The Fish Tale (2022) Movie Script

1
Boy or girl?
It doesn't really matter.
Good morning.
I'm heading out.
Gyo-gyo!
Good morning, everyone.
Today, we're here to investigate
the aquatic ecology of Tateyama city, Chiba.
So without further ado, let's go!
These are striped beakfish and
threeline grunts, they're so lively.
And here we have yellowtail fish.
Awesome! Look,
they caught so many sea bream.
They seem to be dancing.
Amazing!
There are black sea bream, crescent sweetlips,
yellowtail fish, greater amberjack and scorpionfish!
So many, and so fresh!
Holy mackerel, we've really
made a good haul.
Meebo.
Meebo?
Wow, it's Mr Fish!
The Fish Tale
Attention, all visitors.
It is now closing time.
Visitors who are still exploring or shopping,
please make your way to the exit.
We look forward to your next visit.
Let's go home.
The octopus is quite cute, now that I look at it.
Yes, Mr Octopus is very cute and handsome.
That's right.
Now it's sticking to the glass with its suckers.
Wow, look at that.
Its head can change shape, too.
Isn't it beautiful?
Wow! It can stretch so long.
So cute.
- Seems like it's dancing.
- Yeah.
- Where is it going?
- Hey, Meebo.
Here.
Guide to Fish and Shellfish
This is for you.
Wow, amazing!
Besides Mr Octopus, there are lots of fish too.
That's true. They all look so cool.
Very cool, right?
Meebo, we're done for today.
Let's come back next week.
Okay.
Come out this way.
Bye.
Sumio.
Get up, let's go home.
Put on your coat.
Sorry for the wait.
Mr Octopus is so cute.
Indeed, very cute.
But it's dead.
Alright.
Thanks for the meal.
Thanks for the meal!
- Is it good?
- Mmm.
Octopus sashimi
How many are left?
There are eight more.
Eight, so that makes three...
We can probably finish it in three days.
Three more days?
Let's go!
The champion has appeared.
- Why are you hitting me?
- Are we on the same team?
I'm supposed to hit you.
Oops, I need to save my teammate.
Thank you.
Spray, spray.
Are you making this week's Meebo News?
Yeah.
What is this, an octopus?
Yeah, I saw Mr Octopus at the aquarium the other day.
Why do you add "Mr" to an octopus?
Because octopuses are cool.
No way, they're obviously disgusting.
That's not true.
I bet you've never seen a real octopus, right?
I have.
Really? Where?
- In the sea.
- Which sea?
- Chiba.
- Where in Chiba?
I don't know. There's only one sea in Chiba, isn't there?
Really? But Chiba has many seas.
Listen, the sea is connected.
There's only one sea.
Chiba doesn't have its own sea.
Do you think Chiba is that powerful?
Meebo, why are you talking to a girl?
I'm talking about Mr Octopus and the sea.
You like Momoko, right?
Yeah, I like her.
You pervert.
You like Momoko.
I do.
Wow, you're so perverted.
Pervert, pervert.
What does "pervert" mean?
Pervert means...
It means being perverted.
Pervert, pervert.
Pervert, pervert.
Pervert, pervert.
Strive for good health,
treat friends well, think deeply.
Hey, give me the end of your recorder!
I don't want to.
Stingy.
Are you pretending to be the poor scholar?
I'm not.
Hiyo, look. Mr Octopus is so cool.
Don't call him Mr Octopus, he's just a fish.
I really want to touch the real Mr Octopus.
Stop adding "Mr" to it.
Why do you show respect to an octopus but not to me?
My mum's going to take me
to the seaside in the summer holidays.
Oh, stop talking about your mum.
Hiyo, don't you want to come along?
No way, that's a family trip for you.
But Momoko and her family might be there.
No, they won't.
Hey, are you're going to marry Momoko?
Marry?
Who is that?
Don't you know? Hide your thumbs.
Why should I hide my thumbs?
- You won't be able to fulfill your duty to your parents.
- What?
You won't be able to see your parents when they die.
- What? I don't want to see that anyway.
- Let's go.
Hurry up!
Gyo-gyo?
Quick.
Holy mackerel!
Gyo-gyo-gyo!
Excuse me, do you like fish?
What?
- Let's run away!
- But...
That book...
I'm serious!
Hurry up!
Gyo-gyo.
Gyo-gyo.
Your hat looks nice.
- Really?
- Well then, goodbye.
Let's talk about fish! Hey!
Goodbye!
Goodbye!
I thought I'd made a new fishy friend...
Run, Meebo!
That was close.
We almost got caught by Uncle Fish.
That man is Uncle Fish?
Yeah, didn't you know?
I've heard of him.
If you bump into Uncle Fish,
compliment his hat and then run away.
What will happen if I don't do that?
- He'll catch you.
- Catch you?
If Uncle Fish catches you, he'll dissect you
and turn you into a fish.
What? No, he wouldn't.
You're just too young to know about it.
Wait for me!
Why did you come?
Because my mum told me to.
Same here.
Why did we join someone else's family trip?
It's the season for whiting now.
Look at these.
They're very tasty.
Is something down there?
- I can't catch it with a net. Take this.
- Meebo?
Meebo, wait.
Meebo!
Meebo!
Meebo!
What are they doing?
Who cares?
Aren't you going over?
No, I'm not a kid.
Aren't you just scared of the sea?
I'm not scared.
Look, it's Mr Octopus!
It's Mr Octopus.
Are you okay? Does it hurt?
Wow!
That's disgusting.
Mr Octopus is so cute, look!
What? What do you mean? It's huge!
Wow! You're amazing, Meebo.
Was there ink?
We caught it together,
and I found it.
- What will you do with it?
- Keep it as a pet.
Where?
In the bath.
- What about seawater?
- I'll put salt in the water.
That's impossible.
How will you take it for a walk?
Dad, Meebo and I caught an octopus!
Mum, look!
Meebo, that's amazing. It's so big!
Look, the suction cups are awesome.
You're right!
Mum, can I keep it at home?
I told you, there's no way you can keep it.
Yes, we can.
Huh? I don't think you can, though.
But you have to take care of it yourself.
Can you do that?
Meebo, that's amazing. Great job.
Let me see.
What a good octopus.
Oh, were you scared?
Octopuses need to be prepared like this.
Mr Octopus!
If you don't handle octopuses like this,
they won't taste good.
Mr Octopus!
Mr Octopus!
Mr Octopus! Mr Octopus!
Let's see.
Alright.
Here you go.
- Is it good?
- Delicious.
Is it good, Meebo?
You can do it!
Gyo-gyo!
Gyo-gyo.
Gyo-gyo. I thought it was you!
You're the kid who loves fish
from the other day, right?
Huh?
Do you really like fish that much?
Yes.
Last time you were
reading about fish too, weren't you?
Uncle Fish, is your hat a boxfish?
Gyo-gyo!
You know about boxfish?
Yes, I love boxfish.
I've seen them at the aquarium and the fish shop.
Oh? The fish shop?
Yes, old man Kimura stocked them specially for me.
Have you ever eaten it?
Boxfish is delicious!
So you've eaten it before?
Yes, I had it in the Goto Islands.
- Goto Islands?
- Yes.
There are nine types of boxfish
in the seas of Japan.
Let me draw all nine of them.
Wait a moment while I draw.
Oh, you're holding this for me? Thank you.
I'll draw it here. First...
It's unusual to meet someone
who loves fish more than you, Meebo.
He knows much more about fish than I do.
I was surprised.
Is that so?
Next time, I'm going to visit Uncle Fish's house.
Can I go?
Sure.
Yay! I heard Uncle Fish has
a lot of fish tanks at home.
And he has fish books, fish specimens
and all sorts of things!
You must be looking forward to it.
Yes, I am.
Me too.
Meebo.
Yes?
You can't.
Can't what?
You can't go to a stranger's house.
Why not?
What if something dangerous happens?
What kind of dangerous thing?
What if he plays a trick on you?
Uncle Fish wouldn't do that.
You can't go.
Meebo.
Do you really like him?
Then you can go.
- Hey!
- But you have to promise me.
Come back home before it gets dark, okay?
Okay.
No way. We obviously can't allow it!
I want our child to learn to trust people, not doubt them.
That's not the point.
It'll cause problems if
we always give in to what the kids want.
There's no problem right now.
But Meebo's grades are terrible.
It's not normal, no matter how you look at it.
A primary school student
obsessing over fish day and night,
only thinking about fish
and only eating fish.
Meebo's mind is full of nothing but fish!
Is that bad?
I'm just worried.
After all, that kid
is different from the others.
That's alright, isn't it?
Let our kids be themselves.
Meebo's Weekly News
Hey, draw Kinnikuman here!
Kinnikuman
That's awesome.
So cool.
Amazing.
You should be a manga artist.
- Meebo wants to work on a fishing boat, right?
- Why?
Because you love fish.
Then why not be a fish expert?
Stupid! To become an expert,
you have to be good at studying.
Oh, I see.
Meebo is stupid,
- and doesn't even wear glasses.
- What do glasses have to do with it?
Hiyo, what do you want to be?
Me? I want to be a football player.
You don't even play football!
I'll start in middle school.
Meebo, can you come with me for a minute?
See you later.
Oh no, Meebo's in trouble.
See you later.
Do you want to sneak after them and watch?
Let's go.
These are really well drawn.
Meebo, you are really amazing.
This one about black scraper filefish is amazing.
The facial expressions
are so lifelike and full of character.
The one about gobies is nice,
and they can be caught around here too.
Yes.
We teachers love fishing, you know.
Your Meebo News is very popular with the teachers these days.
And so...
I think more people should get the chance to see them.
What? Um...
Its tail tip is poisonous.
Be careful not to get too close.
Among the eels,
there are some poisonous species.
Did you know that
octopuses have eight legs?
Charge!
We're almost there.
Over here.
Here it is.
Look, it's just like a boxfish, isn't it?
Cute!
Isn't it cute? Please come in.
It's so lively in the water.
So cute...
Here it comes. Isn't it impressive?
Uncle Fish,
do you look at fish tanks all the time?
Yes, that's right.
I'm either watching fish in their tanks
or looking at their pictures in books.
What do you do for work?
My friend asked me today
what I want to do in the future.
Uncle's family used to be very wealthy.
But now we don't have any money.
Really?
Uncle Fish couldn't find a job,
so I'm unemployed for now.
But you're a fish expert, right?
No, I'm not.
I really wanted to be a fish expert,
but I'm no good at studying,
so I couldn't make it.
But you know so much about fish.
I still have a long way to go.
But I've never met anyone
who knows more about fish than you.
There's you, Meebo!
Then the two of us are the best.
I've made up my mind.
I'll be a fish expert when I grow up!
Gyo-gyo.
Gyo-gyo.
Oh, that's cute.
Thanks.
Let's make the eyes yellow.
Big eyes, big eyes, smiling~
You're really good at drawing!
Meebo, look.
They're so impressive from below.
Amazing.
The teeth are so impressive.
You're really good at shading.
Uncle, someone's at the door.
Nobody ever comes to my house,
so you must have misheard.
Oh, I see.
Gyo-gyo.
Gyo-gyo.
- Good evening.
- Good evening.
Good evening.
Please apologise first.
I'm so sorry! But I have an excuse!
We were having so much fun that we forgot the time.
- This could be seen as kidnapping, you know?
- Kidnapping?
And what's with that stupid hat?
Ow, ow!
Who even are you?
I'm Uncle Fish.
Well, well... please come down to the police station for now.
The police station?
We have a few questions for you,
so please come along.
We can talk at the station.
Watch your step.
A police car...
Yes, it's a police car.
Is this your first time getting in one? Don't worry.
Okay, let's go to the station.
He didn't do anything wrong!
I just got distracted by drawing and forgot to check the time!
Meebo, is that true?
Yeah.
If that's what Meebo says, then...
I don't really understand,
but let's just go to the station for now.
Please don't arrest Uncle Fish!
I'm not arresting him, he's coming voluntarily.
Please don't make him go voluntarily!
Uncle Fish...
Meebo.
Let's go.
Meebo, you'd better become a fish expert!
Thank you!
Meebo!
- Meebo!
- Meebo!
- Uncle! Uncle Fish!
- Meebo!
Meebo, stop it!
- This is dangerous.
- Uncle Fish!
Land for sale
Social Studies: A Gang Leader's Modified Bike!!
Meebo High School News
Monday 18 May, cloudy.
Obata river, Misaki.
The wind is strong.
Over there.
Oi, are you Meebo?
Yes, I am.
I told you not to write about us
in your Meebo News, didn't I?
This is the third time now!
But it's so popular!
Are you looking down on us?
Blue Ogre!
My mum says that in a proper society,
journalists shouldn't give in to violence.
Society?
What do you know about journalism?
Meebo News isn't a real newspaper.
I don't care what you say about society.
It's not right to keep doing something
when you've been asked not to!
Isn't that more important than journalism?
Hey, you!
Our boss is talking to you about journalism!
Yeah, but I figured you could
keep talking while I fish.
We can, but...
what's wrong with you?
You're brave, aren't you?
I don't think this is real bravery.
I agree.
What's up with this weirdo?
- He's a fish freak.
- A fish freak?
He kills fish, sticks them to a board
and keeps them all in his desk.
Why?
Because they're cute, right?
Hey, there's no way you can catch anything in this river!
I can.
Don't look down on him.
His granddad is a fisherman!
Hey, a pilchard! Look at that!
Isn't it cute?
Seriously? From this river?
Do you like fish?
Of course he doesn't like fish!
The boss only eats meat.
- Really?
- Really.
Red Ogre! What gives you the right
to decide what the boss eats?
Well, since he's still growing,
I figured he would eat meat.
Why are you answering back?
I'm sorry.
Anyway, you heard what I said, right?
Yes, I did.
If you keep disrespecting me,
I'll slaughter you.
Oh, let's go fishing together next time!
Why? What are you talking about?
We finally met!
Black scraper filefish
I'm back.
Welcome home.
Today I caught pale chubs and big-scaled redfins.
What did you say?
Pale chubs and big-scaled redfins.
- Pale chubs and big-scaled redfins?
- Yeah.
- Need any help?
- I'm fine.
- Here, they're freshly cooked.
- Oh, really?
Delicious.
Hey, fish.
Oh, hi.
Come and show your face.
Face?
Yes.
This one?
Hurry up.
Oh! Meebo, come here!
Look at this.
What? No way! Why?
Pretty cool, right?
I was shocked.
The boss's granddad is a fisherman, right?
These got caught in his net yesterday,
so they brought them here as teaching materials.
And they're a mating pair.
I'm happy to have them,
but I don't know how to look after them.
So, Meebo, will you help me?
What, really? What should I do?
Do you really know how to raise horseshoe crabs?
Well?
Horsey...
Can I take Horsey for a walk?
What?
A walk?
My back hurts.
Your back hurts?
It hurts.
Hey.
Why do you like fish?
Because fish are cool, aren't they?
I guess.
And unlike humans, there are
many different species of fish. It's fun.
What? Humans are all different too, though.
Fish are like that too.
Each one looks different.
Oh. I guess you're right.
Fish are my friends.
I admire them.
They're just fish, they can't talk.
Sometimes you can tell their mood, though.
Are you serious?
When you're sad,
and you feel a tug on your fishing line,
don't you feel like you're talking to the fish?
I don't know about that.
And they die when they're caught, so they must be desperate.
Boss, you got one!
Boss, hold on! Pull it straight up!
- Use leverage!
- Leverage? What?
It's a horse mackerel!
- It's huge!
- Isn't it amazing?
So cute.
It's not cute!
It is kind of cute, actually.
- Can we eat it?
- It's delicious.
Blue Ogre, lend me your knife.
Uh-huh. Just lend it to me.
Blood.
- It's struggling.
- What are you doing?
I'm slaughtering it.
Don't you slaughter things too, boss?
Yeah, but not like that!
Oh, there are fish eggs inside.
This is the liver,
and these are the gills.
Let's take a look at what's in its stomach.
What, why? We don't need to look at that.
It's basically empty.
It must have been hungry.
Don't you have your own knife?
Yes, but I don't want it to smell fishy.
What? But...
Nobody wants their own things to stink, right?
That's true, but what about Blue Ogre?
Here.
It doesn't taste of anything.
That's impossible.
Taste it properly, it's very sweet.
Oh.
I see. It was the soy sauce.
I thought I liked sashimi, but it was the soy sauce.
No, the sashimi is the good part!
What is soy sauce made of?
Soybeans.
Soybeans are really amazing!
I mean, soybeans are white, so why is soy sauce black?
Soybeans are awesome!
No, they're not.
Compared to fish,
soybeans are not interesting at all.
Don't forget about fish!
I know you like fish,
but you shouldn't look down on everything else.
Nice horseshoe crabs.
What do you want?
This area belongs to Momiyama.
Boss, that's Razor Momi.
What kind of stuff are you bringing onto my turf?
I've only seen these in textbooks.
We can do whatever we want, wherever we want.
Huh?
Is this your land? No, right?
This belongs to Chiba Prefecture.
Huh?
It belongs to the city, you idiot.
So what does that have to do with you?
Are you guys from the city government?
Sent here by the council?
Huh?
Stop talking rubbish. This is our sea.
The sea doesn't belong to anyone.
Shut up, little goat.
Little goat?
The fish here belong to us.
Why would you say that?
Don't you feel sorry for the fish?
Don't you have a conscience?
Yeah, stop disrespecting life, you bastard!
What? You're the ones who killed it.
I didn't kill it. I slaughtered it.
That's the same thing.
Apologise to the fish.
Yeah, apologise to the fish.
Kneel down and bow, you ugly freak!
- Ugly freak!
- Apologise now!
Don't call him ugly.
Boss, that's Mad Dog.
He's a troublemaker.
How interesting.
I didn't expect anyone to challenge us here in Chiba.
Hey.
Hey, Mad Dog.
What's up?
Someone's calling you.
What?
What do you mean, what? You're being called.
Hiyo! Hey, Hiyo.
What are you doing?
What? Who are you?
I don't know you.
What do you mean? It's me, Meebo!
- Your friend?
- No.
Of course we're friends!
We took calligraphy classes together!
- You took calligraphy?
- No, I didn't.
Are you a friend of Mad Dog?
Mad Dog? His name is Hiyo!
So, you're Hiyo?
I'm not Hiyo, you idiot.
Shut up!
Don't call people idiots, Hiyo.
Hey, idiot.
I'm coming over there to teach you a lesson.
Idiot!
Where are you going?
Eww, that's gross.
It's Horsey!
Ow! It hurts so much.
What does?
Hey, Meebo defeated Mad Dog!
Oh, you're right! I see it!
I think it's a tiger squid.
Huh... Is it tasty?
Of course! Fresh ones are the best.
Can you catch it?
I don't know, I didn't bring a net.
Damn it, I really want to eat it.
I want to eat it...
- A net?
- I really want to eat it.
- Go ahead, Meebo.
- Okay.
Ready, set, go!
Pull!
Okay!
Meebo!
I'm still stirring it.
- It's great.
- Isn't it delicious?
It's ready. Here.
Delicious!
Razor Momi!
I heard that squid guts contain parasites.
I don't eat them.
Don't worry, there are no parasites in tiger squid.
Really?
Help yourselves.
It's really good.
Teacher, have some.
Thanks, I will.
Meebo really looks like a main character.
You're right.
- Meebo, I want some too.
- Of course, here.
Just a moment.
You really haven't changed at all.
Really?
You're still all about fish.
Yeah. But you've changed from Hiyo into Mad Dog.
And I'll be graduating from my Mad Dog persona soon.
Graduating from being Mad Dog?
If I carry on like this, I'll end up being a loser.
I'm going to study
and go to a good university in Tokyo.
Oh, yeah?
Are you still stupid?
I'm not stupid,
but I'm no good at studying.
If you genuinely want to work with fish,
you'll have to study properly.
Is that really true?
Listen,
you need to take it seriously!
- I am serious.
- Then study more!
Okay, I guess I'll study a little bit more.
A little isn't enough.
Then I'll study really hard and
go to the same Tokyo university as you.
Don't be silly.
See you.
Black scraper filefish~
And sea bream too~
All of us are alive~
Sardine, catfish, octopus~
"Genius." Genius. Okay.
The next English word is... "guide".
Then "function". Function.
Academic Test Ranking
5th place, Hiyoshi Akihito
What are you going to do?
English and maths are essential subjects for entrance exams.
But I got perfect scores in music and art.
Anyway, you need to work a bit harder.
I know you love fish, Meebo.
But it's time to be done with all that now.
Oh.
Could you try to make Meebo do a bit more at home?
Teacher?
Yes?
Some kids have good grades,
and some don't. What's wrong with that?
If everyone was equally good at studying,
we'd only have model students, like robots.
I understand what you're trying to say.
But Meebo's the one who'll lose out.
That's fine, isn't it?
My child loves fish, loves drawing fish.
That's enough for me.
That's fine.
- Ready?
- Yes.
Let's go.
Rolling!
Five, four, three...
These high school students really did it!
The horseshoe crab has successfully
been artificially bred in Japan for the first time.
Let's hear about it now.
Was it difficult?
I just took them for a walk.
Meebo really loves fish.
Right?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I want to be a fish expert someday.
Okay, let's take a photo.
A bit higher.
Great.
High school students successfully artificially breed horseshoe crabs.
- Thanks for the meal.
- Thanks for the meal.
You always starts eating from the head, don't you?
Yeah, that way the bones won't stick in your throat
Oh, I see.
- You didn't know that?
- No.
Let me try it.
It's so heavy!
You're right.
It's because the bones extend backwards.
I see.
Meebo,
you don't have to worry about me.
Worry about what?
Well,
You want to know even more about fish, right?
You want to work with fish, right?
Venture into the vast sea.
You've got some on your lips.
Good afternoon!
I went fishing again today.
Look, a threeline grunt.
And a gnomefish.
Impressive, right?
See you later.
Is that good?
Intern
First, work at the aquarium starts...
It starts...
It starts with cleaning the tanks and
taking temperature measurements every morning.
Then we prepare food for all the fish.
- Any questions?
- Yes.
When can I spend time with the fish?
What?
When can I clean sunfish or feed the sharks?
Let's start with temperature measurements, okay? Here.
Use this for the measurements. This way.
Are you done already?
Oh, no, not yet.
Only one?
Just one?
Try a little harder, okay?
- Okay.
- Alright?
Here.
- One...?
- Yes. Ah, okay.
The sea lion show is about to begin.
Please proceed to the sea lion pool for viewing.
Watch this!
Thank you for the round of applause.
What a flamboyant jump that was.
Now we're going to switch props.
We're going to play with
the hoops held by the young man.
It's that popular sea lion show segment,
ring catching!
Nice catch!
And a lovely pose.
Sea lions have very long necks,
so they can easily catch all the hoops.
Not to mention their cute dancing skills.
The krill and shrimp are for the large fish tanks,
so there's no need to touch those.
Okay.
Cut up the mackerel like that, yes.
Just make sure to separate them.
- Got it?
- Yes.
- I've got to go now.
- Okay.
- I'll leave you to it.
- Okay.
- Were you listening?
- Yes.
What's going on? Oh, no!
I'm so sorry.
Excuse me.
What are you doing?
- Sorry.
- Don't apologise to me.
Don't mix them together.
Keep them separate.
- Use this. Put the shrimp in here.
- Okay.
Where did the other container go?
You need to spread it more evenly.
- Spread it out so it's not all in one spot.
- Okay.
Okay.
You need to go a bit faster, too.
Otherwise, the fish will all gather in one spot.
Spread it out more.
Okay.
Is that alright?
- Yes, fine.
- Really?
Someone's in there.
What's going on?
- Why are they...?
- Let's go.
Why?
It's hot.
Thank you.
So, listen.
I don't think you'll be good at this.
Yukina, come over here please.
Okay.
Excuse me.
Oh, long time no see!
How have you been?
How are you?
Have a drink.
I'll have a shandygaff.
Momo?
I heard you had an office job.
I quit, so what?
What are you doing in a place like this?
I work at a sushi restaurant.
You're still all about fish, then.
Yeah.
I want to work with fish,
but wherever I go, it never ends up like I expected.
Do you live nearby?
Yeah, sort of. And you, Momo?
Not right now, but I'm moving here soon.
By the way, are you free? You must be, right?
No, I'm working at the sushi restaurant.
You can bring them up now.
Okay!
So that person pays all your expenses, including food?
And rent?
Yeah, I guess.
What?
What?
I can tell you're thinking something.
Of course I'm thinking.
What are you thinking?
Well..
It's like that person is keeping you as a pet.
So what?
- Would you like a drink?
- Sure, thanks.
Do you have something that can hold water?
What do you mean?
Just a container to hold water.
What for?
- A housewarming gift.
- What is it?
It's the first time I've seen
someone take a goldfish out of a backpack.
I thought you might be lonely.
How can I be lonely when the two of us will live here?
You're the only one here now.
By the way, I thought of
a job that would be perfect for you.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
You're...
I'm Meebo.
Right, you're Momoko's friend.
Thank you for coming.
No problem.
What was it about?
Oh, yes, the fish tank.
Yes.
I want to put a giant fish tank right here.
Yes. I think it's a great idea.
I want to bring a sense of wonder to my clients.
Wonder. I understand.
Their teeth hurt, they want to get treated.
I want those clients
to experience a sense of wonder
to help ease their mood a bit.
It's not just about dental care,
but also about providing a great experience.
Then they'll come to have their teeth extracted more often.
They'll want to keep getting more dental work done.
I want a fish tank that can create that kind of wonder.
I see.
Can you design it?
I wonder.
I like the look in your eyes.
Alright, I'll leave it to you.
Seaman
Oh, it's you again.
Mr Seaman, can you give me some juvenile lionfish?
It's very difficult to feed lionfish, you know.
Of course, I'm prepared.
Oh, really? How so?
Very impressive, Meebo. You passed the test.
What about African cichlid,
common pleco and neon tetra?
No, I won't be able to stop them
from preying on each other.
Cory catfish,
loach, otocinclus,
shrimp, redfin, pufferfish.
No, how about this?
White Mickey Mouse platy,
guppy, Norman's lampeye,
Nothobranchius rachovii, Polypterus delhezi,
plus some Heteranthera
and Echinodorus radicans as aquatic plants.
Yes. I think that would work.
No. No!
What's missing?
Something is missing!
The sense of wonder that the dentist requested
is still missing...
Hey, you idiot!
Stop that! You'll die!
I don't care anymore.
It's nothing to do with me.
How strange...
How unusual.
Ah! I can't catch it with a net!
Take this, monster!
That idiot actually did it!
They really did it!
That can't be a human being.
It must be a fish tale!
- Morning.
- Good morning.
Your guest is here.
Is it ready?
I've used all my experience in this.
I see. So, you're going to put the fish in next?
It may seem like that,
but if you look closely, in the shadows of the rocks...
There are juvenile lionfish.
Huh?
Look, there's
a frogfish on this rock.
And a pipefish on the sand.
Are there no other fish?
There are 13 species of fish
and 2 species of shrimp in there,
along with lots of plankton and marine plants.
Where are they?
In the shadows.
I tried to make it as close to nature as possible.
If you look carefully,
you'll see the pipefish jump out.
Also, to feed the lionfish,
they'll need dead shrimp twice a day.
Please use this stick
to make them look like live shrimp.
Meebo.
Yes?
This isn't what I want.
What?
I didn't want something so serious.
Huh?
I want something more dazzling.
I want guppies and things like that.
Yeah, I thought that would happen.
You did?
Your ideas are too dull and too niche.
I'm really sorry.
It's fine.
I got paid, and I got the fish back.
Some people do just treat fish as decorations.
I feel like I should apologise to you, too.
Meebo, would you like to work here?
Huh?
You don't have a job, do you?
I don't. Can I really work here?
Of course.
I was terrible at every other job,
and I'll definitely break something
and make the shop lose money. Is that okay?
What?
Thank you, Mr Seaman! I'll work hard!
By the way, "Seaman" is
the name of the shop, not my name.
And it's pronounced "Uminchu", anyway.
What?
Cork.
Please check the taste.
It's delicious.
Okay...
- Cheers!
- Cheers!
Hiyo! It's me, Meebo!
- Hiyo!
- Let me show you to your seat.
Hiyo!
What are you wearing?
It's a silver-stripe round herring.
My mum knitted it. Isn't it great?
Yes, it looks great.
Please sit down.
This is Tanizaki Yurie.
Hello.
And this is Meebo.
I've heard about you.
You really like fish, don't you?
Yes.
She's your friend?
Oh, we're dating.
Oh...
Excuse me.
Meebo, don't you recognise Yurie from somewhere?
From TV or something.
Shining Dreams Line~
Don't you like TV?
I only watch programmes about fish.
What do you do, Meebo?
What do you mean?
Like, for work.
Oh, I'm still working at a pet shop.
Still?
Yes, I want to become a fish expert one day.
Is that funny?
No, sorry.
I'm just a bit surprised.
- You're still saying that kind of thing?
- A "fish expert"!
Is it that strange?
I'm sorry.
Even though... even though you're an adult.
I'm sorry.
Huh? Where's Yurie?
She left.
Why?
I've had enough.
Do you remember that weird guy
who used to live in our neighbourhood?
He used to play tricks on you.
No, he didn't.
What was it again?
You had to hide your thumb,
compliment his hat, then run away.
What would happen if you didn't do it?
He would dissect you and turn you into a fish.
I hope you can become a fish expert.
It should be easy for you, Meebo.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Cheers!
I only have mackerel bone tea.
Here.
You really only have this?
I brewed it myself, so it's organic.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
So what happened? You surprised me.
Who is this person?
Meebo.
That's a weird name.
What's your name?
Mitsuko.
- Do you like fish?
- I don't like them or hate them.
Hm... What about goldfish?
I like them.
You like goldfish, huh?
Hey.
Aren't you going to ask me?
Did you want me to ask you something?
We have nowhere to go.
Do you remember this?
It just won't die.
Hey, Meebo's awake!
Good morning.
Good morning.
Here.
Here's your water.
Bon appetite.
Is it okay?
Goodbye!
Goodbye.
See you later.
Welcome home.
Mitsuko fed them for you today.
Hey!
How cute.
How nice, a family outing.
Isn't that a cute age?
Sorry, Meebo.
What for?
We suddenly barged into your and your fishes' life.
Don't worry about it. I'm having fun.
But we're not normal, are we?
Normal?
What?
What does "normal" mean? I don't really get it.
Meebo!
Mitsuko!
What were you doing?
Playing in the waves.
They're coming!
Mum, where are the fish?
What's wrong, Meebo?
Boss, I want more money.
Me too, Meebo.
Can I take on some more work?
What's with this sudden change?
I have to work harder!
20 crayons, 1200 yen
30 crayons, 6600 yen
Good afternoon!
Look at this.
Ta-da!
I'm back.
The mackerel bone tea was delicious.
Here are your shishamo.
Thank you.
Hey!
Hey!!
I ordered shishamo.
This is shishamo.
Shishamo should be smaller, with a bigger belly.
These are Sakhalin shishamo.
Yes, they're shishamo caught in Sakhalin.
They're different!
Sakhalin shishamo.
Shishamo.
They're different!
These are capelins.
They're in the same family,
but they're completely different species!
Look, are you blind?!
Good morning, customers.
Welcome to Marufuku Shopping Street.
What is this?
- Shishamo?
- It's a shishamo.
Isn't that a shishamo?
Did you draw this?
Hey.
You haven't changed a bit.
Huh?
- Boss?
- Yeah.
- Boss!
- Hey, get off!
Good morning.
What's going on?
"Ren" Pub & Snack Bar
Delivery.
Come in.
- You haven't had lunch yet, right?
- Not yet.
- The sushi here is delicious.
- What?
Unexpected, right?
Sit down.
Please enjoy it as it is.
Thanks for the meal.
Delicious! I love tiger squid!
With tiger squid...
there's no need to worry about parasites.
Huh?
Razor Momi?
You only just noticed?
I met you in high school,
and I was moved by the deliciousness of squid.
After graduation,
I started training at a sushi restaurant.
It's delicious. Well done, Razor Momi!
You haven't changed at all, Meebo.
No, I've grown up too.
I heard you got drunk
and painted on someone's wall.
No, it was a garage door.
I see.
In that case, will you paint something here too?
What?
It's this kind of bar at the moment,
but I've been thinking of
turning it into a proper sushi restaurant.
I'll pay you, of course.
Really?
Will you do it?
Meebo.
Meebo!
Momi Sushi
Mum!
Meebo.
Welcome!
This is amazing.
Yeah.
It's so you, Meebo.
Is it really?
Sit down, mum.
Thank you.
This is the Boss.
I'm the Boss.
Long time no see.
This is Razor Momi.
I'm Razor Momi.
Good evening.
Excuse me.
Thank you.
By the way,
I got another job as an artist.
A customer saw this mural and commissioned me.
He liked my work and asked me
to illustrate his magazine. Isn't that amazing?
That's great, Meebo!
I'll get paid too, you know.
That's great! A proper job.
Yeah.
I'll use the money to treat you to sushi again.
Oh, and next time, let's invite Dad and Sumio too.
Let's all have sushi together again.
Meebo.
Listen...
I've been keeping a secret from you.
What is it?
Actually, I don't really like fish.
Dad and Sumio don't either.
What? No way! Is that true?
You should have told me.
Yes, perhaps I was forcing Dad and Sumio a bit.
But I'm glad.
You've always kept loving fish, Meebo.
That's amazing.
What would you like?
Right. What should I have?
Octopus.
- Octopus.
- Yes.
Coming right up!
Me too.
Coming right up!
Hiyo?
Kido Masashi's Weird Zoo
Programme Proposal
Director: Hiyoshi Akihito
It's just a small programme, but that means
you can talk about whatever you want.
I can't go on TV.
Why?
I'm shy, and
I don't know what to talk about.
Don't worry.
Just talk about fish like you do with us.
I want more people to know about you, Meebo.
I want to introduce you to them.
I'm sure there are people
who'd like to hear what you have to say.
Recording starts in five seconds.
Four, three, two...
Ladies and gentlemen, do you like fish?
The world of fish is surprisingly unknown!
Let's welcome today's special guest.
Please come in.
Gyo-gyo!
- So fast!
- Welcome, welcome.
This is Meebo, an illustrator
who knows everything about fish.
- Nice to meet you.
- Thank you.
Hello, everyone. I'm Meebo!
- That's great!
- Yes.
That's right.
Before we begin,
can I ask about your hat?
This is a boxfish hat.
A boxfish hat?
Gyo-gyo.
Wow. Gyo-gyo!
Yes, that's right.
You've always loved fish
ever since you were young, haven't you?
Yes, that's right.
I've been fascinated by fish
ever since I was young.
It seems like you have great respect for fish.
By the way, do you always talk like that, Meebo?
Talk like what?
No, it's nothing. Don't worry about it.
Actually, it wasn't fish that
I fell in love with at first.
It was octopus.
Octopus?
Even with that hat on?
That's right. First, let's take a look at this.
What? What am I looking at?
What is it?
This is the Meebo News.
Meebo News,
a newspaper made by Meebo!
- Wow, horseshoe crabs!
- That's right.
Uh, Meebo?
He was the first
to artificially hatch horseshoe crabs in Japan.
It even made it to
the TV and newspapers.
What? Really?
The guy next to me is the Boss.
How embarrassing.
Super embarrassing.
He's telling them about you.
I look like such a rebel.
There was a huge octopus there.
I thought it might be a monster or something.
That's right, octopuses are a bit...
It does look a bit like a monster, I guess.
I wanted to take it home,
but my dad grabbed and killed it on the spot.
What? Your dad killed it right away?
Yes, he flipped it over and took out its innards.
- Like this.
- How violent.
Your dad killed an octopus
and gutted it in front of his children.
When I was a young, I used to go to
the aquarium with my mum every weekend.
I still have the fish guidebook
my mum gave me back then.
You must treasure it.
"Meebo, this is for you."
"What is it, mum?"
"Wow, there are so many fish!"
"There so many fish species in the world...
That's amazing!"
What?
Huh?
Gyo-gyo-gyo!
What's wrong?
- Meebo, thank you for talking to us.
- Thank you.
How did you find your first interview?
It was so much fun.
I love fish. I really love them.
I only think about fish,
and that's how I got here today.
I'm really grateful.
Thank you, everyone.
There's nothing stronger than love.
I will always be with fish from now on.
Here, this is for you.
Be patient and look at this today.
Gyo-Gyo Happy Fish Guidebook
by Fish Expert Meebo
That's amazing.
So cool!
I love it.
This one looks like a snowman.
That's...
Isn't that Meebo?
Meebo!
Gyo-gyo!
It's really Meebo.
Meebo! Wait for us!