Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - The Story of the Mysterious Tunnel/Ice Cream Truck - full transcript
You wanna explore the tunnel?
Uh...
What's wrong? Are you scared?
Nah, we're not scared of anything. Right?
Mm-mmm...
Great, then it's settled.
Everyone, go grab some flashlights,
then meet at the entrance.
You should come too, Goro.
Wait, isn't that the tunnel
where Goro's mom went and, uh...
I... Uh, I forgot!
That might be all the more reason
for you to come, then.
All right... Let's head in.
Y... yeah.
- Hey, don't push me!
- I didn't!
Would you shut up?
Hey. Hide. How far in do you wanna go?
I've heard there's something weird
near the middle of the tunnel.
Uh, wait. What do you mean,
something weird?
How should I know?
That's why we're going!
It would've been nice to hear
about that before we came in.
Don't be such a baby. Let's go.
Look at that.
What could have scratched
the ceiling like that?
I don't know. But I don't like it.
Something fell on my head!
Here! Blood? Is it blood?
What?
Why would it be blood? It's just water.
Screw you, weirdo! You got me spooked,
sayin' all that weird stuff!
- Hey, guys...
- Hmm?
Look there. What's that?
What?
Big brother?
Mari! Is that you?!
Wh... what are you doing
in a place like this?
I have no idea. I'm just here.
I'm so scared!
Big brother, what's happening?
Nobody would ever come to this place
without knowing how they...
Come on. We're going home.
- Hey, Dad.
- Is Mari asleep?
Yeah. But she has a fever.
She should probably stay home
from school tomorrow.
I see.
She doesn't remember
how she got there. Strange.
People say that tunnel
has a way of luring people in, but...
So, have you... talked to Mari yet?
You know, about Mom?
No. Nuh-uh.
Look after her. I'm worried about her.
Sure. Huh?
It's snowing...
It'll pile up by tomorrow.
"STORY OF THE MYSTERIOUS TUNNEL"
MOURNING
I'm home.
Goro, have you seen Mari around?
Huh? She stayed home from school, right?
Yeah. But when I looked
a minute ago, her futon was empty.
The tunnel You don't think she...
I don't know.
But it's terrible for her to be walking
around in weather like this with a fever.
I'll go see if I can find her.
You stay here at home, okay?
He's been gone way too long.
That's Dad's, all right.
Dad, you there?
Dad, you there? Dad, you there?
Cosmic-Ray Observatory? What is... that?
Mari!
Mmm?
Tell me,
do you know this young woman?
Mari's my little sister.
My dad.
He should have stopped by here. Did he?
Your father? He hasn't come here.
Huh? That's kind of weird...
The tunnel keeps going
a good way beyond this, right?
Yes, this lab is more or less
the middle of the tunnel.
- He could be on the other end!
- Eh, I don't think he'd be up ahead.
We would've noticed
if someone passed by here.
But that doesn't make any sense!
I didn't pass him or anyone on the way,
and I found his flashlight on the ground.
I don't think there's harm
in investigating the rest of the tunnel.
Koyama, would you mind driving him to
the other side to search for his father?
Not at all, Professor.
I'm sure you'll find that he's not here.
What's that? Are you injured?
- There's blood on your cheek.
- Huh?
Would you mind slowing down a bit
so I can look?
Yeah, sorry.
We're almost at the other entrance.
I only see tire tracks
from the car we arrived in this morning.
No footprints, either.
I'm turning around to head back.
No way. That's weird. So weird...
Maybe... maybe Dad disappeared
somewhere inside the tunnel.
I'm sure you'll find he's at home already.
By the way,
what exactly is a Cosmic-Ray Observatory?
Cosmic-rays rain down on us from space,
and we investigate that type of radiation.
As radiation, it has the ability
to pass through our bodies like an X-ray.
Of course, they can pierce the mountains
and come flying into the tunnel.
Old tunnels like this are often used
to observe similar types of phenomena.
I don't really understand,
but okay.
That you, Dad?
Oh...
Uh-huh.
Big brother, I'm terrified...
Why do I come down here?
I don't understand it at all.
Mari...
Tell me, Goro, do you have any relatives?
Anyone that you and your sister
can stay with
until your father is located
and returns home?
I have an aunt in Tokyo. I can ask her.
What's the meaning of this?
Damn it! This research is futile!
I find no malfunctions,
but the data is a complete mess!
Professor! Hold on, are you all right?
Yes, thanks.
I've noticed I've felt strangely fatigued
since we started
coming down to this tunnel.
That's strange.
My body's been feeling sluggish and heavy
over that same timeframe.
Fascinating.
Agreed. There's definitely
something going on here.
Professor!
You need to come take a look at this!
The commemorative photo
we took the other day was developed.
What in the world
is all that, Ishikura?
It looks like a bunch of unidentified
somethings flying through the tunnel.
And to my eye, at least,
they have human-like characteristics.
Whatever they are, they're passing
through us as easily as X-rays do.
Indeed. These do look human.
What in the world are they?
Could they be ghosts?
Impossible!
There's no such thing.
Perhaps all the abnormal data
we've gathered
gives credence to their existence?
What if it's true? If these things have
actually been passing through our bodies?
It would explain why we share
the symptoms of radiation poisoning.
This is all just conjecture,
but it may be dangerous
to stay down here
for long periods of time.
COSMIC-RAY OBSERVATORY
CLOSED TILL FURTHER NOTICE
It's me, Koyama from the Cosmic-Ray
Observatory. Please come right away!
Hurry! There's a huge issue here and...
Goro...
Goro!
Goro!
The professor and Ishikura...
They were human! I see them flying around!
Amazing! They're passing
right through the walls!
Uh... And somehow, I... I'm sinking
right through the hard ground!
So hard to believe... I don't understand!
How are we being sucked
right through this hard surface?
Help me, please...
They're gone.
Goro!
We decided to stay away,
but we came here again!
It's as if this place is drawing us in!
Big brother, I'm scared...
I'm scared!
Huh?
Mari!
Mari! Mari! Mari!
Miss Koyama! Hurry!
Goro, hold on, something is...
Miss Koyama!
- I feel like something's following us.
- Huh?
Big brother, help me!
Koyama, wait! Don't leave us!
Aah!
Miss Koyama!
Big brother!
Help me, please!
"ICE CREAM BUS"
Ice cream! Cool and delicious!
- How about some ice cream?
- Hey, Dad. Can you buy me some ice cream?
Sorry, but no.
- It's time for dinner.
- Single file, okay?
- Where are we going today?
- Let's see... Where should we go?
Somewhere fun!
- Take care.
- Bye, Mom!
Remember, we're having dinner
when you get back.
- Uh...
- Oh! You two just moved here, right?
I'm Sonohara.
Where exactly are the children going?
This kind ice cream man started coming
to this housing complex every Saturday,
starting a month ago.
The children look forward to spending some
of their Saturdays with him each week!
To answer your question, I take them
on a roundabout tour of the city
while eating ice cream,
then return here.
Just a little something fun
for the children.
Okay, I'll be taking care of them
for a bit now.
I wanted ice cream!
Come on, are you still pouting?
All the other kids had some.
It's not fair.
Eat your dinner. It's getting cold.
The meals you make taste like hot garbage.
That's not the least bit true.
Ah! Yes!
Oh, it's so delicious!
I wanted ice cream, and you're mean!
I want Mom!
I'd rather be with her!
- Tell me, Tomoki...
- What is it?
Would you really rather live
with your mom, like you said?
Oh. Hey, it's the ice cream bus!
Right, today's Saturday...
Ice cream. Ice cream!
It's cool and delicious!
How about some ice cream?
All right.
How about we get some ice cream?
Huh? Really?
I want cookies and cream!
- What would you like?
- Chocolate!
Hello, welcome.
What can I get for you today?
One chocolate ice cream,
please.
Sure.
Okay, let's get lined up.
We'll be leaving soon.
Tomoki, want to ride on the bus with them?
Can I?
Of course, if you promise to eat
the dinner I'll make us when you get back.
Mmm!
I'm home!
- Dad! The ice cream bus was amazing!
- Hmm?
There was this huge pile
of strawberry ice cream inside.
Everyone licked it!
- We had a licking race, even!
- Huh?
That's why my tongue is all red, you see?
Aaah!
What happened to your chocolate ice cream?
I ate that, too.
You'll upset your stomach
eating like that.
- I'm totally fine! I don't need dinner!
- Hey! You promised me you'd eat it!
I'm too full already!
I should've known.
A huge pile of ice cream?
I gotta be more careful.
Oh!
Crap.
Hey, I'm home!
Huh?
Do it again!
Guess he made some friends
on the bus ride.
Today's guest
is the talented Terumi Fujino,
popular in music and on variety shows!
Hello!
Tomoki, you haven't said anything
about wanting to go be with Mom lately.
Well, of course not.
The ice cream bus doesn't go
anywhere near where Mom's place is.
Hmm?
Let's go!
See ya later, Dad!
Heading on now!
Bye, Mom! Love you!
Uh, excuse me, sir?
I'd like to board with the children,
if that's all right?
I'm terribly sorry,
but I cannot allow adults to board.
Oh, I see.
What is this crap?
This is bizarre. Wait a minute, what...
Hmm?
So weird.
Hey, I'm home!
Tomoki?
Are your friends here?
It seems kinda quiet if they are...
Kenichi is vanilla.
Takeshi is chocolate.
Kazuyuki is strawberry.
And Daisuke turned into yogurt.
Guess all my friends melted away.
What did you say?
They taste good.
Just stop it!
You shouldn't be licking that!
Ah...
Ice cream... Ice cream...
It's amazing.
The red ink turns black when it dries.
Good, good. That's good for me.
Hmm, where does
this poignant smell of iron come from?
Oh well.
And what's that thing with my face
that's flying around?
I must write down every little thing
I see and hear with the ink.
Oh, but there's no paper...
Uh...
What's wrong? Are you scared?
Nah, we're not scared of anything. Right?
Mm-mmm...
Great, then it's settled.
Everyone, go grab some flashlights,
then meet at the entrance.
You should come too, Goro.
Wait, isn't that the tunnel
where Goro's mom went and, uh...
I... Uh, I forgot!
That might be all the more reason
for you to come, then.
All right... Let's head in.
Y... yeah.
- Hey, don't push me!
- I didn't!
Would you shut up?
Hey. Hide. How far in do you wanna go?
I've heard there's something weird
near the middle of the tunnel.
Uh, wait. What do you mean,
something weird?
How should I know?
That's why we're going!
It would've been nice to hear
about that before we came in.
Don't be such a baby. Let's go.
Look at that.
What could have scratched
the ceiling like that?
I don't know. But I don't like it.
Something fell on my head!
Here! Blood? Is it blood?
What?
Why would it be blood? It's just water.
Screw you, weirdo! You got me spooked,
sayin' all that weird stuff!
- Hey, guys...
- Hmm?
Look there. What's that?
What?
Big brother?
Mari! Is that you?!
Wh... what are you doing
in a place like this?
I have no idea. I'm just here.
I'm so scared!
Big brother, what's happening?
Nobody would ever come to this place
without knowing how they...
Come on. We're going home.
- Hey, Dad.
- Is Mari asleep?
Yeah. But she has a fever.
She should probably stay home
from school tomorrow.
I see.
She doesn't remember
how she got there. Strange.
People say that tunnel
has a way of luring people in, but...
So, have you... talked to Mari yet?
You know, about Mom?
No. Nuh-uh.
Look after her. I'm worried about her.
Sure. Huh?
It's snowing...
It'll pile up by tomorrow.
"STORY OF THE MYSTERIOUS TUNNEL"
MOURNING
I'm home.
Goro, have you seen Mari around?
Huh? She stayed home from school, right?
Yeah. But when I looked
a minute ago, her futon was empty.
The tunnel You don't think she...
I don't know.
But it's terrible for her to be walking
around in weather like this with a fever.
I'll go see if I can find her.
You stay here at home, okay?
He's been gone way too long.
That's Dad's, all right.
Dad, you there?
Dad, you there? Dad, you there?
Cosmic-Ray Observatory? What is... that?
Mari!
Mmm?
Tell me,
do you know this young woman?
Mari's my little sister.
My dad.
He should have stopped by here. Did he?
Your father? He hasn't come here.
Huh? That's kind of weird...
The tunnel keeps going
a good way beyond this, right?
Yes, this lab is more or less
the middle of the tunnel.
- He could be on the other end!
- Eh, I don't think he'd be up ahead.
We would've noticed
if someone passed by here.
But that doesn't make any sense!
I didn't pass him or anyone on the way,
and I found his flashlight on the ground.
I don't think there's harm
in investigating the rest of the tunnel.
Koyama, would you mind driving him to
the other side to search for his father?
Not at all, Professor.
I'm sure you'll find that he's not here.
What's that? Are you injured?
- There's blood on your cheek.
- Huh?
Would you mind slowing down a bit
so I can look?
Yeah, sorry.
We're almost at the other entrance.
I only see tire tracks
from the car we arrived in this morning.
No footprints, either.
I'm turning around to head back.
No way. That's weird. So weird...
Maybe... maybe Dad disappeared
somewhere inside the tunnel.
I'm sure you'll find he's at home already.
By the way,
what exactly is a Cosmic-Ray Observatory?
Cosmic-rays rain down on us from space,
and we investigate that type of radiation.
As radiation, it has the ability
to pass through our bodies like an X-ray.
Of course, they can pierce the mountains
and come flying into the tunnel.
Old tunnels like this are often used
to observe similar types of phenomena.
I don't really understand,
but okay.
That you, Dad?
Oh...
Uh-huh.
Big brother, I'm terrified...
Why do I come down here?
I don't understand it at all.
Mari...
Tell me, Goro, do you have any relatives?
Anyone that you and your sister
can stay with
until your father is located
and returns home?
I have an aunt in Tokyo. I can ask her.
What's the meaning of this?
Damn it! This research is futile!
I find no malfunctions,
but the data is a complete mess!
Professor! Hold on, are you all right?
Yes, thanks.
I've noticed I've felt strangely fatigued
since we started
coming down to this tunnel.
That's strange.
My body's been feeling sluggish and heavy
over that same timeframe.
Fascinating.
Agreed. There's definitely
something going on here.
Professor!
You need to come take a look at this!
The commemorative photo
we took the other day was developed.
What in the world
is all that, Ishikura?
It looks like a bunch of unidentified
somethings flying through the tunnel.
And to my eye, at least,
they have human-like characteristics.
Whatever they are, they're passing
through us as easily as X-rays do.
Indeed. These do look human.
What in the world are they?
Could they be ghosts?
Impossible!
There's no such thing.
Perhaps all the abnormal data
we've gathered
gives credence to their existence?
What if it's true? If these things have
actually been passing through our bodies?
It would explain why we share
the symptoms of radiation poisoning.
This is all just conjecture,
but it may be dangerous
to stay down here
for long periods of time.
COSMIC-RAY OBSERVATORY
CLOSED TILL FURTHER NOTICE
It's me, Koyama from the Cosmic-Ray
Observatory. Please come right away!
Hurry! There's a huge issue here and...
Goro...
Goro!
Goro!
The professor and Ishikura...
They were human! I see them flying around!
Amazing! They're passing
right through the walls!
Uh... And somehow, I... I'm sinking
right through the hard ground!
So hard to believe... I don't understand!
How are we being sucked
right through this hard surface?
Help me, please...
They're gone.
Goro!
We decided to stay away,
but we came here again!
It's as if this place is drawing us in!
Big brother, I'm scared...
I'm scared!
Huh?
Mari!
Mari! Mari! Mari!
Miss Koyama! Hurry!
Goro, hold on, something is...
Miss Koyama!
- I feel like something's following us.
- Huh?
Big brother, help me!
Koyama, wait! Don't leave us!
Aah!
Miss Koyama!
Big brother!
Help me, please!
"ICE CREAM BUS"
Ice cream! Cool and delicious!
- How about some ice cream?
- Hey, Dad. Can you buy me some ice cream?
Sorry, but no.
- It's time for dinner.
- Single file, okay?
- Where are we going today?
- Let's see... Where should we go?
Somewhere fun!
- Take care.
- Bye, Mom!
Remember, we're having dinner
when you get back.
- Uh...
- Oh! You two just moved here, right?
I'm Sonohara.
Where exactly are the children going?
This kind ice cream man started coming
to this housing complex every Saturday,
starting a month ago.
The children look forward to spending some
of their Saturdays with him each week!
To answer your question, I take them
on a roundabout tour of the city
while eating ice cream,
then return here.
Just a little something fun
for the children.
Okay, I'll be taking care of them
for a bit now.
I wanted ice cream!
Come on, are you still pouting?
All the other kids had some.
It's not fair.
Eat your dinner. It's getting cold.
The meals you make taste like hot garbage.
That's not the least bit true.
Ah! Yes!
Oh, it's so delicious!
I wanted ice cream, and you're mean!
I want Mom!
I'd rather be with her!
- Tell me, Tomoki...
- What is it?
Would you really rather live
with your mom, like you said?
Oh. Hey, it's the ice cream bus!
Right, today's Saturday...
Ice cream. Ice cream!
It's cool and delicious!
How about some ice cream?
All right.
How about we get some ice cream?
Huh? Really?
I want cookies and cream!
- What would you like?
- Chocolate!
Hello, welcome.
What can I get for you today?
One chocolate ice cream,
please.
Sure.
Okay, let's get lined up.
We'll be leaving soon.
Tomoki, want to ride on the bus with them?
Can I?
Of course, if you promise to eat
the dinner I'll make us when you get back.
Mmm!
I'm home!
- Dad! The ice cream bus was amazing!
- Hmm?
There was this huge pile
of strawberry ice cream inside.
Everyone licked it!
- We had a licking race, even!
- Huh?
That's why my tongue is all red, you see?
Aaah!
What happened to your chocolate ice cream?
I ate that, too.
You'll upset your stomach
eating like that.
- I'm totally fine! I don't need dinner!
- Hey! You promised me you'd eat it!
I'm too full already!
I should've known.
A huge pile of ice cream?
I gotta be more careful.
Oh!
Crap.
Hey, I'm home!
Huh?
Do it again!
Guess he made some friends
on the bus ride.
Today's guest
is the talented Terumi Fujino,
popular in music and on variety shows!
Hello!
Tomoki, you haven't said anything
about wanting to go be with Mom lately.
Well, of course not.
The ice cream bus doesn't go
anywhere near where Mom's place is.
Hmm?
Let's go!
See ya later, Dad!
Heading on now!
Bye, Mom! Love you!
Uh, excuse me, sir?
I'd like to board with the children,
if that's all right?
I'm terribly sorry,
but I cannot allow adults to board.
Oh, I see.
What is this crap?
This is bizarre. Wait a minute, what...
Hmm?
So weird.
Hey, I'm home!
Tomoki?
Are your friends here?
It seems kinda quiet if they are...
Kenichi is vanilla.
Takeshi is chocolate.
Kazuyuki is strawberry.
And Daisuke turned into yogurt.
Guess all my friends melted away.
What did you say?
They taste good.
Just stop it!
You shouldn't be licking that!
Ah...
Ice cream... Ice cream...
It's amazing.
The red ink turns black when it dries.
Good, good. That's good for me.
Hmm, where does
this poignant smell of iron come from?
Oh well.
And what's that thing with my face
that's flying around?
I must write down every little thing
I see and hear with the ink.
Oh, but there's no paper...