So I want to entrust this with the younger generation.
What do you think?
Don't you have any interest in my proposal?
But I'm just a directing assistant.
Well, certainly it may be unusual for me to have this kind of conversation with someone I don't know well.
But, seeing you, I was reminded of my own youth.
"I was like him too once..."
I was defiant back then and was always arguing.
I was bullied often.
There. The cigarette burns are still left.
I got in an argument with one of my seniors and he burnt me with his cigarette.
Well, I was bullied and bullied. And, as I was thinking up excuses, I became a skilled producer.
So, when I met you, it just came to me.
How do I say this?
You were so transparent...
Izawa.
I can feel it.
The beautiful energy that flows out of you.
A flow of clear energy...
I'm interested in you.
I'd like to take a risk with you.
What do you think?
Won't you join me?
What do you want me to do?
First there's planning. I need a screenplay.
It's alright if it's just temporary, but can you work something out by next Thursday?
Please freely write about something daring.
Those kinds of things are always the best.
Don't worry. If I must say, I'm the most flexible producer around here.
Well, I am a little eccentric.
Izawa.
I'm looking forward to your work.
Youth have to produce the good stuff.
Is something wrong?
Uh, no. I wonder what it could be. Maybe there are rats in this house or something...
The last couple in the world is walking towards the world's end.
The two continued on and on through the cold wind.
They finally arrived at the world's end.
It was the mountain where God lives.
They climbed the mountain, put pepper on their lips, and prayed for the world to end.
Everything disappeared.
Mountains... Men... Women... Colors... Even light...
Then God appeared and blessed the couple.
Then God remade the world again.
Eternally new...
very nostalgic...
Attention. Today's studio inspection has been cancelled.
An accident occurred.
Ochiai's head was directly struck by some lighting, almost as if he had been targeted.
Everyone in the establishment was brought together and my colleague, Yoshida, was suddenly chosen as the new director.
No one had even imagined he'd have been singled out for director.
It all proceeded as if it were part of some movie scenario.
Once again my days of boredom had returned.
Sorry...
Push harder.
Push.
It was during a day off at midday when, from far off, a bombing attack began.
Since we didn't have a bomb shelter, we hid in my closet.
I had written a screenplay about a 27-year old directing assistant who was living with an idiot woman.
Had I written the truth? Or did what I write become the truth?
I myself didn't even know.
This is a pretty difficult project...
I don't mean that it's bad, but...
I wonder if the television viewers will understand it...
Don't misunderstand me.
I don't hate this kind of stuff.
I mean, there are a lot of worthless programs on TV.
I think that literary movies are essential.
This is a novel idea.
How do I say this?
I just wonder whether the average viewer will understand this.
Because viewers are incredibly stupid.
But more than that, I wonder what the intellectual community would say about this...
It might be quite difficult to make money with this.
For the mean time, let's use this as a basis and leave the screenplay to a professional.
It might change quite a bit...
To be honest, I don't really know whether this is interesting or not...
Izawa
I'm not saying this is impossible.
This kind of project is decided by its main star.
This main character... the "idiot woman"...
Is it alright to tell you my opinion?
For the main character...
I'd like to go with her.
Of course, you know her pretty well, too.
She's really popular right now, right?
Actually, I'm the one who first discovered and brought up Ginga.
I'd like to work with her again.
She's on your program pretty often, isn't she?
I'm sorry, but...
Could you ask her to make the movie with me?
It'd be faster than talking with her manager.
And it's your screenplay. Can you do it?
This is a big chance for you.
Hey... Izawa!
Studio #1 - "Imperial Special"-'s run-through will be conducted at 3 o'clock.
Studio #1's run-through will begin at 3 o'clock.
My candy!
Someone, bring me my candy!
Please.
Unwrap it.
I don't like those eyes.
Don't look at me!
Disgusting eyes...
I'd like to hollow them out.
Do you think that I'm Satan?
Pick it up.
Why don't you eat it?
It's delicious.
With my saliva all over it.
Pig.
Ginga, Happy Birthday.
Thank you!
Today Ginga is especially beautiful.
Don't stare at her so much. The aftermath is pretty scary.
Oh, isn't this a surprise? Meeting you here.
Is it strange that I'm here? The first person to discover Ginga was me, anyway.
And that's the one thing you always complain about.
You're one to talk. Stealing her from me...
But it's rather impressive.
Getting along with the bureau director, huh?
You sure have gotten ahead in life.
How many men have you crushed by now?
This isn't a place for losers.
Ginga, you should dance too.
Dance, Ginga.
You want me to dance?
I'm expensive.
Come on. Dance!
I don't want to dance today.
You shouldn't dance, Ginga.
It's my request, Ginga. Dance for me, the bureau director.
No, Ginga. Don't dance.
Do I have to dance for free?
If you dance for me, I'll give you anything.
Really? Anything?
Anything. Today is your 20th birthday.
If you want something, just tell me.
Do you really promise?
Hey. Who do you think I am? Whether it be a tank or a platoon, I can give you anything.
Well, then I'll dance.
Ginga...
Wonderful, Ginga. You were wonderful.
So, you'll give me what I want?
Whatever you want. Clothes? Cars? Jewelry?
On a silver plate...
On a silver plate... what?
A mountain of candy?
Izawa's head.
Izawa's head...
Who's Izawa?
This is great.
Ginga, how do you wanna... cook this guy?
Leave.
Everyone, leave.
Leave!
Get out of here!
Everyone, get out of here!
What's wrong, Ginga?
Everyone, get out of here!
Stop it!
Hurry up! What are you doing? Get out of here!
Hurry!
Go away! Everyone!
Get out of here!
Everyone, leave!
Ginga.
You too. Get out of here.
A lot of people died today.
Over here and over there, lots of idiots are dying.
You look pathetic.
I thought I told you to stop looking at me like that!
You look horrible.
Just horrible.
Why don't you quit working here?
You could quit any time you want.
Why are you always getting in my way?
An honest man.
But just honest.
That's why you can't become a bad person.
Good things and bad things... You don't judge anything...
Saying nothing and doing nothing...
It's almost like you're being wise like an old man.
You're so great.
Really you think that I'm pitiable, don't you?
You also think that yourself and the war are pitiable.
Just like God, you're watching life from outside the world.
How noble of you.
Well, you know what? I don't like or dislike this world, either.
I don't really care if the world is destroyed or anything.
But, I am different from you
in that I'm trying my hardest to live.
I like desperately living like a bug, ugly and frantically flailing arms and legs.
I could kill you right now.
Because humans die so easily.
Because... living is so much harder...
I saw eyes like yours a long time ago.
The eyes of someone determined...
When I was a child, my house was burned down and I fled with my mother.
Right before my eyes, a man was being beaten by a crowd of men.
Because the man wasn't Japanese...
There wasn't any real reason, but the man was lynched anyway.
The man, noticing us, looked in our direction.
Then the men who were beating him noticed us.
They asked the man...
"Is that your family?"
The man, while staring at us, replied...
"No."
They were chilling eyes.
Determined eyes...
They were the eyes of one awaiting death.
This time the men asked us.
"Is this your father?"
I was scared and couldn't say anything.
So I ran.
I ran for a while and then turned around.
I couldn't see the man anymore.
Because the group of men had surrounded the man and wouldn't stop beating him.
My mother pulled me by my hand and we ran and ran.
But no matter where we went, it was Hell.
But... what had burned into my eyes...
those eyes...
That look...
The eyes of a determined man...
The look of a man challenging death...
The same as your eyes.
This is ridiculous.
Determined people, people who scoff at those things... All humans are worthless.
It's so stupid.
It's hilarious. I laugh at it.
This world and all its people can die at my feet, looking up at me.
I'll live on.
I'll live on, crushing people as I dance.
Is that strange?
Am I crazy?
I'm scared of dying.
I don't want to die.
That's why I'm scared of you.
Your honesty scares me.
When I look at you, I come to my senses.
If I come to my senses, I won't be able to live any more.
Don't come here ever again.
I'm 20 now.
We should have a huge party.
I'll wear clothes that will make everyone jealous...
Everyone will celebrate my birthday on a simultaneous national broadcast
Help me...
What's wrong?
Was I dreaming?
No... Is there proof that even this reality isn't a dream?
I wanted to make sure... of my lost time...
...of her shadow... her skin... her existence...
More than that, I had to verify my own existence.
Where am I?
Do you like them?
This one is better made.
These stones. They are saying that they want a face.
that they want me to draw them a face.
You know what you are, right?
These stones also know that they are stones.
What seperates men from stones?
Is it wisdom?
Is it life?
No.
It's a face.
Because it lacks a face, it is just a stone.
Because it has a face, you are you and I am me.
But if you didn't have a face...
and if I didn't have a face...
there is nothing to seperate you from me.
It is the same with a stone.
You are I are only stones with faces.
There are tens of thousands of stones with faces jumbled together in this world.
She is...
Sayo is...
a stone without a face.
That's because she is a part of her hometown.
Humans need a hometown.
Things other than humans also have hometowns.
Dogs... cats... even stones have hometowns...
In the end, everyone returns to their hometown.
One rakes up the helplessness of the world.
Secretly the dream has become clear.
One rakes up the helplessness of the world.
Secretly the dream has become clear.
Mother... Mother...
Mother...
Go home.
You shouldn't be here.
Aki!
Where did she go with that baby?
Mr. Izawa, I thought that we'd be okay for another 4 or 5 days, but this town is finally over too.
Let's run away together.
Run away? To where?
This time I had made up my mind.
The great love of war would solve everything.
Mr. Izawa, I'm going to get out of here.
I don't want to stay around and die in smoke.
Good luck.
This is my final film.
Miss Sayo, let's run away together.
So pretty...
Don't go over there!
If you go there, you'll only die.
When you die, we'll do it together.
Don't be scared!
And don't leave me.
Forget about the fire and the bombs and we'll go down this street together.
Look straight ahead down this street and hold onto my shoulder.
Alright?
You got it?
Is she alright? Is she injured?
Be brave and hold on.
I took the idiot woman's hand and walked on and on.
We walk endlessly down the eternal path.
"Thinking of tomorrow, Izawa lowered his eyes."
Tadanobu Asano
Miyako Koda
Reika Hashimoto
Masao Kusagari
Original work by Ango Sakaguchi
Written and directed by Makoto Tezuka