Nobukatsu Oda


 * This article is about one of Nobunaga's sons. For his younger biological brother, see Nobuyuki Oda.

Nobukatsu Oda is Nobunaga's second son and argued heir for the Oda family after his elder brother's death. He supports Hideyoshi against his brother Nobutaka and Katsuie at Shizugatake, but later challenged Hideyoshi with Ieyasu's help. He eventually became a Toyotomi vassal until his defection prior to the siege of Ōsaka Castle.

The Nobunaga no Yabou 201X poll for 3-star officers puts him in thirty-eighth place.

Samurai Warriors
Throughout the Samurai Warriors series, Nobukatsu is a necessary figure for the Tokugawa's victory at Komaki-Nagakute. Without his support, the Tokugawa will lose to Hideyoshi and they will automatically lose the battle. In the Xtreme Legends expansion, Ieyasu leaves Nobukatsu in charge of the Tokugawa main camp at Komaki-Nagakute while the lord heads into Mt. Komaki. As Nobukatsu guards the camp, he is forced to fight several retainers until Tadakatsu saves him.

Samurai Warriors 2 has him protect Kiyosu Castle from the enemy. Sakon charges for him and can be saved by the Tokugawa forces. Nobukatsu tries to charge head on for Hideyoshi in the third title, but Kiyomasa notices his movements and tries to dispatch Nobukatsu. He is present at Honnōji and survives the battle. Starting in Sengoku Musou 3: Empires, he adopts his father's eccentric speaking mannerisms and is portrayed in a more humorous light.

In Sengoku Musou 4: Empires, he was the vassal of Oda Hidenobu who was his nephew during the Sekigahara scenario.

Nobunaga no Yabou 201X
Nobukatsu appear in the Tenshō-Iga War event. Pompous and snobby Nobukatsu shoves his way into the SLO investigation team as though it were his birthright. He doesn't take kindly to their guide Yogiri, referring to her roughly as the "one from Iga". Throughout their UMA hunts, he talks highly of his father's splendor and berates Yogiri's humble lifestyle.

It is only when Yogiri openly shares her admiration for her sister and her own feelings of inferiority that Nobukatsu comes clean. He is deathly afraid of his father, believing that Nobunaga would disown him the moment he proved inadequate. Nobukatsu came to Iga in the hopes of defeating the UMA threat himself and proving himself worthy of the Oda name. He had cold feet living up to his self-imposed expectations until the SLO agents corner the source of the UMA horde. By then, he trusts Yogiri with his life. He personally acts as the decoy while Yogiri blinds the UMA with her sister's shuriken technique. Their teamwork weakens the UMA enough to withdraw temporarily.

When he and his father have a private chat, Nobunaga scolds his son's tomfoolery as a military leader. A hero is someone who works for the good of others, not profit for selfish glory. Nobukatsu is ordered to cooperate with the Oda-Iga defenses against the UMA horde; he chooses to rejoin with the protagonist's party after a beat of brooding. He sullenly observes Yogiri's professional modesty, learning from her the importance of expressing gratitude. After she heartens him to believe in his inner courage, Nobukatsu sincerely thanks her and finally calls her his friend. He assists the final charge against the UMA leader and bids her a fond farewell.

Mōri Motonari: Chikai no Sanshi
During Mitsuhide's rebellion, Ieyasu "rescues" Nobukatsu from the capital and spirits him away to Mikawa. When his younger brother dies in the battle against Terumoto's army, Nobukatsu allies himself with Ieyasu to resist. He has doubts that they are able to win but participates in battle due to Ieyasu's confidence. His allegiance provokes other remnants of the Oda to join the forces gathering in Mikawa. During the first confrontation with Terumoto's forces at Nōbi Plain, Nobukatsu guards a castle located on the plains and sends a continuous string of reinforcements. When beaten by the Mōri army, he is later identified to have died in battle.

Oda Nobunaga Den
He was assigned by his father, to be an adopted child of Kitabatake. This is for the convenience of Nobunaga to take control of Ise Province.

Voice Actors

 * Shinichi Yamada - Samurai Warriors 2 (Japanese)
 * Hiroshi Okamoto - Samurai Warriors 3 (Japanese)

Quotes

 * "The miscreants flee before us! Push forward and take the head of the monkey himself!"
 * "Tch... So my power is not enough to slay it. Sister..."


 * "Tch. So this is the extent of my strength. Father..."
 * "Don't do this now! Hang in there! Please remember what we've worked so hard for!"
 * Yogiri, Nobukatsu, Matsuri; Nobunaga no Yabou 201X

Early Life
He was the second son of Oda Nobunaga, born to Kitsuno. When Nobunaga defeat the Kitabatake, he was adopted by Kitabatake Tomofusa and he later married with Tomofusa's younger sister. He was assigned as the leader of Kitabatake clan in 1575 and in 1579, he led the army to attack the Iga Province but he was failure. He so retreat to regroup the army and joined his father to attack the Iga Province again in 1581, the battle has successful and he received Iga Province to his control.

During the Toyotomi Government
When his father died at Honnōji, he joined Hideyoshi to defeat the betrayer, Akechi Mitsuhide at Yamazaki. In the conflict at Shizugatake, he served as one of Hideyoshi's allies. During the conflict at Komaki-Nagakute, has the story record that he used the Tachi sword "Yoshifusa" to slain Okata Shigetaka (岡田重孝) who betray him and joined the enemy. However, the battle has ended with the peace and Nobukatsu was assigned as one of Toyotomi vassals. During the battle at Odawara Castle, he has replaced his name as Jōshin.

He has little involved in the invasion of Joseon in 1592 and after Hideyoshi's death, he joined the Western Army during Sekigahara event but didn't play a role. But there has theory that he is neutral during this conflict event.

Later Life
When the conflict at Ōsaka Castle has begun, he switched served Tokugawa and received the land from Ieyasu to do the business of growing mulberry, raising silk. He later trained his falcon or drank tea for the rest of his life. In 1628, he joined tea ceremony at Edo Castle and died in the two years later, at the age 72. Oda Takanaga (織田高長) who was his fifth son was the leader from him.

Etymology

 * The name Nobukatsu means "trust, believe" (信) (nobu) and "hero, manly" (雄) (katsu).