From samurai to the shogun, feudal Japan has no shortage of incredible historical figures that players could soon be running into when the upcoming Assassin’s Creed title is released. While fans are waiting for that 2024 release window, it is the perfect time to think about which historical figures would heighten the open-world experience, as well as how these characters might influence the main storyline and core conflict in the upcoming game.

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Minamoto Yoritomo

Feudal Japan is a distinctive period in Japanese history because it marks the time when the Japanese government was operated by those in the military class, leading to several civil wars and invasion attempts that could be used to inspire iconic Assassin’s Creed assassination missions. Minamoto Yoritomo was a crucial figure during the beginning of the feudal era because he is credited with defying the emperor and creating the shogunate system that allowed feudal lords to rule Japan.

Yoritomo used the 1180 Gempai War to gain enough military control to establish his new role as the shogun. His actions concentrated ultimate power on the shogun, leaving the emperor as a figurehead. In traditional Assassin’s Creed narrative fashion, Minamoto Yoritomo would be an incredible addition to the game as a source of knowledge and history about the game world, primarily since he is known as the architect of systems in place throughout the highly anticipated Assassin’s Creed game. Players could learn more about the different clans contending for power and take an active role in Yoritomo’s dealings with the rest of the Minamoto clan.

Hokusai

Assassin’s Creed games are at their best when they give players the ability to interact with side characters who are the greatest thinkers and artists of the game’s time period. Katsushika Hokusai – often referred to simply as Hokusai – was a celebrated painter who is considered one of the great master artists in the history of art. Hokusai was best known for his unique and innovative art techniques, utilizing woodblock ukiyo-e prints and an unrelenting drive for excellence to create iconic Japanese art that is still revered today.

Hokusai’s prints of Mount Fuji - especially the Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji collection - were wildly popular around the world during the late Edo period in Japan and continued to inspire artists like Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Van Gogh, among many others. It would be amazing to not only travel to Mount Fuji in Assassin’s Creed Red but also to be able to meet Hokusai as he is making his famous artwork; the player might even end up influencing his creative process. It could also introduce a mechanic that would include Hokusai’s many woodblock prints as part of classic Assassin’s Creed puzzles to solve throughout the game.

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Hangaku Gozen

Assassin’s Creed has always been a gateway for fans to meet historically accurate characters who deserve their own Assassin’s Creed spinoffs. Defying societal expectations of the time, Hangaku Gozen was a samurai and one of the relatively few Japanese warrior women mentioned in classical Japanese literature. A fearless warrior, Hangaku was known to be an effective, inspirational leader who was highly respected for her masterful archery skills. She took a prominent role as rebel army commander during the Kennin Rebellion.

During the Kennin Rebellion, Lady Hangaku dressed like a male samurai in full armor and was said to kill over 100 men with her arrows. Hangaku was captured and taken prisoner at an enemy camp, where an enemy warrior fell in love with her. Her feats and strength were the topics of many legends spread in feudal Japan. Given the incredible story of Hangaku Gozen’s work during the Kennin Rebellion, it would be fantastic to have the newest assassin participate as one of her rebel soldiers and witness her incredible heroism and bravery. This would also add another name to the list of iconic female characters in Assassin’s Creed.

Mochizuki Chiyome

In the case of Assassin’s Creed Red, ninjas – also known as Shinobi – are expected to feature heavily to make the game distinctive from Ghost of Tsushima. In feudal Japan, Ninjas acted as covert agents and mercenaries, doing work that was deemed dishonorable and beneath the honor of the Samurai. Mochizuki Chiyome was a noblewoman, poet, and ninja known for creating an underground network of female ninjas called Kunoichi. Mochizuki recruited sex workers, orphaned children, and other marginalized groups into her secret network, secretly training them to be operatives who could hide in plain sight.

Kunoichi famously used disguises to accomplish their missions so they could move freely through castles, temples, and other rival camps. Mochizuki had a network of 200 - 300 trained Kunoichi serving the Takeda clan at the height of her work. While the classic depiction of ninjas matches the promotional images for Assassin’s Creed Red – dark robes and a shadowy disposition – Ubisoft Quebec could do something unique by showcasing ninjas like the Kunoichi who succeeded because they defied convention.

Assassin’s Creed Red is in development.

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