A monk of Rokugou Manzan and subordinate of Ootomo chief retainer Tawara Chikakata who proposed the idea of the Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel. In actuality, Toutetsu is an undercover Uesugi monk who infiltrated Ootomo for intelligence operations at Naoe's instruction.

Also called: Tsuchiya Uemon (土屋右衛門)

One of the Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen who fought in numerous battles, including the Battle of Kawanakajima.

A famous Japanese comedy duo formed in 1985 of the team of Uchimura Teruyoshi (Ucchan) and Nanbara Kiyotaka (Nanchan).

Possessed by: Mogami Yoshiaki

Second-in-command of a powerful political faction (the Hirabayashi Group) within the ruling party of the House of Representatives of the Japanese National Diet. Ueshima was involved in a graft case and made a deal with Mogami Yoshiaki to kill the bribe suspects and keep the truth from coming to light. In return, he agreed to allow Mogami Yoshiaki to use his body as spirit vessel.

Also called: Nagao Kiheiji (長尾喜平次), Nagao Akikage (長尾顕景), Nagao Kagekatsu (長尾景勝)

Historically: One of Uesugi Kenshin's nephews, he was adopted by Kenshin and named Kenshin's heir along with Uesugi Kagetora. Following Kenshin's death in 1578, he provoked the feud against Kagetora in the Otate no ran for succession. His forces won over those of Kagetora in 1579, and he forced Kagetora to commit suicide. He lost the Uesugi's western holdings to Oda Nobunaga, and later submitted to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, under whom he rose to prominence to become a member of the council of five regents appointed by Hideyoshi to protect the Toyotomi rule.

As a general under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Kagekatsu received the 1.2 million-koku fief of Aizu in addition to his 550,000-koku fief of Echigo. After Toyotmi's death, Kagekatsu was one of the first daimyo to plan revolt against Tokugawa Ieyasu with the building of a new castle in Aizu and the accumulation of troops, and could be said to have least partly begun the Battle of Sekigahara. He refused a summons from Tokugawa to go to the capital to explain himself, and attacked with a 50,000 army, which were held back by Mogami Yoshiaki and Date Masamune. Kagekatsu was defeated early at the siege of his castle at Shiroishi and declared his allegiance to Tokugawa.

Afterwards, Kagekatsu was given the 300,000-koku Yonezawa-han in the Northeast.

Also known as: possibly Houjou Ujihide (北条氏秀), Houjou Saburou (北条三郎), Saburou Kagetora (三郎景虎)

Historically: Uesugi Kagetora was the seventh son (sixth to survive to adulthood) of Houjou Ujiyasu, younger brother of Houjou Ujimasa, Houjou Ujiteru, Houjou Ujikuni, Houjou Ujinori, Houjou Ujitada, and older brother of Houjou Ujimitsu. His mother was the sister-in-law of Tooyama Yasumitsu, a vassal of the Houjou Clan (other sources say Zuikeiin, Ujiyasu's principle wife). It's likely that he and Houjou Ujihide were two different people and that Ujihide was the son of Houjou Tsunashige and living in Edo while Saburou was living in Echigo, so most historians refer to him as Houjou Saburou when describing his early life.

As a child, he was sent into the priesthood at Souun Temple in Hakone, then sent as hostage to Takeda Shingen of the Takeda Clan in the three-way alliance between Houjou, Takeda, and Imagawa formed in 1554 (though this last point is now in dispute, as it is told only in the Records of Ancient Battles of the Eight Kanto Provinces and recorded in none of the Takeda Clan records.)

He was adopted by his uncle Houjou Genan in 1569 and married Genan's daughter.

When the Houjou and Uesugi clans formed an alliance in 1569, Saburou was sent to Uesugi Kenshin in an exchange of hostages with Kakizaki Haruie. (At first, the hostage was set to be Houjou Ujimasa's third son Kunimasumaru, but Ujimasa could not bring himself to send off his son, who was then still a baby.) Saburou was sent to the Uesugi clan in early 1570. Kenshin, who never married, developed a liking for the handsome and intelligent Saburou. He married his niece Seienin, the daughter of Nagao Masakage and older sister of Nagao Akikage (Uesugi Kagekatsu) to Saburou, gave him the name Kagetora (a name that had once belonged to Kenshin himself), and adopted him into the Uesugi Clan.

When Kenshin died suddenly in 1578 without naming an heir, Kagetora and Kagekatsu, similarly adopted by Kenshin, fought for succession to the position of clan head (the Otate no Ran). Though Kagetora held the early advantage with the backing of Uesugi vassals such as Uesugi Kagenobu, Honjou Hidetsuna, Kitajou Takahiro, and the Houjou Clan, the tide of the battle turned with Takeda Katsuyori's betrayal to Kagekatsu's side.

When the Otate fell in 1579, Kagetora attempted to escape to Odawara Castle, but was betrayed at Samegao Castle by Horie Munechika and committed suicide. His wife committed suicide along with him (though there are also accounts that she remained behind at the Otate and committed suicide there when her brother Kagekatsu refused Kagetora's surrender.) His oldest son Doumanmaru died at the hands of Kagekatsu's troops along with Uesugi Norimasa, and the rest of his children were believed to have died along with their parents.

In Mirage of Blaze: He was born to Houjou Ujiyasu and Zuikeiin as their eighth (seventh to survive to adulthood) and youngest son. After his death in the Otate no Ran, he was charged by Uesugi Kenshin to become kanshousha in order to ensure that the peace of Japan is not disrupted by the onshou as the leader of the Yasha-shuu and the commander of the Meikai Uesugi Army.

Title: Kantou Kanrei
Also known as: Fujiwara-no-Norimasa (藤原憲政)

Son of Uesugi Norifusa, he was only three when his father died. His adopted brother, Uesugi Norihiro, succeeded his father as head of the clan. When his brother was banished in 1531, Norimasa inherited the title of Kantou Kanrei.

From 1541 to 1552, he battled both the Houjou and Takeda Clans. He suffered several defeats, and fled to Nagao Kagetora (Uesugi Kenshin) in 1552, leaving his son and heir behind (who was later captured and executed.)

In 1557, he adopted Nagao Kagetora and in 1561 passed the title of Kantou Kanrei to him as well as the Uesugi family name and inheritance.

He later supported Uesugi Kagetora in the Otate no Ran. But as the Kagetora faction was hard-pressed due to Takeda Katsuyori's defection, he took Kagetora's son and heir with him to negotiate with the Kagekatsu faction. However, both were killed by an assassin at Kagekatsu's camp.

His sons were killed as well in the Otate no Ran, so ironically, it would be Uesugi Kenshin's son, Uesugi Kagekatsu, who would sever the bloodline of the Uesugi house.

Uesugi Sadakatsu was Uesugi Kagekatsu's firstborn son and succeeded him as the 18th head of the Yamanouchi Uesugi clan as well as the second governor of Yonezawa-han.

His mother was Kagekatsu's concubine Keiganin, daughter of Yotsutsuji Kintoo.

Uesugi Tomoyoshi was son of Uesugi Tomomasa and adopted by his uncle Uesugi Sadamasa. He was attracted to books and learning, and was enjoined again and again to martial studies by his adopted father.

His adopted father died in battle against Uesugi Akisada in 1494, and Tomoyoshi became head of the Ougigayatsu branch of the Uesugi Clan and master of Kawagoe Castle in Musashi.

A member of the Red Whales who was fifteen or sixteen when he died. A poor country samurai who couldn't afford food or clothing, Utarou joined the Tosa Imperialism Party as a very junior member at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate (Bakumatsu era) and looked up to Takeichi Hanpeita. He attacked a high-ranking samurai who rode his horse carelessly through Utarou's family's fields, killing their crops. The samurai killed Utarou when Utarou's sword broke.

Formerly Hakkai's lieutenant, appointed head of the Uesugi «Nokizaru» by Kagetora after Hakkai went missing.

Shiohara Kouzou's secretary and an eyewitness to his death. He is described as a tall man in his thirties, courteous, friendly, and concerned about Nagi.

Also known as: Yamazaki Shuusen

A Confucian Scholar who served the Uesugi Clan by invitation of Uesugi Kenshin, also an administrator under of the Shogunate. He taught the Nine Confucian Classics and other works of Chinese sages in the Uesugi Clan and also served in the role of communicator/negotiator with commanders both within and outside of the Uesugi Clan.

He supported Uesugi Kagekatsu in the Otate no Ran after Kenshin's death. After the war, he opposed the conference of honors upon those Yasuda Akimoto had lured to Kagekatsu's side with promise of reward and pressured Kagekatsu against it. He was killed by one of these commanders, Mouri Hidehiro. His death ended his line.

Granddaughter of the Yanase family, a merchant house dealing in silk threads in Nagasaki. She takes Naoe to the Uragami Cathedral to consult with the abbe there about the Maria Kwannon statue.

Commonly known as: Yanbe Seibee (山家清兵衛)

A vassal of the Date family who initially served the Mogami Clan, but rose to prominence serving Date Masamune and was appointed as chief magistrate with 1000 koku when Masamune's eldest son Hidemune was granted the Uwajima domain.

In the financially-strained Uwajima domain, Seibee advocated frugality and simplicity and avoided imposing heavy annual taxes on his subjects, earning their affection. However, he came into conflict with Hidemune when he reported on Hidemune's profligacy to Masamune. Hidemune later supported another vassal's (Sakurada Motochika) slanderous accusations of corruption against Seibee. Sakurada, with Hidemune's permission, attacked Seibee and his family. Seibee, aged 42, was killed in the attack, as were three of his four sons.

After Seibee's death, a series of disasters struck the Uwajima domain: a great earthquake, typhoons, famines, the early deaths of three of Hidemune's sons, Hidemune's own ill health, and the suspicious death of Sakurada Motochika. These were seen as acts of revenge by Seibee's vengeful spirit.

Hidemune commanded Warei Shrine to be built in 1653 to placate Seibee's spirit.

Head of the Echigo Yasuda Clan, son of Yasuda Kagemoto. He served as a vassal of the Uesugi clan and was given Iiyama Castle in Shinano by Uesugi Kenshin for merits in the Battle of Kawanakajima. The "aki", or "existing" character in his name was also bestowed on him by Kenshin.

In 1578 during the war for succession after Kenshin's death, he and his younger brother Yasuda Yoshimoto both supported Uesugi Kagekatsu, while his relatives Kitajou Takahiro and Kitajou Kagehiro (the Kitajou Clan and Yasuda Clan were both descended from the Mouri Clan) supported Uesugi Kagetora. He wrote: "Those who abandon Lord Kagekatsu, our rightful lord, and run to everyone's Kagetora are not descended from true warriors." It is said that Kagekatsu wept tears of joy upon reading his declaration.

He worked to persuade others such as Shibata Shigeie and Ijimino Nobumune to join Kagekatsu's side. In March of 1579, when Kagetora surrendered the castle and headed for the Kantou, he convinced Horie Munechika, master of Samegao Castle, to switch to Kagekatsu's side. Kagetora was cornered and committed suicide, and Kagekatsu won as a result.

It is also said that Akimoto took pity on Uesugi Norimasa's corpse, which was left unburied after his death, and gave it a proper burial.

In order to persuade Shibata Shigeie, Ijimino Nobumune, and other commanders to join Kagekatsu, Akimoto had promised reward such as castles and territory for merit during the war, a promise backed by Kagekatsu. However, he was opposed by other commanders such as Yamazaki Hidenori and Naoe Nobutsuna, who disagreed because these commanders had not joined Kagekatsu at the beginning of the war. Unable to keep his promise, Akimoto committed seppuku.

He was succeeded by his brother Yoshimoto.

A Red Whales reconnoiterer who monitored Miyoshi for three months ahead of the star-stealing operation. He is later revealed to be a traitor who went over to Miyoshi's side after being promised the command of a troop of foot soldiers.

One of Takaya's classmates who thinks Takaya is joking about not remembering Chiaki and gives him a lecture on friendship. He is a member of the Soccer Club.

He sits directly in front of Takaya in class. His family owns a tofu shop with a history going back to the Edo Period.

Orphaned son of courageous general Kiyama Masachika of Higo, he was a giant of a man recognized as a person of unrivaled physical strength, said to possess the strength of 75 men. He was one of the coolie workers who built Kumamoto Castle.

"Yokote no" is not a family name; it means "side/beside", so Yokote no Gorou is something like "Gorou at the side".

He served the Shugo-Uesugi, Nagao, and Nagao-Uesugi Clans and was a trusted vassal of Uesugi Kenshin who participated in many of his battles. He supported Uesugi Kagekatsu in the Otate no Ran after Kenshin's death along with his son Yoshie Kagesuke and grandson Nakajou Kageyasu.

He committed suicide at Uozu Castle along with his son and grandsons when it fell to Oda Nobunaga in 1582.

Also known as: Ohigashi-no-Kata (お東の方), nickname—Demon Princess of the Ouu (奥羽の鬼姫), Hoshunin (保春院).

Mother of Date Masamune, daughter of Mogami Yoshimori and younger sister of Mogami Yoshiaki, Yoshihime was born in Yamagata Castle in Dewa. She was given in marriage at the age of 19 to Date Terumune and bore him two sons, Date Masamune and Date Kojirou. She hated her first-born, Masamune, due to his one-eyed state, and favored his younger brother Kojirou. There was additional tension between them due to Yoshihime leaking information to her relatives in the Mogami Clan even while they were fighting with the Date Clan. In 1585, upon Terumune's death, she decided to have Masamune killed to allow Kojirou to become head of the Date clan.

In 1590, when Masamune was participating in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaign against Odawara Castle, Yoshihime personally brought Masamune a meal laced with poison. Though Masamune consumed the poison, he was able to counteract it with the antidote. He then had Kojirou commit seppuku. Afterwards, Yoshihime returned to the Mogami Clan.

In 1614, upon Mogami Yoshiaki's death, internal strife split the Mogami Clan. In 1622, Yoshihime could no longer sustain her status in the Mogami Clan, and asked Masamune to return, which he allowed. She went to live in Sendai Castle and died there a year later at the age of 76.

It was thought from the contents of the letters and poems mother and son exchanged that Yoshihime was reconciliated with Masamune in her latter years.

The new Math teacher at Takaya's school whom Yuzuru claims Takaya bullies and drives to truancy. He retaliates by assigning Takaya extra work when Takaya misses class.

A friend of Morino Saori, whom she calls 'Ton-chan." She collapsed during the mass-fainting on their third year field trip at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. They roomed together during the field trip along with a third girl, Kosaka, whom Saori calls 'Nao-chan."