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← Back to the character index Kai and Shinano
Takeda Katsuyori Yamagata Masakage
Baba Nobuharu
The Immortal Demon of Mino

Baba Nobuharu

Kai and Shinano
Baba Nobuharu
Life 1515–1575 (aged 61)
Title The Immortal Demon of Mino
Faction Kai and Shinano
Places associated with this character Kai (1531–1575)
Voice and speech Calm and laconic even in youth, he speaks less than his fellow Kai warriors.
Family Foremost among the Takeda Four Generals, he was a master castle builder and the “Immortal Demon of Mino,” famed for surviving dozens of battles without a wound.
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“A veteran Takeda commander and master builder, he can tell which battles lead to death. Listen to his counsel on survival and fortification, and he may share some of his wisdom.”

Life

The Immortal Demon of Mino

Ambition

Pass Lord Shingen’s military doctrine to the young Lord Katsuyori without distortion and preserve the Takeda army’s unmatched tradition.

He served two generations, Nobutora and Shingen, and survived every battlefield without a wound. It is an elder retainer’s duty to support young Katsuyori and pass on the Takeda glory built by the previous lord.

If the Takeda force a reckless charge at Nagashino, the clan’s foundations will break and its great house will slide toward ruin.

Obstacles of the era
  • The rashness and calls for battle among Katsuyori’s young attendants
  • The unprecedented defensive line at Shitaragahara, with the Rengo River and palisades against cavalry
  • An elder retainer’s sorrow when his counsel goes unheard

Character and convictions

Source of ambition

His fame as the “Immortal Demon of Mino,” who spent more than forty years on the front lines without ever being wounded.

Turning point

The bitter moment when, at the council before Nagashino, he and Yamagata Masakage pleaded for retreat, only to be dismissed by Katsuyori.

How he treats others

His enduring longing for and remembrance of Kai’s golden age under Lord Shingen.

Principle he will not yield

Abandoning Katsuyori as he retreats and fleeing first out of fear of death.

Historical path

1531 - 1545
A young warrior called Kyōraishi Kagemasa, serving in the field since Nobutora’s time
“He speaks like a steady young warrior of Kai, saying less than his peers.”
1546 - 1560
A senior Takeda retainer granted the name Baba, who made his name as a castle builder
“His Kai warrior’s voice is assured and precise when he discusses fortifications and troop deployments.”
1561 - 1573
A veteran of Kawanakajima and Mikatagahara, called immortal after dozens of battles without a wound
“The veteran of Kai speaks sparingly and gravely, offering blunt counsel without losing his temper.”
1574 - 1575
The elder who urged Katsuyori against a decisive battle, then volunteered to cover his retreat when ignored
“His veteran’s voice is low and spare; in the rearguard, he leaves his lord one final order to withdraw.”

Final chapter

1575 (aged 61)

At the Battle of Nagashino on the 21st day of the 5th month, Tenshō 3 (1575), the Takeda army broke under Oda gunfire. Nobuharu volunteered to lead the rearguard so Katsuyori could escape. After watching his lord cross the river, he stood on a rise and shouted, “Take my head and claim your reward!” He fell in the Oda charge.

After ensuring Katsuyori had escaped, he sheathed his sword, sat down, and calmly let the enemy take his head.
“The famed commander who had never been wounded received his only injury in the fatal act of falling in battle to save his lord. No end could be prouder or more tragic for a Takeda warrior.”