02x10 - Ansatsu no Yoru

[bunniefuu]

Brother… Father…

Is something the matter?

This is no place for a child.

I was playing hide-and-seek and got lost.

You certainly ran quite a long way.

Your father's villa is far off
in that direction.

Who are you?

My name is Takauji Ashikaga,
a vassal from the Shimotsuke province.

I heard there was quite a commotion
because Lord Takatoki,

the regent,
had lost track of his precious son.

And I somehow thought
you might be around here.

"Somehow thought"?

Come. Let us return to your family.

No. They'll get angry and ban me
from playing hide-and-seek.

I'd rather die than
not be able to run away anymore.

Why are you so fixated on running away?

Very well!

Then, if you're forbidden
from playing hide-and-seek,

I, Takauji,
shall secretly take on the role of "It"

without your father knowing.

I have good instincts.

No matter where you run, I will find you.

Really?

Yes!

Even to the depths of hell?

What? Hell?

My dream is to play a game of tag
with a real demon.

Let's do it together!

What a dangerous dream to have
at your age.

Okay? Promise me!

THE ELUSIVE SAMURAI

KINMUNE SAIONJI'S RESIDENCE

The day after tomorrow, two large banquets
will be held at the same time.

One will be at Saionji's residence.

A banquet where Mr. Yasuie
will assassinate the Emperor.

The other will be at Kusunoki's residence.

A banquet that
Takauji Ashikaga is certain to attend.

We will assassinate Takauji
at the same time

as Mr. Yasuie assassinates the Emperor.

That is my plan.

Even if both attempts fail,

we can still cause devastating turmoil
within the current regime.

I think it's worth trying.

k*lling Takauji, who leads the warriors,
would be more effective now

than k*lling the Emperor.

Father said that an assassination attempt
would not work against Takauji.

We shouldn't take unnecessary risks.

Yeah. I think getting the Young Lord
safely back to Shinano comes first.

What about you, brat?

Are you prepared to k*ll Takauji,
knowing the risks?

If I can meet him,

I have so many questions
I'd rather ask him than k*ll him.

Why did he betray the Hojo?

If I revealed that I'm still alive,

how would he look at me?

But…

Let's take a chance and try it.

Even if we fail, we've already scouted out
our escape routes.

We'll split into two groups.

Kojiro, Fubuki, and Genba,
you will attempt to assassinate Takauji.

Shizuku and Ayako,
your job is to help my uncle escape.

I'll go explain the escape route to Uncle.

My attempt to assassinate the Emperor
will fail?

FOR REAL?

So Yorishige kept this from me.

But Yorishige's foresight
is not always reliable.

GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK

I trusted him once before,
and paid dearly for it.

LET'S DO THIS

We won't know unless we try.

I know.

Once you make up your mind,
you never change it.

But we have horses ready
for you and Sir Saionji.

If it fails, please escape
under Shizuku and Ayako's guidance.

Understood.

And what will you do, Lord Tokiyuki?

Something has come up that I cannot avoid.

Don't worry.

Once we are done,
let us meet at the designated place.

Very well.

I must prepare thoroughly…

So that,
with at least something to show for it…

We can all escape back to Shinano.

DAY OF THE OPERATION [4 P.M.]

Something is going to happen
in this capital today.

I have a feeling it will.

Boy… He's not like those
who only imitate the look of Basara.

He's a country bumpkin,
but there's something hidden within him.

But why?

What's this ominous feeling?

IMPERIAL GUARD STATION [6 P.M.]

Well then, Mr. Yoshisada.

With security so poor,
please be especially wary of assassins.

You jest, Mr. Takauji.

There is no one bold enough
to k*ll Yoshisada Nitta!

At every turn, the Ashikaga are
giving orders to the Nitta.

Lord Yoshisada.

At this rate, it is as though you are
merely running errands for Takauji.

Your achievement in taking Kamakura
surpasses Takauji's!

Don't worry.

If he turns against us,
we'll just defeat him!

Let's eat!

Thinking about the future
will not fill our stomachs!

Our lord…

Cuts down every arrow in a volley,

and his bold command at Kamakura
will go down in history.

Full of spirit and sharp-featured,
he is the very model of a warrior.

But… you know?

Yeah.

You can see something beside his head
all the time, can't you?

I wonder why.

Somehow, I get the feeling
he has no idea what's going on.

[7 P.M.]

We will soon reach
Mr. Kusunoki's residence.

Yes.

That sly fox Kusunoki is dangerous,
if you ask me.

He's way sharper than Nitta
but he hides it behind an innocent act.

Don't be suspicious of others, Moroyasu.

He is a trusted ally
serving the same Emperor.

Thank you for your hard work
so late into the night.

Mr. Kusunoki.

You came out to meet us?

Why did you come to greet us in person,
Mr. Kusunoki?

I came to apologize for my oversight.

The earlier guests have more attendants
than expected,

and there is no room left for more horses.

I managed to secure a place
for your horse, Mr. Takauji, but…

Your retainers should follow them
to the horse tethering area over there.

But in that case…

My residence is just ahead.

I will personally see to your protection,
Mr. Takauji.

Hey, you! You are greatly underestimating
the Ashikaga Party.

Enough, Moroyasu.

We are the ones at fault
for arriving late to the banquet.

Let us go, Mr. Kusunoki.

Much obliged. Well then.

Kusunoki is more of a fool than I thought.

He is probably not accustomed
to hosting large banquets.

After all, he is merely
an upstart of dubious origins.

Hey, how much farther are we going?

This is quite a long way to go
just to tether the horses.

Huh?

Lord Kusunoki told us that
once we got around here,

Mr. Moronao would know
where to tether the horses.

Well, then.

What do you intend to do now?
Mr. Kusunoki, the impostor.

You there, hiding behind that pine tree!

You cannot take aim at me
unless you come out.

Takauji Ashikaga, offer up your life!

-Got you!
-Got you!

Whoa there.

He disappeared?

Are you the leader?

No! My face!

I suppose you're the child of a warrior
who perished around Kyo.

No wonder you were left
with nowhere to go and came to resent me.

But do not throw your life away.

Judging by your face…

You look about ten, if that.

Huh?

There are many enjoyable things.

Forget your resentment for a while
and learn about the world.

Someday, when you come to know
great joy in life,

that look of resentment should disappear
from your face!

Huh?

Huh?

You don't remember my face?

Have we met before?

My apologies.

I quickly forget the faces of people
with whom I have little connection.

You forget?

I only want to think of what lies ahead.

I leave it to my retainers
to remember what has already passed.

No, truly, I'm sorry! I mean no ill will.

This voice, this face, this touch.

I remember all of it.

And yet, this man…

-Huh?
-Why?

Why did you have to destroy Kamakura?

Why?

I don't really know myself.

All I can say is that, in the end,
it had fallen.

Is he saying

he destroyed it
without even really knowing why?

Oh, yes, child.

Can you compose poetry?
Can you play the flute? Can you dance?

What is this, all of a sudden?

If you serve as my favored page,
I will take care of you.

If you live prosperously in my service,

your dead family would be pleased,
would they not?

Yes, that would be good.

There are plenty of fine clothes
and delicious sweets.

Insolent wretch!

But I see.

Then I owe you an apology.

If you have come here to k*ll me,

then I suppose I must k*ll you.

My lord!

I didn't think
he was this much of a monster.

Utter evil without even realizing it!

A man who drives people mad and causes
their deaths simply by living innocently!

I must save my lord!

Fubuki!

No! We can't beat him!

Just as planned, don't push it!
We're getting out of here!

He… He's fast!

He's going to catch up to us.
If he catches us, we'll die!

Where are you going, Mr. Takauji?

The food for you will go cold.

Mr. Kusunoki, why are you here?

You were late arriving,
so I came out to meet you.

My wife kept insisting,

"It would be rude not to serve Mr. Takauji
his food piping hot!"

If I don't take you right away,
she will scold me again.

Please help me preserve my standing
in my own household!

It seems you are the real one this time.

I'm hungry now.
Let us enjoy your wife's cooking.

I worried the boy might
have overheard that conversation,

so I came to see what was happening.

I will help you only this once, boy.

I owe my present position to the Emperor.

If you become an enemy of the Emperor,
whom I owe so much,

then child or hero, I must defeat you.

My lord! Are you unharmed?

I am fine.

What about those children who ran off?

They were assassins.

Their methods were remarkably cunning
for children.

What? We must send men after them at once.

No, that will not be necessary.
It is in the past.

Rather than sending pursuers,
I would rather have sake and food.

You truly are fearless, Mr. Takauji.

Even talk of assassins
is just something to drink over.

That sly fox.

You're behind this, aren't you?

This man, loyal to the Emperor,
is extremely troublesome.

Eventually, he must be eliminated.

By the way, what is on the menu today?

We have your favorite udon, Mr. Takauji.

Yes!

Udon is a specialty
of our Shimotsuke province.

I wonder whether there is anyone in Kyo
who can make udon better than I can.

Don't make this a competition, Moronao.

Sir Saionji!

You are under arrest on suspicion
of plotting to assassinate the Emperor!

SAIONJI VILLA [7 P.M.]

It was not the Emperor
who came to the banquet,

but the force sent to capture him.

Yasuie Hojo and Kinmune Saionji's plot to
assassinate the Emperor ended in failure

after Kinmune's younger brother informed
on them.

OH CRAP

So it has failed. This is the end of it!

Let us flee, Sir Kinmune!

I will not flee!

Do not say that! Hurry!

Everything is ready for your escape,
and we are fully prepared to hide you!

Enough! Let go of me!

I am of the illustrious Saionji clan.

How could I place myself
in the care of barbarians?

I lost the wager.

One must pay the price of a lost wager,

whether highborn or lowborn.

I thank you
for helping me pursue my ambition, Yasuie.

You should continue
fighting your barbaric w*r as a warrior.

Farewell, Sir Saionji!

Sir Saionji.

It seems you are prepared.

ADVISORS TO EMPEROR GODAIGO
CHIKAMITSU YUKI - NAGATOSHI NAWA

Nawa, Yuki, Chigusa, Kusunoki…

Upstarts of such obscure origins that
one scarcely knows where they came from.

Your glory, dependent as it is
on the Emperor, will not last long.

A golden temple, eh?

I suppose I would have liked to see it.

Kinmune Saionji was captured and ex*cuted.

His lands were confiscated
by the imperial court.

Years later, the Ashikaga clan purchased
the site of this plot,

and Kinkakuji Temple was built there.

[8 P.M.]

Boy!

Mima.

Are you leaving already?

I'm sorry
I cannot even say a proper goodbye.

I truly enjoyed my time in Kyo with you.

Hey. We'll see each other again, right?

Someday, we will.

I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated.
I'm frustrated!

I was made
to endure humiliation after humiliation.

And I could do nothing.

I want to defeat that man.

I want to become stronger!

I never want to go near him again.

That was my mistake.

I never imagined
Takauji would be that formidable.

Don't get so down, Fubuki!

This attempt on Takauji's life
will throw Kyo into even greater turmoil.

Your plan worked the moment
we carried it out!

At our age, we were bound to lose.

But if one loss scares us off,
we're no warriors!

Someday, I'll definitely present his head
to my lord!

Kojiro…

It's when we're losing that
I'm most glad to have you with me.

Let's load the baggage.

Hey!

We safely reunited with Uncle
and began our escape toward Shinano.

Aw, man.

I wanted to keep having fun in Kyo.
If only Takauji weren't around.

Mima had such a lovely scent,
unlike anything I'd ever smelled before.

I wish I'd asked
what kind of incense it was.

It was so dazzling,
with everything you could want.

Kyo was fun, wasn't it?

Joy,

frustration,

and countless other things…
I learned so much.

I will never forget
what happened in this city.

I have returned.

You have experienced much in Kyo.

And now you look like a warrior
filled with fighting spirit.

While you were away,
our troops were fully prepared.

First, let us begin our strategy meeting
at once.

The time has come.

Let us begin the battle
to reclaim the realm.

- EPISODE 23 [1335]: MY BUDDHA, PART TWO

- Let's go!