The film features Raizo Ichikawa as Tange Tanzen, and Shintaro Katsu as Yasubei Nakayama (later becoming Yasubei Horibe when he is adopted into another family), and opens with Yasubei simultaneously dueling several members of a rival dojo (school of swordsmanship). Yasubei deftly beats his opponents, but is expelled from his school as a result so as not to create enmity between the two schools. Tange, who is the best swordsmen of the defeated school, is expelled from the school because he was present at the duel but failed to intervene to help his fellow dojo-mates. He argued that he could not interfere because he was then on shogunate duties, but his colleagues accused him of cowardice and he was thereby expelled. After his expulsion, Tange comes across the maiden Chiharu, who was being attacked by feral dogs. Tange protects Chiharu (a member of the Uesugi Clan) and in the process kills one of the attacking "noble" dogs. However, the act carries with it the penalty of death due to the current Shogun's affinity for dogs. Yasubei helps to cover up Tange's act, but only as a way to become closer to Chiharu. It is because of his hidden affection for Chiharu that Yasubei considers aligning with the Uesugi clan (which is loyal to Chamberlain Kira who is later targeted for a revenge killing by the 47 Ronin).
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