Rage Explosion functions as this. When activated, he taps into his tengu powers which enhances all of his moves and makes him act more aggressively in battle. He'll even change some of his phrases when using said powers.
* SupernaturalGoldEyes: Yashamaru's eyes shine gold when using his tengu powers.
* {{Tengu}}: His long-nosed mask is supposed to evoke the crow-billed variant. Additionally, the power of the tengu has also been passed down to him and his blood-type is listed in his official bio as "not applicable as his bloodline is that of the tengu."
* TheStoic: He's a stern and serious individual who rarely expresses any emotions other than anger in battle.
* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: He can throw his nagamaki like a javelin before it returns to his hand via teleportation.
* WeaponTwirling: Certain animations show him spinning his nagamaki in his palm.
* YouKilledMyFather: Albeit indirectly, he blames Yoshitora, who was too busy being a playboy and shirking his responsibilities to notice the growing corruption in his family's government, which resulted in Yashamaru’s father being framed and executed.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shizuka]]
%%[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shizuka_2.png]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a9015f3d_d50e_494d_b6d6_4888b8a9d44f.jpeg]]

-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Iso Aminochō, Tango Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_295.png[[/labelnote]][[note]] Her birthplace (when still human) is generally accepted to have been the Iso (shoreline) district of Amino town, in the historic Tango Province, where she is regarded as one of the "seven princesses of Tango". She still has a shrine in the town and represents its principal deity.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon (Round 1):''' ''[[FlowerMotifs Shirotae]]'' [[note]]("Pure white cloth")[[/note]], [[FlyingWeapon four telekinetic]] [[CombatHandFan hand fans]]
-> '''Weapon ([[IAmNotLeftHanded Round 2]]):''' ''[[InstrumentOfMurder Hatsune no ko]]'' [[note]]("''Hatsune drum''", [[MementoMacGuffin a keepsake that Minamoto no Yoshitsune gave to Shizuka]])[[/note]], [[FlyingWeapon a katana]]-[[SpontaneousWeaponCreation summoning]] [[MusicalAssassin drum]] & [[FlyingWeapon six telekinetic]] [[CombatHandFan hand fans]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Junko Ueda[[/note]]

->Fully titled Shizuka Gozen (Lady Shizuka). Based on the Heian era poet of the same name, she is the source of the mysterious evil manifesting in Japan during 1787. Shizuka died sometime before the game's events, however, her bitterness and grief over her own death and that of her beloved made her soul unable to move to the afterlife. Although initially appearing to be a vengeful spirit, her actions and words seem contradictory, as though she is merely a vessel for a higher, more malevolent power...
----
* BarbieDollAnatomy: In her vulnerable state, Shizuka loses her kimono, but is covered in blue light and has no visible genitalia or nipples.
* BeginWithAFinisher: She starts her second phase by charging her fans for a humongous energy beam. If you don't block the moment the round starts, you'll take heavy damage.
* BigBad: She's the last boss of ''2019'', and following Mizuki, she's also the second ''female'' boss in the series, and the third (after Amakusa and Gaoh) to be based on a real person.
* BlackEyesOfCrazy: When her veil gets knocked off in Round 2, it's shown she has black irises with yellow pupils.
* BlueBlood: She was the daughter of Imperial court dancer Zenji of Iso, and whilst she is usually ascribed the title “Gozen” (Lady), she was also known as one of the “seven princesses of Tango” (her home province), so in terms of rank, she’s right up there with Yoshitora.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Her soul was prevented from moving on to the afterlife by an unknown entity and corrupted to serve their ends. The post-ending credits reveal that Ambrosia was the one behind her resurrection, as Amakusa's orb is shown manifesting.
* BreakMeter: In her normal state, she tanks all hits and takes only tiny damage. Batter her enough though, and she'll groan with horror and drop (naked) to the floor, stunned. In this [[BossVulnerability vulnerable state]], she can be attacked normally, though she'll only take 3-5 hits before reverting to her more powerful state.
* CombatHandFan: She fights with multiple hand-fans which are controlled through telekinesis. They can be spun at the opponent, and also shield her from aerial attacks.
* DisappearsIntoLight: After she is defeated, Shizuka regains her consciousness and is finally freed from the demonic possession. She thanks the chosen character for saving her and soon fades into light, ascending to the heavens above.
* DemonicPossession: She isn't actually evil, but the unknown entity controlling her definitely is. The post-credits scene reveals that Ambrosia was behind her summoning.
* DoItYourselfThemeTune: The theme of her second phase, "Dance of Evil Spirits -Part II-", is sung by her voice actress.
* FishOutOfTemporalWater: Shizuka Gozen lived during the Heian era, at least 600 years before the events of the game.
* FlyingWeapon: Her weapons are telekinetically-controlled fans that hover around her.
* GorgeousPeriodDress: Her beautifully voluminous, long-sleeved kimono is Heian-era in style, evidencing her ancient origin.
* HellIsThatNoise: As soon as she starts tapping on her ''tsuzumi'', '''beware''' -- the ominous taps herald her deadly floating katana attack, and it's, therefore, a sound players will soon come to dread.
* ImmuneToFlinching: You can't stop her attacks, she'll just tank them (meaning you can't connect with a Rage move like a Weapon Flip Technique or Issen). However do enough hits and she'll revert to her vulnerable form, at which point unload whatever you've got on her.
* ImpracticallyFancyOutfit: She sports possibly the most elaborate, encumbering outfit seen in the series thus far (even more than Amakusa, which is saying something), with a hemline and sleeves that are both ways beyond floor-length.
* InstrumentOfMurder: Wields the ''Hatsune'' drum in the second round. According to folk tales, Hatsune was a keepsake given to her by Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and it carries the souls of two magical foxes that were used to create the drum's skins. The story is featured in the Bunraku / Kabuki plays ''Yoshitsune Zenbon Sakura'' and ''Hatsune no ko''.
* KimonoFanservice: Her elaborate kimono not only shows off her great legs, but it’s also draped low around her shoulders.
* MeaningfulName: “Shizuka” typically translates to “quiet flower”. True to the translation, she is TheStoic. "Gozen" is an archaic Japanese honorific used for noble women analogous to the English title ''Lady''.
* MindOverMatter: In battle, for the most part, she is serenely still and uses telekinesis to control her weapons, which are multiple dart-like fans she can fire at the opponent.
* MusicalAssassin: In the second round of the battle against her, she produces a small ''tsuzumi'' drum, which she taps ominously to control a deadly floating katana that strikes quickly and causes merciless damage.
* MysteriousMist: Some form of swirling, eldritch mist flows and roils out beneath her as she glides about.
* MysteriousVeil: Her face is part-covered by drapery from her head-piece. It gets destroyed when you win a round.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: She's based on the Heian-era poet, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shizuka_Gozen Shizuka Gozen]] (one of the mistresses of the legendary general UsefulNotes/MinamotoNoYoshitsune), and much like several other characters in the series including fellow boss Amakusa, she actually existed in ancient times.
* PowerFloats: She glides about the arena in a seated pose, her hands folded demurely, whilst her kimono billows out around her.
* PurgatoryAndLimbo: Her tragic death[[note]]she was either killed under the orders of the Kamakura Shogun or committed suicide -- the tales vary[[/note]] led her to dwell in a dark area of ''Rengoku'' (purgatory), which allowed Ambrosia's evil aura to contact and consume her in order to unleash its terrible power upon Japan.
* ShesGotLegs: Her outfit draws a lot of attention to her exposed legs.
* SNKBoss: Like you wouldn't believe. She takes inspiration from [[VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}} Bloody Marie]] and is fought in phases. In her normal state, she tanks your attacks effortlessly, has no hit-stun whatsoever, and spams high-damage fan attacks from across the screen including a command grab that hits on both sides. Oh, and you cannot use Issen against her. Fortunately, attacking her enough times puts her into a vulnerable state that takes more damage.
* TranquilFury: Unleashes hell onto her opponents, but remains pretty much motionless, sitting serenely like she's about to take tea.
* TurnsRed: Much like Amakusa in the first game and Zankuro in the third, she powers up once you win a round and becomes much harder.
* UndeathlyPallor: Her skin is porcelain pale.
* UnwittingPawn: She is merely a vessel for a greater evil. As the post-credits scene reveals, the evil in question is Ambrosia, as Amakusa's orb is shown being created.
* WhenSheSmiles: Shizuka gives a beautiful smile of happiness after she is freed from her demonic possession.
* {{Youkai}}: She appears to be in the thrall of a ''Tsukimono'' (literally "possessing thing") until the player literally beats it out of her.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Genjuro Kibagami]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/14_genjuro_0.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Anjō Village, Yamashiro Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_10.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[KatanasAreJustBetter Meitō Baiōdoku]]'' [[note]](''"Legendary sword [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafuda Uguisu on ume]] [[EvilCounterpart Poison]]"'')[[/note]], [[KatanasAreJustBetter a katana]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Kong Kuwata[[/note]]

->Haohmaru's true rival. A man of many vices, Genjuro is a killer for hire who takes the utmost pleasure in culling those he views as weak. He started out as a decent man, training alongside Haohmaru, but his hunger for power resulted in him failing to be chosen as their dojo's successor and even getting himself expelled. He has a deep-seated hatred for Haohmaru, not just because he's his 'goody-goody' rival, but also because [[IdenticalStranger he looks like a man Genjuro killed]] in defense of his mother.

* AlternateCompanyEquivalent: Well, same company, different dev team, but he is likened to a "Samurai [[Characters/TheKingOfFightersIoriYagami Iori Yagami]]". ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomSVCChaos'' lampshades this.
-->'''Both at the same time''': Vermin!... Die!
* ArrogantKungFuGuy: Genjuro is very proud of his skills as a ''hitokiri'' and looks down on anyone who in his eyes looks "weak".
* DarkAndTroubledPast: He has a lifetime of anger and bitterness built up from childhood. His prostitute mother, whose occupation he understandably hated, had a customer turn violent, forcing him to slay the man in her defense. Perversely, instead of thanking Genjuro, his mother went ''berserk'' and attacked him from behind, forcing him to kill ''her'' as well — a horrific turn of events which set him on the path of vice and violence.
* DeathDealer: His special moves (including tossing out cards) and win-poses are all ''hanafuda'' references -- Japanese cards used to play a variety of games -- literally "flower cards".
* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Supplementary materials suggest that Genjuro regrets [[SelfMadeOrphan having to kill his mother]] '''''bigtime''''' -- which explains his soft spot to Shiki, a dead-ringer for her.
* FreudianExcuse: Genjuro had to kill his prostitute mother in self-defense. No fuckin' wonder [[MaddenIntoMisanthropy the dude is pissed off]].
* GoodScarsEvilScars: He has a massive gash running up the length of his back from the wound his mother gave him after he slew her john, which is a sign of his twisted past and his character being firmly on the antagonistic side of things.
* HandsomeDevil: Complete with that trademark long red hair of his. What's more, developers wanted to make him a character with "adult appeal" who would leave a lasting impression on players.
* IconicSequelCharacter: Since he supplanted Ukyo as Haohmaru's rival. He's also made appearances outside of ''Samurai Shodown'' (''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomSVCChaos'', where he appeared without Haohmaru, and ''VideoGame/NeoGeoBattleColiseum'') whereas Ukyo has not (at least until the era of mobile games, where Ukyo started popping up here and there, with or without Genjuro).
* {{Jerkass}}: Easily one of the most unpleasant characters in the series, he hates absolutely everyone and everything and has no qualms whatsoever about killing all who dare cross his path.
* MadeOfIron: Genjuro has been shot/stabbed InTheBack multiple times in his endings (in ''V'' by Sankuro, in ''64-2'' by a child of a woman that he killed, in ''2019'' by a random woman that wanted his seat in his gambling hangout), but he'll always recover and come back in the later chronological games (although the ''2019'' stabbing, which occurs ''before'' the first game, would force him to recuperate and not participate in Amakusa's plot, explaining his absence from the initial roster in that game). Apparently he willed himself to live through [[ThePowerOfHate his hatred of Haohmaru]] and won't allow himself to die until he kills him personally.
* MeaningfulName: "Kibagami" translates as "Fanged god" or "Divine fang", "Genjuro" to "apparition of the tenth son".
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Towards Haohmaru.
* ParasolOfPrettiness: He pulls out an umbrella for his match-winning animation, but unlike Shizumaru, his is merely for looks.
* PsychoForHire: ''[[HiredGuns Hitokiri]]'' to be more exact -- literally "person-slasher", a swordsman employed to assassinate a given target.
* TheRival: After he was expelled from the dojo both he and Haohmaru attended (due to his unnatural bloodlust), he has viewed his former classmate as his “goody-goody” rival ever since.
* SelfMadeOrphan: Not exactly by choice -- his prostitute mother went crazy on him after he killed a client who was abusing her and he was forced to kill her in self-defense.
* SocialDarwinist: He excuses his killing by [[InsaneTrollLogic rationalizing]] that people who piss him off are stupid, and stupid people defile the world by their very existence; therefore, he does everyone a favor by killing them.
* SpamAttack: His ''Hyakki Satsu'' (Hundred Demons Killer), which actually turns into a brutal gut-stabbing attack when any of the hits connect.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: "Genjuro" or "Genjyuro"? SNK seems to prefer the latter in more recent games. There's also the fully romanized version of his name as "Genjuurou" as well, which is rarely used.
* ThreeStrikeCombo: His ''Sanren Satsu'' (Triple Killer), is aptly named, and can either work as a normal hit, or he can slash past/through his opponent with each strike. He uniquely shouts out "Inoshikacho" when he connects all three hits.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: Genjuro wears his haori slung off both shoulders, fully exposing his muscular torso.

[[folder:Cham Cham]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/28_chamcham.png]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{PreColumbianCivilizations}} Green Hell Village, Maya Territory, Mesoamerica]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maya_1.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]Cham Cham's origin is slightly muddled. In the debut game, Green Hell Village is shown to be located in South America, but in the 2019 game, there appears to have been a corrective retcon in terms of Tam Tam's origin and the village is now shown to be in Mesoamerica on the world map, where the land is also labeled "Maya". As Cham Cham is his sister, the same applies to her and the Maya flag is therefore presented here.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[ConLang Yok Mok Mook]]'' [[note]](essentially nonsense-words, but “Mook” — Mūku — is analogous to “fluffy”)[[/note]], [[BattleBoomerang a boomerang]]
-> '''Helper:''' ''Paku Paku'' (Normal / Shura, ''II'' and ''VI'' only)
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Reiko Chiba (''II''), Yuna Taniguchi (''2019'')[[/note]]

->The little sister of Tam Tam, who likes to act like a [[CatGirl cat]], playing in the trees and getting shocked by electric eels. She accidentally lost the Tanjil stone and in compensation, tried to retrieve it, accompanied by her pet chimpanzee Paku-Paku. In her ending, she finds out that Paku-Paku ''IS'' Tam Tam, cursed as a punishment for her letting the stone become lost in the first place.

* AmbiguouslyHuman: As a relatively grounded series, Cham Cham is certainly presumed to be human. Nevertheless, while her main pelt, boots, and gloves are obviously clothing, Cham Cham's ears and tail are notably ambiguous. In some games, her cat ears are even colored to match her ''skin'' rather than her clothes, and even as recently as the 2019 game, her clothes are stitched ''around'' the tail (which is even colored slightly differently) as if to make room for a natural one underneath, rather than something that's part of her outfit. Her brother, it should be noted, ''also'' has strange ears, although his are of a super long and pointed elf-like variety.
* AssKicksYou: One of her aerial "kicks" is a butt-first hip check.
* TheBeastMaster: Controls her pet monkey Paku-Paku, who can be summoned to attack for her, which includes throwing skulls, emitting fireballs, and a spinning kick attack. Averted in the ''2019'' game as Tam Tam hasn't been transformed into Paku Paku yet.
* CatGirl: Sports cat ears and an actual tail. She's often compared with [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Felicia]] and even has her color scheme as an alt.
* {{Cosplay}}: Mostly seen in her own Pachinko SpinOff ''Samurai Spirits Gaiden: Cham Cham'', where Cham Cham can dress in modern outfits as well as cosplays, like Dragon Gal's Mui Mui and [[VideoGame/MetalSlug Fio Germi]].
* CuteBruiser: Adorable, and fights in a far more feral manner than her fellow females.
* DownloadableContent: She returns to the series as part of the third season of DLC characters in ''2019''.
* GenkiGirl: Always in high spirits.
* JunglePrincess: Her look -- unlike her brother Tam Tam, her design takes no cues from the {{Mayincatec}} aesthetic.
* NonStandardCharacterDesign: Arguably. Prior to her debut in the second game, the series' tone was fairly serious, gory, and grounded in a (heightened) sense of reality. When Cham-Cham debuted, she was designed so as to be far more cartoonish and whimsical than any of her series contemporaries, and her CatGirl aesthetic borrows far more from fantasy-based anime than any real-world cultural cues -- there's absolutely ''nothing'' Mesoamerican in her design, despite her being Tam Tam's sister.
* PrecisionFStrike: Though it could be due to wonky localization, the first word she said in her Arcade story is "Shit!". In a game from UsefulNotes/TheNineties!
* PrecisionGuidedBoomerang: Her melee and projectile attacks employ her boomerang, which returns back to her even if she's being thrown.
* PromotedToPlayable: Paku Paku is playable in ''VI''.
* SecretCharacter: In the UsefulNotes/PlayStation port of ''IV'', marketed as ''Samurai Shodown IV Special'' for a Japan-only release, Cham Cham appears as an unlockable character, only being selectable in Versus Mode. Some of ''II''’s portraits are reused for the game.
* ShoutOut:
** Probably based on ''Feral Kid'' from ''Film/MadMax2TheRoadWarrior'', but a female version of him.
** Not to mention the green hair and the tiger-print clothes, which are similar to [[Manga/UruseiYatsura Lum]].
* WildChild: So much so that she actually dresses like a jungle cat, and her movement patterns suggest an animal, not a human.

[[folder:Neinhalt Sieger]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/16_seiger.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[UsefulNotes/{{Prussia}} Königsberg, Kingdom of Prussia]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagprussia.png[[/labelnote]][[note]]The flag shown here is that of the historic Kingdom of Prussia, a German kingdom that constituted the state of Prussia between 1701 and up until its dissolution in 1918.[[/note]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[PowerFist Zwarigani]]'' [[note]](''[[FunetikAksent A badly-pronounced]] "[[AnimalThemeNaming Crayfish]]"'')[[/note]], [[PowerFist a metal gauntlet]] [[HandBlast with a built-in cannon]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Kong Kuwata[[/note]]

->Leader of the Prussian Red Lion Knights. He protects his country from Mizuki, and his soul happens to be one of the souls that Mizuki seeks in order to resurrect Ambrosia. He is, however, saved by Amakusa and later contributed in Mizuki's defeat. He returned home victorious and marries Princess Elizabeth, [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_William_II_of_Prussia King William’s]] daughter.

* BadassBaritone: Rather deep-voiced. Very badass.
* BodyguardCrush: His true love is the daughter of the Prussian king, Princess Elizabeth, who loves him back. They end up HappilyMarried in his ending.
* BlueBlood: He's noted as being the commander of the Red Lion Knights and therefore in German-speaking Prussia, he would be addressed as ''Ritter'', which is analogous to the English knightly rank.
* GorgeousGaijin: In a series primarily made up of Asian men, he's amongst the TokenWhite guys, and sports the usual visual cues -- a huge build, extreme height, chiseled facial features, and a LanternJawOfJustice. He's also stripped to the waist to boot.
* HeroicBuild: He's ''huge'' -- notably 7'0", practically a giant -- but maintains a pleasing, manly proportion.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: With Princess Elizabeth -- par for the course when you’re 7 foot tall.
* {{Hunk}}: Sieger was designed so as to appeal to players who appreciate a more manly aesthetic.
* LightningBruiser: Is one of the biggest and most muscular characters amongst the cast, but is quite quick on his feet.
* LoveFreak: Based on his win-quote: "Love is the best weapon in the world."
* MeaningfulName: Loosely translates from German as "Unstoppable Victor".
* MegatonPunch: Kind of hard not to when you pack a weapon like his.
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Surprisingly, there actually ''was'' a legendary warrior who also fought with a metal arm. Gottfried von Berlichingen, better known as the "Iron Hand", was a German Knight who fashioned himself a large mechanical gauntlet after he lost his arm in battle.
* PatrioticFervor: He's undyingly loyal to the Prussian Crown.
* PerpetualFrowner: According to his profile info, he considers his most unpleasant trait to be that he, in his own words, can't smile to save his life.
* PowerFist: His weapon is a massive gauntlet, but it's not just for punching -- [[SwissArmyWeapon it also shoots fire and sets his body alight.]]
* WalkingShirtlessScene: He's stripped to the waist in all appearances.
* WrestlerInAllOfUs: He's got a rather nasty backbreaker.

[[folder:Nicotine Caffeine (Nikochin Kafūin)]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/17_nicotine.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Hida Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_45.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' [[NoNameGiven a nameless]] ''shakujō'' [[note]] a staff used by Buddhist priests in religious ceremonies[[/note]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Monster Maezuka (II, RPG), Naoki Yanagi (VI), Isamu Tanonaka (Drama [=CDs=])[[/note]]

->An old priest, formerly the master of both Haohmaru and Genjuro. He expelled Genjuro due to his bloodlust, and keeps tabs on Haohmaru, especially when Mizuki starts targeting him. He retires from combat soon after Mizuki's defeat. Later in the 64 series, he is entrusted with Shiki's daughter Mikoto, raising her with help from Haohmaru and his grandson, Gaira.

* BadassPreacher: He's the head priest of the Koka-in temple in Hida Province.
* CoolOldGuy: Enters the fray with a wry smile and a twinkly gaze -- nothing fazes him.
* ElementalPowers: With his cards, he is able to summon both a hawk-like ''shikigami'' entirely composed of electricity, and also a beast-like one entirely composed of fire.
* InterfaceScrew: One of his attacks will reverse your joystick controls for a brief time.
* MeaningfulName: "Kafuin" translates as "Flower temple chanting", and "Nikochin" to "[[InHarmonyWithNature harmonious relation]]". It's also a pun on Nicotine and Caffeine, [[LostInTranslation but it was carried overseas as the pun]].
* MiniatureSeniorCitizens: He's amongst the oldest characters in the series, and his sprite is also amongst the smallest at 4’5” -- meaning he's often a hard target in battle.
* OldMaster: To both Haohmaru and Genjuro.
* PaperTalisman: Using his ''o-fuda'' cards, he can summon a variety of mystical creatures.
* ParentalSubstitute: He's one for Mikoto after Shiki's death, along with Haohmaru and Gaira.
* PunnyName: His real name is [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Nikochin Kafūin (花諷院 和仲)]], though due to being a witty pun on the English words "caffeine" and "nicotine", his name is usually written in katakana. His temple of Koka-in doesn't escape either, being a pun on "cocaine".
* PutOnABus: After his sole appearance in ''II'' and before his comeback in ''VI'', Nicotine only appears as a cameo in all Gaira's endings since ''III'' and in Mikoto's backstory in the DistantFinale.
* ShoutOut: Probably based on the monk Dakuan from ''Anime/NinjaScroll''.

[[folder:Mizuki Rashojin]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/18_mizuki.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan The Oki Islands, Oki Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_96.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapon:''' ''[[ZigzagPaperTassel Mi-gō no Tamagushi]]'' [[note]](''"[[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamagushi Sacred Tree Sprig]] [[Characters/CthulhuMythos of Mi-go]]"'')[[/note]], [[ZigzagPaperTassel a gohei]] [[note]]A tamagushi - literally "jewel skewer" - is a form of Shinto offering made from a sakaki-tree branch decorated with shide strips of washi paper, silk, or cotton.[[/note]]
-> '''Helper:''' ''[[PetMonstrosity Maju]]'' / ''[[FaceMonsterTurn Haon]]'' (RPG)
-> '''Voiced by:''' [[note]]Creator/HarumiIkoma (II), Creator/ShizukaIto (V Special), Creator/RicaMatsumoto (RPG), Miki Tsuchiya (Nakoruru ~Ano hito kara no okurimono~), Tsumugi Ōsawa (VI), Creator/MichieTomizawa (II Drama CD).[[/note]]

->A vengeful spirit who made a pact with Ambrosia, she is notable as one of the first female {{Final Boss}}es in fighting game history and causes worldwide disasters and calamities around the globe. Mizuki is eventually defeated, but returns in other games -- centuries later, her soul still exists and she was absorbed into [[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters Verse]] and travels to the present day.

* ArchEnemy: For Nakoruru, since she's the one responsible for forcing her to AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence. She was also amongst the souls absorbed into Verse in the present-day, which becomes a big factor as to why Nakoruru also travels to the future to stop her. Based solely on their looks, it's Ainu priestess versus Japanese ''Miko''.
* BackFromTheDead: Like the rest of the villains inhabiting Verse, such as Orochi, the New Faces Team, Ash, and Rugal, his defeat is implied to have returned Mizuki to life.
* BodySnatcher: Mizuki is a former famine victim who, upon her own violent death hundreds of years before the series is set, made a pact with the demon Ambrosia and ultimately possessed the shrine-maiden, Bizuki, which is her current form.
* TheBeastMaster: With her beast Maju [[note]]a large demon-dog type beast[[/note]] who, like Galford's wolf Poppy, can be commanded to attack the opponent.
* BigBad: Something of a first in fighting games — a female boss.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: The ''Samurai Shodown'' RPG explains that 800 years before Samurai Shodown II took place, a young Mizuki was abandoned by her parents during a massive famine. The little girl crossed the DespairEventHorizon and made a DealWithTheDevil with Ambrosia, turning herself into an angry demon that spent years laying waste around the globe.
* EvilLaugh: "Rakikikiki..." Once romanized by SNK as "RKKKK."
* FemmeFatalons: She uses her long, claw-like fingernails to deliver multi-hitting slash attacks.
* ForcedTransformation: One of her attacks will briefly turn you into a helpless animal, usually a pig.
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: It's implied that Maju itself is a part of Ambrosia. However, ''Samurai Shodown 64'' retcons it as a creation of Yuga.
* HesBack: She's one of the souls contained within [[Characters/TheKingOfFightersXIV Verse]] and traveled with him to present-day KOF, pursued by Nakoruru. With Verse defeated and the souls returned to their original bodies, Mizuki has the chance of spreading her terror into the present day.
* InterfaceScrew: One of her moves reverses your direction controls, which causes chaos for the player as she's tough enough to defeat as is.
* LongHairIsFeminine: Mizuki sports incredibly long, black hair that reaches down to the back of her knees. Par for the course for a woman originating in the Heian era, a period when Japanese women ''never'' cut their hair and floor-length (and longer) was the symbol of status and beauty.
* MeaningfulName: Has the title of "[[TopGod Supreme leader deity]]", and Mizuki is a common name but here it's written as [[{{Seers}} Seer]].
* {{Miko}}: Or more exactly, the woman whose body she stole was a ''miko'', but she retains the typical red and white costume. Her weapon, a ''tamagushi'', is one of the traditional miko tools used in religious services -- although she uses hers to beat the hell out of her opponents.
* NoblewomansLaugh: Usually when using her teleportation powers.
* NunTooHoly: She's an evil, demonic entity but dresses in the innocuous, saintly garb of a ''miko'' (the purest of the pure in Japanese culture and analogous to Christian nuns) -- a dichotomy that only goes to enhance her terrifyingly corrupted nature.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Both her soul and host-body are really old — Mizuki is from the Heian era, 1000 years before ''II'' — but her body started to break down 700 years later and had to stay dormant. Some 100 years later (late Sengoku), she took over the body of Bizuki.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Sports bright red, demonic eyes.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Betrayed by her own family in death, she makes a pact with the demon Ambrosia, and lays waste to whoever gets in her way out of sheer anger and spite.
* SNKBoss: She's very fast and her weapon can't be broken, for starters.
* VoiceOfTheLegion: Less distorted than the typical example, though.

[[folder:Kuroko]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/19_kuroko.jpg]]
-> '''Origin:''' ''[[FeudalJapan Kawachi Province, Japan]] [[labelnote:flag]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagjapan_70.png[[/labelnote]]''
-> '''Weapons:''' [[ImprobableWeaponUser Referee flags]]

->A mysterious fighter that acts as the judge of the fights in a few of the games. He has four other brothers that dress identically to him, making them indistinguishable from each other. He is a powerful fighter, but rarely enters the arena. While he appears in the first game, he doesn’t reveal himself as a fighter until the second.

* BonusBoss: In ''II'' you will fight him either randomly or after fulfilling certain conditions. He's also the MidBoss of ''III''.
* CombatMedic: Stated to be proficient in surgery and "resurrecting the dead", which is a nod to the early games where he and his brothers cart defeated fighters off in a tatami death-shroud to be.....''resuscitated''.
* DittoFighter: In ''II'' and ''III'', he turns into the player's character or a random one.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: He uses red and white flags (used in martial arts competitions to denote when a player hits an opponent) as his weapons, and these cannot be destroyed or lost in battle.
* MovesetClone: His ''64'' move-set is almost identical to Rasetsu Hanzo's. In ''II'' and ''VI'', his stance is identical to that of Tung Fu Rue's from ''Fatal Fury'' (''Special'' onward) and ''The King of Fighters'' series.
* NoNameGiven: His name is obscured in the ''II'' credits. It's been revealed that his real name is Sukihiro ("Kuroko" is just an alias).
* ShoutOut: Mostly to other {{Creator/SNK}} games. He is ''the'' embodiment of this trope -- for example, in ''II'' he uses powers from early SNK fighting games like ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'' and ''VideoGame/FatalFury''. In ''VI'', almost all his powers come from ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'' series.
* SNKBoss: He's strong and extremely fast. Plus in ''II'', his weapon can't be broken.
* WholeCostumeReference: He’s based on and dressed just like real life [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuroko kuroko]], who are meant to be anonymous and "invisible" stage-men in Japanese theatre -- his "dislike" in his bio is noted as being "actors who can't remember their lines". The color black (''Kuro'') in Kabuki and Noh theatres signifies invisibility.