The Tale of Genji: A Thousand Year Enigma (源氏物語 千年の謎)

Written approximately 1000 years ago, the world's oldest...

...tale of love "Genji Monogatari" is still being widely read today.

Its protagonist, Hikaru Genji, is tormented by...

...his forbidden love for one of the Emperor's concubines.

As if to seek some sort of salvation, Genji engages...

...in a series of affairs with numerous women.

The ultimate mystery of "Genji Monogatari" lies with its author, Murasaki Shikibu.

Why did she write this tale?

Or rather, why was she compelled to write it?

The real world Murasaki Shikibu lives in and the

fictional world of Hikaru Genji are blended together...

to create the glorious milieu of high courtiers during the Heian period.

A new story is about to begin that will take us to the

heart of the ultimate mystery in "Genji Monogatari".

I have heard of your reputation.

It is said that real blood...

runs in your tale.

You should stop resisting.

Whatever I may do,

I will be forgiven.

One day,

let me read the tale you write.

It is a tale about a man and a woman.

Do you want to know my name?

I am Hikaru.

The light that shines on the whole world.

This paper has been brought back...

from China by some monk.

You shall catch...

the heart of the Emperor...

with this brush. With your brush.

You are the only one able to do it.

No one besides you can do it.

With the power of the tale you will write,

the Emperor will stay with my daughter, Shoshi,

as long as possible.

So I can rule over the whole country.

So I can put my blood into the Emperor's.

"My blood"?

The Tale of Genji - A Thousand Year Enigma...

In the reign of a certain Emperor,

there was among the court ladies serving...

at the inner palace of the Emperor,

one who, though she was not of high birth,

was loved more than anyone by the Emperor,

and received special treatment...

as if she were Yang Guifei.

This person was called Lady Kiritsubo.

However, the depth of the Emperor's great love...

was envied by many ladies...

and Lady Kiritsubo was attacked.

Among those, the anger the Emperor's first consort,

Lady Kokiden, was extraordinary.

You dirty woman!

Somebody of low birth like you...

will not give birth to the Emperor's child!

I will never allow it!

With this,

my blood will finally...

be united with the Emperor.

You are...

my life.

It seemed that Lady Kiritsubo...

gave birth to her child...

and died in exchange for his life.

Three years after losing his beloved Lady Kiritsubo,

the Emperor was wandering...

through a dark world.

Come here.

Come to your father.

From today onwards, we will be living here together.

Prince Hikaru*.

You are the child of the person I loved.

Ah, my son.

The colors are changing.

The Emperor took the fourth princess of the previous Emperor

as his new consort.

This person was called Princess Fujitsubo.

Her features resembled those...

of the late Lady Kiritsubo.

Many seasons passed...

and the second son who had grown tall...

became a young noble man who...

captivated all the hearts in the inner palace, like no one before him.

Ah, he is so handsome!

He makes you forget the passage of time.

This is quite satisfactory.

Prince Hikaru's coming of age ceremony...

was held in the Seiryoden.

The first son, who Lady Kokiden gave birth to,

was soon made Crown Prince,

thanks to the strong support of the Ministry of the Right.

The Emperor's real intention...

was to make Prince Hikaru a Crown Prince too,

but he had no satisfactory support.

Thus, instead of staying in a vague position

as an Imperial Prince without any rank,

he was given the name of Genji,

and was demoted to the rank of a subject serving in the inner palace.

That's a good thing. It suits him well, doesn't it?

He is not of the same rank as my Prince.

Rather than a prince,

isn't he the son of this low dirty woman?

Even so, his figure is such that...

after seeing it once,

it is burnt into my memory...

I cannot think of anything else, in the

mornings and at nights, and even in my dreams.

It is the same for me.

Huh?

Shut up!

Shut up, shut up! Won't you shut your mouth?

When will Genji resent me?

Things that are truly precious to me...

always fall from my hand.

I will always be...

by your side.

You are really kind.

My sincere congratulations on your coming of age ceremony.

Won't you...

let me see your face?

You have now...

become an adult.

From now on,

I will forever stay...

within the inner palace...

and with Lady Fujitsubo as a subject.

"Prince Genji came into the world..."

"...blessed with incredible beauty."

"In the inner palace torn by the passion of these ominous women,"

"...however,"

"...the urge of his heart which grew without the love of a mother..."

"...would lead him to a great tragedy."

We really want to hear the rest of the story, right?

Yes.

I do not deserve...

such words.

Let go of me.

No, I will not let you go.

Tonight's moon...

makes me remember that night.

I will remember it all my life.

Like this one night,

I would like to receive your love...

in your arms tonight.

It seems you have drunk more sake than you should have,

Sir Michinaga.

Please have a good night.

You will be late for tomorrow's council.

I am not Michinaga.

I am Hikaru.

Isn't Hikaru the name...

you gave me in your story?

Hurry and go to rest please.

You might catch a cold if you stay here too long.

Well done, Shikibu!

Huh?

Thanks to you, Shoshi is pregnant.

I will thank you again.

I am simply...

following your orders.

Your brush really transcends our lives.

Even I am your slave.

The tale you are writing...

has completely caught my heart.

Good night.

Let us see which one is stronger,

my desire or your mind.

Hey, move back, move back. Move back, move back.

Make way.

Go away, quick.

Ah... The Ministry of the Right is such an idiot.

Adding unnecessary things when it's already obvious.

Ah... because of this it's already late.

People who are stupid...

often talk in a roundabout way.

Right, Kozei, don't you think so too?

You should follow his example.

What?

Saying things frankly causes unnecessary misunderstandings and quarrels.

Isn't it a good thing?

It means this boring council will become more interesting.

I...

don't need books.

The blood of the Fujiwara family running in this body...

actually teaches me many things.

How to move to manipulate the heart of people.

How to move to punish hindrances.

The child inside Shoshi's belly...

has to be a son.

Only then will we be able...

to put an end to this clan battle.

What are you?

Huh?

Who are you?

Tell us your name!

What are you?

Wait.

You probably want to see me.

It was you as expected.