At the outset, the player is given the option to choose from six characters to be the "main" character of the story. The basic outline of the plot does not diverge greatly for any of them, but each had different dialogue ingame, and each also had unique special scenes which would go into greater detail of the character. In addition, to better adjust to character continuity, certain stories were modified slightly based on the selected chapter. Over the course of the game, two other characters can also join the party (unless the hero is Genjuro, who only gains a partner in his second story). In addition, the second chapter also introduces a new character, Shippuu no Reon (疾風の鈴音), whose name translates roughly to "The Ringing of the Gale Winds." All characters from the first two "Samurai Shodown" games make an appearance, either as a temporary helper, plot device, or enemy.