Most novels and books for the general public published during and after the 1980s describe Soun as 'a man who bloomed late and lived a long life' and as 'a masterless samurai who had built himself up from nothing,' with Chogoro KAIONJI's historical legend being typical.
1980年代以前の小説や一般向け書籍では、早雲を「非常に長命な大器晩成」「徒手空拳の素浪人」として書かれているものが多く、海音寺潮五郎の早雲の史伝などは典型である。