Original subtitles

We're going to battle now.

During a tempest,

Motonari crossed to Itsukushima and launched a surprise attack on Sue Harukata's army.

He achieved a crushing victory.

The Mori finally released themselves from the Ouchi and Amago's control...

...and won their true independence.

But this battle cost them dearly.

I got shot.

Kame.

The goddess of the navy, Kame, died.

Jiro-dono fought against Sue Harukata...

...and died.

From now on...

...it will surely be the time of more battles.

"Sue Harukata died." Survive...

Motonari...!

The deaths of his contemporaries...

...left an unfillable void in Motonari's heart.

MORI MOTONARI

Episode 42: His Last Woman

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

Fujino: Kaga Mariko

Mori Takamoto: Kamikawa Takaya

Lady Toshi: Otsuka Nene

Akagawa Motoyasu: Nagashima Toshiyuki

Kodama Naritada: Masuoka Toru

Katsura Motozumi: Tsurumi Shingo

Kikkawa Motoharu: Matsushige Yutaka Kobayakawa Takakage: Megumi Toshiaki

Lady Mii: Tomita Yasuko

Mitsu: Iwasaki Hiromi

Amago Haruhisa: Takashima Masahiro

Shishido Takaie: Kase Taishu Ako: Fujiyoshi Kumiko

Fukubara Sadatoshi: Ishihama Akira Murakami Torayoshi: Fujiwara Yoshiaki

Kunishi Motosuke: Sakamoto Akira Awaya Motochika: Shionoya Masayuki

Amago Yoshihisa: Nakamura Shido Kawazoe Hisanobu: Uesugi Shozo

Shinbei: Omori Hiroshi Ouchi Yoshinaga: Mitsui Tomohiro

Hotate Masanao: Harada Yoshio

Tae: Miyamoto Nobuko

Produced by: Kida Yukinori

English Subtitles: Koala Fansubs

Directed by: Sano Motohiko

SAKURAO CASTLE Having won the Battle at Itsukushima Island,

Motonari and the others returned with glory to Sakurao Castle guarded by Katsura Motozumi.

But they were divided over two plans;

returning to Koriyama Castle or marching further against the enemy.

Father, may we come in?

You may.

Ako and Tae are returning to Takayama Castle before me.

They wanted to see you before that.

You must be annoyed by me, a woman, coming uninvited to your victory celebration.

I will keep doing my best with my lord. Please forgive me.

I see.

Have a safe trip back home.

Father.

Is there anything wrong with you?

You are not looking well.

My many maneuvers have brought us a victory.

But they are making me feel bad.

What are you saying, Father?

You always say, "More maneuvers bring you victory, less maneuvers make you lose."

You've been confident, haven't you?

That's what I believe now, but...

...my heart doesn't lift for some reason.

Especially, when I made Motozumi pretend he betrayed the Mori,

then sent him to the Sue and...

...successfully played them foul.

That was splendid, you know?

I now know what I am supposed to do when doing maneuvers.

Well.

I just thought, "To trick my enemy, I must trick my allies first."

So I...

...didn't tell anyone.

But my heart aches when I think about the Sue who trusted him completely.

If Mii was alive,

she would've taken my internal pains seriously.

She would've made fun of it and encouraged me.

Great Lord, I've never seen an unappealing man like you.

Tae!

Please forgive her, Great Lord.

She's always harsh to men...

No matter how hard it is, how painful it is,

a man must endure it all by himself. That's what makes him look appealing as a man.

But you...

...just say, "My heart doesn't lift. It's making me feel bad."

You're just mumbling.

How long are you going to mumble?

Listen.

Men are human, too.

Sometimes, they want to show their internal pains,

and want to just mumble. You got it?

- Tae! - Ako.

Tae.

Then,

you should write your concubines, Sayo-dono or Ko-dono, to complain.

How can you dare say, "If Mii was alive."

You have two concubines.

But you still think about your late wife, who passed away a long time ago.

You're just mumbling.

You're the most disgraceful man!

But, whenever I start complaining, Ko and Sayo run away.

Then, dig a hole on the ground.

And complain into the hole.

Men complain, because they just want to feel better.

A hole on the ground is good enough for you.

Thank you for having me here for a long time.

As a token of my appreciation, I'll dig a big hole for you.

Please excuse me.

Hey, wait!

Hey.

Hey!

Tae.

Tae.

I did it again...

The more men complain, the harder I scold them. I can't help it.

I feel sad about what I do.

She is a cute woman at heart,

but her actions at public aren't cute at all. I can't believe it.

Ako.

That was a good lesson (medicine) for him.

"Bitter pills may have blessed effects."

Oh...

Thank you, sir.

Oh...

Great Lord.

I didn't fight the Sue army during the battle.

I am very sorry.

To make Sue Harukata trust me, I gave him my written pledge.

Even if that was part of the maneuver, I couldn't draw my sword against him.

Your honest feelings are a blessed relief for me.

Thanks for working so hard for a maneuver like this.

Thank you.

I want you to continue to help us...

...and Takamoto.

Well, Great Lord.

I'm impressed with your idea of using Motozumi-dono for this maneuver.

Because I have a smart-looking face, they would've been suspicious of me hiding something.

Where in your face looks smart?

There's nothing funny about it!!

Father.

I've wanted to tell you something.

I, Takamoto,

just can't take tricks and maneuvers.

You made so many plots this time.

That's way too much.

He is not the only one to be blamed.

I agreed to do it.

I'm the head of this clan. But you didn't tell me.

Such master minding...

...will surely make you lose your allies' trust.

It's good to be honest.

But extreme honesty that isn't accepted by people...

...that's just foolish.

Then, I don't have to be accepted by people.

Takamoto.

That sounds too childish.

Are you saying I'm childish?

Then,

you are dirty, Father!!

- You're way out of line, sire. - That's alright.

You tricked your allies and the enemy.

You'll have to pay the price someday.

I'm saying this, not because I hate you!

If we keep using maneuvers and keep winning,

sooner or later, our vassals will lose faith in us!

I believe the Sue, who died in a maneuver, were more graceful...

...than the Mori, who died with the maneuver.

The Sue had a pure heart like a little boy.

I cannot enjoy...

...any victory brought by your way.

Takamoto.

Keep this in your mind.

A man, who sticks to a pure heart like a little boy,

must be ashamed of himself.

Men and women, as they age,

are supposed to become more secular.

For good or ill,

they are supposed to use their heads.

I'm going to govern my province with compassion...

...and protect my province with power.

Father, you govern and protect your province only with maneuvers.

I, Takamoto,

will never take on your way!!

Takamoto, you're...

...a hopeless man.

As long as you believe all maneuvers are evil,

you cannot govern or protect a province. It's just too much work for you!

Takamoto, you're...

...so shallow.

Great Lord.

Please stop, sire.

Great Lord!

Takamoto.

Sire.

Takamoto has...

...grown into a fine general, hasn't he?

I'm most happy that he values harmony among people and loyalty.

I know maneuvering stands back to back with fatal risks.

However,

no matter how much mistrust you gain, you must win sometimes.

Coming out on top and leading people is...

...such a lonely job.

Well.

Takamoto should remain how he is now.

Someday, sooner or later,

he'll surely have lonely days.

If the day comes,

Takamoto, who valued harmony and loyalty during his youth,

will be followed by everybody.

People will ease his loneliness.

Why didn't you tell him so, Great Lord?

If he didn't hit back, it would have been painful for the lord.

Attacking his father itself is a great sin.

If the father just laughs and shows off his big heart,

that's simply unbearable for the child.

I see.

He wanted the lord to feel better.

Two days from now,

we'll advance to Iwakuni with our entire army.

We're attacking Iwakuni, Suo, and then, Nagato...

...to kill Ouchi Yoshinaga.

Sire.

Did something happen between you and the Great Lord?

Nothing happened.

The Great Lord must be thinking of returning to Yoshida with glory,

before attacking Bocho (Suo and Nagato Provinces).

Sire, what is making you so impatient?

Aren't you trying to make a decision that's beyond the Great Lord's thoughts,

to make some better achievements as soon and certain as possible?

You can despise me, if you want.

I know I cannot beat him, no matter what I do.

But I...

...want something, even one thing, that makes me surpass my father.

That must be...

...a frontal attack and victory without using any maneuver.

To that end, I must make preemptive strikes.

I have no time to return to Yoshida.

Thanks for your hard work, everyone.

Tomorrow,

we are advancing to Iwakuni with our entire army.

We aren't returning to Yoshida?

After we beat Ouchi Yoshinaga and conquer Bocho (Suo and Nagato),

we're returning to Yoshida.

Get ready, everyone.

INNOSHIMA ISLAND

Jiro.

Kame.

Tomorrow, I'm going to battle in Iwakuni.

I promise that...

...the Murakami Navy will remain independent forever.

I promise that with my father.

Kame.

I brought you mandarin orange flowers.

It's out of season.

But I found a tree that bore flowers suddenly.

Kame, you often told me.

"Innoshima Island has white orange flowers."

"You don't need lanterns for night walks."

"You never get lost, with those white flowers looming out of the darkness."

Jiro.

Kame.

Don't get lost. Go straight to Nirvana.

The orange tree bore those unseasonable flowers...

...to light the path you two are going.

Motonari kept his words.

Murakami Navy remained warlords, who were able to sail freely on the Inland Sea.

Bravo, sire!

Oh, Yoshihisa.

GASSAN-TODA CASTLE (Amago Main Castle) - Come here.

Why don't you practice with me?

I don't need to practice.

We are no match for the Mori who have become too powerful.

Father.

AMAGO YOSHIHISA (Haruhisa's Heir) - You must be regretting...

...that you shouldn't have destroyed the Shingu Party.

Don't be silly.

If I didn't kill them, I would've been killed.

MITSU (Haruhisa's Wife) - But you have only useless vassals now.

You'll get killed by someone sooner or later.

Please be careful, sire.

Ouchi Yoshinaga in Yamaguchi...

MORI MAIN CAMP (Iwakuni) - ...has 4,000 soldiers.

We, the Mori, are heading from here for Yamaguchi...

...with 4,000 soldiers.

Let's beat them in one stroke.

Please allow me, Fukubara, to lead the vanguard.

Oh, no. I, Motosuke, will lead it.

Wait.

Takamoto.

I'm thinking of sending Motoharu and Takaie to Iwami.

What?

Why Iwami?

I cannot help feeling that the Amago are trying to take the province back.

If we have Motoharu and Takaie in Iwami,

we can guard the Amago off.

We don't know if the Amago are moving or not.

Why do you trouble spitting our forces?

Don't take the Amago lightly.

That aggressive Haruhisa...

...will certainly try to get Iwami with its silver mines.

That's a very deep thought, sire.

But that's a too cautious strategy.

As long as we defend multiple places,

we cannot complete with the 4,000-strong Ouchi.

Motoharu, Takaie.

Go to Iwami now.

If that's your order, Great Lord. I'm going now.

I'm going now, too.

Takamoto?

Great Lord, you always think deeply.

So I obey your order.

Release!

A fierce attack by the Mori army led by Takamoto...

...put the Ouchi to flight several times.

On April 1557 (Koji 3),

Ouchi Yoshinaga finally committed suicide.

Thus, the Ouchi, the most powerful daimyo lord in Western Japan, went to ruin.

HOFU TENMANGU SHRINE, DAISENBO (General Office)

Father.

The Mori have reached this far. I'm very impressed.

I acted rude to you many times.

But that was all for today. Please forgive me.

Takamoto.

I still feel...

...unfulfilled.

I wasn't going to make the Mori big like this.

If you become big, your life is full of worries.

The best size is...

...the one that you can look out for every single vassal.

Father.

I fought so hard and made my first victory on my own.

Aren't you going to say, "Well done?"

Oh...

Sorry.

I attacked risking my life.

But it's like you're saying, "We got too big. It's bothersome."

Your remarks are making me feel unfulfilled.

That's not what I mean.

Hey, Takamoto.

I'm...

...glad now, you know?

KORIYAMA CASTLE

The Mori army conquered Suo and Nagato.

They returned Koriyama Castle a year and a half after the Battle at Itsukushima.

You aren't looking good, sire.

Toshi.

I think...

...everybody hates me.

Probably.

You're very blunt.

But I like you, Father.

Takamoto...

...seems to hate me, you know?

He's probably jealous.

Such an attitude of his is adorable to me.

He's...

...a lucky man.

Hey.

Toshi.

You can't...

...die before Takamoto, all right?

Mii was too good for me.

But she died before me.

I don't want Takamoto...

...to feel the pains like that.

Despite his victory, Motonari was feeling down.

TAKAYAMA CASTLE (Nuta-Kobayakawa Family) - Takakage heard about that, too.

Her room is organized today.

True.

- You can do it, Tae. - Yes.

In an organized room like this,

I somehow feel uncomfortable.

Now you're good at organizing. Do you want to take a good offer?

A good offer?

Tae-dono.

Why don't you stay with my father?

No, thank you.

How come?

Because...

Men, who complain like him...

...aren't my type.

As he gets older, he'll start complaining a lot more.

No, thank you.

Tae.

You can't have a fun life as long as you remain single.

That's a waste of an opportunity, but...

...organizing can be the purpose of my retired life. That'll be amusing enough.

I'm very sorry.

Hotate-dono.

I'm thinking of conferring upon you the status of governor at Akamagaseki.

"Akamagaseki is currently known as Shimonoseki."

I am very honored, sir.

I, Naomasa,

will make Akamagaseki a more prosperous port than Itsukushima.

I have wanted to develop more ports.

Akamagaseki will be a good start.

Sorry to say this, but...

...there won't be any more ports.

I...

...gained more fiefs than I expected.

I can survive now, without playing second fiddle to other daimyo lords.

The Mori's province building ends here.

Wanting more is...

...foolish.

Great Lord.

Ruling a country isn't all about politics.

If all of Japan becomes filled with lively ports and...

...has all kinds of trading ships coming from abroad and other parts of Japan,

you don't know how much Japan will prosper, you know?

You might be right.

But I'm satisfied now.

I don't need battles, fiefs or ports.

No.

The battles aren't over yet.

There are never-ending fights over land,

not only in Western Japan, but also in Kyoto and Eastern Japan.

You cannot stop walking.

I have...

...no intention of fighting anymore.

You'll be forced to fight.

Thanks for coming over to persuade Tae.

Talk with her in private as much as you want.

Tae.

You have a guest.

I used to serve Mii-sama.

My name is Fujino.

My name is Tae.

Please come in.

Please.

Please have a seat.

Thank you so much.

Wow...

Living such a carefree life by yourself...

...is another form of happiness.

Yes.

"Living with a man and bearing his child is the only happiness for a woman."

I don't like such an assumption.

How true.

I'm still a virgin at this age.

Oh, my...

Since men weren't part of my life,

I've seen many different forms of happiness for women.

By comparison, I feel sorry for you, Tae-dono.

As a woman,

you aren't as fortunate as me.

Pardon me for saying so, but...

...I think I'm more fortunate than you.

Tae-dono.

The Mori clan used to have beautiful ladies like...

...Mii-sama, Sugi-dono and Yuki-sama.

All of them were born as Level Ten women.

As you can see, I am ugly.

Men take no notice of me.

I am a Level One woman.

Tae-dono.

You're in between; you are Level Five.

The least fortunate women in the world are Level Five.

Because they don't stand out.

They have the most boring lives.

You can't become like me.

Is that why you think I should marry the Great Lord?

You're well-known for maneuvering. I'm really impressed.

But...

No, thank you.

I am a boring Level Five woman now,

but I might turn into a Level One Hundred woman.

Please leave.

Bravo!

I'm in love with you.

Tae-dono.

In fact, the Great Lord is a Level Five man.

He's half-hearted, too cautious and so boring!

He complains, cries,

and as you know, he is just one of the average men who exist everywhere.

But...

...the boring man owns the Chugoku Region now.

That's because, Tae-dono,

Level Five people always have the best-ever opportunities of every kind.

The Great Lord succeeded in winning the opportunities.

He is a Level One Hundred man now.

Tae-dono.

Level Five people have more chances of turning into Level One Hundred people.

Tae-dono.

As long as you stay here, you won't have a better or worse life.

If you start a new life, you can enjoy turning your life into Level One Hundred.

Fujino-dono.

Why a smooth talker like you...

...couldn't 'maneuver' a single man?

My tongue is Level One Hundred, but my looks are Level One.

A new life?

Do you think I can do it?

With the Great Lord?

Isn't it too late?

Tae-dono, let's go now.

Now?

Escorting the Great Lord's last woman is...

...my last duty.

Here. Let's go.

Mii.

Sugi-dono.

You all...

...went to the moon.

I got old.

I want to go to the moon soon.

Hey.

Mii.

Hey, Mii.

I'm not Mii.

I'm Tae.

Are you alright, sir?

I'm your concubine now.

I didn't ask you.

I know.

A Level One woman asked me.

What's that...

...Level One woman?

You're so simple. That makes me happy.

I told you to dig a hole to complain.

And you were complaining into a well.

You didn't bother digging one. How smart.

You're a Level One Hundred man. I'm impressed.

What's that...

...Level One Hundred man?

Oh, come on.

Don't get weak-hearted.

I came over to stay with you.

You're almost winning.

Mii-sama used to say this, too, didn't she?

End of Episode 42