How to Make Ryumon Kneel: Aoteru’s Genius Debut in Nippon Sangoku Episode 3

The Trial of Ryumon results are in! Explore the rise of the Dictator in our Nippon Sangoku Episode 3 review and analysis. Get ready for Episode 4!

One of the best series of the Spring 2026 anime season, Nippon Sangoku, aired its third episode on April 19, 2026, with Episode 4 scheduled to follow on April 26, 2026. The Episode 3 was incredible; not only did it deliver everything fans were looking for, but it also introduced key characters who will heavily influence the story moving forward.

Episode 3 started with Ryumon’s trial and ended with the birth of a dictator. Although the episode is about 25 minutes long, time seemed to fly by, even at normal playback speed. I have been a fan of Nippon Sangoku since the very first episode, so I was naturally excited for this installment. After watching it, I found myself just as amazed as I was by the previous episodes.

There is so much to discuss about the Nippon Sangoku Episode 3, so in this post, I will dive deep into the details and share my full thoughts and review. Before we begin, please note that while this post is free of manga spoilers, it does contain detailed discussion of the anime's content, specifically focusing on Episode 3. If you haven't watched it yet or want to avoid all spoilers, please stop scrolling and leave now!

Source: 『日本三國』公式 Official X account

The result of Ryumon’s trial: Aoteru’s real journey begins

This episode of Nippon Sangoku opens with the continuation of Ryumon’s trial. After most of the participants fail, the two main characters, Aoteru Misumi and Yoshitsune Asama, make their move. Unlike Aoteru, Yoshitsune (also known as Tsune-chan) shows more combat potential, approaching Ryumon with impressive fighting tactics.

Although Ryumon is an experienced and strong soldier, since the test was specifically about making him kneel, Yoshitsune somehow managed to surpass him. The brief fight between Yoshitsune and Ryumon is amazing; not only is the animation clean and high-quality, but it also shows us what kind of person Yoshitsune truly is. Yoshitsune has a bit of a "gangster" vibe—smoking, surrounded by many people, and clearly loving the fight—but at the same time, he is someone who can actually formulate a plan and remain humble toward those who are more powerful or skilled.

Yoshitsune cleared the test brilliantly, but what about Aoteru? Since Aoteru is the main character, we know he will pass, but the specific strategy he will take is something we can’t easily guess. At first, I thought Aoteru would approach Ryumon with some tricks to force him to kneel, but it turns out I was completely wrong.

Instead of taking a devious approach, Aoteru simply handed his “present” directly to Ryumon. While Yoshitsune thought Aoteru was going to bribe Ryumon, I instinctively knew he had prepared something else. Personally, I think Aoteru is the type of person who might consider a bribe, but since we know he doesn’t have much money, I figured he was up to something different. This time, it turned out I was right; Aoteru didn’t plan to bribe Ryumon, but instead gave him an agricultural policy reform proposal. This proposal amazed Ryumon and Kaku, ultimately leading to Aoteru passing and officially joining Ryumon’s ranks. The proposal proved to be incredibly useful and truly helped Ryumon in the end.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

The agricultural policy reform proposal: What is Aoteru trying to do?

Since this post is meant to dive deep into Episode 3, let’s talk about the agricultural policy reform proposal Aoteru gave to Ryumon. For those who are not familiar with Chinese history, the proposal essentially means that instead of relying on the common people to feed the army, the army will feed itself.

Normally, the common people are responsible for farming and harvesting; the government collects these crops, which eventually become food for the army. This is the most common way to feed a military, but it has a major weakness. When the army grows too large, the people often fail to harvest enough food to sustain them. This usually forces the government to maintain only a minimum number of soldiers, simply because it is too difficult to feed everyone.

It doesn’t make sense for a government to always feed a large number of soldiers, but maintaining only a minimum force makes it difficult to deal with internal civil wars or external enemies. While the common method is sufficient during times of peace, everything changes during an era of war. The reason is simple: if a conflict breaks out, the government must recruit new soldiers and prepare resources from scratch. This leads to a massive loss of time, which can become a deadly factor that ultimately leads to losing the war.

Aoteru’s proposal is truly something that can help Ryumon achieve greater victories, but it is not flawless. While Ryumon is amazed, Aoteru’s proposal isn't actually that unique; I wouldn’t say everyone could think of it, but I believe other characters might have considered it without ever executing it. Aoteru’s proposal is a double-edged sword: even though it can feed every soldier, it indirectly robs the common people of a tremendous amount of land. If the army is loved by the people, or if the people agree to it, then no harm is done. If not, it will only lead to more civil wars, since farming is the only way for commoners to survive—and now the army is taking away their livelihood.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

The double-edged sword of success: What is Ryumon facing currently?

Nippon Sangoku is an incredible anime; not only has it given us high-quality animation, amazing voice acting, and an interesting plot, but it also portrays a realistically corrupted government. While Aoteru has helped Ryumon significantly with his agricultural policy reform proposal, it is actually a double-edged sword. Although I don't think he realizes it himself, he has placed Ryumon in a dangerous situation, as the clash between him and Denki Taira has now become far more intense.

While the army becoming larger and stronger is a great thing for Aoteru and Ryumon, it is definitely a bad thing for Taira, and perhaps even for the Emperor, Fuji III. As viewers walking through the story from Aoteru’s perspective, we naturally root for him and Ryumon. However, in reality, when a general becomes too powerful, it creates a dangerous situation for everyone else. While we know Aoteru is trying to change the world for the better, characters like Denki or Fuji III are likely looking at the situation from a very different perspective.

With the success of Aoteru’s proposal, Ryumon has reached a point where he is the only one capable of defeating Taira—and the same applies to Taira. After controlling the country for so many years, killing numerous political opponents, and placing his own men in key roles, Taira also has the power to turn the country upside down very easily. Although we know that Aoteru and Ryumon may want to help Fuji III, if you were in the Emperor's shoes, wouldn't you be terrified? You are supposed to be the ruler of the nation, yet right now, the country is being controlled by others who could eliminate you at any moment.

As viewers, we naturally root for Aoteru and Ryumon, hoping they will engage in an all-out war with Taira; however, the situation has reached a point where it may only lead to endless conflict, much like the actual Three Kingdoms period. Regardless of whether Ryumon decides to take out Taira, once he makes his move, the dice will keep rolling, and countless people will die. In the real Three Kingdoms era, everyone believed that taking down Dong Zhuo would bring peace back to the mainland. In reality, his downfall only bred countless civil wars, and peace never truly returned.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Besides the clash between Ryumon and Taira: A new dictator emerges

A lot happened in Episode 3; beyond Ryumon’s trial and his interactions with Taira, the show also introduced an important character: Ohga Wajima. Since Wajima only appeared for a few seconds at the very end of the episode, those who missed the scene should definitely go back and take note of her. I believe she will be one of the key characters in the upcoming episodes.

When Wajima appears, the production team includes the text: "A talented Dictator Emerges" (有能な独裁者の誕生です). This directly links back to Ryumon’s earlier worries about the birth of a dictator. While I personally don’t feel like Wajima has that kind of power yet, the country is currently in a state of absolute chaos. With a corrupted government, endless wars, people dying every day, and an Emperor who chooses to live in a dream rather than face reality, the situation is ripe for a dictator to be born.

I’m not sure if I’m right, but I don’t think the "dictator" mentioned here refers to someone like the Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Instead, it refers to someone strong enough and charismatic enough to build everything from nothing during an era of war—someone like Napoleon. You might think it’s the same thing, but the main difference lies in the social class of the leader. In Nippon Sangoku, the Emperor and elite classes still exist; from Ryumon’s perspective, he isn't really afraid of them staging a coup d'état. Instead, he fears a commoner who is talented enough to build their own power and eventually defeat the old establishment.

While Taira doesn't seem to care, someone in such a privileged environment rarely worries about the common people. However, it turns out Ryumon’s intuition was correct: Wajima has already gathered a small army. Even though her group is currently small and likely lacks the manpower and weaponry to take down Taira, we have to remember that since Napoleon succeeded, why couldn't Wajima? The more corrupt Taira becomes, and the more civil wars and deaths occur, the faster Wajima can gain manpower in these desperate situations.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Conclusion:

Although in Episode 3 Fuji III was mocked by Taira, unable to handle the terrifying situation and almost wetting himself, we really can’t demand more from him. For those unfamiliar with Chinese history, this is often the fate of young emperors. When the powerful figures in the government are able to pick their favourite emperors, they usually eliminate the smart, capable children who might threaten their position later. The reason is simple: instead of becoming the new emperor and being criticized by everyone, why not just pick a favourite and keep them as a puppet for as long as I want?

If you think this sounds ridiculous, it is actually exactly how the real Three Kingdoms era began. Once a powerful figure finds the chance to handpick their favorite ruler, everything starts to spiral out of control. The powerful become even more formidable and terrifying, but at the same time, there will always be someone loyal enough to try and save the Emperor—which is exactly what leads to endless civil war. Currently, Ryumon seems to be the loyal one, and we are rooting for him; however, as I mentioned before, whether he chooses to stay silent, joins Taira, or engages in an all-out war, there are only countless battles waiting for them all.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Thank you for reading this post! I will be publishing more content soon, including plot explanations, character deep-dives, and much more, so please stay tuned. While you wait for my next post, feel free to leave as many episodic reviews as possible, as there are plenty of challenges waiting for you on AnimeOshi! If you are wondering where to watch, and what to watch please refer to the table below.