TV-Series
Description
Kiyoshi Taira is a middle-aged man of fifty-one years, originally from Osaka and working as a real estate agent before being forced into the survival game on the island. He is slightly overweight with a round head, a high forehead, small eyes, and black, spiky hair, and he sports a mustache. His typical attire consists of a white button-up shirt with the collar left open and the sleeves rolled up, paired with grey pants and black shoes. He speaks with a distinct Kansai dialect, which reflects his origins.
In his personal life, Taira is a loving husband and father, but he himself admits to being a monster at work, where he treats his subordinates harshly and is willing to abuse legal loopholes for his company's benefit. On the island, his outward personality is initially cheerful, optimistic, and friendly, as he quickly seeks to establish good relationships with those he meets. However, beneath this jovial exterior lies a profound fear of being abandoned, a fear that becomes a central driver of his actions as the game progresses. He is a supportive and stabilizing presence in his group for a time, but he is also emotionally fragile, and the immense psychological pressure of the kill-or-be-killed environment gradually breaks down his sanity.
Taira's primary motivation shifts drastically over his time in the game. Initially, he is driven by a desire to survive and return to his family, and he is willing to cooperate with others to achieve this goal. He believes his presence on the island is a form of karma for his unethical business practices. However, after suffering a serious injury and experiencing periods of isolation, his motivation becomes corrupted by desperation and paranoia, leading him to betray his allies in a misguided attempt to secure his own survival. He is the first character to form a lasting alliance with the protagonists, Ryota Sakamoto and Himiko, and his eventual breakdown serves as an early and tragic example of how the game can corrupt even seemingly good-natured individuals.
Taira's most significant relationship is with Ryota Sakamoto, whom he meets very early on. He is grateful for Ryota's help and comes to rely on him heavily for both physical survival and emotional support. He also treats Himiko kindly and respects her strength, viewing her as a key part of their small group. He has a brief but impactful interaction with Masahito Date, who treats his fever and gains Taira's trust, leaving him confused and disappointed when he later learns of Date's true, untrustworthy nature. The betrayal of his friends and his subsequent suicide deeply affect both Ryota and Himiko.
Taira undergoes a complete and tragic psychological breakdown over the course of the story. After being bitten by a komodo dragon while protecting an unconscious Himiko, he becomes infected and physically weakened. As he is repeatedly left behind by the healthier Ryota, who is carrying Himiko, his fear of abandonment festers. He begins having delusions of his family urging him to survive, which finally pushes him over the edge. When Ryota and Himiko find him again at an abandoned communications tower, a paranoid and desperate Taira attacks them, betraying their trust. After failing to kill them, he flees, only to find himself cornered by three giant komodo dragons. Overcome with guilt for his betrayal and with only one BIM left, he uses it to take his own life.
Taira possesses the Homing type of BIM, which can track targets, though these bombs are noted to be not particularly powerful. He is shown to have collected the IC chips from two other deceased players, which he carries with him. Physically, he has poor endurance due to his age and build, tiring easily from running. His most notable abilities are his initial social skills and strategic thinking, which are ultimately overshadowed by his psychological fragility under the extreme conditions of the island.
In his personal life, Taira is a loving husband and father, but he himself admits to being a monster at work, where he treats his subordinates harshly and is willing to abuse legal loopholes for his company's benefit. On the island, his outward personality is initially cheerful, optimistic, and friendly, as he quickly seeks to establish good relationships with those he meets. However, beneath this jovial exterior lies a profound fear of being abandoned, a fear that becomes a central driver of his actions as the game progresses. He is a supportive and stabilizing presence in his group for a time, but he is also emotionally fragile, and the immense psychological pressure of the kill-or-be-killed environment gradually breaks down his sanity.
Taira's primary motivation shifts drastically over his time in the game. Initially, he is driven by a desire to survive and return to his family, and he is willing to cooperate with others to achieve this goal. He believes his presence on the island is a form of karma for his unethical business practices. However, after suffering a serious injury and experiencing periods of isolation, his motivation becomes corrupted by desperation and paranoia, leading him to betray his allies in a misguided attempt to secure his own survival. He is the first character to form a lasting alliance with the protagonists, Ryota Sakamoto and Himiko, and his eventual breakdown serves as an early and tragic example of how the game can corrupt even seemingly good-natured individuals.
Taira's most significant relationship is with Ryota Sakamoto, whom he meets very early on. He is grateful for Ryota's help and comes to rely on him heavily for both physical survival and emotional support. He also treats Himiko kindly and respects her strength, viewing her as a key part of their small group. He has a brief but impactful interaction with Masahito Date, who treats his fever and gains Taira's trust, leaving him confused and disappointed when he later learns of Date's true, untrustworthy nature. The betrayal of his friends and his subsequent suicide deeply affect both Ryota and Himiko.
Taira undergoes a complete and tragic psychological breakdown over the course of the story. After being bitten by a komodo dragon while protecting an unconscious Himiko, he becomes infected and physically weakened. As he is repeatedly left behind by the healthier Ryota, who is carrying Himiko, his fear of abandonment festers. He begins having delusions of his family urging him to survive, which finally pushes him over the edge. When Ryota and Himiko find him again at an abandoned communications tower, a paranoid and desperate Taira attacks them, betraying their trust. After failing to kill them, he flees, only to find himself cornered by three giant komodo dragons. Overcome with guilt for his betrayal and with only one BIM left, he uses it to take his own life.
Taira possesses the Homing type of BIM, which can track targets, though these bombs are noted to be not particularly powerful. He is shown to have collected the IC chips from two other deceased players, which he carries with him. Physically, he has poor endurance due to his age and build, tiring easily from running. His most notable abilities are his initial social skills and strategic thinking, which are ultimately overshadowed by his psychological fragility under the extreme conditions of the island.