Kojuro Katakura is a shared name for the family retainer of the Date clan, often noted as first serving Terumune during his youth. He is best known for acting as a strategist under Masamune, swearing unadulterated loyalty to his second master even during his roughest times. During his service, he was said to have been known by the Date vassals for his valuable wit, thus leading to his nickname for the more notable bearer of the name Kojuro, "Kagetsuna the Wise".
Throughout the majority of his game appearances, Kojuro is playing second fiddle to Masamune's conquests. In his first appearance, Kojuro acts as the weary Date retainer who is repeatedly surprised by his young master's recklessness. He questions his lord for which clan they should ally with, only to quiver in fear when Masamune challenges both opponents. Depending on the story path, he eventually accepts Masamune's rambunctious nature and congratulates his success for uniting the land. Kojuro and the other Date vassals then accompany their ambitious lord to conquer the world.
Kojuro acts as a constant yet minor general within the Date ranks at Odawara Castle. In the second title, players are more likely to see the other Kojuro (Kagetsuna's son, Shigenaga) serve in the Date ranks during the later campaigns in the game. Kojuro appears with greater frequency in Samurai Warriors 3 and stays with Masamune throughout his story. In the Kasai-Osaki Uprising, Kojuro can lead troops to reinforce Magoichi once Norihide Matsuda is defeated. He can do the same for Yoshiaki Mogami once Yoshihide Shida is defeated at Hasedo.
In Samurai Warriors Chronicles, Kojuro appears as an officer in the Battle of Hasedo fighting alongside the Eastern Army and Masamune's forces. If the player follows the Eastern side, Kojuro is actually a playable character. In this scenario, Kojuro is the one who informs Masamune of Kagekatsu's location. After Kagekatsu's defeat, Kojuro briefly wonders about the future of the land. If the player sides with the Western Army, Kojuro guards Hasedo Castle.
Samurai Warriors 4 Kojuro has been with Masamune for as long as any of them can remember. He tended to Masamune's health when his young lord lost his right eye and is a reputed Date retainer. Kojuro first accompanies his lord at the Uesugi civil conflict. After Masamune experiences the trauma of losing his father, Kojuro provides supplementary leadership and advice throughout the Tohoku chapter. Since Masamune's irrational emotional state is comprising his judgment as leader, Kojuro voluntarily draws the enemy attention to himself in Hitotoribashi and issues the army command to protect Masamune's charge at Koriyama. He quickly deduces that Magoichi came to Oshu as Hideyoshi's spy rather than buying into the mercenary's cover story.
When the gigantic Toyotomi army threatens Oshu, Kojuro discreetly opens communications with them. Magoichi catches on to his supposed act to desert Masamune and, acting as Hideyoshi's messenger, offers a pricey incentive for him to join the Toyotomi. Kojuro declines and explains that his gesture was a cautionary measure for future peace negotiations. Since Masamune is not open to talks, he plans to help the resistance to prove the Date's strengths to Hideyoshi. After Kojuro orders the counteroffensive, Masamune continues to recklessly charge towards the Toyotomi troops. Kojuro announces himself as Masamune when his lord is in danger, getting severely wounded by an enemy rifleman in the process. He is pleased when his sacrifice finally awakens Masamune to his responsibilities.
Thanks to Kojuro's earlier inquiries, the Date are able to peacefully surrender to Hideyoshi before the Odawara conflict. Kojuro is surprised yet grateful when Hideyoshi forgives their resistance and allows the Date to keep their independence. After the Date assist with Ujiyasu's demise, Kojuro gladly follows Masamune's renewed command at Hasedo and Osaka Castle. After the Uesugi flees from the former battle, Kojuro confesses about Hideyoshi's offer for his servitude and feels guilty for hiding it from Masamune. He is glad when his lord promptly dismisses the issue.
His 4-II centric story begins shortly after Masamune's manhood ceremony. Kojuro fulfills his lord's command to rip out his right eye yet agonizes over it. Blaming himself of a serious offense, Kojuro swears to follow Masamune for life. He accompanies his young master's first battle against the neighboring Soma clan. When Magoichi openly comes to them as Hideyoshi's envoy, Kojuro pushes for a defiance against Hideyoshi at Koriyama. Immediately after their victory, he advises surrendering. He reasons that Masamune's future is grave. Hideyoshi suspects them due to Magoichi's report from his Soma employment, and the Date stand no chance against the Toyotomi's massive army. Although the Date veterans reproach his turn of phrase, Masamune reluctantly concedes to his judgment.
Hideyoshi personally offers for Kojuro to serve him prior to the Odawara siege. The Date retainer refuses, stating that he now appreciates his ties to Masamune as an unbreakable bond of trust. Though they repay their obligation to Hideyoshi at Odawara Castle, their surrender rips a hole into the hearts of the Date retainers, causing their loyalties to falter and stagnate. Masamune raises them in revolt against Hideyoshi in Oshu. Kojuro correctly deduces that his lord's true motive is to restore his retainers' obligations to duty and unite their morale. He takes charge of the revolt and endures Magoichi and Hideyoshi's anger by himself. Their victory restores the Date, and Masamune takes the blame by apologizing to Hideyoshi afterwards; Kojuro suggests for his lord to wear showy attire to impress their benefactor with the wish to forever ensure the Date's future.
Years later, Kojuro suffers from a dire illness. Even so, he forces himself to rise and accompany Masamune at Osaka Castle as his first and last selfish act of loyalty. Although his lord orders him to survive the conflict, Kojuro wants his life and death to forever be engraved into the Date legacy. He slays Yukimura and is determined to keep fighting his enemies until his body gives out.
During Spirit of Sanada, Kojuro's sole appearance is at Hasedo, where he and Masamune attempt to capture the Uesugi forces after word breaks out of Ieyasu's great victory at Sekigahara. Despite their efforts, the Uesugi are able to back to their homeland. He dies somewhere during Yukimura and Masayuki's exile at Kudoyama, and he is succeeded by his son, Shigenaga, who retains his father's role of staying by Masamune's side during the Osaka campaign.
In Musou OROCHI Z, Kojuro will take Masamune's place as one of the allied reinforcements for the Sengoku warlords at Osaka Castle if his master is already a part of the player's attack team.
Kojuro is still at his lord's side when they are attacked by Liu Bei's army during Warriors Orochi 4. Although he is able to have his reserve troops salvage the failure of their ambush, his plans are thwarted by the sudden arrival of Guan Yu and Zhuge Liang's forces. After his defeat, the Date and Sima Yi's forces, including Kojuro, surrender to Liu Bei. When both the Oda and Rebel armies merge to form the Coalition, Kojuro and Masamune are tasked with helping Zhuge Dan and Ieyasu defend Honnoji from the armies of Athena and Ares. Kojuro also joins his lord in fighting Odin's army at Guangling and is able to read the eventual defection of Chen Gong, and the rest of Lu Bu's army.
Kojuro later accompanies Zhou Yu in following Xiaoqiao and Masamune during their secret outing, where they deal with all sorts of potential hazards, including Dong Zhuo's intruding army. After defeating Dodomeki's forces, who were attracted by Dong Zhuo's presence, Kojuro is gifted all sorts of small trinkets by a bashful Masamune as thanks for constantly putting his life on the line.
In the Legacy of Chris Thorndyke, out of the many warriors from Japan that he is shown to be pretty wise for Masamune, but somehow that he sometimes that he loses his glasses when he bonked into something and can't seem to find them, even Velma felt his pain that she knew what it's like to lose their glasses that she can't see a darn thing without them.
And he is voiced by his Sengoku Basara version, Travis Willingham in the English dub and reprised by Ryota Takeuchi in the Japanese dub.