Tatara Samurai (たたら侍)

The 40th Montreal World Film Festival Best Artistic Contribution

AD 1567 TATARA VILLAGE, JAPAN

Gosuke!

Gosuke! Hurry!

Hurry up!

The Amago samurai are here!

What? The Amago?

You won't have your way!

Damn you!

Stop it! Heijiro! Shinpei!

Run away!

Run!

Run!

Gosuke!

Run away!

Mama!

Mama! Mama!

Mama!

Sir Shinnosuke!

Since I was a boy, I've believed that strength lies in power.

But what is power?

What is strength?

Little did I know...

TATARA SAMURAI

Thank you for last night.

Oh, it was nothing.

Our work

is to produce steel with iron sand and coal in a forge made of granite soil.

The ultimate steel making secret called Tatara

has been passed down through generations.

Its been passed an only to a grand master known as Murage.

I was born to become the Murage after my father.

However, at the time

I did not understand what it truly meant to be a Murage.

Oh, what nice Tatara steel.

Master Kisuke, thank you for everything.

Yasuke, no, Yasuke Murage.

The village is now entrusted to you.

This is Kisuke Murage's last Tatara steel.

Swordsmiths must be all looking forward to it, too.

Heijiro, be careful with it.

Yes.

Father, I am leaving now.

Very well.

Please look after yourself.

Thank you.

Let's go.

Yes.

Yasuke must have looked unsettled.

It's understandable.

The quality of steel depends on the Murage's state of being.

His spirit is reflected in Tatara steel.

You're going to succeed as the Murage.

Watch your father closely and inherit the mastery.

Understand?

We must make good coal, too, Shinemon.

Yeah.

Damn.

I'm next!

Come.

Gosuke.

You would be finished now.

Your enemy is your weak mind.

Don't look away.

You must win over yourself!

Yes.

One more time!

Sir Shinnosuke!

You were safe.

Heijiro.

It's been a while.

Gosuke.

Is Master Kisuke doing well?

Yes. The other day, he passed on his Murage status to my father.

I see. I'm sure Yasuke will also become a great Murage.

Is everybody in the village doing well?

Yes.

Have you returned?

Yes.

Mother!

Let me...

Okuni.

It's wonderful that a nice girl like you is Gosuke's fiancée.

Thank you for always helping me.

I'm flattered to hear you say that.

Your wedding ceremony was going to be after my husband succeeds as the Murage

but we made you wait so long.

I'm back.

Welcome back.

Welcome back.

Ah, thank you.

Well, I'm going back.

All right.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

Good morning, Okuni.

Good morning, Kozue.

The time's nearing, huh?

Gosuke is nervous, too.

I'm sure.

Yes.

It's been passed on for several hundreds of years.

We can only pray that the men do their work well.

Gosuke.

Yes.

Gosuke.

Kenta, have you got it?

Here's the next one.

Thank you.

Coal.

Earth.

Iron sand.

Fire.

Water.

Grass.

Wind...

A man cannot create everything.

Tatara is

a gift from Great Nature.

Catastrophe is coming.

Grandmother.

Catastrophe strikes in most unexpected ways.

No, you can't fight against divine will.

Help!

Help!

What happened?

The cargo got raided!

Heijiro is in danger!

Gosuke!

Gosuke?

Hey, leave the cargo here.

No!

You've got a lot of fire, huh?

Hey, is this a wooden sword?

Oh, it's a nice one.

Hey you, draw your sword. Hey! Come on!

Can't you do it?

Draw it out! Come on!

Stop it...

Stop it! Stop!

Don't touch me!

Ouch!

Over here! Hurry! Gosuke!

Hurry!

Hurry up!

Move!

Heijiro!

Heijiro.

Gosuke.

Sorry...

Heijiro...

Heijiro?

Heijiro!

Heijiro!

Heijiro!

About Heijiro...

You mustn't leave in the middle of Tatara.

I...

couldn't do anything...

when Heijiro was in trouble.

Will I really spend the rest of my life becoming a Murage here in this village?

Gosuke.

You're going to become the Murage.

I wonder if I'm all right like this...

Um, where is the village mayor?

Ah, he is over there.

Ah, thank you. Thank you.

Land of Oumi, Nagahama's metal wholesaler.

I'm Shirahamaya Sobei.

I'm Chojiro.

I'm Shinpei.

I heard that in Izumo, there is a village that makes rare steel

that doesn't rust called, Izumo's Tatara steel.

I see. Thank you for coming all the way here in the mountains.

Do you know at Lord Nobunaga Oda's musket troops?

No.

Nowadays, the number of guns determines the victory.

Every feudal lord

wants them.

War has changed a lot

and steel has become a necessity.

We would definitely like to use your steel.

Thank you for your patronage

but our hands are full with our longtime customers.

So you're declining.

I'm sorry.

A peasant?

He became a samurai when he proved himself in battle.

Wow.

Lord Nobunaga Oda apparently makes anyone his vassal regardless of their class.

People say he will seize power.

Sobei!

Please wait.

I want to ask you something.

What is it?

How can we protect...

No, not only that.

How can we strengthen our village?

You want me to tell you?

Yes.

I am only a merchant.