隠し砦の三悪人
"What you make of another's kindness is up to you."
The Hidden Fortress - Characters & Cast
Character Analysis
General Rokurota Makabe
Toshirō Mifune
Motivation
His sole motivation is to protect Princess Yuki and the clan's gold, ensuring the survival and restoration of the Akizuki lineage. Every action he takes, from manipulating the peasants to engaging in duels, is in service of this duty.
Character Arc
Makabe begins and ends as the epitome of the ideal samurai: fiercely loyal, incredibly skilled, and unwavering in his duty. He does not undergo a significant personal transformation but serves as the steadfast rock around which the other characters change. His arc is about enduring and succeeding against impossible odds, proving the strength of his commitment.
Princess Yuki
Misa Uehara
Motivation
Initially, her motivation is survival. As the journey progresses, it becomes a deeper desire to restore her clan not just to power, but to rule with newfound wisdom and compassion gained from her experiences.
Character Arc
Princess Yuki undergoes the most significant transformation. Initially a stubborn, haughty royal, her journey in disguise forces her to witness the suffering and resilience of her people. She develops empathy and a profound understanding of the world outside her palace walls, evolving from a protected symbol into a true and compassionate leader.
Tahei
Minoru Chiaki
Motivation
His primary motivation is acquiring gold and ensuring his own survival, often at the expense of others. He is easily swayed by the promise of wealth.
Character Arc
Tahei, along with his companion Matashichi, begins as a cynical, greedy, and cowardly peasant. Their arc is a slow journey from pure self-interest to a grudging form of loyalty and camaraderie. While they never become traditional heroes, their shared ordeal with the princess and general instills in them a degree of humanity they lacked at the start.
Matashichi
Kamatari Fujiwara
Motivation
Like Tahei, his motivation is pure avarice. He is constantly scheming to get a larger share of the gold and is quick to betray others if it serves his interests.
Character Arc
Matashichi shares the same arc as Tahei. As part of a bickering comedic duo, he represents the lowest rung of society, concerned only with his own well-being. The journey forces him into situations that test his non-existent courage and loyalty, and by the end, he has developed a reluctant respect for the nobility he once scorned.