Sister-in-law...
here is my brother's hair.
He died in battle.
Unfortunately, it falls on me...
to bring this unhappy news.
Ogura
Where is my husband's body?
In this heat...
it was too unsightly to be displayed.
We burned it where it lay.
We held funeral rites at a temple.
Ogura...
Where are his armour and helmet?
You're mocking me.
I'm wearing them.
Surely you recognize them.
Of course.
But I didn't dream
...you would wear them so soon after his death.
So I chose not to see them.
You surprise me.
I had thought...
my brother would be pleased...
to see me in his armour.
It was stupid of me.
Forgive me.
Help me take it off!
Sister-in-law...
I am about to be naked.
Lords lkoma and Ogura, you have worked well...
to further our interests.
We appreciate it.
These gifts are a token of thanks.
They're also a parting gift.
Farewell.
Lord Jiro feels it unwise...
to keep you in his service.
Men who betray one master may betray another.
A reasonable point of view.
Naturally you are disappointed...
but bear no grudges.
Is that clear? Good!
The Lady Kaede is here.
Send her in.
My apologies for my harsh words.
I am ashamed.
The incident is forgotten.
They say your father has gone mad.
That should please you.
What do you mean by that?
I spoke frankly...
without gilding my thoughts.
Forgive me if I offended.
You must hate my father...
for what he did to your family.
Am I wrong?
Now it's my turn to be frank.
You are just as pleased as I am.
Lord Jiro, you are now head...
of the house of lchimonji.
This helmet is rightfully yours.
I am not blind!
You murdered your brother...
and stole his title!
Prepare to die!
No...
Even now...
you deny it?
It wasn't I who killed my brother.
Then who did?
Speak!...Who was it?
It was...Kurogane.
Hypocrite!
You gave the order but won't take the blame.
A fine leader!
You give in so easily.
Now I will tell you the truth!
I don't care about Taro's death.
What concerns me...
is my own future.
I won't be a widow, with my hair cropped;
not a nun, with my head shaved.
This castle was my father's.
I won't leave it!
Consider my request well.
For my part, I'll say nothing...
of your abominable crimes.
I won't reproach you...
or speak against you.
If I did the kingdom would split.
But always remember...
I can destroy you.
Is it a bargain, Lord Jiro?
My lord...
Yes, sister-in-law?
Sister-in-law?
After what we've just done?
By rights...
I really should be...
your wife.
I have a wife...Sue.
I'll be merely your concubine?
No...no.
You're mine.
No one else shall have you.
Don't cry, Kaede.
You won't be just a concubine.
As long as Lady Sue remains...
I'll attend to her.
But how?
I'll repudiate her.
That's not what I want!
After our ecstasy...
I can't bear it that another woman...
has known your touch.
Such a woman cannot remain alive.
Well now, look where we are.
If fortune had run true...
Tsurumaru would live here.
You shelter in the very ruins...
of the castle you burned.
lgnorance is bliss indeed.
Your helmet, my lord.
Your plumes.
Don't you look regal?
Help, here come demons!
Two of them!
Traitors! You must pay!
No, wait!
Let us explain!
Save your breath.
I know all about your treachery.
Die, traitor!
Jiro killed Taro!
Madness saved Hidetora.
If he recovers his wits...
he'll be killed, too.
Jiro slew Taro; our lord is next.
We must take him to Master Saburo.
If only we could!
Mention Saburo and he runs away.
He doesn't dare face him.
On that point he's sane.
What about Master Saburo?
Would you like to see him?
The only way is to bring Saburo here.
Maybe he can talk sense to him.
I'll be back as soon as I can.
Take good care of him.
Lady Kaede leads you by the nose.
If you wish to marry, fine.
But to kill Lady Sue for that?
Sometimes killing is necessary.
But to kill on a whim!
The order is unreasonable...
I must refuse.
Lord Kurogane...
At the Second Castle...
there is a supply of salt?
Of course...why?
When you bring back her head...
salt it first.
Otherwise, in this heat...
we'll be unable to look at it.
Lady Sue is so beautiful...
it would be ungracious to her.
Since you will go personally...
there will be no mistake.
Do it as you see fit.
Why stay with this mad old man?
If the rock you sit on starts to roll...
jump clear.
Or you'll go with it and be squashed.
Only a fool stays aboard.
What is this place?
Paradise!
Think of it.
All my life...
I've been his nurse.
Good boy...
Sweet dreams.
I, Kurogane, am back.
Approach!
Thank you for being quick.
At your service, my lady.
I have brought the object...
as per your instructions.
Be so kind as to examine it.
I'll be the first to look.
What is this?
Your joking goes too far!
Is anything wrong?
lmagine that!
Lady Sue was a fox in disguise.
Enough of your tricks!
This is a statue from a shrine.
Clever fox-- first becomes human...
then turns himself to stone.
Are you making a fool of me?
Certainly not.
There are many foxes hereabouts.
It is said they take human form.
Take care, my lord.
They often impersonate women.
In Central Asia a fox seduced King Pan Tsu...
and made him kill 1,000 men.
In China he married King Yu and ravaged the land.
In Japan, as Princess Tamamo...
he caused great havoc at court.
He became a white fox with nine tails.
Then they lost trace of him.
Some people say...
he settled down here.
So beware, my lord, beware.
This is how you keep our bargain.
You conspire with Kurogane...
to humiliate me!
No, you're wrong.
lntolerable!
It's Kurogane's doing.
Always Kurogane!
Is he your only vassal?
He's the villain who kills Taro.
He's the hero who saves Sue.
A two-headed monster!
This is your "right arm"?
Until I have Sue's head...
you shall not see me again!
Sister...my flute!
We've no time to get it.
I've had it since boyhood.
What shall we do?
Kurogane said they'll pursue you.
I'll go back for the flute.
Your legs are old.
I'm the one to go.
We're near the ruins of your castle.
Go there and pray for your dead.
You may never be back again.
Tsurumaru, let's hurry.
I see our castle...
what's left of it.
Which way, sister?
Over there.
Where?
Earth and sky are topsy turvy.
I was the fool and made him laugh.
Now the coin is flipped.
Don't be mute, say something.
You speak nonsense, I'll speak truth.
We'll see what comes of it.
Begin, old man!
A serpent's egg is white and pure.
A bird's is speckled and soiled.
This is a castle...
Here's a wall.
The bird left the speckled egg for the white.
Strange...
The egg cracks, out comes a snake.
Empty space above the wall.
Why?
The bird is gobbled by the snake.
Where am I?
Who am I?
Stupid bird!
Saburo...
It hurts.
I'm a worm, don't crush me!
Who'd bother to crush a worm?
Who are you?
Is someone crying?
Who's crying?
Hell!
Man is born crying.
When he's cried enough, he dies.
Saburo has crossed the river.
He's now in Hachiman Field.
It makes no sense.
What can he do with so few men?
Message from Lord Saburo.
He is here to find his father.
That done, he will leave in peace.
Fujimaki is at the border.
I don't like it.
I didn't want reinforcements.
You should be glad.
Thanks to Fujimaki...
the enemy is pinned down here.
We can rescue your father from Azusa Plain.
But it looks so aggressive.
One false move could mean war.
Maybe I was too hasty.
My worry spurred me on, but...
my son-in-law will grumble.
Sitting here we pose no threat.
Prepare for battle!
My lord, this is ill advised.
Let Saburo have his father.
Avoid this war.
Once he has Father...
he'll accuse me of treason and attack.
We can't give up Hidetora...
we don't know where he is.
There is much unrest in the land.
Fujimaki and Ayabe bide their time.
We need to retrench, not attack.
Lady Kaede awaits Lord Jiro...
to celebrate his departure for battle.
A warlord doesn't run to his woman.
Stay away!
When the enemy is assembled...
we can go after his lordship.
Be patient... Rest the horses!
Dismount!
Weakling!
Kurogane has swayed you again.
No.
It's no time for war.
Wars are won by strong leaders.
Why fear Fujimaki and Ayabe?
Your mistake...
was to spare Hidetora, mad or not.
To kill him I have to find him.
Saburo knows where he is.
Otherwise he wouldn't have come.
Send him a message.
Say he can have his father.
Watch his movements and send out your assassins.
I'm lost.
Such is the human condition.
This path...
I remember...
We came this way before.
Men always travel the same road.
If you're tired of it, jump!
Up there.
Who is it?
Sue!
Sister, that voice...
This ruin was once a castle.
It belonged to Sue's father.
I destroyed it.
Why am I here?
Why is Sue here?
And Tsurumaru, too.
Is this a dream?
No, this is Hell.
The lowest level of Hell.
Mount!
Message from Lord Jiro!
Very good.
He says he won't attack.
We're to leave once we have Father.
Let's go at once.
We'd give away his whereabouts.
Wait till dark.
Ayabe is on the move.
Vulture! He smells blood!
Stay calm, my lord.
Ayabe is watching...
so is Fujimaki.
They're waiting.
Don't give them an excuse to attack.
He wants Father but makes no move.
What's his game?
She's taking so long.
I'll go see what's keeping her.
No, don't!
Never mind the flute.
You're acting like a child.
I don't want to be alone again.
You won't be alone.
The image of the Buddha Amida...
will protect you in my place.
Sister!
I won't be gone long.
Sister!
I found Kyoami...
crying on Azusa Plain.
Where's you master?
Forgive me!
He's disappeared.
You lost him on the plain?
Now we can't wait for dark.
I'm going to Azusa Plain.
Keep the enemy busy here.
Ten men follow Lord Saburo!
He's moving...
He's heading for Azusa Plain.
Gunnery captain!
Take your men to Azusa Plain...
and lay an ambush.
A reward for whoever kills Saburo.
Are you mad?
Break your word and it's war!
So be it...it was inevitable.
Saburo is not our only enemy.
So what?
If they attack, we retaliate.
We grab their land...
and enlarge our own.
Fine words, but words don't win wars.
Where's the dog eager for prey?
Kaede's right.
You're a mouse posing as a mastiff.
Kaede barks and you grovel.
Silence!
Stay behind!
If you fear to fight, desert!
If I deserted...
where would I go?
Captain!
You have your orders...go!
Message for Lord Saburo.
"Enemy gunners coming, take care."
Infantry...
Forward!
Thinks he's smart.
Get ready, men!
We're moving into the woods!
Father!
What a sky!
Am I in the other world?
Is this paradise?
Father!
Why are you so cruel?
Why pull me from my grave?
Don't you know me?
Father!
Father?
What do you mean by "father"?
Wait...I remember.
I had three sons.
Are you one of them?
Yes. I am Saburo.
Saburo?
It's you!
I have no face to show you...
no words to excuse myself.
Give me poison to drink.
I'll swallow it gladly.
Don't talk like that.
I don't hate you, Father.
No sweet lies; I've had my fill.
Does he look like a hypocrite?
True, soft words often deceive.
But my lord...look at him!
Tears like this...
can only come from the heart.
Come with me.
You'll live with us...
and forget this bad dream.
If only you can forget...
my cruelty to you.
Forgive me.
I am a stupid old fool.
Attack!
The enemy is in the woods.
Our superior strength is useless there.
Then we'll burn them out!
Charge!
Pull back!
We outnumber them.
Crush them!
Ayabe is marching on the First Castle.
Impossible.
He's on the ridge!
Those troops are a decoy.
Pull back!
Forward!
That's enough.
Another cheer!
I have so much to say.
When we're alone and quiet...
we will talk, father to son.
That's all I want.
Nothing else.
He is dead.
I know when one is dead.
He is dead.
You and I live, but Saburo...
You can't die.
I have tales to tell...
forgiveness to ask.
Is this justice?
Are you gone forever?
Keep away!
It grows dark...
Senile old fool.
Do not call back his spirit.
He has suffered enough.
Lord Saburo!
Victory is ours!
The enemy is retreating with Ayabe in pursuit.
We've won!
Alas!
It doesn't seem possible.
He isn't here to share this.
Hidetora is also gone...why?
Are there no gods...no Buddha?
If you exist, hear me!
You are mischievous and cruel!
Are you so bored up there...
you must crush us like ants?
Is it such fun to see men weep?
Enough! Do not blaspheme!
It is the gods who weep.
They see us killing each other...
over and over since time began.
They can't save us from ourselves.
Don't cry.
It's how the world is made.
Men prefer sorrow over joy...
suffering over peace.
Look at them in the First Castle.
They revel in pain and bloodshed.
They celebrate murder.
We'll stay; you go to the tower.
Where's Lord Jiro?
Whose head is that... Saburo's or Hidetora's?
Neither. My lord ordered me to...
Is Lady Kaede the master here?
I serve you, but never her!
Fox-devil!
Your scheming destroyed the house of lchimonji!
Such is the vanity of woman!
Vanity, you say?
I wanted to avenge my family!
I wanted this castle to burn!
I have done all I set out to do.
My lord, prepare to die.
I, Kurogane, will follow you.