Yellow Tears (2007) - full transcript

In loving memory of Shinji Nagashima
and his work

I was 8 years old
when the war ended

Having lost everything and
mistrusting everyone,

there was still one thing that
inspired my friends and me

That was manga

"Lost World,"

"Metropolis,"
"Tunnel."

"Next World,"
"Jungle Emperor,"

"Princess Knight,"

"Astro Boy"

YELLOW TEARS



Late Spring, 1963

I haven't been up this early
in a long time

Sometimes. I go to sleep
at this hour

Dear Brother,

Thank you so much

Mom was really happy, too

Thanks to you, Mom finally
found the courage

to get the operation
in a hospital in Tokyo

Mom said she couldn't bear
to die in a strange place,

but if the doctor's
coming to pick her up,

then she really has to go

"Because I am no catch,"

"I gave her up."

"But still,"



"I long"

"for her"

Stinks

What is it?

- Cresol
- Cresol?

It's the hospital smell,
the doctor smell

I found it in the toilet

You're right,
it stinks of disinfectant

Yasuko

Brother

Mom, he's here

You look much better
than I thought

The doctor came
all the way to meet you

Dr. Mukai from
the Nitto University Hospital

It's them

Excuse me.
Which hospital are you from?

We're interns at Nitto University Hospital

We're here to take a critically ill
patient to our hospital

Mommy

Get me off this train, Eisuke

Doctor!

There's a special exit for emergency
patients over there

This way, please

The ambulance?

Right on time

Mom. We're almost there

Let me die in Uozu

Doctor!

Doctor!

I'll check her pulse

Please

Your pulse is normal

You have no fever

Where does it hurt?

Right here?

The pain will go away

Just a little longer

You can manage

Fill in her diagnosis and sign it

Yes

Is that German?

You need it in Japanese?

No, that's fine

Nitto University Hospital

Hey, give it here

Hey, you cheated!

You cheated!

I didn't really

You can't get hung up
on details

Hey guys

Thanks

Is it over?

We pulled it off

See you

I was a bundle of nerves
in that ambulance

Speaking of which,
what did you write?

The diagnosis, in German

"Danke shoen"

Danke shoen?

It means thank you

So here's your pay,
as promised

2.000 yen each

Thanks so much, guys.
You really saved me

Sure. No sweat

Tokie, 4 pork cutlet bowls

Any money in
the manga business?

Maybe in porn,
not in kids' manga

It's even worse for oil painting

Here you go

I'm glad you found work

Was this the place
you tried to eat and run?

Muraoka san covered for me

And dragged him
into the scheme

Why did you ask me?

I kept seeing you
at the coffee shop

You're always writing
at The Ship, right?

My novel
It's kind of long

You borrowed the paper from
Chie, that waitress,

and checked out
the Help Wanted Ads

I don't believe in
full-time employment

You're really going back
to Hokkaido?

Yeah

I'll keep singing,
because it's my life

Come back

I'll wait for you

Hey. Tokie

Stir-fried vegetables and
fried noodles

Shoichi

You'll write
from Hokkaido, right?

Sure. I will

I doubt we'll ever
see each other again

A singer, a painter, a manga artist
and a novelist

We're all going
our separate ways

But once we make it,
we'll see each other on the Ginza

Shoichi!

Here's some eats for the train

Rice balls

They're still warm

Let's see

The perfect snack

No you can't!
Put them back

It's all right
Thanks, Yuji

Twenty-five minutes...

Your mother's hands
were really warm

I'll never forget

Thank you, Mukai san

I took care of your mother,
as I couldn't for my own

Thank you. Shimokawa san

Take good care of her

Thanks, Shoichi

Load up your things
I'll take you to the station

You don't have to

I can't wait to hear
your new tune

I'm just a fan
of your melodies

See you

Bye

I'll write you

Two Months Later

Tokyo Books

It's kind of halfhearted

Well. I guess it'll do

OK, thank you

Let's see. That's 60,000 yen
for 3 books.

Minus your 10.000 yen advance

Thank you

Now. I can pay
my mom's hospital bill

Your mother's got it rough

Oh, right

Maestro Kajikawa praised
your artwork

Oh. I see

I have a Kajikawa script.
An action piece

Want the job?

I've got an assistant looking for work
He can help you... Yamakawa

Hello

That's not my style, anymore...

You're turning it down?

Impressive

Turning down a Kajikawa script

Next year, the bullet train
will start running

We'll host the first
Olympics in Asia,

and Japan takes the stage
as a world class country

What our readers want now,

are thrills, speed...

And sex

Enough of your
pretentious literary crap

Hello, everyone,
throughout Japan

We hope you'll enjoy our
Amateur Song Contest this afternoon

Today, Yamaguchi Toshio will be
playing the accordion

Now, let's start the contest
The first contestant, please

Song No. 1,
"Your Mother in Kudan"

Enough of your
pretentious literary crap

Goddammit

It's open

Hey

I made it

I finally made it

What's up? Lugging all
that stuff around

Muraoka san

Yes

Phone call, from the police

The police?

Don't tell me it's
about our little...

Impersonating a doctor, lying to the
station authorities. And that ambulance...

That was a full-fledged fraud

It's too late for your chatter

We have to vouch for his identity,
so he can get out

Two for Shinjuku

Why'd you get arrested?

I went to borrow some money,

from Yamagishi san.
Who's a really cool guy

But instead of money.

He gave me pictures

Pictures?

Oh. Chie, no big deal

Your boss misses you

You think so?

Sure

He's swinging his finger
He'll be crying soon

Pictures. You mean those...

"Say. Mister. I've got some
nice pictures. What do you say? '

'Special price of
1,000 yen per set"

I've got my pride,

and I tried to hold out

There's a limit to how much
experience a novelist needs

But you did it anyway

Hunger is the cruelest master

I should've just asked you

in the first place

Hey, wait

Wait, wait, not so fast

I've got to think

It's definitely time to think

I'm talking about dinner

So am I

Will you open the closet?

The closet

Oh. A fan

Let's turn that into dinner

Pawn Shop

980 yen. Huh?

Sorry

Here you thought
could count on me

But you can't

You sound defensive

Yeah

We're not trying to guilt you
about your mother

What's this?

Shoichi

Hey, what's up?

What are you doing here?

It was so boring back home

I came back

You came back?

Yeah

Well. Let's go

Akebono Apartments

Here you go

We couldn't wait

Tempura bowl

It's been 2 months

Wow. There's 2 shrimp

Didn't you say
4 tempura bowls?

Tokie, come here

Hurry

See?

Hey

Tempura...

You surprised me

Don't shock me like that

I want to give my music
another chance

Really?

This time, for real

You have my support

Dinner's on me...

Not for tonight

But I...

To celebrate your starting over

OK?

Sure

It's great to be back in Tokyo

He's a literary mouse

He's so smart
he's hard to catch

Delicious

This reunion calls
for a sake toast

Nice line. But you're broke

I've got a little cash

Think the liquor store's

still open?

Hey. Stray

Getting enough to eat?

How are you?
You look skinny

Muraoka san

Kaoru?

Are you married?

Nowhere near

There's a bookstore nearby

I've seen all your work

Here you are

Let me know when you're leaving

And you?

Aren't you drawing?

Nothing

Because you married?

I'm not talented

Have you seen
Maestro Samejima?

Not at all

I owe him too much money
to visit

I was happiest when we
were his assistants

After all.

We picked up all
our bad habits there

Drinking, smoking...

It was the first time for both us

Eisuke!

Muraoka san!

Did you find him?

The Ship is closed

He wouldn't run off
with the liquor money

I bet he got picked up
for questioning by the cops

In the old days, we'd be headed
for Shinjuku at this hour

"After it's exploded,"

"a volcano is just a mountain..."

Are you OK?

"Look up at the sky"

"and see all the stars"

"They're just up there,
beautiful,"

"they're just up there,
twinkling"

'Dear shooting star. Please"

"wipe the tears from her face"

"Just stay by my side"

"a gentle smile on your face"

Your songs are great. Shoichi

You're amazing,
writing a song like that

Truly incredible!
What incredible talent

Look at the 4 of us

A singer with dreams
of future stardom

A manga artist with
lyrical aspirations

A Japanese Van Gogh

And a future Nobel Prize
winning novelist.

Mukai Ryuzo

What's the big deal?

Haven't you figured it out?

The 4 of us are all artists

Wrong!

We're a bunch
of country bumpkins

Reality is harsh!

But just you wait
Things will change tomorrow

That's right, tonight is
a truly historic evening

Tonight will be celebrated

by future generations
as the moment when

great artists were hatched
from this shabby little salon

All right!

Once again,
celebrating this special night

Cheers!

Cheers!

All right, singer
Sing another song

Go, Shoichi!

Here goes!

"Climb one mountain,
up, over and away we go"

"Climb the next mountain.
Up, over and away we go..."

Shut up!

Shhh

Be quiet! Quiet!

Up, over and away...

What brings you here?

I was hoping I could work
on that Maestro Kajikawa script.

You mentioned the other day

Listen. A great opportunity like that
gets snapped right up

Some tea

Yes

And no advances

We're not well off enough to loan
money to people who don't draw manga

Thing is, I just got...

A roommate

A roommate?

- A girl?
- No. No

If it's pocket money you need,
I have a lead

I'll do it

Samejima

Maestro

Hey, where have you been,
Grand Maestro?

It's been awhile

You're going to be locked up
here a long time

You ready?

I'll do my best

Go Zero!

Sakaeya

Where's Tokie?

She's on a delivery
What about it?

Oh. Nothing

No more orders until
you've paid your tab!

What are you talking about?

You keep saying he's not there,
but that's impossible

This is a life or death situation here

He's Muraoka Eisuke and he's been
locked up working there

I told you. There's nobody by that
name here. Man. You're stubborn

Maestro! Maestro!

Hello? Hello?

Maestro!

Are you OK?

Hang in there, Maestro Samejima

What's wrong?

We've been up 72 hours

I'd like to collapse, too

Eisuke...

It's in your hands now

Maestro! Don't die now!

Playing dead is an old trick of his

It's our last resort

Sorry

Pawn Shop

Thanks

Shoichi san!

Hey, Yuji

How's your tune writing?
Let me hear a new one

Looking forward

Sure

Bye

When you think about it,

don't you think we'd make money
faster with some part time job?

No way

It's decadent for an artist to
work at anything other than art

I agree

This experience of poverty
is just the food

you need to sing with real soul

Beautiful

A beautiful painting

It's yours

When it's finished,
I'll give it to you

Please accept it

Pachinko Hall

Thank you

Go for it again, today
You'll hit the jackpot

Hey, lady!

Hey, lady!

Stop banging the machine

The balls are stopped here
Fix it

What did you buy?

It's all from Pachinko

Isn't tomorrow your day off?

That's right, why?

Want to go out on a date?

I'd love to

Where are you taking me?

I packed us lunch

I just sort of woke up early,
this morning

I'm Eisuke san's friend

No, really, just a friend

Eisuke san's under
a terrible deadline

Everyday,

people from the magazines
visit where he's staying,

and fight each other
over Eisuke san's manga

He's so popular

I'm so glad it worked

No, it is not

It's not right

You're right

She looked really sick

No doubt

She was way too sick
to operate on

I hate hospitals

I never even visited my own Mom,

when she was hospitalized
with a stroke

If I hadn't faked being a doctor,
I would've visited her myself

That's right

I feel ridiculous

Why are we having a picnic here?

Where are we?

Itabashi

Please do something

The printer can't wait anymore

I never imagined Maestro Samejima
would really collapse

A rice ball?

What if we miss
the printer's deadline?

You're in the home stretch

Maestro Eisuke, please!

You're almost done. Please

Now's your chance!

Go for it, Zero!

Go for it! Go for it!

Now's your chance, Zero!
Go for it, Zero!

I wonder how Mikako is

She's so cute

Her pale skin. Her long hair,

she's just perfect

Now's not the time

We're on the verge of starving

Cut the crap. This is hardly the time
to drool over a girl

Pork cutlet bowl

Tempura bowl

Chicken-egg bowl

Eel-egg bowl

Eel bowl

Egg bowl

Egg bowl sounds sort of pathetic

Really. That's all you got?

My fountain pen...

I'm sorry
That's the best I could do

Hey

My painting?

You thought I failed

Here you go!

10,000 yen notes!

I'll take 5.000 yen
as my commission

So. You painted that art?

Very impressive

I found a really great
art gallery

I figured I could get
at least 30.000 yen for it.

But they paid 40,000 yen for it

Fantastic

We can eat our fill

I can get my fountain pen back

My guitar, the clothes. The fan...

Amazing

I sold a painting

Amazing

Amazing

I never knew the guy
on 10.000 yen notes had a beard

He's got a good face

It's really impressive

I hear Van Gogh didn't sell
a single painting before he died

In a sense. You've
surpassed Van Gogh

Well, Van Gogh and I

have slightly different styles

Well, I'm off

Sir,

thank you so much

I'll be right back

Yamagishi san!

Can you please tell me which
gallery bought Kei's painting?

Why do you need to know?

Hey, kids

What day is today?

Yes. Today is July 21st
Summer vacation begins today

Today!

Two coffees, please

Tasty

Your pasta's delicious

Thanks

Sakaguchi's the best

Says, 'All Japanese must
be decadent"

So cool

Did you read it. Chie?

"On Decadence"

The one about 10 idiots?

Excellent!

Chie, you're really funny

You think?

Your potato sandwich
is perfect, too!

You guys managed to waste
close to 20,000 yen,

in a week?

We didn't just spend it
on food and drink

We got the fan,
our pants and the guitar,

back from the pawn shop

Things just added up...

We had to pay interest

And our tab at The Ship

A desperate struggle
lasting 17 days

My wages for working
without sleep or rest

Behold!

One. Two...

Three

Four. Five

Amazing, five 10.000 yen notes

Plus 4.000 yen

I've never seen so many
10,000 yen notes together

If you add my wages
to Kei's 16.000 yen,

we've managed to get a hold
of some real money

I propose that

as of tomorrow, we use this
to start life over again

No objections?

No objections, but...

It's a shame to be serious
in the face of all this cash

I say we head out to Shinjuku
and paint the town...

I hate to say this.

But you have no idea
what it means to make a living

Or about freedom

Freedom?

In any case,

let's go to the bath

I haven't had one in a week

Muraoka.

Just because you made a little money.
Don't get carried away

I agree

I may not know about making a living
but I certainly know about freedom

All right. Then tell me

What?

What is freedom?

Freedom is doing
what you please, as you please

Eisuke does manga,
Ryuzo does novels.

Shoichi does pop songs
I do oil painting

That's what I think freedom is

I agree

Therefore. We can't have
steady jobs

I refuse to sell my body
for money

That's what I just did

That's not true

You're a manga creator so
you went and drew manga

You made an independent
decision and choice

No! You just don't get it

Um...

Ultimately, what was that...
Starting life over?

That's right

Hey, Yuji

Evening

Going to the bath?

You guys. Too?

Let's go together

Sure

Don't misunderstand me

I take my freedom seriously. Too

But I want to feel genuine
about the manga I create

Right

But the stuff
I really want to create.

Doesn't sell

And if I race around
making money,

there's no time left
for my own work

So the problem is simple

Money solves everything,
as long as you start out with it

That's it

If you have some real money
to eat with, there's no problem

We can make freedom ours

This is our chance

A friend?

Sort of

Even if it only lasts
this summer...

What we all need now.

Is to experience what it's like
to commit ourselves to our respective

creative pursuits,
without worrying about money

That's right

I've got to totally dedicate

myself to my music,
and think of nothing else,

but my music

Shut up. You literary mouse

We've got 70,000 yen

But it won't last all
summer for the 4 of us

The rest of this month,
then August and September

It won't last 8 weeks

No way. No way

Not even if we survive
on 2 meals a day

But you can!
Sure, you can!

If you're serious.

And your wanting that freedom
is straight from your hearts

You can do it

Sure you can

Hearing what you all said,

moved my heart

Yuji

If we cook,
we might manage

Cook?

You've been eating out
3 meals a day?

Us, cook...

We have to

We can't live like this!

Get it together

I will

I'll get it together

I swear I will...

So here's your allowance until
September. 5.000 yen each

Here you go

29.500 yen left

I can keep it for you. But can you
really live on that to September?

We've paid 3 months rent
in advance,

including the electric
and water bills

We can pay off our coffee tab here

Please

Speaking of which, here's 400 yen
for today's meal

400 yen

Thank you

If you're going to cook, I assume
you've bought rice and miso, at least

You haven't?

What are you going to eat?

1,050 yen for 10 kilos of rice!

Gotta chip in from
our allowances

Maybe later...

Go for it, kid

Shit

I told you not to

Life is tough, huh?

Tough...

We should've bought some meat

Our first day... No supper

Everybody

Yuji

The rice isn't exactly new,
but it's still fine for eating

Wow! Thanks, Yuji

Thank you!

Saved!

A friend in need
is a friend indeed

Here you are

Thank you

Say

Did Shoichi say anything?

No, nothing

How do we cook it?

In this

We'll put a cutting board on top

You're hopeless

Sorry

Don't ask for more

Yes, thank you

Nothing beats the smell
of cooking rice

Hey, Shoichi

Tokie said she, ll be
waiting for you at 6PM

at The Ship the night
of the Star Festival

"My star-crossed beloved,"

"across the Milky Way..."

Tokie can be so sweet

Mommy, my allowance please!

Cheapskate!

"My heart feels"

"like it's tearing apart"

"It's filled"

"with thoughts of you"

'Wherever I go."

"I always think of you"

"Because I'm so..."

Stray. Are you getting
enough to eat?

"In love with you"

Persecuted Christians?

Tokie, this is on the house

Enjoy

Shoichi san's late

But it sounds like
an interesting theme

They're having a special
feature on Akira at...

A swindler on the run. Caught
cheating at a gambling den,

has his sister turn him in
for being a Christian

and he's imprisoned
That's how the story starts

He escapes the gangsters but won't
he be crucified as a Christian?

Didn't you know about
the image of Christ?

If you refuse to step on it
in court, you're crucified,

but if you step on it.
You're acquitted

He steps on the image of Christ?

That's what he thought

But in jail, he meets
a sweet Christian girl

and falls head over heels,
this swindler does

What an idiot

So. He wagers with the girl
They roll the dice

over whether heaven
really exists

The swindler controls the dice,
after all

Exactly. So for the sake of the girl.
He rolls the dice

to come out for heaven

Sartre's gamble. Right?

Exactly, existentialism

Let me take a look

'Apocalypse - the Image of Christ '

What. It's just the title page?

One step at a time

They're all waiting
for a weird sound

Here comes the weird sound

You ditched Tokie?

For me now,

she's a waste of time and money

What's up?

I brought sweet bean cakes
for you

So sweet. Thanks

I'd better go

Why? You came all this way

I'm going to Atami
with my husband

At this hour?

It's late

It's a quick drive

We just bought a car

Yeah?

Take care

Joji san

I'm going to start over again

Otherwise, I can't
live with myself

Will you wait for me?

See you

Akira!

Akira!

Tokie?

You alone?

You must be bored

Let's go to Shinjuku

There's this great place...

C'mon

"I've got nothing,"

"I'm useless, '

"But..."

Deadline!

"But my love for you..."

Hopeless

I can't do this

Giving up already?

I'll go play Pachinko

Don't tell me you're spending
our dinner money on Pachinko

That's right, 'cause you can't
make curry with 400 yen

100 yen to win
the curry sauce and the pickles.

And if I'm on a roll, tomorrow's
miso. Sugar and soy sauce,

and spend 300 yen
on meat and vegetables

Thanks for your hard work

A talent put to good use

"Figuring I'll grab one quick drink,"

"I wind up pub-crawling,"

'and find myself sleeping it off
on a station bench '

"This can't be good for my health"

"I know that, but I just can't quit"

"I know that, but I just can't quit"

I'm struggling with the ending

Welcome

Welcome, please have a seat

I'll have an ice coffee

One ice coffee, please

"I'm not saying this"

"out of anger"

"There're millions"

'of girls like her"

Hot!

Get the rag

What the hell!

It was supposed
to last us 3 days

Too late now

It's hot!
Can we still eat it?

Of course not!

Wipe it up

Hurry up!

What are you eating!

Wipe it off

What idiots

Welcome

hello

It's so hot

Three days' worth?

Got to shop ahead,
holidays coming up

Banana juice and a sandwich

Stock up on food
that won't perish

Are you closing?

I'll be here. But Chie's visiting
her folks, so I'll close the café

Where are you from?

"Odoma bon..."

You're from Kumamoto!
Can I join you?

My parents would be shocked

No, I'm serious
I'd like to meet them

You can't. I'm meeting
a potential fiancé

They sent me his picture
last month

He's kind of cute...

So, you're getting married

I want my folks to stop worrying

You really love your folks.

Don't you Chie?

You think?

Go shower your folks with love

I will

Nitto University Hospital

She's got 2 months, at best

Let her do whatever she wants

Fishing Strictly Prohibited

From Shimokawa Kei
Akebono Apartments #203

She refuses to spend the
summer holidays in the hospital

You'll get hungry

Gee. Thanks, man

Can you get tickets now?

You'll have to stand in line
all night

My sister wants to

I understand

It's my mother's last wish

We'll wait together

See you

Going home

Summer holidays and New Years.

Are rough

Tomorrow's train tickets and
express tickets

are now on sale

There's a limit of
2 tickets per person

I never should have
brought her

to a hospital in Tokyo

Mom said she's happy
she came

Really?

She said she never imagined
you'd look after her like this

You know.
Mom and I both know...

What?

About the people,

who helped get Mom from
the station to the hospital

Mom said,

she found out from the nurses

Mom wanted
to thank them for

their kindness and
asked for their names

The nurses said there
were no such people

Those people

are all your friends, right?

Mom...

must've been mad

No

She said Eisuke's lucky
to have such good friends

Mom...

was crying

I see...

Beach Blooms at Night

On the beach at 2AM

Surfing is all the rage now,
after the Twist

By day, they ride the waves,
at night, the rhythms

By 3AM, a daredevil fever

sets the late night on fire

It's not only parents who pray
that this beachside fever

doesn't spin out of control...

Here you are

Thanks

"Life never deceives man '

What?

'Life has never deceived a man"

What is that?

Something a famous
French guy said

Welcome

What'll it be?

Hello, delivery

Thanks

Your rice. Sir

Tokie san's been scarce,
these days

Can you hand these
to Tokie san?

She loaned them to me.
Way back

Not yet?

How long do we have to wait?

Enough already

Sorry, sorry, just wait

Yes?

Who's there?

Tokie's...

visiting

What do you want?

Maybe Tokie,

should go home tomorrow

You got that right, baby

Yes

Welcome home

I'm home

Welcome back

Breakfast will be ready soon

Great

Sorry. Guys

No big deal

Sex is boring

It's a letdown, afterwards

I really did meet someone,

in the Inokashira Park

and drew her figure
in this painting

But that was someone else

It's not you

I just don't think it's you

Unfortunately...

Shimokawa san

I don't mind at all

Even if this painting isn't of me,

I'm not at all disappointed

I doubt

the woman in this painting
actually exists

If she does exist,

it's only inside your heart

She lives in the world
of your sad imagination

I sought you out,

because this painting
fascinates me

Shimokawa san

I've taken a job

At a bar. Called Olympiad,

in Shinjuku

Why don't you guys
stop by sometime

You've gotten so pretty, Tokie

Take care

Married?

Yes

To that woman
who came to see you?

Yes

Actually, we were talking
at The Ship this whole time

And I realized that I need her

and she told me that she needs me

I figure I'll go for it

Right

Time for you to fly off

In any case,
I'll move out tomorrow

and start a new painting in
her country house in Karuizawa

Karuizawa...

Her country house...

Looking back,

I wish I hadn't sold that
painting Yamagishi san

got 40,000 yen for

Get her to buy it back

Which gallery did he sell it to?

I'll ask him, right away

I'd appreciate that

I hope the price hasn't gone up

Not much, at least

I can tell you now...

What's that?

A pawn tag?

"Mr. Yamagishi"

Yamagishi san didn't sell
your painting to a gallery,

he pawned it

He can talk anybody
into anything

This'll

be a bittersweet memory
of my youth

What a story

Yes. Who's there?

You?

You're all here

What's up?

Well...

Shimokawa san,

that woman you had
that long conversation with...

Yes, we're getting married

Oh...

You didn't know after all

It's true she studied
French literature

at some first rate university,

and it's also true her father
was an admiral in the Navy

After he died in the war,
her family was reduced

to selling off their large
property piece by piece

After her fiancé died on a snowy
mountain, she's never been the same

These days, she greets

dejected young men
at the train station at sunset,

and offers to marry them

I've...

had it

"The frog walked on,
through the wind '

"I've been wondering
for the longest time,"

"what is the purpose, '

"of my life here"

"I never knew"

"Now."

"Finally,
I think."

"I do"

Wow

This is the masterpiece you
spent your whole summer on?

I can't take on this
kind of masterpiece

If you keep on writing
children's manga like this,

you really will run out of work

Hello

Hey!

Yamakawa

Hello

Already finished?

Yes

Oh. Hello

Get him some tea

No. Wait

Would you prefer coffee?

The gallies are in and
everyone loves them

Oh, really?

Maestro Kajikawa's thrilled
Wants to work with you again

That's wonderful

Let's see your new work

What'll it be Ma'am?

Two jam-rolls

What are you writing?

My will

Your will?

I'm stepping out

He's been depressed ever since

He hasn't touched his paints

I wonder where
he goes everyday

Ryuzo, how much is your
favorite fountain pen now?

None of your business

And you, isn't it about time

you played us
a zippy new song?

A telegram for Eisuke!

"Mother near death"

"Come home now"

"Yasuko '

Olympiad

Your friends still living with you?

Yeah

You're an odd duck

Letting 3 grown men stay
in that tiny apartment

You'll run out of oxygen

I'll ask them to move out
before long

Would you mind taking Shoichi?

I don't care who. Just find a lover

No point being lonely together

Isn't it easier
being lonely alone?

No?

How's things, Tokie?

Oh, welcome

- So?
- A beer

Get me one. Too

She's right

Maybe it's easier.

Being alone

Thank you

Here, sir

Take this

Thanks a lot

There's no point

in the 4 of us

living together

anymore...

Please move out

I'll say it

Move out tomorrow!

I'm serious

Let me be alone...

We packed your bag

Your train ticket to Uozu,

and a little cash

If you hurry,
you'll make the midnight train

The Ship guy packed
a sandwich for you

I'm sure your mother's waiting

Hurry

Here,

read this on the train

Thank you so much

for all you did

I'll never forget,

the summer we spent,

in your place

It's very sudden.

But I bid my farewell

with this letter

Do you remember?

When you came back

from your assistant's job
in July?

Back then,

you asked us,
"What is freedom?"

I remember that I told you,

freedom is doing
what you please, as you please

Eisuke does manga,

Ryuzo does novels,

Shoichi does pop songs

I do oil painting

Now summer's over,

and I've quit painting

just like Ryuzo's
given up writing

How ironic that
our season of doing

what we please has caused us
to abandon just that

We can't just live for
paintings and novels

If someone's there, we can't
help but do something for them

When we're alone,

we step out to find company

We're just weak willed,

ordinary human beings

We were just
ordinary human beings

There'll never

be a summer like this again

Never again, will we shed,
the tears

we cried this summer

Never again

In parting,

I'll let the French poet
Ryuzo taught us about.

Express our words of farewell

In the face of my life

all I can do is panic,

such is my useless

and pathetic youth

Now,

what we acquire along
with our first wrinkle

is our trust in life,

this consent.

And this smile

which says,

Friend,
I know all about you

Looking back. We will learn

Life never deceives man

Life...

has never deceived man

I say it again

Thank you so much

for all you did

Thank you

Hey. Stray

How've you been?

See ya

Come in

This man came to see you
last week

When I told him you'd gone home to
your sick mother, he said he'd be back

"Nishigaki Tsutomu, '

'Manga King? '

How's your mother?

She died

Can't beat cancer...

Evening

Your sister?

She'll move in with our relatives
and go to a dressmaking school

Your family's all scattering

See you

Thanks for this

Nishigaki...

I'm not saying this because
my husband works there,

but Manga King
is a reputable magazine

A series in that magazine,

isn't something most people
would turn down

I know why you turned it down

It bothers you. Right?

What kind of woman,

would persuade her husband
to give her ex-lover a chance?

But for me, it's very clear

I'm in love with my husband

and with your talent

Say,

I'll see you to the station

The next contestant, please

Number 13.
"Raining Again"

Shoichi?

What is it?

"My heart feels
like it's tearing apart"

"It's filled"

"with thoughts of you"

"I've got nothing"

"I'm useless"

"But my love for you"

"is stronger than anyone"

Thank you
The next contestant, please

Do you really want
to make it in manga?

I want

to have more faith
in my own vision

No,

I want to believe in manga

It's funny. Right?
You think it's funny

Your husband is
an incompetent editor

That's why I turned the offer down
That's all

Thank you
You really sang your heart out

Please tell us your name
and where you're from

I'm Kiyama Masako,
from Saitama

Saitama is a large prefecture
Where exactly are you from?

And now, finally, welcome
the Japanese athletes

The young Japanese athletes

are proud and confident.
Their hearts set on glory

This is the 18th Olympiad,
in Tokyo, Japan.

In the name of peace, love
and courage

Two years later - Summer

After that, we only
got together once

We had a reunion

"Private Party"

I might be going to New York

You're having a good time

Ryuzo was
an automatic doors salesman

Nagashima san's pleased

Which Nagashima?

He plays for the Giants

Kei manages a club in Akasaka

What about you, Shoichi?

I work for a construction company...

Shoichi's in construction.
Building highways

And Maestro Muraoka?

Don't call me Maestro

Are you still living there?

There was just one

surprising piece of news

Yuji

There's your Daddy

Yuji and Tokie
had gotten married

Tokie was already a mother

YELLOW TEARS

KAZUNARI NINOMIYA

MASAKI AIBA

SATOSHI OHNO

SHO SAKURAI

JUN MATSUMOTO

Yu Kashii

Hanae Kan

Mai Takahashi

Kin Sugai

Kotaro Shiga

Hirotaro Honda

Tomoko Tabata

Chieko Matsubara

Executive Producer:
Julie K. Fujishima

Producers:
Hiroaki Miki
Kazuteru Harafuji
Taro Nagamatsuya

Based on a comic by Shinji Nagashima

Screenplay by Shinichi Ichikawa

Cinematographer:
Takahiro Tsutai

Lighting Director:
Yoshitake Hikita

Sound Mixer:
Junichi Shima

Art Director:
Norihiro Isoda

VFX Supervisor:
Nobuaki Koga

Editor:
Soichi Ueno

Casting:
Tsuyoshi Sugino

Production Supervisor:
Hiroko Nakamura

Music Producer:
Shin Yasui

Music:
SAKEROCK

Theme Song:
"NAMIDA NO NAGARE-BOSHI '
song by ARASHI
written by youth case

In Association with
Johnny & Associates

A Tiger Child Pictures
(IMJ Entertainment Inc.) Production

J Storm Presents

Directed by Isshin Inudo

English subtitles: Linda Hoaglund