Original subtitles

A DAIEI CO. LTD. PRODUCTION

ZATOICHI AND THE CHESS EXPERT

Produced by HISASHI OKUDA

Original story by KAN SHIMOZAWA Screenplay by DAISUKE ITO

Cinematography by CHIKASHI MAKIURA

Art Direction by AKIRA NAITO

Original Music by AKIRA IFUKUBE

Edited by KANJI SUGANUMA

Starring:

SHINTARO KATSU

MIKIO NARITA, CHIZURU HAYASHI

KANEKO IWASAKI

GAKU YAMAMOTO, TARO MARUI

RYUTARO GOMI

ROKKO TOURA, FUJIO SUGA

JUTARO HOJO

TAKUYA FUJIOKA, SABURO DATE

ICHIRO YAMAMOTO

TATSUO ENDO, KEIKO KOYANAGI

KANAE KOBAYASHI, NAOKO FUJIYAMA

Directed by KENJI MISUMI

Excuse me,

boatman,

how much is the fare to Miura?

The fare?

Exactly what the sign says.

I just wondered if you might give half off or something

to children and the physically impaired.

Why should I give a sturdy-looking man like you a special discount?

What kind of stone-hearted rule

makes no allowance for the physically impaired?

Those are the regulations.

If you don't like it, you don't have to ride.

Move along, will you? You're holding up the others.

If you can't treat crippled folk better than that,

don't be surprised

if the gods throw a storm at you and capsize your boat.

Watch out!

Thanks. That was close.

Thank you very much.

I'm much obliged to you, sir.

I guess the world isn't filled entirely with demons.

Ouch.

Many pardons.

Hey, help him aboard.

Much obliged.

All aboard!

All aboard!

Wait for me. Wait for me.

Damn!

We just missed it.

The boat from here to Miura runs only once every five days.

So we either wait four days, or we go by land.

Ino,

you're sure you saw Otane?

I already told you, I didn't actually see her.

I saw her straw hat hanging outside the window at an inn in Chikura.

When I later asked at the desk, they told me she'd left.

She said she was going to take the boat from Tateyama to Miura.

So assuming it really was Otane,

the question is how far do we try to pursue her?

What do you think?

Uh-oh. Looks like we're too late.

Too bad. Too bad.

What a shame!

When will the next boat be?

Not for four days?

You could cross to Uraga instead. Where are you headed?

- Hakone. - Going to the hot springs?

In that case,

I'd suggest going by land to Edo and taking the Tokaido highway.

It may be the long way around, but you won't have to wait.

What do you think? - That's probably a good idea.

If you wait here and a storm rolls in,

a five-day wait could easily become ten.

Everybody ready?

I'd like to join you, if I may.

And I wonder if you'd be so kind as to let me take the dice cup.

As a guest dealer.

Are you sure you can handle the cup like that?

Well, you see,

I don't have much of an eye for most amusements.

Don't have much of an eye? That's funny.

But for some reason, I can see the dice in a cup.

What do you say?

Don't you think it's worth seeing what I might be able to do?

Go ahead. You take the cup.

Thank you very much.

Here you go.

Now everyone, don't forget I'm blind.

I ask you to overlook my clumsiness.

Is everyone ready?

Place your bets.

Ah, yes, excellent handling of the cup.

All right, I say even.

- Even. - Odd.

Is that everyone?

You've got 175 mon on even. And 50 mon on odd.

Is that all people are betting?

Very well.

What do we have?

Three and six, odd.

Here you go. You've won 125 mon for starters.

I guess you really can see what's in the cup.

- Then, may I continue? - Go ahead, go ahead.

All right, everybody ready?

Place your bets everyone.

You're sure you want us to bet on this?

Oh, yes, absolutely. Place your bets.

Go ahead. Place your bets.

This is amusing. I think I'll bet too.

I'm betting on even.

Even.

Huh? Everybody's betting on even?

No one wants to bet on odd?

No one wants odd.

300, 215, 210, 200, 250, 150 - all on even.

So altogether that's one kan and 325 mon.

My, my, you've all really raised the stakes this time.

I like that.

What do we have?

Five and one, even.

Did you say even?

No question about it.

So it's even. That's a surprise.

I guess I can't really see the dice after all.

It was even.

If I may, I was in for 300,

so I get 600 back.

- Hey, I was in for 200. - Relax. You'll all get yours.

What do you say, mister? Ready to call it quits?

No, no. I have more.

Hold on just a second.

Here it is.

My goodness! Twenty-five ryo!

Please now, everyone loosen up your purse strings.

Here are the dice.

And here's the cup.

Everybody ready? Here goes.

All right, place your bets. No need to hold back.

All right, I'm going for broke this time.

Even. - I'm betting on even, too.

- Even. - All right, even.

Three hundred on even.

Everybody's betting on even again.

Why doesn't anybody bet on odd?

I guess sometimes the wind blows a certain way,

and that makes everyone prefer the same bet.

Because of the wind, you say?

Well, if you're all sure there are no mistakes,

let's see what we have.

Naughty dice! When did you jump out of my sleeve?

- Hey! What're you - - What do we have?

Even or odd?

So it's odd?

I guess the dice didn't feel that wind.

That means all this comes to me. Thank you very much.

Hold it, hold it. Hold it a second.

- Is there a problem? - Something's not right here.

The dice came up odd, didn't they?

That means I win.

What happened to those dice you put in your sleeve?

They're still right here.

You tricked us, you son of a bitch.

Me?

Hey, everyone, this guy's a pro at sleight of hand.

Don't think you can get away with that "jumped out of my sleeve" crap.

You deliberately made those two dice fall out of the cup.

This bastard used four dice to play a trick on us.

Now hold on just one second.

Are you telling me

you all bet on the dice that were outside the cup?

What kind of dice game would that be?

When you're gambling with dice,

you're supposed to bet on the dice in the cup.

Isn't that right?

You son of a bitch.

Damn you!

Do you people think

you can take advantage of me because I'm blind?

Now then, miss,

I believe you tucked some treasure away in a sweet little spot.

Bastard!

If you're that attached to the money you lost

you can have my show money as your banker's fee.

Blind man.

You handle yourself very well.

Sighted people are always trying to take advantage of me,

and giving me a lot of grief.

If I'm not mistaken,

aren't you the kindly samurai who rescued me

when I nearly fell in the water?

Hardly worthy of the name, I'm afraid.

So you play shogi chess, do you?

As a matter of fact,

I'm really very fond of chess myself.

Perhaps you would let me challenge you to a match?

Sure.

Great. Thanks.

So tell me, what name do you go by?

My name is Ichi.

Isn't Ichi what they call

any blind masseur of a certain rank?

In my case, it's also my real name.

Well, then,

if your real name is Ichimatsu, they call you Matsu no Ichi,

and if it's Ichitaro, they call you Taro no Ichi.

That's true,

but I was always just called Ichi from the time I was little

so Ichi is really the only name I know.

In other words,

you're just plain old Ichi.

All right, then.

Plain Old Ichi.

Let's see who goes first. Throw these pieces.

We're not going to forget this, you son of a bitch!

Bishop to five-seven.

My surname is

Jumon.

- Jumon? - Actually, Jumonji.

Given name, Tadasu.

Master Tadasu Jumonji.

That's an unusual name.

It's an assumed name.

Perhaps for a man on a mission of vengeance?

Wait a second.

This move will just get me captured.

Well, never mind.

Gold to five-seven.

You're not going to get me that easily.

So you fend off disaster by the skin of your teeth.

I suppose I'll strike right back then.

Rook to same.

Plain Old Ichi, you seem to have slipped up.

Wait, I take it back.

That's not allowed.

We agreed on that at the beginning.

Checkmate.

ENOSHIMA

STRIKE STRAW HAT, 10 MON BREAK PLATE, 20 MON

WITH GENUINE BLADE, 100 MON

The colors blossom

Scatter and fall

But after spring passes

They flourish again

That's right

Birds soar high

In the blue sky

Boss, a traveling masseur was passing by, so I stopped him.

Here you go.

Masseur.

The boss of the Banyu family is a sworn brother of mine.

And I hear you had a little run-in with some of his men

aboard the boat from Tateyama.

The Banyu family?

I see. So those fellows belonged to the Banyu family.

Is that right?

Perhaps we did have a tiny little encounter.

So it really was you. Well, well.

You son of a bitch.

If I don't repay your kindness, I'll be failing my duty to my brother.

Just a tiny little payback.

Take that!

Don't try to resist.

We're not asking you to pay with your life.

We just want to make sure you don't play that trick again.

Are you all right, Miki?

EJIMAYA

I beg your pardon.

Is she hurt?

ENOSHIMA MISAKIYA INN

Bishop to two-four.

Bishop to two-four.

I see.

So you strike only when you have no other choice.

Otherwise, you never draw your sword.

That's right. I try to avoid needless killing.

And you? Do you take a different approach?

I kill to kill.

Silver to four-five.

Silver to four-five.

All right. Rook to seven-four.

You kill just for the sake of killing?

No. I kill to win.

To defeat anyone stronger than me.

To defeat anyone stronger than you in swordsmanship?

Not just swordsmanship.

Even in something like chess?

Even in chess, depending on time and circumstance.

You sound like a dangerous man.

Wait a second.

This isn't really an even contest.

Since you can't see the board and I can,

it can't be a fair fight.

All right.

I'll play without looking at the board either.

That'll make us even.

Let's see.

Pawn to five-four.

Pawn to five-four?

Pawn to five-four, you say.

Pawn to same.

Pawn to same, is it?

Gold to seven-seven.

Gold to seven-seven.

In that case, let's see.

Pawn to three-six.

Pawn to three-six?

Rook to five-nine.

Ichi,

you're amazingly quick.

I figured they were after me, but it appears I was wrong.

Were they both Banyu men?

So it would seem.

Well, sooner or later

that game probably would have ended up a draw

since I was playing blindfolded.

If I had won,

would that mean you'd have to cut me down?

I don't kill opponents I like.

If I killed them,

there soon wouldn't be anyone I liked left.

Somebody, please!

Please tell me where I can find a doctor.

This child is running a high fever and having convulsions.

I'm afraid she's going to die. I need to get her to a doctor.

Someone please tell me where I can find a doctor!

Excuse me.

Good grief! She's burning up.

The doctor's a long way away and it's late,

so he's not much use in an emergency.

But we happen to have a shaman here tonight

to exorcise one of the maids who's been possessed by a fox.

The woman used to be a doctor of the Chujo School,

so perhaps we can ask her to take a look at the girl.

Yes, please.

How does she look?

It's clearly a case of tetanus.

The poison got in through her wounded foot.

Tetanus can be fatal.

If it's not treated in time, the child could die.

Then please tell me,

what's involved in treating it?

First is medicine, second is medicine, and third is prayer.

We beg you, O great god Okuninushi, O great god Sukunahiko,

please bring your powers to bear and heal this child.

And the medicine?

If we can get it quickly, the child will survive.

But I'm afraid this medicine -

Yes?

I know where it can be obtained, but -

How much does the medicine cost?

For a full round, it'll be this much.

I'm sorry, but I'm blind.

Please go ahead and say the amount aloud.

A full round costs five ryo.

There's a druggist in Odawara called Tochinko who has it.

It's a powerful medicine imported from overseas.

Five ryo.

Master! She's turned violent again!

The fox must have possessed her again.

Please hurry back to her, Widow Tarozaemon!

Ma'am, please set your mind at ease.

I will obtain the medicine for her.

Thank you, sir,

but I could never ask you to do that.

You mean you want to let her die?

She got hurt because of a scuffle I was involved in.

No. You mustn't.

It's nothing, really. These fingers of mine

can earn the cost of the medicine in no time at all.

Excuse me, then.

Where are you going?

I understand some of the pilgrims at Iwamoto Temple

like to play a little dice amongst themselves.

But what if the Banyu men decide to come after you again?

Not to worry.

I'll go along as Master Ichi's bodyguard.

I'll make sure nobody lays a finger on him.

Shall we go?

See you later.

Here goes then.

Just so you know, I have more money here.

This is all the money I have to my name,

so bet however much you want.

How much you got there, mister?

About four kan 500.

Four kan 500? Wow! This blind man's got balls.

This is no time for us sighted folk to be timid.

700. Even.

One kan 200.

- 500. - One kan.

- I'm in for 800. - 500 more to go.

- I'll put in 200. - I'll take the rest.

We've got it. Four kan 500, all on even.

Huh? You're all betting on even?

That's right, all on even.

No one wants to bet on odd?

Why would we bet on odd when -

All the money's on even.

Very well.

Let's see what the dice say, then.

Naughty little dice.

Hold on a second. What're you doing with those?

They must have fallen out of my sleeve.

You've got to be kidding!

Kidding?

I thought this was a game of dice.

In a game of dice, you bet on the dice in the cup.

Why would anyone bet on dice outside the cup?

That'd be a pretty silly game.

But you -

Did you think you could take advantage of me

because I'm blind?

Now then,

I believe you all placed your bets on even.

Let's see what we have, shall we?

Thank you very much.

Wait.

It's even. - Even?

That's right. Same as the other dice.

Three and one, even.

Are you convinced now?

Let's divvy this up then.

I was in for 800.

Wait your turn.

My bet was one kan 500.

One kan 300 over here.

I don't get it.

I've been in this racket a long time,

but I just don't get it.

It seems unlike you, to be dwelling on it so endlessly.

Pull yourself together.

All you have to do is get some new capital,

come back tomorrow and win fair and square.

The question is how to get that capital.

I have a way.

The fair at Yugyo Temple in Fujisawa starts tomorrow.

I'll let you have the space I reserved.

You'll make ten mon per head bashing.

You can earn your capital there.

You want me to sit in your place

and get bashed on the head for ten mon a pop?

So that's it.

That's why you chose an alias that means ten mon.

Because you go around

letting people bash you on the head for that much.

That's very clever.

No, you're not going to sit there and get your head bashed.

We'll try something different.

Such as?

That.

Wow! That's amazing.

Here! Catch that!

All right. Everybody ready? Here goes.

Place your bets.

Even.

That's 15 kan on even. Any others?

Anyone for odd? - Odd.

What do we have?

Five and two, odd.

TOCHINKO

Here you are, sir.

Uncle Ichi.

Hey there.

You're awake.

How's your fever?

It's all gone.

Good. Then you're going to be all right.

Once the fever breaks, you know you're okay.

I have an idea.

Let's go to the hot springs in Hakone.

They say the waters there are good for anything that ails you.

Okay.

I'm so glad you got better so quickly.

You're a lucky girl. - Uh-huh.

Uncle Ichi.

Uncle Ichi. - What is it?

Uncle Ichi.

What is it?

Uncle Ichi, thank you.

ENOSHIMA

ODAWARA

HAKONE

Excuse me, gentlemen.

Don't worry about it.

Hold it.

Don't move.

Are you speaking to me?

Don't move. Stay right where you are.

Now pull back your right foot very slowly.

Look at this. That was close.

Oh, wow. Thank you very much.

- Be careful now. - I'm very grateful, sir.

That was lucky.

- You're not kidding. - You've got to be careful.

You never know what dangers might be lurking around when you can't see.

Hey, Roppei.

Let me give you a hand.

Thanks, but I'll be just fine.

It's slippery.

You're very kind. If you don't mind, then.

Thanks.

You have a very nice master.

Thank you, sir.

May I?

Did you take little Miki to the baths?

Yes, it was her first time.

She's going to be fine, all thanks to you.

Do come in.

I haven't had a chance to ask you this before now,

but why are you on the road?

Are you on a pilgrimage of some kind?

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry.

No, I don't mind.

Little Miki's father

was a close relative of mine.

He served at a shrine on Mt. Tsukuba, but -

Served at a shrine? You mean he was a priest?

Yes.

But then somehow or other he got caught up in this.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I suppose you mean this?

Yes.

He went bad.

In the end he got tangled up in a turf war

and got himself killed.

What was his name?

Shodayu Tsukuba.

Shodayu Tsukuba.

I'm sure you've never heard of him.

He was just one of the thugs killed in the fracas.

There's no reason anyone would know his name.

He was a common thug hardly worth more than a piece of trash.

His wife had run out on him,

so this child, who was with a foster family, was left all alone.

And I'm her closest relative.

I see.

And then?

I had never had any luck finding a husband,

and I was working at Monzencho on Mt. Tsukuba at that time.

Hello?

Do you know it?

Yes, a town bustling with pilgrims to Mt. Tsukuba.

Hello? Can somebody help me?

That's right. I was working as a maid in a tea house there.

But I decided I'd take care of the child myself.

I taught her to sing and dance a little, and -

Can someone help me? Is anybody here?

Please excuse me a minute.

Who's there?

Would you know where the innkeeper is?

I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't.

I was directed here at the Kamasaku Inn up the way.

Two of their guests,

Tomonoshin Sagawa and his servant Roppei,

apparently came down here for the baths.

I need to see them immediately about a very urgent matter.

Well, the baths are right down these stairs,

but since there's no one at the desk, I don't know -

But I suppose I could go and check for you myself.

I'm much obliged.

I found them.

- Is that you, Kume? - Why are you dressed like that?

The road can be a dangerous place for a woman.

I thought I'd run into fewer problems if I dressed like this.

But tell me, brother, how are you feeling?

At one point, I nearly gave up hope,

but Roppei took good care of me and pulled me through.

We were low on funds, the illness was dragging on

and I really didn't know what to do.

That's why I sent you the messenger.

Sorry to have made you worry.

And what about the person you were looking for?

Nothing?

No leads at all?

Would you have a straw hat or raincoat?

A straw hat!

Here, sir.

- Please take this. - Thank you.

You're very kind.

KAMASAKU

It was very kind of you to lend us this.

Don't mention it. It was nothing.

The young miss asked me to convey her thanks too.

The young miss?

That is, I mean,

the master's recovery at long last

must be due to the efficacy of the waters here.

But it certainly does get cold here in the mountains, doesn't it?

Yes, it certainly does.

I think there was a scene in the play Revenge at Hakone

where one of the characters says,

"We're deep in the mountains here

where snow comes before the leaves fall.

You must have been unbearably cold."

That's right. That's exactly what this is.

We're at least hoping to leave before it snows

and head farther south where it's warmer.

Now that my girl is finally on her feet again,

I expect we'll be leaving soon too.

Oops, I mustn't be dawdling here.

I need to get my hundred prayers in before the rain starts again.

Praying for your master's recovery?

That's right.

Seems like there was something else he asked me to do.

What could it have been?

That's it! The blind acupuncturist.

My master says your treatment worked wonders.

He'd like you to come and give him another.

Is that right?

- Can you go right away? - Sure.

Please do, then.

Thanks.

- Please give him my regards. - Thank you for your business, sir.

Sorry,

but I happened to overhear.

You say you expect to be leaving soon?

Yes.

We can't go on relying on your hospitality forever.

What happened was all my fault to begin with.

Haven't I told you that you mustn't feel that way?

Forgive me.

Please.

Couldn't you put off your departure a little longer?

You see, I'm concerned about how you two will get by on the road,

and I'd like to be able to give you

three or five ryo for your travel needs.

Otherwise,

I know it's going to weigh terribly on my heart.

That's very good of you,

but it's not as if you hurt the child with your own hands.

What?

I told you not to say that.

I'm sorry. Forgive me.

The thing is,

I'm fond of Miki.

Fond?

I'm very fond of her.

Of Miki?

Master Ichi?

Only her?

Only her?

Auntie Otane,

it's raining again.

HUNDRED-PRAYER STONE

Excuse me,

but could you not make noise while I'm doing this?

You don't want to startle me at the wrong moment.

Right, miss?

Miss?

Can you see?

Not at all, sir. I'm blind.

Are you telling me a blind man sees men as women?

No.

A blind man sees men as men and women as women.

We see with the eyes of our heart.

And in the eyes of your heart, Kume is a woman?

Indeed, sir. Not only is she a woman,

she is a very beautiful woman.

- As if you could tell. - No, it's true.

Now then,

we have a young lady dressed as a man -

Oh, I see.

So that's the story.

What?

What's the story?

The story that I see with the eyes of my heart

is a story of revenge.

You are on a mission of vengeance.

What?

- Master! - Some officers from Odawara.

They say they're investigating a crime.

A man was killed on the temple grounds

while conducting a hundred-prayer ritual.

It seems the man may be the retainer

of a samurai staying at this inn.

Roppei! Roppei!

There's no sword wound. He appears to have been strangled.

The marks on his neck suggest

the use of some kind of string or wire,

but it's hard to say exactly what.

Go white, go white.

Go red, go red.

Go black, go black.

Quiet!

If you don't simmer down, I'll -

What's this?

It's a float. For fishing.

A bright red float.

Bright red?

Was it a present from someone?

No, we found it in the pond at the temple.

Begin.

In east -

No, that's wrong. We're starting at two.

You started at three just now. One more time.

One and -

In eastern

Kazusa

Oh, my, the rain's splashing in again.

When's it going to end?

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Is something wrong?

No, everything's fine.

The bath felt great.

Good to hear.

How about a match?

Win, lose, lose.

You have two losses to only one win.

Maybe we should leave it that way.

It could get scary for me if I start winning.

If something doesn't sit well with you,

there's no telling when you might decide to draw that sword.

Oh, that's right. I almost forgot.

I had one more order for a massage.

It's so nice to have work.

You seem to be doing a brisk business in this town.

Yes, thanks.

You know, Ichi,

ever since we started traveling together,

I've been practicing seeing things with my eyes closed, like you.

I suppose that's one way to pass the time.

I think I'm getting so I can see what's going on behind my back.

What did you hide a while ago?

Even if you grow eyes in the back of your head,

they won't do you much good if they're cross-eyed.

If you thought I hid something when I didn't,

I think you've still got a long ways to go.

So certification by the "Plain Old Ichi School"

remains a distant dream.

Too bad.

Well, I'll be off to work then.

Uh-huh.

Sir, the acupuncturist from a while ago is here.

He says he thinks he left something behind in your room.

Thank you.

Much obliged.

This is really quite a storm we're having.

The young lady isn't here?

She's at the guardhouse

in connection with Roppei's killing.

So what was it you're missing?

Here it is. It's just one of the tubes I use.

If I may, sir.

Perhaps it's not my place,

especially after an acquaintance of only three treatments,

to be asking such a question.

What is it?

Is there some particular reason why your retainer Roppei

would meet such a terrible end?

Why do you ask?

One problem with blind folk,

especially those of us who are masseurs,

is that we have a keen nose.

Roppei was the only one -

the only one who knew the face of our enemy.

Knowing neither name nor anything else about our foe,

we needed Roppei to identify him.

Neither I nor Kume ever saw him.

That has to be why he killed Roppei.

I can't think of any other explanation.

Is your enemy still in this town, then?

He obviously was here when Roppei was killed.

Whether he still is -

But so long as you and your sister are here,

wouldn't he stick around so he can kill you?

What would he gain from killing us?

We no longer have any way to recognize him,

even if we come face to face with him.

To kill us now would be a purely gratuitous slaughter.

I see what you mean.

If that itchy nose of yours has been satisfied,

please be on your way.

Might I perhaps ask just one other thing?

If I may ask,

what is the origin of this vendetta?

Chess.

Chess. It all started over a game of chess.

When my father was traveling with Roppei,

he became acquainted with a samurai who liked chess.

It's an embarrassing story,

but a friendly wager somehow turned sour.

I don't know who drew his sword first,

but in any case, my father was killed.

That's why only Roppei knew who our enemy was.

Now that Roppei is dead,

we have no means at all to identify the killer.

Without avenging our father's death, we can't return home.

Our family name will be rubbed out,

and Kume and I will be doomed to wander forever through other fiefs.

There's absolutely nothing we can do.

You really have no other clues about your father's assailant?

Not even some flimsy straw for a drowning man to grasp?

We know the man is an uncommonly quick chess player.

Other than that, nothing.

No.

Welcome back, miss.

Are you all done at the guardhouse?

Yes. I'm sorry it took so long.

Actually, there's one other thing about how the man plays chess.

According to Roppei,

when he has his opponent cornered and he's down to his last move,

he has a habit

of rubbing his fingers across his nose like this.

- Welcome back. - Thanks.

I'm still not having any luck.

I just keep losing.

This town must be bad luck for me.

As soon as the weather breaks,

let's pack up and head on over to the other side of Hakone Pass.

We can go to Mishima or Numazu.

When my luck returns

and I have a chunk of money in hand again,

we can go our separate ways.

Say,

I figured the kitchen would complain if it was too late,

so I went ahead and ordered some sake for you.

Wonderful! Excellent idea.

Let's get right to it.

It was an odd set of circumstances that brought us together,

but now that it's time for us to part,

I find myself feeling a little wistful somehow.

Thank you.

Let's figure on leaving the day after tomorrow.

You know,

instead of only as far as Mishima or Numazu,

couldn't we go on traveling together beyond that too?

Don't be silly.

No, really. Miki and I will take care of ourselves.

And I promise we won't become a burden.

You have to understand, Otane.

The man you're looking at is dirt.

And everyone who comes close to him or touches him,

in one way or another gets muddied by that dirt.

There's nothing I can do about being dirt myself,

but I don't want you to get mired in my dirt.

You're -

You're too -

I'm too what, Master Ichi?

Have you -

Have you ever been close with a woman?

- Uh-huh. - You have?

Uh-huh.

Even now, she is close to me.

What's she like?

Well, I'm blind, so I can't see her,

but she has two ears,

two eyes,

a nicely shaped nose,

and a sweet little mole.

That's right. Right here.

Her name is Otane, too,

but she died a long time ago.

She has the same name,

but she's different.

She lives on forever in here,

deep behind these eyes.

I hate her.

But fine, let her stay there forever, deep behind your eyes.

You're going to remember me forever, too.

Or is forever asking too much?

Then at least for a week or two.

At least you'll remember me

as the other Otane, not the one who died.

At least until that bite on your hand stops hurting.

We've combed every town along the highway,

and we still can't find her.

I wonder if she took some side road along the way.

In that case,

that Zatoichi guy she was following must have left the highway,

or else she lost track of him somewhere.

Maybe we just overlooked that straw hat of hers somewhere.

We've come this far.

Just to be sure, let's go as far as Hakone Pass.

If we can't find her by then,

we'll give up and go home to Shimosa.

OTANE

So you started following Zatoichi at Chikura Hot Springs,

and you were still with him on the boat across the channel,

but you lost track of him when you came ashore at Miura?

That's right.

And the man you've been traveling with since then,

he's a different blind man?

You're sure about that?

Zatoichi's the man who cut down Shodayu Tsukuba.

How could I forget the man who killed my husband?

The man I'm with now goes by just plain Ichi.

He's a traveling masseur.

If you don't believe me, just ask Miki.

That's all right.

We'll know him when we see him.

We're not the only ones who want Zatoichi dead.

There's a whole lot of money on his head.

We can't afford to take him lightly.

Master Ichi.

I have to tell you someth -

I drew my fortune at the temple

to see whether this is a good time to start a trip.

I mean, I wanted to be sure

because it's our first departure since Miki's illness.

My fortune said if we don't start today,

the next three or four days will all be bad.

So I was wondering,

what do you think about starting today?

I see.

All right. Let's get going right away, then.

- You're sure you don't mind? - No, I don't mind.

As they say, no sense in delaying a good thing.

How about you?

I'll go too.

No sense in delaying a good thing. Nor a bad thing.

Here.

Otane, shall we be going?

Master Ichi.

Miki's actually

my own daughter.

Oh?

I've been lying to you.

I was -

I was the wife of Shodayu Tsukuba,

who died by your blade.

And so?

But I -

I fell in love with you.

I wanted to be your woman.

Thank you.

What do you say? Care for a match?

That sounds good.

I think you were one up on me, right?

That's right.

Rock, paper, scissors.

- I go first? - Right.

Let's see.

- Rook to eight-two. - Lance to seven-seven.

- Gold to three-two. - King to eight-eight.

Pawn to seven-three.

Pawn to three-five.

Pawn to five-four.

Rook to two-five.

Let's see.

Silver to seven-two.

Lance to three-seven.

Lance to three-seven, you say.

Pawn to eight-five. - Pawn to same.

- Pawn to eight-six. - Silver to three-two.

King to six-two.

Pawn to six-three.

Silver to same.

Gold to same.

King to same.

Lance to six-five.

Bishop to six-nine.

You can't take it back.

Don't forget.

Did you say bishop to six-nine? Is that your move?

Is that your move?

Well, Plain Old Ichi,

it looks like you're finished.

Pawn to six-four. Checkmate. - I win!

To avenge our father's death!

Don't let the child see!

What are you doing?

Miki! - Auntie Otane!

No! Let me go!

Wait! Don't attack yet!

As soon as we attack, he draws.

Since he's blind, he can't do a thing until we attack.

Take your time!

When you're good and ready, everybody strike at once.

Ouch! That hurts! Let me go! Auntie Otane!

Auntie Otane!

Let me go!

Auntie Otane!

Uncle Ichi!

Thank you.

Master Ichi!

Uncle Ichi!

THE END