Sengoku Basara/Characters/Maeda Clan

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Maeda Clan

Maeda Toshiie

Voiced by: Tomohiro Tsuboi (Japanese), Andrew Jackson (Devil Kings), Chuck Huber (anime), Jackson Robinson (Samurai Heroes)

"It would be great if there was a world where everyone can eat in peace..."

A vassal of Oda Nobunaga, which is surprising considering what a nice guy he is. Uncle of Keiji and husband of Matsu. The butt of many jokes.

Known as Lark in Devil Kings.


Matsu

Voiced by: Yuko Kaida (Japanese), Tabitha St. Germain (Devil Kings), Jamie Marchi (anime), Erika Weinstein (Samurai Heroes)

"Even though I am a woman, do not dare take me lightly!"

Toshiie's wife, usually tasked with keeping track of their renegade nephew Keiji. Has been described as "the ideal housewife", though she can still kick butt if she wants to.

Called Bramble in Devil Kings.


Maeda Keiji

Voiced by: Masakazu Morita (Japanese), Eric Vale (anime), Matthew Mercer (Samurai Heroes)

"In both love and fights, it feels good when hearts communicate."

An eccentric and happy-go-lucky man, who likes festivals, sake and chasing girls. He is the adopted nephew of Toshiie and Matsu. He also has a pet monkey named Yumekichi. An old friend of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, until he becomes Drunk on the Dark Side.


  • The Ace: He's got a well rounded personality, good-looks and popularity with girls, gets along with almost everybody, is a more than competent fighter and possesses diplomatic skills to boot.
  • Badass
  • BFS: Not as bulky as most, but it's over six foot long (taller than he is) and he wields it one-handed.
    • And when things gets serious, he can connect the hilt and the empty scabbard, turning it into a Blade on a Stick.
  • Big Damn Heroes: Does this in fine style at Sekigahara Invasion. When Ieyasu and Mitsunari refuse his request to end the conflict, he takes them both out with a headbutt to make them listen!
  • Bishounen: Nicknamed "Pretty Boy" and "Lady Killer" by Masamune.
  • Blow You Away
  • Boisterous Bruiser: He's loud, fun-loving, rebellious, friendly, thinks about nothing except fighting, parties and girls.. yep, that's Keiji!
  • Booze-Based Buff: One of his skills involves him drinking huge amounts of sake in between attacks, which restores health.
  • Butt Monkey: The second season of the anime sees his dreams of a peaceful Japan gets increasingly overshot by Hideyoshi's ambitions, climaxing in being forced to fight Toshiie when the Maeda ally with the Toyotomi and then run over by Hideyoshi when he tries to give him a Last Second Chance.
  • Catch Phrase: "Make love, for life is short!"
  • Cherry Blossoms: Randomly appear wherever he goes.
  • Chivalrous Pervert: Just check out his comments on Kasuga's poledancing...
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Despite commonly being mistaken for an idiot due to his carefree nature, Keiji is not a guy to be messed with.
    • Demonstrated nicely during the movie. He's able to handle a 2 against 1 fight against Masamune and Yukimura, with surprising ease.
  • Curtains Match the Window
  • Dance Battler: His moveset has elements of this, based on kabuki dance.
  • Determinator: In the OVA, after breaking free from his bonds with strength alone, he attacks Motonari with his arms still tied, is shot at repeatedly, fakes his own death, then turns up just in time to stop Motonari and Motochika killing each other.
  • Double Entendre: Likes making these, particularly around the more naive characters.
  • Empathy Pet: Yumekichi often copies his movements.
  • Everything's Better with Monkeys
  • Faking the Dead: He has a move that cancels his own death.
  • Fashionable Asymmetry
  • Forgotten Fallen Friend: In SB3 Keiji seems to have entirely forgotten Hideyoshi since his death, and is mostly plagued by boredom and a lack of something to do. It's subverted once you play Keiji's purple path, in which Keiji admits he's just been using that to run away from having to face Hideyoshi's death.
  • Hair Decorations: Feathers, chopsticks and, in the third game, a FLOWER.
  • "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Tries to get Hideyoshi to come to his senses (by punching him in the face no less). It doesn't work.
  • Japanese Pronouns: 'Ore'
  • Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Long, beautiful and flowing. Heck, most of the girls have shorter hair than him, Oichi being his only rival.
  • Love At First Sight: The start of his relationship with Magoichi in SB3. At first she dismisses it as a lie, but it eventually proves to be true.
  • The Matchmaker: Seems to have made himself unofficial love guru to the masses, dishing out advice to anyone he thinks needs it.
  • Nice Guy: Keiji only wishes for everyone to get along. He's even friendly and relaxed towards Nobunaga (though it comes with the territory that his family serves him).
  • Parental Abandonment: Implied, as Matsu and Toshiie appear to be all the family he has.
  • Parrot Pet Position: Yumekichi often occupies this.
  • Petal Power: If creating a hurricane of cherry blossoms that can cut you to pieces counts.
  • The Power of Love: Believes in this without fail.
  • Real Men Wear Pink: Aside from clothing that is either pink or just really gaudy, he also wears flowers in his hair and enjoys dancing.
  • Rummage Sale Reject: His historical counterpart was known for dressing "flamboyantly", so...
  • Self-Restraint: In the OVA, he purposefully lets Mouri capture him in order to try and negotiate. It doesn't go quite as planned.
  • Shipper on Deck: In the anime he's convinced that Kenshin and Kasuga love each other and wholeheartedly supports the relationship, despite Kasuga's embarrassed protests.
  • Single Tear: In the third game he cries one for Hideyoshi after finally coming to terms with his death.
  • Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: He's firmly on the idealistic end and seems to believe that everyone can be reasoned with. Even before Hideyoshi came into the picture, he had tried to talk Oda Nobunaga out of his plans, and later he risked his life trying to get Mouri and Motochika work together against Oda.
  • Stepford Smiler: Concerning his past. Eventually comes to realise this isn't the way to deal with it.
  • The Tease: Especially when it comes to Kasuga and Yukimura.
    • You Need to Get Laid: Outright tells the latter that it's high time he settled down and got married in 3.
  • Technical Pacifist: Though he dislikes war and killing, Keiji's always up for a good brawl.
  • Took a Level in Badass: See Determinator.
  • Tragic Keepsake: The good luck charm necklace Keiji wears actually belonged to Nene before. No wonder it looked girly even for him.
  • Unlucky Childhood Friend: To Nene, his best friend's wife.
  • Walking the Earth: He's known as the "The Maeda Wanderer" for a reason.
  • We Used to Be Friends: With the Toyotomi.