#slbp ranmaru

[missneko-otaku]

I can't remember if Ranmaru has ever appeared in some mini short stories in slbp, like in Samurai Street Fair events? I feel like he hasn't? I think Kansuke, Kojirou and even the weird Hojo kid had a short story..

I remember when I first encounter him in Nobunaga's route, he stuck into my memory the most bc of his unique hairstyle XD Also, if I remember correctly, I love how he was kinda there always for MC reminding her or supporting her or even comforting her a little whenever sometimes moody Nobunaga is hard to understand or hard to reach.

He is very loyal to Nobunaga yes, but I like how he is there for MC as well, especially when Nobunaga is out on war and MC is left in the castle worrying about her lover. Guess, I wanna read a story about him and know him more XD

Well, just random thoughts that I wanna let out. Pls don't mind me lol

[mynameiskan]

My paper still has some space left for another 4 chibi. Gotta finish this sketch page tomorrow.

[daeva-agas]

「Ikesen Historivia] Adult men can and will get stuck with their childhood name, sometimes

This is Ikesen-verse so it's fine, and it's for fluff's sake, but actually... in reality a number of Sengoku people had to go by their childhood names even after they get their adult names.

The thing about the Sengoku is, you can't actually call people by their names straight. You can't call Nobunaga with "Nobunaga-sama", that's rude and maybe your life might go bye bye because of it. You have to use "alias names".

(you can apparently use the name in letters, or if the person has a high enough title to be addressed with -kou suffix, but most of the time you don't use personal names like "Nobunaga" straight)

You know, if you play SLBP you'll see Yukimura sometimes introduce himself as "Sanada Genjirou Yukimura". "Genjirou" is the alias name, and in real life that's what you should call him by, not "Yukimura".

The problem is, not everyone gets to have that alias name. I actually have no idea why sometimes people do and sometimes they don't, but when they don't get an alias name, the childhood names becomes the "alias".

Mitsunari is an example of this. He still went by his childhood name "Sakichi" even after Honnouji, as accounted by multiple paperwork, even though he definitely already has his adult name then.

Other than childhood names and aliases, people also can be addressed by titles. Motonari as far as I know don't have an alias name, so he could be addressed as Shoujomaru and that should be 100% fine. He did seem have a title pretty early on, though, which is "Tanpi-dono", so people can also address him with this.

But again, like the issue with Kichou's name this is so much technobabble lingo, would be confusing to casual readers if Ikesen had followed the Real Life (TM) rules. Nobody cares except for people who just really like to read about real history.

-----

Bonus Trivia of aliases: Nobunaga's alias is "Saburou", Hideyoshi is "Toukichirou", Masamune is "Toujirou", Akechi is "Juubei", Shingen is "Tarou", Kenshin is "Heizo", Ieyasu is "Jirousaburou", Yoshimoto is "Hikogorou".

Kanetsugu also doesn't have one, so he goes by his childhood name "Yoroku".

Keiji is... just Keiji, because that is the "alias name". Some people are more famously known by their alias instead of their actual name. Sometimes written as Keijirou. He also supposedly went by "Soubei" (referenced in Ikesen's Second Prologue). His personal name is a bit unclear, but most texts usually refer to him by Toshimasu or Toshisada.

Ranmaru is "Ranhoushi", or sometimes just "Ran" for short. His personal name is Naritoshi.

Kennyo is... also just Kennyo. Monks go by their "ordained name". Kennyo's personal name is Kousa.

[samurailoveballadhistory]

Quick reminder that SLBP drops the "long o" sounds, and "Mori" in other publications may be spelled as "Mouri". This family is completely unrelated to Ranmaru's "Mori" family.

In history Motonari sent a lot of sons out for adoptions. To the point that of his 9 sons, perhaps only 3 of them remained surnamed "Mouri". Even within the context of just SLBP, there's more than one that got adopted out.

I think the part that says "he sent one out" is a mistranslation because even though Japanese has a way to render words plural, it's sometimes not used. This creates ambiguity that requires the translator to pay attention to the original context to know if this is plural or not.

I don't remember if in the actual event it's already specified that Kikkawa Motoharu and Kobayakawa Takakage are brothers or not, but I referenced this in my previous post. Those are two of Motonari's sons, both adopted out, thus having different surnames. Perhaps it wasn't mentioned, and so the translator didn't know.

As always, bending generations is a given in this game (like when the Oda fights Shingen instead of his son), and "Nobunaga is antagonistic against Mouri Motonari" is one of those things that happens when games or other media prioritise starring famous lords over historical facts.

The Oda did eventually fight with the Mouri, but that was after Motonari was a few years dead, and the headship taken over by his successor. In Motonari's life, the Oda and Mouri were allies/cooperating. Nobunaga sent gifts and condolences when Motonari died, and New Year's greetings were regularly sent over to the Mouri.

[solomons-poison]

Mmmmmm I've reached the second half of chapter 10 right before I need to choose dramatic or romantic side of Yoshimoto's route and it is giving me strong SLBP Mitsuhide's route vibes. Its kind of messing me up...

I know IkeSen doesn't get that dark in terms of how their routes end, just maybe in general story content, but SLBP completely shook me cause I never expected them to do what they did lol, and it's coming across very similar to me.

Not to say I'm not enjoying his route, it's very different from the others and its nice to see Ranmaru so much more and in serious moments. It was also cool to see a nonbinary character included as well. But I can't help the fear about where this is going even tho I know it'll be fine lol

[otome-is-my-life]

Oh my, Nobu can be so cute at times

[lost-littledreamer]

jinkx is that you?

[buddy-anon]

:p bleps 

@nyktoon @saialock

[saizoswifey]

SLBP needs more Ranmaru tbh

[julias1993]

[otohoe]

SLBP + The Onion Headlines [7/?]

[tentoriwrites]

Ranmaru’s Adventure in Babysitting

What happens when Tentori binges movies from her childhood? A weird combo of Adventures in Babysitting and Stand by Me featuring Yahiko, Hotaru, and Ranmaru! If someone has commissions open, I totally need a picture of these three acting like 1960s greasers with weapons kids would have. Like Yahiko dual wielding brooms, Ranmaru with a slingshot... I need this in my life. 

When Nobunaga orders Ranmaru to entertain Yahiko while everyone else is out, the duo embarks in shenanigans. Along the way they pick up an unlikely comrade.

He was from a samurai family and that had served him quite well in life up to this point. Being from a samurai family had secured him a place in Kiyosu under the Oda family, after all. Granted, that had been more a display of his family’s fealty than anything. Still, it had afforded him the opportunity to learn a great many things. Despite being considerably younger than many of the samurai around him, he had come to excel at handling difficult daimyo and repugnant retainers. None more so than his liege lord, one Oda Nobunaga.

None of it had prepared him for the task he had just been given.

Back straight as the face of a sword, struck frozen like a body caught in a harsh northern winter he stared down the being before him. The longer they sat staring at each other in silence, the more his sheer ineptitude for the task ate away at him. Luckily, the one across the table spoke first.

“what’s your name, kid?” Ranmaru looked at him completely dumfounded for a moment.

“Kid?” His head tilted to one side all on its own.

“Yeah. You aren’t that much older than me, are you?” There was no malice in the question putting Ranmaru a bit more at ease.

“No, I suppose I am not…” He straightened his head again and put on a serious face. “My name is Mori Ranmaru. You are Yahiko I presume?”

“Geez lighten up!” Yahiko reached across the table and gave Ranmaru a playful smack on the arm. “You know what you need? You need a festival and there just so happens to be one in town!” Ranmaru knew where this was going and immediately started to frown.

“No. I am quite sure it would be best if we stayed right here. Milord Nobunaga made it clear I was to entertain you and I think that would be best served right here.” He rubbed the top of the table emphasize his point.

“There is nothing entertaining to do right here.” Yahiko, undeterred, tapped the table with one finger to emphasize his.

“I brought a shogi and go sets. Perhaps I could teach you how to play one of them? Milord Nobunaga is fond of them.” He tried to lure Yahiko in with something of interest to the man Yahiko clearly idolized.

“Something Nobu likes to play?” Ranmaru smiled pleasantly to hid the instinctive twitch years of service had ingrained in him. In light of Yahiko’s pique interest he started mentally preparing his lesson. “Sure maybe a quick game wouldn’t be bad.

“Oh these are hardly quick games to play. I believe even a beginner like you could easily last a few hours…”

“A few hours for a beginner game?! How long would a game between experts last?!” Yahiko cut him off with a surprised outburst that threw him off.

“Well last time lord Nobunaga played lord Ieyasu it lasted all day. We had to have an intermission for lunch.” Yahiko gaped at him like he had grown an extra head before his young eyes.

“PASS! I’m way too young to waste hours on a single game!” With that he slapped his hands on the table and leaned in closer to Ranmaru, scrutinizing him.

“Y… yes? Is there perhaps something on my face?” He gently touched his hands to his cheeks.

“You can’t possibly tell me you have one night away from being samurai and you want to wallow it away in here playing a single game all night when we could be out there playing a bunch of games and eating until we’re sick.” Ranmaru had to admit, Yahiko was quite the imposing figure when he wanted to be. Ranmaru supposed it must run in the family, afterall, his sister married lord Nobunaga. After a great deal more cajoling and a little bit of begging, Ranmaru finally caved in.

"Very well. We’ll go to the festival. But only for a little while! Milord Nobunaga entrusted me with your safety!" Ranmaru put on the sternest face he could muster in an attempt to assert his dominance over the situation. Yahiko for his part failed miserably to stifle a laugh.

"Is everyone in castles this stuffy?" He jumped to his feet and checked he had some coins on him.

"Well I would not call it stuffy exact... wah!" Before Ranmaru could finish, Yahiko was taking him out the door.

Yahiko led him through the streets of Kyoto with the ease of a local all while the samurai tried to make mental note of their course. In short order they had reached a street adjacent to the festivities. However, Yahiko seemed to stop for no reason.

"Is something the matter?"

"It is him!" Yahiko ran up to a man with a head full of oddly silver hair. "Hey Master Yugiri! I didn't think I'd ever see you at a festival!" When he didn't receive a response, Yahiko gave him a tap on the shoulder. However, his whole body stiffened and he took a quick step back when the man turned around. This immediately put Ranmaru on edge.

"Sorry! You look like the owner of this restaurant I know." Yahiko quickly explained but the young man had a confused look on his face. He took out some writing materials and scribbled something down.

"Someone who looks like me at a restaurant?" The paper read.

"Yeah. Are you related?" Yahiko perked up after seeing this. Ranmaru was still very much on edge.

"Older brother." Again, written on the paper.

"Well that explains the resemblance! Did you come here together?" The young man shook his head no again.

"Were you looking for him?"

"Yes. But I got lost." Still on the paper.

"I can take you to his restaurant. But since you're here you might as well enjoy the festival!" Yahiko proceeded to hook an arm through Hotaru's and start to wander off.

"That is a terrible idea! You don't even know this person! You don't even know his name!" Ranmaru vehemently objected as he chased after them. "Do you not think it strange he writes everything?"

"Rude!" Yahiko sniped back. "But I guess I was being rude too! My name's Yahiko and this is Ranmaru."

"Don't give him our real names..." Ranmaru hiss in his ear but Yahiko just sailed on like a leaf on the wind.

"What's your name?" The young man pointed to a flower with a firefly blinking idly on it.

"Hana? Well ok then! Nice to meet you." The young man shook his head no.

"Not Hana. Oh! Hotaru! Got it! Sorry!" Yahiko flashed Hotaru an apologetic grin. Meanwhile, Ranmaru trailed behind them fretting the whole time.

Yahiko led them over to all the games. Something about the way his eyes lit up made Ranmaru smile. Although, it pained him a little that he didn't know how to play most of the games there. Certainly, he had been to a festival or two, but typically as a page, rarely for fun. At least he wasn’t alone in this. Hotaru didn’t seem to know how to play any of the games.

“Wow you’re both really bad at this!” Yahiko teased as he watched Ranmaru fail to get the black goldfish he’d been eying for the third time before his paper gave out. He sighed in defeat and slumped back on his haunches.

“He would make a stunning addition to the koi pond at Azuchi given proper time to grow.” Ranmaru sighed wistfully. Hotaru, who had simply been watching up to this point, in one smooth motion snapped up the fish. Ranmaru pouted, cheeks puffing slightly as he looked away.

“Wow that’s amazing Hotaru! You’re really good at this!” Hotaru tilted his head quizzically before sticking it directly in front of Ranmaru’s. It was far too close for the samurai’s comfort. He was about to back away when Hotaru offered him the vessel with the fish in it.

“For Ranmaru!” He positively beamed as he held the vessel with both hands.

“For… me?” The gesture threw him off his suspicions for just a moment. He coughed a stood up straight. “I appreciate the gesture, though I cannot accept your gift.” With that he turned on his heel. “If we are to play more than one game, we should be on our way.” He couldn’t see how dejected Hotaru looked as he turned and put the goldfish back in the barrel.

The next game they played was an archery game. Still pouting for being shown up by someone he was so sure was his mortal enemy, Ranmaru watched Yahiko struggle. Hotaru appeared to be ready to step in and win something for Yahiko when Ranmaru interjected didactically.

“Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish he eats for a lifetime.” With that, Ranmaru instructed Yahiko how to correctly hold the bow and how to shoot it. Despite that, He didn’t to be able to hit the toy he wanted hard enough. “Peculiar…” Ranmaru had a hunch about that. While the merchant was busy, he wander around to the back of the stall and saw that all the objects were affixed to the platform they sat on. Seeing the game was rigged, he wandered over to another stall with a much higher win rate. Finding the same sort of trinket Yahiko was after. Ranmaru, just as obstinate to prove a point as his lord wandered back over to Yahiko.

“Clearly there is an issue here. Mayhaps it is the bow?”

“I’ll assure you, the bows are fine.” The stall’s proprietor went on boastfully.

“As the page of the esteemed Lord Oda Nobunaga, I am quite aware of a good bow when I see one.” Ranmaru casually name dropped as he gave the proprietor a sideways glance. He sized up his target across the road.

“Oda… Nobunaga… you say?” The proprietor seemed shaken at mention of the name, but just for a moment. “Surely you jest.”

“Hotaru, Yahiko kindly clear the road.” The sharp gaze in Ranmaru’s eyes sent them scampering to clear a path between the two stalls. “We shall test the bow and arrows in one stroke. If that is not the issue, surely the fault must lie in the targets, would you not agree?” Ranmaru’s smile was thoroughly unsettling given the sharpness of his tone.

“You… you’ll find no fault in my game!” Ranmaru loosed his arrow and sent the trinket in the far stall toppling over. Without missing a beat he turned and aimed for the trinket Yahiko had been after and hit it point blank square center and it didn’t so much as wobble. “It’s is hardly a game of skill if the game is rigger, would you not agree?”

“Wow! That was really cool!” Yahiko ran up and practically threw him into the dirt when he wrapped an arm around the samurai’s neck.

“That was nothing compared to what I must do as part of my regular training. Surely, if I cannot debunk a scheme so obvious as his, I am not fit to serve milord.” Yahiko groaned before giving Ranmaru a nuggie so hard his hair came undone.

“Just accept the fact you’re cool on your own, would ya?”

“Me? Cool?” Ranmaru let to word roll around in his mouth like a draught of cool water on a hot day. “You really think so?”

“Yeah! You and Hotaru are both really cool!”

“Me too?” Hotaru tilted his head to the side.

“Whoa! Hotaru talks!” Yahiko started laughing.

“I like being like Ranmaru!” Hotaru beamed a thrilled smile. For the first time all night, Ranmaru seemed to be softening up. From then on, they made merry with much more abandon. Though Ranmaru not being able to keep his hair out of his face did cause trouble for him eating.

The evening was getting on to night when Ranmaru froze solid in the middle of the crowded street.

“Is that Nobu, my Mom and sister?”

“Yes.” A mouse’s squeak at best.

"Oh crap! If he sees us, you’re dead! Run!" Yahiko grabbed them both by a sleeve and started pulling them out of the crowd and into a less crowded alley. Although he was able to keep hold of Hotaru, Ranmaru got lost somewhere along the way. Agreeing to leave no man behind, the duo went looking for Ranmaru.

A scuffle in an adjacent alley drew them to it. There, surrounded by a group of drunks was Ranmaru.

“I assure you I am most definitely NOT a woman.”

“Awe come on… with locks like that…” He had disabled a few but there were clearly more than he could handle. Yahiko  set his jaw, grabbed a broom and starts beating the nearest guy to him. That was not a wise decision. The man spun around and shoved Yahiko away as easily as one would bat a fly. Hotaru looked between his two new comrades clearly torn on what he should do. As one of the thugs reared up his foot to kick Yahiko while he was down, a booming voice resonated of the nearby walls.

“Sleep!” Everyone in the alley but Hotaru fell asleep immediately. When Ranmaru and Yahiko woke up, they were back at the outskirts of the festival.

"What happened?"

"Ran away."

"They did or you did?"

"I did."

"No shame in retreating from a battle you can't win!" Ranmaru nodded sagely. “Thank you for coming to get me.”

“Of course! You wouldn’t have gotten in troubleif I hadn’t made you bring me to the festival.” Yahiko was genuinely apologetic.

“Yes… But then we would not have met our new friend Hotaru.” Hotaru perked up at this comment.

“Are we… friends?” He looked hopefully between the other two.

“Of course!”

“I believe that goes without saying.”

"We should get out of here before we get in any more trouble." Yahiko stretched as he got to his feet.

"Agreed." Yahiko took Hotaru to Yugiri and took the blame for him being late. Master Yugiri didn’t seem to upset about it. Before they left Hotaru stopped Ranmaru and handed him a bowl with a lid. When Ranmaru lifted the lid, his little favored fish was swimming happily inside.

“When did you…” He took a deep breath to banish his suspicions. “I will treasure this gift. Thank you.” As Ranmaru offered a deep bow, Master Yugiri ushered Hotaru inside.

When Nobunaga and company get back to the restaurant they found Ranmaru and Yahiko passed out over a barely started game of "go." This was not enough to banish lord Oda’s suspicions though. The next morning he grilled Ranmaru about what they did all as soon as his page showed his face. Ranmaru was about to crack when Yahiko butt in.

"He's not nearly as good at some things as you are, Nobu. But he's a great teacher! He was teaching me his to play "go!" Let me show you what I learned!"

"A challenge is it? I won't go easy on you just because you're a novice."

"You might be surprised how good I am!" The pair headed upstairs going back  forth. As soon as they were gone Ranmaru deflated with a sigh. The woman, who insisted everyone call he Mother, sidled up next to him with a broad smile and a steaming hot breakfast.

"Yahiko conned you into going up the festival, didn't he?"

"Please don't tell milord Nobunaga!" Mother gave him a knowing wink and walked away.

 Back at the castle several weeks have gone by and Ranmaru is acting increasingly maudlin. Nobunage, tried of his depressed sighs, called him out in the main hall at breakfast one day.

“Playing the older brother was a refreshing change is all. I may miss it just a tad, milord.”

"Want to play the older brother, is it?" With a mischievous smirk all of them knew too well, Nobunaga grabbed his new bride into his lap. "I suppose we’ll just have to try harder to see that happen, now won't we?"

“LORD NOBUNAGA!”

[mynameiskan]

I have been quite busy so I could only sketch some chibis.

Oops, typo!!!! He is "TORAMATSU", not "Toramasu".

[scrollsfromsengokuwarlords]

[meruchan]

I totally forgot to upload these this morning.....

@slbp-sidepiece-summer​ 

[tacogawa]

Nobu is a lil bitch but I love him regardless