Original subtitles

I knew it. That dress looks best on you.

Don't you agree, Ichito?

Your mother looks beautiful in white.

She's been like this for several years now.

The chances of her regaining consciousness

are low, aren't they?

Yes.

As I explained earlier,

her brain was deprived of blood flow,

causing severe damage.

I'm afraid the chances are slim.

If anything comes up, please press the call button.

I should've…

come to see her sooner.

It's not your fault.

Professor Toyohara.

I never thought you'd come here.

I let my guard down.

Why are you here?

Your father and I were close friends in college.

We eventually drifted apart though.

I even changed your diapers when you were a baby.

After the incident,

I'd come to check on Sanae from time to time.

Why did you keep quiet all this time?

Because I knew you were avoiding your mother.

I thought having someone nearby who knew your past

would only hurt you.

All this time, I've been so hard on you.

I'm sorry.

I'd selfishly hoped

you'd leave the past behind and choose a path other than sex therapy.

It was as if

time had stopped.

My mother as I remembered her is still there…

in that room.

Sanae

doesn't remember the incident.

What?

It's likely a dissociative disorder.

Her time has been frozen

since before the incident.

Even when she was conscious,

she always talked about the day your voice changed,

or when you made her omurice for Mother's Day.

Professor.

Do you know…

why…

that incident happened?

I don't.

But…

I did catch glimpses of the pressure she was under.

Pressure?

Your father was a brilliant surgeon.

You could say he's an idealist to a fault.

Those ideals…

were also imposed on Sanae.

He appeared to be molding her

into a beautiful wife…

and the ideal mother.

Everything from

the clothes she wore

to her hairstyle.

I knew it. That dress looks best on you.

That pressure drove her to the brink.

She likely turned to an affair as a way to escape.

Your father couldn't forgive that.

His anger wasn't aimed at Sanae, who was like a doll,

but at the man…

who stole that doll from him.

My father

probably had a Pygmalion complex.

Pygmalion complex?

In the narrow sense,

it's an obsession with dolls.

But more broadly,

it's the desire to shape someone into your ideal and control them.

All this time,

I thought my mother was the one with a sexual problem.

But…

the one who had a problem

was my father.

CTN CENTRAL TELEVISION

These stairs have 40 steps going up, but only 39 coming down.

The mysterious stairway known as the "Ghost Stairs."

When you walk down them,

the last step is very slightly tilted.

The part where you say, "The last step is very slightly tilted,"

could you do it again with a slightly more reflective tone?

Ms. Ichinose?

Yes?

Are you okay? Need a break?

Sorry. I'm fine.

Morning, Ichinose.

Got a minute?

"Women Leading the Future" Week?

The higher-ups came up with the concept to modernize

the network's old-fashioned image.

They say it's going to be a weeklong, network-wide special.

And our show got roped into it too.

As you can see, nothing's really set in stone yet.

Can you and Mitarai brainstorm a few ideas?

Huh?

Are you sure?

Can I really do it?

Why else would I be asking you?

I'll leave it to you.

Oh, um…

Why me?

Well…

Someone said you'd be perfect for it.

I'm counting on you.

Oh? Long time no see.

Mr. Kazuma.

Hey.

Was it you who recommended me

for the project?

Huh?

"Women Leading the Future" Week.

Oh. You're part of it too, Ichinose?

Uh… Yes.

Good for you.

If you need anything, come talk to me anytime.

I really meant it when I asked you why you chose to work in sex therapy.

Was this career

a path you actually chose for yourself?

Doctor.

Do you have a minute?

It's a real mess over there.

Could you come over?

Sorry.

Look.

Whoa. What's going on here?

I thought I'd make some dried herbs

since we don't have any appointments right now.

Could you bundle these up? Three or four stems each.

Huh? Uh, sure.

As for you, Saikawa…

What?

Here.

Huh?

They smell nice.

They do.

Herbs retain their fragrance even after they've been cut.

A bug!

Fresh herbs have a refreshing, youthful scent.

Once dried, their scent becomes more mellow and concentrated.

-Whoa! A bug! -You're so loud!

Keep it down a little, will you?

Okay.

No matter what form they take,

the fragrance of a flower that once bloomed always lingers.

Excuse me.

Um, I don't have an appointment.

Is that okay?

Oh, yes.

I…

attended one of your lectures at the university.

Ms. Yuka Namioka.

Yes.

What brings you in today?

I guess it's a concern.

Maybe it's not even something I should be worrying about.

If it's troubling you,

then it's a concern.

One of my professors at the university

started looking at me in a sexual way.

I might just be imagining it.

If you don't mind sharing, could you tell me what happened?

I'm an undergrad student.

I started spending more time in a lab where I wanted to pursue my research.

The professor was easy to talk to,

and he was supportive of my research too.

He started looking out for me.

It might sound like I'm bragging,

but that's not what I mean.

He started inviting me to the lab's social gatherings too.

At first, I was happy.

But eventually, he'd start asking me to lunch one-on-one

and only take me to overnight conferences.

It's not like he ever touched me

or tried to share a hotel room with me.

That's why I couldn't tell anyone.

You started feeling like he was looking at you sexually,

and that made you uncomfortable?

Even at conferences,

he always kept me at his side.

It felt less like a professor and a student,

and more like I was his poster girl.

He even bought me clothes to wear to the conferences.

He'd often invite me out for dessert,

saying it was awkward for an older man to go alone.

He likes sweets after all.

Professor Kurusu.

How's this?

Think it'll get approved?

Hard to say.

It doesn't have the kind of hook Mr. Kujo likes.

Yeah. You're right.

Sorry for keeping you so late.

Not at all. I really think it's a good concept.

So maybe you should try applying your own style of journalism.

Back when we were trainees,

I thought you could even make it as a journalist.

Thanks.

Thank you. I'm so lucky to have a coworker like you!

By the way, were you the one who recommended me for the project?

Thank you so much.

No. That wasn't me.

Huh?

What?

Huh?

This proposal focuses on Japan's lagging sex education

and low awareness of sexuality.

It still feels a bit too serious.

I'm fine with the concept,

but it needs a stronger hook.

Right.

Japan ranks low on the Gender Gap Index.

Among its categories, "Political Empowerment"--

Again, that's the kind of story

News One runs during the ten o'clock hour.

We're an evening news show.

We need to make it more engaging.

-Right. -Harashima!

-Sorry. -Okay.

Um…

Do you all know what the Pygmalion complex is?

Pyg…

I only learned about it recently.

It's when people, especially men, treat women like dolls

and force their ideals onto them.

I feel like up until now,

I've been living up to the ideal image the company and viewers expect of me.

But I don't think that's just because I'm a female announcer.

I think it's a sense of discomfort

many women in this country feel to some extent.

People impose their ideal of womanhood onto us

and silence us like we're dolls.

And sex is a classic example of--

Ichinose.

It's still serious.

Too serious.

Well…

Basically,

women should talk openly about sex too, right?

Right.

Exactly.

That's it.

So I want to use this opportunity

to cover the topic of sex head-on.

Wow. That's pretty direct.

A female announcer doing a feature like that

would definitely draw attention.

We can use people's nosy curiosity to our advantage.

Right, Mr. Kujo?

All right. We'll give it a try.

Let's do it.

What about the title?

Anyone?

What about "Sex Problems You Can't Tell Anyone About"?

That's good.

I like that.

Mitarai, work with Ichinose and develop that idea.

Got it.

I'll run it by Programming.

I'm counting on you all.

-Okay. -Thank you.

-Good work, everyone. -Good work.

The one who brought me onto this project…

Was it you, Miku?

Thank you.

It's nothing.

I just want to make my show better.

Do you remember that time

we were asked to entertain a sponsor together?

Huh?

One of the clients got drunk

and started sexually harassing us at the after-party.

Oh, yeah.

You subtly redirected his harassment toward yourself, didn't you?

So I wouldn't become the target.

I guess I did.

That really pissed me off.

Huh?

I wanted you to speak up.

I didn't want to see you getting hurt to protect me.

I wanted you to call him out.

That's not all.

Female announcers should be free to date whoever they want.

Why should a scandal involving your boyfriend's parents

affect your professional reputation?

It disappoints me to see you put up with it all

and act like a model student!

What?

Did you just laugh?

Sorry.

Hey.

Let's grab lunch sometime.

Don't act friendly all of a sudden.

Why not? Let's go.

Come on. What do you like?

Excuse me.

We're asking people around town about any concerns related to sex.

I'm looking for someone on dating apps.

Excuse me.

This might be hard to say, but does that mean…

Regarding sexual concerns--

You're really asking us that? That's embarrassing!

Honestly, I thought no one would want to talk to us,

but a lot more people shared their concerns than I expected.

I'm kind of in a sexless marriage too.

Now I'm worried about what my wife thinks of me.

Now that you mention it,

sexual concerns aren't just a woman's issue.

With so many different kinds of concerns,

we need an expert who can talk about them.

Who'd make a good commentator?

How about Furuya?

-Well… -Furuya, huh?

Is he not a good fit?

He wanted to do it without a condom.

Aren't you worried about things like pregnancy or STDs?

I totally am.

Right, of course.

My husband and I haven't had sex for about two years.

So I'm looking for someone on dating apps.

You mean multiple partners?

Okay.

Yes.

Let's take a short break.

Okay.

-Hello. -Hello.

Are things going well?

Thanks.

No problem.

Well, the footage is looking good.

We're just having trouble finding a commentator.

I see.

Yumi.

Can I ask you something?

What is it?

What's your relationship with Mr. Kazuma?

Huh?

What do you mean?

We're just coworkers.

That's not what I mean.

What do you think of him as a man?

What?

Could it be you like--

I don't.

Not at all.

-I thought so. -Yeah.

But you've gone out to eat with him, haven't you?

Only because he's my senior.

Huh?

No way.

Are you telling me…

I think he definitely has a thing for you.

I see.

If that's true…

that's pretty bad.

Yeah, it is.

Who would even do something like that nowadays?

I mean, use their seniority to cross the line?

You never know.

Guys like him can be surprisingly oblivious about that stuff.

I'm glad.

The last thing I wanted was to have drama on my show.

I was a little worried about you two.

Don't worry. There's no way.

-Right? -Yeah.

No way.

Honestly, what a relief.

I told you it's a misunderstanding!

She's not saying it was sexual or academic harassment, is she?

No.

-It's just… -Look.

If she doesn't want to come, she can say no.

I'm not forcing her or anything.

As a student, there are benefits to attending conferences.

And there's a clear power imbalance between professors and students.

"What if I say no to lunch?"

"What if I return the gift?"

If she's afraid of upsetting you

and can't bring herself to say no,

that's already harassment.

That girl didn't seem that way at all.

Not "that girl."

Her name is Yuka Namioka.

Weren't you ignoring her wishes and feelings

and putting your own expectations and assumptions first?

As a result,

wasn't there a part of you that treated her like a doll?

My father was like that too.

He disregarded my mother's feelings

and kept forcing his ideal image onto her.

Because of that,

my mother spent years living in misery.

That's got nothing to do with me.

No.

Back then,

I couldn't do anything for my parents.

But now,

I've come to believe that I might be able to help someone in need.

If something happens, it'll be too late.

Won't you consider

trying my therapy?

Fine.

I can't say no to you.

Thank you.

Hello, Ichinose?

Yeah.

Um…

Can I talk to you about something?

How has your mother been since then?

She seems to be stable.

But she hasn't regained consciousness yet.

I see.

Sorry.

I know I said I wanted to talk,

but I don't know what to say.

That's okay.

Take your time.

Whenever you're ready,

I'm here to listen.

I've been working as a sex therapist as a way to avoid

facing things with my parents.

That's the truth.

Professor Toyohara asked me too.

"Was this a path you actually chose for yourself?"

Even if it was to avoid them,

I'm sure there are many people who were saved by you.

That's why

I want to choose it again.

I want to choose this job for myself

all over again.

Not to look the other way…

but to face things with…

my clients,

my parents…

and myself.

Natsume told me

that "No matter what form they take,

the fragrance of a flower that once bloomed always lingers."

Can I say something too?

I…

want you to be on the show.

Huh?

Sex is difficult to talk about after all.

Many people think that they can't talk to anyone.

So…

I want them to know

that there are people like you who'll listen to them sincerely.

Will you be on the show?

How has he been doing since then?

You don't need to go through me anymore, do you?

He's figured everything out.

He won't open up to me now.

Who was it that dumped him on me and told me to help him?

You went and made yourself the bad guy.

And you were having fun.

Of course I was.

It was like having a front-row seat to a dating reality show. I had fun.

CTN special feature.

Tomorrow on Central TV…

Can he move forward?

At 4:45 p.m.

Her presence

has forced him to face his past, whether he likes it or not.

Sex therapist Dr. Ichito Shimotori joins us as our guest.

We'll discuss the sexual concerns people can't tell anyone about.

Yumi really took the plunge.

I had a health checkup recently, and they found a few issues.

What? Really?

I'm fine, but I thought I'd be more careful.

-Let's both be careful. -Yes.

After the break,

our special feature for "Women Leading the Future" Week.

We're at commercial!

Dr. Shimotori's here.

It's okay.

Whatever happens, I'm here for you.

You're so dependable.

I'm a pro, after all.

-I'll put your mic on. -Okay.

Five seconds to air!

Three.

Two…

Up next, our "Women Leading the Future" Week special.

Ms. Ichinose, what is today's topic about?

Yes.

Tonight on Twilight News,

we'll take a look at the sexual concerns

women leading the future struggle to talk about.

That's quite a bold topic.

Sexual concerns are often seen as embarrassing

or obscene.

But especially in Japan, where sex education has lagged behind,

we need an environment where people can talk

about these issues more openly.

I see.

First, please take a look at this.

Excuse me.

Video's rolling.

-This way, please. -Okay.

-Take a seat. -Thank you.

Hello.

All right.

Our star's finally here.

I'm surprised you agreed to this.

We don't get many chances to pull ratings like this.

I pitched it hard to the higher-ups.

Five seconds to the studio.

Three.

Two…

After doing those interviews,

I realized far more people than I imagined

have sexual concerns they can't tell anyone about.

Here's a look at some of the most common responses.

It seems people have all kinds of concerns.

That's right.

Joining us today is psychiatrist and AASECT-certified sex therapist

Dr. Ichito Shimotori.

Thank you for joining us, Dr. Shimotori.

Thank you for having me.

You've worked with countless patients at your clinic, haven't you?

Yes.

The term "sex therapy"

isn't very familiar to us.

What kind of treatment do you provide?

Well…

Before I answer that,

I'd like to tell you a little about myself.

I'm sure many of you are curious about my past.

As reported by some weekly tabloids,

seventeen years ago,

my father assaulted the man my mother was having an affair with.

Let him go on.

Let him continue.

It's true that the incident played a major role in my decision

to become a sex therapist.

Back then, if sex therapy had been more accessible,

the incident may have been prevented.

My father and mother

might not have ended up the way they did.

You can do it.

Of course,

we can't change the past.

But by treating my clients with that in mind,

my hope is to help

people like my mother, who use sex in a way that hurts themselves.

And…

I hope I can help prevent people from hurting others

like my father did.

Thank you.

Today, we'll focus on some of the concerns

we heard most often.

Dr. Shimotori will help us explore them.

Yes.

Let's start with this.

By talking openly about things like the need to feel loved,

without blaming each other,

I think couples can deepen their understanding of one another.

Next…

You're so cool, Doctor!

"I can't tell my partner to use contraception."

At times, because you're afraid they'll dislike you,

you end up going along with what they want.

So, it's best to have a relationship where you can say no.

There's solo sex and partnered sex.

I recently learned there's also a virtual option

that falls somewhere in between.

I think it's important for people to explore

the approach to sexuality that suits them best.

Here's another concern many people brought up.

"Is it weird for women to masturbate?"

Regarding this topic,

someone once asked me…

"Why do we call masturbation 'to comfort yourself'?"

"Just like the term 'self-pleasure,'

why not think of it as pleasuring yourself?"

I also pleasure myself.

I don't think it's weird at all.

I do it pretty often too.

That's not weird, is it, Doctor?

No. Of course not.

For example, I had a client who masturbated so often

they couldn't focus on work.

The act itself isn't the problem.

He's talking about me!

…how you control it…

Hey! Quit climbing and come watch! He's talking about me.

So far, we've explored

sexual concerns people can't tell anyone about

from female perspectives.

But Doctor--

We're the number-one trend!

We're the top trend!

Be quiet! This is the important part.

This may sound simple,

but listening to your partner

and making an effort to be honest about how you feel

is the only way I believe

we can bridge gaps and clear up misunderstandings.

That's true.

You'll never know what someone really thinks of you

unless you ask them.

Yes.

I've learned that firsthand myself recently.

Did something happen, Mr. Kazuma?

No…

Not really.

Doctor,

do you have a final message for our viewers?

Yes.

For people living in the modern world,

sex is not just about reproduction.

As the meaning and purpose of sex have become more diverse,

people's concerns have also grown more complex.

Because each person's concerns are different,

they feel they can't tell anyone

and end up backing themselves into a corner.

Before that happens,

I believe there is something I can do.

At this moment,

to anyone struggling with sexual concerns

that they can't tell anyone about…

Don't worry.

Everyone has concerns

when it comes to sex.

KAWAWA SHRINE

LANTERN FESTIVAL

There we go.

Wow!

Wow.

It's beautiful.

-This is amazing. -Yeah.

It's so magical.

I feel like it's finally started moving.

What has?

The clock that stopped 17 years ago.

You're right.

Thank you

for listening to me.

I should be thanking you.

For listening to me.

S&X

Subtitle translation by: Yuki Asami