Kanbei Inoue is a central antagonist in the film Azumi 2: Death or Love, serving as a high-ranking military retainer and a formidable force driven by a deep-seated need for revenge. His primary motivation stems from the assassination of his master, the powerful warlord Kiyomasa Kato, an act carried out by the young assassins Azumi and Nagara during their mission to secure peace for the Tokugawa shogunate. Stung by the loss of his lord, Kanbei dedicates himself entirely to hunting down the perpetrators and avenging Kato’s death.

To achieve his goal, Kanbei Inoue demonstrates considerable resourcefulness and authority by assembling a large and diverse army. This force is not a formal military unit but a collection of mercenary soldiers, allied ninja, and rogue bandits, all brought together under his command for the single purpose of destroying Azumi and her companions. His ability to unite such a varied group shows his strategic mindset and his willingness to use any means necessary to succeed. Among those he recruits are the bandit brothers Ginkaku and Kinkaku, pulling them into the escalating conflict.

Throughout the film, Kanbei serves as a relentless pursuer, creating a constant threat that tests the protagonists' resolve. His actions position him as the main architect of the opposition against Azumi’s mission. However, his role extends beyond that of a simple pursuer; he is a key figure in the final act’s political resolution. When Azumi challenges his new master, the warlord Sanada Masayuki, to a duel, Kanbei is present and is ordered to stand down. After Azumi slays Sanada, Yukimura, Sanada’s son, actively dissuades Kanbei from seeking further vengeance for the loss of his original master, effectively ending his personal war. In the film's closing moments, as Azumi walks away from the battlefield, a conflicted Kanbei calls out to her, asking where she is going, only to be ignored—a final gesture that underscores his inability to find closure or meaning after his quest for revenge is denied.

As a character, Kanbei Inoue is defined by his unwavering loyalty and his identity as a calculating military strategist. He is portrayed as a manipulative and powerful leader whose thirst for retribution drives the central conflict of the story. His notable abilities lie not in spectacular martial arts, but in command, organization, and strategic planning, making him a dangerous adversary through the forces he controls rather than through his own hand-to-hand combat skills. His arc is one of single-minded devotion transforming into emptiness, as the object of his revenge is completed by another, leaving him with no purpose and no answers.