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Mb | Jan 15, 2024 | Reading Time: 3 Min.
The first episode of "Meiji Gekken 1874" titled "Tokyo" begins in the Meiji era, a period of great change in Japan. The episode opens with a depiction of the Boshin War and focuses on the battle at Tsuruga Castle in Aizu. Shizuma, a warrior from Aizu, fights fiercely against the new government forces. During the battle, Gen'nosuke, another warrior, entrusts Shizuma with the responsibility of protecting his sister Sumie before succumbing to his injuries.
Seven years later, Shizuma is seen in Tokyo, vainly searching for Sumie, the girl in the photograph. He works as a rickshaw puller, a profession many former samurai took up after being disenfranchised under the new Meiji government. He meets Kumakichi, who sympathizes with the samurai's plight but later turns out to be more than he seems.
The episode shifts to a political assassination attempt on Iwakura Tomomi, the Minister of the Right. The assassins, Kikuma and Kumakichi, narrowly miss Iwakura. The police, led by Chief Inspector Kawaji Toshiyoshi and Interior Minister Ohkubo Toshimichi, are tasked with finding the perpetrators, highlighting the precarious state of the government.
Shizuma goes about his daily life, conversing with locals like Kamejirou. He is determined to find Sumie, even if her chances of survival are slim. Suddenly, Shizuma is falsely accused of Iwakura's murder due to circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime scene. Despite his protests and a scuffle with the police, he is arrested.
Determined to clear his name, Shizuma escapes and vows to find the real culprit. His suspicion leads him to Kumakichi, the customer he had transported earlier. Meanwhile, political backgrounds are revealed, involving British interference in Japanese affairs and internal government conflicts.
The episode culminates in a confrontation between Shizuma and the actual assassins, Kikuma and Kumakichi, who intend to attack another government official, Ohkubo Toshimichi. A fight ensues, in which Shizuma must prove his innocence. The police arrive in time to be convinced of Shizuma's innocence, prompting Chief Inspector Kawaji to admit his mistake in suspecting Shizuma.
In the final scenes, a secret meeting hints at an impending rebellion against the government, with a masked man alluding to a larger conspiracy.
Seven years later, Shizuma is seen in Tokyo, vainly searching for Sumie, the girl in the photograph. He works as a rickshaw puller, a profession many former samurai took up after being disenfranchised under the new Meiji government. He meets Kumakichi, who sympathizes with the samurai's plight but later turns out to be more than he seems.
The episode shifts to a political assassination attempt on Iwakura Tomomi, the Minister of the Right. The assassins, Kikuma and Kumakichi, narrowly miss Iwakura. The police, led by Chief Inspector Kawaji Toshiyoshi and Interior Minister Ohkubo Toshimichi, are tasked with finding the perpetrators, highlighting the precarious state of the government.
Shizuma goes about his daily life, conversing with locals like Kamejirou. He is determined to find Sumie, even if her chances of survival are slim. Suddenly, Shizuma is falsely accused of Iwakura's murder due to circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime scene. Despite his protests and a scuffle with the police, he is arrested.
Determined to clear his name, Shizuma escapes and vows to find the real culprit. His suspicion leads him to Kumakichi, the customer he had transported earlier. Meanwhile, political backgrounds are revealed, involving British interference in Japanese affairs and internal government conflicts.
The episode culminates in a confrontation between Shizuma and the actual assassins, Kikuma and Kumakichi, who intend to attack another government official, Ohkubo Toshimichi. A fight ensues, in which Shizuma must prove his innocence. The police arrive in time to be convinced of Shizuma's innocence, prompting Chief Inspector Kawaji to admit his mistake in suspecting Shizuma.
In the final scenes, a secret meeting hints at an impending rebellion against the government, with a masked man alluding to a larger conspiracy.
This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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