Liu Shan

Liu Shan is a new playable character in Dynasty Warriors 7. Prior to his playable appearance, he is best known as an infant found in the Dynasty Warriors series since the second title. He is Liu Bei's son and heir, becoming the second and last Emperor of Shu.

His Dynasty Warriors counterpart stands at 165 cm (5'5"). In preceding installments of the Warriors franchise as well as other Koei titles, he is called Liu Chan.

Dynasty Warriors
During the majority of the Dynasty Warriors series, Liu Shan appears as an infant during the Battle of Chang Ban as a rare powerup. In Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends, he is portrayed as an effeminate and cowardly monarch.

In Dynasty Warriors 5, he takes over the Shu kingdom after Liu Bei's death. He is left to defend Shu's land after an invasion from Wu at Bai Di Castle. Furthermore, Zhuge Liang is busy at Wu Zhang Plains and is unable to help Liu Shan. Only Ma Chao, Huang Zhong, Jiang Wei and Xing Cai remain to guard him. Liu Shan is depicted as gentle, weak and untrained. Lovestruck by the maiden, he sorely wishes for Xing Cai to stay behind and wishes he had Guan Ping's strength so he can properly protect her. During the battle, he will rush to her aid should her health drop to low levels. After the battle, however, he vows to grow stronger to protect his people during Shu's scenarios. Xing Cai's ending scene shows Liu Shan struggling to train with her. His fate in other scenarios is not clearly mentioned as Zhuge Liang usually serves as the commander of Shu in the games.

He was removed from the sixth game but is still mentioned in the Encyclopedia entry A Dou and the Three Kingdoms section.

For his playable appearance in Dynasty Warriors 7, Liu Shan is described as a young man with a mountain of expectations hefted onto his shoulders. Eager to prove himself, he rushes to meet whatever problem comes his way. However, since he hardly spares a thought to his consequences and his reactions to them are late, there have been rumors of his idiocy spreading as a result. In Shu's Story Mode, he is an important factor at the Battle of Chang Ban, where it is Zhao Yun's task to find and rescue him. He appears again as Liu Bei's heir after his father's dead, becoming the emperor of Shu. Amongst his own ranks, rumours of his missing experience spread and cause uncertainity. In Battle, he often acts incautious so he needs protection from his allies. In Jin's Story Mode, he is the leader of Shu's Army at the final Battle of Cheng Du. After the defeat of Xing Cai, he faces Sima Zhao personally, but loses to him. After his own defeat, he returns to Cheng Du and giving Jiang Wei control of the army for the battle. After Jiang Wei is defeated, he surrenders to Sima Zhao giving the land of Shu into his hands. He and Sima Zhao are seen happily in Jin's ending drinking together. The defeated ruler is given the rank of a duke under Sima Zhao's reign.

In his first Legend Mode appearance in Dynasty Warriors 7, he faces the Wei forces at Chang Ban where Zhao Yun, who fights alongside him, once saved him. After opposing Zhang Liao and Zhang He, Xing Cai and Jiang Wei arrives for him as reinforcements. In a body, they face Sima Yi and defeat him. His second Legend Mode is a defense battle at Cheng Du against the Wei Army. Liu Shan fights personally to protect his homeland and eventually defeats Sima Zhao and Sima Shi.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, Liu Chan can either follow his father's footsteps or appear as a random secondary officer. He has one of the lowest stats in the series, coming in at a mere total of 77 points in the newest title.

Development
To provide a typical heroic image found in Warriors titles, Liu Shan was designed to avoid the idiot image found throughout fiction. He was added to bridge the gap between Shu and Jin, since Liu Bei doesn't live long enough to see the fall of his kingdom. He was designed to be a normal person with a smiling visage who additionally dresses in a fashion fitting for an emperor. Since developers strove to perceive him to not be as strong as his father, he wields the easier to use rapier for his weapon of choice. His weapon choice is meant to mirror his father's heavier dual swords.

Personality
Liu Shan is one who is very much aware of his lack of his combat skills, but still partakes in battle to help encourage those fighting for his fathers cause. He is always calm, despite what is going on around him, and always keeps a soft smile on his face at all times. Though that doesn't mean he is always happy.

Liu Shan is somewhat of a conflicted and complicated character to read. He dose his best to help those fighting for the Kingdom of Shu, but at the same time he seems he wishes he were doing something else. Not saying he is a bad person, but he gives the impression that he dose not enjoy being the leader of Shu, but dose it anyway to make those around him happy. Giving the possibility he was forced into his position as the Ruler of Shu after his father died. This possibility is supported in the ending of the Jin Storyline, where he tells his new friend Sima Zhao that he is, for once, truly happy. Because no one can tell him what to do anymore.

When it comes to his relations to other Characters, he shares a strong bond with Xing Cai. She is always looking out for and protecting him, and he is thankful to her because of this. in his Dynasty Warriors 5 incarnation, he always goes to her for advice and looks to her as a source of strength to keep him self going, despite being uncertain of what to do. In Dynasty Warriors 7 she is constantly protecting him when he is on the battlefield. And she even stands up for him when people talk down on him behind his back.

Voice Actors

 * Tony Oliver - Dynasty Warriors 5 (English)
 * Steve Staley - Dynasty Warriors 7 (English)
 * Moriya Endo - Dynasty Warriors 4~5 (Japanese)
 * Taiki Matsuno - Dynasty Warriors 7 (Japanese)
 * Shinichirō Ōta - Romance of the Three Kingdoms drama CD series

Quotes

 * "I must defend my father's kingdom. Noble spirits, lend me your strength!"

Dynasty Warriors 7
Liu Shan is affiliated with the rapier in this appearance. When he is equipped with it, he can perform a unique attack exclusive to him. When he performs his musous, he will automatically use the weapon in his attacks.


 * EX Attack: ,,undefined,undefined: Does an energy slash which circles around him.
 * Musou 1: : Sends forth lightning and an energy wave.
 * Musou 2: R1 + : Charges forward with a kick infused with lightning.

Historical Information
Liu Shan was saved by Zhao Yun during the Battle of Changban. After his father died in the year 223 he became the next emperor of Shu. In the same year he married a daughter of Zhang Fei.

In the years 227-234 Zhuge Liang launched five of his Northern Expeditions. After the said expeditions, Liu Shan and the people of Shu, buried Zhuge Liang at Dingjunshan after the regent died of illness at Wuzhangyuan. At the funeral Liu Shan wept uncontrollably even after the funeral was over. After Jiang Wan took Zhuge Liang's position as regent, Empress Zhang suddenly grew ill and passed away in the year 237. Liu Shan then married her sister and Empress Zhang's sister then became the next empress of Shu in the following year. After Jiang Wan passed away, Fei Yi took the position as regent but was assasinated by a surrendered Wei officer named Guo Xun.

Jiang Wei then took position as regent and launched his own campaigns against which consisted of nine expeditions. Jiang Wei strained Shu's supplies and weakened Shu. In the year 263 Deng Ai, Zhong Hui, and Zhuge Xu lead a campaign to rid of Shu. Many people suggested to Liu Shan to go to Nanzhong, while some suggested to head to Wu before being defeated by Wei. The capital was soon besieged by Deng Ai leading Liu Shan to surrender, a coffin prepared and hands tied behind his back. Believing in some chance for the fallen kingdom, Jiang Wei, with the help of the rebelling general, Zhong Hui, tried to revive Shu but he and Zhong Hui were killed by Deng Ai and Liu Shan's son, Liu Xuan, was killed in the confusion. Liu Shan was relocated to Luoyang and was given the title Duke of Anle. After Wei fell and the Jin Dynasty was formed, Liu Shan's dukedom lasted until he died in the year 271.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The novel generally portrays Liu Shan as an incapable ruler who was easily swayed by words, especially those from his favorite eunuch, Huang Hao.