Narimasa Sassa

Nariasa Sassa is a long standing samurai retainer of the Oda clan from the Sengoku era. Noted for his ability to command matchlock soldiers, Narimasa faithfully served the Oda clan until Nobunaga Oda’s death. His success and fortune changed after Hideyoshi replaced Nobunaga, falling into disfavor and eventually being ordered to commit Seppuku.

Role in Games
Narimasa Sassa appears in the Samurai Warriors series as an early officer of the Oda forces. He fights in almost all the battles where the Oda forces are engaged, remaining true to his service under Nobunaga. After the Honnonji incident, he serves under Ieyasu when he rebels against Hideyoshi and participates in Komaki-Nagakute.

In Pokemon Conquest, Narimasa serves as an officer of Nobunaga and fights with a Fraxure, the pokemon type he has the closest affinity.

Kessen III has Narimasa appear as an optional early game archer unit, joining the Oda forces in chapter 2, the battle of Muraki. He has the unique starting combination of a ranged unit affinity combined with the warrior class.

Voice Actors

 * Richard Epcar - Warriors Orochi (English-uncredited)

Historical Information
Sassa Narimasa was born February 6, 1536 to Sassa Morimasa. He entered Nobunaga’s service at 14 and remained in his lord’s service throughout Nobunaga’s rise to power. Narimasa was noted for his ability to lead matchlock forces, a position he regularly held. Narimasa saw combat at Anagawa, serving in the rear guard. He also participated in the battle of Nagashino, receiving personal recognition for his efforts in the Shincho Koki, Nobunaga’s chronicles.

Narimasa would next work with Maeda Toshiie and Mitsuharu Fuwa in quelling rebellious Ikko-ikki in Echizen. He also began the construction of Komaru castle around this time. Their efforts in this area earned the three officers the title Sanninshu or the Echizen Triumvirate. Having quelled Echizen, Narimasa proceeded to join Shibata Katsuie in fighting the Uesugi in Etchu. He continued to provide exceptional service and received Etchu province for his efforts. Narimasa immediately set out to survey and improve his new lands, building new dams to decrease flood damage. These banks he built still bear his family name.

When Nobunaga fell to Mitsuhide, Narimasa Sassa did not immediately engage in the politics around Nobunaga’s heir, but did ultimately choose to support Katsuie at Shizugatake, to little avail. Although on the losing side, his support had been weak enough to escape any major punishment. However, Narimasa continued to prove contrary to Hideyoshi the following year when he supported Tokugawa Ieyasu’s own fight against Hideyoshi’s power. Although unable to engage in the primary conflict in Komaki-Nagakute, he did fight against Toshiie’s forces in Kanazawa at Suemori Castle. Toshiie rallied, however, and drove off Narimasa, allowing Hideyoshi to bring his army north and force Narimasa’s surrender.

As punishment for challenging Hideyoshi, Narimasa was forced to transfer to Higo province, recently taken by Hideyoshi in Kyushu. As part of the terms, he had to surrender his wife and children as hostages in Kyoto. Already on thin ice with Hideyoshi, Narimasa soon loss control of the providence to rioters, requiring aid from Tachibana Muneshige in quelling the rebels. As punishment for his continued failure, Narimasa was ordered to commit Seppuku and died on July 7, 1588 alongside his two sons. As Narimasa was a noted skilled manager of his previous providence, it has been rumored that Hideyoshi set Narimasa up to fail, knowing the people of Higo would soon rebel regardless.

One last anecdote of Narimasa Sassa’s life deserves mentioning, even though it is largely based on legend. He was supposed to have had a favorite concubine named Sayuri. She became pregnant around 1584 and caused Narimasa much joy. Nevertheless, rumors were spread by jealous concubines that the child was not his, which Narimasa ignored at first. Once he found a bag (planted by the same concubines who spread the rumors) belonging to one of his vassals in Sayuri’s room. Flying into a rage, Narimasa dragged the unfortunate woman to the Jintsu riverside and bound her to a tree, where he proceeded to butcher ultimately ending his cruel act by beheading her. He also killed her entire family, numbering 18 in all. Sayuri was said to have cursed Narimasa for his offense, becoming the first fiery Furaribi, a vengeful female spirit. This curse manifested itself when he was visiting Nene after his surrender to Hideyoshi in 1587. He paid this visit to Nene in thanks to her intercession on his behalf, gaining him mercy from her husband. As thanks he gave her a rare black lily, which Nene thought to be beautiful and held a tea ceremony to show it off. However, Chacha convinced her that the flower was a mockery of Nene’s normally energetic personality, which provoked her to recant her protection for Narimasa and convinced Hideyoshi to demand Narimasa to committ Seppuku. As Sayuri’s name bears the characters for the word Lily, it was believed her curse upon Narimasa was carried out through this black flower.