Original subtitles

SUBTITLES BY TEDDY IN JAPAN (GIGORAN)

At the end of the Shōwa Genroku era, the rapid economic growth of this nation began to wane

The storm of upheaval sparked by student movements subsided

In the near future, the nation would drift into an empty era of reactionary and extravagant bubble economy

An era characterized by fleeting illusions

1973

A mysterious existence emerged, akin to the “cocoon” of a new human species

Just a cardboard box? Just trash?

A pathetic dropout of life...

Well, think what you like

Feel free to scorn me

But the truth is the opposite

You are the ones being scorned

I can see right through everything

The fabricated box you believe in

You are the ones inside it

I have discarded all the fake

And obtained the real in its place

And then I see

Your true forms

And the hidden true form of the world

BOX MAN

With this box, the world will be completely reborn

I am the Box Man

I unilaterally watch you

Completely erasing my identity

Inside this box, I live without inconvenience

Even if you see me, you don’t notice me

You just pretend not to see

Even when I borrow what I need

You don’t pay it any mind

Which works perfectly for me

However, just as I once did

If someone becomes overly conscious of the Box Man...

They become the Box Man

And to have no identity

Whether living or dead, it makes no difference

The Box Man could be killed at any time without it being strange

He even takes on the role of one to be killed

As the king of this world

Those who become aware of the Box Man

become the Box Man themselves

What I had been seeking

Perfect isolation

Complete anonymity

And a darkroom and cave all to myself

This darkness and light form a new image of the world for me

Excuse me

It no longer matters where that guy is now, does it?

Right here now

Eye discharge keeps accumulating. Why is that?

Well, your illness must be worsening

You should treat it as soon as possible

This, here…

I want you to wipe it for me

You’ll stay here forever, wiping my eyes for me, won’t you?

If necessary, I can start right away

Ah, just a moment, just a moment

Ah… thank you, servant boy

Ah, my apologies. You were a doctor, weren’t you?

Fake, but still.

And yet, nowadays, those without licenses, the fakes,

are more real than the real ones like yourself.

This sensation is similar to her buttocks.

Oh, just one confirmation, though.

Please ensure that the will

is properly written by you.

My excessive worrying had gone beyond limits.

Eventually, I shut myself in my room.

I felt like starving myself or hanging myself to death.

But...

I thought it unbearable to die while deceiving the world.

So here, I leave behind the truth.

The true Box Man

must overcome every physical pain, every danger.

Itching, pain, these are still at a baby’s level.

Complaints like these are no more than the cries of an infant.

Yes, even the authorities who enforce public order.

hire specialized assassins.

My archenemy, the Wappen Beggar.

Is this love and hatred? Or just a game?

This is serious. I was too soft!

Who is the sniper?

Someone infected by the Box Man,

someone who grew to hate the Box Man, was it the former me?

If so, then enduring the pain in his heart is actually his burden.

There’s a hospital nearby.

Are those legs the loyal underlings of the executioner?

Or are they the hands of an angel reaching out to save me?

Such a naïve thought.

However,

it is worth following the invitation.

I’ll take off your jacket.

Give me a hand here.

Let’s lift him a bit. - Sure.

Excuse me.

The pranks these days are awful, aren’t they?

Have you contacted the police?

No.

Well, that might be the wiser choice.

You can’t guarantee they won’t hold a grudge.

Anyway, I’ll make sure I can issue a medical report immediately.

And, this part is starting to fester, so let’s treat it right away.

This is a local anesthetic.

Lay him down.

Excuse me.

This will sting a bit.

Those who become aware of the Box Man

become the Box Man.

Everything...

is absurd.

Time just keeps passing.

It’s him!

This is a record about the Box Man.

I am now writing this record from inside the box...

Day by day, I became increasingly unable

to escape from his existence.

Those who become aware of the Box Man

become the Box Man.

Please stay lying down.

What is your job?

I don’t usually ask things like this.

Photography.

I thought you were a writer or something.

You were mumbling in your sleep, like you were narrating a novel.

Were you taking photos? Even when you were shot?

Scenery.

People?

You don’t photograph people?

Yeah.

Could the culprit for your injury be a homeless man wearing a box?

Haven’t you heard?

Apparently, they’ve been appearing lately.

I know.

Photographers are voyeurs, so they know most things.

They say he’s aggressive.

He wasn’t wearing a box.

But...

Maybe the Box Man is

a photographer I know.

He only takes pictures of the unseen sides of the city.

A voyeur? The Box Man?

They say he peers in like he’s carving with a knife.

Even the clothes you’re wearing, he’d strip them away.

I think I’d be fine with that.

I’ve been a model for quite some time.

Though as a model, it was for nude drawings and...

photos for that purpose.

At first,

my whole body’s skin would prickle, so tense it almost made noise.

But at some point, the opposite happened.

I could feel the heartbeat, the emotions of those watching.

It became fulfilling.

There were also many men who approached me.

I was curious about everything,

to the point of having a child without knowing its father.

I was absolutely determined to give birth.

But my body...

I see.

And your mind was starting to break too.

I recovered thanks to that doctor.

And in return, he’s holding something over you?

Being useful feels good, doesn’t it?

I quite like my job as a nurse.

Modeling is a tough job too.

Just between us...

I don’t actually have any qualifications.

I’m a fake.

I have a favor to ask about the Box Man.

If it’s something I can do.

I want that box.

Could you tell the Box Man that I want to buy his box?

Take care.

Help me... won’t you?

I think it went well.

Thank you.

So, next...

Which one do you prefer?

This one, I think.

Sorry, I forgot something.

It’ll be done soon, trust me.

Yoko-san.

Yoko-san.

This way.

Sweat...

Yoko-san.

Come closer.

It’s circling.

Will it rain?

No need to worry.

Isn’t this all just something happening in your imagination?

The identity of the assassin is that doctor.

But is she a servant of the doctor?

Or...

is she truly seeking salvation from me?

Yes.

Yes.

If you’re going to call, please calm down first.

I am calm.

You should experience more of what it feels like to be the Box Man.

No, no, that’s not necessary for me.

Yoko-san.

How about having him peek from inside the box

and continuing from there?

No, no, I said it’s not necessary.

I want him to look.

No, no, that’s not my thing.

I am not like you.

So, how long do I have to wait?

I’m ready now.

That’s still far from the real thing.

I’ll take care of the real box.

Do you really have the resolve to get rid of it?

What about your resolve?

I’m happy.

Everything has been taken care of for me.

Even death, you know.

Until then, everything will go according to plan.

Um... what should we do? Shall we proceed?

Or shall we just put an end to it?

Soon, you too will become the real thing.

Hang in there.

Sorry about this. It’ll be over soon.

Once it’s over... what should I do?

What do you mean? Once that guy’s gone, that’s it.

Why?

Ever since you got involved with the Box Man, you’ve changed.

What?

The notebook, huh.

What? - No, that guy takes the notebook so seriously...

Are you going to wear the box too, Doctor?

Well, if it’s for the sake of a perfect crime, it might be necessary.

I don’t get it. Not at all.

Why did she say she wanted this box?

It clearly smells like a trap.

Did I go along with it because there was no reason to doubt her?

Was it because it was her?

The promised place is here.

Of course,

I’m betting on her showing up here herself as promised.

But...

If the doctor tries to target me again...

Leave this notebook and the negatives as evidence.

They’ll prove that the Box Man murder case’s perpetrator is him.

I trust you.

I don’t need a receipt.

I leave the disposal of the box to you.

By morning,

make sure to completely dispose of the box.

Don’t you think you’re underestimating this box?

You’re just being manipulated by that doctor, right?

Are you trapped in that hospital?

Aren’t you the one who’s truly trapped?

That... it’s just a cardboard box, right?

No!

This is an exit to another world.

Maybe you’ll come with me...

You’ll accept the money.

Then you’ll keep your part of the deal and dispose of the box.

Don’t think too much about it.

Is that your true intention?

Do you know where the truth lies?

Won’t you... help me?

But because he was wearing the box,

I couldn’t see his face, and it was scarier than usual.

Well, I’m just recreating it.

You don’t need to be scared.

Then, take it off.

Before that, is it okay if I ask something?

No, no, there’s no time for that.

No, I’m the one who said it.

Ah, I see.

He gave me a beer.

Thank you.

So, you drank like that?

Yes, naked.

How much was it again?

I’m talking about the lighting.

Something like this?

Ah, completely pitch dark.

That’s a lie.

Because he wanted to be seen, didn’t he?

You’re fixated on that.

It’s just like me… I won’t forgive it!

This experiment requires accuracy, you know.

Suddenly, he started eating this cactus.

That’s not a cactus.

It’s a Euphorbia ingens I brought back from Kenya.

If you want to recreate it accurately, then eat it.

He was made to wear various outfits,

and his eyes looked like he was on some sort of treasure hunt.

It started to get more and more suspicious.

Maybe the cactus was starting to have an effect.

Euphorbia doesn’t have that kind of effect.

It’s just a laxative.

That’s the only research result he found.

Laxative?

A laxative.

A laxative? - Yeah.

That person took laxatives and even did enemas?

Enemas? - Yeah.

I wonder how he never got tired of it, doing enemas again and again.

And then he’d ask me if it had grown.

I’d say something like, “About 80%,”

and he’d get angry, saying “That can’t be right.”

He’d say, “I know my own better.”

But wait. The room was pitch dark, right?

At that time, he asked me to turn on the light.

No, no, wait a second.

You can’t leave out details like that.

So, what actually happened? What was his…?

What?

I don’t remember.

He told me to get closer because it seemed like I was making him erect with my scent.

Is this okay? - More.

This much? - More.

More. - This much?

That’s enough.

And then?

He told me to get on all fours.

When he looked from behind, he said it was unbearable.

Did you actually do it?

When I thought he was watching me, I felt my strength drain.

Blood rushed from my bottom, and I lost all feeling.

I felt like I had turned into stone.

And what about the enema?

He kept saying, "More, more,"

but in the end, it didn’t get any bigger.

This experiment requires accuracy.

Of course, you’ll try it yourself, right?

You need to know, right? Not just with words.

Words alone are not enough!

Okay, I’ll insert it now.

Relax.

40 more.

20…

Just a little more.

Stay still.

Yes, it’s finished.

He was shaking like that too.

Are you really going to keep going?

What if you don't continue?

What should we do now?

I couldn’t see very well, though…

It seemed like he had already made a hole in the box beforehand.

Through the hole, he sniffed my body, like a dog sniffing.

Like this!

Yes.

It seemed like just looking wasn’t enough for him.

More.

More.

Better.

Keep it up.

That’s it, keep going.

More.

Better. Keep going.

More.

Doctor?

What’s wrong?

Wearing the box, I became certain.

What matters is not looking, but the notebook.

The notebook…

The act of writing it down.

That’s what turns him into the Box Man.

Ah… so that’s why.

Before he disposes of the box and the notebook, we need to do something.

I continue to think about why she is being manipulated by the doctor.

That kind of act doesn’t suit her.

If the box were a tunnel,

she would be the light shining through the tunnel’s exit.

The light that helps the Box Man shed his box?

I don’t want you to just laugh or get angry.

What’s important is that

you are the one laughing or getting angry.

That’s what matters.

So, in the end, who are you?

Who the Box Man is

that’s the most ridiculous question in the world.

True enough

But there's a big difference between looking and putting on the box

A box man who can live in one city is just one box

That’s the unspoken code of honor

You should understand that too

Actually, yesterday

I put on a box and spent the night in it

I thought it made sense

I understand why someone would want to become a box man

You’re prepared, right?

Of course

Could you please stop smoking?

It's bad for your skin

No, no, I’m not smoking

I’m not smoking either

There’s definitely the smell of cigarettes though

That doesn't matter

So what about you?

Who will you choose, me or this person?

If the doctor suddenly disappears, the patients will be in trouble

What a clever answer

Well, you see

I have a little compromise plan ready

What matters is

that it's you who’s laughing or getting angry.

It seems like you’ve grown quite attached to her

Hey, why don’t you take off your clothes and show him?

You don’t mind, do you?

For example, how about this...

It’s not like I'm saying it’s a price to remove the box

But I’d leave her up to you

You can use this house freely

I won’t interfere at all

Sorry, sorry, Just one thing...

I’d like you to give me the freedom to peek

Of course, you’d still wear the box

Once you get used to it It’s like a trash can, right?

Are you a slave to such a pervert?

If you don’t like it, shall we stop?

You're a wishy-washy man too

If you want to take pictures, you can take them

No, no, wouldn’t filming be better.

To go directly? Don’t you think so?

Right?

Come on, let’s stop pretending

Enjoy her without hesitation

She’s not following orders, you know

She is practical and clever.

That's why she can intuitively make the right choice.

I doesn't like to hurt others.

That's a bit off.

In the end, you could be the most cruel one if you wanted.

You're not bound by attachment.

Ah, wait a minute.

Hey!

I'm taking off for you, so take a good look.

You're a box man, right?

Look carefully.

Listen, basically,

mating and violence are instinctively the same thing.

All creatures have this territorial instinct that stimulates their aggressive instincts.

For humans, it's roughly the length of their outstretched arms.

If you cross that boundary, then it's either a fight or mating.

Either way, it leads to an intense physical encounter that can't be avoided.

In your case right now, you're just half a step away from her.

Take that half step, and everything will be as you wish.

What?

What, what, what!

Is that your answer?

It's a trap.

Unfortunately, I have proof.

You thought of getting rid of the box man because he was in the way, didn't you?

That's something a box man hopeful would think.

In fact, I did the same thing.

Hand it over!

Oh, go ahead.

The negatives are well hidden… very well hidden.

Guess there's no other way.

Stop rambling.

Just follow your instincts from the start.

In this town...

We don't need two box men!

Yoko, duck!

Damn it!

Damn it! Yoko-chan! Reload!

Doctor!

Ah, this one.

Damn it! Alright!

Ouch!

Damn it! - Take that!

Don’t mess with me!

You bastard!

Shit!

It hurts!

Don’t run away!

Imposter! Don’t run away!

Doctor!

Alright!

Where is he?

Damn it!

My eyes!

Die.

What are you doing right now, and where?

As you can see,

I’m fighting with you.

And I won.

Then, who is writing this notebook?

This is an event written in the notebook.

It would be strange if there was no writer.

That’s... me.

Then who are you, the one standing here now?

I see.

Finally, I’ve started to understand your true identity.

Both you and this pathetic hospital,

Even you, everything about this is just a story from my delusions.

That itself is proof that I am

the real box man.

Or maybe someone else is writing it.

Maybe me.

This is my story.

Or maybe someone is inventing and writing it.

I am the box man!

I am!

Stop it!

Who is this...?!

Who am I?!

It's okay.

Please stop.

I have no complaints about living here, as long as it’s with that person.

He's possessed by something.

This is bad.

This is a story that can’t be contained in a detective novel.

This is a perfect crime.

You see, what the public will know is this:

A madman who has become the anonymous box man outside the law

accidentally falls to his death in the sea. That’s all it is.

But even so, there’s no need for you to take action.

If he wants to die, let him do it on his own.

He wants euthanasia.

But that is already written in the notebook.

The thing is, at this point, his notebook is stronger.

So I need to rewrite it.

That way, euthanasia as a perfect crime will be achieved.

That person isn’t going to last much longer.

I can tell.

I smell death.

So please, don’t do anything dangerous.

It’s fine!

You know, I’m a better doctor than that real one.

There’s no way I’ll frame it as a drowning accident, right?

Moreover, there is evidence we have accumulated so far, between you and me.

And to top it off, we will stuff the alibi of the Box Man into this.

Okay, right?

Just watch a streaming movie, alright?

The next step is the scenario for the confession.

Just... hold on...

Wait...

Alright.

What I am about to say now is all the truth.

Regarding the body of the unusual death found on the beach,

I have some questions regarding the strange corpse washed up on the shore

Has any evidence been found?

It hasn’t been found yet.

Let me take a look.

Recently, there have been several eyewitness accounts

of a homeless person wandering the city wearing a box on their head.

It seems he accidentally fell into the sea.

The body has numerous abrasions

and seawater was detected in the lungs.

Other than the cardboard that was wrapped around the body,

the belongings were a thick notebook that appears to be a diary and a watch.

The autopsy reveals the time of death was approximately...

30 hours ago.

The deceased had long been at risk of suicide.

Suicide?

Ah, yes, we customarily refer to the person as "military doctor" in our hospital.

That is because, that person...

After retiring from the Self-Defense Forces, he took over his predecessor's private practice...

and was engaged in medical assistance in conflict zones.

The first time I met them was at a refugee camp in Dadaab, near the border of Somalia in Kenya..

and that's how I met him.

I understand.

However, you were practicing as a substitute doctor without a license.

Ah, well...

As you pointed out, I do not hold a medical license.

Regarding this matter, I humbly await the decision.

But I would like to speak about what happened regarding my relationship with the military doctor.

Please go ahead.

I supported the military doctor’s heavy workload with all my heart, as a nurse.

But unfortunately, the military doctor was struck by a strange disease.

While providing medical aid, he was also conducting research

to extract medicinal ingredients from an African-native plant.

In his obsession with this research, he continued using himself as a test subject,

and that is how he contracted this strange disease.

That was the cause of his condition.

But this strange illness, being an unknown disease,

there was no effective treatment for it, and the only remaining option was pain relief.

In other words, the only thing that could be done was the use of medical narcotics.

Certainly, drug components were detected in the bloodstream.

Yes.

From there, our fate changed.

I couldn't abandon the military doctor,

so I returned to the country with him to help ease his condition.

After that, I worked at the military doctor's private clinic, which had reopened,

but unfortunately, the condition didn't improve; it only worsened.

Eventually, his bizarre behavior due to the drugs became more noticeable.

So, you continued giving him narcotics?

Well, you see, if true friendship exists,

I understand the doubt that I should have focused on treating his addiction,

but the truth is, the drug the military doctor was taking

had an addiction rate close to zero.

In other words, taking the drug away from the military doctor

would have been nothing but encouraging his suicide.

I see.

However, that doesn't excuse your unlicensed medical practice.

I understand.

Actually, from the beginning, during the medical support period,

the military doctor secretly entrusted me with medical duties.

It was the strange illness and drugs.

You see, the military doctor wasn't in a condition to provide proper treatment.

But, well, fortunately or unfortunately,

I had enough medical skill to surpass the military doctor.

Well, because of this, since returning to the country,

I had the responsibility to protect the military doctor, and so I was

forced to continue the fake doctor role.

Of course, I know this doesn't excuse it.

But,

it was necessary to protect his life.

Understood.

However, the military doctor ended up passing away.

And he was wearing a cardboard box.

You didn't notice his recent wandering in the city?

Well, actually,

recently the military doctor's addiction symptoms had gotten worse.

There was a separate room in the clinic,

and he had been locking himself in there,

distancing himself from our daily lives.

Then, well,

both I and the staff were busy,

so we weren't fully aware of everything happening.

There seems to be something you're not telling us.

Hiding things won't do you any good.

No... no, no, no, it's just...

I would never degrade someone who chose death...

Please speak.

Well, actually...

I was threatened by the military doctor.

He repeatedly hinted at suicide just because he wanted the drugs.

He threatened to expose my illegal medical acts to the public.

And then, it wasn’t just the drugs...

He was already a strange,

but his deviant personality seemed to spiral out of control.

it's embarrasing to say...

He demanded that I offer up my own wife.

And even even made her perform enemas.

It wasn’t that I held a grudge against him.

Actually, I don’t hold any grudges.

It’s just that I’m completely at my wit's end.

On top of that, wandering around wearing a box...

Do you think I can stop that?

The preparations for the drowning have been made.

Just as you wished.

Finally...

What’s with that outfit?

Are you trying to play the inquisitor of the executioner?

You’re already dead, in fact.

You never intended to commit a normal suicide.

Who would care if someone erases you from existence?

If it’s the Box Man, he’s perfect for the job.

No.

I will die as the Box Man.

That is the ecstasy of this drama.

If I’m killed by the Box Man, it’s even more interesting.

How is Yoko?

Now you ask about her?

She wants a relationship with me.

I need to satisfy her insatiable curiosity.

Are you begging for your life?

Life and death don’t matter.

What matters is whether or not I can be intoxicated.

It’s okay, I’ll kill you perfectly.

It’s already written in the notebook.

You thought I couldn’t do it, didn’t you?

If you don’t let me kill you, I’ll prove I’m the fake.

You threatened to expose it to the public and toyed with us.

In the end, using the Box Man for assisted suicide, a perfect crime is impossible.

From the start, you were just...

How boring.

Do it as you decided.

Evidence wasn’t necessary.

If I kill you and become the Box Man, it will be a perfect crime.

Just as you said.

I will finally become the real thing.

Doctor.

Doctor!

I’m not a doctor.

Then what are you?

I’m the Box Man. The real one.

Why?

You’re free now.

And so am I.

Who are you?

Trying to pry into things, huh? That’s the furthest thing from a Box Man.

You were a fake Box Man.

If you want to become the real thing,

Why don’t you try searching for the answer from here?

I no longer need it.

This is the notebook I wrote.

Or maybe someone else wrote it.

What do you want?

There’s something I have left to do.

That guy...

He wrote something more like me than I did.

He became the real Box Man.

Won’t he come back, Doctor?

I...

Can’t I become the real thing?

Why don’t you take off that filthy thing already?

How long do you plan to keep this up?

Is there... something you could lend me to wear?

Since I’m naked.

You actually feel embarrassed?

Experience what it’s like to be watched.

Here.

How about this?

Come out.

She was indeed

the exit of the tunnel.

What is it that you haven’t finished?

The exit... The ending doesn’t matter.

Why the ending?

That’s right!

What if we lock the entire world inside a box?

It starts from the end.

Indeed, just now, a hot wind blew.

Because it’s summer.

This hot wind that begins from the end.

If you wear a box, do you become a poet?

Do you want to be locked up here?

It’s so quiet.

It feels good.

In here,

there’s nothing to see or be seen.

Will the difference between you and me disappear?

Time stops.

Does eternity come?

The smell of your hair.

Your round, round little bottom.

What’s ahead of us?

I don’t know.

A shell locked up, a cocoon that’s hardened.

But inside that shell,

everything melts

and becomes one.

It will be reborn in another form.

To fly, to become a butterfly?

I’m not wrong.

I might have failed, but I have no regrets.

The sound of her closing the door

was filled with deep pity and compassion.

That sound wasn’t the sound of her leaving.

She didn’t escape into the outside world,

she entered the deeper world inside the box.

Speaking of boxes,

the more you struggle, the more mazes you create inside.

it’s like a world of a black hole with no exit.

She’s just lost somewhere in there.

Continuing to peek into this world,

imagining this world,

building this world,

what controls it is...

In this illusion, everyone was fake.

They were just products of imagination.

And the real box man

was always peeking in, enjoying it all by himself,

feeling joy and despair.

Yes.

The box man,

that is,

you.