What is the name of the veteran samurai leader recruited first in Seven Samurai?

The veteran samurai leader recruited first in Seven Samurai is Kambei Shimada.

The 1954 film opens with farmers seeking warriors to defend their village from bandits. In the nearby town, they encounter Kambei, an aging and battle-tested rōnin who demonstrates his character by rescuing a kidnapped boy from a thief. His compassion, judgment, and willingness to protect people without demanding money make him the natural leader.

Kambei then recruits the other members of the group. Gorobei Katayama becomes his second-in-command, and Kambei’s former comrade Shichirōji joins later. The remaining members are the skilled swordsman Kyūzō, the good-natured Heihachi, the young Katsushirō, and Kikuchiyo, who falsely claims samurai status but proves his courage.

Viewers sometimes confuse Kambei with Katsushirō because the younger man is introduced alongside him and becomes his disciple. Kambei is played by Takashi Shimura and serves as the group’s strategic and moral center, even though the film emphasizes that the farmers—not the samurai—ultimately win the village’s future.