* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Nioh
仁王
Nioh is an action RPG released by Koei Tecmo in 2017. Its protagonist, William, is modeled on the real English adventurer Miura Anjin (William Adams), and the story is set in Japan on the eve of the Battle of Sekigahara. Its weapon system draws on Japanese arms such as the katana, dual swords, spear, axe, kusarigama, and bow, and it was highly praised by history and sword enthusiasts around the world.
Description
The Real Adventurer as Protagonist
Nioh is an action RPG that Koei Tecmo finally released in 2017, a project the company had nurtured for many years. It achieved worldwide success with a high-difficulty combat system often called the "Japanese Dark Souls" and a historically rich setting in the late Sengoku period on the eve of the Battle of Sekigahara. Its greatest feature is that the protagonist is modeled on a real foreigner: the English navigator William Adams (Japanese name: Miura Anjin). William Adams drifted ashore in Japan in 1600 (Keichō 5), later served Tokugawa Ieyasu as a diplomatic adviser and shipbuilding engineer, and remained in Japan until his death in Hirado in 1620. He is remembered in history as the first Westerner to be granted the title of samurai.
Complete Recreation of Japanese Weapons
Nioh's weapon system is built on thorough research into Japan's historical weapons. Each weapon type, including the katana, dual swords, spear, axe, kusarigama, ōtachi, and senkon, has its own set of techniques, including secret techniques (ōgi). For the Japanese sword weapons (uchigatana, tachi, and twin swords) in particular, there is a set of techniques for each of three stances, upper, middle, and lower (kamae), and switching stances according to the situation forms the core of combat. This stance system directly reflects the concept of the "five-element stances" (gogyō no kamae: upper, middle, lower, hassō, and wakigamae) found in actual swordsmanship schools. It is a rare design that lets players experience the logic of real swordsmanship through gameplay.
The "Ki" System and Real Martial Arts
One of Nioh's unique game mechanics is the "ki" (stamina) system. Attacking, defending, and evading all consume ki, and when ki runs out, satisfactory combat actions cannot be performed. This corresponds to the concept of "ki" in actual martial arts. In kendō, the state called "ki-ken-tai-ichi" (unity of spirit, sword, and body), the moment when mind (ki), sword (ken), and body (tai) are fully unified, is a condition for a valid strike. Nioh's ki system expresses this fundamental proposition of Eastern martial arts, that the sword cannot function without the fullness of spirit, as a game mechanic. Nioh's combat, in which skill at managing ki decides victory or defeat, deeply resonates with the spirit of actual martial arts, which values the coordination of mind and body.
Sengoku Warlords and Real Famous Swords
Nioh's story features many real Sengoku warlords, and real swords associated with them are deeply woven into the narrative and world. Prominent figures such as Tokugawa Ieyasu, Ishida Mitsunari, and Honda Tadakatsu appear as major characters. Tonbogiri, the spear held by Honda Tadakatsu, is one of the Three Great Spears of Japan. However, the game's historical setting is not especially strict, and fantasy elements such as traditional Japanese yōkai are strong.
William Adams and His Encounter with the Japanese Sword
The real history of William Adams is one of the most notable cases of a foreigner engaging deeply with Japanese sword culture. Ieyasu took a liking to Adams, granted him the status of a hatamoto with samurai rank, and gave him a domain in Miura, Sagami Province (present-day Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture). As a retainer, he wore a Japanese sword, and he was the first Westerner to experience the samurai way of life in Japan. The game's premise, in which the Western protagonist William freely wields Japanese weapons, is inspired by this historical fact. It makes him a universal character who conveys to players around the world the appeal of Japanese sword culture as seen from outside. This concept also deeply resonates with TOUKENZA's mission of sharing the appeal of the Japanese sword with the world.
Real Swords Featured
Miura Anjin (William Adams) and the Japanese Sword
William Adams (1564–1620) was an English navigator who drifted ashore in Bungo Province (present-day Ōita Prefecture) in 1600, was valued by Tokugawa Ieyasu, and became a hatamoto known as Miura Anjin. He was given a domain in Miura, Sagami Province, and is said to have been the first Westerner granted the title of samurai. He contributed to trade and diplomacy between England, the Netherlands, and the Tokugawa shogunate, and also provided instruction in Japanese shipbuilding techniques. His life is the earliest record of a "foreigner who embraced Japanese sword culture" within another culture, and he is about as fitting a model as one could imagine for the protagonist of Nioh.
Tonbogiri
A spear with a leaf-shaped blade (sasaho-gata) counted among the Three Great Spears of Japan. It was the favorite spear of Honda Tadakatsu, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Tokugawa, and takes its name from a legend that a dragonfly (tonbo) that flew into the blade was cut in two. It is said that Honda Tadakatsu took part in 57 battles in his life without receiving so much as a scratch. The spear is currently entrusted to the Sano Art Museum, and it is a must-see when the museum displays it. In Nioh, Honda Tadakatsu appears early in the game and crosses blades with William.
Naginata and Female Warriors
The naginata is a weapon in which a long, curved blade is attached to a long shaft. It appeared in the Heian period and was used by foot-soldier samurai and warrior monks. After the Sengoku period it gave its leading role to the spear, but it continued to be used as a weapon of women. In the Edo period, naginata-jutsu was systematized as a martial art that samurai women trained in for self-defense.
Kusarigama and Ninja Weapons
The kusarigama combines a chain with a weight (fundō) and a sickle. It is said to have been used mainly by ninja and farmers. Its feature is a two-stage attack in which the sickle strikes the opponent while the chain entangles the opponent's weapon. It developed as an asymmetric tactic against samurai who carried swords. In actual Sengoku battles, various weapons other than swords were used on battlefields and roads, and Nioh's weapon system faithfully reflects this diversity of Sengoku weaponry.
See authentic Japanese swords
See authentic Japanese swordsThis page is intended to introduce Japanese sword culture and is not affiliated with any of the works mentioned.