Oda Nobutada

## Image Gallery

**Oda Nobutada** (織田 (おだ)  信忠 (のぶただ) , *Oda Nobutada*) is the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga and one of the lords participating in the Tenkaichi tournament. His representative warrior is Yagyu Munenori.

## Appearance

Nobutada is an average-sized man with thinner facial features, a generally genial expression, black hair set in a chonmage, a thin black moustache and sharp goatee. He wears the traditional yet stylised kimono with an equally stylised haori, which has his clan mon emblazoned on the back, over the top; he fastens a Japanese sword to his left hip. Nobutada typically has a butterfly sat on his nose or flying nearby his person.

## Personality

He carries himself with an air of good-natured will, highlighted by the butterflies that almost always seem to perch on his nose. This hides his great ambition and pride in the Oda clan; he is under the belief that the Tenkaichi is merely a test imposed on him by his father and made it clear to Yagyu Munenori that he believes Oda's reign can only be succeeded by another Oda.

## Plot

Nobutada was first seen being referred to by Yagyu Munenori as the latter's sponsor in the Tenkaichi. He later sat with Yagyu during the first match between Honda Tadakatsu and Miyamoto Musashi.

At Nobutada's quarters, the daimyo pondered on the evening's poor weather before telling Yagyu that it would be their turn tomorrow and his opponent was someone from a foreign nation of whom they had little information on. With Yagyu responding that it wasn't much of an issue, Nobutada mentioned he was the same as ever. Nobutada then asked how the day's matches were, with Yagyu revealing his great ecstasy observing the first two matches, to the point that he couldn't even finish eating during the evening's banquet. Nobutada casually asked if the feast his father had prepared was not to Yagyu's liking, but the swordsman respectfully responded that it couldn't compare to the ultimate feast! Chuckling, Nobutada confided in the swordsman that he believed the Tenkaichi to be a test imposed upon him by his father and he wouldn't let his father's reign fall into anyone else's hands; an Oda must be succeeded by an Oda! Accepting the charge, Yagyu assured Nobutada that he would cut down any warrior who stood in the way of Nobutada's victory.
In the night, Nobutada sat across from Mohri Terumoto as they were to decide the location of the next match under Mori Ranmaru's conduct. Nobutada drew the Shibata-shaped stick, while Terumoto drew the jackpot Ranmaru-shaped stick. Nobutada enquired Ranmaru why the jackpot stick was him, causing the retainer to reply that "cute is justice"! Upon that, Ranmaru asked Terumoto to choose the location of the next match...

On the second day of the tournament, on board Oda Nobunaga's boat Sweet Winds, Nobutada walked out alongside Yagyu with the latter sharing his bother over the location and the former commenting on the boat and his father's lavishness. With a chuckle, Nobutada then told Yagyu to use his bloodlust to retain the Oda's dominion and the samurai contently agreed to do so. After William Adams entered alongside Mohri Terumoto, Yagyu commented on the Englishman's impressive balance and Nobutada in turn noted that Mohri hadn't simply been eccentric when choosing his fighter.
Nobutada took his seat and began to watch the match between his and Mohri's proxy fighters.

During the match, while Nobutada was sat observing with an air of subtle confidence, Takuan Soho came up behind him and asked if he was feeling worried; the daimyo merely flipped the question back to him and then enquired where he had been. Takuan said the he didn't want to see Yagyu in the act of killing, but Nobutada responded that Takuan should have remained inside as Yagyu wouldn't change his ways to suit demands since the renowned samurai was a natural-born killer. It soon began raining as Yagyu started turning the fight in his favour; Nobutada commented aloud to Takuan that the end was close and if he didn't want to watch, he should leave now.
With Yagyu now dominating William and eventually achieving an overwhelmingly brutal and mercilessly lethal victory, Nobutada mused that his fighter had enjoyed himself a bit too much. Coming over to Yagyu, Nobutada conceded that it was only the first step to an era of peace with the samurai agreeing. From the side, Takuan exclaimed his displeasure and Nobutada observed the back-and-forth between the samurai and the Buddhist prelate.

At the location of the subsequent Tenkaichi match, the Twin Dragon's Cage, Nobutada mused to Yagyu about his father's eccentricity. He continued to observe the fight's showing alongside Yagyu Munenori.

## Notes & Trivia

* This character is based on the real life Oda Nobutada.

## References

1. ↑ *Tenkaichi* manga: Chapter 1 (page 58).
2. ↑ *Tenkaichi* manga: Chapter 13 (page 30).