Sengoku Angelique

Sengoku Angelique (戦国アンジェリーク) is an alternate universe comic adaptation of the Angelique series which places its characters into Japan's Warring States period. This comic is one of three projects included in the Neoromance celebration for Enterbrain's tenth anniversary —the publisher for B's-Log, a monthly magazine dedicated to Otome game and boys' love media. Ayuna Fujisaki authored the story while Marie Hadori provided illustrations.

It was originally serialized in comic B's-Log Kyun!, starting with its July 2010 issue (Vol.5) and concluding in its March 2012 issue (Vol.16). Consumers who purchased Vol.8 received a character book and an Oscar rose bath poster. B's-Log Comics published the story into three collected volumes.

Neoromance Starlight ♥ Christmas 2010 included live dramas to supplement different aspects of this continuity with voice actor crossovers from other Neoromance IPs.

Characters
Most characters are affiliated with a historical counterpart but may be granted a fictional affiliation. This legend is included for simple identification.

Comic

 * Oda
 * Angelique Limoges = Nobunaga Oda
 * Rosalia de Catargena = Mitsuhide Akechi
 * Marcel = Ieyasu Tokugawa
 * Zephel = Hideyoshi Toyotomi
 * Olivie = Keiji Maeda
 * Catis = Hanzō Hattori


 * Takeda
 * Julious = Shingen Takeda
 * Randy = Yukimura Sanada


 * Uesugi
 * Clavis = Kenshin Uesugi
 * Ernst = Kanetsugu Naoe


 * Date
 * Oscar = Masamune Date
 * Victor = Kojūrō Katakura
 * Heuye = Goemon Ishikawa


 * Cultural Figures
 * Luva = Rikyū Sen
 * Lumiale = Francisco Xavier
 * Sei-Lan = Eitoku Kanō
 * Charlie = Sukezaemon Luson
 * Mel = Izumo no Okuni
 * Sara = former Izumo no Okuni
 * Pastha = Sansaburō Nakoya
 * Captain Conrad


 * Imagawa
 * Leonard = Yoshimoto Imagawa


 * Echizen
 * Timka = Yoshikage Asakura
 * Francis = Nagamasa Azai


 * Shimazu
 * Arios = Ranmaru Mori, Yoshihiro Shimazu
 * Leviath = Yoshihisa Shimazu
 * Kiefar = Tadamoto Niiro
 * Cain = Tadamune Ijūin
 * Giovanni = Masachika Kamada
 * Eugene = Tadakata Kawakami
 * Sionna = Tokitaka Tanegashima
 * Gerhard = Arinobu Yamada
 * Walter = Tadanori Katsura
 * Ka-Fai = Yoriyasu Indori
 * Renaud

Live Dramas

 * Kazahaya (Harukanaru Tokinonakade 4) = Koji Kashin
 * Sazaki (Harukanaru Tokinonakade 4) = Masanori Fukushima
 * Tooya (Harukanaru Tokinonakade 4) = Kotarō Fūma
 * Michiomi Ootomo (Harukanaru Tokinonakade 4) = Katagiri Katsumoto
 * Ryotaro Tsuchiura (Kiniro no Corda) = Kanbei Kuroda
 * Hiroto Kanazawa (Kiniro no Corda) = Hanbei Takenaka
 * Akihiro Kira (Kiniro no Corda 2) = Magoichi Saika
 * Kiriya Etou (Kiniro no Corda 2 f) = Kiyomasa Katō
 * Bernard (Neo Angelique) = Motonari Mōri
 * Mathias (Neo Angelique Special) = Harukata Sue
 * Aleksei Hayato Morozov (LoveφSummit) = Kansuke Yamamoto
 * Richard Keigo Quantz (LoveφSummit) = Katsuie Shibata
 * Jean-marie Luca Saint-just (LoveφSummit) = Toshiie Maeda

Summary
Volume 1=

Angelique is the lord of the Oda but prefers to protect her territory rather than seek expansion. She enjoys training and living her days peacefully with Rosalia, Marcel and Zephel. Olivie returns from his travels to report that Shinano Province and its people are in duress. After its head governor Yoshikiyo Muragami was deposed for his perpetual warfare and tyranny, a fight for dominance between Julious and Clavis commenced. They have clashed four fruitless times at Kawanakajima. Angelique is worried for its depraved people. She rushes toward Shinano with her companions, leaving Rosalia to watch the fort.

She individually meets and pleads the warlords to cease fighting. Both parties are aware of the people's plight yet disagree with the other's governing methods. Julious believes he is suitable because he has proficient experience presiding over mountain regions. Clavis argues that Shinano requires a reliance on seafaring trade to truly prosper, something he feels Julious would never understand. Rejected from peaceful negotiations, Angelique renews her convictions to stop them when she learns and witnesses the commoners' hunger and fatigue. Olivie and Zephel spot the armies marching out again in the early hours. Angelique and her companions pursue them under the Tenka Fubu banner.

By the time the Oda arrive, war has ignited. Remembering Angelique's plea, Julious and Clavis discerns that they are in another stalemate and desire to a swift and decisive end to the conflict. They directly duel one another. Marcel, Zephel and Olive distract both armies to pave a clear path for Angelique. Though she fears her participation in battle, she soon overcomes her uncertainties as she slashes her way between the dueling duo. Angelique demands for them to consider the consequences of their battle. If one were to win, then the losing province (Kai or Echigo) would be devastated and the cycle of riots would continue. She declares her dream to end the people's suffering and proposes that the Oda, Takeda and Uesugi unify Shinano together. Her invigorated speech compels the men in both armies to cheer for her. With the soldiers and nearby commoners rejoicing the prospect of peace, the warlords warmly agree to her terms. Julious wastes no time working for restoration; Clavis finds it troublesome to listen to his every request and pushes responsibilities onto his strategist Ernst. The Oda happily return to Owari.

News of Shinano's unification spreads to Oshu which intrigues Oscar. After he and Victor subjugate their neighbors, Oscar heads to Owari to see the Oda lord in person. Their ship drops them at Settsu and will not return for ten or so days. Oscar decides to visit Charlie's place and gets excited when he learns a beauty is waiting within his shop. He is disappointed to see Lumiale greeting him. Lumiale has visited several times in the past and remarks that Angelique possesses a radiance like no other. Before Oscar tires of the priest's babbling, he warns them of a notorious thief running loose in the capital. Oscar changes his plans to capture the renegade, making the excuse that his heroism can impress the ladies.

Meanwhile, Olivie reports the Date's success in Oshu to the Oda. The group ponders a potential invasion from the Date before Rosalia remembers a letter she received from Luva. It's an invitation to see a delightful tea bowl he acquired. Olivie impels Angelique to take a needed vacation from the Shinano restoration; Rosalia snidely coerces him to assist her during their lord's absence. Luva serves them tea at his place in the capital and permits his young guests to relax their traditional sitting position. He explains he received the tea bowl from Charlie. After he casually mentions its extraordinarily high price, he ruminates that it may not be long before it is stolen by Goemon. Feeling that the thief is a good person forced to do crime, Angelique swears to capture him and urges Marcel and Zephel to join her.

A street merchant harassing a caged bird hooks the group's attention. Marcel implores the elderly man to stop; the irate merchant sneers that the bird won't sing. Zephel loses his temper when the merchant deems the mute bird as wasted merchandise. Before a fight can break, Oscar slashes open the merchant's robe and intimidates him to give him the bird. While the old man flees in terror, Oscar gives Marcel the cage. He scoffs that he only did it to cease their childish bickering, which causes Angelique and Zephel to pout over their lunch. During his ranting, Zephel recalls that the Date lord wore an eye patch and wonders if they had met him. His companions nervously dismiss his hunch as unlikely.

During the night hours, Heuye is being chased by guards. Oscar had finished his nightlife adventure and accidentally bumps into the youth. Heuye dumps the box into the one-eyed general's hands and bolts. The guards identify the treasure and dub Oscar the thief. Thanks to Victor's quick thinking, the Date lord escapes. His eye patch remained in their minds, however, and he is mistakingly dubbed Goemon next day at the town's wanted post. Charlie finds Angelique and company looking at the post and brings him to his store where Oscar is hiding. After their awkward introductions and explaining the public misunderstanding, Lumiale states that Luva referred to her if they wish to capture the real Goemon.

Her plan is to use Luva's tea bowl as bait by spreading rumors of its value around town. Heuye falls for it and sneaks into Luva's manor. He evades the obvious traps but becomes victim to a pitfall, landing into a large urn of water prepared by Charlie and Oscar. When Angelique makes her intentions to save him clear, Heuye spills the truth. He was raised in a poor but prosperous village. Its conditions soured due to the Miyoshi clan trampling it over in their campaigns. Desperate to save his home, Heuye left to find a job. He is unable to do so and reluctantly resorts to thievery. Oscar spares him from punishment but can't leave the capital being framed as Goemon. Angelique suggests for Heuye to hide in the urn and head to another country. He refuses to abandon those counting on him at his village.

Lumiale remembers a middle compartment to the urn and suggests to stage a fake execution. Heuye must be convicted while wearing an eye patch. He is to sit atop the middle wedge while submerged in water. While he pretends being boiled alive in oil, Angelique and Marcel wail their sympathies to prevent the crowd from inspecting the urn. Once the crowd appears to be moved, Heyue declares a dramatic end for himself. Zephel poses as an executioner to secretly trigger explosives, giving Heuye a smoke screen to escape. The plan is a success, and the thief is in the clear. Heuye can't remain in the vicinity after their grand farce so Oscar offers him service in the Date. Angelique rejoices his employment and wishes him the best. In their merriment, Lumiale confesses to Charlie and Luva that he took part only because of Angelique's unyielding compassion. The trio hope that her idea of unification can become a reality.

The volume ends with Leonard threatening to topple the Oda.


 * -|Volume 2=

Oscar and company plan to return to Oshu, agreeing to a friendly alliance with the Oda as a sign of gratitude. While Angelique and company are bidding them farewell at the docks, Catis rushes into the scene to report that the Tokugawa were attacked by Leonard. The Oda regroup in Owari and realize that they are outnumbered ten-to-one. Marcel is relieved to learn his father and other family are safe yet suggests surrender to prevent further deaths. Rosalia and Zephel wants to get reinforcements from Julious and Clavis. Angelique wishes to speak with Leonard and protect her home. She doesn't desire for the Takeda or Uesugi to be involved due to their respective priorities for Shinano's restoration.

Their discussion reaches a standstill until Olivie returns with unexpected guests: the Date and Lumiale. Oscar and company were worried by the urgency in Catis' report and decided to cut their journey midway to assist. Lumiale gifts Angelique a soothing tea from Luva; the priest wishes to provide Western guidance for them. Gladly accepting the well wishes, Angelique steels herself for battle. When Lumiale accurately predicts a rainstorm and Olivie reports the Imagawa are partying, Angelique sees this as their opportunity to strike. She hurries the men to march towards Okehazama after her Atsumori dance.

Victor and Olivie lead a decoy unit with Marcel posing as Angelique. Heuye disguises himself as a soldier to give misleading reports to the Imagawa's main camp. Leonard deftly deals with the dip in morale and casually orders his men on stand by, mockingly giving the megaer Oda vanguard a fighting chance. Meanwhile, Heuye guides Angelique, Zephel and Oscar around the mountain path he used to ambush Leonard. Angelique and Leonard duel while the Date and Zephel fight Leonard's guards. She falters and is saved by Oscar. Julious and Clavis' unannounced reinforcements causes the Imagawa to flee, ending the battle.

Angelique asks the defeated Leonard to explain himself. He vents that Suruga and Tootomi are peaceful but have always been bullied by its neighbors for its plentiful resources. Tired of being seen as weak, Leonard went to war to prove his land's might. Understanding his love for his people, Angelique forgives him. She requests for him to join her dream: to create a new government that allows many to work together for a prosperous Japan. He retorts that it would be easier for her to take his head; she answers that it would make the people in Suruga and Tootomi forever doubt the Oda. She only wants for them to be happy. Amused by her determination and her naive dream, Leonard accepts an alliance with her. To atone for the damage he caused, Leonard teaches Angelique how to construct a local market in Owari's castle town before he returns to his home.

Many days after its construction, business is booming and merchants from across the land sell their wares. Angelique and her retainers sneak away from Kiyosu Castle to sink in the sights. They are dragged into one of Mel's dances and enjoy themselves. Mel and his accompanists meet with Angelique after the performance to introduce themselves to her. His people are emissaries of numerous deities who travel the land to grant happiness to others. Mel is also an experienced fortune teller and gladly reports that Angelique's future is filled with laughter and unity. Angelique interprets his words to mean that her dream shall become a reality and rejoices. She returns to her duties content, getting an earful from Rosalia for her whimsical departure. Later in the day, Mel sees a dark shadow eclipse his crystal ball and worries for Angelique's future.

The shogun feels threatened by Angelique's growing influence and plots to annihilate her. He orders Timka and Francis to join forces and attack the Oda. Both deliberate the march, harboring no ill will towards the Oda and unsure of the consequences of their actions. Their retainers insist that the order means that Angelique is a threat to the shogunate, basing their assumptions on an alternate reading of Tenka Fubu (to topple the existing government for a new one). Timka ultimately decides to march because his family is duty bound to the shogunate; his decision forces Francis to join him. Simultaneously, Angelique receives a shogunate order to join Timka and Francis in a military exercise. Hoping to build friendships in the west, she agrees to move with a small party towards Kanegasaki.

When Timka announces his presence to Angelique, Zephel immediately realizes that the exercise is a ruse. He and Olivie urge her to flee, swearing to be the rear guard for her. She wishes to talk with Timka but the Azai army cuts off their window of opportunity. Reluctantly leaving her friends and men behind, Marcel and Angelique flee. They are fatigued and battered when they arrive to Luva's manor in the capital.


 * -|Volume 3=

While Timka and Francis return to base and ponder the Oda's reaction, news of the Oda defeat spreads quickly. It is only a matter of time before Owari is overrun. Angelique learns from Charlie, Luva and Lumiale about the shogun's motives and the misconceptions about her Tenka Fubu banner. Negotiations with the shogun out of the question, so Marcel volunteers to gather Tokugawa troops to repay their debt from Okehazama. Mel follows the rumors and happily reunites with Angelique. Charlie suggests they split into two groups to evade enemy detection. He will conceal Marcel towards Mikawa; Angelique shall travel with Mel's party to Owari. Rosalia welcomes her safe return with a tearful embrace.

Zephel and Olivie have survived, the latter scouting the vicinity for the Asakura-Azai troops. The Oda are forced to defend their territory on the battlefield. As the soldiers of the three armies clash, Angelique acts on her impulse to speak directly to the leaders. She cuts a path straight towards Francis. Harboring his own doubts for the justice of their cause, he personally duels and interrogates the Oda lord. When she is questioned for her reasons for wanting a new government, Angelique shouts that if no one changes their current system, then the wars will never end. Touched by her conviction, Francis is left speechless when Timka rides to his aid. The massive Tokugawa reinforcements signals their defeat.

Although she is aware of their orders, Angelique believes that Timka and Francis did not entirely agree with the shogun. She vouches for their grace and patience towards their followers as reasons for her trust in them. Francis inquires if Angelique will create a peaceful land; she responds that she alone cannot. Everyone must work together to make the age peaceful for all. Conceding to her wishes for unity, Timka and Francis use their influences to smuggle Angelique into the shogun's domain. The shogun gloats that the three clans should be obliterated as he drinks; he is flabbergasted when the three lords confront him. Timka and Francis accuse him of negligence to his position and demand he take responsibility for the citizens who suffered from his schemes. Too cowardly to face liability, the shogun flees from the capital. His disappearance bestows unified peace in central and eastern Japan.

Many days later, Rosalia greets Luva in Kiyosu Castle. The tea master assuages her concerns for the west, promising to stage a grand tea party once the entire land is unified. Angelique is currently away from Owari as she is invited by Timka to see the constructed Azuchi Castle in southern Oumi. While Angelique and her retainers stroll the streets of the castle town, they happen to notice a white haired traveler. Zephel makes a snide remark about the traveler's callousness, but Angelique is pleased by the idea of travelers flocking to different communities.

Olivie bursts into the scene to inquire about Sei-Lan's whereabouts. The painter is supposed to be creating a portrait for Azuchi Castle but suddenly vanished from the castle. Sei-Lan spares them the trouble of searching for him by walking behind them. He left the castle to take a walk with Timka, becoming absorbed in the lord's cultural knowledge for inspiration. Timka appreciates Angelique enthusiasm for the castle town and warmly informs his guests that Francis awaits them within the main keep.

In Azuchi Castle's main keep, Olivie pesters the listless Sei-Lan to stop procrastinating. Before their bickering escalates, Francis offers to guide the painter to Chikubushima, an island in Lake Biwa that has heralded as a holy place by the Azai family for generations. Sei-Lan accepts the proposal to gain inspiration. Francis guides Angelique and Sei-Lan to the island's Shinto shrine and the torii gate overlooking the salty lake. As they take in the view, Francis notices an assassin aiming for Angelique and shoves her out of harm's way. They are protected by the white haired traveler Angelique had saw in town. While Francis has his suspicions of the assassin's swift retreat, the group thanks their savior who introduces himself as Mori Arios Ranmaru. Arios insists he is passing by and dismisses their gratitude towards him. Eugene —the assassin— later clarifies Arios' Shimazu origins and introduces himself to the traveling swordsman as a servant to his older brother Leviath.

Sei-Lan has the artistic inspiration he needs and finishes his painting. Despite her concerns for the assassin and the western lords, Angelique opens Azuchi's doors to the public to bask in Sei-Lan's work. Rosalia is present and passes on Luva's tea party offer. Angelique decides to stage the tea party now as a means of uniting the land. She wishes to invite the western lords herself but Rosalia refuses to have her friend act so disorderly before the western lords. Instead, her retainers become her messengers. Marcel is sent to the Chōsokabe, Zephel visits the Mōri and Olivie approaches the Shimazu. Out of the three powers, Leviath responds positively. He promises to send envoys to convince the other western lords. Olivie agrees to help Kiefar meet with the Ōtomo and Ryūzōji. Angelique rejoices the positive letter and makes plans with Luva to hold the party at Daigoji next spring.

What she doesn't realize is that Leviath is putting on airs to overthrow the Oda. His main goal is to isolate Rosalia, the pivotal retainer for the Oda's success, away from Angelique. While he leaves Kiefar to stall Olivie in Kyushu, he sends his retainers intercept talks with the Mōri and Chōsokabe. Since his first assassination attempt failed, he orders the next hit to be dealt to Rosalia. Arios suspects his brother's deception and protects the ladies from danger. This time the Oda's thanks is followed with a request to share his knowledge of western Japan. Angelique asks for him to stay beside her to be their guide westward. Arios scoffs that he could be an assassin biding his time; his sarcasm falls flat when she mentions he could have let her die twice. He agrees to be her bodyguard and promises to protect Angelique.

Leviath changes his approach for separating Rosalia from Angelique. He has Giovanni pose as a Mōri retainer and has Zephel imprisoned for using his mechanical bird as a messenger. While Angelique and Rosalia rest from their journey towards Owari, Giovanni meets with Rosalia. He convinces her that Terumoto has agreed to meet with Angelique. Their lone condition to free Zephel is to have Rosalia accompany him back to Aki Province and to have Angelique wait for them at Honnōji. Despite her uncertainties, Rosalia consents. Midway, Leviath intercepts her and falsely accuses the Mōri of treachery. He states that Arios is a Mōri spy and he has gathered his men to provide her with assistance. Worried for Angelique, Rosalia gives the command for her presumed allies to liberate Honnōji.

The truth doesn't dawn upon Rosalia until the temple is set ablaze and the Oda guards are shot at by the Shimazu troops. Although she draws her blade against Leviath, she is surrounded and is being used as the scapegoat for their march. Arios stays true to his word, however, and safely emerges from the temple's flames with Angelique. Angelique has been informed by her bodyguard of Leviath's trap and easily forgives Rosalia. The brothers' banter reveals to Angelique that Arios was originally ordered to scout the main land. Meeting Angelique has changed his loyalties and he concludes her altruism can save the land. Leviath believes her vision forsakes those not on the main island and opposes her to protect Satsuma.

Angelique protects Arios during their duel, fighting and speaking for her dream before the Shimazu lord. Their fight is interrupted by Timka and Francis; soon, all of Angelique's central and eastern allies surrounds the Shimazu forces. Angelique optimistically repeats her dream to create a land where everyone in Japan is at peace, Arios chiming for his support in her. Rather than become an enemy to the entire land, Leviath lowers his arms and acquiesces defeat.

By next spring, the tea party takes place underneath a shower of cherry blossoms. During the festivities, Leviath attempts to take responsibility for his misjudgment by passing on leadership to his younger brother. Arios accuses him of running away from his duties and to not abandon his loyal retainers. Leviath retracts his decision and asks for his younger brother's plans. Arios wants to keep living as Angelique's bodyguard under his Ranmaru alias. Delighted by the brothers' reconciliation, Angelique prays for eternal peace and happiness in the united Japan.

Volume Extras
Each compiled volume has the following additions for readers:
 * 1) Illustrations or comics underneath book cover. Front and back.
 * 2) Uncolored design roughs for major and minor characters.
 * 3) Territorial map of Sengoku Angelique Japan.
 * 4) Creator commentary from Hadori and Fujisaki.

Smartphone users who simultaneously purchased the first volume and companion light novel Taiyou no Kuni to Honoo no Shisha could have used the QR code and password underneath the sleeves to receive a special wallpaper. The offer expired April 30, 2011.

A life sized panel of Date Oscar Masamune was in stores November 2011. He acted as a promotional sales gimmick for the comic's second volume.