Way of the Samurai (series)

Way of the Samurai is a game series produced by Acquire and Spike.

Game Type
The 1st game is during the Meiji Period you get to choose your own destiny for your samurai by joining the Akadama clan, Kurou Clan or the woman in the restaurant. The 2nd game it's almost like the 1st game. In the 3rd game is during the Sengoku Period.

Way of the Samurai

 * Kenji: Very little is known about the protagonist, aside from the fact that he is a samurai. Due to the nature of the game, Kenji's motivations are entirely decided by the individual player; he can be a selfless hero, shameless villain, or indifferent spectator. It should be noted that the player has the option of changing Kenji's name at the start of the game, as well as altering his appearance using various head and body models unlocked during repeated playing.
 * Tesshin Kurou: The patriarch of the Kurou family, Tesshin comes from a long line of samurai and is one of the most formidable swordsmen in the game. He has a famous sword named Dai-Kuronama. He is also the father of Kitcho -- Head of the Akadama Clan. Kurou laments the waning influence of the great samurai families, but can see little option but to provide for his family. He has been driving villagers out of the station for months so that he can sell Rokkotsu Pass and his failing iron foundry to the Meiji government.
 * Kitcho: A charismatic revolutionary and head of the Akadama Clan -- a group of samurai who have recently arrived in the pass with the intention of overthrowing the Meiji government and bringing the samurai class back into prominence. Kitcho is the son of Tesshin Kurou through a previous marriage, and at least equal to his father in terms of swordsmanship. Kitcho opposes Kurou's treatment of the villagers and his plan to sell Rokkotsu Pass to the government, seeing it as surrendering to their enemy.
 * Madam Murasaki: The wife of Tesshin Kurou, Murasaki is widely respected in Rokkotsu Pass, and is the first to discover the truth behind the Meiji government's interest in purchasing the iron foundry. Although the family credits her with revitalizing the Kurou family's dwindling fortune, she silently opposes selling the iron foundry. She is having an affair with Inokashira the police officer.
 * Chelsea: An Englishwoman, Chelsea is a prominent member of the Akadama clan and hinted to be Kitcho's lover. She is deeply devoted to Kitcho and his dreams, and makes an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Tesshin Kurou, thwarted by Tsubohachi.
 * Karibe: Another primary member of the Akadama clan, Karibe feels that the clan should strike out against the Kurou family, which leads to tension between himself and Kitcho. He has great sword skill but is volatile and unstable.
 * Soichiro Shiretoko: A Kurou family's adviser who is trusted by Tesshin to do important tasks. Although he seems to prefer delegating tasks to lower level members of the Kurou, he is a formidable opponent when forced to draw his sword.
 * Hachiro Tsubohachi: A Kurou family enforcer, he is one of the first people Kenji encounters when arriving to the pass. He is easily distinguished by the tattoos on his upper body (which appear similar to those used by the Yakuza). No matter Kenji's allegiance, Tsubohachi sees Kenji as a rival.
 * Hyuga: A ninja who appears to work with the Akadama Clan, Hyuga is actually a government spy sent to manipulate Kitcho, persuading him to take control of the Rokkotsu Pass quickly, so when the Akadama Clan and Kurou Family clash, both forces will be weakened, so then the Meiji forces can take over without having to deal with much resistance. He is responsible for the animosity between the Kurou and Akadama Clans, making it easier for the Meiji Government to dominate the events in the pass.
 * Kintaro Kurou: The infant son of Tesshin Kurou and Madame Murasaki and half-brother of Kitcho. Although too young to have any significant purpose, he is also sought by Kitcho as he sees him as a future threat.
 * Josui Tamagawa: Commander of the Meiji Government army with a strong disliking to samurai. Tamagawa manipulates the various characters in an attempt to secure control of Rokkotsu Pass, as well as putting an end to the reign of the samurai era.
 * Inokashira: A police officer in Rokkotsu Pass, he is both arrogant and corrupt, using gun as his weapon of choice and accepting bribes at every turn. He is discovered to be in a secret relationship with Madam Murasaki.
 * Jose: A giant lackey employed by Inokashira, whose preferred weapon is a large bludgeon. Probably the physically strongest character in the Pass, but also the least intelligent.
 * Gunji Dojima: The town swordsmith, the player may enlist his services to enhance the attributes of any of the swords collected during the events of the game. Dojima also participates in several of the plotlines, as he feels that the weak and poor are victimized by those around them and chooses to defend the villagers in the Pass.
 * Suzu: One of the first people encountered by Kenji, Suzu is a waitress who runs Amaguri, a restaurant in the station. She lost her parents during the war, and was saved and raised by Kurikichi. She is frequently harrased by Tsubohachi who has a crush on her, she on the other hand is not interested.
 * Kurikichi: Owner of the small restaurant named Amaguri in the Rokkotsu Pass station. Kurikichi saved Suzu when she was a child and raises her as his own daughter. Though he is hunched and sometimes can barely walk, he is resilient and refuses to be pushed around by the opposing factions.
 * Don Donatelouse (Dona Dona): A foreigner who wishes to be a samurai. Notable for his large afro, he is often referred to by the villagers as "Dona Dona" and has taken the role of protector for Suzu and Kurikichi. He is in love with Suzu, but cannot find the right way to express it. Though canonically he is a poor fighter, in actual gameplay he can be quite a formidable opponent.
 * Enzan Toyoko: Another ronin wandering around Rokkotsu Pass, Toyoko will sometimes provide Kenji, and the player, with useful information.

Way of the Samurai 2

 * No-Name Girl: Maikaze's errand-girl. She is the first person that the player meets when starting the game. She offers the player food at the start. It later emerges that her name is Sayo and that she is being used to grow soma Voiced by Asuka Tanii
 * Aoto Three: Members of the Aoto gang who take pleasure in extortion. They all look the same, but have different weapons. Their leader seems to be Ichikichi, followed by Santa and Nihei, the dumb one. They can be seen walking around town. Voiced by Taido Kusuyama
 * Chiyo: Chiyo is Dr. Genan's friendly assistant. Her real name is Oboro and she is a kunoichi working for the Shogunate. Voiced by Yuki Hamano
 * Danpachi: A citizen of Amakaze, a man who looks after Sayo. Danpachi is a kind man who does only the best for Amahara. He is a skilled fighter and something of a playboy. He is married and has two children. Voiced by Hiromichi Kogami
 * Kyojiro Kagenuma: Crazy, yet the strongest member of the Aoto gang, she likes violence very much. Even though she serves Hanzaemon, she values bloody fights more than anything. She hates it when she is called Okyo. This Character is possibly based on Bijomaru Mogami from film Azumi. Voiced by Akiko Koike
 * Hanzaemon Takanuma: The current leader of the Aoto gang, he is determined to take over Amahara at any cost. Voiced by Toshitaka Shimizu
 * Yasuno Kuremon: A corrupt magistrate actually working for the Aoto gang, he is quite mischievous and serves as a lapdog for Hanzaemon. Voiced by Masayuki Kato
 * Kasumi: The daughter of the former boss of the Aoto gang, she tries to do whatever to save the town from their terror. Voiced by Masako Inui
 * Kusaburo: A painfully shy medicine peddler, who roams around in town. He is a Shogunate spy helping out Beniya with his plans. Voiced by Satoru Tsugawa
 * Muto Goshiro: A true follower of the Chief Magistrate Kuroha. Will maintain law and order in Amahara at any cost. Voiced by Toshiaki Kuwahara
 * Nakamura Sosuke: Perhaps the most powerful magistrate in town, Sosuke has a very strange appearance, wears make up and talks in an effeminate voice. Voiced by Masakazu Suzuki
 * Chief Kuroha: The head magistrate, who strives to bring peace and order to Amahara. Voiced by Naomi Kusumi
 * Nami: Nami is the lover of Yasuno and is a courtesan working at the Amakaze Inn. She has blond hair and fights using a naginata. Voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro
 * Dr. Genan: The town's doctor, he actually grows the drug Soma that has the magistrates so worked up. Voiced by Atsushi Imaruoka
 * Beniya Kakube: An undercover merchant working for the Shogunate. Voiced by Takahiro Yoshino
 * Maikaze: The most popular geisha of Amakaze who owns Sayo. Despite being strict, she is a very kind and helpful person. Voiced by Takako Kodama
 * Kotsubo: A boy fixing matches for people at the shrine. Voiced by Soichiro Shibata
 * Otomi: Kasumi's friend who is targeted by the Aoto gang because she owes them money. She suffers from Soma's side effects and shows signs of withdrawal. Voiced by Hikari Yono
 * Nishino: A ronin that is targeted by the Aoto gang because he owes them money. Voiced by Naoki Bando
 * Dojima: The town's blacksmith, located in Numata-cho. Voiced by Atsushi Imaruoka
 * Master Tessho: The town's dojo master. Voiced by Yosuke Akimoto

Fujimori Clan

 * Fujimori Shuzen: The rising Lord who overthrew the Sakurai clan. He is strengthening his power by forcing hard labor and collecting high taxes from the villagers. Voiced by: Nakada Jouji
 * Umemiya Shinnosuke: The eldest son of Munechika Umemiya, and a former loyal member of the Sakurai clan. Now a vassal of Fujimori Shuzen. A skilled swordman who was once called the "Three swords of the Sakurai Clan". There is a reason behind his betrayal. Voiced by: Daisuke Ono
 * Araragihime: Fujimori Shuzen's mistress, who holds the noble bloodline. She is a fearless woman who lives as she desires. Any worthless men will easily have their souls taken from this witch-like woman. Voiced by: Yukiko Ozima
 * Kirie Masatsugu: Fujimori's ninja general who does all the dirty jobs for Shuzen. Another assassin will replace his role in events if he was killed before that.

Ouka Clan

 * Matsuzaki Genjuro: The giant leader of the Ouka clan who was once a low rank samurai of the Sakurai clan. He persuaded fallen samurai and bandits to create the Ouka clan and rebuild Sakurai clan. However, he is known to use violence to obtain power. Voiced by: Takahiro Yoshino
 * Umemiya Yuuma: Youngest son of the Umemiya family who proudly served the Sakurai clan. He strongly believes that the Sakurai clan can be rebuilt through the Ouka clan. He detests his father for being a coward and his brother for being a traitor. Voiced by: Hiroshi Sugiyama
 * Rindo Itsuse: A female samurai of the Ouka Clan. After losing her family (killed by Fujimori Shuzen), she lives only to kill him and get her revenge. Voiced by: Eri Saitou

Takatane Village

 * Umemiya Munechika: Former chief vassal of the Sakurai clan, now head of the village. He is the target of threats and abuse from the Fujimori clan because he wants to protect villagers from their oppression. Voiced by: ???
 * Osei: A young girl who lives in the village with her little brother, Kouta. She really hates samurai because she lost her parents in a great battle against the Fujimori clan. Osei is, in fact, not just a normal village girl. Voiced by: Rina Satō
 * Kouta: A young boy who lives in the village with his older sister, Osei. Although he acts as if he hates samurai in front of his sister, he actually admires them a lot. Voiced by: Maki Mizuma

Others

 * Doujima: The blacksmith who appeared in every Way of the Samurai games, now he has a brother. They will gladly work on your weapons as long as you have the money. Voiced by: Atsushi Imaruoka
 * Sensei: The female samurai who taught players how to fight in the tutorial at the beginning of the 1st game. Now she can be found on the 3rd floor of the dojo at Guard Gate. Sensei can become a partner in the Plus version of the game. Voiced by: Hikami Kyouko
 * Kasumi: The heroine from the 2nd game. Now she is one of the companions you can find in this game. Voiced by: Hikami Kyouko
 * Setsuen: A mysterious man who seems to be spying on Amana.
 * Zaji "The Black Hawk": The ninja from Shinobido: Way of the Ninja, he is a guest character in this game. He will drop a smoke bomb and his sword when defeated. Voiced by: Konishi Katsuyuki
 * Misae: An old woman who is the job broker in Takatane village. The first job she will give you is to find her missing underwear.
 * Oryo: A woman who is the job broker in Omiki town. Misaki often hangs around her.
 * Joji: Ouka clan's job broker, nicknamed "the homeless mighty god".
 * Kiyonari: Fujimori clan's job broker.
 * Fabled Merchant: A legendary merchant who appears occationally in the little boat by the waterfall at the Road. He sells the niftiest stuff in the game.
 * Momiji: A tomboy who wants to avenge her father. She can be recruited if player choose not to fight her. When her health is full, Momiji can occationally invent a new sword skill.
 * Kana: A village girl who will become your servant once rescued from bandits. She can hold weapon parts.
 * Misaki: Another villager who was also kidnapped. But unlike Kana, she is mean and ungrateful. As a partner, she will help by kicking enemies when player is losing.
 * Minamo: A girl who will become your little sister if you have certain swords. She will sometimes give you a new sword, and hold items.
 * Yuzu: An old woman who will takes care of you like a mother if you are nice to her. Her bargain skill lowers the price of items you buy.
 * Hinagiku: Hinagiku will become a companion if you buy her a lot of things. She will distract enemies in battles, and also hold your money. But if she moves in, she will sometimes steal money from your safe.
 * Yukino: A spear woman who will work as your bodyguard if paid. Her late husband was a spearman. She can hold weapons.
 * Hiiragi: A girl who likes to eat. She will follow you if you give her something big to eat (a giant radish). Hiiragi can throw you foods when your health is low and holds your accessories.
 * Otome: A virgin old lady who was apparently a kunoichi. To obtain her services, player must accept her assassination requests (like killing the Dojimas). She kicks corpses and breaks objects.
 * Osada: In order for her to join, player must perform a "shameful slash" on her (that is slashing at a female character's lower body, only barely hitting their clothes so that it will come off and make her run away in shame). With her as a partner, player can buy stuff from dead merchants.
 * Nya-Nya: A cat girl wielding a giant tuna who will appear if player was nice to the cats in town. She is playful and can break the swords in your safe if you leave her at home.
 * Dona: The afro samurai from the first game. Dona is a girl now. She will steal swords from the safe if left at home alone.
 * Ensen: The wandering rōnin from the 1st game, who can become your apprentice if you spare his life. He runs faster than female partners, and sometimes brings a woman to your house.
 * Genjuro: A dog (not Matsuzaki Genjuro) beloved by those of the Ouka clan.