Original subtitles

TOHO FILMS, LTD. Presents

A NAKAMURA PRODUCTION

IN COOPERATION WITH KOCHI-PREFECTURE KAGOSHIMA-PREFECTURE

THE AMBITIOUS (Bakumatsu)

Executive Producer OGAWA Kinichiro

From the novel by SHIBA Ryotaro Screenplay by ITO Daisuke Additional Material by HIRAO Michio

Photography by YAMADA Kazuo Art Direction by ITO Juichi Sound Recording by NOTSU Hiro Lighting by NAKAYAMA Haruo Sound Editing by SHIMONAGA Hisashi

Music by SATO Masaru

Assistant Director YASUI Osamu Film Editing by ARAKI Yoshihiro Special Effects by KANAYAMA Minoru Swordfight Direction by OGATA Shinnosuke

Film Processing by TOKYO LABORATORIES

Production Managers ENDO Yoshikazu NAKAOKA Kiyoshi KATO Akio SUZUKI Issei

Cast

NAKAMURA Kinnosuke

YOSHINAGA Sayuri NAKADAI Tatsuya KOBAYASHI Keiju

NAKAMURA Katsuo KOYAMA Shigeru EBARA Shinjiro NAKAYA Noboru

MIKIMOTO Shinsuke MATSUYAMA Eitaro AMADA Toshiaki OTSUJI Shiro NITTA Shogen KATAYAMA Akihiko NIKI Terumi OTA Hiroyuki KAGAWA Ryosuke YAMAMOTO Gaku

NAGASHIMA Ryuichi FURUYA Ikko AOYAMA Hiroshi HOZUMI Pepe AKEDA Keiko NAKAMURA Tokinosuke SAWAI Saburo TANAKA Hiroshi

OKUDA Kiyoshi FUKUMOTO Isamu HASHIMOTO Senzo ASAWAKA Yoshitaro YASUDA Takashi SUZUKI Haruo

OGATA Shinnosuke KAGAWA Keiko

ERI Chiemi

NOSAKA Akiyuki YAMAGATA Isao

Dialect Coaches ANDO Takako OKUDA Kiyoshi

Narrator KUROSAWA Ryo

MIFUNE Toshiro

Directed by ITO Daisuke

TOSA KOCHI CASTLE

- It's too much.

I'm very sorry for the delay.

I was sick for three days.

- Don't worry, I'll explain to the merchant later.

Here.

You better take it easy.

Here, this is for 2 rolls of fabric.

- I'm sorry, I'll make sure she's finished by tomorrow.

- Yes.

Saichi! - Yes!

- Go to the main house,

and ask them to use this pattern on the next fabric.

- Yes, sir!

I'm leaving now. - Yes.

- Hey, Umanosuke!

Where are you going?

- Oh, I almost passed right by.

- You're not paying attention.

- I was getting an education.

Oh, it's raining.

- Hey! - Yes.

- Wait. - Yes.

You shouldn't wear straw sandals with your bad foot.

Take these!

- No, it's alright. I'm only a merchant.

How can I wear such sandals?

- Don't worry! Don't worry!

- You have to be careful in such bad weather.

Here, take this!

- Oh, no...

- Even though Takechi Hanpeita is trying to fight

the men he brings are like nothing!

- Exactly!

Takechi is leading a group of mostly 'goshi'(country samurai).

He's plotting together with a bunch of ronin.

- About 30 or 40 men?

- No, no!

Around 200 of them have already signed,

talking about Tosa 'Loyalists'.

- They're acting like big shots!

They say "Revere the Emperor, expel the foreigners",

but meanwhile, behind the scenes

they plan to destroy the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Be careful of them...

Hey, Monk!

Get me an umbrella and some sandals!

- Yes! - Now!

- That was some rain,

but it's stopped now.

Hey, Umanosuke...

Would you like to try some fresh manju?

- Thank you! Thank you! - It's hot.

- You clumsy oaf!

- Excuse me! Please forgive me!

- A commoner like you has no right

to wear such expensive wooden sandals!

- Please let me go!

Because of my injured foot in the rain,

I was given these wooden sandals to wear.

Please let me go!

- Enough!

You're carrying an expensive umbrella, too.

Do you think it's alright to splash mud on a high ranking samurai?

I'll slice your head off! Be ready!

- Please forgive me! Please forgive me!

Thank you very much!

Please forgive me... Please...

Please forgive me!

Forgive me... Forgive me... Please!

- What's wrong?

- Hey, what happened?

What's the matter? Hey!

Oh, no! That poor guy...

- The poor guy? What...

What do you mean by that?

- It's all my fault.

I gave him the wooden sandals and umbrella.

- Are you trying to cover for him?

- No, what I'm trying to say is...

- What are you trying to say?

You're not allowed to speak to a samurai of high rank.

You're committing the same crime...

Be ready, too! - Please wait!

- You've no choice! A fair fight!

- Just a moment!

- Hey... Take it!

- Please help! It's your brother!

Come to Seifuku Temple! - What?

- You, there!

- Nimoto-sama!

Wait! - Let me go!

- Nimoto-sama, stop, please!

It's very dangerous!

Please stop! Please stop!

- What's going on!

Did you do this?

- Wait!

- "Promise to God that we will be obedient...

"and with clear mind, we unite with joy...

- Oh, I can listen to that over and over!

- My blood flows and I want to dance when I hear that!

- The Nakahira brothers are also coming,

so we'll have about 20 people at tonight's meeting.

- Yes, that makes a total of 193 people.

We have so many people, but...

I disagree with Takechi talking about the Kinno.

- Oh yeah?

I know the 'Loyalist' ideals are great,

but they shouldn't get involved with politics.

We have to make the high officials understand

and agree with us about the Kinno (Loyalists).

- Dogs! To them we're wild dogs!

They punch and kick us,

but we can't do anything!

- What's going on!?!

- Hey!

- The Nakahira brothers are in a fight

with someone at Seifuku Temple!

Oh... Over there!

- Wait!

- They're trying to find Jukichiro-dono

and searching people's homes!

- Oh! They are here!

- Hey, did you see Nakahira Jukichiro?

- Why do you want him?

- What's your name?

- Sakamoto Ryoma.

- Sakamoto?

Oh, you're from 3 Chome, Honmachi,

aren't you?

You were in Edo learning swordsmanship, when did you

come back?

- Hey!

It's impolite for you goshi to stand while talking to samurai!

- If... Jukichiro is here, you better hand him over!

If you don't... - No.

It's too bad. He is dead.

- What? Is he dead?

- He killed himself.

- Like this?

- You fool!

Even a 'country samurai' follows the code of Bushido.

So if that samurai killed himself,

how else but Seppuku?

- If that is so...

Can we have his corpse?

- Bring it here!

- I refuse!

You're just Yamada Hiroe's men,

so tell Yamada that Jukichiro died.

And your job is done.

- All right!

After we check his corpse to make sure,

we'll leave!

- Checking the corpse is the work of the coroner.

It's not your job!

You can't ignore the law!

- What?

- Smart mouth! - You're just a town samurai!

- Very well! Then... - We will be back!

- Oh, Nakaoka-sama!

Welcome back! When did you arrive?

- Yeah, I just got back from my trip to Choshu.

I heard that Nakahira's younger brother is missing after a fight.

- Yes, his younger brother is... - Huh?

- Well...

Nakahira-sama!

- Any last words... for... the young lady?

- Please tell Miwa - Yes.

- I wish her happiness.

- I'll assist!

Takechi, you heard about the Nakahira brothers?

- Yes, Manju-ya's Chojiro told me.

But we must decide what we can do about it.

For the time being, send the body to his house.

- We'll do that. It's all we can do for now.

- You two, please take care of the family.

- Very well, we shall.

Everyone, let's go! - Yes! -Yes!

- How is the Choshu situation?

- I have the letter from Kusaka Gensui and Katsura Kogoro.

Takechi, if we sit and do nothing,

we will be left behind in the world.

- It's not easy to get anything done.

Other clans called him mistaken,

and talking about the Loyalists,

put those of his own clan after him.

- Takechi,

I'm just a messenger traveling the country,

so I can look at it from outside,

and see what's going on inside from outside.

- Nakaoka, I have my own thoughts and ideas.

To change the Government completely,

we must destroy the class-based political system.

Even if we must take emergency measures.

- What measures?

- First of all, there is Yoshida.

Our foe in the clan, Yoshida Toyo must be killed!

- Kill Toyo?

- Yes,

The truth is, I tried not only once, but twice.

But it didn't work out.

Ryoma!

Shintaro, the 3rd try must succeed.

So, please give me a hand!

- I'm not sure when I have to leave for Choshu. It depends on the letters.

- Ryoma!

- I am not staying in Tosa anymore.

- What? Leaving one's clan is a big crime.

If you leave the clan, they'll seek you as a fugitive.

You should know that.

During trouble between Tosa, Kinno, and Sonno,

will you abandon Tosa?

- Tosa is my home, I'd never abandon my home.

It's something else, not Tosa.

- Are you going to abandon the clan?

- Do you hate it that much?

- I made up my mind after seeing the class system

that has Tosa men fighting each other like animals.

What is the clan? I don't care about it!

- Ryoma, you'll be killed!

- What else can I do? - What?

- Stop it

You two are always like this when you see each other.

I can't understand how you two know each other so well,

but when you see each other you act like enemies.

What will you do after leaving the clan at the risk of your life?

- I will do what ever I want to do.

- Where?

- Edo. I have business to take care of in Edo.

Oh yeah... Shintaro!

Take me with you when you leave for Choshu,

and let me get off at some port.

Now that I'm fed up with Tosa,

I want to leave the clan as soon as possible.

Please... a favor!

- What will you do in Edo?

- Kill! Just like you are going to kill Yoshida Toyo.

- Who?

- On this ocean,

there is an invisible rope surrounding all of Japan.

Many foreigners use this rope

to gain entry and attempt to take over Japan.

If the gods don't stop them, then who will?

It's the people... like me, Ryoma!

Ryoma will do it!

- Oh my. There you go again.

Traveling by foot with only bare hands,

How can you dream and talk like that now?

- If you think I'm so funny, go ahead and laugh!

"Go ahead say it, say it..."

"Whatever you want to say..."

"but in my heart..."

- "Only I know..."

- "Yosakoi... Yosakoi..." - "Yosakoi... Yosakoi..."

- "Watch me, watch me..."

"Don't say anything but just watch me..."

- "Only I know what I'm going to do..." - "Only I know what I'm going to do..."

- "Yosakoi... Yosakoi." - "Yosakoi... Yosakoi."

- Ryoma!

I found out how to get to his house and when he's home.

Will it be at home or on the road...

that we kill him?

- I don't think the road is a good idea because of people.

- Very well. We do it at his home.

What is our plan? Just cut him down...

or let him explain himself first? What do you think?

- This blade will tell us what we must do.

- From Tosa, I am Sakamoto Ryoma.

- Chiba Jutaro?

Oh, Hokushin Itto-ryu Chiba's young sensei?

- Yes!

- Don't waste time and kill your enemy...

Or let him talk and hear him out first?

Anyway you came here to kill.

What do you choose?

- May I ask something?

- Go ahead!

- Sensei, you were in favor of going to the West,

and sailed around the world on the Kanrin Maru!

But now you are afraid of them.

Even though you're in charge of the Japanese Navy,

and command all of its fighting ships!

- Wait a minute!

How many fighting ships are under my command?

- Well... there are...

- Do you think he has this many?

- But... but... our population is educated

and the samurai have the Warrior's Spirit!

Even if we have to fight a foreign country, or the whole world!

- Don't talk about fighting a foreign country or the whole world so easily!

Ah, this Earth is so huge.

Do you think Japan is safe because it's the "Land of the Gods",

so we can't be harmed by any other country?

Aren't you thinking if we're attacked,

the "Divine Winds" will blow?

And if not...

Are you sure it will happen? Can you make it happen?

How about it? How? How?

- It will happen! It will happen!

- That's good! I surely hope so.

But a military officer can't depend on that.

Mikado (The Emperor)

Also told us to go after our enemies.

- How can you say that?

- I try to listen and obey, but...

I don't have the ships.

If we have the money, we can buy many as ships as we want.

Who would be the crews and who would be Captains?!

You need a magnifying glass to find Japan on a world map.

Surrounded by the ocean.

How can we protect ourselves?

The truth is, I'm not the man for warships.

I just like ships and the sea!

KAISHU SHO-OKU

KAISHU SHO-OKU I want to cross the Seven Seas

KAISHU SHO-OKU

KAISHU SHO-OKU and get to know other countries and their cultures

so we can learn from them,

and use that knowledge to bring our country to their level or more.

Japan is a small country in the Orient,

and on the other side of the ocean

is a powerful small country, Great Britain!

We must equal them!

- Sensei!

- Surprised? Now, all that talking made me thirsty.

Let's have tea.

Come here!

- Yes!

(Speaking in Dutch)

- Yes, Sir!

(Speaking in Dutch)

- I'm leaving!

You spineless man! I am so disappointed!

- Sundown before the harvest.

- Sensei.

Katsu-sensei!

"To Big Sister"

- "This way of life is not as easy as we thought...

"Some unlucky men are unable to bathe...

"The testicles...

"Some men died from crushed testicles...

"I've been so lucky lately, because...

"the greatest man in Japan...

"Katsu Rintaro-sensei opened...

"his eyes and mind...

Yes, yes...

"and put me in charge of the Kameyama Trading company...

"And with modern steam powered ships, as illustrated...

"we are operating a marine shipping business...

"And because we sometimes...

"protect Japan from the sea, we're thinking of changing...

"our company name to the Kaientai (naval force)."

Big talk, big talk...

- Navigation!

- "Enclosed is a picture of Kameyama Company men who are all from Tosa...

"In that picture, you probably don't recognize the man on the left...

"or the man right next to me...

"In the left corner is Shingu Umanosuke of Suido-Yokocho...

"Next to me, from the Mozen-cho manju store is Kondo Chojiro...

"He is the best man in the company...

"I can rely on him and leave the company in his hands...

"So, I can then work for the Government."

- Hey, we'll be here all night,

please leave for our meeting.

- That's fine with us. Everybody let's go!

- Well... the main issue is Article 2

Any decision must be by majority vote.

If anyone acts alone and goes behind our back,

we'll vote to determine if he must perform Seppuku.

I don't think we need to discuss this subject again.

- No objection!

- No objection!

- Kondo-kun! Hey!

Do you have something to say?

- Huh?

- Oh, yeah...

No objection!

- No objection? So you agree?

For breaking our rules,

we must order you to perform Seppuku.

- Seppuku...?

Why is that?

- I'll tell you!

I went to the Richardson Trading Company,

and saw the name Uesugi Sojiro in the Amity's log.

I asked and was told Uesugi Sojiro is a Kameyama man.

In other words, Uesugi is you, Kondo Chojiro!

- I borrowed this passenger manifest from Richardson.

You signed your name there.

Didn't you?

- What of it?

- Explain?!

- I see. And what else?

You told me that this is a party for the Tosa men.

You tricked me and made me drink.

And what else? Now you want to kill me.

- You didn't tell us about an overseas trip!

This is a big problem!

- I knew I'd have to

be killed!

I planned to get away,

and leave Japan!

Do you want to hear why?

Do you want to hear?

In London, England,

nobody called me "Manju maker"...

"Manju maker" because I make manju!

There is no discrimination!

I just thought about it. That's all!

- So, will you do it?

- As a member of the clan, act like a samurai!

- Act like a samurai?

You don't treat me as samurai, because I make manju!

But you tell me to die like a samurai?

- No matter who you are, it's Seppuku.!

Rules are rules!

- Rules! Rules! Rules! Rules...

- Hey!

I didn't know what was going on until now!

You men all putting pressure on Kondo!

Doing this while Sakamoto-sama isn't here...

- Shut up! Go away!

- If you want me to die, I'll die!

Sakamoto!

Goodbye!!!

- Please, come this way.

- Oh, Nakaoka-san!

- Hi, I stopped by at Kameyama,

and was told about the get together of Tosa men.

How is Sakamoto?

- He couldn't wait for you and went to Shimonoseki.

- Oh. Who did Sakamoto take along to Shimonoseki?

- Ah, the 'tinker' went with him.

- The 'tinker'?

Do you call Shingu Umanosuke-dono

by that name even though he's also from your hometown?

Hey...

Everybody... What's going on here?

What's the matter?

- K... Kondo-san is! - Kondo?

What have you done to Kondo-kun?

- He broke a rule,

so we punished him.

- Without Sakamoto here?

- It doesn't matter that you are Sakamoto-san's friend,

you have no right to interfere with our duty!

- What!

We all came from the same hometown!

How can you treat as outsiders

Kondo-kun, and Shingu Umanosuke?

- What happened to Kondo? Hey!

Is Chojiro sick?

Oh, Nakaoka-san!

- Yeah! How is Sakamoto?

How was his meeting with the Sat-Cho?

- Katsura-san was overwhelmed by Sakamoto-san,

and finally he agreed.

- Did he agree to meet with Saigo?

- Yes! The Satsuma told him they'll meet later in Kyoto.

- Thank you! Thank you so much.

While Sakamoto is hard at work,

do you know what these men from your hometown

did to Kondo-kun?

- Kondo? - Shingu-kun.

Kondo Chojiro is over there!

- Kondo!

- Are you satisfied now that you killed an important friend

because you are jealous of his ambition?

Die! If you have any shame, you should die too!

I don't care about you anymore!

- Although you were only born... in the manju maker's family...

but being a manju maker... wasn't enough...

and you became a samurai who surpassed the others...

because you were so intelligent...

they were so jealous of you...

and treated you like this!

We're all from the same town, aren't we?

You! You! You!

Everybody!

Go ahead kill me!

Kill Umanosuke, too!

- The Satsuma and Choshu each wanted to lead the 'Loyalists'.

The Choshu attacked ships from:

England, France, America, and Holland.

They were easily beaten and their warships were taken away.

Not only that, the Shogunate took away their nautical rights.

The Choshu Clan's difficulties can only be solved by

getting firearms and help from the Satsuma Clan.

Ryoma got Satsuma's Saigo Kichinosuke

to meet with Choshu's Katsura Kogoro.

At last he brought the negotiations to a conclusion.

But he didn't want a meeting with only area personnel,

so he rushed to see Katsura and Saigo in Kyoto.

- From Satsuma:

Komatsu Tategaki, Shimazu Issei, Katsura Uemon and senior retainer,

Saigo Kichinosuke.

And representing the Sappan,

as observers are Okubo and Iwashita - How about the Choshu?

- Katsura Kogoro is leader, Miyoshi, Tanaka, Hayakawa, and myself... Five.

Saigo listened to what Katsura had to say.

Afterwards,

he said "You are right." and then bowed.

- Did he say "You are right"?

Then what?

- That was it! Nobody spoke after that.

Neither side had anything to say and the meeting was over.

That was the only meeting we ever had.

After ten days,

Katsura thought the Satsuma had no sense of justice,

and decided to return to Choshu.

He has just arrived here from Satsuma.

- Oh, he is here.

- I've heard about the meeting.

Saigo-kun said "You were right", didn't he?

- Yes, he said "You are absolutely right".

But if he really believed what we were saying,

why didn't they talk about joining the two clans?

If they say nothing, why should we?

- Hey!

If they didn't say anything,

why didn't you?

- How can we? Sakamoto-kun,

you know,

they are the zenith and a powerful enemy!

Our clan has been crushed by the government,

and already suffered!

In our position,

an alliance of both clans, would not be fair!

In that case,

I will lead this clan into ruin...

- Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Why do you say that?

Who cares about the Satsuma? Who cares about the Choshu?

We are all Japanese, aren't we?!

- Maybe we're not all Japanese!

The people of the Choshu must go back to Choshu!

They have no choice!

- Choshu! Choshu! Choshu! Kogoro!

When we Tosa men went to Choshu,

we were always dragged into some kind of a fight!

A lot of men died

at the War of Yoshino by the Tozu river

and in the attack at Ikedaya Inn,

many were slaughtered by the Shinsengumi!

That wasn't the worst!

Takechi Hanpeita-dono the Loyalist leader and 23 men

faced overwhelming odds and were defeated

by an army of 604 Kochi samurai.

Anyone not killed in battle was then executed!

A total of 23 teenagers too young to join the military were killed!

The 23 youths were killed at the river bank by their hometown,

and their severed heads displayed

outside of Kochi Castle!

They didn't fight merely for Satsuma or Choshu.

We know that it wasn't just about their clans!

Did you say, Choshu men should go back to Choshu?

If you have a hometown, you can go back anytime you want.

Your clan is made up of Loyalists!

If the Satsuma Loyalists joined with your great clan,

we could all go back home!

Kogoro!

Men like us of the Tosa Clan,

if we get caught,

will be put to death!

We were fully aware of it and left the country,

but looking all over Japan, we have no place to go!

Go back! Go back! Go back!

If you can't think of Japan, just go back!

- Yes!

I'll go back and fight the Shogunate Army.

I'm sure the Choshu clan will be destroyed.

I don't care

if we're destroyed or all killed! I just won't be a beggar!

- If you want to be destroyed, be destroyed!

But, sir... Japan...

Don't you care if Japan is destroyed?

- Japan... will be destroyed.

- What did you say?

- Luckily, Satsuma stands by the Emperor,

so even if the Choshu Clan is destroyed,

as long as the Satsuma exists,

it's going to be all right.

For that reason, I won't regret it...

even if we are...

destroyed!

- You!

- Where are you going?

- Where am I going?

There's a Kyoto umbrella maker's proverb,

that says I'll be punished if I break an umbrella!

So I should go where I'll be called stupid!

Saigo-kun,

If the Satsuma and Choshu form an alliance, the Shogunate would fall!

At the first meeting nothing got done, it was just like a children's fight!

If both clans are destined to be enemies,

we can also say that it is destiny

if you overcome your bitterness towards each other!

Saigo-kun!

- Sakamoto-kun, you are absolutely right!

I will talk to the Choshu clan about forming an alliance.

- When? - Maybe tomorrow.

- No, you must do it tonight! No, now!

- All right, Sakamoto-kun!

TERADAYA INN

- Yes, who is it?

- Ume (Plum)! It's Ume!

Saita (Blossom) Umetaro Saita!

- Plum blossom?

Here's the name written down Saita Umetaro (Plum blossom).

- Oh yeah?

- Keep an eye on him! - Yes!

- Ah, Miyoshi-sama is waiting for you.

Everybody was so worried about you!

How was your work?

- A job is well done!

Ahem! Who do you think I am?

Sakamoto Ryoma never wastes time!

- Hey!

Sake! Sake! Cold is okay! - Yes!

- Miyoshi-sama, Sakamoto-sama is back!

Miyoshi-sama! It's over! It's over, Miyoshi-sama!

- Is it over?

- A job well done, ahem!

- Ahem!

- Sakamoto-san, I worried about you all day!

- He was so worried that he hid in the closet and slept!

- Hey!

Congratulations!

Did you impress the Sat-Cho?

- Thanks for waiting!

- I'll drink a lot of sake tonight! After this...

- A very hot sake! Yes, yes!

- Excuse me, I'll go clean up in the bathtub.

- Yeah. - Excuse me.

- Thank you very much! Because of you,

the Sat-Cho will take a leadership role from now on.

- Wait a minute! What do you mean by that?

- Just as I said. The Sat-Cho will take a leadership role.

- No! Don't let them take over! Never!

- What did you say?

- I just can't watch and be quiet about the Tokugawa government

being replaced by a Mori or Shimazu Shogunate.

Both clans are hiding behind the movement

to overthrow the Shogunate right now,

but eventually one will take over power...

- Sakamoto-san, you exaggerate! It's your imagination!

- Is it?

I don't care if it's the Tokugawa, Mori, or Shimazu,

I just don't like a Shogun or a Shogunate, period!

I'll put my life on the line to stop them.

I won't let them do it!

- Sakamoto-san!

I see. It's too much

for a Choshu Clan bodyguard like me

to fully understand!

- It's all right!

"I'm the only one who knows about my heart."

"Yosakoi... Yosakoi..."

- Ryoma-san!

Fushimi Magistrate's men are here... - They are?!

- The house is surrounded!

- Which way? - This way!

Please go over the roof to the neighbor's balcony!

- Very well! You must somehow escape

and hurry to the Satsuma Mansion! - Yes!

- What is it? What do you want?

- We were sent by Lord Matsudaira!

Come with me!

- The lord?

Why are you being so rude to a Satsuma Clan member?

- Shut up! You're lying about being from Satsuma!

- No, I am not lying!

Go to the Satsuma Mansion and check right now!

- There's no need!

Keep quiet and come with me!

- Dull-witted man...

Well, what shall we do?

- What a bother! Let's do it!

- Yeah, let's do it!

I'm going to do it! I'll do it!

- Kill them!

Oryo... bullets! - Yes!

- Bullets!

Oryo... to Satsuma's!

Ah, Oryo... hurry! - Yes!

- Oryo!

- Yes!

- Hurry to the mansion!

- Compared with this area,

Satsuma is a tropical paradise.

It would be good to heal your injuries

at one of the many Onsen (hot springs) we have there.

One thing worries me, though.

- I know. The government...

won't let me go to Satsuma because of the danger here.

- No, no. It's not that.

I'm just concerned

about who is the right person to go

and take care of you.

Sakamoto, if there's anyone you know,

please tell me!

- Well...

- It doesn't have to be a man.

A woman's all right, too.

- A woman, eh?

- Ah...

- Well...

- Can't think of one?

- Where is Oryo-san?

She was doing the wash not long ago.

- Why are you looking for her?

- Saigo-san suddenly came from Kyoto...

- Is that so?

- Yes, I'm a Choshu man, so I can go back to Choshu anytime.

Sakamoto-san left without his clan's consent,

He's pursued by his clan all throughout Japan.

If the officers find him, he'll be...

- Oh, that's why Saigo-sensei invited him to Kagoshima.

- Yes, that's right.

Anyway, this is an urgent matter, so we must hurry.

Saigo-sensei wants him safely

out of Kyoto as soon as possible.

- Oh, it's time to go to work!

- Well, if you see Oryo-san, please let me know.

- I will. - Good.

- Oryo.

I must go to Satsuma,

Please get things together for me.

- Yes! - Understand?

Oh, Oryo... pack your things, too.

- Huh? Why?

Me, too? With you?

- Yeah, Saigo-dono said so.

Let's go. Hurry up!

- "The first stop was Kirishima Temple...

"to pray for perfect harmony...

"and long lives as man and wife.

"The next step was to climb the mountain...

"sacred to the grandchild of the Sun Goddess.

"Everyone is simply amazed by...

"Oryo's stamina and determination because...

"even men can't climb this mountain easily."

- I give up!

- All right.

Oryo, come over here! - No, I can't!

- About 227 ri from Saimon-Dake is Okinawa,

Saigo-kun was transferred there twice

to a lower position in a remote branch for 6 years.

- What did he do to upset the lord so much?

- It was because Saigo-kun was so popular at that time.

- Every clan and every lord.

- All the lords are fools!

Because all the lords are fools, their clans have to fight and die!

In North Kyushu, a man named Hirano Kuniyori

was punished because he didn't agree with clan policy.

He escaped from the clan and raised his own troops.

He tried to fight for the country,

but he lost... and wound up

executed in prison!

"Compared to my burning desire inside...

"the smoke that is found on...

"Mt. Sakurajima is so thin and weak...

"So thin and weak is the smoke...

"on Sakurajima Mountain."

This superb poem by Hirano Kuniyori conveyed his anger to the whole world!

Everybody died! They were all killed!

Damn-fool lords!

Damn-fool lords!

... Damn-fool lords!

- Dear.

- Yes?

- I get chills when I think about your future.

Chills from deep inside my body!

Dear, it's getting cold.

Dear!

- Oryo!

- Dear!

- Oryo!

- Dear! - Oryo...

- The 3rd year of Keio (1867),

"Kameyama Trading Company" changed its name to "Kaientai"(Navy).

- Oh, it's time for my appointment!

Taroji! - Yes!

- Where's Oryo?

- As usual...

- Biwa? - Yes.

She went to take a lesson.

- I don't know when tonight's meeting will end.

- Yes, I'll tell her.

Welcome back!

- He was here, wasn't he?

- How you know?

- Because he is my husband.

- But why?

- Because... Some day, you will know too...

- Oh, I can see him! I can see him!

Sensei got off the Amity and boarded another boat.

- Oh, my husband!

My husband! My husband!

- Ryoma, I understand!

I know that Japan will survive, but the Tosa clan is being destroyed.

But please do me a favor,

and try to keep the clan alive!

- Save the clan. - Can it be done?

- The clan will be destroyed, but Tosa will survive.

And a new world order will see the curtain... rise!

- Any ideas? - Simply this.

After tonight's meeting you must deliver a message.

I love Tosa too,

so I tried to think of how to save Tosa.

As a result, there's one way to save Tosa and Japan.

- Oh?

- To do it...

Listen carefully!

There is no Satsuma, no Choshu and no attack from either of them.

So there are no troops or warfare.

- Really? - Listen.

We'll persuade Shogun Yoshinobu

to hand over the Tokugawa Shogunate's power to the Mikado.

- Ryoma, you're...

- The 300 years since Ieyasu that they've held power

must now come to an end!

- Ryoma!

- It's all up to Yoshinobu.

I am sure, Shojiro,

that Yoshinobu is not a fool

and he knows what's going on right now.

This is the only way to save Japan from Civil War.

If this plan doesn't work,

revolts will destroy the Shogunate and Japan will be,

divided into many small countries.

- I understand.

But this is a risky plan.

Just how can this be done?

Who will do it, and when?

- Now, and you. - Huh?

- You, Goto Shojiro, of the Tosa clan will,

in the name of the lord, Yamanouchi Yodo

act as soon as possible!

The critical moment for the nation is now!

- How about it?

- Just...

- Just, what?

- And if Lord Yoshinobu won't go along with this plan?

- No! He will agree.

He will understand.

He said that he'd try to keep the Tokugawa Shogunate active,

but he will never take charge of the Shogunate.

So, then...

the situation facing Japan

is one only he fully understands.

- But if he still does not agree with us?

- Then, Japan will be destroyed.

As will the Tokugawa... and the Mikado, too.

I fear that the Shogunate and their supporters

are going to start a Civil War,

and that England, America, France, and Holland will join in.

And that as a result, they will

be able to colonize Japan.

Look at this!

Not only Japan, but colonies like Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore,

would fall under their control easily.

I can see it will happen.

Goto-kun, just one word from you will save the nation.

Please don't wait until tomorrow, find us a ship we can use right now!

- Ship?

The Tosa clan just bought a ship

called the Yugao-maru. We can probably

use it.

Hey!

- The Yugao-maru just arrived in port.

- Oh? When can she sail?

- If you tell us when, we will get ready.

- Now! - Yes Sir!

- Get ready by this afternoon and the Yugao-maru

will depart for Kochi in the morning.

- Depart tomorrow morning for Kochi.

Yes, sir! I'll let them know!

- Goto-kun!

You'll go to Tosa and talk to Lord Yodo.

But if he doesn't listen,

or you can't get him to agree.

- I'll cut him down. Then kill myself.

- Yes.

You do that! Understand?

- Tosa may be destroyed, but we can't let Japan die!

- Very well!

I am going to Shimonoseki with that ship!

- And then?

- I'll go to the Kyoto office of the Shogun

to take care of the paper work.

Nakaoka Shintaro's in Kyoto.

Oryo, I'm back. Sorry for being so late.

Oryo.

Oryo! Oryo!

I'm going to Kyoto, if need be while I'm gone,

please go to Choshu and see Mie Shinzo for help.

I'm going to Kyoto

and will be home late.

I'm going to Kyoto,

but it will probably

be a long time, before I get home.

Oryo, I have to go to Satsuma...

Get things ready for me.

- Yes!

- You too, get ready!

- Me, too?

- Yes, Saigo-dono said so. Hurry up!

- Yes!

- Hurry up! Hurry up!

- Yes! Yes! Yes!

- "I will set up the political situation...

"The political situation." Yes, yes.

"And meet with political figures...

"to revolt against the Government."

- That is Tosa.

Those are the rice fields of Shikoku.

I was born and raised there.

I left because they abandoned us.

- In the 3rd year of Keio (1867), October 14th...

at Nijo-jo Castle in Kyoto.

Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu said yes to Tosa's Yamanouchi Yodo,

and summoned the highest councilors to Nijo-jo Castle

to put the question to a vote.

And the next day, October, 15

a ceremony was held to restore political power to the Emperor.

- Hello!

- Welcome. - Welcome.

- I don't know.

That's your excuse. I don't know! I don't know!

- You don't know? Don't say that!

You saw the woman killed right front of you!

- No I didn't see it!

She was already dead when I got there.

- But, you were there!

- So, what's wrong with it if I was there?

- Pardon me. Ito-sensei is here to see you.

I told him that you don't feel well, but...

- Hey Nakaoka-san! - Yes?

- I heard you have a cold. Is it bad?

- No, it's not bad. I have a little chill.

- Oh no, please stay where you are.

- Leaving?

- To the tobacco shop.

- Oh I see.

- A few days ago, the Shinsengumi and Government troops

told Shogun Yoshinobu to kill the man who thought up the 'Restoration'.

Sakamoto-san. That's you!

They'll kill you once they find you!

- I'm so scared.

- It's not funny!

To tell you the truth,

Kondo and Hijikata invited me to Shinsengumi headquarters today.

I'm sure I'll get some kind of information

about the Shinsengumi's plans.

After that, I will let you know.

So please be careful until then!

I'm sorry to bother you. - Not at all...

Tokichi, the guest is leaving! - Yes!

"An Essay On Democracy" (The 1st Civil Right) by J. J. Rousseau

- I don't like him. What did he want?

- He warned me about the Shinsengumi and Government troops.

- Oh... he is so kind.

By the way, our conversation was interrupted.

Well, shall we continue?

- Because of that nuisance, I don't want to discuss it anymore.

- You and I always argue every time we're together.

And anything we talk about, we always argue, don't we?

It's been 1O years.

- Because you always start it.

You talk, talk, talk,

and you always end up saying that you're hungry.

- Hey, let's eat something!

I'm really hungry.

- What'll we eat?

- Let me see. Got it! A pheasant.

- Pheasant? Alright!

Hey, Tokichi!

- "It's all right! -It's all right! -It's all right!"

- "Eijanaika! -It's all right! -Eijanaika!"

- "It's all right! -Eijanaika! -It's all right!"

- "Eijanaika! -Eijanaika! -Eijanaika!"

- I'm back!

- Thank you!

- Sorry I took so long!

So many people were in town.

Here's cold medicine and an herb.

- Thanks! Hey, Mine!

Why are they saying, "It's alright" "It's alright"?

- It's a song and dance which is very popular now.

A tag from the Shrine is put on someone's door,

and they believe that it brings good luck.

And whoever received that tag, leads the people around town,

while they sing and dance "Eijanaika" "Eijanaika".

- So, it's a tag dance.

It was a dangerous world of arson, assassinations,

and fighting day and night.

But there is peace and prosperity

now that the Shogun handed back political power.

- Mine! Also...

- Yes! And what?

- Would you please go to Torishige-ya and buy a pheasant?

At the same time, please get onions and some other things.

- Yes, I will!

- Hey!

Intestines! Intestines!

Don't forget intestines!

- Yes! - Okay?

You gave me a cold.

The political plans of the new government.

That's what made us start to argue.

Why don't we finish our argument?

- Go ahead!

Settle our arguments first, or dinner will be spoiled.

- Very well!

Article Two!

"The establishment of a legislative system...

"...for decisions by majority vote."

About this.

"Representatives will be elected...

"...by vote of the samurai, craftsmen, farmers, and merchants."

That's the sore point!

Why must you include samurai with the others?

You're putting us on the same level as them, those illiterates.

It's not fair to mix samurai

with craftsmen, farmers, and merchants who can't understand politics.

And give them the same voting power

as those with a lifetime of government experience!

It's not only me, but all samurai feel this way.

A samurai belongs to a higher class than the common people!

A samurai is something special!

That's how it was, and that's how it must be!

I am not saying your parliamentary government is wrong.

- Enough! The samurai class must go!

Unless the samurai class is abolished Japan cannot live.

You know that.

- No, I don't! - You're lying!

You saw it yourself!

Last January, 14th in Nagasaki

you saw manju maker Kondo Chojiro's death!

You know that both Kondo and Umanosuke were looked down on

by the Tosa Loyalists, most of whom

were country samurai from the same clan!

You and I are the same.

We left the clan to give our lives for this great ideal;

Shintaro, this came from

our deep hatred of the upper-class.

- Ryoma, don't say that! - I have to!

- They are all dead.

Takechi Hanpeita, Masaki Soro, Yoshimura Torataro, Natsu Shingo,

Kitazoe Kitsuma, Mochizuki Kamegata.

The 23 of Nomeyama.

Men who sought political change, and died!

- Yes, they died.

But they died to create the great restoration.

But here is a samurai from an ordinary family

who died due to the jealousy of other samurai.

- That's enough! - Let me talk!

It's not merely about the death of Kondo Chojiro,

it's just that the manju maker's death

opened my eyes, and I can see the world clearly now.

We're all human.

There are no samurai or farmers or merchants.

We are all human!

Everyone is equal.

That is the basis of parliamentary government!

- Yes, basically you are right.

I know you're right,

but, even so I can't follow...

- Shinta, listen! - Wait!

Equality of mankind aside,

there are Emperors in the world.

- Yes, and they're the root of all trouble.

That is the cause of all class struggle.

An Emperor is entirely useless.

- Stop it! You go too far!

What do you think our Mikado is?

How can you make everybody in the world equal,

but still have a Mikado?!?

If there's no discrimination,

where does our Mikado belong, Ryoma?!

- We ask him to step down from his God-like position.

- What?!? - Not like God,

he must breathe the same air as all human beings.

And speak for the people.

- Ryoma!

- With the Mikado, Japan calls itself a divine state,

and foreigners "animals".

This only prevents ties with other nations!

Our closed-door policy has at long last been lifted

to bring in the world culture and make Japan a first-class nation!

The Mikado must first become a human being like everyone!

- You say fearful things!

Is that what you learned from those Western books?

Did you learn that from the story of a foreigner, Ryoma?

Ryoma!

It's good you're telling me,

because not one person out of a hundred or a thousand,

would understand what you're saying.

They'd behead you as a traitor or a madman.

- Shinta! Shinta! Shinta!

Put me in a prison!

Blindfold me, gag me, and put me in prison!

Shinta!

- Pardon me, a Totsugawa goshi

came to see Sakamoto-sensei.

I told him that you are in a meeting right now.

He said that he'll come back later.

- A Totsugawa 'country samurai'? - Yes.

- Maybe it's Nakane. - Yes.

- That goshi left a calling card.

- Show me. - Yes.

- What shall I do if he comes back?

- Let him in.

- Yes.

- It's getting chilly in here.

Please put a screen or something to block the wind.

- Yes, yes. I'll do that.

- It's not good.

- I'm afraid of myself.

If I keep on they'll think I'm crazy.

- Certainly,

if your extreme views become known,

not only the Shinsengumi,

but someone from our group might try to kill you.

- But I can't afford

to die at a crucial time like this.

If only...

- if? If, what?

- What if I should really become insane?

- Ryoma! I'll be here!

- That's right...

If the time comes when I'm considered insane,

when I must be killed,

Shintaro, you must be the one to kill me.

- Yes, I will.

I won't let someone else.

- Yes, yes, yes!

You're the only one who I can trust

to decide when is the right time.

- I'm not happy that you trust me in this matter.

- After all...

you're the only one...

I am so grateful... that you are... with me.

- It's the same with me.

You'll know when to kill me.

This must be our fate.

By the way, where is the pheasant?

- Just out of habit, when we argue for a long time,

we always get hungry.

He'll be back soon.

"Go ahead, go ahead...

"go ahead, talk about me...

"because nobody knows my heart... but me"

Ah, I forgot that man

from Totsugawa is coming to see me.

"Nobody knows my heart... but me."

"Shintaro knows too..."

- "Yosakoi... Yosakoi..." - "Yosakoi... Yosakoi..."

- Wait! Hey.

Hey.

- Nakaoka... Nakaoka!

Were you... attacked, Nakaoka?

Where... where are you?

Nakaoka...

Nakaoka! Where are you?

- Ryoma...

- I can't see...

- Ryoma!

- My brains are spilling out... It's no use.

- Ryoma...

Ryoma, don't die!

Ryoma... Ryoma...

Ryoma, don't die!

Don't you die... Ryoma!

Hey! Help us!

Is anyone there?

Sakamoto... Sakamoto is going to die! Sakamoto is...

Ryoma!

Ryoma, don't die! Ryoma... Ryoma!

Hey, somebody! Sakamoto is going to die!

Ryoma wait a moment! I am going to...

- "Eijanaika, -Eijanaika, -Eijanaika."

- "Eijanaika, -Eijanaika, -Eijanaika."

Ryoma hold on...

Ryoma... Don't die...

Don't die...

Ryoma... hold on...

Ryoma...

Ryoma... hold on...

Ryoma!

Ryoma!

THE END