Naomi Shirada

Actress: Lyida Look

Name: Naomi Shirada*Nationality:* Japanese*Affiliation:* Empire of the Rising Sun*Rank:* Admiral of the Fleet*Position:* Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Navy*Specialism:* Naval warfare*Family:* Heiress to the Shirada family*Associates:* Yoshiro, Tatsu, Shinzo Nagama, Kenji Tenzai*Conflict:* Third World War*Appearance:* Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
Status: Varies depending on the campaign.Naomi Shirada is an admiral of the Empire of the Rising Sun and one of its leading commanders during the Third World War. An undisputed expert in naval warfare, she commands major imperial fleets and is known for her cold, violent and particularly ruthless nature.

Heiress of the Shirada family

Naomi belongs to a prestigious Japanese military family, of which she is the heiress. Her connection with the sea began literally from the moment she was born, as she is said to have been born aboard a Shogun-class battleship. She subsequently spent most of her life at sea and does not even appear to have a permanent residence, preferring to live aboard the vessels under her command.

Her name is also associated with Shirada Shipworks, a powerful zaibatsu specialising in military shipbuilding and responsible for the design of a large proportion of the Empire’s vessels. The Shirada shipyards, in particular, constitute a major centre of imperial naval activity in the Port of Tokyo.

Even the imposing Shogun-class battleships are fitted with main guns bearing the Shirada name, illustrating the importance of his family in the Imperial naval industry.

A Ruthless Commander

Naomi has a reputation for being an extremely ambitious, impatient and aloof woman. She has little patience for those who stand in her way and is particularly aggressive in battle.

This brutality is, however, accompanied by genuine military talent. Naomi is regarded as one of the best Commanders in the Imperial Navy and represents a major asset for the Land of the Rising Sun.

Her strategy naturally relies on naval superiority. She readily employs Yari, Naginata Cruisers and, above all, powerful formations of Shogun Battleships. When circumstances demand it, she supplements her forces with Tsunami Tanks, Sea-Wings, Rocket Angels and other Imperial units.

Gibraltar

In the Allied campaign, Naomi appears when the Empire of the Rising Sun encircles Gibraltar.

The Allies and the Soviets have just formed a temporary alliance to fight their new common enemy. General Kenji Tenzai commands the Imperial forces occupying the region, whilst Naomi intervenes with her fleet to prevent the liberation of the strait.

She warns her opponents to withdraw, convinced that her naval might will be enough to crush them.

But the Allies recover their Assault Destroyer ships whilst the Soviets deploy their Akula Submarines. The two combined fleets turn on Naomi and her ships, ultimately securing the liberation of Gibraltar.

The Floating Fortress

Naomi is then given command of a gigantic Imperial Floating Fortress in the North Sea.

This installation poses a major threat to Europe. The Allies and the Soviets therefore launch a joint operation to destroy it.

Naomi personally commands its defence using a large part of the Imperial arsenal, supported in particular by Rocket Angels and King Onis. Despite this resistance, the attackers manage to destabilise the structure’s Reactors and destroy the Fortress.

This latest defeat considerably reduces the Empire’s ability to sustain its offensive in Europe.

The Defence of Tokyo

The Allied offensive eventually reaches Japan directly.

When the Imperial leaders gathered in Tokyo, the Allies seized the opportunity to launch an attack aimed at decapitating the Land of the Rising Sun’s command structure. Naomi took part in the defence of the capital alongside Yoshiro, Tatsu, Shinzo Nagama and Kenji Tenzai.

The facilities at Shirada Docks, closely linked to her family and the Empire’s naval power, were destroyed during the Allied attack on the port of Tokyo.

The Allied victory ultimately leads to the collapse of the Empire.

Naomi does not reappear in Uprising. Her role amongst the Imperial commanders is then essentially taken over by Takara Sato, who also specialises in certain naval operations.

The Imperial Campaign

In the Empire’s campaign, however, Naomi fights alongside the Imperial Commander.

In particular, she takes part in the defence of Pearl Harbor, where the Allies hope to take the Japanese fleet by surprise. Thanks to Imperial intelligence, Naomi and the Commander are already prepared for the offensive and have a significant naval force at their disposal to defend the installations.

She then accompanies the Commander on other major operations, notably against the Black Tortoise fortress and during the attack on Santa Monica.

In this timeline, Naomi therefore contributes to the great victories that enable the Land of the Rising Sun to continue its expansion.

The Soviet Campaign

Her fate is far more decisive in the Soviet campaign.

When the Red Army attacks Mount Fuji in an attempt to assassinate Emperor Yoshiro, several of the finest imperial commanders intervene in turn to defend their sovereign.

Shinzo Nagama is the first to enter the battle, followed by Naomi Shirada, then Kenji Tenzai.

Naomi engages her naval forces against the Soviet Commander but suffers defeat. She is killed during the clash, as are Shinzo and Kenji, before the Soviets finally reach Yoshiro.

Her death, however, is unique to this branch of the campaign.

Personality

Naomi is probably the most openly aggressive of the principal Imperial commanders.

Shinzo Nagama is calculating and disciplined.*Kenji Tenzai* favours mechanised power and has a highly theatrical personality.*Naomi Shirada* embodies, above all, brutality and naval dominance.

She also possesses immense family pride. For her, a defeat is not merely a military setback: she considers it a dishonour to the Shirada name as well.

She can, however, recognise the worth of an opponent skilled enough to defeat her, which slightly tempers her arrogance.