Original subtitles

The 18th of the 8th month, Bunkyu 3 (September 30th, 1863)

Everyone, get up!

We have an emergency! Arm yourselves and get ready!

What is it?

It's still dark out.

What's up?

An Aizu messenger just arrived.

A crisis has broken out at the palace.

At the palace?

What's with your hair?

You mean the palace where the emperor lives?

And arm ourselves with what?

Breastplates fastened?

Put on full armor!

Don't forget headgear!

Who knew we had all this stuff ready in the storehouse?

It's Serizawa's doing.

Oh, right. Where is Serizawa-san?

Confining himself, stupid. Forget that guy.

Men! I trust you are prepared!

March!

Blue Miburo

The Miburo will stand guard inside the palace.

We'll enter through the Hamaguri Gate on the west side.

You mean we'll be fighting inside the palace?

But who in the world is attacking it?

Choshu, apparently.

Choshu? Weren't they in charge of palace security?

Yes, but it seems they've been driven out.

They got kicked out? What for?

That I do not know.

But I'm told Aizu and Satsuma are now sharing the duty.

Um, my sister lives in the house of a court noble. Will she be all right?

Yeah, that's the question.

She didn't mention the Choshu faction specifically, but still...

Get out, Choshu!

We won't allow you to set one foot past us!

You dumb Satsuma bumpkins!

Let us in!

Who're you?

I don't recognize any of you.

What's your domain and under whose banner?

We serve Aizu.

We're from Aizu.

No, if you'll only—

Forget it. Just go. We're not opening this gate for anyone.

Do you know why they call this the Hamaguri Gate, like the clams?

No.

Because it has remained shut except for one time during the great fire in the Hoei era.

Like they say, "A clam only opens its mouth when it's burning."

That ought to tell you how tightly this gate stays closed.

Does it truly open so rarely?

It seems there's been a miscommunication.

The Lord of Aizu has formally instructed us to stand guard inside the palace.

What'd you say?

Toshi.

We, the Mibu Roshigumi, serve under the patronage of Aizu!

Is anyone here willing to discuss matters reasonably—

Hold your tongue.

Get out of here. Shoo.

Move, Hasumukai.

Forget that blockhead. Just march on through.

So much for that plan.

Are you stupid?

Very well. We'll come again.

Hey.

We cannot tolerate mistakes. I sympathize with their position.

We're leaving?

That wasn't supposed to be the deal.

After marching all the way here?

What a waste of a trip.

No, Sir Kondo!

That's not the way.

Serizawa-san.

Serizawa-san.

Se—

Serizawa-sensei!

Your confinement?

I ended it.

Just like that?

Watch.

Wh-Who the hell are you? D-Don't come any closer!

Damn you!

Oh?

You point your spears at me?

A-A fan?

Then, we must draw our swords in kind. But remember, you drew first.

We'll rout every last one of you.

Oh, but we're under the patronage of Aizu.

If you're drawing your swords against the Imperial Palace,

does that mean Aizu's rebelling against the emperor?

Wh-Wha—

You imbecile!

Can't you even tell friend from foe?!

Do you want to turn your own lord into a rebel?

Are you even trying to defend our nation?

Wake up!

Let us through.

It's clear who's more resourceful.

L-Let them through!

The hamaguri clam...

Sir Kondo, that mob probably knew to expect the Miburo.

They just wanted to push you around.

That guy's huge. I can't stand him.

They no doubt thought your duty was more important than theirs.

If you think you're in the right, stop for no one.

The least the leader of an army ought to do is keep his men safe.

Serizawa-sensei's back, and how!

Leave it to a real samurai.

Where would the Miburo be without you?

I won't lead you wrong.

You're our daimyojin!

You're our god!

Is he incredible or what?

Daimyojin!

He's unbelievable.

I've said what I needed to say.

That's enough.

The disturbance would become known as "the 8-18 Coup."

Although it involved no major battles,

its ripples manifested in unexpected ways, even within the Miburo.

Hey, Hasumukai!

I'll take you on.

Oh, my bad. I mixed 'em up.

Okay, Hasumukai!

Let's go out on patrol. It's an important job.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

Something just seems off about Hasumukai-san lately.

The truth is...

I'm a Choshu samurai who's infiltrated the Miburo.

The fight at the palace changed the balance of power overnight.

All of my fellow Choshu samurai left Kyoto.

If the truth about me gets out...

Man, sorry about that.

Sorry for the holdup. I've got a case of the runs.

No, it's fine.

The Lord of Choshu's residence? It looks completely deserted.

It makes sense, though.

They say he was plotting to abduct the emperor and do bad stuff.

No. We wanted His Imperial Majesty to lead us and expel the barbarians.

For Choshu, and for all of Japan.

Root them out and string them up.

The Miburo earned praise for their performance at the palace,

and now they're all fired up over hunting down Choshu stragglers.

Please come in.

Shinpachi won't hang out with me lately, you know?

Oh?

My men don't take me seriously, either.

Hey, gimme that broth.

Sure.

But we've gotta round up those Choshu extremists.

I can't let bad guys go free.

My superior is compassionate, craves company,

and when convinced, he charges in headlong.

He'll be the first to come for my head if my secret gets out.

Damn it!

He got us!

Where'd he go?

Find him!

If you find him, you can kill him! The reward is yours.

Yes, sir.

Hasumukai! You go that way!

Yes, sir.

T-Talk about a bad joke. No way am I finding anyone.

P-Please let no one be in here.

Don't shout, stupid.

You found him?

Well done.

Now, kill him!

Take vengeance!

Get him! Get him!

Go on! Finish him off! Hurry up!

This man is me.

If I'd stayed in Kyoto on the Choshu side, it could've been me in his place.

Do it.

H-Hey, you...

Forgive me.

I missed?

Th-This couldn't be worse.

You did good yesterday, Hasumukai.

I'm sorry.

Cheer up.

I'll treat you to soba noodles. Just gimme your broth, okay?

Why is he so nice to me, of all people?

I'll just confess everything.

Be brave.

I know he'll hear me out. I don't care if it gets me killed.

Whoops. Drank too much broth and gave myself a bellyache.

Harada-san!

Oh, Nio. And Hayashi, too.

Where's Hasumukai-san?

Huh? He's around here somewhere.

I was with him a moment ago—

We think Serizawa-san is looking for Hasumukai-san.

Serizawa?

Hasumukai!

Hasumukai!

Hey! Hang in there!

I'm a fool.

Hey! It's me! Open your eyes!

These guys don't argue about the country or fight for their homes.

Hey! Hey!

Hasumukai! Breathe!

They don't care how they look.

They're dirty. They stink. They're messy eaters.

Hasumukai! Hasumukai!

Hey, Hasumukai!

All they do is train with swords.

Hang in there! Hey! Hasumukai!

But I know why I couldn't run away.

I mean...

It wasn't a bad life.

So I'm a turncoat now? Could I be a worse spy?

You. Yes, you, boy.

You've got a friendly look to you, boy.

Now, boy, infiltrate their ranks and investigate.

Boy, can't you find out something a little more useful?

He did show concern for me,

but I guess he never did bother to learn my name.

Hasumukai! Hasumukai!

Do you have a message for your family?

What is it?

I can't hear you.

Are you sure you didn't know all along?

You knew and were waiting for me to come clean.

Thank you, Harada-san.

Harada-san!

We found relevant documents among Hasumukai-san's things.

It seems he was a Choshu spy.

That doesn't matter.

He was a traitor.

No.

He tried to become one of us. And we...

Harada-san.

You wanted to speak with me alone, Niimi-san?

Let me close the curtain on Serizawa.

We'll finish things ourselves.

You make it sound as though you're both going to leave us.

If I may...

Niimi-san, what precisely is your relationship with Serizawa-san?

We were next-door neighbors.

That's all?

That's all.

Bylaws

Yamanami, I want you to have this.

Our laws.

Laws?

Our ranks will keep growing.

New recruits will disrupt our organization.

A rabble with no clear rules can't fight the evils of Kyoto.

Bylaws

I wrote down all I could think of, but it's still only a rough draft.

Yamanami, I want you to complete it.

Niimi-san.

Serizawa lived next door.

That really is all that brought us together.

He was a samurai's fourth son. I was the kid of a lowly foot soldier.

But the difference in our status didn't mean a thing to him.

Iori!

Tsuguji. What happened to your face?

My dad walloped me! All I did was break his favorite vase!

Let's team up and teach him a lesson!

How? Your dad's huge.

My three big brothers did it!

And they got beat black and blue for it.

He'll kill you next time.

I guess it's hopeless, huh?

We'll ambush him.

Ambush him?!

With a double pitfall.

A double one?

He'll be along any moment now.

He fell in!

We have him!

The second layer dropped!

Let's go!

Wear a basket! He'll recognize you!

Who are you? Is that you, Tsuguji?

He's on to us!

Run for it!

You'll pay for this!

There! We sure showed him.

That was a blast!

We need to brace for reprisals.

With my brawn and your brains, no one can stop us.

We'll hit the meeting hall next.

The meeting hall? They've got a vicious dog there.

What's the plan?

Let me think. First...

Niimi, where are the other guys?

What about the party?

There won't be a party. You're the only guest.

Oh, yeah?

How long has it been since we faced each other like this, Tsuguji?

Tsu—

No one's called me that name in eons, Iori.

You reserved this whole room just to get me here? Talk about thorough.

Let's end it already.

Records of damages to merchants and the wealthy, and of internal purges.

The results of five murder investigations and five missing persons cases.

I suspect you had a hand in all of them.

You've said what you needed to say. The Miburo will be fine now.

Hey, now. You ought to know better than to bring a sword to a party.

Face facts.

Our role is over.

What will you do?

Follow right behind you.

Souls form spirals.

People die and are reborn as babies, and the cycle repeats.

I'd like to relive the same time forever if I can.

What are you talking about?

My views on life and death.

Don't be stupid. You only live once.

That's why I've done just what I wanted to do.

You want to end it?

Fine.

But...

Iori, you end it alone.

Did you think an appeal to sentiment would move me?

That's what makes you naïve. It's your weakness.

Iori, you're going to perform seppuku here.

I'll have no trouble killing you and making it look that way.

What are you laughing at?

Those were good days.

Things were simple and easy to understand.

But little by little, we grew up.

Places changed. People changed. The times changed, too.

Things got complicated.

Go on. Do it.

You want it to look like suicide?

My inspectors are good at their jobs.

They'll see through your ruse.

Kondo's group can't ignore the murder of a commander.

They'll come for your life.

Iori! Damn you!

Wouldn't it be more fun that way?

What?

If Serizawa Kamo has to die, wouldn't he rather die fighting?

You don't want to take a bullet like some nobody, do you?

And illness? Old age? Out of the question.

Didn't we always like getting one over on people?

I'll listen.

Let me think. First...

The Ultimate Duo

Nio!

Nio!

Hayashi-san?

U-Um...

Where are we rushing to?

It's Niimi-san.

He took his own life.

Next time

This is Hijikata Toshizo.

Niimi performed seppuku.

I don't know why he did it or what went through his mind,

but anyone can see who had a hand in it.

I'm going to end this.

There's no going back now.

For what we're here to protect, and for the Miburo's banner of "sincerity,"

we'll settle things with Serizawa.

Next time: "Near Yet Far."

Near Yet Far