Yoshitsune

Overview

While Yoshitsune in reality served as a general of the Minamoto clan during the late Heian period, accounts of his life were subject to much romanticization in literature, notably the Heike Monogatari.

Legend tells of how he was trained in the art of swordsmanship by the king of the Tengu, allowing him to adapt his own dexterous style. One day he challenged the Giant Benkei to single combat and emerged victorious by simply parrying his opponent's blows. From that day forward, Benkei pledged to serve under Yoshitsune for as long as he lived. Together they were able to repel the Taira clan and drove them into the sea. On one of their voyages Yoshitsune's ship was attacked by the phantoms of the Taira clan. Benkei then proceeded to expel the sprits by reciting a series of buddhist prayers.

Yoshitsune went on to participate in the Genpei war of 1880. He led a decisive victory in 1884, during the Battle of Awazu, in which he slew his cousin and fierce rival Minamoto no Yoshinaka. This victory was shortly followed by another victory at the Battle of Ichi-no-tani, and another in the Battle of Yashima. The Taira clan was finally put to rest at the Straits of Shimonoseki during the Battle of Dan-no-ura, a conflict that proved to be one of the most iconic in Japanese history.

Death

Near the end of his life Yoshitsune was betrayed and defeated during the Battle of Koromo River. With dying an honorable death by seppuku seeming the only viable option, he ordered Benkei to stall the enemy forces while he committed suicide. Legend says that when Benkei arrived before his opponents, who were too terrified to meet him in close combat, they showered him with a continuous volley of arrows for hours on end. It is said that he died standing up, and that the assault was continued long after he succumbed to his wounds, giving Yoshitsune enough time to commit seppuku.

Persona 4

Yoshitsune appears in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 as a Lv. 75 persona of the Tower arcana, available only through a pentagonal fusion of Hachiman, Masakado, Okuninushi, Hikoto-nushi, and Shiki-Ouji, all revered figures of Japanese lore. He is one of two personae to learn the semi-unique skill Heat Riser, the other being Trumpeter, as well as the only Persona bearing the multi-hit physical skill "Hassou Tobi" (lit. eight ship jump). Yoshitsune is also the subject of two fusion forecasts, one on December 19th which will grant him the skill Arms Master, and another on December 24th that provides the semi-unique skill Debilitate.