Tasuku Takato/MANKAI Encore

Encore: Miyamoto Musashi

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Homare	The sea is beautiful…
	—Hah, I got it!
Hisoka	You don’t need to recite a poem.
Azuma	Where shall we go when we arrive at our next performance destination?
Tasuku	…So we really are talking about that, huh?
Tsumugi	It’s the same as always, right?
Homare	There is a famous seafood market, so I would love to go there.
Hisoka	I wanna eat marshmallows.
Homare	You’re eating them right now, are you not?
Azuma	It looks like there’s a sweets shop in the market as well, so maybe you can go take a look there.
	Also… we can’t miss out on the pufferfish sashimi.
Homare	Ahh, indeed.
Guy	Pufferfish slashing?
	Will you stab the pufferfish somewhere?
Hisoka	You scoop it up with your chopsticks like this.
Guy	…?
Homare	It is difficult to comprehend with your gestures alone, Hisoka-kun.
Azuma	It’s pufferfish sashimi.
Homare	It is served on a large plate, and there is also an artistic plating style called tsuru-mori.
Guy	Ahh, in that case, I have seen it before.
	I see, so that is called pufferfish sashimi.
Izumi	Um, everybody?
	I think you know this, but absolutely no eating raw food until the show is over!
Homare	Of course we understand that much.
	However, wouldn’t you like to try it?
Hisoka	I think it’d be fun to order a whole pufferfish.
Guy	I admit, I am interested as well.
Azuma	If you came all the way here, then you want to eat it, right, Tsumugi?
Tsumugi	Ah, me?
	U-ummm… As much as I’d really love to eat it, our performances take priority, so…
Tasuku	What are you guys doing, making trouble for Tsumugi?
	We’re stage actors so of course we can’t.
Azuma	Fufu, my bad. I was just joking.
Homare	HAH! If raw food is no good, then how about pufferfish hotpot!
Hisoka	…Arisu hasn’t learned his lesson.
Izumi	The lead Tasuku said so too, so for now, it’s not allowed until your show is finished!
Tasuku	More importantly, weren’t we going to Ganryu Island?
Izumi	Right. We decided to go after our rehearsal, didn’t we?
Azuma	Of course I remember that.
Guy	I wouldn’t forget.
Tsumugi	You're surprisingly a worrywart too, huh, Tasuku?
Tasuku	Shut up. I thought you guys forgot, so I just mentioned it.
Tsumugi	Sure, sure, whatever you say.
	Ah, that reminds me…
Homare	What's the matter?
Tsumugi	There’s a spot on Ganryu Island where I'd like to take a picture of Tasuku and Guy-san.
Guy	A picture? Where?
Tsumugi	Look forward to finding out when we arrive.
Tasuku	...I have a bad feeling about this.

Izumi	We’re here!
Guy	Ahh… this is Ganryu Island, huh?
Azuma	The view is beautiful.
Tsumugi	Ah, it’s here.
Izumi	Are these statues of Musashi and Kojiro?
Tsumugi	Yes. I was searching for them.
	We have our own Musashi and Kojiro in Winter troupe too, so I thought I wanted to take a photo of those two in front of these.
Guy	I see. Isn’t that a nice idea?
Tasuku	…That’s it?
Tsumugi	Eh? Yeah.
Tasuku	I thought you’d make us do more stuff.
Homare	Oh, right. How about Tasuku-kun and Guy-san strike the same pose as these statues?
Tasuku	Ha?
Izumi	Good idea!
Azuma	Yeah, I want to see that too.
Hisoka	Sounds interesting.
Tasuku	No, I’m not doing it.
Tsumugi	If I take a photo, maybe I should send it to Fuyuki-kun too?
	I think he’ll love it.
Tasuku	Stop that right now.
Guy	Takato, I don’t mind doing the same pose as these statues though.
Tasuku	Even you, Guy-san…
Guy	Everyone came all the way here after all.
	I also might be in high spirits.
	Also, I feel like we will be able to feel a little closer to the Musashi and Kojiro back in those days.
Tasuku	Well, if you put it that way… I understand.
Azuma	Fufu, as usual, he gets motivated right away when it comes to acting.
Izumi	That’s Tasuku-san for you, huh?
Tsumugi	Then you two, please stand over there together.
Guy	Understood.
Tasuku	Yeah.
Homare	Ohh, I expect no less from Tasuku-kun—he’s picture-perfect.
Azuma	Guy is spot on too.
	You two look cool.
Hisoka	I think it’s good.
Tsumugi	Alright, I’m taking it.
	*click*
	Ah, it’s blurry… I’ll take a few, ok?
Tasuku	…Got it.
	*click, click*
Tsumugi	Ummm…
Tasuku	Oi, hurry up already.
Tsumugi	I know, but… Sorry, give me a second.
Hisoka	…Tsumugi, hand it here.
Tsumugi	Eh? Sure.
Hisoka	I’m taking it, you two.
	*click*
	Here.
Tsumugi	Wah… It came out great!
	Thanks, Hisoka-kun.
Hisoka	You’re welcome.
Homare	You were skilled at taking pictures, Hisoka-kun?
Hisoka	That’s an exaggeration. I can take a photo at least.
	Tsumugi looked like he was struggling, so I just helped out.
Tsumugi	Thank you too, Tasuku, Guy-san.
Guy	Right.
Tasuku	…
Izumi	Tasuku-san? What’s wrong?
Tasuku	“…The wind sure is strong.”
Izumi	…Don’t tell me, did Tasuku-san slip into his role?
Tsumugi	It looks like it.
Homare	I hesitate to call out to Tasuku now that he has become Musashi.
	I could be killed by his gaze alone…!
Azuma	Ahh, Homare was glared at before, right?
Homare	Why, I was shocked as well.
Hisoka	That was your fault.
Guy	I’ll go.
Homare	Please do, Guy-san!
Guy	…
	“Musashi, so you, too, have moments where you are absorbed in your thoughts."
Tasuku	“There are such days, even for me.”
	“…Especially on days with waves like these. There will be times like that for you as well.”
Guy	“…Ahh, that may be.”
Izumi	That was a wonderful etude.
Tsumugi	The dialogue between you two was amazing as expected.
Hisoka	The location is also just right, so the atmosphere was perfect.
Tasuku	Sorry, Guy-san.
	I accidentally slipped into my role.
Guy	No, I don’t mind.
	It turned into great practice for the play.
Tasuku	Yeah, that’s true.
Izumi	(At this rate, I'm sure the real show will go smoothly as well!)

Tasuku	…
Azuma	He looks like he’s totally focused.
Tsumugi	Let’s leave him be.
Hisoka	It’s better not to do something unnecessary like Arisu last time.
Homare	I will not repeat the same mistake a second time.
Tasuku	…
Guy	Let’s head out, Musashi.
Tasuku	Right.
Izumi	(Even though it was only a brief exchange, their spirit is amazing…)
	Everyone, good luck out there!
	(Miyamoto Musashi is a master swordsman travelling alone.)
	(The story begins when Orin, a shamisen teacher, allows him to take shelter from the rain with her—)
Orin	“Are you in the middle of a journey?”
Musashi	“Yes. I have been… searching for a place to die for a long time now.”
Orin	“It looks like the rain is about to let up.”
Musashi	“Right. Thank you for allowing me to stay the night.”
Orin	“Um… I have a request for you.”
Musashi	“If it is something I can do.”
Orin	“Truthfully, it has always been painful for me to receive the kindness of a certain person, but it’s quite difficult for me to refuse him…"
	“Could I ask you to relay a message to him in my stead?”
Heiroku	“Good morning. Orin-san.”
Orin	“Ahh, Heiroku-san. Good morning.”
Heiroku	“It was raining terribly yesterday.”
Orin	“Yes, it was.”
Musashi	“…”
Heiroku	“Is that your new student over there?”
Orin	“Ehh, well—”
Musashi	“I’m off.”
Heiroku	“…”
Izumi	(With the message requested from Orin, Musashi pays Tojiro, the eldest son of a large shop, a visit.)
	(However, Tojiro says he does not intend to part from Orin. So Musashi proposes to settle the matter with a duel.)
Tojiro	“A duel?”
Musashi	“I don’t mind if you use a substitute.
	Right then, your bodyguard over there. He looks skilled, doesn’t he?”
Kojiro	“…”
Tojiro	“Can you do it, Kojiro?”
Kojiro	“Please leave it to me.”
Izumi	(However, just before the duel, an incident takes place where Tojiro is attacked by someone.)
	(Musashi and Kojiro use Tojiro as a decoy to uncover the suspect who attacked him.
	It turns out Heiroku, who fell in love with Orin, hired an assassin—)
Musashi	“—Get down!”
Tojiro	“—uh.”
Musashi	“—Hah!”
	*slash*
Kojiro	“Haaah!”
	*slash*
Assassin	“Tch—.”
	*runs away*
Kojiro	“Halt!”
Musashi	“You won’t get away—!”
	*slash*
Assassin	“—tsk.”
Kojiro	“Do not kill him.”
Musashi	“I'll try—"
	“HAH!”
	*swords clash*
Tojiro	“What a wild sword, just like a fierce demon…”
Assassin	“Urgh—.”
Izumi	(After this incident, Orin confesses her true intentions, saying she doesn’t want to let Tojiro’s future go to waste.)
	(Tojiro’s feelings toward Orin grow even stronger. Tojiro and Orin decide to depart together, and after seeing them off, the two square off on Ganryu Island.)
Musashi	“…So you came.”
Kojiro	“Musashi, why do you fight?”
Musashi	“In order to earn a place to die…
	In order to be viewed as someone worthy of dying!”
	*unsheathes sword*
Kojiro	“—”
	*unsheathes sword*
Musashi	“HAAAH!”
	*swords clash*
Kojiro	“Guhh—.”
Musashi	“What’s wrong? Is that all you’ve got?”
Kojiro	“A duel like this is meaningless—”
Musashi	“Meaning? There's a strong opponent in front of my eyes. That alone is enough for me!"
Kojiro	“—Ugh. You’ve lost your mind…”
Musashi	“I could care less!”
Kojiro	“HAH!”
Musashi	“HA!”
Izumi	(The climax scene is a back-and-forth between the two that leaves you wide-eyed in amazement no matter how many times you watch it…)
	*crosses swords*
Musashi	“Guhhh—”
Kojiro	“Gwahh—”
Musashi	“*Pant, pant*… That’s right, this is what I've always…
	Come now, Kojiro, once more—"
Kojiro	“Guh… I’m sorry.
	Musashi, in your spot to die, I… Ughhh…”
	*falls*
Musashi	“—”
Izumi	(Musashi’s expression as he looks down at Kojiro who has breathed his last…
	It’s a mixture of anguish and loss, and it’s painful to watch.)
Musashi	“…I thought I had finally met my match… Kojiro…”
	“Once again… I have…”
Izumi	(The curtain falls as Musashi begins to walk, in search of a place to die once again—)
Guest A	The ending was amazing…
Guest B	Yeah, the swordfight between Musashi and Kojiro was so cool…!
Izumi	(I’m glad it captured the hearts of the audience as well!)
Winter troupe	Thank you very much!
Izumi	Great job out there!
	You were really amazing, everyone!
Tasuku	Ahh, good work.
Guy	Did we perform a show that could satisfy the audience?
Izumi	You did!
	Everyone was captivated.
Guy	I see; in that case, I’m glad.
Tasuku	Yeah.
Tsumugi	Oh right.
	The show is over now, so how about we go eat seafood for our closing party.
Homare	Ohh! Marvelous idea.
	Let’s do that.
Azuma	I agree, let’s go.
Hisoka	Ditto.
Tasuku	We’re talking about that as soon as the play finished, huh?
Guy	But I think you want to eat it as well, don’t you, Takato?
Tasuku	...Well, you're not wrong.

Anna