宮本 武蔵 みやもと むさし Miyamoto Musashi 1584 - 1645 Appearances: Sengoku Musou (2), Sengoku BASARA (2) Born in Harima province as Shinmen Takezo. The famed author of 五輪の書 Gorin no Sho (Book of the Five Rings); he fought in over 60 duels and never lost. His first opponent as a certain Arima Kihei, whom he defeated at the age of 13 by beating him to death. At the age of 17, he supposedly fought as a common foot Soldier under the 宇喜多 Ukita of the Western Army at Sekigahara. He was also reported to have fought at the Siege of Osaka; however, the side for which he fought for is unknown. Musashi’s many duels were generally fought in the Kyoto region. One of his most famous moments is the constant bouts and fights he had with the Yoshioka School. After permanently disabling Seijuro, the headmaster at the time with a wooden sword, he would go on to kill both Seijuro’s brother Denshichiro and Denshichiro’s son. After the defeat of the Yoshioka brothers, Musashi would battle the vengeful Yoshioka students (Some 40+ swordsman) at the Ichijoji Pine, winning in the end. Musashi was reported to have first got the idea for his 二天一流 Niten-Ichi-ryu style here (Niten being two heavens and Ichi meaning one. So quite literally ‘two heavens as one.�E Musashi would go on to fight many duels. Some of which being with the famed Spear master Inei, the Kusarigama weilder Shishido Baiken, and his most famous one till this day: Sasaki Kojirou. Musashi and Kojirou had their epic fight at Funashima, later renamed to 巌流島 Ganryujima in honor of Kojirou. Musashi reportedly showed up some 3 hours after the set time of bout and sent taunts towards Kojirou as he arrived (Musashi used the psychology of coming late, taunts, etc etc in many of his bouts.) Musashi was also noted to have fashioned a wooden Bokken slighty longer than Kojirou’s already long sword from an Oar on the boat as he made his way to Kojirou. As Musashi arrived, Kojirou threw his sheath in the water. Musashi taking note supposedly said ‘You have lost. Kojirou. Why would the winner throw away his sheath if he did not come ready to win?�E Musashi would later retire under the service of the 細川 Hosokawa. Taking a simple life, Musashi often dwelled in silence as he reflected on his past and what he did to become a master of the Way. Biography created by: Hondam