Characters / Samurai Shodown VI

Samurai Shodown Characters Index
2D Games: Samurai Shodown | Samurai Shodown II | Samurai Shodown III | Samurai Shodown V | Samurai Shodown VI | Samurai Shodown (2019)
3D Games: Samurai Shodown 64 | Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage | Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny
Others

Characters introduced in Samurai Shodown VI

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Iroha

I vowed to keep my master safe. No matter who my opponent is, I can't afford to lose.

Origin: Urushiyama, Ōshū Province, Japan ^note  Urushiyama is best known as the setting of one of Japan's famous crane stories The Grateful Crane Wife, which is linked to the Chinzo Temple in the town.

Weapons: Hourin Ousai ^note ("Feng Horn" and "Huang Beak", predecessors to / genders of the Fenghuang), twin butterfly swords

Voiced by: ^note Mayumi Shindo (VI, Neo Geo Heroes, Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos), Saori Gotō (Oni), Jun Miruno (2019)

A crane who is able to transform herself into a Japanese maid. She serves her master and sees her duty to him/her as the most important aspect of her life. She often bows and speaks to the player directly before and after her fights and the game's producers have confirmed her master is indeed the player him/herself. Iroha is an obedient and cheerful maiden. She deeply cares for her master, trying her hardest to stay in her human form whilst in front of him/her. Despite debuting only in VI, Iroha went on to star in many Meido based spinoff games. She finally makes her canon debut as part of the 2nd DLC character pass of 2019.

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• Addressing the Player: Her "Master" she so often speaks of is actually the player, which is why she waves to the camera during her Victory Pose. She also addresses them directly during her ending in 6.
• Ambidextrous Sprite: Canonically, Iroha's left leg is the one with the bandage on it. In practice, it's whichever one is further away from the player at the time. It still happens in 2019 despite using 3D models.
• Animal Stereotypes:
  • Her combat stance involves her keeping one leg elevated and bent at all times, just like how a crane stands in the water.
  • Her likes include snails and loach (a type of fish), common foods on a crane's diet.
• Ass Kicks You: Her stance-break in 2019.
• Animorphism: Seamlessly shifts at will between crane and human forms, especially during her "Dance of the Japanese Crane".
• Battle Strip: Her super move "Dance of the Japanese Crane" (which happens in shadow) involves her stripping off her clothes, resulting in her silhouette appearing nude, then beating the crap out of her opponent with her bare hands before morphing into her crane form momentarily to cause some more damage, then morphing back to her human form, still nude, to lay the final blow with her blades. It returns in 2019 as her Super Special Move, unchanged.
• Beware the Nice Ones: Cheerful, kind, and domestic. But also deadly when prompted to fight for her master.
• Breakout Character: Appearing only in 6 as one of two main protagonists to fill the slot in what was a Dream Match Game, Iroha later proved incredibly popular with fans due to her fanservice-heavy design and demure personality, to the point she received multiple appearances in different media not just by SNK. She would receive two Spin-Off Dating Sim games, as well as guest appearances in Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos and Puzzle & Dragons, and was able to return to the series proper with 2019 as DLC — and as a fully canon character to boot.
• Brought Down to Badass: Meta example. She seemingly lost her pyrokinesis for battle purposes in 2019, as her new Weapon-Flipping Technique, "Flying Wind Drop" (Kazatobi Otoshi) is merely a stronger Kazaguruma. This doesn't deter her from kicking rear, though.
• But Now I Must Go: Subverted in her ending in 6. She wishes to Yoshitora to make her master (you) happy, then addresses you, thanking you for letting her serve you, before leaving for parts unknown. However, she returns months later, with Yoshitora revealing her master was unhappy all this time she was away, as they really enjoy Iroha's presence. She then decides to go back to serving her master, hoping they (her and you) would stay together forever. Aww!
• Dating Sim: Her Spin-Off games by SNK distributed for FOMA-compatible devices were usually this, having two game series for mobile (Maid by Iroha and Koi by Iroha), as well as appearing in various Days of Memories games.
• Distracted by the Sexy: During her "Dance of the Japanese Crane" super move, her opponent is just standing there letting her beat the crap out of them, apparently too distracted by her nudity to fight back.
• Doesn't Like Guns: She's not fond of firearms or ranged weapons, as seen in her interactions with Andrew and Mina. It's implied she was injured in her crane form by a hunter (per the original folktale), which would explain her distaste for such things.
• Don't Look At Me: She'll ask this to the camera when she performs her "Dance of the Japanese Crane" in 2019. Ironic, since the beatdown still happens indoors.
• Downloadable Content: She returns to the series in 2019 as part of the second wave of DLC characters.
• Dual Wielding: She fights with a pair of butterfly swords.
• Environmental Symbolism: All four of the new characters in VI came with an applicable stage. Iroha's stage is set in her snow-covered home of Urushiyama, and features a watermill and a riverbank where multiple black and white cranes flock together. Her accompanying Leitmotif, a melancholic Enka (Japanese ballad), is unusual in that it features full lyrics. These motifs carry over into 2019, though instead of her home stage which is not featured in the game, she shares Rimururu's stage: a winter version of Kamuikotan which features several wild animals and lots of snow.
• Fan Disservice: Downplayed as it doesn't deter from her attractiveness, but still present. She wears thigh-highs and a bandage on her left lower leg; the former of which emphasize her legs, the latter... of which covers an injury.
• Feather Flechettes: Her "Wind Cutter" (Kazagiri) is apparently a sharp blade of wind, shaped in the form of a feather.
• Flung Clothing: The Battle Strip in "Dance of the Japanese Crane" has her removing her entire outfit and throwing it into the air in a single swipe. When she finishes the super, her clothes fall back to her just in time.
• Freakiness Shame: In what is a clear reference to the fable she is based on, during her "Dance of the Japanese Crane" she transforms into her crane form (albeit screened by a shoji), and begs the player not to look, no matter what.
• Full-Frontal Assault: She bares her body completely before striking the opponent repeteadly during her "Dance of the Japanese Crane".
• Gamer Chick: Surprisingly so — during a setting in Koi no Iroha, she does her best to play an arcade game◊.
• Handicapped Badass: The bandage around Iroha's leg isn't just for show; the crane in the original Crane Wife folktale was injured by a hunter, and Iroha seems to have suffered a similar injury. She hops around on one foot in her idle and walk animations, and one of her victory animations has her wince and clutch at her bad ankle. Despite this, she can leap, spin around the battlefield and kick asses without any problems, just as any other fighter.
• Hot in Human Form: Her real form is a crane, but she can shift into the form of an incredibly beautiful human woman.
• Impossible Hourglass Figure: Iroha has a curvaceous figure complemented by very large breasts and fairly wide hips, measuring at B91 W59 H85.
• Hidden Depths: She apparently has a bit of an inferiority complex, which may stem from her original form as a crane and her refusal to be seen in this form by her master.
• Homage: Iroha's entire character is based on an old story called The Grateful Crane Wife, which is linked to the Chinzo Temple in Urushiyama, her hometown. During one of her special attacks, she hides behind a shoji while saying "Please don't look, no matter what", referencing a scene from the story.
• Leg Focus: Her short uniform and thigh-highs serve to emphasize her graceful legs.
• Leotard of Power: Wears one below her white robes as part of her maid outfit, which at least makes sure to shield her privates.
• Martial Pacifist: Iroha isn't fond of fighting, and will usually only do so if her enemy has truly malicious intent, such as harming her master. Luckily, since any match you have with another player is technically trying to harm you, that means you'll get to enjoy her defending you constantly.
• Meaningful Name: One way Iroha's name can be written in kanji is "彩羽", with 彩 standing for "color" and 羽 meaning "feather", thus yielding "colorful feather", befitting her original form as a crane.
• Meido: At first, she was designed to be a mostly nude character, though eventually, her image changed to a "graceful crane" and "Asian wife" motif — hence her skills at housework.
• Morphic Resonance: Her maid's apron is designed so as to resemble a crane's wings and tail. Her redesign outfit in 2019 even has her sleeves resemble the markings of a red-crowned crane.
• Ms. Fanservice: Simply put, Iroha is to Samurai Shodown what Mai is to Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters. Her maid uniform looks more like a combination of a kunoichi and a french maid, with a large cleavage window that exposes her enormous chest (which, at 91 cm, is just 1 cm shy of Shermie and Ángel), and the lower part of which closely resembles a crane's lower body, with the front being covered by her white robes and the back of which doesn't, exposing her butt and revealing the bottom of her leotard. Her thigh-highs also help emphasize what would otherwise be her bare legs courtesy of her short maid uniform. And she fights in all that.
• Nice Girl: Iroha is consistently shown to be kind, pure-hearted, polite, sweet, and oftentimes even cheerful, serving her master (read: YOU) with a smile on her face. She is also averse to fighting unless she is forced to do so — but if such, beware.
• No Fourth Wall:
  • Her "master" is you, and she speaks to the player as such, especially prominent in 6's ending, where she serves you!
  • In 2019, she quests to take down Shizuka in defense of her master’s happiness, and her story is presented as if the player is personally accompanying her.
• Ninja Maid: Probably the most literal example ever — her clothes look like a cross between a kunoichi's clothing (or lack thereof) and a stereotypical French Maid Outfit.
• Playing with Fire: Her "Dance in Winter Snow Moon Flower" special move in 6 has Iroha envelop herself in flames to perform an enhanced Tsuyushigure. This would later be dropped in 2019, though.
• Punny Name: Her namesake are the first syllables from the Heian poem of the same name, which is a pangram used until the Meiji era for learning the hiragana syllabary — hence, her name's translation would be something close to "syllabary order".
• Rolling Attack:
  • Her "Dew Drizzle" (Tsuyushigure). It can also be aimed upwards to counter aerial attacks, or downwards in the air to land and counterzone.
  • Her Weapon-Flipping Technique in 6, "Dance in Winter Snow Moon Flower", is an upgraded form of her Tsuyushigure, enveloping Iroha in fire before slashing away.
• Sexy Silhouette: Her "Dance of the Japanese Crane" super has her doing a Full-Frontal Assault, but this is keep modest by the fact she brings down a shoji door in front of the camera before she strips, only leaving her nude silhouette is visible.
• Shapeshifting Lover: She tries her best to maintain her human form for her master when in front of them.
• Sideboob: Her outfit tends to expose a bit of these.
• Silk Hiding Steel: She may have a slight inferiority complex, and doesn't like violence, but as per this trope, mistaking those for actual weakness is a bad idea.
• Shotoclone: She's one of the more basic and easier to use characters, and has special moves that mirror those of Ryu/Ken via her own equivalents of Hadouken (Kazagiri), Dragon Uppercut (Tsuyushigure, when aimed up, down to the same input), and Hurricane Kick (Kazaguruma).
• Spin Attack:
  • Her "Pinwheel" (Kazaguruma), where she twirls herself towards her opponent, slicing them with her swords.
  • Her Weapon-Flipping Technique in 2019, "Flying Wind Drop" (Kazatobi Otoshi), is an upgraded form of her Kazaguruma that has an added ending blow at the end.
• Stripperiffic: Skimpy kunoichi-inspired French maid wardrobe that reveals her cleavage and even some sideboob? Check. Wide hips on show? Check. Toeless thigh-highs? Double check. She was literally maid for fanservice.
• Suplex Finisher: If she is rendered weaponless while performing her "Dance of the Japanese Crane", she'll instead finish her assault with an unexpectedly brutal suplex.
• Undying Loyalty: She's utterly loyal and devoted to her "Master", and everything she does is for their sake.
• Voluntary Shapeshifting: She has full control over her transformation between human and crane.
• Wreathed in Flames, She had pyrokinesis in 6, which she used to enhance her Tsuyushigure for her Weapon-Flipping Technique. Though this was later dropped come 2019.
• Yamato Nadeshiko: Kind, feminine and domestic, obedient to her master, and submissive, but despite her slight inferiority complex and aversion to unnecessary violence, she's not weak, being in fact very capable of holding her own in battle with her butterfly swords and powers. Her true form as that of crane helps, too. Pretty much the only non-characteristic trait she has is her Stripperiffic wardrobe.
• Youkai: One that comes from a Tsuru Nyōbō ("Crane Wife"), which are the subject of many Japanese folktales, including The Grateful Crane Wife detailed above. And Iroha is every bit as beautiful and pure-hearted as the human forms these cranes tend to take form of.

Andrew

Do not look down. Go forward looking up.

Origin: Virginia, Thirteen Colonies ^note The flag shown here is the "Betsy Ross" flag of the Thirteen Colonies, adopted after the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Weapon: White Lily, a musket with a bayonet

Voiced by: ^note Kazuki Ishii

He is portrayed as an American soldier who goes to Japan to stop a new menace to his relatively young country. In his ending, he befriends Yoshitora. He is a serious and dedicated individual, always thinking about his duty to his country above all else.

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• Bayonet Ya: Using blade of his bayonet, he can slash his opponents from afar and keep them at a distance with his projectile attacks.
• Birds of a Feather: He and Yoshitora hit it off due to their desires to rule.
• Bling of War: Sports bright red military dress complete with epaulets, a black sash, and white gloves.
• Eagleland: A mix of 1 and 2 — while well mannered and a proper sportsman, he ultimately has aspirations to Take Over the World, and in his ending, he succeeds at just that.
• Mix-and-Match Weapon: A mundane variant. He uses a musket with a bayonet attached, which offers him both mid and long-range reach.
• No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Based on Andrew Jackson, an American soldier and statesman who served as the seventh President of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, Jackson gained fame as a general in the United States Army and served in both houses of Congress.
• Patriotic Fervor: Takes part in the events of VI to protect the fledgling United States from demonic powers. In his ending, this goes so far that he conquers the planet.
• The Pioneer: Source materials note he is the son of an ambitious English merchant who sought a new life in the colonies.
• Ship Tease: Fans tend to pair him with Iroha, the new female character in the 6th game.
• Stereotype Flip: In dramatic contrast to the loud, brash, energetic manner in which Americans are typically presented in this series (and most fighting games in general), Andrew is presented as a quiet, stoic, bookish young man who enjoys taking tea and whose complex is his lack of success in talking to women. The stereotype is further turned on its head via his in-series buddy and Japanese counterpart, Yoshitora, who is depicted as a louche, cocky, womanizing layabout, which is in complete contrast to the usually stoic, humble Japanese archetype — they've essentially switched roles.
• Stoic Spectacles: He's reserved and his glasses help show that off, he's also smart enough to take them off before a fight.
• Take Over the World: He hints at his desire for world domination while fighting Galford, then out and out states it in his ending. He and Yoshitora conquer the western and eastern worlds respectively, and create a coalition controlled by the United States.
• The Glasses Come Off: Takes his glasses off before a match starts.
• White Anglo-Saxon Protestant: His father is English (so he's almost a proto-WASP given he's first-generation American), and he exhibits the typically reserved, stoic personality.
• The White House: His stage is set at the White House during its construction, which (sort of) fits into the series' overall timescale, as the build started in 1792.
• Wouldn't Hit a Girl: One of his pre-battle lines has Andrew feeling reluctant about fighting a female opponent.

Sugoroku Matsuribayashi

I win! I've had a harder time playing carnival games!

Origin: Edo (Asakusa quarter), Musashi Province, Japan

Weapon: Matsuribayashi Hitokyu ^note ("The Matsuribayashi One-Shot"), a fireworks cannon

Voiced by: ^note Tarō Masuoka

A plump, jolly man who really enjoys festivals (matsuri) and having fun. He joins the fight to spread some cheer and help the foreigners who've come to Japan to fight enjoy themselves in a traditional festival. His character design and mannerisms are based on the Naked Festival that occurs annually in Japan. He was designed to follow a festival motif after the game designers decided on creating a "lame but cool" character.

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• Action Dad: Kicks butt and is father to a daughter named Koma.
• Beware the Silly Ones: He may look goofy, but he isn't regarded as the best fireworks technician in the world for nothing!
• BFG: Wields a huge cannon used for shooting fireworks.
• Big Beautiful Man: Muscular, shapely, nice fat ass, and wears nothing but a fundoshi to cover his modesty.
• Big Fun: He's extremely cheery.
• The Cutie: The guy's a genuine sweet, lovable Nice Guy who fights so that everyone will be happy and have fun. Then there's that smile of his...
• Earn Your Happy Ending: His arcade run in a nutshell — thinking that the game's foreigners would like to participate in a traditional festival, he decides to enter the brawl. He's also hoping to have a good time while he's at it!
• Family Man: Has a wife and child back home. His wife accompanies him before the fight starts, and his daughter (alongside the wife and dog) will pose with him if he's victorious. His family even assists him during battles!
• Fun Personified: Definitely. This is a man who always carries a smile on his face, goes to every festival he can and wants everybody in the world to have fun!
• Happily Married: To his beloved Karuta.
• Homage: The entirety of his character is inspired by the attendees of the Hadaka Matsuri, an event in Japan held at least once every year. Participants, usually male, wear virtually no clothing (normally just a thong fundoshi but occasionally nothing at all) while celebrating the harmony of a fruitful harvest and fertility.
• Improbable Weapon User: In a series with some pretty out-there weapons, his fireworks cannon might take the cake. As a large, heavy object, he can smash the opponent with it, spin it like a top for a multi-hit, mount it to jet-propel himself into the opponent and, of course, blast the enemy away (fireworks may be involved). His super involves him calling on a group of shrine-carrying festival-goers to trample the opponent — hilariously weird.
• Lethal Joke Character: His design was intended to be this way, according to the developers. Developers even claims he's supposed to be a "Lame, but cool character."
• Life of the Party: In his capacity as a festival aficionado.
• Meaningful Name: A "Matsuri bayashi" is the musical accompaniment to the Japanese festivals. A ''sugoroku is a typical Japanese board game.
• Mr. Fanservice: His default costume leaves very little to the imagination. His design and mannerisms also have a strong Bara Genre vibe (despite having a wife).
• Stout Strength: He's a plump little cherub of a man, but has good stamina in-game.
• Theme Naming: His whole family is named after things related to the new year's celebration: his wife Karuta ^note Japanese playing cards - an uta-garuta set is commonly played each new year, his daughter Koma ^note "top" - spinning tops in new year symbolize good luck (what goes around turns around), things going smooth and strength (as in winning a battle of tops), his father Kadomatsu ^note Shintoist gate decorations put up for new year's day, his mother Kine ^note wooden pestle - probably related to the communal mochitsuki pounding used to make mochi cakes, as the pestle and the mortar symbolize fertility, his grandfather Hatsuyume ^note The first dream of the year and his grandmother Hagoita ^note Ornamental paddles sold on new year's day. His dog Pochi is the one who doesn't clearly fit with the motif.
• Tiny Guy, Huge Girl: His wife is taller than he is, as he's only 5'1".
• Unskilled, but Strong: He's a fighting fireworks technician!
• Unusual Weapon Mounting: Carrying an active fireworks cannon at all, let alone carrying one into combat, is unadvisable for obvious reasons.

Ocha-Maro Karakuri

For the world, for the people, I will finish my duty.

Origin: North of Tsuchimikado Street, east of Nishinotouin Street, Heian-kyō, Yamashiro Province, Japan ^note his origin is very precise, referencing two ancient roads in Heian-kyō (now known as Kyōto) which pinpoints his place of construction as being in the top right corner of the ancient capital.

Weapons: Kirigane Okina, Uragane Onna ^note ("Slicing Iron Elderly Man" and "Opposing Iron Elderly Woman") & Kurogane Chuuzou Hagane Yakiire Hakugin no Haguruma ^note (Black iron, casted steel, heated metal, blank-inserted Silver Cogwheel), two steel fans and a cogwheel.

Voiced by: ^note Mayu Shindou

During the Heian period, a famous onmyōji learned about the existence of the demon world and foresaw the dangers. He created an army of wooden karakuri puppets to combat said dangers after his death. A century before the events depicted in the game, his fellow puppets are all destroyed by Mizuki when they attempt to seal her. He is the only survivor, and when he reawakens, he departs to fulfill his duty as a warrior who fights demons.

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• The Cameo: Apart from VI, Ocha-Maro also appears as a Counter Card for SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS and in the Maid by Iroha games.
• Creepy Doll: Despite being one of the good guys, Ocha-Maro is more than a little unsettling, especially for players completely unfamiliar with the concept and appearance of karakuri.
• Dance Battler: Fights using the ritual Shinto Kagura dance.
• Deadly Disc: The giant cogwheel concealed within his under-carriage can be spun rapidly at opponents to deliver considerable damage.
• He Who Fights Monsters: His sole purpose is to battle demonic forces, and he never hesitates to complete his pre-programmed mission to do so.
• Lethal Joke Character: Once developers decided that they wanted to add an odd-ball character to the cast, the concept of an endlessly powered karakuri emerged, making Ocha-Maro one of the weirdest if not the weirdest fighting game characters in existence. Despite this, in the right hands, he's a deadly opponent for the very reason that his style is so strange and unpredictable.
• Meaningful Name: Translates as "Karakuri tea boy", a reference to the typical Japanese tea-serving clockwork robot.
• No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Due to Ocha-Maro's age, a handful of Japanese fans believe that he was created by Abe no Seimei.
• Onmyōdō: Ocha-Maro was built by a famous onmyōji, and he's the only person it shows respect to.
• Puppet Shows: Karakuri puppets (karakuri ningyō) are traditional Japanese mechanized puppets or automata. The dolls' gestures provide a form of entertainment and the word karakuri means "mechanisms" or "trick". Ocha-Maro is based on a zashiki karakuri — a puppet designed to serve tea, which is referenced in his name, literally "tea-boy". His unique stage in VI is set in the Tenkaku-za puppet theatre, and features multiple singing puppets who look like smaller versions of him — eerie.
• Ridiculously Human Robot : Karakuri puppets were one of the first automata in history, and the predecessors of modern robots.