Sukiyaki Western Django - Plot

Plot

A lone gunman travels to the town of Yuta, which is run by the warring clans of the white-colored Genji and red-colored Heike. After ignoring requests from both clans to join them, he is given shelter by a woman named Ruriko, who takes care of her mute grandson Heihachi. Ruriko tells the gunman that many years ago, the town prospered in gold mining until both clans fought over the gold and drove away the population. The Heike-aligned sheriff tells the gunman that in the midst of the chaos, a Heike man named Akira married a Genji woman named Shizuka and lived peacefully with their son Heihachi, until Heike leader Kiyomori murdered Akira in cold blood, rendering Heihachi mute from the trauma. Seeking protection for her son, Shizuka became a prostitute for the Genji. Since then, Heihachi has been tending to a trio of red and white roses, waiting for the day they bloom.

Later that day, the gunman wins a challenge from the Genji henchman Yoichi to have Shizuka for the night. Before he proceeds with her, he is told by Genji leader Yoshitsune that he is reminiscent of the legendary female gunslinger Bloody Benten. Later, Shizuka warns the gunslinger that Yoshitsune sent some men to retrieve a new weapon for Yoichi to use on him. The gunslinger tells Shizuka to take her son and leave town tomorrow. The next morning, following a tip-off from Shizuka, the sheriff informs Kiyomori of the Genjis' plans. The Heikes ambush the wagon, with Kiyomori acquiring a Gatling gun stored inside a coffin. Meanwhile, as the Genjis race toward the wagon raid, Ruriko, Shizuka and Heihachi are fleeing from town when Shizuka runs back to save the roses. She is mortally shot through the heart by Yoichi. The gunman attempts to intervene, but is forced to drop his guns before being tortured by the Genji thug. Ruriko's servant Toshio suddenly appears and throws a gun at her before she guns down Yoichi and his henchmen - thus revealing herself to be Bloody Benten. In retaliation for the wagon raid, the Genjis blow up the Heikes' fortress.

While the native doctor Piripero tends to the gunman's wounds, Ruriko has Toshio retrieve some guns from the elderly Piringo, who reveals to him that he trained her to be a gunslinger and Akira was their son. Ruriko plans to settle the score with the Genjis once and for all by planting a chest loaded with gold nuggets in the middle of town as bait. The Genjis take the bait and are gunned down by the gunslinger and Ruriko while the surviving Heikes make their way back to town. Ruriko takes down the Heikes and Kiyomori, avenging her son's death, but is fatally shot by the sheriff, who in turn is shot down by a mortally wounded Toshio and impaled with a tombstone cross by Piripero. The gunman and Yoshitsune square off in a final showdown, with the Genji leader deflecting the gunman's bullets with his katana. But when Yoshitsune slices the gunman's revolver, the gunman reveals a Derringer under his left sleeve before delivering the killing blow.

After burying their loved ones, the gunman takes a fistful of gold from the treasure chest, telling Heihachi that the rest is his. As he rides off through the snow, Heihachi looks at the roses and slowly utters, "Love". The ending text reveals that a few years later, Heihachi travels to Italy and becomes the gunslinger known as "Django". No one knows if the roses have bloomed.