Welcome to Matsu Nimuro's castle cardboard box. If you've never heard of Legend of the Five Rings before, it's a card game with a fantasy setting involving samurai, magic, and politics. L5R is known for its elaborate storyline featuring hundreds of characters from over ten diverse factions. Matsu Nimuro is a particularly cool character - the former Lion Clan Champion turned nameless wandering ronin. Somehow he went from being the leader of the largest military force in the empire to being a homeless dude, without losing a single coolness point. This website simply highlights his role by collecting all of his official canon appearances in the world of Rokugan. If everything works out, it may even go a step further.
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| Latest Updates |
02.15.2010 - Added Tamago exp. 2 and Utagawa exp. cards to CCG Materials.
02.10.2010 - Added Tamago exp. 2 illustration to Official Artwork.
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| Official Artwork |
| CCG illustrations |
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Inside Agent
Michael Phillippi (source)
L5R A Perfect Cut |
Faith In My Clan
Llyn Hunter (source)
L5R Dark Allies |
Desertion
Beth Trott (source)
L5R Heaven and Earth |
Tamago
Drew Baker (source)
L5R Wrath of the Emperor |
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| CCG illustrations (continued) |
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Tamago
Drew Baker (source)
preliminary/alternate draft |
Tamago exp. 2
Drew Baker (source)
L5R The Harbinger |
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| CCG illustrations (exclusive high resolution) |
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Matsu Nimuro
Brian Snoddy (source)
L5R Gold Edition |
Matsu Nimuro exp.
Anthony Grabski (source)
L5R Diamond Edition |
Engage the Enemy
Joachim Gmoser (source)
L5R An Oni's Fury |
Faith In My Clan
Llyn Hunter (source)
L5R Dark Allies |
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| CCG illustrations (exclusive high resolution; continued) |
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Desertion
Beth Trott (source)
L5R Heaven and Earth |
Tamago
Drew Baker (source)
L5R Wrath of the Emperor |
Tamago
Drew Baker (source)
preliminary/alternate draft |
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| Story Overview |
Matsu Nimuro was the Lion Clan Champion from the year 1150 until 1165. Nimuro slew Goju Kyoden at the Fall of Otosan Uchi in 1159, making him one of the heroes of the day.
With the help of Kitsu Juri, Nimuro used the Egg of P'an Ku to clone himself, creating the being known as Tamago. The death of Tamago during the War of the Rich Frog caused the Lion Clan to believe Nimuro dead. As a result, the Championship was passed to Ikoma Otemi, until Nimuro's eldest son came of age.
Long held captive in the Kitsu Tombs by Kitsu Juri, who believed he was the duplicate, the shame of his dabbling with the Egg caused Matsu Nimuro to leave the Lion, becoming a ronin and assuming the name of his now-dead counterpart, Tamago.
-- modified excerpt from the L5R Wiki
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| Unofficial Professional Artwork |
| Stephanie Pui-Mun Law (homepage) - posted on 04.02.2007 |
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comments: Stephanie Pui-Mun Law has illustrated over three dozen L5R cards since Gold Edition. She's one of my favorite artists due to her distinctive style and attention to detail. I simply described the character's background history and she did the rest. Everything from the colors, to the authentic samurai armor, to the combat stance are exactly as they should be. As my friend Mikeiko pointed out, the vigilant Nimuro even looks a little disappointed in his shadow opponent.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
watercolor on paper |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
pencil sketch on paper |
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| Andrew Hou (homepage) - posted on 04.02.2007 |
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comments: Andrew Hou is a headline artist on the ongoing Street Fighter comic book series by Udon. He's got an unparalleled knack for bringing scenes to life with his dynamic drawing style and contemplative approach to coloring. Once again, i provided only the bare essential description of the character. All the ceremonial armor modifications fit perfectly with Nimuro's role as figurehead of the Lion Clan army. Yet the crucial trademark elements of his original design remain intact.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital painting |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital sketch |
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| Malcolm McClinton (homepage) - posted on 05.01.2007 |
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comments: Malcolm McClinton has illustrated over two hundred L5R cards since Gold Edition. This signifies the debut of a new look for his art, marking a transition to digital format. He elected to depict Nimuro as a ronin, thereby reducing the armor to bare functional essentials. Nimuro's eyes now convey a sense of humility that comes with experience, and his sword seems to rest heavier upon his shoulder. Yet even the landscape salutes his unmistakable background as a true Lion.
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Nimuro (aka Tamago)
Unaligned Ronin
digital painting |
Nimuro (aka Tamago)
Unaligned Ronin
digital sketch |
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| Edwin David (homepage) - posted on 06.02.2007 |
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comments: Edwin David is a relative newcomer to the line-up of L5R artists, having contributed to only a handful of card sets. Yet in this short time, his bustling, comic-book-inspired style has made him a genuine fan-favorite. Although he adhered strictly to Nimuro's original outfit design, he took several bold risks with the painting's setting and background. Completely surrounded by a rather malicious-looking group of assailants, Nimuro's soldiers anticipate an uphill battle for survival.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital painting |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital sketch |
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| Jason Behnke (homepage) - posted on 07.03.2007 |
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comments: Jason Behnke has been painting L5R illustrations since the release of the Forbidden Knowledge expansion set. His trademark style is instantly recognizable by its mood-setting tones and daring characterization. Here, Nimuro is portrayed during preparation for a battle, taking advantage of the calm before the storm to collect his thoughts. The painting gracefully conveys both the intensity of a tactician's focus and the depth of the vital link between samurai blade and wielder.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
oil on masonite |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
oil painting progression |
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| Andy Lee (homepage) - posted on 09.09.2007 |
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comments: Andy Lee paints in the traditional Cha’an Buddhist splash style which originated in China, circa 13th century BC. His unique modern Zen style of sumi ink and bamboo brushwork has appeared in several flagship Marvel Comics and Image Comics titles. With these two paintings, he captures opposing yet complimentary aspects of the Lion Clan Champion's nature. The ferocious combat readiness of a determined fighter on the left and the leader's symbolic valor on the right.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
ink and acrylic on paper |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
ink and acrylic on paper |
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| Jeffrey Cruz (homepage) - posted on 12.02.2007 |
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comments: Jeffrey 'Chamba' Cruz is an extremely talented newcomer to Udon Crew, having already begun to leave his mark in the fields of concept art, comics, and even fashion. His eagerness to tackle challenging perspectives helps each of his illustrations take on a unique and refreshing quality. This piece is aptly titled "A Lion's Flame" and it brings out the truly fearsome, hauntingly dangerous visage of an expert Lion Clan Samurai, with an artistic style found only in comic books.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital painting |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
pencil sketch on paper |
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| Ryan Dunlavey (homepage) - posted on 11.18.2008 |
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comments: Ryan Dunlavey is a freelance artist whose charismatic illustrations and comic strips have appeared in dozens of popular magazines. The surprisingly elaborate story here is that Psylocke got captured and brainwashed by M.Bison's Shadaloo syndicate, then sent on a mission alongside Vega to terminate Matsu Nimuro. If they made L5R toys, who wouldn't stage crossover battles featuring Marvel Comics and Street Fighter characters? So awesome.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital painting |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
pencil sketch on paper |
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| Keu Cha (homepage) - posted on 07.28.2009 |
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comments: Keu Cha rose to prominence as the primary penciller on Top Cow's groundbreaking comic book series Rising Stars, which led to a chain of prestigious assignments at Image and Marvel Comics. While his top-notch linework has always been widely acclaimed, his equally masterful colorist acumen often remains unseen. The look on Nimuro's face in this illustration affirms that there's no such thing as a safe angle of approach against a Lion Clan Champion.
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Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
digital painting |
Matsu Nimuro
Lion Clan Champion
pencil sketch on paper |
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