Title: Musashi Shugodai

Ooishi Sadahisa was a warlord of Musashi, son of Ooishi Sadashige and master of Takiyama Castle. He succeeded his father as head of the family, but in 1546 upon the Uesugi Clan's defeat to Houjou Ujiyasu in the Battle of Kawagoe Castle, he married his daughter Hisa to Ujiyasu's third son Houjou Ujiteru and adopted him, upon which he retired and yielded both Takiyama Castle and his title to Ujiteru. After retirement he worked to further diplomatic relations between the Houjou and Uesugi Kenshin.

Title: Tajima no Kami

Second son of Higuchi Kanetoyo, younger brother of Naoe Kanetsugu, vassal of the Uesugi Clan. He fought for Uesugi Kagekatsu in the Otate no Ran. In 1582 he was adopted into the Okuni Clan as its heir. When he became head of the clan, he changed the clan name to Ookuni by Kagekatsu's command. (小国->大国, "small country"->"large country".)

The guidance counselor at Fukashi Junior High School while Takaya was a student there.

Described as a middle-aged man with a deep, harsh voice, an overbearing expression, and bad breath. He wears a threadbare necktie and trousers that always look like the same pair. Rumor has it that he's the hen-pecked husband of a woman from one of the old families, and takes his shame and resentment of being adopted into his wife's family out on the students. He always carries an elastic stick pointer and likes browbeating the students in the guise of counseling them. Also rumored to have made a female student take her clothes off in front of him.

Also known as: Oota Sukenaga (太田資長)

Oota Doukan was a Japanese samurai warrior-poet, military tactician and Buddhist monk who is best remembered for designing and building Edo Castle (now the Imperial Palace). He served the Ougigayatsu-Uesugi Clan and built Edo Castle for Uesugi Sadamasa over Edo Shigenaga's earlier fortifications. In the 16th century, Tokugawa Ieyasu would choose Edo Castle to be his home upon his transfer to the Kantou.

During Nagao Kageharu's Rebellion, Doukan fought 30-odd battles and almost single-handedly averted the crisis for the Ougigayatsu and Yamanouchi Uesugi clans. His efforts resulted in a great increase in the influence of the Ougigayatsu-Uesugi Clan as well as his own stature.

The Ougigayatsu-Uesugi Clan, fearful and suspicious of his rising power (possibly justified, possibly not) had Doukan assassinated at Uesugi Sadamasa's residence in Sagami.

Daughter of Naoe Sanetsuna who became wife of Naoe Nobutsuna and later Naoe Kanetsugu.

The otogi-shuu (lit. attendants), was a daimyo's inner circle and performed many functions. They were trusted political, governmental, and military advisors and confidants and, as the land grew more peaceful, chroniclers, storytellers and other people of culture. Many were officers, monks, fallen daimyo, and commanders retired from the front lines.

Also known as: En ("Charming"), Lady Iwamura, Onao-no-kata

Lady Otsuya was daughter of Oda Nobusada and aunt of Oda Nobunaga. She was married to Tooyama Kagetou, a retainer of Oda Nobunaga.

When Tooyama died on Sept. 21, 1572 of illness without an heir, Nobunaga sent his fifth son Gobomaru (Oda Katsunaga), then seven, to be adopted by his aunt as heir to the Tooyama clan. Due to his young age, however, Lady Otsuya ruled the castle and the Tooyama domain.

Soon after, Takeda Shingen began his westward expansion and laid siege to the castle. Lady Otsuya negotiated for its surrender. The castle fell without bloodshed. As part of the terms, Gobomaru went to Takeda as hostage and Lady Otsuya married the Takeda-appointed lord of the castle, Akiyama Nobutomo, one of the Takeda Twenty-four Generals.

In 1575, after Takeda Shingen's death, Nobunaga laid siege to Iwamura Castle after defeating Takeda Katsuyori in the Battle of Nagashino. Akiyama Nobutomo and Lady Otsuya defended the castle against fierce assaults for six months, but acceded to Nobunaga's plea for peace and promise of safety. Nobunaga broke his promise and had both of them executed as traitors by hanging upside-down.

A local brewery makes a beer named "Lady Castellan" in her honor.

Eldest daughter of Takeda Shingen and Sanjou-no-Kata. She married Houjou Ujimasa, heir to the Sagami Houjou Clan, on the occasion of the three-way alliance between the Takeda, Imagawa, and Houjou clans in December of 1554 when she was 12 years old. The wedding was a glorious affair and had 10,000 people in the procession. She gave Ujimasa a daughter and five sons, including his heir Houjou Ujinao in 1562, and their marriage was thought to be a happy one.

However, when Shingen attacked Suruga in December of 1568, breaking the alliance, Ujiyasu flew into a rage and had the marriage between Oubaiin and his son broken off. Oubaiin was sent back to Kai, where she later entered the priesthood at Daisen Temple in Koufu. She died at the age of 27.

Shingen built a sub-temple (part of his family temple) in her honor, as did Ujimasa when the Houjou and Takeda formed another alliance in 1571.

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'.

Princess Tenko is the stage name of the internationally-famous Japanese magician and illusionist, Mariko Itakura. Prior to being apprenticed in 1976 to the first Tenko magician, Tenko Hikita, she was already well-known singer with the stage name Mari Asakaze. She assumed the Tenko name on Dec. 15, 1980 after the death of her teacher the previous year.

An Edo-period historian and poet who was born on Jan. 21, 1780 in Hiroshima-han and died on Oct. 16, 1832. His father, Rai Shunsui (頼春水), was a Confucian scholar. His works included: The Unofficial History of Japan (日本外史), Chronicles of the Japanese Government (日本政記), Sanyou Poem Selections (山陽詩鈔), Notes on Morality (通義), etc.

Titles: Maou
Also called: The Mighty Warrior King
Race: Mazoku

The 22nd Maou of the Mazoku.

Ryouko is second-in-command to Enoki Masamichi, Faith-Protector of the Himuka Cult. She has the strongest flying ability among them.

She appears to be older than most of the other Bird-people and was studying medicine before she joining the cult.

Founder of Saiganden Temple who recited the Lotus Sutra constantly and enshrined the eleven-faced Kannon in a hermitage on the mountain which would become the temple's main hall.

"Tokushi" is a title given to a monk one rank below that of lecturer.

Stories say that Saiei was either a monk from the Buddhist kingdom of Tianzhu (India), who received a behest from Emperor Shoumu to ascend to the top of Mount Aso and receive Takeiwatatsu-no-mikoto or that he was a disciple of Ryougen of Mount Hiei.

Owner of Saitou's Shop in Iya who is friendly with Ushio and is as fond of fishing as he is.

Title: Shimotsuke no Kami

Master of Akada Castle, a courageous and honorable vassal of Uesugi Kenshin. He fought in many of Kenshin's battles, including the fourth Battle of Kawanakajima, the capture of Ecchuu, etc.

He supported Uesugi Kagekatsu in the Otate no Ran after Kenshin's death and participated in the negotiations with Takeda Katsuyori. He defended Kaidu Castle from Oda Nobunaga's invasion. In addition to his war merits, he also served as a magistrate for the clan.

Titles: Shogun, Major Counselor, Minister of War

Sakanoue no Tamuramaro was a celebrated general who served Emperor Kammu as his shogun and subjugated the Emishi tribes who lived in northern Honshuu. After Emperor Kammu's death, he was appointed Major Counselor and Minister of War to Emperor Heizei and Emperor Saga.

Described as an middle-aged man of medium height; possessed by Isshiki Yoshimichi. He goes to a hotel in Kobe to finalize a kickback deal made with the Hyougo Prefecture parliament member Kaneko.

Also known as: 宮千代丸、松三、孝長

Son (or possibly younger brother) of Sanbonji Sadanaga, he became head of the Sanbonji Clan and master of Fudousan Castle after Uesugi Kagekatsu become head of the Uesugi Clan. He committed suicide in the Battle of Uozu Castle along with twelve other Uesugi commanders. He was apparently still a young man at the time.

Race: Mazoku

Saruwatari Nobumitsu was son of Saruwatari Nobusuke and a retainer of the Shimazu Clan. He held Kaseda and Hazuki as his fiefdoms and was extolled as a brave warrior. He fought in the invasion of Higo and led 1,000 soldiers (out of 6,000 - 8,000) in the Battle of Okitanawate of May 3, 1584 against the Ryuuzouji army. His heir Yajirou was killed in the battle.

He was killed in 1587 during the Battle of Nejirozaka during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's pacification of Kyuushuu.

Also known as: Kuranosuke—nickname (内蔵助)
Titles: Mutsu no Kami, Ecchuu no Kami, Chamberlain

A daimyo of the Sengoku, born in Owari. His father was Sassa Morimasa. His two older brothers, Sassa Masatsugu and Sassa Magosuke, died in battle, so Narimasa became head of the clan and master of Hira Castle in 1560. He distinguished himself in the loyal service of Oda Nobunaga and fought in many of Nobunaga's battles. His name was first on a list for the Kurohoro-gumi, an elite group of Nobunaga's bodyguards.

In 1580, he backed Jinbou Nagazumi against both the Uesugi Clan and the Ikkou-ikki in Ecchuu, and was given half the province. The following year, he was named governor (Kami) of the entire province when Jinbou Nagazumi lost his standing. He made Toyama Castle his main castle and performed extensive repairs and renovations on it.

After Nobunaga's death in 1582, Narimasa continued to engage in fierce battles with Uesugi Kagekatsu. He took the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobukatsu against Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but later surrendered to him in 1585 when Hideyoshi laid siege to Toyama Castle with 10,000 troops. He lost Ecchuu, but was given a fief in Higo in 1587 for merits in the suppression of Kyuushuu, along with instructions on refraining from hasty reforms. Ignoring those instructions because of illness or perhaps misunderstanding, Narimasa immediately set out on Hideyoshi's nationwide land survey, resulting in rebellion of the province. He was charged with misgovernment and committed ritual suicide.

He wrote the following as his death-poem: "The shell of my begging bowl in which I have placed the evil delusions of these recent days now breaks" (この頃の　厄妄想を　入れ置きし　鉄鉢袋　今破るなり).

Narimasa is said to have brutally killed his concubine, Sayuri, along with her family for a rumor of infidelity. The legend goes that Sayuri cursed him before she died, and the curse was responsible for his death at the hand of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

In Mirage of Blaze: He is kanshousha who has entered the «Yami-Sengoku» as one of the Oda's commanders, described as a tanned, fearless-looking young man, a "mountain cat in human skin." He and Mori Ranmaru don't appear to be on the best of terms. He later seeks his death at Sayuri's hands in remorse for the way he brutally tortured and killed her in their previous lives.

Satomi Yoshitaka was the son of Satomi Sanetaka and became head of the Satomi Clan by killing the then-head, his cousin Satomi Yoshitoyo (son of his father's older brother Satomi Yoshimichi) in 1534. The traditional version of the story goes that Yoshitoyo killed Yoshitaka's father, who was in communication with the Houjou, and Yoshitaka killed him in revenge. In recent years, however, historians have theorized that Yoshitaka and Sanetaka, father and son, allied themselves with the Satomi Clan's bitter enemy, the Houjou Clan, in order to take over the clan. They then changed the records to hide the fact that they betrayed the Houjou Clan after their plan succeeded.

As clan head, Yoshitaka fought numerous battles with Houjou Ujitsuna and Houjou Ujiyasu. He pushed into Shimousa and Kazusa, making his stronghold Kuruji Castle in Kazusa, and brought about the golden age of the clan. He battled the Houjou to the last and died at Kuruji Castle at the age of 68.

A student at Old Castle High School in junior class C who is friends with Inaba Akemi and is apparently a fellow fan of SEEVA.

The SEEVA fan club exclusive ticket that she intended to give to Akemi at school was confiscated by the student council's patrol committee, leaving her in tears.