Taiga Drama RYOMADEN -- The Legend

In 1843, in Kochi, young Sakamoto Ryoma is a crybaby who struggles with academics and swordsmanship. Under the Tosa clan's rigid class system, Ryoma and Iwasaki Yataro face discrimination. One day, Ryoma incurs the wrath of an upper samurai, and his mother, Ko, risks her life to save him, but dies soon after. Years later, a stronger Ryoma carries his mother's final words close to his heart. (C)NHK

In 1852, Ryoma asks his father, Hachihei, for permission to go to Edo. Instead, he is assigned to oversee an embankment project. Hanpeita and Yataro also dream of going to Edo. Kao is troubled by a marriage offer and confesses her feelings to Ryoma. Meanwhile, the embankment project makes little progress due to farmer disputes, so Ryoma devises a plan, while Hachihei watches from afar. (C)NHK

Granted permission to train in fencing in Edo, Ryoma sets out from Tosa with Mizobuchi Hironojo. Yataro appears and begs to join them; he has a travel permit but no money. Back in Tosa, Takechi Hanpeita devotes himself to fencing, while Kao can't let go of her feelings for Ryoma. At Shikoku's final checkpoint, officials discover Yataro's travel permit is actually a forgery... (C)NHK

Ryoma joins Chiba Fencing Hall and is defeated by the swift moves of Sana, the daughter of Master Chiba Sadakichi. Ryoma starts rigorous training, and Sana develops feelings for him. Led by Mizobuchi Hironojo, Ryoma goes to a restaurant and meets Katsura Kogoro, who explains that foreign ships are approaching. At that moment, an American fleet led by Perry was on the way to Japan. (C)NHK

Following Perry's arrival, the Shogunate orders the clans to help guard Edo. Ryoma slips away from his post to see the Black Ship with Katsura Kogoro, and is struck by the power of Western civilization. He begins to question swordsmanship training. Despite Sana's concern, Ryoma lets slip to Chiba Sadakichi that he doubts whether the sword is useful, and is thrown out of the fencing hall. (C)NHK

After leaving the dojo, Ryoma is urged by Sana to apologize to Sadakichi and resume training, but he sees no point in swordsmanship. As Perry returns and anti-alien sentiment rises, Iwasaki Yataro and Hanpeita Takechi submit a declaration to the Tosa clan. Ryoma and Kogoro Katsura meet Shoin Yoshida, who tells Ryoma to start by doing what he can. (C)NHK

After his fencing training, Ryoma returns from Edo. Following Yataro, he visits Kawada Shoryo and learns of Western civilization's superiority. Takechi advocates expelling foreigners. Intrigued by Ryoma, who saw the Black Ships, Shoryo barges into the Sakamoto household and won't leave. Suddenly, Hachihei collapses. Ryoma tells his father he wants to sail the world with their family. (C)NHK

Yataro's father Yajiro fights the village headman over water rights and gets beaten up. Ryoma intervenes, getting involved in the Iwasakis' plight. Yataro rushes back from Edo, but his appeal to the magistrate fails. Ryoma then joins him to petition Yoshida Toyo, a powerful Tosa clan figure, about the corruption. Rebuffed, Yataro vandalizes the office gate in protest. (C)NHK

Ryoma returns to Edo to continue his training. Despite having been looking forward to his return, Sana can't help but act curtly with him. Takechi Hanpeita discusses with anti-alienists, including Katsura Kogoro, how to reform the shogunate government. Yamamoto Takuma is caught trying to sell a merchant's lost pocket watch. Takechi tells him to "take responsibility and commit hara-kiri." (C)NHK

After completing his swordsmanship training in Edo and bidding farewell to Sana, Ryoma returns to Tosa and proposes to Kao. Meanwhile, Takechi allies with conservative Shibata Bingo to oust reformist Yoshida Toyo, and plans to send Kao to Kyoto to investigate the imperial court's anti-alienist faction. Toyo promotes Iwasaki Yataro and sends him to Nagasaki. (C)NHK

In Edo, the Sakuradamon Incident sees Ii Naosuke assassinated by a Mito ronin. In Tosa, a lower-ranking samurai is killed by a higher-ranking one, triggering revenge. Tensions among samurai escalate, but Ryoma defuses the situation alone. Yoshida Toyo grants him higher-ranking status, which Ryoma refuses. Meanwhile, Takechi Hanpeita and others establish The Tosa Loyalist Party. (C)NHK

After joining the Tosa Loyalist Party, Ryoma travels to Choshu. Kusaka Genzui tells him that they must abandon the shogunate and the clans to protect Japan. Takechi Hanpeita urges Yoshida Toyo to expel foreigners, but Toyo flatly rejects his plea. Humiliated, Hanpeita resolves to kill Toyo. Meanwhile, Iwasaki Yataro marries Kise and is appointed as a clan official, a "gomawari." (C)NHK

Yataro fails to obey an order to kill Ryoma. After finding out that Takechi Hanpeita is plotting to kill Yoshida Toyo, Ryoma visits the lord. He realizes that Yoshida cares about Tosa and isn't a villain as claimed by Takechi. He begs Takechi to change his mind. Sawamura Sonojo asks Ryoma to give up on the Loyalist Party and desert the clan with him. Ryoma slowly warms up to the idea. (C)NHK

Ryoma has gone into hiding after leaving Tosa. Having assassinated Yoshida Toyo, Takechi Hanpeita gains enough influence to control the domain and heads to Osaka ahead of Lord Yamauchi's journey to Kyoto. Suspecting Ryoma of killing Toyo, Goto Shojiro orders Iwasaki Yataro and Inoue Saichiro to capture him. In Osaka, Ryoma appears before them, and they draw their swords and corner him. (C)NHK

Ryoma goes to Kyoto to see Kao. Takechi suggests to Sanjo Sanetomi that he go to Edo with an imperial edict to compel the shogunate to force the expulsion of foreigners. Kao and Ryoma reunite and spend the night together. Meanwhile, Okada Izo continues to commit assassinations. Kato, Ryoma, and Izo realize things can't go back to the way they were, and Ryoma sets off for Edo. (C)NHK

Ryoma reunites with Sana, then visits Katsu Rintaro with a letter from Matsudaira Shungaku. There, he is surprised to find Chojiro, now Katsu's student. Katsu first rejects Ryoma's request to study under him. But after hearing Takechi speak of Ryoma, he changes his mind, accepts him as a student, and takes him aboard the Kanrinmaru. (C)NHK

As Katsu's student, Ryoma learns about America's presidency from John Manjiro and hears Katsu's vision of gathering men to build a navy. Back at the Chiba Fencing Hall, Ryoma tells Sana he has found his path, and she braces for their farewell. Katsu asks Yamauchi Yodo to pardon Ryoma's desertion before Ryoma leaves Edo to help establish a naval training center in Kobe. (C)NHK

Ryoma and Chojiro, now Katsu Rintaro's apprentices, begin recruiting new students for Katsu Academy. They run into a Tosa clan member, Sawamura Sonojo, and get him to join them. Takechi hatches a plan to make Tokugawa Iemochi promise to expel foreigners at the Imperial Court in Kyoto. Yamauchi Yodo, who is against radical actions, schemes to stop Takechi and split the Loyalist Party. (C)NHK

Shogun Iemochi promises the Emperor to expel foreigners on May 10. Takechi and the Tosa Loyalist Party await domain orders. Learning Shujiro is pursued by domain officials, Ryoma tries to save him, but Shujiro is captured. That day, only Choshu acts on anti-alienism. Disheartened, Takechi plans to return to Tosa to save Shujiro. Ryoma desperately tries to stop him, but Takechi leaves. (C)NHK

During his naval training in Osaka, Ryoma learns of Shujiro's imprisonment and goes to see Katsu Rintaro in Kyoto. Upon learning that the Katsu Academy is short of funds, he visits Matsudaira Shungaku in Echizen. Meanwhile, Ryoma's brother Gonpei arrives in Osaka to take Ryoma back to Tosa, only to miss him. In Tosa, Takechi pleads for Shujiro's life. (C)NHK

Worried about Takechi, Ryoma seeks Katsu's advice in Kyoto. The Coup of August 18th drives the Choshu-led radical anti-alienists out of the Imperial Court, prompting Yodo to crack down on the Tosa Loyalists and imprison Takechi. Ryoma begs Katsu to let him return to Tosa, but Katsu stops him, warning that Ryoma alone cannot save Takechi. (C)NHK

While training as sailors at the Katsu Academy, Ryoma and the other Tosa men refuse Yamauchi Yodo's order to return home and become deserters once more. Natsu comes to see them and asks them to find the missing Izo, so Ryoma heads to Kyoto. At an inn, he meets a woman named Oryo, who tells him her younger sister has been taken by yakuza. (C)NHK

The Naval Training Center in Kobe is complete. While Ryoma and his comrades engage in training, Mochizuki Kameyata racks his brain by himself. The anti-alienists were chased out of Kyoto, and the Loyalist Party faces oppression. In Tosa, Goto Shojiro mercilessly interrogates Takechi. Kameyata sneaks out to Ikeda-ya in Kyoto. Ryoma goes to retrieve him, but the Shinsengumi strikes first. (C)NHK

At Ikeda-ya, Ryoma witnesses Kameyata's death. Katsura Kogoro, who escaped, stops him from confronting the Shinsengumi. Ryoma hides at Oryo's home, angry he could not save Kameyata. Meanwhile, Katsu Rintaro is blamed for a ronin involved in the Ikeda-ya plot being at the Naval Training Center. Oryo urges Ryoma to honor Kameyata's resolve, so he returns to the Naval Training Center. (C)NHK