Shadow Warriors: Hattori Hanzo (影の軍団 服部半蔵)

TOEI COMPANY LTD.

1651, UNDER THE REIGN OF THE THIRD SHOGUN, TOKUGAWA IEMITSU.

Edo city is now crammed with masterless samurai

and tramps from other provinces.

And they are causing public disturbances.

Of course, this doesn't threaten the secure

government under Tokugawa Iemitsu.

MATSUDAIRA IZO-NO-KAMI NOBUTSUNA CHIEF OF THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS

But putting this aside, the conduct of these

rogues in our Shogun's own city...

may result in disgracing his leadership.

Chief Elder Matsudaira's orders!

Expel all the masterless samurai and tramps

from Edo...

from this moment on.

Whether or not these retainers, especially of extinct lords...

are now making trouble...

should be thoroughly checked.

Those who actively oppose your investigation

or attempt to run away...

should be killed on the spot!

Now, the following places need a strict masterless samurai hunt...

Screenplay: TAKADA Koji SHIMURA Masahiro - YAMADA Takayuki Planning: ONAGA Takao KUSAKABE

Music by: HARADA Hiromichi Photography: NAKAJIMA Tohru

Assistant Director: FUJIWARA Toshiyuki

Special Effects Director: YAJIMA Nobuo

WATASE Tsunehiko

SAIGO Teruhiko

HARADA Emi - MORISHITA Aiko

NAKAJIMA Yutaka - MURA Yoichi

TACHIBANA Maki - NAMI Kyoko KANE Keizo - HONMA Yuuji

TOI Togetsu - LEE Ichiryu

KANEKO Nobuo - NARITA Mikio FUJITA Makoto - NAKAYA Noboru

YAMAMURA So

OGATA Ken

Directed by: KUDO Eiichi

Are they here?

How foolish of them...

to be caught in a masterless samurai hunt!

Run!

Chief...

HATTORI HANZO

His Excellency is dead!

It's the end of the world.

His Excellency is dead!

It's the end of the world.

SHOGUN TOKUGAWA IEMITSU DIED IN FEBRUARY, 1651

Chief! Something is going on.

Lords were summoned to Edo castle.

What?

They are rushing to the castle.

Sounds interesting.

Our chance has come at last.

Daimyo mansions will be short of guards.

All right. Let's go!

Intruders!

Look here!

Blame your extravagant life!

Be quiet!

I won't kill you.

Mortuary tablet!

Mortuary tablet!

Hey! You, sir.

How about...

...wearing this for once in your life?

Everybody tightens their purse strings.

Times are indeed bad.

Constables!

Constables are coming!

They are here!

Gather here, merchants!

I want all merchants over here quickly.

Are you a merchant?

We will confiscate all the goods here.

Oh, no, please!

Enough!

Excuse me, sir.

What is it?

Thanks. Patrol this area.

Idiot!

You fool!

Are you selling stolen goods?

No, sir!

I'm only making a honest living.

Shut up!

LORD MITO, DEPUTY SHOGUN

HOSHINA MASAYUKI, LORD OF AIZU. IEMITSU'S YOUNGER BROTHER

Did you wish to see me, sir?

Lord Aizu...

I would like to know how you are planning to

conduct government affairs.

What do you mean, sir?

Now that Iemitsu is dead...

you are his younger brother and...

an advisor to his son and the heir to the Shogun.

You are the key man now.

Where is Lord Matsudaira?

Why didn't he attend the council at this critical moment?

Lord Hotta has just submitted his resignation to the Council.

Please allow me to follow the late Shogun to the grave.

Thank you for everything. Farewell, gentlemen.

AT 10 AM, LORD HOTTA FOLLOWS THE LATE SHOGUN TO THE GRAVE.

SHORTLY THEREAFTER, LORD ABE ALSO COMMITS SUICIDE.

I hear that Lord Hotta and Lord Abe followed the late

Shogun to the grave.

I see.

You may go.

Don't let anyone enter this room.

Understood.

Those who burglarize the lords' residences and

cause a public nuisance...

are Iga ninja, after all.

Lord Naito!

I will behead you in a memorial service to be held for the...

masterless samurai you have killed.

Wait!

I know you are Hattori Hanzo.

Hanzo, I would like you to meet a certain person.

Who is it?

You will see.

Come to Ryotokuji Temple at 10 tomorrow morning!

Come in.

Are you Hattori Hanzo?

Show me your face!

Behave yourself, Hanzo!

This is Lord Izu Matsudaira!

Lord Izu?

Anything wrong, Hanzo?

You are looking at me as if you have seen a

ghost or something.

You are alive.

Yes, I am alive.

But I am only existing like a living corpse.

I must use an artifice which will make me come back

to real power.

Won't you give me a hand, Hanzo?

You will get whatever you name in return.

Either money or a position.

Or both.

I will give you what you would never be able to get...

in a lifetime the way you are.

What's my job?

Lord Aizu.

Kill him?

What's your answer?

The answer is no.

What?

I don't trust Shogunate people like you.

Watch you tongue, Hanzo!

Shut up!

How did you treat the last Hattori Hanzo?

You threw him away like a rag after using him up.

We, Iga ninja, are not idiots who have forgotten

their grudge against you.

I see.

But Hanzo...

I have already told you about such a serious matter.

Do you think you will be able to leave here safely?

Sure...

I will manage to get out of here without any harm.

Rin-Pyo-Toh-Sha...

Kai-Jin-Restu-Zai-Zen.

Rin-Ryo-Toh-Sha-Kai-Jin-Retsu-Zai...

After persuading Hanzo...

I was planning to go ahead with the help of both the

Koga and Iga ninja.

But you are my only reliable support now.

We have got to kill Hanzo first.

How did it go, Chief?

Lord Izu is alive.

But word is out that he is dead.

And there was a monster there.

Monster?

He is all black from head to toe.

He may be Izo's tool, but I wonder who he is.

Be quiet or you will be killed.

Who are you?

My name is Upper Hanzo. Remember that.

Young Lord is only eleven years old.

There might appear men who want to control him.

Then political turmoil will come next.

So don't rest on your position, even if you earned it easily.

What are you after?

I came to sell my skills to you.

What do you want?

The reinstatement of the Hattori family.

If I refuse...

will you go to the others with my head?

The wise man knows how to wait for a chance and select his master.

So I will leave you tonight.

The time will come when you will need me badly.

Just keep your eyes open.

Don't tell me what to do.

I will see you again.

Long time no see, Upper Hanzo.

It's you, Lower Hanzo.

Where are you? Come out.

Just keep walking.

Walk straight ahead.

Don't be arrogant.