Kichinosuke is imprisoned in a jail of Nishida Shimo Kaisho (a kind of public office) The man is a Japanese in appearance but wears the clothes that is strange to Kichinosuke and he croons an unfamiliar song (*). And Ito hurries to Nishida Shimo Kaisho as soon as she learns the arrest of Kichinosuke. His friends who see her confusion are surprised because they think she loves Shōsuke, not Kichinosuke. But needless to say, she cannot meet him there.
Ito (Haru Kuroki) is grieved by the arrest of Kichinosuke
Kichinosuke realises that the man understands Japanese a little. However, an officer who brings them food says the strange man knows the secret of the domain in the Ryūkyū Islands and tries to kill him. Kichinosuke knocks him down and returns his home with the strange man on his back secretly. The man becomes conscious and introduces himself as "John Mung" to the Saigō family. He uses chopsticks correctly and seems to understand Japanese. Then Shōsuke who speaks to him in broken English (**) tells him to reveal the truth to them.
Kichinosuke (Ryōhei Suzuki, left) finds another man, Manjirō (Gekidan Hitori) in the jail
However, the Saigō family and Shōsuke cannot understad why he returned to Japan though it may be tried for his life. And that night, John Mung tries to escape from Kichinosuke's house but Kichinosuke and other members of the family catch him. Then he says in English,
”Let go! Let go! I must go back to Tosa!”
The word "Tosa" attract their attention. So they try to know his real intention and tells him that current lord Nariakira will not execute him. John Mung doubts the truth of their words but remembered his mother in Tosa when he sees Masa who looks after her children. Nariakira searches his mother mediated by his younger sister Kō hime who married Yamauchi Toyoteru, lord of Tosa. His mother who is called Shio is fine and sends his donza (padded kimono worn as working wear) to him.
Manjirō (centre) who wears kimono and introduces himself
John Mung tells the Saigō family and Shōsuke that his real name is Manjirō and a fisherman. When his boat was wrecked, he and other crew were saved by the US whaling ship and went around the world. Why he returned to Japan is for the "rabu" (love) for his mother and in the US, any marriage is based on the "rabu" of man and woman and not arraged by their parents. Then he is invited to Tsurumaru Castle by Nariakira and the US plans to make Japan to open the door as a supply base. If Japan drives off the US ships, a war will break out but Japan cannot match for the US in various aspectsif the present situation were to continue. In addition, Nariakira learns that even common people can study many things and can be a president (***). He requests cooperation from him about the actual situation of the US.
Shimazu Nariakira (Ken Watanabe) plans to reward Kichinosuke
Then Kichinosuke is called by Nariakira. It was him who imprisoned him on purpose to unmask Manjiro. He tells Kichinosuke that he will reward him and he answers that he would like to permit Jiemon and Shōsuke as they helped him in unmasking Manjirō. Especially MINAYOSHI Hōtoku, grandfather of Shōsuke was an expert on shipwright so he will be a big help for him. But Nariakira says that satisfying the hunger of farmers must be fisrt and it moves Kichinosuke deeply. In the meantime, Ito is prohibited from going out from her father since she hurried to ask the officers to release Kichinosuke.
Ito (left) tells Kichinosuke that she will marry Ebihara Shigekatsu
Shōsuke tells Kichinosuke to cancel the engagement of Ito and marry her. But Kichinosuke's engagement has arranged already. Ito who feels depressed meets Kichinosuke on the bridge that across Kotsuki River again. He thanks her for the pouch and recommends Shōsuke as her husband but she tells him that she has decided to marry EBIHARA Shigekatsu. And she also says that she hopes to marry someone who loves her like the US people do. She says,
"I, IWAYAMA Ito have loved you since my childhood."
And then she marries Shigekatsu.
(*) The song is "Home! Sweet Home!"
(**) Shōsuke talks with Manjirō using an English-Japanese dictionary made by his father Jiemon.
(***) It does not mean the President only but also means the head of an organisation.
The images are from the official website of "Segodon".