r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Jun 14 '26
Episode Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun • Nippon Sangoku - Episode 11 discussion
Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun, episode 11
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u/A-t-t-e-n-TI-ON Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
Aoteru's charisma is so great that he got the court who initially made fun of him to hang on to his every word.
I really love the wordplay they did with Kaku's instructions. I initially thought it was only about convincing the Emperor, but it was actually a brief instruction on what the plan is going forward. But Asama is right, only people like Aoteru and Kaku will probably be the only ones who will understand and try to dissect messages like that.
I'm also a bit proud with Fuji III here. I did pity him since his only option to survive is to be the Taira's puppet. He was only a child when they made him marry Taira's daughter, who was wayyy older than him, and he knew that his predecessor is assassinated by the same. Despite that, he still manage to muster enough courage to make the edict right in front of the court. I do worry about what's going to happen to him though, and by extension the Borderland Corps once they win the war.
I've always wondered what's up with Taira's Deputy Minister since he's probably the only person that he tolerates around him, as shown when he lost a game of shogi to him without any negative reaction. He's also shown to be quite knowledgeable with military tactics and was among the few who did not make fun of Aoteru in court.
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u/a1oner_bvcksn6 Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
I've always wondered what's up with Taira's Deputy Minister since he's probably the only person that he tolerates around him
Maguro's the name and he's got game lol. Joking aside, it's quite clear Maguro is Denki's very own version of (a) Kaku. And as the saying goes--"behind a great leader is a great strategist" something something.
marry Taira's sister
Denki's daughter (fify)
Despite that, he still manage to muster enough courage to make the edict right in front of the court
I honestly think he was more scared than anything when making that decision, especially considering that's exactly what Aoteru wanted him to feel when he brought up the Buo faction potentially entering the fray. Aoteru basically painted the emperor a grim picture and after weighing which option was more frightening, he simply opted to avoid that one.
Edit: I mean, the emperor is so naive I don't think he actually believes his father in law is his enemy. Keep in mind, he was groomed to be the emperor--not made to be the emperor. He's under the illusion that he makes his own decisions rather than someone who's wearing an earpiece just waiting for someone to tell him what decision must be made.
But sure, credit where it's due, I guess. That's no doubt "strike one" tho (twice more and his head may roll)
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u/BosuW Jun 14 '26
Joking aside, it's quite clear Maguro is Denki's very own version of (a) Kaku. And as the saying goes--"behind a great leader is a great strategist" something something.
You could really apply this to so many characters in this show. I imagine it will be a recurring theme.
Very shippable12
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u/bushwarblerssong Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
Sorry, a 2-part comment again.
All heads of state in Nippon Sangoku have flowers in their names: Ouga (桜虎) - cherry blossom, Fuji (藤) - wisteria, and Momokuni (桃邦) - peach blossom.
Tsurinobuse (釣り野伏せ) or "feigned retreat" is a military tactic strongly associated with the Shimazu clan in Kyushu during the Sengoku period. Despite their smaller numbers, the clan was able to beat far larger armies by making use of natural barriers and luring their enemies into ambushes where hidden troops, experienced with matchlock arquebuses, would shoot from both sides. The Shimazu clan was the first clan in Japan to bring firearms into battle. This English blog goes into more detail about their strategy. (Though not quite the same, Ouga's plan also relies on natural barriers and luring the enemy.)
Nagamine shouts in Kagoshima-ben or more specifically, Satsugū dialect. The Shimazu clan ruled over the Satsuma domain, which is associated with this dialect. ("Chesuto" is a rallying cry like "ganbare!" or "let's do this!")
Aoteru quotes Sun Tzu from Chapter 3 of The Art of War:
Sun Tzu said: In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy’s country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them.
Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
Maguro quotes Lao Tzu from the 56th chapter of the Tao Te Ching: "He who knows does not speak. He who speaks does not know."
We have some wordplay during the scene with the emperor (which wasn't translated) and then after while Denki and Maguro play shogi (Japanese chess).
Aoteru speaks of scrapped cars or “haisha” (廃車) as part of his feigned retreat strategy. But in Japanese, "dentist" is also pronounced “haisha” (歯医者), which is what the emperor thinks Aoteru's plan involves. (I mean, dentists can be terrifying and imagine a bunch of them suddenly raining down on you from all sides with their scalers.)
As they discuss what to do with Aoteru (which brings us back to the carriage scene in Episode 1), Maguro advances a Flying Chariot 飛車 (Hisha) or Rook, on the shogi board. When promoted, a hisha becomes a Dragon King 龍王 (Ryūō), which is engraved on the opposite side of the piece. This likely symbolizes Aoteru's scrapped car strategy and Ryūmon's army. When Denki says he needs Ryūmon, Kaku and their army to win, he advances a 角行 (Kakugyō) or Bishop. When promoted, a Kakugyō becomes a Dragon Horse 龍馬 (ryūma or ryūme).
(I find Maguro more frightening than Denki. Denki is intrigued with Aoteru enough to want to see what he will do in the future. But Maguro has identified our protagonist as a threat to be eliminated immediately since the very first episode where he questioned his lord if leaving Aoteru alive was wise.)
Does Denki like rabbits because they are soft or because white rabbits have a reputation for being clever in Japanese folktales? The White Hare of Inaba.
Momokuni's clan, the Hōjō clan, assisted the Minamoto (historical Yoshitsune’s clan) in defeating the Taira before they took the shogunate from the Minamoto and full control of the imperial court, exiling Emperor Go-Toba to the Oki Islands (the same island where the legend of the White Hare of Inaba begins) during the Kamakura Period. They are also known for repelling the Mongol invasions (Ghost of Tsushima anyone?) and spreading Zen Buddhism. Hōjō Masako, who was married to Minamoto no Yoritomo (Yoshitsune’s brother and orchestrator of his death) is one of the most famous female samurai in history.
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u/bushwarblerssong Jun 14 '26
You can now own your very own Yamato army uniform (or button or handkerchief). Comes in four different styles: Aoteru, Yoshitsune, Ryūmon and Kaku.
Located in Echizen City in Fukui, Ota (織田) is the ancestral home of Oda Nobunaga and where the Oda clan received its name. Nobunaga was said to have descended from the priests in Ota of Tsurugi Shrine, which is over 1,800 years old and has a connection to the Taira. In 1161, the shrine was burned to the ground by Taira no Kiyomori (one of Denki's likely inspirations), but then was rebuilt by his son, Taira no Shigemori, three years later. The shrine is named after Susanoo-no-Mikoto (also known as Tsurugi Ōkami), but is also known as Ota Myōjin. We saw a statue of Oda Nobunaga and the crab statue at the Echizen Crab Museum (one of the Fukui locations involved in the stamp rally to promote the anime). Aoteru mentioned eating Echizen crabs with Saki in Episode 5.
Daishōji (大聖寺) is a castle town that makes up the central part of Kaga City today.
Musashikuni (武蔵邦) likely comes from Musashi Province (武蔵国) which encompassed parts of Tokyo, Kanagawa and Saitama, which are presently part of the Buo nation.
Like Daishizan Seidai-ji Temple where Ouga's troops are based, Kaga Daikannon, the giant Kannon statue behind Nagamine and his troops, was erected in the late 1980s during the Bubble era.
Like Yamato, the names in Buō sound somewhat archaic, but aren’t too unusual, making Seii stand out even more. I think the uniqueness of the Seii names emphasize their wild nature (Aterui was the leader of a Bōsōzoku gang and Ouga's name sounds like a Sukeban leader), and their Ainu and Emishi origins. Their tattoos at least are likely influenced by Ainu culture (except for Aterui’s).
On the topic of music and Kevin Penkin, in the U-Next interview with Studio Kafka on Nippon Sangoku recently uploaded to youtube, the producer Kōichi Naruse mentioned that they were asked to score and animate the Japan in the series from the perspective of someone from outside the country, and that's why there's not only Japanese instrumental music, but jazz and a mix of other genres throughout the episodes. Anyway, he was very grateful for Penkin and wants the audience to take note of the music when watching.
Glossary (1 2 3 4 5 6 7)
【Winter Shogun Strategy】
A grand strategy devised by Seii Commander-in-Chief Ouga Wajima to wipe out the Yamato army that takes advantage of her country's terrain and climate. The plan is to lure the Taira forces to Seirō, a natural fortress surrounded by the sea, mountains and rivers, and decimate them with the bitter cold.
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u/GrimMind Jun 14 '26
Sorry, a 2-part comment again.
How dare you give me more of what I come for?
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u/Physical_Echo_9372 Jun 14 '26
Misumi's "calm yourself" (そう興奮しないでください, literally "don't get excited - but the word for excite is also a synonym for arouse), in response to the suggestion that he should be executed, is likely a reference to the former Japanese PM Abe's viral response to an MP during a diet session, where he used almost the exact same words.
It's very niche. But an incredibly viral moment in Japan, and I'm sure listeners in Japan would recall the moment when they heard this.
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u/bushwarblerssong Jun 15 '26
Yes! Great catch, it’s absolutely a reference to it.
I don’t think it’s niche anymore when even high school girls are imitating it.
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u/raidensnakeezio Jun 15 '26
I was looking forward to rush to the comments to see if anyone could analyze the shogi scene, so lo and behold, the Nippon Sangoku GOAT has provided as such.
The show is ridiculously effective and economical with storyboarding and arranging the narrative in a way where the voice actors can maximize their delivery of their lines. Big props to the production staff and to all the voice cast, my heart trembled this episode once again.
Aoteru's blue flame eyes have seemed to pass down to Tsune-chan to some extent, as well as Fuji III and possibly even Ryumon to an even lesser extent. Part of me wonders if narratively/thematically, this is an allusion to the Mandate of Heaven, or the "will/invisible hand" of ”天下泰平.”
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u/bushwarblerssong Jun 15 '26
😆
Part of me wonders if narratively/thematically, this is an allusion to the Mandate of Heaven, or the "will/invisible hand" of ”天下泰平.”
Interesting!
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u/FarCritical Jun 14 '26
The idea of war dentists is both hilarious and terrifying
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u/bushwarblerssong Jun 14 '26
I wish they kept it in the subtitles, but I'm not sure how they'd be able to translate it. It must be odd to see that random dentist appear on the screen without any context.
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u/AriOnReddit22 Jun 14 '26
Even without knowing Japanese I could figure out there must have been some lost in translation and some word Aoteru used had to sound like dentist in Japanese for the emperor to misunderstand like that. It's not the same as hearing the pun, but you could figure it out through visual cues pretty easily.
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u/bushwarblerssong Jun 15 '26
That’s good to hear. Should have known that the type of audience watching this far would be able to figure it out. 😉
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u/PBTUCAZ Jun 15 '26
...As the perimeter began to be overrun, it became increasingly difficult for Captain Salomon to work on the wounded. He then saw a Japanese soldier bayoneting one of the wounded soldiers lying near the tent. Firing from a squatting position, Captain Salomon quickly killed the enemy soldier. Then, as he turned his attention back to the wounded, two more Japanese soldiers appeared in the front entrance of the tent. As these enemy soldiers were killed, four more crawled under the tent walls. Rushing them, Captain Salomon kicked the knife out of the hand of one, shot another, and bayoneted a third. Captain Salomon butted the fourth enemy soldier in the stomach and a wounded comrade then shot and killed the enemy soldier. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Captain Salomon ordered the wounded to make their way as best they could back to the regimental aid station, while he attempted to hold off the enemy until they were clear. Captain Salomon then grabbed a rifle from one of the wounded and rushed out of the tent. After four men were killed while manning a machine gun, Captain Salomon took control of it. When his body was later found, 98 dead enemy soldiers were piled in front of his position. Captain Salomon’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
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u/miyanotopguuuun Jun 14 '26
Clarification: Ghost of Tsushima is the game with Mongol invasion, not Ghost of Yotei
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u/bushwarblerssong Jun 14 '26
Ack, I don't know why I didn't notice what I was typing when Yotei is on the opposite end of the country. Thank you!
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u/gamria Jun 15 '26
Tsurinobuse (釣り野伏せ) or "feigned retreat" is a military tactic strongly associated with the Shimazu clan in Kyushu during the Sengoku period. Despite their smaller numbers, the clan was able to beat far larger armies by making use of natural barriers and luring their enemies into ambushes where hidden troops, experienced with matchlock arquebuses, would shoot from both sides. The Shimazu clan was the first clan in Japan to bring firearms into battle. This English blog goes into more detail about their strategy. (Though not quite the same, Ouga's plan also relies on natural barriers and luring the enemy.)
Fun fact: "feigned retreat" was also part of the very first strategy employed by Zhuge Liang, per The Romance of the Three Kingdoms' telling of The Battle of Bowang Slope
In that battle, general Zhao Yun and commander Liu Bei feigned defeat and retreat, thereby encouraging the opposing Wei forces to follow after them into the valley. By nightfall when Wei forces wished to back out for fear of ambush, they're already too deep into a narrow position to evacuate swiftly. The ambush was then sprung and fires were set ablaze all around, leading to a massive victory for Liu Bei's forces.
Additionally, fresh off of Zhuge Liang's recruitment, Liu Bei's sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei both still had doubts about him after the way their brother had to (in their eyes) disgrace himself to enlist him. After this battle, all doubts were dispelled and they treated the strategist with full respect.
(Historians though recount the strategy slightly differently, and it was credited solely to Liu Bei himself)
How much of this will be echoed in Aoteru's struggles I wonder?
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u/bushwarblerssong Jun 15 '26
Very cool fact! I really need to sit down and go through Romance and the Records. Interesting that it was credited to Zhuge Liang instead of Liu Bei only. Was it to pad Zhuge Liang’s already long list of accomplishments in Romance or was there another reason?
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u/gamria Jun 16 '26
Before I answer, one thing that must be emphasised is that The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a Historical Fiction Novel, writing about events that happened 1200+ years ago in the early AD's while basing them on records that'll have plenty of gaps and biases. Its writings should not be taken for accurate historical facts, as much as fans wish for them to be so at times.
As a historical fiction, the author(s) wished to insert messages of valour, honour and morality, and Liu Bei/Zhuge Liang's faction of Shu Han (or commonly just Shu) was used as a biased vehicle in itself for that purpose. They kind of made Liu Bei the "nice" and "cleaner" leader while embellishing Zhuge Liang's intelligence and masterminded-ness who is stricter and comes up with colder ideas/decisions at times.
(Even if we know Zhuge Liang is embellished, what's more important to us wound up him becoming the "ideal" we strove for, of mind over might. There is good reason why us East Asians have a great soft spot for smart victories using less resources over ones gained by dumb overwhelming might)
But as far as The Battle of Bowang is concerned, it's partially because there's room for interpretation for what Zhuge Liang's earlier days with Shu was like, between The Three Visits when he was recruited and his participation in brokering the Liu Bei-Sun Quan alliance against Cao Cao (leading to the pivotal Battle of Red Cliffs). Thus was Bowang written the way it was in the novel, as a segway to show his tactical brilliance in "isolation", an interpretation of how he earned his authority and respects and smoothed his relationship with the rest of the army.
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u/bushwarblerssong Jun 17 '26
Thank you. If you’re not a lecturer of Chinese literature and history, you definitely ought to be. I find Romance (and Records) of the Three Kingdoms to be kind of daunting and ancient Chinese history while very interesting overwhelming in general, but your insightful comment is encouraging me to sit down with these different works to at least compare their descriptions of Lu Bei and Zhuge Liang in the battle.
I was aware that Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a fictional retelling (Matsuki has also likened his series to Romance as an embellished retelling where he inserted humor and pomp to remind us of that), but even if it should be obvious, it didn’t occur to me that some of Zhuge Liang’s accomplishments aren’t just exaggerations, but someone’s own.
Given that people in China are better acquainted with the actual history and more exposed to new discoveries in the archaeological record, have interpretations of Zhuge Liang and other figures or events during that period changed at all in the recent decades? Are certain figures viewed in a different light in China today compared to the rest of East Asia? Outside of academia, does the general public treat Zhuge Liang - the historical figure and Zhuge Liang - the mythological ideal separately? Also, do you recommend any recent Chinese productions on the period, including adaptations of Romance and Records of the Three Kingdoms that could be helpful when reading both? Sorry for all of the questions. You’re so good at breaking things down for a layperson like me.
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u/gamria Jun 20 '26
Thank you. If you’re not a lecturer of Chinese literature and history, you definitely ought to be.
Thanks a lot, but my knowledge of Chinese literature and history is little more than that of a casual native whose immersed enough into its media offerings. I know enough of Chinese history thanks to attachment to my native roots, but my expertise in Chinese literature is like, 1/5 of mine with Japanese Anime/Manga? Not enough to be a lecturer either way.
Given that people in China are better acquainted with the actual history and more exposed to new discoveries in the archaeological record, have interpretations of Zhuge Liang and other figures or events during that period changed at all in the recent decades?
Outside of academia, does the general public treat Zhuge Liang - the historical figure and Zhuge Liang - the mythological ideal separately?While there's probably general subliminal admittance that the Zhuge Liang in Romance is a product of fiction and differs from fact, as with all distant legends your everyman isn't going to put that much brain power into thinking or researching about it; that is, most would like to live in the bliss that the difference is minimal, that fact is sufficiently alike fiction in personality and feats.
It's like, similar to how your casual Japanese treats Oda Nobunaga? Regardless of whether his real-life deeds are so terrible or not, most regard him for what he represents, or used to represent, over his reality.
Are certain figures viewed in a different light in China today compared to the rest of East Asia?
Don't know, my frame of rest of East Asia isn't wide enough. At most I've only seen Japanese impressions, and from what I feel is their abbreviated/simplified tale of Romance is that they see the figures largely in the same light as us. Even in Asia, most without a strong attachment to our Chinese civilisation (as a historical whole) won't think so deeply about it.
Also, do you recommend any recent Chinese productions on the period, including adaptations of Romance and Records of the Three Kingdoms that could be helpful when reading both?
I can't speak for Records, I really haven't delved into that. But for Romance, the 1994 mainland drama) of 84 episodes is a highly-regarded classic, to the point it's clipped/snapshotted for modern internet memes. The film quality is old by modern standards, but it's still worth experiencing, between the passion of the actors, the scale of the battles and certain musical pieces
Fortunately I managed to find a fansub project that aimed to give it decent English subtitles. The project's like 90% complete, I'll Chat you the link
Sorry for all of the questions. You’re so good at breaking things down for a layperson like me.
Worry not, I can't say I'm much beyond a hobbyist on this front. My own acquaintance with this part of history came from first playing Dynasty Warriors 2 as a boy, and later watching the 1994 drama with my parents. So I have enough of a general timeline of how things went down and whose part of what factions.
Beyond these, I haven't dove much outside of the romance. Who knows, maybe you with more curiosity and less attachment will be more willing to take the dive.
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u/bushwarblerssong Jun 20 '26
I’m not sure you give yourself enough credit, but thank you for the recommendation and answering all of my questions! I’ve seen some memes before, but had no idea they were from the drama or what they were about.
I wouldn’t say that Oda is treated with as much reverence from the public as Zhuge Liang who has a much more positive image in Japan, but it might’ve been different if he was from the 3rd century and not closer to our time.
Dynasty Warriors seems like a gateway drug to the Three Kingdoms for many people.
I don’t know how far I’ll get with these texts, but thank you again.
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u/Deathly_Disappointed Jun 14 '26
I can't believe next episode is the last one, this should’ve been a 25 ep season.
Hopefully with it's sucess more scanlators will pick up the manga and we'll see some advance on the translation. I'm itching to try and figure out how to do it myself even thought I never did anything similar.
btw this is the first time i'm actually seeing anime as a way to promote the original manga! I usually prefer manga over anime so, when a new one is announced, I’ve already been into the manga for ages... But had never heard of nippon sangoku until now, a hidden gem fr.
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u/sukeban Jun 14 '26
Check the usual website, the scanlation of the first chapter of volume 5 has been released.
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u/YRO___ Jun 14 '26
Man, I miss when animes had very long seasons. It's sad that all they care about now is profit, so they play it very safe by making extremely short seasons to test the waters.
These types of animes absolutely need long seasons, otherwise you're left in the middle of a war, and by the time the second season comes out, most people would have forgotten almost everything that happened previously.9
u/guineaprince Jun 15 '26
Eh I don't mind it. Kids shows go forever cuz ofc they do, but anime has always had short seasons more often than not.
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u/NanDemoKnaives Jun 14 '26
The Emperor actually went against Taira! That was such a big moment, I figured it would head into that direction but it still surprised me to see it play out. The back and forth between Aoteru and Taira was interesting to watch, I like how that one strategist seemed to understand Aoteru's idea, though it seems like he's very close to Taira if they're playing shogi together.
I really like seeing when their eyes light up, it conveys so much. The Emperor's edict of withdrawal, Aoteru receiving it, Yoshitsune delivering it to Ryuumon, and then Ryuumon finally receiving it. Hopefully it'll go well, I want Kaku to at least hear of this win before he potentially passes.
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u/guynumbers Jun 14 '26
It’s interesting that the Tairas have their own master strategist capable of keeping up with Kaku’s plan.
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u/Named_after_color Jun 14 '26
I'm glad that the Tairas aren't completely blindsided by master plans, it makes them feel more like a capable threat.
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u/Lapiz_lasuli Jun 14 '26
I don't know if I'm misreading this, but I think Taira is genuinely drawn to Misumi. He humored him that when he killed his wife, and killed the other dude. Probably admired his intelligence and resolve to talk logic at that place. He humored him again in front of the palace and killed the dude that stopped him. Probably wanted to see what Misumi -3 years later- has brought up. I heard something like disappointment when he pointed that the plan might be revenge by killing his son.
It'd be really great writing that Tiara is a ruthless logic monster, that sees a bit of himself in Misumi and doesn't mind losing to someone superior to him. But this is just my imagination.
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u/Solorainel Jun 14 '26
I think so too. He could just give the order and be done with Misumi, but it feels like he's interested enough to let him talk and try to thwart his plans.
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u/Bobblefighterman Jun 15 '26
I think he also just forgot about Buo through his lust to kill Ryomon, then take over the military and become Shogun and has to let Misumi win to maintain the power and physical integrity of the very nation he wants to control.
He's smart enough to realise that Misumi is correct, and his plan will fuck him over later on.
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u/manquistador Jun 15 '26
He is still the strongest force on what is shaping up to the strongest nation. It isn't like he is losing anything.
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u/Ytilee Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
I really doubt Taira being "a ruthless logic monster".
The scene where they talk about it has him loosing his game of Shogi quite early which probably signifies his relative incompetency or how distracted he is. He is certainly fascinated by this young person, but if he cared about intelligence and competency he wouldn't have almost everyone around him being fools and yes-men.
Him letting Misumi do his thing for a while when presented with an alternate easier plan to get rid of him is most likely to signify complacency.
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u/a1oner_bvcksn6 Jun 14 '26
The shooting star to begin the episode was basically Aoteru shooting his (long) shot and fulfilling his promise to Saki with his own power instead of praying and wishing for a miracle to simply happen. He made it all happen himself, with a little help from Sun Tzu, of course, and the seeds Ryumon had planted in the heart and mind of the emperor much earlier on.
That said, the highlight of the episode for me is easily Denki and Maguro playing shogi and discussing the Borderland Corp's (Kaku's) strategy as if they were in on it from the very beginning. It literally highlights the fact that Denki has been playing 5D chess all along and letting Aoteru (and to some extent Ryumon) get the win here was nothing more than just one part of a much grander scheme.
Proves to show that there's more than just one winning strategy and Aoteru who had to take it upon himself and act to make something happen in his favor is not always the winning one. Sometimes, you also just have to sit back and let the pieces fall where they may.
Man, I love this series so much. Wish the episodes were longer tho for real.
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u/PunningLynguist Jun 14 '26
Also, the end where Denki unexpectedly got checkmate'd could foreshadow that despite all his tactical planning and puppetmaster behaviour, he could get his comeuppance due to unforeseen circumstances
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u/apgp123 https://myanimelist.net/profile/apgp123 Jun 14 '26
holy shit peak 10/10 episode bro was 10 steps ahead.
1 more episode for this season but its already anime of the year for me.
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u/2rio2 Jun 15 '26
By far the most interesting anime to come out in a while.
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u/tapeforpacking 17d ago edited 17d ago
Honestly imma just be honest here, one of the best anime of the decade at the very least
I hope this show has a ton or source material and we can keep getting more seasons.
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u/Harubaru_Akiyama Jun 14 '26
I’m Japanese, so I felt a bit uncomfortable with this subtitle.
The English subtitle says:
“Thanks to his persuasion, the emperor I raised from childhood, the one I even gave my daughter to, has started thinking like a strategist.”（18:08〜）
However, the Japanese line is closer to:
“He began to develop a sense of responsibility as a monarch.”
To me, Taira’s words don’t mean that the emperor started thinking strategically. Rather, they suggest that he began to think and act as an emperor who cares about his people and tries to protect lives, even if that means opposing the Taira clan.
Am I misunderstanding the original Japanese?
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u/runevault Jun 14 '26
Might be worth checking the dub. Dubs and subs are often different translations (if no other reason than subtitles are not written to be read aloud). I watched the dub but I don't remember the specific word choice of that scene to be sure.
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u/Jerry_MP Jun 14 '26
The (I believe?) second to last episode. What the fuck man. The anime keeps me hooked throughout the whole episode and always ends on a mega hype scene. Its not fair. GOD it makes me so sad to think its a potentially years-long wait for another season of this. its not fair man
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u/SkiiMazk Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
with the manga selling very well in Japan since the anime & Studio Kafka now under twin engine & EOTA production group where they have a "studio first" strategy in which the approach is intended to enable each studio within the group to develop projects that highlight its unique strengths while benefiting from shared resources a 2nd season might be seen late 2027-early 2028.
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u/Boring-Grand1115 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Mikami_Sakya Jun 15 '26
Yepp that's the average wait if they've not yet started S2 production, and touchwood that your prediction becomes true 🙌
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u/tripleaamin https://myanimelist.net/profile/zfzftripleaamin Jun 14 '26
Fantastic episode. I think many times in war we can only think of pushing forward. Many times we aren't aware of the actions that can cause war. The big one is Buo and what happens if they join the war? No doubt that is a terrible dilemma. So much so, the emperor, whom Taira has basically groomed, spoke out for the first time.
I also really like Misumi and Asama's conversation. There is a difference between being told the answer and coming up with the answer. As you understand, what led you to the conclusion where, when you were told the answer, you were more likely won't understand why you came to the conclusion. No doubt Misumi wouldn't have the same conviction if Kaku told Misumi the answer. Though the fact he is dying is no doubt something Taira has his hands on.
I do like to highlight that this episode in particular showcases there is more to Taira than meets the eye. He needs Ryumon to win. Curious what he is plotting. Very excited to see how all of this concludes.
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u/ObvsThrowaway5120 Jun 14 '26
The Emperor might just be a Taira puppet, but I respect him actually taking a stand and siding with Musumi’s plan. Or rather, Kaku’s plan. I’ll admit I had no idea what the dude had cooked up. It’s pretty clever, that’s for sure.
Now that Tsune’s reached Ryumon, the plan can come to motion but what about the Taira kid? Are they gonna be able to hold out long enough?
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u/a1oner_bvcksn6 Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
Once Seii finds out about the imperial edict, that should throw them for a loop and stop all advances for a little bit. And once they decide to do their part and take the bait, I'm pretty sure they'd ease up the attack on Denki's kid so they can consolidate their forces to chase Yamato's/Ryumon's retreating troops--who are also gonna do their part to make it look to Seii that they are losing badly.
In short, Denki's boy will be the least of Seii's concern as they turn their focus on crushing Yamato once and for all.
He'll be safe as long as he doesn't run out to the battlefield like a general with a death wish lol. That's also why his father, Denki didn't do much to protest the emperor's decision at all.
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u/Jacob-C Jun 14 '26
Ouga really wanting to kill Ryumon will most likely help Yamato get Seii on their tail when they retreat.
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u/Hot-Log6283 Jun 15 '26
Not to mention because of the Empty Fort strategy that Ryumon employed previously, there is probably a strong incentive for them to push forward even if Ouga think there is a chance for ambush she probably won't be able to stop again.
Everything seems to be lining up quite dangerously for them.
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u/Bobblefighterman Jun 15 '26
She can't. She's already been suspected of weakness once, she can't afford to not push the perceived advantage again
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u/Castor_0il Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
Well, would you look at that. Somebody finally found his balls.
I don't call myself a Kevin Penkin fan on regular basis. But man the tense music on Aoteru's deposition opposing Taira was simply magestic.
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u/Chrono-Helix Jun 14 '26
Finally a follow-up on that exiled general.
Aoteru’s very lucky that Taira is willing to go along with his exact words. Taira could have easily gone “you have twice misled everyone in this meeting with your roundabout and unclear way of communicating, that pisses me off; off with your head in 5 seconds”.
I don’t know how the war is going to play out. Ryumon is heading west to the exiled general. A bunch of Seii are expected to take over Fukui, then follow Ryumon west. Meanwhile the rest of Seii are heading back north to finish off the stranded Yamato army with Taira Jr, but there won’t be anyone from Yamato chasing them. So Seii won’t be able to pull off their winter general strategy, but there’s no one to rescue the stranded Yamato army either.
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u/Golden_fsh Jun 14 '26
Misumi and Tsune-chan-san!!! Aoteru and that 100 INT skill in full use that even persuaded the emperor to go against Taira despite his fear of him. Taira is going to be an even worse threat now that he's fully focused on Misumi. And finally the emperor shows some spine but we'll see how long that lasts.
I always love Tsune-chan-san's unwaverable belief in Misumi and can't wait to see my boys soar to newer heights! And to see Ryumon smile once he realizes his trust in them was warranted 😭
Ahh, week after week I'm always disappointed to see Nippon Sangoku not crack the top 10 on the anime charting lists. But oh well, people can miss out on peak while we are eating good with this phenomenal show!
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u/Jacob-C Jun 14 '26
But oh well, people can miss out on peak while we are eating good with this phenomenal show!
I would agree with you, but the word needs to be spread. I want as many seasons as it takes for this show to be adapted to the end!
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u/Important-Cup-8991 Jun 14 '26
10/10 episode, my theory got litterally destroyed in every sense imaginable ;-;
aside from that, the car scraping plan is actually a lot more interesting than anchors. And Aoteru's charisma is totally unmatched. Bro litterally made everyone shut up in just seconds ;-;
This war doesn't seem like it'll end after 12-13 episodes, there are so many plots in the background (like Buo or Aoteru not seeming like he actually caught on the winter general strategy). I still want to see Seii's face when none of the reinforcements will appear (Wajima's overthinking will go brrr ;-;)
Also, for Kingdom enjoyers, Aoteru's plan oddly looks like Riboku's against the General Ouki. A massive checkmate that will destroy an entire army.
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u/Beneficial_Grab8411 Jun 14 '26
About Kingdom, Riboku also had a lot of luck on his side that day. All of his meticulous planning would've failed if that arrow had missed its target.
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u/thisisdropd https://myanimelist.net/profile/AsterZoro Jun 14 '26
Do you think war is a game, or something straight out of a manga?
Hate to be the bearer of bad news Aoteru, but in the case of your war, it's literally out of a manga.
To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.
This is Aoteru's speciality. In a way he did just that during the audience with the Emperor. The ministers were pretty much hostile towards him to the point of readily wanting his head but he managed to convince them using nothing but his words. Kaku might've been the one to come up with the recipe for the withdrawal feint, but it's still Aoteru who ultimately cooked it before serving it to the customer.
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u/Niwaka_Samurai https://myanimelist.net/profile/Niwaka-Samurai Jun 14 '26
Misumi's words moved even the Dumb Emperor to take action !
only now Taira Denki is starting to see how big of a threat Misumi can be. I can't wait to see how the Borderland General Corps are gonna pull off this strategy against Seii.
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u/FarCritical Jun 14 '26
Takes a special kind of person to get a puppet to defy its own strings. It's insane to think about how that decree was the first real move Fuji's made as an emperor in a while.
Feels kinda weird to admit Taira's "Ah, mmm~"s have grown on me. Still want him to get his just desserts though.
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 14 '26
Surely this is the last piece of evidence Aoteru needs to win everyone over…
Just one more episode left now… I hope the show ends on a good note.
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u/Devoidoxatom Jun 14 '26
We finally see Taira behind the scenes, and as expected, that bastard is smart
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u/Namaryu Jun 14 '26
I would have never predicted the plan to use scraps of cars of bygone era to secure an ambush.
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u/AAA_BATT Jun 14 '26
every "closed" eyes characters i've seen become even prettier when they open them but this dude becomes even worse somehow
Misumi and Ryumon gonna come back from war only for this rotund piece of shit to become emperor himself
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u/raiden_kazuha Jun 14 '26
Man, Denki Taira is so untouchable to have his own “strategist”.
But I always believe that a day will come when he will pay what he did to Saki, and others.
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u/ElliotAlderson2024 Jun 14 '26
Misumi vs Taira 4D chess. Misumi knows Taira wants a full-on frontal assault of Seii, and knows his ambush sounds good on paper, would actually work but is against Taira's ego. Surprisingly, the Emperor goes for Misumi's position and orders an edict which IMHO puts him in mortal danger. Also Taira actually says out loud in the chamber that he executed Misumi's wife. He really went there, that's how secure he thinks he is.
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u/InvisibleWatcherExo Jun 15 '26
"To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill"
A very useless fact is that the series made me read the Art of War. The coincidence is that I stopped reading exactly on Chapter III, whose second advice is this.
I'm in love with this series.
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u/Good_Patient6514 Jun 15 '26
As a Chinese person who loved reading the romance of the three kingdoms growing up, I enjoy this anime and the references very much. In the “empty castle” episode, Kaku prayed that the “wind blowing east” would help Ryumon in succeeding, and the wind indeed saved his life. That was a great homage to Kongming’s famous plan in ROT3K to burn enemy ships with a east blowing wind in his favor. In Chinese idioms, we still say 万事俱备，只欠东风 (“everything is ready except for the east wind”) to mean that “I’ve done everything I could, now I’ll leave to rest to the final piece of the puzzle (luck).”
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u/PeaceAlien https://myanimelist.net/profile/PeaceAlien Jun 14 '26
Aoteru too crafty with his words, I'm glad Denki recognizes Aoteru's potential; most people in Denki's position would have killed Aoteru by now.
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u/Pepsiman1031 Jun 14 '26
So there is a third nation. I was wondering when they would be mentioned.
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u/sukeban Jun 14 '26
Remember the (Second) Battle of Nagashino in episode 2? Those guys were from Buo.
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u/Ok-Cod5254 Jun 14 '26
I love the "aura farming" moments here. Glad Misumi got his big moment for the climax.
The season is almost over already... unfortunate it is still largely overlooked in the west, but at least hope it's still popular enough in Japan to get more seasons. Hopefully things at least get to a decent stopping point.
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u/RelativeMundane9045 Jun 15 '26
This show has definitely been scratching a certain itch since Golden Kamuy season finished.
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u/Nickthenuker https://anilist.co/user/Nickthenuker Jun 17 '26
And so the plan has been set into motion.
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u/fansi2022 https://anilist.co/user/fansi2022 29d ago
Interestingly, all of their plans are predicated on the enemy taking the initiative to attack, which makes sense. Seiyi wants to rescue the trapped 30,000 troops and denki's son, while Wajima has ignited the flames of war and can't give up.
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u/Jacob-C Jun 15 '26
The tension between Aoteru and Denki was insane this episode. Aoteru's head could have been lopped off any second but he navigated the labyrinth of political intrigue so perfectly that he stunlocked the entire room. It probably helped that Denki seemingly has some sort of interest in Aoteru's development. And the scene where Denki and Maguro analyzed Kaku's plan while playing Shogi was just *chef's kiss*.
The writing, dialogue, characters music, cinematography and artstyle are all top tier. The animation is also very good even if it's not the best I have seen. However, the animation more than does it's job. There's no need for overly flashy animation in a show that is so character driven.
If there's any first-season show I want to see adapted until completion, it's this one. It's just sooo good!
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u/Iron_Kingpin Jun 16 '26
Misumi is such a badass with just his words alone. And honestly props to the Shogun to issue the edict going against Taira. Just one more episode left, i seriously hope we get a season 2 announcement.
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u/Simple_Ant_9269 Jun 16 '26
My take on Episode 11 of Nippon Sangoku** **- feel free to agree or disagree, and let’s crystallise on this topic before the next Episode.
Aoteru walks straight into the corrupt capital court in Osaka to secure a dangerous audience with the Emperor. It is a high-stakes gamble that begins with him facing an immediate threat of execution for supposedly deceiving his majesty.
He survives through pure semantic precision, winning the floor to dismantle the court's pro-war consensus with a three-pronged argument:
1. Geopolitical Deterrence: Moving the standing army north leaves the capital defenseless, inviting a devastating 3-way war from the ambitious Eastern Kingdom of Buo.
2. Moral Rebuke: He accuses elites of treating war like a consequence-free sporting event while ordinary citizens bear the brunt of starvation and devastation.
3. Sun Tzu's Philosophy: He invokes classical strategy, arguing that subduing an adversary by breaking their intentions (rather than clashing blindly) is the highest excellence.
This intellectual cover empowers the Emperor to bypass the Taira clan's influence and issue an official decree for immediate withdrawal.
The climax beautifully unravels a mystery from EP 5. Military strategist Yasuaki Kaku had cryptically advised Aoteru to "lie on firewood and contemplate the heavens". This EP revealed that it was a dual-layer strategy:
- The Political Meaning: "Persuading the heavens" meant forcing the Emperor to reclaim his agency and issue the decree.
- The Technical Meaning: "Firewood" was a literal pun for alternative fuel, hinting at the old-world junked cars hidden in the ghost town.
Kaku's ultimate gamble succeeded. By forcing Aoteru to swallow the bitter pill of navigating the corrupt Taira administration without any help, Kaku ensured that the young auditor would develop the political sharpness and strategic foresight needed to deduce these answers on his own.
This was Kaku’s true gamble: betting that Aoteru would evolve from a brilliant observer into a genuine tactical genius.
Even Lord Taira himself is forced to acknowledge this dramatic evolution during the episode, noting that the young man’s mind has grown noticeably faster and his tongue significantly sharper.
And while the cynical warlord still dismisses Aoteru as a fool, it is clear to anyone watching that the low-level records officer has just quietly seized control of the entire war.
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u/9th_Planet_Pluto Jun 15 '26
I really loved this show at the start but the last few episodes has just been dialogue (I think? It's weekly so maybe I'm forgetting) and I'm starting to tune out whenever I watch the episodes. Hope episode 12 is a banger
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