5 Best Gaming Samurai Of All Time

One of the most well-known archetypes in gaming is the Samurai, a warrior typically clad in armor from Japan’s cultural history or using a katana sword from the same heritage. However, a samurai is more than just their iconic look, oftentimes representing a character with a strong sense of duty and honor alongside their fighting skills. Oftentimes, games will adhere to or subvert the tropes of a samurai, creating incredibly memorable characters across a variety of genres.

Not every samurai has to follow a strict moral code to fit within the archetype, as there are plenty of characters who emulate that type of warrior without being eternally serious. Typically, it’s the look and fighting style of a character that defines them as a “samurai,” similar to how the best gaming ninjas adopt that particular aesthetic. To put it bluntly, samurai are defined as members of a military class in feudal Japan, usually as retainers or protectors of a lord, implying that the role is more about service to a person or cause than any personality traits.

5. Mitsurugi (Soul Calibur)

Fighting games are no strangers to samurai, with characters like the blind warrior Kenshi from Mortal Kombat embodying the role well. However, when it comes to an authentic representation of a samurai, Soul Calibur‘s Mitsurugi is as close as it gets, with the character exuding the confidence of a katana-wielding warrior. Mitsurugi is an iconic face, rivaling even the roster of games like Samurai Shodown for adopting the look of a samurai down to a T.

However, unlike 2D fighting games, the 3D nature of Soul Calibur allows Mitsurugi to show off his samurai fighting style in full force, using precise strikes and heavy slashes to take down opponents. Mitsurugi is the only Soul Calibur character to be featured in every iteration of the series, further emphasizing how well-liked he is as an icon of the genre. As a samurai, Mitsurugi’s straightforward path embodies the spirit of that moniker too, with his mission tied to finding true strength within to fight honorably and become the strongest warrior possible.

4. Baiken (Guilty Gear)

Baiken is another fighting game samurai, but almost the opposite of Mitsurugi in how she is presented. Instead of a jovial and cocky warrior searching for strength, Baiken spends most of the Guilty Gear series dead set on revenge against those who killed her family and friends. In some respects, Baiken represents the idea of a “Ronin,” or samurai who has failed to protect their lord and now wanders the land in search of purpose.

The look of Baiken is iconic across fighting games, with her eyepatch and missing arm communicating a life of battle and strife. With a rough attitude and strong sense of justice, Baiken has become a fan-favorite character in Guilty Gear‘s history, repeatedly coming back as a widely played fighter. Yet, as her story shifts from wandering revenge seeking to learning to accept what happened in the past, Baiken only gets more interesting over time as a unique samurai in gaming.

3. Samanosuke Akechi (Onimusha)

Samanosuke Akechi is another Ronin samurai, but one that willingly left his post rather than having it be lost in a tragic event. This alone makes Akechi interesting, but the Onimusha series takes it a step further by having him gain the powers of the Oni in his battles against monstrous Genma enemies. As he obtains supernatural powers, Akechi oftentimes gains incredibly satisfying abilities that make him a blast to control in each game, creating a thrilling protagonist who combines special powers with samurai fighting skills.

The core appeal of Akechi comes from how much of the samurai code he retains despite his Ronin status. His moral code is fierce despite the temptation of power from the Oni abilities he gains, creating a strong-willed hero for players to love. The inquisitive nature of Akechi trying to understand how to control Oni powers also plays into an aspect of samurai games often don’t get a chance to explore. In history, samurai were exceptionally well-educated and studied military strategy to expand their chances of victory, which is reflecting through Akechi’s cunning actions throughout Onimusha games.

2. Jin Sakai (Ghost of Tsushima)

Subversion of the samurai archetype doesn’t get any better than Ghost of Tsushima‘s Jin Sakai, a character whose introduction is steeped in the Mongolian invasion of Japan in 1274. This historical event takes a character that embodies the samurai role perfectly, and forces them to evaluate their relationship to that title in a time of extreme conflict. Jin’s battle against the Mongolian invaders causes him to question his samurai code often as he becomes the “Ghost” to fight against his enemies.

The choices of the player in Ghost of Tsushima‘s expansive action-adventure determine how closely Jin follows his original samurai code, but never completely abandons his fundamental sense of honor and justice. In many ways, Jin battles not only against the Mongolians, but the samurai code itself, questioning its restraints while trying to better understand its core beliefs. The flaws and imperfections of the samurai system help craft a complex character whose definition of “samurai” changes throughout an epic story.

1. Cyan Garamonde (Final Fantasy 6)

Hailing from the kingdom of Doma, Cyan Garamonde in Final Fantasy 6‘s initial impressions are that of the most textbook samurai you can think of. Speaking almost entirely in Shakespearean fashion, Cyan appears as a samurai from top to bottom, even speaking like a warrior ripped from the ancient past into the steampunk fantasy of Final Fantasy 6‘s world. However, the destruction of Doma to poisoned water crafts a layer of tragedy on top of Cyan’s surface level, creating a character defined by what they lost.

Cyan is a character filled with guilt and grief, with many interactions showing how he agonizes over his perceived “failure” at protecting his loved ones like a samurai is meant to. His journey paints a heart wrenching struggle against his own self-loathing, as he tries desperately to cling onto his honor and duty to protect the world from those who would try to ruin it. To stand among other powerful Final Fantasy characters, Cyan fights tooth and nail to regain his honor, with an infectious level of fervor that makes him almost impossible not to like.

In many respects, Cyan’s helpful and personable qualities despite his inner struggles define a samurai’s core values best. The characters that embody the idea of a samurai the most are ones who have a great sense of responsibility, tackling challenges using their moral code to guide them, even if they question themselves sometimes along their difficult paths.

Who are your favorite samurai in games, as this list surely couldn’t cover them all? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!

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