Liu Bei

Liu Bei (onyomi: Ryū Bi) is the self-proclaimed emperor and founder of Shu. He was known to have been an ambitious and charismatic leader who had the affable power to draw people to him. He is frequently addressed as "Former Master" (先主) rather than by his posthumous title in Record of the Three Kingdoms. Sun Shangxiang is one of his wives and Liu Shan is his successor.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is famous for depicting him as a modest and merciful warlord who cherished his devoted followers. In Three Kingdoms fiction, he is often known as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's eldest oath brother.

Cao Cao is depicted as his main rival in the Dynasty Warriors series. Liu Bei is thirty-eighth place with fans Gamecity's Dynasty Warriors 7 character popularity poll and fifty-fifth in the Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends poll. In Famitsu's character survey, he is tied for second place as the character fans would want as their boss. The latest poll for the eighth installment puts him in forty-third. He is the sixth most transcended character in the Dynasty Warriors: Unleashed character poll. The character poll for overseas fans puts him in eleventh place for the Shu division.

His character's height in Kessen II is 170 cm (5'7").

Role in Games

 * "My lord is not selfish enough to place his own life above the freedom of his vassals."
 * Zhuge Liang, Warriors Orochi

Dynasty Warriors
Liu Bei is a virtuous leader who fights for the common man. Joining the imperial draft to subjugate the Yellow Turbans, he meets Guan Yu and Zhang Fei and swears brotherhood to them. He admires the strength of the Han officers and joins the resistance against Dong Zhuo. In a few titles, he and his brothers duel Lu Bu at Hu Lao Gate and contributes to the end of the mighty general at Xia Pi. Though Liu Bei gains recognition, he is separated from his brothers after he is attacked by Cao Cao. For his safety, he flees to his mutual ally, Yuan Shao. Serving his new master for a time, he is present at Guan Du and withdraws if he sees Guan Yu in Cao Cao's army. The brothers eventually reunite and, to gain a superb strategist, Liu Bei visits Zhuge Liang three times.

With the scholar in their ranks, Liu Bei escapes Cao Cao's army with his people from Chang Ban to seek shelter with Sun Quan. The two armies work together for a common goal at Chi Bi. After the battle, Liu Bei attacks his relative, Liu Zhang, and takes Cheng Du to establish Shu. For Shu's scenarios in Dynasty Warriors 6, he additionally calls himself the king of Han Zhong after they win the Battle of Mt. Ding Jun. When Guan Yu is assassinated at Fan Castle, he will ignore Zhao Yun and Zhuge Liang's advice and seeks to avenge his younger sibling at Yi Ling. Unless players are playing his own story, he will often die due to this battle.

His Legend Mode in Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends takes places during his army's siege at Cheng Du. In order to progress to Jing Province, he knows he needs to conquer Yi Province that is ruled by Liu Zhang. However, Liu Bei has his doubts about drawing his blade against the citizens from Yi, as he doesn't want to be seen as a heartless conqueror. As Liu Zhang's men withdraw from the forest area, Liu Bei wonders if there is any justice to be found in the conflict. If he kills too many soldiers, he will grieve the damage he has caused and pleads for forgiveness. Should he only target the enemy generals, the generals will comment on Liu Bei's devotion.

After meeting his brothers in Dynasty Warriors 5, Liu Bei volunteers to stop the Yellow Turbans and joins the Allied Forces. Once the regional lords disband, he is distressed that none of them seem to care about restoring the Han. Given no land of his own, he wanders for a time and eventually seeks Zhuge Liang's tactics. The strategist devises the Three Kingdoms stratagem and asks his lord to ally with Wu. Liu Bei complies and they destroy Cao Cao, even though they were unable to deal the finishing blow. To create his own kingdom, he puts aside his personal feelings and takes Yi Province from Liu Zhang.

Soon after, however, Wu kills Guan Yu and Zhang Fei is killed by his own men while trying to avenge their lost brother. Overcome with rage, he blames Sun Quan for causing their deaths and challenges his enemy at Yi Ling. He regretfully meets Sun Shang Xiang, and his betrayal of Wu depresses her. Liu Bei may choose to kill her, which personally affects Sun Quan after he escapes from the battle. Claiming victory, Liu Bei realizes the repercussions of his actions, but the damage is done and Sun Quan won't forgive him for making his sister cry. Defeating Wu a number of times, he ends their kingdom at Bai Di Castle. To bring an end to the land's wars and to create a new world without sorrow, he destroys the Wei army led by Sima Yi at Wu Zhang Plains. He pays a visit to his brothers' memorial, praying that they watch over him in the new land of peace.

The oath brothers share a Legend Mode together in the Xtreme Legends expansion. Liu Bei returns to his peaceful and remote home, Lou Sang Village, and is angered to see it under attack by the Yellow Turbans. Drawing his sword against his home's invaders, Liu Bei fights to protect the villagers from further harm. During the conflict, he meets his brothers for the first time and they are impressed by his valor. After the battle, he is distressed by the weakened Han and swears to someday put an end to the land's suffering.

Liu Bei's ending scene in Dynasty Warriors: Online shows him enjoying the company of peasants in town. Approached by the player, the benevolent ruler thanks them for supporting his dream and is confident that they will remain to preserve what they fought for.

Dynasty Warriors 6 mentions Liu Bei's ancient royal lineage. Wanting to demonstrate the bravery of his family, he enthusiastically states his family history to He Jin, who hastily assigns him to lead the volunteer troops. As the leader of a small squad, he meets Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Liu Bei is impressed by their strength and questions his own worth, thinking he relies too much on others. He wanders the land seeking strength after the regional lords split and finds shelter with Cao Cao. After hearing from his benefactor that Yuan Shu has declared himself emperor, Liu Bei requests to borrow troops from Cao Cao to deliver retribution. On the condition that Guan Yu stays with Cao Cao, Guan Yu agrees and the two other siblings depart to deal with Yuan Shu. Upon their victory, he learns that Cao Cao had tried to assassinate him so he and his men flee to Jing Province. Some time later, Guan Yu finds them and the brothers are reunited. Guan Yu informs his brother that Cao Cao fears his ability to draw people and departs once more to defend Jing.

While Guan Yu defends Jing, Pang Tong advises that Liu Bei attack Liu Zhang. Liu Bei protests based on his family ties, but the strategist replies that Liu Bei is already making a new future more important than the Liu family. Liu Bei's determination to end the chaos under his own name strengthens as he realizes that there are more people who are willing to follow him. However, after Cheng Du, he learned that Guan Yu was killed in Fan Castle by both Wei and Wu, he and Zhang Fei was angered and saddened greatly by this loss, and both agreed to crush Wu. Enraged, Wu fell at Yi Ling, and despite the fire attack attempt by Wu, Liu Bei emerged victorious and captures Sun Quan and Lu Xun. He tells his prisoners to forget their dreams for the land and integrates their land under Shu. With Wu subjugated, Liu Bei faces Cao Cao in a final battle at Wu Zhang Plains. Creating a harmonious world after their victory, Liu Bei is the land's new emperor.

In Dynasty Warriors 7, Liu Bei and his oath brothers join the cause to suppress the Yellow Turbans after they save helpless villagers. Upon defeating Zhang Jiao, the priest cries out with his dying breath that no matter what the young commander does, the land will always be in chaos. Nevertheless, Liu Bei vows to always help people whenever they are in need. After joining Yuan Shao's coalition to defeat Dong Zhuo, Liu Bei is left with no land for his own as warlords wage civil war against one another. Liu Bei turns to his old friend, Gongsun Zan, for shelter and is ordered to reinforce Tao Qian at Xu Province with Zhao Yun. A wandering Lu Bu arrives to assist Gongsun Zan's troops, offering his hand in friendship. Though Zhang Fei has his doubts, the virtuous Liu Bei refuses to turn his back on Lu Bu. Liu Bei is given Xu province when Tao Qian passes away, and Liu Bei decides to fight for the emperor. Lu Bu uses this opportunity to back-stab Liu Bei to claim Xu Province as his own.

After Liu Bei allies with Cao Cao to kill Lu Bu, Liu Bei receives direct orders from the emperor to assassinate Cao Cao. As Liu Bei hesitates, Cao Cao steals Xu Province and Guan Yu from him. Fleeing from Cao Cao, Liu Bei reluctantly takes shelter under Yuan Shao. Though in despair, Zhao Yun's offer to serve him raises his spirits. His service with Yuan Shao is cut short when his new master accuses him of treachery due to Guan Yu being present in Cao Cao's army. Liu Bei and company flee and reunite with Guan Yu during their subsequent drifting. Touched by their reunion, Liu Bei again strives to make a name for himself. Liu Biao sees merit with Liu Bei and grants him a portion of Jing Province. All is well until Cao Cao declares war on the south at Xinye. Liu Bei soon hears of Zhuge Liang's brilliance from Xu Shu and successfully recruits the strategist.

Escaping south and allying with Sun Quan, Liu Bei successfully has a portion of Jing for himself after Chibi. Pang Tong and others suggest their lord to attack Liu Zhang, but Liu Bei staunchly refuses since he doesn't want to raise arms against family. It isn't until the strategist coordinates an attack on Luo Castle that he changes his mind and takes Shu under his own name. With the emperor regrettably under Cao Cao's thumb, Liu Bei desires to reform the land to be a world of benevolence. Liu Bei continues to rule his home securely until his oath brothers die due to Wu's plotting. Recklessly attacking Sun Quan, he and his army suffer a grave defeat at Yiling. Escaping to Baidi Castle, Liu Bei succumbs to illness with his dreams left unfulfilled. Mourning the men lost due to his foolishness, Liu Bei entrusts his wishes to Zhuge Liang and asks him to guide his son. He dies in bed, greeting his brothers as he enters the afterlife.

His first Legendary Battle allows players to let him lead the charge at Yiling with Zhang Fei still alive. They seek revenge for Guan Yu by slaying various Wu generals, triumphing over Lu Xun. Liu Bei's secondary Legend Battle has him confront Sima Yi and other late era Wei generals to usher an age of serenity to the land.

Dynasty Warriors Next introduces Liu Bei in the first chapter fending off yet sympathizing with bandits attacking Lousang Village. After personally slaying Zhang Jiao at Jinyang, he and his sworn brothers vow to create a world where people can live in peace. He repeats his exploits from the previous title, becoming disillusioned with Cao Cao's callousness towards the common man by utilizing Guo Jia's strategy to destroy the flood gates at Xiapi. During his wandering in the fifth chapter, Liu Bei is advised by Sima Hui to find a strategist and wins Zhuge Liang's aid through his sincerity for the people. His reluctance to capture Shu and his marriage to Sun Shangxiang are repeated.

His fate varies in each kingdom's final scenario. In Wei's chapter, his major defeat at Yiling leaves him vulnerable to Cao Cao's army and he is eventually slain by Cao Pi at Chengdu. Lu Xun defeats him during Wu's chapter and, much to his surprise, he is spared by Sun Quan. He lives to see the Wu leader's coronation ceremony. During Lu Bu's scenario, he is among those who band with Wang Yun to stop Lu Bu. In Shu's scenario, Liu Bei is encouraged to take Hanzhong due to its ties with his ancestor, Liu Bang. Things go well for Shu until Wu forms an alliance with Wei to hinder his expansion. Guan Yu survives Fan Castle, yet Liu Bei feels obliged to punish Wu for breaching their trust and convinces Sun Shangxiang to leave him. Unwilling to sacrifice his ambition for Sun Shangxiang, he kills Sun Quan at Jianye and parts ways with her so she can decide her own future. He assists the campaign to crush Wei at Xuchang. Liu Bei and his brothers live to see the rise of their new world order and celebrate with their comrades underneath a grove of peach blossoms.

In Dynasty Warriors 8, Liu Bei's role in Shu's historical route is the same as with the previous installment. However, if the player saves Guan Yu at Fan Castle, then Yiling and Liu Bei's death will not happen. He eventually leads the final charge against Cao Cao at Xuchang. With the Han Dynasty restored, both Liu Bei and Sun Quan become vassal kings for bringing peace. Although still feeling guilty for slaying Cao Cao, Liu Bei implores everyone to work together to create a new land of benevolence.

In Wei's hypothetical route, Liu Bei serves as the final opponent. Refusing to surrender to Cao Cao even after the fall and subjugation of Wu at Jianye, Liu Bei unites western China under Shu's banner in a final attempt to halt Wei's advances. Cao Cao attempts to intercept Liu Bei as he flees through Nanjun, but Liu Bei is able to escape thanks to Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun. Shortly afterwards, Liu Bei rallies the remaining Shu warriors, as well as the Nanman Tribe, for a final defense at Baidi Castle, but the battle ends with Wei victorious and almost all of the Shu and Nanman officers cut down, including Liu Bei. In his final moments, Liu Bei begs Cao Cao to protect the common people, a request Cao Cao takes to heart.

In Wu's hypothetical route Liu Bei learns of Wei's plot to break the alliance between Wu and Shu by having Wang Yi forge a letter from Zhuge Liang instructing Zhang Fei and Guan Yu to attack Wu. Liu Bei rides hard alongside Sun Shangxiang to stop the plan, but by the time he arrives the misunderstanding has been resolved and the Wei forces have been defeated. Liu Bei then solidifies the alliance with Wu and joins Wu's final offensive against Xuchang. He joins Sun Quan in celebrating the new alliance between the three kingdoms alongside Sun Shangxiang, Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu.

Shu's hypothetical scenarios in the expansion has him participate in a fictional Battle of Xiapi against Lu Bu with Sun Ce as his ally. The second depicts Liu Bei and Zhao Yun's flight from Wu as Sun Quan attempts to assassinate them. The next shows his participation during the Battle of Mt. Dingjun, where Fa Zheng shields Liu Bei from Xiahou Yuan's arrow. The final scenario shows a slightly different retelling of Yiling with Fa Zheng acting as the main strategist for Shu. In this version, Fa Zheng sees through Lu Xun's fire attack and Liu Bei succeeds in avenging his brothers. Surviving after the conflict, he apologizes to his brothers stating that he must guide the new generation in their absence.

In Lu Bu's story, Liu Bei first appears at Hulao gate in an attempt to stop Dong Zhuo from escaping. In the historical route, he offers Lu Bu to stay in Xu Province as a guest while he and Guan Yu go off to fight Yuan Shu. After an ill-fated counterattack to to retake Xiapi, Liu Bei agrees to serve Lu Bu and remain in Xiaopei. When Yuan Shu prepares his men to him, Liu Bei asks Lu Bu for assistance and they attack Shouchun together. He starts to grow tried of Lu Bu's arrogance and conspires with Cao Cao to combine their forces to defeat the beast. Although driven back from Xiaopei, he and Cao Cao eventually corner Lu Bu at Xiapi and capture him. When asked by Cao Cao if he would take Lu Bu under his wing again Liu Bei refused, and allowed the hero of chaos to deal judgement.

In the hypothetical route, Liu Bei comes to Lu Bu's aid in Dingtao at Diaochan's request. Afterwards, he calls Lu Bu to help him defend Xu Province from Cao Cao's army. Although they were allies, Liu Bei and his brothers side with the coalition to defeat Lu Bu at Chang'an and try to cut down Chen Gong, but they are defeated.

Warriors Orochi
In Orochi's scenario, Liu Bei and his men tried to escape from the snake demon. He would not abandon his people and subordinates, and this inevitably slowed him down. Though his vassals and allies from Nanman try their best to assist him, Liu Bei is captured by Orochi and held prisoner. To ensure their lord's safety, many of his men reluctantly serve Orochi. During Warriors Orochi, he is held captive for the entirety of Shu's story, only becoming playable after Orochi's defeat at Koshi Castle.

Liu Bei resumes his role as Shu's leader in Warriors Orochi 2. In order to prevent the rogue Da Ji from causing more chaos, he makes it his mission to stop her. Though they fail in their first attempt, he and his men befriend the mystic Taigong Wang. Liu Bei leads most of the armies in the Shu story while in other times asking Guan Yu to deal with Kiyomori in Jia Meng and Zhao Yun to deal with Kiyomori in Koshi Castle. He then leads the Shu army personally in Wu Zhang to end Orochi X. In Wei's story, he joins Cao Cao in the final attack against Orochi X at Guan Du and he is also joined by Sun Jian of Wu, who also agreed to join Cao Cao's final attack. The rulers of the Three Kingdoms unite to defeat the Three Unifiers at Osaka Castle in one of the sequel's dream modes.

After Orochi's second defeat, Liu Bei formed an alliance with Ieyasu and they ruled a peaceful reign at Chengdu. During the original timeline the castle was completely surrounded by the serpent army and, though they requested reinforcements from Cao Cao, their position fell completely. Liu Bei is implied to have fled, but his whereabouts in the future remain unknown. A future Cao Cao and company returns to Chengdu in the past to provide the requested support that he previously could not fulfill. Although the leaders fail to convince an intruding Susano'o to believe in humanity, Liu Bei and company join the coalition to live up to their promise of saving the world and future. He, like the rest of the warlords of both eras, join the final battle against Susano'o, and they all finally gain his permission to fight Orochi for their future.

In the True Ending, Liu Bei remembers his times with Ieyasu briefly while walking down the streets of Chengdu.

In Ultimate, Liu Bei remains as the lord of Shu, but his state is plunged into war when Nobunaga seemingly shelters Da Ji. Believing Jiang Wei's word, Liu Bei attacks the warlord at Honnoji, but the real Jiang Wei arrives shortly after Nobunaga's defeat to explain that a clone deceived the Shu forces.

Dynasty Tactics
Liu Bei starts in the Xu Province with his brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, fighting for Tao Qian's forces. In one scenario, Liu Bei beats Sun Ce and leaves him to die. He then fights Cao Cao, and just before the soon to be Shu Emperor could capture the Wei ruler, he is reminded the land may not be unified, before Cao Cao kills himself with his own sword. The land is then left divided between Shu and Wei.

Kessen
Liu Bei is one of the protagonists in Kessen II. Like the novel, he is a minor lord who is generous and benevolent to those around him. He is in love with Diao Chan, a dancer he met during one of his army's banquets. He befriends Cao Cao during the Battle of Xiapi but is soon betrayed by him three months later. During a raid at his home, Diao Chan is kidnapped and Liu Bei is forced to retreat. Though hesitant to start a war, he raises an army to save his lover. He remains faithful to his lover despite numerous advances from other women.

Later in the game, Liu Bei learns that his quest to end Cao Cao's life defies the will of heaven. As a result, calamities strike the land and the people suffer. Undeterred, he eventually breaks heaven's will and wins against Cao Cao. In the battle's aftermath, he's finally reunited with Diao Chan. He hears his enemy's desire for a peaceful world, a goal that Liu Bei swears to carry out. In Wei's ending, he goes missing after the final battle and Diao Chan looks for him. They peacefully reunite in the game's epilogue.

Development
Over the years with his Dynasty Warriors design, Omega Force have been aiming to present a youthful image for Liu Bei. In doing so, they have been removing his facial hair. But designers wondered if they should continue this trend in Dynasty Warriors 9. After posting their April Fools' render, Suzuki reached out to fans over Twitter and asked if they should give Liu Bei facial hair or not. 67% out of approximately twenty thousand votes were in favor of facial hair which led to its official return, though an alternate portrait without it was included in the game as well.

Personality
Liu Bei is portrayed in a similar manner as his Romance of the Three Kingdoms counterpart. He is a virtuous and benevolent man who wants to restore peace in the land. He is normally polite and modest to anyone he meets. Empathetic with the common folk, he easily gains the people's trust and support. This particular trait makes him a feared adversary to his enemy Cao Cao.

Though he has earned the respect of many subjects, Liu Bei often doubts his own abilities as a ruler and warrior. He is prone to angst and doubt if there are too many deaths on either side of the field. He sometimes lacks emotional restraint as he will lose his temperament and sound judgment if his younger brothers are routed or killed. He thinks highly of his brothers and always addresses them by their style names in the Japanese script. During the Warriors Orochi series, he befriends Nobunaga, Ieyasu, and Taigong Wang.

Character Symbolism
In the Japanese version of Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires, Liu Bei is given the nickname of "The Lord of Virtue" while the English version changes it to "The Champion of Virtue and Good Will". As a ruling general in Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires, he calls his five greatest warriors the "Five Tiger Generals", a callback to the five brave men who historically served under his leadership.

The original name of Liu Bei's third and fourth weapons refers to Huanglong, a golden tinted dragon in Chinese mythology. He presides over Qinglong, Chilong, Bailong, and Heilong within the Five Elements and guards the fifth element, earth. Huanglong is located within the center of their formation rather than a cardinal direction like the other four dragons. Folklore regarding Huanglong is better told today at the historical park of the same name. The beautiful limestone formations and the vibrant pools are said to be Huanglong's scales, whereas the drumming sounds of nearby waterfalls are said to be Huanglong's roars. One story of the area remarks that Huanglong (the park) was the spot where Yu of the Xia Dynasty learned how to tame the waters for his people. Yet another tale states that the area is actually an incarnation of Da Yu while the legendary emperor ascended to the heavens to become Huanglong (the dragon). Huanglong did act as a symbol of authority for other emperors, but the introduction of the sacred beasts has his position mainly replaced by Qilin. Huanglong also acts as the name for a few Chinese eras, one of which includes the name change of Wu's regnal years to mark Sun Quan's death.

Liu Bei's weapon of choice in Dynasty Warriors 6 is a callback to the twin swords crafted for him in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. His skill tree in the same title is also shaped like them. The naming motif for his weapons in this title reflect two polar opposite yet related forces in East Asian culture (Yin and Yang for Skill and Heaven and Earth for his Strength). Liu Bei "unites them" as a show of his strength.

His Standard weapon's original name can translate to one or two meanings: "Man and Woman Joined as One" or "Victory and Defeat Joined as One". Again the name reflects two contrasting groups, albeit misleading or offensive with its intentions. The "man and woman" aspect may also translate to "heroic and gentle" or "masculine and feminine". When used in context with Liu Bei, it likely alludes to his desire to conquer only for his people. Its other interpretation may be a nod to his determination for his conquest, since Liu Bei suffered many losses during his rise to power. Taking these two ideas into consideration, the name sums up a characteristic trait for Liu Bei in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He felt he could only endure his woes at times due to his people's trust in him.

The original name for Liu Bei's personal item in Warriors Orochi is "Honored Mother's Straw Sandals", being one of the few mentions of his mother within Koei titles. His loyalty to his mother and his past as a sandal weaver are mentioned for his backstory in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Liu Bei's personal item in Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate, the Cup of Ambition, is a nod to the famous discussion of heroes between Liu Bei and Cao Cao in the novel. After Lu Bu's death, Liu Bei quietly retired to work on his vegetable garden to feign submission to Cao Cao. On one occasion, Cao Cao personally visited Liu Bei's garden, and the two drank to talk about the heroes of the land. While Liu Bei named many great warlords such as Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao and Sun Ce, Cao Cao noted that none of them were truly worthy of time, but told Liu that he truthfully believed that only the two of them could be truly considered as "heroes". Startled, Liu Bei dropped his chopsticks, but made the excuse of being frightened by lightning. This move made Cao lax in monitoring Liu Bei, eventually allowing him to retake Xuzhou for himself.

Voice Actors

 * Dan Woren - Dynasty Warriors 4~5, Warriors Orochi series; first and second games only, Dynasty Tactics 2 (English-uncredited)
 * Dave B. Mitchell - Dynasty Warriors 6~8 (English-uncredited)
 * Nathan Turner - Dynasty Warriors 9 (English)
 * Jason Frankovitz - Dynasty Tactics (English-uncredited)
 * David Berón - Kessen II (English-uncredited)
 * Chen Zongyue - Dynasty Warriors 3 (Chinese)
 * Zhuang Miao - Dynasty Warriors 9 (Chinese)
 * Dirk Meyer - Dynasty Warriors 3, Kessen II (German-uncredited)
 * Koo Ja Hyeong - Dynasty Warriors 2, Dynasty Warriors: Unleashed (Korean)
 * Kim Minseok - Dynasty Warriors 3~5 (Korean)
 * Kim Taeyeong - Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Legend of Cao Cao (Korean)
 * Moriya Endō - Dynasty Warriors, Warriors Orochi, and Dynasty Tactics series (Japanese)
 * Tōru Furuya - Kessen II (Japanese), Romance of the Three Kingdoms drama CD series
 * Ryohei Nakao - Sangokushi 12
 * Tomokazu Sugita - Sangokushi Legion
 * Yusuke Kobayashi - Shin Sangokushi

Live Action Performers

 * Hiroki Nakada - Butai Shin Sangoku Musou, Butai Shin Sangoku Musou Kanto no Tatakai
 * Tony Yang - Dynasty Warriors Live Action Film

Quotes

 * See also: Liu Bei/Quotes


 * "Those who stand in the way of virtue shall fail."
 * "Let us show this devil once more the strength of human hearts!"
 * "I fight in the name of virtue!"
 * "Although the days of our births are different, let’s promise to uphold the manners of riding a train on the same day."
 * "Two swords, two keys. Multiple bike thefts, two locks on bikes."


 * "Shang Xiang and I may have been forced down different paths, but our feelings were true! And the bond that we share shall never be broken! Not by anyone!"
 * Liu Bei; Dynasty Warriors 5


 * "Gongsun Zan is in trouble. He's fighting Yuan Shao north of the Yellow River. He is an old friend. Something must be done."
 * "I expected no less. That is why you are called a man of virtue, brother."
 * "Thank you... Come, we must hurry to Jie Qiao."
 * Liu Bei and Guan Yu; Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2


 * "Liu Bei? He and I were students together. He was always quite gentle. That's pretty much all he was."
 * Gongsun Zan; Dynasty Warriors 6


 * "Father... What is the most important thing to a country?"
 * "To honor the people. Without them, there can be no country."
 * "Then let the people do all the work. Why should we have to work up a sweat?"
 * "You mustn't say such things. Do not repeat those words to anyone else, understand?"
 * Liu Shan and Liu Bei; Dynasty Warriors 7


 * "I have fallen for their trap... Liu Bei, I must know why you have decided to leave our lord?"
 * "I simply wish to create a kingdom where its people can live happily and peacefully."
 * "You share a common goal yet your approaches differ greatly. I suppose it cannot be helped."
 * Cao Ren and Liu Bei; Dynasty Warriors Next


 * "If you're ever in a tough spot, you can count on me. I'll be there to help."
 * "I wouldn't want to impose by relying on your strength, Master Lu Bu. Thank you for the sentiment though."
 * "Oh, don't hold back. We're friends after all, right?"
 * "You certainly are pushy... Fine. I will request your help if needed."
 * Lu Bu and Liu Bei; Dynasty Warriors 8


 * "Stand your ground, Da Ji! Face judgment by my blade!"
 * "So you can fight, after all. I thought you were just a politician."
 * Liu Bei and Da Ji; Warriors Orochi 2


 * "We are most alike. We both endured a hard upbringing and are blessed with wonderful support. Let us join forces and fight to end these troubled times. I am sure we are more than capable."
 * "Your words bring me joy. Let the two of us unite to bring forth a world of peace and virtue."
 * Liu Bei and Ieyasu; Warriors Orochi 3


 * "Why must man be forced into fighting such cruel wars? Does heaven wish us to destroy ourselves?! It was Cao Cao who started all of this! I don't understand how he got the Mandate of Heaven! Cao Cao, I defy this mandate! I do not care who has been chosen. I will win this war!!"
 * Before sailing to battle at Chi Bi; Kessen II

Gameplay

 * See also: Liu Bei/Movesets

Dynasty Warriors 9


Liu Bei is affiliated with the twin swords in this appearance.


 * Unique Flow Attack:
 * Unique Trigger Attack ( R1 + ):
 * Special Technique (R1 + ):
 * Musou :
 * Aerial Musou ( + ):

Weapons

 * See also: Liu Bei/Weapons

Dynasty Warriors 8
Liu Bei still uses the twin swords as his default weapon in this title.

Historical Information
Liu Bei was a powerful warlord and the founding emperor of Shu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. Having risen up from the commoner class, he was initially a small player in the massive civil war leading up to the collapse of the Eastern Han Dynasty. In 214 AD, using the stratagems of his chief advisor Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei conquered Yizhou (益州, present day Sichuan and Guizhou) and at last established the foundation for Shu Han. In 221, Liu Bei declared himself emperor in an effort to carry on the lineage of the Han Dynasty. He died in the year 223, one year after the Battle of Yiling. He was succeeded by his son Liu Shan, who eventually surrendered to the rival kingdom of Wei in 263.

Other notes
Despite historians claiming that Liu Bei did not have any loyalty, the only people he went against were Cao Cao (who was abusing the emperor), Lu Bu (who betrayed Liu Bei), and Sun Quan (who betrayed Liu Bei). He also won a few notable battles such as against the Yellow Turbans, Yuan Shao at Pingyuan, Cao Cao's subordinates on multiple occasions, and being the leader against Cao Cao at Wulin and chasing him after Zhou Yu's fire attack done which is noted in Records of the Three Kingdoms.

Liu Bei also was the main drive in his conquests of Jing, Yi, and Hanzhong with his strategist playing large but not the greatest roles; his conquering of Yi may or may not have been the primary example of crocodile tears towards Liu Zhang. In all other cases of his supposed disloyalties, it should be noted that Liu Bei merely packed himself up and left his former superiors with no mention of actively trying to sell them out to their respective enemies; Liu Bei was said to have simply minded his own business as an independent force.

Regardless, he was often cited for his charisma and determination, which was often enough to get him back on his feet despite the constant setbacks in a majority of his other campaigns. Despite his claims, his relation to the Imperial bloodline was noted to be quite distant and difficult to confirm. Specific deeds and/or schemes attributed to the novel version of Zhuge Liang (such as the fire attack at Bowangpo) were actually credited to Liu Bei himself in history.

Another common myth was that Liu Bei threw down Liu Shan for endangering Zhao Yun at Changban which in turn caused him to be mentally damaged; this event was only exclusive to the novel. Also in regards to his family, he abandoned members on three notable occasions though it was in dire circumstances, and was hinted to have engaged bandit activities with both Guan Yu and Zhang Fei at Runan during his time of being stationed there.

Cao Pi had deduced that Liu Bei would lose his campaign at Yiling because he felt that thanks to Liu Bei's recruited talent that he achieved a portion of his goals in the first place. However, others have noted that Cao Pi didn't take his own advice seeing how he ended up having stalemates against Wu and not making any significant progress against them.

His relationship with both Guan Yu and Zhang Fei while not on the account of the famous Peach Garden Oath in the novel, was that of close-partnership with no special relations. Some records however, have noted them to be rather close enough to be mentioned together, implying a friendship between the three that was legitimate through thick and thin times.

Humble Beginnings

 * "This is no ordinary child."
 * ―Liu Bei's uncle, regarding his nephew.

Liu Bei's father Liu Hong was recommended as having filial piety and an upright behavior, and was given a minor office. However, he died early into his career, and Liu Bei treated his widowed mother with great devotion. Impoverished, the two resorted to weaving mats and selling sandals in order to make a living. They lived within a county village in Zhuo county called "Two-Story Mulberry", after the tree some forty feet southeast of the village. The mulberry tree was tall, and could be seen from afar. It spread wide, and acted like a baldachin canopy on a carraige. At one point in time, a fortune teller predicted, "An eminent man will come from this house."

Whilst playing with other boys beneath the mulberry tree, Liu Bei often said, "When I'm Emperor, my chariot will have a canopy like this." Liu Bei's uncle, Liu Yuanqi was impressed by his nephew and praised him highly many times. He usually came by to help his poverty-stricken family in their tasks. At the age of fifteen, Liu Bei was sent away to study under Lu Zhi with Gongsun Zan, to whom he began a close friendship with.

Oath of the Peach Garden
At the age twenty-eight, he became approximately five feet and seven inches in height, was described as having elongated ear lobes with arms that reached below his knees, and also having widely-positioned eyes. His face was similar to jade in its flawlessness, and he also had rouge lips. He stood up where a call was posted within Zhuo county, calling for any volunteers against the Yellow Turban rebellion, a massive uprising by local farmers displeased by the state of the Han empire.

Liu Bei let out a long sigh. Someone behind him asked, "Why such long sighs?", to which Liu Bei responded, "A real man should be serving his emperor in the hour of peril." He turned around to see a panther-faced man whose height neared six feet He had huge round eyes, with heavy cheeks, whiskers resembling that of a tiger's, and with a booming voice that thundered as it rang. Liu Bei asked the man's name to which he introduced himself as Zhang Fei, so Liu Bei spoke his own name. The two conversed their desire to assist the Empire against the revolt, and Zhang Fei proposed that the they work together.

The pair were having a drink at the local tavern, when a tall fellow, approximately six feet and nine inches, walked inside and sat. His beard was two feet long, and his skin was red, with thick eyebrows and a face that was reminiscent of a phoenix's.

Liu Bei invited the man over to ask who he was. The wanderer hastily replied in saying he was Guan Yu, and had been on the run from the law after killing a scandalous man in Jieliang five or six years before. He also shared interests in defeating the Yellow Turbans, and thus Zhang Fei asked if the other two would like to become sworn brothers, to which they agreed. The three went to Zhang Fei's peach garden, and after sacrificing animals for a ritual, swore themselves as brothers in the Peach Garden Oath.

The next day some blacksmiths craft a pair of ancient swords for Liu Bei. They march off to battle with the 500 others gathered, under Imperial Protector Liu Yan. Liu Yan respects Liu Bei for his ancestry and gives him command of the van. They soon come across a Yellow Turban army of around 50,000 led by Cheng Yuanzhi. Cheng Yuanzhi personally charges at Zhang Fei but is cut in half by Guan Yu in one stoke. The rebel army throw their swords away and retreat.

They next march to Qingzhou City which is under siege by the Yellow Turbans. After a brief skirmish, Liu Bei and his men are forced to retreat. They then devise a plan to ambush the Yellow Turban troops. Liu Bei's troops draw the Yellow Turbans and then retreat. The Yellow Turbans pursue and are attacked on both sides by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's men as well as Imperial Protector Gong Jing leading a force from the city to attack behind them. The rebel army is decimated and the siege is lifted.

Next they march to Yingchuan to help Imperial Commander Lu Zhi, who is fighting against the Yellow Turban army personally led by Zhang Jiao. They arrive at the battle to late, having already been won by the Han forces. They then come across Lu Zhi being carted away in a cage. They then retrace their steps back to the city of Zhou, when they come across a Han force being attacked by Zhang Jiao's forces. The three brothers rush their force in and push the Yellow Turban's back and rescue the commanding general Dong Zhuo. They then escort him back to camp. When he finds out they are not officers, he treats them with disrespect.

Nonetheless, as a reward for his efforts, Liu Bei becomes the a county prefect, which he fulfills with the admiration of the peasants. Unfortunately, a corrupt inspector arrives to assess Liu Bei. Offering nothing to bribe the inspector, Liu Bei laments not being able to serve more. While speaking with Guan Yu later on, Liu Bei is aghast at seeing Zhang Fei tie the inspector in the middle of the county and beat him with a whip. Surrendering his seal of authority, Liu Bei admonishes the inspector before leaving. Later on the, the vengeful inspector spreads false rumors that Liu Bei encouraged his beating, forcing Liu to flee to his old classmate, Gongsun Zan.

Alliance against Dong Zhuo and Governor
Not long after his arrival, Yuan Shao issues an edict requesting governors to band together and combat Dong Zhuo, who has abused the emperor's power. Joining Gongsun Zan, Liu Bei accompanies the lords to Sishui Gate, which is guarded by Hua Xiong.

After Hua Xiong slays three commanders and defeats Sun Jian, the governors are left speechless at what to do next. Guan Yu volunteers and later slays Hua Xiong. As a reward for the deed, the oath brothers are sent gifts by Cao Cao. During the main battle at Hulao Gate, Lu Bu proves unstoppable against the allied forces, but Zhang Fei rides out to challenge the general. Once Zhang Fei begins struggling, however, Liu Bei and Guan Yu both ride out to aid their brother.

Unable to fend off all three of his opponents, Lu Bu is forced to withdraw back into the pass. Liu Bei then pushes the siege further. After Dong Zhuo flees to Chang'an and the alliance is dissolved, Liu Bei returns to Gongsun Zan's service. Liu Bei later assists Gongsun Zan at Jieqiao, meeting the young Zhao Yun in the process, who is impressed by Liu's charisma with the common folk. He later leaves to Pingyuan to assume the role of governor. His stay would be short as Tao Qian, governor of Xuzhou is attacked by Cao Cao in retaliation to Cao Song's death. Liu Bei arrives, but Cao Cao is forced to withdraw shortly after due to Lu Bu's attack on Yan Province. On his deathbed, Liu Bei is pushed by the dying Tao Qian as well as both his oath brothers and Xuzhou's officials to take over as governor. After hearted pleas, Liu Bei relents to honor Tao's wish.

Later on, Lu Bu is defeated by Cao Cao, and requests refuge in Xuzhou. Owing to Lu Bu's attack for Cao Cao's retreat, Liu Bei accepts, against the wishes of Guan and Zhang. With Yuan Shao defeating Gongsun Zan and formed an alliance with Liu Bei, while Ji Ling was sent out to attack Xuzhou.

Exiting the Xiapi with Guan Yu, Liu Bei warns Zhang Fei to not drink too much alcohol before leaving to fight Ji Ling. Zhang Fei does not listen to his brother's advice and loses much of the province as a result to Lu Bu. Lu Bu later forces both Liu Bei and Ji Ling to withdraw their troops. Unable to chase Lu Bu out, Liu Bei is assigned to guard Xiaopei, but a messenger from Cao Cao arrives, offering him haven at Xuchang instead.

On the run
Liu Bei accepts Cao Cao's offer, fleeing from Xiaopei to escape Lu Bu's wrath. Forming a joint army with Cao Cao, the pair proceed to defeat Lu Bu's forces at Xiapi. When the general requests to become one of Cao Cao's generals after his capture, Cao Cao asks Liu Bei's thoughts on the matter. In response, Liu Bei sarcastically asked Cao to take Lu as an adoptive son instead. Liu Bei's words cement Cao Cao's decision to execute Lu Bu. After Lu Bu's death, Liu Bei is kept at close watch at Xuchang.

Hoping to reduce suspicions, Liu Bei refuses to attend political matters and focuses more in attending to his vegetable garden instead. His behavior, however, still garners Cao's attention, and he is given a personal visit by Cao Cao. As the two speak, Cao Cao asks Liu to name people he believes are heroes. Liu Bei names Sun Ce, whom Cao Cao thinks is too young and inexperienced, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, both of whom Cao thinks can be dealt with with ease. Unable to think of anyone else, Cao Cao replies that he believes only the both of them are truly worthy of the title, startling Liu Bei into dropping his chopsticks.

Feigning the reasoning to be lightning, Liu Bei's opportunity to escape comes in the form of Yuan Shu's declaration as emperor. Given troops to defeat Yuan Shu, Liu Bei destroys Yuan Shu's forces, and the latter eventually dies of depression from the crushing loss. Instead of returning to Xuchang, however, Liu Bei simply surrenders his seal, and leads his troops to kill Che Zhou and retake the province. Not long after, Cao Cao sends a retaliatory force to Xuzhou, forcing Liu Bei to flee to Yuan Shao without Guan Yu.

When Yan Liang is killed by Guan Yu at Baima, Yuan Shao wishes to kill Liu Bei, but because only a vague description of the killer was used, it is not enough for Yuan to finish the order. Liu Bei is then sent to act as Wen Chou's support for the upcoming battle at Yanjin. Wen Chou, however, is ambushed and slain by Guan Yu, and scouts are able to give a full description of Guan to Yuan Shao. Liu Bei escapes execution once again by volunteering to have Guan switch sides. As soon as he writes the letter, however, Liu Bei secretly slips away from Yuan Shao's forces to reunite with Guan Yu.

Building strength
On the way, Liu Bei meets with Zhao Yun once again, and the latter joins Liu as a shortly after. The group take refuge at Runan, but Cao Cao, fresh from his victory against Yuan Shao, sends his men to attack Liu Bei. Forced to flee once again, Liu Bei joins with Liu Biao, but Lady Cai and Cai Mao successfully convince Liu Biao to keep his relative distant, and Liu Bei is stationed at Xinye. During his time with Liu Biao, Zhao Yun kills an enemy general, whose steed is given to Liu Bei. Liu Bei sends it to Liu Biao, who learns of the steed's bad luck towards its rider. Liu Bei, however, believes that life and death are pre-ordained and cares little for the horse's "curse".

Invited to a banquet, Liu Bei learns that Cai Mao wishes to kill him thanks to Sun Qian, and flees at the dusk of night. Cai Mao attempts to give chase, but Liu Bei is eventually able to escape.

Hoping to increase his army's strength, Liu Bei finds and employs Xu Shu as a strategist. Giving Xu command of his army, Liu Bei is able to defeat Cao Cao's men, who invade Xinye. Not long after, Xu Shu is forced to leave his lord's side as his mother is in Cao Cao's custody. Before leaving, Xu gives Liu Bei directions to Zhuge Liang's cottage, believing the recluse to be key to Liu's future. Following this advice, Liu Bei personally visits the cottage three times. On the third time, he is able to finally meet Zhuge Liang, and the two discuss Zhuge's Longzhong plan, which predicts a tripartite division of the land.

To convince Guan Yu and Zhang Fei of Zhuge's talents, Liu defers control of the Battle of Bowang Hill to Zhuge, who defeats Xiahou Dun and Yu Jin with an ambush and fire attack. After this, Liu Bei is visited by Liu Qi, who fears the wrath of Lady Cai as she wishes for her son to succeed Liu Biao. Liu Bei eventually advises his relative to lure Zhuge Liang into a library and to remove the ladder, forcing Zhuge to help Liu Qi.

After this, Liu Biao dies with Liu Cong being named as heir, and Cao Cao sends an even larger force to attack Liu Bei. Knowing that Liu Cong would not oppose Cao Cao, Liu Bei decides to flee further south to Sun Quan's domain. Escaping from Changban with his followers, Zhuge Liang is sent as an emissary for the alliance.

Red Cliffs and the Conflict for Jing Province
The Sun-Liu alliance leads to the halt of Cao Cao's southern invasion. With Liu Cong dead, and most of Cao Cao's forces scattered, Liu Bei begins attacking the southern cities of Jingzhou while Sun Quan is preoccupied with Cao Cao's remaining forces at Yiling and Nanjun. Defeating the four governors, Han Xuan, Jin Xuan, Zhao Fan, and Liu Du, Liu Bei successfully takes control of southern Jing, before taking the most of the central part from the battle-weary Sun forces.

Citing Liu Qi's status as Liu Biao's true successor, Liu Bei is temporarily left at peace until Liu Qi dies, and Zhou Yu presses the issue once more. Hoping to increase ties, a marriage request is sent to have Liu Bei go to Jiangdong to marry Lady Sun. Despite knowing a trap, Zhuge Liang sends his lord off with Zhao Yun, and a box containing special instructions for Zhao.

With instructions to make the wedding as public as possible, Liu Bei personally visited Qiao Xuan and Lady Wu, both of whom had no idea of the wedding. Later, when assassin hid to kill Liu Bei, he kowtowed instead to Lady Wu asking for execution instead. This led Lady Wu to call out the assassins herself, who were spared at Liu Bei's urgings. Liu Bei was thus able to marry Lady Sun without incident

To counter this, Zhou Yu and Sun Quan attempted to keep Liu Bei complacent instead, sending him to an endless spree of hunting trips and banquets. Zhao Yun, however, intervenes by lying of an attack by Cao Cao, pushing Liu Bei and Lady Sun to flee Jiangdong. Later on, Zhang Song arrives at Jing Province, with the offer of helping Liu Bei take over Yizhou from Liu Zhang. At Pang Tong's behest, the offer is accepted, and Liu Bei offers aid to Liu Zhang against Zhang Lu.

Building foundations
Liu Bei was given three options by Pang Tong, to either head straight for the heart of Cheng Du to depose Liu Zhang, defeat Gao Pei and Yang Huai and take Fu pass, or to remain in Jingzhou. Liu picked the second options. Tricking both men into coming into their tent and seeing through their assassination attempt, Liu Bei takes Fu pass with ease. Unfortunately, when they attempt to advance from there, Pang Tong is ambushed and killed by Zhang Ren, and Liu Zhang forms a truce with Zhang Lu to fight Liu Bei. Liu is forced to ask for Zhuge Liang's reinforcements.

Once Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun arrive, Liu Bei decides to fight Zhang Lu first at Jiameng Gate. Making use of the corrupt Yang Song, Liu Bei not only defeats Zhang Lu but is also able to recruit the valiant Ma Chao. Ma Chao is later able to intimidate Liu Zhang into surrendering Chengdu, leaving the entire province under Liu Bei's command.

King of Hanzhong and Emperor
Shortly after, Cao Cao, however, defeats Zhang Lu and takes the Hanzhong region. To fight Cao Cao, Liu Bei gives the southern portion of Jingzhou to Sun Quan in exchange for a joint attack on Hefei and Hanzhong.

Defeating Cao Cao's force in the battle, Liu bei declares himself as King of Hanzhong, mirroring the title to his ancestor, Liu Bang. Liu Bei's victory would be short-lived; Guan Yu would be killed at Maicheng and Liu's territories in Jingzhou would then be seized by Sun Quan.

Grief-stricken, Liu Bei wishes to launch a punitive expedition but is calmed down by Zhuge Liang and other officials. Eventually, Cao Pi succeeds Cao Cao and replaces the Han Dynasty with Wei instead. As the only remaining member of the imperial family that's in a position to oppose Cao Pi, Liu Bei is declared emperor. Later on, Liu is visited by Zhang Fei, who finally convinces his oath brother to lead an attack on Wu. This would be the last time, Liu Bei would see Zhang, as he would be murdered by his own men, with his head being taken to Wu.

Enraged beyond belief, Liu Bei began leading his troops in Wu territory at an astonishing speed, defeating Sun Quan's commander in many skirmishes. His rage eventually leads Fu Shiren and Mi Fang, both of whom had betrayed Guan Yu during his siege at Fancheng, to return with Ma Zhong's head and an attempt to rejoin Liu Bei. Instead, Liu orders Guan Xing to execute them both and offer their heads to Guan Yu. Sun Quan, hoping to tie all loose ends, sends in Fan Jiang and Zhang Da, Zhang Fei's killers, to Liu Bei as well as the promise to return both Lady Sun and the lost territories of Jingzhou back to Liu. Having Fan and Zhang killed by Zhang Bao, Liu Bei flatly rejects the offer and swears to not stop until Sun Quan's head is sent to him on a platter.

Liu Bei soon ends up fighting against Lu Xun, a young but skilled strategist of the Wu army. Lu Xun's defensive strategies slow Shu progress and stalls out until the heat of summer. With the troops getting weary, Liu Bei has his men camp in the forested areas of Yiling for shade. This decision would prove to be a fatal mistake, as Lu Xun burned Liu Bei's camps, forcing him to flee. Joined by Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, Liu Bei was rescued at the last second thanks to Zhao Yun, sent by Zhuge Liang.

Making it back to Baidicheng, Liu Bei was wrought with guilt by acting on anger, refusing honest advice from trustworthy officials and generals, and for costing the lives of numerous vassals. With very little life left, Liu Bei called both Zhao Yun and Zhuge Liang forward. Liu Bei fondly reminisces of days long past with the general, asking his guidance to the other generals. Noticing the late Ma Liang's brother, Ma Su in the room, Liu Bei politely asks him to leave before speaking with Zhuge Liang.

Asking his chancellor of his thoughts on Ma, Zhuge Liang praises Ma's skill at a young age and believes him to be able to lead the state in the future. In response, Liu Bei openly voices his concern, believing Ma Su to be a braggart, and warns Zhuge to not place Ma Su in any important position. He then apologizes for failing to heed Zhuge Liang's advice of not attacking Wu and for failing to accomplish the aspirations his vassal had of him since the day they first met.

Shortly after, he convenes the rest of his officials for his final edict, before dying at Baidicheng.

Trivia

 * An inside joke with Japanese fans regarding his character design in the Dynasty Warriors series was his previously plain-looking appearance. Until his Dynasty Warriors 6 redesign, they nicknamed him "Citizen" (民, tami) or "Mob" (the common soldiers who create the bulk of armies) and jokingly remarked that the normal soldiers killed during cutscenes were Liu Bei's clones. The nickname became popular for Liu Bei since he often declares that he is fighting "for the people" (民のため, Tami no tame).

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