Gō: Hime-tachi no Sengoku [Episode 2 recap]

A few years after the fall of Odami castle and the death of Ichi's husbands Azai Nagamasa, She and her three daughters live with her other brother Nobukane in Ise-Ueno Castle. The daughters are all grown up now.

They receive an invitation from Nobunaga to go to Azuchi Castle. Gou seems very excited to see her uncle, but the rest of her family are more reserved. Apparently she hasn't been told how her father died yet... 



 Though the opening credits are long (about three minutes) it is very pretty. 

Gou tries on new clothes and wonders why her sisters ain't as enthusiastic about this invitation as she is. When they arrive it doesn't take long for Gou to leap out of her palanquin and start exploring the city. Each member of her family is taken with the grander of the newly completed Azuchi Castle.

Ichi meets with Akechi Mitsuhide and it is reveled that Nagamasa took his own life after defeat of Omi (i guess seppuku?).

The three sisters explore the catsle and come to a balcony view where they realise it has been built on the opposing side of lake biwa to Odani (Omi), they pray to their father.

They also have been set up with some cute page boys, Hatsu can't hide her pleasure about this.

I have to say I prefer traditional Korean hairstyle better though...

When Ichi sees her brother again the icy hostility is very clear. He Addresses ChaCha and Hatsu, but not Gou. When he finally glances at Gou, who looks as if she is about to burst, he remembers her as that baby born in 1573. The temperature drops to a metaphorical below zero.

He stabs his knife into the tatami and luckly the tension is released by the interruption of Hashiba Hideyoshi. (aka monkey from the previous episode where he commented if Ichi's husband could be uglier than a monkey like him). For coming back Nobunaga gives him a beating for which Monkey thanks him. that's not healthy. Also because he is a guy who cannot keep his mouth shut, he mentions that he was the one who forced Nagamasa to commit suicide.

Gou is told of the events of the previous episode that took place before her birth. She now realises that the uncle she was so keen to meet was actually her father's enemy. As her family are traitors of Nobunaga, Gou now knows the heavy burden that the rest of her family lives with.

Hatsu vents her fear and anger on Gou, saying that Nobunaga used their fathers skull to drink out of, but is slapped down by Chacha. Later that evening, while others are asleep, Gou looks for Lord Tokugawa and comes across Monkey and attacks him. lol.

Gou tells him that if he is truly remorseful he will take her to her Uncle. Monkey is reluctant, but Tokugawa agrees.

She is about to open the door when this happens...
Nobunaga then opens the door, she enters and asks of how her father died. Nobunaga admits he was the one forcing him to commit seppuku.

However he also tells her that Nagamasa was a proud and strong warrior. He gives her advice to believe in herself and only herself. Their meeting rounds off with Gou's lasting question about her fathers skull. Which Nobunaga clarifies only a rumour that stemmed from covering Nagamasa's head in gold dust as part of duty to the dead.

Nobunaga tells Gou that she will be a great person someday while walking towards her with a staff lol. Chacha and Hatsu walk in on this ready to attack. thankfully their mother who is full of reason walks in and the whole thing is sorta laughed over...

before they leave he tells that Bomaru and Rikimaru's (the two page boys) father  and older brotherwas killed in the war opposing their father. So that if Nobunaga is their enemy, then they are too. Stating Friends and enemy's change all the time 'It's not a Samurais duty to hate his enemy'... Chacha doesn't understand. Nobunaga  says that only men must understand battles, but Ichi declares that women have battles of their own; loosing her husband, becoming an traitor, her broken home, never knowing what the future might bring.

The next morning Gou has disappeared again, going to view Nobunagas military meeting. They have an invisible bond between them, an understanding, coming from their such similar personalities.

Comments?

A lot more photos this episode as there are actually scenes to screen shot. The number of characters is still confusing me but I'm  sure by the end I'll know them all.
and yeah nah... Will continue with this.

Gō: Hime-tachi no Sengoku [Episode 1 recap]

Well though it is a bit late, I thought I would catch on to the Tagai drama for 2011 and hopefully follow it throughout the year.

The 50th NHK  Tagai Drama is about Gou who becomes the wife of the second Tokugawa shogun Hidetada. 

A bit of background from  wikipedia: Oeyo, also known as Ogō  (Gou), was the third and youngest daughter of the Sengoku period daimyo Azai Nagamasa. Her mother, Oichi was the younger sister of Oda Nobunaga. Toyotomi Hideyoshi became the adoptive father and protector of Oeyo in the period before her marriage.Oeyo's oldest sister, Yodo-dono, also called Cha-Cha as a child, was the second wife of Hideyoshi and mother of Toyotomi Hideyori.Oeyo's middle sister, Ohatsu was the wife of Kyōgoku Takatsugu and the mother of Kyōgoku Tadataka.

Gou is very quickly introduced as being very free spirited and lively, stealing steam buns and taking off on her horse.

 Already this drama is confusing as we flash back to Gou’s mother (Ichi) sent to the Ōmi Province to marry Azai Nagamasa by her brother Oda Nobunaga. This marriage will allow Nobunga to obtain political power in Kyo. (I think)

In order to check if the rumors about her being beautiful are true or not Nagamasa insists on seeing her even though it is against the rules. He then swiftly takes Oichi hime to see lake Biwa. The couple hit it off well. She asks him to promise not to ever keep anything from her and she in return promises to love Omi.

A few months later Nobunaga comes to Omi castle. Upon paying respects they are interrupted by Ashikaga Yoshiaki, younger brother of lord Yoshiteru, former Shogun. His older brother (the shogun) and younger brother were murdered and he was made prisoner. He has made plans with Nobunaga to go to Kyo and become the next shogun. Yoshiaki appears to be a bit senseless and being used to Nobunaga’s advantage to take kyo without military force.

In October 1568 Yoshiaki becomes the 15^th Shogun. Nobunaga refuses any position put to him by the Shogun (Yoshiaki). He only asks that Saki of Izumi, Otsu and Kusatsu of Omi be governed by the Oda clan.

And we get some heavy rock music…

In Omi Ichi has her two daughters Chacha and Hastu in 1569 and 1570 respectively. However in 1570 Nagamasa is told by Lord Asakura to help him overthrow his borther in law, Nobunaga as since appointing Yoshiaki as shogun he has taken to governing power by himself. Nagamasa declines but as due his promise tells Ichi everything. Due to the Asakura clan Omi province is able to live in peace. He explains to her his dilemma; to help his people or his brother (in-law). He tells her he will  betray Nobunaga and follow Asakura’s cause, but she is free to notify her brother.

She decides not to tell her brother, she would rather be Nagamasa’s wife than Nobunaga’s brother. 

Asakura attacks Nobunaga and conflict lasts for three years.

1571 Nobunaga burns down Enryakuji Temple at Mt Hiei as they were alleys of Azai and Asakura. Nobunaga attacks Omi next. For a year the castle is surrounded and for the past three months Ichi has been hiding her pregnancy, fearful that in defeat her child will be killed.

She plans to take medicine in hopes of aborting the baby, however her two daughters have other plans saying that if she kills this baby they will kill them selves (they are like four?). Ichi manages to free the knife they has and convinced by her daughter, she will keep her baby.

Yoshiaki attacts oda, but ends up being banished from kyo. The Muromachi Shogunate that had lasted 230 years came to an end. Later that year the Asakura clan also falls. Meanwhile during an attack on Omi castle, Ichi is in the process of giving birth. A girl, Gou, is born.

Battle continued until finally Oda launches an all on attack on Omi…

Questions, Queries, Comments, Musings?

Though the first episode was all background information, covering the historical bases, it was enjoyable and well put together. However it was a lot of information to take in and I’m sure eventually I will get lost in all the politics.

Still I want to see more and I will hopefully continue the recaps.