Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin (天穂のサクナヒメ)

Ishimaru...

The more I look at your face, the more hate I feel.

It makes me want to kill you all over again.

When did he get here?

Will you allow me to handle this?

It's been a while.

I'll admit I'm impressed you've lived this long.

It sounds like you were growing some good rice, too.

You understand, don't you?

Eating is the most important factor of survival.

If you want some of our rice, then—

Don't get the wrong idea.

"A samurai uses a toothpick even when he's got nothing to eat."

I won't suck up to someone just for food.

But... but you're not a samurai!

Episode 11 Light of Forgiveness

Where did they go?

Find them! Kill all the bandits!

Damn. I'll kill them first.

Don't.

You're too soft!

It's kill or be killed.

For us to live, we have to kill them!

Isn't it important to flee sometimes because our world works that way?

In order to live...

At times it seems to me like you're in a hurry to die.

What did you do before becoming a bandit?

A farmer?

No, based on your appearance, perhaps a fisherman.

Perhaps a carpenter.

No, a stonemason.

Shut up! I hate you samurai!

Because you won't stop fighting, our world has turned into this hell!

Perhaps you're right.

Not only that,

but I'm a samurai who became a bandit because I couldn't draw my sword in battle.

I have no reason left to live.

Then die. Or shall I kill you instead?

Perhaps that would be acceptable.

I've thought countless times that I should die.

But for some reason, I want to live.

If I'm to die,

I'd like to die thinking I was glad to live.

Aren't you the same?

Aren't you living to find a reason to be glad you're alive?

No. No, I'm not.

It's not like that at all.

Guys like you disgust me!

Do it.

Ishimaru.

Let's go back to being who we're supposed to be.

You're a samurai, and I'm just a peasant.

That's not what I'm saying!

What good will come from continuing to hate each other?

Hating me won't quell any of the rage inside you!

I know that already.

Kaimaru!

Oh, no!

It's been a while, Kaimaru.

Do you remember me?

It's me.

Ishimaru, the man who killed your father.

He was hopelessly stubborn.

He refused to steal from the weak.

A bandit leader can't be acting like that.

Don't worry. I won't kill you.

Instead, I'll make you suffer like hell.

Being hurt by the man who killed your own father

will plant a hatred in you that can never be repaid.

Ishimaru...

That's how you're going to live.

Carrying a hatred and despair that never goes away,

you'll starve, sleep, and be unable to die,

living only motivated by hatred!

What's this?

Stop!

Stop! Stop talking!

Stop talking to me!

What is this light?

He's probably...

A god?

Kaimaru turned into a god?

He didn't become one.

Technically, he's becoming one.

That's right. There's divinity growing inside him.

Well, that's a surprise.

He's not the only one.

It's probably true of the rest of you as well.

Us, too?

Will we become like Sakuna?

Yes.

Sakuna's mother, Lady Toyohana, was once a human living in the Lowly Realm.

I hear she used her Divine Raiment to come to the Lofty Realm and become a god.

Does that ring any bells?

Come to think of it,

lately my blacksmith's hammer seems like it's glowing sometimes.

Sometimes I feel like my loom is singing.

I've identified symptoms that can't be explained by medicine.

I can eat 20 bowls of rice.

That's different.

In any case, it seems likely you're developing god-like powers.

You should get used to them so they don't control you.

A god, huh?

Depending on what you do next,

you could become wonderful gods like Lady Toyohana, or...

This is just a temporary structure!

It's dangerous in here! Let's go outside!

That's a pretty big one.

It's been happening every day since the mountain first spit fire.

Is it Omizuchi?

Why don't we report this to Lady Kamuhitsuki?

To Lady Kamuhitsuki?

Even Lord Takeribi had trouble with the evil god Omizuchi.

Surely Lady Kamuhitsuki would do something.

You're right. However...

Is there a problem?

If Lady Kamuhitsuki goes to fight, we'll be at war.

It would be a major war involving not just this island, but the capital as well.

And if the Lofty Realm falls into chaos, then eventually...

There would be even greater chaos in the Lowly Realm.

Indeed.

Even more chaos?

If that happened,

no one would be able to live in the Lowly Realm anymore.

Kokorowa.

You've grown quite skilled at using your Divine Raiment.

I've still got a lot to learn.

If anything, now that we don't have rice, I'm weaker than before.

Do you intend to fight Omizuchi?

I'd love to defeat him if I could.

But if I lose, then all will be lost.

The efforts of my father, who defeated Omizuchi...

The efforts of my mother, who grew rice here...

The efforts of Ashigumo, the kappa, and everyone who defended the island...

Sakuna...

My mother left me this Divine Raiment.

My father left me Tama, who was the Blade of Hoshidama.

I inherited heirlooms from a harvest goddess and a war god,

but what did I do?

I distracted myself from the sadness of my parents' absence

by playing, drinking, and sleeping every day.

If only I'd noticed sooner.

I had plenty of time to get stronger.