Soda Master (2026) s01e06 Episode Script
Episode 6
You didn't have to pick me up.
But you're scared of ghosts, right?
Jiangshi and zombies too.
I don't believe in them anymore.
You go on alone, then.
I'm going to take a shortcut.
Through the poison gas factory.
You'll get scolded again.
There's no one here at night.
Don't cry to me when you're caught
and turned into a zombie!
So you do believe in zombies?
WARNING!
Zombie! Zombie!
-Zombie?
-Hajime!
You tried to climb
over the factory fence, fell,
hit your head and fainted!
Don't you get bored of these silly stunts?
But… Matilda was eaten by a guy
who looked like a mummy.
You read too many manga, that's why
your dreams are like that, idiot!
Go to sleep!
For this position,
we've decided to go
with a younger candidate.
Apologies, but we won't be
moving forward with you.
I see… I understand.
Thank you very much.
Okay. Excuse us.
Okay.
Hello?
Yes!
It's about the rent, right? I know.
Yes, I'll pay it all this month.
Yes, sorry for the trouble.
Excuse me.
So you have it rough too.
Shut up. Go back to your home!
I don't think I can stay here either.
When's the last time you cleaned the bath?
I'll definitely pay you back!
Oh, it's you?
UNFULFILLED DREAM
HIDENOBU ISHIWATARI
Hidenobu Ishiwatari?
You've heard of the Ishiwatari
Construction Group, right?
He is their CEO.
This book was self-published.
Next year is the Ishiwatari Group's
70th anniversary.
They want to adapt this book
for that occasion.
Paid out of the CEO's pocket.
Seems their budget is quite big.
I can't force you to do it,
but if you want to…
Bet it was pushed around everywhere,
until it ended up at your place.
This guy wrote his own biography,
then wants to pay to have it filmed.
In short, a rich guy
with too much time on his hands.
This job is the lowest of the low.
No proper director would accept it.
Sorry. Forget about it.
That's why it's perfect for me.
While chasing the disappearance
of Ms. Matilda 37 years ago,
we found the owner of Video Jupiter,
a man with a criminal record.
But he refused to admit his crimes
and declined to help.
You yourself chose to forget.
The truth behind what happened
should all be right here inside you.
When we thought the investigation
had hit a dead end,
Mr. Chan made a surprising discovery.
This guy…
Okay, bye.
Bye.
Again.
Oh, don't forget anything here, okay?
-Yes.
-Okay, bye.
Bye.
This guy…
This is the guy who was stalking Matilda.
This man…
Do you know him?
Rambo. That's what we called him.
Rambo?
His vibe felt just like Rambo.
He didn't have a machine gun,
nor did he wear bullets on his body, but…
I don't really get it, but continue.
Okay.
We got to know this man when we were…
We were looking for a location to film.
This place would make
the perfect enemy hideout.
It's like a fortress.
Minmay could be kept locked up in there,
then we'll save her!
Like in Lupin III!
Let's go check it out!
Will they even let us go in?
What?
Chan, don't do that!
I've done this many times.
It's a shortcut.
Bamboo rods for sale…
Do your bamboo rods sell well?
Bamboo rods for sale…
-Just like in Wheels on Meals!
-Kam-Bo!
How about we fall down from there?
Like the clock tower scene in Project A.
No, we'll die!
What does this factory even make?
Rumors say they make
chemical weapons here.
And that they kidnap people
to experiment on them.
If we get caught,
we'll be turned into zombies!
Oh, we… We're looking for a location…
Whoa, he's so fast! This is bad!
Oh, no!
Chan!
You okay, Chan?
Oh, it hurts! Don't experiment on me!
We're sorry!
-Forgive us!
-We just want to film…
Call your teacher here.
What happened after that?
I think Matilda went to apologize to him.
Maybe that's when he set
his sights on her.
Maybe.
What kind of person was he?
Creepy, like you don't know
what he's thinking.
He ran incredibly fast for his age,
and he fixed my strained shoulder
in an instant.
It was scary when he came
to our community center screening.
It hurts! Hey, it hurts, damn it, old man!
Also, remember how old lady Kuroe
went crazy for no reason?
She was always fighting with someone,
but that time was shocking.
Get out of here!
Now! You're annoying me!
I'll kill you!
Someone call the police!
Hajime! Go away! Over there!
Wait a minute!
Put the gun down! Let's talk.
I have nothing to say to you.
This is a keepsake from my grandpa.
It's loaded.
I'm going to shoot you in the stomach!
No, wait!
Please calm down…
I've asked before,
but you are talking about Japan, right?
Now that I think of it,
Matilda's apartment got broken into once.
Oh, it was. The culprit was never found.
I feel like he was there too.
Was anything stolen?
I don't think so.
That man is an officer, right?
Yeah.
Was this town
a lawless wasteland or something?
Anyway, let's look for him.
If we contact the factory, we may find out
who worked there back then.
He was already quite old back then.
He's probably dead now.
We must find him anyway.
To see if he was the one
who killed Matilda or not…
Yeah.
MITAKA GUEST HOUSE
DON'T TALK ABOUT "LIMITS" WHILE AT WORK,
IT HURTS MORALE
UNFULFILLED DREAM
There you are.
Geez…
Hello?
Reply to my LINE messages!
-I'm busy with work right now.
-This was originally your duty, big bro!
We don't have to do
a third-year memorial, you know…
We did Mom's. We have to do Dad's too.
You caused so much trouble. At least
be nice to them after they're dead.
You promised to take over the shop
in exchange for them
sending you to university.
Don't talk about that now.
You have to be there. Okay?
Hey, what are you doing…
Sorry to keep you waiting.
I've given it a quick read.
Thank you very much.
I think this script does a good job
of keeping with the book's spirit.
-Director.
-Yes?
-Did you really read the book?
-What?
The protagonist is pathetic!
I wasn't this weak.
No, that's just…
The director's intention is that
if the protagonist is perfect
from the start, people can't empathize,
so he must grow gradually.
He's just whining all the time!
I wouldn't have survived
that era like that!
When I took over the company,
I didn't have the luxury of worrying.
I was carrying the lives of my employees.
I argued with a lot of people.
No matter who the opponent was,
I didn't back down.
How come I got turned into this?
In movies, the script is what matters.
Listen, a good script doesn't necessarily
make a good movie.
But a good movie is never born
from a bad script!
Remember that.
I'll take it into consideration.
I'll take all your complaints.
Demanding sponsors, selfish actors,
budgets, schedules.
We must accept all that hardship
and push through with what we want to do.
I've gone through all that. Don't worry.
Impressive.
Yeah.
Let's see, huh?
AFTER INHERITING MY PARENTS' CLIENTS,
I MADE OUR COMPANY A KEYSTONE
Hello.
I inquired at Toshu Materials.
What's that?
The name of that poison gas factory.
They introduced me to someone
who worked at the Tanbe factory in 1988.
This man.
He was quiet, felt rather violent,
and had a lean physique for his age.
Oh, right!
It's this guy, right?
-Yes!
-It's Rambo!
Oh, right.
What was his name…
Mr. Nihei.
Mr. Nihei?
Nihei… What was his first name?
Can I eat something?
-Oh, please, go ahead.
-Oh, okay.
-Excuse me.
-Do you have a menu?
-Oh, there!
-Okay.
Mr. Nihei…
He was a really eerie person.
He barely spoke,
and I never saw him smile.
I was just a young low-level worker,
so I was too scared to talk to him.
Did he have family?
I think he was a loner.
Anyone close to him at the factory?
None. He was almost always
in the corner by himself.
We felt bad. We would always ask him
to join our baseball games.
He agreed to join, just the once.
And boy, was he a great batter!
But he still didn't smile at all!
Oh, wait!
Found it.
Seikichi Nihei.
He quit in January,
the first year of Heisei.
That would be 1989.
Right after Matilda disappeared.
He was born in Taisho 13, 1924.
He would be over 100
if he were still alive!
But…
guys like that live surprisingly long.
Oh, wait.
What's wrong, Kam-Bo?
Rambo's address.
Tanbe City, Matsuda-cho 2-8-1,
Midori Guest House, Apartment Two.
-What about it?
-Doesn't it sound familiar?
The Midori Guest House in Matsuda-cho.
Midori Guest House?
That's the apartment building
where Matilda lived.
They lived in the same apartment building!
There were rumors
that a man was stalking her.
He apparently smelled of alcohol.
Did Rambo… No, Mr. Nihei…
-Did he drink alcohol?
-Alcohol?
Did he always smell
like booze or anything?
No, I never saw that man drinking.
Really?
Oh, I think I got it!
Solvents.
Solvents?
That factory, you see,
made rubber products.
Petroleum-based chemicals,
hardening agents, and so on.
Well, to put it simply,
the manufacturing process
produces a powerful smell.
If you're there all day,
it sticks to your whole body.
Man, that brings back memories.
The Tanbe factory!
Oh, excuse me. Omurice, please!
He was a resident of the same building.
So she was stalked by a neighbor.
Scary!
It's possible he moved into
the same building to stalk her better.
Even scarier!
You said Ms. Matilda's apartment
was broken into,
so was that him too?
Rambo, the neighbor, did it…
That alcohol stink was actually
the smell of factory chemicals.
So,
it's settled?
I guess so.
Let's call the police.
Rambo would be over 100 now.
He's probably dead.
So…
Wait…
Is this the end?
This ends now?
If Rambo killed Ms. Matilda,
what was the reason?
He was probably crazy.
Rambo is dead. There's nothing we can do.
We have to make sure.
There's a chance he's alive.
What will you ask a 100-plus-year-old?
What about what Hiruta said?
That Matilda was a woman
you shouldn't get close to,
and that it's better not to know.
I don't care.
There are still too many loose ends.
And our feelings too.
Matilda died because of us.
We thought so, right?
Hiruta…
He said the answer is in our heads.
I think he's right.
There are things we need to remember.
Why was Matilda killed?
What happened to her back then?
There's nothing more we can do.
Rambo is the culprit.
-Let's leave it at that.
-No…
How long will we do this?
Matilda isn't coming back,
and the culprit is dead.
This year is almost over.
I have to work.
I've got to make a movie
about this amazing, super-CEO,
who only inherited his parents' company.
Paid for by the man himself.
It's a piece-of-crap job.
But…
for me, it's the last chance.
Or maybe…
this will be my last directed work.
I want to do all I can.
You have your trial, Yuen.
Kam-Bo, you have your shop and mother.
We found the culprit!
We did all we could.
It's time to go back to our real lives.
Seikichi Nihei.
I see.
Well, for now, this is our conclusion.
Just letting you know.
You probably won't investigate anyway.
We'll take it into consideration.
Sure, you will.
You helped us a lot. Thank you.
Oh, right.
The holding period has ended,
so if no one claims them,
they will be processed
as unclaimed remains.
Tell me when you plan to cremate her.
Yes.
Let's part ways here.
Yuen, you go on home.
Okay.
If I use the bath at your place,
I might end up dirtier.
The heck?
What's wrong?
Oh, nothing.
See you.
Yes, bye.
-Kam-Bo.
-What?
Can I go to your place today?
I think my mom would hate that.
Then…
I'll go to a hotel.
Just go home.
Move "Swim" to this shelf, "Ping-Pong"
and "Badminton" over there.
We have to swap "Running" and "Golf."
If we move "Running,"
part-timers will get mad.
Then, "Tennis"…
"Basketball"…
Sir!
Sir!
What do you think?
Our biggest problem is a lack of storage.
Since we carry things ourselves,
we can't add more shelves.
Shouldn't we invest in equipment
and make it more efficient?
If we make it more efficient,
we'll lose our jobs.
Hey, Mom…
Do you remember anything about Tanbe?
KISUKE KIKUHARA
BUSCOPAN / METOCLOPRAMIDE
The date for the first trial has been set.
The trial will likely take
one or two sessions.
The media will likely be there,
but please don't let it bother you at all.
At the trial, please answer as follows…
Have you seen this person?
Have you seen this person?
It's no use searching.
The rumor is she was killed.
They say she was sunk in the swamp.
See you. Keep our promise.
The defendant admits to the fact
of handing over the cash,
as stated in the indictment.
GANDHARA COFFEE
Welcome.
I came.
Me too.
I winced at the scene
where he stitched himself up.
She saw Rambo recently.
-I hear Stallone actually did it.
-Really?
That's a rumor, but actually,
they just used special effects.
Really?
-You're lying again!
-No!
-No way!
-It's really true!
-I don't believe you.
-It's actually true…
It's true.
I've had it.
Bottoms up.
All right.
Listen up!
Why would I be crying over a failure?
If you only win, the story gets--
I only ever won!
That's how I got where I am today.
In this world,
once you get timid, it's over.
-Director.
-Yes?
Your parents ran
a construction shop too, didn't they?
Well, yes.
I scouted you because of that connection.
Hearing you're filming a movie
for Ishiwatari Constructions,
your parents must be happy, right?
Both of my parents are dead.
If they were alive, they would be happy.
Wouldn't it be better to get
a more professional screenwriter?
Akira Kurosawa, you know,
stayed at inns with several
screenwriters to write his scripts.
That's how masterpieces like
Three Outlaw Samurai were made.
Yasutaro Ozu was the same.
Have you seen his movies?
You have to watch and study them.
No, but my films deal
with human weakness and misery.
-Those themes--
-It's not your movie!
It's my movie!
I'm the one putting up the money!
Make it exactly as I say!
Yes.
I'll do my best.
-Thank you very much.
-Thank you.
Thanks for coming.
-Take care.
-Thank you.
-Let's go.
-I think we are good.
More people showed up than I thought.
Yes, for a worthless old man
who loved gambling and booze.
Thanks for coming. I know you're busy.
-How are things with your husband?
-Don't ask.
Don't cry to me when you're caught
and turned into a zombie!
So you do believe in zombies?
Hajime!
You tried to climb over
the factory fence, fell,
hit your head, and fainted.
But… Matilda was eaten by a guy
who looked like a mummy.
You read too many manga, that's why
your dreams are like that, idiot!
Go to sleep!
The head priest is waiting.
Do you remember that time I tried
to sneak into the Tanbe factory,
fell, and passed out?
What?
What’s that?
Do you remember Rambo?
Rambo?
There was a creepy old guy, right?
He worked at the factory.
We called him Rambo…
Oh, you don't remember.
Right.
The man covered in blood?
What?
That was a shock back then.
I was so traumatized,
I couldn't sleep alone for a while.
I had to sleep in Mom's bed!
-What are you talking about?
-That old man you called Rambo, right?
Lying there, covered in blood.
Lying there…
When, where?
I forgot when,
but it was in the ditch near our house.
Dad put him in the truck
and took him to the hospital.
Did you forget?
So, what happened next?
Can you say your name?
Can you hear me?
-Turning!
-Can you hear me?
Mr. Yoshii!
RECEPTION / WAITING ROOM
Emi.
Don't tell anyone about this.
Not even your big bro.
Got it?
I see.
He told me not to tell you.
What's that all about?
Why were Yuen's dad and Matilda there?
Why was Matilda crying?
I don't know.
Why couldn't you tell me?
I said I don't know. Don't ask me.
Yuen.
We need to talk.
I agree.
Mr. Ogura from the factory helped me.
I found the address
where Rambo went after leaving Tanbe.
UEMATSU
She wasn't doing well until just recently,
but she has been better
these past few days.
Mother.
Mother, we have visitors.
Welcome.
Sorry for the intrusion.
Mother, listen.
They say they want to hear about Seikichi.
Okay.
Seikichi was my older brother.
Your brother worked
at the Tanbe factory, didn't he?
And after that, he moved here?
Yes.
He was at our house.
There was probably no one else
he could rely on.
He was so badly injured.
He couldn't even take care of himself.
How did he get so injured?
My brother said he was in an accident.
But that was a lie.
No matter how you looked at it,
he had been assaulted.
He passed away about 20 years ago now,
didn't he, Mother?
When I went to bring him lunch,
he had passed away.
What was your relationship
with my brother?
Back in Tanbe, he helped us a lot.
Mr. Seikichi…
What kind of person was he?
This was taken when he graduated
from elementary school.
I was so proud of him.
He was kind, cheerful,
and popular.
He was recruited into the Army as a cadet,
and I believe he received special training
at a school in Hamamatsu.
Then he was assigned to a fierce
battlefield in the South,
and returned several years
after the war ended.
By then, he was
a completely different person.
Right, Mother?
He never spoke a word
about what happened on the battlefield.
Even when he was at our house,
he hardly spoke.
He never had a family
and lived his life avoiding others.
Just like Rambo.
When I think of my brother…
I truly pity him.
SATSUKI ONODERA
THE CEO WANTS TO SEE YOU NOW
Excuse me,
have you ever heard of a woman
named Michiru Miyashita?
I can't say that I have.
Mother, they are asking
about someone called Miyashita.
Does it ring a bell?
Mr. Miyashita
was my brother's comrade-in-arms.
Comrade-in-arms?
They returned to Japan
on the same repatriation ship.
When was that…
I believe it was around
the 40th year of Showa, 1965.
He once came by to give his greetings,
along with his wife and a young daughter.
A daughter?
So this Mr. Miyashita had a daughter.
Yes.
But both Mr. Miyashita and his wife
passed away
while they were still very young.
My brother was deeply concerned
about their daughter,
who was left all alone.
But I believe
the daughter
eventually got married, as well.
She got married?
Yes.
But I think it didn't go well…
You remember the distant past so well.
I do.
Everyone.
Thank you.
For coming to ask about my brother.
For a long time,
I’ve wanted to tell someone
that Seikichi Nihei lived in this world.
Perhaps…
my mission was to tell you
all about my brother.
And that's why I have lived to this age.
Oh, well…
We are the ones
who should be thanking you.
It seems we had
misunderstood your brother.
You gave us a precious look into his life.
Thank you.
So I thought, this just wouldn't do.
Pardon me, but I took the liberty
of editing your script.
Please read it.
It expresses the intensity of a man
who raced through a dramatic era.
YOUR LIFE IS DEFINED BY YOUR LEGACY!
In fact, I've had to drag myself
through the mud many times.
But not even once did I ever break.
The message I want to convey is that
no matter what adversity a person faces
or what hardships they encounter,
they must never lose their convictions.
"My ambition.
No one shall ever take it away."
That’s the important line.
As long as you don't lose your ambition,
life will surely--
It's shallow.
What?
Your life is extremely shallow.
You inherited your parents' company
and coasted on it.
And now, you are going on an ego trip.
It's a very shameful thing.
Countless people have struggled much more.
If you show this movie to them,
they'll laugh at you.
There are many people
who aren't great like you,
aren't rich,
but they lived their lives to the fullest
with everything they had.
Those nameless people,
those who died quietly
without anyone knowing,
they are the real…
Chairman,
I'm trying to turn this hopeless book
into a movie that’s actually watchable.
Could you please leave it to me?
Get out! You insolent man!
You could have stopped me, couldn't you?
I was thinking, "Go get him!"
It has become quite beautiful.
That factory that used to scatter smog.
The poison gas factory
that did human experiments.
When my sister came home late
from cram school, I had to pick her up.
Cutting through here was a shortcut.
-And for some reason, you saw Matilda.
-Right.
I snuck closer…
-And was attacked by a zombie.
-Yeah.
Why had you forgotten until now?
My parents told me I was half-asleep,
so I convinced myself it was a dream.
But…
that was reality.
Anyway, to summarize.
Ms. Matilda got divorced, came to Tanbe,
and subbed as an art teacher.
Because Rambo, her father's
comrade-in-arms, was also in Tanbe.
She moved into the same building as him.
Mr. Rambo was following Ms. Matilda
and keeping watch over her.
And then, he was attacked by someone
and suffered a grave injury.
Matilda cried when she found out.
Rambo wasn't a stalker.
He was protecting Matilda.
KEEP YOUR HELMET ON
Even back then,
he was trying to protect her.
Matilda must have been
staying by Rambo's side
when he was badly injured.
And Rambo, even after being badly injured…
Look closely!
-That's my student!
-He protected his comrade's daughter.
Just what was he trying
to protect her from?
Why was Matilda being targeted?
And…
why did Chan's and my parents
try to hide this from us?
It's like the truth
we're starting to grasp
has slipped away.
OFFICER TSURUMI
Oh!
-Hello.
-This is Tsurumi.
About your inquiry regarding
Mr. Seikichi Nihei being assaulted.
I looked into it, and there were records
of an assault case.
It seems the other person
was also injured.
Showa 63.
That's 1988.
December 25th.
Who was the other party?
The other person's name is Hisao Torikai.
Hisao Torikai?
-You know him?
-Who the hell was he?
Well, let's see.
His occupation…
is a traveling seller of bamboo rods.
That's what it says.
Selling bamboo rods?
A bamboo rod seller.
Do your bamboo poles sell well?
What kind of job is that?
-Wait, what's wrong?
-Yuen.
-What's with you?
-Yuen!
-Hey…
-Yuen!
What? Hey, watch out!
Oh, hey! You okay?
Huh?
Oh, Mr. Kam-Bo! I'm going ahead!
Mr. Chan! I'm going ahead!
Yes, get him for us! Hakuba!
I can't go on…
Hakuba.
Calm down. What do you plan to do?
I was also wondering that.
Ouch!
It hurts.
-Seriously… I even hit my knee.
-Ouch!
No…
Come on.
Sorry.
I quit smoking, yet…
-Come on.
-Oh, it hurts!
-It hurts!
-Oh, hey!
I think I tore a muscle.
Running off all of a sudden!
What is so funny?
It's just… it's so pathetic.
We used to run around so much back then…
Right?
As a child, the boys around me
would always compete for no reason,
and laugh together while doing
pointlessly dangerous things.
It always frustrated me.
Come on, it isn't funny anymore!
Don't you feel like things
are getting dangerous?
Kam-Bo.
The truth hasn't slipped away.
We've finally stood
at the entrance to the truth.
This is getting interesting.
But now…
I envy them a little.
This is getting interesting.
You sound so cool…
Subtitle translation by: Quang N.N.
But you're scared of ghosts, right?
Jiangshi and zombies too.
I don't believe in them anymore.
You go on alone, then.
I'm going to take a shortcut.
Through the poison gas factory.
You'll get scolded again.
There's no one here at night.
Don't cry to me when you're caught
and turned into a zombie!
So you do believe in zombies?
WARNING!
Zombie! Zombie!
-Zombie?
-Hajime!
You tried to climb
over the factory fence, fell,
hit your head and fainted!
Don't you get bored of these silly stunts?
But… Matilda was eaten by a guy
who looked like a mummy.
You read too many manga, that's why
your dreams are like that, idiot!
Go to sleep!
For this position,
we've decided to go
with a younger candidate.
Apologies, but we won't be
moving forward with you.
I see… I understand.
Thank you very much.
Okay. Excuse us.
Okay.
Hello?
Yes!
It's about the rent, right? I know.
Yes, I'll pay it all this month.
Yes, sorry for the trouble.
Excuse me.
So you have it rough too.
Shut up. Go back to your home!
I don't think I can stay here either.
When's the last time you cleaned the bath?
I'll definitely pay you back!
Oh, it's you?
UNFULFILLED DREAM
HIDENOBU ISHIWATARI
Hidenobu Ishiwatari?
You've heard of the Ishiwatari
Construction Group, right?
He is their CEO.
This book was self-published.
Next year is the Ishiwatari Group's
70th anniversary.
They want to adapt this book
for that occasion.
Paid out of the CEO's pocket.
Seems their budget is quite big.
I can't force you to do it,
but if you want to…
Bet it was pushed around everywhere,
until it ended up at your place.
This guy wrote his own biography,
then wants to pay to have it filmed.
In short, a rich guy
with too much time on his hands.
This job is the lowest of the low.
No proper director would accept it.
Sorry. Forget about it.
That's why it's perfect for me.
While chasing the disappearance
of Ms. Matilda 37 years ago,
we found the owner of Video Jupiter,
a man with a criminal record.
But he refused to admit his crimes
and declined to help.
You yourself chose to forget.
The truth behind what happened
should all be right here inside you.
When we thought the investigation
had hit a dead end,
Mr. Chan made a surprising discovery.
This guy…
Okay, bye.
Bye.
Again.
Oh, don't forget anything here, okay?
-Yes.
-Okay, bye.
Bye.
This guy…
This is the guy who was stalking Matilda.
This man…
Do you know him?
Rambo. That's what we called him.
Rambo?
His vibe felt just like Rambo.
He didn't have a machine gun,
nor did he wear bullets on his body, but…
I don't really get it, but continue.
Okay.
We got to know this man when we were…
We were looking for a location to film.
This place would make
the perfect enemy hideout.
It's like a fortress.
Minmay could be kept locked up in there,
then we'll save her!
Like in Lupin III!
Let's go check it out!
Will they even let us go in?
What?
Chan, don't do that!
I've done this many times.
It's a shortcut.
Bamboo rods for sale…
Do your bamboo rods sell well?
Bamboo rods for sale…
-Just like in Wheels on Meals!
-Kam-Bo!
How about we fall down from there?
Like the clock tower scene in Project A.
No, we'll die!
What does this factory even make?
Rumors say they make
chemical weapons here.
And that they kidnap people
to experiment on them.
If we get caught,
we'll be turned into zombies!
Oh, we… We're looking for a location…
Whoa, he's so fast! This is bad!
Oh, no!
Chan!
You okay, Chan?
Oh, it hurts! Don't experiment on me!
We're sorry!
-Forgive us!
-We just want to film…
Call your teacher here.
What happened after that?
I think Matilda went to apologize to him.
Maybe that's when he set
his sights on her.
Maybe.
What kind of person was he?
Creepy, like you don't know
what he's thinking.
He ran incredibly fast for his age,
and he fixed my strained shoulder
in an instant.
It was scary when he came
to our community center screening.
It hurts! Hey, it hurts, damn it, old man!
Also, remember how old lady Kuroe
went crazy for no reason?
She was always fighting with someone,
but that time was shocking.
Get out of here!
Now! You're annoying me!
I'll kill you!
Someone call the police!
Hajime! Go away! Over there!
Wait a minute!
Put the gun down! Let's talk.
I have nothing to say to you.
This is a keepsake from my grandpa.
It's loaded.
I'm going to shoot you in the stomach!
No, wait!
Please calm down…
I've asked before,
but you are talking about Japan, right?
Now that I think of it,
Matilda's apartment got broken into once.
Oh, it was. The culprit was never found.
I feel like he was there too.
Was anything stolen?
I don't think so.
That man is an officer, right?
Yeah.
Was this town
a lawless wasteland or something?
Anyway, let's look for him.
If we contact the factory, we may find out
who worked there back then.
He was already quite old back then.
He's probably dead now.
We must find him anyway.
To see if he was the one
who killed Matilda or not…
Yeah.
MITAKA GUEST HOUSE
DON'T TALK ABOUT "LIMITS" WHILE AT WORK,
IT HURTS MORALE
UNFULFILLED DREAM
There you are.
Geez…
Hello?
Reply to my LINE messages!
-I'm busy with work right now.
-This was originally your duty, big bro!
We don't have to do
a third-year memorial, you know…
We did Mom's. We have to do Dad's too.
You caused so much trouble. At least
be nice to them after they're dead.
You promised to take over the shop
in exchange for them
sending you to university.
Don't talk about that now.
You have to be there. Okay?
Hey, what are you doing…
Sorry to keep you waiting.
I've given it a quick read.
Thank you very much.
I think this script does a good job
of keeping with the book's spirit.
-Director.
-Yes?
-Did you really read the book?
-What?
The protagonist is pathetic!
I wasn't this weak.
No, that's just…
The director's intention is that
if the protagonist is perfect
from the start, people can't empathize,
so he must grow gradually.
He's just whining all the time!
I wouldn't have survived
that era like that!
When I took over the company,
I didn't have the luxury of worrying.
I was carrying the lives of my employees.
I argued with a lot of people.
No matter who the opponent was,
I didn't back down.
How come I got turned into this?
In movies, the script is what matters.
Listen, a good script doesn't necessarily
make a good movie.
But a good movie is never born
from a bad script!
Remember that.
I'll take it into consideration.
I'll take all your complaints.
Demanding sponsors, selfish actors,
budgets, schedules.
We must accept all that hardship
and push through with what we want to do.
I've gone through all that. Don't worry.
Impressive.
Yeah.
Let's see, huh?
AFTER INHERITING MY PARENTS' CLIENTS,
I MADE OUR COMPANY A KEYSTONE
Hello.
I inquired at Toshu Materials.
What's that?
The name of that poison gas factory.
They introduced me to someone
who worked at the Tanbe factory in 1988.
This man.
He was quiet, felt rather violent,
and had a lean physique for his age.
Oh, right!
It's this guy, right?
-Yes!
-It's Rambo!
Oh, right.
What was his name…
Mr. Nihei.
Mr. Nihei?
Nihei… What was his first name?
Can I eat something?
-Oh, please, go ahead.
-Oh, okay.
-Excuse me.
-Do you have a menu?
-Oh, there!
-Okay.
Mr. Nihei…
He was a really eerie person.
He barely spoke,
and I never saw him smile.
I was just a young low-level worker,
so I was too scared to talk to him.
Did he have family?
I think he was a loner.
Anyone close to him at the factory?
None. He was almost always
in the corner by himself.
We felt bad. We would always ask him
to join our baseball games.
He agreed to join, just the once.
And boy, was he a great batter!
But he still didn't smile at all!
Oh, wait!
Found it.
Seikichi Nihei.
He quit in January,
the first year of Heisei.
That would be 1989.
Right after Matilda disappeared.
He was born in Taisho 13, 1924.
He would be over 100
if he were still alive!
But…
guys like that live surprisingly long.
Oh, wait.
What's wrong, Kam-Bo?
Rambo's address.
Tanbe City, Matsuda-cho 2-8-1,
Midori Guest House, Apartment Two.
-What about it?
-Doesn't it sound familiar?
The Midori Guest House in Matsuda-cho.
Midori Guest House?
That's the apartment building
where Matilda lived.
They lived in the same apartment building!
There were rumors
that a man was stalking her.
He apparently smelled of alcohol.
Did Rambo… No, Mr. Nihei…
-Did he drink alcohol?
-Alcohol?
Did he always smell
like booze or anything?
No, I never saw that man drinking.
Really?
Oh, I think I got it!
Solvents.
Solvents?
That factory, you see,
made rubber products.
Petroleum-based chemicals,
hardening agents, and so on.
Well, to put it simply,
the manufacturing process
produces a powerful smell.
If you're there all day,
it sticks to your whole body.
Man, that brings back memories.
The Tanbe factory!
Oh, excuse me. Omurice, please!
He was a resident of the same building.
So she was stalked by a neighbor.
Scary!
It's possible he moved into
the same building to stalk her better.
Even scarier!
You said Ms. Matilda's apartment
was broken into,
so was that him too?
Rambo, the neighbor, did it…
That alcohol stink was actually
the smell of factory chemicals.
So,
it's settled?
I guess so.
Let's call the police.
Rambo would be over 100 now.
He's probably dead.
So…
Wait…
Is this the end?
This ends now?
If Rambo killed Ms. Matilda,
what was the reason?
He was probably crazy.
Rambo is dead. There's nothing we can do.
We have to make sure.
There's a chance he's alive.
What will you ask a 100-plus-year-old?
What about what Hiruta said?
That Matilda was a woman
you shouldn't get close to,
and that it's better not to know.
I don't care.
There are still too many loose ends.
And our feelings too.
Matilda died because of us.
We thought so, right?
Hiruta…
He said the answer is in our heads.
I think he's right.
There are things we need to remember.
Why was Matilda killed?
What happened to her back then?
There's nothing more we can do.
Rambo is the culprit.
-Let's leave it at that.
-No…
How long will we do this?
Matilda isn't coming back,
and the culprit is dead.
This year is almost over.
I have to work.
I've got to make a movie
about this amazing, super-CEO,
who only inherited his parents' company.
Paid for by the man himself.
It's a piece-of-crap job.
But…
for me, it's the last chance.
Or maybe…
this will be my last directed work.
I want to do all I can.
You have your trial, Yuen.
Kam-Bo, you have your shop and mother.
We found the culprit!
We did all we could.
It's time to go back to our real lives.
Seikichi Nihei.
I see.
Well, for now, this is our conclusion.
Just letting you know.
You probably won't investigate anyway.
We'll take it into consideration.
Sure, you will.
You helped us a lot. Thank you.
Oh, right.
The holding period has ended,
so if no one claims them,
they will be processed
as unclaimed remains.
Tell me when you plan to cremate her.
Yes.
Let's part ways here.
Yuen, you go on home.
Okay.
If I use the bath at your place,
I might end up dirtier.
The heck?
What's wrong?
Oh, nothing.
See you.
Yes, bye.
-Kam-Bo.
-What?
Can I go to your place today?
I think my mom would hate that.
Then…
I'll go to a hotel.
Just go home.
Move "Swim" to this shelf, "Ping-Pong"
and "Badminton" over there.
We have to swap "Running" and "Golf."
If we move "Running,"
part-timers will get mad.
Then, "Tennis"…
"Basketball"…
Sir!
Sir!
What do you think?
Our biggest problem is a lack of storage.
Since we carry things ourselves,
we can't add more shelves.
Shouldn't we invest in equipment
and make it more efficient?
If we make it more efficient,
we'll lose our jobs.
Hey, Mom…
Do you remember anything about Tanbe?
KISUKE KIKUHARA
BUSCOPAN / METOCLOPRAMIDE
The date for the first trial has been set.
The trial will likely take
one or two sessions.
The media will likely be there,
but please don't let it bother you at all.
At the trial, please answer as follows…
Have you seen this person?
Have you seen this person?
It's no use searching.
The rumor is she was killed.
They say she was sunk in the swamp.
See you. Keep our promise.
The defendant admits to the fact
of handing over the cash,
as stated in the indictment.
GANDHARA COFFEE
Welcome.
I came.
Me too.
I winced at the scene
where he stitched himself up.
She saw Rambo recently.
-I hear Stallone actually did it.
-Really?
That's a rumor, but actually,
they just used special effects.
Really?
-You're lying again!
-No!
-No way!
-It's really true!
-I don't believe you.
-It's actually true…
It's true.
I've had it.
Bottoms up.
All right.
Listen up!
Why would I be crying over a failure?
If you only win, the story gets--
I only ever won!
That's how I got where I am today.
In this world,
once you get timid, it's over.
-Director.
-Yes?
Your parents ran
a construction shop too, didn't they?
Well, yes.
I scouted you because of that connection.
Hearing you're filming a movie
for Ishiwatari Constructions,
your parents must be happy, right?
Both of my parents are dead.
If they were alive, they would be happy.
Wouldn't it be better to get
a more professional screenwriter?
Akira Kurosawa, you know,
stayed at inns with several
screenwriters to write his scripts.
That's how masterpieces like
Three Outlaw Samurai were made.
Yasutaro Ozu was the same.
Have you seen his movies?
You have to watch and study them.
No, but my films deal
with human weakness and misery.
-Those themes--
-It's not your movie!
It's my movie!
I'm the one putting up the money!
Make it exactly as I say!
Yes.
I'll do my best.
-Thank you very much.
-Thank you.
Thanks for coming.
-Take care.
-Thank you.
-Let's go.
-I think we are good.
More people showed up than I thought.
Yes, for a worthless old man
who loved gambling and booze.
Thanks for coming. I know you're busy.
-How are things with your husband?
-Don't ask.
Don't cry to me when you're caught
and turned into a zombie!
So you do believe in zombies?
Hajime!
You tried to climb over
the factory fence, fell,
hit your head, and fainted.
But… Matilda was eaten by a guy
who looked like a mummy.
You read too many manga, that's why
your dreams are like that, idiot!
Go to sleep!
The head priest is waiting.
Do you remember that time I tried
to sneak into the Tanbe factory,
fell, and passed out?
What?
What’s that?
Do you remember Rambo?
Rambo?
There was a creepy old guy, right?
He worked at the factory.
We called him Rambo…
Oh, you don't remember.
Right.
The man covered in blood?
What?
That was a shock back then.
I was so traumatized,
I couldn't sleep alone for a while.
I had to sleep in Mom's bed!
-What are you talking about?
-That old man you called Rambo, right?
Lying there, covered in blood.
Lying there…
When, where?
I forgot when,
but it was in the ditch near our house.
Dad put him in the truck
and took him to the hospital.
Did you forget?
So, what happened next?
Can you say your name?
Can you hear me?
-Turning!
-Can you hear me?
Mr. Yoshii!
RECEPTION / WAITING ROOM
Emi.
Don't tell anyone about this.
Not even your big bro.
Got it?
I see.
He told me not to tell you.
What's that all about?
Why were Yuen's dad and Matilda there?
Why was Matilda crying?
I don't know.
Why couldn't you tell me?
I said I don't know. Don't ask me.
Yuen.
We need to talk.
I agree.
Mr. Ogura from the factory helped me.
I found the address
where Rambo went after leaving Tanbe.
UEMATSU
She wasn't doing well until just recently,
but she has been better
these past few days.
Mother.
Mother, we have visitors.
Welcome.
Sorry for the intrusion.
Mother, listen.
They say they want to hear about Seikichi.
Okay.
Seikichi was my older brother.
Your brother worked
at the Tanbe factory, didn't he?
And after that, he moved here?
Yes.
He was at our house.
There was probably no one else
he could rely on.
He was so badly injured.
He couldn't even take care of himself.
How did he get so injured?
My brother said he was in an accident.
But that was a lie.
No matter how you looked at it,
he had been assaulted.
He passed away about 20 years ago now,
didn't he, Mother?
When I went to bring him lunch,
he had passed away.
What was your relationship
with my brother?
Back in Tanbe, he helped us a lot.
Mr. Seikichi…
What kind of person was he?
This was taken when he graduated
from elementary school.
I was so proud of him.
He was kind, cheerful,
and popular.
He was recruited into the Army as a cadet,
and I believe he received special training
at a school in Hamamatsu.
Then he was assigned to a fierce
battlefield in the South,
and returned several years
after the war ended.
By then, he was
a completely different person.
Right, Mother?
He never spoke a word
about what happened on the battlefield.
Even when he was at our house,
he hardly spoke.
He never had a family
and lived his life avoiding others.
Just like Rambo.
When I think of my brother…
I truly pity him.
SATSUKI ONODERA
THE CEO WANTS TO SEE YOU NOW
Excuse me,
have you ever heard of a woman
named Michiru Miyashita?
I can't say that I have.
Mother, they are asking
about someone called Miyashita.
Does it ring a bell?
Mr. Miyashita
was my brother's comrade-in-arms.
Comrade-in-arms?
They returned to Japan
on the same repatriation ship.
When was that…
I believe it was around
the 40th year of Showa, 1965.
He once came by to give his greetings,
along with his wife and a young daughter.
A daughter?
So this Mr. Miyashita had a daughter.
Yes.
But both Mr. Miyashita and his wife
passed away
while they were still very young.
My brother was deeply concerned
about their daughter,
who was left all alone.
But I believe
the daughter
eventually got married, as well.
She got married?
Yes.
But I think it didn't go well…
You remember the distant past so well.
I do.
Everyone.
Thank you.
For coming to ask about my brother.
For a long time,
I’ve wanted to tell someone
that Seikichi Nihei lived in this world.
Perhaps…
my mission was to tell you
all about my brother.
And that's why I have lived to this age.
Oh, well…
We are the ones
who should be thanking you.
It seems we had
misunderstood your brother.
You gave us a precious look into his life.
Thank you.
So I thought, this just wouldn't do.
Pardon me, but I took the liberty
of editing your script.
Please read it.
It expresses the intensity of a man
who raced through a dramatic era.
YOUR LIFE IS DEFINED BY YOUR LEGACY!
In fact, I've had to drag myself
through the mud many times.
But not even once did I ever break.
The message I want to convey is that
no matter what adversity a person faces
or what hardships they encounter,
they must never lose their convictions.
"My ambition.
No one shall ever take it away."
That’s the important line.
As long as you don't lose your ambition,
life will surely--
It's shallow.
What?
Your life is extremely shallow.
You inherited your parents' company
and coasted on it.
And now, you are going on an ego trip.
It's a very shameful thing.
Countless people have struggled much more.
If you show this movie to them,
they'll laugh at you.
There are many people
who aren't great like you,
aren't rich,
but they lived their lives to the fullest
with everything they had.
Those nameless people,
those who died quietly
without anyone knowing,
they are the real…
Chairman,
I'm trying to turn this hopeless book
into a movie that’s actually watchable.
Could you please leave it to me?
Get out! You insolent man!
You could have stopped me, couldn't you?
I was thinking, "Go get him!"
It has become quite beautiful.
That factory that used to scatter smog.
The poison gas factory
that did human experiments.
When my sister came home late
from cram school, I had to pick her up.
Cutting through here was a shortcut.
-And for some reason, you saw Matilda.
-Right.
I snuck closer…
-And was attacked by a zombie.
-Yeah.
Why had you forgotten until now?
My parents told me I was half-asleep,
so I convinced myself it was a dream.
But…
that was reality.
Anyway, to summarize.
Ms. Matilda got divorced, came to Tanbe,
and subbed as an art teacher.
Because Rambo, her father's
comrade-in-arms, was also in Tanbe.
She moved into the same building as him.
Mr. Rambo was following Ms. Matilda
and keeping watch over her.
And then, he was attacked by someone
and suffered a grave injury.
Matilda cried when she found out.
Rambo wasn't a stalker.
He was protecting Matilda.
KEEP YOUR HELMET ON
Even back then,
he was trying to protect her.
Matilda must have been
staying by Rambo's side
when he was badly injured.
And Rambo, even after being badly injured…
Look closely!
-That's my student!
-He protected his comrade's daughter.
Just what was he trying
to protect her from?
Why was Matilda being targeted?
And…
why did Chan's and my parents
try to hide this from us?
It's like the truth
we're starting to grasp
has slipped away.
OFFICER TSURUMI
Oh!
-Hello.
-This is Tsurumi.
About your inquiry regarding
Mr. Seikichi Nihei being assaulted.
I looked into it, and there were records
of an assault case.
It seems the other person
was also injured.
Showa 63.
That's 1988.
December 25th.
Who was the other party?
The other person's name is Hisao Torikai.
Hisao Torikai?
-You know him?
-Who the hell was he?
Well, let's see.
His occupation…
is a traveling seller of bamboo rods.
That's what it says.
Selling bamboo rods?
A bamboo rod seller.
Do your bamboo poles sell well?
What kind of job is that?
-Wait, what's wrong?
-Yuen.
-What's with you?
-Yuen!
-Hey…
-Yuen!
What? Hey, watch out!
Oh, hey! You okay?
Huh?
Oh, Mr. Kam-Bo! I'm going ahead!
Mr. Chan! I'm going ahead!
Yes, get him for us! Hakuba!
I can't go on…
Hakuba.
Calm down. What do you plan to do?
I was also wondering that.
Ouch!
It hurts.
-Seriously… I even hit my knee.
-Ouch!
No…
Come on.
Sorry.
I quit smoking, yet…
-Come on.
-Oh, it hurts!
-It hurts!
-Oh, hey!
I think I tore a muscle.
Running off all of a sudden!
What is so funny?
It's just… it's so pathetic.
We used to run around so much back then…
Right?
As a child, the boys around me
would always compete for no reason,
and laugh together while doing
pointlessly dangerous things.
It always frustrated me.
Come on, it isn't funny anymore!
Don't you feel like things
are getting dangerous?
Kam-Bo.
The truth hasn't slipped away.
We've finally stood
at the entrance to the truth.
This is getting interesting.
But now…
I envy them a little.
This is getting interesting.
You sound so cool…
Subtitle translation by: Quang N.N.