Okuma the Needle Spitter is a minor antagonist in the Lone Wolf and Cub television series, appearing among the guest cast of its third season, which aired in 1976 as the concluding part of that live-action adaptation. She is one of the many specialized fighters who confront the wandering swordsman protagonist over the course of the series. Her name and title point directly to her distinguishing method of combat: she attacks by blowing or spitting needles from her mouth, a concealed projectile technique that sets her apart from the more conventional sword-wielding enemies the protagonist usually faces. In the story she functions as an episodic threat rather than a recurring figure, so she is given no substantial personal background, no developed personality beyond her role as a killer, no lasting relationships with the main characters, and no arc of growth across the series. Her motive is the standard one for the season's one-off adversaries: she has been dispatched to eliminate the protagonist, and her unusual fighting style exists to present a distinctive challenge that he must overcome before moving on to the next trial on his journey.