Don't be, be, be afraid
Don't be, be, be, be, be afraid
BAKI-DOU: THE INVINCIBLE SAMURAI
I trust you've been well.
It's been far too long, Mr. Tokugawa.
You look like you're doing well.
Kyoichiro Sabu, ninth dan.
Mr. Tokugawa.
Dan? What's that?
I guess you wouldn't know what that means.
He's been called "Sabu the Killer."
Of course, his skill pales in comparison to your own, sir.
Mr. Tokugawa.
Rumors suggest
he may have even cut down more than 20 people.
Mr. Tokugawa!
In today's Japan, or even the world at large,
no one has slain as many with a sword as the man who stands before you now.
Mr. Tokugawa!
Oh. Is something bothering you, Mr. Sabu?
Who is this person?
What do your senses tell you, Kyoichiro?
What's going on here? Who is this?
Who is this man?
Have you forgotten we agreed you wouldn't ask that?
Everything will be explained after the match.
Mr. Tokugawa, I'm not the type to break a promise.
So I hope that you can forgive me.
I'm afraid I can no longer accept this match.
I may not be a young man anymore, but I won't needlessly throw my life away.
Oh, now this should prove to be rather interesting.
What makes you say something like that?
Since I set foot in the ring, it's happened six times already.
Huh?
Just now makes it seven.
I've now been cut down by him a full seven times in a row.
You... you did what to him?
- The first strike I felt-- - Was Hachimonji.
Hachimonji?
Yes, it's exactly as he said.
What does that mean? Hachimon...
I was cloven clean in two from my head.
Straight down through my torso.
Split through the center, so my body became hachimonji,
the Chinese character for eight.
What?!
The second of his strikes.
The neck.
You had left yourself wide open.
The third attack was through the shoulder.
Cutting all the way through.
That's right. And my body put up no resistance at all.
As for the fourth attack,
I came from the side, severing your front half from the back.
The fifth strike, across the chest.
The sixth was a diagonal slash across the body.
And the last was across the chest and shoulders,
taking both arms along with it.
Hmm...
I appreciate it.
Your lack of resistance made the victory easy.
My lack of resistance?
But that's... that's absurd! I held nothing back.
Even if it was just in my mind, I gave it everything that I could.
So you're telling me that was it? The battle's already been fought?
By just standing there, you know the outcome already?
That's right, Mr. Tokugawa.
Today's match has been settled.
Seven to nothing.
But, uh, Mr. Miyamoto,
you don't even have a sword.
How would you have been able to cleave, split, or slash him?
You're unable to cut someone without a sword?
Uh, Mr. Tokugawa,
enough with this!
Who is this Miyamoto?!
Could it be your swords are so inexpedient?
May I inspect it? The sword you carry?
Huh?
You want to see my sword?
Does that make you uneasy?
Oh, well... Well I, uh...
I suppose that would be all right, since the match has already been settled.
I would very much like to see how Musashi holds a sword.
In fact, I'm dying to see it.
Then, here you go.
What... what's he doing?
Ah, yes. I've missed this feeling.
Mr. Sabu.
May I take a look at that one as well?
One sword should be shorter than the other,
but yours are of equal length.
So, uh, Mr. Miyamoto,
if it's not too much trouble,
I wonder if maybe you would show us your technique?
You want to see my technique?
- Yes. If you don't mind. - I'd like to see too.
I would be happy to show you.
But to give a proper demonstration, I need to know something.
Which one of you do I kill?
No, no, no, no, no, no!
I'm only joking.
It's beautifully finished, but the metal of the blade
hasn't been sufficiently tempered.
This is not a sword you could kill with.
See? I knew it.
Huh? What the hell did he just do?
Both blades are broken off right at the hilt.
Although they may look convincing...
Uh-huh.
...they cannot be called swords.
How do you expect them to kill when they can't even withstand a swing?
Mr. Tokugawa,
who the hell is this man?
Where did this Miyamoto come from?
I've been a swordsman for over 60 years.
Never once, have I heard of a sword being broken with just a swing!
I demand to know who the hell you are!
My name is Musashi Miyamoto. It's a pleasure.
He is, uh, who he says he is.
Don't be ridiculous!
You've been mocking me from the start, haven't you? What a day!
Be it with a sword, a spear, a bow, or even with my bare hands,
I will defeat the strong.
The strongest man alive is about to meet his match.
I'm so excited, I can't stop shaking.
What?!
The strongest creature on Earth
in hand-to-hand combat against Japan's top brawler.
It was a spectacular sight to see. I couldn't believe it was happening.
The kind of platinum card battle no one could take issue with.
Oh man.
Hanayama's really something, isn't he?
Huh? Why does he get the recognition?
Because he knew.
He knew he could save himself if he went up against Yujiro.
He knew a fight like that would save him from the endless boredom of everyday life.
Well, looks like you understand that much at least.
Because he did go through with it and squared off against the Ogre.
Macho to the max.
That's Hanayama for ya.
- Hmm? - Well, go on!
He can't land an attack, but the Ogre's not even moving.
But how?
The Ogre told Hanayama his cells were shrinking back in fear,
even if he didn't know it.
Yujiro said that? Right to Hanayama's face?
That day, Hanayama made his finest rush.
That day, Hanayama threw his cleanest punch.
And the Ogre invited him to attack first.
His giant fist was inches away from the Ogre's face.
But in that instant,
the Ogre began powering up one of his pocketed hands,
and then freed his fist.
Hanayama was hit head-on
with the full force of the Ogre's best "hand pocket" punch.
To think, he took the brunt of that kind of blow right to the face.
Here, have a look at this.
Uh, where did this computer come from?
This is footage captured by a convenience store security camera.
And that's Hanayama.
It was a typical day for this shop
until all 350 pounds of Hanayama came flying in.
He took out four shelving units along the way
until the bento section in back eventually broke his fall.
Ah, man.
That made him happy, I bet. Must've been a relief.
You're not wrong there. He was smiling quite contentedly.
So,
come on now.
Hmm?
- Who is it? - Who are you talking about?
The son of a bitch on the other side of that door!
Hmm.
I can sense somebody in the next room over.
Who the hell are they?
I'd expect nothing less.
But, Baki, you know,
there are lots of different people who work in this building.
What's strange about someone in the next room? It happens all the time.
Look, I know you don't think I'm really that stupid.
I am the son of Yujiro Hanma.
There is something in that room.
Are they a man or a woman?
Maybe there's more than one. Are they even human?
And what about their strength? Are they weak or powerful?
Are they here to try and kill me, or just to intimidate me?
Either way, there is something on the other side of that door.
Well, go on, then. Let me hear it.
Who do you think is?
Huh?
How the hell should I know? This ain't a movie, man.
- So you were bluffing? - Maybe.
I mean, I'd be a real dimwit if I couldn't sense a presence like that. Right?
It's...
It's him!
When they looked at each other, they each had a vision.
One saw a giant mushroom cloud, while the other
saw a vast banquet that spread before them and out to the horizon.
You've got good instincts. You impress me, boy. Are you a ninja?
What is it, Baki? Tell me what you're sensing.
How does he make you feel? What does he make you think?
This might sound a little crazy. Or a lot.
Oh, all right. Go on, say it.
There's no way.
Just trust your gut. Come on, it's common sense.
You know what you know. The man who died hundreds of years ago?
I know! They're all the same.
There's just no other way to say it.
Musashi Miyamoto?
What? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Baki, do you hear yourself? Are you losing your mind?
Am I going insane?
Trust me, I asked myself that too.
I'm not crazy, but...
Let me see if I got this straight.
If what I think is happening is happening,
a dead samurai has been brought back to life in the present.
Even terrible B-movies have better plots than that.
You... you really do understand the situation.
Honestly, I think it's less about what I understand
and more about what I feel.
I...
I jumped.
Oh?
You still got me.
Actually, you dodged the attack.
An excellent move, boy.
Look, Tokugawa. I can't explain it
and it defies all logic and reason,
but I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Even without evidence.
That's all right, I don't need you to prove it to me.
This man is Musashi Miyamoto.
The thing is...
You're acting awfully suspicious.
Is it because I hit the nail on the head?
Boy.
Shall we take this outside?
Which one? Which one is stronger?
All right, then.
This will be as good a place as any for a fight.
You'll fight unarmed?
Aren't you... unarmed?
Huh... Is that what you think?
I mean, sure doesn't look like he has a weapon to me.
How about now?
Whoa!
Can you see it?
Where the hell did that thing come from?
There you have it.
Do you understand?
There's no one stronger than I am.
Huh? Holy shit!
Are they really gonna fight right here, right now?
When you reach my level of skill, your body itself becomes like a blade.
There's no longer a need to carry a sword.
Wait, both of you.
Well, what do you think?
You think you can take me unarmed?
Baki, don't!
I had no idea...
this kind of power even existed.
Okay.
Let's go.
You two are really planning on doing this?
Right here? Just like that?
A battle like this just going to waste?
Huh, is that what you think?
Well...
Boy, do you think it's a waste?
You wanna know what I think?
You got me out here. It'll only be a waste if we don't fight.
- Mr. Tokugawa. - Hmm?
This boy you've brought me. Who is he?
Mr. Musashi, if you remember, I made you a promise.
Musashi?
Ah.
So then, this boy is the strongest man in the country?
I'm actually curious to hear your evaluation.
Go on, what do you think of this young man?
Hmm...
All right, then.
I don't think either Arima or Akiyama would give him trouble.
Hmm... He'll do, I suppose.
Oh!
Are you from Ryukyu?
I haven't fought anyone from there yet.
But I've heard tell of a martial art from that island chain that uses kicks.
It's a curious technique.
It seems disadvantageous to make yourself unstable
by standing on one leg during a fight.
You may be a child,
but you are not unskilled, and this is a battle after all.
Let's find out if he'll break.
Baki...
Turns out, he's stronger than the average sword.
Huh?
Oh, yeah. That's right.
I lost.
He got me good.
Damn, words like "strong" don't even come close to describing it.
You can barely even call it a fight.
- Huh? - It was at that moment...
Hold on!
He had just then come to the realization
that he had fought a historical swordsman of legendary skill.
Naturally, he was perplexed.
I mean, come on. There ain't no way. That's totally nuts.
Musashi Miyamoto?
Who has been dead for centuries?!
But the pain he felt in his head and body
confirmed this reality.
An experience that defied all logic.
I gotta see him again!
Oh!
There you are.
Oh, hey.
He's really here. Musashi Miyamoto!
You're just in time. Join us.
We're about to start some training.
This bamboo was freshly cut from the garden this morning.
Huh? Wait, I've heard about this.
Musashi could apparently shred freshly-cut bamboo with just one swing.
The wind pressure. His grip.
It was so strong
that he could actually crush every node in a stalk of bamboo.
You gotta be kidding me?! Two at the same time?
Look at the way he's holding it.
He splintered the bamboo.
One after another, the poles that had been prepared for him...
...were smashed to pieces as if they were nothing at all.
Almost unwillingly,
the words bubbled up to the boy's lips.
- Musashi. - Hmm?
Tell me, what is the purpose of this training?
What is its purpose?
Honestly, I've never thought about it that way.
Put simply, training is training, and it's what a proper swordsman must do.
In other words... you do it so you can win.
Yes. That goes without saying.
Then, wouldn't fighting me make for even better training?
Listen, boy.
It would be fair to say you're already dead.
For some time,
you were completely knocked out and defenseless.
How many times do you think I could've killed you?
His fighting philosophy,
it was completely different from the boy's,
which left Baki feeling ashamed of his suggestion for a rematch.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Why don't you give it a try? Go on.
Hmm?
Is there some kind of problem? I'd like to see your form, young man.
Oh!
And right through the node, at that. That's not easy to accomplish.
More impressively,
you executed the move faster this time.
Much faster.
I told you, didn't I? Baki is the strongest kid on the planet.
He's fast, yes, but he's no warrior.
And with that, Tokugawa.
Yes?
I'll be going out.
What now?
What are you talking about, Mr. Musashi?
You know that I'm eager to see more of this world,
is there something wrong with that?
It's not that at all! It's just that it's impossible.
You can't go out into the world unaccompanied.
You're not ready. You'll get into trouble.
What kind of trouble could I get into? Do I look like a child?
- It's not gonna happen. - Huh?
You can forget about going out right now.
Hmm?
You're far too naive.
You said I should already be dead,
but you didn't finish me off!
Whether it's modern martial arts,
fighting sports, or combat disciplines,
the fastest move in all of them is the jab.
I am faster than the speed of light!
Yeah
Yeah, yeah
I'm on the mountaintop, yeah
Yeah, yeah
I'm on the mountaintop, yeah