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Description
Happy New Year!
Here is Takamaru: the lone samurai protagonist of the Japan-only Nintendo Famicom game, Nazo No Murasame Jo.

He's the only warrior of the Tokugawa shogunate brave enough to journey the countryside, defeat the four castle lords and their hoards of ninjas and mythological bad guys, and make it to the titular Murasame Castle in order to save Japan from the ultimate evil!

He uses a basic katana for close combat. His projectile attack can be upgraded from throwing knives to fireballs to windmill cutter blades, each of which can be upgraded further to shoot across the terrain in various directions and patterns. Other obtainable techniques and items include an invisibility scroll, sandals that let him run fast and over water, and the Inazuma lightening, which obliterates all foes on screen.

I based Takamaru's design here on his original appearance, but in my own style, with a hint of modern chibi-ization and subtle LoZ aesthetic undertones.

Other games he has appeared in are Captain Rainbow as a supporting character and Samurai Warriors 3 as a playable character. His series also makes a cameo in Nintendo Land as one of the retro attractions. Hopefully, with his increasing popularity, the upcoming Smash Bros games add Takamaru as a well-deserved newcomer. I'd also like to see Nintendo take advantage of Murasame Castle's relationship with the Legend of Zelda series, and include him in the recently-revealed "Hyrule Warriors" for Wii U.

And yes, that is Disk-Kun on the back of his vest

Description
Happy New Year!
Here is Takamaru: the lone samurai protagonist of the Japan-only Nintendo Famicom game, Nazo No Murasame Jo.

He's the only warrior of the Tokugawa shogunate brave enough to journey the countryside, defeat the four castle lords and their hoards of ninjas and mythological bad guys, and make it to the titular Murasame Castle in order to save Japan from the ultimate evil!

He uses a basic katana for close combat. His projectile attack can be upgraded from throwing knives to fireballs to windmill cutter blades, each of which can be upgraded further to shoot across the terrain in various directions and patterns. Other obtainable techniques and items include an invisibility scroll, sandals that let him run fast and over water, and the Inazuma lightening, which obliterates all foes on screen.

I based Takamaru's design here on his original appearance, but in my own style, with a hint of modern chibi-ization and subtle LoZ aesthetic undertones.

Other games he has appeared in are Captain Rainbow as a supporting character and Samurai Warriors 3 as a playable character. His series also makes a cameo in Nintendo Land as one of the retro attractions. Hopefully, with his increasing popularity, the upcoming Smash Bros games add Takamaru as a well-deserved newcomer. I'd also like to see Nintendo take advantage of Murasame Castle's relationship with the Legend of Zelda series, and include him in the recently-revealed "Hyrule Warriors" for Wii U.

And yes, that is Disk-Kun on the back of his vest