Summary
With the announcement ofAssassin’s Creed: Shadows, Ubisoft has finally unveiled a game set in feudal Japan, an era many fans have considered ideal for the franchise. Since it has also been revealed that the game will center around a real historical figure in Yasuke, it gives us a definitive period in which the game is to take place.
Given that Yasuke was only in Japan for around a year, we can guess at some of the important and influential figures who may appear in the game alongside him. It is already known that Yasuke was a servant toOda Nobunaga, but perhaps less known is the fact that the game’s other protagonist, Naoe, is the daughter ofFujibayashi Nagato, a famous and very well-connectedjōnin(elite ninja). This could also introduce a range ofother historical figuresfrom a different background to the story.
Japan in the late 16th century was undergoing a range of social transformations from the arrival of Christian missionaries from Portugal to the infamous Honnō-ji incident. As a result, it seems inevitable that several key figures will make an appearance, as seen previously withLeonardo Da Vinci inAssassin’s Creed 2,the pirate Blackbeard inAssassin’s Creed: Black Flag,and even Queen Victoria inAssassin’s Creed: Syndicate, among others. However, Ubisoft has increasingly departed from the historical authenticity of earlier games in recent entries, so it remains to be seen exactly who might be involved in the story ofAssassin’s Creed: Shadowsuntil further information is released.
The chosen images are representative rather than authentic, especially if a historical figure has not appeared in fictional media.
7Tokugawa Ieyasu
The First Shogun Of Japan Was A Close Ally To Oda Nobunaga
The Tokugawa clan is among the most famous and highly regarded in all of Japanese history. Ieyasu, whowould later become Japan’s first Shogun, was one of Oda Nobunaga’s closest allies during the campaigns of 1570-82 against the Takeda clan.
While Tokugawa would likely play more of a peripheral figure in the story ofAssassin’s Creed: Shadows, his inclusion would represent a great deal for manyfans of Japanese historydue to the great reputation of his clan. Like many figures of the time, many historical records indicate that he was as involved in espionage and subterfuge as any one of his other contemporaries.
6Hattori Hanzō
This Legendary Samurai Continues To Live On In Pop Culture Today
Arguably the most famous samurai of the Sengoku period was Hattori Hanzō. As one of the Tokugawa clan’s top generals, he played an instrumental role in the rise of the Tokugawa clan, as well as the military campaigns that followed the death of Oda Nobunaga.
Legends surrounding Hanzō suggest he even commanded supernatural abilities, so it seems more than plausible that Ubisoft could use him as a way to weave in some of themore mystical elementsthat have been present in recent titles such asAssassin’s Creed: OriginsandAssassin’s Creed: Odyssey.
5Ishikawa Goemon
The ‘Japanese Robin Hood’ Inscribed Himself As A Folk Legend For His Many Daring Exploits
Ishikawa Goemon was a legendary ninja of the Sengoku period and a Robin Hood-type figure in Japanese folklore. Having attempted to assassinate Oda Nobunaga and his successor using poison, Goemon was among the leading figures in the resistance of the Iga ninjas.
Though Goemon ultimately suffered an unspeakably torturous end which perhaps elevated him to mythical status, he was most certainly considereda very skillful outlawand would fit into the narrative ofAssassin’s Creed: Shadowsperfectly as an enemy to the Oda clan.
4Alessandro Valignano
The Renowned Christian Missionary Originally Brought Yasuke To Japan
The very few references to Yasuke in the writings of Jesuit scribe Luis Frois mention that he first arrived in Japan in the company of Alessandro Valignano, one of the most influential Christian missionariesin the history of Asia. Valignano sold Yasuke to Oda Nobunaga and, interestingly enough, it was Frois who helped Yasuke depart Japan safely after the death of Nobunaga the following year.
While there are many ways in which the Christian missionaries of Europe could find their way into the story ofAssassin’s Creed: Shadows, it seems unlikely that the entirety of this story will be covered in the game. However, the connection to Valignano and Frois could be a fantastic way to link the title to previous entries in the series and the “outside world.”
The Successor To One Of Japan’s Strongest Clans Was A Rival To Oda Nobunaga
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Son of the legendary samurai Takeda Shingen, Katsuyori was the last leader of the great Takeda clan until it was destroyed by Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Tenmokuzan. As a result,he represents the arch-nemesisof Nobunaga during the exact period the game is expected to be set.
While the historical record indicates that Katsuyori and his wife both committed ritual suicide after their sons were killed in the battle, it does leave an opportunity for players to become involved in a feud that cost the lives of many prominent figures.
1Akechi Mitsuhide
The “Nine-Day Shogun” Was Responsible For Killing Oda Nobunaga
Perhaps best known as the man who organized the assassination of Oda Nobunaga, Akechi Mitsuhide played a central role during the Honnō-ji incident and the subsequent Battle of Yamazaki in which he was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. As a former servant to Nobunaga himself, there seems to befertile ground for Ubisoftto weave a very interesting and polarising character in Mitsuhide.
It remains uncertain what role Mitsuhide may play in the overall story, where he may be an enemy or an ally, but it seems more than likely that he will play a central role in the game’s story, and could even bridge the gap between the samurai culture of 16th century Japan with the existing lore of the ‘Hidden Ones’.
