It was an era when a man lived as a warrior...
He fought, staking his life on his faith in the sword...
The final era... the Bakumatsu.
Intrigue in the Bakumatsu
Tsukikage kooru daichi wo
Korogari fumiwakete yuku
Horobi to saisei no jidai ga hajimaru
Jiyuu wo omoku kakagete
Michinaki michi wo erande
Mahiru yori mabushii nichibotsu wo koete
Yume wo kataru you ni toki no fune wa yuku
Sono yamiji no mukou ni atarashii yoake
Bokura wa kitto kurayami no kaina kara umarete kita
Kanawanu koi wo suruyou ni
Hikari e to samayotteku
Doko made mo hateshino nai kono michi wo
Kaeru sube wa nai
It is the 15th day of the 5th month in the 4th year of the Keio era:
The Battle of Ueno begins early in the morning; the fierce battle at the Kuro Gate rages on.
The Shogitai's counterattack is fierce and the Imperial Army suffers devastating losses.
Also, the cannon fire from Hongo Plateau located on the side proves ineffective
due to the vast Shinobazu Lake in front of it, not producing any significant damage.
Then send Satsuma Province's forces to the front line of the attack at the Kuro Gate.
I don't care if it gets us all killed.
Will that do, Masujiro-dono?
Yes.
At this rate everyone's going to be killed.
As long as it arrives, our victory will be just a matter of time.
The latest weapon, supposedly arriving from Yokohama, is the reason for Omura's confidence.
Yokohama Port
We must deliver it by early afternoon, so hurry up.
Please take care, Oryo. If you run into Akizuki, please give him our best.
What about you, Miss Leader? Why don't you come with me?
It's not the best clue but it's worth going and checking out.
Don't you want to see Yo again?
I see.
I guess you weren't aware of your own feelings.
What are you going to do?
I heard that Harada has joined with the Shogitai.
And look at me... the only one who... I'm so pathetic...
Next up is the man with the torn umbrella.
Don't you look at me the wrong way or you're going to get hurt.
For ten years have I been unable to find myself a job and now I'm proud of this umbrella.
It's over...
Next is I, the one who hides his face.
People think I'm a demon or thief even when I'm suffering...
Even when I'm suffering...
A man of such handsomeness that I cause the fullest moon to hide behind the clouds in shame!
A bandit in woman's clothes or a goddess of arts and wisdom?
Some may call me a homeless or groundless.
All are correct, for I am Shiranui-kozo!
Let me play it, too.
Hey, are you sure?
I'd better take good care of a customer who's strange enough to come so early in the morning.
That wasn't very nice.
And finally allow me to introduce myself!
I terrify even Nue birds and crows and they stop dead in the sky.
I'm the strongman of Adachigahara.
I stare down the Heavens and grab the Earth.
Here comes Kakashi no Keishin!
Here he comes!
Ueno
I can't be... I can't be late...
Please wait, Okita-san!
Akizuki-kun!
I understand how you feel, but in that condition you'll be...
I know that I'm just going to trip them up.
I'm well aware of that much, but please let me go, Akizuki!
Out of my way!
If you stop me, I'll kill you!
You...
Do you pity me?
Draw!
Akizuki!
What? Kamajiro has been acting strangely?
Not again!
Kamajiro Enomoto, also known as Vice-Admiral Tateaki Enomoto,
had escaped along with his fleet and headed for Tateyama one month earlier.
Later, after Katsu convinced him, he agreed to let part of his fleet return and all seemed well,
but Katsu received information that he'd secretly made contact with the Ouetsu Reppan Alliance.
Kamajiro... You...
So how are things in Ueno?
Probably still in deadlock.
It sounds like both sides are lacking a decisive measure of attack.
That has to be a problem.
I wonder if Yojiro is also in Edo after all...
Who knows?
I just get the feeling that both he and the war itself are somehow being controlled by it...
You mean, controlled by the Head?
Why don't we eat now?
I'm sure you already know what this is about.
Our revenge is exacted.
So I made the decision.
Don't tell me you're...
This troupe is going to be...
I'll disband the troupe as of today.
I see. Just like I thought...
Oh well, that can't be helped.
Edo Bay
Armstrong breech loading cannon
This will put an end to it.
In a matter of 30 minutes...
Fire!
In an instant, the tide of war turns in favor of the Imperial Army.
Ueno has fallen!
The Shogitai has lost!
D-don't touch me!
You died too soon, Ryo.
This wouldn't have happened if you were still alive!
The establishment of the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance two years earlier,
the Eight Point Program composed at sea, the restoration of imperial rule.
These were to be the keys to the door to the modern age,
which Ryoma Sakamoto had opened literally at the cost of his life.
However, this was what happened after the bloodless handover of Edo Castle.
The battle was over when the rain stopped.
Kyunosuke! Where are you?
Kyunosuke!
Kyunosuke Masumichi, who dashed down the Tokai Road with Yamaoka
in order to realize the meeting with Saigo for Katsu, died at Ueno.
He was 28 years old.
THE SOUND OF ARROWS IN THE AIR CEASED. ALL THAT REMAINS IS THE SCENT OF THE MOUNTAIN CHERRY BLOSSOMS. KAISHU KATSU
This famed tactician, the "Fire-Breathing Daruma" who put an end to Battle of Ueno in a single day
and who successfully brought victory to the Imperial Army,
was also assassinated the following year.
I have a favor to ask of you, Akizuki.
I want you to fight me again.
But I don't want you to hold back like the last time.
Back then I didn't hold back on you, either.
He must be hiding somewhere around here.
Okita and that other one.
Excellent. You've come far.
Thank you, sir.
It is I who should be saying that. Thank you.
Okita-san!
I'll go get a doctor!
I found you, Okita! Get him!
Just like we promised, we're going to put your head next to Kondo's!
You may be the leader, but look at you now! You're nothing more than a stray cat.
No, you're less than a sewer rat!
Akizuki...
I bet that black cat is here again.
Yes, it's here.
Akizuki, if you ever see Toshi, please tell him...
Tell him I'll go ahead of him... but I'll be waiting for him with Commander Kondo.
SOJI OKITA DIED AT AGE 27 POSTHUMOUS NAME: KENKOUINJINYOMYOUDOUKOJI
I didn't make it in time...
Oryo...
Who are you?
I'm Sotetsu Ibaragi. I met you once when I went to see Sakamoto-sensei in Kyoto.
If I remember correctly you write the script.
Just to kill some time. But now I work with a performance troupe.
Could that be the one from Yokohama?
Actually I have an urgent favor to ask of you.
Kobako, Benimaru, come, you two.
Okay...
Oryo-san?
IF FLOWER AND WATER STAY STILL, THEY WILL BE SEPARATED BY DARKNESS - SOJI OKITA BY SOTETSU IBARAGI
Th-this is...
A new story written by the master?!
I see.
So you couldn't meet Akizuki-sama.
So I want you to tell Yo something for me.
His words... The words of Ryoma Sakamoto.
That's right. I should've done so from the start.
I don't know why, but I can smell the same thing from you and Yo...
What?!
Nakaiya is still alive?!
That's impossible!
Let me see it!
Now...
In other words...
We're going to perform once again.
Not only that, the stage is in Edo. So that means the master is also in Edo.
Akizuki, too.
I can smell the same thing from you and Yo...
Leader!
Everyone, get ready right away!
Here comes another revenge drama of the Kakunojo Yuyama Troupe.
Our next performance is going to be in Edo!
Yeah!
UENO FALLS
Sono te wa ai no tsurugi
Subete no hajimari no akashi
Hikaru sora no hate
Yume wa mada maboroshi
Tsuki no akari kage ouyouni hashiru kono michi
Chigireta ai no tsurugi
Sashidasu saki wa ikusen no namida ga hitotsu ni nari
Ashita wo kagayakaseru
Kono te wa ai no tsurugi
Subete no hajimari no akashi
EPISODE 11 THE TROUPE AT A PROVISIONAL STAGE AGAIN
Come one, come all!
We're the Kakunojo Yuyama Troupe!
We received very favorable reviews at the Ushioza in Yokohama,
and now we're back with our new performance titled
"The Mysterious Tale of the Ghost-Sealing Moontear Assassin"!
THE TROUPE AT A PROVISIONAL STAGE AGAIN
We'll be performing two nights in a row.
Bring your friends and neighbors and come see us!