Every romance for Naoe and Yasuke, the exact quests and dialogue choices you need, and the biggest missables (including the ones that only appear after a season changes).
Romance in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a first for the series’ modern era and—done right—an easy way to add heart to your hunt across Sengoku‑era Japan. It’s also a system with a few traps: some scenes only trigger if you’re playing the right character, one path requires a full seasonal cycle, and a couple of choices can quietly lock you out.
Below is a complete, character‑by‑character guide to every romance, with required quests, exact dialogue cues, and missables you can’t undo.
How romance works in Shadows (read this first)
- Non‑Canon Mode only. If you enable Canon Mode, you’ll disable romance entirely. Play in the standard (non‑canon) mode to see romance prompts.
- Look for the heart. Flirt options show a heart icon in dialogue; the “commit” moment uses a heart with an arrow and leads to the romance scene.
- Multiple romances are allowed. You can complete more than one romance per protagonist without a hard lockout—though there are edge‑cases (and bugs) that can cause breakups; see notes under Katsuhime and Rin below.
- Naoe and Yasuke cannot romance each other. Their bond is strictly platonic.
Quick reference table (romance paths at a glance)
| Character | Playable who? | Start / key quest(s) | Must‑pick moments (examples) | Missables & gotchas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gennojo | Naoe | Missing Missive → Sake and Swords → Stolen Hearts | Heart replies throughout; in Stolen Hearts pick “I’d like to embrace you.” | Best done as Naoe; soothe him in The Godless Harvest to keep things smooth. Also an ally. |
| Katsuhime | Naoe | Omi arc → Letter from Katsuhime → The Diary of Lady Rokkaku → The Jounin Pillow Book | Heart replies; at Jōgu shrine pick “Let’s find out.” | Rescue her from execution during The Diary of Lady Rokkaku or the romance locks out. Rarely, she can break up and leave the Hideout after a “forever” commitment—save beforehand. Also an ally. |
| Koshiro | Naoe | Ox arc → Fallen Soldiers → (wait one season) → The Leaf Turns | “You’re more than a blade to me,” “We have a special connection,” “I’d like to spend more time with you,” etc. | Wait one full season before The Leaf Turns; fetch his toolbox from Inariyama Garrison. Some guides say spare Commander Seiji; others say it’s not required—sparing is the safe pick. Not an ally. |
| Mayu | Naoe | Mayu’s Offerings (Gose, Yamato) | After honoring all 69 Jizo Statues, pick “Not before I kiss you.” | All 69 Jizo Statues are required (major time sink). One‑off scene; not an ally. |
| Ibuki | Yasuke | Ambush Interrupted → Homecoming → Putting Down Roots | Avoid harsh answers; deliver Blue Anemone seeds; pick “I want more than friendship.” | Bad choices can lock them out as an ally; romance is smoother if you recruit them. Seeds spawn northeast of Kashiwara Manor (Iga). Also an ally. |
| Lady Oichi | Yasuke | The Wheel Unmasked → The Wheel Turns | In Wheel Unmasked, spare as Yasuke; later pick “I miss your smile” and “Let’s enjoy the moment.” | One‑off romance; not an ally. Choice to keep Fuji‑maru (dog) is optional and doesn’t affect the romance outcome. |
| Hori Hidemasa | Yasuke | The Betrayers (board of seven targets) | Speak to Hori as Yasuke and choose “Meeting you was my reward.” | Must return as Yasuke for the romance line; yields a brief scene and his helmet. Not an ally. |
| Rin | Yasuke | The Winter Raiders → Arrow Strike → (wait) War Horse → (wait) Ride Into Town | Multiple heart replies (e.g., “Let me help you clean,” “You excel at everything you try”); finish with “I would like to kiss you.” | Takes three seasons; during Ride Into Town, don’t kill the bandits for her. May send a farewell letter if you romance others later. Not an ally. |
Naoe: every romance, step‑by‑step
1) Gennojo (ally + romance)
- Where it starts: You’ll run into Gennojo while hunting The Fool. Finish Missing Missive / Lost Honor, then do his ally chain (Sake and Swords, Honor Among Thieves, Stolen Hearts).
- What to pick: Keep choosing heart replies; in Stolen Hearts select “I’d like to embrace you.” That’s the romance scene.
- Pro tip: In The Godless Harvest, choose to soothe him when prompted—useful for his ally arc.
Missables: Must be playing as Naoe during the key flirt beats. Gennojo is also recruitable; romance doesn’t block recruitment.
2) Katsuhime (ally + romance)
- Where it starts: Meet Katsuhime during the Omi arc while tracking The Naginata. Her ally thread kicks off with Letter from Katsuhime after you wrap those missions.
- What to pick: Heart replies along the way; in The Jounin Pillow Book, meet at Jōgu shrine and pick “Let’s find out.”
- Critical missable: During The Diary of Lady Rokkaku, save Katsuhime from execution. If she dies, you lose both the ally and the romance path.
- Odd edge case: If you tell her “Yes. Forever” and then pursue someone else (or sometimes even if you don’t), she can break up and permanently leave the Hideout—a bug many players and guides have flagged. Make a manual save before committing, or avoid the “forever” line if you plan to keep multiple romances active.
3) Koshiro (romance only)
- Where it starts: You first meet him in Brothers in Arms during the Ox arc. After the main target, complete Fallen Soldiers, wait one full season, then visit him to begin The Leaf Turns.
- What to pick: In The Leaf Turns, give these replies: “You’re more than a blade to me,” “We have a special connection,” “I’d like to spend more time with you,” “You must follow your heart,” “Like me.”
- Find his toolbox: Fetch Koshiro’s carving tools from Inariyama Garrison (Harima) to progress the quest.
- About Commander Seiji: GameSpot recommends sparing Seiji during Brothers in Arms; other reputable guides say the choice doesn’t block the romance. Sparing aligns with Koshiro’s ideals and is the safest route.
Missables: You must wait a season between Fallen Soldiers and The Leaf Turns or the romance beats won’t appear yet.
4) Mayu (romance only)
- Where it starts: Talk to Mayu in Gose (Yamato) to begin Mayu’s Offerings. She asks you to honor 69 Jizo Statues scattered across Japan.
- What to pick: After honoring all 69, return and choose “Not before I kiss you.” (you’ll see several encouraging heart lines before this).
- Finding statues: There are 69 Jizo Statues total across nine regions; if you’re hunting efficiently, check a region‑by‑region list to avoid backtracking.
Missables: This is a big time investment; it’s easy to miss statues off the main roads. Track progress region by region to avoid re‑sweeps.
Yasuke: every romance, step‑by‑step
1) Ibuki (ally + romance)
- Where it starts: Meet Ibuki in Ambush Interrupted (Iga), then progress Homecoming and recruit them to unlock Putting Down Roots.
- Play it right: During the ally quests, avoid harsh or cynical lines (e.g., don’t say “I was following orders” or belittle Kyobei’s chances). Poor answers can cause Ibuki to refuse joining.
- What to pick: In Putting Down Roots, bring Blue Anemone seeds (found near the riverbank northeast of Kashiwara Manor in Iga) and select “You have lovely eyes” → “I want more than friendship.”
Missables: Get Ibuki’s ally chain right first; romance flows naturally after. Seeds are specific to the Iga location above.
2) Lady Oichi (story romance, not an ally)
- Where it starts: Pursue The Mourner thread until The Wheel Unmasked, then spare the target as Yasuke. This spawns The Wheel Turns via a letter at your Hideout.
- What to pick: In The Wheel Turns, speak to Oichi (“I miss your smile”) in Azuchi, then sail to Okishima (“cat island”). Finish with “Let’s enjoy the moment.” (You can also pick “Now we must part”—the outcome for their story is the same.)
- Side note: You’ll meet her daughters and can adopt Fuji‑maru the dog for the Hideout; it doesn’t affect the romance.
Missables: You must spare in Wheel Unmasked as Yasuke; doing otherwise ends the path. Oichi cannot be recruited.
3) Hori Hidemasa (story romance, not an ally)
- Where it starts: Complete The Betrayers (seven targets). Return to Hori in Otsu, Omi.
- What to pick (as Yasuke): Choose “Meeting you was my reward.” That triggers the romance scene—and Hori gives you his helmet.
Missables: You must be playing as Yasuke for the romance reply to appear.
4) Rin (long‑form romance over three seasons)
- Where it starts: Begin The Winter Raiders board in Kii, then do Arrow Strike, War Horse, and Ride Into Town, with a season change between each step.
- What to pick:
- Arrow Strike: “Let me help you clean” → “It wasn’t my archery you were testing.”
- War Horse: “You excel at everything you try.”
- Ride Into Town: Do not intervene—let Rin defeat the bandits; later pick “Plum onigiri, please” and end with “I would like to kiss you.”
- Edge case: If you romance others afterwards, Rin may later send a farewell letter and end things. It’s not guaranteed, but it’s possible.
Missables: The seasonal gates are strict: advance the season between steps or the next quest won’t appear yet. Also, failing to let Rin fight her own battle during Ride Into Town can stall the quest.
Important missables & “gotchas” (one place to check before you commit)
- Canon Mode disables romance. Double‑check your settings before you start chasing hearts.
- Be the right protagonist at the right time. Several scenes only appear if you’re Naoe (Gennojo, Katsuhime, Koshiro, Mayu) or Yasuke (Ibuki, Lady Oichi, Hori, Rin).
- Katsuhime can leave the Hideout after a “forever” promise, sometimes even if you didn’t cheat—many players and guides treat this as a bug. Make a manual save before final chats with her.
- Rin’s romance spans three seasons. If nothing’s triggering, advance the season and return.
- Oichi must be spared in The Wheel Unmasked (as Yasuke). That’s the fork that unlocks The Wheel Turns.
- Mayu requires all 69 Jizo Statues. Plan a region‑by‑region sweep to avoid hours of backtracking.
- Ibuki can be lost as an ally by picking certain harsh choices. Keep your answers supportive during Ambush Interrupted and Homecoming; then finish Putting Down Roots for the kiss.
- Koshiro and Commander Seiji. Some guides treat sparing Seiji as required; others say it doesn’t block the romance. Sparing is safest and thematically fits.
FAQ
Can I romance everyone in one run?
Generally yes—one run can see all eight romance scenes (four per protagonist), provided you make the required choices and time jumps; just beware of the Katsuhime bug/edge case.
Do romances affect endings or combat?
No major story endings hinge on romance. Some partners are also allies (Gennojo, Katsuhime, Ibuki) but the romance itself doesn’t buff them.
Why don’t I see heart options?
You might be in Canon Mode, on the wrong character for that scene, or too early (Rin, Koshiro require time and/or specific quest prerequisites).
Three pro routes if you’re short on time
- Fastest “all four” for Naoe & Yasuke: Do Gennojo and Katsuhime early while you’re in Omi; Ibuki right after Iga; Lady Oichi once Wheel Unmasked appears (spare), then Hori after The Betrayers. Put Rin and Koshiro on your radar while seasons turn; knock out Mayu during late‑game road trips.
- Completionist route: Combine Mayu’s statues with fast‑travel checkpointing: sweep a region, turn in progress, then pivot to seasonal quests (Rin/Koshiro).
- Bug‑averse route: Manual save before Katsuhime’s “forever” talk and before any final romance confirmations if you’re juggling multiple partners.
Alternate choices checklist (verbatim lines that matter)
- Gennojo: “I’d like to embrace you.” (Stolen Hearts)
- Katsuhime: “Let’s find out.” (The Jounin Pillow Book) — and save her in The Diary of Lady Rokkaku.
- Koshiro: “You’re more than a blade to me” → “We have a special connection” → “I’d like to spend more time with you” → “You must follow your heart” → “Like me.” (The Leaf Turns)
- Mayu: “Not before I kiss you.” (after all 69 Jizo)
- Ibuki: “I want more than friendship.” (Putting Down Roots; bring Blue Anemone seeds from Iga)
- Lady Oichi: Spare as Yasuke (The Wheel Unmasked), then “I miss your smile” → “Let’s enjoy the moment.” (The Wheel Turns)
- Hori Hidemasa: “Meeting you was my reward.” (after The Betrayers, as Yasuke)
- Rin: “Let me help you clean,” “It wasn’t my archery you were testing,” “You excel at everything you try,” “Plum onigiri, please,” “I would like to kiss you.” (across Arrow Strike, War Horse, Ride Into Town)
Final tips
- Swap protagonists freely. Some scenes only exist for one character (e.g., Hori requires Yasuke). If you don’t see a heart line you expected, make sure you’re controlling the right person.
- Advance the calendar. If a step isn’t appearing for Rin or Koshiro, rest, complete a few activities, or advance a main/board objective to push the season forward.
- Recruit your allies first. For Gennojo, Katsuhime, and Ibuki, finishing the ally chain tends to put the romance moments right in your path.
