Bao Sanniang


 * Not to be confused with Koei's original character, Mei Sanniang.

Bao Sanniang (onyomi: Hō Sanjō) is the third daughter of the Bao family and is known as one of Guan Suo's wives within fiction. She originated from the Hua Guan Suo Zhuan, a tale in which Guan Suo is the main protagonist and instead known as Hua Guan Suo. Proud of her warrior training, she refused marriage until he defeated her in a duel. Her character is considered a direct homage to Hu Sanniang, a character from the novel, Water Margin, who met her husband in a similar manner.

Before her playable Dynasty Warriors appearance, she is the default name for a bodyguard in Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends. She is the first playable character in the series to not draw inspiration from Romance of the Three Kingdoms or historical records. She is fortieth place in Gamecity's Dynasty Warriors 7 character popularity poll; she is forty-first place in the Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends popularity poll. In Famitsu's character survey, she placed in two categories: third place for most desirable friend and seventh place for girlfriend. The latest poll for the eighth installment puts her in sixtieth. The character poll for overseas fans puts her in fourteenth place for the Shu division.

Dynasty Warriors
She stars in three Legendary Battles in her debut although she is not seen in the story modes, each detailing her relationship with Guan Suo. In her first stage, she is merely wandering in Jing Province and curiously spots him by chance. He was in the midst of being pursued by the Wu army and is heavily surrounded. Hurrying to rescue the lone warrior, Guan Suo has no idea who she is and warns her to leave for her safety. Charmed with him at first glance, however, Bao Sanniang whimsically decides to protect him. When Guan Suo sincerely thanks her for the rescue, Bao Sanniang thinks their meeting is a fated encounter and is completely infatuated by him.

When her second Legendary Battle takes place, she decides to follow him in the midst of his reconnaissance mission in Wu. Bao Sanniang is happy since it feels like a private getaway until they run into the three couples from Wu (Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, Sun Quan, and their female companions) who're also trying to have a vacation. Upset that they barged in on their romantic trip, she works with Guan Suo to beat them up. Her third Legendary Battle takes place after Liu Bei dies and has Zhuge Liang order for an all out attack on Wei. In order to live in a peaceful world with Guan Suo, she fights to take down Cao Cao.

The Xtreme Legends expansion adds a Hero Scenario detailing Bao Sanniang's service at Nanzhong. She wants to get closer to Guan Suo as they challenge Meng Huo. The Nanman troops conceal their presence in an attempt to ambush the Shu army. To counter, Zhuge Liang orders the eastern force to withdraw and lure their enemy out. If the plan succeeds, Yue Ying unleashes her Juggernauts on them to confuse the Nanman army. As the enemy plot falls apart, the Shu army then swiftly defeat the Nanman forces. After he is beaten, Meng Huo is finally touched by Zhuge Liang's generosity, and harmony is shared between the two sides.

As Bao Sanniang and Guan Suo watch the gathering from afar, she excitedly offers to go on a private getaway with him in Nanzhong. Though he refuses, he shows her the first smile she has seen from him since their meeting in Jing. Although he doesn't praise her with the love confession she was hoping for, the young maiden is dedicated to stay by his side.

Bao Sanniang only appears in the final chapters of each kingdom in Dynasty Warriors Next. While not involved in the story, she and Guan Suo oversee the defense of Changsha when playing as any kingdom other than Shu. Both of them are seen talking to Jiang Wei in Shu's ending.

Bao Sanniang's appearances in Dynasty Warriors 8 are limited to the fictional routes. In Shu's hypothetical story, she and most of the younger generation participate in a joint expedition led by Zhuge Liang and Lu Su to subjugate Nanzhong. Working side by side with Guan Suo, they are able to subdue the Nanman King and gain his trust. During the ending, Bao Sanniang can be seen standing together with her partner and the rest of their allies. She also appears as one of the final opponents of the Sima clan at Chibi, guiding the Nanman forces with her to the front lines.

In the Xtreme Legends expansion, Bao Sanniang makes a few appearances in Jin and Shu's stories. She assists Guan Yinping's search for the missing Red Hare in Shu's story mode and helps Zhuge Liang's attack on Shangyong Castle during Jin's scenario.

Dynasty Warriors: Unleashed gives Bao Sanniang a bond story that fleshes out her origins and relationship with Guan Suo. While taking a stroll outside, she finds herself accosted by robbers and would have dealt with them herself if not for a young man her age driving them away. Being a skilled martial artist in her own right, the maiden outright tells her savior off for getting in the way and later holds a tournament just to make herself feel better.

Though the winner of the tournament is given Bao Sanniang's hand in marriage, none of the competitors have been able to best her. Eventually, she is challenged by the same man who had saved her the other day. Introducing himself as Guan Suo, his victory over her results in their immediate marriage. Content with having a strong and virtuous partner, Bao Sanniang gladly joins his training under Guan Yu.

Their happiness is cut short due to Guan Yu's death triggering a war between Shu and Wu. Bao Sanniang comforts her husband in his time of need and accompanies him during Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign. Upon resuming conflicts with Wei, the couple end up being stationed to two different fronts with Guan Suo guarding Jiebodu and Bao Sanniang protecting the Tuji Dam. When Guan Suo is killed by Pang Hui, Bao Sanniang goes on a rampage after sensing his death, eventually losing her life to Wei's larger numbers. With reinforcements too late to save the pair, they are immortalized as heroes of Shu.

In Dynasty Warriors 9 she appears more frequently as an officer in Shu's ranks. At Yiling, she supports Guan Suo's quest for vengeance on the Wu and even travels to Nanzhong to have some fun with her lover. She also guards the mountain route at Wuzhang Plains to help the people she cares about.

Helping achieve the final victory against Sima Yi, she is pleased to see Guan Suo show conflict about thinking of her safety but also acknowledging how her strength and words have encouraged him thus far. She is soon disappointed when he ultimately compares her to an excited child, but still happily accepts the genuine compliments and asks for more.

Warriors Orochi
Stranded from Guan Suo in Warriors Orochi 3, Bao Sanniang is first spotted at Kyushu working with Da Ji. Her main concern is the location of her "destined lover", her only condition for aiding the coalition. Throughout the story, she tries to obtain information of his whereabouts but is met with dead ends. Nene, however, recalls seeing him in the past at Mt. Niutou. When she is finally reunited with him, Bao Sanniang routinely pesters him for a date or for his attention. She later helps Liu Shan by completing his mission at Liang Province.

During Ultimate, a fake Bao Sanniang misleads Guan Suo into fighting with his father. In the mirror realm version, however, she is tricked and exposed when the Coalition chooses to fake Guan Yu's death to lure in Guan Suo.

Warriors Orochi 4 places her among Liu Shan's forces, being forced to serve Athena thanks to Liu Shan's imprisonment. Unlike the rest of her allies, she quickly deserts them when she meets Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's forces at Hanzhong. After arriving in camp, she explains the situation to Liu Bei.

She later accompanies Kunoichi, Kotarō Fūma, and Hanzō Hattori when they attempt to rescue Liu Shan at Ōdani Castle. During the battle, she also convinces the other Shu forces to also lay down their arms and join them. Once he is rescued, she accompanies Liu Shan and to other Shu forces to Sekigahara, where Zhao Yun and the other Shu forces are locked in combat against Guan Yu's forces. Upon seeing Liu Shan's safe return, Zhao Yun and the other Shu forces immediately turn on Athena.

Hoping to explore the new world, she and Masanori Fukushima wander around Okehazama to search for the supposed "Seven Wonders of the World". Despite his fear over the scary scenarios, Masanori pushes himself to explore these wonders, while Bao Sanniang disappears midway through their journey. After returning back to camp, Masanori meets the maiden, who claims to have not gone on the journey at all, leaving the identity of the "fake" Bao Sanniang a complete mystery.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Bao Sanniang is a secondary general in Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI who is labeled as the reckless female officer with an A rating proficiency in cavalry and navy troops.She is more or less an traditional military officer, with high WAR and LDR and passable INT and low POL. She starts off single and tends to follow Shu, though she has generated as an officer anywhere within the western lands. However, she will not appear if the player has the fictional settings off. Her skill allows an army to attack twice in the same action, this, considering the other officers that shares her lifespan, makes her an officer to be feared or desired in the battlefield. In the fourteenth title, Bao Sanniang is ideally used as an highly mobile unit but relatively weak in direct combat. In this case her biggest strenghts are in recovering lost supply routes, conquering difficult villages and attacking the enemy from behind.

100man-nin no Sangokushi has her serve as an alternate version of Guan Suo's event. Her version continues after she joins him, and she fights the bosses he would have fought in his own path.

Development
Bao Sanniang was added for the sole purpose of giving Guan Suo a partner in Conquest Mode. Her character was developed to be the light-hearted, tomboyish female character. Since the development team feels there isn't a lot of female characters who truly believe in themselves, she was made as the maiden who is clearly assertive of her own thoughts and opinions. The producer considers her to be a lady who strongly lives without depending on anyone, thus leading to her weapon of choice "rotating" around her impenetrable spirit. Her various accessories were added to make her look more feminine and fashionable with hopes to roughly mimic the gemstone fashion craze in Japan. Another element of her design was to emphasize her healthy, long legs.

Her design in the eighth title was altered to have her mimic Guan Suo. Her assorted accessories were added to make her seem "like a city girl" who made them herself.

Personality
Before her meeting with Guan Suo, Bao Sanniang is a free-spirited beauty who doesn't want to be tied down to anyone. As a maiden who is content to roam wherever she fancies, she acts on her own volition without over-thinking the details. Perhaps due to her capricious nature, she exhibits a few cat-like mannerisms. Since she is a naturally gifted warrior, Bao Sanniang has no problem handling herself in battle. She isn't impressed by most of the men she encounters and is especially offended when they don't take her strengths seriously. Most people she encounters call her a "little girl" or tell her that she isn't fit to be on the battlefield.

Her encounter with Guan Suo sparked her zealous infatuation with him, making her completely devoted to receiving praise from him. She is very happy to be near her "destined lover" since he finds her exuberance to be entertaining, inspiring, and lovely.

Bao Sanniang shares an affinity with Daqiao, Nene, and Himiko for her Warriors Orochi appearance, with the former two providing advice for her love life, while she is the one providing the advice to the latter. The fourth installment has her ally herself with Kunoichi and the two go to each other for help in their love lives. She is touched by Masanori's simplicity as a friend, but is oblivious to his own affections towards her.

Voice Actors

 * Julie Maddalena - Dynasty Warriors 7~8 (English-uncredited)
 * Ai Nonaka - Dynasty Warriors 7~8, Warriors Orochi 3~4 (Japanese)
 * Kyla Garcia - Dynasty Warriors 9 (English)
 * Yin Zi - Dynasty Warriors 9 (Chinese)
 * Lee So Eun - Dynasty Warriors: Unleashed (Korean)
 * Kim Boyeong - Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Legend of Cao Cao (Korean)
 * Ryōko Nagata - Youkai Sangokushi (Japanese)

Quotes

 * See also: Bao Sanniang/Quotes


 * "When I see you, I can't control myself... I just want to pet your head..."
 * "What?! Are you finally admitting you have feelings for me?!"
 * "No, that's not what I meant. It's just that you remind me of this cat I used to have."
 * Guan Suo and Bao Sanniang; Dynasty Warriors 7


 * "I've got a whole family to protect! I can't afford to lose to a little girl like you!"
 * "Who do you think you are? I also have someone to protect, and his name is Guan Suo!"
 * Zhu Rong and Bao Sanniang; Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends


 * "Oh, it's you, Bao Sanniang. Thank you for taking care of Guan Suo."
 * "No, it's no problem. Anyway, why are you acting so formal? We're family, Father!"
 * "Father? But I am not your real father..."
 * "Aw, are you blushing? Well, you'll get used to it eventually, Father."
 * Guan Yu and Bao Sanniang; Dynasty Warriors 8


 * "We're friends, aren't we, Himiko? Let me share something with you. If you meet the one you are fated to be with... chase after them for all you're worth!"
 * "Okay! I'll do exactly what you do! Red face, drooling... I'll sink my teeth in and won't let go!"
 * Bao Sanniang and Himiko; Warriors Orochi 3

Gameplay

 * See also: Bao Sanniang/Movesets

Weapons

 * See also: Bao Sanniang/Weapons

Dynasty Warriors 8
Bao Sanniang still uses the spinner as her default weapon in this title.

Chinese Fiction
Bao Sanniang is Hua Guan Suo's first wife who finds her origins in the Hua Guan Suo Zhuan (Legend of Hua Guan Suo). She was the third daughter of Bao Yuanwai who was famed for her beauty and strength in battle. Many suitors sought for her hand, but she wasn't interested in any of them. Taking pride in her warrior valor, she refused to marry anyone who could not surpass her in a duel. The Bao family took region at Nanshan, after they drove away the previous master of the area, Lian Kang.

Hua Guan Suo, who was embarking on a journey to reunite with his father, heard from the master of Nanshan that he had lost his land to the Bao family. Interested in rumors of the warrior maiden that was mainly responsible for his defeat, Hua Guan Suo challenged Bao Sanniang to a duel as her enemy. They fought for fifty bouts before she was knocked off her horse. Charmed by the first opponent that bested her and knowing of her opponent's heritage, she proposed a marriage and Hua Guan Suo accepted due to her beauty and courageous spirit. After their marriage was accepted by Liu Bei, he awarded her a permanent position in the army ranks alongside her husband, a position which Bao Sanniang was said to have loyally followed.

Their only parting was at Jiameng Gate and, though she wanted to follow Hua Guan Suo for fear of his safety, he assured her that he would be fine. Unfortunately, he was killed in battle and her exact fate isn't known. Rather than weep for his parting, Bao Sanniang was said to have stayed loyal to her departed husband's duty and guarded the pass until her death. It is also said that she fled to safety.