Kenji (名無し侍 or "Nameless Samurai" in the Japanese game) is the protagonist of the game and is controlled by the player. His name can be changed prior to the start of the game. Little is known about Kenji, despite the fact that he is a ronin (a samurai without a master or lord). His intentions are utterly determined by the player. Kenji’s appearance can be changed using various head and body models, starting with only three pair of head and body models, being the ones shown in the intro. These initial pairs reappear in Way of the Samurai 3 (exluding the 3rd pair and the body part of the second pair)
The Three Kenjis[]
First Kenji[]
The First Kenji, named due to he is the first and default head and body models for him in Way of the Samurai, as well as the first one to appear in the game's intro. He appears as a ronin with a black gi and black hakama with black sandals with black socks. He has black hair parted to each side and a traditional samurai ponytail. The First Kenji appears with this exact same attire in Way of the Samurai 3, but his sleeves on his gi end at his elbows rather than his wrists.
In the Way of the Samurai intro, he is shown cutting down one of three samurai who attack him as he is wandering a forest. and a piece of the intro follows and then is shown again bent over, Chuyo-tou in hand, with the three samurai lying on the ground, dead. The First Kenji is later shown walking past Suzu in the intro.
Second Kenji[]
The Second Kenji, who is shown in the first game wearing a ponytail hanging down his neck, a gi with a hakama (his gi has a notable bull's-eye on the back), a scar on the right side of his forehead and facial hair. He later appears as the default character model and in the intro of Way of the Samurai 3, however he no longer appears in his gi/hakama attire, instead wearing his samurai armor outfit.
In the Way of the Samurai intro, Second Kenji is shown simultaneously cutting down samurai, then the camera zooms in on his face.
Third Kenji[]
The Third Kenji is also the only to not re-appear in Way of the Samurai 3. The Third Kenji appears wearing a yellow gi and a yellow hakama (with the hakama's inner parts being black), black socks and sandals with short black hair, somewhat spiky.
In the Way of the Samurai intro, he is shown when Madam Murasaki orders her samurai to attack Third Kenji. Kenji retaliates by skillfully cutting all of them down in less than half of a second, then sheathing his Chuyo-tou, this demonstration resembles to that of Battōjutsu. Tesshin Kurou later signals Murasaki to stand back, as Tesshin and Kenji fight as Tesshin goes for a overhead slash, while Kenji goes for a upward one.
Gallery[]
