Characters / Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny

Samurai Shodown Characters Index
2D Games: Samurai Shodown | Samurai Shodown II | Samurai Shodown III | Samurai Shodown V | Samurai Shodown VI | Samurai Shodown (2019)
3D Games: Samurai Shodown 64 | Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage | Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny
Others

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Takechiyo

Origin: Fukami Village, Sagami Province, Japan

Weapon: Uchikomiyō bokutō ^note  ("Wooden sword for beating things up"), a bokutō

A warrior-in-training who was once saved by Haohmaru when his village was attacked by bandits. He was then taught by Haohmaru in swordplay, and like his idol, he travels the land in the hopes of improving himself. One day, he was saved by Suzuhime when he was swept ashore from his shipwrecked boat. Two months prior the events of the game, Suzuhime runs away from home, and he decides to find her. Though he finds it a bother, he agrees as the journey will also help him to improve his swordplay and his code of honour.

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• Big Brother Instinct: He has a younger sister and is protective of her.
• Captain Ersatz: His background and name are referred to Toshiro Mifune in Seven Samurai.
• Combat Pragmatist
• Friendly Rivalry: Takechiyo shares a competitive rivalry with Haohmaru because he wishes to best him in combat.
• Hero-Worshipper: After Haohmaru saved Takechiyo and his sister from being killed by bandits, Takechiyo promised to improve his sword-fighting so he could eventually defeat Haohmoru in a duel.
• Identical Stranger: There's a recent character that looks a lot that Takechiyo, Gojo Wakana from My Dress-Up Darling.
• I Just Want to Be Special: He'd rather become a great swordsman like Haohmaru rather than continuing on his job as a farmer and working in the fields as stated in his character bio.
• Lightning Bruiser
• Meaningful Name: Written as "eternal intensity".
• Only One Name: He's just known as Takechiyo with no last name revealed for him.
• Oral Fixation: He has a piece of grass in his mouth, fitting for his personality.
• Ship Tease: With Suzuhime
  • Rescue Romance: Genderflipped, as Suzuhime's the one who saved him in his backstory.
    • Double Subverted in Takechiyo's story mode, as his motivation is to Save the Princess after she's kidnapped by Golba. Even in Suzu's story mode (where she naturally doesn't need the rescuing), Takechiyo invokes this trope, promising to help Suzu if she needs him.
• Shout-Out: He is based on the historical concept of peasant-samurai from the Sengoku Period, the most famous and successful example of the practice being Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
• Unskilled, but Strong: Has a rather unrefined fighting style, but very strong nonetheless.
• Wooden Katanas Are Even Better: Fights with a bokuto, made for "smashing things".

Suzuhime

Origin: Kingdom of Lesphia ^note The Kingdom of Lesphia is fictional, though it is similar to the many small, historic microstates that made up Europe in centuries past. The flag shown here is therefore that which represents all European microstates.

Weapons: Her parents' keepsake Bastard Sword and a yokobue (flute) with an iron core

Voiced by: ^note Kae Araki

She is the princess of a foreign country, orphaned when her parents' ship was attacked ten years prior to the events depicted in the game. She washed ashore on the beaches of Japan and was adopted by a daimyo who resides in Amori. One day, ten years later, she found Takechiyo along the shoreline of her home and nursed him back to health. After hearing that the ship he stowed away on collided with a ship bearing a particular crest, Suzuhime runs away from home two months before the game begins in order to pursue Golba.

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• BFS: Her sword is quite huge, especially for a petite 14 year old.
• Damsel in Distress: Most of the stories for the other characters have them needing to save Suzu after she's kidnapped by Golba's Mooks, although it's because Golba needs her and her sword as symbolic claims to the Lesphian throne, rather than the stereotypical reasons for kidnapping damsels. Subverted to Hell and BACK in her story mode where she plows through Golba, his henchmen, and anybody else who got in her way like tissue paper.
• Fictional Country: The Princess of one. Quite why on earth the game's producers decided to create a completely fictional homeland for her, when this is something the game has never included before, AND the fact that there were (still are!) a plethora of small, European kingdoms and principalities to choose from, remains a mystery. "Lesphia" is a complete fabrication — all we know is that it's a European monarchy of some sort, and is therefore likely based on monarchies such as Monaco, Liechtenstein or one of the many small principalities making up the Holy Roman Empire at the time the series is set.
• Huge Gun Tiny Girl: The size of Suzu's weapon is emphasized more by how comparatively small she is, compared to both her weapon, and to the rest of the cast.
• Kill the Cutie: Is a cute 14-year-old girl who can be brutally decapitated and lose limbs, resulting in her bloody death.
• Meaningful Name: She's the "Bell Princess" (any name with "hime" included is princess-something/something-princess). The birth-name she bore before being castaway in Japan is unknown.
• Musical Assassin: Her other weapon is a flute.
• Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Is only 14, and is about the same size as Nakoruru or Rimururu: she packs WAY more damage than those two (and on par with some of the larger members of the cast), thanks to her handy-dandy BFS.
• Princess in Rags: Was raised as royalty in Europe, but on a sea voyage, her parents' ship was attacked and destroyed, and she ended up washing up on the shores of Japan.
• Rescue Romance: Genderflipped, as she's the one who saved Takechiyo in his backstory. Double Subverted in Takechiyo's story mode, as his motivation is to Save the Princess after she's kidnapped by Golba. Even in Suzu's story mode (where she naturally doesn't need the rescuing), Takechiyo invokes this trope, promising to help Suzu if she needs him.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: Well, in her storymode, at least. The others have her kidnapped by Golba so she and her sword would give him political legitimacy for the Lesphian throne.
• Ship Tease: With Takechiyo.

Angelica

Origin: Constantinople, Ottoman Empire ^note The flag shown here is that of the historic Ottoman Empire, who ruled over Angelica's native Turkey up until 1922.

Weapon: Double-bladed staff

A young Ottoman woman raised as an assassin by an unknown organization. She tried to flee but was allowed to live by pursuers from the same organisation. To ensure her safety and her possible freedom, Angelica is given two missions: to bring Suzuhime and a treasured sword back to them and to find a worthy samurai successor for their leader. She obeys, but is reluctant to leave their leader's side.

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• Affirmative Action Girl: Edge of Destiny saw the debut of many new nationalities amongst the cast, hers included. As an Ottoman (Turkish) woman, she represents not only the first Turkish character, but also the first middle-eastern, woman-of-colour in the series.
• Brainwashed and Crazy: Being raised by a syndicate as an assassin has made her cold and ruthless, blindly hunting down those Golba wants dead. It's implied in Angelica's ending that her older sister deliberately let herself be killed during the Mirror Match stage to try snapping Angelica out of this.
• Evil Twin: Since Angelica serves as a sub-boss for the rest of the characters, she seemingly runs into one during her story mode. While technically not a twin (or even much of a villain), it turns out that Angelica just fought her older sister... oh, and killed her. Whoops.
• Hitman with a Heart: Undergoes a Heel–Face Turn in her storyline, and is hinted to be The Atoner in Kim Hye-Ryen's endin
• Identical Stranger: The short hair, tanned skin and white clothes are similar to Elena. Also comparable to a brown-skinned Shiki.
• Professional Killers: An assassin trained from birth by a syndicate which turns out to have been formed by Golba.

Kim Hae-Ryeong

Origin: Kingdom of Joseon ^note The flag shown here is the royal standard of the Joseon Kingdom. During its reign, Joseon consolidated its effective rule over the territory of current Korea, up until 1897.

Weapon: Double-edged staff

Hae-Ryeong is a Korean warrior who has defeated many evil doers in the name of justice. He travels to Japan as an emissary where he witnesses Angelica killing an assassin. He decides to go after her, sensing the great evil surrounding her. In his ending, he spots her but realizes that she no longer has a killing intent. Convinced that people can change for the better, Hae-Ryeong leaves her alone and proceeds on his journey.

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• Black-and-White Morality: His code of justice is usually enforced by him dueling and slaying evildoers.
• Black-and-White Insanity: Realizes he suffers from this in his ending - first when he discovers that Golba was also fighting to "bring justice" for his homeland Lesphia (but was doing so as a militant tyrant), and also when he finds Angelica (the person he swore to hunt down at the start of the game) having changed her nature after he first saw her.
• Justice Will Prevail: Wouldn't be a Kim in a SNK game if he didn't have this.
  • This Is Unforgivable!: And this, too
• Moveset Clone: Of Angelica, although with emphasis on kicks as per Kim tradition.

Garros

Origin - Norway, Kingdom of Denmark-Norway ^note The flag shown here is that of the Kingdom of Denmark. At the time the series is set, Norway was a territory of the Danish Kingdom and not yet an independent nation.

Weapon: Battle axe

He is the leader of a band of honorable vikings who sail the seas looking for adventure and treasure. Many years prior to the game, his wife, Agnes, left on a trip to another country and never returned home. Hearing that a woman resembling her was found somewhere in Japan, he departs with his comrades to look for her. In his ending, he doesn't find, her yet hasn't lost hope that she is still out there.

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• The Big Guy: This dude can easily rival Wanfu in the sheer weight department!
• Horny Vikings: Yes, really. In the 1790s — an utterly ludicrous contrivance, since the Viking peoples lived around 800 years prior to the 1790s.
• Mighty Glacier: Is by far one of the slowest of the roster, but can dish out plenty of hits.
• Moveset Clone: Of Wan-Fu and/or Walter, although he uses his belly and head more than them.
• Spell My Name With An S: "Garros" isn't a Nordic name, though perhaps the kanji, when said phonetically, was meant to be translated as "Gareth", which is marginally more realistic.

J.

Origin: Kingdom of Lesphia ^note The Kingdom of Lesphia is fictional, though it is similar to the many small, historic microstates that made up Europe in centuries past. The flag shown here is therefore that which represents all European microstates.

Weapon: Elvis, a katana

10 years prior to the events of the game, J. was an unfortunate sailor who washed up the shores of Japan. To survive, he learns to wield a blade and lovingly names his sword Elvis. He eventually meets and falls in love with a geisha and tries to buy her freedom without much success. Hearing of a reward for detailing the whereabouts of Suzuhime, he sets out in search of her.

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• Captain Ersatz: Of Afro Samurai, of course.
• Deliberate Values Dissonance: Was treated as a monster by the Japanese just for his skin color, and the only reason the geisha was kind to him was because she was literally blind to what made him an outcast.
• Laser-Guided Amnesia: Suffers this after being shipwrecked in Japan.
• Moveset Clone: Of Takechiyo and/or Claude, with unique stances.
• No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Likely based off of real African Samurai Yasuke who served Oda Nobunaga. At least, Yasuke provides a historical precedent for J.
• One-Letter Name: Come on. J?
• Shout-Out: J's awkward Upside Hold stance is an homage to Irako Seigen's mumyou sakanagare technique from Shigurui, whose anime adaptation came a year before Edge of Destiny. Likewise, his Dempsey Step advancing sway is named after Hajime no Ippo's iconic Dempsey Roll.
• Western Samurai: Even more notorious than Claude, but this case it's more like Everything's Better with Samurai.

Walter

Origin: Mondschein Drache Empire ^note The Empire is fictional, though it appears to be a thinly-veiled reference to the real-world Holy Roman Empire, whose flag is presented here.

Weapons: Bastard sword and shield

Walter is a knight of the Mondschein Drache Empire and member of the Crimson Lion Knights like Neinhalt Sieger. After hearing that his home maybe soon invaded by a new threat, he leaves his home to investigate.

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• Fictional Country: The "Mondschein Drache Empire" is pure fiction, but it's a close allusion to the real-world Holy Roman Empire. He's even stated to be a member of the (Prussian) Crimson Lion Knights alongside Neinhalt Sieger.
• Knight Templar: Literally, although a genuinely noble one.
• Meaningful Name: Germanic name that roughly translates to "army ruler".
• My Country, Right or Wrong: Embodies this when fighting for the Mondschein Drache Empire.
• Moveset Clone: Of Wan-Fu and/or Garros, although he doesn't attack with his body as the other two.

Jinbei Sugamata

Origin: Amori Domain, Japan

Weapon: His 55-year old favorite spear, Kongō

Jinbei was a retired warrior, until one day, he rescued Suzuhime from the sea. He raised her until she met Takechiyo and ran away. Jinbei now searches for her.

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• Expy: Could be based on Warriors Rage's Jin-Emon Hanafusa, being both Old Master and managing a "crucifix spear" as his weapon.
• Meaningful Name: Sugamata means "one more sedge", and Jinbei is written as "palace guard's blade" but is pronounced as a traditional nightwear.
• Moveset Clone: Of Kyoshiro, but far less theatrical.
• Retired Badass: Until he's forced out of it when he goes to find Suzuhime. He's well into his 70s, but is still able to kick ass with the rest of the "youngsters" in the cast.

Black Hawk

Origin: ''Florida, New Spain ^note The flag shown here is that of New Spain (simply known as the Viceroyalty of New Spain). At the time the series is set, Florida was a territory of New Spain and was not yet part of the United States, and wouldn't be so until 1821.

Weapons: Dual-wield Tomahawks

Black Hawk is a Native American whose father was killed during the Independence War. Seeking revenge, he consults the shaman of his tribe who tells him to head east to fulfill his destiny.

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• Badass Native: A Native American warrior and given that his birthplace is noted as Florida, he's likely of the Seminole or the Miccosukee Peoples.
• Magical Native American: Well, not exactly "magical", but his design and personality befit this trope.
• Meaningful Name: Named for one of the sacred Native American animals, equating to vision, intuition, and observation.
• Moveset Clone: Of Jubei, but with unique "hunting" stances and command grabs.
• You Killed My Father: His motivation is to hunt down the man who killed his father and it turns out to be Golba. Shocking, I know.

Kirian

Origin - The Kingdom of Spain ^note  The flag shown is the state flag of Spain from the late 1700s.

Weapon: Masquerade ^note ("Masked ball/party"), a rapier

Kirian is a skilled torero who met Charlotte after one of his bullfighting events. He becomes intrigued by her when their encounter is interrupted by a hired man sent to end her life. He then decides to follow her, wanting to see for himself why she was assaulted.

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• Badass Spaniard
• Blood Knight: The reason he was a matador, and later a duelist, was to get the exhilaration of cheating death, whether facing the horns of a bull, or the blade of a man.
• Moveset Clone: Of Charlotte, with unique stances.
• Toros y Flamenco: A Dashing Hispanic matador who doubles as a duelist? He couldn't get any more Spanish if he tried!
• Ship Tease: Is hinted to have a crush on Charlotte after his chance encounters with her, and in his ending, he even offers to fight by her side when she's desperately rallying her countrymen for a Last Stand against the invading nations.
• Shout-Out: His counteroffer to Golba after being offered to serve as his general?
  "No thanks. But I'll hire you as my Sancho Panza if you want."
• Something about a Rose: Tosses one to his opponent in one of his victory poses.

Claude

Origin: Kingdom of Lesphia ^note The Kingdom of Lesphia is fictional, though it is similar to the many small, historic microstates that made up Europe in centuries past. The flag shown here is therefore that which represents all European microstates.

Weapon: a nameless katana

He is a guard from a foreign kingdom who was washed ashore Japan with Suzu ten years before the game begins. Realizing that they may never see their home again and suffering under amnesia, he adopts the land's culture and trains himself in kendo with a respectable monk.

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• Amnesiac Dissonance: Doesn't remember anything from before he ended up in Japan.
• Expy: Of Arthur and Nathan Algren.
• Mighty Whitey: An European man raised in Japan. Subverted in that ingame and in-canon, he's nothing special.
• Raised by Natives: He is obviously a foreigner judging by his blonde hair, but has been raised in Japan and adopts the native culture.
• Shout-Out: He's highly reminiscent of William Adams, an English navigator who travelled to Japan in the year 1600 and became the first western samurai.
• Western Samurai: Just read any of the above tropes.

Draco

Origin: United States ^note The flag shown here is the "Betsy Ross flag" of the thirteen colonies, adopted after the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Weapon: Winchester Rifle (Draco claims that you'll get to know its name when you meet him)

Draco is a Western outlaw, a hired gunman and bodyguard who takes his jobs in stride. In the past, he took the lives of many men for a sound sum of gold; one of his victims was Galford's father. He was recently hired by Golba to eliminate any possible threats that come to the foreign ships stationed at Japan.

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• Anachronism Stew: Apart from being a Wild West cowboy in the 1790s, he uses a Winchester Rifle, a weapon that wouldn't be invented until over 70 years after the game he shows up in!!
• Blood Knight: His pre-match dialogue suggests he is this.
• The Dragon: To Golba.
• Guns Are Worthless: Subverted oh-so-hard, especially for a video game. His usage of a rifle as a weapon brings him so much closer to Snk Boss territory than Golba—who actually is the final boss—that it isn't funny.
• Jerkass: Is always rude to his opponents when they face him... at best. At worst, he's downright evil and malicious.
• Meaningful Name: Ironically close to being literally The Dragon.
• Psycho for Hire: He's a Bounty Hunter hired by Golba to intercept any of the warriors trying to track him down.
• Smug Snake: He acts pretty cocky in most of his intros (probably because he's brought a gun to a sword fight)
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Although he's still initially smug when Hanzo faces him in his story mode, he genuinely panics when Hanzo pulls a Smoke Out on him, and then teleports right behind him.
• You Killed My Father: Is revealed to have been the outlaw who shot Galford's father during his story mode.
  • But for Me, It Was Tuesday: Claims to have not remembered killing Galford's father when confronted with this accusation. He even apes a certain line from Dio Brando while doing so...
  "Do you remember every slice of bread you've eaten up till now?"

Golba

Origin: Kingdom of Lesphia ^note The Kingdom of Lesphia is fictional, though it is similar to the many small, historic microstates that made up Europe in centuries past. The flag shown here is therefore that which represents all European microstates.

Weapon: Rapier

Voiced by: ^note Norio Wakamoto

Golba was one of the sons of Lesphia's king. He had attempted a coup d'etat after his brother became the chosen to be the rightful heir. After he failed, he was sent into exile and came to America. He joined and became an officer in the American army and eventually became a veteran of the Independence War. His participation in this war made him believe that creation of such powerful nation can become a threat to Europe. Desiring to protect his country and strengthen its military force, he seeks to conquer all of Europe.

Due to the comrades he made during the war, he has personal and influential connections around the world. During this time, he formed an assassin organization of which Angelica is a member. He uses this group to kill his niece's parents during their sea voyage in an attempt to claim Suzu's sword, a symbol of one's right to rule Lesphia. Unable to obtain it, he returns to America to use his military connections to weaken countries around the world and schemes to possibly use Suzu as a bargaining chip against his homeland. Seeking a strong military commander to rule his Lesphia army, he opted to recruit and lure certain strong warriors as well.

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• Authority Equals Asskicking: Leader of a faction wanting to take over Lesphia in a coup, and is the Final Boss of the game.
• Badass Normal: He's a very skilled warrior, a masterful tactician and a respected leader. Also, he is the first boss in the series who doesn't have and use any magical or supernatural powers.
• Big Bad
• Eyepatch of Power
• The Guards Must Be Crazy: In spite of being The Generalissimo with scores of Mooks at his beck and call (with many of them clearly present in some story lines), they NEVER intervene in the battle between Golba and the player. The only time they DO challenge the player (AFTER Golba is killed, by the way) is during Kyoshiro's ending, of all people - and he cuts THEM down with ease through his "dancing".
• Meaningful Name: Maybe named after the Autostar Goruba space fortress, General Ripper Merudazu/Mölders/Meldarz's personal weapon from the third and fourth Space Battleship Yamato films.
• Moveset Clone: Of Charlotte and/or Kirian, with unique moves.
• New Era Speech: Gives one for most of his introductions, when he tries to convince the player to join him as his general.
  I welcome you, true warrior. A worthy general for my soldiers... (Player tries to interject) -Hear me! The embers of conflict smolder in every European land. And when they burst into flame, the inferno will consume the world! I require a new nation of mighty warriors to protect my motherland from the flames of war. If you could instill your fighting spirit into my soldiers, my army will be INVINCIBLE!!! (Cue his Mooks chanting "INVINCIBLE!!!")
• Pressure Point: According to supplementary material, his large damage output is explained by his ability to pinpoint opponent's vital points.
• We Can Rule Together: The reason the other warriors are involved in the story is because he intentionally lured in the strongest warriors to help serve as generals to his army, believing that getting a One-Man Army on his side would seal his victory for good. this often bites him in the ass when the characters reject his offer, and VIOLENTLY.
  • An Offer You Can't Refuse: A little disclaimer in his "We Can Rule Together" offer is that, if the warrior rejects his offer (even if it's because they don't want to fight anymore), he'll have to kill them on the spot, just to ensure nobody would be alive to tell the world of his schemes.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: His goals involve protecting his nation of Lesphia from the other nations of Europe, which would have conquered it already if Golba hadn't created conflict within the nations whilst building up his army. A few characters even acknowledge how he's just trying to protect his nation from colonial conquest, or how he was simply acting in a way he considered being "loyal" to Lesphia.

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