[rantaid]

Originally Posted by Undertaker

The hygiene was pretty legit IMO, it was supposedly during a festival with court official and Tokugawa in attendance. Mitsuhide was in charge of the organization and it ends up that the fish that was served was rotten and spoiled. Anyone would have been angered let along Nobunaga whe is know for short fuses (though it also seem he lets things down just as quick).

Staying on the theory that Honnoji was Mitsuhide's sole idea. That event shouldn't be the trigger for his rebellion especially when all records indicates that he was Nobunaga's most trusted and highly regarded as well as most high compensated general.

That idea was used as the basis in Eiji Yoshikawa's Taiko. hence my reasoning. Akechi Mitsuhide was thoroughly insulted by Nobunaga's treatment which affected Akechi Mitsuhide's retainer and urge him that "Warrior can die, not be insulted." ... okay that just my opinion as Wuxia's enthusiast.

But, Eiji Yoshikawa also portray Mitsuhide as indecisive. if only he decided firmly that as a retainer, it is his job to contain his lord anger it would be different. While in the other hand, General Hashiba Hideyoshi was frequently insulted by Nobunaga , calling him "Monkey, Simian" being sternly scolded, even being ignored once and refused of his presence because Nobunaga disagreed about his decision about Bizen clan. However, General Hashiba contain all the anger and insult with broad minded and simply laughed it off, because he understand the difficulty of his master.

This goes to the famous senryu , If the cuckoo did not sing, coax him.

This action greatly make the difference of Akechi Mitsuhide and Hashiba Hideyoshi.

Originally Posted by Undertaker

As for Kuroda, I haven't read much historical record to see what his personality is like. Most of record revolve around him are his accomplishments and not his relations.

Only thing notable was that Kuroda and Hanbei has respect of each other and both consider Nobunaga to be a genius and hence feels that working directly under Nobunaga is pointless and instead serves as Hideyoshi's guest retainer as the condition.

But maybe because Hanbei is always have this image of "white" personality and his namesake (Kuro means black). Kuroda is usually depict as a dark,scheming, counterpart who handle more shady part of Hideyoshi operation. As such he is usually depict as a non-well like among his peer and very cynical (hence the foul mouth).

His image is basically that of Jia Xiu if you use Xun Yu-Jia Xiu dynamic or more anime reference, Paul von Oberstein compares to Siegfried Kircheis from The Legend of Galactic Heroes

Well, for Kuroda Yoshitaka, there is one case. seems that he was formerly Nobunaga direct retainer which General Hashiba never has the chance to met him in person and only know him by letter and description. But it was said that Hashiba already admired him personally.

in Eiji Yoshikawa's Taiko, General Hashiba Hideyoshi once remarked having both Kuroda Yoshitaka and Takenaka Shigeharu is like having complete limbs and hands which put ease in mind. their effective leadership and troop deployment made Hideyoshi does not need to worry about anything.

then, the relationship between Kuroda Yoshitaka and Nobunaga soured because Nobunaga in fit of anger and suspicion during General Araki Murashige's betrayal, he intended to execute Kuroda Yoshitaka's son ....(i forgot the name) . of all who know Kuroda Yoshitaka, only General Hashiba and Takenaka Shigeharu numerously tried to prevented the execution. Takenaka Shigeharu who was in charge of Kuroda Yoshitaka's son even defied to order in pretext of his health condition, and he along the said child ask for audience to Nobunaga even at the cost of his own life. this made Kuroda Yoshitaka changed his loyalty to General Hashiba Hideyoshi and deepen the friendship between him with general Takenaka Shigeharu.

Well Don Simeon potrayal as dark or wicked seemed stemming from imitating Romance of Three Kingdom relationship of Pang Shiyuan and Zhuge Kongming. Shiyuan was said to be very ugly man which made Sun Quan refused his service. did not the LN Oda Nobuna vol.8 cover give the idea? with Takenaka Shigeharu in white, Onmyouji attire and her holding the crane fan? this felt like Zhuge Liang's appearance in ROTK in the Longzhong Three visit, where he wore a Daoist attire, and holding fan. his method was said to be white (Fiercely loyal to his lord, even until his death).

At first i dislike the idea of Master Strategist plus Magician. it kind of overkill... but now after discussing here, i realized they used the basis from Zhuge Liang, who was said as a capable trickster. which goes to Zhuge plays God against Zhongda during the Northern Expedition. seems that the cute Takenaka Shigeharu from the LN borrowed her basis of existence from Zhuge Liang Kongming. no wonder of her Eight Maze Sentinel.

While Kuroda Yoshitaka why felt like Pang Shiyuan due to their similarity in their fondness in dirty tricks. after all the end justify the mean. But for what i see , they are too similar with Cao Wei's capable minister. Takenaka Shigeharu being Guo Jia and Kuroda Yoshitaka as Jia Xu. Guo Jia leave a will to not march the army against Gongsun Kang of Liaodong, while Takenaka Shigeharu leave a will to not besiege one of the decisive fort of Mori Clan.

Originally Posted by justpassingby

Also, I believed Taiko was also translated into Malay Indonesia, right?

Edit:
Hmmm, so when Juubei said she had a headache and couldn't sleep, and then carelessly drink Goemon's ninja secret medicine that had the effect of aphrodisiac, could it be the neurosis? Is there even a cure for that?
Reading about neurosis (especially Jung's theory) was entertaining. :P

OUCH! you knew.... my trick has been revealed. Well that is correct. I read Indonesian translated Taiko back in my younger day and buy them recently after the publisher released a deluxe copy of them. And you write the part which become the basis of my argument.

But frankly speaking, i prefer if they also released complete Shin Heike no Monogatari (New Tale of Heike). it was far more satisfying reading. i once read them in bookstore, but... they only ended it before Shanao Minamoto Yoshitsune engaged in Genpei war! this force me to rely on the manga. But it was not as good as Chen Mou's Ravages of Time!

So.... Juubei drink Hachisuka Hikoemon's secret aphrodisiac which made her become.... hubba hubba in vol.09 illustration of Yoshiharu, Nobuna and Juubei.

I pray to God. don't make this a love triangle except it is a cuckold love scene. please....

Neurosis ? what is that ? some kind of Psychosomatic? can anyone explain to me?