THE ELUSIVE SAMURAI
Now, then. Today I shall tell you the tale
of a certain young lord whose greatest talent is running away.
The year is 1333.
The Kamakura shogunate, which had established rule by the samurai,
fell because of the rebellion of its vassal, Takauji Ashikaga.
Having lost everything, the rightful heir, Tokiyuki Hojo,
flees to Suwa under the guidance of the Shinto priest, Yorishige Suwa,
where he and his companions begin gathering the strength
to reclaim Kamakura.
One year later…
After experiencing his first battle at Kawanakajima in northern Shinano,
Tokiyuki renews his resolve to face this turbulent age
through "running away" and "surviving."
How will this game of tag to reclaim the throne end?
What fate awaits Tokiyuki?
Don't miss what comes next!
What a pain. I hate guard duty.
1334 - TAKEDA CLAN TERRITORY (KAI GENJI)
It appears the remnants of the Hojo clan who fled Kamakura
are stirring up rebellions all over the place.
They could be hiding around here too.
I heard they couldn't even coordinate, and most of them got wiped out.
There aren't any Hojo left.
-Huh? -What?
The brats are back!
ONE DAY EARLIER
Big Brother, how are the locusts?
I'm getting used to them. It reminds me of the sakura shrimp in Suruga Bay.
Come to think of it,
I'd like to know what my lord's meals were like in Kamakura.
They must have been quite lavish.
Delicacies I've never even seen before…
Not really. Most of the time, it wasn't much different from everyone else's.
But my favorite was sea bream.
SEA BREAM?
Sea bream?
Kamakura is by the sea,
so fish caught that morning at Yuigahama would be served by noon.
You eat thinly-sliced sea bream topped with Izu wasabi and hishio.
It was so fresh, and had such a great texture, I couldn't stop eating.
I wish I could have it again.
He seemed down.
He must be missing Kamakura.
I wish there was something we could do for him.
Sea bream is my dream!
Fresh sea bream with great texture is my…
-…drea-- -We're in Shinano!
There's no way anyone could bring fresh sea bream all the way here…
My lord?
This is the second summer since Kamakura was destroyed…
Looking from my second home, Suwa,
my first home lies beyond Mount Fuji, off to the left.
I want to go back to Kamakura.
Sea bream is my…
Huh?
Stop! You're entering Takeda terri--
Shut up! We don't have time! We're coming through!
I can see the ocean!
Genba, you and I will head east. Ayako, head west.
Got it!
Kojiro, you guys get the ice from the ice chamber.
Bury it right away to keep it from melting.
Yeah, got it!
See you back here!
Shizuku and the others won't be back until sunrise tomorrow.
Let's practice so we can kill our prized prey at the exact moment.
Kojiro, let's go for a long ride.
I'm sorry, young lord.
Kojiro is away on an errand for a few days.
I see.
Shizuku?
Ayako?
Nobody's here.
Yorishige is here.
We shall practice the flute today.
We've got a bite!
Where is everyone?
-Here they are! -Now!
-Your way, Kojiro! -I see it!
If a fish thrashes around on the ground, it won't stay fresh.
Sever the brain and the artery
while it's still… in the air!
Nice catch!
What about the Izu wasabi?
Bought it fresh!
Good. Let's head back.
From here on, we don't have a moment to spare.
Bleed the fish, remove the gills and guts,
wrap it in cloth to keep it dry, and pack it in ice.
Hey, wait! There's no road!
Oh, no! Now, there's a river!
We'll make our own path!
We go straight through the shortest route, no matter what!
FISH-TAIL LINE
In an age before trains or cars,
the Fish-Tail Line marked the farthest point inland
that fresh sea fish could be transported without spoiling.
SUWA KOFU
From the Pacific coast, the Fish-Tail Line reached as far as Kofu.
Beyond that, in Suwa, sea fish would spoil before it could be eaten.
Which means…
The brats are back!
Bringing fresh, firm sea bream all the way to Suwa
during the summer in a time of war…
Kill them this time!
Hi-yah!
…was a near-impossible mission.
We're back. We just went fishing.
That was fun!
Are you all right?
It looks more like the aftermath of a battle than a fishing trip.
Since when do fish shoot arrows?
Big Brother, I know it's a little early, but dinner's ready.
Please, come this way.
Okay.
Hey! What are you doing? That was mine!
Oh, sorry. You didn't seem to be eating it.
I was saving it! You know sea bream is my favorite!
Was it? Well, here.
Lotus root?
You're just giving me what you don't like!
Give me back my sea bream! My sea bream!
I was just kidding.
Here. This should do, right?
Huh? This much?
I'm already full.
You're so dramatic. You're actually crying.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!
Look. He's so happy he's crying.
Is sea bream really that good?
You guys…
I'm so grateful they went all the way to the sea just to catch that for me.
How could I ever repay them?
So, how long would it take to reach Kamakura?
With a group this small, it'd take a day.
But Takeda of the Takauji faction has built many new forts.
Getting a large army through would take 20 times longer and cost many lives.
Good work on the reconnaissance mission.
As I thought, attacking Kamakura by the shortest route won't be easy.
-You went to… -Huh?
Kamakura?
It's time we start working on a concrete plan to retake Kamakura.
Shizuku, what was Kamakura like?
TADAYOSHI ASHIKAGA REBUILD KAMAKURA
Yes. It had changed dramatically.
Under the new ruler and the elite warriors he had assembled,
Kamakura was abuzz with rumors about these young warriors.
There is no doubt they'll stand in our way when we move to retake Kamakura.
Interesting. I've only ever fought old men. This will be a nice change.
Let's make this a showdown between the next generation.
What do you think of that, Lord Tokiyuki?
I've got youth on my side. After all, I'm only nine.
No matter how strong they are, no one can match my devotion to Kamakura.
I will take Kamakura back, no matter what!
Compared to the days of Hojo, the new rulers of Kamakura were much younger.
After being assigned to devastated Kamakura,
Tadayoshi Ashikaga simultaneously pushed forward the city's reconstruction
and the restoration of public order.
To carry out his will, he established the Kanto Hisashiban.
RAWR
Tadayoshi left his seasoned retainers in Kyo with Takauji.
He formed the Kanto Hisashiban
from promising young men who would carry the future of the Ashikaga clan.
No!
GROUP 1 LEADER, KANTO HISASHIBAN YOSHISUE SHIBUKAWA (20)
How disgraceful.
Some of them owe the Hojo a great debt of gratitude,
yet they're shamelessly fawning.
GROUP 2 LEADER, KANTO HISASHIBAN TSUNEIE IWAMATSU (?)
Don't be such a stick-in-the-mud, Shibukawa.
A good wave and a beautiful woman, never let either pass you by.
GROUP 2 VICE-LEADER, KANTO HISASHIBAN NORIAKI UESUGI (28)
My, how frightening, Mr. Iwamatsu.
Talking about women in front of Lord Tadayoshi, of all people.
ASSISTANT, KANTO HISASHIBAN MAGOJIRO SHIBA (13)
Lord Tadayoshi isn't as uptight as he used to be.
He even lets us dress however we like.
No, I'm still as uptight as ever.
You are?
If this were Kyo, I'd make them mind their manners and dress properly.
But that's not the case in Kamakura today.
The Hojo fell, and the Nitta's rule failed as well.
The people no longer know who their rightful ruler is.
What Kamakura needs now is youth and momentum.
We must bring a breath of fresh air and win the hearts of the weary people.
People of Kamakura…
Your peace will surely be protected by the Ashikaga and the Hisashiban warriors!
Glory to Kamakura!
What a reception!
HISASHIBAN MERCHANDISE STAND
I hear even Ashikaga hand towels are selling like crazy
at the Hisashiban merchandise stand.
How frightening. What a pair of fearsome brothers.
Lord Takauji wins people over with his charisma,
while Lord Tadayoshi wins them over through calculation.
Though their talents and methods are completely different,
they achieve exactly the same result.
Tadayoshi Ashikaga!
Your head is mine!
Honma and Shibuya, is it? Admirable.
You haven't forgotten your loyalty to the Hojo, and you've come to avenge them.
Huh?
More are coming.
Let's see… What? Only about 50?
No. I think reinforcements are coming.
They rang the bell at the beginning, didn't they?
If it were only a signal for this many men,
they wouldn't have needed a bell that loud.
They probably stationed armored warriors nearby
and planned to call them in if the assassination failed.
KOBUKUROZAKA PASS
The only place close enough to hear the bell and still hide an army
is Kobukurozaka.
MOAT CURRENT LOCATION
I thought something like this might happen…
We dug a moat there in case something like this happened. We can hold them there.
Understood. Iwamatsu and I will handle the enemy there.
Heck, yeah!
Then I'll deal with the enemy in front of us.
My family were court nobles until my grandfather's generation,
so I'm a bit of a coward.
I always keep a respectable force close at hand.
Oh, how frightening.
Very well. I'll stay here and finish the rest of my administrative duties.
Try not to be too noisy.
As you command.
NEAR KOBUKUROZAKA ENTRANCE
When did they build this?
Rally the men! We'll go around and cross the bridge!
Those are…
Shibukawa and Iwamatsu!
Of all people, why are they here?
Stay calm. They can't reach us from that far away.
From that distance?
This is too one-sided. It's no fun. Let's cross the bridge, Iwamatsu.
Got it!
How frightening.
I almost feel sorry for anyone who has to face down Mr. Shibukawa and Mr. Iwamatsu.
Those two are monsters.
But to me, Lord Tadayoshi is still the most frightening.
Look at that.
He's positioned just outside their arrow range.
Has the unrest in Otawa Manor not been quelled yet?
Yoshiyuki's forces are strong.
Rokuzaemon is an opportunist. Send troops to intimidate him.
Yes, sir.
It appears the landholdings of the Seven Warrior Groups of Musashi are unsettled…
We're told there are so many marshes that it's hardly fit to live in.
Then tell them a decision will be made after an on-site inspection.
Yes, sir.
And the plans for Prince Nariyoshi's new residence?
Here.
Make it in the Kyo style. I'll see to it tomorrow.
It's not courage or bluff. Everything has already been calculated.
And he's only 27, yet he has the power to shape the nation.
Yes, sir.
Magojiro, look to your right. We're being pushed back.
Yes, sir!
As for anyone else I'd call frightening, probably Mr. Imagawa.
ASSISTANT, KANTO HISASHIBAN NORIMITSU IMAGAWA
I just can't get myself to tease him about that mask.
I know exactly what you mean.
Someone who gives off that kind of vibe is frightening.
I've finished my administrative duties as well.
Shall we get something to eat, gentlemen?
With pleasure.
I'm starving.
You are back already?
That was all calculated too, wasn't it?
If you hadn't made it back, I was planning to leave without you.
Tadayoshi Ashikaga, who laid the foundation for the Muromachi shogunate…
Through his skillful leadership,
Kamakura was steadily being transformed into a city under Ashikaga rule.
KYO
Meanwhile, in Kyo…
The land that was promised to us…
COURT OF CIVIL PETITIONS CIVIL COURT ESTABLISHED BY EMPEROR GODAIGO
…has been taken over by outsiders.
We have nowhere left to live. What are we supposed to do?
Figure it out yourselves.
I'm sick of hearing the same kinds of complaints over and over.
The Kenmu Restoration, Emperor Godaigo's reform administration…
ASHIKAGA STEWARD MORONAO OF KO
…was beginning to unravel.
The Emperor generously rewarded his favored nobles and warriors,
but most warriors were either neglected or left to fend for themselves.
The people quickly grew disillusioned.
MORONAO OF KO'S RESIDENCE
That judicial system is a joke.
The procedures are too complicated, and no one follows the rulings.
Anyone who refuses to obey should simply be executed.
No one would follow a ruling unless it's backed by military force.
MORONAO'S YOUNGER BROTHER MOROYASU OF KO
So only the strongest warrior has the right to judge, eh?
Then that certainly excludes the Emperor.
The Emperor intends to raise taxes to build a new grand palace.
What a joke.
Discontent is sweeping across the country over the unequal rewards,
and now he wants to raise taxes?
The Emperor's new government has progressive policies,
but it's riddled with inefficiency and is out of touch with reality.
On the other hand,
the Kamakura shogunate's system of government was practical,
but it could not adapt to the changing times.
We Ashikaga will simply take the best from both.
Right now in Kamakura,
Lord Tadayoshi is learning from the Kamakura shogunate's officials,
taking in all their strengths.
If we then add the experience and lessons we gained from governing Kyo,
a system of government for a new era will be complete.
Everything is for our lord, Lord Takauji.
-Aye! -Aye!
While the Ashikaga retainers were solidifying their vision for a new era…
Seize him at once!
Prince Moriyoshi, Takauji's greatest opponent,
was falsely accused of treason and arrested by order of the Emperor.
I hear I'm to be sent to a prison in Kamakura,
into the hands of your younger brother.
Everything is unfolding exactly as you intended.
I can only regret that it has come to this.
Takauji, there is a way to achieve reform in the safest possible way.
It is to become the second reformer.
Let the first reformer destroy the old world.
LIU
Then overthrow the first reformer, who has borne the people's resentment.
Their resentment will be appeased,
and the old world will already have been destroyed.
Then you can shape a new world without any encumbrances.
When you brought down the Kamakura Shogunate,
you could have simply taken it over yourself.
But you did not.
Instead, you, first, handed everything over to the first reformer.
Your plan was to claim everything as the second reformer.
Am I wrong, Takauji?
Give me everything. Everything!
You might call it a greedy demon.
It keeps crying out within me.
But rest assured.
My loyalty is genuine.
As long as no great upheaval breaks out,
I will spend my life as the Emperor's loyal subject.
As long as no great upheaval breaks out…
There's certainty in his eyes.
He knows that, under the Emperor's rule, sooner or later,
a great upheaval will break out.
When that time comes,
the demon within him will reveal itself in full.
OGASAWARA RESIDENCE, SHINANO
Meanwhile, in the Ogasawara territory in northwestern Shinano,
the next move was already taking shape.
As Shinano governor, the mission Lord Takauji entrusted to me
was to establish Ashikaga influence throughout Shinano.
And to track down the Hojo remnants hiding in Shinano.
I still have no proof.
But my eyes have already given me a clue.
Ever since that brat got the better of me last year,
he's been showing up at important events far too often to be a coincidence.
Yes. They disrupted the provincial official's campaign as well.
The men say they call themselves the Elusive Warriors.
Elusive? Like spies!?
SPY WARRIORS
CHOJA = SPY
That's about as subtle as it gets! What a ridiculous name!
According to my spies, that brat was taken in by Suwa Grand Shrine last year.
Given the timing, he's even more suspicious.
That breeding is out of place in the backwoods of Shinano.
IMPORTANT RETAINERS WARRIORS, FOOT SOLDIERS
In my estimation, that brat is either a member of the Hojo clan
or the son of one of its important retainers.
For Yorishige, who took him in,
a well-bred child from a distinguished family would make the perfect spy.
I believe he's been using the boy while letting him gain experience.
Bring him here for questioning.
These eyes of mine will see right through him!
ASAKI YUIKAWA AS TOKIYUKI HOJO
Let's go!