Tomoe Gozen

In pre-modern Japan, a group of female samurai warriors known as the onna musha included Tomoe Gozen. She is still referred to as one of the greatest fighters in Japanese history, and you can find tributes to her in poems, books, video games, and other media all around Japan. Even though she is rumored to have been a skilled archer, she preferred the katana as her weapon of choice.

Due to a dearth of records, we don't know much about her early years, but we do know that Minamoto no Yoshinaka, a general from the Minamoto clan, took her in as a concubine at some point in the 12th century. She immediately established her fighting prowess, advanced through the military levels, and soon held command of her own samurai battalions.

Although Tomoe fought alongside Yoshinaka in his uprising against the tyrannical Taira clan in the 12th century, it is unclear from the records how her story turns out. We are aware that Yoshinaka's family members ultimately prevailed over him in a conflict. According to some accounts, Tomoe died alongside Yoshinaka during the Battle of Awazu in 1184; however, other accounts contend that Yoshinaka had urged her to retreat before he made his last stand, and she spent the remainder of her life as a nun.