The Truth

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The Truth
File:Episode 12.png
General information
English title	The Truth
Japanese title	Shout!
Nihongo	わめく!
Romaji	Wameku!
Airdate	September 11, 2004
Navigation
Episode number	12
Previous episode	The Village
Next episode	The Attack

Shout! (わめく！Wameku!), alternatively called The Truth in the English version, is the twelfth episode of the anime Samurai 7. It first aired on September 11, 2004.

Credits

• Director: Inuo Inugawa
• Storyboard: Hideharu Iuchi
• Screenplay: Atsuhiro Tomioka
• Animation director(s): Hideki Hashimoto and Akira Kawazoe

Plot

Cutting down Genzō, Katsushirō is surprised that he just killed a person. As Kambei hurries to the scene, everyone nearby is surprised, and Heihachi glares at Manzō for calling the nobuseri in the first place. Walking up to the corpse, Kambei then stares at the shocked Katsushirō and smacks him in the face. He picks up Katsushirō's katana and looks at Manzō for a second, then walking away and ordering Kikuchiyo to dispose of the body. Confused, Kikuchiyo angrily asks why he has to do it since Katsushirō killed him, but he nonetheless gets to work on burying the body. Calmly angered, Heihachi grabs Manzō, causing his daughter Shino to beg him to spare her father. He replies that he has the urge to cut the traitor down but promises not to be harsh on the man. Back in Kanna Village, Kambei begins to clean Katsushirō's sword of blood, and outside the house, Kyūzō continues to train the male villagers in archery. Before they can release the arrows, they all hear and notice Heihachi dragging Manzō while Shino screams, and Shichirōji also hears them as he organizes villagers to build more defenses. Gorobei, Komachi and Okara also hear the fuss and witness Heihachi bring Manzō to Gisaku, who learns about Manzō's actions.

Meanwhile, a guilty Katsushirō returns to Kambei, who finishes cleaning the former's katana and advises him to avoid neglecting the sword's care. He adds that one becomes a real samurai upon killing someone and must bear the sin of murder, rhetorically asking Katsushirō why he came to the village. Katsushirō replies that he wanted to protect the people, to which Kambei assures him that he merely did his job by killing the enemy. Looking at the surprised Kirara, Kambei tells her that farmers cannot handle killing and therefore hire samurai to do so, comparing himself to a scarecrow who drives away nobuseri from the rice fields. Among the crowd, Rikichi grabs Manzō and berates him while Mosuke asks why he jeopardized their hiring of the samurai. Manzō mutters that he did not agree, clarifying to Rikichi and Gosaku that both the samurai and nobuseri are barbaric due to their use of swords. Rikichi defends the samurai as saviors, but Manzō elaborates that he heard they are going to destroy the bridge, something which other villagers also feel uneasy about. Shichirōji confirms that the bridge destruction is part of stopping the nobuseri, and Rikichi again defends them because the samurai do everything for a reason. Manzō retorts that abandoning the rice fields is no different than the nobuseri destroying them, and Gonzō and Kanzō voice their partial agreement with him.

Annoyed, Heihachi asks the two farmers if they truly think that ratting the samurai out would make the nobuseri spare them, grabbing his sword and glaring at Manzō. He proposes killing the traitor but is ambivalent about Shichirōji's recommendation that Kambei judge him. Justifying a death sentence by saying that it is war, Heihachi also reasons that a traitor will always betray people more than once. Elsewhere, before leaving the house, Kambei sternly suggests that Katsushirō take up his sword and eat his rice since he will have to kill again. Speaking up, Kirara apologizes to Katsushirō for asking him to interfere, but he brushes it off while she mentions that the smell of the battlefield contains sin. He also comments that he was ignorant to not understand the significance of slaying a man. Sheathing his sword, he declares that he cannot save the village if he holds onto his hesitation, and Kirara grasps his hands. The priestess in turn softly states that she will plunge into sin with him to be protected, kissing his hand and leaving him speechless.

Before Kambei can comment on Manzō's actions, Kikuchiyo runs to the scene and shoves his sword down, loudly chastising the others for judging Manzō. Relating to the farmers' perspective, the machine samurai argues that farmers fight for their land by any means necessary, with samurai-commissioning being one example. He then mentions that farmers will not get their hands dirty despite their wish for the nobuseri being killed, naming the villagers with various insults due to their stinginess, selfishness, cowardice, and duplicitousness. Albeit these insults, Kikuchiyo puts the blame of the farmers' demeanor on the samurai, who previously burned down and razed villages in the past just as the nobuseri currently do. He proclaims that he cannot be angry with Manzō and wants to kill the nobuseri, but he begins to break down into tears. Stepping forward, Kambei asks Kikuchiyo if he comes from a family of farmers, a fact which surprises the villagers. The latter confirms when he asks Komachi if she is disappointed, telling Kambei that he thought he would have a better life if he became a samurai. Sitting down, Kikuchiyo denies having a better life, and the bright-faced Okara compliments him.

Closing his eyes, Kambei concludes that they finally have seven samurai, with one of them being a former farmer but everyone knowing the samurai within themselves. Kneeling down to Manzō, he asks him if he treasures his land but reminds him that he does not own the land right now. Adding that one who treasures their land and daughter fights for both, Kambei remarks that thinking about how to survive is being honest with oneself while others who are selfish will be the first ones to ruin themselves. As everyone remains silent, he claims to not see Manzō and the others as farmers but rather soldiers of a fort understanding why they abandon one side of the river. Finishing by reminding him that he can rebuild after the nobuseri are defeated, Kambei says that he will cut down Manzō himself if he betrays them a second time. Gisaku agrees to being seen as soldiers, so Kambei orders everyone to get back to work to make up for lost time. Somewhere near Kanna Village, inside of a harvesting fortress, Shūsai informs Sōbei that they have lost contact with Genzō. When Sōbei asks about the samurai, Shūsai clarifies that he sent a replacement to continue reporting on the village's actions. He then professes that out of consideration for other villages, annihilation is the only option for Kanna Village. Sōbei asks if they are going to the village before sending a scout, which Shūsai smugly confirms.

In the village, Shichirōji leads the male villagers into resuming their work. Noticing Heihachi working, he reminds him that he also needs to sleep, to which the former responds that he is responsible for the time lost and thus needs to finish his work. Hearing Heihachi compliment Kambei's forgiveness for Manzō as well as Honoka, Shichirōji agrees and remarks that spies and traitors are tougher to combat in war than explicit enemies. Heihachi wonders how Kambei became so forgiving, to which Shichirōji responds that it is likely due to Kambei experiencing so many losing battles. On the edge of town, Katsushirō practices his swings while an enemy guard slacks off. Throughout the village, the residents work together to build their defenses and a large crossbow with arrows with Kikuchiyo and Heihachi's help and guidance. Whereas many of the male villagers are able to proficiently use a bow and arrow, Manzō still has difficulty doing so.

In a residence, five of the samurai discuss their progress, with Katsushirō confirming that Heihachi is ninety percent complete, but Shichirōji notes that the latter needs some sleep or he will be exhausted for battle. Politely interrupting them, Setsu, Kirara, Komachi and Okara come by with some rice balls, though Kambei tells them to give the rice balls to the villagers since each samurai should only eat one. Climbing onto Kikuchiyo's shoulders, Komachi shows her and Kirara's battle flag to the samurai. The child elaborates that the "ta" (た) is for rice paddy, and the six circles represent six of the samurai whereas the triangle represent Kikuchiyo because of him being a samurai and ex-farmer. Kambei expresses his thanks for their thoughtfulness, and the samurai joyfully laugh. Far away, the nobuseri begin traveling to Kanna Village to attack.

Characters

In order of appearance.

• Kirara Mikumari
• Katsushirō Okamoto
• Genzō
• Kambei Shimada
• Kikuchiyo
• Manzō
• Shino
• Heihachi Hayashida
• Kyūzō
• Shichirōji
• Rikichi
• Gorobei Katayama
• Komachi Mikumari
• Okara
• Gisaku
• Mosuke
• Gosaku
• Yohei
• Gonzō
• Kanzō
• Shūsai
• Sōbei
• Setsu

Music

• Katsushirō kills iron soldier, his fellow samurai arrive — People of the Land (Daichi no Tami) — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Opening theme — Unlimited (TV Size) — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Kambei strikes Katsushirō, spares Manzō, and orders Kikuchiyo to bury the body — Shikimoribito — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Kambei cleans Katsushirō's katana — Nobuseri — Samurai 7
• Manzō is dragged through the village — Unreleased #2
• Kambei gives advice and the cleaned katana to Katsushirō — Katana — Samurai 7
• Villagers criticize samurai, Heihachi proposes executing Manzō — Shikimoribito — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Kirara apologizes to Katsushirō and wants to help him — Water Priestess (Mikumari no Miko) — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Kikuchiyo arrives and defends Manzō's actions — Kikuchiyo and Komachi — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Break — Subtitle — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Kikuchiyo explains why he will fight despite the villagers' suspicion toward the samurai — People of the Land (Daichi no Tami) — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Kambei talks about how Kikuchiyo and the villagers must know their true selves — Camp (Jin) — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Nobuseri discuss their missing scout — Killing (Zan) — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Villagers continue building their defense and launcher — Looking for Samurai (Samurai Sagashi) — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Komachi and Kirara show the battle flag to the samurai — Journey (Tabi) — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Ending theme — Fuhen (TV Size) — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Preview — Water Priestess (Mikumari no Miko) — Samurai 7 O.S.T.
• Okara recaps the story — Kikuchiyo and Komachi — Samurai 7 O.S.T.