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Yoshitsune/Synopsis Eps 31-49

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< Yoshitsune

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Episodes 31 thru 40

Episode 31

Yoshitsune is appointed as commander of the Genji troops to pursue the Heike clan which has fled to Yashima after losing in the battle of Ichinotani. On the day the Genji’s army leaves Kyoto, the hunter who helped Yoshitsune at Ichinotani comes to ask Yoshitsune to make him one of the retainers. Learning that Yoshitsune and his troops have left for Yashima, the members of the Heike family suspects that Yoshiko, Yoshitsune’s younger half-sister who was raised by the Heike family, is in secret touch with Yoshitsune. At Settsu, which is located on the shore across the Seto Inland Sea from Yashima, Yoshitsune’s army is joined by the Genji troops led by Kajiwarano Kagetoki. Since they lack enough boats to sail to Yashima, Yoshitsune have his retainers go scouting, trying to find a way to approach Yashima as soon as possible. Using the information brought back by the scouts, Yoshitsune works out tactics and sounds Kagetoki out on his plan. Kagetoki, who is in a supervisory position, tells Yoshitsune to wait for their fleet of boats to arrive. For Kagetoki, Yoshitsune’s strategy of going forward and forward regardless of the risk of losing forces seems reckless and incomprehensible. The two are sharply-divided on how to win the battle against the Heike family. Yoshitsune decides to set sail immediately for Yashima despite Kagetoki’s opposition.

Episode 32

Getting through a storm, Yoshitsune and his troops reach Yashima. While attacking the Heike family, Yoshitsune worries about his half-sister Yoshiko who stays with his enemy. Yoshitsune corners the Heike clan but they escape to the sea. After a tense standoff, Tokiko comes up with an idea to measure Yoshitsune’s ability. She sends one of their boats with a woman standing at the bow. Seeing the woman hold a pole with a fan on the tip, Yoshitsune understands that the Heike family is provoking the Genji’s troops to shoot the fan. Yoshitsune tells Nasuno Yoichi, who is a good archer, to shoot the fan with an arrow. In the meantime, one of Yoshitsune’s followers succeeds in winning over to the Genji’s side a local ruling family who owns a fleet of boats. During the resumed fierce battle, Sato Tsugunobu falls, saving Yoshitsune from arrows.

Episode 33

After the battle at Yashima, the Heike clan has fled further to the west. Thinking that the next battle would take place at sea, Yoshitsune suggests at a tactics meeting that they should make more local navies the Genji’s ally. However, he is criticized by Kagetoki for making the proposal without any means to realize it. Benkei, hoping to help Yoshitsune, volunteers to go to Kumano to persuade Tanzo, the leader of Kumano’s strong fleet. Although the other retainers of Yoshitsune disagree because Benkei is poor at negotiation, Yoshitsune lets him go to Kumano alone. At Kumano, Benkei manages to see Tanzo but the leader rejects to side the Genji family, feeling indebted to Kiyomori. Even risking his neck, Benkei asks Tanzo to accommodate the request if he wins a cockfight bet.

Episode 34

Having Benkei back from Kumano, Yoshitsune and his troops slowly advance on the sea to Nagato, where the Heike family has fled to. On the way, Yoshitsune succeeds in winning more local navies to the Genji’s side. In Nagato, Tomomori and the rest of the Heike family are on alert but confident since sea fight is their forte, while Tokiko feels anxiety and works out a trick to protect the very young emperor. Hearing that it was Yoshiko who was on the boat holding the pole with the fan at Yashima, Yoshitsune worries about her safety. As a battle is approaching, Yoshitsune secretly writes to Yoshiko to let her know the way to protect herself from being attacked by the Genji’s army in the battle.

Episode 35

Preparing for the coming battle against the Heike clan, Yoshitsune has one of his retainers check the sea tide and works out tactics. At a tactics meeting among the Genji troops, Kagetoki offers to lead the vanguard but Yoshitsune appoints another warrior for the post for the reason that the warrior is accustomed to the sea. Seeing Yoshitsune give priority to victory over Kagetoki’s taking credit, Kagetoki disagrees with Yoshitsune and the relationship between the two becomes further damaged. Around that time, the women of the Heike family discuss what to do with Yoshiko, who has happened to know the secret about the emperor. Tokiko tells Yoshiko to leave the ship of the Heike family but Yoshiko refuses, expressing her resolution to throw in her lot with the family. On the day before the battle, Yoshitsune is concerned whether Yoshiko would follow his instructions wrote in the secret letter sent to her. Without any means to remove his worries, Yoshitsune faces the fateful battle with the Heike family.

Episode 36

At Dannoura, Yoshitsune and his troops finally destroy the Heike family. With Otoku, who has come to Dannoura from Kyoto, Yoshitsune recalls the memories of Kiyomori and looks back at the rise and fall of the Heike clan as well as his younger days. Realizing again that he himself is the very person who ruined the Heike family, Yoshitsune expresses his mixed feelings toward Kiyomori to Otoku. Meanwhile, Yoshitsune hears from one of his retainers that Yoshiko is alive together with the Heike family members who survived. As a commander of the Genji troops, Yoshitsune sees Munemori and his son Kiyomune first, instead of seeing his half-sister. When he meets Tokuko, the emperor’s mother, Yoshitsune asks her whereabouts of the emperor and the sword that is one of the three sacred imperial treasures. Tokuko replies that both have gone under the sea with Tokiko. Finally, Yoshitsune sees Yoshiko and offers living together in Kyoto, but....

Episode 37

Yoshitsune returns to Kyoto and is praised by the ex-emperor Goshirakawa for his achievements at Dannoura. In Kamakura, Yoritomo and his retainers also appreciate Yoshitsune’s accomplishment. However, they bring it into question that Yoshitsune received an official rank from the ex-emperor Goshirakawa the previous year without Yoritomo’s approval. To examine Yoshitsune’s intention, Yoritomo gives him the role to render punishment to the warriors who are to be punished for accepting official ranks without approval. Yoritomo excludes Yoshitsune from the subjects for punishment in the hope that Yoshitsune would notice that he should give up the official rank spontaneously. However, Yoshitsune misunderstands Yoritomo’s intention. Furthermore, Yoritomo hears that Yoshitsune has given back the sacred imperial treasures to the ex-emperor Goshirakawa at the ex-emperor’s request. Furious to hear the news, since he has intended to gain the same power as the imperial court on the strength of having the treasures, Yoritomo writes Noriyori and Kagetoki in Kyoto not to obey Yoshitsune. Yoshitsune is perplexed being unable to understand why Yoritomo is enraged. One day, Yoshitsune visits Tokuko to find out the truth about his concern since the battle at Dannoura.

Episode 38

Yoshitsune’s visit to Tokuko is taken favorably by the imperial court but criticized by Kagetoki and other Genji warriors as being too amiable to the enemy. Otoku comes to see Yoshitsune, being worried about the undermined relationship between Yoshitsune and Yoritomo. Hearing from her what Kagetoki has reported about him to Yoritomo, Yoshitsune feels the urge to go to Kamakura to talk directly to Yoritomo. One day, Yukiie visits Yoshitsune after a long time and tells him Yoritomo is harsh on Yoshitsune out of jealousy. Yukiie even tries to persuade Yoshitsune to join a rebellion against Yoritomo with the backing of the imperial court. Being asked by the ex-emperor Goshirakawa to recommend a person who would take Munemori to Kamakura, Yoshitsune volunteers for the task. Yoshitsune leaves for Kamakura with his retainers and....

Episode 39

Forbidden by Yoritomo to enter Kamakura, Yoshitsune stays with his retainers at Koshigoe, a town in the outskirt of Kamakura. He waits to hear from Yoritomo but no message comes from Kamakura. Around that time in Kamakura, Yoritomo sees Munemori and his son Kiyomune to question them about the whereabouts of the imperial treasures. Masako hears that Yoshitsune is staying at Koshigoe and attempts to let him come into Kamakura secretly because her daughter Oohime is eager to see him. Though he is moved by the news that Oohime is suffering from mental illness, Yoshitsune refuses Masako’s request since he hesitates to go against Yoritomo’s will. Losing his patience with Yoshitsune who blindly puts faith in Yoritomo, Benkei urges Yoshitsune to face reality. At first, Yoshitsune gets angry at Benkei as he himself has been depressed by Yoritomo’s cruel treatment. However, Benkei’s thoughts get across to Yoshitsune later on and Yoshitsune makes up his mind to write a letter to Yoritomo.

Episode 40

Having sent a letter to Kamakura, Yoshitsune waits for a reply from Yoritomo in vain. In Kamakura, Yoritomo and his retainers discuss what to do with the letter from Yoshitsune which was actually addressed to one of the retainers, Oeno Hiromoto. Masako suggests Yoritomo that he read the letter and see Yoshitsune, but Yoritomo resolutely rejects it. Being unable to bear to watch Yoshitsune keep waiting for Yoritomo’s reply, Yoshitsune’s retainers try to figure out what is going on in Kamakura. Yoshitsune persuades them to contain themselves while he starts rethinking the way of his life. Around that time, Yoritomo is handed the letter from Hiromoto and starts considering whether to read it or not. One day, Tokimasa, Masako’s father, visits Yoshitsune at Koshigoe, bringing Munemori and Kiyomune. Tokimasa tells Yoshitsune Yoritomo’s command to take the head of the Heike family and the son back to Kyoto.

Episodes 41 thru 49 (end)

Episode 41

Without seeing Yoritomo, Yoshitsune has to go back to Kyoto with Munemori and Kiyomune. Yoshitsune comes to harbor a suspicion against Yoritomo for what Yoritomo has done to him. For his part, Yoritomo becomes skeptical that Yoshitsune would revolt against him and starts to hatch a plot to prevent Yoshitsune from getting power in Kyoto. On the way to Kyoto, Yoshitsune stops in at a temple. Hearing that Shigehira was there a few days ago, Yoshitsune recalls with Munemori the old days they spend together. Before they get to Kyoto, one of Yoritomo’s retainers comes from Kamakura and conveys Yoshitsune Yoritomo’s order to kill Mumemori. Yoshitsune opposes killing Munemori since Munemori has no intention of rebelling against Yoritomo any more, but ...

Episode 42

Back in Kyoto, Yoshitsune is welcomed by the ex-emperor Goshirakawa. Realizing that it is no longer possible to re-strengthen the ties with his brother, Yoshitsune decides to pursue a path different from Yoritomo’s. Meanwhile, the ex-emperor appoints Yoshitsune governor of Iyo on his own authority, learning that Yoshitsune has lost his domains due to Yoritomo’s order. Despite his retainers’ concern that accepting the appointment from the ex-emperor would worsen the relationship between the brothers, Yoshitsune takes up the post intending to show Yoritomo his decision to break away from his brother. Being alarmed that Yoshitsune would be drawn to the ex-emperor’s side, Yoritomo sends Kagetoki to Kyoto to keep an eye on Yoshitsune. One day, Yukiie visits Yoshitsune and tries to persuade him to topple Yoritomo together. Yukiie’s repeated visits are reported to Kamakura by Kagetoki and….

Episode 43

Though Yoshitsune has been appointed to be governor of Iyo by the ex-emperor Goshirakawa, Yoritomo sends an administrator to Iyo to take the domain away from Yoshitsune practically. In Kyoto, some suspicious characters wander around as if they are spying on Yoshitsune’s residence at Horikawa. Through reports from Yoshitsune’s old acquaintances in Kyoto, Benkei finds out that among them there is a warrior he has known in Kamakura. Benkei visits the temple where the warrior stays and gathers from the warrior’s odd behavior that something is going on. With the help of the other retainers, Benkei tries to cope in secret with the anticipated situation. One night, the warrior and others from Kamakura attack Yoshitsune. Having already been prepared well, Yoshitsune and his retainers counterattack and defeat them with the help of Yukiie who has come to support Yoshitsune. From the warrior who is captured, Yoshitsune learns that it is Yoritomo who commanded the warriors to assail Yoshitsune. Deeply hurt, Yoshitsune finally asks the ex-emperor to give him an order to attack Yoritomo.

Episode 44

Yoshitsune decides to leave Kyoto to avoid making the capital a battlefield. At the request of Yoshitsune, the ex-emperor Goshirakawa gives an official order to Yoshitsune and Yukiie to go west. Before his departure, Yoshitsune tells his wife Moe to go back to Kamakura. Responding to Yoshitsune’s considerateness, Moe encourages Shizuka to go along with him. Shizuka hesitates to leave Kyoto first, being concerned about her mother who would be left alone, but makes up her mind in the end to accompany him. On the way to the westward, the boat Yoshitsune and his party are aboard is hit by a storm. In the storm, the ghost of Tomomori appears in front of them. Benkei manages to exorcise the ghost by intoning the Buddhist scriptures but the party gets scattered as their boat overturns. With Benkei and Shizuka, Yoshitsune looks for the other retainers. Meanwhile, Yoshitsune gets to know that the ex-emperor has issued an order to hunt down him and Yukiie. To ask the ex-emperor his true intention, Yoshitsune heads back to Kyoto. However, Kiichi Hogen appears in front of him and tells him not to go into the capital.

Episode 45

After parting from Shizuka at Yoshino, Yoshitsune proceeds to Kumano worrying about her. His concern proves right as Shizuka is found and captured by chasers. In Kamakura, Yoritomo dismisses the nobles who have disobeyed him and executes his policies in which warriors dominate politics. Alarmed by Yoritomo’s such strong attitude, the ex-emperor Goshirakawa plots to make use of Yoshitsune again. The ex-emperor secretly gives a notice to temples and shrines to shelter Yoshitsune. Learning the ex-emperor’s move, Yoshitsune sends the ex-emperor a letter and asks him to withdraw the order of hunting Yoshitsune down. At Ohmi, Yoshitsune is reunited with some of his retainers who have been separated from him in the shipwreck. They tell him that Shizuka is taken captive in Kyoto. In the capital, Tokimasa, Yoritomo’s father-in-law, locates and beheads Yukiie and questions Shizuka about Yoshitsune’s whereabouts.

Episode 46

Having decided to escape to Hiraizumi, Yoshitsune hopes to take with him Shizuka, who has been captive in Kyoto. As Otoku tells him about a rumor that Shizuka is going to be sent to Kamakura, Yoshitsune and his followers plan to get her back on the way. However, Shizuka’s mother stops them, asking them to respect Shizuka’s feelings. On the day Shizuka leaves Kyoto, Yoshitsune and his retainers go to the town to see her off secretly. Hearing that the palanquin in which Shizuka is supposed to be is empty, Yoshitsune notices that all about her transfer is a trap to capture him. The next moment, Sato Tadanobu, one of Yoshitsune’s retainers who have been missing for a while, suddenly appears and attacks the escort with his sword in a desperate attempt to save Shizuka. Around that time in Kamakura, Yoritomo questions directly Shizuka, who has been secretly brought there. Masako notices that Shizuka is pregnant. After a while, Shizuka gives birth to a baby boy, who soon is killed by Yoritomo’s order. Sensing her baby is killed, Shizuka expresses anger and despair. Adding insult to injury, Masako tells Shizuka to perform a dance for Yoritomo at a ceremony. Shizuka accedes to Masako’s demand with dignity.

Episode 47

On their escape to Hiraizumi, Yoshitsune and his retainers arrive in Kaga, the current southern part of Ishikawa Prefecture. At a woodcutter’s house where they spend a night, Yoshitsune happens to meet Tomoe, who is now the wife of the woodcutter. Tomoe thanks him for having encouraged her to live, and this time, she urges him not to give up. Leaving Tomoe’s house, Yoshitsune and his retainers get to the checkpoint at Ataka. Since Yoritomo’s order to capture Yoshitsune has been reached the checkpoint, the officials investigate them strictly. When they are about to pass the checkpoint, the checkpoint officer shows up and stops them. Trying to escape, Benkei tells the officer that they are monks and on the way to Mount Haguro raising money to rebuild the Buddhist sanctum of Todaiji Temple. However, the officer feels suspicious of them and tells Benkei to show him "kanjincho,