Original subtitles

Fire!

Fire! Blast them! Wipe them all out!

General...

Let's take care of those that swam into the net first.

Shall we begin?

Raise the assault flag! Full speed ahead!

Get us right next to the enemy!

Aye! Advance! Advance!

Look at their speed! We have to turn around now, sir!

Not yet.

We will wait until the whole fleet has cleared the channel.

Fire! Send them to the bottom?

Now! Turn the ship around!

Turn the ship! Turn the ship!

Retreat at full speed!

Let's get out of here! Quickly! Quickly!

Pursue at full speed! Don't let them get away!

We need more speed! Increase speed!

Increase speed! Increase speed!

Get us out of here! Hurry!

Fight! We will not be defeated! Destroy the enemy!

Huh?! Whats this?

Cut off the ropes!

We can't let them board! Cut off the ropes now!

Ilsu!

Ignite!

Ignite!

It's the Kwang-yang division! Sado division is behind them!

High Commander...

Spread out so they can join the line!

Yes, sir!

Spread out to the left and the right!

Come on, come on! Let's go! We're almost here!

Ogawa, Manabe, it's time.

Let's make this the final battle for Chosun Navy.

Prepare the cannons!

Yes, sir!

Sir, it's the enemy!

There too! It's an ambush!

Be prepared, Yi Soon-shin...

I'll show you how weak and vulnerable your battle line really is!

Advance at full speed! Break their formation!

- Commander! - Retreat!

Retreat! All ships retreat!

Retreat!

Retreat! Retreat at full speed!

Archers return fire! Retreat at full speed!

Faster! Faster! I don't want to see those hands of yours!

It's all over if we let those bastards board! It's all over!

We will board them all and annihilate them! You got that?

Aye! Increase speed!

Increase speed!

Faster! Increase speed!

It's time! Move into formations!

Move into formations! Formations!

Formations!

Move in perfect order!

Reposition at full speed!

Huh? What are they up to?

It is a new battle formation.

This is the single strategy! that will lead us to victory.

It's the crane-wing formation.

A crane-wing formation! He doesn't know a thing about the art of war!

This formation is used only when you outnumber the enemy.

How does he intend to trap my fleet of 70 with 20 ships?

Besides, the vital part of this formation is the flanks.

How is he going to complete this formation with the flanks wide open?

Raise the flag! We will concentrate fire on the flanks!

Aye!

General!

I deceived you as part of a plan

when I said the Left Cholla Navy would fight alone.

We will assemble at Hansan in a crane- wing formation an destroy the enemy.

Fire! Destroy the enemy!

Fire!

Reload the cannons!

Do not retreat? Get closer to the enemy ship!

It's too soon to laugh, Kohei. The battle is just beginning!

I was prepared to sacrifice a few ships anyway.

It won't be long before they run out of ammunition,

and they will need to reload.

That's our chance.

That's when we will charge at full speed and board the enemy ships!

That is the only chance we've got. Do you understand?

Reload! Reload the cannons!

Now! Charge at full speed and board the enemy ships!

Advance at full speed!

Turn the ship around!

Reverse!

Turn the ship around!

Quickly! Turn the ships around!

Turn the ship around! Now!

Right oars forward! Left oars rearward!

Cannons ready!

Cannons ready!

Fire!

Darn it! Retreat! Retreat!

Fire! Fire!

Fire!

Yi Soon-shin... How is this possible?

How could Yi Soon-shin defeat me, Wakizaka?

Do you wish to die?

You're lucky if you don't die first, you filthy bastard.

Shut up! Shut up!

I assure you, you cannot win.

You cannot defeat Yi Soon-shin

of the Chosun Navy no matter how hard you try.

Beg for mercy.

Beg on your knees before Yi Soon-shin,

no, before the people of Chosun that you have so brutally trampled!

Only then you will be able to die a man.

General, the entire fleet is destroyed! We must retreat now, sir!

Attack! Fight to the death!

Kill as many of them as you can before you die!

Advance! Sink the remaining enemy battleships!

Yes, sir!

Advance! Advance!

Get us close! Get me right next to that ship! Now!

Sir, we must get out ot here.

I will not leave with Yi Soon-shin still alive!

The Sea Battle of Hansan...

It was a great victory remembered as one of the

four greatest naval battles fought in history.

Total of 59 Japanese ships were destroyed

on that single day causing 8.980 deaths.

The key to this great victory was of course the "Crane-Wing" formation.

This was an ingenious formation that was conceived from

Yi's observation of his flat-bottomed galleys'

unique ability to make a complete rotation in its place.

It was brilliant leader Yi Soon-shin who conceived of this the formation,

but it was his sailors who had achieved it.

Without hard work and devotion of his men who endured the grueling training,

this would not have been possible.

Therefore Yi Soon-shin's incredible feat of 23 battles and 23 victories

was more than just a legend.

It was the product of blood and sweat of brave sailors

whose names remain anonymous in history.

General!

General!

Ogawa, assist me with my seppuku.

No, General!

Defeat is the greatest dishonor for a samurai.

I will cleanse my shame with death.

General!

Let me die! Let me die like an honorable samurai!

If you do this, you are letting Yi Soon-shin defeat you twice!

Honor does not choose death because shame of defeat is insufferable.

True honor rises above the shame so you can fight again and win!

General...

Yi Soon-shin's opponent at the Battle of Hansan Wakizaka Yasuharu...

He was Japan's best naval general and a Japanese hero

who had defeated an army of 50.000 with 1.600 men in Yong-in.

But he crumbled helplessly before Yi Soon-shin's fleet.

It is said he lived on kelp on a deserted island

for a period of time after this bitter defeat swearing revenge.

Wakizaka's fleet is not at Angolpo?

Where could he have gone? Could he be...

General!

What is it, Dodo?

Wakizaka's fleet has been completely wiped out by the naval force of Chosun!

He defied my orders and engaged in battle alone?

Bring him in! Where is that bastard?

His whereabouts are unknown.

There is a possibility that he is dead.

That fool!

And where are Kobayakawa and Tachibana's armies?

They should've been here days ago if we are to launch an attack tomorrow!

Attack!

On my command.

Fire!

Attack!

Now! Charge!

Kwon Yul, was it? You are mine.

You haven't seen everything yet. I have one more surprise for you.

General!

Sir!

It's Geumsan Fort, sir. There's a huge army marching to Geumsan Fort!

We could be attacked from both sides!

What?

It looks like Ko Kyung-myung is right on time.

General!

Magistrate Oh!

Retreat!

Retreat!

Intense neck and neck battle at Ichi Pass

was coming to an end with Chosun victory.

Along with labors of Kwon Yul and his men,

there was another important element in this victory.

It was the arrival of Ko Kyung-myung's 7.000 citizen soldiers.

When Ko's army marched to the camp of the 6th division Japanese army in

Geumsan and put them in danger of being attacked from both sides.

Kobayakawa had no choice but to retreat.

Hence the two victories of Ichi and Ungchi were shining achievement

of collaborative effort between the government and citizen forces.

July 8, 1592...

It was an unforgettable day for he soldiers of Chosun,

as two great victories were achieved...

Kwon Yu on land and Yi Soon-shin at sea.

No, I'm all right. Treat the severely injured first.

I'm fine. You see? Go on!

This is not good.

These soldiers have lost too much blood.

They need potions as well or they won't make it.

I need water to prepare the potions.

I'll go.

I'll take that.

I'm sure you are exhausted from the battle. I can carry it.

Stab wounds do not heal very easily. You should be careful for a while.

It's Jang-pyung. I brought him back.

Would you take a trip with me to Gasanpo when this war is over?

That's where I met you... where I was taken...

and... where my father's ashes were scattered.

Jong-pyung...

That's where I'd like to start over if I could...

not as a Japanese artisan but as a Chosunese potter.

Send him to Gasanpo.

Let him rest in peace near his father...

Yes, sir.

This war must be brought to an end.

It is time to tell the aggressors

to abandon their ambition and stop the spear.

If they refuse to do so, I will break their spears with my hands.

That is the only way to stop the senseless deaths of my men and

of those foreign soldiers who have been thrust into violence by

a conqueror's mad desires.

And until that spear is stopped, I cannot let go of my sword.

On the tenth of July, 1592,

Yi Soon-shin's navy battled against Gouki Yoshitaka

and Kato Yoshiyaki's fleet in Angolpo.

But majority of the Japanese sailors were stricken with fear

after Wakizaka's defeat in Hansan Island.

Gouki and Kato's fleet never had a chance.

They were quickly defeated and forced to take flight on land.

Some 21 large Japanese ships were sunk that day

with 3.960 soldiers with it.

Through ten battles in three campaigns,

Yi Soon-shin had defeated all Japanese naval divisions each led by

Dodo Takadora, Gurajima Mikiyuchi, Kato Yoshiyaki, Gouki Yoshitaka and

Wakizaka Yasuharu, thereby issuing what was practically

a death sentence to the Japanese Navy.

And now, with exception to Pusan,

control of the southern sea had been completely restored.

Victories in Hansan and Angolpo also frustrated Hideyoshi's plans

for Ming conquest by cutting off the advance route along the Chosun coast,

thus changing the course of the war

that would continue for seven long years.

What do you mean we're not going to advance to Ming?

That's absolutely absurd!

Cholla invasion has ended in Japan's complete failure.

And our best naval leaders have lost their main forces.

How can we transport the army of hundred thousand to Pyong-yang

when Yi Soon-shin has seized control of the sea and

all of the sea lanes have been cut off?

Then advance without the great army!

We have more than 60.000 troops

if we combine Hideiye, Guroda and Dachibana's divisions.

Bring them together and press forward!

Then we'd be walking into certain doom.

You'd provoke Ming and be struck from both sides

in this unfavorable situation?

What were those idiots doing in the navy?

Pathetic fools!

How could they allow one man, Yi Soon-shin, to do this to us?

Our naval leaders are not weak.

Yi Soon-shin... He is an extraordinary man.

What?

He has managed to alter the direction of this war through continuous victories

with a fleet less than one tenth the size of ours.

General, do not exaggerate just because our navy has lost a few battles.

Our army is still powerful and strong! Do you understand?

It is, for now, but will it stay strong and powerful?

It is not Yi Soon-shin's victories but

the ripple effect of those victories that I fear.

Yi's victories have begun to give Chosun hope.

They're beginning to believe that they could win this war.

And that hope could turn the entire citizenry into fighting soldiers.

The formation of the citizen army is the evidence.

Even the supply routes on land are being cut off because of them.

This is incomprehensible.

Unlike Japan, meritorious exploits in war

does not guarantee wealth and honor in Chosun.

That difference could have very well been the key to winning this war.

I just hope our oversight does not come at a terrible price...

Restrain yourself, General Kato.

We must stop our advance and observe the development for now.

Your Majesty, it is time to take back Pyong-yang Fort.

But Ming general Cho Seung-hoon is idling with no intent to fight.

With what do you suggest that we attack Pyong-yang?

We must make him fight.

But if that's not possible, we must attack Pyong-yang on our own.

That's right, Your Majesty.

Or the valuable victories of Yi Soon-shin and Kwon Yul will be in vain.

I'm told Yi Soon-shin has won again.

I guess there's always a way. Right?

Bring him up.

It seems there is no warrior more capable than he is.

He should protect the King.

Then I think you should return to Ming, General.

Minister Yu!

If a soldier has no intent to fight, he has no reason to be at the front.

You have come here to fight the Japanese.

Have you forgotten?

But if you refuse to fight with us,

we will attack Pyong-yang on our own.

That is what I have come to tell you.

Do you think you can win?

The entire military force of Chosun may die fighting, but we will not retreat.

It would be most fortunate if we win the battle and recapture Pyong-yang,

but if we should fail and the line of defense should be forced back to Uiju,

Ming is next.

Do you think Cho Seung-hoon will take action?

He will have no other choice.

Why do you think the Ming government sent him here?

To save Chosun?

To protect Liaodong.

They do not want this war on their soil.

And if Liaodong is attacked,

Cho Seung-hoon will be held responsible.

I'm sure he knows that better than anyone.

Drink.

A war can wear you out.

It does for a victorious warrior, and doubly so for a defeated one.

Go ahead and drink.

Wakizaka, defeat is the greatest shame for a samurai.

Isn't that right?

When your honor is lost, death is your salvation.

Death is the only refuge in which you can hide from shame.

Don't you agree?

I understand, Your Eminence. I will take my life.

I will cleanse my shame by seppuku.

Joiai, I don't think Wakizaka is my retainer.

If he is, he would now me better than that. Don't you think?

Your Eminence!

Guards!

Aye!

Take this fool outside now!

Master, my men have done nothing wrong.

I, alone, am at fault!

I am the one who should die, Master!

Death is a luxury you do not deserve, Wakizaka.

How could I possibly grant you such luxury after the insufferable shame

an disgrace you have caused Great Japan?

What are you waiting for? Cut your guts open!

Master!

Carry out the seppuku!

Master, please! They're innocent!

Allow me to die.

Allow me to bear the responsibility!

I will allow you any kind of honor.

I will destroy everything you have starting with what you value most!

Clench your teeth and endure the disgrace.

Spend the rest of your life in shame. That is your punishment.

Master!

Ogawa! Manabe!

Ogawa! Manabe!

From this day forward, there will be no more naval battles!

Japan no longer has a navy! Do not fight at sea.

Do not fight against Yi Soon-shin!

Do not let Yi Soon-shin take one more of my men

net one more of Japan's soldiers!