Hideaki Ito Yumiko Shaku
PRINCESS BLADE
Shiro Sano
Yoko Maki Yoko Chosokabe
Naomasa Musaka Yutaka Matsushige
Shintaro Sonooka Takashi Tsukamoto
Yoichi Numata
Kyusaku Shimada
Producer Taka Ichise
Insplred by the Comlc by Kazuo Koike & Kazuo Kamimura
Screenplay Shinsuke Sato & Kei Kunii
Dlrector of Photography Taro Kawazu
Muslc Kenji Kawai
Speclal Vlsual Effects Shinji Higuchi
Actlon Dlrector Donnie Yen
Dlrected by Shinsuke Sato
500 years had passed, and stlll the country remalned closed.
Cut off from the world, knowlng nelther hope nor despalr...
... the land breathed an alr of qulet stagnatlon.
Reformers drlven to armed rebelllon...
... had been suppressed by the State.
The House of Takemlkazuchl...
... were assasslns hlred to suppress the rebels.
From anclent tlmes...
... they had been guards to the rulers of a nelghbourlng klngdom.
That country, modernlslng, had overthrown lts monarch.
Drlven Into exlle, they had reached thls land.
Now they were a trlbe of assasslns...
... who would klll anyone they were pald to.
The Takemikazuchi...
Mother...
Byakurai wants you.
Anka fled this morning.
He who flees the Takemikazuchi is a traitor who will sell our secrets.
He's headed across Shikon Mountain.
But with his leg, he won't have reached the old mine yet.
Yuki...
...take Kiri with you.
I'll go alone.
I'll go!
He'll slow me down.
Take me with you! Byakurai told you to!
Could you really kill Anka?
Yes.
What if he begged?
I'd still kill him!
I don't think so.
Yuki... it's you...
I'm unarmed. Don't kill me.
Please...
Take my sword.
Tell them you killed me, OK?
- I see I'm no match for you any more, Yuki. - Who are you?
My name is Kuka. I served your mother.
I have something to tell you.
It's about who killed your mother.
You were told she died in an attack...
...but it was Byakurai who killed her.
- Liar! - Byakurai killed your mother Azora...
...Princess Takemikazuchi.
You must either take revenge and succeed to your mother's place...
...or leave.
Tomorrow you turn 20.
On that day a princess assumes leadership of the Takemikazuchi.
You must choose either to take over the House...
...or to leave it.
If you choose to leave, come to the old mine.
I have delivered the message of Azora.
Did Anka beg for his life?
Did my mother beg for hers?
What do you mean?
Your voice is shaking.
Your mind's racing.
Are you aware of what you're doing?
Tell me.
Byakurai... did you kill my mother?
No.
Put up your sword, Yuki. I'll overlook this.
I didn't want to tell you.
Your mother was killed because she meant to betray us and flee.
Liar!
Lashing out won't help!
I have no choice. Die!
Wonderful news from the Unlon Assembly.
Under our Great Leader, we are wlnnlng the productlon war.
The Mlnlstry of Consumptlon reports...
... llvlng standards have rlsen 20 per cent over the past year.
Celebratlng thls news the cltlzens have come out Into the streets...
... ln a spontaneous parade.
Aya?
What is it?
Is this to kill me with?
You're a Takemikazuchi, aren't you.
Who hired you?
Talk.
Where are the others?
There's no one else coming. I'm not here to kill you.
Liar.
You think I believe that?
Trust me.
Trust you?
You guys kill anyone you're paid to.
If I trust you I'll end up dead.
If I was after you...
...you'd be dead now.
Trust me?
- Doesn't that hurt? - Yes...
...if you let it.
I saw a girl.
Where is she?
I'm alone here.
- That's my bed. - Good night.
We lost her at the road through the Forest Zone.
You came back to tell me that?
No.
Someone saw a truck.
We'll watch the road.
She'll be back.
She wants revenge.
- Someone told her. - Who?
Hmm...
Yuki's 20 today.
Whoever told her about Azora knew that, and what it means.
Kuka...
So you think she wants to kill you to avenge Azora?
That means she'll come here.
If Kuka wanted to talk to Yuki, where would he call her to?
To his home?
I'd find a better place than that.
How have you been? It's Kidokoro.
I'm back. There's something I want to talk to you about.
I'll come today.
No. I'll come to you...
... the day after tomorrow.
Roger.
I'll be waltlng at the usual place.
A man had pledged with Azora, heir to the House of Takemikazuchi.
He swore fealty to the House...
...but Byakurai framed him as a traitor and killed him.
That man was my father?
You wouldn't remember. You'd only just turned two.
There were still many of Takemikazuchi blood.
Byakurai sought to marry Azora himself...
...and make the House of Takemikazuchi his.
But Azora refused.
Discouraged, she sought to bring the Takemikazuchi to an end.
Byakurai found out and killed her.
Then everything changed.
Many were unhappy with Byakurai, and tried to leave.
But only very few...
...managed to escape.
Princess Azora was killed here.
I'm sure she hoped you would leave the Takemikazuchi.
She wanted you to succeed where she had failed.
You need not take revenge on Byakurai.
The fate of the Takemikazuchi is to disappear.
Princess Yuki...
Your mother had been tortured almost to death...
...but the final blow came from me.
Kill me if you will.
My life since then has been one of waiting for this day.
I offered to accompany her to the next world...
...but she wouldn't allow it.
I was commanded to tell you everything...
...when you reached 20 years of age.
If Princess Yuki were to do me the honor of killing me...
Don't say that.
There's no point.
So it was you, Kuka...
Soma...
My, how you've grown!
By your leave...
Kuka!
This is what I wanted!
Princess Yuki! Don't die!
Kill me if you want...
...but don't raise your blades against Princess Yuki!
That I can't promise.
Kuka!
When I was small...
...I was always happy.
I never dreamed...
...things would turn out like this.
You know why people thought that way then?
It's because no one had any ideals.
Yes, people died when we put a bomb in the Assembly.
But it was very effective.
You should be proud.
It was a holiday. No one was supposed to be there.
You told me that.
Losses are inevitable. You don't get something for nothing.
Mimura knew that. His death wasn't wasted.
No one pays any attention unless a few dozen citizens die.
I'd like to move on to the next project.
Mr Sugimoto...
...didn't think so.
He called you while I was gone?
Last month.
He's been expelled.
I trust you.
We have to do whatever's necessary to achieve our ideals.
Takashi...
...what's the safest place in the jungle?
On the lion's back.
The fleas there enjoy the most peaceful life there is.
Hey...
Hey!
Shit!
Where are you bleeding?
You need protein, or you won't heal.
Put these on.
That's all there is here.
Hurry up!
It suits you.
What are you doing?
Throwing these out.
You saw Mr Kidokoro?
Takashi... be careful of him.
Did you hear about Sugimoto?
Kidokoro told me he is no longer a member.
He's dead.
Murdered.
I'm leaving this country.
There's happiness somewhere. You just have to go there.