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 third month, in the second year of the Meiji era.
The New Government Army prepares to send out its newest ship, the Stonewall,
to fight the Ezo Republic, now occupying Goryokaku Fort.
The ironclad Stonewall, later to become known as the Kotetsu, is literally covered in steel plates.
Ironclad Battleship Stonewall (Kotetsu)
Even the main cannon of the Kaiyo could not penetrate her armor.
With her power, she is capable of bringing the war to an end.
About three months before...
Hakodate Port
After all the troubles I went through to get to Ezo,
Tayu has been spending all her time with the master.
I haven't seen the leader at all, either.
Unlike the booming economy of this place,
it looks like our end-of-the-year is going to be lame.
Hey, this one is bigger!
I saw more over there, too!
You're right!
What are they doing?
Hey, hey.
Look what we've found!
These are bullets!
What? Let me see it!
Get rid of them!
But we found them!
Kids shouldn't be playing with those.
But at any rate...
It's hard to believe that this place may soon turn into a battlefield.
It's been a while since the Gatling incident.
Yokohama
It's too bad that the Kaiyo was sunk.
It took a lot of work to get the Gatling cannon on board.
Aomori Government Staff Officer Ryosuke Kuroda
For the rest of my life, I'll never forget what you've done for us.
Don't worry. The boatman and the oarman are my comrades, too.
I bet no one would have thought
the Republic's Minister of the Navy and the General of the Punitive Force
Ezo Republic Minister of Navy Ikunosuke Arai
would be having a secret meeting at a place like this.
Kuroda, what exactly is this thing that would bring such an enormous benefit to our republic,
of which you wrote in the confidential letter?
Don't be hasty. We've still got time.
When Ieyasu Tokugawa established his Shogunate,
he believed the Shimazu and Mouri families would eventually defeat the Tokugawa family.
So he later confined them to the west.
250 years later, the Satsuma and Choshu have joined forces and his prediction became reality.
However, the reason why the Satsuma helped overthrow the Shogunate
wasn't to exact revenge for the Battle of Sekigahara.
Rather, they cling passionately to the ideal of a fledgling nation!
However, the Choshu are different.
All they care about is exercising their power.
In essence, the government we established is simply another dictatorship run by the Choshu.
I no longer feel an attachment to such a place.
So you're saying...
Don't you think your Ezo Republic would wish to have this Ryosuke Kuroda on its side?
What?!
I'm sure you've already heard what the new government has been saying about me.
And, one more thing...
I've got a huge gift for you.
Th-this is...
Magnificent!
What do you think? You can't tell me that you don't want it.
Tokyo Castle (Formally Known as Edo Castle)
I'm a lucky man to be able to see you at the very beginning of the new year, Lord Shoten!
Hey, bring sake! Sake!
Katsu, is this really the place for official business?
The New Year doesn't care about whether it's official business or not!
It looks like you're doing well as always.
Well, it's been a long time.
Yes, a long time...
It appears that things aren't going so smoothly even with the two of you working together.
Even in the old days, things tend to go that way
whenever you try to do things by avoiding unnecessary bloodshed.
I'm still impressed with how hard he worked to make the Bloodless Handover possible.
But it looks like we've done everything we could.
We were just laughing about how we both look aged all of a sudden.
You two look aged? I guess I need to hurry up and go to Heaven.
Surely, you joke...
Well actually... I have a favor to ask of you before I die.
It must have something to do with Yojiro.
The Head must be sealed no matter what.
Even if it is your dear comrade it possesses, Katsu!
That time...
The Head chose neither me nor Saigo.
This feels like having a grudge against a girl who's not interested in me.
It's fortunate that calamity hasn't befallen either of you.
However, if we continue to do nothing about the Head, inevitably the war will spread to Tokyo!
So what did you want to ask us?
I'd like to ask the two of you to get him to Ezo...
...the Eternal Assassin.
I don't think I'm capable of that right now. Maybe Saigo...
Understood.
I wonder if Yojiro can manage...
Either way, Yojiro is about to face his moment of truth.
Miyako Village (Mutsunokuni)
There, there, don't cry.
Big Sister is going to sing a song for you.
Mittsu, misora ga akeru koro Three. Around the time when the beautiful sky opens up
Hakodate Hospital
Yottsu, yonaki no ko wo oute Four. Holding a child who cries the night away
ltsutsu, itsumade tsukeba yoi Five. By when should I get there?
Muttsu, mukae ni konu haha ni Six. Mother has yet to come get me
Nanatsu, naisho de urami goto Seven. I secretly curse
Yattsu, yamanba konu uchi ni Eight. Before the old mountain witch comes
Kokonotsu, ko wo sute yama koete Nine. Abandon the baby and cross the mountain
To de oni go ni narimashita Ten. I became a little devil...
O Pitiable Eternal Assassin.
Because you don't know your own destiny, you let destiny kill you.
So you're Akizuki?
Do you know me?
You're Ryosuke Kuroda, commander of the punitive forces against Ezo.
You'll board the Stonewall with me.
I'll surrender to the Republic and offer Stonewall as a souvenir.
I was asked to bring you aboard.
You must be a hell of a swordsman. Show me what you've got!
I can challenge you with this if you want.
It's just a joke! There would be no part for you to play.
All you need to do is watch me and the Stonewall change history!
Third month, Meiji 2, at Goryokaku in Hakodate
Open the gate!
What?
Kuroda is going to surrender with the Stonewall?
Is that true?
Right.
That's something I heard directly from him.
Captain of the Banryu Bankichi Matsuoka
Captain of the Kaiten Gengo Koda
I asked around and confirmed that he has a terrible reputation within the new government.
Captain of the Koga Setsuzo Furukawa
Vice Minister of the Republic Taro Matsudaira
Besides, the Gatling cannons on the Kaiyo...
They were taken from the Stonewall in Yokohama.
It was Kuroda who arranged everything behind the scenes!
I see.
Just in case he changes his mind,
I've arranged to meet him with three ships in Miyako Bay, where the handover will take place.
This way, we would avoid any damage to the Republic in case conflict breaks out.
Minister of the Army Keisuke Otori
He's from Satsuma. I suppose he couldn't stomach the new Choshu-run government.
But if he comes to the Republic...
Arai, your post as Minister of Navy will be taken away.
I'm already aware of such a thing.
But if that's what it takes for us to get our hands on the Stonewall!
It's true... we could regain control of the sea with the Stonewall.
No, that's not all.
Things could be even more interesting.
What do you mean by that?
Stealing the Stonewall is a serious undertaking.
There's no way he would be able to pull something like that off by himself.
Meaning...
Someone ordered Kuroda to do it.
Could it be Saigo of the Satsuma?!
What would happen if the Republic, in the farthest north,
and the Satsuma, in the farthest south, join forces?
I see. Most interesting.
Japan will change hands once again!
Wait a second.
This sounds too good to be true.
Too good to be true?
Gentlemen, I understand that you want to act swiftly, but let's calm ourselves.
It is obvious that they'll start attacking us in spring.
It's not a good idea to split our forces now.
That's true. This could be a trap, too.
But!
If that's the case, the fleet we send out to meet them will be exposed to cannon fire.
Are any of you ready to make that commitment?
I'll go.
It shouldn't be a problem if I go.
Now that we've lost Kaiyo, our remaining ships are not good enough to withstand their attacks.
Let's take that gamble.
Hijikata!
Of course I'll take the lead.
Miyako Bay, Morning of the 25th day of the third month, Meiji 2
Everyone!
A new chapter of history is about to be written here in Miyako Bay.
Give it all you've got!
Yes, sir!
They're here!
I only see two ships.
Where's the other one?
I can only confirm those two!
It's supposed to be three ships...
I confirm only those two as well!
The Satsuma Soldier Nakagoro Togo (Also later known as Alliance Fleet Commander Heihachiro Togo)
They're finally here. Now I'll just have to wait for the sign.
Don't worry about us if something happens.
Understood.
I'm Hijikata.
Well, well, well, the Republic's Assistant Minister of the Army.
Or should I say Shinsengumi Vice-Commander, Toshizo Hijikata-dono.
Thank you for coming so far. I'm honored to meet you.
I'm Ryosuke Kuroda.
As promised we've come to receive the Stonewall.
We're prepared to receive all of you. Come to the Republic with no worries.
I appreciate your concerns, but I thought you were supposed to come with three ships.
We lost one to a storm on the way here. Two should be enough.
Of course. Just having you here is more than enough, Hijikata-dono.
We'll do something about the remaining ones ourselves.
That's the signal!
Full speed ahead!
How dare you!
You tricked us!
You're going to be the bait!
We'll lure them into Miyako Bay and kill them all, and my soldiers will board their ship.
If we limp back to Hakodate, pretending to be defeated,
I'm sure they're going to be less suspicious of us.
Then we'll take them in one go.
Oh, that's a bold strategy.
But I like it. Go ahead with your plan.
This is great. This is really great!
You bastard!
Clear the way!
Fire!
Koga!
Fire!
Noda! Otsuka!
Vice-Commander!
We must withdraw!
Gatling cannon! Take aim!
Don't you let him get away!
Don't let him go! Fire!
You!
General, we need to get out of here!
That won't be enough to sink this ship!
Let me tell you one thing, though.
You make sure that he reaches Ezo unharmed.
I don't mean to be disrespectful, sir, but I've spend a lot of time putting this plan together.
You mean to tell me he's worth that much, Saigo-san?
He is.
Just trust me.
Damn...
That man? Important?
Shit!
Don't let them get away!
Furukawa!
Fire!
All hands! Withdraw!
Withdraw!
Furukawa!
This is not where you're meant to die.
Who would've thought you were still alive...
Matsuoka!
It is the 26th day of the third month, Meiji 2.
The Republic flagship Kaiten links up with the Banryu and returns to Hakodate.
This is the first time Akizuki sees Ezo, the setting of the showdown.
CROSSING OVER THE STRAIT
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 22 AN ENCOUNTER IN THE NORTH
I'm sure you understand that now.
Master!
To protect my comrade Enomoto and dedicate yourself to building the Republic alongside him.
That is the destiny that you two bear.
But it seems that Yojiro Akizuki hasn't realized it just yet.
AN ENCOUNTER IN THE NORTH
Build the Republic together?
That is your destiny, Kakunojo Yuyama... to be the one who leads that man.
I'm to lead Akizuki-sama?