Sakon (Samurai Warriors)

How Sakon joined the Tourney
After Nobunaga's death at Honnōji, Mitsuhide requests for the Tsutsui clan to aid him at Yamazaki. Sakon, a former Takeda general who resided with the Tsutsui at the time, convinces his master to instead side with the more capable Hideyoshi. During the conflict, Mitsunari and Sakon keep track of the other's promise of talent. Hideyoshi becomes the land's de facto leader after he defeats other Oda generals. By this time, Sakon was angered by his lord and wandered the land for indulgence. Mitsunari finds him and, once the younger man states that he wants his services as his equal, Sakon agrees to serve him. He aids the land's unification by suppressing Kyūshū and by partaking in the western siege at Odawara Castle.

Hideyoshi soon dies and the land is split between factions led by Mitsunari and Ieyasu. Facing Ieyasu's vast army, Sakon requests permission for an ambush to stunt the enemy march and traps select portions of the Eastern army at Kusegawa. Although Tadakatsu appears with a relief force, Sakon and the Western army retain their cool and cut back some of the Eastern army's drive. Mitsunari moves to Sekigahara, and although Sakon rationalizes that Mitsunari's plan won't succeed, he nevertheless fights by his lord's side. After their victory over Ieyasu, Sakon replies that he doesn't care about a reward as he just wanted to serve a virtuous lord. As he speeds off on his steed, Mitsunari considers Sakon to be his friend.

His dream mode entails when he serves Shingen to learn some tips on strategy. He helps capture the fleeing Ieyasu at Mikatagahara.

In Samurai Warriors: Katana, Sakon is first encountered in the Swordsman scenario attacking the Shimazu. He leaves the battlefield after losing to the protagonist. The Stealth scenario has him get in the way of the Hōjō army's escape from the Takeda at Mimase Pass. His final appearance is at the Savior scenario where he helps the Sanada take over Numata Castle. He wishes to verify the rumors of Ina's prowess for himself, but is instead bested by the player's persistence.

In Samurai Warriors 3, Sakon begins his story in a manner similar to his previous dream stage. With Ieyasu's escape in the end, Shingen is unable to secure a decisive victory against Ieyasu in his following campaigns and his abrupt death leads to eventual demise of the Takeda family. Seeking a new master, Sakon joins Hideyoshi's side at Komaki-Nagakute and meets Kiyomasa, Masanori and Mitsunari. During the battle, the trio's words has him reflect on Hideyoshi's character and, though he considers joining Hideyoshi, he is more impressed by Mitsunari's will to win. Joining Mitsunari at Oshi Castle, he agrees to help the youth's dream of protecting the Toyotomi's future with his friends. Upon achieving victory, Sakon finally accepts Mitsunari as his real master.

Soon after, Hideyoshi dies due to illness and Mitsunari is abandoned by his friends. At odds with the larger Ieyasu army and devastated by the loss, Mitsunari's army suffers from low morale. To boost the spirits of Mitsunari and the men, Sakon leads an attack at Kusegawa to defeat Tadakatsu. Their victory is enough to cement Mitsunari's resolve to win and they proceed to Sekigahara. Although Kiyomasa's presence in the Eastern army once again weakens his master's nerve, Sakon defeats him to lead the army to a decisive victory and they rout the Eastern army. Kiyomasa's defeat dazes Mitsunari into a witless stupor and he loses the will to pursue Ieyasu's army. To raise his master's spirit, he hauls the young man onto his horse, attracts Masanori's attention to follow them, and speeds towards Kiyomasa. Although the latter looks as though he is dead, he awakens when Mitsunari hurries to his side and a crying Masanori hugs both of them. Seeing the trio reunited is enough for Sakon to smile.

Sengoku Musou 3: Empires has Sakon offer his services to Shingen in the latter's own story route, helping the warlord prepare his woodpecker strategy against the Uesugi forces. In Ieyasu's story, he first attempts to assassinate the Tokugawa leader without Mitsunari's knowledge and launches a surprise attack on Kuzegawa when his previous plot fails. He and his lord regroup to Ōsaka Castle after surviving Sekigahara; spared by the Eastern army, they begrudgingly accept Hideyori's request to leave the land.

Samurai Warriors 4 Sakon starts his story serving the Tsutsui clan in Yamato. Feeling that his talents were wasted under them, he chose to become a landless samurai. Shingen recognizes his talents soon after, leading him to join the Takeda forces as early as Kawanakajima. Appreciative of the grand opportunity, Sakon seeks to spend his time studying Shingen's tactics. He realizes early within his service that his lord has ambitions for the land, curious to see how far the veteran will proceed throughout the Takeda campaigns. He chooses to stay with the Takeda at Nagashino and Tenmokuzan even after Shingen's death. Though he knows it's a lost cause to defend Katsuyori, Sakon stays to repay Shingen's past courtesy to him.

The Takeda's fall leads to Sakon choosing to wander the lands again until Kanbei hires for his assistance at Yamazaki. He performs well, yet Kanbei views his prowess as a potential threat to Hideyoshi's security and refuses to renew his contract. Sakon would have started wandering again if Yoshitsugu had not stopped him. Through his chat with his fellow strategist, Sakon believes his talents will someday lead to a lord worthy of serving if he stays within Hideyoshi's forces and assists their campaigns at Shizugatake, Komaki-Nagakute, and Shikoku. During these battles, he finds Mitsunari to be an appalling annoyance. When he is fishing after they subdue Motochika's troops, the strategist is bemused when Mitsunari seeks to employ him by offering him the same payment he receives. The youth's sheer determination impresses him enough to agree.

Serving under Mitsunari henceforth as his strategist, Sakon accompanies him at Ueda Castle and Oshi Castle. The year before Sekigahara takes place, Sakon recognizes Ieyasu as the greatest threat to Mitsunari and advises for him to focus on only deposing the elder. Mitsunari seeks to end his rival in a fair fight, an answer which Sakon later complains about to Yoshitsugu. Despite his misgivings about the affair, he is optimistic with Yoshitsugu's help and fights for his lord at Sekigahara. Regardless of the stage's Western army variations, Sakon perishes during the fighting after he is shot by Nagamasa Kuroda's riflemen. The in-game version has him be wounded, retreat when rescued, reemerge in an attempt to restore ally morale, and then die fighting before the battle's end. The pre-rendered version shows him suffering from the gunshot yet rising to his feet. Sakon uses his lingering vigor to charge through the Eastern army for an off-screen death.

The 4-II Ideals Story abbreviates his past with the Takeda and starts with Sakon acting as a representative for his then Tsutsui masters at Shizugatake. He is fascinated by Mitsunari's eccentric rudeness and skill, mistakingly believing the impetuous youth to be a friendless grump. Sakon is appeased to learn Mitsunari has close companions but is concerned by the tensions building between the childhood friends, keeping an eye on the youth at Komaki-Nagakute and Shikoku. He defends Mitsunari during one of the trio's arguments and warns him to treasure the ties he has established.

When he becomes a vagabond and Mitsunari meets with him in the capital, Sakon is moved by the youth's compassion and naive idealism to agree to his new service. The strategist swiftly directs his lord to seek refuge under Ieyasu when Kiyomasa and Masanori's armies surrounds them. During their night stay at Ieyasu's manor, Sakon swears to assassinate Ieyasu at once; the strategist cares little for his own safety, pressing that they should strike before their foe develops into a greater threat. Although he is vexed when his proposals are shot down, Sakon accepts his lord's flaws as a warm reminder of why he serves him.

He accompanies his lord to convince Yoshitsugu, agreeing that their resistance is foolhardy and asking him to join them at Sekigahara. When the Western Army's main camp falls, Sakon tells his lord to escape at once. Mitsunari is too empathetic to comply to his repeated civil requests, so Sakon knocks him out and loads him onto a fleeing horse. Despite all odds being against him, Sakon eventually reunites with his lord after the battle and protects him from Tokugawa soldiers.

Training for the second Tourney, Sakon is nearly obstructed by a young Korean fighter named Hwoarang. Hwoarang wishes to challenge the strategist in hopes of giving him the strength to beat Jin Kazama.

When highlighted
Holds his zanbato on his right shoulder.

After the announcer calls his name
Swings his sword hard to the left, then swings it right, then jumps close to the camera raising his sword and hammers it saying "Just sit back and leave everything to me!"

Targeting Slash (Neutral)
Releases a shockwave via an outward swing, then sweeps his sword upwards to launch a ground wave forwards.

Field of Fight (Side)
Plants his sword into the ground, creating a damaging field of varied elemental effect as Sakon gestures.

Positioned Stab (Up)
Sakon jumps into the air swinging his sword, then comes down stabbing it onto the top of his foe.

Rifle Cover (Down)
Points forward to signal an overhead rifle barrage. The pointing will also damage enemies. Follows with a spinning slice to the front.

Backup Fire (Hyper Smash)
Sakon points forward saying "This should be fun." then off-screen soldiers say "Roger, giving fire!" then rifle and cannon fire target opponents on the field for 10 seconds.

Diplomatic Slash (Final Smash)
Sakon holds his sword to his face saying "This is going to hurt!" then shapes a large, X-shaped beam with his sword and sends it forward. After this, he says "Giving up so soon?"

Samurai Warriors 3 Appearance
Sakon's first Bonus Costume is based on his Samurai Warriors 3 Appearance. To unlock, one must clear Classic-Adventure with Sakon without continuing. After Queen Nehelenia (or Super Queen Nehelenia)'s writhing in agony before exploding, the announcer will say "You've earned a new costume!" and a Smash Ball (appears on the lower-right corner) will appear with a message saying "How grand, you've unlocked Sakon's Samurai Warriors 3 costume! They won't suspect your moves now!" Then, highlight Sakon and press Minus once.

Samurai Warriors 2 Appearance
Sakon's second Bonus Costume is based on his Samurai Warriors 2 Appearance. To unlock, one must clear Poker with Sakon. After Daniel J. D'Arby panickly laughs, then collapses, the announcer will say "You've earned a new costume!" and a Smash Ball (appears on the lower-right corner) will appear with a message saying "You've now earned Sakon's Samurai Warriors 2 costume! An exemplary outfit indeed!" Then, highlight Sakon and press Minus twice.

Victory Animations

 * 1) Sakon holds his sword up, then swings it left, then right, then rests it on his shoulder saying "So, did you enjoy the strategy I had on display out there?"
 * 2) Sakon holds out a strategy scroll and says "Brains and brawn; I've got it all!"
 * 3) Sakon does a high kick, then snaps his finger and two soldiers thrust their spears. He then says "Victory isn't something that just falls into your lap, you know."

On-Screen Appearance
Sakon lifts a war tent and walks out taking his zanbato, then says "Hey, I'm not letting you go without a fight!"

Special Quotes

 * How will you respond to this move, Lord Shingen? (When fighting Shingen)
 * Such a beauty... I almost don't want to win. (When fighting Yueying)
 * What a coincidence! I'm blessed with brains and brawn too! (When fighting Lu Meng)
 * Let's see what the Little Conqueror is made of! (When fighting Sun Ce)
 * I hope you're ready to lose two or three of those pretty tails. (When fighting Da Ji)
 * This could hurt. Maybe you should just run along home, huh? (When fighting Himiko)

Trivia

 * Sakon's rival is a young taekwondo fighter and Baek Doo San's student, Hwoarang, while his second rival is a princess from New Orleans named Tiana.
 * Sakon Shima shares his English voice actor with Lu Su, Zhang Fei, Leopold Goenitz, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shew, Metagross, Anan 7, Heavy Mole, Gigalith, Bang Shishigami, Samurott, Big the Budo and Victor von Gerdenheim.
 * Sakon Shima shares his German voice actor with Kamen Rider Decade, Antonov and Gantenbainne Mosqueda.
 * Sakon Shima shares his Arabic voice actor with Faust, Kiyomori Taira, Hanataro Yamada, Kraken Isaac, Typhlosion, Alex, Planetman, Hong Yun-Seong, Tohma Kuki, Crustle, Walrein, Pantherlily, Eiji Kisaragi, Greenfist, Sokka, Kim Sue Il, Krook, Hein, Hideo Shimazu, Balrog, Birdie, Android 14, Tambourine and General Blue.
 * Sakon Shima shares his Mandarin Chinese voice actor with Strider Hiryu, Takayuki Furuichi, Xiahou Yuan, Heidern, Alucard and Yun Lee.