Mountain Woman (2022)

[bunniefuu]

Breathe.

No..

We can't afford to feed it.

Can't be helped.

Rin.

Thanks a bunch.

Next, it's not good if someone

is brought into this world.

What's going on, Granny?

Can you hear something?

It's still a while before the sun shines.

You must endure from now on;

there's no other choice.

It's not over yet, huh?

We can fit two people in there;

I just need to dig a bit more.

That's enough; move aside.

Hey.

Hey.

Hurry up and finish it,

the sun is setting.

Good morning.

Don't come to fetch water here;

It'll get dirty.

I'm back.

- Welcome back, big sister.

- I'm home.

I found something good outside.

- Flowers?

- It's white gentian.

Normally, they are a bluish-purple color.

It's rare, you know.

Surely something good will happen.

That's what I think, but...

Hey.

Huh?

Shkichi

What about you?

I'm fine.

I'll eat properly.

Eat up, Shkichi.

Pack this tighter.

Because it'll become more robust.

- Big sis.

- Huh?

Today, I was sitting in front of the house,

and a baby sparrow fell down.

It was already dead,

so I buried it in the grassy area.

At that moment, I thought.

Is it the end for this fellow with this?

I wonder if it's spirit will

return to Mt. Hayachine?

Only human souls go there.

I wonder...

If you're human...

Can everyone go?

What about us?

What is it?

Both sinners and virtuous people,

poor and wealthy, everyone can go.

The goddess of Hayachine welcomes anyone.

She's a kind goddess, isn't she?

Ah!

Maki, stop wasting time.

Go to bed early.

Wait, wait.

Don't panic, don't panic.

Line up them.

Line up.

Today is the end of the relief rice.

Eat it carefully.

From here on, patience is necessary, you know.

Give it to Jiro.

Thanks a lot.

Thanks a lot.

Thanks a lot.

Hey, next.

Is this all I can get?

I'm distributing it according to

the size of the fields of person.

You don't have any, do you?

Still You're getting share, that's mercy.

You guys took over my field, didn't you!

If you want to hold a grudge,

resent your ancestor who started the fire.

Until when?

Until when should I hold this grudge?

- Let go, hey!

- Ihee!

Hand it over!

Are you telling me to die, huh?

If I die, there won't be anyone

to do the dirty work.

Calm down, Ihee.

Even though you're an outcast,

you're still a member of the village.

That's why I'm giving you your share like this.

Hey.

Are you gazing at Mount Hayachine again?

Is it Taizou?

Looking at that mountain makes me feel calm.

How have you been?

Nothing has changed.

- And Shoukichi?

- No change as well.

Are straw sandals selling well?

Not at all.

I'll bring it again next time.

Really?

Thanks.

You, being out there,

can experience and see a variety of things.

That's great.

It's not all good stuff, you know.

Next trip, will you come with me?

I Can't do such things.

Why not?

It's unforgivable.

Leaving without taking care

of household matters is irresponsible.

I have to look out for Shoukichi too.

In that case, are you okay staying

just the way you are forever?

Can't be helped.

I was born in that house, you know.

That's right, it doesn't matter about

the circumstances. It's up to you.

I left home without fields or a house,

but I made sure to earn my keep properly.

Don't talk nonsense.

You and I are not the same.

Is this the only option?

It was difficult to sell everywhere.

Even if it's difficult,

it depends on your skills.

Look.

Taizou.

The village chief seemed angry, though..."

I'm relying on you.

Don't make things awkward.

Thanks a bunch.

Taizou.

Before setting off on your next journey,

try meeting my daughter in the spring.

What happened?

Just go and meet her first.

She's a sweet girl.

Hey.

The wind is strong, huh.

Could there be even monsters coming out?

It's okay.

The things you're mentioning only appear

beyond the shrine at the mountain's end.

Really?

Really.

Dad?

Don't look here.

Go to sleep.

Did you come because

Grandfather told you to?

It's same for you, right?

You're setting off on a journey again, huh?

- Yes.

- When?

Once I let the horse rest, it'll be soon.

Well.

Do you want me to join you?

You, out of the blue...

What's there to hesitate about?

Someone like you won't find

a woman who comes easy, you know.

Ihei.

Dad?

Move!

Ouch... What's happening!?

Pretend like you don't know.

The lock of the village

storehouse has been broken.

Was it you?

I don't know.

Kakumatsu.

Flip it over, behind that.

Try digging there.

Found it.

I found it, there's rice!

Ihe, theft is a serious crime.

- I don't know. I don't know anything!

- Well, what about this rice?

You're no different from your old man.

I did it.

You...

Come to think of it, last night...

Did you go somewhere?

At that time?

You went and stole it, didn't you!

This idiot!

Did you do something you shouldn't have done?

This idiotic fool!

Thieves have no place here!

Idiot... Idiot... Idiot...

Oh!

Idiot... Idiot... Idiot...

Enough, enough!

We'll discuss and decide the rest in the village.

Embarrassing.

Sis, are you okay?

It's okay.

Shoukichi.

Clean up inside the house.

- Well, but...

- Shoukichi.

To strike when one is down,

that's truly foolish.

It's fine, can't be helped.

I'm sorry.

Stealing from the house and sneaking out.

Sis?

Where are you going?

I'm going to pick up some trash real quick.

Rin.

Taiz.

Take this away.

- Mr. Ihei?

- What?

Did Rin actually go missing, like, for real?

Hey, have you seen her sandals

at the Michikiri shop?

I've seen them, but...

That's unmistakably a case of disappearance.

Do you think she went into

the mountains by herself?

That's absurd!

When he returns,

he acts all smug like a villager.

I'll search for Rin along the way, so...

Do as you please.

Be careful and hurry back soon.

Are you a mountain man?

It's frost.

I don't get it.

I can't hear anything.

Maybe the gods in heaven are angry.

Why do you say that?

And the offerings aren't done properly...

Even if we wanted to,

we can't offer what we don't have.

Granny...

What should we do?

Long ago, in the village beyond the mountain,

the river was raging.

Houses and fields were being swallowed up.

Despite trying various things,

the river showed no signs of calming down.

In their desperation,

the villagers, as a sacrifice, offered up

a young girl from the village to the river god.

After that, the river is said

to have calmed down immediately.

It's Shokichi.

Threw it away.

Are you alive?

I heard creatures like you get discarded

and still claim to be alive.

Of course... You're going to Mt. Hayachine.

Something that happened in the past...

The goddess came here with

her three daughters, they say.

And then, she made

a promise that the daughter

who had the best dream

would receive the best mountain.

That night, the youngest daughter woke up,

and flowers fell from the sky onto her chest.

The youngest daughter,

taking the flower and placing

it on her own chest, went to sleep.

And in the morning,

she received the best mountain.

And she became the goddess of that mountain.

That mountain is Mt. Hayachine,

which is over there.

It's where the goddess of theft is.

Because she's the goddess of theft,

she can understand even

the hearts of weak people.

The souls of the dead...

all go there.

I think that mountain is looking over everyone,

No matter what kind of person you are,

it's okay to exist in this world.

As for you...

Where do you think you'll go when you die?

If that so, why not Village chief's daughter?

That girl already has her marriage arranged!

So what if she's engaged!

Even if a daughter is chosen

to be offered to the god,

- differences in status don't matter!

- That's right, they don't matter.

Shut up!

For the sake of the village,

we can't afford to lose

the village chief's daughter!

What's for the sake of the village?

Is this village ours?

What about you,

Yorozuichi.

The daughter from your place...

What about her?

She is no good.

She's been sold to Brothel.

What about your granddaughter?

With Taizou, I've marry off my daughter, already.

She's no longer an unmarried young girl.

Please, all of you... I'm begging you!

If it continues like this,

the village won't survive.

The village head is bowing down like this!

Someone has to do it, right?

Make up your minds, all of you!

Hey!

Hey, who's there?

I'm a hunter from Ishigami Mountain.

And what about you?

Taizou is in charge of determining

the fees for the village ahead.

Fire, let it spread!

Come on!

Come on, hit me if you can!

Sorry, and thanks for your help.

Is there something going on?

What happened?

Lately, I haven't been able

to catch any prey at all.

Deep in the heart of the mountains,

it's so remote...

I crossed over the shrine and went ahead.

The shrine of the mountain god?

That's... you shouldn't cross that.

I know.

But... it couldn't be helped.

Just need one rabbit.

I intended to return as soon

as I obtained something.

But...

I saw something unpleasant.

What did you see?

Mountain woman.

Beyond the shrine,

monsters have settled in.

That one... is not just a mountain woman.

What kind of woman is she?

What was she wearing?

Shoukichi

Taizou? Have you returned?

Shoukichi.

The hunters I met in the mountains...

Beyond the shrine,

They saw some woman with an imposing aura.

Is that true?

I'm going to the village chief's place now

and will try asking if we can hire the hunters.

Thanks a lot.

Don't talk nonsense!

Shoukichi

I claims my daughter was spirited away.

going to search for a daughter?

I've never heard of such a thing.

This cursed one!

I don't believe that your daughter

Was spirited away.

Going into the mountains and not being able to come back

on her own is quite different from being taken away mysteriously.

She's someone who ran away

from home, after all.

I won't acknowledge her

even if she comes back.

Dad!

If you leave stolen goods at my place...

You'll receive worse punishment.

You, your child, and the next child after that.

You might never be able to escape

from this clumsy existence.

Become like a thorn.

You...

Can you endure it?

Even people like us are living.

We have to keep on living, don't we?

Rin, understood perfectly.

Please, I beg you.

Please let me go search for Rin with the hunter.

Please go to Granny's place.

Yeah, it suits you.

Let's go.

Is it Taiz?

Rin?

It's Rin after all.

Don't sh**t, Rin!

So you were alive.

Have you been in the mountains all this time?

Anyway, I'm glad you're safe.

What happened?

I smell bad.

No matter what you say.

- Well, let's go home.

- I'm not going home.

Rin?

I'm not Rin anymore.

Then who are you?

Taiz seemed to be in good spirits.

Look over Shoukichi.

Rin, wait!

Let go!

I am already a mountain dweller!

Mountains are not a place for people to live.

You wouldn't understand!

I may have been in the village,

but I wasn't human.

But I can live properly in the mountains.

What are you saying, you...

Come on! Let's go home quickly.

No, let go!

- I'm not going home!

- Let's go!

I'm not going home!

I don't want to...

He's a mountain man.

Boss.

Let's go. Hurry up!

No...

No!

- Stand up!

- No!

I'm begging you.

k*ll me together.

Please, I'm begging you.

Quiet down!

No!

Please, I'm begging you.

k*ll me together!

I'm begging you.

No!

Ihei

What?

She's no longer related to me.

Well, go ahead and ask

I no longer feel like accusing you of theft.

Offer Rin to the gods of heaven.

To end the famine,

we must ask the gods of heaven to shine

the sun upon us.

Send the girls;

we won't be able to survive unless we do.

Entrust that role to Rin.

That's an admirable thing.

Do you understand?

Ihei.

And then?

What are you offering in return?

If I hand over Rin,

You'll consider it as pleading guilty to my great-grandfather's arson.

In return, return our fields, okay?

- That is...

- How much?

Can't be helped.

Is that true?

Really, is it true?

With this, I have gained ownership

of the fields for now.

Haru!

Did you know about the sacrifice story?

I don't know.

You must have known!

It's fine, isn't it?

A single woman from a clumsy person's

family can save the village.

Haru!

What the hell, you damn raccoon!

Why do you care so much

about that girl women, damn it!

This guy...

Let go.

If it saves the village, is it okay to stray

from the path of righteousness?

I don't know, but it feels like that.

Can you go against what

the village has decided?

fool.

causing me worry...

returned without saying a word.

Rin.

It's your favorite.

As for you...

I offered you to the god of heaven.

And then...

Sun,

So that you may shine upon me...

I will make the village's wish reach.

It's a splendid... duty.

In exchange for that...

It seems we've been able to get our fields back.

You don't have to do dirty work anymore.

Including Shoukichi.

Well done.

Duty...

Fulfill your duty with determination.

Rin.

I'm sorry.

I've been deceived.

Damn it.

Taizou

Taizou

Enough already.

Here.

Fulfill the duty.

Haru, it's me.

Open it.

Don't go, Shoukichi!

There's Nothing worth seeing.

No, I can't stay silent!

Don't go!

Shut up! Let me go!

Foolish child!

Can't you listen to your parents?

Then don't come back anymore!

There

You too.

You two handle it.

God of heaven...

This village can't survive any longer, damn it.

From now on, I will send this girl on a mission.

Please, grant our wish...

Shine upon the sun, please!

Are you over there?

I want to see you.

Set it on fire.

Help.

Please forgive us.

Help us, help us.

Please forgive us.

Where are you? Sis

Sis?

- Shoukichi!

- Let go.

Sis...

Forgive us.