List of Ronin Warriors characters

The following is a list of characters in the Ronin Warriors manga and anime series authored by Hajime Yatate.

Protagonists

Ryo Sanada

Ryo Sanada, known in Japan as Ryō Sanada (真田遼 Sanada Ryō), is the unofficial leader of the Ronin Warriors. He is often called "hot-headed" by fans and does tend to charge ahead without putting too much thought into the situation beforehand (like Kento). Nevertheless, he has a big heart and cares for his friends. He is voiced by Takeshi Kusao (Matt Hill in the English dub).

Ryo's family is descended from a Shinobi ninja clan, but very little is known about them. Ryo's mother died when he was still a baby and his wild-life photographer father, Sanada-san, makes his first official appearance in an audiocassette drama (Cassette Collection #3), in which he is possessed by a demon. Despite such traumatic events, Mr. Sanada is often on photography assignments, much to his son's dismay. Ryo has relatives on his father's side of the family, but has never met them: their personal convictions are disliked by Sanada-san, who had to abandon them to live a life of his own.

Ryo wears the Wildfire armor (a straightfoward translation of its original Japanese name, Rekka). His Virtue is Jin (Righteousness; rendered simply as Virtue within the series). He has an elemental affinity for fire. His weapons are a twin pair of katanas, and his surekill is Wildfire Flare (Flare Up Now!) (called Sou En Zan or Twin Flame Cut, in YST). For this attack, he attaches his two katanas together to form a staff-like weapon and performs a greatly empowered strike with it, usually in the form of a column of white-hot energy.

When Ryo gathers energy and the guiding Virtues from the four Ronin or Warlord armors, the armor of Inferno (called Shiroi Kikoutei or White Sun Emperor, in YST) (sometimes simply called the White Armor in the dub) forms around him. He gained the armor during the first battle against Talpa. During the battle Ryo is overpowered and absorbed into Talpa's armor along with the rest of the Ronin warriors and Dark Warlords. He nearly gives up, but refusing to let his friends down he breaks free, and gains the Inferno from the other Ronin's virtues and defeats Talpa. A draw for Ryo when using the Inferno armor was that its power was so great that it damaged his swords from the wildfire armor when he used it, but Ryo later gained the Swords of Fervor, (called Gou Retsu Ken or Strong Violent Swords) and uses a different surekill: Rage of Inferno. The attack is essentially the same as his Wildfire's surekill, except that he shoots a massive stream of fire instead of attacking with a his swords. The armor's power itself is legendary; at the peak of its power, it is said to be able to destroy an entire planet. When Ryo gained the armor, Talpa desired it to the point where he lost any interest in the other armors. With no guiding virtue of its own, the Inferno Armor must rely on 5 guiding virtues to keep it pure. Ryo's tiger, White Blaze, also has an armored form. White Blaze is entrusted with the soul of Black Blaze, who accompanies Ryo into battle and carries the Soul Swords of Fervor. However, the Inferno Armor was eradicated in a fever-pitched battle with Mukara.

By the end of the 3rd OVA, Message, Ryo gained a new armor and more powerful abilities.

The name "Sanada" likely came from Sanada Yukimura, a real samurai who died in 1615. He is frequently depicted as wearing red armor, and was widely considered a hero.

The crest on Ryo's armor is actually a slightly stylized version the family symbol of the Takeda clan. [1]

Sage Date

Sage Date, known in Japan as Seiji Date (伊達征士 Date Seiji), is a member of the Ronin Warriors and considered the most mature and aloof member of the team. One of the key moments for this character takes place in the CD drama Korinden, when he questions whether or not he wants to be a Ronin Warrior.

Sage comes from a very traditional Japanese family, in which the women hold the power. He has a father who is a police officer, a mother, grandmother, grandfather, older sister Yayoi, and younger sister Satsuki. Satsuki is the most "normal" of the Date family and doesn't use proper Japanese language like her siblings.

In the OVA Gaiden, Sage was captured by Shikaisen and the Mad Scientist; his Halo Armor was used to kill people in New York, one of them being Runa's brother.

Sage wears the Halo armor, called Kōrin (光輪, halo/nimbus) in YST. His Virtue is Chi (Wisdom), which was changed from Rei (Courtesy) in YST. His elemental affinity is light. Sage fights with a nodachi, a Japanese broadsword. His surekill is the Thunderbolt Cut, called Rai Ko Zan (Lightning Strike) in YST. His thunderbolt has him gather a large amount of energy to his sword, and despite the name it's sometimes used as a thrust attack. It can also manifest as a burst of energy beams.

There is an interesting little story about Sage and it seems that he was vice-president of the Kendo club at his high school in ninth grade and the president in tenth grade. Because of the battle with Talpa (Arago) which occurred in the spring (that would be his second resurgence), Sage did not attend the Kendo tournament. A young man named Shingo (apparently a friendly rival of Sage's in the sport) won the championship that year and later wrote a letter to Sage, hoping that they'll meet at next year's tournament.

It was in this letter that Rowen and Kento got the idea to cut Sage's hair. Shingo had written that Sage didn't look bad with both eyes and asked him why he didn't cut his hair. Rowen and Kento chased Sage with scissors. They didn't read the rest of the letter where Shingo speculated that maybe Sage's victory was due partly to how intimidating Sage looks with both eyes showing. Sage is voiced by Michael Donovan in the English dub.

Like Ryo, Sage's family name Date, comes from a real-life samurai called Date Masamune.

Cye Mouri

Cye Mouri, known in Japan as Shin Mōri (毛利伸 Mōri Shin), is the oldest of member of the Ronin Warriors and normally one of the calmest. He has an Australian accent in the English dubbing.

Cye's family situation is similar to the other Ronins. His father died when he was young, his mother is an artisan (more exactly, a famous potter) who is often ill, and he has an older sister named Sayoko, who is married to a fellow whom Cye didn't like at first. However, the Ronins, Mia, and Yuli are like a family to him and Kento is his best friend.

His armor is the Torrent (known as Suikō (lit. Water) in YST) and his Virtue is Shin (Faith, also referred to as Trust). His weapon is a trident, whose prongs can close, allowing him to grab opponents from afar or cut through obstacles. The armor is also equipped with a tantō dagger and a claw-like weapon on the gauntlet, but he has, apparently, never used either of those. His elemental affinity is water and his surekill is Super Wave Smasher, (known as Chou Ryu Ha (Super Wave Crush) in YST). The attack is a powerful burst of water.

Cye's main opponent is Sekhmet, the Dark Warlord of Venom. However, in the drama CD, Suikoden, he encounters a villain named Toryuki, a demon living on Earth whose powers were similar to his. Cye is voiced by Michael Donovan in the English dub, and also voices Sage Date.

In the 3rd OVA, Message, Cye receives a new suit of armor and upgraded powers. The extent of his new powers are unknown.

Like Ryo and Sage, Cye's family name, Mouri, possibly came from the real-life Japanese daimyo Mouri Motonari.

Kento Rei Fang

Kento Rei Fang, known in Japan as Xiu Lei Huang (jp:シュー・レイ・フアン Shū Rei Fuan, ch:秀麗黄 Xiu Lei Huang), is a member of the Ronin Warriors and arguably has the greatest physical strength of the entire group, shown to perform feats like stopping speeding trucks, without using his armor. Like Ryo, he has a short temper and is quick to anger when provoked, but he also has the biggest heart, and is a loyal friend when push comes to shove. His armor of Hardrock is said to be the most violent of the armors.

Kento has the largest family of the Ronins, and is the oldest of five siblings. He has two sisters, Rinfi and Chun Fa, and two brothers, Mei Ryu and Yun. Kento's parents (Chan Run and unnamed mother) own a successful restaurant business in Yokohama; as a result, the family is quite wealthy, although Kento doesn't consider being rich a big deal. Kento is best friends with Cye; he and Cye are shown rooming together while staying at Mia's house, and they go surfing together in Kikoutei Densetsu.

Kento's armor is Hardrock, and his Virtue is Gi (Justice). His weapon is a combination of a three-section staff and a naginata and he sometimes wields the sanketsukon like a pair of nunchakus in close combat. The armor's surekill is Iron Rock Crusher (called Gan Tessai in YST) which causes a massive earthquake-like disruption in the Earth around him. He is voiced by Jason Gray-Stanford in the English dub.

Kento, like the other Ronins, acquired a new suit of armor in the 3rd OVA, Message, but its powers and abilities are unknown.

Rowen Hashiba

Rowen Hasiba, known in Japan as Tōma Hashiba (羽柴当麻 Hashiba Tōma), is a member of the Ronin Warriors and is considered by some to be the most intelligent of the group, which causes the Dark Warlord Dais to describe Rowen as the most cunning and therefore the most dangerous of the Ronins.

He supposedly has an IQ of 250 and often serves as the voice of reason in the group as a counter-balance to the hotter tempers of Ryo and Kento. In the TV series, he is portrayed as having a thick Brooklyn accent, but that accent went missing in the OVAs. His father, Genichirou, is a "mad scientist" and is often too busy to see his son. His mother (name unknown) is a journalist who travels a lot and doesn't see much of her ex-husband or her son, treating them both as friends, rather than family. She first appears in the YST CD drama Tenkuden (The Legend of Tenku). Rowen is close friends with Sage, as they share similar interests.

Rowen wears the Strata armor, called Tenku (Heavens) in YST. His virtue is Inochi (Life) in Ronin Warriors, changed from Chi (Wisdom) in the original YST. The armor's principal weapon is a collapsible bow which is attached to the back of the armor, along with a small metallic quiver, from which a seemingly unlimited amount of arrows can be drawn. His surekill is Arrow Shockwave, called Shinku Ha (Vacuum Wave) in YST. The attack consists of firing an arrow that energizes to instill devastating explosive capacities upon impact with the target, releasing a powerfully destructive pillar of light. (The first use of his surekill demolished a large section of a mountain). He is voiced by Ward Perry in the English dub.

Like the other Ronins, Rowen gained a new suit of armor in the 3rd OVA, Message; however, its powers and abilities remain unknown.

Rowen's name Hashiba is most likely from Toyotomi Hideyoshi's original surname, Hashiba. Toyotomi was Oda Nobunaga's successor, and unified Japan under his rule for a short while.

Antagonists

Talpa

Talpa, Emperor of the Evil Dynasty (called Youja Teiou Arago; Demon Emperor Arago in YST), is a powerful evil spirit who threatened to conquer the earth-plane a millennium ago. He was defeated by The Ancient One, who was the guardian of the mortal world. Before his defeat, Talpa vowed to exact revenge in a thousand years. While his spirit was sent back to the Nether Realm, his armor remained in the mortal world. Since the armor could not be destroyed, The Ancient cast a powerful spell, and split Talpa's armor into nine separate armors with their own separate powers and Virtues. Talpa eventually re-acquired four of them: Cruelty, Corruption, Illusion, and Venom. He gave them to four humans who became his Dark Warlords.

During the modern era, Talpa follows through with his revenge and takes over the city of Tokyo by capturing its citizens. Talpa would send the Dark Warlords out on missions to destroy the Ronin Warriors who threatened to wreck his plans of world domination. Eventually, the Ronins enter the evil emperor's castle, but Talpa absorbed each of the Ronin Warriors and the Dark Warlords to regain his armor. However, Ryo refused to let down the other Ronin and broke free using the Inferno Armor to defeat Talpa. Talpa was assumed to be dead by the Ronins, but he did survive the battle. In the second TV series, Talpa returns stronger and more determined than ever. He even unleashes a secret weapon against the Ronins that even his own Warlords didn't know about: Lady Kayura, the last of Ancient One's clan, whom he corrupted to serve his own purposes. This time Talpa had his eyes on gaining the Inferno Armor and using its power to destroy the earth. Eventually, he was able to capture the Ronin Warriors, but they freed themselves after Anubis sacrificed himself to free Kayura from Talpa's control, and even the Dark Warlords turned on him when they realized that they were only pawns to him, despite their previous seeming fanatical devotion. In the final battle Talpa proved far stronger than before, even overpowering the Inferno armor, but still lost. He's finally destroyed by Ully using the Jewel of Life.

Talpa's weapon is six double edged swords formed in a circle on the back of his body. Before re-gaining his armored form, Talpa only appeared as a giant floating helmet.

In episode 2 of Gaiden, Shikaisen's last form against the Ronin Warriors looked eerily like Talpa, but until Message was released a few years after Gaiden, Talpa never made another appearance.

Talpa's origin was told in a book written by a member of the Sunrise staff. It came out around the same time as the novelized versions of the TV series, and a special novel about the Kaos clan.

Anubis Dohji

Anubis Dohji, the Dark Warlord of Cruelty (known as Oni Mashou Shutendouji (鬼魔将・朱天童子, Ogre Demon General Shutendouji^?) in the original Japanese) is a fictional character in the TV anime/manga series Yoroiden-Samurai Troopers (鎧伝サムライトルーパー) (Ronin Warriors). He is voiced by Kiyoyuki Yanada (Paul Dobson in the English dub).

Anubis' Japanese name, Shutendōji, is a reference to a demon from Japanese folklore, notable for hating beans (as did the YST version of the character).

Anubis is the former leader of the four Dark Warlords and was by far the most arrogant. His armor, which represents Spring, is infused with the virtue Chuu (Loyalty), and his weapon is a kusari-gama (sickle and chain). His surekill is Quake With Fear (called Ko Rai Sen (Red Lightning Flash) in the original Japanese). For the attack he sends his chain into the ground, which then bursts out in the form of several chains.

Before he was one of the Dark Warlords, Anubis—then called Koma Toshitada (Toshitada Koma, to use the original Japanese order) --was a warrior in ancient Japan. He explained his reasons for joining with Talpa in Episode 30 ("Talpa Turns the Tide"):

"400 years ago, I was a warrior in my small village. During that time, I was a restless young man. I had great ambitions, though. I was going to be the greatest warrior the world had ever seen. I was determined to bring honor to myself and to my family, but my successes were never enough. I was impatient... greedy. The more power I won, the more power I wanted. Honor was no longer important to me... power was. Talpa came at a time when I was ripe for his dark promises. I was so wild, so easily seduced into Talpa's Dark Nether World."

In episode 15 ("The Ancient's Battle"), the Ancient One helped Anubis see that Talpa was merely using him as a tool; the Warlord subsequently tried to escape in episode 17 ("The Legend of the Armor"), but ultimately failed and was absorbed into Talpa during the showdown between the demon and Ronin Warriors.

After Talpa was first defeated by the hands of the Ronins, Anubis was presumed dead, but he reappeared in episode 28 ("Lady Kayura and the Dark Realm") wearing the Ancient One's clothing. Although no one trusted him at first, he continued to aid the Ronins in their fight against the revived Talpa, earning their confidence. He managed to send Ryo Sanada and Rowen Hashiba to the Nether Realm at their request at the close of episode 29 ("Anubis is Reborn"), and in episode 33 ("In Search of Secret Treasures") helped Mia Koji and Jun Yamano (Yuli) find the Jewel of Life.

He, Mia, and Yuli ventured to the Nether Realm in Episode 34 ("Strata's Defiant Stand") to assist Ryo and Rowen in their rescue attempt for the others. It was then that first he came into contact with Lady Kayura. In the subsequent battle in Episode 35 ("The Warriors Return"), he broke the amulet that Talpa used to control her. It was later revealed that she was the last living member of the Ancient Clan, and had been under Talpa's control ever since being kidnapped by his forces. This led Anubis to think of her not as an enemy, but as an innocent soul in need of his help.

Later, struggling in a battle in Episode 38 ("Lady Evil Sees the Light"), Anubis called forth his armor at the Ancient One's will one last time to fight his fellow Warlords and a possessed Lady Kayura. It was during this final clash between Anubis and Kayura that Anubis absorbed Kayura's Star-Sword Scream attack and used all of his energy to drive the evil spirit Badamon from her body, also allowing her to inherit his armor and the Ancient's staff. Anubis, having fulfilled his duties, then collapsed into a river, dead.

Cale

Cale, Dark Warlord of Corruption (known as Yami Mashou Anubis (闇魔将・悪奴弥守, Darkness Demon General Anubis^?) in YST) is one of the Four Warlords from the anime Ronin Warriors (originally Samurai Troopers in Japan). The Warlords serve Master Talpa, the primary villain of the series, and as such are the enemies the Ronin Warriors most often face in combat. He is voiced by Yasunori Matsumoto (Richard Newman in the English dub).

Cale manipulates the cold, death, and darkness. His main opponent was Sage of the Halo. Cale has a cross-shaped scar, the vertical part going right through his left eye and the horizontal part going across his cheek. He, Dais, and Sekhmet did not like Anubis being the leader and often criticised him. This usually led to the four constantly bickering with each other and having Talpa to break it up with threats.

After Anubis' leave and Talpa's defeat, Cale and the other Warlords were left without a leader. However, Talpa's plans soon changed when he revealed his new weapon: Lady Kayura. While she was not a Warlord nor did she possess a mystical armor, her fighting abilities quickly placed her on Talpa's favorite list. The Dark Warlords were pushed back, which displeased them.

When Talpa started to make his survival apparent to the Ronins by sending minions, Cale was soon dispatched. He went to capture Sage. By doing so, he played with Sage's feelings by making him think that both he and Sage were alike. To prove this, Cale took possession of dead deer and made them attack Sage. Eventually, he fought Sage, but lost. This did not matter because Cale's mission was accomplished anyway when Talpa captured Sage and his armor, taking them back to the Dynasty.

When Ryo and Rowen attacked Talpa's castle in the Dynasty, Cale and the Warlords fought against them. In one of those battles, Ryo absorbed the power of both Rowen's armor and the three Warlords' armors to form the armor of Inferno, weakening them.

After Talpa's defeat, it was the end of the manipulation over the Warlords. Cale, Dais, Sekhmet, and Lady Kayura returned to the Nether Realm to rebuild it.

Cale's Corruption armor is infused with the Virtue of Tei ("Obedience"). His weapons are a Nodachi and claw-like armor spikes. His surekill is Black Lightning Flash (in YST, it was called Ankoku Chohigiri; Darkness Leaping Slash), where he fires a number of black lasers. His armor is mostly a grey color with a cape on the back. His under-armor is a dark red with the chestplate being a reddish-pink color.

According to The Encyclopedia of YST, if Cale was to use his powers for good, he would be the Eyes for people lost in the darkness. No matter how powerful his enemies may be, he will be persistent and continue to fight.

Dais

Dais, the Dark Warlord of Illusion (known in YST as Gen Mashou, Illusion Demon General Rajura), is the oldest of the Four Dark Warlords. His Illusion armor is infused with the virtue Nin (lit. To endure; in this context, it may mean something like "to bear pain without complaint"), in the English version, the term "serenity" is used for brevity. His surekill is Web of Deception (in YST, Touchimou (Throw Spiderweb)). His main opponent is Kento Rei Faun.

When we first see him, he is shown on a rooftop with the other three Warlords after the Ronins defeat one of Talpa's soldiers. They announce themselves and then disappear. Dais didn't see much action until after the Ronins were separated. When Ryo and Cye were looking for Rowen Hashiba, Dais appeared on the scene at a temple and lured them into the forest. It was then that he utilized his armor's special abilities and pitted Ryo and Cye against one another, making them think the other was Dais. Later, Sage and Kento arrived at the temple where Dais appeared and followed some scratches in nearby trees to the battleground.

There, Kento and Sage found Ryo and Cye badly injured, due to Dais' illusion upon them. When Sage and Kento were ready for battle, Dais appeared again and performed the same illusion trick. Soon after the fight started, Sage saw through the deception, but was unable to convince Kento until it was too late. With his ally wounded, Kento fought against the real Dais and managed to defeat him.

When the Ronins were all together again, they decided to launch an attack on Talpa's castle. Like the other Warlords (except Anubis), Dais was there, waiting for them. He was eventually defeated and absorbed by Talpa so that the emperor could become whole again. But his plan backfired and eventually was sent back to the Nether Realm, defeated by the newly created Armor of Inferno.

When Anubis left the Warlords, they were without a leader. Though it didn't matter because Lady Kayura appeared and was the one Talpa liked most. When Talpa started to make his survival apparent to the Ronins by sending minions, Dais was soon dispatched. He went to capture Kento, seeing as how his illusions can fool him the best. Even as a precaution, Dais brought along the Sand Twins with him.

Eventually, Kento saw through both the Twins' unusual fighting tactics and Dais' illusions. He was able to take down the Twins, but this left him immensely weak. The unharmed Dais was able to take Kento to the Nether Realm just as he was instructed.

When Anubis resurfaced, Dais went to confront him. A battle erupted between the two, which Anubis won. Dais even had his helmet knocked off, exposing his face to both Mia and Yuli. He was then lectured by Anubis and told that he was only a tool for Talpa; a humiliating defeat.

When two of the Ronins (Ryo and Rowen) attacked Talpa's castle in the Dynasty Nether Realm, Dais engaged in battle against them. In one of those battles, Ryo absorbed the power of both Rowen's armor and the three warlords' armors to form the Armor of Inferno.

After Talpa's final defeat, Dais, Sekhmet, Cale, and Lady Kayura returned to the Nether Realm to rebuild it to a beautiful world. Dais is voiced by Matt Smith in the English dub.

Dais's armor is pink. It has six Kamas on the back representing spider legs. He can make these Kammas extend to any length he sees fit. Also Dais can remove his kamas off his back, revealing that these kamas aren't connected to his back, but six kamas connected to a single handle that is attachable to Dais' back. He also has a flail on his right gauntlet and a nuchaku on his left gauntlet. His armor also allows him to spin webs and create illusions. His under-armor is a very dark pine green with a very light pine green chestplate. For his surekill attack, he throws all of his kamas.

According to The Encyclopedia of YST if Dais/Rajura were to use his powers for good, he would be able to create peaceful illusions.

Sekhmet

Sekhmet is the Dark Warlord of Venom (in YST, he's called Doku Mashou, Poison Demon General Naaza). He is Cye Mouri's main opponent. His Venom armor is infused with the virtue Kou (lit. Filial piety; reverence for elders). Sekhmet fights with six katanas, which exude a deadly poison that can also cause blindness. His surekill is Snake Fang Strike (or Moetsu Orochi (Six Segment Serpent) in YST). His first assignment was during episode 4, when he tracked Ryo, Mia, and Yuli to Shinsha University. He used his powers to poison Dr. Koji and turn him against the heroes. Nevertheless, his plans to kill Ryo failed, and he was soon defeated.

He, Cale, and Dais often belittled their leader, Anubis, whenever possible. But he and the others respected him enough to defend him in the CD drama, Tsuki when Gogasha wanted to take Anubis' place as leader of the Four Warlords.

In battle Sekhment wields six swords, and is capable of moving his arms at speeds that allow him to create illusion that he's all of them at once. His surekill attack is Snake Fang Strike, where connects his swords together and creates a whip like weapon swings it around before attacking.

Sekhmet's heritage is unknown; fanon speculates that he is half snake and half human, because of his pale skin, purple eyelids, and beady black eyes. Sekhmet is voiced by Ward Perry in the English dub, and also voices Rowen Hashiba.

According to The Encyclopedia of YST, if Sekhmet/Naaza were to use his powers for good, he would be able to heal injuries and illnesses. He would also be able to turn venom into medicine.

Lady Kayura

Lady Kayura is the last known member of the Ancient Clan from the anime Ronin Warriors.

Kayura was abducted from her home at a young age, when the Dynasty discovered she was to be the Ancient's successor. Warping her own tremendous supernatural powers to his will, Talpa reared Kayura to be his ultimate weapon against the Ronin Warriors. Kept under his thrall by a magical amulet worn about her neck, Kayura made her presence known to the Ronins when she fought Rowen and Ryo shortly after they had all embarked on their own personal vision-quest to get in touch with their armors' powers. Kayura revealed to Ryo and Rowen that the other Ronins had been captured by the Dark Warlords and taken into the Nether Realm as the Dynasty's captives. Ryo and Rowen were extremely hard pressed to defeat her, as her powers far outreached that of their armors on several occasions, with only the Inferno Armor being a match for her.

Toward the end, when Ryo battled her in the Inferno armor, he inadvertently destroyed the amulet that kept her in Talpa's power. While she was not completely freed of his control, Kayura was left in a state of confusion. At Talpa's behest, Badamon, the leader of Talpa's Nether Spirits, took possession of Kayura's body and battled the Ronins again; this time, even conquering the White Armor's near-infinite power with the aid of hoard of other Nether Spirits. Kayura was ultimately freed from Badamon's possession by Anubis, who had taken up the mantle of the Ancient and sacrificed his own life to break the Nether Priest's hold. After's Talpa's destruction at the hands of Ryo, Kayura and the Warlords returned to the Nether Realm to begin the process of rebuilding the Dynasty as a benevolent empire.

Kayura possesses near-infinite supernatural powers, due to her ancestry as a member of the Clan of the Ancients. She wields the twin sai she called Starlight Swords. Her surekill is called Star Sword Scream (or, in YST, Ran Sei Zan (Storm Star Cut). The attack has her summon a massive barrage of stellar energy from the sky.

Apparently, the attack had some dependency on water, as she never seemed to use it unless a considerable amount was present. Kayura was also given Anubis' Cruelty armor, and gained the Ancient One's staff, but whether she used them afterwards or not is in question. Although she is several centuries of age, Sunrise stated in official publications that Kayura is 12 years old, in appearance if nothing else. Because of her new role, Kayura should be referred to as The Ancient One (or Kaos in the original). Kayura is voiced by Jane Perry in the English dub.

In the YST manga, Kayura's Virtue is "ai" (love).

In the Shin Yoroiden Samurai Troopers manga, Kayura plays the role as mentor to the new hero who wears the Rekka Armor. In one of the YST novels, she appears briefly in the beginning of the story about the Kaos' clan's past.

Youja

Youja or Youja-hei are supernatural creatures who appear in the Japanese television anime series Yoroiden-Samurai Troopers (鎧伝サムライトルーパー), also known as Ronin Warriors. They are sometimes called "Dynasty Soldiers" or "Soldiers of Doom".

The Youja are spirits trapped within suits of dark green armor who serve under the rule of Emperor Arago (Talpa). They wield various weapons, including chained sickles and spears. The only way to kill a Youja soldier is to decapitate it or slice its armor. Dark smoke rising from the armor signifies the Youja's death.

The Youja were difficult adversaries of the Troopers in the beginning of the series. However, as time went on, the Troopers grew stronger and the soldiers simply became annoyances who stood in their way. By the end of the series, after Arago's second defeat, the soldiers' fates remain unknown.

There are no Youja soldiers in the original video animations (OVA). In Gaiden the main villain's army consisted of ninja. In Kikoutei Densetsu (The Legend of the Inferno Armor), Mukara did not use any lackeys. Neither did Suzunagi, who was the last villain to appear in Message. Youja do not appear in the Samurai Troopers manga. Instead they are replaced by more appearances by the Dark Warlords and their creatures. Youja appear in very few YST doujinshi, and they are mostly background characters.

Supporting characters

The Ancient One

The man named The Ancient One (Kaos - 迦雄須), mentor to the Ronin Warriors, is a powerful mystic who was once also a warrior. He always wears a straw hat which hides his face and usually carries a shakujo, a staff with ring-shaped chimes set atop it. The staff is a potent talisman, and is used by both the Ancient and the reformed Anubis to perform feats of magic.

During the Warring States period, he did battle with Talpa and banished him to the Nether Realm over one thousand years ago. He is responsible for the creation of the nine mystical armors, which he forged from Talpa's discarded armor after defeating him.

When Talpa returned one thousand years later, so did the Ancient One, but this time to assist the Ronins in their struggle against the evil emperor. On many occasions, he would help them in defeating an opponent that was too strong for them. When he came across the leader of the Dark Warlords, Anubis, he tried to show him that he was being used by Talpa; that by gaining strength for himself, he was only gaining it for Talpa (i.e., he was only being manipulated). This led Anubis to question his place among Talpa's ranks, and eventually to escape.

When it came time for the Ronins to make an assault on Talpa's castle, the Ancient literally turned himself into the bridge that would lead them along the way. This was his sacrifice, but although he died, his role did not end there.

After the Ronins defeated Talpa for the first time, Anubis reappeared in the Ancient's attire, though this didn't mean that Anubis was the Ancient One, because that role was to be later filled by the true heir and last of the Ancient Clan; Lady Kayura.

The Ancient One makes one last appearance in the 3rd OVA, Message. During various flashbacks, the Ancient was seen during World War II at the ruins of a temple. He discovered the sealed box that contained the Armor of Strata and it was there he discovered the ghost-child, Suzunagi. He felt sorry for the girl because she was filled with hatred and revenge; however, he knew she was trouble when she attacked him, claiming that the armors were evil. He, along with the newly revived Strata Armor, chased Suzunagi away and with that, the Ancient mysteriously vanishes. The Ancient is voiced by David Kaye in the English dub.

Mia Koji

Mia Koji, known in Japan as Nasti Yagyu (柳生ナスティ), is a fictional character who appears in the anime/manga series Ronin Warriors (Yoroiden-Samurai Troopers).

Nasuti aids the Troopers during their quest against the forces of evil. Not much is known about her past, except that she is half French and half Japanese, and was visiting her grandfather when Talpa's invasion began. Unlike her friends, Nasuti has no super powers or weapons. However, she is extremely knowledgeable about the mystical armors and various ancient artifacts. She provides vital information to the Troopers and acts as a caretaker for Ully. Over time, Nasuti becomes like an older sister to them.

In the beginning of the TV series, Nasuti is 17 years old. In Gaiden, she is 19 years old. During Kikoutei Densetsu (The Legend of the Inferno Armor) and Message she is in her early 20s.

During Kikoutei Densetsu Nasuti was crucial in aiding the Troopers in decoding the mysterious language used by Mukara; and she was able to take herself and her friends to where Ryo and Sage were located.

In the 3rd and last OVA, Message, Nasuti was in New York City, where she was attending a special session of the United Nations General Assembly that was convened by the United Nations Security Council to solve the recent, bizarre events that have been happening worldwide; which was seen as a threat to international peace and security. During the meeting, Nasuti planned on telling the world officials about the existence of the Troopers. Whether she succeeded in doing so remains a mystery. Unlike the previous episodes, Nasuti only appears in the very last episode; but as always she provides support for Ryo who, at the time, was about to confront the new enemy, Suzunagi.

Nasuti's birthday technically falls on two dates, due to an error made by her creators at Sunrise Animation Studio. According to the YST book, Memorials, her birthday is listed on May 15, 1970, making her a Taurus. However, according to many other official YST merchandise, her birthday is listed as May 28, 1970, thus making her a Gemini like Seiji. Both official books were compiled by Sunrise; however, the latter date is often used in other official documents. It is also the most popular birthday used by fans.

Nasuti's family name, Yagyū is based on the real Japanese clan with the same name. Like most of the characters in the series, many of their surnames are based on historical Japanese clans.

Nasuti plays the same role in the manga as she does in the anime version of YST. She provides assistance to the heroes but unlike the anime, her importance is downplayed in order to make room for more action. Jun, the little boy who counted on the Troopers and Byakuen (White Blaze) to protect him, becomes more of a key figure.

In dōjinshi, Nasuti maintains her role as the older sister to the five warriors. In Japan, the most popular non-yaoi pairing among the characters is Nasuti and Seiji. While YST dōjinshi have multiplied since the show's start back in 1988, many of them are shōnen-ai or yaoi based. The few dōjinshi that feature heterosexual pairings are often Seiji and Nasuti related. The secondary couplings are either Touma (Rowen) and Kayura or Ryo and Luna.

Nasuti's Japanese voice actress is Kaori Kusakabe.^[1] Her English voice actress for the TV series is Lalainia Lindbjerg (Teryl Rothery briefly while on sick leave). Maggie Blue O'Hara provided her voice during the three OVAs.

Ully

Jun Yamano is a fictional character from the anime/manga series, Yoroiden-Samurai Troopers (鎧伝サムライトルーパー). His English dub name is Ully; the spelling of his name varies (Yulie being the most common of these) but this particular spelling is commonly used in official magazines such as Animerica.

Jun appeared in the first episode of YST as an 8-year-old child. He and his parents were shopping in the Shinjuku ward of Tokyo when Arago's invasion began. During the chaos, Jun was separated from his parents and eventually left alone. Later he stumbled upon a confrontation between Ryo Sanada, Byakuen, and a youja soldier, to where he was nearly killed but Nasuti Yagyu rescued him. It would be one of many rescues he would endure. Nevertheless he has helped the Samurai Troopers time and again with his bravery and cheerful optimism.

During the second television season, Jun was the keeper of the Jewel of Life. It was his purity and innocence that allowed him to unknowingly unlock its powers and in the end, he destroys Arago for good the second time around with it.

The last episode of the OVA Message, Jun is shown (it was his only appearance) as an 11-year-old kendo champion of Sakura Hill Junior High School.

Jun is one of the most disliked characters in the North American fandom of YST. The most common complaint received is that he is an annoyance who constantly distracted the warriors from their battles. He is virtually non-existent in fan fiction. While he has his share of fans, he is at the bottom of the list among the favorites. It is noted that Jun is one of the few individuals in the series who is a normal human being.

Kumiko Watanabe provides the voice of Jun. Watanabe (best known for voicing Shippo in the same animation studio's Inuyasha) is female. Ully's English voice was provided by Christopher Turner.

White Blaze

White Blaze (白炎, Byakuen) is a fictional character from the Ronin Warriors anime series. He's a large white tiger that's Ryo Sanada's pet or companion. Ryo claims that he comes from the Himalayas. White Blaze generally travels with Jun Yamano and Mia Koji. He often tries to help the Ronin Warriors in fights, but almost always gets swatted aside easily. Despite this he doesn't hesitate to charge into a fight when he feels he should help. He is mortally wounded when protecting Ryo from Lord Saberstryke. After his defeat, Lord Saberstryke request his own companion, Black Blaze, to revive him. This act resulted in White Blaze turning into Black Blaze when Ryo summons his Armor of Inferno. It's unclear if the Black Blaze that assist Ryo is still White Blaze, but dawning Black Blaze's power, or Black Blaze himself.

Mukala

Mukala is a fictional character who appears in the Yoroiden-Samurai Troopers (鎧伝サムライトルーパー) (Ronin Warriors) anime OVA, Kikôtei Densetsu (The Legend of the Inferno Armor). He is the owner of the Kuroi Kikôtei (Black Inferno Armor) and his fiancé is Naria. His official title is "Mukala of the Sun".

Mukala is an African warrior who appears in the first episode as the most powerful human opponent that the Samurai Troopers had ever faced. His silent but confident attitude made him a tough enemy; but what surprised the Troopers the most was when they discovered that Mukala had his own suit of magical armor—an armor that matched Ryo's White Armor or Shiroi Kikôtei.

Due to Shin's conflicting feelings of fighting at this point of the series, Mukala was able to capture and teleport Ryo and Seiji to Africa. There, Mukala easily defeated the two warriors in his home territory, which is later to be discovered to be within the country of Tanzania.

It was Naria who informed the heroes that the Black Inferno Armor was slowly taking control of Mukala. And because the Tauragi villagers worshipped the armor as an all mighty god, they wouldn't listen to any reason. Mukala's position as head warrior also made it impossible for him to even listen to Naria's pleas. If Mukala wasn't stopped and if the fighting didn't stop, then the world would be doomed.

In the last episode of the series, Mukala realized the damaged he caused by using the Black Armor with the death of Naria. With the help of the Troopers, he was able to regain his full humanity and free himself of the armor's possession. At the same time, the Inferno Armors were destroyed once and for all. Naria was revived and it is assumed they would marry and live happily ever after.

Like many of the OVA characters of YST, Mukala does not appear in the manga. However, he does appear in a couple dôjinshi stories. He is often viewed as the aloof person who doesn't waste words, unless it is towards Naria.

Mukala's weapon is a giant black boomerang with a large blue gem encrusted in its center. It is powerful enough to slice through buildings and pretty much anything that stands in his way. It is also strong enough to destroy Ryo and Seiji's helmets. Noubezaaya, Iijizuuri, Zuuamaumaa, Muunmi! is Mukala's "armor up" summon. Hundreds of energy-like beings in the shape of butterflies wrap themselves around Mukala's limbs, transforming into pieces of the Black Inferno Armor.

Mukala's Japanese voice actor is Eiji Fukushi. His English voice actor is Michael Adamthwaite. Mukala's voice actor in the Italian version is done by Gianmaria Ceconi.

Suzunagi

Suzunagi（すずなぎ）is a fictional character who appears in the Yoroiden-Samurai Troopers (鎧伝サムライトルーパー) (Ronin Warriors) anime OVA, Message.

Born during the late Edo Period in Japan, Suzunagi was born and raised in a Christian family, who happened to be indirect descendants of the Kaosu (The Ancient One) Clan. Members of the family (on her father's side) have the ability to predict the future with a 90% accuracy rate. Her father was a local playwright in the Edo area who ran a theater house (in the Japanese fandom, he's rumored to be Bushi, based on information found in the "Message magazine"). Her mother also helped with theater duties (it's rumored in the Japanese fandom that she may have also been a dancer of some sorts for the theater, as most believe she is the woman dancing on stage during the ending credits).

Suzunagi's father created and compiled a manuscript that would reveal to his audience the tales of five young men wearing magical suits of armors fighting the forces of evil. However, due to certain circumstances (some say it was because Suzunagi and her family were Christians, others say it was because Suzunagi's father was speaking out against the Shougun), the Shougun's samurai arrived and set the theater on fire. Suzunagi's father was then beheaded for his actions. During the chaos, Suzunagi's mother realized that her daughter was trapped inside the theater. While running inside to rescue her, Suzunagi's mother was killed when the roof of the theater caved in. Suzunagi was also killed in the fire.

Centuries passed and Suzunagi's spirit became a wandering spirit, unable to rest until the armors were annihilated. Because, in her mind, these armors brought about nothing but sorrow, pain, and death. While on her mission, she encountered Kaosu during the 1940s (more precisely, World War II) as he was prepared to break the seal that prevented the Armor of Tenkuu (Armor of Strata) from falling into the wrong hands. At the time, Suzunagi learned all that she could about the manuscript her father wrote. She knew what was about to unfold and believed that the armors would unleash nothing but evil and corruption. Kaosu knew something was wrong with Suzunagi, as she was a girl filled with such anger and hatred. Suzunagi tried to fight Kaosu off, but Kaosu retaliated and released the Armor of Tenkuu to use its powers to chase Suzunagi away.

Many more years would pass before Suzunagi appeared once again, this time as an adult with more power and much more determination. With her abilities increased tenfold, she went after the very people that were involved in her father's manuscript: the Samurai Troopers. Originally she wanted to use the Troopers to summon their armors, the Kikoutei, and to use its power to "purge the world from the pain and sorrow, which the armors caused" (which would end up destroying the world, as well as Suzunagi, in the process). One by one, she captured the five young warriors by enticing them with their deepest fears and strengths. She had created her own set of armors that held the captive Troopers; however, she had no idea that her victims would become her saviors.

Suzunagi slowly realized that they suffered as well because of the armors. With their combined efforts, the Troopers helped Suzunagi overcome her pain and even be reunited with her late mother. Even without their armors, the Troopers gave her the strength to free herself of her inner demons. In return, Suzunagi gave them new and more powerful armors that were free from any influence of Arago or his evil essence. She also helped them realize that being Samurai Troopers didn't mean it was their destiny—it was a choice they would keep, as defenders of the Earth.

Like many of the OVA characters, Suzunagi does not appear in the manga. She does appear in a couple dôjinshi stories, mainly dealing with the Message storyline. The most common Suzunagi based doujinshi are from a company called "Doujinshi Network", who did two special editions for the release of"Message".

Suzunagi's Japanese voice actress is Yayoi Mitsuki (Yayoi being her first name and Mitsuki being the last). Her English voice actress is performed by Canadian Ellen Kennedy. In the Italian dub, her voice is done by Sonia Mazza.

Luna

Luna is a fictional character who appears in the Yoroiden-Samurai Troopers (鎧伝サムライトルーパー) (Ronin Warriors) OVA, Gaiden (Side Story). Her English dub name is Runa.

Luna is a 14 year old American who lives in New York and her only family is an older brother. She is a brash and hot headed girl who is ready to take action when necessary. While she isn't afraid to speak her mind, she is also ready to admit when she's made a mistake.

Luna made her first appearance in the first episode of Gaiden. She was in search of her brother's murderer. It was in the first scenes of the series that revealed that the murderer was in fact the Armor of Korin (Armor of Halo) but without its wearer, Seiji Date (Sage). Meanwhile the Troopers go in search of the missing Seiji and it takes them all the way to New York. It was through various searching that Touma Hashiba (Rowen) stumbled upon the body of the photographer who took the pictures of the Korin Armor that was plastered all over the news. At this point, Luna discovered Touma with the body and assumed he was the killer. But over the course of time, Luna realized her mistake and decided to aid the Troopers in their attempts to rescue Seiji, the recently captured Nasuti Yagyu (Mia Koji) and Jun Yamano (Ully) and the defeat of their new enemy, Shikaisen.

Luna's help came to an end in the second episode when she tried to get revenge for her brother's death. During an encounter against Shikaisen, she made an attempt to attack the sorcerer but to no avail. Shikaisen easily dispatched of her that resulted in a mortal wound. Luna died in Ryo's arms; she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. According to Sunrise, she wanted to tell Ryo how glad she was to have met him. In the English dub version, she IS able to tell Ryo how glad she was to have met him before dying in his arms.

During the OVA, Luna showed much interest in Ryo. During an attack in a Los Angeles cemetery, Luna was nearly attacked by one of Shikaisen's henchmen. Shu (Kento) easily took care of him but instead of being thanked, Luna continued to loudly cheer for Ryo, leaving Shu rather bewildered. Sunrise stated if Luna had survived her ordeal, then there was a possible chance that she and Ryo would have developed deeper feelings for one another.

Like many of the OVA characters, Luna does not appear in the manga. In the dôjinshi fandom, Luna's overall character remains intact. Although her feelings for Ryo remain strong, she seems to get along fine with everybody.

While Luna doesn't have any magical armor or superpowers, she does use a knife. Under normal circumstances she is pretty skilled at using it, as she was able to catch the Troopers off guard the first time she encountered them in Uncle Chin's restaurant in Chinatown, New York. Her speed is noted to be quite remarkable for a human.

Luna's Japanese voice actress is Eri Kouno; she is currently known as Eriko Hara. In the Italian dub, her voice is done by Marcella Silvestri.

References

1. ^ "鎧伝サムライトルー" (in Japanese). Sunrise. http://www.sunrisest.jp/archives/detail.html?i=67. Retrieved January 31, 2010.