Samurai Shodown RPG (drama)

Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushidou Retsuden ~ Drama CD (真説サムライスピリッツ武士道列伝 -ドラマＣＤ-) is a dramatization of the first chapter in the RPG. It was aired on Game Dra Night, a Japanese radio show, before its Pony Canyon release on April 9, 1997. The story mainly focuses on Nakoruru as the protagonist and her party consists of Haohmaru and Galford. The tracks split to tell two sides of the same story.

The writers for this drama are the same ones from the RPG.

Story
In the midst of a violent uproar, Amakusa notices Tokihime, one of his comrades, running to his side. He's surprised to see her as he ordered her to be by Tenhime's side of the rebellion. She tearfully reports that her sister committed suicide to save face for her lord's loss. He is anguished by the news and drops his sword in grief. They hear a voice laughing at his strife and it introduces itself as Ambrosia. Ambrosia states that Amakusa's grief and misery summoned it there and beckons to join him for revenge. Though Tokihime tries to stop him, Amakusa accepts and delves into the depths of hell.

A hundred years later, the scene shifts to Haohmaru resting at a snack stop and ordering another refill of his sake. The owner asks where he is going and seems pleased by Haohmaru's vague and carefree answer. Moments later, Nakoruru enters and asks for directions to Tokyo, which causes the owner to be horrified that she would even think of going there. Two bandits overhear her, see her as easy bait, and leave after paying for their food. The owner nervously tells her where to go and she cheerfully leaves. Haohmaru, who noticed the bandits' movements, readies his sword.

On the road, Nakoruru becomes worried about the peculiar weather patterns. Mamahaha asks if anything is amiss, but the priestess assures her companion that she is just thinking about her duty. While thinking about her home, she remembers Rimururu before she left her home. Her sister comes running up to give her a medicine bag with a bell attached to it. Though she came to her sister cheerfully, Rimururu begins to cry at the thought of her sister leaving. Nakoruru promises to safely return.

Her thoughts are interrupted by Haohmaru, who comes running up to tell her that she has been followed. The bandits confront them and Nakoruru tries to reason with them to leave peacefully. When one of them draws a blade against her, she defends herself while continuing her request. Haohmaru does his Seppuretsuzan when the others try to attack. Elsewhere, Amakusa and Ushiwakahime observe this meeting with interest. After judging the duo's worth, Ushiwakahime volunteers to end them.

After fighting off the bandits, Nakoruru is impressed with his honesty and strength and begs him to join her. He declines as she is strong enough to fend for herself and continues his journey.

Side A
In a hot springs, Nakoruru lost sight of Haohmaru and laments losing a powerful samurai spirit. The audience is treated to a flashback of Nakoruru's grandmother telling her to find honest and pure comrades that she sensed to be worthy. Not long after this, she spots a scuffle between a young girl and a man. Seeing the girl under attack, she leaves to assist.

The focus shifts to the said scene where Cham Cham is stealing Galford's food, clothes, and sword. She refuses to return his belongings and, after Poppy is overpowered by Paku Paku, he raises from his bath. He briefly readjusts his towel to cover himself and knocks the catgirl down with a Plasma Blade. Before he can reclaim his possessions, Nakoruru enters and punishes him for "bullying" a little girl. While she is checking Cham Cham's condition, Poppy begins to growl that it was misunderstanding. Seeing as how Nakoruru can understand the dog, Cham Cham gives her Galford's sword and leaves. Galford regains his senses and exclaims that it is his. Once she realizes her mistake, she apologizes profusely and introduces herself. He hears of her quest to end an evil entity and is surprised to know they share the same goal. While she is asking him to join her, she hears Rimururu and Haohmaru struggling against Ushiwakahime near a forest. Panicked, she runs off and with a concerned Galford following her.

The pair are able to rescue Rimururu and Haohmaru before Ushiwakahime defeats them. She addresses her lord's goal to conquer the land in the name of darkness, something that Nakoruru won't allow. Although all four warriors bravely face her, Ushiwakahime completely overpowers them. Nakoruru attends to her sister's wounds for a time while her party clashes with the demon. Rimururu passes out and Ushiwakahime gloats at how frail their bonds are. She pushes Nakoruru off the cliff and sends the priestess into the sea below.

When the priestess comes to, she finds herself imprisoned in a ship. Her captor explains that they saved her from the waves to sell her for a good price. As he leaves, she pleads with him to set her free so she can save her friends. Her wails are enough to annoy her prison cellmate in a cell adjacent from her. Chained and battered, Genjuro yells for her to be silent. He nonchalantly answers that his wounds are from torture sessions he has had while captured. Once they hear the boss of the ship pass above them, Genjuro breaks free from his chains and kicks open the wooden door of his cell. He then proceeds to do his job and begins by slaying the boss's henchmen. His brief chat with his target reveals that he got caught on purpose just so he could murder the boss. He quickly dispatches them.

Some time later, a panicked man flees into the same room where Nakoruru is kept. Genjuro walks after him uttering that he will slaughter everyone else on board. After he kills the man, he slices Nakoruru's bonds and harshly tells her to return to her comrades. When he asks if she is scared of him, the priestess calmly replies that she only pities him. As she begins to press about the anguish she senses in his heart, government ships begin to bombard the ship with their cannons. Genjuro threatens her to never show his face before him again as their surroundings crumble from the cannon fire.

Miraculously, the priestess resurfaces near shore and Mamahaha is there to deliver her sword to her. Also there to greet her is Rimururu except it's soon revealed that she is under one of Ushiwakahime's spell. Haohmaru and Galford arrive to save her from her manipulated sister's wrath. With the young girl as her mindless puppet, the demon orders Rimururu to finish the trio off. While her partners try their best to not fatally wound her, Nakoruru remembers her grandfather's words to always put her duty before emotions. She readies herself to slay Rimururu and they clash blades. For a moment, the younger sister pleads for Nakoruru to stop and lower her arms. The older sister falls for the ploy and suffers from a critical wound. While she staggers, the medicine bag Rimururu made for her jingles. Recognizing the sound, the younger sister uses her will power to break free from the spell.

Thereafter, the sisters share a touching reconciliation with Rimururu apologizing for all that she has done. As they cipher Nature's true strength, Haohmaru and Galford use this power to disarm and wound Ushiwakahime. The ladies strike together and deal a finishing blow. Though beaten, the demon wavers to her feet and tries to continue fighting. Lightening strikes from the sky and Amakusa appears before the party. After he scolds his minion's failure, Amakusa complements Nakoruru and her party's prowess. He flaunts his status as the demon lord and declares that he is waiting for them at his castle, Tenkujyo. Amakusa and Ushiwakahime disappear.

Cast

 * Nakoruru - Harumi Ikoma
 * Haohmaru - Masaki Usui
 * Galford - Mantarō Koichi
 * Rimururu - Kyōko Hikami
 * Cham Cham - Reiko Chiba
 * Genjuro Kibagami - Kong Kuwata
 * Shiro Tokisada Amakusa - Misuaki Madono
 * Ushiwakahime - Naoko Ishii
 * Tenhime, Tokihime - Junko Iwao
 * Ambrosia, Fire Fox - Shinichi Ishihara
 * Sanouku - Katasumi Masago
 * Paku Paku, Monashiri - Natsumi Sasaki
 * Bandit A - Takehiro Matsuda
 * Bandit B - Mineo Sushida
 * Narrator - Rokuro Naya