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* {{Sucksessor}}: He is retroactively one to Kuzuryu, the cowboy-samurai from the prequel ''Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo''. [[spoiler:While Unosuke's revolver is more advanced than Kuzuryu's percussion pistol, Kuzuryu is undoubtedly the better fighter as he is a OneManArmy with his sword alone whereas Unosuke is nothing without his revolver. Sanjuro's confrontation with both men reflect this as well: Sanjuro got lucky with Kuzuryu running out of bullets whereas with Unosuke, Sanjuro merely needed to outspeed Unosuke to land the critical blow.]]
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* {{Sucksessor}}: He is retroactively one to Kuzuryu, the cowboy-samurai SamuraiCowboy from the prequel ''Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo''. [[spoiler:While Unosuke's revolver is more advanced than Kuzuryu's percussion pistol, Kuzuryu is undoubtedly the better fighter as he is a OneManArmy with his sword alone whereas Unosuke is nothing without his revolver. Sanjuro's confrontation with both men reflect this as well: Sanjuro got lucky with Kuzuryu running out of bullets whereas with Unosuke, Sanjuro merely needed to outspeed Unosuke to land the critical blow.]]
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* TheAce: Not only is Sanjūrō a quick-thinking trickster who can outmaneuver strategists like Ushitora and the Crow, he also has the fighting skills to back it up. He's defeated seasoned samuari like Kuzuryu and Hanbei. He is also one of the few samurai to face Franchise/{{Zatoichi}} and live to tell the tale.
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* TheAce: Not only is Sanjūrō a quick-thinking trickster who can outmaneuver strategists like Ushitora and the Crow, he also has the fighting skills to back it up. He's defeated seasoned samuari samurai like Kuzuryu and Hanbei. He is also one of the few samurai to face Franchise/{{Zatoichi}} Hanbei and live to tell the tale.held his own against Franchise/{{Zatoichi}}, a blind swordsman who has killed countless samurai/ronin.
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* SuperHearing: Not as good as Ichi's, but Sanjuro is still able to know locate his enemies without his eyesight.
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* SuperHearing: Not as good as Ichi's, but Sanjuro is still able to know locate can track down his enemies without with his eyesight.hearing alone.
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* TheGunslinger: He is the only gun-user in town. He has a good QuickDraw, fast enough to assassinate his enemies before they can react and prevent Sanjuro from grabbing his blade.
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* TheGunslinger: He is the only gun-user in town. He has a good QuickDraw, fast enough to assassinate his enemies before they can react and prevent Sanjuro from grabbing his blade.react.
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* ItsPersonalWithTheDragon: While Sanjuro isn't too fond of Ushitora, he still acts somewhat polite in his presence albeit to take his money whereas with Unosuke, Sanjuro openly taunts him and shows zero respect for the gunslinger. As such, Unosuke is the only one of Ushitora's crew to express skepticism of Sanjuro's loyalty to the Shinden yakuza and not be wowed by Sanjuro's swordsmanship.
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!The Protagonist
[[folder:Sanjūrō Kuwabatake (spoilers)]]
!!Sanjūrō Kuwabatake / Sanjūrō Tsubaki / Daisaku Sasa / Yojimbo
[[quoteright:658:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sanjuro_kuwabatake.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/ToshiroMifune
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/{{Yojimbo}}'' | ''Film/{{Sanjuro}}'' | ''Film/ZatoichiMeetsYojimbo'' | ''Film/{{Machibuse}}''
Once a respected samurai who served Japanese royalty, the ronin now known as "Sanjūrō" willingly quit serving the shogunate and became a wandering mercenary.
----
* TheAce: Not only is Sanjūrō a quick-thinking trickster who can outmaneuver strategists like Ushitora and the Crow, he also has the fighting skills to back it up. He's defeated seasoned samuari like Kuzuryu and Hanbei. He is also one of the few samurai to face Franchise/{{Zatoichi}} and live to tell the tale.
* AdaptationalHeroism: Since ''Yojimbo'' is a loose adaptation of ''Literature/RedHarvest'', Sanjūrō can be considered a heroic version of Hammett's Continental Op as Op has virtually none of Sanjūrō's HiddenHeartOfGold moments.
* AnimalMotifs:
** Akira Kurosawa instructed Toshiro Mifune to act like a stray dog, which is why Mifune's character Sanjuro twitches his shoulders and scratches himself a lot during ''Yojimbo''. He also has a confident, shambling walk akin to a wolf or a dog.
** In ''Sanjuro'', he's compared to a tiger or a cat: he's intelligent and deadly, but much more languid.
* AntiHero: In the first movie, Sanjuro is a vicious and remorseless ronin and spends most of the story conning money out of the two criminal gangs fighting over the DyingTown rather than actively trying to help. But he never turns his brutal talents on the innocent as he can't quite manage to snuff out a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold deep-seated sense of compassion beneath his callous exterior]] and abandon the helpless in need, and almost everyone he kills [[AssholeVictim really had it coming]].
* BadassBoast: Recently recovering from an injury, Sanjūrō is out to rescue the innkeeper Gonbei from Unosuke's gang. When the sympathetic coffin-maker expressed doubt at the odds against him while he has a mere knife to fight with, Sanjūrō bellows ''[[ItsPersonal I'll turn them into sashimi!]]''
* BatmanGambit: In ''Yojimbo'', Sanjūrō is able to destroy two rival gangs by exploiting their leaders' personalities and the fact that both of them desperately want him on their side. He also manipulates Hanbei's men by tricking them into sending a signal to his allies.
* BrilliantButLazy: While a wily, experienced ronin, Sanjuro occasionally spends time dozing off rather than carrying out his duties.
* CharacterDevelopment: In the first movie and the prequels, he was very interested in gold and money as he had a meager payroll as a samurai. In the sequel, he aids nine young samurai in overthrowing a corrupt politician because he's concerned about their well-being.
* CharacterTics: Sanjūrō has a habit of keeping one hand inside of his clothing (often while [[ThinkingTic holding his chin]]). He also twitches his shoulders; the idea behind this is that he's like a wolf/dog and has fleas -- making him ''[[{{Pun}} a character with ticks]]''.
* DeadpanSnarker: Sanjūrō, especially when talking to Ushitora's men.
--> '''Thug 1:''' If they catch me, they'll put my head on a pike. Not to brag, but I've committed every crime in the book.
--> '''Sanjūrō:''' So you wouldn't mind if I killed you?
--> '''Thug 2:''' Kill us if you can!
--> '''Sanjūrō:''' ''[shrugs]'' It'll hurt.
* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype:
** Like Kurosawa's Film/SevenSamurai, Sanjuro is an unglamorous take on the {{samurai}} as he is a rude, dirty ronin looking for his next paycheck. While Gonji criticizes Sanjuro for becoming a mercenary for the yakuza, in truth, it's not too different from Sanjuro's old job as a samurai. After all, as noted in the OpeningScroll, Edo-period samurai served the Tokugawa Shogunate, a military dictatorship, so for Sanjuro, the only real difference between working for the shogunate and working for the yakuza is that the yakuza operate on a smaller scale.
** Sanjuro is the inspiration for the [[Film/DollarsTrilogy Man with No Name]] and the [[TheExpyWithNoName nameless cowboy archetype]], but in retrospect, he is a [[UnbuiltTrope deconstruction of the archetype]]. Like his cowboy successors, Sanjuro is a nameless, roaming mercenary, but his violent behavior isn't portrayed in the best light as unlike the Man with No Name and ''his'' expies, Sanjuro doesn't just fight irredeemable brutes but also heroic characters like Zatoichi and [[AntiVillain anti-villains]] like Hanbei. Notably, in Sanjuro's final sequential adventure ''Sanjuro'', the chamberlain's wife states that Sanjuro is too prone to violence. Sanjuro takes this criticism to heart and spends the rest of the story relying on guile and trickery to minimize his kills, which implies some guilt on his part. After defeating Hanbei, Sanjuro shows regret for killing yet another person, and it is hinted that he may retire to a more peaceful life.
* DidNotGetTheGirl: In the prequels, he finds himself attracted to a specific lady, Umeno or Okuni, but the relationship doesn't work out.
* TheDreaded: After Sanjuro demonstrates his swordsmanship, his enemies usually become very reluctant to fight him.
** ''Yojimbo'': Despite Unosuke's prowess with the revolver, Unosuke's brothers believe Sanjuro to be the better fighter and are inclined to keep paying the ronin for his services.
** ''Sanjuro'': When Sanjuro rescues his allies, Hanbei's men start fleeing the instant Sanjuro starts cutting them down.
* TheDrifter: In most of his appearances, Sanjuro wanders around, performs an odd job or two, and leaves once his business is completed.
* DualWielding: A [[TruthInTelevision realistic example]]. Sanjuro wields a daishō pairing consisting of a katana and a tantō. While the katana is his main weapon, the shorter sword comes in handy as a sidearm when Sanjuro locks blades with his opponent. He unfortunately loses the tantō after Ushitora's gang captures him and doesn't bother replacing it afterwards.
* GuileHero: While Sanjūrō is more than capable of handling open conflicts, he spends most of his time [[BatmanGambit exploiting his enemies' personality quirks]] and waiting for the right time to strike.
* HeroicAmbidexterity: He is capable of wielding his katana and short sword in both hands at the same time, which is how he beats Kuzuryu.
* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: {{Downplayed}}. Now a wandering rōnin looking for a job, Sanjuro was once a respectable samurai who served the powerful Tokugawa shogunate. That said, Sanjuro doesn't seem to be ''too'' sad about his loss in status and is still strong enough to take on multiple opponents.
* IaijutsuPractitioner: One of the swiftest swordsman in Edo Japan. He can fight on par with Zatoichi, a [[BlindWeaponmaster blind swordsman]] who is known for lightning-fast draw speed.
* IconicOutfit: He wears a blue/grey kimono inscribed with some kamon symbols.[[note]]In the first two movies, said symbols actually belong to the family of director Creator/AkiraKurosawa. The prequels, one of which was produced by Creator/ToshiroMifune's company, use Mifune's family kamon instead.[[/note]]
* ImprobableAimingSkills: Sanjuro is perfectly capable of hitting floating leaves with a thrown knife. He uses said knife skills to disable Unosuke's gun hand during the film's climax.
* ImprovisedWeapon: In ''Yojimbo'', he acquires a kitchen knife from Gonji and learns how to throw said weapon with utmost accuracy. This proves to be a fruitful endeavor as it allows him to cripple Unosuke's shooting hand and prevent him from using his gun.
* InstantExpert:
** ''Yojimbo'': In a short time frame, he figures out how to throw a knife with accuracy.
** ''Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo'': After observing Zatoichi's blind fighting-style, Sanjuro quickly learns to fight without his eyesight after he gets sand in his eyes.
* ItAmusedMe: Although Sanjūrō definitely has a certain ethical desire to aid the good and punish the wicked, he seems to be motivated a fair amount by this. He only got involved in the gang war by throwing a branch in the air, and he is clearly amused by the prospect of earning a little cash while exterminating the two gangs by playing them against each other.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Sanjūrō is coarse, devious, treats the closest thing he has to friends like crap, and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick executes a whole bunch of people]], but inserts himself into a mob war because it's the right thing to do, and saves several people from their own stupidity.
* KnightErrant: As a wandering ronin, he would take any mercenary job available but still retains the good will to protect the innocent.
* LastOfHisKind: Sanjuro is an ex-samurai for most of his stories, and his last adventure takes place after 1860 in the waning years of Edo Japan. In 1868, the Meiji Restoration will abolish the samurai/ronin class.
* LineOfSightAlias: When asked what his name is, the rōnin looks out over a field of mulberry trees and gives the name Kuwabatake (mulberry field) Sanjūrō (thirty-ish). He does the same in the sequel but uses the surname "Tsubaki" (camellia) instead.
* MadeOfIron: {{Downplayed}}. The giant Kannuki, who's described as having pats as strong as a normal man's beatings, subjects to him ColdBloodedTorture for information on Nui's whereabouts. Sanjuro doesn't give up any information and manages to survive albeit crippled to the point that he can barely crawl.
* MartialArtsStaff: In ''Machibuse'', he seizes a staff from a guard and uses it to fight off the other combatants as he doesn't want to kill them.
* MasterSwordsman: While Sanjuro occasionally fights with his bare hands or with other weapons, his main weapon is the katana, which has claimed many victims. He is very skilled with swords, so skilled that he can literally kill his opponents with his eyes closed.
* TheMole: In his final job as a samurai, Sanjūrō worked as a bodyguard for yakuza boss Masagoro so that he can gather evidence that Masagoro's family is stealing gold from the factories.
* MysteriousPast: There are scant details about Sanjuro's past. ''Yojimbo'' introduces him as an ex-samurai who used to be part of the royal guard. The Zatoichi crossover reveals that he also had espionage duties as a samurai and states his true name to be "Daisaku Sasa" (assuming it's not an alias created for espionage purposes). Other than that, there is nothing else about his origin as even his age is not specified.
* NeverBringAGunToAKnifeFight: In the first and third movies, Sanjuro takes on gunslingers with his various bladed weapons and comes out on top despite the [[RockBeatsLaser technological disadvantage]].
* NervesOfSteel: Even after being beaten within an inch of his life, Sanjuro's still able to think clearly enough to make an effective getaway.
* NoNameGiven: ZigZagged. He generally goes by a LineOfSightName or his [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep job description of bodyguard]], but the crossover movie ''Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo'' reveals his real name to be Daisaku Sasa.
* OneManArmy: Often matches up against multiple yakuza/samurai and wins despite the numbers disadvantage.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Sanjūrō likes money as he didn't have a good salary as a samurai; as a ronin, his interest in money only grew. The sequel shows him to be no longer interested in cash.
* QuickDraw: A variant. When he faces off against Unosuke the gunslinger, he successfully gets off the knife throw before Unosuke can fire a shot.
* ReverseGrip: He defeats Hanbei by drawing his sword with a reverse grip as he is able to hit Hanbei first despite Hanbei's quicker initiative. It's implied that he learned this technique from battling Zatoichi, who typically holds his {{cane sword}} this way.
* {{Ronin}}: One of the best-known examples. He quit his samurai position after falling in love with his romantic interest Umeno.
* {{Samurai}}: While a ronin in most of his appearances, Sanjuro is a samurai in the prequel movie ''Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo'' although he goes ronin at the very end.
* SamuraiPonytail: As an ex-samurai, he has a short, scruffy ponytail that sticks straight out of the back of his head. However, it comes loose after Ushitora's gang captures him
* SheathStrike: When he doesn't want to murder anyone, Sanjūrō doesn't bother unsheathing his sword and just whacks people with the scabbard.
* SingleStrokeBattle:
** In ''Sanjuro'', he evades Hanbei's strike and counters with his own, slaying the other ronin.
** In the battle against Zatoichi, Sanjūrō cuts Ichi's CaneSword into three pieces in the first exchange, which [[DownplayedTrope almost]] ends the fight.
* ScarilyCompetentTracker: In the epilogue of ''Machibuse'', Sanjuro is able to track down Crow despite having no clues to the Crow's location.
* SuperHearing: Not as good as Ichi's, but Sanjuro is still able to know locate his enemies without his eyesight.
* TechnicallyASmile: After Sanjūrō escapes, having taken a severe beating, Gonji tells him he doesn't look alive... and it's even worse when he smiles.
* VagueAge: Sanjuro claims to be thirty-years-old, hence his fake first name, but then states that he is "almost forty".
* WalkingTheEarth: With the exception of the third movie, Sanjuro is always introduced wandering around.
* WouldntHurtAChild: Or a young adult. After slaughtering Ushitora's gang, Sanjuro [[GoAndSinNoMore spares]] the life of a young farmer's son screaming for his mother, knowing the kid is not a ruthless killer like the gangsters he has been slaying.
* YouAreNumberSix: Sanjūrō gives himself a number-name due to the fact that he's "about 36 (san-3, ju-10 ro[ku]-6) years old."
[[/folder]]
!Townsfolk
[[folder:Gonji]]
!!Gonji
[[quoteright:342:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gonji.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Eijirō Tōno
The barkeep of the town.
----
* DistressedDude: Ushitora's gang captures him to lure Sanjuro back into town for a showdown.
* GuileHero: He tricks Inokichi into helping Sanjuro escape the town.
* MoralityPet: Gonji is the closest to a pure-heart hero in the movie as unlike Sanjuro or the coffin-maker, he shows no interest in doing business with the yakuza. Thus, he serves as one to both Sanjuro and the coffin-maker.
** Evidently, Gonji's criticism of Sanjuro's morality worked as it convinced him to free Nui and reunite her with her family.
** After Gonji is captured, the coffin-maker tries to get Sanjuro's help in rescuing him. Sanjuro doesn't need much convincing from the coffin-maker and becomes determined to free Gonji despite his half-healed injuries.
* MrExposition: Gonji, who lays out the present situation and what led up to it for Sanjūrō (and the audience).
* NervesOfSteel: Gonji, with none of the training or skills that Sanjūrō has, manages to bluff his way past gangsters and through a mob war to get an injured Sanjūrō to safety.
* SaloonOwner: This is his job. He offers shelter and food to Sanjuro for free during his stay although this is because he doesn't want Sanjuro's blood money.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The coffin-maker]]
!!The coffin-maker
[[quoteright:293:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_coffin_maker.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Atsushi Watanabe
The coffin-maker of the town.
----
* ChekhovsGunman: Initially, he seems to be a background character to explain where yakuza's dead men go. Later, he shows up to help Gonji move Sanjuro to a nearby refuge. After Sanjuro loses his katana and tantō, the coffin-maker gives him a dead man's sword as a replacement.
* CowardlyLion: When helping Gonji transport Sanjuro to the cemetery, he runs off after witnessing the yakuza war. That said, he makes up for it by aiding Sanjuro, giving him food and a sword to prepare him for the final fight.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Everyone calls him "coffin-maker" or "casket-maker". Ironically, the actual barkeep in the story is given a name.
* MirrorCharacter: To Sanjūrō. Like the ronin, he profits from the MobWar, and his real name is never stated. However, when the yakuza threaten Sanjuro and Gonji, he does everything he can to help the latter two men even though it can potentially get him killed.
* {{Undertaker}}: This is his job. Since his town is in the middle of a mob war, business is booming.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Nui]]
!!Nui
[[quoteright:253:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nui_4.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Yoko Tsukasa
Once a loving mother and wife, Nui is now Ushitora's unlucky hostage after her husband gambled her away to settle a debt.
----
* DamselInDistress: Sanjuro frees Nui from Ushitora's prison by killing the men guarding her.
* LostHimInACardGame: Nui's husband Kohei lost her in a gambling game to Ushitora.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: She and her husband's letter of thanks to Sanjuro winds up in the hands of Unosuke, who then has evidence that Sanjuro betrayed them.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: She's a minor character in the overall plot, but her presence and sad backstory is what leads to Sanjuro's HeelFaceTurn and subsequent imprisonment by Ushitora's men.
[[/folder]]
!Yakuza
!!Seibei's Faction
[[folder:General]]
!!Seibei's Faction
The original yakuza gang of the small town. They are led by the Manome clan.
----
* AlasPoorVillain: While Sanjuro, Gonji, and the undertaker have no love for the Manome gangsters, [[spoiler:they are horrified when the Shinden gangsters attack Manome's base and take no prisoners even after Seibei surrenders]].
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: {{Downplayed}}. The core Manome family care for each other's well-being although Orin slaps her son for getting captured in the first place.
* OutOfFocus: They get less screen time than the other yakuza crew. Sanjuro also has a less antagonistic relationship with Seibei and his men.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Seibei Manome]]
!!Seibei Manome
[[quoteright:416:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/seibei_manome.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Seizaburo Kawazu
The original crime boss of the town. He finds himself in a MobWar after angering his second-in-command Ushitora.
----
* BigBadWannabe: [[spoiler:He ultimately loses the war against Ushitora's gang, which leaves Seibei as the real BigBad.]]
* TheDon: He's the leader of the Manome gang.
* UngratefulBastard: Back when Ushitora was his second-in-command, Seibei planned on giving all of his territory to his son Yoichiro instead of rewarding Ushitora in some way. This is what kicks off the mob war.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Orin Manome]]
!!Orin Manome
[[quoteright:445:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/orin_manome.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Isuzu Yamada
Seibei's wife, who is vicious in her own way.
----
* TheDragon: She replaces Ushitora as her husband's second-in-command.
* EvilMatriarch: Orin is both a gangster and a mother.
* LadyMacbeth: Orin is a major power player in their faction of the mob war, and it's discreetly implied that she was behind the split in the first place by pushing Seibei to declare his obviously-unfit son Yoichiro as his successor within the operation rather than his right-hand man Ushitora. Additionally, she comes up with the idea to [[ContractOnTheHitman assassinate Sanjuro]] to get their money back.
* ManipulativeBitch: She then tries to win Sanjuro's loyalty by offering him geishas although it doesn't work. Presumably, it worked on other recruits.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Yoichiro Manome]]
!!Yoichiro Manome
[[quoteright:362:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yoichiro_manome.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Hiroshi Tachikawa
Seibei and Orin's only son.
----
* ChildrenForcedToKill: [[DownplayedTrope Not a kid]], but as a young man, Yoichiro has to kill people to gain the respect of both yakuza groups.
* DistressedDude: Unosuke and Inokichi capture him to force a prisoner trade with Seibei.
* InadequateInheritor: Ushitora perceives him as one as he believes Yoichiro's inherited territory belongs to him, which kicks off the war in the first place. Yoichiro's own parents also criticize him as an inadequate inheritor after he disagrees with Orin's idea to assassinate Sanjuro.
* MommasBoy: [[spoiler:When Ushitora's gang attack his mother, Yoichiro attempts to rescue her.]]
* TokenGoodTeammate: Yoichiro is only a gangster because his parents are, and it is suggested he doesn't like killing people as he only has a body count of one. He also tries to stop his parents from backstabbing Sanjuro.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Homma]]
!!Homma
[[quoteright:510:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/homma.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Susumu Fujita
One of Seibei's strongest recruits.
---
* InformedAbility: Seibei is confident in Homma's swordsmanship and believes that with Homma and Sanjuro, he can beat Ushitora. The audience never gets to see Homma's skills because Homma quickly abandons Seibei after his introductory scene.
* {{Ronin}}: {{Implied}}. Like Sanjuro, Homma wears clothing inscribed with kamon symbols indicating his samurai lineage. As he is a mercenary for hire, it can be assumed that he has no daimyo to serve.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: He leaves because Seibei gave Sanjuro a higher salary and consequently [[DudeWheresMyRespect feels disrespected]].
[[/folder]]
!!Ushitora's Faction
[[folder:General]]
!!Ushitora's Faction
A splinter group of Seibei's original gang. They are led by the Shinden clan.
----
* BrainsAndBrawn:
** Ushitora is the leader of the gang and was the former second-in-command for Seibei. He doesn't demonstrate any expertise in sword-fighting, but he is good at strategizing.
** Unosuke is the NumberTwo and occasionally leads the other yakuza members. Like Ushitora, he never shows any ability in sword-fighting since he is packing a revolver.
** Inokichi and Kannuki are described by the other characters as dumb but strong.
* CoDragons: Inokichi and Unosuke are this to their older brother Ushitora.
* EvilerThanThou: [[spoiler:Ushitora makes good on his promise to destroy Seibei and take over his domain.]]
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The core group consists of Ushitora and his two brothers.
* WouldntHitAGirl: Ushitora's men allow Seibei's women to flee when his gang attacks Seibei's house [[spoiler:but not Seibei's wife]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Ushitora Shinden]]
!!Ushitora Shinden
[[quoteright:540:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ushitora_shinden.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Kyū Sazanka
The leader of the gang.
----
* BigBad: [[spoiler:After successfully terminating Seibei]], Ushitora effectively becomes the main villain of the movie, and his gang is the [[FinalBoss final obstacle]] for Sanjuro.
* TheDon: He is the leader of a yakuza gang.
* DragonAscendant: {{Invoked}}. He used to be Seibei's right-hand man but forms his own gang after getting disrespected one too many times. [[spoiler:He succeeds, but the victory is short-lived since Sanjuro kills him soon after.]]
* DudeWheresMyRespect: This is main motive for betraying Seibei. Despite loyally serving Seibei for quite some time, Seibei decides to give all his territory to his unready son, angering Ushitora into leaving and forming his own yakuza organization.
* MeaningfulName:
** InUniverse example. His name means Bull-Tiger as he was born in both the year of the bull and the year of the tiger. In Japanese zodiac tradition, this is regarded as bad luck.
** In addition, Ushitora is the name of the northeast [[{{oni}} demon gate]], fitting for the main villain of the movie.
* NonActionGuy: He is mostly a schemer and gets others to do the dirty work. That said, he still tries to kill Sanjuro in a direct fight.
* TheStrategist: When a inspector arrives, his illegal business slows down as his crew can't operate properly while the inspector is scrutinizing the town. Thus, he hires two assassins to kill a magistrate in a nearby town, forcing the inspector to leave for an emergency.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Inokichi Shinden]]
!!Inokichi Shinden
[[quoteright:419:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/inokichi_shinden.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Daisuke Katō
Ushitora's younger, dumber brother.
----
* AffablyEvil: Yakuza business aside, Inokichi is easily the [[NiceGuy nicest person]] in Ushitora's gang as he is mostly on friendly terms with the protagonists and helps Gonji lift a heavy coffin out of goodwill. Sanjuro compliments Ino's strength at one point and is generally more polite to him than with Ino's brothers.
* BigOlUnibrow: He is an antagonist with a prominent unibrow.
* TheBrute: Of the three brothers, he is the best in close combat.
* TheDitz: Inokichi doesn't even know how to count with his fingers. [[spoiler:He later helps Sanjūrō escape from Ushitora's gang, involuntarily.]]
* TheDragon: He ranks lower than both his brothers, but that puts him as the third-highest member at worst.
* DumbMuscle: He is good at fighting, but Sanjuro and Gonji have no problems outsmarting him.
* HumbleHero: [[InvertedTrope Villainous inversion]]. When Sanjuro says Ino is strong, the gangster humbly replies that he isn't ''that'' strong.
* InSeriesNickname: Ushitora calls him "Ino" for short.
* MeaningfulName: The Ino from Inokichi means "boar", and, as the innkeeper points out, [[DumbMuscle Inokichi is brutal and can only charge forward]].
* NotSoHarmlessVillain: While Inokichi is charmingly stupid, the movie occasionally depicts him overpowering Seibei's mercanaries to remind the audience that he is still a dangerous gangster. [[spoiler:The attack on Seibei's base has him laughing maliciously after Unosuke kills Seibei.]]
* VillainRespect: He admires Sanjuro's swordsmanship and tells Unosuke that Sanjuro is a really tough guy. [[spoiler:After Sanjuro escapes Ushitora's prison, Inokichi compliments Sanjuro's resourcefulness.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Unosuke Shinden]]
!!Unosuke Shinden
[[quoteright:433:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/unosuke_shinden.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/TatsuyaNakadai
The youngest of the Shinden brothers, Unosuke is easily the most dangerous gangster in the movie as he possesses the only gun in town.
----
* AllegoricalCharacter: While Japanese, Unosuke is metaphorically an American because he owns an American revolver. On a larger scale, he represents America's growing influence over Japan in the late Edo period, specifically the Perry expedition that ended Japan's isolationism and reopened Japan to international trade.
* AnimalMotifs: Kurosawa told Tatsuya Nakadai that his character Unosuke was a snake, so Nakadai [[EvilSlinks moves very slitheringly]] and doesn't blink a whole lot.
* BigLittleBrother: He is taller than both of his older brothers.
* TheGunslinger: He is the only gun-user in town. He has a good QuickDraw, fast enough to assassinate his enemies before they can react and prevent Sanjuro from grabbing his blade.
* TheHeavy: Ushitora is the real BigBad, but Unosuke has a higher body count and is the biggest threat to Sanjuro in the first movie.
* InSeriesNickname: Ushitora calls him "Uno" for short.
* IronicName: His name means "rabbit", but Unosuke acts more like a snake, an animal that preys on rabbits.
* LastBreathBullet: [[spoiler:{{Subverted}}. Unosuke requests that Sanjuro allow him to die with his prized gun in his hand and reassures Sanjuro by claiming that it is unloaded. The ronin complies, and Unosuke tries to fire one last bullet once he regains control of his revolver. However, Unosuke is so deep in his death throes that not only is he unable to pull the trigger, he is also [[TheDarknessBeforeDeath unable to see anything but darkness]].]]
* NormalFishInATinyPond: Unosuke is dangerous mainly because he is a gunslinger in a village where everyone else fights with swords and other melee weapons.
* NumberTwo: As Inokichi isn't the best thinker, Unosuke is the de facto right-hand man for Ushitora.
* OrnamentalWeapon: Unosuke carries a katana but never actually uses it since his gun is the superior weapon.
* SamuraiCowboy: The TropeCodifier. Unosuke is a wandering fighter with a katana, neckerchief, pinstriped kimono, and revolver. That said, Unosuke is also an [[UnbuiltTrope unbuilt example]] as he isn't a real samurai and never wields his blade, meaning he is closer to a traditional gunslinger.
* SeeYouInHell: [[spoiler:These are Unosuke's final words to Sanjūrō when he dies.]]
* SlasherSmile: Whenever Unosuke kills someone or sets something on fire, he has a wide, manic expression on his face.
* {{Sucksessor}}: He is retroactively one to Kuzuryu, the cowboy-samurai from the prequel ''Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo''. [[spoiler:While Unosuke's revolver is more advanced than Kuzuryu's percussion pistol, Kuzuryu is undoubtedly the better fighter as he is a OneManArmy with his sword alone whereas Unosuke is nothing without his revolver. Sanjuro's confrontation with both men reflect this as well: Sanjuro got lucky with Kuzuryu running out of bullets whereas with Unosuke, Sanjuro merely needed to outspeed Unosuke to land the critical blow.]]
* TriggerHappy: He enjoys pulling his revolver out and threatening others with it, and all his kills are done with his gun. [[spoiler:When he's dying, he wishes to die with his revolver in his hand.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kannuki]]
!!Kannuki
[[quoteright:530:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kannuki.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Tsunagorô Rashômon
The largest member of Ushitora's crew
----
* BrutishCharacterBrutishWeapon: He carries a [[HumongousHeadedHammer giant wooden mallet]] and a long nodachi.
* GiantMook: As he is played by a former pro wrestler, Kannuki the Giant easily towers over Ushitora's other {{mook}}s who don't even reach his shoulders.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Farmer's Son]]
!!Farmer's Son
[[quoteright:503:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/farmers_son.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Yosuke Natsuki
A rebellious youngster who joins Ushitora's crew.
----
* NoNameGiven: His name is never given.
* TagalongKid: A [[InvertedTrope villainous inversion]]. He is the youngest member of Ushitora's crew and doesn't really do anything helpful for the yakuza.
* TokenGoodTeammate: He doesn't kill anyone even as a gangster. [[spoiler:This is why Sanjuro spares him as he is still a kid.]]
* TroubledTeen: He joins a murderous yakuza group because he wants to [[CarpeDiem live life to the fullest]]. He doesn't respect his father either because he looks down on becoming a farmer.
[[/folder]]
----
[[folder:Sanjūrō Kuwabatake (spoilers)]]
!!Sanjūrō Kuwabatake / Sanjūrō Tsubaki / Daisaku Sasa / Yojimbo
[[quoteright:658:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sanjuro_kuwabatake.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/ToshiroMifune
!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/{{Yojimbo}}'' | ''Film/{{Sanjuro}}'' | ''Film/ZatoichiMeetsYojimbo'' | ''Film/{{Machibuse}}''
Once a respected samurai who served Japanese royalty, the ronin now known as "Sanjūrō" willingly quit serving the shogunate and became a wandering mercenary.
----
* TheAce: Not only is Sanjūrō a quick-thinking trickster who can outmaneuver strategists like Ushitora and the Crow, he also has the fighting skills to back it up. He's defeated seasoned samuari like Kuzuryu and Hanbei. He is also one of the few samurai to face Franchise/{{Zatoichi}} and live to tell the tale.
* AdaptationalHeroism: Since ''Yojimbo'' is a loose adaptation of ''Literature/RedHarvest'', Sanjūrō can be considered a heroic version of Hammett's Continental Op as Op has virtually none of Sanjūrō's HiddenHeartOfGold moments.
* AnimalMotifs:
** Akira Kurosawa instructed Toshiro Mifune to act like a stray dog, which is why Mifune's character Sanjuro twitches his shoulders and scratches himself a lot during ''Yojimbo''. He also has a confident, shambling walk akin to a wolf or a dog.
** In ''Sanjuro'', he's compared to a tiger or a cat: he's intelligent and deadly, but much more languid.
* AntiHero: In the first movie, Sanjuro is a vicious and remorseless ronin and spends most of the story conning money out of the two criminal gangs fighting over the DyingTown rather than actively trying to help. But he never turns his brutal talents on the innocent as he can't quite manage to snuff out a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold deep-seated sense of compassion beneath his callous exterior]] and abandon the helpless in need, and almost everyone he kills [[AssholeVictim really had it coming]].
* BadassBoast: Recently recovering from an injury, Sanjūrō is out to rescue the innkeeper Gonbei from Unosuke's gang. When the sympathetic coffin-maker expressed doubt at the odds against him while he has a mere knife to fight with, Sanjūrō bellows ''[[ItsPersonal I'll turn them into sashimi!]]''
* BatmanGambit: In ''Yojimbo'', Sanjūrō is able to destroy two rival gangs by exploiting their leaders' personalities and the fact that both of them desperately want him on their side. He also manipulates Hanbei's men by tricking them into sending a signal to his allies.
* BrilliantButLazy: While a wily, experienced ronin, Sanjuro occasionally spends time dozing off rather than carrying out his duties.
* CharacterDevelopment: In the first movie and the prequels, he was very interested in gold and money as he had a meager payroll as a samurai. In the sequel, he aids nine young samurai in overthrowing a corrupt politician because he's concerned about their well-being.
* CharacterTics: Sanjūrō has a habit of keeping one hand inside of his clothing (often while [[ThinkingTic holding his chin]]). He also twitches his shoulders; the idea behind this is that he's like a wolf/dog and has fleas -- making him ''[[{{Pun}} a character with ticks]]''.
* DeadpanSnarker: Sanjūrō, especially when talking to Ushitora's men.
--> '''Thug 1:''' If they catch me, they'll put my head on a pike. Not to brag, but I've committed every crime in the book.
--> '''Sanjūrō:''' So you wouldn't mind if I killed you?
--> '''Thug 2:''' Kill us if you can!
--> '''Sanjūrō:''' ''[shrugs]'' It'll hurt.
* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype:
** Like Kurosawa's Film/SevenSamurai, Sanjuro is an unglamorous take on the {{samurai}} as he is a rude, dirty ronin looking for his next paycheck. While Gonji criticizes Sanjuro for becoming a mercenary for the yakuza, in truth, it's not too different from Sanjuro's old job as a samurai. After all, as noted in the OpeningScroll, Edo-period samurai served the Tokugawa Shogunate, a military dictatorship, so for Sanjuro, the only real difference between working for the shogunate and working for the yakuza is that the yakuza operate on a smaller scale.
** Sanjuro is the inspiration for the [[Film/DollarsTrilogy Man with No Name]] and the [[TheExpyWithNoName nameless cowboy archetype]], but in retrospect, he is a [[UnbuiltTrope deconstruction of the archetype]]. Like his cowboy successors, Sanjuro is a nameless, roaming mercenary, but his violent behavior isn't portrayed in the best light as unlike the Man with No Name and ''his'' expies, Sanjuro doesn't just fight irredeemable brutes but also heroic characters like Zatoichi and [[AntiVillain anti-villains]] like Hanbei. Notably, in Sanjuro's final sequential adventure ''Sanjuro'', the chamberlain's wife states that Sanjuro is too prone to violence. Sanjuro takes this criticism to heart and spends the rest of the story relying on guile and trickery to minimize his kills, which implies some guilt on his part. After defeating Hanbei, Sanjuro shows regret for killing yet another person, and it is hinted that he may retire to a more peaceful life.
* DidNotGetTheGirl: In the prequels, he finds himself attracted to a specific lady, Umeno or Okuni, but the relationship doesn't work out.
* TheDreaded: After Sanjuro demonstrates his swordsmanship, his enemies usually become very reluctant to fight him.
** ''Yojimbo'': Despite Unosuke's prowess with the revolver, Unosuke's brothers believe Sanjuro to be the better fighter and are inclined to keep paying the ronin for his services.
** ''Sanjuro'': When Sanjuro rescues his allies, Hanbei's men start fleeing the instant Sanjuro starts cutting them down.
* TheDrifter: In most of his appearances, Sanjuro wanders around, performs an odd job or two, and leaves once his business is completed.
* DualWielding: A [[TruthInTelevision realistic example]]. Sanjuro wields a daishō pairing consisting of a katana and a tantō. While the katana is his main weapon, the shorter sword comes in handy as a sidearm when Sanjuro locks blades with his opponent. He unfortunately loses the tantō after Ushitora's gang captures him and doesn't bother replacing it afterwards.
* GuileHero: While Sanjūrō is more than capable of handling open conflicts, he spends most of his time [[BatmanGambit exploiting his enemies' personality quirks]] and waiting for the right time to strike.
* HeroicAmbidexterity: He is capable of wielding his katana and short sword in both hands at the same time, which is how he beats Kuzuryu.
* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: {{Downplayed}}. Now a wandering rōnin looking for a job, Sanjuro was once a respectable samurai who served the powerful Tokugawa shogunate. That said, Sanjuro doesn't seem to be ''too'' sad about his loss in status and is still strong enough to take on multiple opponents.
* IaijutsuPractitioner: One of the swiftest swordsman in Edo Japan. He can fight on par with Zatoichi, a [[BlindWeaponmaster blind swordsman]] who is known for lightning-fast draw speed.
* IconicOutfit: He wears a blue/grey kimono inscribed with some kamon symbols.[[note]]In the first two movies, said symbols actually belong to the family of director Creator/AkiraKurosawa. The prequels, one of which was produced by Creator/ToshiroMifune's company, use Mifune's family kamon instead.[[/note]]
* ImprobableAimingSkills: Sanjuro is perfectly capable of hitting floating leaves with a thrown knife. He uses said knife skills to disable Unosuke's gun hand during the film's climax.
* ImprovisedWeapon: In ''Yojimbo'', he acquires a kitchen knife from Gonji and learns how to throw said weapon with utmost accuracy. This proves to be a fruitful endeavor as it allows him to cripple Unosuke's shooting hand and prevent him from using his gun.
* InstantExpert:
** ''Yojimbo'': In a short time frame, he figures out how to throw a knife with accuracy.
** ''Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo'': After observing Zatoichi's blind fighting-style, Sanjuro quickly learns to fight without his eyesight after he gets sand in his eyes.
* ItAmusedMe: Although Sanjūrō definitely has a certain ethical desire to aid the good and punish the wicked, he seems to be motivated a fair amount by this. He only got involved in the gang war by throwing a branch in the air, and he is clearly amused by the prospect of earning a little cash while exterminating the two gangs by playing them against each other.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Sanjūrō is coarse, devious, treats the closest thing he has to friends like crap, and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick executes a whole bunch of people]], but inserts himself into a mob war because it's the right thing to do, and saves several people from their own stupidity.
* KnightErrant: As a wandering ronin, he would take any mercenary job available but still retains the good will to protect the innocent.
* LastOfHisKind: Sanjuro is an ex-samurai for most of his stories, and his last adventure takes place after 1860 in the waning years of Edo Japan. In 1868, the Meiji Restoration will abolish the samurai/ronin class.
* LineOfSightAlias: When asked what his name is, the rōnin looks out over a field of mulberry trees and gives the name Kuwabatake (mulberry field) Sanjūrō (thirty-ish). He does the same in the sequel but uses the surname "Tsubaki" (camellia) instead.
* MadeOfIron: {{Downplayed}}. The giant Kannuki, who's described as having pats as strong as a normal man's beatings, subjects to him ColdBloodedTorture for information on Nui's whereabouts. Sanjuro doesn't give up any information and manages to survive albeit crippled to the point that he can barely crawl.
* MartialArtsStaff: In ''Machibuse'', he seizes a staff from a guard and uses it to fight off the other combatants as he doesn't want to kill them.
* MasterSwordsman: While Sanjuro occasionally fights with his bare hands or with other weapons, his main weapon is the katana, which has claimed many victims. He is very skilled with swords, so skilled that he can literally kill his opponents with his eyes closed.
* TheMole: In his final job as a samurai, Sanjūrō worked as a bodyguard for yakuza boss Masagoro so that he can gather evidence that Masagoro's family is stealing gold from the factories.
* MysteriousPast: There are scant details about Sanjuro's past. ''Yojimbo'' introduces him as an ex-samurai who used to be part of the royal guard. The Zatoichi crossover reveals that he also had espionage duties as a samurai and states his true name to be "Daisaku Sasa" (assuming it's not an alias created for espionage purposes). Other than that, there is nothing else about his origin as even his age is not specified.
* NeverBringAGunToAKnifeFight: In the first and third movies, Sanjuro takes on gunslingers with his various bladed weapons and comes out on top despite the [[RockBeatsLaser technological disadvantage]].
* NervesOfSteel: Even after being beaten within an inch of his life, Sanjuro's still able to think clearly enough to make an effective getaway.
* NoNameGiven: ZigZagged. He generally goes by a LineOfSightName or his [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep job description of bodyguard]], but the crossover movie ''Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo'' reveals his real name to be Daisaku Sasa.
* OneManArmy: Often matches up against multiple yakuza/samurai and wins despite the numbers disadvantage.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Sanjūrō likes money as he didn't have a good salary as a samurai; as a ronin, his interest in money only grew. The sequel shows him to be no longer interested in cash.
* QuickDraw: A variant. When he faces off against Unosuke the gunslinger, he successfully gets off the knife throw before Unosuke can fire a shot.
* ReverseGrip: He defeats Hanbei by drawing his sword with a reverse grip as he is able to hit Hanbei first despite Hanbei's quicker initiative. It's implied that he learned this technique from battling Zatoichi, who typically holds his {{cane sword}} this way.
* {{Ronin}}: One of the best-known examples. He quit his samurai position after falling in love with his romantic interest Umeno.
* {{Samurai}}: While a ronin in most of his appearances, Sanjuro is a samurai in the prequel movie ''Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo'' although he goes ronin at the very end.
* SamuraiPonytail: As an ex-samurai, he has a short, scruffy ponytail that sticks straight out of the back of his head. However, it comes loose after Ushitora's gang captures him
* SheathStrike: When he doesn't want to murder anyone, Sanjūrō doesn't bother unsheathing his sword and just whacks people with the scabbard.
* SingleStrokeBattle:
** In ''Sanjuro'', he evades Hanbei's strike and counters with his own, slaying the other ronin.
** In the battle against Zatoichi, Sanjūrō cuts Ichi's CaneSword into three pieces in the first exchange, which [[DownplayedTrope almost]] ends the fight.
* ScarilyCompetentTracker: In the epilogue of ''Machibuse'', Sanjuro is able to track down Crow despite having no clues to the Crow's location.
* SuperHearing: Not as good as Ichi's, but Sanjuro is still able to know locate his enemies without his eyesight.
* TechnicallyASmile: After Sanjūrō escapes, having taken a severe beating, Gonji tells him he doesn't look alive... and it's even worse when he smiles.
* VagueAge: Sanjuro claims to be thirty-years-old, hence his fake first name, but then states that he is "almost forty".
* WalkingTheEarth: With the exception of the third movie, Sanjuro is always introduced wandering around.
* WouldntHurtAChild: Or a young adult. After slaughtering Ushitora's gang, Sanjuro [[GoAndSinNoMore spares]] the life of a young farmer's son screaming for his mother, knowing the kid is not a ruthless killer like the gangsters he has been slaying.
* YouAreNumberSix: Sanjūrō gives himself a number-name due to the fact that he's "about 36 (san-3, ju-10 ro[ku]-6) years old."
[[/folder]]
!Townsfolk
[[folder:Gonji]]
!!Gonji
[[quoteright:342:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gonji.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Eijirō Tōno
The barkeep of the town.
----
* DistressedDude: Ushitora's gang captures him to lure Sanjuro back into town for a showdown.
* GuileHero: He tricks Inokichi into helping Sanjuro escape the town.
* MoralityPet: Gonji is the closest to a pure-heart hero in the movie as unlike Sanjuro or the coffin-maker, he shows no interest in doing business with the yakuza. Thus, he serves as one to both Sanjuro and the coffin-maker.
** Evidently, Gonji's criticism of Sanjuro's morality worked as it convinced him to free Nui and reunite her with her family.
** After Gonji is captured, the coffin-maker tries to get Sanjuro's help in rescuing him. Sanjuro doesn't need much convincing from the coffin-maker and becomes determined to free Gonji despite his half-healed injuries.
* MrExposition: Gonji, who lays out the present situation and what led up to it for Sanjūrō (and the audience).
* NervesOfSteel: Gonji, with none of the training or skills that Sanjūrō has, manages to bluff his way past gangsters and through a mob war to get an injured Sanjūrō to safety.
* SaloonOwner: This is his job. He offers shelter and food to Sanjuro for free during his stay although this is because he doesn't want Sanjuro's blood money.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The coffin-maker]]
!!The coffin-maker
[[quoteright:293:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_coffin_maker.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Atsushi Watanabe
The coffin-maker of the town.
----
* ChekhovsGunman: Initially, he seems to be a background character to explain where yakuza's dead men go. Later, he shows up to help Gonji move Sanjuro to a nearby refuge. After Sanjuro loses his katana and tantō, the coffin-maker gives him a dead man's sword as a replacement.
* CowardlyLion: When helping Gonji transport Sanjuro to the cemetery, he runs off after witnessing the yakuza war. That said, he makes up for it by aiding Sanjuro, giving him food and a sword to prepare him for the final fight.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Everyone calls him "coffin-maker" or "casket-maker". Ironically, the actual barkeep in the story is given a name.
* MirrorCharacter: To Sanjūrō. Like the ronin, he profits from the MobWar, and his real name is never stated. However, when the yakuza threaten Sanjuro and Gonji, he does everything he can to help the latter two men even though it can potentially get him killed.
* {{Undertaker}}: This is his job. Since his town is in the middle of a mob war, business is booming.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Nui]]
!!Nui
[[quoteright:253:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nui_4.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Yoko Tsukasa
Once a loving mother and wife, Nui is now Ushitora's unlucky hostage after her husband gambled her away to settle a debt.
----
* DamselInDistress: Sanjuro frees Nui from Ushitora's prison by killing the men guarding her.
* LostHimInACardGame: Nui's husband Kohei lost her in a gambling game to Ushitora.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: She and her husband's letter of thanks to Sanjuro winds up in the hands of Unosuke, who then has evidence that Sanjuro betrayed them.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: She's a minor character in the overall plot, but her presence and sad backstory is what leads to Sanjuro's HeelFaceTurn and subsequent imprisonment by Ushitora's men.
[[/folder]]
!Yakuza
!!Seibei's Faction
[[folder:General]]
!!Seibei's Faction
The original yakuza gang of the small town. They are led by the Manome clan.
----
* AlasPoorVillain: While Sanjuro, Gonji, and the undertaker have no love for the Manome gangsters, [[spoiler:they are horrified when the Shinden gangsters attack Manome's base and take no prisoners even after Seibei surrenders]].
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: {{Downplayed}}. The core Manome family care for each other's well-being although Orin slaps her son for getting captured in the first place.
* OutOfFocus: They get less screen time than the other yakuza crew. Sanjuro also has a less antagonistic relationship with Seibei and his men.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Seibei Manome]]
!!Seibei Manome
[[quoteright:416:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/seibei_manome.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Seizaburo Kawazu
The original crime boss of the town. He finds himself in a MobWar after angering his second-in-command Ushitora.
----
* BigBadWannabe: [[spoiler:He ultimately loses the war against Ushitora's gang, which leaves Seibei as the real BigBad.]]
* TheDon: He's the leader of the Manome gang.
* UngratefulBastard: Back when Ushitora was his second-in-command, Seibei planned on giving all of his territory to his son Yoichiro instead of rewarding Ushitora in some way. This is what kicks off the mob war.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Orin Manome]]
!!Orin Manome
[[quoteright:445:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/orin_manome.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Isuzu Yamada
Seibei's wife, who is vicious in her own way.
----
* TheDragon: She replaces Ushitora as her husband's second-in-command.
* EvilMatriarch: Orin is both a gangster and a mother.
* LadyMacbeth: Orin is a major power player in their faction of the mob war, and it's discreetly implied that she was behind the split in the first place by pushing Seibei to declare his obviously-unfit son Yoichiro as his successor within the operation rather than his right-hand man Ushitora. Additionally, she comes up with the idea to [[ContractOnTheHitman assassinate Sanjuro]] to get their money back.
* ManipulativeBitch: She then tries to win Sanjuro's loyalty by offering him geishas although it doesn't work. Presumably, it worked on other recruits.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Yoichiro Manome]]
!!Yoichiro Manome
[[quoteright:362:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yoichiro_manome.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Hiroshi Tachikawa
Seibei and Orin's only son.
----
* ChildrenForcedToKill: [[DownplayedTrope Not a kid]], but as a young man, Yoichiro has to kill people to gain the respect of both yakuza groups.
* DistressedDude: Unosuke and Inokichi capture him to force a prisoner trade with Seibei.
* InadequateInheritor: Ushitora perceives him as one as he believes Yoichiro's inherited territory belongs to him, which kicks off the war in the first place. Yoichiro's own parents also criticize him as an inadequate inheritor after he disagrees with Orin's idea to assassinate Sanjuro.
* MommasBoy: [[spoiler:When Ushitora's gang attack his mother, Yoichiro attempts to rescue her.]]
* TokenGoodTeammate: Yoichiro is only a gangster because his parents are, and it is suggested he doesn't like killing people as he only has a body count of one. He also tries to stop his parents from backstabbing Sanjuro.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Homma]]
!!Homma
[[quoteright:510:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/homma.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Susumu Fujita
One of Seibei's strongest recruits.
---
* InformedAbility: Seibei is confident in Homma's swordsmanship and believes that with Homma and Sanjuro, he can beat Ushitora. The audience never gets to see Homma's skills because Homma quickly abandons Seibei after his introductory scene.
* {{Ronin}}: {{Implied}}. Like Sanjuro, Homma wears clothing inscribed with kamon symbols indicating his samurai lineage. As he is a mercenary for hire, it can be assumed that he has no daimyo to serve.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: He leaves because Seibei gave Sanjuro a higher salary and consequently [[DudeWheresMyRespect feels disrespected]].
[[/folder]]
!!Ushitora's Faction
[[folder:General]]
!!Ushitora's Faction
A splinter group of Seibei's original gang. They are led by the Shinden clan.
----
* BrainsAndBrawn:
** Ushitora is the leader of the gang and was the former second-in-command for Seibei. He doesn't demonstrate any expertise in sword-fighting, but he is good at strategizing.
** Unosuke is the NumberTwo and occasionally leads the other yakuza members. Like Ushitora, he never shows any ability in sword-fighting since he is packing a revolver.
** Inokichi and Kannuki are described by the other characters as dumb but strong.
* CoDragons: Inokichi and Unosuke are this to their older brother Ushitora.
* EvilerThanThou: [[spoiler:Ushitora makes good on his promise to destroy Seibei and take over his domain.]]
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The core group consists of Ushitora and his two brothers.
* WouldntHitAGirl: Ushitora's men allow Seibei's women to flee when his gang attacks Seibei's house [[spoiler:but not Seibei's wife]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Ushitora Shinden]]
!!Ushitora Shinden
[[quoteright:540:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ushitora_shinden.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Kyū Sazanka
The leader of the gang.
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* BigBad: [[spoiler:After successfully terminating Seibei]], Ushitora effectively becomes the main villain of the movie, and his gang is the [[FinalBoss final obstacle]] for Sanjuro.
* TheDon: He is the leader of a yakuza gang.
* DragonAscendant: {{Invoked}}. He used to be Seibei's right-hand man but forms his own gang after getting disrespected one too many times. [[spoiler:He succeeds, but the victory is short-lived since Sanjuro kills him soon after.]]
* DudeWheresMyRespect: This is main motive for betraying Seibei. Despite loyally serving Seibei for quite some time, Seibei decides to give all his territory to his unready son, angering Ushitora into leaving and forming his own yakuza organization.
* MeaningfulName:
** InUniverse example. His name means Bull-Tiger as he was born in both the year of the bull and the year of the tiger. In Japanese zodiac tradition, this is regarded as bad luck.
** In addition, Ushitora is the name of the northeast [[{{oni}} demon gate]], fitting for the main villain of the movie.
* NonActionGuy: He is mostly a schemer and gets others to do the dirty work. That said, he still tries to kill Sanjuro in a direct fight.
* TheStrategist: When a inspector arrives, his illegal business slows down as his crew can't operate properly while the inspector is scrutinizing the town. Thus, he hires two assassins to kill a magistrate in a nearby town, forcing the inspector to leave for an emergency.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Inokichi Shinden]]
!!Inokichi Shinden
[[quoteright:419:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/inokichi_shinden.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Daisuke Katō
Ushitora's younger, dumber brother.
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* AffablyEvil: Yakuza business aside, Inokichi is easily the [[NiceGuy nicest person]] in Ushitora's gang as he is mostly on friendly terms with the protagonists and helps Gonji lift a heavy coffin out of goodwill. Sanjuro compliments Ino's strength at one point and is generally more polite to him than with Ino's brothers.
* BigOlUnibrow: He is an antagonist with a prominent unibrow.
* TheBrute: Of the three brothers, he is the best in close combat.
* TheDitz: Inokichi doesn't even know how to count with his fingers. [[spoiler:He later helps Sanjūrō escape from Ushitora's gang, involuntarily.]]
* TheDragon: He ranks lower than both his brothers, but that puts him as the third-highest member at worst.
* DumbMuscle: He is good at fighting, but Sanjuro and Gonji have no problems outsmarting him.
* HumbleHero: [[InvertedTrope Villainous inversion]]. When Sanjuro says Ino is strong, the gangster humbly replies that he isn't ''that'' strong.
* InSeriesNickname: Ushitora calls him "Ino" for short.
* MeaningfulName: The Ino from Inokichi means "boar", and, as the innkeeper points out, [[DumbMuscle Inokichi is brutal and can only charge forward]].
* NotSoHarmlessVillain: While Inokichi is charmingly stupid, the movie occasionally depicts him overpowering Seibei's mercanaries to remind the audience that he is still a dangerous gangster. [[spoiler:The attack on Seibei's base has him laughing maliciously after Unosuke kills Seibei.]]
* VillainRespect: He admires Sanjuro's swordsmanship and tells Unosuke that Sanjuro is a really tough guy. [[spoiler:After Sanjuro escapes Ushitora's prison, Inokichi compliments Sanjuro's resourcefulness.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Unosuke Shinden]]
!!Unosuke Shinden
[[quoteright:433:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/unosuke_shinden.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/TatsuyaNakadai
The youngest of the Shinden brothers, Unosuke is easily the most dangerous gangster in the movie as he possesses the only gun in town.
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* AllegoricalCharacter: While Japanese, Unosuke is metaphorically an American because he owns an American revolver. On a larger scale, he represents America's growing influence over Japan in the late Edo period, specifically the Perry expedition that ended Japan's isolationism and reopened Japan to international trade.
* AnimalMotifs: Kurosawa told Tatsuya Nakadai that his character Unosuke was a snake, so Nakadai [[EvilSlinks moves very slitheringly]] and doesn't blink a whole lot.
* BigLittleBrother: He is taller than both of his older brothers.
* TheGunslinger: He is the only gun-user in town. He has a good QuickDraw, fast enough to assassinate his enemies before they can react and prevent Sanjuro from grabbing his blade.
* TheHeavy: Ushitora is the real BigBad, but Unosuke has a higher body count and is the biggest threat to Sanjuro in the first movie.
* InSeriesNickname: Ushitora calls him "Uno" for short.
* IronicName: His name means "rabbit", but Unosuke acts more like a snake, an animal that preys on rabbits.
* LastBreathBullet: [[spoiler:{{Subverted}}. Unosuke requests that Sanjuro allow him to die with his prized gun in his hand and reassures Sanjuro by claiming that it is unloaded. The ronin complies, and Unosuke tries to fire one last bullet once he regains control of his revolver. However, Unosuke is so deep in his death throes that not only is he unable to pull the trigger, he is also [[TheDarknessBeforeDeath unable to see anything but darkness]].]]
* NormalFishInATinyPond: Unosuke is dangerous mainly because he is a gunslinger in a village where everyone else fights with swords and other melee weapons.
* NumberTwo: As Inokichi isn't the best thinker, Unosuke is the de facto right-hand man for Ushitora.
* OrnamentalWeapon: Unosuke carries a katana but never actually uses it since his gun is the superior weapon.
* SamuraiCowboy: The TropeCodifier. Unosuke is a wandering fighter with a katana, neckerchief, pinstriped kimono, and revolver. That said, Unosuke is also an [[UnbuiltTrope unbuilt example]] as he isn't a real samurai and never wields his blade, meaning he is closer to a traditional gunslinger.
* SeeYouInHell: [[spoiler:These are Unosuke's final words to Sanjūrō when he dies.]]
* SlasherSmile: Whenever Unosuke kills someone or sets something on fire, he has a wide, manic expression on his face.
* {{Sucksessor}}: He is retroactively one to Kuzuryu, the cowboy-samurai from the prequel ''Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo''. [[spoiler:While Unosuke's revolver is more advanced than Kuzuryu's percussion pistol, Kuzuryu is undoubtedly the better fighter as he is a OneManArmy with his sword alone whereas Unosuke is nothing without his revolver. Sanjuro's confrontation with both men reflect this as well: Sanjuro got lucky with Kuzuryu running out of bullets whereas with Unosuke, Sanjuro merely needed to outspeed Unosuke to land the critical blow.]]
* TriggerHappy: He enjoys pulling his revolver out and threatening others with it, and all his kills are done with his gun. [[spoiler:When he's dying, he wishes to die with his revolver in his hand.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kannuki]]
!!Kannuki
[[quoteright:530:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kannuki.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Tsunagorô Rashômon
The largest member of Ushitora's crew
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* BrutishCharacterBrutishWeapon: He carries a [[HumongousHeadedHammer giant wooden mallet]] and a long nodachi.
* GiantMook: As he is played by a former pro wrestler, Kannuki the Giant easily towers over Ushitora's other {{mook}}s who don't even reach his shoulders.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Farmer's Son]]
!!Farmer's Son
[[quoteright:503:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/farmers_son.png]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Yosuke Natsuki
A rebellious youngster who joins Ushitora's crew.
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* NoNameGiven: His name is never given.
* TagalongKid: A [[InvertedTrope villainous inversion]]. He is the youngest member of Ushitora's crew and doesn't really do anything helpful for the yakuza.
* TokenGoodTeammate: He doesn't kill anyone even as a gangster. [[spoiler:This is why Sanjuro spares him as he is still a kid.]]
* TroubledTeen: He joins a murderous yakuza group because he wants to [[CarpeDiem live life to the fullest]]. He doesn't respect his father either because he looks down on becoming a farmer.
[[/folder]]
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