Original subtitles

GENJI YEAR 1 (1864)

The shogunate is just a rotting carcass at this point.

Now is the time for us samurai to rise up!

Keep it down. Someone might hear you!

Who goes there?!

Hey! What do you think you're doing?!

I brandished my blade

and yet you chose to flap your gums.

You're tainted.

Damn yo-!

Tainted to the bone.

What is it, Nomari?

I thought you were joking

when you came in here with Nomari-chan

and said she was your daughter,

but you're like a seasoned dad now.

Hey, pal. Can I talk with ya for a minute?

Sorry for borrowing the bedroom.

Oh, no! That's not a problem at all.

How can I put this?

There's a visitor here to see you...

Okay. I'm coming.

Ah, Jinya-dono!

My apologies for the abrupt visit.

Hatakeyama-dono.

It's been some time.

I'm glad to see you're in good health.

Oh my. Is that baby yours, Jinya-dono?

Why are you here?

Men of your standing don't visit

podunk soba shops like this.

There's only one reason

to call upon the famous demon hunter.

Isn't it obvious?

There is a demon I need you to slay.

The demon's name is Kiichi Okada.

Until recently, he has served in my employ

to help rid our country of the barbarians.

He's the most skilled warrior

among my ranks by far.

But we've had a bit of a problem, you see.

And what's that?

Regretfully,

Kiichi developed a bad habit of attacking

people aside from our adversaries.

He's killed several of our

samurai comrades in arms

and even women and children.

He's nothing more than a murderer now.

It's gotten to the point

I cannot ignore it.

But I doubt he can be reasoned with,

nor do I have any warriors skilled

enough to take him down.

That's where you came to mind.

I'm not here to ask you

to wield your blade on my behalf.

I merely wish for you to stop him

and prevent any more casualties.

Would you be willing to help me out,

just this one time?

I don't understand.

Kiichi's objective, you mean?

Your objective, actually.

You have that Tsuchiura fellow.

Why not just order a demon already

under your command to take care of him?

Because he and Kiichi are comrades.

I cannot ask him to put an end

to one of his own.

What do you say?

Will you take on this task for me?

I want to be clear on one thing.

You're sure this murderer is a demon?

Yes.

He is a lesser demon

without any special power.

However, his skill

with a blade is so great

that he can rival even

superior demons in battle.

Dealing with him will prove tricky.

You can't decide right away, I suppose.

Then, how about this?

I shall make it so Kiichi visits

the Edobashi bridge tomorrow night.

If you decide to accept the job,

then simply go there.

Otherwise, you're free to refuse

and ignore the situation entirely.

Well, I'll be going now.

Yasuhide Hatakeyama.

What is going through your mind?

That's simple. The fate of this country.

And all the samurai who live in it.

Look, Tsuchiura.

Isn't this katana just superb?

Yes, I suppose...

Kadono, was it?

It lives up to its reputation as the home

of Japan's most distinguished blacksmiths.

Their blades are truly something else.

You have an eye for quality,

Hatakeyama-dono.

Swords from Kadono are pure and untainted.

"Masterpiece" is truly

the only word to describe them.

Kiichi. So, you've returned.

I did as you ordered.

Those "skilled" samurai

plotting against the shogunate?

They were hardly worth

the effort of killing.

Yet I get the impression

you greatly enjoyed yourself.

I'm a killer to the core.

It only makes sense for me

to indulge in all forms of slaughter.

Did you kill more people

other than your targets?

You scumbag!

Why, Tsuchiura?

You got a problem with me?

Of course!

Your indulgence in such senseless violence

will only bring trouble for Lord Yasuhide!

You're as tainted as ever, I see.

I'm sure Hatakeyama-dono

is more than happy to accept

whatever trouble that comes his way.

Now then, Kiichi.

I have a task for you.

There is man who I'd like you to slay.

All right.

Who is it this time,

some ronin from Choshu?

No.

Someone who you will find

a worthy opponent.

Perhaps you've heard of him?

The fierce warrior in Edo

known as the demon hunter.

Oh?

Thanks as always.

Think nothing of it.

We both know you can't go around hunting

demons with Nomari-chan on your back.

Chef?

Dad?

Hey, Dad!

O-oh, sorry about that.

I was just zoning out.

Perhaps you should take a break.

Can't making a living

if I don't keep working!

But...

Aw, don't fuss.

I'll close the shop a little early today.

Sound good?

I'll leave my payment here.

Can you wait a minute, Jinya-kun?

Do you mind, Dad?

Nope. Go ahead.

Will you go out with me for a bit?

Oh! How about this?

Uh, I'm not sure.

I don't even know what I would use it for.

I thought it might work

as a bowl for Nomari-chan.

You know, since the ones

at our shop are too big.

With a bowl like this handy,

we can serve Nomari-chan

small helpings of soba.

I figure she'll need one eventually.

Am I being a bother?

Far from it.

I'm not smart enough

to think that far ahead.

Sorry to burden you.

Not at all.

We need to look after

our precious regulars, after all!

Okay, I'll go buy this.

Wait, let me pay...

Thank you.

Good for you, huh?

I haven't been by here in a long time.

How about that.

The snow willow season is already here.

Yep.

The flowers are as beautiful as ever.

Are you sure you shouldn't have stayed

to watch after your dad?

It's all right. He's not sick or anything.

Besides, I'm more concerned

about you right now.

Sorry.

I overheard your conversation.

You're hesitant to take on

that job tonight, aren't you?

Yasuhide Hatakeyama's explanation of the

situation doesn't really make sense to me.

If one of his men has gone off the rails,

then it's best to keep that under wraps

and deal with it among his inner circle.

He must be plotting something.

So, what are you going to do?

Well, it's not really a question.

I can't just let a deranged killer

run loose on the streets.

That said...

I must admit I'm at a loss.

No matter what he's plotting,

it has no bearing on my goals.

However, my gut reaction to hearing about

this killer was that I had to go stop him.

I'm unsure of myself

for thinking that way.

Maybe... I've gotten weak.

What's so funny?

Well, I don't think

anything that I say now

will come off as

a satisfying answer to you.

But please keep this "weakness"

you have in mind, okay?

Because I'm pretty sure that a day

will come when you actually hold it dear.

I should get going.

Watch her for me.

Safe travels.

Yeah. See you later.

You must be Kiichi Okada-dono.

Indeed. And you are?

A ronin who lives in Fukugawa.

My name is Jinya.

I have made my way here

to cross blades with you in battle.

Oh really? I'm honored you'd bother.

Heh! You're pretty good!

Although, I can tell you're tainted.

I see. You are quite tough.

Your physical abilities

far surpass that of my own.

He's deadly.

In a pure battle of skill, I would only

have a one-in-five chance of winning...

no, one-in-ten!

Yet, you are tainted.

So be it.

I'll just have to resort to other tactics.

Excessive force.

Superfluous moves.

Wavering conviction.

Tainted through and through.

You're far too inefficient.

Both in mind and body.

For what purpose do you kill?

When I heard about your string of murders,

I imagined Kiichi Okada

to be a sadistic man of violence.

Yet your swordsmanship reflects integrity.

That's not something easily obtained,

as it takes years of tedious training

that most men would tire of.

How does one so sincerely devoted

to the way of the blade

become enthralled with death?!

That's silly. I turn the question to you.

Why avoid killing?

Katana are tools of death.

Thus I fail to understand

the point of your question.

To make truly solid steel, one must first

remove all the impurities from it.

To make truly delicious sake, one must

use water clean enough to see through.

And we are no different.

Any excess creates impurity.

Therefore, it must all be scraped away.

Don't you agree?

Or will you stand there

and call me a "scumbag" too?

No, I have the blood of many demons

on my hands who I consumed

to make their power my own.

Because I believed growing stronger

would allow me to swing my blade

with total conviction.

Then tell me,

why is your blade so tainted?

I live to fulfill my goal

and nothing more.

Or so I thought.

Actually, that's still the mindset

I want to strive for in the future.

Except...

I find myself dealing with extra baggage.

Even now, I'm deviating

from my intended path.

And fighting on behalf

of what you describe as "excess."

So what's your story,

you just took up the blade for no reason?

I was born to a samurai family.

Hence I was raised to wield the blade.

But the only way

to wield it is by killing.

Many people met their ends at my hands

until I finally realized.

Whilst one must live as a samurai

to be permitted a blade,

adhering to the bushido code

is actually the biggest obstacle

to cutting people down.

Loyalty, honor,

faith, respect, morality...

Those who attach such folly

to their blade are tainted.

Therefore, I disposed

of the warrior within me.

I cut off my mentors,

cut off my family, cut off my friends...

and so much more

that I can't even remember!

Apparently, those who go to

such extremes are no longer "human."

I'd turned into a demon

without even knowing it.

So, your pursuit of enlightenment

led you to demonic depths.

Why do I kill?

That's what you wanted to know, right?

Here is my answer.

I cast aside my humanity

to become a demon

and now kill in a quest

for supreme swordsmanship.

I have lived by the sword.

Thus my life only has meaning by killing

until my very soul has become steel.

I see.

Is question time over now?

Yes.

Let me be frank.

Your way of life is radiant to my eyes.

I would even consider myself envious.

So, let us continue.

Oh? You won't flee?

Naturally.

After hearing your story, I've made up

my mind to cut you down at any cost.

The ring of your tone is rather pristine.

You've sparked my interest.

Impressive!

I rarely come across such prowess.

Where are you... going?

You've won. Why not kill me?

Duels between samurai only end

when one claims the life of the other.

We both still live.

There can be no winner or loser here.

Still...

you managed to cut me.

Despite being steeped in excess that

taints you, your swordsmanship is sharp.

I greatly enjoyed fighting against

such a contradictory warrior.

Let us duke it out again someday.

And when that time comes,

I look forward to seeing the answer

that your tainted blade will offer me.

How about that?

I really can hold my own.

HEISEI YEAR 21 (2009)

AYE-AYE MART

Hey, boss! Reporting for duty!

Ah, Miyaka-kun.

You're here early.

I rushed over from school.

Well, please get to stocking.

Roger!

Welcome to Ay-

Miyaka-chan!

Hope you're ready for some fun!

We came to bother you.

Oh, quit it! You're embarrassing me.

Jeez, you two are really buddy-buddy, huh?

Well, yeah.

We go back a long time, ya know!

Really?

Fresh

Vegetables

Yeah. More than a hundred years, actually!

Huh?

That wasn't even close to funny, Kaoru.

Aww, but I wasn't joking!

KIRABOSHI SAKE

Welcome in, sir.

It's still weird.

Hearing polite words out that mouth.

You're ever the snarky one.

Then let me adjust my attitude.

Sounds good.

I would prefer that, honestly.

It's not very smart to buy booze while

parading as a student, if you ask me.

Don't give me that.

This is the only place I can get any.

This actor has been

all over the place lately.

Oh, yeah, I love him!

Must be fun for you.

He's great!

Must be fun for you.

Really?

Living it up as a high schooler.

But I thought you liked that other one.

Living it up as a high schooler.

Well, yeah, I have a bunch of favorites.

Right back at you.

Well, yeah, I have a bunch of favorites.

Right back at you.

Like this guy!

You seem very at home as a store manager.

Like this guy!

You seem very at home as a store manager.

I only took up the job to make a living,

but it has its moments.

I consider it rather fun.

Yet still excessive.

Some things I can't change,

no matter how much time passes.

And what about you?

Have you found any meaning

in that tainted blade of yours?

Hold up, I've never

You've always been my ideal.

seen an outfit this cute before!

You've always been my ideal.

Hm? Let me see.

Then and now.

Whoa, you're right!

Then and now.

Told you!

Cutting everything off

and devoting yourself to a single notion.

That way of living seemed so pure,

I couldn't help but admire you.

However, I've lived

for quite some time now.

I lost many things along the way,

but a small part of them

always stayed with me.

That extra baggage throws me off

each time I've had to shoulder it,

so it makes sense I seem tainted to you.

But no matter how excessive it was,

none of it was meaningless.

I still believe that even now.

Asagao! We should get going soon.

Huh?

Oh, you're right.

Bye bye, Miyaka-chan.

Good luck with work!

Later.

Oh, that's right.

Later.

Oh, that's right.

I forgot to mention...

my tainted blade certainly does

have a dull edge.

But thankfully, that also means

it doesn't cut through everything.

And that's my answer.

It doesn't get

any more contradictory than that.

Uh, boss?