Welcome to Matsu Nimuro's castle cardboard box. If you've never heard of Legend of the Five Rings before, it's a card game with a fantasy setting involving samurai, magic, and politics. L5R is known for its elaborate storyline featuring hundreds of characters from over ten diverse factions. Matsu Nimuro is a particularly cool character - the former Lion Clan Champion turned nameless wandering ronin. Somehow he went from being the leader of the largest military force in the empire to being a homeless dude, without losing a single coolness point. This website simply highlights his role by collecting all of his official canon appearances in the world of Rokugan. If everything works out, it may even go a step further.
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| Latest Updates |
03.27.2008 - Added selections from Secrets of the Lion to RPG Materials.
01.24.2008 - Added high resolution Matsu Nimuro artwork by Brian Snoddy to Official Artwork section.
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| CCG Materials |
| Matsu Nimuro |
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Matsu Nimuro
L5R Gold Edition
Illus. Brian Snoddy |
Matsu Nimuro exp.
L5R Diamond Edition
Illus. Anthony Grabski |
Inside Agent
L5R A Perfect Cut
Illus. Michael Phillippi |
Engage the Enemy
L5R An Oni's Fury
Illus. Joachim Gmoser |
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| Matsu Nimuro (continued) |
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Faith In My Clan (notes)
L5R Dark Allies
Illus. Llyn Hunter |
Desertion (notes)
L5R Heaven and Earth
Illus. Beth Trott |
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| Tamago (Nimuro's now-dead doppelganger) |
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Tamago
L5R Wrath of the Emperor
Illus. Drew Baker |
The Egg of P'an Ku
L5R Diamond Edition
Illus. Susan Van Camp |
The False Hoturi
L5R Promotional
Illus. Matthew D. Wilson |
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| Matsu Yoshino (Nimuro's son and current Lion Clan Champion) |
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Matsu Yoshino
L5R Path of Hope
Illus. John Donahue |
Matsu Yoshino exp.
L5R Rise of the Shogun
Illus. Chris Seaman |
Matsu Yoshino exp. 2
L5R Samurai Edition
Illus. Glen Osterberger |
Justly Earned Victory
L5R Stronger Than Steel
Illus. Drew Baker |
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| Miscellaneous relevant cards |
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Matsu Tsuko
L5R Imperial Edition
Illus. Brian Snoddy |
Recruiting Allies
L5R Khan's Defiance
Illus. Patrick McEvoy |
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| RPG Materials |
| Secrets of the Lion book excerpts (catalog) |
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Writing: Rich Wulf, Shawn Carman, Seth Mason, Aaron Medwin, Travis Heerman, Jed Carlton
Interior Artist: Cris Dornaus (homepage)
L5R RPG 2nd Edition / d20 System Oriental Adventures |
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| Story Overview |
Matsu Nimuro was the Lion Clan Champion from the year 1150 until 1165. Nimuro slew Goju Kyoden at the Fall of Otosan Uchi in 1159, making him one of the heroes of the day.
With the help of Kitsu Juri, Nimuro used the Egg of P'an Ku to clone himself, creating the being known as Tamago. The death of Tamago during the War of the Rich Frog caused the Lion Clan to believe Nimuro dead. As a result, the Championship was passed to Ikoma Otemi, until Nimuro's eldest son came of age.
Long held captive in the Kitsu Tombs by Kitsu Juri, who believed he was the duplicate, the shame of his dabbling with the Egg caused Matsu Nimuro to leave the Lion, becoming a ronin and assuming the name of his now-dead counterpart, Tamago.
-- modified excerpt from the L5R Wiki
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| Canon Highlights |
Island in the Mist, Part 3 by Rich Wulf
L5R Four Winds Era - A Perfect Cut
comments: Nimuro's first active appearance within the storyline takes place during a combat instruction flashback wherein Ikoma Otemi learns the value of unconventional resourcefulness. Following the training sequence, Nimuro discusses the difficulties facing the Lion Clan with the elderly daimyo Ikoma Sume. It's always interesting to catch glimpses of the burdens of leadership, whenever affiliated power players meet behind the scenes to assess the situation and share mutual concerns.
Battle for Otosan Uchi, Part 2 by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman
L5R Four Winds Era - Broken Blades
comments: At the gates of the Forbidden City, Nimuro faces Daigotsu's personal yojimbo Goju Kyoden, Obsidian Champion. The ensuing duel is one of the most exciting one-on-one confrontations in L5R fiction. Despite being Nimuro's very first battle story, it marks him as an absolutely lethal opponent.
Revelation by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman
L5R Four Winds Era - Broken Blades
comments: The Battle for Otosan Uchi continues. Toturi Tsudao, daughter of Emperor Toturi the First and Commander of the First Imperial Legion, says hi to Nimuro. That Daigotsu fellow sure is evil.
Immortal Steel by Shawn Carman
L5R Four Winds Era - Fall of Otosan Uchi
comments: Although this one is more of a Crane story, it introduces the important friendship between Nimuro and Doji Kurohito, laying the groundwork for the current alliance between the Lion and the Crane.
A Lion's Honor by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf
L5R Four Winds Era - Heaven and Earth
comments: Matsu Domotai is Nimuro's younger brother and this is his story - a matter of duty and a family matter. Pure awesome. Ok, no more spoilers. Go read it.
Blood Dawn, Part V: Bonds of Honor by Rich Wulf
L5R Bloodspeaker Saga - Reign of Blood
comments: Deep within the sacred Kitsu Tombs, the False Nimuro is summoned into existence by the irreflective actions of Kitsu Juri and Matsu Nimuro. In a single instant, the fate of the entire Lion Clan is cast into chaos indefinitely. Too bad Nimuro's sister Matsu Satomi can't count high enough to put two and two together. Matsu Turi is such a jerk. Figures that the Dark Oracle of Water would go around trying to get hot samurai girls to stand in the rain. Did Kage talk him into compiling his own wet T-shirt calendar?
The War of the Rich Frog, Part Six by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf
L5R Bloodspeaker Saga - Web of Lies
comments: Tamago pulls some cool stunts and his reckless aggression takes Moto Chagatai by surprise, but in the end it's not enough. The Khan outsmarts the False Nimuro and slays him in battle, with the combined forces of the Lion and Unicorn Clans looking on. Maybe Tamago should have hatched a better plan than "HULK SMASH!!!" It's good that you're laughing because the whole thing is actually quite depressing.
Forgotten by Shawn Carman
L5R Bloodspeaker Saga - Code of Bushido
comments: After months of captivity, the true Matsu Nimuro ensnares the careless daimyo Kitsu Juri and escapes from the Kitsu Tombs. Coming to terms with the realization that his place among the Lion has been lost, Nimuro sets out to find his destiny as a ronin. Calling himself Tamago, he arrives at a small village in search of the ronin woman Utagawa, who happens to be in quite the confrontational mood.
A Legion Reborn by Nancy Sauer and Fred Wan
L5R Age of Enlightenment - Rise of the Shogun
comments: Every single time that Nimuro has the opportunity to speak yet chooses to remain silent, it makes me unreasonably happy. First off, he's supposed to be undercover so he really shouldn't be trying to be the life of the party. Second, as long as the others are doing a satisfactory job of constructing battle plans, why should he interfere? He's won so many tactician trophies back in the day, that he should be perfectly content to let the kids figure things out for themselves. A little bit of subtle guidance is all it takes. Great story!
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Complete list of canon Nimuro appearances --- Kaze no Shiro search index for "Nimuro"
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| Official Artwork |
| CCG illustrations |
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Inside Agent
Michael Phillippi (source)
L5R A Perfect Cut |
Faith In My Clan
Llyn Hunter (source)
L5R Dark Allies |
Desertion
Beth Trott (source)
L5R Heaven and Earth |
Tamago
Drew Baker (source)
L5R Wrath of the Emperor |
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| CCG illustrations (continued) |
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Tamago
Drew Baker (source)
preliminary/alternate draft |
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| CCG illustrations (exclusive high resolution) |
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Matsu Nimuro
Brian Snoddy (source)
L5R Gold Edition |
Matsu Nimuro exp.
Anthony Grabski (source)
L5R Diamond Edition |
Engage the Enemy
Joachim Gmoser (source)
L5R An Oni's Fury |
Faith In My Clan
Llyn Hunter (source)
L5R Dark Allies |
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| CCG illustrations (exclusive high resolution; continued) |
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Desertion
Beth Trott (source)
L5R Heaven and Earth |
Tamago
Drew Baker (source)
L5R Wrath of the Emperor |
Tamago
Drew Baker (source)
preliminary/alternate draft |
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| Promotional materials |
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Rulebook page 55 art
Brian Snoddy
L5R Gold Edition |
Lion Clan starter deck
various artists
L5R Diamond Edition |
Hare Clan candidate
Drew Baker
L5R GenCon2k7 TotEC |
GenCon2k7 EC website
various artists
L5R GenCon2k7 TotEC |
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| Unofficial Professional Artwork |
| Stephanie Pui-Mun Law (homepage) - posted on 04.02.2007 |
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comments: Stephanie Pui-Mun Law has illustrated over three dozen L5R cards since Gold Edition. She's one of my favorite artists due to her distinctive style and attention to detail. I simply described the character's background history and she did the rest. Everything from the colors, to the authentic samurai armor, to the combat stance are exactly as they should be. As my friend Mikeiko pointed out, the vigilant Nimuro even looks a little disappointed in his shadow opponent.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
watercolor on paper |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
pencil sketch on paper |
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| Andrew Hou (homepage) - posted on 04.02.2007 |
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comments: Andrew Hou is a headline artist on the ongoing Street Fighter comic book series by Udon. He's got an unparalleled knack for bringing scenes to life with his dynamic drawing style and contemplative approach to coloring. Once again, i provided only the bare essential description of the character. All the ceremonial armor modifications fit perfectly with Nimuro's role as figurehead of the Lion Clan army. Yet the crucial trademark elements of his original design remain intact.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital painting |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital sketch |
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| Malcolm McClinton (homepage) - posted on 05.01.2007 |
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comments: Malcolm McClinton has illustrated over two hundred L5R cards since Gold Edition. This signifies the debut of a new look for his art, marking a transition to digital format. He elected to depict Nimuro as a ronin, thereby reducing the armor to bare functional essentials. Nimuro's eyes now convey a sense of humility that comes with experience, and his sword seems to rest heavier upon his shoulder. Yet even the landscape salutes his unmistakable background as a true Lion.
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Nimuro (aka Tamago)
Unaligned Ronin
digital painting |
Nimuro (aka Tamago)
Unaligned Ronin
digital sketch |
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| Edwin David (homepage) - posted on 06.02.2007 |
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comments: Edwin David is a relative newcomer to the line-up of L5R artists, having contributed to only a handful of card sets. Yet in this short time, his bustling, comic-book-inspired style has made him a genuine fan-favorite. Although he adhered strictly to Nimuro's original outfit design, he took several bold risks with the painting's setting and background. Completely surrounded by a rather malicious-looking group of assailants, Nimuro's soldiers anticipate an uphill battle for survival.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital painting |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital sketch |
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| Jason Behnke (homepage) - posted on 07.03.2007 |
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comments: Jason Behnke has been painting L5R illustrations since the release of the Forbidden Knowledge expansion set. His trademark style is instantly recognizable by its mood-setting tones and daring characterization. Here, Nimuro is portrayed during preparation for a battle, taking advantage of the calm before the storm to collect his thoughts. The painting gracefully conveys both the intensity of a tactician's focus and the depth of the vital link between samurai blade and wielder.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
oil on masonite |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
oil painting progression |
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| Andy Lee (homepage) - posted on 09.09.2007 |
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comments: Andy Lee paints in the traditional Cha’an Buddhist splash style which originated in China, circa 13th century BC. His unique modern Zen style of sumi ink and bamboo brushwork has appeared in several flagship Marvel Comics and Image Comics titles. With these two paintings, he captures opposing yet complimentary aspects of the Lion Clan Champion's nature. The ferocious combat readiness of a determined fighter on the left and the leader's symbolic valor on the right.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
ink and acrylic on paper |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
ink and acrylic on paper |
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| Jeffrey Cruz (homepage) - posted on 12.02.2007 |
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comments: Jeffrey 'Chamba' Cruz is an extremely talented newcomer to Udon Crew, having already begun to leave his mark in the fields of concept art, comics, and even fashion. His eagerness to tackle challenging perspectives helps each of his illustrations take on a unique and refreshing quality. This piece is aptly titled "A Lion's Flame" and it brings out the truly fearsome, hauntingly dangerous visage of an expert Lion Clan Samurai, with an artistic style found only in comic books.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital painting |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
pencil sketch on paper |
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| Race for the Throne Projects |
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| CvS2 Color Edit Mode customized palettes - posted on 12.31.2007 |
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M.NIMURO (Haohmaru)
29-23-16
22-16-10
17-13-08 18-10-01
15-10-05 11-06-02
12-06-04 10-05-00 13-13-13
04-01-01 13-13-13
04-01-01 07-10-13
26-20-00
26-17-00
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NIMURO (Haohmaru)
26-19-13
21-14-09
20-13-06 14-14-19
17-09-05 14-14-19
11-07-06 08-08-12 24-24-31
06-06-08 19-19-24
04-04-06 17-16-21
04-04-11
00-00-06
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| adapted and balanced by artemis |
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| Credits |
Website built and maintained by Maj.
Shameless plug: If you like fighting games, check out my combo video website - Sonic Hurricane.
Thanks to Shinjo Mikeiko for helping me come up with the idea for this website, and for being supportive.
Thanks to artemis for helping with Color Edit Mode customizations for my CvS2 Nimuro's Wrath video.
Thanks to Anthony Grabski, Drew Baker, Michael Phillippi, Joachim Gmoser, Llyn Hunter, and Beth Trott for providing high-quality scans of original artwork used in official L5R products. Your generosity is very much appreciated.
Thanks to Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, Andrew Hou, Malcolm McClinton, Edwin David, Jason Behnke, Andy Lee, and Jeffrey Cruz for putting so much effort into rendering such awesome illustrations of Nimuro for me to showcase on this webpage. You guys rock!
Thanks to Brian Snoddy for being a nice guy and explaining that he doesn't have any scans or copies of the original Nimuro painting, which he sold years ago. Thanks to Todd C. Rowland for being a nice guy and explaining that all of AEG's old Gold Edition resources are on a tape drive buried in some warehouse. Thanks to fullmetalross for scanning the Nimuro inset illustration from the Gold Edition rulebook. Very special thanks to Daniel Ray for miraculously unearthing aforementioned tape drive and providing an entirely unexpected happy ending to this paragraph.
Thanks to Legendary L5R Search, Kyuden Ikoma, and La Voz Akasha for hosting scans of various older cards and scarce official artwork.
Thanks to Rich Wulf, Shawn Carman, Nancy Sauer, and Fred Wan of the L5R Story Team for creating and/or developing the Matsu Nimuro character.
Thanks to Alderac Entertainment Group for creating and developing such an excellent fantasy world.
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