Hideyoshi Toyotomi

Hideyoshi Toyotomi is the most famous peasant-samurai in Japan and heralded as one of the three unifiers. He started as Nobunaga's sandal holder and worked his way to dominate over other warlords of his era. Hideyoshi became famous for his self-proclaimed title as the, Great Lord or the Taikō (太閤). After his death, Edo period folklore claims that Nobunaga gave him the nickname "Monkey" (サル, Saru) in ode to his monkey-like physique. He is said to have had an unrequited infatuation with Oichi. Nene is his wife, Lady Yodo is his famous concubine, and his successor is Hideyori.

He is the titular character in Koei's Taiko Risshiden series. His appearance for the series' second title appears as a guest character in Dynasty Warriors. His character name for this game is Tohkichi (とーきち).

Hideyoshi first appeared in Samurai Warriors as a unique NPC in its first installment; he became a playable character in its expansion. In the first game of the series, he's 35 years old. His height in the series is 155 cm (5'1"). Fans voted him to thirty-sixth place in Gamecity's Sengoku Musou 3: Empires character popularity poll.

In Geten no Hana, his character is 22 years old and his height is 170 cm (approximately 5'7"). This counterpart has an image song titled Koi no Bun.

Role in Games
"Keep it going, you crazy monkey!"
 * ―Lu Meng; Warriors Orochi

Samurai Warriors
Hideyoshi starts as a simple general under Nobunaga, first serving as a vassal at Inabayama Castle. He builds the one-night castle at Sunomata and gives the signal for Mino Trio to defect when he storms inside the castle. Once Mino is under Nobunaga's rule upon Yoshitatsu's defeat, the Oda army moves onto to conquer Echizen. The moment he is on the verge of victory against the Asakura, the Azai suddenly betray Nobunaga and forces the invader to retreat. As their lord flees, Hideyoshi volunteers for the rear guard. When Magoichi asks him why, Hideyoshi admits that he wants to be promoted under Nobunaga so that he can one day have the power to do something great for the people. He asks Magoichi to help him with his vision and the mercenary agrees. After they work together to defeat Nagamasa and Yoshikage's armies, they safely retreat together back to the capital. Years after, Nobunaga decides to crush the Ikko Rebels and the Saika Renegades, marching to Sakai where Magoichi awaits them. Hideyoshi wants to see the land of peace his lord desires, but not at the cost of so many lives. When the mercenary attempts to snipe Nobunaga, Hideyoshi is given the mission to stop him.

If Hideyoshi fails, Nobunaga is shot and confusion spreads throughout the battlefield. It then becomes a manhunt on Magoichi's head and as well as the complete annihilation of every rebel present. After the battle, Hideyoshi meets his beaten friend to tell him that he's giving up on his original dream. Several of his allies begin to notice that he is beginning to resemble Nobunaga. Even with his menacing parting words, the sniper refuses to give up on Hideyoshi and tries to stop him from becoming a tyrant. After he slays Mitsuhide at Honnoji, Hideyoshi immediately resumes his attacks on the Mōri. Consumed with ambition, he abruptly makes peace with them and hurries back to Azuchi Castle to slay Nobunaga. Killing Magoichi, many Oda officers, and Nobunaga signals the end of his dream for universal happiness.

Should Hideyoshi prevent the sniping at Sakai, he instead insists that his friend surrender to prevent a massacre. After his defeat, Magoichi relents to Hideyoshi's wishes and once again joins his friend's side. When Nobunaga is killed at Honnoji, Hideyoshi hurries to intercept Mitsuhide's army at Yamazaki. His forces appear before Mitsuhide arrives so they use their time to defeat Toshimitsu Saitō and claim Mount Tenno. Avenging his lord, Hideyoshi unifies the land and becomes the supreme ruler. However, Ieyasu despises him and rebels at Komaki-Nagakute. With Magoichi and Keiji's help, Hideyoshi routs his rival. He asks for Ieyasu's surrender and the land is at peace.

Samurai Warriors 2 details his life as a conqueror as he starts his story by avenging his lord's death at Yamazaki. Hideyoshi then swears to make a land where everyone can be happy and fights to quell misgivings in battles. Oichi, who disagrees with Hideyoshi's rise to power, convinces Katsuie to attack him at Shizugatake. He barely wins over them and fights with Ieyasu for right of the land. In order to completely conquer the land, Hideyoshi then heads toward Kyushu to subdue the powerful family on the island, the Shimazu. Gaining his Tachibana and Shimazu allies, his forces are larger than ever before. Left opposing him are the Hōjō and the Date families. As Hideyoshi begins to surround Odawara Castle, Masamune surrenders before the siege. With Ujimasa and his son dead, the land is unified and Hideyoshi's dreams are realized.

In his dream stage, a curious Hideyoshi fakes his death after the land's unification to see who among his vassals are truly loyal to him. Mitsunari stands loyally for the Toyotomi family, but he falters against Ieyasu's troops at Sekigahara. Hideyoshi makes his presence known and rides to punish the ones who betrayed him and his family. With Hideyoshi alive, the Mōri generals remain loyal to the Western army. Insulted by his trick, however, Yoshihiro and Ginchiyo switch sides. Even when he wins, Hideyoshi begins to worry about what will happen when he actually dies.

Additionally, a special request in Survival Mode also depicts a summarized scenario of his progression to a daimyo. Successfully completing the scenario rewards the Greed skill available for purchase at shop.

In Samurai Warriors 3, Hideyoshi is mentioned to have been a sandal bearer for Nobunaga. However, his master saw his worth and promoted him as a general. Enthusiastic with his master and swearing to follow him anywhere, he assists the front at Okehazama by distracting the Imagawa army away from the ambush party and by convincing Ieyasu to become independent. After Nobunaga gains a reputation for himself, he decides to invade Mino. As Hanbei acts as the de facto leader at Inabayama Castle, Hideyoshi is given the task of capturing it with his wife, Nene. Telling Kanbei to set fire to the castle, Hideyoshi routs Mitsuhide. However, he realizes that it's a trap and escapes to avoid having his plan work against him. As the Saitō army scatters, Hideyoshi meets Hanbei in person and is amused by the younger strategist's wit. He offers Hanbei to serve him for a world where everyone can be happy and the impressed strategist jokingly amends it to better fit his own ideal.

After he protects Nobunaga's safe escape at Kanegasaki, time passes and Nobunaga dies at Honnoji while Hideyoshi is subjugating Chugoku and Shikoku. Provoked by Kanbei to seek his own vision for the land, Hideyoshi drops the campaigns and hurries back to the capital. Confronting his rival at Yamazaki, Mitsuhide claims that he still wants to make a world that Nobunaga had desired. Dissatisfied, Hideyoshi declares that anyone without a dream of their own design has no right to rule. With this same determination, he also defeats Ieyasu at Komaki-Nagakute. Although he knows that his vision of the land is the same as Nobunaga's dream, he refuses to follow his master's methods by taking the rebellious Ieyasu's head. Instead, he helps his old comrade to his feet and asserts his determination to live his own path in life.

Warriors Orochi
In both games, Hideyoshi is Nobunaga's loyal retainer. In Warriors Orochi, he is a starter character in the Samurai force. He is an active member of Nobunaga's resistance and carries out various tasks for him. He also brings Zhang Jiao and Okuni along on a Gaiden mission to intercept an Orochi Army shipment of gold being sent as payment to Dong Zhuo at Si Shui Gate. Stealing all the gold shipments makes Dong Zhuo defect to the Samurai army, whome he thinks will pay him better. To this Hideyoshi replies "All I really wanted was the gold, but good for you!"

In Warriors Orochi 2, Hideyoshi appears at Hu Lao Gate with his lord to reinforce Sakon Shima's attempt to eradicate the dangerous villain, Kiyomori Taira. Hideyoshi shares his Dream stage with the other Unifiers of Japan who have a contest against the rulers of the Three Kingdoms. He partakes in the contest by asking Tadakatsu to unleash the floodgate and drown their enemies out. In this stage, he is the Samurai Warriors counterpart to Sun Quan.

During the original timeline in Warriors Orochi 3, Hideyoshi stayed loyal to Nobunaga and sought to deal with the serpent forces at a leisurely pace. His plans are foiled when the serpent forces suddenly triples in number and he is overwhelmed at Nagashino. The coalition from the future reverts his death by offering their assistance. Quickly catching onto their plans, he lends them his aid as a permanent general within Ma Chao's regiment. When he isn't assisting Ma Chao's forces with his strategies and support, Hideyoshi helps Joan save the Saika mercenaries at a past Komaki-Nagakute and forces himself into Goemon's treasure hunt at Tao River.

Pokémon Conquest
Hideyoshi begins as the wet-behind-the-ears Warlord of Ignis in Pokémon Conquest. He dreams of one day obtaining the legendary Pokémon for himself and immediately orders Koroku and Nagayasu to defeat the protagonist, the new leader of Aurora. Once he and his subordinates are defeated, Hideyoshi leaves his castle and ventures Ransei by himself. He eventually becomes interested in Nobunaga and decides to serve him.

When the protagonist next sees Hideyoshi, he has strengthened to be a bona fide general and supports Nene's leadership in Viperia. She worries about the fate of her people and considers leaving Nobunaga's services, but Hideyoshi is the one to convince her to stay. He later acts as one of the five generals who supports Nobunaga's final challenge within the main story. After their defeat, Hideyoshi personally congratulates the protagonist for obtaining the legendary Pokémon before him and bids a fond farewell.

In his personal episode, Hideyoshi reflects upon the fact that only certain people are born with the power to communicate with Pokémon, and declares his intention to create a world where all people and Pokémon can live happily together. With Hanbei and Kanbei at his side, he conquers the other kingdoms and summons the legendary Pokémon, using its power to make his dream a reality.

Kessen
By the time the first Kessen occurs, Hideyoshi has already passed away. His concubine, Lady Yodo, and his son appear as the figurative leaders of the Toyotomi side. Mitsunari mentions him in passing as "the late great Taiko", Hideyoshi's self-appointed rank before his death.

As the third game focuses on Nobunaga's life, Hideyoshi first makes an appearance as Tokichiro Kinoshita, his first known name in history. He uses his acrobatic stunts to advertise his wares to a passing Nobunaga (which includes super-deformed Da Qiao and Yukimura dolls). Impressed with the daimyo's charisma, Tokichiro grew to admire him and wanted to join Nobunaga in battle. Using his street smarts, he tricks the bandit, Koroku Hachisuka, to help his desire to serve Nobunaga. Eventually, Nobunaga is amused by Tokichiro's determination and adds him and Koroku to his ranks.

He serves as a secondary protagonist in the game and visually matures like Nobunaga. His achievements in battle generously follows his historical and legendary exploits on the battlefield. Midway through the game, he changes his name to Hideyoshi Hashiba and marries Nene. Even so, he and Katsuie often vie for Oichi's affections. Later, he confesses his feelings to her only to be politely rejected in turn. Unexpectedly, he soon gains an admirer through Nobunaga's foreign lady warrior, Amalia. He joyfully serves Nobunaga until the end of the game, willingly abandoning his own ambitions for his master.

Nobunaga's Ambition
Within the series, Hideyoshi has low stats for war compared to other highly-ranked generals or daimyo within the series. Depending on the title, his war stat may drop to the sixties or high fifties. He usually doesn't have stellar proficiencies with troop types. To make up for his weaknesses, he bolsters high attributes for government affairs and leadership. If needed, he may expertly lead an army of foot soldiers into battle without any major worries. Similar to history, he is seen serving Nobunaga during the daimyo's early years and often stars in separate scenarios to conquer the rest of the land. His alleged names during his youth and his various fabled accomplishments are usually included as special events in the series. In the newest title, players can witness a modern translation of his death poem when he dies.

During the online adaption of the series, he serves the Oda family as a level 68 yakushi. He is the army strategist, second to Nobunaga within the clan's ranks. Cheery and optimistic, he looks forward to meeting promising talent to serve their lord. Hideyoshi continues to keep an eye open for his own ambitions, however, since he asks the outstanding members of their army to serve under him instead of Nobunaga. In battle, Hideyoshi mainly strengthens his allies or lowers the morale of the enemy forces through various spells and elixirs. Should he appear in a formation with Kiyomasa or Masanori, they gain the ability, "Shizugatake Brave Spear". When this ability is activated, the two generals can instantly kill a single opponent.

Tendou has Hideyoshi separate himself from Nobunaga in an original scenario named Hotogisu no Yukue. Although he still has a habit of addressing Nobunaga with the "lord" honorific, he wants to find a new way of living for the common man with his loyal band of officers. Hideyoshi asks his followers to not fight to the death for him, ordering they instead continue living for him. When his reputation rises, he can name his personal "Seven Spears" and throw a flower viewing festival for his followers at Daigoji. Hideyoshi fortifies his desires for ambition once he realizes he wants to protect and unite everyone's smilies.

If he causes the downfall of the Oda clan, he states his disbelief of having finally bested Nobunaga and begins to doubt himself. Masakatsu assures that everyone, including the common people, are on Hideyoshi's side and are waiting for the land of happiness his lord will create. Hideyoshi is invigorated from the pep talk and agrees to continue driving forward. Should he cause the downfall of the Tokugawa clan, Hideyoshi privately admits to Shigeharu that he once misunderstood Ieyasu. He thought Ieyasu was one who abused his father's prior reputation and schemed in secret for stealing the land. After facing his rival in battle, he admits his thoughts have changed and praises the trust shared amongst the men of Mikawa. Now, both he and Shigeharu respect Ieyasu as another possible figure for the land's future.

Once Hideyoshi has united the land in this scenario, he is congratulated by his officers for obtaining peace in the region. Even so, Mitsunari and others realize there is still trouble on the horizon since clans outside of the region may target Hideyoshi's newly conquered prize. He hasn't officially presented himself with a rank within the court, which may cause future objections to his right as ruler. Though he chides the skeptics for raining down on the celebration, Hideyoshi agrees with their observations. The narrative implies his ambitions are not yet fulfilled.

Within the game's Power up Kit, Hideyoshi is a participant in the original scenario that takes place after Nobunaga's death titled Mitsuhide no Yabou.

Background Story
Geten no Hana establishes Hideyoshi's origins as a peasant who once lived at Nakamura, a rundown village in Owari. He was a slave to the rice paddies like the rest of his family. Having grown tired of farming the harvests and having high aspirations for himself, he left his home to work in the nearby town. Whilst there he hunted for any job a young boy his age could get his hands on: hawker, lacquer shiner, textile drier, and so forth. The town, however, was caught in the crossfires of war and burned to the ground; Hideyoshi escaped unharmed but many people lost their lives to the bloodshed.

As he ran back towards his home, Hideyoshi was nearly dying of starvation due to running several days without food. Half delusional and at his limit, he stole from another person's warehouse to eat. The master of the paddy field soon found him and angrily chased after the young boy with sickles in both hands. Hideyoshi desperately fled for his life and was saved by a small rock thrown at the angry farmer's head. The boy kept running and eventually made it back to his home. His family called it a merciful blessing from the heavens, but Hideyoshi would learn many years later that the rock was thrown by an elderly rogue samurai. The elderly samurai was quickly apprehended by upset villagers whom were already appalled by samurai since they selfishly robbed from them for as long as they could remember. The villagers showed the elderly man no mercy and beat him to death.

His home was eventually overrun by rogue samurai. Without a lord and a reputation to feed themselves, they pillaged from the peasants to survive. His home was a wreck and his livelihood in jeopardy. Rather than blame any single person for causing his suffering, Hideyoshi accepted war as the land's greatest evil. He knew that it had to be ended, and it required a mighty commander to unify it. With the simple dream to become that commander, he enlisted into Nobunaga's services and became his sandal bearer.

Hideyoshi initially planned to use the young misfit as his stepping stone towards shaping the land's peace, but he soon admired his lord's charisma and integrity. Confident in entrusting his personal dream into Nobunaga's hands, Hideyoshi instead chose to be devoted to him by doing the best he could in his duties. He did any odd job which he could to help the people –be they Oda troops or the local townsfolk. Nobunaga remembered Hideyoshi for his eccentric optimism, muscular build, and excellent service to him. He gradually promoted him to be one of his trusted generals. About a month before the main story, Hideyoshi had been given the task of subjugating Chugoku but was given permission to retire to Azuchi Castle for a break.

Story Events
Hotaru first meets Hideyoshi while she is attending to her first mission of observing the samurai patrol. As she walks through the castle walkways under her disguise as Kikyō, he excitedly greets her and is immediately pleased that the reports had not exaggerated her beauty. After hurriedly introducing himself, Hideyoshi insists that he is afflicted by the "fever of love" and touches his forehead to hers. Regardless of whether Hotaru agrees or shoots him down, Hideyoshi gives her a golden urn trinket to celebrate their meeting. Two maids call for his swift return to them so he promptly excuses himself. He invites her to visit his mansion any time she wants to play.

Throughout the main scenario, Hideyoshi is content to enjoy his vacation within Azuchi Castle by either chatting with the ladies or barging into his lord's leisurely outings to entertain himself. He hopes to win Hotaru's heart through his random visits. If the player has unlocked his second romance event, Hideyoshi does so with the ulterior motive of keeping an eye on her. He is the one who suggests holding a spontaneous firefly viewing banquet prior to Nobunaga's leave for the capital. Like the other Oda retainers, he is genuinely surprised by the assassination which takes place.

Once Nobunaga leaves Azuchi, Hideyoshi departs on the same day to return to Himeji Castle for the campaign in Chugoku. His further activities in the default ending for Honnōji are not mentioned, but he cancels his plans in the "Shield of Azuchi" route.

Personal Route
Within the first week of her arrival, Hideyoshi sends one of his messengers for her attendance to her mansion. Hotaru believes the news is urgent until she arrives to see a boisterous dinner with the Oda retainers. Hideyoshi gestures towards her and insists that she sit beside him. Whether she agrees to do so or not makes little difference to him as he is charmed by her company. Mitsuhide, who is in attendance, notices her discomfort and decides to excuse them both from the festivities. Before the Akechi siblings leave, Hideyoshi runs out of his place to bid Hotaru farewell. He gives her a love letter he wrote for her and asks her to read it in private.

Hotaru returns to her quarters exhausted by the unnecessary distraction. As she prepares to change into her kunoichi form to attend to her mission, she remembers Hideyoshi's letter and opens it. She is peppered by a poignant incense he had within the letter's fold. Annoyed that it may give her presence away, Hotaru cleans herself before setting out for her night patrol. From the rooftops of the castle walls, she spots a samurai forcing himself upon Oito. Hotaru saves the maid by throwing a pebble at the samurai's head. His outburst alerts the nightly patrol and Oito is saved. While Hotaru flees to avoid detection, she drops into an empty garden and prepares to transform.

Before she can, Hideyoshi greets her from the tree he happened to nap from earlier that day. When Hideyoshi approaches her, Hotaru knows her mission is jeopardized and attacks him to defend her identity. He disarms her by correctly revealing her false identity as Mitsuhide's sister and dismisses the night patrol's reports of seeing an intruder. After Hotaru cuts through his many flirtations, Hideyoshi reveals that he knew because her unique fragrance matched the same one used within his letter. He wishes to know her reasons for serving Mitsuhide, but –since Hotaru is bound to secrecy– he quickly asks whether she will endanger Nobunaga. When she answers no, Hideyoshi decides to trust her for the time being and protects her secret identity. The only condition he asks is that she not report Hideyoshi's findings to Mitsuhide, playfully threatening to report the truth to Nobunaga if she goes against her word.

During Hotaru's second week at Azuchi Castle, she meets Hideyoshi's page, Sakichi, who is looking for him to attend to his official duties. When the boy runs off to his last known whereabouts, Hideyoshi approaches her and admits he is not feeling well due to a stomach ache. Before Hotaru can reprimand him, Ranmaru drags him to the main keep to personally report Chugoku's geography to Nobunaga. Since a downtrodden Hideyoshi obeys, Hotaru deduces that he told her the truth and decides to create an herbal medicine for him. She discreetly delivers it to his manor through a letter. He finds it and follows her instructions, scoffing at the note that it isn't poisoned.

Feeling much better the next day, Hideyoshi hurries to find her in the castle walkways to thank her. She is surprised to see him so happy yet keeps herself apart from him. Hideyoshi wonders when she will feel comfortable closing the distance between them and decides to celebrate their closer ties by inviting her a pleasure cruise at Lake Biwa. In her hesitation, Sakichi finds Hideyoshi to file his paperwork so their trip is postponed until the next day when Hideyoshi invites her in a lengthy love letter. Wanting to protect her secret, she agrees and promptly leave for the lake. They are greeted by two of Hideyoshi's acquaintances, Tasuke and Mochiki, who give them a skiff to ride.

While on their boat ride, Hideyoshi explains his two acquaintances recently lost their family to the war but keep smiling to avoid succumbing to their fear of survival. He explains the many facets of the emotion within their age –whether they be rich or poor– and asks Hotaru for her personal dread. Unfamiliar with the real meanings behind his inquiry, she states her concern over her identity being exposed by him. Amused by her suspicions about him, Hideyoshi lays on his back with Hotaru on top of him to alleviate her discomfort. He takes a nap with her in his arms. When Hotaru decides to entertain his second inquiry a week later, the couple return to the lake. She learns a bit about Hideyoshi's past from him during their leisurely horse ride which leads him to asking if she likes her way of living. The kunoichi is unable to answer whether she feels it suits her because she has never left her home before; her remark has her curious about seeing Hideyoshi's home which somewhat unsettles him.

A week later, Hotaru is given the task of assassinating Nobunaga and her method is the same as the default route. Hideyoshi initially notices nothing amiss with her behavior and decides to share his past with the elderly samurai and his greatest fear with her. When Hotaru seems shaken by his confession, he offers to be her crying shoulder. Hotaru keeps her vexed emotions to herself and finishes her preparations for the assassination. One morning, as she mopes within her room over the guilt she feels for betraying Hideyoshi's trust, Sakichi delivers a letter Hideyoshi wrote for her. The young page insists that his master treats Hotaru specially before excusing himself; the boy's testament seem to ring true in Hideyoshi's lengthy love letter to her. She begins to wish she were a real princess so she could truly enjoy herself beside him.

Since he invited her to a harvest party, Hotaru hesitantly decides to see his face one more time in an effort to ease her nerves. As Hideyoshi prepares to show off the goods the farmers have grown, a samurai warns Hotaru to avoid associating herself with him as he finds Hideyoshi's behavior detestable. Once Hideyoshi parades around in farmer's clothing, the samurai scornfully belittles him by saying he has gone back to his true roots. Hotaru uses his insult to defend Hideyoshi's character, insisting that he became greater than most by overcoming severe hardship. Her gull amuses Nobunaga whose laughter dispels the awkwardness of the festivities. During the twilight trip back to the Akechi manor, Hideyoshi notices that Hotaru is acting differently before Nobunaga. When Ranmaru comes running up and patronizes Nobunaga's heedlessness, Hideyoshi immediately suspects ninja business when Hotaru winces at the words "firefly viewing banquet". The couple are left alone before her manor, and he warns her to listen to her heart before she does something reproachable.

Before they part ways, Hideyoshi invites Hotaru to be beside his seat on the night of the firefly banquet. Unable to refuse, she plans to somehow escape him so she can finish her mission. Mitsuhide allows the slight adjustment in their plans, trusting her to do as she sees fit. Before the signal at the banquet takes place, Hideyoshi privately requests that she give up her kunoichi duties and live her life with him, encouraging her to not limit herself to one option for her life. A ruckus over a fallen lantern at Nobunaga's camp gives Hotaru the opportunity to flee, so she uses it to hurry to the spot for the assassination. Hideyoshi had already deduced her plans and waits for her there, again imploring her to stop. Once he sees that Hotaru won't back down, he is resolved to be true to his own loyalties and throws her his katana. He uses his wakizashi for a fairer fight. They trade blows but Hotaru is hesitant to give it her all. When Hideyoshi suddenly withdraws his blade, hers strikes home. Terrified by what she had done, Hotaru forgets her mission and flees back to the Akechi manor.

The fuss over Hideyoshi's injury at the banquet leads to sightings of an intruder in the castle grounds, which Mitsuhide concludes as the assassination's failure to Nobuyuki. Nobuyuki accepts the circumstances as long as he can still take his brother's life. His words are overhead by an eavesdropping Nobunaga, who is thusly convinced to apprehend his younger brother. Mitsuhide enters Hotaru's room at nightfall and reports that Hideyoshi is still alive with a grievous injury. He brings her to the gaols and finally explains the true meaning of her mission to her. Nobunaga permits her freedom from punishment but insists that she pay the dying Hideyoshi a visit before leaving.

Fearing for the worst, Hotaru hurries into Hideyoshi's room and is surprised to see him fine. Nobunaga and Mitsuhide had fibbed about his condition: he had suffered a non-fatal injury on his right arm. Hideyoshi warmly greets her and, having learned about the fake plot while being tended, apologizes for the unnecessary hardship he put her through earlier. He let himself get cut because he accurately predicted that she would be too traumatized by hurting someone to continue with her mission. Relieved, Hotaru tells him her real name and confesses her fear at the thought of killing him. Finally taking him up on his offer to cry within his embrace, the ordeal of possibly losing him awakens her to her deeper affections for him.

Hotaru falls asleep because of her crying fit so she awakens next to Hideyoshi in the morning. Hotaru transforms into her princess disguise to avoid detection, yet Sakichi is understandably embarrassed to see her when he announces that breakfast is ready. If the player chose to return Hideyoshi's urn trinket during the week of the assassination, he uses this opportunity to give it back to Hotaru as a renewed sign of his affections. The couple report to Nobunaga and Mitsuhide within the main keep after their meal, immediately bombarded by light-hearted quips from the two lords over the couple's secret correspondence. While Nobunaga and Hideyoshi address the Chugoku subjugation, Mitsuhide thanks Hotaru for her service and allows her formal leave. Worried over his injury, Hotaru decides to stay by Hideyoshi's side until his arm heals.

Hotaru morphs into Shichisuke the next morning and joins Hideyoshi's departure. When the army breaks for nightfall, Hideyoshi barges into the troops' camp to take Hotaru with him and privately begs her to not sleep with them. She insists she is fine sleeping outdoors, choosing to instead address her concern over his arm. When she rubs and inspects his injury, Hideyoshi is amused that she is comfortable touching and expressing affection for him. He exuberantly asks if he can feel her with the same intimacy. Regardless of whatever the player chooses, the couple spend the night together and resume the march next morning.

Sakichi spots a blue flash within the distant forest, but the nearby retainers suggest that he could have mistaken it for a stray piece of cloth or the sky. While the men dismiss it, Hotaru follows on the boy's hunch and discreetly transforms herself into a bird to investigate. She flies until she spots Shigure somehow free from Azuchi's prison. He challenges her to a rematch to redeem his previous failure. After Hotaru disarms him, she retrieves a letter from his belongings. Shigure accepts his second loss and flees, confident that even if she has the letter it will be too late to prevent its contents. It is a secret letter written by Nobuyuki addressing the Mōri. It reports Nobunaga's demise at Honnōji and entices them for an alliance to slay Hideyoshi.

Hideyoshi calculates that there is a half day gap in the letter's writing and the distance between Honnōji and Azuchi. If his army returns at full speed, they can still make it in time to rescue Nobunaga. Dismissing his retainers' confusion over the kunoichi before them, Hideyoshi ushers his men back at a brisk pace. The bridge they took is broken by Nobuyuki's ninja and the detour around it would take too long for their army to cross. Since it is nearly nightfall, his retainers offer that they try crossing the steep river on foot. One wrong step, however, and the whole army could drown themselves trying. As Hideyoshi hesitates to place his subordinates' lives into a potentially fatal risk, Hotaru transforms into a frog and quickly inspects the riverbed. She returns to tell him a shallow path and leads the way for the army's safe crossing.

Honnōji is in flames when they arrive and Nobuyuki's ninja taunt them for their apparent failure. Undeterred, the Hashiba troops head in to fight Nobuyuki's army. Hideyoshi and Hotaru confidentially cover each others' backs as they fight towards the temple, running inside to see Ranmaru fighting soldiers and the brothers dueling. Hideyoshi interrupts them and disarms Nobuyuki. He spares the younger brother since he notices Hotaru wincing each time he stresses his right arm in the fight. Mitsuhide's reinforcements arrive and Nobuyuki is imprisoned once more. The Oda return to Azuchi Castle for several days while Hotaru poses as a maid within the Hashiba manor.

The Mōri had not bought into Nobuyuki's previous letters so Hideyoshi believes they can easily arrange for a peace treaty. With his arm fully healed, he receives Nobunaga's permission to start peace talks at Himeji Castle. Hotaru says to Mitsuhide that she wants to return to Iga since she no longer has any obligations to be beside Hideyoshi, a comment which surprises him. She reports that Hideyoshi wants her to transform into Kikyō and see him before he leaves, asking Mitsuhide permission. He allows it, stating that it is his gesture of thanks for what Hideyoshi had done at Honnōji. Before the Hashiba retainers and servants, Hotaru says she loves Hideyoshi, thinking that it is their last farewell. Hideyoshi answers that he won't allow her departure and proposes to her. She bashfully accepts her new change in life, choosing to reveal her true self in public. The peace treaty is sealed at Himeji Castle and, several days later, the newly weds decide to go on a private getaway to Hideyoshi's home. On the way to the village, they take a break and read Nobunaga's congratulatory letter together. As they laugh over the informality within it, Hideyoshi confesses his deepest affections for his wife.

Saihai no Yukue
Like the first Kessen, Hideyoshi is dead before the game takes place. However, he appears in various characters' flashbacks as a shadowy yet loving figure. Sometime before he died, he asked Mitsunari to look after Lady Yodo and his son, wishing for their happiness. It is often their ties with Hideyoshi that helps inspire Mitsunari's men to fight with him.

Mōri Motonari: Chikai no Sanya
Depicted as a scheming and sly individual, Hideyoshi follows Nobunaga's orders willingly in Mouri Motonari: Chikai no Sanya. He keeps a stringent eye on the Mōri's activities, urging his lord to spy on their western rival. An intrigued Nobunaga agrees and sends his "Monkey" as a political envoy. A middle-aged Motonari accepts an audience with his visitor, later remarking that he couldn't read Hideyoshi's true character in the slightest. Ekei has the chance to meet him in person, discouraging the Mōri from fighting with the Oda due to the man's latent potential. Hideyoshi's visit leaves an unsettling impression of the Oda with the Mōri retainers that lasts after Motonari's death.

Years later, Hideyoshi learns of the isolated Amago retainers and their desires to continue fighting against the Mōri. Presenting the brave Shikanosuke before Nobunaga, he and his lord seek to use the youth's bravado to their advantage. Agreeing to join forces with the remaining Amago loyalists, Hideyoshi is one of the leaders in the attack in Chūgoku. His forces lay waste to two of the Mōri's castles, taking Kōzuki Castle with startling speed. When Terumoto marches with his army to reclaim the former Amago territory, Hideyoshi accepts Kanbei's advice to sacrifice the small Amago forces and deserts from the field. During his following siege of Takamatsu Castle, Hideyoshi's large army subdues and captures the guarding Mōri vassal, Muneharu Shimizu. When Hideyoshi's request for surrender is refused, both he and Terumoto are stunned when they witness Muneharu's suicide.

Before Terumoto can move his forces to retaliate, both armies receive news of Nobunaga's death at Honnōji. Hideyoshi speeds off immediately towards Kyoto to avenge his lord. However, he is mortified when Terumoto pursues and intercepts him at Himeji Castle. The Mōri troops prevail and Hideyoshi dies in battle.

Development
Hideyoshi's design started as a literal interpretation of Nobunaga's nickname. Some aspects of his monkey-like design were inspired by Sun Wukong from Journey to the West. Though he wielded a normal spear in his first appearance, his weapon of choice as a playable character gives him a wider range of efficiency and also mimics the swing of a monkey's tail. His second design shifts its focus on Hideyoshi's life as a daimyo and unifier. Some details to his design -such as his fur tipped shoes and greedy nature- continue to allude to his nickname and reflect his time serving Nobunaga. On several places he is also adorned with both the Toyotomi and Hashiba name.

Personality
Hideyoshi is a happy-go-lucky guy who has an inkling for gold, women and ingenuity. Commonly known as "Monkey" by several of Nobunaga's generals, Hideyoshi gains respect for his craftiness in battle (while he screeches and yelps like a monkey in the first game, his monkey mannerisms are downplayed in the sequel). He wants to fight to end the people's suffering and create a happy Japan. With eyes set on this prize, he is willing to make any sacrifice that is necessary, no matter how painful it may be. Usually, he is willing to negotiate with his enemies for them to surrender and treats them kindly in return. At the same time, his gigantic wealth and extraordinary number of vassals are also the cause for fear and concern with others. He is good friends with Magoichi but is forced to confront him as the Oda army attack the Saika renegades.

His affable nature can sometimes break to show his cryptic, sinister side.

Character Symbolism
Within various fictional mediums, Hideyoshi is accredited to look like a monkey. According to the Taikō Sujoki and accounts from the Joseon missionaries within Toshiie's memoirs, Hideyoshi's face did look the part. His face was "small [and] covered in black hair" like a monkey. The Mōri vassal, Tamaki Yoshiyasu, remarked that Hideyoshi had "a red beard and black monkey-like eyes with a naturally vacant expression". Political satire during Hideyoshi's rule is thought to have additionally ignited the monkey association, although this case traces the line of unflattering comparison or caricature rather than being truthful to his appearance. The lack of evidence from Oda vassals or his closest retainers mentioning the resemblance also draws doubt on whether he actually looked like the primate or not. In spite of what popular culture states, there are no known records of Nobunaga or his retainers calling Hideyoshi "Monkey". At best, Nobunaga acknowledged Hideyoshi as "bald rat" within his letter to Hideyoshi's wife. Historical accounts from Oda vassals are likely to note his small stature or his six fingered hand, which has also been put into debate for accuracy. Based on these mixed accounts, it's hard to say whether he actually did resemble a monkey or not. However, Hideyoshi looking or acting monkey-like has been a popular image in fiction since the Edo Period.

In the Samurai Warriors series, he's symbolized by the kanji "determination" (志) and "ascension" (昇) and by colorful fireworks.

Hideyoshi's titles in Samurai Warriors 2 are "Stable Master", "Monkey", "Commander", "Cleaver Diplomat", "Great Dreamer", "Unifier", and "Everyman's Champion" (in the Xtreme Legends expansion).

His third weapon -fourth in his first appearance and Normal in his third- is named "Three Heavens Zhong Kui", a figure in Chinese mythology. The particular namesake for Zhong Kui within the weapon (鍾鬼) actually originates in a Japanese version of his famous ties to Emperor Xuanzong. In the Noh play, Yōhiki, it's Yang Guifei who was gravely ill as opposed to Emperor Xuanzong like the Chinese myth. While she was facing the worse, a stern faced Zhong Kui appeared before Emperor Xuanzong and instructed the liege to create a beautiful mirror. Using the mirror, her soul could be saved from the demon tormenting her. When it revealed itself in the mirror, Zhong Kui adopted a malevolent expression to drive it off. He looked much more frightening than the demon could ever hope to muster. The Japanese pronunciation of Zhong Kui, Shōki, has the same pronunciation as his nickname based on the tale, "Demon Zhong". Shōki is also known as a guardian protector for the young children since Yang Guifei was said to have been a young girl within the play. Hideyoshi's Power types are named after three peaks while his Speed types are named after the three seas of Shōki.

A title found in Japanese mythology acts as the namesake for Hideyoshi's fourth weapon -fifth in his first appearance and Unique in his third. After Izanagi purified himself of the defilements of Yomi-no-kuni, the Furukoto Fumi states three final gods were born. These gods were precious as Izanagi himself gave birth to them by using his very being. They were Amaterasu (from Izanagi's left eye), Tsukuyomi (from Izanagi's right eye), and Susanowo (from Izanagi's nose). Together, these three gods are known as the Three Treasured Gods or Mihashira-no-Uzunomiko.

His fifth weapon mentions a "golden monkey", likely the Golden Snub-nosed Monkey. The monkey could either be a reference to Hideyoshi or Sun Wukong, who is said to sometimes be modeled on this primate's appearance within Journey to the West. Both his fifth and sixth weapons mention Monju-bosatsu, a Buddhist bodhisattva known to grant happenstance and spontaneous good fortune within Japan. He is also known to be a bearer of superior intelligence, offering various truths and understandings.

Voice Actors

 * Richard Cansino - Samurai Warriors (English-uncredited)
 * Danny Coleman - Samurai Warriors 2 (English)
 * Brian Beacock - Samurai Warriors 3 (English-uncredited)
 * Bryce Papenbrook - Kessen III (English-uncredited)
 * Munehiro Tokida - Samurai Warriors (Japanese)
 * Hideo Ishikawa - Samurai Warriors 2~3 and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)
 * Kentarō Itō - Kessen III (Japanese)
 * Shigeru Chiba - Game Nihonshi Kakumeiji ~Oda Nobunaga~
 * Showtaro Morikubo - Geten no Hana
 * Takeshi Kusao - CR Sengoku no Arashi ~Nobunaga no Shou~
 * Shunzō Miyasaka - Sengoku Pachislot Nobunaga no Yabou ~Tenka Sousei~

Live Action Performer

 * TAKA Michinoku - Sengoku Bushou Matsuri
 * Yuki Torigoe - as Nyashiba Hideyoshi in Butai Nobunyaga no Yabou

Quotes

 * See also: Hideyoshi Toyotomi/Quotes


 * "I'll take care of this land for you, so why don't you die for me?!?"
 * "Hmph, why do things always fall apart when I'm not around?"
 * "I won't lose! Of course, the enemy is probably thinking the same thing."
 * "Now the Shimazu will bow down to me too! Dang, I'm good!"
 * "One last fight and Japan will be all mine... This was easier than I thought."
 * "Time to attack the Azai and end this once and for all!"
 * "Monkey! This isn't easy for her. Have you even thought of Lady Oichi's feelings?"
 * "Think about her feelings? What good would that do? We're the ones who did this to Lady Oichi and Nagamasa. It's not my fault if she hates us. All that matters is that it comes to an end."
 * Hideyoshi and Katsuie; Samurai Warriors 2


 * "My lord. The crane you were keeping in the garden has escaped. Would you like to send some men to search for it?"
 * "Eh, forget it. The whole land will be mine eventually. Why bring the crane back to my garden when I can bring my garden to it?"
 * Mitsunari and Hideyoshi; Samurai Warriors 2: Empires


 * "Koroku, remember the day we met on Yahagi Bridge?"
 * "How could I forget? You were but a sleeping lad at the time. I knocked you once on the head, and you retaliated by smacking my face."
 * "And then little ol' graceful me beat you, the older gentleman, up. It was like Yoshitsune and Benkei's meeting at Gojo Bridge."
 * "Well, I'd say it's a stretch to call me Benkei though..."
 * Hideyoshi and Koroku Hachisuka; Sengoku Musou 3: Empires


 * "Get out of my way, you filthy monkey!"
 * "Filthy?! I'll have you know I'm groomed on a regular basis, thank you very much!"
 * Dong Zhuo and Hideyoshi; Warriors Orochi


 * "A tiger losing to a mere monkey would be a travesty... I could never again show my face to my father!"
 * "Don't worry, I'll tell him how badly you felt about it."
 * Sun Quan and Hideyoshi; Warriors Orochi 2


 * "Hey, monkey-man, how're things with you?"
 * "I'm not a monkey! How many times must I tell you?"
 * "Where's your pride as a monkey, man? We're charming, intelligent, the ultimate animal!"
 * Sun Wukong and Hideyoshi; Warriors Orochi 3

Ground Moveset

 * undefined, (undefined), (undefined): Hops into the air and flips to smash the ground with staff. Repeats the sequence two more times.
 * , undefined, (undefined), (undefined), (undefined): Diagonal swing upwards. Hideyoshi follows his opponent into the air, juggling them as he spins like a top. Whilst still in the air, he bashes his foes with an overhead chop. They hit the ground with an additional damaging shockwave effect.
 * ,, undefined, (undefined), (undefined), (undefined): Straight poke to the front before he lunges forward with two wild swings. Hideyoshi then poses to emit a damaging aura.
 * ,, , undefined, (undefined), (undefined), (undefined): Staff loosens its joints as Hideyoshi performs five diagonal whip-like swings with it. On the final button tap, he spins into a crouching position for the sixth attack.
 * ,, , , , , , : Four swings with a connected staff. Staff loosens as Hideyoshi twirls it in front of him four times. Ends with a poke from a connect staff forward.


 * , undefined: Plummets to smash staff on the ground, landing in a handstand-like position.
 * , : Downwards swing with connected staff.
 * Dashing : Huddles into a hunched position as he spins to a stop, hitting foes multiple times.
 * Hops multiple times to land with a whipping swing from staff.

Mounted Moveset

 * , undefined: Downwards flick of staff. Launches hit foes upward.
 * ,, undefined: Harsh poke with staff intact. Stuns foes.
 * ,, , undefined: Hideyoshi performs a small somersault to swing his loosened staff around his saddle.
 * ,, , , , , : Series of quick swings to the right.
 * Whips loosened staff to the right multiple times. Ending pose emits a shockwave and causes the horse to stop.

Samurai Warriors 2
Keeps his mounted moveset excluding his horse musou, which changes to a horse stampede. His ground moveset was changed dramatically due to his attack type (Normal).


 * undefined:
 * , undefined:
 * ,, undefined:
 * ,, , undefined:
 * ,, , , undefined:
 * ,, , , , undefined:
 * ,, , , , , undefined:
 * ,, , , , , , undefined:
 * ,, , , , , , , undefined: (Xtreme Legends only)




 * R1 + : Earn gold easily by attacking enemies.
 * R1 + undefined: Lower enemies's defense but raise their attack by taunting.
 * Personal Skill : (Finesse) Jump after executing a charge attack.

Same attacks excluding his C5 and Level 3 Musou. His R1 attacks have also changed
 * Warriors Orochi
 * R1:
 * R1 (counter):


 * Warriors Orochi 2
 * Triple Attack 1: Releases a wave of air to come flying at a certain length.
 * Triple Attack 2: Slams weapon unto the ground, causing strong gales to rise up from above.
 * Triple Attack 3: Causes a whirlwind to circulate for a short amount of time.

Samurai Warriors 3

 * (Ultimate/Kaiden): Hideyoshi leaps into the air, spinning his staff, creating a vortex of flame diagonally downward.


 * Spirit Cancel:
 * R1: Activating this skill causes any regular unit defeated by Hideyoshi to randomly drop gems.


 * Warriors Orochi 3
 * R1: Launches nearby enemies up in the air by slamming staff on the ground, then while climbing on top of it, creates two explosions that affects enemies within the vicinity.


 * Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate
 * , R1:

Samurai Warriors
Hideyoshi's combat style in Samurai Warriors 2 is designed for unpredictability. Most of his strikes involve deceptive movement in utilizing his weapon that can effectively hit farther than it would seem. Although not the most powerful character in the game, he can dispatch many enemies before he can get touched. His musou also runs with this idea as it has him constantly landing jump attacks seemingly at random. He has deceptively long range, good speed, and can combo extremely well - however, his overall strength is on the lower side and landing certain moves might take some practice as they come practically out of left field.

Due to his treasure-hoarding nature in the games, his fourth weapon in Samurai Warriors 2 is designed for high luck; making him a great character for item and money farming purposes.

Weapons

 * See also: Hideyoshi Toyotomi/Weapons

Big Star Weapons
Hideyoshi uses the following big star weapons in the game.
 * Simian Trinity
 * Bendy Straw

Acquiring Mystic Weapon

 * Stage:
 * Requirements:

Trivia

 * In the Sengoku Jidai themed comic, Sengoku Angelique, Zephel acts as the Hideyoshi of the cast. His full name is "Toyotomi Zephel Hideyoshi".

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