01x13 - Episode 13

[bunniefuu]

For my upcoming performance
where I will take the same stage as Inuo,

I would like permission
to wear my first mask.

His first masked role...

Masks are the culmination of prayers
that have passed from person to person.

They embody the very prayers
of our predecessors.

Stages, costumes, props,
instructors, apprentices.

All of Sarugaku exists
to cultivate flowers.

Oniyasha.

No, Saburo Motokiyo Kanze.

On the occasion of your performance
on the same day as Inuo,

I give you permission to wear a mask.

Give yourself to it.

Sooner or later, a flower will bloom.

It doesn't have to be you
who reaches that point.

You may have limits.

However, humans are limitless.

The main building is quite beautiful.

I can already tell it will be fitting
of the name "Flower Palace."

And the celebration will happen soon!

It will be the height of magnificence,
brimming with cherry blossoms!

Kan?

Where are you going?

Continuing down this path
will only lead to isolation.

Even so, I'm going.

Touta.

Come on, time to get ready now.

Hijiri.

Want me to take him?

No, Lord Fuga is my responsibility.

Would you care to use your own legs, sir?

We always watched them
perform together, haven't we?

That's true.

Kids!

Calm down!

Ah! Look where you're going!

You see!

Ouch!

Apologize, Kisanta!

Ugh, shut up and don't touch me!

How aggravating.

You're in for a rude awakening when
people stop coddling you, little brat.

I've been eagerly waiting for this,
my dear Fujiwaka...

Ah, how elegant.

Nijo.

- Hm?

- I cannot thank you enough for your
generous support throughout the years.

I've been able to go places I never
would have been able to alone.

Fujiwaka?

Are we finally gonna see Inuo?!

There's so much excitement.

The most supreme flower...

let's see you make it bloom, Inuo.

Standing on such a grand stage...

fills me with gratitude.

Inuo!

Inuo! Inuo! Inuo!

His presence just commands attention.

It's almost unbelievable.

The crowd is going crazy
and there's only a single man on stage.

Inuo is it.

A flower stronger than any other.

You are the very one
I've been searching for.

No one else needs to be
on the stage now but me.

The crowd's still obsessing over Inuo.

What's Oni gonna do?

That's a hard act to follow.

Hey, look.

Ishiya...

You can do this.

Why is the chorus still standing?

Is that a girl playing the flute?

Thank you for coming today, everyone.

I live near the gate of
Ungo Temple in Higashiyama.

A well-known preacher has been called upon
to visit and collect donations for the temple.

Today is his last day.

Now then, let us hurry and bring him out.

Oh wow...

His first time wearing a mask!

Oni!

He's chosen to perform his father
Kan'ami's most prized work!

I present to you the preacher of
Buddha's law, Jinen Koji!

An evening sun of deep red,
covered by clouds.

The red vanishes in the blink of an eye,

and the moonlight illuminates us.

Now, I shall deliver the sermon.

What a lovely little visitor.

This child has a sutra
of lamentation with her.

Come child, this way.

I want you all to be part of
my performance at the Flower Palace!

Uh, are you serious?

But I'm a woman...

and Ishiya...

And this child isn't part of
the Kanze Troupe.

"With this kimono I traded for,

I wish to make an offering to Buddha."

This poor girl gave what little she had

to prepare this kimono as an offering,

not to seek prayers for her own afterlife,

but prayers for the souls of
her deceased parents?

The performing arts are always incomplete.

To protect our craft
and make sure it endures,

we must make changes.

That's why I want you to help me.

There she is!

The girl we bought in the capital!

Where has she been all this time?
Bring her here.

I'm on it.

I will connect the Kanze Troupe
dances with the future.

She's coming with us!

Wait!

This kid was ours first!

In order to do that,
I must try various different forms.

I want to preserve Sarugaku.

So it exists in a world so far away
that we can't even see it!

Chiharu.

Um... well, b-but...

I can't wait!

What?

I can't wait to be on stage.

Eh?

Oh... Gosh!

Okay, I'll do it! Fine!

I figured that girl must be
dealing with some hardship,

but being on the run from traffickers
is worse than I imagined.

She must have traded herself
in exchange for this kimono.

She was willing to pay the ultimate price
to console the souls of her parents.

Shall I go retrieve her?

I shall go.

I will make sure to bring her home.

But doing so will ruin your sermon.

This is the final day.

I am also willing to make sacrifices
to move forward.

If they cannot save one young girl,

then Buddha's laws are not for me!

Well done, Jinen Koji!

Save the child!

Hurry up!

Am I seeing things?

What is this about?

Do you notice it too?

Yes.

His movements are slow.

They aren't slow.

You want to trim it?

Sarugaku is not yet complete.

It's still in the middle of being built.

What can stay and
what can be trimmed off?

That's what I want to put to the test.

On our dances, our traditions,
and even myself!

Yeesh.

You and that annoying grin of yours...

Today's sermon is over now.

I wish to spread warmth, tranquility,

and peace to all living creatures.

To all who have lost their lives,

I pray their souls rest in peace.

What are they doing?

They're just standing there!

Seriously, nobody moves that slow.

What's going on, Jinen Koji?!

What an odd change of pace.

This is like nothing
I've ever seen before.

Just bizarre.

What is the point of all this?

You're smiling.

I thought something was wrong.
Having growing pains?

You've been overworking your body.

I can still stand, though.

Looks like it hurts...

Don't force yourself.

I won't.

The limits of my body are why
I'm free to test new approaches.

Things needn't go as planned,

as long as we can trim
and keep the dance alive.

Even if it's the rhythm or the chanting.

Please stick with me to the end.

Right.

Nobody out there is going to quit on you.

Let's go!

Paddle fast! We gotta get outta here!

He's finally here!

Hurry it up!

The boat's already left!

What are you doing?!

Someday, I will die.

Which means any style of dance
that's unique to me will not be carried on.

Thus I trim away my face, my body,

and my very sense of self.

Then it can carry on.

And I will change the world
through that connection.

There's no way you can do that.

You weren't able to save anyone, were you?

There's no way you can change the world.

I can change the world.

You're always talking nonsense.

Aw, c'mon, Kogane!

I know you like my nonsense!

You look silly.

Let's go!

We're gonna find that talking rabbit!

You're such a goofball.

May I have a moment?

This boat isn't for passengers, you know?

It's a human peddling boat, correct?

You trying to ruin our
reputations or something?!

You misheard me.

I was simply commenting on
your use of oars to paddle.

He's slowing down again?

I've had enough! I'm going home!

It's true, he is slow...

Are you trying to blame us for something?

No, not at all.

I want to return this kimono.

The more strength one withholds,

the more it spills forth unbidden.

The more modest...

the more powerful.

Oniyasha.

The only one who can
dance like Inuo is Inuo.

Once he is gone, so is his dance.

However, Fujiwaka is trying to dance
while pruning himself from it.

I have returned the kimono.

And now, you will return this girl
to where she belongs.

That's good...

You have relinquished everything
to this performance.

To Jinen Koji.

And in doing so, what emerges...

is nobody.

His dancing will continue on.

Woven through time as
voices chant and music plays.

Then, somewhere in the world,
the dance begins anew.

A different direction from us,
yet still the same path.

There's still more to the world,
even beyond that spot?

I've heard talk you're a good dancer.

Go on, let's see you dance!

I do not know any dances.

If you impress us,
you can take the girl home.

If you can even dance, that is.

I can hear the pain.

I will simply follow the sound
echoing deep in my body.

Ah, my Fujiwaka has...

become the wind.

He is dancing, enveloped in the world.

Where will you go, dear Oniyasha?

Is this your flower?

Dammit. You just had to shove
this nonsense in my face.

Well, honestly...

I like Inuo's dancing better, though.

Gah...

His dancing is easier to understand.

Yours is hard to figure out.

It even makes people leave.

Such a harsh remark.

That part's important, though.

A dance has to capture the audience,

lock them in their seats,

prevent them from getting distracted

or even complaining.

Is that the world you want
to create, Yoshimitsu?

The flower you want to make bloom?

That may be it.

What are you laughing about, pipsqueak?

I feel the same way.

We need to deliver this flower
to places beyond here.

So that it reaches many people.

Spread it more and more.

Far and wide.

Passing it on,

without letting it spill.

We can make this flower bloom...

anywhere in the world!

You truly are a strange guy.

Sounds like fun!