Vengeance for Sale (助太刀屋助六)

NIKKATSU CORPORATION FUJI TELEVISION NETWORK, INC

KYOTO FILM CORPORATION KIHACHI PRODUCTIONS

No, this man is not crazy.

Nor is he retarded.

You may think he is fooling with little children.

But, no, he is extremely serious.

For the world and the people,

and, above all, for his own self, he is thus busy.

His weapon for today is a clothes pole he has found at hand.

He hates swords. He has never used them.

When he saw the two men fighting,

he decided it must be a vengeance.

Before he had time to stop and think,

there he went.

What?

Cham, Cham, Chambara!

He is cut! - He is stabbed!

The blood galore! - The blood galore!

- When he was 17, he left his home for Edo.

On his way, he became involved in a vengeance,

and aided the avenger.

Boy, how good it felt!

There was this stately samurai thanking him!

It was a wonderful feeling. He became addicted to it.

What's more, the samurai thrust upon him something...

that felt rather heavy and nice.

It added to his addiction and 7 years have passed.

He went here, there and everywhere in search of vengeance.

Now is your chance! Go!

"My enemy!"

Come on! Do it!

Don't go, honey.

Hey, no, but...

One day in his 7th year of wandering,

the avenged party wanted a compromise settlement.

That is, in order to be spared, he was willing to pay...

15 ryo. That was a lot of money.

It was an easy money, too. You only have to ask to get it.

What happens to 'Bushido', the honorable samurai spirit?

Are you as lowdown as that?

Oh, well. So he finds himself

going home to Joshu after all these years.

No one is waiting for him there.

He was only 5 when his mother

died at 35, and now only her grave waits for him back home.

This man is known,

though he is quite unknown, really, as Sukeroku the 'Helper'.

Sukeroku the 'Helper'.

He believes himself a cool rambling yakuza.

VENGEANCE IS SUCH A GREAT BUSINESS

JOSHU

Ma.

I haven't exactly gone to riches, but I ain't in rags, either.

See.

What'd you say?

Don't I look good?

I'll walk around in this fine silk garment.

And girls will flock around me everywhere.

And I can just have my pick.

Well, no. Picking will make me as bad as Dad.

When I find my girl, I will marry her.

Come to think of it,

Dad was a real bastard.

Wasn't he, Ma?

He just threw you away.

Picking and throwing. That's mean.

I don't even know his face.

Not that I want to, anyway.

If I ever see him, I'll give him a piece of my mind. I swear I will.

But I don't even know his name. So...

Ma, I think maybe...

you knew his name, didn't you?

Didn't you, Ma?

Anyway, your tombstone is so small.

Uncomfortable, isn't it?

I thought that with this easy money that I have...

I might settle down to marry.

But making a proper tombstone comes first.

What about making it big enough for a couple of people to relax in?

Who gave you this, Ma?

As far as I know, we have no relatives, Ma.

Grazing freely.

Wish I could, too.

What is the matter?

What's happened?

What is it?

Hey, say something!

A riot, a quarrel, or a plague?

Okay. You don't need to answer.

Let me ask you then. Do you remember me?

Does it tickle so much?

It tickles so much that I could die!

Stop that, Auntie Tome.

You could die?

Yeah.

- Well I guess that means you are a virgin, Osen.

Yes, yes.

- 7 years ago, I was the leader of the kids around here.

I was the leader in those days.

And I still am.

Hey, aren't you Taro?

Sukeroku-san, is that you?

It's been ages.

Yes, really.

Hey, look at yourself.

Why are you the leader?

Ugh!

How terrible!

It's awful.

It's not as bad as all that.

There was a little girl with a runny nose

chasing after her elder brother.

Running around with her skinny legs.

I wonder what her name was.

I'm the area guard.

The area guard?

You mean you work for the law?

In this town?

How can you do it?

Yes, I can.

If there are offenders of the law or rogues,

I will arrest them. That's all.

Are you wanted?

- Am I wanted? No, of course not.

What shall we do now, Auntie Tome?

I have never painted myself before. Now I am so heavily made-up.

It's like wearing a mask, and I am no longer shy.

Nobody will recognize me now.

I am ready to serve sake for the High Official.

What shall we do now?

Well, I guess...

you need to change your clothes.

What?

Your brother told me...

he wants you to wear something like this now and again.

Oh...!

Are you wearing a silk garment?

If it's silk, what will you do?

- I must arrest you. It's against the law for a commoner.

I wear what I want to wear.

I am a yakuza.

A yakuza and a guard are enemies.

What?

Show me your sword.

Why?

It seems a bit too long to me.

The limit for a yakuza is 2 feet.

Really? Is that so?

You can keep it.

You have never killed anybody...

with... this... thing, have you?

Right?

Keep it. - All right.

By the way, Taro, whatever is the matter?

What has happened?

Or what is about to happen?

An 'Adauchi' (Vengeance)!

What?

There is an old children's game,

which is called Lord's Telescope.

Just put your fists together,

and look, and you will see people and things far away...

much closer than they actually are.

I wonder why that is.

Sukeroku?

Why?

Why is he here? He's gone off to Edo!

I guess I have enough stones.

What are you doing?

- What am I doing? Helping, of course.

Help is not needed.

- Not needed? The guy is so weak?

- No he's very strong. He used to be a 'Hasshu' (police official) here.

Hasshu?

Then he is your superior?

Why is a police official wanted by the law?

- He was drunk when he had this row with his colleagues.

He killed the two of them in a flash.

He is very quick on the draw.

So, help will be needed?

No. There are four avengers.

- Four won't be enough. - Huh?

- He kills two, unsheathing. He kills the other two, sheathing.

The rightful avengers are four.

But, in fact, we're all ordered to help.

So, it's one against all the officials in this area.

No need to help.

What the!

Who are they?

Two of the helpers.

Oh, my rivals in business.

Huh?

Well, I mean...

I don't remember that pub.

- It's new. They remodeled the old sake brewery.

What about the pub?

- Let's have a drink to celebrate our reunion.

It's on me. - Okay.

No. I don't drink when I'm on duty.

- On duty? What do you mean?