Blackthorne meets many odd characters that represent different aspects of Japanese culture. Blackthorne also has crew members from his own culture that represent and symbolize European culture. The main characters in the story are Blackthorne, Mariko-san, Rodrigues, Lord Toronaga, Lord Ishido, Yabu-sama, and Omi-san. There are other characters that impacted Blackthorne's cultural experience but these are the biggest factors.

Blackthorne represents Europe, and its culture, at times Blackthorne represents anger such as when the subject of sodomy is brought up, and when he is captured at first he is only angry. His crew may be seen as unimportant but it is also sacrificial, the loss of Pieterzoon marks the actual sacrifice. Blackthorne learns many things from various people. In the beginning he is lost, unimportant and just left to die, and by the end he is made into someone so important that death cannot become of him. Blackthorne...