Way of the Sword — All Bosses and How to Beat Them

This page collects every confirmed Way of the Sword boss in one place. Capcom has revealed some bosses pre-launch and is keeping others under wraps; this page updates as new names are confirmed and as the wiki fills out post-launch.

Confirmed bosses

Sasaki Kojiro (recurring antagonist)

The historical Sasaki Kojiro (1585–1612) was the rival of Miyamoto Musashi and is most famous for their duel at Ganryu Island in 1612. Way of the Sword reimagines him as an Oni Gauntlet wielder — the only confirmed enemy in the game with one. This makes him mechanically different from regular Genma: he can parry you back.

Strategy: Patience. Sasaki Kojiro punishes mashers hard. Wait for his attack animation, parry at the last frame, and don’t extend your own combo beyond two hits. His stamina gauge takes longer to empty than a regular boss; treat it like a chess match, not a sprint. For the full breakdown, see the Sasaki Kojiro boss guide.

Genma commanders (rotating)

Each act introduces at least one Genma commander as the act boss. Capcom has confirmed the commanders exist as a category but has not named every single one pre-launch. Post-launch, this section will list each one with weakness, location, and strategy. In the meantime, the series overview on the Genma gives you the lore context.

Boss strategy principles

Every boss in Way of the Sword follows the same core loop:

1. Open with Break Issen. Don’t try to win by raw damage — the boss will out-trade you. Parry to drain stamina instead.
2. Two-hit rule. After a successful parry, you get a small window for two attacks. Take them and back off. Greedy three-hit combos will get you hit.
3. Watch for the unparryable. Some boss attacks have red visual indicators — these cannot be parried. Dodge them, don’t try to break-issen them.
4. Spend the execution window. Once stamina is empty, don’t ignore the prompt. Choose heavy damage if the boss is close to death, more souls if you need resources.

How to actually win tight boss fights

• Pre-fight farming: before any boss, spend 10 minutes in the previous stage farming red souls. Upgrade your katana at the Oni Gate shrine. The damage difference between an upgraded and un-upgraded weapon is the difference between a one-cycle kill and a long, drawn-out fight.
• Stock Oni Armaments: enter boss fights with at least 2 Oni Armament charges (blue souls). They are the panic button for breaking boss momentum.
• Save the scythe, not the meter: if a boss is at 30% HP but you’re at one yellow soul, run away and farm. Don’t burn your last heal on a coin-flip attempt.

For the broader strategy picture, see the Issen / Break Issen explainer, the soul farming guide, and the Oni Armaments tier list.