Hanzo Hattori

Hanzo Hattori (服部 半蔵, Hattori Hanzō) is one of the few characters introduced in Samurai Shodown that appears in every title of the series. He is based on the historical figure of the same name, who was a Tokugawa ninja and head of a clan in Iga. Like several other mythical incarnations, he is an old friend to Jubei Yagyu due to their ties to the Tokugawa clan. He also married a Koga ninja, Kaede, quelling a long feud between the two ninja clans that is often romanticized in the historical novel, "The Kouga Ninja Scrolls".

In Samurai Shodown RPG, he was an occasional guest member controlled by the computer and thus was unplayable. He also appears as a secret character in another SNK Playmore game, KOF: Maximum Impact 2. In Gamest's 1997 Heroes Collection, Hanzo ranked 46 of the staff's favorite characters. He shared the spot with seven other characters, including Art of Fighting character, Robert Garcia and Darkstalkers character, Demitri Maximoff. He has one known action figure, based on his appearance in Samurai Shodown 64.

Story
He is the mightiest of the Iga ninja, employed under the Tokugawa shogunate. Leading his band of ninja, he specializes in assassination attacks against their enemies. For instance, in Samurai Shodown V, Hanzo is given the task to execute the traitor to Yoshitora Tokugawa's father. In Samurai Shodown, he discovers his son, Shinzo, exhibiting mysterious mannerisms due to Shiro Tokisada Amakusa's possession. He fights to save his son but only succeeds in recovering Shinzo's body. Eventually, Hanzo learns that Shinzo's soul is still in the demon world so he sets out with his wife and his second son, Kanzo, to retrieve it. In his ending to Samurai Shodown II, they succeed but Kaede sacrifices herself to unite her son's soul to his body. Despite the hardship, he continues to serve his lord with his sons by his side.

Shinzo accepts the title "Hanzo" in Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage. In this game, Hanzo receives secret orders from the shogunate. The officials received intel regarding the plans of the Three Blades of Dominion calling for the overturning of the government, he seeks the whereabouts of Jigen Taishi, believed to be the scheme's ringleader, and sets out alone for Riten Kyo. In his ending, he eliminates the traitor ninja and successfully reports his findings to the shogun without losing face for his clan. His father watches from afar, proud of his son's accomplishments.

Personality
Both son and father are very serious but also very sarcastic. They are often seen laughing at their enemies in a superior manner. They want to fight worthy opponents and know that their fate is to die in battle.

Powers
Aside from these powers, he also has all the skills perceived to be had by ninja (stealth, swimming, climbing, ect.)


 * Use of Shurikens - Hanzo is only character in series to use shuriken projectiles.
 * Shadow Pin - Legendary ninja skill of immobilizing opponent by pinning his shadow to ground by shuriken. Used exclusively by Shinzo.
 * Pyrotechnical Attacks - Hanzo uses a variety of fire-based ninja attacks, such as ground fire waves, various applications of normal and flash bombs.
 * Bonebreaking Taijutsu - Hanzo can use specific hand-to-hand fighting skills, grabs and acrobatic moves to break the bones of his opponents.
 * Invisibility - Hanzo can become invisible at will, in some cases it requires use of flash bomb.
 * Teleportation - Hanzo can teleport to short distances.

Fighting Style
Comparable to other ninja in fiction, Hanzo's ninjutsu focuses on the mystical properties of the style rather than its physical fighting techniques. He possesses the ability to teleport and trick his attackers with a dummy when hit. He can also create multiple illusions of himself in hopes of misleading his opponents for an open strike. He later integrates a heavy emphasis on bone-breaking grappling, a trait that follows him in his newer appearances. When first introduced, he and Galford nearly mirrored each other in most aspects. As the series progresses, however, Hanzo becomes the slightly slower but more powerful of the two ninja. His projectile element is fire, whereas his counterpart, Galford, is lightening. He can also throw shurikens and use a variety of bombs to stun or damage his enemies.

Music

 * Shadow (影, kage) - Samurai Shodown
 * True Shadow (真影, shin kage) - Samurai Shodown II
 * Prison (獄, hitoya) - Samurai Shodown III
 * Darkness (闇, yami) - Samurai Shodown 64

Voice Actors

 * Masaki Usui - Samurai Shodown, KOF Maximum Impact 2
 * Toshimitsu Arai - Samurai Shodown II ~ 64 series
 * Katsuyuki Konishi - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
 * Hiroyuki Koga - Samurai Shodown VI
 * Liou Johnson - KOF Maximum Impact 2 (English voice)
 * Takeshi Aono - Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture
 * Mungle Roberts - Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture (English voice)

Game Appearances



 * Samurai Shodown
 * Samurai Shodown II
 * Samurai Shodown III
 * Samurai Shodown IV
 * Samurai Shodown 64
 * Samurai Shodown 64-2
 * Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
 * Samurai Shodown V
 * Samurai Shodown V Special
 * Samurai Shodown VI
 * KOF: Maximum Impact 2
 * Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny

Anime Appearances

 * Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture