Mitsuhide

* Samurai
* Dark General

**Mitsuhide Akechi** (明智 光秀, *Akechi Mitsuhide*) is an antagonist in *Yasuke*. He formerly served Nobunaga Oda, but later betrayed him and joined the Daimyo.

## Appearance

Mitsuhide is an older man with a gray hair in a topknot style. He wears yellow robes.

After becoming the Dark General, Mitsuhide has a much larger build, easily towering over Yasuke, though his face has developed more noticeable wrinkles. After joining the Daimyo's forces, the sclera of his eyes have become black with blood-red irises that sometimes glow, also having grown fangs. He wears samurai armor with a black chestplate and stained gold shoulder pieces. On his head he wears a black samurai helmet with large, red horns. He also wears a grey mask fitted perfectly to his face, covering all his facial features except his eye sockets, nostrils, and the upper and side parts of his mouth.

After having his magical connection to the Daimyo severed, his size quickly returns to its previous state, while also growing significantly more wrinkles on his face than ever before, with his eyes additionally returning to normal.

## Personality

Mitsuhide holds great respect for the old ways and traditions and believes that only Japanese Men can hold Japanese titles. He often expresses disagreement and quiet anger towards Nobunaga when he adds outsiders and women such as Yasuke and Natsumaru to their ranks. This resentment towards Nobunaga eventually leads him to betray him.

## Plot

In 1581, at Azuchi Castle, Nobunaga observes Mitsuhide and Natsumaru and tells Mitsuhide that Yasuke and Natsumaru will join him, when he visits Iga. Mitsuhide doesn't share Nobunaga's vision, and fear that if Nobunaga keeps adding outsiders to their ranks, the enemy not only won't fear them, but won't respect them either.

At Iga Province, Mitsuhide tells Iga to surrender before Nobunaga's mighty force descend on them. As a sign of respect, he send his seven samurai. Looking at them, Iga state they see only five, as they believe Nobunaga disrespects Japanese people by making a woman and a slave bear titles reserved for Japanese men, and wishes to fight Yasuke. Yasuke agrees and ends up defeating the Iga general and his followers.

At a celebration party over Iga victory, Mitsuhide tells Yasuke that Nobunaga treats him better than his sons, but Yasuke will never be one of them and will always be a servant, as this is the way of things they do. Yasuke tells him that perhaps the old ways should be left in the past.

In 1582, at Honno-ji Temple, Mitsuhide joined Daimyo and helped defeat Nobunaga.

Twenty years later, Kurosaka fails to get Saki and Mitsuhide offers his service again. The Daimyo extracts her power from Kurosaka and gives it to Mitsuhide. He then leads an army to face Morisuke and Yasuke. Yasuke rides to the Dark Army and states the village won't surrender and he wishes to settle things the old way. Mitsuhide steps up, revealing to be the Dark General and shares his regret for leaving Yasuke alive. Yasuke is surprised of what had become of Mitsuhide and states he turned his back on his people, but Mitsuhide disagrees, stating that Nobunaga had turned against his people, when he took Yasuke in. Yasuke attacks Mitsuhide, who fights back without even drawing his sword.

As they fight, Mitsuhide states that the old ways don't suit Yasuke and Yasuke agrees and then gives order to his men, who used the time he fought to surround the enemy and rain arrows upon them. Saki manages to control her power and removes the Daimyo's power from Mitsuhide.

Without the Daimyo's powers, Mitsuhide is heavily weakened. He orders the power armor mechs to break the mountain, from where a second army appears. The mercenaries Achoja, Haruto, Nikita and Ishikawa join the battle and help Yasuke's side. Yasuke defeats Mitsuhide, who while dying tells him that he will always be a servant, however Yasuke states he serves no one and cuts Mitsuhide's head.

## Etymology

* The name **Mitsuhide** means "light" (光) (**mitsu**) and "excellent, outstanding" (秀) (**hide**).
* Mitsuhide's surname **Akechi** means "bright, light, clear" (明) (**ake**) and "wisdom, intellect" (智) (**chi**).