Aki Kunitora was lord of the Aki District of Tosa, and was born in 1530 to Aki Motoyasu. He was known as one of the Seven Tosa Heroes.
He and Chousokabe Motochika fought sporadically over territory. In spring of 1569, he instigated a war with Motochika that he ultimately lost, and he committed suicide at his family temple, Joutei Temple. Many of his chief vassals followed him in death.
The Red Whales strategist, who was once a direct retainer to the Chousokabe clan. Kusama appears to place a great deal of trust in him, though Reijirou suspects he has ulterior motives. Unlike most of the other Red Whales, he wears traditional Japanese clothes. He is described as a man of impressive vigor and intensity, with a look of keen and penetrating intelligence.
A warrior of Uesugi who answered Kenshin's call to be resurrected two years ago (after the events at Hagi), he was Naoe's friend 400 years ago and fought on the Kagekatsu side during the Otate no Ran.
He is described as having an angular, sunburned face and is shorter than Naoe (which he resents).
A neurologist at a prefectural hospital in Kouchi who treated Ushio after he was found in the Iya mountains without his memories. He is from Tosa and gave Ushio his name, and treats him like a son.
One of the Meikai Uesugi Army and leader of the «Nokizaru», described as a man in his mid-thirties with a square, expressionless face and piercing, somewhat gloomy eyes. He operates under Kagetora's direct command.
A young man who is described as the foremost captain of the Red Whales.
Eikichi, one of the leaders of the Red Whales, is described as being short and monkey-like. He was a member of the Ichiryou Gusoku. He loves humor, parties, and alcohol.
Nevertheless, he is sharp and a merciless taskmaster.
Deputy head of the Red Whales, Reijirou is described as having slanted eyes and a strong-willed, harsh expression—not unlike that of a bandit. He was a member of the Ichiryou Gusoku. He appears to be more spiritually-sensitive than Kusama.
Birthday: Dec. 9
Height: 5'5"
Weight: unknown
Blood type: A
Possessed by: Kakizaki Haruie.
Kakizaki Haruie's current incarnation: a female college student about four years older than Takaya who rides a Yamaha FZR400 motorcycle called Ecchan. She is described as a beauty with sauvage-style long hair and long, slim legs. She lives in Yokohama with her parents.
Notes: She appears as 'Ayako' in narration. Naoe and Nagahide call her 'Haruie', and Takaya calls her 'Nee-san'.
Also called: Kousaka Danjou Masanobu (高坂弾正昌信), Kousaka Danjou Nosuke Masanobu (高坂弾正忠昌信), Kasuga Toratsuna (春日虎綱), Kasuga Gensuke (春日源助)
Title: Danjou Nosuke/Faithful True-Shot (弾正忠)
Historically: One of Takeda Shingen's most loyal retainers who was one of his Twenty-Four Generals and played a key part in the fourth battle of Kawanakajima.
Kousaka was born in Kai to a wealthy farmer, Kasuga Ookuma (?) (春日大隈). His father died when he was 16, and he lost a lawsuit against his elder sister's husband for ownership of his father's lands. He then enrolled in the service of Takeda Shingen.
Kousaka first served as a messenger for Shingen. He distinguished himself in battle, and rose swiftly through the ranks of Shingen's trusted retainers. He participated in most of Shingen's battles. He did not hesitate to retreat when required, which earned him the nickname of "Escaping Danjou". However, he was calm and logical in the midst of battle, and was perhaps the best of Shingen's generals.
There are anecdotes that in his younger days, Kousaka and Shingen were engaged in a shudo relationship, and Kousaka rose so quickly in Shingen's service because of Shingen's affection.
After Shingen's death in 1573, Kousaka continued on to serve Takeda Katsuyori. He sought an alliance between the Takeda clan and their old enemy, the Uesugi clan, in order to unite against the threat of Oda Nobunaga.
Kousaka died in 1578 of illness at the age of 52. He was succeeded by his second son, Kousaka Masamoto (高坂昌元), his first son, Kousaka Masazumi (高坂昌澄) having died in the Battle of Nagashino in 1575.
In Mirage of Blaze: A kanshousha who, along with Sanjou-no-Kata, breaks the barrier over Takeda Shingen's tomb, the Maenduka, in an attempt to resurrect Shingen by using Narita Yuzuru as a vessel for his spirit.
According to Haruie, Kousaka has a high level of spiritual sensing ability (reisa), such that he is able to recognize someone he had met before even after their soul has undergone purification. He warns Naoe that Narita Yuzuru's existence is a threat to the Roku Dou Sekai.
The leader of the Tosa Red Whales, whose demeanor is described as "deeply serious and sincere". He wants to resurrect Chousokabe Nobuchika to lead the Red Whales'.
A young man who befriends Takaya while backpacking in Iya. He lost his memories after falling off a cliff five years ago. His name was given him by the doctor who treated his amnesia, Dr. Mutou. His first name, Ushio, means "ocean tide". He likes photography and fishing, and is friendly and outgoing.
Takaya recognizes that he is kanshousha, and because of that he is hounded by the Tosa Red Whales to join their group.
The Red Whales' doctor, who mainly treats spirits and succeeds in creating medicine and contact lenses to suppress Kihachi's poison. He is described as a thin delicate-looking young man. He and Kusama Seibee come from the same village.
Possessed by: Takeda Shingen (temporarily)
Ougi Takaya's best friend and an honor student at his school.
Notes: He appears as 'Yuzuru' in narration. Takaya calls him 'Yuzuru'. Naoe calls him 'Yuzuru-san', and Chiaki calls him 'Narita'.
The manager of a Japanese inn and hot spring in Iya where Ushio used to work.
Birthday: July 23
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 134 lbs
Blood type: O
Possessed by: Uesugi Kagetora
At the beginning of the story Takaya is a seventeen-year-old high school delinquent with no memory of his past. His parents divorced when he was a first-year junior high school student, probably because his father started drinking when his business failed. His mother remarried and lives in Sendai.
He was born and raised in Matsumoto and lives there with his sister, Miya. He attends Jouhoku High and is in the same class (Year Two Group Three) as his best friend, Narita Yuzuru.
Notes: He appears as 'Takaya' in narration. Nagahide and Haruie call him 'Kagetora', and Naoe calls him 'Kagetora-sama' and 'Takaya-san'. Most of the students at Jouhoku High call him 'Ougi-kun' (Chiaki calls him 'Ougi' at school). Miya calls him 'Onii-chan', and Yuzuru calls him 'Takaya'.
Owner of Saitou's Shop in Iya who is friendly with Ushio and is as fond of fishing as he is.
A member of the Red Whales who once belonged to the Tosa Imperialism Party.
Also called: Takeda Katsuchiyo, Takeda Harunobu
Title: Shinano no Kami
Historically: Daimyo of Kai who became the head of the Takeda clan by rebelling against his father. Conquered Shinano and fought against Uesugi Kenshin. The two clans clashed five times on the plains of Kawanakajima, where neither gained complete victory until Shingen died of illness in his campaign against Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Formerly Hakkai's lieutenant, appointed head of the Uesugi «Nokizaru» by Kagetora after Hakkai went missing.
A member of the Red Whales who resents Takaya, a 'modern man', for rising so quickly within the ranks. He and his posse bully Takaya, seemingly without repercussions.
