📜 Post with us on Reddit
📝 Create a new article
🏭 Create a company page
🇬🇧 - in English
🇫🇷 - en Français (FR)
🇵🇹 - em Português (PT)
🇩🇪 - auf Deutsch (DE)
🇯🇵 - 日本語で (JA)
Sponsored articles

You can edit almost every page by Creating an account and confirming your email.

Kaedehara Kazuha Genshin Impact

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki


In this article, the family name is Kaedehara.
Kaedehara Kazuha
Genshin Impact character
GameGenshin Impact
Voiced by
Information
WeaponSword

Search Kaedehara Kazuha on Amazon.

Kaedehara Kazuha (Chinese: 枫原万叶; pinyin: Fēngyuán Wànyè) is a character from the video game Genshin Impact. He was introduced in version 1.6 of the game, released in 2021. He is depicted as a wandering samurai from the fictional nation of Inazuma. His design draws inspiration from the samurai code of bushido, traditional ideals such as honor and loyalty, as well as from Man'yōshū poetry and traditional Japanese warrior imagery. His character design reflects influences from Japanese anime aesthetics and culture. His portrayal in the story and his combat gameplay both received praise from critics.

Creation and design

Kaedehara Kazuha first appeared during the Genshin Impact version 1.6 promotional livestream on May 28, 2021.[6] Developer miHoYo released his official character illustration on June 7,[7] followed by his character teaser on June 23[8][9] and combat demo on June 27.[10][11] Kazuha made his in-game debut in the version 1.6 Archon Quest [12] and served as a key figure in the Inazuma chapter. On June 29, Kazuha was released as a playable character along with his signature weapon, "Freedom-Sworn".[13]

In the game's lore, Kazuha hails from the Kaedehara clan, a once-prestigious swordsmithing family who practices the "Isshin Art". His clan had already fallen into decline by the time he was a child, and after his parents' deaths Kazuha became a wandering samurai.[14] The character's conceptual design is inspired by the samurai ideals of bushido like honor (名, mei) and loyalty (忠, chū), mixed with elements of Chinese wuxia philosophy notions like chivalry. His combat voice lines were inspired by verses from Japan's classical poetry anthology Man'yōshū.[15] In Japanese, his speech reflects that of traditional samurai, using the humble first-person pronoun sessha (拙者, "this unworthy one") and the archaic verb gozaru (ござる) at the end of sentences.[16]

According to Chinese gaming site Game Daily, Kazuha was originally named Kiryuu Kazuha (桐生万葉) in early development, but it was reportedly changed to avoid association with Hololive idol Kiryuu Coco.[17]

Kazuha is voiced in Japanese by Nobunaga Shimazaki.[3] In interviews, Shimazaki described Kazuha as an outwardly cool, refined, mysterious and elegant young man, but also said that upon getting to know him, he found Kazuha to be curious, humorous and slightly mischievous. Shimazaki initially said he put emphasis on Kazuha's mystique and composure in his performance, but that he later began displaying Kazuha's youthful and playful qualities. He said Kazuha has both a philosophical calmness and a relatable warmth to himself, and that he aimed to express the character's multifaceted personality through his acting.[18] Kazuha is voiced in English by Mark Whitten,[3] in Chinese by Ma Zhenbang (aka Ma Banma),[1] and in Korean by Kim Shin-woo.[4][2]

Appearances

Lore

The Kaedehara clan are practitioners of the "Isshin Art", one of the five great swordsmithing arts collectively known as the Raiden Gokaden and overseen by the Yashiro Commission. Centuries prior to the game's events, the Raiden Gokaden were nearly wiped out when they became the targets of a blacksmith called Kunikuzushi. By Kazuha's time, only the "Amenoma Art" and "Isshin Art" remained of the Raiden Gokaden.[19][20] Having lost both of his parents and seen his family fall into ruin, Kazuha abandoned his ancestral home and began a life of wandering across Teyvat.[20] During his travels, Kazuha received a Vision, marking him as chosen by the gods. When the Raiden Shogun enacted the Vision Hunt Decree, a law to confiscate all Visions in Inazuma, Kazuha witnessed a friend of his challenge the Shogun and be killed as a result.[21] Amid the chaos, Kazuha seized his dying friend's Vision and escaped Inazuma, joining the crew of the Alcor, a ship run by Beidou, in Liyue.[14]

In the Inazuma chapter of the Archon Quest, Kazuha recounts Inazuma's political situation to the Traveler and accompanies them to Inazuma aboard the Alcor. Later, he joins Beidou's fleet in supporting a resistance against the Raiden Shogun led by Sangonomiya Kokomi. Fighting alongside the rebels, they launch an assault on Tenshukaku, the Raiden Shogun's place of residence. As the Traveler is attacked by one of the Shogun's lightning strikes, Kazuha channels his friend's Vision as well as his own in order to intercept the Shogun's attack and protect the Traveler.[22]

In the version 2.6 flagship event, Kazuha teams up with companions he meets during the Irodori Festival to investigate the mysteries of the Raiden Gokaden. Through this, he learns the lost truth behind the swordsmithing schools' downfall and the deep vendetta involving his clan and Kunikuzushi. Ultimately, Kazuha decides to let go of the past and live in the moment.[23][20] By the end he finds peace with himself, accepting his purpose in life.[24]

Gameplay

Kaedehara Kazuha is a 5-star Anemo sword user.[25] His Elemental Skill pulls in nearby enemies and objects, using wind currents to launch himself upward before performing a powerful plunging attack from midair.[26] His Elemental Burst creates a swirling field of Anemo-infused slashes; when this field comes into contact with Hydro , Pyro , Cryo or Electro elements, it absorbs that element to deal additional corresponding damage to enemies. This ability also provides various supportive buffs to the team, enhancing their elemental damage output in battle.[27]

Reception

Kaedehara Kazuha generally received positive reviews from critics and fans alike. Players expressed appreciation for Kazuha through fan art, roleplay and cosplay.[28][29][21] In China, players voted him and Nahida the most popular characters for their respective genders in early 2023.[30] Lin Zhuoheng of Hong Kong news website HK01 said he was one of the most popular male characters in the game, and called Kazuha's character design truly exceptional due to his warm personality.[31] Stephanie Liu of Siliconera said in June 2021 that his "maple leaf aesthetic and cool personality" perfectly contrast between Inazuma and the beach event that was happening in-game at the time.[32] He wrote that Kazuha combines popular anime elements such as silver hair, rōnin and Japanese swords. Lin praised Kazuha performance in the storyline, saying that he is one of the most three-dimensional characters in the game, and that this is shown when he intercepted the Raiden Shogun's attack to defend the Traveler. Lin also praised his voice acting, writing that Nobunaga's performance particularly captivated many female players.[31] Kazuha's English voice actor Mark Whitten also received praise, with Michaela El-Ters of video game site Gray Areas describing the English Kazuha's voice as gentle and soft-spoken and praising Whitten's job of balancing the poetic aspects of Kazuha's speech with his tragic past.[33]

Kazuha's development process had challenges in regards to the character's name. Chinese site Game Daily wrote that it made sense why Kazuha's surname was changed in early development from Kiryu to Kaedehara, suggesting that it was an effort on miHoYo's part to avoid controversy after an earlier incident involving Honkai Impact 3rd characters in bunny outfits led to death threats against the company's CEO.[34][17] They also discussed the similarity to the name of Hololive's Kiryu Koko, who faced a boycott from Chinese fans for inappropriate comments. They wrote that the surname Kiryu may thus have had a negative impact on a character's sales, so miHoYo decided to change the character's name.[17]

Kazuha's backstory has been received generally well. Gaming outlet Game Gyro commended Kazuha's plot arc in the version 2.8 event quest. They praised how miHoYo used a three-stage miniature maze structure to depict Kazuha's life story from childhood to the present, and praised the seamlessness of how the story and gameplay intertwined with each other. Each maze stage symbolized a different phase of Kazuha's family's decline, using distinctive environmental designs to convey the transition from prosperity to poverty. Game Gyro stated that the use of fragmented memories, artistic black-and-white filters, silhouettes, and cinematic camera angles made the visual presentation itself a narrative device, further enriching Kazuha's portrayal. However, they also write that some players felt dizzy from the amount of turning around they had to do during these scenes, and the author admits that there is a delicate balance between game difficulty, narrative pacing and player comfort.[35] Yan Ku of Yahoo News expressed approval of Kazuha's plot arc as well, and described it as a bittersweet journey of nostalgia that explores his tragic past. She concluded that this story conveys a universal message that everyone has regrets and wants redemption but that the past shouldn't define us.[24] El-Ters wrote that his backstory in general was very "fleshed out and well-established." She further described him as "fun to play as, having a unique character design and a compelling story, and interesting characterization," and concluded her review by mentioning that the developers "elevated Kazuha from a minor character who might show up in some side stories to a key player in the main story."[33]

Kazuha's combat abilities and gameplay performance have been widely discussed by both players and critics. While initial impressions were mixed following his release, he later gained recognition as one of Genshin Impact's most versatile characters and was praised for his mobility, team support, and ease of use. He is widely credited with changing the game's meta for players who have him. ONE Esports's Kristine "Kurisu" Tuting speculated that his popularity in the game was due to this;[21]Joshi Parth of TheGamer wrote that his Elemental Skill's ability to lift him into the air was very useful when exploring Teyvat.[36] VG247's Josh Broadwell described him as a "versatile elemental support".[37] Yan Ku said that although initial reception of Kazuha's mechanics was lukewarm, appreciation grew as players gained a deeper understanding of how his skills worked and that players praised his flexibility and utility.[38] PCGamesN's Dave Irwin,[39] as well as Lin[31] and Ku,[40] all regard Kazuha as one of the game's most valuable characters. Lin described Kazuha as an "official cheat code", and wrote that gameplay experiences differ drastically depending on whether or not players have him.[31]

Collaborations

Kaedehara Kazuha's popularity has led to a significant amount of collaborations between miHoYo and other companies. On September 19, 2022, they collaborated with carmaker Cadillac to release a special itasha edition of the Cadillac CT4 luxury sedan featuring a design based on Kazuha. Critic huangrandou of Chinese car website PC Auto called the car "sporty" due to its color scheme and said it was fun to drive.[41] Anyone who purchased the car received special-edition rewards such as an umbrella, a notebook, and in-game currency.[42]

In September 2024, Genshin Impact partnered with McDonald's in the United States to offer limited-edition menu items, including a themed apple pie set featuring Kazuha and Beidou. Similar to the cars, purchasers would receive in-game items. Ana Diaz of Polygon wrote that the items received ingame were not much, but added that the giveaway demonstrated a meaningful shift towards awarding digital in-game items in collaborations, adding that "business is booming." She speculated that a high number of fans would go to McDonald's just for the event.[43] Many players who participated in the event reported that the rewards they were promised were either missing or delayed.[44][45] miHoYo posted on their official social media accounts addressing players' concerns as a result of this.[46]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Genshin Impact (2021-05-28). 《原神》1.6版本「盛夏！海岛？大冒险！」特别节目——蒙德茶会SP (video) (in 中文). Retrieved 2025-10-09 – via Bilibili.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Perez, Westin (2021-06-23). "Genshin Impact Releases Kazuha Character Teaser". Anime Corner. Archived from the original on 2024-06-21. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Genshin Impact (2021-05-28). Version 1.6 "Midsummer Island Adventure" Trailer | Genshin Impact (video). Retrieved 2025-10-09 – via YouTube.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 원신 [@genshinimpactkr] (2021-06-23). "카에데하라 카즈하 목소리 감상하기" (Tweet) (in 한국어). Retrieved 2025-10-09 – via Twitter.
  5. ↑ Ashcroft, Helen (15 November 2020). "Genshin Impact: Every Playable Character's Age, Height and Birthday". TheGamer.
  6. ↑ Blake, Vikki (2021-05-30). "Genshin Impact's 1.6 update brings summery fun next month". Eurogamer.net. Archived from the original on 2024-07-19. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  7. ↑ Jisho (2021-06-08). "《原神》公開「宵宮」「楓原萬葉」等四位新角色情報及 1.6 版本活動玩法". 巴哈姆特電玩資訊站 (in 中文). Archived from the original on 2022-02-14. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  8. ↑ Edward (2021-06-23). "《原神》公開來自稻妻的浪人武士「楓原萬葉」角色預告影片及背景介紹". 巴哈姆特電玩資訊站 (in 中文). Archived from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  9. ↑ Wood, Austin (2021-06-23). "Genshin Impact trailer shows the new 5-star character Kazuha in action". gamesradar. Archived from the original on 2024-08-14. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  10. ↑ Tassi, Paul. "Genshin Impact's Kazuha Gets A Demo Trailer, Full Moveset". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2022-09-15. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  11. ↑ Lada, Jenni (2021-06-28). "Kazuha Tries to Write a Haiku in His New Genshin Impact Video". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 2022-09-27. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  12. ↑ "『原神』Ver.1.6"真夏！島？大冒険！"が本日アップデート。Epic Gamesストアでの正式リリースも開始 | ゲーム・エンタメ最新情報のファミ通.com". ファミ通.com (in 日本語). 2021-06-09. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  13. ↑ Timberlake, Rebecca; Jain, Sanyam (2022-03-22). "Genshin Impact: Best Weapons For Kaedehara Kazuha". TheGamer. Archived from the original on 2024-04-15. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Grimes, Rae (2022-12-11). "The 10 Best-Written Genshin Impact Characters". CBR. Archived from the original on 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  15. ↑ 吴清 (2023-04-22). "《原神》:中国游戏何以风靡全球？-中国经营网". www.cb.com.cn (in 中文). Archived from the original on 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  16. ↑ 茶っプリン. "『原神』新★5キャラ「楓原万葉」の詳細公開！一人称の「拙者」や語尾の「ござる」など、その姿は"いかにもな武士" | インサイド". インサイド (in 日本語). Archived from the original on 2024-07-21. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 淖尔 (2021-04-26). "原神1.6角色改名，"桐生"容易引起反感，外貌跟哥哥好像". 遊戲日報 (in 中文). Archived from the original on 2024-10-19.
  18. ↑ 原神-Genshin-公式 (2021-07-02). 【原神】キャストインタビュー 島﨑信長（楓原万葉 役） (in 日本語). Retrieved 2025-10-09 – via YouTube.
  19. ↑ Agossah, Iyane (2022-04-13). "Who is Niwa in Genshin Impact? Kazuha Lore Revealed". DualShockers. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Nabiilah, Nahda (2022-07-22). "Genshin Impact: Kaedehara Kazuha Story Quest - Act I Walkthrough". Game Rant. Archived from the original on 2022-07-23. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Tuting, Kristine "Kurisu" (2024-08-29). "BFFs! Kazuha's friend comes to life in bittersweet cosplay | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  22. ↑ Rodriguez, Jason (2021-06-29). "Genshin Impact: Autumn Winds, Scarlet Leaves Archon Quest guide". Prima Games. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  23. ↑ Ku, Yan (2022-04-13). "Genshin Impact: How the Irodori Festival signals a brighter future for Inazuma". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 2024-12-09. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Ku, Yan (2022-08-11). "Genshin Impact 2.8's Summer Fantasia brings a new depth to familiar characters". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  25. ↑ Orr, Jessica (2025-04-26). "Genshin Impact Kaedehara Kazuha materials, kit, and Constellations". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  26. ↑ Moore, Blade (2023-10-05). "The Unwritten Rules of Playing Genshin Impact's Kazuha Explained". Game Rant. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  27. ↑ Vaz, Christian (2023-06-19). "Genshin Impact Kazuha banner rerun and abilities". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 2024-07-16. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  28. ↑ "『原神』をマイクラ風に再現！？クオリティ高すぎな"ファンメイドアニメーション"が大注目". インサイド (in 日本語). 2022-11-25. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  29. ↑ 神戶忍者龜 (2023-11-09). "連官方都肯定的高超手藝！日本職人手作《原神》楓原萬葉武器「蒼古自由之誓」". 日刊電電 (in 中文). Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  30. ↑ "Каэдэхара Кадзуха и Нахида стали самыми популярными героями в Genshin Impact по версии игроков — Escorenews". escorenews.com (in русский). Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 林卓恆 (2023-06-13). "原神3.7攻略｜楓原萬葉強不強值不值得抽 萬葉聖遺物武器組隊分析｜遊戲動漫". 香港01 (in 中文). Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  32. ↑ Liu, Stephanie (2021-06-23). "Kazuha is the Ideal Samurai in New Genshin Impact Character Trailer". Siliconera. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 El-Ters, Michaela (2022-02-07). "Genshin Impact's Kazuha is the Best". Gray Areas. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
  34. ↑ Lai, Adrian (2021-04-27). "Man Arrested After Making Attempt On MiHoYo Founders' Lives". IGN Southeast Asia. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  35. ↑ "再登"金苹果群岛"，《原神》如何做好"旧地重游"新体验？_游戏陀螺". www.youxituoluo.com. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  36. ↑ Joshi, Parth (2022-02-09). "Genshin Impact: Tips For Playing As Kaedehara Kazuha". TheGamer. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  37. ↑ Broadwell, Josh (2022-07-13). "The best Genshin Impact Kazuha build, weapons, and F2P options". VG247. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  38. ↑ Ku, Yan. "From meh to meta: Why Genshin Impact players are rejoicing over Kazuha's rerun in 2.8". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  39. ↑ Irwin, Dave (2023-06-19). "The best Kazuha build in Genshin Impact". PCGamesN. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  40. ↑ "Genshin Impact version 4.5: Should you pull for Neuvillette, Kazuha, and their signature weapons?". Yahoo News. 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  41. ↑ huangrandong (2022-09-20). "年轻人的第一台痛车，实拍凯迪拉克CT4/XT4原神联名款". PC Auto (in 中文). Archived from the original on 2024-10-19. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  42. ↑ "原厂痛车外观 凯迪拉克CT4/XT4原神限量版到店实拍". www.sohu.com (in 中文). 2022-09-20. Archived from the original on 2024-09-01. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  43. ↑ Diaz, Ana (2024-09-12). "McDonald's Genshin Impact collab wants to give you in-game items instead of toys". Polygon. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  44. ↑ Wood, Austin (2024-09-10). "Genshin Impact McDonald's collab explained – How to get the exclusive Primogems, glider, and more". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
  45. ↑ Ly, Alice (2024-09-24). "Genshin Impact Collabs with McDonald's for a Tasty and Rewarding Event". Nerd Reactor. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
  46. ↑ Genshin Impact (2024-09-19). "Notice regarding Genshin Impact × McDonald's collaboration redemption code". reddit.com. Retrieved 2025-10-19 – via Reddit.

External links


This article "Kaedehara Kazuha" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Kaedehara Kazuha. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.


Retrieved from "https://en.everybodywiki.com/index.php?title=Kaedehara_Kazuha&oldid=6377938"
License CC BY-SA 3.0
Powered by MediaWiki