Sengoku Musou Chronicle 2nd/Weekly Sengoku Communication

Like its predecessor, this Chronicle entry has weekly messages sent to players. This title's theme for the majority of these transmissions is to provide behind the scenes trivia and tips from key developers of the game. A backlog is kept on the official website.

Unofficial fan translations shall be posted here in the event the game does not receive an overseas English localization.

Volume 1


Hello, everyone. It's Producer Koinuma.

Thank you so much for purchasing this game. Are you enjoying yourselves? We had a lot of problems during development so I am relieved that it shipped out safely. If you have requests or comments that pop up while you play, please include them in the online questionnaire. They might be used in the next entry!

I have some great news for everyone.

Today is the start of Weekly Sengoku Communication. These transmission will contain passionate behind the scenes stories about development from the team themselves. They are scheduled to come out every week, fifteen total. Each message will contain weapons you can use in the game too. I hope you stay with us until the end.

That's it for this week. Hope to see you next week!



Volume 2


Hi, everybody! It's Weekly Sengoku Communication #2!

Today's entry is being written by Director Mieda.

The first Chronicle was well received. Everyone who played it sent us lots of feedback and requests that they wanted for this entry. To answer the voices of fans, one addition we have developed was the multi-storied Chronicle Mode. Before, players would have one long story to follow and were always limited to the winning side. Of course, drama from both sides were featured prior to battle.

This is sudden, but if someone were to ask me who my favorite character was, I would say Mitsuhide Akechi! During the experience trial conference on August 10, us developers were wearing character cosplay and I just had to be him. (I apologize to all the Mitsuhide fans out there for doing that.)

So as a person working on this title, I couldn't keep my mind off the possibility of a Mitsuhide unification.

That's an example of how this entry includes what-if stories in its multiple scenarios. And daimyou who didn't receive too much attention in the previous entry —like the Date, Mōri, and Chōsokabe— get more scenes in this one. Certain battles are hidden, but the scenario selection screen includes hints for unlocking them. There's plenty of battles and stories to see after seeing one ending, so I hope everyone spends a long time searching for them.

Now this week's transmission of course (?) includes Mitsuhide's weapon. It can be acquired early within his scenario. I hope everyone finds it useful.

All right, that ends this week. Please look forward to #3!



Volume 3


Good day, everyone! Weekly Sengoku Communication has finally reached its third entry.

This week's message includes commentary from the lead game designer (the one who composites the game design choices) regarding new characters.

We were worried about how fans would react to the new characters we would select. Story is a pivotal factor for the Samurai Warriors series, so we narrow our candidates to fit the narrative we wish to tell. Then we consider interesting character interactions and specific relationships before we consider weaponry and other details for a character.

That's the overall summary for our brainstorming process, but I wanted to get add individual ideas for each character.

First is Takatora Tōdō. Takatora:
 * served many different masters
 * became a daimyou at the end of his career

We thought he would be a suitable character to fit that kind of story. Additionally, we wanted a contrast to the series's hero, Yukimura Sanada. If Yukimura is "red and fire", then Takatora is "blue and ice". Yukimura uses a spear so Takatora's weapon should be a sword. These combined concepts made our current take on Takatora.

About our second character, Naotora Ii, we first considered the other female characters in the series. We have Kaihime and Nōhime, and many other women who sound assertive of their beliefs. We thought it would be time to include a female character who broke that mold. After many extensive concepts, we came up with a "giant yet shy" and very adorable character.

Last up, we have Munenori Yagyū. The real Munenori was a master swordsman, so it's only natural that our Munenori is one too. Taking that into consideration, his motif is to be a character "with a large sword who is crafty". Again, a different type of character than we have previously made.

I simplified it, but that's our introduction for the new characters. I hope everyone supports them and everyone else who appears in Samurai Warriors.

Before we say goodbye, there's the weapon that comes with this week's transmission. It's all about the new characters this week, and that means this week's message is Naotora Ii's weapon. Her attacks have some intensive footwork, but her horse riding attacks are a must-see. You're wrong if you think she only pecks at people with her legs. For people who haven't seen them yet, please try it with this weapon.

That ends this week. Next week will include introductions and tips from the developers in charge of each part featured. Stay tuned and have fun!



Volume 4


Thanks for waiting. It's the fourth transmission for Weekly Sengoku Communication.

It's about that time of the year when the seasons gets colder, and it gets easier to spend time indoors!

This week's entry will cover quick and easy to understand tips for the new competitive mode, "Moushou Enbu". For those who can't clear them or can't get that S rank, please consider the information in this entry and challenge them again!


 * Gale
 * Defeat as many enemy generals as possible. Each one grants more seconds to the timer. Generics give 10 seconds, and playable characters give 15 seconds; Musashi Miyamoto and Kojirō Sasaki grant 20 seconds. Musashi appears after several commanders are defeated, so try to defeat him as soon as possible. You also get a mission for four ambush units, so please search for them too.


 * One Way
 * Selecting a path is imperative. If your weapons are weak or if you're squeamish, head down the southern route. If the western path is too hard, try it again with a character with the "Drive" combat maneuver to quickly clear the first two missions. Don't forget to use a speedy horse!


 * Gold Hunt
 * It's a given to take down as many Goemon Ishikawa and treasure messenger as you can, but there's a 40% chance that defeated mobs will drop huge amounts of gold too. Try to attract as many foes possible to earn big. Clear the first Goemon mission quickly, and it will be easier to get the high score.


 * Torment
 * The goal is to evacuate the battlefield right away. Get someone with the "Speedster" combat maneuver. If you can clear the other missions along the way, it will be easier to achieve the high score.


 * Disguise
 * Combat maneuvers can greatly the score you can receive in this scenario. The "Determination", "Severe", and "Onslaught" ones especially. It's also important to time your Musou carefully. Try using it when enemy generals and ninja become overwhelming.


 * Target
 * To defeat the single person you need, it's best not to perform chain attacks of any sort. Keiji Maeda and Kotarō Fūma have good throwing special skills you can use.


 * Thin Ice
 * Make full use of your guard and proceed carefully. If you only want to clear it, head down the southern route. You could try equipping items with the "Revival" skill too.


 * Quiz
 * Study the Warring States Period (lol). Many of the questions appear in the Sengoku Dictionary. Try reading and memorizing it to get the answers you need. I hope you can use this to become more familiar with the world perspective of the time period.

Those are my simple tips for half of the selections in "Moushou Enbu".

Here comes the long-awaited weapon for this week. It's Keiji Maeda's weapon this time. You know him as the wild man of the age, who even gave Hideyoshi, the land's conqueror, a run for his money. When you use it, you can really feel his attitude oozing through!

In-game attack power, attack range, and surprisingly agility makes all the difference in "Moushou Enbu". I hope you can find a character that can fit your needs.

It's time to say goodbye for this week. Next week the person in charge of the growth system and the StreetPass features is scheduled be writing. Please look forward to it!



Volume 5


Weekly Sengoku Communication #5!

This week is about the growth system and the StreetPass features, coming to you straight from their lead developer!

Let's talk weapon levels. During the last game, there were people who wanted to strengthen at their own pace or to get higher numbers, right? This time around we've got levels 10 ~ 20 for maximum capacity. Fuse weapons and strengthen the weapons you want to keep through synthesis. It has a new pace for leveling stronger weapons. And your maximum weapon level is determined by the number ☆ labeled for each mission. Challenge harder missions and get stronger with weapons of your own design!

About the StreetPass feature... I know there's people out there who would rather buy the weapons and items on sale, but hold your horses! You have gathered 10,000 gold at least once, right? Please try to accumulate funds for strengthening weapons first. Once you do, your war career will update and you can receive a 20% discount for your StreetPass purchases.

Weapons put up for sale through StreetPass are priced based on their quality too. You can be proud of putting up the time and effort for your best weapons, as they'll pay more than base and might be popular for ingredient hunters.

And then there's this week's weapon: Masamune Date. (I have always been a fan of Masamune ever since the taiga drama I watched during my childhood). His C5 is pretty strong if everything hits. Did you know there's a way to make it stronger? When Masamune reaches level 20, you can use his combat maneuver "Sniper". Use this with his C5, and you've got a slaughtering machine! (lol) It makes his Musou better too. Please try it out!

That wraps up this week. Stay tuned for #6!



Volume 6


Here comes Weekly Sengoku Communication #6!

We have the person in charge of scenarios in Chronicle Mode here to write about missions.

Is there anyone out there who is worried about completing their Mission Collection? Missions occur during battle and are ranked from 1~5★. 5★ missions occur are specially exclusive to one battle each. Since they're special, it will be a little harder for these trigger than run of the mill missions.

So here I am with tips for getting those 5★! There are a few that trigger by successfully completing a chain of missions. Use the "Ingenuity" or "Foresight" combat maneuvers to get those done at once.

The other types of 5★ missions have complex conditions that may not work through this method. If you are stuck in this situation, please try using these tips to unlock the rest.
 * Do not fail a single mission.
 * Do not let a single ally be routed (that includes cannoneers and base commanders too!)
 * Do not let a single player's health drop below 50%.
 * Reach a predetermined K.O count within a certain time limit (500 K.O. should be enough!)
 * Do not let a single enemy general into the ally main camp. Complete every available mission before entering enemy's main camp. Protect all ally castles and forts to the end. Play a stage using a certain general (defaults could be fine). Raise a character's affinity with the protagonist above friendship levels (they will ride into battle as ally reinforcements once they are friends with him/her).
 * Only search and destroy the original user for missions involving character doubles.

And so on and so forth...

What do you think? Not to mention that there are no direct conditions for bonuses earned from successful missions. For the people only concerned about winning, you can get your 5★ just by following the scenario on Easy difficulty.

Now this week's weapon is Oichi's weapon. Her special skill heals some health of nearby allies. It may come in handy during those tougher battles.

Well, this week is over. Please look forward to #7!



Volume 7


It's the seventh Weekly Sengoku Communication.

This week has the lead developer for stages providing comments for the new stages and battle recommendations.

There's the snow and ice stage used for the tutorial. The Warring States Period took place around the Little Ice Age. It's believed to have been much colder during those times than nowadays. Maybe this stage alone could be an accurate depiction of that silver world. My focal point for this one is the central frozen lake. It sticks out so it would be an easy place to reunite with sore units. The nearby ninja path provides a convenient shortcut for those ninja characters.

One stage I recommend is "Nene's Rumble", one of the variations of Sekigahara. Lady Nene's the star of this one, so please use her weapon to clear those missions.

Next is the stage filled with caves and mountains. The theme for this one was to establish the montane ecology of mines. Mine development was imperative to the daimyou and their massive war chests. The mighty and famous Takeda owned several mines in their territory, and there are legends that they still contain hidden treasure within them.

One highlight for this stage is that the caverns have restrictions on movement. You can't enter caverns on horseback. Before you know it, you might get lost and you'll receive those warnings from other generals that time is running out! Therefore, you might want to be thorough with your general's positioning, and use characters with the "Speedster" or "Godspeed" combat maneuvers.

The battle I recommend for this stage is the Battle of Kozuki Castle in the Mōri Story. It happens during the story's later half. Please try going through the Mōri Story to experience this stage. Let's change topics and discuss this week's weapon, Nene's weapon.

There are many characters who were well loved in fiction and history. Even a foreigner, the missionary Luis Frois, acclaimed that she was "The Queen of Japan" and a clever person with the highest of respects. Her weapon's attack range is wide and her special ninja skills make her a good character. Use this weapon during battles, and maybe you might feel like you're living the high life of a queen! Please try using it to complete any difficulties you may have for missions or completionist hunting.

It's over for this week. Please look forward to the next Weekly Sengoku Communication!



Volume 8


The eighth Weekly Sengoku Communication is here. The director in charge of the game's action will talk about the new characters' moves this time.

First is Takatora Tōdō. As you know, he was conceived to be the opposite to Yukimura. That meant ice over fire and sword over spear. It took a lot of thought to distinguish him over other sword characters. The rapier means thrusting attacks so his actions became a little straight forward. Ice was implemented into his charge attacks and Musou. A lot of effects are dedicated to projecting the ice and bluish image envisioned for him. We really wanted him to create icicles from the ground so we made it a part of his charges and Ultimate. His later charges look flashy, and his attacks have good range. Please feel free to use it.

Next is Naotora Ii. She is a character that gave us the most freedom to work with. The team wanted a character with a peculiar fighting style. This led into deciding on a character who didn't carry a weapon and fought with their fists, eventually leading into her kicking techniques. She had to look like a splendid fighter but keep her shy personality. This comes through in her powerful strides and her occasionally sheepish gestures. Her biggest feature, of course, are her horseback riding attacks. She is more acrobatic than her normal attacks and a sight to see while doing them. I hope you use her too.

Finally we have Munenori Yagyū. He's a swordsman, and there's the plausible Yagyū odachi that we wanted to feature. We chose to make him a character wielding an uncannily long sword. He doesn't draw his sword often and often smacks people with his sheath. This is a callback to history: there aren't many records that state he cut anyone down. It gives him a pacifistic image. The goal was to punctuate the powerful single draw sword technique into his strongest attacks. We kept his sword drawing to his C5 and Ultimate for that purpose.

This week's weapon is Munenori Yagyū's weapon. He frequently calls himself an old-timer, but he's the youngest of the new characters historically. If you have a strong combat maneuver, please consider using his weapon.

So long for this week. Stay tuned for the next Weekly Sengoku Communication!



Volume 9


Weekly Sengoku Communication #9!

This week is the second entry done by the developer in charge of Moushou Enbu. This second part will cover the harder scenarios. Anyone who is struggling to finish them should please give this one a read.


 * Horse Gallop
 * You need a superior horse for this one! You can get a good mount if you progress far into Chronicle Mode. Please try it out.


 * For the later parts of the route, it's important to make good choices. Those aiming for a high score should aim for the southern infantry. If you time your charge attacks well during your sprint, your horse can kick through them for easy points! If you're worried about being shot off your saddle, use your Musou to evade them.


 * I'd recommend a character with high mounted attack, like Toshiie Maeda. His Musou's strong too so you should have it in the bag!


 * Chase
 * Speed is of the essence. If you can select a character with "Swiftfoot" or "Godspeed" and equip items weapons to boost speed, it'll be easier to complete.


 * When you're playing it, you have to do your best to track your target as soon as possible. Try to move your allies along the map to block him. You can get a time bonus if you defeat all the Dodomeki clones on the field, but I wouldn't advise it if you know your characters are weak. If you are going for it, just be sure to make up for the time that is lost.


 * Sneak Attack
 * The order needed to defeat your foes is important above all else. Look at the map and decide your path of carnage carefully. Players aiming for high scores should always be instructing their allies to move.


 * When you're doing this on Multiplayer, please do not fight with your friends and work together carefully.


 * Duel
 * When the enemy forces get strengthened in the second half of battle, it's make or break time for your capabilities. Should you use a combat maneuver, a charge attack, or a special ability? It's fun to think of different team ups when you're in this mode. Try using "Enlightenment" or "Awakening" to make the best of your Tactics Gauge.


 * Anyway, if you raise your attack power, you don't have to fear your opponent's Fury state. Try using a powerful weapon and "Demon" to pass this one with flying colors. You can use "Determination" or "Severity" to smash through with a Musou.


 * If you're still having trouble, please refer to Weekly Sengoku Communication #5. You can do a lot of damage using Masamune's arsenal!


 * Nuisance
 * Put your ally units on "Stand by" to help them withstand the enemy charge somewhat. Have at least two people on stand by rather than charging in with all of your forces at once.


 * For the people aiming for the high scores, it's important to take down lots of bases during the mission. Be sure to time your officer takedowns with the final means of taking down bases. Use your Spirit Cancel to quickly break through the base captain's guard.


 * Rescue
 * To clear this safely, you should start by beating every enemy that attacks you first. The captain of your ally headquarters is weak, so make sure there's no one there to give him trouble! If you have healing combat maneuvers, it'll be easier to make progression. When you first start this scenario you might want to use Kiyomasa and Masanori's co-op skill "Demon" since it's cheap and strong to use. Masanori can defend, while Kiyomasa can go on the offensive.


 * Recklessness
 * Another one hit kill scenario! You might have an easier go if you choose someone with an easy to use dashing attack. Try keeping "Thin Ice" or "Revival" at hand if you need it. People who want a high score should try using "Swiftfoot".


 * Let me confide a top secret clue to you. Snag an item with "Flash Jump" on it. You will gain a few clips of invincibility. Perhaps you can use this to your advantage.


 * Death Match
 * Kiyomori Taira is one tough cookie. In order to succeed, you have to defeat the enemy generals around him so his powers will weaken him. You could try using "Intimidate" and "Depression" to lower enemy morale if you need help clearing those missions. It's good to use Nobunaga or Kenshin during the start.


 * Don't forget that the enemy general, Kojirō Sasaki, will drop a forbidden wine for you (completely rejuvenates health and Musou). It could make things easier for you, so take advantage of it when you can.


 * This scenario is the hardest one we have in the game. I don't think it will be easy to clear. Come back with stronger items and weapons if it you have trouble clearing it. You'll need them.

Those are the last eight scenarios in this mode.

For this week's weapon, we have the weapon of our dependable (lost?) brother, Toshiie Maeda. It's from the man famed as "Spear Mataza", and you can easily beat your foes from horseback with them. Please try using it in the Horse Gallop scenario I introduced today! I hope even people who haven't used him much until now would be willing to give him a shot.

Our time for today draws to a close. Please enjoy #10 next!



Volume 10


Good day, everyone! I'm here with Weekly Sengoku Communication #10!

The person in charge of Chronicle Mode is writing this one.

It's been about two months since Sengoku Musou Chronicle 2nd came out. Has everyone gotten into the flow of things by now? This week's column is all about combat maneuvers techniques, which is useful for those speedrunners and newcomers alike!

As you know, touching the bottom screen triggers the combat maneuver into battle, which can be used to varying effects. One of its big features is that three characters besides your main can invoked their combat maneuver any time. Combine multiple factors together to make endless tactics for you!

For example, you can use Yukimura's "Onslaught" to boost attack power and the protagonist's "Determination" to restore the Musou Gauge to instantly unleash a Musou onto your foes! This is a useful combination to have if you're having trouble. And there's Munenori's "Intimidate" to lower enemy morale. Combine that with "Onslaught" and "Determination", and you'll never need to fear the strengthened enemy areas on the map. Turn the tide in a single move!

It could be a mean (?) move, but you can use Ranmaru's "Devotion" to lower his health to heal all other allies and use the protagonist's "Heal" on Ranmaru immediately afterwards... There's so many more combinations that you can discover!

Don't forget that you can combine combat maneuvers with character specific actions to bolster your attacks. Like using Inahime's special skill to unleash an arrow volley, use "Sniper" to give the arrows the Slay element, and then using her Musou! It's a formidable attack, and its power can render the battlefield to dust! (...I could be exaggerating a bit here.)

Mix and match techniques so you can face any foe! You can use anyone you want after you clear a scenario once, so if there's missions you still want to complete or scenarios you want to unlock, bring along your favorite team for your revenge match. I think you can get a lot of mileage from the game if you try dozens of team combinations.

There's a lot more I want to say, but I have to make time for this week's weapon. Ginchiyo Tachibana is this week's star. She's has great teamwork with her husband, Muneshige, If they work together, you can have the "Wind and Lightning" technique. It boosts Wind and Lightning elemental attacks, so it makes Ginchiyo's crowd clearing even deadlier! Be sure to use it before charging into those mobs!

Another thing to keep in mind about combat maneuvers is that they'll drain more of the Tactics Gauge than before. If you go all out, it'll empty pretty fast. It's fun to see which combinations work best under these conditions!

This week is up. Please look forward to #11 next week!



Volume 11


It's Weekly Sengoku Communication #11!

The person in charge of Chronicle Mode is here again for this transmission.

This week's theme is "Recommended Characters for Completing Missions". When you're playing and those notifications pop up, it might be difficult to try to complete them in one go. That's why it might be better to choose a particular character to clear a specific objective. Here are the characters I would recommend for two mission types.

■ 1: Timed Missions Timed Missions have objectives like "Defeat 100 people in 2 minutes" and so on. You can receive a mission bonus like "Clear so-and-so mission in 1 minute". Try using Sakon Shima for these missions. Sakon has the "Foresight" combat maneuver, which delays the timer for these missions. Sakon's also easy to use and a good character with a balanced offense and defense. I suggest using him for these missions if you're having trouble. It's a good idea to keep your Spirit Gauge up too.

■ 2: Combo Missions An example combo mission would be "Create a 100 hit combo". I think most people can manage 100 hits, but 500 hits might be a bit too tricky. If you're having trouble, try using Motonari Mōri. His weapon is very easy to earn, and you can reach 100 hits just by fighting normally. If you got the Twin Dance or Wild Dance abilities, your hits will stack pretty high and increase your chances of clearing the mission. He's a character that'll need to grow on you, but his combat maneuver is strong too. Please try him out.

Finally, comes this week's weapon which is Motonari Mōri's weapon. Please use this weapon to challenge those Combo Missions!

Here ends this week. Anticipate the next #12!



Volume 12


Weekly Sengoku Communication #12 is here!

This time you have the lead developer in charge of the situation descriptions (the information seen on Japan's map) that you see before battle! The Chronicle series has many parts which are faithful to history, so I think it could serve as a handy study aid for this era. I would be happy if everyone took the time to read them and not skip those sequences...

As I said before, Chronicle titles have a historical emphasis for its main scenario. But this title includes what-if scenarios into the mix too by building affinity with particular characters. It's difficult to do, but the ending will change if you're successful. Events like Sekigahara, Honnōji, Yamazaki, Tonezaka, the Kasai-Osaki Riots and the Aizu Subjugation all have hypothetical victory scenarios. Please play and enjoy these "what-if" flavors of history.

This week's weapon is Sakon Shima, someone who's big even in the "if" scenarios. There are many people who wonder what would have happened to Japan if the Western Army had won Sekigahara. Please use Sakon to lead the Western Army towards a theoretical victory. Sekigahara is a battle filled with many "if only" type of situations. Like Hideaki Kobayakawa's defection. Even in this work of fiction, Mitsunari never fathoms the possibility of Hideyoshi's nephew betraying him. But Yoshitsugu Ōtani predicted he would. He placed Mototsuna Kutsuki and others into a position which could repel Hideaki in advance. What Yoshitsugu couldn't predict was that those four generals would defect to the Eastern Army too. Yoshitsugu was betrayed on two sides and committed suicide when he couldn't hold his own against them, signaling the Western Army's collapse. Early into the battle, we have Sakon injured by Nagamasa Kuroda's infantry. Then there's the Shimazu army who lost their fighting resolve and refused to budge, and the Mōri and Chōsokabe forces being blocked due to Hiroie Kikkawa's defection. Then there are the parties who couldn't even assist at all. Muneshige was stuck at Otsu Castle, adding another factor onto the Western Army's defeat. When these minor events are pilled together, they change the big picture. As a result, the grand conflict of Sekigahara ended in a single day.

I hope everyone plays while taking these small tidbits into consideration.

And that settles things for this week. Please anticipate #13!



Volume 13


Hello, everyone! This is Weekly Sengoku Communication #13 brought to you by the Lead Game Designer (the one in charge of overall game design). This week is covering the previous character popularity poll.

The Samurai Warriors series has over 40 characters, ranging from stars like Yukimura Sanada to Takatora Tōdō, since the first title's debut in February 2004. Each one has their different quirks, and I think the results for everyone's favorite character tends to vary on the person. But there are times when a single character tends to be particularly popular.

So, who was number one on the popularity poll? According to the last poll and the poll announced at Tokyo Game Show... the most popular character is Mitsunari Ishida!

He particularly had a high female support rating and wonderfully took first place. I present to you comments from the man himself, which I recorded below:

Mitsunari Ishida:
 * "I'd rather not entertain such a pointless spectacle... No, forgive me. I truly am grateful for everyone's support. We have keep up the fight. It's indispensable to have everyone's strength to lead us to victory. Fight with me for now on... I'm counting on all of you."

Let's look at characters besides Mitsunari.

Yukimura was a pretty popular male character. Guys and girls supported him. I guess you could say it was his protagonist allure at work? On the female character side, Gracia was first. Naotora is a newbie but she wasn't too far behind. A lot of male voters supported her. We intend to keep adding new characters into the series, so maybe we can further develop the appeal of these characters too. I'm looking forward to see how character popularity will change and whether Mitsunari shall keep reigning on the top. Please continue to cheer for your favorite characters!

As for this week's weapon, of course it's going to be Mitsunari Ishida.

That ends this week. Stay tuned for next week's transmission!



Volume 14


Hello, everyone! Weekly Sengoku Communication #14 is here! This is Director Mieda's second entry for this series.

A little after the game's release, it was announced that the 2014 Taiga drama star would be Kanbei Kuroda. Koei-Tecmo has made several historical titles, but the members of the Samurai Warriors staff were shaking in our boots before then. We kept wondering who the Taiga drama star would be.

Especially once rumors were abound that the 2014 Taiga drama would be set in the Warring States period. There was one really popular rumor that hinted the star would be Yukimura Sanada. As everyone knows, he's also the main character for Samurai Warriors. Our team was thinking, "That's great!", and got really excited. Then there was another rumor floating around that Mitsuhide Akechi was going to be the star. If you read the second Weekly Sengoku Communication, you would know that I'm a fan of him. I was like, "Finally!", and was really stoked. In the end, the rumors turned out to be nothing but speculation...

And then the official announcement confirmed the star to be Kanbei Kuroda. When I first heard about it, I was all, "So that's who it was!", and was surprised. Of course, he's a playable Warriors character and he's a genius strategist. It's just I hadn't even predicted that it could ever be him...

I say that, but there was a good portion of women developers who were excited to hear that Kanbei would be the main. Thinking back on the Tokyo Game Show questionnaire, I realized that our Kanbei is pretty popular with women too. Even with that ghastly face of his. (lol)

As for this week's weapon —I'm sure you all know by now— it is, of course, Kanbei Kuroda. It's still time before 2014 rolls around, so please bear the wait with Sengoku Musou Chronicle 2nd Kanbei.

That's it for this week. Thank you for being with me for this time.



Volume 15


Hello, everyone. It's Producer Koinuma.

Thanks to all of you, a lot of people are playing this entry. Thank all so very much.

By the way, are you aware about the "Update Data Ver.1.1" that occurred on October 16? Here's some details here. It aims to fix several bugs and make the game easier to play.
 * Novice difficulty has been added to Chronicle Mode.
 * Moushou Enbu Rank B requirements have been adjusted.

And other improvements like that.

For those who haven't updated yet, you can look for it at Nintendo e shop in the Nintendo 3DS Home Menu. Search by keyword and input "Sengoku Musou Second Update". You should be able to download it then. Please give it a try.

Well, this is the fifteenth entry of our development column and it was scheduled to be the final entry. This is the last one. Thank you for staying with us for so long!

...That was the plan at least. But unexpected strong sales for this game are plowing through even at the end of the year. So as a sign of our thanks, we decided to continue Weekly Sengoku Communication at the start of next year! Please sit tight for a little longer, everyone.

Anyone who has missed the transmissions until now can always reread them again in our online backlog. Feel free to read that too if you'd like.

This week's weapon is Samurai Warriors protagonist, Yukimura Sanada.

Thank you all and have a good year. Thank you again for making this such a great year. Have a good one!!



Volume 16


Happy new year!

Has everyone supported one another? We're able to do another year of Weekly Sengoku Communication thanks to all of your support. Thank all so very much! Now then, the sixteenth transmission for this new year will relay staff commentary from user requests.

First, the cries for a Chronicle sequel is something that got the staff's attention right away. Aside from questionnaires and reviews, we have also seen impressions from social media. We gather impressions from these sources and evaluate them for our planning process. Of course, we keep it up after the game is out too. We always wonder how users feel about our work once they get to play it. It's life or death for any developer to keep up to date about it.

Me, personally, I thought it was a good idea to implement a new mode for Chronicle with Moushou Enbu. I was in charge of its development and I was wondering how everyone felt about it. A few reactions we read felt that it was shallow and lacking. I kept this criticism in the back of mind and thought about how to make improvements next time.

But one lengthy letter we received was very enthusiastic about the game. Here in the staff office, we felt so grateful and felt like we could do our hardest for that fan. It was like we got a love letter written just for us.

...Uh, that doesn't mean that you should send those type of letters or anything!

It's just everyone has their good or bad impressions of something, and everything is sent directly to the staff members. Please send us lots of different feedback so everyone can continue to make the series better for all.

Onto this week's weapon: Kunoichi. I think she's a love-or-hate character for a lot of people. Well, I like her! She's the female shinobi who helps the protagonist, Yukimura, and is attached to his hip. That's her framework. Doesn't she sound like she's a Japanese beauty? Use her weapon, and feel like you're Kunoichi twirling into the battlefield.

Well, signing off for this week. Please look forward to the next Sengoku Communication!



Volume 17


Thank you for waiting! Weekly Sengoku Communication #17 is coming at you!

This time it's the lead developer for character growth and Street Pass, the same person from #5! Actually, I'm the same person who is in charge of Weekly Sengoku Communication. This time I'd thought to address something that everyone has been wondering (?) about.

The weapons you get from SpotPass tend to have the male or female protagonist acting as the models in the StreetPass screen, right? Last week it was the male protagonist holding Kunoichi's weapon, and a time before that had the female protagonist looking burly when she held Munenori's weapon.

The person in charge of the transmissions for that week chose the weapon of their favorite character. In other words, the protagonist's gender is the same gender of the authors!

While we're on the subject, I thought it would be a little boring seeing the default settings every time. Starting this week, I changed one part for another. Can you see where it is? Try to find it if you haven't already! I'll try to play around with these parts (to whatever settings the author likes), so please look forward to seeing those too.

Okay, this week's weapon is Inahime. Frankly, I chose her because I wanted to see the male protagonist holding a female character's weapon. But I think this one also goes well with Masamune's weapon and its "Sniper". I feel really comfortable using it too. It's got a real Warriors flavor to me.

Now that's one week done! Hope you're around for the next Sengoku Communication!



Volume 18


Weekly Sengoku Communication #18 is up and ready!

This one is coming from the developer in charge of the Chronicle Mode scenarios with another way to enjoy cleared scenarios. For most of them, after you finish a stage once, you can choose any characters you want on your revisits. It's a system mechanism we put in for you to enjoy different types of team ups. This week I'm going to tell you the effects of choosing different characters.

Quote variations for encounters When the player characters and enemy characters are in close proximity to one another, they banter. Lots of quote patterns were done for this game. Like if Ieyasu is the enemy commander in "Teaching Battle" and you use Ieyasu to face him, you get this exchange:

Ieyasu (enemy): Ugh... A tanuki wanted to mimic me, I see. Ieyasu (PC): D-Don't think I'll let you slide for that!

Please try looking for different match ups.

Mystery missions shall occur!? In the Toyotomi side for the Osaka Castle Summer Campaign is grueling battle that matches history. So what would happen if the player characters are Tokugawa generals? You can use Munenori's "Intimidate" to lower morale, use Inahime's weapon and skill to takedown enemies, use Ieyasu's "Impenetrable" to boost ally defense and Kanetsugu's "Foresight" to ease up on missions. You can also rely on Ieyasu and Munenori's co-op ability "Invincibility". When you get into the Tokugawa main camp, and your Ieyasu faces against the enemy Ieyasu a strange mission pops up. Creating this type of scenario is one of this game's many charms!

Moving along, this week's weapon is someone who appears in the Osaka Castle Summer Campaign, Kaihime. I hope you will use this excellent Kaihime and use the co-op ability with the girl she gets along with (?) to clear this scenario at least once!

This week is over. Anticipate the next Sengoku Communication!



Volume 19


Weekly Sengoku Communication #19 is here.

It's getting close to six months since the game has been out. I'm sure there are players who have cleared several missions or who have just started. And there are people who are struggling to see a particular character's event. I shall provide hints to those having trouble this week!

To see an event, you have to fulfill those conditions. Which means getting a character's affinity to "Friendship" status. It's a requirement for several events, so please try raising relations if events do not happen as planned.

Once you've done that, you have to select the right battle for each event. There are certain events that happen only during a specific battle. Please play a character for a battle related to them if you wish to see their events. Players familiar with history might be able to do this just by remembering famous stories that occur in each battle. If you still don't understand, don't worry. You have the game's "Sengoku Encyclopedia" to help you. It's a mode that gives details for characters and battles within the game. Explore this mode for hints and learn a bit of history along the way. It's like killing two birds with one stone!

Finally, it might help to try to fulfill multiple character events in one playthrough. Please try to select your characters accordingly for each battle. It'll make deciding which events you wish to see a bit easier for you.

Enough about events. Let's focus on the weapon everyone wants! This week's weapon has many exciting stories about him, the "Devil Shimazu" himself, Yoshihiro Shimazu. The mission in the game "Yoshihiro's Retirement" refers to him being a whopping 66 years old when he was at Sekigahara. He makes a convincing case for the devil title, riding on horseback in full armor and plowing through the enemy fronts at that age. Yoshihiro takes some practice to get used to in the game, but its plain appearance can't mask its raw destructive power. Please pound your foes flat and send them flying with a flashy smack using this weapon!

Another week is up. Please look forward to the next Sengoku Communication!



Volume 20


It's Weekly Sengoku Communication #20.

Thanks to everyone here, we were able to reach #20. Thank you, everyone!

This week's topic is the names of the rare weapons. We think up weapon names based on a character's personality, a historical anecdote, or a particular image that we wanted to feature. Sometimes, we try to mention actual swords that a character was said to have historically possessed. We have so many characters now. There are times when we think a name fits, but it's being used by another character... But a name is supposed to bring life to weapons in the game. It's a process that becomes charming.

I'll talk about the thoughts that went behind the rare weapon names for the three new characters here.

First up, there's Takatora's rare weapon Frozen Blade Tsukuyomi. We assigned Tsukuyomi to him so he can be related to Yukimura's Flame Spear Susanoo and to fit the idea of an ice rapier. If you didn't know, the two deities are brothers.

Next is Naotora's rare weapon War Shoes Yamatohime. Their namesake is Yamatohime, the one who gave the Kusanagi Sword to her nephew, Yamato Takeru. Naotora overlaps with Yamatohime because she is the foster mother for Naomasa Ii, one of the Four Tokugawa Devas. Another similarity between them is that both women led chaste lives.

Munenori's rare weapon Blade of Chosen Prominence and Wisdom is named after Selections of Prominence and Wisdom, a text said to be given to Munenori by the Zen Buddhist monk, Takuan. We were looking for a The Book of Five Rings or A Hereditary Book on the Art of War equivalent for Munenori. I remembered the TV program I saw that talked about Selections of Prominence and Wisdom and finalized his association with it.

Now this week's weapon is used by Aya Gozen. Since one of her younger brother's weapons has a bird within it, we decided to make her normal weapons have a bird theme. Her birds are meant to invoke a specific color.

In this game, you can change weapon names to your preference. Please enjoy thinking up your own names and posting them on StreetPass!

That ends this week's entry. I hope you enjoy the next Weekly Sengoku Communication!



Volume 21


Weekly Sengoku Communication #21!

Everyone, have you tried using special skills? They're practical to have and unique to each character. Please give it a try by tapping the R button. I'm going to introduce character specific special skills to you in the same way that "Moushou Enbu Head #2" did awhile back. I'll try to include tips for that mode too.


 * Kenshin Uesugi
 * This is the killer one for special skills. Or is that just me? A giant Kenshin manifests behind Kenshin. A true war god in the flesh!


 * Keiji Maeda
 * A spiffy throw. Please give it a try in the make or break Moushou Enbu "Target" scenario. It can't be blocked and it's convenient for taking down one person.


 * Gracia
 * Press R and send magic like fireballs, a blizzard, or beams...? Well, they're projectiles at least. The fireballs that appear when you press R once are slow, but they pack a punch. If you have a hard time hitting with Gracia during the Moushou Enbu "Quiz" scenario, give this a try.


 * Hanzō Hattori
 * This special skill is a must for players who want to master Hanzō. Bring out clones by pressing R. If you're using this weapon during the Moushou Enbu "Death Match" scenario, your victory may lie on how well you manipulate these clones.


 * Oichi
 * Oichi's special skill heals nearby allies. Use this during the Moushou Enbu "Nuisance" scenario to make it a breeze. You can also give it a go during "Rescue" to keep the base captain healed.


 * Inahime
 * Last but not least is my most favorite, Inahime's special skills. Her second special skill (Ｒ→△→△→△) will unleash five arrows with your attacks. It feels great to use!! If you use it with her first special skill (rapidly tap R), it'll be an arrow barrage. Combine it with her Musou, and it's a screen filled with arrows. It feels good using this during the Moushou Enbu "Disguise" scenario.

Now this week's weapon is Katsuie Shibata. It's exhilarating using his special skill as an attack! Thrash your way into the battlefield just like the "Devil Shibata"!

Next up will be #22. Stay tuned!



Volume 22


Hello, everyone! You're reading Weekly Sengoku Communication #22!

Chronicle2nd has more battles than its predecessor. This week shall delve into developer concepts for those conflicts using the Chōsokabe Chapter's Shikoku Subjugation as an example.


 * Decide on a rough outline
 * First off, we decide on a battle's outline. The developers always try to base a battle on its historical proceedings, and create it with consideration for the game's entire story and character relationships. The Shikoku Subjugation has the determination of Motochika and the local residents as its theme, so we highlight their struggle by including multiple waves of the Hashiba army


 * Design the battlefield
 * We design our battlefields while using the real places as our model. This is when we decide character and fort positions on a map. Our version of Shikoku Subjugation takes place at Kanekoyama Castle, Ichinomiya Castle, Iwakura Castle, and Waki Castle. We also made Hakuchi Castle Motochika's main camp.


 * Make battle data
 * Then we decide on the meat of the battle. Mission triggers, battle quotes, and the like are placed. Chronicle series has the"Play Character Change System" so we developed this battle in a way that promotes players to use all four characters to defend the Chōsokabe. Afterwards we undergo many, many test plays and revisions to make the experience fun. Repeat and redo until we can't go any further... And then we're finished!

It's greatly simplified, but that is our general creative process. I would be ever so happy if you felt the developers' feelings any time you are given details to each battle!

This week's weapon is easily going to be Motochika Chōsokabe. Lots of enemies will be attacking the main keep during the Shikoku Subjugation, but I have a fabulous tactic to offer you! Use this weapon and use its special skill to send those sound bubbles out. Draw several enemies towards you and wreck them with your Musou! Your Musou will simultaneously explode the sound bubbles! It'll cause massive damage!

Well, here ends this week! Enjoy next week!



Volume 23


It's time for Weekly Sengoku Communication #23!

Hello, everyone! This week focuses on a huge feature for the Sengoku Musou Chronicle series, the appeals of its "Play Character Change System".

"Appeal 1: Ambushes" I think most people will be able to predict how the enemy will move the more they play. If you're aiming for mission completion, there are times when it would help to memorize where certain enemies will appear on the map. That's where it's helpful to relocate one of your play characters for an ambush. Read your opponents, and give your allies freedom to move. This feature makes those smart moves possible!

"Appeal 2: Co-op" It's pretty tough to succeed those combo and KO specific missions with one character. Here is when your partner comes reliable. Move him/her close to your target, attack, switch, attack and repeat. This is a technique you can use for those missions where combat maneuvers are restricted. Switching between characters doesn't reset the combo counter. It's a good feeling working together for a common goal. Please give it a try!

So that was the pluses of the "Play Character Change System". The character you're using can do it alone, but working as team is a fun and fast way to get the job done. That's why this week's weapon is the ninja with the toughest personality and the most ninja-like of them, Hanzō Hattori. Speed is always associated with ninja. With this, you can make an all ninja team to enjoy a speedy battle plan. Do try a battle with four ninja sometime.

One week down. #24 waits for you next week!



Volume 24


Hello, everyone! Weekly Sengoku Communication #24 is here!

This week's topic is about the conversation events that occur before and after battle. These events are based on famous anecdotes for the era, so it might bring a smile to those in the know. I think even people who aren't may think, "What is this based on?", and might be encouraged to look it up for themselves.

For example, there is Kanbei Kuroda's event with him and the red lunch box. There is a story that when Kanbei passed on, his son was his father's lunch box as a keepsake. Inside the box was one straw sandal and one wooden sandal. "You must be prepared to leave at a moment's notice, even if you are forced to wear mismatched shoes. Food is not a guarantee, and you will get nothing done staying still. Always be prepared." Or at least that was the message behind the box. To calmly judge a situation. Fitting words coming from the man who yearned to take the land in Kyushu.

During Muneshige's events, he says, "Chestnuts aren't my style", at one point. This is derived from a story shortly after he was adopted into the Tachibana clan, which goes that Muneshige accidentally stepped on one during a walk. Tachibana family retainer Korenobu Yufu dug the chestnut's spike deeper into the boy's foot while he was taking it out. His stepfather, Dōsetsu Tachibana, was watching so little Muneshige had to retain his composure and keep his gripes to himself. I guess you could say Ginchiyo has that type of attitude because she grew up in that strict household. (lol)

And Ujiyasu's events include stories about his sons. Ujiyasu's sons have stories like the soupy rice episode and relying on their wives for everything, but in reality these stories are told for the Mōri too. More accurately, it's fiction made by later generations. It's a great comedy act for sons to hide behind his giant father. Realistically speaking, they weren't that hopeless and they were considered one of the affluent and powerful representatives of the Hōjō clan. They were able to claim Oda territory, even if it did occur after Nobunaga's death.

Like Ieyasu and his retainers, Ujimasa was a just lord who treasured his men (please watch the event with his wife, Ōbai-in!), and he was a famous person considered for the Thirty-six Immortals of Poetry. He has a lot of good points; he was just a little indecisive as a lord.

Now this week's weapon is the father of gentle Lord Ujimasa, the Lion of Sagami, Lord Ujiyasu Hōjō! Please use his weapon to pummel the horde away from Odawara.

That settles this week. Hope to see you for #25!



Volume 25


Good day, everyone! It's Weekly Sengoku Communication #25.

This week is written by the Lead Game Designer (the one in charge of overall game design). We've been chatting about plenty of themes in these transmission, but there is one theme that we haven't covered yet! Maybe some of you may have caught on by now.

Yes! This week's topic is straight up character edits.

How has everyone customized their protagonist? There are veteran players who experiment little, keep the default settings, or change everything. We tried to accommodate the edit options to allow several different types of outfit combinations. Before I knew it they became "protagonist-like".

In the Chronicle series, the protagonist's sole goal is to be the avatar to progress with the story. We tried to accommodate their appearance to serve this purpose. Of course, there were many restrictions placed upon this idea at first, but it was a key point for every possible design to be "heroic". When we implemented the edit process into the game, the protagonists took dozens of retakes before they took their current shape. Especially the "Face Pattern" option. It was so much trial and error, a real ordeal to reach the finished settings. Please feel free to create several variations of your protagonist.

If you're wondering, at first I wanted my protagonist to wear something that looks good on them. Something that combines the default settings with something else. During development, I tested lots of looks and I ended up with a surprising number of combinations that I liked.

It's been six months since the game has been out, so maybe there are several players with duplicate appearances. This Sengoku Communication is all about looks, so how about challenging yourself to change your protagonist's attire? Maybe you'll make a breakthrough.

Speaking of discoveries, we need to touch on parts. When I say parts, I mean head, torso, face and anything else than can be changed for your character. Each part has been designed individually to fit with a fluctuating design. If something feels off to you, I would recommend altering one of these parts to liven things up.

Lastly, there is this week's weapon, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. When you think Hideyoshi, you think monkey. Even Samurai Warriors Hideyoshi has comical monkey-like attacks going for him.

About this week's theme, you can access your protagonist's war career and purchase weapon types for your protagonist (this option unlocks with high affinity ratings with characters). You can use this to look awesome while doing silly attacks... Wouldn't that be fun to play?

This week's entry is finished. Hope you enjoy next week!



Volume 26


Hello, everyone! Here comes Weekly Sengoku Communication #26!

This is the third time that Director Mieda is writing.

Way back in #2, I confessed (?) that I fancied Mitsuhide Akechi. Naturally, I became curious about the developers' favorite characters. That leads us to this week's topic: I gave twelve key staff members a questionnaire to name their single favorite character who has appeared in this game. Here are the results!


 * Naotora Ii
 * Keiji Maeda
 * Masamune Date
 * Female protagonist
 * Shingen Takeda
 * Ginchiyo Tachibana
 * Motonari Mōri
 * Sakon Shima
 * Kunoichi
 * Takatora Tōdō
 * Tatsuoki Saitō
 * Tadakatsu Honda

I was surprised that everyone chose different characters. I thought they would make their selections from the main playable cast, so I had no way of predicting results like "Female protagonist" or "Tatsuoki Saitō". And not a single person chose any of the super popular user favorites that were introduced in #13 like Mitsunari, Yukimura or Gracia.

It's interesting how everyone has divergent opinions. Don't worry, nobody is on bad terms here!

By the way, when I asked Producer Koinuma the same question, he said, "I love every character. I couldn't choose one over the others." Hmm, that crafty devil.

This week's weapon is someone who is unfortunately furious (?) to have been ignored by the staff, Nobunaga Oda!

And this week ends. Stay tuned for next week!



Volume 27


Hello, everyone. This is Producer Koinuma.

The final entry has come. Thank you so much for staying with us for so long.

Thanks to everyone's help, Chronicle Second was able to ship 100,000 units. It's a relief on our end. Thank you very much.

We have had many requests for it, so we will extend the Weekly Sengoku Communication downloads until April 4. Please get our presents while you still can. Aside from this announcement, I wanted to let you know that the official homepage has updated with information too. Click here for details.

Our weapon for this week is Nobunaga's wife, Kicho "Nōhime". I wonder how her life was like in this turbulent age.

Last but not least, I hope everyone can anticipate more from future of the Samurai Warriors series. Godspeed.

by Koinuma P