Yoshihiro Shimazu

Yoshihiro Shimazu 1st appeared in Devil Kings.

Samurai Warriors
Yoshihiro is a war veteran who wants to feel thrill in battle. He starts his story defending his home against Hideyoshi's army in an-all-or-nothing bid for the Kyushu island. Whilst in the battle, he clashes blades with Ginchiyo Tachibana, who swears to avenge her father and family at any cost. Although he and his family defeat Hideyoshi for one victory, the conqueror's resources and intelligence eventually force the Shimazu to surrender. As vassals under Hideyoshi, he joins the eastern siege of Odawara Castle. Seeing Hideyoshi's cleverness, Yoshihiro gives up his own ambitions for conquering the land. After Hideyoshi passes away, however, Yoshihiro realizes his discarded dream has a slight chance to succeed. Disowning his right as clan head and giving it to his nephew, Toyohisa, Yoshihiro joins Mitsunari Ishida. After winning Kusegawa, the Western army suffers grievous losses at Sekigahara. Regardless, Yoshihiro decides to turn the tide of the battle by charging with his men through the center. By keeping Toyohisa, Ginchiyo, Mitsunari and Sakon Shima alive, Yoshihiro is able to direct the Western army to victory. Mitsunari orders a pursuit of Ieyasu's army at Edo Castle. Once it seems as though Mitsunari is on the verge of winning, Yoshihiro defects and gambles on taking the land in one battle. During the final confrontation, he slays Ginchiyo and is sadden that he cannot mourn her valor. With their victory, the Shimazu rule in the new land of peace and restless Yoshihiro gradually copes with the dramatic change. His dream stage is a "what-if?" scenario of Yoshihiro's historical inactivity in Sekigahara. He waits until the Western army is nearly defeated and then charges out to battle to change the odds in their favor. In Samurai Warriors 3, Yoshihiro's story begins in a similar manner as his previous story except that he has Muneshige Tachibana as an additional rival. After Hideyoshi's death, Yoshihiro tries to join Ieyasu and heads to aid Mototada Torii at Fushimi Castle. However, since Mototada refuses his cooperation, an upset Yoshihiro joins the Western army's siege of the castle to teach Mototada a lesson. With his position within Mitsunari's ranks, he burns down the fortification and scatters the Eastern Army. His diversion for the Western army lands him a place at Ise Province. In an effort to weaken Ieyasu's forces further, Sakon leads the siege of Otsu Castle. Yoshihiro reunites with Muneshige and they work together to break Tadakatsu Honda's hold of the castle. After the battle's conclusion, he reconciles his differences with Muneshige. With both men present on the losing side of Sekigahara, they gamble their lives to break through Ieyasu's forces after Mitsunari's camp falls. Escaping safely whilst defeating many of the Eastern army generals, Yoshihiro reveals his plan to rule the land by immediately pursuing and dispatching Ieyasu. Muneshige disagrees with the elder's plot. When Yoshihiro readies himself for what he believes to be a duel, the younger general instead slices both of their war banners and states that he won't lose to the elder. Yoshihiro departs from Muneshige to carry out his plan, both rivals expecting a fearsome challenge from the other in the future.

Kessen
Shimazu appears in Kessen as one of the starting generals for the Toyotomi army. He is on ill-terms with Mitsunari before Sekigahara and fights with a small and very reluctant army. Aside from this battle, he has a fearful cavalry unit. He is proud of his heritage, often yelling that his opponents will feel the wrath of his homeland. Though he will participate in battles following Mitsunari's death, he will not be one of the units to defend Osaka Castle. In Kessen 3, he is one of the generals who joins the shogunate to defy Nobunaga late in the game. He leads an expert rifle unit.

Devil Kings
In Devil Kings Yoshihiro's name is Zaan. He is normally seen cantrolling his own army in Kyushu. He weilds a sword in battle.

Voice Actors

 * Mark Skoda - Samurai Warriors 2 (English)
 * Mark Acheson - Kessen (English)
 * Hisao Egawa - Samurai Warriors and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)
 * Daisuke Gōri - Kessen (Japanese)

History
Shimazu Yoshihiro (島津 義弘?, August 21, 1535 – August 30, 1619) was the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. It had traditionally been believed that he became the seventeenth head of the Shimazu clan after Yoshihisa, but it is currently believed that he let Yoshihisa keep his position.

He was a skilled general and the victory against Ito clan at the battle of Kizakibaru on 1572 is counted as one of his many victories. He contributed greatly to the unification of Kyūshū. On 1587, facing Toyotomi Hideyoshi's troops that sought to pacify Kyūshū, Yoshihiro pressed for a war even after his brother and the head of clan Yoshihisa surrendered. After Yoshihisa repeatedly asked for the surrender, Yoshihiro finally did surrender. After Yoshihisa became a Buddhist monk, it had been believed that he became the head of the clan but the real power remained in Yoshihisa's hands.

He had been a willing and a skillful general for Hideyoshi. On both 1592 and 1597 of the Seven-Year War, Yoshihiro set his foot on the Korean peninsula and successfully carried out a series of battles. On 1597, working together with Todo Takatora, Katō Yoshiaki and Konishi Yukinaga, Yoshihiro defeated Won Kyun's navy. At the Battle of Sacheon (泗川) in 1598, facing Ming army counting 37,000, Yoshihiro defeated them with only 7,000 soldiers. Shimazu troops under Yoshihiro was called "Oni-Shimazu (literal translation-Shimazu demons or Shimazu ogres)" by Ming. On the final battle of the war, the Battle of Noryang, Yoshihiro's objective was to cross the Noryang Strait, link up with Konishi and retreat to Japan. The Korean admiral Yi Soon Shin that had obstructed Yoshiaki was killed by him at sea. And, he rescued all Japanese commanders, and returned to Japan.

For the Battle of Sekigahara on 1600, Yoshihiro was supposed to take the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu, but he crushed against Torii Mototada on arriving for a rescue at Fushimi Castle and after being humiliated, took the side of Ishida Mitsunari instead. Yet Yoshihiro could not get along with Mitsunari as well, who did not listen to any of Yoshihiro's plan including surprise night attack on the day before the actual battle. On the day of the battle, Yoshihiro and his troop of 1500 simply held ground and did not fight at all. After the rest of Mitsunari's side was wiped out, Yoshihiro was stranded in at least 30,000 of Ieyasu's troop. Vastly outnumbered, Yoshihiro tried to make a charge against Ieyasu himself but after Shimazu Toyohisa demanded that he not kill himself over a meaningless battle, Yoshihiro instead chose to charge straight through Ieyasu's troop to make an exit at the other side. By having his troop make a fighting retreat called Sutegamari(捨 て奸) where until certain number of men died holding a position and repelling an attack, the main body of army fought as well. Toyohisa and the bulk of troop died, but the charge and the retreat was a success and fatally wounded Ii Naomasa. After beating back the chase, he picked up his wife at Sumiyoshi of Settsu Province and returned to Satsuma Province by ships.

After recognizing why and how Yoshihiro behaved on the battle field, Ieyasu had Shimazu clan retain its domain and let Yoshihiro's son Shimazu Tadatsune succeed him. Yoshihiro retired to Sakurajima and took up teaching younger generations. He died on 1619 and several of his retainers who had fought along him followed him by committing suicide.

Yoshihiro was essential to the Shimazu clan and both Ieyasu and Hideyoshi tried to divide the clan by treating Yoshihiro well, but treating the elder brother Yoshihisa badly, which did not succeed. He was a devoted Buddhist, and built a monument for enemy troops during the Seven-Year War.