Zhuge Liang (181–234) was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognized as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era.

Often depicted wearing a robe and holding a hand fan made of crane feathers, Zhuge Liang was not only an important military strategist and statesman; he was also an accomplished scholar and inventor. His reputation as an intelligent and learned scholar grew even while he was living in relative seclusion, earning him the nickname "Wolong" (臥龍; literally: "Crouching Dragon").

Zhuge is an uncommon two-character compound family name. His name – even his surname alone – has become synonymous with intelligence and strategy in Chinese culture.

Zhuge Liang was born in Yangdu, Langya Commandery (present-day Yinan County, Shandong). He was orphaned at a premature age, and was raised by his uncle, Zhuge Xuan. He followed his uncle to live in Jing Province under Liu Biao later. After his uncle died, Zhuge Liang and his brothers settled in Wolonggang (in present-day Henan) for the next ten years or so, leading simple lives – farming by day and studying at night. Zhuge Liang's two older sisters married members of influential clans with strong connections in the region.

Wang Lang (died 228) was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty and a politician of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. Through his granddaughter's marriage to Sima Zhao, he would become great-grandfather of Sima Yan, who later became the founding emperor of the Jin Dynasty.

Originally from the Donghai commandery of China, Wang was originally named Yan, but he changed his name into Lang, and began his career as a servant to the Chief of Staff due to his academic proficiency. When his teacher, Yang Si (楊賜) died, he left his post and went back to his home county. Later, he served the Xu Province warlord, Tao Qian and advised Tao to form a general alliance with Dong Zhuo, who controlled the Han court. Tao Qian then sent an envoy to Chang'an and was granted the title of General Pacifiying the South, and Wang was also made Governor of Kuaiji by the court.

Wang formed a secret alliance with the Shanyue tribe (Shanyue was a tribe that constantly pillaged the Han citizens for living essentials) during his tenure. When Sun Ce started his Jiangdong campaign, Wang financed the Shanyue leader Yan Baihu to fight Sun, but Yan and other clan leaders were defeated. However, at the time Liu Yao of Moling was defeated by Sun, Yan Baihu had became the head of a loose confederation composed of bandits and local officials including Wang, and he again gathered soldiers numbering tens of thousands. Despite opposition from his adviser, Yu Fan, Wang directly joined Yan in military operations against Sun, and were defeated. He then flee on a boat to Dongye. There, he gained the support from the Chief of Houguan (侯官長) and attempted to rebuild his power. His force was strengthened by Zhang Ya (張雅), who was a rebel leader controlling a rather strong army. They succeed in killing the Commandant of Southern Region (南部都尉), Han Yan (韓晏), who was taking command from Sun, but were ultimately defeated by Sun's vassal, He Qi.

Sima Yi (179 – September 7, 251) was a general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is perhaps best known for defending Wei from Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions. His success and subsequent rise in prominence paved the way for his grandson Sima Yan's founding of the Jin Dynasty, which would eventually bring an end to the Three Kingdoms era. In 265 after the Jin Dynasty was established, Sima Yi was posthumously honored as Emperor Xuan of Jin with the temple name of Gaozu.

Sima Yi was one of eight brothers, all of whom were famous due to their lineage. Each of them had a Chinese style name ending with the character Da (達). Because of this, the brothers were known collectively as the "Eight Da of Sima" (司馬八達). This was a term of respect, as other groups of eight talented administrators in previous eras had been referred to in this way. His family resided in Luoyang when Dong Zhuo occupied the city, destroyed it, and moved the capital to Chang'an. Sima Yi's elder brother, Sima Lang led the family to their ancestral home in the Wen district (温縣), and then, correctly predicting that it would become a battlefield, moved them again to Liyang (黎陽). In 194, as Cao Cao did battle with Lü Bu, Sima Yi accompanied his family back to Wen district.

Ma Su (190–228) was a military general and strategist of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the younger brother of Ma Liang. Ma Su had conspicuous talent in military theories and was admired by the Shu chancellor Zhuge Liang. However, a tactical blunder by Ma Su at the Battle of Jieting resulted in Shu being dealt a huge defeat by Zhang He, a general of the rival state of Wei.

Much dramatization shrouds the death of Ma Su. In the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms as well as the Peking opera Loss of Jieting, Ma Su was said to have been beheaded on Zhuge Liang's order. However, according to the biographies of Ma Su and his close friend Xiang Lang (向朗) in the Records of Three Kingdoms, Ma Su had actually attempted to escape after his defeat at Jieting, but was captured. He eventually died of illness in prison before the ordered execution could be carried out.

A local of Yicheng, Xiangyang (present-day Yicheng, Hubei), Ma Su was one of the five brothers in the family, all of whom were renowned for their intellects, though Ma Su's elder brother Ma Liang was deemed to be the most talented among them all. Together with Ma Liang, Ma Su began his service under Liu Bei around 205, when Liu Bei was still a guest of Liu Biao in Jing Province (covering present-day Hubei and Hunan).

Masaya Onosaka (小野坂 昌也 Onosaka Masaya), born October 13, 1964 in Osaka) is a seiyū who works for Aoni Production. In 2010 he won the "Best Personality" Seiyu Award.