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"Take things one step at a time. Observe, then act. Or kill everyone and search their pockets for answers."
―Kiyoshi Takakura to Layla Hassan, 2018.[src]-[m]

Kiyoshi Takakura (高倉キヨシ) is a member of the Onmoraki-Gumi and of the Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins. Formerly a violent yakuza, Kiyoshi later became one of the most trusted and loyal Japanese Assassins of the 21st century.

He became instrumental in assisting Charlotte de la Cruz in defeating the reborn Juno in a series of events lasting from 2013 to 2017.

The next year he was assigned to the newly recruited Layla Hassan's cell to find the entrance to Atlantis and the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus. Following Layla's accidental killing of their doctor, Victoria Bibeau, the cell's relationship with her changed and eventually fell apart.

By 2019, he was reassigned to Yokohama to monitor the Abstergo Animus subject, Kō Risa. He later initiated her cousin, Mari into the Brotherhood to help Risa escape Abstergo's clutches.

In 2020, still in Tokyo, and after Kiyoshi's old cell-mate Layla had been reassigned to a new cell with veteran Assassins, Rebecca Crane and Shaun Hastings, Kiyoshi performed one final mission with Layla. Together the four of them infiltrated an Abstergo facility, investigated their experiments and extract Dr. Kazui, a modern-day descendant of the Venetian Assassin Bastiano da Mezzo, whom Abstergo were holding hostage to extract his DNA. Eventually they were able to succeed and escape the facility with Dr. Kazui. Following this, Kiyoshi and Layla left on good terms after saving his life from Juhani Otso Berg.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Kiyoshi Takakura was a member Onmoraki-Gumi, a faction of the yakuza located in Osaka, before they were later taken over by the Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins. During his time as a yakuza and before his recruitment by the Assassins, the young Kiyoshi was a violent individual who relished in causing trouble and breaking the law. He also often found trouble with his brother.[1]

Japanese Brotherhood[]

ACi-AHorribleBeating

Kiyoshi beating Gavin

On 17 December 2013, Kiyoshi was guarding the entrance to the headquarters of the Osaka Brotherhood when he was approached by Gavin Banks and Emmanuel Barraza, who demanded to see the head of the Onmoraki-Gumi. Kiyoshi told them to leave before he had to beat them, but Gavin then insulted his fashion sense and refused to go. Kiyoshi responded by punching him in the face and kicking him as he fell to the ground.[2] Several of his fellow Assassins came out to watch and cheer him on, and Kiyoshi attempted to stab Gavin with his Hidden Blade.[3]

GOG NoHarm M

Kiyoshi's attack stopped by Emmanuel

However, Emmanuel stuck his palm in between the blade and Gavin, allowing his hand to be impaled.[3] Emmanuel then asked Gavin what the first tenet of the Creed was, stunning Kiyoshi, who responded it was "stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent". Emmanuel pulled out a dog tag with the insignia of the Assassin Order on it, proving he and Gavin were also Assassins. Kiyoshi retracted his Hidden Blade and apologized to Gavin and Emmanuel for attacking them. He later complimented Emmanuel on how he stopped his Hidden Blade, claiming that he was "almost Japanese" in how he dealt with the pain from his impaled palm.[4]

On 31 December, Kiyoshi accompanied his Mentor, Saeko Mochizuki, aboard the Altaïr II to help the crew gather supplies for their next journey, and to celebrate the new year. After sparring for several hours with Emmanuel, Kiyoshi managed to convince Emmanuel to join Dr. Stephanie Chiu and himself at a local karaoke bar.[5]

Assassin missions[]

By late 2015, Kiyoshi was ordered by Saeko to go to China to help the local cells and to look for Álvaro Gramática's secret laboratory in which he planned to replicate an Isu's body with the help of the Shroud of Eden.[6]

In 2016, Kiyoshi and Arend Schut-Cunningham were sent by Gavin to rescue Galina Voronina and her team from a Templar strike-team assaulting Erudito's hideout in Argentina. With a helicopter, the two Assassins rescued their fellow Assassins and their Erudito allies, and also killed the high-ranking Templar Ortega Sanchez while escaping the island.[7]

In February 2017, Kiyoshi and Arend were in London with Galina and her apprentice My'Shell. During a training session, Galina received a call from Charlotte de la Cruz, who reported back on her mission in Hong Kong. Charlotte informed her fellow Assassins that the Abstergo office they raided for intel about the Phoenix Project was empty and that Barindra Mitra's cell was butchered by an unidentified third party.[8]

The Phoenix Project[]

One month later, in a back alley outside of Abstergo offices in Berlin, Kiyoshi, Arend and Galina intercepted Heinrich Hart, a scientist and Kiyoshi's mole within Abstergo. The pair were seeking answers over their losses in Hong Kong and threatened the German because it was his information that led the Assassins into the ambush. Hart swore that he knew nothing of what had lied in wait for them at the Hong Kong site and told them that the Templars didn't knew what happened too, with rumors that the feared Black Cross was investigating the matter. After demanding that Hart find answers or else they would come back for his blood, the trio left.[9]

ACUp 3 - Kiyoshi, Charlotte and Myshell

Kiyoshi, Charlotte, and My'shell view the Koh-i-Noor

In London, Kiyoshi and his fellow Assassins reviewed the media, where a large explosion in Berlin dominated the headlines. Kiyoshi argued that killing 170 people in public did not really fit with the Templars' ideals, and suggested another faction might be in play. My'Shell revealed that she had a list of Pieces of Eden retrieved from the Hong Kong Abstergo lab, and pulled up an image of the Koh-i-Noor. With My'Shell convinced that it was present in the Spanish Civil War, Charlotte strapped herself into the makeshift Animus. The machine appeared to malfunction, with Charlotte seemingly trapped inside a simulation and unable to be woken. An injured Guernica returned to find the team surrounding the stricken Animus. He was shocked to learn that My'Shell had repaired the machine with unvetted Abstergo parts, and feared that the machine was now compromised. She made her apologies and left, whilst Guernica informed the others that they would need the assistance of Felix Oladele—an Abstergo/Erudito plant based in Montreal who was familiar with Animus extractions.[10]

ACUp 3 - Kiyoshi and Arend flee

Kiyoshi and Arend flee the Abstergo facility

Kiyoshi and Arend made the flight immediately to Canada, and using a cargo plane performed a halo jump on to the roof of Abstergo Montreal. After working through the few guards present, they reached the office of Oladele—only to find him already slain by a high tech Assassin, the same individual from Hong Kong. The 'Assassin' wounded them both with throwing knives, and threw Arend out the nearest window which he just managed to hang onto. After a few shots from Kiyoshi's gun, the 'Assassin' jumped from the window. Kiyoshi and Arend made their way back out, both heavily injured, and realized that the only way that the 'Assassin' could have known where they were headed was if they have a leak either from the Animus or one of their own within the Brotherhood. They then decided to lay low in a safe house.[10]

ACUp 4 - Kiyoshi and Arend return

Kiyoshi and Arend return to the safehouse

Back at the safehouse, Kiyoshi and Arend arrived to find Guernica bound to a chair by Galina, who explained that she found Guernica attempting to slash Charlotte's throat. She believed that he also sent the both of them to Montreal to die and had been trying to obtain information but to no avail. Arend was unwilling to take part in the torture, so he left to recuperate. Kiyoshi, on the hand, had his doubts as he had experienced the torture before. He asked Galina what information she had obtained, to which she said "someone" was sifting through the memories of Charlotte in the Animus. Kiyoshi and Charlotte suspected that My'shell may be on the same side as Guernica since they both came from Erudito. After a short while, Charlotte woke up from the Animus, telling both of them that she knew who was attacking them and that they needed to warn the Templars.[11]

Sometime later, Kiyoshi discovered Arend, who called the Abstergo Entertainment Customer Service to warn them about the Instruments of the First Will who had infiltrated their ranks. As they argued about Arend's actions, Charlotte cut in to end the conversation. The Assassins were later surprised by My'shell, who had returned with the Templar agent Juhani Otso Berg. At a restaurant, Berg explained to the Kiyoshi and the Assassins about his mission in Geneva, where he met My'shell and was attacked by the Instruments. Kiyoshi told the group that Guernica may be a member of the faction, which My'shell refused to believe. Berg suggested that they work together which Charlotte accepted.[12]

Working together with Berg, Charlotte desynchronized from her ancestor's memories. Kiyoshi stated that it was probably Juno's interference that she still had not recovered from. Kiyoshi also informed Charlotte that they were still having difficulty retrieving Ignacio Cardona's records. After Charlotte told Berg to momentarily leave so she could concentrate Kiyoshi followed him outside. It was then that Berg and Kiyoshi discussed her Templar ancestor, and how Kiyoshi kept it secret "for the good of all". After exiting the safehouse together, the two were met with the site of Galina interrogating Guernica for information on Juno.[13]

After Charlotte's second desynchronization, more violent than the first, Berg took her place in the Animus. Kiyoshi explained to Charlotte that he was reliving the memories of Albert Bolden, the Black Cross, and also someone who Charlotte's ancestor came into contact with. The Koh-i-Noor was almost within their grasp.[14] After learning the supposed location of the Koh-i-Noor, Berg pulled himself out and called an associate. Kiyoshi was sure that Arend had taken his phone from him, however he had a backup. The reluctantly allied group then made way for Barcelona, where the Koh-i-Noor was buried in a mass grave 60 miles south from the city.[15]

ACUp 9 - Kiyoshi disarming

Kiyoshi "disarming" his captors

Three days before Resurrection Day, south of Barcelona, Kiyoshi came across Arend recording a message for his husband. He stated that neither Charlotte nor Berg recognized any of the nearby scenery, so they were no closer to find the Koh-i-Noor. They two sat together and had a heart-to-heart conversation about their pasts. However, they were soon interrupted when Spanish nomads attacked them. They managed to fight them off before being interrupted again by Jasdip Dhami again, to which they hid and watched the events unfold. Although they were quickly found by Jasdip's men. The Spanish nomads were revealed to be the protectors of the Koh-i-Noor and to have been trained by Bolden and Cardona together. Kiyoshi and Arend were held captive and made to watch Jasdip tear the nomad's fingernails off in exchange for information. Jasdip's men then notified him that Berg and de la Cruz had found the Koh-i-Noor, and so took the two captive Assassins with him as hostages. Jasdip found the other Assassins after they had found the Koh-i-Noor, Galina then reminded Kiyoshi of his razor-wire gauntlet. Kiyoshi then literally disarmed his captors and attempted to fight off Jasdip. However, when Charlotte suddenly touched the Koh-i-Noor at exactly 12am, there was an explosion of blue light.[1]

Now with only two days until Resurrection Day, Jasdip stopped Charlotte and managed to kidnap her. Due to the blinding light, Kiyoshi and his allies were helpless to intervene. However, the protector's sacrificed themselves to protect the Koh-i-Noor but saved Charlotte instead and Jasdip got away with the Koh-i-Noor. By daybreak the team helped bury the protectors before boarding a plane bound for Australia, where Álvaro Gramática's secret laboratory was located.[16]

Aboard the plane and with now one day left, Kiyoshi enjoyed a mineral water while trying to dissuade Arend from antagonizing Berg. Although this advice fell on deaf ears, as Arend do so anyway. Kiyoshi soon gathered together with the others to discuss the laboratory's blueprints and the team's strategy. When they were ready, Charlotte was the first to parachute out down into the middle of the Australian desert. Resurrection Day had started and time was running out.[17]

ACUp 12 - Kiyoshi rocket launcher

Kiyoshi fire a rocket launcher

Landing sometime after Charlotte, the mismatched band of allies began their attack on Gramática's front door. Kiyoshi wielded a rocket launcher and blasted a hole in the front door. After Charlotte's signal went dark, they rushed the Instrument's forces, making their way inside. Suddenly a forcefield of blue light protected the group from incoming gun fire, it was Charlotte using the Koh-i-Noor. The light then turned into a path, leading Kiyoshi and Arend to Charlotte. However, when the two entered the inner laboratory they were struck by a blast from the Koh-i-Noor wielded by Juno and knocked down. Charlotte managed to steal the Piece of Eden from Juno without her knowing and conjured up an illusion to distract her. Kiyoshi and the others looked on shocked to see Juno seemingly yell at a coffee mug. While distracted, Charlotte assassinated the reborn Isu. However, as the building was starting to collapse, Kiyoshi and the other fled. Although, Charlotte was stuck behind. Berg then denotated the facility remotely outside, Kiyoshi tried to stop him but was struck to the ground. The Assassins were unable to rescue Charlotte and she perished in the explosion.[18]

Joining Layla Hassan[]

By late 2017, Kiyoshi Takakura and his team befriended Layla Hassan, a former Abstergo employee who was found and recruited by William Miles in Egypt.[19] As part of her first Assassin mission,[20] Kiyoshi took Layla with him to the Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec in Canada in search of a relic belonging to the Recollects.[21] When Layla was discovered by Abstergo, Kiyoshi was able to help her escape danger.[22]

ACOD - Layla talking to Kiyoshi

Layla talking to Kiyoshi via walkie-talkie

In late-August 2018, Kiyoshi Takakura was recruited by Layla as part of her cell to search for the Spear of Leonidas.[23] When she does so and relived the memories of the Spartan misthios, Kassandra, Kiyoshi took the role of security and kept watch on the Assassin hideout in London, England. After the cell abandoned the London safehouse due to the enclosing Templars, Kiyoshi accompanied the cell aboard the Altaïr II to off the coast of Santorini for Layla to swim underwater to find the lost city of Atlantis.[22] Sometime later, after Layla had entered the throne room, members of Sigma Team had attacked the ship, Kiyoshi managed to fend them off but was non-fatally wounded in the process.[24]

Mission in Yokohama[]

ACChina - Kiyoshi eavesdropping

Kiyoshi eavesdropping in Yokohama

In 2019, Kiyoshi was assigned to Yokohama to find an Animus subject, Kō Risa. Outside the clinic, he overheard a conversation between the girl and her doctor, Kaori Kagami. Kiyoshi contacted Saeko Mochizuki informing her that he won't be able to finish the mission as quickly as he'd like. He expressed his fear that Animus overexposure might end up killing the girl, and told his Mentor that he was unsure whose Assassins' memories they were having the girl explore.[25] A couple of days later, Kiyoshi approached the girl, Kō Risa and her cousin Mari in a cafe to voice his negative opinion on the Animus and its dangers and hands Risa a business card with an address attached telling her to meet him at 5pm the next day. Before leaving, he whispers to Risa that he is an Assassin like her.[26]

ACBoSJ - Kiyoshi meeting with Risa and Mari

Kiyoshi meeting with Risa and Mari

The next day, Kiyoshi met the two cousins and told the truth regarding the Assassins and Templars. He also revealed that Risa's doctor Kagami was a Templar and did not care about Risa. He then warned Risa further about the dangers of prolonged Animus sessions resulting in the Bleeding Effect. He pleaded with Risa to not let the Templars get their hands on the treasure, but Risa, angered at the accusations against her trusted doctor, declined to help, and she stormed out of the shop without Mari.

ACBoSJ - Dangers of the Bleeding Effect

Kiyoshi recounts the dangers of the Bleeding Effect

Kiyoshi was then left with Mari, who asked him what they should do. He explained that the Bleeding Effect could get a lot worse, and may lead to Risa ultimately losing control and hurting those close to them. He then recalled when Layla Hassan lashed out at Victoria Bibeau and killed her with the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus, as well as Desmond Miles killing Lucy Stillman in the Colosseum Vault. Stating that Mari should stay out of it for her own safety, to his surprise Mari was insistent on helping Risa. She told Kiyoshi how Risa was the only one that stood up against her abusive father, and now she wanted to do the same. A wheelchair-bound Saeko Mochizuki entered the room and drew the attention of both Kiyoshi and Mari. She warned Mari that there would be no turning back if she became involved, but Mari did not waver.[26]

After Risa had left, Kiyoshi told Mari, who was intent on protecting Risa, the rest of the story regarding the Assassin-Templar War and how long it had been going on for. While Mari didn't believe Kiyoshi that such things could continue into modern times, five-hundred years after Shao Jun's time, Kiyoshi tried his best to put things into perspective for her. Asking how Mari found out how to get to the restaurant, she answered that through the internet apps she was able to find her way. Kiyoshi then explained that the Templars, through their public face—Abstergo Industries—harvested people's data for malicious reasons, hunting the descendants of Assassins. Revealing how dangerous Abstergo are made Mari more set on helping, especially after Kiyoshi revealed that Risa's doctor Kagami Kaori was a Templar.[27]

Tokyo extraction[]

Tokyo XXI - Kiyoshi Takakura

Kiyoshi infiltrating the Tokyo Abstergo facility

In mid-2020, Kiyoshi while still in Tokyo, reunited with Layla and her recently assigned replacement cell consisting of Rebecca Crane and Shaun Hastings much to his dismay. Layla had intercepted a message from the Tokyo Abstergo facility involving extensive analysis of Isu artifacts upon non-voluntary subjects. While the main entrance was poorly guarded, the team entered through the roof bypassing their security.[28] An informant within the facility left the group a note encrypted within an Animus, after obtaining and decrypting the note they discovered that the Templars were performing experiments on a Staff of Eden.[29] After Layla, the only one with detailed Animus experience and training, entered the simulation of the Venetian Assassin Bastiano da Mezzo, they discovered that their informant was his modern-day descendant, Dr. Kazui, and they moved to extract him.[30] Intent on hindering the Templars' plans, the group moved to the secure DNA analysis room and destroyed Dr. Kazui's DNA.[31]

Tokyo XXI - Kiyoshi Takakura 2

Kiyoshi throws two guards off the roof

The group safely found Dr. Kazui before Abstergo could use him. On the way they also analysed any data and documents they could about their experiments regarding the Staff.[32] Disguising the doctor in an Abstergo guard's uniform, the four Assassins were successfully able to exfiltrate him before Abstergo knew about it. Along the way however, the doctor got cut and trailed blood leaving clues.[33] Returning to the premises, any trace of Dr. Kazui had to be wiped clean. They also stopped to erase his DNA data from the Abstergo database. Before they could leave they were cornered by Layla's nemesis Otso Berg, no longer a paraplegic. They faced off as the building began to be engulfed in flames.[34] After a four-on-one fight, Otso Berg came close to killing Kyoshi but was saved by Layla who was finally able to subdue him, and the four Assassins escaped. This was the last time Kiyoshi worked with Layla but were able to leave on good terms.[35]

Personality and traits[]

He is a fan of gastronomy and of the unique meals that are part of every culture.[6] He also enjoys Confucianism and Texas BBQ.[8] Kiyoshi also has a large chest tattoo of two traditional green dragons.[11]

Skills and equipment[]

Kiyoshi is a native speaker of Japanese, and is able to fluently speak English. Kiyoshi was quite skilled in hand-to-hand combat, being able to best Gavin rather easily, and also showed a proficiency with firearms. Kiyoshi is also credited as a master swordsman as shown as he always carries his katana on missions. When battling Gavin in Japan, Kiyoshi is shown to have a Hidden Blade under his sleeves.[2]

Kiyoshi was also shown to be versatile in the use of the Razor-wire Gauntlet, a hyper-tensile nylon wire that could easily cut through flesh. He used it to literally disarm two Instruments of the First Will working under Jasdip Dhami.[1] Kiyoshi could also comfortably rest a rocket launcher on his shoulder and fire without visibly suffering from recoil.[18]

Behind the Scenes[]

Kiyoshi Takakura is a character introduced in the community-driven project, Assassin's Creed: Initiates in the Surveillance series of stories. He later became a regular character in Titan Comics' Assassin's Creed and Uprising. He made his video game debut in Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, but was restricted to only being mentioned in Database entries. In Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, he is portrayed by Dai Tabuchi in a voice-only role.

Etymology

Kiyoshi (キヨシ) is a Japanese name which can be written severl different ways, among them 清, 淳 , 潔, 清志, all of which are related to the meanings 'clean' and 'pure'.Takakura (高倉), is a Japanese surname meaning 'high storehouse'.

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #09
  2. 2.0 2.1 Assassin's Creed: InitiatesSurveillance: "Rattling Cages"
  3. 3.0 3.1 Assassin's Creed: Initiates – Surveillance: "A Horrible Beating"
  4. Assassin's Creed: Initiates – Surveillance: "No Harm"
  5. Assassin's Creed: Initiates – Surveillance: "R.I.P. 2013"
  6. 6.0 6.1 Assassin's Creed: SyndicateJack the RipperDatabase: Assassin Intel 4
  7. Assassin's CreedIssue #14
  8. 8.0 8.1 Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #01
  9. Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #02
  10. 10.0 10.1 Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #03
  11. 11.0 11.1 Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #04
  12. Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #05
  13. Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #06
  14. Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #07
  15. Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #08
  16. Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #10
  17. Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #11
  18. 18.0 18.1 Assassin's Creed: UprisingIssue #12
  19. Assassin's Creed: OriginsModern day
  20. Assassin's Creed: OdysseyLayla Hassan's personal files: "The Quebec Caper: QC File 1 – Setup"
  21. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Layla Hassan's personal files: "The Quebec Caper: QC Files 2 – Source"
  22. 22.0 22.1 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Modern day
  23. Assassin's Creed: OdysseyLayla Hassan's emails – Subject header: "Available for assignment"
  24. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – The Fate of Atlantis – Modern day
  25. Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao JunThe Assassin Brotherhood and The Templar Order
  26. 26.0 26.1 Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao JunThe Bleeding Effect
  27. Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao JunWarning
  28. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of VeniceTokyo XXIMission: Infiltration
  29. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of VeniceTokyo XXIAbstergo Mystery
  30. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of VeniceTokyo XXIVenice Trip
  31. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of VeniceTokyo XXIThe Human Planet
  32. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of VeniceTokyo XXIClose Protection
  33. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of VeniceTokyo XXIExtraction
  34. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of VeniceTokyo XXIThe Cleaners
  35. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of VeniceTokyo XXIOld Scoundrel

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