Probably as self-recrimination against the view that the imperial court was the mastermind of this revolt, Sakujin KIRINO advocated, 'Nobunaga needed the Chosokabe clan in order to contain the navy of the Mori clan, but because of deportation of Honganji and decline of the navy of the Mori clan made the Chosokabe clan needless for Nobunaga. As a result, the position of Mitsuhide and Toshimitsu, who made best effort to establish the relation of relative and matrimonial relation with the Chosokabe clan became undermined.'
桐野作人は、朝廷黒幕説への自己批判という意味からか「信長は、毛利水軍を牽制するために長宗我部氏が必要だったが、本願寺の退去と毛利水軍の衰微が長宗我部氏を必要としなくなっていった。その結果、長宗我部氏との親戚・婚姻関係樹立に尽力した光秀と利三の立場が危うくなった」という説を唱えた。