Stop, Yumihiko!
Sarutahiko!
Don't meddle, stupid!
But, you were...
in danger.
No! I was going to win!
Is this the son you were talking about?
Son?
I'm a son of yours?
Who said it?
We'll meet again.
Go on living till then.
Go to Matsuro,
three mountains ahead.
Saruta,
you told him that I'm your son, did you?
Nagi, are you angry?
I won't say it again.
I'm your enemy.
I'm not angry.
My father was the brave chief of Kumaso.
He died as the strongest
of the warriors.
Really?
Is that what you were thinking?
Really...
The troops are searching for us. Leave me and go.
How could I go away and abandon you?
You should go.
I want you to be safe.
You mustn't die
- because I love you. - Wait.
What did you say?
That you love me?
Did you say that?
Repeat it.
I love you!
Again!
This...
will stay between you and me.
I don't think I'll repeat it again.
I know. I know.
- Just one more time. - I love you!
Listen, warriors!
Capture the phoenix
that dwells within that volcano.
Whoever captures him, will receive three mountains,
three forests and three rivers.
Your Majesty,
this portends a catastrophe!
The birds are flying away.
- The volcano is going to erupt. - You!
Are you also afraid?
The phoenix comes out when there's an eruption.
This is our chance. Let's go!
Let's go, right now!
Calm the fury of the god
of fire!
Help!
The lava is starting to erupt. Let's get out of here.
No!
The falling rocks could kill us.
We have to reach the crest. Let's go!
I'm alive!
Such a horrible eruption.
Really, where is Saruta?
Sarutahiko!
Is he dead?
Don't die, Saruta!
What's this?
Sarutahiko!
Nagi!
You're alive!
I'm so glad!
It's lit!
Wind?
Light!
Hinaku!
We can get out of here!
I've got it!
Hinaku,
breath in the fresh air.
We'll never be able to climb
this precipice.
He is dead.
Herbs!
Now I understand.
The seeds of the herbs fell into the crater.
And the sun and rain made them grow.
I'll survive!
Let's live here!
What are you doing?
She's dead!
Are you possessed by an evil spirit?
The phoenix!
It's the...
hiding place...
of the phoenix.
Let's go to Matsuro, just as Yumihiko suggested.
It's dangerous.
There's nothing to eat.
Sarutahiko!
The water has turned red!
Blood!
They've been dead for a long time.
These are weird footprints.
They're unknown to me. These animals are very big.
- Maybe deer? - No.
- Bears, then? - No.
- Tigers? - No.
Hide!
Nagi! The bow!
Nagi! Are you okay?
Sarutahiko!
Look at this!
This is the animal I used to ride.
Let's ride him!
I used to mount it easily.
It must be tame
like a little dog.
Nagi! It's better for you to leave it.
Why don't you come with me?
The enemy!
Where did you get
that horse from?
So this animal is called a horse.
You aren't a pair of tramps.
Where do you come from?
You, where do you come from?
We descend from the wolf and the female
of the fallow-deer.
We feed ourselves
with the meat of animals and drink their milk.
I am Jingi from Takamagahara.
Sarutahiko,
what's he talking about?
Who knows? Maybe he wants to say
that he's fantastic.
By the way,
we are from Kumaso. We want to go back to Kumaso.
- Is this Matsuro? - Matsuro?
It doesn't exist anymore.
We destroyed it.
Destroyed it?
You seem strong.
Serve me and I will spare your life.
If not, I'll kill you.
- I refuse! - Me too!
It's you who wanted this. Kill them.
Wait!
Uzume, what do you want ?
Your Majesty,
I beg you
to spare their lives.
You want them alive?
Yes.
I feel sorry for them.
Why?
- Because... - Why?
Because...
I see,
you've fallen in love with his nose.
That's it.
I want to marry him.
But will he accept you?
You have a very pretty nose.
Are you single?
Or are you married?
- I'm single! - I'm glad!
Would you marry me?
Would you get married to me?
Don't get any closer! Get away from me!
Don't be so cold.
- Help! - Running away
won't help you. I'm determined to marry you.
I'm aftaid that you're selfish!
I used to dream of a romantic marriage.
If you don't get married to me,
- you'll die. - Die?
No!
You don't know Jingi. He is powerful and cruel.
Am I supposed to fear him?
I'm Saruta.
He can't kill me so easily.
But what will happen to that boy?
He can't run.
Saruta,
don't listen to her.
I can escape.
No.
You can't run as fast as his horses.
Okay.
It's done.
Saruta and Uzume,
live happily from this day on,
till death.
Thank you.
Marriage without love is not good.
Shut up!
What do you know about love?
The queen can't hear your prayer. She is angry.
She keeps yelling at us.
It's because she was hit by a rock in the mountains.
No. It's her age.
She is gravely ill. She won't live long.
She can't get the phoenix.
Does he exist?
It's the dream of those who yearn for eternal life.
We don't have to worry about it.
We're young.
It's finally happened!
The people no longer have
confidence in the queen.
Iyo!
All the people are running
to the palace.
They won't calm down till they see her. They want to see the queen.
Order the guards
to keep them far from here.
You can't do that.
Ask the queen.
Order the guards to use flaming arrows.
You speak as if you were the queen!
I order it of you
as your future queen.
We want to see Himiko!
Where is Himiko?
We don't believe
her predictions!
Susano-O!
- He has returned! - Susano-O!
Poor prince! He's blind!
This will protect my eyes.
Stupendous.
Won't you come to bed, honey?
No! Go to bed!
I have work to do!
- What's going on? - It's none of your business!
Will you forgive me?
For what?
I'll put some makeup on.
Makeup?
Nagi!
I chewed through the rope.
And Uzume?
Saruta,
this is your chance to flee.
There's no moon tonight.
The guards are drunk.
Look, I stole a sword.
When they fall asleep,
kill Jingi and escape.
Honey.
Damn it! She's come back!
Uzume!
Your face...
How? I'm so amazed that I can't even talk.
But you're talking.
This is my natural face.
I put on makeup
to appear to be ugly.
Like a mask.
Makeup doesn't only make a woman prettier.
It can also make her ugly.
I'm amazed.
My country, Matsuro, was destroyed.
They killed all the men
and raped the women.
But I never gave up.
I wanted revenge.
So I made myself ugly
and it happened.
Just as I hoped, nobody liked me.
I tricked them!
Now I understand what happened.
Uzume, why did you marry me?
Out of compassion?
No.
- Why? - Well...
for no reason at all.
It's just because I love you.
That's all.
You love me?
Yes.
I'm ugly.
This isn't makeup, it's my face.
Do you still love me?
You're crazy.
This is Takeru,
son of Guzuri and Hinaku.
Hinaku,
your dream has become a reality.
This boy will found a new country.
The tribe that was destroyed
will flourish again.
We have been walking for days.
Where are we going?
I understand that Jingi and his army
came from a remote country.
Their land was barren,
and the trees were not growing.
They came to find fertile soil.
Did they find it?
They want to found an empire in Yamatai
and make it their country.
What's going on?
You look really upset.
It's my country!
It's appeared!
The Golden Seal, a seal made of gold.
Have you seen it?
It's close to her bed.
It demonstrates that she is the regent
of this country.
She was granted it
by the emperor of China.
Is it really important?
Who will inherit it?
That's the question.
If it's that important,
it should not be given away.
She wants to rule Yamatai forever.
That's the problem.
Traitor!
Warriors! Come, warriors!
Get rid of the body of this traitor!
Sister.
Susano-O!
That smell of blood... was it Iyo's?
That's it.
You came back to seize the throne, did you?
Sister...
This is no time for a fight
between a brother and his sister, a queen and her vassal.
A very powerful tribe
has attacked the north.
And now they're heading over here.
You can't threaten me like that.
You too wish to get ahold of the Golden Seal.
But you're blind.
I am blind,
but I can see better than you.
I have known the greatness of this land.
I killed animals only to fight off my hunger.
I've lived close to the people and I've learned of their longings.
Sister,
the people have abandoned you.
What's that?
Enemy forces!
Report immediately!
Susano-O!
Yumihiko
has returned!
Yumihiko!
What of the phoenix?
Old lady...
here it is.
The phoenix!
It's mine!
Only mine!
I'll attain eternal life!
At last, the moment has come.
She's dead.
Now.....
The phoenix!
I beg you, Yumihiko!
Give me the phoenix!
- Give it to me! - Me!
- Give me his blood! - At least one drop!
Me!
Only to me!
And to me, too!
Please.
I can't let you have it.
I made a promise.
Yumihiko!
When did you return?
Where are you going now?
I'm saying goodbye to Yamatai.
I will go back to Matsuro.
It's been destroyed.
What are you saying?
This is our encampment.
Attack them from three flanks.
Yes sir!
Go.
- I'll give you an opportunity. - No, I can't.
- Why not? - They would kill you.
You are very kind.
I'm glad.
My love.
But don't worry, they won't kill me.
Find out how many warriors and their positions.
There are eight horses ready. Let's go!
Jingi,
let me dance to celebrate your coming victory.
As you wish.
Uzume!
You amaze me.
You are so beautiful!
Now! Nagi!
Run up to the position of Yamatai!
They're going to escape!
Catch them!
They've escaped!
What?
Nagi, run towards the forest! I'll slow down the horses!
They have entered the forest. This way.
Eight horses.
Are you from Yamatai?
I'm Susano-O, the regent.
I want to see Jingi.
- What do you want? - Take me to him.
You're blind, right?
You don't need to keep killing
one another anymore.
I'm going to tell him.
We don't fight with words!
Take this!
- It's a gift from heaven! Sarutahiko has returned.
Saruta is back!
Welcome back to your home!
You have a big nose, now.
Give me a drink.
And fetch this boy some water.
It looks like we're in the same band, now.
We'll fight a duel
after the war.
Don't die till then.
The same to you!
Listen to me!
With your full attention!
The enemy is close.
Prepare big balls of hay.
- Balls of hay? What for? - For the horses.
- To feed them? - Stupid!
To hold back
the enemy horses! Horses are scared of fire.
If it holds them back, we'll have a chance.
Set them up in a line!
I'll give you the signal to light them up.
Then roll them down the hill.
The air is getting damp.
It's going to rain.
Rain? No!
This is the battlefront. It's not a place for kids.
Nagi?
I have a present for you.
The place where I buried the phoenix.
You killed the phoenix?
- Seriously? - Of course.
Really?
Yes.
Did you drink his blood?
What for?
I promised it to your father.
My father? Who...?
Saruta.
I see!
He asked me to deliver the bird to you.
It's inside a leather sack.
They don't burn!
Attack!
Forward!
My plan has failed.
Damn rain!
What are we going to do?
I have an idea.
Get into the balls of hay, two of you in each one.
Slide down the hill and then shoot the horses
I'm getting dizzy!
Help me!
Where are they coming from?
The enemies are inside the balls of hay. Shoot them!
Retreat!
To the palace!
The queen has died.
But here's the Golden Seal.
Whoever possesses this seal will rule over Yamatai.
And I'm that person!
Run away!
Don't pull back!
Wait!
Come back here or I'll kill you!
Saruta.
- You have lost. - No!
We have Queen Himiko. We can't lose.
She's dead.
- Didn't you know that? - That's a lie!
She can't just die like us, simple commoners!
Her body can't rot in the earth.
It's for sure. The queen is dead.
We have nobody to rule over us.
You...
you seem to have lost your reason to exist.
Poor man!
You are right.
I'll kill Jingi and then die!
Saruta!
Don't be so sad.
Ill bring you something nice.
Where are you going?
I'm going to help you, myself and everybody else.
- It's buried. - Wait!
- Must you go? - I'm in a hurry.
Nagi,
before you go, call me father.
That can wait.
No! Say it right now!
Father!
And now I leave.
Good. Thank you.
Nagi,
this is a goodbye.
My son!
Jingi!
Here it is!
Big-nose,
this time I'll finish you.
Let's have a duel.
- Dismount! - There's no need to dismount.
We'll fight like this.
Barbarian!
Be still there!
Run as far as you can.
But remember:
unless you run all the way to hell,
my arrow will hit you.
Who are you?
Yumihiko from Matsuro.
You are very lucky.
- You are the only survivor. - Don't move!
I'll teach you a lesson: ''Fear till the last
of men''.
Yumihiko,
do you know that woman?
Uzume!
You knew him well.
He lived and died with a bow in his hands.
He must be satisfied.
Saruta is dead.
Sarutahiko!
Uzume,
I order you:
Be my wife
and forget the dead.
Marry me.
No.
Are you refusing?
I am the conqueror.
Who else is better than me?
I am pregnant
with the son of this man.
The son of Saruta?
You think you destroyed him
and that you're the victor
but you're wrong.
I am a woman
and women
have their own weapons.
Having children.
Generating life.
I'll destroy all the life you generate.
Even the insects
enjoy life.
Life is present even in the immense firmament of heaven
As long as the sun shines,
you won't be able to destroy life.
Where are you going?
I'm going on a journey.
I'll kill you!
Go ahead,
if that is what you desire.
Who gives a damn about a woman?
You're free to leave and die on your way!
There it is!
The phoenix!
His blood grants you eternal life!
Damn it!
He has no blood!
Not even one single drop!
He's dry!
We'll meet again.
You are...
- What's that? - Have you come for this?
I'll never give it to you nor to anyone else.
Try to get him!
You'll never get him!
The phoenix is mine.
He rises again,
the phoenix!
The mythical bird!
His blood grants eternal life.
Should we shoot him?
Let him be.
I'm not interested in the phoenix.
Eternal life?
What's it good for?
And eternal life?
I don't need it. Bless you, phoenix.
Live forever...
and speak of Jingi, the conqueror,
for many, many years!
SEVERAL YEARS LATER...
Father!
Mother!
The phoenix!
The phoenix has returned.
I never thought he'd come back.
Takeru!
At last, today...
I'll scale the ledge.
Don't hold me back!
Mother!
I've trained hard for this day since my father's death.
He told me not to try climbing this ledge.
He said that our world
was entirely in this pit.
But there must be
a better one out there.
I want to see the world
outside of this pit.
You can go, Takeru.
Thank you, mother.
I will return.
Wait for me! Without fail, I'll return.
Agreed?
The more I climb, the higher it seems.
This is as far as I can go. I feel dizzy.
My fingers feel numb.
This is the end.
I'm going to die.
How can I untie the knives...
Try to live!
Who is it?
Who's talking to me?
I'm going to die!
Try to live!
Phoenix!
Is it you?
Are you talking to me?
Yes.
You mustn't die.
Live!
Try to live, despite all.
What for?
Why should I live?
Because you were born.
Because you are alive,
That's why you must keep living.
- You must live! - Shut up!
Don't lecture me.
You're nothing but a bird.
I've been watching over you for a long time.
And now, open your eyes wide and look over there.
The peak is there.
His father died.
And I'm also going to die.
But the phoenix
will take care of him.
Now he is his mother.
The peak!
I've reached it!
I escaped from there!
The world!
How wide!
How wide it is!
And it belongs to us!
Father!
Goodbye!
Mother! I'll return!
THE END