Edited in Canva
The moment I saw this month's quest, I somehow got excited. The premise of time travel really got me intrigued and although I haven't watched time travel anime yet, I'm a fan of this genre during my reader's era—especially when it's a present to past time travel. Also, it's a real plus for me if it's historical, so when I encountered this anime, the excitement I felt way back then somehow came back. So before I lose myself in this excitement, be with me as we sneak a peek at Saburo's journey after he got transported to Japan's warring time in Nobunaga Concerto.
About the Anime
Nobunaga Concerto is a shounen anime that premiered last summer of 2014. It aired from July 12, 2014 to September 20, 2014. This anime is an action anime with a subtle hint of romance and also it features the themes of historical and time travel. It was produced by Pony Canyon and was animated by Fuji TV. This 10-episode-long series is an adaptation of its manga that was written and illustrated by Ayumi Ishii.
So it all started when he said that he didn't care. Saburo, a typical high school boy with no care about Japan's history, soon finds himself taken back to the Sengoku period. There he fell from the sky and landed near the legendary general, Oda Nobunaga. Upon seeing their resemblance, Nobunaga asked him to be his decoy while he fled from his retainers. Still confused with the place he was in, Saburo stood there wondering while Nobunaga handed him his shorter katana. It wasn't long when his retainers caught up, but before they reached them, Nobunaga was already gone, leaving the clueless Saburo alone with his retainers who thought he was Nobunaga.
Now stuck with his role as the decoy of the famous Nobunaga, Saburo was left with no choice but to play that role. However, it would be no easy feat because he never listened to his history class, yet there's one thing he's so sure about Nobunaga—and that is he will rule Japan! But did he really conquer Japan? Anyway, despite his foolishness and inexperience in ruling people, he will do everything to achieve what Nobunaga ought to have. As the number of his followers and retainers grew, the number of his foes and assassins increased also. Yet those won't stop him from being Nobunaga—the man who attempted to unite the feudal Japan.
The end episode was good because unlike the usual episodes before it that have many historical narrations, its end episode focused more on the characters' interactions and relationships, especially the state of the relationship of the real Nobunaga and his wife, Kicho. I don't why it has romance in its genre because, for me, romance isn't that prominent in this anime. Of 'course there are subtle hints—like Kicho and Saburo's dates, Oichi and Azai's political marriage and Kicho and Nobunaga's sincere talk at the end—they all feel toned down, but anyway it isn't the focus of the plot, so it's fine. However, I didn't see it coming that they would end it that way because everything felt so brief.
I didn't expect that they would wrap up the plot within just ten episodes—I mean I was kinda expecting to see how events will unfold until Nobunaga's death. There are a lot of things that were left unturned and foreshadowings that were not utilized. The plot was really promising because it's the first time travel story that I encountered that the main characters didn't switch time—like they just exist in the period without compromising each other's existence. However, of 'course since it's already Saburo and not Nobunaga who's ruling the Oda clan, changes did indeed happen. What happened after the last episode was intriguing and it's definitely a shame that they ended it in that way.
As for its visuals, it's quite unconventional. The art style felt new to me so I guess that is why I found it uncomfortable to watch at first. Also, their animation wasn't that impressive because the way their characters move looks CGIsh for me. I especially don't have a thing against CGIs, but it look weird to me. However, as soon as I delved further into its episodes, I got used to it, so I guess it's fine. The art style was like a fusion of modern and old ones, so it kinda matched the story because it's about the past meeting the present. I'm not fond of its art style, but I can't deny that the way they portray the settings and the castles felt like you're really in feudal Japan.
Further, I noticed that their character's art style somehow improved nearing the end and I guess that's something that you should look forward to. On the other hand, its soundtrack is one of the things that I find likable in this anime. The way it sets the mood of each episode so well was just something else and I think not all anime soundtracks can do that. The ending song was also quite memorable for me—I don't know why—it doesn't sound too catchy, but there's something in it that made it stay in my mind. Perhaps the way it sound so uplifting and hopeful made me look forward to its next episodes and ultimately made it hard to forget.
All in all, my experience in watching this anime was a mixed one. Some aspects made it hooking, but of 'course some made it disappointing. From the quirky start, sad deaths, and hopeful ending—I really experienced a rollercoaster of emotions while watching it. So if you want to try something new and underrated time travel anime, then it's definitely a must to try Nobunaga Concerto.
Before I end this review, I'll share with you its ending song, so—
Have you watched this anime before? Or is this your first time encountering it? If you have something to share, then feel free to write it down in the comments. That's all for now, minna-san~ I hope you enjoyed reading my review!
Arigatou and tanoshinde ne~
The pictures that didn't have source were screenshots from the anime while the last picture was edited in Canva.