The next game in the Assassin's Creed franchise is Assassin's Creed Shadows, and it is expected to be released in November, 2024. Set in 16th century Japan, this open world action-adventure game is said to contain many of the stealthy gameplay features the franchise is known for, and the map will be as big as the one seen in Assassin's Creed Origins, with the country going through all four seasons.

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Despite many of the series' normal tropes returning, Assassin's Creed Shadows is doing something very different with one of its protagonists. One of the two player characters is a man named Yasuke, and he is an actual historical figure, rather than a completely fictional one. As such, much is already known about Yasuke in Assassin's Creed Shadows.

6 Yasuke Has Already Appeared In A Netflix Series

This Six-Episode Anime Loosely Adapts The Story Of Yasuke

Anyone looking to learn more about the history of Yasuke in Japanese lore should look no further than a six-episode anime series that was released on Netflix in 2021. This series, titled Yasuke, is set in an alternate version of Japanese history, one where magic and advanced weaponry are in play during the feudal era of the country. However, much of Yasuke's story is told here in great detail.

Voiced by Jun Soejima, Yasuke goes on quite the journey in this series, starting as a Jesuit slave to working as a soldier for one of the noble lords who is at the heart of the conflict. No word on season 2 of this show has been announced at the time of writing, but it was received favorably with a 93% score on Metacritic.

5 Yasuke Is A Man Of African Origin

Yasuke Is Not Native To Japan

Though Assassin's Creed Shadows is set in Japan, a region not yet explored in the franchise, one of the main characters is not of Japanese origin. Apart from Naoe, a shinobi assasin, the other main character is Yasuke, a soldier who hailed from Africa.

Not much is known about Yasuke's life and past in Africa, though many historians suspect that he was once a slave who fled to Japan to find freedom. Yasuke's skin color was used by many in the Japanese army to mock or degrade him, as is seen in the Netflix series mentioned in the previous entry. Yasuke's role in the Japanese civil war will give fans a new perspective on the conflict.

4 Yasuke Arrived In Japan In 1579

He Did Not Arrive In Japan Until Long After The War Began

While the history of Yasuke in Africa is largely unknown, many believe that the man landed in Japan in the year 1579, and this is the year when the events of Assassin's Creed Shadows are supposed to begin.

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Before becoming a powerful soldier, Yasuke once worked as a bodyguard for a man named Alessandro Valignano. This man was a Jesuit missionary from Italy, one who needed protection while he spread his religious message. With Yasuke being a large man with great combat skills, Valignano knew his skills as a bodyguard would be needed when he traveled to Japan. Therefore, Yasuke followed his employer for two years before he began a new chapter in Japan.

3 He Worked For Nobunaga

Yasuke Entered The Civil War In 1582

The main events that saw Yasuke take part in the history of Feudal Japan did not begin until 1582. On a trip to Kyoto with his employer in 1581, the bodyguard had a chance meeting with the leader of the Oda Clan, Nobunaga. This leader was instantly fascinated by Yasuke's stature and dark skin and instantly wanted to work alongside the warrior. As such, Alessandro Valignano left Japan, and his former bodyguard was sworn into Nobunaga's service in 1582.

Many people do not consider Yasuke to have been a real Samurai when he worked under Nobunga during the civil war, yet the soldier was named The Black Samurai moving forward. Having trained well and being much stronger than many other men in the clan, Yasuke quickly rose through the ranks to become part of a very small fighting force that was the most trusted by Oda Nobunaga. Where Naoe fits in with his story is still unclear.

2 Nobunaga Dies In 1582

Yasuke Only Served As A Samurai For A Short While

With Yasuke being such a well-known historical figure from 16th century Japan, many are shocked to learn that his story ends in June 1582, only a few months after he joined the war as a Samurai. There will no doubt be a lot of things for the player to do in this time in Assassin's Creed Shadows, but players should probably know that Yasuke's story isn't very long.

Even with the tall, tough warrior, Yasuke, by his side, Nobunaga's efforts in the civil war were not very fruitful. As a result, his clan is surrounded by hundreds of Akechi Mitsuhide's troops in Kyoto due to the betrayal of someone within the ranks of the Oda Clan. Sadly, this leads to the defeat of Nobunaga, and he (Nobunaga) commits sepukku to avoid capture.

1 Yasuke Died In 1582

Yasuke Does Not Outlive His Master For Long

With many people sure that the Oda Clan were betrayed by someone close to Nobunaga, a lot of its surviving members tried to avenge their fallen leader. As such, Nobunaga's son, Nobutada, and his men manage to track down Yasuke and beat him in battle. The former Samurai died of his wounds on the battlefield shortly after, and so his story ended there.

The exact nature of Yasuke's demise is still debated among historians, but there is no reason why Ubisoft could not take artistic license with this character. Yasuke may end up living on beyond that point in Assassin's Creed Shadows. However, this could also be used as a transition point in the game's story, ushering in Naoe as the singular protagonist from that point forward. Having both main playable characters explore two time frames could be interesting.

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