Sanada Maru (TV series)

Sanada Maru (真田丸) is a 2016 Japanese historical drama television series and the 55th NHK taiga drama.[1] The series is named after the Sanada Maru, a fortification defended by Sanada during the Siege of Osaka in 1615. Written by Kōki Mitani, it stars Masato Sakai as the samurai Sanada Nobushige. It premiered on January 10, 2016 and concluded on December 18, 2016.

Sanada Maru
Written byKōki Mitani
Directed byTakafumi Kimura
and others
StarringMasato Sakai
Yo Oizumi
Masami Nagasawa
Yoshino Kimura
Koji Yamamoto
Hirofumi Arai
Haru Kuroki
Mayu Matsuoka
Yō Yoshida
Takeo Nakahara
Takashi Fujii
Kataoka Ainosuke VI
Shinya Niiro
Taishi Nakagawa
Kenichi Okamoto
Susumu Terajima
Masahiko Nishimura
Show Aikawa
Kenichi Endō
Masanobu Takashima
Atsuko Takahata
Hiroshi Fujioka
Mitsuko Kusabue
Yūko Takeuchi
Fumiyo Kohinata
Kyōka Suzuki
Masaomi Kondō
Seiyō Uchino
Masao Kusakari
Narrated byYumiko Udo
Theme music composerTatsuya Shimono
Opening theme"Sanada Maru Main Theme" (「真田丸 メインテーマ」) by the NHK Symphony Orchestra,
Fumiaki Miura
Composer(s)Takayuki Hattori
Country of originJapan
Original language(s)Japanese
No. of episodes50
Production
Executive producer(s)Yotaro Yashiki
Kunio Yoshikawa
Running time45 minutes
Release
Original networkNHK
Original releaseJanuary 10 
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 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

Tokugawa clan

Pro-Tokugawa daimyōs

Toyotomi clan

"The Seven Generals of Hideyori"

Uesugi clan

Later Hōjō clan

Shinano Province

Takeda clan

Oda clan

Date clan

Maeda clan

Mōri clan

Hosokawa clan

Others

Production

Production Credits

  • Music – Takayuki Hattori
  • Titling – Shūhei Hasado
  • Historical research – Motoki Kuroda, Masaru Hirayama, Kazuhiro Marushima
  • Architectural research – Kiyoshi Hirai
  • Clothing research – Hiroaki Koizumi

Casting

NHK chose to cast Masato Sakai for the lead role of Sanada Nobushige, a samurai of the Sengoku period. Minoru Kubota of the Yomiuri Shimbun 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.[3][4]

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 in 2015, the public broadcaster strengthened its effort to market Sanada Maru in order for viewership to increase.[4] 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, which also featured actors from Sanada Maru as guests.[4] History-themed documentaries and discussion programs covered the historical background of the drama.[4] 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.[4]

TV schedule

EpisodeTitleDirected byOriginal airdateRating
1"Funade" (船出, Sailing Out)Takafumi KimuraJanuary 10, 2016 (2016-01-10)19.9%
2"Ketsudan" (決断, Decision)January 17, 2016 (2016-01-17)20.1%
3"Sakuryaku" (策略, Stratagem)January 24, 2016 (2016-01-24)18.3%
4"Chōsen" (挑戦, Challenge)Kunio YoshikawaJanuary 31, 2016 (2016-01-31)17.8%
5"Kyūchi" (窮地, Predicament)Takafumi KimuraFebruary 7, 2016 (2016-02-07)19.0%
6"Meisō" (迷走, Adrift)February 14, 2016 (2016-02-14)16.9%
7"Dakkai" (奪回, Recapture)Tadashi TanakaFebruary 21, 2016 (2016-02-21)17.4%
8"Chōryaku" (調略, Ploy)February 28, 2016 (2016-02-28)17.1%
9"Kakehiki" (駆引, Maneuvering)Daiji KobayashiMarch 6, 2016 (2016-03-06)16.6%
10"Myōshu" (妙手, Gambit)March 13, 2016 (2016-03-13)16.2%
11"Shūgen" (祝言, Nuptials)Tadashi TanakaMarch 20, 2016 (2016-03-20)15.6%
12"Hitojichi" (人質, Hostage)March 27, 2016 (2016-03-27)17.9%
13"Kessen" (決戦, Showdown)Takafumi KimuraApril 3, 2016 (2016-04-03)17.5%
14"Osaka" (大坂)April 10, 2016 (2016-04-10)17.1%
15"Hideyoshi" (秀吉)April 17, 2016 (2016-04-17)18.3%
16"Hyōri" (表裏, Two-faced)Daiji KobayashiApril 24, 2016 (2016-04-24)16.9%
17"Saikai" (再会, Reunion)Shōhei DoiMay 1, 2016 (2016-05-01)17.0%
18"Jōraku" (上洛, An audience)Tadashi TanakaMay 8, 2016 (2016-05-08)19.1%
19"Koiji" (恋路, Romance)Daiji KobayashiMay 15, 2016 (2016-05-15)17.0%
20"Zenchō" (前兆, Premonition)Tetsuya WatanabeMay 22, 2016 (2016-05-22)18.7%
21"Sentan" (戦端, Hostility)Takafumi KimuraMay 29, 2016 (2016-05-29)16.8%
22"Saitei" (裁定, Arbitration)Shōhei DoiJune 5, 2016 (2016-06-05)16.6%
23"Kōryaku" (攻略, Conquest)Tadashi TanakaJune 12, 2016 (2016-06-12)18.9%
24"Metsubō" (滅亡, Downfall)Takafumi KimuraJune 19, 2016 (2016-06-19)17.6%
25"Betsuri" (別離, Parting)Tetsuya WatanabeJune 26, 2016 (2016-06-26)18.3%
26"Uriuri" (瓜売, Gourd Seller)Daiji KobayashiJuly 3, 2016 (2016-07-03)16.4%
27"Fushin" (不信, Distrust)Takafumi KimuraJuly 10, 2016 (2016-07-10)15.1%
28"Junan" (受難, Sufferings)Shōhei DoiJuly 17, 2016 (2016-07-17)17.0%
29"Ihen" (異変, Disturbance)Keita HosakaJuly 24, 2016 (2016-07-24)17.5%
30"Tasogare" (黄昏, Twilight)Tadashi TanakaJuly 31, 2016 (2016-07-31)14.5%
31"Shūen" (終焉, Demise)Takafumi KimuraAugust 7, 2016 (2016-08-07)17.3%
32"Ōshū" (応酬, Tit-for-tat)Daiji KobayashiAugust 14, 2016 (2016-08-14)15.8%
33"Dōran" (動乱, Upheaval)Shōhei DoiAugust 21, 2016 (2016-08-21)18.0%
34"Kyohei" (挙兵, Risings)Tetsuya WatanabeAugust 28, 2016 (2016-08-28)13.2%
35"Inubushi" (犬伏)Takafumi KimuraSeptember 4, 2016 (2016-09-04)15.0%
36"Shōbu" (勝負, Battle)Daiji KobayashiSeptember 11, 2016 (2016-09-11)16.5%
37"Nobuyuki" (信之)Tadashi TanakaSeptember 18, 2016 (2016-09-18)17.3%
38"Masayuki" (昌幸)Takafumi KimuraSeptember 25, 2016 (2016-09-25)15.7%
39"Saigetsu" (歳月, Years)Keita HosakaOctober 2, 2016 (2016-10-02)16.6%
40"Yukimura" (幸村)Shōhei DoiOctober 9, 2016 (2016-10-09)15.0%
41"Nyūjō" (入城, Entry)Takafumi KimuraOctober 16, 2016 (2016-10-16)15.4%
42"Mikata" (味方, Allies)October 23, 2016 (2016-10-23)13.0%
43"Gungi" (軍議, War Council)Daiji KobayashiOctober 30, 2016 (2016-10-30)14.5%
44"Chikujō" (築城, Fortification)Tadashi TanakaNovember 6, 2016 (2016-11-06)15.3%
45"Kanpū" (完封, Shutout)November 13, 2016 (2016-11-13)15.2%
46Hōdan (砲弾, Cannonball)Keita HosakaNovember 20, 2016 (2016-11-20)14.2%
47Hangeki (反撃, Counter-attack)Daiji KobayashiNovember 27, 2016 (2016-11-27)15.3%
48Hikigane (引鉄, Trigger)Takuya ShimizuDecember 4, 2016 (2016-12-04)16.1%
49"Zen'ya" (前夜, The Eve)Takafumi KimuraDecember 11, 2016 (2016-12-11)14.8%
50NoneDecember 18, 2016 (2016-12-18)14.7%
Average rating 16.6% - Rating is based on Japanese Video Research (Kantō region).

Soundtracks

  • Sanada Maru NHK Taiga Drama Original Soundtrack (February 24, 2016)[5]
  • Sanada Maru NHK Taiga Drama Original Soundtrack II (July 20, 2016)[6]
  • Sanada Maru NHK Taiga Drama Original Soundtrack III (November 9, 2016)[7]
  • Sanada Maru NHK Taiga Drama Original Soundtrack: The Best (December 21, 2016)[8]

Accolades

Ceremony Category Nominees Result
10th Tokyo Drama Awards Best Drama Series Sanada Maru Nominated
Best Actor Masato Sakai Won
Best Supporting Actor Masao Kusakari Won

See also

References

  1. "大河「真田丸」主役・堺らキャストずらり ヒロインは長澤まさみ". sponichi. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  2. "松本幸四郎:38年ぶり「真田丸」で再び呂宋助左衛門に 三谷幸喜が熱烈オファー". Mantan-web. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  3. Kubota, Minoru (2 December 2015). "リベンジなるか?NHK大河ドラマ「真田丸」の戦い". Yomiuri Online (in Japanese). The Yomiuri Shimbun. Archived from the original on 23 June 2017.
  4. Brasor, Philip (30 January 2016). "NHK may need to rethink its 'taiga' formula". The Japan Times. The Japan Times Ltd. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  5. "Nhk Taiga Drama[sanadamaru]original Soundtrack". HMV & Books Online (in Japanese). Lawson Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  6. "Nhk Taiga Drama Sanadamaru Original Soundtrack 2". HMV & Books Online (in Japanese). Lawson Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  7. "Nhk Taiga Drama Sanadamaru Original Soundtrack 3". HMV & Books Online (in Japanese). Lawson Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  8. "Nhk Taiga Drama Sanadamaru Original Soundtrack Best". HMV & Books Online (in Japanese). Lawson Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
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