Original subtitles

SHOCHIKU FILMS

A Shochiku, TV Tokyo, AMUSE, Nippan Group Holdings Co-Production

During production,

we took excerpts from Noboru Nakamura's film "I'm Waiting for You",

and they play an important part in the story.

We wish to extend our gratitude to Nakamura and his team.

Executive Producer: Nobuyoshi Ôtani

Producer: Shigehiro Nakagawa

Based on a novel by: Saiichi Maruya - Published by Bungeishunjū -

Written by: Tatsuo Nogami Yoshinori Watanabe Nobuhiko Obayashi

Music director: Joe Hisaishi

-Starring-

Sayuri Yoshinaga Masahiko Tsugawa Morio Kazama Miki Fujitani

Ittoku Kishibe Tadao Takashima Takehiko Maeda Toshinori Omi Tsurutaro Kataoka

-Special appearances-

Hideo Takamatsu Fujio Suga Sachio Sakai Mari Shiraki Hirotarō Honda

Tôru Minegishi Chin Naitô Kôen Okumura Shin Yasuda Jun Negami

Wakaba Irie Hajime Izu Ryo Iwamatsu Saburo Boya Keiko Nakajima

Bengal Hiroko Isayama

-Also starring-

Yumeji Tsukioka Tamao Nakamura Takiko Mizunoe

Joe Shishido Keiko Matsuzaka Tsutomu Yamazaki

And Rentarō Mikuni

Director, continuity and editing: Nobuhiko Obayashi

- A Film Arabesque - 20 cinematic fragements from a novel by Saiichi Maruya.

Turning Point.

Or: The Adventure of Yumiko Minami.

Tokyo, year 199X

"Are you well?"

"As I lie sleeping,"

"I look at the beauty of passing days outside my window."

"I am no longer sad."

"The wind is howling today."

"Millions of small, dark-colored leaves..."

"...are swaying and rustling."

"This whimsical, desolate landscape,"

"where have I seen it before?"

"The sound of the wind brings me back to those memories,"

"memories with no end."

"Saying I was happy or sad would be an exageration."

"I don't want to suffer, but I'm not afraid anymore."

"It might sound strange, but the saddest thing about last night..."

"...was that I never saw myself naked."

"Or maybe I did? I just have no recollection."

"I was going mad all night thinking about it."

"The idea of having my body purified after death was repulsive to me,"

"but I suddenly started having second thoughts."

"You might be able to see it in a flash."

"You might be able to see me naked."

"I think it would be best..."

"...if I was buried in a high place, with a view of the ocean. What do you think?"

"Mr. Ukai, I heard that you swim."

What? That's awful! Who's this Ukai?

It's a suicide note.

"To my dearest Mr. Ukai."

But there's no first name, it's from a novel.

Why don't you read a book or two, Mom?

Yeah, I want to, but...

You read newspapers all day...

And write newspaper articles...

It's gonna be even worse from now on.

"To write well, you need to read well."

Wasn't it you who said that, Mom?

That's right.

- Ah, let me do that. - Thanks for the meal.

My classes start in the afternoon today, anyway...

- Okay then, if you please. - You'll get fat if you keep eating like this.

When you get to be my age, you're more afraid of losing weight.

Did I tell you? About Satake, from Woman's pages.

The one who only ever eats kappamaki? At the Yūzushi in Roppongi.

Yeah, her. When did you last see her?

On the way back from a Joe Hisaishi concert. She's very beautiful.

- When was that? - I think it was late last year.

Well, since then, she started steadily losing weight...

Everyone kept telling her how envious they were. And it turned out...

- What? - It was cancer.

Uterine cancer.

Oh...

They gave her 6 months.

I was surprised to see such a beautiful woman working at a newspaper.

Ah, aside from you, Mom.

I'll be better off being fat.

No need to worry about that, Mom. Not with that appetite.

What you should worry about is our finances.

Stop giving me cheek. You should sit down and eat, too.

- Can you give me a hand? - Sure.

You taking boxed lunch to work today?

That's right. I might be a little late.

So, just lock up and go to bed early.

I might be late, too.

- Chie. - Yeah?

Do you want to meet him? Dad, I mean.

Meet with Nakahara?

Yeah.

Why? Did something happen?

He was taking his dog for a walk.

And when he was about to go back, he tried to whistle the dog over,

but no sound came out.

So, he went to the hospital and found out why.

- What was it? - Cancer of the larynx.

This was last Sunday, he said.

He called me on the phone at work yesterday.

"Just to give you a heads-up."

He can't whistle...?

You want to see him?

I don't know. You sprang this on me so suddenly.

You're right.

What about you? Will you go to Ōdate?

I don't know yet, either.

Let's talk about this later, okay?

And take out the trash, please.

- Mom? - Yes?

Does he have six months, too?

Maybe a year.

Okay, then...

- Mom? - What is it?

- Good luck on your new post! - Thanks.

- Congratulations! - Thank you!

"If you were to visit my grave,"

"please do so on a moonlit night, if possible."

"I won't need you to visit too frequently."

"Just please, make sure you come alone."

"Farewell, then... Dearest Mr. Ukai."

"Farewell, then... Dearest Gen'ichi Nakahara."

Sorry!

Excuse me.

- Moving, are we? - I wanted to thank you for this opportunity.

It's all because of your own talent. Everyone was in favor of it.

I even prepared a speech to support you.

- But it turned out I didn't need it. - Thank you.

Too bad about that.

Just a moment! Who are you?

Ah, good morning! Congratulations on your new post!

- Good morning. - Yes, good morning!

- That's Shirobei. - And I'm Urano.

- I'm Yumiko Minami. - Can't tell by the name...

- Its gender, I mean. - Oh...

I've heard a lot about you.

Me too, I've heard of you.

- Nice to meet you. - Yes.

Us newbies have to stick together!

Good morning! Nice to meet you!

Good morning!

"Us newbies have to stick together."

Huh?

Look, you've got bubbles forming up.

- Must be 250... or 300. - What is?

Your blood sugar level.

But, then again, that's not so bad.

Before long, your shoes will be all white from pee droplets.

That's how you can tell right away... That you're a diabetic.

No, I'm not really...

It's getting close now... Zenimaru's arrest.

I think we can expect some tremors down the line.

"Year upon year, the flowers stay the same,"

"year after year, the humans always change."

"A word for rosy-cheeked youths in their prime."

"Have pity on half-dead, white-haired elders."

"Goshū" - mutual benefit. You call it "reciprocity" in English.

- Right? - Huh? Right, yes.

You might say that terms like "mutual relationship" and "reciprocity"...

...are just polite ways of framing the exchange of gifts.

Ah, Mr. Urano! Over here! My name is Tsujimura.

In sociology, there's a theory called the "exchange theory".

If someone receives a gift, they feel obliged to give something back.

With this idea of exchange, you can explain pretty much anything.

Like how we exchange gifts in June and December.

Or how in Japan...

...when you meet someone, you exchange business cards with them.

Stuff like that is fairly typical.

So, what about a politician bribing a constituent in order to get their vote?

That's clearly a reciprocal exchange, an exchange of gifts.

Politicians get their votes from their constituency.

And, in return, they do things for them like build roads and railway lines...

Calling it "bribery" might be a bit of an overstatement,

but, in general, it is true that exchanging gifts invigorates our economy.

But, you know, giving of gifts is like a social custom.

And it varies from culture to culture.

What's more, placing too much value on the "exchange theory"...

...might lead to your way of thinking becoming base and vulgar.

So, you mean, like Zenimaru?

And love? What about love?

A man falls for a woman and sends her flowers and jewelry.

And then, in return, she gives him...

No! That hasn't been my experience.

- Yeah? - Love...

It's something that's given freely for eternity.

- Right? Ms. Minami? - Right.

Well, now that we've ended on Mr. Tsujimura's romanticism,

let's get on to tomorrow's editorial.

Looks like we're all here,

so let's start with the introductions first.

So, from the local news section,

or rather, I should say formerly of the local news section, Mr. Jūzō Urano.

And formerly of the Women's page, also joining us from today, Yumiko Minami.

I look forward to working with you.

Now, I'm sorry for hitting you with this right out of the gate,

but how about we give tomorrow's editorial to the new arrivals?

No way…

Telling us this on our first day out of the blue...

- It's a bit much, right? - Don't worry, Mr. Urano!

They say that the number of people who read these editorials...

...is the same as the number of people who write them.

- Mr. Tsujimura. - What?

- You talk too much. - Ah, very sorry.

Oh, I have a suggestion, if you don't mind.

It seems there's a lot of talk about the election these days.

I'd like to see some fresh takes on this...

...from a former member of the local news section.

That sounds great!

You should have a lot of interesting material to work with.

We're all here to help.

- Oh, this reminds me, Mr. Tsujimura. - What is it?

Didn't you say the other day...

...that you had an interesting story about electoral fraud?

You mean the one where they sent money to the opposition party by mistake.

There's plenty of stuff like that out there.

Yeah, bribery and election fraud will never go away.

Naturally. Rather than crimes,

you could consider them as just another part of modern culture.

Culture?

Why, I've heard that, during the election season,

there's a shortage of 5,000 yen bills in the banks.

- What do you mean? - One 5,000 yen bill in a brown envelope.

This seems to be the price of a vote.

Ah, no, no, what they do lately is...

...they stuff a 10,000 yen bill in a fish cake and hand over the bribe like that.

A fish cake!

Nice, as expected from the local news section man.

Alright, alright. Before we go on,

I'd like to decide on what Ms. Minami will be working on.

I know.

I'll write about special apartment complexes...

...for company men working away from their families.

Oh?

The other day, my aunt...

...was at a wedding reception of her friend's grandchild.

And she heard this story from someone sitting next to her at the same table.

- Your aunt? - Her aunt! Lovely.

That man was the manager of the Takamatsu branch of a certain company.

He lives alone in Takamatsu with his wife and child back in Tokyo.

And being able to stay at these studio apartments...

...is apparently very convenient.

There's only one room, so it's a bit cramped.

But there's a cafeteria on the first floor where you can eat breakfast and dinner,

So, you don't need to worry about an unbalanced diet.

Of course, for dinner, he'll often go to a restaurant on company business.

But just being able to eat lots of vegetables for breakfast,

it makes a big difference.

Certainly better than if he was eating out or cooking for himself.

- Is that so? - Now, this is all well and good,

but there's a catch. What they make you do when you move in is sign a contract,

promising not to let anyone inside other than your family.

And if it so happens that you disobey this stipulation,

you will immediately be ordered out.

That's rough.

My aunt heard him say:

"Why just recently, a guy was evicted."

A sign was posted in the lobby, saying:

"A certain gentleman on the fourth floor, who shall remain unnamed..."

"...has violated the terms of occupancy..."

"...and will be ordered to leave."

So, as you know, it's a small town, 300 thousand people,

and wherever he went, people would tease him, as he was on the fourth floor himself.

"Could that be you, Mr. Branch Manager, sir?"

And he got sick and tired,

trying to explain himself each and every time.

So, I did some research.

Do you know how common these corporate apartment complexes are in Japan?

How common?

At the very least, you can find them...

...in Sapporo, Sendai, Kōriyama, Kanazawa, Niigata, Toyama...

...Shizuoka, Hiroshima, Takamatsu, Tokushima, Fukuoka...

Wow, that's a lot!

And also about the cafeteria's menu...

- You researched all of it? - Yes.

So, then...

"Boiled spinach, or middle-aged romance,"

"the problem facing our branch managers." This is the punch-line I settled on.

Well, that's fine.

I mean, that's a very unique perspective.

- Thanks. - However, Ms. Minami,

this seems more suited to "Hitokoto", or some evening papers,

like "Zero Hasshin" or "Hōsuncho".

Ah… Is that so?

Well, you're from the Woman's page,

so it might be that we lack that kind of feminine sensitivity here.

I mean, don't you have some broader topic to talk about?

Did you read this?

It's an article from this week's edition of "Shūkanshi Nippō".

A memorial stone for aborted fetuses was erected in Kagoshima.

This is an excerpt from a speech...

...by former Prime Minister Yamamura, who attended the unveiling ceremony.

- Yeah, I read it. - It's all crazy talk.

The old man's getting senile.

Actually, I don't know about it, can you explain?

Okay...

Let me read a part of it for you.

"On March 14th, former Prime Minister Yamamura..."

"...attended the unveiling ceremony of a memorial to aborted fetuses..."

"...in Satamisaki, Kagoshima, where he made the following speech."

"The reason we have so many of these memorial services..."

"is due to the rise in abortions."

"It used to be that women cared for children."

"It is not right to use birth control to stop us from having too many children."

"Admiral Togo was named Heihachirō., meaning he was the eighth son."

"Because his mother didn't have an abortion,"

"Japan was able to win the battle in the Sea of Japan by destroying the Baltic fleet."

I see. That's terrible.

Why'd he bring up Admiral Togo like that?

Because he was in Kagoshima. That's where the admiral was from.

And his generation loves the Russo-Japanese War.

In other words, doesn't this mean...

...that the old man believes today's women don't have children...

...because they hate them?

That's right. And not because they want...

...to have the choice to bring them up in the best circumstances.

Basically, he can't tell the difference between abortion and birth control.

To top it all off, he said something like:

"If population decline goes on like this,"

"...there will be no one to buy all the cars and electric goods we produce."

What a crazy rant.

- Excuse me. - Yes, go ahead.

And you don't have to raise your hand every time you want to say something.

Alright. I think using these aborted children memorial services...

...for unscientific speeches encouraging people to multiply is very problematic.

In addition, you can see how male-dominated Japanese society is...

...just by looking at the system of sending workers away...

...from their families that I mentioned before.

- So, it's back to transferred salarymen? - That's right.

Will you let me write about this topic?

While also talking about the problems of these company wives who got left behind?

So, the spinach will have to be kept in the fridge for a while yet.

But it's kind of hard to know the angle from which to tackle this issue from.

What do you mean?

Well, from the standpoint of religious studies,

memorials for aborted fetuses can be considered a kind of spirit worship,

and as such, can be seen as a form of legitimate folk religion.

You can't deny that with the breakdown of the traditional family,

old forms of ancestor worship are dying out.

And these memorials to the souls of dead children...

...can be seen as a substitute for them.

I want to hear your thoughts as an editorial writer.

But what about...? You know,

tackling religious issues and openly attacking politicians...

How do you think we should go about it?

We can stage it as a historical drama.

During the Edo period, in the Sankin-kōtai system,

Feudal lords from all over Japan had to alternate...

...between spending a year in Edo and a year at their home province.

From the point of view of their wives, it was not unlike our corporate transfers.

It has been the tradition in our country to ignore the plight of wives.

And the national power of Japan both then and now...

...has been fostered with their sacrifice.

In the end, being pregnant, giving birth, or having morning sickness...

...these are all for the woman to bear.

So. you can imagine what a tragedy it would be...

...if we were to forbid birth control and abortion.

The collapse of the traditional family is obvious,

but it's still the foundation of our modern society.

I believe this issue should be discussed at length,

as it relates to the prosperity of our country.

I see.

If we argue any further here as representatives of Japanese men,

it would seem like...

...we're taking the side of Ms. Minami's so-called "middle-aged love".

♪ The problem facing our branch managers

Right?

Well then, about Ms. Minami's opinion...

What do you all think?

Ms. Konaka.

You already have half of the material on hand... Are you okay with her doing it?

It's okay, I'll be hosting that symposium...

...on the role of Japanese economy in Asia today, anyway.

- I look forward to reading your article. - Thank you.

Then, it's decided, the second editorial goes to Ms. Minami.

Deadline is 5 P.M.

I'll look over your writing once it's done.

Or, depending on the day,

Vice-chairman Fukuda here or Mr. Higo will check it in my stead.

And so, Ms. Minami, please understand...

...that anything you write might be altered or not used at all.

Yes.

The political situation is very shaky right now,

so anything can happen at a moment's notice.

- Understood. - Excuse me!

- What about me? - Ah, that's right.

Everyone, Urano will get the first editorial.

It will be the election story I proposed earlier.

So, everyone, let me offer a candid opinion...

Ah, Mr. Hada!

Let me introduce you. This is Urano, formerly of the local news section.

And this is Ms. Minami, who used to work for the Women's page.

- Hello. - This is Yūji Hada.

He's been writing the "News from Another Planet" column for the past 20 years.

He doesn't usually attend these meetings.

Ah, no, it's just that my work is narrower in perspective.

- What? - Oh…

I came earlier and took a quick peek at what you were doing,

but it looked like you were in the middle of a spirited discussion.

So, I went out for a spell to have my shoes polished.

- It's very nice to meet you. - Likewise.

I'm a big fan of your column.

The recent topic about how New Year used to begin on the 1st of April.

I never realized that. It's so fascinating.

Is that so? Well, thanks a lot.

- You two newbies should stick together. - Right!

Someone made a funny request today.

What do you mean?

A man begged to me.

Please. I beg you.

- He can't write. - What do you mean? Who can't?

A new editorial writer, like me.

An editorial writer can't write...

I'm no good at writing.

Though there are college professors who are like that.

Here you go.

- Here's to our 10th anniversary. - Yeah.

- You're wet. - You should go take a shower, too.

Later. I'm waiting for room service.

So, what did he want?

Well, if you could just maybe...

- He wanted to know if I could... - ...Fix it up for me?

- Yes? - Room service!

Come on in!

We heated it up for you.

Let me tell it from the beginning.

For some reason,

they tasked us two newbies to write editorials side by side.

I was so absorbed with this sudden opportunity,

that I paid no heed to him.

But he would stand up all of a sudden and go somewhere...

...before clumsily coming back and sitting at his desk.

Well then, you were paying attention to him, weren't you?

I caught it from the corner of my eye.

It's so cold.

- Excuse me. - Yes.

Can you please sign here?

- Thank you. - Thank you very much.

And then?

He just kept sharpening his pencil in silence.

His pencil?

He doesn't even have a word processor.

You don't see that often these days.

Nowadays manuscripts are all done on a word processor.

A former star journalist from the local news desk,

people like him, they're more suited to field work than writing.

They sniff around for cases with an almost animal intuition.

They don't sit at their desks writing manuscripts and such,

they just fly out, and come back,

only to disappear again.

You could say their lives run perpendicular to mine.

That's what I thought, at least.

That was very poetic.

Just vestiges of my time spend writing.

- What happened next, then? - So, I finished my manuscript,

and sent it to the chief editor.

So, he can check it?

I'm representing the paper, after all.

Here.

"It has been the tradition in our country..."

"...to remain indifferent to the plight of these wives..."

To put it more bluntly, this basically means:

"It's reasonable to expect these women to commit adultery."

Maybe use: "They're generally not considered," instead...

Awful, right? It felt like he was trying to suss out...

...my inner desires by looking at the text I wrote.

Then, he said this.

Sexual intercourse... Is it for reproduction or pleasure?

In the case of humans,

the evolutionary process led to the mating season being all year round,

so if birth control was invented,

we can say naturally that abortion is an extension of it.

What the hell was that?

I wonder if he thought that putting it simply would be sexual harassment?

Next time, tell him this.

That same evolutionary process led to humans having abnormally thick penises.

In comparison, the penis of a chimpanzee is only as thick as a nail.

- Really? - What happened, then?

How about "It's Women Who Give Birth" for your title?

Put something on.

How about you take a shower as well?

I'll go later.

Here you go.

Let's eat. Our meal might catch a cold, too.

Since it's our tenth anniversary,

I thought we'd go down to that French restaurant and treat ourselves.

Oh, I see. Small dishes like these...

...you must eat them all the time.

No, no. Eating it with you is the best.

- So, what happened next? - What?

What happened with him? The guy you caught with the corner of your eye.

Oh, it was something.

My, what a mess!

What's the matter?

What?

How insensitive of me. Worrying other people.

It's nothing, I just can't seem to make it work.

I just can't make heads or tails of it.

Although everyone said they'd help me out when asked,

they just ramble on about whatever and then say they'll leave it up to me.

My head feels heavy...

Right!

- What? - You probably didn't have lunch yet!

Ah, that's right, I forgot.

Well, there you go, that's why you're struggling.

- Oh, wait! - Now, if you'll excuse me.

Just a second, please!

In the meantime,

could you please read this over?

- What? I... - Thank you.

- Wait… - No, no.

You laughed at me just now.

And it is funny, I understand.

But to do it in front of someone is just rude.

So, to make it up to me, please read it over.

Mr. Urano...

No, I... Mr. Urano!

Thank you for taking it up.

So, was it bad?

It's not that he can't write, it's just that his writing's all over the place.

And?

How was it?

It was interesting.

- Really? - Yeah.

This part, though: "For example, one candidate went so far with begging..."

"...that he prostrated in front of an audience,"

"and he got so carried away, that he fell off the podium."

Did this really happen?

Yeah, it was a pain gathering evidence to back it up, though.

But, even though it's interesting,

we can't publish it like this, right?

There are some parts that won't get past the copy editor.

"In the end...", "in the end...", "in the end..."

It's like a middle school student wrote it.

Yeah, it's a little rough.

Please... Please, I beg you.

I'm no good at writing.

- What do you mean? - Well, if you could...

- Just maybe... fix it up for me? - What?

- You want me to fix it? - Well, there's no time!

And so you saved him?

- What else could I do? - If you say so...

He begged me.

Your benevolent spirit again.

- So, then... - There's more?

Yeah. I just tidied up and was about to leave...

...when Urano... His name is Urano.

Even though the editor was in the middle of checking his manuscript,

he turned to me and loudly called:

Miss Minami!

Would you like to have that milk and sandwich with me?

There's enough for two. As thanks for helping me.

Go ahead, don't worry about me.

Besides, I have a dinner engagement tonight.

Next time, then.

It was a poetic scene.

Really, it had that air about it.

Miss Yumiko Minami.

- What? - Don't you get it?

I'm jealous.

- Don't be ridiculous! - Why?

I mean, I did come here, right?

That's not the point.

- Oh! That's right! - What?

You made me wait for an hour,

so you threw off my timing completely.

Here you go, congratulations.

For our 10th anniversary?

Wouldn't you say your promotion is a more joyous occasion?

Thank you very much.

Commemorating the 10th anniversary of our first meeting...

It's lovely!

It's nothing special, about what I can afford on my salary.

Are you in the mood tonight?

- Reciprocity. - What?

Giving a gift, and expecting something in return.

These theories of reciprocity, they make humans into something base.

Love is free.

- Oh, we're talking Moss now? - Who?

The theory of reciprocity? It's based on his research.

Was that South Pacific, or Africa?

In any case, he figured it out from some aboriginal customs.

For example, you give someone a seashell bracelet.

Your soul sticks to this object. This is important.

The gift is not some thing, it's your soul.

I wrap gifts in paper and decorate them in ribbons, right?

That paper and ribbon...

I think they're there to make the soul stick to the gift.

- Is that so? - Well, take it with a pinch of salt.

- It's not my area of expertise. - You're so great!

I really admire this side of you.

Hey! I'm not all brains, you know?

I need to study more. Broaden my horizons.

- Your horizons are broad enough. - Yeah?

After all, you can see a man with only a corner of your eye.

I'm going to take a shower.

However, I'll be going back before dawn.

Why? Your daughter?

I want to see the morning paper as soon as it's out.

You can see it at the hotel.

I want to read it properly at home. As soon as it's delivered.

"It's Women Who Give Birth." Feminist stuff again?

Look, it'll fit better this way.

Leave it! It's untouchable.

Mr. Yama! We're done with the editorial.

- What, you were here? - Minami here.

Oh, hi, aunt! It's the aunt from Ningyōchō.

Yeah, it's me, Yumiko. Yumiko.

She mistook me for you again.

You read the newspaper?

Oh, my! But why are you calling?

What?

Chie?

Yeah, that's right, I wrote it.

Yeah, that's right, it was me...

Yes. Yes. Yes...

Yes.

Yes.

Alright.

Thank you.

Alright... Until next time.

Goodbye.

This is great, Mom.

Don't they say "Dog bites a man is no news,

"but man bites dog, that's a story," though?

If that's the case, you could go with:

"It's Men Who Give Birth." But you can't well do that.

What's wrong, Mom?

I made a mistake.

What did you do?

Tōgō Heihachirō.

Tōgō Heihachirō?

"Even though he was the eighth son, his parents wouldn't abort,"

"and that's why he became a marshal and beat Russia," you mean this?

- What about him? - I made an error.

- Wait, he lost to Russia? - No, he did beat the Russians.

Of course... I learned that in school.

He was the fourth son.

- Fourth son? - Fourth son among five boys and one girl.

He was born as Chūgorō, then he changed it to Saneyoshi,

then finally to Heihachirō.

Aunt said she called to let me know before everyone noticed the mistake.

But the newspaper is all over Japan by now.

Yeah, I know... Too bad.

But, you know, it doesn't have your name here.

And that makes it the opinion of the newspaper.

I see...

So, what now? Can they demote you back?

I don't think so.

I'm gonna go to the office early and see.

But it's still too soon!

Didn't you say that the editorial people come to the office around 11?

So, just stay here until then, read the newspaper.

But if something happened, they'll all come early.

I'll go ahead and wait for them.

But let's eat first. Let's have breakfast.

Wash your face and come eat with me.

- Alright. - You came in late yesterday?

I wasn't late! I got home exactly at 9:30.

He sent me back.

Takero treats me like a child.

That's how I get peace of mind.

Well, you have too much of it.

A train will be arriving on track number one shortly.

Well, you know.

This was a statement by former Prime Minister Yamamura,

and we were just quoting it.

But the fact that I quoted it and was still ignorant of it,

I guess it's inexcusable...

No, no, no... Well, I mean, if that's the case,

the same can be applied to our chief editor and editorial writers.

Following that logic, the whole newspaper did something inexcusable.

I'm so sorry.

This is now just a matter of a writer's sense of responsibility.

Your own self-reflection.

And an error for the whole team to reflect on, too.

Let's report it like that to the chief editor.

- Okay? - Alright.

Right...

"Those in the know, don't panic, those that aren't, will panic."

Mr. Fukuda, he didn't know himself. That's why he was so flustered.

We're not all-knowing gods.

If this is unforgivable,

then writing itself is unforgivable for us lowly mortals.

Well, that's another theory at least.

- Ni Hao! - Ni Hao!

- Good morning! - Thank you!

It's great! I read it many times.

I've been going over it since this morning, too.

This: "Often referred to as a master of elections,"

"in this case, his mastery is akin to that an athlete like Nagashima..."

"...shows on baseball grounds".

No, it's very clever.

I'm impressed you used Nagashima like this.

But, I messed up on my end.

Tōgō Heihachirō is a fourth son.

I should have gathered all the evidence like you.

Nagashima is like Marilyn Monroe.

Praise them all you want, no one ever complains.

And, come on! Yours was interesting, too.

Connecting Japan's economic growth to sex,

and building a discussion on women's issues. It's unique.

It is radical, however. Your position...

Whenever I read something like this,

I always wonder about the author's life, what it's like.

Mr. Arima had the same viewpoint.

By the way, how is she? Your aunt?

- You know Aeka Yanagi? - Aeka Yanagi?

- No, no, I mean your aunt. - Well, yeah, I just...

You know, the one who was at that wedding reception at Takamatsu.

Yeah...

What? No way!

That was Aeka Yanagi?

Yeah, she's my aunt.

Who is this Aeka Yanagi?

- "I'm Waiting For You"! - Yeah!

"Lovers of the Silver Screen".

- A great star of the movies! - Never heard of her.

No, you see, she's pretty much retired by now.

- How long has it been already? - Around 40 years.

I was little back then.

Then, I couldn't have known.

Mr. Urano.

♪ I'm waiting for you, I'm waiting for you

Oh! I actually know that one!

She was a great beauty back in the old days.

Come to think of it, you have that look about you, too.

Beautiful indeed!

♪ I'm waiting for you, I'm waiting for you

Arima! Arima!

Yes!

Mr. Kiriyama!

I brought someone with me.

After our regular meeting this morning,

she said she wanted to see the editorial office.

Please come on in. The place is a bit dirty, though.

A bit dirty?

Come now. I'm the one who should be apologizing.

Please be patient for just a little longer.

We're working hard on moving our offices to a new building.

Ah, thank you.

Let me introduce you. This is our company head, Ryōko Samejima.

Our company's great beauty.

You forgot to add "back in the old days".

And this, as you must be aware of, is Chairman Kiriyama.

As for our team...

This is Jūzō Urano, who just joined us.

Local news section's best.

He wrote this morning's first editorial.

"Brother, you must be cold."

Yeah...

I have high hopes for you.

Next, from the Woman's pages, Miss Yumiko Minami.

She wrote the second editorial for this morning's issue.

- That was you? - Yes.

Please make sure to observe society from a woman's point of view.

Right...

They do say that the pen is mightier than the sword,

but if you swing it around too much, you might hurt yourself.

Well, just as Ms. Samejima says,

everyone, please do your best. Alright, then.

Yes? This is the editorial section.

- Mr. Arima. - Coming!

- Miss Minami? - Yes?

Hello? Arima here.

- I'm on the line. - What?

- Yeah. - Yes.

- Yeah. - Ah...

Yes.

It's been a while.

In sad times, I always miss my old friends.

Am I bothering you?

Hey!

Thanks for calling the other day.

It made me happy.

That's great, then.

My dog died.

If you can, would you accompany me to the funeral?

I will.

We lived together for 20 years.

- 20 years... - Yeah, ever since then.

- "Men, the Pre-Forties." - Right...

It takes me back.

That was my big break.

I was still in my twenties.

We had this new department head, who said:

"We're the women's page, and yet what's women's favorite subject?"

- In other words... - How come we never cover men?

That was the suggestion he made. So, after that joking comment,

I immediately jumped at the chance to do it for real.

Did you pick the subjects?

First one was Kōichirō Ichikawa, a Kabuki Onnagata.

This man died soon after our coverage.

The series of articles became popular,

even though that was the reason why.

Next were the Japanese-style painter, Sakon Ogino,

then, Hashinoue, the novelist,

fashion designer, Issei Chiaki,

current professor at the Japanese college of chemistry, Akio Ōhira,

and Dr. Harumi, cancer specialist.

There were politicians, too, right?

Like Renji Gotō, currently of the ruling party.

Deputy foreign minister, Narinao Yajima...

And film director, Kazumasa Shiraki.

They were all young back then...

That's impressive, though.

20 years later, and they're all leading figures in their respective spheres.

Yes, and for me, that series expanded my work.

And I'm the only one that got rejected.

Yeah, but a story on yakuza...

That's right, let's go with that!

The department head was the first one to get on board with that.

That's when we met, isn't it?

You'll need a bodyguard, right?

Honestly, I was a little afraid.

"To be blunt, we do things that could be considered crimes."

"But that goes for any business, right?"

You said something scary like that.

Really?

"However, we never deal in narcotics."

You were so clear eyed when you said it.

I remember thinking I could trust you.

It made me happy.

Thanks.

So, when he read the final manuscript,

the chief got cold feet.

And I came to apologize.

You came alone that time.

Yeah.

You didn't say anything, you just smiled.

This is what crossed my mind back then.

I will likely never be in the public spotlight for the rest of my life.

And probably never be alone like this...

...with someone like you.

Aren't we doing it right now?

Come, let's get on.

I bought the dog the morning after that.

And, after living together for 20 years, he died.

So, I thought you might accept my invitation.

Was he a borzoi?

You're knowledgeable.

My daughter loves dogs, so I know...

It used to be known as the Russian Wolfhound.

They were good at hunting wolves.

It's a Russian breed, loved by Tolstoy as well.

- Why did you die? - Your first editorial came out recently.

I was so surprised when you called to congratulate me.

But, more importantly,

I was so happy to hear you understood what I wanted to say.

Actually, that morning, your article...

There was some controversy in your company's Breakfast Party about it.

What do you mean?

- I am really sad... - Well...

Criticizing unaccompanied job postings was one thing,

but disturbing hard working men by encouraging their wives...

...back home to have affairs... They thought it was outrageous!

They completely missed the point.

But, they'll be overlooking the issue for now...

...because they fear backlash from Women's Organizations...

...if it becomes a big deal.

However, something started stirring afterwards.

When you live in the shadows of this world,

you can see what happens in the spotlight all the better.

It's probably not a big deal, anyway,

but if something were to happen to you,

could you let me know?

I'd like to be of use to you.

But...

"Nothing ever comes for free?" Don't say such things.

Mr. Director...

I just made you feel uneasy, didn't I?

What was the name of that Russian dog?

He had no name. Names represent a lingering attachment to this world.

That's why I didn't name him.

Calling him my dog sufficed.

Just "Dog"?

"My Dog."

That woman... She really yawns.

- So does everyone else. - No, I don't mean that.

It's like...

Like a flower slowly opening.

If you open it that wide, your jaw will fall off.

It was beautiful...

- Hey, you're drooling. - What?

- What about you? Do you drool? - Nah.

To be honest,

lately, whenever I speak casually, I tend to drool.

I looked in the mirror wondering why.

And then, I noticed...

...this edge of my lips is lowering.

So, that's why... It flows down here.

- As for me... - Yes?

I can no longer pee properly.

I recently raced with my son.

- You lost, right? - No, I won.

On account of our difference in upbringing.

And then, we both went to take a leak.

And his piss just went way, way, out.

- It went like 2 meters! - No way!

As for me, mine just sputtered at my feet like this.

Oh, come on!

And that's when I really knew...

...in this game, I lost to him.

- I understand. - What can you do?

Me, I have eye mucus, and a runny nose.

Everyone has bodily problems here and there.

Yuck!

- Nasty old lady! - Here's your tofu.

- I don't want it now. - It's strange, though...

...almost like it gets easier to live. As you grow feebler, I mean.

All right, then! I'll give you some diapers as a present.

- Old people diapers! - Ew, no thanks.

By the way, how is it?

- Being in the inner circle. - It's boring...

A lot of turbulence in the world of politics these days.

That's why those guys are in charge of the editorials now.

Isn't that just as well for you?

Because of them, I lost the chance to have her revise my manuscripts.

Oh, I see. That's why she was yawning.

No, she was just under pressure.

Anyway, it's been kind of weird lately.

People have been very distant to her.

It's like she touched a nerve.

- By the way, about that... - Did you find out anything?

Yeah.

- Can I have a hot one? - Welcome!

It looks like Zenroku Sakakibara is involved.

- Give me a plate, I'll do it myself. - Sakakibara?

- The chief secretary of the ruling party? - Yeah.

When he was the chairman of the National Security Committee,

he covered up the fact...

...that your newspaper's former president died having sex.

- He died having sex? - That's right.

Wow, how awful.

So, this Sakakibara, what's he on about these days?

Well, that's why he did that favor for them.

- Former PM Yamamura's... - Oh! That's right!

The Tōgō Heihachirō incident we just mentioned.

Well, I don't think the chief party secretary...

...would act based on anything that old man says anymore.

What is it, then?

And Yumiko Minami didn't write anything criticizing the ruling party...

- I think someone got mad. - Someone?

Yeah, and a source told me...

...that the ruling party just had to go along with that.

In other words, it's like turning a single valve,

and shutting off the whole system at the mains.

The chief secretary putting pressure on us,

I wonder if there's some weak point inside our paper.

You think there's something we can do?

Is it love?

Love?

- I think you're in love with that woman. - What?

- That's not it. - The yawning woman?

Right! He's in love.

That's why he's so zealous.

- No! Like taking a leak... - If you need to go, go outside.

- I don't mean that! - What do you mean?

It's like pissing over a 2 meter distance...

Love is something young people do.

Back in the day, you know, I thought I could do anything.

But for those like us,

people counting out our last days,

such things are and will remain impossible.

You should fall in love whenever you can, though.

I've lived for so long, but deeply falling...

- What was that? - I've never really fallen in love!

- I already told you this! - She said she never fell in love!

That so? If it happens, this would be my first time.

What? Your first time doing what?

You know...

Sleeping with a college-educated woman.

What?

What the hell are you thinking?

I'm going to take a leak.

- Are you alright? - Be careful.

I'm alright.

- Young girl. - Yes?

You ever been in love?

Just all the time!

- That's the youthful spirit! - Just keep going!

- A fire? - I don't know.

Let's go!

Don't forget this!

Keep your head low! Toxic fumes!

Crouch down! Crouch down!

Forward! Now get up! Run!

Run! Run! Run!

Run!

Get to the stairwell down the hall!

Miss Minami! Miss Minami! Come in!

No, this way!

I really wonder how effective these fire drills really are?

I always had my doubts about them.

"Tokyo - New Callings for Women."

"Lifestyle and Opinions of Female JSDF Officers."

"Land Sharks' Wives." All good stuff.

I was a fan of your work on the Woman's page.

Thank you.

By the way, have you made up your mind by now?

- What we talked about? - No...

Ah, yes, the British Museum.

They are holding an exhibition soon,

they borrowed all sorts of items from Topkapi.

Then, there's the Women's marathon. Women's tennis, golf...

I'm sure you'll give us plenty more articles written in your style.

And being department head, that's no small thing.

I want to continue with my true calling as a newspaper reporter.

Working in the promotions department is important, of course,

but it feels strange somehow.

Ordering me out so suddenly,

I just came to the editorial team.

I heard that editorial writers have a sort of guarantee...

...that they get ample opportunities to do actual writing.

Some of them are still here, even after retirement.

- It's really strange. - Then, let me tell it to you straight.

You're aware that our new company building...

...is going to be on land we're getting from the government?

Yes.

And it's going before the National Property Commission...

...where it'll be approved unanimously.

- Yes. - This is no longer a sure thing.

If we transfer you from the editorial section,

we were promised that this matter will be taken care of.

Transfer me?

So, by reassigning you,

the company is hoping to resolve this quietly.

- Reciprocity? - In other words, compensation.

So, when a newspaper company gets something from the government,

they must give something in return?

I guess that's true sometimes...

But it doesn't have to be just about sycophantic obedience.

There's a more journalistic way we can return the favor.

Like what?

I mean replying plainly, warning and admonishing them.

Criticize their shortcomings and correct wrongs.

This reply will feel closer to what we truly are.

I think it's our obligation.

- And have me commit harakiri? - What?

Since ancient times, in our country,

loyal retainers were being forced to resign from their positions...

...to bear responsibility. Too risky!

You're too naive. And maybe too upright.

Even if this didn't happen,

we'd probably have the same situation sooner or later.

I envy you, Miss Minami.

This side of you is beautiful.

At least, that's what I want to think.

- But it's a bit too optimistic. - Is that right?

I've experienced many battles I couldn't win.

But you see, obeying isn't always losing a battle.

You take a step back, and then win the bigger war.

No!

Yumiko...

The other day, I took a look into my son's photo album.

There was a picture in it from back then.

You know, when we were at the Ueno zoo,

he was with your daughter... Was it Chie?

I thought there might be pictures of you, too, but there weren't any.

In the end, I am the one who lost the most.

I'm sorry.

"Brother, you must be cold."

- What? - I was going to ask you about it.

What did that mean?

Back when I was a fledgling reporter,

there was a big plane crash.

Near Haneda? I remember, I was just a college student back then.

I rushed to the scene.

I couldn't find any words to describe the devastation.

I had a deadline to meet, but couldn't write anything.

Kind of like how I am now!

So, I put my hand in the ocean.

It was so cold.

A biting cold, winter sea.

There was a girl of about 14 or 15 standing there.

"My brother is on that plane", she said.

And then, it's a strange thing, really.

Words just started welling out deep inside my heart.

Plain and pure.

"Brother, you must be cold."

It was used as the headline for the top story on the front page.

I got an award from the company president.

At the time, I was working in the local news section,

and I felt like I learned something important.

The best source of writing is on the field.

- Do you know this technique? - What?

Submitting your article by phone...

...while looking at an empty note.

I can draw my words from the field as much as I want,

but I feel that, when you put them down on white paper,

these words die.

Hence, the mess I make at the editorials.

- Do you wanna try these? - Thanks.

I think I've been getting too provocative these days.

And so, they throw me in the editorials to have me behave.

Anyway, I'm retiring in little over a year.

I've always dreamed of becoming...

...department head of the local news section.

- Is that strange? - No, it's not!

Ever since I was a kid, I always loved writing.

I once had to write a poem for homework. I worked so hard at it all night.

I wrote one that I really liked,

and submitted it, satisfied.

The note I got back: "Your style is a bit garden-variety".

I was so happy with it.

Because I thought it meant my style was being likened to the beauty of a garden.

I was so thankful for the divine talents bestowed on me,

but when I started in middle school,

one time I read what the expression really meant.

When I found out it meant "trite and commonplace",

I was so shocked!

So, that night, I looked down into my garden,

and saw how truly beautiful it was. I was filled with adoration.

Now, I think my childhood misconception was kind of sweet.

Because of that misconception, I'm still here writing.

Ever since then, I consciously tried to be plain in my writing.

I started avoiding difficult expressions,

and used ordinary words to express myself.

I'm "garden-variety".

And I'm proud of that.

This time, however...

...my writing went too far beyond my league.

In my happiness at being promoted,

I forgot that I was a garden-variety writer.

I'm scared.

Don't worry.

I'm with you.

Think of it as having a brother-in-arms by your side.

- Alright? - Thank you.

- Yumiko! - Toyosaki!

- What are you doing here? - I should ask you that.

- I'm on a business trip. - Business trip?

- I didn't know. - I didn't tell you. It's just a day trip.

This is Yanagisawa.

The college professor who can't write, the one I told you about.

What's wrong? You look pale.

My horizons were indeed narrow...

You mean, because you only saw me?

But they did widen a bit.

Oh? So you can see another man, now?

Stop being silly!

- Say, do you have some time? - Yeah.

During this last election,

the ruling party secretly got a considerable donation...

...from a religious group that profits off of memorials to aborted fetuses.

And so they were able to narrowly win.

The fixer here was the party's chief secretary Zenroku Sakakibara.

And the former prime minister attended the unveiling...

...of their memorial stone on his behalf as a sign of gratitude.

However, their leader got offended...

...on seeing our New Daily editorial criticizing those ceremonies.

Urano found all this out by threatening the company's higher-ups.

The man from before?

I never thought such a thing could happen.

You would have been safer writing about baldness.

Baldness? What do you mean?

Man is a smooth, hairless primate,

but we still have hair on our heads.

Since you can't remove fleas and lice from it by yourself,

you have to rely on others for grooming.

It's a way of communicating by touch.

However, it's determined by one's genes...

...that one day you'll become bald.

And from then on, the husband abandons the need for his wife's grooming.

He must keep women away!

Why women?

It's been proven that male hormones are stronger with bald men.

If this goes on and the husband has many children,

someday, he'll be all spent by the time they're all raised.

Your child is your genetic copy,

and protecting it means protecting yourself.

So, you make yourself bald and keep away from women.

So selfish.

Female genes have such a counterbalance, too.

What is it?

Wait, I know!

- Wrinkles. - Correct.

You're awful!

- Isn't it interesting? - All nonsense.

I was a little shocked, though.

- Huh? - About today.

- What? - Seeing you out of nowhere.

I've decided not to think about the you that lives in Sendai.

Even though I sometimes can't help but think about it.

But the you that exists when you come here to Tokyo,

I thought I knew everything about that part of you.

So, seeing you today felt like seeing a stranger.

It was a sudden business trip.

And I couldn't stay, so I thought there was no point in calling you.

That's the kind of relationship we have...

Hey, hey.

Oh, right! My wife knows!

- About me? - No, no way.

- She knows him. - Knows who?

- Zenroku Sakakibara. - The chief secretary?

He's from Sendai.

My wife and his wife drink tea together.

Should I go meet him?

What would you do?

"The elephant's penis, when erect, exceeds 1 meter in length,"

"when aroused, its tip gradually takes an elliptical shape,"

"25 centimeters in diameter."

"What sets them apart from other animals,"

"is that they can move this giant penis by will."

"How about that, Mr. Chief Secretary?"

"You can also move this giant society by the power of your will."

No good?

How is it? Our little elephant?

It's fine... It's sitting on a table at home.

Chie wants it.

Your daughter...

She's a strange girl.

She's a pampered kid, and loves walking in the rain.

- Did you finish it? - Yeah.

Is it a love letter?

Can you believe it?

That there's someone in this world who looks exactly like me?

What?

I have a sister in Ōdate... Akita prefecture.

- Really? - Only one difference between us.

- She was born from a different mother. - Yeah?

I never met her.

- Isn't that awful? - Yeah.

- I will never see her. - Yeah.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Can't you say anything else?

Yeah.

Come on!

- That's right! - What?

You are like your dad.

That’s where this is going.

How do I look?

I borrowed it from my mom, without telling her.

You know, mom will eat even when dressed like this.

Even when my grandma passed away,

first she ate a whole lot of donburi for lunch.

Then, she cried all night long.

But she has no appetite these days. Something was going on.

And then, I finally got it out of her.

When I confronted her, she looked at me like a rabbit.

- A rabbit? - You know.

- Like a cornered rabbit. - Oh, yeah...

She tried to stay composed, but I knew right away.

All of a sudden, it felt like she was getting smaller.

Why have me wear mourning clothes today, though?

I don't know. This is how my uncle always did it.

He just says what he wants, and that's it.

He must be a great person, though.

The big politicians all seem to fight over his calligraphy.

And yet, after just seeing a picture of me,

he wrote something for me on this fan.

Just for ladies he takes a liking to. He writes them right away.

Did I really look that good on that tea party picture?

I think you looked like his mother.

The old man lost his mother when he was a kid.

And he spent his whole life as a bachelor, cherishing her memory.

How romantic!

And you being my fiancé... My mother showed him that picture.

The only reason he accepted this today was you asking him.

I thought for sure he was gonna refuse.

Well, good that he took a liking to me.

He doesn't seem to find meeting me as distasteful as you do.

Did you chop some today? Human bodies, I mean.

I wouldn't call it chopping up...

One day, you have to dissect me, too.

Strip me naked and lay me on that cold table,

and then open me up, belly to chest, with your hands.

Here's the heart, here's the kidney here's the liver,

these are the lungs. And this little thing is the appendix.

These are the intestines, and here's the womb.

Oh, and what a beautiful womb it is!

And, at the end, you open the head. This here's the brain.

Then, you tuck everything away inside the stomach,

sew it up with a thick needle, and wash it with warm water.

A job well done!

But, come to think of it, we didn't see it anywhere, right?

This girl's soul.

Chie!

Whatever...

I'll sweet talk your uncle tonight.

Uncle! This is Chie Minami.

We talked about her. She has something to ask of you.

- You will interview him in the car. - Please.

Mori...

Mori...

Mori... Ogai Mori?

Ranmaru Mori?

Ishimatsu no Mori?

Kainan Mori.

- What? - Kainan Mori.

Kainan Mori?

He was a prominent writer of Chinese poetry in the Meiji period.

His son lived in the vicinity.

Every time we pass through this neighborhood, he mentions this fact.

Thank you for the poem.

Thank you for the poem!

Yes...

"A fresh breeze fans your emerald brows."

Mother...

The chief secretary is here.

No, no, you don't have to get up.

- I've already eaten, bring out some fruit. - Alright.

I am sorry for being so late. Let's relax now.

Please give my best regards to your wife,

I am much obliged to her.

So, let's get to it.

An editorial writer from the New Daily is facing a transfer...

to the promotions department, due to pressure from certain parties.

- Can you do something about this? - Okay, about that.

I will stop the transfer, and restore the land deal.

No problem.

Then, you agree to help us?

One thing, though, I'm not doing it for free.

I need something. Give me something.

I hate working for free.

My wife went to school with you,

so I'd really like to be of use to you.

However, in our world,

taking back something that's already been decided,

is something that requires a great deal of sacrifice, mental and material.

It drains a man. You understand?

So, make it worth my while, please.

- Please. - So.

By this you mean, money or goods?

- Correct. - Chief secretary.

You can't ask a poor scholar like me for such things.

I have the only manuscript of an ethology book in Japan,

but you don't have use for such things.

Oh, persimmons!

When I say "goods", I mean a wide range of things, like information for example.

How could I have any information useful to you?

You're asking for the impossible in lieu of turning me down.

- Why don't you just say it? - Well...

I guess this is a question of my worldview.

- Worldview? - Yeah.

When I'm obliged to someone, I try to commit myself to it fully.

But, even so, I would never do it for free.

Free service is no good. Leaves a bad aftertaste for both parties.

You could even call this the essence of Japanese conservative politics.

You must have something that can be of use to me?

- I'll be happy with golfing advice. - I don't play golf.

Well, professor, I only have a little more time.

So, please think it over before I leave.

You sit there.

"Outcasts are we, Walking the back roads beyond the Law,

"Despised the whole world over..."

♪ Refrain, you must, from such sinful acts

♪ Those heartless deeds, beyond contempt

♪ But the blossoms scatter

♪ The flowers fall, By the flash of the sword that cuts as it will

♪ In the setting sun, In the setting sun...

"Ah, how vile a trade is ours."

You're getting much better at it.

But it'll look better if you draw and sheathe your sword faster.

That so? Alright, thanks!

It takes time before you're ready to perform in front of someone.

I've been practicing this for half a year, but I still don't get it right.

So, did you come up with any good ideas?

Where do you intend to perform this?

At the election committee.

I thought I'd do it after the difficult talks.

In that case, can I suggest something gentler?

Ah... For sure.

Well, I say that, but the only thing I know are animals.

About animal mating... No, excuse me...

About how they exchange love.

Frogs don't mate, they do this thing called amplexus.

The male clasps the female around the back,

and fertilizes the eggs she releases.

But no matter what, the female's back has space for only one.

The males clasp the females' back,

so they wouldn't get shaken off by other males' attacks.

And it's pitch black all around, they can't see anything.

The only thing they can rely on is their own voice.

"Ribbit, ribbit."

For research, we tied a rubber band around a toad's mouth,

and played various audio recordings next to it...

...in order to find out which which voices are registered most strongly.

The lower the voice, the less likely other males will come to attack them.

So, it turns out,

the lower their voice is, the bigger strength they project.

And thus, we know what makes a strong frog.

"Ribbit, ribbit. Ribbit, ribbit."

Professor, I'm sorry, but I have to go to the next meeting.

- You don't like the idea? - I'm sorry, it's just...

I'll be off now.

Chief secretary.

I want to ask you this, purely as small talk,

but let's say my request is denied here.

Just as an example, mind you, I wouldn't actually do it.

What do you think would happen...

...if I took the entirety of what was said here tonight...

...about how you'd take money or info in exchange for helping me out,

and disclosed it all to the media?

You can't do that.

If you did something like that, it'd be bad for both of us.

Please have a look at this.

I'm going to use this if it comes to that.

Notes on Toyosaki's meetings with Yumiko

Alright, then.

"Ah, how vile a trade is ours."

There! "Toko": "To steal fragrance, to have an illicit affair."

"Stealing the fragrance skillfully with one hand."

What is this? Why did get something like this?

- I went to ask him a favor. - A favor?

I did it for you.

I wanted to do something for you, too.

- You're being ridiculous. - He has a lot of clout in politics.

They say this old man...

...carries more weight than the prime minister.

- So, what did he say? - He wasn't really all there.

Instead, he told me about his memories of his dead mother.

Maybe it's his way of giving thanks.

Was Takero with you the whole time?

Yeah... As always, he didn't do a thing.

Let's return this to him.

If you want to, then do it.

I wonder if he'll understand what it means.

You know, Mom.

He told me he only ever truly cried once.

When he was a student, seeing a cadaver dissected for the first time.

He says he took great pains never to cry after that.

I wish I was with that old Takero.

I'm turning in.

Maybe I should ask my aunt for advice here.

- Auntie? - She's actually pretty resourceful.

I watched one of her movies recently.

It was great! "Lovers of the Silver Screen".

- Is this your aunt? - She's so pretty!

No more... I can no longer lie to my heart.

I don't need anything anymore.

I just want a simple life.

They weren't just lovers on the screen.

- In real life, too. - Yeah, that's so sweet.

Good night, then.

- Chie? - Yeah?

Thank you.

Heart, 330g. Left lung, 240g. Right lung, 320g. Liver, 850g.

- Left kidney, 150g. Right kidney, 180g. - Oh, look here, it's your womb.

Your womb!

Why did you come?

I came back...

I came back to you.

I don't want to see you anymore.

I understand everything now...

I won't let us fall apart again.

Hhie, she...

Huh?

- Hhie... - What?

- About Chie... - Chie!

- She helped her mother out in a pinch. - Yeah.

You went through a lot, too.

I'm sorry to drag you into this.

Oh, please, when you're old, you're happy to be of help to anyone.

I wonder if he'll actually see us...

Wasn't it a long time ago?

I'm the one who didn't want to meet him, you know?

I wonder if I'm asking too much from you...

And what am I doing?

Somehow, I just feel like I can't back down this time.

- A oomes ride. - Huh?

A oomes ride!

- What? - A woman's pride!

A woman's pride!

That's right! A woman's pride!

That's a relief. Thank you, doctor!

- Please take this flower. - Oh, my!

That's lovely!

In the spotlight again!

♪ Sing a song of sweet love!

Let's pay the shrine a visit and say a prayer.

- First visit with their newborn! - Right.

Did I take Chie like this, too?

I forgot.

- Gods have it tough, though. - How come?

People always asking them for small favors.

With 5 yen, 10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen,

I wonder if they grow weary of it deep down.

Or do they have a lot of patience?

Giving, receiving, returning, fulfilling wishes,

I wonder if it's only the Japanese gods who are like that.

"Blessed are the poor."

You won't hear a Japanese god saying that.

It's so sad.

He can't help the woman he loves.

It must be tough and confusing for a man.

I want a man like that.

It's hard on women, too.

♪ I wish I could die like this...

I wonder what he's dreaming about.

Aeka Yanagi?

Yumiko Minami, I'm with her. I'm her niece.

Alright, go on please.

We've been waiting for you.

As I told you on the phone, you can't wear high heels.

We're not.

Please wear these instead.

- No way. - Right...

The PM told me you'd probably say that.

Fujimura, secretary to prime minister Tamaru.

Please follow me.

A surveillance camera. It catches any motion.

Right now, it's recording the three of us.

This way.

- This must be the secret tunnel. - No, it's just a regular back way.

Is this the hill with the rat snakes?

Yeah! You're well informed.

Watch your step.

- As you can see. - Very kind of you to demonstrate.

Here you go, watch your step.

This way.

Are all women guests brought in this way?

Oh, no, I didn't mean...

I know exactly what you mean.

Let's go on.

Do you recognize this?

When a new cabinet forms, members have their photo taken here.

Like this?

With a more serious face.

Alright, let's go on.

This is where we hold the garden parties.

Plenty of people from the fields of culture and sports are invited.

- Like Miss Yanagi. - No, I wasn't.

Oh, I see.

The PM goes to bed at 10 PM,

and gets up at 1 AM to get back to work.

This way, please.

I will wait here.

- It's unlocked. - I'll open it myself.

Please wait here.

Shingo.

"I came back."

Please have a seat.

"I came back to you."

Shingo.

Was I... sleeping?

Yes.

For how long?

50 years.

Aeka...

Yes?

- I'm... - Yes?

I'm hungry.

Is that Banzan's work?

- That's right! Impressive. - What kind of person is he?

He was former PM Yamamura's childhood friend and college classmate.

So, when Yamamura got into calligraphy, all other politicians jumped on board.

If Banzan's hobby happened to be tropical fish,

this whole country would have been turned into an aquarium by now.

Is it okay if I looked around a bit?

Oh, by all means. Just please don't wander off.

This place is pretty big.

Excuse me.

It's an awful thing, getting old, isn't it?

Please sit.

You've really become a distinguished man.

But, just as I thought,

the television doesn't do you justice in bringing that across.

Being allowed to talk to you like this,

just because of some past relationship, I feel happy.

- And yet nervous, as well. - Stop it!

That's a line from some monster movie.

Monster movie?

You played a woman who runs a bar in Ginza,

and you had a request to make of some Nobel Prize-winning scientist, right?

He was played by some theatre actor.

"Please, do just one last favor for me."

You say, all weepy-eyed.

And you can see your tears flow down your cheeks in close-up.

Oh! So, you were watching my movies?

Been a while since I did. When I was young,

I had some lingering attachments. And free time.

Though, for most of them, I only saw one half of the picture.

Without even seeing your parts.

Sometimes it was like that...

Good evening. Sorry to bother you.

Come here. Follow me, okay?

I've suffered in my own way.

I like it here.

Nice and cold.

Beautiful.

Like a young bride.

You look very pretty.

Oh, but I have a grown-up daughter.

A grown-up daughter...

Madam?

"Wanted more kindness."

My final letter to you?

It was a telegram. A short telegram.

Because you abandoned me.

I put my heart and soul into it.

- Do you have a puff? - A puff?

I get it. Yes, I have it.

I got 500.000 yen from your uncle in compensation...

...for breaking off the relation.

I don't know if that's a lot or a little money,

But I used it all up to buy this.

Look.

Thank you.

It's okay, you can keep it.

You can keep it.

Take it.

Okay?

- Do you understand? - I understand.

You're very kind.

Thank you.

I'm surprised you kept silent about me.

My uncle was wondering when you'd come forward 'till the day he died.

He kept worrying over it.

- Gloria Swanson. - What?

What was it she said?

The US president who got assassinated, the handsome one, nice guy...

- Kennedy. - Right!

She was his father's mistress.

Gloria Swanson?

They always kept it a secret. But as she lay dying,

she let it all out to people close to her.

"I knew right away that he'd be the father of a president."

As for me, this is the first time I'm wearing this ring.

I didn't gain anything by breaking up with you.

Your wife...

Without love, there's nothing.

Say.

Time. Time. Time...

It's all the work of that devil, time.

Akae, in truth, there are so many people...

...crawling around in this world.

And each spends their own time trying to fulfill their own desires.

My job...

...is to bring some semblance of order to that tremendous chaotic energy.

It would take an eternity to achieve this.

But, I don't have an eternity.

I am losing everything right this moment.

I'm sorry for you.

Come, come.

It's so pretty!

It's lovely.

A dangling hairpin.

It dangles.

It looks so sweet.

It dangles.

I can't, ma'am. It's so expensive.

I won't accept it.

A grown-up... A grown-up...

For my grown-up daughter?

Still, I'm afraid I can't accept it.

Please.

Please take it.

I'm Yumiko Minami from the New Daily.

Alright, dear.

I have important business to discuss with our guest here.

So, let's go back to the other room.

Let's go now.

You too.

- Goodnight, dear. - Thanks.

- I am so sorry. - It's okay.

I gave my reply to your aunt already,

though, she may not be pleased with it,

due to the nature of the place we held our meeting in,

and the kind of cautious phrasing I used.

But I can tell you this.

How about it?

I will be happy to attend any centennial celebration of the New Daily...

...when it takes place, at their new building.

So, we'll be able to have the party in the new building?

Miss Minami.

Here's wishing more power to your pen.

Thank you.

Thanks for giving my wife the make-up.

However, you didn't see anything here.

I understand.

- Good night. - Good night.

What's that sound?

My wife's snoring.

Mr. Urano!

That was a great speech!

We can make it into an editorial.

- Hooray! - Alright, take care.

- Take care of yourself. - You too...

- Take good care of your stomach. - Thank you.

Urano! Good luck!

Good luck, Mr. Urano.

- Good luck! - Mr. Urano! Good luck.

Don't drink too much.

- I'm off. I'll leave the rest to you. - Alright.

Good luck!

Mr. Urano!

I guess this is a sad farewell, from a teacher to his pupil.

- Miss Minami. - Yes?

♪ When you marry a woman, she must be...

I'm sorry for holding you back for so long.

It's okay. I have something I want to talk about.

With me?

Just a second...

I...

Here.

- For me? - What? Oh, no, no...

What did you want to speak to me about?

I'm quitting, too.

You're quitting?

- I'm leaving the company. - With me?

No, it's not like that.

How should I say it?

I used to think that Japanese newspapers were quite something.

For some reason,

I thought they were like Western newspapers up until now.

- Ah, it's lovely. - Ah, no...

It's not for Shirobei, it's for you.

Since I lost track of those fundamentals,

I want to quit the company for a while and reconsider.

And then, after a six month or one year break,

I'd like to write essays for magazines or something, if possible.

After we went to all the trouble resolving everything.

- I'll be going now. - Goodbye.

I still sometimes wonder if all that was just a dream.

It wasn't a dream.

Then, maybe I got sick for a brief period.

It wasn't that either.

Then, it wasn't like seeing a god.

More like a coarse, unpleasant sensation...

Like a religious or a spiritual experience.

The freak coincidence of meeting his wife.

Many things ended right then. Within me...

I can't say I understand,

but it sounds kind of romantic when you say it.

I'll take 2 or 3 days to put my affairs in order and hand in my resignation letter.

And you told me first?

Yes.

So...

Will we see each other again? After this?

No, I won't write anymore,

so it's not that I need you to fix my writing.

No dice?

It was a very sweet present. Thank you very much.

I'm sure Shirobei will love it.

Alright, then.

Alright...

Goodbye.

"Tonight, as I leave Clear Creek for the Three Gorges,"

"I think of you, unseen,"

"I think of you, unseen, heading down to Yuzhou."

You have no appetite. Did you eat too much at the party?

That guy's farewell party, right?

I think I've come to understand my limits...

Your limits in love, too?

The other day, I received a parcel from Ōdate, with a bunch of letters inside.

Letters I wrote to Nakahara during our engagement.

- Yours? - Yeah.

It was in a closet at his parents' house.

He said he kept them there safely.

His wife found them and sent them to me.

The handwriting was so different, it made me wonder...

...if those were really my characters.

And the writing itself is childish and sometimes rude.

Rude?

"From now on, you don't get to pick your own ties."

And then, I would correct misspellings in his letters.

That sounds like you.

I started feeling so guilty over it.

So, I thought I'd nurse him for a while.

- Nurse him? - In Ōdate.

I see. But what about his wife?

She's very happy with the idea!

- What? You already told her? - Well, "strike while the iron is hot".

Incredible.

"You'll be a great help! You must come up!"

"He'll be pleased as well." It's what she said.

This kind of thing would be inconceivable in the past.

I'll go as soon as I quit the newspaper.

I feel for the man who has to spend his last days like that.

I'll nurse you, too.

- Me too? - If you get cancer.

Stop it. There's no need, I won't get cancer.

You're worried I might come barging in to Sendai?

I'm done...

Then, we won't see each other for some time.

You'll slowly forget about me.

I won't!

So, will we stay like this, even when we are old and wrinkled?

Right?

What about it, Mr. Elephant?

♪ Elephant, Elephant, What a long trunk you have!

♪ And my penis, too...

Here.

"I want..."

"...to screw you."

♪ I'm crying in the rain below the acacia

♪ You likely won't understand a heart full of sorrow

Now I think about it,

this is the first time the two of us are traveling alone like this.

Ever since I grew up.

I'm sorry.

It's fun.

How long will you stay there?

A week, I guess.

To see your hometown.

Help a little with nursing Nakahara... I mean, Dad.

Meet the sister that looks just like me.

- And also... - What?

Takero is coming to pick me up.

He is?

- To Ōdate? - To Oirase.

He'll wait for me there.

You're not mad?

Whatever I say...

...won't make any difference, right?

- Mom, would you say... - What?

That you're at your womanly prime?

I don't know...

It's like you only know you were there when you've already passed it.

Oh?

You go through it in a haze,

and before you know it, it's over.

I gotta be careful. It's coming up for me.

You still have a lot to go. And me, too.

When this is over, I'm going back to work.

Sorry for taking this time off.

It's alright.

I'm getting a job next year, so I'll be helping you out after that.

I’ll be able to depend on you!

It's autumn.

Autumn, autumn, autumn...

Come, oh winter!

No matter how far you go, you see people's homes...

Translation: moonlit_margin Revisions: pupscout Re-timing: kagetsuhisoka

Some quotes were taken from Dennis Keene's translation

of Saiichi Maruya's original novel

THE END