The Elusive Samurai Season 2 New Character Summary | Explaining Mima, Kusunoki Masashige, and Ashikaga Tadayoshi by Arc
The new characters in the second season of "The Elusive Samurai" will appear in two separate arcs. The first half, the Kyoto Arc, features Mima, Kusunoki Masashige, Hojo Yasuie, and Sasaki Doyo, while the second half, the Nakasendai Rebellion Arc, features Ashikaga Tadayoshi and the Kanto Hiban. Their roles are clearly divided, so remembering them within this framework will prevent confusion.
Season 2 will be two consecutive cours. In terms of the original work, it covers from Volume 4, Chapter 32 to around Volume 11, so both arcs are expected to be depicted in their entirety.
New characters are divided into "two arcs"
New characters in the Kyoto Arc
Mima — The star of the teaser visual
She is the first new character whose appearance was revealed as the face of Season 2. She is Sasaki Doyo's daughter and the person who runs the gambling dens in Kyoto. She has a "basara" (eccentric) temperament inherited from her father, and is characterized by her revealing kimono and twin tails.
She is the type who fights with divine power rather than combat strength, and she is undefeated in gambling. She is someone Tokiyuki and his group encounter in Kyoto, and she harbors complex feelings toward the Hojo clan. She is a character who symbolizes the stage of Kyoto itself, with a completely different vibe from the members of the Elusive Party.
Kusunoki Masashige — The god of war who teaches Tokiyuki the "essence of running away"
A real-life warlord who served as a senior vassal to Emperor Go-Daigo and is described as a "god of war." His portrayal in this work is exquisite, as his essence is that of an "unparalleled master of running away," just like Tokiyuki.
He holds the belief that "running away is living," and he imparts to Tokiyuki the secret to how the weak can defeat the strong. Through this character, the theme of the title, "The Elusive Samurai," deepens. I think this is the most important encounter in Season 2.
Hojo Yasuie and Sasaki Doyo
Hojo Yasuie: Tokiyuki's uncle and a former key figure of the Kamakura Shogunate. He excels at political maneuvering and leads the effort to recapture Kamakura. He has a quirk typical of this series where his true thoughts appear as text on his forehead.
Sasaki Doyo: Mima's father and Takauji's ally. A basara, a man of culture, and a brilliant strategist. He has an eerie design where his face is always cast in shadow, making his expressions unreadable.
Nakasendai Rebellion Arc: Ashikaga Tadayoshi and the Kanto Hiban
Ashikaga Tadayoshi is Takauji's younger brother. He is a man who acts based on logic and handles governance as the deputy shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate. While his political skills are high, he is weak in battle—this flaw becomes decisive during the Nakasendai Rebellion.
While his brother Takauji acts on god-like intuition, Tadayoshi acts strictly based on logic. The contrast between the brothers is one of the pillars of the work.
Leading the forces under Tadayoshi is the Kanto Hiban. This is an organization responsible for guarding Kamakura, and they stand in Tokiyuki's way in the second half of Season 2.
Who are the voice actors for the new characters?
As of August 15, 2026, the voice actors for Mima, Kusunoki Masashige, Sasaki Doyo, and Hojo Yasuie have not been posted on the official website. The official character page only lists the returning cast from Season 1.
Since the Kyoto Arc is expected to be depicted within Season 2, it is assumed that they will be announced in line with their appearances. I will update this section as soon as further information is released.
※Spoiler Alert: What happens to them in the future
From here on, I will touch upon the developments in the original manga. Please be careful if you have not read it.
Mima: After meeting Tokiyuki in Kyoto, she becomes one of Tokiyuki's legal wives
Kusunoki Masashige: He is present when Tokiyuki and his group attempt to assassinate Takauji and helps them retreat, but later dies in the Battle of Minatogawa
Ashikaga Tadayoshi: He is defeated by Takauji in the Kanno Disturbance and is ultimately killed by the god within Takauji
Hojo Yasuie: After successfully reclaiming Kamakura in the Nakasendai Rebellion, he continues to fight in various battles, but eventually falls ill and spends the rest of his life in Izu.
Season 2 will cover up to the entrance of this long journey. If you want to see their endings, reading the original manga is the surest way.
Where to start reading the original manga
The scope of Season 2 starts from Volume 4, Chapter 32 of the original manga. Both the Kyoto Arrival arc and the Nakasendai Rebellion arc are included from this point onward.
▼ The starting point for Season 2. If you want to read along with the broadcast, start from this volume:
The original manga is planned for 27 volumes in total, and the main story serialization concluded in February 2026. However, only 26 volumes of the comics have been released, and the final 27th volume is scheduled for release on October 2, 2026. All volumes will be available after October.
▼ If you want to collect them all at once, a set is convenient:
▼ Prices and pre-order status for Volume 26 and the final Volume 27 are here:👀 See the latest volume and pre-order status of The Elusive Samurai
I have recalculated how far Season 2 will cover based on the pace of Season 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many new characters are there in Season 2?
A. There are 5 main ones. Mima, Kusunoki Masashige, Hojo Yasuie, and Sasaki Doyo for the Kyoto Arrival arc, and Ashikaga Tadayoshi for the Nakasendai Rebellion arc. In addition, members of the Kanto Hiban will also be added.
Q. Who is the voice actor for Mima?
A. As of August 15, 2026, no official announcement has been confirmed. They are not yet listed on the official character page either.
Q. Is Kusunoki Masashige a historical figure?
A. He is a real-life warlord. However, the interpretation of him as an "unparalleled master of escape" is unique to this work, which is a highlight of the story.
Q. What is the Kanto Hiban?
A. It is a security organization in Kamakura led by Ashikaga Tadayoshi. In the second half of Season 2, they stand in the way of Tokiyuki and his allies during the Nakasendai Rebellion.
Summary
The new characters in Season 2 are divided into the Kyoto Arc (Mima, Kusunoki Masashige, Hojo Yasuie, Sasaki Doyo) and the Nakasendai Rebellion Arc (Ashikaga Tadayoshi, Kanto Hiban).
Mima is the daughter of Sasaki Doyo, possesses divine power, and is undefeated in gambling.
Kusunoki Masashige is a character who teaches Tokiyuki the "essence of escape" and touches upon the core of this work.
The voice actors for the new characters are unannounced as of August 2026.
The original manga is scheduled for 27 volumes in total. The final 27th volume will be released on October 2nd.
Season 2 will be two consecutive cours, and new characters will appear in two stages. Keeping track of who belongs to which arc will make it much easier to follow the developments in the second half.
Last updated: August 15, 2026 / Will be updated as new character voice actors are announced and the broadcast progresses.
#TheElusiveSamurai #NigeWaka #Anime #Manga #Noitamina