Kiyomori launches a coup d'etat by placing the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa under confinement, and finally becomes the first samurai to seize control over the entire country. While Kiyomori manipulates the Imperial Court freely from Fukuhara, Prince Mochihito (Go-Shirakawa's son), who has been put in a miserable situation by Kiyomori, devises a plot to take up arms against the Taira family. Yoshitsune, the son of Yoshitomo and Tokiwa, is also gaining strength with Benkei, formerly named Oniwaka. On February 21, 1180, Prince Tokihito (Tokuko's son) ascends the throne from Emperor Takakura and becomes Emperor Antoku as Kiyomori hoped.
Kenichi Matsuyama
Taira no Kiyomori
Kiichi Nakai
Taira no Tadamori
Shota Matsuda
Go-Shirakawa-tenno
Arata Iura
Emperor Sutoku
Fumiyo Kohinata
Minamoto no Tameyoshi
Yudai Chiba
Emperor Takakura
Hiroshi Tamaki
Minamoto no Yoshitomo
Rei Dan
Fujiwara no Shoshi
Kyoko Fukada
Taira no tokiko
Ryo
Horikawa no Tsubone
Rena Tanaka
Lady Yura
Emi Takei
Tokiwa Gozen
Ai Kato
Takashina no Akiko
