Original subtitles

In Motonari's times,

the head Mori family lost three heads in succession.

During battles with other constables, Motonari's father, Hiromoto, died of alcoholism, at age 39.

His oldest son, Okimoto, suffered from mental illness because of his battle in Kyoto.

He died at age 24, of alcoholism like his father.

Komatsumaru, who became the clan's head at age 2, was born frail.

He died at a young age of 9.

AMAGO TSUNEHISA - We shouldn't...

...let Motonari become the clan's head, at any cost.

His maneuvering over Kurata Naonobu...

You must have acknowledged Motonari, sire.

Motonari...

I don't want Motonari.

But I won't hold back just because he's my older brother.

Please wait.

Pressures from the Amago.

Feuds between half-brothers.

The Mori clan was vacillating wildly on heirdom.

MORI MOTONARI

Episode 15: Turning the Tables in Tears

Screenplay by: Uchidate Makiko

Original Story by: Nagai Michiko

Music by: Watanabe Toshiyuki

Theme Song Performed by: NHK Symphony Orchestra Music Performed by: Concert Regnie

Title Calligraphy by: Mori Motonari Narration by: Hirano Keiko

CAST

Mori Motonari: Nakamura Hashinosuke

Lady Mii: Tomita Yasuko

Fujino: Kaga Mariko

Katsura Hirozumi: Kusakari Masao

Watanabe Suguru: Enoki Takaaki

Fukubara Hirotoshi: Sasano Takashi

Shiji Hiroyoshi: Nakamura Baijaku

Inoue Motokane: Kataoka Tsurutaro

Lady Aio: Matsubara Chiaki

Aio Mototsuna: Nishijima Hidetoshi

Lady Yuki: Ichiro Maki

Uyama Hisakane: Isobe Tsutomu Hisa: Matsukane Yoneko

Terabatake: Matsui Norio Kazama: Nakahara Kazuhiro

Komatsumaru: Kitao Wataru

Lady Sugi: Matsuzaka Keiko

Produced by: Kida Yukinori

English Subtitles: Koala Fansubs

Directed by: Watanabe Yoshio

KORIYAMA CASTLE July 16, 1523 (Taiei 3) - Because of the Battle of Kagamiyama Castle,

the Mori's heir, Komatsumaru, died at a young age of 9.

People were still lamenting the next morning.

Grandpa...

Grandpa!

FUKUBARA HIROTOSHI - I'll become a priest.

Okimoto died. And now, Komatsumaru died.

They are my lords, but...

...they are my grandsons.

He is my great grandson.

I adore them so much.

Grandpa.

I'm your grandson, too.

A long time ago...

I had a mother.

She died when I was five, so I don't remember anything about her.

A long time ago...

I had a father, too.

He died when I was ten, so I vaguely remember him.

I had a sister and a brother.

They...

They all died leaving me behind.

Grandpa.

Do you want me...

...to say, "A long time ago, I had a grandfather"

Excuse me.

What do you want?

SHIJI HIROYOSHI

Motonari-dono.

The Ouchi are preparing for a battle.

Since they lost at Kagamiyama,

a rumor says that Yoshioki-dono will personally lead this campaign.

I see.

Motonari-dono.

You should pledge to the late lord...

...that you will succeed the Mori clan immediately...

...and prepare for the upcoming battle as the Mori clan head.

What we, vassals, must do now is...

...to bring our hearts together and act in a perfect coordination under a new clan's head.

Motonari-dono, you are the only direct descendant of the Mori.

Fukubara-dono.

You have no objection, don't you?

In this difficult time,

you will support Motonari-dono with me, won't you?

Motonari-dono.

I acted rashly...

I know.

It's about heirdom, isn't it?

LADY YUKI - Motonari-dono.

To avenge the late young lord's grievance,

you should become the Mori clan head immediately.

Motonari-dono?

During the battle at Kagamiyama Castle,

I couldn't protect the late young lord.

I'm the one who made him die.

I don't have nerve to become the clan's head.

That's not fair, is it?

You're the only one we have.

You will do it, won't you?

AIO'S RESIDENCE - Uyama-sama is here.

Meanwhile, Katsura Hirozumi and the others, who are against Motonari's succession...

...had a messenger from the Amago, with an unexpected deal.

UYAMA HISAKANE - Why don't you adopt an heir from the Amago?

I'm talking about Toyohisa-dono, Kunihisa's second son.

He is Tsunehisa-dono's grandson.

We know it's more proper for Motonari to succeed the clan.

But, if he becomes the head,

Mototsuna-dono, who tries to rebuild the Mori with the Amago,

and all the others will end up working for nothing.

AIO MOTOTSUNA LADY AIO - Tsunehisa-dono regards Mototsuna-dono the highest.

I am grateful for that.

What do you think?

Why don't you adopt him, just for form...

...to let Mototsuna-dono control the Mori as the real head...

...along with Katsura-dono, Watanabe-dono?

What about Motonari-dono?

We'll continue to confine him at Sarukake Castle.

KATSURA HIROZUMI - Watanabe-dono?

What's the matter?

WATANABE SUGURU - To me, Watanabe Suguru,

fighting is all about my life.

I've never taken this habergeon off, even during peacetime.

I was born in a war-torn era, so...

...I've worked hard to become an outstanding fighter with an excellent heart.

However...

I'm just a man, who is like that arrow.

If I am released into darkness, I'm not useful at all.

Future of the clan, feuds over heirdom, or rulership...

Politics is like darkness.

I'm not fit for it.

Darkness ends eventually.

We're working together to bring an end to this darkness.

I already know what you're talking about.

But, an arrow that knows nothing but flying straight...

...likes only battle tactics, not politics.

Please understand.

It isn't my wish that Tsunehisa-dono uses me for his politics.

Katsura-dono, I will vote for the adoption.

Your farewell gift, huh?

I'm breaking off from you, but I will remain a Mori vassal.

Excuse me.

The adoption offer from the Amago was discussed by everyone immediately.

It was only three days after Komatsumaru died.

I understand what this adoption means.

We have you, Motonari-dono. Why do we have to adopt an heir from another clan?

Exactly, they're meddling in too much.

Once we adopt an heir, the Amago will juggle us around.

Right.

Motonari-dono, just spurn and tell them, "We don't need to adopt an heir."

It's not that easy.

Mototsuna, Katsura, Watanabe.

You guys agree with the adoption, right?

It doesn't mean we don't want you, Motonari-dono.

However,

challenging the Amago is the most dreadful thing now.

All the neighboring constables are on the Amago's side.

We don't want to make an enemy of them.

That's right.

That's why I can't undertake the heirdom easily.

But, Yuki-dono, Grandpa Fukubara, Shiji.

You are telling me to succeed the clan. We're split in the middle.

What about you, Inoue?

INOUE MOTOKANE

I don't know yet...

In a time like this, we must be united.

I succeed the clan or we adopt the heir...

...our hearts will remain divided.

That's what I'm afraid of.

But they want us to reply in ten days.

We don't have much time.

Well.

Let's have a conference seven days from now. We'll make a decision then.

What do you think, Shiji?

Shiji.

Nobody saw Shiji after this.

SARUKAKE CASTLE

I don't know what to do...

No matter how much I think, I don't get the answer.

- I'm just buying time. - How irritating!

LADY MII - How long are you going to complain about the same thing?

I'll make a decision for you.

You become the clan's head, sire.

You pass the heirdom down to Chiyojumaru. That makes more sense.

Period.

Period? But...

If we challenge Amago Tsunehisa-dono, we'll face a dreadful consequence.

Uncle Amago is old. He'll die soon.

My goodness...!

Besides...

The vassals will be divided. It's obvious.

They'll be divided either way. That's why you should become the clan's head.

It is a no-brainer.

You're a short-tempered and strong woman.

Oh, yes.

A woman with a weak-kneed husband has to become short-tempered and strong without limit.

I want to put on a hood, too...!

- Alright. We're gonna adopt the heir. - Sire!?

I...

I don't want to become Mototsuna's enemy.

We were born from different mothers, but he is my only brother.

Also...

...if I succeed the clan, I'll be an enemy of Mototsuna, who wants to adopt the heir.

I don't want heirdom that much.

Even if I become the head this way, it won't work out.

Uncle Amago wants to send his grandson, to control the Mori freely.

Rather than letting you become the clan's head,

he thinks it's better for him to have Mototsuna-dono as his grandson's guardian.

Sire.

I understand your brotherly love, but...

...once we adopt the heir, we'll be doomed.

But...

How irritating!!

If Shiji-dono was with us, he'd do something...

Why did he collapse at this critical time!?

Oh... how is he doing?

He's not doing well.

Really...?

Now, sire.

I'll casually send Fujino to Koriyama Castle...

...and have her spy on what Katsura-dono and Watanabe-dono are doing.

We don't want them to move on the adoption secretly.

She's strong...

KORIYAMA CASTLE (5 Days Before the Conference)

Nothing new.

Katsura-dono and Mototsuna-dono aren't here today.

"Watanabe was saying it's better for the Mori to adopt the heir."

Just tell it so to Motonari-dono.

You don't want to go back empty-handed.

FUJINO - I just came to condole over Komatsumaru-dono.

If I want to know something, I'll find it out on my own.

Please don't mind me.

- Don't treat me like fool just because I'm women. - Pardon me.

I'm sorry.

Well, Fujino-dono.

Womanhood is your weapon.

I don't like such a way.

Amago Tsunehisa uses everything as his weapon.

He makes full use of it. He is amazing at that.

My womanhood? How can I use it as weapon...?

Who is it?

This feud over heirdom...

Motonari will lose in every way.

- They're gonna adopt the heir. - What are you going to do?

You can't curry favor with Katsura now.

I'm going to.

It's not embarrassing to side with the strong ones.

You've been saying, "My masters are the Ouchi and Motonari."

How can you say, "My masters are the Amago and Mototsuna."

It's a piece of cake.

I can just add the set epiphet, "For the sake of the Mori."

A capable man knows how to speak with a double or triple tongue,

without letting others find out his true intentions.

Therefore...

...if Motonari is winning at the last moment,

I'll switch sides to Motonari.

3 Days Before the Conference

The decisive day was approaching.

Motonari hadn't made up his mind.

This is Mototsuna.

You may come in.

Did you want to see me, Motonari?

Mototsuna.

I want to ask you one thing.

If...

...we decide to adopt the Amago boy...

...the Amago will nominate you as the boy's guardian.

Then...

...I cannot do anything, no matter what happens.

With this being the situation...

...can you protect the Mori and hold the fort?

Are you confident that you won't let the Amago manipulate you?

Yes, I am.

- Are you sure? - Yes.

I, Mototsuna, believe...

...that this adoption is only for form and is the only way for the Mori to survive.

You said you cannot do anything, but...

...I'm going to consult everything with you. I won't let the Amago control us.

Mototsuna.

Yes.

We're going to adopt the heir.

Motonari?

I...

I don't have what it takes to be a clan's head, after all.

But...

...I would feel sorry for my ancestors, if I let the Amago control us.

We save the Amago's face by adopting the heir...

...but, in fact, we, two brothers, control the Mori. That's the best.

Motonari.

I'm ashamed of myself.

Somewhere inside, I've been always competing with you.

I felt inferior, because you were born from the lord's wife and I was born from a concubine.

That's why I didn't want to lose to you.

Mototsuna.

You are not fixated to the heirdom, because you think about the clan first.

That makes my heart purified.

Stop it.

I...

I...

I'm just happy to have a brother.

I heard...

...Shiji cannot stand up anymore.

Listen, Mototsuna.

Now is the time...

...for us to overcome this hardship together.

Great Lady!

What's the matter?

The lord is saying he decided to adopt the heir!

Really?

That's great.

What's so great?

How can you be nonchalant like that?

He must have made the decision, with his eyes open.

We should be happy with that.

But...

...if the Amago start juggling us around, we'll surely experience misfortunes.

Good fortunes or misfortunes, they come when they come.

Assuming the number of misfortunes is the worst misfortune.

- How true. - But...

...the lord just tries to join the Amago without confronting them. How vexing.

You raised him wrong, Great Lady.

What did you say?

Yeah, that's how I raised him.

Your Ladyship.

The most pitiful ones in the world are hardworking men.

Hardworking men and women? What can they get?

Your hard work might bring you a bigger fief.

But is your new fief comparable to a peaceful life with your wife and children?

The lord doesn't want to fight against his younger brother.

Great Lady, you did raise him wrong.

In this war-torn era, it's inevitable for you to draw sword toward your parents and brothers.

The saddest ones in the world are hardworking women.

Once you yield to the powerful,

you will have to yield to them forever.

I don't want to see the lord in such a miserable position.

Your Ladyship, why don't you join him?

No man really wants to yield to the powerful.

Men bear gut-wrenching feelings for their wives and children.

Men are strong, because they suffer for their wives and children.

You should understand that.

The lord is so much in love with you.

Did you know that?

Don't cry, or you lose!

A hardworking woman is really sad.

I got it.

Great Lady, you woke me up.

I will join the lord.

If we die because of this, Lady Mii and I will become ghosts and scare you!

Oh.

She's too ugly to become a ghost.

By the way, Sugi-sama.

I'm impressed with your speech.

I was fascinated, too, with my own speech.

I'm too good to remain single.

Mother!

- Mother! - What's the commotion about?

My brother agreed to adopt the heir.

He held my hands, saying, "I want to work with you."

Really...?

That's good.

My hard work is...

...finally paying off.

While I am alive...

...I can see you becoming successful.

I....

...have no more wishes.

Motonari doesn't have a mother, who cries for him.

You should never forget his kindness.

The Night Before the Conference - Father.

Okimoto.

Please forgive me for adopting the heir.

I, Motonari, believe...

...this is the best way for us.

Shiji!

Are you all right?

I played sick.

What do you mean?

I heard you were bedridden and couldn't see anyone. Did you lie?

That was a big lie.

How is the heirdom matter going?

We're going to adopt the heir.

We'll make the decision at the conference tomorrow.

Splendid...

Motonari-dono.

I want you to take over our clan.

Are you still saying that?

I thought it out, to make the decision.

I want to trust Mototsuna, work with him, and take a safe path.

Have you ever become desperate?

Have you ever risked your own life?

It is important to avoid bloodshed.

But you always think with your head and choose a well-paved path.

Well-paved paths can be stopgap measures, but they don't lead you to the future.

We can't afford to think about the future.

- We must avoid imminent dangers first. - Dangers...

...can be avoided or crushed by your forceful attacks.

You must take over our clan, crush the Amago's intervention...

...and persuade Mototsuna-dono face-to-face.

That's the only way for the Mori to survive.

It's easy to say fine words, but it's not that easy!

That's why I'm telling you to become desperate!!

I'm telling you to look forward...

...and just keep going forward!

If he adopts the heir now,

we'll fall right into the Amago's trap.

The Mori will disappear.

You don't have to slay others.

If you shed your own blood, you can move even mountains that never move.

Take over our clan.

Protect the Mori by force.

Shiji!!

You ran away at such a critical time. How can you dare say that?

I...

I...

...already shed my own blood deep inside. You don't know that.

Begone!

I played sick to communicate with people in Kyoto.

This is an informal letter from the shogunate.

It says, "We acknowledge Motonari-dono to become the clan's head."

The shogunate agrees with your succession. The adoption matter is gone now.

But this makes us become betrayers to the Amago, even if we fought with them.

So I'll go and apologize Tsunehisa.

Well.

I don't mind if they chop my head off.

To make you take over our clan,

I can happily give my head away to them.

Why are you...?

...working that much for me?

Because Mori Motonari is a man, who is meant to become a great commander.

You are not replaceable.

I...

I...

...want to go forward in concert with Mototsuna.

From a young age, I grew up without family.

That's why I'm so happy to become single-minded with my only brother.

Do you know that?

I know it well.

But...

...you are the only person who can save the Mori.

Mototsuna-dono will let our clan die out.

Day of Conference

The day of the conference finally came, with all the vassals of the Mori.

I hope we can adopt a fine heir.

Right, Fukubara-dono?

I asked all of you...

...to come over today, to make a decision on heirdom.

I'm going to take over our clan.

Please wait!

He has a letter of approval from the shogunate.

"The heirdom shall be taken over by Mori Shojiro Motonari-dono."

I want everyone to follow the shogun's order.

Bring the joint statement over.

Please sign on this joint statement that approves Motonari-dono's succession.

Motonari-dono.

My longtime wish has come true. I'm so happy, sir.

On July 25, only ten days after Komatsumaru died,

the Mori clan decided to have Motonari at Koriyama Castle.

That's when Mori Motonari became the Mori clan head.

I feel sorry for Mototsuna.

Don't get weak-hearted.

Shiji-dono wasn't beheaded.

The Amago must have acknowledged you, sire.

I betrayed Mototsuna cruelly.

He'll never understand even if I talk to him.

Stop grumbling. Just go forward.

People say, "Keep going forward, then, you'll never fall."

I...

I wasn't born to be a clan's head.

I just accidentally agreed.

Because of Shiji.

I don't want to hear that.

Will Mototsuna help me?

I betrayed my only brother.

What shall I do?

I don't know what to do.

Say, Mii...

Motonari cut off his brotherhood. He couldn't overcome the bitter feelings.

Even Mii ran away from me.

End of Episode 15