About this season
Zankuro Matsudaira (Ken Watanabe) is a low-grade vassal of the Tokugawa Shogun, forced to moonlight as a bodyguard and executioner to make ends meet. He also has a drinking problem, an overeating mother, and a propensity to protect the oppressed, all of which eat into his finances. His confident mother Masajo (Kyoko Kishida) is the descendant of a famous family of shogunate retainers and a mistress of the pen and sword, who regards her son as a failure.
Episodes (10)
1
E1
1. Annoying loyalist
Aired 24 December 2001
2
E2
2. Demon of Hakone
Aired 31 December 2001
3
E3
3. The last ninja
Aired 7 January 2002
4
E4
4. Bandit apprentice
Aired 14 January 2002
5
E5
5. Haunted house
Aired 21 January 2002
6
E6
6. Sacrificial price Goryo
Aired 28 January 2002
7
E7
7. Mother's dream
Aired 4 February 2002
8
E8
8. Rancho Masajyo
Aired 11 February 2002
9
E9
9. Woman of Fuyukicho
Aired 18 February 2002
10
E10
10. The last deadly battle
Aired 25 February 2002