"A TOHO-MIFUNE PRODUCTION" "Executive Producer TOMOYUKI TANAKA" "Original Story by YASUHIKO TAKIGUCHI" "Screenplay by SHINOBU HASHIMOTO" "Cinematography by KAZUO YAMADA" "Music by TORU TAKEMITSU" "Production Design by YOSHIRO MURAKI" "Cast" "TOSHIRO MIFUNE" "YOKO TSUKASA GO KATO" "SHIGERU KOYAMA, MASAO MISHIMA and ISAO YAMAGATA" "TATSUYOSHI EHARA TATSUO MATSUMURA" "TAKAMARU SASAKI JUN HAMAMURA" "ETSUKO ICHIHARA MICHIKO OTSUKA" "HISANO YAMAOKA TOMOKO NITTO" "TATSUYA NAKADAI" "Directed by MASAKI KOBAYASHI" "SAMURAI REBELLION" "Do you want to try, Tatewaki?" "Isaburo Sasahara of the escort group has tested it." "That's enough for me." "I see." "I'll tell the chamberlain you both approve." "I'd rather see you two duel than merely test swords." "There are rumors in our clan." "The reason you don't fight is because it would hurt the family of the loser." "You both understand that, and so you avoid a duel." "Be that as it may." "Perhaps protecting your family name rather than promoting your pride and rank is the wisest way to get along in this world." "Slicing straw dummies to test our lord's sword." "What peaceful times these are." "Now, now." "Think of it as one of our duties." "Isaburo, you're too attentive to your superiors." "I'm used to it." "I married into my wife's family and have been henpecked for 20 years." "Did anything unusual happen?" "No, nothing at all." "Would you like to look at the November border record?" "No, not if nothing unusual happened." "I'm returning to the castle with Sasahara." "Making rice cakes in November" "But there are no customers" "They're waiting anxiously for the Inoko festival." "Inoko?" "Does that mean the Suwa Shrine festival begins tomorrow too?" "The god who came down in February and brought the rice harvest departs tomorrow until his return next year." "Do you really believe that?" "No, I was just " "The hearts of children are docile and precious." "They sing, believing it." "Perhaps you want a grandchild?" "Yes, as soon as I find a bride for Yogoro." "It isn't settled yet?" "No." "My wife Suga is the problem." "It must be someone she approves of." "I keep quiet, but I'd like a nice wife for Yogoro." "Someone strong, loving and faithful." "Is that the steward's?" "Yes, he just arrived." "He's been waiting for you." "Making the steward wait." "You were probably idly chatting away to Asano about useless things like martial arts again." "To have the steward honor us with a visit has never happened in the Sasahara family." "The truth is, Isaburo," "Lady Ichi has been dismissed from the castle." "Lady Ichi?" "Yes." "It has been decided to have her marry Yogoro, your son." "Steward, why was Lady Ichi dismissed?" "She incurred our lord's displeasure." "But he's reluctant to give her to any man." "You're one of our lord's cavalry escorts, and given that your son is a fine man, he chose him." "I'll return for an answer in a few days." "But Sasahara, it is our lord's decision, so bear that in mind." "The steward is leaving!" "Why should we accept Lady Ichi?" "You should have refused at once." "What was it, of all that happened, that led our lord to dismiss her?" "In the first place, she " "I know." "The daughter of the keeper of the records " "Everyone knows that." "The reason she was dismissed after bearing our lord's son, Kikuchiyo " "That's what I want to know." " Mother, that's " " You be quiet." "Three men gather in a room and still have no idea what's going on." "How embarrassing." "It's like this." "After Lady Ichi bore her son Kikuchiyo, she went to a spa to rest." "When she returned, she saw Lady Tama with our lord." "The daughter of Gohei Yamagiwa, the man in charge of the castle wardrobe, was serving beside him." "Lady Ichi lost her head on seeing this." "She sprang at Lady Tama, slapped her face, and dragged her by the hair." "Then she seized our lord by his garments and slapped him repeatedly." "A vain, wild woman who would attack our lord " "How can we accept her?" "But, Mother..." "I think we should gratefully accept her without being difficult." "Bunzo!" "No matter what you say, we must accept her." "It's an order from our lord." "I'm afraid..." "I don't feel very enthusiastic about it." "Neither do I." "But if I refuse, there may be trouble later." "Yogoro has said nothing, but he wouldn't be happy marrying a lord's mistress who has borne a child." "Marrying unwillingly and under pressure." "Different circumstances, but much like my own marriage into the Sasahara family." "I don't want him to repeat my mistake." "Sasahara!" "Isaburo, I didn't find you at your office." "They said you'd be at the border." "I'm glad I found you." "I heard everything." "The steward and chamberlain are good judges." "Alert even in times of peace." "It's an honor that a member of our group has been chosen." "But, Isaburo... as for the marriage and other matters," "I suggest you keep things quiet." "You'll probably receive a larger fief." "So be modest about it or the others will think you're showing off." "Understand?" "Anyway, I congratulate you." "A happy event." "What nerve." "He's not thinking of you or your family." "Only outward appearance and influence matter with him." "Will you draw on your secret principles of swordplay?" "Push and you step back." "Push further, and you step back further." "But at the last moment, you skillfully switch from defense to offense." "Yet you never attack." "You wait until your opponent tires." "In other words, until he gives up." "Unworthy?" "Yes." "We cannot accept our lord's favored lady." "There's no need to be so reserved." "It's happened before, not just in the Aizu clan, but in every clan." "I'm well aware of that, but even so, I wish to decline the honor." "Decline?" "Sasahara, that will not be allowed." "It is our lord's personal wish." "You'd " "I mean no disrespect." "We are not worthy of such an honor." "You know our lord's wish." "It's an order!" "I would never disobey him, but if I may decline..." "What?" "To decline is to defy the order!" "No, I'd never do that." "It's just that we're unworthy of the honor." "Sasahara." "You refuse to agree to it?" "It's not about agreeing or disagreeing." "We are unworthy of the honor." "What?" "You continue saying that?" "Father," "I wish to accept the honor." "What?" "Young men seem to be more understanding." "I don't know what use it is to think only of martial arts." "Isaburo Sasahara, you seem a bit too stubborn." "May you enjoy long life together" "We'll all be at your side as long as you live" "This is a day of celebration" "Let our spirits celebrate this happiness" "I am not very competent, but I hope you will be good to me." "You may have been our lord's lady once, but you have now married into the Sasahara family." "Keep that in mind." "Suga, you needn't " "No." "I must say it in order to keep discipline in our home." "A woman who was dismissed after bearing a child." "Pampering her would spoil her." "Welcome back." "I'm sorry I didn't notice your return." "It's all right." "Where's Nui?" "Mother took her along for prayer at Shonenji Temple." "Where's Father?" "He came home about an hour ago, when his duties were done." "Ichi." "Mother may say things to offend you, but don't mind her." "No, she doesn't offend me." "She kindly teaches me domestic duties." "I don't believe it." "If things grow disagreeable and hard to bear, think of Father." "Father?" "Father finds the way Mother thinks and talks disagreeable." "But despite that, he has borne everything for 20 years." "Ichi, is dinner ready?" "Yes, right away." "A bottle of sake tonight as well." "While the cat's away." "You mustn't." "If she'd just change a little, all would be well." "The world never seems to go right." ""I wish to retire and have Yogoro, my eldest son, succeed me." "I humbly hope that my request will be granted."" "Sasahara, how are your son and his bride doing?" "Very well, I'm happy to say." "You made such a fuss about this in the beginning, but now it's all going very well?" "I'm very sorry." "It's too early to retire, I think, but his son has married, so " "All right." "We'll ask the steward to enquire of our lord." "It won't take long to obtain his approval." "So Isaburo Sasahara's retiring at last?" "I didn't realize it at the time, but it's a great relief." "At the same time, it's a lonely feeling." "I wonder what I've done all my life, though it's not like me to do so." "Yogoro's marriage is a very happy one." "Perhaps life will be a little better for our children." "At least Yogoro's better off than me." "Fear often exceeds the perceived danger." "So it was in your case." "Yogoro's wife." "She's a fine wife." "I thought she'd be like a cannon, ready to go off at any time." "But I was very wrong." "Suga's just the same as before, but Ichi is always pleasant and never talks back." "I don't understand." "Why did she attack our lord then?" "Like yourself, I don't understand it either." "As I've said, your duties won't be difficult." "Check the weapons in the armory against the inventory list, and have the men clean them on appointed days." "That's about all." "It's harder to get along with our superiors and fellow vassals." "I don't say to always yield to them, but at times, they're unreasonable." "If you get angry at them every time, you won't last." "Pardon me." "Rice cakes?" "They look good." "Yes." "Enjoy." "Wait, Ichi." "I'm going to retire soon." "Yogoro will become the head of our family, and you're his wife." "You needn't hold back for the old woman." "Take over the household duties." "Understand?" "Even so, she is my mother, and I will treat her as such." "Excuse me." "That's enough about your duties, Yogoro." "How about some rice cakes?" "But I don't understand." "Well... it's almost beyond belief" "that she'd grasp her lord by his clothing." "It was hard for me to believe too, so I asked her the other day." "Her face became very sad as she told me the story." "I was 19 when I went to serve my lord." "It was the year before last." "Ichi." "Actually, there is a reason the steward has come to see me." "You have found favor in our lord's eyes and are to serve him." "Accept the honor gratefully." "The sudden news must have surprised you." "I was more angry than surprised." "Angry?" "A man over 50 was infatuated with me." "I felt as if a hairy worm were crawling over me." "I shuddered." "And then?" "Our lord does not do this just to satisfy a whim." "Daimyo must have heirs or their houses will be abolished." "The only heir to our lord right now is young Lord Masamoto." "Should anything happen..." "Even so, Miss Ichi, not just anyone can become our lord's mistress, for her son may one day become our lord's heir." "She must be beautiful and kind like you." "I am afraid" "I must decline the position." "You are referring to Sannojo Kasai, your fiance?" "Kasai?" "Yes." "Our parents arranged our engagement." "Then if Sannojo agrees, you will gratefully agree to serve our lord?" "What do you say?" "I couldn't imagine Sannojo doing it." "But he bowed to our lord's wishes and gave you up?" "Yes." "So you had no choice?" "I still did not wish to go." "So I withheld my answer." "Don't bother me!" "Leave now!" "No." "I will not leave until I see Sannojo." "You said you would serve our lord if Sannojo agreed." "He has clearly agreed to it." "As summoned," "Hyoemon Shiomi's daughter Ichi is here in answer to your wishes." "It was like dragging a pure silk kimono through the mud." "Then I thought " "No, it was more like a prayer." "I made up my mind." "I would bear him sons." "Many, many sons." "Then other girls need never know my misery." "It would end with me." "It was like a prayer." "My thoughts were really like a prayer." "With this prayer," "I bore Kikuchiyo a year later." "Then I went to a spa for postnatal rest at my lord's orders." "When I returned to the castle " "Ichi, this is Lady Tama." "Be friends with her." "It wasn't jealousy!" "On the face of his new young mistress, there was not even a trace of humility." "I hated her for it." "She was proud as a peacock - glad to be a mistress." "Beast!" "Beast!" "Thanks to his displeasure toward you," "I have become a happy man." "I could never have found a better wife." "Beginning tonight," "I will forget my son." "What?" "Our lord means nothing to me." "But..." "I have been so worried about the son I bore." "So worried." "Beginning now..." "I will forget about him too." "I will forget him." "Yogoro, be good to Ichi." "You're a lucky man." "There's no other wife like her." "A couple without children lacks binding ties." "You've made me wait nearly two years, but at last." "A boy would have been better." "We mustn't ask for too much." "And what's her name?" "Yogoro and I racked our poor brains over this and named her Tomi." "Post-horse messenger!" "Ryuzo Komiya here from Edo on an urgent mission!" "What?" "Young Lord Masamoto died of illness?" "Yes!" "He was resting from a cold he caught on the 12th." "But his condition grew worse." "At 2:00 in the morning, he passed away." "It's a lucky thing." "What?" "It's the death of the heir." "But the Matsudaira house will not be abolished." "There is young Lord Kikuchiyo, the son of Shiomi's daughter." "But Sasahara," "Lord Kikuchiyo has become our lord's heir." "So Ichi is birth mother to the heir." "If she remains the wife of a vassal, there would be much talk." "You say this is our lord's wish?" "Yes." "And our chamberlain here and the Edo chamberlain agree." "Please consider it before formal orders come." "The best thing is for Yogoro to submit a request to our lord and say he will send Ichi back to the castle." "Has Yogoro been told already?" "I've been at him since the day before yesterday, but he refuses." "Naturally." "They have a baby daughter, Tomi." "Well, I don't blame him." "Emotionally it is intolerable." "The chamberlain and steward know that." "But you know very well... that we can't have all our wishes granted in this world." "So... you're telling me to make Yogoro agree to it?" "I'm asking you to submit a voluntary request rather than making us order her back." "You must see the difference." "What's the matter, Ichi?" "You're pale." "Are you sick?" "Group Head Kotani came over in the afternoon." "I feel... more resentful than grateful... for your consideration." "I'm sorry, Ichi." "I didn't mean to hide it." "But I couldn't bring myself to tell you." "Brother." "Father is calling you." "What are the men talking about?" "I'm not sure." "Acting as if some crisis has occurred and hiding it from me." "Tell them to talk at night after they dine!" "Ichi, I must tell you something." "Come into the room." "First, Father's words." "He says he's retired, so I am the family head, and I am to do what I think is right." "However, he also says you're too important to us to send away." "That we must take the best possible care of you." "Mother doesn't seem to know anything about this yet." "I must tell her sooner or later." "Don't worry." "No matter what anyone says," "I will not send you back to the castle." "For Tomi's sake too." "It may be our lord's wish, but he is being too selfish." "Ichi is not a doll." "She is a living being." "Yes, you're right." "You're young." "And I don't blame you." "But you can't reason with a crying child nor with your lord, as they say." "Isaburo, what's your opinion?" "I have none." "Yogoro is head of the Sasahara family now." "It's all up to him." "But I would like to say one thing." "What is it?" "When we accepted Lady Ichi into our house, it was Steward Takahashi that came." "I'd like him to come again now and explain in his words why we must return her." "If only he could!" "But it would attract too much attention." "These are our lord's orders, Isaburo!" "Well, I want my lord to explain his orders to me." "When his son's mother proves inconvenient, he forces her to marry a vassal." "Inconvenienced once again, he demands her return." "This is cruel and unreasonable." "He has no understanding of human emotions." "No understanding of human emotions?" "Kotani-san, our family didn't accept Ichi particularly gratefully." "Nor did Ichi herself know Yogoro or the Sasahara family." "She was none too happy about it either." "But the reason they are getting along is because they're kind to each other and care for each other." "I understand all that clearly enough." "But Isaburo, if you continue to be so stubborn, who knows what might happen to your family." "I don't care." "I will not return Ichi, even if the heavens rain fire!" "What?" "Even if the heavens rain fire..." "and blood?" "Wait, Yogoro." "Watch your language!" "Kotani-san, I think this is enough for today." "I beg you." "You should understand, Mother, being a woman yourself." "If you were in her place, what would you do?" "Would you give up Tomi and return to the castle?" "Enough!" "Would you ruin our family because you've lost your head over a woman?" "In this case " "In this case, it may be unavoidable." "Brother!" "You truly don't care if you ruin our family?" " I am." " What?" "Bunzo, if you were me, would you return Ichi?" "Of course I would!" "You're too attached to her, brother!" "Restrain yourself, Bunzo." "Yogoro's the head of the family." "Right or wrong, it's all up to him." "Be patient." "Don't lose hope." "If you love Yogoro and Tomi, be prepared to defy such senseless conventions, however hard it may be." "I believe that, if worst comes to worst, you are a wife worth protecting, even if that means ruining our family." "I am not worthy of it." "But this won't be the end of it." "I gave her the message." "She will be here soon." "Over here, sister." "We've heard all about what has happened." "We relatives and the Sasahara family have discussed what to do." "We've spoken to Yogoro and know exactly how he feels." "Thus we have come to the conclusion that the rest is up to you." "We'd like to know how you feel about it." "Do you want to stay with Yogoro, even if it means ruining the Sasahara family?" "Answer us, Ichi!" "I would like to stay." "Even if you ruin the family?" "Yes." "Ichi." "Your father, Hyoemon Shiomi, has asked our lord that you be sent back to the castle as soon as possible." "I'm sure you're aware of that." "Not only that." "He lies in wait when Yogoro travels to and from the castle to plead with him to send you back." "He's done this several times." "Father is Father." "I am me." "I would rather die than return." "Please tell the chamberlains and steward how I feel in whatever words you think will best help my case." "If we could do that, we wouldn't be here like this!" "We ask you again, Ichi!" "Your desire to stay with Yogoro is final?" "The family doesn't matter?" "Not only the Sasahara family, but we the relatives will be jeopardized as well." "You still don't care?" "It cannot be helped." "I see." "There's no use trying to convince a woman like this." "You should give up, Suga." "Yogoro's to blame too." "It's your misfortune that a woman like her has favored you." "Yogoro, you needn't hold back anymore." "You two go ahead and ruin your family!" "We must prepare for our involvement as well!" "Completely impervious to reason." "No wonder you attacked our lord!" "Ichi, I'm sorry." "Return." "Return to the castle." "Fool!" "Why do you say that now?" "What's the Sasahara family to you?" "What are your relatives' troubles to you?" "Yogoro, have you decided you want to keep your position?" "Listen to me." "My father-in-law was impressed with my swordsmanship." "As head of the Sasahara, he asked me to marry into the family." "But otherwise I have no talents." "In other words, I'm a worthless, good-for-nothing man." "So in order to prove myself, for these past 20 years" "I have fought to preserve our good name and social standing." "So why am I so obstinate now?" "The cruel injustice involved, for one thing." "But your beautiful love for each other has touched me most of all." "There's never been a shred of love in my married life!" "And now you do this!" "Promise me, Yogoro, that you'll never let Ichi go!" "You too." "No matter what happens, never leave him!" "Promise me, both of you!" "My husband's with the chamberlain?" "Yes, and he's waiting for you to come." "I saw him in the castle." "He said he'd be at the chamberlain's residence and that you must come at once." "The chamberlain wishes to see you both." "He has some questions for you." "But what about Tomi?" "You needn't worry." "It won't take long." "I will accompany you." "My brother's waiting." "Make yourself clear, as you did with our relatives." "Sister!" "If you lose heart now, what will it mean for my brother?" "Even if it is the chamberlain, show him how determined you both are to keep your resolve." "Hurry!" "Sister." "Father, where did you go today?" "To see Tatewaki." "Anything new at the castle?" "No, nothing yet." "At this rate, perhaps " "I hope nothing happens." "Why is Tomi crying like that?" "Where's Ichi?" " She went out." " Out?" "To the chamberlain's residence, at about 2:00." "What?" "The chamberlain's residence?" "Mother." "Where's Ichi?" "What happened to Ichi?" "Where's Bunzo?" "Bunzo, where's Ichi?" "What's happened to Ichi?" "Mother wouldn't say anything." "But Sahei and Nui say you took her to the chamberlain's residence." "I'm asking you about Ichi!" "As a matter of fact " "Bunzo, you tricked her." "We had no choice." "No matter how many times I'm told," "I do not understand." "What?" "My husband, child and father must be worried about me." "I'm going home." "Wait, Ichi!" "If she doesn't agree to our requests and still insists on going home, then she may do so." "Provided that she's willing to have Yogoro Sasahara and his father, Isaburo, commit seppuku." "Ichi, take my advice and return to the castle." "If you go back to the castle obediently without making a fuss, the chamberlain is willing to overlook everything." "But if you insist on returning home, not only will Yogoro, but also his father, Isaburo, be ordered to commit seppuku for lax supervision of their home." "Honorable Lady Ichi, please return to the castle." "You say you're the wife of footman Bansaku Kariya?" "Yes." "My name is Kiku." "The chamberlain's orders?" "What orders?" "He said to come here every morning and evening to breast-feed your daughter Tomi." "I want no charity." "Go home!" "But... if I go home without " "Say no more!" "Go home!" " But " " Do as I say!" "Wait!" "Fool." "Tomi, you fool." "How can you be so happy at a strange woman's breast?" "Tomi, you fool." "Yogoro." "Starting tomorrow, do not report to the castle for duty!" "I've already prepared myself for that." "How's Yogoro?" "He hasn't reported for duty since these events." "But he did request time off due to illness." "And Tomi?" "The chamberlain ordered the wife of footman Bansaku Kariya to come and feed her twice a day." "She's healthy and reliable." "A good, solid woman." "Then everything's all over?" "Yes." "Certainly since Ichi has returned to the castle." "In the end, we had no choice but to have it this way." "We just took a roundabout path." "Defying the clan gets us nowhere." "Isaburo, do you really mean that?" "I came to make sure of your thoughts on this matter." "And now," "I hope you'll forget everything." "Give it up at once." "To be honest, the clan's treatment of your family and your attitude in response have weighed on my mind." "Weighed on your mind?" "It's like your swordplay." "Pushed, you step back." "Pushed again, you retreat further." "But it's not like you to give up." "The clan didn't ask for her formally." "It was more like force." "In fact, it was more like kidnapping." "They took a vassal's wife." "If the shogunate officials in Edo hear of it, or even the daimyo, it may prove a fatal mistake for the Matsudaira." "I can't imagine things will end like this." "That you'll allow them to end here." "I really don't think so." "You're saying I must formally ask the castle to take her back?" "That is all we can do." "It's for the sake of the Sasahara family." "They've committed an outrage!" "Yet I must ask them to take her back?" "We're asking you." "And I do understand how you feel." "I was quite afraid you'd storm the chamberlain's residence." "It was wise of you to hold back." "The chamberlain and steward are impressed by your restraint." "So if you send them your request " "I refuse!" "I don't remember sending her back to the castle." "Yogoro." "It's all over now." "Why don't you do as he says?" "That's ridiculous, Father!" "Never!" "Think of Ichi." "She suppressed her tears, left everything behind, and quietly returned to the castle." "If I were to think of Ichi, how could I possibly give up on her?" "Yogoro, that's like calling a doctor for the dead." "What did you say?" "Now, now, Yogoro." "Yogoro's young yet." "Isaburo, talk to him until he understands." "It's all for the sake of your family." "It's not only for my family, but for yours too, and the rest of our kin." "In any case, please go for now." "Yogoro will be hard to convince, but I'll talk to him." "Give me a few days." "Yogoro will report today and say he wishes to return her?" "Yes." "That's wonderful." "Thank you for your trouble." "All has turned out well in the end." "Now we can look forward to the Suwa Shrine festival tomorrow." "Tomorrow is the Inoko festival?" "Since it would have come to this anyway, how dare they cause all that fuss!" "Yogoro was wrong, but Isaburo was insolent as well." "Yes." "He's always henpecked by his wife." "And defying clan orders like that " "I must say he seems like a different man." "It's settled now, so we needn't criticize him." "His conduct has been admirable." "It calls for a slight increase in his fief." "Yogoro Sasahara of the escort group has arrived!" "I'm glad you've reported for duty." "We heard you were sick." "Are you well now?" "Yes, completely well." "And so?" "Taking into consideration my father's wishes, I have decided." "Please accept this." "That's good of you." "Thank you." "Fool!" "What's gotten into you?" ""Petition." "Ichi, the wife of my eldest son Yogoro, was unlawfully kidnapped and forced to return to the castle." "This is the cruelest form of tyranny." "It runs counter to the laws of humanity and cannot be condoned by the heavens." "We hereby appeal for her immediate return." "If our petition is refused, this shameless act of tyranny on the part of Masakata Matsudaira, lord of the Aizu domain, and his retainers shall be made known throughout Japan's 60 provinces." "Isaburo Sasahara, Aizu clansman. "" "A word of caution." "Someone may use my father's name or my own to submit a request to return Ichi to the castle." "But it will not be from us." "It will be a false request." "Please keep that in mind." "Excuse me." "Thank you for coming every day." "With the Inoko festival starting tomorrow, you must be busy." "Master." "We're just airing the house out a bit." "But " "The mats?" "It's a custom at times like these." "So our feet won't slip in the blood." "Tomi's been waiting for you." "Let her drink her fill." "This may be the last time." "Will you do me a favor?" "Will you cook the rice after you feed Tomi?" "I dismissed all our servants." "I also sent Suga and Bunzo away so we'd have a little more room." "Just cook the rice." "We'll make the rice balls ourselves." "Can't fight on an empty stomach." "Excuse me!" "Excuse me!" "Orders from our lord!" "Accept obediently!" "I said orders from our lord!" "Will you not obey?" "It's too late for orders now!" "Now, now, Yogoro." "Let's hear what the orders are." "Orders!" "Isaburo and Yogoro Sasahara, for your insolent conduct and defiance toward our lord, you are ordered to commit seppuku." "Seppuku?" "It is gracious of our lord to permit it." "I thought men would come arrest us and then either hang or crucify us." "We will bravely commit seppuku." "Father." "However, we want something before we kill ourselves." "Bring us three heads!" "What?" "Those of Lord Masakata Matsudaira, ruler of the Aizu domain," "Chamberlain Yanase, and Steward Takahashi." "Bring me the heads of the villains who took my son's wife!" "You!" "Vassal Tatewaki Asano in charge of boundary gates has arrived!" "Tatewaki, I called you for nothing other than this." "Prepare at once to kill Isaburo and Yogoro Sasahara." "I hear you are" "Isaburo's only equal as a swordsman." "If you think he's too much for you, take four or five strong men with you." "This is a strange request." "What?" "The Sasaharas have defied clan orders." "Are they not now criminals in the eyes of our clan?" "Yes." "Then it's the superintendent's duty to arrest them." "I'm in charge of border gates." "In other words, my duty is to keep track of those leaving or entering our land." "Since when have I become a superintendent?" "This is no time to discuss jurisdiction." "You're wrong." "The trouble began in an attempt to adhere to daimyo rules stating that the mother of our lord's heir must not remain a vassal's wife." "We must follow the rules." "If you order me to kill them, please promote me to superintendent here and now and obtain our lord's promise to increase my fief to 500 koku, according to clan rules." "Tatewaki." "You've gone too far." "Why be so formal now?" "Never mind." "Go!" "We must gather men, use force and kill them." "Get ready." "A foolish idea." "What?" "Isaburo's a swordsman without peer." "You'll only make more trouble by sending men." "In order to settle matters quietly, send Lady Ichi back to the Sasahara family for now, and then later " "What?" "Don't talk nonsense!" "But Chamberlain, resort to violence and you'll have mountains of dead and wounded men." "Cold, isn't it?" "What time is it?" "Past 9:00, I think." "Eat in moderation." "That should be enough for you." "Someone's coming." "From the footsteps, he's alone." "It's Bunzo." "Don't just stand there." "Come around here!" "Father!" "Don't talk." "I know what you want to say." "Now, come in." "Father!" "Come in, Bunzo." "Father!" "Is it nice and cozy at Kenmotsu's place?" "Have a drink." "Listen to the festival drums." "Father!" "I know what you want to say." "You were pressed by our relatives at Kenmotsu's place to come here as their messenger and say," ""We've defied our lord long enough." "Now obey clan orders with good grace."" "Father." "Have a drink." "Bunzo, don't hate us." "Not only you and Mother will be punished, but our kin too, for being related to such reckless men." "Father." "But remember:" "Each must live his own life." "As for what happened," "I don't blame you and Suga for what you did, nor do I bear you any grudge." "Each must live his own life." "Have a drink and then go back." "And tell everyone this for me:" "I, Isaburo Sasahara, in all my life have never felt more alive than I do now." "Prepare for our lord's entrance!" "Haven't you taken care of Sasahara yet?" "What are you doing?" "A mere clansman has defied me and the entire clan." "What if other clans hear of this, Sanzaemon?" "Gather some men and take care of it yourself." "Before dawn." " Yes, but " " What?" "The chamberlain's intervention would aggravate matters." "Please allow me." "You'll go, Geki?" "Father, the drum from the Suwa Shrine has stopped." "It's late." "They're probably done for the night." "Two years ago today, we were asked to accept Ichi." "I remember it too." "Outside the castle, it was the Inoko festival, when the harvest god left." "Inside the castle, it was the day before the Suwa Shrine festival." "Father." "I may seem unmanly " "What is it?" "For some reason, I am more worried... about Ichi's future than Tomi's." "That's as it should be." "It's not unmanly at all." "Your feelings for each other gave me new life." "But Yogoro, don't be too worried about Ichi." "We will die here, but she is the mother of our lord's heir." "No one can torture her, and no one will endanger her life." "But Father, aren't they late in coming?" "I meant to ask for permission to enter, but the gate was open, so I came in." "Forgive me." "I will now convey our lord's orders." "We have heard of the order to commit seppuku." "No." "He changed his orders." "Isaburo and Yogoro Sasahara, for your insolence and attitude toward our lord, you will be confined at Enshoji Temple outside the castle." "A very light punishment compared to seppuku." "Why the sudden change?" "Lady Ichi, the mother of our lord's heir, was once a family member here." "She pleaded with our lord to save your lives." "Will you gratefully accept our lord's new orders?" "No." "No, he's wrong!" "As Yogoro Sasahara's wife," "I appealed through the chief maid, Yoshino, to my lord to save my father and husband." "It was not as the heir's mother." "I am..." "I am still the wife of Yogoro Sasahara." "To tell you the truth, what Lady Ichi says is correct." "But our lord received me in his audience." "If she appeals to save you as the heir's mother, not as Yogoro's wife, he promised to change his orders from seppuku to confinement." "I don't understand what this is all about." "Neither do I." "Steward, it seems we don't understand what you just told us." "It's very simple." "If you two admit that Ichi is no longer a family member and that she has been returned, our lord will listen to her plea for a lighter punishment." "Will you acknowledge her return and live, or refuse and fight it out?" "Which will it be?" "In that case, we ask for no mercy." "We are prepared for the worst." "Then there is no alternative?" "None." "It's all of you who cannot be pardoned, who are holding Yogoro's wife as prisoner and still insist on doing so." "Please return her at once!" "All right." "You've made yourselves very clear." "I'll ask Lady Ichi now." "Lady Ichi, will you save the lives of these men?" "Or will you let their pursuers come and kill them?" "Lady Ichi, the Sasaharas are men." "Their pride will not let them back down." "But your position is different." "You have already returned to serve our lord." "If you tell them that you sever your ties with them once and for all, then all will be well!" "Is that clear?" "If you do, their lives will be saved." "We need not ask them to return you." "And even though they petition for your return, it can be disregarded as long as you sever your ties with them." "Wait!" "Don't move!" "Don't move." "If you do, unexpected accidents may occur." "Lady Ichi, will you sever your ties with them and save their lives?" "Or will you let them die as traitors?" "What will your answer be?" "Lady Ichi, does your silence mean you will do as I say?" "Am I correct?" "No." "I " "What will you do then?" "Kill them!" "Father." "Yogoro!" "Father..." "Tomi, bid your father and mother farewell." "Have a good look at them." "They are your father and mother." "Let us who are still alive listen to them." "Let's listen to what they want us to do." "No, I know without being told." "I know how they felt about their plight and their death." "They want us to tell the world of our clan's cruelty!" "Very well." "I understand." "We promise to do that for you." "We'll topple the Aizu clan from its pedestal!" "First, Tomi and I will go to Edo together and see the shogunate elders." "We'll leave immediately for Edo." "Isaburo Sasahara of the escort group... where are you going?" "Tomi and I are going to Edo." "If this is for the clan, show me your pass." "If it's private business, show me the clan ticket." "I have neither." "Then I'm afraid I cannot let you pass." "We must go to Edo though we have no permit." "You mean to pass from this domain without having either?" "Yes." "To carry out my duty and uphold my honor as a samurai," "I must forbid it." "If you insist on breaking our law and passing through this gate," "I must stop you at the risk of my life." "That can't be helped." "She is very quiet." "I'd like to put her in the house away from the wind." "But men we dislike are in there." "Venomous men." "I fed her before dawn." "I don't think she's hungry." "But I'll give the poor thing a little more." "Before feeding babies rice, we're supposed to wait 100 days after birth... when enough teeth have come in." "But I'll do it now." "Tomi, here." "All the family members are supposed to celebrate this day together with red bean rice and live fish." "That's impossible now." "We'll make do with this." "You be quiet now, Tomi." "Don't cry even if I don't return." "In that case, he will become your foster father and raise you." "Well, then." "Lose this duel." "Let me remain." "It's better that way." "What?" "Isaburo, lose to me." "For Tomi's sake." "No." "No matter how strong you are, how perfect your defense," "I'll defeat you and go to Edo with Tomi." "Then..." "I will win." "Without fail." "I will win without fail." "Tatewaki!" "Three people helped you." "Yogoro, Ichi and Tomi." "I had no chance of winning." "Hurry." "Take Tomi with you to Edo." "Tatewaki!" "We can't go to Edo anymore!" "We can't go to Edo anymore." "No one will ever know the story of your father and mother now." "Tomi, it can't be helped." "But let me say one word." "Just one word." "When you grow up, become a woman just like your mother." "And marry a man just like your father." "Be sure to do that." "Marry a man just like your father." "THE END"