Gentlemen of the Yamato, our Chief, Isao Kondo
[Note: Spoof of Space Battleship Yamato series anime.]
has been safely rescued.
Victory is within our grasp!
We shall get revenge on
[Note: Spoof of GUNDAM series anime.]
that lawless bunch for besmirching our Chief's name. Let me say this.
They are all scum!
In the name of the moon...
[Note: Spoof of Sailor Moon.]
we will punish them!!
Hey, who's that? Who's making that silly speech?
Who am I? I'm Shinsengumi Vice-Chief...
Toshiro Hijikata nari!!
[Note: Suffix "Nari" was used by Samurai and by Korosuke in the Kiteretsu Daihyakka anime.]
Hijikata-san...
Mr. Kondo, we shall protect your life.
In return, you have an obligation to fulfill.
To not die. Do whatever it takes to live.
No matter how humiliating it may be...
No matter how many squad members die before your eyes, you must live!
As long as you're here,
the Shinsengumi is not finished.
We joined the Shinsengumi because we wanted to be with you...
You're an idiot.
Don't think about such difficult things!
You should live the way you want to live.
We just have to protect you from everyone.
Kondo-san...
You are the soul of the Shinsengumi.
We are the sword that protects you.
Toshi...
You broke once before. What can you protect?
Hijikata-kun, it seems we have to settle things between us.
I have a sword right here. One that cuts very well.
Odd Jobs, I heard your rotten sermon!
What is it?
Don't talk as if you're so high and mighty.
Draw it already!
Shut up!
I have one more thing to say to you.
Thank you!!
Hey, hey, it looks like the demonic sword devoured him again... Toshi?
Is that Toshi?
I'm...
[Toshiro Hijikata has fought off the demonic sword's curse and recovered all by himself.]
[The moment to settle things with his rival, Kamotaro Ito, has finally come.]
["Important Things Are Hard To See"]
If you want to kill our boss, you have to defeat me first.
I won't let anyone past me. I won't let anyone disgrace our souls.
I am the final fort that protects Isao Kondo.
I am the final sword that protects the Shinsengumi.
I am Shinsengumi Vice-Chief...
Toshiro Hijikata!!
He fought off the demonic sword's curse by himself.
Sorry, Gorilla.
Unfortunately, we can't take your request no matter how much money you offer us.
He was our client first.
Didn't your job end already?
I'm going to be charging overtime pay!
Come on, Ito!
It changed... The rhythm of that man's soul has changed.
It went from a childish anime song to a sturdy rock-and-roll tune.
I guess the same goes for you, too, Ito-dono.
You've gone from very dignified classical music to fierce heavy metal.
That's a nice song... Play your beautiful concerto to your heart's content.
Hijikata!!
Ito!!
The steering wheel...!
Hey, behind us!!
Kondo-san, move over to this side already.
I overworked myself a bit... I'm getting overtime pay for this, right?
Sogo?!
I'll make sure you negotiate with the person in charge of our pay.
That's good. Also, make sure to take care of him.
I'm a little tired...
Hijikata-san, if you come out even a little behind, I'll kill you.
The next time you show weakness, I'll take...
your position as Vice-Chief.
But are you saying that I should just leave Toshi and run away?
Don't waste your time!!
Don't fight here!!
Why are you using me like a bridge as if it's normal?!
Gin-san!
Hijikata-kun, you were the only one who understood me.
Unfortunately, you knew and feared my potential and we became enemies.
If you were Chief, I might have never planned this rebellion.
This is just hypothetical, though.
But there's one thing you've got wrong about me.
Just as you know my potential, I also know your potential.
Toshiro Hijikata, bring it on!!
This is the final showdown!!
You have an interesting sound.
Your sound is haphazard, willful, and vague. It's akin to jazz.
But it's undignified. If anything, it's a drunk's humming.
You bastard... You're the guy who was with Takasugi.
Hey, take your headphones off when you talk to someone.
Gintoki Sakata... No, White Knight...
Why are you with the Shinsengumi?
You can hear me, can't you?
That man seems to be under your influence.
Are you planning to spy on the Bakufu once you take control of the Shinsengumi?
We're not generous enough to be allied with those who easily betray others.
We also know that people will not gather under a person who has been unfaithful.
So what of that man?
He is a pitiful man.
By the time he realizes his capacity, it'll be too late.
It'll be after everything breaks into pieces.
Go to sleep, Ito...
Along with the Shinsengumi...
Geniuses are always alone. I have no one who understands me.
I shouldn't remain in a place like this.
No one understands that. No one realizes my true worth.
In that case,
I just have to demonstrate my potential to take control of the country.
I will take control of the Shinsengumi.
I will use that as a foundation to take control of the country.
I, Kamotaro Ito, will take control of the country as proof that I have lived.
I will etch that into people's hearts.
You don't mind acquiring a bad reputation?
In order to achieve what you propose,
you have to wipe out Kondo, whom you are indebted to.
Indebted? Kondo's the one who should be indebted to me.
I'm working for an incompetent man like him.
He should be thankful. He has no reason to be dissatisfied with me.
Ito, you're the kind of person
who thinks that everyone aside from yourself is stupid, aren't you?
But you're unsatisfied that those stupid people don't understand you.
You want them to understand you. You want them to acknowledge you.
You want to prove your worth? It's not that difficult.
You choose to be all by yourself.
You don't want someone who understands and accepts you.
What you really want is...
Where am I?
Hijikata?
I see... I won! I finally won against Hijikata...
Shinsuke saw through Ito.
He is a show-off who has more pride than anyone else
and doesn't know his own worth.
It was easy to provoke and use him.
As expected, the Shinsengumi members fought against each other
and depleted their fighting potential.
You were planning to use him to crush the Shinsengumi to begin with.
You acted as if you were helping with Ito's rebellion.
While you were really planning to annihilate the Shinsengumi
when it was exhausted after they fought amongst themselves.
It's a death that suits that man, don't you think?
The traitor is wiped out by the traitor.
S-Stop!
Stop!
I'm not meant to die in a place like this.
Stop. I can do much better...
Much, much better...
Mother!
Take a look! I got a perfect score on a test at school.
Kamotaro, be quiet. It's bad for your older brother's health.
I-I'm very sorry.
I've got to try much, much harder.
If I try harder, I'm sure she'll notice me.
Yes. That's wonderful, Kamotaro!
You are the first child prodigy to come from our school.
Everyone, don't lose to Kamotaro.
Don't get cocky.
You're just a rich kid who only knows how to study!
I've got to try much, much harder.
If I try harder, I'm sure that everyone will accept me.
One point! Wonderful. You're really something, Kamo!
Such an aptitude for swords at your age.
You worked hard, didn't you?
Kamo, go to Edo.
I'll recommend you to the dojo of the distinguished Hokuto Itto Style.
Your brilliance will go to waste out here in the country!
It's possible you might even surpass the great swordsman Musashi Miyamoto!
Why?
[Letter of Recommendation]
Honestly. My heir, Takahisa is so sickly.
I wonder what's going to happen to the Ito family.
Kamotaro grew up so healthily.
No matter how brilliant our second son is, it's just a waste of talent.
Takahisa wasn't born to have everything taken away from him by Kamotaro.
I'm sure Kamotaro took everything away from Takahisa while he was in my womb.
I wish he was never born.
Hey! What if Kamotaro hears you?! What's the matter with you?!
I feel so sorry for Takahisa.
When I see Kamotaro carelessly running about...
You must be tired from taking care of Takahisa.
Go to bed already.
Why? Why doesn't anyone look at me?
I've tried so hard. I'm not at fault.
Look at me. Praise me.
Don't leave me alone.
Stay by me. By my side.
Hold this hand...
K-Kondo?!
What are you doing?
Do you know what you're doing right now?!
I'm the traitor who tried to kill you.
The boss is at fault if there's a revolt.
Soldiers will lose their lives if they stay with an incompetent general.
They're not at fault for killing him.
Sorry. I'm not a good enough general to be your superior.
I was never suited to be the boss.
You're far more suited to be the boss.
I can't stand by while squad members are dying.
I can't ever use suicide squads.
Sensei, I'm not a soldier.
But I wanted you to be by my side as a friend that I would pour drinks with.
There were still so many things I wanted you to teach me, Sensei...
It's not my fault I'm alone! I'm not at fault!
They're incompetent! They're completely incompetent!
We live in different worlds. I was a chosen individual.
I couldn't accept my loneliness and I blamed my loneliness on others.
I was afraid that people would reject me, so I rejected them.
I was afraid I would get hurt, so I acted as if I liked being alone.
I built a wall around my heart.
But my lingering desire for attention grew stronger by the day.
I wanted to be accepted by others.
Even when I was accepted, I wasn't satisfied.
I could do better. I'm not like them.
I'll show them who I am.
You don't want someone who understands and accepts you.
I had forgotten what I really wanted.
It wasn't power, fame, military exploits, talent, or someone who understood me.
I just wanted someone to be by my side.
I just wanted someone to see me.
I just didn't want to be alone anymore.
I just wanted...
Sensei!
Friends who would accept me for who I was.
Hey, look over there!
What are you doing?!
Hurry up and run away!
Someone who would look directly at me...
Someday, I'll kill you.
And take me head on.
I just...
Wanted friends.
The thing I wanted...
Was something...
I already had.
Hijikata-kun, I have something I want to say to you.
What a coincidence. Me, too.
I hate you.
Someday, I'll kill you. So...
Don't die here.
The bond I wanted so much...
Was right here all along.
I can't see your swings or your rhythm!
Out of the way, damn it!!
Don't you understand that...
I'm telling you to get out of my way?!
I don't have the time
to deal with...
idiots like you!
Strings?!
You shouldn't push yourself. Your arms and legs will rip off.
Even if you go to help them now, it's too late.
Do you think your friends are still alive?
Even if they survived that explosion...
We've taken many measures.
The Shinsengumi will disappear.
I told you that your arms and legs will rip off.
Who'd want to go and save their sorry asses?
I can't stop. My body won't listen to me.
It's being pulled forward.
Strings are pulling me from the front and the back.
It annoys me to no end...
These strings are as strong as steel, but still...
You can have an arm and a leg or two...
Even if these strings can cut flesh...
I'd like to see them
try to sever
an obnoxious bond!
Get down!
Ito!
Sensei!
Ito!
[To be continued]
[Preview]
Hey, young man, clean out your ears and listen up!
I've never once fought for the sake of this cheap country.
I couldn't care less if the country or samurai fell.
["It's All About the Beat and Timing"]
[What did he find when he tugged on the invisible strings?!]
[The Shinsengumi Crisis Arc ends in the next episode!!]