Yoshiaki Ashikaga

Yoshiaki Ashikaga is the fifteenth and last shogun of the Muromachi Bakufu, or the Ashikaga shogunate. He is famous for dealing with several daimyo during the Warring States period. Although he once favored Nobunaga, Yoshikaki loses trust in the daimyo and organizes a coalition of generals to slay him. His seat in power is rendered mostly obsolete when Nobunaga drives him out of the capital.

The Nobunaga no Yabou 201X poll for 3-star officers puts him in twenty-seventh place while his Samurai Cats collaboration portrait is sixteenth; Yoshiaki's 4-star portrait is ranked eighty-sixth by fans.

Prior to his playable appearance, he has been a generic officer since Samurai Warriors 2.

Samurai Warriors
In Samurai Warriors 2: Empires, Yoshiaki appears as a general under Yoshiteru Ashikaga. He is given a brief mention as the discarded shogun in the narrative during the third title.

The second Empires entry introduces Yoshiaki as a pompous shogun who harbors a petty grudge towards Nobunaga for his rudeness. Without Mitsuhide around to keep him in line, he covertly gathers the Oda's enemies to surround his hated target. The plot fails and his shogunate comes to an end.

His incarnation in Samurai Warriors 4 has him first appear when Nobunaga Oda is besieging Inabayama Castle. He asks for Nobunaga's assistance against the Kyoto lords led by Hisahide Matsunaga who have also gathered to assist the Saito clan. Once the mob has been dispelled, Nobunaga captures Hisahide and forces him into his service, which greatly displeases Yoshiaki as Hisahide was his brother's killer. Regardless, Yoshiaki is then ambushed by the Miyoshi at Asan and is in dire distress, awaiting Nobunaga's reinforcements to save him. He makes one final appearance at Noda-Fukushima where the Miyoshi clan can convince his advisors, Fujinaga Isshiki, to defect, which puts him in a panic. Regardless, he disappears from the narrative soon afterwards with no mention of his ultimate fate.

In Samurai Warriors 5, he is the brother of the more capable Yoshiteru, but when his brother is slain by the Miyoshi triumvirate and the Rokkaku clan, Yoshiaki asks for Fujihide's help. On his retainer's request, they enlist the help of Nobunaga Oda and send a message to several warlords to join them in defeating the anarchists at Kannonji Castle. Upon defeating the rebels, Nobunaga instates Yoshiaki as shogun, but it becomes apparent that Yoshiaki is nothing more than a figurehead.

When Nobunaga departs to punish the Asakura clan, Fujihide and Yoshiaki fear the Oda's growing power, and the former sends messengers across the land to gather against Nobunaga. An angered and more brutal Nobunaga soon learns of the shogunate's role in the plot against him and encircles Yoshiaki and Fujihide at Makishima. When Magoichi Saika arrives to assist Yoshiaki, Yoshiaki is unable to move for fear of Nobunaga and costs them any shot at victory. Seeing the enemy chasing him, Yoshiaki attempts to flee but is captured by a frustrated Magoichi and handed to the Oda forces. Nobunaga would promptly order Fujihide's death, but Yoshiaki's death would create too many unnecessary enemies, so he is exiled from Kyoto instead.

Kessen
Yoshiaki is one of Nobunaga's early benefactors and later antagonists in Kessen III. He is a flighty leader who is always seen with Fujinaga Isshiki. A seemingly foolish and slippery individual, Yoshiaki has an earnest desire to restore his shōgunate to glory. Known to wail about his family's history in a bid to gain sympathy from others, he gets too confident about his status whilst in power and unwittingly commits to actions that lead to his downfall. He leads an army of swordsmen into battle.

During his first meeting with Nobunaga, he is confident that the rising star will protect him and acts as unsuspecting as possible. In reality, he wants to use Nobunaga's powers for his own benefit and schemes to secretly destroy him from behind the scenes. His plans do not go unnoticed by the Oda troops, who retort that Yoshiaki is digging his own grave with his buffoonery. He cooperates with Mitsuhide until Mitsuhide stops him from revealing their connections with one another upon his defeat in Kyoto.

Mitsuhide, wanting to have the imperial court's influence in his arsenal, salvages him and rebuilds their ranks once more in secret. Though swearing to serve Yoshiaki dutifully, the shōgun continues to be discontent with Mitsuhide's failure to slay Nobunaga and his obsession with Kicho. Yoshiaki imprisons his ally and tries to deal with Nobunaga by himself. After his defeat, he drags himself back to Mitsuhide's mercy and pleads forgiveness. Losing Fujinaga to Mitsuhide's following outburst, Yoshiaki begrudgingly calls upon sympathizers and the Spanish militia to his aid. Hating Mitsuhide by the end, he knows he needs to rely on his leadership to defeat their adversary.

A year after Nobunaga unites the land, he and Pedro rebel against Nobunaga at Yamazaki. He dies from exhaustion whilst fighting back Oda soldiers and curses the tragic end that faces him.

Nobunaga's Ambition
Nobunaga no Yabou 201X has Yoshiaki appear during the Strange Eiroku Rebellion event. He is a proud and resourceful leader of men who is immensely attached to his title as shogun. Although he feels he was abandoned to the cause, Yoshiaki wishes to always protect his family legacy. The SLO agents first encounter him in a time distortion in the future. He and Yuusai are overseeing the attack on the UMA horde surrounding Nijo Castle. Quick to spot the SLO agents' talents, he orders them to seal the portal while his army baits the UMA away from the castle.

When the dimensional rift of the future is sealed, the shogun and his followers are sent back to the capital of the past. Yoshiaki is flabbergasted to see his older brother Yoshiteru alive. Before sentimentally can kick in, the brothers soon squabble over which of them should be addressed as shogun. Neither can accept the other claiming the right and resentfully tolerate one another through Nagayoshi Miyoshi's mediations. The brothers continue to bicker with one another, even when leading their respective armies for the conclusive charge at Funaokayama Castle.

As the hole at Funaokayama Castle is being sealed, Matsuri warns that time might correct itself. She asks the brothers to be respectful to one another for their final parting. Her words sink in, and Yoshiaki warmly confesses his joy to seeing his brother alive again. Yet the UMAs' lingering miasma fails to immediately correct the timeline. The brothers choose to resume their argument.

Geten no Hana
The shogun does not make an on-screen appearance, but he is a named background character in Geten no Hana's background story. He was Mitsuhide's master prior to Nobunaga and one of the many who sought the young lord's destruction. Once Mitsuhide was taken in by the Oda's dream, Yoshiaki found himself at the mercy of his former vassal and was driven out of the capital by Nobunaga.

Mōri Motonari: Chikai no Sanshi
Mouri Motonari: Chikai no Sanshi portrays Yoshiaki as a spoiled and selfish man on the run. Wanting to live a life of simple luxury filled with women, he seeks outside aid after being chased out of the capital. His one true vassal is Mitsuhide, who is influential for introducing him to Nobunaga. Once his "escort" fulfills his end of the bargain, Yoshiaki carelessly grants Mitsuhide to the daimyo as a reward.

Left alone to his own vices, Yoshiaki eventually realizes Nobunaga's plans to void his power as shogun. Banished from his rich mansions shortly after Motonari's death, he uses his remaining influences to ask the Uesugi and other clans to oppose Nobunaga. He hears of the Mōri's power in the west and decides to personally ask Terumoto to protect him. Yoshiaki tries to order the youth around by flaunting his status as shogun, and he is surprised when Terumoto refuses him point blank. Pressuring the young lord during his stay at Okayama Castle, Yoshiaki wants him to assist Kennyo's forces opposing Nobunaga to prepare for his glorious return to Kyoto. Before Terumoto could politely ask the shogun to leave, the weakened messenger from the peasant forces arrives to their castle. Mistaking Terumoto's following outcry as a patriotic declaration of loyalty, Yoshiaki is pleased to have the young lord "agree to his cause".

When nearing the capital at last, Mitsuhide attempts negotiations for Yoshiaki to be placed within his safe custody by using their old ties together. Yoshiaki, who is quite comfortable staying with the superior Mōri army, refuses to abide and loses interest with any further discussions on the matter. After Mitsuhide's death, the shogun returns to one of his mansions and spends his days asking for more wine and women. His return is implied to be short lived since the Mōri retainers state Terumoto is worthy of becoming Seii Taishogun in the ending narrative.

Voice Actors

 * Tony Oliver - Kessen III (English)
 * Shinichi Yamada - Sengoku Musou 3: Empires (Japanese)
 * Nobuo Tobita - Kessen III (Japanese)
 * Moriya Endō - CR Sengoku no Arashi ~Nobunaga no Shou~
 * Masaru Suzuki - Sengoku Pachislot Nobunaga no Yabou ~Tenka Sousei~
 * Yudai Mino - Samurai Warriors 5

Live Action Performers

 * Tomoya Sugiura - as Ashikaga Roshiaki in Butai Nobunyaga no Yabou
 * Teppei Yamamoto - as Ashikaga Roshiaki in Butai Nobunyaga no Yabou Nyan
 * Koichiro Yuzawa - Nobunaga no Yabou -Enbu- (2017 version)
 * Takaaki Shinoki, Yū Okazaki - Nobunaga no Yabou -Enbu- (2020 version)
 * Rintaro Kato - Butai Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi Haru no Jin Tenka Fubu ~Kindei no Kubi Hen~, Butai Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi Fuyu no Jin Oudou Shikkou ~Kiko no Shiroshio Hen~, Butai Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi Mugen ~Honnoji no Hen~, Butai Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi -Rei- Okehazama Zenya ~Kyoudai Soukoku Hen~, Butai Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi ~Saishuu Hen~ Gunyuukakkyo Sekigahara

Quotes

 * "Nobunaga! You will kneel before the power of the Shogun!"
 * "Bring me victory!"
 * "I see you've been practicing."
 * "I don't get it! I'm the shogun!"
 * "Well done, Nobunaga! You deserve all the praise I can heap on you. Name your reward and I will grant it to you."
 * "In that case, do not speak."
 * Yoshiaki and Nobunaga; Sengoku Musou 3: Empires


 * "Dagnabbit! I'm the shogun here! That Nobunaga doesn't listen to a word I say!"
 * "No surprise. Nobunaga seeks to use you to create the ideal world of his desires."
 * "I won't sit by idly and let this to pass. There can only be one shogun in the land! I have to punish Nobunaga!"
 * "You are aware that that man will be merciless, even to you."
 * "Even I know that much! That's why I'm going to get a lot of people together! All of us are going to take him down! You! You're in on this too so assist me!"
 * "As you will, Your Eminence. I shall not question your judgment. ...So even the shogun opposes Nobunaga now. I mustn't lose sight of any scoundrel who perpetuates chaos."
 * Yoshiaki and Rairen Shimozuma; 100man-nin no Sengoku Musou