TAIKOKI - THE STORY OF HIDEYOSHI
2 DISC SET 4 Hour 2 Part TV Drama
Directed By : Okamoto Kihachi
Starring : Sonny Chiba, Shibata Kyohei, Matsukata Hiroki
Hideyoshi is an almost legendary figure in Japanese history.who since 1591 was known as Taikô (retired imperial regent). His uniqueness is due to the fact that he was the epitome of gekokujô (lit: the ones below overthrow the ones above), a social climber with no equals, who rose from being a sandal bearer to a position
of undisputed ruler of Japan - a country where, unlike its Confucian neighbor China, the only way to gain social status was to be born in a noble family.
Hideyoshi was born in the village of Nakumura in Owari and came to serve Nobunaga, though the historical record does not mention him prior to around 1570. Tradition has that he was at one time a sandle bearer for Nobunaga and was played a key role in the capture of Inabayama in 1567, though, again, this is unsupported
by any actual evidence.
He fought at Anegawa in 1570 and following the defeat of the Asai in 1573 was given a fief in Ômi Province at Imahama. He served in numerous military campaigns for Nobunaga in the next few years, commanding troops in the battles for Nagashima and the Oda victory over the Takeda at Nagashino. When Oda Nobunaga was killed in Kyoto by Akechi Mitsuhide.
Hideyoshi is said to have intercepted a message from Akechi to the Môri informing them of the said event - enabling Hideyoshi to quickly forge a peace treaty with the Môri and march back to the Kinai region. He met and defeated the forces of Akechi Mitsuhide at the Battle of Yamazaki and afterwards took a prominent part in the "Kiyosu Conference" to nominate Nobunaga's successor. He would go on to subdue all of Japan by 1590 and launch two unsuccesful campaigns in Korea.
Following his death in 1598, national hegemony would pass to Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is better known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
a name adopted after the death of Nobunaga.
This 2 part historical drama is highly entertaining with equal mixtures of humor, powerful battles and stunning swordsmanship is definite not to be missed.
1987 Color Widescreen. Remastered
Japanese Language with English Subtitles.
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