"A SHOCHIKU PRODUCTION" "At5 o'clock on July8, 1853  four American warships arrived at Uraga Port" "The three hundred year policy of seclusion  that had fostered a belief of Japan as a Divine Land  faced a crisis as a result of this invasion" "Consequently  anti-foreign sentiments developed, fanned by advocates of lmperialism" "Shogun's Edo government, however, had no confidence in fighting  Iacking the military power of the Americans" "The Premier, li Naosuke, decided to open the country  without consulting the Emperor" "To suppress his antagonists  he imprisoned and executed anti-foreign and imperialist leaders" "On March 3, 1 860  on his way to his office, on a public street in Edo  Premier li was assassinated by a band of imperialist ronin" "The assassination disgraced the Shogunate  and shook its foundations" "Alarmed, the Shogunate hatched a plan  arranging marriage between  Emperor Komei's sister, Princess Kazu, and Shogun lemochi" "Through this unification with the Royal Court  the Shogunate hoped to survive the crisis" "However, the Kyoto royalty demanded  the Shogunate to expel the foreigners from Japan" "In this double-edged turmoil  the Shogunate entered the 3rd year of Bunkyu, or 1 863" "assassination" "Production by YAMAUCHl Shizuo Original Story by SHlBA Ryotaro" "Screenplay by YAMADA Nobuo" "Photography by KOSUGl Masao" "Music by TAKEMlTSU Toru" "Fencing Supervision by HOTTA Tatsuo" "Sword-Fighting Ensemble by YUASA Kentaro" "Cast" "TAMBA Tetsuro" "IWASHlTA Shima" "OKEDA Eiji KlMURA lsao" "HAYAKAWA Tamotsu" "OZAWA Eitaro SUGA Fujio" "KlDOKORO Hideo" "SHlMlZU Gen YAMAJl Yoshindo" "AOYAMA Hiroshi" "SADA Keiji (Specially featured)" "Directed by SHlNODA Masahiro" "Kiyokawa Hachiro, from Shonai, Dewa Province  is a man of ability  with civil and military virtues, and a devoted loyal patriot" "In these turbulent times, he may prove useful" "Therefore, with your permission  I am anxious to shelter him" "January 8, 3rd year of Bunkyu" "Suo ltakura, Prime Minister" "Listen" "Murdering a policeman is a grave offence" "Ordinarily, you would be punished" "However, the Premier has requested your acquittal" "Behave yourself!" "premier lTAKURA'S residence" "What was that man's name?" "Kiyokawa Hachiro" "Is he trustworthy?" "No, sir" "No, eh?" "Yet you used my name to save him, didn't you?" "We need him to organize the Free Samurai Army" "Only he could mobilize the ronin, sir" "But, Matsudaira  I've heard he's the leader of the Emperor Worship movement" "Poison quells poison" "A razor in a skilled hand works wonders, sir" "You may cut your own finger, if you're not careful" "It's a strange tale" "What kind of man swings so easily from Emperor to Shogun?" "Very strange" "Mysterious Hachiro, eh?" "Sakamoto!" "Oh, it's you" "Why don't you rip your own picture down?" "Because I haven't been amnestied like you" "You're quick." "Who told you?" "Everyone knows" "People want to know what trick you pulled this time" "Trick, eh?" "I'd like to know, too" "You'd better disappear" "I might ask you some day" "Sakamoto" "You should bathe once in a while" "You stink" "WANTED:." "KlYOKAWA HACHlRO FOR THE MURDER OF A policeman" "Kiyokawa Hachiro?" "I've heard of him but never met him" "What have you heard?" "That he criticizes the Shogunate  with a view toward overthrowing it" "What else?" "That he was born to a farmer's family  he's not a samurai by birth" "And?" "In disregard of his status, he ran a school  for academics and fencing in Edo" "And?" "That he's an accomplished ltto School swordsman" "Sasaki, how many men have you killed?" "How many?" " Two" " Two?" "What a peaceful era" "Three centuries of peace and a swordsman's skills dull" "Suppose, I tell you to kill again?" "He's skilled in Hokushi ltto style." "Well?" "Why kill him, sir?" "You'll be meeting him in the near future" "You shan't kill him then" "I'll let you know when" "The time may never come" "Just keep it in mind" "Acrobats use a net when they walk on the tightrope" "You are the net" "Perhaps the net that will save the Shogunate" "Do your stuff" "An ltto School man, eh?" "Who are you?" "Kiyokawa Hachiro" "Yamaoka Tetsutaro must be here" "Tell him it's Kiyokawa" "What is it?" "Isn't he here?" "Kiyokawa!" " How are you?" " How have you been?" "I heard about your pardon." "Congratulations" "Thank you" " You look youthful as always" " No, I drink all the time now" "I get tired so soon" "You haven't met Kiyokawa before?" "I'll introduce you" "Prof. Sasaki, of Fushin School, and the best at this academy" "In war, Guardsmen like us would be no match for him" "Sasaki Tadasaburo." "Pleased to meet you" "Kiyokawa" "Yamaoka, I want to talk with you" "Wait here a moment, then" "An exquisite smell" "What style of fencing do you practice?" "It's Musoshin School - if I'm correct?" "I could see that style in your posture" "Mind teaching me a little?" "I'm out of practice lately" "A bout in the Academy Hall will refresh me" "Do you mind?" "It would be a pleasure to receive your teaching" "Only  my style is old-fashioned" "I don't use protectors like you ltto School folks do" "What do you say?" "Interesting... very good" "Standard rules apply, one hit determines the match" " You win" " Halt!" "Too light." "Once more" "Idiot" "Beaten in front of all your pupils  and twice, by a common ronin, too" "I thought teaching at the Academy was a high honour..." "Until today" "No wonder the Shogunate is rocking" "Why don't you commit seppuku" "The samurai's way no longer exists" "I beg a favour, sir" "Give me a second chance." "Please, sir!" "You can't kill him by sword alone" "Study what kind of man he is" "While there's still time" "He's a mysterious man" "Mysterious Hachiro, huh?" "It reminds me of a strange incident" "Or was that something he also had planned out?" "It was 8 years ago..." "I was collecting swords back then" "Old man?" "Why, Lord Matsudaira" " Is it ready?" " Yes." "It's done, sir" "I'll fetch it right now" "Lord Matsudaira..." "I heard that American named Perry  came to Uraga again  with warships a few days ago." "That right?" "What's going to happen now?" "Some say a war will break out very soon" "Others say..." "What's wrong?" "This is a Seven-Star sword" "A Seven-Star sword...?" "Look" "Hold the centre line to the light  you'll see blue dots of uneven tempering" "Seven of them" "A very auspicious sign" "Oh!" "I see" "I had it down as a rare masterpiece  by the first Kanemitsu of Bizen, sir" "Who does it belong to?" "Must be a renowned man to possess it" "I'd never seen him before" "He wandered in, asking me to polish his rusty sword" "What's his name?" "His name was..." "Kiyokawa Hachiro" "Kiyokawa Hachiro...?" "I must see him" "Ask him to come and see me, will you please?" "But Mr Kiyokawa seemed like a ronin to me, sir" "Doesn't matter" "Superb" "Such an auspicious sword" "A privilege to have seen it" "Can you, by any chance, part with it?" "Name any price" "I can't afford to do so" "Yamaoka, don't be unreasonable" "He wouldn't part with such a treasure" "Where did you acquire this from?" "I'd like to go there, too" "I didn't buy it from a store" "Where did you get it from?" "It was found among the forfeited property of a lord" "What?" "You robbed a samurai of his spirit with money?" "I don't know." "It was in my father's day" "He mortgaged it." "So it can't be called his spirit" "Kiyokawa - that your name?" "A mere son of a farmer, insulting a samurai's dignity!" " Take it back!" " Come on" "Well, what's the matter with you?" "If you don't take it back now  I will have tokill you!" "I told the truth so I see no reason to take it back" " Damn you!" " lnaba!" "Kiyokawa is my guest." "Don't be rude" "Kiyokawa..." "According to this sword book, you're set for a tremendous life" "I'm aware of it" "The owner of a Seven-Star sword will rule a nation" "The Book of Swords says Prince Shotoku, of old, had such a sword" "However, the Book of Swords isn't reliable" "It isn't the sword that makes a man  it's his calibre." "I was taught at Shoheiko..." "Shoheiko?" "A mere commoner is unfit for the place" "Many noblemen own numerous fine swords  but none has the courage to destroy the foreign barbarians" "Very deplorable" "Look, Kiyokawa..." "Many speak casually of the expulsion of foreigners" "We've seen how powerful the foreign ships are" "We can't fight them alone with our patriotic spirit" "I'm not such a dreamer to ignore armament" "So you're saying...?" "I have a plan of my own" ""Plan for the Fortification of Japan"" "Can't you see through his scheme?" "A mere ronin trying to impress us to gain a job with the Shogunate" "What's the matter?" "There's an emergency with the ronin recruitment, sir" "Go ahead" "Ronin who have seen the wanted notice  are flooding the yard" "Good news" "We can select fifty of the most able ones" "I was going to do, sir, when  Kiyokawa Hachiro..." "What?" "Kiyokawa told the crowd..." ""We intended to hire fifty men, but we've changed our mind" ""We've decided to hire all of you"" "This led to chaos" "Then Kiyokawa told them  that he'd hire anyone else they could bring, too" ""Unemployed Samurai Wanted"" ""Talented ronin invited as guards..." ""... for the Shogun familys visit to Kyoto" ""Fifty men excelling in martial arts will be hired..." ""... with an allowance of fifty gold ryo for each man"" "I'm afraid you misunderstood the aim of organizing this troop" "To go to Kyoto and wipe out the imperialist samurai  so that the Shogunate may be stabilized" "A scheme I planned to eradicate the Emperor Worshippers  which was submitted to the Cabinet through you  and which was fully approved" "How could I have forgotten what the plan was about?" "Kiyokawa, you may have drafted the plan, but we carry it out" "I shan't tolerate your arrogance" "You don't know Kyoto at all" "You can no longer gaze at the river with a geisha on your lap" "It's a killing field" "Deserters from Satsuma, Choshu and Doshu have joined with lower class ronin  to shout slogans of Emperor Worship" "Those who oppose them are mercilessly lynched" "Only recently was Shimada Sakon beheaded  for his Shogunate sympathies" "An incident some say you instigated" "A stupid joke" "Hunger is staring those deserters in their faces" "They can't return home and are desperate" "Can fifty men stop them?" "No, sir" "A party of Shogun's Guards may, yes" "But these are mercenary sewer rats" "We need scores of them" "It was decided we hire fifty at fifty gold each" "Don't you hear the clamour outside?" "Answer me!" "Hurry up!" "This is serious!" "Very well, then" "I'll tell them the Shogunate is broke" ""They can't pay you"" "Kiyokawa has switched sides  from Emperor Worship to a Shogunate dog" "Shall we kill him?" "The sooner the better" "For others may forestall us" "Just a minute" "I can't believe he's that kind of man..." "Shingo, are you getting cold feet?" "No, sir..." "I'm ready to lay down my life for the lmperial cause" "But I can't kill Kiyokawa" "Then how do you explain what I've seen of him" "His pardon." "Helping this Free Samurai Army..." "Kiyokawa stinks of the Shogunate!" "I'm a simple man  but I believe he is holding some lofty ideal that..." "Never mind him." "Fix the date" "If there is reason behind what you say  let us hear it" "I haven't any" "No reason, it's just..." "Just...?" "I'd have been killed, if he hadn't saved me" "It was two years ago..." "Stop!" "Don't resist!" "Surrender!" "Don't interfere!" "He's an Emperor Worshipper!" "He's too young to kill." "Let him go" "If you object..." "Spineless cowards." "Kiyokawa was just as yellow" "If he wanted to help, why not draw his sword?" "I've heard, Kiyokawa has never killed a man" "His face must have been pallid at that time" "Never!" "He's an expert in ltto School fencing" "He prefers not to take any life in vain" "You may back out, if you wish" "So, now we are five" "Five just won't do" "Five isn't enough" "Shingo is right - Kiyokawa is skilled" "Aizawa!" " You making light of our skills?" " No, I'm not" "It's not that..." "Kiyokawa's sword is fierce" "That's a madman's sword" "Besides, he's fond of killing" "It was almost a year ago..." "It was Summer." "I was eating a meal... sweating" "Boss!" "A big shot is coming down the alley" "A big shot?" "Who?" "Kiyokawa?" "Great!" "The Magistrate will be pleased" " What do you think?" " lmpossible, I'd say" "I think so, too" "It's impossible to cut the head off a moving person in one shot" " Yamoka?" " I don't know." "Maybe not" " What about you?" " I think he can." "Why not?" "Careful." "This is a public road" "Make way for me, gents" "Why must you walk two abreast through such an alley" "Stop!" "I apologize" " Happy, now?" "Never you mind" "Kakichi..." "Thanks for hounding me all the time" "Must you look under my hat?" "Whatever." "Why not let me, then?" "Is that really true?" "Yes." "I was present at the investigation" "What position was he in?" "How far away?" "Almost face-to-face, says the record" "And the cut..." "did he lift the sword or slice?" "Was it instantaneous?" "I don't know" "The head was telltale, yes" "I examined it myself" "It was very unusual..." "His smile was frozen" "Why are you so curious?" "I want to know for my guidance as a martial artist" "Then its strange aftermath won't interest you?" "What was that?" "It has little to do with martial arts" "If you're particularly interested in Kiyokawa, however  I should tell you about it, just the same" "Your face betrays your wish to know" "By all means" "Kakichi had a young, spirited chap under him called Sankichi" "A few words spoken in anger, started something" "Damn it!" "Wait, bastard!" "You kill and run from us, samurai?" "Don't!" "Wait, ronin bastard!" "Murderer!" "He was a human being." "With a wife and children" "Wait, Kiyokawa Hachiro!" "Stay there, bastard!" "That night, an order was issued  for the arrest of Kiyokawa and his fellow lmperialists" "We first encircled his house" "We found them!" "Where did Kiyokawa go?" "Speak up" "Speak!" "Speak." "Where is Kiyokawa?" "Look at her." "Speak,or she'll be dead" "Don't you mind?" "Where is Kiyokawa?" "Stop!" "Fetch water" "Untie her" "I want you to examine some things" "Kiyokawa's after all, eh?" "What's happened to him?" "Please tell me!" "MY LAST WlLLAND TESTAMENT" "We found them with the letter by Eitai Bridge" "He may have committed suicide" "Are they truly Kiyokawa's swords?" "Liar!" "Could this be his Seven-Star sword?" "I won't be deceived by this trick" "Come on, speak!" "Tell me something" "Then, you'll be relieved from this torture" "Come on" "Oren, you're only his mistress" " Why must you cover for him?" " Answer him!" "Use the stones" "Put them on" "A woman willingly sacrificed her own life" "I feltjealous of Kiyokawa Hachiro" "Then I shivered in awe, feeling his inestimable size as a man" "Heres Oren's diary I found when I searched the house" "Reading this, I..." "Sasaki?" "Thanks fro sparing time." "I'll leave..." "Doesn't Oren's diary interest you?" "I only want to know about Kiyokawa, not his woman" "A beginner, I'm afraid..." "Kiyokawa is right here in this diary" "February 13, 3rd year of Ansei" "I was sold to a brothel" "Come on" "Come on, you're so stubborn!" "Enough!" "What a stubborn one..." "you are" "What are you doing?" "Pour for me" "Clumsy!" "Forgive me" "What do I smell of?" "Do I smell like a farmer?" " Like dung?" " Let go" " Speak up!" " Forgive me" "The Tempo Reformation..." "was that a lie?" "Did Premier Abe tell a dirty lie?" "He said able men would be promoted regardless of class?" "Was that just some stunt to fool us?" "Was there a single student brighter than I?" "At Shoheiko lords' sons bowed their heads to me" "Yet why am I still jobless?" "Is this centuries old Shogunate so fine?" "What's your name?" "What?" "Ofuku?" "Is it Ofuku?" "You're so innocent" "Call yourself Oren from now on" "Yes, Oren" "Call your owner." "I'll redeem you" "You're perfect for Hachiro the farmer" "Go get him" "March 3rd, 1styear of Man'en" "Snow since dawn" "Events have progressed, we need to kill him" "That's right!" "... but, Master, when?" "Don't come in until I call you" "Yes." "We've done it!" "Listen, everyone, we've done it!" "What happened?" "Mito men assassinated Premier li outside Sakurada Gate!" " Is that true?" " They did it?" "Miss Oren, we're entering a new era!" "May20th, 1st year of Bunkyu" "A very warm day" "While I was practicing calligraphy..." "Oren!" "Oren, don't let anybody in" "Master!" "Has he been back?" " Yes, just now" " Is he alright?" "Yes." "What's the matter?" "It was such a shock!" "I heard him shout and the next moment his head was off" "Head?" "I was alarmed, and so was he" "Oren!" "Bring my clothes" "Hurry!" "Bring me sake" "Don't go" "Sit down" "Shall I make tea?" "Make my bed" "It's ready in the other room" "Make it here" "Blood splashed..." "Blood splashed, Oren" "What's the matter?" " I killed a man" " Hachiro!" "Oren, I killed a man for the first time" "Hachiro!" "Oren, don't leave my side" "Don't leave my side!" "I can  kill him" "I will kill him" "Well, I don't know, either" "But it is pretty funny" "Even you, Kiyokawa's top student, doesn't know" "I'm serious" "When I was being tortured  I could endure it" "Kioykawa's cause, "Worship the Emperor, Expel the Foreigners"  carried me through" "I was ready to die for the cause" "Poor Oren died for it" "Now what is Kiyokawa doing?" "When I was kicked out of prison I was shocked" "Why must he join with the Shogunate and plot to kill his friends?" "What's his real motive?" "I couldn't say..." "If you don't know, how should I know?" "I suggest you ask Kiyokawa directly" "If I asked, he wouldn't tell me" "Master, tell me  what do you think of Kiyokawa?" "Don't call me "Master"" "Have a drink" "Kiyokawa Hachiro..." "None can understand him" "A man who mastered any subject he took up" "Who can write, too" "Who speaks with matchless eloquence, and has a marvellous memory" "Before coming to Edo, it must be April, last year  I left Tosa and moved to Kyoto" "I found myself in a sea of ronin" "All clearly Emperor Worshippers" "There were so many that the city's atmosphere had changed" "Just then..." "Hey!" "It's me" "Remember me?" " Kiyokawa Hachiro" " Oh, Kiyokawa!" "You remember now?" " It's great to see you!" " You, too!" "How about a drink?" "Well, Kyoto is suddenly full of ronin" "Have you noticed?" "I gathered them here" "You did?" "But - what for?" "I'm going to start a war to defeat the Shogunate" "They don't seem capable" "Have you heard about the Satsuma Clan?" "Yes, I have" "Lord Shimazu left Satsuma with a thousand-man army" "That's right" "He's at the Satsuma Clan House in Osaka now  on his way to Edo to decide on Shogunate reform" "I'm organizing the ronin to attack the Kyoto governor" "At the same time we'll rally under Prince Nakagawa  and persuade Shimazu and the Satsuma army to join us" "As soon as we occupy Kyoto  we'll overthrow the Shogunate and restore imperial rule" "Surprised?" "Sakamoto" "Come over here" "Everyday, more starving ronin gather here" "They're hungry wolves" "Show them meat and they'd risk their lives for it, and for me" "Sakamoto, they're under my command" "I couldn't help but consider his plan fantastic  since it was so ambitious" "Kiyokawa's smooth eloquence made me feel uneasy" "It was really an elaborate plan, but " "It was optimistic" "Lord Shimazu had no wish to overthrow the Shogunate" "All he wanted was order by means of his influence" "So he wished to arbitrate between Emperor and Shogunate  to form an Edo-Kyoto Alliance" "He only wanted power in the Edo Government" "No, he never wanted revolution" "Learning deserters from his Clan  were about to revolt he was outraged" "Tell my men at Teradaya Inn planning to revolt!" "Listen... pay no attention to the others" "Just tell my men  to come back to the Clan House  and listen to my orders!" "What if they don't listen?" "He said to kill the disobediant, in the name of the Shogun" "Shimazu's punitive party of eight crack swordsmen  had lived with the rioters, and shared their beliefs" "And so a terrible tragedy occurred" "Anyone around?" "Evening, sir" "Arima of the Satsuma Clan must be here" "Tell him Narahara came on a matter of life or death" "What?" "Nanahara is here?" "Send them away" "Arima..." "Please." "I beg you." "It's the Shogun's order" "Don't proceed with the riot" "Kihachiro... we've come this far" "I'm a samurai!" "Nothing will stop me!" "Arima..." "Don't you mind being executed as a rebel?" "Must you disobey Lord Shimazu?" "Sir Aizu, be prepared" "Hashiguchi!" "Arima!" "Stab him through me!" "Stab him through me!" "Oimoto!" "Arima... forgive me!" "Oh, Sakamoto, we're closed today" "We're sorry" "Tell me why  mustyou tie  your colt to a tree?" "Should the colt want to go free  the petals will fall" "Such a thing happened in Kyoto?" "Master Sakamoto says, "Kiyokawa is a schemer..." ""Too many schemes" ""And schemes don't win people's hearts" ""He always wants to be the central figure" ""But he lacks virtue, and I don't quite like him" ""The Teradaya incident may have changed him" ""He lost his political ideals" ""Now he's only interested in scheming" ""Scheming for scheming's sake" ""lt may be the same with this Free Samurai Army,"' he says" "I disagree with that" "I don't think he's that ruthless" "I can't think he's so ruthless" "Did he speak with you about it?" "No, he didn't" "Kiyokawa isn't a man who reveals his weakness to others" "It was  ten months after he beheaded Kakichi and left Edo" "I hadn't heard anything from him." "One rainy day..." "Darling, Mr Kiyokawa is here" "What?" "Kiyokawa?" "Kiyokawa?" "When did you get back from Kyoto?" "Yamaoka, will you let me sleep here?" "Of course." "I'll have a bath ready for you" "Please don't bother" "I'm sleepy" "Very well." "I'll have a bed made up" "Anything happen in Kyoto?" "Kiyokawa!" "Did you know Oren died?" "Oren?" "When?" "Soon after you left Edo" "I had a temple perform a simple burial" "Kiyokawa asked me for a brush and paper" "He didn't come out of his room" "As for Oren..." "I'm deeply sorry to have let her die like that" "Everybody who knew her thought highly of her" "A meek and truly faithful housekeeper" "I was pleased with her, and she was happy with me" "I am sorry that she is gone" "It was fortunate that she was liked by all  who knew her in life" "Please regard her as my real wedded wife  and pray for the repose of her soul  as one of your own children" "I shall appreciate it" "I have secretly given her spirit a Buddhist name" "So let me again ask you to treat her as my wife  and say prayers for her, as you do for the other deceased" "To my dear mother" "FREE samurai ARMY MEMBERS - 234" ""Commander" " Kiyokawa Hachiro"" "Your idea?" "No, sir." "He just brought it to me himself" " Yes, my lord?" " Bring me a writing brush" "What time?" "Tomorrow morning at eight." "We'll depart from Denzuin Temple" "After that, they may get out of control" "If someone should start it..." "I'm afraid those 234 men may go berserk" "I should have made you an overseer" "As for Kiyokawa, sir, you need not worry" "I'll test him thoroughly tonight" "Unless I'm satisfied  I will kill him without fail on the spot" "As you well know  there are many who wish to overthrow me" "Don't give them an excuse, if you have to kill Kiyokawa" "Among those lmperialists  there are many who would take his life but dare not do it" "With some instigation from me  they will go mad like wild oxen" "A castle has outer moats  and inner moats to be doubly secure" "KlYOKAWA HACHlRO" "KlYOKAWA HACHlRO" " Out of the ranks" " Out of the ranks?" "I see." "You don't like it among the sewer rats, eh?" "Maybe" "Excuse me." "I have to prepare for the departure" "Master!" "Master, we need to talk!" "Master!" "Aizawa, I beg you." "Let me speak to him" "Too late" "Since I have..." "... proof!" " That's junk" "Must you believe some rushed anonymous letter?" "Not this!" "It confirmed our suspicions" "He's going to Kyoto to suppress our allies" "If you oppose me, I'll...!" "He's coming!" "Are you going to kill our friends in Kyoto, Master?" "These disciples who deserted their clans to fight for you?" "Master, answer me!" "Consider my enlistment cancelled" "I can't follow you now!" " Kiyokawa!" " Shingo!" "Master, it's me!" "It's Miyagawa Shingo - you saved my life!" "Move aside!" "Master, show me the way!" "Now..." "I can kill him now" "Show me compassion" "Lord Toyama's party!" "Follow me" "Don't ever stop!" "Get off me!" "Bow down!" "Bow down!" "Bow down!" "Bow down!" "Walk or I'll kill you" "Louder, everyone!" "Bow down!" "Bow down!" "In high spirits our partypassed Takasaki without mishap" "Hachiro behaved well, to my relief" "Except perhaps  when we stopped at Shiojiri" "The men became restless as he occupied the best room" "But Yamaoka appeased them, after great difficulties" "Please be relieved he is quiet at other times" "Is Udono in good health?" "Yes" "Command me to kill Kiyokawa at once, sir!" "Matsudaira!" "I won't be able to breathe in peace until I kill him" "I..." "I..." "You say Hachiro has done nothing suspicious?" "Yes, sir." "He always stays outside the ranks" "I don't think he killed those ronin!" "It was all make-believe!" "When have I ever taken Kiyokawa's word seriously?" "KYOTO" "So far, the Free Samurai Army has been a ragtag group of ronin" "You've been mercenaries, scratching for pay" "What of it?" "But starting tomorrow  you'll cease to be ronin" "It's just been decided" "We want you to throw off your dirty ronin clothes  to join the Military Commissioner's force  as honorable Shogunate warriors" "As regulars, you will have to behave" "You will pledge your loyalty to Lord Shogun and each other  and fight the Emperor Worshippers who infest this city" "But then, you are still ronin until tomorrow" "So you can do as you please until then" "You'll find sake in each of your rooms" "Drink hearty with high spirits" "Dismissed" "Master" "I should have told you before we left Edo" "But I couldn't, until today" "Tell me later" "Listen, I beg you." "I'm leaving for good!" "I wanted to avenge Shingo's death" "I'm not beat yet" "I'm not beat yet" "What's going to happen to us" "Kono" "Utsunomiya" " Ikeda" " I'm here" "And Nishi" "Will you die for me?" "Will you?" "We've been ready to die for the Emperor from the start." "But..." "You three, too?" " Ready as Kono!" " But why, Master?" "Ishizaka, close the door" "We can't succeed unless we fight desperately" "And we may not even win then" "But I've no alternative" "We've got to do it before they become an official Shogunate force" "Tonight you'll go to the Detached Palace and get an Order from the Emperor" "The Emperor!" "Get through to Councillor Hashimoto and he will give it to you" "If you're blocked, disembowel yourselves to show them our spirit" "Wait until the 6 o'clock bell at dawn" "Thirty minutes later, the Commissioner's men  will bring the ronins' letter of employment" "And you, Master?" "Me?" "I'll gather 200 of these rats and pigs in the Main Hall  and keep them there" "If we can't obtain the Emperor's Order by 6:30  we'll be accused of rebellion, and cut into tiny pieces" "Even if we get an Order, will the ronin act as you wish?" "Will they oppose the Emperor, then?" "Anyone who defies the Order will become an enemy of the Emperor" "Will Udono have the guts to reveal the Shogun is the Emperor's enemy?" "Yes, a coward may attempt something desperate" "It is to be expected" "Interesting." "This is exciting, no?" "What's this?" "What's going on?" "What's happening?" "Kiyokawa, what on earth does this mean?" "You've got to behave yourself!" "Come with me and talk" "Back to your rooms!" "No-one move!" "Sit down" "Let me explain to you in full" "We came to Kyoto as a Shogunate troop" "Still we're ronin, not its hirelings" "So we're free to choose our own way" "We are going to denounce the Shogun, and embrace the Throne!" "We didn't agree to this!" "I'll kill an enemy of the Emperor, whoever he may be" "Any objections?" "Kiyokawa!" "Where is this lmperial Order?" "I want to see evidence of it" "I don't have it here" " I've been granted one" " Not enough!" "Touch me and you'll make the Shogunate the Emperor's enemy" "Udono, let me kill him!" "As yet a ronin, this won't involve the Shogunate" "You think so, Udono?" "I'll accept the challenge" "We're still ronin  not Shogunate hirelings yet!" "You just said so yourself!" "Yes, I did" "But Udono was impatient" "In his haste, he told the ronin about their employment" "Since you told them, they're no longer free men" "Anyone who attacks me would do so in the name of the Shogun" "Get to your feet!" "Shut up!" "I'm not dealing with pigs like you" "Serizawa, wait" "Until 6:.30" "We'll get the employment letter" "Then I'll tear apart your scheme myself" "Open up!" "Open up!" "Must I repeat myself?" "Any petition for the ronin troop must follow procedure" "You can't seek an interview like that!" " Please, this once!" " We beg you!" "No." "Go away" " You reject our appeal?" " Go away" "I'm telling you, go away!" "You're going to stain the Royal Gate with your blood?" "Master!" "The Emperor's Order!" "My fingers" "The Order!" "Don't you see the Emperor's Order?" "Bow your head!" "Listen: "Foreign invaders are rampant of late..." ""... endangering our national safety" ""His Majesty is anxious to remedy this chaos..." ""... in order to maintain the sacred tradition of our country" ""You shall exert yourselves to the utmost..." ""... to relieve His Majesty of his worries..." ""... to save his nation from harm..." ""... to stop the foreign invasion power..." ""... and protect the Divine Land, His Majesty graciously wishes"" "Kiyokawa!" "Master!" "Congratulations!" "Here comes the Grand Mistress!" " What do you want?" " To say goodbye" "Kiyokawa, I can't trust you!" "We resign from the ronin group, and go our way" "They can leave" "If they wish" "Do as you please" " But, Master..." " I don't care" "A man should live any way he wants." "What else is there?" "Who was with Serizawa then?" "Kondo Isami and Hijikata Toshizo" "They looked strong" "By the Emperor's Order we're leaving for Edo tomorrow" "We'll raid Yokohama and show the foreign invaders what we can do!" "Very well" "I'm planning to form the Kiyokawa Shogunate" "Kiyokawa Shogunate?" "Yes, that's right" "A samurai called lshizaka Shuzo just came  and asked to give you this" "What's he doing?" "Let him in" "But he left in a hurry after giving it to me" "He left?" "Which way?" "He was dressed for a trip" ""Forgive my selfishness, I can't understand you anymore"" "He's crazy!" "I'll stop him now" "Don't" "What happened?" "What does it say?" "It's not clear" " Let me..." " Don't bother" "Bring me an ink slab" "Well?" "How do you like this?" "Let me read it" "Quiet!" "Listen to our leader's poem" ""Leading the van I'll be, till I die in glee," ""So straight is the path to the lmperial plea"" "This is the dawn of our era!" "Yes, our era!" "Leading the van I'll be," "Till I die in glee," "So straight is the path  to the lmperial plea" "EDO" " Who's that?" " The ronin troop!" "We need funds." "Hand your money over!" "Come on." "Give me your money, now!" "Robbery after robbery by impostors" "People will start blaming us" "Besides, we hear nothing from Kyoto" "If such a rumour reached them, they might order us to disband" "What would become of these 400 youths who idolize you?" "Master, are you listening?" "Yes, I'm listening" "You ought to know who's controlling these criminals" "Why don't you put up a fight?" "The Magistrate's men will catch them soon" "They're going to catch their own men?" "Listen, our men are anxious to find these impostors" "Give them your permission" "He wouldn't tell me who hired him" "Very close-mouthed" "Master, I've drawn this honorable job" "I'll cut off their heads with a single stroke" "I'll do that job, please" "I'll do it" "Master, will personally behead them!" "Yes?" "To France shortly, sir?" "It's not for months yet" "I'm anxious to see those Parisienne girls" "And is this uniform for the journey?" "It was a present for sending them silks" "By the way, you've finished him?" "Not yet" "How come?" "It won't be long" "I'd hate to see him again" "So would I, sir" "Who'll do it?" "Interested, sir?" "Ex-professor Sasaki of the Academy has volunteered, sir" "He's still a ronin, even if he did obtain an lmperial Order" "I hope his death will not involve us, my lord" "And, when?" "It's already begun, sir" "Already?" "Sasaki" "I heard you resigned." "Why?" "Sorry." "Excuse me" "Trying to kill Kiyokawa?" "Whose order?" "Matsudaira?" "Higher up?" " Want to stop me?" " I would" "I'd kill anyone who helps a rebel" "You'd kill him for the Shogunate?" "That's not you" "Kiyokawa is a rare genius." "Let him be" "It's an order" "Order?" "We only take orders from high up" "It is" "But can you kill Kiyokawa?" "I will" "How?" "Welcome to The Peony Room" "You've been once before." "Come along" "Please come in" "Your sword" " Oren!" "I'm not Oren, I'm Okei" "No, don't do that..." "Aren't you Master Kiyokawa?" "Kiyokawa, sir..." "It's me, Sasaki Tadasaburo" "It's you" "Good evening." "You look well" "April 13, 3rd year of Bunkyu" "Kiyokawa Hachiro - 34 years of age" "The smell of sake rose thick from the ground" "THE END"