Name: Taira no Noritsune (平 教経)
Birth/ Death: (1160-1185)
Appearance: Book 7 Episode 13, 19; Book 8 Episode 7; Book 9 Episode 6, 9, 10, 12, 18, 19; Book 11 Episode 3, 5, 6, 10
Bio:
Taira no Noritsune is a Taira warrior who fights during the battle of Dan-no-ura. Noritsune tries to defeat Yoshitsune, but does not succeed. He throws his sword and halberd into the sea, takes off his helmet, and rips off his lower skirt, knowing he will die. As a last stand, he fights with Aki no Sanemitsu, who is described as, "being endowed with the strength of 30 men", a strongman retainer, and his younger brother Jiro, who is described as being, "sturdier than most". Noritsune kicks the strongman retainer into the sea, and grabs Sanemitsu and Jiro under each arm, and said, "Fine, you're coming with me, you two louts, on the road to death" and then plunges himself with the two men into the sea, drowning all of them. He also jumped from a boat, held a bow in one hand, and threw Kikuo onto another boat to make sure the enemy would not get Kikuo's head.