Let's see... Where do I even start?
My name is Funada Kathleen.
I'm eighteen, and I didn't graduate from high school.
I want to leave a record of what I'm about to say right now.
And to prove that I was actually here.
Not that it matters anymore.
It's currently 2030.
This is Tokyo.
Sumida Ward, to be precise,
though it doesn't exist anymore.
It's all gone.
I think it was about two years ago that those things showed up.
It came out of nowhere.
I think I first saw them on the news.
At first, they said it was an epidemic,
and that they successfully contained it.
Supposedly they built some kind of facility overseas to do that.
Everyone said it was probably something like mad cow disease.
They said something about irregularities and prions in the brain,
and cases of violence related to that.
Some people claimed it was a military conspiracy
or some movie promotion, too.
This disease that started in Venice has been named Gibiate
and is spreading all across the world.
Countries across the world are researching countermeasures
and strongly encouraging their citizens to exercise caution.
Apparently, the first case of this mysterious disease
occurred in a woman visiting Venice on August 21st, 2028.
At first, even the military was deployed and they successfully contained it,
but after that, infections spread at an explosive rate.
We had no choice but to accept what was going on.
This is footage from one of our choppers.
We're right above Tokyo.
This is unbelievable.
There are monsters appearing everywhere.
Do not gather in large groups.
Please travel with as few people as possible!
What is that?
Oh, no! It can't be!
That's when everything changed.
But I'm not going to give up.
I'm going to create a vaccine and turn this world back to normal!
Please, God...
Grant me strength.
1600 AD (Keicho Year 5) October 15th
Say, aren't you Kanzaki Sensui?
Indeed. And you are Sanada Kenroku,
I believe.
Wow, I'm surprised you remember.
You were actually on the winning side at Sekigahara,
so how'd you get exiled?
A lot has happened.
Sensui!
I beg of you!
I have so much left to do in my life!
Please tell them that my army sided with Toyotomi at Sekigahara
solely on your orders as samurai general!
If that is your wish, my lord.
If we manage to settle this within the clan,
then Tokugawa-dono won't demand too much from us!
I'll have you sentenced to exile rather than death,
so once matters have settled down, I promise I'll summon you back here!
As you wish.
Why did you get exiled?
I did manage to settle down with a nice little lady,
but then I happened to give an evil magistrate his one-way ticket to Hell.
They caught me, but I'll take exile over execution any day.
Wh-What the hell?!
Oh, come on! Don't tell me we're going out like this!
My lord!
"Spirited Away"
Where...
A castle?
Looks like we were carried somewhere else.
Is this the afterlife?
I can't see the ocean.
But...
Did mankind build this?
Where are we?
Sumida Ward
There's someone!
Hey, are you all right?!
Where are we?
Sensui!
What?!
What is going on here...?
Is it some apparition?
Will this even work on it?
This is bad!
Guess I didn't think that far ahead.
This thing's not as fast as I expected.
Can I beat it?
Kenroku!
This way, hurry!
It won't last long!
Get over here! Jump in, quick!
Kathleen-chan?!
Maeda-san, hold on a minute!
I'll make it quick!
There.
Follow me.
Kathleen-chan!
What's with this wagon?!
It's faster than a horse!
These portable rations don't taste good, but you're welcome to have some if you'd like.
Thanks! My stomach wouldn't stop growling, so this is perfect!
That's good!
Here.
You have my gratitude.
By the way, is this the afterlife?
Huh?
Th-This is Tokyo.
Where did you two come from?
Those outfits you're wearing are a rare sight nowadays.
Where?
If I remember right, we were a few dozen ri out from Edo on a boat.
Yes.
Edo?!
Those outfits, and the way you talk...
Don't tell me, y-you're samurai?!
Huh?! Samurai?!
Wow!
This is Edo, in the future.
What do you mean, "the future"?
You're saying this is Edo?
Several centuries have passed since the Edo period you knew.
The world has become a place that's much easier for the common people to live in.
Japan hasn't seen any war for over 80 years now.
But two years ago a disease began to spread...
And that disease...
has turned everyone into monsters like the one you just saw.
Everyone?!
What did we shed all that blood for, then?!
I find that story hard to believe,
but I guess that means we fought for the world to turn out like this.
Please don't think your battles were meaningless.
After all, we're still alive!
And we'll fight for our survival once again tomorrow!
Well, assuming this is Edo for now,
you're saying the thing we just fought was one of the people with that disease?
That was a Gibia.
It was human, once.
It changed right before my eyes, so I thought it might be, but...
Hey, if that's caused by some disease,
does that mean we're infected already?
Don't worry about that!
Unless you're stung by the Gibia's stinger, you won't get infected.
Really?!
Phew, I panicked for a moment there.
This was a world of peace, then.
Before the Gibia showed up.
I'm still surprised, though.
I never imagined I'd run into a real samurai while I still lived.
This is like some period drama.
By the way, Samurai-san, what happened to your sword?
It would seem I arrived in this land with only what was on me.
I don't need mine since I'm a shinobi,
but you're not much without your sword, are you, Sensui?
Are you strong, Samurai-san?
He's well known as Sensui, Slayer of a Thousand.
Y-You're that strong?!
I-I have a sword at my house!
It's nearby, so I'll go grab it!
Kathleen-chan, take over driving for a bit!
Huh?
It's dangerous to get out here!
Maeda-san!
Maeda-san?!
Don't worry, I'll be fine!
Just head on to the camp without me!
It would be nice if he is that strong.
This is our camp.
There's less than a hundred of us, but everyone's a good person.
Kath, you're back!
Did it go okay?
Brian!
Hmm? Who are they?
Uhh...
Okay, introduce yourselves.
I am Kanzaki Sensui.
Sanada Kenroku.
I'm Brian. I'm a marine.
We welcome you to our camp.
We don't have any tatami mats, but make yourself at home.
What's with their outfits?
Hey, something new.
You think they're crazy?
What odd outfits.
We can hear you.
Everyone's a good person, huh.
Hard for me to believe.
Newcomers are easily disliked.
Welcome back, Kathleen.
Who are these men?
I'm home, Mom.
I brought a samurai and a ninja with me.
Real ones?
My, that's incredible!
I bet Maeda-san was overjoyed.
So overjoyed he went to retrieve his sword.
Well, I'm off to visit the Doctor.
You'll have to tell me all about the Edo period sometime.
Your mother wasn't surprised when she heard about us.
Yeah.
My mother's so mentally broken she can't tell humans and Gibia apart.
Doctor.
Who are those two?
Well...
A samurai traveled through time?!
Like I'd believe such nonsense!
There are plenty of people who have lost their minds due to these times!
I'm heading to Yokosuka to collect supplies tomorrow,
so you make sure these two don't steal anything!
Got it?!
I managed to catch that he thinks we're crazy.
That man did use some strange words.
Adam might say mean things, but he's not a bad guy at heart.
We've already been transported to a place that might as well be the afterlife,
and now people are hating us for no reason, too.
Could our luck get any worse?!
My name is Yoshinaga.
I'm studying Gibiate,
the disease that transforms people into animal-like things.
I believe you two.
After all, the Gibia exist.
It wouldn't be any stranger for samurai or ninja to be here.
What kind of creatures are those monsters?
We call those creatures Gibia.
They used to be human.
Once you're infected by the Gibia's venom
the cells in your body begin to replicate abnormally,
altering the human chromosomes
and causing metamorphosis into a monstrous form.
We're gradually coming to understand it,
but we believe that it's causing all of the information
gathered in a person's DNA throughout evolution
to overreact and spin out of control.
Have a look at this.
These are variations I've seen throughout the world,
but those infected by the Gibia's venom
transform into different varieties of Gibia based on age, race, and sex.
There's some individual variation,
but once a victim is stung with a Gibia's stinger
they transform into a monster within roughly five hours.
So, if you get stung, that's it?
Huh?! Were you stung?!
Sensui?!
No, I only got hit by its fist, so I think I'm okay.
Sensui-kun, do you hear the sound of dripping water?
No?
Then you're fine.
That's something else we've learned from our research.
Those who are infected by the Gibia Virus
constantly hear the sound of water before they express symptoms.
The sound of water?
That's right. Deep within your ears.
Do you hear it, Sensui?!
No, I'm fine.
I don't hear any water.
Thank goodness.
Also, getting stung doesn't necessarily mean you've been infected.
Once a Gibia has used their stinger,
the venom won't build up again for roughly 24 hours.
You should remember that for future's sake.
Hey, so what you were just saying...
You mean sometimes you'll still be okay
even if the Gibia stings you with its stinger?
It's not that simple, though.
They're driven by a strong impulse to spread,
so even if they sting you and fail to inject any venom,
they'll just grow stubborn and keep stinging you.
Until you die.
What the hell?
Then, the only options are to die or become a Gibia and live?
That's why we're researching a cure right now,
a drug to turn Gibia back into humans.
A desire to spread...
An urge to turn people into monsters...
It's so bright.
There're so many torches.
The Gibia dislike the light.
So, when night falls, we turn on the camp's lights.
Doctor, here.
Good.
"Beyond the Vortex"