Arata Kangatari

Born of heaven and earth, yin and yang, and all creation,

I am "man", possessing the senses of vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and thought.

Purifying myself, I cut through evil,

and now uncover a world without light,

where all life may be reborn.

In three days' time, we shall hold the ceremony.

The time has come to appoint a new Hime-ou to succeed me,

after sixty years of my rule.

I'll be relying on you, Twelve Shinshou.

Our pleasure.

We, the Twelve Shinshou, will pledge our eternal allegiance

and protect the new Hime-ou.

Kikuri-Hime, please put your heart at ease.

My duty will finally come to an end.

Onii-chan, breakfast is ready.

Hey, didn't I tell you to knock first?

I'll walk part of the way to school with you, okay?

You don't need to. What am I, a kid?

Morning, Arata.

Morning, Mom.

Onii-chan has started smiling recently, hasn't he?

He told me he's made a friend in his class, too.

It's a close friend, too.

That's great.

He's not being bullied anymore, right?

Onii-chan is kind and has a sense of justice. He's such a nice person.

I don't understand why those things happened to him.

Arata!

Morning!

Hey, Suguru.

Oh, yeah...

The game I told you about the other day.

Oh, thanks! I'll borrow this for a while!

Sure.

I'm all right now.

What do you wanna do after this?

Hm... Karaoke?

Aren't you sick of karaoke by now?

11.58 seconds. That's a good time...

especially considering you slowed down at the end.

I did not!

Liar.

But, Hinohara, with a time like this, are you sure you won't join?

Sorry. I'm not really into sports.

I wonder why the first years this year are joining the track and field club.

Weren't you pretty good at that back in junior high?

Both you and Kadowaki.

Don't think you can let your guard down, Hinohara.

Just because we're in high school now doesn't mean anything's changed.

I will never let you off.

Okay...

R-Right...

I've grown tired lately, too... of Hinohara.

Oh, you have?

Then you should've said so sooner!

Yeah, we thought you were Hinohara's friend.

No way!

Hinohara and I were... never friends to begin with.

Arata!

Arata!

Arata!

Arata! Just give up already!

Shut up! I'm never gonna do it!

If you're really a man, then show your resolve!

I'm refusing because I'm a man!

You're not getting away!

He fell.

He fell.

That hurt!

Using Amatsuriki on your own grandson...

Be quiet! Arata, from today onwards, you're a woman!

As a maiden of the Hime Clan, you will attend the ceremony held once every thirty years

and become the new ruling Hime-ou of this country!

I told you, that's just impossible!

Don't worry, Arata-sama.

As members of the Uneme Clan, we'll try our best to help you dress like a girl!

Get out of here, Kotoha!

Jeez... It doesn't matter if I dress like a girl or not,

in the end, I'm still a guy. I can't be the Hime-ou!

Only maidens of the Hime Clan

who possess Amatsuriki may become the ruler of Amawakuni.

However, our clan has not been blessed with a female child for a long time.

I knew it.

I should have raised you as a girl!

That's not the issue here!

I'm a guy, so I don't have Amatsuriki,

and if anyone finds out, I'll be killed!

You'll be killed even if you refuse!

What?

It has been declared that if we do not present a maiden,

the entire Hime Clan will be purged as punishment for treason.

The entire clan?

It doesn't matter if I die, but Arata, you must survive and protect it.

Protect the Hayagami,

the Goshintai inherited from our ancestors!

What, this thing?

Fool! If you touch it so imprudently, you'll incur the wrath of the gods!

Oh...

Nothing's happening.

You call this a Goshintai?

It's just a ratty old sword.

You blasphemous wretch!

Grandma!

Makari-sama!

Are you all right, Grandma? Hey...

I'm sorry, Arata.

The authorities are also getting impatient.

Only a maiden of the Hime Clan who possesses Amatsuriki

can subdue the Hayagami, divine spirits of our world.

Kokuri-Hime has aged.

The clan had no maidens to succeed her thirty years ago, either,

so she has already reigned for sixty years.

The survival of our country depends upon this coming ceremony.

Say what you will...

But this still sucks.

You look so adorable, Arata-sama!

You really look like a girl!

I'll pound you!

So this is just to buy time while the others search for a real maiden of the Hime Clan, huh?

The ceremony lasts three days.

You need only hold out that long.

You think we can deceive the Hime-ou and her Twelve Shinshou for three full days?

Well...

I want to just go off to some faraway world.

Arata-sama.

What's that?

It's a protective charm.

I received this Michihi no Tama from Kikuri-Hime when I served her in the capital.

From the Hime-ou?

This is all I can do to help you.

Don't worry.

It'd really be sickening if Grandma gets killed because of me.

Let's just see how far we can deceive the authorities!

It has begun.

The ceremony after thirty years...

And the coming of a new Hime-ou!

Kotoha, return to the village as soon as you can.

Get the villagers someplace far away...

while I buy time during the three days.

Got it?

Arata-sama...

Don't say something so sad so coolly.

The Twelve Shinshou are over there.

You are Arata,

the new Hime-ou who is to succeed me?

She's the Hime-ou?

She's not an old lady?

You needn't worry. Leave everything to me.

Back then, I was also nervous at first.

It'll be fine.

Calm your heart, Arata.

I thank you for coming.

It must have been painful to be separated from those you love.

Forgive me, Arata.

It's no good. I can't do it.

I can't bring myself to deceive her.

K-Kannagi...

How dare you?!

So weak.

Hime-ou!

A man?

I don't know your intentions, but it doesn't matter.

Sorry, but you'll have to die as well.

Hey! Anyone!

Twelve Shinshou! What are you just staring blankly for?!

The Hime-ou is...

Do something! Hey!

Can't you hear me?!

What is going on?!

We, the Twelve Shinshou are beginning a revolution.

Hey! What's happening?

The flames seems to have died!

Did something happen?

Arata-sama?!

Everyone, listen up!

The Hime-ou has been killed!

The traitor's name is Arata.

He came in the guise of a woman, murdered the Hime-ou, and fled.

Apprehend the traitor to our country at all costs, and execute him!

Damn it!

Did you hear?

Yeah. What's going to happen no—

S-Sorry!

The Kando Forest?

Yes. We've received multiple reports about this.

They say a man identified as the traitor is headed for the Kando Forest.

What a fool.

The forest will consume him.

Even if he survives and returns...

Arata-sama!

Arata...

Revolution?

The Twelve Shinshou betrayed the Hime-ou?!

There's no way I'll trust anyone again.

Both Suguru and Kadowaki...

I wish they'd just disappear.

What's going on?

No...

I wish I could disappear.

Anyone... I don't care who...