The Toho Company
A Tokyo Eiga Production
Sayo Kashima's grave.
Priest Dokai's grave.
At heaven's command and justice's behest...
march our loyal soldiers, unconceivably brave.
Our voices respond to the courage of their hearts
as proudly resolved they leave theirfather's shores
proudly resolved to bring home victory or die.
Faithfully we await your glorious return
as you fight in foreign lands...
In 1905 Japan won the Russo-Japanese war.
Capitalism had become the foundation of the Japanese Empire.
had brought an economic crisis.
There was a woman who was hunted as a murdereress.
Her name was Yuki Kashima.
Alias Lady Snowblood.
Yuki, you're under arrest!
She's just a woman.
Get her!
It'll heal soon.
Don't be so nervous. Take it easy.
Executive Producer KIKUMARU OKUDA
Story by KAZUO KOIKE KAZUO KAMIMURA
Photographed by TATSUO SUZUKI
Music by KENJIRO HIROSE
Lady Snowblood!
You can't get away.
Get her!
Starring
MEIKO KAJI
YOSHIO HARADA
KAZUKO YOSHIYUKI
MORI KISHIDA
JUZO ITAMI
Directed by TOSHIYA FUJITA
LOVE SONG OF VENGEANCE
Yuki Kashima.
You are guilty of a series of murders.
yet you seem to have no regrets. That's unforgivable.
You shall be hanged by the neck until dead.
March 14, 1906. Judge Seiichiro Tanno.
Is there anything you want to say?
Nothing.
This was a female prison.
Behind the brick walls was Yuki's home.
Yuki was born there one snowy night,
with one aim, to avenge her mother.
The day of execution arrived.
What's happening?
Where are we going?
Lady Snowblood.
You're cold and beautiful.
I've abandoned my sword.
What else is there for you?
You'd just be dirty melting snow.
Yuki.
You got tired of escaping and gave up.
But there's no peace for you.
Your fate is to live in a bloody hell.
Who are you?
Whoever I am, I saved your life.
You owe me.
I see.
You don't bother about the fact that you're in my debt.
All right.
You want to go?
Then go.
You'll always be on the run...
forever a fugitive...
hunted by the police and bounty hunters...
like a wild animal...
only to end up at the gallows once again.
The man is Ransui Tokunaga.
An anarchist. A man with dangerous ideas.
Keep him under observation for a month.
There's something I want you to get from his house.
A letter.
Japan won, Japan won, and the Russians lost.
"Ransui Tokunaga"
Darling.
Hmmm
Dear, here's the maid.
Just a minute.
I'm Ransui Tokunaga.
I'm Yuki.
we're a poorfamily and it really doesn't make sense for us to have a maid.
but we need one because my wife is sick, so that's where you come in.
is betterthan kindness from another. "ls Revolution Collectivism?"
Aya, forget your past. Forget everything.
I want to have your baby.
I live all alone in a world of illusion...
Hey, Yuki!
Give me some water.
He really likes you.
It's good.
I'm an anarchist.
But I'm more a sex maniac.
"The High Treason Case - by Ransui Tokunaga."
I'm sorry, it's you.
I've made plenty of enemies, you know.
I'm sorry. No hard feelings.
Yuki.
I'm going out. I'd like you to come with me.
We're being shadowed.
The police. They're always there.
Pigs.
Let's go.
I enjoy making them look like idiots.
What's more, the place we're going isn't for people like that.
My comrades. Tombstones.
They were alleged to be guilty of high treason, and executed.
This graveyard's for dogs and cats.
My comrades were buried here like animals,
without funerals.
Why did you bring me here?
I want you to join me in a prayer, Miss Snowblood.
Your real name is Yuki Kashima.
You' ve been searching my house
for a confidential letter that can harm the government,
and possibly bring about my death.
You were sent by Seishiro Kikui, boss of the secret police.
He's an agent of the government.
What's his mission?
To eliminate anyone who threatens the establishment.
He rules over a shadow army.
You know why I'm here. but you stiIl let me stay.
"Rebel's Cemetery"
I've got the letter you're looking for.
Right here in fact.
Let me tell you a tale about trash.
A man lived here once. A young labourer named Yoshizawa.
People treat poor young labourers like trash.
He worked from morning till night for a pittance.
His life was appalling.
One day he put all his anguish, into a bomb.
Last February he was arrested for blowing up a police station.
The incident would have been forgotten relatively quickly,
except Kikui of the secret police made good use of it.
Kukui claimed it was planned by anarchists.
He said they were trying
to kill the Emperor.
It was a total invention of Kikui and the Inspector-General Terauchi
who spread it around.
They had been waiting for the chance to eliminate the anarchists.
They picked up twelve of my comrades.
These innocent men were tried and executed without representation.
Yoshizawa, who knew the truth, was also killed by Kikui.
I was the one they were really after,
but I was recovering from an illness in my home town.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, I survived.
Kikui gained his present position as a reward,
and Terauchi became a minister,
but some day I'm going to destroy them.
I may not be much but I have a powerful weapon to fight with.
This letter. Yoshizawa sent it to his mother.
In it, he wrote all about his conversations with Kikui.
The treason case was a set-up. lt brought them to power.
This letter could topple them. It frightens them more than any bomb.
I see. She betrayed us.
I didn't think there was much fight left in her. I was wrong.
I've underestimated Ransui.
He's stirring her up.
Kikui, we've got problems.
There's going to be a meeting of anarchists and proletarians
at Shiba Park three days from now in a mass demonstration.
Ransui is planning to reveal the letter at the meeting.
He intends to expose us to the press and the people.
It could end up in a riot. lt could even bring about the fall of the government.
What are your secret police doing about it?
You don't have any need to worry minister.
We can arrest Ransui anytime. That will be the end of it.
He's cautious and clever.
You can't just go and arrest someone without a reason.
We have a reason.
That woman will provide one.
Please be careful.
Don't worry. I've got the strongest bodyguard in Japan with me.
I've heard something's going to happen at the meeting.
Have you indeed?
Wait for the newspaper tomorrow. There'll be something else for you to hear about.
A bomb. It'll blow up the government.
Look afterthis.
If something happens to me
give it to Doctor Shusuke Tokunaga at Yotsuya.
He's my brother.
Shusuke Tokunaga? Right.
Stop!
Ransui Tokunaga and Yuki Kashima.
You're under arrest.
Arrest?
What for?
I haven't committed any crime.
What about your relationship with Lady Snowblood?
You know she's a criminal on the run, and you're helping her.
Get off me!
Run, Yuki!
Don't bother about me!
Stop her!
There she is!
Fire!
Tokyo had three slums then.
One at Shiba, another at Shitaya
and the third at Yotsuya.
day labourers, rickshawmen, garbagemen and criminals.
Left behind in the rat race, they were society's garbage,
but they were true survivors.
They survived continuous poverty and contempt.
They were immovable.
They lived on the dark edge of society, beyond the arm of the law.
This was a hole-in-the-wall.
What did you do with the medal?
It reminded me of the war, so I pawned it.
You shitbag. You've got no respect.
What about yours?
It's a souvenir of my youth. I treasure it.
It's in a secret place.
Where?
Look. This is a real medal.
If our next blackmail job works, we'll be rich.
Then we can afford to go to Manchuria again.
Good. That's the place to get drunk and get Iaid.
They'll get to see more than our medals.
Where's Shusuke Tokunaga's cIinic?
Where's Doctor Shusuke Tokunaga?
Why do you want the Doctor?
Shusuke Tokunaga's clinic.
How do you feel?
It's you.
You've stopped bleeding. You'll live.
You're the Doctor?
I'm Shusuke Tokunaga. Life is strange.
The letter?. I have it.
Don't move.
The police arrested Mr. Tokunaga.
He lived as an anarchist. He knew the risks.
Are you in pain?
You can't do anything.
Sleep. All you need is sleep.
What does it say?
Did you read it?
This is a bomb.
It can blow up the government.
We've attacked police boxes and brought the labourers out on strike,
This scrap of paper could cause a riot.
What are you going to do?
Ransui Tokunaga. Why protect Yuki?
Even though you're against the government, even though you're an enemy
you're a politlcian, you do it out of a sense of duty.
but look at Yuki. She's just a killer.
Can't you see that you're not like her?
You wouldn't understand.
Sometimes killers are just.
but vermin don't betray each other.
You lump of shit. You enjoy this.
He still refuses to talk. He's obstinate to the point of idiocy.
Let us take care of him.
My men are used to this kind of work.
The Snowblood case was assigned to our agency.
Stop worrying about her.
What matters is the letter.
But...
your job is to keep law and order in the country.
Not to worry about one killer.
Torture him to death if it appeals to you. It doesn't matter if he dies.
No one will care if you kill an anarchist.
I won't talk anyway.
Where's Yuki?
Where's Snowblood?
Go home. This is no place for you.
I'll stay here.
People would as soon kill me as let me live.
ls it because you let Yuki go?
Is Tokunaga still under arrest?
Why don't you go and try to help him?
What do you want from me?
I know I'm not supposed to see you again, after everything,
but I have no one else to rely on.
I didn't mean to come, but here I am.
Sorry, but I can't help you.
You can. Only you can save him.
What do you mean by that? By giving up Yuki?
You want me to do that?
It never occured to me that she'd be here with you.
But...
I'm not interested. Go home.
Save your brother.
I have none.
You still hate us?
You won't forgive us.
What do you mean "forgive"? What are you talking about?
Look at this place. It's like a junkyard.
We're trash. We have nothing to care for.
Understand? Go home.
Your husband wanted to use the letter to reform the country.
Not me.
I'll use it to soak the rich pigs.
We can use the money to eat, drink and be merry.
Do you want him to die?
You're a stranger here.
Who are you?
Talk! What brought you here?
What's going on here?
Grab him!
Stop him! Don't let him get away!
Somebody stop him!
He's getting away! Get him!
Stop!
There he goes!
That way!
Don't let him get away!
Grab him!
Get the bastard!
Come on! Grab him!
Go on, grab him!
... 87... 88... 89... 90...
... 91... 92... 93... 94...
... 95... 96... 97... 98...
... 99... 100...
... 101 ... 102... 103... 104... 105...
Talk! What brought you here?
I'm going to kill you, shitbag.
He doesn't want to talk.
Perhaps I should finish him off with my axe?
Who is it?
Have a look at him, please.
Stay away. Don't fucking come near!
Don't you dare come in here. Ever!
He's got the plague.
He was given an injection.
The secret police did it.
They've declared war on us.
Listen carefully. Don't enter the shed.
The last thing we need is gossip.
Will he live?
He doesn't have a chance.
Hey, hey, what are you getting up to?
Go on, kill her!
Poor man.
Can the police do this?
Shut your mouth!
Am I going to die?
Maybe I've still got a chance.
I can't die.
I've got a lot of things to do.
Aya.
Aya. I've done wrong.
Lady Snowblood...
Look at the two of you.
You deserted me. You betrayed me.
Now you've come back to me in this state.
You've done as you pleased. You've got what you wanted.
You've lived your life your own way.
Aya, you were my wife.
You always were a silly girl.
Why did you fall for him?
While I was traipsing over Manchuria during the war
all that kept me going were thoughts about you.
"Until I see you again, I can't die", I thought.
Your image helped me survive, and so I came home.
But...
You...
I decided to sever all connections to you.
Leave me alone!
I'm not going to do what you wanted me to do.
I'll get whatever I want by doing things my own way.
Give 50,000 yen to the inhabitants of the Shiba slum,
and 300 bales of rice.
Give 30,000 yen to the people in the Shitaya slum,
and 200 bales of rice.
Give 50,000 yen to the Yotsuya slum.
and 300 bales of rice.
In total, 130,000 yen and 800 bales of rice.
If you refuse you'll pay with your heads. Good. Sounds wonderful.
You stopped being a killer and become a bIackmailer.
What do you want? What are you hoping to achieve?
130,000 yen and 800 bales of rice
for the inhabitants of the slums.
What if I say no?
The letter will be sent to the press to expose you.
You and your boss will have reached the end of the road.
Yuki.
Do you know what you're dealing with?
You're no match for us. We'll win.
I know where your gutter-loving friends are.
I know where the letter is.
If I want to, I can annihilate you with ease.
Go ahead, if you don't care about the plague.
Plague?
Why are you suprised? You set it loose.
Shusuke is suffering from fever. He's waiting for me with the letter in his shaky hands.
Go and get it.
Maybe I'm infected too.
Are you scared?
You call people gutter-loving, but you're equally afraid of the plague.
No wonder.
You wouldn't want to die moaning and vomiting bIood.
It's not good enough for you.
Kikui, I can make a deal with you myself.
Shall we trade all you have for all I have?
What do you mean by that?
As you said, I'm no betterthan a gutter lover.
I have nothing except my life,
but you've achieved a lot in these changing times. The position you sIaved for.
Power and money.
You don't want to give them up do you.
Do we have a deal?
Fair enough. You can have what you want,
but its going to take some time to get everything together.
Will you stay here 'til I come back?
How about that?
We've got to do as they demand. It's only money.
Any wrong move and we end up in a noose.
It's only 130,000 yen. I call that cheap.
What are you dithering about?
I'm giving the orders.
This is Terauchi. I want the treasurer.
It's urgent.
It's no good. We're not going to give in to their demands.
Have you got a better idea?
Yes, I've got a better idea.
and we destroy everything... the people with the letter.
Ypu're talking through your ass.
How would we be judged, and what would the press say?
We can say it was the only way to stop the epidemic.
We can't possibly do that.
Why not?
Even if it's a slum, hundreds of people live there.
We can't just burn them up.
Did you ever care about them?
Don't pretend you're a politician who loves the people.
Your hands are covered in filth.
Fuck you!
This isn't about money, or ourselves.
These sewer rats are challenging the system.
That's why we have laws. It's why people Iike us exist.
Mummy! Mummy!
Shusuke. Are you alright?
This is your last stand.
You've cheated the executioner once, but not this time.
I'm going to kill you now.
Yuki... you bitch...
Wait... Wait... Wait.
Don't shoot.
Shusuke! Hold on.
All dead.
Roasted to death.
Help me up.
What a beautiful morning! A nice day for celebration.
You have no worries now. You must be feeling fine.
I owe you a lot, Kikui.
You've seen that there's nothing left of the letter but ashes.
Thanks to you, I can visit the shrine of our brave soldiers in peace.
The Letter
Snowblood.
Don't run away! You're the personal guard!
Your excellency!
Mad dogs!
Kill me.
The eventful Meiji era was drawing to a close.
THE END.