Original subtitles

Do you really have to go?

Don't worry, Kakutaro. Your father is a strong man.

What did you wish for, Kakutaro?

I think Father should be the first to say.

I am a samurai...

so I don't need to rely on the gods.

That's for sure!

I'm a samurai, too...

so I don't need to rely on the gods, either.

Well, it's all right for women to make wishes...

so I did.

I prayed for your father's safety.

How about you, Hinaginu?

Yes, I prayed for Father's safety, too...

and I also prayed that we could be this happy...

forever and ever...

until the end of time.

Don't worry, Hinaginu.

We'll protect you.

And you can be sure...

I'll always be here to take care of you.

You know, Hinaginu...

Father's a brave man, isn't he?

When I grow up...

I'm going to be a brave samurai like he is.

Well, is this Ikkaku Akaiwa guy really that strong?

Oh, yes, you'd better believe it.

He's the best swordsman in Shimotsuke, I'll tell you.

So, you think he's even better than me?

Boy, what a sunset!

I wouldn't go up there today, if I were you.

They say that there's a demon cat...

that lives on Koshin Mountain.

A demon cat?

That was Mr. Ikkaku Akaiwa!

You say he's tougher than me?

Poor guy.

I guess it's a samurai's nature...

to have to overestimate his own prowess.

Just like that other guy. Oh, poor guy.

Look, if you've got something to say,just say it!

Well, actually, it was like this.

That's stupid! The curse of the demon cat!

As if a woman could get pregnant by the curse.

But it's strange that...

this Ikkaku guy changed all of a sudden.

Used to be a respected warrior in this town...

and now he's like some wandering bully.

Pretty horrible, if you ask me...

a guy would kill his own wife like that.

Maybe it's a curse?

Nah, can't be.

Everything was just fine...

until those two innocent kids grew into adulthood.

But then after they decided to get married...

Master Ikkaku's second wife, some woman named Funamushi...

started to feed him all kinds of strange talk.

Somehow she managed to talk him into putting an end...

to their relationship.

And to top it off...

people say the big reason for the split was...

that Hinaginu had become pregnant by committing adultery.

And that is why everyone talks about there being a curse.

You know, Miss Hinaginu is a fine, upstanding lady...

with a real sense of proper etiquette...

that is rare these days.

She's definitely not the type who would ever commit adultery.

Did I just see a ghost?

I think I'd better rest awhile and wait until daybreak.

Monster, hmph!

I thought it was the mountain moving before...

and it was just these guys.

But what are they all doing here like this?

Hey, Ikkaku! Is that you?

You must not go that way.

What? I'm not buying that.

This way!

O.K., whatever.

Genpachi...

please save Kakutaro.

Please save him.

Save him.

Kakutaro, Kakutaro.

I've come here again...

knowing that they might scold me.

Please open the door.

For God's sake, please listen to what I have to say!

Why will you not see me?

Surely, you can't believe...

that I would ever be unfaithful to you!

It's all too much.

Father and Mother can think whatever they want.

I don't care.

But for you to think that...

I hate this swollen belly of mine.

And I hate you, too.

You're just obeying your father...

by not speaking to me, aren't you?

Why won't you just face me one time...

and tell me to wait for a while?

No! That was a lie before! That was nonsense.

How could I ever hate you?

I just want you to believe...

that my swollen belly...

is caused by an illness, not by a child inside.

Please...please...

Hey, you! Isn't she your own wife?

Why the hell don't you at least say something to her, huh?

I don't have to account to a stranger for anything!

So you are in there after all, aren't you?

Son of a bitch!

Heartless bastard!

What the--

Idiot!

If you're going to cry about it, why'd you send her away?

This bead!

What about it?

Where did you get this?

So what?

What do you want?

Shut up!

You think I want to be associated...

with a heartless jerk like you?

If you've got a birthmark, show it to me here and now.

Your ass! Oh!

I see.

So there are others who also have beads like you and I.

But right now, my own bead is with Hinaginu.

I suppose I should say it was with her.

You mean the girl I saw?

The poor girl has had a rough time.

Ever since her parents died when she was very young...

she's bounced around between the homes of various relatives.

From the time she was just a little girl...

Hinaginu has loved the way the bead shines.

She always said that looking at it...

made her forget all the bad things.

However...

for some reason, our stepmother Funamushi wanted the bead.

Hinaginu refused to give it to her...

saying it was very dear to me.

When our stepmother tried to take it by force...

Hinaginu ended up swallowing the thing.

She just laughed about it and said it was better...

than if she'd just given it away.

Look, it's obvious to me that you still love her.

And if you still love her...

then why don't you just take her in your arms?

If only I could.

Genpachi.

I may have been disowned by my family...

but I must live apart from my wife only temporarily.

My father right now is not my real father.

I can't say any more about it.

This rain may be Miss Hinaginu's tears.

I'm starved. Let's eat something.

I'm not hungry.

Hinaginu!

Kakutaro.

You must not despise your father, Kakutaro.

Since he came down from the mountain...

he's just been a little overexcitable.

I'm sure he'll go back to being your father of old.

Soon he will... Soon he--

Mother!

Mother!

She's pregnant, you say?

There's no other way to explain it.

She's not even out of mourning for her mother, is she?

She must have gone off with some man.

That's a lie.

Then how do you explain your swollen belly?

You want us to believe...

that it's simply the result of overeating?

It's--

It'd appear that your husband can't explain it, now can he?

Please believe me, Kakutaro!

I didn't do anything.

Wait, Hinaginu! Don't go!

Wait! Wait! Hinaginu!

Hinaginu!

Hinaginu!

Kakutaro!

It can't be...

You're going to my father's dojo, you say?

Yeah. There's something that's been bothering me.

You know, I've heard that...

some women can get pregnant just by wanting it badly enough.

But I should just mind my own business, eh?

You'd better be very careful, Mr. Inukai.

My father seems to have...

some kind of evil power these days.

You're making it sound like he's some kind of monster.

This place...

does seem a bit strange.

Kind of a bloodthirsty atmosphere.

Sort of spooky, actually.

And that's Ikkaku Akaiwa, isn't it?

My name is Tota Yatto of the Akaiwa Dojo.

I'm Genpachi Inukai, a ronin from Shimousa.

Prepare yourself.

Let's go!

I think I might have hit him a little too hard.

My name is Hattaro Kittari. You fight me next.

Is this how you do things in this dojo?

Restrain yourselves!

I'll be your next partner.

Well, finally!

That's funny.

When I saw him yesterday, both his eyes were fine.

What the...

What the...

So--so you really are!

Kill him!

So if I love her, why don't I take her in my arms?

Mr. Inukai!

Things are looking pretty bad!

Come inside.

What do you want, Father?

You've got a man holed up here.

Where is he?

There must be some mistake.

Are you saying he's not here?

Yes.

That would appear to be the case.

Give me that spear.

Kakutaro...

it certainly did rain hard today, didn't it?

Master! Master!

Kakutaro...

there's something I'd like to discuss with you.

Come to my dojo tonight.

Master! Master!

Genpachi, are you all right?

He pulled the spear away...

right when the tip touched my bead.

It saved me again!

I see. That is good.

Sorry.

You have nothing to be sorry for...

nothing at all.

Well, I could never face Master Inumura...

if I were to turn you away...

in a situation like this, could I?

Mozuhei, I do cause trouble for you, don't I?

No, of course not, Miss Hinaginu.

But, please, you really mustn't act impulsively.

Impulsively...

I know how hard it's been for you.

Kakutaro!

How foolish you are, Hinaginu.

What daughter would jump at the sight of her own parent?

Come along. Why are you so tense, Kakutaro?

Well, let us start with a drink.

Do you know what kind of fish this is, Kakutaro?

It's a herring, isn't it?

Yes, and you know that herring is the symbol...

for one's mother and father.

And here we have herring roe, the offspring of the herring.

Do you not see what an auspicious occasion this is...

that we have both parents and children together, Kakutaro?

Does this mean that you no longer disown me, Father?

That is if you two will swear your absolute devotion to me...

as your father.

Thank you so much.

I, Kakutaro, do humbly swear...

my undying and eternal devotion to you.

What are you waiting for, Hinaginu?

Pour your husband some sake.

Don't be in such a hurry.

The flask isn't going to run away from you.

How did you injure your eye, Father?

That's so thoughtful of you to inquire, Kakutaro.

What? On Koshin Mountain?

The doctor says that if it is left untreated...

his life may be in danger.

What?

That is too awful.

Isn't there some kind of medicine that would help?

Yes, there is.

But unless you are absolutely true...

in swearing your devotion to me...

I'll never get my hands on it.

Please tell us what it is.

We will do anything to help, no matter how difficult.

Won't we?

No.

I think it would be too much to ask even of you two.

But what are you saying?

We wish for nothing more than our father's health.

I would even be willing to give my life.

All right, then.

The doctor said that if I ingest...

the fresh gallbladder of a fetus 4 months or older...

as well as the heart of the mother...

my eye will return to normal.

Why do you have no reply, Hinaginu?

You just said that you'd be willing...

to give your life for your father.

Or were you just idly saying whatever came into your mind...

so that you could deceive us into trusting you?

Which is it?

Bu-But, Father!

Hinaginu!

You believe in me, don't you?

Of course I do.

Father, Mother...

I want you now to see for yourself...

whether or not there is a baby in my belly!

No!

Hinaginu!

Oh, no!

Hinaginu! Hinaginu!

My bead!

What's going on?

Kakutaro, get rid of that bead!

Bastard!

I said to get rid of that bead!

What are you doing, Mr. Inukai?

Don't you understand?

Your father isn't human anymore.

He is a monster!

Kakutaro, do you intend to murder your own father?

Shut up!

You monster!

You idiots! Can't you see what's right in front of you?

What are you all waiting for?

Seize him right this instant!

Do you all think you can kill me?

Kakutaro, can you kill your own father?

Kill me!

It's that voice!

- Father! - What?

This thing before you is not your father!

Kakutaro, you must kill me!

You must!

Father!

Father!

You could get to me...

before my heart turned completely into that of a demon.

Please forgive me, Kakutaro.

I was taken over by the curse of the cat spirit...

a long time ago.

But it happened on Koshin Mountain, didn't it?

Forgive me.

I wasn't able to do a thing.

I couldn't help you at all.

No, Kakutaro.

I am happy.

You understand the feelings in my heart.

We truly became man and wife...

when our spirits joined together.

Hinaginu!

Hmph! That was certainly brazen!

You wicked bitch!

What the hell?

So this is it.

Was it only for this that I let you die?

It's just fate.

We're all tied together by an invisible string...

that runs through those beads.

Ikkaku was caught under the spell of a demon...

and Hinaginu died.

Maybe the great power of that invisible string runs through...

everything there is.

My fate.

The great power.

What did you wish for, Kakutaro?

I prayed for Father's safety, too.

And I also prayed that we could be this happy forever and ever.

Until the end of time.

Please play your flute for me once more before I die.

Just once more.

Be sure to watch the next episode...

for a new revelation.