Fools!
Lord Ii, prepare to die!
Shall we attack the Mito clan then?
Please wait. I don't think we should punish the Mito clan.
They killed Lord Ii.
Why shouldn't we punish them?
If I may humbly speak...
This incident was caused by Mito clan deserters.
The Mito clan is not to blame.
This is not the time to be having domestic strifes.
Please give it careful consideration.
Lord, regarding the attack on the Mito clan...
It was called off due to Lord Aizu's mediation.
My father in Mito domain must feel relieved.
Lord Katamori of Aizu...
He's bolder than I expected.
Defeated by Chief Minister Ii,
Yoshinobu (of Mito) and Shungaku had been in confinement.
However...
if one lord can overturn the decision...
the Shogunate's foundation has weakened.
In the minds of these two future political leaders...
the name of Aizu lord, Katamori, was engraved.
YAE'S SAKURA
Episode 6: Aizu's Resolution
Screenplay: Yamamoto Mutsumi
Theme Music: Sakamoto Ryuichi Music: Nakajima Nobuyuki
Narrator: Kusabue Mitsuko
Yamamoto Yae: Ayase Haruka
Yamamoto Kakuma: Nishijima Hidetoshi
Kawasaki Shonosuke: Hasegawa Hiroki
Yamamoto Saku: Fubuki Jun
Yamamoto Gonpachi: Matsushige Yutaka
Yamamoto Ura: Hasegawa Kyoko
Yamakawa Yoshichiro: Tamayama Tetsuji
Takagi Tokio: Kanjiya Shihori
Yamakawa Futaba: Ichikawa Mikako
Inou Yuki: Ashina Sei
Matsudaira Katamori: Ayano Go
Tokugawa Yoshinobu: Koizumi Kotaro
Enomoto Kamajiro: Yamaguchi Makiya
Akizuki Teijiro: Kitamura Yukiya
Hirosawa Tomijiro: Okada Yoshinori
Kajiwara Heima: Ikeuchi Hiroyuki
Yamakawa Hyoue: Yajnmamoto Kei
Kurokouchi Dengoro: Musaka Naomasa
Yokoyama Chikara: Kunihiro Tomiyuki
Tanaka Tosa: Sato Bsaku
Sagawa Kanbei: Nakamura Shido
Katsu Rintaro: Namase Katsuhisa
Yamakawa En: Akiyoshi Kumiko
Princess Teru: Inamori Izumi
Matsudaira Shungaku: Murakami Hiraoki
Saigo Tanomo: Nishida Toshiyuki
Executive Producer: Naito Shinsuke
Translations by MTI
Director: Ichiki Masae
KUROKOUCHI FENCING HALL EARLY SUMMER 1861
YAMAKAWA FUTABA
INOUE YUKI
Stop!
Again!
Begin!
Yae, you've improved again. I can't seem to beat you.
Futaba, you're a strong fighter.
I won't lose next time.
Miss Yuki!
Congratulations.
I heard you have a good prospect, too.
What is going on?
They're both engaged.
Engaged?
I'll be waiting for the good news then.
We will see.
The parents have to decide and proceed talks for her.
Thank you.
Futaba is marrying Kajiwara Heima,
and Yuki is marrying Jinbo Shuri.
They are good prospects.
They'll eventually be the wives of clan-councilors.
Miss, aren't you next?
Me? I haven't even thought about it yet.
You're at the age!
You'll be getting a lot of offers soon.
Do you think so?
Yae!
Just now, Grandma Takagi...
brought a great offer.
See... it came already.
What?!
She wants me to help with her sewing class?
She wants you to help the young students with Tokio.
Her vision is getting worse.
You work fast. You can finish a lined kimono overnight.
I try to get it done quickly so I can practice shooting.
Mother, please turn her down.
Yae!
She has Tokio, so she will be just fine!
Please turn it down!
How can she turn down that great offer?!
Don't force her.
She'll get married before long.
Who wants a woman who shoots fire-arms?
Won't anyone hire a woman as a gunnery instructor?
Mother!
KAJIWARA HEIMA
Heima! Heima! What are you doing?!
Again?
I'm sorry.
I was practicing with Mother...
She was so strong that I wanted a match with her.
You're very skilled.
Come inside for tea.
Do not be unfilial
and forget your deep debt to your grandparents.
Futaba! What are you doing?
Sir Kajiwara is here.
Go and pay your respects.
Didn't he come to see Yoshichiro?
I don't need to go.
Just go quickly.
All of you, go to pay your respects also.
Yes.
Futaba, wait.
This should do.
Thanks for coming today.
That's Okura's younger brother.
I'm Kenjiro.
Come join us.
He's meek, so his older sisters call him a weakling.
Grandfather, please don't bring that up.
But he's studious. Right?
Yes.
I'm better at using my head than my strength.
We will surely get along.
How's that?
Heima.
Yes.
My son, who succeeded me, passed on.
As such, I am in a helpless state.
Together with Futaba...
please be good to Okura and the Yamakawa family.
Please be good to me, too.
We'll have the go-between plan the wedding details.
I'll be going now.
Please sit down, Sir Kajiwara
You finally came.
That's Okura's older sister.
I'm Yamakawa Futaba.
Second daughter Miwa.
Third daughter, Misao.
Fourth daughter, Tokiwa.
Fifth daughter, Saki.
All girls.
They brighten up the house.
They are all beautiful.
He said we're beautiful.
He's referring to me.
Hey! Keep quiet.
Say, our new brother...
Let's play together.
Tokiwa, it's rude to call him Brother already.
It's all right. We'll be sibling shortly.
Come.
How nice.
Draw the line!
Futaba is hard-headed!
Futaba, serve him tea.
I'll be leaving now.
No, I'll bring tea.
Futaba, let us get along.
Yes.
Futaba!
Make the trigger smaller.
The rear sight is too small.
It's hard to aim.
There's a lot to work on.
This way.
She has a good stance.
She's like Tomoe Gozen, the female warrior.
Sir Kawasaki, excuse us.
What brings you both here?
We came to see Sir Kakuma, but he hasn't returned yet.
Is that the rifle made by a local gunsmith?
Don't touch without permission!
Handling it incorrectly could be deadly.
If you wish, I can show it to you.
That was careless of me.
Please show us the power of that rifle.
I'll shoot it. It's still an incomplete model.
No. If he wishes, I can shoot it for him.
Please be careful. The cartridge is unstable.
Yes.
I'll show you.
Bull's eye.
Impressive.
She's very skilled.
Splendid.
I'll make some tea.
Yae gave us harsh scolding earlier.
Were you rude?
I told them amateurs should not carelessly handle the rifles.
Sir Kajiwara is the steward.
Steward or lord, what's dangerous is dangerous.
She has a point.
She's a tomboy and a handful.
No, she's interesting and stimulating.
A prim and proper woman is just too stifling.
My sister must stifle you.
What about her that is stifling?
No, Futaba is different.
That's how a samurai's wife should be.
What brings you here today?
How much will it cost to get new rifles for the rifle squads?
Why are you asking that?
Our lord will be joining the Shogunate Council.
It is unprecedented for a feudal domain.
Hey, go away.
Yes.
I'll excuse myself too.
Sir Kawasaki, please stay.
All right.
Since Lord Ii's assassination incident,
the anti-alienists are acting more suspicious.
The Shogunate promised to expel the foreigners,
but I doubt they will fight a losing battle.
But if they ignore their promise to the Court,
it will be taken as disrespectful (to the Emperor).
He's joining the Council when anything could happen.
We should press forward with the gunnery reform.
I've submitted request, but haven't received approval.
But let's not give up.
Yes.
Late autumn of that year...
Lady Toshi, Katamori's wife who was ill with smallpox,
passed away.
Lord.
EDO - AIZU CLAN'S MANSION
Toshi...
I couldn't do much for you as your husband.
I feel badly about it.
Teru...
Yes.
Please take care of my lord.
Princess Teru!
Please support him.
As his older sister.
All because I returned...
you suffered.
Not knowing how you felt...
I am to blame.
An incident took place the following year.
Shimazu Hisamitsu of Satsuma domain let an army of 1,000
with cannons to Kyoto (1862).
Kyoto was overflowing with men from various clans.
Can you share a room?
We're full with Satsuma men.
How prosperous for you.
We are short-handed.
We have 1,000 samurai staying in Kyoto.
I'll do another round.
I'll butcher them.
Hey, wait for me!
What are they doing?
For 250 years...
a clan lord has never approached the Court.
Sir Akizuki!
In June, the Satsuma army in Kyoto...
entered Edo with the imperial envoys.
They demanded the Shogun's attendance in Kyoto.
Humbly accept the order from His Majesty.
Taking advantage of the situation,
Satsuma reinstated Yoshinobu and Shungaku to power.
Sir Enomoto, it's been a while.
Sir Katsu!
Congratulation on your promotion to Chief.
Your study abroad in America was changed to Holland.
The Americans are at war.
The country (U.S.) is splitting in two.
Is that so?
We should keep that in mind.
What?
The Satsuma clan used the Court to sway the Shogunate...
it's unprecedented.
The Shogunate authority has fallen!
Not so loud.
Won't the Shogunate change?
Sir Yoshinobu is now the Shogun's guardian,
and Sir Shungaku heads the political circles.
I wonder how smart those two are.
While Satsuma was in Edo,
the Choshu and Tosa clans bribed the nobles in Kyoto.
Hereafter, the center of politics will be in Kyoto.
Yoshinobu: What Satsuma did was uncalled-for.
I didn't want to become the Shogun's guardian.
Likewise.
Head of politics is just a figurehead.
I have no real power.
Truly annoying!
Our first problem is Kyoto.
We must expel the lawless samurai in Kyoto before His Excellency (Shogun) arrives.
We must appoint a Military Commissioner as soon as possible.
The Military Commissioner�s job was extremely important
for he must use military power to quell the lawless samurai.
Now...
who shall we appoint?
The Court wants Satsuma appointed.
Not Satsuma!
We can't empower them in Kyoto!
There is someone suitable.
He has lineage, status...
as well as military power and loyalty to the Shogunate.
Are you referring to Aizu's lord?
The Aizu lord would be perfect for the role.
Will he accept?
It's obviously a troublesome assignment.
We'll make him accept.
Please leave matters to me.
After the miscarriage...
Ura was blessed with a girl.
Aren't we busy?
I'm not done yet.
I lose.
You're not done yet. Another match!
Again?
You are awfully energetic.
There's a contest coming up.
I can't lose to Futaba.
Saburo, another match!
Yes.
Kakuma, practice with me.
I have no time for that!
What's happening?
He talked out of line again.
I hope he doesn't receive confinement.
We can't be worried about that.
We'll be in a crisis if our lord becomes Military Commissioner (in Kyoto).
What is it?
Kakuma looked angry.
Did something happen?
What about the Military Commissioner?
You shouldn't eavesdrop.
I'm sorry. I overheard it.
A position to protect Kyoto.
It's something good then.
It's a samurai's honor to protect Kyoto.
It'll heighten the Aizu name.
Don't speak lightly of it.
A woman shouldn't get involved in country affairs.
Father...?
Sir Tanomo, where are you?
Please let me go to Kyoto!
Please let me accompany the lord!
It is my chance to repay him with my spear.
I said no!
You're supposed to be in confinement now.
How dare you show up!
Councilor...
Leave!
Please wait!
Councilor!
Sir Sagawa...
I'll come back again.
That Kanbei...
He appealed to go to Kyoto.
To Kyoto?
Five years ago, while he was in Edo...
he killed a man, and was placed in confinement.
There's no way we can send him to Kyoto.
Has the Lord been appointed as Military Commissioner?
No... he won't agree until he consults with the clan.
Councilor...
can we decline?
You say the opposite of Kanbei.
Going to faraway Kyoto will cost human and monetary resources...
and stagnate the military reform.
All right.
Please wait. I'm not done.
I know I'm out of line.
Then refrain.
Kakuma, without having you tell me...
If we accept such a role, Aizu will perish.
Yes, we will.
Meanwhile...
Despite our request, you refuse to accept?
I would like to decline.
His Excellency has deep trust in Aizu.
He feels that only you can fulfill this role.
Aizu is in the faraway countryside...
Our styles and manners are very different from Kyoto.
I couldn't possibly manage such a major task.
If Kyoto is in disorder, His Excellency can't go there.
And the Shogunate and Court can't unite.
Please let me decline.
Please come with me.
The Matsudaira family of Aizu...
have policies set by Lord Hoshina Masayuki...
that must be abided.
One of them is to be loyal to the Tokugawa head family.
Declining the post will mean breaking clan policy.
Isn't that so?
Councilor.
The lord is here. Please follow me.
Lord!
Forget the greetings.
Please decline the post as Military Commissioner.
We have Ezo and Shinagawa to defend, among other things.
We can't afford to send men to Kyoto.
I will accept the post.
What?
You must know the situation in Kyoto.
Akizuki.
Kyoto was overflowing with samurai from everywhere.
Choshu and Tosa are shouting anti-alienism and scheming.
And the lawless samurai are getting rampant.
That is why...
if you become Military Commissioner...
Aizu will be forced to go to war.
Aizu is strong!
To unite the samurai and nobles...
the only ones who can protect Kyoto...
are none other than us.
No...
it's like putting out the fire with firewood on our back.
It's a dangerous role!
Sir Tanomo!
The lord resisted many times.
Then hold strong and decline!
Sir Tanomo!
Lord...
What do you make of Lord Ii's tragic doom?
The Shogunate lost to the anti-alienists' momentum.
The Hikone clan received a 100,000 koku stipend reduction.
Lord Ii died for nothing!
When the chips are down,
the Shogunate will cut us off like a lizard's tail.
If I may speak...
do you plan to make Aizu share the same fate as the Hikone clan?
Righteousness of a Lord.
Dedication to loyalty.
If you harbor disloyalty,
you will not be considered my descendant.
It's the Aizu clan's destiny to share the fate with the Tokugawa!
That is the decree!
Consider Kyoto as your place to die.
But we have to fulfill our duties.
Men...
face your fates.
Please...
...support me.
Lord!
I am not convinced.
This is a forked road that will decide Aizu's future!
If I may speak...
you've taken the path that will destroy Aizu!
Tanomo!
Don't say anymore.
On August 1, 1862...
Lord Katamori was appointed as Military Commissioner.
She did it.
Stop!
You were impressive today.
You've improved a lot.
I'm more resolved than ever.
Resolve?
I'm going to Kyoto.
What?
Sir Kajiwara is going to Kyoto.
We're getting married before his departure.
I'm going to Kyoto with him.
We're going to Kyoto prepared to die.
I'll have to protect my household with this naginata (halberg).
Futaba...
I am a samurai's wife.
Tokio...
Is Kyoto such as dreadful place?
Yes.
I heard you are going to Kyoto.
Yes.
Can you uphold the Aizu samurai honor with guns?
What are you saying?
Please!
Please fight for me, too.
Please!
Sir Sagawa...
My spear is useless.
Become a sacrificial lamb.
I will!
It's an honor to accompany the lord to Kyoto.
Yes, it is.
But...
she was finally born.
Lord Katamori would go to Kyoto that year-end...
with 1,000 Aizu clansmen accompanying him.
END OF EPISODE 6
What a pretty lord.
Too lenient!
We must wipe them out before the Shogun arrives!
Strength is felt...
then feared...
then hated...
We're protecting the Court by Shogunate orders.
So why...is Aizu hated?