The characters from the anime Ronin Warriors/Yoroiden Samurai Troopers.
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Ronin Warriors/Samurai Troopers
Ryo Sanada
Ryo/Ryou Sanada
Voiced by: Takeshi Kusao (JP), Matt Hill (EN), Flavio Arras (IT), Luigi Rosa (IT, OVA)
Ryo of the Wildfire
- '80s Hair: Sports a trademark wild mullet throughout the entire series.
- Determinator: He can be relied upon to keep going in tough spots but watching Talpa absorb his allies and clobber him made him give up briefly.
- Dual Wielding: The Swords of Wildfire, twin katana blades.
- Famous Ancestor: Descended from the clan of Sanada Yukimura.
- The Hero: The main good guy but not The Leader.
- Heroic Resolve: He finds this when Talpa hits him with a "The Reason You Suck" Speech during their first fight, summoning the Inferno armor for the first time.
- Hot-Blooded: He's gung-ho about bringin down the Dynasty yet surprisingly more laid back than the normal Hot-Blooded Shōnen hero.
- Hot-Blooded Sideburns: He has the 80's look and a temper to match.
- Katanas Are Just Better: He's the hero of the group, and the weapon of choice of his armor is a pair of katana, which he can merge into a Double Weapon.
- Person of Mass Destruction: His Inferno Armor is said to be capable of destroying a planet.
- Playing with Fire: "Flare up now!"/"Souenzan" * and "Rage of Inferno"/"Senkouzan" *
- The Power of the Sun: Its white color and power over fire and light implies that the Inferno Armor is the Armor of Sunlight. Furthermore, the Japanese name of the white armor is Kikoutei, an old poetic name for the sun.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Red oni to Touma/Rowen's blue because he is Hot-Blooded and disregards strategy.
- Stuff Blowing Up: Whatever he points "Rage of Inferno" at goes up in flames.
- Super Mode: The Inferno Armor is a massive upgrade in firepower over the Wildfire armor and is activated by merging with the other four armors. Ronin or Warlord, all it needs is four other armors.
- Surfer Dude: In the English dub, by virtue of him being voiced by Matt Hill, he even uses slang such as "that guy is really juiced!" to refer to Nether spirit empowerment
Sage Date
Sage/Seiji Date/Sami
Voiced by: Daiki Nakamura (JP), Michael Donovan (EN), Matt Smith (EN, OVA), Aldo Stella (IT), Lorenzo Scattorin (IT, OVA)
Sage of the Halo
- Badass Driver: In an episode of Legend of the Inferno Armor viewers see a memory of Sage having won first place in a F1 race, despite being only sixteen years old.
- Beware the Nice Ones: He's one of the calmest and nicest members, but when he's pushed in a corner...
- BFS: He wields a nodachi—a two-handed sword nearly as long as Sage is tall.
- Cultured Badass: His grandfather trained him in the Good Old Ways, heavily emphasizing etiquette, as well as traditional arts such as bonsai and bamboo flute.
- Distressed Dude: He gets this a few times in the series, and winds up being kidnapped and tortured in Gaiden. He also gets captured along with Ryo in Kikôtei Densetsu.
- Dragged into Drag: In the CD drama Korinden it is revealed that when Sage was younger, he was in poor health so his family believed that if they dressed him as a girl, his health would improve.
- Dub Name Change: Aside from his own name, his armor's Japanese name, "Kourin" is supposed to mean "nimbus" (as in the cloud). However, the exact same word, with the exact same kanji spelling can also mean "Halo", hence the change.
- Former Teen Rebel: Granted he still is a teen, but he was a high-spirited and disobedient child before his grandfather's strict discipline took effect. Now, he is considered to be the most mature of the five.
- The Lancer: To Ryo, to the point that he's the second trooper released and he manages to free Shun on his own.
- Light 'em Up: The Armor of Halo.
- Master Swordsman: The only other Trooper with a sword, who also practices Kendo in his free time.
- Meditating Under a Waterfall: Does this when trying to regroup during an early fight with Cale. This gets a callback in the Message OVA when he has a critical epiphany about his armor while meditating under a waterfall.
- Mind Rape: Experiences this in Gaiden, where he is forcibly subjected to nightmarish hallucinations while Shikaisen attempts to gain full control of the Armor of Halo.
- Named After Somebody Famous: His namesake is Date Masamune, invoked through the helmet (albeit not quite as impressive as the original's massive crescent moon), and bangs when not armored- as only one eye is usually ever visible.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: It is a mark of how much his ordeal in Gaiden has affected him that Sage furiously tries to take revenge against Shikaisen the minute he gets the chance, despite normally being one of the cooler headed members of the team.
- Pretty Boy: He's considered the best-looking member of the group, and is often flirted with.
- Sheathe Your Sword: Sage is the member of the team most likely to realize when it's time to do this. Unlike Cye who dislikes fighting on principle, Sage is perfectly eager to fight but understands when a particular battle is futile or outright counterproductive (such as when he and Ryo are fighting Mukala).
- Shock and Awe: "Thunderbolt cut!"/"Raikouzan" *
- Torture Is Ineffective: In Gaiden. Although Shikaisen gets partial control the Armor of Halo, Sage's refusal to submit (even after days of excruciating torture) prevents him from gaining use of its full powers.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: Fitting, considering his virtue is grace/wisdom. He's the first to see through it when Dais uses illusions to set him and Kento against each other, and quickly picks up on the armors' corruption in the second OVA.
Shin Mouri
Sai/Cye/Shin Mouri/Simo
Voiced by: Nozomu Sasaki (JP), Michael Donovan (EN), Diego Sabre (IT), Francesco Orlando (IT, OVA)
Cye of the Torrent
- Absent Animal Companion: He has an orca buddy named Suiko, who is never seen again after first being introduced (justified as there aren't that many seaside/underwater episodes).
- And I Must Scream: He responds to Suzunagi's imprisonment of him by shedding a Single Tear.
- Beware the Nice Ones: He's easily the sweetest member of the group, but when he geuinely gets angry, he gets dangerous.
- Disappeared Dad: Sai's father died when he was very young, leaving him to be raised by his sickly mother and his older sister. The feminine influence on his upbringing is said to be the reason for his gentle, considerate personality.
- Dub Name Change: His armor's Japanese name, "Suiko," means "Waterside".
- Evil Twin: Red Torrent/Fake Suiko.
- The Heart: He's the most open-hearted and forgiving of his friends.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Shu/Kento. They're best friends, and often hang out and train on their own.
- It Sucks to Be the Chosen One: Sai has a gentle spirit and hates fighting. He has a breakdown when it sinks in that he's part of a team that is basically destined to do that every time evil appears.
- Making a Splash: "Super Wave Smasher!"/"Chouryuuha" *
- Prongs of Poseidon: He fights with a trident whose prongs move inwards like scissors. Torrent likely comes with one because of the water association.
- Properly Paranoid: He freezes at a key moment in the Legend of the Inferno Armor OVA, and it simply seems his dislike of fighting got the better of him. However, he's also correctly picking up on the corruption of the armors, and his refusal to fight arguably helps save the entire team as the clash of white and black inferno armors is said to be cataclysmically dangerous.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Blue to Shu/Kento's red given that he is a Reluctant Warrior and Kento is a Blood Knight. This causes problems in the Legend of Infero Armor OVA.
- Reluctant Warrior: Gentle and peace-loving, Cye hates fighting and attempts to reject his armor at one point (and it turns out he's not entirely wrong to be suspicious of the true nature of the armor.)
- Spell My Name With An S: Is it Cye or Sai?
- Water Is Blue: Pure water is blue; his armor and his special attack reflect this purity.
- Wolverine Claws: Like Cale, the Armor of Torrent has tekko-kagi, but Shin never actually uses them in battle.
Kento Rei Fang
Kento/Shuu Lei/Rei Faun/Shido
Voiced by: Tomohiro Nishimura (JP), Jason Gray-Stanford (EN), Andrew Francis (EN, OVA), Pasquale Ruju (IT), Gianluca Iacono (It, OVA)
Kento of Hardrock
- Big Eater: He is often see complaining about being hungry and is the happiest among the group whenever Mia finishes cooking.
- The Big Guy: The most eager to fight of the Ronin Warriors and also the strongest. When they need to push open Dynasty gates everyone looks to him to do it.
- Deadpan Snarker: In the Italian dub, sometimes Leaning on the Fourth Wall.Kento: (upon seeing Anubis powering up) How they're gonna pay the bill?
- Dishing Out Dirt: "Iron Rock Crusher!"/"Gantetsusai" *
- Dub Name Change: His armor's original name, "Kongou," can mean both "Unbreakable" and "Diamond." The change was almost certainly to make his elemental power more obvious.
- Expy: Of Musashi Tomoe.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Shin/Cye. They often hang out and train together.
- Hot-Blooded: His strategy in every instance boils down to "overwhelm the enemy with a sudden and intense attack!"
- Hot-Blooded Sideburns: Has prominent sideburns and is the most action-prone of the team.
- Idiot Hero: His lack of foresight and simple strategies cause him to be outmaneuvered and manipulated on several occasions.
- Last-Name Basis: "Shuu" is this character's family name in YST and everyone addresses him as such. In RW Gaiden, however, Kento introduces himself as "Kento Rei Faun."
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Red to Shin/Cye's Blue given that he is a Blood Knight and Sai is a Reluctant Warrior. This causes problems in the Legend of Infero Armor OVA.
- The Runt at the End: While the other Ronin are all descended from the clans of famous warlords of the Warring States Period, Kento's ancestor was a martial artist who crossed the sea from China during the same period.
- Token Minority: At least within the five Ronin, he is Chinese.
- Uncle Pennybags: His family is extremely wealthy due to owning a small restaurant empire. On top of that, Kento wins the lottery in one of the OVAs, and uses this money to bankroll the team's trips to the USA and Tanzania.
Rowen Hashiba
Rowen/Touma Hashiba/Kimo
Voiced by: Hiroshi Takemura (JP), Ward Perry (EN), Andrea de Nisco (IT), Massimo de Benedetto (IT, OVA)
Rowen of the Strata
- Blow You Away: The Armor of Strata; "Arrow shockwave!"/"Shinkuuha" *
- Brooklyn Rage: The English dub gives him a thick Brooklyn accent, perhaps intended as the English equivalent of his Osaka origins. This, coupled with his typical Brutal Honesty, it pushes him into this trope.
- Brutal Honesty: He's often prone to being incredibly blunt, partially due to being The Strategist and partially because he has No Social Skills.
- Curtains Match the Window: His hair and eyes are blue.
- Dub Name Change: His armor's original name is "Tenkuu," meaning "Heavens."
- Famous Ancestor: Descended from Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who in his early career went by the surname "Hashiba."
- Flight: He can fly with the power of his armor.
- Idiot Ball: Sure, Rowen, take the knife out of the body of the man who's obviously been murdered. That can't possibly end badly!
- Life Energy: In a key point, this secondary ability comes in handy when he needs to recharge Halo, Torrent and Hardrock after Talpa drains their power.
- No Social Skills: Because he never really had friends his own age before, he often has a hard time communicating, as seen in his drama CD.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Blue to Ryo's red; careful, logical and not given to impulses.
- The Smart Guy: He is regarded as the most intelligent of the Ronin Warriors and plans their strategies.
- Smart People Play Chess: Chess and Go are two of his primary hobbies.
- Teen Genius: He's only fourteen years old, but he has an IQ of 250.
- When You Coming Home, Dad?: He was technically raised by his father after his parents divorced, but as a dedicated scientist, his father spent most of his time locked away in his laboratory and left Rowen to his own devices.
Dark Warlords
General
- Bad Powers, Bad People: Powers over destruction (Anubis), Darkness (Kale), Poison (Sekhmet) and Illusion (Dais)? Yup, definitively not good guys. Subverted as according to extra materials, their armors could be used for good (the armor of Venom can cure illness, the armor of Illusion can soothe troubled minds, and the armor of Corruption can guide and protect people who are lost in the dark). And since they were created by The Ancient One, they all have virtues: the armor of the Ogre has Loyalty, the armor of the Spider has Serenity (translated as Endurance in Message), the armor of the Snake has Piety, and the armor of the Wolf has Obedience (which is translated as Respect in Message).
- But Now I Must Go: After Talpa's annihilation, Kayura gathers the three redeemed demons and heads to the Netherworld with them, planning to pacificate that dimension and turn it into a place of good just like the Human World.
- The Dog Bites Back: After Talpa tries to use the surviving Warlords sans Kayura as batteries to fuel his powers, the three have enough and openly challenge him, joining the Ronin Warriors.
- Elite Four: They're the four strongest servants of Talpa.
- Evil Counterpart: To the Ronin Warriors, only without natural Elemental Powers. In truth, their armors were the very same as the Warriors, but only corrupted by evil.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: Two of them have noticeable scarring, which is a sign of their villainy. It's telling that Anubis, the first to defect, has the fairest face.
Anubis
Anubis/Shuten-douji/Demon
Voiced by: Kiyoyuki Yanada (JP), Paul Dobson (EN), Stefano Albertini (IT)
Dark Warlord of Cruelty
- All There in the Manual: His real name (Toshitada Koma), as well as that of his armor "Giryoku" * are not mentioned in the series proper.
- Arch-Enemy: To Ryo because of their battle in the lava early on.
- The Atoner: After his Heel–Face Turn, he feels compelled to make up for his actions as a dark warlord.
- Chain Pain: His weapon is a kusarigama—a sickle on a Variable-Length Chain, with a claw on the opposite end. Called "Jakigama" (Evil Ogre Sickle) in the original dub.
- Character Development: He's the most characteristically developed of the Four Dark Warlords, showing more than mere scorn after being defeated by Ryo, which ultimately leads to a Heel–Face Turn and becoming one of the good guys.
- Characterization Marches On: His first couple of fights show that he really doesn't care about fighting with honor, taking hostages and attacking Ryo before the latter can transform. He suddenly grows a conscience in time for his battle against a weakened Ryo after the latter saves Rowen.
- A Dog Named "Dog": In the Italian dub, he's an evil demonic warrior named... Demon, pronounced kinda Ramon, the spanish name, only with De which still makes his Red Baron title of "Supreme Demon Demon" awkward...
- The Dragon:To Talpa, initially, as the evil Number Two and the one greatest physical challenge to the heroes.
- Evil Redhead: He starts this way, but later subverts the trope with his Heel–Face Turn.
- Good Costume Switch: He dresses like The Ancient One in the second part of the series.
- Ground Pound: His secret technique releases a blast of energy from the earth after pounding his chain in it.
- Heel–Face Turn: After the Ancient speaks to him, he realizes that he's been wasting his life on the Dynasty and switches sides.
- Heroic Sacrifice: He takes a grievous hit in order to make sure it also hits the demonically possessed Lady Kaguya and frees her from it.
- Helmets Are Hardly Heroic: When he fights a possessed Kayura, the helmet of his Armor disappears.
- Mythical Motifs: Ogre. It is in appearance and what he calls himself.
- Pet the Dog: A sign that he's not all bad comes when he is unable to bring himself to kill Ryo once he learns that he was weakened after saving Rowen. He makes a Heel–Face Turn shortly thereafter.
- Redemption Promotion: As The Ancient One's successor he is far more effective in both direct combat as well as overall war maneuvering than he was as a dark warlord. Best seen when, armed with Kaosu's staff, is able to inflict a Curb-Stomp Battle on Rajura alone without even trying too hard.
- Still the Leader: Even though he's Talpa's Number Two, his fellow Dark Warlords are constantly making fun of his failures against the Ronin Warriors, despite not faring any better themselves.
- Super-Strength: He can throw that chain through stone.
- Variable-Length Chain: The chain on his kusarigama increases in length with his ''Quake With Fear!''/Kouraisen * maneuver.
- Vocal Evolution: After the first season, his voice becomes calmer and more gentle, signifying his Character Development.
Sekhmet
Sekhmet/Naaza/Krana
Voiced by: Issei Futamata (JP), Ward Perry (EN), Massimiliano Lotti (IT)
Dark Warlord of Venom
- All There in the Manual: His real name (Naotoki Yamanouchi) and the true name of his armor (Kusushi, meaning "Medicine Man") go unmentioned.
- Animal Motifs: Snake are in his special attack.
- Arch-Enemy: To Cye. Water vs Poison.
- The Brute: Out of the four, he lacks special tactics outside of poison.
- Calling Your Attacks: "Snake Fang Strike!"
- Dual Wielding: While he has six Snake Fang Swords, he routinely uses them two at a time.
- Evil Sounds Raspy: Fittingly enough, in the Italian dub Sekhmet has a raspy, somewhat hiss-like voice, which enforces his Animal Motifs and makes him stand amongst the other Warlords, who are just a case of Evil Sounds Deep.
- Healing Hands: According to the character guide, his power as an agent of good would be curing illness and harm instead of causing it.
- Hollywood Acid: His swords melt whatever their touch instantly and just being near him poisons plants. It is constantly active but never drips unless dramatically appropriate.
- Katanas Are Just Better: His armor thinks so highly of katana he has six of them! Mostly because they're highly corrosive and can joint them together.
- Kick the Dog: Uses his venom to kill the fish and the orca whale protecting Cye.
- Meaningful Name: Naaza is another, extended name for Naga, the Hindi giant snakes.
- Multi-Armed and Dangerous: Played With. It's really an illusion made by moving his arms really fast, used for intimidation.
- Not Quite Human: It's implied he's descended from snake demons in the background material.
- Poisoned Weapons: Even blocking his swords with armor or another sword counts as a hit for him; the poison is still effective.
- Poison Is Corrosive: Battles with him tend to involve his poison eating into armors and leaving slag behind.
- Poisonous Person: The Armor of Venom has poison as its power; the person wearing it becomes a Walking Wasteland.
- Required Secondary Powers: Naturally, his body, armor, and weapons are all immune to the poisons and acids he uses.
- Speed Echoes: Weaponized by using six sword pultruding from the back of his armor combined with blinding speed to create the illusion that he can grow four extra arms. The trick is exposed when kid sidekick Yuli snaps and photo and realizes what he's doing.
- Spikes of Villainy: The Armor of Venom is covered in them, especially his Shoulders of Doom.
- Throwing Your Sword Always Works: Since his swords drip poison, throwing them makes the poison a ranged attack. It certainly blinded Ryo for an entire episode.
- Whip Sword: Links his six katanas into this for his Finishing Move: "Snake Fang Strike"/"Jagaken: Rokusetsu Orochi" *.
Cale
Kale/Cale/Anubis/Kratos
Voiced by: Yasunori Matsumoto (JP), Richard Newman (EN), Ivo de Palma (IT)
Dark Warlord of Corruption
- All There in the Manual: His real name is Kujuurou Sasaki and the true name of his armor is Shikkoku, meaning "Pitch Black."
- An Ice Person: He can freeze water and people solid and likes fighting in the cold.
- Animal Motifs: Wolf; see the claws?
- Arch-Enemy: To Sage. Light vs Darkness.
- Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: Heavily mocks his superior Anubis for his failure and claims to be better than him against the Troopers.
- Badass Cape: The only one of the nine armors that sports a cape.
- Beam Spam: His Finishing Move: "Black Lightning Flash"/"Ankoku Chouhi-giri" *
- The Beastmaster: Mostly wolves, but he once made every creature in the forest attack Sage.
- BFS: Nodachi. And, like Sage, it's as tall as he is. It's called the "Black Wolf Sword" (Kokurouken).
- Casting a Shadow: Darkness is his element. He is stronger in it and can absorb light. In the Italian dub is part of his moniker, "Demon of Darkness Kratos".
- Elemental Rivalry: Again, why he's the main opponent of Sage.
- Empathic Weapon: His own sword can move on his own, which he uses to dig through the boulder where Shun is sealed to kill him while he bides his time killing Sage.
- Genius Bruiser: Not only is he very strong, but his breaking speeches and tactics are almost as good as Dais'.
- Honor Before Reason: When Talpa is about to absorb the Warlords, he says that they should obey their master's will, as it will bring honor to the Dynasty.
- Large Ham: In the Italian dub, he's, literally, an evil Seiya.
- Non-Indicative Name: His english Red Baron, since he's nothing to do with Corruption, aside for the effects of Darkness on the surrounding area.
- Scars Are Forever: Has a visible jagged scar on his face, right under his eye.
- Shout-Out: His Breaking Speeches would not be out of place for a Sith Lord.Cale: Welcome to The Dark Side.
- Wolfpack Boss: Literally, he brings an entire pack of ferocious wolves to confront Sage in Hokkaido.
- Wolverine Claws: In addition to his sword, his armor comes with claws—tekko-kagi, specifically.
Dais
Dais/Rajura/Rasta
Voiced by: Jurota Kosugi (JP), Matt Smith (EN), Luca Semeraro (IT)
Dark Warlord of Illusion
- All There in the Manual: His real name is Jirougorou Kuroda, and his armor's is Mugen, meaning "Dreams."
- All Webbed Up: With his six-legged Naginata he can summon a large number of threads to bind his opponents, like a spider.
- Animal Motifs: Spider and he really gets into it. His armor has blades that look like legs and he spends a lot of time hanging upside down and spamming his "Web of Deception"/"Tochimou." *
- Animation Bump: The art tends to have much greater detail and heavy attention to shading whenever Rajura is on screen.
- Arch-Enemy: To Kento. Hot-Blooded Idiot Hero who relies on brute force vs Manipulative Bastard who relies on cunning.
- Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: One of the many illusions he uses in battle is to make himself look like a giant.
- Breaking Speech: His battles typically rely less on straight-forward fighting and more on breaking the Ronins' will to fight him, such as when he revealed the Ronin Armor's potential for evil through endless battle.
- Eyepatch of Power: No mention of what lost him that eye, though.
- Heel Realization: After Talpa decides that he and the other Warlords have outlived their usefulness and has them imprisoned, he realizes that he has no one but himself to blame for where his selfish actions have taken him.
- Impossibly Cool Weapon: Aside from the Nunchaks and the Epic Flail, his main weapon is a pack with six telescopic "legs" tipped with movable scythe blades.
- Let's You and Him Fight: Use this tactics on the Warriors the first time, making them appear as Dais to each other and forcing them to defeat each other.
- Manipulative Bastard: On several occasions he strings along the Ronin Warriors with both illusions and words.
- Master of Illusion: The Armor of Illusion.
- Real Men Wear Pink: Wears a bright pink spider-themed armor.
- Sinister Scythe: The Armor of Illusion's most noticeable feature: Six kama, attached to a removable pack on his back for his special attack and spider theme. They also come off.
- Warrior Therapist: According to the character guide, if Dais were to use his powers for good, he would be able to calm troubled minds.
- White Hair, Black Heart: Under the helmet, there is hair as white as the spider thread he throws to twist the hearts and minds of his enemies.
Lady Kayura
Lady Kayura
Voiced by: Masako Katsuki (JP), Lisa Ann Beley (EN), Caterina Rochira (IT)
- Affirmative Action Girl: Introduced in the second half of the series to break up the main cast's sausage party. Eventually becomes the only female Warrior when she becomes the new holder of the (reformed) Anubis armor.
- Arch-Enemy: To Rowen. Sky vs Stars
- Brainwashed and Crazy: She was kidnapped as a child and indoctrinated to believe that Talpa was right about everything and then when Anubis broke the seal on her memories, she was further brainwashed.
- Evil Sounds Deep: Averted as her voice is lighter and (obviously) more feminine than the other villains. It's only deep when she is possessed by Badamon.
- Hime Cut: When not fighting, she switches into a very formal and fancy style that resembles some kind of ancient Japanese noblewoman. Part of that style is letting her hair fall loose down her back and the sidetails forward with her bangs now even.
- Lady of War: Quite graceful as she battles the Ronin Warriors with her double swords.
- Miko: Of the battle variety after her Heel–Face Turn and the transfer of The Ancient One's staff to her. In the finale scene, she wears clerical style robes, though they are really her kimono seen whenever in her chambers while still in Talpa's control.
- Nigh-Invulnerability: She lost a couple of Beam O Wars when she wasn't wearing magic armor and came out of it fine.
- Noblewoman's Laugh: In both YST *and* RW, she makes this pose when laughing at both the Ronins and Dark Warlords.
- Oh, Crap!: Has one when, while possessed by Badamon, she sees Anubis tank her surekill attack, Star Sword Scream, and is still standing afterwards, having channeled her attack into his own chain and sickle to use against her to purge Badamon from her body.
- Petal Power: Her power often manifests as a stream of luminous petals.
- Sixth Ranger: She appears in the second half of the series as an ally of the four dark warlords.
- Sole Survivor: Last of the Ancient Clan; Talpa killed the rest.
- Yamato Nadeshiko: She has the classic look and style when she's not fighting and quite loyal to her liege lord.
Supporting Cast
Mia Koji
Mia Koji/Nasté Yagyu]]
Voiced by: Kaori Kusakabe (JP), Lalainia Lindbjerg (EN, TV series), Maggie Blue O'Hara (EN, OVAs), Marina Massironi (IT)
- Boring, but Practical: Her "hacking" of the mad scientist's computer in Gaiden. Rather than flashy dramatic Hollywood Hacking, she... just watched him enter his password and memorized the keystrokes.
- But Not Too Foreign: She's half Japanese and half French.
- Cool Big Sis: She's three years older then the Ronin Warriors and is more sisterly to them than maternal like she is for Yuli.
- Damsel in Distress: Sometimes she was captured/grabbed by the villains but no more than Yuli.
- Damsel out of Distress: Sometimes she can get herself out of trouble or contribute towards such an end.
- Heroic Bystander: She rescues Yuli from a Dynasty Soldier's attack in the first episode.
- Mr. Exposition: Being familiar with the lore of the armor/warriors and having access to a computer means she frequently fills this role for both the characters and audience.
- Parental Substitute: Mainly for Yuli because he's a kid and his parents are never seen after the first episode.
- Plucky Girl: Exhibit A: Kale once tied her up and dangled her into a waterfall in a really cold place for use as bait, and she shrugged it off both physically and emotionally.
- Team Mom: Count on her to meditate disputes between the Ronins. After the first arc, she's also the one doing all the cooking in their communal mansion.
- Unfazed Everyman: Animated armor invading? Evil Overlord face appearing in the sky? She looks around and thinks 'I gotta do something about this.'
- Wise Beyond Her Years: At the start, it looks as though her white-haired grandfather is going to be the one providing the wisdom and direction to reunite the Ronin Warriors. Then she decodes his files and fills the role instead.
- Women Drivers: Averted. She is a very capable driver who drives the Ronin Warriors in her own car during the TV series. In the second OVA she drives her friends through Africa.
- Younger than She Looks: Many fans assume Mia is in her early to mid twenties when the series first starts out, when canon sources state she is only three years older than the Ronin.
Ully Yamano
Yuli/Ully/Jun Yamano/Danny
Voiced by: Kumiko Watanabe (JP), Christopher Turner (EN), Anna Bonei (IT)
- Cheerful Child: He's appropriately traumatized in the first arc but he rebounds immediately afterward.
- Future Badass: By the time Message ends, he's a rising kendo star.
- The Load: Zig-zagged. He's a civilian kid with no knowledge or abilities that can help, but he helps save the Ronins on multiple occasions with his bravery. Then he uses the Jewel of Life to help the Ronins perma-kill Talpa.
- Puppy Love: Manga only with a little girl name Noriko, who becomes a victim of Cale's.
- Tagalong Kid: He has nothing to do with anything going on; he just happened to be the only civilian in the city that wasn't captured when Talpa invaded.
White Blaze
White Blaze/Byakuen
- Amplified Animal Aptitude: White Blaze seems to know what's going on before anyone else.
- Arch-Enemy: To Black Blaze, an otherwise identical tiger that works for a netherworld lord.
- Cats Are Magic: He's existed for well over a thousand years and used to travel with the Ancient One.
- Go Through Me: Even after the Ronins and Warlords are captured, he proves to be the one thorn in the Dynasty's side determined to prevent The Bad Guy Wins by recovering the Jewel of Life mere moments after a Badamon-possessed Kayura was about to secure it, making it clear Badamon-Kayura would have to kill him if they wanted Talpa to win, and White Blaze had no intention of letting that happen, buying time for Anubis to free himself and return to deal with breaking Talpa's hold on Kayura once and for all.
- Nice Kitty...: He's friendly and protective, allowing Yuli to ride him for fun, but only to his friends, of course.
- Panthera Awesome: A big cat of prey that can fight Dynasty soldiers
- Team Pet: Ryo's pet tiger that assists him and the rest of the heroes.
The Ancient One
The Ancient One/Kaosu/Ariel
Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto (JP), David Kaye (EN), Claudio Moneta (IT)
- Big Good: Downplayed; he keeps to the shadows often, but in many episodes, he provides wisdom and guidance to the heroes, helps them develop and has greater power than him. He's also the one that defeated Talpa in the past and created the armor they wear in the present day.
- Cool Old Guy: His white hair is indicative of both his wisdom and power.
- Hidden Eyes: They're covered by his hat and its shadows, but once in a while (when he uses his powers), he will display Glowing Eyes. They're even covered in a flashback by strips of cloth, suggesting that he may be blind.
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: He helps the Ronins and guides them in their battle against the Dynasty. He ultimately sacrifices himself to allow the Ronins to reach Talpa.
- Mysterious Protector: The Ronin Warriors know nothing about him starting out but he regularly jumps in to save them or thwart Talpa.
- Posthumous Character: He's a mystery until after his death. Then audience learns about his clan and his history.
- Warrior Monk: Japanese-style which means he smacks and casts spells with a shakujo
Rowen's Mom
Touma/Rowen's Mom
Voiced by: Miyuki Ichijou (JP)
Rowen's divorced mother who appears in Tenkuden.
- Cool Big Sis: Treats Rowen and her ex-husband more like friends but gets along with everybody.
- Unnamed Parent: Her ex-husband is blessed with a name, despite the fact he doesn't play as big of a role as she does.
Runa
Runa/Luna
Voiced by: Eriko Hara (JP), Jillian Michaels (EN), Marcella Silvestri (IT)
- Didn't Think This Through: Since Rowen was stupid enough to pull out a knife that was clearly used to murder someone (it was still stuck in the body, for crying out loud!) Luna naturally thinks he did it.
- Fangirl: Becomes one for Ryo by the second episode of Gaiden; cheering for him (and only him) during a battle with mooks.
- It's Personal: Her brother was killed by Shikaisen's ninjas and she wants to avenge him.
- Taking the Bullet: When Shikaisen is about to kill Yuli, Luna decides to take this moment to seek her revenge for her brother's murder. This may have been an unintentional sacrifice on her part.
Uncle Chin
Uncle Chin
- Big Fun: He shows his Big Eater status more than Kento and is also a generous host.
- Cool Old Guy: Kento's uncle looks like a fun guy to hang around with.
- Dirty Old Man: At least that's what his nephew is implying when he keeps his hand on Mia's shoulder, much to Kento's dismay.
- Mighty Glacier: When he hits a ninja, they stay down. Unfortunately, they're too fast and too numerous for him to bring down more than a couple.
- Super-Strength: He can lift one of his restaurant's tables over his head without difficulty.
Nadia
Nadia/Naria
Voiced by: Yoshino Takamori (JP), Venus Terzo (EN)
- Cassandra Truth: Nobody in her village wants to listen to or believe her about the dangers of the Black Inferno Armor.
- Love Martyr: She stands by Mukala even though he doesn't seem to listen to anything she says.
- The Medic: She is the head priestess of her village and she helps care for the wounded Ronin Warriors in her home until Cye arrives in Africa to join them.
Suzunagi's Mother
Suzunagi's Mother
Voiced by: Gara Takashima (JP), Lisa Ann Beley (EN)
- Deceased Parents Are the Best: Suzunagi remembers her fondly at least.
Villains
Talpa
Talpa/Arago
Voiced by: Shigezou Sasaoka (JP), Mina Mina (EN), Enzo Tarascio (IT)
Emperor of the Evil Dynasty
The main villain for the majority of the TV series.
- Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: In his true form, that is, with all the armors, he becomes much bigger.
- Bad Boss: He brainwashes Anubis and Lady Kayura, and he has zero compunctions against torturing his own subordinates. Him eventually deciding to use his surviving Dark Warlords as batteries to fuel powers causes the latter group to betray him and side with the Ronin Warriors.
- Big Bad: He is the main villain for TV series. Even the interim ones between his defeats are related to him.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Anyone who says that nobody is ever the villain of their own story is unfamiliar with Talpa. He is, and he thoroughly enjoys every second of it.
- Cool Sword: Wields a massive tsurugi and has six more worn as ornaments on his back. A flashback shows him using a lance instead.
- Doomy Dooms of Doom: In the Japanese version, his regular Mooks are called "soldiers of doom", and the dark energy weapons he occasionally uses are called "cannons of doom".
- Evil Is Bigger: He's always much, much larger than the Warriors.
- Evil Overlord: The lord of the Netherworld who seeks to conquer Earth as well. He creates soldiers from the fear and despair of his captives.
- Evil Overlooker: Literally has the huge floating head going on in the first season.
- Fluffy the Terrible: Loses all villainous credential in the English dub when you find out that his name means "Mole" note in Gratuitous Italian.
- Ghostly Goals: He makes good on his promise to return after a thousand years.
- Glowing Eyes of Doom: His eyes shine when he casts his evil magic.
- Hostage Situation: During the climax of Season 1, he absorbs all the Warriors sans Ryo inside his body, so that Ryo cannot bear himself to fight him at his fullest as he's afraid of hurting his friends.
- Karmic Death: The climax of Season 1 has him absorbing all the Warriors but Ryo inside his body as a power up and him taunting Ryo about it. In Season 2, he's ultimately defeated when Ryo forcibly enters his body with the powers of the White Armor, paralyzing him so that the other Warriors can finish him off for good.
- Manipulative Bastard: Best seen in Season 2: mastering the Inferno Armor and its swords to fight back Arago's colleagues? Ooopsie, one blow now is strong enough to open the gates to the Netherworld and let them invade with impunity!
- Meaningful Name: Possibly unintentional
, but the dub names him after the concept of an identity formed from human thoughts taking on a life of its own. As the original master of the armors, all of which represent one of the principles of bushido, he's the idea of noble warfare corrupted. - Moral Myopia: When his own Warlords turn against him, he angrily asks them how they could betray him after all he did for them. Too bad that all he did was brainwashing them and using them as pawns.
- Multiversal Conqueror: He wants to control both the Netherworld and the Mortal world.
- Orcus on His Throne: The first half of the series is justified because he's been reduced to a spirit that can't do much other than give orders and even then he could still cast enough magic to scatter the Ronins at the start of the TV series. The second half, however, shows him literally sitting on his throne while his subordinates do the fighting.
- Prehensile Hair: In his spirit form, he can use his hair like tendrils for ensnaring and strangling.
- Spikes of Villainy: His own armor has a lot of spikes, which are absent in the Ronin's armor.
- Tin Tyrant: He is apparently nothing but spirit and armor, both of which are devoted to conquest and oppression.
- Was Once a Man: Depending on the source material, he is either this trope or not. YST only, according to official novels. In the RW version of Message Rowen states in the first episode that Talpa was the embodiment of evil, which gathered into a single suit of armor.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: At the end of the main series, the only use he has for the Warlords is someone to hold the armor for him in his ritual.
Saranbo
Saranbo/Ecatos
A villain from the Netherworld and Talpa's rival, he emerges after the latter's defeat to try and conquer the Human World by taking over the Inferno Armor.
- Big Bad Wannabe: He essentially wants to be Talpa 2.0, and even has the powers and army to back his claims up a little... until Ryo dons the Inferno Armor.
- Black Magic: Having noticed that Ryo's Inferno Armor is fueled by his comrades' Armors, he uses a ritual of dark magic to harm them through the captive Ryo before trying to kill Ryo himself.
- Dirty Coward: He's stronger than the Warriors in single combat, but not stronger than the Inferno Armor-wielding Ryo, and uses a series of tricks and lies to make him fight alone and keep his companions busy.
- Eye Beams: In a variation, his eyes can emit teal energy threads to bind his opponents.
- Generic Doomsday Villain: He appears only for two episodes and doesn't get much characterization beyond "evil demonic conqueror".
- Invisibility: He can and will often turn invisible in combat.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: His Italian name sounds close enough to "Ecatombe" or "Hecatomb" if you prefer.
- This Cannot Be!: Struck with disbelief when his own dark ritual fails to kill Ryo and is turned against him.
- Tin Tyrant: Like Talpa, he's clad in samurai-esque armor from head to toe, but is The Faceless.
Lord Saber-Stryke
Kenbukyou/Saber-Stryke
The greatest swordsman of the Netherworld, he came to the Human World to find the Gouretsuken, the twin swords which complement the Inferno Armor, and challenge the Warriors. He fought Talpa in the past but was defeated.
- Agent Peacock: His secret technique makes him look like a dazzling butterfly... before releasing a tornado of deadly sparkling dust on the opponent.
- The Faceless: Like Talpa and Saranbo, his face isn't seen.
- Gratuitous English: In the Italian dub he's called "Lord Cruel", and to be honest he really doesn't deserve it.
- Katanas Are Just Better: Thinks so and goes through a lot of trouble to acquire the Gouretsuken before Ryo and the group can get them.
- Large Ham: He is incredibly hammy befitting his arrogance as well as his status as the most skilled swordsman in the Netherworld.
- Master Swordsman: Unlike Saranbo, Kenbukyou's skills genuinely derives from his sword ability and he takes great pride in it.
- Noble Demon: He fought the heroes not to conquer the world but to fight worthy opponents, agrees to duel Ryo when the latter manages to recover one of the Goretsuken and admits his defeat when he's slain, praising his opponents and asking Black Blaze to serve his opponent from now on. Also, his glowing eyes aren't red but blue.
- Panthera Awesome: Owner of the demonic tiger Black Blaze.
- Pet the Dog: He's impressed by White Blaze's bravery in protecting his master, and he temporarily stops fighting Ryo to honor it.
- Revenge: His main objective is take his revenge on Talpa, who bested him in duel centuries ago.
- Scars Are Forever: His armor still sports the gash where Talpa cut him down with his partisan.
Black Blaze
Kokuen/Black Blaze
Kenbukyou's demon tiger, a black armor-wearing counterpart to White Flame. Carries the Gouretsuken on his back.
- Evil Counterpart: To White Flame, though after Kenbukyou's defeat he does grant his powers to him.
- Panthera Awesome: A gigantic, demonic black tiger wearing armor and swords? Awesome indeed.
Black Sun Demon
Taiyoen/Black Sun Demon
A demonic ninja-like demon from the Netherworld competent in many abilities and weapons. He was sent by Arago to test the powers of the Inferno Armor and make it open the gates to the Netherworld.
- Annoying Laugh: In the Italian dub especially: unlike Saranbo and Kenbukyo, he has a reverberating but high-pitched voice, paired with a truly annoying laughter that really gets under your skin and makes him even more despicable than he is.
- Combo Platter Powers: He can use ice, invisibility, travel underground, use illusions, multiply the tails of his whip, and probably some more.
- The Hyena: Laughs a lot at the expenses of his enemies.
- An Ice Person: His strong suit: he can make an ice sheet cold enough to freeze the crater of Mount Fuji. Useless against the Inferno Armor.
- In the Hood: Wears a cowl which covers his head and keeps his face hidden in his first appearence. He wears a mask-like helmet beneath.
- Multi-Melee Master: When he first emerges from the ground he's wielding an ono-yari (a japanese spear with an axe blade beneath the spear blade), but later reveals his competence with whips, throwing daggers and ninja swords.
- Ninja: Highly implied to be a demonic ninja, as seen with his abilities and weapons. He even has a Self-Duplication jutsu.
- The Reveal: The man who sent him to attack the heroes is no other than Talpa.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When on the receiving end of Ryo's Inferno Armor, he decides to leave before getting vaporized.
Oroki
Badamon/Oroki
Voiced by: Yoshiya Nemoto (JP), Antonio Paiola (IT)
Lord of the Nether Spirits who also works for Talpa. He appears in the second season of the TV series.
- Beard of Evil: Complete with pencil-thin mustache.
- Evil Old Folks: He certainly looks much older than the Ronins and much more devious.
- Evil Sorcerer: The way he dresses is more like a scholar/mage than a soldier and he casts the more complex spells used by the Dynasty.
- No Body Left Behind: His ultimate fate. He's punched by Ryo in his Inferno Armor, which blows a hole in his body before he vaporizes into nothingness.
- Suicidal Overconfidence: Unlike Talpa, he knows just how dangerous the Jewel of Life is to them and the Dynasty.
- Would Hurt a Child: Yuli and Mia become much more of a concern for him, particularly when they obtain the Jewel of Life, that he tries to kill them both himself even going as far as possessing Lady Kayura to get it.
Dala
Dala
A lieutenant of Talpa, he's given a massive sword imbued with the powers of Seiji, Shun and Shin to confront Touma and Ryou as they enter the Netherworld.
- All Your Powers Combined: Thanks to his sword, he can attack using Thunderbolt Cut, Super Wave Smasher and Iron Rock Crusher at will.
- The Brute: A large and powerful demon who serves Talpa but obviously lacks the power of the Warlords and the magic of the spirits.
- Cool Sword: Kayura delivers him a magic sword which contains the powers of three of the Warriors and is, essentially, a giant Dao with a spiked blade. He's obviously in awe at it.
- Drunk on the Dark Side: He doesn't sound special at first, but he clearly becomes impressed with the sword's power and boasts about its awesomeness.
- Evil Laugh: After obtaining the sword, he tends to laugh loudly and boasts about its powers.
- Oh, Crap!: When the Inferno Armor manifests, the power contained in the sword is absorbed, leaving Dala defenseless.
- Rage Helm: His helm includes a mask which completely covers his head and has a constant frowning mouth.
- Serrated Blade of Pain: His sword has many spikes along the blade and one on the back, near the tip.
- Wolfpack Boss: Up to eleven, he leads an army of mooks against the heroes.
Shuugenga
Shuugenga
A demonic shinobi in service of Badamon. He's sent to destroy the Jewel of Life.
- The Dragon: Seemingly one to Badamon, whom he faithfully obeys.
- Dual Wielding: Nothing fancy, just two long ninja swords.
- In the Back: He's Impaled with Extreme Prejudice by Anubis' staff. Justified as he turned his back on him to try a last-ditch attack on Nasti and Jun.
- Oh, Crap!: Is confident in his skills, until the armors of the temple come to life to attack and kill his troops.
- Would Hurt a Child: Threatens Jun and later tries to kill him for real.
Toryuki
Toryuki
Voiced by: Show Hayami (JP)
He is *the* Ice Warlord.
A villain who only appears in the CD drama Suikoden.
- Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: He has jet-black hair and is definitely creepy. It also fits him personally with his ice-white skin.
- Evil Counterpart: To Cye given how he is a warlord of Ice.
- An Ice Person: Ice powers are his thing.
Garyuuda
Garyuuda
A villain who only appears in the CD drama Tenkuden.
Gougasha
Gougasha
A villain who only appears in the CD drama Tsuki. Shikaisen
Shikaisen
Voiced by: Seizō Katō (JP), Don Brown (EN)
The main villain of the OVA Gaiden.
- Ambiguously Human: He looks like he could be some kind of goblin thing, but maybe he's just an ugly human.
- Torture Technician: He tortures Seiji by tricking him in an unending dream in order to get him to use his armor.
Mukara
Mukala/Mukara
Voiced by: Eiji Fukushi (JP), Michael Adamthwaite (EN)
Mukala of the Sun
A warrior from Africa who also happens to have his own suit of mystical armor, the Black Inferno Armor. Appears in the second OVA Legend of the Inferno Armor.
- Evil Twin: Not him but his Black Inferno Armor is this to the Ronin's White Inferno armor.
- Fallen Hero: He used to be a good man before the corruption of his armor ensnared him. The Ronins quickly realize this (along with the fact that they could potentially meet the same fate) and try their best to snap him out of it.
- The Power of Love: Only when he believes Nadia has been killed does it devastate him enough to finally break the Black Inferno Armor's hold on him.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: He gave into the power and temptation of the Black Inferno Armor because it gave him tremendous strength and drive to conquer all foes.
- Silent Antagonist: He doesn't say a word (except for his armor incantation) while fighting the Ronins. Thus, they have no idea what his problem is.
- White Hair, Black Heart: He is way too young to have white hair naturally, but it contrasts something sinister with his evil armor. He is quite brutal in battle. Nadia insists that he's not this trope, and the smile he gives her at the end, when the armor is destroyed, supports this view.
- The Worf Effect: His debut involves him taking on all of the Ronin Warriors (while they were fully armored) without his armor. This demonstrates how powerful he is and establishes his threat level.
Suzunagi
Suzunagi
Voiced by: Mitsuki Yayoi (JP), Ellen Kennedy (EN)
A ghost woman from the Edo Period who hunts down the Ronin Warriors one by one. Appears in the third and final OVA Message.
- Break the Cutie: Her background certainly qualifies: her father is killed at his theater, her mother covers her in her robe and then dies as well. She is standing alone in the wreckage.
- Broken Bird: The events of her backstory had driven all sense of kindness or other virtues out of her and now she acts like a hard and bent blade.
- Glowing Eyes of Doom: Child-mode only where she uses formidable psychic power.
- Heel–Face Turn: She finds peace at the end of Message and gives up villainy.
- Ignored Epiphany: She's in shock after Sage refuses to fight his own armor and is implied to recognize that it's due to his virtue being Grace, but she still goes after him.
- Improbable Age: She's supposed to be a pre-teen, tops and yet has power and understanding to rival the Ancient One.
- Kick the Dog: Trapping the Ronins is awful enough by itself, but her treatment of Sai is just plain cruel, and causes him to shed a tear in horror.
- Mind Rape: She uses the Ronin Warriors' very weaknesses against them so she can trap them into her own suits of armors.
- Pimped-Out Dress: Both of her forms are wearing pretty fancy dresses. She is supposedly from a wealthy family, before it all went up in flames.
- Villain Has a Point: Played with. She tried to stop the Ancient One from unleashing the Ronin Armors, saying they were too dangerous to be used. As demonstrated in Legend of the Inferno Armor, she is proven correct. However, the human world never would have stood a chance against the Dynasty without the armors.
- Voluntary Shapeshifting: She first appears as an adult, but at times will change into an child, only to shift back into an adult once more. She uses this tactic throughout the OVA in order to trick the Ronin one by one into wearing the suits of armors she created.
