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Doctor, look! Ozozo! Ozozo!
-They are called Ojizos. -Ozozo!
When you encounter numerous lives and deaths of people,
you sometimes experience strange things that cannot be explained clearly.
As a person who works at the very end of the field of modern science called medicine,
I shall be put to shame if I ignore something that cannot be explained.
I think that kind of experiences are necessary to learn
that science is still not perfect nor omnipotent.
This all happened with a big package.
Doctor, this thing came in.
No problem! It doesn't seem to be an explosive!
Wow! It's full of old money!
Inside the package, there was a letter and a map.
"I'm sorry to bother you,
but I send 3,747,000 yen as a payment for your medical treatment.
If this isn't enough, please think of it as a prepayment.
I will gladly pay the rest later.
My wife's life is in danger.
Please come and help us.
I attached a map together.
It's a distant countryside village, but please come as fast as possible.
To Doctor Black Jack, from Saburo Taneda.
Please help me.
Please help me."
There was a reason for me to leave
and head to that village in such a hurry.
Doctor, have a look at this.
The date this package was sent is... two years ago.
What? Two years ago?
I thought it was bit weird because the package was all ragged.
You...
There must have been some mistake in the post office.
Pinoko, let's hurry and get prepared.
What?
The letter from two years ago says that the patient is in danger.
It might be in vain, but...
Excuse me!
How can I find Yashaga Mountain's Nakazato village?
Where is Himezuka?
Hmm, I know Nakazato,
but I have never heard of Himezuka.
Well, if you go over that mountain, it's Nakazato.
Thank you.
Hey! You should be careful.
It's already snowing in Yashaga Mountain.
Snow?
It's earlier than the usual.
Let's go, Pinoko.
Okay!
We should have been in Nakazato already by now.
However, there was no house nor signs.
I was wandering to find Himezuka.
A temple!
There's a temple in this area.
Huh? A temple...?
We're saved.
The temple should know well about this area.
We have to go back a little bit, though.
I'm hungry...
Then let's go have a late dinner at that temple.
They will probably give us something.
8:35 pm.
We're stuck in the snow.
We are probably near Himezuka.
It's no use trying to do something now.
Hey, Pinoko. Wake up. Pinoko. Pinoko!
Excuse me!
Is somebody there?
Excuse me!
Who is this?
Visiting this temple
deep in the mountains.
How sad that you have lost your way.
I'm looking for Saburo Taneda's house in Himezuka.
I do know him very well.
She's sleeping with the face of the Goddess of Mercy.
Do not worry. I'll take care of her.
If you follow that road for about a mile,
you will find a sacred tree.
Abumaru?
-Yes, ma'am. -Please prepare
so we can leave immediately in the case of misfortune.
Yes, ma'am.
That guy whom Taneda called seems like a doctor. What do you think?
I think what you think is correct, Lady Kaoru.
"You will find a sacred tree."
Come on!
I'm Saburo Taneda. I've been waiting for you.
Please forgive this sin in this world for the next life.
I beg Buddha's forgiving!
Give me the password!
Over, over the seven bridges of Koigase.
Sir Taneda, please pass by.
This way.
Is it you,
Saburo?
I'm sorry I'm late. I'm Saburo.
Was there any Yura leaf?
Princess, today, I brought a great doctor
who's better than thoes Yura leaves.
I asked you about Yura leaves.
I mean... This is not the right season...
Besides, because of snow, I couldn't find any.
I want Yura leaves! Right now!
There is only little left!
Please bear it as long as possible.
It hurts! It hurts!
Princess!
You must not go there!
Stop this!
That sword is without an edge.
Don't worry. It cannot cut.
As you can see...
Princess became ill four years ago,
when she turned 16.
It was when Lord Rokujyoji from Kyoto
was unreasonably trying to make her
one of his mistresses.
We are only of a small fiefdom.
Compared to that, Rokujyoji is an administrator of the emperor.
He has a tremendous amount of power.
However, he was 62 by that time.
It was a tragedy for this beautiful and kind princess.
She refused the proposal but it wasn't accepted.
On the day before the wedding,
she ate the Gamakazura fruit, which contains a deadly poison.
Thankfully, we were able to save her life,
but the paralysis of her entire body continues until now.
She sometimes gets a fever
and seizure like the one you just saw.
Besides, as days pass by,
she gets worse and worse.
Hmm.
Her pulse is weak and chaotic.
What are Yura leaves?
This is it.
It's a type of drug, huh?
Princess says that
when she chews on it, she feels good and her paralysis goes away a bit.
But there are only two leaves
left for now.
What's this plant called Gamakazura?
It grows in Koigase town
of this Ikehata country.
It bears fruits every 30 years.
There aren't very many people
who actually saw the fruit.
Saburo, Koigase's fireflies
were so pretty, right?
That was during the summer when I was 12.
Saburo was startled!
This is...!
That is also a residue of Gamakazura's poison.
It's as if a snake
is wrapping the princess' body.
I'll run a test with her blood.
It's gone!
All my medical equipments!
It can't be helped.
I'll have to trust my sense of touch.
Light over here.
Is this all right?
Little bit more below.
I'm here only as a messenger.
How is it?
There is a clear abnormality in her heart.
She has a heart murmur and arrhythmia.
There is a problem with her heart valve,
and her electrocardiogram isn't normal.
And what about that snake mark?
It's hard to explain,
but this change on her hand might be due to
a problem in her intestines or tumor.
I'd like to recommend an open heart surgery,
but it would be impossible without any equipment.
What will happen to the princess?
It's not strange to say
that her heart will stop at any moment.
She could die anytime.
That guy is called Abumaru.
He's a toy that Lady Kaoru, the wife of Lord Rokujyoji,
likes very much.
Come down, Abumaru! Do you want to have a sword fight or something?
Peasants surely do not know how to greet a messenger.
Lady Kaoru, the wife of Lord Rokujyoji,
No, the revered mistress Kaoru,
I'm here to bear her message.
Listen well!
This my last warning.
Shut up! I don't need that old one's warning!
The army of Lord Rokujyoji
soon will arrive in Nakazato.
Give me that princess right now.
If not, we will launch a full attack
and kill every single life
in Ikehata.
If the princess is alive,
put a bridal makeup on her.
If she's dead, put a makeup on her body and present it to the lord.
What a pitiful jealousy of a wife
who lost her husband's heart to my princess!
I heard that Lord Rokujyoji is ready to
take you guys, who are good at fighting, under his reign.
Do not underestimate me!
Tell them!
The princess is our life!
Doctor, where are you going?
I'll be back soon. Don't leave the patient alone.
I tried to find my car stuck in snow,
because I thought of the fact that there are
surgery equipments and medicine in the car.
Lady Kaoru wants to meet you.
Pinoko!
Doctor!
This girl is my child from now on.
What?
If I have this kind of cute child,
then Lord Rokyjyoji will surely be calmed.
And he won't surely lose sight
for another woman.
He will surely come back to me.
Pinoko!
Give Pinoko back!
You cannot object to Lady Kaoru.
Sir Rokyjyoji, we've been waiting for you.
Ah, Abumaru. How's Ikehata's sleeping rabbit?
Is she still sleeping?
Yes, sir.
She's still not saying that she loves me?
Yes, sir.
Ah, the more hatred I feel, the more love I feel toward her.
Saburo!
It's painful... Painful...!
Princess! You have to put up with it!
Yura... Give the Yura leaf...!
I can't!
Princess! Please...!
Saburo...
It's all your fault.
Why didn't you take me as your bride?
I told you that I loved you.
Back at Koigase River.
Princess!
If you had answered me back then...
there wouldn't have been an unreasonable request from Lord Rokujyoji.
Princess, but yours was an unreasonable one.
I'm merely your servant. It's too much for me.
Are you saying you didn't love me?
No... That was because...
Then, you could have married me and abandon your country...
Princess, please forgive me...
I would be happy even if I were a mere firefly...
Yeah...
I took that poison,
because I thought we could be
together in heaven...
Forgive me...!
But I still hate Rokujyoji.
How could he make a war for me?
He killed precious people of Ikehata,
including my parents.
Besides, he chased the survived ones
to this very end of the north.
I can't cause any more trouble to you.
I can only go to hell.
If I go to hell, I might not be able to see you again.
Princess!
Saburo, it's my last wish!
Give my head to Rokujyoji!
Princess!
Don't forget to put a makeup on my corpse!
Princess!
Let go, Saburo, let go!
You cannot give up, Princess!
It's nothing if you give up here.
Please prepare a bed.
And some used towels.
I'm going to perform a surgery.
Lord Rokujyoji has arrived.
He has settled down at Yasahagara.
He has ordered you to pay your respects.
It is good that you have visited Ikehata.
It is very gracious of you.
You did well. Now Abumaru will take care of the rest.
It would be best for you to go back to Kyoto
and say your prayers
No,
until I see the head of that woman roll,
I will stay here.
Don't say that, Kaoru,
we can't cut such a beautiful princess's head.
You've come this far and still you say such foolish things?
Man is foolish, that can be the source of his spirit.
Abumaru, we're going back now.
Stop it. He was once my husband.
Yes
Everything ok? You're going to fall into a deep sleep now.
During that time, I'll take a look at the inside of your body.
I think there's something we can discover in your heart.
And before you wake up,
I will try my best to cure you.
Ok?
Just sleep now and leave everything else to me.
Yes.
Now, close your eyes.
You don't feel sleepy yet?
Yes
That's not good. If the anesthesia won't work, I can't operate.
The yura leaf...
Saburo! The yura leaf!Saburo!
Princess
I just did an intravenous injection
The anesthesia has worked perfectly
with the Yura leaf and hydrocadacin.
Open chest
Kaoru, what's going on?
Your face is very blue.
Nothing to worry about.
- Just go to the temple quickly. - Yes.
Kaoru!
Close the door, let me be alone!
What is this?!
Kaoru! Kaoru!
If the pain from the surgery heals,
she won't suffer because of her heart anymore.
Thank you. Thank you.
No. You are the one who took care of the mysterious tumor.
You really are the one who really saved her,
Mr. Taneda.
The enemy's attacking!
If the wound opens up, she will be dead!
You can't give her to them!
Mr. Taneda.
I don't know if I'm going to hell or heaven
but if I can go with the princess,
I will go anywhere.
If it's both our paths.
Get out of the way! Get out!
I bring an annoucement
Taneda Saburo escaped the attack.
The princess? What happened to the princess?
We think she's with Saburo...
No matter what!!
Catch Saburo and the princess!
Use all our forces to catch them!
I'm sorry to say
Kunkou has passed away
and I will try
to make my master's wish come true...
Were there any last words?
All this was caused by the greed of Rokojyouji.
What?
I will become my master and
I, Abumaru, will seek justice.
Be prepared.
Saburo, where are you going?
Wherever you want me to take you, princess.
To tell you the truth, I have made my decision
If we are able to get out of sight from the army
and find a place to hide,
I will
I, Saburo, will take you as my wife.
Please forgive me.
My dream has come true.
Here, they won't be able to chase after us
Princess?
Princess!
I shot and killed
Taneda Saburo!
They said that they would put the princess
with Rokojyouji in a coffin
and take them back to Kyoto.
Pinoko...
Hey...
Pinoko.
It was 8:35 pm when the car got stuck
It was only for 15 mintues,
but I was in quite a deep sleep.
The snow storm had stopped while we slept.
Somehow, I feel like I had a very long dream
but I just can't remember it.
Aren't you Dr. Black Jack?
And you are?
I'm glad you came! I'm Taneda.
I'm, Saburo Taneda, the one who sent the letter.
Pinoko, wake up. We've arrived.
We arrived!
I'm so hungry!
I will lead you.
It's right around the corner.
How is your wife?
I guess I arrived in time. In the letter,
you said that her life was in danger.
The package took 2 years to be delivered,
and I was worried.
You did arrive in time.
It's ok.
Please take a look at my wife
as soon as possible. - Of course.
Hey! I'm home.
- Your wife? - Yes,
On the second floor.
Pinoko, get ready for an examination.
Yes!
Dr. Black Jack came.
Doctor, you came!
It's great. That's so great.
There was clearly a problem in her heart.
I used a portable monitor
to check her ECG
You've hung in there very well
There is a tumor called Mesothelioma in the valves of your heart
we need to go a place where we can operate
and give you emergency surgery.
We'll discuss with your husband.
What?
That's strange.
Where did he go?
Mr. Haneda!
Taneda isn't here.
My husband died two years ago.
No... no way. He was with us right there just a moment ago!
Sitting right there.
Thank you.
Thank you darling. You're still looking after me...
He died in a construction accident two years ago.
He said that he would have Dr. Black Jack take my case
and went to Tokto to make money
and worked in construction for a year,
and made some money. He then sent a letter to Dr. Black Jack.
He told me this
and right after
There was a gas leak at the site.
So... so... that's why he only had small bills.
Since he had been saving them little by little.
We brought the money your husband saved
since the doctor said
that we would return it if there was no chance for you.
I will hang on to this.
And it looks like we were in time.
Oh madame, were are you going?
It's the lady and her son that live next door.
We are going to the hospital. We're finally able to operate now.
That is great!
What should I do about this breakfast?
It's ok mother. It can be my lunch.
You're such a pig.
Those two have have always
looked after me since my husband died.
I will send you a note as soon as I get to the hospital
Hey doctor, is the Mesothelioma surgery a difficult one?
Hmm. Yes, it is.
Well usually, you have a fifty fifty chance of survival.
But,
with this one,
I feel it will be a one hundred percent success rate.