TV-Series
Description
Oda Nobunaga is a daimyo cat in Meow Meow Japanese History, a humorous retelling of Japanese history in which historical figures appear as cats. In the Sengoku period episodes, he is presented as the warlord who came closest to unifying the country, driven by an ambition to become the cat who stood above all others in a vicious age of constant warfare.
His background follows the broad outline of the real historical figure. He was born in Owari, the region now known as Nagoya, as the child of a minor daimyo family, and in his youth he was dismissed as an utsuke, a fool, by those around him. Through a combination of luck, boldness, and growing military skill, he unified Owari and then steadily extended his power across the nation. His appearance matches his larger-than-life reputation: he is drawn as a cat with sharp, slanted sanpaku eyes and distinctive whiskers around the mouth. He is fond of new things and showy displays, and although he built the magnificent Azuchi Castle, his favorite activity is simply sunbathing on its roof.
In personality, he is short-tempered and rough around the edges, with a love of novelty and flamboyance. He acts without being bound by common sense, and his unconventional decisions often leave those around him struggling to keep up. For all his brashness, he is warm-hearted underneath and surprisingly gentle with his own people. His unpredictable and high-handed ways also mean that he is frequently betrayed by others.
His role in the story centers on his rise to power. One of his featured episodes gives an overview of his career, from his beginnings in Owari to his unification of the province, his construction of Azuchi Castle, and his position as the daimyo closest to bringing the whole country under one rule. His ambitions set the stage for the generation of warlords who follow him.
His most notable relationship is with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, his subordinate, who appears as a large monkey constantly at his side. Because Nobunaga cannot understand monkey speech, their interactions are largely one-sided, and Hideyoshi later succeeds him as the next great unifier. Around his retainers and family, he shows a softer, more affectionate side that balances his fierce public image.
His notable abilities include military leadership, unconventional tactics that catch enemies off guard, and the strategic vision to unify territories and build grand projects like Azuchi Castle. The humor of his character comes from the contrast between his serious historical legacy and his very catlike behavior, such as lounging on rooftops, which makes him one of the more memorable figures in the Sengoku era segments of the series.
His background follows the broad outline of the real historical figure. He was born in Owari, the region now known as Nagoya, as the child of a minor daimyo family, and in his youth he was dismissed as an utsuke, a fool, by those around him. Through a combination of luck, boldness, and growing military skill, he unified Owari and then steadily extended his power across the nation. His appearance matches his larger-than-life reputation: he is drawn as a cat with sharp, slanted sanpaku eyes and distinctive whiskers around the mouth. He is fond of new things and showy displays, and although he built the magnificent Azuchi Castle, his favorite activity is simply sunbathing on its roof.
In personality, he is short-tempered and rough around the edges, with a love of novelty and flamboyance. He acts without being bound by common sense, and his unconventional decisions often leave those around him struggling to keep up. For all his brashness, he is warm-hearted underneath and surprisingly gentle with his own people. His unpredictable and high-handed ways also mean that he is frequently betrayed by others.
His role in the story centers on his rise to power. One of his featured episodes gives an overview of his career, from his beginnings in Owari to his unification of the province, his construction of Azuchi Castle, and his position as the daimyo closest to bringing the whole country under one rule. His ambitions set the stage for the generation of warlords who follow him.
His most notable relationship is with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, his subordinate, who appears as a large monkey constantly at his side. Because Nobunaga cannot understand monkey speech, their interactions are largely one-sided, and Hideyoshi later succeeds him as the next great unifier. Around his retainers and family, he shows a softer, more affectionate side that balances his fierce public image.
His notable abilities include military leadership, unconventional tactics that catch enemies off guard, and the strategic vision to unify territories and build grand projects like Azuchi Castle. The humor of his character comes from the contrast between his serious historical legacy and his very catlike behavior, such as lounging on rooftops, which makes him one of the more memorable figures in the Sengoku era segments of the series.