Finally, the 'Hero of Losers' Becomes a Novel! Stay Alive and Survive the Warring States! The Story of the Man Who Kept His People's Trust Despite Losing His Castle Nine Times: 'Janaihou no Oda' Released on April 22

“We do not fight to die. We fight to survive. Nothing lasts forever.”

During the Sengoku period, Oda Ujiharu, born into a prestigious family in Hitachi Province (modern-day Ibaraki Prefecture), inherited the family headship at a young age. Tossed about by powerful daimyos like the Uesugi and Satake clans, he lost his base, Oda Castle at the foot of Mount Tsukuba, nine times—but recaptured it every single time! By the time he realized it, a peaceful era had arrived... Was this man the weakest warrior, or the greatest strategist of the Warring States?!

Expose your shame, but survive the turbulent times! A hero for losers appears in the Sengoku period! It's not Oda (織田), it's Oda (小田)!

<Author's Message> I have mainly written what are called 'workplace novels.' However, I am actually a huge history fan. My first door to history opened in first grade when I read a manga about Oda Nobunaga. Since then, I’ve devoured biographies and manga of historical figures, and as a teen, I read historical novels by Ryotaro Shiba and Eiji Yoshikawa.

Yet, embarrassingly, I reached adulthood without knowing that another 'Oda'—a contemporary of Nobunaga—lived at the foot of Mt. Tsukuba in Hitachi. My encounter with 'the other Oda' happened suddenly in my 40s. While watching a parody history show, Oda Ujiharu appeared. I heard he was called 'the weakest daimyo' and was once crushed in a head-on battle after betraying the strongest warrior, Kenshin Uesugi.

On the other hand, there were positive stories: 'He lost and retook his castle many times' and 'He was beloved by his people.' The clincher was his portrait shown at the end—a cat was sleeping soundly beside Ujiharu. I was fascinated. Online, he was popular among some fans, even featured on NHK. But the more I studied him, the more I wondered: Was he really weak? I felt a strong urge to write about him.

[From the Editor] Betrayal was daily life, and strength was the only thing to trust in the Sengoku era. Amidst this, Oda Ujiharu lost his castle nine times but kept the trust of his people. It sounds like a leader who won hearts through sincere policy, but Oda was different. If advised not to attack, he would charge. If told to attack, he would retreat. Was he a fool, a contrarian, or a master strategist? The author, known for light depictions of modern work life, tackles the reality of this elusive warrior.

'Janaihou no Oda' Author: Yusuke Ando Price: 2,310 yen (tax incl.) 320 pages, Shogakukan Design: Kazumi Iwata / Illustration: Masatoshi Tabuchi