Story and Pictures of the Real-Life Mori Ranmaru, Lord of Iwamura

THE-REAL-LIFE
M O R I----R A N M A R U
LORD-OF-IWAMURA

[ Mori family crest ]

IF YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT IWAMURA IS, CLICK THE WORD

REAL-LIFE MORI RANMARU'S BIO

Mori Ranmaru in 18th century prints.
Not every valet was even painted at all by classical artists of Japan.

Mori Ranmaru in 20th century fan art.
Which other valet in this world has a fan? Jeeves was a butler.

Mori Ranmaru in 21st century computer game.
Takeda Shingen's valets, for instance, also don't get such attention
-- let alone when it has been more than 500 years after they lived.

Mori Ranmaru's death

A 2004 drawing of Mori Ranmaru's death at Honno temple, Kyoto,
when Akechi Mitsuhide's army ambushed the Oda entourage resting there for the night.

Mori Ranmaru

Mori Ranmaru (in blue formal dress, played by Yamanaka Yasuhito) as depicted in Kurosawa Akira's movie The Shadow Warrior (click here for scenes). Even his seat is closest to the Master of the realm; in real life he was Oda's most trusted aide. But I think the hairdo is debatable; Oda Nobunaga himself didn't cut his in real life. Oda's 17th century biographers did mention an occasion when he told Mori to let his hair grow long.

Mori Ranmaru knew what Oda Nobunaga wanted and when; the absolute demand of speed in Oda's daily life -- as far as his household was concerned -- kept everybody else in chaotic confusion. Except Mori; he was fast enough for Oda, who always expected his orders to be carried out before they were even given.

Mori Ranmaru

Mori Ranmaru rode behind Oda Nobunaga on the way to the war against the Asai clan.
This movie is surprisingly cutting Oda's army down very heavily; no General is to be seen
and not even a Captain is around. Only Mori Ranmaru. But in real life even as wars meant
lots of officers around Oda Nobunaga, Mori kept his place as the one closest to him.
It's just in his job description, so even if Oda didn't like him that much he would still have done so.
A valet's ultimate duty is to protect his master from any bodily harm, including in battle.

Mori Ranmaru

Mori Ranmaru (in multicolored dress, at your left) with Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Spanish wine. Mori laughed together with Oda Nobunaga when Tokugawa nearly choked on the unfamiliar beverage. Ordinary valets wouldn't have been allowed to sit with guests, let alone the V.I.P ones like Tokugawa here; they got to keep at a respectful distance or go to another place altogether until summoned. But Oda Nobunaga, according to records, let Mori to stay with him even in strategic meetings. Everyone knew that, so they had to get used to it.

Mori Ranmaru

Mori Ranmaru rode right behind Oda Nobunaga in the Nagashino battle, in this position he was equal to General Honda Heihachi, who was riding behind his boss Tokugawa Ieyasu.

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