Mitsuhide Akechi

> *"I need not linger here any longer. The path I must tread has become clear."*
> - Mitsuhide Akechi
>
>

Mitsuhide Akechi is a samurai and general who serves under the command of Dosan Saito, Yoshiteru Ashikaga and Nobunaga Oda.

## Description

Originating from Mikawa, Mitsuhide is first seen as a general under Dosan Saito but later goes on to serve under the Shogun Yoshiteru Ashikaga and Nobunaga Oda. He is dedicated to helping Nobunaga achieve his goals and wholeheartedly attempts to seek his own part in ending the chaos in the land.

## Personality

Mitsuhide is entirely loyal to those he serves, even when it affects him negatively. He thinks deeply about his own role in ending the turmoil of war in Japan, and strives to help others of power who share his goal. He is courteous and humble by nature. Later in the game, his ideology of bringing peace to the land cause his personality to change when confronted with the potential power of the Demons. He shows limits to his loyalty and develops a deceptive and calculating attitude, sometimes bordering on sadistic.

## Plot

### Mt. Washi (January, 1556)

On his way to aid his former lord, Dosan Saito, who is being attacked by Demons, Mitsuhide encounters Aoi and Inugami, mistaking them for allies of the Demons. After Aoi explains her true goal of eradicating the Demons, Mitsuhide implores them to help him at Mt. Washi, to which Aoi agrees. Mitsuhide brings his forces to Dosan’s hideout to find it overrun with Demons. After the battle, Dosan thanks Mitsuhide, but reminds him that his actions will not be overlooked by Yoshitatsu, Dosan's son and enemy. Mitsuhide replies that he is aware of this, but would not have been able to stay away. He states that he did little, giving credit to Aoi and Inugami. While alone, Mitsuhide speculates that ending the civil war and uniting the country may put a stop to the chaos that brings forth the Demons. He reflects on what part he should play in this, and decides that he must at least leave Mino for the time being.

### Kyoto (December, 1564)

On his way to aid Yoshiteru Ashikaga, Mitsuhide walks through the ruined streets of Kyoto. He is attacked by a Demon, which he fells in one swing of his blade. He is shocked by the power of the Demons and, looking around, he encounters Aoi and Inugami before him. Recognising Yoshiteru and his men before them, Aoi, Inugami and Mitsuhide cut a path through the Demon ranks. Yoshiteru initially mistakes Inugami for a Demon but Mitsuhide corrects him. After ridding the city of Demons, and alone among the ruins of the city, Mitsuhide considers that rebuilding the Shogunate may be impossible. He concludes that only Nobunaga Oda is fit to rule amongst such chaos. Preparing to leave, he decides the future path he must take.

### Nagashino (May, 1575)

When Nobunaga learns of Katsuyori Takeda’s escape from battle, Mitsuhide consoles him, assuring him that even though Katsuyori is alive, he no longer poses a threat.

### Ishiyama (April, 1580)

At Ishiyama Temple, Mitsuhide stands unharmed as Demons rip apart the Oda forces around him, and is impressed by their power. As he watches the spectacle, he marks himself with the blood of the fallen soldiers. He notices, as expected, that Aoi and Inugami have arrived to battle the Demons. When they reach Mitsuhide, Aoi is surprised to find him there, but he assures her that they will talk later, and should focus on defeating the Demons. After this is done, Mitsuhide thanks Aoi for her aid, but she appears cautious of his words.
Later, at the Oda camp, Mitsuhide informs Nobunaga of the Demon retreat and the successful acquisition of Ishiyama Temple. However, Nobunaga is unhappy about the length of time it took his retainer Nobumori Sakuma to take the temple. To Mitsuhide's great satisfaction, Nobunaga announces Nobumori banished from the Oda territories.

### Tamba (May, 1584)

After Aoi and Inugami fight off a Demon horde in Tamba, Nobunaga privately questions Mitsuhide about the presence of Demons in his lands. Mitsuhide feigns ignorance, but Nobunaga sees past this, cautioning Mitsuhide against using Demons in the future conquest against the Mori Clan. Mitsuhide states that his actions are solely for the purpose of aiding Nobunaga’s ambitions, and that he can use the Demons to quell the unrest in the land. To his dismay, Nobunaga questions how Demons could ever hope to quell chaos, and is unwilling to forgive Mitsuhide for his transgressions, insisting that he forfeit Tamba, to which he reluctantly agrees.

Later, the Oda camp lies in flames, destroyed by Mitsuhide and his Demon army. Nobunaga, realising his betrayal by Mitsuhide’s hands, chooses to take his own life as a mortal man. Mitsuhide, flanked by an army of demonic soldiers, rebukes Nobunaga’s choice to cling to human mortality, vowing to bring an end to the chaos himself.

### Yamazaki (June, 1584)

When Aoi and Inugami defeat his Demon army, Mitsuhide appears on the battlefield at Yamazaki. He tries to appeal to Aoi, explaining how the Demons can be used to end the chaos in the land. Aoi remains totally unswayed, telling Mitsuhide that he only spreads further chaos, and that he must be stopped. Defiant, Mitsuhide tells Aoi that she will never be able to stop him, and departs for Azuchi Castle.

### Azuchi (June, 1584)

When Aoi and Inugami fight their way inside Azuchi castle, they find Mitsuhide transformed into a giant, grotesque Demon. Protected by an evil aura, he is impervious to harm until Aoi and Inugami can dispel the aura with sacred pillars. Once this is done, Inugami attacks the Demon Mitsuhide until it falls. Transforming back into a human form a fatally wounded Mitsuhide reflects that with his death, the Demons have all been cleansed from the realm of man, but states that as long as the conflicts of man persist, the Demons will likely gain a foothold in the mortal realm once more. Aoi tells him that if that were to happen, she would repeat her duty again, as many times as necessary. Mitsuhide responds that if he had known she possessed such determination he would not have fought her. He wishes that the chaos will find its end before passing away, and is consumed by flames.

## True History

Mitsuhide was born in Mino province in 1528 and became a renowned general under both the Toki Clan and in the service of Dosan Saito. Dosan praised him as “a general among 10,000”. When Dosan's son, Yoshitatsu, rebelled against his father in 1556, Mitsuhide sided with Dosan. Later, Mitsuhide went on to serve the Shogun Yoshiaki Ashikaga.

In 1569, the Miyoshi Clan and Tatsuoki Saito, the defeated daimyo of Mino, attacked Yoshiaki at Hongoku-ji where Mitsuhide successfully defended the Shogun. Observing this, Nobunaga asked Mitsuhide to join his troops and Mitsuhide decided to serve both the Shogun and Nobunaga. He was much trusted by Nobunaga and after Mitsuhide pacified Tamba, he was awarded the province along with Kameyama Castle.

In 1582, Nobunaga received a request for reinforcements from Hideyoshi Hashiba, whose forces were stuck besieging the Mōri-controlled Takamatsu castle. He ordered Mitsuhide Akechi also to go to Hideyoshi's aid, and travelled to Honnō temple. Upon receiving the order, Mitsuhide returned to Sakamoto Castle and moved to his base in Tamba Province. Around this time, he made clear his intentions to rebel. Mitsuhide led his army toward Kyoto, claiming that Nobunaga wanted to show a procession. It was not the first time that Nobunaga had demonstrated his troops in Kyoto, so this excuse was not doubted. Finally, when getting near to Honnō temple, Mitsuhide gave his men the order to attack. Before dawn, the Akechi army had the temple surrounded in a coup. Nobunaga then committed suicide.
Mitsuhide's reasons for the coup are a mystery that has been a source of controversy and speculation. Although there have been several theories, the most common ones maintain that Mitsuhide bore a personal grudge, acted out of fear, had the ambition to take over Japan, was simply acting to protect the imperial court (whose authority was not respected by Nobunaga), or was trying to remove the revolutionary. Many think it was a combination of at least some of the above assumed reasons.

After betraying and defeating Nobunaga, Mitsuhide sent a letter to the Mōri Clan, requesting an alliance to crush Hideyoshi Toyotomi, but the letter's messenger was captured by Hideyoshi's forces and the plot was revealed. Upon hearing news that Nobunaga had been killed, and that Mitsuhide had taken command of his possessions, Hideyoshi negotiated a peace treaty with the Mōri, and then led his troops on a forced march towards Kyoto. Due to his lack of men for the impending battle with Hideyoshi, Mitsuhide attempted to win the hearts of the people in the region in order to gain more troops. However, his appeals were fruitless, and so he was unable to add significant strength to his forces. Less than two weeks after Mitsuhide's betrayal, Hideyoshi's army finally arrived and attacked Mitsuhide's inferior forces at Yamazaki. The majority of Mitsuhide's men fled, and Mitsuhide himself fled to the town of Ogurusu, where he was captured by bandits and killed. He is rumored to have been killed by a peasant warrior by the name of Chōbei Nakamura.