At first (and I mean after the “supposed” introduction to the protagonist), you feel that this doesn't bring anything new and that the protagonist is as simple as it gets. Yet, I was incredibly surprised how my entire perception of the character changed 180º. Suddenly, we know his motivations, his drive to give his all in the mission assigned to him, as well as his philosophy and values.
Basically, everyone has a perception of who the protagonist “is”, so we as the readers go along with it, but then during the fight at the beginning, it's revealed his true intentions, and immediately we have an incredibly complex character. This in addition to his personality made me enjoy his incredible fights. In addition, the other co-protagonist is also really compelling in how she must struggle to gain the respect of her clan (you know, women's roles in any period setting don't always have a great relationship), and you feel her frustrations. You care, and you can't wait to see more of her.