17th-century Japan,
the Tokugawa era.
In a poor village, a boy was born.
His name was Kamui.
Among the lowest class in a hierarchical society
the boy grew up strong and tough.
Kamui had just one wish -
to become strong.
To him that meant living as a free person.
One day the boy left the village
and set out on a journey without destination.
But all that he found was a constant
cold, high wall.
Because he was poor, he became a ninja.
As a ninja, he perfected his skills.
And with those skills he hurt and killed others.
He was also bound by the code of the ninja.
Eventually he broke away on his own
and consequently was hounded to the brink of death.
But...
the real enemy is not the endless attacks by the ninja who pursue him.
It is his own heart
that can trust no one.
Is the life that he dreams of impossible in this world?
Nevertheless
Kamui keeps running...
in order to survive.
KAMUI : THE LONE NINJA
Then, a fateful encounter.
There was a woman who was fighting to survive.
It's bad karma, Sugaru.
When your father Ieft the ninja for the sake of a few coins
who hunted him down and killed him?
Sugaru, it was you.
No!
Stabbing his gut, cutting his throat, thrusting her sword right through and twisting it,
the daughter kills her real father.
The code of the ninja is a cruel thing.
Your mother, your Iittle sister, your Iittle brother Ieft in Iga...
They will be slaughtered.
Give up, Sugaru.
The Thousand Skewers do not work on me.
It's a false eye.
To Ieave the ninja is to die.
Remember that, Kamui.
14 YEARS LATER
14 years pass.
The long story of the man who has left the ninja begins.
This sinister man
is Gunbei Mizunoya, Lord of Matsuyama, Bicchu Country.
Charge!
Wait!
Kamui's secret move,
The Well-bucket Drop.
The Brush-Cut...
Over here.
Kamui...
you could have fled if you'd wanted to.
Sometimes the quarry lies in wait for the hunter.
Die.
I will live.
I don't want to die.
Kamui's secret skill,
Double-Mutation Brush-Cut sword charge.
Mikumo...
You brat!
Stealing rice...
I didn't steal it!
I just picked it up.
I took such a Iong time
picking them up.
A non-human can eat rice?
- Give it back! - You stole it!
- I just picked them up! - You stole them!
I just picked them up!
Mikumo!
He's scum!
Do him!
The stones raining upon him,
Kamui's boiling blood flows.
Look, it's the same blood as yours.
Look at it, it's the same!
What's different?
Between you and us,
what's the difference?
Stop it, Mikumo.
I don't kill one of my own.
You're talking about a Iong time ago.
We can never be people no matter what we do.
No matter how many rebellious farmers you kill,
your status will always be far, far below a farmer's.
In the code of the ninja you must kill even women and children if the chief orders it.
Is that what you object to?
Have you succumbed to compassion and pity?
Here it is!
What's the matter...
Lord Ichijiro?!
Lord Ichijiro!
What's the matter?!
Lord Ichijiro!
Forgive me!
Lord Ichijiro!
Seeing the man's incomprehensible act of cutting off the horse's leg,
Kamui's instincts responded.
What's going on?
Ichijiro!
Ichijiro...
What is...
What on earth is going on?!
A man suddenly jumped out
and cut off Lord Ichijiro's Ieg!
Forgive me!
Michiastu! Katsunoki!
Don't Iet him get away!
Hurry up!
Lord...
I, Masanobu Niwase...
AII my Iife...
it has been my duty to accompany your horse...
This is a challenge against me,
the ruler of Matsuyama!
- Do you understand? - Forgive me.
- A challenge against me... - Forgive me.
Against me!
Give it back!
Let me...
Shoot!
What the...?
As if lured by the raging sea,
Kamui got into the man's boat.
Why did you cut off the horse's Ieg?
Aha!
That's nothing to do with you!
It's better that
you don't know!
It's not a Iaughing matter!
It was a horse belonging to a Iord!
Only a plank of wood separates
a seaman from hell!
I think I'II have you get out.
I don't understand what you're saying.
It's simple. If there are two of us, we both die.
If there is just one, he can Iive.
Don't hold it against me!
I have a wife and kids, you see!
Hang in there!
This man
is named Hanbei.
Masanobu,
Shinpachi,
it must hurt a Iot.
But...
my Ichijiro
suffered far more.
Do you understand?
My Ichijiro...
Lord...
for Ichijiro's Iife
a thousand heads, or ten thousand heads, would not be enough.
I would Iike to see with you, my Iord,
the head of the one who is responsible.
Preserved in salt?
Or freshly cut off, still dripping with blood?
Either.
Michiyasu,
go now, immediately! Find him, even if it means parting every blade of grass!
Hound him down!
Hurry up!
Yes, sir!
Hurry up!
Hurry up.
Stop that!
Why?
Why, it's you!
What?
Why are you Iaughing?
Do you know him?
No mistake.
Tsugumi.
The breakaway ninja, Sugaru,
was alive.
That man...
It's definitely him.
It's the boy from that night.
Mum...
What's the matter?
He's come back to Iife!
You brought him back to Iife!
We meet again.
Hey, you...
What did
the Iord of the underworld Iook Iike?
Here we go!
Calm down!
I saved your Iife, you know!
You threw me into the sea!
Stop it!
You're alive, as I thought.
It's thanks to me.
Stop Iaughing!
When you Iaugh it makes my blood boil!
Stop!
This is Sayaka, my girl.
I took my clothes off to keep you warm.
I can't die while I have this Iot.
That means
you can't kill me.
We can't get them.
Maybe it's the tide...
or the baits are bad...
That's your house.
My mum has Ieft it nice and clean.
Sayaka!
Let's go to the field.
Water?
Ask Kitsuto to...
There were so many people in that village...
It's all right!
- Give it here. - It's fine.
As I thought.
I'm not your enemy.
I'm being hunted, Iike you.
I'm a breakaway ninja.
Eventually I will Ieave here.
Then...
Then you will tell the chief of Iga where I am.
Such a suspicious mind will destroy you.
Cut it out!
You are a ninja.
Kamui,
Mum's broth has mackerel and...
Lotus root and carrot and Ieek and miso in it!
I was telling him!
I cut the carrots and the Iotus root.
And I watched.
I was the one who went and caught the mackerel.
It was Dad who went and caught it.
In three years' time, it'II be me!
I helped as well, you know!
Kamui, do you want some more?
I've had plenty.
No! I'II give you some more.
Sayaka, if you overdo the doting wife he won't Iike it.
What? It's not Iike that!
Doting wife, doting wife!
Genta!
Hey, Kitsuto...
Have you eaten?
Hey!
What on earth...?
There we are!
The horse's hoof that Hanbei risked his life over...
is turned into a fishing lure called "horn".
Kamui!
Stop.
Kamui,
Iook.
It's my Ichijiro.
Ichijiro?
That horse?
I risk my Iife to catch fish.
As Iong as I have this, there's nothing I'm afraid of.
This is my secret.
Kamui,
don't ever tell the other fishermen.
The tide is right and so is the colour of the water.
Let's go!
Here it comes!
What's that?
Sea bass!
Sea bass?
Sea bass Ieaps a Iot.
You can't slacken the Iine even a bit!
Hey, there's one over there too.
Here, here, here they come.
I can't believe they take a Iure made from horse bone.
Kamui, this is where the battle starts!
You ready?
Our Iives depend on it!
It's big!
Damn it!
There it goes!
My Ichijiro!
I got it!
Look, Kamui! It's my Ichijiro!
The ultramarine sea, and the endlessly carefree Hanbei
were seeping into Kamui's heart.
The sea is great fun, isn't it?
It's fun.
Hanbei.
Hanbei!
You made a new rope, didn't you?
Nah... There was just a tiny bit.
Last year I was done by you!
That's true!
What are you doing?
Have you come to steal my horns?
You're wrong.
I was thinking of giving Sayaka to you
but I've changed my mind.
I'm not going to give her to you any more.
Why not?
Sayaka only has eyes for someone else now.
You're not in her sights any more.
That's...
not decided yet.
Kamui!
Hey...
Stay here and become a fisherman.
14 years ago...
Oshika was washed up on this shore, just Iike you.
So you knew
your wife's background?
When I Iet you on my boat
you smelt the same as Oshika.
So I threw you into the sea.
Do you think I'II turn your wife in?
I don't know you people's rules.
And I don't want to know them.
For me...
Oshika is my one and only wife.
For Sayaka, she is her one and only mum.
PIease, Kamui.
Stay here and become a fisherman.
PIease take Oshika's secret to the grave with you.
I beg you, Kamui.
I'm begging you.
PIease, pick it up and take a closer Iook.
I'II have this one.
"His height is about 5'7"...
"He Iooks about 45 years old...
"He is dark skinned
"and has a beard.
"His hair is Iong and is tied at the back.
"He killed the Iord's horse Ichijiro
"and dismembered his Ieg..."
Hanbei...?
The horns...?
- Does that feel nice? - Yeah.
Farewell, Kushikiga Island.
Farewell, Oshika.
Why do you chase me?
If I Iet you go, they will eventually come from Iga Iooking for me.
You Iaughed at my suspicious mind, didn't you?
It's because of my suspicious mind that I have survived this far.
Sugaru...
Hanbei knows about you.
He has been Iiving with you, even though he knows everything.
Shut up!
Even though he knows, he tries to protect you with his Iife.
In that case...
I must protect Hanbei with my Iife, too.
I won't move.
Do it.
Why did you miss the spot?
If Sugaru had done it...
she wouldn't have missed.
Oshika...
I don't know anyone called Sugaru.
Throw more water on it!
Hurry up, hurry!
Mum! Mum!
Mum!
Dad has...
been taken away by officials!
By officials?
Mum!
Damn you!
Sayaka!
Sayaka...
What are you doing?
That's Dad's...
Here, Sayaka, a comb.
A red comb.
It will really suit you.
Did you turn him in?
Did you turn my Dad in?
You are...
You are a truly ugly man!
What?!
He killed a Iord's horse!
Of course he should be caught!
I won't forgive you.
Sayaka...
there's no need for you to be tarnished.
Kitsuto grassed up Hanbei!
Kitsuto, you're a demon.
You turned Hanbei in!
AII right, just do him!
Sayaka!
I'm going to rescue Hanbei.
Hanbei, from Asaka District, Kushikiga Island!
Begin!
Wait.
Bring my bow.
Lord!
Lord...
this is an unclean place...
Lord, please do not get any closer!
Hanbei...
was it the Ieft Ieg?
No, it wasn't.
I was confused.
It was the right Ieg...
that my Ichijiro had cut off.
Stop them! Quick!
Oshika...
Don't Iet them get away!
Ayu!
I think today is the day...
Genta!
Water...
There's an island.
It's Saki Island.
We're almost there.
Hey...
What...What are they?
They're...
net-fishing boats.
We're saved!
Hey...
Is there anyone there?
Appearing as if out of nowhere...
were these men barbarians?
Pirates?
Or...?
Hey!
Hey! Everybody!
It's the Watari men!
It's the Watari!
The best shark slayers in the West Country!
The Watari are here for us!
The Watari men!
We are the Watari.
I am Fudo of Kashiwa.
Who is the head of the village?
Who is it?
I'm Kazuto Osano.
We are happy you're here.
Hanbei, how come you turned up with them?
They saved us when we were being attacked by sharks.
Ten days!
We'II kill every single one of those sharks in ten days.
Mr Fudo,
this island has no money.
We can only offer one small coin for each shark.
And...some rice at the end...
Rice?
We could offer one barrel of rice for the job done.
How does that sound?
We don't need the money.
But we'II take one barrel of rice, plus sake and meals.
And some good water.
They are real men!
The Watari are real men!
It's women we want.
Seems you're not a coward.
You two come on the boat with us.
Kamui grew up in the mountains, right?
Sayaka...
He'II fall into the sea and be eaten by sharks.
Kamui will...
one day Ieave us.
He's going to become a fisherman.
Dad said so.
I can tell these things...
Kamui will make you unhappy.
That's not true!
You don't Iike him!
He saved Dad's Iife!
You don't Iike him!
Mum, don't you Iike Kamui?
That's not it.
Watch carefully.
Chief!
It's coming.
Young Iads,
watch.
Marvellous!
That's what we expect from the Chief!
How's that?
Fur hunters have nothing on us!
You Iot...
are no ordinary men.
Young Iad,
you...
Where are you from?
Doesn't matter.
Our fun is ahead of us.
PIease, eat this too.
Looks good!
I'm soaked through!
I want you to dry my whole body, every part of it.
Right, Iads?
He's got to be kidding. As if I'd do that!
It's a pigeon!
Kamui,
watch me.
Sayaka...
Take that from the Watari!
It's a Moon-Sun Shell.
It's a beautiful shell.
This side is the moon
and that side is the sun.
I'II give it to you.
Why?
Take good care of the sun half.
Why are you giving it to me?
If we each keep one half of the shell...
one day it will try to become one again.
Sayaka...
I...
Take good care of it.
What's up?
Are you drunk?
- There! - Get him!
How will Kamui get out of that one, eh?
That's what we want to see.
It's about time he came up.
Give it a Iittle Ionger.
I can't hold my breath any longer.
That light...?
The sand...
The Moon-Sun Shell is on the sand...
If I dig into the sand under this cage...
Kamui, are you all right?
What the hell is going on?
Sorry to scare you.
We wanted to see what you were capable of.
Why?
Kamui...
you're a breakaway ninja.
You...!
Relax.
So are we.
We're not after you.
Two rather than one, three rather than two...
There is strength in numbers.
We have survived to this day by helping each other.
Try to understand.
Kamui...
Last night
I was put to the test by the Watari Iot.
- Are they hunter-ninja? - No.
They're Iike us, they're breakaway ninja.
Breakaway ninja?
I wasn't paying enough attention...
What are you going to do?
At the moment, they're killing sharks.
Are you saying I should believe this?
I'm not going to make any move from my side.
Kamui!
Sayaka...
What's the matter?
Sayaka...
Kamui has...
died.
I had a dream about you Iast night!
You and that wrinkly-mouthed old hag...
That's all very well but he's quite an old man...
He silenced us with one barrel of rice!
That's true!
Kamui,
I'm going to get some more water. Give me a hand.
Chief, we've got enough water.
It might be a Iong journey.
Chief,
are hunter-ninja coming?
It might be time to move on.
"Mountain peach tree..."
"Mountain peach..."
- Mountain peach tree! - Yes, I'm a mountain peach tree!
How is it, Fudo?
Yeah, it's tasty.
Kamui...
please don't go anywhere today.
Why, Sayaka?
I had a bad dream.
Sayaka,
they say that dreams are the opposite of reality, don't they? Relax.
No. My dreams become reality.
On this island
we are all together.
No matter what happens, you will be all right.
Kamui, please believe me.
Sayaka...
the Moon-Sun Shell.
Even if we're physically apart,
our hearts are one.
Well, I'm stumped now!
Sayaka,
I'm with him.
Rest easy.
It's all right, Sayaka, so just eat.
Eat Ioads!
I'II have some water.
This is the only place where we can Iive, and die.
Tastes good!
Island water is really great!
Kiki, you're hardly someone with discerning taste buds!
Look.
Fudo, this is strange. Let's go back to shore.
You go ahead. I'II follow.
This is brutal.
Too brutal.
Genta!
Sayaka...
Sugaru! Hang in there!
Poison...
The water urn...
was poisoned...
The water urn?
The children...
You...
couldn't protect...
Fudo!
Kamui,
this is hell, isn't it?
Fudo!
It was you, after all!
My throat is burning!
Fudo!
Kamui...
you will die here.
Chief...
You are going to die in the hell of your own making,
Kamui.
Kamui!
Over here!
Fudo!
This is your grave.
I don't Iike killing people and I avoid it if I can.
But you are the one exception.
Fudo,
this is not my grave.
It's yours.
Shut it!
The Brush-Cut...!
Your Brush-Cut
has been cracked!
Why did you kill the innocent island people?
The more we make an example of, the better.
However many of the ignorant masses die, that is just the way of the world.
You are...
That is a rule of the ninja.
One which stirs our blood with the greatest pleasure.
Kamui,
that's something you know very well too.
Kamui...
I hear you are responsible for the deaths of over one hundred people.
Is that true?
Shut up!
You and I are the same.
Fudo!
Does it hurt?
Oshika, Hanbei,
Sayaka and the others suffered much more before they died!
Savour the suffering of the breakaway ninja you betrayed
while you die.
Kamui!
I got a kick out of seeing Sugaru's dying face!
And I took a real good Iook...
at Sayaka's dying face!
They wouldn't have had to die, had it not been for you!
You killed them!
Suffer.
Much more!
Kamui, you are a ninja too.
Your blood is the same as mine, at the end of the day.
Lord!
It's reported that Hanbei of Kushikiga Island has been killed on Saki Island.
However...apparently all the inhabitants of the island have died from a strange illness...
Hanbei?
I'm sorry to mention this but...
it's the man who cut Lord Ichijiro's Ieg.
I'm bored with that. It doesn't matter any more.
Magnificent...
How about if you paint using real blood?
I bet it would work beautifully.
One hundred commoners or two hundred, they are your paint whenever you Iike.
Because he was poor, he became a ninja.
As a ninja, he then broke away.
And according to the ninja code, his life was targeted.
He continues to run.
Is the life that he dreams of, his freedom, impossible in this world?
Is his life about nothing more than continuing to escape, until the end?
Will the day ever come
when Kamui can trust others
and when people welcome him with open arms, as a friend?
How many times must I endure
A night that doesn't dawn before I see the light?
Without anywhere to go, I am all alone
This sea is tinted gold...
Until the day that I overcome
My hatred and my sadness
Wiping the tears that start to stream
Letting them unravel and set me free
The loneliness grows in my heart
I quietly continue to bear it
Facing another tomorrow that inevitably comes
If there is even just
A little strength
That stirs in my heart...
If it's there
My heart will not give up
When dawn comes, I start to walk
Without turning around, I walk on