Hashiba Koichiro Nagahide (Toyotomi Hidenaga) The younger brother of the unifier Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Known as Koichiro at the start. He is called the "Greatest Assistant under Heaven" for his single-minded support of his brother's quest for national unification. Hashiba Chikuzen-no-kami Hideyoshi (Toyotomi Hideyoshi) The ambitious older brother who drags Koichiro into the turbulent era. Koichiro's brother, three years his senior. Known as Tokichiro at the start. Born and raised in a poor farming family in Nakamura, Owari, he rises rapidly under his lord, the Sengoku warlord Oda Nobunaga, eventually achieving the unification of Japan. Ichi A Sengoku heroine who leads a life of upheaval. Oda Nobunaga's younger sister. Though her life is tragic and at the mercy of the warring era, she lived with dignity for the sake of her brother and the Oda clan. She marries Azai Nagamasa of Omi to seal an alliance with Nobunaga and raises three daughters—Chacha, Hatsu, and Go—but eventually, her brother and husband come into conflict. Chika Koichiro's legal wife who walks through life by his side. Koichiro's primary wife, later known as Jiuin. Surviving the turbulent times, she eventually supports the Toyotomi brothers alongside her sister-in-law Nene. When her husband Hidenaga is entrusted with the governance of Yamato Province, she enters Yamato Koriyama Castle with him and remains by his side until his final years. Nene Climbing the ladder to become the wife of the unifier alongside Hideyoshi. Toyotomi Hideyoshi's legal wife. After Hideyoshi is appointed Kanpaku (Imperial Regent), she is referred to as Kita-no-Mandokoro. Possessing a competitive spirit, she races up the path of success with her husband. She eventually rises from a commoner's daughter to become the "First Lady of the Sengoku Period." Naka The mother who warmly watches over her sons' success. The mother of the Toyotomi brothers. After losing her husband early, she raises two sons and two daughters single-handedly. While feeling both joy and bewilderment at her sons' extraordinary rise, she watches over them warmly. When Hideyoshi becomes the unifier and is appointed Kanpaku, she comes to be known as "Omandokoro." Tomo The reliable older sister who is strict with her brothers. The older sister of the Toyotomi brothers. She is reliable and strong-willed. She raises three sons, but is used as a political tool by her brother Hideyoshi, who was not blessed with an heir. Later, her eldest son Hidetsugu, who became Hideyoshi's successor, is suspected of treason and executed along with his wife and children. Asahi The innocent younger sister with a bright smile. The younger sister of the Toyotomi brothers. She has an innocent personality and never loses her positive outlook or smile even during their poor farming days. Thanks to her brothers' success, she lived a happy and wealthy life with her husband, but one day she is suddenly forced to divorce by Hideyoshi and married off to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hatsu The daughter of Nagamasa and Ichi, the second of the three Azai sisters. After Ichi's death, she comes under Hideyoshi's protection along with her sisters Chacha and Go. Later, she marries Takatsugu, the head of the Kyogoku family, which was the main branch of the Azai clan. Tokugawa Ieyasu The Toyotomi brothers' greatest rival. One of the three great unifiers of the Sengoku period who ended the era of civil war and established the Edo Shogunate, bringing peace to the land. His fate changed drastically when his lord Imagawa Yoshimoto was killed by Nobunaga at the Battle of Okehazama. After Nobunaga's death, he stands as the greatest and strongest rival before the Toyotomi brothers as they aim for national unification. Shibata Katsuie A great wall standing in the brothers' way. One of Oda Nobunaga's senior retainers. A brave and skilled warrior feared as "Oni Shibata" (Demon Shibata). To Koichiro and Tokichiro during their days as foot soldiers, he was a terrifying and difficult figure. As the two rise in rank, he begins to openly loathe them. At the Kiyosu Conference after Nobunaga's death, he engages in a succession struggle and eventually clashes with the brothers at the Battle of Shizugatake. Oda Nobunaga A charismatic warlord who expanded his territory through bold, innovative strategies and extraordinary leadership, aiming for national unification under the slogan "Tenka Fubu" (The Realm under Military Rule). He is the absolute lord to the brothers Koichiro (later Hidenaga) and Tokichiro (later Hideyoshi), who seek to rise in the world. He carries the bitter past of having killed his own younger brother who opposed him in a succession struggle. Akechi Mitsuhide The treacherous retainer who forced his lord, the unifier Oda Nobunaga, to commit suicide in the Honno-ji Incident—the greatest mystery in Japanese history—drastically changing the course of the era. Niwa Nagahide A senior retainer of the Oda clan. A veteran general in whom Nobunaga placed absolute trust, commonly known as "Goroza." In a group of retainers filled with hot-blooded warriors, he practices both the literary and military arts to support the Oda family. Hayashi Hidetada One of the senior retainers of the Oda clan. He demonstrates his abilities as an administrator, focusing on diplomacy and civil affairs. Ishikawa Kazumasa A retainer of the Tokugawa clan. A trusted confidant who has served Tokugawa Ieyasu as a close attendant since Ieyasu's childhood. Later, amidst the conflict with Hideyoshi, he defects from Ieyasu's service. Takenaka Hanbei Said to have been a handsome man well-versed in academics and highly skilled in strategy. He served Saito Tatsuoki of Mino but later became Hideyoshi's strategist. Matsunaga Hisahide One of the first to submit to the Oda, coming into contact with Koichiro and the others. He is also famous as a master of the tea ceremony.