Kiyomori Taira

Kiyomori Taira is the notorious leader of the Ise-Heishi, a clan which is commonly referred to as the Heike in literary works. After he protected the imperial court from the rebelling Kawachi-Genji, Kiyomori entered politics and ruled as a reputed and intellectual nobleman. His decisions were deemed controversial and unfavorable. The Tale of the Heike further exaggerates him to be a cruel tyrant.

He debuted as a playable Warriors Orochi character in Warriors Orochi 2. He can be unlocked by completing the Samurai story mode during his debut and by viewing the True Ending in Warriors Orochi 3. His height for this series is 200 cm (6'7").

Warriors Orochi
Before the events of Warriors Orochi 2, Kiyomori was Yoshitsune'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.

Though he had perished, it is initially believed that the Hydra's power had revived him. So long as the giant serpent exists, Kiyomori can infinitely revive himself and the fallen serpent army. He remains loyal to Hydra throughout the game's story, and he is one of the few characters to accept it as Orochi. Requiring vassals for the serpent army, he uses his sorcery to control the minds of several characters and have them fight their allies against their will. Since the spell requires constant maintenance, it is often incomplete and easy to break once the victim is beaten in battle.

During the original timeline, Kiyomori brutally uses his mind-controlling magic to turn friends against one another and led his forces to practically wipe out humanity. When the coalition from the future use time travel to prevent his schemes from succeeding, Kiyomori's forces lose ground and retreat to Anegawa. His incantation to complete his control over his servants is interrupted by Ryu and company.

When the coalition fight their final battle at Koshi Castle, Kiyomori uses his sorcery to strengthen Orochi X and will continue to do this endlessly until the coalition slays it. He presumably dies when Hydra falls. Upon being unlocked as a playable character, Susano'o confirms that he was the one who revived Kiyomori, in an attempt to keep the world from meeting its destruction.

Genghis Khan
Since the setting for the Genghis Khan series is too late to include him, he is absent throughout the series. However, the Japan only Sega CD/Mega CD and Playstation versions of Genghis Khan II include a bonus Genpei War scenario that designates Kiyomori as the starting leader for the Taira clan.

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. The drastic changes made to both his character thrive in being recognized by some of the men of Samurai Warriors. Though Kiyomori is loyal and devoted to his lord, Orochi expresses noticeable disdain towards his subject for wrenching him from his "eternal slumber".

Character Symbolism
All of Kiyomori's weapons for his Warriors appearance are named after his sons in Asian ports.

His first weapon is named after Tomomori, Kiyomori's fourth son and second born from his wife, Tokiko. Since his youth, Tomomori excelled with the martial arts and was a cultured man of intelligence. Modest in his duties, his natural charisma made him popular with Heike followers. Though Kiyomori had Munemori hold power within their family, he wasn't as popular or in Emperor Go-Shirakawa's favor. Therefore, Kiyomori held high expectations for Tomomori to keep peace within the Heike family. Tomomori was described as the son who received the most of Kiyomori's love. When his family's ranks fell at Dan-no-Ura, he committed suicide by throwing himself in the ocean. Various folklore depicted that he tied himself to an anchor or hoisted one over his shoulders and wore two layers of armor to weigh himself down. Before he plunged himself into the ocean, Tomomori allegedly said, "I have seen all there is to be seen. All that it is left is death."

Kiyomori's second weapon is called Munemori, his third son and eldest child born from Tokiko. After the deaths of his two elder brothers, Munemori inherited the right to lead the clan. Munemori doesn't have a favorable reputation within historical records or folklore, often depicted as a disappointment to his father's legacy. Throughout his reign, he flaunted around the status of his family and chose to remain ignorant of its gradual ruin. Assuming his men possessed absolute vigor for their cause, Munemori repeatedly refused to surrender and tried to lead his clan to victory. Simultaneously, he wasn't gracious towards his followers nor did he seem to care for their well being. Indulging in his reputation and status, he was perhaps shocked when his family was at its wits end at Dan-no-Ura. He tried to swim to safety as the rest of his family committed suicide by drowning themselves. Apprehended by the Genji, Munemori was historically described as a pathetic coward who did nothing but weep endlessly during his days of imprisonment. Heike Monogatari often emphasizes that he was a foolish man who was conceited, arrogant, and jealous of his older brother, Shigemori.

Motomori is the original name for Kiyomori's third weapon. He was his father's second eldest son born from Takashina no Motoaki's daughter. A gifted youth who performed admirably in his duties, Motomori obediently took part in his father's suppression of the Genji riots. He was entrusted with guarding the roads of the capital and barred any stragglers who happened to cross his assigned paths. Doubting the rule of Emperor Takakura, he was entrusted a high political ranking with his brothers, Shigemori and Munemori. He died a sudden death at the age of twenty-four through unknown causes. According to Heike Monogatari, Motomori died due to illness.

Shigemori is the name for Kiyomori's fourth weapon and was Kiyomori's eldest son. He was Motomori's eldest biological brother. Known for his calm and gentle temperament, Shigemori was also a fearsome warrior during his services in war. In politics, he was virtuous with his rulings and well liked by the court. Since his mother came from a poor background, Shigemori sought to look after her and Motomori. When his younger brother died, it was Shigemori who kept Motomori's children within the family. He demonstrated considerable self control and discipline in his conduct, rarely seen to be angered or upset. Within the narrative for Heike Monogatari, Shigemori is depicted as a positive, respectable figure and the model for future generations of his family. After he helped his father quell the Genji rebellions, Shigemori was responsible for dispelling the negative relations between Kiyomori and Emperor Go-Shirakawa. Shigemori met his end after being bedridden for six months due to illness. Upon his death, prosperous relations with the cloistered emperor completely fell apart and it wasn't long before Kiyomori lead troops to further deteriorate the emperor's political influence.

Voice Actors

 * Dave B. Mitchell - Warriors Orochi series (English)
 * Ryūzaburō Ōtomo - Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)

Quotes

 * "The netherworld cannot contain me!"
 * "Ha ha ha!'
 * "Not worthy!"
 * "All must die!"
 * "Observe!"
 * "Bow before me, mortals!"
 * "Feast your eyes!"
 * "Soon, you will all beg me for mercy!"
 * "None can stop me."
 * "I return."
 * "Kill me if you must... I will return..."
 * "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; Warriors Orochi 2


 * "Tell me what I can do to save your soul?"
 * "Do not concern yourself. I have no interest in salvation."
 * Oichi and Kiyomori; Warriors Orochi 2

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 crossed, with separated beads flying around. In his True Musou version, he reassembles his beads briefly to perform two more hits before floating in the air. He disperses his beads to hit foes around him.


 * Dashing : lunges forward, skidding his chest along the ground and rolling back to his feet.
 * , : 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.


 * R1: Kiyomori rushes forward with his arms reaching to grab someone. If he connects, he will crush his foe in a bear-hug that restores his health.

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.
 * His horse stampedes forward while surrounded by a destructive energy.

Trivia

 * In Koei-Tecmo's Tokyo Game Show 2011 Cosplay Contest the cosplayer Arumajiki Josui cosplayed as Warriors Orochi Kiyomori and won the grand prize. He was complemented by the judges for his surprisingly cheap yet genuine costume.

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