The wisest of the seven samurai. He is the samurai who assumes the leader position and comes up with the plan(s) to defend the village. He's brave, strong, and has wisdom beyond his years that has come from the many battles he has fought in his life. However, all the battles he fought were for the losing side, and Kambei lives in the shadow of his painful and stigmatic past. He uses a stylized katana, though on several occasions, he uses two swords at once. He is selected by Kirara to lead the villagers against the bandits when her water crystal reacts to his passing in the city. At first Kambei disregards Katsushiro and Kikuchiyo as too inexperienced and immature to defend the village, but eventually recognizes both as full samurai and makes them the fifth and seventh, respectively.