is a 2016 Japanese historical drama television series and the 55th

NHK , also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee. NHK operates two terrestr ...

taiga drama. The series is named after the

Sanada Maru The was a small fortification attached to Osaka castle. It is famous for being impregnable and playing a key role in defending the castle in the winter of 1615. Later, it was forcefully destroyed despite being exempt from the reconciliation con ...

, a fortification defended by Sanada during the

Siege of Osaka The was a series of battles undertaken by the Japanese Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi clan, and ending in that clan's destruction. Divided into two stages (winter campaign and summer campaign), and lasting from 1614 to 1615, the siege ...

in 1615. Written by

Kōki Mitani is a Japanese playwright, screenwriter, actor and film director and was previously married to Japanese actress Satomi Kobayashi. He was named after ''Taihō Kōki'', the youngest sumo wrestler to become yokozuna. He studied dramatics at Nihon U ...

, it stars

Masato Sakai is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best actor at the 31st Yokohama Film Festival for ''The Wonderful World of Captain Kuhio'' and ''The Chef of South Polar'' and the award for best supporting actor at the 2008 Nikkan Sports Film Award, at ...

as the samurai Sanada Nobushige. It premiered on January 10, 2016 and concluded on December 18, 2016. Due to declining viewership for taiga dramas in recent years, NHK strengthened its marketing push for ''Sanada Maru'' as compared with its previous taiga dramas.

Plot

The drama focuses on the history of the Sanada clan during the

Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...

in Japan, and in particular on Sanada Nobushige, who would go on to become one of the legendary commanders of the period.

Cast

Sanada clan The is a Japanese clan. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003).html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80">("Sanada," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 52 [PDF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("S ...

as Sanada Nobushige, also known as Sanada Yukimura *Yo Oizumi as Sanada Nobuyuki, Nobushige's older brother *Masao Kusakari as Sanada Masayuki, Nobushige's father *Masami Nagasawa as Kiri, Nobushige's childhood friend *Yoshino Kimura as [ Matsu, Nobushige's sister *

Atsuko Takahata is a Japanese actress, voice actress and tarento from Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. She is married to actor Ryosuke Otani. They have a son, Yuta Takahata. Filmography Drama * '' Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion (1985) – Space Witch Gilza * ''Kamen Rid ...

Kaoru Kaoru is a Japanese given name for males or females. Name Meanings The name's meaning varies depending on its written form: *薫/郁/芳 — "fragrance", common for both males and females *馨/香 — "fragrance", more common for females ...

, Nobushige's mother *

Mitsuko Kusabue Mitsuko is a feminine Japanese given name. Possible writings The name Mitsuko is generally written with the kanji characters 光 and 子 which, when translated into English can mean "light, child" or "shining, child".http://www.20knames.com/femal ...

as Tori, Nobushige's grandmother * Susumu Terajima as Ideura Masasuke *

Takashi Fujii , born March 10, 1972 in Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese comedian and singer who belongs to the Japanese entertainment conglomerate Yoshimoto Kogyo and is the popular host of '' Matthew's Best Hit TV'' (as the character , and various ot ...

as Sasuke, a

ninja A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enem ...

in the service of Nobushige *

Takeo Nakahara is a Japanese actor. Filmography Film *'' Okoge'' (1992) – Tochihiko Terazaki *'' Kaettekita Kogarashi Monjirō'' (1993) - Hachibei *''Godzilla 2000'' (1999) – Takada *''Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla'' (2002) – JXSDF Chief Ichiyanagi *'' ...

as Takanashi Naiki, Kiri's father *

Takahiro Fujimoto is an actor and a retired male medley swimmer from Japan, who represented his native country in two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988. His best Olympic result was the 8th place (4:23.86) in the Men's 400m Individual Medley event ...

as Hotta Sakubei *

Haru Kuroki is a Japanese actress. She gained international recognition by winning Silver Bear (Best Actress Award) at Berlin International Film Festival in 2014, for her performance in Yoji Yamada's film ''The Little House ''The Little House'' is a 194 ...

as Ume, Nobushige's first wife *Yuri Tsunematsu as Sue (teen), Nobushige and Ume's daughter * Seishuu Uragami as Sanada Daisuke, Nobushige and Haru's son *Nanako Ōde as Ume, Nobushige and Haru's daughter *

Yukino Kishii is a Japanese actress. She has played Taka in the 55th NHK taiga drama ''Sanada Maru'', Sari Ishikawa in the film '' Pink and Gray'', and Taka Kōda in the 99th NHK asadora '' Manpuku'', among numerous other TV and film roles. Her lead performan ...

as Taka, Nobushige's third wife *Takaya Sakoda as Yazawa "Sanjūrō" Yoriyuki *

Wataru Takagi is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Chiba Prefecture. He is affiliated with Arts Vision. He is best known for his roles in ''Detective Conan'' (as Genta Kojima and Wataru Takagi), '' After War Gundam X'' (as Garrod Ran), '' Slayers Try' ...

as Oyamada Shigemasa, Matsu's husband *Satomi Nagano as Kō, Nobuyuki's first wife *Hideo Kurihara as Sanada Nobutada, younger brother of Masayuki *Toshiki Ayata as Yazawa Yoritsuna * Hiroki Konno as Yohachi *Yasuhiro Ōno as Kawara Tsunaie *Masashi Ōyama as Sanada Nobumasa *Ryōhei Hirota as Sanada Nobuyoshi *

Akiko Yagi is a Japanese free announcer, ''tarento'', television presenter, newscaster, and actress. She is represented with Phonics. She is a former Fuji Television announcer from 1988 to 2000. She is the ambassador of Kanagawa Tourism. Current appearan ...

Ono Otsū Ono Otsū (小野お通, 1559 or 1568 – 1631), also known as Ono no Ozū, was a Japanese noblewoman, calligrapher, poet, painter and musician. She was a student of the arts in Kyoto, studying painting, calligraphy, music, chanting, and poetry. H ...

Ryō Katō is a Japanese actor and ''tarento''. He graduated from the Department of Moving Images and Performing Arts in the Faculty of Art and Communication at Tama Art University. He is represented with Cube. Biography In 2000, Katō debuted in the var ...

as Ishiai Jūzō, Sue's husband * Hanamaru Hakata as Saizō *

Kunihiro Matsumura is a Japanese comedian and impressionist most known for his impersonations of famous figures such as Beat Takeshi and Takanohana Kōji. He was also the original host of the hit comedy reality show '' Susume! Denpa Shonen''. While originally ma ...

as Seikai Nyūdō *Tomohiro Waki as Isa Nyūdō *Yoshiaki Umegaki as Kamanosuke * Taku Suzuki as Jūzō *Hideto Iwai as Jinpachi *Yūma Yamoto as Rokurō

Tokugawa clan The is a Japanese dynasty that was formerly a powerful ''daimyō'' family. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and were a branch of the Minamoto clan (Seiwa Genji) through the Matsudaira clan. The early history of this clan r ...

Seiyō Uchino is a Japanese actor who is represented by Stardust Promotion is a leading Japanese talent agency, headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. It was founded in 1979 and invests in entertainment forms including music, cinema, and modelling. The agency ...

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...

, Nobushige's most powerful enemy *

Masaomi Kondō is a Japanese actor. Career Born in Kyoto, Kondō made his film debut in Shohei Imamura's ''The Pornographers is a 1966 satiric Japanese film directed by Shōhei Imamura. It is based on the novel ''Erogotoshitachi'' by Akiyuki Nosaka. Plot ...

Honda Masanobu was a commander and ''daimyō'' in the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu in Japan during the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods. In 1563, when an uprising against Ieyasu occurred in Mikawa Province, Masanobu took the side of the peasants against Ieyasu ...

, a strategist for Ieyasu *

Gen Hoshino is a Japanese singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and writer. Career Music Since 2000, Hoshino has led the instrumental band Sakerock, where he plays marimba and guitar. They released over ten albums before disbanding in 2015. As a solo artist, ...

Tokugawa Hidetada was the second ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate. Early life (1579–1593) Tokugawa Hidetada was bo ...

* Seiko Niizuma as Ogō, Hidetada's wife * Yuki Saito as

Lady Acha Lady Acha or Acha no Tsubone (阿茶局, March 16, 1555 - February 16, 1637) was a Japanese noble woman from the Sengoku period to the early Edo period. She was a concubine of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Due to her intel ...

Hiroshi Fujioka , better known by his stage name , is a Japanese actor known for playing the hero Takeshi Hongo in the tokusatsu superhero series '' Kamen Rider'', and later the Sega Saturn mascot Segata Sanshiro (jokingly revealed to be Takeshi Hongo himse ...

Honda Tadakatsu , also called Honda Heihachirō (本多平八郎) was a Japanese samurai, general and daimyo of the late Sengoku through early Edo periods, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings along with Ii ...

, Nobuyuki's father-in-law *

Yō Yoshida is a Japanese actress who is represented by the talent agency Oranku. Filmography TV series Films Dubbing *'' Legend of the Demon Cat'', Lady Yang ( Sandrine Pinna) *''Frozen II'', Queen Iduna (Evan Rachel Wood Evan Rachel Wood (born ...

as Inahime, also known as

Komatsuhime (1573 – March 27, 1620) was a female warrior (''onna-musha'') during late-Sengoku period and early Edo period . Born the daughter of Honda Tadakatsu, she was adopted by Tokugawa Ieyasu, before marrying Sanada Nobuyuki. She is described as h ...

, Tadakatsu's daughter, Nobuyuki's wife & Nobushige's sister in-law *Masayuki Itō as

Ishikawa Kazumasa was a Japanese notable retainer under Tokugawa Ieyasu, who served him since childhood, when they were both hostages under the Imagawa in 1551. Biography Kazumasa, also accompanied Ieyasu in the Siege of Terabe 1558, and later at Siege of Mar ...

*Kenji Hamatani as

Hattori Hanzō or ''Second Hanzō'', nicknamed , was a famous Ninja of the Sengoku era, who served the Tokugawa clan as a ninja, credited with saving the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu and then helping him to become the ruler of united Japan. He is often a subjec ...

*Kōichi Ōhori as

Torii Mototada was a Japanese Samurai and Daimyo of the Sengoku period through late Azuchi–Momoyama period, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Torii died at the siege of Fushimi where his garrison was greatly outnumbered and destroyed by the army of Ishida Mitsu ...

*Takaaki Itō as

Honda Masazumi (1566 – April 5, 1637) was a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi–Momoyama period through early Edo period, who served the Tokugawa clan. He later became a ''daimyō'', and one of the first rōjū of the Tokugawa shogunate. Masazumi was born in 156 ...

Pro-Tokugawa ''

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...

s'' *Takuya Ōga as

Kuroda Nagamasa was a ''daimyō'' during the late Azuchi–Momoyama and early Edo periods. He was the son of Kuroda Kanbei, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's chief strategist and adviser. Biography His childhood name was Shojumaru (松寿丸). In 1577, when Nagamasa was a ...

*Macchu Saitō as Asano Yoshinaga *Isao Sano as

Hachisuka Iemasa was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the early Edo period. Iemasa, the son of Hachisuka Masakatsu or ''Koroku'', was the founder of the Tokushima Domain. He was one of some daimyo who have bad terms with Ishida Mitsunari. His father was a retainer ...

*Seiji Hino as

Tōdō Takatora was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of Tōdō clan from the Azuchi–Momoyama to Edo periods. He rose from relatively humble origins as an ashigaru (a light foot soldier) to become a ''daimyō''. Biography During his lifetime he changed his feudal ...

Toyotomi clan The was a Japanese clan that ruled over the Japanese before the Edo period. Unity and conflict The most influential figure within the Toyotomi was Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the three "unifiers of Japan". Oda Nobunaga was another primary un ...

Fumiyo Kohinata is a Japanese actor. Filmography Film * '' Begging for Love'' (1998) * '' Give It All'' (1998) * '' Ring 2'' (1999) - Dr. Kawajiri * '' Audition'' (1999) - Television producer * ''Minna no Ie'' (2001) * '' Turn'' (2001) * '' Dark Water'' (2002 ...

Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...

* Kyōka Suzuki as Nei, Hideyoshi's wife *

Yūko Takeuchi was a Japanese actress. She is known for her roles in television series ''Asuka'' (1999), ''Pride'' (2004), ''FlashForward'' (2009), and '' Miss Sherlock'' (2018) as well as films such as '' Ring'' (1998), '' Yomigaeri'' (2003), and ''Dog in a ...

Yodo-dono or (1569 – June 4, 1615) was a prominently placed figure in the late- Sengoku period. She was the daughter of Oichi and sister of Ohatsu and Oeyo. She was a concubine and second wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was then the most powerful ...

, Hideyoshi's concubine *

Taishi Nakagawa is a Japanese actor, host, and model. He is best known for his leading role as Yuiji Kira in the live action '' Closest Love To Heaven'', and as Tenma Hase in the second season of ''Hana Yori Dango''. Career Nakagawa originally started as a ch ...

Toyotomi Hideyori was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga. Early life Born in 1593, he was Hideyoshi's second son. The birth of Hideyori cr ...

, Hideyoshi's son **Sera Ishida as young Hideyori *

Mei Nagano is a Japanese actress. Amongst her film and television credits are Rinko in the film '' My Love Story!'', Suzume Yosano in the film '' Daytime Shooting Star'', and Suzume Nireno in the 98th NHK asadora ''Hanbun, Aoi''. Career Nagano was scouted ...

Senhime (May 26, 1597 – March 11,February 6 in the old calendar 1666), or Lady Sen, was the eldest daughter of the ''shōgun'' Tokugawa Hidetada and later the wife of Toyotomi Hideyori. She was remarried to Honda Tadatoki after the death of her first ...

, Hideyori's wife * Koji Yamamoto as Ishida Mitsunari, the commander of the Western army in the

Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu prefecture, Japan, at the end of ...

Kataoka Ainosuke VI is a Japanese actor, kabuki actor and TV host. His '' yagō'' is ''matsushimaya''. His '' mon'' is the ''Oikake Go-mai Ichō''. His current stage name is Ainosuke Kataoka. He is a renowned '' tachiyaku'', specializing in both the ''aragoto'' and ...

Ōtani Yoshitsugu was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period through the Azuchi-Momoyama Period. He was also known by his court title, . He was born in 1558 to a father who was said to be a retainer of either Ōtomo Sōrin or Rokkaku Yoshikata. He became one ...

, Mitsunari's ally, Nobushige's father-in-law *

Mayu Matsuoka is a Japanese actress. She has been awarded the Tama best Emerging Actress Award and Fumiko Yamaji Freshman Actress Award in 2016. She gained international attention as an ambassador of the Tokyo International Film Festival for 2017 and her rol ...

as Haru, also known as Chikurin-in, Yoshitsugu's daughter, Nobushige's wife *Takamasa Tamaki as

Shima Sakon , also known as Shima Tomoyuki and Shima Katsutake, was a Japanese samurai of the late Sengoku period. His nickname was (Shima the right hand). Sakon eventually left the service of the Hatakeyama clan, Tsutsui Junkei, Toyotomi Hidenaga and event ...

Katsura Bunshi VI , known by his stage name , is a Japanese TV presenter and rakugo artist. His former stage name was . Sanshi received this name from his ''shishô'' (master) and one of the celebrated postwar Kamigata Rakugo greats, . Sanshi's "san" came from ...

Sen no Rikyū , also known simply as Rikyū, is considered the historical figure with the most profound influence on ''chanoyu,'' the Japanese "Way of Tea", particularly the tradition of '' wabi-cha''. He was also the first to emphasize several key aspects ...

* Takashi Kobayashi as

Katagiri Katsumoto was a Japanese warlord (''daimyō'') of Ibaraki, in the Azuchi–Momoyama period through early Edo period. In his youth was famed as one of the Seven Spears of Shizugatake, during the Battle of Shizugatake in May 1583. Biography Katsumoto hai ...

, negotiator with the

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...

Shinya Niiro Shinya (Shin'ya) is a Japanese given name, usually for males. It is pronounced as "Shin-ya", not "Shi-nya". Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese curler and curling coach *, Japanese politician *Shinya Aoki (born 1983), professional mi ...

Toyotomi Hidetsugu was a daimyō during the Sengoku period of Japan. He was the nephew and retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the unifier and ruler of Japan from 1590 to 1598. Despite being Hideyoshi's closest adult, male relative, Hidetsugu was accused of atrocities ...

Hirofumi Arai is a third-generation Zainichi Korean former actor. Career Arai made his screen debut in Isao Yukisada's '' Go'' in 2001 when he was 22 years old. His next film role was the emotionally disturbed senior high school student Aoki in Toshiaki Toy ...

Katō Kiyomasa was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Azuchi–Momoyama and Edo periods. His court title was Higo-no-kami. His name as a child was ''Yashamaru'', and first name was ''Toranosuke''. He was one of Hideyoshi's Seven Spears of Shizugatake. Biography ...

, loyal vassal to the Toyotomi clan * Motoki Fukami as

Fukushima Masanori was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the late Sengoku period to early Edo period who served as lord of the Hiroshima Domain. A retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he fought in the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, and soon became known as one of Seven Spear ...

Yōsuke Asari is a Japanese actor. He is represented with Beacon Lab Entertainment. Biography When he was young Asari danced to his parents' clapping after watching Charlie Chaplin's films and joined Gekidan Tohai, and debuted at the age of four in a televis ...

as Kobayakawa Hideaki **Kento Saitō as young Hideaki *Rie Minemura as Lady Ōkura-kyō *

Yoshimasa Kondo , born on August 13, 1961 in Nagoya, Japan, is a Japanese theatre and film actor. Biography He debuted as an extra in the series ''Chu-gaku-sei Nikki'', and was later written into the script. He later gained notability while working with the ...

Hirano Nagayasu was a samurai retainer to Japanese warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. He was known as one of the "Seven Spears of Shizugatake". Following the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, Nagayasu came to be kn ...

*Tomohiko Imai as

Ōno Harunaga was a general under Toyotomi Hideyori, and fought in the Siege of Osaka in 1615. He became lord of Osaka castle after the Battle of Sekigahara. Ono led forces against those of Wakayama Castle in the Battle of Kashii, also the Battle of Shigi ...

*Masa Yamada as Naka, Hideyoshi's mother *

Tetsuya Chiba is a Japanese manga artist famous for his sports stories. Chiba's works include ''Ashita no Joe'', his best known work, and ''Notari Matsutarō''. Many of his early titles are still in print due to continued popularity. Life He was born in Ch ...

Toyotomi Hidenaga , formerly known as . He was a half-brother of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the most powerful and significant warlords of Japan's Sengoku period and regarded as 'Hideyoshi's brain and right-arm'. He was also known by his court title, . He promot ...

* Michiko Shimizu as Asahi-hime *Nahoko Yoshimoto as Uta, Mitsunari's wife *

Arisa Nakajima is a Japanese professional wrestler. Trained by the Major Girl's Fighting AtoZ promotion, Nakajima made her debut in January 2006, but when the promotion folded the following May, she transferred over to JWP Joshi Puroresu, where she became a ...

as Yoshino Tayū * Kazuya Takahashi as

Ukita Hideie was the ''daimyō'' of Bizen and Mimasaka Provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture), and one of the council of Five Elders appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Son of Ukita Naoie, he married Gōhime, a daughter of Maeda Toshiie. Having fought again ...

*Mitsuki Horikoshi as Toyotomi Hidekatsu *Ryō Mitsuya as Toyotomi Hideyasu *Hirara Hayasaka as Toyotomi Tsurumatsu *Masayuki Kizu as Natsuka Masaie *Shinya Kote as

Ban Naoyuki , also known as , was a Japanese samurai general of the late Sengoku and early Edo periods. He first served as a retainer of Katō Yoshiaki, one of the "Seven Spears of Shizugatake", who went on to become lord of the Aizu domain, in Mutsu. Naoyu ...

, aka Ban Dan'emon *

Jun Inoue is a Japanese ''tarento'', singer, actor, and comedian. His former stage name is . Discography Singles Original albums Live albums Filmography Music programmes Variety series TV drama Films Stage Music videos Advertisements Re ...

as Oda Urakusai *Voice Yoshida as Tachibana Gonza * Shoko Haida as

Ohatsu or (1570 – September 30, 1633) was a prominently placed figure in the late Sengoku period. She was daughter of Oichi and Nagamasa Azai, and the sister of Yodo-dono and Oeyo. Alongside her sisters, she was active in the political intrigue ...

, Yodo's sister *

Ben Hiura is a Japanese actor and voice actor affiliated with the Seinenza Theater Company. Hiura is known for dubbing over Bruce Willis, Richard Dreyfuss, John Malkovich, Joe Pesci and many more. Filmography Films *''Goyokin'' (1969) – Rokuzo *'' Fuji ...

as Ōsumi Yozaemon ;"The Seven Generals of Hideyori" *

Kenji Anan is a Japanese stage and film actor. He began work with the Tokyo Sunshine Boys in 1983, and since then has performed in a variety of roles mostly in television dramas. Filmography Film *''The Uchōten Hotel'' (2006) *'' The Magic Hour'' (2008) ...

as Chōsokabe Morichika *Kenichi Okamoto as Mōri Katsunaga *

Show Aikawa is a Japanese actor. Career Show Aikawa was born in Tokushima and raised in Kagoshima. Aikawa has appeared in a number of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's films, including ''Eyes of the Spider'', ''Serpent's Path'', ''License to Live'', ''Seance'', and '' ...

as Gotō Matabei *Kensaku Kobayashi as Akashi Teruzumi *

Shunya Shiraishi is a Japanese actor, best known for his role as Haruto Soma, the main character of the ''Kamen Rider Wizard'' tokusatsu series. He finished second at '' Junon Super Boy Contest 2007''. He is also known for his role as Hisashi Uehara in the Net ...

Kimura Shigenari was a Japanese samurai of the early Edo period. A retainer of the Toyotomi clan, Shigenari fought at the Siege of Osaka (leading Toyotomi forces at the Battle of Imafuku) and died in battle. Kimura Shigenari was a son of Kimura Shigekore, also ...

Kozo Takeda Kozo Takeda ( ja, 武田幸三 ; born December 27, 1972) is a Japanese actor and former welterweight kickboxer who was competing in K-1 MAX. He won Rajadamnern Stadium champion at welterweight in Muay Thai on January 21, 2001. He has made both ...

as Ōno Harufusa *

Uesugi clan The is a Japanese samurai clan which was at its peak one of the most powerful during the Muromachi and Sengoku periods (14th to 17th centuries). Appert, Georges. (1888) ''Ancien Japon,'' p. 79./ref> At its height, the clan had three main branch ...

Kenichi Endō is a Japanese actor and writer. He also worked as a narrator for many documentaries, both on television and film. He is best known for his roles in '' Visitor Q'' (2001), ''Crows Zero'' (2007), ''Crows Zero 2'' (2009), and '' The Raid 2: Beran ...

Uesugi Kagekatsu was a Japanese samurai ''daimyō'' during the Sengoku and Edo periods. He was the adopted son of Uesugi Kenshin and Uesugi Kagetora’s brother in law. Early life and rise Kagekatsu was the son of Nagao Masakage, the head of the Ueda Nagao ...

Shingo Murakami is a Japanese singer, presenter, variety ''tarento'' and actor. He is the keyboardist of the Japanese male idol group Kanjani Eight. Early life When he was in junior high school his classmate was a fan of V6. He was recommended to "receive an ...

Naoe Kanetsugu was a Japanese samurai of the 16th–17th centuries. The eldest son of Higuchi Kanetoyo, Kanetsugu was famed for his service to two generations of the Uesugi ''daimyōs''. He was also known by his court title, Yamashiro no Kami (山城守) or ...

, Kagekatsu’s right‐hand man *

Yasuyuki Maekawa Please don't delete this article because this actor or actress is new and will play/is playing a lead, supporting or breakthrough role in the tokusatsu series "Kamen Rider Build" and will continue their career and make more roles, either lead or su ...

as Kasuga Nobutatsu

Later Hōjō clan The was one of the most powerful samurai families in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region. Their last name was simply Hōjō (北条) but in order to differentiate between the earlier Hōjō clan with the s ...

Masanobu Takashima is a Japanese film and television actor. Career He has appeared in over 20 television productions and ten films in Japan and other countries as well. Takashima appeared as Daisuke Matoba in the 2008 film '' L: Change the World'' (also known a ...

Hōjō Ujimasa was the fourth head of the later Hōjō clan, and ''daimyō'' of Odawara. Ujimasa succeeded the territory expansion policy from his father, Hojo Ujiyasu, and achieved the biggest territory in the clan's history. Early life and rise In 1538, Uj ...

* Yoshihiko Hosoda as

Hōjō Ujinao Hōjō Ujinao (北条氏直: 1562 – December 19, 1591) was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the late Sengoku period, and the final head of the Later Hōjō clan. An important figure in the history of Azuchi-Momoyama politics, he lost his entire d ...

Atsushi Yamanishi is a Japanese actor represented by Ricomotion. Filmography TV series NHK Nippon TV Tokyo Broadcasting System Fuji Television TV Asahi TV Tokyo Mainichi Broadcasting System Films Internet series Video games References Exter ...

as Itabeoka Kōsetsusai

Shinano Province or is an old province of Japan that is now Nagano Prefecture. Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces. The ancient capital was located near modern-day Matsumoto, whi ...

Masahiko Nishimura is a Japanese theatre and film actor. He is best known for his comedic portrayals. Biography Nishimura was born on December 12, 1960 in Toyama, Toyama, Japan. While he attended Toyo University to study photography he met Kōki Mitani, a script ...

as Muroga Masatake *Kenichi Ishii as

Kiso Yoshimasa was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was a retainer of the Takeda clan The was a Japanese samurai clan active from the late Heian period until the late 16th century. The clan was historically based in Kai Province in p ...

Takeda clan The was a Japanese samurai clan active from the late Heian period until the late 16th century. The clan was historically based in Kai Province in present-day Yamanashi Prefecture. The clan reached its greatest influence under the rule of Taked ...

Takehiro Hira is a Japanese theatre, film, and television actor. Early life and education Hira was born in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan to actors Mikijirō Hira and Yoshiko Sakuma. He was raised in Japan until he was 15 years old. He went to high school at Mose ...

Takeda Katsuyori was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period, who was famed as the head of the Takeda clan and the successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was son in law of Hojo Ujiyasu. Early life He was the son of Shingen by the daughter ...

Takaaki Enoki is a Japanese actor and artist from Isa District, Kagoshima. He is known for his role as private detective Mitsuhiko Asami in the ''Asami Mitsuhiko Series''. He attended Musashino Art University but left before graduating and joined the Shiki The ...

Anayama Baisetsu , also known as Anayama Genba Nobukimi (in ''Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga''), Baisetsu Nobutada or Anayama Baisetsu, was a Japanese samurai. He became famous as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". He was lord of Yokoyama Castle ...

Kunishirō Hayashi was a Japanese actor, action director, martial artist and sword fight arranger. He served as a sword fight arranger in almost all of the Taiga drama series on NHK in his lifetime. In 1963, he founded stunt performers production company ''Wakakom ...

Takeda Shingen , of Kai Province, was a pre-eminent ''daimyō'' in feudal Japan. Known as the "Tiger of Kai", he was one of the most powerful daimyō with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period. Shingen was a warlord of great ...

(Ghost) * Yōichi Nukumizu as

Oyamada Nobushige was a Japanese samurai general in the Takeda army under Takeda Shingen, and later under Takeda Katsuyori.Inoue, Yasushi. (2006)''The Samurai banner of Furin Kazan,'' p. 7 He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". ...

*Takuo Inari as

Atobe Katsusuke was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Takeda clan The was a Japanese samurai clan active from the late Heian period until the late 16th century. The clan was historically based in Kai Province in present-day Yamanash ...

*Kōji Hatta as Oyamada Hachizaemon

Oda clan The is a Japanese samurai family who were daimyo and an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century. Though they had the climax of their fame under Oda Nobunaga and fell from the spotlight soon after, several ...

* Kōtarō Yoshida as

Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...

Yasunori Danta Yasunori is a masculine Japanese given name. Possible writings Yasunori can be written using many different combinations of kanji characters. Here are some examples: *安徳, "tranquil, benevolence" *安紀, "tranquil, chronicle" *安典, "tranqu ...

Takigawa Kazumasu , also known as Sakonshōgen (左近将監), was a samurai retainer and military commander of Oda Nobunaga, and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi, during Japan's Sengoku period. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Toshihisa and later Kazumasu ...

* Reo Tamaoki as

Oda Nobutada was a samurai and the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga, who fought in many battles during the Sengoku period of Japan. He commanded armies under his father in battles against Matsunaga Hisahide and against the Takeda clan. Biography Oda Nobutada w ...

*Hisafumi Iwashita as

Akechi Mitsuhide , first called Jūbei from his clan and later from his title, was a Japanese ''samurai'' general of the Sengoku period best known as the assassin of Oda Nobunaga. Mitsuhide was a bodyguard of Ashikaga Yoshiaki and later a successful general under ...

Kenji Matsuda is a Japanese actor. Matsuda began acting in high school when a girl he had a crush on convinced him to join the theatre club. He later joined the sho-gekijo theatrical troupe Haiyu-Za. Nowadays known for roles such as Kagero in the low-budget f ...

as Nagasaki Motoie *Tanida Ayumi as

Mori Nagayoshi was a samurai officer under the Oda clan following Japan's 16th-century Sengoku period, and the older brother of the famous Mori Ranmaru. His wife Ikeda Sen, was the daughter of Ikeda Tsuneoki. Nagayoshi was known to have such a bad temper and ...

Date clan The is a Japanese samurai kin group. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Date", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 5 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Date family was founded ...

* Tomoharu Hasegawa as Date Masamune *Asahi Yoshida as

Katakura Kagetsuna was a Japanese samurai of the Katakura clan during the late Sengoku period. Also known by his court title, ''Bichū no Kami'' (備中守), or more commonly, as Katakura Kojūrō. Together with Oniniwa Tsunamoto and Date Shigezane, Kagetsuna was ...

Maeda clan was a Japanese samurai clan who occupied most of the Hokuriku region of central Honshū from the end of the Sengoku period through the Meiji restoration of 1868. The Maeda claimed descent from the Sugawara clan of Sugawara no Kiyotomo and Sugaw ...

Katsuya Kobayashi is a Japanese actor from Shimonoseki. Even though he and fellow Kamen Rider Kabuto: God Speed Love-exclusive Rider actor Mitsuki Koga/Kamen Rider Ketaros were only Kamen Riders within the movie, they did make a guest appearance during the fin ...

Maeda Toshiie was one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi–Momoyama period. His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as "Yari no Mataza" (槍の又左), Matazaemon (又� ...

, a member of the

council of Five Elders The Council of Five Elders (Japanese: :jp:五大老, 五大老, ''Go-Tairō'') was a group of five powerful feudal lords (Japanese: 大名, ''Daimyō'') formed in 1598 by the Regent (Japanese: 太閤 ''Sesshō and Kampaku, Taikō'') Toyotomi Hideyo ...

*Masayuki Yorozu as

Maeda Toshinaga was a Sengoku period Japanese samurai and the second early-Edo period ''daimyō'' of Kaga Domain in the Hokuriku region of Japan, and the 3rd hereditary chieftain of the Maeda clan. He was the eldest son of Maeda Toshiie. His childhood name was ...

Mōri clan The Mōri clan (毛利氏 ''Mōri-shi'') was a Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power ...

*Naoki Asaji as

Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overco ...

, a member of the council of Five Elders

Hosokawa clan The is a Japanese Samurai kin group or clan. Ancestors # Emperor Jimmu # Emperor Suizei # Emperor Annei # Emperor Itoku # Emperor Kōshō # Emperor Kōan # Emperor Kōrei # Emperor Kōgen # Emperor Kaika # Emperor Sujin # Emperor Sui ...

Toshihiro Yashiba is a Japanese actor represented by JFCT. Filmography TV series Films References External links * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Yashiba, Toshihiro Japanese male actors 1971 births Living people People from Sōka ...

Hosokawa Tadaoki was a Japanese samurai warrior of the late Sengoku period and early Edo period. He was the son of Hosokawa Fujitaka with Numata Jakō, and he was the husband of a famous Christian convert (Kirishitan), Hosokawa Gracia. For most of his life, he ...

Manami Hashimoto , better known as , is a Japanese gravure idol A model is a person with a role either to promote, display or advertise commercial products (notably fashion clothing in fashion shows) or to serve as a visual aid for people who are creati ...

Hosokawa Gracia Akechi Tama, usually referred to as , (1563 – 25 August 1600) was a member of the aristocratic Akechi family from the Sengoku period. Gracia is best known for her role in the Battle of Sekigahara, she was considered to be a political hos ...

Others

Matsumoto Kōshirō IX Matsumoto (松本 or 松元, "base of the pine tree") may refer to: Places * Matsumoto, Nagano (松本市), a city ** Matsumoto Airport, an airport southwest of Matsumoto, Nagano * Matsumoto, Kagoshima (松元町), a former town now part of the ...

Luzon Sukezaemon (b. 1565?) was a Japanese merchant from the port of Sakai, who traded ''shimamono'' pottery in Japan from Luzon in the Philippines and later emigrated to Cambodia in the final years of the 16th century. Biography Originally known as Naya Suke ...

(from 1978 taiga drama ''

Ōgon no Hibi is a 1978 Japanese television series. It is the 16th NHK taiga drama, and is based on Saburo Shiroyama's novel of the same title. The series is the first ''taiga'' drama to focus on the lives of commoners and merchants, and the first ''taiga'' d ...

'') *Sylvia Grab as

Izumo no Okuni was a Japanese shrine maiden who is believed to have invented the theatrical art form of kabuki. She is thought to have begun performing her new art style of (lit., "the art of singing and dancing") theatre in the dry riverbed of the Kamo R ...

Kenji Mizuhashi is a Japanese actor. He has appeared in more than 60 films since 1997. Selected filmography Film Television References External links * 1975 births Living people Japanese male film actors Japanese male television actors Male ...

as Kichizō *Jun Uemoto as Seikan *Ryō Kinomoto as Chōbei *Makoto Miyashita as Takemoto Gidayū *Makoto Tsuchiya *

Kazuya Kojima is a Japanese comedian and actor. He performs '' boke'' (he can also perform ''Kire Gei'' or '' tsukkomi'') in the comedy duo Unjash with his partner Ken Watabe. Kojima's most well known gag is the mispronunciation or mistake of his last name ...

as Muroga Kyūdayū, the son of Muroga Masatake

Production

Production Credits *Music –

Takayuki Hattori is a Japanese film, television, video game and non-soundtrack music composer, arranger and conductor. He is the son of the composer Katsuhisa Hattori and grandson of composer Ryoichi Hattori. He has won three Japan Academy Prize awards in the ...

*Titling – Shūhei Hasado *Historical research – Motoki Kuroda, Masaru Hirayama, Kazuhiro Marushima *Architectural research – Kiyoshi Hirai *Clothing research – Hiroaki Koizumi *Sword fight arranger - Kunishirō Nakagawa

Casting

chose to cast

for the lead role of Sanada Nobushige, a samurai of the

. Minoru Kubota of the ''

Yomiuri Shimbun The (lit. ''Reading-selling Newspaper'' or ''Selling by Reading Newspaper'') is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. It is one of the five major newspapers in Japan; the other four are t ...

'' assumes that this is in part to increase viewership for the historical series after years of declining audience numbers for taiga dramas, as Sakai was a popular actor in the dramas he previously starred in.

Marketing

Due to the decline in viewers of NHK's taiga dramas, which is especially seen in the historically low ratings of preceding taiga drama ''

Hana Moyu is a 2015 Japanese historical drama television series, the 54th NHK ''taiga'' drama. The series stars Mao Inoue as Sugi Fumi, a sister of Meiji Restoration scholar Yoshida Shōin. It premiered on January 4, 2015, and ended on December 13, 201 ...

'' in 2015, the public broadcaster strengthened its effort to market ''Sanada Maru'' in order for viewership to increase. Locations that were to be depicted in the taiga drama were featured in travel-themed programs such as ''Tsurube's Salute to Families'' and ''

Bura Tamori ）is a Japanese weekly geographical TV series broadcast domestically on NHK General Television and internationally on NHK World Premium hosted by Tamori. It started in 2008. In the program, Tamori, accompanied by NHK's female broadcaster, stro ...

'', which also featured actors from ''Sanada Maru'' as guests. History-themed documentaries and discussion programs covered the historical background of the drama. Lead actor Sakai was sent out by NHK to major media outlets for interviews, though he was found to be uncooperative in many of them, as questions would focus on his personal life instead of his new role in the drama.

TV schedule

Soundtracks

*''Sanada Maru NHK Taiga Drama Original Soundtrack'' (February 24, 2016) *''Sanada Maru NHK Taiga Drama Original Soundtrack II'' (July 20, 2016) *''Sanada Maru NHK Taiga Drama Original Soundtrack III'' (November 9, 2016) *''Sanada Maru NHK Taiga Drama Original Soundtrack: The Best'' (December 21, 2016)

Accolades

References

External links

Official Site
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sanada Maru (Tv series) Taiga drama 2016 Japanese television series debuts 2016 Japanese television series endings Cultural depictions of Sanada clan Cultural depictions of Akechi Mitsuhide Cultural depictions of Date Masamune Cultural depictions of Oda Nobunaga Cultural depictions of samurai Cultural depictions of Tokugawa Ieyasu Cultural depictions of Toyotomi Hideyoshi Television shows written by Kôki Mitani Television series set in the 16th century Television series set in the 17th century Television shows set in Nagano Prefecture Television shows set in Wakayama Prefecture Television shows set in Osaka