Yae no Sakura (八重の桜)

-Move forward! -Stand!

1861-1865 AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

-Ready -Fire now.

Union's "Napoleon" Light 12-Pounders

In 1861, a civil war broke out in the United States of America.

Four score and seven years ago,

our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation,

conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition

that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war... GETTYSBURG - LARGEST NUMBER OF CASUALTIES

This war introduced the unlimited use of the latest technology in weaponry.

The war between the (American) States resulted in 620,000 casualties.

Union's British 1853 Enfield

Union Cavalry's Spencer Carbine

YAMAMOTO YAE IS SWALLOWED IN THE WORLD'S TORRENTS

The civil war left deep scars.

But the people who rose and found light beyond the agony...

would advance toward building a new country.

...that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain

...that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom

...and that government of the people, by the people,

...for the people,... shall not perish from the earth.

1865 Boston ...for the people,... shall not perish from the earth.

1865 Boston Weapons used in the American Civil War found their way to Japan.

Weapons used in the American Civil War found their way to Japan.

Starting with the arrival of the Black Ships...

these weapons would play a major role in ending the Tokugawa Bakufu (Shogunate).

1868 - AIZU DOMAIN

Seige of Aizu-Wakamatsu/Tsuruga Castle Boshin War

The main gate is before us!

Advance ahead!

Imperial Army's Armstrong 12 pounders

Fire!

Has the main force returned?

Is the Lord safe? Where is the Lord?

Lord!

Where is the Lord?

The Lord's safe?

Is he safe?

Lord Katamori...

I'm so glad you are alive.

Fire!

Imperial 12-Pounders Mountain Howitzer

Bull's-eye.

We got the Satsuma general!

Imperial Army's British Snyder-Enfield Rifles

Fire!

Aim your shots well!

Will do!

Yamamoto Yae with Spencer Carbine

They won't capture this castle.

No...means no!

YAE'S SAKURA

NO MEANS NO

Screenplay: YAMAMOTO MUTSUMI

Theme Music: Sakamoto Ryuichi Music: Nakajima Nobuyuki

Narrator: Kusabue Mitsuko

Yamamoto Yae: Ayase Haruka

Yamamoto Kakuma: Nishijima Hidetoshi

Kawasaki Shonosuke: Hasegawa Hiroki

Yamamoto Saku: Fubuki Jun

Yamamoto Gonpachi: Matsushige Yutaka

Matsudaira Katamori: Ayano Go

Tanaka Tosa: Sato Bsaku

Hayshi Gonsuke: KIazama Morio

Sagawa Kanbei: Nakamura Shido

Yoshida Torajiro: Oguri Shun

Ii Naosuke: Enoki Takaaki

Tokugawa Nariaki: Ibuki Goro

Yamakawa Hyoue: Yamamoto Kei

Yamakawa En: Akiyoshi Kumiko

Matsudaira Katataka: Nakamura Umenosuke

Katsu Rintaro: Namase Katsuhisa

Itagaki Taisuke: Kato Masaya

Niijima Jo: Odagiri Joe

Ooyama Yasuke: Sorimachi Takashi

Sakuma Shozan: Okuda Eiji

Saigo Tanomo: Nishida Toshiyuki

Executive Producer: Naito Shinsuke

Translations by MTI

Director: Kato Taku

Summer of 1851....

This story goes back 17 years before the Battle of Aizu.

The 230,000 koku Matsudaira clan in Aizu

is a Tokugawa family clan with the hollyhock crest.

Yae!

Yae...!

Okichi, where is Yae?

You can't find her? I dressed her earlier.

Little Miss went sightseeing.

Sightseeing?

YAMAMOTO YAE

Aren't you scared?

Yae!

Look!

Yae?

The procession is here!

Be careful.

I'll inform everyone.

Wait for me!

Where's Yae?

She'll return soon.

Okichi!

Okichi!

Get ready as usual.

Mother!

Here she comes.

The young lord's procession is approaching.

Let's go to greet him.

Turn around.

I knew it! There is a rip!

Okichi...

It's the young lord's first time home. We must not be late.

Yes.

Oh, Master Saburo. Please come here.

Did you hurt yourself?

Are you alright?

I'm all right.

Don't look up.

Yes.

That's Brother!

Face down!

What a fine lord!

MATSUADAIRA KATAMORI

I can only see the horse's legs!

YAMAMOTO KAKUMA

Father, please examine it.

Bull's-eye. Excellent.

Unbelievable!

This is a good fire-arm.

Take another shot.

Yes.

Yae! How long does it take to bring the beans?

Oh...

Hey.

It was a beautiful procession.

He's like a handsome character in a play.

Mother, do you watch plays?

There used to be a lot of traveling troupes before.

Hey! Don't compare the young lord to an actor.

Forgive me.

He was adopted from Mino's Takasu family five years ago

and has matured finely.

I agree.

Brother, what is that called?

What?

What you were shooting earlier?

It's a Gewehr.

Gewehr?

Hey!

A Dutch rifle. I managed to obtain one.

Oh!

The bullet power is stronger than the matchlock musket (Teppu).

There was a clean hole in the target.

The gun is exceptional but so is my skill.

He's bragging.

It's a Takashima School gun.

The one used at the Tokumaru-ga-hara military drill?

Father!

I want to shoot a rifle like Brother!

Oh, my! Don't be silly!

Why would you shoot a fire-arm?

Girls should practice the naginata (halberd).

Me too!

You need to practice shooting fire-arms!

But fire-arms are powerful.

They are. Though some people speak ill of them.

They don't understand a thing.

Is it the strongest?

As artillery instructors,

we live close to the castle even though we are low in rank.

Then I prefer a fire-arm! I want to become strong!

A fire-arm is big and heavy. A woman can't handle it.

I'll grow big and strong!

No means no!

Seconds.

Grandma Takagi has bad eyes.

How inconvenient for her.

How old is she?

I don't know.

The steel's length?

6.06 cm.

And the flint?

5 cm.

And the apron?

3.33 cm.

15 mm...

The Lord in Edo wants the young lord to learn

all aspects of our home province.

Men, you are not to withhold anything.

Make the arrangements.

I will state our family precepts.

Pardon me!

Family Precepts.

Article 1, Righteousness of a Lord.

Dedication to loyalty.

Lead, not by example of other clans.

Loyalty to the Shogun is the top priority.

Do not follow the actions of other clans.

If you harbor disloyalty,