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I am the blade of vengeance. They dare only whisper my name: Yojimbo.

Yojimbo, Final Fantasy X

Yojimbo is an optional aeon in Final Fantasy X. By visiting the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth, the player can hire him to become Yuna's aeon. Yojimbo acts as a sword-for-hire and has four attacks depending on how much the player pays him, as well as a complex mathematical formula based on his worker-employer relationship with Yuna and several other factors. Yojimbo functions similarly to Odin and Gilgamesh from previous Final Fantasy games. His most powerful attack, Zanmato, instantly kills fiends and bosses.

Characteristics[]

Sealed Yojimbo

Yojimbo's fayth statue in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth.

Yojimbo is a colossal ornamental samurai wielding a katana, clad in colorful robes in a gradient of gold, orange, and purple. He wears elaborately detailed full body armor: top-heavy pauldrons that protrude gold whorling spirals akin to the topmost post of tori Shinto gates and hang his high rank indicating jinbaori jacket akin to a cape, a gold embossed jingasa hat, geta shoes, and a fanged face mask evoking menpo masks on samurai armor. He is accompanied by his dog, Daigoro. His fayth is bound by ribbons, which read "SEAL" in Yevon script; this evokes similar practices of ofuda within Shinto practices, in where strips of holy paper with written prayers and incantations known as norito are used as talismans to help contain and control spiritual power or to repel demons, and have been witnessed to be done on swords that are considered powerful but calamitous or evil. On his fayth statue, his sword and shield read "Mea Culpa" in Spiran and Yevon scripts.

Yojimbo is a "lost" aeon, his fayth being held in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth, presumably having been stolen away from a temple by those rebelling against the pilgrimage tradition. Some summoners and their guardians brave the fiend-infested cavern regardless to pray on his fayth and gain his allegiance. Yuna succeeds in this effort and Yojimbo joins her. If Tidus later returns to the fayth's chamber after learning the truth of Dream Zanarkand, Yojimbo's fayth assures him that he will never be forgotten.

Obtained[]

Yojimbo can be recruited at the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth near the entrance to Mt. Gagazet.

Yojimbo will first ask Yuna a question regarding her purpose in trying to acquire his help. Her choice here will affect Yojimbo's behavior in battle and his probability in using his attacks. As for his payment, Yojimbo will initially ask the player for hundreds of thousands of gil, but it is possible to haggle with him.

To obtain Yojimbo for the cheapest price, the player should select the third option, "To defeat the most powerful of enemies". He will ask for 250,000 gil, but the player should offer 125,001 (50% of his offer) gil. Yojimbo will counter with 225,000 gil, and the player should offer 157,501 (70% of his offer) gil. Yojimbo will counteroffer with 211,500 gil, and the player should offer 148,051 (70% of his offer) gil. Yojimbo will then give his final price of 198,810 gil, where the player must offer at least 178,931 (90% of his offer) gil, which Yojimbo should accept.

When attempting to offer Yojimbo the least amount of gil at any stage other than the very first, he may reject a seemingly valid offer. This occurs if the player begins to input a new offer too quickly. Waiting approximately 5-8 seconds before beginning to enter the new offer will resolve this.

If the player pays Yojimbo triple what he is asking at any point, he will give two Teleport Spheres as a token of appreciation.

Obtaining Yojimbo in the Final Fantasy X HD Remaster version earns the It's All About The Money trophy/achievement.

Battle[]

With a wave of the summoner's staff, a night-time dimension forms, featuring a single sakura tree in bloom with blue flowers. A bark is heard, and Yojimbo's dog, Daigoro, appears to greet the summoner. Yojimbo emerges from behind the tree, turns with a sweep of his coat and calls upon his dog to start the battle.

His victory pose has him make a hand gesture and bow his head.

When dismissed, Yojimbo makes hand gestures, commanding his dog, Daigoro, to flee, and will disappear into dust and cherry blossom petals.

Stats[]

Yojimbo's stats are modest, with particularly high Defense and Evasion. He lacks default abilities, nor can the player teach him any, since he cannot be controlled freely.

Base stats
Stat Base Value
HP 1030
MP 0
Strength 29
Defense 25
Magic 16
Magic Defense 23
Agility 9
Luck 17
Evasion 59
Accuracy 19
Stat growth

The player can increase Yojimbo's MP, though he cannot make use of it.

Number of battles N Max HP Max MP Strength Defense Magic Magic Defense Agility Evasion Accuracy
0 to 59 1030 0 29 25 16 23 9 59 19
60 to 89 1120 0 31 26 18 26 9 62 20
90 to 119 1246 0 32 32 20 27 11 63 21
120 to 149 1327 0 33 33 20 30 11 63 22
150 to 179 1399 0 35 34 23 33 11 63 22
180 to 209 1561 0 37 36 23 37 13 71 24
210 to 239 1624 0 38 36 25 41 13 71 24
240 to 269 1714 0 40 38 28 41 16 72 25
270 to 299 1858 0 42 39 31 42 17 81 27
300 to 329 2020 0 44 51 32 46 18 81 28
330 to 359 2110 0 46 52 34 46 19 89 29
360 to 389 2182 0 47 53 35 51 21 89 30
390 to 419 2326 0 49 55 37 55 22 90 31
420 to 449 2452 0 51 56 38 55 23 97 32
450 to 479 2542 0 52 57 41 60 24 98 33
480 to 509 2650 0 54 69 42 60 26 105 34
510 to 539 2758 0 56 70 44 60 27 106 35
540 to 569 2830 0 57 71 44 65 27 113 36
570 to 599 2992 0 59 72 48 65 30 114 37
600 and more 3064 0 61 73 48 69 30 122 38

Abilities[]

Yojimbo-summoned-ffx

Yojimbo prepares to attack.

See the Summon and Overdrive sequences here.

Yojimbo's only options on the field are Pay or Dismiss. He is not directly controlled and cannot use Shield or Boost. At the expense of paying him a sum of gil each turn (paying 0 will dismiss him), he will personally use these attacks at his discretion:

  • Daigoro: Yojimbo's dog will attack on his command. It is Yojimbo's weakest move, and he will shake his head in disapproval of the amount of money received. He cannot use this on long range targets, however.
  • Kozuka: Yojimbo throws several kozuka (a special throwing knife made to fit inside a wakizashi's scabbard) at a single target.
  • Wakizashi: Yojimbo draws a powerful ground rending and air cutting slash that targets single or multiple targets with his wakizashi (short sword).
  • Zanmato: Yojimbo calls his katana out of a dark portal in the ground, from which it flies into the air. Catching it and overlooking its quality, he then unsheathes it and rushes headlong into opposition, using it to slice all enemies in half. It instantly kills any enemy in the game, with the exceptions of Yunalesca and Braska's Final Aeon, which will only move to the next form (unless they have already reached their final form, in which case Zanmato will kill them). Some enemies won't be sliced in half, instead displaying their regular death animations. Yojimbo will nod upon receiving the money.

There are several factors that decide what attack Yojimbo will execute:

  • The base motivation (BM) according to how much he has been paid. The lowest base motivation is 0 if he is paid 1-3 gil and the highest is 112 if he is paid at least 536,870,912 gil. It is much lower in the NTSC version, with the lowest being 0 and the highest being 56.
  • The compatibility parameter (CP) of Yojimbo to Yuna. It starts at 128 in the International, PAL and HD remaster versions, and at 50 in the original Japanese and NTSC versions. It caps at 255. It increases by 1 or 3 if Yojimbo uses Wakizashi against single or multiple enemies respectively, and by 4 if Yojimbo uses Zanmato. It decreases by 20 if he is paid 0 gil; by 10 if he is KO'd during battle; by 3 if he is dismissed immediately after being summoned; and by 1 if he uses Daigoro. It remains unchanged if he uses Kozuka. This compatibility parameter is then divided by 10 in the International, PAL, and HD remaster versions, and by 30 in the original Japanese and NTSC versions.
  • The Zanmato resistance of the enemy. A hidden variable applies depending on the choice Yuna made at Yojimbo's Chamber of the Fayth; asking to be trained as a summoner means that Yojimbo's motivation to use Zanmato will increase if Yuna hands over a greater proportion of her gil per turn; asking for the power to defeat fiends increases the likelihood of a Zanmato against random encounters and asking for the power to defeat the most powerful of enemies slightly reduces the likelihood of a Zanmato against Zanmato Level 1 fiends, while treating Level 4-6 fiends as the same with the same penalty to motivation. If the first or second choice is made, it is either 1, 0.5, 0.33, 0.25, 0.20 or 0.16 for Zanmato levels 1 to 6 respectively. If choice three is made, it is 0.8 for Zanmato level 1 to 3; and 0.4 for Zanmato level 4 to 6. (ZF)
  • Additionally, if choice one is made, another factor is considered. It is (0.75 + ((amount paid * 0.50)/total gil))). Otherwise, it is 1 (CF).
  • Whether or not his overdrive gauge was full when he was paid to attack. If it is full, it'll deplete and an additional 20 points will be added to his overall motivation in the International, PAL and HD Remaster versions while only 2 will be added in the original Japanese and NTSC versions, otherwise, it is 0. (OF)
  • A random factor is added to motivation. It is any number from 0 to 63.

Considering the formula and the random factor above, if Yojimbo's overall motivation is 80 or greater, he will use Zanmato. In the International, PAL and HD Remaster versions of the game, if the overall motivation is not 80 or higher, a recalculation will be made but the Zanmato level of the enemy will be treated as 1 regardless of its actual Zanmato level.

The resulting new motivation will trigger any of the following:

  • 0 to 31 will prompt Yojimbo to use Daigoro.
  • 31 to 47 will prompt Yojimbo to use Kozuka.
  • 48 to 63 will prompt Yojimbo to use Wakizashi against one target.
  • 64 and above will prompt Yojimbo to use Wakizashi against multiple targets.

The same values are considered for the original Japanese and NTSC versions of the game, but there are no recalculations if the overall motivation is less than 80.

Occasionally, Yojimbo will select an attack on his own without needing to be paid, consuming his turn. The chance of this happening is CP/1024. With a compatibility parameter of 128, he will attack for free 13(12.5) percent of the time. At 255, it becomes 25(24.9) percent. The calculation made for his free attack is much simpler: CP divided by 4 plus a random factor from 0 to 63. If he attacks for free and his CP is 255, he is guaranteed to use either Wakizashi or Zanmato.

In short, paying Yojimbo sensibly while refraining from immediately dismissing him or allowing him to be KO'd are conducive to a strong relationship. His relation with Yuna can also be seen through the frequency of his attacks; sending Daigoro is a sign of poor standing, whereas using Wakizashi means one is on the right track.

Yojimbo can exceed maximum damage once Auron obtains and charges his Celestial Weapon, the Masamune.

Boss[]

Final Fantasy X[]

Yojimbo is fought in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth and at Remiem Temple. A possessed Yojimbo is also fought as part of the final battle.

In the International, PAL and HD Remaster versions, Dark Yojimbo can be fought in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth after acquiring Yojimbo and re-entering the cave, reaching the end teleport pad and approaching the entrance again.

Final Fantasy X-2[]

Yojimbo in ffx-2

Yojimbo.

Yojimbo returns, now possessed by Shuyin. The Gullwings fight him to save some tourists visiting The Cavern of the Stolen Fayth in the Chapter 3 "Tourist Trap" mission.

A shīsā called Kogoro, which physically resembles Daigoro, appears as part of Yuna's Trainer dressphere.

Other appearances[]

Dissidia Final Fantasy NT[]

DFFNT Wakazashi 2

Wakizashi (charged) in Dissidia Final Fantasy NT

While not physically appearing, Yuna can summon Yojimbo's Glyph to use Wakizashi.

Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia[]

Banishing Stroke DFFOO

Banishing Stroke, with Yuna summoning Yojimbo's Glyph.

Similar to Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, Yojimbo does not appear physically, however, during Yuna's Force Attack with Bartz, called Banishing Stroke, she can summon Yojimbo's Glyph. Alongside Bartz using Zeninage to pay his fee, Yojimbo will allow the two the use of his strongest Great Katana, Zanmato, to attack the enemy.


Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade[]

Yojimbo Brigade
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Final Fantasy Record Keeper[]

Yojimbo and the untargetable Daigoro have appeared together as an advanced boss. He uses his familiar moves from Final Fantasy X. Appearing in Destiny's Path, his defeat was required to obtain Yuna's Memory Crystal II as a First Time Reward. If Lulu is in the fighting party, her exchange with Lady Ginnem will be reenacted at the start of battle. Yojimbo's Final Fantasy X-2 appearance can also be encountered.

Mobius Final Fantasy[]

MFF Yojimbo FFX

Yojimbo appeared as a boss during the Final Fantasy X crossover event, and could drop a dark-elemental ability card.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game[]

Yojimbo TCG

Yojimbo's Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade appearance has a card.

Behind the scenes[]

Yojimbo is likely inspired by Ogami Ittō, protagonist of the manga Lone Wolf and Cub; a samurai turned killer for hire who travels the countryside with his son, Daigoro. While these characteristics are similiar, it is also possible that the Aeon is inspired by Akira Kurosawa's film of the same name, Yojimbo. In the film, the nameless samurai pits two gang lords against each other in a bidding war to see who can afford his service.

Although obtaining Yojimbo as one of Yuna's aeons is optional in gameplay terms, it is implied his acquisition is canon. Despite not explicitly being shown in the final FMV like Anima and the five primary aeons, a small being with a red hue appears towards the left before the aeons dissipate. It is unlikely that this is Anima, who dwarfs the other aeons, or the Magus Sisters, whose presence would have forced Yojimbo's acquisition anyway.

Because Yojimbo cannot learn any new abilities, the latter half of his ability animation is not normally seen, as his abilities have unique animations.

Merchandise[]

A figure of Yojimbo was made for the Final Fantasy X Action Figure Collection by ArtFX. Listed as No.2 in the series, the Yojimbo figure comes complete with Zanmato and Wakizashi swords, Kozuka throwing knife and Daigoro, as well as a mountable stand for display. A later version of "Dark Aeon Yojimbo" was released using the same figure mold and accessories, as Final Fantasy X-2 merchandise.

A figure of Yojimbo was also made for the Final Fantasy Master Creatures second set, featuring him slashing with Zanmato as Daigoro is pouncing.

Gallery[]

Etymology and origin[]

When Yuna visits Yojimbo's fayth to hire him as an aeon, he calls himself Yojimbo. Despite this, the player can still rename him. Yōjinbō (用心棒?) means "bodyguard" in Japanese. The kanji (Japanese characters) can also mean "sword/service for hire", befitting his payoff system.

In the Japanese version, Yojimbo's name is written in kanji as "用心棒" in the subtitle of every conversation, while in battle scenes and the Aeon menu, it is written in hiragana as "ようじんぼう".

Yojimbo is depicted as a samurai. Samurai were the military nobility of medieval and early-modern Japan. They were not just great swordsmen, but also powerful horse archers and martial artists of other fields. Though their status was that above commoners, samurai were bound to forms of etiquette and a way of life known as Bushido, stressing honor to one's devoted and preparing oneself in the face of death. Within samurai spirituality, while it was often thought for many samurai to be reincarnated as ashura or to continue lives of carnage and violence by their karma, many legendary samurai, from Miyamoto Musashi, Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, were believed to have ascended and were deified as gods or buddhas of swordsmanship and bushido for using their craft for good.

Daigoro's aeon form resembles a komainu, a type of yōkai that resembles a mix between a lion and a dog that serves as a guardian.

External links[]

  • Look here for a simplified, easy-to-understand mathematical description of Yojimbo and his attacks.
  • Look here for a more complex, harder to understand, but much more detailed mathematical description of Yojimbo and his attacks (this includes calculations for PAL/International versions of the game as well, along with probability (Percentile) tables for all versions).
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