S01E01 Balsa, the Female Bodyguard
A female spear-wielder, Balsa, is recruited to protect the second prince of Yogo, Chagum, from his own father. The Emperor is determined to kill him, believing the prince is possessed by an evil water spirit.
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit
S01E18: The Ancient Village
Balsa, Chagum and Tanda travel to Inishie village in hope of learning the ancient story of the water spirit. They locate the village and listen to the ancient story. Chagum is horrified to learn that the spirit's "guardian" must die for the spirit to be born.
Overview
Balsa the spearwoman is a wandering warrior, who takes on the task of saving lives, in atonement for a past sin. On her journey, she happens to save a prince, and is tasked with becoming his bodyguard. And he is going to need one, for his own father, the emperor, wants him dead. Throughout the story, Balsa's past will come to light and they will uncover mysteries about Chagum's condition while developing a family-like relationship with each other and others.
Episodes
S01E02 The Hunter and the Hunted
Balsa makes preparations to leave the capital with Chagum. She must leave the city without being noticed; a task made difficult by the prince who has overcome with the grief of leaving his family. The...
S01E03 Mortal Combat
Balsa discovers that she and Chagum are being followed. She has no choice by to fight against the pursuers. In the confusion Balsa loses Chagum. She manages to rescue him but due to her wounds,...
S01E04 Torogai's Letter
Following Balsa's direction, Chagum successfully reached Tanda's house in the mountains. Balsa is able to catch up, but must now recuperate her strength. Balsa and Tanda nurture their relationship in the process.
S01E05 Secret Advantage: the Blue Hand
Chagum's ailment is revealed by Torogai. Balsa knows that the Emperor will never openly search for the prince. However, when Chagum's staged funeral is held in the capital, a wide-area search for Balsa is in...
S01E06 Death on Aogiri
Unable to determine Balsa's exact position, the Emperor's hunters split up. At the Aogiri Mountains they see Balsa and Chagum dragged down a cliff by a large wolf. They assume that Balsa and Chagum have...
S01E07 Chagum's Resolution
In order to remain hidden until next spring, Balsa buys a watermill and settles there with Chagum for the time being. To pass the time and make some money, they use the mill to grind...
S01E08 Swordsmith
Balsa visits a great swordsmith to get a new blade for her spear. The smith agrees to forge her new blade, once he is convinced that Balsa did not kill the prince.
S01E09 Shuga's Thirst
Shuga tries to figure of if the drought sign is diminishing. He gets permission from the head star-diviner to translate the ancient stone scrolls, that record the history of Yogo and are rumored to contain...
S01E10 Soil and Hero
Tōya teaches Chagum how to act more like a city dweller. After Chagum sees through a rigged gambling game, he is determined to teach the men a lesson and help the people get their money...
S01E11 Flower Wine For Tanda
Unhappy with her arranged marriage, Saya's soul leaves her body. Tanda performs a soul call to guide her back. However, Tanda's soul becomes trapped in Nayug and needs Balsa's help to return to his own...
S01E12 Solstice Festival
Chagum challenges a boy to a rucha match on the Summer Solstice festival. He asks Balsa to train him to fight. He fights the boy and wins the match. After the boy's father insults Chagum,...
S01E13 Neither Man nor Tiger
Balsa gets challenged to a duel by a former rival. The rival targets a traveling couple in order to draw out Balsa's anger. She attempts to protect the couple but ends up engaging in a...
S01E14 The Knot
Torogai makes contact with the water beings of Nayug and discusses Chagum's current condition. Torogai discovers that the official Yogo founding history is false, and recounts her escape from the knot.
S01E15 Young Death
While gathering more information on the drought sign, Shuga finds proof that Chagum is alive. Shuga wishes to tell the prince's brother, Crown Prince Shagum, whose health has been weakened by the recent events. However,...
S01E16 In All Earnestness
Chagum's brother, Shagum, dies from overwork and grief leaving Chagum the heir to the throne. Shuga learns from the ancient scroll that the water spirit is not evil, and must be born in order to...
S01E17 The Water Wheel in Flames
Shuga locates Chagum and Balsa in the city. The watermill is found by the emperor's hunters and they lay a trap. This is prevented when Tōya risks his life and sets fire to the watermill....
S01E18 The Ancient Village
Balsa, Chagum and Tanda travel to Inishie village in hope of learning the ancient story of the water spirit. They locate the village and listen to the ancient story. Chagum is horrified to learn that...
S01E19 Flight
Chagum runs away in an attempt to return to the Yogo court and avoid being killed by the La Lunga (egg-eater). Determined to keep Chagum safe and bring him to Hunter's cave, Balsa goes after...
S01E20 The Hunter's Cave
Shuga and the hunters arrive in Inishie Village. Torogai tells Shuga of the egg eater. Shuga agrees to return to court and starts deciphering the remainder of the secret tome. Balsa, Chagum, Torogai and Tanda...
S01E21 Jiguro Musa
The winter arrives and the mountains become impassable. Balsa tells Chagum the story of her guardian, Jiguro; how 24 years ago he decided to go against his Emperor in order to save Balsa's life.
S01E22 Time of Awakening
Balsa continues Jiguro's story, and reveals the reason behind her oath to save eight souls. Balsa begins to train Chagum as they await the spring.
S01E23 In Pursuit of Sig Salua
Spring has arrived and Chagum has grown physically and mentally. Chagum and Balsa are reunited with Shuga and the eight hunters. The power of the Sacred Spirit begins to influence Chagum's actions, and La Lunga...
S01E24 The Last Hope
Balsa, Tanda, and the hunters chase after Chagum. Shuga and Torogai learn that the spirit will be born in another location and race to get there before dawn. When Balsa's group encounters the two La...
S01E25 Celebration
Balsa's group locate Chagum. The physical world and Nayug begin to merge. Balsa and the hunters manage to hold off endless waves of La Lunga long enough for the sun to rise. Tanda successfully extracts...
S01E26 Departure
Chagum returns to the palace and is named Crown Prince and Divine Hero of the People. While Chagum is reunited with his mother, Balsa contemplates the future. Chagum meets with Balsa and wants to run...
Cast
Mabuki Ando
Balsa (voice)
Naoto Adachi
Chagumu
Koji Tsujitani
Tanda
Ako Mayama
Torogai
Mayumi Asano
Toya
Yoshinari Kobayashi
Sagumu
Takkô Ishimori
Hibitonan
Hirofumi Nojima
Shuga
Hiroshi Naka
Gakai
Atsushi Ono
Emperor/Rai
Naomi Kusumi
Mon
Masaya Matsukaze
Jin
