Oda Nobunaga stands as a powerful 16th-century Japanese feudal warlord, renowned as the first "Great Unifier." This middle-aged man sports medium-length black hair tied back, a small mustache, and a beard. His personality is defined by a pragmatic belief in power over tradition, driving him to appoint outsiders like Yasuke and women to roles traditionally held by Japanese men—a policy that sparks conflict with traditionalist subordinates like Akechi Mitsuhide. Nobunaga first encounters Yasuke in 1579, witnessing the man defend a child unarmed at a trade port. Intrigued by Yasuke’s dark skin—initially suspecting ink—Nobunaga orders him scrubbed, confirming the natural pigmentation. This leads Nobunaga to take Yasuke into his service, renaming him and granting him samurai status complete with a sword, residence, and stipend. Nobunaga values Yasuke’s strength and loyalty, entrusting him as "a son" with duties like bearing weapons and providing battlefield support during campaigns such as the suppression of the Iga clan. Nobunaga shares a significant relationship with his lover, Mori Ranmaru, prioritizing time with him alongside strategic matters. During the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582, Nobunaga faces betrayal by Mitsuhide and the Dark Army. Cornered and overwhelmed, he retreats into the temple with Yasuke and Ranmaru. After confirming Ranmaru's escape to safety, Nobunaga resigns himself to defeat, performs seppuku, and commands Yasuke to decapitate him to preserve his honor. His leadership emphasizes innovation and merit, rejecting conventional hierarchies. He openly admires and integrates foreign technologies like Mongol-derived power armor mechs into his forces. These progressive actions and dismissal of tradition fuel internal strife, culminating in Mitsuhide’s betrayal—justified by Mitsuhide as a response to Nobunaga’s "abandonment of his people" through inclusive policies.