Munenori Yagyū

Munenori Yagyū is one of the many famous swordsmen of the early Edo period. He is best known for being the sword instructor for the Tokugawa shogunate and the famous teacher of a widely known sword style. After his death, he has been heralded as an unmatched duelist who far surpassed any other in the land. His successor is Mitsuyoshi who is often romanticized under the name Jūbei.

Before he was playable, he used to be a generic NPC since the first Samurai Warriors.

Samurai Warriors
Disgusted with the land's wars, Munenori willingly sides with Ieyasu for unification in Sengoku Musou Chronicle 2nd. He instructs his lord's soldiers to fight with integrity.

Nobunaga's Ambition
Throughout the series he possesses above-average stats for war and is proficient in leading foot soldiers. The newest title, Tendou, increases his intelligence rating to be substantially higher than his past appearances. His low leadership and overall low ranking troop preferences may hamper his usefulness for leading long sieges, however, so the player will need to plan his appearances in the battlefront carefully. Munenori has average political traits and high loyalty, and he may serve the player well as a back-up general for domestic affairs.

In the online adaptation of the game, he is a level 55 intellectual general who serves the Tokugawa clan. His character is devoted to passing on his father's legacy, even in an age in which the sword may not be needed. He desires to discipline the player in hopes that they will someday learn the importance of unification. As a boss character Munenori fights with two swords and possesses a hard-to-dodge, five hit combo attack. He can cast accuracy spells on his party and can weaken the opposing party's defenses.

Development
The producer of the Samurai Warriors series wanted to answer fans' requests for new characters while appealing to the team's desire to include characters who could fit the multiple scenario options in the main story mode. He comments that these characters feel as though they would not normally fit in a typical Samurai Warriors title. In Munenori's case, the team wanted him to be the undisputed sword saint with the authority of a military commander. His addition appeals to fans who wanted a different type of sword saint in the series. Koinuma admits Munenori's persona was an invaluable time saver for scripting the later parts of the main story.

Personality
For his playable Warriors counterpart, Munenori is a rough around the edges traditionalist. He believes that the true art of battle can be found in one-vs-one duels rather than the grisly battlefield. His belief in old fashioned courtesy and his pacifistic desires fuels his wish for peace.

Character Symbolism
His Samurai Warriors counterpart is symbolized by the kanji for "existence" (活).

Voice Actors

 * Hiromu Miyazaki - Sengoku Musou Chronicle 2nd (Japanese)