Toei Company Limited
SHOGUN LEMITSU NO RANSHIN
GEKITOTSU (Shogun's Shadow)
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
Ten.
You promised to count ten five times, young master.
That was the fourth.
The spa is good for your health.
Now count ten once again.
The wind...
Starring KEN OGATA
MIYUKI KANO SAYOKO NINOMIYA
HIROYUKI NAGATO IPPEI SHIGEYAMA
TETSURO TAMBA
MASAKI KYOMOTO
HIROKI MATSUKATA
Planned by GORO KUSAKABE
Producer: TATSUO HONDA
Screenplay by SADAO NAKAJIMA and HIRO MATSUDA
Photographed by KIYOSHI KITAZAWA
Music by MASARU SATO
Don't worry. We're on your side.
I'll escort you to Toshogu Shrine.
Action scenes directed by SONNY CHIBA
Directed by YASUO FURUHATA
There were over 100 ninja from Negoro.
The Shogun's men.
Whoever gave them the order...
...must have power in the government.
My lord, who is trying to kill Master Takechiyo? Tell me.
We've been hired to guard Takechiyo.
We won't disappoint you.
But we have to know who the enemy is.
Father, Gyobu is right.
Tell him the truth.
Ask for his help.
The enemy is Lord Abe, the minister.
But he's a chief vassal. Why kill the Shogun's heir?
Takechiyo will be the next ruler of the nation.
Lord Abe plans to replace him with his younger brother.
Abe will make himself prime minister under the new Shogun.
My Lord!
Minister Abe is coming...
...with Chief Guard Iba...
...to pay homage to Master Takechiyo.
Who is this?
Gyobu Igo, my retainer and bodyguard to Master Takechiyo.
Lord Hotta, you've reared the young master well.
Thank you for the compliment.
He looks much better than when he was at the castle.
His health has obviously improved.
I'm very glad.
Indeed.
The spa worked wonders.
I've taken care of him for a long time.
Seven years now.
I tried everything to improve his health.
I'll make him strong enough to be the fourth Shogun...
...when the time comes. But...
Stop!
My sudden visit to this spa is due to a special mission.
I came to inform you of the Shogun's wishes.
On the fifteenth day of this month, at Edo Castle...
...Master Takechiyo must attend an important ceremony.
He must leave for Edo at once.
Lord Hotta, this is an order!
Why did you stop me?
You wanted me to kill Takechiyo, didn't you?
Impossible.
With that bodyguard around, you wouldn't have succeeded.
We'll leave for Edo early tomorrow morning.
Prepare!
If we go, we'll fall into Lord Abe's trap.
We'll be attacked again.
If we're attacked on the road, we won't be able to stop them.
If the young master is killed, our clan will be finished.
I know.
Then, we should stay here.
We should wait for reinforcements from our fief.
I know.
Master Takechiyo must return to Edo Castle by the 15th.
Those are the Shogun's order.
If he fails, he'll be punished.
His brother will become heir.
Our clan will be punished, too, as his failure will be ours.
We have only one choice.
We'll deliver Master Takechiyo to Edo Castle by the 15th.
The 15th? Five days from now.
Only five days.
Even though we know it's a trap...
...we must leave here tomorrow morning, or we'll be too late.
Gyobu?
How much did Hotta pay you?
Five hundred?
A thousand?
I'll give you that much to stay out of this.
Anything else?
What?
Pride isn't just for samurai. Even a dog has pride.
You want me to betray that?
I thought you knew better.
Wait!
I know you hate me.
I deserve your hate.
But I don't ask for forgiveness.
It's just that I don't want to have to kill you.
Gyobu?
Gyobu!
Who is he? A sword for hire?
I grew up with him.
We were like brothers.
He married my sister.
But the Shogun had a crush on her.
So I sent her to him as a mistress, and he made me a minister.
That was ten years ago.
Is Hotta leaving?
As you planned, sir.
Shoza, I must return to Edo quickly.
The rest is up to you.
I'll order the clans along the road to help you.
Mobilize as many men as you think necessary.
Hotta's desperate.
A desperate rat attacks a cat.
Do whatever is necessary.
Make sure Master Takechiyo doesn't return to Edo alive!
The Shogun's sick.
Did he vomit blood again?
Yes. He wants Lord Abe. He's so agitated...
What's keeping Abe?
Hasn't he returned from Nikko?
Give me sake.
No, sir.
Sake!
No more.
You think you're loyal?
I know what's good for my health.
Don't worry.
Give me sake.
Sake!
No more drinks, your Excellency.
What?!
Even you try to defy me?
Get the doctor.
"Master Takechiyo Is Lodging Here"
Get out!
I, Masamori Hotta, will protect Master Takechiyo with my life.
I, Shozaemon Iba, challenge you to a duel.
Begin!
Forgive me.
A trick.
He's gone.
We've searched everywhere.
Lord Hotta used himself as bait to draw us here.
There are three roads from Nikko to Edo.
Jimbo, let's split up and find the boy.
Grab this!
We have to hurry.
Wait.
Drink.
Young master?
Damn it.
We're around here.
We really should have crossed this pass by now.
Not in this rain.
Not with a woman and a child.
What should we do? We'll reach Ashio by noon.
Even if we steal horses from the mine, they'll soon find us.
Shall we go south, cross more mountains...
...and go to Sano or Ashikaga?
There are no roads around here. It's too difficult for a woman.
Let's steal horses from the mine as we planned.
We'll go along the Watarase River and make a run for Edo.
All right. There's no other way.
My wife?
Present her to the Shogun?
Is that my master Lord Abe's wish?
Yes. It's an order.
Outrageous!
Why?
It's the lord's order!
Get out of the way!
I'll kill him. I'll kill the lord!
He's unreasonable!
I'll kill him!
I'll kill Lord Abe!
Young master.
Get some water.
We'll get horses. Wait here.
Water, please.
For the young master.
Five riders coming!
Five riders arriving!
Show us the way.
Why are they in such a rush?
Maybe...
We'd better report this!
Why? I'm drying his clothes...
The smoke!
It's on that slope!
Surround them! Search!
Let's go!
Denemon, sneak into the mine.
Wait two-no, four hours.
What are you doing? I'm Samanosuke Sengoku.
I'm going home with my wife and child.
Why the arrest? What for?
Lord Abe's order. No one with a child passes.
Get out of here! Run!
Report this to Iba.
Let's go.
Don't dilly-dally!
Tie it well.
Is the dungeon ready?
Send the miners out.
Leave no one here.
Get out of here.
If you're finished, get out!
Except for those who have my permission and Jimbo's...
...no one shall enter here.
I smell something nice.
Platoon 1 to the left! Platoon 2 to the right!
All quiet?
Yes, sir.
What is it?
Nothing.
Let's go!
Go!
All quiet?
Yes, sir!
Be on the alert.
Don't get careless.
What? Who is that?
Keep back!
Come down from there!
Gunners!
Shoot him!
What are you waiting for?
Fire!
Back to your posts!
Bring a light!
What is it?
I'm sorry.
Thanks to you, we're late.
I'm to blame.
Shut up!
Enough. Let's go.
Don't let down your guard!
Stay alert!
What are you doing?
The prisoners?
In the dungeon. Why?
Seal all the exits!
Run!
Jump!
Look in the hills.
Gather more men.
How far will we run?
We're not on the run. We're heading for Edo.
Eat them.
They're good.
You can't eat them back home.
You haven't eaten on the road.
You must eat to stay alive.
Eat, if you want to live.
What was that?
I'll take a look.
The Furukawa Clan.
Let's go.
Do it again!
What are you saying? We have no time.
Let's go.
Come on.
Slide by yourself.
I think it's time.
We're no match for an army like that.
We've done enough for what they paid.
Let's split up, or we'll die.
Master.
Let's go.
Keep your eyes peeled.
It's OK. Don't worry.
Pull them up!
My rear end is cold.
So is mine.
I found them! They're here!
Keep going!
Go on!
Genzaburo, go on ahead!
Iori!
We're surrounded.
But it's too late to pull out.
The army scared me.
I'm just a small man.
Let's build a fire.
They'll figure out where we are.
What's the difference?
Kids often get stomachaches when they're cold.
Put this on your stomach. It's warm.
Who's trying to kill me? My father?
What are you saying?!
That's impossible!
No. It's possible.
There are five thousand of them.
Even Minister Abe couldn't...
...mobilize such an army to kill the Shogun's son.
There's only one man in the country who could.
You're right.
The young master shouldn't hear these things.
Lies can't help him now.
His father...
The Shogun is cold and cruel.
He hates his son, just because the boy doesn't look like him.
He's never held the young master in his arms.
He says Takechiyo is too weak to be a leader.
How can a father be so mean to his son?
His second son, Tokumatsu, looks like him, so he loves him.
He wants him as a successor.
That's why he wants to kill his eldest son.
Lord Hotta knew all this.
But you must always obey your master.
That's "bushido," the code of the samurai.
Gyobu, could you kill a child if you were ordered to do so?
I'll always fight injustice.
I'll risk my own life to protect the boy.
But why take him to Edo? To be killed there?
He won't be.
We have three big families, the Shogun's relatives...
...including the Lord of Kishu, on our side.
And yet... this?
It's no use.
We can't beat the Shogun.
Let's hide somewhere.
Forget the shogunate. Seek a happy, quiet life.
That'll be better for him.
I'll serve him all my life.
Do you think the Shogun will let him be?
Even if we escape from here, he'll send more assassins after him.
The only way he can survive is to go to Edo and fight the Shogun.
Wait.
Let him decide.
If you want to confront your father, head downstream.
If you want to escape, head upstream.
Young master!
Let me go.
As you wish.
Well then.
All right. Let's do it.
They're over here!
Wait!
Follow me!
Saheiji, get on!
Just go!
Get out of here!
They're coming.
Hold on.
To the right!
It's Genzaburo's horse!
Follow them!
Here we go!
Fire!
It's OK.
Thank you.
Gyobu.
Well done! You got pretty far.
But this is where you stop.
Hand over the boy.
What should we do?
Have we lost?
No, we haven't.
But we've lost so many men.
As long as you're alive, we won't lose.
So we win if I survive?
Gyobu Igo, come out.
You must reach Edo tomorrow.
But you'll never get out of here.
Don't sacrifice your life for nothing.
Come out.
If you don't, I'll start a fire.
OIL
Do you hear me?
We'll burn you.
Lady Yajima.
There's poison on the blade.
If you have to...
I thought better of you.
You're stupid, after all.
I give up. There's no way out.
I want to challenge you to a duel.
I accept, with pleasure.
Listen, men!
Stay out of this, no matter what!
Beautiful.
Gyobu!
Come on!
Run!
Run straight ahead!
Thanks, Gyobu!
Are you finished?
Could we have a moment alone?
Oman, you can stay.
Tell me.
Master Takechiyo just arrived here, safe and sound.
Idiot!
Can't you get rid of a child?
How can you be a minister?
You're unreliable!
All right. I don't want to see you again.
Get out of here!
Oman.
Get rid of Takechiyo.
Your Excellency, do you want to destroy our government?
What!?
The Kishu Clan is already moving.
Lord Hotta arranged it before he died.
So what?
Don't you understand?
You must be aware of the Lord of Kishu's ambition to rule.
Shogun.
I'm responsible for this failure.
I'm ready for your punishment...
...but we can't assassinate Master Takechiyo now.
Not here in this castle, in public.
We wouldn't be able to keep the murder a secret.
So don't try to kill him anymore. It's too late.
Please give up the idea.
The eldest son is always the heir among samurai.
Don't violate that.
Silence!
No filicide.
Shut up!
No excuse could justify that crime.
You'd lose the trust of the people.
If the Lord of Kishu rises to arms denouncing you...
...other powerful lords will follow.
400,000 masterless samurai are waiting for a civil war...
...seeking opportunities for glory.
Silence, I say!
Oman, what are you waiting for?
The Shogun made it for you.
Wait!
What?
I taste everything he drinks.
No!
The Shogun made it. Do you doubt him? The insult!
I must!
No!
That's...
Where did you get that?
A man gave it to me. He gave his life to save the young master.
And the man's name was...
Gyobu Igo.
Oman! Oman!
I thought...
I thought obedience to you was everything, as your retainer.
Stifling my resentment...
...forcing myself to be cruel...
...I carried out your orders, no matter how unreasonable.
But now I realize...
I should've remonstrated with you when you were wrong.
Even at the cost of my life.
It was my fault.
You're talking nonsense.
I order you! Never appear before me again!
Imprison yourself!
I'll punish you later.
Oman.
What's this?
Master Takechiyo is your son.
He struggled desperately to come see you, my lord.
As his father, do you still want him dead?
Master Takechiyo, beg him for your life.
No!
What!?
Why, Oman?
Why?
Why did you disobey me?
I gave you everything you wanted.
Everything a woman could want.
Wealth, power, position... everything.
On the contrary. You robbed me of everything.
My husband...
...my happiness.
Because... Because I loved you.
Because...
I'm so deeply in love with you.
How selfish!
While I was in your arms, I cursed you in my mind.
My curse has finally worked. You're going to die.
Suffer! Suffer more before you go to hell!
Quiet!
The Shogun has succumbed to his illness!
Just now.
He died in a sudden fit of illness.
Iemitsu, the third Shogun of the Tokugawa regime, died in 1651.
Minister Abe followed him. Takechiyo succeeded the Shogun.
So we win if I survive?
Run!
Run straight ahead!