In the serene Japanese countryside, Anju and Zushioumaru lead a calm life with their kind father, who oversees the imperial hunting grounds and teaches them to honor nature and its animals. Their tranquil existence is disrupted when the local lord falsely accuses their father of arson, compelling the family to escape to Kyoto to appeal to the emperor. During the journey, Anju and Zushioumaru are deceived into boarding the wrong ship and become separated from their mother, ending up as slaves. They endure grueling labor and the constant menace of torture from their harsh master. But Saburou, the master's son, extends compassion to them. Despite their brutal conditions and perpetual dread of punishment, the siblings maintain hope and seek to reclaim the joy they once shared.
