Reach Beyond the Blue Sky

Eiichi (Masahito Kobayashi), the eldest son of a farming family in the village of Chiaraijima, learns that a criminal has been sent to a nearby encampment and begins plotting with his cousin, Kisaku (Shuto Ishizawa), to sneak inside... Meanwhile, in Edo, preparations are underway to position Shichiromaro (Motoi Kasamatsu), son of Mito ruler Nariaki Tokugawa (Naoto Takenaka), as the next shogun.

Eiichi begins learning about indigo dye trading from his father (Kaoru Kobayashi) and reading from his cousin (Seiichi Tanabe). When the village's upcoming lion dance festival is suddenly canceled, he begins hatching a plan... Meanwhile, Shichiromaro, who is now known as Yoshinobu, is well-liked by the shogun, Ieyoshi (Yoshi Ikuzo). Meanwhile, Commodore Perry (Morley Robertson) approaches Japan...

Eiichi goes to Edo for the first time with his father and learns about the difficulties of his father's business. Eiichi wants to go and buy indigo leaves in large quantities in order to help him... Meanwhile, black ships arrive at Edo, causing a major stir. Yoshinobu (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi) is named the deceased shogun's successor, but he resists. A certain man is selected to be his new retainer...

Eiichi throws himself into his work and comes up with a clever idea to improve the quality of his indigo dye. Perry's arrival has thrown the shogunate into disarray. Nariaki has assigned the eccentric Enshiro Hiraoka (Shinichi Tsutsumi) to be Yoshinobu's new right-hand man. The Japan-U.S. peace treaty sends shockwaves through Chiaraijima. A massive payment demand changes how Eiichi sees the world.

Eiichi reads about China's defeat in the Opium Wars and begins to worry about Japan's future. His sister Naka (Eri Murakawa) has her marriage blocked due to her uncle's superstitions. As Nariaki rebels against the shogunate's ambitions, elder councilor Masahiro Abe (Ryohei Ohtani) and his close aide Toko Fujita (Ikkei Watanabe) try to keep him in check. A massive earthquake suddenly strikes Edo.

Eiichi trains in swordsmanship with Choshichiro (Shinnosuke Mitsushima) and Kisaku (Kengo Kora), believing that even a peasant like him can make a difference. Chiyo (Ai Hashimoto) confesses her feelings to him, leaving him flustered. A challenger from another dojo appears before Eiichi... Nariaki refuses to retire unless Yoshinobu becomes shogun. Yoshinobu butts heads with his strong-willed wife.

Abe passes away, sending the shogunate into disarray. Calls for Yoshinobu to become shogun are growing louder by the day... Sanada (Shunya Itabashi) encourages Choshichiro to go to Edo for training. Kisaku confesses his desire to marry Chiyo. While reciting poetry with Junchu in the mountains, Eiichi finally realizes what his true feelings are... and aims to reach beyond the blue sky!

Eiichi finally confesses his feelings to Chiyo and proposes to her, but Kisaku objects and challenges him to a sword deal. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naosuke Ii (Goro Kishitani) sparks outrage by signing the U.S.-Japan treaty without imperial approval. Yoshinobu and Nariaki face punishment, marking the start of the brutality of the Ansei Purge.

Yoshinobu and Nariaki are placed under house arrest by Naosuke Ii, but they silently resist. However, Ii is later assassinated in what becomes known as the Sakuradamon Incident. Nariaki suddenly dies, devastating Yoshinobu. Inspired by Choshichiro, Eiichi embraces the "Revere the Emperor, banish the barbarians" mindset and begs his father to let him follow Kisaku to Edo.

Nobumasa Ando (Ryo Iwase) takes the place of Naosuke Ii in the shogunate and pushes for the marriage of Princess Kazu (Mai Fukagawa) and Shogun Iemochi (Hayato Isomura) to restore shogunate authority, infuriating imperial loyalists. In Edo, Eiichi learns of a plot to assassinate Ando. Choshichiro prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of his mission...

Eiichi and Chiyo's first child is born but quickly passes away, filling them both with despair. Junchu proposes attacking the foreigner settlement in Yokohama, and an emotional Eiichi begins gathering weapons. Meanwhile, Yoshinobu becomes Shogun Iemochi's guardian and is pressured by Hisamitsu Shimazu (Narushi Ikeda) and others to "expel the barbarians" from Japan.

Now wanted men, Eiichi and Kisaku take shelter in a shack with Enshiro, who urges them to serve the Hitotsubashi family. Back in Chiaraijima, Eiichi and Junchu hatch a plan to seize Takasaki Castle, but Choshichiro returns from Kyoto and begs them to reconsider. They decide to abandon the plan and set out for Kyoto together. (End of the Chiaraijima arc)

Eiichi and Kisaku arrive safely in Kyoto. As Satsuma's power and influence grows, Shungaku Matsudaira (Jun Kaname) urges the creation of a "new era," enraging Yoshinobu. After receiving a letter from Eiichi, Choshichiro sets out for Kyoto... but gets arrested along the way for murdering a courier. Upon finding this letter, the shogunate begins to pursue Eiichi and Kisaku.

Eiichi and Kisaku agree to serve the Hitotsubashi family in exchange for Eiichi being allowed to present his ideas to Yoshinobu. Enshiro is successfully able to arrange this meeting. Meanwhile, Yoshinobu confronts Prince Nakagawa (Yohei Okuda) about Satsuma, calling him a "fool" and a "villain"!

Eiichi and Kisaku receive their first samurai stipends and are given the names "Tokudayu" and "Seiichiro" by Enshiro. Tokudayu is tasked with investigating Satsuma retainer Yozo Orita. Along the way, he meets Kichinosuke Saigo (Hanamaru Hakata), whose words make him worry about Enshiro's fate... Meanwhile, in Mito, Koshiro Fujita is overseeing the anti-foreigner Tengu Party's rise in prominence.

Enshiro orders Tokudayu and Seiichiro to travel to Kanto to recruit soldiers for the Hitotsubashi family. They try to recruit their old friend Sanada, but he refuses their offer. Junchu and Heikuro (Kenshi Okada) get arrested in Chiaraijima. In Kyoto, the Shinsengumi launches an attack on Ikedaya! Imperial loyalists begin turning their anger on Yoshinobu and his close aide, Enshiro.

Tokudayu and Seiichiro are stunned by the news that Enshiro has been killed. In Kyoto, Yoshinobu leads the defense of the Imperial Palace against advancing Choshu forces, and Kichinosuke Saigo enters the fray with Satsuma soldiers! Tokudayu is confronted by Tone (Yoshi Sako), the local governor of Okabe. The Tengu Party is heading for Kyoto, hoping to gain Yoshinobu's support.

Tokudayu and Yoshinobu leave Kyoto to go and suppress the Tengu Party. Seiichiro delivers a secret letter from Yoshinobu to Kounsai (Kanji Tsuda), who meets a tragic fate... Determined to make the Hitotsubashi family stronger, Tokudayu heads to Bitchu to recruit more soldiers. At Edo Castle, Shogun Iemochi bids farewell to Princess Kazu before departing to Kyoto for the third time.

Tokudayu increases the value of the Hitotsubashi family's cotton and begins promoting paper currency circulation. As their newly appointed head accountant, he vows to make Hitotsubashi financially stronger. Saigo returns from Europe and secretly meets with Ichizo Okubo (Kanji Ishimaru). The shogunate struggles against Choshu and Satsuma's secretly allied forces. Iemochi falls ill at Osaka Castle.

The death of Iemochi makes Yoshinobu's promotion to shogun inevitable. Tokudayu warns him that this position will lead to him having the weight of the world on his shoulders. Ichizo Okubo conspires with court nobleman Tomomi Iwakura (Keiya Yamauchi) to restore imperial rule. As a retainer of Yoshinobu's, Tokudayu is ordered to work with a Shinsengumi vice-commander to capture rebels.

Tokudayu agrees to accompany Yoshinobu's younger brother Akitake (Rihito Itagaki) to the Paris Exposition. Yoshinobu, having become the 15th shogun, must entrust his brother's future to Eiichi. In Yokohama, Tokudayu encounters Tadamasa Oguri (Shinji Takeda) and learns the true purpose of the trip to France. Before departing, he meets with Seiichiro and the imprisoned Choshichiro.

Tokudayu and Akitake arrive in Paris and begin exploring the Expo. Their minds are blown by the Western technology that is on display—steam engines, elevators, and much more. At the Japan booth, however, they are shocked to see the Satsuma crest. It turns out Montblanc and Godai are spreading false rumors about Satsuma's strength... Akitake proudly represents Yoshinobu before Napoleon III.

Despite the French loan falling through, Tokudayu is able to secure funds as Akitake continues his studies. Taking advice from Villette, they cut their hair, put away their swords, and begin wearing Western clothes. In Japan, Yoshinobu returns power to the emperor, restoring imperial rule. Heikuro, who is now Tokudayu's adopted son, heads to Edo.

As Tokudayu, Akitake, and others are celebrating New Year's Day in Paris, they receive a letter from Japan that states that Yoshinobu has restored the power of the imperial court, causing a great deal of confusion among the group. Érard introduces Tokudayu to the stock exchange. In Japan, Seiichiro, Junchu, and Heikuro are all fighting against the new government forces.

Tokudayu returns to Japan and reunites with Sugiura (Jun Shison), Fukuchi (Atsuhiro Inukai), and others in Yokohama. They explain to him how the Choshu-Satsuma alliance defeated the shogunate and tell him the current status of Yoshinobu and his retainers. He learns that Seiichiro, Heikuro, and others fought the new government forces, but lost. Feeling overwhelmed, Tokudayu returns to Chiaraijima.