Masakage Yamagata

Masakage Yamagata is one of Shingen's Four Guardian Kings and considered to be one of his famed Twenty-Four Generals. He is one of the famous generals who ordered his armies to wear red armor in battle, an act later replicated by Naomasa Ii.

His Nobunaga's Ambition counterpart is ninth place in Gamecity's character popularity ranking for 2015. The Nobunaga no Yabou 201X poll for 4-star officers puts him in thirty-ninth place. He placed twenty-seventh in the Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi poll for most favorite father.

Role in Games
The Samurai Warriors series generally has him in the majority of Shingen's battles until Nagashino. During this battle, he is usually killed by Oda gunfire or is highlighted as a mission objective for the Oda forces to kill. Yukimura's scenario of this battle in the first game will allow Masakage to survive the fighting if Shingen is present. In the following sequels, he will charge in the frontlines alongside Yukimura to attack the Oda's main camp.

During 4-II, he leads his Red Devils unit to bravely charge into the enemy forces despite the loss of the previous two units to gunfire during Clash of Will's version of Nagashino. His bravery, along with the other fallen Takeda generals, inspires the young Naomasa to take up the red mantle shared by the late Takeda generals.

In Spirit of Sanada, his first appearance is at the final stages of Kawanakajima, helping defeat the Uesugi forces at Zenkoji. He joins Shingen's later campaigns against both the Imagawa and the Tokugawa. His daunting figure and heroics leave an impression on the young Yukimura, who wishes to honor the general by sharing his iconic red standard upon growing up. During Nagashino's open battle at Shitaragahara, he joins Masatsugu Tsuchiya and Nobufusa Baba in charging the palisades after Nobutsuna Sanada's death. The three die together, helping stall time for Katsuyori's escape.

Masakage will die at Nagashino in Kessen III. Before the battle, he cautions the reckless Katsuyori to follow his late father's suggestions to not attack the Oda. He is given a special cutscene for his death during the battle.

Voice Actors

 * Beau Billingslea - Kessen III (English)
 * Takahiro Yoshimizu - Kessen III (Japanese)

Live Action Performers

 * Kei Jinza - Butai Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi Fuyu no Jin Oudou Shikkou ~Kiko no Shiroshio Hen~

Quotes

 * "Have the gods forsaken the Takeda?"
 * "Fear not! The red-clad warriors ride with you! We'll kick down their defenses and take Nobunaga's head!"
 * "My Lord Takeda, I have fallen but a single step from taking Nobunaga's head! Lord Katsuyori, stand firm!"
 * "Confound you, Nobutsuna. You sure know how to wind people up. You must not let the likes of Nobutsuna claim all the glory! We must carve fear into the hearts of our enemies!."
 * "I may perish, but the red-clad warriors never will! ...Lord Shingen, I am on my way, with a gift in each hand."