The Azai clan (浅井氏 or 淺井氏), also romanticized as the Asai clan, was an influential clan during the Warring States period in Japan. "Azai" is the common reading for the family name based on its form in contemporary kanji (浅井). "Asai" is said to be closer to the traditional and archaic script it was originally recorded under (淺井). It is currently argued that "Asai" is the correct pronunciation, but it's still unknown if this is actually the case. In the Samurai Warriors series, the clan is represented by the color cyan.