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"The way of the samurai is to know DEATH... The legend himself: HAOHMARU."
- The King of Fighters XV

Haohmaru (覇王丸はおうまる) is the main protagonist of the Samurai Shodown series and one of the series's most known characters, the other being Nakoruru. He was introduced in the first Samurai Shodown and continues to appear in every title of the series. His official nickname is "The Ronin Vagabond" (さすらいの剣豪けんごう) and in KOF XV, is "Wandering Fencer".

Development

His character origin was originally based around the famed swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi, a duelist who claimed to have never lost a match.[2] He is visually modeled after Hyakkimaru from the manga Dororo.

He also makes regular appearances in the series' merchandise and has at least two action figures.

Personality

Confident in his abilities, Haohmaru enjoys the thrill of fighting against strong opponents. Seeking enlightenment with each encounter, he constantly journeys in order to improve himself while also taking it upon himself to fight against typical evil-doers. As he gets older, he feels less inclined to fight and will try to avoid it if possible.

Outside of battle, Haohmaru is a crude but easy-going man, caring only for sake and food. He has a romantic interest in a simple girl named Oshizu ("O" added as a honorific prefix), whom he sometimes cast aside in favor of his battles, albeit unwillingly.

Despite Genjuro's constant antagonism towards him, he cares for his rival's welfare, and welcomes his challenge without hesitation.

Powers

  • Hurricane Attack: He can create a small hurricane with a slash of his sword. Upon contact, the hurricane sends the enemy flying.
  • Energy Slash: He can use ki energy to increase damage of his slashing attacks.
  • Deflection: His jug can somehow be used to deflect projectiles of all sorts with proper timing.

Fighting Style

Much of his fighting style revolves around power-based swordplay, and seems to be personalized by himself, focusing on wide slashes and fierce-two-handed swings that can cut as potently as any quick-draw from a more-refined swordsman, along with some occasional bare-handed brawling. He can use his sake jug to hit the opponent or to reflect projectiles.

Though for the most part, much of Haohmaru's techniques have a recurring wind-based motif as he is able to slash out blasts of wind ranging from mere wind waves to full-on tornadoes with ease.

Music

  • Tune of the man - Day (男節おぶし ) - Samurai Shodown
  • Path of the man (男道おとこみち) - Samurai Shodown II
  • Sake of the man (男酒おとこざけ) - Samurai Shodown III
  • Path of Shura (修羅道しゅらどう) - Samurai Shodown IV, SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium
  • Zeal (精進しょうじん) - Samurai Shodown 64
  • Champion (覇者はしゃ) - Samurai Shodown 64-2
  • Meeting Haohmaru (覇王丸はおうまる 見参けんざん) - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
  • Legend (伝説でんせつ) - Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage
  • Sakura (さくら) - Samurai Shodown V
  • Way of the Overlord (覇王はおうみち) - Samurai Shodown (2019)
  • Honor's Melody "Hawk" (男節おぶし たか) - The King of Fighters XV
  • Imperial Sundance (インペリアルサンダンス) - Samurai Remix VA
  • Tune of the man - Dual souls - Soulcalibur VI

Shurado is often used together with Bushido. Whereas Bushido represents discipline and moral code, Shurado represents walking a road of war and carnage without regrets. Shoujin can be translated as either zeal, devotion or concentration, and it is often used as term for advancing in quest for enlightenment. Sakura are also a common Japanese symbol used to describe the transience and beauty of life.

Voice Actors

Japanese

Masaki Usui Daiki Nakamura Hiroyuki Koga
Muva
Dnva
List of Roles:
Toshiyuki Morikawa Shingo Katori Bin Shimada
ToshiyukiMorikawa
List of Roles:
Bsvahyena
List of Roles:
  • Samurai Shodown Dengeki drama CD series

English

Milton Lawrence

Appearances

Games

Mobile

Cameos

Anime

Etymology

  • The name Haohmaru means "supreme king" or "overlord" (覇王) (haou/haoh/haō) and "round, circle, pills, purity, suffix for names, complete" (丸) (maru).


Similar Characters

References

  1. Official character profile from Samurai Shodown anniversary website.
  2. Shiroi, Eiji. "Fated? Rivals". Samurai Shodown.
Samurai Shodown characters
SamSho I Logo Sprite HaohmaruNakoruruMamahahaUkyo TachibanaWan-FuTam TamCharlotte Christine de ColdeGalford D. WellerPoppyKyoshiro SenryoEarthquakeHanzo HattoriJubei YagyuGenan ShiranuiShiro Tokisada AmakusaPurple NakoruruKurokoHikyaku
SamSho II Logo Sprite Genjuro KibagamiCham ChamPaku PakuNeinhalt SiegerNicotine CaffeineMizuki Rashojin
SamSho III Logo Sprite Shizumaru HisameRimururuBasaraGaira CaffeineKim Ung CheZankuro MinazukiShikuru
SamSho IV Logo Sprite Kazuki KazamaSogetsu KazamaAku Amakusa
SamSho 64 Logo ShikiHanma YagyuGandaraDeku & DekuinaYuga the Destroyer
SamSho 64-2 Logo AsuraShadow AsuraHalf-Shaded Shiki‎‎Taizan MorozumiKarakuri HanmaEnja KazukiSuija Sogetsu
SamSho Warriors Rage Seishiro KukiJin-Emon HanafusaJushiro SakakiRinka YoshinoSayaHaito KanakuraYaci IzanagiGaryo the WhirlwindRan PoMikotoTohma KukiTashon MaoDarumaMintoMugenjiYudaSamuraiHanzo HattoriIga NinjaBruteOboro's AmazonsKunou SeishiroOboro
Nakoruru ADV Logo MikatoHokuteYantamuManariOutadaHibabaUbabaMibabaRera
SamSho V Logo Sprite Yoshitora TokugawaMina MajikinaChampleRasetsumaruEnjaSuijaLiu YunfeiYoukai KusaregedoTam TamPoppySankuro YorozuYumeji KurokouchiGaoh
SamSho VI Logo AndrewIrohaSugoroku MatsuribayashiOcha-Maro KarakuriDemon Gaoh
SamSho EOD Logo SuzuhimeAngelicaTakechiyoGarrosJ.Kim Hae-RyeongWalterJinbei SugamataBlack HawkKirianClaudeDracoGolba
SamSho 2019 Logo Yashamaru KuramaDarli DaggerWu-RuixiangShizuka GozenHibiki TakaneWardenGongsun LiBaiken
SNK vs. Capcom characters
SNK current logo Kyo KusanagiIori YagamiLeona HeidernOrochi IoriTerry BogardMai ShiranuiGeese HowardRyo SakazakiYuri SakazakiAthena AsamiyaHaohmaruNakoruruMamahahaJubei YagyuRimururuAkari IchijouMarco RossiFiolina GermiMars PeopleGenjuro KibagamiKim KaphwanMr. KarateKasumi TodohChoi BoungeEarthquakeShikiGoenitzHonki ni Natta Mr. KaratePrincess AthenaKingViceBenimaru NikaidoRaidenRyuji YamazakiRugal BernsteinChang KoehanRyuhaku TodohHibiki TakaneGod Rugal
Capcom Logo RyuKen MastersChun-LiGuileDan HibikiSakura KasuganoMorrigan AenslandFeliciaAkumaBaby Bonnie HoodM. BisonEvil RyuKarin KanzukiArthurRed ArremerDhalsimVegaSagatBalrogHugo AndoreTessaDemitri MaximoffZeroViolent KenShin AkumaRed ArremerBlankaCammy WhiteEdmond HondaEagleRolento SchugergMaki GenryusaiYun LeeKyosuke Kagami
CardFightersClash1 ShinKeiCapCometThe KidFoKanaHarumiZombieYoshikiNishiTakaNoriSakiYukiAkiTakeMikaNonakaKeikoYuriMikamiThe MaskRikuto ArataHaruna HatenaLip AyahaSasuke FuwaKido YoshijiRyugai TorawoAsō ShūkoDogou SōkenShin DaichiKei KikkaForu GottonYashichi FuwaCap ComComet ComNanako NijiiroZet Charles DetroitSys TemNeomantleRobomantleG-Lady
The King of Fighters characters
KOF '94 Logo Sprite Kyo KusanagiBenimaru NikaidoGoro DaimonTerry BogardAndy BogardJoe HigashiRyo SakazakiRobert GarciaTakuma SakazakiRalf JonesClark StillHeidernAthena AsamiyaSie KensouChin GentsaiKingMai ShiranuiYuri SakazakiKim KaphwanChang KoehanChoi BoungeHeavy-D!Lucky GlauberBrian BattlerRugal Bernstein
KOF '95 Logo Sprite Iori YagamiBilly KaneEiji KisaragiSaisyu KusanagiOmega Rugal
KOF '96 Logo Sprite Leona HeidernMatureViceKasumi TodohGeese HowardWolfgang KrauserMr. BigChizuru KaguraGoenitz
KOF '97 Logo Sprite Shingo YabukiYashiro NanakaseShermieChrisBlue MaryRyuji YamazakiOrochi IoriOrochi LeonaOrochi YashiroOrochi ShermieOrochi ChrisOrochi
KOF '99 Logo Sprite K'MaximaWhipBaoLi XiangfeiJhun HoonKyo-1Kyo-2Krizalid
KOF '99 Evolution Logo VanessaSethSyo KirishimaAlfredFiolina GermiGai Tendo
KOF 2000 Logo Sprite RamónLinHinako ShijoKula DiamondClone ZeroFoxyCandy DiamondAnother K'Another IoriAnother BenimaruAnother RobertCosplayer KyokoKang Bae DalSmart ChangCool ChoiKaoru WatabeBaitangDuck KingLilly KaneKim Jae HoonKim Dong HwanUnknownKing LionKim Sue-ilKaedeDuke EdwardsRockyAthenaNeo & GeoG-Mantle
KOF 2001 Logo Sprite May Lee JinjuK9999ÁngelZeroRonGluganIgnizMistyNests
KOF EX Logo Moe Habana
KOF 2002 Logo Sprite Kusanagi
KOF EX2 Logo Reiji OogamiJun KagamiMiu KurosakiSinobu Amou
KOF 2003 Logo Sprite Ash CrimsonDuo LonShen WooTizocGatoMalinMaki KaguraAdelheid BernsteinMukai
KOF MI Logo Alba MeiraSoiree MeiraLien NevilleMignon BeartChae LimDukeRock Howard
KOF XI Logo Sprite OswaldElisabeth BlanctorcheMomokoB. JenetShionMagakiSilberSho HayateJyazuHotaru FutabaItokatsuTung Fu Rue
KOF MI2 Logo Luise MeyrinkNagaseJivatmaNinon BeartHyenaHanzo HattoriKyo Kusanagi ClassicWild WolfMr. Karate IIArmor RalfRichard Meyer
KOF MIRA Logo Xiao LonMakoto Mizoguchi
KOF '98UM Logo Nightmare Geese
KOF 2002UM Logo Nameless
KOF XII Logo Raiden
KOF XIII Logo Hwa JaiSaikiEvil AshMr. Karate
KOF XIV Logo Shun'eiMeitenkunGang-ilLuongXanaduSylvie Paula PaulaKukriMianNelsonZarinaBandeiras HattoriKing of DinosaursHeinNakoruruMamahahaMui MuiLove HeartAlice Garnet NakataAntonovVerseNajd (Aila)
The King of Fighters XV Logo Isla (Amanda) • DoloresKrohnen McDougallRe VerseOtoma=RagaHaohmaruDarli Dagger
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