Characters
Keyamura Rokusuke
Youth living in Keyamura (Keya Village) at the foot of Mt. Hiko in Buzen Province (northern Kyushu). He previously learned the secrets of swordsmanship from Yoshioka Ichimisai, a self-proclaimed messenger of the gods of Kora Shrine. He is a fine young man who is dedicated and faithful.
Osono
Eldest daughter of Yoshioka Ichimisai. A typical female martial artist role, physically strong and a superb fighter. At the same time, she is madly in love with a man she has never met – Rokusuke, her fiancé in a arrangement by her father. Traveling in disguise as an itinerant monk in a scheme to avenge her father’s murder, she happens upon Rokusuke and, in a highlight, quickly shows an adorable femininity.
Yoshioka Ichimisai
A sword teacher in the Kori household (representing the powerful real-life Mori household). He has a wife, two daughters and a blind son. After Kyogoku Takumi tries to force himself on the second daughter, Ichimisai beats him in a swordfight, only to be murdered by the resentful Takumi with a gun.
Mijin Danjo, actually Kyogoku Takumi
Sword master in the Mijin school and a sword teacher in the Kori household. He assassinates Ichimisai and escapes, taking the alias Mijin Danjo. After arranging a fake victory in a fight with Rokusuke, he becomes a sword teacher in the neighboring province.
Okiku
Ichimisai’s second daughter. She is secretly in love with Yasaburo, the son of a senior servant in the Kori household. They have a son, Yasomatsu. On a journey to avenge her father’s murder, she herself is killed by Takumi.
Yasomatsu
The son of Okiku and Yasaburo. He travels with his mother on the vendetta and, after a series of occurrences, is currently under Rokusuke’s care.
Oko
Ichimisai’s widow.
Onoemon
Woodcutter in Keyamura. He discovers that his mother has been murdered and asks Rokusuke to assist in finding and killing the enemy.
