Doson



Doson 'Onmyoji' aka 'The Ying Yang Master'

150 years earlier, Prince Sawara had cursed the Kingdom of Emperor Kanmu after he had been falsely blamed for something he did not do. A statue and the sword of General Sukinoue no Tamura Maro was entombed in a mound to calm the Prince's spirit, and a spell cast. Lady Aone, who loved Prince Sawara, and others are made immortal by eating the flesh of a merman in order to placate the soul of Sawara. Now we are in a dark age of demons and ghosts in the Heian period (794-1185 AD), the Emperor relies upon the imperial order of the Onmyoji, who are the experts of the supernatural power, to protect the kingdom. However, as the birth of the Emperor's heir approaches, political intrigue and jealousy will lead to the most dangerous of betrayals - from within the Onmyoji and the Emperor's family! It will be up to the most talented of the order, Seimei (Mansai Nomura), to face his master, Doson (Hiroyuki Sanada), and the dark magic that threatens to destroy them all!

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	The Onmyoji, led by Master Doson, hold a meeting in the presence of the Mikado and his aids. The business of the day is discussed.
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Having failed to attend the meeting, the Onmyoji challenge Abe no Seimei to perform a trick to show them his supposed great skills. Seimei places a spell on a leaf, sending it through the air to slice a butterfly in two, shocking his teasers. Doson gives a knowing smile as he watches the proceedings. The butterfly is later resurrected as Mitsumushi, an immortal woman.
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	Doson prepares a spell that will help him to achieve his ambitious goals.
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Lady Toko gives birth to the Mikado's son and heir; Doson congratulates him, but the look on his face shows that he is less than pleased.
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	Doson is not the only one to resent the birth of Prince Atsuhiro; with the new baby's birth, Lord Motokata's grandson has been replaced as the heir.
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Doson stands in the pouring rain and tells the ambitious Lord Motokata that something could be done to rectify the situation.
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	Doson conjures up a death curse to possess the new baby.
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With the spell in place, Doson speaks to his beloved 'familiar', a demonic bird that brings his master information.
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	Seimei is summoned to help the baby. He turns up with Lord Hiromasa, junior aid to the Mikado, and the Lady Aone, an immortal. He works to remove the curse. Meanwhile, Doson continues to utter his counter spell to keep the baby possessed. Eventually the possession is transferred to the Lady Aone's body, saving the baby. Seimei later rids Aone of the spell.
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Seimei and the Lady Aone are arrested by Lord Motokata, but the Mikado's aid release them. Doson is furious and puts a spell on a guard to try to kill them. The guard fails and is killed. Doson realizes that Seimei will be a problem for him.
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	Doson reprimands Lord Motokata for being too impulsive in arresting Seimei. He tells him that he will kill Prince Atsuhiro and Seimei.
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In his den, Doson performs a ritual to curse the Mikado for eternity, and offers his own body as a vessel for the vengeful spirit of Prince Sawara.
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	Seimei is summoned again when the Mikado and his son are in danger from Sukehime, Lord Motokata's daughter who has been turned by Doson into a Namanari, a living woman who can turn into a demon. Seimei rids the woman of the possession and sends it back to Doson with an arrow. The arrow strikes the bird, which bursts into flames and explodes.
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As his den burns around him, Doson, in a fury at the death of his familiar, vows vengeance, and once again curses Seimei and the Mikado and his family. Lord Motokata commits suicide and leaves a note blaming Doson for everything.
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	Doson emerges bedraggled and singed from his den, but more determined than ever to offer his bones in order to curse the Mikado and his line for eternity by raising the spirit of Prince Sawara.
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Facing the statue of the General Shogun, he strikes at it with his sword, in order to break its spell over Prince Sawara.
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	The sword has no effect on the statue, and Doson falls to the ground with the impact. Grinning he realizes that it will not be that easy.
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Doson slices his hand on the sword, drawing his own blood over the blade that he hopes will break the spell.
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	This time when Doson strikes the statue, it shatters. An earthquake hits the cave, and Doson runs for the open air, looking even more bedraggled, and laughing hysterically at his success.
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Doson utters his spell to Prince Sawara and again offers himself as a vessel to the Prince's spirit. He looks up to the skies in awe as he implores the forces of nature.
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	Doson shouts out his words to Prince Sawara, feeling that he is close to the accomplishment of his ambitions.
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As the Prince's spirit courses through his body, Doson feels invincible. He is now ready to take on the city and to destroy the Mikado and his family, and also Seimei.
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	Still laughing with delight, Doson summons the spirits of the evil dead, to aid in his plan to take over and rule the city of Heian Kyo and to be rid of the Mikado and Seimei.
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As the storm clouds sweep over the skies, Doson stands on the rooftop of the Mikado's palace, surveying the damage that the raised spirits are causing when they possess the bodies of some of the soldiers and guards. He curses the city.
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	When Hiromasa challenges Doson inside the Mikado's palace, the Onmyoji master, smiles confidently... amused by the lack of confidence in the eyes of the young Lord.
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Hiromasa thrusts his sword through Doson's body, but it has no effect. He simply lifts Hiromasa up and throws him across the room.
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	No, that isn't going to work! Doson pulls the sword from his body, smirking at Lord Hiromasa's astonishment.
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Hiromasa then tries an arrow with a spell provided by Seimei. The arrow sticks to Doson's forehead, but does not harm him.
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	Doson pushes the arrow into his head, then pulls it from his mouth.
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Doson smiles at Hiromasa and then holds the arrow and blows it towards his adversary. The arrow hits Hiromasa, and he lies dying on the floor.
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	With his power complete, Doson strides through the corridors of the palace, searching for the Mikado and his family.
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Lady Aone has told Seimei and Hiromasa that they are the guardians of the city, so if one dies the other's powers will wane. Hiromasa dies, but Aone offers her life to bring him back. Doson is met by Seimei and Mitsumushi, and is amazed to see Hiromasa still alive, and seemingly unhurt.
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	Doson is unable to move when Hiromasa rings the bells that Sawara gave to Aone 150 years before. Prince Awara appears and Lady Aone speaks to his spirit. She eventually manages to convince him to give up his vengeance and to go with her, so that they can spend eternity together.
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The force with which the spirit of Prince Sawara leaves Doson's body knocks him unconscious for a moment.
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	Sitting on the floor, dejected and disappointed at Prince Sawara's decision, Doson sees all his plans turning to failure.
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Doson smiles ruefully as the wound where Hiromasa's arrow hit him reappears on his forehead. He determines that he will fight on. If his time is up he will take Seimei with him.
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	"You are very annoying" Doson tells Seimei (and I have to agree with him too!). The Master Onmyoji pits his skills, strength and swordsmanship against the spells of Seimei.
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Seimei escapes to the open air. Doson follows him outside, and grins, confident that even without the spirit of Sawara inside him, he can still easily beat the young man.
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	Doson soon overpowers the weaker man, and holds his sword to Seimei's neck.
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Doson decides that he will kill Seimei in a fight, rather than slicing his neck there and then.
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	Doson is annoyed by Mitsumushi, who once again has turned into a butterfly in order to try to help Seimei. He slices through the butterfly with his sword.
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Annoyed by this, Seimei faces Doson, and moves around the courtyard, placing a spell on the ground.
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	Doson strikes at Seimei with his sword, then thrusts the sword into the wounded man's body as it lies on the ground, and kills him... or so it seems for a moment, but Seimei turns into a paper cut-out! The real Seimei standing safely out of harm's way.
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Meanwhile, Doson realizes that he has been tricked, and that his sword is stuck in the ground, held in place by the spell that Seimei has placed on the ground.
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	Looking around, Doson sees five images of Seimei working against him. Doson finds that he is trapped, and that his plans have come to nothing.
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Finally, Doson realizes that Seimei and Hiromasa are the guardians of the city, and that he has no further chance of winning. He should have killed Seimei when he has his sword at the younger Onmyoji's throat! He again curses Seimei.
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	Doson chooses suicide and runs his neck along the sharp blade of his sword.
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Doson lies dead on the floor of the courtyard, his sword still held in the ground by Seimei's spell. Perhaps his restless spirit will take the place of Prince Sawara's, wreaking vengeance and havoc on the city of Heian Kyo.
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