01x03 - Episode 3

[bunniefuu]

{an8}THE TAKEMIYA STYLE
IZUMI RESIDENCE

{an8}- [young Saeko panting]
- [door opens]

[faint rustling]

- [floorboard creaks]
- [young Saeko] Huh?

Juzo, is that you?

[thunder rumbling]

[unsettling music playing]

[belt buckle clanking]

[gasps]

Juzo...

[robber] Huh?

[music intensifies]

[yells]

[robber grunts]

[door clatters]

- [knife slashes]
- [robber grunts, yells]

[groans]

[breathing angrily]

[tense music playing]

[whimpers]

[music fades]

[Saeko breathes shakily]

[opening theme music playing]

[music halts]

[Ranbo] It's causing quite
a bit of havoc, isn't it?

Your inner beast.

[Fujimaki] Master Ranbo...

I...

It happened again, and I

fought someone.

Four years ago.

I'll admit, you surprised me
when you showed up on my doorstep.

I was pleased
that you actually remembered this old man,

some fool you'd met once
at Master Izumi's house.

Master Izumi said,

"I think that monk
is the exact opposite of what we are."

I'm not surprised.

Anyway, take a thorough look

at your inner beast.

[Baba] f*ck!

I heard someone stole a boat last night.

The cops were saying that one disappeared
from the north quay.

Ah, that hurts.

My guess? Fujimaki.

I bet he took it straight to the mainland.

[Baba] So we just got here,
and we're already leaving?

What a waste of time.

Plus, we didn't find Fujimaki,
and we got our asses kicked.

Don't remind me.

Man, that guy was tough.

[faint rumble]

[Yamamoto] Yeah. I wonder who he is.

[Baba breathes deeply]

Don't know, but Master Shozan did warn us

that we wouldn't be able
to win in a real brawl

against the wildest,
toughest guys out there.

He really said that?

Damn.

He was right.

[waves crashing]

[faint thudding]

[Joze groans]

[Joze] f*ck!

[Joze breathing heavily]

- [exhaling swiftly]
- [whooshes]

[gasps]

[Joze groans]

- Uh... [yells]
- [body thuds]

Ow!

Ugh!

Damn, man.

Why the hell can't I land a hit?

Try using your head.

{an8}It's Shukuchi,
which means "reducing the ground."

{an8}It's a footwork found
in various ancient martial arts.

{an8}[Joze clears throat] Ancient martial arts?

All right, old man.

Who the hell are you, really?

Just an old man
who researches ancient ways.

What are you getting out of all this?

You could've just handed me over
to the police.

Why do so much for me?

Chill out.

All that matters is you're safe.

Now, just take care of the life
you got away with,

kiddo.

"Kiddo"?

Sensei, mind if I use your fridge?

Oh, and where is Makio?

[Ranbo] Don't know.

Think he might've gone to the hill again.

Ah, thanks. I'll check there.

See ya later, Joze!

[footsteps fade away]

That guy Makio...

What is he,

your apprentice?

Nah.

You two are actually more alike
than you realize.

He's like a fallen leaf
that got blown away

and ended up landing here.

[Joze] A fallen leaf...

Me and that man...

[Fujimaki exhales rapidly]

[grunts]

- [whooshes]
- [loud thud]

[exhales]

[girl] Makio!

[Fujimaki] Huh?

Hey, Miyuki.

[Miyuki] Here ya' go. Sustenance.

Thank you.

[Miyuki] Those Karate guys
and the policeman are gone.

Huh?

All it took was me telling them
I thought a boat was missing.

Easy as that.

[Fujimaki] Ah, I'm sorry.

- I got you into trouble again.
- [Miyuki] Don't be silly.

Getting into trouble
is the kind of relationship we have.

Hey, I meant to say

I'm glad you made your way back here.

Man, I thought I'd never see you again.

Um, "Makio" isn't my...

Want me to use your real name?

[Fujimaki sighs]

[Miyuki] Nah.
For me, you'll always be Makio.

Ever since Master Ranbo
introduced you to me...

Wow, four years ago.

[inhales]

Crazy how time flies, huh?

[man laughing] Come on, Miyuki.

Jeez, Hayashi. You're really drunk.

Huh?

Why don't you come here, huh?

- [Miyuki] Hey, get your hands off me!
- [Hayashi continues laughing]

[Hayashi] Oh! Are you kidding?
You spilled beer on me!

Hey now, that was your fault.

[Hayashi] What? You b*tch!

- You think you're special?
- [loud slap]

I'm not afraid of some mafia wh*re
who lost her protector.

- Come here, you brat!
- [Miyuki shrieks]

- [Miyuki] Let me go!
- [Hayashi laughing]

Cut it out.

Eh?

[scoffs] You looking for a fight?

[Fujimaki] No. I won't fight a man.

[Hayashi] Huh?

[sucks teeth] Come on, man.
You think I'm gonna fall for that sh*t?

- [bones crunch]
- [Hayashi grunts]

[groans]

What the...

[groans, chuckles nervously]

Y... You sure are sturdy, mister. [laughs]

I'll... I'll let you go now.

Put it on my tab, will you, sweetie?
[continues laughing]

[door opens]

- Um, thanks for that.
- [door shuts]

Are you okay? You're bleeding.

Could you tell me...

A man named Master Ranbo...

Is he here?

Huh?

[Ranbo] I remember you.

You lived with Master Izumi, did you not?

Your name was, uh, Fuji...

Fujima...

Oh! It was Makio, wasn't it?

[Miyuki] Okay.

So your name's Makio?

Nice to meet ya.

[gentle music playing]

{an8}[sighs] I thought
you were gonna stay forever.

{an8}[birds tweeting]

Makio, why...

why did you come back here?

[Joze grunts]

[Joze] Ah sh*t!

- [Joze yells]
- [body thuds]

f*ck!

I can't land a hit!

Is that right?

I think if you really tried,

little, old me wouldn't stand
a chance against you.

[Joze groans]

{an8}- [Joze] Are you saying...
- [panting]

{an8}...that I'm not taking
this seriously enough?

{an8}I'm saying I'm not letting you
attack me seriously.

{an8}[Joze] What?

[Ranbo] Wouldn't you be a real scumbag

if you properly attacked
a defenseless old man like me?

[scoffs] Cut the sh*t, baldy.

Think about it.

If I turn my head,

you'll get the sense that
I'm not willing to fight you.

And then you automatically begin
to pull your punches.

{an8}It's instinctive.
You know you can't control that.

{an8}[Joze] But why do I keep missing you
when I'm always looking at where I hit?

[Ranbo] Ah, that's because
you're aiming for the void,

the void I created.

What?

You'll understand it one day.

[Joze grumbles] Make me understand it now!

I wanna fight someone
who's much, much stronger.

I can't teach you the skills you need
to fight a strong opponent.

I'm teaching the skills you need

to avoid fighting altogether.

{an8}[Joze] Come on!

{an8}Cut that patronizing sh*t
and teach me the move!

{an8}Teach me that whole
bing-bang-boom thing you did.

{an8}Come on, I wanna learn it now!

[Ranbo sighs]

[Miyuki] You're still at it?

Guys, that's enough!

Food's ready! Come eat your lunch!

[birds tweeting]

Doesn't food taste better
when you eat with everyone?

[Ranbo] I haven't eaten
with this many people in a long time.

Feels like a family, right?

It's like you're my little brothers.

- [Fujimaki grunts softly]
- Your little brother?

Yep, your sister cooked this herself.

You should appreciate it.

Cooked?

It's a hot pot.

It's not hard.

[Joze slurps]

It is good, though.

[both grunting]

[trainee 1] Man,
Tamon's in crazy good shape.

If anyone is bound
for the Olympics, it's him.

- [trainee 2] What do you want?
- Huh?

[trainee 2] What? You wanna challenge us?

Huh?

Mr. Tamon!

- [Tamon] Hmm?
- [young Fujimaki] Mr. Fuhito Tamon!

[unsettling music playing]

[Tamon] That's me.

Who are you?

Juzo Fujimaki of the Takemiya School.

Would you practice with me?

You're an interesting fellow.

Want to fight?

A brawl.

[trainee 1] Seriously?

[trainee 3] He must be insane!

[Tamon] All right.

[Fujimaki grunts]

[Tamon exhales]

[Fujimaki grunts softly]

[dramatic swell]

[loud slosh]

- [trainee 1] Whoa, Tamon!
- [Fujimaki] sh*t...

[trainee 3] Tamon!

Your master would be disappointed.

[Tamon whimpering]

Will he be angry with me

practicing the Tiger King here
without permission?

[dramatic swell]

{an8}Tiger King.

[birds tweeting]

[bell tolls]

Huh?

Excuse me!

You're Miss Saeko Izumi, aren't you?

Huh?

I was...

I am heading to visit your home.

I'm Tsutomu Himekawa
of the Hokushinkan school.

Of Hokushinkan?

I see.

I was meditating,
looking at the cherry blossoms,

because when I face a true martial artist
I admire in the flesh,

my heart flutters like crazy.

[bird squawks]

[Izumi] Is that so?

Ichiro Shino lost to Fujimaki?

Yes, and around that same time,
a challenger came to Shino's dojo

and defeated the senior student.

Fujimaki wasn't the challenger
in that fight,

but the optics...

It looks like the challenger
is also the one who defeated Shino.

Who was the challenger?

[Himekawa] He said
his name was Bunshichi Tanba.

Yes. I've heard of that guy.

He sent me a letter
challenging me to a fight.

As it is, some of the Hokushinkans
have come to know of Fujimaki's act.

Some of them are so agitated that
they're looking for him to get revenge.

You came all this way to tell me that?

No, my errand is about another matter.

The head of Hokushinkan, Shozan Matsuo,

is attempting to revolutionize
the martial arts scene.

Revolutionizing it?

That's your goal?

[Himekawa] Yes.

We at Hokushinkan

are now organizing
a large-scale tournament

for different schools of the martial arts.

We'll invite fighters
of various schools and styles

from all over the country

in order to decide the one true champion.

Matsuo insists

that three men, and only three men,
deserve the title

"the strongest martial artist
in the world."

[dramatic sting]

One of them is, of course,
Shozan Matsuo himself.

The second one is a pro wrestler,
Great Tatsumi.

And the third man is you,

Master Soichiro Izumi
of the Takemiya School.

He said he wanted to settle,
once and for all,

which is the world's
most powerful martial art,

Takemiya or Hokushinkan.

I understand.

One condition.

{an8}There is someone I must fight
before I can accept your invitation.

{an8}[dramatic sting]

Mr. Himekawa,

could you do me a favor
and become my practice partner?

- Saeko!
- Uh...

Yes?

I'd like to introduce a houseguest
who will stay with us for a while.

Mr. Himekawa.

[Saeko gasps]

I want you to look after him
while he's here.

Uh, okay.

[Himekawa] Thank you for your hospitality.

[footsteps tapping rapidly]

[Fujimaki exhales]

[panting]

[Fujimaki exhales]

{an8}[inhales deeply]

{an8}[birds tweeting]

[gentle music playing]

- [young Saeko] Hey, Juzo!
- [gasps]

Don't you dare slack off!

[young Fujimaki] Hey, kiddo.

[gasps]

[Saeko] You ripped your sleeve!

Just gimmie a sec.

- [sighs]
- [faint clattering]

[Saeko] Don't move, okay?

I wanted to ask, will Father adopt you?

What?

Only a son can inherit Takemiya.

Your father,

he said times have changed,

and that I'd be allowed
to study as his apprentice.

You know, Father has always told me

that I should marry only
the strongest man in the world.

The strongest, huh?

And if the strongest man is you,

I don't think I'd mind that.

[gentle music playing]

[Fujimaki exhales swiftly]

[breathing heavily]

[gentle music continues]

[Fujimaki grunts]

[Fujimaki exhales]

[footsteps approach]

[Joze] I've heard...

you and I are kind of in the same boat.

Is there a beast inside you too?

I came back here to make it quieter.

[Joze] Well, how about we see
who has the stronger inner beast?

Right now.

[knuckles crackle]

I'm not fighting anyone.

Sorry.

[Joze sighs]

Damn, that's a shame.

Man of your talent,
keeping it all buried out here.

Maybe so.

Could say the same about you.

[Joze] Isn't memory

like some kind of a curse?

It just tortures you forever, doesn't it?

I was just ten

when my mom got sick and died.

My dad, who was an amazing boxer,
took me in.

[birds tweeting]

I went on a bunch
of tours abroad with him.

Man, that was... that was a good time.

[faint cheering]

I went pro when I was 17.

We had some publicity.

The father-son pro duo.

But then,

on one of our tours,
we had a run-in with a drunk thug.

He went after my dad with a knife

and stabbed him to death.

[pensive music playing]

After that, I went through a lot.

But...

I never missed a training session,
no matter what happened.

And then a new opportunity came along.

When I was eighth in the world ranking,

I was offered a title match.

It all started with such a trivial thing.

I got into an argument in a random bar.

I wasn't gonna fight the guy, but...

that b*stard whipped out a knife.

Before I knew it, he was covered in blood.

When I see red, something flips in me,
and I lose control of myself.

That one fight ruined everything for me.

Just like that.

- [Fujimaki] Listen.
- Hmm?

The second you tense up
any single part of your body,

you're telegraphing your next attack
directly to your opponent.

So, do the opposite.

You gotta relax.

Huh?

[Fujimaki] You shift
your center of gravity,

and relax your knee
in order to move your foot.

Then you can move quickly
without preliminary actions,

and your moves become unpredictable.

Huh?

What's wrong?

Didn't you want to learn
how to do Shukuchi?

[chuckles]

[Joze] Could you, uh, tell me that again?

[helicopter blades whirring]

[helicopter engine revving]

[sighs]

[inhales] Hey.

What do you think is the most powerful
martial art in the world?

Huh?

[Joze] It's fun to learn the moves
of other martial arts, but...

I believe...

- [footsteps tap]
- [rapid whoosh]

...not much can outclass a boxer.

[Fujimaki chuckles]

[assassin 1] Hey.

So you are Juzo Fujimaki, aren't you?

Why are you asking?

Shut your trap, dickhead!

Not exactly polite, are ya?

Back off!

[Joze] So, you really think
you can take me on?

Let's do this.

- [footsteps tap swiftly]
- [gasps]

Screw you, man!

Back atcha!

[assassin 3 grunts]

[tense music playing]

[grunting]

[Joze] He has a long reach.
Makes it hard to time my move.

[assassin 1] Hey. [grunts]

[both grunt]

- [assassin 2] Mmm. [gasps]
- [Ranbo] Oi!

Two-on-one's no fair, you know.

[tense music continues]

[assassin 2 grunts]

[groans]

[retches]

- [dramatic whoosh]
- [assassin 3 grunts]

- [Joze grunts]
- [body thuds]

Oh!

- He used the Shukuchi method.
- [loud thud]

Hmm?

[sharp swell]

[assassin 1 grunting]

[groans]

[grumbles]

[grumbles]

- [grunting]
- [neck crackling]

[exhales, grunts]

Wait, Makio!

- [exhales]
- [music halts abruptly]

[Fujimaki exhales]

[Fujimaki grumbles]

[Fujimaki] Master Ranbo...

As I thought,

I can't give up the Takemiya School.

Not yet.

[Miyuki] Makio, wait!

[footsteps approach]

[panting]

[Fujimaki] Miyuki...

[continues panting]

I can't stay.
I have business to finish on the mainland.

I'm sorry.

Go where you need to go.

I just hope

that someday soon,

you'll get the recognition you deserve.

[Fujimaki sighs]

[footsteps slowly fade]

[closing theme music playing]

[yells]

[Fujimaki] Joze...

[blades whirring]

[whirring building]

[whirring halts]