Original subtitles

On August 15, 1945

Japan accepted the Postdam Declaration

and submitted to unconditional surrender.

With the war's end

came occupation by the Allied Forces.

Though called "Allied Forces,"

the American Army took control of Japan.

Japan was a charred wasteland.

They were switched from militarism to democracy.

In the devastation and chaos,

what the people suffered from most...

was the dire shortage of food and goods.

Starving and frightened,

people turned to black-market marts.

THE STORY OF ONE CENTURY

Episode 2: When there is Love THE STORY OF ONE CENTURY

Four years had passed since the war's end.

The postwar chaos had abated somewhat.

Though there were signs of recovery,

a closer look revealed burned buildings,

while people still suffered from poverty and famine.

Round-up!

Run!

What's the idea?! I didn't do anything!

Let go!

Let me go!

Come on!

I'm not one of them!

This is a mistake! I was looking for my brother!

Quiet! Get in!

It's a mistake!

You're holding up the line!

No use fighting it now. Get in now!

"Pan-pan" girls were also part of the occupational years.

They were prostitutes who worked the streets.

The Occupation Forces working with local police,

occasionally made mass roundups of "Pan-pan".

Their purpose was not to get rid of "pan-pan",

but to force medical check-ups of the girls...,

to protect Occupation soldiers from venereal diseases.

Next!

Akemi!

Hurry up!

Got a smoke?

Cigarette!

I don't smoke.

Never saw you before. New to this?

No. There's been a mistake.

It's too late to start acting respectable.

Plenty of girls act innocent

and make more money than pros!

It's the truth!

Don't make me laugh!

Keep it quiet!

Haruko! How many times you been here now?!

I forget.

Come off it!

You ran away last time without being examined.

A girl's gotta make a living.

You wanna hire me, Detective?

Take her away!

I can walk by myself!

Name?

Yokoyama Junko.

Address?

30 Nakamachi 2-chome.

How many times must I tell you?

Occupation!

Elementary school teacher! I told you that, too.

Don't lie!

It's true!

Maybe you think that'll get you off,

but even respectable wives and daughters

work the streets too! I ain't buying your story!

It's not a lie. You police made a mistake.

An examination will show if that's so.

Examination?

For VD!

That's outrageous!

Next!

I told you, check on it!

This is unforgivable!

Please! This is a mistake! I'm a teacher!

Quiet!

Please check on it! I'm a teacher!

Wait!

What's wrong?

Do you think all Japanese women are prostitutes?!

If you do, you're all contemptible!

This is unjust...!

Calm down.

Please explain.

I'm terribly sorry for the trouble we caused.

I apologize. I'll drive you home.

No, thank you.

You're home, Shinichi?

What're you doing?

Can't you see?

I need money!

How could I have money?

Then something we can sell.

I guess not.

Shinichi, aren't you ashamed of yourself?!

Doing things like this...! Don't you feel humiliated?!

Don't nag!

You missed work at your new job for three days!

I went to look for you at the black market!

You promised me you'd get a decent job this time!

The moving company ran me ragged.

I ain't cut out for hard labor.

But you've never been able to hold a job for long!

Guilt nagging!

Break my back working...

for dirt-cheap pay? What good is that?!

Lots of guys play their cards right...

and live the good life! This is stupid!

So is it better to hang around the black market marts...

like a black-market gangster?

You come home when you run out of money...

scrounging around like a thief...!

If you want money so badly, take everything and sell it!

Take this! And this! And this!

Take this!

Take it all!

Forget it!

Shinichi! Where are you going?!

What's the idea?!

Quiet, hag!

"Hag"? You punk!

I'm so sorry!

Did Shin-chan do something bad?

Well...

How rough it must be with a brother like that!

Yokoyama Junko was the daughter

of Yokoyama Heikichi and Aya, who had gone to Dairen.

Junko had lost her parents in the war,

and was desperately trying to survive the postwar Japan...

with her only brother, Shinichi.

It was hard, merely eking out a living.

Junko was 25, and Shinichi was 18.

What's up, Shin?

Here. Take it.

Don't tell anyone I gave this to you.

What is it?

Streptomycin. Didn't you say it helps your dad?

Where'd you get this?

It's so new, not even doctors can get it.

Idiot. If you pay the money, you can get anything.

I get some more later.

Shin-chan?

Thanks.

Leave it to me.

Here! Get off there!

Get to class.

Sasaki! Hurry!

Kubodera!

Sorry about the last time.

You came to my school? Is there something else?

I didn't come to see you. This was just a coincidence.

I'm interpreting for officers making school inspections.

I didn't know you taught here. It's truly a coincidence.

I'm Kazuo Hirose

of the GHQ Bureau of Civilian Information and Education.

In Japanese, I'm 2nd Lt. Hirose Kazuo.

Oh...

Won't you allow us to observe your class?

But this is so sudden...

Just for a short while.

Excuse me.

In the comic strip, "Blondie,

we see a refrigerator and a vacuum cleaner.

Even a washing machine and a family car.

My family doesn�t even have an icebox...

with ice in it to keep the food cold.

I think America is wonderful.

I wish I had been born in America. The end.

What did you think of Miss. Takamatsu's essay?

Mr. Saito?

I was jealous because they could eat thick sandwiches!

Miss Suzuki?

I want to study English and go to America!

Me, too!

Furuhashi and Hashizume..

set world records in swimming,

so Japan can be just as good as America.

But our neighbor said Japan is a third-class nation.

And we have too many blackouts to use appliances.

Right!

Miss Yokoyama, allow us to observe your class.

But they're only reading their homework essays.

Just for a short while. Please continue.

A Nisei! Look!

Silence!

Next, Mr. Sakai.

"My Dream by Sakai Ryuta".

My mother does take-home work from morning till night.

My sister and I help my mother with it after school.

We don't have any father.

My father was killed at Iwo Jima.

Mori and Ishiyama's fathers were killed in battle, too.

Others lost older brothers.

Without fathers, our mothers have to work.,

My mother sometimes cries.

I'm angry because my father died.

It's America's fault...

Sakai, eyes to the front. Continue.

A long time ago, I threw a rock at an American Jeep.

The people in my country all like America,

but I hate America.

I hate the adults who bow to Americans, too.

I want to grow up quickly

and work, so I can give money to my mother.

I want her to rest. That's my dream.

Well done.

I believe Sakai wrote honestly about his feelings.

He's not the only one who lost family in the war, is he?

Many people died in the war,

and many Japanese suffered grief and hardship.

But there might be children in America just like Sakai.

No matter which side wins in a war, people suffer.

So Japan decided never to make war again.

to build a peaceful nation.

So they'd never make war again,

Japan wrote a new constitution...

and promised the world to be a democratic nation.

The ones who must keep our promise...

are you, the ones who know how scary and sad war is.

Excuse me!

The children can't concentrate.

Will you leave?

Miss Yokoyama, you can't...!

I'm sorry to have bothered you.

Next, Miss Morta, please read.

Ow!

It's nothing serious.

Don't cry. Be a man.

Please use this.

No, thank you.

This is better for cuts.

Hold on.

It'll hurt a little.

It'll be fine now.

All better.

I was extremely moved by what you said.

Please stop.

My CO told me to tell you.

Even now you have pride and self-respect.

He said children in Japan need teachers like you.

He's glad there are teachers like you.

So am I.

I didn't mean for him to feel that way...

Anyhow, I'm glad you didn't have to rip your hanky.

Children are always getting cuts here.

The gym was destroyed in a bombing raid.

so it's difficult to get rid of all the nails and glass.

Children who can't afford shoes play barefooted.

I understand.

No. You'll never understand how a vanquished people feel.

We don't want your pity.

It's not pity.

Even my father was killed.

His supply ship was hit by a torpedo.

My mother died in a fire during a bombing raid.

Though I know it can�t' be helped in war,

sadness and anger aren't forgotten so easily.

I'm terribly sorry.

They didn't see each other again for six months.

It was a new year, and weather was growing warmer.

The food situation had greatly improved.

But inflation had caused prices to soar,

bringing more hardship.

Stop it!

Please stop them, somebody!

They're American soldiers!

Hold it!

I'll get you!

Shin-chan!

Hang on, Shin-chan!

Are you all right?

Is there a hospital nearby?

There's a doc called Nohara...

He'll take care of it.

Junko?

I was talking to the manager, and this girl came.

Are you Shin-chan's sister?

That's right.

He's...! He's...!

What happened?!

He's...!

Where's my brother?

He's your brother?

Can't cha be more gentle?

Pain is proof that you're alive. Be happy that it wasn't worse.

Excuse me.

How is Shinichi?

No broken bones.

Five stitches on his head, though.

The rest are bruises.

You're okay.

He can go home now.

Thank you.

You okay?

Shut up, meddler.

That's a terrible thing to say, Shinichi!

You could have been killed if he hadn't saved you!

Who asked him to?

I'd rather die than get help from an American!

Maybe you had some kind of reason,

but you shouldn't fight American soldiers.

No reason! I just didn't like the guy's looks.

Just for that...?!

That's right!

To hell with friendly nations.

To hell with peace!

They act so noble and do dirty things in secret.

They can do anything just because they won?!

Do we have to keep quiet and take it?!

No, you...

Shut up! You're an American too!

Occupation soldiers are all alike!

Shinichi...!

Shin-chi tried to take revenge for me.

Revenge?

What do you mean?

A year ago,

an American soldier attacked me.

He took me into an burned air-raid shelter.

I'd fainted, and Shin-chan found me.

He told me to forget.

I tried and tried to forget.

But whenever I see American soldiers,

I get so scared, I can't move.

Then tonight...

Shin-chan and I were eating at the market...!

I saw that soldier!

I couldn't stand up...!

I shouldn't have said anything.

I tried to stop Shin-chan,

but he ran after the soldier.

It's my fault!

I shouldn't have said anything!

It's not your fault.

I'm sorry you had to go through all that...!

I'm sorry.

As a fellow American soldier, I'm ashamed.

Please forgive us.

I knew this sort of things was going on.

But I told myself...

only very few of us did this.

Though it shames the entire Occupation Force.

I don't know how to apologize to you.

Not that it'd help...

but please forgive us!

During the war,

my brother grew up under militarism taught in school.

He wasn't the only one. All children his age were.

When he entered middle school as the war was ending,

he wanted to volunteer for the Kamikaze unit,

and worried my mother and I.

But as soon as the war was over,

the same teachers who had urged resistance...

turned around and started preaching democracy.

Shinichi just couldn't accept it.

He dropped out of school

and frequents with a bad crowd.

It's not that I don't understand my brother.

But when I see him lazing around, not working,

living only from day to day,

I wonder if he's just lazy, blaming everything else.

I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say those things...!

I had an older brother. He died fighting in Italy.

Is that so?

I'm sorry. I have to sit.

Are you all right?

I was correcting final exams....

when all this happened.

A lot of cherry blossoms have bloomed.

When we're just struggling to stay alive,

we don't even notice these things, do we?

Maybe I can't understand the pain the Japanese people suffered.

But the war was rough on the Nisei in America, also.

Soon after the war broke out with Japan,

Nisei on the West Coast were interned in camps.

In the middle of a desert.

My parents lost their small grocery store...

and meager possessions they'd worked so hard for.

My father couldn't withstand the harsh camp life.

He got sick and died.

I was afraid my mom would die, too.

My brother and I joined the army,

thinking that if we did, my mom could leave the camp.

But joining the army...

meant we'd be Americans.

I chose to become an American soldier.

But when I saw Japan in ruins, I didn't know anymore.

People who looked like me, with the same skin color,

were all suffering.

Am I Japanese or American?

I am neither.

What do they call it in Japanese...?!

"Chuburarin." Hanging in midair.

This will be fine. My apartment's nearby.

But...

Really.

Thank you for seeing me home.

Will you go out with me this Sunday?

Junko?

How's your brother?

It wasn't serious. Sorry for all the trouble.

Say...

A while ago, a man came calling on you.

Who was it?

He was a seedy-looking discharged Japanese soldier.

And?

I didn't know him,

so I just said you had to go out on an emergency.

Then he just left without saying anything.

Watch where yer goin'!

Hey soldier! How about apologizing, at least?!

Say somethin'!

Quit it.

Watch it!

Shin-chan...?

You never came back. What were you doing?

What does it matter?

I know.

You went to Shizuoka to buy fish, didn't you?

If you know, don't ask.

I asked Toshiko.

Why'd you do that?!

You helped her get that job at the noodle diner, right?

I'm sleepy.

All night, I rode in a truck packed with fish.

Toshiko's a good girl who looks after her sick father.

Don't get funny ideas! It's not like that...!

She needs help...!

You're nuts.

Toshiko told me how much you'd helped her.

I was so happy. You always were a good kid.

In Dairen,

you helped a Chinese boy who was being bullied...

Quiet. Quit yapping and just go, will ya?

In this scene,

the angel puts on the robe of feathers...

and dances back to heaven.

I didn't understand any of it.

I just read the information on the program.

You were a big help.

I haven't seen a Noh performance in a long time.

I haven't been able to relax like this in years.

Aren't you hungry? Let's have dinner somewhere.

But...

I want to thank you for today. Let's go.

Are you alone?

Whaddya think you're doing? You drunk!

I'm sorry.

Junko...

You're Junko, aren't you?

Yoshie...?!

You're alive, Junko?

You too, Yoshie!

I'm so glad!

I don't know if my dad's dead.

Some say he could be a POW in the Soviet Union.

I still don't know.

Where's your mother?

After the war ended,

she died on a ship coming home from Dairen.

My sister, too. Malnutrition.

So you're all alone, Yoshie?

So I did all kinds of things.

I couldn't worry about appearances.

Right now, I'm Steve's "only".

Yoshie...!

Why should I hide it?

What about you? What are you doing now?

I'm an elementary school teacher.

A teacher?

You, a teacher?

All the male teachers were drafted into the army at the end,

so they have a shortage.

Actually, I wanted to be a novelist.

I remember!

You wrote a love letter for me once!

You were crazy about the bookseller's college-age son.

But whenever you saw him, you got all tongue-tied!

You're the one who told me to write a love letter.

I wrote one for you. But I lost it in school.

Everybody teased me and I burst out crying.

You were so innocent, after all.

But not anymore.

How ironic fate is.

Yoshie...!

I'm sorry I caused such unpleasantly today.

No. That's how I got to see Yoshie.

Thank you for standing up for me.

No, it was great spending the day with you.

Someday, I'd like to...

Good night.

What're you tryin' to do?

Huh?

Come off it! If you try anything with my sister....

What?

Leave my sister alone!

Excuse me.

If you touch my sister, you'll answer to me.

Got that!?

I know you're worried about your sister.

But she has a mind of her own.

You should trust her a little more.

Don't talk so noble!

You guys toy with Japanese girls and run out on them!

Nothing I say can make you understand.

Go back to America!

Scram!

Shin-chan? Welcome home.

What? What happened?

I never thought you were so stupid!

What'd I do?

Quit pretending! You and that G.I...!

Shin-chan, Mr. Hirose's...

You act like a "pan-pan"!

No! Mr. Hirose's not what you think.

His parents were Japanese.

He's still an American!

Sis! He's leading you on!

He's different.

Even Americans have suffered from the war!

That's a lie!

They just hide behind their guns to do what they want!

Are you gonna be his "only" too?!

I won't stand for it!

I won't!

Got that! Remember it!

Who're you?

Who are you sir?

Uncle?

Uncle Kosaku?!

Shin-chan! It's Uncle Kosaku!

He visited when we were in Dairen (Manchuria)! Remember?!

Thank goodness you're safe!

Sis and Heikichi are both dead?

You were alive, weren't you? We just thought...

From up north, we were sent down south.

To Saipan...

My unit died fighting.

I rushed the enemy. When I woke up...

I was in a U.S. army hospital.

After that, I was in a POW camp.

Two months ago, I was shipped back to Japan.

Is that so? How you must have suffered.

You two also suffered.

I'm sure Mom is glad that you're here.

I'm so glad you came.

We moved so many times.

Was it difficult finding us?

I went to the address on Sis's letter.

It was burned down, wasn't it?

A fire started from the bombing.

That's how Mom died.

I heard that Sis had passed away.

That's why I came.

But just look at me.

It doesn't matter!

I almost didn't come.

I'll make some tea.

You must be hungry Uncle. I'll fix something.

Please don't bother.

What a sorry sight. Disgusting.

Shinichi! Keep quiet.

What does he want?

He's not gonna move in, is he?

Never mind! He can stay if he has no place to go!

You gotta be such a Good Samaritan?

Uncle...?

Do you have some place to stay?

I can go anywhere.

No...!

It's late. Please spend the night here.

No. All I wanted was to offer incense to Sis.

Please. Spend the night.

You're dripping wet.

Malaria (half treated).

I'm used to it.

Uncle! Wait!

Let him go!

No!

Uncle...!

Uncle! Shin-chan! Come quickly!

Uncle...?!

Hang on!

The malaria should get better.

But his ankle's badly sprained.

His body's all worn out.

And he's lost his will...

His will...?

His will to live.

Keep him in bed for a while, anyhow.

Hurry, Teacher!

Stop it!

Stop!

Fukuda! Yoshimura! Stop it!

That's enough!

What happened?

Tell me why you fought.

Can't you tell me?

He teased me.

What did he say?

He said I liked Kato.

You shared Kato's umbrella the last time! Creep.

I had to! It started raining!

You always drink Yasui's milk at lunchtime!

Yasui can't drink milk!

You're creepier than me!

That's enough!

Listen...

It's not creepy for boys and girls to be kind to each other.

It's a wonderful thing....

for boys and girls to like each other.

But that'll be when you're much older.

You too, Teacher?

Do you like someone?

Well, could be.

I'm home.

You can't get up, uncle!

I'm fine.

See? It's too soon.

the doctor said to stay in bed, didn't he?

I can't keep imposing on you kids.

It's no imposition at all. Get back in bed.

I got some medicine on my way home.

And I found this at the black market mart.

It's used but you can change into it.

Thank you.

I'm glad I can look after you.

Mom always talked about you, Uncle Kosaku.

She said you understood her better than anyone else.

No...

I was always worrying her.

My two older brothers were smart.

But I just didn't have any talent.

They said I was an embarrassment to the Tokura.

When I was in middle school,

my pop's pocket watch disappeared.

Everyone accused me of taking it.

Only Sis stood up for me.

She said "Kosaku would never do such a thing"!

She cried and yelled at Pop.

She stood by me till the end.

Mom believed in you, didn't she?¾

I did take the watch.

I took it and sold it.

To get back at Pop for scolding me.

But Sis defended me!

I'm no good!

No good...

Even if she knew the truth,

Mom still would have stood by you.

I think I can understand how she felt.

I think Mom might have sent you here.

So please let us help you.

If I let you go now, Mom would scold me.

So please stay until you're better.

Promise me.

Thank you.

Promise, now.

No! I can't afford that much!

There's inflation in Japan. We're poor, too.

Forget it, fool!

Get serious, bastards!

You probably stole these!

We can get you in trouble!

Quick! The MPs will come!

They won't lower the price!

Just hurry up...!

Fool~! I ain't givin' in to these Americans!

But...

Shin-chan! It's the cops!

Junko...?

I'm here! I got your address from Mr. Hirose.

You're crazy.

Why? Shouldn't I have come?

But I didn't think...

I'll open the front door. Come around.

Excuse me.

A school teacher shouldn't visit a soldier's "only".

What a bad teacher.

But I'm so glad you came.

I just made some coffee.

I haven't had coffee since Dairen (Manchuria).

Nice place.

It was the studio of the landlord's son, an art student.

He died in the war.

It's a detached room, so no one bothers us.

Oh, sorry. Have a seat.

They're Steve's.

Steve pays the rent.

As old folks would say, I'm a "kept woman"?

Yoshie...!

I did all kinds of things. Sales clerk, dancer,

bar girl. In the end, I'm a U.S. soldier's...

You can see, right?

It sounds good if I say it's "to survive".

But I probably didn't care because I lost my family.

And early last year, I met Steve.

That's it.

He seems like a nice, good-nature guy.

Well...

He�s pretty sweet too.

When he got punched at that club.

Remember how mad you were?

You almost seemed like his wife.

After a year and a half, love does grow.

But he's going back to America someday.

We both know that.

I don�t want any bad feelings, either.

You're so strong now, Yoshie.

Why should I let myself feel low?

Mr. Hirose...!

Junko...!

You said you couldn't come on Sunday.

Sorry, will you serve coffee to Kazuo?

I never dreamed I'd see you here.

I was thinking all week of a way to see you again.

Lady Luck didn't desert me.

Are you going somewhere?

Sorry. You two enjoy yourselves here.

It's okay.

You're here?

Toilet.

Can't get around yet, can you?

Where's Sis?

She went out. Around noon.

Uncle, what's you gonna do when you're better?

Everything's changed so much.

You've changed too, Uncle.

When you visited us in Dairen (Manchuria) you looked so brave.

You were my hero.

Now look at you.

When men lose, they sure become pitiful.

We charged the enemy.

All my comrades died.

Only I was saved by the enemy.

I should have died also.

I missed my chance!

I wanted to kill myself when we lost, too.

But the teachers who said we should die fighting,

turned around and started kissing the American's feet.

People talked big, but they're only out for themselves.

All this hero stuffs for the birds.

The honest ones always get shafted.

I felt stupid for even thinking of suicide.

Life's worth living.

I guess so.

When their lives are on the line...

Thank you. That was delicious.

I just threw something together.

It was great. Honestly.

The eggs were just like my mom's.

Much better than eating out.

Really?

Care to dance?

I can't. I've never danced before.

It's easy.

Come.

That's good.

I'm sorry!

Sorry.

I don't know why I did that.

No, I do know.

From the moment we met,

I couldn't stop thinking about you.

I knew you were prejudiced against American soldiers.

That's why...

I have no right to love you.

This war tore me in half.

I didn't know if I was American or Japanese.

But after meeting you,

I knew what it felt to love as a human being again.

If you'll stay with me...

I want to make you happy.

That's my happiness.

Please understand.

You've got to believe me.

Your dad's no so good?

The doctor wants to put him in the hospital.

But Dad won't go.

I couldn't raised the money.

How can you?

Mr. Naritaya says he'll find me better work.

Stupid! He'll sell you to the red-light district!

That's okay. I'm ruined anyway...

Stupid!

Your dad's trying to save you from that!

I'll get the money.

Shin-chan, stop doing dangerous things.

Your sister will worry.

She's going with a G.I.!

I have to go.

Don't listen to Naritaya. Okay?

I'm home!

I'm sorry to be late!

Welcome home.

Are you doing that again?

I'll do that.

Uncle, I have a present for you.

Ham...

Pineapple...

Even corned beef.

They're too expensive to buy for me...

I didn't buy them.

An American soldier gave them to me.

His name is Hirose Kazuo.

He's a 2nd generation Japanese-American.

He has feelings for me.

But I don't know what to do.

Shinichi will never allow it.

Do you feel the same, Uncle?

Do you think I'm wrong?

Should I be ashamed, as a Japanese?

No, nowadays...

It doesn't matter if you're American or Japanese.

Everyone should live as they wish.

Even your mother...

my sister, Aya....lived, always true to herself,

no matter what people said.

Mon did...?

Uncle?

I want to ask you something. About our home village.

Mom never told us anything about it.

Even when the bombing got worse...

and everyone evacuated to the countryside,

Mom never went back to her village.

The Tokura have no land or house there.

I know.

But maybe something happened there...?

Only family grave is there.

I haven't buried Mom's ashes yet.

They're in a temple nearby.

Do you think Mom will be happy...

if I buried her in that grave?

That's a good idea.

Go ahead.

Shinichi!

Are you drunk?

Gimme money.

Money!

Shinichi...!

Gimme money! I need money!

When will you stop...?

I didn't come to hear your lecture!

Gimme money!

What's it for?

What's the difference?

I'm not giving you money unless I know why!

Give it to me!

Shinichi...

Here.

What's this?!

What's wrong with you?!

This is chicken feed!

I need 10,000 yen bills!

Who's got that kind of money?!

What's this?!

Shinichi...!

They're from that guy, right?!

If you're a G.I.'s lover, get money from him!

American dollars!

Hit me all you want!

Just get money from that G.I.!

Shinichi...!

Don't hurt your sister...

Shaddap!

You lost the war and came running home!

Come back, Shinichi!

Junko...

Nothing you say will matter right now.

He's hurting too.

He doesn't know what to do.

Sorry I'm late.

Not at all. I'm sorry to call you at work.

I was happy that you called me.

Didn't you order anything?

No...!

I'm not staying.

You're in a hurry?

Let's stop seeing each other.

Someday, I'm going to cause terrible trouble for you.

Let's stop while we still can.

I don't understand.

Why, all of a sudden...?

Was it something I did?

No. It's my fault.

I'm to blame.

What're you saying?

I don�t' understand...!

I'm sorry!

What's wrong?

Let go please.

The next day, Junko took her mother's ashes...

and went to Yamagata.

Junko saw her mother's birthplace for the first time.

She wondered what her mother's childhood was like.

And what had happened to her there.

Thank you very much.

Thank you for coming from so far.

I wanted to come much sooner.

But my mother never told us much about Yonezawa.

Is that so?

I'd heard she and her husband, Yokoyama Heikichi...

went to Manchuria China before the Sino-Japanese war began.

Why didn't my mother tell me about her birthplace?

One moment please.

This way, please.

This...?!

It was Aya at 19 years of age.

Mom...?!

Painted by a Tokura tenant farmer, Yashiro Kota.

Kota was a young man of 22 at that time.

The Tokura's house was in Tokyo,

but whenever Aya's parents had business here,

she often came with them.

She was beautiful, refined...

and full of life.

In early summer, when Aya was 19, was it...?

She met Kota,

the son of a tenant farmer for the Tokura family.

They eventually fell in love.

But it wasn't allowed for a tenant farmer's son...

to love the landowner's daughter.

Aya was take back to Tokyo

and Kota went to Tokyo to study art,

leaving his mother alone unable to stop him.

Aya and Kota were reunited in Tokyo.

But unfortunately, Aya's father's business failed.

So to save her family,

Aya was forced to marry the tycoon Yokoyama Heikichi...

namely, your father.

People envied Aya.

But she wasn't happy.

With a tyrannical, thoughtless husband...

and a domineering mother-in-law,

Aya learned she was only a decoration, a trophy,...

to elevate the Yokoyama family's status.

to elevate the Yokoyama family's status.

No, my father wasn't like that.

Don't feel offended.

Having lived a pampered, free life,

Aya was miserable and lonely at the Yokoyama house.

But Aya did her best to endure.

However, three years later,

Aya was unexpectedly reunited with Kota again.

After Aya married, Kota lost all hope...

and threw himself into his work as a stockbroker.

But he still couldn't forget Aya...

and had watched over her from a distance.

Aya decided to be true to her own feelings,

and divorce her husband.

But Aya was pregnant with Heikichi's child.

Aya didn't want the child.

After much agonizing, she finally got rid of the baby.

Because of that,

Aya was convicted of an illegal abortion

and spent a year in prison.

Illegal abortion?

Mom...?

She did it to free herself

from those who had kept her imprisoned.

But when Aya was released,

everything had drastically changed.

Her husband, Heikichi, had lost his house, his fortune,

and even his mother. He was penniless.

And she learned...

her husband who had never been kind to her,

actually loved her more than anything in the world.

Heikichi had opened his heart to her for the first time.

Aya couldn't abandon him.

That's why Mom went to Dairen Manchuria?

To start a new life with Dad?

After that, you know more about Aya than I.

Your mother Aya was a strong woman.

She refused to be bound by old conventions...

or social constraints.

And tried to live her own life.

She had a deep love for everyone.

That was why she suffered and was hurt so much.

But she was a strong lady.

Maybe I shouldn't be dragging out the past now...

I'm proud of my mother.

I'm glad I brought her here.

When the war was getting closer,

a young man came here.

Yashiro Yohei, his name was.

Yashiro...?

Yes. Kota's son.

He brought this portrait.

His late mother had cherished this memento of his father.

So he wanted to leave it here.

Kota died in the war too.

They all died.

Mom...

You always loved with all your strength.

I know...

You had no regrets about going to Dairen with Dad.

And how you loved Shinichi and I.

You were happy, weren't you, Mom?

I really understand now.

How...?!

Thank God! If you'd told me to leave...!

When I went to your apartment...

your uncle told me where to find you.

I thought you might not like it if I came,

but I had to see you...

It's all right!

Don't say a word.

I wish we could stay like this forever.

So do I.

What'd I do?!

Blasted kid!

Goin' behind our back...!

You know what you'll get, right?

"Thanks for everything. I'm leaving, after all".

Excuse me, is Shin-chan's sister here?

She's out.

Let's go to the police!

I can't...!

You can't be worrying about yourself!

Shin-chan could get killed!

I warned him not to do it!

Is Shinichi in trouble?

The gang caught him.

The gang?

Shin was selling on the black market on his own.

To help my dad get into a hospital.

Where's Shinichi?

Behind the mart. In the gang's warehouse.

Wait a minute.

Let's go. Take me there.

You get the police.

So when did Uncle leave?

Just a short while ago. The girl went to the police.

The warehouse behind the mart.

Be careful!

Please let him go.

We can't.

He bit the hand that fed him.

Please sir.

Apologizing ain't going to help!

Beat it! Why did you come?!

Please, for my sake...

Apologies just won't be enough.

What can I do?

Settle the account!

Settle...?

Beat it! Forget about me!

How you gonna make good on our losses?!

Whatcha gonna do?!

Uncle!

Uncle!

Hang on! Uncle!

Stupid! Why'd ja hafta come?! Why?!

Shinichi...

You're alright now.

Uncle...! Why?

Why'd you do it?!

It's alright.

It's alright now.

I should have died anyway.

You got your whole life ahead of you.

So quit being so reckless.

Don't make your sister unhappy.

Uncle...

It's alright.

I can finally...

The sky...

sure is blue.

Uncle?!

Don't die! Uncle!

You died for me...?!

You fool!

Fool!

Shin-chan!

What's wrong?!

What happened?!

Made to fight in the war,

Kosafu suffered even after the war ended.

His death was practically a suicide.

Pain and anger welled up in Junko.

And for some reason, Kazuo had stopped calling her.

The new semester began,

and the rainy season was suddenly here.

May I please speak to Hirose Kazuo?

Can you tell me where he went?

He hasn't answered my calls. Where is he?

Is that so?

Thank you.

You're here, Shinichi?

Shinichi...?

I'm leaving.

Leaving? Where?!

Who cares?

Why?

Why do you say that?

Why do you have to go?!

All we've got is each other!

What'll I do if you go?

What'll I say to Mom and Uncle?!

Tell me why?

If it's because of me...

If you can�t' forgive me, say so!

Everybody's leaving...!

You...

Uncle...

Kazuo...!

You're all leaving me.

It's not fair...!

Sorry I couldn't get in touch with you.

I thought...you'd gone home to the U.S.

Hardly.

I was on a top secret assignment to Seoul Korea.

Seoul?

I've got to talk to you.

I'm sorry. Not today...

There's no time!

There is a war starting in Korea.

War...?

She said to leave.

I want you to hear this, too.

I've got to go back to Korea.

I don't want to go.

But I've got to...

So before I go...

Junko...

I want you to marry me.

No, not right away. When I get back.

I can't right now...

Maybe it's selfish to ask before I ship out.

I thought it might put you on the spot.

But...

I had to ask you before I leave.

I can�t' right now.

All right.

But I'm not giving up.

Shin-chan...!

Wait, Shin-chan! If you're against it...!

Don't, Shin-chan...!

I know you're against it. But it's my future, too...

You love her?

My Sis. You really love her?

-I do. -You mean it?

I mean it.

Sis wants to marry you.

But she held back because of me.

She never had a boyfriend because I was there.

And yet I gave her nothing but trouble.

All I gave her was grief!

I'm a jinx.

Sis can't be happy with me there.

I want Sis to be happy, too.

I love my sister.

I love her!

Promise me!

Promise me you'll make Sis happy!

If you ever make Sis sad...

..or unhappy, I'll get you!

I'll get you good!

Shin-chan...

Why?! Why?!

Why do you have to go to war again?!

I'm sick of it!

Why do you have to fight in another stupid war?!

Be a little kinder...

This war probably won't last long.

I'm not in the infantry, so I won't be sent to the front.

So don't worry.

Promise me...

you'll come back.

I promise I'll come back.

I'll be waiting.

I never want to lose anyone to war again.

'Bye.

Seeing men off to war...

I thought those days were gone.

Hot, isn't it?

Junko, how are you? Maybe it didn't do any good,

but I asked to be discharged again yesterday.

I'm always thinking about you.

I miss you.

If I had wings, I'd fly to you.

It'd be great if I could be a bird.

To fly the skies, free.

I have good news.

I'll get a leave to go to Japan soon.

I'll let you know when the date's set.

I can't wait to see you. ...Kazuo

Shin-chan!

What's wrong?

What happened?

When I got home from work,

The apartment manager said a girl called Yoshie called.

What did she say?

Hirose...

Hirose Kazuo died in battle.

No! That can't be true!

I just got a letter from him

saying he was coming to Tokyo on leave!

But she got the news from a person called Steve!

No...

No...!

THREE YEARS LATER

Mom?

Kazuo died in Korea...

and Japan grew rich from the munitions boom...

Time are swiftly changing.

Ironic, isn't it?

But I don't regret loving Kazuo.

War took Kazuo from me.

It took you and Dad.

Even Uncle Kosaku.

But there's one thing war will never take from me.

It's the love that you had for me and Shinichi.

...The love that Kazuo had for me.

That still lives in me.

The ties that bind people together...

Not even war can take that away from us.

This child is the treasure that Kazuo left me.

You taught me the courage to love others.

I'll teach it to my daughter as well.

You've given me your love.

And I'll give it to my children.

And they'll give it to theirs.

It doesn't matter how the world changes.

Isn't that right, Mom?