Benitora, whose real name is Tokugawa Hidetada, is the second son of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and the heir to the Tokugawa shogunate. Despite his royal lineage, he chooses to live under the alias Benitora, which means Red Tiger, to escape his privileged life. He first appears as a member of an enemy group known as the Three Colors, where he is considered the most skilled fighter. Driven by a desire to rebel against his father, he left home to travel and improve his abilities.

In terms of personality, Benitora has a朴实, or simple and honest, and开朗, or cheerful and optimistic, disposition. He often serves as comic relief within the group, though he is capable of being serious, particularly in combat. One of his defining traits is his immediate and deep infatuation with the bounty hunter Shiina Yuya, whom he meets early in his journey. He is consistently over-protective of her, though his feelings are entirely unrequited as Yuya remains oblivious or uninterested. To conceal his true identity as the shogun's heir from her, he adopts a specific dialect or accent when speaking in her presence.

Benitora’s motivations are rooted in his personal relationships. Initially, he is drawn to travel with the protagonists out of admiration for the swordsman Kyo’s strength and his own love for Yuya. While his father ordered him to spy on Kyo, Benitora follows the group primarily for his own reasons, including a taste for adventure. Although he is not as powerful as Kyo or other major warriors, he consistently confronts enemies far stronger than himself, driven by a personal code of loyalty and a desire to protect his companions.

Benitora’s role in the story evolves from an initial antagonist to a loyal ally and close friend. He is often treated as a servant or attendant by Kyo, who makes Benitora his second follower after a brief fight. Throughout the narrative, he plays a crucial supporting role, fighting in major arcs such as the Forest Arc, where he defeats a former fellow disciple named Mekira, and the Mibu Arc, where he wins a battle against Taihaku, a leader of the Goyosei. One of his most significant moments occurs during a confrontation with the resurrected Oda Nobunaga. When Nobunaga overpowers Kyo, Benitora intervenes, blocking a killing blow and briefly fighting the warlord alone. Though completely outmatched, he uses a dangerous secret technique to unhorse Nobunaga, nearly killing himself in the process. In the final battle, he and the ninja Sasuke successfully retrieve the heart of the Crimson King.

Over the course of the story, Benitora demonstrates considerable development. He begins as a somewhat comical figure running from his responsibilities but grows into a formidable fighter who compensates for his lack of raw power with incredible courage and the use of highly dangerous techniques. He faces his own lineage and duties, and in a bonus chapter, he is shown continuing his studies to prepare for his future role leading Japan. There is also a suggestion that his true romantic feelings may ultimately lie with another character, Mahiro, rather than Yuya.

Benitora is a skilled combatant known for his unique abilities. His primary weapon is the spear named Hokuraku Shimon, also known as the Demon Spear or North Falling Master Gate, a cursed blade forged by the legendary swordsmith Muramasa. He is also known as the Shadow Master due to his ability to create multiple copies of himself. His signature technique is the Hassun, a powerful and quick thrusting attack. He also possesses a much more dangerous variation called the Reverse Hassun, which creates eight clones to deliver an even more devastating shockwave, but this technique is forbidden as it is as lethal to the user as it is to the target.