The Ambition Of Oda Nobuna Review

oda nobuna

rating: 2.5

There has never been just one genre of Anime, and there never will be; there are different fans for different genres, just as there are for any western TV show. However, that said there are still times when the distinct genres will get blurred, and two will collide in either a brilliant combination, or forced-together atrocity. The Ambition of Oda Nobuna is a show that is causing me some confusion, as I can't decide which of the two mixed-genre camps the show belongs in, either is is very good and rather funny, or it's weird and oddly unsettling to watch. The premise is simple enough, Yoshiharu Sagara, a boy from our current day and age is flung into the past, to a time that he's often dreamed about and played through in his computer games, the Japanese Sengoku era. The story follows this boy as he meets his hero, who turns out to be a heroine, and has to play through her life, just as he has done in his favourite computer game 'Lord Oda Nobunaga€™s Ambition.' Right from the start the genre is defined, as the very first thing that the viewer sees is a prominent character getting killed, Hideyoshi Toyotomi (no spoilers, really, it's the first scene.) This means that we're in for an Alternative History story surely? The stage has already been set, and the premise has been created, only to be changed again moments later when the next character enters the fray. Nobuna Oda, in Japanese history he is the person that unified Japan, in this anime he, is a she, and she is just about the right age for the protagonist of the story to fall for, along with the joke of other women along the way. So there, it's no longer just an alternative history story, now it's also a completely flipped-on-its-head and confusing story, armies that were led by male generals in the past, are now being led by female counterparts, some of whom are no more than ten years old (if that) and one hormonal teenager who's single goal appears to be to wed the one character in the story that's supposed to show the most poise and brilliance. Take the purple haired, tiger hood wearing, spear wielding ten year old for example, in reality he is supposed to be Maeda Toshiie in the anime she is known as Inuchiyo Maeda, and it's not the easiest change in the world to take seriously... There was more than one disappointing scene when the great warrior general, Nobuna Oda, turned into a simpering and swooning girl in the arms of her inevitable love, conveniently nicknamed "Monkey." While the show was interesting to watch, and had amusing stories and battle scenes here and there, there was still the irksome problem of the leaders, I'm not joking when I say that half of them are ten and under, which means there are bizarre moments when an entire army is bowing to their knees, just so they can make eye contact with their general. This makes suspending disbelief rather difficult. On the whole the story does have its moments though, and though the comedy is rather scarce, when it does appear it is amusing enough to keep you watching. oda nobuna21 Where the show really excels is the history, and changing the future with the actions of one in the past, while we are left guessing at the end of the series exactly what type of time travel the show is going for, there are some hints here and there that a careful viewer may pick up on. On the whole I have to say I enjoyed the twelve episode series, while some more emphasis on the time travel aspects and heroic acts of the individual generals would have been appreciated. I advise you to go and watch it, or if you have done already to comment below, do you agree with the assessment? Or was it drivel? This rating is right in the middle. I just hope a lot of incorrect history isn't creeping it's way into my mind as I'm sat watching children lead armies of thousands.
Contributor

I spend far too much time trying to find things to fill that time. A little about me, so I'm a writer at heart, hence the reason I'm here, in the future I intend to be a published author, but that's quite far off yet. I'm an opinionated sod, with views ranging from the current state of politics to how Stargate is a far better show than Star Trek.