Takakage

How Takakage joined the Tourney
Samurai Warriors 4 has Takakage begin his career by supporting his father's conquests. Both father and son frequently bounce ideas and strategies before each battle; Takakage often chooses humanistic solutions to counter his father's swift and logical plans. His weather predictions and swift thinking led to the success at Itsukushima yet the Mōri fail to save the Saika Renegades at their homeland.

Hideyoshi's western invasion leads to Takakage clashing wits with Hanbei and Kanbei. He opposes his father's initial plan at Aka, ordering the army to immediately capture the docks and Gochaku Castle rather than directly attack Himeji Castle. His tactic confuses Hideyoshi's troops and lures Kanbei away from his post. Despite being enemies, Takakage quickly empathizes with the two rival strategists. Unlike his father, Takakage correctly predicts that Hideyoshi and company would not easily abandon Kōzuki Castle. Takakage believes that Nobunaga's rule will not bring peace to the land and is surprised to learn from a defeated Kanbei that they seek a different future. Takakage worries about Hanbei's condition and instinctively senses the strategist's death.

He becomes curious in Kanbei's objective and seeks to see their future after Bichu-Takamatsu Castle. Takakage perceives Kanbei's thoughts and has faith in him. He orders the ardent Mōri generals to not pursue Hideyoshi's retreat. After he helps his father at Okitanawate and Iyo, Takakage becomes the Mōri's representative for the Toyotomi inquiries. When he reunites with the Toyotomi forces at Shikoku, Takakage decides to follow the late Hanbei's wishes by offering his friendship to Kanbei. Under the Toyotomi's orders, he arrives too late to save Jōun Takahashi at Iwaya Castle yet assists with the following subjugation of Kyushu. He continues to learn from Kanbei at Odawara Castle. After the battle, Takakage peacefully retires during Hideyoshi's unification. He bids Kanbei to join him and dies sometime off-screen before Sekigahara. Kanbei remembers him before the battle of Ishigakibaru.

His 4-II centric story has Takakage reprise his humane tactics beside his father at Kizugawaguchi and Bichu-Takamatsu Castle. His tactics stump Kanbei in the second conflict, and the strategists take note of their respective abilities. After his father retires and dies, Takakage continues to serve the Mōri and advises them to join hands with the Toyotomi. Acting as representative for the Mōri at Shikoku, he reunites with Kanbei. His personal goal is to realize a world of peace and to protect Terumoto from Hideyoshi's influences. Takakage admits that his strategies may be ill prepared for the task since he had relied on his father to compensate for his flaws. Kanbei's confidence in his abilities reaffirms his convictions. After the battle, when Hideyoshi chummily intimidates Takakage to establish himself as a warlord independent from the Mōri, Takakage stands his ground through a cordial refusal.

Grateful to the strategist, Takakage agrees to work with Kanbei to realize a world of peace together with as little bloodshed as possible. The strategists bounce plans and countermeasures effortlessly in and out of the battlefield. Takakage mentors his friend by stressing the importance of keeping compassion in mind with their judgments, comforting Kanbei over his lapse in judgment at Kyushu and Odawara Castle. Though the land is unified under Hideyoshi's rule, Takakage predicts that it won't last. He warns Terumoto of a war he thinks will take place a decade later and urges him to never be influenced by it. Takakage perishes to illness, but his spirit gently entrusts his legacy to Kanbei.

As he prepared a strategy for the upcoming battle against the Oda, Takakage received suspicious reports of ships with a red ribbon heading for Chugoku. They were being led by Splash Warfly.

How to unlock
For both methods, you must fight Takakage at Itsukushima. Alternatively, you can avoid clashing with him by wishing for him from Porunga or purchasing him for 340 Smash coins in the Smash Store. After defeating Takakage, wishing for him from Porunga, or purchasing him from the Smash Store, the announcer will say "Someone else has joined the Tourney!" after a Smash Ball appears on the lower-right corner of the screen with a message saying "You can now use Motonari Mori's third son utilizing strategy and magic, Takakage Kobayakawa!" He will be seen left of Tesoro, right of Destiny Gundam, above Skull Knight and below Nemu (Blue Exorcist).
 * Successfully Execute 14 Final Smashes
 * Play 455 matches

When highlighted
Takakage looks into his book.

After the announcer calls his name
Takakage scatters pages and pulls out his sword as the camera zooms saying "This lifetime, it must be like a dream."

Purify (Neutral)
Sends a water sphere toward.

Wash (Side)
Slams his sword to create a wave.

Tender (Up)
Takakage jumps into the air surrounded by pages that damage anyone close to him.

Encircle (Down)
Takakage sends paper to fly around him circularly.

Drown (Hyper Smash)
Conjures five water orbs in front of him, which then explode.

Scale (Final Smash)
Releases book pages in a tornado around him damaging anyone too close to him.

Victory Animations

 * 1) Takakage sends pages outward and says "The enemy has fallen before me."
 * 2) Takakage spins his sword in a circle then plants it in the ground saying "Everything is going well so far."
 * 3) Takakage sets a strategy map in front of him and says "I shall continue to serve and honor Mori."

On-Screen Appearance
Takakage walks out of a geyser and says "Such a strong opponent... I'm going to enjoy this."

Trivia

 * Takakage's rival is a flying fish Reploid turned Maverick named Splash Warfly.
 * Takakage Kobayakawa shares his English voice actor with Ken Masters, Diddy Kong and Dimentio.
 * Takakage Kobayakawa shares his Japanese voice actor with Hitmonlee.
 * Takakage Kobayakawa shares his French voice actor with Qwilfish, Ikkaku Madarame, Ma Chao, Rashid and Jyazu.
 * Takakage Kobayakawa shares his Arabic voice actor with Havia Winchell.
 * In Samurai Warriors 4, Takakage was available from the beginning, but now he needs to be unlocked in Super Smash Bros. Tourney 2: The New Challengers, replacing his father as unlockable.