I am Sarutobi Sasuke
The grandson of the legendary Ninja, Sarutobi Sasuke.
His name is also Sasuke.
He doesn’t remember the face of his father who left when he was very young.
Dad's name is Onimaru. Just like his name. He is Oni. (Ogre)
while he is having a bitter feeling toward his
father who dumped both him and his mother…
He was trying to master Shinobi's essences just like his father did.
You are a grandson of the great Sarutobi?
He met a daughter of Umemiya Shuzen; Oichi.
He has been growing as a Ninja as well as a man day by day.
There you go, princess.
It looks good on you.
Dark force from the Kyoto Security Commissioner and
the Ninja, Hattori Banzo is creeping up yet, again.
Sasuke.
Ah, princess.
It looks like you are having fun.
No. We are not playing around.
Oichi-sama, don't! Your kimono!
Hurry! Princess!
Your kimono will get dirty!
A marriage proposal for Oichi?
Precisely.
A big daimyo (feudal lord) wants her as his wife.
I informed him that I would be arranging.
Ah... but...
What's wrong? Aren't you happy? She is marrying up to be a higher rank.
Which daimyo is it?
The lord of the Hiromi clan from Shinshu territory; Maehata...
Maehata!?
Is it Sir Genbanokami?
What's wrong? You don't look so good.
You wouldn't refuse, would you?
About this proposal...
Later...
Farther notice will come from the top.
Dismissed.
We can't accept it! It's a pity!
Oichi-sama's future husband is that Maehata Genbanokami.
That's too much mockery to our clan!
Don't cry. Your crying doesn’t resolve anything.
I understand that. But this proposal is just too pitiful for Oichi-sama.
Hey, what's up?
What is going on?
Oichi-sama is getting married.
Married!?
Don't be so loud.
Ah, sorry.
Wind direction has finally shifted for our clan's favor.
It doesn't look that way...
Is her future husband a jerk?
Insolent!
Sir Maehata is the Shogun's relative.
Shogun family?
At last, our Takanami clan would be noticed by the government.
For a time being, Oichi-sama needs to fulfill a duty of being a human sacrifice.
A human sacrifice.
Hey, Sir Umemiya!
What is going on about this?
"Shinobi is like a wind in the society."
"Know the people and gather friends. Suppress own and promote others."
"That is the essence of Shinobi"
Sarutobi the Third
He killed his wife?
Future groom, Maehata Genbanokami has a lot of horrified rumors.
He married 4 times before.
He killed all of them by himself.
In addition to that story, there are more stories like...
He killed his mistress, then, he killed a village
girl, and rumor of so many other offensive acts.
Sir Maehata is a relative of the Shogun family.
No one can stop him.
Is the princess marrying a schmuck like that!?
Are you OK with it?
Not at all!!
Listen, Sasuke.
This is the war against the government.
This is the conspiracy to get rid of Takanami clan and myself.
Father, keep your voice down.
Princess, don't marry Maehata.
Sasuke.
If I refuse, then father will be sentenced to commit Seppuku
(cut your own gut to die) for not following the order.
And, the Takanami clan will be deprived.
There is no other way.
I guess that's how it goes.
I shall go, then.
The cunning man, Kitakura Harushige!
After all, he adores his daughter.
Umemiya was under distress.
Whatever happens to this marriage proposal,
Takanami port is soon to be yours, Sir Kitakura.
You will be able to do more trading with foreign country.
Leave the Takanami affair for a while.
Ronins (lordless and jobless samurais) are making more noises these days.
Make them angrier and round them up all together.
While Kitakura Harushige has been wiping out many big Daimyos (feudal lords),
He was trying to wipe out ronins who were against the government.
By the way, Oichi is getting married, isn’t she?
Yeah. That's right.
Her groom is a higher rank Daimyo, right?
At last, she will be a true princess.
That's nice.
Isn't nice at all! You idiot!
You called me an idiot? You midget monkey!
Something doesn't seem right, though...
Why is this marriage resulting in a deprivation of the Takanami clan...?
What do you mean?
I understand that if Shuzen-sama refused this
proposal, then the clan would be in trouble.
Because he is refusing to follow the order.
But, if he accepts...
What are you talking about, mom?
Then, deprivation won't happen.
Anyways, that's OK, right.
NO!
I feel there might be a hidden conspiracy.
Hidden?
What are you two talking about?
Sasuke! Old man Keisetsu is having a trouble!
Our resentment toward the government can't be held up any longer!
That's right!
That may be so, however... Ah, Keisetsu-sensei!
We need some clever excuse to start the protest.
We need wisdom from a scholar like you, Mr. Keisetsu!
Please fight with us.
Hey, calm down.
Hey! Stop it!
Let him go! Release him! Release him!
Ouch, ouch, ouch...
I guess no one likes being poor.
I don't really mind it, though.
That's because you are pretty much wasted, right?
Don't insult me. I am not wasted.
But, for those ronins, their life is becoming harder and harder no matter what.
Then only thing they could do is to start the protest.
No matter how rotten they become, they are still samurais.
However, causing a riot like that is just turning them in to the government’s prey.
The government wants the power to control.
Ronins will be used as the display of the government’s warning.
Sensei, if the Takanami clan got deprived, what would happen to the princess?
Of course, she would be just like us.
Experiencing poverty may not be a bad idea.
You are the only one who thinks like that.
Ah... it's not much...
Sasuke.
Oichi, can I come in?
Yes.
Tomorrow, the Kyoto Security Commissioner invited you to play the Koto.
Tomorrow?
It is Sir Maehata Genbanokami’s desire.
Sending a messenger this late…
They are totally looking down on me.
Father.
The way you act is exactly like her.
Your late mother.
I see.
When the lord gave me his cousin as my wife...
I promised to be loyal to the Takanami clan rest of my life.
You have been doing so.
One more thing.
I promised myself not to make my new wife and my future child go through a hardship.
But, I may not be able to keep that promise.
Oichi, you had to go through so many hardships for me.
I was just wishing you to have a happy life as a woman.
Father.
Ichi is...
I am...
I am honored and happy to be born as your daughter. I had a happy life.
Takanami clan must be very honorable.
They are giving out a wife to be for the Shogun's relative.
It is my honor and I am very grateful.
However, your family pedigree is not good enough compare to mine.
We are taking care of that matter to have her as a daughter of a noble family.
Ah, is that so.
I heard your father has fought against our God, Tokugawa leyasu during Osaka war.
After that, he has been a ronin without stable place.
Yes.
These days, Miyako has a lot of dirty looking samurais.
I hate people of that kind.
They stink too much. Don't you think so, Mr. Kitakura?
Agreed.
However, former ronin is now a head of the Kyoto mansion.
In addition, his daughter is marrying up to be a higher rank.
How is he? Does your father still stink?
Sir Maehata, that's too much.
Ah, is that so?
Tea monk! Tea monk! Come over here!
There is a bug in my tea!
Ahh! Please forgive me!
Prepare to die!
This jerk is totally messed up.
Father!
Hey, are you OK?
Appreciate for your kindness. Thank you.
Humans must survive.
No matter where and no matter what situation.
Princess.
I will be fine.
No matter what happens, I will survive.
But, I cannot forgive how he insulted my father.
That crazy idiot lord was much worse than I thought.
That’s why we can control this situation for our favor.
That idiot’s spending habit has pushed the Hiromi clan in to a financial crisis.
With this marriage, they will ask the Takanami clan to lend a lot of money.
We will see.
How much will that idiot suck the Takanami finance?
That Oichi is a relative of the Takanami lord.
The clans can't refuse to lend money.
If Umemiya refuses this proposal, Takanami clan will die immediately.
They will die anyway, by accepting this proposal.
Killing immediately versus killing slowly.
More painful living hell than death itself.
What's the matter?
Shinobis from Kouga may interfere again.
Be cautious.
No worry. What can people like Shinobi do for this?
You must know. We are not related. We are strangers, just like before.
Is anything wrong?
Congratulations on your engagement.
Thank you.
Otatsu-san.
Yes.
What kind of man was Sasuke's father?
Let's see... I have been separated from Onimaru for a long time.
I can’t even remember his face.
I see.
Oichi-sama.
Life is only once.
Please do not make your life regrettable one.
Where is Sir Umemiya?
He is in.
Sasuke.
What?
Shuzen-sama is currently with Mr. Tokaiya.
Tokaiya? So what?
It is very cruel to say but, there is no excuses to refuse
lending money to the Maehata clan in this situation.
Is that so...
Sorry for not being able to help out.
Sir Umemiya! I need something to tell you!
What is the commotion?
Even though the princess married the Takahata,
the Takanami clan will be deprived anyway.
They are setting up various plots of conspiracies.
The princess will die for nothing in this case.
I knew it even before you told me.
I just heard about the plot from Tokaiya.
Sasuke-san.
What?
There is no way to refuse marriage proposal just
because there are plotty conspiracies behind it.
What do you mean by "no way"?
This clan will be deprived either way. This is a trap.
Even if we publicized about this conspiracy...
No one will support our side. Sasuke.
The top will tell us to bleed if that could save Maehata; the Shogun's relative.
We have to give up all together.
No way...
We are the merchants.
We want to avoid losing a good business.
Even though how miserable Oichi-sama became with Sir Maehata...
The Takanami clan will survive, at least for a while, correct?
That's the important part for us.
I know that.
I feel much better now.
Then, excuse me.
That bastard!
Why a merchant like you know the Commissioner’s plot?
Because I am a merchant, aren't I?
If Takanami clan was wiped out, I will lose a lot of money.
Could it be...? Are you the one who is after Sir Umemiya?
You are joking.
If I think of it, there were so many suspicious things.
You didn't want to lend the ransom money.
When money was stolen.
You didn't care how much trouble Sir Umemiya was in.
That's right.
The Koto recital at the Minister of the Right's was the start of this problem.
You were trying to encourage princess to go over there.
Say something!
You! What are you!?
Dammit.
Stop it!
Mom!
Sasuke!
Are you trying to kill your own father!?
Mom, what are you talking about?
Greenhorn...
Didn't I tell you to watch out for the things in the dark?
Mom.
What do you mean?
Tenn.
Fuu.
Dou.
Ninn.
Jin.
Satsu.
Katsu.
Rinn. Byou. Tou. Sha. Kai. Jinn. Retsu. Zai. Zenn.
On Marishiei sowaka. (Ninja prayer for escaping all danger)
Lost souls of Brave fighters upon thee.
Nann Nichirinn Daibosatsu Sowaka...
Humans have to survive.
No matter where.
No matter what situations.
"Katsu" (vigor)
Princess.
Is it you, Sasuke? Please listen as you are.
I need to know your true feeling.
Are you truly thinking it's OK to marry Maehata?
No, Sasuke.
I do not want to live with somebody like him.
Sasuke loves Oichi-sama.
No one can stop that.
You can't stop the feeling for caring someone, can you?
If he was not a Shinobi.
Don't forget.
Shinobis have to suppress ourselves.
The essence of "vigor" (katsu) is to seek life within death.
I am going head-on.
Where are you planning to go by "head-on"?
I will get the Commissioner in his sleep.
Leave me here.
Saboten-san, what's wrong?
I have a feeling that he is not coming back.
Sasuke went to the Commission.
What is going on?
He said, he wants to make the princess alive.
Alive?
Sasuke.
Discard the marriage proposal.
Do you think everything will be alright by threatening me?
What a fool! It's already officially notified to the government.
My death won’t change anything.
Sir Kitakura! Sir Kitakura!
You are a Shinobi from Kouga, aren't you?
Who are you?
I see. You Shinobis don't have worthy names anyway.
I am Sasuke!
I am Sarutobi Sasuke!
Sasuke, you were OK.
Princess, let's run away with me!
You will be victimized.
Please!
Thank you, Sasuke.
Good, then.
Princess.
Father, you are over there, aren't you?
Sir Umemiya.
I am not becoming a victim for nothing.
Even for a little while, I could save people of the
Takanami clan from going through the hardship.
I will be a wife of Sir Maehata Genbanokami.
Oichi.
Sasuke. You said you wanted me to be alive.
Me, too.
I will accept this proposal and keep the Takanami clan alive.
To be continued
The commissioner’s minion... If so?
Wipe them out! Deprive them! Deprive them!
The princess is going through much harder time.
Is it OK to not being able to protect the princess? Bad news!
This can't be happening. Sasuke.
It is the fate of Shinobi.
Sasuke is throwing his life.