Soda Master (2026) s01e03 Episode Script

Leave the rest to me.
-But…
-Just hurry up and go!
Mr. Eto…
Anyone who disturbs
the order of our school
will be sent straight to hell!
Mr. Fujimaki, please wait!
We need to talk about the repayment plan!
Please!
We need to talk about the repayment plan!
Hey, Satsuki!
It has been a long time.
Long time, no see.
I was just in the neighborhood,
so I thought I would stop by.
Wow, the atmosphere in the office
has really changed.
Well, I guess it would.
It's been 15 years since I left.
Oh, right. Is that guy doing well?
Yamaken…
Kenichiro Yamashita.
No, Kentaro Yamashita.
He quit a long time ago.
Oh, really?
He left the industry and is working
at a regular company now.
I see. That’s a shame.
I thought he would become a good director.
He said himself that he had seen
the limits of his talent.
"If I quit now,
I can still try another job."
The people I know are disappearing
one after another.
But you, Satsuki…
No, Ms. Onodera,
I'm glad you are still making films.
What do you need?
I don't really need anything…
I was thinking
of expanding my range of work,
like making ads for streaming, or…
Music videos for young
musicians sound fun too.
So I want to give those a try.
Young musicians' MVs?
They can make those
themselves now, with AI.
But…
Can AI really move people’s hearts?
I’m skeptical.
Does a pitching machine
throwing at 160 km/h move you?
You’re moved because Shohei Ohtani
throws at 160 km/h.
I suppose so.
That's right.
Can you throw at 160 km/h?
MITAKA GUEST HOUSE
ELECTRIC BILL FINAL NOTICE
Another fan letter.
Michiru Miyashita, nicknamed "Matilda,"
was a middle school teacher
who disappeared 37 years ago.
The three old men chasing that mystery
met with their middle school crush,
Ooba Akari, nicknamed "Minmay,"
and got a lead from her.
I saw her.
She saw it.
The moment Michiru Miyashita
was attacked by someone.
What?
Don't "what" us!
It's possible she just ran into a pervert.
But there's also a chance that Matilda
was being followed by that man.
A so-called stalker?
Can you describe that man then?
She said she only saw his back,
and it was a long time ago.
Maybe her memory is fuzzy.
She could have called
the police back then,
there would be a record.
Stalking wasn't
a criminal offense back then,
so even if she did,
there would be no records.
What can you even do?
Are you the only officer here?
Chan, give it to him!
-You'll see.
-What's your name?
I'm Officer Tsurumi.
Must be nice.
Just punch in at the station,
then do nothing.
And you still get paid.
What did you say?
It's just a waste of time. Let's go.
At least I'm listening to you!
I'm not exactly free either, you know.
We won't be back!
To think the concept
of a "stalker" didn't even exist.
1988 was really something.
"Harassment" also didn't exist.
Corporal punishment was accepted.
School was like a prison.
It’s a miracle you survived.
A new project?
It's at the planning stage. I was thinking
of making an original movie.
-Nice.
-Oh, wow.
Sounds good. You are known
for ruining the source material.
Don't you dare look me up!
I'm worried about you.
What's your new project like?
In a word, a high school girl
reincarnation story.
I'm putting in a time-travel gimmick,
and a love triangle
with a hot and coldboyfriend.
I don't really know
what you're talking about,
but your tastes are quite modern.
I'm always analyzing trends.
Making things that meet audience needs
is a piece of cake for me.
A true pro.
Back then, you were a total otaku
who disliked mainstream things.
Hey, you make me sound so bad.
You often fought with Yuen, didn't you?
Over Dragon Ball and Kinnikuman.
Huh?
SHOUNEN JUMP
Goku is an adult now?
You didn't know?
While you were obsessed with baseball,
Dragon Ball was evolving too.
-The battles got way more intense and fun!
-Well, yeah.
But in the early adventure arcs, I think
the quality of each episode was better.
-The battle scenes are where it's at!
-Kinnikuman came up with the idea first!
Kinnikuman is better!
Dragon Ball is better!
What?
Then we had a brawl.
Why did it turn into that?
It happened all the time.
He had a hardcore case
of Middle Schooler Syndrome.
We were all like that.
But I’m an adult now, a professional.
I have to make hits to survive.
I make whatever the public wants to see.
It's a tough world.
You must have struggled a lot.
So, you’ve never been married?
She would have gotten in the way.
But I envy you.
You made your dream come true.
Dream?
Unlike me.
I still don't know what I want to do,
so I'm just lingering in university.
No need to rush.
Why not try various things?
See what fate offers.
It was just chance for me too.
I liked manga and anime,
but I ended up making live-action.
FUJIMAKI WORKSHOP
CONSTRUCTION - RENOVATION - WATERWORKS
I’m home.
How do you like the Beaujolais Nouveau?
So this is Beaujolais Nouveau!
-The flavor is definitely different!
-Yes!
I feel like Junichi Ishida.
What? Then I'm Yuko Asano.
You really are!
Thank you very much, truly.
On behalf of the city, I would like to ask
for your help and knowledge,
for the development of the city…
Don't be so stiff, Mr. Yoshii!
The fighting is behind us!
It’s Yoshii’s old man.
What happened to the protests?
Come on, drink!
I heard they reconciled.
I'll have a drink, then.
Hajime!
You're home already?
Ta-da.
What?!
What's going on?
Did you buy it?
-Business has been good lately.
-Really?
I'll send it to Kato-chan Ken-chan's funny
home video segment. Do something funny!
Wow!
-You do it.
-Okay.
Oh, come on!
Beaujolais!
My old man got bored of it,
so I got to use it to film a movie.
The club needed four or more members,
but even with Yuen,
we couldn't find another person.
So what did you do?
Our class had a truant kid.
We called it
"attendance refusal" back then.
So I went to their house and asked them
to stamp the club application.
The kid whose house burned down?
-Yes.
-I didn't know how to make a movie.
I wrote a script by copying movies
I watched, then filmed by trial-and-error.
And you learned how fun it was.
Thanks to making that movie with us?
I would like to see it,
your kung fu movie.
Did we say it was a kung fu movie?
I searched for "Yuen, Chan, and Kam-Bo."
FREE ENTRY FEE
No, that doesn't quite work.
FIND VICTORY IN DEFEAT!
Which means, this could work!
Hey, you're just plagiarizing Jackie Chan!
A total copy!
Don't you know the word "homage"?
I don't like kung fu. It's lame.
We don't have money,
an action film is the only way!
Even Jackie Chan avoided kung fu
after Project A.
That’s exactly why now
is the time for kung fu!
Wait, my character's name is Kam-Bo?
I'm not fat.
I'm Yuen, the enemy?
Aren't I the lead?
Yuen was the lead in The Champions!
There are plenty of other
action stars, like Schwarzenegger!
Fine, then! It’s over!
Forget making a movie!
I think if we fix it up,
it could be interesting.
As your advisor, I order you. Make it.
Method acting starts today.
Let's call each other by our roles.
The drunker I get, the stronger I am.
Hey, that's good!
You're great, Fujimaki… I mean, Chan.
That's not great… It's kind of lame.
Come on! Do it properly!
You can't do it either, Chan!
It's Hooper Eats.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
I'll leave it here. Yes.
All right.
-Jason?
-The Warden of Hell, Jason. You remember?
From Friday the 13th?
-No! The guy we called Jason.
-Mr. Eto, the PE teacher?
Right.
When I checked the video,
he was in tape number three for a second.
Hey! What are you guys doing!
Don't just film me!
Seeing him still scares me.
Yoshii!
Yes.
Weren't you aiming for Koshien,
like your brother?
Keep pitching,
and your elbow will get better!
If you keep doing gloomy stuff
with these kids,
your spirit will rot.
You too. If you're men,
join a sports club!
Are you watching the Seoul Olympics?
Daichi Suzuki, Mikako Kotani.
They're inspiring the Japanese people!
Do you watch the Academy Awards?
This year, Ryuichi Sakamoto won.
He is the first Japanese to ever do so.
He's inspiring the Japanese people.
That kind of thing
is for people with special talent.
What if we have talent?
Your hair is long. Against school rules.
I'll shave you bald.
Why can't I have long hair?
Does it bother anyone?
It's sloppy.
Taking care of one's hair isn't sloppy!
Long hair doesn't suit you kids!
So it's not acceptable?
Then if shaved heads don't suit us,
or if uniforms don't suit us--
Chan!
Chan.
Talking back like that…
You guys won't grow up
to be decent adults.
Are you sure this happened in Japan?
It's partly his fault. He kept going
at him, knowing he was going to get hit.
Since then, we were marked,
and he picked on us every chance he got.
Hey.
Didn't Eto and Matilda argue?
Did they?
I just remembered.
What?
Eto…
killed Matilda.
What do you mean?
No, I also forgot the reason, but…
I was hiding in the staff room,
and Jason found me.
But Matilda saved me,
and I ran away.
In the end, Matilda was…
Eto, with a chainsaw,
went at her neck like this…
Blood spurted everywhere. Splatter.
The heck is that?
No, I do have that memory.
It's a scene from Friday the 13th.
There are no Japanese
middle schools in that movie!
No, that memory is strange.
Yes, it's strange.
Jason in Friday the 13th
actually didn't use a chainsaw.
The one who used a chainsaw was Leatherf--
That doesn't matter.
When Ms. Matilda was being killed,
what were you doing, Mr. Chan?
I was running away.
Then who witnessed that "splatter" scene?
How could you have seen it?
I also think that part is weird.
But it’s incredibly vivid.
That’s because of your
Middle Schooler Syndrome
you were completely delusional.
Middle Schooler Syndromeis scary.
But it's true that
he was abnormally violent.
He was a sadist.
Just remembering him makes me angry.
This may be worth investigating.
I mean, he's the culprit, right?
Let's find him and string him up!
As payback for 37 years ago.
TANBE MIDDLE SCHOOL MOVIE CLUB
FIRST MOVIE PROJEC
SYNOPSIS - IT'S 2026, TOKYO DOME
TOP STAR IDOL, MISA SUDDENLY DIES.
AI CHA
HOW ARE YOU TODAY?
ORIGINAL FILM PLAN
ADD ROMANTIC ELEMENTS
WITH A HOT AND COLD BOYFRIEND TO SCRIP
UNDERSTOOD. THIS IS THE STORY
WITH ROMANTIC ELEMENTS
This thing is amazing.
Huh?
TO YOU, THE ONCE-FUTURE IDOL
It’s a project I’ve been nurturing
for a long time,
and I was wondering who to give it to.
I could have taken it to Netflix,
but considering our past relationship,
I thought it would be best
to entrust it to you, Ms. Onodera.
I think it can be made
with a small budget,
and we can get a good cast.
Don't mind me.
Why not just take it to Netflix?
No, I…
I trust your skill as a producer.
To be blunt…
We're old friends, right?
I won't do this.
You're at this age too.
So maybe you can't see the good in this.
Yes, I feel like I've been handed trash.
I wanted to read your 160 km/h pitch.
Do you have someone right now?
We were both young, so we were stubborn
and clashed, but now…
Now, I can honestly cheer for you
and want to stand by you.
So you want to mooch off me?
Don't underestimate me.
It's Hooper Eats.
Oh, that's us.
-Oh.
-Sorry!
-Sorry for the wait.
-Thanks.
-Oh, sorry!
-Thank you.
-Thanks for your hard work.
-Bye-bye.
-Good boy.
-Hina, can you climb up?
No problem.
What did you order?
Pizza and carbonara.
Yes, pizza and carbonara for Yuna.
Is that guy doing well? Kentaro Yamashita.
He left the industry and is working
at a regular company now.
Ouch!
That hurts!
What the hell, damn it.
TANBE MIDDLE SCHOOL MOVIE CLUB
FIRST MOVIE PROJEC
Damn it.
TANBE MIDDLE SCHOOL MOVIE CLUB
FIRST MOVIE PROJEC
There was a report from a local.
That our school students
were drinking alcohol in the park.
We weren't drinking alcohol. It's water.
A drinking scene is problematic
in a movie made by middle schoolers.
It’s acting.
Even so, it’s not appropriate
for middle schoolers.
Our drama club
has a suicide scene
in their Romeo and Juliet play.
How is that not a problem?
In our textbook's
Tale of the Bamboo Cutter,
the man takes a girl who isn't his
and raises her as his child.
Super problematic, right?
Why are those okay and not ours?
Remember this.
Schools exist so that people like you
don't get the wrong idea.
They exist so that ordinary people
can live properly.
Don't ever think you're a genius.
You'll end up leading a miserable life.
Get lost, you brats.
TANBE MIDDLE SCHOOL MOVIE CLUB
FIRST MOVIE PROJEC
Any new developments?
Is Mr. Chan sick?
He's just hungover.
Mr. Chan, I want to see the movie.
Please convert it to data.
Let's have a screening.
There is no movie.
No movie?
Apparently, it was all
just unedited footage,
we never edited it into a movie.
I knew it was never finished.
But I think we did have
a screening, back then.
Even so, the footage remains,
so let’s edit and finish it.
No thanks.
Looking at that pile of tapes
makes me depressed.
Why is that?
Aren't they important to you, Mr. Chan?
It gave you the dream
to be a movie director.
That's right.
Is a "dream" really such a good thing?
Isn't it just another type of
Middle Schooler Syndrome, an illness?
A troublesome illness
that doesn't go away.
The people who escape it quickly
and become "normal" find happiness.
It's dangerous to get caught up
in this dream.
You can never wake up.
Before you know it, you’re past 50,
and there is no time left.
What am I supposed to do?
This path suits you.
You’ve been a hardcore otaku
since you were a kid.
An otaku is happiest
when they're nitpicking things
other people made.
But you made good works.
I followed your work quite a bit.
Like Those Who Eat Soba. That was good.
It wasn't good at all.
Its success made me get cocky,
quit my production company,
and go independent.
There was this no-name,
but young and passionate actor.
I staked it all on him,
and made him the main star.
He acted well.
When we were almost done filming,
he got caught for possession of weed.
I did everything I could,
but in the end, production was canceled.
The project was shelved.
All I had left was debt.
Then, I took every
high-paying job I could find.
But…
It's strange, people can tell.
That I'm doing it for the money.
The requests started to decrease.
Before I knew it,
I no longer knew what I wanted to make.
I really don't have anything
I want to make anymore.
I guess that’s life past 50.
Now, I’m just an old nuisance
that young people find annoying.
No, that’s not right.
Being an "old nuisance"
would be an achievement.
I couldn't even become that.
The other day,
I suddenly remembered what Jason said.
"School exists to make sure
ordinary people don't get the wrong idea.
You should never think you’re a genius."
He…
might have been right.
If I could see him,
maybe I would apologize.
This is his family’s phone number.
Also,
Ms. Ishii Yoko told me about this.
It’s a newspaper article from 1996.
I made a copy at the library.
TEACHER DISMISSED FOR CORPORAL PUNISHMEN
"While advising club activity,
a male teacher was dismissed
as a disciplinary measure,
after inflicting
corporal punishment on a student.
It is said the male teacher's use
of violence was equivalent to assault,
and also caused problems in the past."
So he really did get fired.
It was only a matter of time.
He was culled by the flow of the times.
Are you the ones who contacted us?
I'm Yoshii.
-I'm Fujimaki.
-I'm Kikuhara.
I'm just with them.
I'm Mayuko, Eto's daughter.
This is just a small gift…
Thank you for your kindness.
I've told him that you all were coming.
Not sure if he’ll remember us…
I can’t say for certain,
but he seemed happy.
Former students almost
never come to visit him, so…
He’s this way.
Father.
You have visitors.
Father.
Due to his medication,
he has been sleeping a lot.
What did he do
after he quit being a teacher?
Security guard, driver… various things.
But…
As his family, we were relieved.
Relieved?
When he was a teacher,
he was always exhausted,
he couldn't even get up on his days off.
He was originally a very timid person.
He was depressed,
saying he wasn't fit to be a teacher.
I think he was suffering, too.
I’ll go cut these.
Hey.
Was he really that small?
Maybe he looked big
because you were scared of him,
or he tried to make himself look bigger.
Well…
Come to think of it,
being a middle school teacher
is a high-stress job.
Especially with students like Chan around.
Now that I’m this age,
I understand the hardships
Mr. Eto went through back then.
So, what should we do?
Let's leave.
Let's go.
Take care, Mr. Eto.
Mr. Chan!
Wat…
What is it, sir?
Wat…
Wat…
-Water…
-Water?
Oh, water!
You taught us at Tanbe Middle.
I'm Yoshii. This is Fujimaki…
and Kikuhara.
We had a movie club.
Do you happen to remember us?
I knew it…
Knew what?
It is…
Just as I said.
You never grew up to be proper adults.
All of you.
That might be true.
Teacher.
Don't call me "Teacher."
I don't think of
pieces of trash…
like you as my students.
It makes me sick.
Get out.
Please don't say that.
I heard
you got arrested.
You look like a wretch now.
He had his reasons…
You always lacked presence.
Even now,
you live like a faint shadow, right?
Your face looks boring.
And you…
A top-tier piece of trash
who did nothing but spout logic.
Leading a miserable life, aren't you?
Chan became a movie director, you know.
I bet they’re worthless movies anyway.
He also said
he wanted to apologize to you.
What? Apologize.
Apologize, hurry up.
Do you remember Matilda?
The art teacher who disappeared.
Michiru Miyashita.
There was someone who tried to attack her.
Was it you?
I wish it had been me.
What did you say?
The principal
brought her in from somewhere.
A woman with an unknown past.
I hated her.
Teachers…
Irresponsible teachers like her
create spoiled brats.
Ms. Miyashita
valued individuality and freedom.
She was a good teacher.
She was just pandering to the kids.
The world went crazy because…
it was full of adults like that.
Stop it.
Look around.
Is there anyone with actual individuality?
Is there?
Is anyone living freely?
If yes, where are they?
Everyone is just living in fear,
constantly watching those around them.
You guys are pathetic too.
You've gone and become "adults."
Brats.
You have to beat them.
Hitting them and forging them.
That is what education is--
-Cut it out!
-Chan.
This guy hasn't changed.
He hasn't repented at all.
What do you know about our lives?
I can tell from your faces.
I know exactly
how miserable your lives are.
You're the miserable one!
You couldn't stop
the violence and got fired.
Hitting is education?
"The whip of love," you say?
People who use violence
always say that to justify themselves.
You’re a monkey
who can't control his emotions.
Deep down, you regret it, don't you?
No one pays attention to you.
No one visits you.
What a miserable life yours has been.
I…
still have my fangs.
Fangs?
Don't make me laugh.
You can't even eat food anymore.
We can still eat anything.
Steak, pork cutlets. We devour them.
Are you jealous?
We're only 50. We're just getting started.
We can pull all-nighters,
we can still argue.
We even get morning wood!
Don't mock us, bastard.
You…
You look less boring now.
You are now…
the brat I knew.
You guys…
won't grow to be proper old men.
Never, ever…
think you’re a genius.
And you…
Don't you dare drop dead so easily.
Jason is immortal.
I’m going to make you eat your words.
You will kneel before me, bastard.
I'm going to sleep.
Did he scare you?
I felt like he was talking to me, too.
I'm someone who lives in fear.
This is actually really good.
Just go. Leave the rest to me.
But…
It's okay. Go.
Ms. Miyashita,
I can't overlook anything that disturbs
the order of the school.
Mr. Eto got so angry.
Oh…
He attacked me with a chainsaw,
and I stabbed him in the neck with a pen.
But Jason is immortal, right?
The chainsaw went
whirring against my neck!
You must persuade Mr. Eto.
I can't. He's too much of an idiot.
Then give up on the movie.
If you're giving up here,
you can't make it.
Creating something means
being subjected
to both criticism and praise.
Those who don't stop creating,
despite that, become creators.
Do you want to be
on the side that critiques?
Or the side that's critiqued?
Hey.
I was thinking
it doesn't have to be alcohol.
You can get stronger
through another drink.
DRUNK MONKEY
DRUNKEN MASTER
Okay!
ORIGINAL MOVIE
TALE OF THE TANBE MIDDLE MOVIE CLUB
There's so much here.
Just checking it will be a chore.
It’s because we filmed
so much useless stuff.
Wait, one is missing.
Number 12 isn't here.
I guess we lost it.
That tape won't be in the movie.
Let's digitize these tapes.
Oh, is this the script?
Yes.
RAMUNE MONKEY
SODA MASTER
"Soda Master?"
Dragon Ball's
World Martial Arts Tournament
was influenced
by Kinnikuman's Chojin Olympics.
Battle tournaments have been
in sports manga for ages.
What about the "Scouter"?
The great invention
of quantifying combat power
also existed in Kinnikuman
as Chojin Power…
The invention of
the Scouter itself is what's great!
What I want to say is,
it’s the path Kinnikuman carved out.
-Toriyama's skills…
-Come on! They're both amazing.
They’re both amazing!
-They're both good.
-Mr. Eto's daughter!
What?
Hello?
My father said he remembered
something regarding Ms. Miyashita.
He says there was definitely
a man following her.
He appeared at the school a few times,
and my father even warned him.
So you mean he was a stalker?
What kind of man was he?
Any characteristics?
He apparently smelled of alcohol.
Alcohol?
Anything else? Appearance, age?
He has fallen asleep again.
I’ll ask when he wakes up.
Also, thank you.
For making my father
a teacher again, in the end.
Jason, or Mr. Eto…
never woke up again
and passed away five days later.
MITAKA GUEST HOUSE
Hello.
I read the new proposal.
What do you think?
-If you’re interested…
-I don't want it.
What?
I’m not interested in your life story.
No, but, even I…
The only people who find the school years
of an Average Joe interesting
are that Joe and his friends.
That's all.
But you’ve returned
to the starting point, haven't you?
Middle Schooler Syndrome refers to
the excessive self-consciousness and
delusional thoughts seen during puberty.
At least, that's what the Internet says.
Hello.
Good evening.
KIKUHARA SALON
Z! LET'S GET CUTTING!
However, it doesn't seem
entirely accurate.
Z!
You can still have Middle Schooler
Syndrome even in your 50's.
Subtitle translation by: Quang N.N.