MOVIE SCREEN TITLE PROFILE
TELEVISION SERIES
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (2007)
Popularity 12.1
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.
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THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT
Cast & Crew
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Top Cast
Mabuki AndoBalsa (voice)
Naoto AdachiChagumu
Koji TsujitaniTanda
Ako MayamaTorogai
Mayumi AsanoToya
Yoshinari KobayashiSagumu
Takkô IshimoriHibitonan
Hirofumi NojimaShuga
Hiroshi NakaGakai
Atsushi OnoEmperor/Rai
Naomi KusumiMon
Masaya MatsukazeJin
Kenichi MochizukiZen
Shinji KawadaYun
Kohei FukuharaTaga
Yuuki MasudaSun
Takayuki SasadaHyoku
Rintaro NishiJiguro
Key Crew
Kenji KamiyamaDirector
Kenji KamiyamaWriter
Shoutarou SugaWriter
Masayuki YoshiharaAssistant Director
Nahoko UehashiNovel
ARTWORK GALLERY
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EPISODE GUIDE
Seasons & Episodes
Season and episode information in the catalog.
Season 1
26 episodes · First aired 2007-04-07
E01
Balsa, the Female Bodyguard
2007-04-07 · 25 min
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.
E02
The Hunter and the Hunted
2007-04-14 · 25 min
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 Emperor dispatches four secret hunters to recover the prince and kill Balsa.
E03
Mortal Combat
2007-04-21 · 25 min
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, Chagum must carry on by himself to Tanda's hut.
E04
Torogai's Letter
2007-04-28 · 25 min
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.
E05
Secret Advantage: the Blue Hand
2007-05-05 · 25 min
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 the works.
E06
Death on Aogiri
2007-05-12 · 25 min
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 died.
E07
Chagum's Resolution
2007-05-19 · 25 min
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 grain for the local villagers.
E08
Swordsmith
2007-05-26 · 25 min
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.
E09
Shuga's Thirst
2007-06-02 · 25 min
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 information about the drought.
E10
Soil and Hero
2007-06-09 · 25 min
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 back.
E11
Flower Wine For Tanda
2007-06-16 · 25 min
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 body.
E12
Solstice Festival
2007-06-23 · 25 min
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, Balsa steps in and defeats the father.
E13
Neither Man nor Tiger
2007-06-30 · 25 min
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 fierce duel and allows her anger to overwhelm her. She wins the fight but thinks that she killed him; breaking her vow to never take a life.
E14
The Knot
2007-07-07 · 25 min
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.
E15
Young Death
2007-07-14 · 25 min
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, he is unable to, fearing the Emperor will discover Chagum's location.
E16
In All Earnestness
2007-07-21 · 25 min
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 prevent the drought. Armed with this knowledge, Shuga leads the search for Chagum to bring him back to become the crowned prince.
E17
The Water Wheel in Flames
2007-07-28 · 25 min
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. Seeing the fire, Balsa and Chagum set off to find the Inishie Village.
E18
The Ancient Village
2007-08-04 · 25 min
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.
E19
Flight
2007-08-11 · 25 min
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 him. Seeing Chagum's distress, Balsa vows to keep him alive even if she must sacrifice her life.
E20
The Hunter's Cave
2007-08-18 · 25 min
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 move to Hunter's cave, where they prepare for winter.
E21
Jiguro Musa
2007-08-25 · 25 min
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.
E22
Time of Awakening
2007-09-01 · 25 min
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.
E23
In Pursuit of Sig Salua
2007-09-08 · 25 min
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 finally appears to claim the egg.
E24
The Last Hope
2007-09-15 · 25 min
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 Lunga, Tanda learns how to harm the creatures, allowing the group to kill one of the egg eaters.
E25
Celebration
2007-09-22 · 25 min
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 the egg and Chagum's life is saved.
E26
Departure
2007-09-29 · 25 min
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 away with her, but Balsa's words give him the courage to stay. Her pledge finally fulfilled, Balsa departs for Kanbal.
