The Legend & Butterfly (2023 Film)
The Legend & Butterfly is a 2023 Japanese historical drama film directed by Keishi Ohtomo. The screenplay was written by Ryota Kosawa. The film explores the life of the prominent Sengoku period warlord Oda Nobunaga and his complex, evolving relationship with his wife, Nohime.
Plot
The narrative follows Oda Nobunaga (played by Takuya Kimura), who in his youth was disparagingly nicknamed the "Fool of Owari" due to his unconventional behavior. His marriage to Nohime (played by Haruka Ayase) begins as a political alliance between two hostile regions. Initially, the couple shares a contentious relationship, characterized by Nobunaga's arrogance and Nohime's defiance. However, as they face external threats—most notably the military challenge posed by Yoshimoto Imagawa—the two begin to align their goals, eventually working toward the ambitious objective of unifying Japan.
Cast
The film features a large ensemble cast portraying historical figures from the Sengoku period:
- Takuya Kimura as Oda Nobunaga
- Haruka Ayase as Nohime (Kicho)
- Hideaki Ito as Sadaie Fukuzumi
- Miki Nakatani as Kagamino
- Kinya Kitaoji as Dosan Saito
- Hio Miyazawa as Mitsuhide Akechi
- Somegoro Ichikawa as Ranmaru Mori
- Takuma Otoo as Tokichiro Kinoshita (Toyotomi Hideyoshi)
- Takumi Saito as Ieyasu Tokugawa
Production
The film was produced by Ryusuke Imoto, Satoshi Fukushima, and Oji Morita. It was distributed by Toei and released in Japanese theaters on January 27, 2023. The production features cinematography by Akiko Ashizawa and has a runtime of 168 minutes.
