Lord Jin Sakai (境井 仁; Sakai Jin) is the main protagonist of Ghost of Tsushima. He is voiced by Daisuke Tsuji (English) / Kazuya Nakai (Japanese).
Biography
Jin Sakai grew up in Omi Village, Tsushima Island. Growing up in the ruling class of samurai, he was raised in a strict, disciplined environment, trained by his father and uncle to become a samurai. During his youth, he was friends with Ryuzo, and taken care of by his maid, Yuriko.
When his father died while Jin was still an adolescent, his uncle, Lord Shimura, jito (a land steward appointed by the shogunate) of Tsushima island, took Jin as his ward and continued to train Jin in the way of the samurai. Jin also fought against Ryuzo in a tournament while becoming a samurai, defeating him in a friendly duel. This would prevent Ryuzo from becoming a samurai, instead becoming a ronin mercenary and later founding the Straw Hat Ronin.
The Mongols under Khotun Khan invaded Tsushima in 1274, taking over most of the island, and killed or enslaving anyone who resisted their rule. Jin is one of eighty samurai who were sent in a desperate suicide attack against the Mongols at Komoda Beach. During the battle, Jin was knocked unconscious, while his uncle Lord Shimura was captured. Jin was narrowly saved by the thief Yuna, who nursed him back to health and saved him from the Mongols.
Jin attempts to attack Castle Kaneda, where Shimura was imprisoned, in order to save his uncle. However, he is easily defeated by Khotun Khan, who throws Jin off a bridge. Jin once again narrowly survives the fight, escaping with the help of Yuna. He then decides to recruit help in order to retake Castle Kaneda from the Mongols.
Jin enlists the help of Sensei Ishikawa, Lady Masako, and his old friend Ryuzo and his Straw Hat Ronin. He also saves Yuna's brother Taka from Azamo Bay with the help of sake merchant Kenji. Taka helps Jin forge a grappling hook to help retake the castle.
They manage to successful assault the castle. However, Ryuzo betrays Jin and sides with the Mongols, challenging Jin to a duel. Jin defeats and wounds Ryuzo, but he manages to escape. Jin presses further into Castle Kaneda, finding his uncle Shimura. Despite their victory in capturing Castle Kaneda, Khotun Khan had already left to capture Lord Shimura's castle.
In Toyotama, Jin recruits Norio and the warrior monks and the people of Yarikawa. While defending Yarikawa from the Mongols' siege, Jin develops the legendary persona of the "Ghost of Tsushima". With the help of Lord Shimura, they hire the help of pirate Goro, who successfully gets a message to the shogun in the Japanese mainland for military assistance. Jin returns to Omi Village to reclaim his family armor. Learning that Ryuzo is in Fort Koyasan, he leaves to confront Ryuzo. Taka follows Jin, and Jin reluctantly allows Taka to help him.
Both Jin and Taka are captured when Ryuzo lures them into a trap. Khotun demands that Jin surrenders – when he refuses, Khotun forces Taka to kill Jin. Defiant, Taka tries to attack the Khan, only to be brutally executed in front of Jin. Jin escapes and kills most of the Straw Hat Ronin in revenge.
Jin regroups with Shimura to plan an assault on Castle Shimura. They push the Mongols into the inner keep, but Khotun uses horse chariots loaded with explosives to destroy the bridge and hinder their advance. Shimura decides to rebuild the bridge so they could plan for a full frontal assault. Realizing more lives would be lost, Jin defies his uncle's orders and during the night, he infiltrates into the inner keep to poison the Mongols' airag. Jin finds Ryuzo in the keep, fighting him in single combat and killing Ryuzo.
Castle Shimura is easily taken, but Khotun once again leaves to invade Kamiagata in the north. Furious, Lord Shimura criticizes Jin for resorting to "dishonorable" tactics such as poison. Aware that the shogun would execute Jin for his disloyalty and for threatening the social hierarchy of the samurai, Shimura pleads Jin to renounce his "Ghost" persona and scapegoat Yuna. Jin refuses and is arrested for his crimes.
With the help of Kenji, Jin escapes Castle Shimura, but his horse is killed in the process. Without his equipment, Jin walks further into the Kin Sanctuary, where he discovers to his horror that Khotun had learned to recreate his poison, experiementing on the people of Kin. Jin himself is poisoned, and is barely saved by Yuna for a third time. Meanwhile, Khotun retreats to Port Izumi, where he plans to use the poison against the Japanese mainland.
Jin gathers his allies and prepares for a final assault on Port Izumi. He infiltrates the settlement and confront Khotun Khan on his flagship. In a final battle, Jin kills Khotun Khan, causing the Mongol invasion of Japan to lose momentum and collapse.
With Tsushima restored to shogun rule, Jin is summoned by Lord Shimura. Shimura informs Jin that Clan Sakai has been renounced and that Jin is branded a traitor; under the shogun's orders, Shimura is forced to kill Jin. Jin and Shimura reluctantly duel each other, and Jin defeats Shimura. Jin can either choose to honor Shimura's request and kill him to give him a proper samurai's death or completely abandon his samurai ways and spare Shimura. Either way, Jin is forever branded as a traitor to the shogunate, and lives out the rest of his life as the Ghost of Tsushima.
Trivia
- By completing tasks you can increase the Legend of the Ghost meter. Once all of Jin's skills are unlocked, Jin can reach the highest title of "Ghost of Tsushima".
- Most citizens of Tsushima address him as Lord Sakai.
- Jin Sakai is the sole survivor of the defunct Clan Sakai. Tsushima was formerly ruled by five clans: Clan Shimura, Clan Sakai, Clan Nagao, Clan Adachi, and Clan Yarikawa.
- Manga artist Takashi Okazaki (creator of Afro Samurai) made four original posters that showcase a different part of Jin's story: the wind that guides him, the flames that destroy his home around him, the mask he wears as he becomes the Ghost, and his wrath as he fights back against the Mongols.[1]
- The English voice actor is Daisuke Tsuji. He was born in Kuwait, but his parents and name are Japanese.[2]
- The Japanese voice actor is Kazuya Nakai. He is most well known for voicing swordsman Roronoa Zoro in the ‘One Piece' anime series for over 20 years, as well as Date Masamune from the Sengoku Basara Video Games and Anime.
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