Original subtitles

A Kindai Eiga-Nihon Eiga Shinsha Production

KURONEKO

Executive Producers: Nobuyo Horiba, Setsuo Noto, Kazuo Kuwabara

Screenplay: Kaneto Shindo

Photography: Kiyomi Kuroda

Music: Hikaru Hayashi

Film Editor: Hisao Enoki

Cast

Kichiemon Nakamura

Nobuko Otowa

Kei Sato, Rokko Toura, Kiwako Taichi

Taiji Tonoyama, Takao Kanze, Hieaki Ezumi, Masashi Oki

Director: Kaneto Shindo

RAJOMON GATE

Who are you?

A wandering spectre out so late at night?

No, no, I am no such thing

I am returning from Nobleman Fujiwara's mansion...

...but I am afraid...

...of the bamboo grove ahead

It is dangerous at night with highwaymen and robbers

Please help me

Will you see me to the end of the grove?

What if I were a robber?

A fine samurai could not be a robber

Are you one of the distinguished Raiko's...

...renowned warriors?

Please help me

Very well

It's out of my way and late already, but a little delay won't matter

Thank you

Woman

You're very fast

It is a familiar road

A cat?

What is it?

There you are. I wondered where you'd gone

I heard a cat

Nothing to be afraid of

My heart is pounding

They are starving too

At the Kamo River bed...

...crows peck at the bodies of those who starved to death

Thank you

It's a secluded place

We have nothing to offer you...

...but I would be happy if you came inside

Well, let me see...

Mother and I live alone

Shall I accept your kindness, then?

Please do

This way, please

A fine residence

Much better than my home

Like a nobleman's abode

Is anything wrong?

It seems cold

We only use it...

...when we have guests

I think your being here...

...will soon fill the room with warmth

Strange things happen in a war-torn land

Hail fell in Summer

Then it became so hot, birds fell from the sky

My mother

Thank you for being so kind to my daughter

Not at all, I enjoyed the night breeze while I saw her home

I have a feeling we've met somewhere

You're joking!

Isn't he, Mother?

I believe we have but I cannot recall where

Serve him sake

A cat?

A homeless stray cat

Please have some more

Excuse me, but how old are you?

What?

I also have a son

He is about your age

I am twenty-two

My husband is twenty-one

Where is he? Serving the Emperor?

He went to war

To war?

Yes, three years ago. He has not returned

Who is his leader?

We do not know

We had planted Spring seeds

Seeds?

Yes

We must plant seeds in an age of war to keep from starving

Suddenly, soldiers passed by

My son was taken, plough still in his hands

Do not worry

He'll be a successful samurai somewhere by now

Somewhere?

Far away to the north in Ezo or south in Tsukushi

The whole land is up in arms

He must be so great he has no time to come home

Don't worry. He was lucky to be taken to war

It's a samurai's world now!

Noblemen cannot fight

So the samurai will rule the land

The time will come when even the Mikado must yield to our leader

I used to be a farmer, too

But since the war, I've risen to this

Do not worry

Wars keep us in food and everything else

Everything is ours for the taking

Your mother?

She is being tactful

I am drunk. It is very good sake

Please make yourself at home

I am glad you came

It's good sake

Please feel at home

Excuse me

RAJOMON GATE

An official is coming!

You are Raiko Minamoto, the leader of the samurai

It is not like you at all

Are you doing nothing about the spectre that appears at Rajomon Gate?

Samurai means men who are proud of being strong warriors

The spectre may well appear at any time in the Palace

I cannot sleep peacefully at night

He told me in his august voice:

I cannot sleep peacefully at night"

Who's running all over the land fighting?

It's me, Raiko Minamoto!

In the Palace, they kick balls, play games

They write songs and love women

Don't say I said this

It's frustrating

The monster's not a supernatural being

Just an animal or night-prowler!

Call Kintoki!

He went west with his troops

Call Tsuna Watanabe!

He took his troops east

Fool! I know that!

I'm just trying to stiffen your morale!

Is there anyone who will kill the monster?

EZO, NORTHERN JAPAN

You cut off Kumasunehiko's head?

Let me see it

Is it really his head?

He told me so himself!

He wore fine armour and had an iron club

Good! It's really Kumasunehiko's head. It's a great prize

General Takemaro Fujiwara?

He died in battle!

My army of two thousand men?

They all died. The enemy too!

Give me a detailed account of it!

It was all muddy. Rushes grew there

The enemy lured us into the rushes!

The battle began at dawn and ended at night!

He and I were alone by then

He was hairy all over like a bear! I was frightened!

Kumasunehiko, I thought!

I was right! He told me so!

He asked my name. I was going to say "Gintoki"...

Too simple, so I tacked on Yabu and said I was Yabu-no-Gintoki

He said my name sounded strong

Asking me if I were a general he challenged me to a fight

Was he strong! Like Atlas given an iron club!

I thought his club would kill me!

I didn't want to die, so I fought!

I finally cut off his head!

I will call you Yabu-no-Gintoki

I will add you to my big "Four". My big "Five" now

Jimbei, it's me!

I'm Hachi, Yone's son

You're...

What happened? My home's burned! My home's gone!

Yes, you're Hachi all right

Your clothes?

Never mind that!

What about my home? My mother and wife?

It was last Summer. Kyoto burned for three days and nights

Conquerors and conquered alike burned things

Fires everywhere in war

Sparks fell even here

We fled into the mountains

When we came back your home had burned. It was just ashes

Did your mother and wife burn to death or run away...?

We haven't seen them since

We don't know how the house burned down

Mother! Oshigi! Where did you go?

You've won great distinction

Your valour is known all over the capital

Even beggars say you're a strong samurai

Yes, young girls especially make much of him

They hope for a glimpse of him

The bravest man in the capital must act accordingly

My orders:

Get rid of the monster that kills samurai by biting necks

Do not fail since it will affect my prestige

I offer you my cup

Pour for him

How about women, Gintoki?

Do you think they're beautiful?

Yes, I do

Very well

When you have killed the monster, I will give you a woman

Any you want... so don't fail

What is the matter?

Afraid to walk alone at night?

Are you passing through the dark grove beyond here?

So am I. I will see you home

Thank you

Thank you

This is your home?

Yes

I live with my mother

My home's far away yet. May I rest a bit?

Will you let me rest?

Welcome

It was nice of you to come

Please

Are your names Yone and Shige, by any chance?

Excuse me if I were rude

You look exactly like my mother and wife but are dressed differently

Where are they?

Three years ago, I was taken east by the army to fight

I was working in the fields

I left my mother and wife

I wanted to return to my mother and wife, so I fought as hard as I could

I could not die

I made a name for myself instead

Leader Raiko named me Yabu-no-Gintoki

But when I went home, my house was gone

My mother and wife were gone too

It's very strange

You two look exactly like my mother and wife

I do not know where they are

But just as you fought day and night in order to see them...

...your mother and wife must have waited for you too, day and night

You have returned a fine man

I wonder what has happened to them

My home was at the edge of a bamboo grove

About here

How long have you lived here?

For three years

After I left for war?

Yes, I think so.

Is there a reason you are living in such a lonely place?

A poor mother and daughter, we live quietly and inconspicuously

If you came three years ago, did you see my house?

If not, the charred ruins?

Who are you?

Reveal your true selves!

Monsters!

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

RAJOMON GATE

Woman!

Are you here?

Woman! Come out if you are here!

Where are you, woman?

I did not come to kill you! I came to see you!

Woman!

Are you here?

Are you here?

You must want to see him

I want to see my son too

Our vow is to kill samurai and suck their blood

So we invoked the evil gods

If only he were not a samurai...

I beg you...

Bear it

Endure it

Be content to see him... secretly

It's him!

Are you here?

Are you here?

Where are you?

What has happened to you?

You're here?

It is nice of you to come

We have nothing to offer you

But permit us to celebrate your safe return home

Serve him

I will not ask you who you are

I just wanted to see you, so I came

You look like my mother

You look like my wife

This is enough for me

I am glad to see you again. I missed you

We also wished to see you

It will not be dawn for a longtime

Please relax and be comfortable

I missed you

You have a cat?

No, it is a stray cat without an owner

That reminds me. When I was taken to war we had a black kitten at home

Never mind. I will forget about my home

Excuse me

It will be dawn soon

Please leave before then

I will come again

Will you wait?

Returning empty-handed every night... seen the monster?

Yes, I saw it but...

Why didn't you kill it?

It's...

You couldn't?

No...

You look bad

You look like a monster yourself

Have you been bewitched by the monster?

Your breast, your legs are like Shige's

You are Shige

You are my wife

Shige, you are good enough to eat

I'll chew you up and make you part of me!

Hold me tighter!

More! More!

There you are

Where is she?

She is not here anymore

What? Not here?

Why? What happened to her?

She was permitted to see you and love you for seven days

Please count and see

Last night was the seventh

She shortened her life to seven days...

...to pledge her love to you

Are you not living human beings?

So how could she shorten her life for seven days?

I know not what you are!

Evil gods or ghosts- supernatural powers can make you look human?

So you could not die!

She could not die!

I want to see her once more

Bound by a vow, I cannot tell you who we are

We promised the evil gods

Gods of hate who wander between this and the netherworld

Promising revenge by sucking blood, we took human forms

She broke her promise

Our love?

Yes

You are my mother!

She's my wife!

Tell me who killed you!

We promised

So we cannot reveal what we are or why we became like this

What did you promise?

To suck the blood of samurai

To suck the blood of all samurai

You too, are one

Instead of killing you...

...she gave herself to you

So she fell headlong into hell

She was glad to

Can I not see her anymore? Is she gone?

Instead of sucking hateful samurai blood...

...she preferred to love you and go to hell

Hateful...?

Tell me why!

If only I could...

Bound by a vow, I cannot tell you

Forgive me

Mother!

What happened to you?

You saw the monster?

If you saw it, I should think you'd destroy it

I'll take that up later

Tell me what the monster was like

Vengeful ghosts murdered by samurai

So they hate samurai and suck their blood

The ghost told you that?

Fool!

We fight so nobles and the masses can live without worry!

So how can anyone hate us?

Nobles may benefit from it...

...but the fleeing farmers starve to death!

They are weak!

The weak always starve!

We risk our lives to fight -it needs courage!

Isn't that why everyone respects us?

Take yourself!

A farmer's son once, but Gintoki now!

Who'd respect or think a farmer to be a human being?

A samurai, so women make much of you!

No ghost is going to hate us!

No ghosts can make fools of us!

With a samurai's authority I order you...

...destroy it!

One has been destroyed

What? One has been destroyed?

How many were there?

Two

You destroyed one?

The proof?

Well?

It will never appear again

Tell me why

It disappeared!

There was nothing I could do! It disappeared from my sight!

One more left?

Yes!

Destroy it

- Let someone else...! - Fool!

If this one gets away...

...I will kill you

It is to uphold my samurai honour!

RAJOMON GATE

Why did you not go away?

You sucked blood every night? Why?

Why can't you rest in peace?

I wished to see you

I wished to see you just once more

I have lost my honour and will be killed!

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

After seeing you, I was ready to follow her to hell

Satisfied now that you have seen me?

Please come to my abode

Will you read the sutra to me there?

Then I can rest in peace

Please. I have an edifying sutra

If you read it, my deep-rooted grudges will fade away

A puddle. Please be careful

What is it?

It's nothing

Something...?

It was a black cat?

I think so

Didn't you just pick it up?

Cat's legs aren't just lying around!

Don't be angry. Just a thought

Why would a cat hate samurai?

They said demons appeared on Mount Oe so I went for the Mikado

There are no demons

It was Shutendoji, a bandit

No glory in killing a bandit, so I said a demon

Now, you've destroyed a cat as big as a cow and one thousand years old

To purify yourself, pray for seven days

It's important to make it the talk of the capital

Do it grandiosely. Purification. Prayers

Mother

Are you a cat?

Are you my mother?

Return it to me

Return it to me

Return it to me

Mother! Are you a cat or a ghost?

My mother couldn't be

Mother! Please come out!

If you are my mother, please come out!

The sword that protects you...

...is in the way

Mother, please rest in peace!

I cut off your arm, thinking an apparition had taken your form!

Take the sword away

Return my arm to me

What will you do then?

My arm is my weapon

Without it, I cannot suck the blood of samurai

Will you wander forever as a vengeful ghost, Mother?

Yes, I will

For the hate I bear the samurai

For warring samurai

Excuse me...

Excuse me...

Who is it?

Please open the door

Tonight ends the seventh day of solitary purification

I cannot open it until dawn

I know that very well

I am a medium in charge of divination at the Imperial Palace

I cannot break the rules for anyone

The Mikado is very troubled about you

Tonight is the last night

So evil spirits may appear to thwart your plans

The Mikado sent me here...

I am to seal them in so that you may complete your seven day duty

Inform the Mikado...

...that I am a match for any evil spirit!

You do not understand at all

Disobey him...

...and not only you but your leader...

...will be punished too

It will only take a little while

Please open the door

Just a little while then

Excuse me for calling so late at night

Is that the arm you cut off the ghost?

Please divine or purify the room

No, no, I cannot go near it

You offered it to your god there

I divine by the positive...

...and negative principles

Please show me the arm more closely

Please be so good as to bring the arm to me

Very troublesome

May I take it in my hand?

Please do

Your left arm?

I have it back!

Mother!

Spectre!

Mother!

Mother!

THE END