Manga Synopsis:
Vol.01 parts:
[01] [02] [03] [04] [05] [06] [07]
Vol.02 parts:
[08] [09] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
Vol.03 parts:
[15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]
Vol.04 parts:
[22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28]
Vol.05 parts:
[29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35]
Vol.06(?) parts:
[36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42]
Vol.07(?) parts:
[43] [44] [45] [46] [47]

Tsuki no Shippo:
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UEDA Rinko manga page:
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Note: B/w scans are from the magazine, where the print is in low quality paper and different ink colors so it sometimes scans pretty bad and leaves lots of noise in the picture. The tankoubon quality is, of course, much better (perfect, that is).

Chapter 1 (Aug'2002) [ vol.01 ]
v.1.1 Lady Usagi is a young mess of a happy, carefree girl, and one of the girls of the little village worries about her... After all, she tells her, she is already 15... what will she do next? Usa sweats and just tells her that it's ok and good luck with her first job! Next Usa and her little friend Mamezou catch up with some local farms. She really would like a job. They tell her that it's her, so it's ok if she doesn't do anything... But Usa says she really wants to work! (So they give her a sickle...) Usa is not exactly happy, and thinks aloud (while poor Mamezou does try to work) that she wants to do something different. After she almost kills her own grandfather by mistake, village chief Omomochi, he takes her home for a long talk. Because there is a job she can do... marry Lord Hattori Hanzou and bear him a child! A child? No way!! Usagi tries to escape the room, but her grandfather stops her with really serious talk this time. He is worried because when he dies, she will have no one. Still, Usagi says she can't just go to a man she doesn't know of anything. But he tells her that Hanzou is a really handsome man... No need for much more, and Usa and Mamezou are on their way! Before leaving, her grandfather gives her a folded letter, but tells her not to read unless she is in real need. Of course she tries to read it right away, but her grandfather catches her. (^^; ) As they walk, Usa wonders how her new (handsome) husband will be. Mamezou wants to know how one makes a child, but Usa says it's better if he doesn't learn anymore (specially since she isn't very sure herself!). After a while, Usa is too tired to continue and wants to rest. She tricks poor Mamezou into looking at something that turns out to be a dog, and he jumps up to a tree in terror. Usa laughs at him and tells him it's just a nice d... The dog suddenly turns into an attacker, to Usa's shock, and she tries to run away but falls to the floor. Before the dog does anything, a voice stops him, and a handsome man appears to save the day and apologize for his dog. Usa is taken by this handsome man. He takes her in his arms and carries her to a nearby river, where he cleans and dresses the wounds in her knees (from the fall). It turns out he knows about her grandfather, but when she tells him she is his granddaughter and that they are on her first job, he touches her lips with his fingers and tells her it's better if they don't talk about this. Usa's heart goes wild at the contact and she wonders, since Hanzou is supposed to be so handsome, is this man... "Lord Hanzou?" The man seems surprised for a second, but then says he is not. Poor Usa! Hanzou exchanges Mamezou's katana for a short knife, which will serve him better, and then leaves them by jumping from rock to rock, after wishing her good luck with her first job. Usa and Mamezou really impressed at his ability! Usa is thinks happily that even if Hanzou is more handsome that this man, she would be happy with "just" him! A group of men interrupt her and asks if she is Usagi, from Momochi. She nods and they tell her they came to take her to Hanzou's. However, Usa happily says that she has decided to quit her "job" because since she can like another man, she won't turn into Hanzou's bride! Well, the men ain't having it! (^^;;;; ) They take Usa to the house and everybody seems in an incredible hurry to get them married! Right after they throw her into her seat and they all line up, Hanzou appears and everybody bows and gives their congratulations! As it happens, Hanzou and the mysterious man are one and the same. And he seems as surprised as Usa about all this! Usa changes her mind about the marriage right away, as he recognizes her. But as she is happily introducing herself formally, he cuts in and tells her to go home. Usa doesn't know what to do, and Hanzou tells the old man he came with that he already told him he doesn't want a marriage. He then turns to Usa and says he won't become a married couple with someone like her, and walks away. Usa is not finished, though! She stands up and yells that she came to bear Hanzou's child. "My child?" "That is my duty!!" "I decline." Hanzou then attempts to walk away again, as all the men in the room look worriedly at his back. Usa is depressed at the conviction he put in his words, but Mamezou reminds her of her granddad's letter... She opens it and starts to read: "Instructions for the Capture of Hattori Hanzou. Part 1..." Sara suddenly jumps up and runs towards Hanzou calling his name. As he turns around, she jumps to him and takes his face in her hands while the other men gasp in anticipation! ("...get Hanzou's mouth.") Unfortunately... Usa can't really make herself do it! (^^) Hanzou smiles sweetly as he pulls her hands away and tells her to take care while she returns home. But Usa is just drooling at him and says she is not returning. Hanzou tries to tell her again, but Usa suddenly smiles at him and asks if he remembers what he told her about her first job? Well, she isn't returning home until she bears Hanzou's child!
Chapter 2 (Aug'2002) [ vol.01 ]
v.1.1 "I won't return home until I have Hanzou's child!!" The men happily cheer Usagi's words as she smiles at Hanzou, but he coldly tells her to go manage the feat by herself. (^^;;; ) Poor Usagi wonders if he is like that because she hasn't been initiated in the ninja arts? The men yell in surprise and look at each other very worried. The fact that Usagi is not versed in ninja techniques is a big problem! Usagi looks at them with a blank expression. And next day, she is in the training camp with the other boys, ready to learn ninja arts! (Poor teacher...) First thing is learning to throw the metal star accurately, but even though Usagi tries very hard, her aim is really bad... Usagi doesn't do all that well at walking over water either (using round wood planks under her feet) so... Usagi is now part of the happy kindergarten level of ninja arts school! (Mamezou is impressed that the kids are even younger than him...) Usagi's first mission is to walk over a single rope tied between two trees. Although the other kids seem to be able to manage even that, Usagi falls all the time. (Well, after all she is a real beginner... ^^; ) Hanzou and the old man happen to walk by, and the man notices how hard Usagi is trying. He comments on how she doesn't give up, but after a glance, Hanzou just walks away. Later that day, after it's become dark, Usagi is still trying to cross the rope bridge and even her feet have started to bleed. Mamezou tries to convince her to give up for the day, but Usagi wants to keep going on, so he gives her some special medicine. Long after Mamezou has fallen asleep, Usagi is still at it. Hanzou appears and tells her to stop it for the day, surprising Usagi and making her fall to the floor! However Hanzou gets her in time. Usagi asks him how she can get to be his bride, but he says that he is prefers to be alone. Usagi is sad at his words, but then turns to him and says that he is a weird person because it's much more fun when there are two persons than when there is only one, so she is not returning home! Hanzou gets mad at her words and yells back at her that she is the weird one! Usagi looks at him walking off and thinks that one can't achieve happiness by being alone, and she wants to reach happiness together with Hanzou. The following day, Usagi (with bandaged feet) manages to walk over the rope with some effort, to the cheers of the other kids and the instructor! (^^) Usagi sends Mamezou for Hanzou, because she wants him to see how far she has managed to go. Unfortunately, someone appears out of the nowhere and jumps on the rope, then jumping gracefully over to the floor while Usagi falls on her back. All the kids are impressed with the newcomer, who turns out to be a really pretty girl! The girl introduces herself as Yuuri, and to Usagi's horror, she says she has come here to give Hanzou a child! The instructor and other men seem to know this Yuuri girl very well, and they all look very happy to see her. They say that she is in level 7 of ninja arts and is pretty much perfect (beautiful, etc, etc...). Usagi goes to the old man and asks him why he called someone else when she was already here, but the man ignores her and goes to talk to Yuuri. She even brought a dowry/present with her! A young man appears with a carriage full of rice and sake. Poor Usagi realizes her mistake in not brining a present as well, and while the men talk to Yuuri, she runs off with Mamezou. Usagi first tries to catch a bear... unsuccessfully. Then they try with a deer... very unsuccessfully. Finally the attempt to fish something... and Usagi almost drowns in the river! (^^;; ) Back at Hanzou's residence, he seems happy to see Yuuri and comments on how pretty she has grown. As she starts to explain her reasons for being there, Usagi interrupts by storming into the room covered with dirt and holding a little wild pig in her hands! A present for Hanzou so they can eat it! (As Mamezou cries in horror...) Hanzou coldly tells her that he doesn't eat meat, and Yuuri is surprised Usagi didn't even know that. She tells Usagi that she and Hanzou were having a very important talk and asks her to leave (Usagi is blinded by the beauty and niceness rays emanating from Yuuri... ). However, Hanzou gives Yuuri the cold treatment as well, and leaves the room after telling her to return home! Usagi is really happy, but Yuuri shouts at her to shut up and shakes the poor old man demanding to know what the hell is happening here and what's the problem with her persona. Usagi tries to appease her, but Yuuri is in full vindictive mode and even more when she learns Usagi is also Hanzou's bride. Usagi finally relents the poor little piggy to Mamezou, and Yuuri uses the opportunity to sneak behind her and... measure her breasts. She is shocked that Usagi is really a woman! With that short hair! Usagi explains that she had to cut it off because her long hair once caught fire. Yuuri tells Usagi to go away because someone like her is definitely not becoming Hanzou's wife. Mamezou starts to hit Yuuri's leg for saying those things to Usagi, but she just kicks him to the side. Usagi gets really mad and goes to poor Mamezou and tells Yuuri that he is a good protector even if he is so little. Yuuri laughs at this and calls her servant (the man with the carriage) and proposes they fight and see who is best. Usagi screams at her and Yuuri laughs again and walks away. Usagi returns to ninja practice while Yuuri looks at her bored. Usagi finally manages to touch the tree on the other side of the rope and to her happiness, Hanzou has seen her and smiles commenting on her good work! Usagi is very happy and tries to show off, but of course she falls... straight into his arms, making Yuuri get mad. Hanzou tells her to be careful and Usagi manages to make him agree to let her stay until she learns the ninja arts... but if after a year she hasn't managed to learn a lot, she is out anyway. Usagi smiles and thinks that even that much is okay, since she will be with him, and maybe he will start to feel something for her! They return to the house for lunch, and both Usagi and Mamezou gobble down their rice like little kids. Usagi tells Hanzou that the next she will try walking over water, and Hanzou resignedly admonishes her not to talk while she has food in her mouth. Usagi happily gulps down her mouthfull as Yuuri looks and thinks she is really stupid. But suddenly, Usagi seems to have a problem. She falls to the side, obviously very sick, while grabbing her throat and covering her open mouth!

Next Chapter...

All images © Ueda Rinko, Shueisha (except backgrounds).