The lord of the Enya household and the man whose fate sets the entire Chūshingura tragedy in motion. His character is modeled after the historical Asano Takumi-no-kami.

Subjected to relentless humiliation by Moronao, Hangan finally snaps and draws his sword inside the palace (Act III). Drawing a blade in the shogun's presence is a capital offense, and he is ordered to commit ritual suicide that very day.

In his death scene, he leaves his retainer Yuranosuke with the words: "Avenge my dishonor." This dying wish becomes the spark that ignites the vendetta of the forty-seven rōnin (Act IV).

The story's chief antagonist, modeled after the historical Kira Kōzuke-no-suke. He serves as the shogun's chief steward in Kamakura and oversees the instruction of both Momonoi Wakasanosuke and Enya Hangan.

Infatuated with Lady Kaoyo's beauty, he pursues her relentlessly, and when she rebuffs him, he redirects his fury toward her husband Hangan.

The ultimate villain of Chūshingura, Moronao meets his end when the forty-seven rōnin storm his mansion in the final act.

Chief retainer of Momonoi Wakasanosuke. In Act III, learning of his lord's conflict with Moronao, he uses a bribe to smooth things over — a pragmatic, worldly-wise samurai who knows how to work within the system.

However, during the sword attack in the Pine Corridor, he restrains Hangan and inadvertently prevents him from killing Moronao. Viewed objectively, this makes him partly responsible for the tragedy — a fact that haunts Act IX.

In Act IX, Honzō's true moment arrives. He offers his own life in exchange for his daughter Konami's marriage to Rikiya — a collision of parental love and warrior pragmatism that produces the act's most powerful drama.

A young daimyō assigned, together with Hangan, to serve as a reception host for the shogun's envoy. Hot-blooded and impulsive due to his youth, he confides in his retainer Honzō his plan to cut down Moronao in the palace after being insulted (Act II).

Thanks to Honzō's behind-the-scenes bribery, Moronao's attitude toward Wakasanosuke abruptly softens, and Wakasanosuke avoids committing a rash act (Act III). Honzō's quick thinking saves his lord from disaster.

Enya Hangan's wife, originally a lady-in-waiting at the imperial court. She appears in the Grand Prologue.

Commandeered by Ashikaga Tadayoshi to authenticate a historic helmet belonging to Nitta Yoshisada, she carries out her duty admirably. However, her beauty catches Moronao's eye, and his unwanted advances become the catalyst for the entire tragedy.

Though she does not appear in Act III itself, her firm rejection of Moronao's love letter infuriates him and redirects his hostility toward Hangan.

A retainer of Moronao who flatters his master shamelessly to advance his own career — the classic handōgataki (comic villain) role.

The handōgataki is a stock kabuki character type who uses humorous antics to lighten the mood for the audience. In Act III, Bannai joins Moronao in tormenting Hangan, and in Act VII (Gion Ichiriki Chaya), he spies on Yuranosuke under Moronao's orders.

He also harbors an unrequited passion for Okaru. Though undeniably a villain, his bumbling, comical mannerisms make him a perennial audience favorite.