Keisui-in Juho Renju Daishi (Renko)
You are sir Kanémi sanzaémon, are you not?
And you are?
I was Lady Renko,s servant. My name is Taé.
Now I keep vigil over her divine spirit.
There was something I wanted to ask you, perchance we should meet.
sir Kanémi. Why did you kill Lady Renko?
Two years later
Official business. Official business.
Uncle, the messenger of the Deputy Chief Retainer, sir Tsuda, has delivered this.
From sir Tsuda?
Kanémi sanzaémon. Your stipend of 130-koku shall be returned to 280-koku as it was before.
You are commanded to assume the post of Chief Bodyguard.
Chief Bodyguard? Me?
Correct. Two years have passed since your release from house arrest...
...yet I hear you have severed communication with your relatives, and are refusing to have guests.
Our Lord is very impressed by your stoic disposition.
He said, ""We can't let Kanémi bury himself like this"
But sir Tsuda...
I am one who has been punished for his act of insolence against our Lord.
I have reservations about serving in his vicinity.
You need not be concerned about that.
Our Lord regrets his past acts.
He said that he erred in applying the counsel of that woman to governmental affairs.
He confided as much to me.
He is not angry about what you did.
In fact, it was our Lord,s magnanimous instruction that you merely be placed under house arrest.
Endeavor for the sake of our Lord henceforth.
If you refuse, that would be tantamount to your trampling on his thoughtfulness.
Kanémi sanzaémon. Come forward.
I, Kanémi sanzaémon, from today shall serve at your side in the capacity of Chief Bodyguard.
Endeavor to do so.
Kanémi. You may withdraw.
Yes sir.
He has come...
so what,s it like being Chief Bodyguard?
Frankly, l,m so tense every day, I can't stand it.
sir Tsuda must really be fond of you.
It had been decided that you were to be beheaded...
...but sir Tsuda,s intercession changed everything. That,s what I heard.
I heard it was sir Tsuda who convinced our Lord as well.
He,ll most likely become Chief Retainer.
The long era of sir Tsuda is about to begin for the fief.
And obviously, you will get promoted as well.
I,m not interested in promotion.
It,s alright. There will be those who,ll resent it, but don't mind them.
It was you who killed Lady Renko, which was impressive.
However, it,s still questionable whether your deed paid off.
Be that as it may, you look healthy, and that,s a good thing.
You too, sir Hoshino.
I manage.
I,ve retired, but now I have to listen to the complaints of my family at our mansion.
I never knew the women could be so noisy.
By the way, what is it that you wanted to discuss with me?
A new wife, perhaps?
It,s not about me.
I have a niece, Rio is her name.
Her original betrothal was cancelled, but if you know of a man who would not mind that...
Oh. I remember her well.
she was politely hospitable, when I visited you during your house arrest.
Yes.
she was very thoughtful, if I recall. Is she still at the mansion?
Her younger brother got married, and has become head of the family; it,s difficult for her to go back.
Welcome back.
sir Hoshino will be visiting us soon. He,ll be bringing a man with him.
Do accommodate them.
Yes.
sir Maki. This is my wife,s niece. Her name is Rio.
Rio. This is sir Maki Tobei, of the civil engineering department.
Mitsuoka. Is Mitsuoka here?
It is Kanémi. Inasmuch as Mitsuoka is not here, I shall be of service.
Don't poke your mug in front of me all the time.
Yes sir.
Kanémi, from now on, for small matters, speak from behind the partition.
You needn't show your face every time.
Understand? I don't like the way you look.
The more I see it, the more angry I get.
Respectfully, I have a request.
Please relieve me of my post.
Kanémi. Don't misunderstand. I have no qualms about your work as Chief Bodyguard.
You are performing well. I won't allow a change of jobs. Just do as you,re told.
Mitsuoka here.
Yeah. Come in.
Yes sir. Yeah. Come in.
Kanémi. Come to my mansion later.
Yes sir.
We need to talk. Yes sir.
It must be awkward... usually having to speak from behind the partition.
Don't let it bother you. Our Lord is a temperamental person.
He has a bad habit of inadvertently saying what he is thinking.
He regrets it afterward, though.
However, as he does not want to see my face, I think being Chief Bodyguard is impractical.
If there is anyone fit to take my place, l am disposed to give up the position.
Is that what you were thinking I wanted to talk to you about?
I wouldn't have to invite you here for a talk like that.
It would suffice to discuss it at the castle.
Whether or not he wants to see your face, only you, Kanémi, can serve as Chief Bodyguard.
There is a reason why this is so.
I have absolutely no idea what that might be.
Kanémi. I hear you are a master swordsman of the Tenshin-dokumei school.
Don't bother hiding it. I,ve heard it from several people.
Well, ""master, is going too far.
Never mind. I,ll pour it myself.
I am told there is a secret technique called ""bird-spearing" lt,s said to be invincible.
""Bird-spearing"
Indeed there is. But it is not a secret technique of the school. It is a technique that I invented.
I see. Now everything makes sense.
That explains why you,re the only one who knows the technique, and why no one has seen it.
You have investigated well.
Of course, I had a reason for doing so.
But there is one thing that I don't understand.
I,m told this ""bird-spearing, strike has another name, the ""sword of desperation"
What does that mean?
It is to be used only when in an absolutely desperate situation. Hence the name.
I think that he who uses the technique, that is, l...
...am half dead when I have to use it.
""Half dead?,
Master swordsmen say strange things.
Nonetheless, it is an invincible technique, correct?
It appears I was right about you.
I fear that there is someone who might try to kill our Lord.
You would be able to thwart him. That was my thinking.
Use your invincible technique in service of our Lord.
Are you saying that the opponent is so skilled that I might have to use this technique?
He is an expert of the Jikishin school.
sir Obiya Hayato-no-sho.
I will wash your back for you.
Rio...
Yes?
What did you think of sir Maki Tobei?
He seems to be a steady and trustworthy man. Those are qualities I appreciate.
What do you think?
Without talking to you first, I asked sir Hoshina to find someone for you, even a widower.
I appreciate you taking care of the house, but l don't want you to miss your chance to marry.
You,re very chatty tonight, uncle.
Don't make fun. Listen.
You washing my back is so relaxing, that I came to rely on it without realizing it.
But tonight is the last time. You need not do it any more.
When matters get settled, you will be getting married.
You must not be washing another man's back.
I do not want to get married.
Don't be foolish.
You must get married to a stable husband. Otherwise, you,ll never be happy.
I went off to get married, but I was not happy.
If by chance something were to happen to me, you,d have to return to your home.
If you don't want to be under the care of your younger brother, you,ll have to marry.
Is my being here a bother to you?
I never said you,re a bother.
I,m just thinking of the future; l,m saying that you can't go on like this.
If that,s the case...
Please let me stay.
I want to be with you, uncle.
Forever.
You needn't clean up. Come to my room later.
Yes.
It,s Rio.
An acquaintance of mine lives in Tsuruhané Village.
Take this with you, and go there.
You understand why you are to do this?
I do not.
sooner or later, people will find out about us. And when that happens...
No matter what they say, I am prepared.
I have no regrets.
some day, a time will come when I will come and get you.
When will that be?
I don't know.
In due time, I will come for you.
Uncle. Promise me.
That you will surely come and get me.
I will surely come and get you.
Has Miss Rio returned yet?
No, not yet.
I got a letter last month that said it would be another half-month before she returns.
That,s a long time.
And when she does return, don't expect her to say yes. she,s rather selfish.
I,m going to ask Miss Rio her genuine intent.
I,m going to propose to her, and if she turns me down, l,ll give up then and there.
Understood. Do come around and check. she should be back soon enough.
By the way, sir Kanémi, it,s said there is enmity between our Lord and sir Obiya. Is it true?
Who said that?
I heard it from Yoichiémon, a member of my clan.
No, I have not heard this.
My family is related to sir sasa, a retainer who is close to sir Obiya. Therefore...
such being the case, so much the better that you not speak of it to anyone.
Yes sir.
sir Obiya is suggesting that our Lord retire.
He intends to remove him by force if he refuses...
...then have his own heir, Lord lzumi-no-kami of Edo, appointed as the new Lord.
I have heard that our Lord was planning to crush sir Obiya...
...and when he became aware of this plot, sir Obiya said:
""Ukyo:, the name of the Lord. ""lf that is how Ukyo would have it, I have plans of my own"
It,s for the baby to wear.
Oh...
sir Obiya, you mustn't!
sir Obiya, you mustn't! Your swords. Please do not proceed carrying your swords.
sir Obiya!
sir Obiya. Your swords. Please put aside your swords.
Mitsuoka.
Yes sir.
Prepare our Lord for a quick exit.
What,s going on, Kanémi?
sir Obiya is here. I,m told his state is unusual.
What?
It appears there is a possibility of bloodshed.
If you hear a commotion, leave quickly using the rear exit. A guard will be there.
so you are the swordsman of the Tenshin-dokumei school.
I,m told your name is Kanémi.
You,re an imposing man.
I have to speak to Ukyo Dayu.
I cannot let you pass.
I must discuss something with him. Let me pass.
No. You may not.
Even if it means fighting me?
I will be... your opponent.
Please reconsider, sir Obiya.
This is madness... this fight...
I shall kill anyone who gets in my way.
How splendid. The ""sword of desperation: bird-spearing strike"
No, that was...
Kanémi has gone mad, and has killed sir Hayato-no-sho.
Don't let him escape. Kill him.
""Gone mad?,
Kill him. Kill him!
This is my duty!
Put them away.
Put away your swords!
Don't do this.
Please don't do this.
sir Kanémi...
We can certainly make Kanémi sanzaémon open his belly.
But that,s not going to bring Lady Renko back.
Lord. I understand how you must feel.
But keeping Kanémi alive works to our benefit...
Denied! sentence Kanémi to beheading.
Kanémi is the greatest swordsman of our time.
Nobody else can defeat sir Obiya in a showdown.
He is the only one.
If things come to a head, we can use him to crush sir Obiya.
Afterwards, he can be disposed of.
Will you swear to me that his days are numbered?
I so swear.
He,s not breathing.
Be comforted, Lord.
Now Lady Renko has been avenged, and sir Obiya is dead.
Kanémi. Our Unasaka fief has, for a hundred...
Kill. Kill him!
Kill him! Kill him!
The sword of desperation...
""Worship Festival,
Wait!
He didn't come today either.
Toyokawa Etsushi
Ikéwaki Chizuru
Kikkawa Koji
Toda Naho
seki Megumi
Murakami Jun
Takahashi Kazuya
Yui Masayuki Yajima Ken,ichi Jukkanji Baiken Tobayama Bun,mei Kino Hana Takigawa Risho Fukuda Tenkyu shundo Mitsutoshi
Tsumami Edamamé Kenzo Murasugi seminosuké Harihara shigeru Yamada Kinuwo Hiro,oka Yuriko
Kohinata Fumiyo
Kishibé lttoku
Produced by lto Hidéhiro Nakasoné Chiharu Hirajo Takashi Ogoshi Hirofumi Kawamura Tatsu,o Toyama shuji
Producer Egawa shin,ya Line Producer shimomura Yutaka
Based on ""Hisshiken Torisashi, by Fujisawa shuhei serialized in Kakushiken Koeisho Published by Bungei shunju Planning support Bungei shunju special Thanks Endo Nobuko Endo Takashi
screenplay by lto Hidéhiro Era ltaru
Cinematography: lshii Hirokazu Art Direction: Nakazawa Katsumi Lighting Engineer: shibara Noritaka Recording Engineer: Tanaka Yasushi Editing: suzaki Chiéko Assistant Director: Nakamura Takahiko Production supervisor: Morita Kenji Assistant Producer: Masuzawa Masayasu Fight Choreographer: Kuze Hiroshi Noh supervisor: Umewaka Manzaburo Periodical Guidance: Nishiwaki Yasushi
Title song: Kazé ni mukau hana sung by: alan Lyrics by: Matsui Goro Composed by: Kikuchi Kazuhito Arrangement by: Nakano Yuta Label: avex trax
Produced by Excellent Films
Directed by Hirayama Hidéyuki
©2010 Hisshiken Torisashi Production Committee