Episodes of Sanada Maru
Episode 7 "Dakkai"(Recapture)
On the 10th of June 1582, Hojo Ujinao beat Takigawa Kazumasu. During the battle, Masayuki recaptures Numata Castle and Iwabitsu Castle, both occupied by Kazumasu. After that, he is called by Kazumasu who is unaware of the recapture and tells him that he will return the two castles to him. But he learns what Masayuki did immdiately after this.
Kazumasu takes his hostages includes Tori, mother of Masayuki and heads for Komoro. Nobushige and Yazawa Sanjuro try to save Tori and Kiri who serves her as maid. Though Nobushige resorts to tricks to save them, they are penetrated their disguise and taken to Kiso with other hostages. On the way, Tori tells her grandson that one's wish will be realized unless he/she abandons it.
At Fukushima Castle in Kiso, Tori asks Kiso Yoshimasa, lord of the castle to let Nobushige go home. She has known him since his childhood and has something on him. Unlike other local lords, Masayuki promises Uesugi Kagekatsu not to serve the Hojos. And he orders his second son who is discouraged by repeated failures to deceive Kasuga Nobutatsu with his younger brother Nobutada.
Episode 8 "Choryaku" (Ploy)
Nobushige is sent to Echigo and meets his uncle Nobutada, who currently serves Uesugi Kagekatsu and makes his nephew pretend to be his son Nobuharu. Nobushige admires his uncle who is entrusted by his father but he tells him not to so. They approach Kasuga Nobutatsu who now serves Kagekatsu and keeps Kaizu Castle that is controlled by the Uesugis now.
Nobushige tries to persuade him into forming an alliance with the Hojos but it ends in failure. Then Nobutada prevails on him to do so. On the other hand, Masayuki betrays Kagekatu and serve the Hojos with other local lords of Shinano but it's one of his manuevers, needless to say. Then he asks Hojo Ujinao who leads the Hojos to write to Kasuga that he will hand over him Kaizu Castle if he betrays Kagekatsu. Both Nobutada and Nobushige apologize their master for the treachery but they know the truth behind it.
It's time now. After reading Hojo Ujinao's letter, Kasuga is murdered by Nobutada. He explaines Kagekatsu and his vassal Naoe Kanetsugu that he killed him who keeps company with some strange men and slashes at him. Kasuga's "betrayal" becomes clear and Kagekatsu crucifies his body and shows it yo the Hojo army to discourage them.
Episode 9 "Kakehiki" (Maneuvering)This episode is described from the viewpoint of a hawk kept by Hojo Ujimasa, father of Ujinao. It flies up to the sky from Odawara Castle and heads for Echigo. There Naoe Kanetsugu suspects Nobutada though he already has left Echigo and returns Shinano at that time. And it flies to Shinano where Nobushige is shocked by the manuever of Masayuki and Nobutada but encouraged by Ideura Masasuke. In addition, he pulls himself together when Ume tells him that no battle saves farmers.
Masayuki ignores the request of Hojo Ujinao that orders him to cooperate to attack Tokugawa Ieyasu. he sends Nobutada to Shinpu Castle, the headquarters of Tokugawa Ieyasu to make him propose conditions of exchange. The hawk then flies to the castle. Nobutada requires Ieyasu to guarantee the Sanadas' fief in return for the cooperation. Honda Tadakatsu, vassal of Ieyasu opposes but Ieyasu accepts it.
Masayuki and other local lords join the Tokugawa army and Nobushige makes a suggestion that it's the best way to block the supply route of the Hojo army. This encourages Tokugawa Ieyasu and forced Hojo Ujinao to work out his strategy again. However the Tokugawas allied themselves with the Hojos immedidately after the battle and it casts a shadow on Masayuki's plan. And the hawk returns to Odawara Castle again.
Masato Sakai as Nobushige (left) and Yasuyuki Maekawa as Kasuga Nobutstau in the Episode 8.
(From the official website of Sanada Maru)