13 Assassins (十三人の刺客)

TOEI Presents

THE THIRTEEN ASSASSINS

Planning by: JUNICHIRO TAMAKI, KANJI AMAO

Screenplay by: KANEO IKEGAMI

Cast

CHIEZO KATAOKA

KOTARO SATOMI, RYOHEI UCHIDA, TETSURO TANBA

SATOMI OKA, YURIKO MISHIMA, JUNKO FUJI

KANJURO ARASHI, KO NISHIMURA, RYUNOSUKE TSUKIGATA

Directed by: EIICHI KUDO

It was in the early morning of September 5th in the first year of Koka (1844)...

...in front of the estate of senior advisor Sir Doi Oi-no-kami, outside of Edo Castle's Babasaki Gate...

...that chief retainer Zusho Mamiya, a subject of...

...Sir Naritsugu Matsudaira Sahyoe-no-kami of 100,000-koku in Banshu Akashi, committed seppuku.

Being that Sir Naritsugu Matsudaira Sahyoe-no-kami was...

...the younger brother of the then seated Shogun, this scandal shocked government officials.

No use talking about it, but Sir Naritsugu was born with an unsophisticated personality.

Inconsiderate to his family's status, not only is he arrogant...

...but also has an unparalleled love of women and sex.

I hear farmers' uprisings repeatedly occur in his home territory of Akashi.

I also heard that last year on his way to Edo for his annual tour of duty...

...he was involved in a scandalous incident on Kiso Highway in Owari Castle's territory.

Just so that such an incident wouldn't happen...

...we changed the route for his entourage to Nakasendo Highway...

...but it seems as if that had a reverse effect.

His Highness orders that we do everything we can to settle this matter quietly.

Although born from different mothers...

...it is natural that he gives special consideration to his own brother under his hire.

It is the fault of the then cabinet of senior advisors...

...who sent Sir Naritsugu as an adopted son to the Matsudairas of Akashi.

It appears that Zusho Mamiya committed harakiri...

...to appeal to the Central Gov't to take an appropriate measure.

I know.

His Highness is the ruling justice of the country, noble by Heaven's will.

It's pointless to argue over it any more.

The corpse of Zusho shall remain on the estate of Sir Oi-no-kami for the initial period of mourning.

May I report, the Government Inspector Sir Shinzaemon Shimada is here, summoned by you.

So Shinza is here.

I hope it wasn't inconvenient that I asked you to come so late.

I've been a widow for many years, so I have few obligations at home.

Hmm. By the way...

Yes?

You've heard about the incident, haven't you?

You want to take a look at his letter of appeal?

It's no use reading it at this point. I understand the cabinet has decided on how to handle the matter.

By the way, what do you think of Sir Naritsugu?

Yes...

I feel he may not be worthy of the historic Matsudaira family.

Since you understand that, there's something I need to tell you.

Choose men from Hatamoto class samurai within the next three days.

Sift through them and select the ones you set your mind on.

Advisor.

My understanding is a man's life weighs more than anything and is irreplaceable.

Sir Naritsugu is a human being, too.

Before you tell me to do that...

...why not ask him to retire by a unanimous request from the Central Gov't?

That was Mamiya's plea at the cost of his own life. But it isn't possible.

How come?

His Highness already appointed Sir Naritsugu as a senior advisor upon his departure from Edo.

You mean he would let him take care of politics?

That's why...

...we need to figure out a way to correct the distortion of this injustice.

Incidentally, I've invited someone here whom I want you to meet.

Could you meet with him?

Yes.

I'm Yukie Makino, a retainer of Sir Owari Chunagon serving at Agematsu Mansion in Kiso.

I'm Shinzaemon Shimada. Let's hear what you have to say.

Yes. Then, let me explain in a logical manner.

Last October when Sir Naritsugu Matsudaira of Akashi was...

...on his annual journey to Edo via Nakasendo Highway, he stayed overnight at Agematsu, Kiso.

To make sure there will be no chance of making a mistake...

...samurai of the Owari family serving at the Mansion received him with hospitality...

...bringing in even their wives and daughters.

Uneme!

Father.

Did you retrieve the picture scroll we showed him for his entertainment?

I forgot. Right away.

Tell Chise to do it.

Yes.

Chise!

What is it?

Chise was the wife my son had married tho months earlier.

I thought it was too petty a job to bother my son with...

...so I ordered her to do it, and that invited the tragedy.

Where are you from?

Yes, I belong to the family of Uneme Makino at Owari Mansion.

You're too pretty to be left alone in the mountains of Kiso.

Please no playing! Please let me go! Please let me go! Please don't! Please don't!

Chise! Chise!

Trespasser! Hold it!

Chise...

What have you done, Chise? What have you done? What have you done, Chise?

During the same night, Chise killed herself.

Without saying a word of any kind, the entourage of the Akashi clan departed.

After Naritsugu arrived in Edo...

...the Owari clan made numerous attempts to protest to him, but received no response.

For me, having lost my son and his wife in tragic deaths...

...I feel I no longer have any purpose to live on for.

I've considered committing harakiri to end it all.

However, when I think about the shame my lord Sir Owari Chunagon has been put through...

...I, as a living witness, don't feel free to do so, thus extending this life I no longer care for.

Please laugh at me as a grumbling old man.

They were a better son and a better daughter-in-law than I deserved.

What do you think, Shinza?

I feel as though I can hear the voice of Zusho Mamiya while sitting here.

Anyway, even as the cabinet who forms the ruling justice of the country...

...there are things we can do and things we can't.

To betray the word of His Highness and find fault with his political leadership...

...that's something I, a senior advisor, cannot do.

But if we don't, the country's politics will be chaotic and the harm will befall on all peoples.

What do you say?

It's a good place for a samurai to die.

Would you be willing to die?

I will do a fine job in accomplishing the task.

At 11 pm that night, Zusho's corpse was returned to the Upper Mansion in the domain of Akashi.

Sir Hanbei! Sir Kito!

You're a useless bunch.

I told you again and again not to trouble Mamiya's family.

And you roped and arrested not only his wife and his son and bride, but even the young grandchild.

What a disgrace!

It was hard to refuse our lord's order.

Out of the way!

What do you say? You've served the Akashi clan for generations!

You talk of loyalty often, but is loyalty to obey your master...

...or to worry about your own well-being and put down your master?

Oh, Hanbei!

Yes.

I got the message a minute ago... so Doi-Oi finally bent backward.

After 3 days of indecision, he imposed no punishment because it was a case of temporary insanity!

That serious know-it-all face must have looked real sour!

Excuse me, my Lord.

What is it, Hanbei?

Sir Oi-no-kami earnestly requests you to take care of Mamiya's family as the will of the Central Gov't.

I heard.

I understand your rage, however, now that the matter's been settled peacefully...

...I beg you to please... - Silence!

It's only one senior advisor's crazy ramblings! We don't need to listen to him!

My Lord!

Enough!

It's been hard for you the past three days.

Why don't you retire for the day and get some rest?

Unfortunately, I can't afford to do that.

Something bothers me.

But the matter was settled without any punishment. So at this point...

It would have been better if there was some light punishment.

Things worked out a little too easily for our clan.

But we were given special consideration. - Pricisely.

How do you think Doi-Oi's face would be saved when he's forced to give the special consideration?

What could a man in charge of the country's justice of all things...

...do to save face in a scandal like this?

Please hold it! Hold it!

Let go!

It's a little too late now.

I see. Too late.

Even an infant.

How cruel!

Everyone!

Now, it's crucial that we prohibit members of our clan...

...from talking and clean out Sir Mamiya's house without leaking the news outside! Understand?

Understand? Is anyone available? Anyone available? - Yes, sir.

Go gather some men at once...

...send them to Sir Oi-no-kami's mansion, give money to the gate keepers and servants...

...and get a list of visitors at the mansion during the last three days!

I was getting impatient. And? - Yes.

We handed money to every servant and managed to find out this much.

Let me see it.

Toda Shimosa-no-kami, Gold Asset Manager; Nagai Shinano-no-kami, Chief of Guards... not them.

Kamei Takemoto Housekeeper in Absence; Hyoemon Kage, messenger of the Satake Family;...

Tameemon Sasaki, messenger of Prince Daisuke Otomo-no-shikibu;...

Genma Hyodo, 2nd Manager of Carpentry; Tojuro Nakano, Supporting Accounting Manager;...

Juroza'emon Okada, Manager of Labor; Makino, retainer of the Owari family.

Makino from the Owari family...

Yukie Makino is from Agematsu, Kiso last year.

That Makino met with Inspector Shinzaemon Shimada.

Inspector Shinzaemon Shimada... you know who that is?

Yes.

He studied academically at the Shohei School...

...and trained in the sword at the Momonoi dojo of the Kyoshin Meichi School.

I was often told he's excellent in both areas.

Unlike us, he comes from a respected family for generations since Mikawa.

Is he truly that sharp?

He's a man worthy of entrusting important matters of the country to.

If Sir Doi Oi-no-kami chose him...

It looks like our clan had the worst luck of the draw.

As always, you're impressive.

How about a match? It's been some time.

Might you not want to conserve your energy when you're about to take on an important job.

What, important?

All daily duties are important if they're important at all.

You know that, too.

I wouldn't bring it up if it was simply about one of those daily duties.

When I saw you this morning, I got the sense you took on some extraordinary task.

Did you?

I guess I need to train harder.

Every month and every season, for 10 years since I set out on the path of the sword...

...I have received from you more money than an unemployed samurai like me deserves.

I accepted the money without refusing, taking it for granted...

...because I held the thought that the time would come when I could repay you...

...by putting my life at risk and waited for that day.

I consider samurai is of the spirit of the heart and of determination.