Impressions on "Nobunaga's Ninja: Anegawa/Ishiyama Arc" episodes 60-62: A foreshadowing-filled episode that connects the battle of Anegawa to the Battle of Ishiyama!

Nobunaga no Shinobi" is a short anime based on a four-frame manga of the same name (created by Naoki Shigeno) serialized in Young Animal (Hakusensha), and it has many hidden fans due to its excellent performance as a gag anime about the Warring States period, The third season will finally depict the "Battle of Anegawa" and the "Battle of Ishiyama," two of the most important battles on Nobunaga's road to unifying the country. If you are a history fan, you absolutely have to watch it! It is a must-see for history fans.


It has been a while since my last review, but episodes 60, 61, and 62, which I will review in one go this time, are the postquel to the "Battle of Anegawa," which had continued hard until the previous episode. Therefore, basically, the battle of Anegawa itself can be considered to have ended with the previous episode 59. After the battle, the story will move on to the "Battle of Ishiyama," another major battle in this season's anime, so these three episodes can be regarded as "daily life" between the two major battles, so to speak.

Episode 60 "Each Anegawa

Previously, the "Battle of Anegawa," a hard-fought battle that could hardly be considered a four-frame gag anime, ended in victory for the allied forces of Oda and Tokugawa due to the defeat of the Asai and Asakura armies. Chidori, who had killed Naotsune Endo, the man who had saved his life in the previous battle, fell down on the battlefield in a daze. Sukezo tries to console Chidori. He says something nice once in a while, doesn't he?


Meanwhile, Nagamasa Asai returns to Kotani Castle and regrets his defeat in front of his beloved city. However, Nagamasa is so powerful that he hits the floor and falls. If there was a hole, I'd like to get in it," he says. However, Oichi has finally turned his brother Nobunaga against him, and he seems to have made up his mind to do so. This will surely increase the number of Oichi's fans again.


At that time, the Oda forces were divided over whether or not to attack Kotani Castle, where Nagamasa had fled, but the Oda forces did not think they had enough time to fight a long siege, and Nobunaga decided to retreat to Mino. However, Yokoyama Castle, a branch castle of Kotani Castle, which had been lost in this battle, was an important military base and needed to be firmly defended in order to find out Nagamasa's movements. Nobunaga ordered Hideyoshi to take on this great task, but Hideyoshi seemed to want to return to Mino as soon as possible to see his beloved Nene. He was disappointed with the single post that came unexpectedly. ......

In Mino, Kicho is relieved to hear the news of the victory. However, she is also concerned for Nobunaga and Oichi, who are now siblings and enemies of each other. Kicho was originally the daughter of Doso Saito, a feudal lord of Mino, who had married Nobunaga of Owari, a neighboring province, as a political ploy. Moreover, Nobunaga later fought a war with his elder brother Yoshitatsu Saito over Mino. Exactly the same thing happened to Oichi as it did to Kicho. Oh, what an absurdity of the Warring States period.


Furthermore, Yamazaki Yoshiie, a general in Asakura's army who had returned to Echizen, asked his lord Asakura Yoshikage why he had not gone into battle, partly because he had lost his comrade-in-arms, Magara Naotaka. Yoshikage evaded the question, saying that he could not leave the country to settle a domestic revolt, but Yoshiie believed that the defeat in this battle was due to the fact that Yoshikage, as the leader of the army, did not go into battle, which greatly affected the morale of the soldiers, and he grew distrustful of the situation. Incidentally, the Ikkyu sect (Jodo Shinshu) of this Ikkyu revolt would have a great impact on the Ishiyama Battle later on, and ultimately on Nobunaga's life, but Nobunaga had no way of knowing such things at this time. ......

Episode 60 "Each Anegawa" Synopsis

In the battle of Anegawa, the Asai and Asakura forces were defeated with thousands of dead. The battle ended in a great victory for the Oda and Tokugawa forces, and Yokoyama Castle, a branch castle of the Asai, belonged to the Oda family. Yokoyama Castle was a foothold for the Asai invasion, and the person who was put in charge of the castle was that man!



Episode 61 "True Preparedness

The setting has changed and is now in Kyoto. Nobunaga reports to Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki that he has won the Battle of Anegawa. Yoshiaki, however, has begun to really dislike Nobunaga and shows his disdain by saying that he wishes he had lost the battle. Yoshiaki's aide, Fujitaka Hosokawa, who was standing next to Nobunaga, tried to patch things up, but the relationship between the two already seemed to have cooled off for all to see. Ah, it's going to be a bad situation after this, isn't it? Knowing the ending, I feel that this attitude of Yoshiaki is unforgivable. Well, Nobunaga also used Yoshiaki to get to this point, so I guess it's fair to say that the situation is mutual.


On the other hand, Hideyoshi and his men were entrusted with Yokoyama Castle, a branch castle right in front of the Asai family to keep an eye on them. They are working on the castle walls to strengthen the defenses. I thought they were missing their beloved Nene, but they seem to be rather happy that Oichi is in Kotani Castle in front of them and that they are "breathing the same air as Oichi-sama. Idiot! Such Hideyoshi thinks he will be able to go home soon anyway, but he doesn't know that he actually has to endure in this castle for the next three years. Oh, ah, ah, monkey!


Chidori and Sukeso visit Yokoyama Castle. Hideyoshi tries to make Chidori laugh, thinking that she is depressed about Endo's case, and he shows her a pun joke that Nobunaga once told him, but Nobunaga hears the story and is hurt. Hideyoshi is always the third one. He has too much good taste!


So, Nobunaga visits Yokoyama Castle and asks Chidori again.


'Are you prepared to slay even if those closest to you turn against you?


'Yes, I am! I am ready!" Chidori replies, "Yes, I am! Wow, I'm in love with you, Chidori!


Nobunaga's response to this is superb.


"For example, even if Mitsuhide there commits a rebellion?"


What a thing to say, since we are the later generations who know the history!　 A flag indeed! But if you have seen this work so far, you would not think that Mitsuhide, who is a nice character with good taste, would rebel against Nobunaga at this time at all. ...... This anime is very deep, isn't it?

Episode 61 "True Preparedness" Synopsis

Nobunaga visits Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki in Kyoto and reports his victory in the battle against the Asai family. However, Yoshiaki is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with Nobunaga, and the relationship is deteriorating behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Chidori, who has recovered from Endo's death, is ready for Nobunaga's question!

Episode 62 "A Little Way to the Mori Family"

More time has passed since the last episode, and the season is summer.


Nobunaga has returned to Gifu and is enjoying a fleeting rest with his wife, Kucho. However, in Nobunaga's mind, the next battle was already underway. He told Kicho that the notorious three Miyoshi war riors had begun plotting something in Settsu Province, west of Kyoto, and that he needed to destroy their schemes. The problem, however, was the nearby Ishiyama Honganji Temple. The head temple of the Jodo Shinshu sect, which at the time was gaining followers throughout Japan, had considerable financial and military power, making it an unwieldy opponent.


Under such circumstances, Chidori and Sukeso, under orders from Nobunaga, visit the home of his vassal, Mori Kanari. There, they meet Nagayoshi and Ranmaru, two of Kanari's sons. Nagayoshi, who later came to be known as one of the most crazed warriors (Berserker) in the Warring States period, was already quite mad and suddenly challenged Chidori to a duel, but was knocked unconscious by his younger brother Ranmaru, who hit him from behind with a wooden blow. Of course, this Ranmaru is the same Ranmaru Mori who would later become Nobunaga's personal servant, but these brothers are quite interesting.


The next day, Mori Kanari and his wife Ei visit Nobunaga at Gifu Castle. Nobunaga called Kanari to visit his wife, Ei, at Gifu Castle the next day. The reason Nobunaga called Kanari was, of all things, to entrust him with the defense of Usayama Castle, the entrance to the capital, as he was about to attack Settsu. Across Lake Biwa, Hideyoshi defended Yokoyama Castle on the east side, and Kanari defended Usayama Castle on the west side. These two castles would be used to hold off the Asai and Asakura forces, which were expected to attack again at some point. Kanari, of course, was happy to accept this great task, but things would turn out to be very bad after that. Knowing what is going to happen next, it is hard for him!


Nobunaga also asks his wife Ei a question. Ei is actually a follower of the Ikkyu sect of Buddhism and has visited Ishiyama Honganji Temple, the head temple of the sect. Nobunaga asked Ei what kind of person Rennyo Honganji, the head priest of Honganji, was. In fact, this was also an episode that could be said to be an introduction to the severe battle of Ishiyama Battle that was to follow. Wow, isn't this a lot of foreshadowing?　This is why "Nobunaga's Shinobi" is so hard to stop!


To be continued next time!

Episode 62 "A Little Way to the Mori Family" Synopsis

Nobunaga returns to Gifu Castle and begins to prepare for the next battle. In the west, the three Miyoshi warriors were once again on the move. Meanwhile, Chidori and Sukeso went to the residence of Mori Kanari as Nobunaga's errand boy. There, Chidori is suddenly challenged to a duel by Kanari's son, Nagayoshi!

(Editorial Department, Kamata)

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