She has claimed that Toturi was unfit to rule and that it was necessary for her to take control of the clan for the good of the empire. After a period of tense conflict where many in the clan seemed to support her, Toturi stepped down to avoid any potential bloodshed.
Daimyo of the Matsu family. Second in power to Toturi, the Lion Clan Champion. Duty and honor are her life. She is currently leading the Lion armies in their attempt to retake the city of Toshi Ranbo from the Crane, staging her forces from the town of Oiku.
The eldest daughter of the Lion Clan's most powerful house, Matsu Tsuko never doubted her role in history. Since she was three, she has had greatness thrust upon her, and been forced to deal with its challenge. Tsuko’s parents, the Matsu daimyo and her husband, spent little time with their daughter, pausing between battles only long enough to see that she excelled in combat. Tsuko had few friends, for her parents insisted that she never forget that she was the heir to the Matsu family. She was not allowed to forget, and neither were the other children.
When Tsuko fought at the Tournament of the Topaz Champion her victory was unsurprising. She dominated all other competitors with skill and brutality. Since that day, her reputation has only grown She led the troops against the Unicorn at the Battle of White Shore Village, and captured the banner of the Shinjo troops, forcing them to publicly ask for its return in the Imperial court. She has proven her ability by becoming Rokugan's greatest hero, leading with savagery and cunning. When her mother retired to the monastery of Shinsei, Tsuko became Matsu daimyo, and has led her family to victory against Unicorn and Crane alike. For nearly seven years, Tsuko has brought the Matsu family glory in both war and peace.
Three years ago, despite her mother‘s protests, Tsuko was engaged to be married to the heir to the Akodo family, Akodo Arasou. They were two of a kind - loyal, courageous, and ruthless. Although many feared the marriage of the Matsu daimyo to the future Akodo Champion was a portent of disaster for the clan, Tsuko and Arasou were determined to be wed. Arasou's death at the hands of the Crane was devastating for Tsuko. He had been her closest confidant, the only person she could have accepted as a peer and a friend. With his death, Tsuko was alone.
Tsuko sees Toturi as an impostor, a weakling monk raised to warrior’s rank. She wastes no opportunity to make her feelings known, and constantly watches for signs of weakness in the Akodo daimyo. In her heart, Tsuko knows that Toturi can never be the leader that Arasou was, and she is concerned for the future of her clan. How can it achieve the glory it deserves under the guidance of a Crane in Lion’s clothing?