Jubei Yagyu

Jubei Yagyu (柳生 十兵衛, Yagyū Jūbee) is a reoccuring character who was introduced in Samurai Shodown. He was dropped from the series after Samurai Shodown II but, like Tam Tam and Charlotte, returns to the series in Samurai Shodown IV. He is another interpretation of the often romanticized samurai, Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi. Like other mythical incarnations, he is the one-eyed master of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū and friends with Hanzo Hattori. According to a Gamest Mook, he was planned to appear in Samurai Shodown 64 but was taken out due to time constraints. Before Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage (PSX) debut, he was the only true samurai in the series.

In the RPG, he was an occasional guest member controlled by the computer and thus was unplayable.

Story
In Samurai Shodown V, he teaches swordsmanship to the Tokugawa clan, with Yoshitora Tokugawa as his last disciple. He goes to retrieve the delinquent heir after Yoshitora's father (implied to be Tokugawa Ieharu) passes away. He decides to become a ronin (a lordless samurai) by the time Samurai Shodown takes place, abandoning the strict and regulated life of the dojo and Japanese nobility, to pursue personal enlightenment. Throughout the series, Jubei is hired by the shogunate to kill the demons and other possible threats that wander Japan.

His role in Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden doubles as a sensei to his own dojo and an agent to the bakufu (the then Japanese government). He asks the party to further his investigation for him since he has to teach the lord's sons swordsmanship. In the second chapter, he suffers a mortal blow from one of Mizuki Rashojin's minions, Agon, and his spirit gets sucked into one of the Evil Bells.

Jubei is also the protagonist in Yagyu Jubei Kachou, an official side story set in an alternate reality where Samurai Shodown characters are placed in the modern world. In this story, he is a struggling salary man (standard Japanese business man) who has fallen on hard times. He's often picked on by various characters from the series, though Hanzo and Tam Tam are his closest friends. An archived website about his story is here.

Personality
He is a hearty warrior who is loyal to the Tokugawa shogunate even as a ronin. He also likes to see potential in younger warriors and encourages them to one day overcome him. Unlike his comrade in arms, Hanzo, Jubei is a more care-free man when off duty who enjoys times of peace with a hearty laugh.

Powers

 * Multiple Attacks: Jubei can deliver several slashes at once.
 * Moonlight Projectile: By reflecting the moonlight off his blade, Jubei can send a small wave of light along the ground toward his opponent. If he gathers more energy, he can release it as a large pillar of light.
 * Heart's Eye of Yagyu (Yagyū shingan): A special technique allowing Jubei to instantly counterattack his opponents.

Fighting Style
Yagyū Shinkage-ryū is a real fighting style. The historical Jubei was a prodigy amongst its practitioners.

He fights with twin katana with slow, powerful strikes. Early in the series, he became well known by players for his armed parrying move, a command that could counter certain strikes from his foes if timed correctly. He has three other special commands that follow him in later appearances: Nikkaku Ratō (二ッ角羅刀) – a rushing uppercut, Kattotsu Suigetsutou (喝咄水月刀) – a ground projectile, and Hassō Happa (八相発破) – a multi-hitting slash technique. In Samurai Shodown IV, his "Shura/Slash" form retains most of his old moveset. His "Rasetsu/Bust" form's moveset, however, centers around parrying his opponents' attacks and breaking their guard. Due to the down-to-earth principles in most of his attacks, Jubei is best used by players who can easily predict their challenger's attacks. The food he eats during his winposes and taunts in Samurai Shodown II is dango (a kind of Japanese dumpling).

Music

 * Chikurin (Bamboo Thicket) - Samurai Shodown
 * Seijaku (Silence) - Samurai Shodown II

Voice Actors

 * Takayuki Sakai - Samurai Shodown
 * Kiyoshi Kobayashi - Samurai Shodown II~V Special
 * Tōru Ōkawa - Samurai Shodown VI
 * Takeo Chii - Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture
 * Brian Matthews - Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture (English voice)

Game Appearances

 * Samurai Shodown
 * Samurai Shodown II
 * Samurai Shodown III - Gameboy port only.
 * Samurai Shodown IV
 * Samurai Shodown! 2
 * Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden - NPC
 * SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash - as Kacho version
 * SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium - Olympic mode only
 * Samurai Shodown V
 * Samurai Shodown V Special
 * Samurai Shodown VI
 * Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny

Anime Appearances

 * Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture