RAJOMON GATE
Who are you?
A wandering specter out so late at night?
No, no, I am no such thing
I am returning from Nobleman Fujiwara's mansion...
...but I am afraid...
...of the bamboo grove ahead
It is dangerous at night with highwaymen and robbers
Please help me
Will you see me to the end of the grove?
What if I were a robber?
A fine samurai could not be a robber
Are you one of the distinguished Raiko's...
...renowned warriors?
Please help me
Very well
It's out of my way and late already, but a little delay won't matter
Thank you
Woman
You're very fast
It is a familiar road
A cat?
What is it?
There you are. I wondered where you'd gone
I heard a cat
Nothing to be afraid of
My heart is pounding
They are starving too
At the Kamo River bed...
...crows peck at the bodies of those who starved to death
Thank you
It's a secluded place
We have nothing to offer you...
...but I would be happy if you came inside
Well, let me see...
Mother and I live alone
Shall I accept your kindness, then?
Please do
This way, please
A fine residence
Much better than my home
Like a nobleman's abode
Is anything wrong?
It seems cold
We only use it...
...when we have guests
I think your being here...
...will soon fill the room with warmth
Strange things happen in a war-torn land
Hail fell in Summer
Then it became so hot, birds fell from the sky
My mother
Thank you for being so kind to my daughter
Not at all, I enjoyed the night breeze while I saw her home
I have a feeling we've met somewhere
You're joking!
Isn't he, Mother?
I believe we have but I cannot recall where
Serve him sake
A cat?
A homeless stray cat
Please have some more
Excuse me, but how old are you?
What?
I also have a son
He is about your age
I am twenty-two
My husband is twenty-one
Where is he? Serving the Emperor?
He went to war
To war?
Yes, three years ago. He has not returned
Who is his leader?
We do not know
We had planted Spring seeds
Seeds?
Yes
We must plant seeds in an age of war to keep from starving
Suddenly, soldiers passed by
My son was taken, plough still in his hands
Do not worry
He'll be a successful samurai somewhere by now
Somewhere?
Far away to the north in Ezo or south in Tsukushi
The whole land is up in arms
He must be so great he has no time to come home
Don't worry. He was lucky to be taken to war
It's a samurai's world now!
Noblemen cannot fight
So the samurai will rule the land
The time will come when even the Mikado must yield to our leader
I used to be a farmer, too
But since the war, I've risen to this
Do not worry
Wars keep us in food and everything else
Everything is ours for the taking
Your mother?
She is being tactful
I am drunk. It is very good sake
Please make yourself at home
I am glad you came
It's good sake
Please feel at home
Excuse me
RAJOMON GATE
An official is coming!
You are Raiko Minamoto, the leader of the samurai
It is not like you at all
Are you doing nothing about the specter that appears at Rajomon Gate?
Samurai means men who are proud of being strong warriors
The specter may well appear at any time in the Palace
I cannot sleep peacefully at night
He told me in his august voice:
I cannot sleep peacefully at night"
Who's running all over the land fighting?
It's me, Raiko Minamoto!
In the Palace, they kick balls, play games
They write songs and love women
Don't say I said this
It's frustrating
The monster's not a supernatural being
Just an animal or night-prowler!
Call Kintoki!
He went west with his troops
Call Tsuna Watanabe!
He took his troops east
Fool! I know that!
I'm just trying to stiffen your morale!
Is there anyone who will kill the monster?
EZO, NORTHERN JAPAN
You cut off Kumasunehiko's head?
Let me see it
Is it really his head?
He told me so himself!
He wore fine armor and had an iron club
Good! It's really Kumasunehiko's head. It's a great prize
General Takemaro Fujiwara?
He died in battle!
My army of two thousand men?
They all died. The enemy too!
Give me a detailed account of it!
It was all muddy. Rushes grew there
The enemy lured us into the rushes!
The battle began at dawn and ended at night!
He and I were alone by then
He was hairy all over like a bear! I was frightened!
Kumasunehiko, I thought!
I was right! He told me so!
He asked my name. I was going to say "Gintoki"...
Too simple, so I tacked on Yabu and said I was Yabu-no-Gintoki
He said my name sounded strong
Asking me if I were a general he challenged me to a fight
Was he strong! Like Atlas given an iron club!
I thought his club would kill me!
I didn't want to die, so I fought!
I finally cut off his head!
I will call you Yabu-no-Gintoki
I will add you to my big "Four". My big "Five" now
Jimbei, it's me!
I'm Hachi, Yone's son
You're...
What happened? My home's burned! My home's gone!
Yes, you're Hachi all right
Your clothes?
Never mind that!
What about my home? My mother and wife?
It was last Summer. Kyoto burned for three days and nights
Conquerors and conquered alike burned things
Fires everywhere in war
Sparks fell even here
We fled into the mountains
When we came back your home had burned. It was just ashes
Did your mother and wife burn to death or run away..?
We haven't seen them since
We don't know how the house burned down
Mother! Oshigi! Where did you go?
You've won great distinction
Your valor is known all over the capital
Even beggars say you're a strong samurai
Yes, young girls especially make much of him
They hope for a glimpse of him
The bravest man in the capital must act accordingly
My orders:
Get rid of the monster that kills samurai by biting necks
Do not fail since it will affect my prestige
I offer you my cup
Pour for him
How about women, Gintoki?
Do you think they're beautiful?
Yes, I do
Very well
When you have killed the monster, I will give you a woman
Any you want... so don't fail
What is the matter?
Afraid to walk alone at night?
Are you passing through the dark grove beyond here?
So am I. I will see you home
Thank you
This is your home?
Yes
I live with my mother
My home's far away yet. May I rest a bit?
Will you let me rest?
Welcome
It was nice of you to come
Please
Are your names Yone and Shige, by any chance?
Excuse me if I were rude
You look exactly like my mother and wife but are dressed differently
Where are they?
Three years ago, I was taken east by the army to fight
I was working in the fields
I left my mother and wife
I wanted to return to my mother and wife, so I fought as hard as I could
I could not die
I made a name for myself instead
Leader Raiko named me Yabu-no-Gintoki
But when I went home, my house was gone
My mother and wife were gone too
It's very strange
You two look exactly like my mother and wife
I do not know where they are
But just as you fought day and night in order to see them...
...your mother and wife must have waited for you too, day and night
You have returned a fine man
I wonder what has happened to them
My home was at the edge of a bamboo grove
About here
How long have you lived here?
For three years
After I left for war?
Yes, I think so.
Is there a reason you are living in such a lonely place?
A poor mother and daughter, we live quietly and inconspicuously
If you came three years ago, did you see my house?
If not, the charred ruins?
Who are you?
Reveal your true selves!
Monsters!
Why have you taken the image of my mother and wife?
RAJOMON GATE
Woman!
Are you here?
Woman! Come out if you are here!
Where are you, woman?
I did not come to kill you! I came to see you!
Woman!
Are you here?
You must want to see him
I want to see my son too
Our vow is to kill samurai and suck their blood
So we invoked the evil gods
If only he were not a samurai...
I beg you...
Bear it
Endure it
Be content to see him... secretly
It's him!
Are you here?
Where are you?
What has happened to you?
You're here?
It is nice of you to come
We have nothing to offer you
But permit us to celebrate your safe return home
Serve him
I will not ask you who you are
I just wanted to see you, so I came
You look like my mother
You look like my wife
This is enough for me
I am glad to see you again. I missed you
We also wished to see you
It will not be dawn for a long time
Please relax and be comfortable
I missed you
You have a cat?
No, it is a stray cat without an owner
That reminds me. When I was taken to war we had a black kitten at home
Never mind. I will forget about my home
Excuse me
It will be dawn soon
Please leave before then
I will come again
Will you wait?
Returning empty-handed every night... seen the monster?
Yes, I saw it but...
Why didn't you kill it?
It's...
You couldn't?
No...
You look bad
You look like a monster yourself
Have you been bewitched by the monster?
Your breast, your legs are like Shige's
You are Shige
You are my wife
Shige, you are good enough to eat
I'll chew you up and make you part of me!
Hold me tighter!
More! More!
There you are
Where is she?
She is not here anymore
What? Not here?
Why? What happened to her?
She was permitted to see you and love you for seven days
Please count and see
Last night was the seventh
She shortened her life to seven days...
...to pledge her love to you
Are you not living human beings?
So how could she shorten her life for seven days?
I know not what you are!
Evil gods or ghosts - supernatural powers can make you look human?
So you could not die!
She could not die!
I want to see her once more
Bound by a vow, I cannot tell you who we are
We promised the evil gods
Gods of hate who wander between this and the netherworld
Promising revenge by sucking blood, we took human forms
She broke her promise
Our love?
Yes
You are my mother!
She's my wife!
Tell me who killed you!
We promised
So we cannot reveal what we are or why we became like this
What did you promise?
To suck the blood of samurai
To suck the blood of all samurai
You too, are one
Instead of killing you...
...she gave herself to you
So she fell headlong into hell
She was glad to
Can I not see her anymore? Is she gone?
Instead of sucking hateful samurai blood...
...she preferred to love you and go to hell
Hateful..?
Tell me why!
If only I could...
Bound by a vow, I cannot tell you
Forgive me
Mother!
What happened to you?
You saw the monster?
If you saw it, I should think you'd destroy it
I'll take that up later
Tell me what the monster was like
Vengeful ghosts murdered by samurai
So they hate samurai and suck their blood
The ghost told you that?
Fool!
We fight so nobles and the masses can live without worry!
So how can anyone hate us?
Nobles may benefit from it...
...but the fleeing farmers starve to death!
They are weak!
The weak always starve!
We risk our lives to fight - it needs courage!
Isn't that why everyone respects us?
Take yourself!
A farmer�s son once, but Gintoki now!
Who'd respect or think a farmer to be a human being?
A samurai, so women make much of you!
No ghost is going to hate us!
No ghosts can make fools of us!
With a samurai's authority I order you...
...destroy it!
One has been destroyed
What? One has been destroyed?
How many were there?
Two
You destroyed one?
The proof?
Well?
It will never appear again
Tell me why
It disappeared!
There was nothing I could do! It disappeared from my sight!
One more left?
Yes!
Destroy it
- Let someone else..! - Fool!
If this one gets away...
...I will kill you
It is to uphold my samurai honor!
RAJOMON GATE
Why did you not go away?
You sucked blood every night? Why?
Why can't you rest in peace?
I wished to see you
just once more
I have lost my honor and will be killed!
I have been driven to the point where I must destroy you or die!
After seeing you, I was ready to follow her to hell
Satisfied now that you have seen me?
Please come to my abode
Will you read the sutra to me there?
Then I can rest in peace
Please. I have an edifying sutra
If you read it, my deep-rooted grudges will fade away
A puddle. Please be careful
What is it?
It's nothing
Something..?
It was a black cat?
I think so
Didn't you just pick it up?
Cat's legs aren't just lying around!
Don't be angry. Just a thought
Why would a cat hate samurai?
They said demons appeared on Mount Oe so I went for the Mikado
There are no demons
It was Shutendoji, a bandit
No glory in killing a bandit, so I said a demon
Now, you've destroyed a cat as big as a cow and one thousand years old
To purify yourself, pray for seven days
It's important to make it the talk of the capital
Do it grandiosely. Purification. Prayers
Mother
Are you a cat?
Are you my mother?
Return it to me
Mother! Are you a cat or a ghost?
My mother couldn't be
Mother! Please come out!
If you are my mother, please come out!
The sword that protects you...
...is in the way
Mother, please rest in peace!
I cut off your arm, thinking an apparition had taken your form!
Take the sword away
Return my arm to me
What will you do then?
My arm is my weapon
Without it, I cannot suck the blood of samurai
Will you wander forever as a vengeful ghost, Mother?
Yes, I will
For the hate I bear the samurai
For warring samurai
Excuse me...
Who is it?
Please open the door
Tonight ends the seventh day of solitary purification
I cannot open it until dawn
I know that very well
I am a medium in charge of divination at the Imperial Palace
I cannot break the rules for anyone
The Mikado is very troubled about you
Tonight is the last night
So evil spirits may appear to thwart your plans
The Mikado sent me here...
I am to seal them in so that you may complete your seven day duty
Inform the Mikado...
...that I am a match for any evil spirit!
You do not understand at all
Disobey him...
...and not only you but your leader...
...will be punished too
It will only take a little while
Please open the door
Just a little while then
Excuse me for calling so late at night
Is that the arm you cut off the ghost?
Please divine or purify the room
No, no, I cannot go near it
You offered it to your god there
I divine by the positive...
...and negative principles
Please show me the arm more closely
Please be so good as to bring the arm to me
Very troublesome
May I take it in my hand?
Please do
Your left arm?
I have it back!
Mother!
Specter!
Mother!
THE END