The NHK Taiga drama "BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）", starring actor Taiga Nakano (NHK General, Sundays at 8 PM, etc.), aired its 15th episode on April 19th, "The Great Battle of Anegawa," which depicted the Battle of Anegawa between the Oda-Tokugawa forces and the Asakura-Asai forces, as the subtitle suggests. Although the battle ended in victory for the Oda-Tokugawa forces, the scene of Koichiro (Nakano) collapsing to his knees beside Fujikichiro (Sosuke Ikematsu) and saying "This is hell" in front of the Anegawa River, which was "stained red" by the setting sun and blood, was particularly memorable. On the other hand, some viewers have commented that "this is just the entrance to hell." The drama, which will continue until December, is about one-third of the way through. It seems that it may be approaching a turning point.
◇ Koichiro fought "to survive," and was covered in the blood of his enemies.
"BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!）" is the 65th Taiga drama. It is a success story of dreams and hope, depicting the miracle of the Toyotomi brothers, Toyotomi Hidenaga (Koichiro) and his older brother Hideyoshi (Tokichiro), who, together with their strong bond, achieve the great feat of unifying Japan. The script is written by Hiroyuki Yatsu, known for "Hanzawa Naoki" (TBS) and the Asadora"Ochoyan". The music is composed by Hideaki Kimura, and the narration is provided by actress Sakura Ando.
In episode 15, Nobunaga (Shun Oguri) requests reinforcements from Yoshiaki (Ukon Onoe) and Ieyasu (Kohei Matsushita) in order to counterattack the Asakura and Azai clans. However, their actions are slow, as they secretly wish for Nobunaga's downfall.
Meanwhile, Koichiro and Fujikichiro try to buy time to allow Ichi (Aoi Miyazaki) to escape, but Ichi's thoughts are with Nagamasa (Ayumu Nakajima), and their plan fails. At the same time, Nobunaga begins his march into northern Omi. Then, in the early morning of June 28th, 1570, the Asakura and Azai forces of 13,000, who had set out to relieve Yokoyama Castle, and the Oda and Tokugawa forces of 21,000, who were there to meet them, faced each other across the Anegawa River, and clashed at the signal of a conch horn. The Battle of Anegawa, as it is known, had begun.
The Oda forces struggle against the Asai forces, who are using the terrain to their advantage in their attack. Koichiro and Fujikichiro fight "to survive," but in the process, Koichiro kills an enemy while trying to save Fujikichiro. Afterwards, Koichiro continues to wield his sword, covered in blood, and as one of the Asakura soldiers, he meets Todo Takatora (played by So Kaku So).
Up to this point, the Oda forces had been at a disadvantage, but a surprise attack by Tokugawa Ieyasu's (played by Kohei Matsushita) "separate unit" turned the tide of the battle. The Asakura and Azai forces decided to retreat, and the Oda and Tokugawa forces celebrated their victory without pursuing further.
◇The "Anegawa" ending weighed heavily on viewers as well. Next up, the "burning of Mount Hiei"?
Koichiro and Fujikichiro had thwarted Endo Naotsune's (Irei Kanata) desperate "suicide attack" aimed at Nobunaga's head, but there was no joy in their victory. Instead, they were left stunned as they stood before the now silent Anegawa River. The river, illuminated by the setting sun, was stained red with blood, and before it lay a pile of corpses, making it impossible to distinguish friend from foe. Fujikichiro muttered, "Did we really win?", and Koichiro (Nakano) also collapsed to his knees, saying, "I don't know, but this is hell."
The ending and gruesome depictions weigh heavily on Koichiro, Fujikichiro, and the viewers. Following the life-or-death retreat depicted in the previous episode, episode 14, "Desperate Situation!" (aired April 12th), the "lighthearted tone" that characterized the series, for better or worse, in the interactions between the brothers Koichiro and Fujikichiro, has certainly not disappeared, but it has been considerably diminished.
Other viewers have commented, "But this is just the entrance to hell," "Considering future historical events, this is still just the beginning of hell," and "Koichiro is talking about hell, but it's just the entrance. Next time it's Mount Hiei, and beyond that, Hideyoshi, whom he trusts the most, becomes even more cruel than Nobunaga." As these comments suggest, it is expected that the burning of Mount Hiei will take place in episode 16, "Mount Hiei of Resolve" (airing April 26th).
Some see this as the BROTHERS IN ARMS （Toyotomi Brothers!） beginning, as it moves towards the "true heart of the Sengoku period," where death is ever-present. In any case, the drama, which has begun to take on the weighty atmosphere befitting a Sengoku historical drama, is likely to become even more exciting.
