Samurai Warriors (series)

Samurai Warriors (戦国無双, Sengoku Musou in Japan) is a spin-off game series of Dynasty Warriors, by Koei set in feudal Japan. The two games series cross over in the Warriors Orochi series.

Differences
While the basic hack and slash combat stays the same, there are several distinct differences in the two series the most significant being the mission system. The player objectives that can be accomplished to further the battle and gain experience and or gold, which can in turn is used in a more RPG like leveling system which is simpler than the individual stat system in the Dynasty Warriors games. After activating a musou, you can either use your musou attack or use freeform combos in a sort of bullet time. The first Samurai Warriors was the first Warriors game to have capturable gates, a feature that was implemented into Dynasty Warriors 5.

In the Second game, the ranged attack is replaced with a character specific "technique" that can vary from a powerful attack to a stat boost depending on character. You can also fill up 3 musou bars, allowing the use of more powerful musous. Movesets differ with some characters being able to charge only up to 3 attacks, but can charge them 3 times. Others are able to charge up to 7 attacks once or like the first moveset charge twice in exchange have a more powerful technique. Less notable differences include music fusing techno and traditional Japanese instruments, the ability to jump on horses as well as horse stamina gauges, and delect arrows. In the second game, a combo counter was added the showed the total number of hits as opposed to per character. Several of these features were introduced into Dynasty Warriors 6.

Samurai Warriors

 * Yukimura Sanada - Vassal to Shingen until his master's death. An straightforward and honest man, he joins the Toyotomi side and fights the Tokugawa forces. He works together with Kunoichi in the first game, but this relationship is omitted in Samurai Warriors 2 where he is instead close friends with Keiji, Kanetsugu, and Mitsunari. He wields a jumonji yari (spear).


 * Keiji Maeda - A wild man who served under Nobunaga until he became a wanderer. In the first game, he shares a rivalry of sorts with Goemon, but this changed in the sequel, in which he has a close friendship with Yukimura and Kanetsugu. Akin to his fictional counterpart, he is always seen riding his horse, Matsukaze. He wields a two-pronged spear, similar to a sasumata.


 * Nobunaga Oda - A powerful warlord who is often referred to as the "Demon King". His goal is to unify the land under the Oda name, using any means necessary. He is married to Nō, a relationship which is close in the first title, but less so in the second. Oichi is his sister and Nagamasa is his brother-in-law. In the second title, he is also close to Mitsuhide, who is his apprentice of sorts. He wields a two-edged straight sword imbued with dark energy.


 * Mitsuhide Akechi - Vassal of Nobunaga and mentor to Ranmaru. He is often shown to be the most loyal and trusted of Nobunaga's retainers. However, later on, he disapproves of Nobunaga's methods and rebels against him at Honnōji. The fight he has with Nobunaga in the burning temple is one of the iconic moments of the series. He wields a odachi with battōjutsu techniques in his fighting style.


 * Goemon Ishikawa - A professional thief seeking to steal the Plover Urn from Hideyoshi. He often speaks and acts like a kabukimono. He wields a large metal club and carries a powerful cannon upon his back. He was not included in Samurai Warriors 2, but he was in the mini game Sugoroku.


 * Kenshin Uesugi - An worshiper of Bishamonten, he lives only for battle and sees Shingen as his nemesis. Known as the "God of War" or the "Dragon of Echigo", he is the stoic leader of the Uesugi clan and a lover of sake. He wields a large seven-bladed sword and can project exploding shikigami.


 * Oichi - Nobunaga's sister and Nagamasa's wife. She fights to make peace with her brother and husband. She uses a kendama as her weapon in the first two games, but wields a new hula hoop type weapon in the third game.


 * Okuni - A traveling priestess seeking funds for her shrine. She usually has a romantic relationship with Keiji though she has been known to flirt with other characters. She uses an umbrella as her weapon. She is available only in free mode in Samurai Warriors 2.


 * Kunoichi - An original female ninja in service of the Sanada and Takeda clans. She is implied to have feelings for employer, Yukimura. In Samurai Warriors 3, she tries to befriend Kaihime. She wields dual kunai. She was not included in Samurai Warriors 2.


 * Magoichi Saika - Leader to his own mercenary group, the Saika Renegades, who bears a grudge against Nobunaga. In the second game, he is also a longtime friend of Hideyoshi and Masamune's friend in the third title. A cheerful womanizer, he flirts with many of the female characters. He wields a musket with an attached bayonet.


 * Shingen Takeda - Renowned strategist and leader of the Takeda clan. Known as the "Tiger of Kai", he clashes with Kenshin in a chauvinistic battle of wits. He wants to gain control and bring peace to the land. He wields a dansen uchiwa (strategist's fan) as a weapon.


 * Masamune Date - Young and ambitious ruler of the Date clan who seeks control of the land. Known as the "One-Eyed Dragon", he becomes Magoichi's friend in recent titles. He wields a pair of bokken or suburitou (wooden swords). In his newer appearances, he wields a western-style saber and a pair of pistols.


 * Nō - Wife of Nobunaga, she is torn between the love of her husband and her promise to her father, Dosan Saito, to kill Nobunaga. In Samurai Warriors 2, she is completely loyal to Nobunaga. She wields a pair of claws or daggers hidden in her sleeves.


 * Hanzō Hattori - Shinobi in Ieyasu's service. Known as "Hanzo the Devil", he shared a rivalry with Yukimura in the first game, but became Kotaro's rival in the second. He wields a kusari-gama (chain & scythe).


 * Ranmaru Mori - Nobunaga's loyal servant who has a close relationship with Mitsuhide. Though male, his appearance and voice are extremely feminine. He wields a nodachi. He is only available in free mode in Samurai Warriors 2, though has unique stages in Free Mode such as the Siege if Odani Castle and Honnoji.

Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends

 * Hideyoshi Toyotomi - One of Nobunaga's best generals and eventual unifier of Japan. Known as "Monkey" amongst Nobunaga's retainers, he wants to make a land where everyone can be happy. He's a friend of Magoichi and Nene's husband. He wields a bo staff that can disconnect into a sansetsukon.


 * Yoshimoto Imagawa - Eccentric ruler who wishes to play kemari in Kyoto. He wields a katana and a kemari ball. He was previously limited to the the Xtreme Legends expansions, but is one of the playable characters in Samurai Warriors 3.


 * Tadakatsu Honda - General in service of Ieyasu and Ina's father. He holds a reputation of being a mighty, intelligent warrior and said to have returned from all of his battles unscathed. He wields an exceptionally large spear.


 * Ina - Tadakatsu's daughter, wife to Nobuyuki Sanada and Yukimura's sister in-law. She fights with wishes to impress her father as a warrior. She wields a bladed longbow.

Samurai Warriors 2

 * Ieyasu Tokugawa - A loyal ally to Nobunaga and the third of "The Three Unifiers". He is a patient and endearing man who wants to bring universal peace to the land. He wields a spear with a cannon hidden inside.


 * Mitsunari Ishida - Hideyoshi's vassal who leads the Western army at Sekigahara. A cold yet determined individual, he believes that battles are won through reason. He is Yukimura and Kangetsugu's friend. He wields an iron fan.


 * Nagamasa Azai - Daimyo of Bizen and Oichi's husband. A man of noble morality, he becomes torn between his love for Oichi and his loyalty to both his Asakura allies and his brother-in-law, Nobunaga. He wields a jousting lance.


 * Sakon Shima - Elite general in Mitsunari's service and a former servant of Shingen. He has remarkable skills for military deployment and is considered one of Tadakatsu's rivals. He wields a two-handed horse slayer.


 * Yoshihiro Shimazu - Daimyo of Satsuma and lord of the Shimazu clan. Known as the "Devil Shimazu", he fights for personal satisfaction and enjoys battles with overwhelming odds against him. He is a long time rival of the Tachibana clan and shares a rivalry with Ginchiyo and Muneshige. He wields a large hammer.


 * Ginchiyo Tachibana - Dosetsu Tachibana's daughter who stands as her clan's proud leader. She bears a grudge against the Shimazu clan for causing the death of her kinsmen and frequently faces off with Yoshihiro. She wields a serrated sword and has the ability to command lightning to her will.


 * Kanetsugu Naoe - An Uesugi vassal who later joins the Toyotomi side after Kenshin's death. He is the friend of Mitsunari, Yukimura, and Keiji. He fights in the name of honor and righteousness. He wields a Taoist sword and o-fuda (paper charms).


 * Nene - Wife and kunoichi of Hideyoshi. She has a maternal persona throughout the game, often punishing "naughty children". She wields a pair of daggers. She takes Kunoichi's spot in the roster in the second game but they both appear in the third title.


 * Kotarō Fūma - Shinobi in service of the Hōjō clan and Hanzō's rival. He is shown as a proprietor of chaos, often ambushing and causing other manner of trickery for players. He wields a pair of claws and has the ability to stretch his arms to abnormal lengths.


 * Musashi Miyamoto - A master of kenjutsu and Kojirō. He fights to improve his swordsmanship and reputation, hoping to see his sword save and protect people. He befriends Yukimura and joins the Toyotomi cause during the later years of the era. Like his historical counterpart, he wields a katana and an offhand wakizashi.

Samurai Warriors 2: Empires

 * Katsuie Shibata - A general who serves Nobunaga and is known as "Devil Shibata". He is Toshiie's mentor and is a solemn warrior who fights to see the end of his era. In Samurai Warriors 2: Empires, he became playable where he wields a large spear. In Samurai Warriors 2 Xtreme Legends, his weapon changes to two poleaxes.


 * Kojirō Sasaki - A skilled swordsman and Musashi's most famous rival. He sees killing as a masterful art, desiring to give others a "beautiful end". He wields a nodachi in the Empires game. A summoned 'ex-dimensional' dagger is added to his arsenal in the Xtreme Legends edition.

Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends

 * Toshiie Maeda - A young general who serves and greatly respects Katsuie. He eventually goes on to serve Hideyoshi in hopes of making a name for himself. In the third title, he is a mature vassal under Nobunaga who gets flustered when Keiji's name is mentioned. He wields two spears and a large sword.


 * Motochika Chōsokabe - Leader of the Chōsokabe clan. He is a rebel who claims to hear the voices of the fallen, choosing to fight for the Toyotomi forces and resist the "tides of history". He wields a shamisen as his weapon.


 * Gracia - Mitsuhide's daughter and Tadaoki Hosokawa's wife. She runs away from home and befriends her unlikely mentor, Magoichi. She wields her bracelets as weapons and fights with various magical powers.

Samurai Warriors 3

 * Kiyomasa Katō - One of Hideyoshi's trusted vassals. When he was an NPC, he was mentioned as one of Nene's children during Samurai Warriors 2 and Warriors Orochi series. He wields a scythe.


 * Kaihime - Lady retainer of the Hōjō and eldest daughter of Ujinaga Narita. She wields a sword whip.


 * Kanbei Kuroda - One of Hideyoshi's trusted strategists, he is a man of mystery. He uses a magical demon to summon a demon's hand to attack his enemies.


 * Ujiyasu Hōjō - Third leader of the Hōjō clan who wants to conquer the Kanto region. He fights with a sword hidden within a cane and explosives.


 * Muneshige Tachibana - Dosetsu's adopted son who works together with Ginchiyo. He wields a European sword and shield.


 * Hanbei Takenaka - Retainer of the Saitō clan who eventually joins Hideyoshi. His weapon is a bladed sundial.

Unique NPCs
This list of characters refers to uniquely designed non-playable characters in the series. Most of them become playable at one point in the series.


 * Yoshimoto Imagawa
 * Nagamasa Azai
 * Ieyasu Tokugawa
 * Hideyoshi Toyotomi
 * Kennyo Honganji
 * Lu Bu
 * Katsuie Shibata
 * Kojiro Sasaki
 * Masanori Fukushima
 * Aya Gozen

Games

 * Samurai Warriors
 * Samurai Warriors: State of War
 * Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends
 * Pachislot Samurai Warriors
 * Samurai Warriors 2
 * Samurai Warriors 2: Empires
 * Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends
 * Samurai Warriors: Katana
 * Samurai Warriors 3

Related Merchandise
When the series came out, the two franchises shared a similar publication titled Musou Fan Field (無双FanField). A drama CD called Sengoku Musou ~Hyakka Kyoen will be released on September 23, 2009. It contains both humorous and serious stories from the male cast in Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends. The image song on the CD was performed by Yukimura, Mitsunari, and Kanetsugu's voice actors.