Nagahide Niwa

Nagahide Niwa is a senior retainer for the Oda clan and one of Nobunaga's Four Guardian Kings and Five Great Generals. He is highly praised and sometimes called his lord's "number two" vassal, one of his nicknames in traditional folk music even indicates their close relationship with one another. Nobunaga was said to have praised him as his friend and brother.

Samurai Warriors
Nagahide is in several of Nobunaga's campaigns throughout the series, even questionable battles such as the faltering front at Tedorigawa, the massacre of the Saika Village, and the defense of Azuchi Castle. In Samurai Warriors 3, he even helps the defense at Yamazaki while Nobunaga faces Motonari.

After his lord's death, he serves Hideyoshi and assists in defying Katsuie at Shizugatake and Ieyasu at Komaki-Nagakute.

Kessen
In Kessen III, Nagahide is one of Nobunaga's earliest vassals. He is a worrywart and is overly cautious for Nobunaga's safety, leading his lord and Toshiie to eventually give him the nickname "Always Worrying Potato Samurai". He has a slight speech impediment as he stutters with at the beginning of most of his sentences. Nagahide is usually seen as a comedic partner with Toshiie in the beginning, but he eventually becomes one of his lord's closest vassals after Nobunaga separates his forces.

He doesn't lead many troops and starts with a higher proficiency for Mattocks. His equipment later in the game helps raise his level with the same troop type.

Voice Actors

 * Kirk Thornton - Kessen III (English)
 * Hiroshi Okamoto - Samurai Warriors 2 (Japanese)
 * Masaya Takatsuka - Kessen III (Japanese)

Quotes

 * "Hrm, Nagahide! Why don't you go ahead and eat?"
 * "Lord! One betrayal after another... The Imagawas are just across the border. Shouldn't we be doing something about it?"
 * "It's better to know who our enemies are, and our friends for that matter. Don't worry, Potato Samurai!"
 * Nobunaga and Nagahide; Kessen III

Personal Info
Niwa Nagahide was someone with honest character and simple desires. He acted humane whenever possible and is believed to have helped Nobunaga with his political wit. In comparison to his other generals, he was actually rather plain since he didn't have any personal ambitions and didn't gain too many achievements from war. At the same time, these traits is what also has him romanticized as a reliable and likable person. In a popular folktale, Nobunaga offered to reward him, Araki Murashige, and Akechi Mitsuhide with a higher government rank and the surname Korezumi (惟住). While Murashige and Mitsuhide were said to have accepted them without question, Nagahide politely declined and replied, "I would rather keep the "Naga" that my lord has given me. To me, this is more than any other rank that I could ever hope for. I am fine being the Gorōza I have always been. If you feel the need to appoint me another rank, then I ask that you give it to another capable officer." In the story, Nobunaga was pleased with this response and it became a strong example to his other vassals.

He is also associated with an interesting episode recorded in the Nobunaga Kouki. In the record, he was presented the treasured sword, Kagekiyo Azamaru. He mysteriously suffered a eye illness during the time it was in his possession. Eventually, he ordered that it be offered Atsuta Shrine as a present. When the sword was offered, Nagahide's eye ailment disappeared just as quickly as it came.

His wife was Jinkō-in, Oda Nobuhiro's daughter and Nobunaga's adopted daughter, and his concubine was Sugiwaka Mushin's daughter; her father was a general from Echizen Province. He had six sons and four daughters; his eldest son, Nagashige, became his successor.

Other Names
Although one of Nagahide's legal aliases is Gorōzaemon-no-jō (五郎左衛門尉), he has two nicknames with a shortened version of it, Gorōza (五郎左). One nickname is Kome Gorōza (米五郎左), which has ties to a small jangle regarding four of Nobunaga's generals. The entire tune is roughly translated as "The cotton Tokichi, the rice Gorōza, the suspended Shibata, and the retreating Sakuma". In Nagahide's case, the "rice" is a reference to the Japanese people strong preference for rice, and how it was (and still is for some traditional parts of the islands) deemed to have been inseparable from their lifestyle. The rice analogy is used for Nagahide's relationship with the Oda family, although it is believed to have been a figure of speech at best.

Nagahide's other nickname is Oni Gorōza (鬼五郎左), or "Devil Gorōza". Although he rarely displayed any traits to fit the fierce image, there are several reasons as to why he gained it. One bizarre reason is that he apparently had a tumor within his belly. To appease Hideyoshi, Nagahide cut his own belly and took it out. The other reason was that it due to Nagahide's bravery and strong composure whilst in battle. He was said to have been called this name by fellow generals on the battlefront.

His other legal alias was Hashiba Echizen no Kami (羽柴越前守).