History Literature / Taiko

* SiblingRivalry: Nobunaga and Nobuyuki for the control of Owari, which resulted in Nobunaga killing his brother.

''Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan'' (新書太閤記, ''Shinsho Taikoki'') is a historical fiction novel by Eiji Yoshikawa (''{{Literature/Musashi}}''). Chapters were serialized first in 1939 to 1945 before being compiled into a total of eleven volumes, starting in 1950 to 1951. An English translation by William Scott Wilson was originally published in 1992.

''Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan'' (新書太閤記, ''Shinsho Taikoki'') is one of the two books that Japanese novelist Eiji Yoshikawa is known for outside his home country, the other being ''{{Literature/Musashi}}''. Set during the chaotic civil wars of the UsefulNotes/SengokuJidai, ''Taiko'' tells the story of UsefulNotes/ToyotomiHideyoshi, a dirt-poor peasant who tries to make his way up in life. After several false starts, he becomes a sandal bearer to a young UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga, known as the "Fool of Owari" for his teenage jackassery.

However, there is a deadly competence in the "Fool of Owari", which Japan will learn when he begins to crush his enemies and increase his holdings. Hideyoshi's fortunes improve with his master's, due in no small part to the almost eerie competence he carries into everything he does. Another rising star is UsefulNotes/TokugawaIeyasu, the patient lord of a threadbare province, and Oda's long term ally.

Unfortunately, Nobunaga's rashness causes him to humiliate a retainer of his, UsefulNotes/AkechiMitsuhide. Mitsuhide chafes under his unpleasable lord, and finally snaps, leading a sneak attack which ends in Nobunaga's death. Hideyoshi avenges his fallen lord, leaving him and Ieyasu to fight over who is to become the supreme ruler of Japan.

''UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga answers "Kill it if it does not want to sing!"''\\
''UsefulNotes/ToyotomiHideyoshi answers "Make it want to sing."''\\
''UsefulNotes/TokugawaIeyasu answers "Wait until it sings."''
-->-- ''A common verse among Japanese schoolchildren.''

''Taiko'' is one of the two books that Japanese novelist Eiji Yoshikawa is known for outside his home country, the other being ''{{Literature/Musashi}}''. Set during the chaotic civil wars of the UsefulNotes/SengokuJidai, ''Taiko'' tells the story of UsefulNotes/ToyotomiHideyoshi, a dirt-poor peasant who tries to make his way up in life. After several false starts, he becomes a sandal bearer to a young UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga, known as the "Fool of Owari" for his teenage jackassery.

!!Tropes:

* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Nobuyuki is this to Nobunaga.

* BattleInTheRain: The Battle of Okehazama.

* FaceDeathWithDignity: Many Takeda generals at Nagashino, Ikeda Tsuneoki, Mori Nagayoshi, and many others.

* IHaveManyNames: As was a Japanese custom.
* IncurableCoughOfDeath: Hanbei.
* JidaiGeki
* KickTheSonOfABitch: Nobunaga's destruction of Mount Hiei.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: And they all keep [[IHaveManyNames changing their names]].
* MotorMouth: Hideyoshi.

* SelfMadeMan: Hideyoshi.
* {{Seppuku}}

* YourCheatingHeart: One of Hideyoshi's few flaws.

Unfortunately, Nobunga's rashness causes him to humiliate a retainer of his, UsefulNotes/AkechiMitsuhide. Mitsuhide chafes under his unpleasable lord, and finally snaps, leading a sneak attack which ends in Nobunga's death. Hideyoshi avenges his fallen lord, leaving him and Ieyasu to fight over who is to become the supreme ruler of Japan.

However, there is a deadly competence in the "Fool of Owari", which Japan will learn when he begins to crush his enemies and increase his holdings. Hideyoshi's fortunes improve with his master's, due in no small part to the almost eerie competence he carries into everything he does. Another rising star is TokugawaIeyasu, the patient lord of a threadbare province, and Oda's long term ally.

->''What if the bird will not sing?''
->''OdaNobunaga answers "Kill it if it does not want to sing!"''
->''ToyotomiHideyoshi answers "Make it want to sing."''
->''TokugawaIeyasu answers "Wait until it sings."''

''Taiko'' is one of the two books that Japanese novelist Eiji Yoshikawa is known for outside his home country, the other being ''{{Literature/Musashi}}''. Set during the chaotic civil wars of the the sixteenth century, ''Taiko'' tells the story of ToyotomiHideyoshi, a dirt-poor peasant who tries to make his way up in life. After several false starts, he becomes a sandal bearer to a young OdaNobunaga, known as the "Fool of Owari" for his teenage jackassery.

Unfortunately, Nobunga's rashness causes him to humiliate a retainer of his, AkechiMitsuhide. Mitsuhide chafes under his unpleasable lord, and finally snaps, leading a sneak attack which ends in Nobunga's death. Hideyoshi avenges his fallen lord, leaving him and Ieyasu to fight over who is to become the supreme ruler of Japan.

* YourCheatingHeart: One of Hideyoshi's few flaws.

* BasedOnATrueStory: Straddles the line between this and VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory. Most of Hideyoshi's exploits under Nobunaga are indeed accurate, but very little is known for certain about him before he joined Nobunaga.

* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: Notable examples incude: Oichi to Nagamasa, Ieyasu to Lady Tsukiyama(Imagawa Yoshimoto's niece), and Katsuyori to Nobunaga's daughter

* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: Notable examples incude: Oichi to Nagamasa and Katsuyori to Nobunaga's daughter

* ''Seppuku''

* [[Seppuku]]

''Taiko'' is one of the two books that Japanese novelist Eiji Yoshikawa is known for outside his home country, the other being ''{{Literature/Musashi}}''. Set during the chaotic civil wars of the the sixteenth century, ''{{Taiko}}'' tells the story of ToyotomiHideyoshi, a dirt-poor peasant who tries to make his way up in life. After several false starts, he becomes a sandal bearer to a young OdaNobunaga, known as the "Fool of Owari" for his teenage jackassery.

''{{Taiko}}'' is one of the two books that Japanese novelist Eiji Yoshikawa is known for outside his home country, the other being {{Literature/Musashi}}. Set during the chaotic civil wars of the the sixteenth century, ''{{Taiko}}'' tells the story of ToyotomiHideyoshi, a dirt-poor peasant who tries to make his way up in life. After several false starts, he becomes a sandal bearer to a young OdaNobunaga, known as the "Fool of Owari" for his teenage jackassery.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: And they all keep changing their names.

* BasedOnATrueStory: Straddles the line between this and VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory. Most of Hideyoshi's exploits under Nobunaga are indeed accurate, but very little is known for certain about his early life.

* OvershadowedByAwesome: Katsuyori may fall to this, being both the son and successor of one of the biggest badass of his time.

* OvershadowedByAwesome: Katsuyori may fall to this, being the both son and successor of one of the biggest badass of his time.