Taira no Kiyomori

In 1118 in Kyoto amid the time of confusion, Taira no Tadamori, the heir of the Taira clan, spends days doing dirty works to capture robbers under orders of the Imperial Court. One day, he encounters a pregnant woman named Maiko, who is on the run to protect her unborn baby, a child of the cloistered Emperor Shirakawa (who although retired is still the most powerful,) from being murdered. Tadamori secretly provides shelter to Maiko, while shaking off the pursuit from Minamoto no Tameyoshi, the head of the Minamoto clan, who is searching for her under Emperor Shirakawa's order. Maiko eventually gives birth to a baby boy, Heita, who later becomes known as Taira no Kiyomori.

Heita, after reaching adulthood, wanders around gambling parlors being frustrated with his ironic fate of having two fathers: Tadamori as his foster father and the cloistered Emperor Shirakawa as his biological father. People consider Heita to be disreputable, however, Tadamori continues to treat Heita as the heir of the Taira clan, which worsens the relations between Tadamori and his brother, Tadamasa. One day, a fisherman close to Heita is captured by the Emperor Shirakawa for breaking the law that prohibits killing animals set by the Emperor.

Heita, renamed as Kiyomori, spends days fighting against pirates in the Seto Inland Sea and restoring stolen food to fisherfolk. Kiyomori, however, is mistaken as a pirate and sent to Kyoto where he is reunited with Tadamori. Although Tadamori tries to place Kiyomori to guard the Imperial Palace, Kiyomori refuses it saying he wants to live his own life. One day, Kiyomori is called to stop by a man named Minamoto no Yoshitomo, the son of Tadamori's longtime foe Tameyoshi, who later becomes Kiyomori's lifelong rival. Yoshitomo challenges Kiyomori on deciding which of the Minamoto clan and the Taira clan is superior to the other by comparing their horseback riding skills.

Tadamori becomes the first samurai granted a title which allows him to enter the Imperial Palace in recognition of his loyalty to the Imperial Court, which brings joy to the Taira clan including Kiyomori. However, some aristocrats are not pleased with Tadamori's promotion, and Fujiwara no Tadazane from a prominent family in the Imperial Court, plots to make a sneak attack on Tadamori by maneuvering Tameyoshi.

In 1135 at the Imperial Court, aristocrats are discussing countermeasures against pirates who are raising havoc in the Seto Inland Sea. Despite Tadazane's recommendation to place the Minamoto clan to expel the pirates, the retired Emperor Toba, who puts his trust in Tadamori, assigns the Taira clan to lead the punitive expedition. Tadamori, who wants to make Kiyomori his successor, orders Kiyomori to join the expedition, going against the opposition of Tadamasa. After arriving at the Sea, a giant vessel appears before Tadamori and Kiyomori.

Amid the battle against the pirates, Taira no Moriyasu gets seriously hurt from protecting Kiyomori, and the Taira clan once returns to their base. Kiyomori, however, goes back to the Sea alone being mad at his cowardliness, where he is saved from his sinking boat by Takashina no Michinori. Meanwhile, Yoshitomo, who is on his way eastward from Kyoto, encounters Yura Gozen, daughter of the chief priest of Atsuta Shrine. Back at the Imperial Palace, Nariko from a middle-class aristocratic family becomes pregnant with a child of the retired Emperor Toba. Kiyomori and Michinori are captured by the pirates and taken to the giant vessel.

The Taira clan finally succeeds in subduing the pirates, however, Tadamori is not granted the rank equal to the aristocrats. Kiyomori, on the other hand, gets promoted and pays a visit to Tadazane. On the way back home, Kiyomori and Morikuni, fisherman-turned-samurai, encounter Takashina no Motoaki, a lower-class aristocrat, and his daughter, Akiko. Motoaki immediately takes a liking to Kiyomori and asks him to take Akiko as his wife. Although Akiko feels reluctant to marry Kiyomori because of her low status, she gradually falls for Kiyomori as he reveals his honest feelings toward her.

In 1136, Kiyomori learns that Tadamori is illegally trading with Sung and keeps it secret from the Imperial Court. Meanwhile, Fujiwara no Yorinaga, the second son of Tadazane who is known for his all-or-nothing personality, is assigned as the Minister of the Center, which eventually makes the already unstable situation in the Imperial Court worse. Yorinaga finds out about the illegal trading and summons Kiyomori to his place. Kiyomori, however, suggests to Yorinaga for Japan to emulate the prosperous country of Sung, pointing out Japan's wrong political structure.