Let it never be said that manga doesn't play fair. It's not just Chinese epic history that gets all the heroes turned into large-breasted women. Oh, no. It's also the great heroes of Japanese history that find themselves turned into large-breasted women with a penchant for silly/exploding/very little clothing. In this case, it's the Sengoku, or Warring States period of Japanese history that is made silly.My knowledge of Japanese history during the Sengoku period is weak. But even I am familiar with the name Nobunaga Oda. The period would end with the unification of Japan and the consolidation of power in the Tokugawa Shogunate in what we all know as the Edo period. My own studies have given me a semi-reasonable grasp of Heian and Edo periods, and I find my understanding of Sengoku is rather poor. Something to do next time I have an afternoon off.
But, seriously, history is not the main point of Sengoku Otome. The main point is to watch Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu be rendered inappropriately into buxom (or in the case of Tokugawa, loli-fied) women as they approach the eve of the Battle of Okehazama. And take baths. Lots of baths. There's some fighting too. In between the baths.
I have to admit, this manga's Nobunaga is pretty cool. Any woman who smiles while she fights just melts my heart. And I like Akechi Mitsuhide lots, despite knowing what she's going to eventually do.
There was, as far as I can see, no real Yuri in this manga. There's some sense that Tokugawa Ieyasu admires/crushes on Nobunaga, because she was saved by her, but...c'mon.
Ratings:
Art - 8 Backgrounds are surprisingly detailed and the battle scenes aren't bad
Story - 8 Yeah, yeah, history, whatever. lol No, I'm totally stoked to read up on this period of Japanese history now and make the story work better in my head.
Characters - 8 Seriously, despite everything, they are pretty cool.
Yuri - .5
Loser FanBoy - 6 Lots of baths
Overall - 7
I think I would have really enjoyed this manga more if I was even vaguely familiar with the history, but as soon as I read up on the history, I'm sure this manga's gonna be a joke. ;-)