Original subtitles

[Masamune] It was over 70 years ago.

The Goto family ruled Kuge Village, just like now.

The villagers lived in constant torment.

[villagers yelling]

[Masamune] Gin did everything she could

to free the oppressed villagers.

[♪ unsettling music playing]

[inaudible]

[young Masamune] The year is 1949.

This village knew neither the war… nor its aftermath.

There were no food provisions left in any of the houses.

Everyone… has begun to fear that family.

Kinji Goto…

Ever since he became head of the family, everything has gone wrong.

The village is on a slow and steady path toward destruction.

[villager] Over here, over here. Nice work.

[Masamune's dad] That's food, all of it.

Unbelievable.

[young Masamune] And there are people in the village who are starving to death.

[indistinct chatter]

[Masamune's dad] This family is special, after all.

[♪ unsettling music playing]

What is it? Are you scared, Masamune?

Don't worry. This village will get better.

I'll see to that.

This way, please.

Go ahead.

[Kinji] My father, Sada,

expressed his gratitude to you many times before he passed away.

We in the Goto family…

owe a lot to you, Chief Priest Yoshimune.

I wish I could have attended Mr. Sada's funeral.

My father… requested that the funeral be for the Goto family only.

[Yoshimune] Hmm… Really?

What do you mean?

I thought Sada had laughing sickness?

Why didn't you investigate the cause of the disease?

Don't tell me the Goto family actually eats people?

Father.

[♪ soft tense music playing]

When it became known that high-quality Japanese cypresses grew on Goto lands,

you became our go-between with the government, right?

I did.

Thanks to that, the Goto family prospered.

I haven't forgotten that debt of gratitude.

I would prefer not to use violence.

You mean you "can't" use violence.

If you put your hands on me, the villagers will storm this place.

Not even you lot will get away unscathed.

Listen, Kinji.

You can't win over the village just by stealing the land.

I'm on your side.

At this rate, Kuge Village will be divided.

That's why I'm offering to mediate between your family and the village.

Kinji.

If you want to rule Kuge Village, you need to play your cards better.

[Kinji inhales deeply]

[laughter]

You're a real scoundrel.

Fair enough. Lend me a hand.

No, you can't do that.

Hey, runt.

Don't be so full of yourself.

It was you villagers who started this fight.

Without even knowing about the "Kashihabe."

"Kashihabe"?

[Yoshimune] Hey!

It was a mistake to bring him along.

Kinji…

please forgive us.

[♪ tense music playing]

Enough. Stop bowing.

Michigoro.

Fetch all the meat we have.

Prepare a feast for Yoshimune and his son.

Right.

[Michigoro] Hey.

[villager] Please wait.

You help out too.

[villagers] Okay.

[family member] Someone tattled to the priest?

So typical of this village.

[sighs] The countryside is so boring.

Kinji.

I heard you beat up another villager.

-[Kinji breathing heavily] -[young Gin breathing heavily, moans]

[grunts] You say that the Goto family…

eats people?

In that case…

I'll eat up…

all of Kuge Village.

[grunts] Devour!

Every last scrap.

[grunts]

[thumps]

[panting]

[Kinji] "Laughing sickness"? Bah!

I was the one who killed Father.

Isn't that obvious?

[♪ mysterious music playing]

[Yoshimune] That is Gin Goto.

She's lost her sanity.

Let's go.

[♪ music intensifies]

[♪ theme music playing]

[water lapping]

[young Masamune] What are you doing?

You'll catch a cold.

You're hurt.

I'll go get my father right away.

[young Gin] Wait…

It's not your father I want to talk to, but you.

[young Gin] I don't want anyone else to hear this.

I only want you to hear this.

[♪ soft eerie music playing]

[young Gin grunts]

[shaky breath]

[young Masamune] This place is only known to the Chief Priests of Kurunokami Shrine.

No one will hear us here.

Then, it's like our own secret place.

Did Kinji beat you?

He does this all the time.

He wants my body…

No… isn't he your brother?

No one in that house thinks of me as family.

Do you know what they call me in Kuge Village?

"Whore."

"Slut."

"Illegitimate child."

There's no place for me in this village.

I can't complain.

That's not true.

No matter who you are, that treatment is unacceptable.

You are a fine young woman.

Thank you.

No one has ever said that to me before.

I want to know more about you.

You can tell me anything.

Then, listen and learn.

Everything about me.

[♪ ethereal music playing]

[smooches]

Thanks for the ride.

I was going into town anyway.

Don't worry about it.

The villagers are full of vigor again.

Disgusting livestock.

-Say, Yoshimune. -Huh?

Do you know the biggest difference between me and them?

Unlike me, they can't do anything by themselves.

[Kinji] If everything goes smoothly, they're all right.

If they're in trouble, all they can do is cling to you.

Cowards.

Hey, pull over.

[driver] Yes, sir.

By the way, Yoshimune.

-Have you slept with Gin yet? Hmm? -[Yoshimune] Huh?

[both breathing heavily]

[moans]

[Kinji] That woman is poison.

Lust is all she knows.

Even though she's a mere girl who's not even of age yet,

she has already seduced plenty of men before coming here.

She must get it from her mother.

Because of that, the villagers think her blood is tainted,

and they hate her.

They beat her and threw rocks at her.

It must have been a living hell.

[Kinji sighs]

Gin…

will probably never forgive this village.

Take care not to get eaten.

-See you around. -[car engine starting]

[car door closes]

[young Gin giggling]

[moaning]

[young Gin] My mother was used by men of Kuge Village to sate their lust.

They said she was possessed by a demon who seduced men just by existing.

[young Masamune] Huh?

As for me…

I don't know who my father is.

I'm not blood-related to anyone in the Goto family.

Do you get it?

Masamune, I am…

madness itself, born from this village.

I'm not supposed to exist.

[young Masamune] You're wrong.

You are a wonderful person.

It's the world that is wrong.

I will change this village.

I'll make it a peaceful village…

where you can live.

One day, we'll change this village together.

[both breathing heavily]

[young Masamune moaning]

[clicks]

From then on, we met in secret whenever we had the chance,

to make passionate love to each other.

Sumire.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

[elder] Oh…

Where did Sumire go?

She said she wasn't hungry and went back to her room.

Oh, dear.

She is so spoiled.

I never get to eat this kind of food.

It's to celebrate the pregnancy.

Don't be so unpleasant.

[tray thuds]

How can you celebrate at a time like this?

I'll have some. Don't want to waste it.

-Hey, Kuroe! -Huh?

-What are you doing? -What's the matter?

Hold it.

-Why are you grabbing my arm? It hurts. -[♪ soft tense music playing]

[elder] Where are you going?

-That hurts. -Tell me, and I'll let go.

Where are you going?

To the bathroom.

What?

You don't trust me, is that it?

I hate this.

[elder] What's with that girl?

[insects chirping]

I WANT A ROCKET LAUNCHER

That's the first time I've seen you smile.

Hey, do you know the origin of those weather dolls?

Their roots go back to a Chinese story called saoqing niang.

Here in Japan, the dolls are bald-headed monks,

but they were originally girls.

How does the story go?

There was a village that was flooded by an unending rain.

When they sacrificed a young girl to the gods, the rain stopped.

[chuckles] You know, the usual!

Come to think of it…

these weather dolls, they hang in nooses.

How come it's always women who are the victims in these stories?

Sacrificed by the disgusting men.

[♪ pensive music playing]

You…

have beautiful eyes.

I envy you.

I feel like I can trust you.

Hey…

why don't we run away together?

What?

I'm sick of living like a prisoner of the Goto family.

I want to break free.

Right now,

the main household is in turmoil, and there's no one around.

Now is our only chance to escape.

Let's leave this horrible village behind.

It's over for us Gotos anyway.

We'll be caught in the crossfire and die if we stay here.

[shaky breathing]

[♪ music fades]

But… I'm sorry.

-Oh! -What?

A mosquito. Wait a second. Don't move.

-[grunts] -[crackling]

[♪ tense music playing]

[water splashes]

[Kuroe shouts] Sumire collapsed!

The bride of the main household fainted all of a sudden!

-Sumire has collapsed! -Come on. Sumire?

[Kuroe] This is bad! Her eyes have rolled back!

It's an emergency!

-[Ryuji] What happened, Kuroe? -I don't know! She just fell over!

Sumire is unconscious! What happened?

-Hey, calm down now. What do we do? -[family members clamoring]

What do we do? What do we do?

[Ryuji] Someone! Someone come quick! Don't touch her. Don't touch her.

[Kuroe panting]

[Kuroe] I did it, you idiot!

She looked like she actually trusted me too.

You see that, assholes?

Go to hell, dickweeds!

Don't mess with me, shitheads!

[♪ low suspenseful music playing]

[Masamune] But word of mine and Gin's relationship

soon spread throughout the village.

My father and Kinji separated us. Yep.

But I yearned to see her again.

We promised to meet on the day of the votive festival,

and then we took our chance to escape. [laughs]

[♪ traditional music playing]

[villagers chanting] Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!

Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!

Hurray!

[♪ traditional music playing in distance]

[chanting in distance]

[relieved sigh]

I've missed you, Gin.

Me too.

You're so beautiful, Gin.

Shouldn't you go back?

You're the priest's son.

It's okay.

[young Gin] It looks lovely from a distance.

But I hate this festival.

I can't accept that they used to sacrifice people.

I agree.

I've always hated this festival.

You know…

there's something I've got to tell you, Masamune.

I'm pregnant.

[young Masamune] Huh?

[cheers and applause in distance]

I'm not sure if it's your child.

I don't care. It is my child.

It's our child, Gin.

I'll take responsibility and raise it.

I don't have to abort it?

You can't do that.

We're going to change this village, aren't we?

We'll make a new world.

You and me, and the baby.

[villager 1 in distance] Hey, where are you, Junior?

-We're all waiting for you. -This village is insane.

We're the only sane ones,

so only we can fix it.

They'll find us. Let's go.

[villager 1] Hey, Junior!

Where has he gone?

Hey…

where has he wandered off to on an important day like this?

-Did you find him? -No.

Yoshimune.

[villager 2] Masamune has really lost his mind.

[villager 3] Her spell has driven him mad.

Maybe we should just kill Gin Goto.

[villager 4] Hey, let's do this!

Let's get started!

-[indistinct shouting, cheering] -[drum beating]

[villager 5] All right!

Do you remember what I told you about the demon?

You mean about your mother?

Yes.

My mother…

She was sacrificed to Kurunokami.

No. I can't believe it.

They had poor crops several years in a row.

Or maybe they just wanted to get rid of the village whore

because she got pregnant.

This village is full of cowards.

They're weak, and so they're constantly searching for someone to look down upon.

This village… should just die out.

That can't happen.

That would be a waste.

You can take Yoshimune's place,

and I can take Kinji's place.

Then we can make a new village.

For the sake of our child.

I…

We have to… make a place for it to live.

You're right.

The world where our children will grow up must be free from fetters and strife.

You and I will make a world… as white as a blank page.

I've decided… on our child's name.

"Shirogane."

I want our child to live in a pure, white world,

and to be as strong as you, Gin.

"Shirogane."

It's a good name, isn't it?

[♪ dramatic mellow music playing]

[villager 1] Hey, Junior!

[♪ music fades]

There you are. [chuckles]

Gosh, am I glad we found you. [chuckles]

Come, come. Everyone is waiting. Let's go back.

[villager 1 groaning]

It's getting chilly. [chuckles]

Oh, could you hold this and wait a minute?

-[clanks] -[grunts]

[panting]

-[grunts] -[young Gin groans]

[♪ tense music playing]

What are you doing?

[villager 1] It's not your fault, Junior. Don't feel guilty.

What are you saying?

She is with child.

Mine and Gin's child!

You should have told me sooner. I've got to get rid of that.

-Stop! Stop! -Junior! Junior! Junior!

-[weapon clatters] -[young Masamune] Stop it! Stop it!

[villager 1] We have to do it, Junior!

This is wrong. You're under a spell.

-[weak grunt] -What's the matter?

[grunting]

[young Masamune] Stop!

[villager 1] It would mean the blood of the Chief Priest

is mixing with the blood of a whore.

-[young Masamune] Stop… Stop it! -[heavy breathing]

[villager 1] No good! Junior!

[young Masamune] Stop!

[villager 1] Junior! Junior!

It's kill or be killed, Junior!

[heavy breathing]

[♪ music intensifies]

[♪ music fades]

[yells]

-[squelches] -[villager 1 chokes]

[villager 1 choking]

-[grunts] -[thuds]

-[grunts] -[squelches]

-[yells] -[squelches]

-[squelches] -[blood splashes]

[weapon clanks]

No… you have to run.

[heavy breathing]

I'm not running.

I'm going to live in this village.

I will raise the child I carry…

right here in this village.

[villager 2] Junior! Junior! Where are you? Junior!

[villager 3] Junior! He's here! Junior is here!

[villager 4] Hey! Kuma! Kuma!

-[villager 5] Junior! -[villager 6] He's dead.

-[villager 7] D-Dead! He's dead! -[villager 8] Hey… Kuma… Wake up…

-[villager 9] Hey, Kuma! -[villager 10] He's dead!

-[villagers clamoring] -[villager 7 screams]

[♪ dramatic music playing]

Please, listen.

It was me.

I was the one who killed Kuma.

Gin didn't do anything.

[young Gin] Stop it, Masamune.

I killed him.

Gin.

[laughing]

I've never felt so good in my life! [laughs]

[villagers murmuring]

I love it!

-[villager 1] Shut up! -[villager 2] What is wrong with you?

-[villager 3] Stop it! -[villager 4] Junior!

-Kill her! -[thwacks]

-[villager 5] You bitch! -Stop! Make them stop!

-[villager 6 grunts] -[young Gin laughing]

[villager 7] Die, you whore!

I feel alive for the first time in my life!

[young Masamune] Gin!

I feel it radiating deep within me!

[villager 8] Stop it, already!

[villager 9] You're insane! What are you doing, slut?

Stop it! Gin!

[young Masamune] Stop! Gin!

[Yoshimune] Hold it, everyone!

What good will it do to kill that woman?

Father.

That's right. Everyone, calm down!

You shouldn't kill her.

You should sacrifice her to Kurunokami.

Just like her mother, it is her destiny.

Maybe Kurunokami desires that child

in order to save the village.

-[villager 1] He's right. Yeah. -[villager 2] That's right.

What are you talking about?

You're not going to help her?

You'll kill her after all?

[elder 1] You're wrong, Junior!

Sacrificing to Kurunokami is a truly sacred act!

It's the forbidden forest!

[elder 2] She will stay in the forest without food

until she finally dies of starvation,

as Kurunokami did 700 years ago.

What are you talking about, hag?

[villager 1] Come to think of it,

it was you who decided to sacrifice her mother too.

Wasn't it, Yoshimune?

-That can't be true, Father. -Hey! Let's sacrifice her.

-[♪ tense music playing] -[young Masamune] Stop it.

No! Stop! Don't do it!

Stop… Stop! Stop!

[villager 1] Lift her up!

Stop… Stop it!

-[villager 2] Let's go, people! -[villager 3] Go, go!

[young Masamune] This isn't right! Stop it!

-[young Gin laughing] -Father! This is wrong, Father!

You're all wrong! Stop it!

Gin! Gin!

I won't die!

I'll make all of Kuge Village mine!

[young Gin laughing]

[yells] I'll kill you all!

[laughing continues]

It's my turn to devour you!

[laughing continues]

[laughing continues]

[laughing fades]

[chanting in distance]

[chanting growing louder]

[huffing in distance]

[chanting continues]

-[♪ ominous music playing] -[huffing continues]

Who are you?

No one, for now.

Are you the Kashihabe?

[scoffs]

You are the Kashihabe, aren't you? The ones who eat people.

[♪ music intensifies]

[♪ closing theme music playing]

Translated by Douglas Jern