Hey, I'm staying up later than I should because I had a thought. I've actually thought of it before, but I've resisted it because of the power of the piece. But maybe it would be a good thing when we have a crowded board with a sort of deadlock in place, like right now. In Tenjiku shogi, there are some very powerful generals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenjiku_shogi#Individual_pieces

Note the vice general, great general, bishop general, and rook general. Perhaps the use of a rook general could actually spice up the game. If I understand their rules correctly, they may only jump or capture pieces of lower "rank". In a game with no other such generals, this would mean they cannot capture or jump each other, nor could they capture (meaning no check) or jump the king. So they'd be powerful, but still not invincible. They'd be scarier than the cannon, but also would be able to offset each other a bit. They would only move like a rook (or on this 1D board, a reverse chariot), and if kept in the front, would offset each other rather nicely. They'd be powerful, but severely limited. And players would be hesitant to trade with them.

It might be too much though, and it might be better to just stick with the cannons. Still not sure. Just brainstorming as well.

As for weaker generals, I've been thinking along the same lines, except I thought it'd be good to have one towards the front and one towards the back. I'll keep thinking, and if you want to keep proposing ideas, I'm open to them. :)

JEDIT: Correction: it appears that such generals either move and capture the same (i.e. a bishop general moves and captures just like a bishop), or it may jump over a number of pieces, subject to the above restrictions, but only when making a capture and not simply moving. So I believe rook generals in Ito Shogi would be able to capture each other or check the king, but only when moving as rooks, not when jumping.