YAE NO SAKURA
Episode 14
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 Okura: Tamyama Tetsuji
Jinbo Yuki: Ashina Sei
Hinata Yuki: Gouriki Ayame
Matsudaira Katamori: Ayano Go
Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu: Koizumi Kotaro
Jinbo Shuri: Saito Takumi
Kajiwara Heima: Ikeuchi Hiroyuki
Akizuki Teijiro: Kitamura Yukiya
Hirosawa Tomijiro: Okada Yoshinori
Kurokouchi Dengoro: Musaka Naomasa
Okubo Ichizo: Tokushige Satoshi
Yokoyama Shuzen: Kunihiro Tomiyuki
Jinbo Kuranosuke: Tsukayama Masane
Tanaka Tosa: Sato Bsaku
Hayashi Gonsuke: Kazama Morio
Katsura Kogoro: Oikawa Mitsuhiro
Iwakura Tomomi: Kosakai Kazuki
Saigo Kichinosuke: Kikkawa Koji
Matsudaira Shungaku: Murakami Hiroaki
Saigo Tanomo: Nishida Toshiyuki
Executive Producer: Naito Shinsuke
Towards a New Era
Director: Kato Taku
Please enjoy yourselves.
Please have some.
I haven't eaten anything all day.
Why don't you eat something?
The bride isn't supposed to eat.
It should be alright now. No one is watching.
Hey, Yae!
You make a nice bride.
I feared you might bring your gun with you.
You're hiding a gun somewhere?
How unusual to marry into your own home.
It can't be helped. The groom has no house of his own.
Huh?
He receives no stipend, either.
I get paid from teaching at the Dutch school.
That's measly amount.
You need to get employment by the clan quickly.
Your unemployment disgraces the Yamamoto family.
Sir...!
Yae!
Let's drink together. It's been a while.
Let's drink!
That cup is too small.
Then...
How about this?
Let's go to the back.
Another bottle!
Give me more!
Father needs help.
All right!
I shall assist!
Itadakimasu (some sake for me)
Miss Yae looks so beautiful.
Are you crying at this celebration?
It's tears of joy.
True.
Have a drink.
Can I?
It's a celebration.
Thank you very much.
Go home safely.
Watch your step. Be careful.
What a relief.
It was a nice wedding.
If Kakuma were here, he'd be so happy.
He must be celebrating for her in Kyoto.
Probably.
Now, what shall we do with the (drunken) husbands?
Grandfather.
Father. Father!
Grandfather.
Let's go to the back.
I'm not asleep.
Sir Shonosuke?
Sir Shonosuke!
Please wake up!
I have no choice.
Oh my...
Look at the bride.
Yae is carrying him like a rice bale.
It's from Kakuma.
From now on, work as a couple...
and live brightly as the rouge.
How pretty.
Lip color from Kyoto?
Are you all right?
I have a splitting headache.
This is from Kakuma.
Become a nice couple.
I'm amazed he was able to obtain this book.
You must be thirsty. I'll get you water.
Please put on the lip color.
Forever more...
And this?
It's blurred.
Open your eyes wide.???? Can you see this?
Yes I can.
You have cataract.
Unfortunately, you will lose your sight eventually.
Doctor, he hurt his eyes during the battle from last year (1864).
Is that the cause?
That is a possibility, but he definitely has cataract.
When?
When will I lose my sight?
I don't know.
It could be within a few years or later.
It progresses differently with each person.
Any chance of recovery?
That's unlikely.
Apply this to your eyes every morning and night.
I'm going to lose my sight.
If I go blind...
how can I shoot a rifle?
How can I read books?
I won't be able...
...to do anything.
Kakuma suffered from cataracts.
It was an eye disease with a high rate of blindness.
That year (1865), the 4 years-long American Civil War
resulted in victory for the Northern States.
The casualties of the war that divided the U.S. was 620,000 (plus 200,000+ wounded out of 31 million population)
Some weapons that were no longer needed after the war
was introduced to Japan.
Even in Japan, a civil war was occurring.
Aizu swept out Choshu from Kyoto.
Choshu was ousted from Kyoto as Imperial rebels.
A short month later...
Choshu was attacked and crushed by foreign forces (Shimonoseki).
The threat to the Shogunate appeared to have stopped.
However, Choshu learned much from their defeat...
and would shortly shake the foundation of the Shogunate government.
The Shogunate's arrogance is a problem.
They may launch another Choshu expedition.
That's foolish.
Civil wars are unproductive.
If war broke out now...
like in America...
modern firearms would cause many casualties.
There'll be more disorder.
I understand.
I'll go home and tell Satsuma not dispatch troops.
That's odd.
Why is Satsuma working for Choshu's pardon?
Aren't you mortal enemies?
It's to prevent the Shogunate from having supreme reign.
Government should listen to public opinion.
A republic-style government?
It's the system I'm striving for.
A new system for our country.
That's a western apple tree.
It was grafted.
It finally bloomed.
Foreign apple are rare.
I want to import good things from the West...
and develop domestic products.
My late lord Nariakira used to say the same thing.
Lord Nariakira has a good graft.
The arrogant Shogunate's forceful strategies...
even brought disorder to the Aizu main camp in Kyoto.
How can they stop the Commissioner's compensation?
We've incurred exorbitant expenses since coming to Kyoto.
We've surviving under stringent conditions,
Sirs Hitotsubashi and Kuwana's were stopped, too.
What?!
The Shogunate plans to weaken Aizu.
Why would they do that?
They suspects us of gaining the Court's support and defying them.
Ridiculous!
The Aizu clan has always been loyal to the Shogun's family.
Lord...
after being treated this way...
there's no reason for us to remain in Kyoto.
It's time to resign and return to Aizu.
No...we cannot leave yet.
Why not?
If we leave Kyoto...
he fears there will be chaos.
You, refrain!
Yes.
Lord!
While there's unrest, I cannot leave His Majesty's side.
It won�t' be for long.
We'll be regrouping for another Choshu expedition.
This time, we will have the Shogun marching with us.
You've requested that many times...
but they wouldn't hear of it.
The Shogun must come to Kyoto.
The Shogun must punish Choshu for its felony against the Court.
Then the Court and Samurai will truly unite.
Just bear it for a while longer.
After I accomplish this...
let us all return to Aizu.
To our HOME province!
Yes, sir!
Councilor.
Oh, it's you Shuri.
What are you doing?
You needn't be formal now. We're father and son.
Yes.
What a beautiful moon.
The view of the moon from Aizu Castle is exceptional.
I'd leave my post to gaze at it alone.
You did, Father?
You were always strict to me about carrying out my duties.
Back then, life was peaceful.
Kakuma, don't you have a child back at home?
She'll be four this year.
You must miss her.
Yes, I do.
After hearing our lord's resolve, we can't be complaining.
I want to see the moon from Aizu Castle's soon.
Aizu gunsmiths learn fast.
They do a good job.
Unless you test it out, you won't know if it's good or not.
You're right.
Let's test it out then.
Sir Shonosuke, I'll test-fire it.
Please do. You are better at it.
Yes.
How does a woman call her husband?
Dear.
Yae still calls him Sir Shonosuke.
There's a problem with him, too.
He's the master of the house now.
So he should order Yae around.
That's true.
I was bolder than that when I married into this family.
We should do something.
We should stay out of it.
You shouldn't neglect those things.
Is that true? This is for Shonosuke's sake.
But...
It's a woman's duty to make her husband look good.
Yes.
Dear, have a nice day.
Sir Shonosuke.
..Dear, have a nice day.
Oh, before I forget... There's one bad rifle.
Please check it out.
I have naginata (halberg) practice and sewing today.
Again?
I'll check it when I return.
I'm sorry.
Stop!
Yuki, your attack was intense and splendid.
Thank you very much.
Yae.
Yes.
Your attack was weak and unfocused!
Yes.
365...366...
How many strike are you planning to do?
-1,000. -Hae?
I'm frustrated because I can't work in the rifle shop.
You haven't been shooting?
How unusual! Is it going to snow?
Your father forbade you?
That's right. He told me not to shoot for a while.
Why/
When I'm in the shop, I speak to Sir Shonosuke like a comrade.
My father doesn't like that.
Yuki, how can we become a good married couple?
How would I know?
Yuki and her husband make a perfect couple!
I feel like we're just pretending.
Pretending?
My husband had to go to Kyoto soon after the wedding.
All I could think about was becoming a good wife quickly.
We never argued once... though I wanted to.
I wanted to be scolded, and I wanted to trouble him.
Yuki...!
When my husband returns, I'm going to start all over.
Yae.
Come with me.
Stop acting foolish!
What?
I told Father not to interfere.
I thought it was odd you didn't touch the rifles for a few days.
Sho...
....Dear.
Stop it!
How can you leave the rifle for something so trivial?
Is it trivial?
I didn't want other to criticize you.
I want to act like a wife.
I married a woman who shoots fire-arms.
I don't expect an ordinary wife.
Are you saying I can't become an ordinary wife?
That's right!
How insulting!
You don't have to be ordinary!
Just be yourself!
What?
My wife is no one but you, a sharp shooter.
That's fine with me.
Wife?
Will you lend me a hand?
That rifle doesn't shoot straight.
Hurry!
Yes!
I told you not to interfere.
When you first came, you were meek as a lamb.
The Choshu lord and son did not answer our summons.
They must harbor treacherous intent.
We should order the father and son to perform hara-kiri.
and abolish the Nagato and Suo clans.
With the Shogun leading...
they must be punished severely to save the Shogunate's face.
If we are harsh on them, they will be defiant.
What do you suggest then?
Confine father and son and reduce their fiefs.
I agree with that.
That's too lax.
Lord Aizu, you requested the Shogun to come to Kyoto.
Discuss it well and make the arrangements.
With the Shogun in Kyoto, we cannot avoid war.
What shall we do?
How should we handle this?
Read this.
It was just delivered from Iwakura Village.
So many striped mosquitoes.
IWAKURA VILLAGE, NORTHERN KYOTO
It's the fertilizer.
Depending on the wind, it can stink up the house.
We can't survive without doing farm work.
The tide in Kyoto has changed.
The anti-alienists are after my life.
I've been hiding for three years.
Thanks to Choshu becoming rebels, I escaped death.
Sir Saigo and I were impressed with your opinions.
They're just silly remarks.
Not at all.
The head of politics is the Court.
Gathering the clans in Kyoto to deliberate is insightful.
The Satsuma are bumpkins.
We cannot do without your wisdom, Sir Iwakura.
My desire to strengthen the Court's power...
is not possible without Satsuma's help.
We need each other.
The Shogun has entered Osaka Castle,
and will finally move to punish Choshu.
Okubo.
Neither side can win this conflict.
If the Shogunate wins...
they will rule selfishly.
Yes.
If Choshu wins...
the Court will be at their will.
Yes.
It won't do us any good if either side wins.
Satsuma has to maneuver it skillfully.
But once the war starts, won't it be settled quickly?
The Shogunate overwhelms Choshu with military power, I mean.
No...Don't take Choshu lightly.
There's been a shift in power within the Choshu clan.
They disposed themselves of the traditional armors...
and bought modern Western rifles.
They are wise men like that.
Katsura Kogoro.
The man who fled.
The Shogunate might be the one who get crushed.
CHOSHU
This firing won't do. KATSURA KOGORO
Satsuma had newer rifles.
We have to become strong fast or Choshu will be crushed.
Don't get too involved in the Choshu's expedition.
Even if the lord means well...
many will think Aizu instigated this out of hatred for Choshu.
Satsuma said they aren't sending any troops.
Satsuma did? That's odd.
For the sake of the Shogunate and the Court...
the more sincerity we show...
Aizu's image get muddied.
The joy of receiving His Majesty's robe...
the joy then is now...
what shackles Aizu to Kyoto.
Please take care of Akizuki.
It won't benefit Aizu to not use him.
Sir Yokoyama...
I can't do anything now.
Please take care of Akizuki.
I will.
Yokoyama passed away that night.
Shortly after, Akizuki was ordered to Ezo (~Hokkaido).
Where are you both going?
Sir Akizuki!
We were on our way to see you.
I was appointed as governor of Shari district, East Ezo.
You're going so far away.
But this is a good opportunity.
Ezo is next to the sea, which Aizu doesn't have...
and unclaimed lands as well.
Making new produces on new lands...
is being a servant to the country as a clansman.
But war is about to commence with Choshu.
You are needed in Aizu.
There will be a time for me to return and work here.
I hope Aizu will be more open-minded then.
I'm counting on both of you.
I can't do anything.
That's not true!
A new era...
arises from people like you, who are not bound by old traditions.
Oh my.
Look!
I'll be going.
Ezo is where I start anew.
END OF EPISODE 14
I thought that the war would end quickly.
Bad things won't continue forever.
Why didn't you tell us about this sooner?
Your eyes are critical to Aizu.
Impossible! Satsuma and Choshu are mortal enemies.
You never know with Satsuma.
We can't leave the country to the Tokugawa anymore.
Satsuma shares the feelings.
Let us join hands.