Jōun Takahashi

Jōun Takahashi was a senior vassal in service of the Ōtomo clan during the Sengoku period. He is Muneshige's biological father and Ginchiyo's father-in-law. He was said to have been good friends with Dōsetsu Tachibana, but their relationship somewhat soured after his son was adopted into the Tachibana family. When he was severely outnumbered by the Shimazu troops in his last battle, a legend states that he fought to the last man. As the last man standing, he was said to have unsheathed his sword and fought 17 Shimazu troops by himself.

Samurai Warriors
In Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends, Jōun appears as a generic samurai bodyguard players can employ for their own protection. He has one of the highest stats in the game and takes over Kojirō's spot in the bodyguard list.

Jōun is briefly mentioned during Muneshige's first narrative chapter in Samurai Warriors 3. His heroic sacrifice at Iwaya Castle spurs his son to avenge him by joining forces with the Toyotomi alongside Ginchiyo.

Historical Info
During his earlier life, Jōun began serving the Ōtomo clan led by Sōrin. He fought in battles against Takanobu Ryūzōji and the other powers in Kyūshū. For his fealty and devotion to the Ōtomo, he was made leader of the Takahashi clan and given authority over Iwaya Castle near the borders of Chikuzen Province.

When the Shimazu resumed their rivalry with Ōtomo after defeating the Ryūzōji clan in 1584, Jōun was tasked with defense to stall their oncoming advance. Unfortunately, he only had 760 guards at the time while the opposing side possessed a staggering amount of 50,000 soldiers. Despite being undermanned and surrounded from all sides, Jōun managed to keep the castle from enemy hands for over two weeks before committing suicide. His bravery against overwhelming odds was widely hailed even by the men of the Shimazu.

Though the Takahashi clan ended alongside Jōun, his son Muneshige continued the family bloodline by marrying into the Tachibana and becoming its clan head.