Part 175

Explore the Nioh 3 Character Directory for Part 175. Learn about William, Hattori Hanzo, and other key figures, their backgrounds, and their roles in the game's narrative.

This section provides a directory of characters from Nioh 3. It is intended as flavor text and contains spoilers that unlock as you progress through the game. Proceed with caution if you wish to avoid spoilers.

CHARACTER ENTRY: WILLIAM

1ST ENTRY: William is an Irish-born English sailor who lost his parents in the war with England. He has been inseparable from his Guardian Spirit, Saoirse, since childhood. After overcoming early tragedies, William joined an English navy privateer. Saoirse's ability to locate Amrita spirit-stones allowed him to thrive as a pirate until he discovered a secret military project to weaponize Amrita, leading to his imprisonment in the Tower of London.

2ND ENTRY: Shortly before escaping the Tower of London, William had Saoirse stolen by the alchemist Edward Kelley. Determined to retrieve Saoirse, William pursued Kelley to Japan. He found the fabled "country of gold" to be a realm of supernatural peril and death.

3RD ENTRY: While on Kelley's trail with Hattori Hanzo, William met Tokugawa Ieyasu. Despite Ieyasu's deep karmic debt and determination to build a world without war, a question from him prompted William to reconsider the meaning of his own power.

4TH ENTRY: William thwarted Kelley's plot and recovered Saoirse. He then learned of the true power manipulating events: a monstrous foe using Amrita to fuel war and sacrifice innocents. William realized that only by defeating this entity could a world of harmony between man and spirit be achieved, adopting the resolve of a true samurai.

5TH ENTRY: After defeating John Dee, the mastermind, William believed the wars would cease. However, he foresaw renewed chaos descending upon Japan. Remembering his allies, William set sail eastward once more.

CHARACTER ENTRY: HATTORI HANZO

1ST ENTRY: Hattori Hanzo, whose real name is Masanari, is a ninja serving Tokugawa Ieyasu. "Hanzo" is a hereditary name for the head of the Iga ninja clan. While his father was known as "Hanzo the Oni," the current Hanzo excels as a ninja, specializing in intelligence, concealment, and sabotage. He commands hundreds of ninjas and, being one of the few Japanese speakers of foreign languages, assists William in his search for Kelley.

2ND ENTRY: Hanzo recognizes William's ninja potential and teaches him ninjutsu basics. William's survival skills from his pirate days and his pragmatic approach align with ninja traits.

3RD ENTRY: Hanzo keeps a cat possessed by a Nekomata (a long-lived Guardian Spirit) hidden in his garments to tell time by observing pupil dilation, unaware of its true nature.

4TH ENTRY: The current Hattori Hanzo is the third to serve the Tokugawa clan. His father, "Hanzo the Oni," was a formidable ninja and general. Recognizing the clan's need for covert operatives, he began training his son.