Sora-nii, Ten-nii isn't here!
Stupid Big Bro, going off on his own again...
Chutaro, let's go!
Aye, sir!
Wait!
We won't let you get away!
No way I'll let you take me there! Not to that prison!
Outta the way!
Don't give me orders.
I make the rules around here.
Big Bro!
Ten-nii! Amazing as usual, sir!
Hey.
Why did you leave without saying anything?
'Cause you guys were sleeping so soundly,
hugging your pillows tight.
We were not! Right, Chutaro?
Huh? Uh...
That pattern...
Those guys are...
Third Son
Kumoh Chutaro
Second Son
Kumoh Soramaru
Kumoh Shrine
14th Head
Oldest Son
Kumoh Tenka
Laughing Under the Clouds
Kyoto
It is the 11th year of Meiji. The final years of the Edo period
led to the beginning of Japan's westernization movement.
Because of the rapid westernization,
the towns became lined with western-style buildings,
and people wrapped themselves in resplendent clothing.
In a world where the sword prohibition was put into effect,
Otsu
and samurai did not exist anymore,
the people were full of life.
It was without a doubt the dawn of modern Japan.
However, in the background,
there were many dissatisfied with the changing Japan,
and the new government couldn't handle all the criminals who rose against it.
Oh, he's awake.
Morning, sir!
I heard you hit an officer while being escorted to prison.
If you do that, all you'll get is a heavier sentence.
Are you two from the much talked-about Kumoh family?
Talked-about?
Are we famous?
Yeah, they say you hide in the shadows of the expert swordsman, Kumoh Tenka,
and can't do anything except ferry criminals across the lake—
The excess baggage of the Kumoh family.
Are those swords of your waist just there for decoration?
Huh? Don't you have any pride?!
You won't be blustering like that much longer.
Gokumonjo
We're here.
Gokumonjo
Welcome to your new home.
Gokumonjo
The largest prison in Japan, Gokumonjo.
Basically, it's a cage made especially for felons.
The government thinks of some pretty harsh things.
No matter how much trouble they have dealing with the escaped prisoners,
to build a prison like this in the middle of Lake Biwa...
But thanks to that, we're able to make a living ferrying people across, sir.
That's true, but you know...
If the government doesn't pay us a little more,
it'll be hard to live on what we make.
P-Please, let me go...
I don't want to be here.
Please! I didn't bring it—!
Don't even think about running.
Do as much as you can to suffer an atone for your crime.
Kumoh
Shrine
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Thanks for making tea for us, Shirasu-san.
Kinjo Shirasu
Don't sorry about it.
I'm just the Kumoh family freeloader.
I'll make tea for you any time.
But if you think about it, it's our fault.
To let a criminal we were escorting get away...
We're a disgrace to the police force.
Tenka.
Why don't you tell Soramaru a rest a little?
Chutaro's been acting weird.
This morning, when he was leaving for school—
Study hard today.
Aye, sir!
Huh? What's that?
It's nothing, sir!
I'm going now, sir!
Right? Don't you think that's weird?
What do you think, Shirasu?
Hm... Maybe he's love?
Love?!
Neglecting his big brother?
No fair!
Chutaro's at that age, too, you know.
Shirasu, can I punch you?
I'll punch you back on reflex, though. Is that okay?
I want to take this out on someone!
Oh dear.
Big Bro! If you're free, let me practice against you!
I'm going to take Soramaru with me to get in the way—
I mean, watch over Chutaro's puppy love.
What's that?
Don't look!
What are you doing, Big Bro?!
Huh? Don't move around so much.
You're a baby right now.
I'm too big!
Why are we dressed like this anyway?!
It looks like Chutaro is smitten with someone,
so we're going to school to scout it out.
That's why this disguise is for.
Disguise? We stand out way too much!
Oh, the Kumoh brothers.
I heard you caught another criminal?
Oh, yeah.
I'll bring some vegetables by the shrine again, okay?
Thanks for always doing that.
Even though to continues being so cloudy that you can't harvest very much.
Oh, it's nothing.
It's thanks to you boys that we can feel safe.
Yay, Tenka-niichan!
Anyway, let me down!
Oh my, I wonder if my little Sora has to pee.
Sora-niichan?
The Kumoh brothers are always so energetic.
But it's so unfortunate that their parents died of tuberculosis.
Oh, Teacher!
Teacher!
Let's play, ma'am!
So that's the object of Chutaro's puppy love?
It looks less like love and more like he's being spoiled by his mother.
That's right. He doesn't even remember her face...
Big Bro...
Am I not enough for you?!
What?
Ten-nii, why are you here?
Hey, Big Bro!
You too, Sora-nii?
Grit your teeth, Chutaro!
Aye, sir!
Chutaro, you don't have to do it.
Just kidding...
Thank you very much!
Stupid Big Bro!
Nice to meet you.
I'm Kumoh Chutaro's older brother, Tenka.
I'm the second son, Soramaru.
Chutaro talks about you all the time.
Nice to meet you.
I'm his teacher, Botan.
Botan
Well, how is Chutaro's schoolwork going?
O-Oh, he's working hard. Right?
Really, Chutaro?
I-I'm working hard, sir!
Big Bro, we're in the way. Let's go home.
No way.
We came all this way, so let's have a look around the school.
What?! Hey, Big Bro! We can't do that!
It's all right.
Please, make yourselves at home.
I'm glad your teacher seems nice.
Why are you embarrassed?
Huh? That raccoon...
Isn't that the one that lives at our shrine...?
It's Gerokichi, sir!
Gerokichi...?
This guy loves our family. Right?
It looks like he doesn't like you, though.
Oh, but for some reason, it looks like Gerokichi like Miss Botan, too.
It was the first time I'd ever seen him get close to anyone other than us.
What do you mean, "I'm working hard, sir"?
Let's work harder
He's definitely getting punished.
Let's work harder
Huh?
Is something the matter?
Oh, um, I got lost...
May I ask where the restroom is?
Walk out here and make a right at the end of the hall.
Thanks for that.
Gotta pee, gotta pee...
The 14th head of the Kumoh Shrine,
Master Kumoh Tenka.
What's wrong?
You're backing away. You're not stepping in enough, either.
Shut up!
You won't even be able to cut tofu like that.
Then what about this?
I said, that's not enough.
You're a hundred trillion years too early to beat me.
Ten-nii, you're so strong, sir!
You're a genius, sir!
You're a crab-head, sir!
Who're you calling "crab-head"?!
I want you to practice with me, too, sir!
Practice is good, but please don't get hurt.
I'll be fine, sir!
Tenka-san!
What's up?
Please, help!
Did you let another criminal you were escorting get away?
Yes...
What, again?
There was a pretty famous swordsman from among the criminals,
and my sword was stolen, too.
If our senior officer finds out, he'll give us hell!
All right, I'll keep quiet, so show me how much this means to you.
This, you know, this!
Don't blackmail the police!
But we're short on cash, right?
We have to take what we can get.
Amazing as always, Ten-nii, sir!
This, you know, this!
Don't copy him!
Come on, if you don't hurry, they'll get away.
We have no choice. Let's go, Chutaro!
Yes, sir!
Not you guys.
Be good and stay home.
I'm the second son of the Kumoh family!
I want to help ten-nii, too!
You guys are persistent...
Just bury it.
Let's go.
Yes, sir!
Big Bro!
I don't need anything that'll slow me down.
It's been almost ten years now, huh?
Huh?
Since the skies above Shiga clouded over.
I wonder if that legend is really true.
It says that land will cloud over once every 3000 years.
Apparently, that's the omen of a great calamity.
Do you believe in the legend of the great snake, Orochi?
Oh no, of course not.
Big Bro is always like that.
That guy does all the important stuff by himself.
I'm sure it's because he's trying to take the place of your parents.
He does it so you and Chutaro won't be put in danger.
How can he take the place of our parents?
He keeps treating me like a kid...
To Tenka, you are still a kid.
It's so frustrating that I can't beat him.
It's so frustrating that he won't rely on me.
He even gave me the Kumoh family sword.
I thought that meant he acknowledged my strength...
Chutaro! We're going, too!
What are you doing?!
Ten-nii said to bury it...
How long are you going to keep doing what he says?
Don't you want to help him?
I do, sir!
You can't go.
Don't try to stop us.
We're men of the Kumoh family, too.
Oh dear.
He really is your little brother, Tenka.
Well, what are you doing?
I'm starting a fire, sir.
I'm going to being them to light.
If they're criminals, it's okay if they burn a little.
Stop that dangerous line of thinking!
It's fine. It's just a little bit, sir.
Do you want to be a pyromaniac?
Wait, you over there!
If he's running, that must mean he's a criminal.
You're fast, as usual.
I'm going ahead!
It's you, isn't it? The criminal being escorted to prison?
Damn.
I know you guys.
You're two to those three brothers from Kumoh Shrine, right?
Get back, Chutaro.
A-Aye, sir.
Don't underestimate a samurai!
I've never fought anyone other than Big Bro...
But this guy doesn't step in enough,
and his swordsmanship isn't very sharp.
I can beat him!
Sora-nii, you were actually strong, huh?
I didn't notice because I'm always just fighting Big Bro,
but I've become strong.
Oh, Sora-nii!
For a government dog to underestimate me...
Do you know how we samurai felt?
All we could do was wander the streets after the law banning swords.
What the hell is this "new Japan"? Don't make me laugh!
I'm going to crush you and the government!
It's because there are ronin like you around that there are too many criminals!
Sora-nii!
At least you're good at flapping your mouth.
Even with the talked-about three Kumoh brothers,
only Tenka, the eldest, is strong, huh?
The second the third sons aren't worth worrying about.
Give it back!
The eldest must be really stupid, too.
To keep around these two deadweights in hard times like this.
Don't worry.
I'll sell this sword at a high price for you.
Don't touch that!
I won't forgive you for talking bad about Ten-nii, sir!
What's with that sword?
It's my...
This sword with not kill anyone. It's a sword for protecting.
A sword for protecting?
Don't worry, you're my little brother.
Show me that you can surpass me.
Don't touch my pride.
Second son of the Kumoh Shrine,
Soramaru, is coming!
Damn, a brat like you shouldn't be using two swords!
Someone like you shouldn't be talking about the samurai!
The samurai I know
is strong, huge,
and proud.
He's an annoying guy like that!
I'm not swinging a sword every day for nothing!
Sora-nii, you were amazing, sir!
You were like Ten-nii, sir!
Don't celebrate yet.
Hurry up and tie this guy up.
Aye, sir!
I wonder if he'll acknowledge me a little now...
That was so easy, I could do it before breakfast!
It's before dinner now, though.
Thank you very much!
Well, you said there was one more?
Yes, sir!
Easy peasy. Leave it to me!
We're counting on you!
There were a lot of criminals that got away, huh?
Ten-nii's amazing as usual!
I'll kill you!
He was still conscious?!
Sora-nii!
D-Don't come here...
I-I can't breathe...
Am I going to die...?
Big Bro!
Soramaru!
Are you all right, Soramaru?
Ten-nii saved you, sir.
Just now... a strange memory...
Someone... was dead...
Big Bro... I...
What's wrong with Sora-nii?
It's nothing.
Hey, Soramaru. Calm down.
It's all right.
Everything's all right now.
In the end, I couldn't do anything my myself.
I feel so pitiful...
What? Are you crying?
Leave me alone.
Sora-nii...
Oh, cry all you want.
Cry a bunch, and then grow bigger,
Soramaru, Chutaro.
Episode 1
Three Brothers, Standing Under the Clouds
dokomademo hirogaru haiiro no sora no shita
Below a gray sky extending to the farthest reaches,
unmei wo seotte kono mi wo sasageteyuku
I offer you this body burdened by fate.
wakitatsu womoi wo kono sora ni sarakedasu no sa
I'll expose these emotions welling up in me to the sky.
mamorinuku mono wa sou sa
For the things we protect till the end, it's true that
asu ni tsunaideyukou
we shall form a link to tomorrow.
tatoe ima tsuyu to kietemo
Even now, if you disappear with the morning dew,
kimi yo kesshite akiramenaide
never lose your faith.
owaranai kanashimi nado nai koto wo kimi wa shitteiru
You're well aware there's no such thing as eternal sadness.
The way you're acting, it appears you know the rumors, huh?
Wh-What are you talking about?
"Criminals entering Gokumonjo should bring a certain 'something.'"
I don't have it!
How can I bring something like that in here?
That's unfortunate.
Wh-Who's there...?