1 00:00:46,588 --> 00:00:55,339 (Wanting you to just be near, to feel your breath upon my ear) 2 00:00:55,339 --> 00:01:04,379 (Wishing you would call my name, 'Cause only you can light the flame) 3 00:01:04,379 --> 00:01:11,540 Constantly searching, still can't find 4 00:01:13,815 --> 00:01:19,812 Ever illusive peace of mind 5 00:01:21,990 --> 00:01:30,606 Sometimes it's near, but slips away 6 00:01:30,606 --> 00:01:37,197 And I'm faced with another day 7 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:44,352 Of wanting you... (to feel your breath upon my ear) 8 00:01:44,352 --> 00:01:48,789 ...to just be near ('Cause only you can light the flame) 9 00:01:48,789 --> 00:01:52,926 Of wishing you... (to feel your breath upon my ear) 10 00:01:52,926 --> 00:01:57,499 ...would call my name, to feel your breath upon my ear 11 00:01:57,499 --> 00:02:01,972 Of wanting you...wishing you... (to feel your breath upon my ear) 12 00:02:01,972 --> 00:02:09,769 Call my name, 'cause only you can light the flame 13 00:02:21,650 --> 00:02:24,176 This is a nine-stage picture scroll. 14 00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:28,966 This stage shows swelling, this next one shows blood-staining. 15 00:02:28,966 --> 00:02:31,736 The next shows evisceration... 16 00:02:31,736 --> 00:02:34,662 until the flesh is consumed by vermin. 17 00:02:35,497 --> 00:02:38,239 Oh? What's wrong, Momosuke? 18 00:02:38,239 --> 00:02:41,709 Oh, nothing. These sorts of things just affect me easily. 19 00:02:41,709 --> 00:02:45,246 Kind of weak-stomached for a guy who collects horror stories. 20 00:02:45,246 --> 00:02:48,549 Mr. Fushimiya, could we keep this brief? 21 00:02:48,549 --> 00:02:51,489 Momosuke, may I present Mr. Sajuro Ogata... 22 00:02:51,489 --> 00:02:54,219 magistrate of the Kyoto city government. 23 00:02:54,219 --> 00:02:57,241 And over there is Mr. Genba Sasayama. 24 00:02:57,241 --> 00:03:01,429 What we called you for here tonight is about a mystery... 25 00:03:01,429 --> 00:03:04,869 at Katabira Crossroads which has the whole city talking. 26 00:03:04,869 --> 00:03:08,569 I've heard. Women's corpses are being found at the crossroads-- 27 00:03:08,569 --> 00:03:13,106 Correct! And we'd like to ask for your advice in this matter. 28 00:03:13,106 --> 00:03:15,246 Hold on a minute! I'm no expert in this! 29 00:03:15,246 --> 00:03:19,049 If we were dealing with a human, it'd make no sense. 30 00:03:19,049 --> 00:03:21,549 But if we're dealing with a monster... 31 00:03:21,549 --> 00:03:22,589 What?! 32 00:03:22,589 --> 00:03:25,519 It's said that Katabira Crossroads... 33 00:03:25,519 --> 00:03:29,289 is where the death shroud of Empress Sarumi flew... 34 00:03:29,289 --> 00:03:34,929 after the weather beat it off her corpse when she died. 35 00:03:34,929 --> 00:03:38,099 The empress's body was left out on the street?! 36 00:03:38,099 --> 00:03:41,585 Yes. It was in her will. 37 00:03:43,331 --> 00:03:47,809 No matter how beautiful they are, everyone is doomed to rot away. 38 00:03:47,809 --> 00:03:51,149 The spiritually-minded empress wanted to demonstrate... 39 00:03:51,149 --> 00:03:54,041 the transience of the world using her own body. 40 00:03:56,645 --> 00:04:01,083 She did it to sever the emperor's feelings for her. 41 00:04:01,450 --> 00:04:04,626 Because of its origins, it's said the crossroads... 42 00:04:04,626 --> 00:04:06,999 has always had a weird aura to it. 43 00:04:06,999 --> 00:04:08,869 Which brings us to the current incidents. 44 00:04:08,869 --> 00:04:10,769 Seven women so far. 45 00:04:10,769 --> 00:04:13,599 Some were already dead, their bodies stolen. 46 00:04:13,599 --> 00:04:17,292 Others were kidnapped and then killed. And then... 47 00:04:18,033 --> 00:04:21,109 The bodies were dumped after reaching the right stage of decay! 48 00:04:21,109 --> 00:04:25,146 And all were known throughout the city as exceptional beauties. 49 00:04:25,146 --> 00:04:27,479 Word on the street is that it's the work... 50 00:04:27,479 --> 00:04:30,116 of a lady ghost who appears at the crossroads. 51 00:04:30,116 --> 00:04:34,122 And the magistrate's office has no hope of dealing with a ghost! 52 00:04:34,122 --> 00:04:36,029 Which is why we were hoping... 53 00:04:36,029 --> 00:04:39,126 your insight might be of help to us, Momosuke. 54 00:04:39,126 --> 00:04:41,196 Even saying that... 55 00:04:41,196 --> 00:04:42,699 Can you offer any help?! 56 00:04:42,699 --> 00:04:44,429 No, but... 57 00:04:44,429 --> 00:04:46,369 The truth is, a leading lady named Ohagi... 58 00:04:46,369 --> 00:04:48,269 one of the top geishas here at Shimabara... 59 00:04:48,269 --> 00:04:56,534 disappeared suddenly. She hasn't been seen in six months. 60 00:04:58,507 --> 00:05:00,601 The top geishas have arrived. 61 00:05:01,543 --> 00:05:03,535 We can continue the discussion at our leisure. 62 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:07,086 Now then, come along! 63 00:05:07,086 --> 00:05:08,756 Yes, sir! 64 00:05:08,756 --> 00:05:09,856 - Here's what you've been waiting for! 65 00:05:09,856 --> 00:05:12,719 - Here's what you've been waiting for! - Sasayama! You get over here, too! 66 00:05:19,995 --> 00:05:22,839 Have a drink. My, what a handsome man you are! 67 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,595 Oh, you're just saying that. 68 00:05:27,969 --> 00:05:29,609 Naughty boy. 69 00:05:29,609 --> 00:05:32,073 Thinking dirty thoughts again, aren't you? 70 00:05:32,674 --> 00:05:36,668 N- No! I wouldn't! 71 00:05:38,213 --> 00:05:41,459 So, Mr. Author, are you going to see Mr. Fushimiya? 72 00:05:41,459 --> 00:05:45,096 Yeah. He's a friend of my publisher, Mr. Tsutaya. 73 00:05:45,096 --> 00:05:48,181 He knows Fushimiya likes ghost stories, so he asked me to come. 74 00:05:49,291 --> 00:05:52,420 This may be a good opportunity to part company. 75 00:05:53,428 --> 00:05:57,239 My dear Trickster, by any chance, are you... 76 00:05:57,239 --> 00:06:02,465 I'm just saying Mr. Author and I live in two very different worlds. 77 00:06:11,980 --> 00:06:15,259 Mr. Sasayama? 78 00:06:15,259 --> 00:06:17,115 Oh, my! I lost! You got me! 79 00:06:26,394 --> 00:06:27,953 Sato... 80 00:06:29,865 --> 00:06:31,834 Sato! 81 00:06:32,834 --> 00:06:35,804 Sato, wake up! Sato! 82 00:06:51,987 --> 00:06:53,615 Sato! 83 00:06:57,058 --> 00:06:58,549 Sato! 84 00:07:01,830 --> 00:07:04,109 That's how it supposedly started. 85 00:07:04,109 --> 00:07:07,879 So, the first victim was Mr. Sasayama's wife, then? 86 00:07:07,879 --> 00:07:13,446 He's been terribly depressed since Ms. Sato's death. 87 00:07:13,446 --> 00:07:17,810 I try to get him to have a good time once in a while, like tonight, but... 88 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,959 He must have really loved his wife. 89 00:07:21,959 --> 00:07:23,315 As did I. 90 00:07:24,953 --> 00:07:29,550 To be perfectly honest, I was in love with Ms. Sato. 91 00:07:30,625 --> 00:07:33,539 Of course, it was an unrequited love! 92 00:07:33,539 --> 00:07:36,572 There was no way I could ever compete with Sasayama for her. 93 00:07:36,572 --> 00:07:39,979 He really is a fine man. 94 00:07:39,979 --> 00:07:42,129 And yet what happened to him was... 95 00:07:49,711 --> 00:07:54,789 Sato! Sato! SATO! 96 00:07:54,789 --> 00:07:59,359 Legend has it that even the god Izanagi was fearful of his wife Izanami's corpse... 97 00:07:59,359 --> 00:08:02,129 in the underworld so he ran back home... 98 00:08:02,129 --> 00:08:07,027 but Sasayama never left his wife's side once. 99 00:08:08,496 --> 00:08:15,046 Since she died, each body would always be found with a drawing above it. 100 00:08:15,046 --> 00:08:19,030 One each, in the order of that nine-stage scroll. 101 00:08:20,642 --> 00:08:22,419 Ono no Komachi. 102 00:08:22,419 --> 00:08:23,952 Hmm? Think of something? 103 00:08:23,952 --> 00:08:28,659 Um, no. This all reminds me of another nine-stage scroll. 104 00:08:28,659 --> 00:08:33,451 The one showing the death of the lady poet Ono no Komachi. 105 00:08:34,389 --> 00:08:36,996 Ono no Komachi, huh? I see. 106 00:08:36,996 --> 00:08:39,769 Komachi's vengeful spirit is jealous of beautiful women. 107 00:08:39,769 --> 00:08:41,820 Um, look, I was just... 108 00:08:51,139 --> 00:08:52,937 This is Katabira Crossroads. 109 00:09:10,859 --> 00:09:14,591 Is that Ono no Komachi, Mr. Author? 110 00:09:15,397 --> 00:09:17,127 Mataichi?! 111 00:09:28,710 --> 00:09:30,941 Damn you, specter! 112 00:09:48,930 --> 00:09:50,592 Ogin! 113 00:09:54,536 --> 00:09:58,200 Who is it that steals my name? 114 00:10:08,883 --> 00:10:09,873 Where's Ogin?! 115 00:10:12,687 --> 00:10:16,351 Author, Ogin no longer lives. 116 00:10:33,308 --> 00:10:38,576 My feelings will never fade. Never. 117 00:10:49,224 --> 00:10:51,069 A vengeful spirit? Impossible. 118 00:10:51,069 --> 00:10:55,306 Sasayama! I saw it with my own eyes! 119 00:10:55,306 --> 00:10:58,576 The truth is, I still don't believe it myself... 120 00:10:58,576 --> 00:11:01,798 but I wasn't alone. Momosuke saw it, too! 121 00:11:02,871 --> 00:11:06,849 The spirit took the body of a woman Momosuke knew and vanished! 122 00:11:06,849 --> 00:11:10,869 She left behind only the words, "Who is it that steals my name?" 123 00:11:18,820 --> 00:11:21,119 OGIN! 124 00:11:21,956 --> 00:11:25,415 Author... Ogin no longer lives. 125 00:11:33,401 --> 00:11:36,803 Ogin died seven days ago. 126 00:11:37,639 --> 00:11:42,019 She went off alone, saying she would get rid of the vengeful spirit herself. 127 00:11:42,019 --> 00:11:44,877 Instead, it ended up killing her. 128 00:11:47,081 --> 00:11:51,883 Author, give up on Ogin. 129 00:11:56,791 --> 00:11:58,623 Ogin! 130 00:12:01,663 --> 00:12:04,394 Do you still love me, even like this? 131 00:12:10,572 --> 00:12:14,949 I said from the start that you and Ogin lived in two different worlds. 132 00:12:14,949 --> 00:12:19,710 Meaning you really shouldn't get too close to us. 133 00:12:20,281 --> 00:12:21,559 How can you... 134 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:25,999 However we may die should not affect you. 135 00:12:25,999 --> 00:12:27,955 Do you understand? 136 00:12:30,592 --> 00:12:33,869 The truth is, I'm caught in a sort of gray area. 137 00:12:33,869 --> 00:12:36,309 I don't want to live in the physical world... 138 00:12:36,309 --> 00:12:39,426 and I can't become a resident of the supernatural world. 139 00:12:42,337 --> 00:12:46,649 Momosuke, a fast courier just arrived from Edo. 140 00:12:46,649 --> 00:12:48,216 For me? 141 00:12:48,216 --> 00:12:53,622 It appears to be from your big brother in Hachioji, by way of Mr. Tsutaya. 142 00:12:53,622 --> 00:12:55,659 From my brother? 143 00:12:55,659 --> 00:12:59,529 So you're from the samurai class, Momosuke? 144 00:12:59,529 --> 00:13:04,969 Yes. I was adopted into the Ikomaya family when I was still a baby. 145 00:13:04,969 --> 00:13:07,402 So, what does your brother want? 146 00:13:07,402 --> 00:13:10,709 Um, he says he wants to consult me about something. 147 00:13:10,709 --> 00:13:13,224 You'll be returning to Edo, then? 148 00:13:25,713 --> 00:13:28,012 It's not like I'll ever see them again. 149 00:13:38,693 --> 00:13:42,391 Hmm? It's Mr. Sasayama. 150 00:13:48,303 --> 00:13:51,979 Sato, why did you leave me behind? 151 00:13:51,979 --> 00:13:53,941 Sato... 152 00:14:29,377 --> 00:14:30,868 Huh? 153 00:14:34,115 --> 00:14:35,656 Hi, Mr. Author. 154 00:14:35,656 --> 00:14:39,796 N- Nagamimi! What are you doing here? 155 00:14:39,796 --> 00:14:44,169 A little errand I'm running for that little Trickster. 156 00:14:44,169 --> 00:14:47,169 Sorry, but can you carry one with me? 157 00:14:47,169 --> 00:14:50,359 Y-Yeah, sure. Whoa! What is this thing?! 158 00:14:56,938 --> 00:14:58,873 Sorry I'm late, Sato. 159 00:15:08,316 --> 00:15:10,376 Sato? Sato! 160 00:15:13,588 --> 00:15:15,696 How far do we have to carry these? 161 00:15:15,696 --> 00:15:17,329 We're almost there. 162 00:15:17,329 --> 00:15:20,669 Isn't Katabira Crossroads up ahead? 163 00:15:20,669 --> 00:15:24,359 Okay, can you give me yours? 164 00:15:26,401 --> 00:15:30,546 Now you, Mr. Author, should hide behind that thicket there. 165 00:15:30,546 --> 00:15:32,746 What's about to happen? 166 00:15:32,746 --> 00:15:35,039 Just watch and see. 167 00:15:37,979 --> 00:15:39,056 That's... 168 00:15:39,056 --> 00:15:43,279 How troublesome. It's too soon for him to appear. 169 00:15:44,452 --> 00:15:45,750 Nagamimi! 170 00:15:50,458 --> 00:15:52,599 Is that...? 171 00:15:52,599 --> 00:15:54,899 Hey! You there! 172 00:15:54,899 --> 00:15:57,139 What's in that basket? 173 00:15:57,139 --> 00:15:59,225 All right, open it! 174 00:16:03,571 --> 00:16:05,335 Why, you... 175 00:16:05,973 --> 00:16:07,635 Stop! 176 00:16:23,825 --> 00:16:26,818 Sato! Sato! Sato! 177 00:16:28,229 --> 00:16:31,666 Sato! Here you are! I finally found you! 178 00:16:32,733 --> 00:16:37,194 Are you the one who takes my name and places your sins upon me?! 179 00:16:44,312 --> 00:16:46,659 What a horrible thing to do. 180 00:16:46,659 --> 00:16:48,019 What...?! 181 00:16:48,019 --> 00:16:53,029 Even though your wife no longer exists in this world. 182 00:16:53,029 --> 00:16:56,032 Are you the one who carried Sato here? 183 00:16:56,032 --> 00:17:00,669 You seem blinded by illusions. Look again, with clearer eyes. 184 00:17:00,669 --> 00:17:02,823 Ogin! 185 00:17:04,565 --> 00:17:10,232 Ogin, are you still alive? Or are you now a lost soul? 186 00:17:11,706 --> 00:17:15,199 It doesn't matter. I just wanted to meet Ogin once again. 187 00:17:16,577 --> 00:17:21,289 No matter how much you change, I... I... 188 00:17:21,289 --> 00:17:24,774 What's this writer trying to tell me? 189 00:17:26,988 --> 00:17:28,969 You're her accomplice?! 190 00:17:28,969 --> 00:17:31,016 P- Please, calm down! 191 00:17:35,229 --> 00:17:37,969 As we travel down the path of life, we are confronted by choices. 192 00:17:37,969 --> 00:17:40,867 Step off the path of righteousness and you become trapped in the depths of sin. 193 00:17:42,436 --> 00:17:45,412 In the end, this transient world is but a dream. 194 00:17:45,412 --> 00:17:47,979 Evil and ambition scatter in the darkness... 195 00:17:47,979 --> 00:17:51,878 leaving behind dubious rumors to fly in public. 196 00:17:54,448 --> 00:17:59,159 Look carefully. That is not your wife Sato. 197 00:17:59,159 --> 00:18:02,399 What?! 198 00:18:02,399 --> 00:18:06,066 Madame Ohagi, prostitute of Shimabara. 199 00:18:06,066 --> 00:18:09,586 You killed her six months ago. 200 00:18:10,298 --> 00:18:12,209 There were others, weren't there? 201 00:18:12,209 --> 00:18:14,139 Shizuno, the young geisha of the Gion district. 202 00:18:14,139 --> 00:18:18,112 Otoku from the restaurant, and Okinu from Shirakawame. 203 00:18:18,112 --> 00:18:19,679 Impossible! 204 00:18:19,679 --> 00:18:23,419 They all looked like Sato, didn't they? 205 00:18:23,419 --> 00:18:25,656 My feelings will never change! 206 00:18:25,656 --> 00:18:28,889 No matter how corrupted her flesh may become! 207 00:18:28,889 --> 00:18:32,629 Are you saying that's why you record the stages of their bodies' decay? 208 00:18:32,629 --> 00:18:34,554 Like this! 209 00:18:37,291 --> 00:18:39,599 Your wife and the other women are angry with you! 210 00:18:39,599 --> 00:18:41,736 Wh-What are you saying?! 211 00:18:41,736 --> 00:18:46,109 I love her even into death! Why would she be angry with me?! 212 00:18:46,109 --> 00:18:48,339 Not only do you look at her as she most... 213 00:18:48,339 --> 00:18:51,109 doesn't wish you to see her, but you record it in images! 214 00:18:51,109 --> 00:18:55,599 Even the goddess Izanami would be angry. 215 00:19:07,121 --> 00:19:08,714 You brought shame upon us! 216 00:19:29,744 --> 00:19:32,407 To the next world, we commit Thee! 217 00:19:35,883 --> 00:19:38,392 What shame have I brought? 218 00:19:38,392 --> 00:19:43,016 I'll show you my love. Show you my undying faith! 219 00:19:44,525 --> 00:19:47,927 By becoming a corpse, like my beloved Sato! 220 00:20:07,014 --> 00:20:11,389 Good grief, so all nine pictures are together now? 221 00:20:11,389 --> 00:20:15,496 Ogin! I KNEW you were still alive! Thank heaven! 222 00:20:15,496 --> 00:20:19,236 I thought you said it didn't matter before. 223 00:20:19,236 --> 00:20:23,061 Oh, I didn't mean it like that! 224 00:20:24,732 --> 00:20:25,839 Nagamimi! 225 00:20:25,839 --> 00:20:31,237 It was a lot of trouble supplying those corpses for you, Trickster. 226 00:20:31,639 --> 00:20:34,734 You mean, the thing I was carrying before was... 227 00:20:35,376 --> 00:20:40,713 A perfect ending, dying while killing the man who stole his wife's body. 228 00:20:41,315 --> 00:20:48,129 I get it now. He removed the body from its coffin before the funeral. 229 00:20:48,129 --> 00:20:51,399 But as the body began to rot, he regained his senses... 230 00:20:51,399 --> 00:20:53,178 and dumped the body in terror. 231 00:20:53,178 --> 00:20:57,722 But he relapsed and was driven to repeat the murder. 232 00:20:59,500 --> 00:21:02,576 To think that his love for his wife remained that strong... 233 00:21:02,576 --> 00:21:04,246 Heh. Awful, isn't it? 234 00:21:04,246 --> 00:21:10,749 Author, as he gazed at his wife's corpse, he grew to crave her. 235 00:21:10,749 --> 00:21:15,059 And as he did, his interest in living women disappeared. 236 00:21:15,059 --> 00:21:18,929 And so he'd murder women and lose himself in ecstasy... 237 00:21:18,929 --> 00:21:21,229 as he watched their bodies decay. 238 00:21:21,229 --> 00:21:22,499 My God. 239 00:21:22,499 --> 00:21:27,086 It's about time the monsters returned to the darkness. 240 00:21:29,296 --> 00:21:34,209 How about it, Author? Will you vanish with us? 241 00:21:34,209 --> 00:21:36,727 Or will you stay behind there? 242 00:21:38,973 --> 00:21:41,204 Wh-What's this?! 243 00:21:41,709 --> 00:21:44,519 Sasayama, you killed the murderer! 244 00:21:44,519 --> 00:21:46,707 Well done! Well done! 245 00:21:50,017 --> 00:21:55,696 Lord Ogata has no idea. I wonder if it's for the best. 246 00:21:55,696 --> 00:21:59,125 In the end, this world is filled with lies, Author. 247 00:21:59,794 --> 00:22:03,469 Lies fill the truth so that no one is sure of anything. 248 00:22:03,469 --> 00:22:07,409 Isn't that how people manage to live their lives? 249 00:22:07,409 --> 00:22:10,709 That applies to me. And to you. 250 00:22:10,709 --> 00:22:12,604 Mataichi... 251 00:22:15,242 --> 00:22:21,307 Wind chimes whisper soft and sweet 252 00:22:22,683 --> 00:22:28,748 Though there's not a hint of a breeze 253 00:22:29,757 --> 00:22:35,539 Moonlight dancing on the garden walk 254 00:22:35,539 --> 00:22:42,163 As it gently drifts through the trees 255 00:22:43,604 --> 00:22:49,519 Romance takes flight on this perfect night 256 00:22:49,519 --> 00:22:56,211 While all of the world lays sleeping 257 00:22:57,051 --> 00:23:06,484 Find us here as we feel the moment of love 258 00:23:07,862 --> 00:23:11,209 Draw near 259 00:23:11,209 --> 00:23:18,309 Dream, sleep, with your hand in mine 260 00:23:18,309 --> 00:23:24,279 Underneath a blanket of stars 261 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:31,729 Song birds singing in a distant glade 262 00:23:31,729 --> 00:23:40,593 As we share the warmth of the dawn 263 00:23:48,235 --> 00:23:50,212 Evil and ambition scatter in the darkness... 264 00:23:50,212 --> 00:23:53,435 leaving behind dubious rumors to fly in public. 265 00:23:54,575 --> 00:23:58,186 A mystery troubles Momosuke's older brother. 266 00:23:58,186 --> 00:24:01,819 A malicious shot buried in a samurai's forehead. 267 00:24:01,819 --> 00:24:05,217 The weapon is "nodeppo" (field gun), fired from the darkness. 268 00:24:06,153 --> 00:24:10,666 Next time, on Natsuhiko Kyogoku's "Requiem From the Darkness:" 269 00:24:10,666 --> 00:24:12,469 Field Gun. 270 00:24:12,469 --> 00:24:15,292 To the next world, we commit Thee!