Bakumatsu - Episode Guide

The Bakumatsu, it is an age where idealists struggle passionately for the future of Japan according to their own beliefs. Takasugi Shinsaku, a lucky adventurer from Choshu, tries to sneak onboard one of the ships of the shogunate navy along with his partner, Katsura Kogoro. They are after a legendary treasure said to possess the power to manipulate time called a chronometer. Upon learning that the shogunate is after that power for themselves, Takasugi plots to destroy the device since he believes they shouldn`t be allowed to use boring cheats to maintain their power.

Once inside the giant castle, Susanoo, Takasugi is confronted by one of the twelve commanders of Susanoo who has transcended through time, Sanada Yukimura. Takasugi is led to a factory deep in the castle, where he finds people who are being oppressed by the shadow of technology for the advancement of civilization. Mugensai, the man responsible for all of this, suddenly utters one of the teachings of Takasugi`s beloved master, Yoshida Shoin, which provokes Takasugi to challenge him. Meanwhile, outside the castle, there are those making moves to protect what is important to them.

Takasugi joins up with Katsura, Sakamoto, and Izo after making it out of the giant castle Susanoo. Sakamoto is looking for a young man named Seimei who has the ability to travel through time like the chronometer. Takasugi vehemently disagrees with Sakamoto when he speaks passionately about his plan to use Seimei`s power to go back in time and make a new age for Japan. Takasugi storms out of the inn after his clash of opinions with Sakamoto, and recalls a conversation he had with the Sakamoto he knew in Nagasaki. Meanwhile, as Sakamoto and Izo are going around Kyoto making inquiries, the sought after Seimei suddenly runs into them.

Upon seeing the suffering of the people of Kyoto under the tyranny of the new shogunate up close while hiding at the swordsmith, Katsura swears that he will get back the chronometer from Mugensai and free the townspeople from their fear as soon as possible. That`s when Shinsaku declares that he has an idea and he comes up with a plan for Katsura to join the Shinsengumi! Katsura`s skills during a swordsmanship test impress Kondo, Hijikata, Okita and the others and becomes a member of the Shinsengumi where his fake life begins.

Having snuck inside the giant castle, Susanoo, Sakamoto and Izo square off against members of the Shinsengumi. Katsura deflects Izo`s attacks from Kondo and allows the commander to escape. After Izo storms off with some choice words to Katsura, Okita discovers Katsura`s real intentions and challenges Katsura to a real duel. Meanwhile, as Takasugi is trying to find Mugensai, he happens upon the captive emperor. Unaware of the identity of the man he is speaking to, Takasugi promises to free him, while the emperor tells Takasugi the way to where Mugensai is.

Yoshinobu and Susumu spend a brief few days of peace hiding out in the Kurama temple along with special agent Kasumi. One day, they receive a secret missive via the messenger owl, Zundamaru, from Hyo who has remain behind at the castle to serve as bodyguard to the emperor. The message informs Yoshinobu and the others that Mugensai is currently unable to use the power of the chronometer and that they need to find Seimei as soon as possible and hide him away in a safe place. As Yoshinobu and the others decide to begin their search they find one of the twelve commanders of Susanoo, Benkei, standing in their way.

Takasugi and Shinsaku spot the steam locomotive that carries weapons and ammunition to Susanoo Castle. They follow it to Osaka for reconnaissance purposes, but not long after they arrive they are spotted by Okita Soji, captain of the first division of the Shinsengumi. They try to make their escape by hopping on the train, but another enemy lie in waiting: Shinsengumi Vice-Commander Hijikata Toshizo. Hijikata coldly shoves Takasugi from the train, while Katsura is left behind in a trap. For Takasugi and Katsura, who have been together since they were young, this is a crisis of epic proportions--will they be able to overcome it?

The Kinkakuji is a golden reliquary hall surround by a vast pond. Sakamoto, along with Izo, summons Mugensai there to try and strike a rather bold bargain; however, Okita, Saito and other Shinsengumi members are lurking in the shadows drawing closer to take care of Sakamoto and Izo once and for all. In order to call Sakamoto`s bluff about his deal of making the chronometer work, Mugensai has the Shinsengumi take Izo hostage and toss him into the pond to drown. As his consciousness fades away memories of his time with Sakamoto flash before Izo`s eyes...

The Kinkakuji is a golden reliquary hall surround by a vast pond. Sakamoto, along with Izo, summons Mugensai there to try and strike a rather bold bargain; however, Okita, Saito and other Shinsengumi members are lurking in the shadows drawing closer to take care of Sakamoto and Izo once and for all. In order to call Sakamoto`s bluff about his deal of making the chronometer work, Mugensai has the Shinsengumi take Izo hostage and toss him into the pond to drown. As his consciousness fades away memories of his time with Sakamoto flash before Izo`s eyes...

Kondo, Okita, and Saito have finally found and retrieved Seimei from the bandits. Peacefully sleeping in his coffin, Seimei is loaded onto an airship for transport back to Kyoto, but the ship catches fire and crashes. When the three men come to, they find themselves on Prison Gate Island, a man-made island in the middle of Lake Biwa where criminals and rebels are kept. On the island they encounter a mysterious man calling himself "Black Snake" who saves them from the other criminals trying to hunt them. The mysterious man turns out to be Takasugi Shinsaku in disguise, since he had been unceremoniously deposited on the island by Mugensai. Will the four men be able to cast aside their differences to retrieve Seimei and make it off the island?

After the dice game match on Prison Gate Island, Seimei`s body suddenly starts floating in the air and emitting a strange light. Swallowed by the light, Takasugi awakens to find himself in a familiar place, the castle town of Hagi in Ansei year 5. There he is reunited with his beloved teacher, Yoshida Shoin, and his fellow students, Kusaka Gentan and Ito Shunsuke. Meanwhile, Katsura, having been swallowed up by the same light, encounters Seimei in that light. When Takasugi is pulled in by the light again he is dropped further in time, to the year of Yoshida Shoin`s execution. Takasugi believes that this is his chance to finally save his teacher, but things take a dramatic turn and Takasugi learns something that leaves him trembling with unsteady emotion.

Takasugi and Katsura have learned Mugensai`s true identity within the torrent of time. Once back in the altered timeline, Takasugi has his eye on a final showdown at the giant castle Susanoo. Katsura, along with Sakamoto, Yoshinobu, and the others, try to convince him on another plan of action, but Takasugi takes off on his own. Meanwhile, at the castle, Mugensai is making his own defensive preparations with Kondo and the Shinsengumi. Furthermore, the chronometer has begun to emit a strange black smoke as if it has its own consciousness. Without warning, ominous noises rumble through the castle. The final battle of the patriots living in this tumultuous time has finally arrived!

"We still have things we need to do." Takasugi Shinsaku and Katsura Kogoro have finished tending to Yoshida Shoin`s grave in Hagi. They return to Kyoto in order to correct the flow of time thrown off balance by the legendary treasure, the chronometer. Suddenly, the earth trembles and the sky splits open, and the chronometer, which was supposed to have been destroyed, appears from a rift in space-time. Now with a will of its own, the chronometer starts going on an uncontrollable rampage! Standing in their way is Takasugi`s fated rival, vice commander of the Shinsengumi, Hijikata Toshizo, who was lost in the previous battle!! Commander of the Shinsengumi, Kondo Isami, refers to the shocking existence of a new Mugensai.

"Several sightings of ghost lights have been reported around Kyoto." While Shinsaku and Katsura are searching for the vanished chronometer they get asked by Tokugawa Yoshinobu to look into rumors of a strange phenomenon. At the same time, having recently assumed control over the giant castle Susanoo, the new Mugensai, with a mysterious boy named Mori Ranmaru serving as his aide, orders the Shinsengumi to look into any connection between the chronometer and the ghost lights. Why have the Shinsengumi once again changed masters to the new Mugensai? In the midst of the constant chaos, the space-time rifts start appearing again! What is the truth behind these peculiar burning red lights?

"In a village outside Kyoto, villagers are being attacked and killed in succession by an unknown creature." Sakamoto Ryoma tells Shinsaku and Katsura. Katsura, who has been collecting information on mysterious incidents and paranormal phenomena that are being reported around Kyoto in his quest for the chronometer, tries to head out to the village to verify the rumors, but Takasugi suddenly seems reluctant to go. On Ryoma`s suggestion, Katsura takes Izo along with him to the village. The unusual pairing wind up dragged into puzzling incident and they find themselves facing one of the twelve commanders of Susanoo!

"I`ll just have to punch the crap out of Hijikata-san when he does show up." Captain of the 1st division of the Shinsengumi, Okita Soji, keeps mentally going over what happened during the Susanoo Incident when Hijikata went missing. While looking for the chronometer, Soji and the Shinsengumi once again encounter Takasugi and the others. A space-time rift opens up during this encounter and Soji is sucked into it. When Okita awakens, he finds himself in a Kyoto without the giant castle of Susanoo in the distance. He is standing before another Ikedaya when he hears a very familiar voice call out, "We`re here on official business!"

"We have returned from scouting." Tokugawa special agents Hyo and Kasumi make it back to Yoshinobu and the others full of energy after having finished their reconnaissance mission of the giant castle Susanoo. These two young girls work hard to complete their missions despite their youth. Mikado observes the girls one day and notices their interest in konpeito candy after they have an encounter with some local children. Mikado then decides to set off on his own to get some. Worried for Mikado`s wellbeing, Yamazaki sends Hyo and Kasumi to keep an eye on him. Meanwhile, a new commander of Susanoo follows Mikado like a sinister shadow.

"Katsura has been acting weird lately." Katsura has begun to investigate the whereabouts of the chronometer on his own since its presence hasn`t been felt for quite some time. Realizing something is going on with Katsura, Takasugi consults with Ryoma about the situation. Takasugi stubbornly insists that he will get the chronometer back from Katsura and carry out Master Shoin`s dying wish to return time back to normal. But Ryoma questions if that timeline truly is the "right" one and in the midst of their argument a strange phenomenon occurs and they rush outside. Once outside the duo notices that everyone and everything seems frozen in place!

"If the chronometer is used to return time to its original course..." Suspicious that Ryoma may already have gotten ahold of the chronometer, Katsura confronts him and reveals the reason he is trying so hard to get the chronometer before Takasugi does. Despite knowing Katsura`s motives, Ryoma gives him the slip, and with the chronometer indeed in his possession. Meanwhile, Takasugi learns from Seimei that he is the one who created the chronometer. In order to find out how the chronometer was created, Takasugi travels back to the past with Seimei`s unusual powers.

"What is he going to do with the chronometer?!" Katsura discovers that Ryoma indeed has the chronometer. In a clash with Izo, Katsura demands to know what Ryoma plans to do with the device, but in an instant, Ryoma uses the chronometer to turn back time. Izo calls into question Ryoma`s careless use of the chronometer and in the midst of their skirmish they are startled by a bright flash of light. The chronometer shows the duo a future that hasn`t happened yet. Takasugi, having sensed the chronometer, hounds Katsura with more questions about his suspect behavior, while Yoshinobu arranges a secret meeting with Kondo through Yamazaki. During the meeting, Yoshinobu reveals his secret plans for the future of Japan.

"They are both opponents I`m closely linked to, after all." Okita and the Shinsengumi discover Ryoma and Izo`s hiding place, and Mugensai joins them as they pursue the pair. Ryoma and Izo hatch a plan to trick Mugensai with a fake chronometer and split up, but before they can carry out that plan, they are found by Mugensai and the Shinsengumi. Meanwhile, Yoshinobu turns to a still bickering Takasugi and Katsura for help in rescuing the captured emperor. Suspecting that he knows the true identity of his master, Kondo speaks with Mugensai.

"Toshi...!" Kondo and Okita try to help free their beloved friend from the evil spell of the chronometer. However, Mori Ranmaru appears and arrests both Kondo and Okita, throwing them in a cell for treason. At the same time, Takasugi and the others sneak into the giant castle Susanoo in order to free the emperor, but come across a hidden surprise. Ryoma has also come to the castle seeking revenge for his fallen friend, Izo and to retrieve the chronometer. As things come to a head, Katsura finally admits to Takasugi the reason he has been secretly looking for the chronometer alone.

"Kyoto has vanished?" Right after finally getting rid of the twelve commanders of Susanoo, Takasugi and the others find themselves surrounded by a vast plain. Seimei explains the shocking truth that Susanoo Castle has traveled back to the distant past, and taken them with it! They`re not alone though, Mugensai has also been pulled back in time with the castle. Takasugi squares off against his masked foe, but a lucky blow reveals a familiar face hidden underneath. Meanwhile, back in the other time period, Sakamoto stares at the remains of the castle and clutches the chronometer as he contemplates what to do to bring back his friends.

"You`re not going anywhere!!" Having become one with the giant castle Susanoo, the hulking figure of the castle and Mugensai stalks towards Lake Ogura to make his plan to plunge Japan into a world of unending war a reality. However, Takasugi, Katsura, Yoshinobu, and the Shinsengumi stand in his way and put their lives on the line to prevent his plan from taking fruit. The longstanding conflict that Takasugi and his companions have been struggling to deal with finally seems to be near its end! How will their feelings surrounding the chronometer be resolved? And what new age will be awaiting them when this is all finished?