Matsudaira Nobutsuna

Historical Image · Character Image

Matsudaira Nobutsuna is a Rōjū¹ from the times of the third shōgun Iemitsu. Adding his official title he’s called Matsudaira Izu-no-kami Nobutsuna.
Since his intelligence was widely known, he also has the nickname of 「Izu the Wise」.

He was appointed as a page of Iemitsu (Takechiyo) since his childhood, and they were raised together as siblings.
After Iemitsu inherited the shogunate he became a Rōjū, and supported the Bakufu and Iemitsu with his intelligence.
Together with the swordsmanship instructor of the shogunate Yagyū Tajima no Kami Munenori, and the nursing mother and senior lady-in-waiting of the Ōoku Kasuga no Tsubone,
the three distinguished servants that especially supported Iemitsu, they were called 「the legs of the kanae」².
In the Shimabara Rebellion that took place in the year 1637, with Itakura Shigemasa³, who was initially ordered to suppress it dead in combat, he assumed the charge of supreme commander of the Bakufu’s army.
Nobutsuna used starvation tactics, and suppressed the rebellion after two months. The leader Amakusa Shirō Tokisada died, and his head was exposed for public humiliation.

In the year 1651 Iemitsu passed away, but in an epoch in which it wasn’t unusual to cut your stomach and die right after the lord died, Nobutsuna continued performing the role of counselor as a Rōjū for the son of Iemitsu, the 4th generation, Ietsuna.
The people criticized him through backbiting, but Nobutsuna continued supporting the Bakufu without minding it until he passed away in 1662.

Character Image in “FateGO”

Imperturbable, level and calm, a samurai that looks sharp at first glance.
Rather than a warrior that wields his blade relying on his muscle strength, he’s a tactician · schemer type that overwhelms his opponent with ingenuity.
But as a shogunate retainer trained by Kasuga no Tsubone, obviously his skill with the sword isn’t that bad.
A loyal and strong-willed samurai that will follow the lord he serves to the very end.

Role within the Game

Appears in 「Tokugawa Kaiten Meikyū: Ōoku」.
He awaits the protagonist and company in the grotesque great labyrinth the Ōoku has turned into.

Translator’s Notes

1. ^ Rōjū refers to the shōgun’s council of elders and its members.
2. ^ A kanae is a three-legged kettle. I left it untranslated because “the legs of the three-legged kettle” sounds weird.
3. ^ Itakura Shigemasa.

He’s Tajima no Kami’s colleague, so I drew the picture always comparing him side by side with Tajima no Kami’s sprite, so he didn’t feel out of place when lined up. I was aware of the image of an overly serious and no-nonsense character, but in comparison to how you can feel the unique delicacy in the expression of the eyes of the fellow straight-laced · retainer type Agravain, I tried to bring out his personality in a more intimidating way. (Furumi Shōchi)