The Princess Blade (修羅雪姫)

Hideaki Ito Yumiko Shaku

PRINCESS BLADE

Shiro Sano

Yoko Maki Yoko Chosokabe

Naomasa Musaka Yutaka Matsushige

Shintaro Sonooka Takashi Tsukamoto

Yoichi Numata

Kyusaku Shimada

Producer Taka Ichise

Inspired by the Comic by Kazuo Koike & Kazuo Kamimura

Screenplay Shinsuke Sato & Kei Kunii

Director of Photography Taro Kawazu

Music Kenji Kawai

Special Visual Effects Shinji Higuchi

Action Director Donnie Yen

Directed by Shinsuke Sato

500 years had passed, and still the land was closed off.

It was isolated from the world, and knew neither hope nor despair.

An atmosphere of total stagnation ruled the land.

The rebels who dared to start an uprising...

were eliminated by the state.

The House Takemikazuchi...

was a band of assassins, hired to quell this rebellion.

For a long time past...

they were the bodyguards of the rulers from a neighboring country.

But this land had overthrown its monarchy.

So they fled to this land, branded as exiles.

Now they're a band of mercenary assassins.

Selling their skills to anyone in need of effective killing.

The Takemikazuchi.

Mother.

Byakurai is looking for you.

Anka ran away this morning.

If he has deserted the Takemikazuchi...

he will betray our secrets.

He wants to flee to the Shikon-mountain.

But with that leg of his, he won't even have reached the old mine yet.

Yuki.

Take Kiri with you.

I go alone.

- I'm going too. - He will only slow me down.

Take me with you. That's what Byakurai wants.

Would you really kill Anka?

Of course.

And when he begs for mercy?

Even then I'll kill him.

I don't think so.

Yuki, it's you.

I'm unarmed.

Don't kill me.

Please.

Take my sword.

Just tell them you've killed me.

Alright?

I see that I'm no longer a match for you, Yuki.

Who are you?

My name is Kuka. I used to work for your mother.

I'm here to tell you something.

About the way your mother died.

You believe that she was killed in a raid.

But she was murdered by Byakurai.

You're lying. Mom...

Byakurai is the murderer of your mother. Azora, Princess Takemikazuchi.

You must avenge her and take your mother's rightful place.

Or leave.

Tomorrow is your 20th birthday.

On that day, a princess becomes the leader of the Takemikazuchi.

You must take over the House's leadership.

Or you must leave.

Should you decide to leave...

come to meet me at the old mine.

With this I have delivered the message from Azora to you.

Did Anka beg for mercy?

Did my mother beg for mercy?

What do you mean?

Your voice is quivering.

You think feverishly.

Do you realize what you're doing?

Tell me!

Byakurai.

Did you kill my mother?

No.

Yuki, put away your sword. I'll overlook this incident.

I never meant to tell you this.

Your mother was killed, because she wanted to betray us.

- And wanted to flee. - Liar.

Stop it. Fighting will only make this worse.

You leave me no choice. Die.

Important news from the Assembly.

The ministry of Consumption reports...

that the living-standard has increased by 20 percent last year.

To celebrate this news...

the citizens took to the streets.

It turned into a spontaneous parade of rejoicing.

Aya.

What's wrong?

You want to kill me with this?

You're of the Takemikazuchi aren't you?

Who sent you?

Tell me.

Where are the others?

There are no others. And I don't want to kill you.

You're lying. You expect me to believe that?

Trust me.

Trust you?

You're prepared to kill anybody for money.

If I trust you, that will get me killed.

If it were you I was after...

you'd be dead right now.

Do you trust me now?

- Doesn't that hurt? - Of course it does.

If you allow the pain.

I saw a girl.

Where is she?

I'm alone here.

- That bed is mine. - Goodnight.

We've lost her.

On the way through the forest.

Is that all you have to report?

No.

Someone saw a car.

We're keeping an eye on the road.

She'll be back.

She wants revenge.

Somebody told her.

But who?

That's the question.

Yuki turned 20 today.

Whoever told her about Azora must have known that and its meaning.

Kuka.

She wants to kill you, to avenge Azora?

Then she will be coming here.

There can be no doubt.

Suppose Kuka would want to speak with Yuki.

Where would he meet her?

Where he lives maybe.

I'd do it somewhere else entirely...

How are you? It's me, Kidokoro.

I've returned.

There's something I want to talk to you about.

I'm coming today.

No, I will come to you.

The day after tomorrow.

Agreed. I'll be waiting for you at the usual location.

A man once made a promise to Azora, heiress to House Takemikazuchi.

He swore fealty to the House.

But Byakurai branded him a traitor and killed him.

That man was my father?

You wouldn't be able to remember that, you were only 2 years old.

The Takemikazuchi still had many members back then.

Byakurai wanted to marry Azora himself.

And make House Takemikazuchi his own.

But Azora refused this.

In her desperation she wanted to disband the Takemikazuchi.

But Byakurai found out about it, and ended her life.

That changed everything.

Many were dissatisfied with Byakurai.

They tried to detach themselves from him.

But there were only few who managed to escape.

Most of them had to pay for their attempt with their lives.

Only one or two got away.

This is the place where princess Azora died.

Undoubtedly she hoped for you to leave the Takemikazuchi.

She wanted you to succeed where she had failed.

There is no sense in seeking out Byakurai for vengeance.

The Takemikazuchi are doomed to disappear

Princess Yuki.

Your mother was tortured to death in this place.

But the final blow was dealt by me.

You may kill me now if you wish.

Since then I've been waiting only for this day to come.

I offered to join her on her journey to the other side.

But she didn't allow me to.

She ordered me to tell you everything.

Once you reached the age of 20.

Princess Yuki is the one who must slay me now.

Don't say that.

That would be pointless.

So it was you, Kuka.

Soma.

My, how you have grown.

If you'll allow me...

This is what I've wanted.

Princess Yuki, do not die.

Kill me if you want.

But don't raise your sword against princess Yuki.

I can't promise you that.

When I was little...

I used to be cheerful all the time.

I never dreamed...

that it would end like this.

Do you know why people thought like that back then?

Because nobody had ideals.

Certainly, people died because of our bomb at the Assembly.

But is was very effective.

You should be proud of that.

But it was a holiday. The Assembly would be empty.

That's what you told me.

Some losses are inevitable. We don't get it for nothing.

Mimura knew that. He did not die in vain.