Tale of Ronin

Game Backstory

An image showing two silhouettes of daimyo, Japanese lords, flanking a field of fighting men.

Daimyo: The Feudal Lords of Japan

The Edo period in Japan was characterized by a strict feudal system in which daimyo, or regional lords, were given control over vast areas of land. Daimyo were expected to oversee their territory and keep the peace, but they had to abide by edicts issued by the shogunate. They were given the authority to create …

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Storytelling in Tale of Ronin

Tale of Ronin will immerse gamers in the world of a ronin in 1637 Japan. The Edo period has just begun and the great battles of the Warring States period are still in living memory. The Tokugawa regime is propping up specific sects of Buddhism as a political power play. Christianity is persecuted as harshly …

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The Battle of Sekigahara: How Japan’s Greatest Battle Added to the Ronin Problem

The Battle of Sekigahara was the greatest battle in Japanese history. It took place in the village of Sekigahara, which was located in a mountain valley. There, two coalition forces led by two great daimyo, Ishida Mitsunari and Tokugawa Ieyasu, clashed violently over who would have the right to rule a unified Japan. Ieyasu and …

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A stylized artwork showing an inky silhouette of a ronin samurai.

Ronin: the Unemployed Samurai

The samurai is one of the most iconic figures in Japanese history, but the ronin is one of his only rivals. Ronin, meaning “wave man,” refers to masterless samurai who were no longer retainers serving a daimyo. Although warriors had served daimyo — and lost them — during most of Japanese history, ronin were especially …

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On the Ronin and Shame

When honor is all that you live for, when it is ingrained in your soul throughout your life, when it is what defines your identity as a samurai, the question is will it ever leave you? Honor is constructed on the foundation of a code of honor, a reference to evaluate your every action. For …

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