● STORY
PROLOGUE: DREAM
In Japan, after the rule of the Shogun, there were many local conflicts between the clans of rival warlords. Kazuemon Fuwa was a samurai in one such clan, and he dreamed of leading a raid upon a rival clan. But while he was on guard duty, a large sum of money was stolen from his clan and Kazuemon was blamed for his neglect. He was kicked out of his clan and became a “ronin” (a samurai without a master). His hopes then were to make up for the lost money, regain his status in the clan and lead a crushing attack upon the enemy. To do this Kazuemon changed his name to Gengobei so he could operate without the shame of his past failure.
SCENE 1: ON A BOAT, 200 YEARS AGO IN TOKYO
Two boats. On the first boat is a married couple, Koman and Sangoro. Koman is a geisha because Sangoro the husband asks her to raise money for his father's master. On the other boat is Gengobei whose real name is Kazuemon. He loves Koman without knowing that she has a husband.
SCENE 2: GENGOBEI'S HOUSE
Gengobei spends all his money on Koman the geisha. His house is empty. He wouldn't listen to his servant, Hachiemon, saying that he needs to remember the way a samurai is supposed to be.
SCENE 3: DECEITFUL LOVE OF KOMAN THE GEISHA
Koman visits Gengobei with her geisha friends. She shows him a tattoo on her arm which she's got in order to prove how much she loves him. Without knowing it's fake, Gengobei gets impressed and more attracted to Koman.
SCENE 4: 100 RYO, THE MONEY FOR LOYALTY
Gengobei's uncle brings him 100 ryo, the amount of money he needs for joining the group of loyal soldiers. The uncle also tells Gengobei about other people who used to be his men raising money for him as well.
SCENE 5: GEISHA-HOUSE
Sangoro directs a play with his buddies in order to trick Gengobei and get his money. Gengobei gets trapped and gives it away. His uncle that came along with Hachiemon gets furious and cuts Gengobei off.
SCENE 6: HOUSE OF SANGORO AND HIS BUDDIES
Gengobei finds out that he' got deceived. He sneaks into the house of Sangoro and his buddies and kills five people to revenge himself. However, Koman and Sangoro succeed to run away.
SCENE 7: A HAUNTED HOUSE IN THE POOR NEIGHBORHOOD
Gengobei is missing. Hachiemon, who's got kicked out of the old house, moved into a new house alone but moves out right away because there's a ghost.
SCENE 8: SANGORO AND KOMAN MOVING
Sangoro and Koman move into the haunted house and find out that the landlord is Koman's brother.
Then Sangoro's father comes; he's become a Buddhist priest, raising money for his master, Kazuemon. Sangoro gives the money to his father and makes him happy.
After the father leaves, Gengobei, chasing after the couple, comes and tries to kill the two with some poisoned sake. However, the police comes and corners him. Hachiemon tells them that he killed the five people. He begs Gengobei to be a fine loyal samurai and sacrifices himself for his master.
SCENE 9: A GHOST INCIDENT
A ghost appears at night. Sangoro catches it and finds out that it's Koman's brother, the landlord. He was making living by scaring new tenants as a ghost, kicking them out, and keeping the rents. Moreover, the one who had stolen money from Kazuemon, the master of Sangoro's father, was him as well. Sangoro kills his brother-in-law in order to get a house map of the enemy from him. The priest, Sangoro's father, comes; because his son needs to hide himself, he takes him and the map, and leaves for where Kazuemon the master is.
SCENE 10: KILLING KOMAN
Gengobei has decided to join the group in order to make a raid in revenge, for Hachiemon who died for him and his other men that raised money for him. However, he can't forgive the couple that deceived him. He visits the house again, planning on killing the two then himself, and murders Koman brutally.
SCENE 11: THE TEMPLE GENGOBEI (KAZUEMON) IS HIDING
Gengobei is having dinner with Koman's head. The priest comes back and presents the house map and money his son got, but Gengobei wouldn't take them, saying that a murderer like him doesn't deserve accepting them. He killed Koman and others, not knowing that Sangoro needed money for him. Sangoro deceived Gengobei and took the money from him, not knowing that the ronin was Kazuemon, his father's master. Sangoro and his father commit harakiri (samurai's ritual suicide), wishing Gengobei to join the samurai group and revenge.
EPILOGUE: A LOYAL SOLDIER
With 100 ryo and the house map, Gengobei joins the group of samurai soldiers and makes a raid on the enemy. So many lives were taken for his destiny as a samurai. It was all because of the money - 100 ryo. Money falls from the sky meaninglessly. Gengobei breathes his last.
