Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

- Season 1

(2007)

Balsa, a short-spear warrior, takes jobs as a bodyguard. On her way into the city to repair her spear, she rescues a member of the royal family and finds herself meeting the mother of the boy she saved.

Balsa has accepted the job to protect Chagum. Her friends help her procure supplies before leaving the city. But its not going to be easy, with a squad of the emperor's secret hunters on their tail.

Balsa, mortally wounded during a battle with the Hunters, relies on Chagum to save them both.

As Balsa recovers from her injuries under the care of her childhood friend Tanda, a strange letter is sent to those in the Star Palace.

Torogai reveals that Chagum is carrying the egg of the water spirit, chosen to be its guardian. Balsa knows that the Emperor will never openly search for the prince, so she comes up with a plan to throw the Emperor off her trail.

Balsa and Chagum, now with his hair cut off, set off and head toward the mountains. Unable to pinpoint the location of the bodyguard and the prince, all of the Emperor's hunters split into separate areas.

Balsa, Chagum, and Tanda settle into their new lives together, and Chagum begins to think more independently after learning how the world works.

Balsa and Chagum visit a great swordsmith to get a new blade for Balsa's spear. The swordsmith agrees to forge her a new blade once he is convinced that she did not kill the prince.

Shuga confronts the first prince regarding his thoughtless actions, but the encounter reaffirms his opinions as well as his resolve to do more.

Balsa asks Toya to get Chagum more in tune with life in the city, but she gets more than she gambled for at the end of the day.

Saya falls into a coma after promising to accept an arranged marriage. To return her spirit to her body, Tanda attempts a forbidden ritual.

When Chagum challenges a boy from another village to a wrestling match, Balsa is forced to reveal her skills in a fight with the boy's father.

Balsa gets challenged to a duel via letter by a former rival named Karbo, but she declines when she meets with him. Karbo hires a stone shooter named Gyopsal to target a traveling couple, named Tandor and Sena, in order to draw out her anger.

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.

While Chagum goes out to look for some yamabime, split-opened purple fruit, in the mountains, Torogai tells Balsa and Tanda that Chagum is destined to die and that the egg of the water spirit will hatch during the Spring Equinox.

Hibitonan sends Mon and Zen to prevent Shuga from going down into the canyon, since that is where Chagum and Balsa were said to be killed. Shuga then learns that Sagum has finally died from overwork and grief.

Shuga locates Chagum and Balsa in the city. The watermill is found by the emperor's hunters and they lay a trap. Toya sets fire to the watermill to warn Balsa. Seeing the fire, Balsa and Chagum set off to the Inishie Village.

Chagum, Balsa, Tanda, and Torogai travel to Tomi Village in the hope of learning the ancient story of the water spirit.

Chagum runs away with Nimka early in the morning in an attempt to return to the palace and to avoid being killed by the Egg Eater. Determined to keep Chagum safe, Balsa goes after him in the mountains.

Torogai explains to Shuga that the prince will be inevitably killed by the Egg Eater once the egg of the water spirit hatches. He agrees to return to the court and decipher the remainder of the ancient stone scrolls.

Balsa tells Chagum the story of how she met Jiguro Musa twenty-four years ago. Karna Yansa, her father, was ordered to poison the king of Kanbal by Logsam, the king's younger brother, in which failing to comply would have Balsa killed.

Balsa witnesses as Jiguro takes out each hunter one by one. From that day on, Balsa swore an oath to save the same number of lives that Jiguro had taken away for her protection.

Later, spring has arrived and Chagum has grown both physically and mentally, being given new clothes and his own sword. Chagum, Balsa, Tanda, and Torogai embark on a journey to Aoike Pond, later reuniting with Shuga and the hunters.

Balsa and Tanda, along with the hunters, are unable to catch up to Chagum, since the egg of the water spirit is controlling the way he moves.

Tanda gives Balsa, along with the hunters, some sig saluas to pursue the Egg Eater and save Chagum. As Chagum finally makes it to Sanaan, Balsa and the hunters locate him.

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. After Balsa, Tanda and Shaman Torogai were awarded by the Emperor for protecting Chagum, they resume their journey back home but were led to meet Chagum for the last time with the help of Mon and Jin as Chagum ordered them to. Chagum meets with her and wants them to run away, but Balsa's words give him the courage to stay. Tanda is seen at Toya and Saya's errand shop while Shaman Torogai is staying at Tanda's ...