"The Toho Company and Katsu Production Co." "Present:" "Young Lord!" "Why do they have to be so cruel?" "!" "Lord..." "We will join you in death!" "All of us... we'll avenge your passing..." "one day, for certain!" "We understand the edicts..." "but our Lord is so young!" "Young Lord!" "Young Lord!" "Young Lord!" "Young Lord!" "Young Lord!" "Young Lord!" "Everyone... compose yourselves!" "It is most unseemly for you to behave in this manner!" "For now, we must maintain our composure and witness his passing." "That is our duty as his vassals!" "I am the Second designated by the Shogunate..." "Ogami Itto." "Please..." "Please be merciful!" "If you just... hold this fan to your belly..." "all will be well, Young Lord." "Do you understand?" "This is how the ruler of a castle and domain conducts himself..." "This is the way of the true Samurai, Young Lord!" "The Tokugawa Shogunate imposed excessive taxes..." ""Daimyo:" Military Clan Chieftains." "...upon the Daimyo." "The Shogunate freely exercised its right to execute anyone that showed the slightest trace of disobedience." "To implement the cruel governmental edicts of the Shogunate three groups were established." "First, the spies, who are ever watchful for the first sign of disloyalty." "Second, the assassins, who kill any who interferes with the Shogunate's plans." "And third, the executioner who acts as a "Second," and beheads those Daimyo..." ""Seppuku:" Ritual suicide (aka "harakiri")." "...who are ordered to commit seppuku." "The spies belong to the Kurokuwa Clan." "The assassins belong to the Yagyu Clan." "Finally... the post of Official Shogunate Second belonged to one Ogami Itto who was specially authorized to wear sacred official robes bearing the emblem of the Shogunate." ""Kozure Ookami" "Lone Wolf and Cub"" ""Kowokashi Udekashi Tsukamatsuru" (Child and Expertise for Rent) "Sword of Vengeance"" "Produced by Katsu Shintaro MatsubaraHisaharu" "Original Story by Koike Kazuo KojimaGoseki Screenplay by Koike Kazuo" "Director of Photography:" "Makiura Chishi Sound Recording:" "Hayashi Tsuchitaro Lighting:" "Mima Hiroshi Art Director:" "Naito Akira Music:" "Sakurai Hideaki" "Editing:" "Taniguchi Toshio Fight Choreography:" "Kusunoki Eiichi Asst. Director:" "Tsuji Mitsuaki Production Manager:" "Inagaki Masahiko" "Sound Effects:" "Kurajima Yo Narration:" "Kobayashi Shoji Film Developing:" "Toyo Laboratories" "Starring:" "Wakayama Tomisaburo as Ogami Itto" "Watanabe Fumio Tsuyuguchi Shigeru Mayama Tomoko Uchida Asao" "Naito Taketoshi Fujita Yoshiko Kato Yoshi Kasahara Reiko Tomikawa Akihiro (child)" "Sekiyama Koji Otabe Michimaro Matsuyama Teruo Date Saburo Wazaki Toshiya Gomi Ryutaro Sato Kyoichi" "Hasegawa Hiroshi Horikita Yukio Fujiyama Koji Oki Tokio Takigawa Jun Iwata Tadashi Namita Hisao Terajima Yusaku Morita Manabu" "Hamada Yuji Ishihara Sumao Etsukawa Hajime Uehara Kanji Fujikawa Jun Fujiharu Tamotsu Kudan Goro Satomi Jun Mori Shoji Kobayashi Kanae" "Nunome Shinji Shimomura Yoshimitsu Kasumi lwao Yamaoka Kazuyo Moriuchi Kazuo Koshiromon Masami Ando Jinichiro Kobayashi Chieko Obayashi Kazuo Nakamura Yutaka (Child)" "And Ito Yunosuke" "Directed by Misumi Kenji" "Banner: "Ogami" " Suiouryu Technique Child and Expertise for Rent"" "Wh..." "What was that?" "!" "Hmm..." "lemme see..." ""Suiouryu:" Seagull." ""Child and Expertise for rent..." "Suiouryu School..." "Ogami Itto."" ""Ookami Itto:" Wolf-Sword." "Ookami Itto?" "!" "What the heck's that?" ""Ronin:" a samurai without a master." "No, not "Ookami...", "Ogami Itto." Seems that's the name of that ronin." "I understand the part about lending his "expertise..."" "Yes, I'm wondering the same..." "But, oh my... the man looks like a wreck, and he's got a child too!" "Is he able to make a living?" "!" "Oh!" "He's so adorable!" "So adorable, it's pathetic!" "O-Hime!" "No, O-Hime!" "O-Hime!" "Get back!" "What do you think you're doing?" "!" "Toramatsu!" "O-Hime!" "O-Hime!" "Toramatsu!" "No, O-Hime!" "What are you doing?" "That's someone else's child!" "I apologize for her rude behavior!" "Please forgive us!" "I am truly sorry." "Pardon me, sir, but it says that your child is for rent but can you really lend him to us?" "Toramatsu..." "You must have been starving, Toramatsu!" "There!" "There!" "It's your mother's milk." "Have as much as you want!" "Daigoro." "There!" "There!" "Good, isn't it?" "Gooood, isn't it?" "Toramatsu..." "There!" "Good Boy!" "Thank you very much, sir." "Good Boy..." "Toramatsu..." "I'll come see you again, when I save up enough money, OK?" "Oh, just a moment..." "I hope this is enough." "I need no money." "It so happens that he was hungry anyway." "I see." "Thank you very much!" "She was deceived and then abandoned by a man and she gave the child to another family to raise but the baby died from a fever." "Ever since then... my daughter has been deranged and can no longer distinguish between her child and those of others." "Dammit..." "It's starting to rain!" "Welcome back home, Dear." "What's wrong?" "Why are you so pale?" "What is on your mind... tell me?" "Yes..." "Lately..." "I've been having awful nightmares." "The voices may be the souls of those you've beheaded... they curse me from ponds of blood... or mountains of spikes... from ghastly places..." "I can hear them, as they send chills down my spine." "They say that they'll put a curse upon the Ogami line and they keep repeating that over and over." "I am consumed with fear for our child's safety." "It is so unlike you..." "you're so strong." "You must be tired." "Azami... you do remember the reasons why I named him Daigoro." "No matter how poor he might become, he will not be grief-stricken." "No matter how rich he might become, he will not look down upon others." "The Buddhist planes... of Hell..." "Hungry Ghosts..." "Animals..." "Evil Gods and of the God-like beings by reminding him of these, his name will ensure he grows up stalwart and resolute." "Yes." "Don't worry." "He will become strong..." "Strong enough to face anything." "Dear..." "Now that Daigoro is a year old, I'll take him with me to pay our respects to the souls of those I've executed." "We'll go to our memorial shrine and offer our prayers." "A mendicant monk...?" "Azami!" "Azami!" "Azami!" "Azami!" "D..." "Daigoro..." "Daigoro..." "Azami!" "Who has done this to you?" "!" "Who did this...?" "Whoever you are I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth I will find you no matter what it takes and I will have my vengeance!" "No matter what it takes!" "Attention:" "The Honorable Inspector Bizen of Yagyu is here on official business." "Inspector Bizen..." "I was afraid of this... that it would turn out this way." "What do you mean, honored Inspector?" "Before dawn, three men committed seppuku at the gates of my House." "I rushed here immediately after hearing of their Declaration." ""Declaration?"" ""We hereby declare that..."" ""...in order to avenge our Lord Hirotada's death..."" ""...the household of the Executioner, Ogami, must be put to the sword."" ""While Ogami Itto is indeed the sole official Executioner..."" ""...we have discovered that he abuses the powers of his position..."" ""...and is a traitor who blasphemes the Great Shogunate."" ""The proof will be found in the Ogami's own shrine."" ""Remembering our Lord, who was executed..."" ""...by a traitor who spits on the honor of the Shogunate..."" ""...we hereby dedicate our lives to the destruction of his line..."" ""...and as proof of our sincerity, will now join our Lord in the void."" ""Signed:" "The three lkoma Clansmen..."" ""Odai Hyougo..." "Atobe Shichinosuke..." "and Makijima Gorouzaemon..."" ""..." "Sealed in Blood."" "So you see, as three warriors have paid their lives to present this Declaration I must now exercise my official right to inspect your shrine." "Ogami... take me to the shrine." "To pay respect to, and to offer prayers for the souls of those I have been ordered to execute by the Shogunate I have built this shrine." "It is most respectful!" "I am moved..." "It does you great credit, Ogami." "Why, it's...!" "What do we have here?" "!" "Of all things... a death memorial tablet bearing the emblem of the Shogunate!" "Ogami!" "What is the meaning of this?" "!" "Why a Shogunate tablet?" "!" "Answer!" "Exactly what is it that you pray for at this shrine?" "I know nothing..." "I know nothing about this tablet!" "Who could do something like this?" "!" "What the men said in their Declaration was true." "I know nothing of this!" "This must be..." "How dare you presume to talk your way out of this!" "As the Official Inspector, I order you to accompany us back to our office!" "Take him!" "Men, take Ogami Itto!" "This is too odd!" "Inspector Bizen..." "What is the meaning of these uniformed men...?" "Was it your intent to take me away from the beginning?" "Naturally, in such an emergency as this!" "If that were so, they would have come here openly." "Besides, there shouldn't have been any reason to hide your uniforms!" "Furthermore... how do you explain the armor?" "!" "If you were in such a rush to come here, why did you take the time to don this?" "No more questions!" "If you seek answers, do it in court!" "You planned this, Bizen!" "This whole incident only makes sense if it's a plot of the Yagyu Clan!" "You've lost your mind, Itto!" "The suicide of the lkoma Clansmen was inexplicable as I knew nothing about their claim, but when seen as a plot by you to effect my downfall, it all makes sense!" "It's all too perfect!" "I've long known that the Yagyu Shadow-Clan lusts after the post of Executioner." "That is why you plotted this, isn't it!" "That is why you plotted this, isn't it!" ""Yagyu Shadow-Clan?"" "What do you mean by a "Shadow-Clan?"" "Are you saying that the House of Yagyu has two faces..." "light and dark?" "Indeed..." "Yagyu Munenori's sons:" "Jubei, Mitsuyoshi, Tomonori, and Munefuyu appear to rule what the world thinks of as the Yagyu Clan." "Yet, another child Gisen, also known as Retsudo, forever lurks in the shadows!" "Retsudo is your grandfather and it is he who is the true Lord of the Yagyu Clan... the master schemer." "I've long been aware of the existence of the Yagyu Shadow-Clan!" "You've secretly made arrangements with the Shogunate and managed to corrupt these men of Investigator Kurokuwa." "And now, by plotting to put an end to me you seek to obtain the post of Official Executioner!" "That emblem, of Two Umbrellas fools the world into believing you are Shogunate Arms-lnstructors ordinary members of the Yagyu Clan." "But, the Shadow-Yagyu have also been using a family emblem inherited from Mimasakanokami leyoshi the emblem of Burnet and Sparrow, and that is the ultimate proof!" "Well?" "Brilliant as always, Ogami Itto." "I am most impressed by the depth of your knowledge about us." "But, as things stand, I am of the opinion that you should die right here and now." "It will appear as if Ogami Itto fought the lkoma Clan and was killed." "It has all been perfectly planned out." "I see..." "You forced those lkoma Clansmen to write their Declaration and then you made them commit seppuku." "You Yagyu have used any method to destroy those standing in your way." "This is unforgivable..." "Unforgivable, as long as I live!" "Unforgivable, as long as I live!" "Kill him!" "Go!" "Go!" "No..." "If you enter the water  you'll fare even worse against his Suiouryu techniques!" "Bizen... how could you be so foolish?" "!" "No... not the Suiouryu Wave-Slashing Stroke!" "So, you are Retsudo of the Shadow-Yagyu!" "So, you are Retsudo of the Shadow-Yagyu!" "You naive fool!" "You people have resorted to the most despicable tactics to gain prosperity at the expense of others." "For this, there is no forgiveness!" "The misery you've inflicted upon my family shall in turn be inflicted upon the Shadow-Yagyu!" "The Shogunate endures and thus, the Yagyu endure..." "The Yagyu endures and thus, so too does the Shogunate..." "Do not forget that we are inextricably bound together!" "No matter what you do or how much you struggle your fate is already sealed." "Come face me..." "Retsudo!" "No, I will not fight you..." "Now that Bizen is dead the Shogunate will officially sanction our actions." "Wash your neck, and await my return!" "Hold it, Retsudo!" "Unforgivable!" "You Yagyu shall not be forgiven!" "No, never!" "The line of the ordinary Yagyu ended at the river of water and the line of the Shadow-Yagyu shall end in the river of fire." "Between fire and water lies the white road, and I shall follow it no matter where it takes me..." "even if I become a corpse or ashes..." "I shall have my revenge, one day!" "What is it, sir?" "He has come." "Two years ago, after fighting the Yagyu, the Official Executioner disappeared." "The Shogunate's Official Executioner?" "Then... this Ogami Itto is someone whom not even the best of the Yagyu could vanquish." "Then he's the assassin called the "Lone Wolf and Cub..."" "I am sure that you have heard of him as well." "I am sure that you have heard of him as well." "But... we have no idea if he is Ogami Itto although he claims to be available for hire." "But... if he turns out to be Ogami Itto, then Chamberlain!" "My fellow men when we left our homeland, we all pledged to give our lives in the service of Oyamada Sanmangoku Clan." "Yes, sir!" "Yes, sir!" "Yes, sir!" "You are our Clan's strongest men." "If he turns out not to be Ogami Itto... you'll be able to kill him." "Understood, sir." "We two will kill him although perhaps it is better if we are the ones who die..." "Chamberlain!" "We'd be glad to give our lives for you!" "I am the Edo Chamberlain of the Oyamada Clan, Ichige Gyobu." "I have sought a meeting with you as it is whispered that you are Ogami Itto, the former Official Executioner and, if so, we would like to request your assistance with a grave matter." "Please excuse us for our impoliteness." "Tell me your business." "We would like to request the deaths of a certain group of four men." "For 500 pieces of gold, your request will be fulfilled." "The number of victims is of no consequence." "And, one more thing..." "I ask that you tell me everything related to this request." "Please examine these." "I am listening." "Chamberlain Sugito is plotting to assassinate our Clan's heir, Lord Noriyuki, who is in poor health and to install Lord Takemaru, of a branch family, as heir thereby gaining control of the Oyamada Clan." "Lord Noriyuki will be leaving Edo in two days making his first visit to this part of the country." "Undoubtedly, the Chamberlain will not miss this opportunity." "From what we were able to secretly determine he has gathered a band of ronin and is waiting for our Lord to arrive." "Along the Nikko road several miles before one reaches the city of lmaichi lies a mountain road called "Ootawara..."" "There, in the outskirts of the Oyamada domain is a bathing palace called "Gounomori."" "Chamberlain Sugito is sure to have his men there." "I was previously informed that our Lord will be visiting the hot-springs of Gounomori for a meeting." "The three of us were preparing to fight Chamberlain Sugito and his men..." "It was for that reason that we came here." "Following the orders of Chamberlain Sugito are three first-class swordsmen known as the "Oyamada Three."" "Of these, Matsuki Juunai, who holds the office of inspector is an expert horseback musketeer." "We are no match for him in a fair fight." "Because of this, we had planned to ambush him." "Use your talents and destroy the evil Chamberlain Sugito somehow..." "I beg you." "From high up in the mountain, if you shit a rocky turd, oh..." "It'll be all covered with sand..." "It'll tumble down like a pebble..." "There goes one!" "Here goes one!" "There goes one..." "Daigoro..." "Soon, the Shogunate's men will be arriving." "But, your father intends to disobey the Shogunate's orders and to flee from this region of the realm." "In order to avenge our family, the house- hold of the Executioner Ogami and to vindicate my honor, I will abandon my samurai life and I shall become a true demon, bound by no rules!" "Hear me, Daigoro." "From now on, your father shall follow a road of blood and corpses as an assassin in the world of killing without remorse." "By taking assignments as an assassin all that our family has suffered can be returned back to the Yagyu!" "Daigoro..." "The road you will take shall be chosen by you alone." "If you choose this Doutanuki Sword you'll travel the road of the assassin, with me." "If you choose the ball, I will send you to be with your mother." "Daigoro..." "Of course, you do not yet comprehend what your father is saying..." "nor what is about to happen." "But... the Ogami blood in you will decide for you." "Here... choose." "You must choose..." "Daigoro!" "You would've been happier if you'd chosen to join your mother in her world." "Oh, poor child!" "An assassin with a child, I see." "Do you understand, Daigoro...?" "This is our fate!" ""Official Order of the Shogunate"" "Let it be proclaimed..." ""Ogami Itto..."" ""Even though you are... the Official Shogunate Executioner..."" ""...you have dared to keep, in your own shrine..."" ""...a death memorial tablet that carried the emblem of the Shogunate."" ""This is undeniably an act of ill-will towards the Shogunate..."" ""...and as such, it shall not be forgiven."" ""You are dismissed from your position, and..."" ""...your House will be abolished." "In conclusion..."" ""...you and your son, Daigoro, are hereby ordered to commit seppuku."" "I must commend your having welcomed us by wearing death robes." "It is so typical of you, Ogami Itto, who personified the office of Executioner." "You are prepared most commendably." "I did not wear this death robe in order to commit seppuku but rather to proclaim that we, father and son, shall live as demons from this day on..." "These robes are to celebrate our departure!" "How dare you...!" "Are you disobeying an Order of the Shogunate?" "!" "Have you lost your mind, Ogami Itto?" "!" "We, who have chosen to live as demons, are no longer mere humans." "For us, then, such an order is... nonsense!" "Come out!" "Come out!" "Come out!" "Come out!" "Can you slay me...?" "With your slender arms can you execute the Executioner?" "You fool, how dare you spit upon an Order of the Shogunate!" "Kill him!" "What are you doing?" "!" "Kill him!" "Kill him!" "Ogami Itto..." "Obey the Order of the Shogunate and commit seppuku right here and now!" "I will be your Second!" "We, the Shadow-Yagyu, have replaced the Ogami's and have obtained the post of Official Executioner!" "Therefore... observing all of the proper formalities, we shall take your head!" "I refuse!" "You used the most despicable of tactics to kill my wife and then wrongfully accused me of treason..." "I shall have my revenge!" "No matter where I choose to go, until I achieve my revenge, I will not run..." "A loser playing at being a hero..." "It is an act that is pointless." "Not even your Suiouryu techniques can stand against the Yagyu's wall of warriors!" "Are you sure?" "Itto!" "How dare you!" "For 27 years I have served this sacred emblem." "You, for 64 years." "As long as every single being in the more than 60 domains lives under, and honors, this emblem I cannot yet find it to be totally without merit." "Observe!" "The Yagyu's best men, renowned as invincible, are now as nothing." "Unless you strike at this sacred emblem you cannot kill me!" "Can you, Retsudo?" "!" "Is not pointing your swords, while facing the emblem of the Shogunate considered disrespectful?" "!" "Clear the way!" "Wait!" "Remove and hand over the robe bearing the symbol of the Shogunate!" "Then, we Yagyu will challenge you to a fair fight." "If you should win then you may go anywhere you wish, live wherever you wish..." "As long as it is beyond the borders of the Shogunate's domain we will leave you in peace." "How about it?" "Very well." "Our sentinel carries the sunshine on his back  while Ogami Itto carries a child on his." "Both men carry something  but the outcome of this challenge is already determined." "If everything else is equal and fair, he who has the advantage of ground  he who has the advantage of Nature, shall be the victor!" "From high up in the mountain, if you shit a rocky turd, oh..." "It'll be all covered with sand..." "It'll tumble down like a pebble..." "It'll tumble down like a pebble..." ""From high up in the mountain..."" ""...if you shit a rocky turd, oh..."" ""lt'll be all covered with sand..."" ""lt'll tumble down like a pebble..."" ""There goes one!"" ""Here goes one!"" "Sign: "Gounomori Hot Springs"" "Dammit!" "Oh, shit!" "Dammit!" "What a rude fellow he was!" "You..." "You with the little brat!" "Want me to slash this rope so you fall down like that other guy?" "If there's no other bridge to the Ootawara Road I believe that doing so will inconvenience you as well." "What nerve!" "All right..." "Cross!" "Huh?" "A Doutanuki Sword..." "It won't get a nick, even after slicing through bone a battle-sword that you can even use effectively from horseback." "You got a nice piece here, fellow." "I'll keep it for you." "Why did you come here?" "Well...?" "Must I have a reason to take a bath?" "You've come to bathe, nothing else?" "Are you saying that someone who brings his child has some other purpose?" "You're right..." "But you two are unlucky as you've chosen to bathe in Hell!" "All right." "Follow me." "One more thing..." "If you get any funny ideas you and your brat will be sliced into pieces!" "Help!" "Someone, please!" "Help!" "Stop...!" "Father!" "Help!" "No...!" "Can't show it to your brat, eh?" "I guess that's what they call fatherly love, eh?" "No!" "Knock it off!" "O-kayo!" "D..." "Damn you!" "You demons!" "I'll kill you!" "Take this!" "Looks like she's dead, Onibi." "After all, first you grabbed and squeezed her and then you force-fed her that giant of yours!" "You know..." "I didn't try her 'cause I thought she was too little... but she looks pretty tasty!" "Hey..." "Why did you have to keep her all to yourself, huh?" "Huh?" "Who the hell's that?" "He's come to bathe with his brat." "He walked in here with a Doutanuki Sword, but he's as meek as a house-cat!" "It's no wonder he's quiet..." "He could do nothing but stand still, after all!" "Have we not met somewhere before?" "I'm afraid not." "Your name...?" "Even if I told you, it's an old name I no longer use." "Just answer the question!" "I am a ronin from the western lands..." "Oonishi Tahei." "Hmm..." "Truly, it is a name I am not familiar with." "The guy had a Doutanuki Sword so I figured he'd be highly trained but seeing as how he nearly fell for the old sake-cup trick..." "Ha!" "Listen..." "If you defy us in any way I'll throw these dirks straight into your throats both yours and your brat's!" "Take them to the bathhouse." "Follow me." "That man is something!" "Say what...?" "Are you telling me that he fooled me?" "!" "Well, even if he is as strong as you, he can't do anything if he's got a child with him." "Besides, he doesn't look like a fool who would go up against this many of us." "All right..." "I'll find out... just how much of a man he is!" "Don't, Monnosuke..." "No!" "As my man Tanba says, if that guy is no ordinary guy then that would mean he's mocked my dirks!" "I've got to test him for real, or else!" "Will you come with me, Tanba?" "That man I just know that I've seen him somewhere before!" "I'm sure that you've guessed by now that we've got prices on our heads." "Don't be stupid enough to disobey us." "Come out!" "Show me what you're made of." "I'm telling you to step out, so that we can duel." "Are you deaf?" "!" "Why, you..." "I guess you don't care what happens to your brat." "Enough!" "What kind of a fool would dare to challenge wanted men like you...?" "That'd just be throwing your life away." "That'd just be throwing your life away." "What are you saying?" "He may not have a master, but he's still a samurai." "He's not gonna beg for mercy and say "I don't wanna die!" "Please spare me!"" "That's why he chooses to close his eyes like that, don't you get it?" "Why won't you leave him alone?" "I see what you're saying." "That does make sense." "For a whore and a bedroom pickpocket, you do make sense." "Eh, Osen?" "Ha!" "And you're nothing but filthy beasts!" "What did you say?" "All right." "I'll let him off." "But in exchange, you two must screw right in front of us!" "Right now!" "Right here!" "Let us watch every moment of it!" "Now that sounds interesting." "On with the show!" "On with the show!" "No, I won't!" "Who would?" "!" "It's ridiculous!" "It's ridiculous!" "I wouldn't mind paying to watch, you know." "Besides, you sell yourself for a living." "On top of that, you then sneak and steal money from your clients." "Show us that special technique of yours, and let us enjoy it to the fullest!" "Damn you!" "Damn you!" "If you dare to defy me..." "I'd rather die..." "I see." "Then, you die." "Wait..." "You can't..." "You wouldn't..." "Don't tell me that you'd..." "to save me..." "If you don't mind a woman like me... then I'm all yours." "She looks like a little girl!" "She looks like a little girl!" "Yeah!" "I bet she thinks she's a female buddha, 'cause she spared a soul..." "A juicy buddha, more like." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful..." "Will you knock it off, you lousy priest?" "!" "If you chant prayers at a time like this it makes us feel like we're already dead!" "This is a living hell in any case." "Before they leave here..." "we'll all be killed." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "We don't know that for sure!" "Yeah, everyone else is hiding indoors but there are scores of people in this bathhouse village alone!" "Nobody can be ruthless enough to kill that many!" "But, the fact is, unlike those folks, we are travelers." "If they let us live, then their activities would be known." "If that happens, then..." "R..." "Right..." "They'll kill us for sure!" "Damn!" "So you're saying that we ought to just sit and wait to be killed?" "!" "Shit!" "No matter what we do now, nothing's gonna help!" "They are beasts." "Honorable Samurai warriors..." "Please do something!" "I do not want to die!" "I do not want to be killed!" "Please save us!" "Please!" "Enough!" "What do you expect of a sick man?" "!" "It's the same story with that ronin." "One has to lose all sense of decency to save oneself." "He has no shame, so he's a beast like them, but ha!" "Without fangs, what use is he?" "!" "Quiet!" "Who the hell do you think you are, anyway?" "You're only a yakuza and a traveling laborer!" "Did you know..." "I tried to bite my tongue to kill myself earlier." "But, he understood that, so he shamed himself, and made love to me!" "Isn't that sweet?" "Just to save a woman like me he put aside his pride and honor, that which means everything to a samurai!" "Ha!" "Nonsense!" "There's an army of samurai who'll get it on with cheap whores!" "So, don't get airs!" "And will that "army of samurai" sacrifice themselves just to save a whore's life?" "!" "He fucked you just to save his own ass!" "Don't you understand...?" "Why don't you ask your little friend..." "the one below your belly button!" "What the hell do you mean by that?" "!" "If you were scared out of your mind... begging for mercy could you make love right then and there?" "Where are you going?" "Are you not afraid of them?" "The way I see it..." "If I am to die right now, so be it." "A woman like me can only sink deeper into misery as each year passes by." ""Gounomori:" Forest-in-Countryside." "This hot-spring is named "Gounomori..."" ""Koumori:" Bat." "...but everyone calls it a "Koumori" Spa." "Can you guess why?" "Bats have wings, but they aren't birds yet, they have fangs, but they aren't beasts." "Outcasts from society, who are just like those bats..." "That's why we call it the "Koumori" Spa." "But those scum are different..." "They are... beasts with fangs!" "And... you are a bird with wings." "What are you trying to say?" "You show no fear of their fangs." "You have wings, and can fly away from here at will." "I just know it..." "As one who's passed from one man's arms to the next I know what kind of wings you have." "Earlier this summer, at a town where I was staying, near Takatou castle four high-ranking samurai were slain." "Whoever did it was supposedly a ronin with a child." "And the slain samurai were said to be the best of their Clan." "Their interrogators were very rough, so I remember all of that well." "The unknown pair were called the "Lone Wolf and Cub..."" "...and were available for hire as assassins or so the story goes." "By the afternoon of the day after tomorrow his highness will travel via the Nikko Road then pass through here:" "Jizougahara." "It's within the Shogunate's domain, and it's an ideal spot to stage an ambush." "There'll be problems if we wait until they enter the Oyamada domain." "Without fail, they must be killed right here!" "Understood?" "Very well." "And...?" "What about the money?" "500 pieces of gold." "The remaining 500... will be paid upon completion." "We're counting on you, Kanbei." "There is no room for failure." "Leave everything to me." "Say... mind if I check it out for a bit?" "That's what they call a "horseback- musket," right?" "That's what they call a "horseback- musket," right?" "If you've got weapons like that, why can't you kill them yourselves?" "!" "There would be traceable evidence." "Besides... we must be at the castle around the time of the attack." "I see..." "If you are all "lined up and ready to serve" at the castle, then there's no way you can ever be suspected, huh?" "Exactly." "It'll be reported that Lord Noriyuki and his men were attacked by a band of lowly, out- of-work ronin, and, alas, were slain." "Who, then, will bother to suspect us?" "We may be those lowly ronin, but you are a bunch of turncoats!" "Watch your tongue!" "Watch your tongue!" "Forget it!" "At any rate... you must not fail." "I understand completely!" "Everyone come out!" "Come out!" "Hurry, or we'll kill you!" "Come out!" "Come out!" "Come out!" "Hurry up!" "Everyone..." "We must thank you for everything." "We are leaving now." "However... there is something I must tell you first." "Should any of you say anything about us... and I mean anything to any officers of the Shogunate..." "You will all die!" "Understand...?" "Yes, sir." "However... this group is to die right here." "For two reasons." "If I let you go you will tell somebody, somewhere along the way and you know what we look like." "Secondly... you will be an example to everyone in this village!" "Consider yourselves unfortunate..." "Your lives are over." "P..." "Please spare me!" "Please!" "Don't kill me!" "We won't ever tell anyone anything about you!" "So please!" "Please!" "I beg you!" "Please spare me!" "Please spare me!" "Please spare me!" "Please spare me!" "First, the samurai..." "you go first." "Pick it up... then, fight me!" "I'll let you die like a real samurai." "M..." "Master!" "I am prepared." "But... how can we fight, when I am so weak from illness?" "!" "I will commit seppuku so, at the very least act as my Second!" "...so, at the very least act as my Second!" ""Second?" "!"" "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." ""A Second..."" "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." ""Ogamu:" To chant prayers." ""Ogamu..."" ""Ogamu..."" "Ogami!" "The Shogunate's Second!" "Ogami Itto!" "Where is he?" "!" "Where's that ronin with the child?" "!" "As I thought!" "What's the matter?" "Wanna kill that fellow with the brat first?" "No, wait..." "Leave that man alone!" "Let him go!" "Say what?" "What's wrong with you?" "Just... do not attempt to do anything to that man!" "What are you afraid of?" "!" "How can you be scared of a guy like that...?" "You fool!" "Knock it off!" "What's so special about such a coward?" "!" "Monnosuke!" "H..." "How... impossible!" "Suiouryu Horse-Slaying Technique..." "I know nothing!" "Please spare me!" "I will not tell anyone that you were... once the Shogunate's Second Ogami Itto!" "Please spare me!" "Why, you..." "It's intolerable!" "Who are you?" "You fool!" "Who are you?" "!" "Greetings, I am the assassin "Lone Wolf and Cub!"" "What?" "!" "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "Merciful Buddha..." "It's true... the Lone Wolf and Cub." "Wait!" "Wait!" ""The End""