Oboromaru
“I see you, vengeful spirit!
”
—Oboromaru, attacking the party in the final chapter
Oboromaru is the protagonist of the Twilight of Edo Japan chapter, The Infiltrator. He is a prodigious shinobi of the Enma Clan, sent on a mission to rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Ode Iou, for the sake of Japan's future.
Profile
Appearance
Oboromaru has bushy purple hair, a brown ninja outfit fitted with chainmail, armored gloves, tabi with sandals and a red scarf. A cowl covers half of his face, exposing only his blue eyes. He also dons a gold headband. He has a sword sheath strapped to his back.
Personality
Oboromaru is a stoic, silent, and resourceful warrior, utterly devoted to his clan and his duty. He rarely expresses his personal thoughts or desires, carrying out his mission with the utmost proficiency. Quick with a blade, he carries no qualms with taking a life if deemed necessary, though he is not above forming allegiances. Ultimately, Oboromaru shares his clan's philosophy in seeking a better future for Japan.
History
Twilight of Edo Japan: The Infiltrator
Oboromaru is a ninja of the Enma, a clan of shinobi that guides history from the shadows. Though his training is incomplete, he is selected by the clan's master to undertake a critically important mission. He is tasked with infiltrating Ode Castle, the fortress of the Ode Clan, and rescuing an influential politician being held captive within. To assist in his mission, fellow shinobi Hayate grants Oboromaru his Shadowed Self technique, allowing him to become completely invisible.
Arriving at Ode castle, Oboromaru infiltrates the heavily guarded fortress. How Oboromaru chooses to accomplish his mission is up to him: he may make the prisoner's rescue his priority, or he may deign to confront Ode Iou first. Additionally, Oboromaru may choose whether to sneak past the castle's many inhabitants, or to fight them and take their lives. As he makes his way through the castle, Oboromaru evades its many tricks and traps, while doing battle with the many malicious spirits summoned by Ode Iou himself to guard his estate.
Oboromaru successfully recovers the prisoner, and confronts Ode Iou on the castle's rooftops. There, he witnesses Iou transform into a demon, the Gamahebi, proclaiming himself eternal ruler of Japan. Fighting together for the future of their nation, Oboromaru and the prisoner slay the demon, putting an end to the Ode Clan. Standing on the rooftops, the prisoner, Ryoma Sakamoto, offers Oboromaru the choice join him in his quest to bring peace to Japan, or to remain a shinobi. No matter what he chooses, Oboromaru watches a new dawn rise from the horizon, along with a new dawn for Japan.
Final Chapter: The Dominion of Hate
Oboromaru, along with the other six heroes across time, is transported to the Dominion of Hate by the will of Odio soon after his ordeal, and may be chosen as the chapter's protagonist.
As a recruitable party member, he is found by examining the blood-encrusted signpost before the Archon's Roost. Dropping down from above, he assumes the party to be monsters and attacks them. After being defeated, he acknowledges the party and offers to accompany them. Oboromaru may be reacquired at any time by simply examining the sign.
Oboromaru's Trial is the Trial of Keys, located in the Seat of the Betrayers's village. A labyrinth of locked doors serves as the ninja's challenge, each one requiring a key to be opened. His ultimate weapon, the Murasame, lies at the very end.
After Odio is defeated once and for all in the true ending, Oboromaru, if chosen as the protagonist, confronts Oersted over his actions. He confesses that he too was once willing to take lives without consideration, but through his meeting with Ryoma, he had come to realize the true value of mercy and trust. Moved, Oersted returns the seven heroes to their original time periods with his final breath.
Oboromaru's fate depends on his answer to Ryoma's offer to join him. If he chose to accompany Ryoma, he is made a member of his entourage, going on to save his life from an assassin. If he instead chose to remain with the Enma, Oboromaru continues to protect Japan from the silence of the shadows.
Bad Endings
Alternately in his chapter, Oboromaru may choose to abandon his mission and the Enma by leaving Ode Castle. In this case, Oboromaru is fated to spend the rest of his life fending off the vengeful members of his former clan. His defection eventually leads to his death, by a suicide attack from Hayate.
If he's the one to finish off Oersted after Purity of Odio's defeat, he'll pray that the fallen hero find peace in the afterlife. However, since Oersted was killed too early, the Lord of Dark's hatred is free to continue the cycle, and Oboromaru along with the other six heroes are presumably trapped in Lucrece.
If Oersted is chosen as the protagonist of the final chapter, Oboromaru is instead fought as an enemy, with the player in control of the Gamahebi. In this outcome, Oboromaru and the prisoner are slain by the demon, unable to prevent his impending reign.
Etymology
The kanji used to write Oboromaru's name (朧) means misty or hazy, often related to the moon. The kanji used to write the diminutive suffix -maru (丸) originally means round or circle. This word used to be put at the end of the names mainly of Japanese people of the warrior class during childhood as a way to repel evil.
Trivia
- Oboromaru has two weapons in his chapter that share the same stats: the Mutsuokami (known as Yoshiyuki in the SFC fan translation), acquired from Ryoma if Oboromaru had 0 kills, and the Muramasa, protected by the secret boss Majin Ryunosuke.
- Oboromaru has no dialogue with any character in his chapter, however, unlike the other silent protagonists Pogo, Cube and Oersted, Oboromaru's dialogue options and internal monologue are voiced.
- The strictly non-canon "abort the mission" ending has Oboromaru speak exactly one line, "Master..." to Hayate before the fight.
| Twilight of Edo Japan: The Infiltrator |
|---|
| Characters |
| Oboromaru • The Prisoner • Mimic Mammet • Amakusa Shiro • Puppetmaster Gennai • Yodogimi • Miyamoto Musashi • Ode Iou |
| Locations |
| Ode Castle |
| Enemies |
| Manservant • Retainer (Purple) • Retainer (Orange) • Eight Blades Samurai • Shinobi • Go-Nin-Ja • Go-Nin-Ja (Clone) • Goemon • Enma Tracker • Hayate • Ronin • Hannya Maru • Kyoshiro • Minister • Merchant • Maid • Kunoichi • Foreigner • Monk• Relentless Maid • Young Monk • Folding Screen Tiger • Lost Soul • Okyou • Nekomata • Trap Master • Flame Contraption • Ice Contraption • Gas Contraption • Icon of War • Icon of Flame • Icon of Water • Electrode • Wood Post • Candlestand • Paper Partition • Lord Iwama • Majin Ryunosuke • Gamahebi |
| Music |
| Shadowed Duty • The Sound of Silence • To Arms! |
| Final Chapter: The Dominion of Hate |
|---|
| Characters |
| Pogo • Earthen Heart Master (Yun Jou • Lei Kugo • Hong Hakka) • The Sundown Kid • Oboromaru • Masaru Takahara • Akira Tadokoro • Cube • Oersted • Odio |
| Locations |
| Seat of the Betrayers • Silent Wood • Condemned Village • The Last Hero's Grave • The Archon's Roost • Trials (Instinct • Skill • Time • Keys • Power • Heart • Wisdom) |
| Enemies |
| Xavier • Polydectes • Oedipus • Daedalus • Teil Queen • Pawnbert • Ruby Tyrant • Cerberus • Lightbringer • Souleater • Dreadbulb • Phantom Rider • Deathfist Disciple • Chrono Legionary • Ravenous Bear • Nekomata • Mecha-Satake 98 • Earthshaker • Entomophilia • Claustrophilia • Babaliyan • Grand Visages • Dragon Killer • Ishtar • Glasya Labolas • Tsunayoshi • Pup Lord • Grammoth • Pistachio • Titanblood • Riftwalker Genzaemon • Roly Poly • Ship of Horrors • Acrophilia • Scotophilia • Hygrophilia • Helios Hound • Darkwall • Shadow • Lucretius • The Bountiful Heart • Jaggedy Jacks • Apophisphilo • Euraokos • Death Prophet • Headhunter • Eyes of Odio • Maw of Odio • Brow of Odio • Purity of Odio • Arm of Odio (Left) • Arm of Odio (Right) • Sin of Odio |
| Music |
| The Dominion of Hate • Silent Labyrinth • Illusion • Pure Odio • Armageddon • Live over Again • Live for Live • Gigalomania |
| Transcripts |
| 2022 (English) • 1994 (English, Japanese) |