Butterfly Love ~Young Nobunaga~ Review: Enjoy this youth drama from the Warring States period

Butterfly - Young Nobunaga - Review and details

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

July 8, 2019 - September 23, 2019
From 21:30

■Broadcasting station

AT-X, TOKYO MX

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 12

■Original Story

Swallowtail Horomo Group

■ Director

Abe Noriyuki

■ Production

Animation Production: Studio Deen

■Works

©Agebaboshu/Kochuki Production Committee

■ Story

Born in Owari during the Warring States period, Oda Nobunaga was called "the great fool" from an early age and was looked upon strangely by those around him. However, deep inside he had a strong intellectual curiosity and an interest in unusual things from overseas. Nobunaga was always accompanied by his foster brother, Ikeda Tsuneoki. Although Tsuneoki was troubled by Nobunaga's unrestrained behavior, they shared a deep friendship.

Nobunaga, along with his beloved companions, makes his way through complicated circumstances and the turbulent times of the Warring States period, using his originality as a weapon. While keeping historical facts in mind, the characters, centered around Nobunaga, overcome these obstacles and spin a new story. This work depicts the growth of Nobunaga and the drama of the people around him, and is a grand story set in the Warring States period.

■Cast

・Oda Nobunaga/Kobayashi Yusuke・Ikeda Tsuneoki/Uchida Yuma・Oda Shinkatsu/from Ishikawa Prefecture・Butterfly/Hanamori Yuri・Maeda Toshiya/Terashima Takuto・Zongen Sawahiko/Tachibana Shinnosuke・Takigawa Kazuyoshi/Enoki Junya・Ohana/Numakura Manami・Oichi/Toyama Nao・Ikoma Yoshino/Suzuki Minori・Sasa Narimasa/Takahashi Makoto・Murai Sadakatsu/Maeno Maki・Tsutouki Zoto/Hino Yu

■ Main staff

Director: Abe Yoshiyuki Series Composition: Yamaguchi Ryota Screenplay: Sasano E, Sawada Kaoru Character Design: Nakajima Atsuko Prop Design: Miyagawa Haruo Color Design: Kamakura Kazuki Art Supervisor: Miyake Masakazu Director of Photography: Hamao Shigemitsu Editing: Matsushiro E History Setting Supervision: Xiubo Downhill Sound Director: Nagura Yasushi Music: Shirato Yusuke Music Production: Flying Dog Procedural: GENCO
・Animation/Staji Odin

■ Main Characters

・Oda Nobunaga The eldest son of Oda Nobuhide, a feudal lord of Owari during the Warring States period. His childhood name was Yoshifusa. From an early age, he was known for his eccentric behavior and words, and was called "the great fool" by those around him. He has a strong intellectual curiosity and loves rare things from overseas. He makes his way through complicated circumstances and the turbulent Warring States period, using his originality and his beloved friends as weapons.

・Ikeda Tsuneoki The son of Ikeda Tsunetoshi, a vassal of Oda Nobuhide. He was Nobunaga's foster brother and grew up like a real brother. He has a serious and well-behaved personality, is loyal, and is trusted by those around him. He puts Nobunaga first above all else and is bound by a deep friendship, but he is constantly worried about Nobunaga's unrestrained nature.

Nobukatsu Oda is Nobunaga's younger brother. He is polite and well behaved. He is trusted by his retainers, but is unhappy that people are pushing for Nobukatsu to be the next head of the family. He admired his free-spirited older brother from an early age, but he is torn between Nobunaga, his retainers, and his mother, who dislikes Nobunaga.

・Kicho, the daughter of Saito Dosan, also known as the "Mino no Viper". She is also known as Mino no Hime (Princess of Mino). Her beauty is so famous that it is known throughout the surrounding countries, but she has a serious secret that she cannot tell anyone...

・Maeda Toshiie The fourth son of the Maeda family, he volunteered to become a vassal of Nobunaga and joined the horse crew. He always has a bright and positive personality, but he is also a playful person who likes to be the center of attention, and sometimes fails. His straightforward nature earned him the deep trust of Nobunaga. He is also an expert with the spear.

Sawahiko Soon A monk of the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect. He was asked by Oda Nobuhide's chief vassal, Hirate Masahide, to become the tutor of Yoshifusa (Nobunaga). In addition to attending to the Oda clan's rituals and government affairs, he also plays the role of a diplomat, traveling to various countries to negotiate. His age is unknown and he has a mysterious air about him.

・Takigawa Kazumasu, a retainer of Nobunaga. He had a deep knowledge of matchlock guns and was a senior retainer who served Nobunaga before and after he inherited the family headship. In addition to negotiating alliances, he was a famous general who excelled in both literature and martial arts, and was known for his "Takigawa when he retreats, and Takigawa when he advances." He later served Nobunaga for a long time as a direct retainer, and was counted among the "Four Heavenly Kings of Nobunaga."

・Ohana Nobunaga's older sister. Nicknamed Inuyama-dono. She has a bright personality and treats Nobunaga equally, even though he tends to be isolated in the household. She likes to gossip and is a bit naive, but she also has a strong-willed side, like Nobunaga's older sister (?).

・Oichi is Nobunaga's younger sister. She is 13 years older than Nobunaga, and both she and her sister are loved by him. Although she has a cheerful and kind personality, she is aware of the "customs of the Warring States period" and is trying to marry off her brother for the Oda family. She is also famous as a "peerless beauty."

・Ikoma Yoshino She was the daughter of the Ikoma family, who ran a business in Koori, Owari. She met Nobunaga by chance when he was riding a long distance. Her family was wealthy merchants and called the "Ikoma residence," and she had many connections with people. She later became Nobunaga's concubine and gave birth to Nobutada, Nobuo, and Tokuhime.

・Sassa Narimasa A vassal of Nobunaga. He has a bit of a delinquent temperament. He served Nobunaga from a young age and distinguished himself as a Umawari-shu. He would go on to become a powerful military commander for Nobunaga throughout his life. His older brothers, Masatsugu and Magosuke, were also vassals of the Oda clan.

Murai Sadakatsu was a retainer of Nobunaga. Contrary to appearance, he had a very high level of political ability and was highly valued by Nobunaga from an early stage. After Nobunaga moved to Kyoto, he was the "Kyoto Shoshidai" (Kyoto Shoshidai), and played an active role as the "overall manager" of the Oda clan in Kyoto, negotiating with the Imperial Court and temples and shrines, and maintaining public order, helping Nobunaga in his rise to power.

・Tsugi Kurodo A retainer of Oda Nobukatsu. He was originally one of Nobukatsu's young men, but he came to be highly valued by Nobukatsu along with Shibata Katsuie. He takes advantage of the gaps in Nobukatsu's heart, which are shaken by his relationship with his brother, Nobunaga, and the circumstances around him, and devises a shady scheme. He is characterized by the row of moles under his eyes.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: "Coming of Age"
・Episode 2: "Congratulations"
・Episode 3: "Father and Son"
・Episode 4: "Grandpa's Thoughts"
・Episode 5/"Conference"
・Episode 6/"Kiyosu"
Episode 7: "Love and Death"
・Episode 8/"Nobukatsu"
・Episode 9: "Separation"
Episode 10: "Brother and Brother"
・Episode 11/“Up to Kyoto”
・Episode 12: "Okehazama"

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Period: 1-12
・Quick Walk・Singer: Ribuno

・ED1
・Period: 1-12
・Fangs and Wings・Lyrics by Dan Miyagawa・Composition by Tomoya Kawasaki・Singer by May'n

Butterfly Love -Young Nobunaga- Review

"Butterfly Fantasy: Young Nobunaga" is an anime that tells the story of the younger days of Oda Nobunaga, a hero of the Warring States period. It was broadcast from July 8 to September 23, 2019, and was available to watch on AT-X and TOKYO MX. Although it is a compact series of 12 episodes, it carefully depicts Nobunaga's growth and the drama of the people around him.

The greatest appeal of this work is that it delves deeply into Nobunaga's humanity. Although Nobunaga was called a "great fool" from an early age, his inner self was filled with strong intellectual curiosity and originality. The anime depicts Nobunaga's growth process in a realistic way, allowing viewers to relive how he transformed into a hero of the Warring States period.

The characters surrounding Nobunaga are also fascinating. In particular, his friendship with his foster brother, Ikeda Tsuneoki, is an important element that highlights Nobunaga's humanity. Tsuneoki's earnest, loyal personality contrasts with Nobunaga's unrestrainedness, and the relationship between the two men enriches the story. Other characters with unique personalities, such as Nobunaga's younger brother Nobukatsu and Princess Kicho of Mino, also appear, adding depth to the story.

The anime was produced by Studio Deen and directed by Abe Noriyuki. Character design was done by Nakajima Atsuko, and her beautiful visuals and precise movements add to the visual appeal. Music was done by Shirato Yusuke, and the grandiose sound that brings to life the atmosphere of the Warring States period adds excitement to the story. The opening theme "Quick Walk" is sung by Ribuno, and the ending theme "Fangs and Wings" is sung by May'n, both of which are wonderful songs that match the worldview of the work.

The story begins with Nobunaga's coming-of-age ceremony, and progresses to his wedding, his conflict with his father, and the Battle of Okehazama. Each episode depicts Nobunaga's growth, allowing viewers to relive how he grew into a hero of the Warring States period. In particular, the series is packed with elements of human drama, such as the brotherly relationship between Nobunaga and Nobukatsu, and the love story between Nobunaga and Kicho, which draws viewers in.

This work has received very high praise, and stands out as a unique anime set in the Sengoku period. It is a first-class work in every respect, with a story that delves deeply into Nobunaga's humanity, charming characters, beautiful visuals and music, and a production that realistically recreates the atmosphere of the Sengoku period. This work is recommended not only for those who love the Sengoku period and history, but also for anime fans.

Butterfly Love -Young Nobunaga- Recommended

"Butterfly Fantasy: Young Nobunaga" is an anime that tells the story of the younger days of Oda Nobunaga, a hero of the Warring States period. It carefully depicts Nobunaga's growth and the drama of the people around him, and has the power to draw viewers in. In particular, the story that delves deeply into Nobunaga's humanity, the charming characters, the beautiful visuals and music, and more, make it a first-rate work in every respect. It is a work that can be recommended not only to those who love the Warring States period and history, but also to anime fans, so please give it a watch.