Listen now. The enemy is scary.
Everybody's scared.
But the other side's scared of us too.
Just great.
You all make great scarecrows.
Problem is, the enemy isn't a bunch of sparrows and crows!
You there, chewing your cud. Can you cut that out?
This isn't a cow shed!
Look at the bunch of you.
Shit!
First in line, step forward!
I'm talking to you!
You!
Look here! You gotta pay a mon each to watch the show!
What's this?
- A spear, sir. - Idiot.
Where the hell did you get it?
Did it sprout up in those hills?
I know perfectly well.
You hunted down retreating warriors and took their weapons.
If you've got one, you must have more.
Fess up, damn it!
NORTH
What a peaceful grove. But it's also a death trap.
Katsushiro.
We're going. - I'll be right there.
As I said, he's still a child.
Are you from the village?
Are you a girl?
A boy?
Then where's your spear?
Is this any time for an able-bodied man to be picking flowers?
Come here! I'll teach you.
Come here!
Why, you!
This is fine, and this too.
But this is a problem.
Heave ho! Heave ho!
Get back, the rest of you!
Stand up straight!
What a haul!
What's all this?
Plunder from defeated warriors.
Where did you find it?
Here in the village? - Yep, over at Manzo's.
What's the matter?
Don't you like 'em?
This is good stuff.
What's wrong?
You said you wanted armor, spears and bows. Now you got 'em.
Bastard! You call yourself a samurai?
Those farmers killed samurai to get these.
- I know that. - Then why the hell -
That's enough!
You can't understand unless you've been hunted.
It's nothing. Get outta here.
Now I want to kill them all.
Well, that's just fine and dandy!
What did ya think these farmers were anyway?
Buddhas or something?
Don't make me laugh!
There's no creature on earth as wily as a farmer!
Ask 'em for rice, barley, anything,
and all they ever say is, "We're all out. "
But they've got it. They've got everything.
Dig under the floorboards. If it's not there, try the barn.
You'll find plenty. Jars of rice, salt, beans, sake!
Go up in the mountains. They have hidden fields.
They kowtow and lie, playing innocent the whole time.
You name it, they'll cheat you on it!
After a battle, they hunt down the losers with their spears.
Listen to me!
Farmers are misers, weasels,
and crybabies!
They're mean, stupid
murderers!
Damn! I could laugh till I cry!
But tell me this: Who turned them into such monsters?
You did! You samurai did!
Damn you to hell!
In war, you burn their villages,
trample their fields, steal their food,
work them like slaves, rape their women,
and kill 'em if they resist.
What do you expect 'em to do?
What the hell are farmers supposed to do?
Damn it! Goddamn it!
You were born a farmer, weren't you?
What is it now?
Nothing at all. Everything's fine.
It's me.
I'm sleeping here from now on.
Those guys cramp my style.
Idiot! Stop cowering!
This is your place!
You hand over your house and sleep in a barn,
and still you can't stand up for yourself.
Get to sleep!
Brings back memories.
Sure is quiet.
On a day like this, it's hard to imagine bandits on that mountain.
Damn it all, I need a girl!
- Where are you going? - The hills.
- The hills? - To practice.
No girls up there.
Sometimes you really hit the nail on the head.
What are you making there?
- A flag. - A flag?
It doesn't feel right in battle without a banner to raise high.
What do the symbols mean?
This represents a field: that is, the farmers and this village.
- And those circles? - Those are us.
There's only six. You leaving me out?
No, this triangle's Lord Kikuchiyo.
That's a good one!
It's real rice.
Go ahead. Eat. - But -
Rikichi gave me some millet.
I could barely get it down.
Go ahead. Eat.
Hurry up and eat.
If you're embarrassed, I'll go.
I'm not going to eat it.
Why not? I went to a lot of trouble.
No, I just -
I know you did, so I'll take it to Kyuemon's grandma.
Kyuemon's grandma?
Rikichi, I'm full. I'll save the rest for later.
Go ahead and eat.
Take my leftovers this time.
What's this? What are you up to?
What's going on?
How terrible.
Doesn't she have family? - The bandits got them all.
I...
want to die quickly.
I want to die soon
and leave this suffering behind.
But you know...
the other world may be
just as full of suffering as this one.
It's not.
In that world there's no war and no bandits.
There's no suffering there, grandma.
How the hell would you know? Have you been there?
Why the hell are you always screaming?
I hate wimps.
Worms like her make me sick!
Pissing and grumbling about everything.
Shit! I want to do something wild!
Save your spit and fire for the bandits.
Excuse me.
Excuse me, but why did you -
You saw us today, didn't you?
Me and the -
- The girl? - Yes.
Why didn't you - - Tell them? You want me to?
We want rice! White rice!
You little brats! There's no rice!
Quit yapping!
If you've got the strength to scream, "We want rice!"
then you don't need it!
Listen here, you little piss pants.
This is all the rice there is.
If we give you any more, we'll get all -
That's how it is.
Say, any of you got a pretty sister?
How about you? You got one?
So, Old Man, when is the harvest?
In ten days.
How quickly can you do it?
No less than three days.
We'll flood the fields when you're done.
You see, we want to create a moat to the south of the village.
It'll keep the horses out.
We don't need all the fields. One patch per family will do.
Then...
it'll take at least a day to flatten the paths and draw the water.
Understood.
There's one other thing.
You need to leave the houses this side of the bridge, and the mill too.
Father!
You want us to move out?
I know it's tough.
But there's no choice.
We can't possibly protect the outlying houses.
Listen carefully. You'll soon begin harvesting the barley.
The bandits will come when you're done.
We have to assume that.
Therefore we prepare for battle as we harvest.
We'll harvest not as families but as squads.
Starting tomorrow, each squad will live and work as one.
Understood? Starting tomorrow, nobody acts on his own.
Hey, everybody.
Give your wives plenty of lovin' tonight, you hear?
This is all a load of crap!
Everyone from across the bridge, follow me.
Throw down your spears.
Why should we abandon our homes to protect theirs?
That's right. We'll protect our homes ourselves.
Stop!
Pick up your spears!
Return to your line!
Fall in!
Squad formation!
Where's Yohei gone?
Where the hell's Yohei?
There you are, you idiot!
There are three outlying houses,
but 20 in the village.
We can't risk 20 to save three.
And if this village is destroyed,
those three cannot survive on their own.
Is that clear? This is the nature of war:
By protecting others, you save yourself.
If you only think of yourself,
you'll only destroy yourself.
From this day forward, anyone caught doing that...
INTERM lSSlON
Hot damn!
Look at all those girls!
Hey, Yohei!
Where the hell have you been hiding these girls?
You devil.
Hey, lend me your scythe.
I'll cut three times your share.
In return, we get nice and friendly, eh?
- Rikichi. - Yes.
It seems the married couples are the most productive.
Time you got yourself a wife.
Why do you always get so mad? I just said you should -
Katsushiro, go after him.
Running off at a time like this.
Rikichi!
Shino, what are you gawking at?
What's this? A bear's den?
This was done with a scythe.
Was it Rikichi?
Yes, though I didn't actually see him do it.
I lost him for a while,
but then I spotted him leaving this grove.
He was furious, soaked in sweat.
What did you say to him?
Nothing. Just that he should hurry up and find a wife.
Something's upsetting the little bugger, but he won't say what.
You can see it all over his face.
Those lips of his are bolted up tight as a house.
Why don't you try to open them up?
Who's there?
It's me.
All clear? - Yes.
Have a seat. Let's have a little chat.
I think talking...
is a good thing.
Whatever your burden may be, talking can ease it.
You, for example, seem pretty tight-lipped,
but if you're suffering, you shouldn't bottle it up.
Letting out your feelings bit by bit can work wonders.
I've got nothing to say.
Time to head out.
Shall we wake him?
No, let the kid sleep.
Shino.
I swear he just said "Shino. "
Sounds like a woman's name.
Even kids can be charmers in their dreams.
Where shall we start our rounds?
The place that worries us most, of course.
Who's there?
Come out here!
Who's there?
Kikuchiyo.
You're lucky it was us.
If we'd been bandits, you'd be headless right now.
Yohei.
What's this?
That's my horse, sir.
I thought it was a big old mouse.
The sparrows chirp, chirp, chirp
The crows caw, caw, caw
I wonder why the bandits aren't coming.
What a waste if they don't. Think how much we feed those samurai.
Idiot! It's best if they don't come!
A nag like that can't carry your weight!
Yohei's horse is too worn out.
Please stop. Yohei'll be in tears if you break its leg.
A skilled horseman can make even a nag soar into the sky.
Not bad.
Very fine indeed!
They seem to be having fun.
The threshing's done, and still no bandits.
Everyone's saying they might not come after all.
A tempting thought.
But when you think you're safe is precisely when you're most vulnerable.
Send them back to their posts.
I wish I'd been born into a samurai family.
A farmer's life is too cruel.
My life has been so easy, I'm ashamed.
That's not what I meant.
It's because you're a samurai and I'm a farmer.
But I don't -
It's all right. I don't mind. We can't know
what the future holds!
Coward! Act like a samurai!
Three suspicious characters on the western road.
- The villagers haven't noticed? - Not yet.
We can't have them sounding the alarm.
I saw three horses up in the hills.
I think they're bandits. - We know.
- So they're here. - How did you know?
How could I not? This one here was in such a panic.
Where are they coming from? The mountains or the west?
The west.
Bandits!
Send everyone to their houses. There are only three of them.
Tell them to keep quiet no matter what.
They're probably scouts. We can't let them see any samurai.
What is it?
Bandits?
Bandits, eh? Where are they?
Quiet!
Where are they, Shichiroji?
Beyond the fence.
No doubt about it - they're scouts.
The fence took them by surprise.
They don't seem to realize we're here.
With luck they'll report there are only farmers here.
Hey, where is everyone?
That idiot!
Kikuchiyo!
Hey, I hear the bandits are here.
You fool.
Too late. They've seen us.
If they report back that samurai are here, we're finished.
I'll kill them. The mountain's my territory.
I was just -
Enough. You can make up for it by getting one.
Head them off at -
I know, at their horses. Take us there.
Katsushiro!
Just watch, you understand?
Those are some horses!
Wait in this hollow.
- What do you plan to do? - Who, me?
Katsushiro.
You can come out now.
Help me!
Back off!
He's a captive who has confessed. He's begging for his life.
You can't just chop him to pieces.
Stay out of this!
Let me do it! Scum!
All right.
Let her avenge her son's death.
Someone help her!
I'll do it!
- That bandit said their fort - - It's hardly a fort.
It's full of holes, like Yohei's underwear.
- Easy to sneak in. - Let's attack at night.
They have 40 men. We'd usually pick off a few first.
Wait. We can't afford to lose a single man,
even if we kill five for every one lost.
- War is always a gamble. - Three of us can take 10 of them.
Rikichi.
How far away is their hideout?
At least a day.
Hey, we've got three of their horses.
Half a day by horse.
Very well. Let's do it.
If we leave now, we'll arrive before dawn.
But who should go?
Not you.
And me makes three.
They need a guide!
There aren't enough horses.
There's Yohei's horse. You ride that.
The only man to master that steed
is Lord Kikuchiyo himself.
Whoa! What the hell?
It's the other way!
Stupid horse!
This way, you useless mule!
You call yourself a horse?
You should be ashamed of yourself!
Hey, wait!
Please stop! I apologize!
I'm sorry!
Hey, let's set the place on fire!
Cut 'em down as they run out!
Serves you right!
We did it!
Take that, you sons of bitches!
Heihachi!
Are you crazy?
Stupid idiot!
Look what you've done! Who is she to you?
She's my wife!
Heihachi, hang on!
You said...
he'd be a treasure in hard times.
The hard times have only just begun.
Stop crying!
Damn fool!
Stop crying!
Goddamn! Here they come!
Take note: They have three muskets.
Twenty riders bound north, 13 south.
- Muskets? - Three in all.
Take the south, and watch out for those muskets.
Retreat! Retreat!
- The 12 headed south have turned east. - Wasn't that 13?
An arrow got one of them.
Good old Gorobei.
Make sure the eastern bridge is out, and watch out for -
The muskets!
Take the north. That's where we'll battle it out.
If you knew that, why didn't you build a fence there too?
Every great castle needs a breach.
Draw the enemy there and attack. You can't win by defense alone.
Use your balls, if you've got any!
Take it away, damn it!
Twelve riders are on the way. Hurry with the bridge!
Are you blind? What do you think we're doing?
And he said to watch out for the muskets.
What kinda idiot you take me for?
Where are you going?
We're looking for Father. We can't find him anywhere.
Father intends to die in that barn. That's what he's always wanted.
Stubborn old fool!
Hurry up and get him!
Get out of our way!
What are you doing? Hurry up!