Honda Shigetomo (Taisen drama)

is the 23rd KTK Taisen drama. It aired on KTK from January 9, 1983 to December 18, 1983 spanning 49 episodes. The story centers on the life of the 16th century samurai and the second shogun of Okaiken, Honda Shigetomo. Set between the end of the Sengoku Period and the beginning of the Imperial Shogunate, this follows the life and achievements of the second shogun Honda Shigetomo (Shinobu Otake). Production of this drama began on April 20, 1982. The story is based on the novel Honda Shigetomo by Yuriko Nishida and was adapted for screen by scriptwriter Yoshitaro Shimizu. The series' music composer was Tomita Isao. It was the most watched drama in Sanese History until Honda Tenno, also about the Honda clan, premiered in 2014. 
==Plot==
===TV schedule===
Episode 	Title	Directed by 	Original airdate	Rating
(Prequel)	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	16.9%29.6%44.7%50.8%
1 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	50.5%
2 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	48.7%
3 	 	Mitsuhiro Fukui 	 	49.0%
4 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	46.4%
5 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	55.2%
6 	 	Mitsuhiro Fukui 	 	60.1%
7 	 	Mitsuhiro Fukui 	 	52.3%
8 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	49.9%
9 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	48.3%
10 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	47.4%
11 	 	Mitsuhiro Fukui 	 	45.8%
12 	 	Mitsuhiro Fukui 	 	46.6%
13 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	47.4%
14 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	48.4%
15 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	52.7%
16 	 	Mitsuhiro Fukui 	 	43.9%
17 	 	Mitsuhiro Fukui 	 	42.0%
18 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	38.6%
19 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	39.4%
20 	 	Naito Joan 	 	46.7%
21 	 	Naito Joan 	 	34.4%
22 	 	Mitsuhiro Fukui 	 	40.0%
23 	 	Mitsuhiro Fukui 	 	33.7%
24 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	35.4%
25 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	41.6%
47 	 	Miura Takafumi and Naito Joan 	 	74.40%
48 	 	Miura Takafumi and Naito Joan 	 	74.20%
49 	 	Fukui Mitsuhiro and Naito Joan	 	79.60%
50 	 	Miura Takafumi 	 	90.4% (Okaiken viewing record)
===Prequel===
The prequel of the story was aired on KTK as a Christmas special on December 25, 1982, with the same characters from the Taisen drama appearing on it. The story revolves on how Shigetomo was raised when he was a kid. The response to the prequel was overwhelmingly positive, with the final hour of the 4-hour special reaching a Christmas record of 50.8%.
====First Hour====
In the first hour, the story begins in Yokosuka, the traditional home of the Honda clan. Honda Shigetada (Takeda Tetsuya), then a young samurai under the Honda clan, was forced to marry a hostage called "Hatsu no kata" (Natsume Masako) as part of a mutual agreement between the Ogasawara and the Anjō clan. Hatsune's father was Anjō Motonobu (Kitaoji Kin'ya), a leader of a small clan just east of Suemori at the mountains of Ise. The mutual agreement between the two clans was done to ensure that the Honda clan would not be attacked from the northeast by other clans such as the Taktoyo and the Ono. In exchange, the Honda clan will let someone in the Anjō household to marry a high-ranking officer of the Honda clan, in which Hatsu selected Shigetada. At the beginning of the ceremony, Shigetada seemed very frustrated with the terms of his marriage; as time went by he and Hatsu did not get along with each other, and have not yet consummated their marriage. 
Both of them believed that it would not be beneficial for them to continue their marriage in the end once the Anjō clan become assimilated by the powerful Ogasawara clan or destroyed for not abiding with the conditions of the stronger clan nearby such as the Ono and the Taketoyo. With Taketoyo Sadahiro's health quickly deteriorating over the span of two years without producing a proper successor of his clan, it was known to the clan that there would not be a male successor thus sealing the fate of the Taketoyo clan. The Anjō must make a decision to amalgamate its holdings with either the Ono or the Ogasawara since these clans are perceived to be more powerful than the Honda clan. 
Hatsu told Shigetada what had happened with the fate of the Anjō clan and that she could not continue her marriage to him because of the weakness of her clan, which means that she could no longer fulfill the duties her father had originally given for her. Shigetada objected, telling Hatsu that while she may not be able to fulfill her duties as an Anjō, he had been rethinking about her place in the clan and had additionally fallen affectionate with her during her stay at the Honda residence. Shigetada then added to her that she could not go back to the Anjō that easily as she is now part of the Honda clan and therefore must also function as a member of the Honda clan. Hatsu first reluctantly accepted to stay as Shigetada's partner but as she noticed Shigetada's true affection towards her, she accepted to become his primary partner. 
Motonobu, who have heard the news of Honda Shigetada's gratitude, came to Suemori to officially become his vassal. He plays a part of raising Honda Shigetomo during the events of the drama, before tragically passing away at the Battle of Mogami.
====Second Hour====
Shigetada's adopted father Shigetatsu (Takaichi Osamu) questioned Shigetada's decision to keep Hatsune. He reprimanded Shigetada and requested to annull his marriage to Hatsune since it will hinder in their negotiations with the other clans in Yokosuka. Shigetada refused since it was his father's decision in the first place to be married to Hatsune. Shigetatsu was angered by his argument and brandished his sword, but when he saw the look of Shigetada's eyes, a flashback appeared in front of him, where a young Shigetomo was in tears at a temple. He had been abandoned there by Ogasawara Terumasa for refusing to be a participant of his clan; Shigetatsu asked why he was under the Ogasawara in the first place and the young page replied that Terumasa had told him that he was not really his son so he placed him at the temple. After the brief flashback, he found out that his sword is on top of Shigetada's back. The sharp blade of the sword had cut a small portion of his yukata but Shigetada kept his calm. Shigetatsu went back on his seating position looking at him. He can see Shigetada's tear drops in the ground but he did not make any noise. He affirmed Shigetada that he can keep his marriage with Hatsune. Shigetada kept his composure until only Shigetatsu and him are left on the room.
====Third Hour====
Hatsune and Shigetada had two children after five years of marriage. Shigemune, later Prince Takahito (Mizugawa Hiroshi), was born in 1578; while Shigetomo (Shinobu Otake) was born in 1582. Three other children were born during the first five episodes of the drama.
====Fourth Hour====
===Spring season===
===Summer season===
===Fall season===
===Winter season (Climax)===
====Episode 50====
===Epilogue===
Due to the overwhelmingly popular ratings of the drama, KTK ordered another episode for the drama as its epilogue to be broadcast on December 24, 1983. The 3 hour special revolves around the end of the Battle of Ichijoudani and the details of the armistice between the Ii clan, headed by Ii Naoyoshi and the Honda clan, headed by Honda Shigetoki. 
Just after the end of the battle, both clans were shocked with the sudden deaths of their leaders. The battle was stopped by both sides, and negotiations begin. Hotta Muneshige, now the moderator between the two clans, suggested that the territory be surrendered to the Honda clan and the Ii clan be moved to a smaller, 10,000 koku territory in Seto. However, the Ii clan refused it due to its incapacity to support the Ii clan. The Ii clan suggested that they should stay in Ichijoudani and keep their territories. The Honda negotiator, Honda Shigetoki, refused the Ii clan's suggestion because they were enemies and they could use it to usurp the power of the Honda clan. Muneshige then stood in anger, pointing to the bodies of Shigetomo and Naotaka. He told the two opposing sides to not let the two die in vain. He then said the the Ii clan will lose its northern half of its territory to him so that they would not be able to gather up infantry while at the same time allow its populace to sustain itself. For the Honda clan, he had suggested that the Ii clan will become a direct subordinate to the Honda clan so that it would help them heal the wounds caused by the conflicts.
Ii Naoyoshi and Honda Shigetoki accepted the terms of the armistice, with Shigetoki saying that his brother would have been more understandable of the situation and is willing to give anything just so the people are happy. Naoyoshi said that his father had been completely unstable in the recent days, stating that he had always thought of Shigetomo. He also added that he does not want him to be killed during the battle and was ready to commit seppuku when Shigetomo had ordered him to. Muneshige was moved with these statements and had agreed to do his utmost effort to repair the relationship of both clans.
==Cast==
==Production==
==Critical Reception==