Original subtitles

I'm glad to see you have recovered well.

My body has, yes.

Your body?

Tamon, what do you think a martial artist fears most?

It's himself.

His body that will inevitably age.

However hard you train, old age will come one day, without fail.

Even the most skilled of masters turn into ordinary men.

You understand what I mean, don't you?

Yes.

Maybe I shouldn't say this, as you're a police officer,

but martial arts is all about the skills you use to kill people.

If you've acquired such skills,

what use do they have in this day and age?

Well, that's...

A picture, piece of music, or poem will remain as a physical presence,

but skills we master as martial artists will not.

They'll disappear from our bodies without even being used once.

I wanted to put those skills to use,

so I fought those who challenged me to unofficial matches outside.

But I was hardly making use of my acquired skills the way I wanted to.

So did Fujimaki use his skills?

Throwing his opponent down onto a stone

and breaking his joint, while applying a lock...

That's the way of the Takemiya style.

Perhaps you already know,

but his parents were murdered by a robber.

But that's no reason to pardon a murderer.

Yes.

Regardless of the circumstances,

he should not have used the Takemiya style to kill a man,

on whom he had no reason to use it.

By the way, Master Izumi,

about the man who defeated you, Bunshichi Tanba...

Yes?

Don't underestimate the police.

We know.

My visit today is concerning Tanba.

I don't mean to say that we intend to arrest him.

We haven't received a victim report.

I just heard a rumor that he's back in Nara again.

Do you know anything about that?

He comes here from time to time.

He comes here? What on earth for?

To learn the Takemiya style.

And you're teaching him?

I was the one who offered.

However little, I wanted to leave a trace of the Takemiya style in Bunshichi Tanba.

I see.

Going back to what I was talking about, he came at the right time.

He is strong.

I was utterly defeated by a truly strong opponent.

He came just in time, before my skills turned to rust.

If Fujimaki finds out about this,

what will he do?

I don't know.

Even I have no idea what he'll do.

Something's different.

What?

What happened when you went back to Tokyo?

You can tell?

It's my intuition.

How scary of you.

You saw Fujimaki, didn't you?

Yes.

I watched him fight.

And?

He has formidable strength.

Who do you think is stronger, you or him?

Fujimaki!

What have you been doing?

Master.

Is it true that you fought and lost to Bunshichi Tanba?

It's true.

What will become of the Takemiya style?

The Takemiya style has always been inherited by one son. It will end with me.

End?

The Takemiya style is already a thing of the past.

I've been thinking so for some time.

Defeat has helped me make up my mind.

That's not true.

The Takemiya style is far more practical than any other martial art.

But... it lost.

That is...

That defeat belongs to you, not the Takemiya style.

Are you saying you're still fighting for the Takemiya style?

It would be a shame for the Takemiya style to disappear like this.

Please make me the heir of the Takemiya style.

It won't disappear.

The Takemiya style has been properly inherited

by you and those who came here to learn it.

Who are the others?

Shozan Matsuo was one of them,

and a young man named Tsutomu Himekawa from Hokushinkan

has got as much natural talent as you.

Himekawa...

And now, Bunshichi Tanba as well.

I see.

In that case, I'll test them to see how strong they are.

Test them?

Are you going to duel with them?

If necessary.

I guess I can't stop you.

That's right.

You have the eyes of a beast.

And another thing...

What is it?

It's about Miss Saeko.

If I beat them, please let me... ask her how she feels about me.

Fujimaki,

the Takemiya style and Saeko are different matters.

I know.

I just want to make it clear...

Mr. Fujimaki.

Saeko!

You're here, too, Himekawa?

Why?

Why did you come back?

After... you ran away that day.

I'm sorry.

At the time, I thought you blamed me,

as you stared at me with those eyes.

Not understanding what that look meant, I fled.

Ever since, I've been thinking about what your eyes were telling me.

And...

You understand now?

I came back

to make sure.

This man, Himekawa, and I are now together.

So now, I've got a reason to fight.

Can you win?

I'll make sure of it.

It was called KODOKU, right?

It was fun to watch.

Thank you.

For old times' sake.

By the way, Tsutomu Himekawa, the one who came with you...

How strong is he really?

Rumor has it that he has never lost before.

That fella...

He came to win against me.

To defeat Shozan Matsuo, huh?

So he lost and became your trainee?

Nope.

I just broke his arm. The fight still hasn't been settled.

He never said he conceded.

I wanted to make him so strong that he could defeat me.

Whatever for?

Isn't it obvious?

So I can fight someone with a shot at defeating me.

I see. A fight worthy of your strength.

You're as eccentric as ever.

That's why you can't have him.

You understand that, right?

You know, I can set up the stage for you.

Whatever I do, it has to be done on center stage,

with all our kind there, watching.

Do you plan to unleash all the beasts in the world?

Of course.

The next Hokushinkan Tournament is not a karate tournament.

It'll be an MMA tournament where anything goes.

What interesting guys you are.

What do you mean?

Great Tatsumi of the Oriental Pro Wrestling Company

is trying to do the same thing.

A mixed martial arts tournament, that is.

Yeah.

We're both competing to get fighters in our tournaments.

I hear he's got Bunshichi Tanba.

Our Johei Tsutsumi will also fight in that tournament.

They seem to be familiar with one another.

Of those who haven't decided to partake, one worth noting is...

You already know.

Juzo Fujimaki.

Here will do, right?

I figured you'd be here, Juzo Fujimaki.

How did you know?

Mr. Izumi told me.

Then let me get right to the point.

I heard you're learning the Takemiya style.

Let me see how good you are.

Then shall we begin?

You're trembling.

I just can't wait.

W-What's going on?

They're fighting!

Finished already, Tanba?

We've just leveled the playing field.

Now the real fight begins.

You got that right.

You used the Takemiya style on me!

I wanna try out what I've learned.

Here.

This is as far as we go.

Looks like it.

I enjoyed it.

See ya later.

We meet at last, Fujimaki.

I was sure you'd appear if I kept an eye on Tanba.

Mr. Tamon.

I know you've been after me.

Juzo Fujimaki, you are under arrest on suspicion of murder.

You can't arrest me yet.

There's someone I must defeat.

Me too.

Huh?

I've been chasing you just so we could fight again.

You may go only after you've defeated me.

But it won't be as easy as before.

All right.

I've got you.

Ko... ou...

Now the Fighting Explosion Special Match begins!

The assassin sent by Hokushinkan to The Oriental Pro Wrestling Company,

Johei Tsutsumi!

His opponent is Bunshichi Tanba!

He has conquered many dojos and caught the attention of Great Tatsumi.

This match happens to be karate against karate.

Without further ado, let the match begin!

Good.

What is this training for?

This will teach me to see a fist.

Whose fist?

Shozan Matsuo's.

I heard that the Master broke your arm.

Is that true?

It's true.

But now, there's another I must take on first.

Now, the neck next.

I know the extent of my skills.

I can't always stop at exactly the right moment.

On the contrary, it's a good thing that you make mistakes sometimes.

Here I go.

I-I'm so sorry! My foot slipped...

It's all right.

Did you... avoid that blow in just a split second?

One more time.

The Takemiya style...

KOOU

So Master Izumi taught Koou to Tanba also.

Perhaps to Himekawa as well...

Fujimaki,

your Koou might be countered.

Fujimaki, have you seen this?

This finishing move is the one you used to beat Oleg, right?

Yeah.

So you can't use this as your secret weapon anymore.

I don't care.

But I really appreciate you looking after me.

I'm sorry for the trouble.

Don't apologize for every little thing.

If you were a nuisance, I'd have left you in the cold.

THE FIRST EVENT

It's finally time.

Yeah.

I feel sorry for Great Tatsumi,

but our tournament will make the Fighting Explosion

go from a roar to a whimper.

Bunshichi Tanba stole the show in that tournament.

Did you see his Koou?

I did.

But it was a bit different from Fujimaki's.

The Takemiya style moves have various forms.

Koou is no exception.

When you get the opponent's chin between your feet and deliver a hit,

that's Koou.

Anyway, since Tanba stirred up so much excitement,

our impact will be that much bigger when we surpass it.

Have you got something up your sleeve?

Something up my sleeve?

I just think on the fly.

Saeko.

If Fujimaki and Himekawa fight each other,

who do you wish to win?

The stronger one.

TOKYO BIG ARENA HOKUSHINKAN TOURNAMENT

Welcome to the Hokushinkan Tournament!

Today's tournament will completely rewrite the history of martial arts.

First, unlike the existing Hokushinkan rules,

strikes to the head are allowed.

Throwing, choking, and joint locks are also permitted.

Well, Tatsumi beat me to it,

but you'll see which tournament is better with your own eyes.

Until now,

I've seen many martial artists fade away without ever showing off their skills.

That ends today!

Tonight, I've prepared a stage worthy of the strongest men in the world.

So now, I declare the Hokushinkan Tournament to be open!

Let's get it on!

HOKUSHINKAN TOURNAMENT

The winner is Nagata!

Nagata of The Oriental Pro Wrestling Company.

He's tough.

The winner is Himekawa!

The winner is Ikuta!

The winner is Kudo!

It's the semifinals already.

Out of the Hokushinkan lot, only Himekawa and Kudo remain.

The next one is pro wrestler Nagata against Kudo.

Nagata will win.

No way.

The winner is Nagata!

Yes!

He used...

Koou.

That was amazing, Himekawa.

So Himekawa's in the final, huh?

Who the hell are you?

It's the final at last!

Your opponent is a wrestler, but he seems pretty good at striking.

Hey!

This is the final!

Where the hell is Nagata?

Who the hell are you--

Hey! Get back here!

Here he comes!

He came...

That's not Nagata.

Who is he?

Things are starting to get interesting.

Nagata can no longer make it.

I can see that.

I am Juzo Fujimaki of the Takemiya style!

I am Juzo Fujimaki of the Takemiya style!

Tsutomu Himekawa, I challenge you

to a mixed martial arts match!

Subtitle translation by: Astrid Oliver