At good times, at bad times too...
on a hot summer day,
under a winter sky,
even on New Year's Day,
the sea was always there.
When I was a child and after I grew up,
When a neighbor died or
a doctor delivered a baby,
When I had my first date,
When I lost my first love,
the sea always the same,
ebbed and flowed regularly.
It seemed to me
that the sea taught us something.
even it is always the same,
I left my quiet town beside the sea
to enter a Tokyo college.
My name is Maria Shirakawa.
It sounds like Holy Mother.
But actually I'm far from a Holy Mother.
I am always quick-tempered flesh-and-blood.
Why not talk to her?
I'm sorry, we're busy.
Matsu, don't just stand there.
Say Goodbye, She's leaving.
Then I'll go.
Sorry I couldn't help.
Matsue, take care.
Write to me. I'll write too.
Goodbye.
Nice film.
That actress was good.
I smell the sea.
Sometimes,
I miss the sea so much I can't sleep.
I can't help it.
In this town, sometimes the wind brings
the smell of the ocean.
At such times I almost cry out.
My whole body drinks in the aroma.
I feel sad then.
It makes me feel like throwing away
any shopping bags I'm holding and running
to stand on a breakwater.
I want to drink in the aroma.
It's sad to think
that such strong sensations soon fade.
Is this what you call "Nostalgia"?
I was thinking the same thing, shinatsukuri-kun
Strictly speaking, a little different:
Contamination
Shinatsukuri-kun,
contamination has begun.
Tsugumi.
- To the clinic? - Yes.
How do you feel?
No great difference.
I see. Take care.
Have a good trip.
Stop conquetting, fool!
What's freedom?
What's the benefit of fighting for it?
Shinatsukuri-kun
That's wrong.
You're wrong.
I have no time for that!
There's no great influence.
The problem has been solved.
Finished.
Sleep well?
Relax.
Got it?
Yes.
Then...
I'll give you the prescription.
Wait outside.
You changed the picture, didn't you?
Yes.
- Next patient. - Yes.
I'm home.
Welcome back.
Tempura this evening?
I brought something for you.
Cookies, Maria.
Only one for each.
See.
You buy them?
A customer's gift.
I just brought a few.
Tokyo cookies are good.
Tsugumi?
How are you?
Long time no see.
You sound foolish.
Study hard?
Isn't your dad flirting again?
Tsugumi...
Maria, this is Yoko. How are you?
Fine, thanks. Did you get my letter?
Yes, I will write to you too.
This vacation, if you are free.
if you are available, come to visit us
We have prepared a room for you.
Grandma will reserve Sashimi for you.
Will you come?
Tsugumi was born weak.
She had lots of physical problems.
The doctor said she would die soon.
Her family knew it.
So everyone spoiled her.
Her mother took her to hospitals.
She did her best to help Tsugumi live longer.
Because of the living environment,
she got a defiant personality.
I wish I could see what you's really be if I died.
Say that again!
Tsugumi is crude and sarcastic,
Selfish and spoiled
This one...
You like him?
Yes, I like him.
Show me.
This boob? He is sickening.
B E A S T
You're almost through.
Yes.
You're almost through.
You can do this.
Don't laugh so easily, asshole.
Your face shows what's on your mind.
Let this stupid inn go bust.
Where have you been?
Tell me.
You won't tell me?
Shut up, asshole.
Tsugumi!
The way you talk!
I'll punish her!
Go ahead!
But...
if I suddenly croak this evening,
you
will be regretted.
She talked straight.
She told people what they hated to hear.
She looked like a devil.
My mother and I
Lived in this inn.
I will go.
Take care.
Mom's sister married into our family.
My Mom helped manage the inn.
She writes lyrics for rock music.
She's good. Read it.
My step-dad
got a divorce from his Tokyo wife.
He tried hard to marry my mom.
You write some interesting books?
They seemed to have a rough time.
But they were happy
dreaming of the day we'd all live together.
So I grew up as the only and peaceful daughter.
My dad and mum love each other.
When we were in junior school.
Youko, Tsugumi and I were crazy about a TV Show.
The story is about how the brother rescue his sister.
The final episode came to an end.
It's over.
Maria.
I met my sister too.
This place looks like the hereafter.
Hey, where are you going?
At junior school,
Tsugumi already had boyfriends.
And she changed them so often.
But it never got to be gossip.
People thought that she was gentle and lovely.
And that attracted boys.
My dad got a divorce.
He told my mom and me to live together in Tokyo.
I was trying for a Tokyo college.
We were waiting to see if I could get in.
So we were jittery about the phone calls.
At such times, Tsugumi deliberately.
You okay?
You flopped.
She often called, and it made me so mad.
Lots of food left over.
There's plenty of your favorite left.
Really?
Still here?
Welcome.
But for some reason, this time.
I took her pranks lightly.
My mom and I were so happy to think
we could finally move to Tokyo.
It was like a spring thaw.
He gave us the cake.
He was generous today.
Today was the last time.
We'll eat together.
Flowers in the river.
Really.
How lovely!
I know.
I'll give you the records.
Shall I bring them now?
Sure? You can?
Why not tape them?
It's okay.
I'd planned to throw them out anyway.
It's a kind of farewell gift.
Spring came.
The days grew warmer.
As our time for departure near
the scenes of daily life
seemed remarkably impressive and bright.
What?
Moving, huh?
Thanks for everything.
Where in Tokyo?
Will you take the dog for a walk.
Your hand.
I don't want it.
Just keep it.
Tsugumi.
I can live where there isn't any sea.
I can't believe it.
I wonder why.
Whenever a ship gets near the port.
I felt as if I were a stranger.
I felt like I'd come from far away and
would leave the port soon.
May be it's because when you watch
a distant port from the sea,
it becomes clear that man is a stranger after all.
- Such a long time. Yes.
You're late.
Desire is something vain.
And passion is precious.
It's so nice to be back again.
It's lusts.
Look, that old man's still fishing!
He never misses.
- Hey, she comes.
Welcome.
I'll stay here according to my mum.
Thanks, she should have come, too.
She said she'd only cry.
Nothing has changed.
Yes.
I can relax.
Tsugumi? You are alright?
Don't rush.
They baking new cake?
Yes, they are sure trying hard.
Really?
The best.
Then, I'll go too.
Suppose...
Famine attacked the earth.
Famine?
When all food was gone.
I wish I could kill the dog and eat it.
I wish I could do it and laugh.
And eat deliciously without a sense of guilt.
Odd girl.
We miss you.
Your dog.
Our Devil who art in Hell,
may his name be worshipped,
may his profanity come,
may he will be done on earth
as well as in Hell.
Good night.
Hi, you two!
Thanks for taking care of Tsugumi.
That's Tsugumi.
I lost.
I quit.
It's Youko's turn.
Go to the clinic.
Still cutting your nails?
Hello?
Yes.
You're...
Thanks for that time.
You work here?
Is a Takahashi staying here?
Wait a minute.
Is a Takahashi here?
The guy who checked in last night.
A guest?
Hi!
Come on.
I'll go to see the doctor.
Nice, isn't it.
Sure is.
That's good.
Look...
How much longer will I live?
Hey, wake up!
What's wrong?
I can't sleep.
About Nakanishi... it wasn't my fault.
To the right... lower...
It wasn't my fault.
More to the left.
There! That's it.
He was a nice guy, I can't believe it.
He is really a nice guy.
Enough?
Thank you.
Matsue taku...
What he did, I can't believe it.
Don't worry.
He'll live long.
Yesterday...
I sent him a card.
Really.
I feel great.
A peaceful town.
This has a nice smell.
It wasn't my fault.
I can't believe Nakanishi did such a thing.
He was a nice guy.
It's you kids?
What's your name?
Mine's Kyoichi. He's my brother.
Hi!
And you?
She's Tsugumi.
Maria.
Tsugumi and Maria?
What do you guys do?
He works for the Museum.
But he's still a greenhorn. Be nice to him.
I like this town.
I have long wanted to live in that.
It's been so long since I felt like this.
Your nose is bleeding.
I'm kidding.
Hi.
What happened to Tsugumi?
She is in bed.
Really, she is weak.
Why don't you visit her?
It will make her be happy.
I may go.
She is sick, right?
She will do anything.
What?
Tsugumi is not at her room.
What? She is having fever.
Tsugumi.
She has left.
I don't understand her.
One angel has gone.
Another angel has gone too.
When an angel goes away.
I feel really sad.
Welcome.
The city is really nice.
Tsugumi, are you in love?
Yes.
You are really in love?
Do not like you.
It is surprised that you can be so devoted to love.
I was waiting for him.
Stubbornly waited and waited.
You can see how certain things will end.
Others you can't.
When I met your aunt,
I felt as if my future were immense.
So maybe I didn't necessarily have to marry her.
What would've happened to me?
You were there too.
I'm happy
Anyway, I have no complaints in my life.
I'll read the book.
Try to read it little by little.
Read the same part many times until you understand it.
I will.
A good book.
Goodbye.
A gift for Mom?
Yes, her favorite fish.
My best to her.
Take care.
- Take care, too. - I will!
You have a fever.
It's normal to me.
When I was small, I was weak and often had fever.
Liar!
Life's enjoyable when you have fever, isn't it?
Yes, I feel high.
With fever, I come and go between high and normal.
What's the real me?
When I was a kid, I was weak and always in bed.
Would you believe I had heart trouble?
When I was in pain,
I tried not to think it.
When I closed my eyes, I thought about nonsense.
I still kept my eyes open in dark.
I would wait until the pain went.
I would stare at a towel.
A towel?
A towel with foreign flags on dark blue.
It was my favorite.
My mother made a pillowcase from it,
I stared at the flags
while lying in bed.
Then the pain faded.
I always did that.
Even now, when I run into something awful.
I remember the flags on that towel.
The towel's gone now, though.
You stood the pain just by looking at the flags?
And now you're so healthy?
You're great.
Try it yourself.
But you don't have to travel for it.
You've got everything here.
You've mentally strong.
Staying here,
you can see more that a guy who travels around.
Then Tsugumi did something very silly.
I couldn't believe she could actually do it.
It was Youko who first found out.
I'll kill you guys.
At where the diesel engine factory stood... at midnight.
Executive! Go to Hell!
Here.
It was a big hole.
While Youko and I looked at the pit Tsugumi had dug,
tears filled my eyes.
Fool!
A hole...
What were you thinking?
It's true.
When I think about her
I get to something real big before I know it
came into my life.
Stupid girl...
Similarly, stupid...
It's a summer, so long, flew like a flash.
Amazing feeling.
It's good that you have recovered.
Among the Chinese ideograms we use
we find some the Japanese people designed.
For example...
"I don't feel like doing anything
and I've never been this way before.
I feel like something's gone from me.
By the time this letter reaches you,
no doubt you'll be attending my funeral.
Funerals in the fall are too sad."
Mom!
Welcome!
From Tsugumi
To Maria
"While digging a pit for those punks,
I thought about many things.
I remember,
that I swam in a bathing suit.
I never learned how to swim.
I can't even do the crawl.
Climbing the hill to school,
I'd get out of breath.
I never attended functions where I'd have to keep standing.
At those times I didn't look at my feet.
I looked at the blue sky.
And I felt like I'd seen my true self clearly.
I was weak and always needed help
from people around me. Yet...
That it was just a little girl
who lived on her own
The bed quilts were too heavy.
I find it hard to breath.
I could hardly eat.
I could eat only the pickles Grandma brought.
Isn't it a laugh?
And now, I feel lousy when I wake up.
feeling bad.
I always have a fever.
But when I open the curtains and window,
a sea breeze comes in.
I close my eyes halfway
and see myself walking my dog.
My life has been zero.
I have very few good memories.
Anyhow I'm glad to croak in this town.
Take care.
Yamamoto Tsugumi."
Here you are.
The steak?
Soup?
Salad?
It's all here, right?
Maria?
Yes?
- Your phone call. - Thank you.
Speaking.
Hello?
Hi beast!
On a boring afternoon
I walked alone
I saw a man laughing
from across a fence
He was giving a chewing bone
to a big white dog
I could hear him asking the dog:
"if it was delicious?"
How strange! After that day...
I sometimes wake up feeling odd
I wonder what's happened to me