Sanada Yukimura

The proclaimed “Japan’s Number One Warrior”, The Sengoku Hero from the Sanada Clan, second son of Sanada Masayuki, who used to serve under Takeda Shingen. Despite his lack of battle experience, he still managed to show off his pride as a warrior in the late Sengoku period.     He was sent to the Uesugi clan as a hostage after Masayuki sought help with Yukimura's idea to defend Numata Castle with a fake battle between the Uesugi and Sanada, in order to trick Hojo Clan that Uesugi Clan was still remain powerful. Despite being a hostage under the Uesugi clan, Uesugi Kagekatsu(上杉景胜) was actually fond of him and treats Yukimura as his guest instead. A year and half later, he was taken by Hideyoshi solely because he has taken an interest in him and wanted to use him as his personal guard in Osaka Castle.    –    After Hideyoshi’s Death, the tension of Tokugawa’s greed for political power is rising and he has the urge to overthrow the Toyotomi clan. The Sekigahara War is drawing near.    Due to Ishida's hasty decision to start the war with Tokugawa. The Sanada family has to abandon the idea for reclaiming Takeda's homeland and make a careful decision to join which side of the army. So, Yukimura joined Western Army with his father while Nobuyuki joined Eastern side. Their main purpose is to make sure the Sanada family will survive throughout the Sengoku period.    Although they managed to take out Tokugawa Hidetada’s army in the second Ueda Castle Defense, they still lost the Sekigahara War. Both of them were supposed to be executed by Tokugawa Ieyasu, but they were saved by their older brother and instead exiled to Mt. Koya forever. Nobuyuki has been requested to pardon them many times but it was heavily rejected by Ieyasu.    More than 10 years later, Yukimura managed to escape with his family and was recruited by the Toyotomi clan in order to start another war again.    In the Siege of Osaka Winter campaign, Yukimura built Sanadamaru at the South of the Osaka Castle as the only fortress to the Eastern army. It was a great success and gained lots of popularity among the Western Army. This forced Tokugawa to cease the fire and request Sanada to take down the fortress in order to halt the war. Altho the peace agreement has settled, Yukimura suspected this is one of Tokugawa's moves to defeat the Toyotomi clan.    Later in the Summer campaign, the Tokugawa clan has yet to find another excuse to invade Osaka Castle again. Without the Fortress, the Osaka Ronins decided to fight on ground together. First he’s with Goto Matabei but fails to save him due to heavy fog shrouding the battlefield. Then he sided with Mori Katsunaga for the rest of the battle.    In his last battle, he decided to head straight into the troops and kill Ieyasu as his main target. Ieyasu managed to survive as the tide changed with the Western Army’s one fatal error. In the end…    –    The Sanada clan posed a real threat to Tokugawa Ieyasu before Takeda Shingen’s death. Mainly Masayuki, who only wanted to reclaim Kai and Shinano, where the Takeda clan originally owned. Yukimura, aware there’s no way he will win the final war in unfair condition, wishes to accept his fate and die with full of glory as famed as the Greatest Sengoku Warrior. 

Rush Towards An Empty Goal

栄光の猛火：無の目的に向かって突進    Yukimura’s Main Noble Phantasm as Lancer.    He draws his final breath, wielding his spear(Oochitori Juumonji Yari 大千鸟十文字 枪), charges into the crowds, sweeping out any enemies and obstacles, attempting to nail down his target and quickly execute them. This also works well with any Riding unit.    This Noble Phantasm only exists after he was summoned, mainly because it’s based on his legacy where he attempted to directly hunt down Ieyasu in his final battle.    Make sure to back up some spare mana for him or else he might become exhausted after NP has deployed.

Defend The Castle, the Unbreakable Fortress

真田丸：城を守れ、不落の砦よ    When Yukimura deploys his Noble Phantasm, the ground rises like a hill and summons an impenetrable fortress around him. Hundreds of gunmen and archers are deployed around walls and towers, ready to shoot towards the enemies.     This Noble Phantasm works similar to Caster Gilgamesh’s Melammu Dingir, but with smaller range, stronger defenses and more precise damage.     Sanada Yukimura suggested building a fortress as the absolute defense for Osaka Castle. This has solved the problem for the South side of the castle where the majority of Tokugawa clan are located, it's also easy to take out the army with gunfires and various traps surrounding the fortress. make it impossible to invade, forcing enemies to retreat. 

He is quite Optimistic and can be mistaken as a clueless servant. He gives a good impression and likes to take initiative everytime, showing his daredevil attitude as the leader. When it comes to the battle, he becomes calm minded and fully concentrated, will do anything to maximize the efficiency and minimize the casualties. He neither regret nor seek revenge, he decides to let those bad past go and move on as a better servant, continuing to strive his glory to the future.    Likes: Anything that really catches his interest.  Dislikes: Boredom  Holy Grail: "I simply wish for a sweet reunion with my family. Otherwise I would’ve given this grail to my Father or to you." 

He was more of a guard with a strategist's mind instead of a warrior, yet he had the fighting spirit hidden inside. But in Chaldea, he seems to be more relaxed just like he always does.     Despite being Lancer, he never heard of “Japan’s Number One Warrior” until he was summoned as Servant, it was fabricated by someone who never even witnessed his performance before. Nonetheless, he will try to improve his spearsmanship to become what the legacy has told.    Despite the fact that he used to serve daimyou during his time, he doesn’t mind to see his Master as someone who can be a close acquaintance, or better, as a friend. He can serve his Master as a Lord if the Master wants respect. Surprisingly, he can actually gives life advice and shows some sympathy to his master, hoping to get to know each other better. But as long as he can get along well with his new Master, he will do whatever the best he can.     He has his personal sorrow however, those sad memories that almost put him in depression. If his Master found out, he heavily wishes not to talk about it.   

Setting/Depiction as Servant 

When he was summoned as a servant, that means he has voluntarily pledged his loyalty to the new Master, since there's nothing to protect his family for.    He retains most of the abilities and all of his memories, but physically he looks younger than his peak condition (in the first 2 ascension?), probably he wishes his time could’ve been spent on just being a hostage or serving as guard in Osaka Castle.    What if he doesn’t necessarily serve the Toyotomi clan, but instead serves anyone else (BETTER) than Hideyoshi (except Tokugawa and Hojo). He only did what his father told, for the sake of keeping the lineage of the Sanada clan alive. Now, he decided to find his own way, discover a new path and believe in his righteousness. 

Sanada family (Masayuki and Nobuyuki) 

Family who he cherished the most, ever since he was sent out as hostage from homeland, he had a very hard time meeting up with them.    He helped his father come out various strategies and aided the Defenses of Ueda Castle twice. He also supported Nobuyuki by his side and cheering him up.     Anything for the sake of the Sanada family...!    

The Osaka Ronins 

Naturally Yukimura is the most popular among them, but he never discriminates against anyone and fights together till the end. His comrades weren’t really close together at first but they all got along at the end after his first accomplishment.  “Woah, even my friends are here too! I'm impressed you managed to summon them, Master! Maybe I shouldn’t be too excited about this...”    Goto Matabei Mototsugu: The man who died first back in the Siege of Osaka, Always have a fight whenever they meet together. Yukimura almost couldn’t look him up because he failed to save him, almost wanting to end his life.     “Oh hey is Matabei...I am glad you’re here doing okay. Well I hope we can get along as Heroic Spirit!”    Mouri Katsunaga: A comrade who respected him the most as well as fought with him till the end. He stopped Yukimura from committing seppuku after the death of Matabei during the Siege of Osaka.    “Katsunaga? You’re here serving my Master too? I am looking forward to working as a teammate!”    Chosukabe Morichika: Yukimura attempts to take care of him and always encourages him really hard just to make sure Morichika is able to accomplish something new.    “Ah Morichika, are you doing well buddy? If you aren’t in a good mood today, I can just hang out with you inside the kotatsu.”    Akashi Takenori: He’s a strange Christian man, the strangest so far I’ve ever encountered in my life.   

Toyotomi Hideyoshi 

Hideyoshi really likes him, even go so far to recruit him as his guard, promote his court rank to Sanada Saemon-no-suke (真田左卫門佐). There's an anecdote where Hideyoshi attempted to claim him to be one of his relative. So it is natural for Yukimura to pledge him as his Lord.   

Ishida Mitsunari 

A purehearted general from the Toyotomi clan who guided Yukimura in Osaka Castle until Sekigahara War. He used to helped Mitsunari whenever he was in trouble. However, they probably never able to face to face whenever they have a chance to meet again....   

Chacha 

The Fallen (Wicked) Princess who has deep affection towards him but he tries not to be too involved with her after being summoned as Servant. He rather wishes to have someone else to take care of her.  “Princess Chacha is here?! And she’s having fun? …That’s good to hear, Master, please continue taking care of her for me, okay?"   

Oda Nobunaga 

He might had met Nobunaga once, right before the Honno ji incident. He’d be surprised to see how Nobunaga looked as a Servant. It might be different if he encountered Maou Nobu however…  “6th Demon King Oda Nobunaga...wait, she’s a female? Ah, no! There’s nothing wrong about that! Wait, you even have a swimsuit too? That’s really impressive for a Demon King...”  “Maou Nobunaga, so this is what her true colour looks like...”   

Uesugi Clan 

Uesugi Kagetsugu: Kagetora's nephew, The Uesugi Daimyou who took Yukimura as hostage but treated him as a guest due to his great impression while asking for protection from the Tokugawa/Hojo Clan. He genuinely had a great time in Echigo as a hostage.     Nagao Kagetora: Uesugi Kenshin who is called her(him)self as "God of War". Since he has a connection with Uesugi Clan as a hostage (guest), where he met Uesugi Kagekatsu and Naoe Kanetsugu  “God of War Nagao Kagetora is here too? I want her to teach me everything as general onegai- Huh, first I have to praise Bishamonten? You’re joking right?”    Naoe Kanetsugu: Uesugi Kagekatsu's Chief Retainer. They don't know they were sharing similar situation in their life so they suppose can relate the pain each other? All they did are just smiling awkwardly I suppose...   

Date Masamune 

Yukimura first met Masamune after the Battle of Odawara and made a secret pact later on. Masamune also respected The Sanada family really well. The Date Clan gave Yukimura's Family protection after the Siege of Osaka and had one of his daughters married to Katakura Kagetsuna(Kojuro)'s son.   

Takeda Clan 

Yukimura didn't have any relation to Takeda clan solely because he was still young before the fall of Takeda clan and never involved with Takeda clan before. So he is barely able to relate nor know anything personally with them. So you shouldn't be surprised by his plain response.

He was initially designed for monthly contest and was well received by a lot of people. So I decided to make turn him into one of my (fan)servants permanently. Although he's not really that famous comparing to other daimyous, it's still crazy how he made a great impact at the end of Sengoku Period... I spent a very long time researching his lore and always wanted to have a whole different take while making sure he's historically accurate. I hope you like him after read through his profile.