All language subtitles for Kuroneko.1968.JAPANESE.72

TOHO CO., LTD.

A KINDAI EIGA KYOKAI -
NIHON EIGA SHINSHA COPRODUCTION

BLACK CAT

Produced by NOBUYO HORIBA,
SETSUO NOTO and KAZUO KUWAHARA

Screenplay by
KANETO SHINDO

Cinematography by KIYOMI KURODA
Music by HIKARU HAYASHI

Production Design by TAKASHI MARUMO
and NORIMICHI IKAWA

Edited by HISAO ENOKI

Starring

KICHIEMON NAKAMURA

NOBUKO OTOWA

KEI SATO, ROKKO TOURA

KIWAKO TAICHI

TAIJI TONOYAMA, HIDEO KANZE

HIDEAKI ESUMI
SHOJI OKI, KENTARO KAJI

Directed by
KANETO SHINDO

RAJOMON GATE

Who are you?

You must be a ghost
to be wandering alone so late at night.

No, I am no such thing.

I was at Lord Fujiwara's mansion
on some business,

but I'm afraid
of that grove ahead.

My legs are trembling.

The capital is indeed
pandemonium these days,

filled at night
with bandits and thieves.

Please help me.

Will you see me
to the far side of the grove?

And what if
I'm a bandit myself?

Such a fine samurai
could not be a bandit.

I assumed you were
one of the renowned vassals

of the illustrious warrior Raiko.

Please help me.

Very well.
It's out of my way,

but I'm already late,
so the delay won't matter.

Thank you.

Woman.

You walk so quickly.

It is a familiar road.

Was that a cat?

Is …

anything wrong?

There you are.
I wondered where you'd gone.

I heard a cat cry.

A cat's nothing to be afraid of.

My heart started pounding.

Even cats are starving
these days.

Flocks of black crows
along the bed of the Kamo River

peck at the corpses
of those who've starved.

Thank you.

You live in a very secluded spot.
It seems very peaceful.

We have nothing to offer you,

but you're welcome
to come in for a while.

Well, let me see …

There's nobody here
but Mother and I.

Perhaps I'll accept
your kind offer.

Please do.

This way, please.

Quite a splendid residence.

Far better than my own.

It's like the home
of a court noble.

Is anything wrong?

I felt a slight chill.

We only use this room
when we have guests.

It must feel cold
from being so empty.

I think your being here

will soon fill the room
with warmth.

Strange things happen
in a war-torn land.

Hail fell this summer.

Then it suddenly grew so hot
that birds fell from the sky.

Allow me to present my mother.

Thank you for being
so kind to my daughter.

Not at all.

I enjoyed the night breeze
along the way.

I feel like I've met you two
somewhere before.

What an amusing thought.

Isn't it, Mother?

I'm certain I have.
I just can't recall where.

Serve our guest some sake.

Wasn't that a cat?

It must be a stray.

Please have some more.

Excuse me …

but may I ask your age?

What?

I also have a son.

You look to be
almost the same age.

I am 22.

My husband is 21.

Where is your son?
Serving at court?

He went off to war.

Off to war?

Yes, three years ago.
He has not returned.

Under whom is he serving?

We do not know.

He left just as we finished
planting a spring crop.

You? Planting?

Yes.

In this age of war,
we must sow crops ourselves

to keep from starving.

Suddenly a group
of soldiers came by.

My son was taken away,
plow still in his hands.

No need to worry, then.

I'm sure he's a fine samurai
somewhere by now.

Somewhere, you say?

He may be far to the north in Ezo,
or to the south in Tsukushi.

The entire land
is torn by warfare.

His absence means he's too busy
and successful to return home.

Don't worry.

He was lucky
to be taken off to war.

It's a samurai's world now.

The court nobles
are incapable of warfare,

so samurai are poised
to rule the land.

Even the emperor will answer
to our master Raiko one day.

I used to be a farmer
in the mountains of Kawachi,

but the war has allowed me
to rise to what I am today.

Don't worry.

Fighting allows us to eat our fill
and have whatever we desire.

We samurai can take
whatever we want!

Where'd your mother go?

Perhaps she thought it best
to leave us alone.

I'm drunk.

The sake's very good.

Please make yourself at home.

I am glad you have come.

That's good sake!

Please make yourself at home.

Excuse me.

RAJOMON GATE

The chief of the imperial police
is coming!

Move aside!

Raiko Minamoto,
you are the leader of the samurai.

This is a disgrace.

Are you simply going
to sit back and watch

as this ghost appears
night after night at Rajomon Gate?

Only one who takes pride
in his martial prowess

may be called
"leader of the samurai."

As things stand,

this ghost could appear
in the imperial palace at any moment.

I cannot sleep
peacefully at night.

He says to me
in that exalted voice,

"I cannot sleep
peacefully at night."

Shit!

Who's running all over
the country fighting his wars?

Me, Raiko Minamoto!

The courtiers kick balls around
and play board games.

They write songs
and fool around with women.

Don't tell anyone I said this.

It's maddening.

I assure you, this "ghost"
is no supernatural being.

It's surely an animal
or night prowler.

Summon Kintoki Sakata!

He just deployed to the west.

Summon Tsuna Watanabe!

He's fighting in the east.

Fool! I know that!

I'm just trying to rouse
you cowards to action!

Isn't there anyone
willing to kill this monster?

EZO - NORTHERN JAPAN

You took Sunehiko the Bear's head?
Let me see it.

You sure it was him?

He identified himself.

He also wore fine armor
and carried an iron club!

Good.

Then it really is his head.
You've accomplished a great feat.

What happened
to General Takemaro Fujiwara?

He died in battle!

And my 2,000 men?

They all died.
And all the enemy too.

Give me a detailed account.

It was muddy as a rice paddy,
and thick with reeds.

The enemy lured us
into the reeds.

The battle began at dawn
and ended at dusk.

By then, only he and I were left.

He really was as hairy as a bear.
I couldn't believe it.

It had to be him.
He confirmed it by stating his name.

He told me to identify myself,

but I don't have
a battle name yet.

I remembered Kintoki Sakata,
so I decided on "Gintoki"

but couldn't think
of a last name.

I was born in a house in a grove,
so I said "Gintoki of the Grove."

He said my name
sounded courageous.

He assumed I was a famous general
and challenged me to fight.

The son of a bitch
was strong as hell!

Like a demon
with an iron club!

I was sure I'd wind up
as rust on that club.

I didn't want to die there in the mud,
so I summoned my courage.

After a long battle,
I finally took his head!

From now on,
you will be Gintoki of the Grove.

I have four trusted retainers.
You will be the fifth.

Jimbei, it's me!

I'm Hachi, Yone's son.
From the other end of the grove.

You're -

What happened
to my house?

It's burned down.
There's nothing left.

Yes, you're Hachi all right.

But why are you
dressed like that?

Never mind that.

What happened to my house?
Where are my mother and wife?

It was last summer.

Kyoto burned
for three days and nights.

Conqueror and conquered alike
set homes on fire.

War sends everything
up in flames.

Sparks fell even here.

Fearing for our lives,
we fled into the mountains.

When we came back,

your home had burned to ash.

We don't know if your mother and wife
burned to death or fled.

We haven't seen them since.

We don't even know
how the house burned down.

Mother!

Shige!

Where did you go?

You've won great distinction.

Your valor is known
throughout the capital.

Even beggars speak
of what a strong samurai you are.

Isn't that right?
- Yes.

Young girls are especially
smitten with him.

They all hope
to glimpse his face.

The bravest man in the capital
must behave accordingly.

This is my order:

Find the monster that's been
feasting on the necks of my samurai

and exterminate it.

My name is at stake.
You must not fail.

Very well.
I offer you my cup.

Pour for him.

Gintoki, what about women?

Do you find them beautiful?

Yes, I do.

Very well.

When you've killed the monster,

I'll give you any woman you want,
so do your best.

Woman, what's the matter?

Are you afraid
to walk alone at night?

There's a dark grove ahead.
Are you returning home that way?

So am I.
I will see you home.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This is your home?

Yes.

I live here with my mother.

My home is far from here.
May I rest a bit?

Well? May I rest here a while?

Welcome.

It was good of you to come.

This way, please.

Are your names
Yone and Shige, by any chance?

Forgive me
for being so direct.

You look exactly
like my mother and wife,

though you're dressed differently.

Where are they now?

Three years ago, I was conscripted
to fight barbarians in the east.

I was dragged away
from the fields,

leaving my mother and wife
left behind.

I wanted to return to them,

so I fought
as hard as I could.

I couldn't allow myself to die.

I got unexpectedly lucky
on the battlefield.

Raiko dubbed me
Gintoki of the Grove.

But when I went home,
my house was no longer there.

It had burned down.
My mother and wife were gone.

This is quite strange.

You two look exactly
like my mother and wife.

I do not know
where they may be,

but just as you fought day and night
in order to return to them,

your mother and wife too

must have waited
day and night for your return.

You have returned
from war in triumph.

But I wonder what
has become of them.

My house was at the edge
of a bamboo grove …

not far from here.

How long have you lived here?

Three years.

Since I left for war?

Yes, that's correct.

Is there some reason

you live in such a secluded place?

We're just a poor mother
and daughter.

We wish to live quietly,
far from prying eyes.

If you came here three years ago,
you must have seen my house.

Or at least
the charred ruins?

Who are you?

Show your true selves,
ghosts of Rajomon!

There's no doubt you're ghosts!

Why have you taken the forms
of my mother and wife?

RAJOMON GATE

Women!

Are you here?

Women!
Come out if you're here!

Women, where are you?

I didn't come to kill you!
I came to see you!

Women!

Are you here?

Are you here?

You must want to see him.

I want to see him too.

We vowed to kill samurai
and drink their blood.

We prayed to the spirits
of heaven and earth to let us do so.

If only he weren't a samurai …

Try to bear it.

Try to endure.

Be content …

to watch him secretly from afar.

It's him!

Are you here?

Are you?

Where are you?

Where have you gone?

Ah, you've come!

It was good of you to come.

We have nothing to offer,

but allow us to celebrate
your safe return home.

Serve our guest.

I will no longer ask
who you are.

I simply wanted to see you.
That's the only reason I'm here.

You look exactly like my mother,

and you look exactly like my wife.

That's enough for me.

I'm truly happy to see you.
I've missed you both.

We wished to see you too.

Dawn is a long way off.

Please make yourself comfortable.

I missed you.

Is that your cat?

No, it's a stray
whose owner died.

That reminds me.

When I was taken off to war,
we had a black kitten at home.

Never mind.

Let's forget about the past.

Pardon me.

It will soon be dawn.

Please depart before then.

I'll come again.

Will you wait?

You return empty-handed every night.
Have you seen the monster?

Yes, I saw it, but -

Why didn't you kill it?

It's just that -

Couldn't you do it?

It's not that.

You look pale.

Like a ghost yourself.

Has the ghost bewitched you?

Your breasts and legs
are like Shige's.

You are Shige.

You are my wife.

Shige, I want to devour you!

I want to chew you up
and consume you!

Hold me so tight it hurts.

Tighter, my love!

Ah, there you are.

Where is she?

She is no longer here.

What?
She's not here?

Why?

What happened to her?

She was given
seven days to see you

and make love to you.

Please count the days for yourself.

Last night was the seventh.

She shortened her life
to seven days …

so that she could pledge
her love to you.

But you're not
living human beings!

How can a being who isn't even alive
shorten her life to seven days?

Are you ghosts or aren't you?

Whether spirits or ghosts,

isn't it superhuman powers
that give you human form?

How can a being
with such powers die?

She's not supposed to die!

I want to see her once more!

I am bound by a vow
and cannot tell you who we are.

We promised the god of evil …

the god of those who return from
the netherworld to avenge past wrongs.

We promised to get revenge
by drinking blood,

and we were allowed
to take human form.

But she broke her promise.

For the sake of our love?

You are my mother!

She was really Shige!

Tell me who killed you!

We made a vow.

We cannot reveal who we are …

or how we became like this.

What exactly
was your oath of vengeance?

To drink the blood of samurai.

To drink the blood
of every last samurai in the world.

You too are a samurai.

Instead of killing you …

she gave herself to you.

Because of that …

she plunged headlong into hell.

But she went willingly.

Can't I see her anymore?

Is she gone forever?

Instead of drinking
the blood of hateful samurai …

she chose to love you
and be banished to hell.

Hateful samurai?

Tell me why!

If only I could.

But my vow to the god stops me.

Please forgive me.

Mother!

What happened to you two?

You say you discovered
the monster's true identity?

In that case,
you should have destroyed it.

But we'll discuss that later.

For the time being,
tell me what it is.

It's a vengeful ghost who was
brutally murdered by samurai.

That's why it hates samurai
and drinks their blood.

The ghost told you that?

Fool!

Samurai fight so nobles and peasants
can live free from worry.

How can anyone hate us?

Noblemen may benefit,

but farmers are forced to flee
and often starve to death.

The weak ones do.

The weak always starve.

We risk our lives to fight -
that calls for courage!

Isn't that why
everyone respects us?

Consider your own case.

You were a dumb farmer's son,
but now you're Gintoki of the Grove.

Who cares about peasants,
or even considers them human?

Women only dote on you
because you're a samurai.

What ghost would dare hate us?

I won't let some phantom
make fools of us!

As a samurai,
I hereby order you:

Destroy it!

One of them has already perished.

What's that?

One has perished?
How many were there?

Two.

And you destroyed one?

Show me proof.

Well?

It is gone forever.

Explain yourself.
How did it perish?

It disappeared!

It was a ghost!
There was nothing I could do!

It disappeared from my sight!

And there's one left?

Destroy it.

- Please order someone else -
- Fool!

If you let this one
get away as well …

I'll kill you.

On my honor as a samurai,
I will kill you!

RAJOMON GATE

Why didn't you leave?

You've been drinking blood every night.

Why?

Why can't you rest in peace?

I wanted to see you.

I wanted to see you
just once more.

I've lost my honor.
I'm going to be killed.

I've been driven to the point
where I must destroy you or die!

My plan was
to see you once more

and then follow her to hell.

Well, now you've seen me.
Are you satisfied?

Please come to my abode.

Will you read
a sutra to me there?

Then I can rest in peace.

Please.

I have chosen a sacred sutra.

If you read it to me,
my hatred will be extinguished.

There's a puddle.
Please be careful.

Is something wrong?

No, nothing.

What is it?

Nothing.

So it was a black cat?

So it seems.

You didn't just
pick this up somewhere?

You don't find cat's limbs
just lying around.

Don't get angry.
It was just a thought.

But why would a cat
hate samurai?

They once said there was
a demon on Mount Oe,

so I went to slay it
on the emperor's orders.

There are no such things
as demons.

It turned out to be
the bandit Shuten Doji.

There's no glory in killing a bandit,
so I said it was a demon.

You've slain a 1,000-year-old
goblin cat the size of a cow.

You must undergo
ritual purification for seven days.

We must make this
the talk of the capital.

Make a great show of it:

ablutions, austerities
and confinement.

Mother …

are you a cat?

Are you really my mother?

Give it back.

Give it back.

Give it back.

Mother …

are you a cat or a ghost?

My mother wouldn't have
turned into a ghost.

Mother, please show yourself!

If you're really my mother,
show yourself!

The sword that protects you

bars my path.

Mother …

please rest in peace.

I cut off your arm …

thinking an evil spirit had taken
your form to deceive me.

Please put the sword away.

Return my arm to me.

What do you intend to do with it?

My arm is my weapon.

Without it …

I cannot drink the blood of samurai.

Mother …

will you wander
as a vengeful ghost forever?

Yes, I will.

Because of my hatred for samurai …

for all warring samurai.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Who's there?

Please open the door.

Tonight ends my seventh day
of solitary purification.

I cannot open the door
until dawn.

I am well aware of that.

I am a seer

in charge of divination
at the imperial palace.

I cannot disobey
the precepts for anyone.

The emperor
is deeply concerned about you.

As tonight is your last night,

evil spirits may appear
to interfere with your purification.

The emperor sent me here
to bind the evil spirits

so that you may complete

your purification without incident.

Go back and inform the emperor

that Gintoki is a match
for any evil spirit.

You don't seem to understand.

Disobey the emperor …

and both you
and your master Raiko

will be punished.

It will only take a short while.

Please open the door.

Very well, but only
for a little while.

Forgive me for calling
so late at night.

Is that the arm
you cut off the ghost?

Please perform
your divination and purification.

No, I cannot go near it.

That altar is consecrated
to the god that you worship.

I divine according
to the Way of Yin and Yang,

the cosmic principles
of dark and light.

Please allow me
a closer look at the arm.

Please be so kind
as to bring it here.

This is all very troublesome.

May I take it in my hand?

If you wish.

What happened to your left arm?

It's mine again!

Specter!

Mother!

Mother!

THE END