Kaede

Kaede (楓, Kaede which means "maple") is a character who is considered to be the main protagonist of the Last Blade series. He is voiced by Kōji Suidzu. He is symbolized by falling maple leaves (he also has a golden stylized maple leaf on the back of his vest) and his official slogan is "Shining Soul": 時代を継ぐ少年. His transformation ability is a reference to the Super Saiyan state in Dragon Ball Z, and has oddly been likened to Rock Howard since the latter's first appearance (not only because both are blond, but also because both have red eyes).

In the character popularity poll on Neo Geo Freak's website, his awakened state was voted as the ninth favorite character with a total of 1,028 votes. In the same poll, his normal form occupied the fourteenth spot with 896 votes.

Story
He was the son of a warrior named Gaisei. Gaisei was a master swordsman who trained him with two other orphans, Moriya Minakata and Yuki. As he grew, he became an avid swordsman and powerful warrior. One day, when he was twelve, he and Yuki returned from an errand to discover their master slain and Moriya standing over his corpse. Enraged, Kaede physically attacked him for the (presumed) killing of their master. Moriya withstood the attack and left in silence.

Shortly thereafter, Kaede and Yuki depart their foster home to avenge the death of their master and confront the killer. Five years on their quest, he still searches for Moriya. He eventually discovers that the real killer of his master was one of the four guardians of hell, Shinnosuke Kagami. He engages him, but the guardian's superior skill quickly overpowers him. However, it is revealed that Kaede possesses the power of the legendary dragon Seiryū, one of the Four Sacred Beasts of Chinese mythology. He can transform with the beast's power, changing various physical aspects and giving him additional power. With his transformation into “awakened Kaede” (覚醒楓, Kakusei Kaede), he defeats Kagami.

After honing his skills and learning to control the power of the Seiryū to a greater extent, Kaede and Yuki set off for Okina in order to find more information. When they arrive, they discover that the “Sealing Rite” needs to be performed, for a great evil threatens the world. This rite is to be performed by a special maiden, but a warrior named the “Messenger From Afar” seeks to assassinate her and prevent her from performing it. Kaede sets out to protect the maiden and to allow her to accomplish her mission.

Personality
Kaede is humble and polite for his age, modest about his accomplishments and careful about how he perceives himself to others. At first, he is reluctant to release Seiryū's power, afraid of the possibility of letting his over half becoming dominate and subsequently berserk with power. He has mixed impressions for Moriya as he respects his brother but is also a little envious of his freedom from the Four Sacred Beasts.

As Awakened Kaede, he is transformed into a cocky and brash warrior, a trait that slowly but unnoticeably mellows as the series progresses. By Last Blade 2, Kaede establishes complete control over his awakening and uses Seiryu's power more effectively.

Powers

 * Transform - Kaede can change himself into a blond haired, red eyed person.
 * Energy Projectile - Kaede can fire a projectile of energy while not in awakened form.
 * Electrokinesis - Kaede can control electricity.
 * Electric Projectile - Kaede can create an electric projectile.
 * Thunder - Kaede can summon thunder from the sky and from the ground up.
 * Electric Attacks - As awakened Kaede, he can fuel his attacks with electric energy.

Fighting Style
He was taught this particular sword art to tame Kaede's temptations to be dependent on Seiryū (hence the name, whis is also a play on "Kamiya Kasshin-ryū" style found in the Rurouni Kenshin manga). From there, he is clearly shown doing two handed sword strikes similar to the aforementioned origins of the style in his normal attacks. Though in his awakened form, his skill seems to increase along with his power, enabling him to perform attacks such as his forward C with one hand as opposed to with two hands, showing Kaede while awakened can execute the form through great skill outside the original style.

His style is meant to be a good balance for players with no real strengths or weaknesses. Kaede's ability to transform slightly altered the game play for him in the the first game, as his Awakened form was noticeably stronger but gradually drained his lifebar while in use. The second game changes this by having both forms as separate characters; the awakened form is initially playable (without the limits in the first game) and his normal self enters as a secret character.

Game Appearances

 * The Last Blade
 * The Last Blade 2 - Awakened form, original form hidden
 * The Last Blade - Beyond the Destiny
 * The King of Fighters 2000 - As a Striker for Ryo (Awakened form, a nod to Ryo's nickname)
 * Neo Geo Battle Coliseum - Awakened form

Cameo Appearances

 * The King of Fighters '94: Rebout
 * Days of Memories (ninth title) - in-text cameo
 * KOF: Maximum Impact 2 - Rock Howard's Normal outfit G (Awakened Form)
 * Garou: Mark of the Wolves - background cameo

Last Blade Drama CD
Although frequently mentioned, Kaede plays only a minor character in the Drama CD, appearing only in Yuki's dreams, a flashback and in a miscellaneous scene. The original character, Hojo Souma, conjures an illusion to disguise himself as Kaede causing Yuki to mistake him for the real one.