Kojirō

Kojirō is a young boy about the same age as Tokiyuki Hojo.

He is often seen dressed in the typical armor and clothing of a Shinano warrior.

Although he is not the biggest or strongest-looking, his quick moves and sword skills make him stand out.

He has a boyish look and a lively presence.

Kojirō has a light and friendly way of speaking and often ends sentences with "ssu."

He is brave, cheerful, and never backs down from a challenge.

Sometimes, he acts as the voice of reason among his friends.

Even though he loves to fight tough enemies, he values his friends and always tries to help out.

Kojirō is also caring—he watches out for his allies and puts their safety first.

Kojirō comes from the Nezu family, which is part of the Suwa clan’s warrior group.

His mother was the sister of Yorinao Nezu, an important figure in the clan.

She was mistreated by a high-ranking retainer of the Hojo family and left to raise Kojirō alone.

Sadly, she died during childbirth, and the man who fathered Kojirō refused to take responsibility.

Because of this, Kojirō was treated as an outsider in his own family.

Even so, he was named after Yorinao’s own son, Kojiro, and was raised as his shadow or body double.

This gave him a place to belong and made him grateful to those who accepted him.

He trains hard every day to live up to their expectations and protect his friends.

Kojirō is known as one of the best young swordsmen of his age group.

He is great at sword fighting and can handle dangerous situations with skill.

He acts as the vice-captain of Tokiyuki’s group, trusted by everyone.

His abilities are highlighted by several skills:

• Swordsmanship: Improves sword skill by 20%.
• Command Potential: Raises his ability to lead troops.
• Model Samurai: Increases his strength, loyalty, and spirit.
• Quick Thinking: Gets faster and more reliable when Tokiyuki acts silly.

Kojirō calls Tokiyuki “Young Master” but also treats him like a close friend.

He is deeply loyal to Yorinao Nezu, his uncle, even after being treated coldly.

He cares about everyone in his group and is always looking out for their well-being.

He seems to have a crush on Shina, and his friends often tease him about it.

• Kojirō’s battle marks are symbols of a leaf, a moon, and thorns.
• He was chosen by Suwa Yorishige to be one of Tokiyuki’s three close followers.
• Although he talks tough, he often acts as the responsible one among Tokiyuki’s allies.
• In the story, he gets a special sword to help him fight even stronger enemies.

"Come on, Piggy! I’ll make you regret baring your fangs at Tokiyuki Hojo’s party!"

Becoming Tokiyuki’s Follower

Suwa Yorishige picked Kojirō to serve as one of Tokiyuki’s closest helpers.

Even though Kojirō is still young, he is trusted to one day become a general and lead his own army.

He quickly builds a strong friendship with Tokiyuki, becoming someone Tokiyuki can rely on.

Life as a Double

Because of his family situation, Kojirō is raised to be the stand-in for Yorinao’s real son, who is very sick.

He learns to fight and act for the good of the Nezu clan, always watching out for others and hoping to prove himself.

Despite his birth, Kojirō is thankful to Yorinao for giving him a purpose.

The Truth of His Birth

In the ninth book, we learn why Yorinao was cold to him.

Kojirō’s mom was Yorinao’s sister and was hurt by a powerful Hojo retainer.

Kojirō was the result, but his father ignored him and his mother died.

Yorinao gave Kojirō his son’s name and let him fight as his double, hoping to hide the painful truth.

Even though this hurt Kojirō, he wants to pay back those who accepted him.

Time on the Battlefield

During the battles, Kojirō proves his worth by fighting strong enemies and protecting his friends.

He gets a new sword to help make up for his small size.

All his hard work pays off—he can even match grown warriors in strength.

Feelings for Shina

Kojirō seems to have special feelings for Shina.

Tokiyuki often teases him about it, making their relationship more fun.

Connection to History

In real life, the Nezu clan and warriors like “Kojiro Nezu” fought in important battles for both the Hojo and the Southern Court.

Poems and stories from the time talk about a brave Kojiro jumping into enemy camps and making a name for himself.

There is no information available about Kojirō’s height, weight, blood type, birthday, or age.