Sakai Tadatsugu
A veteran of the Tokugawa clan with roots going back to childhood, Sakai served as both warrior and trusted advisor to Ieyasu himself. What set him apart was access—he was one of the rare few close enough to call Ieyasu by his bare name, a privilege that spoke volumes about their friendship.
Despite his loyalty and capable service, Sakai never quite escaped feeling like he lived in someone else's shadow. He harbored a quiet resentment toward Tadakatsu, who seemed to enjoy greater favor despite Sakai's own considerable standing. Fans often note this tension as one of his more interesting characteristics, a hint of friction beneath the surface of his devotion.
His personal motto, "Believe!"—simple as it sounds—captures something about his approach to service and life.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
