Susano'o

Not to be confused with the Mobile Suit Susanowo.

Susano'o (素戔嗚) is a new playable character in Warriors Orochi 3. He is the Japanese deity who is best known for slaying Yamata-no-Orochi in mythology. He can be unlocked as a playable character in Warriors Orochi 3 by viewing the True Ending. Before his playable appearance he was the namesake for Yukimura and Kenshin's weapons in the Samurai Warriors series.

His height in Warriors Orochi 3 is 200 cm (6'7").

Warriors Orochi
He is the giant leader among the immortal forces. His mission is to hunt Da Ji and to stop Hydra's insurgence into the dimensional world. Although his goals match with the coalition's, Susano'o refuses to associate himself with humanity throughout the majority of the game. The immortal finds them to be unreliable and out of their depth, often defying their claims and promises due to his distrust in them. Therefore Susano'o, his loyal subordinate, and his army of mystics often act as a hostile third party within battle.

After the coalition has defeated the eight Orochi figures scattered throughout the dimensional realm, they finally face Hydra's final form. Before they attack the beast at Koshi Castle, Susano'o blocks their path and demands that humanity prove their worth to him. Impressed upon his final defeat, he entrusts them with deciding the future of the realm. When the dimensional world crumbles apart, he willingly combines his power with the other mystics to ensure that humanity rightfully returns to their respective homes and time.

In the original timeline, it is said that he sought to fight the Hydra on his own, only to perish. While he apologizes to Kaguya for being so reckless, she assures him that his sacrifice enabled humanity to survive the Hydra's initial appearance long enough for her to come down from the Mystic Realm to save them. He also confirms to Kiyomori and Nezha that he was the one who resurrected them. In Kiyomori's case, it was to use him as an outlet for the Hydra's destructive power. In Nezha's, it was to allow him a second chance at life to fight.

Kamigami no Daichi Kojiki Gaiden
Susanoo is the final opponent the main party has to face in this game. Amaterasu gives the protagonist the task of uniting the divided country in an attempt to foil Susanoo's resurrection into the world.

Development
Since the newest title is focusing on eradicating the Orochi forces, Susano'o seemed like a natural choice for the director to add. As the leader of the immortal forces, the director remarks his design was meant to invoke dignity. They took great care with his facial features and character silhouette with hopes of making him stand out. The fire, water, and lightning attacks within his moveset were difficult to create and rig, but the director believes it was worth it to establish Susano'o's character.

Personality
Susano'o trusts his immortal subordinates with his life and places them in high regard. He has a tendency to underestimate the worth of any other living being, however, especially humans.

Character Symbolism
The original name of Susano'o's default weapon is Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, the blade which was found in the slain Yamata-no-Orochi's tail. Its real namesake is unknown, but it is thought to have stem from the clouds parting apart when Susanoo found the blade. According to the Yamatobumi, the blade is said to have been named after the beast's trait of always being surrounded by overcast clouds. When Susanoo cut the beast down, the clouds above were said to have been parted. It was as though the serpent's death had pleased the heavens, which is the sword's common name in Japanese mythology. Alternatively the blade is known as Kusanagi, or as a sword which literally has mows down grass with its swings. Again the sword is argued to be a personification of Yamata no Orochi itself and it harnesses the beast's essence within itself. Orochi-no-Aramasa is also argued to be another name for the blade.

Years after Susanoo found it, Yamatotakeru was said to have carried it. After he died of illness from an angered mountain god, he lost possession of it and it was housed at Atsuta Shrine. Its last mention in mythology was it being stolen from the shrine. While it is mainly accepted as a mythical blade of legend and folklore, there have been several historical claims of the sword being showcased, recovered, stolen, or lost from the human eye. A figurative replica of the sword acts as one of the Three Imperial Regalia of Japan.

His second weapon is literally named Eight Clouds (八雲, yakumo) which is a reference to his lyrical poem for his wife. The original name of his third weapon alludes to his birthplace.

Voice Actors

 * Kenji Hamada - Japanese voice

Ground Moveset

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 * ,undefined,(undefined),(undefined): Lifts the opponent into the air, focuses wind around his sword, which hits the opponent repeatedly.
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 * ,,,undefined,(undefined),(undefined): Summons a rainstorm around himself
 * ,,,,undefined: Waves his sword in a horizontal arc, and summons lightning blots 180 degrees in front of him. Waves his sword again, and makes more lightning bolts appear.


 * Dashing :
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 * R1:

Horse Moveset

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 * horse stampedes with a powerful aura.
 * horse stampedes with a powerful aura.

Japanese Folklore
According to the Furukoto Fumi, Susanoo is one of the Mihashira-no-Uzunomiko. His elder sisters went their separate ways in the lands of day and night while he reigned as a mischievous storm god.

Wishing to see his mother, Izanami, Susanoo asked about her whereabouts from Izanagi in heaven. His wish triggered his father's anger and he was banished from heaven. Seeking company with his elder sisters, he wished to bid Amaterasu farewell in Ne-no-Kuni. When she was suspicious of his sincerity, both siblings challenged the other to create deities from her necklace and his sword. Amaterasu reasoned that her necklace generated more deities in spite of Susanoo's sword creating them. While both siblings conceded to a standstill, Susanoo expressed his anger towards Amaterasu. After causing her much grief and stress, his actions eventually shamed her to hide from the world, subsequently plunging it into darkness. Cast away again, Susanoo was banished to Toyo-Ashihara Nakatsu-no-Kuni.

Upon arriving to the mortal realm at Torikamiyama, Susanoo learned from two crestfallen elderly deities that they were to sacrifice their daughter, Kushinadahime, to a horrific eight headed serpent beast, Yamata no Orochi. Taking interest in Kushinadahime's beauty, Susanoo decided to slay the beast for them in exchange for her hand in marriage. They agreed to his requests. Susanoo transformed Kushinadahime to be a comb in his hair and ordered the couple to create eight large jars filled with wine. He then confronted Yamata no Orochi with the jars and feigned submission to the confident serpent beast. As Yamata no Orochi drank from the eight jars and slept, Susanoo beheaded the beast. Returning Kushinadahime to her real form, the couple settled in Izumo. From his adventure, the first poem of Japan was born and is literally translated as, "Eight clouds stands, Izumo eight heavy walls, To gather my wife, Eight walls are made, and for her the walls are made" (八雲立つ 出雲八重垣 妻籠みに 八重垣作る その八重垣を). In figurative terms, the poem is dedicated to Susanoo choosing to live together with his wife in Izumo, and the sense of relief he feels by finding his new sanctuary.

The Yamato Bumi is somewhat similar to the former counterpart, but it adds a detailed account of Susanoo's quest to eradicate Yamata no Orochi. From the slain beast's tail, he recovered a mystical sword which is popularly known as Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi or Kusanagi. This particular text also adds that Susanoo gave birth to a son named Isotakeru and two daughters, Ooyatsuhime and Tsumatsuhime. When Izumo became barren and without forests, Susanoo laid his body to rest to restore the greenery.

According to Izumo's legends, he is accepted as a tree god or god of the forest, claiming that his chest hair and beard could instantly sprout trees. He continues to contently sleep within the region, having found the peace he desired at last. He is also not accredited within Izumo mythology to have actually eradicated Yamata no Orochi, drawing the popular heroic image of Susanoo into question.

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