Nobunaga: King of Zipangu

Nobunaga: King of Zipangu is an NHK drama from the early 1990s that follows the life of Oda Nobunaga, who fought to unify Japan during the Warring States period of the sixteenth century. The first episode is about his father's struggle to establish control over their home province of Owari amidst interference from the lord of Mino, Saito Dousan, and the shogunate's nominal governor. He must also decide an heir, since Nobunaga, despite being his eldest son, is unpopular due to his perceived stupidity and femininity. In the background throughout the episode is a story about certain Portuguese monks who were the first Europeans to visit Japan.

The Japanese spoken in King of Zipangu is very different from what I have heard in other Japanese media. The characters use very formal styles and vocabulary; for example, 御座る seems to be preferred to ある.

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