13Akane no Mai: Supplementary Material
Anthology - The Eastern Strangers
Systems: Playstation 5, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S
Rated: M-Mature
Difficulties
Stranger of the Warrior
Stranger of the Strong
Stranger of the Demon (Unlock after buying first DLC)
Stranger of the Wise (Unlock after buying second DLC)
Stranger of the Emperor (Unlock after buying final DLC)
In an Elseworld dimension that crossovers Nioh and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. The Yami Matter has taken influence in affecting the timeline, thus, greatly influencing the monumental events of World War II. The Empire of Japan has been using Amrita and Demonic Qi, unleashing an army of Yokai and Chinese demons to turn the tide against the world. The Second Sino-Japanese War shows the Empire of Japan is stopping the Republic of China. However, two unlikely strangers of Japan have arrived to get involved with this war.
These two eastern strangers are named Hattori Mina and Itoshii Kyosuke. Mina is the descendant of William Adams (alongside inheriting his Guardian Spirit Saoirse), while Kyosuke is the descendant of Hide (alongside inheriting his Yokai Shift nature and Guardian Spirit Makami).
Throughout the war besides fighting their enemies, Mina and Kyosuke interact with WWII figures and even interact with the spirits of historical figures (such as William, Hide, Mumyo, the Wo Long protagonist, and Hong Jing).
At one point, thanks to the Yami Matter, Chiang Kai-shek becomes a demon before being saved by Mina and Kyosuke.
In the climax of the main story, Mina and Kyosuke alongside their allies reach Hirohito's Imperial General Headquarters, where the area is infested with Amrita and Demonic Qi. As the group fought through Yokai and Yaoguai, they fought and slay four 'Elite Four-like' bosses.
-Lightning Gods of Yomi - The same deities that served Izanami that Hide fought when Ashiya Doman called them forth. Halfway into the battle, the lightning gods summon a Nue and a Leishi.
-Xiangliu - Halfway into the battle, the nine human-headed serpent summons three Nure-Onnas.
-Jiu Feng - Halfway into the battle, the nine-headed Chinese phoenix summons two Itsumade.
-Jiu Wei Hu - Halfway into the battle, the Chinese nine-tailed fox summons three Demon Fox Spirits.
Then, the duo confront the evil triad (Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, General Iwane Matsui, and Lieutenant Colonel Isamu Chō), who are revealed to be the perpetrators of the Nanjing Massacre. The three villains merge to become Yamata-no-Orochi, the same one that William fought centuries back when it was summoned by Edward Kelley when merging with Ouroboros. Halfway into the battle, the serpent summons a Kinki, a Fuki, a Suiki, and an Ongyoki for backup. Orochi is slain, and while Iwane and Isamu are killed, Prince Yasuhiko is the only survivor of the triad.
Eventually, Mina and Kyosuke confront Hirohito, where the Yami Matter influences the emperor. During the fight against Hirohito, the emperor becomes a Yokai based on the Godzilla-like Hōnengyo.
After defeating Hirohito and restoring him to normal, Yu Ji (the Taoist in Black) unexpectedly appears as the true villain (Hijacked by the Ganon trope) behind the events of World War II in secretly bestowing Amrita and Demonic Qi Elixir to the Empire of Japan. Yu Ji is revived by the Yami Matter (It is revealed that not long after Yu Ji was first killed in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, the afterlife realized that because the Taoist is too dangerous to contain even by death standards, the realm attempted to cleanse his pure evil soul out of existence; however, the Yami Matter intervened and started affecting the timeline to save the Taoist and revive him) before the start of the story in becoming a great threat to both Japan and China and potentially the world. Communicating with the Yami Matter's whispers, Yu Ji declares the endgame phase of challenging the eastern stranger duo after failed manipulative attempts to join him by his side to rule the world.
The final battle against Yu Ji is difficult, as the evil Taoist summons a Yami clone of Xielong, and then fuses with the Xielong clone to become the Embodiment of Demonic Qi.
To ramp up the climax, Yu Ji reclaimed Hirohito's Yokai powers to become the Embodiment of Yami Amrita Qi. The Embodiment of Yami Amrita Qi's appearance is similar to Hirohito's Hōnengyo form, but with physical souls of the WWII casualties showing death-like faces throughout its skin, both Amrita and Demonic Qi crystals on its back, has a Xielong-like shogun helmet, and Xielong's wings and secondary long arms. The final boss has no health bar shown but has hints when taking damage for critical close to defeat.
After a hard battle, Yu Ji is defeated, yet his soul attempts to resist. Knowing Yu Ji is too dangerous to be around, Mina and Kyosuke's willpower and help from the benevolent spiritual presence combine to finally wipe out Yu Ji's existence completely.
Following Yu J's demise, the atomic bombs from the United States of America were unleashed, bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As a result of saving history, Japan surrendered at the end of World War II.
Decades have passed up till 1995 of the Heisei era. Mina and Kyosuke with eternal youth are still watching over society, their jobs are not over since the presence of the Yami Matter is still around. Alongside receiving visions of whenever the Yami Matter itself will eventually show itself, the duo doesn't know what to expect.
Enemies (Nioh): Humans (Empire of Japan/bandits), War Dogs (Empire of Japan), Skeleton Warriors/Axemen, Gakis, Aberrant Soldiers, Yokis, Onryokis, Nues, Mezukis, Gozukis, Ogresses, Kiryokis, Ubumes, Flying Bolts, Biwa Boku-Bokus, Wheelmonks, Namahages, Rokurokubis, Karasu Tengus, Mitsume Yazuras, Karakasa Umbrellas, Nure-Onnas, Tessos, Nuppeppo, Yashas, Hellish Hags, Underworld Soldiers, Magatsu Warriors, Kinkis, Fukis, Suikis, Ongyokis, Itsumade, Revenants
Enemies (Wo Long): Humans (Chinese bandits), Demonized Fanatics, Demonized Soldiers, Demonized Officers, Demonized Warlocks, Changguis, Shuiguis, Suanyus, Huodous, Zhuyans, Zhupolongs, Demon Spiders, Leishis, Terracotta Soldiers, Corpse Demons, Bingcans, Shuyaos
—Exclusively appear in the Eastern Strangers: Chochin-Obake (Nioh inspired), Oboroguruma Tanks (Nioh inspired), Funayūrei (Nioh inspired), Jiangshi (Wo Long inspired), Baigujing (Wo Long inspired), Demon Fox Spirits (Wo Long inspired)
Friendly creatures: Kodamas, Kappas, Scampusses, Shitieshou
Bosses (Story Missions): Hino-enma and Fengxi (First Dual Bosses), Joro-Gumo and Tsuchigumo, Enenra, Aoye, Hata Shunroku, Bakekujira (Eastern Strangers exclusive boss), Tatarimokke, Kasha, Tōjō Hideki (Yokai), Yatsu-no-Kami and Baishe, Gasha-dokuro, Chiang Kai-shek (Demon)
–Bosses (Final Story Mission): Lightning Gods of Yomi, Xiangliu (Eastern Strangers exclusive boss), Jiu Feng (Eastern Strangers exclusive boss), Jiu Wei Hu (Eastern Strangers exclusive boss), Yamata-no-Orochi (Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, General Iwane Matsui, and Lieutenant Colonel Isamu Chō's merged form), Hirohito (Emperor Shōwa)/Hōnengyo (Pre-Final Boss) (Both human and Yokai forms)
–Final Boss (Final Story Mission of Pre-DLC Stories): Yu Ji/Embodiment of Demonic Qi (second phase)/Embodiment of Yami Amrita Qi (final phase)
Bosses (Side Missions): Chiang Kai-shek (Human), Mao Zedong, He Yingqin, Bai Chongxi, Prince Kan'in Kotohito, Nishio Toshizō, Ryomen Sukuna, Daidarabotchi, Taotie, Zhong Kui (Eastern Strangers exclusive boss)
First DLC Storyline: Lost Butterflies
Set in 1996, Mina and Kyosuke have lived in peace as the hidden defenders within the city of Tokyo's shadows. One day, a swarm of butterflies appears as an omen, as the duo encounters a Shinchū in kick-starting their next quest.
Bosses (Story Missions): Hachishaku-sama, Aka Manto and Hanako-san, Yami Shinchū (Final DLC Boss)
Bosses (Side Missions): Hayabusa Ryū (Ninja Gaiden) and Nyotengu (Dead or Alive)
Enemies: Kuchisake-onna, Teke-Teke, Kunekune
Second DLC Storyline: Balance of Creation
In 2007, the duo returned to the People's Republic of China to receive training from the spirits of the Eight Immortals while the Yami Matter had its sights on recreating an interpretation of Pangu. Not wanting the country to fall into disorder, Mina and Kyosuke once again restore order by stopping the Yami version of the primordial deity.
Bosses (Story Missions): The Eight Immortals, Yami Pangu (Final DLC Boss)
Bosses (Side Missions): Sun Wukong, Song Jiang (protagonist of Water Margin), Jia Baoyu (protagonist of Dream of the Red Chamber)
Enemies: Fuzanglong, Zhulong, Platinum Soldiers
Final DLC Storyline: Prelude of Reiwa
At last, 2018 is the year before the start of the Reiwa era. The true source of the Yami Matter presence has been revealed ever since it influenced World War II in taking the form of Amatsu-Mikaboshi. With guidance from the spirits of Empress Jingū and Emperor Chūai, Mina and Kyosuke prepare one last battle with the Yami Matter itself.
Bosses (Story Missions): Jingū and Chūai, Amatsu-Mikaboshi (Final DLC Boss and overall final boss of the anthology)
Bosses (Side Missions): The Blade Twins (Male and Female Protagonists of Rise of the Rōnin), Ōishi Yoshio (the leader of the Forty-seven Rōnin)
Enemies: Yaseotoko, Ko-omote, Okina, Hannya, Talparago
Guardian Spirits and Divine Beasts: Saoirse, Gyokuto, Makami, Nekomata/White Tiger, Hakutaku, Masaru, Yaonami-Hime, Paired Raiken, Atlas Bear, Tengen Kujaku, Zhuque, Qinglong, Baihu, Xuanwu, Qilin, Bisha's Centipede, Enku, Nurarihyon, Janomecho, Nine Tails, Kuzunoha the Fox, Sohaya, Baku, Yinglong, Xiezhi, Tengshe, Baize, Bixie, Chenghuang
—Exclusively appear in the Eastern Strangers: Sazae-oni, Tiangou, Tian Xian Pei, Shinchū (First DLC), Zouyu (Second DLC), Kotobuki (Final DLC)
The Underworld
The section like the Abyss of Nioh and the Underworld of Nioh 2 makes its return for the anthology's final DLC. Besides fighting returning bosses throughout the anthology (from the main story through the three DLC stories), what makes this special, however, is the addition of returning Nioh and Wo Long characters as special bosses, making this more of a huge expansion pack.
The Underworld Special Bosses
-Tachibana Muneshige and Tachibana Ginchiyo
-Dong Zhuo
-Fuku and Lady Zhen
-Tenkai and Zuo Ci
-Sun Jian, Sun Ce, Sun Quan
-Hattori Hanzo, Okatsu, and Giant Toad
-Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu
-Edward Kelley and John Dee (Hundred Eyes)
-Date Masamune
-Maria
-Nohime (Yuki-Onna), Yasuke (Obsidian Samurai), Oda Nobunaga, and Cao Cao
-Hachisuka Koroku and two Kamaitachi
-Mumyo and Hong Jing
-Tokichiro (both human and Yokai forms)
-Yoshitsune (Both human and demon forms) and Benkei
-Yorimitsu and Abe no Seimei
-Suzuka
-Tate Eboshi
-Sanada Yukimura and Zhao Yun
-Lu Bu (Both human and demon forms)
-Zhuge Liang
-Sun Jian (demon form), Xiahou Dun (demon form), Liu Bei (demon form), Yuan Shao (demon form)
-Yuan Shu
-Otakemaru (Nightmare Bringer in second phase), Shuten doji, Tamamo-no-Mae (Nine-Tailed Fox)
-William, Hide, and the Wo Long Protagonist
Soundtracks
-Nioh
-Nioh 2
-Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
-Rise of the Rōnin
-Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
-Ghost of Tsushima
-Silent Hill f
-Black Myth: Wukong
-Grave of the Fireflies
-Princess Mononoke
-Spirited Away
-The Wind Rises
-Rurouni Kenshin (film)
-Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno
-Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends
-Rurouni Kenshin: The Final
-Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning
-Various 1930s-1940s Japanese and Chinese music played around the World War II era
-Ghostwire: Tokyo (For the DLC story events/missions)
Notes/Trivia
-The concept was first thought of by Allfather-Ford in 2017 relating to a past conversation with an old high school classmate about imagining future Nioh games set in the Meiji era (Flashforward to the announcement of Rise of the Ronin set in that era, though it has nothing to do with Nioh) and World War II. So it feels like a development hell concept until 2024 (7 years later) when it is finally retooled and revised into an Akane no Mai anthology.
-The decades spanning from World War II to the year 2018 feel like a meta backdoor stealth prequel nod being set before Akane no Mai/Book I (which is set in 2020), even though both The Eastern Strangers and Akane no Mai are officially two separate continuities with differences (Major examples: Mina/Kyosuke (AnM) are simply unrelated successors to William/Hide, while Mina/Kyosuke (Eastern Strangers) are indeed literal descendants of William/Hide).
-Mina and Kyosuke's role as duo main playable characters is a reference of Rise of the Rōnin having two playable protagonists (both male and female) that the player has to pick one for the story walkthrough.
-One of the inspirations of the tag team duo (Mina and Kyosuke) and the World War II setting is Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. Another inspiration relating to the crossover of Nioh and Wo Long is like a spiritual successor of Warriors Orochi (a crossover of Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors).
-The historical events of Rise of the Rōnin exist in this dimension.
-The interaction with the spirits of historical figures is a tribute to the concept shown back in Akane no Mai when the Phantom Thieves and their allies interacted with the spirits of Japan's historical figures.
-Not every enemy from Nioh and Wo Long is added due to balancing the crossover enemy roster and adding original enemy content.
–The Yokai of the Nioh franchise that is not added in The Eastern Strangers are: Dwellers, Lesser Umi-bozu, Mudmen, Sentries (Due to Terracotta/Platinum Soldiers of Wo Long related take over the role), Spiders (Due to Demon Spiders of Wo Long take over the role), Mujina, Amrita Fiends, One-eyed Imps/Onis (Due to Kinkis of Nioh take over the role), Nurikabe, Oni-bis, Onyudo, Harinobo, Red Kappas, Fox Spirits (Due to Demon Fox Spirits of Wo Long related take over the role), Snowclops (Due to Kinkis of Nioh take over the role), Great Centipede, Umi-bozu, Onmoraki, Ippon-Datara, Toxic Slimes, Waira, Enki (Due to the Kiryoki of Nioh and Zhuyan of Wo Long take over their roles), Yamanba, Koroka, Gyuki (Due to the Aoye of Wo Long take over the role), Lady Osakabe, Uminyudo, Bakegani, Oboroguruma (Due to Oboroguruma Tanks take over the role), Konaki-Jiji
-The Demons of Wo Long that are not added in The Eastern Strangers are: Huo Shus, Bronze Soldiers (due to elements being transferred to the Terracotta Soldiers).
-Chochin-Obake also appeared in Akane no Mai/Book II.
-Kuchisake-onna, Teke-Teke, Kunekune, Aka Manto, and Hanako-san also appeared in Akane no Mai/Book II.
-Oboroguruma Tanks are tanks that have faces of the Yokai and are based on the Oboroguruma from Nioh 2.
-Platinum Soldiers are recolors of Bronze Soldiers from Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, which now has platinum body colors, silver shoulder plates and helmets, and golden swords.
-Terracotta Soldiers are given a slight redesign of having elements of Bronze Soldiers.
-Demon Fox Spirits are Huli jing (Chinese fox spirits).
-Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, General Iwane Matsui, and Lieutenant Colonel Isamu Chō as an evil triad is loosely similar to the Genma Triumvirate from Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, where they manipulated Hirohito like the Genma's manipulations to Hideyoshi, alongside secretly serving Yu Ji is like the Genma worshiping the God of Light (Fortinbras). Their Yamata-no-Orochi merge form is a tribute to Shido and his followers merged to become Yamata-no-Orochi in Urban Legends (and Akane no Mai/Book III).
-Hirohito's Yokai form is inspired by the original Godzilla (1954) and Godzilla (GMK).
-Yu Ji returning as the main antagonist is similar to Juzo Mido of Akane no Mai. Unlike Edward Kelley and John Dee of Akane no Mai/Book II's first Yami Matter event as villains-of-the-week, Yu Ji is no pushover of being the overarching main villain whose threat level surpasses these Nioh villains.
-1995 in the main story's ending (pre-DLCs) references the real-life year when the company of
Team Ninja was first founded.
-1996 where the first DLC takes place with butterflies also relates to the Rebirth of Mothra being released that year.
-The Eight Immortals were inspirations of the Eight Immortals from Jackie Chan Adventures and the Xiaolin Warriors from Xiaolin Showdown.
-Yaseotoko, Ko-omote, Okina, and Hannya are based on the antagonists' Yokai forms from Ghostwire: Tokyo. Hannya's appearance has some elements of Basculegion from Pokémon.
-Talparago are Yami versions of the Magatsu Warriors with another face on the back side of his head and two more added arms (totaling six arms wielding six swords), alongside being the most powerful/hardest non-boss enemies in the anthology (tributing the Itsumade being the most powerful/hardest non-boss enemies in Nioh 2, and coming full circle of Magatsu Warriors are the most powerful non-boss enemies in the first Nioh). The name combines Talpa and Arago from Akane no Mai/Book II and the main villain from Ronin Warriors (Legendary Armor Samurai Troopers).
A/N: Hey, it's been a while. Now, this anthology has a more interesting premise than the Alf-Fantasy one. Coinciding with the official release of the Rise of the Rōnin game, this anthology celebrates historical fictional/alternate history game series such as Nioh and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. In doing so, they've been crossed over in this anthology concept.
The characters, Mina and Kyosuke, are the selected main characters since their Akane no Mai counterparts already have links to Nioh and have experience fighting Yokai. Here though, they're alternate versions without the bloodline links to past Nioh characters (ex. Mina being a descendant of William and Kyosuke being Hide's descendant). Free from the AnM constraints, Mina and Kyosuke are allowed more freedom and development.
So, what do you think? The Eastern Strangers sounds like something Team Ninja would love to work on. Perhaps one day, someone wants to adopt this anthology?