First Impressions / Oda Nobuna no Yabou

「墨俣一夜城」 (Sunomata Ichi-ya Shiro)
“Sunomata Castle in One Night”

In terms of historical accuracy, the only event that actually stuck true to the plot was the construction of Sunomata castle. Everything else completely deviated from the plot, so actually predicting what would happen was a mystery for me this episode.

The liberties the anime took in place of history wasn’t bad–in fact they brought out the traits. Although Nobunaga never had to be trapped in flames during the siege, its purpose served two-fold: one, to place pressure on Yoshiharu’s decisions and two, to uplift Nobuna’s ability as a tactician. The story is slowly moving in a direction that reminds us that Yoshiharu’s plans are not foolproof because history has dictated it–due to his changes in the timeline, history reacts in a different, unpredictable way. It’s true that Yoshiharu should be able to handle these dynamic scenarios, but this is a game he has not had practice to play. At first, hiccups in the timeline didn’t affect Yoshiharu’s battle plans significantly; generally the timeline kept true to its history and Yoshiharu was able to play it out by reflex. However, if we were to compare this game to AI in a game, the CPU definitely is getting more unpredictable. Thankfully, while the enemy grows unpredictable, Nobuna also continues to shine as well. It is getting a bit cliche how she’ll panic and tear up if Yoshiharu is in trouble, yet her general approach to the war is admirable. This mix of emotional sensitivity and superior war tactics is a recurring conflict that will not go away in this series. If the series can continue to provide these forks for Nobuna–deciding between love and conquest, while making sure she doesn’t get both–I will be a content viewer. If the series can also pull that off for Yoshiharu and somehow place a real lose-lose situation into the plot due to his selfishness, I will continue to eat the criticisms I’ve laid out in previous episodes. If the series can push what they did with the burning of Sunomata Castle into something more tense over a longer span of time, I won’t just be content, I’ll be a happy giddy viewer!

Speaking of those criticisms, the show continues to make me modify my criticisms: something both humbling and relieving for me to do. In initial episodes, I kept my concerns that all the protagonists had plot armor, especially the girls. When Yoshiharu actually started bleeding from Hattori’s shuriken, my new concern was that none of the cute girls would get harmed. Now that Goemon has been shot and knocked out, I want to start hoping that the show is actually listening to my words, and state that the next improvement is now to have one of the characters become incapacitated for a significant amount of time (aka lasting longer than one episode). Despite that hope, this is what I expect the show’s limit is in terms of creating situations of injury. If any one of the cast members were chosen to be knocked out for awhile, fans would be flailing, rage boiling…or so I would expect. Whilst having an occasional injury may create drama for the moment, actual serious injury would sour the comedy-drama balance that seems production has taken. But hey, I could be wrong, and who knows what’s next?

Next week, if you thought we didn’t have enough characters to manage in this show…no. More cute Daimyos and miko shrine maidens continue to challenge Nobuna’s rise to rule, with undoubtedly more skill than ever!

Meanwhile, while we wait, let’s take a moment to appreciate this scene. Props to Croos for making the gif!

Historical Notes: (Spoilers Possible)

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36 Comments

  2. This was a fun watch at first I was upset with Saru,yet again, for his know it all atittude, when Nobuna used her other generals before him. It was good to teach him a lesson. Then the whole gold mine fire trap was executed perfectly and the gun shot I was totaly into the whole thing and thought we really were going to lose a character and nobuna crying at the river for saru was a nice scene and gave me the shivers (I thought they retreaded). Can’t complain muc hfor the happy ending specially because Saru got a “beating” for holding the loli.
    The final gift of step father was nice, hope that freeing the bad guy won’t bite our gang later on.

    Yes!@
    Reply

  5. https://randomc.net/image/Oda%20Nobuna%20no%20Yabou/Oda%20Nobuna%20no%20Yabou%20-%2006%20-%20Large%2010.jpg

    Heh, funny to think that it’s all the loli characters that have become more attached to Yoshiharu overall (Nobuna, of course, being all tsundere about it).

    https://randomc.net/image/Oda%20Nobuna%20no%20Yabou/Oda%20Nobuna%20no%20Yabou%20-%2006%20-%20Large%2028.jpg

    Man, is that scary? Or sexy? Or both? I can’t tell. I’m scared, yet I love it, lol.

    HalfDemonInuyasha
    Reply

  6. This Anime needs to be become a Game.
    Massacring thousands of brain-dead AI soldiers using cute lolis while a rock music is playing in the background, ala Dynasty Warriors/Samurai Warriors but more so, because this Anime has a pretty decent and engaging storyline.

    Jhacks
    Reply

      2. Sorry, that wasn’t meant to be a reply to you, just a general comment.

        As for the chainmail, those matchlock muskets were of extremely variable quality. It’s not hard to believe that at least sometimes, chainmail would stop the shot.

        Magus
        Reply

  10. I really love this series. Watched it twice over so far and about to start a 3rd, but I hope that this all isn’t just a dream or something. Would really detract from the attachment I’m feeling towards some of the characters.

    Samurai Pumpkin
    Reply

  13. Long time reader, first time commenter. I am really enjoying this series because every week it seems to amp up the action and the stakes. More than meets the eye for Nobuna. It really is one of my favorite series this season from an enjoyment factor. The pacing and story telling, at least for me, outclasses Sengoku Collection.

    Sushi GoKart
    Reply

  22. Among the reviews written by westerners your knowledge about what happened historically is among the best. Even though you said “almost all of the events, other than the construction of Sunomata Castle by Yoshiharu and the renaming of Inabayama to Gifu, are made up” which is a pleasant surprise. Anyway, I find the anime / light novel satisfyingly stick close to history – at least the girls mostly remember what their role and goal is and fight like a soldier, which cannot be said for other girls-in-historical-figures anime like Sengoku Collection or Sangoku Musou or Ikki Tousen. And generally the story is moving along the general direction of the history. And the anime in fact arouses my interest about the history of the Sengoku Period (again) and even teaches quite a few things I did not know before, like Hanbei captured the Inabayama castle but turned it over back to Saito Yoshitatsu (this took place in ep.5 but of course what happened was completely different in real life). And the final twist of renaming Inabayama to Gifu (which is what the city is called now) that can also means “step-father” is simply a masterstroke, worthy of having a special ED of its own. Overall the animation quality is top-notched, and the character design is done so cute so well. I started this anime thinking it may just be another Sengoku Collection but ended up loving this anime so much – I would put it in the top 3 anime of this season among the 16 titles that I am following currently.

    SYMBV
    Reply

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