Monday, April 04, 2005
Yoshitsune #12: The Arrogant Heike 驕る平家
An afternoon at Yoshitsune's house. Benkei is chopping firewood effortlessly while Saburo takes forever to chop one. Hidehira's 3rd son Tadahira is over for a visit. He has been visiting regularly ever since Yoshitsune saved his brother. The eldest son Kunihira pops over and invites Yoshitsune to his house when he is free. Tadahira is shocked as this is the first time his aloof brother ever invited anyone to his house. Saburo ask Tadahira why although Yasuhira is treated as the Fujiwara successor when Kunihira is the eldest son instead. Yoshitsune stops him from prying before Tadahira could answer.
Yoshitsune has been going on "familiarisation" trips to areas around Hiraizumi. One day during such a trip to Echigo (current-day Niigata!!! hahahah), they run into a man who was being attacked by a lady warrior. (It is very funny at the part when Jiro went "Huh~~??"... lol) The lady was yelling something like "How dare you think of other women when i am around?!". Yoshitsune picks up an arrow the lady dropped after they left and recognises its unique design. Suddenly, the man who was being chased reappeared from behind and cheerfully apologises for the scene they made. Yoshitsune returns the arrow to him and he leaves.
Later that day, the company stops at a shed to prepare for dinner. Saburo returns with some food he managed to get from the natives in the area and tells Yoshitsune he ran into the group that they met this afternoon. He finds out that the man who was being chased is called Kisonokanja Yoshinaka, and the lady was Yoshinaka's wife's aunt. Yoshitsune hears the name and immediately asks Saburo to bring him to them, because Yoshinaka is his cousin! The whole party rushes back to where Saburo met them, but they have left.
(narration) Yoshitsune'e emotions stirs as he finds yet one more living relative after Yoritomo Izu and Shinguu Juurou Yoshimori.) In the capital, fires are breaking out ever so often and looting is rampant. Displeasures with the ruling Taira clan who are seen as responsible for this unrest mounts.
Tokiko's brother Tokitada then enforces a strict law to chop off the hands of any of the looters that are being caught. One of Gotari's good friend Mujina is mistaken as a looter and got his hands chopped off. Otoku reports to the underworld leader Suzaku no Okina (who suddenly is not so frail anymore) and the latter is furious.
Suzaku: "The Heike is too arrogant!!"
Suzaku decides to set fires to the homes of all those who are related to the Heike despite protests from Otoku. Otoku visits Kiyomori in an attempt to stop this madness. She tells him that the Heike has been too unreasonable and cruel recently, thus losing respect among the people. She beseech him to listen more to the voices of the common people. Kiyomori then reveals to her then he is actually losing his hearing. (ok, i dunno does he mean it figuritively, or literally...) Even though he can't hear, he has to pretend that he can. As a result, he has grown very impatient. That is the reason why he does not really talk to anyone nowadays except his son Shigemori. He is the only one (other than Otoku) who knows of his condition. Otoku is shocked. (It seems that Kiyomori is both so powerful yet helpless at the same time.) She suggests that Kiyomori gets another "ear". Someone who has sharp hearing and is very sensitive/resourceful in picking up information from others. Kiyomori asks Otoku if she has a suitable candidate, and Otoku recommends Gotari.
Gotari refuses the job flat. But Otoku manages to convince him. By making sure that Kiyomori knows all that is going on in the capital and beyond, he will be able to control the situation. This will benefit not only themselves, but also his good friend, Yoshitsune. (Otoku still believes that Kiyomori is a good leader by nature.)
Gotari visits Kiyomori at his residence. This is the first time he meets Kiyomori. At first he keeps his distance from him but Kiyomori orders him to go nearer. He bends over and whispers to Gotari that if he is to become his "ear", it is his duty to stick next to him. Gotari asks if he will eventually kill him one day. Kiyomori replies, "so that is how you see me?" and smiles gently.
Kiyomori: "Mimi-yaku, I will depend on you."
Gotari feels Kiyomori's majesty and decides in his heart to serve him loyally from now on.
**Note: Kiyomori calls Gotari "Mimi-yaku", which translates directly to "someone who plays the role of a ear". It is like how Takki is "Yoshitsune-yaku".
**
In November of 1178, Tokuko gives birth to a son, Tokihito. Tokiko starts weeping and Kiyomori asls why. Tokiko confesses that if it has been a girl, she is prepared to deceive the world, Kiyomori included, and bring the child up as a boy so that she/he can inherit the throne.
One month later, Tokihito is officially made the Crown Prince. This further elevates the Heike's status. The family gathers for a banquet. Everyone feels that with a future emperor in their family, Taira's power will no longer be challenged. Yorimasa who is also at the banquet seems uncomfortable at the comments. Kiyomori starts to notice that Shigemori's waning health.
True enough, Shigemori's health soon takes a nosedive. Kiyomori visits him one day and Shigemori tells him to be wary of the imperial family and the court nobles. He tells Kiyomori he remembers his rage years ago after finding out that Yoritomo deceived him with a fake Higekiri sword. When he saw the expression of his anger (the garden that Kiyomori destroyed), he realised how such rage and deceit had caused Kiyomori to become a demon. He decided then that he will become the demon in his father's place instead. (It is pretty nonsensical to translate directly but what Shigemori means i think, is that he is willing to become the bad person, the "demon" in place of his father in carrying out things that does not really reflect well on the Heike but has to be done anyway. By doing that, Kiyomori's image among the people will not be stained and he will be free from the demons of his heart. In short, Shigemori wants to carry the sins for his father.)
Shigemori: "Is this illness a punishment for me becoming a monster?"
Kiyomori: "I am sorry."
Shortly after, Kiyomori's eldest daughter Moriko (who has been married off to one of the aristocracy and doesn't make an appearance in the show) dies suddenly at a young age of 24. One month later, Shigemori also passes away.
Gotari (with his newly-rebonded hair... LMAO) stuggles to make a cut on Kiyomori's head to collect some blood. It turns out that Kiyomori is using his blood to draw a Buddhist mandala. (i am guessing he is doing this to help Shigemori pass into the next life smoothly?)
Munemori sees Shigemori's death as a good sign. Finally, he has a chance to stand out and prove himself. Despite the fact that the family is still in mourning, he holds "parties" to celebrate his new-found status as the Heike successor. Tokiko summons him and reprimands him, although Munemori thinks that she should be happy because her own son is finally getting recognised. (i believe Tokiko is not Kiyomori's first wife. Shigemori is not born by her, but the first wife instead. Her own first son is Munemori.)
Go-Shirakawa (who is now retired from his throne) confiscates what used to be Shigemori's territory after his death, as the latter predicted. Kiyomori is furious and decides to keep Tokuko and her son, the crown prince at his own residence as "hostages", not letting them go home. He then amasses an army of 5000 and return to the capital from Fukuhara.
A flustered Go-shirakawa who suddenly finds his own descendents in the hands of Kiyomori sends an aide, Jouken Houin to negotiate with him. The latter speaks on behalf of the ex-emperor and reproaches Kiyomori for showing contempt towards the court and imperial family.
Kiyomori: "My family has served the imperial family faithfully for 3 generations but what kind of respect do we get? Go-shirakawa goes around and confiscates Shigemori and Moriko's territory the minute they passed away. He was even part of the anti-Heike conspiracy at Shishigatani last year. Don't think that I didn't see through that?!"
With that, Kiyomori abolishes the political system set up by Go-shirakawa, exiles 39 of his high-ranking officials and has him confined in the Tobadono palace. He then makes his own grandson Tokihito the new emperor, Emperor Antoku.
Back in Hiraizumi, Yoshitsune is still leading a peaceful life, oblivious to all the major changes rippling through the capital.
~End of Episode 12~
Yoshitsune has been going on "familiarisation" trips to areas around Hiraizumi. One day during such a trip to Echigo (current-day Niigata!!! hahahah), they run into a man who was being attacked by a lady warrior. (It is very funny at the part when Jiro went "Huh~~??"... lol) The lady was yelling something like "How dare you think of other women when i am around?!". Yoshitsune picks up an arrow the lady dropped after they left and recognises its unique design. Suddenly, the man who was being chased reappeared from behind and cheerfully apologises for the scene they made. Yoshitsune returns the arrow to him and he leaves.
Later that day, the company stops at a shed to prepare for dinner. Saburo returns with some food he managed to get from the natives in the area and tells Yoshitsune he ran into the group that they met this afternoon. He finds out that the man who was being chased is called Kisonokanja Yoshinaka, and the lady was Yoshinaka's wife's aunt. Yoshitsune hears the name and immediately asks Saburo to bring him to them, because Yoshinaka is his cousin! The whole party rushes back to where Saburo met them, but they have left.
(narration) Yoshitsune'e emotions stirs as he finds yet one more living relative after Yoritomo Izu and Shinguu Juurou Yoshimori.) In the capital, fires are breaking out ever so often and looting is rampant. Displeasures with the ruling Taira clan who are seen as responsible for this unrest mounts.
Tokiko's brother Tokitada then enforces a strict law to chop off the hands of any of the looters that are being caught. One of Gotari's good friend Mujina is mistaken as a looter and got his hands chopped off. Otoku reports to the underworld leader Suzaku no Okina (who suddenly is not so frail anymore) and the latter is furious.
Suzaku: "The Heike is too arrogant!!"
Suzaku decides to set fires to the homes of all those who are related to the Heike despite protests from Otoku. Otoku visits Kiyomori in an attempt to stop this madness. She tells him that the Heike has been too unreasonable and cruel recently, thus losing respect among the people. She beseech him to listen more to the voices of the common people. Kiyomori then reveals to her then he is actually losing his hearing. (ok, i dunno does he mean it figuritively, or literally...) Even though he can't hear, he has to pretend that he can. As a result, he has grown very impatient. That is the reason why he does not really talk to anyone nowadays except his son Shigemori. He is the only one (other than Otoku) who knows of his condition. Otoku is shocked. (It seems that Kiyomori is both so powerful yet helpless at the same time.) She suggests that Kiyomori gets another "ear". Someone who has sharp hearing and is very sensitive/resourceful in picking up information from others. Kiyomori asks Otoku if she has a suitable candidate, and Otoku recommends Gotari.
Gotari refuses the job flat. But Otoku manages to convince him. By making sure that Kiyomori knows all that is going on in the capital and beyond, he will be able to control the situation. This will benefit not only themselves, but also his good friend, Yoshitsune. (Otoku still believes that Kiyomori is a good leader by nature.)
Gotari visits Kiyomori at his residence. This is the first time he meets Kiyomori. At first he keeps his distance from him but Kiyomori orders him to go nearer. He bends over and whispers to Gotari that if he is to become his "ear", it is his duty to stick next to him. Gotari asks if he will eventually kill him one day. Kiyomori replies, "so that is how you see me?" and smiles gently.
Kiyomori: "Mimi-yaku, I will depend on you."
Gotari feels Kiyomori's majesty and decides in his heart to serve him loyally from now on.
**Note: Kiyomori calls Gotari "Mimi-yaku", which translates directly to "someone who plays the role of a ear". It is like how Takki is "Yoshitsune-yaku".
**In November of 1178, Tokuko gives birth to a son, Tokihito. Tokiko starts weeping and Kiyomori asls why. Tokiko confesses that if it has been a girl, she is prepared to deceive the world, Kiyomori included, and bring the child up as a boy so that she/he can inherit the throne.
One month later, Tokihito is officially made the Crown Prince. This further elevates the Heike's status. The family gathers for a banquet. Everyone feels that with a future emperor in their family, Taira's power will no longer be challenged. Yorimasa who is also at the banquet seems uncomfortable at the comments. Kiyomori starts to notice that Shigemori's waning health.
True enough, Shigemori's health soon takes a nosedive. Kiyomori visits him one day and Shigemori tells him to be wary of the imperial family and the court nobles. He tells Kiyomori he remembers his rage years ago after finding out that Yoritomo deceived him with a fake Higekiri sword. When he saw the expression of his anger (the garden that Kiyomori destroyed), he realised how such rage and deceit had caused Kiyomori to become a demon. He decided then that he will become the demon in his father's place instead. (It is pretty nonsensical to translate directly but what Shigemori means i think, is that he is willing to become the bad person, the "demon" in place of his father in carrying out things that does not really reflect well on the Heike but has to be done anyway. By doing that, Kiyomori's image among the people will not be stained and he will be free from the demons of his heart. In short, Shigemori wants to carry the sins for his father.)
Shigemori: "Is this illness a punishment for me becoming a monster?"
Kiyomori: "I am sorry."
Shortly after, Kiyomori's eldest daughter Moriko (who has been married off to one of the aristocracy and doesn't make an appearance in the show) dies suddenly at a young age of 24. One month later, Shigemori also passes away.
Gotari (with his newly-rebonded hair... LMAO) stuggles to make a cut on Kiyomori's head to collect some blood. It turns out that Kiyomori is using his blood to draw a Buddhist mandala. (i am guessing he is doing this to help Shigemori pass into the next life smoothly?)
Munemori sees Shigemori's death as a good sign. Finally, he has a chance to stand out and prove himself. Despite the fact that the family is still in mourning, he holds "parties" to celebrate his new-found status as the Heike successor. Tokiko summons him and reprimands him, although Munemori thinks that she should be happy because her own son is finally getting recognised. (i believe Tokiko is not Kiyomori's first wife. Shigemori is not born by her, but the first wife instead. Her own first son is Munemori.)
Go-Shirakawa (who is now retired from his throne) confiscates what used to be Shigemori's territory after his death, as the latter predicted. Kiyomori is furious and decides to keep Tokuko and her son, the crown prince at his own residence as "hostages", not letting them go home. He then amasses an army of 5000 and return to the capital from Fukuhara.
A flustered Go-shirakawa who suddenly finds his own descendents in the hands of Kiyomori sends an aide, Jouken Houin to negotiate with him. The latter speaks on behalf of the ex-emperor and reproaches Kiyomori for showing contempt towards the court and imperial family.
Kiyomori: "My family has served the imperial family faithfully for 3 generations but what kind of respect do we get? Go-shirakawa goes around and confiscates Shigemori and Moriko's territory the minute they passed away. He was even part of the anti-Heike conspiracy at Shishigatani last year. Don't think that I didn't see through that?!"
With that, Kiyomori abolishes the political system set up by Go-shirakawa, exiles 39 of his high-ranking officials and has him confined in the Tobadono palace. He then makes his own grandson Tokihito the new emperor, Emperor Antoku.
Back in Hiraizumi, Yoshitsune is still leading a peaceful life, oblivious to all the major changes rippling through the capital.
~End of Episode 12~
// posted by snuffles @ 1:43 AM 
