Yoshimoto Imagawa

Yoshimoto Imagawa first appeared as an unique general in Samurai Warriors in the Oda forces first campaign. Like Hideyoshi, he becomes playable in the game's expansion. He is one of the three feared daimyo of the Tokaido region in the early Sengoku era. He was very powerful until his death at Okehazama, which is one of Nobunaga's early claims to fame.

In the first Samurai Warriors, he's 41 years old. His height since his second reappearance is 180 cm (5'11"). He's symbolized by the kanji for "costly" (貴) and "attracting attention" (趣).

Samurai Warriors
In Samurai Warriors, Yoshimoto is depicted as a man easily flustered by the slightest offset. The make-your-own characters can start their story serving him only to leave once they deem him an inadequate lord. His character alters in Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends as he becomes a kemari fan. He rides to the capital to stage his own kemari tournament.

After he survives Okehazama, he suffers great losses and calls off the march to Kyoto. He receives a secret message from Shingen to ask his help invading Odawara Castle. As he assists the Takeda army, Kenshin and his men intercept and claim that Shingen is only using him. Even Ujiyasu states that he isn't even planning a rebellion but Yoshimoto punishes him anyway. When the two rivals meet at Kawanakajima, Yoshimoto is given the option to assist either side of the conflict.

Yukimura warns him to continue with the plan and he becomes hostile if Yoshimoto doesn't approach Kenshin's camp. As he rushes towards his former allies, Masamune assists and they rout the Takeda army. Although Shingen admits that he never used his ally, Yoshimoto defeats him and idolizes Kenshin's life as a warrior. He mimes Kenshin's actions to see if he can be like his idol. As the Takeda flee to Ueda Castle, Yoshimoto and his army assist the siege. His army tires from the conflicts but they are successful in defeating the remaining Takeda army. The Uesugi-Imagawa army heads towards Honnoji and Kenshin uses the opportunity to challenge his fellow warrior to the right for the land. After Yoshimoto wins the title of the greatest warrior, he is left confused by Kenshin's ritual for bestowing him the title. Humorously, Masamune quickly appears to challenge him for the right and Imagawa mimes Kenshin's actions to the lad, therefore bestowing him the title with no contest.

If Yoshimoto remains loyal to the Takeda army, Kenshin remarks that the plot failed and is defeated. Although his vassal protests his decision, Yoshimoto keeps his mind on kemari and reminds that harmony is key between friends. Both he and Shingen slay Ieyasu's army at Komaki-Nagakute. With the path to the capital clear, they head towards Honnoji and Nobunaga challenges them a final time. After Yoshimoto storms the temple and defeats their foe, he is ready to start his kemari tournament until Shingen betrays him. To make sure that he can play without any regrets, he routs his relative. In his ending, he plays his game in an unlikely land of peace.

He returns in Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends to continue his desire for a friendly kemari gathering with other generals. Althrough he helps Shingen at Kawanakajima and Nagamasa at Odani Castle, both ignore his kemari fanatic which leaves Yoshimoto rather lonely. He wanders the land alone and years later joins in Hideyoshi's campaign of suppressing Kyushu. The latter encourages Yoshimoto not to give up his dream for the ball game. Afterwards, Hideyoshi's vast army attack Odawara Castle, and Yoshimoto joins the campaign as well. When Hideyoshi dies after the unification, Ieyasu and Mitsunari become bitter enemies and Yoshimoto joins the former's forces. Eventually, the Eastern Army gains the upper hand in battle and Mitsunari is soon defeated. Yoshimoto finally gets his wish granted as both armies play Kemari with him. He marks them as his own army of kemari warriors.

His dream stage is a reenactment of Yoshimoto's side at Okehazama. While the battle seems going well at first, the Imagawa main camp is ambushed several times, which lowers the morale of Yoshimoto's forces. Ieyasu's betrayal turns out a threat for the Imagawa, and Yoshimoto wants to defeat the rebel for his treachery. Though Nobunaga is eventually defeated, Yasutomo reports they have sustained too many loses to continue their march to the capital so Yoshimoto decides to head back home.

Although he has no personal story, Yoshimoto is named one of the main powers of the Kantō region in Samurai Warriors 3. With Shingen's help, he defends Suruga Province from Ujiyasu and Kenshin's separate forces. He remains a liable threat until his death at Okehazama.

Warriors Orochi
Yoshimoto first appears in Warriors Orochi as a third-party general. The player needs to successfully thwart Shingen's fire attack in the Battle of Saika for Wei's story. After Kenshin and Shingen are routed, Yoshimoto will appear to see what the ruckus is about. Zhang Liao takes him to be the ringleader of the battle and orders for all of his troops to charge. Impressed by the prowess of his "new servants", Yoshimoto joins Wei.

In Warriors Orochi 2, Yoshimoto appears during the opening sequence for Shu's story. Little is said regarding his reasons for joining the kingdom but he does respect Liu Bei's leadership. In one of the game's dream modes, he forms an unlikely alliance with Xing Cai and Ginchiyo. With Yue Ying and Hideyoshi's help, they go to rescue Yuan Shao's struggling army at Chen Cang. When Yoshimoto meets him, they quickly see eye to eye with one another.

Kessen
Yoshimoto appears as a sub enemy in Kessen III. At the start of the story, he wanted to kidnap Kicho to presumably use her as a political hostage. He forces Ieyasu to work for him by taking his wife and children hostage and makes his vassal work fight the Oda during Nobunaga's subjugation in Owari. Yoshimoto leads a huge and very strong army but can be easily defeated if Nobunaga successfully completes his ambush at Okehazama. Unlike other sub enemies in the game, his death scene is humorously exaggerated.

Personality
A high class noble who is proud of his status, Yoshimoto is an old fashioned traditionalist who thinks highly of his strength. While his first appearance depicts him as an easily angered coward, he becomes friendlier and affable to others in his following incarnations. An avid fan of kemari, he sometimes equates his life to rules of the game. Although many perceive him to be a simple fool, Yoshimoto likely has an inkling of intellect that saves him during battle. It's possible that his witless appearance is a disguise for his real abilities, but it's never clear if this is the truth or a misunderstanding from other characters. Humorously, he dresses and speaks in a manner that is truest to nobles in the time period, but he is reviled or misunderstood by many characters for his "odd" mannerisms. He quaintly recites poetry after each victory, which changes with each battle in his newer appearances.

Since they are bound by family ties, Shingen treats Yoshimoto with some degree of respect. Although Shingen jokes about his doubts for Yoshimoto, the latter sees their relationship as a happy one. In the Warriors Orochi series, his behavior even baffles the Dynasty Warriors characters excluding Yuan Shao.

Voice Actors

 * Richard Cansino - Samurai Warriors (English)
 * Dan Jeannotte - Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends (English)
 * Takahiro Kawachi - Samurai Warriors and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)
 * Hidekatsu Shibata - Kessen III (Japanese)
 * Bin Shimada - Nobunaga's Ambition Online (Japanese)

Quotes

 * "I will be lonely no more!"
 * "An adventure awaits us."
 * "Do you think you can use that skill in kemari?"
 * "Harmony is the key."
 * "I feel plump and more magnificent than ever!"
 * "Oh my! What is this! A trap? Ahh!"
 * "Very good. Very good."
 * "Away with you, away."
 * "I chose the wrong time to be born."
 * "A future awaits use."
 * "Impudent rabble, run away before you get hurt."
 * "You! You're the fool with the ball at Kawanakajima!"
 * "And you're the verbose egotist from Kawanakajima."
 * "Your buffoonery ruined my Lord Kenshin's march to glory!"
 * Kanetsugu and Yoshimoto; Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends

Fighting Style
His moveset in Warriors Orochi 2 is slow and weak although his R1 is quite powerful. Yoshimoto heavily relies on team members who can provide him with power increases.

Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends
* All listed lengths are for the sword.