Showin' your back to me, huh?
You're lettin' your guard down a little too much, don't you think?
What're you two doing?
Our morning... workout.
Geez, what is it with you two?
Why do you two have to attack each other for no good reason?
Don't you have anything better to do?
Geez... You two owe me your lives, remember?
I'm not gonna have you two break your promise to me, got it?
Until we find the samurai who smells of sunflowers,
a ban on fighting is in effect, understand?
Geez...
I mean, I have absolutely no idea why it is
that you two have to go and do all that pointless physical exertion
when we're almost starving to death.
Plus, I haven't had a bath in ages.
My good looks are gonna be ruined.
In the first place, I...
Huh?
What're you two guys up to? That's so creepy.
Y'know, you've really got a good head on your shoulders.
--Am I right? --Right.
What? I'm not sure if I like this...
You're something else, I gotta admit.
A girl like you, you'll make it just fine on your own.
--Am I right? --Right.
What brought this on?
What we're sayin' is...
Huh?
Best of luck to ya, sister!.
Hey, wait a--
You've gotta be kidding me!.
" Hellhounds for Hire (Part 1) (Tacit Understanding)"
Welcome, sir!.
I'll sit here.
Sir, there are plenty of other--
S-Sir!. What do you think you're doing?
These are... made men, if you follow my meaning.
Huh? They're yakuza?
Yakuza? Aren't they those guys who can't even take a piss without the whole gang there?
Say what, you punk?!.
Don't you know who we are? We're the Nagatomi Gang!
Then don't be such tightwads. You are yakuza, aren't you?
--M-My hand! --You little punk!
I wouldn't do that. I'm hungry and in a nasty mood.
It might cost you more than a hand.
What did you say?!
Let's see you laugh it up when you're dead!
Why, you little...
Hold it.
B-Boss?
Can I treat you to something that tastes better?
You've got strength, and you've got guts to spare.
I like you.
B-But, Boss!
Can't you see? You're no match for this man.
I wouldn't mind some of those crab things, if you got any.
Come with me.
Place your bets, place your bets!
--Even! --Odd! Odd! --Even!
Place your bets!
--Odd! --Odd!
This time, for sure... It'll come up even!
Play!
Two-five, odd!
Now, then... I think it's about time that you paid what you owe.
Aren't there any crabs?
Just be patient. This is my place.
All right, place your bets, place your bets!
Even! I'm on even!
--Mine's on odd! --Even!
It'll come up a pair. Even.
I'll bet my money on one more thing.
Huh?
Before too long, status and title won't mean anything in this country.
It'll become so that only those with power will win.
Play!
Six-six, even!
My intuition is never wrong.
All right, Sousuke, who was the founder of Confucianism?
Sousuke?
Huh? Um... What was it, again?
For goodness sake, you were the one who asked me to tutor you, Sousuke.
You bastard! You're a funny guy, aren't you?
And they don't send me to run kids' errands.
P-Please, have a heart... Take anything but my store--
Say what? What's the big idea, losing and not being able to pay up?
T-That game was fixed--
You really shouldn't slander other people's reputations like that.
If you have any proof, would you care to show it to me?
Father?
G-Go back into the other room!
If you can't pay, maybe we can take something else in its place?
Welcome, sir. What can I get you?
Actually, shopkeep, the thing is, I...
You aren't going to tell me that you have no money, are you?
Oh, not again...
I just had a penniless drifter pass through here a while ago,
...and he caused a huge commotion.
Do you know of anywhere around here where a man might earn some money?
I can see that you're a sword for hire.
You came to town at just the right time, then.
This town has been the turf of a yakuza group called the Kawara Gang
for as long as anyone can remember.
Well, they're called yakuza, but their boss is a kindhearted man
known as Heitaro the Buddha.
We lived in peace for what seemed like forever.
But ever since an upstart group called the Nagatomi Gang showed up six months ago,
this town has completely changed.
" Kawara "
Is there nothing you can do, Heitaro?
If nothing is done, the cabinetry business I've owned for all these years will be taken over...
Raise your head, Daigorou.
It's true that you and I have known each other for a long, long time.
And O-Suzu there looks after my son.
I would like nothing better than to do something to help you,
but with no proof of cheating, we mustn't launch a raid against them.
But, Boss! Daigorou isn't the only one!
One by one, everyone in town is being swindled at gambling!
We're losing everything to the Nagatomi Gang, even our stores and our daughters!
If this keeps up, they'll gain control of our entire territory!
Boss!
--Boss! --Boss!
"Crab Dojo "
In the end, it's the fate of the weak to be eaten by the strong.
I've risen to where I am by devouring such people one after the other.
Everything around here that's worth calling a town already belongs to me.
And now, I've come here to take over this town.
Damn, this is hard!
You're an interesting man.
What do you say? Will you join forces with me?
Huh?
With my money and organization combined with your strength, we'll have nothing to fear.
How about it? Want to take over the whole country with me?
That game back there... It was rigged, wasn't it?
What?
Isn't this "take over the whole country" speech a sham, too?
And that's the situation.
Well, whoever wins, it's got nothing to do with me.
I said that I have no money.
If you're looking for a way to make quick money,
go get yourself hired as a bodyguard with the Nagatomi Gang. They've got plenty.
Speak of the devil... That's them. It's the Nagatomi Gang.
Welcome, sirs.
Hand over that I.O.U.!
Well, well! And who do we have here? It's Kawara junior!
You've got an I.O.U. for O-Suzu! Hand it over!
Damn it! He only owes you money because you cheated him out of it!
What's gotten into you, little boy?
If you're thinking of standing up to us, come back in ten years!
G-Give it back!
Go home and suck some milk from your mommy's tit, boy!
You there. Boy.
Want to hire a bodyguard? I'll show you my skill right now.
Say what?!
Stay out of this, you third-rate samurai!
Give me that...!
Give me... the I.O.U.!
Fine, I hope you choke on it!
You'll pay for this!
Honestly, I can't believe those two.
How could they abandon me and run off like that?
Fine, see if I care!
I don't need them! I'll look for the sunflower samurai by myself!
I'm so hungry...
You there.
You appear to be searching for something.
Yes, yes, that's exactly right!
You're searching for two men, I see
Two men?
Oh, you mean them.
Um... This is all I have, but could you tell me where to look?
Well, I suppose I could give you a hint.
I would beware of vases if I were you.
Vases?
Big bro!
What's the matter? You're as pale as ghosts.
A bodyguard, you say?
Yes, sir! And a damn tough one, at that!
He was so fast that I didn't even see him draw his sword.
So he beat you, and you came running back here, crying like babies?
Y-Yes, sir...
Sounds interesting.
Okay, I'll take care of this job for you.
You will, huh? I'm glad to hear it.
Just a minute, sir. If it's muscle you need, I can--
That man isn't anything as lowly as hired muscle.
He's a partner.
Hey.
This gang doesn't need two skilled men.
The survivor will protect this gang.
Draw!
Y'know, fighting you might be a little interesting...
Interesting...
That's enough of that.
Huh?
Ishimatsu, go grab that cabinet maker's daughter.
B-But, boss! You could send one of the younger guys to--
Don't you know how to follow orders?
Thank you. Thanks to you, I can--
Huh? Hey, wait!
I'll talk to my father, so please work as our bodyguard.
What's that sword for?
That isn't a toy.
If they had cut you down back there, you wouldn't have had any right to complain.
If you aren't prepared to die, don't swing such things around.
Excuse me.
Don't make fun of me just because I'm a kid!
I'm... I'm the--
I-I'm so sorry!
On, no... This is terrible. Can you pay for it?
I'm asking if you can pay for this broken vase.
Vase...?
Um... How much is it?
A hundred ryo.
That's no good! You can't go around breaking people's things if you can't pay for them!
What's that I hear? You need 100 ryo?
Um... Yes.
Then this is your lucky day. I have the perfect job for you.
Really? You do?
What? What're you doing?
No!
O-Suzu!
No, stop!
O-Suzu!
We're not going to take her away and eat her or anything.
We're just going to have her work off your debt, that's all.
W-Wait! I'll pay you your--
Now, now. You need to take that up with the Kawara Gang.
This isn't just about your family anymore.
They're the ones who hired themselves a bodyguard and stole back your I.O.U.
Ishimatsu!
I don't work for you anymore, Heitaro.
I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't be so informal.
Come on, let's go.
That hurt...!
Hey, what the--
You're going to work until you've earned that 1 00 ryo!
Huh? Wait a minute, are you telling me that this is a--
It's a brothel, of course. What were you expecting?
You're kidding me...
Dad, listen to this.
Is that the bodyguard I've heard about?
Where is the I.O.U.?
You little fool!
O-Suzu's been taken away to the brothel.
It happened just a few minutes ago.
--I can't believe it... --You must have known.
An eye for an eye. That's how they do things.
That's why I've held my peace all this time.
Boss, we can't put up with this any longer!
Let's raid their place!
If we went now, we'd be playing into their hands.
Anger only gives rise to further anger.
It's a cycle that never ends.
I'll have to ask your guest to leave as well.
The Kawara Gang has no need of a bodyguard.
So it doesn't bother you that they're walking all over us?!
You're telling me to leave O-Suzu in that place?!
You're always like this, Dad! You always want to keep your hands clean!
It's always " not spilling blood " this and "the trust of the townspeople" that!
That might have worked when we were at peace,
but those days are over now!
Let's go. If the Kawara Gang won't hire you as a bodyguard, I will!
I forbid it!
I'm gonna smash all of those Nagatomi bastards!
Sousuke! I forbid it!
Sousuke!
You're new here, too, aren't you?
Yes. How did you--
You seemed really depressed, that's why.
C'mon, cheer up.
We'll work something out. Both of us.
You're strong, you know that?
I'm hopeless, though...
I know that I have to do this because of father's debts, but...
" Narita-ya "
Damn it... Their security is really tight.
The fact that both our faces are known will make getting in very difficult.
I've got it!
I don't think you guys have time to fool around with women...
Don't be in such a rush.
You can rest assured that the Kawara bodyguard will come here.
That's why I used the bait I did.
Why go to all this trouble?
It'd be quicker to just storm his place and trash 'em all, wouldn't it?
That's the old way of doing things.
You don't crush opponents. You declaw them and take them over.
Think about it.
If we started a big fight with them and people become afraid of us in town,
we'd lose our customers.
And if we caught the attention of the government,
we'd have trouble even doing business.
That's why I try to take them over using legal means.
I ain't exactly the patient type.
Go get laid or something, and the time will fly.
We were wondering if there might be work to be had here...
I don't know...
That's one huge woman...
May we come in?
Go inside and wait over there.
You look pretty good in that.
I'm uncomfortable with this.
Go ahead and pick whichever one you want, too.
Hey, I know! You, the woman over there!
Let's hear you play something on that shamisen.
Crossdressers... I mean, we've got intruders!
That's him! That's the Kawara bodyguard!
He's here, huh?
O-Suzu!
Why am I not surprised...?
What is your business here?
What the hell are you doing here?
What the heck are you two doing?
What about your promise not to kill each other?!
This just means that no matter how hard we try to split up...
...it was always meant to turn out like this!
Spring is announced when the wild plants break out in a dance
Summer comes to Uji, and in the fields are patterns of grass set out to dry
The autumn moon rises, let's celebrate its fullness
Winter passes by, and I count off the days and months again
I can still see the too-distant blue sky when I close my eyes (It was so warm)
As I reminisce, I take your hand as I pluck flowers and sing
Within the memories that are now coming back to me
I'm setting out to find my way back to you
Spring is announced when the mountain leaves break out in dance
Summer comes to Uji, and textiles with plains grass patterns are set out to dry
The autumn moon rises, let's celebrate its fullness
Winter passes by, and I count off the days and months again
Dawn comes, and we part ways once again
My dreams becoming distant apparitions
I turn to the warm wind for help, the wind I felt every time you held me
As I was bathed in the light that followed on your heels