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| Yamagata Masakage | |
|---|---|
 Painting of Japanese samurai, Yamagata Masakage, possibly painted in the 1540’s | |
| Native name | 山県 昌景 |
| Birth name | Obu Masakage |
| Born | 1524 |
| Died | June 29, 1575 |
| Allegiance |  Takeda clan |
| Known for | One of the main characters in Akira Kurosawa's epic film Kagemusha |
| Battles / wars | Siege of Odawara (1569) Battle of Mimasetoge (1569) Battle of Mikatagahara (1573) Siege of Yoshida Castle (1575) Battle of Nagashino (1575) |
| Relations | Obu Toramasa |
Yamagata Masakage (山県 昌景, 1524 – June 29, 1575) also known as Obu Masakage was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". He was famous for his red armour and skill in battle, and was a personal friend of Takeda Shingen. He was the younger brother of Obu Toramasa, who was also a retainer of Shingen, leading the famous "red fire unit" (derived from Shingen's slogan Fūrinkazan).
Military legacy
Masakage was a fierce warrior who fought in many battles and was given a fief in Shinano. He was present at the Battle of Mimasetoge in 1569 and captured Yoshida Castle, a Tokugawa possession, during the Mikatagahara Campaign (1572–73).
He was present for the following Battle of Mikatagahara. His last campaign was in the ill-fated Battle of Nagashino in 1575, in which he tried to persuade Katsuyori to honorably withdraw.
Ii Naomasa of the Tokugawa clan gained the surviving retainers of the Takeda clan and more widely implemented the ideas of "Masakage's red-colored army," having several units of elite samurai in blood-red armor, to inflict fear and demoralization on enemy troops.
Personal life
After his brother Obu Masatora committed Seppuku as a cover for Takeda Yoshinobu's failed rebellion, Masakage changed his family name to Yamagata (He used the name Obu Masakage at first).
In popular culture
Yamagata is one of the main characters in Akira Kurosawa's epic film Kagemusha.
References
- "デジタル版 日本人名大辞典+Plus「山県昌景」の解説". kotobank. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- Internet Movie Database (IMDb), "Shingen Takeda (Character) from Kagemusha (1980); retrieved 2013-5-17.
- Turnbull, Stephen (2000). The Samurai Sourcebook. London: Cassell & C0. pp. 222–223. ISBN 1854095234.
- Turnbull, Stephen (1987). Battles of the Samurai. London: Arms and Armour Press. pp. 71–73, 85, 91. ISBN 0853688265.
- Turnbull, Stephen (1977). The Samurai. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. pp. 156–160. ISBN 9780026205405.
- "朝日日本歴史人物事典「井伊直政」の解説". kotobank. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- "デジタル版 日本人名大辞典+Plus「山県昌景」の解説". kotobank. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- IMDb, "Masakage Yamagata (Character) from Kagemusha (1980); retrieved 2013-5-17.
External links
- "Legendary Takeda's 24 Generals" at Yamanashi-kankou.jp
- Samurai-archives Archived 2007-10-11 at the Wayback Machine
- The armor of red's preparation