Ash rain?
Oh no, it's "Nokosaregumo"!
Hurry, prepare a bride. Quick!
The black cloud had no proper name.
It floated over the land all alone, as if left behind.
So the people often called it "Nokosaregumo," the Forsaken Cloud.
Party is over
But I still wanna dance
I can't even sleep
Someday, one day my passion's fire will
From the beginning I knew
One day the flames would die out
Hey, I thought I didn't need anything
But even now, I'm so serious
Ah... I still have time to make it
Ah... but I'm gonna burn it up, baby
Sorry darling, it's not that easy
But surely it's not that bad either
Give me fire
Light it up, baby. I'm gonna burn it up, yeah
Party is over
Sorry darling Hurry up Ah... I still have time to make it
Give me fire
Light it up, baby. I'm gonna burn it up, yeah
#8 The story of Saru
Ugh, it stinks.
Like rotten eggs.
Doesn't it bother you?
Can you even smell?
Jeez, I'm always the only one talking.
You can talk now, can't you?
Okay, let's practice talking.
Come on, say something to me.
Wow, a bridal parade.
But...
Something doesn't seem right.
Hey, stop that!
Outta my way!
No, I won't let you shoot arrows at a happy bride.
What's wrong with you?
A happy bride? Yeah right! Big Sis is being sent off to marry a monster.
To marry a monster?
So I gotta stop 'em.
Beat it! Or I'll shoot you too!
Calm your horses. Tell me more about it.
We know a thing or two about beating monsters.
That's it.
A cloud right over the village. That's the monster?
That's right.
Big Sis told me.
People call it Nokosaregumo.
From way back in time, it's appeared now and then to eat people up.
One time, the villagers offered a bride to keep it from eating the others.
Then it left without killing any more.
Ever since, they've offered a bride every time it comes.
If they don't offer one, it'll get mad and eat up the whole village.
It's a monster but it wants a human bride?
And a lot of them, too?
Sis said it probably ate them all.
I'll never understand how a monster thinks.
So your big sis was chosen this time, huh?
I've got to help her. I don't want her to be eaten up.
We can help you there.
This guy here has beaten up lots of monsters.
He can beat it for you.
-Really? -But it's gonna cost you.
Can't do it for free.
They're great.
Not these. Something worth money, you know?
Hey, this is gold!
Got it in the river. I got lots of it.
Take all you want.
Really? You've got a deal then.
I'm Dororo.
I'm Saru.
Saru? Like a monkey? That's funny.
Dororo is a funny name, too.
No it's not, it's a nice name!
Come on, say it's nice.
It's not.
Big Sis.
I told you over and over not to come!
I came to save you.
I can't leave with you.
Why not?
You're actually doing this for the village?
Forget about them!
They're using you to save themselves.
That's not true.
I chose to come.
I don't want any monster eating everybody up.
You, too.
I don't want you to die.
I know. But you must leave.
Hey, ease up.
We'll beat that monster for you.
That'll solve all your problems.
You? How will you defeat it?
If it eats people, it has to have a mouth and a belly.
We'll tear it apart.
See? He's all ready for it.
No. It's coming.
W-What is this?
Let's get out of here!
Idiots, it'll hear you!
Hyakkimaru, over there!
What's wrong?
Hyakkimaru's vision was surrounded by a wall of evil flame.
The dark cloud was a part of the devilish ghoul.
Hyakkimaru was enclosed in a wall of fire.
For the first time ever, he had completely lost his sight.
Big Sis!
It's a centipede.
It's humongous.
Hyakkimaru, it's coming!
We're saved...
This is where you live?
-Yeah, I live on my own. -On your own?
Big Sis ain't my real sister.
I've lived alone all my life.
Papa and Mama died when I was real little.
But I was fine.
I had the mountain with me.
I hate humans.
They said this wasn't my mountain and drove me out.
Stay away from me!
You're hurt. Let me see.
Are you the boy that lives in the mountain?
You look like a saru, a monkey. What's your name?
Name?
You don't remember your name?
Saru. My name's Saru.
It felt strange.
Just watching her made me forget about hunger and cold.
Mama was the only one who'd ever been kind to me.
So I thought...
Maybe she was my mama once sometime, in some place.
Your mama, huh.
Saru, um...
I ain't got no time to cry.
I gotta avenge Big Sis. Ain't I right?
Yeah, I never leave a job half done, either.
Let's beat it together.
Yeah.
One thing, though.
I don't know why, but Hyakkimaru can't do anything when he's in that cloud.
We'll have to do it on our own.
Has that cloud grown bigger?
What's this?
It's his skin.
This is bad. Centipedes get bigger once they molt.
Bigger? Even more than now?
Why? Isn't it supposed to go home once it has a bride?
It's mad about what we did to it.
What do we do?
Its weakness is sunlight.
If we lure it out of the cloud, we can beat it.
Then I've got a good idea!
Let's do it, Saru. We'll exterminate it.
Yeah, for my Big Sis.
Big Sis... Big Sis...!
Hey, this way!
Size doesn't mean a thing.
Try to catch me with those hundred feet.
Come and get me!
Almost.
Ouch...
That was a close one.
Up to you now, Saru.
This one is for Big Sis.
It doesn't burn in all that fire?
Nah.
But don't worry.
Melt away in the sun!
No way!
Dang it, after all we did, still nothing?
Hyakkimaru!
He slashed it.
What'd he just do?
Hyakkimaru had lost his sight in the wall of fire.
So he'd located the monster by listening to the arrow hitting it.
This is bad.
That's it, sound.
Whatcha gonna do?
Hyakkimaru, follow my voice! I'm on its head!
Is he calling for him?
Right here, Hyakkimaru! Its eye is right next to me.
This is the end for you!
There's a head on the tail, too?
All right!
Y'all okay?
Never been better.
Big Sis?
Big Sis!
Saru...
Yeah, it's me.
I'm so glad you were alive.
Hyakkimaru, is that...?
You got your nose back!
Here's what I promised you.
Yeah, thanks.
What are these?
Got lots of it around here.
No, I want gold.
The shiny ones.
I only had that little bit. They're the same, right?
Aww, come on.
Thanks to you, I'm still alive. Your name is...?
Dororo.
Thank you, Dororo.
What are y'all going to do now?
We'll live together in the village.
Since I'm all alone, too.
-Good for you, Saru. -Yeah.
Oh yes, we need to think of a new name for you.
Saru's fine.
No, names are very important.
You sound like you're really my sister.
Oh well.
Dororo...
This sense is called smell, got it?
Did you just say "Dororo"?
It's the first time he said my name.
Hold up, bro!
My name's pretty nice, huh?
Sorrow scatters in the wind,
piling up to form shadows
Our footsteps admonish indifference in such verbose ways
As I peek into your fathomless eyes, I lose my composure
Is there any hope in the place I am heading to?
I feign amusement and laugh
because this road is so dark
I will be there to shine the light
I'm used to playing at saying goodbye,
but I cried when I waved to you
Our fiery woes fade... and fade... until night falls upon us
If I knew tomorrow would be so mundane,
I wouldn't have said that I wanted to live
I know it's futile but can't help dreaming of a future... a future... you are to blame
"Nokosaregumo"