Oda Nobunaga: Difference between revisions

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Although noted for many things, including a mastery of tactics, (most famously, at the Battle of Okehazama, Nobunaga's forces, numbering at most 3000, defeated an army of around 25,000 through a combination of daring, misdirection, a brilliant surprise attack, and more than a little luck) revolutionizing the ways Japanese armies used firearms, and completely changing the economic system of and the way wealth was counted in Japan, Nobunaga is chiefly remembered for his ruthless and brutal nature, and it is these traits that dominate most depictions of him in any period pieces or games. Nobunaga's actions leave him ripe for playing the part of the villain, as his most infamous deeds include the burning of powerful Buddhist temples critical of him, and the slaughter of the thousands of men, women and children that lived in them. Even the kinder portrayals of him tend to show him as a man fueled by ambition and greed, in many others it is either speculated or explicitly said that he has either [[We Didn't Start the Fuhrer|become a demon or made a literal]] [[Deal with the Devil]] to carry out his ambitions.

Compare with other historical figures [[Miyamoto Musashi]] and [[Yagyu Jubei]]. Almost always a [[Big Bad]], [[Evil Overlord]] and [[0% Approval Rating]] dictator when he is receiving a [[Historical Villain Upgrade]] in fiction. And a [[Magnificent Bastard]] as well (though this one can be applied in real life too).

 

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* [[Bad Boss]]: Nobunaga did not treat even his inner circle well, being notably cold and tactless even to his highest ranking generals. Perhaps he was paranoid about betrayal or disloyalty, but if so Nobunaga might have turned it into a [[Self-Fulfilling Prophecy]].

** He apparently also had a habit of making fun of his subordinates, such as mocking Akechi Mitsuhide's poetry (which was actually considered pretty good), and calling [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] "monkey" and "bald rat" (because of his shortness and peculiar face).

*** He was known for not putting much faith in his lieutenants, but this was not entirely true. He didn't put much trust in the nobility that served him. The people he put his trust in were a ronin, peasant, and traitor. All people traditionally loathed in Japanese culture, but all of which proved extremely competent.

*** The situation with Mitsuhide is not actually well known. There is a gigantic gap in information between "Nobunaga and Mitsuhide are the best of pals" and "Nobunaga is publicly insulting Mitsuhide." Mitsuhide's mother being killed only provides a possible explanation for his actions, but not Nobunaga's.

* [[Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass]] / [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]: In his early life, he's called "The Fool of Owari". Then Okehazama happens, Nobunaga sheds the "Moron" part and becomes a complete [[Badass]].

** A disguise he might have been all too happy to keep up, had his original province of Owari not been in the path of an eastern warlord marching westward to Kyoto, forcing Nobunaga to make a stand or capitulate.

* [[Driven to Suicide]]: He himself did this to Matsunaga Hisahide when he finally had enough of Hisahide betraying him. It's said that when Nobunaga had Hisahide cornered in his castle he sent a message to him, demanding his head and a priceless tea kettle in his possession. [[Dying Moment of Awesome|Hisahide answered by destroying the tea kettle and blowing himself up]].

* [[Historical Villain Upgrade]]: Probably the biggest victim of this in all Japanese history. Of course, as mentioned repeatedly on this page, there are plenty of reasons why he usually plays the villain...

* [[Kick the Dog]]: The burning of the temples on Mount Hiei. Buddhist warrior monks from this and other sects had been meddling in politics for centuries, and soon became vocal critics and enemies of Nobunaga. Nobonuaga responded by surrounding the culturally significant temple at night and attacking from all sides, working upwards. By the next day the sprawling temple complex was ashes and thousands lay dead, with not even innocent women or children safe from Nobunaga's wrath. Becomes a [[Moral Event Horizon]] to many historians, which kickstarted his long run of villainization in fiction.

** Less famous but arguably more horrifying than the destruction of Mt. Hiei was the burning of Nagashima, a fortress of another warrior monk sect. The group resisted a siege by Nobunaga for several years, but were eventually forced back within their entirely wooden inner fortifications. Nobunaga built a wall around the building, then set it on fire. With nowhere to run, not a single one of the 20,000 inhabitants survived. Note that once again, many of these inhabitants were noncombatants, including both women and children.

* [[Kill It with Fire]]: Nobunaga had a rather disturbing tendency to burn and raze the strongholds of his enemies... with his enemies still inside them.

* [[Magnificent Bastard]]

* [[Satan]]: According to Luís Fróis, it was Nobunaga who nicknamed himself "Dairokuten maou", lit. "Devil King of the Sixth Heaven", which is essentially the same as calling himself Satan. He was probably being ironic, but later generations were eager to take it literally...

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== [[Film]] ==

* In the film for ''[[Ghost Sweeper Mikami]]'', both Oda Nobunaga and his vassal blamed for his death, Akechi Mitsuhide, appear. In a uncommon aversion, a ghostly Akechi defends his apparent betrayal by explaining that Nosferatu killed the original Oda, transformed himself and took his place, leading to the famed brutality.

* Nobunaga is a target of the ninjas in ''Shinobi no Mono''.

 

== [[Web Original]] ==

 

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