Serpent (雄呂血)

Executive producer: Shozo Makino

OROCHI

Original story and screenplay: Rokuhei Susukita

Director: Buntaro Futagawa

Beware!

Not all who wear the name of villain are truly evil men.

Not all who are respected as noble men are worthy of the name.

Many are those who wear a false mask of benevolence

to hide their treachery and wickedness.

The early 1700s

A small feudal town.

Matsuzumi Eizan's calligraphy school.

The town's young samurai are all

eager followers of Eizan Sensei.

EIZAN CALLIGRAPHY SCHOOL

Today is Master Eizan's

birthday celebration and the school is filled with joy.

Matsuzumi Eizan played by Seki Misao.

The master smiles as his students come

to congratulate him on his good fortune.

Eizan's daughter Namie

is known far and wide for her stunning beauty.

Namie played by Tamaki Utako.

The young samurai are all enraptured by her.

However, a young samurai. Kuritomi Heizaburo,

burns with a passion for Namie that outshines the others.

Kuritomi Heizaburo by Bando Tsumasaburo.

One by one the samurai toast their master

and wish him the best.

Once Eizan makes his exit this party is

sure to come alive with all these samurai.

Now there's a real atmosphere of drunken merriment

as the young samurai amuse themselves

with drinking challenges and games.

Kuritomi Heizaburo gets in more than

his share of the fun.

There seems to be one fellow sitting alone.

Namioka Shinpachiro, the son of the lord's chief retainer.

Namioka is played by Yamamura Momotaro.

He has drunk too much and everything appears in a thick haze.

His eyes search the room

for something to amuse himself with.

His high rank keeps the others away

and Namioka is annoyed.

Those leery eyes find KuritomiHeizaburo.

Hey, Kuritomi!

Kuritomi!

Over here boy.

I'll pour you one.

Faced with such arrogance, Heizaburo

can hardly stay calm.

As you can see,

I've drunk a bit too much. I'm afraid I can't

make it over there.

What?

You mean

my bowl's not good enough for you?

No such thing at all.

Then drink!

Drink!

Unless there is some other reason.

Drink!

You scum!

Who are you to refuse my bowl!

Do as you're told!

Drink!

So I'm the rude one?

You, who stride around with aristocratic airs.

Watch your words!

What?!

Impudent low-class peasant!

Heizaburo's eyes stung from the cold sake.

I'll show you!

Heizaburo's blood burned with rage at

this haughty snob's behavior.

He could not hold back anymore.

Stop it!

Come on, break it up.

Kuritomi!

Heizaburo!

Enough!

Stop it!

Let go!

Quite a scene we've got here.

What's going on?

Break it up!

Kuritomi!

What happened?

Master,

it's Namioka...

I said enough is enough.

Kuritomi!

Today is my birthday.

Doesn't that mean anything to you?

How dare you ruin my party!

Master,

please forgive me.

Namioka started in on me.

Forgive me.

Heizaburo tried hard to explain what happened.

But the others all sided with Namioka.

An aristocrat's son gets away with a lot.

Finally Heizaburo was painted as the bully.

That's not true.

I've heard enough.

Quiet down.

Please just hear me out!

Quiet down now!

Everyone...

You saw it all.

You were here.

You cowards! Flatterers!

Liars!

I said enough is enough.

Kuritomi!

Master...

Master!

Weren't you in that fight the other day?

There's no room for ruffians here.

One more and you'll be expelled.

Don't forget it.

Alright.

You can go now.

Master,

please forgive me.

Heizaburo swallows his pride and leaves.

Heizaburo.

Namie.

I don't care about a man's background.

But I can't stand bullies.

Please forgive me.

Even Namie thinks that he's the instigator.

Although it was Namioka

who provoked the fight,

Heizaburo found himself suspended for 30 days.

Fair or not, this is a world of classes.

If you don't tow the line, they crush you.

From then on

Heizaburo became known as a troublemaker and a bully.

Even Namie, who until then seemed fond of him,

now turned a cold shoulder on Heizaburo.

One afternoon

as he was wandering around town,

and pondering over Namie's coldness,

our hero

came across three chatting samurai.

Really?

By the way, did you hear about Namie?

What about her?

What do you know?

Where have you fools been?

They say that Namie is no maiden.

Well, well. People aren't what they seem.

I had no idea!

Who's the lucky guy?

Our lord.

Last summer, when Namie was out at the castle

she slipped into his room one night.

Is this true?

So I hear.

There's more.

I heard Eizan's conniving to marry Namie off

to our lord and thereby usurp his power.

Liars!

Heizaburo could no longer listen quietly.

Should I do nothing while dogs

soil the name of Matsuzumi Eizan?

Come with me to see the master.

Come!

Get moving.

What're you doing?

Kuritomi Heizaburo!

Come on!

Let's go.

Cowards.

Heizaburo's rage grew and he drew his sword.

A fight!

But the three samurai

were no match for Heizaburo.

You,

cowards!

A fight in the middle of the day.

Come with me to apologize to the master!

Wait you cowards!

Stop! Wait!

By chance, Heizaburo's classmates came along.

Wait! Stop it!

Wait!

He just attacked us.

He's a mad man!

Calm down!

Heizaburo, cool down!

Put the sword away!

What happened?

Kuritomi!

Enough already!

Rumormongers full of lies

about Namie...

However,

news travels fast and before