Characters
Kumagai Jiro Naozane
A warrior who contributes significantly to the Genji clan victory. He fights at Suma Beach alongside his son, who is participating in his first battle. He fights one-on-one against Atsumori, a young noble from the Heike clan. He defeats the young warrior, but things soon take a different turn.
Yoshitsune
A top general in the Genji clan. When he learns that Atsumori is the illegitimate child of the retired emperor, he sends a secret command to Kumagai to save him.
Sagami
Kumagai’s wife. She was formerly a servant to Fuji-no-kata in the imperial household. She is nearly punished when she falls in love with Kumagai, but is saved by her mistress. She unexpectedly meets her benefactor on the battlefield, where both have gone in concern for their sons.
Fuji-no-kata
Atsumori’s mother. Formerly a lady-in-waiting in imperial household, she later became the lover of the retired emperor. She marries Tsunemori while pregnant, and the child Atsumori is raised as a son of the Taira clan.
Midaroku (actually Munekiyo)
Heike warrior. He saves the life of his enemy’s wife and three children out of compassion. He is living in disguise among the Genjis, but Yoshitsune identifies him because of a mole between his eyebrows.
Kagetake
Son of a major Genji warrior. During the search for Fuji-no-kata, he captures Midaroku, who acts suspiciously, and brings him to war camp for examination.
Atsumori
Does not appear in this scene, but is referred to as a ghost or shadow and is a critical character in the story. He is a young warrior in the Taira clan, also known as a good flute player. He is also the illegitimate child of the retired emperor. He loses a battle with Kumagai at Suma Beach and stoically accepts his fate.
Kumagai Kojiro
Appears in the previous act Camp Gate. He is Kumagai’s only son and is participating in his first battle at age 16. He leads the troupes to fight the Heike, but is wounded. Rescued by his father, he is removed from the battlefield.
