The 47 Ronin v1.3 (c#1A72A6.fdr - Whoa is (Not)

73.
But before Isogai has finished his rant, the old man slides
his walking stick apart to reveal THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE
OF SWORDMAKING WE HAVE EVER SEEN.
Even Minoru, completely engrossed in carving his ivory block,
looks up in wonder.
In his hands, the Ainu holds a DOUBLE-EDGED KATANA, polished
mirror bright. Like liquid silver. A steel dream...
Words choke in Isogai’s throat. Oishi stares in open
astonishment at the quality.
OISHI
Koto blade...
From the reverence in his tone, we can tell it’s the Holy
Grail of swordmaking.
How..?
OISHI (CONT’D)
ONE-ARMED AINU
The rest of Japan may have
forgotten the true art of
swordmaking...but the Ainu have
not.
And as the old man begins to tell the story, PUSH IN on the
coals in the brazier on the table and --
DISSOLVE TO:
A RIVER OF FLOWING LAVA
-- snaking beneath the earth. We are:
INT. MT. FUJI
-- where we FOLLOW the lava flow through a maze of VOLCANIC
TUNNELS formed of solidified molten rock. Orange light
suffuses the tunnels, making them glow. From somewhere
ahead, and the sound of SMITHS’ HAMMERS can be heard.
ONE-ARMED AINU (VO)
Frustrated at the deterioration of
the swordmaking art, the
descendants of legendary swordmaker
Amakuni retreated into the lava
tunnels beneath Mt. Fuji to
rediscover their ancestor’s lost
techniques.