#era sengoku

[peonycats]

Can you draw Japan in late Sengoku Era samurai armor?

this ask has been rotting in my inbox for like actual years and i still took a lot of liberties with it, drawing nyo japan as an onnamusha (female samurai) and archer instead LOL

faceful_of_arrow.jpg

[crescent-blades]

What Rank did Michikatsu [Human Kokushibō] Hold as a Samurai?

When we think of a samurai, we often envision a fierce warrior prepared for battle. While this is partly true, we often tend to forget the internal heirarchy among them. Like any military group, samurai had a clear chain of command for smooth operations. However, it's important to note that samurai were a social class rather than a military one. 

These "ranks," or more so, distinctions within the samurai were closely tied to hereditary social status, the extent of land ownership, and titles within the clan, rather than personal skills, which could vary depending on the era.  

In this discussion, we will concentrate on the Sengoku era, as it is relevant to our topic. I will examine Michikatsu's role based on the available canonical information. 

⚠ SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠ | Masterlist

⨳ Where His Father stood   

In the image above, Michikatsu talks about his father having a "vassal." A lot could be inferred from this, but it is likely that his father either might be a samurai lord [Sengoku daimyo] or a wealthy, high-ranking samurai who supports smaller samurai. 

[Daimyo (大名): military lords who controlled small, unified areas in which all the land either belonged to themselves or was held in fief by their vassals] [Vassals: subordinates who pledged their loyalty and obligations towards powerful lords] 

So essentially, he was not just an ordinary samurai but rather a figure of considerable importance. His possession of vassals and land suggests that he must be exercising some form of governance, implying that he is possibly some sort of lord having an independent clan. 

As you can see, he seemed to have personal servants:   

And also personal messengers:     

Though it is rather difficult to tell whether he was a powerful lord or not—an actual daimyo who was the direct vassal of the shogun, or just a lesser lord having a smaller land—possibly a heir to the family head or a landowner with a fief.

⨳ Was The Tsugikuni Clan Powerful? 

First, let us understand what was going on during that time:  

"This was the 'Age of Warring States', when scores of minor daimyo seized power for themselves in their immediate localities and fought each other until, during the mid-16th century, a comparative handful of 'super-daimyo' competed with each other on a grand scale before Japan was finally reunified" [source]

From this, it seems logical to assume that the Tsugikuni clan was a smaller one rather than a grand one—also considering Michikatsu's father's rather obsessive nature and his intense determination on getting better heirs, even to the point of being willing to harm his own family due to superstitious beliefs. Better heirs: more likely the clan gets to thrive and gain power.

Also, if we consider these words from Kokushibou:  

Notice how he says this—he doesn't seem to be very surprised to know that his clan's name has died out, which would only solidify the fact that his clan must not be very powerful to begin with. [Considering that many direct descendants of the major clans today still seem to be thriving, with many carrying out their clan names. Muichiro seems to be an exception here]   

So now that we know that his clan was likely not a powerful one, we could also assume that his father was a local lord rather than a full on daimyo for obvious reasons. Not only that, but this would also suggest that their clan must be a retainer family—they would be under a much stronger lord—a powerful daimyo, whom they would had to serve.

⨳ MICHIKATSU'S POSIBBLE RANK [DISTINCTION]  

Before moving on, I would just like to point out that holding a high-ranking position as a samurai—such as leading troops— was a result of personal achievement rather than mere familial ties. If a family did not meet the necessary standards of talent and capability, their members would be assigned to lesser roles based on who they served.

With that being said, let us now try fitting in Michikatsu into all of this and find out what military rank he should have based on his family background:

Initailly, I was rather confused and wondered if Michikatsu could be a Hatamoto. They were the highest ranking samurai, considered the most loyal and skilled, who acted as bodyguards towards their lord. Sounds familiar, right? However, there was one piece of canon information that completely debunked this idea:

Samurai usually had to chop off their enemy’s head as proof of their kills; typically that shouldn't be done by the hatamoto, as they typically stayed close to their lords as a last resort instead of fighting on the front lines like the others. 

Okay.. so he probably isn't a hatamoto. If his first instinct was to bring the head of Ubuyashiki to Muzan, then it suggests he must have done this before. if that's the case, then he must have ranked lower than a hatamoto, more so in a class where he might have been around collecting heads. After looking into what the manga could offer, I reached two conclusions:

1. He was a Taisho (大将)[general]: These ranked officials were the generals in the Daimyo's army, leading groups of soldiers called kumi. Depending on the troops they commanded, they were either referred to as Samurai-taisho or Ashigaru-taisho. They usually oversaw multiple kumi, each consisting of around 50 to 100 men. 

2. He was a Kumigashira (組頭) [captain/platoon commander]: These officers controlled and led a single kumi of troops and were called samurai-kumigashira or ashigaru-kumigashira based on the type of troops in their kumi; which, often consisted upto 15-30 men each.

-> By those conical hats (jingasa) those men are wearing, I'm pretty sure they are depicted as Ashigaru foot soldiers. [This explains why he refers to them as his subordinates, as ashigaru were considered lower than samurai.]

Looking at the image, I doubt there are 50-100 men present there, and it seems more likely there are about 15-30. Therefore, we can conclude that he must be an Ashigaru-kumigashira.   

Also, when people talk about Ashigaru, they usually think of peasants taken out of their farms. This is a misconception. Even though they were lower in class, ashigaru were generally treated as full on warriors. Not only were they as capable as their samurai counterparts, some were even stronger than them.The men under Michikatsu's command were fully capable and skilled swordsmen.

⨳ Michikatsu's Troops and His Role:    

A general overview of the make up of the sengoku era army

—In short, the troops were reorganised in Sonae, which had between 300 to 800 men. Each Sonae included various types of troops. They were split into smaller units called Kumi, based on their weapons. These included archers, gun squads, cavalry, spear squads, and standard bearers.

By looking at these images, I see no one holding weapons, just a few casual swords thrown in here and there, which I find to be very odd.. 

Perhaps Michikatsu had set up his base further from his soldiers and gathered them up for a speech about the next day's plans just before they went to sleep? This could explain why they were caught off guard by the demon and didn’t have their weapons ready. After all, it’s strange not to have your weapons out when you are being attacked.   

Regardless of the situation, his troops should be either a spear unit [Yari-gumi (長柄組)] or an archer unit [Yumi-gumi (弓組)].

These troops Consisted of: 1 samurai commander/katana samurai, 2-4 servants, ~20-30 foot soldiers, 3 labourers, 1 cavalry horse, and 2 packhorses.

Why you ask? This is because, firstly; guns weren't introduced until the mid sengoku period in 1543 [Michikatsu is theorised to be born around 1432] In the cavalry unit, the troops consisted of samurai rather than ashigaru, and bannermen did not engage in battle. 

MICHIKATSU'S ROLE: Although there is not much provided anywhere about these commanders, from everything I have gathered: These commanding officers used to lead a unit of ashigaru soldiers. They were ranked below the sodaisho and samurai daisho (commanders) and an ashigaru taisho.

He would be assigned to train them, discipline the foot soldiers, and turn uneducated common men into reliable warriors. He would command and lead them, ensuring everyone followed his commands and maintained order within the ranks, and not disrupt the hierarchy. Hmm that sounds familiar doesn't it?

[I might actually make a detailed post about the military formation with Michikatsu if any of you are interested.]   

Final thoughts: 

[A/n: Hello everyone! It's been a while since my last post. No, I haven't abandoned my blogs. I just took a short break last week. Now I'm back and eager to share a theory with you all! Which I will be posting more of, both here and on my other blog, @gilded-sunrays. Please feel free to share your insights!]  

And if you've made it through all of this, then I thank you wholeheartedly!

[blackynsupremacy]

or whatever kikyo said. that’s some real talk though.

[landofzero-archive]

Ibara Saegusa + Yuuta Aoi - Perplex Directory

Season: Spring

Featuring: Yuuta Aoi, Rinne Amagi, Ibara Saegusa, Kaoru Hakaze, Kuro Kiryu, Nagisa Ran, Arashi Narukami, Shinobu Sengoku, Niki Shiina, Hinata Aoi

Chapters:

Prank Intersection: Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10

[kusakiguzen]

Yandere Michiktsu x Reader x Yandere Yoriichi, Tomioka Giyuu x reader

A/N: I already mentioned that one of my favorite fics is Addiction By Rose crush on Qoutev. But since I'm fucked in the head, What if this is how the story kinda went?

So you join the army in place of your little brother Tanjiro, get hated by the said army, then save Michikatsu and become friends with said army. (You need to read the fic for it to make sense).

Due to some events that occured, you started to enjoy the two brothers' company and dare I say developing feelings for them. But a new recruit joins, a Women, who is a medic.

The brothers start to distance themselves from you and start hanging out with her, for instance getting injured on purpose so they could visit her or helping her out etc etc.

You tried to approach them multiple times only to be dismissed and disregarded. The final nail in the coffin was when you were assigned to guard them along with the medic, and you did your job, but it left you severely injured and the medic got a few scratches. The exploded at you while you were still bleeding out and went back to the camp, leaving you alone, possibly to die.

You were rescued by your fellow messanger, Tomioka Giyuu, and brought back to the camp in a state where everyone was worried you won't survive. You did but it left a nasty scar, so now you had two scars, one on the shoulder and one on the stomach. You were punished for "not doing your duty properly" and you accepted it without a protest.

You soon grew closer to Giyuu and the twins were forgotten since you were relieved of your duty as their personal guard. You decided it was time for you to retire and you told your friends that, who were understanding and supportive.

Giyuu then confesses how he had developed feelings for you and would like to court you. This confession had you over the moon and you accepted. After you left no one disclosed your location to anyone outside the group and you and Giyuu exchanged letters, and on his days off he'd visit you.

After a year of dating you both decided to tie the knot. The wedding was very simple with only close friend and family and you were very happy with your life.

On The Other Side.

Michikatsu and Yoriichi were still doting on the medic when their mother summoned them. She warned her sons that the medic was up to no good and the pampering was getting to her head, they refused to believe their mothers words. But their mother suggested that they do this once and if she reacted humbly, as their mother she will give them her blessings.

They were confidant that she would pass but it came crumbling down even before the test began, because they had heard her bosting about how she had the Twin Lords wrapped around her fingers while bullying the new medic recruits, Specifically the women, into quiting since she didn't want her position to be threaten her position.

They were heart broken as they fully believed she was an angel who would never take advantage of their status, and their mother was informed of this. Since their feeling would get in the way, the medic was punished by their mother, kept locked in the dungeon with minimal resources.

They soon remembered you, for them a year and a half didn't pass, it was as if they met you yesterday. They made their way to your room, only to find it empty and it had collected a thick layer of dust, signifying it had not been in use for a long time. It was reveled to them you had left and not yesterday but almost two years ago.

One more thing they found out was that you were a women pretending to be a man to support your family. This revelation made them spiral. And they started to look for you.

They found you after almost a year of searching but instead of you seeing you as a single woman waiting to be courted, they saw something else.

You were Pregnant....

NO! Its impossible.

Someone must have taken advantage of you! Right? Right..

That day they left so furious that not even torturing someone could clam their anger.

They kept coming back though, and decided that it was fine since it will be YOUR CHILD, and they were willing to raise it as their own.

It's okay, None of this is your fault.

They convinced themselves, ignoring the ring on your left hand's ring finger.

One day, their messenger Giyuu asked for a week off to spend time with his wife who is in the same village, to which they agreed because they know how hard it is to stay separated from their lover You.

They also congratulated him since they didn't know he was in a relationship let alone married. He did show them his ring which looked oddly familiar, but they brushed it off thinking, since it was a cheap ring they must have seen it in one of the stalls.

They could never. They would make sure when you get married to them, you'll wear kimono made of the finest silk in the land. Ring with the prettiest and most expensive jewel they could find, neck adorned with gold and pearls and the most beautiful hair accessories.

But they know not everyone can provide like them, and they were sure that Giyuu's wife would not deserve their kindness, yet they still gave him late wedding gifts, a few simple kimono and hair accessories.

He thanked them for their generosity but refused, but was forced to take it since they were higher in status.

After that ended, they had the urge to see you again since you were their wife too.

They decided to visit you again with variety of foods to make sure you eat healthy. Upon reaching close to your house they noticed an unfamiliar yet familiar horse accompanying your horse.

They knock and the door is opened by none other than Giyuu, they inquired about his reason to being present at their lover your house. The words that came out of the messenger's mouth made bile rise to the brothers' throat.

You were Giyuu's Wife...

And had been for the past two years. How could they had not noticed the ring adoring your left hand's ring finger?

The same cheap ring on Giyuu's ring finger?

How could you betray them like this?

Its okay though....

Giyuu must have manipulated you right?

Of course.. Their naive little samurai would never betray them like this on purpose..

Ahhh... Its fine.

They'll be more than happy to save you from this Happy Toxic marriage..

Just wait..

You'll be Their Little Samurai again

Soon...

Very soon..

P.s. If they succeed in having you. They'll happily kill the medic in front of you, for you, so that you'll never feel threatened by her. Not that you should since they could never compare to you. And even if you told them to kill every single women in their estate, they'll gladly do that. But the question is will your family back down easily?

A/N: Yeahhh so I'm retarded that's why i came up with this. If someone wants to make this a legit fic please give credits to the real owner and tag me so i could read it lol.

Please check out their fic, it is discontinued but worth the read. The link is in the A/N on the top, in the name.

Stay Safe, Healthy and Hydrated.

[beatriceportinari]

Another year, another outfit to die in! Happy birthday again Izuna!!!!!!

Like last year, I played with someone else's lines for these charming patterns, thank you so much Lena @elhnrt ! I had a ton of fun :D

Check the readmore for pattern references and explanations, there are some easter eggs in there :)

(x,x,x,x)

My goal for this piece, in addition to playing with patterns and textures and adding some Naruto references, was to add as many death flags as possible.

The idea of having Izuna in a fireman's coat is obviously not from me. I've always like the idea of Uchihas in fire resistant clothes, and the opportunity for a thick texture alongside a reversible double pattern is very appealing. I used the image of the second reference as a base, with skulls on one side and stylized lightning patterns on the other (visible inside the sleeves and collar). Both were common immagery of firemen coats.

The actual skull pattern is taken from the third reference. I'd seen this one before and before even learning anything abt it it was too beautiful to pass up. Those white and navy gradients are absolutely delightful and I enjoyed using my gel pens for them very much.... This particular type of imagery with skulls and bones in a field is called Nozarashi, inspired by Buddhist representation of death and transience.

The lightning pattern itself is a reference to water and lightning dragons :) Like Tobirama's iconic jutsu, it's one of the hints of what's abt to happen to our little guy. The scabbard is also decorated with dragon motifs for the same reason.

The background pattern is taken from the first reference, another fireman's coat with an illustration of Raijin, the thunder god. He is often representated with drums decorated with tomoes. It works nicely as a standard looking sharingan illustration, with a reference to Tobirama's hiraishingiris with the thunder imagery, like the thunder patterns inside the coat.

If you're interested in this I recommend the book linked in the second reference! It is entirely about skeleton motifs in japanese clothing of the early 20th century.

[jacobpking]

Yasuke - the African Samurai One of the most fascinating historical figures of all time imo; a former-slave (likely) from Mozambique who was sent to Japan by Portuguese Jesuits and became a retainer under Oda Nobunaga. What a story! I hope you guys enjoy

[supernovacoffeestop]

𝙏𝙄𝙈𝙀 𝘾𝘼𝙉'𝙏 𝙆𝙀𝙀𝙋 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝘼𝙒𝘼𝙔 𝙁𝙍𝙊𝙈 𝙈𝙀 || chapter 1(?)

Kokushibo/Michikatsu x Demon!lovesick/yandere?reader

No proofread (yet)

Probably gramatical errors 💔 please, correct then if you see some so I can edit!

I can’t write Yandere characters that well, so, I’m going to write it more like reader not knowing how to understand emotions or relationships! Maybe lovesick its the correct word? But since I’m not sure, going to tag it with both.

A/N: So, that little thing I did kinda got into me so I decided to maybe do a little fic for it? I got so excited that I just started writing directly! It may not be that good because I’m just not good in writing in English..but, I will try to do chapters as long as possible and focus on then! I’m sorry if that it’s not at your expectations ;;

Being a demon was something that not everybody could handle, emotionally, psychology, and physically. The urge to devour and consume human flesh, losing the privilege of seeing the sun, or the constant fight of growing to be strong so you could reach the Twelve Kizuki, so you could be granted the opportunity of seeing Lord Muzan with your own eyes! In the eyes of these who life had been caught in the eye of the storm, that was the ultimate goal in the entire world. Of course, if you forget about these damn slayers that apparently only grew in number year by year, but also would be killed even more each year.

But, any of these things mattered for you.

You couldn’t care less about the Demon King, about meeting him in person, it was not your goal, and probably it will never be. Or about the slayers, of course they were a nuisance, like these mosquitoes on a especially warm day of summer, always flying around you and not going away no matter what you do. In any case, your goal has been defined since the day you got turned into a demon.

You would reach a position in the Twelve Kizuki’s, so, you could see him again. The man who saved and killed your life at the same time, who sealed your destiny the moment you meet him. The terrifying and cold Upper Moon One, who later you discovered to be called Kokushibo. He was the one who turned you into a demon, you can’t remember well your memories of when you where human, but, this one would always be at your mind perfectly clear.

. . .

The night was cold, not as cold as in a winter night, but still enough that you would need an extra blanket to your futon so you wouldn’t a cold by the morning. It had a gentle breezing passing by, and the silent was too noticeable, the usual sound of crickets not been heard. The only thing that produced sound was the grass when the breeze would pass by.

That should have been the first signal for you that something was wrong, even when you reached the small river nearby you house to fill a bucket with water, ready to go back so you could ferver some water to drink in the morning without needing to wake up early in the cold morning to grab it. The silent was absolute. Normally you would hear a cricket, or maybe you would see a rabbit in the forest, a butterfly, even a firefly! But everything was so quiet that it seemed like it was dead.

The only thing you could hear was your own footstep on the ground while you walked back to your little cabin, the wood bucket of water swaying by your side while you carried it. When looking up, the vision that you got was strange.

The entire village was with their lamps turned off, usually, everyone would let a lamp lighted up with fire in front of their doors, so nobody would be lost at night, but, disregarding your house, every lamp was cold like they never got turned on for the night. It was uncommon, you never have seen it happens before but you decided to not pay much attention to it, maybe it was because of the cold night, surely it have a strong breeze. And, that made you realize that it would be smarter for you to enter your home instead of keep staying outside like that.

When you were turned around to enter back home, it was when you got to see him, a man, taller than most you��ve ever got to know, using a purple yukata and hakama pants, with long and spike black hair, along with long bangs, turning red at the end of it. You could not see his face since it was dark and his hair was covering it. Maybe it was your own good nature of wanting to help others that it took you too long to realize the katana dripping in blood on his hand, or maybe it was the absence of the moon hovering over you two. Or maybe, you where too focused on the beauty of the man in front of you, his strong and muscular body that you could see even when hiding behind that loose yukata, or the way his hair had caught your attention, you were sure you’ve never seen a hair that long on a man.

“Sir?” You said, looking at the man and giving a step closer. Maybe he was one of those traveller’s looking for information, or maybe food. “Are you okay? I never have seen you here before.”

You only heard a gruff, while he seemed to pay attention to you, you didn’t thought that when it happened, but probably wondering how you where so naive to approach a man at night like that. “Do you perhaps need direction to somewhere?” You said again.

“. . . That…would be good.” The first time you heard his voice, you immediately felt your face turning hot for a moment, his voice had that deep tone that would make any young lady, including yourself, fall for.

“Well…if you head south, we have the biggest town nearby here. Maybe you could reach it before the sun raise.” You spoke while appointing in direction of the forest you just came from. “I assume you are a traveller?”

“…It’s..something close..to it”

You discovered that you were already kinda growing attached to his voice.

“Oh! So, perhaps would you like something? I may not have much, but, I think I may have a bit of food to spare-“ Your voice was cut off by the man.

“That..will not be needed. I..appreciate the information you gave to me.” You heard him saying again. “Your…collaboration will be remembered. Again.”

Collaboration? Again? This time, you got confused instead of falling for his enchants once again.

“I don’t understand-“ Your voice was cut off by the pain that suddenly you felt on your side.

You remember the feeling of your side being cut, you didn’t need to look to know it was a deep one, cutting your flesh and kimono together. The bucket falling from your hand spilled up water on the wood floor as you lose balance, falling on the grass right beside your house. It was when you finally noticed, when thee moon came from behind the clouds, the blood mess that was your village.

. . .

After that you don’t remember much more than cloudy memories you never could put your head on for more than five seconds before a headache would start to take place, so, after some time, you just decided to let it go.

But any of it was important now, not when you were jumping from room to room in the Infinity Castle, to the point your breath was hard while you tried to be faster, faster enough so you could reach him in time. So you wouldn’t again fail to be able to stop his death, you couldn’t even believe it when you discovered it for the first time, that he had died, that some nasty Hashiras had been able to actually cut his head.

But, once again, you discovered yourself being too late, the only thing that had greet you when you reached the place you knew he would be was his Yukata that slowly was disintegrating and the flute that you have learnt that he always carried.

“No..no! Not again! I was sure I would make it in time! I..I can’t believe it!” You almost shouted, your hands going to your hair, gripping on them. The anger in you was in point of eruption, alongside with your worry and anxiety. You were feeling weak, your Kekkijutsu was not something to be used that many times or at least not to go back in time in such a great distance.

“Why? Why?! Why can’t I save you?!” You cried out, pushing your hair, you only had strength for probably one more return before you would have used all your strength. You could do it this time, you just had to be sure to turn the right corner, and reach him quickly enough-

“Hey! There’s another one here!” You heard a voice behind you, your body freezing. No, it was not supposed to still have any slayer or Hashira there, haven’t all of them got out of the castle already? But still, the feeling and sound of the blade approaching your neck was not something you could ever mistake.

I have to do something, anything- I can’t die here, no, no, no, nononono-

Your eyes got to the Yukata in front of you.

One more time, I still have one chance-

Your hands grabbed the clothe in front of you, bringing it closer to your chest while you heard the slayer saying something behind you back, so close you could almost feel the blade reaching your neck. Your body fell down to a sitting position on the floor.

“Kekkijutsu: A thousand life’s” You muttered anxiously, wanting more than nothing to be able to do that just one more time, that maybe you could save him, just one more time, please. The sensations of time stopping that you have grown used to appeared again, before you felt light covering the ground where you had been just a second later, and then, you disappeared again. To another timeline where you would try again to save him.

To be serious, not even you know what got you to like him so much, to the point that when you turned into a demon you absolutely would follow him whenever you could encounter him again. Maybe it had something to do with when you you just have been transformed into a demon, or maybe it was something else. But, you couldn’t deny that you have feed these feelings, so it doesn’t matter now.

When you opened your eyes, the vision that welcomed you was not the millions of Shoji doors in the infinity castle, but the vision of a dark forest being bathed by the moonlight. Some fireflies where flying around not bothered by your presence, and, looking down, you could see some smaller flowers surrounding your legs. You didn’t recognized that place, or that forest, even if you don’t know if existed ways to recognize a forest.

Lifting yourself from the ground, you discovered that the purple yukata in your hands have just finished disintegrating in dust, leaving your heart with nothing to comfort yourself now. You resisted the urge to cry, your Kekkijutsu never had fallen you before, so, you’re sure you must be somewhere on the past where you could still save him.

The only question now being.

Where the hell are you?

[ask-toukendanshi]

[ Oda Nobunaga's right hand and his lucky charm do not get along ] (source)

[odaclan]

If the cuckoo doesn't sing...

This one may be a familiar story for those who are fans of Sengoku period.

Below is what is purportedly the original text of the story:

郭公を贈り参せし人あり。されども鳴かざりければ、 なかぬなら殺してしまへ時鳥　織田右府 鳴かずともなかして見せふ杜鵑　豊太閤 なかぬなら鳴まで待よ郭公　大権現様

Someone sent a cuckoo as a gift. If it doesn't sing: If it doesn't sing, kill the cuckoo - Oda Ufu If it doesn't sing, make the cuckoo sing - Hōtaikō If it doesn't sing, wait until the cuckoo sings - Daigongen-sama

It originated from the Kasshi Yawa 甲子夜話, a text written in the Edo period by Matsuura Keizan 松浦静山, whose real name was Matsuura Kiyoshi 松浦清 (1760-1841). It's a text that included various subjects, from contemporary incidents of Matsuura's lifetime, to legends and folktales.

There are various interpretations that could be made, since those lines are very simple. For example, while the standard reading for the Hideyoshi line is to associate it with diplomacy, some has interpreted it as a tyrannical force, making people obey by threat.

Regardless of what the original author intended those lines to mean, though, this was written in the Edo period. It may have very well been passed down through hearsay to boot. It only gives us an image of the perception that people of the Edo period have of them, and not an actual proper description.

Per the customs of the time, the three unifiers were not listed by their plain names, but their honorific titles. 右府 Ufu is the title designating the post of Minister of the Right, which Nobunaga did hold for a time. 太閤 Taikō is a title that is used to refer to a Kanpaku that has formally resigned, but still continues to hold influence. 豊太閤 Hōtaikō is the term used to refer to Hideyoshi specifically. 大権現 Daigongen is an abbreviation of 東照大権現 Tōshō Daigongen. When Ieyasu had died, he was deified by that name.

An interesting thing to note is that "hotototogisu" (cuckoo) is written with different kanji for each person.

Nobunaga's hototogisu is written as 時鳥. The kanji is translates to "the bird that tells time". Hototogisu are active in the early summer (around late May to June), so in olden times it was said the farmers star planting rice when the hototogisu sings.

Hideyoshi's hototogisu is written as 杜鵑. This was taken directly from the Chinese word for a cuckoo (Dù Juān in modern Chinese pinyin). It's originally referring to a different species of bird than the hototogisu cuckoo, but was adapted as such by the Japanese. It is a name connected to a legend where a Chinese king became a cuckoo after his death.

Ieyasu's hototogisu is written as 郭公, alternately pronounced as kakkou. This is the simplest one, derived from the sound of "cuckoo cuckoo" call. As with the above, this originally does not refer to hototogisu, but the Japanese adapted its usage because the bird is of similar species.

I have not seen any theories or analysis relating to why the kanji used to write them is different. Perhaps it's simply for aesthetic reasons.

[deus-ex-mona]

favourite stupid relationship dynamic: idiots who would immediately protect and defend the other but never themself

[cupofcolors]

cooking methinks 🍴🍴🍴

[crescent-blades]

Michikatsu Tsugikuni in a Sengoku Era Battlefield

Warnings⌇ Violence, mentions of beheading

▪︎In the battleground, Michikatsu would be positioned on horseback, flanked by about two foot soldiers [in accordance to my previous theory posts]. It is also worth mentioning that warfare during the Sengoku period did not involve immediate charges; rather, it initially commenced at a gradual pace.

▪︎The two rival armies would steadily move towards each other, accompanied by the rhythm of war drums echoing throughout. As the adversaries neared, it fell to Michikatsu to uphold discipline within his troops, skillfully guiding them and directing their movements.

▪︎Michikatsu would ensure that none of his more tender-hearted or inexperienced soldiers succumbed to fear; he would bolster their resolve. With a firm and authoritative voice, he would motivate them, ensuring that none would flee before the battle even commenced.

▪︎As the adversaries closed in, the front line of ashigaru would engage in combat with precision and coordination, while the yari samurai provided support to the yari ashigaru. Should the Ashigaru succeed in holding their position, the samurai would then advance from both flanks to strike at the enemy.  

It is alo important to note that during these wars, capturing the heads of high-ranking individuals was rewarded. This became a common practice among the samurai during that era.

▪︎Michikatsu would be present, equipped, and ready to assist his troops if necessary. Should he decide to engage, he would move forward to confront the enemy in close combat. At this point, the drums would resonate with full intensity, mirroring the tense atmosphere of the battle. 

▪︎Michikatsu would then be locked in with another high ranking samurai; their weapons would clash and clash to get a strike, soon ditching their weapons and wrestling each other to the mud where Michikatsu dominates him; discarding his sword to draw out a dagger instead to ensure the grim task at hand-- ▪︎Pinning him down with his full body weight, ensuring the warrior beneath was completing caged under his imposing form--yanking of the man's head guard as he'd wrap his hand in his hair, pulling at it as he would start working on his neck using his dagger

▪︎As Michikatsu conducted his affairs, his men would stand guard around him, ready to tackle and kill off any intruders who dared to come near. 

▪︎Once an enemy head would be taken, Michikatsu would promptly remount on his horse, with his infantry shielding his retreat. This pattern would continue; with Michikatsu chosing to engage any high-ranking or formidable adversary he believed his soldiers could not manage, taking control of the situation himself.

▪︎Ultimately, the opposing army would face a humiliating defeat, leaving them with no other option but to retreat.

▪︎The surviving warriors would gather to present the heads, or at the very least, the upper lips or noses of their befallen foes, as they assembled along with Michikatsu before the taisho [commander], who awaited their arrival in full armor for inspection.

▪︎With a deep bow, Michikatsu would declare his achievements, offering the head of a high-ranking samurai to the lord, and possibly presenting a prestigious sword he might have picked up as part of his tribute. 

▪︎ With all the formalities set aside, the night would then ensue in celebrations, and lots and lots of drinking—Michikatsu and his fellow comrades getting drunk before gathering for a big meal

[cosmical-flowers]

Yall should listen to my “exposed to the internet as a child/really online” hcs for student council.

Ive just been thinking of this shitpost where Eichi asks about a trending copypasta online and Mao explains it to him and Shinobu is listening in. And then Shinobu realizes the copypasta is something he posted in middle school and has this visceral flashback.

[animexxme]

Giyu=Kokoshibo? NAH

[hollowcryofthegodless]

Demon Falls Character Profile - "Michikatsu Tsugikuni"

The head of the Tsugikuni family, and the Kamado siblings' + Tokitou twins' grandfather, no matter how uncomfortable he feels being addressed as such

He likes being called Grandpa Michi the most

He's 60 years old

He has a prosthetic leg, and he doesn't say anything about what caused the accident

Yuichirou hypothesizes that whatever happened to his leg correlates to his hatred of cars

Suspiciously, the side of his face is either covered or filled with mascara, which Muichirou notices but doesn't say anything about it

Quiet and takes things to literally; is gentle with children but wary around teenagers

Owns a dojo and teaches them basics in kendo and other forms of martial arts

Employed Hakuji to help him with miscellaneous things around the dojo, secretly and tries hard not to view him as a son he never had

Furtively distant towards his own wife, Haruhime, and often only interacts with her for usual things

Likes the feats of prodigious strength that Muichirou exhibits, but is hard on Yuichirou for no reason at all (or that's what he thinks)

Always dressed lightly but formally, rarely exposing his bare back or his legs

Yuichirou caught a sliver of what he thought is a tattoo up his back however, but Michikatsu dismisses him

His wedding ring is, notably, a lot different from the one Haruhime wears on her finger

Incredibly smart, but he says he's not interested in intelligence and conversations that range in science, no matter how brilliant he is

Very fast despite his prosthetic leg, and even as an old man his physique is strong at his old age

Has a reputation of being a kind affordable old man around Ikusaka, and performs acts of service

Has a formal hatred against those he considers not thinking logically, or those who takes advantage of people, such as Zohakuten and his family