Characters that debuted in the first game of the Tenchu series:
Due to wiki policy, trope names and character descriptions will not be spoiler tagged.
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Allies
Gohda's Clan
Lord Gohda
Lord Gohda Matsunoshin
Voiced by: Takeshi Kuwabara (1), Michael J. Gough (2, 3), Yosuke Akimoto (3 JP), Joe Thomas (Shadow Assassins)
"Not even Tenrai's vicious sorcery could defeat our mighty ninja."
The current Daimyo for the House of Gohda, the father of Kiku Gohda and husband to Lady Kei Gohda, Matsunoshin Gohda is the main ally of the Azuma and relied on them to keep peace within his lands for years. When he first came to power, he was involved in a civil war with his uncle over the latter's anger over being passed the inheritance by Matsunoshin's late father, a civil war that was ended with the help of the Azuma ninja; Rikimaru, Ayame and Tatsumaru, yet resulted in the death of his wife and kidnapping of his daughter, who Ayame rescued later on.
Unlike the other lords in the game series, Matsunoshin shows great respect to the Azuma ninja and holds them in high regard due to their part in helping him during the civil war, along with Rikimaru and Ayame's help to protect his lands during times of war.
- Aristocrats Are Evil: Averted. Lord Gohda is the only aristocrat that the Azuma meet which is neither evil, greedy, cowardly, or all of the above. Even with the Azuma being treated like nothing by other lords due to being only shinobi, Lord Gohda is the only one who gives them respect due to everything they did for him and his people.
- Badass in Distress: During the rebellion in Birth of the Stealth Assassins, Gohda is accidentily wounded by Rikimaru and allows his treacherous uncle to escape with his daughter, causing the Azuma to mount a rescue while Gohda recovers. In Wrath of Heaven, he's temporarily this when Hamada betrays him and holds Matsunoshin hostage in Ayame's campaign, before she rescues him, and a mission in the multiplayer of the same game has both players protect a mortally wounded Gohda.
- Benevolent Boss: He treats the Azuma with respect, and is shown in a far more positive light than some of the other lords.
- Beware the Nice Ones: While he's respectful and does what is best for his people, Gohda is also a trained samurai who will go to war if there is no other choice. When Hamada, one of his advisors, turns on him and holds Gohda hostage, he has no qualms about Ayame killing him and even orders her to do so.
- Big Good: He's the lord that the Azuma are loyal to, a benevolent lord who cares about the wellbeing of both his people and his family, and is the one who gives the orders to the protagonists in the first place.
- Disappeared Dad: His father died before the events of Birth of the Stealth Assassins, and this death with the family leadership going to Matsunoshin is what triggers the rebellion with his jealous uncle.
- Good Is Not Soft: His respect for the Azuma only goes so far. In Wrath of Heaven an enemy disguising themselves as Ayame attacks Gohda between missions in Rikimaru's campaign, Matsunoshin has the real Ayame imprisoned for execution until Rikimaru clears her name. He orders Ayame in Shadow Assassins to track down and deal with Rikimaru when it's feared that he'd gone rogue.
- Good Parents: He deeply cared for his daughter, Princess Kiku, and had raised her himself after her mother's death by Motohide, his uncle.
- Happily Married: His marriage with Lady Kei seemed like a happy one, for what little screen time it had before her death.
- In the Back: A non-lethal example. When Rikimaru moves to strike Motohide down after beating him in battle, Matsunoshin got in the way to protect his uncle and takes the blow to his back, severely injuring him. This action didn't have much effect on his uncle, who proceeds to run away, kills Matsunoshin's wife and kidnaps his daughter.
- Master Swordsman: As a skilled samurai, he is this trope.
- Off with His Head!: This can happen in one of the Game Over scenes if Rikimaru is killed by Motohide. After the death of the young Azuma ninja, Motohide is seen holding up the severed head of his nephew and apologizing, before taking over the family and the lands to no doubt rule with an iron fist.
- Papa Wolf: Due to her being his only child, and having lost his wife during the rebellion with his uncle, Gohda is understandably protective of Kiku, and sends the Azuma when she is kidnapped by the enemy.
- Sole Survivor: After Kiku's death at the hands of Rikimaru, Matsunoshin is the last living member of the Gohda family. It's unknown what'll happen when he eventually passes too, considering he doesn't have another wife or child that could inherit the family and the lands.
- You Have Failed Me: His reaction if Rikimaru gets a low score in the first game's Training level.
Princess Kiku
Gohda Kiku
Voiced by: Yumiko Yasuoka (1), Renee Raudman (2), Ikue Otani (3 JP), Heather Hogan (Shadow Assassins)
"I know about your sadness. It conceals your spirit like a cloak. But you endure the guilt. Because that's the path you have chosen, Rikimaru."
The only daughter of Matsunoshin and Kei Gohda, Kiku is a member of the Gohda family and heir to his fortune. The civil war that happened after her grandfather's death occured when she was very young, and after her mother's murder at the hands of her great-uncle, she was kidnapped but later rescued by Ayame, sparking a close friendship between the two that would last for years. During the events of Shadow Assassins, she is kidnapped once more by Rinshi and rescued by Ayame, taken back to Gohda Castle where Onikage had revealed to have returned, taking the princess hostage. Kiku urges Rikimaru to put an end to the suffering and in the end, he impales her with Izayoi in order to kill Onikage, resulting in Kiku's death.
As a young girl, Kiku is bright and kindhearted, giving one of her sister bells to Ayame so that the two would never truly be apart and later giving her the other sister bell so that she would have luck on her missions. As she aged into a teenager, she became more mature and reserved, knowing that her father loves her but also loves his people and had to put them first as a leader, and showed no haste in believing Rikimaru was a traitor when he is blamed. Despite not being a warrior, she showed bravery when taken hostage by Onikage, and even closed her eyes when Rikimaru moved to deliver the blow that would kill her.
- Actual Pacifist: As a princess and never trained in combat like the Azuma, or her father, Kiku is never shown to fight anyone in the entire series. Rather, she relies on Ayame and Rikimaru to protect her from the enemy.
- Arranged Marriage: In the Japanese dub of Wrath of Heaven, Kiku was actually married to the lord of Amagai Castle and Rikimaru was sent to check up on her after her letters stopped being sent to Gohda. The English dub completely changes that, rather having Kiku kidnapped and taken to Amagai Castle with Rikimaru being sent to save her.
- Character Death: She is stabbed through the chest by Rikimaru in Shadow Assassins, on her orders, as Onikage had taken her hostage and would have escaped if Rikimaru did nothing.
- Character Development: Kiku had grown from an energetic and enthusiastic child to a more reserved and formal young teenage girl, who possessed wisdom despite her young age and understood her father's duties to his people outweighed his love for her, yet she did not show any jealousy to that fact.
- The Cutie: As a child, especially her relationship with the shinobi; Ayame. In Wrath of Heaven, she gives Ayame the other sister bell for good luck before the kunoichi leaves on a mission, showing how deeply she cares for Ayame.
- Damsel in Distress: She's kidnapped at some point during every game in the series, except for Fatal Shadows.
- Death of a Child: She was only a teenager when she was killed by Rikimaru.
- Death Seeker: Somewhat shown. When held hostage by Onikage in Shadow Assassins, she reveals that she could not bear to see any more death and urged Rikimaru to go through her to kill Onikage.
- Face Death with Dignity: Just before Rikimaru impales through her with Izayoi, she closes her eyes and just waits for the blow.
- Meaningful Name: Kiku is Japanese for Chrysanthemum, befitting with the flower pattern on her clothes and the petal shaped bell she and Ayame possess. The flower naming connects her to Ayame, who's own name means Iris.
- Missing Mom: Her mother was murdered by her great-uncle, Motohide, when he sparked a revolt against Matsunoshin after the latter took over the Gohda clan shortly after his father's death.
- Nerves of Steel: She shows no sign of fear just before she is killed by Rikimaru.
- Pink Means Feminine: A traditionally feminine girl of her time period, and is shown wearing pink.
- Ruling Family Massacre: Subverted. She and her father survive a revolt that was started by Motohide Gohda. Her mother wasn't so lucky.
- Tragic Keepsake: His sister bells. They were originally given to Kiku by her mother, Lady Kei, and then her mother was murdered by her great-uncle during a revolt over the leadership of Gohda's lands. She then gives one to Ayame when she is rescued later on.
Sekiya
Naotada Sekiya
Voiced by: Takeshi Kuwabara (1), Unknown (2), Koichi Kitamura (3 JP), Michael McConnohie (Shadow Assassins)
"Lord Gohda. The Princess. You must protect them. I must go..."
The counsel advisor to Lord Matsunoshin Gohda, Naotada Sekiya had been an ally of the Azuma and Gohda family for many years, and is the one to help Lord Gohda with issues regarding his lands. While he appears in most of the Tenchu games, he is revealed to be a traitor to Gohda and the Azuma in Shadow Assassins, as Onikage had disguised himself as Sekiya and took his place. The location of the real Sekiya is unknown, though it is suspected that Onikage killed him to prevent him from ruining his plans. In Wrath of Heaven, during Ayame's story, Sekiya is killed by a Shikigami spirit when Ayame clears the way to Tenrai's fortress, though he is shown to have survived in one of her endings.
Seikya is loyal to the house of Gohda, having been Matsunoshin's advisor for years and is shown to care about him and his daughter; Kiku, a great deal, shown by him asking Ayame to protect them as he is dying from his wounds by Kagura's shikigami spirit.
- Badass in Distress: Trained in swordsmanship and trusted to help lead soldiers, Seikya was kidnapped and locked in the Limestone caverns in Wrath of Heaven, needing to be rescued by Ayame.
- Character Death: Multiple times. Ayame’s story in Wrath of Heaven has Sekiya dying after being attacked by one of Kagura’s Shikigami spirits, with Ayame specifically killing Kagura for revenge, though later Subverted when it was shown that he survived. In Shadow Assassins, it’s revealed that Sekiya was later murdered and impersonated by Onikage.
- Disney Death: He appeared to have died in Ayame’s story in Wrath of Heaven, but later was revealed to have survived in one of her endings.
- In the Back: How he was killed in Wrath of Heaven, later subverted with his following survival.
- Miniature Senior Citizens: He's significantly shorter than all the other characters in Wrath of Heaven. He's back to being of average height in Shadow Assassins
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Like Gohda, Sekiya trusts the Azuma to help and protect the family despite being shinobi.
- Treacherous Advisor: Subverted. Gohda believed that Sekiya betrayed him late in Shadow Assassins, but it was revealed to be Onikage possessing a deceased Sekiya instead. During life, Sekiya was completely loyal to his lord.
- Undying Loyalty: Never thought of betraying Lord Gohda during the many years advising him. Even when he was dying in Ayame’s story, he pleads to Ayame that Lord Gohda and Kiku must be protected, and puts himself in front of Gohda to protect from what he believed to be Tenrai in Rikimaru’s story.
Azuma Clan
Semimaru
Semimaru
- "Bark!"
A ninken of the Azuma Clan, Semimaru is a loyal companion of Rikimaru and Ayame. While he helps the two ninja track down Tatsumaru after the Azuma massacure, he is able to be summoned in the other games by using a Dog Bone, where he can help kill an enemy that Rikimaru and Ayame face.
Like all dogs, Semimaru has a deep loyalty to the Azuma and has a particularly strong bond with Rikimaru, as shown in Birth of the Stealth Assassins. Even when faced with danger, Semimaru won't back down even when faced with death.
- Canine Companion: He assists the Azuma on many of their missions with the use of the summoning bone item. In the later missions in Birth of the Stealth Assassins, Rikimaru appears to have a closer relationship with Semimaru.
- Nearly Normal Animal: Compared to the ninken seen in multiplayer of Wrath of Heaven that can walk upright and use weapons, Semimaru is mostly a normal dog.
- Old Dog: If it is the same Semimaru, he had been assisting the Azuma for decades, as he appears in Tenchu Z with the use of the dog bone.
Antagonists
Lord Mei-Oh & Allies
Mei-Oh
Lord Mei-Oh
Voiced by: Takeshi Kuwabara (1)
"Do not concern yourself with the girl. Think about saving your own skin."
Mei-Oh is the main antagonist of Stealth Assassins, and the final boss of the game. The titled "King of Hell", he is the boss to which Onikage is loyal to, and is first mentioned when his forces kidnapped Kiku from Gohda's Castle and took her to his fortress, where Ayame and Rikimaru go to so that they can rescue the princess. After his first appearance, Mei-Oh is killed by Rikimaru/Ayame, his body falling into a portal and his fortress crumbles while the ninja attempt to escape, resulting in Rikimaru being caught in the rockslide and appearing to have died.
He is mentioned multiple times in Wrath of Heaven when Rikimaru is trying to locate his sword, Shichishito. After Tenrai's demise, Onikage is seen to have ressurected from his death and converses with Mei-Oh, who is tired of waiting for the servant to find a way for him to return to the world.
- Big Bad: The main villain of Stealth Assassins, Mei-Oh’s influence stretches across the entire game franchise.
- Big Bad Wannabe: Despite this, he is merely a voice for most of his time outside of the first game, and the role of main villain in Tenchu instead goes to his servant; Onikage.
- Cool Sword: Wielded Shichishito, a giant spiked sword capable of summoning lightning and corrupting Izayoi, another powerful sword. It was lost after his death, and later recovered by Rikimaru.
- Dark Lord on Life Support: After his defeat in Stealth Assassins, Mei-Oh is trapped in another realm and cannot return to the mortal realm alone, being reduced to a green wisp that Tenrai and Onikage talk to.
- Evil Overlord: He’s the lord of Hell, and the master of Onikage.
- The Ghost: Reduced to this after losing to the Azuma, only appearing as a voice or simply being mentioned by other characters.
- Hidden Eyes: His concept art shows him having these, adding to the evil factor.
- How the Mighty Have Fallen: Started as the Demon King, the final boss for the Azuma to fight, and Onikage’s master, and eventually became so low and forgotten that no one remembers him anymore and the one servant he still possessed moved onto his own goals by Shadow Assassins.
- Light Is Not Good: Despite wearing bright orange and yellows, Mei-Oh is the main villain of the series and a demonic king.
- Load-Bearing Boss: His lair collapses after his defeat in Stealth Assassins.
- Meaningful Name: Mei-O means “dark lord”, befitting of his status as a demonic overlord, as well as being the Japanese name for Pluto; the god of the underworld. Mei-Oh is attributed to Hell, with his highest ranking servant being an oni.
- Necromancer: One of his powers, as he brought a deceased Suzaku back as Onikage at the end of Birth of the Stealth Assassins. He apparently has enough power to resurrect Onikage again after his death in Wrath of Heaven.
- Shock and Awe: He uses lightning from his sword during his boss fight.
- This Cannot Be!: Says this when defeated by Rikimaru or Ayame at the end of Stealth Assassins.
- What Happened to the Mouse??: With Onikage’s return in Shadow Assassins, he makes no attempt to revive or even mention Mei-Oh, rather working on his own accord to fight Rikimaru.
Onikage
Onikage
Click here to see him in Tenchu 2
Voiced by: Seiichi Hirai (1), Greg Eagles (2), Hisao Egawa (3), Paul St. Peter (Shadow Assassins)
"My soul will live on, my hatred will always be inside of you."
A recurring character in the Tenchu series, Onikage is a demonic ninja that is loyal to Lord Mei-Oh and the main Rival to Rikimaru. Throughout the series, he is trying to bring back a deceased Mei-Oh, who fell into the portal in his fortress at the end of the first game, and return the King of Hell back to their world. While doing so, he shows some interest in Ayame, and later possesses her when he is killed by Rikimaru at the end of Shadow Assassins, causing Kiku's death as well and sending the kunoichi into a Heroic B.S.O.D, causing a strain between Ayame and Rikimaru's relationship.
- Actually a Doombot: Being a ninja warrior himself, Onikage is no stranger to using decoys to fight Rikimaru and Ayame and tricking them into believing they have killed him. Notably, he employs one in Wrath of Heaven to lure Rikimaru to the Limestone Caverns. The real one shows up after his defeat.
- Arch-Enemy: To both Azuma ninja, though mainly with Rikimaru. He has fought him more times than Ayame and the villain tries to prove that they are similar. As he puts it in their dialogue prior to fighting in Wrath of Heaven, Onikage claims to be like a dog that Rikimaru will never get rid of. He fully returns the sentiment in Shadow Assassins, showing an absolute hatred towards him that he never displayed before.
- As Long as There Is Evil: He promises to keep returning from death so long as there's darkness in Rikimaru's heart.
- Ax-Crazy: Onikage openly revels in slaughter and carnage and is motivated by nothing but spreading chaos and blood through the world. He loves to hear and see people dying and, both in battle and out, he is no stranger to sinister laughing and gleeful sadism.
- Back from the Dead: Constantly. He is the most recurring boss in the series thanks in great part to this reason: even when the Azuma ninja see him die right in front of them, Onikage is always able to return for another fight- much to their surprise and displeasure.
- The Bad Guy Wins: Maybe. Shadow Assassins ends with Onikage having dealt the strongest blow ever to the Azuma ninja: by making Rikimaru kill Kiku to destroy him, he broke his bond with Ayame and both their resolves. Furthermore, it is implied he still survived and possessed Ayame.
- Bad Powers, Bad People: Throughout the series, Onikage has displayed the abilities to possess peoples bodies and raise the dead. Both of which are associated with evilness and the demonic- which he is and he employs them with absolute delight.
- Barbarian Longhair: He usually has a long and unkempt hair, which compliments his intimidating and demonic appearance.
- Became Their Own Antithesis: Throughout the series, Onikage tries to prove that Rikimaru is just like him- a born murderer who takes pleasure in killing. The Azuma ninja successfully rebukes the comparisons until Shadow Assassins, where he has no choice but to kill Kiku to kill him. Then the story ends with Rikimaru believing himself to be a monster.
- Big Bad: In Shadow Assassins. Unusually for the series, Onikage makes no mention of his service to Mei-Oh and is out for himself this time, in a The Man Behind the Man fashion to Rinshi- who is portrayed as the actual villain of the story. He only shows himself at the end, after the kunoichi is dealt with.
- Blind Weaponmaster: As Suzaku in Birth of the Stealth Assassins, he wore a blindfold but was still a skilled enough swordsman to go toe to toe with Rikimaru. Then it's subverted at the ending, where he removes it to reveal his demonic red eyes- and that he was faking his blindness the whole time.
- Blocking Stops All Damage: He can perfectly guard himself against Rikimaru and Ayame's slashing and piercing attacks with only his legs.
- Blood Knight: He lives to battle and, when claiming that Rikimaru is just like him, admits to only finding meaning in fighting. Though working to advance Lord Mei-Oh's goals, it's clear that he stands in Rikimaru and Ayame's way because it's entertaining for him to duel against them.
- Bond Breaker: May have manage to sever the bond between Rikimaru and Ayame in Shadow Assassins, forcing him to kill Kiku to destroy the villain- which drives the kunoichi into a Heroic BSoD and the ninja into a Despair Event Horizon.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Onikage openly desires nothing but a world of war and chaos and admits to being "vicious and selfish" against Rikimaru in his dying moments as Suzaku in Birth of the Stealth Assassins. He does so with an intent of proving Rikimaru is just as evil as him.
- Combat Pragmatist: As an Evil Counterpart to Rikimaru, he fights in the same way the Azuma ninja can fight their enemies- foregoing honorable sword combat by using bombs, smoke bombs and healing potions in the middle of battle.
- Dark Is Evil: In direct contrast to the Dark Is Not Evil aspect of Rikimaru and Ayame, Onikage is a villain associated with darkness overall. His name means "Demonic Shade", he outfits himself with black, dark blue or purple outfits and calls himself a "servant of darkness".
- Demonic Possession: Implied. The extended version of the ending of Shadow Assassins has Ayame speaking with Onikage's voice, indicating that he may be possibly inhabiting her body now.
- Die Laughing: As Suzaku, this is how he dies in Birth of the Stealth Assassins, claiming that Rikimaru will become as twisted and evil as him.
- The Dragon: In most of his appearances, Onikage is the second-in-command to the main villain and the penultimate boss in the story. He is mostly associated with Lord Mei-Oh, even working to revive him in Wrath of Heaven.
- Dude Looks Like a Lady: In the FMV sequences of the first two games, his face had softer features, which is not helped by his long hair. His in-game character models avert it, though, and his appearances in Wrath of Heaven and onwards do away with the trope entirely.
- Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: As part of his Obviously Evil appearance, Onikage has a ghastly and pale skin tone and long dark hair. That makes him look sinister and otherwordly, and having this look even back as Suzaku was perhaps a clue to his true identity.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Subverted. As the Lord of the Burning Dawn Suzaku, he was in a relationship with Yukihotaru- who offered to fight Rikimaru in his stead. However, as she was defeated and asked him to hold her, he cruelly finishes her himself, claiming to have no love for weakness and only power.
- Evil Counterpart: Onikage sometimes wear similar outfits to Rikimaru and, when wielding a sword, displays a similar fighting style through his boss battles. He is also a servant of a Big Bad that is Lord Mei-Oh- contrasting Rikimaru's service to Gohda, the Big Good. Though both are very efficient assassins, Onikage kills because he enjoys it, while Rikimaru does so because of duty.
- Evil Is Hammy: He can sound kinda theatrical at times, both in terma of dialogue and gestures. This is more noticeable in Stealth Assassins, but Shadow Assassins doesn't disappoint.
- Evil Laugh: Several throughout the series, in various intensities. His biggest ones are in Shadow Assassins.
- Evil Sounds Deep: Very evil and his voice actors usually sound lower and deeper than Rikimaru.
- Extremity Extremist: Zigzagged. Onikage fights only with powerful, Tae Kwon Do like kicks in Stealth Assassins and Wrath of Heaven, only employing his hands when performing grab attacks. In other games, he fights with a sword instead.
- Faux Affably Evil: In Time of the Assassins, he acts with a fake politeness towards some characters he interacts with, but it's very obvious that Onikage doesn't mean it and proceeds to kill or incapacitate them.
- For the Evulz: Though is objective is usually to revive Lord Mei-Oh, it's clear he enjoys causing destruction and carnage for its own sake. His master's power to drench the world in chaos and madness is Onikage's incentive to serve him.
- Joker Immunity: Onikage keeps being brought back to the life, both because of an Evil Sorceror's magic (implied to be Mei-Oh most of the time, but also Tenrai in Wrath of Heaven) and because of his enmity with Rikimaru having become a strong component of the Azuma ninja's character arc through the series.
- Kick the Dog: His finishing off of Yukihotaru in Birth of the Stealth Assassins as she was dying and whispering for him to hold her in her final moments. If that wasn't cruel enough, he kills the firefly that she carried with her.
- Lack of Empathy: Since he wants a world filled with despair and bloodshed, Onikage shows no concern for the suffering of others. He murders his already dying lover Yukihotaru, claiming to have no love for weakness but for power. Also, when Rikimaru calls him out on the thousands who would die to fulfill the Burning Dawn's dream, he brushes it off by reasoning that people are already dying every day in the age of war they are living.
- Loves the Sound of Screaming: Onikage finds the "screams of dying men" to be "intoxicating" when Rikimaru faces him at the Fire Demon during the Azuma's battle against the Burning Dawn.
- Malevolent Masked Men: Onikage occasionally wears creepy masks. Aside from the one from Shadow Assassins (pictured above), there was also the one his decoy wore in Wrath of Heaven. In his first appearance in the story of Birth of the Stealth Assassins, he was also wearing a mask.
- The Man Behind the Man: To Rinshi in Shadow Assassins. She is presented as the villain of the game and the one that causes the conflict in the story. Only after she is dealt with Onikage reveals himself and his masterminding of the plot's events.
- Master of Disguise: As a shinobi himself, Onikage is adept at taking the guise of others. His most notable case of it was in Shadow Assassins, where he was disguised as Sekiya through the whole story- only revealing himself at the climax. He does it in Time of the Assassins as well.
- Necromancer: Time of the Assassins has Onikage displaying the power to raise the dead. He brings back Jyuzou's corpse to fight Rin in her story mode and his own ending has him take over Yuge Jonosuke's lifeless body to confront Rikimaru- which the Azuma ninja explicitly calls an act of necromancy.
- Never Found the Body: Not only he is no stranger no coming back from death, the Azuma ninja don't get to witness his dead body in Wrath of Heaven since he goes down by falling into a chasm. Predictably enough, he survives.
- Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Onikage is a demon ninja and martial artist with necromantic powers- pretty much Fighter, Mage, Thief in one package.
- Obfuscating Disability: As Suzaku, he pretends to be blind by wearing a blindfold through the game. He removes it at the ending, confirming he always could see.
- Obviously Evil: Onikage is instantly remarkable for his pale skin, long dark hair and red eyes. If that wasn't enough, his name means "Demonic Shade", leaving no doubt that he is a bad guy.
- Only One Name: He is only ever known as Onikage, or Suzaku in Birth of the Stealth Assassins.
- Psycho Supporter: Lord Mei-Oh may be a powerful and fearsome demon king with ambitions to come into the mortal plane, but Onikage proves to be a bigger madman than his master, with no ambitions other than spreading blood and death and tormenting Rikimaru.
- Purple Is Powerful: Concept art for Stealth Assassins has him wearing a purple outfit. And so does his character model as Suzaku.
- Razor-Sharp Hand: Onikage gains a grab attack in Wrath of Heaven where he impales his opponent multiple times through the stomach with his bare hands.
- Recurring Boss: Not only he shows up in most games, he is hardly ever fought just once. In Stealth Assassins and Wrath of Heaven he is fought three times and there's also the two times Rikimaru fights him as Suzaku in Birth of the Stealth Assassins.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: It's better seen in the FMVs and later games' cutscenes, but Onikage has red eyes who are a clear display of his demonic nature.
- Self-Punishment Over Failure: One possible story route in Wrath of Heaven has him killing himself by throwing himself down a chasm (and exploding) while regretting to Lord Mei-Oh his failure in defeating the Azuma.
- Strike Me Down with All of Your Hatred!: He goads Rikimaru into giving into his hatred in Shadow Assassins and killing him even as he holds Kiku as a human shield. With her approval, he goes through it and is broken by the whole ordeal, believing himself to have become just like Onikage.
- Villain Episode: In Time of the Assassins, he gets to be the protagonist of his own story mode, with as much dialogue and cutscenes as the other playable characters.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: In Wrath of Heaven, the real Onikage does away with the upper part of his usual vest, going barechested the whole game. His decoy wears the full outfit.
- Would Hit a Girl: Onikage holds nothing back when fighting Ayame, employing the same powerful moves he uses against Rikimaru. He also finishes off his dying lover Yukihotaru in Birth of the Stealth Assassins and holds Kiku hostage at swordpoint in Shadow Assassins.
- Would Hurt a Child: Princess Kiku was a teenager at best when Onikage used her as a human shield in Shadow Assassins.
Echigoya Estate
Echigoya
Echigoya
Voiced by: Takeshi Kuwabara
"I've got money. Money is power. Power is everything!."
The villian of the first mission and a corrupt businessman, Echigoya is the head of the Echigoya family and in charge of the estate, which is the first level Rikimaru/Ayame would have to go through to find him. In Wrath of Heaven, it is revealed that he had a son who had taken over the family business after his death; Tokubei.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: A feudal Japan variant, being a corrupt merchant that the Azuma is tasked with assassinating.
- Death by Irony/Dying for Symbolism: Is cornered and killed off in his storage shed, where his rice (a symbol of wealth in feudal Japan) is kept. Symbolic in that greed led to his demise, ironic in that the extension of his greed - his inventory - literally cornered him and made him vulnerable to the Azuma.
- Dirty Coward: Runs away when first encountered by the Azuma, leaving his bodyguard to hold them off. Attempts to hide in his storage shed, and is quickly found and killed by the Azuma.
- Dual Boss: In the orignal Japanese release of Stealth Assassins he is fought alongside his bodyguard, Sasaki. The international release of the game changes this so Sasaki is a mid-boss instead while Echigoya flees to another part of the map.
- Greed: The Azuma comments on how sickening his greed is. He even cries for his money upon death, as though he only cares about living so much as he has possession of his wealth.
- Starter Villain: The first assassination target in Stealth Assassins.
- Start of Darkness: It is implied in the briefing of the first mission that Echigoya was once an honest businessman, but after realizing that a businessman, no matter how successful, would never became as highly respected as Samurai, he began lusting for more power and changing his business mind from honesty and humility into quick profits and notoriety such as loansharking and gambling.note
- Zero-Effort Boss: Justified, as he's unskilled in combat and reliant on his bodyguard for protection. He has a gun on his person, but can be taken down so quickly that the player would never even know it.
Sasaki
Hanbe Sasaki
Voiced by: Unknown
"So much for your big mouth."
The minor villain in the first level, Hanbe Sasaki is the bodyguard of Echigoya and the first boss that Rikimaru/Ayame faces off as Echigoya runs away. Despite being warned to move out the way, he refuses and engages in battle with the Azuma.
- Corporate Samurai: A bodyguard hired to protect the Corrupt Corporate Executive Echigoya. Unfortunately for the both of them, he wasn't good enough at his job.
- Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: "It looks like you chose the wrong party to crash." Too bad he's the one that gets his ass kicked.
- Warm-Up Boss: Serves to familiarize the player with sword combat. Despite appearing as an equal to the Azuma, he hardly stands a chance against them.
Checkpoint
Tazu
Tazu Akechi
Voiced by: Maki Inoue
"How dare you speak to me like that? I'll teach you some manners."
A loyal servant of a rival lord to Lord Gohda and the sister of Senjuro Akechi, Tazu Akechi is the guard that Rikimaru/Ayame runs into when they first approach the checkpoint.
- Berserk Button: Hates being insulted for being a woman. When Ayame mocks her and tells her to stop playing with her “daddy’s weapon”, Tazu becomes enraged and attacks the kunoichi.
- Brother–Sister Team: While they don't fight together, Tazu and Senjuro both guard the same checkpoints and are bosses on the same level.
- Naginatas Are Feminine: She wields what appears to be a kamayari, a polearm similar to the more common naginata, and is contrasted by her brother who dual-wields swords instead.
- Stay in the Kitchen: A victim of this mentality. Both Rikimaru and Ayame look down at her for being a woman trained in combat, and even her brother calls her immature for doing her job.
- Undying Loyalty: She refused to allow the Azuma through the checkpoint she was guarding, which ultimately led to her death.
Senjuro
Senjuro Akechi
Voiced by: Hiroki Morita
"No! Today, you'll learn how a Myojinsoga master uses swords to avenge his sister!."
A loyal servant of a rival lord to Lord Gohda and the brother of Tazu Akechi, Senjuro Akemichi is the end boss of the Cross the Checkpoint mission. His interaction with the Azuma differs depending on which ninja the player had chosen, where he is respectful when facing against Rikimaru yet hostile and belitting when facing against Ayame.
- Big Brother Instinct: Despite his sexist views, Senjuro does care about Tazu and is upset about her death if confronted by Ayame. This attitude is lessened if confronted by Rikimaru, as Senjuro simply apologised to Rikimaru for his sister trying to stop him at the gate.
- Brother–Sister Team: While they don't fight together, Senjuro and Tazu both guard the same checkpoints and are bosses on the same level.
- Dual Wielding: A master of Myojinsoga, a style that uses dual swords in combat.
- Face Death with Dignity: If faced with Rikimaru, he will accept his fate and praise Rikimaru’s skill in battle.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: He’s in charge of the checkpoint the Azuma must pass through. If confronted by Rikimaru, he will apologise for his deceased sister’s behaviour and formally challenge Rikimaru to a sword fight with honour, as he simply wishes to follow the orders of his lord. If confronted by Ayame, however, he will become enraged by her attitude and all formality vanish.
- Stay in the Kitchen: Shows some sexist attitude if confronted by Ayame, calling her “a little girl”, and cannot believe in his defeat by her.
Others
Goo
Goo
Voiced by: Kazuhiko Amagai
"So, the mice come out to play! That means Goo gets to play too!"
Goo is a bandit who kidnapped and jailed the Azuma ninja that the player had not chosen to play as, and the boss of the Rescue the Captive Ninja mission. After Rikimaru/Ayame finds their captured ally, he comes and fights them, before being killed by the free Azuma.
- Bears Are Bad News: Keeps a grizzly bear by his side to help him guard the prison cell.
- BFS: His weapon in the battle with the free Azuma.
- Dual Boss: With a grizzly bear, no less. Although only Goo is required to be killed to finish the level.
- Flunky Boss: In one of the mission layouts, the bear is nowhere to be seen and Goo is flanked by two attack dogs instead.
- Kevlard: His body fat absorbs the blowback of the free Azuma's attacks, making him much more difficult to take down than previous foes.
- Stout Strength: He's obese, and is strong enough to fight with a BFS, while carrying multiple weapons on his back.
- Third-Person Person: Only refers to himself as "Goo".
- Walking Armory: Carries multiple weapons on his back, although he only uses his BFS (and a bear) during combat.
- Wake-Up Call Boss: Is fought as a Dual Boss with his grizzly bear, becoming a dangerous pair if they aren't separated. When fought alone, he's a Mighty Glacier with slow yet powerful attacks that will punish less-experienced players, and is also more durable than previous foes.
Kataoka
Minister Kataoka
Voiced by: Takeshi Kuwabara
"I may have made mistakes, but I shall allow no woman to scold me like that! You shall die by my arrows!"
Kataoka was a minister who was entrusted by Lord Gohda to oversee his domain's monetary affairs, but eventually succumbed to his greed and started to take advantage of oppotunities for illegal personal gain. When confronted by the Azuma after Sekiya sent them to assassinate the corrupt minister, his response differs depending on whether it was Rikimaru or Ayame who confronted him.
- Annoying Arrows: Uses archery to fight the Azuma. Ayame taunts him with this trope:"Your arrows are like you: weak and twisted. I fear them... NOT."
- Bad Boss: Kataoka shoots an arrow into the neck of his bodyguard so he doesn't reveal where he is hiding. The arrow is a hint that he is located at the archery range.
- Pride: Is particularly noticeable when Ayame confronts him, where he takes offense to being called out for his crimes by a woman, and cries "How could I have lost?" upon being killed.
- Seppuku: How he dies when confronted by Rikimaru. When confronted by Ayame, he becomes too clouded by pride to consider this, and instead dies by her blade.
- Stay in the Kitchen: Is willing to follow Rikimaru's request to commit seppuku to regain his honor, but is insulted when Ayame confronts him.
- The Unfought: When playing as Rikimaru, where he commits seppuku to regain his honor.
On
On
Voiced by: Kiyomi Shimada
"I know what you want. You want the stone. It's safe inside my belly."
On is the leader of the Manji cult and the boss of the Infiltrate the Maji Cult mission. Sometime before the mission, she found a stone that contained a demon within, and was able to render humans both mutated and under mind control. With the stone, she used it to create her own army of the manji cultists and started taking over other temples, where the monks were either killed or turned into more of the cultists. When the Azuma are dispatched to kill her, she swallows the stone to avoid the ninja taking it.
- Artifact of Attraction: The stone that contained an evil spirit is the source of her obsession, to the point that On swallows the stone just before the Azuma arrive so they couldn’t take it. When she’s killed, she cries out and calls the stone precious.
- Cult: The head of the Manji, a cult that reveres the stone that contains an evil spirit with mind control abilities.
- Mind Control: She uses the stone to induce people into a zombie-like state, forcing them to bolster her cult. Given how she reacts to the stone, especially near death, it’s implied she too is under the control of the stone and Onikage.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Not much is known about her before she is killed by the Azuma.
Balma
Captain Balma
Voiced by: Aaron Casillas
"¿Deseas que te maten? ¡Muérete! (So you wish to be killed? Die!)"
Captain Balma is the Spanish captain of a pirate ship that attacks a Japanese coastal village, resulting in Lord Gohda sending Rikimaru/Ayame to dispose of him.
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: He’ll beg to God before dying, though neither Ayame or Rikimaru think he’ll be shown mercy given what he’s done.
- An Arm and a Leg: He’s missing his left hand, which has been replaced with the stereotypical pirate’s hook.
- Gratuitous Spanish: A spanish-born pirate, he speaks entirely in his native language, but what he says and what it means are two different things.
- Handicapped Badass: Despite missing one of his hands, he uses the hook to fight with his sword, and proves to be a dangerous opponent for the Azuma.
- Hook Hand: Befitting of his pirate background, Balmer replaced his amputated left hand with a large hook.
- Pirate: One who originated from Spain, and found his way to Japan’s coastal villages.
- Pirates Vs Ninjas: A Spanish pirate who faces off against two Azuma ninja when he threatens a village. Ultimately, he doesn’t survive the encounter.
