Japanese Theater

<Play: Three brothers in Ageo >

This play is also one of the typical Taishu-engeki plays, which depicts the struggle between giri (duty) and ninjo (human emotions).

A bad oyabun (the leader of yakuza family), being attracted by his henchman’s wife, tried to rape her. At the very moment her husband comes back and prevents oyabun from the rape. Oyabun is mad at the interference, and takes out a knife. In the scuffle, the husband stabs the oyabun to death.

Since the murder of oyabun is absolutely forbidden in the Yakuza world in any circumstances, he tries to kill himself. His wife begs him not to and asks him to elope from the region. When they set to leave home, the henchman’s “elder brother” [as the yakuza clan was supposed to be a “family,” the members call each other “brother”] drops in. Seeing what happened, the elder guy tries to kill his brother. However, his wife stops him and explains what really happened. The elder guy understands the situation and urges the couple to escape from the other henchmen’s chase. He even suggests to accompany them in order to lead the way in the mountain. On their way back to the couples’ home district, they have to fight against the rest of the yakuza family members and the younger guy gets injured.

Deep in the mountain, the couple and the elder brother come across an old house. They ask the owner of the house to let them stay somewhere. First, the owner (an old man) refuses, but eventually allows them to stay in a barn next to the house. When they settle there, the chasing team led by a robust guy, actually their closest “brother” in the family, catches them. It turns out that the guy is the old owner’s prodigal son. The old owner tries to protect those in the barn, his son finds out them. In spite of the father's plead, the son is determined to execute them as the murderer of their oyabun. The couple and the brother make up their mind and present themselves to the son (he is the oldest among the “brothers”). At the very last moment, the son changes his mind and does not kill the three.

Though the story being wrapped with the cover of a typical yakuza tragedy, zachō Hiryū de-constructs the sentimental content and reconstructs it as a psychological drama. The brothers struggle with the sense of duty to the oyabun (the father) and the family law, even if it is totally irrational. The focus is on how each one solves the struggle and why he gives up the revenge (duty). It seems that the audience share Hiryū’s understanding of the tragedy and get a relief in the end.