is the titular protagonist of the Samurai Shodown series of video games, as well as one of its most known characters alongside Nakoruru. He was introduced in the original Samurai Shodown in 1993 and has since appeared in every title in the series. The character was based on the famed swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi, a duelist who claimed to have never lost a match. Though he is a swordsman with no loyalties to any lord, Haohmaru has a "samurai spirit" which is often stressed in the series. He is also often accredited to defeating most of the series' villains. Appearances Samurai Shodown Haohmaru appears in all Samurai Shodown games and their other-media adaptations. According to his backstory, at the age of fifteen he challenged the series' version of Jubei Yagyu to a duel but lost due to lack of experience. Jubei, amused by the youth's bravado, brought Haohmaru to Nicotine Caffeine so that he may gain proper training. Whilst living there, Haohmaru also met and befriended Kibagami Genjuro, fellow student and another orphan like himself. One day, Nicotine told them they would battle to determine who would learn the secrets in a magical scroll to increase their fighting ability. Genjuro won but almost killed Haohmaru; in response, Nicotine banished Genjuro which began the latter's grudge against Haohmaru and Nicotine. Encouraged by this defeat to further improve himself, Haohmaru travelled the lands, perfecting his sword skills and searching for worthy challengers in the name of Ashura. During his many travels, Haohmaru also raised Shizumaru Hisame and trained him to be a fighter. Haohmaru fell in love with a girl named Oshizu, but he eventually leaves her for his travels in Samurai Shodown VI even as she begs him to stay with her. In the same game, it is shown that Haohmaru shares a close relationship with Charlotte Christine de Colde, even travelling all the way to France in order to visit her. In Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage, Haohmaru is a skilled and active swordsman at the age of forty-seven. At this time, he is trying to find his adopted niece, Mikoto and bring her back home. Samurai Shodown V character Rasetsumaru is a monstrous doppelganger of Haohmaru. However, in the 1994 motion picture Haohmaru has a different story, where he was raised by a mother, who dying reveals she has found him as a baby in a forest after seeing a shooting