“Golden Kamuy,” a gripping anime series by Satoru Noda, leaps off the screen and onto the big screen with a thrilling live-action adaptation. Directed by the talented Shigeaki Kubo, it stars popular actor Kento Yamazaki, who has also starred in hits like “The Kingdom” and “Alice in Borderland,” is playing Saichi, a seasoned warrior. Kanna Hashimoto plays Asirpa, a shrewd Ainu teenager. The movie, currently available on Netflix, is an action-packed historical adventure set against the backdrop of early 20th century Hokkaido, wherein a valuable treasure becomes the reason for fierce competition among its seekers.
Plot Summary
Saichi Saichi (Kento Yamazaki), a hero who fought in the Russo-Japanese War (the story takes place in Hokkaido during the late Meiji period), is said to be immortal. He moves to Hokkaido when he wishes to start his life again and pan gold for money. A man named Noppera-bo stole gold nuggets from the native Ainu people and is said to have hid them before he was caught. He supposedly hid where it could not be found, tattooing the location on two dozen criminals before being apprehended himself. The map has been divided among these prisoners, making it possible to find out where the treasure might be hidden. Noppera-bo escaped prison with these prisoners.
Just as soon as Saichi started his gold hunting journey, he was attacked by a bear. Asirpa (Anna Yamada) brings Saichi back from death. Her father was killed by Noppera-bo, and she is on her way to revenge. Asirpa wants revenge and agrees to help Saichi find the treasure. They are later joined by escape artist Yoshitake Shiraishi (Yuma Yamoto). Together, they face various humans and bear enemies.
The plot contains several surprises and ends with a suspenseful climax that keeps you awake throughout the night because of its endless implications.
Who Told Saichi About The Hidden Gold?
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According to Japanese tradition, nothing comes from heaven without a purpose, and this was true for a soldier named Saichi, who was in the Seventh Division. The movie starts with a battle that took place at 203 Meter Hill during the Russo-Japanese War, where Japanese forces desperately tried to capture Port Arthur. The Russians had an upper hand, and this made it very difficult for the Japanese to keep their positions. Most soldiers believed they were sent on a suicide mission, but they had no choice but to fight back. Saichi knew his chances of surviving were slim, but he fought courageously. He miraculously managed to beat several enemy soldiers, thus surviving. Because of this, people called him “Immortal Sugimoto,” thinking he possessed supernatural powers.
After the war ended, Saichi moved to Hokkaido, searching for a legendary hidden treasure. He was disappointed when he couldn’t find any gold and thought the story was just a myth. It was then that he met Takechiyo Goto, who told him about what really happened in reality.
Goto had told him that a person named Noppera-bo had stolen the gold and concealed it within Hokkaido forests. Being from the Ainu tribe, he had double crossed his own people as well as the army. Nevertheless, he was finally apprehended and jailed at Abashiri prison, but he failed to disclose the hiding place of the gold. Instead, he tattooed parts of a map on the bodies of 24 prisoners. Only by putting all the pieces together could the complete map be seen. The army planned to kill the prisoners to get the map, but the prisoners escaped after killing the soldiers.
Initially, Saichi was skeptical about Goto’s story because it didn’t seem possible that Goto would know so much information. As it turned out, one of those who were tattooed was Goto himself. When a brown bear killed Goto, Saichi saw his tattooed dead body and knew he wasn’t lying about hidden gold being real after all.
Who Saved Saichi From The Bear?
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In Golden Kamuy, Saichi first met Asirpa when he was trying to rescue Goto’s corpse from a brown bear. Asirpa was an Ainu tribe woman and survival expert who saved Saichi and gained confidence in him, discovering why they called him “Immortal.” During their journey together, they met other prisoners inked by Noppera-bo and dug up more about the hidden treasure.
Saichi managed to defeat an officer who attacked them from the 7th Division, known as Hyakunosuke Ogata. Asirpa promised to help Saichi, but asked him not to kill anyone. Saichi agreed to try, but he couldn’t promise. On the other hand, the ruthless Tsurumi, who led the 7th Division, had determinedly embarked on seeking gold at whatever price. Following Ogata’s death at the hands of Saichi, however, Tsurumi started hunting for Saichi and Asirpa ruthlessly for killing Ogata.
They narrowly escaped from soldiers who almost caught up with them. From there, Saichi and Asirpa went to Kotan, the Ainu village where she lived. By associating with Asirpa’s relatives, Saichi realized that he was endangering her life just to fulfill his own aims. In regret, he quietly left the settlement one morning, but within moments of doing so, he was captured by Tsurumi’s soldiers.
Asirpa knew she could not afford to lose someone she loved again, just as her father was lost. So, she went to Yoshitake Shiraishi, a prisoner who was familiar to her, and, with the help of her wolf, convinced him to assist her. Shiraishi told her that Tsurumi had taken Saichi and knew where he was held.
Saichi suffered a lot of pain but survived, and this proved that his nickname remained intact. Shiraishi breached the facility so that Saichi would escape with his life. On their run-away journey, Saichi fought against some of the soldiers. Just when it seemed like things were looking bad for them, all hope was lost. Asirpa appeared and helped him defeat all the other remaining soldiers, so they managed to flee on time.
Why Is Tsurumi Looking For The Gold?
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At first, it seems like Tsurumi is just evil and greedy, wanting the gold for himself. While he is evil, the end of Golden Kamuy reveals more about his motives. Tsurumi is angry about how the Japanese government handled the war with the Russians. He believes that he and his soldiers were ordered to attack the Russians without proper planning. The Russians still had powerful Maxim guns, leading to many Japanese soldiers being killed. When the soldiers returned home, they received no rewards or support from the government.
Tsurumi seeks revenge against the authorities. He plans to find the gold to fund his army and make the Seventh Division the ruling power in Hokkaido. He also wants to support the families of fallen soldiers. Additionally, Tsurumi aims to create an opium empire to ensure a stable income for everyone.
“Golden Kamuy” Ending Explained: Saichi Reveals His Past
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When Saichi left without informing Asirpa, she felt much pain because he knew that she cared about him and wanted to join his mission. But Saichi said there was a reason why he had to leave. He revealed that three members of his family died from a disease in the past, and people began shunning him for fear of being contaminated by his presence.
Saichi loved a girl called Umeko and did not want her life endangered. He told her that he would be back in one year, and if she still loved him, they would marry. After making sure he was not infected, he returned to his village. However, Umeko married Toraji Kenmochi, who was his best friend at first. Toraji felt threatened by Saichi’s return, as he thought that Saichi came back to take Umeko, but it never occurred to Saichi even once. He was happy to sacrifice his love for the sake of friendship.
Toraji gave his life to save Saichi, as they served together as soldiers in the army. Umeko hurried to meet Saichi when she heard about his visit to Toraji’s family. It was so heartbreaking when Umeko walked up to Saichi but did not recognize him because her eyesight was gone but her other senses remained sharp enough. As soon as Umeko touched Saichi’s shoulders, he realized how much change had happened inside him. He could tell that he was different from what he used to be, and it made him sad inside.
“Golden Kamuy” ended with Toshizo Hijikata, Shinsengumi vice commander, and Tatsuma Ushiyama resolving to embark on a mission to find the gold. They later met Nagakura, where they disclosed their plan to reestablish the Republic of Ezo in Hokkaido. It was only when he saw the amount of gold stashed in the woods that Ushiyama got surprised over it. Hijikata, having previously encountered Tsurumi, discerned something unique within him. In the potential sequel, they may find themselves at odds or possibly form an alliance due to their shared objectives.
“Golden Kamuy” left us hanging, with Saichi, Asirpa, and Yoshitake Shiraishi forming a team to pursue the gold. Noppera-bo, the mysterious person responsible for tattooing prisoners and hiding gold in Hokkaido’s wild regions, returned. The manga upon which Netflix has based its adaptation explains that Noppera-bo is Asirpa’s father without her knowledge. This means that Asirpa and Saichi will probably realize it at some point in the anticipated sequel, which will set the stage for potential conflicts as they navigate this revelation.
