Sanada Maru

In February 1582, the Takeda clan, overlords of the Sanada clan, is driven to the brink of destruction by Oda Nobunaga's assault. Sanada Masayuki urges Takeda Katsuyori to make a stand at Iwabitsu Castle. However, many within the Takeda look down on the upstart Sanada. One night, Katsuyori brings shocking news to Nobushige and Nobuyuki, sending them on a desperate escape. (C)NHK

Nobushige and Nobuyuki flee Shinpu Castle in Kai and heads for Iwabitsu Castle in Joshu, where Masayuki is waiting. However, marauders lie in wait. Meanwhile, Katsuyori is betrayed by his retainers, and the Takeda clan collapses. With the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga poised to strike, the Sanada clan must choose between Hojo Ujimasa and Uesugi Kagekatsu. (C)NHK

Masayuki stakes the Sanada clan's survival on a secret letter, ordering Nobuyuki to deliver it to the Uesugi clan. However, Muroga Masatake's spy tracks this. Nobushige is drawn into conflict with Muroga's villagers as he aids local girl Ume with his childhood friend Kiri. Elsewhere, an unexpected figure appears before Tokugawa Ieyasu, Honda Masanobu, and Honda Tadakatsu at Takato Castle. (C)NHK

Masayuki and Nobushige head to meet Oda Nobunaga and have a fateful encounter with Tokugawa Ieyasu, whom they will later face at Oda's main camp. Hoping to become Oda retainers on favorable terms, the Sanada clan finds Ieyasu firmly in their way. Meanwhile, Nobuyuki is left in charge of the Sanada domain, where a major incident draws in Kiri and Ume. (C)NHK

The Honnoji Incident. As Nobushige heads for Kyoto, samurai take Matsu hostage. Meanwhile, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Honda Tadakatsu flee through the Iga Mountains to escape Akechi Mitsuhide's forces. Repeatedly attacked by marauders, they are saved by an unexpected figure. In Shinshu, Masayuki is shaken by the news and turns to Uesugi Kagekatsu in Echigo to protect the Sanada clan. (C)NHK

After the Honnoji Incident in Azuchi, Nobushige and Matsu flee to Shinano but are discovered by Akechi's forces. Cornered, Matsu makes an unexpected move. In the Sanada domain, Nobuyuki urges avenging Nobunaga, but Masayuki pursues a surprising strategy. Learning of Nobunaga's death, Hojo Ujimasa targets Shinano. As fear of Hojo spreads, Nobushige returns with tragic news. (C)NHK

Exploiting the turmoil after the Honnoji Incident, Masayuki seeks to reclaim his lands. As Takigawa Kazumasu and Hojo Ujimasa clash, he retakes Numata and Iwabitsu Castles in Joshu. Nobushige infiltrates Komoro Castle to rescue Tori and Kiri, held hostage by Kazumasu. The plan appears successful. As local lords begin siding with the Hojo, Masayuki resolves to meet Uesugi Kagekatsu. (C)NHK

With the Oda forces gone, a clash between Hojo Ujimasa and Uesugi Kagekatsu looms at Kawanakajima for control of Shinano. Masayuki feigns submission to the Uesugi while plotting to defect to the Hojo. Acting on his father's orders, Nobushige infiltrates the Uesugi army to sway Kasuga Nobutada and earn Masayuki's approval. Yet Masayuki's scheme conceals a true aim unknown even to Nobushige. (C)NHK

After driving both Hojo and Uesugi from Shinano, Masayuki faces a crucial choice: become a daimyo or form an independent state with local lords. Either way, he needs the cooperation of his rival, Muroga Masatake. Troubled by his father's ruthless methods, Nobushige is inspired by Ume's words to devise an unexpected strategy for a battle that spares lives. (C)NHK

The Sanada clan is unsettled by a truce between Hojo and Tokugawa. Nobushige and Nobuyuki go to Hamamatsu Castle to negotiate with Ieyasu for a new castle. However, Ieyasu demands they cede the Numata territory to the Hojo. Encouraged by news from Ume, Nobushige resolves to act. To break the deadlock, he sets out for Kasugayama Castle to sway Uesugi Kagekatsu, whom the Sanada once betrayed. (C)NHK

Nobushige wants to marry Ume, but Kaoru is strongly against it and refuses to allow the wedding. Kiri is also deeply shocked by Nobushige's decision. Meanwhile, Ieyasu and Masanobu Honda approach Masatake Muroga with a proposal to assassinate Masayuki. Sensing Muroga's suspicious behaviour, Masayuki devises a plan to use Nobushige's wedding ceremony to uncover his true intentions, but...(C)NHK

The rift with the Tokugawa is beyond repair. To gain the Uesugi support, Nobushige goes to Echigo as Kagekatsu's hostage. Meanwhile, Ume, left behind, reveals a shocking truth to Kiri. Kagekatsu shows a great ruler's qualities, but he struggles to manage his war-torn land. Learning that the Sanada has joined the Uesugi, Ieyasu marches on Ueda, as the first battle of Ueda draws near.(C)NHK

Tokugawa Ieyasu's great army finally advances on Ueda. With Nobushige back from Echigo, the Sanada clan unites under Masayuki's strategy to face the Tokugawa forces. Inspired by Ume, Nobushige raises the Sanada's "Six Coins" banner. Though heavily outnumbered, Masayuki's tactics bring stunning victories, until a single miscalculation in the end. What is waiting for Nobushige...?(C)NHK

The story shifts to Osaka, where Hideyoshi Hashiba, now close to unifying the realm, demands loyalty from daimyo across Japan. Uesugi Kagekatsu reluctantly heads to the capital with Nobushige. As Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hojo Ujimasa also face difficult choices, Nobushige enters the vast Osaka castle, meets Chacha and Ishida Mitsunari, and witnesses Hideyoshi's overwhelming rise to power.(C)NHK

Though they only just met, Hideyoshi takes a bewildered Nobushige under his wing. Hideyoshi is angered by Masayuki refusal to come to the capital, and orders Uesugi Kagekatsu not to aid Masayuki, as Tokugawa Ieyasu prepares to strike the Sanada. While Hideyoshi enjoys peaceful days with his family and wife Nei, Nobushige remains unaware that his father and homeland face a desperate crisis...(C)NHK

Nobushige is stunned to learn that Hideyoshi has barred Uesugi Kagekatsu from aiding the Sanada. Hideyoshi appoints him to his personal guard. Travelling with him, he draws the attention of Chacha, the woman Hideyoshi adores. Meanwhile, Ieyasu finalizes his plans to attack the Sanada, and Masayuki's plea for Uesugi reinforcement is rejected. His homeland in a desperate crisis, Nobushige...(C)NHK

Nobushige is horrified to learn that Hideyoshi has approved Ieyasu's attack on the Sanada. Though he begs him to withdraw the order, Hideyoshi refuses. As Masayuki grows wary of Hideyoshi, Nobushige serves Chacha, who toys with his emotions. With Ieyasu's entry in Kyoto decided, Hideyoshi draws Nobushige into a new scheme, and a woman resembling someone unexpected appears before him.(C)NHK

With Ieyasu now in Kyoto, Masayuki resolves to submit to Hideyoshi. Swallowing his pride, he reluctantly heads to Kyoto, only for Hideyoshi to dismiss him. Sensing his father would attack Hideyoshi if given the chance, Nobushige appeals directly to Hideyoshi to ease his father's bitterness. After the humiliating trip, a happy reunion helps ease Masayuki and Nobuyuki's hardships. (C)NHK

Chacha asks Nobushige to show her around Osaka Castle alone. He realizes the still-young Chacha has survived a harsh fate, and begins to develop feelings for her. On the verge of ending the Kyushu campaign, Hideyoshi decides he wants Chacha as his concubine. Meanwhile, Ieyasu proposes a political marriage between Nobuyuki and Inahime, the daughter of Tadakatsu. (C)NHK

Now Hideyoshi's concubine, Chacha falls pregnant with his child, and he is ecstatic. Then grafitti mocking this is found in the town. Nobushige, Ishida Mitsunari and Otani Yoshitsugi search for the culprit. Enraged, Hideyoshi declares that if they fail, he will execute the guards and townspeople. The situation threatens to undermine confidence in the Toyotomi government. Then Nene... (C)NHK

With the long-awaited birth of his heir, Hideyoshi pressures Hojo Ujimasa to come to Kyoto. Ujimasa ignores Ieyasu's advice to submit to Hideyoshi. Instead, he demands the Sanada clan's Numata territory. Masayuki is furious his land has been used as a bartering chip without his consent. Nobushige is torn between Hideyoshi - who wants to end the warring states - and his defiant father. (C)NHK

The Sanada clan refuses Hojo Ujimasa's demand to surrender Numata Castle. With Hideyoshi serving as judge, the curtain rises on a Sengoku-era courtroom battle between Hojo and the Sanada. An intense debate unfolds between Hojo and Nobushige, until Hideyoshi delivers his ruling. As the era of deciding matters based on military prowess comes to an end, what is Masayuki thinking...? (C)NHK

Hideyoshi gathers an army of over 200,000 and lays siege to Odawara, but Hojo Ujimasa refuses to surrender despite the hopeless situation. Masayuki and Nobuyuki struggle to capture Oshi Castle, the Hojo stronghold, coming into conflict with Ishida Mitsunari, who has arrived from the main camp on Hideyoshi's orders. Meanwhile, Nobushige is summoned by Tokugawa Ieyasu and Itani Yoshitsugu.(C)NHK

At the request of Honda Masanobu and Itabeoka Kosetsusai, who he faced in the Numata ruling, Nobushige goes to persuade Hojo Ujimasa to surrender, but he is not easily convinced. Tokugawa Ieyasu, Uesugi Kagekatsu, and Masayuki secretly visit Ujimasa. As fierce rivals who once battled in the east, they advise him to seek Hideyoshi's forgiveness. What will Ujimasa's decision be...? (C)NHK