Kiyomori Taira

Kiyomori Taira debuted as one of the new characters in Warriors Orochi 2. He led and helped plan Orochi's eventual rebirth. He can be unlocked by completing the Samurai story mode.

Historically, he was the ruthless head of the Taira samurai clan, and would stop at nothing to gain power, even subjugating the Imperial Throne itself. His only real opposition was the Minamoto Clan. It was said that when he died, his body burned so hotly with the fires of hell that his vassals had to wait several days to move his body or else risk getting burned.

Role in Games
Before the events of Warriors Orochi 2, Kiyomori was Yoshitsune Minamoto's honorable rival who died during their last confrontation. He was resurrected by Da Ji as a twisted half-demon, half-human entity. With his new found power, he frees Sun Wukong from his seal and acts as the leader for the remaining pro-Orochi forces. He works to find a method to revive Orochi, eventually finding Himiko as the catalyst he needs. To stall for his lord's complete revival, Kiyomori sacrifices himself and dies a second time.

In Warriors Orochi Z, Kiyomori participates in two dream stages. In one of them, he teams up with Benkei and Yoshitsune to prove the might of the Taira and Heike era.

Personality
Kiyomori is a cryptic strategist with a sardonic wit. He prides his new demonic strength and superior intellect, thinking that humanity is inferior to his resurrected self. Though loyal to his lord, Orochi expresses noticeable disdain towards his subject for wrenching him from his "eternal slumber".

Quotes

 * "The netherworld cannot contain me!"
 * "Soon, you will all beg me for mercy!"
 * "I cannot believe this was once the great Lord Kiyomori Taira I see before me."
 * "It matters not who I once was. It matters who I am now."
 * Ieyasu Tokugawa and Kiyomori Taira at Jia Meng Gate


 * "You appear to be a man, yet you have the touch of a mystic about you. Interesting."
 * "And you appear to be a man, yet I sense no life. Your time has passed, and you must return to the dust."
 * Kiyomori and Nobunaga Oda at Mikatagahara

Ground Moveset

 * undefined, (undefined), (undefined): Taira's beads form a circle in front of him, and make a portal in the gap. On the first undefined, the circle launches a small molten boulder. If the player presses the second undefined, the gap shoots one giant fireball. On the third undefined, Kiyomori shoots five ice balls out of the gap.
 * , undefined, (undefined, undefined): Kiyomori brings his prayer ring upwards to the right, then to the left. On the last hit,he swings his beads all the way back, sprouting a giant red-and-black shockwave.
 * ,, undefined (undefined, undefined): Kiyomori rushes his shoulder to the enemy, followed by a bead swing. He then throws his prayer beads into the air, lifting an enemy if in range, and brings it back down. If an enemy is caught, the beads are magnetized down, starting a red-and-black shockwave. If an enemy is not caught within the attack, the bead only starts a small earthquake.
 * ,, , undefined, (undefined, undefined): Crouches, bringing the beads close then flings his back, shooting a purple laser out of the beads' gap, then does it a second time. Kiyomori then pulls his beads out, breaking the ring. Each bead explodes, making Kiyomori grow a green aura for a small period of time.
 * ,, , : Three spins bringing his beads with him, followed by a red-and-black shockwave.
 * Walks with arms cross, with separated beads flying around.
 * , : Jump, followed by a right-to-left swing.
 * , undefined: Kiyomori flips over and dives, head first, but catches himself with his hands, creating a small red-and-black shockwave.

Horse Moveset

 * undefined: The horse stomps the ground making a small shockwave, if dashing the horse jumps a fairly long distance doing the same on landing.
 * , undefined: Aims his hand towards the ground, creating a small red-and-black shockwave at his right side.
 * ,, undefined: Three purple lightning bolts strike Kiyomori's right side.
 * ,, , undefined: The ring of beads levitates on the right side of Kiyomori, before a molten boulder drops out of the gap.
 * ,, , : Leans to the right and does a series of swings..
 * Attacks repeatedly, while also charging his horse if moving.

Historical Information
Taira no Kiyomori (平 清盛?, 1118–1181) was a general of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan.

After the death of his father Taira no Tadamori in 1153, Kiyomori assumed control of the Taira clan and ambitiously entered the political realm in which he had previously only held a minor post. In 1156, he and Minamoto no Yoshitomo, head of the Minamoto clan, suppressed the Hōgen Rebellion. This established the Taira and Minamoto samurai clans as the top warrior clans in Kyoto. However, their new strength in effect caused the allies to become bitter rivals which culminated three years later during the Heiji Rebellion in 1159. Kiyomori, emerging victorious with Yoshitomo and his two eldest killed, was now the head of the single most powerful warrior family/clan in Kyoto. However, his clan's power and influence in the provinces at this time is a matter of debate. Kiyomori showed mercy and exiled a few of Yoshitomo's sons, including Yoritomo, Noriyori, and Yoshitsune – a benevolence that would turn out to be the Taira clan's downfall later on.

Due to his status as the head of the sole remaining courtier/warrior clan, Kiyomori was in a unique position to manipulate the court rivalry between the retired sovereign Go-Shirakawa and his son, Nijo tenno (tenno - sovereign). Via this manipulation, Kiyomori was able to climb the ranks of government, though the majority of his promotions as well as the success of his family in gaining ranks and titles at court was due to the patronage of the retired sovereign Go-Shirakawa. This culminated in 1167, when Kiyomori became the first courtier of a warrior family to be appointed Daijō Daijin, chief minister of the government, and the de facto administrator of the imperial government. As was the norm, he soon relinquished the position and leadership of the Taira clan, with the goal of maintaining the social and political prestige of having attained the highest office in the land, but being free of the attendant duties. This had been a common practice for many years in the highest levels of Japanese government and in doing so Kiyomori was asserting what he felt was his strong position in the Kyoto government. However, many of the courtiers from traditional (non-warrior noble families) were less than pleased with both Kiyomori's attainment of the rank of Daijō-daijin and how he comported himself with regard to other high ranking courtiers.

In 1171, Kiyomori arranged a marriage between the Emperor Takakura and his daughter Taira no Tokuko. Their first son, Prince Tokihito was born in 1178. The next year, in 1179, Kiyomori staged a coup d'etat forcing the resignation of his rivals from all government posts and subsequently banishing them. He then filled the open government positions with his allies and relatives, and imprisoned the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa. Finally, in 1180 Kiyomori forced the emperor Takakura to abdicate and give Prince Tokuhito the throne, becoming the Emperor Antoku.

With the exertion of Taira power and wealth and Kiyomori's new monopoly on authority, many of his allies, most of the provincial samurai, and even members of his own clan turned against him. Prince Mochihito, brother of Emperor Takakura, called on Kiyomori's old rivals of the Minamoto clan to rise against the Taira beginning the Genpei War in the middle of 1180. Kiyomori died early in the next year from sickness, leaving his son Munemori to preside over the downfall and destruction of the Taira at the hands of the Minamoto in 1185. Legend has it that at the time of his death, Kiyomori's fever was so high that anyone who attempted to even get near him would be burned by the heat & his corpse had to be left to cool for several hours before it could be removed.