Sanada Ten Braves

The Sanada Ten Braves (真田十勇士 Sanada Jūyūshi, also known as the Ten Heroes of Sanada) are a legendary[1] group of ninja that assisted the warlord Sanada Yukimura during the Warring States era of Japan (the late Sengoku period and its immediate aftermath, technically Azuchi–Momoyama and the early Edo period).

The story was originally written by Sanada Sandaiki in a novel published in the Edo period. Later Tatsukawa Bunko published two novels in the Taisho period Sarutobi Sasuke and The Sanada Ten Braves.[2]

Ten Braves

In popular culture

Of the Ten, Sarutobi Sasuke and Kirigakure Saizō are the only two that appear frequently in popular depiction. Outside of works that specifically deal with the Ten Braves, appearance of all ten members is relatively rare, and even then some members are frequently more-or-less generic filler characters.

Sometimes modern day depictions have their genders change as well. In Tai Kato's 1963 jidaigeki musical film, Brave Records of the Sanada Clan, Kirigakure is a woman. There are hints that say Anayama Kosuke could be a female, and Miyoshi brothers were nyuudou (入道) monks.

Video game

Sanada Ten Braves (真田十勇士) is a Japanese role-playing game released for the Famicom in 1988.[3]

BRAVE10

Main article: Brave 10

In the BRAVE10 (ブレイヴ・テン) manga by Kairi Shimotsuki, some members are replaced. Sanada Yukimura plans to create a unit with a number matching the amount of fingers he has.

In the Musou series

In Samurai Warriors 2, some of the ten are portrayed as bodyguards. They are Sarutobi Sasuke (as Ninja), Kirigakure Saizō, Mochizuki Rokurō (as Fire Ninja), Anayama Kosuke (as Samurai), Kakei Jūzō (as Musketeer), Miyoshi Seikai and Miyoshi Isa (as Sumos).

In the series as a whole, Yukimura is constantly in the companionship of the character "Kunoichi," who is exactly as her name implies (a female ninja)- for all intents and purposes she's something of a representative for the legendary group overall. If players also take note, since the 3rd and 4th entries into the series did away with special bodyguards- the Braves do appear as generic officers who are always present in any campaign where Yukimura takes part.

In the Sengoku BASARA series

In Sengoku BASARA (戦国BASARA), Sarutobi Sasuke (猿飛 佐助) is portrayed as a loyal ninja serving the Takeda Clan (mainly Sanada Yukimura). In the Sengoku BASARA anime second season, Sengoku BASARA Two (戦国BASARA 弐, Sengoku BASARA Ni), three unnamed ninja who wear outfits with the Takeda crest similar to Sasuke's were seen in some episodes, possibly referring to the other members of the Brave Ten.

In Samurai Deeper Kyo

In the manga and anime series Samurai Deeper Kyo, they're introduced as the loyal servants who serve Sanada Yukimura.

References

  1. Joel Levy, Ninja: The Shadow Warrior, Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 2008 (p.166)
  2. (Japanese) Ueda city museum
  3. (Japanese) 忍者ゲーム 【ファミコン】