Original subtitles

Toho Company, Ltd.

Katsu Productions present

Lone Wolf and Cub

Baby Cart in the Land Of Demons

Produced by Tomisaburo Wakayama & Masanori Sanada

Original story by Kazuo Koike & Goseki Kojima

Director of photography Fujio Morita

Music by Hideaki Sakurai

Fight choreography by Eiichi Kusumoto

Starring:

Tomisaburo Wakayama as Itto Ogami

Michiyo Yasuda as Lady Shiranui Akihiro Tomikawa as the Child

Shingo Yamashiro as Lord Kuroda Tomomi Sato as Oyo

Eiji Okada as Wakita

Minoru Oki as Lord Retsudo

Directed by Kenji Misumi

Excuse me...

The drawing of the Beasts of Hell on your veil...

Are you in search of the Lone Wolf and Cub?

Would that be you?

That's what they call me.

You are indeed the Lone Wolf and Cub,

the former Official Shogunate Executioner, Lord Itto Ogami.

I have 100 gold pieces for you.

I am told that you require 500 pieces for each assignment you accept.

This is one fifth.

Please accept it.

Were you testing my ability to perform the task?

Sixteen of my fellow clansmen have been dispatched to find you,

each displaying a drawing of the Beasts of Hell.

We have travelled throughout the country,

on all the major thoroughfares across land, river and sea.

I am of the House of Kuroda in Chikuzen.

My name is Ukon Ayabe.

In order to accept the task,

I must know all the details and circumstances.

I am aware of that.

Five of us, of which I am but the first, intend to test your abilities.

Each one that you defeat will give you 100 gold pieces

as well as additional details about the job.

This...will be the sign.

I beseech you...

Like Ukon Ayabe,

I am a chamberlain of the Kuroda clan, Kazuma Izumi.

My name is Itto Ogami.

That is a message for the next emissary you shall meet.

I beseech you.

I am Shusuke Mogami of the Kuroda clan.

I am no master swordsman, but please allow me to test your abilities.

My name is Itto Ogami.

If you should defeat me,

take the 100 gold pieces.

Though it may be cumbersome, please wear the rosary and proceed.

It shall be so.

The Lord of the Kuroda clan in Chikuzen,

a fief worth 520,000 bushels of rice,

is but a five-year-old princess.

The Shogunate was deceived and told that she was our clan's First Son.

Because of her age, her debut before the Shogun...

...was deferred until her coming-of-age ceremony!

The previous lord, Naritaka Kuroda,

abdicated in favour of his ''son''.

If the Shogunate ever find out the truth...

...our clan would surely fall.

Please...

...save our clan from this predicament.

The princess!

The princess!

Are you the third man?

My name is Hachiro Mawatari, of the Kuroda clan.

The 100 gold pieces are in my pouch. Defeat me and they're yours.

Very well.

There's still time before I die.

I'll tell you the details of our assassination request.

I shall talk until my last breath.

Lord Kuroda has treated his concubine Otae like no other.

Their child is a princess called Hamachiyo.

They're raising Hamachiyo as the First Son, ''Prince Matsumaru''.

But the real Prince Matsumaru, the child of his true wife...

has been imprisoned, despite being the lord's child!

Lord Kuroda put the details of this matter

in writing, in a secret document.

This document was entrusted by Lord Kuroda personally

into the care of Abbot Jikei.

Abbot Jikei is the High Priest of Sofuku Temphe

where the ancestors of the Kuroda famihy are buried!

The Abbot is not only highhy revered by Lord Kuroda,

but our chalsmen respect him as a living Buddha!

Indeed, even the Shogunate speaks highly of him!

He is everything a Buddhist priest ought to be.

However, the secret document is about to be delivered to the Shogunate.

This is the darkest hour for the Kuroda clan.

So I beg you.

Please recover the document.

The document!

A moment, please.

There's a suspicious ronin just ahead by the pond.

Supposedly, he's waiting for a ronin with a child.

If it's you that he wants, please let me assist you.

Do not concern yourself.

My name is Yamon Kikuchi of the Kuroda clan.

Sir...

...if you're the Shogunate's former Official Executioner, Itto Ogami,

then you're the master of the Sui-O style.

I would like to see your technique, the wave-slashing stroke.

I want to see it with my own eyes.

The document is in the hands of Abbot Jikei.

In order to celebrate the completion of Zuisan Temple in Kamakura,

Jikei has left his home province

However, his actions have aroused the suspicions

of another priest at Sofuku Temple!

You see, Abbot Jikei had already notified those in Kamakura

that he wouldn't be attending the ceremony.

Yet as soon as he was entrusted with the secret document,

he changed his mind and headed straight off to Kamakura.

In an attempt to unravel this mystery,

the other priest checked the document,

knowing that the penalty for being wrong would be seppuku!

Next, with Head Chamberlain Wakita's help,

we risked our lives to discover that Abbot Jikei is in fact a leader...

...of a network of ninja spies

in the Saikaido region,

and, moreover, that they're affiliated with the Yagyu clan.

We're afraid that the document will be handed over...

...to the Yagyu leader...Retsudo.

I thought I asked you not to concern yourself.

It's all right, I'm just a traveller.

Besides, I was worried.

My name is Kanbei of the Sazare-Ishi.

That ronin was after your life, just as I suspected.

I was watching you.

You're highly skilled, sir, but you must be exhausted.

How about some tea?

It's hot.

I invented this, you see.

It's a bamboo bottle inside a bigger one, separated by clay.

So you can have hot tea any time you're on the road.

And you can avoid getting sick from drinking dirty water. Please...

It really is hot today.

Thank you.

What a shame, Itto Ogami. You are not without weaknesses.

Now that you've drunk the azalea and wolfsbane poison,

nothing can save you.

We decided to use every method in order to test you properly.

Please forgive me.

I, Kanbei Sazare, of the Kuroda clan in Chikuzen,

will now administer the coup de grace

Please slay Abbot Jikei and obtain the document.

The document is in the Abbot's scroll container.

Nobody but the Abbot...

Nobody but the Abbot may lay a hand on it.

Lord Ogami, I beg of you,

Head Chamberlain Wakita and the vassals of the Kuroda clan...

...have staked our lives for the future of the clan.

I beseech you.

I beseech you!

FESTIVAL

He longed to meet his father so much

What you see here is an heirloom sword

-And? -As if to prove what I say...

Welcome!

I wonder if his prayer's been answered

-From a mountain far away... -Let's see!

-...comes a being in a black robe -What's up?

-With flowers in one hand... -All right!

...they cross a bridge to the village

To visit strangers' tombstones

All right! All right!

Here's the story of a child,

the child to whom the parents' sins are passed down.

Come on in! Come on in!

Take over, Miss Hana!

Yes, sir!

Now Miss Hana will sing for you!

You can pay after you watch. Adults, 18 mon! Kids,9 mon!

Minnows!

Goldfish!

And turtles!

Watermelons! Watermelons! They're so sweet! Buy some!

Just look at the colour!

I have come to take your life.

It is impossible to destroy a void.

For I am one whose subjectivity and objectivity have integrated,

renouncing the self to become one with the void.

From all points of view,I have become inseparable from the universe

and as such cannot be destroyed.

Meeting a Buddha, you kill him,

meeting someone's parents, you kill them.

So you too have become one with the void, yet only as an assassin.

But if you are able to strike me down,

then your assassin's enlightenment will not be a true one.

Come on in! Come on in!

Come and buy them!

Welcome!

Oh, I'm so sorry!

My fault! l'm sorry! l'm really sorry!

Sorry.

There. l do hope you're not hurt.

We've got plenty, we can take it easy for a while.

What? If this is all we settle for, it wasn't worth coming here.

You're right, sis. You're not called ''Quick-Change Oyo'' for nothing.

Hokuro, shield me.

So you're Senzo Shinnoji the talented investigator from Edo?

-I've heard about you. -Pleased to meet you, sir.

Actually, sir, I was on my way to see you.

I see.

So you've come from Edo to find ''Quick-Change Oyo'' the pickpocket

and Tomekichi her accomplice?

Yes, sir. I believe you received a bulletin from my office.

Absolutely.

They're planning on raking in money during the festival.

Oyo can change her disguise in an instant,

from city girl to whore, from priest to beggar.

She changes so fast that nobody knows what she really looks like.

-I'm so sorry. -Not at all.

-Ow! -I'm so sorry.

-I'm sorry. -My fault.

That woman. Pickpocket!

Pickpocket! Pickpocket!

We're done for!

That's Senzo Shinnoji.

There's a good boy. Would you keep hold of this for me?

Promise not to tell anybody?

That's my wallet.

-You little brat! -Wait!

Listen, son, what sort of lady asked you to keep that?

Can you tell me?

I know you're a good boy.

So, can you tell me which way she went?

If you can, I'll buy you a sweet or a whistle or whatever you want.

Usually, children cooperate if shown the truncheon and offered a reward.

-But this child... -This one's suspicious.

He could even be related to Oyo.

Hey, tie the kid up.

Senzo.

He's only a child, there's no need to tie him up.

Yes, sir. But there's a possibility that he's one of the gang.

I've come all the way from Edo to find Oyo,

so if l don't catch her today, I'll be unworthy to carry the truncheon.

I'd be grateful if you'd allow me to follow my intuition.

What are they doing?

-What's going on? -Just look at that!

What are they doing to such a small child?

-Poor thing. -What did he do?

Really, there must be some mistake.

How dare they put a rope around a little child?

What good is arresting a child?

You can't tie someone up without evidence of a crime.

Well, all will be settled as soon as the real culprit comes forward.

So to ensure that happens, I will flog the boy.

-What? -Honestly, I don't want to do it.

But if the culprit gets away, there'll be more victims.

I have to catch Oyo, whatever the cost.

I'm sorry.

We've arrested this child,

because Quick-Change Oyo asked him to hold stolen property.

We shall not show mercy because he's young.

As such, according to Article 79 of the law, he'll be flogged.

No! That's cruel!

However, if Oyo comes forward, he'll be forgiven.

Unfair! How dare you exploit a child like that?

-Call yourself an officer? -Silence!

Oyo, why don't you come forward? I believe you have a heart.

Oyo, I know you are somewhere in this crowd.

Reveal yourself if you don't want this child to be beaten.

I believe we're all born into this world as good people.

Nobody is born an evil person.

So I don't hate people. But I do hate the crimes they commit.

Do you hear me, Oyo?

If you don't save this child, then I will despise you!

You'll be the first person to earn my hatred.

And I will hound you to the ends of the world.

I can't watch!

He shows no fear.

He shows no reaction whatsoever.

Poor thing!

He's such a strong-willed lad.

-Proceed. -Please go ahead.

-Sister! -Please stop!

I'm Quick-Change Oyo.

Please spare the child.

How wonderful that you finally came forward, Oyo.

Because you've been honest, justice will be tempered with mercy.

Sir, that child has nothing to do with me.

I don't even know who he is.

But, yes, I handed him the wallet that I'd stolen.

Son, is that the lady who handed you the wallet?

Is that her?

No.

What?

No.

My child...why?

No.

Sonny, if you lie to me, you'll be flogged. It's her, isn't it?

No!

My child.

It's fine. You can tell them that I gave you the wallet.

No.

Why are you covering for me?

Tell them the truth!

No!

Say, are you really Quick-Change Oyo?

Yes, sir, in all honesty.

I don't understand.

I don't think he's lying either.

As you can see.

I am Quick-Change Oyo.

That's remarkable.

But Oyo isn't the only female pickpocket around.

Perhaps there's more than meets the eye here.

lf that's the case, we'll make him confess!

Sir!

-Son, I'll ask you once again. -No!

Why, my child?

Sir!

I am Oyo, known as Quick-Change!

Silence!

Child, I beg you! Please tell them the truth!

Please stop, I beg of you!

Why are you doing this... just to cover up for me?

No!

Child!

Oyo...

...what did you say to him when you gave him the wallet?

I think that he's keeping a promise to you.

I told him to keep it for me,

not to tell anyone and that it was a promise.

A promise not to tell anyone, eh?

He must be trying to keep that promise, whatever the cost.

Nothing else makes sense. Oyo...

I believe that you really are Quick-Change Oyo.

Still, seeing that nobody's come forward to claim him,

he must be the child of vagrants.

Or perhaps there's another reason...

Son, I will never again steal from people.

Thank you!

It's all right now, son.

Go.

Pa.

Geese, geese, fly overhead

Big geese go first

Little geese behind them

Fly like friends...

I am Shiranui, the governess of Lord Matsumaru of the Kuroda clan.

I have already met the five emissaries of the Kuroda clan.

-I know that. -Then we have nothing to discuss.

Why are you so persistent?

Tell me the reason why you are going to such lengths.

Once you have slain Abbot Jikei and obtained the document,

I'd like you, Lord Ogami, to deliver it personally

to the lord of the Kuroda clan.

-Can I depend on you? -I must refuse.

For me, there is only the assassination.

The aftermath is not my concern.

Here are 500 gold pieces, sir.

In addition to Abbot Jikei, there are others I want you to kill.

I'm listening.

But leave out no details.

I'd like you to slay...

...a five-year-old child...

...as well as the child's father and mother.

I know you're the father of a motherless child.

Lord Ogami...

...can I ask you to kill these three, the child and the parents?

As father and child,

we have chosen to live in a world of blood-shedding.

We're not afraid to face any danger, known or unknown.

We live at the crossroads to hell.

To us, these three...

...they're our masters.

From here onwards, the Shadow Yagyu clan shall guide you.

Lord Retsudo says that he will be waiting for you across the river.

Daigoro...

We are entering the crossroads to hell.

For you, who walks the path of death, is this a virtuous act?

Is this a virtuous way to achieve enlightenment?

Pa.

Damn you, Itto Ogami?

Kill him!

Lord Ogami, let us deal with this! Please proceed.

The Kuroda masked clansmen!

Lord Ogami, I will get the document.

Please hurry to the Kuroda fief.

I shall not fail to deliver the document to you.

Give this...to Lord Retsudo.

-That will be all, gentlemen. -Yes, sir.

Damn you, Itto Ogami!

The Kuroda document is in your hands.

We are vassals of Lord Yagyu! Make way!

You are an enemy of the Yagyu...

...and you have sided with the Kuroda clan, Itto Ogami!

We cannot let you live!

We shall follow you to the ends of the earth and slay you!

It is I, Shiranui.

I followed the Kurokuwa spies to Lord Retsudo's manor.

Lord Ogami,

I must commend your clever strategy, a brilliant manoeuvre.

Pertaining to that, I have yet one more request to make of you.

Would you be willing to listen, without asking for details?

As to this request, my superior, Chamberlain Wakita would understand

that it is made to preserve our clan.

I firmly believe this to be so.

Lord Ogami, I beseech you.

We are listening.

In that case,

please take out the document that you have obtained.

Please open it.

Lord Ogami,

please take it like this directly to the lord of the Kuroda.

Lord lIto Ogami, former Shogunate Executioner, hear this!

We Kuroda clansmen commend you

for your excellent work at the river.

With regard to the document you've obtained from Abbot Jikei,

I request that you entrust it to us.

I must refuse.

What?

I have heard

that the Kuroda masked clansmen are feared as the best lancers

in the entire Saikaido region.

It is said that you wear masks

so no one may see fear on the faces of your dead.

As such, you always enter battle wearing masks.

That is the Kuroda way.

And so I say to you, the Kuroda masked clansmen...

...I possess the document

that young Kuroda clansmen have given their lives to retrieve.

To honour their sacrifice, I'd like to visit the Kuroda fief

to deliver the document in person to Lord Matsumaru.

Very well.

In that case, we shall escort you, Lord Ogami, to the Kuroda fief.

Lord Ogami, we'll deal with this! Proceed to the Kuroda fief at once!

Damn you, Itto!

You've entered the Kuroda fief!

I am the so-called Lone Wolf and Cub, Itto Ogami.

This is my son Daigoro.

I have brought with me the secret document as requested.

Please accept it.

Lord Ogami...

...don't you consider it rude to bring your sword here?

I apologise.

This sword is called a ''Dotanuki''. It is a battle sword.

As you can see, I have sealed it with my own hair.

That is the reason I was allowed to retain it.

Are you saying that you're following the procedures of surrender?

Correct.

Why, then, did you refuse to give the document to Saemon,

the leader of the masked clansmen?

It is because I seek to hand it over to the lord of this clan directly.

Where is the lord of the Kuroda clan, Lord Matsumaru?

Such impertinence, when Lord Matsumaru is here before you!

Because in front of me is Hamachiyo.

Guards!

Explain yourself, Lord Ogami!

Why are you showing a readiness to attack?

The Kuroda line descends from Emperor Uda and the warriors of Omi.

Nyosui Kuroda, your greatest ancestor, conquered the Saikaido.

His son, Lord Kanbei, was justly acclaimed to be a great warrior.

People say, people honour, people fear,

that the Saikaido and Kuroda go hand in hand.

Your fief is home to many schools of swordsmanship.

The Kuroda honour Bushido and are known to shun trickery.

Thus does the Kuroda clan survive with great honour.

But it is said that your lord became obsessed with the concubine Otae,

and they put the impostor Hamachiyo in Matsumaru's place.

And that the real Matsumaru, whom the lord's wife gave birth to,

is imprisoned, despite being the lord's own child.

It is an inhuman act!

-Well? -Silence, Itto Ogami!

Try moving an inch,

and we'll kill you to preserve the honour of the masked clansmen!

I am Naritaka, the former lord of the clan and Matsumaru's father.

I will accept the document. Give it to me.

Very well.

What's this?

Kill him.

Slay him!

The lord will be in his chambers.

I am Commander of the Guard, Kazuma lzumi. Prepare yourself.

As one warrior to another,

I beg you not to unmask me.

We have sacrificed our lives for our clan.

Please...

...restore order to this House. Give it back what we once had.

I believe...that only you can do it.

Now...please release me.

It shall be so.

Lord!

No! I am innocent!

I won't commit seppuku!

Lord, you must commit seppuku. Please, I beseech you!

Be gone! Be gone! Go away! Go...

Lord, it is for the sake of the clan!

-I beg you! Take the sword! -You betrayed me, Wakita!

Lord! Please!

Kill him! Kill him!

Lord! Please commit seppuku!

Kill this ruffian!

-Please commit seppuku! -Kill him!

-Lord! Lord! -Kill him!

-Please commit seppuku! -Kill him!

Lord of the Kuroda, he was. And an honourable one.

He respectfully committed seppuku in order to leave this world.

I hope our honoured ancestors are watching us,

for the world shall witness the prosperity of our clan.

Lady Shiranui...

You've chosen to take your own life.

Lord Ogami...

...I am obligated to follow my lord wherever he may go...

...I shall now join him in the netherworld.

The End