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Heishiro Mitsurugi
Game series	Soul series
First game	Soul Edge
Voice actor(s) (English)	Scott Keck (Soul Calibur II)
Voice actor(s) (Japanese)	Toshiyuki Morikawa Wataru Takagi (Soul Edge: Version II)
In-universe information
Age	29
Birthplace	Bizen, Japan
Birthdate	June 8, 1562
Blood type	AB
Weapon	Katana
Weapon name	Korefuji (Soul Edge) Shishi-Oh (later games)
Fighting style	Tenpu-Kosai-Ryu Kai
Family	Inmediate Family (Parents and 3 brothers), taken by sickness

Heishiro Mitsurugi (御剣 平四郎, Mitsurugi Heishirō^?) is a video game character designed for the Soul Series of fighting games. Mitsurugi made his first appearance in Soul Edge and has returned for all four sequels: Soul Calibur, Soul Calibur II, Soul Calibur III and Soul Calibur IV. Image File history File links Information. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 436 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (873 × 1200 pixel, file size: 309 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Information on Mitsurugi Pictures: Source:http://www. ... Soul Edge ) is the first installment in the Soul series of fighting games developed and published by Namco. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Toshiyuki Morikawa , born January 26, 1967) is a seiyÅ« born in Kanagawa, Japan. ... Takagi Wataru (高木 渉, born on July 25, 1966 in Chiba) is a seiyu who works for Arts Vision. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan. ... Bizen (備前市; -shi) is a city located in Okayama, Japan. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1562 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... It is popularly believed in Japan that a persons ABO blood type or ketsu eki gata is predictive of their personality, character, and compatibility with others, similar to the Western worlds Astrology. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Fictional character. ... Screenshot Kung-Fu, the first real fighting game Fighting games are video games in which players fight each other or computer enemies with martial arts. ... Soul Edge ) is the first installment in the Soul series of fighting games developed and published by Namco. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Soul Calibur II ) is a versus fighting game developed and published by Namco and the third installment in the Soul video game series. ... Soul Calibur III ) is the sequel to Soul Calibur II and is the fourth overall installment in the Soul series of fighting games. ... Soul Calibur IV ) (cited in Electronic Gaming Monthly as the title being one word) is the fifth installment in Namcos Soul series of fighting games. ...

Biography

Mitsurugi was born the 4th son of a farmer in Bizen, Japan; but after many years of seeing his home ravaged by war, he decided to become a samurai. Taking advantage of his parents' death at his 14th year, he took a sword and the name of Mitsurugi. He went to train under the powerful warlord of the Murakami clan. For other uses, see Farmer (disambiguation). ... Bizen (備前国 -no kuni) was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of Honshu, in what is today the southeastern part of Okayama Prefecture. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Mitsurugi was a powerful force on the battlefield, and rumors of him spread like wildfire, heralding him as the warrior that could mow down foes like fields of wheat, and he was noted by Kenshin Uesugi and Nobunaga Oda as a great warrior. He received numerous military commendations and eventually reached the rank of officer in the Japanese armed forces. But all along, his only true desire was a worthy opponent. Uesugi Kenshin(上杉謙信) (February 18, 1530 - April 19, 1578) was a warlord who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku Period of Japan. ... Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長 Oda Nobunaga, June 23, 1534 - June 21, 1582) was a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. ... In military organizations, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ...

After leaving the Murakami clan, Mitsurugi continued to fight in every war in Japan as a hired mercenary. It was during this time that he had learned of a new weapon that was said to be changing the way wars would be fought: the Rifle. He originally dismissed this weapon as a novelty, but he soon learned that it was capable of obliterating the Takeda cavalry. He sensed that the arrival of the rifle in common warfare would put him out of business. He decided that the only way to combat with this was to find a stronger weapon: the rumored Soul Edge. A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national of a Party to the conflict and is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Combatants Takeda forces combined Oda-Tokugawa forces Commanders Takeda Katsuyori, Anayama Nobukimi, Takeda Nobukado, Takeda Nobutoyo Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Okudaira Sadamasa Strength 15,000 38,000 Casualties 10,000 dead, incl. ... The Takeda (武田氏) was one of many families of daimyō (feudal lords) in Japans Sengoku period; its importance derives almost entirely from the power and fame of Takeda Shingen. ... These are descriptions of the various mystical weapons in the Soul series of video games. ...

Unfortunately, Mitsurugi was unable to find any trace of the legendary "Hero's Sword" on his quest and began taking tasks that were largely meaningless to him in order to pass the time. One of these involved guarding a nearby Japanese castle for the night; and another of which involved aiding the Spanish Marquis Andre's force in laying siege on Sir Stefan's Ostrheinsburg Castle. In his frustration of finding no signs of Soul Edge, he returned home and challenged a man wielding the rifle Tanegashima to a duel, trying to prove that he didn't need the Soul Edge to beat the rifle. But he suffered an embarrassing defeat in front of his lord, forcing him to depart in shame on a second quest to perfect his swordsmanship so that he might eventually defeat the rifle. It was during this quest that he learned of the Azure Knight, Nightmare, who terrorized Europe with a sword deemed invincible. Nightmare's trail eventually disappeared, but Mitsurugi was unwilling to give up. Marquis has many different meanings: The French spelling of the title known in English as Marquess and Margrave. ... Nightmare ) is a fictional character designed for the Soul Series of fighting games, making his debut in Soul Calibur. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ...

Four years later, Mitsurugi stumbled upon the trail of Soul Edge while vising a castle in Xiwei (present-day Xi'an), where a mysterious dying man, after being saved by him from a gang of assassins, handed him a shard of the cursed blade. Although skeptical at first, Mitsurugi accepted the gift. Soon afterwards, an incident occurred in which a servant of the Emperor of Ming marched to the castle, demanding the "Hero's Sword," and was slain when he refused to leave without it; Mitsurugi sensed that war was coming, but Soul Edge meant nothing to him. He had crossed countless battlefields, defeating every conceivable enemy, even those with rifles. What had once been his greatest enemy was none of his concern, as it no longer proved to be a threat. His only concern was with finding an opponent stronger than himself. Xian (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hsi-An; Postal System Pinyin: Sian), is the capital of Shaanxi province in China and a sub-provincial city. ... Ming China under the Yongle Emperor Capital Nanjing (1368-1421) Beijing (1421-1644) Language(s) Chinese Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1368-1398 Hongwu Emperor  - 1627-1644 Chongzhen Emperor History  - Established in Nanjing January 23, 1368  - Fall of Beijing 1644  - End of the Southern Ming April, 1662 Population  - 1393 est. ...

It was at this time that he was suddenly attacked by unknown forces, but he fought off all of his attackers quite easily. They were after the fragment the man from Xiwei had given to him; and judging by their outfits, they appeared to be ninja, with a sword technique he found strangely familiar. They reminded him of Taki, who had interfered every time he had drawn close to the Soul Edge. His thoughts drifted, wondering what was happening in Japan at that time, and whether or not he could receive a final showdown with Taki. He decided to return to his homeland.

By this time, the Sengoku period had ended, and the powerful feudal lord, Oda Nobunaga, was dead. The leaders of the states were now faced with the decision of whether or not to align with his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The Murakami clan in particular, with whom Mitsurugi stayed upon his return, refused to join with mainland Japan, choosing instead to protect their existence as fierce pirates and rulers of the sea. But their resistance caught the attention of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and a final stand was about to ensue. “Sengoku” redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This is a Japanese name; the family name is Toyotomi Toyotomi Hideyoshi ) February 2, 1536 or March 26, 1537 – September 18, 1598) was a sengoku daimyo who unified Japan. ... Look up pirate and piracy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This is a Japanese name; the family name is Toyotomi Toyotomi Hideyoshi ) February 2, 1536 or March 26, 1537 – September 18, 1598) was a sengoku daimyo who unified Japan. ...

Since Mitsurugi could find no trace of Taki, he decided to aid the Murakami in the battle. A nighttime raid commenced. The ships clustered together and rode the tide in to charge the enemy fleet - the traditional secret strategy of the Murakami. The battle began, and Mitsurugi stormed enemy ships like a hurricane. This combined with the Murakami's naval prowess allowed for swift victory, and Mitsurugi was decorated for his service, gaining an invitation to meet with the Murakami commander. The commander engaged him in long conversation, mentioning rumors of a warrior clad in azure armor appearing from the west and boasting the strength of a god. Mitsurugi looked up in surprise, realizing that this must be Nightmare, whom he had lost track of before.

Mitsurugi bade farewell to the Murakami and ran to a nearby port, giving all of his reward money to a boatman, demanding that he be taken west. He needed neither money nor fame, only the satisfaction of a fierce battle in which his very soul would clash against his opponent's; and that battle, he concluded, would be found in Nightmare.

Soul Calibur 3 ending

Mitsurugi is seen slaughtering several soldiers in a town and then arrives at a bridge where a man grabs a woman. If the player doesn't press the buttons he will stop and attack the ones behind him only to fight Taki with Soul Edge. If the player presses the buttons he will kill the man and a few others with Soul Calibur and run off before Taki arrives.

Weapons

Korefuji

The first katana Mitsurugi used. It was a common katana (in the old Soul Archive, it's referred to as a Tachi). After he lost to the Tanegashima in a duel in front of his lord, he became dissatisfied with it and cast it aside, replacing it with Shishi-Oh.
(Note: Soul Calibur II's Weapon Gallery states that Korefuji was confiscated by the feudal lord after Mitsurugi's loss, and after his death it went missing).

Shishi-Oh

During the intense training that he followed after his defeat in front of his lord, Mitsurugi became dissatisfied with his old katana Korefuji and replaced it with Shishi-Oh, a katana with a wider blade. With this blade Mitsurugi perfected many new sword fighting moves to defeat the rifle. Shishi-Oh means "Lion King" in Japanese.

Stages

Pirate Fortress (SE)

The castle owned by Noto Murakami and the Settouchi Pirates (also called the Mori Sea Force). This castle is built on the whole island, and act as a port and a barrier in the seas. It also supplies pirate ships between raids. Mitsurugi comes here seeking a boat to the mainland.

Takamatsu Castle (SC) For other castles named Takamatsu, see Takamatsu castle. ...

Mitsurugi was a trusted mercenary in the base of Mori's Murakami Navy on Noshima Island. Mitsurugi had been assigned to defend Takamatsu Castle at the front line of the Mori Army. Takamatsu Castle was centered in a marshy area and, due to its geographical features, considered impossible to seize. However a clever and resourceful Hideyoshi Hashiba constructed a 3-kilometer bank surrounding the castle to stop the flow of water causing the Ashimori-gawa river to flood the region. Everything hung in the balance and thus, without fear or hesitation, Mitsurugi climbed aboard a raft and, facing an onslaught of arrows, rushed into battle.
(Note: Known as The Inundated Castle in the Arcade version.)

Xiwei Siege Ruins (SC2)

Xiwei, positioned near the west border of the Ming Empire, was a vital stronghold for maintaining the empire's western territories. Tragically, when the Emperor believed the castle was hiding the Hero's Sword from him, he dispatched an army to seize the castle. Ultimately, the citadel was destroyed. Sadly, the army failed to find the sword in the rubble of the stronghold. Was Soul Edge, known in this region as the Hero's Sword, really at Xiwei? Or was this place destroyed due to a misunderstanding? No one can answer these questions now.
(Note: Mitsurugi shared this stage with Xianghua)

Battle in the Strait (SC3)

The Murakami Navy became famous during Japan's warring states period. But when the country was united under Hideyoshi Toyotomi and he issued his proclamation against piracy, they were slowly robbed of their power. The final resistance put forth by the Murakami forces of Noujima was met by the Kuki Navy, who had suffered in the past at the hands of the Murakami. Both sides fought fiercely in a series of sea battles. While originally holding the advantage, the Murakami forces of Noujima were eventually pressed back by the Kuki forces. The Kuki forces were backed by Hideyoshi, the effective leader of Japan, and in the end, the Murakami finally yielded. In the records of this conflict, one can find the name Heishiro Mitsurugi. At the beginning of the conflict, he had supported the Murakami forces.

Trivia

• Mitsurugi is based on the real-life samurai Miyamoto Musashi, famed for his amazing skill and lack of defeats. Mitsurugi's hair and face also resemble Miyamoto Musashi.
• In some nations, where samurai and ninja characters were banned in video games, Mitsurugi was replaced by a character named Arthur. Other than being a British "knight," Arthur is essentially Mitsurugi with blonde hair and an eye patch; the samurai outfit and katana blade remains unaltered. As most nations are now permissive of samurai and ninja imagery, there was no need to alter Mitsurugi. Because of that, Arthur was absent from Soul Calibur II , but returned in Soul Calibur III as a bonus character.
• In the early designs of Soul Edge, Mitsurugi is depicted having twin katanas, which might be a reference to Miyamoto Musashi's infamous style of swordplay: Niten-Ryu which teaches one to use two swords at once. He is seen dual-wielding katanas again during both his Soul Calibur III Endings.
• Mitsurugi's Ending in Soul Edge is special in that the player has to beat a rifleman in a one-hit first-person fight. Whether or not he is successful determines the ending.
• Mitsurugi, along with Taki, makes an appearance in Namco x Capcom as a playable character.
• In Soul Calibur III, Mitsurugi's weapons and fighting style are available under the discipline Soul of Mitsurugi to characters created under the Samurai class.
• Mitsurugi's nickname in Soul Edge is "The Lone Swordsman" and in Soul Calibur "Mercenary in the Wartime Age". He also has several story-wise nicknames, like "Demon", "One-Man Army", "The Guardian in this Age of Civil Guard" and "The Great Swordsman".
• Mitsurugi's Destined Battle in Soul Blade is Li Long, in Soul Calibur and Soul Calibur II it's Taki, and in Soul Calibur III his Destined Battle is Setsuka.
• In Soul Calibur II and III, one of his weapons is named after world famous swordsmith Masamune.
• In Soul Calibur III, when Mitsurugi defeats a character who is wielding his/her joke weapon, his winning quote will be "Did you really think you could beat me with that thing?!"
• In Soul Calibur III if Soul Edge is chosen, and if the input ending is performed, he will wield Soul Edge and Soul Calibur at the same time. Likewise, if Soul Edge is chosen as his weapon and the non-input ending is performed, he will wield two Soul Edges.
• In Soul Calibur III, although Mitsurugi's ultimate weapon is "Soul Edge", he doesn't use it in the fight against Abyss, unlike other characters who use the sword.
• Remove the Mi in his name and you get the name of a sword, the tsurugi
• Mitsurugi's full name, Heishiro Mitsurugi, can be roughly translated as "Calm and Deadly Man with a Divine Sword".

It has been suggested that Timeline of Miyamoto Musashis life be merged into this article or section. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Jiraiya, ninja and title character of the Japanese folktale Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari. ... A ban is, generally, any decree that prohibits something. ... Arthur (アーサー Āsā) is a fictional character in Namcos Soul Series of fighting games. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... Soul Calibur II ) is a versus fighting game developed and published by Namco and the third installment in the Soul video game series. ... Soul Calibur III ) is the sequel to Soul Calibur II and is the fourth overall installment in the Soul series of fighting games. ... Soul Edge ) is the first installment in the Soul series of fighting games developed and published by Namco. ... Soul Edge ) is the first installment in the Soul series of fighting games developed and published by Namco. ... Taki ) is a fictional character designed for the Soul series of fighting games, making her debut in the first game on the series, Soul Edge. ... Namco x Capcom (ナムコ クロス カプコン) is a turn-based strategy game featuring characters from games produced by video game companies Namco and Capcom, and developed by Monolith Soft. ... Soul Edge ) is the first installment in the Soul series of fighting games developed and published by Namco. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Soul Calibur is a 3D, weapon-based fighting game franchise, similar in basic mechanics to Virtua Fighter and Tekken. ... Li Long is a video game character in the Soul series of fighting games. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Soul Calibur II ) is a versus fighting game developed and published by Namco and the third installment in the Soul video game series. ... Taki ) is a fictional character designed for the Soul series of fighting games, making her debut in the first game on the series, Soul Edge. ... Soul Calibur III ) is the sequel to Soul Calibur II and is the fourth overall installment in the Soul series of fighting games. ... Setsuka ) is a fictional character designed for the Soul Series of fighting games. ... Masamune Portrait This article is about the swordsmith. ...

Series' Appearances

• Soul Edge
• Soul Edge: Version II / Soul Blade
• Soul Calibur
• Soul Calibur II
• Soul Calibur III
• Soul Calibur III: Arcade Edition
• Soul Calibur Legends
• Soul Calibur IV

Soul Edge ) is the first installment in the Soul series of fighting games developed and published by Namco. ... Soul Edge ) is the first installment in the Soul series of fighting games developed and published by Namco. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Soul Calibur II ) is a versus fighting game developed and published by Namco and the third installment in the Soul video game series. ... Soul Calibur III ) is the sequel to Soul Calibur II and is the fourth overall installment in the Soul series of fighting games. ... Soul Calibur Legends is an upcoming adventure game for the Wii console. ... Soul Calibur IV ) (cited in Electronic Gaming Monthly as the title being one word) is the fifth installment in Namcos Soul series of fighting games. ...

External links

• Official Project Soul website
• Autumn Requiem - Shrine