01x08 - Kakurenbo sensô

[bunniefuu]

[Fubuki] So,
that’s our strategy.

-[all] Ah!
-[Genba] Aha.

I will go with Ayako.

We’ll gather some men
from the village
at the foot of the mountain.

[Ayako] Hmm.

-[Genba] Oh, come on. Huh?
-And Genba, you need to return
to Suwa Grand Shrine immediately

and request reinforcements.

Woo-hoo!

I’m off the front line!
I don’t have to die.

This guy.

[Fubuki] Kids,
I have a task for you as well.

I need you to set
as many traps as possible
before the enemy gets close.

-[child 1] Leave it to us.
-[child 2] We’ll need
to gather materials.

-[child 3] Hold on...
-[Shizuku]
When the battle starts,

we’ll relocate the children
and take them somewhere safe.

[Kojiro] They’ll need a guard
to accompany them.
I can do it.

[child 2] So we’ll use what
we have and if we need more,
we’ll make some new ones?

-[Tokiyuki] Fubuki.
-Hmm?

[child 3] We’ll definitely need
more traps this time.
So let’s...

-If you don’t mind, can we talk?
-...make as many as we can.

[whooshing]

[Fubuki] I see now.

Your elusiveness is remarkable.

Let’s see how good you are
at attacking!

[Tokiyuki shouting]

[groans]

Now I understand.

I can see that your attacks
are utter trash.

So you’re asking me
to teach you a sword technique

even someone like you
could use to k*ll an enemy.

Right?

It really hurts that you can
sum up my shortcomings

and finish your meal
at the same time.

You’re an excellent teacher.

The w*r council was very easy
for me to follow,

and you seem to know a thing
or two about sword fighting.

Please. I don’t want to have
to be protected all the time.

-[Fubuki] You said
your name is Chojumaru.
-Uh...

Are you Shizuku’s older brother?

Uh, actually,
Shizuku only calls me that
as a term of endearment.

It’s quite obvious that
your retainers are both
fond of you, and devoted to you.

You must be from
an exceptionally noble family.

Oh, no! My parents,
uh, were Suwa warriors,
but they, uh, died in a fire.

And I have no relatives,
so Suwa Grand Shrine took me in.

[grunting]

You see, I’ve never had
any martial arts training.

-[grunting continues]
-[Fubuki] So he’s an orphan.

It’s possible he empathizes
with the children because he
experienced similar hardships.

His elusiveness is really
the only thing he has
going for him,

but his surprising warmth
is a powerful weapon
in these turbulent times.

-I can teach you.
-Huh?

There’s a secret sword technique
that’s a good fit for you.

Are you serious?

[Fubuki] I never thought
I’d meet anyone

who could intentionally pull off
this specific technique.

But I think
you will master it quickly.

I believe it is the kindest,
most compassionate technique
that exists.

And yet, it is
the cruelest of them all.

We will call it
the Demon-heart Buddha Blade.

Demon-heart Buddha Blade?

This technique, however,
can only be used
to fight one-on-one.

Oh, uh...

Wait, actually, uh...
What I mean by that is, uh...

-[mumbling, whispering]
-[Tokiyuki] Uh... Huh?

Wait, yeah. Yes. That’s perfect.

-Chojumaru.
-Yes.

[Fubuki] The enemy’s main forces
could be invading
as soon as tomorrow.

I want you to be the one
to fight the enemy’s general.

All right!

[Fubuki] The reinforcements
Shizuku will bring...

[stammers]

...combined with
your elusiveness,

might just give us the edge
and lead us to victory. Hmm.

-[narrator] Squish.
-[groans]

[song playing]

[scout whistles]

[scout 2 whistles]

[scout 3 whistles]

[Shokan] Good. We have them
covered on both fronts.

A question, sir.

Why do this the hard way and
invade from the mountainside

when we could just walk in
through the front entrance?

[Shokan] The fact that
our vanguard didn’t return
on three separate occasions

means they have placed traps
and prepared ambushes
along the obvious paths.

An invasion by way of
difficult terrain may be
more troublesome for us,

but it’s also safer.

-[shouts] Oh, our leader
is the most clever of all!
-[soldiers clamoring, laughing]

[narrator] The scoundrels
stirring up trouble
in those days were samurai.

Who, as a result of
losing their land,

became bandits and formed
their own outlaw paradise.

Experienced in combat
and battle, ordinary thieves
couldn’t compete

against their w*r tactics and
organizational capabilities.

Make good use of the mind
and body you’ve honed
fighting as a samurai.

Pillage and raid mercilessly.

This will be a sweet feast
worthy of a true scoundrel.

m*rder the adults,
enslave the children,

and let us taste
the sweet sake of plunder.

Let us begin.

[all shouting]

[panting, grunts]

What the--

An ambush from above?

You b*stards! I’ll climb up
there and k*ll every one of you!

[Shokan] Stop.
That’s what they want.

They’ll pick us off while
we reverse and climb back up.

A sound strategy
to suppress the enemy
when you have few troops.

No matter. Just advance.

If they are using a strategy
like this,

then they have
essentially admitted
that they are outnumbered.

The enemy has fewer men.

The battle will be over
as soon as we take the village.

[Fubuki] Now.

-[soldiers shouting]
-It’s time for w*r.

[shouts]

-[Shokan] Ice?
-[soldiers groaning]

From a distance it looks like
plain flatlands,

but the field is
entirely frozen.

[Fubuki] We dammed up
the waterway and flooded
the outskirts of the village.

The extreme cold this winter
made Lake Suwa freeze over.

It only took one night
to prepare the ice trap.

[soldier 1]
What are you doing? Move!

[soldier 2 grunts] I’m trying.

-Where--
-[grunts]

[pants, chokes]

[soldier 3] The archers on
the hill are coming down on us!

This is bad.
They’ve put us in a cross fire.

-[Shokan grunts]
-[shouts]

-[Shokan] There’s your path. Go.
-[soldier 4] Yes, sir!

[soldier 5 grunts]

[grunts, shouts]

-[soldiers clamoring]
-[Shokan] Pitfalls now.

Traps keep coming
one after another.

[Fubuki] The traps that
the children set are working
just as we planned.

These damn thieves!

How dare they desecrate
the land gifted by Lord Myojin
to the Suwa Sect.

-[Fubuki] The Suwa Warriors
Shizuku brought back are...
-Fujimori, Komatsu!

-...few in number
but they’re reliable.
-Enemy coming from the right!

Go around the side
and stay on the defense!

[Fubuki] Our plan is working.

We’re able to stop the
enemy attacks from both sides.

At this rate,
we might be able to wipe
the villains out completely,

as long as we only have
to deal with average soldiers.

[Furan chuckles]

[Shokan] Forget about
your fellow men behind you.

The archers will not be able
to annihilate us in the dark.

Let’s keep the enemy’s attention
focused on us.

[soldier 2] Yes, sir.

To start off, we will k*ll
the archers who are guiding
the opposing army.

Their entire defense
will crumble as soon as
they lose their leader.

Not while I draw breath!

[laughing]

[laughing]

[Fubuki] They crossed
the ice field and passed
the pitfalls without panicking

and easily overwhelmed
the guards.

Those four are
exceptionally strong.

Especially that man
who understands the state of
the entire battle.

He must be their general.

Fubuki, what are we gonna do
about them?

Those four
have to be stopped now!

No. You guys already
have your hands full.

If we divide our forces, the
line of defense will collapse.

-[gasps] Then what do we do?
-Leave it.

[laughs, groans]

-Us children will handle it.
-[groans]

-[groans]
-[grunts] My eyes!

Huh?

[Kojiro] That bald general
is ours now!

[Ayako] I’ll stop his sword,
then you deal the final blow!

[Fubuki] No.
That strategy will never work.

[grunts, gasps]

[grunts]

Ugh! You!

[grunts]

[grunts]

Something wrong, children?

I wonder if this is
the first time
you’re facing a warrior

who is in full armor.

-[Ayako grunts]
-Shut it!

[narrator] The fighting style
of an armored warrior
in those days

-was very different from our
modern understanding of combat.
-[screams]

Their face was guarded
by a helmet,
their torso by a breastplate,

and their forearms
by gauntlets.

The only body parts
that needed protecting

were the small openings
in their armor.

Take this!

[sighs]

[Shokan] Are we done
playing around, kids?

Don’t you worry.

You see, I don’t k*ll children.

[mumbling] We’ll just
remove your teeth
and cut out your tongue.

[normal] Then we’ll gently slice
the tendons in your right leg
and turn you into sl*ves.

I promise that I won’t
do anything else to you.

[Kojiro] This guy.

[Ayako] Wicked demon
beyond redemption!

[Shokan] Hey! Don’t be scared!

I could sell you children
for a total of three kanmon.

Come on. Don’t you wanna
be worth three kanmon?

[Fubuki] Once you get a sense
of the enemy general’s
sword skills, run away.

-If you think you can outsmart
him, lure him into that house.
-[both] Hmm.

-[Kojiro grunts]
-[stammers]

-[grunts]
-[Ayako grunts]

[Shokan] What the...

Oh.

My lord. We’re leaving.
You better not die in there!

[Tokiyuki] All right. Thank you.

-Mmm.
-Hmm.

[Ayako] I wonder if our lord
will be okay by himself.

Maybe all three of us should
be taking him on together.

Considering
our current situation,

we can’t afford
to fight three-on-one.

And with the plan
Fubuki has devised,

it’ll be easier for
the Young Lord to defeat
the scoundrel on his own.

Everything Fubuki says
and does makes so much sense.

This battle is going
almost exactly as he predicted.

He’s a great teacher,
and his swordsmanship
is pure excellence.

[both groaning]

He’s talented in so many ways.

[groaning continues]

Fubuki.

Well, it’s time for me
to join this fight.

The battle today
has been a lot of fun.

Now I’m wondering which one
of you I should k*ll first.

[grunts]

Huh?

[grunts]

[laughing] Very impressive!
Now I’m the one who’s trapped.

With all those traps
outside the village,

Kusunoki himself would go mad
facing such a defense.

[Tokiyuki] Kusunoki?

-By the way, two kanmon...
-[Shokan’s voice] Boy.

...you’re not planning on
facing me by yourself, are you?

-What did you call me?
-See, kid.

You’re of a higher quality
than the other children.

I think you’ll easily
fetch two kanmon on your own.

Oh, wait. I know.

If I teach you a skill,
your price could possibly
go up to three kanmon.

What is a cheap and easy trick
I can teach this kid
in a short amount of time?

[Tokiyuki] This man puzzles me.
He walked right into a trap,

yet he doesn’t
seem worried at all.

On the contrary, he’s
appraising my market value.

[humming]

-I have a question.
-Huh?

Are you the one
who ordered the slaughter of
all those kids’ parents?

Yes, that was me.

How could you be
so heartless and cruel?

Even sl*ve-trading brutes spare
the mother, do they not?

[Shokan] Hmm.

That’s a good question.

-Four kanmon.
-[Shokan’s voice] Boy.

[grunts]

When I slaughter all of these
parents, I feel elation
for only a moment.

But when I k*ll the parents
and sell off the child,
that sweet elation endures.

Ooh, these children suffer
a hellish existence
for the rest of their lives.

The peace and freedom they
enjoyed at their parents’ side
is lost forever.

Oh, how I pity them.

A sad life of
horror and despair.

[groans]

As I think about this stuff
when I sell kids into sl*very,

and use the money
to buy sake and get drunk.

My heart swells with joy, and
I fall into the most pleasant
drunkenness. [chuckles]

I see now.

You’re a demon to your core.

I can k*ll you without remorse.

I challenge you.

The winner of the duel will
claim the future of the loser!

It’s what you’re good at, right?

Really brave child.

Your name?

Chojumaru, Suwa Grand Shrine.

Hmm.

-Chojumaru.
-[Shokan’s voice]
Boy. Four kanmon.

What are you saying? [gasps]

Forgive me, Chojumaru.

In this moment,
I will respect your bravery

and regard you as a warrior,
not a commodity.

Your name?

I’ve had many names
throughout the years.

But for right now,
I call myself Shokan.

With the money I get for you...

I’ll be able
to buy some very special sake.

-[Furan laughing]
-[Shiro grunting]

Look at this! This little brat’s
got nothin’ on us!

I could take him on
all by myself.

Hurry up and k*ll him already
so we can find the boss.

[both grunting, groaning]

[grunts]

[grunts] Huh?

-[Fubuki] Over here.
-Huh?

[Shiro grunts]

-[Ayako grunts]
-[Kojiro scoffs]

Guess that trick
could only work once.

You little...
Tell me where our boss is!

Oh, I saw him surrounded by
our soldiers and crying
like a little baby.

-You can go see for yourself
if you beat us...
-[grunts]

...but I really don’t think
you can.

[Shiro grunts]

-[shouts]
-[both yelp]

You little pups wanna act
like you’re all grown up.

You’re ten years too early!

You die now!

[laughs]

You little brats!
Reckless, aren’t ya?

My man Shiro was the strongest
guy in the Seigi Party!

[laughs] Huh?

Hey, where do you think
you’re going? Huh?

You’ve had enough?
Scared, little chicken?

[laughs]

No, I realized something
while we were fighting.

You don’t want your allies
to see this, so I thought
we’d go somewhere more secluded.

Huh?
The hell are you talking about?

[Fubuki] It’s you.

You’re the one, right?

The strongest
of all you thieves.

[Shiro growls]

-[thudding]
-[sword whooshing]

[Shokan grunting]

[gasps]

-[exclaims]
-[grunts]

[laughs]

You’re good at evading,
Chojumaru. I’ll give you that.

I think I can guess
what your strategy is.

You’re running all around
this cramped little room,

just hoping
that my sword will get stuck
in the wood eventually.

-[grunts]
-You underestimate me.

You see, indoor fights
are a specialty for
thieves who invade homes.

I can never go wrong as long as
I switch out my long sword

for this short blade.

But in the end,

nothing can possibly threaten
my heavy armor in a chamber
that’s as small as this one.

Not to mention, you can’t really
run away in here, can you?

Your strategy is half-baked.

It seems you’ve backed yourself
into a corner, Chojumaru!

[Fubuki] If at some point
you don’t think you can win,

knock over a candle and try
to escape through the ceiling.

Your agility is remarkable, so
you should be able to reach it.

The floor is covered in oil.

So if luck is on our side, you
might be able to burn him alive.

But that’s only a backup plan.

In this situation,

your best strategy is
to use your own set of skills
to defeat him.

But is it really possible
for me to slay him?

The harder I try,
the weaker my cuts are.

It doesn’t make any sense to me.

You have a misconception
about how to best use a sword.

Your greatest weapon
is your kindness.

You’re better at running
than fighting.

Better at pulling than pushing.

Better at defending
than attacking.

You owe each of those skills
to your profound
and innate kindness.

Understand that kindness
is ideal for slaying someone.

Your stance.
As I showed you, show me.

[Shokan chuckles]
Are you praying to the Buddha
to save you, kid?

It’s useless, you hear!

Let me tell you
a shocking fact, kid.

There’s no such thing
as the Buddha!

The Buddha does not exist!

[Fubuki] There’s no need
to grip your sword in hatred.

Instead, be like
the bodhisattva and wield it
with compassion.

[Shokan panting]

[song playing]

[Furan, Shiro] Let’s go!