Okuni-san is so pretty!
The courtesan's procession is spectacular again today.
Sure is.
Hey, Onii-chan, what's a courtesan's procession?
What are you talking about?
It's the parade going on right in front of you!
Then, what's this parade for?
Where is Okuni-san going?
What's she about to do?
Stare...
Wh-Where is she... What's she...
You know... She's going to a pleasure house to...
Pleasure house? What's that?
Well, you know... A pleasure house is, well... It's, uh...
That's it!
The Dragon Palace! Yeah, it's like the Dragon Palace!
Okuni-san is Princess Otohime,
and my sea bream and flounder start dancing!
I think you're lying.
No, I'm serious! Right, guys?
S-See? See?
Why not? Why not? Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Koharu, you just watch!
One day, I'm gonna make Okuni-san my wife!
And then... And then!
Okuni-san will be all mine!
Bakumatsu Gijinden Roman
Come on. Make sure you do it right.
I'm paying a lot for this.
Now this is what I call a gutter rat...
Squeak...
Come on, work faster, Onii-chan! This is bothering everyone!
Squeak!
What's with you? Got a problem?!
Squeak, squeak!
Damn it all! You'll be happy if I do it, right?
If you've got a problem, try making more money than me.
Hey, Helper!
Huh?
Oh, you're the girl from Okuni-san's...
I'm Orin! You're the Helper, right?
You've gotta help me!
What are you talking about?
Well, see, Okuni-neesan was
summoned by one of her patrons last night,
but she hasn't come back.
What?!
Let's go, Orin-chan!
Hey! What about work?!
Weren't you cleaning out the gutter?!
Alleys, Cellars, and a Lavish Banquet!
It's said that the spring cherry blossom lies with chopsticks
engraved with a family crest.
Magoichi.
Yes?
Do me a favor.
Seems Lady Okuni from Shimabara hasn't returned since last night.
Would you lead the investigation?
It's out of my jurisdiction. Are you sure I should?
It was a request from above.
I can't say it out loud,
but apparently, Nagai-sama has put a lot of money into Lady Okuni.
I see. Understood.
Sorry to increase your workload.
Not at all.
Shimabara
What?! Boating?!
Yes. He said he wanted to spend time alone with Nee-san...
Damn stinking rich patron!
Nee-san insisted that he follow the proper procedure,
but the young master of
Kinokuniya wouldn't listen and took her anyway...
He'll pay for this!
Does he think might is master and justice is servant,
just because he has money?!
He's a disgrace to men everywhere!
Helper-han, please save Okuni-neesan.
You got it! Just leave this to Manjiro the Helper!
Oh? So it was the Helper who kidnapped the courtesan?
Yeah. Yesterday, during the courtesan's procession,
he was raging like crazy, saying "I'm gonna make her mine!"
I heard there might have been a young guy who looked
like the Helper at the back entrance to Takasagoya, or might not have.
I know all about it!
Ran off to the river with that courtesan, damn him!
Slick bastard.
What did you say?!
The boat hasn't come back?!
Yeah...
How long do you think it's been since last night?!
What are you gonna do if something happened to Okuni-san?!
Okuni-san, I'm coming to save you!
Wait for me!
Come on, Lady...
How many more do I have to add before you'll be with me?
Okuni-san!
Is that it?
Please be okay, Okuni-san!
I'll save you from that stupid patron!
Hold it right there!
Hey, Okuni! I'm here to save you!
Manjiro-sama!
Okuni, marry me.
Yes.
I'll never let you go.
Manjiro the Helper is here!
Okuni-san, I'm here now. You're gonna be fine.
Wh-Wh-Who are you?!
G-G-Get out of here!
What?!
Keep your mouth shut, you perverted little troll!
Sneaky little perverted troll...
Pervert
I, who strung him up, am the manly man of the rumors!
We're here, Okuni-san!
Give me your hand, Okuni-san.
Thank you, Helper-san.
Huh?
Lady Okuni's kidnapper has been apprehended!
What?! Me, the kidnapper?!
I've conducted my investigation.
What?!
Okuni-san, watch out!
Hold it!
Jeez... First a gutter rat, now a drowned rat...
Come on, Mimawarigumi, take this thing off!
I can't do that.
Okuni-san, you know I'm not the...
A-Are you okay?
If we stay like this, we'll both catch colds.
What's the matter? Your face is red.
Do you have a fever?
It's nothing!
What's this?
Helper-san!
Dowsing, dowsing! Yahoo! Yahoo!
Dowsing, dow— Oh!
Could this be a fresh, juicy slab of top grade,
marbled, newly drowned meat?!
I'll call you Yonsuke-san!
Oh. He's alive.
Helper-san! Helper-san!
Lady, where are you going?
It's dangerous to wander off by yourself.
Oh, Suzuki-sama...
I've found a light.
Just as I'd expect of a Mimawarigumi member.
How reassuring to have you here.
I am honored.
Look out, Okuni-san!
Wait, what?
What?! What?!
Where am I?! Ow, I hurt all over...
You've finally come to?
Hey, Mimawarigumi! What the hell is going on?!
It appears we fell.
Fell? Why?
An rebel tunnel, all the way out here...
We were negligent.
Now that Helper-san is awake,
let's start moving forward and see what we find.
Yes.
Guess we have no choice.
I don't know what it's for,
but this is clearly an underground tunnel built for human passage.
Which means it must lead above ground somewhere.
Let's find the exit quickly and get out.
Helper-san, it's so dark and scary!
O-Okuni-san...
Okay! I'll protect you with all I've got, Okuni-san!
I'm counting on you, Helper-san.
Please get me out of here,
whatever it takes.
Sure! Leave it to me!
Yes.
Hey, Mimawarigumi! Take this off me already!
I can't do that.
Damn!
Where's Magoichi?
He left this afternoon and hasn't come back.
Hasn't come back.
He's not back yet?
The other day, I was asked
to go after this huge guy, eight shaku tall,
carrying the temple bell that he had stolen on my back.
Then he started to put up a fight. It was terrible!
I really thought I was gonna die!
Oh, how scary!
I knocked out that giant and closed the case like a champ!
Amazing!
Yeah, well, helping people is sort of like my divine calling, you know.
I just can't turn my back on someone who's in trouble.
That's wonderful.
It sort of makes the justice in my blood boil and I just can't sit quietly by.
I don't want to see anyone cry.
I just wanna do something for them.
As a person, as a man, as a Helper...
Wh-What's wrong?
I saw something over there! I'm scared, Helper-san!
I'm scared...
Okay, damn it! You evil bastard scaring my Okuni-san!
Quit hiding and get out here so I can beat you into next we—
...some clams?
Would you like some clams?
Buy some clams!
I'll take 'em, I'll take 'em!
I'll take everything you've got!
Okay, how much for all of them?
Three million ryo!
Oh, but I'm flat broke...
What should I do?
That's it! I'm a man, aren't I?!
I'll pay with my body! Do as you please!
What?!
Pay up right now, you stupid, worthless scum!
What happened to him?
A hallucinogen...
Squeak, squeak.
Squeak, squeak!
Squeak!
Hey, why not?! Why not?!
Squeaky squeak!
Wait for me! Squeak squeak squeak!
I see. So that's it.
I thought he was just a petty official, but he's...
Squeak!
I'm scared, Suzuki-sama!
Elaborate work indeed, Saigo.
Oh, no... Not that...
Lady?
Show's Over
Ow...
Are you all right, Helper-san?
What the hell was that?!
I'm not entirely sure,
but it was a close call.
I'm scared!
Helper-san, please protect me...
I want to get out of here as soon as possible.
Of course!
Then, let's get moving.
Hey, Mimawarigumi-san, can't you take this thing off me now?
No, I can't.
You know, I feel like my whole face is swollen.
Did something happen?
You can figure out the path just by using those?
Naturally! Just trust my dice...
I am Osara-chan.
If you can stack ten plates on the tray in the allotted time,
I'll let you pass.
Helper-san!
Okuni-san...
All right! You just want your ten plates, right?!
Here I go!
One!
Two!
Three!
Four!
Five!
Too slow!
I am Osara-chan.
If you can stack ten plates on the tray in the allotted time,
I'll let you pass.
They've even rigged a doll like this...
How tasteless.
Five!
Six!
Seve—
Start over!
Seven!
Eight!
Ni—
Try again!
I'm out of steam.
Helper-san...
You did all this for me...
When we get above ground, I'll...
...just for you.
Please don't think of me as a loose woman.
Okay!
Four!
Eight!
And this makes ten!
Here goes!
For Okuni-san!
I lose.
Nice try.
Okay, let's go home, Okuni-san.
No... Okuni.
Yes.
Oh, gosh...
You shouldn't take that off without my consent.
What?!
Come, let's hurry.
What kind of weird door is this?
It won't budge.
Tonight, you will...
Wait, is this...
It may be a password.
Well, saves me time if you've figured that out.
Tonight, you will...
"Tonight, you will..."
"Tonight, you will," huh? Yeah, I know that feeling.
Tonight, you will...
...light the Dai fires!
What?
See? I was right.
I'm gonna take you to Arashiyama!
Shimabara
Thank you for your help today.
Goodbye.
Uh, Okuni-san...
That, uh, promise you made...
Oh, yes. Come visit me at Takasagoya anytime.
I'll be waiting for you.
Yeah, of course...
See you later, then! Bye!
Until we meet again.
Bye! Bye!
Hey...
What about this thing?!
I'm back, Orin.
Okuni-neesan!
Sorry to worry you.
Okuni-neesan!
Hey, Magoichi. I was starting to worry.
I have safely recovered Lady Okuni.
Good work.
Go on home and rest.
Yes, sir.
Hey, Sakura.
Onii-chan!
Oh, Koharu?
Today was a great day!
There were all these clams lighting the Dai fires with this stupid patron,
going, "Squeak, squeak, squeak!"
What's with you?
I'm your big brother.
Show some respect.
Next Time
This is a high temperature, strongly basic
ferruginous sodium chloride hot spring.
It's effective in soothing bruises, scrapes, and nerve pain.
It's also great for stiff shoulders.
Oh, right! Next time on Roman:
"There's a Lot to Life, and a Lavish Banquet!"
There's a Lot to Life, and a Lavish Banquet!
I wonder if it's good for lovesickness, too...