Gou: Himetachi no Sengoku

The 50th NHK taiga drama was "Gou - Princess of the Warring States". This covers one of the most pivotal periods in Japanese history where 3 families- the Oda, Toyotomi & Tokugawa sought to unite a country which had witnessed over a century of war. The same subject was covered in the 2014 taiga "Gunshi Kanbee (Strategist Kanbee)" & it is interesting how the dynamic of the show changes when being told from a male perspective (as in Gunshi Kanbee) or being related through the eyes of a woman.This drama is narrated by Princess Go's mother Ichi (sister of Oda Nobunaga) and follows the fortunes of the 3 Oda princesses as they are used and manipulated as part of the political climate of the Sengoku Period. This is a refreshing take on a well-covered tale and is notable for its excellent casting with Toyakawa Etsushi impressing as the imposing figure of Oda Nobunaga, Kishitani Goro as the not-so-stupid fool Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Kitaoji Kinya as the cautious and wise Tokugawa Ieyasu. The princesses are also played consummately, each with their own personality. Another excellent drama from NHK.