The Rocking Horsemen (1992) - full transcript
It is 1965. High-school student Takeyoshi Fujiwara Yasufumi Hayashi) hears "Pipeline" by the Ventures, and is mesmerized by their unique sound. With three friends, he forms a band called "The Rocking Horsemen." A warm and comic glimpse into high-school and small-town life in Japan in the 60's.
The Rocking Horsemen
Rock.
Rock.
Rock.
Rock.
For any age, rock is
a symbol of youth.
Bvrrrrrrrrooom! This band
of old men...
...is The Ventures,
playing Pipeline.
Of course, they weren't
always old men.
When they were young...
...that electric
glissando down the frets...
...captivated young people
the world over.
That glissando travelled the
length and breath of Japan...
...more than 20 years ago now.
Young people today,
who don't know The Ventures...
...go reeling through youth
to the rock sound they made.
The Ventures invented,
capitalized and manufactured...
...the electric sound.
That tremolo glissando
is the sound of legend...
...of youth eternal.
Directed by
Obayashi Nobuhiko
March 28, 1965,
early afternoon:
I was 15, and this is
the dream I had.
Puerile, yes, but vivid.
Help me!
"Dondorahan!"... I was going to
yell. Then I woke up.
That means "thunder"
in the dialect...
...of the small town I'm from
in Shikoku.
It was spring break,
and I was taking life easy.
I was starting high school
in April.
I was practising Hoffman's
Boat Song...
...on my brother's old
violin...
...but it was making me
sleepy.
That wasn't the first time
I'd heard Pipeline.
The Beatles were popular
then...
...and I knew some
of their songs, too.
But pop music was just
pop music...
...nothing more than
kids' stuff.
The true art of music...
...music you can still enjoy
when you're 80...
...was classical music.
Or so I was thinking
as I dozed off.
But that glissando...
...took my silly snobbery
and blew it clean away.
Now what?
Electric Liberation! The Gods
had given me a sign.
I need an electric guitar!
Now there was no going back.
Now what?!
Kanonji, Kagawa Prefecture.
A glissando had summoned my
heart to rock 'n' roll...
...and now I was
in high school.
I'm Fujiwara Takeyoshi.
"Take" means "bamboo"...
...and "yoshi" means "good".
The character "take" can also
be read "chiku"...
...so my friends call me...
- Good morning!
- Hey, Chikkun!
..."Chikkun".
The indicative mood...
...is real.
The subjunctive mood...
...is a lie.
So if you use...
...the subjunctive mood,
then you're lying!
I'd started to let
my hair grow.
A rock musician couldn't look
like a Buddhist acolyte...
...so in English Grammar,
the truth is indicative mood.
...though some people thought
I was just being sloppy.
Indicative and subjunctive:
in the real world,
truth and lies!
You know, Father...
...Takeyoshi's growing up.
I guess it had to come.
Why do you say that?
He's always looking at
his hair in the mirror.
He is, is he?
When the hair starts
to grow...
...no matter where on the body
it is, you're interested.
But it wasn't only hair...
...that I was looking at.
- Who's that?
- Just a boy in my class.
- Guess he likes music.
- I wouldn't know.
Sometimes, of course, I looked
at other things, too.
A friend lent them to me.
You like pop music, don't you?
Yeah, I love it.
Yeah, me too.
Yeah?
Haw about this?
You like this, don't you?
Take them!
Goda Fujio, the priest's son,
was kind enough...
...to concern himself with...
...my total ignorance of sex.
Of course, you get bored
with dirty magazines...
...and my thoughts would wander
to a certain Guyatone guitar.
What makes Greek culture
special is...
...uh, what should I say,
uh...
That's good!
Really good! Draw me one, too!
There.
Wow! Fantastic!
What are you two up to?!
Uchimura Yuriko... my first fan!
Someday I want to start
a band... like The Ventures.
Yeah?
Now I had the hair.
What I needed was a guitar.
If I couldn't buy one,
I'd have to make one.
- Bye.
- Bye, Chikkun.
And now it's time to meet
Shirai Seiichi.
This was a day that can truly
be called "historic".
Hello!
Is this the Light Music Club
room?
Yes, it is.
I was thinking of joining.
The second- and third-year
guys aren't here yet.
Practice starts at 2.
Can I watch?
You can if you want,
but there's not much to see.
- Why not?
- Well, you'll see.
What do you want to play?
Rock!
Rock? They won't like that.
Why not?
They don't know anything
about rock.
Then what do you play?
There's five of us. The others
are second- and third-years.
We're playing Aloha Oe.
Yeah? You're singing?
No, no vocals. Just the music.
We've got double bass,
organ...
...two recorders and guitar.
What else?
Funicoli, Funicola...
...Yankee Doodle, too.
All that old stuff?
I can't believe it!
Third Year High School, too.
Without singing?!
That's right.
I can't believe it!
Me neither. Still want
to join?
What do you play?
Guitar.
You like that stuff?
Hell no! I only came today
to quit.
You want to play rock?
Yeah. Nothing else.
Me too.
Are you good?
Not very. I taught myself.
Play something.
What?
Rock. Your best song.
Well?
Let's start a band!
Yeah! I was going to say that!
Yeah?
Play something else!
- What's the matter?
- Toilet!
- Thanks!
- Take care of yourself!
Sorry!
That's OK.
I always stop here.
You eat too much fish?
I'd had more before I was six
than most people ever do!
Are you OK?
Not the last few days.
That's rough... you're OK?
Most people go once a day,
I go five or six times.
It works out the same.
Thanks for carrying this.
You want to get on?
No, thanks!
I live here.
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
- Hi!
- I'm back.
He helped me out.
You should ride to school
yourself.
Come in.
Hi, Brother.
Your friend? Come in!
Mom, Dad, I'm back!
Hot today, isn't it!
Shirai Fish... sea bass sashimi
for three people? Thank you.
Seiichi... I'll bring you up
some grilled eel.
Thanks, Brother.
"Brother" is your sister?
By the time I knew better,
everyone was used to it.
- But "Brother"?
- She's like a brother.
You don't have to worry about
taking over the store.
I'll do that. You go
to university.
That's nice of her.
But I don't mind taking over
the store.
I could still play the guitar.
Grilled eel.
Thanks.
Brother's my pop music mentor.
She likes...
- ...a nice voice...
- Pat Boone.
- ...manly...
- Belafonte.
Good songs.
- Patti Page, Dinah Shore...
- Anything good.
Nat King Cole, especially
Lonely One.
Makes me want to cry!
Nature Boy...
I start to shake, and it's
like I'm carried far away!
Didn't he die in February?
He was only 47.
What a shame... I'm still
not over it.
"The Kyoto Chorus"...
whose is this?
Hm... I don't know.
Who would have left that here?
- Bye.
- You leaving?
The eel was great.
Well, come back, then,
and we'll make some more.
- Be right back.
- Hello...
- The fish packer.
- I'm Fujiwara.
How are you.
He has a fish-processing
plant.
Nice day, huh?
Look out! Look out!
He's Brother's boyfriend.
What?!
You play lead, Shirai,
I'll play rhythm.
We need more than
just two guitars!
- I'll get some guys.
- You know someone good?
- Like the sign said.
- What sign?
It'll work out. We might find
a practice place, too.
Yeah?
I'll get him whether
he wants to or not.
- Who?
- Leave it to me!
Hello.
Hungry?
Before we go any further...
...let me introduce my family.
My father, Takayuki,
was the scholarly type.
He thought biology at a
commercial school...
...but his hobby was writing
haiku that no one understood.
"The beach, pine branches..."
"...the sun in the west
stabs through..."
"...perhaps a fish jumps..."
Now swish it round... one,
two, quickly... now eat.
At least they're making these
chestnut buns right again.
Sit up straight.
- How's your cold, Mrs. Takase?
- Fine, thank you.
Good... once, twice...
and drink.
Mom founded the "Quickly!"
School of Home-making.
Try to put more of yourself
into it.
Everyone's face is different
you know.
Oh...! A cocoon!
There's a smile.
Flowers smile, too.
Quickly, quickly... all right?
There!
She'd thought Home Economics.
My parents met at work
and got married...
- Here you go.
- I'll do it.
...but when my sister was
born, she became a housewife.
What a pest!
She died of pneumonia
before her second birthday.
Nadeshiko...
...she was so smart...
so pretty...
It was so sad...
I won't have any more!
Now don't talk like that.
Be patient.
Under my Grandmother's
gentle urging...
...for good or ill, she had
my brother and me.
To grow straight, like
the bamboo... that's good.
I guess they wanted me to grow
healthy and strong...
Fujiwara Takeyoshi...
a good name!
I'm named after a cedar...
My father didn't have
very good taste in names.
I hate being named after
a tree! Change my name!
Why? It's a nice name!
It's unique!
I want a normal name!
I want a normal name!
It's tough having avant-garde
parents.
Anyway, the guy I wanted
in the band...
...was the guy who lent me
all the girlie magazines...
...Goda Fujio.
You were sweating, so I
thought I'd cool you off.
I want to talk to you.
Yeah... I've got
some senior stuff.
"Senior"?
I had to start you slow.
Junior, then intermediate.
Come on.
You've got so much of this
filth!
You read enough of them.
Don't call them "filth"!
They're one of life's
little treasures.
Maybe so... anyway,
lend me this one.
I came to talk about a band.
You're going to start one?
Yeah, and I wanted you
to be in it.
I can play harmonica and
xylophone. Is that all right?
Uh, no...
I thought you might try
the bass.
- Bass?
- Yeah. Electric bass.
Electric bass? Cool!
Like Paul McCartney. Know
anyone who'll lend me one?
I thought we'd all
get summer jobs...
...and buy new instruments.
Can I sing?
All you want!
The only trouble is...
I joined the shogi club.
Quit that old man's game!
I wouldn't call it
an old man's game...
...and if I quit, there won't
be anyone left who's any good.
Hello, sir.
I'm Fujiwara Takayuki's son.
Oh...! I haven't seen your
parents in a long time.
- Are they well?
- They're fine, thanks.
Oh, that's wonderful.
Fujio, could you do the
memorial service tonight...
...at the Fukudas'?
I'm feeling quite tired.
Sure.
Would you then?
I'll call the Fukudas
and tell them.
Come on, eh?
I don't know...
Come on!
I don't know...
Come on! Make up your mind!
Come on!
Come back again.
Don't keep that too long.
You'll get all worked up.
Nice to see you
out of the hospital...
Long life to you!
You're even more help to us
than your father.
Oh, thank you...
That's great! You're just like
a real priest!
Well, I am!
If I play bass,
what about you?
Rhythm guitar and vocals.
Vocals, huh?
But you can't have a band
with two people.
I've found a great guy
for lead.
He's called Shirai Seiichi.
He plays great acoustic.
On electric, he'll be
fantastic!
Hello? Are you eating well...?
Good!
What about drums?
- Okashita Takumi.
- The octopus?
"The octopus"?
That was his nickname
in Middle School.
If you sound... oh, hello!
I hear that Mr. GOTO...
...is putting on
aluminum windows.
Nice to see you!
You can pronounce his name
to mean...
..."weird octopus", and after
some unkind person...
...named him that, he started
to look like one!
Some things follow you
all your life.
I guess so.
So did he say yes?
I asked him, but he turned me
down flat.
He said he was playing
in the school band.
- Tomorrow, behind the toilet.
- The toilet?
You meet a woman at a temple.
You meet a man behind the can.
See you.
The next day Goda Fujio, a
friend if ever there was one...
...extracted himself
from the Shogi Club.
- Wait!
- I'm really sorry!
Oh, here... I can't take this.
Wait! Wait a minute!
We can't win without you!
I'm sorry! I resign!
And then...
This place stinks!
Don't complain. You piss here,
too.
Here he is!
There he is! Risen
from the sea!
Pimples and all!
Hey!
- What?
- We want to talk to you.
If it's about money...
No. I've got lots of money.
What, then?
Step over here.
Okashita, this is
your big chance!
Chance for what?
We want you to join our
band... to be the drummer.
The drummer? No, no...
I'm already playing the drum
in the school band.
Forget that!
You only play one drum.
With us you get
tom-toms and cymbals.
I'm happy just playing
the one.
Yeah, but if you're in a rock
band, you get girls, too.
You won't get any
in a brass band!
No?
You just bang the drum
in the back row...
...like an idiot!
Better to bang on
a chunk of wood!
You'll get girls!
Yeah!
Everyone watches the drummer!
Dead Center-stage. Bass and
guitars off to the sides.
You can play drum solos!
It's the drummer who counts
us in... one, two, three...
...with the sticks.
Up there in the lights...
you play a roll...
It looks great!
Really...
Pass this up and you'll never
get a girl. That's the truth!
Never?
This is your chance!
Take it or die a virgin!
Thus Fujio clinched
the argument.
Still the rainy season!
Vacation starts soon. Are we
all going to get summer jobs?
- Summer jobs?
- Well, we need instruments.
What can we do? Maybe work
in a noodle shop?
Who'd eat noodles I made?
Yeah...
There wasn't much work in 1965
for a high-school student...
...in our small town
in Shikoku.
It was all noodles. There was
no McDonald's to work at.
There still isn't.
The teachers said...
If you're bored...
...then study more...
...idiot!
And then it was summer break.
I'm not going to work.
Don't you need money?
No. I'm buying stocks.
Stocks?
Summer's a busy time for us.
I guess it is.
When it's hot... oh, thanks...
...the old folks die off
like flies.
We have to be ready.
But I've got a great job
for the three of you.
One of our parishioners has a
farm equipment factory.
¥850 a day, paid in
a lump sum when you quit.
- You're mafia!
- I do have a mistress...
Liar!
You get noodles and two eggs
in the cafeteria for ¥55.
Don't tire yourself out
with overtime.
But sometimes even the best-
laid plans don't work out.
If you've nothing better
to do, help here!
I was thinking of starting
a job tomorrow.
What? Ah, Giant Baba!
He looks like a decent guy.
- I want to work!
- Only fools watch wrestling!
Why work? Do you need
something?
- Yeah. A guitar.
- You've got a violin!
I need a guitar!
Why?
For some music I like.
You could play it on the
violin if you'd practise.
Look, it has to be
played on the guitar!
Some friends and I got jobs
at the Inada Factory.
Without asking us first?
Did your teachers say
it was all right?
Yeah. I got permission.
I lied.
OK? Can I?
Can I? Huh?
You don't have to work.
I'll buy you a guitar and
an amp and whatever you need.
The other guys wouldn't like it
if I had it all given to me.
I'll work.
If you like.
Toilet.
If you help every day
in the shop...
...and do all the deliveries,
we'll pay you ¥500 a day.
But you'll have to work hard,
all right?
Grandma! Don't drink cold tea!
This is fine!
You'll give your stomach
a chill!
I will work! Definitely!
Fritz Von Erich's Death Claw!
Giant Baba's size 15 feet!
The Destroyer's leg-lock!
I'll buy a Guyatone guitar!
- I guess you can.
- Really?!
But I don't want...
I'll fix this tonight.
...you becoming
a delinquent.
I won't!
He might anyway!
You've still got to study!
I'll take it away
if your marks go down!
They won't!
I can make you a lunch
if you want.
We get food there.
- How long does this last?
- All summer!
You do the stupidest things!
Father! Get to work!
- Hey, you're on time!
- Best we arrive together.
Yeah. Let's go.
Hey! Let's go! Let's go!
Careful! Careful!
That's good!
What are you doing?! Come on!
Work!
Just that?
At your age is that enough?
I'm fine.
There's a lot of it.
Don't wear yourselves out too
fast. You're here all summer.
But don't slack, either.
We call him "the overtime
king". He lives for work.
Listen to you! If you'd try
working hard for once...
It's a problem for all of us.
For a man to reach high school
without having a woman...
...is a disgrace!
We'll have to take you guys
out somewhere.
Zentsuji's close, but the
girls there aren't much fun.
Ito here goes clear across
the island...
...all the way to Kochi
to get laid!
Lancelot with a rented
princess!
- Ignore him.
- What's "Lancelot"?
- What's that?!
- Quitting time.
Sir Lancelot is leaving
to cross the mountains! Bye.
Who's that?!
Megumi, from school.
She lives near here?
I guess so. Otherwise why
would she be here?
- What does she want?
- Maybe she wants to see you!
I doubt it!
Bye!
Look!
She's standing closer than
she was yesterday!
Easy job, easy job...
Well done!
Good work, guys!
Bye!
Friend of yours?
Hey, honey...
...I'm here every day, and you
just look right through me.
I don't like that.
Goodbye.
Too young...
She shows up every day...
what a pest!
It figures. She's in love.
You know her?
Sure. I told her to do that.
You did, did you...
It was my job.
She belongs to our temple, and
she came to me for advice.
- You didn't talk to me...
- Why would I?
Sure, why would you!
Hi! I hear you and the
drapers' son are going to...
...tie the knot.
Hurry and have kids, eh?
Become a mother,
then a grandmother...
Mind your own business!
It's Shirai she likes,
not you.
What?!
She says she's been crazy
about you for a long time.
Come on, handsome... give us
a smile.
You've got a big head!
Shut up!
You like her?
Not specially...
she's not in my class.
But you wouldn't want her
to kill herself over you.
Kill herself?!
If she does, it's your fault.
Chikkun!
Shirai! What's the matter?
You're white as a ghost!
She was there!
Who? Where?
Hikichi Megumi?
At the store?
Bad karma, maybe.
Bad karma?
What do you mean?!
See a movie?
No! Not another one of those
sex-and-horror things!
Even the posters make me sick!
There's a different one today.
Clark Gable's in it.
He's OK, but he's still
kind of oily.
I like Gregory Peck.
Him and that Audrey Hepburn
in Roman Holiday!
I prefer Jane Mansfield.
That's cold!
Why do I talk to you?
Can I help you?
That's a weird girl...
She's here!
You know her?
Like that girl in the song who
burned down temples for love.
You lit the fire...
you put it out!
That's spontaneous combustion.
When a girl like that is in
love, she does what she wants.
You mean I'm stuck?
It's fate.
That's easy for you to say!
Aw, but she's so cute,
isn't she, Chikkun.
He'll have to die with her!
Then we'll never start
our rock band.
OK... I'll speak to Megumi.
What'll you say?
When a priest speaks,
people listen.
Good afternoon...
Or else I can protect him by
writing a sutra on his body.
Yeah. All over it.
I'm not writing on his dick!
Then I'll lose it!
It's your fingers
the band needs.
She's not here!
She's stopped coming,
hasn't she.
I'm going to make
a great priest.
You are. What did you
say to her?
She was very hard to convince.
I had to use Plan B.
"Plan B"?
I'll find a way
to make him love me!
Well, don't tell anyone...
Shirai has a man's body, but
in his heart he's a woman.
He can only love men.
You're a woman... look at him!
He's pale, he's delicate...
He's all soft and bulgy
around the nipples.
And Fujiwara's a bigger homo!
Some old weird guy did things
to him when he was a kid.
After that the poor guy just
wasn't able to become a man.
I heard there was something
with him and his father, too.
His brother, too!
Homosexual incest!
The poor bastard!
That's horrible!
Horrible!
They're homosexuals!
And right now, Shirai and
Fujiwara are...
Horrible!
Horrible!
...just like that!
You talked about us
like that?!
It isn't all bad for you.
If girls don't like you...
...all through school, you can
just blame it on those rumors.
As Lord Buddha says...
"Think on the ways
of the world."
Megumi, transferring her
longing from Shirai...
...had love affairs, attempted
suicide, and became...
...the talk of the town.
Shut up and come on!
Never!
Adieu, Mon amour!
Now, 20 years on...
...she is the mother
of three boys...
...and is known in Kanonji as
"The Queen of the Night".
Look! They are together!
Who?
Chikkun and Shirai!
They're homosexuals!
Oh, that's a lie!
Hikichi Megumi says they are.
Megumi?
That slut? I don't like her.
Too many hormones, maybe.
You can't believe anything
she says.
Over here, Mom?
Straight ahead.
He's working hard!
The son of a family that makes
food wears a hat!
They've worked all summer
to save the money.
Why don't you give them
a discount, Dad?
Be quiet, Kazuko!
Every time you dust those
thing you complain...
...about how nobody
wants them.
Now we've finally sold them!
Don't say that!
I feel bad about the amp.
That's OK.
Brother bought it. We can both
use it.
Use mine, too. Thank our
temple supporters.
At least we've all
got instruments.
That's great.
We'll deliver the drums
tomorrow, all right?
Tomorrow?
I'm a little busy today.
You can enjoy the anticipation
longer.
I want to sleep with you...
...but I might roll over like
a mother pig and squash you.
And I wouldn't want you
getting polluted...
...with impure thoughts.
Hey, here they are!
Great!
I'll pass them down.
This way!
Takumi's drums are here!
Here come the drums!
Is it really all right
for me to hit these things?
Why not?
I feel like it wouldn't be
right.
If your heart's in it,
how would it be wrong?
I guess so.
If I put my heart into it.
Go ahead. Hit 'em!
Perhaps once again Takumi
was...
...a child visiting the temple
with Grandma.
Like that?
Perfect! That'll sound great
through an amp.
That's the sound right there!
You're getting better!
We should have a practice soon.
How come the right side
of your head is so bald?
I was hit by lightning.
I was clinically dead.
I saw one of the Saints.
He said, "What are you doing
here, kid? Go home!"...
...so I was saved.
I knew then that
he wanted me...
...to walk in the Buddha's
path.
That was pretty young.
I'm going.
Put your hand there.
You can still feel
the electricity.
I've cured old ladies
of incontinence.
All I feel is stubble.
I want to hear us with amps!
Yeah... bvrrrrrrrrrrooom!
Gentlemen: at last we are
ready to rehearse as a band.
I offer my congratulations.
We must, however, first decide
on a name for our band.
I ask for your candid opinions.
If I may speak first...
...how about "Harry and
The Typhooons"?
"Harry" would, of course,
be myself...
...but it's a good name.
"Harry and The Typhoons"...
See you later.
All right. Don't be late.
I'm going!
Right. Bye!
Hurry up!
Don't drop it!
I know! It's OK!
Careful...
...please!
I know!
Where's the damn octopus?!
Asleep, maybe?
But this is our first practice!
Stop! Stop! You'll break
the drum!
I'll get a cart and bring
them, I told you!
That'll take till tomorrow!
Jerk!
Don't worry! I'll handle them
like a pregnant woman!
Take those things
somewhere else!
Good gracious me!
We'll have to use my room.
Sorry.
No problem.
Anywhere, so long as
the four of us can play.
- Is this OK here?
- This is heavy!
- Hang on...
- Grab that...
Wait a second...
Wait...
- It's falling!
- Wait, wait...
OK? Right!
Well, gentlemen, if I might
say a few...
Quick!
...a few words before we
rehearse... gentlemen...
...at last we are ready
to rehearse...
Just le me get some juice.
I offer my congratulations.
As I was saying...
Supplies!
- Listen!
- I am!
Help yourselves.
Anyway, we should think of
a name for our band.
Right!
I ask for your candid opinions.
Octo... er, Takumi...
Any ideas?
For a name?
That's what he said.
How about "Blue Lions"?
What?
Guess not, huh?
Anything else?
How about "Running Cats"?
Meow!
Why "running"?
Like a "running catch"
in baseball.
Then what's your idea?
- Me?
- Yeah.
I've got a great name.
What?
"Buds".
B U D S... flowers.
We're a budding band...
...and it's part of
"Buddhism", too.
It's cute and classy
at the same time.
It'd sound neat with
two D's, too.
Nope.
How about "Precious Priests"?
What?
People we're grateful to have.
"Valuable clergy".
Of course, "precious" usually
means things...
...not people, but...
- You hate it?
- No one said that.
The initials sound good,
too... "PR".
There's a ring to it.
Forget it!
Just 'cause you're a priest!
Then how about...
...Pimple-Faced Octopus Band?
We've got the octopus...
...and he's got the pimples.
He got mad.
Sure I did!
Say that again and I quit!
Come on! Be serious!
Don't get so mad.
You do have pimples.
How about this...
"Rocking Horsemen"?
Like old men on horseback?
I was thinking more
along the lines of...
...cavalrymen.
And with "rocking" it's like
"cavalrymen playing rock".
And a "rocking horse" is the
wooden horse kids ride on.
It sounds kind of cool...
...but there's charm to it,
too. What do you think?
"Rocking Horsemen"...
Yeah! That might be good!
Let's be "Rocking Horsemen"!
That's a great name!
It's settled!
Let's play!
And so we made ready to begin.
The sound of electric guitars
rang through Kanonji...
...for the first time
since history began.
"The Bamboo Hat of Itako"
Hashi Yukio in Concert
Those bloody kids!
All right, you lot!
That's enough!
Can you guys play the song
from Space Boy Soran?
Sorry.
Thunder!
What are they doing?
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Oh, Fujiwara...
I'd like to talk to you.
What's the matter?
Terauchi wants me.
What'd you do?
Nothing.
Maybe because of the noise.
Maybe the Rocking Horsemen
will have to disband.
How's the rock band going?
You can have this, if you're
interested in English songs.
I can have this?
If you're going to play them.
I got it during
the Occupation.
I can't read music...
...and I like Japanese songs
more now.
I never thought you would
like this.
I used to think everything
foreign was better, too.
And now?
Now I prefer Nagasaki Woman
to You Are My Sunshine.
You can sing that song?!
Yeah, I'm pretty good.
"Oh, Nagasaki... Nagasaki..."
You can go.
Hey...! I'm Taniguchi Shizuo,
from Class 1.
Fujiwara. Class 6.
I know. Can I come over
sometime?
To my place?
How about today?
Sure.
I'm not very good yet.
Sing something.
- What's this, an audition?
- How about Long Tall Sally?
The falsetto's hard, and I
couldn't sing it here, anyway.
- Don't you use an amp?
- Don't have one.
I plug into Shirai's amp.
He's the lead guitar.
- Know him?
- Yeah. You should buy one.
- I'd have to work to do that.
- I could make you one.
Can you do that?
I think I could if I tried.
Come over to my place
next time.
Come over tomorrow.
I know the way out. Stay here.
That's my house.
Hello.
Sit here.
Make yourself at home.
This is my sister Etsuko.
She made these cookies.
Here's more comfortable.
This is fine.
No, sit there.
Here.
That's a "stereo". Sounds
different, doesn't it.
It's great.
He was one of these guys who
had so much of everything...
...you wanted to pinch him.
I didn't really do that. It
was just a figure of speech.
See you, then.
Come again.
Tomorrow.
This is for you.
For me?
- Here.
- What is it?
The amp I made.
- You made this, Taniguchi?
- Call me "Shii-San".
This is the On switch.
Here's Volume.
This is the tone control.
And here's the good part...
reverb! It'll sound great.
It's great you can make this
yourself.
Some day I want to be
an engineer.
An electric guitar with no amp
looks stupid.
Thank you.
You happy?
I'm happy.
OK, smile.
See you, then.
Come again.
How could I respond to the
friendship Shii-San had shown?
If I'd lived in the old days...
I am in truth
most humbly grateful!
'Twas nothing.
...I'm sure I would have
found the words.
The Revolution!
Late that year we went on a
camping trip to rehearse.
We went to the Iya Valley in
the mountains near Tokushima.
"The Euro-American Modern
Music Research Group"...
I see.
Here's your tickets.
Don't lose them.
It's leaving!
Hungry?
It says, "Good luck in
rehearsal, Rocking Horsemen"!
Etsuko.
My younger sister.
Let's eat!
- My bass!
- My guitar...
How nice if Etsuko had come...
...I thought.
There's the river!
Here's the gear.
Brother and her fish packer
had brought the instruments.
They're not here.
Yeah. Where are they?
Where's my guitar?
Hey!
The tent's so old
it's falling apart!
It smells funny...
That's the smell of
mouse shit.
Hey, I had to talk nice to the
Mountain Club to get this!
Thanks a lot!
Take care!
What?
Well, well, well...
so that's how it is...
It was Shii-San who set it up
so we could...
...rehearse outdoors.
Here goes!
Thunder...! Grandpa! Thunder!
It is thunder!
This way you don't need
a place to plug in.
We can play anywhere?
Do Long Tall Sally!
Sure!
Come on! Just dump it all in!
The rice is done!
Come on, more, more...
pour it in!
My eyes hurt from the onions!
Bring me some water.
Oh, did we eat!
Oh, for the stomach
I had in those days!
Shikoku beef! All right!
There's soup here for
a hundred!
Shirai, you should sing too,
you know.
- I'm tone-deaf when I sing.
- I'll sing!
You can't sing! I will.
I've chanted sutras since
I was small.
Then sing.
"Ayeem so gurado oh zat..."
"...sheezu mai ritoru
gyaru..."
You sound like a middle-school
kid!
You won't stay in time
if you sing...
...all those last syllables.
That's weird... how should
I do it?
I'll show you.
"Ah so gura za sheema riroo
gaa..."
Do it that way.
"Ah so gura za sheema riroo
gaa..."
I'll write it out for you.
Normally I wouldn't use
such a cheap short-cut...
Then we played a song we'd
practised hard for that day.
That's great! Long Tall Sally!
This camp's great!
Really!
Thanks to Shii-San!
Let's make him
an honorary member.
Great idea!
You guys are great!
Ow...! That hurt!
This place is famous for...
THE MIDNIGHT CREEP!
Ow!
Stop! Stop it!
What a bunch of idiots!
Tickling was all there was
to do now.
A pledge that you"ll behave
or you can't go.
I'll lock you in the shed.
We'd all signed an oath
to come out here.
So that night when we slept...
...we were the best-behaved
kids in the world.
In the spring of 1966...
...I started my second year
of high school.
Goodbye, sir.
It's great for the brass band,
being able to practise here.
Yeah, you guys are having
trouble with that, aren't you.
Yes, sir.
It's a lot harder finding
somewhere than we thought.
Why not become a club?
We'd need a staff advisor.
I'll do that.
Really?!
You can be the "Second
Light Music Section".
They aren't doing very much,
so you'll probably be...
...Section One before long.
I'll get you your permission.
You can use half of
the choir room.
Sorry, but that's the best
we can do.
Uh... sir...
Yeah?
I feel like a teacher's pet.
I'll help any student who
really wants to do something.
Come on.
"Second Light Music Section"
- How's this?
- Great!
In English you say "kiss".
In German, "Kuß".
From which we infer that
when in English you "kiss"...
...you have to smile.
But to "kuß" you have to pout.
In French it's Baisser.
Saying it makes you spit,
so it sounds dirty.
The Italian is bacio, which is
cheerful and energetic.
Spanish: beso.
Indonesian: kecap.
"Kiss". I want to. Soon!
My first kiss...
I dream about it with
dozens of girls.
I'm sure high-school girls
feel the same...
...though I'm not one...
...so I don't know.
Now for one of us came one of
the great events of a life.
Okashita...
Shut up!
...kissed someone last night.
- Who?!
- Ishikawa Emiko!
Behind the can?
- By my house.
- What's the story?
Last night was
the Hachiman Festival...
- A date?
- No.
- Then what?
- I took a walk.
Just a walk?
When there's a festival
around our place...
...the whole neighborhood
is up for it.
And you were "up", too.
Shii-San, where were you?
Me and Etsuko were watching
in front of the house.
And then...
...they were pushed together.
Didn't he step back?
Well, his ass jerked back, but
the rest of him didn't.
It wasn't so crowded then,
either.
That's 'cause he's clumsy.
Then, like he'd planned it,
instead of going back...
...he stuck his face forward.
Passionately?
No, they just came close,
touched, and pushed together.
Maybe it was more passionate
by the end...
And you just stood
and watched?!
A true scientist!
They were right there!
I can't accept it, though. It
was an accident, not a kiss.
Like two octopuses colliding.
A calamity she'll forget
as quick as she can.
A kiss is still a kiss.
No. It lacks the metaphysical
element.
- That's hard to say...
- Then what?
His face went red,
and he frowned.
- He did?
- Yeah!
But what did she do?
Well, her eyes widened,
then she walked away.
There she goes again.
Washroom?
I just saw her coming out
of there.
What's she doing in there?
Washing her face and putting
creosol on her lips.
You sure know a lot!
When this happens, girls are
in the the can all the time.
The poor kid... getting mixed
up in something like this!
Poor Emiko!
Takeyoshi! Telephone!
Who is it?
Someone talking about
"our Takumi".
Our Takumi, you know...
...he won't eat!
All he's had is two bowls
of rice!
I just know there's
something wrong with him!
"Love"?
Today he called me out
behind the can.
Uh...
...well...
...actually...
It took him about 15 minutes.
But all he did was
bump into her.
The elements seem to have gone
metaphysical.
Don't tell anyone.
...he said, but I can't keep
this secret.
"Secret love" is something
for adults...
...and he ain't one.
Pure love...
"The eternal woman
who leads us..."
"...to the heights."
Like Goethe said.
So you really like her?
So what do you want to do?
Take her somewhere on a date?
You could go to the beach
if it was summer.
It's a bit cold for that now.
How about going up on
Mt. Kotohiki?
There's a weird old pine tree
near there you could go see.
Old ladies love it!
But first they've got to
get closer...
...before they start going
places together.
Why not invite her
to a rehearsal?
Yeah!
She said no.
She doesn't like rock.
- What does she like?
- Mita Akira.
Mita Akira?
Okashita can't compete
in looks.
We can't let that stop us.
We've got to get her here and
let her see what he's like.
We'll learn Mita Akira songs.
Beautiful Teen Years and Kiss
Kiss Kiss. Just get her here.
Kiss Kiss Kiss is Hashi Yukio.
But I like him better.
Anyway, songs like that.
Say what you have to...
...but bring her along, OK?
- OK.
- Let's go. Bye.
"I gave you a wild rose"
"A rose so wild and white"
"With your eyes you smiled
at me"
"Eyes so clear and bright"
"In our hearts until we die"
"In the hearts of you and I"
"Keep each dream as it appears"
"Take each dream and
hold it near"
"Beautiful teen-age years"
"Oh, oh, our teen-age years"
"Flowers of joy so bright"
"Come to life when you
hold them tight"
"Thank you for your
invitation."
"My parents get angry unless I
go straight home from school..."
"...so I can't come to see
you practise."
"I'm sorry. Ishikawa Emiko."
I wasn't bad-looking
when I was young.
You're lucky you take after
Grandma and me.
We won't say who
he took after.
Like a man, Takumi
resigned himself.
The songs we'd learned for
Emiko...
...became songs to encourage
Takumi.
We took a perverse pleasure
in playing them.
I think Takumi had made clear
enough his feelings for Emiko.
Now she's Mrs. Kuwano, the
mother of two children.
For Takumi, a sweet memory.
A happy ending, I guess.
At the very least, it's the
classic story of young love:
Physical, painful, pure...
and in vain.
Hello!
Takeyoshi...
A gift.
This is great! You got stuff
for everyone?
The same sticks as
Ringo Starr uses.
The guys'll love these!
Thanks a lot!
Tell me, what are you
studying now?
Group theory... can I try it?
Your fingers are all callused.
Hm? How does that go...
When did you learn to play?
When I was about your age.
Mom and Dad didn't know
about it.
There's someone to see you.
Who?
That quiet kid from
the fish store.
Oh, Shirai...
What's up?
Why don't you come in?
The Rocking Horsemen might
have their first gig.
What?!
Brother's boyfriend has
a friend...
...who's opening a bar
this Christmas.
She's trying to get him
to use us.
Really? At last!
Yeah!
Playing in front of people!
- Who's that playing?
- Brother.
My brother.
That Christmas, the Rocking
Horsemen made their debut.
"The Rocking Horsemen"... neat!
Your debut on Christmas Day!
It's here!
Here's the PA!
Father, you're late!
Can I put this here?
Plug me in.
- Do I have to make a speech?
- Who else is there?
Where's our Takumi?
Hello, "Rocking Horseman"...
"Rocking Horsemen".
...just jump right into it!
Hurray!
Hurray!
I am delighted that so many
of you have taken time...
...from your busy schedules
at this time of year...
...to gather with us here
this evening.
When I look back...
Don't look back!
When I look back to when I
left high school...
Hurray!
Hurray!
Hurray for Mr. Nishimura!
Let's start.
Hurray for West Village!
Hurray for Christmas!
Welcome!
They're all at the back.
Look, Grandma!
Our Takumi!
The beginning was great!
But the real rock fans must
have been somewhere else.
What is that?!
What a noise!
Get in time!
When do they stop?
They'll play some Japanese
songs...
Nothing but that jazz!
It's so loud!
I don't remember how
the time went by...
We're going.
Enough!
My ears hurt!
My ears hurt!
Perhaps more to the back?
Everyone's going.
Oh, Takumi...!
Enough! Stop!
Listen!
That's enough. I'm going.
We're on our way.
Bye.
Takumi! We're going!
That was very good!
I'm going.
OK.
I'll come get the vocal amp
tomorrow.
Oh, this is mine...
Hey!
What a shame!
I can't pay you.
The fish packer said he'd
buy you...
...a sandwich or something.
However...
...I'll give you these.
If I'd been an American
girl...
Oh, Yo-San!
...that's what I'd've done.
Want to go fishing?
Who with?
With me.
What for?
To catch fish!
Bye!
Lock the door.
We didn't catch a single
fish...
...but I've never enjoyed
fishing more.
Eight years after that,
my father died.
My mother has a few more
white hairs now...
...but she still does
everything quickly.
One, two! One, two! One, two!
For 27 years they lived
together.
His last haiku was a perfect
example of the avant-garde.
"Forward or behind..."
"A plastic pail on the sand...
Does it see or not?"
My life was before me.
By my last year of high school
the world had changed.
The younger kids listened to
Japanese "Group Sound" bands.
High-school students with
Fender Twin amps!
Made in America!
Yeah, his dad's a doctor.
To make it in music,
be a doctor's son!
The generation gap.
Leaving already?
Feeling ourselves unwanted
again...
...we set up camp nearby.
Food was the old camp
stand-by, curried rice.
Me, too!
Just a minute...
By ourselves we probably ate
all of one of the local cows.
Then, on August 30, 1967...
...something happened that
I will remember all my life.
Hey! Wake up! Wake up!
Ouch! What?
There's someone here.
Who?
It's Tomoto Yukiyo... what does
she want?
What is it?
I'm going swimming.
Alone?
No, with you.
With me?
Yes. Hurry and let's go.
Hang on...
Now what?!
I was flustered.
Should I invite her in
to change...
...so we could go
in our swimsuits?
No, no... better not do that...
Dum Du-dum dum dum...
You're like a chicken
with its head cut off!
Going swimming.
Oh?
Who is that?
A friend from school.
We won't be too late. Bye!
What about lunch?
We'll get some noodles there!
They don't sell noodles there.
Be careful!
My first date... wow!
What?
Nothing... a cicada... maybe.
The tide's gone out.
It's so nice and quiet.
They're tearing down
the change rooms.
It doesn't matter.
You change, too.
Going in?
You men will remember...
You're a good swimmer!
No... I was just about
to drown.
You swim too well to drown.
Don't you swim?
Yeah, but I came to sun-bathe.
If you've come all the way
here, you might as well go in.
You teach me how.
You hold my hands, and I'll
kick my feet.
Jellyfish!
It's so warm!
We enjoyed ourselves
like children.
What would it be like
doing this in my room...
...I wondered.
Here's fine.
Here. Have some.
Thanks.
Deep-fry... egg...
Have some of this, too.
Have lots.
Uh... tea...
I only have this cup.
You don't mind?
An indirect kiss.
One more... can I have
one more?
Your band's in
the school festival?
Yeah.
I'll come and cheer for you.
Great.
Look! A date! A date!
Yeah, a date!
I thought about running over
and punching them in the head.
But she might have been
enjoying it.
I hate that!
Well... I guess I'd better go.
I'll walk you.
That's OK. Someone might see
us and start gossiping.
Yeah?
I had a great time.
Me, too.
My face is burning.
Oh, you're back?
What's wrong? Your face
is all red.
Just sunburn.
You stayed in the sun till you
got that burned? Stupid!
- The girl too?
- Yeah.
You're both stupid.
Get that, will you?
Fujiwara...
- How was lunch?
- How did you know?!
- Fun, huh?
- What was?
She called me. She wanted to
do something...
...for her last summer
of high school.
I said to take lunch
to the beach with you.
But why did she have to
call you?
Why didn't she just call me?
That question's proof
you're socially inept.
Sweet dreams tonight.
Love.
Love.
Love.
Love.
But I'm tired... so tired
I could drop.
Fujio...
...really...
...thank you, Goda Fujio.
And thank you, Tomoto Yukiyo.
The dreams I had that night?
That would be embarrassing.
Mr. Terauchi died that fall.
He didn't look like he had
a weak heart...
...but he still drank
too much.
The doctor warned him,
and his wife was worried.
His wife? I didn't know
Mr. Terauchi was married.
There's more... the wedding he
was at when he died...
...was Miss Momoko's.
Miss Momoko's wedding?
One moment, please.
Right!
Oh! This bride can drink!
I'll dance this if it
kills me!
I'm sure he didn't mean it...
...but that's what we heard he
said when he started.
He wasn't singing Nagasaki
Woman, was he?
No, it was Ginza 9's in the
Ocean, by Kanbe Ichiro.
Fujio got the whole story.
The owners of the restaurant
belonged to his temple.
Mr. Terauchi had been drinking
somewhere else earlier...
...and the night before was
playing mahjong until dawn.
It was some sort of
three-man version...
...so Fujio told us.
Yeah... Miss Momoko's
from Nagasaki, isn't she.
That's right.
Are you all right?
I suddenly thought it was too
bad she was from Nagasaki.
I don't know why
I thought that.
I can't say what difference it
would have made if she wasn't.
Then suddenly...
Are you all right...? You're
OK, aren't you?
I'm hot... I can't breathe...
Are you all right?!
"I'm hot... I'm hot... I'm so
hot I can't breathe"...
They said his last words were
spoken strangely distinct...
...as if he were angry.
I'm sorry!
Did I hurt you?
I'm always in too much
of a hurry.
Now I prefer Nagasaki Woman
to You Are My Sunshine.
Indicative and subjunctive:
in the real world,
truth and lies!
That night I woke up crying.
I'd never done that before.
I remembered when I was small
and I pissed the bed.
Hot... then cold... and sad.
The night before
the school festival.
See you later.
- See you.
- Hurry!
- Can I eat right away?
- Oh, hello.
Don't you want a bath?
I'll just wash my hair.
I can't catch cold.
- Sorry?
- Nothing.
Are you going back out?
We're all sleeping over
at the school.
We'll get up at 5 to practise.
A last rehearsal...
Hurry and eat, then.
Will you need a lunch?
Yes, please.
Bye!
Takeyoshi!
- There.
- Thanks!
Leave it open.
Oh... off again?
Yeah.
The big day!
Yep.
- What's the schedule?
- Look in my briefcase.
The program's in there.
I see.
I'm staying over at the school
tonight.
You are, eh? The big day!
My hair was clean, light. The
night breeze felt good in it.
I didn't have a blow dryer
yet.
Chikkun!
Yeah?
Come in here.
Did you paint these?
Your guitar.
See you.
I'll come by later and help.
Hey Takumi!
You made it!
- Thanks.
- Me, too.
That night we kicked out
the juniors...
...and occupied the
rehearsal room.
Bui I'm bald!
That looks great. Just great!
Change your strings tonight.
They'll stretch if you do it
tomorrow.
Around 10, the emergency bell
went off.
A girl had accidentally pushed
the button during a check.
Of course, no one was angry.
Tomorrow was the
school festival!
Uh...
Good luck.
Thanks. We'll do our best.
Be sure you come.
I'll drop everything
to be there.
Bye now.
Let's go.
Are you sleeping here?
Yes. We got permission.
Well, you'd better get
to sleep. It's nearly 12.
All right!
Good night.
- Mr. Usui!
- Yes?
Come and watch, huh?
To see you in your glory?
I'll wear my ear-plugs!
The day had come.
On stage, Megumi was martyred
for love.
For love I die!
This is it.
The Rocking Horsemen's first
and last really big show.
This is it.
The closing of the books.
Go for it!
Go for it!
Go for it!
Go for it!
Go for it!
The gym's packed.
At last!
- Aim straight, will you?
- It's the excitement.
- Did you aim straight?
- Yeah, but nothing came out.
I'm ready to let it all out!
Just about time, huh?
Good luck.
Rocking Horsemen!
Rocking Horsemen... our first
and last really big show.
Everyone came out to see us...
...as if the glissando
had drawn them in.
Our Takumi!
They've started!
Run, run, run!
People I never thought
would be there...
...the girl I'd met
the day before...
...they all came to see us.
- You made it!
- Great, huh?
Thank you.
I'd like to introduce The
Rocking Horsemen to you.
Behind us, on drums, setting
straight and tall... the Octo...
...er... Kanonji's drummer
of the century...
...third year, Class 8,
Okashita Takumi!
Takumi!
On lead guitar, standing
off to the side, loooking shy...
...step forward, now...
face front...
When he plays I don't know if
it's Gods or Devils in him.
The maestro, third year,
Class 5...
...Shirai Seiichi!
Come on, take a bow.
Good, well done!
The guy standing next to me
may look a little strange...
...but he's cute, isn't he.
On lead vocals and
rhythm guitar...
...and the leader of the band,
I guess you could say...
...my classmate for three
years... third year, Class 10...
...Fujiwara Takeyoshi!
Coming to me at last... I play
bass, sing harmony...
...and give moral direction
to these poor last lads.
I'm Goda Fujio...
...third year, Class 10.
Thank you very much.
Here's a Beatles song...
Which one?
Yes! I Feel Fine.
And I sing, too!
Thank you very much!
No, we're not done yet!
Sure we'll keep playing!
Chikkun...
...introduce the next song.
Ladies and gentlemen...
Three years ago now...
...I heard the intro to
Pipeline and I went all numb.
For me it was...
..."electric liberation"...
...a sign from the Gods
in electricity.
And so for the three years
of high school...
...The Rocking Horsemen
have played...
...rock...
...rock...
If you asked me to play one
song in the world of rock...
...I would, my friends...
...I would with deep gratitude
play this one...
...Johnny B. Goode.
My story is reaching its end.
The school festival was
a triumph.
What more is there to say?
During the winter break I got
a letter from my brother.
"This is no time to
flounder around."
"If you don't make university
this year you can try the next."
"But try this year all the same."
"In one part of your mind
imagine a desperate old man..."
"...chasing you with
a carving knife."
"Re-read what you've studied
in the past three years."
"Make new notes, and memorize
them."
"It shouldn't be a problem.
You've learned it all once."
"You can remember it."
"Read supplementary material
if you can."
"Learn to grasp the meaning
of long sentences."
"Don't bother buying
great thick reference books."
"Then, early to bed and
early to rise."
"Make sure you eat, shit
and sleep properly."
"There's no fast cure
for rock 'n' roll..."
"...so hear it and sing it
when you want to relax."
"There should be enough time
for that."
"One thing you should avoid
is television."
"There'll be time for that
later."
"If you do all that, you're sure
to pass your entrance exams."
"Don't worry. I know
some people."
Of course, I didn't do
everything he told me...
...but I do think I tried
my best.
But part of me felt empty.
Everyone was starting out
on their way.
I was the only one
without a road.
Here you are...
Small town, isn't it.
You studying for
your entrance exams?
Not much.
You should be.
I'll probably fail anyway.
Which schools are you
trying for?
I won't make the National ones.
Why not?
Sciences hate me.
So what'll you try for?
Don't know.
Not much help, are you.
Your parents will pay for it,
won't they?
That's fantastic. You should be
trying a little harder.
You're the band leader,
aren't you? Do your job!
Get on.
Hold on.
Like homosexuals.
I had my ticket to Tokyo...
...and my parents had bought me
a new coat.
The day before I was to leave
to take my entrance exam...
...I didn't sleep.
I left the house early.
I went wherever my feet
carried me.
We'd given the Club key
to the juniors...
...so I can't get in.
...so I can't get in.
It was over for everyone.
"Are you really getting on?"
said a voice in my head.
"Yes, I am getting on,"
I answered.
Welcome back.
It must've been cold.
Even fools get the flu,
you know.
What are you doing here?
Waiting for you.
But why? Why are you guys
all waiting for me?
You weren't home,
so your mother called us...
...asking if you were
at our places.
I realized you'd be wandering
around to all the band places.
So we met here.
But you didn't know
when I'd be back.
Or even if I'd be back.
No. You aren't the type
to just leave home like that.
We knew you'd be back.
Too bad I'm not.
No. If you were, we'd just
let you leave anyway.
But why did you all wait,
anyway?
I'm not a child.
To give you your bandleader-
for-life certificate.
"Bandleader-for-life"?
By unanimous vote.
Come on.
"Fujiwara Chikkun:"
"Chikkun"?
Yes. "Chikkun"...
"You have most honorably
performed your duties..."
"...as leader of
The Rocking Horsemen."
"We hereby recognize that
the glory we enjoy today..."
"...and the depth of meaning
high school has had for us..."
"...are due entirely to your
abnormal enthusiasm and effort."
"The Rocking Horsemen appoint
you Bandleader for Life."
"St. Valentine's Day, 1968.
Honorary member..."
"...Taniguchi Shii-San..."
"...Shirai Seiichi..."
"...Octop", er, no...
"...Okashita Takumi..."
"...Goda Fujio."
Your nose is running.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You don't have to thank us.
We didn't buy you anything.
I...
You guys...
...have been real good to me.
I'm embarrassed.
I mean it...
...real good.
What's wrong with that?
Can't you be good to someone?
It's hard work being rough
on them all the time.
OK.
OK.
But now I'm Bandleader for
Life, The Rocking Horsemen...
...are breaking up.
At university you get holidays.
Summer... winter... spring...
When you come home on vacation,
we'll rock 'n' roll.
Check out the music in Tokyo.
Get things from different
people.
Write some songs, too. Words
and music.
This is just the start.
I think you can do it.
Write us a good tune
and we'll play it.
Sure.
But first I've got to get
into university.
I might have to wait a year
and try again.
What does shohosen mean?
"Prescription", maybe?
Who wrote Addiction?
Iwano Homei.
Write "embrace".
This...
...then this...
...and this?
Factor 6x²+7x-3.
Two three's are six, so...
...(3x-1)(2x+3).
Correct. Great!
You've studied. You'll pass.
No problem!
Good luck.
At 7:37 a.m. on February 15,
1968...
...I left Kanonji for Tokyo...
...and I prayed.
"I don't know what life may
have in store for me..."
"...but all you
good old songs..."
"...preserve me."
...of high school The Rocking
Horsemen have played...
...rock...
...rock...
If you asked me to play one
song in the world of rock...
...I would, my friends...
...I would with deep gratitude
play this one...
...Johnnv B. Goode.
The Rocking Horsemen:
CAST
And Also Starring
Kishibe Ittoku
as Mr. Terauchi
Bengaru
as Fujiwara Takayoshi
Negishi Kii
as Fujiwara Kimie
Omi Toshinori
as Fujiwara Sugimoto
Mizushima Kaori
as "Brother"
Takizawa Ryoko
as Hikichi Megumi
Shibuyama Chika
as Tomoto Yukiyo
Tane Rakuko
as Takumi's Mother
Tabata Ine
as Takumi's Grandmother
Amamiya Ryo
as The Fish Packer.
The Ventures
as The Ventures
Rock.
Rock.
Rock.
Rock.
For any age, rock is
a symbol of youth.
Bvrrrrrrrrooom! This band
of old men...
...is The Ventures,
playing Pipeline.
Of course, they weren't
always old men.
When they were young...
...that electric
glissando down the frets...
...captivated young people
the world over.
That glissando travelled the
length and breath of Japan...
...more than 20 years ago now.
Young people today,
who don't know The Ventures...
...go reeling through youth
to the rock sound they made.
The Ventures invented,
capitalized and manufactured...
...the electric sound.
That tremolo glissando
is the sound of legend...
...of youth eternal.
Directed by
Obayashi Nobuhiko
March 28, 1965,
early afternoon:
I was 15, and this is
the dream I had.
Puerile, yes, but vivid.
Help me!
"Dondorahan!"... I was going to
yell. Then I woke up.
That means "thunder"
in the dialect...
...of the small town I'm from
in Shikoku.
It was spring break,
and I was taking life easy.
I was starting high school
in April.
I was practising Hoffman's
Boat Song...
...on my brother's old
violin...
...but it was making me
sleepy.
That wasn't the first time
I'd heard Pipeline.
The Beatles were popular
then...
...and I knew some
of their songs, too.
But pop music was just
pop music...
...nothing more than
kids' stuff.
The true art of music...
...music you can still enjoy
when you're 80...
...was classical music.
Or so I was thinking
as I dozed off.
But that glissando...
...took my silly snobbery
and blew it clean away.
Now what?
Electric Liberation! The Gods
had given me a sign.
I need an electric guitar!
Now there was no going back.
Now what?!
Kanonji, Kagawa Prefecture.
A glissando had summoned my
heart to rock 'n' roll...
...and now I was
in high school.
I'm Fujiwara Takeyoshi.
"Take" means "bamboo"...
...and "yoshi" means "good".
The character "take" can also
be read "chiku"...
...so my friends call me...
- Good morning!
- Hey, Chikkun!
..."Chikkun".
The indicative mood...
...is real.
The subjunctive mood...
...is a lie.
So if you use...
...the subjunctive mood,
then you're lying!
I'd started to let
my hair grow.
A rock musician couldn't look
like a Buddhist acolyte...
...so in English Grammar,
the truth is indicative mood.
...though some people thought
I was just being sloppy.
Indicative and subjunctive:
in the real world,
truth and lies!
You know, Father...
...Takeyoshi's growing up.
I guess it had to come.
Why do you say that?
He's always looking at
his hair in the mirror.
He is, is he?
When the hair starts
to grow...
...no matter where on the body
it is, you're interested.
But it wasn't only hair...
...that I was looking at.
- Who's that?
- Just a boy in my class.
- Guess he likes music.
- I wouldn't know.
Sometimes, of course, I looked
at other things, too.
A friend lent them to me.
You like pop music, don't you?
Yeah, I love it.
Yeah, me too.
Yeah?
Haw about this?
You like this, don't you?
Take them!
Goda Fujio, the priest's son,
was kind enough...
...to concern himself with...
...my total ignorance of sex.
Of course, you get bored
with dirty magazines...
...and my thoughts would wander
to a certain Guyatone guitar.
What makes Greek culture
special is...
...uh, what should I say,
uh...
That's good!
Really good! Draw me one, too!
There.
Wow! Fantastic!
What are you two up to?!
Uchimura Yuriko... my first fan!
Someday I want to start
a band... like The Ventures.
Yeah?
Now I had the hair.
What I needed was a guitar.
If I couldn't buy one,
I'd have to make one.
- Bye.
- Bye, Chikkun.
And now it's time to meet
Shirai Seiichi.
This was a day that can truly
be called "historic".
Hello!
Is this the Light Music Club
room?
Yes, it is.
I was thinking of joining.
The second- and third-year
guys aren't here yet.
Practice starts at 2.
Can I watch?
You can if you want,
but there's not much to see.
- Why not?
- Well, you'll see.
What do you want to play?
Rock!
Rock? They won't like that.
Why not?
They don't know anything
about rock.
Then what do you play?
There's five of us. The others
are second- and third-years.
We're playing Aloha Oe.
Yeah? You're singing?
No, no vocals. Just the music.
We've got double bass,
organ...
...two recorders and guitar.
What else?
Funicoli, Funicola...
...Yankee Doodle, too.
All that old stuff?
I can't believe it!
Third Year High School, too.
Without singing?!
That's right.
I can't believe it!
Me neither. Still want
to join?
What do you play?
Guitar.
You like that stuff?
Hell no! I only came today
to quit.
You want to play rock?
Yeah. Nothing else.
Me too.
Are you good?
Not very. I taught myself.
Play something.
What?
Rock. Your best song.
Well?
Let's start a band!
Yeah! I was going to say that!
Yeah?
Play something else!
- What's the matter?
- Toilet!
- Thanks!
- Take care of yourself!
Sorry!
That's OK.
I always stop here.
You eat too much fish?
I'd had more before I was six
than most people ever do!
Are you OK?
Not the last few days.
That's rough... you're OK?
Most people go once a day,
I go five or six times.
It works out the same.
Thanks for carrying this.
You want to get on?
No, thanks!
I live here.
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
- Hi!
- I'm back.
He helped me out.
You should ride to school
yourself.
Come in.
Hi, Brother.
Your friend? Come in!
Mom, Dad, I'm back!
Hot today, isn't it!
Shirai Fish... sea bass sashimi
for three people? Thank you.
Seiichi... I'll bring you up
some grilled eel.
Thanks, Brother.
"Brother" is your sister?
By the time I knew better,
everyone was used to it.
- But "Brother"?
- She's like a brother.
You don't have to worry about
taking over the store.
I'll do that. You go
to university.
That's nice of her.
But I don't mind taking over
the store.
I could still play the guitar.
Grilled eel.
Thanks.
Brother's my pop music mentor.
She likes...
- ...a nice voice...
- Pat Boone.
- ...manly...
- Belafonte.
Good songs.
- Patti Page, Dinah Shore...
- Anything good.
Nat King Cole, especially
Lonely One.
Makes me want to cry!
Nature Boy...
I start to shake, and it's
like I'm carried far away!
Didn't he die in February?
He was only 47.
What a shame... I'm still
not over it.
"The Kyoto Chorus"...
whose is this?
Hm... I don't know.
Who would have left that here?
- Bye.
- You leaving?
The eel was great.
Well, come back, then,
and we'll make some more.
- Be right back.
- Hello...
- The fish packer.
- I'm Fujiwara.
How are you.
He has a fish-processing
plant.
Nice day, huh?
Look out! Look out!
He's Brother's boyfriend.
What?!
You play lead, Shirai,
I'll play rhythm.
We need more than
just two guitars!
- I'll get some guys.
- You know someone good?
- Like the sign said.
- What sign?
It'll work out. We might find
a practice place, too.
Yeah?
I'll get him whether
he wants to or not.
- Who?
- Leave it to me!
Hello.
Hungry?
Before we go any further...
...let me introduce my family.
My father, Takayuki,
was the scholarly type.
He thought biology at a
commercial school...
...but his hobby was writing
haiku that no one understood.
"The beach, pine branches..."
"...the sun in the west
stabs through..."
"...perhaps a fish jumps..."
Now swish it round... one,
two, quickly... now eat.
At least they're making these
chestnut buns right again.
Sit up straight.
- How's your cold, Mrs. Takase?
- Fine, thank you.
Good... once, twice...
and drink.
Mom founded the "Quickly!"
School of Home-making.
Try to put more of yourself
into it.
Everyone's face is different
you know.
Oh...! A cocoon!
There's a smile.
Flowers smile, too.
Quickly, quickly... all right?
There!
She'd thought Home Economics.
My parents met at work
and got married...
- Here you go.
- I'll do it.
...but when my sister was
born, she became a housewife.
What a pest!
She died of pneumonia
before her second birthday.
Nadeshiko...
...she was so smart...
so pretty...
It was so sad...
I won't have any more!
Now don't talk like that.
Be patient.
Under my Grandmother's
gentle urging...
...for good or ill, she had
my brother and me.
To grow straight, like
the bamboo... that's good.
I guess they wanted me to grow
healthy and strong...
Fujiwara Takeyoshi...
a good name!
I'm named after a cedar...
My father didn't have
very good taste in names.
I hate being named after
a tree! Change my name!
Why? It's a nice name!
It's unique!
I want a normal name!
I want a normal name!
It's tough having avant-garde
parents.
Anyway, the guy I wanted
in the band...
...was the guy who lent me
all the girlie magazines...
...Goda Fujio.
You were sweating, so I
thought I'd cool you off.
I want to talk to you.
Yeah... I've got
some senior stuff.
"Senior"?
I had to start you slow.
Junior, then intermediate.
Come on.
You've got so much of this
filth!
You read enough of them.
Don't call them "filth"!
They're one of life's
little treasures.
Maybe so... anyway,
lend me this one.
I came to talk about a band.
You're going to start one?
Yeah, and I wanted you
to be in it.
I can play harmonica and
xylophone. Is that all right?
Uh, no...
I thought you might try
the bass.
- Bass?
- Yeah. Electric bass.
Electric bass? Cool!
Like Paul McCartney. Know
anyone who'll lend me one?
I thought we'd all
get summer jobs...
...and buy new instruments.
Can I sing?
All you want!
The only trouble is...
I joined the shogi club.
Quit that old man's game!
I wouldn't call it
an old man's game...
...and if I quit, there won't
be anyone left who's any good.
Hello, sir.
I'm Fujiwara Takayuki's son.
Oh...! I haven't seen your
parents in a long time.
- Are they well?
- They're fine, thanks.
Oh, that's wonderful.
Fujio, could you do the
memorial service tonight...
...at the Fukudas'?
I'm feeling quite tired.
Sure.
Would you then?
I'll call the Fukudas
and tell them.
Come on, eh?
I don't know...
Come on!
I don't know...
Come on! Make up your mind!
Come on!
Come back again.
Don't keep that too long.
You'll get all worked up.
Nice to see you
out of the hospital...
Long life to you!
You're even more help to us
than your father.
Oh, thank you...
That's great! You're just like
a real priest!
Well, I am!
If I play bass,
what about you?
Rhythm guitar and vocals.
Vocals, huh?
But you can't have a band
with two people.
I've found a great guy
for lead.
He's called Shirai Seiichi.
He plays great acoustic.
On electric, he'll be
fantastic!
Hello? Are you eating well...?
Good!
What about drums?
- Okashita Takumi.
- The octopus?
"The octopus"?
That was his nickname
in Middle School.
If you sound... oh, hello!
I hear that Mr. GOTO...
...is putting on
aluminum windows.
Nice to see you!
You can pronounce his name
to mean...
..."weird octopus", and after
some unkind person...
...named him that, he started
to look like one!
Some things follow you
all your life.
I guess so.
So did he say yes?
I asked him, but he turned me
down flat.
He said he was playing
in the school band.
- Tomorrow, behind the toilet.
- The toilet?
You meet a woman at a temple.
You meet a man behind the can.
See you.
The next day Goda Fujio, a
friend if ever there was one...
...extracted himself
from the Shogi Club.
- Wait!
- I'm really sorry!
Oh, here... I can't take this.
Wait! Wait a minute!
We can't win without you!
I'm sorry! I resign!
And then...
This place stinks!
Don't complain. You piss here,
too.
Here he is!
There he is! Risen
from the sea!
Pimples and all!
Hey!
- What?
- We want to talk to you.
If it's about money...
No. I've got lots of money.
What, then?
Step over here.
Okashita, this is
your big chance!
Chance for what?
We want you to join our
band... to be the drummer.
The drummer? No, no...
I'm already playing the drum
in the school band.
Forget that!
You only play one drum.
With us you get
tom-toms and cymbals.
I'm happy just playing
the one.
Yeah, but if you're in a rock
band, you get girls, too.
You won't get any
in a brass band!
No?
You just bang the drum
in the back row...
...like an idiot!
Better to bang on
a chunk of wood!
You'll get girls!
Yeah!
Everyone watches the drummer!
Dead Center-stage. Bass and
guitars off to the sides.
You can play drum solos!
It's the drummer who counts
us in... one, two, three...
...with the sticks.
Up there in the lights...
you play a roll...
It looks great!
Really...
Pass this up and you'll never
get a girl. That's the truth!
Never?
This is your chance!
Take it or die a virgin!
Thus Fujio clinched
the argument.
Still the rainy season!
Vacation starts soon. Are we
all going to get summer jobs?
- Summer jobs?
- Well, we need instruments.
What can we do? Maybe work
in a noodle shop?
Who'd eat noodles I made?
Yeah...
There wasn't much work in 1965
for a high-school student...
...in our small town
in Shikoku.
It was all noodles. There was
no McDonald's to work at.
There still isn't.
The teachers said...
If you're bored...
...then study more...
...idiot!
And then it was summer break.
I'm not going to work.
Don't you need money?
No. I'm buying stocks.
Stocks?
Summer's a busy time for us.
I guess it is.
When it's hot... oh, thanks...
...the old folks die off
like flies.
We have to be ready.
But I've got a great job
for the three of you.
One of our parishioners has a
farm equipment factory.
¥850 a day, paid in
a lump sum when you quit.
- You're mafia!
- I do have a mistress...
Liar!
You get noodles and two eggs
in the cafeteria for ¥55.
Don't tire yourself out
with overtime.
But sometimes even the best-
laid plans don't work out.
If you've nothing better
to do, help here!
I was thinking of starting
a job tomorrow.
What? Ah, Giant Baba!
He looks like a decent guy.
- I want to work!
- Only fools watch wrestling!
Why work? Do you need
something?
- Yeah. A guitar.
- You've got a violin!
I need a guitar!
Why?
For some music I like.
You could play it on the
violin if you'd practise.
Look, it has to be
played on the guitar!
Some friends and I got jobs
at the Inada Factory.
Without asking us first?
Did your teachers say
it was all right?
Yeah. I got permission.
I lied.
OK? Can I?
Can I? Huh?
You don't have to work.
I'll buy you a guitar and
an amp and whatever you need.
The other guys wouldn't like it
if I had it all given to me.
I'll work.
If you like.
Toilet.
If you help every day
in the shop...
...and do all the deliveries,
we'll pay you ¥500 a day.
But you'll have to work hard,
all right?
Grandma! Don't drink cold tea!
This is fine!
You'll give your stomach
a chill!
I will work! Definitely!
Fritz Von Erich's Death Claw!
Giant Baba's size 15 feet!
The Destroyer's leg-lock!
I'll buy a Guyatone guitar!
- I guess you can.
- Really?!
But I don't want...
I'll fix this tonight.
...you becoming
a delinquent.
I won't!
He might anyway!
You've still got to study!
I'll take it away
if your marks go down!
They won't!
I can make you a lunch
if you want.
We get food there.
- How long does this last?
- All summer!
You do the stupidest things!
Father! Get to work!
- Hey, you're on time!
- Best we arrive together.
Yeah. Let's go.
Hey! Let's go! Let's go!
Careful! Careful!
That's good!
What are you doing?! Come on!
Work!
Just that?
At your age is that enough?
I'm fine.
There's a lot of it.
Don't wear yourselves out too
fast. You're here all summer.
But don't slack, either.
We call him "the overtime
king". He lives for work.
Listen to you! If you'd try
working hard for once...
It's a problem for all of us.
For a man to reach high school
without having a woman...
...is a disgrace!
We'll have to take you guys
out somewhere.
Zentsuji's close, but the
girls there aren't much fun.
Ito here goes clear across
the island...
...all the way to Kochi
to get laid!
Lancelot with a rented
princess!
- Ignore him.
- What's "Lancelot"?
- What's that?!
- Quitting time.
Sir Lancelot is leaving
to cross the mountains! Bye.
Who's that?!
Megumi, from school.
She lives near here?
I guess so. Otherwise why
would she be here?
- What does she want?
- Maybe she wants to see you!
I doubt it!
Bye!
Look!
She's standing closer than
she was yesterday!
Easy job, easy job...
Well done!
Good work, guys!
Bye!
Friend of yours?
Hey, honey...
...I'm here every day, and you
just look right through me.
I don't like that.
Goodbye.
Too young...
She shows up every day...
what a pest!
It figures. She's in love.
You know her?
Sure. I told her to do that.
You did, did you...
It was my job.
She belongs to our temple, and
she came to me for advice.
- You didn't talk to me...
- Why would I?
Sure, why would you!
Hi! I hear you and the
drapers' son are going to...
...tie the knot.
Hurry and have kids, eh?
Become a mother,
then a grandmother...
Mind your own business!
It's Shirai she likes,
not you.
What?!
She says she's been crazy
about you for a long time.
Come on, handsome... give us
a smile.
You've got a big head!
Shut up!
You like her?
Not specially...
she's not in my class.
But you wouldn't want her
to kill herself over you.
Kill herself?!
If she does, it's your fault.
Chikkun!
Shirai! What's the matter?
You're white as a ghost!
She was there!
Who? Where?
Hikichi Megumi?
At the store?
Bad karma, maybe.
Bad karma?
What do you mean?!
See a movie?
No! Not another one of those
sex-and-horror things!
Even the posters make me sick!
There's a different one today.
Clark Gable's in it.
He's OK, but he's still
kind of oily.
I like Gregory Peck.
Him and that Audrey Hepburn
in Roman Holiday!
I prefer Jane Mansfield.
That's cold!
Why do I talk to you?
Can I help you?
That's a weird girl...
She's here!
You know her?
Like that girl in the song who
burned down temples for love.
You lit the fire...
you put it out!
That's spontaneous combustion.
When a girl like that is in
love, she does what she wants.
You mean I'm stuck?
It's fate.
That's easy for you to say!
Aw, but she's so cute,
isn't she, Chikkun.
He'll have to die with her!
Then we'll never start
our rock band.
OK... I'll speak to Megumi.
What'll you say?
When a priest speaks,
people listen.
Good afternoon...
Or else I can protect him by
writing a sutra on his body.
Yeah. All over it.
I'm not writing on his dick!
Then I'll lose it!
It's your fingers
the band needs.
She's not here!
She's stopped coming,
hasn't she.
I'm going to make
a great priest.
You are. What did you
say to her?
She was very hard to convince.
I had to use Plan B.
"Plan B"?
I'll find a way
to make him love me!
Well, don't tell anyone...
Shirai has a man's body, but
in his heart he's a woman.
He can only love men.
You're a woman... look at him!
He's pale, he's delicate...
He's all soft and bulgy
around the nipples.
And Fujiwara's a bigger homo!
Some old weird guy did things
to him when he was a kid.
After that the poor guy just
wasn't able to become a man.
I heard there was something
with him and his father, too.
His brother, too!
Homosexual incest!
The poor bastard!
That's horrible!
Horrible!
They're homosexuals!
And right now, Shirai and
Fujiwara are...
Horrible!
Horrible!
...just like that!
You talked about us
like that?!
It isn't all bad for you.
If girls don't like you...
...all through school, you can
just blame it on those rumors.
As Lord Buddha says...
"Think on the ways
of the world."
Megumi, transferring her
longing from Shirai...
...had love affairs, attempted
suicide, and became...
...the talk of the town.
Shut up and come on!
Never!
Adieu, Mon amour!
Now, 20 years on...
...she is the mother
of three boys...
...and is known in Kanonji as
"The Queen of the Night".
Look! They are together!
Who?
Chikkun and Shirai!
They're homosexuals!
Oh, that's a lie!
Hikichi Megumi says they are.
Megumi?
That slut? I don't like her.
Too many hormones, maybe.
You can't believe anything
she says.
Over here, Mom?
Straight ahead.
He's working hard!
The son of a family that makes
food wears a hat!
They've worked all summer
to save the money.
Why don't you give them
a discount, Dad?
Be quiet, Kazuko!
Every time you dust those
thing you complain...
...about how nobody
wants them.
Now we've finally sold them!
Don't say that!
I feel bad about the amp.
That's OK.
Brother bought it. We can both
use it.
Use mine, too. Thank our
temple supporters.
At least we've all
got instruments.
That's great.
We'll deliver the drums
tomorrow, all right?
Tomorrow?
I'm a little busy today.
You can enjoy the anticipation
longer.
I want to sleep with you...
...but I might roll over like
a mother pig and squash you.
And I wouldn't want you
getting polluted...
...with impure thoughts.
Hey, here they are!
Great!
I'll pass them down.
This way!
Takumi's drums are here!
Here come the drums!
Is it really all right
for me to hit these things?
Why not?
I feel like it wouldn't be
right.
If your heart's in it,
how would it be wrong?
I guess so.
If I put my heart into it.
Go ahead. Hit 'em!
Perhaps once again Takumi
was...
...a child visiting the temple
with Grandma.
Like that?
Perfect! That'll sound great
through an amp.
That's the sound right there!
You're getting better!
We should have a practice soon.
How come the right side
of your head is so bald?
I was hit by lightning.
I was clinically dead.
I saw one of the Saints.
He said, "What are you doing
here, kid? Go home!"...
...so I was saved.
I knew then that
he wanted me...
...to walk in the Buddha's
path.
That was pretty young.
I'm going.
Put your hand there.
You can still feel
the electricity.
I've cured old ladies
of incontinence.
All I feel is stubble.
I want to hear us with amps!
Yeah... bvrrrrrrrrrrooom!
Gentlemen: at last we are
ready to rehearse as a band.
I offer my congratulations.
We must, however, first decide
on a name for our band.
I ask for your candid opinions.
If I may speak first...
...how about "Harry and
The Typhooons"?
"Harry" would, of course,
be myself...
...but it's a good name.
"Harry and The Typhoons"...
See you later.
All right. Don't be late.
I'm going!
Right. Bye!
Hurry up!
Don't drop it!
I know! It's OK!
Careful...
...please!
I know!
Where's the damn octopus?!
Asleep, maybe?
But this is our first practice!
Stop! Stop! You'll break
the drum!
I'll get a cart and bring
them, I told you!
That'll take till tomorrow!
Jerk!
Don't worry! I'll handle them
like a pregnant woman!
Take those things
somewhere else!
Good gracious me!
We'll have to use my room.
Sorry.
No problem.
Anywhere, so long as
the four of us can play.
- Is this OK here?
- This is heavy!
- Hang on...
- Grab that...
Wait a second...
Wait...
- It's falling!
- Wait, wait...
OK? Right!
Well, gentlemen, if I might
say a few...
Quick!
...a few words before we
rehearse... gentlemen...
...at last we are ready
to rehearse...
Just le me get some juice.
I offer my congratulations.
As I was saying...
Supplies!
- Listen!
- I am!
Help yourselves.
Anyway, we should think of
a name for our band.
Right!
I ask for your candid opinions.
Octo... er, Takumi...
Any ideas?
For a name?
That's what he said.
How about "Blue Lions"?
What?
Guess not, huh?
Anything else?
How about "Running Cats"?
Meow!
Why "running"?
Like a "running catch"
in baseball.
Then what's your idea?
- Me?
- Yeah.
I've got a great name.
What?
"Buds".
B U D S... flowers.
We're a budding band...
...and it's part of
"Buddhism", too.
It's cute and classy
at the same time.
It'd sound neat with
two D's, too.
Nope.
How about "Precious Priests"?
What?
People we're grateful to have.
"Valuable clergy".
Of course, "precious" usually
means things...
...not people, but...
- You hate it?
- No one said that.
The initials sound good,
too... "PR".
There's a ring to it.
Forget it!
Just 'cause you're a priest!
Then how about...
...Pimple-Faced Octopus Band?
We've got the octopus...
...and he's got the pimples.
He got mad.
Sure I did!
Say that again and I quit!
Come on! Be serious!
Don't get so mad.
You do have pimples.
How about this...
"Rocking Horsemen"?
Like old men on horseback?
I was thinking more
along the lines of...
...cavalrymen.
And with "rocking" it's like
"cavalrymen playing rock".
And a "rocking horse" is the
wooden horse kids ride on.
It sounds kind of cool...
...but there's charm to it,
too. What do you think?
"Rocking Horsemen"...
Yeah! That might be good!
Let's be "Rocking Horsemen"!
That's a great name!
It's settled!
Let's play!
And so we made ready to begin.
The sound of electric guitars
rang through Kanonji...
...for the first time
since history began.
"The Bamboo Hat of Itako"
Hashi Yukio in Concert
Those bloody kids!
All right, you lot!
That's enough!
Can you guys play the song
from Space Boy Soran?
Sorry.
Thunder!
What are they doing?
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Oh, Fujiwara...
I'd like to talk to you.
What's the matter?
Terauchi wants me.
What'd you do?
Nothing.
Maybe because of the noise.
Maybe the Rocking Horsemen
will have to disband.
How's the rock band going?
You can have this, if you're
interested in English songs.
I can have this?
If you're going to play them.
I got it during
the Occupation.
I can't read music...
...and I like Japanese songs
more now.
I never thought you would
like this.
I used to think everything
foreign was better, too.
And now?
Now I prefer Nagasaki Woman
to You Are My Sunshine.
You can sing that song?!
Yeah, I'm pretty good.
"Oh, Nagasaki... Nagasaki..."
You can go.
Hey...! I'm Taniguchi Shizuo,
from Class 1.
Fujiwara. Class 6.
I know. Can I come over
sometime?
To my place?
How about today?
Sure.
I'm not very good yet.
Sing something.
- What's this, an audition?
- How about Long Tall Sally?
The falsetto's hard, and I
couldn't sing it here, anyway.
- Don't you use an amp?
- Don't have one.
I plug into Shirai's amp.
He's the lead guitar.
- Know him?
- Yeah. You should buy one.
- I'd have to work to do that.
- I could make you one.
Can you do that?
I think I could if I tried.
Come over to my place
next time.
Come over tomorrow.
I know the way out. Stay here.
That's my house.
Hello.
Sit here.
Make yourself at home.
This is my sister Etsuko.
She made these cookies.
Here's more comfortable.
This is fine.
No, sit there.
Here.
That's a "stereo". Sounds
different, doesn't it.
It's great.
He was one of these guys who
had so much of everything...
...you wanted to pinch him.
I didn't really do that. It
was just a figure of speech.
See you, then.
Come again.
Tomorrow.
This is for you.
For me?
- Here.
- What is it?
The amp I made.
- You made this, Taniguchi?
- Call me "Shii-San".
This is the On switch.
Here's Volume.
This is the tone control.
And here's the good part...
reverb! It'll sound great.
It's great you can make this
yourself.
Some day I want to be
an engineer.
An electric guitar with no amp
looks stupid.
Thank you.
You happy?
I'm happy.
OK, smile.
See you, then.
Come again.
How could I respond to the
friendship Shii-San had shown?
If I'd lived in the old days...
I am in truth
most humbly grateful!
'Twas nothing.
...I'm sure I would have
found the words.
The Revolution!
Late that year we went on a
camping trip to rehearse.
We went to the Iya Valley in
the mountains near Tokushima.
"The Euro-American Modern
Music Research Group"...
I see.
Here's your tickets.
Don't lose them.
It's leaving!
Hungry?
It says, "Good luck in
rehearsal, Rocking Horsemen"!
Etsuko.
My younger sister.
Let's eat!
- My bass!
- My guitar...
How nice if Etsuko had come...
...I thought.
There's the river!
Here's the gear.
Brother and her fish packer
had brought the instruments.
They're not here.
Yeah. Where are they?
Where's my guitar?
Hey!
The tent's so old
it's falling apart!
It smells funny...
That's the smell of
mouse shit.
Hey, I had to talk nice to the
Mountain Club to get this!
Thanks a lot!
Take care!
What?
Well, well, well...
so that's how it is...
It was Shii-San who set it up
so we could...
...rehearse outdoors.
Here goes!
Thunder...! Grandpa! Thunder!
It is thunder!
This way you don't need
a place to plug in.
We can play anywhere?
Do Long Tall Sally!
Sure!
Come on! Just dump it all in!
The rice is done!
Come on, more, more...
pour it in!
My eyes hurt from the onions!
Bring me some water.
Oh, did we eat!
Oh, for the stomach
I had in those days!
Shikoku beef! All right!
There's soup here for
a hundred!
Shirai, you should sing too,
you know.
- I'm tone-deaf when I sing.
- I'll sing!
You can't sing! I will.
I've chanted sutras since
I was small.
Then sing.
"Ayeem so gurado oh zat..."
"...sheezu mai ritoru
gyaru..."
You sound like a middle-school
kid!
You won't stay in time
if you sing...
...all those last syllables.
That's weird... how should
I do it?
I'll show you.
"Ah so gura za sheema riroo
gaa..."
Do it that way.
"Ah so gura za sheema riroo
gaa..."
I'll write it out for you.
Normally I wouldn't use
such a cheap short-cut...
Then we played a song we'd
practised hard for that day.
That's great! Long Tall Sally!
This camp's great!
Really!
Thanks to Shii-San!
Let's make him
an honorary member.
Great idea!
You guys are great!
Ow...! That hurt!
This place is famous for...
THE MIDNIGHT CREEP!
Ow!
Stop! Stop it!
What a bunch of idiots!
Tickling was all there was
to do now.
A pledge that you"ll behave
or you can't go.
I'll lock you in the shed.
We'd all signed an oath
to come out here.
So that night when we slept...
...we were the best-behaved
kids in the world.
In the spring of 1966...
...I started my second year
of high school.
Goodbye, sir.
It's great for the brass band,
being able to practise here.
Yeah, you guys are having
trouble with that, aren't you.
Yes, sir.
It's a lot harder finding
somewhere than we thought.
Why not become a club?
We'd need a staff advisor.
I'll do that.
Really?!
You can be the "Second
Light Music Section".
They aren't doing very much,
so you'll probably be...
...Section One before long.
I'll get you your permission.
You can use half of
the choir room.
Sorry, but that's the best
we can do.
Uh... sir...
Yeah?
I feel like a teacher's pet.
I'll help any student who
really wants to do something.
Come on.
"Second Light Music Section"
- How's this?
- Great!
In English you say "kiss".
In German, "Kuß".
From which we infer that
when in English you "kiss"...
...you have to smile.
But to "kuß" you have to pout.
In French it's Baisser.
Saying it makes you spit,
so it sounds dirty.
The Italian is bacio, which is
cheerful and energetic.
Spanish: beso.
Indonesian: kecap.
"Kiss". I want to. Soon!
My first kiss...
I dream about it with
dozens of girls.
I'm sure high-school girls
feel the same...
...though I'm not one...
...so I don't know.
Now for one of us came one of
the great events of a life.
Okashita...
Shut up!
...kissed someone last night.
- Who?!
- Ishikawa Emiko!
Behind the can?
- By my house.
- What's the story?
Last night was
the Hachiman Festival...
- A date?
- No.
- Then what?
- I took a walk.
Just a walk?
When there's a festival
around our place...
...the whole neighborhood
is up for it.
And you were "up", too.
Shii-San, where were you?
Me and Etsuko were watching
in front of the house.
And then...
...they were pushed together.
Didn't he step back?
Well, his ass jerked back, but
the rest of him didn't.
It wasn't so crowded then,
either.
That's 'cause he's clumsy.
Then, like he'd planned it,
instead of going back...
...he stuck his face forward.
Passionately?
No, they just came close,
touched, and pushed together.
Maybe it was more passionate
by the end...
And you just stood
and watched?!
A true scientist!
They were right there!
I can't accept it, though. It
was an accident, not a kiss.
Like two octopuses colliding.
A calamity she'll forget
as quick as she can.
A kiss is still a kiss.
No. It lacks the metaphysical
element.
- That's hard to say...
- Then what?
His face went red,
and he frowned.
- He did?
- Yeah!
But what did she do?
Well, her eyes widened,
then she walked away.
There she goes again.
Washroom?
I just saw her coming out
of there.
What's she doing in there?
Washing her face and putting
creosol on her lips.
You sure know a lot!
When this happens, girls are
in the the can all the time.
The poor kid... getting mixed
up in something like this!
Poor Emiko!
Takeyoshi! Telephone!
Who is it?
Someone talking about
"our Takumi".
Our Takumi, you know...
...he won't eat!
All he's had is two bowls
of rice!
I just know there's
something wrong with him!
"Love"?
Today he called me out
behind the can.
Uh...
...well...
...actually...
It took him about 15 minutes.
But all he did was
bump into her.
The elements seem to have gone
metaphysical.
Don't tell anyone.
...he said, but I can't keep
this secret.
"Secret love" is something
for adults...
...and he ain't one.
Pure love...
"The eternal woman
who leads us..."
"...to the heights."
Like Goethe said.
So you really like her?
So what do you want to do?
Take her somewhere on a date?
You could go to the beach
if it was summer.
It's a bit cold for that now.
How about going up on
Mt. Kotohiki?
There's a weird old pine tree
near there you could go see.
Old ladies love it!
But first they've got to
get closer...
...before they start going
places together.
Why not invite her
to a rehearsal?
Yeah!
She said no.
She doesn't like rock.
- What does she like?
- Mita Akira.
Mita Akira?
Okashita can't compete
in looks.
We can't let that stop us.
We've got to get her here and
let her see what he's like.
We'll learn Mita Akira songs.
Beautiful Teen Years and Kiss
Kiss Kiss. Just get her here.
Kiss Kiss Kiss is Hashi Yukio.
But I like him better.
Anyway, songs like that.
Say what you have to...
...but bring her along, OK?
- OK.
- Let's go. Bye.
"I gave you a wild rose"
"A rose so wild and white"
"With your eyes you smiled
at me"
"Eyes so clear and bright"
"In our hearts until we die"
"In the hearts of you and I"
"Keep each dream as it appears"
"Take each dream and
hold it near"
"Beautiful teen-age years"
"Oh, oh, our teen-age years"
"Flowers of joy so bright"
"Come to life when you
hold them tight"
"Thank you for your
invitation."
"My parents get angry unless I
go straight home from school..."
"...so I can't come to see
you practise."
"I'm sorry. Ishikawa Emiko."
I wasn't bad-looking
when I was young.
You're lucky you take after
Grandma and me.
We won't say who
he took after.
Like a man, Takumi
resigned himself.
The songs we'd learned for
Emiko...
...became songs to encourage
Takumi.
We took a perverse pleasure
in playing them.
I think Takumi had made clear
enough his feelings for Emiko.
Now she's Mrs. Kuwano, the
mother of two children.
For Takumi, a sweet memory.
A happy ending, I guess.
At the very least, it's the
classic story of young love:
Physical, painful, pure...
and in vain.
Hello!
Takeyoshi...
A gift.
This is great! You got stuff
for everyone?
The same sticks as
Ringo Starr uses.
The guys'll love these!
Thanks a lot!
Tell me, what are you
studying now?
Group theory... can I try it?
Your fingers are all callused.
Hm? How does that go...
When did you learn to play?
When I was about your age.
Mom and Dad didn't know
about it.
There's someone to see you.
Who?
That quiet kid from
the fish store.
Oh, Shirai...
What's up?
Why don't you come in?
The Rocking Horsemen might
have their first gig.
What?!
Brother's boyfriend has
a friend...
...who's opening a bar
this Christmas.
She's trying to get him
to use us.
Really? At last!
Yeah!
Playing in front of people!
- Who's that playing?
- Brother.
My brother.
That Christmas, the Rocking
Horsemen made their debut.
"The Rocking Horsemen"... neat!
Your debut on Christmas Day!
It's here!
Here's the PA!
Father, you're late!
Can I put this here?
Plug me in.
- Do I have to make a speech?
- Who else is there?
Where's our Takumi?
Hello, "Rocking Horseman"...
"Rocking Horsemen".
...just jump right into it!
Hurray!
Hurray!
I am delighted that so many
of you have taken time...
...from your busy schedules
at this time of year...
...to gather with us here
this evening.
When I look back...
Don't look back!
When I look back to when I
left high school...
Hurray!
Hurray!
Hurray for Mr. Nishimura!
Let's start.
Hurray for West Village!
Hurray for Christmas!
Welcome!
They're all at the back.
Look, Grandma!
Our Takumi!
The beginning was great!
But the real rock fans must
have been somewhere else.
What is that?!
What a noise!
Get in time!
When do they stop?
They'll play some Japanese
songs...
Nothing but that jazz!
It's so loud!
I don't remember how
the time went by...
We're going.
Enough!
My ears hurt!
My ears hurt!
Perhaps more to the back?
Everyone's going.
Oh, Takumi...!
Enough! Stop!
Listen!
That's enough. I'm going.
We're on our way.
Bye.
Takumi! We're going!
That was very good!
I'm going.
OK.
I'll come get the vocal amp
tomorrow.
Oh, this is mine...
Hey!
What a shame!
I can't pay you.
The fish packer said he'd
buy you...
...a sandwich or something.
However...
...I'll give you these.
If I'd been an American
girl...
Oh, Yo-San!
...that's what I'd've done.
Want to go fishing?
Who with?
With me.
What for?
To catch fish!
Bye!
Lock the door.
We didn't catch a single
fish...
...but I've never enjoyed
fishing more.
Eight years after that,
my father died.
My mother has a few more
white hairs now...
...but she still does
everything quickly.
One, two! One, two! One, two!
For 27 years they lived
together.
His last haiku was a perfect
example of the avant-garde.
"Forward or behind..."
"A plastic pail on the sand...
Does it see or not?"
My life was before me.
By my last year of high school
the world had changed.
The younger kids listened to
Japanese "Group Sound" bands.
High-school students with
Fender Twin amps!
Made in America!
Yeah, his dad's a doctor.
To make it in music,
be a doctor's son!
The generation gap.
Leaving already?
Feeling ourselves unwanted
again...
...we set up camp nearby.
Food was the old camp
stand-by, curried rice.
Me, too!
Just a minute...
By ourselves we probably ate
all of one of the local cows.
Then, on August 30, 1967...
...something happened that
I will remember all my life.
Hey! Wake up! Wake up!
Ouch! What?
There's someone here.
Who?
It's Tomoto Yukiyo... what does
she want?
What is it?
I'm going swimming.
Alone?
No, with you.
With me?
Yes. Hurry and let's go.
Hang on...
Now what?!
I was flustered.
Should I invite her in
to change...
...so we could go
in our swimsuits?
No, no... better not do that...
Dum Du-dum dum dum...
You're like a chicken
with its head cut off!
Going swimming.
Oh?
Who is that?
A friend from school.
We won't be too late. Bye!
What about lunch?
We'll get some noodles there!
They don't sell noodles there.
Be careful!
My first date... wow!
What?
Nothing... a cicada... maybe.
The tide's gone out.
It's so nice and quiet.
They're tearing down
the change rooms.
It doesn't matter.
You change, too.
Going in?
You men will remember...
You're a good swimmer!
No... I was just about
to drown.
You swim too well to drown.
Don't you swim?
Yeah, but I came to sun-bathe.
If you've come all the way
here, you might as well go in.
You teach me how.
You hold my hands, and I'll
kick my feet.
Jellyfish!
It's so warm!
We enjoyed ourselves
like children.
What would it be like
doing this in my room...
...I wondered.
Here's fine.
Here. Have some.
Thanks.
Deep-fry... egg...
Have some of this, too.
Have lots.
Uh... tea...
I only have this cup.
You don't mind?
An indirect kiss.
One more... can I have
one more?
Your band's in
the school festival?
Yeah.
I'll come and cheer for you.
Great.
Look! A date! A date!
Yeah, a date!
I thought about running over
and punching them in the head.
But she might have been
enjoying it.
I hate that!
Well... I guess I'd better go.
I'll walk you.
That's OK. Someone might see
us and start gossiping.
Yeah?
I had a great time.
Me, too.
My face is burning.
Oh, you're back?
What's wrong? Your face
is all red.
Just sunburn.
You stayed in the sun till you
got that burned? Stupid!
- The girl too?
- Yeah.
You're both stupid.
Get that, will you?
Fujiwara...
- How was lunch?
- How did you know?!
- Fun, huh?
- What was?
She called me. She wanted to
do something...
...for her last summer
of high school.
I said to take lunch
to the beach with you.
But why did she have to
call you?
Why didn't she just call me?
That question's proof
you're socially inept.
Sweet dreams tonight.
Love.
Love.
Love.
Love.
But I'm tired... so tired
I could drop.
Fujio...
...really...
...thank you, Goda Fujio.
And thank you, Tomoto Yukiyo.
The dreams I had that night?
That would be embarrassing.
Mr. Terauchi died that fall.
He didn't look like he had
a weak heart...
...but he still drank
too much.
The doctor warned him,
and his wife was worried.
His wife? I didn't know
Mr. Terauchi was married.
There's more... the wedding he
was at when he died...
...was Miss Momoko's.
Miss Momoko's wedding?
One moment, please.
Right!
Oh! This bride can drink!
I'll dance this if it
kills me!
I'm sure he didn't mean it...
...but that's what we heard he
said when he started.
He wasn't singing Nagasaki
Woman, was he?
No, it was Ginza 9's in the
Ocean, by Kanbe Ichiro.
Fujio got the whole story.
The owners of the restaurant
belonged to his temple.
Mr. Terauchi had been drinking
somewhere else earlier...
...and the night before was
playing mahjong until dawn.
It was some sort of
three-man version...
...so Fujio told us.
Yeah... Miss Momoko's
from Nagasaki, isn't she.
That's right.
Are you all right?
I suddenly thought it was too
bad she was from Nagasaki.
I don't know why
I thought that.
I can't say what difference it
would have made if she wasn't.
Then suddenly...
Are you all right...? You're
OK, aren't you?
I'm hot... I can't breathe...
Are you all right?!
"I'm hot... I'm hot... I'm so
hot I can't breathe"...
They said his last words were
spoken strangely distinct...
...as if he were angry.
I'm sorry!
Did I hurt you?
I'm always in too much
of a hurry.
Now I prefer Nagasaki Woman
to You Are My Sunshine.
Indicative and subjunctive:
in the real world,
truth and lies!
That night I woke up crying.
I'd never done that before.
I remembered when I was small
and I pissed the bed.
Hot... then cold... and sad.
The night before
the school festival.
See you later.
- See you.
- Hurry!
- Can I eat right away?
- Oh, hello.
Don't you want a bath?
I'll just wash my hair.
I can't catch cold.
- Sorry?
- Nothing.
Are you going back out?
We're all sleeping over
at the school.
We'll get up at 5 to practise.
A last rehearsal...
Hurry and eat, then.
Will you need a lunch?
Yes, please.
Bye!
Takeyoshi!
- There.
- Thanks!
Leave it open.
Oh... off again?
Yeah.
The big day!
Yep.
- What's the schedule?
- Look in my briefcase.
The program's in there.
I see.
I'm staying over at the school
tonight.
You are, eh? The big day!
My hair was clean, light. The
night breeze felt good in it.
I didn't have a blow dryer
yet.
Chikkun!
Yeah?
Come in here.
Did you paint these?
Your guitar.
See you.
I'll come by later and help.
Hey Takumi!
You made it!
- Thanks.
- Me, too.
That night we kicked out
the juniors...
...and occupied the
rehearsal room.
Bui I'm bald!
That looks great. Just great!
Change your strings tonight.
They'll stretch if you do it
tomorrow.
Around 10, the emergency bell
went off.
A girl had accidentally pushed
the button during a check.
Of course, no one was angry.
Tomorrow was the
school festival!
Uh...
Good luck.
Thanks. We'll do our best.
Be sure you come.
I'll drop everything
to be there.
Bye now.
Let's go.
Are you sleeping here?
Yes. We got permission.
Well, you'd better get
to sleep. It's nearly 12.
All right!
Good night.
- Mr. Usui!
- Yes?
Come and watch, huh?
To see you in your glory?
I'll wear my ear-plugs!
The day had come.
On stage, Megumi was martyred
for love.
For love I die!
This is it.
The Rocking Horsemen's first
and last really big show.
This is it.
The closing of the books.
Go for it!
Go for it!
Go for it!
Go for it!
Go for it!
The gym's packed.
At last!
- Aim straight, will you?
- It's the excitement.
- Did you aim straight?
- Yeah, but nothing came out.
I'm ready to let it all out!
Just about time, huh?
Good luck.
Rocking Horsemen!
Rocking Horsemen... our first
and last really big show.
Everyone came out to see us...
...as if the glissando
had drawn them in.
Our Takumi!
They've started!
Run, run, run!
People I never thought
would be there...
...the girl I'd met
the day before...
...they all came to see us.
- You made it!
- Great, huh?
Thank you.
I'd like to introduce The
Rocking Horsemen to you.
Behind us, on drums, setting
straight and tall... the Octo...
...er... Kanonji's drummer
of the century...
...third year, Class 8,
Okashita Takumi!
Takumi!
On lead guitar, standing
off to the side, loooking shy...
...step forward, now...
face front...
When he plays I don't know if
it's Gods or Devils in him.
The maestro, third year,
Class 5...
...Shirai Seiichi!
Come on, take a bow.
Good, well done!
The guy standing next to me
may look a little strange...
...but he's cute, isn't he.
On lead vocals and
rhythm guitar...
...and the leader of the band,
I guess you could say...
...my classmate for three
years... third year, Class 10...
...Fujiwara Takeyoshi!
Coming to me at last... I play
bass, sing harmony...
...and give moral direction
to these poor last lads.
I'm Goda Fujio...
...third year, Class 10.
Thank you very much.
Here's a Beatles song...
Which one?
Yes! I Feel Fine.
And I sing, too!
Thank you very much!
No, we're not done yet!
Sure we'll keep playing!
Chikkun...
...introduce the next song.
Ladies and gentlemen...
Three years ago now...
...I heard the intro to
Pipeline and I went all numb.
For me it was...
..."electric liberation"...
...a sign from the Gods
in electricity.
And so for the three years
of high school...
...The Rocking Horsemen
have played...
...rock...
...rock...
If you asked me to play one
song in the world of rock...
...I would, my friends...
...I would with deep gratitude
play this one...
...Johnny B. Goode.
My story is reaching its end.
The school festival was
a triumph.
What more is there to say?
During the winter break I got
a letter from my brother.
"This is no time to
flounder around."
"If you don't make university
this year you can try the next."
"But try this year all the same."
"In one part of your mind
imagine a desperate old man..."
"...chasing you with
a carving knife."
"Re-read what you've studied
in the past three years."
"Make new notes, and memorize
them."
"It shouldn't be a problem.
You've learned it all once."
"You can remember it."
"Read supplementary material
if you can."
"Learn to grasp the meaning
of long sentences."
"Don't bother buying
great thick reference books."
"Then, early to bed and
early to rise."
"Make sure you eat, shit
and sleep properly."
"There's no fast cure
for rock 'n' roll..."
"...so hear it and sing it
when you want to relax."
"There should be enough time
for that."
"One thing you should avoid
is television."
"There'll be time for that
later."
"If you do all that, you're sure
to pass your entrance exams."
"Don't worry. I know
some people."
Of course, I didn't do
everything he told me...
...but I do think I tried
my best.
But part of me felt empty.
Everyone was starting out
on their way.
I was the only one
without a road.
Here you are...
Small town, isn't it.
You studying for
your entrance exams?
Not much.
You should be.
I'll probably fail anyway.
Which schools are you
trying for?
I won't make the National ones.
Why not?
Sciences hate me.
So what'll you try for?
Don't know.
Not much help, are you.
Your parents will pay for it,
won't they?
That's fantastic. You should be
trying a little harder.
You're the band leader,
aren't you? Do your job!
Get on.
Hold on.
Like homosexuals.
I had my ticket to Tokyo...
...and my parents had bought me
a new coat.
The day before I was to leave
to take my entrance exam...
...I didn't sleep.
I left the house early.
I went wherever my feet
carried me.
We'd given the Club key
to the juniors...
...so I can't get in.
...so I can't get in.
It was over for everyone.
"Are you really getting on?"
said a voice in my head.
"Yes, I am getting on,"
I answered.
Welcome back.
It must've been cold.
Even fools get the flu,
you know.
What are you doing here?
Waiting for you.
But why? Why are you guys
all waiting for me?
You weren't home,
so your mother called us...
...asking if you were
at our places.
I realized you'd be wandering
around to all the band places.
So we met here.
But you didn't know
when I'd be back.
Or even if I'd be back.
No. You aren't the type
to just leave home like that.
We knew you'd be back.
Too bad I'm not.
No. If you were, we'd just
let you leave anyway.
But why did you all wait,
anyway?
I'm not a child.
To give you your bandleader-
for-life certificate.
"Bandleader-for-life"?
By unanimous vote.
Come on.
"Fujiwara Chikkun:"
"Chikkun"?
Yes. "Chikkun"...
"You have most honorably
performed your duties..."
"...as leader of
The Rocking Horsemen."
"We hereby recognize that
the glory we enjoy today..."
"...and the depth of meaning
high school has had for us..."
"...are due entirely to your
abnormal enthusiasm and effort."
"The Rocking Horsemen appoint
you Bandleader for Life."
"St. Valentine's Day, 1968.
Honorary member..."
"...Taniguchi Shii-San..."
"...Shirai Seiichi..."
"...Octop", er, no...
"...Okashita Takumi..."
"...Goda Fujio."
Your nose is running.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You don't have to thank us.
We didn't buy you anything.
I...
You guys...
...have been real good to me.
I'm embarrassed.
I mean it...
...real good.
What's wrong with that?
Can't you be good to someone?
It's hard work being rough
on them all the time.
OK.
OK.
But now I'm Bandleader for
Life, The Rocking Horsemen...
...are breaking up.
At university you get holidays.
Summer... winter... spring...
When you come home on vacation,
we'll rock 'n' roll.
Check out the music in Tokyo.
Get things from different
people.
Write some songs, too. Words
and music.
This is just the start.
I think you can do it.
Write us a good tune
and we'll play it.
Sure.
But first I've got to get
into university.
I might have to wait a year
and try again.
What does shohosen mean?
"Prescription", maybe?
Who wrote Addiction?
Iwano Homei.
Write "embrace".
This...
...then this...
...and this?
Factor 6x²+7x-3.
Two three's are six, so...
...(3x-1)(2x+3).
Correct. Great!
You've studied. You'll pass.
No problem!
Good luck.
At 7:37 a.m. on February 15,
1968...
...I left Kanonji for Tokyo...
...and I prayed.
"I don't know what life may
have in store for me..."
"...but all you
good old songs..."
"...preserve me."
...of high school The Rocking
Horsemen have played...
...rock...
...rock...
If you asked me to play one
song in the world of rock...
...I would, my friends...
...I would with deep gratitude
play this one...
...Johnnv B. Goode.
The Rocking Horsemen:
CAST
And Also Starring
Kishibe Ittoku
as Mr. Terauchi
Bengaru
as Fujiwara Takayoshi
Negishi Kii
as Fujiwara Kimie
Omi Toshinori
as Fujiwara Sugimoto
Mizushima Kaori
as "Brother"
Takizawa Ryoko
as Hikichi Megumi
Shibuyama Chika
as Tomoto Yukiyo
Tane Rakuko
as Takumi's Mother
Tabata Ine
as Takumi's Grandmother
Amamiya Ryo
as The Fish Packer.
The Ventures
as The Ventures