Ina

Ina or Inahime (稲姫) debuted as one of the new characters in Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends. She also appears as a bonus character in Kessen III if the players have a Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legend data file on their memory card. She is Tadakatsu's eldest daughter, the wife of Nobuyuki Sanada and Yukimura's sister in law.

Her height in the Samurai Warriors series is 165 cm (5'5"). Fans voted her to tenth place in Gamecity's Samurai Warriors 3: Empires character popularity poll.

Samurai Warriors
New to the battlefront, Ina starts her story with her goal of realizing what it means to be a warrior. She initially believes that war must only be waged so peace may blossom. Mentored by her father while they help their lord and Hideyoshi escape Kanegasaki, she continues to defend Ieyasu at Mikatagahara. Here she encounters Kunoichi, who taunts that Ina likes the sight of carnage as well. After she defends Ieyasu from the shinobi's assassination attempt, she is shaken by the the younger one's words and ponders their meaning based on her past experiences. Years later, Ieyasu is chased by Mitsuhide's army at Iga. Ina is personally charged with protecting Baisetsu Anayama though Ieyasu also wants all of his officers to safely escape as well.

If too many lives are lost during their flight, Ina resorts to brutal measures and slays all who oppose her lord's passage. The repercussions of her boldness has Ieyasu unable to flee, and he is forced to rest his tired troops north at Yamazaki. They are quickly surrounded by Mitsuhide's army, Magoichi's rifle brigade, and later Hideyoshi's troops. Apologizing for her neglect and regretting her actions, she swears to try to mimic her father's focus and regains the will to fight. As their lord declares himself the greatest man in the land, Hideyoshi challenges him for the right at Osaka Castle. In the aftermath, Ina realizes that every life is precious and desires to live her life as she please to make amends for her actions.

An Ina who stays true to her duty at Iga has the army flee successfully. Although Hideyoshi gains an upper hand over Ieyasu by avenging Nobunaga, she joins Ieyasu in defying his vision of peace by partaking in their decisive battle at Komaki-Nagakute. Ina only fights so that she will no longer have any last regrets for the new age of serenity and lays down her arms upon the battle's conclusion. Time passes and Hideyoshi's death sparks a new form of rebellion in the land. Though married and with child, Ina raises her bow a final time to defy the wishes of her scheming father-in-law, Masayuki Sanada. During the defense of Ueda Castle, she makes peace with Kunoichi and they enjoy a harmonious life together.

In Samurai Warriors 2, she is an experienced warrior who joins the siege at Odawara Castle. She believes that she must work hard to be remembered in history. Afterwards, Ieyasu is awarded the Kantō region but the nearby villages are plagued by bandits who don't know of Ieyasu's reputation. After Ina suppresses them, she plays second fiddle to Ieyasu's campaigns by assisting the front at Kusegawa and Sekigahara. Believing that ridding the Toyotomi family is the only option for unity, she assists the front at Osaka Castle. Ieyasu personally thanks her, but she notes that their victory is one for everyone.

Her dream stage is her historical act of stopping Masayuki at Numata Castle. During the time of Sekigahara, her husband fights for the east and her relatives fight for the west. Wanting to take the castle for himself, Masayuki pays a visit to Numata Castle, feigning that he wants to see his grandson. Ina sees through the ploy and raises the call for defense.

Samurai Warriors 3 has her start on the losing side of Mikatagahara. During their retreat, she encounters Yukimura and volunteers to stop him to clear a path for her lord. Although Ieyasu mourns for those who sacrificed themselves for his safety, they are able to safely escape from Shingen's army. Years later, Ieyasu gains more control of the central part of the land and Ina joins him in his first siege to take Ueda Castle. Able to obtain victory, she is impressed by the Sanada family's integrity and pleads for her lord to spare them. Ieyasu agrees and has her married to Nobuyuki to ensure a political alliance between both families. As a member of the Sanada family, she assists the siege at Odawara Castle. Yukimura worries for her safety, but she proves that she is capable of defending herself. With the land united under Hideyoshi upon their victory, she asks her younger brother-in-law to protect the new age of peace with her.

When Mitsunari defies Ieyasu's leadership, Ina stays behind at Numata Castle. She senses Masayuki and Yukimura's approach, defying their entrance to the castle. Moments after her victory, a soldier reports that Ieyasu has won the battle at Sekigahara. With Ieyasu as the shogun and to protect the life of a true warrior, Tadakatsu begs pardon for Yukimura's life to their lord. Ina and her father believe that Yukimura deserves the right to shape his own future as a fellow warrior and Ieyasu agrees to spare his life. He sends the youth into exile, but he eventually joins the Toyotomi family in resisting Ieyasu's reign. Only concentrating on what lies in front of her, Ina supports Ieyasu and faces his enemies. She tearfully tries to stop her brother-in-law from marching to his death. Yukimura, striving to prove himself to the end, bids farewell to her after his defeat. Although his fate is unknown, she believes that he is still alive somewhere and swears to protect the Sanada family for his return.

Warriors Orochi
During Orochi's scenario, Ina is one of the generals who tries to defend her lord at Edo Castle. She bravely leads a surprise attack on Orochi's main camp but is defeated by the serpent army. Ieyasu, who wants to save his men, submits to the serpent king after his defeat.

In Warriors Orochi, Ina befriends Sun Shang Xiang during their forced servitude, as the two are frequently joined together for missions. When she confronts Sun Ce about his bungled attempt to rescue Sun Jian, she is surprised when he asks about his sister's welfare. After testing his sincerity in battle, she defects to the resistance and convinces her friend to do the same once the battle ends. She also appears as one of the reinforcements at Osaka Bay called in by Lu Meng in order to fight Keiji Maeda.

During the sequel, she and Xing Cai lead a reconnaissance mission for their respective lords. They spot and rescue Mitsuhide and his daughter from being taken away to Kiyomori by Sun Wukong. Though they fight and beat the Monkey King, he escapes capture. She shares her dream stage with two other famous archers, Huang Zhong and Xiahou Yuan, to prove their worth over firearms.

Ina once stood beside her father in Warriors Orochi 3. After they were attacked by the serpent forces, however, they became separated from one another. Determined to resist the serpent army to the end, Ina trains at various places within the dimensional world. Rumors inspired by appearance describe a beautiful princess in the battlefield, which intrigues Guo Jia and his party to look for her. Pleased to be reunited with her father and her friend, Xing Cai, Ina thanks her saviors and volunteers her services for the coalition.

Personality
Ina is a filial daughter who is proud of her father and family. Despite her high-class uprising, she is eager to prove her own worth as a warrior and defend her father's image with her archery. While obedient to her father's wishes, she is independent enough to act upon her own volition when she feels the need arises. Caring greatly for duty to her lord and honor, she values righteous morals and upright principles. Therefore, she has an innate need to punish any who she believes to be morally unjust, which is emphasized as she appears in more titles. When she is not on the battlefield, she is a gentle and noble maiden of elegance. Since most people that she encounters only know her in battle, she is generally known as an old-fashioned traditionalist or a tomboy by people who don't know her.

Though they rarely interact with one another, she is implied to love her husband, Nobuyuki, and respects his wishes. When they face one another as enemies, she is immediately impressed by his integrity. Their marriage makes her the older sister-in-law to Yukimura, who humbly addresses her as his "older sister" or "My lady". They are in respectful awe with one another's loyalty to their masters and neither dislike the other for their duties. While their respect for one another is minor in most titles, their relationship is in the spotlight in her newer appearance. The Japanese script emphasizes that her exuberance and innocent nature are charming and inspirational to Yukimura in battle. In the English version, it's instead her headstrong warrior spirit.

During her debut, she shares a minor rivalry with Kunoichi, who calls her "Ina-chin" in the Japanese script. Ina denies that she has blood lust and struggles throughout her story to find her answer to counter the shinobi's jeers. Depending on the ending, she slays her enemy or genuinely befriends her. Their rivalry is downplayed in the third title, although Kunoichi still calls Ina by her nickname. In the second title, she admires Ginchiyo's stature and desires to one day be more like her.

Character Symbolism
She's symbolized by the kanji "purity" (純) and "refreshing" (爽) and white flower petals in the Samurai Warriors series. During her story in the third game, the carnation is emphasized in her movies. Within the flower language, it may represent charity, bravery, and boldness. Due to the flower being associated with a beloved young girl dying well before her time, the flower may also mean pure love, longing, or innocence.

Her second longbow for both her appearances is named after wood it is carved from, the azusa tree (Japanese Cherry Birch tree). Bows crafted from this particular wood are for ones reserved for a religious nature, either for festivals or for priestesses. Her third weapon during her debut is named after the same prefecture known for peerless bows during the Nanbokuchō period (Miyazaki).

Ina's third longbow -fourth weapon in her debut- is a reference to Nasu no Yoichi, an archer famously mentioned in Tales of the Heike. After the successful invasion of Yashima, the Heike stranded in the sea decided to issue a challenge to their Genji oppressors. They did so by letting a single woman hold a tall pole; on top of this pole was a single fan. The dare was a silent brag about the safety of the Heike's position and was meant to intimidate the Genji. Yoshitsune ordered for an archer to shoot the fan down, eventually being recommended a young Nasu no Munetaka. He doubted whether Munetaka could make the shot, but the young man swore on his life that he would. If he failed, he would gladly accept his own death as punishment. Allowing the brave youth to stay true to his word, Munetaka mounted on a horse and rode a few steps off the shoreline. Drawing back a single arrow, it flew from his bow and hit the fan with dazzling accuracy; it danced and glittered as it flew and glided into the waves. Munetaka would be immortalized for the lone shot, eventually being dubbed in legends as Nasu no Yoichi. Her weapon adds that Ina uses the same construction and string as his bow. Her Power variations have the same interior while her Speed types use the same paint.

Her fourth weapon -fifth for her debut and Unique in the third- is Ama-no-Makakoyumi, a legendary bow found within Japanese mythology. Paired with the legendary arrow, Ama-no-Habaya, they were used by Amanowakahiko. Given to him by Takamimusubi, Amanowakahiko was supposed to use them in the pacification of Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni. Instead, he became irritated by the constant chirping of a pheasant and used the divine bow and arrow to shoot it down. The shot held enormous power, killing several innocent bird maidens and other beings that happened to be in its path. Ama-no-Habaya even pierced through the heavens and reached its creator, Takamimusubi. Angered by the spoiled shot and the blood drenched arrow, Takamimusubi declared that Amanowakahiko should pay for his folly. The god threw Ama-no-Habaya back down and it struck and killed Amanowakahiko. If Amanowakahiko had used the weapons as they were intended, they would have been obvious candidates for the Three Sacred Treasures.

Aizen Myooh is originally mentioned in Ina's sixth weapon for her debut. It is the Japanese interpretation of Rāgarāja. According to him, he accepts lust as an unavoidable human instinct. Naturally accepting it is actually a celebration of staying true to Buddhist principles. In other words, Aizen Myooh is widely known as a type of Japanese Cupid. A divine lord of romance, match-making, and marriage, he is often depicted as aiming a divine bow to the sky. Ina's weapon is named after the bow he wields, although it doesn't state the arrows' exact target. As a side note, Aizen Myooh is also known thought to be one of the "love" origins for Kanetsugu's helmet. Her fifth weapon for her second appearance is named as a pure, beautiful bow of love. The bow shares a similar naming scheme as her sixth, but removes Aizen Myooh's affiliation with it. Its shape and appearance are vaguely reminiscent of the bows wielded by cartoon cupids.

Her original personal item in Warriors Orochi is simply "White Headband". An old East Asian belief is to tie a headband around one's forehead as a method of alleviating pain, especially when someone is ill or wounded. Within Japan, there's a belief that the gesture instills someone with courage and determination. Urban legends suggest it's supposed to mirror the conviction of a soldier wearing armor during the Heian Period. In their case, however, a white headband was merely used to help them properly fit helmets on their heads.

Voice Actors

 * Wendee Lee - Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends (English)
 * Katie Snetsinger - Samurai Warriors 2 (English)
 * Jessica Straus - Warriors Orochi series, Samurai Warriors 3 (English)
 * Makiko Ômoto - Samurai Warriors and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)

Quotes

 * "To succumb to temptation means defeat."
 * "I am Ina. Know me, and you shall know pain."
 * "I shall prove myself to the men of this age!"
 * "None can escape the reach of my bow!"
 * "Arrows, fly true!"
 * "Ha! You know nothing of war!"
 * "Someday, these bloody fields shall be allowed to blossom again."
 * "When challenging yourself, you cannot settle for second best."
 * "I am truly happy. To think so many would support one as inexperienced as me is a joy! I shall always proceed forward! To surpass this rank and to go further than before!"
 * "You look a lot better than you did at Sekigahara."
 * "And I have also improved, thanks to you. But more importantly, I've come to understand my true calling."
 * Ina and Musashi; Samurai Warriors 2


 * "Lord Yukimura... How is he...? Your brother... Is he well?"
 * "Yes, he remains well."
 * "Good... I am glad to hear it."
 * Ina and Yukimura; Samurai Warriors 2 Empires


 * "How can you dress in such ridiculous clothes? Have you no modesty? No self-respect?"
 * "But... this is what Hideyoshi likes me to wear. Especially when he-"
 * "Stop! Please don't finish that sentence."
 * Ina and Nene; Samurai Warriors 2 Empires


 * "So, it's Muneshige, the Strongest in the West and a rival to Father. But I have one trump card I can use to defeat you: archery!"
 * "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm an expert in archery and swordsmanship."
 * "Oh, then I have nothing to surpass you..."
 * "No, that's not true. Your budding potential is enough to exceed me or Lord Tadakatsu."
 * Ina and Muneshige; Samurai Warriors 3: Empires

Ground Moveset

 * undefined,(undefined),(undefined): Reaches for her arrow before firing it skywards. If she is not hit during the animation, a rain of arrows fall upon foes shortly afterwards. The number of arrows falling increases based on the number of button taps.
 * ,undefined,(undefined),(undefined),(undefined): Upwards slash with bow. If it hits and connects with her target, she will fire a set of arrows to knock them upwards. Ina tucks her bow close to her waist and spins forward, hitting foes with the bow's bladed edge. She poses with a damaging aura to finish.
 * ,,undefined,(undefined),(undefined),(undefined): Shoots an explosive arrow downwards. As it stuns opponents, Ina twirls backwards before she slices through foes in front of her. She continues to glide across the ground five times before performing a spinning hop.
 * ,,,undefined,(undefined),(undefined),(undefined): Five turning slashes to her front, a spin accompanying each step forward. She shoots two waves of energy in front of her.
 * ,,,,,,,: Three twirling slashes before she stands erect and fires four arrows to her front. On the final button tap, Ina crouches to fire three arrows. Arrows have a narrow range, but they are quick and can hit from a decent distance away from her.


 * ,undefined: Shoots an arrow downward as she plummets. She lands in a fetal position and takes a moment to roll back to her feet.
 * ,: Fires three arrows downward.
 * Stands in one spot and rapidly fires a chain of arrows forward. Ina can be rotated to direct her path of destruction, pivoting at a steady pace between shots. The arrows have a narrow range but they are shot quickly enough to combo her foes. In her True Musou version, she slashes with her bow's bladed end three times before posing.

Mounted Moveset

 * ,undefined: Lifting swing to the left. Lifts enemies.
 * ,,undefined: Downwards chop to the left. Breaks through defenses and/or stuns.
 * ,,,undefined: Twirling swings with bow to the left.
 * ,,,,,,: Swings bow three times before she finishes by firing five arrows.
 * Shoots a chain of arrows before posing for final shockwave. Final sequence causes the horse to break out of their gait.

Samurai Warriors 2
Her horse musou changes to a damaging stampede by her horse, but the rest of her mounted moveset remains the same. Her ground moveset was changed slightly due to her attack type (Special).


 * undefined, (undefined): Shoots several arrows upward and let them plunge down into the enemies. The additional button pressed increase the number of arrows.
 * ,undefined,(undefined): Upwards slash with bow. If it hits, Ina crouches and fires three arrows to hit her skyward opponent.
 * ,,undefined,(undefined): Shoots an exploding arrow into the floor in front of her, stunning the enemies, then zig-zaggs forward in an ice-skating fashion three times before a spinning slash backward.
 * ,,,undefined,(undefined): Three spin-slashes, followed by two air waves forward. Width of air waves are larger than previous title.
 * ,,,,undefined:(Xtreme Legends only) Back flips and fires three arrows as she crouches. Automatically enables her R1 + undefined ability.
 * Stands upright as she rapidly fires a chain of arrows tinged with a blue aura of energy. The arrows have a wider range of attack than before, but Ina takes more time to pivot than before. Her Level 3 version has her fire her arrows at a quicker rate.
 * R1 + : Fire multiple arrows at once.
 * R1 + undefined: Elements applied to every attack.
 * Personal Skill : (Pierce) Indirect attacks damage enemies.

Same moveset as Samurai Warriors 2 excluding her C5 and Level 3 Musou. She has two new R1 abilities.
 * Warriors Orochi
 * ,: An airdash that makes her temporarily invincible. Ina rolls forward.
 * R1: Jumps and sends three air waves downward.
 * direction + R1: Shoots several arrows in a fan-shaped patterm.

Samurai Warriors 3

 * (Ultimate/Kaiden): Ina aims her bow skyward, and shoot a great amount of arrows into the sky. They all fall in a large circle in front of her.


 * Spirit Cancel:

Ultimate Musou is now True Musou in Warriors Orochi 3. Gains the following addition.
 * Warriors Orochi
 * R1:

Samurai Warriors
Ina is arguably the first purely archer type character to effectively be given access to her bow as a primary means of combat. Prior to her, most archer types had a secondary weapon that was used in close range. Her combative style has moderate range and speed, but her attack moves when actually firing her bow are weak and slow compared to her melee attacks, but her special attacks tend to have high power, range, and can hit enemies far outside of melee.

Samurai Warriors 2
How to get Coiled Viper

Stage: Seige of Odawara Castle

Requirements: defeat all enemy officers personally but not Ujimasa and Ujinao Hojo

Historical Information
Komatsuhime was born in the year 1573 as the daughter of Honda Tadakatsu. She was adopted by Tokugawa Ieyasu though some records believe that she was actually Ieyasu's child. Her childhood name was Inahime and Onei. She was praised as a beautiful and intelligent woman.

After witnessing the Sanada's wise strategies at the Battle of Ueda, she and her father were captivated by them. Tokugawa Ieyasu himself arranged for Komatsuhime to marry Sanada Nobuyuki, the Sanada lord. She was 17 and he was 25 at the time. A popular story says that Ieyasu brought Komatsuhime in a room of suitors to let her choose her husband. The men were turned with their backs to her so she couldn't see their faces. Despite facing rows of topknots, she found Nobuyuki very quickly due to her infatuation with him. Nobuyuki praised her as a good wife and wise mother (ryōsai kenbo 良妻賢母). It was partially due to his marriage that he aligned himself with the Eastern Army at the Battle of Sekigahara.

In 1600, before Sekigahara, Sanada Masayuki was en route to visit Nobuyuki at Ueda Castle, accompanied by his other son, Sanada Yukimura. The two stopped at Numata Castle, where Komatsuhime was managing affairs. Masayuki relayed a message to her: "I want to see my grandchildren," and in response, the princess emerged, dressed in full battle attire, saying "Since we have parted ways in this conflict, though you are my father-in-law I cannot allow you into this castle." Some accounts report that she fired a warning shot from her bow when Masayuki and his men tried to march closer. Masayuki and Yukimura withdrew to a temple, Shōkaku-ji, and were surprised when they saw Komatsuhime (with her children) arrive soon after them, honoring Masayuki's wish. After the incident, Masayuki reportedly said, "That's Honda Tadakatsu's daughter for you. A fine maiden who will not falter."

After the Battle of Sekigahara, during Masayuki and Yukimura's exile, she took charge of sending them food and other daily necessities.

She died in the present-day city of Kōnosu in Saitama Prefecture at age 47. She was in the midst of traveling to Kusatsu hot spring with hopes to treat her illness. Nobuyuki lamented her passing, saying that "the light of my house has been extinguished." Her grave can be found there. Today, in the museum at Ueda Castle, visitors can see items that she used, including her palanquin.

Gallery
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