Fukakusa-no-Shosho...
One of the men who was a former love interest of Ono no Komachi.
She plays with his heart, and after only successfully visiting her for 99 nights,
he regretfully died.
Komachi's sins come full circle, and her older self is possessed by Shosho.
Woman and man, young and old, an enlightened person and a foolish one.
The two of them are in conflict,
but put both sides together and they form a person.
That is what "Komachi at the Gravepost" is about.
But...
Oniyasha... what dance are you doing?
Smoke?
It's strange.
This feels comfortable, somehow.
Curse you... Hosokawa...
The soldier whose name I didn't know, whom I killed on the battlefield long ago...
Why am I remembering his face now?
I see...
it's a bridge!
The stage looks just like a bridge...
A bridge that connects this world to the great beyond.
She suffers as someone unable to fully reach enlightenment,
but even so, she prays for future happiness.
That applies to every one of us.
Elderly and young, strong and weak,
living and deceased.
He included the desires of all people in the theme "Shogun Yoshimitsu".
This is how huge the burden I carry is...
Is that what you're saying?
He has some nerve.
However...
denying that idea would spell the end of the shogun.
Oniyasha of the Kanze Troupe...
Spectacular!
Way to go, Kanze!
That was great!
Oniyasha is the best!
Sarugaku is quite amusing.
So, next up is the Dengaku Shinza!
Okay, let's go!
Everything's fine! We'll just do as we've always done.
R-right.
Alright, let's do this!
Hey, Zo...
Where're you going?
Zojiro?
What's he doing?
No, don't!
In this competition...
we, the Dengaku Shinza Troupe, acknowledge our defeat.
What?!
Huh?
What does he mean?
Whatever, just do something!
Hurry up and dance.
Stop playing around!
I thought you were a performer!
I've been waiting for you to dance!
- Whoa, what are you doing?! - What was all that big talk about then!
So, you're running away?!
Get off the stage!
Don't throw things at him!
Shut up!
Your lordship!
We hadn't planned on having an audience for this competition,
but today is a special exception.
Do not let the words of these spectators who haven't paid anything get to you.
However, Zojiro...
you must dance.
The competition is not over.
Both you and Shinza belong to me.
This is not the opinion of the Shinza Troupe.
It's mine alone.
We always give it our very best when we stand on stage.
That also applies to this performance.
However, seeing Oniyasha's performance made me realize...
the Shinza Troupe are absolutely no match for that.
So, either we insult you by putting on a subpar performance
or by ignoring your orders, milord.
Given that they are equally insulting to you, Lord Yoshimitsu...
I find more shame in a subpar performance!
Oniyasha!
Huh?!
Oh, yes?!
How do you receive that, as a performer?
Eh?! Uh, well...
In the last competition, although it had no merit for Zojiro,
he still gave me the chance at a rematch.
I owe Zojiro and the people of Dengaku Shinza a favor.
I beg you, show mercy, Lord Shogun.
Please, let me return the favor and give them another chance.
You mean to say mercy for the loser is another duty of the winner?
Hm, very well.
We will carry the conclusion of this dance competition to a third round!
That takes care of the fire.
It sure does.
Uh... are you alright?!
Please, excuse me for a moment.
Huh?
Ishiya?
Why'd you do that without telling us?!
What about how we feel?
You have no pride in the Dengaku Shinza Troupe!
Quiet!
Don't you get what would've happened if we'd went on as planned?!
Well...
Zojiro saved the Shinza from great shame.
The way he did it was stupid, though.
It's no wonder they hurled insults at us.
We're going home.
It's okay.
There's still a next time!
Ch-Chiharu?
You should be happier!
Huh?
Do more jumping around like an idiot!
Say "Yay!" and put your hands up! Come on!
Yay...
Grr!
Don't flaunt your victory in front of me!
Are you trying to pick a fight?!
I'll pummel you!
What's her problem?
Chiharu, don't pummel him.
It was a really great dance!
Huh?
Jeez! I wish you would've bragged more, then I'd have a good reason to be upset!
Please, don't worry about her.
It was an honor to stand on the stage today as a supporting actor.
Goodbye.
I wasn't able to do this performance on my own.
I danced my father's creation, with the help of others.
I felt a strange comfort, different from usual.
Like I was... connected to a mysterious, large force of some kind...
Kogane?
Kogane!
I was so worried when I didn't see you!
The audience was really cheering for you.
You were watching?
I was trying to do something for Toku...
It might be thanks to Toku that I was able to dance so well.
You can't be serious.
Huh?
You weren't dancing for Toku out there.
You were just using him for your performance.
What you did won't bring Toku back from the dead,
it won't put food in stomachs,
and it won't save anyone's life.
But...
I-I just didn't want to forget Toku...
I wanted to...
I wanted to change the world!
Change the world?
What a joke!
You think you're a saint or something?
Then what do I do?!
Should I have just done nothing?!
Exactly.
You shouldn't have gotten involved.
I bet Ishiya feels the same.
Huh?
You have both the looks and the talent.
You beat Zojiro and got even further into Yoshimitsu's good graces.
You're just like...
Someone sitting pretty like you could never understand.
You don't know how those of us in the darkness feel.
I really wish you had never showed up here.
We never should have met.
Is he still going at it?
Won't he collapse if we let him keep going?
Lord Yoshimitsu must be convinced now.
He's seen the light of Sarugaku.
At this rate...
Dengaku will fade into obscurity.
You look so cool, Zojiro!
Zojiro, you're the best!
So that child is named Zojiro.
How cute.
Zojiro!
Yes!
Please stop that, Mother!
You're so loud it's embarrassing!
You did wonderfully today, like always!
And you'll be the main role next time?!
You're so amazing!
You never listen to me...
Almost forgot!
I made an amulet for continued success in your next performance.
What is this?
A Buddha that will protect you!
Keep it on you, okay?
I don't want that.
Huh?
Hey, where are you?
Zo?
Zojiro, it's almost time for the big show!
Hey!
Zojiro, it's almost time for the big show!
You shouldn't go out of your way to look for me.
Are you skipping out?
I'm playing the lead in tomorrow's performance.
I can't go and get injured the day before my show.
I'll leave today's performance to you.
Is Zojiro not coming on?
Maybe I'll see him tomorrow.
Fetch water!
Someone help!
Hurry!
Mother?
Mother! Mother!
Hey! Do you want to die?!
My mother's inside! Mother!
Mother!
Mother...
I swear I'll do my best playing the lead today, so please be okay!
Wait!
Hm? Maybe someone who knows her?
Sir! You're back so late!
Kanze Troupe won this time around, huh!
I wasn't so sure for a second, but-
Did you say something to Kogane?
Eh?
What did you tell him?
You are someone meant for the stage, sir.
You need to continue dancing.
Answer the question.
Things are different than they were!
You can't see Kogane anymore.
Please don't go to that place again.
Why do you get to decide that?!
I'm just...
looking out for you.
I'm the only one who can decide what my dances need or not!
Oniyasha.
I have a message from the shogun.
He says to come visit him tomorrow afternoon.
Sh-Shinemon...
Be aware your voices travel far.
I will support Sarugaku from now on.
Huh?
At first I had trouble figuring it out,
but your "Komachi by the Gravepost" convinced me.
Sarugaku is good!
Right now, it's important to me to have something new.
I desire something that the older generation does not have.
The theme of the next dance competition is "Anything Goes".
Do as you please.
If there's anything you need, let me know.
Do the best performance that you can at this point,
and finish Zojiro off.
W-wait a second!
Listen.
No matter what you think, you are the winner right now.
People are not born equal.
A desire to save everyone equally is unreasonable.
Outside of the pure land, the only ones who have that wish
are either kids or saints.
I suppose you want to tell me that it's my duty to save them, huh?
What's that face about?
Nothing, I'm just glad that my point actually got across!
Hey, don't treat me like some idiot!
I am not a saint.
Even if I try to save everyone, some people will inevitably fall through the cracks.
But what about for performers?
Huh?
Isn't the power of the performing arts to lift up those left behind?
Win, Oniyasha.
Do it for me.
I'm a little drunk...
YOSHIMITSU
The result of the last competition was a fluke.
The other guy just had good form!
We shouldn't try to foolishly overcompensate!
Yeah, that's right!
Should we put together a flashy show centered on stilt walking?
No, that's exactly what I meant by overcompensating!
I love your performances, Zojiro!
I don't quite understand what is amazing about it,
but you always look like you're having fun!
That's some pretty strange feedback...
But really, it always lifts my spirits when you dance, Zojiro.
Maybe everyone else feels the same!
I'm looking forward to your next performance, too!
The first round was the lion dance.
We'll get him this time.
Inomaru...
We'll do "Dance of the Brine Maidens" for the next performance.
Just a slight difference in angle can make a big difference in size.
Horizontally, and vertically...
This isn't working.
It's far from the feeling I had that time...
Hm?
Kamekichi...
Eek, it's dark, so dark!
Oh no!
It's pitch dark now!
"Dance of the Brine Maidens"...
that one's not usually performed in public, right?
And it's part of the Sarugaku repertoire!
How can we win by copying Sarugaku?!
Yeah! He's right!
You've got no pride in Dengaku Shinza!
What is this "pride" you all speak about?
Huh?
Pride is not resting on our laurels
on top of a pile of what our predecessors have built.
Nor is it brandishing something haphazardly.
We are currently in a dilemma.
And it's not just us.
This affects all of Dengaku.
This is no time to cling to our pride!
Kan'ami has incorporated the good parts of Dengaku and other performance art.
Therefore, Sarugaku is changing,
and it's become something that's encroaching on Dengaku.
Sarugaku has momentum right now.
If we don't change as well, we will cease to exist.
Let's do it.
What?!
You don't get to decide that!
All responsibility is on me.
Please leave this dance competition in my hands.
The performance arts lift up those left behind.
I want that to be true.
A world where everyone can stand in the same place
and connect with one another.
In a world like that... I could...
we could be together again.
But I'm not even satisfied with how my basic posture looks.
"Komachi at the Gravepost" just happened to go well.
And yet...
...and finish Zojiro off.
...finish Zojiro off.
...finish Zojiro off!
What do you want me to do? I'm not a warrior!
Whoa!
I'm not... Hm?
Too high! Too high!
They aren't...
warriors either.
Fuga, take care of Kamekichi!
I wasn't actually protecting the pride of the troupe back then.
I felt ashamed that I had to lay bare my shortcomings.
So, I was protecting my own pride.
But troupe pride isn't even relevant from the perspective of the audience.
How aggravating.
What has all my time here been for?!
What's important is creating a good performance.
I'm currently lacking in so many different areas.
If that's the case...
What the audience wants is simply a genuinely good performance.
I don't know if this will go over well, but...
not trying would be even more useless!
A different path that isn't winning or losing...
If such a path exists...
Then I...
have to change!
Though flowers come in many different colors,
they all share the same essence of instilling enthusiasm.
The countless beautiful flowers of the world
constantly strive to achieve full bloom.
Can we perform together?
Episode 8
To the Other Side
of the Bridge
Huh?
Kazuto Mihara / Kodansha