In this edition of Who’s Who, we’re asking “Who Is Lady Masako?” Lady Masako is one of the secondary characters you’ll interact with quite heavily throughout Ghost of Tsushima. She is a cunning swordsman and a formidable opponent with a bow.
Ghost of Tsushima is a fantastically broad game with an amazing cast of characters. Each character plays a vital role in Jin Sakai’s journey throughout Ghost of Tsushima‘s main storyline, while also offering the player the opportunity to explore Tsushima further through character-specific tales.
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Lady Masako’s Tale follows her journey in the wake of the Mongol Invasion as the sole survivor of her samurai clan.
Who Is Lady Masako?
Lady Masako is a member of Clan Adachi, one of the several clans that are subject to Clan Shimura on Tsushima Island. In the game’s opening sequences, Lady Masako’s husband is killed by Khotun Khan. His death at the Battle of Komoda Beach is shortly followed by the death of her sons, Shigesato and Yasunari. Throughout her Tale, she struggles to deal with the anger and sadness brought about by the loss of her family and provides important reflective moments for Jin Sakai… And ultimately, the player.
When you first find Lady Masako in-game, she is burying the remnants of Clan Adachi near the Golden Temple following a massacre at her homestead. Despite being alone, though, she remains resolute and determined to exact revenge on the one who has brought her and Clan Adachi such loss. At first, she believes one of the monks at the Golden Temple, Sogen, was conspiring against Clan Adachi. However, he is but a pawn to the ultimate evil behind it all. After finding a list of possible conspirators… Lady Masako is set on her quest for peace.
Lady Masako is ruthless in her execution of Sogen, angry and heartbroken. These murderous outbursts continue as her pain intensifies at each discovery. She continues, with Jin’s help, to follow the trail towards the truth. Following the list, she eventually uncovers the truth that Hana is behind the Adachi Massacre.
As a teenager, Lady Masako was lethally efficient with both a bow and a sword. She managed to defend her family home from a bandit group near-singlehandedly. This was so impressive that it was actually the reason Harunobu Adachi wished to marry her. Although she had protected her homestead, her older sister Hana grew jealous of her successes and began to fester in her envy. This was only exacerbated after Lady Masako arranged for Hana to be married off to Ikeda of Clan Kikuchi. Ikeda was an abusive drunk and Hana blamed Lady Masako for her suffering.
When Masako finally confronts Hana, she becomes sympathetic and saddened by her situation and her actions. Rather than killing Hana herself, she offers her the honour of killing herself with her Tanto blade. She then gives Hana a respectful funeral before leaving, alone and without a path forward.
The Samurai Code is an important point of moral debate throughout Ghost of Tsushima, and Lady Masako encapsulates this debate perfectly. She is pushed to the extreme and continually finds herself clashing with Jin Sakai as he tries to keep her from losing herself in grief. She remains an adept combatant with a sword and a bow and, despite her arguments with Jin, stands with him when he needs her the most.
Lady Masako is portrayed by Lauren Tom, who is also known for her work as Amy Wong in Futurama and Julie in Friends.
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