01x11 - Shinita gari to nige jôzu

[bunniefuu]

[Tokiyuki]
It seems that everyone’s
enjoying the harvest.

Double-cropping
is very popular these days.

And we have an agreement that
the second crop won’t be taxed.

All that barley...

Your love for barley
is something else, Fubuki.

[Tokiyuki]
A barley harvest in April?

I wonder if the citizens
of Shinano are happy and well.

-[grunts]
-It’s time to pay up, gentlemen!

Sir, but, wait!

Uh, we were told that
the barley wouldn’t be taxed.

Silence! All of you were wagging
your little tails for the Hojo!

Now you are nothing more than
worthless criminals

with no rights
to own anything ever again.

Not even a worm!

[laughs]

Now hurry and take
as much barley as you can carry.

[snickers]

[person sighs] Springtime taxes
are such a burden,

but I love how they slowly
fill up my purse.

In the money goes,
lining my pockets,

bringing peace to my universe.

-Um... Uh...
Provincial Official?
-Huh?

I hope I’m not overstepping,

but only the first crop of rice
is to be taxed,
according to the law, that is.

While that may be,

that was a decision
made by the traitorous
Kamakura shogunate.

[clears throat]

And as you know, the Emperor
personally appointed me as
the official of this province.

And that means all of Shinano
is under my rule!

This is my world!

Uh-huh.

-[provincial official]
By the way, Sadamune.
-Yes?

I recall telling you
to draw your eyebrows on
properly, did I not?

[stammers]

[provincial official]
You have lived in Kyo,
have you not?

You mustn’t let
these plain country folk
taint your elegance.

There we are, my friend.

Consider this
my stamp of approval.

That’s it. Give us a smile now.

[chuckles]

[laughs]

[laughs]

[laughs]

[both laughing]

-[farmer] Please, sir!
-[provincial official] Hmm?

For all that’s good,
don’t take our barley.

Someone make this dog
stop yapping.

I know, go k*ll a few of them
to set an example, would you?

[retainer] Sir!

The Emperor
certainly won’t mind us k*lling
a few of these Hojo dogs.

[shudders]

[farmer screaming, groans]

After all, one word from me
is all it takes to call in
a large army from Kyo.

[laughs]

[person]
The provincial official
Shinano-no-kami is a crook!

I have had enough of him.

[Tokiyuki] Kawanakajima?

[Yorishige] Yes, there are
reports that Yasaburo Hoshina,

a resident who is also
a member of the Suwa Sect,

has raised an army
to fight against the oppressive
provincial official there.

There are members
of the Suwa Sect living in
the provincial’s territory?

There are.

Some members
have to obey the enemy.

They need to support their clan
and their retainers.

Hoshina’s army
is drastically outnumbered.

The rebellion
stands no chance of winning.

Suwa cannot send in
any reinforcements.

If we were to advance soldiers
deep into enemy territory,

it would escalate
to a full-blown w*r.

[sighs]

[Yorishige]
So I have a request for you
and the Elusive Warriors.

Go to Kawanakajima

and convince Hoshina
and his retainers
to stop fighting.

-Then help them to escape
the enemy’s reach.
-[Tokiyuki sighs]

Wait, you’re sending
the Young Lord
on another dangerous mission.

Did you forget
how worried you were
sending him on the scouting one?

That was different.

Mr. Yorishige
couldn’t see the f--

I foresee Lord Tokiyuki’s
safe return, Kojiro.

However, what I cannot foresee
is how many
of the Suwa Sect will die.

-[grunts]
-Even if they are
far away from here.

All followers of Suwa Myojin
are important allies.

Hoshina especially
is a capable and loyal man.

I don’t want him to die
in an insignificant battle.

And Lord Tokiyuki.

[stammers]

Time for your elusiveness
to reach the next level.

At this moment,
you can only run on your own.

But that won’t be enough
for a general leading an army.

Mmm.

[Yorishige]
Become an elusive general.

Show me that you can help a
large number of soldiers escape.

[Tokiyuki] So, two days
until our destination.

[Genba] I gotta say,
it’s not as much fun
when the girls aren’t here.

Mr. Yorishige
said that in his vision

it would be too dangerous
if they were to come with us.

Of course it would be.
We are anticipating
a possible w*r, after all.

[Kojiro] There’s a future
where the Young Lord is safe,

but it’ll only be possible if
I protect him the entire time.

The thing is,
while I’m focused on that,

our allied forces
will suffer great losses.

The amount of dead
might depend on me.

-[Tokiyuki] Fubuki.
-[grunts]

When it’s time for
a more detailed strategy,
I’ll rely on you.

Oh. Y-Yes, my lord.

And when it comes time
for the army to escape, Genba
will surely be a great help.

-[Genba] Me?
-Keep all of his tools
and skills in mind.

What? Now I have to teach him?

-Kojiro, you work
as you think is best.
-Huh?

I expect you
to also act as a general.

It’d get boring
having to protect me
the whole time.

Hmm.

[Genba] Hey, listen, brat.
You really shouldn’t say that

unless you actually know
how to fight.
If you know what I mean.

What? So you’re saying
I can’t fight!

Seriously?

Have you forgotten
Fubuki taught me
that secret technique?

The Cowardly Sword!

[Tokiyuki]
Yeah! The Cowardly...

Wait! How dare you!

-[singsongy]
The Young Lord is a coward.
-[chuckles]

-[Tokiyuki]
If you say that one more time...
-[Genba laughs]

[Fubuki] Hoshina
is already preparing for w*r.

He’s using the river
as a defense, to protect
the territory behind him.

[Genba] We’re far outnumbered.

There’s no way to win this.

All right, let’s go down there
and talk to Mr. Hoshina.

[gatekeeper] Messengers
from Suwa Grand Shrine?

[Tokiyuki] Yes,
we are here to deliver
a request to Mr. Hoshina.

Well, we very much appreciate
you coming all this way,
my young messengers.

All right then,
you can follow me.

[Genba]
Wow. Looks like the brat’s made
a good first impression.

[Fubuki]
The Young Lord speaks elegantly.
It calms people’s tempers.

It’s exactly what we need
for negotiations.

[chuckles]
You’re making me blush, Fubuki.

You can compliment me
when the job’s done.

[all groaning]

[gulps]

[Yasaburo] Have you brought
reinforcements from Suwa?

Uh... No, I, uh,
I just came to talk.

That’s all. Really.

No reinforcements then?

-Oh, that’s good.
-[Tokiyuki] Yes.

Now, please.
Tell your army to stand down.

Then just like we planned,

we all get to die!

-[retainers] Yeah!
-[Tokiyuki] What?

-Uh...
-[Yasaburo] We don’t stand
a chance in this battle,

but we must show our pride
and put our lives on the line!

-[retainers] Yeah!
-[Yasaburo] We are warriors!

-Our territory is our life!
-[retainers] Yeah!

We die defending what is ours.
Now we shall die!

-[retainers] Yeah!
-A glorious death awaits!

-[retainers] Yeah!
-So, uh, how do we stop this?

[Genba hums]

How come that guy at the gate
seemed so friendly and peaceful?

Ready to die!

I’m gonna spill my guts
and die with a smile!

[Tokiyuki groans]
You just had a friendly face!

[song playing]

[Kojiro] You gotta face
the problem, my lord!

-Step up to your duty
and try to persuade them!
-No, no, no! No way, no way!

-How can I tell
all these men to retreat?
-[Yasaburo chanting] Let’s die!

-[Tokiyuki] When clearly
all they wanna do is die?
-[retainers chanting] Yeah!

What do you think
is the best way to die?

I hope I get pierced
by a hundred arrows
and die while standing.

I wanna die sinking my teeth
into an enemy while my hands
are being severed.

[Tokiyuki] See?
They talk about their deaths
like it’s a way to show off.

The provincial official
must have hurt their pride.

He may have
completely humiliated them.

When a warrior is disrespected,
he’ll gladly
choose death instead.

I will enter the enemy
through the rear,

crawl all the way up.

I’ll devour his insides

and then burst through his chest
with a smile on my face.

[Tokiyuki]
I don’t think that guy’s
doing it for his pride.

I think he’s just a freak.

[person] Excuse me.

-[Kojiro] Hmm?
-[Genba] Huh?

Is it true that
you are messengers sent here
from Suwa Grand Shrine?

If you have a message,
I’ll take it.

Who are you?

I’m Saemontaro Shinomiya.

My territory
is next to Yasaburo Hoshina.

And I’m here
to support his cause.

Hmm. The letter is real.

As I expected, Myojin
wants us to cease fighting.

[Tokiyuki] Finally,
someone who understands!

Mr. Shinomiya,

if we do convince them
to retreat, where would they go?

[Saemontaro stammers] Oh.

He should abandon the idea
of going south and head north.

There he can join forces with us
and build a strong line
of defense. However--

I’ll k*ll a hundred men
before I die!

-[retainers] Yeah!
-[retainer] That’s my lord!

I won’t be able to get Yasaburo
to listen to what I tell him.

Of course, I understand that
he wants to protect his land.

But that guy really goes berserk
when he gets angry.

Ever since he was a kid.

He’s a good man and he achieves
great things when he’s calm.

Let’s die! Let’s die!

-[retainers] Yeah!
-The only question is,
can you keep him from dying?

If you need more men,
you have my support.

[Yasaburo] Hey, Mr. Messenger!

Please pass on
the following words to Myojin.

"Yasaburo Hoshina proudly fought

in the name of the Suwa Sect
and died with honor!"

[Tokiyuki] Uh...

So what do I do now?

It seems
we’ll have to let them fight.

Yeah, we gotta let them spill
some blood. No way around it.

[Fubuki]
We’re vastly outnumbered

and the battle could be over
within a day,

but we have to try
to hold out until sunset.

Lord Hoshina and his men will be
spent from a day of fighting,

and perhaps,
you can convince them
to escape north before morning.

[Genba] Running away
as a form of victory.

Have fun with that.

You’re the only one
who’s gonna be happy
about such a tactic.

All right. Let’s begin
our preparations at once.

[warriors shouting]

[Shinano-no-kami]
Oh, how the dogs bark.

And all it took was a simple
strategy for their bodies
to start piling up.

A sinful indulgence I can’t
enjoy at the imperial court.

[laughs]

[Sukefusa groans]
The court noble should
just stand back and watch

instead of
trying to give commands.

It’s an honor to be the guard
of a provincial official,
Ichikawa!

Unfortunately, my swollen eye
is keeping me away.

[Sukefusa]
We both know you were
just closing your eye there!

-Oh, no. My eye.
-You stayed away
for a reason, Sadamune.

-[Shinano-no-kami] Now!
-[Sukefusa] Huh?

I declare that
it’s time to destroy

the traitors
who dare reject my authority!

Attack, Yonemaru!

All right, men!
Raise your arrows.

And fire!

[warriors grunting]

The arrows are coming first,
as is to be expected.

Once our forces are weakened,
they’ll charge
with their entire army!

Let them come!

I’ll take as many as possible
to the grave with me!

What’s the matter? Aren’t they
going to counterattack us?

Maybe they’re petrified
with fear.

Huh? What is that? That smoke?

[retainer 1]
Wait, I can’t see the shore.

[retainer 2]
There’s no way to aim.

[retainer 1] Hey! Who’s the fool
making a bonfire upwind?

[blows]

Ha! Endless amounts of straw
left over
from that last harvest.

There! It’s that little fox!

He’s the one
who’s starting the fire.

We need to k*ll him
and put it out now.

-[retainers shouting]
-[Genba] Hmm?

Oh, they’re coming to say hi.

[all panting]

[retainer 1] Playing with fire?
Show yourself.

Look, up there!

[retainer 1]
The brat is holding a torch.

[Genba]
Now you can waste your time
and manpower putting it out.

-Whoops.
-[retainer shouts]

[Shinano-no-kami grunts]

What are you all doing
standing around?

If you can’t aim,
cross the river and attack!

Yonemaru!

[grunts] Forward! Attack ahead.

[all shouting]

[all grunt]

[all shout]

[Yasaburo] Men!

-Forward attack!
-[warriors shouting]

[all grunting]

[Fubuki]
We were able to hold them off,

but their numbers
are overwhelming.

Can we stand our ground
until nightfall?

[both grunting, groaning]

[grunts]

[Kojiro] One villain down,
old man, but a lot more to go.

The enemy keeps on coming!

Come on! Who’s next,
you Kokushi dogs!

Oh, look at that.

It’s one of
the messenger’s retainers!

-[Tokiyuki] Thank you, Kojiro!
-[grunts]

[Tokiyuki] If you keep fighting
so bravely, the Hoshina clan
might reconsider!

They may even honor our request
and withdraw.

[Kojiro] Get them!

-[Yasaburo] Incredible!
-[stammers]

[Yasaburo] Look!
What a noble spirit.

That child. Will he
lay his life down alongside us?

Huh?

-[thud]
-We can’t lose the fight
just yet!

Show them how
a warrior meets his end!

Isn’t it beautiful,
my young messenger?

The happy and eager face
of a warrior who chooses death!

Uh...

Huh?

[Tokiyuki] Who do you think
Kojiro is risking his life for?

[Yasaburo] What?

I beg you
to stop the battle, Mr. Hoshina.

I don’t have
the slightest interest in seeing
how you meet your death.

Huh?

[grunts, sighs]

I’ve got cuts all over my body!

[Fubuki] You did great.

Here’s some of
Shizuku’s medicine for you.

[Genba] With nightfall
approaching and the enemy has
retreated back to their shore,

it’s a miracle
they didn’t finish us off.

[retainer] We were so close...

Any ordinary army
would’ve been annihilated.

These guys are no joke when
it comes to hand-to-hand combat.

-[people chattering]
-[sighs] The Hoshina party
is really strong.

If they can survive this,
then they’ll be a great force
fighting for the Young Lord.

[retainer] Here, eat.

Fill up and prepare
for the battle tomorrow.

Oh, I’m all right, thank you.

I had plenty of raw meat
on the b*ttlefield earlier.

What’s wrong with that guy?
He’s such a creep.

[dishes shatter]

[retainer 2] It’s a fight!
Lord Hoshina is facing off
with the messenger child!

[all] Huh?

[Yasaburo] You dare say to me
you’re not interested
in how we die?

Explain what you mean
by that, messenger.

I survived today
against all odds
and it’s only thanks to my rage.

I think you should be grateful
that you’re still alive.

[Yasaburo] There’s shame
in not dying when you should.

Every samurai knows that.

What the hell is going on here?

Our pride! Honor!

When a man
has something to protect,
then he will happily die for it.

[swallows]

You children wouldn’t
understand this, of course!

The samurai who chooses
a perfect death

will be celebrated
for generations and generations!

That’s why I will
gladly give my life
in the name of pride and honor.

So that my clan will forever
reap the rewards!

[narrator] It can be said
that the Hojo clan,
most of whom died in combat

or took their own lives,
rather than flee,

died more honorably
than others.

However, the Hojo’s integrity
wasn’t praised or celebrated
by later generations.

Most people don’t care if
others die with honor or not.

[Yasaburo]
Even Myojin himself will praise
our death with his tears!

[all gasp]

Is your head clear now?

[grunting, shouts]

[Tokiyuki] You’re all
just drunk on the idea
of dying a perfect death.

-[Yasaburo growls]
-Only if you live

-will you be able to
continue your resistance.
-[Yasaburo shouts]

[Tokiyuki] You can be
a beacon of hope
for the weak and oppressed.

-[Yasaburo grunting]
-But if you die, you’ll leave us
with nothing!

We’ll be hopeless children
with no chance to survive.

[shouts]

Laying down your life,
it may seem honorable,

-but you ignore the oppressed
who need protection.
-[panting]

[Tokiyuki] And now you involved
my retainers.

There’s nothing noble
about watching samurais’
faces as they die!

In fact, all your faces
are annoying as hell!

Annoying?

I don’t think I understand
what he’s saying.

[Tokiyuki] Will you come
to your senses already?

[Genba] Uh, guys?

The brat’s acting really weird.

[Tokiyuki grunts]

[Genba]
Do you think he’s tipsy from
the sake that splashed on him?

[hiccups]

You... [hiccups] ...fool.

-[grunts]
Now you’ll pay the price!
-[grunting, groaning]

I see what he’s doing here!

He’s attacking him now
using his divine
running-away butt muscles.

A new special move that only
the Young Lord is capable of!

He looks like a shrimp.

This is so lame.

[grunts] All right,
all right, hold on!

Stop, I’ve sobered up now!

Yasaburo.

The boy was sent by Myojin
to ask us to stop the battle
and to retreat.

Okay, but first, you have to
stop this butt attack.

[grunts]

Thanks to
the messenger boy’s retainers,

we were able to hold out
and survive today.

But don’t expect that
to happen tomorrow.

If we fight them again, there’s
no doubt we’ll be annihilated.

What will you do?

[grunts, hisses]

All right, you’ve convinced me.

We will go north and regroup
as you suggested, Shinomiya.

Hmm.

-[Fubuki, Genba chuckle]
-[Tokiyuki snores]

-[Yasaburo] You.
-[Genba] Huh?

-How old is that boy?
-Nine years old.

A child who’s never even
tasted alcohol

speaks wisdom as though he’s
experienced more carnage than I.

-What a strange child.
-[snores]

The decision is made.
We retreat to the north.

If you have family here,
get ’em immediately!

Do not light torches,
and try to remain hidden!

[retainers] Sir!

[Shinano-no-kami shrieks]

-What a mess!
-[Yonemaru grunts]

We outnumbered those dogs,
and you still
weren’t able to finish them.

-Why? Why? Tell me why, huh!
-F-Forgive me, forgive me!

-[Sukefusa] Good news, sir.
-[grunting]

What I’m hearing is they’re
gathering their families.

This can only mean that they are
likely to retreat any time now.

And so you win!

The territory will be yours
without a fight, sir.

-Have you gone mad, Ichikawa?
-[grunting, groaning]

If they’re retreating,
hunt them down and k*ll them!

If we let them go now,
they will bare their fangs
again, will they not?

My territory must be a place
of eternal peace!

Wait! There are children
among the Suwa
that they’re using as spies.

Whenever these brats get
involved, misfortune follows!

Sir, you shouldn’t take
any unnecessary risks.

So finish them now!

If we don’t k*ll Hoshina
and these children,
we’ll be in trouble!

Letting them escape
means we lose this w*r!

Why do my head and my butt hurt?

You have a hangover
from getting splashed with sake?

I’m guessing
you wouldn’t remember
Fubuki’s plans then, would you?

No. I can remember the plan,

but what I can’t recall
is how I got them to retreat.

[laughs]

I think it’s fair to say
he took a bit of a beating.

And it seems like you’ve got him
under your thumb from now on.

Ah, really?

I guess I didn’t do
too bad then.

Kojiro.

My lord?

Seeing Mr. Hoshina
try to throw his life away

made me realize something
important about myself.

I don’t want my life to end,
no matter what happens.

I don’t wanna k*ll myself.

I’d rather live a full life.

I know that’s not the path
my clan would’ve chosen,

and it’s probably
not the way of the samurai.

Do you think you could
stay by my side anyway?

Even if my honor
is questionable?

Of course.

I’m gonna support
the way that you live,
not the way that you die.

[gasps]

[chuckles]

-[gasps]
-[Kojiro] Hmm?

[Tokiyuki] Not surprising.

They won’t let us
escape so easily.

Running away is how we win
this w*r of retreat.

Now, let’s run!

[song playing]

Let’s go!