Original subtitles

The famous battle in Kawanakajima in September 10, 1561 (Eiroku 4),

The famous battle in Kawanakajima in September 10, 1561 (Eiroku 4),

was a showdown between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin.

It is also known as one of the most tragic battles in Japanese history.

The showdown took place in a field of 2 square kilometers.

A total of 33,000 soldiers fought for nine hours.

After the battle, there were 8,000 dead bodies.

The Takeda army lost 4,600 out of 20,000 soldiers,

which was 23% of it's strength.

The Uesugi army lost 27%, 3,500 soldiers.

Suppose the number of injuries were the same as deaths.

The casualties must have been almost half of the entire strength.

By comparison, during Japan's most famous battle in Sekigahara,

the Eastern army lost only 4% of its soldiers.

Despite its great number of deaths, the Takeda army stayed in Kawanagajima.

Various theories have been put forward for the result of this battle.

However, both armies sacrificed so many lives for it.

TAKEDA SHlNGEN

Episode 29: Victory and Defeat

Screenplay by: TAMUKAl Seiken

Original Story by: NlTTA Jiro

Music by: YAMAMOTO Naozumi

Translation and Subtitles by Koala Fansubs in cooperation with Kame Fansubs

Narration by: WAKAO Ayako

CAST

Takeda Shingen: NAKAl Kiichi

Uesugi Masatora: SHlBATA Kyohei

Lady Sanjo: KONNO Misako

Satomi: DAlCHl Mao

Takeda Yoshinobu: TSUTSUMl Shinichi

Otsune: KOMURA Hiro

Eri: lKEGAMl Kimiko

Obu Toramasa: KODAMA Kiyoshi

Baba Nobuharu: MlKl Ryosuke

Obu Saburobyoe: SHlNODA Saburo

Kosaka Danjo: MURAKAMl Hiroaki

Tachiki Sengen: YAZAKl Shigeru

Tora: SASAKl Sumie

Kurashina Saburozaemon: HAMAMURA Jun

Sanada Yukitaka: HASHlZUME lsao

Hara Toratane: SHlSHlDO Jo

Yae: OGAWA Mayumi

Producer: MURAKAMl Satoshi

Director: FUSE Minoru

My son, Harunobu, confronted Lord Uesugi Masatora.

It was the Battle of Kawanakajima.

First, Lord Uesugi Masatora was winning.

Later, Harunobu's side was winning.

However,

the battle wasn't over yet.

Reporting.

The Echigo army is crossing the river. We are chasing them.

Reporting.

The Echigo army has retreated to Zenkoji. They seem to be setting another camp.

Reporting.

To capture Uesugi Masatora, Sir Baba is asking you for permission...

...to set fire in Zenkoji Temple Town and to make a night raid.

Signal for retreat.

Go and see Baba right away.

Tell him, "Zenkoji is part of Kai now. Why do you want to burn our fief?"

"We won the battle."

"Don't chase them further. Retreat."

Taking 70% is a victory.

You shouldn't have a meaningless fight, just to take the remaining 30%.

Brother!

Brother!

Brother!

Brother!

Heigo...

Brother!

Heigo.

Heigo!

Heigo.

Are you all right?

Brother.

Heigo.

I thought you were dead.

Brother.

What's wrong with your leg?

I was shot by an arrow.

Can you walk?

I'll carry you.

Hold on tight.

It was a terrible battle.

Our friends and enemies are dead.

They are all dead.

Sir Yamamoto was slain, to save my life.

His head was taken.

I'll be honest with you.

There was no winner or loser in this battle.

To me,

Iosing my second son, Nobushige, was a great loss.

Least of all, many capable vassals, including Yamamoto Kansuke, were killed.

Even if it was for the sake of our province, I sincerely apologize for the loss of their lives.

You all did great!

It was a great victory for us!

Takada Shingen must have fully realized my power as the Kanto Region Deputy.

He will never invade my Echigo.

We should report our great victory throughout this country,

to let people know that Kai has declined in its strength.

Let's declare our victory at the top of our lungs.

Hip, hip, hurray!!

Reporting.

The Echigo army has started heading for the provincial border along the Chikuma River.

It is led by Uesugi Masatora.

What happened to their camp in Zenkoji Temple?

It has been dissembled.

Masatora.

So you are retreating.

Reporting.

Yesterday, we fought against the Echigo army in Kawanakajima, Shinano.

It was our great victory.

Great victory, huh?

The Takeda army carries all before it.

Congratulations, my lady.

Tears of joy. How precious.

The lord isn't injured, is he?

No.

Young Lord is all right, isn't he?

He is.

But,

I have something to tell you.

It was truly a deadly battle.

Sir Takeda Nobushige, Sir Yamamoto Kansuke and many vassals died in action.

Sir Nobushige... Yamamoto Kansuke...

How cruel battles are.

What...

...a sad victory it is.

In that case, Eri's boy must be the reincarnation of Sir Nobushige.

Excuse me.

Lady Satomi is here.

Good news.

Don't get up.

The lord's army had a great victory in Kawanakajima yesterday.

Tears of joy. How precious.

It is...

...truly auspicious.

She is a lucky baby.

She brought us a victory.

Let me hold the lucky baby.

Smells good.

Smells so good.

You brought great luck to the Takeda.

How radiant you are.

You'll make the lord so happy.

It was a fierce battle.

Those who are injured in the legs, go ahead and stretch your legs.

If you are having hard time sitting, leave and rest.

Today, we'll mainly talk about how we should clean up after the battle.

Don't force yourself to be here.

Hara Mino-no-kami (Lord of Mino).

You're injured all over your body.

Leave and rest.

Thank you for the kind words.

But this is nothing.

I don't want to watch you endure for pride.

In that case, just lie down.

I'm not enduring for pride.

How can I lie down in a place like this?

Now, let's talk about burials for those who died in action.

I am very sorry.

We won the battle, but...

...because of my thoughtless words,

Sir Nobushige, Yamamoto Kansuke and many other men were killed.

I'll slit my belly to apologize.

- It wasn't your fault. - No.

It was my fault.

Attacking the enemy's camp on Mt. Saijo from behind...

...and launching a pincer drive was a good tactic.

The enemy found our movements earlier than we expected.

Nobushige and Kansuke fought and died.

My 3,000 soldiers lost their lives in Kawanakajima.

Their deaths weren't supposed to be their faults.

They all engaged the enemy and died.

Never say something like that again.

That's disrespectful to them.

We must think about burials and rewards at the same time.

Difference in rewards always creates hatred.

Check carefully and give rewards fairly.

Deciding on rewards is harder than fighting battles.

Let see.

I have one more important thing to take care of.

It's about you, Yoshinobu.

During the battle, you disobeyed an order from the headquarters and created disorder.

According to the Takeda military's code of conduct, I must punish you.

If you have something to say, say it.

Let me humbly speak up.

As you said, l, Yoshinobu, disobeyed an order from the commander-in-chief.

My conduct caused the deaths of Morozumi Bungo-no-kami (Lord of Bungo) and Hajikano Denzaemon.

But,

the enemy started falling apart at that very moment. Our chance of winning was coming.

It is a general's job to find chances on the battlefields.

If Hajikano and the other men had followed my instructions,

they could have made a hole in the enemy's side.

When you saw the enemy falling apart, didn't you think it was their tactic?

My regiment started breaking the enemy up.

So the enemy didn't have time to use such tactics.

Well, even if...

...my regiment kept going, took Uesugi Masatora's head and brought us a victory,

would I still be accused like this?

You must win battles.

Observing the code of conduct for a loss is the lowest of the low.

Sun Tzu said, "On a battlefield, a general does not necessarily obey orders from the king."

Shut up!!

- I'll give you judgement!! - Excuse me, sire!!

The Young Lord just said something rude to you, sire, but...

-...he is making a point!! - Obu, stay out of this!

Young Lord!!

Please refrain!!

Oh, well. He is so young.

- Well... - Sanada! I'm telling something to Yoshinobu.

Sire.

I'm sorry but...

...we gathered here to talk about rewards today.

My people in Shinano are eagerly waiting for your words.

Sanada!! Quit saying 'rewards'. How despicable.

We gathered here to talk about how to bury the war dead.

Burials and rewards are two different things.

Sire.

You must make up your mind on rewards. Or our soldiers will start making noise.

Depending on the consequences, some might switch sides to the enemy.

You're the one who really wants to get the reward, aren't you?

What are you saying, Sir Hara!?

Calm down!

-How can I calm down!? -What did you say!?

I am the castellain for this Kaizu Castle.

Excuse me for interrupting you but...

...we captured about 200 injured enemy soldiers.

What should we do with them?

Taking them to Kai is a hassle, so we could just chop off their heads.

But we just had a bloody battle and nobody wants to kill more people.

That's why I would like to have your order, sire.

Obu Saburobyoe.

You don't need to ask him about trivial things like that.

Most of the prisoners are farmers.

You can send them home.

Go and see them with the Young Lord. And give them proper judgment.

Young Lord, please go with Obu.

We have plenty of work to do.

Come on, please go with him.

Come on!

Please.

Oh, well, well...

My old body hurts after battle.

I must retire soon.

A bit too late, isn't it?

Thanks a lot for your consideration.

But I haven't forgiven Yoshinobu for his arrogance.

Many men died because of him.

Nobushige, too.

If he shows selfish conduct again, I won't forgive him.

If that happens, I will surely order him to commit seppuku.

That night,

my son, Harunobu, had a high fever.

He felt a heavy, unusual tiredness deep inside his body.

I was having a dream.

Because you are tired, sire.

After such a fierce battle, everybody loses his strength.

You'd better go back to Kofu, take bath and rest for a while.

Tachiki.

People have so many thoughts.

They have dreams.

Then, hatred is formed.

Some have evil thoughts or suffer from suspicion.

But, when the heart stops beating,

all the thoughts disappear and peace comes.

As a doctor, what do you think of death?

Well...

I just studied how to save human life.

I'm not good at thinking about death.

How to save human life? So you know how to fend off death.

You must know about death to think about life.

You're absolutely right.

This castle is now...

...surrounded by the killed in action.

I heard 6,000 to 8,000 people died in total, both the enemies and allies.

If I hearken, I can hear the voices of dead people.

They are calling me.

Death must be something with a hole, say, a big pot with a hole.

No matter how much it calls for water,

it is never filled. It keeps losing water.

A ruined pot, if I may say.

I am about to have such a hole.

A ruined pot, huh?

Since you are still young, sire,

I guess death is still calling faraway from serenity.

But, to old people like me, death is like a neighbor.

What is it?

Tachiki.

Kill the light.

Sire.

Sire!

Stay alert.

There may be more of them.

Search high and low!

Guard the garden.

Bring the light!

Call Obu Saburobyoe over!

Why are we going? He didn't call us.

He'll doubt us, if we don't come.

Are you all right, sire?

Echigo spies found their way into here.

I am very sorry.

Tachiki shielded me and died.

What are you going to do with the prisoners?

I decided to send them home tomorrow.

Chop their heads off! All of them!

Throw their heads away on the provincial border with Echigo!

My son, Harunobu, finished burying the war dead.

Then, he hurried heading home.

Mom, we're home.

Look, we got paid.

More than one or two coins.

We got thirty.

Give it to me now.

Don't you say something to thank us?

We're wounded.

Hey, look.

Here, too.

Do you know what the other villagers got?

Mokichi, Goro and Matsu are dead.

Only a few made their way home with money.

Making a fuss with some wounds?

Hurry and give me the money.

You're taking it all?

You aren't giving me a single coin?

Shut up! Hurry!

Ouch!

You're hurting me!

We're wounded.

You really stink.

Go to river and wash up.

Look at you. So dirty.

Now, go and wash up.

If you stink, you'll never get married.

I'm not married, because you lie there with a rod.

If you can't move, why don't you just stay still?

If I stay still, you'll be rotten.

As long as I am like this, you can come home alive from battle.

You must thank me.

Stop squirming like badger's shit.

Go and wash up now.

I don't know what I am alive for.

Are we badger's shit?

We tried so hard to come home with money.

Geez, they never grow up.

May they never get lazy.

May they find fine brides.

Until then, stay calm.

You're right. She must be the reincarnated Nobushige.

He is fortunate because he was born again, even as a girl.

Good girl.

Good girl.

Heizo.

Come with me.

We've been waiting for you.

Good, so you're prepared.

Pardon me.

Please come in.

I'll stay here.

Heizo, come in.

Please.

Sir Yamamoto gave this to him as a keepsake.

Please accept.

He told the lord about Sir Yamamoto's achievements.

Formal messengers will be sent here soon from Tsutsujigasaki.

Heizo.

Tell them the last moment of Sir Yamamoto.

Um...

I'm not a good speaker...

Just tell what you saw.

Yes.

Um...

Sir Yamamoto...

...saved my life.

Well, not only my life.

If Sir Yamamoto weren't there, the Takeda might have lost.

We followed him to spy on the enemy.

But the enemy outsmarted us and started moving.

We had to let our allies know as soon as possible.

So we decided to run through the enemy camp.

Sir Yamamoto...

Sir Yamamoto...

...gave me the knife and said...

..."I'll stop them here."

"Hurry and report the news."

He said so...

And then...

He cut deeply into the enemy.

When I go to Kawanakajima next time,

I'll kill all the Echigo people.

I'll avenge...

...Sir Yamamoto.

We are very, very happy...

...for your great victory.

Congratulations, sire.

Our lord, Hojo Ujiyasu, is more than happy.

That is why he sent me over to congratulate you.

Boy, he was so fast.

You need to act promptly for auspicious occasions.

Uesugi Masatora of Echigo must have frozen his blood.

He will not cross the mountains for a while to come to the Kanto Region.

Therefore,

we believe now is the time for us to join hands together,

to drive Echigo's friends out of Kanto.

What do you think?

Sounds like Sir Hojo Ujiyasu is paying tribute to someone who is going to battle.

Oh, no.

He wants to congratulate you for your great victory first.

Going to battle in Western Kozuke is the next step.

As you already know, we just came home from Kawanakajima.

Especially,

after such a big battle,

it is hard for us to go to another battle.

Yes.

You are absolutely right.

However, we would like to beg you to change your mind and go to battle again.

This is a God-given opportunity.

Please, we beg you.

Very well.

I'll consider it very carefully with my vassals...

...and send a messenger several days later.

Several days?

I mean, two or three days.

Then,

I'll be waiting in Kofu until then.

Lord Hojo seems to be awfully anxious.

Out of the way!

Let me go!

- Let me go! - Please wait!

Let me go!

Please!

Please wait!

Out of the way!

Young Lord!

- Please not, Young Lord! - Let me go!

Young Lord!

Please don't!

I beg you!

Out of the way!

I won't run or hide.

He should punish me, if he wants.

Young Lord, please calm down.

The lord hasn't said anything like that.

Please go back!

I beg you!

You go back!

Don't you know how I feel!?

I have nothing to hide.

How can I do justice, in fear of punishment?

Young Lord!

Let me go!

Young Lord.

I won't run or hide.

How can I do justice, in fear of punishment?

No need to hold back!

I am Taro Yoshinobu. Just punish me!

We shall end here for tonight.

To Be Continued