Takeda Motoaki

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Takeda Motoaki (武田 元明; 1562 - 1582) was a Japanese samurai of the Takeda clan. In addition to being a samurai, Motoaki was also a skilled biwa player, having trained under the biwa master Shido. He became one of his best students and composed his own original tune that became his signature.

After his clan declined during a series of conflicts against Oda Nobunaga and the Asakura clan, Motoaki joined the Shinbakufu under Ashikaga Yoshiaki and sought to reclaim Nochiseyama Castle that had formerly served as the clan's seat of power. As a member of the shadow group, Motoaki was known as The Fox and The Performer. Along with the Shinbakufu resources, he also allied himself with the Pirate Alliance to ambush and kill the Niwa clan entirely.

However, Motokai's plans fell into disarray after the Kakushiba ikki members Fujibayashi Naoe and Yasuke aided Niwa Nagahide against his attacks. With his losses, he cut his ties against the Pirate Alliance and secluded himself at his home in Obama. However, he was soon confronted by Naoe for his crimes and his part in her father Fujibayashi Nagato's death, leading to his downfall and subsequent death.

Biography

Fall from power

In 1573, Motoaki ultimately lost both his claim to the castle and his beloved after Nobunaga sucessfully sieged the castle and rewarded his general Niwa Nagahide the Wakasa province. Unseated, Motoaki's loss led him to plan and enact revenge against the Niwa clan in order to regain his castle.

Joining the Shinbakufu

With his plan in need of support, this eventually led Motoaki to join the Shinbakufu, who supported his actions to overthrow the Niwa clan and reclaim Nochiseyama in return. Going by the monikers of "The Fox" and "The Performer," Motoaki participated in the group's search for the Imperial Regalia protected by the Kakushiba ikki.

In September 1581, Motoaki joined his fellow Shinbakufu members during Nobunaga's invasion of Iga to find the regalia's jewel. The group arrived at Katano Castle, where fellow member Ido Yoshihiro had obtained the jewel after stealing it from the Mihata Kofun. However, the kunoichi Fujibayashi Naoe assassinated Yoshihiro, retook the box, and ran from the castle.

However, Naoe was ambushed and severely injured by Yaita Wakasa and Wada Koretake, who reclaimed the box for the Shinbakufu. Just as Naoe's father Nagato came and pushed back the pair, the remaining Shinbakufu members, including Motoaki, arrived. Ordered by their mounted leader to kill Nagato and secure the box, Motoaki shot the first arrow, which Nagato blocked. After Bessho Harumasa's attack was countered, Motoaki fired another arrow into Nagato's shoulder. Nagato was ultimately mortally wounded and the Shinbakufu departed with their prize, leaving the Fujibayashi for dead.

Ambushing the Niwa's clan

In late June 1582, following Nobunaga's death during the Honnō-ji incident, Motoaki enacted his plan to kill members of the Niwa clan. From his resources from the Shinbakufu, Motoaki also made a deal with the Pirate Alliance's leader Samemaru to ambush Nagahide and his clan members at Obama and Tsuruga. For payment, Samemaru's men were allowed to rob the estates during the ambushes. However, he rejected the payments of slave as part of the deal.

Motoaki accompanied his pirate allies to Nagahide Estate to take out Niwa Nagahide and played his own composed melody during the amubsh. However, Nagahide received visitors, the Kakushiba ikki members Fujibayashi Naoe and Yasuke, who sought the identity of "The Performer." Upon their visit, they noticed Nagahide fighting off the pirates and fought against him. However, they also heard a melody during the attack but nevertheless defeated all of the attackers. With this failure, Motoaki retreated and planned for the next attack.

At Tsuruga, Motoaki enacted the second ambush at Tsuruga Castle and played his melody again. However, Naoe and Yasuke arrived earlier after meeting with Hong, a chef in Obama, who informed them of the attack. Despite two waves of pirates, the pair, along with the Niwa nobles' ashigaru, defeated the ambushers. With his losses, Motoaki headed back to his home in the Samurai Yashiki District in Obama.

Death

Motoaki, learning that his pirate allies failed in their attempts, ordered his men to find and kill Samemaru and his men, reneging on their deal. Meanwhile, he played his melody towards Nochiseyama Castle, desiring to be there once more. However, Naoe arrived and confronted him over his piece, which she learned was his from his biwa master Shido. Within their discussion, Motoaki remained steadfast on his methods to resecure his castle and acted not out of hatred, but his own terms of justice.

With this, Motokai engaged Naoe in a fight but was ultimately and fatally wounded. In his last words, he asked Naoe to return his biwa to Shido and how he will take his song to the grave before dying. Yasuke and Nagahide arrived at the scene as Nagahide thanked them both for their efforts. Left alone, Naoe and Yasuke talked about their next steps, including Yasuke's search for a man from his past, Duarte. Before leaving Motoaki's residence, Naoe and Yasuke recovered a katana Snakebite from Motoaki's personal effects.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Shadows