Shimazu Platoon

Shimazu Platoon is the platoon Musashi is assigned to during the Awaji Island recapture operation. It's leader is Akihiro Shimazu.

History
The members of the platoon are all young soldiers deployed from various bands of Bushi. On their first day as platoon members Musashi, Akihiro and Katsumi have a fight to determine who is the strongest among them and choose their leader. The battle is won by Akihiro. The platoon is part of the first formation of three hundred man, commanded by Naoe. Three days before the actual siege of Awaji, the first formation was deployed to the front lines in order to get the attention of the small onis infesting the waters around Awaji Island while an advance team was sent directly to the island to gather intel. The platoon is also part of the white corpse, the four thousand bushis whose ability to link their sword spirits was not sealed by Seiroku's technique during the attack on the Shiryu Castle.

Goals
During the siege of Awaji Island the Shimazu Platoon is assigned to a small detachment of one hundred elite soldiers with the mission of destroying the Yura Mines, Yamata no Orochi last remaining feeding ground. However, this mission was only part of Kuroko's plan to confuse the enemy tactician. The real goal was to give Musashi a chance to fight Yataro and defeat him.

Etymology

 * The surname Shimazu means "island" (島) (shima) and "haven, port, harbor, ferry" (津) (tsu/zu).