Courageous death in combat.
Honorable suicide.
A warrior's honor is awarded only through battle and death.
Takauji Ashikaga, a hero who flourished
during this turbulent time…
A HISTORY OF JAPAN NANBOKUCHO PERIOD
…wasn't the protagonist.
Run, hide, and survive in this game of tag to reclaim the throne.
I can see the topic will sweep the world.
NARRATOR: YORISHIGE SUWA
I hear that it's called "going viral" in the future, but for now, I will take
a moment to pause and reflect on our journey with Lord Tokiyuki thus far.
I, Yorishige Suwa, who is gifted with divine power, will serve as a guide.
Buckle up, for this is
only the beginning of this next "must-watch episode."
The year is 1333 in Kamakura.
YEAR OF 1333 - KAMAKURA WAKAMIYAOJI SHOGUNATE SITE
It is time for archery practice.
You can't run away anymore, Lord Tokiyuki!
Oh, sorry.
How nimble!
Fool! It's not the time to be impressed.
The main character of our story is this individual,
Lord Tokiyuki Hojo, the rightful heir to the Kamakura shogunate.
You'll slip and fall, Lord Tokiyuki!
Please come down.
You don't want to get hurt!
Someone stop him!
Excuse me, will you let me through?
As always, you're a masterful player of hide-and-seek, Young Lord.
GUARDIAN OF THE SHOGUNATE
Enter Takauji Ashikaga, the great hero of the shogunate.
I depart today for Kyo to quell the former Emperor Godaigo's uprising.
I wish to prove my allegiance to you, our future leader, and the Hojo clan.
I-- I put my trust in you.
I pray the gods be with us
and may they bestow prosperity to Kamakura and the warrior families.
He's nowhere to be found.
We're powerless once the Young Lord starts taking hiding seriously.
Lord Tokiyuki!
I like this Kamakura.
And I like to see its people smile as they live in peace.
I don't need status or honor.
Just living in this city is enough for me.
Lazy, cowardly.
Sure, that's fine.
Why would a mere puppet like me need the power of pen and sword?
You are not lazy, nor are you a coward.
Those are merely aspects of the monster asleep within you.
That is what Father says.
Who are you?
"Father"?
You're quite the elusive boy, just as I've heard.
What? Who's this? What's going on?
YORISHIGE SUWA
HIGH PRIEST OF SHINANO AND SUWA GRAND SHRINE
Honored to make your acquaintance. I am a Shinto priest of Shinano Province.
Yorishige Suwa.
A Shinto priest from Shinano?
Wait, since when did you climb up here?
I've been up here all along.
I foresaw a future where you'd climb this tree.
You've got this incredible sort of aura around your head.
Excuse me if it's blinding!
I was born with an innate sacred holy power,
and I just can't stop the flow sometimes!
I'll dim it down.
What a suspicious man. How did he know I'd be up here?
My first impression must have been bad,
Father has the gift to see into the future.
but since I have visions,
His prayers, on the other hand, are a sham.
I couldn't not tell Lord Tokiyuki about them.
Shizuku, you didn't have to say that last part.
When you're ten years old, you will become
a hero to shake the very foundations of heaven.
You will be a lord of war.
Some will cower in fear. Others will worship you.
You will even change the fate of the country.
This is all I can foretell.
You see, this is a very powerful…
He's the size of a bean!
Father, you revealed too much at once.
What a finely-attuned instinct for detecting danger.
But I think I know what this Mr. Yorishige meant.
TOKIYUKI'S HALF BROTHER KUNITOKI HOJO
Your knack for elusiveness is nothing
-like mine or Father's. -What?
You'd definitely be a hero if the right opportunity arose.
I have a gut feeling.
Oh… Huh?
The Kamakura shogunate had reached the height of prosperity,
but it crumbled in a matter of seconds.
We will now raid Kyo and suppress the uprising.
May we have the God of War's divine protection!
Let's go!
Viceroy. Viceroy! I bring news.
Ashikaga had been secretly communicating with Emperor Godaigo.
Our army in Kyo has been annihilated!
And they're sending the army towards Kamakura.
FOR THE BOY TO BECOME A HERO…
HE HAD TO LOSE EVERYTHING
Damn you…
Why have you betrayed us--
I hear a voice.
Who speaks to me?
Who is it that guides me to be ruler above all?
24 days since Takauji raised his army…
ABOUT 800 PEOPLE OF THE HOJO CLAN,
INCLUDING RETAINERS, COMMITTED SUICIDE
Father…
…the Kamakura shogunate lay in ruins.
We've been waiting for you, Lord Tokiyuki.
In his last moments, your father commanded me to help you escape.
He regrets such young life not seeing its days.
I will shelter you in my territory of Suwa in Shinano.
It's hell on earth.
Kamakura is being completely destroyed by the traitorous samurai.
Lord Takauji…
Who are you?
I'm a vassal from Shimotsuke.
Takauji Ashikaga.
Young Lord, you can't run from Takauji!
Even for Yoritomo Minamoto, it took five years to defeat the Heike clan.
Was there a man before Ashikaga who destroyed an entire country in 24 days?
The other day, you spouted nonsense that I would become a hero,
but future generations will only apply that word
to someone strong like Takauji Ashikaga.
So let me die like an honorable samurai, like my people did.
Very well.
Then die.
It's the Hojo child!
When you're in the depths of despair, and thrown into the abyss of death…
Hey.
…that is where the hero within you shines!
Hey!
I could have died.
You said it would be a disgrace if you didn't die,
yet you jumped out of there to save your skin.
That was the hero in you.
Running and hiding are good skills for a hero.
Above! Shoot to kill!
What a pain for Takauji who just killed our lord and took a whole country.
Because the one he should definitely kill next,
the one who will inherit the Kamakura shogunate,
has more talent than anyone to escape death.
Takauji becomes a hero by killing, and you become a hero by living.
You two are heroes with opposed fates.
Allies, military strength, intellect…
Everything you need to win, I will give to you.
As long as you're breathing, Takauji will eventually come to kill you himself.
Till then, you'll run and hide, become stronger,
and defeat the demons that come for you.
Now, it's time to start the game of tag to reclaim the throne.
WHAT ARE "RETAINERS"?
Retainers.
Retainers are vassals that form a master-and-servant relationship
with their potent military commander.
And they risk their lives fighting for him.
Because you've lost your close family and retainers, you must rebuild from nothing.
Allow me to introduce them again!
KOJIRO
Kojiro is the greatest swordsman of your generation.
And one day he will lead as your military commander.
Sup, Young Lord.
Ayako has unrivaled physical strength and is brimming with artistic talent.
She remains a lady even in battle.
Young Lord!
Shizuku is attentive and versed in several secret arts.
As a servant, she takes care of the general affairs at home.
These three are your age, but I know you can count on them.
THE ELUSIVE WARRIORS
This is how The Elusive Warriors,
a Hojo family party born in Suwa, gained its name.
Because we are warriors for an elusive lord!
Let's all grow strong together in this land!
Meanwhile…
Lord Takauji, thank you for recommending me as governor of Shinano.
Of course. You deserve the reward.
You were first to betray the Hojo and fought as my retainer.
However, your province Shinano has Hojo's top retainer, Mr. Suwa, going strong.
Hojo's survivors are definitely taking refuge there.
I trust you will sniff them out.
Those ticks.
I can tell there are four males and one female.
Count on me, Lord Takauji.
My arrows and my eyes are the most excellent in this country.
I will find and kill any little bug.
SADAMUNE OGASAWARA
DAY OF DOG-SHOOTING COMPETITION
Around the time Lord Tokiyuki was finally getting used to living in Suwa…
My lord!
You have to see this!
We have a surprise contestant!
The governor of Shinano, Sadamune Ogasawara,
is jumping into the competition!
Dog-shooting competitions are Shinano's main event.
As the governor of Shinano, I had to liven up the party.
If none of you can win against me, you'll allow me
to search your suspicious folks' homes
for the Hojo survivors without complaint.
That scumbag, saying whatever conditions he wants!
Sadamune has two goals.
First, to find any surviving Hojo family members.
And he'll use that as an excuse to,
two, weaken the amount of influence the Suwa clan has.
And in that case, we also have two goals.
First, never let them know who Lord Tokiyuki really is.
Second, let Lord Tokiyuki absorb Sadamune's archery technique.
It's hide-and-seek from his eyes and arrows!
NANBOKUCHO GAME OF TAG ALL-SEEING DEMON
SADAMUNE OGASAWARA
The game is over, kid.
There's blood.
It hurts. There's no winning. I'm scared!
If this was a real arrow, I'd be dead.
Why do you run?
Are you afraid?
Are you uselessly struggling?
This is fun!
Give up.
It's impossible for you to make a four-point comeback
at this point!
-My lord! -Young Lord!
You think you could be a match for Sadamune
just with your shooting abilities?
You must combine evading and shooting!
I have to evade while I shoot?
It's all so clear.
I am elusive and the heir to the Hojo clan.
TWO POINTS
While I'm running away, I can do anything!
DOG-SHOOTING COMPETITION 1333
Tokiyuki's potential blooms on the run.
Six versus five, Chojumaru wins!
Therefore, he foiled Sadamune's plan with a splendid counterattack.
Take that, punk! Go, Chojumaru!
You can do it, my lord.
Right now, you're Suwa Grand Shrine's Chojumaru.
Enemies coming to visit will be suspicious if we don't have you working already.
The only enemy who would come is Sadamune.
But he suffered huge embarrassment just yesterday,
so he probably won't show his face for a while.
-Hi! -What?
He's here with a smile.
What a resilient man.
I've kept you waiting, Suwa folk.
I bring an Imperial Command.
IMPERIAL COMMAND = DECREE *DO NOT DEFY
One part of Suwa territory would have been forfeit.
If the people of Suwa disobeyed the Imperial Command,
they would have been named traitors,
and armies on Suwa's perimeter would have attacked Suwa at once.
FORFEITURE
Therefore…
There's someone I want to recruit to the Elusive Warriors.
What?
-He's a thief named Genba Kazama. -A thief?
SHAPE-SHIFTING THIEF GENBA KAZAMA
He uses all sorts of trickery.
He can also get in anywhere and steal anything.
Have him go into Sadamune's residence and steal the Emperor's Imperial Command.
I'm not planning on risking my life for an irresponsible employer.
I'll take the job only if you're willing to come with me.
KING
The two find the Imperial Command and escape the residence unharmed.
However, during their escape…
ALL-HEARING DEMON SUKEFUSA ICHIKAWA
…Lord Tokiyuki sustains a deep wound from protecting Genba.
And to make matters worse…
What? A thunderbolt?
He's back.
That's Sadamune's arrow.
Don't be stupid.
The sound of his horse is about 100 meters away.
I've entombed many in darkness with these hands.
Now, Sadamune.
Shall we start off by shooting down that wounded brat?
Yes, Ichikawa.
Show my arrow the way with your perfect hearing.
If the obligation was invisible, I could ignore it.
But an obligation I can see?
I have to repay it!
Are you two old geezers having fun?
What a pain.
But I'll take on both of you.
Birds? I can't tell where the sounds are coming from!
I don't know about killing, but morphing I know a thing or two about!
And I won't stand losing to you boring soldiers.
He disappeared?
Sadamune.
Could the Imperial Command still be in there?
That fox-masked brat tricked us all!
So it goes that a new member joined the Elusive Warriors.
And Suwa territory was protected. But…
Here it comes.
That phase when I can't see the future.
Ogasawara is moving suspiciously yet again.
Yes.
The enemy seems to be spying on us from the northern border.
KING
I must hide this secret from everyone.
On rare occasions, I suddenly lose my gift of prophecy.
This is bad.
I hope there's no trouble during a time like this.
Um…
What do you say the Elusive Warriors go to scout out the area?
What?
I was incredibly worried and strongly opposed to the idea
of Lord Tokiyuki going on such a dangerous mission
during this phase when I can't see the future,
but I wasn't able to stop him.
NAKAYAMA MANOR
We got here just before sunset.
It seems peaceful.
In this moment, the Elusive Warriors encounter
an unexpected turn of events.
What is this?
We're surrounded.
He is a dual-wielder in his mid-teens.
When will the ones surrounding us join the fight?
Please excuse my rudeness.
My name is Fubuki.
I wander the land looking for a lord to serve.
This village is the most vital location for Suwa?
That's the first I've heard that.
NAKAYAMA MANOR
The Elusive Warriors joined the wise strategist Fubuki to protect the village.
And according to Fubuki's plan, Lord Tokiyuki would go
up against the enemy general in a one-on-one battle.
What is your name?
I've changed my name many times, but right now, I go by Shokan.
Surely it will be special…
The sake I'll buy with the money I get for you!
NANBOKUCHO GAME OF TAG
DEMON OF DISBELIEF SHOKAN THE HERETIC
The secret plan is for Lord Tokiyuki to use
a secret sword technique no one else can master.
Your weapon is your kindness.
You're better at running than fighting.
Better at pulling than pushing.
Better at defending rather than attacking.
That's precisely what makes it the Elusive Sword.
Your raised left hand will serve as a guide.
Wait for the moment when your enemy's blade passes between your hand and sword.
Here he comes!
Twist my upper body counterclockwise.
Let the weight of the sword do the work as I lower it…
Pull the blade to the right,
and retreat!
My inner forearm.
It'll take quite some time for me to lose consciousness with just a bleeding wrist.
You think I won't kill you before that happens?
In this small room!
I'll corner you slow and steady.
I can just take my time to tend to my wound after I cut you into pieces.
Why did I shiver just now?
He's not only evading my sword, but also my splattering blood?
Is he a monster?
You're amazing, Young Lord.
The two of us barely stood a chance against that monster.
It's all thanks to the technique Fubuki taught me.
You're right. Who would have thought that it would be possible to defeat him
by simply cutting his inner forearm and running from him?
The Cowardly Sword is impressive!
Don't call it that!
That fire!
Yes, they're reinforcements from Suwa Grand Shrine.
They made it just in time.
Mr. Yorishige.
I'm glad you're safe.
Yes.
That kinda hurts, Mr. Yorishige.
My guidance is no longer needed
now that so many reliable retainers have joined the Elusive Warriors.
The future is still shrouded in mystery,
but I've been sensing an omen of the nearing upcoming battle.
EPISODE 10 (YEAR OF 1334): A PERVERTED KID AND DISTURBANCES OF HOLY POWER
Let's go!