We're busy promoting anti-alienism now!
The Mibu Group are a nuisance.
No... the biggest nuisance is Aizu.
We must distance them from the emperor.
It says to go to Edo and urge Hitotsubashi to carry out anti-alienism.
That's odd.
Lord! You received an imperial order.
Sending you to Edo is not my wish.
It is not His Majesty's wish that I go to Edo.
What was that first order that we received?
The rumor about the false imperial order is true.
Charge!
Aizu and Choshu...
The conflict over the emperor between the two clans deepened.
The horse parade was impressive.
I am relying on you.
Yes, sir.
Aizu is truly strong.
While His Majesty is away in Yamato...
we can confidently leave the city (Kyoto) to Aizu.
Sanjo, I want Katamori to accompany me to Yamato.
That is not possible.
The security in Kyoto will be weakened.
Please select someone else.
A western school in Kyoto?
Yes, Western not Dutch.
That's a great idea.
We should learn from the American and British.
Not limited to Aizu men...
but all are welcome to learn Western studies.
How will the clan officials take that?
The country won't change if only Aizu gets smarter.
We'll prosper only if everyone studies to broaden their thinking.
You know a lot about Kyoto.
Can you help me establish the Western school?
All right.
Sir Akizuki, you have a guest.
He brought this.
Takasaki of Satsuma?
I don't know him.
I am Akizuki.
I am Aizu clansman, Yamamoto Kakuma.
Have him leave.
He's someone I trust.
What does a Satsuma man...
...want from me?
I am here on a secret mission.
Secret mission?
This was the start of the political change in August.
Yae's Sakura
Episode 9: Upheaval in August
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: Tamayama Tetsuji
Takagi Tokio: Kanjiya Shihori
Hinata Yuki: Gouriki Ayame
Matsudaira Katamori: Ayano Go
Sagawa Kanbei: Nakamura Shido
Saito Hajime: Furuya Kenji
Kajiwara Heima: Ikeuchi Hiroyuki
Jinbo Shuri: Saito Takumi
Akizuki Teijiro: Kitamura Yukiya
Hirosawa Tomijiro: Okada Yoshinori
Sanjo Sanetomi: Sasai Eisuke
Kurokouchi Dengoro: Musaka Naomasa
Yokoyama Chikara: Kunihiro Tomiyuki
Tanaka Tosa: Sato Bsaku
Emperor Komei: Ichikawa Somegoro
Princess Teru: Inamori Izumi
Saigo Chie: Miyazaki Yoshiko
Yamakawa En: Akiyoshi Kumiko
Saigo Tanomo: Nishida Toshiyuki
Executive Producer: Naito Shinsuke
Translations by MTI
Director: Ichiki Masae
Princess Teru is coming to Aizu?
She departed Edo and will arrive shortly.
She must be beautiful.
She's good at poetry, tea ceremony, and calligraphy.
She's like the moon princess.
Will we get to see her?
I believe so.
They may hire attendants for her at the castle.
I'll work at the castle!
You can't. You're too young.
If my gunnery will help, I'd like to work at the castle.
Unlikely! You have to be skilled at sewing and poetry.
Yae, it's not for you either.
I can't go out to work.
While Kakuma is absent, I have to hold down the fort.
If I work at the castle...
I can survive without getting married.
Sir Saburo, splendid!
That's my brother's voice.
This is a Gewehr. You hold it like this.
No!
Saburo, don't let the children touch the rifles!
Morinosuke, when did you...?
Morinosuke!
Please forgive him.
We're not children. We attend the Nisshinkan.
There's an order to learning fire-arms.
You can't touch a rifle from the start.
A musket and Gewehr differs in the way you light it.
You insert the detonator here to light it.
TAKAGI MORINOSUKE
How manly.
Why do you want to learn gunnery so early?
Because it's powerful!
Gunnery and Western training will keep us ahead of others.
That's a good attitude!
The world is changing.
The future is with rifles.
Yes!
Next, I'll teach you about gunpowder.
Satsuma clansman Takasaki Sataro came to my inn.
The emperor's trip to Yamato is a plot by the Choshu clan.
The trip isn't something the emperor wanted,
but was planned by Sanjo Sanetomi and others.
Choshu, again?
His Majesty is so worried that he can't sleep at nights.
The reason is...
it's not a mere trip to pray for anti-alienism.
The emperor will be going to Kanto from Yamato.
To Kanto?
Kyoto will be ablaze so he can't return to the palace.
Set Kyoto ablaze? That's ridiculous!
Ever since courtier Anegakoji left the scene,
Satsuma was distanced from the palace.
But our will has not changed!
We want to help Aizu protect Kyoto!
Why would they take the emperor to Kanto?
To raise an army in Hakone to overthrow the Shogunate.
What?
Overthrow the Shogunate?
His Majesty does not wish for that.
It's a Choshu conspiracy.
Let us use force to clear the corrupt nobles.
Engage in battle in Kyoto?
Aizu will join hands with Satsuma to prevent battle...
and we'll overwhelm Choshu with our military might.
But there are only 300 of them in the city.
Akizuki, are you close to Takasaki?
I only met him today.
Then we can't trust that story.
It could be Satsuma's comeback strategy.
Kakuma, how do you see this?
I don�t' think it's entirely false.
Why?
He wanted to seek help from Prince Nakagawa.
I assume they already have his support.
Sanjo, I want Katamori to accompany me to Yamato.
That is not possible.
Akizuki.
Go see the prince with Takasaki.
Get an imperial order to have Choshu removed from Kyoto.
Lord! Are you joining hands with Satsuma?
A single mistake could make us imperial rebels.
It is Aizu's duty to protect Kyoto.
I cannot overlook this reckless plot.
Akizuki, go.
Yes, sir!
Kakuma.
Yes, sir!
I'm relying on your rifle squad to do good work.
Tosa!
Are the new troops here?
1,000 fresh soldiers have arrived as scheduled.
And the old troops?
They departed for Aizu two days ago.
Call them back at once!
With 2,000 men we'll protect Kyoto.
Yes, sir!
Aizu and Satsuma?
Yes.
I'll go to the palace tomorrow and obtain the imperial order.
That day, Akizuki met with Prince Nakagawa.
Upon receipt of the imperial order...
they were to report with a full army to the palace.
I'm counting on you. PRINCE NAKAGAWA
However...
When is the imperial order coming?
Did the Choshu find out about the secret meeting?
Then Choshu would have taken action.
Sir Heima!
Oh, there you are.
Have we no order to march?
Not yet.
How long do we wait?
Our troops are becoming impatient.
Don't worry, it'll surely come.
Yes.
Word from the prince?
Are we finally moving?
How are every things?
His Majesty has decided to remove Choshu clan (from Kyoto).
He summons us to come at once!
Relay to the entire army to quietly advance toward the palace.
AUGUST 18 - MIDNIGHT
Is Lord Katamori here?
Tell him to secure all the gates,
and not let Sanjo and his cohorts enter.
At midnight on August 18...
the Aizu army quietly sallied from their main bivouac...
to gather at the palace.
IMPERIAL PALACE - SENSHU GATE
INUI GATE
HAMAGURI GATE
Who are you? You cannot pass! HAMAGURI GATE
Out of our way!
We work for Aizu's Lord!
Don't you know that!?
We are coming in!
Open the gate!
SAKAIMACHI GATE
When all the gates of the imperial palace were secured...
including Sakaimachi Gate...
the various lords and nobles were gathered at once...
and an imperial order was issued.
Choshu's recklessness...
gives them no room for consideration...
Choshu was removed from their duty to guard the palace,
and Sanjo Sanetomi was banned from the palace.
They were to be investigated further.
Here come the Choshu men!
Realizing the change,
the Choshu clan rushed to Sakaimachi Gate.
Choshu has been relieved of their duty to guard the palace!
Leave at once!
This is Choshu's post!
Clear out!
Sanjo and his cohorts were protected by the Choshu clan
at the Takatsukasa mansion next to the Sakaimachi Gate.
Kusaka! AT this rate, we are...!
I know!
We should fight and appeal our innocence!
No...wait!
If we defy the imperial order, we will be branded as rebels.
But...!
They outwitted us.
Has Choshu retreated?
No they have not.
I hear they have an army of 30,000.
Can Aizu's small army of 2,000 protect the palace?
That's a false rumor.
With Aizu's 2,000 elite troops guarding the palace...
not a single enemy will enter.
Even if you say so...
Let us leave it to Aizu!
I'm counting on you to protect the palace.
Yes, sir!
The Aizu-Satsuma and Choshu standoff continued into dusk.
Clear the way!
Withdraw!
Men!
The (Choshu) rebels have retreated!
We've succeeded in protecting the Palace!
Stay as you are.
Men...
Good work!
Cheer of victory!
That night, Sanjo and the Choshu men fled from Kyoto.
Damn Aizu!
Damn Satsuma!
I have honorably...
received a personal letter from His Majesty.
It's all due to your hard work.
We would like to share its content with all of you.
It was an appreciation letter from the emperor.
There was a poem attached to it.
"In these difficult times,
the samurai's loyalty is much appreciated."
"My desire for peace and the samurai's valor...
If the nobles and samurai would join hands...
we could prosper together like the twin pine".
...let's prosper together like the pine.
Aizu's loyalty...
touched His Majesty's heart.
We received word today from an Imperial official.
Here it is.
Our hard work was recognized,
and we received a new name for our group.
Is that true?
Hereafter...
we will call ourselves Shinsengumi!
Shinsengumi?
This isn't a painting?
It's a photograph... or so I was told.
What is that?
The surcoat was made from His Majesty's robe.
What an honor!
But every time he distinguished himself...
his responsibilities get heavier.
My Lady, it is time.
Are you going out again?
It hasn't been long since you returned to Aizu.
If you overexert yourself, you will get sick.
I want to be of some use to the lord.
Everyone is enthusiastic.
Today is our dream day.
Princess Teru is coming to the practice hall.
Lady Chie!
That's Sir Tanomo's wife.
CHIE, TANOMO'S WIFE
Lady Chie.
Yes?
I asked you not to come today.
Sir Tanomo is in confinement
His family should refrain from public appearances.
My husband said he hasn't done anything to be ashamed of.
He said to go on with life as usual.
Lady Chie.
I understand your feelings...
but this won't resolve things.
Please leave today.
My husband's loyalty is genuine.
Lady Chie!
I may be out of line, but...
Sir Tanomo truly cares about Aizu.
Hey...refrain.
It's not your place to speak.
But...!
Yae!
Not now.
What are you doing? The princess is here.
If you are ready, start practice.
Yes!
Ready!
Begin!
Who is that girl?
Yamamoto Yae.
She's from a gunnery family.
Yamamoto Yae?
Yes.
Is that Tanomo's wife?
She looks desperate.
That was a splendid practice.
It must be the fruits of your daily efforts.
The situation in Kyoto is precarious.
By staying united at heart...
we are supporting the lord and our people in Kyoto.
If our feelings for Aizu, the lord and our families are the same...
even if there is a strife...
that is just temporary.
For we are the Aizu women.
Let us be kind and brave.
Yes!
Everyone was teary-eyed!
It warmed my heart, too.
You're lucky she watched you practice.
Your skills must have caught her eyes.
I wish she could have seen my gunnery skills.
Don't be silly!
I wish I could serve her!
MARCH 1864
It's the Lord's wish.
Akizuki.
Yes.
Go to Settsu with your wife...
and manage the construction of the fort along the shoreline.
Yes.
Kakuma.
Yes.
Open a Western school...
and educate men for the reform.
Yes, sir!
Our Lord is a great man.
He's thinking of the country as a whole, and not just Aizu.
Yes.
He didn't look well, though.
The petty officials have no respect.
They're being vain for chasing Choshu out.
What?
Just let it go!
But...
We have important things to do.
A letter came from the lord.
As much as the home province is distressed,
he asked that we proceed with reforms with the times.
Oh, is that right?
He wanted his letter circulated within the clan.
We, in confinement, are kept outside the loop.
It's a miserable feeling.
Kanbei.
Princess Teru stated...
that if our feelings for Aizu are the same...
the strifes are temporary.
Will we still have our chance?
We'll just be prepared.
That's one form of service.
Yes.
Oh, that's right.
One of the girls will be chosen to serve Princess Teru.
Everyone's excited to find out who will work in the castle.
Oh?
An attendant for Princess Teru.
She must be considerate, smart and trained in military arts.
Yes.
Oh, how about Kakuma's younger sister?
Have you involved yourself in another scheme?
Any insincere behavior when associating with friends?
Was there?
We'll stop here for today.
Sir, please continue.
It won't sink in at once.
But I need to be able to read and write.
Will you be chosen, after all?
That's the rumor.
It's just a rumor. We don't know for sure.
But she asked for your name during the naginata (halberd) practice.
Yes, I know.
I'll be lonely if you work in the castle.
Shonosuke, please teach me a bit more.
I have to go back to work.
Just a bit more!
That's it for today.
Lend me the book at least.
This is a precious book.
I said no! Yae!
Any word from the castle?
Not yet.
Sir Kurokouchi pushed hard for Yae.
She has a good chance.
That'll be a big relief.
Even if she doesn't get married or cannot sew, she can survive.
No... Don't hold your hopes up too high.
You'll be disappointed if she's not chosen.
You're such a worrywart.
Excuse me!
Is that it?
Yae! It's the precious book!
Yae!
Your footwear!
Big news!
What is it?
A messenger came.
For Princess Teru's attendant...
my sister was chosen.
I was?
Yae?
Oh.
It's dangerous to touch the rifles in the dark.
I know.
I disappointed my family again.
I was conceited.
I thought I could be of service to Princess Teru.
But when I think about it...
someone humble and considerate like Tokio...
and also kind... is who should work in the castle.
I wasn't fit for it.
Selfishly... I am relieved.
What?
If you worked in the castle...
I won't have anyone to help me make new rifles.
I need your help to make improved fire-arms.
I can't do it alone.
No one can replace you.
This is something that only you can do.
Sir Shonosuke...?
I'm sorry.
I almost forgot.
While Kakuma is away...
I promised to hold down the fort.
That's right.
But...
when you say there's no replacement for me...
when you say that...
I...
feel so happy....
Thank you.
END OF EPISODE 9
It's been a while, Kakuma.
Sir Shozan!
We are the Shinsengumi under the Aizu clan!
Show no mercy!
Does the Commissioner plan to battle in Kyoto?
Stop it!
It'll surely benefit Aizu.
Yet it was rejected without much thought.
We must overturn everything to create a new trend.
Or it'll divide the country into two, like America.