Rikichi is a peasant of Kanna, who travels with Kirara to locate the samurai. He can be often rash because of his hatred for the Nobuseri (bandits). He blames himself for the loss of his wife, Sanae, who has given herself up to the bandits to save the village. Kambei promises to rescue Sanae, and Rikichi is eventually reunited with her. Rikichi is always frustrated with his lack of strength and skill against the bandits, and briefly entertains the idea of becoming a machine samurai like Kikuchiyo. Of the seven samurai, Rikichi gets along best with Gorobei, who teaches him to be more assertive and have more confidence in himself. By the time of the final battle, Rikichi grows the most out of all the villagers in terms of courage and confidence, having learned many life lessons from each of the samurai.