History Characters / Nioh

This is a list of characters who appear in ''VideoGame/{{Nioh}}''. Unless stated otherwise, all individuals adhere to HistoricalDomainCharacter.

* [[Characters/NiohEnemiesAndBosses Enemies and Bosses]]

* [[Characters/NiohEnemiesAndBosses Enemies and Bosses]]

[[foldercontrol]]

!!Enemies
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* ActionBomb: If triggered, "Amrita Yoki" will explode without the {{Hit Point}}s reaching zero.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Traditional {{Yokai}} in Japanese folklore are mischievious at best, but the monsters of ''Nioh'' are malevolent and vile (some of whom ''are'' MadeOfEvil).
* AttackItsWeakpoint: "Yoki" can have their horns shattered (via High Stance) to open them up to a finisher, while "One-Eyed Oni" can be struck in the eye to stun them momentarily. Although a finisher cannot be used on the latter, attacking their eyes for a stagger can be done multiple times before they die.
* ArrowsOnFire: Human and skeleton archers are always armed with these types of arrows.
* ChestMonster: Played with - "Majina" might hide inside large chests, but aren't malicious by nature unless they are physically provoked or players don't mimic their gesture correctly.
* TheCorruption: Many {{Yokai}} in ''Nioh'' were [[WasOnceAMan previously humans consumed and corrupted]] by ''kegare'', miasmatic spiritual corruption caused by negative emotions. Oni can create patches of this miasma called "Yokai Realms" that slow players' ''ki'' regeneration and amplify their own.
* {{Expy}}: Certain ''Nioh'' enemies fulfill similar roles to enemies from ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' - "Dwellers" are "Hollows", Majina are "Mimics", "Revenants" are "Red Phantoms" and "Kappa" are "Crystal Lizards".
* GemTissue: Amrita Yoki have chunks of Amrita growing from their bodies.
* GiantSpider: "Tsuchigumo", spider-monsters capable of spitting purple webbing, are fought as the most common enemies in the haunted ruins of Shigisen Castle.
* TheHeartless: Specific types of {{Yokai}} in ''Nioh'' are created from negative emotions that physically manifest after a person's death - the Ogress and Yuki-Onna serve as examples.
* LivingStructureMonster
** "Nurikabe" are {{Yokai}} manifesting as hidden walls: players can deduce them by looking for a pair of eyes mounted onto walls. By picking the proper gesture, nurikabe can open a passageway peacefully; if not, they will turn hostile. Alternatively, players might discover a talisman pasted onto a wall - interacting with it and players will remove the talisman, triggering the Nurikabe's appearance, but not fight it as the {{Yokai}} disappears.
** "Sentries" are {{Living Statue}}s armed with a {{BFS}}.
* MetalSlime: Kappa are highly evasive enemies that will flee on sight, potentially leading players into more deadly foes. Defeating them and tons of Amrita, armor, gold, items and weapons will drop.
* {{Oni}}: ''Nioh'' features the traditional types, such as classic, horned ogres (Yoki), [[{{Cyclops}} mono-eyed variants]] (One-Eyed Oni) and kodama. Heck, the title of the game is, in a syllabic sense, the inverse (using Japanese symbols) for oni ("oh" and "Ni").
* OverlyLongTongue: "Onmyudo", in addition to using melee strikes and shoulder ramming, can stretch their tongues out to lash at players.
* RecurringBoss: Many {{Yokai}} bosses show up again in side-missions as the mission-ending boss, but also as mini-bosses. JustifiedTrope, however, as the enemy descriptions explicitly describe them as a species rather than individuals.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: "Flying Bolts", who are covered with white strips of linen around their bodies. However, since their movement is quick, the model viewer in the encyclopedia is where this can be seen.
* TheUndead
** The majority of {{Mooks}} in ''Nioh'' tend to be [[DemBones skeletons]] or the [[NotUsingTheZWord zombie-like Dwellers]].
** Vengeful Revenants of other players who have died can be summoned and fought to obtain rare armor and weapons.
* WasOnceAMan: Quite a number of {{Yokai}} were humans consumed by negative emotions. However, it's possible to transform a perfectly normal person into an abomination by violently fusing them with Amrita crystals - Derrick the Executioner is one example; [[spoiler:Mitsunari is another]].

[[folder:Bosses]]
!!Derrick The Executioner
[[quoteright:210:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohderrick.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': James Clyde
----
* DegradedBoss: [[spoiler:Returning to the Tower of London in the epilogue and players can find Derrick again in his transformed state, albeit now as an EliteMook rather than a boss]].
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Once Kelley infuses him with an Amrita crystal, his eyes turn red and he transforms into a monster.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Starts off just black and evil, but becomes this once Kelley infuses him with an Amrita crystal.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Especially post-transformation via Amrita crystal.
* TruthInTelevision: There really was an English executioner during Queen Elizabeth's era called Thomas Derrick, famed for having executed more than 3,000 people throughout his career. Furthermore, the word "derrick" is associated with what the hangman's noose was supported on; in the modern era, it's a reference to its use on mechanical cranes.

!!Onryoki
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nioh_onryoki_700x389.jpg]]
-->''It hurts... Help...Anyone...''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* DegradedBoss: If an Onryoki shows up in a main or side-mission as an EliteMook rather than a boss, it will not have use of its EpicFlail (see below).
* EpicFlail: Its arms are chained to enormous balls that it uses as flails in the first stage of its boss fight. In the second half, the Onryoki breaks its chains apart; occasionally, it will lob the iron balls at players.
* GiantMook: Visually, the Onryoki is basically a giant Yoki, complete with the same AttackItsWeakPoint via its horns for a temporary stagger state.
* HornedHumanoid: It has a pair of glowing yellow upwards-curved horns.
* MadeOfEvil: It's implied the Onryoki in the slave ship William boards in the fishing village is a physical manifestation of all the dead slaves' hatred, formed conveniently into the shape of a massive Oni.

!!Hino-Enma
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hinoenma.jpg]]
-->''I need more. Bring more men to me.''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* CombatStilettos: Wearing "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geta_(footwear) tengu-geta]]" on her feet, the [[KickChick Hino-Enma is able to use it as part of a series of kicks as melee attacks]].
* HornyDevil: Essentially a cross between a succubus and vampire, Hino-Enma lure men away before abducting them and drinking their blood at her leisure. {{Lampshaded}} after defeating the one in the mountain caves.
-->"The blood of young men keeps me beautiful. I need more. More! Until all the world's men are my slaves."
* HumanoidAbomination: Her face is [[UncannyValley slightly off]], her skin is ash-cloud white, is unusually tall for a woman, and upon using its GrappleMove, her {{Nested Mouth|s}} erupts a bunch of tentacles not unlike a "[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 Majini]]".
* LightningBruiser: Hino-Enma has the size and agility of other humanoid bossess, but with the power and stability of a {{Yokai}} boss. Furthermore, she can inflict the "Discord" StandardStatusEffect[[note]]Prevent all movement until the Discord effect disappates[[/note]].
* ParasolOfPain: Will occasionally take out an umbrella as a weapon.
* VampiricDraining: Befitting her image as a succubus, her GrappleMove doubles as a LifeDrain.
* StalkerWithACrush: One mission involves rescuing [[spoiler:Saika Magoichi]] at a bathhouse, the one captured man this particular Hino-Enma won't kill.
* WingedHumanoid: Hino-Enma have a pair of black-feathered wings for flight.
* WorthyOpponent: {{Lampshaded}}; though she desires to kill men, the one in the mountain bandit caves sees William as this.
-->''Men are too foul to live... I must kill them... All except for him...''

!!Nue
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/56243_1_nioh_fourth_boss_guide_kill_nue_full.jpg]]
----
* KillItWithWater: Its primary weakness; {{Irony}} ensues when it generates electricity, which water conducts.
* ShockAndAwe: Nue can spit lightning-beams from its mouth and call down bolts of lightning from the sky.
* SphereEyes: Its eyes seem quite loose in their sockets, often rolling around erratically before focusing back at players.
* HybridMonster: The Nue looks akin to the mythological Greek ''chimera'' with the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the limbs of a tiger, and a serpent for a tail; fitting, given the Nue are the traditional Japanese equivalent of a chimera.

!!Giant Centipede
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* CreepyCentipedes: It's a giant centipede with a skull-like face.
* SegmentedSerpent: Played with; while not a snake, [[SubsystemDamage the individual segments of its body have their own health bars]] and can be destroyed, leaving it as a walking head.

!!Umi-Bozu
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohumibozu.jpg]]
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* AbnormalAmmo: Whereas its spawn "Lesser Umi-Bozu" spit out katana, this one shoots ''pieces of shipwrecks''.
* BlobMonster: Its default appearance, including the Lesser Umi-bozu; the former also doubles as a SeaMonster since it has an enormous body mostly composed of seawater and is TheDreaded for causing shipwrecks.
* CombatTentacles: It can extend tentacles and smash them down on players.
* LogicalWeakness: Inverted; this living mass of water is inexplicably weak to ''fire''.
* WaveMotionGun: It can fire a OneHitKill torrent of water from its Amrita core; fortunately there's an easy tell to determine when the attack is coming.
* WeaksauceWeakness: Although embuing weapons with fire via talismans or from using the signal fires in the boss arena is a viable option, the "Hykotto Masks" likely cluttering up players' inventory can also make short work of the Umi-Bozu.

!Joro-Gumo
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/43823ba4gw1f6y1b9l45rj21hc0u00z9_thumb.jpg]]
-->''Ahh, how hateful! How vile! The fragments of my broken self... where have you scattered...?''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* AllWebbedUp: Like the tsuchigumo, the Joro-Gumo can spit purple webbing that inflicts the "Slow" StandardStatusEffect[[note]]Attack, movement and rolling animations are halved[[/note]].
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: Of Hisahide's Hirogumo teakettle.
* AssKicksYou: [[AttackItsWeakPoint Attack her abdomen]] too many times and she'll armor it up and start swinging it at you.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Running parallel just underneath her arms' hands, Joro-Gumo has raptorial limbs that she uses to slash at close proximity and crawl along the ground.
* MaleGaze: Her boss introduction cutscene ends with the camera zooming into her ample chest.
* MotherOfAThousandYoung: It's implied the tsuchigumo infesting Shigisen Castle are her offspring.
* SpiderPeople: The Joro-Gumo has a female human head and torso atop the body of a GiantSpider.

!! Yuki-Onna
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maxresdefault_619.jpg]]
-->''I haven't had a visitor for a long time. It's been boring. Come!''
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/RieTanaka
----
* AnimalMotifs: Her Guardian Spirit is Usura-hicho, a flock of frozen butterflies; [[spoiler:it's implied Lady Nō's return as a Yuki-Onna is due to her pain and sadness of losing her husband Oda Nobunaga]], given the Usura-hicho are seen as a manifestation of those who perished from grief and sorrow.
* BattleCouple: Is available as a DualBoss alongside [[spoiler:Nobunaga]] in NewGamePlus.
* BloodKnight: This Yuki-Onna challenges William to a fight, after complaining about how bored she is from the time spent at Honnōji Temple.
* CameBackStrong: [[spoiler:Is actually Nobunaga's wife, Lady Nō]], resurrected and empowered by Kelley's dark magic.
* CuteGhostGirl: Her physical appearance renders her just as beautiful as many other human female character models in the game, [[spoiler:especially with the implication Lady Nō burned to death with Nobunaga when Honnōji Temple went up in flames]], yet Yuki-Onna is still a spirit with ice-based powers.
* GracefulLoser: Upon defeat, Yuki-Onna peacefully thanks William for setting her soul free [[spoiler:to head into the afterlife to be with Nobunaga]].
* AnIcePerson: Given her MeaningfulName of "snow woman", Yuki-Onna can generate icicles as projectiles and a ShockwaveStomp.
* LightningBruiser: Graceful and swift, Yuki-Onna pairs her already fast melee strikes with ranged-based attacks via icicles and an unlockable GrappleMove that can reach players from half the length of the boss arena.
* NaginatasAreFeminine: She creates a naginata made of ice, which she can occassionally toss as a ranged attack.

!! White Tiger
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/white_tiger_3.jpg]]
-->''Kill me to destroy them all!''
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* MagicEye: Its right eye is an Amrita crystal that can be used to [[EyeBeams fire a beam of energy]].
* MegaNeko: It's an elephant-sized winged nekomata.
* PhysicalGod: One of the four East Asian beast-gods of the Cardinal Directions, protecting the West.
* PowerGivesYouWings: The White Tiger sprouts a pair of black wings that it uses to glide across the boss arena.
* TailSlap: It can coat the tips of its tail with miasmatic flames and smash players with them.

!!Ogress
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ogress.jpg]]
-->''Nobu...yasu...''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* TheBerserker: Fighting with sheer, monunmental rage, the Ogress might unleash a flurry of claw strikes when her {{Hit Point}}s reach less than 50%.
* BreathWeapon: Her ranged attack is breathing fire in a sweeping arc.
* CameBackStrong: The Ogress' identity is [[spoiler:Ieyasu's deceased wife, Senahime]], resurrected by Kelley; her lingering grief is [[spoiler:for her son Matsudaira Nobuyasu, who was put to death at Ieyasu's orders in order to appease Nobunaga]].
* GreenThumb: Her tears cause supernatural red-spider lilies to grow around the boss arena. Touching one of them directly when the Ogress spawns the lilies and numerous Yokai Realms will appear from the lilies were.
* TragicMonster: [[spoiler:Given the spirit of Senahime is still incensed at her and her son's death by Ieyasu without nary a complaint]], the Ogress is likely the most tragic of the resurrected souls to return. Even Okatsu, upon William defeating the Ogress, kneels and prays for her.

!!Giant Toad
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/giant_toad_nioh_boss_2.jpg]]
-->''So you broke their barrier to get through Iga. Impressive. But getting past me is another matter!''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* BladeOnAStick: His primary weapon is a massive, long-reaching pike.
* BloodKnight: The Giant Toad enjoys sparring with William so much [[spoiler:he writes a letter to his son Hanzo to have William fight him again at "Yomotsu Hirasaka" as a side-mission DuelBoss]].
* DistinguishedGentlemansPipe: He smokes a clay pipe, occasionally swinging it as a secondary weapon for melee attacks if players get close enough. The smoke the Giant Toad exhales from the pipe can also inflict the poison StandardStatusEffect.
* FriendlyEnemy: To William and Hanzo, even after the former defeats him [[spoiler:and beyond when he requests William for a duel]].
* OldMaster: [[spoiler:Is Hanzo's father and master "Hanzo the Oni", the second Hattori Hanzo and son of the original, thus MeaningfulName is in effect when he's literally an {{Oni}}]].
* StockNinjaWeaponry: Frequently pairs his long-ranged attacks by using bombs and explosive ''kunai''.
* SwallowedWhole: One of his attacks has him attempt to do this to players; if successful, the Giant Toad will spit players back out after taking a chunk of their {{Hit Point}}s.

!!Gasha-Dokuro
----
* DemBones: A giant, multi-armed skeleton formed from the anger and hatred of those who died on the field of the Battle of Sekigahara.

!!Yamata No Orochi
-->''I shall fuse my Uroboros with the Amrita to resurrect this country's most feared yokai: the serpent Yamata-no-Orochi!''
[[quoteright:320:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mqdefault_7.jpg]]
----
* AllYourPowersCombined: Once seven of its eight heads are slain, the last one will alter its appearance by combining the powers of the other seven, while gaining th discord StandardStatusEffect and regenerating to full health.full health.
* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Whereas other boss arenas, such as the Umi-Bozu, might have players fall off for an instant death, the arena with the Orochi prevents players from falling off the roof of the castle.
* BreathWeapon: Each of the Orochi's eight heads will use a variety of elemental breath attacks.
* ElementalPowers: Its eight heads correspond to one element.
* FinalBoss: Of the main story, excluding the epilogue and DownloadableContent.
* {{Orochi}}: Played with; it is, or at least is named after, the legendary eight-headed, eight-tailed dragon-god slain by the storm-god Susanoo.
* ScaledUp: This version of Orochi is the OneWingedAngel form of [[spoiler:Edward Kelly and his Guardian Spirit Ouroboros, who fuses with the latter after absorbing a monumental amount of Amrita]].
* SwallowedWhole: Orochi will send one of its head to briefly swallow players whole before spitting them back out.
* WolfpackBoss: Players will eventually wind up having to fight multiple heads simultaneously.

!!Hundred Eyes
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohhundredeyes.jpg]]
----
* AttackDrones: As its {{Hit Point}}s depletes, the Hundred Eyes begins summoning several floating eyes, which move around and shoot FrickinLaserBeams at players.
* EyesDoNotBelongThere: Not simply on its head, but throughout its entire body; even its tendril-like hairs has eyes at the tip of.
* HumanoidAbomination: An EldritchAbomination with a rough human shape, given it still stands on its two legs.
* TacticalSuicideBoss: The fight with the Hundred Eyes would be much harder if it didn't spawn its AttackDrones that, once destroyed, give out lots of Amrita, allowing players to charge the Amrita Gauge to activate their Living Weapon multiple times.
* PrehensileHair: Its hairs act as extra limbs and will often try to crush players under its weights.
[[/folder]]

!!Dragon of the North

[[folder:Date Masamune]]
! Date Masamune
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohmasamune.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/HirokiTakahashi

* AnimalMotifs: True to history, Masamune's heavily associated with dragons, with one of his Guardian Spirits being a dragon.
* DuelBoss: He returns in a side-mission in the ''Defiant Honor'' DLC, where he challenges William to another fight. Beating him gets you his Nuraihyon Spirit Guardian.
* DualWielding: On top of wielding two katana, he has ''two Guardian Spirits'' at his side, [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration which announces the expansion's feature of being able to equip two Spirits simulataneously]]. One of them is the Blue Dragon, fitting with Masamune's AnimalMotifs, while the other one is Nurarihyon, [[spoiler:which belonged to Kojuro before his passing]].
* EyepatchOfPower: Just like his historical counterpart; [[spoiler:similar to Nekomata, Masamune hides an Amrita crystal embedded in his eye socket]].
* HeelFaceTurn: After being defeated by William, he is convinced to join Ieyasu again to siege the Osaka Castle.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: His motivation in ''Nioh'' is to [[spoiler:secure more land for his men in the province of Tohoku]]. Contrast the historical Masamune who was [[EveryoneHasStandards harshly criticized by his contemporaries]] for [[UnfriendlyFire firing upon his own men]].
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Historically, Masamune was a noble, if HotBlooded, man of ambition who maintained a loyal, if sometimes, strained alliance with Ieyasu; he also supported those of the Christian faith, but only prohibited it because Ieyasu commanded thus. The Masamune of ''Nioh'' is an antagonist commanding a demonic army in ''Dragon of the North'', with an intention to eventually overthrow the Tokugawa.
* MoralityPet: Date Shigezane, his cousin and top general, absorbed Amrita to save Masamune from an ambush, a source of immense guilt for the latter when he becomes a {{Yokai}}. [[spoiler:Hanzo curing Shigezane is enough to get Masamune to return to the fold as a loyal vassal of Ieyasu]]. Shigenaga is another one, [[spoiler:due to being his mentor Kojuro's son, who Masamune swore to protect until he's ready to lead the Katakura clan]].
* RedBaron: "The One-Eyed Dragon"; MeaningfulName ensues when one of his Guardian Spirits is a dragon.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Date Shigezane]]
! Date Shigezane
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohshigenaga.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/JojiNakata

* AnimalMotifs: Centipedes - On top of his yokai form being merged with a centipede and his Guardian Spirit being Bisha's Centipede, his armor features qualities resembling the carapace of a centipede, particularly his right arm. His helmet has a golden centipede ornament. And his ''odachi'''s sheath has a number of ornaments that resemble centipede parts.
* BigCreepyCrawlies
** His demonic form replaces his right arm with the body of a giant centipede, along with at least one more growing from his body.
** His Guardian Spirit, Bisha's Centipede, is exactly what it sounds like.
* BodyHorror: Upon absorbing Amrita to gain power, he fused himself with a demon, resulting in his half of his body being horrifically mutated. However, his mind appears to be still intact.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Especially as a {{Yokai}}, his voice becomes altered into a deep, flanged rumble.
* LightningBruiser: Despite his ugly transformation and hulking size, Shigezane moves ''insanely fast'', using his centipede-half to rapidly advance and pull surprisingly spry acrobatics with it, even if you manage to stack slowing debuffs on him. And even then, he'll quickly recover from them.
* OneHandedZweihander: [[AccidentalPun No pun intended]]. Thanks to his demonic form and strength, he uses his ''[[{{BFS}} Odachi]]'' with his remaining arm with ease.
%%* UndyingLoyalty
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Katakura Shigenaga]]
! Katakura Shigenaga
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohshigezane.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/{{KENN}}

* AnAxeToGrind: Shigenaga's WeaponOfChoice is an axe shaped like a cleaver.
* CombatPragmatist: Initially set up as a DuelBoss, Shigenaga will call upon archers and musketeers to fire upon you halfway through. He'll also make very judicious use of various bombs to screw with your performance.
* EvilGloating: When Shigenaga appears, he monologues for a period of time, [[ShutUpHannibal but players can attack him before he finishes his speech]] (as opposed to most bosses having a cutscene before the actual fight begins). However, if players allow him to finish his dialogue, they can unlock a trophy.
* InadequateInheritor: Though he's next to take the role of the late Kagetsuna Kojuro, both Masamune is aware that Shigenaga isn't ready to for that responsibility. [[spoiler: Shigenaga didn't even inherit his father's Guardian Spirit.]]
* LukeYouAreMyFather: [[spoiler: The late Kagetsuna Kojuro is his father.]]
* YouShallNotPass: The DuelBoss fight occurs after he pulls off [[EvilGloating a villainous version of this]].
%% UndyingLoyalty
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lady Maria]]
! Lady Maria
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohmaria.jpg]]

* CaptainErsatz: A LadyOfWar who gracefully rips her opponent apart with a sword, serving as a BossFight for a DownloadableContent in an ActionRPG - are we talking about this character or another [[VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}} woman named Lady Maria]]?
* CunningLinguist: She speaks Spanish, English and Japanese.
* DashingHispanic: She is a rare female example that fits the classic mold nonetheless, using a rapier with grace. [[spoiler:Also doubles as an evil example too]].
* DistaffCounterpart: To Edward Kelley - a Westerner who manipulates Japanese warlords to obtain Amrita for their country. In her case, she hails from Spain.
* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler:She's a spy sent by Spain in order to obtain Amrita, as revenge for Spain's defeat to England]].
* RoyalRapier: Uses a rapier to fight you, in stark contrast to the rest of the game's arsenal, which included a few European-style weapons for the London segments.
* FragileSpeedster: Maria can use VillainTeleportation and is more agile than the other humanoid bosses in ''Dragon of the North'', but she has little to no defense and is very susceptible to stagger during the first half of the fight, though the problem is being able to ''actually hit her''.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: The only character thus far in ''Nioh'' to avert this; while the historical Masamune did consort with foreign parties, there's no historical records stating the presence of a specific Spanish woman called Maria. In all likelihood, Lady Maria is an OriginalGeneration created specifically for this game (see also ShoutOut below).
* ShoutOut: This character is a loose {{composite|Character}} of the same-named Spanish concubine/mistress for Masamune in a Yokoyama Mitsuteru {{Manga}} called ''Date Masamune'' and the novel ''Tokugawa Ieyasu'' written by Yamaoka Sohachi, where a foreign woman is "introduced"[[note]]The novel uses the term "gifted"[[/note]] to Masamune, who married him, but did so in order for Ieyasu to weaken Masamune's growing ambitions.
* SoLongSuckers: [[spoiler:''Dragon of the North'' ends with her teleporting away just as William is about to execute her, taking all the Amrita with her while taunting William. This is followed with TheReveal she will swindle Sanada Yukimura with the Amrita for the future Siege of Osaka Castle]].
* AWolfInSheepsClothing: She's introduced as a foreign attendant to Masamune, complete with a full-body ''kimono'' and dainty smile. However, this hides her true nature [[spoiler:as a spy sent by Spain to attain Amrita by further fueling the CivilWar in Japan]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Kagetsuna Kojuro]]
!Kagetsuna Kojuro

* CoolOldGuy: [[spoiler: He was the one who implanted the Amrita stone in Masamune's eye socket [[EyeScream after Masamune lost his eye to disease]]. Since then, Masamune's been ever grateful for Kojuro's service to the Date]].
* TheMentor: To Masamune before passing away.
* PosthumousCharacter: Kojuro had passed away from illness before the start of ''Dragon of the North''.
[[/folder]]

!!Defiant Honor

[[folder:Sanada Yukimura]]
! Sanada Yukimura
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohyukimura.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/ShinichiroMiki

* AnimalMotifs: Just like Tadakatsu, stags - a helmet mounted with deer antlers, and one of his Guardian Spirits, the "Enku", resembles a stag.
* AntiVillain: Being aligned against the Date clan, who're allied with the Tokugawa, he acts as an antagonist. However, he has a very strong strong sense of honor and aims to fight the Tokugawa fair and square without using Amrita, instantly rejecting GreaterScopeVillain [[spoiler: Maria]]'s proposal.
* BladeOnAStick: Naturally, Yukimura's signature weapon is his cross-bladed ''jumonji yari'' spear.
* TheCameo: He shows up at the very end of the ''Dragon of the North'' DownloadableContent. He plays a more active role in ''Defiant Honor'', as it is set during the historical Siege of Osaka Castle, where Yukimura plays an integral part. He was also briefly mentioned by Otani Yoshitsugu in the main game, who mentioned about his 'son-in-law Sanada'. Historically, Yukimura was Yoshitsugu's son-in-law via marriage with the latter's daughter Akihime.
* DualWielding: Like Masamune, Yukimura will have two Guardian Spirits - one is his deceased father-in-law Yoshitsugu's Janomecho, the other the flaming qilin Enku.
* AFatherToHisMen: Yukimura cares deeply for his men, especially as the Siege of Osaka is rapidly draining their resources and yet he refuses to be tempted with the use of Amrita. In turn forces respect and revere him deeply, and gladly give their lives to fight for and protect him.
* HonorBeforeReason: A case that helps and hurts him. Yukimura has noticed that Lady Yodogimi's behavior has taken a dark turn, but stays loyal to the Toyotomi regardless. On the other hand, he and most of his forces absolutely refuse to take [[spoiler: Maria]]'s suggestion to use Amrita, and basically says to take the offer and shove it.
* PowerFloats: By using Janomecho's powers, Yukimura is able to hover over the ground.
* [[SwordAndGun Spear and Gun]]: Yukimura makes frequent use of his pistol during his fight, and can power it up with his Guardian Spirit to fire cannon-like shots.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sarutobi Sasuke]]
! Sarutobi Sasuke
[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohsasuke.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/JunichiSuwabe

* TheCameo: Sasuke is seen standing alongside Yukimura at the end of ''Dragon of the North''.
* CombatPragmatist: Just a like a proper ninja would be, Sarutobi makes very frequent use of performance hampering bombs.
* DualTonfas: Fights you with a pair of these that have been fitted with cannons!
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: {{Averted|Trope}}. Sarutobi Sasuke is a fictional character who's shown up in various narrative writings. The origins of said character have been in debate for the longest time, such as being a CompositeCharacter of two real life warriors. However, he's such a popular character of Japanese culture, it's hard to find anything with Sanada Yukimura ''without'' Sarutobi Sasuke or someone filling the role.
* MixAndMatchWeapon: Sasuke's tonfas are fitted with cannons in them, which you yourself can actually use (provided you have a specific skill).
* {{Ninja}}: Just as every depiction of the character has been, even squaring off against Hanzo while William fighting Yukimura.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Sanada Braves]]
* CoolSword: Each of them wield unique weapons, from standard swords to [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon a kusarigama and axe made from glowing meteor fragements]].
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: Played more seriously than normal. Each member has their own schtick, from using certain weapons and skills to certain environmental aspect.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sasaki Kojiro]]

* {{BFS}}: He wields an odachi, much like the real Kojiro did.
* BloodKnight: He seems thrilled facing William in battle, knowing that he'll provide a good battle.
* TheDrifter: He's been wandering the land, challenging any skilled opponent to face him in a duel.
[[/folder]]

!!Bloodshed's End

[[folder:Yodo-gimi]]
! Yodo-gimi

* DaddysLittleVillain: She was Hideyoshi's ''adopted'' daughter, [[WifeHusbandry who went on to be his concubine and eventually second wife...]] Um... Yeah, [[ValuesDissonance it's the Middle Ages]]. Although interestingly enough, her ''biological'' parents were none other than Azai Nagamasa (who strongly opposed Nobunaga) and Oichi (the sister of Nobunaga), who have often been portrayed as sympathetic and even heroic figures.
* FurAndLoathing: Wears a black robe with a very thick fur trim. She also makes no effort to hide her ill intent, [[spoiler: due to taking up Maria's offer of using Amrita after Yukimura rejected it]].
* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Smokes from a red and black encrusted ''kiseru''.
* SupernaturalGoldEyes: When we finally see her face, Yodo-gimi reveals her eyes are this, and even glow briefly, implying that there is definitely something unnatural about her.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Black robe? Check. Red kimono and hair ornaments? Check. Red ''and'' black pipe? Check. Safe to say the designers went for this thought in mind.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toyotomi Hideyori]]
! Toyotomi Hideyori

* MommasBoy: Since Yodo-gimi's effectively taken leadership of the Toyotomi clan, Hideyori's more or less relegated to going along with whatever his mother's planning.
[[/folder]]


!!Enemies

* ActionBomb: If triggered, "Amrita Yoki" will explode without the {{Hit Point}}s reaching zero.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Traditional {{Yokai}} in Japanese folklore are mischievious at best, but the monsters of ''Nioh'' are malevolent and vile (some of whom ''are'' MadeOfEvil).
* AttackItsWeakpoint: "Yoki" can have their horns shattered (via High Stance) to open them up to a finisher, while "One-Eyed Oni" can be struck in the eye to stun them momentarily. Although a finisher cannot be used on the latter, attacking their eyes for a stagger can be done multiple times before they die.
* ArrowsOnFire: Human and skeleton archers are always armed with these types of arrows.
* ChestMonster: Played with - "Majina" might hide inside large chests, but aren't malicious by nature unless they are physically provoked or players don't mimic their gesture correctly.
* TheCorruption: Many {{Yokai}} in ''Nioh'' were [[WasOnceAMan previously humans consumed and corrupted]] by ''kegare'', miasmatic spiritual corruption caused by negative emotions. Oni can create patches of this miasma called "Yokai Realms" that slow players' ''ki'' regeneration and amplify their own.
* {{Expy}}: Certain ''Nioh'' enemies fulfill similar roles to enemies from ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' - "Dwellers" are "Hollows", Majina are "Mimics", "Revenants" are "Red Phantoms" and "Kappa" are "Crystal Lizards".
* GemTissue: Amrita Yoki have chunks of Amrita growing from their bodies.
* GiantSpider: "Tsuchigumo", spider-monsters capable of spitting purple webbing, are fought as the most common enemies in the haunted ruins of Shigisen Castle.
* TheHeartless: Specific types of {{Yokai}} in ''Nioh'' are created from negative emotions that physically manifest after a person's death - the Ogress and Yuki-Onna serve as examples.
* LivingStructureMonster
** "Nurikabe" are {{Yokai}} manifesting as hidden walls: players can deduce them by looking for a pair of eyes mounted onto walls. By picking the proper gesture, nurikabe can open a passageway peacefully; if not, they will turn hostile. Alternatively, players might discover a talisman pasted onto a wall - interacting with it and players will remove the talisman, triggering the Nurikabe's appearance, but not fight it as the {{Yokai}} disappears.
** "Sentries" are {{Living Statue}}s armed with a {{BFS}}.
* MetalSlime: Kappa are highly evasive enemies that will flee on sight, potentially leading players into more deadly foes. Defeating them and tons of Amrita, armor, gold, items and weapons will drop.
* {{Oni}}: ''Nioh'' features the traditional types, such as classic, horned ogres (Yoki), [[{{Cyclops}} mono-eyed variants]] (One-Eyed Oni) and kodama. Heck, the title of the game is, in a syllabic sense, the inverse (using Japanese symbols) for oni ("oh" and "Ni").
* OverlyLongTongue: "Onmyudo", in addition to using melee strikes and shoulder ramming, can stretch their tongues out to lash at players.
* RecurringBoss: Many {{Yokai}} bosses show up again in side-missions as the mission-ending boss, but also as mini-bosses. JustifiedTrope, however, as the enemy descriptions explicitly describe them as a species rather than individuals.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: "Flying Bolts", who are covered with white strips of linen around their bodies. However, since their movement is quick, the model viewer in the encyclopedia is where this can be seen.
* TheUndead
** The majority of {{Mooks}} in ''Nioh'' tend to be [[DemBones skeletons]] or the [[NotUsingTheZWord zombie-like Dwellers]].
** Vengeful Revenants of other players who have died can be summoned and fought to obtain rare armor and weapons.
* WasOnceAMan: Quite a number of {{Yokai}} were humans consumed by negative emotions. However, it's possible to transform a perfectly normal person into an abomination by violently fusing them with Amrita crystals - Derrick the Executioner is one example; [[spoiler:Mitsunari is another]].

[[folder:Bosses]]
!!Derrick The Executioner
[[quoteright:210:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohderrick.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': James Clyde

* DegradedBoss: [[spoiler:Returning to the Tower of London in the epilogue and players can find Derrick again in his transformed state, albeit now as an EliteMook rather than a boss]].
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Once Kelley infuses him with an Amrita crystal, his eyes turn red and he transforms into a monster.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Starts off just black and evil, but becomes this once Kelley infuses him with an Amrita crystal.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Especially post-transformation via Amrita crystal.
* TruthInTelevision: There really was an English executioner during Queen Elizabeth's era called Thomas Derrick, famed for having executed more than 3,000 people throughout his career. Furthermore, the word "derrick" is associated with what the hangman's noose was supported on; in the modern era, it's a reference to its use on mechanical cranes.

!!Onryoki
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nioh_onryoki_700x389.jpg]]
-->''It hurts... Help...Anyone...''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???

* DegradedBoss: If an Onryoki shows up in a main or side-mission as an EliteMook rather than a boss, it will not have use of its EpicFlail (see below).
* EpicFlail: Its arms are chained to enormous balls that it uses as flails in the first stage of its boss fight. In the second half, the Onryoki breaks its chains apart; occasionally, it will lob the iron balls at players.
* GiantMook: Visually, the Onryoki is basically a giant Yoki, complete with the same AttackItsWeakPoint via its horns for a temporary stagger state.
* HornedHumanoid: It has a pair of glowing yellow upwards-curved horns.
* MadeOfEvil: It's implied the Onryoki in the slave ship William boards in the fishing village is a physical manifestation of all the dead slaves' hatred, formed conveniently into the shape of a massive Oni.

!!Hino-Enma
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hinoenma.jpg]]
-->''I need more. Bring more men to me.''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* CombatStilettos: Wearing "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geta_(footwear) tengu-geta]]" on her feet, the [[KickChick Hino-Enma is able to use it as part of a series of kicks as melee attacks]].
* HornyDevil: Essentially a cross between a succubus and vampire, Hino-Enma lure men away before abducting them and drinking their blood at her leisure. {{Lampshaded}} after defeating the one in the mountain caves.
-->"The blood of young men keeps me beautiful. I need more. More! Until all the world's men are my slaves."
* HumanoidAbomination: Her face is [[UncannyValley slightly off]], her skin is ash-cloud white, is unusually tall for a woman, and upon using its GrappleMove, her {{Nested Mouth|s}} erupts a bunch of tentacles not unlike a "[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 Majini]]".
* LightningBruiser: Hino-Enma has the size and agility of other humanoid bossess, but with the power and stability of a {{Yokai}} boss. Furthermore, she can inflict the "Discord" StandardStatusEffect[[note]]Prevent all movement until the Discord effect disappates[[/note]].
* ParasolOfPain: Will occasionally take out an umbrella as a weapon.
* VampiricDraining: Befitting her image as a succubus, her GrappleMove doubles as a LifeDrain.
* StalkerWithACrush: One mission involves rescuing [[spoiler:Saika Magoichi]] at a bathhouse, the one captured man this particular Hino-Enma won't kill.
* WingedHumanoid: Hino-Enma have a pair of black-feathered wings for flight.
* WorthyOpponent: {{Lampshaded}}; though she desires to kill men, the one in the mountain bandit caves sees William as this.
-->''Men are too foul to live... I must kill them... All except for him...''

!!Nue
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/56243_1_nioh_fourth_boss_guide_kill_nue_full.jpg]]
----
* KillItWithWater: Its primary weakness; {{Irony}} ensues when it generates electricity, which water conducts.
* ShockAndAwe: Nue can spit lightning-beams from its mouth and call down bolts of lightning from the sky.
* SphereEyes: Its eyes seem quite loose in their sockets, often rolling around erratically before focusing back at players.
* HybridMonster: The Nue looks akin to the mythological Greek ''chimera'' with the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the limbs of a tiger, and a serpent for a tail; fitting, given the Nue are the traditional Japanese equivalent of a chimera.

!!Giant Centipede
----
* CreepyCentipedes: It's a giant centipede with a skull-like face.
* SegmentedSerpent: Played with; while not a snake, [[SubsystemDamage the individual segments of its body have their own health bars]] and can be destroyed, leaving it as a walking head.

!!Umi-Bozu
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohumibozu.jpg]]
----
* AbnormalAmmo: Whereas its spawn "Lesser Umi-Bozu" spit out katana, this one shoots ''pieces of shipwrecks''.
* BlobMonster: Its default appearance, including the Lesser Umi-bozu; the former also doubles as a SeaMonster since it has an enormous body mostly composed of seawater and is TheDreaded for causing shipwrecks.
* CombatTentacles: It can extend tentacles and smash them down on players.
* LogicalWeakness: Inverted; this living mass of water is inexplicably weak to ''fire''.
* WaveMotionGun: It can fire a OneHitKill torrent of water from its Amrita core; fortunately there's an easy tell to determine when the attack is coming.
* WeaksauceWeakness: Although embuing weapons with fire via talismans or from using the signal fires in the boss arena is a viable option, the "Hykotto Masks" likely cluttering up players' inventory can also make short work of the Umi-Bozu.

!Joro-Gumo
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/43823ba4gw1f6y1b9l45rj21hc0u00z9_thumb.jpg]]
-->''Ahh, how hateful! How vile! The fragments of my broken self... where have you scattered...?''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* AllWebbedUp: Like the tsuchigumo, the Joro-Gumo can spit purple webbing that inflicts the "Slow" StandardStatusEffect[[note]]Attack, movement and rolling animations are halved[[/note]].
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: Of Hisahide's Hirogumo teakettle.
* AssKicksYou: [[AttackItsWeakPoint Attack her abdomen]] too many times and she'll armor it up and start swinging it at you.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Running parallel just underneath her arms' hands, Joro-Gumo has raptorial limbs that she uses to slash at close proximity and crawl along the ground.
* MaleGaze: Her boss introduction cutscene ends with the camera zooming into her ample chest.
* MotherOfAThousandYoung: It's implied the tsuchigumo infesting Shigisen Castle are her offspring.
* SpiderPeople: The Joro-Gumo has a female human head and torso atop the body of a GiantSpider.

!! Yuki-Onna
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maxresdefault_619.jpg]]
-->''I haven't had a visitor for a long time. It's been boring. Come!''
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/RieTanaka
----
* AnimalMotifs: Her Guardian Spirit is Usura-hicho, a flock of frozen butterflies; [[spoiler:it's implied Lady Nō's return as a Yuki-Onna is due to her pain and sadness of losing her husband Oda Nobunaga]], given the Usura-hicho are seen as a manifestation of those who perished from grief and sorrow.
* BattleCouple: Is available as a DualBoss alongside [[spoiler:Nobunaga]] in NewGamePlus.
* BloodKnight: This Yuki-Onna challenges William to a fight, after complaining about how bored she is from the time spent at Honnōji Temple.
* CameBackStrong: [[spoiler:Is actually Nobunaga's wife, Lady Nō]], resurrected and empowered by Kelley's dark magic.
* CuteGhostGirl: Her physical appearance renders her just as beautiful as many other human female character models in the game, [[spoiler:especially with the implication Lady Nō burned to death with Nobunaga when Honnōji Temple went up in flames]], yet Yuki-Onna is still a spirit with ice-based powers.
* GracefulLoser: Upon defeat, Yuki-Onna peacefully thanks William for setting her soul free [[spoiler:to head into the afterlife to be with Nobunaga]].
* AnIcePerson: Given her MeaningfulName of "snow woman", Yuki-Onna can generate icicles as projectiles and a ShockwaveStomp.
* LightningBruiser: Graceful and swift, Yuki-Onna pairs her already fast melee strikes with ranged-based attacks via icicles and an unlockable GrappleMove that can reach players from half the length of the boss arena.
* NaginatasAreFeminine: She creates a naginata made of ice, which she can occassionally toss as a ranged attack.

!! White Tiger
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/white_tiger_3.jpg]]
-->''Kill me to destroy them all!''
----
* MagicEye: Its right eye is an Amrita crystal that can be used to [[EyeBeams fire a beam of energy]].
* MegaNeko: It's an elephant-sized winged nekomata.
* PhysicalGod: One of the four East Asian beast-gods of the Cardinal Directions, protecting the West.
* PowerGivesYouWings: The White Tiger sprouts a pair of black wings that it uses to glide across the boss arena.
* TailSlap: It can coat the tips of its tail with miasmatic flames and smash players with them.

!!Ogress
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ogress.jpg]]
-->''Nobu...yasu...''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* TheBerserker: Fighting with sheer, monunmental rage, the Ogress might unleash a flurry of claw strikes when her {{Hit Point}}s reach less than 50%.
* BreathWeapon: Her ranged attack is breathing fire in a sweeping arc.
* CameBackStrong: The Ogress' identity is [[spoiler:Ieyasu's deceased wife, Senahime]], resurrected by Kelley; her lingering grief is [[spoiler:for her son Matsudaira Nobuyasu, who was put to death at Ieyasu's orders in order to appease Nobunaga]].
* GreenThumb: Her tears cause supernatural red-spider lilies to grow around the boss arena. Touching one of them directly when the Ogress spawns the lilies and numerous Yokai Realms will appear from the lilies were.
* TragicMonster: [[spoiler:Given the spirit of Senahime is still incensed at her and her son's death by Ieyasu without nary a complaint]], the Ogress is likely the most tragic of the resurrected souls to return. Even Okatsu, upon William defeating the Ogress, kneels and prays for her.

!!Giant Toad
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/giant_toad_nioh_boss_2.jpg]]
-->''So you broke their barrier to get through Iga. Impressive. But getting past me is another matter!''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* BladeOnAStick: His primary weapon is a massive, long-reaching pike.
* BloodKnight: The Giant Toad enjoys sparring with William so much [[spoiler:he writes a letter to his son Hanzo to have William fight him again at "Yomotsu Hirasaka" as a side-mission DuelBoss]].
* DistinguishedGentlemansPipe: He smokes a clay pipe, occasionally swinging it as a secondary weapon for melee attacks if players get close enough. The smoke the Giant Toad exhales from the pipe can also inflict the poison StandardStatusEffect.
* FriendlyEnemy: To William and Hanzo, even after the former defeats him [[spoiler:and beyond when he requests William for a duel]].
* OldMaster: [[spoiler:Is Hanzo's father and master "Hanzo the Oni", the second Hattori Hanzo and son of the original, thus MeaningfulName is in effect when he's literally an {{Oni}}]].
* StockNinjaWeaponry: Frequently pairs his long-ranged attacks by using bombs and explosive ''kunai''.
* SwallowedWhole: One of his attacks has him attempt to do this to players; if successful, the Giant Toad will spit players back out after taking a chunk of their {{Hit Point}}s.

!!Gasha-Dokuro
----
* DemBones: A giant, multi-armed skeleton formed from the anger and hatred of those who died on the field of the Battle of Sekigahara.

!!Yamata No Orochi
-->''I shall fuse my Uroboros with the Amrita to resurrect this country's most feared yokai: the serpent Yamata-no-Orochi!''
[[quoteright:320:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mqdefault_7.jpg]]
----
* AllYourPowersCombined: Once seven of its eight heads are slain, the last one will alter its appearance by combining the powers of the other seven, while gaining th discord StandardStatusEffect and regenerating to full health.full health.
* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Whereas other boss arenas, such as the Umi-Bozu, might have players fall off for an instant death, the arena with the Orochi prevents players from falling off the roof of the castle.
* BreathWeapon: Each of the Orochi's eight heads will use a variety of elemental breath attacks.
* ElementalPowers: Its eight heads correspond to one element.
* FinalBoss: Of the main story, excluding the epilogue and DownloadableContent.
* {{Orochi}}: Played with; it is, or at least is named after, the legendary eight-headed, eight-tailed dragon-god slain by the storm-god Susanoo.
* ScaledUp: This version of Orochi is the OneWingedAngel form of [[spoiler:Edward Kelly and his Guardian Spirit Ouroboros, who fuses with the latter after absorbing a monumental amount of Amrita]].
* SwallowedWhole: Orochi will send one of its head to briefly swallow players whole before spitting them back out.
* WolfpackBoss: Players will eventually wind up having to fight multiple heads simultaneously.

!!Hundred Eyes
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohhundredeyes.jpg]]
----

!!Other Characters

[[folder:Senji Tome]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/senji_tome.jpg]]
-->'''Voiced by''': Sayaka Kinoshita

* TheBlacksmith: As a descendant of the legendary [[UsefulNotes/MuramasaAndMasamune Senji Muramasa]], Tome forges and upgrades William's armor and weapons. Fortunately, unlike her ancestor, her creations aren't {{Evil Weapon}}s.
* EyepatchOfPower: She lost her eye in a smithing accident when she was younger, but that doesn't stop her from forging William's gear.
* WeBuyAnything: Players can sell accessories, armor, crafting materials, items and weapons to her for cash.

[[folder:Senji Muramasa]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Yohei Tadano

* {{Expy}}: Of the same-named blacksmith/shopkeeper from the modern ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'' trilogy.
* UltimateBlacksmith: Per the character encyclopedia, the swords he forged were held to be the greatest aside from Gorō Masamune's, but according to popular legend, [[EvilWeapon were cursed to drive their wielder insane with bloodlust]].

[[folder:Matsunaga Hisahide]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohhisahide.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/ShigeruChiba

* AffablyEvil: In his teahouse, Hisahide is friendly to William, even though it's obvious he is a very sinister person for having betrayed Nobunaga on numerous occasions.
* AmbiguouslyHuman: Hisahide reputedly committed suicide by blowing himself up to prevent Nobunaga from obtaining the "Hirogumo" teakettle, but the game doesn't make it clear if Danjo is truly Hisahide's ghost or he became [[HumanoidAbomination something else]] prior to his supposed death.
* AnimalMotifs: Spiders - his Guardian Spirit is Itokuri, a purple-colored arachnid, while his prized teakettle becomes the {{Yokai}} "Juro-Gumo".
* BadassMoustache: He has an arching moustache that accentuates his spider-like appearance.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Hisahide murdered his master and killed a Shogun, even betrayed Nobunaga multiple times.
* EldritchLocation: It's implied the teahouse exists in a VoidBetweenTheWorlds.
* EvilLaugh: When he calls William as a simpleton, his voice [[PowerEchoes distorts slightly]] and he lets out a menacing laugh as the eyes on his cape glow red.
* EyesDoNotBelongThere: The upper part of his cape resembles a spider's head, the eyes of which glow ominously when William views his memories.
* ASpotOfTea: Hisahide was a notorious tea lover during his life; his spirit (maybe) now resides in a teahouse.
* YouCanSeeMe: When he appears after William slays the Juro-Gumo, he is surprised William can see him.
* WickedCultured: Besides his well-known love of tea, Hisahide also collected numerous treasures and artifacts from across Japan besides the ''Hirogumo'', even sneaking into a temple his army was going to attack in order to rescue the treasures in its tearoom.

[[folder:Kuroda Nagamasa]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohnagamasa.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/HiroshiTsuchida

* AdaptationalWimp: Historically, Nagamasa lived to be a great successor to his father, Kanbei, and even was the one who defeated Shima Sakon. However, in the game proper, he more or less becomes a ButtMonkey, prone to amusing mishaps at his expense.
* AnimalMotifs: Bulls - his Guardian Spirit is the giant, blue Fuse-Ushi, while his unique armor set is called the "Raging Bull", with the helmet sporting a pair of curved ox horns.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Nagamasa gets captured by a "Hino-enma" and loses his clan's greatest treasure ''twice'' (both times William has to retrieve it himself). However, among Ieyasu's allies, Nagamasa is a powerful combatant and a capable politician like his father.
* NiceGuy: Described as a big-hearted man, Nagamasa eagerly thanks William for saving him from the Hino-enma. [[spoiler:He also gives Ishida his ''haori'' during the latter's execution just to provide him a little comfort]].
* WellDoneSonGuy: According to a secondary entry in Kanbei's character profile, he doesn't frequently mention how much he loves Nagamasa. However, he does and is proud of him for his accomplishments.

[[folder:Kuroda Kanbei]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohkanbei.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Yohei Tadano

%%* AnimalMotifs: His Guardian Spirit is Mizuchi, a blue Eastern dragon.
* CoolOldGuy: Being an elder hasn't dulled his wit and authority. Kanbei also helps out William by [[spoiler:repairing the ''Liefde'' for him to travel to the mainland]].
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Kanbei's practically seen and experienced the horrors of the Warring States Period since its inception, from suffering via Nobunaga's rampage to being imprisoned under Hideyoshi's tyranny.
* ScarsAreForever: His most noticeable feature is the explicit burn scar across his face, something inflicted upon him during Nobunaga's reign.
* SoProudOfYou: Nagamasa doesn't realize it, but Kanbei's sincerely proud of him as his son, and deeply regrets that in his old age he might not get to see his own son's rise to glory.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Torii Mototada]]
[[quoteright:200:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohmototada.jpg]]
-->'''Voiced by''': Creator/YosukeAkimoto

* AnimalMotifs: Birds - ''Torii'' itself sounds similar to ''tori'', which simply means bird. On top of that, his helmet features a pair of bird wings, while his ''hizayori'' is adorned with a waistcape made of large feathers. Finally, his Guardian Spirit is a sparrow [[spoiler: which hides its true form - Suzaku]]. As a bonus, this all matches a popular Japanese proverb: "A skilled hawk hides its talons."
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: ''Nioh'' initially treats him as though he's a crotchety old man, with his Guardian Spirit simply being a dinky little sparrow. However, he's one of Ieyasu's longest and most trusted allies, [[spoiler:sacrificing himself at Fushimi Castle to buy time for Ieyasu mobilizing his troops for the Battle of Sekigahara, much to Ieyasu's reluctance, even revealing the true form of his Guardian Spirit - [[TheFourGods Suzaku]]]].
* GrumpyOldMan: Mototada's immediately skeptical of William's abilities, despite the fact a foreigner has Hanzo's approval and William was able to discern the "Ieyasu" he meets is a fake. Mototada even calls out Hanzo for potentially telling William that Ieyasu frequently uses body doubles. [[spoiler:Subverted when he makes his LastStand at Fushimi Castle against Mitsunari's army]].
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Stays at Fushimi Castle in order to divert Mitsunari's attention away from Ieyasu while taking out as much of his demonic army as he can]].

[[folder:Ii Naomasa]]
[[quoteright:200:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohnaomasa.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/JunFukuyama

* AnimalMotifs: Tigers - Enko is his Guardian Spirit; furthermore, Naomasa's original name "Toramatsu" contains the word "tora" meaning "tiger" in Japanese. Finally, as the Enko is affiliated with {{Blood Knight}}s, Naomasa will occassionally challenge William as a DuelBoss in side-missions.
* BladeOnAStick: Wields the unique fire-embued spear "Akaoni-no-Sankaku".
* FaceOfAThug: Despite his ferocity in battle and immense collection of scars, Naomasa was legendary for his chivalry and politeness. Demonstrated when he meets William for the first time - whereas Mototada is wary of the foreigner, Naomasa happily lends his assistance and tasks William with side-missions.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: Naomasa's face is heavily covered with battle scars.
* RedIsHeroic: Being allied with Ieyasu, he's firmly on the Tokugawa's side and William's; furthermore, his "Red Demon" armor set is nothing short of being absolutely crimson from top-to-bottom.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Naomasa was historically slain by Shimazu Yoshihiro, who made a valiant escape after breaking through an enemy siege while mortally wounding Naomasa in the process. You end up playing this very event in the game, but instead of Naomasa being fatally wounded, you meet up with him later just barely holding on to life.

[[folder:Honda Tadakatsu]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/honda_tadakatsu.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/TesshoGenda

* AnimalMotifs: Stags - Tadakatsu's helmet is adorned with deer antlers, and his Guardian Spirit Shin-roku is a stag (see HealingFactor below).
* BadassGrandpa: His glory days are behind him, and that scary-looking armor now conceals a slightly pudgy old man, but he's still one of the greatest {{Samurai}} alive, and can utterly demolish his opponents with his spear, all thanks to his epitaph of the "Strongest in the East".
* BladeOnAStick: Wields the famous spear ''Tonbo-Giri''.
* BloodKnight: It's implied in his character entry in the encyclopedia Tadakatsu has lost the desire to fight against Ieyasu's enemies because most of them are dead at this point in history. However, William's appearance has stirred something in his heart again that allows Tadakatsu to come back into the fold.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler:After Kelley takes over Edo Castle, Tadakatsu is influenced by the Amrita crystals to fight off intruders]].
* DualBoss: With Muneshige in an optional side-mission of NewGamePlus.
* HealingFactor: One legend of the Warring States Period was that Tadakatsu managed to get through his entire bloody, hectic career without a single significant wound (as opposed to Ieyasu's other great general Naomasa who collected them like stamps). ''Nioh'' justifies this by giving him rapid {{Hit Point}} regeneration via Shin-roku. To be clear, the nature of Guardian Spirits in ''Nioh'' doesn't diminish his skills - it just means that rather than being good enough to escape a thousand battles without injury, Tadakatsu was good enough that he impressed ''the embodiment of nature itself'' into lending him a hand.
* HistoricalBeautyUpdate: It may seem odd that being depicted as a plain-faced old man is a step up for Tadakatsu, but according to contemporary paintings, he was stunningly ugly, with a huge nose, thick lips, and tiny, piggy eyes. ''Nioh'' gives him the second-biggest makeover, surpassed only by Kelley.
* HonorBeforeReason: [[spoiler:After William frees the {{Brainwashed}} Tadakatsu, the latter is so ashamed he got caught off-guard so easily he wants to commit {{Seppuku}}, but William assures him the fault lies with Kelley]].
* OptionalBoss: It's actually possible to skip Tadakatsu entirely, [[ItMakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext in the most absurd way possible]]: when you reach the end of the sewer, there'll be a locked door with a man behind it who'll open the door if you bring him... ''[[ToiletHumor Dung Balls]]''. You never find out why the guy wants them.
* PuzzleBoss: Living up to the man of legend, Tadakatsu is practically NighInvulnerable when players fight him for the first time, as his {{Hit Point}}s keep regenerating. [[spoiler:Players don't need to physically defeat him - instead, they must destroy the Amrita crystals in the arena that are brainwashing him]].
* UndyingLoyalty: Like his RealLife counterpart, Tadakatsu serves Ieyasu to the very end, [[spoiler:even narrowly committing {{Seppuku}} in order to preserve his honor for allowing Edo Castle to fall to Kelley]].

[[folder:Ishida Mitsunari]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ishida_mitsunari.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/TakahiroSakurai

* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler:Mitsunari accepts his defeat by the Tokugawa gracefully and awaits his public execution with no complaint]].
* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: As the war continues, Mitsunari makes increasingly amoral, desperate decisions, such that not even Ieyasu would consider taking, just to hold on to anyone he has left. Much of Ieyasu's forces are understandably aghast by how far gone he's become.
* KickTheDog: [[spoiler:Knowing he has lost the Battle of Sekigahara and, more importantly, is about to lose his beloved general Shima Sakon, Mitsunari sacrifices 300 of his soldiers for Kelley to use and create an abomination]].
* {{Kitsune}}: Mitsunari's Guardian Spirit, Izuna, takes the shape of a white fox, contrasting Ieyasu's tanuki-based Guardian Spirit.
* OneWingedAngel: Mitsunari is violently turned into a {{Yokai}} by Kelley in order to stall William.
* PetTheDog: [[spoiler:Just before he is executed, Nagamasa cloths Mitsunari with his ''haori'', thinking he is cold]].
%%* ThenLetMeBeEvil
%%* UnwittingPawn: To Edward Kelley
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shima Sakon]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohsakon.png]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/KeijiFujiwara

* BladeOnAStick: Carries his unique blue-colored "Oni Sakon's Spear" with him in battle, which he brandishes to great effect. He later offers it to William as a sign of respect after the latter defeats him as a DuelBoss.
* GracefulLoser: Seems almost enthusiastic after being beaten, [[DecapitationPresentation initially offering his head]] to William as a way for him to become a lord before settling with giving away his spear. [[spoiler:Played with when William correctly guesses Sakon is actually stalling for time so that Mitsunari can escape Sekigahara]].
* FriendlyEnemy: Sakon treats William with courtesy and respect whenever they meet, despite the two of them belonging to opposing sides in the war.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Sakon historically died during or shortly after Sekigahara. See WhatHappenedToTheMouse.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Sakon is last seen fighting off skeletons at Sekigahara, but is not mentioned afterwards. [[spoiler:He makes a final appearance as part of the crowd watching Mitsunari's execution]].

[[folder:Otani Yoshitsugu]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohotani.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/KenyuHoriuchi

* AnimalMotifs: Moths; his Guardian Spirit "Janomecho" is, in stark contrast to other Spirits, a CuteMonsterGirl with moth antennae and a cape resembling moth wings. After Yoshitsugu turns himself into a {{Yokai}} as a DuelBoss, he gains similar physical features to Janomecho.
* TheFaceless: {{Zigzagged}}; Yoshitsugu Will always wear a cloth mask over his face in the story, but averted if players use his character template for CoOpMultiplayer, to which they can designate whether he keeps it on or off.
* IllBoy: Yoshitsugu was historically stricken with leprosy before the Battle of Sekigahara, owing to his face cover and mention of having little time left.
* OneWingedAngel: Willingly subjects himself to Kelley's sorcery off-screen and turns into a {{Yokai}} when his position is overrun at the Battle of Sekigahara.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Since Mitsunari is at a military disadvantage, Yoshitsugu brings in Kelley into their inner circle, believing a foreigner may give them an upper hand against the Tokugawa.
* WhiteMaskOfDoom: Not for his enemies, but himself - Yoshitsugu suffered from leprosy, and his mask was typical attire for those inflicted with the disease during that era.
* YourDaysAreNumbered: In his dialogue with Sakon, he mentions he doesn't have long to live if Mitsunari doesn't defeat Ieyasu in time.

[[folder:Tachibana Ginchiyo]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohginchiyo.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/ShizukaIto

* ClingyJealousGirl: When Ginchiyo muses the possibility of Muneshige being seduced by his concubine Yachiko, her handmaidens are visibly unnerved, sensing the mere notion subtly infuriates her. In a side-mission, she asks for William's help in finding a gift for her husband in a haunted ruin, giving an old charm they recover to Yachiko. This causes Okatsu to wonder if she intends some mischief.
* LadyOfWar: Not only is Ginchiyo an ActionGirl perfectly capable of combat, she will accompany William in some missions, decked out in realistic {{Samurai}} armor.
* LawOfInverseFertility: Ginchiyo wants to have children, but due to her severe illness she was rendered incapable of doing so. This is the reason she begrudgingly accepts her husband's mistress Yachiko.
* PinkIsFeminine: Her Guardian Spirit is the bright pink-colored Shiba puppy, one half of the Paired Raiken Guardian Spirit, in stark contrast to her stern air of authority.
* ShockAndAwe: True to her historical inspiration, her WeaponOfChoice is the unique {{katana|sAreJustBetter}} ''Raikiri'', which always arcs with electricity when it's taken out of its sheath.
* SilkHidingSteel: Even while in her finery, she maintains an intimidating presence that unnerves her handmaidens. However, she shows her softer side around her husband.
* YouSeeImDying: Not only has she lost the ability to have children, she's SecretlyDying. However, she is [[TheLastDance happy to be able to fight alongside her husband, for the sake of the people they govern]]. [[TruthInTelevision This likely references how she historically died at the age of 34]], which by modern standards is depressingly young; and just a mere two years after the Battle of Sekigahara.
* YourCheatingHeart: Done cruelly - while Muneshige was away leading his troops overseas, Hideyoshi forced her into an affair with him; had she refused his advances, she would have been forced to commit {{Seppuku}}.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tachibana Muneshige]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohmuneshige.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Eiji Hanawa

* BadassInDistress: Despite his apparent strength and epitath of the "Strongest in the West", Edward Kelley holds him hostage in the Daizaifu catacombs.
* BloodKnight: If his desire [[DuelBoss to duel William in a side-mission]] is any indication, Muneshige enjoys a good fight.
* BowAndSwordInAccord: Along with his astonishing swordsmanship, Muneshige will frequently attack with his bow, specifically performing a dodge before shooting three arrows.
* {{Cuckold}}: While he was away fighting in the war, Hideyoshi -- whom he previously served -- forced his wife Ginchiyo into an affair with him.
* DualBoss: In NewGamePlus, one optional side-mission pits William against him and Tadakatsu.
* HonorBeforeReason: Even though William saves his skin from Kelley, out of service to the Toyotomi clan, he refuses to join forces with the Tokugawa against Mitsunari, a vassal of Hideyoshi.
* LightningBruiser: Pun very much intended - Muneshige strikes fast with a katana, has exclusive ''iai'' techniques[[note]]Which players can only acquire late into the game[[/note]], and can infuse his weapon with lightning-based ''onmyōdō'' magic. Finally, he can summon his Guardian Spirit - the teal-colored Shiba puppy who inflicts the paralysis status effect if players are hit by it.
* RenaissanceMan: Not only is Muneshige a master of Taisha-ryu swordsmanship and archery, he partakes in many, ''many'' arts. Tea ceremony, calligraphy, incense, poetry, Noh theater, flute, Buddhist sculpturing, and even bow crafting!
* YourCheatingHeart: In contrast to his wife's forced adultery, Muneshige visits favors upon his mistress Yachiko. Justified because Ginchiyo is infertile and SecretlyDying, thus he needs someone else to provide him with an heir in order for the Tachibana clan to survive. TruthInTelevision when it was normal (if not, expected) for historical ''daimyo'' to have more than one lover, specifically a wife and a handful of concubines.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Saika Magoichi]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/saika_magoichi.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/YasuyukiKase

* BadassLongcoat: His ''haori'' stands out with its design, featuring several coattails that hand past the knees. This look can be your's too, if you so choose.
* BlowYouAway: Upon summoning his Guardian Spirit, Yatagarsu, the three-legged three-eyed crow will hurl jets of wind currents at players.
* GunAndSword: {{Dual Wield|ing}}s a katana and a musket rifle.
* HiredGuns: Magoichi and his Saika troops are frequently encountered as enemies, being hired by William's foes.
* LegacyCharacter: Saika Magoichi is not his real name, but rather an alias adopted by each leader of the Saika clan.
* PowerGivesYouWings: Yatagarsu grants Magoichi flight capabilities via the Spirit's wings.
* PunchClockVillain: Saika troops are ultimately mercenaries; they don't swear loyalty to any party.
* TeleportSpam: Yatagarasu also grants Magoichi the ability to teleport throughout DuelBoss arena, which has an added effect of breaking enemy target lock.
* WeaksauceWeakness: Magoichi can be easily knocked down if players manage to hit him while he's airborne with, say, ''[[{{Irony}} a rifle]]''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yasuke]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohyasuke.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Richie Campbell

%%* BearsAreBadNews: His Guardian Spirit is the panda Atlas Bear.
* {{BFS}}: Yasuke wields an ''odachi'' as a secondary weapon, before busting out his [[AnAxeToGrind signature axe]]. Interestingly, if you receive said sword for yourself, it will take the form of a normal katana due to ''odachi'' not being usable until the ''Dragon of the North'' expansion.
* BlackVikings: Subverted; like most of the other characters in ''Nioh'', Yasuke is TruthInTelevision - there really was an African {{Samurai}}.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: By his own admittance, Yasuke's only goal in life is to serve Nobunaga, who rescued him from slavery. His loyalty led him to being talked into helping Kelley try to resurrect Nobunaga.
* RedBaron: The "Obsidian Samurai"; even after TheReveal of who he is, the character encyclopedia still uses this title in favor of his name.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Nobunaga since he freed Yasuke from slavery and made him a {{Samurai}}, so much that he's willing to allow Kelley to take his body and resurrect his master.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Kobayakawa Hideaki]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohhideaki.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/KoukiMiyata

* AnimalMotifs: Bats - his Guardian Spirit is the Aya-Komori, and his helmet has flaps resembling bat ears. Like his historical counterpart and the Spirit, Hideaki of ''Nioh'' is a schemer (see OpportunisticBastard below).
* ItAmusedMe: Doesn't necessarily care which side of the war will be the victor; he simply wants to "play the jester and shake things up".
* OpportunisticBastard: Hideaki waits to see whether the Tokugawa or Toyotomi at the Battle of Sekigahara will have the upper hand before entering the fray. Subverted when William decides to scare him into fighting for Ieyasu after firing cannons from the ''Liefde'' near his outpost. This ends up forcing Hideaki to turn his troops against the Toyotomi, rendering the battle almost completely in favor of Ieyasu.
* WildCard: Played with - he tricks Ieyasu and Mitsunari into thinking he's fighting for their respective sides until he's forced to choose one by William.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tenkai]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tenkai.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Takayuki Sugou

* TheFaceless: Like Yoshitsugu, Tenkai wears a cloth mask over his face, but averted following TheReveal.
* GogglesDoSomethingUnusual: Tenkai's glasses allow him to see ''aratama'' clearly.
* IDidWhatIHadToDo: [[spoiler:Because Nobunaga was starting to become overambitious with the power of Amrita crystals, Mitshuhide assassinated his lord, knowing it would stain his honor permanently for the rest of his life]].
* OurMagesAreDifferent: He is a veteran ''UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}'' mage.
* SecretIdentity: "Tenkai" is an alias - his true identity is [[spoiler:Akechi Mitsuhide, the man who betrayed Nobunaga, leading to the latter's death at Honnōji Temple]].
* StillGotIt: Tenkai tasks William with a side-mission at Honnōji Temple, which turns into a DuelBoss against him decked out in full {{Samurai}} regalia [[spoiler:as Mitsuhide]]. Rather than lock players down with ''onmyōdō'' magic, he does a commendable job of simply fighting the old-fashioned way of using a katana.
* {{Telepathy}}: When visiting the ruins of Honnōji Temple, William notices ''aratama'' gathering around Tenkai and surmises he has a connection to the place. Tenkai telepathically states there's things he's not told him, but not to worry.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fuku]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fuku.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/RisaShimizu

* ApologeticAttacker: The "Nue" encountered at the Daizaifu shrine is her {{Familiar}}; after William defeats it, Fuku apologizes for the trouble it caused.
* CutenessProximity: She's quite fond of the kodama, calling them "adorable" when she receives a message from them asking for William's help.
* NaughtyNuns: Her outfit shows quite a bit of her shoulders and thighs, and a little bit of {{Sideboob}}.
* OurMagesAreDifferent: As Tenkai's apprentice, Fuku is an ''UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}'' mage-in-training, charged with protecting the Daizaifu catacombs from further intruders. She also provides William with advanced ''onmyōdō'' magic techniques.
* TheReveal: Although Fuku seems to be an OriginalGeneration, the character encyclopedia states she is based on the historical [[spoiler:Lady Kasuga, the woman who supposedly convinced the historical Kobayakawa Hideaki to join Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shinmen Takezo]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Ryuichi Kijima

* MartialArtsHeadband: Wears a bright red one, which he gives to William after the latter saves him at Sekigahara post-battle while single-handedly fighting {{Yokai}}.
* UnskilledButStrong: Ashikaga Yoshiteru comments that his skill is rather unpolished, yet he was able to [[TheDeterminator hold his own against multiple yokai]] before William appears to assist.
* YoungFutureFamousPeople: Although nearly all characters William meets is already an accomplished historical figure, Takezo is still at the beginning of [[UsefulNotes/MiyamotoMusashi his path]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Marume Nagayoshi]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Shirou Saito

* CarryABigStick: His signature weapon is more or less a just a slab of wood the size and shape of a baseball bat. Being counted as a sword, though, he's no less efficient for it.
* IAmNotLeftHanded: Narume is your instructor for in the Mastery course for the [[{{BFS}} Odachi]], introduced in the ''Dragon of the North'' expansion. Turns out, he can use that weapon better than he can use his stick.
* LargeHam: He's pretty much the loudest of the instructors, laughing his head off in his excitement and satisfaction of sparring with William.
* MartialArtsHeadband: Wears a white one with some plating on the front.
* SignatureLaugh: "'''''Kah-kah-kah!!!'''''"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ashikaga Yoshiteru]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Takanori Hoshino

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: He used to be a shogun, and he's really proficient with dual blades.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yagyu Sekishusai]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Tetsuo Kanao

* OldMaster: At the age of 70, he is known as one of the best, if not, the best swordsman of his time. Furthermore, defeating Sekishusai in the dojo allows William to learn the highest tier of katana skills in the game.
* StrokeTheBeard: Does this in his victory animation if players are defeated.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Hozoin Inei]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Mutsumi Sasaki

* ReluctantWarrior: Despite being known as a fierce warrior in his youth, later in life, Inei started to ponder the righteousness of using violence at all. However, he's willing to take up the spear again to spar with William.
* OldMaster: Head of the Hozoin temple and the inventor of the Hozoin spear technique. As with Sekishusai, besting Inei unlocks the strongest spear skills for purchase.
* StrokeTheBeard: Just like his friend and fellow pupil Sekishusai, upon defeating players.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sakata Kintoki]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Mutsuaki Kanuka

* AnimalMotifs: Despite not having a Guardian Spirit, Kintoki has some bear-like qualities. His armor is adorned with a number of bear skins, and his signature axe has a pair of bear claws chained to it.
* AnAxeToGrind: He wields a large axe as his WeaponOfChoice.
* BigFun: He's a really large man with a cheerful demeanor.
* LongDeadBadass: He died a long time ago, yet he still shows up to aid William and test his prowess with an axe.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shisenin Kosen]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Hiroshi Iwasaki
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Oda Nobunaga]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohnobunaga.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Kou Shibusawa

* BackFromTheDead: Resurrected by Kelley in an attempt to have him ReforgedIntoAMinion, [[spoiler:but Nobunaga refuses to comply and returns to the afterlife after fighting William]].
* BadassCape: His armor includes a black and gold cape.
* BattleCouple: Fights alongside the Yuki-Onna, [[spoiler:the spirit of his wife]] in a NewGamePlus side-mission.
* DemonKingNobunaga: Described by Kelley [[TheDreaded as the most brutal overlord in Japan]] who ordered mass exterminations of his enemies. [[spoiler:{{Zigzagged}} in that his reputation as a warlord is not completely undeserved, since he did commit horrific atrocities and became overambitious with the use of Amrita in his conquest of Japan, which resulted in his assassination. However, Nobunaga is also shown to have noble traits, such as resucing Yasuke from slavery and his wife Lady Nō was utterly devoted to him. After his duel with William, he promptly returns to the afterlife, feeling his aim to conquer the land has been inherited by his vassal-warlords who came after him and that something indestructible should not exist]].
* TheDreaded: Decades after his death, Nobunaga still casts a long shadow over Japan with many characters showing fear towards his actions in life. Kelly was planning on using this reputation to his advantage by resurrecting him to act as his minion. [[spoiler:Too bad Nobunaga wasn't interested]].
* DualBoss: An optional quest in NewGamePlus forces William against Nobunaga and the Yuki-Onna at the same time.
* ElementalPowers: Uses a variety of all the elements in the game during his boss fight via SpellBlade from Tengen Kujaku.
* {{Expy}}: Having the white peacock, Tengen-Kujaki, as a Guardian Spirit and being a well-known conqueror makes him comparable to [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda Lord Shen]].
* HeadsIWinTailsYouLose: [[spoiler:After knocking his {{Hit Point}}s pass a certain threshold, Nobunaga automatically overpowers and disarms William, only to spare him at the last moment]].
* JustToyingWithThem: [[spoiler:He has no intention of killing William; Nobunaga simply wants his resurrection to be a complete waste of time]].
* LightIsNotGood: Manifests as a celestial figure whose white peacock Guardian Spirit spreads out its fan to resemble angelic wings, but subverted [[spoiler:because Nobunaga is a NobleDemon who isn't interested in forcing Japan through another CivilWar to rebuild something whose time is past]].
* NeverTrustATrailer: [[WalkingSpoiler The opening cinematic indicates Nobunaga is a major antagonist]] in ''Nioh'', except players are near the tail-end of the Warring States Period in Japan between Ieyasu and Mitsunari (pre-Battle of Sekigahara), when the historical Nobunaga is already dead for decades. Although he is [[BackFromTheDead resurrected]], his role is largely negligible in the game's overall plot.
* PowerEchoes: After his rebirth, Nobunaga comes back with a sinister reverberating voice.
* PetTheDog: His saving of the aforementioned Yasuke from slavery, as well as his loving treatment of his wife Lady Nō.
* PreAsskickingOneLiner: Played with - Nobunaga, upon resurrection, speaks to William, "Foreigner, you have caught me in a ''VERY'' bad mood." [[spoiler:However, he's actually cross with ''Kelly'' rather than with William for bringing him BackFromTheDead]].
* SlaveLiberation: Having taken a liking to Yasuke, Nobunaga saved him from a life of slavery and made the man a {{Samurai}}.
* SilverFox: At 47 years-old (at the time of death), Nobunaga already had a full head of grey hair, but his appearance in ''Nioh'' may have something to do with his [[MysticalWhiteHair resurrection]] and [[PowerDyesYourHair alchemic empowerment]] by Kelley.
* UnwantedRevival: [[spoiler:After entertaining himself by sparring with William, he muses a second coming would be entertaining, but ultimately returns to the afterlife, refusing to be Kelley's puppet]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Spoiler Character]]
! Sir John Dee
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohjohndee.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Timothy Watson

* BigBad: While Kelley is TheHeavy of the game, his orders came directly from Sir Dee.
* BodyMotifs: Eyes - Sir Dee prides himself on being the all-seeing eyes of England; exemplified when EyesDoNotBelongThere emerge on his body and he transforms into a multi-eyed monstrosity called "[[MeaningfulName Hundred Eyes]]".
* CruelMercy: Because he's arrogant and proud of his "all-seeing eyes", rather than kill him, William slices his eyes out.
* EvilBrit: A historical Englishman and advisor to [[UsefulNotes/ElizabethI Queen Elizabeth I]], whose aim is greater than simply defeating the Spanish.
* EyeScream: [[FateWorseThanDeath William slices out his remaining eyes after their fight]].
* EyesDoNotBelongThere: In his human appearance, Sir Dee has an extra set of eyes on his forehead, but it only gets worse when he transforms.
* TheManBehindTheMan: Sir Dee sent Kelley to Japan to collect Amrita after news about the island nation having a large stockpile of it reaches England.
* OneWingedAngel: Turns into an EldritchAbomination with many eyes.
* WalkingSpoiler: Although Sir Dee was foreshadowed in the prologue level, he doesn't truly become relevant until William decides to head back to England, guided by his MagicCompass, to confront the person responsible for the events of ''Nioh''.
* WeCanRuleTogether: He asks William to join him in using the power of Amrita to TakeOverTheWorld.
[[/folder]]

!!Dragon of the North
----
[[folder:Date Masamune]]
! Date Masamune
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohmasamune.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/HirokiTakahashi
----
* AnimalMotifs: True to history, Masamune's heavily associated with dragons, with one of his Guardian Spirits being a dragon.
* DuelBoss: He returns in a side-mission in the ''Defiant Honor'' DLC, where he challenges William to another fight. Beating him gets you his Nuraihyon Spirit Guardian.
* DualWielding: On top of wielding two katana, he has ''two Guardian Spirits'' at his side, [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration which announces the expansion's feature of being able to equip two Spirits simulataneously]]. One of them is the Blue Dragon, fitting with Masamune's AnimalMotifs, while the other one is Nurarihyon, [[spoiler:which belonged to Kojuro before his passing]].
* EyepatchOfPower: Just like his historical counterpart; [[spoiler:similar to Nekomata, Masamune hides an Amrita crystal embedded in his eye socket]].
* HeelFaceTurn: After being defeated by William, he is convinced to join Ieyasu again to siege the Osaka Castle.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: His motivation in ''Nioh'' is to [[spoiler:secure more land for his men in the province of Tohoku]]. Contrast the historical Masamune who was [[EveryoneHasStandards harshly criticized by his contemporaries]] for [[UnfriendlyFire firing upon his own men]].
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Historically, Masamune was a noble, if HotBlooded, man of ambition who maintained a loyal, if sometimes, strained alliance with Ieyasu; he also supported those of the Christian faith, but only prohibited it because Ieyasu commanded thus. The Masamune of ''Nioh'' is an antagonist commanding a demonic army in ''Dragon of the North'', with an intention to eventually overthrow the Tokugawa.
* MoralityPet: Date Shigezane, his cousin and top general, absorbed Amrita to save Masamune from an ambush, a source of immense guilt for the latter when he becomes a {{Yokai}}. [[spoiler:Hanzo curing Shigezane is enough to get Masamune to return to the fold as a loyal vassal of Ieyasu]]. Shigenaga is another one, [[spoiler:due to being his mentor Kojuro's son, who Masamune swore to protect until he's ready to lead the Katakura clan]].
* RedBaron: "The One-Eyed Dragon"; MeaningfulName ensues when one of his Guardian Spirits is a dragon.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Date Shigezane]]
! Date Shigezane
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohshigenaga.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/JojiNakata
----
* AnimalMotifs: Centipedes - On top of his yokai form being merged with a centipede and his Guardian Spirit being Bisha's Centipede, his armor features qualities resembling the carapace of a centipede, particularly his right arm. His helmet has a golden centipede ornament. And his ''odachi'''s sheath has a number of ornaments that resemble centipede parts.
* BigCreepyCrawlies
** His demonic form replaces his right arm with the body of a giant centipede, along with at least one more growing from his body.
** His Guardian Spirit, Bisha's Centipede, is exactly what it sounds like.
* BodyHorror: Upon absorbing Amrita to gain power, he fused himself with a demon, resulting in his half of his body being horrifically mutated. However, his mind appears to be still intact.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Especially as a {{Yokai}}, his voice becomes altered into a deep, flanged rumble.
* LightningBruiser: Despite his ugly transformation and hulking size, Shigezane moves ''insanely fast'', using his centipede-half to rapidly advance and pull surprisingly spry acrobatics with it, even if you manage to stack slowing debuffs on him. And even then, he'll quickly recover from them.
* OneHandedZweihander: [[AccidentalPun No pun intended]]. Thanks to his demonic form and strength, he uses his ''[[{{BFS}} Odachi]]'' with his remaining arm with ease.
%%* UndyingLoyalty
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Katakura Shigenaga]]
! Katakura Shigenaga
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohshigezane.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/{{KENN}}
----
* AnAxeToGrind: Shigenaga's WeaponOfChoice is an axe shaped like a cleaver.
* CombatPragmatist: Initially set up as a DuelBoss, Shigenaga will call upon archers and musketeers to fire upon you halfway through. He'll also make very judicious use of various bombs to screw with your performance.
* EvilGloating: When Shigenaga appears, he monologues for a period of time, [[ShutUpHannibal but players can attack him before he finishes his speech]] (as opposed to most bosses having a cutscene before the actual fight begins). However, if players allow him to finish his dialogue, they can unlock a trophy.
* InadequateInheritor: Though he's next to take the role of the late Kagetsuna Kojuro, both Masamune is aware that Shigenaga isn't ready to for that responsibility. [[spoiler: Shigenaga didn't even inherit his father's Guardian Spirit.]]
* LukeYouAreMyFather: [[spoiler: The late Kagetsuna Kojuro is his father.]]
* YouShallNotPass: The DuelBoss fight occurs after he pulls off [[EvilGloating a villainous version of this]].
%% UndyingLoyalty
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lady Maria]]
! Lady Maria
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohmaria.jpg]]
----
* CaptainErsatz: A LadyOfWar who gracefully rips her opponent apart with a sword, serving as a BossFight for a DownloadableContent in an ActionRPG - are we talking about this character or another [[VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}} woman named Lady Maria]]?
* CunningLinguist: She speaks Spanish, English and Japanese.
* DashingHispanic: She is a rare female example that fits the classic mold nonetheless, using a rapier with grace. [[spoiler:Also doubles as an evil example too]].
* DistaffCounterpart: To Edward Kelley - a Westerner who manipulates Japanese warlords to obtain Amrita for their country. In her case, she hails from Spain.
* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler:She's a spy sent by Spain in order to obtain Amrita, as revenge for Spain's defeat to England]].
* RoyalRapier: Uses a rapier to fight you, in stark contrast to the rest of the game's arsenal, which included a few European-style weapons for the London segments.
* FragileSpeedster: Maria can use VillainTeleportation and is more agile than the other humanoid bosses in ''Dragon of the North'', but she has little to no defense and is very susceptible to stagger during the first half of the fight, though the problem is being able to ''actually hit her''.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: The only character thus far in ''Nioh'' to avert this; while the historical Masamune did consort with foreign parties, there's no historical records stating the presence of a specific Spanish woman called Maria. In all likelihood, Lady Maria is an OriginalGeneration created specifically for this game (see also ShoutOut below).
* ShoutOut: This character is a loose {{composite|Character}} of the same-named Spanish concubine/mistress for Masamune in a Yokoyama Mitsuteru {{Manga}} called ''Date Masamune'' and the novel ''Tokugawa Ieyasu'' written by Yamaoka Sohachi, where a foreign woman is "introduced"[[note]]The novel uses the term "gifted"[[/note]] to Masamune, who married him, but did so in order for Ieyasu to weaken Masamune's growing ambitions.
* SoLongSuckers: [[spoiler:''Dragon of the North'' ends with her teleporting away just as William is about to execute her, taking all the Amrita with her while taunting William. This is followed with TheReveal she will swindle Sanada Yukimura with the Amrita for the future Siege of Osaka Castle]].
* AWolfInSheepsClothing: She's introduced as a foreign attendant to Masamune, complete with a full-body ''kimono'' and dainty smile. However, this hides her true nature [[spoiler:as a spy sent by Spain to attain Amrita by further fueling the CivilWar in Japan]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Kagetsuna Kojuro]]
!Kagetsuna Kojuro

* CoolOldGuy: [[spoiler: He was the one who implanted the Amrita stone in Masamune's eye socket [[EyeScream after Masamune lost his eye to disease]]. Since then, Masamune's been ever grateful for Kojuro's service to the Date]].
* TheMentor: To Masamune before passing away.
* PosthumousCharacter: Kojuro had passed away from illness before the start of ''Dragon of the North''.
[[/folder]]

!!Defiant Honor
----
[[folder:Sanada Yukimura]]
! Sanada Yukimura
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohyukimura.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/ShinichiroMiki
----
* AnimalMotifs: Just like Tadakatsu, stags - a helmet mounted with deer antlers, and one of his Guardian Spirits, the "Enku", resembles a stag.
* AntiVillain: Being aligned against the Date clan, who're allied with the Tokugawa, he acts as an antagonist. However, he has a very strong strong sense of honor and aims to fight the Tokugawa fair and square without using Amrita, instantly rejecting GreaterScopeVillain [[spoiler: Maria]]'s proposal.
* BladeOnAStick: Naturally, Yukimura's signature weapon is his cross-bladed ''jumonji yari'' spear.
* TheCameo: He shows up at the very end of the ''Dragon of the North'' DownloadableContent. He plays a more active role in ''Defiant Honor'', as it is set during the historical Siege of Osaka Castle, where Yukimura plays an integral part. He was also briefly mentioned by Otani Yoshitsugu in the main game, who mentioned about his 'son-in-law Sanada'. Historically, Yukimura was Yoshitsugu's son-in-law via marriage with the latter's daughter Akihime.
* DualWielding: Like Masamune, Yukimura will have two Guardian Spirits - one is his deceased father-in-law Yoshitsugu's Janomecho, the other the flaming qilin Enku.
* AFatherToHisMen: Yukimura cares deeply for his men, especially as the Siege of Osaka is rapidly draining their resources and yet he refuses to be tempted with the use of Amrita. In turn forces respect and revere him deeply, and gladly give their lives to fight for and protect him.
* HonorBeforeReason: A case that helps and hurts him. Yukimura has noticed that Lady Yodogimi's behavior has taken a dark turn, but stays loyal to the Toyotomi regardless. On the other hand, he and most of his forces absolutely refuse to take [[spoiler: Maria]]'s suggestion to use Amrita, and basically says to take the offer and shove it.
* PowerFloats: By using Janomecho's powers, Yukimura is able to hover over the ground.
* [[SwordAndGun Spear and Gun]]: Yukimura makes frequent use of his pistol during his fight, and can power it up with his Guardian Spirit to fire cannon-like shots.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sarutobi Sasuke]]
! Sarutobi Sasuke
[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohsasuke.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/JunichiSuwabe
----
* TheCameo: Sasuke is seen standing alongside Yukimura at the end of ''Dragon of the North''.
* CombatPragmatist: Just a like a proper ninja would be, Sarutobi makes very frequent use of performance hampering bombs.
* DualTonfas: Fights you with a pair of these that have been fitted with cannons!
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: {{Averted|Trope}}. Sarutobi Sasuke is a fictional character who's shown up in various narrative writings. The origins of said character have been in debate for the longest time, such as being a CompositeCharacter of two real life warriors. However, he's such a popular character of Japanese culture, it's hard to find anything with Sanada Yukimura ''without'' Sarutobi Sasuke or someone filling the role.
* MixAndMatchWeapon: Sasuke's tonfas are fitted with cannons in them, which you yourself can actually use (provided you have a specific skill).
* {{Ninja}}: Just as every depiction of the character has been, even squaring off against Hanzo while William fighting Yukimura.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Sanada Braves]]
* CoolSword: Each of them wield unique weapons, from standard swords to [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon a kusarigama and axe made from glowing meteor fragements]].
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: Played more seriously than normal. Each member has their own schtick, from using certain weapons and skills to certain environmental aspect.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sasaki Kojiro]]
----
* {{BFS}}: He wields an odachi, much like the real Kojiro did.
* BloodKnight: He seems thrilled facing William in battle, knowing that he'll provide a good battle.
* TheDrifter: He's been wandering the land, challenging any skilled opponent to face him in a duel.
[[/folder]]

!!Bloodshed's End
----
[[folder:Yodo-gimi]]
! Yodo-gimi
----
* DaddysLittleVillain: She was Hideyoshi's ''adopted'' daughter, [[WifeHusbandry who went on to be his concubine and eventually second wife...]] Um... Yeah, [[ValuesDissonance it's the Middle Ages]]. Although interestingly enough, her ''biological'' parents were none other than Azai Nagamasa (who strongly opposed Nobunaga) and Oichi (the sister of Nobunaga), who have often been portrayed as sympathetic and even heroic figures.
* FurAndLoathing: Wears a black robe with a very thick fur trim. She also makes no effort to hide her ill intent, [[spoiler: due to taking up Maria's offer of using Amrita after Yukimura rejected it]].
* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Smokes from a red and black encrusted ''kiseru''.
* SupernaturalGoldEyes: When we finally see her face, Yodo-gimi reveals her eyes are this, and even glow briefly, implying that there is definitely something unnatural about her.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Black robe? Check. Red kimono and hair ornaments? Check. Red ''and'' black pipe? Check. Safe to say the designers went for this thought in mind.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toyotomi Hideyori]]
! Toyotomi Hideyori
----
* MommasBoy: Since Yodo-gimi's effectively taken leadership of the Toyotomi clan, Hideyori's more or less relegated to going along with whatever his mother's planning.
[[/folder]]


!!Enemies
----
* ActionBomb: If triggered, "Amrita Yoki" will explode without the {{Hit Point}}s reaching zero.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Traditional {{Yokai}} in Japanese folklore are mischievious at best, but the monsters of ''Nioh'' are malevolent and vile (some of whom ''are'' MadeOfEvil).
* AttackItsWeakpoint: "Yoki" can have their horns shattered (via High Stance) to open them up to a finisher, while "One-Eyed Oni" can be struck in the eye to stun them momentarily. Although a finisher cannot be used on the latter, attacking their eyes for a stagger can be done multiple times before they die.
* ArrowsOnFire: Human and skeleton archers are always armed with these types of arrows.
* ChestMonster: Played with - "Majina" might hide inside large chests, but aren't malicious by nature unless they are physically provoked or players don't mimic their gesture correctly.
* TheCorruption: Many {{Yokai}} in ''Nioh'' were [[WasOnceAMan previously humans consumed and corrupted]] by ''kegare'', miasmatic spiritual corruption caused by negative emotions. Oni can create patches of this miasma called "Yokai Realms" that slow players' ''ki'' regeneration and amplify their own.
* {{Expy}}: Certain ''Nioh'' enemies fulfill similar roles to enemies from ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' - "Dwellers" are "Hollows", Majina are "Mimics", "Revenants" are "Red Phantoms" and "Kappa" are "Crystal Lizards".
* GemTissue: Amrita Yoki have chunks of Amrita growing from their bodies.
* GiantSpider: "Tsuchigumo", spider-monsters capable of spitting purple webbing, are fought as the most common enemies in the haunted ruins of Shigisen Castle.
* TheHeartless: Specific types of {{Yokai}} in ''Nioh'' are created from negative emotions that physically manifest after a person's death - the Ogress and Yuki-Onna serve as examples.
* LivingStructureMonster
** "Nurikabe" are {{Yokai}} manifesting as hidden walls: players can deduce them by looking for a pair of eyes mounted onto walls. By picking the proper gesture, nurikabe can open a passageway peacefully; if not, they will turn hostile. Alternatively, players might discover a talisman pasted onto a wall - interacting with it and players will remove the talisman, triggering the Nurikabe's appearance, but not fight it as the {{Yokai}} disappears.
** "Sentries" are {{Living Statue}}s armed with a {{BFS}}.
* MetalSlime: Kappa are highly evasive enemies that will flee on sight, potentially leading players into more deadly foes. Defeating them and tons of Amrita, armor, gold, items and weapons will drop.
* {{Oni}}: ''Nioh'' features the traditional types, such as classic, horned ogres (Yoki), [[{{Cyclops}} mono-eyed variants]] (One-Eyed Oni) and kodama. Heck, the title of the game is, in a syllabic sense, the inverse (using Japanese symbols) for oni ("oh" and "Ni").
* OverlyLongTongue: "Onmyudo", in addition to using melee strikes and shoulder ramming, can stretch their tongues out to lash at players.
* RecurringBoss: Many {{Yokai}} bosses show up again in side-missions as the mission-ending boss, but also as mini-bosses. JustifiedTrope, however, as the enemy descriptions explicitly describe them as a species rather than individuals.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: "Flying Bolts", who are covered with white strips of linen around their bodies. However, since their movement is quick, the model viewer in the encyclopedia is where this can be seen.
* TheUndead
** The majority of {{Mooks}} in ''Nioh'' tend to be [[DemBones skeletons]] or the [[NotUsingTheZWord zombie-like Dwellers]].
** Vengeful Revenants of other players who have died can be summoned and fought to obtain rare armor and weapons.
* WasOnceAMan: Quite a number of {{Yokai}} were humans consumed by negative emotions. However, it's possible to transform a perfectly normal person into an abomination by violently fusing them with Amrita crystals - Derrick the Executioner is one example; [[spoiler:Mitsunari is another]].

[[folder:Bosses]]
!!Derrick The Executioner
[[quoteright:210:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohderrick.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': James Clyde
----
* DegradedBoss: [[spoiler:Returning to the Tower of London in the epilogue and players can find Derrick again in his transformed state, albeit now as an EliteMook rather than a boss]].
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Once Kelley infuses him with an Amrita crystal, his eyes turn red and he transforms into a monster.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Starts off just black and evil, but becomes this once Kelley infuses him with an Amrita crystal.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Especially post-transformation via Amrita crystal.
* TruthInTelevision: There really was an English executioner during Queen Elizabeth's era called Thomas Derrick, famed for having executed more than 3,000 people throughout his career. Furthermore, the word "derrick" is associated with what the hangman's noose was supported on; in the modern era, it's a reference to its use on mechanical cranes.

!!Onryoki
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nioh_onryoki_700x389.jpg]]
-->''It hurts... Help...Anyone...''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* DegradedBoss: If an Onryoki shows up in a main or side-mission as an EliteMook rather than a boss, it will not have use of its EpicFlail (see below).
* EpicFlail: Its arms are chained to enormous balls that it uses as flails in the first stage of its boss fight. In the second half, the Onryoki breaks its chains apart; occasionally, it will lob the iron balls at players.
* GiantMook: Visually, the Onryoki is basically a giant Yoki, complete with the same AttackItsWeakPoint via its horns for a temporary stagger state.
* HornedHumanoid: It has a pair of glowing yellow upwards-curved horns.
* MadeOfEvil: It's implied the Onryoki in the slave ship William boards in the fishing village is a physical manifestation of all the dead slaves' hatred, formed conveniently into the shape of a massive Oni.

!!Hino-Enma
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hinoenma.jpg]]
-->''I need more. Bring more men to me.''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* CombatStilettos: Wearing "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geta_(footwear) tengu-geta]]" on her feet, the [[KickChick Hino-Enma is able to use it as part of a series of kicks as melee attacks]].
* HornyDevil: Essentially a cross between a succubus and vampire, Hino-Enma lure men away before abducting them and drinking their blood at her leisure. {{Lampshaded}} after defeating the one in the mountain caves.
-->"The blood of young men keeps me beautiful. I need more. More! Until all the world's men are my slaves."
* HumanoidAbomination: Her face is [[UncannyValley slightly off]], her skin is ash-cloud white, is unusually tall for a woman, and upon using its GrappleMove, her {{Nested Mouth|s}} erupts a bunch of tentacles not unlike a "[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 Majini]]".
* LightningBruiser: Hino-Enma has the size and agility of other humanoid bossess, but with the power and stability of a {{Yokai}} boss. Furthermore, she can inflict the "Discord" StandardStatusEffect[[note]]Prevent all movement until the Discord effect disappates[[/note]].
* ParasolOfPain: Will occasionally take out an umbrella as a weapon.
* VampiricDraining: Befitting her image as a succubus, her GrappleMove doubles as a LifeDrain.
* StalkerWithACrush: One mission involves rescuing [[spoiler:Saika Magoichi]] at a bathhouse, the one captured man this particular Hino-Enma won't kill.
* WingedHumanoid: Hino-Enma have a pair of black-feathered wings for flight.
* WorthyOpponent: {{Lampshaded}}; though she desires to kill men, the one in the mountain bandit caves sees William as this.
-->''Men are too foul to live... I must kill them... All except for him...''

!!Nue
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/56243_1_nioh_fourth_boss_guide_kill_nue_full.jpg]]
----
* KillItWithWater: Its primary weakness; {{Irony}} ensues when it generates electricity, which water conducts.
* ShockAndAwe: Nue can spit lightning-beams from its mouth and call down bolts of lightning from the sky.
* SphereEyes: Its eyes seem quite loose in their sockets, often rolling around erratically before focusing back at players.
* HybridMonster: The Nue looks akin to the mythological Greek ''chimera'' with the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the limbs of a tiger, and a serpent for a tail; fitting, given the Nue are the traditional Japanese equivalent of a chimera.

!!Giant Centipede
----
* CreepyCentipedes: It's a giant centipede with a skull-like face.
* SegmentedSerpent: Played with; while not a snake, [[SubsystemDamage the individual segments of its body have their own health bars]] and can be destroyed, leaving it as a walking head.

!!Umi-Bozu
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohumibozu.jpg]]
----
* AbnormalAmmo: Whereas its spawn "Lesser Umi-Bozu" spit out katana, this one shoots ''pieces of shipwrecks''.
* BlobMonster: Its default appearance, including the Lesser Umi-bozu; the former also doubles as a SeaMonster since it has an enormous body mostly composed of seawater and is TheDreaded for causing shipwrecks.
* CombatTentacles: It can extend tentacles and smash them down on players.
* LogicalWeakness: Inverted; this living mass of water is inexplicably weak to ''fire''.
* WaveMotionGun: It can fire a OneHitKill torrent of water from its Amrita core; fortunately there's an easy tell to determine when the attack is coming.
* WeaksauceWeakness: Although embuing weapons with fire via talismans or from using the signal fires in the boss arena is a viable option, the "Hykotto Masks" likely cluttering up players' inventory can also make short work of the Umi-Bozu.

!Joro-Gumo
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/43823ba4gw1f6y1b9l45rj21hc0u00z9_thumb.jpg]]
-->''Ahh, how hateful! How vile! The fragments of my broken self... where have you scattered...?''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* AllWebbedUp: Like the tsuchigumo, the Joro-Gumo can spit purple webbing that inflicts the "Slow" StandardStatusEffect[[note]]Attack, movement and rolling animations are halved[[/note]].
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: Of Hisahide's Hirogumo teakettle.
* AssKicksYou: [[AttackItsWeakPoint Attack her abdomen]] too many times and she'll armor it up and start swinging it at you.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Running parallel just underneath her arms' hands, Joro-Gumo has raptorial limbs that she uses to slash at close proximity and crawl along the ground.
* MaleGaze: Her boss introduction cutscene ends with the camera zooming into her ample chest.
* MotherOfAThousandYoung: It's implied the tsuchigumo infesting Shigisen Castle are her offspring.
* SpiderPeople: The Joro-Gumo has a female human head and torso atop the body of a GiantSpider.

!! Yuki-Onna
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maxresdefault_619.jpg]]
-->''I haven't had a visitor for a long time. It's been boring. Come!''
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/RieTanaka
----
* AnimalMotifs: Her Guardian Spirit is Usura-hicho, a flock of frozen butterflies; [[spoiler:it's implied Lady Nō's return as a Yuki-Onna is due to her pain and sadness of losing her husband Oda Nobunaga]], given the Usura-hicho are seen as a manifestation of those who perished from grief and sorrow.
* BattleCouple: Is available as a DualBoss alongside [[spoiler:Nobunaga]] in NewGamePlus.
* BloodKnight: This Yuki-Onna challenges William to a fight, after complaining about how bored she is from the time spent at Honnōji Temple.
* CameBackStrong: [[spoiler:Is actually Nobunaga's wife, Lady Nō]], resurrected and empowered by Kelley's dark magic.
* CuteGhostGirl: Her physical appearance renders her just as beautiful as many other human female character models in the game, [[spoiler:especially with the implication Lady Nō burned to death with Nobunaga when Honnōji Temple went up in flames]], yet Yuki-Onna is still a spirit with ice-based powers.
* GracefulLoser: Upon defeat, Yuki-Onna peacefully thanks William for setting her soul free [[spoiler:to head into the afterlife to be with Nobunaga]].
* AnIcePerson: Given her MeaningfulName of "snow woman", Yuki-Onna can generate icicles as projectiles and a ShockwaveStomp.
* LightningBruiser: Graceful and swift, Yuki-Onna pairs her already fast melee strikes with ranged-based attacks via icicles and an unlockable GrappleMove that can reach players from half the length of the boss arena.
* NaginatasAreFeminine: She creates a naginata made of ice, which she can occassionally toss as a ranged attack.

!! White Tiger
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/white_tiger_3.jpg]]
-->''Kill me to destroy them all!''
----
* MagicEye: Its right eye is an Amrita crystal that can be used to [[EyeBeams fire a beam of energy]].
* MegaNeko: It's an elephant-sized winged nekomata.
* PhysicalGod: One of the four East Asian beast-gods of the Cardinal Directions, protecting the West.
* PowerGivesYouWings: The White Tiger sprouts a pair of black wings that it uses to glide across the boss arena.
* TailSlap: It can coat the tips of its tail with miasmatic flames and smash players with them.

!!Ogress
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ogress.jpg]]
-->''Nobu...yasu...''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* TheBerserker: Fighting with sheer, monunmental rage, the Ogress might unleash a flurry of claw strikes when her {{Hit Point}}s reach less than 50%.
* BreathWeapon: Her ranged attack is breathing fire in a sweeping arc.
* CameBackStrong: The Ogress' identity is [[spoiler:Ieyasu's deceased wife, Senahime]], resurrected by Kelley; her lingering grief is [[spoiler:for her son Matsudaira Nobuyasu, who was put to death at Ieyasu's orders in order to appease Nobunaga]].
* GreenThumb: Her tears cause supernatural red-spider lilies to grow around the boss arena. Touching one of them directly when the Ogress spawns the lilies and numerous Yokai Realms will appear from the lilies were.
* TragicMonster: [[spoiler:Given the spirit of Senahime is still incensed at her and her son's death by Ieyasu without nary a complaint]], the Ogress is likely the most tragic of the resurrected souls to return. Even Okatsu, upon William defeating the Ogress, kneels and prays for her.

!!Giant Toad
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/giant_toad_nioh_boss_2.jpg]]
-->''So you broke their barrier to get through Iga. Impressive. But getting past me is another matter!''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* BladeOnAStick: His primary weapon is a massive, long-reaching pike.
* BloodKnight: The Giant Toad enjoys sparring with William so much [[spoiler:he writes a letter to his son Hanzo to have William fight him again at "Yomotsu Hirasaka" as a side-mission DuelBoss]].
* DistinguishedGentlemansPipe: He smokes a clay pipe, occasionally swinging it as a secondary weapon for melee attacks if players get close enough. The smoke the Giant Toad exhales from the pipe can also inflict the poison StandardStatusEffect.
* FriendlyEnemy: To William and Hanzo, even after the former defeats him [[spoiler:and beyond when he requests William for a duel]].
* OldMaster: [[spoiler:Is Hanzo's father and master "Hanzo the Oni", the second Hattori Hanzo and son of the original, thus MeaningfulName is in effect when he's literally an {{Oni}}]].
* StockNinjaWeaponry: Frequently pairs his long-ranged attacks by using bombs and explosive ''kunai''.
* SwallowedWhole: One of his attacks has him attempt to do this to players; if successful, the Giant Toad will spit players back out after taking a chunk of their {{Hit Point}}s.

!!Gasha-Dokuro
----
* DemBones: A giant, multi-armed skeleton formed from the anger and hatred of those who died on the field of the Battle of Sekigahara.

!!Yamata No Orochi
-->''I shall fuse my Uroboros with the Amrita to resurrect this country's most feared yokai: the serpent Yamata-no-Orochi!''
[[quoteright:320:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mqdefault_7.jpg]]
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* AllYourPowersCombined: Once seven of its eight heads are slain, the last one will alter its appearance by combining the powers of the other seven, while gaining th discord StandardStatusEffect and regenerating to full health.full health.
* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Whereas other boss arenas, such as the Umi-Bozu, might have players fall off for an instant death, the arena with the Orochi prevents players from falling off the roof of the castle.
* BreathWeapon: Each of the Orochi's eight heads will use a variety of elemental breath attacks.
* ElementalPowers: Its eight heads correspond to one element.
* FinalBoss: Of the main story, excluding the epilogue and DownloadableContent.
* {{Orochi}}: Played with; it is, or at least is named after, the legendary eight-headed, eight-tailed dragon-god slain by the storm-god Susanoo.
* ScaledUp: This version of Orochi is the OneWingedAngel form of [[spoiler:Edward Kelly and his Guardian Spirit Ouroboros, who fuses with the latter after absorbing a monumental amount of Amrita]].
* SwallowedWhole: Orochi will send one of its head to briefly swallow players whole before spitting them back out.
* WolfpackBoss: Players will eventually wind up having to fight multiple heads simultaneously.

!!Hundred Eyes
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohhundredeyes.jpg]]
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!!Main Characters

!!Guardian Spirits

[[folder:Saoirse]]
[[quoteright:329:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nioh_chapter1.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Jessica Regan
Aquatic guardian spirit that resembles the Merrow of Celtic legend, with feathered wings and a fish's tail. Saoirse can warn of impending danger and sense Amrita. She was praised by the village from whence William was born. However, war devastated the land, claiming the lives of William's family and William himself as a child. At death's doorstep, Saoirse saved the young William, effectively granting him immortality so long as he believes in her. Since then, has been with William, and is both friend and family to him now - or perhaps something more.

* BilingualBonus: Saoirse does not speak English or Japanese, but Irish Gaelic.
* ChildhoodFriends: She's been William's Guardian Spirit since he was a child, though the [[AllThereInTheManual in-game encyclopedia]] suggests [[ChildhoodFriendRomance their bond may go beyond friendship]].
* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: By her own admission, Saoirse (as well as other Guardian Spirits) arose to life from people's belief and prayers. It's implied she resurrects William when he's killed as a child due to his devotion to her; furthermore, she will continue to exist so long as he accepts her existence.
* DamselInDistress: Saoirse is William's original Guardian Spirit, and his mission is to rescue her.
* {{Expy}}: Her character design is almost identical to [[Manga/DevilMan Silene]], except her feathers are red rather than white.
* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: Her ability to sense Amrita is heavily integrated into her abilities, from increasing Amrita earned to retaining a large majority of it should players die a second time without retrieving her.
* ItsPronouncedTropay: Saoirse's name is explicitly pronounced as "seer-shuh", provided by the in-game encyclopedia.
* MacGuffinGirl: Saoirse can sense the presence of Amrita, which is why Kelley captures her.
* MeaningfulName: Saiorse means "freedom" in Gaelic - her kidnapping by Kelley and being taken to Japan is what sets off William to retrieve her.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: Befitting her Irish themes, she's a "merrow", the Irish folklore equivalent of a mermaid or sea fairy.
* SuperMode: [[GuideDangIt You wouldn't know a glance]], but her true power is in her synergy with William. Her special attack grants you the Pleiades Talisman effect, which increases the rate you fill your Living Weapon gauge. Upon activating Living Weapon, summoning her for her attack will also grant the Extraction Talisman effect, which causes Amrita to appear every time you hit the enemy. Pull this off just when Living Weapon is about to end, and suddenly you can potentially activate Living Weapon over and over and ''over again''.

[[folder:Nekomata]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/c32cmb9waaiutuk.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/{{Mugihito}}

Japanese myths speak of cats that mysteriously transform upon reaching a ripe old age, gaining the ability to walk on their hind legs, and have their tails split in two. These cats are called "Nekomata" and not only posses magical powers, but also the capacity to understand human speech and communicate their thoughts. For this reason, Nekomata have long had dealing with human civilization, and have protected several generations of Hattori Hanzo. With the Nekomata's tendency to watch silently from the shadows, there is no Guardian Spirit more fitting for a ninja.

* CombatPragmatist: Nekomata's passive bonuses are all about playing dirty; from granting [[SpiderSense Enemy Sense]], to boosting the damage of thrown weapons and gradual damage effects, to increasing damage done to enemy Ki in melee.
* ADogNamedDog: ''Nekomata'' is a type of {{Yokai}}; this ''nekomata'' is simply called "Nekomata".
* ExpositionFairy: Acts as William's guide and gives brief explanations of the locales throughout his journey.
* EyepatchOfPower: In his default appearance, Nekomata has an eyepatch over his right eye; [[spoiler:when transformed into the White Tiger, the right eye turns out to be an Amrita crystal]].
* TheFourGods: [[spoiler:His true form is the White Tiger "Byakko"]].
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Nekomata absorbs the ''aratama'' released by Kelley at Mount Hiei to protect the citizens of Kyoto, forcing William to put it down when it transforms into the White Tiger. Subverted when it reappears by Hanzo's side (albeit without his knowledge) in the ending and comes back to William's side once he returns to Japan]].
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Historically, ''nekomata'' as ''{{Yokai}}'' have been blamed for various fire-related disasters. However, Nekomata is firmly aids William, happily giving him support with communicating with the locals. [[spoiler:Its true form, the Byakko, is considered to only appear to someone of great virtue]].
* MultipleTailedBeast: As a ''nekomata'', it is a cat ''yōkai'' with two tails.
* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:Transforms into the White Tiger to contain the ''aratama'' released by Kelley. Interestingly, in the Japanese version, the White Tiger is presented as its true form, similar to the phoenix form of the Guardian Spirit Suzaku, rather than being the result of corruption by ''aratama'']].
* PromotedToPlayable: Nekomata becomes a fully usable Guardian Spirit in the ''Dragon of the North'' DownloadableContent.
* TranslatorMicrobes: Nekomata possesses William, allowing him to understand and communicate with the people of Japan.
* UnexplainedRecovery: [[spoiler:Despite being turned into the White Tiger and forcing William to slay him, he shows up just fine in the ending cutscene]]. Justified when Guardian Spirits and ''nigitama'' rely on the belief and prayers of people, which give birth to them, thus allowing Nekomata to return no worse for wear.

[[folder:Kato]]
[[PlayingWithFire A fire-based]] elemental Guardian Spirit in the form of a wolf, it is said that a Kato is born if a she-wolf is hit by a shooting star on the first month of her pregnancy. They are believed to cause forest fires ignited by lightning strikes, and as such are seen as an ill omen of house fires and other disasters. However, they're also praised as servants of the God of Fire.

* FighterMageThief: Has this dynamic with the other three starter Guardian Spirits, with Kato being the "fighter" of the trio. Kato passively increases melee damage as well as ''Ki''-related attributes, perfect for close-range combatants.
* SavageWolves: The Kato are believed to bring misfortune, so it'd be hard to see anything noble about this wolf.
* StarterMon: One of three starter Guardian Spirits players can choose.

[[folder:Isonade]]
A Guardian Spirit [[MakingASplash water-elemental]] in the form of a shark pack, the northern seas serve as the Isonade's hunting grounds. They capture their victims with their powerful tails and pull them under the waves; even a slight breeze foretells one's doom to the Isonade. Local sailors believe the Isonade are to blame for the rough seas that can easily claim their lives, thus they make offerings in prayer for calm sailing.

* FighterMageThief: The "mage" of the StarterMon Guardian Spirits trio - although it doesn't increase ''UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}'' abilities, Isonade provides some healing while players are engaged in close-quarters combat, as well as the ability to sense enemies on the mini-map.
* MeaningfulName: Their name means "the sea's caress", though considering their infamy, it doesn't seem like the good kind.
* ThreateningShark: The Isonade takes the form of not one, but ''three'' sharks (a large main with two smaller ones), the entities of ill omen for sailors.

[[folder:Daiba-Washi]]
[[BlowYouAway A wind-based]] elemental taking the appearance of a hawk, this Guardian Spirit is named for a mysterious phenomenon where the wind suddenly picks up and horses unexpectedly die for seemingly no reason. Witnesses describe the occurrence as a whirlwind of glowing needles surrounding their hapless victims. It's said that slashing the air in front of a horse will nullify the phenomenon. Some, however, venerate the Daiba-Washi as a entity of protection.

* FighterMageThief: Daiba-Washi functions as the "thief" of the StarterMon, passively decreasing "Ki Usage from Evasion" and can increase damage of Light Attacks, as well as adding a bonus to the drop rate for loot and Luck.
* MeaningfulName: Daiba-Washi appropriately means "horse-killer hawk".
* NobleBirdOfPrey: Though blamed for the sudden death of horses, some believe the Daiba-Washi's signs can shield them from danger.

[[folder:Fuse-Ushi]]
A spirit of a bull allied with Kuroda Nagamasa, the Fuse-Ushi protects its believers from misfortune. Bovine mammals have always served alongside humans, with their strength being essential for agriculture and other aspects that support their lives. Respect for these animals have even led to some folk swearing off consumption of beef, as sign of their gratitude. Patting one's belly is a sign of respect, allowing the Fuse-Ushi to absorb negative ''Ki''.

* AntidoteEffect: This heifer has the bonus of granting some resistance to poison, as well as reducing its damage should you be poisoned anyway.
* EverythingsBetterWithCows: The Fuse-Ushi is a greatly respected spirit, enough for some civilizations to ban eating beef.
* LifeDrain: Sort of. Fuse-Ushi restores a small amount of health for every drop of Amrita, most frequently after defeating enemies. However, if you were combine this with the Extraction Talisman (causes Amrita to appear on every hit) or similar buffs, it can effectively work like this.
* StoneWall: Fuse-Ushi grants a large bonus to {{Hit Point}}s and defensive abilities, as wells as efficiency in blocking attacks. However, it provides no offensive bonuses unless players activate it as a Living Weapon.
* TruthInTelevision: Those cow statues often seen at shrines and temples known as "[[http://dailyglimpsesofjapan.blogspot.com/2012/06/ushi-san-cow.html Ushi-san]]" (Mr. Cow) are effectively Fuse-Ushi, complete with the belly-rubbing ritual.

[[folder:Mizuchi]]
The dragon, Mizuchi, favor those who harbor great ambition, thus one comes to possess Kuroda Kanbei. It's said the Mizuchi normally take refuge in deep rivers, but upon death, they ascend to the heavens and become powerful celestial dragons. Such beliefs were widespread during the Warring States Period, and many ambitious warriors greatly respected the Mizuchi.

* AmbitionIsEvil: {{Averted|Trope}}; ambition comes in all forms, and the Mizuchi cares only for those who have that drive.
* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: Death merely means divinity to the Mizuchi; if anything, it's more like a promotion to godhood.
* KillStreak: Mizuchi's main passive effect grants a damage boost for every enemy killed without praying at a shrine or dying, while rewarding bonus gold and Amrita earned. Fortune favors the brave, indeed.
* SeaMonster: Before they pass away and become divine, the Mizuchi are said to live in the deepest rivers.

[[folder:Paired Raiken]]
[[ShockAndAwe Lightning spirits]] in the form of Shiba dogs, a pair of them serve as the Guardian Spirits of the Tachibana clan. Many of the "komainu" statues that inhabit shrines throughout Japan are made in their likeness. Those who defiled holy ground suffer their wrath in the form of lightning strikes. According to legend, when Tachibana Dosetsu succeeded in cutting lightning, its spirit transformed into a Raiken; thus, it has served the Tachibana clan ever since. It's said that each Raiken has a mate, and together their true power is unleashed.

* BadassAdorable: Of all the Guardian Spirits in the game, the Raiken are modelled to resemble cute puppy dogs, but are no less as weak as any of the other Spirits in ''Nioh''.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: The Raiken was originally part of a spirit of lightning that was defeated by Dosetsu. From then on, the Raiken have become the guardians of the Tachibana clan.
* PowerOfLove: The power of the Raiken comes in full when its together with its mate. Fittingly, they're the Guardian Spirits of Muneshige (teal-colored) and Ginchiyo (pink-colored), husband and wife.
* SpeedBlitz: Their special attack have them pounce and overwhelm your opponent with lightning fast strikes in tandem.
* WeaponOfXSlaying: The Raiken only grants a damage bonus against Yokai. Still, they have a few other nifty bonuses and a devastating special attack to keep them from CripplingOverspecialization.

[[folder:Hi-nezumi]]
Also known as the "Fire Rat", the Hi-nezumi favors those who face difficult problems head-on. In "The Tale of Princess Kaguya", one of the impossible tasks she gave was to acquire a coat made from the fur of a Hi-nezumi. A suitor tried to take the easy route of simply buying one, thus failed the task. If he had tried taking on the task without cutting corners, perhaps a real Hi-nezumi would have come to his aid.

* BlackMage: Hi-nezumi's passive effects are themed around using ''UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}'', granting it a power boost, as well as a chance to not consume spells.
* {{Determinator}}: The Hi-nezumi is said to be drawn to those who refuse to give up or take the easy route. It's no wonder why it favors William and becomes one of his Guardian Spirits.
* HavingABlast: Summoning the Hi-nezumi directly rather than as a Living Weapon and its special attack has it drop three landmines.
* SmokingIsCool: Always seen in the possession of a smoking pipe.
* StealthExpert: Given it takes on the appearance of a rat, the Hi-nezumi can provide a large passive boost to stealth, allowing players to easily perform a BackStab on enemies.

[[folder:Aya-komori]]
A Guardian Spirit in the form of a bat swarm, it's seen with Kobayakawa Hideaki. This creature is heavily associated with the bonds people make: on the outside, it seems out-going and friendly, but reveals its true colors to those who are consumed by these bonds. An Aya-komori gives its protection to a master, whether they choose to cope with these bonds or break them entirely.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: The Aya-komori may look cute, but it's heavily associated with tricksters and two-faced conspirators.
* InTheBack: Aya-komori's traits allow it to boost attacks [[BackStab from behind]], on top of its Agility-to-Damage bonus.
* FragileSpeedster: With the incentive to wear light armor to boost Agility, making the most of Aya-komori will also mean you'll sacrifice endurance for speed.
* {{Ninja}}: Aya-komori encourages you to use Ninjutsu and wear light armor to boost the Agility stat, as it grants a chance to not consume ''ninjutsu'' tools and even bonus damage in proportion to your Agility.
* UndyingLoyalty: {{Irony}} ensues when in stark contrast to its theme of deception and treachery, the Aya-komori is completely loyal to its master, regardless of what decision they make.

[[folder:Itokuri]]
Unlike most Guardian Spirits, the Itokuri isn't content with simply protecting mortals. This arachnid-based Spirit enjoys toying with the fates of others, taking them down long, winding paths before they finally meet their fates. Quintessentially, Matsunaga Hisahide was remembered for his villainy, but was also recognized as one of the most cultivated gentlemen of his time. Regardless, the Itokuri's influence expands far and wide, with no clear extent of its power.

* AllWebbedUp: Itokuri's special attack creates a wide field of web that staggers opponents walking through it.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Whereas many other Guardian Spirits (particularly the StarterMon) either request favors or act as forces of nature, the Itokuri is claimed to have an active hand in human fate, but doesn't adhere to any sense of morality.
* LuckManipulationMechanic: Itokuri passively grants a hefty boost to luck [[JustForPun with no strings attached]], while also granting a nifty bonus to drop rates for equipment and items.
* TheParalyzer: Imbues your weapon with a weak paralyzing effect similar to the Hemlock Broth poison, so long as your weapon doesn't already have an element.

[[folder:Enko]]
A Guardian Spirit in the form of a [[PantheraAwesome tiger]] WreathedInFlames, one such Enko has possessed Ii Naomasa. It grants its blessing to those of exceptional fighting spirit and conviction. Enko takes great pleasure in the battlefield, tearing its foes apart with its fangs and claws. As such, many warriors venerated Enko, wishing to follow its example of charging headlong into enemy territory to wage glorious battle.

* TheBerserker: Enko provides boosts to Strong Attacks, particuarly notable as these strikes favor high-damage, high risk situations.
* BloodKnight: Enko is among the few Spirits explicitly stated to make an active presence in battle. It also favors those who also seek the pleasure of a glorious fight.

[[folder:Usura-hicho]]
Taking the form of a flock of butterflies, the Usura-hicho is considered as beautiful as it is cold. Followers of the Usura-hicho swear that prayers to it will protect one from ice and snow-related disasters. However, others believe this frost butterfly is the manifestation of souls who lost their lives to grief and the cold. Inexplicably, an Usura-hicho is the Guardian Spirit of the "Yuki-Onna".

* AnIcePerson: Usura-hicho is associated with winter - those who venerate it are said to be protected from such disasters. Equipping it as a Guardian Spirit grants a passive "Water Damage" bonus.
* SnowMeansDeath: Others believe the Usura-hicho is the manifestation of those who died from grief or cold. This turns meaningful when one becomes the Guardian Spirit of the Yuki-Onna boss, as this ''yōkai'' is traditionally themed around those who perished in the snow.
* WhiteMage: Usura-hicho has a number of abilities suited against fighting demons, such as the ability to restore {{Hit Point}}s upon purifying "Yokai Realms" and granting a large resistance to its effects on ''ki'' regeneration.

[[folder:Gyokuto]]
Moon-hares are no rarity in Japan's folklore, legends and myths. Such creatures are said to be impossibly fast: when lightning flashes across the sky, it is in fact the Gyokuto racing to Earth and back to the moon. It's said the Gyokuto spend their time on the moon making medicine or ''mochi'' ("rice cake"). Regardless, stories tell of the Gyokuto having kind dispositions, always working to provide their blessings to humanity.

* BadassAdorable: Like the Paired Raiken, Gyokuto takes the appearance of a yellow-colored bunny, but it's a [[ShockAndAwe lightning-elemental]] Guardian Spirit offering many passive bonuses.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: The Gyokuto's description outright makes it one of the nicest Guardian Spirits, but it's more than fine with fighting by William's side.
* JackOfAllStats: Gyokuto's passive abilities grants higher sprinting speed while also increasing Light Attacks and the power of ''ninjutsu'' tools. Furthermore, it increases the amount of {{Hit Point}}s earned from consuming elixirs. Effectively, this makes Gyokuto fill most of what the StarterMon Guardian Spirits have, but not have as much as they could.
* LuckManipulationMechanic: Upon activating it as a Living Weapon, Gyokuto increases the LuckStat, allowing more rare drops for loot when enemies are defeated.
* SuperSpeed: If the legends of lightning strikes actually being the Gyokuto are true, this means they're literally capable of moving at the speed of light.

[[folder:Suzaku]]
The "Vermillion Bird", the Suzaku was worshipped since ancient times as the guardian of the south and [[PlayingWithFire the symbol of fire]]. Sometimes conflated with the phoenix, it is said to appear only when the current ruler is just and highly moral. Most of the time, it possesses the body of a small bird, but its true form is that of a beautiful winged creature wreathed in flames, which only awakens when the current ruler is selflessly motivated to accomplish something truly great.

* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: One would never guess [[spoiler:the irritable little sparrow on Mototada's shoulder]] is actually the Suzaku.
* TheFourGods: Suzaku is one of them, the divine protector of the south, representing summer and fire.
* HeroicSecondWind: It grants its user the ability to automatically activate Suzaku as a Living Weapon on the verge of death (provided the Amrita Gauge has been filled up), akin to the traditional phoenix of Western mythology that has ResurrectiveImmortality.

[[folder:Shin-roku]]
In Japanese mythology, [[TheMarvelousDeer the holy deer]] is said to be a messenger of the gods. The Shin-roku, in particular, is often drawn to heroes in order to lead them to victory. It is also said to be the physical embodiment of nature itself, healing small wounds and injuries instantaneously. As such, it is worshiped by low-ranking warriors and soldiers, since they're usually first to face the risk of injury or even death. Being such a heroic Spirit, it's no wonder why one is the partner of the legendary warrior Honda Tadakatsu.

* TheChooserOfTheOne: The Shin-roku is attracted to heroes so as to lend them their assistance.
* DishingOutDirt: Shin-roku's special attack causes it to create a small quake in front of players.
* LifeDrain: Choosing Shin-roku as a Guardian Spirit passively provides a small amount of LifeDrain to your Strong Attacks.
* TheMarvelousDeer: The Shin-roku takes the shape of a stag.
* NatureSpirit: Said to be the embodiment of nature, the Shin-roku even has a few budding flowers on its antlers.
* ShoutOut: That the Shin-roku resembles a stag, has the passive ability to sense the location of kodama on the mini-map, and is touted as the physical embodiment of nature, while regenerating even the deadliest of inflicted wounds are all references to the "Forest Spirit" of ''Anime/PrincessMononoke''.

[[folder:Narikama Tanuki]]
For the longest time, tanuki (along with foxes) have been believed to possess supernatural powers, thus it's very common to hear stories of tanuki who've taken the form of humans. The Narikama Tanuki in particular is one of the oldest surviving tanuki, living off the spirit energy gathered from the dreams of the hard-working common folk. It's believed that worship of it will prevent disasters and bring prosperity. Among its most devout are villagers and landowners, with one closely tied to Tokugawa Ieyasu.

* BouncingBattler: Summoning it directly as a Guardian Spirit and the Narikama's Tanuki's animations all involve it bouncing on the ground to attack.
* ICanStillFight: Narikama Tanuki's passive effects are mainly focused on survival rather than defense, allowing players to retain half of their lost Amrita after death, having a chance of not consuming an elixir upon use and even restoring {{Hit Point}}s at critical levels.
* SizeShifter: Narikama Tanuki's special attack has it bounce around briefly in normal size before dropping down as an oversized Guardian Spirit.

[[folder:Yatagarasu]]
A mystical crow with three legs and three eyes that is said to see all across heaven and Earth, with nothing escaping its notice. In Japanese mythology, it was venerated as a holy guide who helped lead heroes down the right path, and as the god of hunters and archers. Saika Magoichi was the first leader of the Saika clan to enjoy its protection as a Guardian Spirit.

* BlowYouAway: Yatagarasu uses gusts of wind to inflict negative statuses on the enemy.
* LifeDrain: Choosing Yatagarasu as a Guardian Spirit passively provides a small amount of LifeDrain to your long-range attacks.
* LongRangeFighter: It is quite beneficiary to the players using a rifle-focused build, granting increased long-range damage and a chance to not consume ammo.

[[folder:Kara-Jishi]]
The holy spirit of the lion, whose roar shakes the skies like thunder, many worship the Kara-Jishi that tears through the heavens to vanquish evil. The Kara-Jishi's proud figure has inspired many paintings, and even ''Noh'' productions. It's said the Kara-Jishi will only follow those who are pure in heart and sharp in body and mind. However, these high conditions resulted in very few figures in recorded history who have been known to have enjoyed its protection.

* DeathByAThousandCuts: Its special attack doesn't particularly do that much damage, but deals several hits in a short time, which will often cause it to inflict a [[StandardStatusEffect negative status effect]] or enemies[[note]]Reduces attack and movement speed[[/note]].
* LightningBruiser: No pun intended, the Kara-Jishi passively blesses players with additional offensive and defensive capabilities such as extra damage and health restoration on skills, while reducing ''ki'' cost from guarding.
* FrickinLaserBeams: The Kara-Jishi's special attack has it fire a beam of lightning in a long narrow cone in front of players, after a pretty long windup.

[[folder:Izuna]]
In Japan, foxes are known far and wide as servants to the God of Harvest, and have long been believed to possess mystical powers. Foxes blessed with such power are very proud, and thus reluctant to use it for humans, but if they should accept one as their master, they will serve with absolute loyalty. Izuna is no exception; if anything, it has even stricter standards for who it will serve, and will only accept those who are proud, capable, and loyal to their own masters, just like itself.

* BlowYouAway: Izuna is a Wind Guardian Spirit, improving any wind damage to your attacks.
* DoppelgangerAttack: The Izuna's special attack involves it pouncing at the enemy along with its clones.
* EasyExp: Izuna rewards you with a small amount of Amrita on strong attacks, though by the time you get it, it may not be anywhere near the amount from slaying minor enemies on higher difficulties. However, it is excellent for activating bonuses that trigger on acquiring Amrita.
* HealingFactor: After the Living Weapon wears off, it grants limited life recovery.

[[folder:Atlas Bear]]
The wrath and ferocity of nature given form, originating from the far southwest, legend has it that if one paints a baby's face with the Atlas Bear's fur pattern on the first day it hears lightning, the Bear will protect the child for the rest of its life. Those who live under the Atlas Bear's protection will grow up strong and healthy, and will survive dangers that would most likely kill an ordinary human being. An oddball among Japan's ensemble spirit, the Atlas Bear allies itself with Yasuke, the "Obsidian Samurai".

* TheBerserker: Similar to the Enko, Atlas Bear's passive effects strongly encourages players to fight with reckless abandonment by ignoring the use of the "Ki Pulse" mechanic, increasing damage dealt when ''ki'' is low, while shortening the recovery cooldown of during ''ki'' restoration. Paired in tandem with the Axe Mystic Art, "Intensity", which increases the damage of attacks that reduce ''ki'' to zero, it's easy to see who gets the most out of the Bear.
* GroundPunch: Atlas Bear's special attack is a quick, simple, small radius slam that deals great damage.
* [[OverprotectiveDad Overprotective Parent]]: The Atlas Bear is an entity of a child's protection.

[[folder:Genbu]]
The "Black Tortoise", [[TurtlePower a cross between a turtle and a serpent]], Genbu has been worshipped since ancient times as the guardian of the north and the symbol of water. The dual nature of its intertwined snake and turtle bodies have also made it a symbol of yin and yang; indeed, its ties to ''UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}'' magic are deep. Highly skilled ''UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}'' mages venerate Genbu as their Guardian Spirit, and have mastered the many powers of water in order to extinguish fire, which they see as an agent of chaos.

* AntiMagic: Equipping Genbu as a Guardian Spirit gives its user a bonus to magic defense.
* TheFourGods: Genbu guards the north, representing winter and water.
* MakingASplash: Summoning Genbu for a special attack makes several geysers erupt from the ground.
* MightyGlacier: Genbu passively reduces the speed of your sprint, but grants a powerful boost to magic as well as a defense bonus based on your magic stat, and even prevents Guard Break while casting spells. For this, Genbu stands out as the only Guardian Spirit (in the base game) with a drawback.

[[folder:Tengen Kujaku]]
The rainbow-colored Tengen Kujaku is said to wield the incredible power of clairvoyance, the blessing of future sight. They're also rather flighty and unpredictable. Those who've been blessed with the Tengen Kujaku's protection are said to lead interesting lives of drama and turmoil, none moreso than the infamous warlord Oda Nobunaga. It was said one month before his assassination at Honnōji Temple, a great comet streaked across the night sky, which some believe was in fact the Tengen Kujaku.

* CloudCuckooLander: The Tengen Kujaku are stated to be mercurial. Incidentally, RealLife satirical depictions of Nobunaga have often characterized him as being whimsical, such as testing out a matchlock rifle by shooting it at Useful/ToyotomiHideyoshi.
* MySignificanceSenseIsTingling: This Guardian Spirit comes with the full package by marking Amrita, enemies, kodama and loot on the mini-map.
* StanceSystem: Tengen Kujaku has the unique trait of granting stance-specific bonuses upon absorbing Amrita - "Damage Up" in High Stance, "Defense Up" in Mid Stance and "Dodge Ki Reduction" in Low Stance.
* SpellBlade: Tengen Kujaku greatly encourages use of elemental infusion, as it increases the strength and duration of these effects.

[[folder: Bisha's Centipede]]
Introduced in the ''Dragon of the North'' expansion. It is revered as an envoy of the god of war and wealth, Bishamonten. The myriad legs of the centipede represent different aspects to different groups. For warriors, they embody the discipline and determination to continue marching forward, never retreating, a trait desired in any soldier. For merchants, the legs are reminiscent of the footsteps of many customers, and the prosperous business that will certainly follow.

* AttackAttackAttack: The Centipede's passive abilities encourage you to fight head-on rather than through tricky evasion. For starters, it sacrifices the damage bonus of attacking from behind for a melee damage boost, while allowing you to deal damage through enemy guard as well as a reduction to Ki Usage for Strong Attacks.
* BadassMustache: A pair of antennae sprout from the Centipede's nostrils, giving it this effect.
* BeastWithAHumanFace: Unlike every almost other Guardian Spirit, Bisha's Centipede possesses a humanoid head.
* DigAttack: Bisha's Centipede's special attack has it burrow into the ground then start bursting out at enemies near you.
* MoneyMultiplier: The Centipede gives a hefty boost to money earned from slaying enemies, which helps lessen the money grind.
* PoisonousPerson: The Centipede passively grants Poison to your weapon a la the Gallnut Broth poison, as long as your weapon doesn't already have an element.

[[folder: Blue Dragon]]
Introduced in the ''Dragon of the North'' expansion. Also known as "Seiryu" in Japanese, the Blue Dragon has been worshiped since ancient times as the sacred protector of the east, and represents the wind elemental. With close associations to springtime, the season of flourishing vegetation and new life, the Blue Dragon is said to watch over energetic and ambitious adolescents. In certain regions, people revere this divine creature as a symbol of the Japanese Emperor, but the Blue Dragon is said never to protect those who are shallow or insincere. As such, in order to gain acceptance from the Blue Dragon, one must accomplish deeds so great as to have their name live on in eternity once they have left the mortal world.

* AttackAttackAttack: Similarly to Bisha's Centipede, Blue Dragon rewards you for staying on the offense. It grants increased Ki Regeneration, while granting a boost to melee performance as well as damage reduction so long as you're attacking.
* {{Counterattack}}: Blue Dragon's special attack works this way. Upon being summoned, it floats beside you until it takes a hit or after some time has passed, punishing attackers with a powerful gale that will likely inflict it with a status effect.
* TheFourGods: The Blue Dragon represents the east, representing the winds of spring.

[[folder:Enku]]
Introduced in the ''Defiant Honor'' expansion, and based on the mythical "Qilin", Enku is a creature of Chinese origin, acting as the Eastern equivalent of a {{Unicorn}}. It is often depicted with a draconic head, with thick eyelashes and manes along with antlers, while its body is that of an ungulate. Despite their fearsome appearance, the Enku is said to only punish the wicked of heart, while showing absolute kindness to those undeserving of its wrath. It is said that they even float inches off the ground for fear of harming the very grass they walk on.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: The Enku is described as a benevolent creature, even floating off the ground so that it does not harm the grass! However, it is aligned with Sanada Yukimura, who was often attributed as the greatest warrior in all of Japan!
* BurningRubber: Enku leaves a trail of fire in its wake during its special attack.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Unlike the wyrm-like Blue Dragon and Mizuchi, the Enku's form is much closer to that of a deer or horse than a reptile of any kind.
* SpeedBlitz: Heavily {{Downplayed|Trope}}, unlike the Paired Raiken. Enku's special attack has it charge forward through opponents before running in the opposite direction.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Nurarihyon]]
Originally introduced in ''Dragon of the North'' before being made playable in ''Defiant Honor''. The Nurarihyon was the Guardian Spirit of the late Kagetsuna Kojuro before possessing Date Masamune. In Japanese lore, the Nurarihyon takes the shape of an old man with a short stature, an oddly elongated head, and often elegant clothing. This rather benign image belies its true nature as an incredibly powerful {{yokai}}, and is even called "the Supreme Commander of All Monsters". Its presence is such that all yokai listen to the Nurarihyon's every word with respect and treat him has their leader. This effect even extends to humans, as when a Nurarihyon slips into a busy household to indulge himself on food and drink, the humans are very much unable to stop him as they treat him as though he is the master of the house.

* BewareTheSillyOnes: Oh yeah, this fellow looks quite silly with his short stature and wobbly head, and its behavior makes it sound like it's basically just a moocher. However, he's actually the most powerful and elite of all yokai in the world, and his very presence compels everyone and everything to show him respect.
* CompellingVoice: Whenever the Nurarihyon feasts on the food of humans, they'll be compelled to treat him like the master of the household.
* {{Cthulhumanoid}}: Nurarihyon's form is that of a cross between an octopus and an elderly humanoid man, with his limbs being tentacles.
* DeathByAThousandCuts: His special attack can deal a tremendous amount of damage within a short time, despite being a gradual damage field.
* MakingASplash: His special attack has him spit out three orbs of water that explode into damaging fields upon hitting an enemy or on the ground.
* ManOfWealthAndTaste: It's said that the Nurarihyon's behavior is that of a wealthy gentleman, acting very politely while having a strong preference to luxurious foods.
* TokenHeroicOrc: Unlike every other Guardian Spirit being an animal associated with nature or divinity, Nurarihyon is a straight-up '''''{{Yokai}}''''', and the most powerful and influential one known to man. Unlike other yokai, Nurarihyon is firmly allied with humanity, and in Japanese myth, is still a polite being even when pulling the mischief yokai are known for.

!!Other Characters

[[folder:Senji Tome]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/senji_tome.jpg]]
-->'''Voiced by''': Sayaka Kinoshita
----
* TheBlacksmith: As a descendant of the legendary [[UsefulNotes/MuramasaAndMasamune Senji Muramasa]], Tome forges and upgrades William's armor and weapons. Fortunately, unlike her ancestor, her creations aren't {{Evil Weapon}}s.
* EyepatchOfPower: She lost her eye in a smithing accident when she was younger, but that doesn't stop her from forging William's gear.
* WeBuyAnything: Players can sell accessories, armor, crafting materials, items and weapons to her for cash.

[[folder:Senji Muramasa]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Yohei Tadano

* {{Expy}}: Of the same-named blacksmith/shopkeeper from the modern ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'' trilogy.
* UltimateBlacksmith: Per the character encyclopedia, the swords he forged were held to be the greatest aside from Gorō Masamune's, but according to popular legend, [[EvilWeapon were cursed to drive their wielder insane with bloodlust]].

[[folder:Matsunaga Hisahide]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohhisahide.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/ShigeruChiba

* AffablyEvil: In his teahouse, Hisahide is friendly to William, even though it's obvious he is a very sinister person for having betrayed Nobunaga on numerous occasions.
* AmbiguouslyHuman: Hisahide reputedly committed suicide by blowing himself up to prevent Nobunaga from obtaining the "Hirogumo" teakettle, but the game doesn't make it clear if Danjo is truly Hisahide's ghost or he became [[HumanoidAbomination something else]] prior to his supposed death.
* AnimalMotifs: Spiders - his Guardian Spirit is Itokuri, a purple-colored arachnid, while his prized teakettle becomes the {{Yokai}} "Juro-Gumo".
* BadassMoustache: He has an arching moustache that accentuates his spider-like appearance.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Hisahide murdered his master and killed a Shogun, even betrayed Nobunaga multiple times.
* EldritchLocation: It's implied the teahouse exists in a VoidBetweenTheWorlds.
* EvilLaugh: When he calls William as a simpleton, his voice [[PowerEchoes distorts slightly]] and he lets out a menacing laugh as the eyes on his cape glow red.
* EyesDoNotBelongThere: The upper part of his cape resembles a spider's head, the eyes of which glow ominously when William views his memories.
* ASpotOfTea: Hisahide was a notorious tea lover during his life; his spirit (maybe) now resides in a teahouse.
* YouCanSeeMe: When he appears after William slays the Juro-Gumo, he is surprised William can see him.
* WickedCultured: Besides his well-known love of tea, Hisahide also collected numerous treasures and artifacts from across Japan besides the ''Hirogumo'', even sneaking into a temple his army was going to attack in order to rescue the treasures in its tearoom.

[[folder:Kuroda Nagamasa]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohnagamasa.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/HiroshiTsuchida

* AdaptationalWimp: Historically, Nagamasa lived to be a great successor to his father, Kanbei, and even was the one who defeated Shima Sakon. However, in the game proper, he more or less becomes a ButtMonkey, prone to amusing mishaps at his expense.
* AnimalMotifs: Bulls - his Guardian Spirit is the giant, blue Fuse-Ushi, while his unique armor set is called the "Raging Bull", with the helmet sporting a pair of curved ox horns.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Nagamasa gets captured by a "Hino-enma" and loses his clan's greatest treasure ''twice'' (both times William has to retrieve it himself). However, among Ieyasu's allies, Nagamasa is a powerful combatant and a capable politician like his father.
* NiceGuy: Described as a big-hearted man, Nagamasa eagerly thanks William for saving him from the Hino-enma. [[spoiler:He also gives Ishida his ''haori'' during the latter's execution just to provide him a little comfort]].
* WellDoneSonGuy: According to a secondary entry in Kanbei's character profile, he doesn't frequently mention how much he loves Nagamasa. However, he does and is proud of him for his accomplishments.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Kuroda Kanbei]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohkanbei.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Yohei Tadano

%%* AnimalMotifs: His Guardian Spirit is Mizuchi, a blue Eastern dragon.
* CoolOldGuy: Being an elder hasn't dulled his wit and authority. Kanbei also helps out William by [[spoiler:repairing the ''Liefde'' for him to travel to the mainland]].
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Kanbei's practically seen and experienced the horrors of the Warring States Period since its inception, from suffering via Nobunaga's rampage to being imprisoned under Hideyoshi's tyranny.
* ScarsAreForever: His most noticeable feature is the explicit burn scar across his face, something inflicted upon him during Nobunaga's reign.
* SoProudOfYou: Nagamasa doesn't realize it, but Kanbei's sincerely proud of him as his son, and deeply regrets that in his old age he might not get to see his own son's rise to glory.

[[folder:Torii Mototada]]
[[quoteright:200:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohmototada.jpg]]
-->'''Voiced by''': Creator/YosukeAkimoto

* AnimalMotifs: Birds - ''Torii'' itself sounds similar to ''tori'', which simply means bird. On top of that, his helmet features a pair of bird wings, while his ''hizayori'' is adorned with a waistcape made of large feathers. Finally, his Guardian Spirit is a sparrow [[spoiler: which hides its true form - Suzaku]]. As a bonus, this all matches a popular Japanese proverb: "A skilled hawk hides its talons."
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: ''Nioh'' initially treats him as though he's a crotchety old man, with his Guardian Spirit simply being a dinky little sparrow. However, he's one of Ieyasu's longest and most trusted allies, [[spoiler:sacrificing himself at Fushimi Castle to buy time for Ieyasu mobilizing his troops for the Battle of Sekigahara, much to Ieyasu's reluctance, even revealing the true form of his Guardian Spirit - [[TheFourGods Suzaku]]]].
* GrumpyOldMan: Mototada's immediately skeptical of William's abilities, despite the fact a foreigner has Hanzo's approval and William was able to discern the "Ieyasu" he meets is a fake. Mototada even calls out Hanzo for potentially telling William that Ieyasu frequently uses body doubles. [[spoiler:Subverted when he makes his LastStand at Fushimi Castle against Mitsunari's army]].
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Stays at Fushimi Castle in order to divert Mitsunari's attention away from Ieyasu while taking out as much of his demonic army as he can]].

[[folder:Ii Naomasa]]
[[quoteright:200:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohnaomasa.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/JunFukuyama

* AnimalMotifs: Tigers - Enko is his Guardian Spirit; furthermore, Naomasa's original name "Toramatsu" contains the word "tora" meaning "tiger" in Japanese. Finally, as the Enko is affiliated with {{Blood Knight}}s, Naomasa will occassionally challenge William as a DuelBoss in side-missions.
* BladeOnAStick: Wields the unique fire-embued spear "Akaoni-no-Sankaku".
* FaceOfAThug: Despite his ferocity in battle and immense collection of scars, Naomasa was legendary for his chivalry and politeness. Demonstrated when he meets William for the first time - whereas Mototada is wary of the foreigner, Naomasa happily lends his assistance and tasks William with side-missions.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: Naomasa's face is heavily covered with battle scars.
* RedIsHeroic: Being allied with Ieyasu, he's firmly on the Tokugawa's side and William's; furthermore, his "Red Demon" armor set is nothing short of being absolutely crimson from top-to-bottom.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Naomasa was historically slain by Shimazu Yoshihiro, who made a valiant escape after breaking through an enemy siege while mortally wounding Naomasa in the process. You end up playing this very event in the game, but instead of Naomasa being fatally wounded, you meet up with him later just barely holding on to life.

[[folder:Honda Tadakatsu]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/honda_tadakatsu.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/TesshoGenda

* AnimalMotifs: Stags - Tadakatsu's helmet is adorned with deer antlers, and his Guardian Spirit Shin-roku is a stag (see HealingFactor below).
* BadassGrandpa: His glory days are behind him, and that scary-looking armor now conceals a slightly pudgy old man, but he's still one of the greatest {{Samurai}} alive, and can utterly demolish his opponents with his spear, all thanks to his epitaph of the "Strongest in the East".
* BladeOnAStick: Wields the famous spear ''Tonbo-Giri''.
* BloodKnight: It's implied in his character entry in the encyclopedia Tadakatsu has lost the desire to fight against Ieyasu's enemies because most of them are dead at this point in history. However, William's appearance has stirred something in his heart again that allows Tadakatsu to come back into the fold.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler:After Kelley takes over Edo Castle, Tadakatsu is influenced by the Amrita crystals to fight off intruders]].
* DualBoss: With Muneshige in an optional side-mission of NewGamePlus.
* HealingFactor: One legend of the Warring States Period was that Tadakatsu managed to get through his entire bloody, hectic career without a single significant wound (as opposed to Ieyasu's other great general Naomasa who collected them like stamps). ''Nioh'' justifies this by giving him rapid {{Hit Point}} regeneration via Shin-roku. To be clear, the nature of Guardian Spirits in ''Nioh'' doesn't diminish his skills - it just means that rather than being good enough to escape a thousand battles without injury, Tadakatsu was good enough that he impressed ''the embodiment of nature itself'' into lending him a hand.
* HistoricalBeautyUpdate: It may seem odd that being depicted as a plain-faced old man is a step up for Tadakatsu, but according to contemporary paintings, he was stunningly ugly, with a huge nose, thick lips, and tiny, piggy eyes. ''Nioh'' gives him the second-biggest makeover, surpassed only by Kelley.
* HonorBeforeReason: [[spoiler:After William frees the {{Brainwashed}} Tadakatsu, the latter is so ashamed he got caught off-guard so easily he wants to commit {{Seppuku}}, but William assures him the fault lies with Kelley]].
* OptionalBoss: It's actually possible to skip Tadakatsu entirely, [[ItMakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext in the most absurd way possible]]: when you reach the end of the sewer, there'll be a locked door with a man behind it who'll open the door if you bring him... ''[[ToiletHumor Dung Balls]]''. You never find out why the guy wants them.
* PuzzleBoss: Living up to the man of legend, Tadakatsu is practically NighInvulnerable when players fight him for the first time, as his {{Hit Point}}s keep regenerating. [[spoiler:Players don't need to physically defeat him - instead, they must destroy the Amrita crystals in the arena that are brainwashing him]].
* UndyingLoyalty: Like his RealLife counterpart, Tadakatsu serves Ieyasu to the very end, [[spoiler:even narrowly committing {{Seppuku}} in order to preserve his honor for allowing Edo Castle to fall to Kelley]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ishida Mitsunari]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ishida_mitsunari.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/TakahiroSakurai

* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler:Mitsunari accepts his defeat by the Tokugawa gracefully and awaits his public execution with no complaint]].
* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: As the war continues, Mitsunari makes increasingly amoral, desperate decisions, such that not even Ieyasu would consider taking, just to hold on to anyone he has left. Much of Ieyasu's forces are understandably aghast by how far gone he's become.
* KickTheDog: [[spoiler:Knowing he has lost the Battle of Sekigahara and, more importantly, is about to lose his beloved general Shima Sakon, Mitsunari sacrifices 300 of his soldiers for Kelley to use and create an abomination]].
* {{Kitsune}}: Mitsunari's Guardian Spirit, Izuna, takes the shape of a white fox, contrasting Ieyasu's tanuki-based Guardian Spirit.
* OneWingedAngel: Mitsunari is violently turned into a {{Yokai}} by Kelley in order to stall William.
* PetTheDog: [[spoiler:Just before he is executed, Nagamasa cloths Mitsunari with his ''haori'', thinking he is cold]].
%%* ThenLetMeBeEvil
%%* UnwittingPawn: To Edward Kelley

[[folder:Shima Sakon]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohsakon.png]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/KeijiFujiwara

* BladeOnAStick: Carries his unique blue-colored "Oni Sakon's Spear" with him in battle, which he brandishes to great effect. He later offers it to William as a sign of respect after the latter defeats him as a DuelBoss.
* GracefulLoser: Seems almost enthusiastic after being beaten, [[DecapitationPresentation initially offering his head]] to William as a way for him to become a lord before settling with giving away his spear. [[spoiler:Played with when William correctly guesses Sakon is actually stalling for time so that Mitsunari can escape Sekigahara]].
* FriendlyEnemy: Sakon treats William with courtesy and respect whenever they meet, despite the two of them belonging to opposing sides in the war.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Sakon historically died during or shortly after Sekigahara. See WhatHappenedToTheMouse.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Sakon is last seen fighting off skeletons at Sekigahara, but is not mentioned afterwards. [[spoiler:He makes a final appearance as part of the crowd watching Mitsunari's execution]].

[[folder:Otani Yoshitsugu]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohotani.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/KenyuHoriuchi

* AnimalMotifs: Moths; his Guardian Spirit "Janomecho" is, in stark contrast to other Spirits, a CuteMonsterGirl with moth antennae and a cape resembling moth wings. After Yoshitsugu turns himself into a {{Yokai}} as a DuelBoss, he gains similar physical features to Janomecho.
* TheFaceless: {{Zigzagged}}; Yoshitsugu Will always wear a cloth mask over his face in the story, but averted if players use his character template for CoOpMultiplayer, to which they can designate whether he keeps it on or off.
* IllBoy: Yoshitsugu was historically stricken with leprosy before the Battle of Sekigahara, owing to his face cover and mention of having little time left.
* OneWingedAngel: Willingly subjects himself to Kelley's sorcery off-screen and turns into a {{Yokai}} when his position is overrun at the Battle of Sekigahara.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Since Mitsunari is at a military disadvantage, Yoshitsugu brings in Kelley into their inner circle, believing a foreigner may give them an upper hand against the Tokugawa.
* WhiteMaskOfDoom: Not for his enemies, but himself - Yoshitsugu suffered from leprosy, and his mask was typical attire for those inflicted with the disease during that era.
* YourDaysAreNumbered: In his dialogue with Sakon, he mentions he doesn't have long to live if Mitsunari doesn't defeat Ieyasu in time.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tachibana Ginchiyo]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohginchiyo.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/ShizukaIto

* ClingyJealousGirl: When Ginchiyo muses the possibility of Muneshige being seduced by his concubine Yachiko, her handmaidens are visibly unnerved, sensing the mere notion subtly infuriates her. In a side-mission, she asks for William's help in finding a gift for her husband in a haunted ruin, giving an old charm they recover to Yachiko. This causes Okatsu to wonder if she intends some mischief.
* LadyOfWar: Not only is Ginchiyo an ActionGirl perfectly capable of combat, she will accompany William in some missions, decked out in realistic {{Samurai}} armor.
* LawOfInverseFertility: Ginchiyo wants to have children, but due to her severe illness she was rendered incapable of doing so. This is the reason she begrudgingly accepts her husband's mistress Yachiko.
* PinkIsFeminine: Her Guardian Spirit is the bright pink-colored Shiba puppy, one half of the Paired Raiken Guardian Spirit, in stark contrast to her stern air of authority.
* ShockAndAwe: True to her historical inspiration, her WeaponOfChoice is the unique {{katana|sAreJustBetter}} ''Raikiri'', which always arcs with electricity when it's taken out of its sheath.
* SilkHidingSteel: Even while in her finery, she maintains an intimidating presence that unnerves her handmaidens. However, she shows her softer side around her husband.
* YouSeeImDying: Not only has she lost the ability to have children, she's SecretlyDying. However, she is [[TheLastDance happy to be able to fight alongside her husband, for the sake of the people they govern]]. [[TruthInTelevision This likely references how she historically died at the age of 34]], which by modern standards is depressingly young; and just a mere two years after the Battle of Sekigahara.
* YourCheatingHeart: Done cruelly - while Muneshige was away leading his troops overseas, Hideyoshi forced her into an affair with him; had she refused his advances, she would have been forced to commit {{Seppuku}}.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tachibana Muneshige]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohmuneshige.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Eiji Hanawa

* BadassInDistress: Despite his apparent strength and epitath of the "Strongest in the West", Edward Kelley holds him hostage in the Daizaifu catacombs.
* BloodKnight: If his desire [[DuelBoss to duel William in a side-mission]] is any indication, Muneshige enjoys a good fight.
* BowAndSwordInAccord: Along with his astonishing swordsmanship, Muneshige will frequently attack with his bow, specifically performing a dodge before shooting three arrows.
* {{Cuckold}}: While he was away fighting in the war, Hideyoshi -- whom he previously served -- forced his wife Ginchiyo into an affair with him.
* DualBoss: In NewGamePlus, one optional side-mission pits William against him and Tadakatsu.
* HonorBeforeReason: Even though William saves his skin from Kelley, out of service to the Toyotomi clan, he refuses to join forces with the Tokugawa against Mitsunari, a vassal of Hideyoshi.
* LightningBruiser: Pun very much intended - Muneshige strikes fast with a katana, has exclusive ''iai'' techniques[[note]]Which players can only acquire late into the game[[/note]], and can infuse his weapon with lightning-based ''onmyōdō'' magic. Finally, he can summon his Guardian Spirit - the teal-colored Shiba puppy who inflicts the paralysis status effect if players are hit by it.
* RenaissanceMan: Not only is Muneshige a master of Taisha-ryu swordsmanship and archery, he partakes in many, ''many'' arts. Tea ceremony, calligraphy, incense, poetry, Noh theater, flute, Buddhist sculpturing, and even bow crafting!
* YourCheatingHeart: In contrast to his wife's forced adultery, Muneshige visits favors upon his mistress Yachiko. Justified because Ginchiyo is infertile and SecretlyDying, thus he needs someone else to provide him with an heir in order for the Tachibana clan to survive. TruthInTelevision when it was normal (if not, expected) for historical ''daimyo'' to have more than one lover, specifically a wife and a handful of concubines.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Saika Magoichi]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/saika_magoichi.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/YasuyukiKase

* BadassLongcoat: His ''haori'' stands out with its design, featuring several coattails that hand past the knees. This look can be your's too, if you so choose.
* BlowYouAway: Upon summoning his Guardian Spirit, Yatagarsu, the three-legged three-eyed crow will hurl jets of wind currents at players.
* GunAndSword: {{Dual Wield|ing}}s a katana and a musket rifle.
* HiredGuns: Magoichi and his Saika troops are frequently encountered as enemies, being hired by William's foes.
* LegacyCharacter: Saika Magoichi is not his real name, but rather an alias adopted by each leader of the Saika clan.
* PowerGivesYouWings: Yatagarsu grants Magoichi flight capabilities via the Spirit's wings.
* PunchClockVillain: Saika troops are ultimately mercenaries; they don't swear loyalty to any party.
* TeleportSpam: Yatagarasu also grants Magoichi the ability to teleport throughout DuelBoss arena, which has an added effect of breaking enemy target lock.
* WeaksauceWeakness: Magoichi can be easily knocked down if players manage to hit him while he's airborne with, say, ''[[{{Irony}} a rifle]]''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yasuke]]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohyasuke.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Richie Campbell

%%* BearsAreBadNews: His Guardian Spirit is the panda Atlas Bear.
* {{BFS}}: Yasuke wields an ''odachi'' as a secondary weapon, before busting out his [[AnAxeToGrind signature axe]]. Interestingly, if you receive said sword for yourself, it will take the form of a normal katana due to ''odachi'' not being usable until the ''Dragon of the North'' expansion.
* BlackVikings: Subverted; like most of the other characters in ''Nioh'', Yasuke is TruthInTelevision - there really was an African {{Samurai}}.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: By his own admittance, Yasuke's only goal in life is to serve Nobunaga, who rescued him from slavery. His loyalty led him to being talked into helping Kelley try to resurrect Nobunaga.
* RedBaron: The "Obsidian Samurai"; even after TheReveal of who he is, the character encyclopedia still uses this title in favor of his name.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Nobunaga since he freed Yasuke from slavery and made him a {{Samurai}}, so much that he's willing to allow Kelley to take his body and resurrect his master.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Kobayakawa Hideaki]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohhideaki.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/KoukiMiyata

* AnimalMotifs: Bats - his Guardian Spirit is the Aya-Komori, and his helmet has flaps resembling bat ears. Like his historical counterpart and the Spirit, Hideaki of ''Nioh'' is a schemer (see OpportunisticBastard below).
* ItAmusedMe: Doesn't necessarily care which side of the war will be the victor; he simply wants to "play the jester and shake things up".
* OpportunisticBastard: Hideaki waits to see whether the Tokugawa or Toyotomi at the Battle of Sekigahara will have the upper hand before entering the fray. Subverted when William decides to scare him into fighting for Ieyasu after firing cannons from the ''Liefde'' near his outpost. This ends up forcing Hideaki to turn his troops against the Toyotomi, rendering the battle almost completely in favor of Ieyasu.
* WildCard: Played with - he tricks Ieyasu and Mitsunari into thinking he's fighting for their respective sides until he's forced to choose one by William.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tenkai]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tenkai.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Takayuki Sugou

* TheFaceless: Like Yoshitsugu, Tenkai wears a cloth mask over his face, but averted following TheReveal.
* GogglesDoSomethingUnusual: Tenkai's glasses allow him to see ''aratama'' clearly.
* IDidWhatIHadToDo: [[spoiler:Because Nobunaga was starting to become overambitious with the power of Amrita crystals, Mitshuhide assassinated his lord, knowing it would stain his honor permanently for the rest of his life]].
* OurMagesAreDifferent: He is a veteran ''UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}'' mage.
* SecretIdentity: "Tenkai" is an alias - his true identity is [[spoiler:Akechi Mitsuhide, the man who betrayed Nobunaga, leading to the latter's death at Honnōji Temple]].
* StillGotIt: Tenkai tasks William with a side-mission at Honnōji Temple, which turns into a DuelBoss against him decked out in full {{Samurai}} regalia [[spoiler:as Mitsuhide]]. Rather than lock players down with ''onmyōdō'' magic, he does a commendable job of simply fighting the old-fashioned way of using a katana.
* {{Telepathy}}: When visiting the ruins of Honnōji Temple, William notices ''aratama'' gathering around Tenkai and surmises he has a connection to the place. Tenkai telepathically states there's things he's not told him, but not to worry.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fuku]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fuku.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/RisaShimizu

* ApologeticAttacker: The "Nue" encountered at the Daizaifu shrine is her {{Familiar}}; after William defeats it, Fuku apologizes for the trouble it caused.
* CutenessProximity: She's quite fond of the kodama, calling them "adorable" when she receives a message from them asking for William's help.
* NaughtyNuns: Her outfit shows quite a bit of her shoulders and thighs, and a little bit of {{Sideboob}}.
* OurMagesAreDifferent: As Tenkai's apprentice, Fuku is an ''UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}'' mage-in-training, charged with protecting the Daizaifu catacombs from further intruders. She also provides William with advanced ''onmyōdō'' magic techniques.
* TheReveal: Although Fuku seems to be an OriginalGeneration, the character encyclopedia states she is based on the historical [[spoiler:Lady Kasuga, the woman who supposedly convinced the historical Kobayakawa Hideaki to join Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shinmen Takezo]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Ryuichi Kijima

* MartialArtsHeadband: Wears a bright red one, which he gives to William after the latter saves him at Sekigahara post-battle while single-handedly fighting {{Yokai}}.
* UnskilledButStrong: Ashikaga Yoshiteru comments that his skill is rather unpolished, yet he was able to [[TheDeterminator hold his own against multiple yokai]] before William appears to assist.
* YoungFutureFamousPeople: Although nearly all characters William meets is already an accomplished historical figure, Takezo is still at the beginning of [[UsefulNotes/MiyamotoMusashi his path]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Marume Nagayoshi]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Shirou Saito

* CarryABigStick: His signature weapon is more or less a just a slab of wood the size and shape of a baseball bat. Being counted as a sword, though, he's no less efficient for it.
* IAmNotLeftHanded: Narume is your instructor for in the Mastery course for the [[{{BFS}} Odachi]], introduced in the ''Dragon of the North'' expansion. Turns out, he can use that weapon better than he can use his stick.
* LargeHam: He's pretty much the loudest of the instructors, laughing his head off in his excitement and satisfaction of sparring with William.
* MartialArtsHeadband: Wears a white one with some plating on the front.
* SignatureLaugh: "'''''Kah-kah-kah!!!'''''"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ashikaga Yoshiteru]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Takanori Hoshino

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: He used to be a shogun, and he's really proficient with dual blades.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yagyu Sekishusai]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Tetsuo Kanao

* OldMaster: At the age of 70, he is known as one of the best, if not, the best swordsman of his time. Furthermore, defeating Sekishusai in the dojo allows William to learn the highest tier of katana skills in the game.
* StrokeTheBeard: Does this in his victory animation if players are defeated.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Hozoin Inei]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Mutsumi Sasaki

* ReluctantWarrior: Despite being known as a fierce warrior in his youth, later in life, Inei started to ponder the righteousness of using violence at all. However, he's willing to take up the spear again to spar with William.
* OldMaster: Head of the Hozoin temple and the inventor of the Hozoin spear technique. As with Sekishusai, besting Inei unlocks the strongest spear skills for purchase.
* StrokeTheBeard: Just like his friend and fellow pupil Sekishusai, upon defeating players.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sakata Kintoki]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Mutsuaki Kanuka

* AnimalMotifs: Despite not having a Guardian Spirit, Kintoki has some bear-like qualities. His armor is adorned with a number of bear skins, and his signature axe has a pair of bear claws chained to it.
* AnAxeToGrind: He wields a large axe as his WeaponOfChoice.
* BigFun: He's a really large man with a cheerful demeanor.
* LongDeadBadass: He died a long time ago, yet he still shows up to aid William and test his prowess with an axe.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shisenin Kosen]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Hiroshi Iwasaki
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Oda Nobunaga]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohnobunaga.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Kou Shibusawa

* BackFromTheDead: Resurrected by Kelley in an attempt to have him ReforgedIntoAMinion, [[spoiler:but Nobunaga refuses to comply and returns to the afterlife after fighting William]].
* BadassCape: His armor includes a black and gold cape.
* BattleCouple: Fights alongside the Yuki-Onna, [[spoiler:the spirit of his wife]] in a NewGamePlus side-mission.
* DemonKingNobunaga: Described by Kelley [[TheDreaded as the most brutal overlord in Japan]] who ordered mass exterminations of his enemies. [[spoiler:{{Zigzagged}} in that his reputation as a warlord is not completely undeserved, since he did commit horrific atrocities and became overambitious with the use of Amrita in his conquest of Japan, which resulted in his assassination. However, Nobunaga is also shown to have noble traits, such as resucing Yasuke from slavery and his wife Lady Nō was utterly devoted to him. After his duel with William, he promptly returns to the afterlife, feeling his aim to conquer the land has been inherited by his vassal-warlords who came after him and that something indestructible should not exist]].
* TheDreaded: Decades after his death, Nobunaga still casts a long shadow over Japan with many characters showing fear towards his actions in life. Kelly was planning on using this reputation to his advantage by resurrecting him to act as his minion. [[spoiler:Too bad Nobunaga wasn't interested]].
* DualBoss: An optional quest in NewGamePlus forces William against Nobunaga and the Yuki-Onna at the same time.
* ElementalPowers: Uses a variety of all the elements in the game during his boss fight via SpellBlade from Tengen Kujaku.
* {{Expy}}: Having the white peacock, Tengen-Kujaki, as a Guardian Spirit and being a well-known conqueror makes him comparable to [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda Lord Shen]].
* HeadsIWinTailsYouLose: [[spoiler:After knocking his {{Hit Point}}s pass a certain threshold, Nobunaga automatically overpowers and disarms William, only to spare him at the last moment]].
* JustToyingWithThem: [[spoiler:He has no intention of killing William; Nobunaga simply wants his resurrection to be a complete waste of time]].
* LightIsNotGood: Manifests as a celestial figure whose white peacock Guardian Spirit spreads out its fan to resemble angelic wings, but subverted [[spoiler:because Nobunaga is a NobleDemon who isn't interested in forcing Japan through another CivilWar to rebuild something whose time is past]].
* NeverTrustATrailer: [[WalkingSpoiler The opening cinematic indicates Nobunaga is a major antagonist]] in ''Nioh'', except players are near the tail-end of the Warring States Period in Japan between Ieyasu and Mitsunari (pre-Battle of Sekigahara), when the historical Nobunaga is already dead for decades. Although he is [[BackFromTheDead resurrected]], his role is largely negligible in the game's overall plot.
* PowerEchoes: After his rebirth, Nobunaga comes back with a sinister reverberating voice.
* PetTheDog: His saving of the aforementioned Yasuke from slavery, as well as his loving treatment of his wife Lady Nō.
* PreAsskickingOneLiner: Played with - Nobunaga, upon resurrection, speaks to William, "Foreigner, you have caught me in a ''VERY'' bad mood." [[spoiler:However, he's actually cross with ''Kelly'' rather than with William for bringing him BackFromTheDead]].
* SlaveLiberation: Having taken a liking to Yasuke, Nobunaga saved him from a life of slavery and made the man a {{Samurai}}.
* SilverFox: At 47 years-old (at the time of death), Nobunaga already had a full head of grey hair, but his appearance in ''Nioh'' may have something to do with his [[MysticalWhiteHair resurrection]] and [[PowerDyesYourHair alchemic empowerment]] by Kelley.
* UnwantedRevival: [[spoiler:After entertaining himself by sparring with William, he muses a second coming would be entertaining, but ultimately returns to the afterlife, refusing to be Kelley's puppet]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Spoiler Character]]
! Sir John Dee
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohjohndee.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Timothy Watson
----
* BigBad: While Kelley is TheHeavy of the game, his orders came directly from Sir Dee.
* BodyMotifs: Eyes - Sir Dee prides himself on being the all-seeing eyes of England; exemplified when EyesDoNotBelongThere emerge on his body and he transforms into a multi-eyed monstrosity called "[[MeaningfulName Hundred Eyes]]".
* CruelMercy: Because he's arrogant and proud of his "all-seeing eyes", rather than kill him, William slices his eyes out.
* EvilBrit: A historical Englishman and advisor to [[UsefulNotes/ElizabethI Queen Elizabeth I]], whose aim is greater than simply defeating the Spanish.
* EyeScream: [[FateWorseThanDeath William slices out his remaining eyes after their fight]].
* EyesDoNotBelongThere: In his human appearance, Sir Dee has an extra set of eyes on his forehead, but it only gets worse when he transforms.
* TheManBehindTheMan: Sir Dee sent Kelley to Japan to collect Amrita after news about the island nation having a large stockpile of it reaches England.
* OneWingedAngel: Turns into an EldritchAbomination with many eyes.
* WalkingSpoiler: Although Sir Dee was foreshadowed in the prologue level, he doesn't truly become relevant until William decides to head back to England, guided by his MagicCompass, to confront the person responsible for the events of ''Nioh''.
* WeCanRuleTogether: He asks William to join him in using the power of Amrita to TakeOverTheWorld.
[[/folder]]

!!Dragon of the North
----
[[folder:Date Masamune]]
! Date Masamune
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohmasamune.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/HirokiTakahashi
----
* AnimalMotifs: True to history, Masamune's heavily associated with dragons, with one of his Guardian Spirits being a dragon.
* DuelBoss: He returns in a side-mission in the ''Defiant Honor'' DLC, where he challenges William to another fight. Beating him gets you his Nuraihyon Spirit Guardian.
* DualWielding: On top of wielding two katana, he has ''two Guardian Spirits'' at his side, [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration which announces the expansion's feature of being able to equip two Spirits simulataneously]]. One of them is the Blue Dragon, fitting with Masamune's AnimalMotifs, while the other one is Nurarihyon, [[spoiler:which belonged to Kojuro before his passing]].
* EyepatchOfPower: Just like his historical counterpart; [[spoiler:similar to Nekomata, Masamune hides an Amrita crystal embedded in his eye socket]].
* HeelFaceTurn: After being defeated by William, he is convinced to join Ieyasu again to siege the Osaka Castle.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: His motivation in ''Nioh'' is to [[spoiler:secure more land for his men in the province of Tohoku]]. Contrast the historical Masamune who was [[EveryoneHasStandards harshly criticized by his contemporaries]] for [[UnfriendlyFire firing upon his own men]].
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Historically, Masamune was a noble, if HotBlooded, man of ambition who maintained a loyal, if sometimes, strained alliance with Ieyasu; he also supported those of the Christian faith, but only prohibited it because Ieyasu commanded thus. The Masamune of ''Nioh'' is an antagonist commanding a demonic army in ''Dragon of the North'', with an intention to eventually overthrow the Tokugawa.
* MoralityPet: Date Shigezane, his cousin and top general, absorbed Amrita to save Masamune from an ambush, a source of immense guilt for the latter when he becomes a {{Yokai}}. [[spoiler:Hanzo curing Shigezane is enough to get Masamune to return to the fold as a loyal vassal of Ieyasu]]. Shigenaga is another one, [[spoiler:due to being his mentor Kojuro's son, who Masamune swore to protect until he's ready to lead the Katakura clan]].
* RedBaron: "The One-Eyed Dragon"; MeaningfulName ensues when one of his Guardian Spirits is a dragon.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Date Shigezane]]
! Date Shigezane
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohshigenaga.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/JojiNakata
----
* AnimalMotifs: Centipedes - On top of his yokai form being merged with a centipede and his Guardian Spirit being Bisha's Centipede, his armor features qualities resembling the carapace of a centipede, particularly his right arm. His helmet has a golden centipede ornament. And his ''odachi'''s sheath has a number of ornaments that resemble centipede parts.
* BigCreepyCrawlies
** His demonic form replaces his right arm with the body of a giant centipede, along with at least one more growing from his body.
** His Guardian Spirit, Bisha's Centipede, is exactly what it sounds like.
* BodyHorror: Upon absorbing Amrita to gain power, he fused himself with a demon, resulting in his half of his body being horrifically mutated. However, his mind appears to be still intact.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Especially as a {{Yokai}}, his voice becomes altered into a deep, flanged rumble.
* LightningBruiser: Despite his ugly transformation and hulking size, Shigezane moves ''insanely fast'', using his centipede-half to rapidly advance and pull surprisingly spry acrobatics with it, even if you manage to stack slowing debuffs on him. And even then, he'll quickly recover from them.
* OneHandedZweihander: [[AccidentalPun No pun intended]]. Thanks to his demonic form and strength, he uses his ''[[{{BFS}} Odachi]]'' with his remaining arm with ease.
%%* UndyingLoyalty
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Katakura Shigenaga]]
! Katakura Shigenaga
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohshigezane.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/{{KENN}}
----
* AnAxeToGrind: Shigenaga's WeaponOfChoice is an axe shaped like a cleaver.
* CombatPragmatist: Initially set up as a DuelBoss, Shigenaga will call upon archers and musketeers to fire upon you halfway through. He'll also make very judicious use of various bombs to screw with your performance.
* EvilGloating: When Shigenaga appears, he monologues for a period of time, [[ShutUpHannibal but players can attack him before he finishes his speech]] (as opposed to most bosses having a cutscene before the actual fight begins). However, if players allow him to finish his dialogue, they can unlock a trophy.
* InadequateInheritor: Though he's next to take the role of the late Kagetsuna Kojuro, both Masamune is aware that Shigenaga isn't ready to for that responsibility. [[spoiler: Shigenaga didn't even inherit his father's Guardian Spirit.]]
* LukeYouAreMyFather: [[spoiler: The late Kagetsuna Kojuro is his father.]]
* YouShallNotPass: The DuelBoss fight occurs after he pulls off [[EvilGloating a villainous version of this]].
%% UndyingLoyalty
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lady Maria]]
! Lady Maria
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohmaria.jpg]]
----
* CaptainErsatz: A LadyOfWar who gracefully rips her opponent apart with a sword, serving as a BossFight for a DownloadableContent in an ActionRPG - are we talking about this character or another [[VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}} woman named Lady Maria]]?
* CunningLinguist: She speaks Spanish, English and Japanese.
* DashingHispanic: She is a rare female example that fits the classic mold nonetheless, using a rapier with grace. [[spoiler:Also doubles as an evil example too]].
* DistaffCounterpart: To Edward Kelley - a Westerner who manipulates Japanese warlords to obtain Amrita for their country. In her case, she hails from Spain.
* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler:She's a spy sent by Spain in order to obtain Amrita, as revenge for Spain's defeat to England]].
* RoyalRapier: Uses a rapier to fight you, in stark contrast to the rest of the game's arsenal, which included a few European-style weapons for the London segments.
* FragileSpeedster: Maria can use VillainTeleportation and is more agile than the other humanoid bosses in ''Dragon of the North'', but she has little to no defense and is very susceptible to stagger during the first half of the fight, though the problem is being able to ''actually hit her''.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: The only character thus far in ''Nioh'' to avert this; while the historical Masamune did consort with foreign parties, there's no historical records stating the presence of a specific Spanish woman called Maria. In all likelihood, Lady Maria is an OriginalGeneration created specifically for this game (see also ShoutOut below).
* ShoutOut: This character is a loose {{composite|Character}} of the same-named Spanish concubine/mistress for Masamune in a Yokoyama Mitsuteru {{Manga}} called ''Date Masamune'' and the novel ''Tokugawa Ieyasu'' written by Yamaoka Sohachi, where a foreign woman is "introduced"[[note]]The novel uses the term "gifted"[[/note]] to Masamune, who married him, but did so in order for Ieyasu to weaken Masamune's growing ambitions.
* SoLongSuckers: [[spoiler:''Dragon of the North'' ends with her teleporting away just as William is about to execute her, taking all the Amrita with her while taunting William. This is followed with TheReveal she will swindle Sanada Yukimura with the Amrita for the future Siege of Osaka Castle]].
* AWolfInSheepsClothing: She's introduced as a foreign attendant to Masamune, complete with a full-body ''kimono'' and dainty smile. However, this hides her true nature [[spoiler:as a spy sent by Spain to attain Amrita by further fueling the CivilWar in Japan]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Kagetsuna Kojuro]]
!Kagetsuna Kojuro

* CoolOldGuy: [[spoiler: He was the one who implanted the Amrita stone in Masamune's eye socket [[EyeScream after Masamune lost his eye to disease]]. Since then, Masamune's been ever grateful for Kojuro's service to the Date]].
* TheMentor: To Masamune before passing away.
* PosthumousCharacter: Kojuro had passed away from illness before the start of ''Dragon of the North''.
[[/folder]]

!!Defiant Honor
----
[[folder:Sanada Yukimura]]
! Sanada Yukimura
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohyukimura.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/ShinichiroMiki
----
* AnimalMotifs: Just like Tadakatsu, stags - a helmet mounted with deer antlers, and one of his Guardian Spirits, the "Enku", resembles a stag.
* AntiVillain: Being aligned against the Date clan, who're allied with the Tokugawa, he acts as an antagonist. However, he has a very strong strong sense of honor and aims to fight the Tokugawa fair and square without using Amrita, instantly rejecting GreaterScopeVillain [[spoiler: Maria]]'s proposal.
* BladeOnAStick: Naturally, Yukimura's signature weapon is his cross-bladed ''jumonji yari'' spear.
* TheCameo: He shows up at the very end of the ''Dragon of the North'' DownloadableContent. He plays a more active role in ''Defiant Honor'', as it is set during the historical Siege of Osaka Castle, where Yukimura plays an integral part. He was also briefly mentioned by Otani Yoshitsugu in the main game, who mentioned about his 'son-in-law Sanada'. Historically, Yukimura was Yoshitsugu's son-in-law via marriage with the latter's daughter Akihime.
* DualWielding: Like Masamune, Yukimura will have two Guardian Spirits - one is his deceased father-in-law Yoshitsugu's Janomecho, the other the flaming qilin Enku.
* AFatherToHisMen: Yukimura cares deeply for his men, especially as the Siege of Osaka is rapidly draining their resources and yet he refuses to be tempted with the use of Amrita. In turn forces respect and revere him deeply, and gladly give their lives to fight for and protect him.
* HonorBeforeReason: A case that helps and hurts him. Yukimura has noticed that Lady Yodogimi's behavior has taken a dark turn, but stays loyal to the Toyotomi regardless. On the other hand, he and most of his forces absolutely refuse to take [[spoiler: Maria]]'s suggestion to use Amrita, and basically says to take the offer and shove it.
* PowerFloats: By using Janomecho's powers, Yukimura is able to hover over the ground.
* [[SwordAndGun Spear and Gun]]: Yukimura makes frequent use of his pistol during his fight, and can power it up with his Guardian Spirit to fire cannon-like shots.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sarutobi Sasuke]]
! Sarutobi Sasuke
[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohsasuke.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/JunichiSuwabe
----
* TheCameo: Sasuke is seen standing alongside Yukimura at the end of ''Dragon of the North''.
* CombatPragmatist: Just a like a proper ninja would be, Sarutobi makes very frequent use of performance hampering bombs.
* DualTonfas: Fights you with a pair of these that have been fitted with cannons!
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: {{Averted|Trope}}. Sarutobi Sasuke is a fictional character who's shown up in various narrative writings. The origins of said character have been in debate for the longest time, such as being a CompositeCharacter of two real life warriors. However, he's such a popular character of Japanese culture, it's hard to find anything with Sanada Yukimura ''without'' Sarutobi Sasuke or someone filling the role.
* MixAndMatchWeapon: Sasuke's tonfas are fitted with cannons in them, which you yourself can actually use (provided you have a specific skill).
* {{Ninja}}: Just as every depiction of the character has been, even squaring off against Hanzo while William fighting Yukimura.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Sanada Braves]]
* CoolSword: Each of them wield unique weapons, from standard swords to [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon a kusarigama and axe made from glowing meteor fragements]].
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: Played more seriously than normal. Each member has their own schtick, from using certain weapons and skills to certain environmental aspect.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sasaki Kojiro]]
----
* {{BFS}}: He wields an odachi, much like the real Kojiro did.
* BloodKnight: He seems thrilled facing William in battle, knowing that he'll provide a good battle.
* TheDrifter: He's been wandering the land, challenging any skilled opponent to face him in a duel.
[[/folder]]

!!Bloodshed's End
----
[[folder:Yodo-gimi]]
! Yodo-gimi
----
* DaddysLittleVillain: She was Hideyoshi's ''adopted'' daughter, [[WifeHusbandry who went on to be his concubine and eventually second wife...]] Um... Yeah, [[ValuesDissonance it's the Middle Ages]]. Although interestingly enough, her ''biological'' parents were none other than Azai Nagamasa (who strongly opposed Nobunaga) and Oichi (the sister of Nobunaga), who have often been portrayed as sympathetic and even heroic figures.
* FurAndLoathing: Wears a black robe with a very thick fur trim. She also makes no effort to hide her ill intent, [[spoiler: due to taking up Maria's offer of using Amrita after Yukimura rejected it]].
* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Smokes from a red and black encrusted ''kiseru''.
* SupernaturalGoldEyes: When we finally see her face, Yodo-gimi reveals her eyes are this, and even glow briefly, implying that there is definitely something unnatural about her.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Black robe? Check. Red kimono and hair ornaments? Check. Red ''and'' black pipe? Check. Safe to say the designers went for this thought in mind.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toyotomi Hideyori]]
! Toyotomi Hideyori
----
* MommasBoy: Since Yodo-gimi's effectively taken leadership of the Toyotomi clan, Hideyori's more or less relegated to going along with whatever his mother's planning.
[[/folder]]


!!Enemies
----
* ActionBomb: If triggered, "Amrita Yoki" will explode without the {{Hit Point}}s reaching zero.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Traditional {{Yokai}} in Japanese folklore are mischievious at best, but the monsters of ''Nioh'' are malevolent and vile (some of whom ''are'' MadeOfEvil).
* AttackItsWeakpoint: "Yoki" can have their horns shattered (via High Stance) to open them up to a finisher, while "One-Eyed Oni" can be struck in the eye to stun them momentarily. Although a finisher cannot be used on the latter, attacking their eyes for a stagger can be done multiple times before they die.
* ArrowsOnFire: Human and skeleton archers are always armed with these types of arrows.
* ChestMonster: Played with - "Majina" might hide inside large chests, but aren't malicious by nature unless they are physically provoked or players don't mimic their gesture correctly.
* TheCorruption: Many {{Yokai}} in ''Nioh'' were [[WasOnceAMan previously humans consumed and corrupted]] by ''kegare'', miasmatic spiritual corruption caused by negative emotions. Oni can create patches of this miasma called "Yokai Realms" that slow players' ''ki'' regeneration and amplify their own.
* {{Expy}}: Certain ''Nioh'' enemies fulfill similar roles to enemies from ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' - "Dwellers" are "Hollows", Majina are "Mimics", "Revenants" are "Red Phantoms" and "Kappa" are "Crystal Lizards".
* GemTissue: Amrita Yoki have chunks of Amrita growing from their bodies.
* GiantSpider: "Tsuchigumo", spider-monsters capable of spitting purple webbing, are fought as the most common enemies in the haunted ruins of Shigisen Castle.
* TheHeartless: Specific types of {{Yokai}} in ''Nioh'' are created from negative emotions that physically manifest after a person's death - the Ogress and Yuki-Onna serve as examples.
* LivingStructureMonster
** "Nurikabe" are {{Yokai}} manifesting as hidden walls: players can deduce them by looking for a pair of eyes mounted onto walls. By picking the proper gesture, nurikabe can open a passageway peacefully; if not, they will turn hostile. Alternatively, players might discover a talisman pasted onto a wall - interacting with it and players will remove the talisman, triggering the Nurikabe's appearance, but not fight it as the {{Yokai}} disappears.
** "Sentries" are {{Living Statue}}s armed with a {{BFS}}.
* MetalSlime: Kappa are highly evasive enemies that will flee on sight, potentially leading players into more deadly foes. Defeating them and tons of Amrita, armor, gold, items and weapons will drop.
* {{Oni}}: ''Nioh'' features the traditional types, such as classic, horned ogres (Yoki), [[{{Cyclops}} mono-eyed variants]] (One-Eyed Oni) and kodama. Heck, the title of the game is, in a syllabic sense, the inverse (using Japanese symbols) for oni ("oh" and "Ni").
* OverlyLongTongue: "Onmyudo", in addition to using melee strikes and shoulder ramming, can stretch their tongues out to lash at players.
* RecurringBoss: Many {{Yokai}} bosses show up again in side-missions as the mission-ending boss, but also as mini-bosses. JustifiedTrope, however, as the enemy descriptions explicitly describe them as a species rather than individuals.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: "Flying Bolts", who are covered with white strips of linen around their bodies. However, since their movement is quick, the model viewer in the encyclopedia is where this can be seen.
* TheUndead
** The majority of {{Mooks}} in ''Nioh'' tend to be [[DemBones skeletons]] or the [[NotUsingTheZWord zombie-like Dwellers]].
** Vengeful Revenants of other players who have died can be summoned and fought to obtain rare armor and weapons.
* WasOnceAMan: Quite a number of {{Yokai}} were humans consumed by negative emotions. However, it's possible to transform a perfectly normal person into an abomination by violently fusing them with Amrita crystals - Derrick the Executioner is one example; [[spoiler:Mitsunari is another]].

[[folder:Bosses]]
!!Derrick The Executioner
[[quoteright:210:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohderrick.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': James Clyde
----
* DegradedBoss: [[spoiler:Returning to the Tower of London in the epilogue and players can find Derrick again in his transformed state, albeit now as an EliteMook rather than a boss]].
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Once Kelley infuses him with an Amrita crystal, his eyes turn red and he transforms into a monster.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Starts off just black and evil, but becomes this once Kelley infuses him with an Amrita crystal.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Especially post-transformation via Amrita crystal.
* TruthInTelevision: There really was an English executioner during Queen Elizabeth's era called Thomas Derrick, famed for having executed more than 3,000 people throughout his career. Furthermore, the word "derrick" is associated with what the hangman's noose was supported on; in the modern era, it's a reference to its use on mechanical cranes.

!!Onryoki
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nioh_onryoki_700x389.jpg]]
-->''It hurts... Help...Anyone...''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* DegradedBoss: If an Onryoki shows up in a main or side-mission as an EliteMook rather than a boss, it will not have use of its EpicFlail (see below).
* EpicFlail: Its arms are chained to enormous balls that it uses as flails in the first stage of its boss fight. In the second half, the Onryoki breaks its chains apart; occasionally, it will lob the iron balls at players.
* GiantMook: Visually, the Onryoki is basically a giant Yoki, complete with the same AttackItsWeakPoint via its horns for a temporary stagger state.
* HornedHumanoid: It has a pair of glowing yellow upwards-curved horns.
* MadeOfEvil: It's implied the Onryoki in the slave ship William boards in the fishing village is a physical manifestation of all the dead slaves' hatred, formed conveniently into the shape of a massive Oni.

!!Hino-Enma
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hinoenma.jpg]]
-->''I need more. Bring more men to me.''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* CombatStilettos: Wearing "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geta_(footwear) tengu-geta]]" on her feet, the [[KickChick Hino-Enma is able to use it as part of a series of kicks as melee attacks]].
* HornyDevil: Essentially a cross between a succubus and vampire, Hino-Enma lure men away before abducting them and drinking their blood at her leisure. {{Lampshaded}} after defeating the one in the mountain caves.
-->"The blood of young men keeps me beautiful. I need more. More! Until all the world's men are my slaves."
* HumanoidAbomination: Her face is [[UncannyValley slightly off]], her skin is ash-cloud white, is unusually tall for a woman, and upon using its GrappleMove, her {{Nested Mouth|s}} erupts a bunch of tentacles not unlike a "[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 Majini]]".
* LightningBruiser: Hino-Enma has the size and agility of other humanoid bossess, but with the power and stability of a {{Yokai}} boss. Furthermore, she can inflict the "Discord" StandardStatusEffect[[note]]Prevent all movement until the Discord effect disappates[[/note]].
* ParasolOfPain: Will occasionally take out an umbrella as a weapon.
* VampiricDraining: Befitting her image as a succubus, her GrappleMove doubles as a LifeDrain.
* StalkerWithACrush: One mission involves rescuing [[spoiler:Saika Magoichi]] at a bathhouse, the one captured man this particular Hino-Enma won't kill.
* WingedHumanoid: Hino-Enma have a pair of black-feathered wings for flight.
* WorthyOpponent: {{Lampshaded}}; though she desires to kill men, the one in the mountain bandit caves sees William as this.
-->''Men are too foul to live... I must kill them... All except for him...''

!!Nue
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/56243_1_nioh_fourth_boss_guide_kill_nue_full.jpg]]
----
* KillItWithWater: Its primary weakness; {{Irony}} ensues when it generates electricity, which water conducts.
* ShockAndAwe: Nue can spit lightning-beams from its mouth and call down bolts of lightning from the sky.
* SphereEyes: Its eyes seem quite loose in their sockets, often rolling around erratically before focusing back at players.
* HybridMonster: The Nue looks akin to the mythological Greek ''chimera'' with the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the limbs of a tiger, and a serpent for a tail; fitting, given the Nue are the traditional Japanese equivalent of a chimera.

!!Giant Centipede
----
* CreepyCentipedes: It's a giant centipede with a skull-like face.
* SegmentedSerpent: Played with; while not a snake, [[SubsystemDamage the individual segments of its body have their own health bars]] and can be destroyed, leaving it as a walking head.

!!Umi-Bozu
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohumibozu.jpg]]
----
* AbnormalAmmo: Whereas its spawn "Lesser Umi-Bozu" spit out katana, this one shoots ''pieces of shipwrecks''.
* BlobMonster: Its default appearance, including the Lesser Umi-bozu; the former also doubles as a SeaMonster since it has an enormous body mostly composed of seawater and is TheDreaded for causing shipwrecks.
* CombatTentacles: It can extend tentacles and smash them down on players.
* LogicalWeakness: Inverted; this living mass of water is inexplicably weak to ''fire''.
* WaveMotionGun: It can fire a OneHitKill torrent of water from its Amrita core; fortunately there's an easy tell to determine when the attack is coming.
* WeaksauceWeakness: Although embuing weapons with fire via talismans or from using the signal fires in the boss arena is a viable option, the "Hykotto Masks" likely cluttering up players' inventory can also make short work of the Umi-Bozu.

!Joro-Gumo
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/43823ba4gw1f6y1b9l45rj21hc0u00z9_thumb.jpg]]
-->''Ahh, how hateful! How vile! The fragments of my broken self... where have you scattered...?''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* AllWebbedUp: Like the tsuchigumo, the Joro-Gumo can spit purple webbing that inflicts the "Slow" StandardStatusEffect[[note]]Attack, movement and rolling animations are halved[[/note]].
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: Of Hisahide's Hirogumo teakettle.
* AssKicksYou: [[AttackItsWeakPoint Attack her abdomen]] too many times and she'll armor it up and start swinging it at you.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: Running parallel just underneath her arms' hands, Joro-Gumo has raptorial limbs that she uses to slash at close proximity and crawl along the ground.
* MaleGaze: Her boss introduction cutscene ends with the camera zooming into her ample chest.
* MotherOfAThousandYoung: It's implied the tsuchigumo infesting Shigisen Castle are her offspring.
* SpiderPeople: The Joro-Gumo has a female human head and torso atop the body of a GiantSpider.

!! Yuki-Onna
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maxresdefault_619.jpg]]
-->''I haven't had a visitor for a long time. It's been boring. Come!''
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/RieTanaka
----
* AnimalMotifs: Her Guardian Spirit is Usura-hicho, a flock of frozen butterflies; [[spoiler:it's implied Lady Nō's return as a Yuki-Onna is due to her pain and sadness of losing her husband Oda Nobunaga]], given the Usura-hicho are seen as a manifestation of those who perished from grief and sorrow.
* BattleCouple: Is available as a DualBoss alongside [[spoiler:Nobunaga]] in NewGamePlus.
* BloodKnight: This Yuki-Onna challenges William to a fight, after complaining about how bored she is from the time spent at Honnōji Temple.
* CameBackStrong: [[spoiler:Is actually Nobunaga's wife, Lady Nō]], resurrected and empowered by Kelley's dark magic.
* CuteGhostGirl: Her physical appearance renders her just as beautiful as many other human female character models in the game, [[spoiler:especially with the implication Lady Nō burned to death with Nobunaga when Honnōji Temple went up in flames]], yet Yuki-Onna is still a spirit with ice-based powers.
* GracefulLoser: Upon defeat, Yuki-Onna peacefully thanks William for setting her soul free [[spoiler:to head into the afterlife to be with Nobunaga]].
* AnIcePerson: Given her MeaningfulName of "snow woman", Yuki-Onna can generate icicles as projectiles and a ShockwaveStomp.
* LightningBruiser: Graceful and swift, Yuki-Onna pairs her already fast melee strikes with ranged-based attacks via icicles and an unlockable GrappleMove that can reach players from half the length of the boss arena.
* NaginatasAreFeminine: She creates a naginata made of ice, which she can occassionally toss as a ranged attack.

!! White Tiger
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/white_tiger_3.jpg]]
-->''Kill me to destroy them all!''
----
* MagicEye: Its right eye is an Amrita crystal that can be used to [[EyeBeams fire a beam of energy]].
* MegaNeko: It's an elephant-sized winged nekomata.
* PhysicalGod: One of the four East Asian beast-gods of the Cardinal Directions, protecting the West.
* PowerGivesYouWings: The White Tiger sprouts a pair of black wings that it uses to glide across the boss arena.
* TailSlap: It can coat the tips of its tail with miasmatic flames and smash players with them.

!!Ogress
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ogress.jpg]]
-->''Nobu...yasu...''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* TheBerserker: Fighting with sheer, monunmental rage, the Ogress might unleash a flurry of claw strikes when her {{Hit Point}}s reach less than 50%.
* BreathWeapon: Her ranged attack is breathing fire in a sweeping arc.
* CameBackStrong: The Ogress' identity is [[spoiler:Ieyasu's deceased wife, Senahime]], resurrected by Kelley; her lingering grief is [[spoiler:for her son Matsudaira Nobuyasu, who was put to death at Ieyasu's orders in order to appease Nobunaga]].
* GreenThumb: Her tears cause supernatural red-spider lilies to grow around the boss arena. Touching one of them directly when the Ogress spawns the lilies and numerous Yokai Realms will appear from the lilies were.
* TragicMonster: [[spoiler:Given the spirit of Senahime is still incensed at her and her son's death by Ieyasu without nary a complaint]], the Ogress is likely the most tragic of the resurrected souls to return. Even Okatsu, upon William defeating the Ogress, kneels and prays for her.

!!Giant Toad
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/giant_toad_nioh_boss_2.jpg]]
-->''So you broke their barrier to get through Iga. Impressive. But getting past me is another matter!''
--> '''Voiced by''': ???
----
* BladeOnAStick: His primary weapon is a massive, long-reaching pike.
* BloodKnight: The Giant Toad enjoys sparring with William so much [[spoiler:he writes a letter to his son Hanzo to have William fight him again at "Yomotsu Hirasaka" as a side-mission DuelBoss]].
* DistinguishedGentlemansPipe: He smokes a clay pipe, occasionally swinging it as a secondary weapon for melee attacks if players get close enough. The smoke the Giant Toad exhales from the pipe can also inflict the poison StandardStatusEffect.
* FriendlyEnemy: To William and Hanzo, even after the former defeats him [[spoiler:and beyond when he requests William for a duel]].
* OldMaster: [[spoiler:Is Hanzo's father and master "Hanzo the Oni", the second Hattori Hanzo and son of the original, thus MeaningfulName is in effect when he's literally an {{Oni}}]].
* StockNinjaWeaponry: Frequently pairs his long-ranged attacks by using bombs and explosive ''kunai''.
* SwallowedWhole: One of his attacks has him attempt to do this to players; if successful, the Giant Toad will spit players back out after taking a chunk of their {{Hit Point}}s.

!!Gasha-Dokuro
----
* DemBones: A giant, multi-armed skeleton formed from the anger and hatred of those who died on the field of the Battle of Sekigahara.

!!Yamata No Orochi
-->''I shall fuse my Uroboros with the Amrita to resurrect this country's most feared yokai: the serpent Yamata-no-Orochi!''
[[quoteright:320:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mqdefault_7.jpg]]
----
* AllYourPowersCombined: Once seven of its eight heads are slain, the last one will alter its appearance by combining the powers of the other seven, while gaining th discord StandardStatusEffect and regenerating to full health.full health.
* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Whereas other boss arenas, such as the Umi-Bozu, might have players fall off for an instant death, the arena with the Orochi prevents players from falling off the roof of the castle.
* BreathWeapon: Each of the Orochi's eight heads will use a variety of elemental breath attacks.
* ElementalPowers: Its eight heads correspond to one element.
* FinalBoss: Of the main story, excluding the epilogue and DownloadableContent.
* {{Orochi}}: Played with; it is, or at least is named after, the legendary eight-headed, eight-tailed dragon-god slain by the storm-god Susanoo.
* ScaledUp: This version of Orochi is the OneWingedAngel form of [[spoiler:Edward Kelly and his Guardian Spirit Ouroboros, who fuses with the latter after absorbing a monumental amount of Amrita]].
* SwallowedWhole: Orochi will send one of its head to briefly swallow players whole before spitting them back out.
* WolfpackBoss: Players will eventually wind up having to fight multiple heads simultaneously.

!!Hundred Eyes
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohhundredeyes.jpg]]
----

[[folder:William]]
!William
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohwilliam.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Ben Peel

An Irish-born English sailor, William lost his parents in an unknown conflict when he was a child, which also took his life, until the Guardian Spirit Saoirse resurrected him. Thanks to Saoirse's ability to find Amrita, William was able to find the powerful spirit stones, making him an invaluable privateer by the English government. When he stumbled upon a secret military project by the English to weaponize Amrita in their war against Spain, William is imprisoned in the Tower of London, awaiting his execution. His escape with Saoirse serves as the start of ''Nioh''.

* BilingualDialogue: {{Zigzagged}} - he's able to understand Saoirse, who speaks Irish Gaelic (given William is Irish himself in ''Nioh''). Also, when he meets Nekomata, he's granted the ability to speak and understand Japanese when it possesses him, but played with when it's implied his Japanese isn't entirely spot on. {{Lampshaded}} by Tachibana Muneshige in the post-mission dialogue for their duel, who states his use of their language is crude.
* CaptainErsatz: William is [[Franchise/TheWitcher Geralt of Rivia]] with an Irish accent clothed in {{Samurai}} armor.
* ChildhoodFriends: Saoirse's been William's Guardian Spirit since he was a child, though the [[AllThereInTheManual in-game encyclopedia]] suggests [[ChildhoodFriendRomance their bond is more than mere friendship]].
* DeathFakedForYou: [[spoiler:At the end of the game, William convinces Hattori Hanzo to report to Tokugawa Ieyasu that he's KilledOffForReal, knowing the {{Ninja}} is sent by his master to assassinate him after completing his quest, wishing to live the rest of his life in relative obscurity - away from the eyes of those who'd further seek to exploit him and Saoirse for their own ends]].
* {{Determinator}}: Nothing will stop this man from rescuing Saoirse, not even {{Yokai}}.
* GameplayAndStorySegregation: William is seen swimming when he is shot off the Tower of London, but InUniverse, if he falls into deep waters, [[ForgotAboutHisPowers he dies instantly]].
* GuardianEntity: William can equip upwards to twenty Guardian Spirits that will provide him with active and passive benefits.
* IKnowMortalKombat: Played with - although William learns basic weapon techniques from a book he finds aboard the ''Liefde'' during his journey to Japan, advanced abilities and skills from the skill tree can only be acquired by completing training regiments in the dojo learned from Hanzo, Narume Nagayoshi, Fuku, Yagyu Sekishusai and Hozoin Inei.
* InUniverseNickname: Kuroda Kanbei suggests the Japanese name "Anjin" ("pilot") for William, a reference to him being a seafarer. [[TruthInTelevision The historical William Adams was given the name "Miura Anjin" when he became one of the Shogun's top advisers]].
* MagicCompass: Left behind by Saoirse, this guides William to her location in Japan. [[spoiler:After killing Edward Kelley, the compass points him back to London for him to confront Sir John Dee; once defeated, the compass stops working, signaling William is free to pursue his own destiny rather than be guided by one (though he winds up returning to Japan of his own volition]].
* MagicKnight: He is a {{Samurai}} who can draw upon ''ki'', channel the power of a Guardian Spirit into his weapons, and uses ''ninjutsu'' and ''UsefulNotes/{{Onmyodo}}'' magic. For bonus points, he can acquire European plate armor and weaponry in the prologue level [[spoiler:and in the last story mission]].
* TheMusketeer: As well as being able to use a variety of melee weapons, he can also use ranged weapons such as bows, hand cannons and musket rifles.
* PetTheDog: Whenever he finds a kodama and the player selects "Guide back to shrine", the way William kneels over and talks to them makes it appear as if he's gently talking to a small child.
* PowerCopying: William often gains new Guardian Spirits from those he defeats.
* TheQuietOne: Despite being able to be understood by the locals via TranslatorMicrobes, as well as understanding the Japanese language, William doesn't usually speak unless it's important to the plot.
* RaceLift: The historical William Adams was English, but the ''Nioh'' version is Irish.
* ResurrectiveImmortality: Justified; as per Saoirse's own words, so long as she exists, William can come BackFromTheDead.
* RoaringRampageOfRescue: His mission is to save Saoirse, his original Guardian Spirit, from Edward Kelley.
* SpellBlade
** Using ''onmyōdō'' amulets imbues William's equipped weapon with the elemental powers of earth, fire, lightning, water or wind.
** Channelling a Guardian Spirit's power into a "Living Weapon" also causes said weapon to be wreathed in the Guardian Spirit's elemental power.
* StockNinjaWeaponry: The ''kusari-gama'' is one five primary weapons available to use, alongside ''ninjutsu'' weaponry such as explosives, ''kunai'', ''shuriken'' and smoke bombs.
* TruthInTelevision: Played with - there was a historical European named William Adams in the 17th century, the first Caucasian westerner to be given the title of {{Samurai}} by the Shogun[[note]]But not ''the'' first foreigner: that goes to Yasuke, an African from the same time period, who also appears in ''Nioh'')[[/note]], and the first Englishman to reach Japan. William being Irish, however, is fictional.
* WalkingArmory: William can carry two melee and two ranged weapons on him at all times, in addition to various offensive items via StockNinjaWeaponry.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Edward Kelley]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohkelley.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Nicholas Boulton (English), Hiroyuki Kinoshita (Japanese)

* AlchemyIsMagic: Despite his label as an alchemist, there's little actual alchemic techniques seen from Kelley in ''Nioh''; instead, most of his sorcery is based on incantations and spell-casting.
* ArtificialHuman: [[spoiler:As seen in the lower dungeons upon returning to the Tower of London, Sir John Dee grew Kelley in a laboratory, [[CloningBlues with multiple backup copies of him]]]].
* AnimalMotifs: Snakes, from his Guardian Spirit, Ouroboros, to his teleportation and transformations taking the pattern of a snake's scaly skin.
* BaldOfEvil: The rare sight of him without his hood reveals that he hasn't a single strand of hair on his head.
* DarkIsEvil: Clothed entirely in black, and makes no effort whatsoever to hide his sinister, vile nature.
* EvilBrit: He's an imperialistic agent of the British Empire.
* {{Expy}}
** The numerous snake motifs he has, particularly his OneWingedAngel form, hearkens to [[Franchise/{{Naruto}} Kabuto and Orochimaru]].
** A {{Bald|OfEvil}} British EvilSorcerer with a snake-like Guardian Spirit following him at all times: are we talking about Kelley or [[Franchise/HarryPotter Voldemort]]?.
* TheHeavy: The primary antagonist of ''Nioh'' who fights William [[spoiler:but the ending reveals he is simply an agent of Sir John Dee]].
* HistoricalBeautyUpdate: Most of the cast exhibit slight improvements on their historical appearances at minimum, but Kelley is the most extreme example, going from a bearded, hunched, and decidedly weedy old man to a handsome, muscular, youthful hunk. [[spoiler:Justified when Kelley is an ArtificialHuman, thus his physical traits were engineered to render him as such]].
* LargeHam: Has moments of this, particularly when he's yelling.
* MasterOfDisguise: Played with - Kelley can magically change his appearance to whomever he wants; if it's a warrior, he can even mimick their fighting style and weapons. Demonstrated when William finds Muneshige in the Daizaifu catacombs, but Tachibana Ginchiyo sees through his disguise immediately and attacks Kelley until she spots her wounded husband.
* {{Necromancer}}: Resurrects several historical figures who are dead by the time of ''Nioh'' such as [[spoiler:Lady Nō and Oda Nobunaga]] and uses them as his pawns.
* ObviouslyEvil: He simply appears evil and makes no attempt to hide his vile nature.
* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:[[ScaledUp Transforms]] into [[{{Orochi}} Yamata-no-Orochi]], the strongest {{Yokai}} in Japan, for the final battle in the main story]].
* RedEyesTakeWarning: He's directly responsible for most of the chaos in the game with clear, red irides.
* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: The appearance of Ouroboros; [[spoiler:Kelley even fuses it with the Amrita to become Orochi]].
* {{Sadist}}: He is Ruthless, cruel and utterly delights in the slaughter he initiates.
* SquishyWizard: [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration Done painstakingly straight]] - when players finally get the chance to fight him, Kelley resorts to long-ranged magic attacks and TeleportSpam. However, his defense is not significantly better than previous humanoid bosses.
* TattooedCrook: Has multiple tattoos on his body, from his arms to his chest and head.
* {{Telepathy}}: He is able to speak Japanese via telepathic communication.
* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:After Nobunaga defies becoming his servant and returns to the afterlife by besting William in combat, Kelley decides to transform into Orochi for the Irishman to deal with]]. Back at Edo Castle, Kelley is incensed when [[spoiler:Ieyasu refuses to sacrifice his life in exchange for sparing Okatsu]].

[[folder:Hattori Hanzo]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niohhanzo.jpg]]
--> '''Voiced by''': Creator/ToshiyukiMorikawa

* BadLiar: After Kelley dies, [[spoiler:William asks Hanzo to lie to Ieyasu about being assassinated by the {{Ninja}} as per orders from his master once Kelley is defeated; Hanzo does. However, Ieyasu {{Lampshades}} how he doesn't believe for a second Hanzo did what he asked after his mission debriefing]].
* CunningLinguist: One of the few Japanese characters who can converse with William in English, albeit heavily accented.
* {{Engrish}}: Has a very noticeable accent whenever he speaks English.
* FirstNameBasis: As William's OnlyFriend in Japan, it's fitting he's the only one who always addresses as "William" rather than "Anjin".
* GoodScarsEvilScars: Has a subtle one across the left side of his lips.
* HammerSpace: Just where was he storing that cat in his tunic?
* LegacyCharacter: Played with; he is not ''the'' historical Hattori Hanzo, but rather the third person to inherit the name, the grandson of the original.
* {{Ninja}}: Current head of the Iga ninja and the clan's present successor.
* OnlyFriend: There are a number of people in Japan who William likes and respects, but Hanzo is the only one he has an actual, ongoing friendship with, which is why [[spoiler:he agrees to fake William's death to GiveHimANormalLife. Upon seeing a vision of Hanzo in peril from Sir John Dee's Amrita orb, it convinces William to return to Japan]].
* StockNinjaWeaponry: More true to this than William, Hanzo's WeaponOfChoice is a ''ninjato'', including an arsenal of explosives and ''kunai''. In the dojo training sesssions, he will also use poison ''shuriken'' and smoke bombs that emit the paralysis status effect.
* SurprisinglyGoodForeignLanguage: Despite the obvious accent, some players were impressed with Creator/ToshiyukiMorikawa and his grasp with English.
* TruthInTelevision: His ability to tell time using a cat is based on an [[http://web-japan.org/museum/others/ninja/ninja03/wisdom02.html actual survival technique used by ninja]].
* UndyingLoyalty: To Ieyasu; even though Hanzo admits his master is a WellIntentionedExtremist, [[MyMasterRightOrWrong he is bound to him in servitude]] as his clan has from the beginning.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Hanzo can't help but admit his father "Hanzo the Oni" still can't pass up a chance to teach his son a lesson.