Yoshihiro Shimazu

Yoshihiro Shimazu debuted as a playable character in Samurai Warriors 2. A fearful warrior who takes chances, he earned the nickname, "Devil Shimazu" (Hanja: 鬼石曼子), during Hideyoshi's attempt to invade Korea. Yoshihiro is the second son of his family, his older brother being Yoshihisa and his younger brothers are Toshihisa and Iehisa. He is closely tied to his brothers in Kyushu, but he is often accompanied in battle by his nephew, Toyohisa.

His height in the Samurai Warriors series is 193 cm (6'4"). He's symbolized with the words "smash" (砕) and "devil" (鬼). In Saihai no Yukue, his height is two centimeters taller (close to 6'5") and he is 55 years old. He takes naps as a hobby and likes to eat fish.

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, 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.

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 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 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 Ōtsu Castle. Yoshihiro reunites with Muneshige and they work together to break Tadakatsu'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.

Warriors Orochi
Yoshihiro is one of the three who rescue Zhao Yun in Warriors Orochi. He helps Ginchiyo escape and later uses his family's tactic to assist Jiang Wei. During Wu's story, he also helps Xing Cai's defense at Odani Castle by springing an ambush on Sun Ce's troops.

He is one of the generals who decides to join forces with Sakon in Warriors Orochi 2. Desiring to test his abilities, Yoshihiro joins Huang Zhong and Sima Yi at Liang Province. They go to rescue Lu Meng's army from Sun Wukong and Lu Bu's forces. Thanks to their efforts, Sakon is able to gather allies from Wu. He shares his dream mode with Yukimura and Zhao Yun as the trio faces hundreds of enemies to rescue Liu Bei.

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. If his numbers dwindle in the low hundreds, he will automatically declare a retreat for his unit. He then leads his troops straight through Ieyasu's army, scaring the Tokugawa soldiers to open a path for Yoshihiro. He specializes in leading a fearful cavalry unit and has the ability to fire ballista against foes. 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 III, he is one of the generals who joins the shogunate to defy Nobunaga late in the game. He leads an expert rifle unit.

Saihai no Yukue
In Saihai no Yukue, Yoshihiro is a respected veteran who starts as a loyal general for the Western Army. He constantly wears a stern expression and speaks with simple yet bold declarations. Mitsunari has a hard time understanding his true intentions, especially after he found a letter of surrender in the Shimazu camp.

After the first main camp falls, Yoshihiro bluntly explains that he is only looking out for his safety of his people. Since Mitsunari is not a Shimazu, he sees no reason to help him. However, once Mitsunari proves that he is willing to bet his life on winning, Yoshihiro agrees to wholeheartedly assist him. It's convenient for both men since the Shimazu army were moments before charging through the Eastern Army anyways. When Toyohisa sacrifices himself, Yoshihiro reminds their leader to honor his nephew's notions and proceed to victory. He acts as one of the last main generals who changed history. In the last battle, he defeats Naomasa, Kobayakawa, Tadakatsu and Ieyasu in one blow. During the army's victory celebration, he and his cat spend the time to quietly mourn for Toyohisa.

He carries around a big cat which he affectionately calls, "Oni Bontan". Oni Bontan usually expresses the same emotions that Yoshihiro does.

Development
Despite initial beliefs to the contrary, Yoshihiro was actually developed after Ginchiyo and made specifically to be her opposite in both age, body type, and weaponry. To make him contrast with the first game's cast, he was designed to be the "white haired old man" character. As the only other character originating from Kyushu, they strove to make a gigantic strong man who truly fits his historical nickname. He was given a hammer since the producer thinks it fits with the "sturdy old man" image.

Personality
Proud of his "devil" title, Yoshihiro is a daring veteran who loves to fight against impossible odds. He thinks that battles are a necessary means of the era and can only see death on the other side of battle. Therefore, he strives to find satisfaction whilst in war, resisting the inevitable for the prospect of glory. While the English script emphasizes his playful and cheerful qualities, he is considerably more solemn and cautious in the original Japanese script. His battle cry is "Chesto!", which is a common yell to raise morale.

Although he doesn't care much for his own safety, he does care deeply for his family. Should he die during battle, he sometimes uses his final words to plea for the immunity of his family, requesting that only he be held responsible for his actions. He or his clansmen frequently use the "Tsuri no Buse" (釣り野伏せ) tactic (or lead ambush units), which is especially used by him and other characters in the Warriors Orochi series.

In the past, Yoshihiro killed Ginchiyo's father and several members of the Tachibana clan in combat. Though they're allies in the Western Army, she's antagonistic to him and frequently tells him various death threats. Even though they are enemies, they each share a kindred love for battle and respect one another's capabilities. In the recent title, his rivalry with Ginchiyo is reduced and he shares somewhat friendlier relations with Muneshige. He calls both them "brats" or "kids", a double pun in Japanese for their younger age as well as ties to the devil.

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)

Quotes

 * "Satisfaction comes first!"
 * "They sure don't make enemy officers like they used to!"
 * "Why do you think they call me the devil?!"
 * "I love the smell of conflict in the morning!"
 * "Let it all ride! Here I go!"
 * "The fear of losing adds spice to the battle."
 * "If there was no chance of losing, what's the point?!"
 * "Hammer time!"
 * "Devil Shimazu's gonna pound your bones to dust!"
 * "Life's a gamble. Do you have what it takes to roll the dice?"
 * "Mitsunari's a fine dreamer, but sooner or later reality's gonna smack him upside the head!"
 * "That kind of statement would worry me, if you weren't my ally. Except, you're the one who likes losing, right? Does that mean I should worry?"
 * Yoshihiro and Sakon; Samurai Warriors 2


 * "Yoshihiro... you're taking... a cat...? Onto the battlefield...?"
 * "Of course. With her honed instincts, this cat will let us know when the enemy's about to attack. And she's the prettiest little kitty in the whole world! Yes she is!"
 * "He's right, you know. It is a very pretty cat."
 * Ina, Yoshihiro, Ginchiyo; Samurai Warriors 2: Empires


 * "They call me Devil Shibata!"
 * "I am the Devil Hanzō..."
 * "I am known as Shimazu the Devil!"
 * "Hmm... We require... a thesaurus..."
 * Katsuie, Hanzō, and Yoshihiro; Samurai Warriors 2: Empires


 * "Do you think it wise to spill the blood of your brethren all because of your pig-headedness?"
 * "Wise? Ha! I never consider the wisdom of battle! It simply must be fought -and so must be enjoyed."
 * Motochika and Yoshihiro; Samurai Warriors 2 Xtreme Legends


 * "They shall feel the wrath of Satsuma!"
 * Shimazu agreeing to attack; Kessen

Personal Information
Shimazu Yoshihiro was considered as a valued asset for the Shimazu clan and was a man of ferocious tenacity. He was favored by his brothers and grandfather, each one of them praising his loyalty to their family. During his youth, he was known to have amazing stamina as he sustained five deep arrows wounds to his armor and still fought with tenacious vigor. His bravery and honest character continued to impress several men, including Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Fukushima Masanori. It is said that his older brother was often compared to Yoshihiro and was treated coldly in comparison, some going as far to praise Yoshihiro as "the seventeenth clan head". While Yoshihiro had a great deal of accomplishments, it's currently unknown if he was actually ever considered as a valid candidate for the clan's leadership. To avoid confusion it's generally accepted that he was made the clan's leader in name only, giving the power of his clan to his brother, Yoshihisa.

Yoshihiro is also believed to have been a loving family man. He treated his horse, Hizatsuki Kurige, very well and only rode this steed into battle. While he was away during the Korean campaign, he constantly wrote letters to his family. In one letter to his wife, he wrote:

"During these three years that I spent in the front lines at Korea, my mind keeps thinking that it's for the Shimazu family and its children. But, when I think of the possibility of the children learning of my death, I can't hold back my tears. You have many children beside you so, if I perish, I want you to live and always be with them. If you can grant this wish, I will gladly write to you 10,000 more times."

After his return from Korea, he became a cultured man who enjoyed tea ceremonies, I Ching, and different aspects of Sinology. He also migrated forty Korean pottery makers and they passed their techniques to different parts of Satsuma. Their influence paved a revolution for the providence's pottery. He had three brothers, one wife, one concubine, and seven children.

Early Years
He was born as Shimazu Takahisa's second son. His mother was one his father's concubines known as Sezo Fujin. After he visited the shogun, Ashikage Yoshitaka, he was bestowed with the honored name, Yoshitaka. When he came into adulthood, he was renamed Yoshihiro. He experienced his first battle when he was 19 and accompanied his father to the Ōsumi Province at Iwatsugi Castle. They faced several Kyushu generals from the Gendoin, Kamou, Hishikari, and Irikin clans. Yoshihiro succeeded in decapitating the Kamou's leader, Norikiyo, but suffered serious wounds in the process.

In 1560, to save Shimazu Tadachika from Itō Yoshisuke's abuse, Yoshihiro was adopted into the Itō family and sent to Obi Castle. Two years later, however, the families lost respect for one another. The purpose behind his adoption was abandoned and the two armies clashed. He was then sent to the Kitahara clan, who donned him as one of their clan's honorary generals. When more defectors from the Itō clan migrated over, Yoshihiro moved to Iino Castle. In 1566, the Itō army began to march to his location. With his brothers, Yoshihisa and Toshihisa, Yoshihiro fought a brave resistance against him. After each side suffered great losses, the Itō army withdrew.

Although they were enemies, Yoshihiro never forgot the kindness he experienced with his adoptive family and integrated a design of the Itō crest for his code of arms. He is said to have done this during these years.

Expanding Power
Serving under his elder brother, Yoshihiro continued to show bravery against the Itō forces during the Battle of Kizakibaru in 1572. The battle was fought in an effort to expand the Shimazu family territory. Itō Sukeyasu, who received reinforcements from three sides, split his army of 3,000 into two separate battalions in an effort to surround Yoshihiro and his family. To retaliate, Yoshihiro's wife and fifty volunteers took shelter in another castle while he lead an attack from Kakutō Castle. His enemy tried to corner him with a fire attack, but one of his trusted generals spotted the spark and reported the incident. Wanting to stump his foe at intelligence, Yoshihiro sent spies familiar with the local region to report on the situation. Learning the general geography of the land, he gathered 160 from his 300 men under his command. Sukeyasu's army chose to also perform a night raid on Kakutō Castle around this time. Though the Shimazu troops were able to surprise their foes, there were heavy casualties on both sides due to the young and inexperienced soldiers dragged into the conflict. The confusion was enough to demoralize Sukeyasu's troops and they fled from the castle.

Yoshihiro chose to not immediately pursue them since a report of 500 enemy soldiers was said to have been stationed and ready for them near Mount Suwa. When Sukeyasu's troops were resting near a river, however, Yoshihiro sprung an ambush from his artillery and personally rode on a chestnut-colored horse into the surprised enemy army. He dueled and slayed three generals in his charge, forcing the Itō army to make a battered retreat up Mount Suwa. Yoshihiro was already ready for this move and, when his foes progressed up the hills, he signaled another ambush with his spies in the area. Stopping his enemy in their tracks, he trapped them from their rear with the remainder of his 300 men. The enemy army was ultimately stumped by this strategy and their resistance collapsed with 500 survivors (mainly composed of the ones who did not have a chance to march into the battle). Sukeyasu was killed by a stray bullet whilst trying to escape the chaos. Although it was a victory for Yoshihiro, it was also a bloody scene for both sides and it is said that it took four months to give proper burials to the deceased in the field. Yoshihiro only had 53 soldiers remaining after the battle.

The particular formation used by Yoshihiro in this conflict later became his family's famous trademark and feared tactic, Tsuri no Buse (literally: "Hidden Fishing Field"). To summarize the tactic's use in later battles, the army is split into three formations and placed in three different locations. One army waits in the center and lures the enemy to attack them (otherwise known as "fishing"). When the middle army sees their chance, the two other squadrons are signaled to surround the enemy from two directions (usually the left and right).

Yoshihiro distinguished his reputation as a brave general after the battle. After the Itō clan was suppressed, he also took part in The Battle of Mimikawa, which lead to a crushing defeat for the Ōtomo family and the annihilation of their troops in modern day Kijō, Miyazaki. Taking the place of his older brother, Yoshihiro lead the Shimazu offensive against them and significantly decreased his enemy's territories. In 1587, Hideyoshi was in the midst of his Kyushu Campaign and reinforced the Ōtomo clan. The Shimazu family decided to eventually surrender during the Battle of Nejirozaka, in which they faced a massive army of 80,000. It is said that Yoshihiro opposed the decision, fighting valiantly against several enemies and pressing for a do-or-die resistance. He only agreed to the idea once his brothers gradually laid down their arms and offered one of their children as a hostage.

Serving Hideyoshi
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 Tōdō 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 were called "Oni Shimazu (literal translation-Shimazu demons or Shimazu ogres)" by Ming. Based on the superstition that the shape of cat's pupils told the exact time of day, Yoshihiro was said to have brought seven cats with him on the field in an effort to correct his judgment on time. At least two of them survived the trip back to Japan and were later enshrined at Senganen.

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. Most of the 500 ships under his command were destroyed or captured by the Joseon and Ming navies under Admiral Yi Soon Shin. However, an estimated 150 to 200 of his ships managed to limp back to Japan. Upon his return, Yoshihiro was awarded for his services since Yi Soon Shin was killed by his army.

Sekigahara
After Hideyoshi's death, the Shimazu army became split between Yoshihisa and Yoshihiro's desires. His brother was anti-Toyotomi while Yoshihiro still supported the departed taiko. As a result, Yoshihiro and his few army of men became stranded in Osaka and did not have the power to summon more men from Satsuma. He was further isolated when his son, Tadasune, assassinated Ijuin Tadamune in 1599. Tadamune's son, Tadazane, sought to avenge his father's death. What followed was a massive internal conflict between both clans known as the Shōnai Rebellion (庄内の乱, Shōnai no Ran). Since Ieyasu's mediation had ultimately ended the conflict, the Shimazu clan were indebted to him. This rebellion was later blamed for the small number of troops Yoshihiro had available for the Battle of Sekigahara.

In 1600, many people popularly believe that Yoshihiro was originally sided with the Eastern army. He lead 1,000 men as reinforcements to assist Torii Mototada at Fushimi Castle. However, Mototada doubted his loyalties to Ieyasu and refused to let Yoshihiro enter. As such, Yoshihiro became stranded once more and eventually assumed a post in the Western army. There are few historical records that accurately describe the event, but it is speculated that something of this nature occurred since Ishida Mitsunari was said to have greeted Yoshihiro scornfully. Furthermore, the Western commander denied to lend him any more troops for their campaign.

With this treatment, Yoshihiro participated in few of the battles before the Battle of Sekigahara. The night before, Yoshihiro's troops were in a prime position to ambush Ieyasu's troops and was said to have suggested a night raid. Ukita Hideie supposedly agreed with him. Mitsunari and his closest advisors disagreed with the notion, the famous reason being that Mitsunari thought it was dishonorable. Instead, Yoshihiro was assigned to lead the frontal attack at Sekigahara since some allies were still fearful of the Eastern army's numbers. Yoshihiro answered by refusing to move his troops. When the battle worsened in its early hours, Yasojima Sukesaemon requested that the Shimazu family should send reinforcements. Yasojima was said to have been angered by Yoshihiro's stagnant activity and yelled at him to march or the battle would be lost. Yoshihiro thought nothing of the words but continued to be upset by the rudeness he experienced.

After Kobayakawa Hideaki's defection, Yoshihiro's original escape route was blocked by the fleeing Western officers. Awaiting the charging armies, he contemplated fleeing with his remaining 300 and was convinced by his nephew, Toyohisa, to put the plan into action. Seeing as there was no turning back, Yoshihiro decided to lead the rush forward, determined to at least meet a glorious end if he should fail to retreat. His army trampled through Fukushima Masanori's troops and headed straight for Ieyasu's camp. Unable to reach his goal, however, his army diverged south and met the combined forces of Ii Naomasa, Honda Tadakatsu, and Fukushima. Though his army broke through, they continued to be pursued.

Seeing the situation, Yoshihiro immediately called for his tactic, Sutegamari (捨て奸, Lit: Abandon Deception). This plan essentially has a team of snipers stationed along the pursuing army's path. The snipers would then only aim for the enemy commander and, after their initial snipe, would then fight to the death with their spears to claim the enemy commander's head. While this is happening, the main force would retreat. Chojuin Moriatsu and Toyohisa agreed to stay behind and fought back the main generals who gave chase, Naomasa and Matsudaira Tadayoshi. Yoshihiro successfully broke through enemy lines and Ieyasu, fearing the loss of more of his men, called off any more pursuits. He rendezvoused with his fleeing wife in Settsu, Sumiyoshi-ku and fled with Tachibana Muneshige by boat, sailing safely back to Satsuma. Out of the 300 men who accompanied him, it is said that 80 or so men survived the trip back home.

Later Years
Once Yoshihiro returned to his homeland, he urged for peace talks with Ieyasu and finally had his own wounds properly attended. When conducting these negotiations, he sent his condolences for causing Fukushima and Naomasa's wounds. At the same time, Satsuma's boarders were heavily fortified in preparation for the worse case scenario. Fifteen days later, Ieyasu refused their request and was angered by the Shimazu's continued warfare with neighboring families. Though a formal attack was not issued, an army of 40,000 lead by Katō Kiyomasa had already gone to work to subdue the Tachibana family. The Shimazu clan had an army of 10,000 and, by then, Yoshihiro was well rested. Either side was ready to clash at any given time. Two months later, however, the army that was going to suppress the Shimazu withdrew.

Two years later, Ieyasu's anger towards Yoshihiro softened and he accepted that prolonging their standoff could possibly lead to another long war. He is quoted in various fictional mediums to have replied, "Do not try to dispose the Shimazu any longer, for Yoshihiro's acts were for the individual. Neither the clan's leader or his family consented to his behavior." Thus, the Shimazu family lowered their arms and finally designated the clan's next leader, Tadatsune. It is assumed that Yoshihiro thanked Ieyasu, as the Shimazu general could now pass into the next world without any regrets. He then retired to Kajiki, Kagoshima and devoted himself to teaching the youngsters in the area. He passed away peacefully at age 85 and his 13 trusted vassals followed him to his grave. He has two death poems. One writes, "I would have neither lived nor died, if the earth and heavens opened in front of me". The other is "Just as how the flowers and autumn colored leaves in the Spring and Autumn Annals never stay, a person too is empty and must head down the path to darkness".