Original subtitles

This is the city of Sendai.

Today, May 24th, is the death anniversary of Date Masamune.

In Zuihoden, which houses Masamune's remains,

the 352nd memorial service will be held.

18th MASTER OF THE DATE DATE YASUMUNE

Attending are Watanabe Ken who portrays Masamune,

and Sakurada Junko who portrays Mego in our drama.

DESCENDANT OF ONINIWA SAGETSU - How do you like our drama?

It's heartening to see my ancestor on screen.

DESCENDANT OF SHIROISHI MUNEZANE

I strive for conduct that will never shame my ancestor.

Nuinosuke was a man of sincerity.

DESCENDANT OF OBARA NUINOSUKE

I valued sincerity and the truth when I was a police officer.

ASHINA DESCENDANT

I view the show with mixed feelings...

...watching my ancestors on television.

What do you think of your ancestor, Masamune?

Even after 400 years,

Masamune is the center of national attention.

He is truly a superstar.

This was a report on Date Masamune's memorial service.

MASAMUNE, THE ONE-EYED DRAGON

Episode 21: Seed of Treachery

Screenplay: James MIKI

Original Story: YAMAOKA Sohachi

Music: IKEBE Shin'ichiro

CAST

Date Masamune: WATANABE Ken

Date Shigezane: MIURA Tomokazu

Katakura Kojuro: SAIGO Teruhiko

Princess Mego: SAKURADA Junko

Date Kojiro: OKAMOTO Ken'ichi

Mogami Yoshiaki: HARADA Yoshio

Tsuta: OTONASHI Mikiko

Lady of the East: IWASHITA Shima

Subtitles Transcribed from JN Productions by: Avallach

Subtitles Adding/Editing/Timing: Koala Fansubs QC by: Kame Fansubs

Director: YOSHIMURA Yoshiyuki

Early in 1590...

Hideyoshi ordered an attack on the Hojo at Odawara,

and demanded that Masamune participate.

Masamune's mother, Lady of the East...

was living in the West Palace of Kurokawa Castle.

Our marching to Odawara...

would mean complete submission to the regent.

It cannot be helped.

It is difficult to change the tides of fate.

It also difficult to change Masamune.

Now that he has defeated the Ashina...

and extended our domain as never before,

he will be reluctant to submit to the regent.

Not "submit."

The regent recognizes Date power.

That is why he had Maeda Toshiie and Asano Nagamasa...

inform us that he would overlook the Aizu incident.

Our lord is young... 30 years younger than the regent.

He may surrender his power for now,

but someday he will surely recover it.

Why not tell Masamune?!

I talk till I'm blue in the face.

However, he stubbornly refuses to listen.

We will have to rely on your help, my lady.

You've gotten good!

How's that?

Look at my bishop!

Checkmate.

You're trapped. I win.

Show respect for your older brother!

You charge, and use little strategy.

You asked for it! One more game!

It's Nuinosuke.

What is it?

Lady of the East is here.

Hello, Mother.

Please have a seat.

How are you doing?

As you can see...

I'm glad you two are so close.

Kojiro beat me three times in a row.

I'm disgusted with myself.

Fine. Defeat brings victory, they say.

Are you going to defy the regent?

He's the defiant one.

I didn't say I was going to attack Kyoto.

Attacking the Satake is the same thing.

I want to show Hideyoshi I'm the lord of Ou.

I commend your spirit.

Your late father must be proud.

Thank you.

However, you must know when to give in.

What good will come of angering the regent?

Your concern is justified.

But things are improving every day.

No, they are getting worse!

Please listen.

When I conquered the Ashina,

Hideyoshi was furious and ordered the Date destroyed.

However, that changed,

and he said he'd forgive me if I went to Kyoto.

But now, all I have to do is march to Odawara.

Even a saint can lose patience.

If you refuse to go, and Odawara falls,

he'll attack the Date.

Probably.

There is no time to lose!

Mother, the Date now rule the Ou!

The Ou clans are waiting to see what I will do.

If I submit to the regent,

the others will all follow suit.

Then Togoku samurai will be called cowards and be ridiculed!

Do you think you can beat Hideyoshi?

I don't know.

The clan's safety is more important!

Not more than samurai honor!

What if our clan should be ruined?!

Not necessarily. Look at Satsuma.

Satsuma?

Shimazau Yoshihisa fought the regent's troops.

He lost, but wasn't killed, and retained his lands.

It was because he was considered a warrior...

worthy of ruling Kyushu.

March 1...

Hideyoshi left Kyoto with an army to conquer Odawara.

We cannot avoid trouble now.

Lord Masamune underestimates the situation.

We can't leave this to the younger ones.

Lord Masamune's advisors merely swagger,

and do not stress the seriousness of the situation.

Who? Shigezane?

Kojuro?

There are many that we must keep away from him.

How do we do that?

Masamune would never let a trusted confidante go.

What?

We must do it for the clan!

Lord Morishige, what is it?

We must seize Lord Masamune and confine him at Yonezawa Castle!

Imprison him?!

Then you can disown him,

and Lord Kojiro can lead the Date army to Odawara!

Watch what you say!

There is no other way.

Masamune is a cautious man.

What if it should cause internal strife?

The majority of retainers admire Lord Kojiro's wisdom.

They would be relieved if he took charge.

This is serious.

If you approve, Lady of the East,

gunnery master Onoda Kazuma and his men will plan it.

It might work. We must take action.

Your decision...

Masamune must have some discretion.

He might be feigning stubbornness...

to see what everyone will do!

It's too late for that!

Leave this to me.

We must not act recklessly.

When Hideyoshi left Kyoto,

he said he couldn't wait to see Mt. Fuji.

We can't let such pleasure seekers surpass us!

We must fight them!

Such foolishness leads to destruction!

I don't deserve to be called a "fool."

You don't intend to stop Masamune?

No, my lady.

This is an outrage!

Your pretence of loyalty...

will drive Masamune and the Date to ruin!

You know the way of the samurai.

To surrender without a fight is cowardly!

Are you trying to lecture me?!

Please...!

Please trust in our lord!

I cannot, if you are his advisor.

Masamune is a ruffian...

because he grew up with you!

Don't vent your anger on me.

Aside!

Where are you going?

None of your business!

We received many letters urging us to go to Odawara.

It would be rude not to answer.

Have no fear.

Messengers have been sent to Tokugawa Ieyasu and Asano Nagayoshi.

To refuse?

No.

We agreed to go to Odawara.

Is that true?

Yes.

Why not go immediately then?

If we do, Ou will be thrown into chaos.

We must stall for time.

How ridiculous.

Do you think you can lie to them?

For shame!

This is strategy.

Even Mogami Yoshiaki...

promised to march, but delays his leave.

He cannot, because he fears the Date.

We feel the same about him.

If we leave, he'll attack the castle.

This is ridiculous.

So you'll both fall to Hideyoshi?

Tell Masamune to meet with Yoshiaki and negotiate!

That won't be necessary!

Masamune...

Your interference is upsetting the retainers.

Please stop.

Don't be conceited!

How can you be led astray by irrational advisors?!

Listen to those who care!

I know!

You know nothing!

Kojuro, come to council.

I shall also attend!

Women are forbidden!

I represent the late lord!

Mother, I, Masamune, am lord of the Date.

My lady...

Masamune does hate me, after all.

Indeed not!

He hates me for being away...

when he contracted smallpox.

His nerves are merely on edge!

I have a most important favor to ask of you.

You accompanied me when I left the Mogami...

and served me well for 25 years.

I thank you.

I'm honored.

The Date are faced with a grave crisis.

We must obey the regent...

and hasten to Odawara.

I understand that's what you advised our lord.

Yes.

He was furious.

I was temporarily relieved of service.

Others agree!

Many concerned retainers ask that Masamune be disowned.

If we imprison Masamune

and send Kojiro to Odawara as our lord,

the regent will not punish us.

Wait...!

Lord Terumune appeared in my dreams...

saying that the Date must not fall.

He said we must bear the unbearable...

and preserve the clan of our ancestors.

My lady...

Now you're one of us.

Secretly persuade the advisors...

and support Kojiro.

Can't you hear Lord Terumune's cries?

Even Masamune will see the error of his ways,

and thank us for it!

Think carefully...

about the true meaning of loyalty.

Alerted by Kuniyori,

Onoda Kazuma and others who supported Kojiro were jailed.

However, the investigation stopped there.

Her plot having been discovered,

Lady of the East rode to Yamagata Castle.

She intended to ask her brother Yoshiaki for advice.

Mego...

Yes.

What do you think of me?

Am I too weak to know greatness?

Do I lack the ability to fight Hideyoshi?

For all my efforts...

am I nothing but a country daimyo?

Nonsense!

You were blessed with rare talent.

The bravest in the land serve you.

In ability, not even the regent surpass you.

Be proud!

You have successfully extended your domains.

The "One-eyed Dragon" is known throughout Japan.

And Japan is slipping away from me!

I'm sick with frustration!

Thirty years, no...

If only I'd been born twenty years earlier...!

An upstart like Hideyoshi would never be ruling Japan!

I was...

...born too late.

YAMAGATA CASTLE

Your plan to imprison Masamune was sound.

But it's useless if you fail.

You got yourself into a fine mess!

Kuniyori betrayed me.

Kuniyori?

Yanbe Kuniyori?

I shouldn't have trusted him.

Fool!

Kuniyori is Masamune's devoted bannerman!

You should have know that!

I don't know what to do.

Masamune must know it was my doing.

That's why you escaped to Yamagata?

No!

I came to ask you that you march to Odawara!

What?

Then Masamune will understand and reconsider.

You expect me to save you?

Masamune will not go because he fears an attack from you.

If you leave, so will Masamune.

Which road can I take to Odawara?

Masamune blocks my every path.

I shall convince Masamune...

to let the Mogami army pass safely!

I don't believe you! I've been betrayed before.

You cannot be fighting!

You're in this together!

You must join hands and rush to Odawara,

or both clans will fall!

You don't know anything, do you?

It's too late for Masamune.

The regent won't pardon him, even if he goes.

Why not?

He destroyed the Ashina!

The regent is still angry. If Masamune arrives late...

he'll be killed on the spot!

No...!

Ishida Mitsunari and Gamo Ujisato sent me letters!

I don't believe it.

Tokugawa Ieyasu wrote that he would intercede for us...

It's a trap! He's lying!

Think about it.

Who's keeping Hideyoshi from conquering the Ou?

Who ignored the law against warring...

and ran wild, like Nobunaga?!

If I were Hideyoshi, I'd summon him to Odawara...

and kill him, to set an example!

Then Odawara is out of the question!

If he doesn't go, the Date will be destroyed!

No...! What can be done?

Nothing!

Masamune's luck has run out!

Brother!

Forget him, Yoshi! He brought it on himself!

However, the Date have Kojiro.

Kojiro would not be killed.

I'll be his guardian and take him to Odawara.

Please wait.

Are you suggesting we imprison Masamune?

That won't be enough.

Take Masamune's head and present it to the regent!

Yoshi!

Who's more important, Masamune or the clan?!

I won't listen!

The regent's army reached Numazu on the 27th,

and they are attacking Yamanaka Castle and Nirayama Castle.

So it's begun.

In Ou, lords Nambu, Muto, and Yuki submitted.

Lord Tsugaru Tamenobu joined Hideyoshi's troops.

Who are left?

Besides the Date, Osaki, Kasai, Tamura, and Mogami remain.

Is that all?!

Yes.

Blast! We're too late!

Better to go late than not at all.

No!

Why go after the other clans and be shamed?!

For the sake of our clan,

we should still go and explain our tardiness.

I agree!

Explanations will do no good.

We cannot say we were too busy dividing up Aizu land!

We will be severely punished.

You intend to fight Hideyoshi?!

Yes! Even if we are forgiven and Lord Masamune is spared,

we will surely lose our lands!

We cannot give up the land of our forefathers.

Rather, let us fight Hideyoshi's army here...

and die bravely among our ancestors!

How can you let Lord Masamune's die?!

Rather than compromise ourselves...

and live in shame,

samurai must die in glorious combat!

Our lord must be prepared.

Shigezane is right.

We may have to forget about Odawara,

and perish for samurai honor!

Sire...

I regret to say...

I was too late to unite Ou.

No. Conceit was your downfall.

Insolence!

Silence!

It was your counsel that made him err!

Calm down!

What do you say, Kojuro?

Don't hesitate to give your opinion.

The Imperial Court named Hideyoshi regent.

All Japan is as good as his.

No!

Silence!

No daimyo from Kanto to the west...

will disobey Hideyoshi.

The Hojo of Odawara resisted...

and now face the wrath of the regent.

In defying the regent, one defies the Emperor,

and is labeled a traitor.

If you follow the Hojo and die defending Ou,

you will forever be traitors.

Nonsense! We're not Hideyoshi's vassals!

You are being disloyal to the Emperor!

Disloyal and immoral!

Unfilial, if you destroy the clan!

Heaven will not help such as you!

We seek no help from heaven!

It's too late to go to Odawara!

Not necessarily.

A wise regent would not determine a lord's loyalty...

by his promptness in coming.

If the Date fall,

the fault will lie with the regent!

It's worth a try.

Sire, your decision...?

It's settled! He said we would fight!

Dying here will be treason!

Dying in Odawara will be honorable.

Act like a man!

Silence!

We're in council!

Sire!

I'll accompany you to Odawara!

Shut up!

Please!

Insolent!

Stop it!

Are you hurt, Kojuro?

No.

My lord...

Leave me! I don't want to see anyone!

Every man has ambition.

Without ambition, he is no man.

A footsoldier dreams of being commander. A commander dreams of being a lord.

Ambition is what makes him fight bravely...

and be loyal to his lord.

However, without ability and luck, success is impossible.

I once wished to rule Japan, but no more.

So now I submit to Hideyoshi...

and assure my subjects a safe life.

But Masamune will not give up his ambition,

and brings his subjects grief.

He's even proceeding to destroy his own clan.

He's not fit to be lord.

The only was he can save the Date...

is to send his head to Hideyoshi with Kojiro.

Please, no more!

Don't be afraid.

There is no avoiding it.

You know how Masamune is.

He would never take his own life for anything!

Then have him killed!

Are you mad, Brother?

No Date can kill Masamune.

You can.

What are you saying?!

Invite him to a party and poison him.

I'm afraid!

Poison my own son...?!

The mere thought makes me tremble!

Calm down!

He'll be killed if he goes to Odawara.

If not, he'll be destroyed here!

Rather than let another kill him,

let him die gently, by his mother's hand.

Merciful Buddha...!

It's the ultimate kindness!

No! Heaven will punish me!

Do you remember, Yoshi?

I fought against our father.

I killed our brother who turned traitor.

You don't know how it grieved me.

I lived each day in torment.

However, I know I was right.

It was the only was I could save the clan.

The Date are the same.

Tanemune fought Harumune, Harumune fought Terumune.

Though Terumune was taken hostage,

Masamune had him killed!

Brother!

Warlords are always involved in family disputes.

By wary of your own family,

but trust faithful retainers.

In order to preserve your clan...

you must someday kill your own flesh and blood!

I won't do it!

With Masamune gone...

the Date will be saved.

Masamune is a demon of destruction!

A vengeful spirit who wreaks havoc!

Our lord ordered you to commit hara-kiri?

No, but he cannot reach a decision.

I must convince him with my death.

Do not be hasty!

I thought long and hard.

Forget me.

I'll divorce you. Take Samon back to your village.

I am your wife!

No!

Someone's outside.

Show yourself!

It's Sadatoki.

What do you want?

I accompanied our lord.

Forgive me. I came in secret.

Though everyone disagrees,

I am touched by their loyalty.

However, I acted shamefully, unlike a samurai.

I can understand, sire.

Kojuro...

I ask you once more...

If I refuse to go to Odawara will the Date be destroyed?

Have I no chance against Hideyoshi?

Tell me.

The Kyoto forces number 220,000.

His power only grows.

They are like summer flies.

Though you may kill the first few,

they'll keep coming.

Summer flies?

With Lords Mori and Shimazu, they have a million men.

It will be difficult to stop them.

The regent is like summer flies?

All right.

I'll go to Odawara!

I will never forget your kind words of reproach.

I am unworthy, my lord.

In late March, back in Kurokawa Castle,

a desperating Lady of the East refused to see anyone.

My lady!

Lord Masamune is leaving for Odawara!

What?!

They depart on April 6.

With Katakura Kojuro and a hundred horsemen.

No! The regent will kill him!

He's going there to die!

What shall we do?

Summon Tohachiro!

Yes!

Lady of the East asks that you become a priest.

A priest?

If Lord Kojiro succeeds you, Hideyoshi will forgive us.

Absurd!

Outrageous!

The lord of Oshu become a priest?!

A disgrace!

Isn't this your idea, Morishige?

Indeed not!

Kojiro, did you know about this?

No.

Let us continue.

Report on Odawara.

Yamanaka Castle fell on the 29th.

Nirayama's defenders fight well and are holding.

Yamanaka and Nirayama were holding off the Kyoto forces.

But with the fall of Yamanaka Castle,

Nirayama Castle must fight against...

Oda Nobukatsu, Hachisuka Iemasa, Fukushima Masanori,

and Gamo Ujisato.

So Hojo Ujinori won't stand long...

Meanwhile, the regent set a camp on Mt. Hakone...

Please save him...

Masamune...

Masamune!

You fool!

Why did you go to Odawara?!

You fool!

Masamune!

Masamune!

I told you not to go!

Masamune!

Masamune!

My lady!

What's wrong?

Masamune?

Is that you?

Why did you die?!

Are you all right?

Please get ahold of yourself!

Masamune...

Masamune.

Masamune!

End of Episode Twenty One