Episode 4: The LonerReview by Jonathan April 15, 2006 Gorobei proposes a wager in which he will not move and the shooter will fire one shot at him. The attackers propose five shots, and Gorobei agrees. Saying that they can have his head if any of the arrows hit him, they protest and ask for all the samurai and peasant's heads. Kiku protests to Kambei not to leave their fate up to Gorobei, and Gorobei requests that they let them go if he dodges them all. The shooter fires five shots, and Gorobei catches them all. The other jumps at him and Gorobei blocks his attack. Kiku cuts down the stone pillar and the whole building goes down Katsushiro rushes everyone out of the inn, and the mono-eye attacks Kambei and Kiku. Gorobei jumps and cuts off one of the mono-eye's extendable arms and Kiku goes after him but is stop by the shooter. Kambei moves in and cuts the shooter down, while Gorobei fends off the mono-eye's attacks. He wraps up and breaks the other arm, and it attacks him with its extendable leg. Gorobei dodges and stabs him through the head. He scolds Kiku for bringing down the building, and Kambei tells him he has made quite a mess. Komachi comments that they're going to get into trouble, and Kiku starts grumbling and gets to picking up the mess. Masamune says that now that they have caught Ayamaro's, it won't be easy to keep wondering the city looking for samurai. Kirara says they will keep looking, and Masamune invites them to his place. At his place, Kambei thanks him for letting them stay there, and Masamune says warriors help each other. At the palace, a blond swordsman uses two swords to slice some vases in half. Ukyo tells him he will be the next to look for the samurai, as Tessai brings two girls from Ukyo's harem. He says they won't do and wants the farm girl. Tessai says he can't touch her because the difference in class is too great. Ayamaro makes a drink for the Imperial envoy as he comments on the trouble. Ayamaro's guard senses Ukyo and Kyuzo, the blond swordsman, come up. Ukyo barges in, and Ayamaro scolds him for yelling in front of the envoy. Ukyo whines that Ayamaro gave the order to kill Kirara, but Ayamaro tells him to stop thinking about her because she is a peasant girl. The envoy comments that they are in completely different worlds, and Ukyo says he didn't ask him. Ayamaro scolds him, and Ukyo scolds him back. He asks his father's bodyguard if other samurai can only kill samurai. Ayamaro tells him not to even entertain the thought of his bodyguards doing the job, and Ukyo tells him they have bested him. The envoy asks if the bandits could do it, but Ukyo protests saying that he hates machine samurai. A servant tells Ayamaro that the Shikimoribito are there to see him, and Ukyo says he is not done talking to him. Ayamaro tells him to stop worrying about them and leaves with Kyuzo and his other bodyguard. Ayamaro talks with the Shikimoribito. At a well in town, Kirara uses her water crystal to see that the ears of rice are going to bend sooner than expected. Katsushiro tell her they will look even harder. He asks why she comes to the middle of town to hold a rock over water with so many men looking for them. She explains about the water crystal's power and says that he doesn't believe in things like that. She says that she could always feel the outside world, and she volunteered for the mission partly to see it. He says that's kind of dangerous for a little curiosity, but she says it is worth it for finding Kambei and meeting all of them. A vehicle comes speeding through the street, and Katsushiro grabs Kirara and dodges out of the way, saying he will never let go of her hand. They go see the Tortoise Express mail service and ask that a letter be sent back to Kanna. Gorobei and Rikichi spy on Ayamaro's castle. Rikichi asks what they are looking for, and Gorobei says that if a battle is inevitable, they might as well have as much intel as possible. Gorobei sees Kyuzo walk out, and Kyuzo looks up at him. Rikichi asks what he sees, and Gorobei says he sees a good samurai. Tessai says that he will take care of the peasants, but Ayamaro's other bodyguard asks Kyuzo if he is going to hunt them. Tessai protests, but the other bodyguard, Hyogo, stops him. As Komachi blows on a fire, Kambei offers to help. See refuses because he was too hard on Kiku. Masamune finishes with Kambei's sword and comments on how well he takes care of it. He asks if Kambei likes the excitement of battle. Kambei says it is said that when you kill a man in battle, his ghost haunts you forever. He leaves to look for more samurai. While asking another samurai for their cause, Katsushiro senses they are being watched, but tells Kirara it is nothing. They walk off while Kyuzo follows in the crowd. They find Kambei and tell him that they didn't find any samurai. Seeing that one found them, Kyuzo comes out and starts to face off with Kambei. Kambei tells him his name and asks his. He tells him, and Kambei only wants to know because he knows he is a samurai. Kyuzo challenges him, drawing his two swords. Seeing that Kambei draws his and they both run at each other. Trading blows, the eventually end up with a blade at each other's necks. Rikichi, Gorobei, and Komachi arrive to watch. Kambei tells him he is in love, while breaking the stalemate. He tells him he is in love with his skills and asks if he will join his cause, but Kyuzo refuses. He jumps at Kambei, kicking him down. He charges again, but Kambei starts to throw pipes at him. He slices them in two, but Kambei joins two and uses them as a lance. Kyuzo cuts down the platform Kambei is standing on, bringing it crashing down. Kambei grabs him and says he cannot defeat Kyuzo but says that he has a mission to complete before he can kill him and turns his back. He says that they will finish their battle after they have defeated the bandits, unless he would strike while his back is turned. Kyuzo raises his sword, but Kiku sees Kyuzo and jumps at him with his sword. Kyuzo disarms him, but Kambei knocks one sword loose before he can strike back. Kiku ends up on his head, and Kyuzo picks up his other sword and leaves the fight for another time. Kambei feels the cut on his neck and says that he wants him. With this episode we see how adept Gorobei is in battle, as well as how much of a klutz Kiku is. By hacking down the inn platform, he really made a mess, and therefore doesn't get much screen time. Kyuzo is introduced, and from the looks of it, is better than Kambei. Too bad it seems he's on the wrong side. Oh well, he seems to have a samurai's honor. There seems to be a kind of friendly rivalry and respect between Kyuzo and Hyogo, the other bodyguard so I bet he goes after them next. The Shikimoribito also make a short appearance here, but it looks as if they work for Ayamaro. Time will tell that that is not necessarily the case. Overall, great episode with a good amount of action. Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
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