The Third Shadow Warrior (第三の影武者)

DAIEl COMPANY, LTD

Enemies! - Night attack!

THIRD SHADOW Daisan no Kagemusha

Created by TSUJI Hisakazu Story by NANJO Norio Screenplay by HOSHIKAWA Seiji

Cinematography: HONDA Shozo Sound: OTANI Iwao Lighting: OKAMOTO Kenichi Art Director: NISHIOKA Yoshinobu Music by KABURAGI Hajime

CAST

ICHIKAWA Raizo TAKACHIHO Hizuru BANRI Masayo

KOBAYASHI Katsuhiko AMACHI Shigeru SHIMADA Ryuzo ISHIGURO Tatsuya SUMI Rieko KANEKO Nobuo

Directed by INOUE Umetsugu

Hida is a land buried and concealed by mountains.

During the Sengoku era, after the Onin and Bunroku...

Hida managed to escape invasion by...

Takeda, Uesugi and Oda because of their inaccessibility.

But smaller lords stepped into this power vacuum...

and skirmishes continued in the region.

Get out! Out of my way!

Move!

Rude bastard! Go then!

Hey! Look at the castle!

Thought we'd had it when we were surrounded by enemies, but...

But I survived, and took their general's head!

I'll get a fat reward back at the castle.

I took an enemy's head before you!

Well, I won't give up my reward to you.

What nerve!

Father, samurai are so greedy.

What do you want! We'll be better off if they win the war.

If they don't, things will get worse!

Out of my way!

Hey farmer, pick that up!

Pick it up quickly!

Horrible!

Give it to me now!

I'll be rewarded for taking the fifth head if I hurry.

There, look at that. Not so good to be a samurai these days.

Better than picking scraps off the ground.

Look! Look!

We'll win the war. Lord Yasutaka is strong.

He'll reign over Hida region soon enough.

The latest struggle inspires the mountain youth to dream of winning a fiefdom.

Young men living off the land, who had little to dream about before.

Now they'd dream of winning honor as a samurai.

THE YEAR 1564

HIDA, TAKANOBORIKYO CASTLE OF IKEMOTO YASUTAKA MITAYA CASTLE

I hope war will start again soon.

I was stuck in the castle last time. Next time I'll win my fortune.

What can a mere farmer win?

Who are you?

The son of a powerful family.

I say I'll distinguish myself and become a samurai next time.

I want to become a samurai general.

Their dreams flew high, above their grasp. Too high to reach.

If they could grab a title, maybe dominate a castle...

Some succeeded by force of arms...

but many dreams turned to ashes in young men's hearts.

Look, a fog is rising!

It's turned grey!

Then one day, one young man's destiny arrived on horseback.

Hey, the fog is swallowing the mountains.

There's a samurai coming. He's coming here.

Coming here? Why?

Father, a samurai's coming.

What? Samurai?

We just paid our taxes.

Are they going to charge us more?

Ninomiya Kyonosuke, I think that's your name. You probably remember me.

I asked you for directions once.

I'm Shinomura Saheita.

You want to be a samurai?

Look, we may be farmers today, but we come from samurai stock.

Yes, it's a good family.

Naturally, you have samurai in your family.

I like the young man Kyonosuke very much.

My Ikemoto family will gladly hire him for Mitaya castle.

He's from this family, and he's always wanted to be a samurai.

What would my salary be?

Stop!

How much would you like?

100 koku.

100 koku stipend?

Take it easy!

You know any small numbers?

When he was a boy, I took him to Takayama shrine.

We saw the colorful samurai marching.

I told him they earned 100 koku each.

Ever since, that's what he knows...

Please Lord Shinomura, forgive him.

That's fine. 100 koku it is.

Clothing and equipment advance.

Pack and come to my house in three days.

Try this on.

Put it on!

ARMY MAGISTRATE OFFICE

ARMY MAGISTRATE OFFICE Come in.

Come in.

Go.

Follow me.

What's in here?

I can't see anything in the dark.

You all right?

Sit here.

Sit still. I'll give us light.

Now, face front.

That's right.

Yes, he looks just right.

Oh yes, even I couldn't say who he is.

Indeed.

Good work, Shinomura.

He could stand in for our lord and his closest followers wouldn't know.

All of you, put out the light and come closer.

You too, Ninomiya.

Now, you all look the same, don't you?

Yes.

Ishihara and Kuwano, what do you think?

It's amazing. The face is exactly like our lord's.

I agree.

Exactly like him.

Forgive me, who do I look like?

The owner of the castle, Ikemoto Yasutaka.

Ikemoto? Am I so much like him?

Starting now, he's one of you. Introduce yourselves.

I'm Kuwano Genta, first shadow.

Second shadow, Ishihara Shosaku.

Shadow?

Yes, it means acting as our lord's double.

Double?

You're the third. Third shadow.

Ishihara, Kuwano...

Madam Urazu, please keep this secret.

Remember this and work hard.

Don't leave until you've mastered the art of doubling our lord.

You can start tomorrow. For now, get some rest.

Shinomura, bring him some Sake tonight.

That's all for now.

You really look like him.

When I saw your face, I thought you were our lord.

Come over here by the fire, warm yourself.

How did you become a double?

I used to be an actor but I'm useless with a sword.

They mostly keep me in the castle.

If there's an attempt on Lord Yasutaka's life...

I give them time to call in their allies and find the enemy.

I get the dangerous duty, always at the battlefield.

Lord Yasutaka stands at the forefront.

When he's threatened, I take his place to fool allies and enemies alike.

So I need nine more lives than you.

Still, I eat the Lord's fine food on the field, and get extra pay.

When I've got 100 ryo...

I'll go back to my village, become a rich farmer, and find a beautiful bride.

And I came here to be a samurai because I hate farming.

Well, you'll get tired of this phony life!

Phony?

Spending your life studying the lord's habits and hiding out like an exile.

The lord sprained his ankle last year.

He fell off a horse, fighting with an enemy general at the battle of Tomiyama.

Since then, he drags his left leg a bit when he walks.

Try it.

That's too much. Take smaller steps. Just a little.

Much too theatrical!

If I were your enemy, I'd have cut your leg off!

Still too much!

Back, Kuwano!

Your head is too high, relax!

That's his habit.

When he's riled, he cracks the floor with his whip.

Back, Ishibashi!

Your head's too high!

He takes it everywhere but his bed. Remember.

Back up, Kuwano!

Ninomiya, pull your shoulders back.

Head down!

Here's a list of castle staff.

Their full names, ages, family lines and previous marriages are recorded here.

Read this and memorize it.

All of it?

Of course.

The master must know everyone in his castle!

How are you?

Are you jealous of your colleagues?

Maybe they're sleeping with painted, powdered women?

You'll have your chance soon.

When you become more like the master.

I, Saheita, will go now, master.

Yes sir.

No! You are the master!

Good work. - Pull your shoulders back!

Excuse me...

I'm so homesick.

Now he's truly becoming like the master.

Just shave the ends of his eyebrows, and he'll look exactly like him.

Good job! Looks exactly like him!

Ninomiya, you've worked hard these five months.

Now stand up.

Hey, did you forget?

The master has a bad left leg.

When he stands up, he always puts his hand on this knee!

There it is.

I'll remind you.

When you wear his clothes and his hairstyle...

you're the master of Mitaya Castle, Ikemoto Yasutaka!