Game Franchise History: Tenchu – A Tale of Two Assassins (Part One)

With the main basics of the franchise covered and some background info, let’s get into the main plot.

The game follows the lives of the two main protagonists, the two remaining members of the Azuma Ninja Clan who serve a man named Matsunoshin Gohda, a lord during feudal Japan. First is Rikimaru. Easily identifiable by his unnaturally silver hair and slash mark over his right eye, Rikimaru is an honorable ninja who lives, sleeps, and breaths the life of a master assassin. Wielding the legendary blade only given to the leader of the Azuma, the ninjato Izayoi, Rikimaru is merciless when it’s time to deliver judgment upon those who need to be dealt with. When he’s given an assignment, he’s swift and does everything from the shadows, as if he was never there.

And then, there’s Ayame. With natural, raw talent for the assassin lifestyle, Ayame deals with her targets without hesitation, using her dual kodachi, which are Japanese style short sword. Whether she’s attacking from behind or getting the drop on somebody, everything’s done with precision and swiftness. Although she’s a deadly assassin, she also has a bad attitude to match it, often speaking her mind when confronted with something that doesn’t sit right with her. If you want to stay on her good side, do these two things: don’t get or mad and don’t do anything to mess with her sisterly bond with Gohda’s daughter, Princess Kiku.

Since this is a general overview, more details behind the character’s history and plot will be more in depth as each article covers the main games along the story line. In the next article, Tenchu: Stealth Assassins and Tenchu 2: Birth of Stealth Assassins will be covered, shedding more light on Rikimaru’s and Ayane’s origin as assassins, and where each game falls in the time line.

Don’t feel like waiting? Pick up and play the games. The graphics may be outdated, but you’ll enjoy the experience and challenge of being an assassin in feudal Japan!

If you like ninjas, like reading fan fictions or both, feel free to take a detour over to my website; Luka’s Notebooks. With a small collection of fan fictions so far, there’s something you’ll be bound to find. There’s even a fan fiction about Tenchu on there if you want to get a small sense of what the characters are like before you play!