News roundup: Motochika, Magoichi, Tsuruhime and Kanbee join the Sengoku Basara 4 cast

The first leaks from tomorrow's issue of Weekly Famitsu (dated 31st October 2013) have now surfaced and it seems that fans of Motonari are going to have to wait a little longer for confirmation. Instead, the new playable characters confirmed for Sengoku Basara 4 are Motochika, Magoichi, Tsuruhime and...Kanbee!

(Note: I've since received my issue so this post has been updated.)

There's a nice new group shot of all of the new characters accompanied by Masamune, Yukimura, Mitsunari and Ieyasu with a caption declaring that the package design is complete and brimming with energy. Presumably this is the artwork we'll see on the standard edition packaging a few months from now.

The game has moved up to 10th place in the upcoming game rankings and we're treated to a full four page article. A footnote advised that a previous issue of Weekly Famitsu had made a mistake with the game's rating: it's CERO rating B (ages 12+), not 15+ as the older issue stated.

Chousokabe Motochika 長曾我部元親
Character image phrase: 天衣無縫 Ten I Muhou ('Flawless Construction')
Seiyuu: Ishino Ryuuzou
Weapon: Ikariyari (anchor-spear)
Playable: Yes
Description: The supreme commander of the Chousokabe forces who rules over the western sea. He's trusted deeply by his men as their big hearted, considerate 'big brother'. As he continues his voyage in the mobile pirate stronghold 'Hyakki Fugaku' Motochika thinks about the oceans of distant lands. At the same time, he's also considering helping his friend Tokugawa Ieyasu in his conquest of the country.

Caption: Although Motochika's skills are slow, he has a long reach and his attacks cover a wide area.

"Wind blowing over the land doesn't matter at all... Waves! Storms! That's what gets me started!"

Saika Magoichi 雑賀孫市
Character image phrase: 煙鳥翔華 Enchou Shouka ('Smoky Bird Soaring Magnificently')
Seiyuu: Oohara Sayaka
Weapon: Guns
Playable: Yes
Description: The third generation leader of the Saika Shuu, a mercenary group equipped with firearms. Instead of using the value of the reward to select their employer, they're proud people who will only enter a contract with a partner who acknowledges their skill and way of life. In the turbulent times they advance across the battlefield to determine whether any force is worthy of a contract. On the battleground Magoichi specialises in long-range attacks using guns.

Caption: Who has Magoichi recognised as her contractor!?

Caption: Magoichi's normal attacks change depending on the unique ability that was used before them. She has different techniques to suit her distance from the enemy!

"The cloud of gunpowder smoke which drifts across the battlefield...we're there, within it."

Tsuruhime 鶴姫
Character image phrase: 純白可憐 Junpaku Karen ('Pure White And Lovely')
Seiyuu: Koshimizu Ami
Weapon: Bow
Playable: Yes
Description: The shrine maiden bound to the Iyokouno forces who possesses the mysterious power of an oracle. Although she was raised in a shrine with the greatest care, there's a risk that she doesn't know when a person shouldn't be trusted. One day, Tsuruhime heard a voice from the heavens calling itself 'Himiko' and set sail in turbulent times in order to bring the battles being waged across the land to an end. Yet on the battlefield, Tsuruhime specialises in long-range attacks with her bow and shows a great deal of energy as she blasts her enemies away.

Caption: Maintaining the ideal distance is critical when fighting with a bow. In addition, one feature of her unique skills is that she can fire a powerful arrow if the button is released at the right time.

"The seeds of this turbulent age are calling forth a storm, so I'm harvesting them before they sprout!"

Kuroda Kanbee 黒田官兵衛
Character image phrase: 機略重鈍 Kiryaku Juudon ('Heavy, Sluggish Manoeuvres')
Seiyuu: Koyama Rikiya
Weapon: Iron ball
Playable: Yes
Description: The supreme commander of the Kuroda forces. Kanbee was originally a commander in the Toyotomi army, however his capabilities were seen as dangerous together with the ambitions he secretly harboured and he was driven away to the southern lands. He wasn't discouraged even after that incredible misfortune; in the turbulent age he embraced his aspirations once more, setting out a network of underground tunnels spanning the whole of Hinomoto.

Caption: Kanbee swings the gigantic iron ball magnificently to fight. While his movement and skills are slow, this can be mitigated by incorporating some evasion.

"What's wrong with having ambition!? Even my humble self - a nobody next to all of these powerful warlords!?"

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The bulk of the remainder of the magazine article is dedicated to more 'combined enemy formations'. I talked about these before here but here's a recap of the older ones we've already seen:

• Juugyorin ('Gun Fish Scales'): Enemies with guns form a pyramid and fire in unison.
• Ootatetate ('Huge Shield'): 12 enemy soldiers with spears and shields gather up into a wall.
• Ookurumagakari ('Great Winding Wheel'): The soldiers stack up like totem poles and then roll around together as a spinning wheel.
• Kakuyoku No Jin ('Crane Wing Formation'): The enemies connect their spears into a pole and spin to form a tornado.

There are now thirteen additional combined enemy formations with small variations on the originals. Here's the list with the magazine's comments (of course, a lot of the names are silly puns).

• Enyoku No Jin ('Flame Wing Formation'): A tornado of fire approaches! It's a splendid formation of soldiers clad in fire.
• Tamagakari ('Winding Bullets'): The soldiers who carry bombs on their backs form a wheel and charge. As they move forwards, they drop bombs into the ground. Are they creating a minefield?
• Daikikin ('Great Famine'): Another soldier sprinkles a mysterious powder above a soldier carrying a rice ball. Eat the poisoned rice ball and...!?
• Kin Nobori ('Muscle Ascent'): A formation with the soldiers on one another's shoulders. Acting as a ladder, there's a risk that it will sharply increase the enemy's range.
• Shinobikago ('Ninja Cage'): The ninja use hand seals to create a closed space, like a kekkai. If you're trapped inside this formation, is escape impossible until you destroy the base?
• Yumigyorin ('Bow Fish Scales'): A combined enemy formation for archers!
• Kingyorin ('Goldfish Scales'): A gorgeous formation of glittering gold!?
• Yariuma ('Spear Horse'): Treating the spears as though they're stilts!
• Tatetate No Kamae ('Shield Stance'): A more compact arrangement than the Ootatetate. (Note: It uses just four shields.)
• Kusatatetate No Kamae ('Thatched Shield Stance'): A grass pattern has been drawn on the shields to act as camouflage?
• Kurumagakari ('Winding Wheel'): A three-man formation capable of sharp turns.
• Atsugakari ('Winding Pressure'): Crushing with giant hammers!
• Kagyuu ('Fire Cow'): Cannons(?) on both shoulders blast out fire!!

The new formations are accompanied by extra information about the new 'tactician' units. As well as instructing other soldiers to assemble into the formations above, they have some special 'tactician orders' they can issue to make the enemies work together so that they're harder to defeat.

• Charge in ranks: The enemy soldiers charge together in rows.
• Surround the base: The enemies move around their base at high speed to keep it safe.
• Sack: They pounce on the player in a group, pressing down and crushing them (Note: in other words, it's a dog pile - and the picture of it happening to Mitsunari is pretty funny).

A picture of Tsuruhime with Oyassan has been circulating on 2ch and Twitter. More pictures will hopefully appear after the magazine has been released; in any case, the official website should update on Thursday as usual and the gaming press will post screenshots in their coverage.

Extra pictures from Twitter: Magoichi, Motochika/Tsuruhime, Kanbee, shots from the group picture 1, 2, 3, 4

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Of course, that's not the only recent Sengoku Basara news.

More Ichiban Kuji prizes officially revealed

We still don't have a firm start date beyond mid-January, but the official Sengoku Basara Ichiban Kuji website has now updated to confirm more details about the list of prizes in the upcoming ¥600 convenience store lottery. In addition they've posted sample pictures of all five exclusive figures that participants can win.

A rank prize: Date Masamune 'Kyun-Chara' figure
B rank prize: Sanada Yukimura 'Kyun-Chara' figure
C rank prize: Maeda Keiji 'Kyun-Chara' figure
D rank prize: Tokugawa Ieyasu 'Kyun-Chara' figure
E rank prize: Ishida Mitsunari 'Kyun-Chara' figure
F rank prize: Hooded blanket
G rank prize: Japanese-style drawstring bag (four different designs)
H rank prize: Clear file (four different designs)
I rank prize: Set of pins (four different designs)
J rank prize: Design strap (four different designs)

There's no mention of the rumoured S-rank prize of a Sengoku Basara 4 multi-cloth, nor of the Last One prize, which is supposedly a Date Masamune 'Kyun-Chara' figure (drawn swords version). We'll have to wait and see.

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Update 16/10/2013 23:20: All of the Weekly Famitsu material has now been translated. Let's look forward to the official website update and gaming website reports in a few hours!
Update 17/10/2013 07:40: The official website has now updated the character page so I've decorated this post. The profiles for Motochika, Magoichi, Tsuruhime and Kanbee will open up next Thursday.