In Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma, there are 15 companions you can romance and 10 characters that can’t be romanced. Each of the 25 character have their own set of unlock requirements and if you plan to initiate romances, you’ll have to increase the bond level.
But whatever the case may be, it starts with first unlocking the characters you want. Most of the characters are tied to the game’s story so if you just keep playing you’ll unlock them.
Very few require going off the beaten path. Below you will find everything you need to know about unlocking all characters / companions in Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma.
How to Unlock All Romanceable Characters in Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma
| Name | How To Unlock |
|---|---|
| Kanata | The final god you’ll encounter. Kanata becomes available after you host a celebratory party with all the other gods. |
| Fubuki | Defeat his Wolf form deep in the Winter Wilds to earn Fubuki’s trust and unlock him. |
| Mauro | Once the Spring Village is under threat, guide Mauro’s ship and expose the dragon’s weak spot to unlock him. |
| Kurama | Enter Autumn Village and complete its lengthy storyline to unlock Kurama, the third god. |
| Subaru | Subaru is an optional character. After the evil dragon is defeated, choose to make a major sacrifice—like losing your wealth, bonds, or levels—to bring him back and unlock him. |
| Clarice | Clarice becomes available after completing the game’s main storyline. |
| Ulalaka | She’s the first god you’ll unlock. After receiving her Sacred Drum in a dream, purify part of the Spring Village to unlock her. |
| Cuilang | Finish the Autumn Village’s story to automatically unlock Cuilang, one of its key residents. |
| Ikaruga | Though you meet him while restoring the Winter Astral Shrine, Ikaruga becomes playable only after you clear the Frostfang Cavern. |
| Pilika | You’ll meet Pilika upon entering Winter Village, but she only becomes unlockable after completing that region’s entire arc. |
| Hina | Hina unlocks simultaneously with Mauro during the Spring Village storyline. |
| Kai | First encountered in the Autumn Village storyline, Kai doesn’t reveal his true form—and unlock—until much later while searching for the last two gods. |
| Matsuri | Unlocks during the Summer Village arc after you help remake her sword and finish the region’s story. |
| Murasame | Battle your first major boss at the Abandoned Shrine in Spring Village to unlock Murasame. |
| Iroha | Unlocked early in the game after meeting the residents of Spring Village. |
How to Unlock All Non-Romanceable Companions in Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma
| Name | How To Unlock |
|---|---|
| Tsubame | One of the Summer Village residents. Tsubame becomes available right after you unlock Matsuri. |
| Takumi | Advance through the outskirts of Spring Village and defeat the boss in the Abandoned Shrine to unlock Takumi. |
| Yachiyo | Unlocks alongside Kotaro at the conclusion of the Autumn Village storyline. |
| Zaza | Zaza becomes available once you’ve completed the Winter Village arc, unlocking together with Watarase. |
| Hisui | Hisui is unlocked at the same time as Tsubame during the Summer Village progression. |
| Kusatsu | Unlocked concurrently with Tsubame, as part of the Summer Village storyline. |
| Sakaki | One of the first to join your group, Sakaki unlocks shortly after progressing the early Spring Village questline. |
| Suzu | Unlocked at the same point as Sakaki during the initial Spring Village events. |
| Kotaro | Appears during the Autumn Village arc. Kotaro becomes playable once the village’s story wraps up, alongside Yachiyo. |
| Watarase | This Winter Village resident joins you after completing that region’s full story, unlocking with Zaza. |
How To Increase Bond With Companions
When you unlock a new character and that character has a red bar, that means you can romance them. Meanwhile, characters with a green bar can’t be romanced in Guardians of Azuma.
To start romancing villagers you need to increase the bond level. Complete their requests, do their companion quests, and take them with you in combat. All of these activities will increase your bonding with them.
When you reach bond level 7 with any of the romanceable character in Rune Factory Guardians of Azuma, you can initiate the romance by asking them to be your partner.
| Method | Description | Bond Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Dancing Near Characters | Use the Plum Branch or Iroha’s Fan to perform a dance near a character. | Small |
| Daily Chat | Select the “Let’s Chat” option once per day when talking to a character. | Small |
| Hangout Option | Use the Hangout feature for a large bond gain. Includes gift and other activities. | Large |
| Companion Quests & Festivals | Complete their quests or attend festivals where they are present. | Moderate |
| Battle Interactions | Take characters into battle and trigger random in-combat dialogues. | Small to Moderate |
