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Kurozuka

The Plain of Adachi-ga-hara

Episode 1

Japanese Title

Adachi Gen (安達原)

Airdate

October 7, 2008

Followed By

The Tomb of Karma

The Plain of Adachi-ga-hara is the first episode of the anime Kurozuka.

Episode Description[]

While fleeing his brother's samurai, Kuro and Benkei stumble upon a house deep in the mountains. The inhabitant is the beautiful and mysterious Kuromitsu . Kuro is enchanted by the solitary woman but she hides a very dark and bloody secret.

Episode Summary[]

Kuro is being chased by members of the Red Imperial Army He fights them off before having a pulsing headache accompanied by visions. Kuro's protector Benkei shows up and saves Kuro from being killed by a soldier.

They spot a light through the forest which leads them to Kuromitsu's house. Benkei lies to her, telling Kuro beforehand it was best that he act as Kuro incase it was a trap.

Kuro's vision starts to get blurry and he falls to a knee. Kuromitsu goes over to him and confirms he has a fever. Kuromitsu agrees to let Benkei and Kuro stay in the house under the condition that they don't go in the backroom no matter what. The next morning while Kuro sleeps Benkei tells Kuromitsu he is going to go to a nearby village for medicine and leaves Kuro in her care. On the way down the path Benkei notices a statue surrounded by gravestones. The statues head has been cut off and dried blood is around the neck. Farther down the path is a sea of red flowers that stretch into the forest.

Back in the house Kuromitsu tells Kuro he can stay as long as he wants if that's what he desires. They share a kiss as a butterfly looks on. They leave into the forest where Kuro initiates a kiss before Kuromitsu stops him telling them that they cannot be together, going back on what she said before, even if that's what they desire.

In the dead of night the Red Army has finally reached Kuromitsu's house. Kuro awakens and proceeds down the hall, where Kuromitsu's room is. Kuro approaches the room, looking inside to find a dead man, hung upside down, who Kuromitsu is drinking the blood of. Kuromitsu notices him and tells Kuro she is glad he knows before a man appears behind her and slices through her, cutting off her arm. Before Kuro can react another man appears behind him, slicing down his back.

When he comes to, Kuro sees Kuromitsu about to be impaled by a sword to which he quickly grabs a sword and cuts the soldier who's holding the swords hands off before tumbling to the ground. As flaming arrows fly and start to burn the house, the man who sliced Kuro charges him but Kuro kills him as well. The man who cut Kuromitsu appears and stabs Kuro through the stomach, mortally wounding him. The man notices Kuro looking at something behind him and turns around to see Kuromitsu who crushes the man's throat and takes Kuro away from the house.

Watching the house burn is a man with a golden mask who states that Kuromitsu is immortal and that they have been looking for her. Behind him is Benkei who appears to be lost in thought. Kuro and Kuromitsu escape into the forest and Kuro tries to tell Kuromitsu to escape while she can. Instead Kuromitsu offers Kuro the chance to accompany her to the end of time.

Detailed Episode Synopsis[]

Kuro Passing Crow

Kuro in Asuka.

A rundown city, Asuka, is bathed in the afternoon sun. Birds fly through the air as a crow sits idly on a power line. A man in a brown coat, Kuro, is running inside a run down building, sword strapped to his back. Both he and the crow lift off, passing by one another as Kuro descends below.

When he lands the setting has changed, both place and time. Kuro dressed in a priest's garb runs with a staff

Kuro Running in Forest

Kuro Run is the Forest

in hand, chasing after him are several members of The Red Imperial Army, their glowing red eyes matching their red samurai armor. Their pale faces watch Kuro as he jumps over roots and ducks under branches.

Kuro runs off a ledge and jumps without hesitation. The Red Army members stop and draw back arrows on their bows, firing at Kuro. As the arrows start to converge where Kuro will soon land, he gently pushes off an arrow with his fingers, pushing himself out of harms way as the arrows smack into each other. Kuro falls through the trees landing in a crouched position.

Monk Kuro's Blade

Kuro ready to fight the Red Imperial Army

Kuro stands to face the members of the Red Army, as they stand before him moaning and contorting their bodies. Kuro pulls up his staff, pulling it apart, revealing a hidden sword. Kuro charges and cuts through most of the Red Army with ease before one manages to clash swords with him. As both of them struggle sword against sword, the Red Army member begins to cackle. Kuro pushes him back and circles round ready to strike, however Kuro grabs his head in pain. As he holds his head images flash, a man with a mask, a figure behind a Shōji (Japanese sliding door). As Kuro has these visions, the Red Army member from before approaches Kuro, raising his sword as he laughs.

From above another man dressed in priest robes, Benkei, drops down. Using his staff Benkei cracks him in the head, spinning it around. His neck twisted backwards, the Red Army member falls dead, bursting into blue flames before dissipating, leaving behind empty armor. Benkei stares at the symbol for the Red Army as Kuro approaches. Benkei mentions that Kuro's brother isn't the only one looking or him and that he is the target of many clans. Kuro suggests to Benkei to cut off his head and deliver it to their pursuers so his will be spared, but Benkei won't even consider it.

Benkei and Kuro

Benkei and Kuro dressed as Monks

As Kuro protests Benkei notices a light coming from up the mountain and pulls Kuro behind a tree. Benkei believes its coming from a resident, someone who is "eager to escape the world of people and their politics." They decide to go to the residence to see if they could get some water and stay the night. Benkei tells Kuro to let him bear the name Kuro until they're sure its not a trap.

Benkei and Kuro approach the house, a butterfly leading the way. The large house has a straw roof, but a wooden entrance way. A light is coming from inside and with the sliding door open, Benkei and Kuro enter the residence. No one is around, but a large pot is over a fire. Kuro questions if its abandoned as Benkei calls out.

From the hallway a woman voice is heard. The woman, Kuromitsu, is dressed in a red kimono with maple leaves patterned on it. She has long dark hair and silver eyes. She asks them if she can help them, but they both stare at her without saying a a word. After she repeats herself Benkei introduces himself as Kuro and asks her if they could sleep there for the night.

Kuromitsu Full

Kuromitsu emerges from the hallway.

As Benkei is talking Kuro stares at Kuromitsu but his vision becomes blurry. He kneels down, grasping his head again. Kuromitsu walks over to him and notices he has a fever. She also states that he has a noble quality, pointing out that its as if Benkei was his disciple. Kuromitsu grants their request to stay for the night on one condition, that they do not go in the back room where she sleeps nor look inside under any circumstance. Benkei agrees and Kuromitsu says they can stay however long they want. Kuro asks her name, now in somewhat better condition to which she gives her name.

The next morning arrives and Kuro is sleeping under a blanket. in the background Benkei and Kuromitsu discuss Kuro's condition behind the paper thin Shōji. Benkei asks Kuromitsu to look after him while he goes to a nearby village in hopes of finding medicine, to which she agrees to. As Benkei leaves Kuromitsu opens the door and walks in.

Headless Statue in Graves

Headless Statue surrounded by Gravestones

Benkei is walking down a path on the hill when he notices a statue, surrounded by tombstones, has its head lopped off, dried blood is around the neck. Benkei seems troubled but the rumbling of thunder distracts him. Back in the house Kuro opens his eyes when Kuromitsu takes his head in her hands. She mentions his fever has broken and that she has been taking care of him.

Benkei walks forward and gasps as a crow takes flight. The crow is surrounded by a sea of red flowers that seem to endlessly flow into the woods. Back in the room, Kuro tells Kuromitsu they will leave when Benkei returns, but she tells him no and that he may stay with her as long as he wishes if thats what his heart desires. They kiss as the butterfly from before sits on a net at the end of the room and proceeds to fly away. The scene ends on the sea of red flowers before fading out.

Kuromitsu brings Kuro a wooden bowl full of water asking if he is feeling any better. Both he and Kuromitsu leave to go outside to a large tree. Kuro states that it feels like they are in a different world in the forest, as if he had stepped outside the flow of time. Kuro asks if he has upset her, as she has not spoken. She mentions that soon he will leave, but approaches him and they kiss. As Kuro succumbs to his desire and grabs Kuromitsu she gasps, causing Kuro to pull away, apologizing for losing control and if he offended her. Kuromitsu mentions that they cannot be together, no matter how drawn to each other they are.

Mysterious Hand Points

Mysterious hand points out Kuromitsu's house.

Now night, the Red Army approaches Kuromitsu's residence, looking at it from above on a cliff. A hand points towards the house. Kuro awakens from his sleep on the floor, sits up and grabs his sword. He mentions he can sense someone, wondering if its Benkei, before rationalizing that Benkei would have came to see him. A dripping noise echoes from the backroom and Kuro gets up to investigate. Kuro walks down the seemingly endless hallway. The hallway leads to a bridge outside to the backroom, a light escaping from it. Kuro approaches the forbidden room and looks inside.

Inside the room is a dead man, hung upside down, blood falling off him. Kuromitsu kneels beside him, drinking the falling blood off his body. Kuromitsu senses Kuro's presence and turns to him, his hand is on his sword, his eyes fearful. Kuromitsu gets up quickly asking him what he's doing there. She doesn't want to know what he must think of her now, but she admits she's glad he knows her for what she really is. Kuro promises not to say anything to anyone.

Suprise Cross Mask

Man with a cross mask behind Kuromitsu.

Kuro notices someone behind Kuromitsu, a man with a light brown cloth on his face with a cross in the middle stands behind her. The man slices through Kuromitsu's shoulder, her arm falling to the ground, followed by her. From above a man with a bone mask and a dagger falls down slicing Kuro. From above, the Red Army members shoot flaming arrows, setting Kuromitsu's house ablaze.

Kuro opens his eyes to see the two men and two Red Army soldiers standing over Kuromitsu. Kuro stares at Kuromitsu, her eyes staring back. One of the soldiers steps between their line of sight, raising his sword above Kuromitsu, ready to plunge it through her. Blood flies into the air, along with the soldier's hands, still grasping the sword. Kuro tumbles by landing on the floor with a thud. He stands up shakily, holding his sword at the ready. The other red army member charges Kuro, they clash but Kuro slashes through his stomach.

Bone Mask Ready to Strike

Man with the Bone Mask

The man with the bone masks grasps his dagger, a Cinquedea, and with a high-pitched war cry, charges Kuro. Kuro flips into the air above the man, steadying himself in a handstand, his hands on the man's shoulders. Twisting on his shoulder's, Kuro slices through the man's throat, killing him. As Kuro lands, an arrow pierces his shoulder and he is charged at by the second man. The man with the face cloth is inhumanly fast, and pierces Kuro with his sword, causing Kuro to fall backwards. With blood pouring out of his wound and the house ablaze around him. Kuro watches as the man with the face cloth stands above him telling him to say goodbye to Kuromitsu.

Kuro's eyes widen, the man turns around to see Kuromitsu, severed arm hanging from her mouth, standing behind him. She reaches forward grabbing the man's neck and crushes his throat as Kuro watches stunned. From above on the cliff, a man in black is told by a man with a golden mask that Kuromitsu cannot die. She is immortal and has lived hundreds of years. His clan has been pursing her and now the search is over. He plans on unlocking the secret of eternal life he states, as it is revealed Benkei is standing behind him, staring aimlessly, lost in thought.

Gold Masked Man

Man with the Golden Mask

Kuro and Kuromitsu escape to the giant tree, hiding in the hollow. Kuro questions how Kuromitsu was able to survive, but she dismisses the question, telling him that her body is not normal and is shameful. Kuro tells her he doesn't expect to survive much longer and that she should leave him and go. She pauses for a moment before asking him if he will come with her. When he asked where to she replies eternity, the end of time.

Quotes[]

If you were to kill me and deliver my head to them, I'm certain your life would be spared - Kuro to Benkei

I have lived a long life and fought battles that most men only dream of. If it ended today, I would die with no regrets my old friend. - Kuro to Benkei

Please forgive me, I'm a monk on a pilgrimage from Kishukamono. My name is Monk Kuro. The sun had set as we were making our way through the mountains. We were hoping you might allow us to sleep here for the night. On your floor or on a mat. - Benkei posing as Kuro

You’re welcome to stay for the night, however I have one request. There is a small room located at the back of this house. It's where i sleep at night, I'm afraid its quite untidy, so i ask you do not look inside that room, under any circumstance. - Kuromitsu to Kuro and Benkei

We cannot. No matter how much we are drawn to each other. There is something you must understand. We are destined to never be able to live together. - Kuromitsu to Kuro

I dare not imagine what you must be thinking. Still, in a way I'm glad this happened. I knew from the beginning that this day would eventually come. And I must confess that somewhere, buried deep in my heart, I just wanted you to know me for what I really am. - Kuromitsu to Kuro

Gallery[]

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