Nioh - Characters
The cast of Nioh, split between the historical Sengoku figures William fights alongside or against, the fictional and folkloric characters who drive the spirit-stone plot, and the antagonist who leads the campaign. Biographies stick to the roles the game gives them rather than full historical accoun...
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of 12 entries
· updated 2026-09-15
| Name | Description | Role | Faction | Abilities | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Adams | An Irish-born English sailor who arrives in Japan chasing the alchemist Edward Kelley and the spirit stones Kelley stole. | Protagonist | Independent / Tokugawa allies | Mastery of all melee weapon classes Guardian Spirit bonding and Living Weapon Ninjutsu and Onmyo magic Amrita absorption | Playable protagonist for the entire campaign |
| Saoirse | The water spirit bonded to William, and the reason he can see and fight yokai at all. | Guardian Spirit | William's bonded spirit | Grants William sight of the spirit world Living Weapon activation Water-aligned spirit power | Bonded to William from the prologue |
| Tokugawa Ieyasu | The future shogun, portrayed as the political mind William ends up serving. | Ally / Warlord | Tokugawa clan | Political and military command Access to the Tokugawa intelligence network Patronage of William's missions | Recurring story ally from the early campaign |
| Hattori Hanzo | Ieyasu's legendary ninja retainer, and the man who first recognises what William is capable of. | Ally / Ninja Commander | Tokugawa clan | Ninjutsu and infiltration Intelligence gathering Command of Tokugawa ninja | Story ally throughout the campaign |
| Okatsu | A kunoichi tied to Hanzo's network who crosses paths with William repeatedly, alternating between reluctant assistance and outright challenge. | Ally / Kunoichi | Tokugawa clan (Hanzo's circle) | Ninjutsu and stealth Fast dual-blade combat Infiltration and reconnaissance | Recurring ally and duel opponent across the campaign |
| Tachibana Muneshige | A Sengoku swordsman of the old school, met first as an enemy duel and remembered as one of the game's best fights. | Rival / Duel Boss | Tachibana clan | Fast iai quickdraw swordsmanship Guardian Spirit Living Weapon Parry and counter mastery | Boss duel in the Kyushu campaign |
| Oda Nobunaga | The Demon King of the Sengoku period, present in Nioh as a fire-infused sword master whose ambition and dealings with spirit stones put him across the battlefield from William. | Antagonist / Warlord | Oda clan | Fire-infused sword combat Command of Oda forces Spirit stone influence | Late-campaign antagonist and boss in Omi |
| Edward Kelley | The alchemist William chases across Japan after Kelley steals spirit stones and kills William's companion in the prologue. | Main Antagonist | Independent alchemist | Spirit stone alchemy Summoning and controlling yokai Manipulation of Sengoku warlords | Story antagonist from the prologue onward |
| Derrick the Executioner | The Tower of London's monstrous jailer and the first thing William fights in Japan-bound exile. | Antagonist / Tutorial Boss | Tower of London | Heavy axe swings Grapple attempt High stagger resistance | Prologue boss in the Tower of London |
| Yasuke (Obsidian Samurai) | The African retainer of Oda Nobunaga, armoured in black and fighting with a two-handed blade. | Antagonist / Duel Boss | Oda clan | Heavy two-handed sword combat High poise and armour Guardian Spirit attacks | Boss duel in the Tokai region |
| Ii Naomasa | The commander of the Tokugawa red devils, present in the campaign as one of Ieyasu's front-line generals. | Ally / Warlord | Tokugawa clan | Command of the red-armoured Tokugawa cavalry Front-line spear combat Battlefield leadership | Tokugawa ally in the Sekigahara campaign |
| Date Shigezane | The Dragon of the North chapter's central warlord, introduced as the expansion's headline duel. | Antagonist / Duel Boss (DLC) | Date clan | Heavy weapon pressure Living Weapon phase Aggressive pursuit | Dragon of the North DLC, Tohoku region |
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