Original subtitles

Bring him here! Call a doctor!

Don't bother. He's breathed his last.

That makes four.

Kushibe was one of Aizu's finest, and they still got him.

What now? We can't keep ignoring this, Hirosawa.

Isn't there something we can do?

I know a way.

What?

We'll pit outlaw against outlaw. Bring me...

the Miburo.

Blue Miburo

Nio sure is dedicated.

Hey, Isami-san! What're you up to?

Filling my lungs with Kyoto air.

What for, sir?

His Imperial Majesty resides in Kyoto.

And now, the shogun, Lord Iemochi, is also here.

I feel the air will enhance my samurai aura.

Samurai Aura

What's a samurai aura?

I like the way you think.

Taro-kun?

Serizawa-sensei has an important announcement to make.

Serizawa-san does?

Again? Do you think something went wrong?

I wonder.

Oh, there he is.

He's in a good mood?!

E-Excuse me, sir. Did something good happen?

Something good? As if you don't know.

As I'm sure Sir Kondo has already told you,

The Aizu Domain has extended a formal offer to enlist the Mibu Roshigumi.

Now, it's time we all paid the lord of Aizu our respects.

Yes. That was the plan.

First I'm hearing of it!

You didn't tell us anything!

You always do this!

Aizu? That is good news.

But I wonder what the townsfolk will think.

Um, I'm pretty sure Aizu is well-liked in Kyoto.

Huh?

You mean it?

Everyone celebrated when an Aizu party came last year.

Granny, my sister, and I went out to the bridge to see them.

Oh! It's good to have a local!

You sure come in handy!

And Serizawa-sensei made this all possible!

There you have it.

Excuse me, but please wait a moment.

Sir Yamanami? What's wrong?

I'd like to be clear. Do you mind?

Ask away.

Kyoto is still caught in a storm of sonno joi sentiment.

We all know that.

Um...

Hm?

Excuse me, Yamanami-san.

What is "sonno joi"?

You mean you don't even know that?

I hear the words often, but I don't really understand them.

It's a good question.

"Sonno" is reverence of the Emperor here in Kyoto.

"Joi" expresses the sentiment that we should expel foreigners who disturb our country.

I see.

So "sonno joi" basically means "respect His Imperial Majesty and keep foreigners out."

But wait, doesn't that mean most people want sonno joi?

What are you talking about?

Well spotted.

Yes. That's exactly the problem.

Huh?

You see, sonno joi comes in many forms.

Sonno joi

Anti-shogunate

Choshu

Pro-shogunate

Aizu

For example, Aizu is pro-shogunate.

They revere the Emperor and want to expel barbarians while siding with the Shogun.

We came here for the same reason.

Sonno joi

Anti-shogunate

Choshu

Pro-shogunate

Aizu

The Choshu, meanwhile, advocates sonno joi while staying anti-shogunate to the core.

Their view has the strongest influence in Kyoto now.

Anti-shogunate? So some people don't want the Shogun in charge,

and that's their idea of justice?

I wish we could all just get along.

Yes, so do I.

But their beliefs aren't the issue.

The problem is that some will do anything, even kill, to bend the world to their vision.

The townspeople are honestly sick of them.

We have to bar our doors and windows in fear, even on hot summer nights.

We just want to walk where we like and be happy.

So why?

Why does only our city have to suffer like this?

The current emperor dislikes foreigners.

People want to take advantage of that.

Huh? That's the whole reason?

Lord Tokugawa Iemochi has already ensconced himself in Kyoto's Nijo Castle.

Rumor has it the extremists plotting his death number 500 or more.

W-Wait, 500?

Yeah? So what?

So my question is: are you prepared to risk your lives?

We're ronin! Easy to use and abuse! Aizu sees us as no more than sacrificial pawns!

And we won't like every job they give us!

Of course we'll get their dirty work!

Can you still put your lives on the line? Well?!

H-Has he got a split personality?

Am I ready to die? Really ready?

Can I say for sure that I won't lose my nerve in the face of death?

I can!

Kondo-san!

Sounds like fun. I say we all join in.

Okita-san!

You waited till now to ask?

Yes. There's only one road ahead.

We're with you.

Damn right we are.

Anyone who can't say that wouldn't be here.

Men, follow me.

So much for trying to rattle them.

No. This is what I've been waiting for.

I knew these guys were cool!

I'm with you, too!

Huh? Then, um, so am I, if you'll have me.

We, the Mibu Roshigumi, share one purpose: to defend Kyoto!

March.

All right! Let's go!

It itches. Why's it so scratchy?

Come on, Hijikata-san. We need you to walk tall like Kondo-san.

Quiet, Soji.

Think we'll get some choice grub?

Everyone's excited to meet a big shot like the lord of Aizu, huh, Hajime-kun?

Idiots.

Huh?

It doesn't matter who we serve as long as we live like samurai.

Am I wrong?

Commissioner of Kyoto Lord Matsudaira Higo-no-Kami of Aizu

So this is Aizu's headquarters in Kyoto? That's some mansion.

Enjoy yourselves, sirs.

Aren't you coming in, Taro?

Dressed like this? How could I?

Forget him. We don't want him pissing anyone off, anyway.

Hm...

Then I won't go, either. Let's wait out here together.

Well, you are a kid.

He is a kid.

He sure is.

Huh?

Wow. What pretty stones.

Are you nuts? Don't play with them.

Just look at them. I wish I could show these to Granny and Iroha.

Don't you dare take them!

Why do I have to stay out here, too?!

Huh? What are kids doing here?

This compound belongs to Matsudaira Katamori.

You can't just wander in uninvited.

Look at his hair.

It's the Golden Pavilion!

Oh, this? My ma came from foreign parts.

I hear my pa got an Englishwoman with child.

She went back to her own country, though.

You must be lonely.

Don't you want to go visit your mother?

Not even a little.

My family are big-name fabric dealers.

Every day is bustling, and everyone's nice to me.

And above all, I like this city.

I've got everything I could want.

I've come to pay my respects because we received an order for a new kimono.

Bah! This rich kid hasn't suffered a day in his life. Who asked for his life story?

We're here at the invitation of the Aizu Domain.

We're the Miburo... members of the Mibu Roshigumi.

Oh, the Miburo? I've heard of you.

A bunch of rowdy ronin from Edo that nobody here can stand, right?

No, that's a bit of a misunderstanding.

We're really working to make Kyoto a safer place.

Really? I had no idea.

Still, if they've called in tough samurai, it must be because of you-know-what.

What do you mean?

Oh, never mind. Forget I said anything.

Anyway, it takes a special kind of person to come guard somebody else's city.

Young master, we should be going.

Oh, you're right. We'd better head back.

My family runs Tsuruya on Nijo-dori. We get all sorts there.

Huh? Oh, okay.

My name's Seto. Come see me if you're ever in the market for information.

Bye.

My name's Nio. See you, Seto-kun.

He was pretty friendly, don't you think?

In what universe?

He had a faint scent blood on him.

Raise your heads.

I am Matsudaira Katamori, Commissioner of Kyoto and Lord of Aizu.

By order of the Emperor and the Shogun,

I have come from my domain to keep the peace here in our capital.

Sir.

You did well to travel here from Edo to defend the Shogun.

Sir.

We...

We came from Edo with 234 brave men.

Yet Kiyokawa Hachiro, who proposed the plan, contrived to turn most back to Edo.

Only 15 of us remained.

The storm of sonno joi has raged since the coming of the Black Ships.

A foreigner was cut down at Namamugi last year,

and here in Kyoto, assassins kill in the name of "heaven's justice."

We wish only to defend Kyoto as you do, my lord.

Yet we came with nothing but our conviction.

To our shame, with no stipends of our own, we now presume on the Yagis' kindness.

We hope to offer our utmost not in passing, but in perpetuity.

He wrote the whole speech on his hands.

Thus, we have come to beg Your Lordship for support.

If I had my way, I'd go home to a peaceful life in Aizu this instant!

This is a temple, a place for Buddhas.

I'll tell no lies here, so be frank with me as well.

I want to become a samurai in body and soul!

I want to fight strong guys!

I want to laze around all day!

I wish to master the blade!

I want women to throw themselves at me!

I want to get ahead!

I want to eat the finest food!

I want to debate as many people as I can!

You all dream small!

What delightful fellows!

My lord.

Hm? You there.

Tell me what you really want.

I have nothing to hide.

Kondo's speech summed up my thoughts.

I want to sweep the trash from this city, nothing more.

What a man!

That's our Hijikata-san.

Hey! Quit it!

Very good. I like you.

What a funny lord.

Gentlemen of the Roshigumi, I have something I'd like you to see.

Follow me.

Who's this?

The fourth Aizu man cut down on the street.

Every victim had his eyes ripped out, as you see here.

Why would anyone do that?

He relayed the killer's words to us just before he passed:

"Are you Aizu dogs blind? The five of us will see heaven's justice done."

I have a request.

Please hunt down these five devils,

and send them to their graves.

Their eyes?

How could anyone do something so awful? They'll pay.

First, we need information.

What they look like, when they strike, how they operate, anything.

Information...

Do you have an idea?

Oh, no, nothing definite.

Tell us.

The kid knows?

Are you serious?

A child?

Y-You can't trust that guy. Especially his looks.

No, we shouldn't judge him by his appearance.

Well then, Nio-kun, we'll leave that to you boys.

Yes, sir.

C-Count me out!

We're wasting time.

I know the enemy will target me.

All I need to do is take a walk, and they'll come to me.

H-How can you be so sure?

How?

Because anyone can see that I, Serizawa Kamo, am a force to be reckoned with!

They can't ignore me.

Taro-kun, do you have a moment?

Yes, sir.

What will you do, Hajime-kun?

He said Tsuruya on Nijo-dori, right? What are we waiting for?

Wow, what a surprise.

I never imagined you'd come straight here today.

Sorry for barging in on you so suddenly, Seto-kun.

Oh, it's no trouble.

I can't offer you a quiet place to talk, though.

This is a nice shop.

Sure is, although it's getting long in the tooth.

The walls are plastered. Pretty color, don't you think?

No, I didn't mean that.

This is what you call "storefront sales," right?

You set out your wares in front of the shop and let your customers choose.

They're so colorful that they feel excited just coming here.

You sure know a lot.

I learned by helping out at my granny's dango shop.

It's called Chirinuya. Have you heard of it?

Yup, I know the place.

Every customer here looks genuinely happy.

They're all engrossed in picking what to buy.

So if you ask me, this really is a nice shop.

Thanks. I'm glad to hear you say so.

I thought all you Miburo came from Edo.

All the grownups did,

but we three kids were born in Kyoto.

Oh, so that's it. That makes us four of a kind.

Now, let me guess.

You're here about the murdered Aizu samurai.

Yes.

It started after the lord of Aizu moved in.

Someone killed a samurai on his way home from Shimabara and took his eyes.

There has to be a grudge behind it.

A grudge?

That's no excuse, though.

Whatever their reasons, they've gone too far.

Yes.

Huh. That's a surprise.

I figured you'd get angrier.

Really? I mean, I am angry, of course.

You don't look it.

Is that all?

Oh, I know where the killings happened, too.

On this map... it'd be around here.

I see. They're mostly near the Kamo River.

We're wasting time. I'm leaving.

Anyway, it's a real mess.

Huh?

I shouldn't have to tell you three, but this city's in bad shape.

People are flocking here from all over.

Choshu or Aizu, extremists or Miburo, it's all the same.

They're all outsiders.

Hey, what do you say we chase them off?

Cockroaches, every one of them.

I'll work with you to keep this city safe.

Thank you. But...

I only hope that's enough to bring peace to the city.

Yes.

So do I.

He said we'd better go this way, since it's getting dark.

What did you think, Hajime-kun?

Hmph. What did you think?

Well, Seto-kun's pretty fishy.

When did you catch on?

Well, from the start.

The way he was talking, it felt like he was leading us along.

Seeing him again made me sure of it.

He's suspicious.

Right.

Should we kill him?

Hm...

No. I'd like to have one more honest talk with him.

You never make any sense.

You think so?

An umbrella.

Will he strike?

It's a good thing we had our guards up.

We may be kids, but we're not easy prey.

I pity you children.

United

in Purpose

Next time

Saito Hajime here.

I was out with Nio when we ran into the guy behind the killings.

Who the hell is he, anyway?

His first strike proves he knows how to use a sword, but that's it.

There's no backing out now. Our only choice is to fight.

Let's get him, Nio!

Next time: "To Each His Own Justice."

Don't you dare miss it.

To Each

His Own Justice