Tantou (短刀) are the most common types of swords available. They generally deal low damage, but during a critical strike, they can dish out a surprising amount of punishment. Kiwame tantō gain the ability to evade projectiles during daytime battles.
Bold marks the character's appearance in Warriors.
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In General
- Com Mons: The majority of them are extremely common, though there are some exceptions.
- Cute Bruiser: All of them are personified as young adolescents.
- Dodge the Bullet: Kiwame tantou are the only swords able to evade projectiles at daytime.
- Fragile Speedster: Quick and capable of dealing rather nasty damage during critical hits, but all of them have low durability and only come with one troop slot...which is not helped by their low Leadership stat.
- Glass Cannon: They can do a lot of damage during critical hits and Awakening (and have a higher chance of going into Awakening than most other types of swords), but are much squishier.
- Immortal Immaturity: Most of them look and act like young boys, but the Tantou are among the game's oldest swords. The Awataguchi swords, in particular, were forged during the Kamakura period, making the youngest ones around 800 years old.
- Pint-Sized Powerhouse: The majority of Tantou are very short, with the shortest among them being less than 5 feet, but they are no slouches in battle and become even more effective after Kiwame training.
- Sibling Team: Nearly all of the tantou are Awataguchi school swords, who refer to each other as "brothers".
11, 12 – Imanotsurugi (今剣)
Uchiban
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Sanjou (三条)
Voiced by: Daiki Yamashita (Japanese), Anastasia Muñoz (English)
Illustrated by: Shikimi
Live actor: Shunya Oohira (Musical)"I'm Imanotsurugi! The sword that protected Lord Yoshitsune! How's that, amazing, right?"
Imanotsurugi is one of the Sanjou blades. Named after the tantou that belonged to Minamoto no Yoshitsune, he is a cheerful boy who loves fighting, referring to it as "playing".
- Ambiguously Related: In the browser game, to the other Sanjou swords, except for Iwatooshi. While they are advertised as being a group and are occasionally treated as such in the spin-offs, he never acknowledged any of the non-Iwatooshi Sanjou swords in the browser game, leaving it unclear if he was actually familiar with any of them. His Kiwame training would later explain this, as he was revealed to have existed only in legends before being summoned to the citadel and thusly wouldn’t have met them.
- Animal Motifs: Birds, fitting in with the common depiction of tengu. His bangs are meant to resemble a bird's wing. It's even more noticeable in his Kiwame form, where his Awakening sprite has an aura of crow wings surrounding the sword with black feathers.
- Anti-Gravity Clothing: He wears large bangles around his ankle that aren't supported by anything.
- The Baby of the Bunch: As the only tantou in the Sanjou school (in the game, anyway), he is both physically and mentally the youngest, and is treated like a child by his group in the spin-off materials, especially by Iwatooshi, who treats him like a younger brother.
- Boisterous Bruiser: Very loud and excitable, and he treats fighting as though it's a game."I~ caught~ you!"
- Character Development: For Kiwame training, Imanotsurugi goes back in time to Kyoto to become stronger. By chance, he comes across Yoshitsune and decides to follow him up until his death for closure, only to learn that Yoshitsune never owned the sword Imanotsurugi, meaning that he never existed in history. Despite this, he understands that he exists because of the Saniwa, and vows to stay by their side and help them.
- Clap Your Hands If You Believe: He only exists now because the Saniwa believed that he was a real sword when they summoned him.
- Color-Coded Characters: While his outfit is almost in equal parts shades of blue as it is red, when Imanotsurugi is grouped with the other Sanjou swords, his associated color is red due to Mikazuki already representing blue.
- Dark and Troubled Past: He was used by Yoshitsune to commit suicide, which causes him to be very upset when the topic of Yoshitsune's death comes up. However, his letters from his Kiwame training later reveal that he was never there, and his memories aren't real. Still, Yoshitsune's fate is a tragic one, and so is the reality of Imanotsurugi's situation.
- Expressive Accessory: His tengu headdress in Kiwame form has eyes that seem to move, and it looks sympathetic when Imanotsurugi is severely damaged.
- Fake Memories: All of his memories of being owned by Yoshitsune are revealed to be this, as he only exists in legend.
- Fashionable Asymmetry: One of the more prominent cases of it in his standard form. His right side has a larger sleeve and his looped bun-ponytail while his left has long bangs and a shoulder guard.
- Glass Cannon: His standard form has the lowest health out of all the swords, but out of them he has a very high rate of going into Awakening mode, where he will constantly deal critical hits, combined with highest chance to land critical hits with another high stat.
- Historical In-Joke: His owner, Minamoto no Yoshitsune, was a member of the Kebiishi. Fittingly, Imanotsurugi is a possible drop upon encountering and defeating them in any map.
- Immortal Immaturity: He is well over a thousand years old by the time the game is set, but he still behaves like a child. After his Kiwame training, however, he may as well be a child due to it being revealed that he never existed historically, meaning he's as old as the day the Saniwa forged him.
- It's All My Fault: He may not act like it, but he certainly does what he does for Yoshitsune because he blames himself over being used in his honorable suicide. In the musicals, he has to be forced to admit that he doesn't want to fix history because of his part in the historical timeline, vividly remembers the event with horror, and is talked down by Iwatooshi who tells him not to blame himself for what transpired.
- Keet: He's full of energy and is constantly asking everyone to play with him. This is noteworthy because it was possibly one of the first signs that he isn't a Sanjou sword, as every other Sanjou with a confirmed existence (at least in the "Touken Ranbu" universe) tends to be reserved. In his Kiwame form, he channels most of that energy in doing tasks around the citadel, but when he isn't needed for that, he's much calmer."Fufufu, today you shall be my playmate!"
- Killed Mid-Sentence: His line when he's destroyed in his standard form."The sky is... pretty... the purple clouds are..."
- Last Request: His line if he's destroyed in his Kiwame form, which is a direct quote of Yoshitsune's last words to Benkei:"Join me in the next world, and the next, until we mount to paradise on a purple cloud."
- Lightning Bruiser: Like the other Kiwame swords. His attack stat (impulse) and health (survival) are a decent improvement from his original form, but his speed (mobility) and troop defense (leadership) are phenomenally high.
- Nonstandard Character Design: He is the only Sanjou whose signature color—red, in this case—is used primarily as an accent rather than as the main component of his clothes.
- Older Than They Look: Ultimately subverted. Despite his size and childish demeanor, he's a tantou forged by Sanjou Munechika (the same as Mikazuki and Kogitsunemaru), meaning he's one of the oldest swords. However, it's revealed in his Kiwame letters that he's a fictional sword who didn't exist until the Saniwa summoned him, technically making him one of the youngest, along with Iwatooshi and Izuminokami (who did exist in history).
- Painting the Medium: Nearly all of his book descriptions, dialogue, and letters are rendered solely in hiragana, without kanji, in order to emphasize his childlike nature. Justified, as he's actually a newborn sword.
- Stepford Smiler: Even before his Kiwame training, it was heavily implied that he had some demons to fight from being used by Yoshitsune to commit suicide.
- Tengu: The outfit he wears resembles one that these youkai are often depicted as wearing. This is an homage to Sojobo of Mount Kurama, the Great Tengu who (according to legend) imparted his sword skills to the young Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
- Tomato in the Mirror: In the game's historical timeline, Imanotsurugi was a fictional sword and had never existed. His memories and existence are because of the legend behind him, and he takes the firsthand realization surprisingly well."In truth, the sword that I am never truly existed in the first place. But, even for a sword like me, I still have a place I can call home. And that is at Master's place."
- Undying Loyalty: To Yoshitsune. In his recollections, he even tries not to go with his mission and attempts to save him instead (which goes against the Saniwa's orders). He even goes with it in the musical. He drops this entirely after Kiwame, focusing on the Saniwa instead; he believed that even if he doesn't have a place in actual history, he does have one with his current master."I am the sword that exists just for Master."
Imanotsurugi (Musical Touken Ranbu)
- A Day in the Limelight: Both of the main installments he appears in are expansions of tidbits of his story from the browser game:
- Atsukashiyama Ibun is an expansion of his Recollection with Imanotsurugi titled "PART 8: The Story of Yoshitsune" in which Imanotsurugi asks Iwatooshi why he can't alter history to save his former master from his fate. In the browser game, Imanotsurugi reluctantly accepts that he can't and moves on, but in the play, Imanotsurugi goes to great lengths to try and save him, even betraying his fellow Touken Danshi, with Iwatooshi struggling to bring Imanotsurugi back to his side.
- Tsuwamono Domo connects the stories of Iwatooshi and Imanotsurugi discovering that they do not exist while Kiwame training. That said, the focus of the play outside of the conflict involving Mikazuki Munechika is more on Iwatooshi attempting to conceal the truth about their existences from Imanotsurugi, with Imanotsurugi remaining unaware for the majority of the play but gradually becoming suspicious because of his efforts.
- Authority in Name Only: The Saniwa allows him to lead the group on the mission in Tsuwamono Domo after he asks, but Mikazuki ends up making more leadership decisions in his stead and doesn't listen to him due to having his own thing going on.
- The Baby of the Bunch: Of the Sanjou swords, he's the youngest and least emotionally developed, and they all treat him as such, maybe excessively so, even carefully hiding the fact that he doesn't actually exist from him for fear of how he would take it. It's only Mikazuki who figured out that Imanotsurugi is more mature than he let's on, and persuades Iwatooshi to break the news about his existence to him.
- Character Catchphrase: "BABYUUN!"
- Character Development: While he still has his child-like aspects, he returns in Tsuwamono Domo a lot more emotionally mature than he was in Atsukashiyama Ibun, even accepting the fact that he can't be with his former master Yoshitsune and only going to him when Mikazuki allows it.
- Color-Coded Characters: He's usually the representative for Red when grouped with his fellow, color-coded Sanjou, but because Kashuu represents Red in Atsukashiyama Ibun, he is associated with Pink instead, with Pink becoming his signature color in the musical continuity from that point forward. That said, this isn't reflected in his idol costumes, which tend to incorporate both pale lavender, gold, and red instead of pink.
- Combat Parkour: Well, within the limits of what the actor can do, but he does much more gymnastics when fighting than the other Sanjou do due to his small size, the length of his sword, and his need to close the gap between him and the much bigger enemies without getting hit.
- Easily Forgiven: Very nearly got everyone, including himself, killed due to his obsessive devotion to Yoshitsune, but he's forgiven fairly quickly.
- Foregone Conclusion: At the end of Tsuwamono Domo, he leaves the citadel to pursue Kiwame training in order to discover the truth about his own existence. Anyone who has played the browser game knows that the answer is that he doesn't exist, but he will return to the citadel having accepted this about himself and resolved to devote himself completely to the Saniwa.
- Friend-or-Idol Decision: His whole storyline in Atsukashiyama Ibun can be boiled down to this: Yoshitsune, his former master who he loves dearly, or his fellow Sanjou (and Kashuu), and by extension his future as a Touken Danshi? In the end, he chooses the latter after realizing that the Yoshitsune he had been fighting so hard to protect is not the one he knows.
- Locked Out of the Loop: All of the Sanjou, and even Higekiri and Hizamaru, knew he was a fictional sword long before he did, but they chose to keep it from him until Mikazuki convinced Iwatooshi that it was time to tell him.
- Loving a Shadow: He abandons his crusade to save Yoshitsune when he realizes that the person he has been fighting so hard to protect is not the person he knows and loves. It doesn't help that Yoshitsune was simply a reanimated corpse being manipulated and puppeteered by the Historical Revisionists.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: According to Mikazuki, he acts more naive and childlike than he actually is for Iwatooshi's sake.
- Put on a Bus: He left the citadel for training at the end of Tsuwamono Domo and has not yet returned in the main story despite about six years passing in the real world since then. It's unknown just how much time has canonically passed in-universe, however, as no one seems concerned about how long he's been gone.
- Shared Family Quirks: While the Sanjou school swords don't appear to consider themselves siblings, they are known around the citadel for having similar eccentricities that revolve around being enigmatic, easygoing, and, as Tsurumaru puts it, impossible to surprise.
- Super Gullible: Due to his childlike innocence, he is very easy to manipulate.
- Those Two Guys: Almost never seen without Iwatooshi.
- Tomato in the Mirror: Part of his story in Tsuwamono Domo, which expands on his Recollection with Iwatooshi from the browser game, is about the Sanjou swords attempting to keep him from discovering that he’s a fictional sword. The story ends without revealing whether or not he knows for certain whether he exists, but he gets a hint that he doesn't when Yoshitsune doesn't recognize his name, and he leaves the citadel for Kiwame training, where he is guaranteed to find out for sure.
- Undying Loyalty: His obsessive loyalty to Yoshitsune is the cause of the conflict in Atsukashiyama Ibun, as he refuses to let him go and fulfill his duty as a Touken Danshi and even turns on his fellow Sanjou and Kashuu when they try to correct history by killing Yoshitsune's reanimated corpse.
- Yandere: His obsessive devotion to Yoshitsune compels him to act like one in Atsukashiyama Ibun, with him even holding his blade up to Kashuu's throat to threaten his fellow Sanjou into not harming Yoshitsune. Thankfully, he gets better.
31, 32 – Hirano Toushirou (平野藤四郎)
Uchiban
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Ryota Asari (Japanese), Justin Briner (English)
Illustrated by: Toinana"My name is Hirano Toushirou! Please leave the attendant work to me."
- Apologetic Attacker: In his PvP line:"I am going to strike my hardest. My humble apologies!"
- Battle Butler: Has the personality of one and even refers to himself as one."As a sword, I've been an attendant and safeguard more so than in battle, but if it's accompaniment you're after then please leave it to me."
- Character Development: He goes to his Kiwame training with the intent to become more useful. He meets his previous master and goes to the Edo Castle. Even though everything is so nostalgic for him, he realizes that those things are in the past and the Saniwa is his priority now. In the end, he lampshades that nothing changed much about him, but now he's more loyal and eager to serve.
- My Master, Right or Wrong: Even if he doesn't agree with some of the Saniwa's orders, he'll still carry out anyway. After his Kiwame form, he seems more eager to help the Saniwa.
- Rare Random Drop: Along with Atsushi, he is more difficult to find compared to his brothers.
- Sorry That I'm Dying: If he gets destroyed in either form.(in his standard form) "This is troubling... I had said... I would accompany you to the ends of the Earth, but..."(in his Kiwame form) "My most...humble apologies. I'm going first and will be waiting. So Master, please take your time in coming..."
- Strong Family Resemblance: Of the Toushirou brothers, he resembles Maeda the most, to the point where many players confuse the two.
- Those Two Guys: With his brother Maeda.
- Undying Loyalty: He tells the Saniwa that he will serve them until the end of the Earth and cares more about being useful to them than anything else.
- Unskilled, but Strong: As a sword, he was rarely used in battle, admitting to the Saniwa that he was more of a safeguard and attendant, but he has no issue keeping up in battle if sent out.
33, 34 – Atsushi Toushirou (厚藤四郎)
Uchiban
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Daiki Yamashita (Japanese), Brandon McInnis (English)
Illustrated by: Kumita"Alley...oop. I am Atsushi Toushirou. Among my siblings, I am classified as Yoroidoushi."
- Badass Boast: After his Awakening."Even though my body is full of dents, if you come too close, it's my win!"
- Boisterous Bruiser: Especially when it comes to grappling, since as a yoroidoushi he's meant to be used in close-quarters combat.
- Catchphrase: "Alley...oop."
- Character Development: He goes to his Kiwame training with the intent to become stronger. He meets his former master, Commander Kuroda. After hard training, Atsushi realizes that the Saniwa still has a long way to go until he/she can become renowned, so he returns with the intent of helping the Saniwa into becoming a better person.
- Cool Helmet: Atsushi wears a samurai helmet in his Kiwame form.
- Face Death with Dignity: If he gets destroyed in his standard form."Ahh, it can't be helped, huh... I'll go ahead... Everyone, take your time to come here..."
- Keet: Very loud and enthusiastic in whatever he does. He's still pretty energetic in his Kiwame form, though he channels most of that energy into helping the Saniwa become a better person.
- Last Request: His line if he's destroyed in his Kiwame form."General, now's not the time to cry...! Reform the formation quickly...! Prove that you can win, even if I'm no longer around...!"
- Rare Random Drop: Along with Hirano, he is more difficult to find compared to his brothers.
- Spell My Name With An S: The reading of his first name (厚) was changed from "Atsu" (あつ) to "Atsushi" (あつし) in the August 25, 2015 update. His dialogue was re-recorded to reflect this and a line lampshading the change was added to his book description:"My name's sometimes "Atsu" or "Atsushi" depending on the literature, but I'm still me. Don't worry too much about it."
35, 36 – Gotou Toushirou (後藤藤四郎)
Uchiban
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Taishi Murata (Japanese), Stephen Fu (English)
Illustrated by: Shikimi"The name's Gotou Toushirou. I'm gonna get taller, just you wait!"
One of the Awataguchi school swords. He prides himself of being the tallest of the Toushirous and being mature, which actually makes him look childish.
- Badass Longcoat: He wears a haori in his Kiwame form.
- Character Tic: His need to be taller.
- Character Development: For Kiwame, Gotou travels to Owari Domain and explains his reason for requesting to train was because he wanted to be dependable like his older brother, Ichigo. He was originally one of Lord Ieyasu's possessions, but was given to Lady Chiyohime as a wedding gift because of his status as a treasured sword. After tagging along with Lady Chiyohime to Owari, he gains newfound pride as a sword of protection and returns, confident he can protect the Saniwa.
- Curtains Match the Window: Both his hair and eyes are brown.
- Expy: Of KanColle's Akatsuki. Both are part of the youngest characters in their respective franchise (Tantous and Destroyers) and attempt to act like an adult, but their attempts just make them more childish instead.
- Height Angst: He prides himself in being the tallest of the Toushirous and wants to become taller. He also sulks after seeing those who are taller than him, such as the enemies or horses.
- Keet: Always goes with full energy at everything he does, unless his Height Angst is involved.
- Irony: He claims to be a mature Cool Big Bro, but his attempts make him act childish instead.(After the Saniwa leaves him idle) "Where'd you go! I... I'm not crying, ya hear?"
- Non-Standard Character Design: He’s pretty tall for a Tantou, which is actually discussed in his character. That said, he blends in more than Fudou Yukimitsu.
- Scarf of Asskicking: He wears a purple one in his Kiwame form.
- Take Care of the Kids: If he gets destroyed in his standard line."Take care of the little guys for me... Please..."
37, 38 – Shinano Toushirou (信濃藤四郎)
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Yūsuke Kobayashi (Japanese), Chris Burnett (English)
Illustrated by: Kunimitsu"I'm Shinano Toushirou. Even amongst the Toushirou brothers, I'm the treasured one!"
One of the Awataguchi school swords. He's cheerful and self-assured, but sometimes he acts spoiled and believes himself to be superior to the other tantous due to being a "treasured sword".
- Catchphrase: "I'm the treasured one!"
- Character Development: For Kiwame training, Shinano travels to Edo. However, though he catches sight of many familiar faces, he isn't recognized by anyone and is even disregarded by his namesake Nagai Naomasa (titled Shinano no Kami). Discouraged, the wandering Shinano is then taken in by Sakai Tadatsugu. Shinano enjoys his time with the Sakai Clan, but as he observes the household change over time, he comes to understand that he as a sword will always be left behind by humans passing on. Homesick, he returns to the Saniwa, promising to watch over their future.
- Cuddle Bug: He has a fixation on being physically close to the Saniwa more so than other swords. This is because of how tantou swords were carried close to their owner's chest, and Shinano was regarded more as a treasure than a weapon. His standard destroyed line even mentions it."The General's chest... was so warm..."
- Hidden Depths: After Kiwame, he considers himself a treasure because he can outlive humans and watch over them, realizing he should treasure the affection and love he receives than just simply demand it. Case in point, he mentions preferring to look at the Saniwa's face to remember it, compared to the implication he'd often snuggle into their chest prior to Kiwame.
- Irony: For all of his boasts about being a treasured sword, virtually no one from the family that owned him recognized him when he returned to Edo Castle for Kiwame training, implying that he was not as treasured as he thought.
- Let Them Die Happy: If he's destroyed in his Kiwame form, he believes the Saniwa is next to him as he dies."What's this....My face feels warm for some reason....General...are you there for me....?"
- The Pollyanna: A mild example; the moral lesson he got from his Kiwame training is to treasure his masters because he'll outlive him, and it's heavily implied he learned this this by watching over the Sakai Clan for years (meanwhile for the Citadel, he was only gone for a few days). While still genuinely cheerful, some of his lines come off as rather weary, especially his MVP line, where he says that he's tired and only cares that they won.
- Signature Headgear: His original Kiwame form had a headband with horns; however, his armor was changed into something more historically accurate to his owner Sakai Tadatsugu in a June 2017 update, to a headband which features pieces of a traditional helmet on the sides.
- Spoiled Brat: Sometimes he falls into this trope, despite his attempts to be nicer, such as demanding more New Year money simply because he's "the treasured one". He often refers to himself as a "treasured sword" and has a high opinion of himself, even considering himself to be superior to the other Toushirous. But he isn't at all mean; he encourages the other swords to do their best in battle, and even admits that due to being a treasured sword, there's a lot he doesn't know. He grows out of it for the most part by Kiwame."Even though I say I'm a treasured sword, it's okay if you don't baby me."
- Stocking Filler: Has what appears to be garters holding up the pouches on his thighs. In Kiwame form, they're used to properly hold up his stockings.
39, 40 – Maeda Toushirou (前田藤四郎)
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Reona Irie (Japanese), Ryan Reynolds (English)
Illustrated by: Toinana
Live actor: Osaki Natsuki (Stage Play)"My name is Maeda Toushirou. May I serve you for eternity."
Maeda Toushirou is the youngest of the Awataguchi blades. He is very earnest and straightforward and is very loyal towards the Saniwa.
- Badass Cape: A brown one with golden designs. In his Kiwame form, he gets a new one with a flower and diamond print pattern and two orange tassels on the ends.
- Battle Butler: Has the personality of one.
- Character Development: For Kiwame training, Maeda goes back in time to Kyoto to become stronger. By chance, he comes across his previous master Maeda Toshimasa, who gives him a new helmet. Eventually, Toshimasa dies of old age and Maeda realizes that humans are short-lived. He returns more determined to protect the Saniwa.
- Determinator: If he gets destroyed, he still wants to protect the Saniwa."If nothing else, I will become a ghost and... protect Master..."
- Expy: Of KanColle's Ikazuchi. Both are part of the youngest-looking characters in their respective franchise (Tantous and Destroyers), they have a mature and reliable personality and a devotion to the player character.
- My Master, Right or Wrong: Unlike Hirano, who questions some of the Saniwa's actions, Maeda is more eager to serve.
- Those Two Guys: With his brother Hirano.
- Undying Loyalty: To the Saniwa, as noted by his above quote and many of his other lines. More prominent in his Kiwame form."For Master's sake!"
41, 42 – Akita Toushirou (秋田藤四郎)
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Yoshitaka Yamaya (Japanese), Jad Saxton (English)
Illustrated by: Takaoka"I am Akita Toushirou. I'm so excited to be able to go outside."
- Bug Catching: When you send him for field work, Akita is very interested by insects. After his Kiwame training, it became of habit of collecting or writing down information in his journal about insects.
- Character Development: For Kiwame training, Akita goes to visit his previous master. However, the place is secured and Akita can't meet him. He briefly considers some possibilities to see him, such as having his human form destroyed. In the end, he decides to go against the Saniwa's orders by throwing a paper plane with a message at his previous master's place. Fully aware that he has disobeyed the Saniwa for once, he returns to the citadel to face the consequences.
- Cheerful Child: Easily the most cheerful and childish of his brothers.
- Constantly Curious: A good portion of his lines are questions, such as wondering why the sky is blue or what kind of bird he just heard chirping."Ah! Master has a lot of secrets! Please let me see too!"
- Determinator: If he gets destroyed, he still wants to be by the Saniwa's side.(in his standard form) "If only I had wings... then I would be able to return to Master's side..."(in his Kiwame form) "Master's face... I wanted to look at it more..."
- Hidden Depths: His Kiwame letters reveal he's more mature and insightful than he looks.
- Innocent Blue Eyes: He has blue eyes, and he's the most childish and innocent of his brothers.
- New Meat: Gives off this vibe due to having little to no combat experience compared to his brothers. This is based on how the real Akita Toushirou tantou was often carried around as a self-defense tool but never actually used in a fight.
- Rose-Haired Sweetie: He has short pink hair and is very innocent and cheerful.
- Technicolor Eyes: His eyes are light blue but have a pink gradient at the bottom.
43, 44 – Hakata Toushirou (博多藤四郎)
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Jun Oosuka (Japanese), Austin Tindle (English)
Illustrated by: Toinana
Live actor: Tsubasa Kizu (Stage Play)"My name is Hakata Toushirou! I'm the Toushirou that was born and bred in Hakata. I might be a tantou, but I am manly!"
One of the Awataguchi school swords. Despite his youthful appearance, Hakata tries be mature and acts like a Hakata merchant due to being made in Hakata.
- Adorably Precocious Child: Despite being a tantou and thus looking like a little kid, he prides himself on being "manly" and mature, especially when it comes to handling money."Before taking a fortune, we must first check the business, economic fortune and market price!"
- Character Development: For Kiwame training, Hakata goes back in time to the place he was made to become stronger. He spots his former master, Kuroda Tadayuki and decides to stay with him for a while. He soon realizes however, that his former master was a problematic person because of his loose spending habits. This reaffirms his belief that a steady cash flow is important, so he decides to learn trade and commerce from other merchants, hoping it would help everyone back in the citadel.
- Character Tic: His need to be treated and seen as a manly and mature businessman.
- Fashionable Asymmetry: He wears one knee protective on his right leg in his Kiwame form.
- Gratuitous English: When attacking, he screams a hammy "Japanese businessman!"
- Not So Above It All: Implied to be the case when he says that some of his brothers are strange:"Having many brothers is a good thing, but there are some strange ones... hmm? Why are you looking at me?"
- Rare Random Drop: So far, he's only been available during certain events.
- Shout-Out: Both his attacking lines (the aforementioned "Japanese businessman!" and "I can keep fighting 24/7.") are references to this song
. - Sorry That I'm Dying: If he gets destroyed in his Kiwame form."Hakata may die, but commerce never...I'm sorry."
- Verbal Tic: Ends most of his sentences with "~bai" due to speaking in Fukuoka dialect.
45, 46 – Midare Toushirou (乱藤四郎)
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Kazutomi Yamamoto (Japanese), Alexis Tipton (English)
Illustrated by: Ozu"I am Midare Toushirou. ....Say, do you want to wreak havoc with me?"
- Battle Ballgown: His Kiwame outfit is essentially an armored Magical Girl outfit.
- Catchphrase: He's always talking about wreaking havoc, which is a pun on his name.note
- Character Development: He goes to his Kiwame training with the intent to have a journey of self-discovery. He meets his previous master Hosokawa Katsumoto, and realizes that Humans Are Flawed when the arts-loving master he warmed up to then shows his true colors as a warmonger. Midare gets worried that the Saniwa will become flawed as well, so he returns, changed.
- Combat Stilettos: In his Kiwame form, he wears high heels into battle.
- Cute and Psycho: Subverted. He always talks about wreaking havoc, but is shown to act normal in battles. This is mostly because of his Punny Name.
- Dude Looks Like a Lady: The most prominent example of all the characters. Not only does he look like a girl, he even wears a dress during battle.
- In Touken Ranbu - Hanamaru, Doudanuki mistakes him as a girl when they first meet.
- In the manga anthology Danshi Makuaigeki, Urashima develops a crush on him when he thinks Midare was a girl.
- Face Death with Dignity: Averted; in contrast to most of the other swords, which have them accepting their deaths if they're destroyed, Midare's line if he's destroyed in his Kiwame form has him begging for his life."I don't want to disappear, I'm scared, save me, Master...!"
- Girliness Upgrade: His Kiwame outfit, which combines the look of a magical girl and an idol singer and is bursting to the seams with pink frills.
- Humans Are Flawed: After his Kiwame training, he gets this conclusion and even expresses concern for the Saniwa regarding it."Humans sure are mysterious, aren't they? They're good at cultural stuff, but even if they have a talent for government, they always end up getting caught up in wars. It's kind of like, they're so smart that they end up thinking about something and going way too far, and it turns out they're not very smart at all. Maybe? Hmm. I'm getting a little worried that while I'm gone, you've started thinking about bad stuff too, Master."
- Idol Singer: Not actually, but his Kiwame form is inspired by the way female idols dress. He even holds his sword like a microphone.
- Innocent Fanservice Guy: He doesn't seem to be aware that his appearance would attract attention at first. At least until his Kiwame form, when he becomes more teasing.(in his standard form) "What's wrong? Why are you staring at me so much?"
(in his Kiwame form) "Why did you look away so quickly? Look right at me." - Killed Mid-Sentence: If he gets destroyed in his standard form."It's bad... Not yet, I'm..."
- Meaningful Appearance: Manifests in the citadel as a Wholesome Crossdresser due to the wavy hamon on his blade, which translates into a human form wearing a frilly dress as opposed to his brothers' shorts.
- Mr. Fanservice: Checks a few boxes for a certain crowd, being a youthful looking wholesome cross dresser with a knack for teasing dialogue. Then there's his Kiwame injured◊ and Shinken Hissatsu◊ sprites.
- Oh, Crap!: When he reaches the boss node in his standard form.
- The Tease: Hinted at in some of his lines. After his Kiwame form, half of what he says are basically innuendos. This aspect of his character tends not to be carried over into the adaptations."So... aren't you curious what's under these clothes?"
- Wholesome Crossdresser: Notable for being the only character to wear a frilly dress, the reason for this being that the real-life weapon he's based on has a wavy line pattern rather than a straight one. He wears shorts as part of his casual outfit, though. His Kiwame form gives him pink armor, ribbons, and frills that make him look like a Magical Girl.
47, 48 – Gokotai (五虎退)
Kiwame Form
Casual (Normal)
Casual (Kiwame)
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Yuuta Kasuya (Japanese), Leah Clark (English)
Illustrated by: Towoji Honojiro
Live actor: Shitara Ginga (Stage Play)"I'm Gokotai. Um...I can't drive them away. I'm sorry. Because I feel sorry for the tigers."
- Adapted Out: Although they are an integral part of Gokotai's persona, the majority of his tigers are absent from the stage production for rather obvious reasons, and the one that does make an appearance is limited to promotional imagery as a plush toy.
- Ambiguous Situation: Beyond being allusions to the mythology surrounding Gokotai's blade, it's never made clear what Gokotai's tigers are or where they came from. They don't even have names.
- Animal Motifs: Tiger cubs. This is a reference to the legend associated with his weapon (it was used to fend off five tigers). In fact, his name literally means "five tigers withdraw".
- Boke and Tsukkomi Routine: In Hanamaru, he's the Tsukkomi to his well-meaning but mischievous tigers.
- Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie: After going through his Kiwame training, one of his Citadel lines has him asking to be buried in the garden when he dies, because "if I'm in the garden, I think I won't feel lonely if I can see what's happening here."
- Character Development: He goes to his Kiwame training with the intent to defeat the five tigers of the legend associated with his weapon. He meets his previous master, Uesugi Kenshin, who offers to practice with him five times instead since there aren't tigers in Japan, but Gokotai is only able to defeat him three times. In the end, he is as cowardly and crybaby as before, but he's determined to become more useful for the Saniwa's sake.
- Cloudcuckoolander: When he's not scared, his lines can skew towards the bizarre. It seems emphasized after Kiwame."I like mister horse. I also like pretending to be mister horse."
- Cowardly Lion: Keeps his timid prone-to-tears personality even in the midst of battle, but performs his duties as a Touken Danshi despite his fears.
- Cute Little Fangs: Easy to miss but yes, he has them.
- Fluffy Tamer: Has five tiger cubs that follow him around in reference to the backstory of his blade. Taken further with his Kiwame form, where he trades in his five tiger cubs for one huge adult tiger.
- Gameplay and Story Segregation: Gokotai's tigers follow him everywhere, including battle, and are shown attacking in his battle sprites, but this isn't reflected in his gameplay due to the limitations of the browser game.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: He has pale blonde hair and exudes innocence and sweetness.
- Head Pet: One of the tigers is latched onto his head in his standard form.
- Hiding Behind Your Bangs: His bangs accentuate his shy demeanor.
- Intergenerational Friendship: In Hanamaru, he appears to have formed a friendship with Mikazuki Munechika after being saved by him in episode 5. That said, given Gokotai is an Awataguchi sword with an unknown forge date, there may not be that big difference in their generations despite the difference in their physical and mental ages.
- Irony: According to the legend associated with his blade, Gokotai was used by his former master to ward off some tigers in a Desperation Attack. Come Gokotai manifesting in the citadel, though, he's accompanied by tigers and, unlike his master, is too timid to run them off.
- Meaningful Name: His name, meaning "five tigers repelled," refers to the legend surrounding his blade. Doubles as an Ironic Name, at least in his current form, because he's far too timid to ward off the tigers that manifested alongside him in the citadel.
- Nearly Normal Animal: In Zoku Hanamaru, Gokotai’s tigers are shown to be very intelligent even though they can't talk. This causes problems in the citadel when they try to help Mikazuki, Kogitsunemaru, and Ishikirimaru by fetching them things whenever they obliviously comment on something they're missing, with no one realizing that the tigers can understand what they're saying until after the resulting chaos.
- Nice Guy: He's shy, meek and often thinks of others before himself. Hell, in his lines if he's destroyed, he's more concerned about others rather than the fact he's about to die.(in his standard form) "My tigers... Everyone... Please, escape..."(in his Kiwame form) "Master..."
- No Name Given: Gokotai's tiger cubs names were never mentioned in the game or after Gokotai’s Kiwame training, but in the Japanese version of Zoku, one of his tiger cubs is named Tora.
- Noodle People: He has disproportionately long and thin legs. This aspect of his character design remains unchanged when he appears in Hanamaru◊.
- Odd Name Out: An unintentional example, given that he's named for a famous sword, but he's the only Awataguchi Tantou without the surname "Toushirou," as well as the only Awataguchi with Only One Name.
- Panthera Awesome: In Kiwame form, he now has a huge tiger by his side.
- Prone to Tears: Most of the time he sounds like he's about to cry. Ironically, this doesn't change after his Kiwame training, despite Taking a Level in Badass—the first thing he says when he returns is a tearful apology for "only" defeating Uesugi Kenshin three times instead of five."I... cried a little."
- Reluctant Warrior: His dialogue hints at wanting to avoid combat if possible."U-Um, sorry. Would it be okay for me to forfeit..."
- Shrinking Violet: He's very shy and nervous by nature.
- Skewed Priorities: Twice on the battlefield. When Awakened, he will exclaim about his clothes being ruined. He also asks the enemy to tell him if it hurts so he can go easier on them, despite the fact that he is there to kill them.
- Speech Impediment: When he's nervous, which he is a lot, he can barely get through a single sentence without stuttering. This hardly changes after Kiwame training.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: In his Kiwame form, he becomes more eager for the Saniwa's praise."I did a good job. Please pat me."
- Youthful Freckles: He has the appearance and personality of a young boy and has freckles sprinkled across the bridge of his nose.
49, 50 – Yagen Toushirou (薬研藤四郎)
Kiwame form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Seiichirō Yamashita (Japanese), Derick Snow [Hanamaru], Billy Kametz [Katsugeki] (English)
Illustrated by: stone.
Live actor: Ryou Kitamura (Stage Play, Film)"Yo, General. I'm Yagen Toushirou. Along with my brothers, I hope to get along with you."
He has made an appearance in almost every major adaptation of Touken Ranbu, save for the musical continuity, and is a playable character in Touken Ranbu Warriors. He is also one of the main character in the first live-action film.
- Art Evolution: His Kiwame sprites are praised for showing a technical improvement by the artist.
- Ambition Is Evil: Averted. Yagen finds ambition itself to be less evil and more of a trait that humans possess to surpass normal expectations, even if it can be seen that way because of ambitious actions that are evil.
- Character Development: Yagen's Kiwame Training has him visit his infamous owner, Nobunaga Oda. There, he is happy to tell the Saniwa that Oda was more or less a normal man, as Yagen didn't care about the positive or negative legends associated with him. However, he realizes that his own legend as a sword that wouldn't harm its owner is essentially worthless when Oda commits suicide, which saddens him. Still, he understands that he is now his own person that no longer has to solely rely on the legend and returns with more genuine intent in helping the Saniwa.
- Child Soldiers: Averted. His height and status as one of the normally-childlike tantos can fool more casual fans into thinking he's meant to be a child himself, but dialogue across the various adaptations state that he is in fact an adult. Just a very short one.
- Combat Medic: In both the live-action movie and in Katsugeki, Yagen plays the role of the team medic when on a mission. He's only shown doing light dressing wounds though.
- Cool Big Bro: His lines show that he likes to look after his brothers."So how about it, General... Are my brothers doing well?"
- The Gadfly: He has hints of this when talking to the Saniwa, enjoying their reactions to things he might say.
- Hidden Depths: He neither loved nor hated Oda, but was fascinated by this man who was believed to accomplish superhuman feats.
- Labcoat of Science and Medicine: Wears one as part of his casual wear. It's a pun on his name, which contains the kanji for "medicine". As a result, spinoff works often portray him as the one who patches up the other swordboys' injuries, and Hanamaru sometimes has him act like an outright Mad Scientist.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: He reveals in the live-action film that he was burned in the same fire that killed Oda Nobunaga and lost some of his memories as a result, though not as badly as Honebami, who forgot most of his past life. His loss of memories turned out to be worse than expected however, as he'd forgotten that he'd burned with Nobunaga in Azuchi Castle, not during the Honnouji Incident.
- Mad Scientist: In Hanamaru, he's shown to happily experiment some of his concoctions on the other Touken Danshi. One case had him strap a clearly frightened Mutsunokami to a wooden plank.
- The Medic: In spinoff works, he's often the one who acts as a doctor to the other swordboys after they get injured.
- My Blood Runs Hot: Claims that this happens to him if he gets refined.
- Not So Above It All: While he is usually mature and level-headed, the spin-offs show him acting childishly when it comes to "Ichi-nii" or when he gets into fights with his brothers.
- Only Sane Man: Out of the Odagumi swords (Heshikiri, Souza, Fudou, and himself), he gives this vibe in the stageplay and the Hanamaru anime for not having such lingering issues related to Oda.
- Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Katsugeki gives him a more aloof characterization, and he's not the one to easily give off information about himself, but he does seem to worry about the Saniwa in the brief scenes he's seen with them.
- Team Mom: In Warriors Mikazuki remarks that Yagen plays a motherly figure to everyone in the Citadel because of how he looks after them and reminds them to take care of themselves. Yagen is taken aback by this comparison and readily accepts Mikazuki's alternate suggestion that he is akin to a "senior caregiver."
- This Cannot Be!: His line if he's destroyed."I... of all people... broke...?"
- Undying Loyalty: Towards the Saniwa. This is based on how his first master tried to commit suicide by using Yagen, but somehow could not pierce his stomach with this tantou no matter how, and tossed Yagen onto a herb mortar in frustration, where he instantly sliced through the mortar. Yagen was then regarded as the sword of loyalty as he refused to harm his master."Yes, this strength is nice. I'll protect you whatever comes, General."
- Vague Age: Short and a tanto with a stylised character design, but is revealed to be an adult in the Hanamaru anime during a conversation between him and Ichigo.
- Vocal Dissonance: He looks around the same age as the other tantos, but he has a rather deep and mature-sounding voice.
Yagen (Warriors)
In this game, he is assigned to the Third Team.
- Competition Freak: Implied in his Bond Conversation with Yamanbagiri Chougi, not helped by Chougi egging him on. He's swiftly humbled after losing to Mikazuki and Tsurumaru in the follow-up conversation.
- Cool Big Bro: To Namazuo. He also makes a joke about becoming a big brother to Omokage, but is creeped out when Omokage thinks he's serious and gets excited about the idea.
- Hypocrite:
- In his Bond Conversation with Mikazuki, he nags Mikazuki about taking care of himself and not pushing himself too hard, but is revealed by Hasebe to stay up all night working on medical experiments.
- In his Bond Conversation with Namazuo, he chastises him for making more work for Ichigo by not cleaning up after himself, only for Namazuo to fire back that Yagen also made more work for Ichigo by making a pot boil over during kitchen duty, forcing Ichigo to clean up the mess for him.
- The Medic: He acts as one for the entire citadel due to them being understaffed.
- Not So Above It All:
- He's one of the more mature Tantou, and is usually treated as such by the other Touken Danshi, but due to there only being one other younger Awataguchi in the citadel (Namazuo), he's not exempt from Ichigo's coddling and gets embarrassed about it.
- He also teases Hasebe quite a bit, even laughing at his frustration at being assigned to deal with Oda Nobunaga in Chapter 3.
- Sore Loser: His ego takes a big hit after losing to Mikazuki and Tsurumaru in a citadel-wide Shogi match.
- Team Mom: Mikazuki compares him to a caring mother figure because of how he looks after the other swords and reminds them to take care of their health. He dislikes this comparison, however, and is more receptive to Mikazuki's correction that he is more like an elderly caretaker.
51, 52 – Houchou Toushirou (包丁藤四郎)
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Kōki Miyata (Japanese), Megan Shipman (English)
Illustrated by: Kumita"I'm Houchou Toushirou. I like candy and married women! Nice to meet you!"
A tantou from the Awataguchi school who was owned by Tokugawa Ieyasu. A bratty and somewhat precocious kid who's fond of sweets and married women.
- Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: In his sparring line he confidently declares that he will beat up his opponent, only to end up in tears because he was the one who was beaten up instead.
- Badass Cape: Wears a white one in his Kiwame form.
- Bratty Half-Pint: He's very spoiled and entitled and barely changes in attitude or outlook even after Kiwame training. When he's around the Saniwa, he demands attention, candy and married women and throws tantrums when things don't go his way."Master, you should learn from married women and be nicer to me. For starters, can I have some sweets?"
- Cool Helmet: Houchou wears a samurai-like helmet in his Kiwame form.
- Character Development: For Kiwame training, Houcho travels to Edo. He thinks if he trains and gets stronger, he will be popular with married women. He somehow infiltrates Edo Castle and meets his former master, Tokugawa Ieyasu, so that he can uncover secret tricks to boost his popularity with married women. He was however, very disappointed that he didn't learn anything from his former master besides how much of a powerful person he is. Houchou afterwards, decides to train at his own pace before he returns to the citadel.
- Dub Personality Change: In lieu of his married women preferences in the Japanese version, English language Houchou instead says that he likes candy and good cooks.
- Face Death with Dignity: His line when destroyed."...compared to being burned in a fire...surely, this is a cooler way to die, right...?"
- Immortal Immaturity: He was forged during the Kamakura Period, so he would have around 800 years old by the time the story takes place, but he has the mind and attitude of an eight-year-old boy.
- Let's Get Dangerous!: He takes the battle seriously in his Awakening mode:
- "I'm angry now...I'm, I'm gonna get serious!"
- Likes Older Women: Specifically older married women, as he makes clear several times. He says it's only natural since his previous master (Tokugawa Ieyasu) liked married women as well. However, it's implied that his fondness for married women is less likely to be romantic/sexual and more because married women will dote on him and give him candy.
- Meaningful Name: "Houchou" means "kitchen knife", which was given because he was once used to carve a crane by a famous chef. He points this out himself, and also alludes to it after being sent to do fieldwork:"Besides, you only use a kitchen knife after the harvest is complete."
- Power of Love: Justified. After his Kiwame training, he thinks the power of being popular with married women will make him stronger.
- Spoiled Brat: By far the most spoiled and entitled Toushirou, beating out Shinano, who believes he should be given preferential treatment as "the treasured one." In Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru, we see that his attitude can irritate even Ichigo, which is a difficult feat when dealing with his brothers.
- Sweet Tooth: He really loves sweets. His damaged sprite even reveals that the messenger bag he carries is full of candy.
- Tsundere: Towards the Saniwa after Kiwame. He acts very self-important and is always demanding something in return. He even threatens to leave the Saniwa for married women if he/she doesn't treat him nicer. Though his Kiwame destroyed line implies he acts the way he does to grab their attention, since he does learn to care for the Saniwa.
- "I wanted... you to be kinder... To be by your side for... longer... longer...!"
61, 62 – Aizen Kunitoshi (愛染国俊)
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Rai (来)
Voiced by: Seiichirō Yamashita (Japanese), Anthony Bowling (English)
Illustrated by: Misaki Sako"I'm Aizen Kunitoshi! I have the divine protection of Aizen Myou'ou in me!"
Aizen Kunitoshi is one of the Rai blades. He's an energetic boy who loves fighting, comparing it to festivals. Has a Sibling Rivalry with the stronger (and more favored) Hotarumaru.
- Adorably Precocious Child: In one of the manga anthologies, Aizen's relationship with Kuniyuki is very different; the latter very much wants to spoil Aizen like he does Hotarumaru, but Aizen won't let him in an effort to look mature.
- Badass Longcoat: He gains one in his Kiwame form.
- Blood Knight: After Kiwame, he becomes more... eager for "festivals" (i.e sorties)."Alri~ght, here comes the festival!"
- Character Development: For Kiwame training, Aizen goes back in time to Edo to become stronger. Not wanting to get bored, he avoids seeing his first owner, and visits his second owner, Lord Iemitsu, instead. Along the way, Kunitoshi finds out that he was given as a blessing of protection for Iemitsu's grandson. Aizen then realizes that the "Aizen Myo'ou" he embodies is meant to represent compassion and love rather than fury and strength. He uses this knowledge to focus on his own talents to become a better sword.
- Fiery Redhead: He has red hair and is very energetic.
- Hidden Depths: The reason he understands his Kiwame development so well is that he values strong family relationships. For this reason, he's a little bothered with the unusual dynamic of the Rai family: Hotarumaru is the youngest but is incredibly strong, while their guardian Akashi is lazy and irresponsible.
- Hot-Blooded: Always goes with full energy at everything he does, save for horse keeping and fieldwork, chores that he considers boring."Gonna beatchya up!!"
- Large Ham: Has a booming voice and bubbly personality, not to mention the Hot-Blooded screams.
- Pointless Bandaid: He wears a bandaid all the time across the bridge of his nose.
- Protective Charm: Has the dharmapala deity Aizen Myou'ou (or Rāgarāja) carved on him (represented as a Buddhistic print in his shirt), which Aizen claims it works as a protective charm for him. After Kiwame, he learns to become less reliant on his Aizen Myou'ou because he had misinterpreted its purpose (it's a symbol of familial love, which he accepts)."It's not over yet...! After all, I'm carrying the Aizen Myou'ou on me!"
- Shown Their Work: Aizen's Kiwame development is a nod to the second half of the symbolism associated with Aizen Myo'ou. Taken from The Other Wiki: Rāgarāja (Aizen Myou'ou) represents the state at which harnessed sexual excitement or agitation—which are otherwise decried as defilements—are seen as equal to enlightenment... and passionate love can become compassion for all living things.
- Sibling Rivalry: He has one-sided one with Hotarumaru, who their guardian Akashi Kuniyuki blatantly favors over him.
- The Unfavorite: While Hotarumaru is put on a pedestal by Akashi, Aizen is largely ignored. His recollection with Hotarumaru hints that he's sadly aware of it, though he doesn't seem to resent Hotarumaru himself, rather seeing him as a friendly rival. After Kiwame, Aizen tells the Saniwa that they're a better guardian than Akashi is.
69, 70 – Taikogane Sadamune (太鼓鐘貞宗)
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Sadamune (貞宗)
Voiced by: Kouji Takahashi (Japanese), Alejandro Saab (English)
Illustrated by: ⑪
Live actor: Shohei Hashimoto (Stage Play)"I kept you all waiting! Hehehe. Just kidding. I'm the rumored Sada-chan!"
- Affectionate Nickname: Shokudaikiri Mitsutada calls him "Sada-chan", which he calls himself in his introduction.
- Agent Peacock: He's as enthusiastic (if not more so) about wearing cool clothes as he is about fighting, and he refers to battles as "performances". Just don't ruin his outfit.
- Badass Cape: He wears a white gradient sky blue cape. In his Kiwame form, he gets a darker sky blue cape with some gradient of white.
- Berserk Button: He doesn't like getting his outfit ruined. His line when damaged by the enemy has him showing more concern that his outfit was torn than being injured, and his Awakening line takes this to its logical conclusion:"Repent for ruining my outfit!"
- Catchphrase: He often say the word "style" at the end of his sentences in some of his quotes."A once in a lifetime big performance. Let's do this in style!"
- Character Development: For Kiwame training, Taikogane travels to the Sendai region to get stronger, so that he can bring more excitement back to the citadel. At some point, he encounters his former master, Date Tadamune, who Taikogane says was not flashy, but was nonetheless a fantastic person. After witnessing the end of the Sengoku era, Taikogane acknowledges the necessity of peace during the warring period, but still feels the need to fight back and do things in a big way as he always has. He then decides to return to the citadel at the most opportune time to liven things up in style.
- Impossibly Cool Clothes: In his Kiwame form, although he at least wears his coat around his waist.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: His introduction quote alludes to how Shokudaikiri and Ookurikara had lines mentioning him long before he made his June 2016 debut in the game.
83, 84 – Sayo Samonji (小夜左文字)
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
School: Samonji (左文字)
Voiced by: Ayumu Murase (Japanese), Morgan Berry (English)
Illustrated by: Jiro Suzuki
Live actor: Takeru Naya (Stage Play)"I am Sayo Samonji. Who do you wish revenge upon......?"
- Affectionate Nickname: His brothers and Kasen call him "O-Sayo".
- Alliterative Name: Sayo Samonji
- Cute Bookworm: In the manga anthology Preparations for Departure!, he is very interested in reading horror or revenge stories before he goes to bed. Sayo even enjoys reading Grimm's fairy tales.
- Character Development: For Kiwame training, Sayo goes to visit his previous master, Yuusai Hosokawa. He tells Sayo that he wanted to own the tantou because he found interesting the revenge stories about it. Sayo realizes his existance is fueled by revenge and decides to become stronger with it. He acknowledges that he will maybe change for the worst, but he's willing to take that risk for the Saniwa.
- Creepy Child: His obsession with revenge definitely makes him this. During battle, he borders on Enfant Terrible.
- Creepy Good: Some of his lines are downright creepy and he shows plenty of Troubling Unchildlike Behavior, but this is mostly influence of his former master, whose wish was solely revenge. It's implied, particularly by Sayo's line when he's destroyed, that it was never Sayo's wish to hate anyone."Aah... like this, I won't hate anyone, so this is fine..."
- Curtains Match the Window: Blue hair and blue eyes.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Unlike the other tantous used as charms or self-defense, Sayo was stolen, belonged to robbers and killers and then finally used in a bloody murder, fueled by revenge."But the matters of my origin are not a pretty sight... I am covered in blood and hatred, a revenge tragedy..."
- Pointless Bandaid: He has one on his cheek and another on his knee.
- Scare the Dog: When you send him to take care of the horses, Sayo notes that they are frightened by him, and says that "animals understand it".
- Trademark Favorite Food: Persimmons. He is often shown eating them in the manga anthologies and in Hanamaru and his Internal Affairs outfit has him pictured with one. Considering his obsession with revenge, this is most likely a reference to the Japanese folk tale The Crab-Monkey War, where a group of crabs get revenge on a monkey for killing their mother with an unripe persimmon.
- Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: Most of his lines about killing and revenge are quite off-putting coming from someone with the appearance of a little boy.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: According to Word of God, since revenge was the passionate desire of his previous owner, he was led to believe that the Saniwa would find happiness in that as well. After Kiwame, he becomes a full believer of this."At the end of it, I will probably end up being immersed in darker emotions even more than I am now. Even so, for you, I think I will take that path. The happiness of a sword, is ultimately to be useful to its master."
120, 121 – Fudou Yukimitsu (不動行光)
Kiwame Form
Casual (Normal)
Casual (Kiwame)
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku); Medium (Kiwame)
Voiced by: Daisuke Sakaguchi (Japanese), Kyle Igneczi (English)
Illustrated by: Minato
Live actor: Taizo Shiina (Stage Play, Film)"...Hic. I'm Fudou Yukimitsu, Lord Oda Nobunaga's most beloved sword! How's that, given up yet~?"
- Adaptational Personality Change: Though he still harbors strong feelings for his former master, Fudou is portrayed as much more cooperative in the first live-action film than he is in the game and stage play, and appears to have a greater respect for the Saniwa. He even more or less accepts the Saniwa's order to stay behind and rest while the others finish the mission involving Oda Nobunaga, despite his visible confusion and disappointment, and is later seen casually strolling around the citadel and sipping a mug of tea. His grief also appears to be directed more at Mori Ranmaru than Oda Nobunaga, as Yagen Toushirou replaces him in the story as Nobunaga's most important sword due to it being the one he uses to kill himself.
- The Alcoholic: Despite being a tantou, he appears to be perpetually drunk. His Kiwame letters reveal that he drinks to deal with his fears, and after coming back in his Kiwame form he's sobered up considerably, and is never depicted with a drink in hand.
- The Atoner: After Kiwame, he decides to protect the Saniwa as a way to make up for being unable to save Nobunaga. His destroyed line consists on him musing if he atoned to Nobunaga properly.
- Alcohol Hic: He often begins his sentences with one of these.
- Badass Cape: He wears a violet one in his Kiwame form.
- Catchphrase: In his standard form he'll often say the word "useless sword" when referring to himself. He stops after Kiwame, though.(Standard form) I’m just a useless sword who couldn’t return the love that was given to me by Master...(Kiwame form) "I'm...not a useless sword!"
- Can't Hold His Liquor: Implied to be the case; his official art has him carrying a bottle of amazake, which is a sweet sake that has little to no alcohol, and yet he acts like he's completely sloshed.
- Character Development: For Kiwame, he goes to Owari for training. He states himself that he wishes to overcome his fear of the citadel befalling the same fate as the burning of Honnouji, but reassures the Saniwa he won't change the past. Nobunaga actually calls him out for "sacrificing his current self for his past failures", and he returns, sobered up and willing to face the future.
- Curtains Match the Window: Has purple hair and eyes.
- Custom Uniform: For some reason, his default outfit looks like a stylized school uniform, although less so after his Kiwame training due to all the additional armor.
- The Eeyore: He's always berating himself and sulking. Fortunately he gets better after Kiwame."Hic... Is it really okay? To have a useless sword as captain."
- Hey, You!: Refers to the Saniwa this way, since he refuses to acknowledge them as his new master. He grows out of it after Kiwame.
- He Cleans Up Nicely: In his standard form he wears his necktie loose and his shirt is rumpled and unbuttoned, but in his Kiwame form he's notably better dressed, even wearing a Waistcoat of Style. Upon his return from Kiwame training, the Saniwa doesn't even recognize him!
- Hidden Depths: His heavy drinking was not just to grieve over Nobunaga, but to escape from an irrational fear of losing everything to flames like before in his past. However, he's rather observant despite constantly being drunk, and grew to care deeply about the citadel and the Saniwa.
- The Load: Believes himself to be this, calling himself a useless sword for being unable to protect his former master. His Kiwame update reveals this was self-inflicted so that he wouldn't have to face his fear.
- My Greatest Failure: Oda Nobunaga's death is this to him. Which leads to...
- My Greatest Second Chance: In the stage play, Fudou tries to change history, preventing Oda Nobunaga's death by killing Akechi Mitsuhide. This puts him at odds with Hasebe (who openly resents Nobunaga and wants the Saniwa's orders to be fulfilled) until Souza's intervention. After Kiwame, he decides to protect the Saniwa in order to atone for not being able to save Nobunaga.(after Kiwame) "I must never...lose my master again!"
- Non-Standard Character Design: Just looking at him, you wouldn't be able to tell that he's supposed to be a tantou, as he looks (and behaves) more like a wakizashi.
- Out of Focus: Outside of the first mission and the subsequent group conversation, Fudou is largely absent from the live-action film and doesn’t have much to do until the end, when he has to help protect Honmaru. This could be because the live-action film wanted to avoid repeating the beats of the stage play, which dealt with the same historical event and featured him as a major character, though it makes you wonder why they chose to include him in the film at all.
- School Sport Uniform: He wears this as a part of his Uchiban outfit with a purple and black hoodie over it.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Played with; he and Yagen are not from related school, but in Kiwame form he looks very similar to the latter thanks to his more serious expression and tidier appearance. As they are both treasured tantous of Nobunaga Oda, it makes sense that they bear a slight resemblance to each other.
- Took a Level in Kindness: For most of the story Fudou is dismissive of the Saniwa, refusing to recognize them as his new master and still mourning Nobunaga, but by the time he gets his Kiwame, he becomes a much gentler and more approachable person towards them. At last, Fudou acknowledges the Saniwa as his new master.
- Undying Loyalty: To Oda Nobunaga, to the point that his recollections with Hasebe (who resents Nobunaga) are quite hostile. However, his standard quotes imply that, much like Yasusada, he doesn't dislike the Saniwa but doesn't want to attach to his new master so easily.
- When He Smiles: After Kiwame training, his default expression during Internal Affairs is a warm smile.
142, 143 – Mouri Toushirou (毛利藤四郎)
Kiwame Form
Casual
Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku), Medium (Kiwame)
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Motoki Takagi
Illustrated by: Masshigura Nekokan
School: Awataguchi (粟田口)
Voiced by: Motoki Takagi
Illustrated by: Masshigura Nekokan
"I'm called Mouri Toushirou, named that because I was in the Mouri clan. From now on let's join forces and do our best!"
A tantou made by Awataguchi Yoshimitsu. One of the Toushirou brothers. His name comes from being owned by the Mouri Clan. He is good at using his small build in his flexible fighting style. He likes listening to others and small kids (disregarding his own height).
- Catchphrase: He often say the word kodomo sappounote during battle or sparring."It's time to show off my kodomo sappou technique!"
- Friend to All Children: He really loves children and gets along with them very well. He even calls them "cute" and worries about their safety.
- Height Angst: Implied. The reason Mouri doesn't like to talk about his height is because he doesn't want people to mistake or treat him like a child even though he looks like one.
- Rare Random Drop: He is more difficult to find than his already rare brothers, since his debut was during a limited time only event and he can only be recruited on the 50th floor.
- This Cannot Be!: When he's destroyed."...what...it's already over? I...haven't even done anything significant..."
146, 147 – Kenshin Kagemitsu (謙信景光)
Casual
"I'm Kenshin Kagemitsu. I don't want to be taken lightly!"
A tantou made by Kagemitsu from Bizen Osafune School. His name came from the fact that he was always carried along by Uesugi Kenshin. He is carved with Sanskrit characters that read "Chichibu Daibosatsu" on the front and Daiitoku Myouou on the back side. A strong individual with high perseverance.- Adorably Precocious Child: His motto is "If you can't be patient, you'll always remain a child". Many of his quotes have him holding back for fear of looking childish, and he wears children's galoshes in his casual outfit.
- The Baby of the Bunch: Currently the only Osafune tantou in the game, with his mental maturity matching his physical appearance, even though he wants to be perceived as more adult-like. As such, he's doted on by Azuki and other swords formerly owned by Uesugi Kenshin such as Himetsuru Ichimonji.
- Badass Longcoat: He wears a longcoat and necktie with Uesugi crest into battle. He is also Badass Adorable.
- Catchphrase: "I'm a strong kid."
- Character Development: Downplayed; he returns from Kiwame training with a strengthened resolve to be strong, kind, and wise like his former master Uesugi Kenshin, but is otherwise the same character he was when he left.
- Face Death with Dignity: Averted after Kiwame training, as he'll outright say that he doesn't want to die as he breaks.
- Fashionable Asymmetry: He wears an armor guard on his right shoulder and one on his left knee. One of his socks is longer than the other.
- The Nicknamer: Calls Azuki Nagamitsu "Atsuki".
- Stocking Filler: He only wears one to hold up his left stocking.
- This Cannot Be!: When he's destroyed."Eh...? What...?"
- Trademark Favorite Food: Takes a particular liking to sanshoku dango, which is also featured as a charm on his person in his official art.
150, 151 – Hyūga Masamune (日向正宗)
Kiwame Form
Casual
- Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku), Medium (Kiwame)
Voiced by: Yūki Kaji
School: Masamune (正宗)
Illustrated by: Yana Toboso
Live actor: Hiroki Ishibashi (Musical)
I drifted and turned up here. I am Hyuuga Masamune.
- Catchphrase: "It's a pity".
- Determinator : In his Awakening mode:"The power of Masamune, I will show it to you!"
- Flower Motif: Cherry blossom. Cherry blossoms symbolize the fragility and the beauty of life.
- Good with Numbers: When he's sent out to buy goods, he appears to be excellent at math and always keeps track of the prices.note "Are you going shopping? I understand, leave the calculations to me."
- I Have Many Names: According to him, throughout history he is also known as either Katata Masamune or Oogaki Masamune.
- Nice Guy: A lot of his dialogue consists of him wanting to help and support the other Touken Danshi, and just generally having a positive attitude toward the other residents of Honmaru.
- Parting-Words Regret: When he's destroyed."I thought I could do for a bit more... It is regrettable... Next time... Ah right... There will be no next time, huh..."
- The Pollyanna: He’s quite optimistic and the opposite of a “sore loser” in that he never takes his failures to heart and is always thinking about how he can do better next time. After his Kiwame training, he even encourages the Saniwa to think the same way.
- Rare Random Drop: And how. After being the only tantou available in the Regiment Battle 2017 event, he was later added as World 8-2's rare boss drop. Now the thing is, this map is infamously known as being one of the absolute hardest maps in the game, where everything is out to kick your butt and no team composition is safe aside from maybe the fastest kiwame tantou fully equipped with Long Range. Not to mention getting an A rank at the boss is tough work, you can and will lose troops throughout the entire map and Hyuuga's drop rate is just about the same as every other boss node drop (read: piddly). He is occasionally featured as part of the War Training Expansion event as a guaranteed 80-clear reward, but his dedicated map is an unholy offspring of 8-2's mapping and 7-3's enemy composition, where dozens of fast yari are out to poke your boys to severe before you can even reach the boss node. As a result, he might be one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult sword to get outside of smithing campaign-exclusive ones.
- Scout-Out: His Internal Affairs outfit gives him this kind of appearance.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Umeboshi may be, considering how much he takes about making it.
Hyuuga (Warriors)
In this game, he is assigned to the Second Team.
- Adaptational Personality Change: Very slight, but present; During his Kiwame training, he visits his former master Ishida Mitsunari and is tempted to save him from his fate by sacrificing himself in his place, but chooses not to out of loyalty to the Saniwa and recognition of his role in protecting history, believing that he could save his current master from a crisis if necessary. He was also well aware of his former master's flaws, describing his way of life as "regrettable." In this game, however, his strong attachment to Ishida Mitsunari and his insistence that he was a "good man" who didn't deserve his fate is what causes the Historical Revisionists to corrupt him into joining them.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: After being influenced by the HRA because of his devotion to his former master, he not only attempts to assassinate Tokugawa Ieyasu in order to give Ishida Mitsunari an advantage, but he also tries to fight the members of the Second Team, fully intending to kill them.
- The Corruptible: His strong feelings toward his former master Ishida Mitsunari made him susceptible to the influence of the Historical Revisionists, eventually making him turn on the Second Unit and attempt to assassinate Tokugawa Ieyasu to help him.
- Foreshadowing: His succumbing to the HRA's influence revealed that not even the Touken Danshi are immune if they harbor strong feelings toward their former masters and believe they were wronged. This would become important in the final two chapters, as the story is revealed to have began due to Kurokage's grief over his former master, leading him to side with the HRA in order to see his master's dream realized.
- Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: The Second Unit attempts to beat sense back into him after he's corrupted by the Historical Revisionists. It doesn't work.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: He gains these when he’s under influence of the Historical Revisionists.
- Welcome Back, Traitor: The members of the Second Unit never gave up on him in the first place, but he is welcomed back to the team with open arms when they finally get him to come to his senses.
170 – Chatannakiri (北谷菜切)
Casual
Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku)
Voiced by: Shugo Nakamura
Illustrated by: namanikuATK
Haisai! I'm Chatannakiri. There's a legend that I was originally used as a kitchen knife, so that's why I have this name!
One of the three treasures of the Kingdom of Ryūkyū (the other two being Chiyoganemaru and ChiganemaruVoiced by: Shugo Nakamura
Illustrated by: namanikuATK
Haisai! I'm Chatannakiri. There's a legend that I was originally used as a kitchen knife, so that's why I have this name!
), purported to have also been used as a kitchen knife, hence the name.- Apologetic Attacker: He apologizes when attacking the enemy, likely due to being a Reluctant Warrior.
- Dude Looks Like a Lady: Comes close to giving Midare a run for his money.
- Flower Motif: Frangipani and hibiscus. He wears clusters of frangipani on his sandals and his pink haori is frilled like a hibiscus. His crest also has a hibiscus motif.
- Meaningful Appearance: His current appearance comes from his sword being sharpened too much over the years.
- Mundane Utility: Like Houchou, he is also purported to have been used as a kitchen knife, from which he gets his name, "Chatan Vegetable Cutter".
- Reluctant Warrior: He'd rather stay in Honmaru doing chores than go to battle, and even asks the player if he can do so in one of his voice-lines. He doesn't like sparring with other swords, either.
- Rose-Haired Sweetie: He has pink hair and a fairly upbeat and youthful personality.
- Stone Wall: Rather surprising for a tantō; he has the highest HP out of all of them and quite impressive leadership at max Toku, but his speed is among the bottom 5 and his attack is the bottom, tied with Hyūga, Imanotsurugi and Mōri.
- Unlockable Content: An obtainable reward in the Regiment Battle – Seaside Camp event.
- Vocal Dissonance: Even though he looks very cute and feminine, his voice is almost as deep as Yagen's.
- Would Hurt a Child: According to legend, Chatannakiri cut a baby's throat on its own without being touched. However, he claims that this story is made up.
190 – Taikō Samonji (太閤左文字)
Casual
Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku)
School: Samonji (左文字)
Voiced by: Yūki Ōtani
Played by: Satsuki Kitano (Stage Play)
Illustrated by: Jirō Suzuki
I am Taikou Samonji. I was named after Houtaikou. But even so, I don't want to be called a monkey. Understand?
School: Samonji (左文字)
Voiced by: Yūki Ōtani
Played by: Satsuki Kitano (Stage Play)
Illustrated by: Jirō Suzuki
I am Taikou Samonji. I was named after Houtaikou. But even so, I don't want to be called a monkey. Understand?
A tantou by the smith Samonji of Chikuzen. He is yet another Samonji sword who questions how he ought to be, be it in sadness or joy. Since the name given to him is associated with Toyotomi, he strives to live up to it.
- Animal Motifs: Monkeys. He has a monkey's tail (which is presumably fake, since he doesn't have it in his casual wear) and his leg guard has a monkey's face on it.
- I Am Not Weasel: Even as he has a monkey motif, don't call him one.
- Keet: A cheerful, fun-loving young man with a comparatively brighter personality than the rest of his jaded and generally fucked-up brothers.
- One-Steve Limit: He narrowly avoids having the same name as the earlier introduced tantou Taikogane Sadamune, as their names are pronounced the same but written in different Kanji, except for the first character, not to mention the whole "-gane" part of Sada-chan's name.
- The Nicknamer: He grants Affectionate Nicknames to all his brothers; they're known to him as Kōsetchi, Sōzatchi and Sayotchi respectively.
- Playful Cat Smile: His lips are always in this shape, although it’s more likely meant to resemble a monkey’s mouth shape than a cats.
- Sixth Ranger: He is the fourth ranger to the Samonji group, as he was added to the game several years after they became established as a trio the series.
- '20s Bob Haircut: A clean and voluminous flapper's cut in bright neon yellow-green and pink.
222 – Kyougoku Masamune (京極正宗)
Rarity: Low (Basic/Toku)
School: Masamune (正宗)
Voiced by: Yuki Sakakihara
Illustrated by: Kei Mochizuki
The rose of the inner chambers, one engraved with the name of Masamune. I am Kyougoku Masamune. Are you my new master?
School: Masamune (正宗)
Voiced by: Yuki Sakakihara
Illustrated by: Kei Mochizuki
The rose of the inner chambers, one engraved with the name of Masamune. I am Kyougoku Masamune. Are you my new master?
A tantou of the Masamune school, said to be a classic example of Japanese sword craftsmanship. He is a rare and unique Masamune sword and has been handed down in the Kyougoku family as a treasured possession. The rose blooms strongly and nobly to fulfill its role and demonstrate the strength of Masamune.
- Dude Looks Like a Lady: He could easily be mistaken for a little girl if he wasn't in a game with an all-male cast. It doesn't help that his very male voice actor pulls off an extremely convincing feminine voice.
- Expository Pronoun: He comes from a noble family and thus speaks in a formal manner, using the first person pronoun "Watakushi."
- The Proud Elite: Downplayed Trope; While he comes from a noble family and occasionally reminds the Saniwa of it, he is fairly humble and doesn't mind doing "commoner" things like horse care and fieldwork, which he describes as "delightful." He does, however, have to accept that one's status is meaningless in death if he is broken in battle."I... see… So for swords..., one's background doesn't... "
- Scout-Out: His Internal Affairs outfit looks more like a Boy Scout uniform.
- Sheltered Aristocrat: As a treasure of the Kyougoku family, he was rarely used in combat and thus spent most of his life isolated. As a result, he admits to being ignorant of everyday life.
- Something about a Rose: He comes from an aristocratic family and wears two roses on his hat, referring to himself as a rose at times in his dialogue. Rose petals can also be seen scattering around him when he enters Shinken Hissatsu.
