Mushi-Shi (2005–2006): Season 1, Episode 26 - Sound of Stepping Grass - full transcript
When I was a child,
I always wondered about
the people beyond the valley mist.
They always appeared
before the May showers
and disappeared around
when the storms ended.
Hmm?!
Young master!
1 thought you'd be here.
The master is calling for you.
It's a beautiful shade of purple today.
It just looks like white mist to me.
You sure are an odd child.
Oh? It's already that time
when those people come, huh?
1 guess I should get
the storm shutters fixed.
Is it all right, Father, to let them
do as they please on our mountain?
It's not a big deal.
They won't do anything bad.
I heard that they've been
coming for a long time.
They chat with the mountain
guards and that's about it.
What exactly do they do?
I don't know exactly
what they do for living,
but they don't seem to request alms.
That's why I've never meddled
in their business that much.
They know a lot about foreign lands,
and people say they're interesting folk.
But they're still very
mysterious to us, so...
They might try to lay their
hands on the waterfall basin.
Why should we begrudge
the wanderers some water?
It's not as if they're routing the water
to rice fields like the villagers.
But ll don't like outsiders
coming in and out of there.
Taku, our family's heir shouldn't
be saying stingy things like that.
Just think of them as migratory birds.
Just let them do as they please.
Hm?
Hey, catch anything?
The fish can see you from there.
Don't take so many fish from here.
This is my family's mountain.
Are you... the Guardian here?
I'm the ownet's son.
Whoa...
Ohh... the son of the Guardian?
"Then I'll give them back.”
Or so I'd like to say,
but we want something to eat, too.
Could you spare a fish per person?
Well, I guess that would be okay.
Thank you.
I'll give the rest to the Guardian then.
My name is Isaza of the Watari.
I'll be staying here again for a while.
Pleased to meet you.
You sure are a strange one, though...
A son of the Guardian who's bad at fishing...
Oh my. You sure caught a lot today.
How should I cook them?
What's with him?
It's not always true that the son
of the mountain's owner is good at fishing.
Wo woah.
Looking closely, they're all over.
Hey, you liar.
I heard from my grandpa. Your father
isn't the Guardian of this mountain.
It's not a lie! My ancestors
bought this land little by little.
Bought?
Do you think that that makes
you the Guardian of this place?
This is not a place with which
people may do as they please.
We're not doing as we please.
This is a special mountain, isn't it?
The land in this area is fertile
because of this mountain,
so my family has been
protecting it all this time.
My father is the one who's preventing
everyone from damming that waterfall
and routing it to the village.
Were you told by a mushi-shi to do that?
Hm? Yeah, I believe that was it.
My ancestors were told
to do so by someone like that.
They said that if we didn't,
the mountain would become sick.
I see.
So this mountain is to you too...
Well... it's okay then.
1 was going to tell you to return the
fish from yesterday. Sorry about that.
Later then.
Wait.
If you gave them to me because of some
misunderstanding, I'll return them.
There's no reason for me
to take charity from you.
Anything yet?
Just wait a little longer.
I already have today's catch,
so it's all right.
I said wait.
Say, what's this Guardian
you guys're talking about?
It's that large catfish
in this waterfall basin.
Who decided that?
The mountain did.
Those who are to become Guardians are born
with grass somewhere on their bodies.
That's the marker.
Then I've seen him before. It's that
large catfish with the grass on his head.
Wow, I'm jealous.
Th-then have you seen the mist become
colored and swell as if it were alive?
Of course. This area is
the path of the light vein.
Huh?
The source of life runs through this land.
It mixes with the water,
evaporates, and becomes mist.
That's why the mist here has life.
That's why its color
and shape change by day.
You can tell the condition of
the land by looking at the mist.
Ah!
Quickly, quickly! Don't panic!
Shut up!
I'm rather short, but...
See you later.
I told you a lot of things I know,
so next time, tell me something on your side.
I don't know anything special.
Just anything ordinary is fine.
I find the things happening
in the village to be interesting.
Why, if it isn't the young master, Taku.
What's up? It's unlike you
to come to the parlor.
1 thought that I might be able
10 hear something interesting.
You came at the right time.
I was just telling the master
about my travels.
Please, have a seat.
Is that true?
Who knows? My uncle's stories
are always a bit exaggerated.
Oh, and he also said he saw a strange kid
in the town two mountains to the south.
He was about ten and had
white hair and green eyes.
He was missing one of them.
Hmm? Who could he be? A foreigner?
He said it didn't seem like that.
Hmm... two mountains to the south, huh?
That's in the path we take.
1 may be able to meet him.
Oh, that's right. The rainy season
will end soon. When are you leaving?
I don't know. My grandpa looks at
the mist every morning and decides.
How?
When it's bluish, the mountain's energy
is silent, so we can move swiftly.
When it's reddish, it's the opposite.
When it's golden, the mountain is in the
best mood, so that's the best day to depart.
I see... How carefree it sounds...
Are you jealous?
My future is already decided.
I'm going to live here and be concerned
with the land just like my father.
I'm jealous.
I see...
These maps show the movements
of the paths of the light vein.
I see. Then I'll take this map.
Thank you very much.
Oh, Isaza, your information helped out a lot.
I'm counting on you again.
Yeah.
That's how we make our living.
We sell information about
mushi-related rumors
and the movements of the paths
of the light vein to mushi-shi.
No one would feed us by
us just going around.
Then you should have said
so in the first place.
Then, I would've gotten
you that kind of story.
That wouldn't be good. If I don't
know what's "normal” in the village,
I won't know what's unusual.
And also I like to hear
about the village, so...
Never mind.
What do you mean, "Never mind"?
I mean, I got it already.
You're still sulking.
Shut up. Don't follow me.
I won't apologize. This is how I do things.
1 didn't ask you to apologize.
Eep! It flashed!
I wonder if the rainy season will
be over when this clears up...
It's hot.
Hm?
Isaza?
It's golden!
The following year,
they came around the same time.
But it seemed the group consisted of
different members than the year before.
Yeah, we picked him up.
That thing you told me
turned out to be true.
We found him wandering about the town.
He said he didn't have anywhere to go.
He looks strange, but he's a
nice guy. His name is Ginko.
I see...
1 don't think he'll be
with us for long, though.
He has a tendency to attract mushi.
It'll be harmful to either him or the light
vein if he stays around its path too long.
He'll likely be passed on to
a mushi-shi in the near future.
Fumi, what's wrong?
Young master!
The master... the master has...
As I said, it says in his will that
the entire mountain will go to Taku.
Auntie, but even so...
Can he handle this all by himself?
The village has expanded so much
that there's not enough water.
We've got to route the water.
If you leave it to us, we'll do a good job.
Taku...
Hey, Taku.
I heard from the mountain guards.
I'm sorry about your father.
You haven't been coming to
the mountain. Are you all right?
I... couldn't protect the mountain.
It was all taken up by my relatives.
Soon the waterfall will be dammed
and the mountain will be destroyed.
I'm sorry.
Taku, please listen.
There's something wrong with the
mountain. It won't calm down.
The ground is hot and it smells strange.
The animals are also leaving
and the light vein has begun to shift.
We too will move with it.
You guys be careful too.
You aren't going to come here anymore?
I don't know.
Say... Let me into your group.
I... don't want to stay here any longer.
Please take me, just like that guy Ginko.
I can see the colors of the mist too.
It doesn't matter that
I'm not real family, right?
None of us are related by blood.
Grandpa decides who comes with us.
I'll ask him. Come to
the fall tomorrow morning.
The mist is pure white.
There's definitely something wrong.
This never happened before.
Where's Isaza?
He left already.
You're lying! He...
It can't be helped since the light
vein began to move during the night.
Isaza asked me to tell you, "I'm sorry."”
They cannot defy the light vein.
Watari is a group
where those who were kicked out from
their villages due to mushi end up.
If you're like that,
you'll someday meet again.
You mean someone like you?
Hey, you. It's time to go.
I was kicked out once again, though...
Oh, he had something
else he had to tell you.
He said, "You'd all better
get away from here, too."”
From that day, the mountain's
mist was no longer colored.
Then half a year later...
The mountain spouted fire,
and those who had places
to go abandoned the village.
The mountain burned.
The waterfall dried up.
But the fall basin remained as a marsh.
One time, I saw the shadow
of a large catfish.
But I could no longer see the crown
of grass it once had on its head.
It's been a decade and a few years.
I've cleared the ash and planted trees.
The mountain recovered slowly, but
without the richness that it used to have.
And many of our children were born weak.
Isaza and the others would
probably know something.
It probably has something
to do with the light vein.
But how do I save them?
I don't even know how to find
Isaza and the others at this point.
The sound of footsteps on the grass
on the mountain still makes me twitch...
making me think that
they may have come back.
Taku!
Taku, good news!
There's someone at the lower house
who says he can cure our children.
All you have to do now is prepare
the medicine as I showed you
and have him take it once a day.
You're...
This land used to have
the path of the light vein,
but has since been abandoned.
Many mushi also moved with it,
but those who stay close
to people remained.
Could that be why
our children are weak?
Whoa... you seem to be quite
knowledgeable. That's about it.
You guys were born healthy with
the benefit of the light vein,
but your children weren't.
That medicine is mushi repellent
as well as nourishment.
They'll need it for a while.
I see.
Say, you don't seem to remember,
but I've met you before.
Huh? Sorry, ll don't remembervr.
Do you remember Isaza?
Yeah. Are you a friend of his?
He's still an acquaintance.
I heard about this place from him.
He said that you guys might
need medicine about now.
He's doing the same as usual.
I see... Then it's all right.
It's fine as it is.
Hm? A large catfish and
the shape of this marsh...
I've been here before, haven't 1?
Oh. It's him.
He and the mountain have changed
quite a bit, haven't they?
Don't you agree...
Mr. Ex-Guardian?
This world is full of life unknown to man.
-
I always wondered about
the people beyond the valley mist.
They always appeared
before the May showers
and disappeared around
when the storms ended.
Hmm?!
Young master!
1 thought you'd be here.
The master is calling for you.
It's a beautiful shade of purple today.
It just looks like white mist to me.
You sure are an odd child.
Oh? It's already that time
when those people come, huh?
1 guess I should get
the storm shutters fixed.
Is it all right, Father, to let them
do as they please on our mountain?
It's not a big deal.
They won't do anything bad.
I heard that they've been
coming for a long time.
They chat with the mountain
guards and that's about it.
What exactly do they do?
I don't know exactly
what they do for living,
but they don't seem to request alms.
That's why I've never meddled
in their business that much.
They know a lot about foreign lands,
and people say they're interesting folk.
But they're still very
mysterious to us, so...
They might try to lay their
hands on the waterfall basin.
Why should we begrudge
the wanderers some water?
It's not as if they're routing the water
to rice fields like the villagers.
But ll don't like outsiders
coming in and out of there.
Taku, our family's heir shouldn't
be saying stingy things like that.
Just think of them as migratory birds.
Just let them do as they please.
Hm?
Hey, catch anything?
The fish can see you from there.
Don't take so many fish from here.
This is my family's mountain.
Are you... the Guardian here?
I'm the ownet's son.
Whoa...
Ohh... the son of the Guardian?
"Then I'll give them back.”
Or so I'd like to say,
but we want something to eat, too.
Could you spare a fish per person?
Well, I guess that would be okay.
Thank you.
I'll give the rest to the Guardian then.
My name is Isaza of the Watari.
I'll be staying here again for a while.
Pleased to meet you.
You sure are a strange one, though...
A son of the Guardian who's bad at fishing...
Oh my. You sure caught a lot today.
How should I cook them?
What's with him?
It's not always true that the son
of the mountain's owner is good at fishing.
Wo woah.
Looking closely, they're all over.
Hey, you liar.
I heard from my grandpa. Your father
isn't the Guardian of this mountain.
It's not a lie! My ancestors
bought this land little by little.
Bought?
Do you think that that makes
you the Guardian of this place?
This is not a place with which
people may do as they please.
We're not doing as we please.
This is a special mountain, isn't it?
The land in this area is fertile
because of this mountain,
so my family has been
protecting it all this time.
My father is the one who's preventing
everyone from damming that waterfall
and routing it to the village.
Were you told by a mushi-shi to do that?
Hm? Yeah, I believe that was it.
My ancestors were told
to do so by someone like that.
They said that if we didn't,
the mountain would become sick.
I see.
So this mountain is to you too...
Well... it's okay then.
1 was going to tell you to return the
fish from yesterday. Sorry about that.
Later then.
Wait.
If you gave them to me because of some
misunderstanding, I'll return them.
There's no reason for me
to take charity from you.
Anything yet?
Just wait a little longer.
I already have today's catch,
so it's all right.
I said wait.
Say, what's this Guardian
you guys're talking about?
It's that large catfish
in this waterfall basin.
Who decided that?
The mountain did.
Those who are to become Guardians are born
with grass somewhere on their bodies.
That's the marker.
Then I've seen him before. It's that
large catfish with the grass on his head.
Wow, I'm jealous.
Th-then have you seen the mist become
colored and swell as if it were alive?
Of course. This area is
the path of the light vein.
Huh?
The source of life runs through this land.
It mixes with the water,
evaporates, and becomes mist.
That's why the mist here has life.
That's why its color
and shape change by day.
You can tell the condition of
the land by looking at the mist.
Ah!
Quickly, quickly! Don't panic!
Shut up!
I'm rather short, but...
See you later.
I told you a lot of things I know,
so next time, tell me something on your side.
I don't know anything special.
Just anything ordinary is fine.
I find the things happening
in the village to be interesting.
Why, if it isn't the young master, Taku.
What's up? It's unlike you
to come to the parlor.
1 thought that I might be able
10 hear something interesting.
You came at the right time.
I was just telling the master
about my travels.
Please, have a seat.
Is that true?
Who knows? My uncle's stories
are always a bit exaggerated.
Oh, and he also said he saw a strange kid
in the town two mountains to the south.
He was about ten and had
white hair and green eyes.
He was missing one of them.
Hmm? Who could he be? A foreigner?
He said it didn't seem like that.
Hmm... two mountains to the south, huh?
That's in the path we take.
1 may be able to meet him.
Oh, that's right. The rainy season
will end soon. When are you leaving?
I don't know. My grandpa looks at
the mist every morning and decides.
How?
When it's bluish, the mountain's energy
is silent, so we can move swiftly.
When it's reddish, it's the opposite.
When it's golden, the mountain is in the
best mood, so that's the best day to depart.
I see... How carefree it sounds...
Are you jealous?
My future is already decided.
I'm going to live here and be concerned
with the land just like my father.
I'm jealous.
I see...
These maps show the movements
of the paths of the light vein.
I see. Then I'll take this map.
Thank you very much.
Oh, Isaza, your information helped out a lot.
I'm counting on you again.
Yeah.
That's how we make our living.
We sell information about
mushi-related rumors
and the movements of the paths
of the light vein to mushi-shi.
No one would feed us by
us just going around.
Then you should have said
so in the first place.
Then, I would've gotten
you that kind of story.
That wouldn't be good. If I don't
know what's "normal” in the village,
I won't know what's unusual.
And also I like to hear
about the village, so...
Never mind.
What do you mean, "Never mind"?
I mean, I got it already.
You're still sulking.
Shut up. Don't follow me.
I won't apologize. This is how I do things.
1 didn't ask you to apologize.
Eep! It flashed!
I wonder if the rainy season will
be over when this clears up...
It's hot.
Hm?
Isaza?
It's golden!
The following year,
they came around the same time.
But it seemed the group consisted of
different members than the year before.
Yeah, we picked him up.
That thing you told me
turned out to be true.
We found him wandering about the town.
He said he didn't have anywhere to go.
He looks strange, but he's a
nice guy. His name is Ginko.
I see...
1 don't think he'll be
with us for long, though.
He has a tendency to attract mushi.
It'll be harmful to either him or the light
vein if he stays around its path too long.
He'll likely be passed on to
a mushi-shi in the near future.
Fumi, what's wrong?
Young master!
The master... the master has...
As I said, it says in his will that
the entire mountain will go to Taku.
Auntie, but even so...
Can he handle this all by himself?
The village has expanded so much
that there's not enough water.
We've got to route the water.
If you leave it to us, we'll do a good job.
Taku...
Hey, Taku.
I heard from the mountain guards.
I'm sorry about your father.
You haven't been coming to
the mountain. Are you all right?
I... couldn't protect the mountain.
It was all taken up by my relatives.
Soon the waterfall will be dammed
and the mountain will be destroyed.
I'm sorry.
Taku, please listen.
There's something wrong with the
mountain. It won't calm down.
The ground is hot and it smells strange.
The animals are also leaving
and the light vein has begun to shift.
We too will move with it.
You guys be careful too.
You aren't going to come here anymore?
I don't know.
Say... Let me into your group.
I... don't want to stay here any longer.
Please take me, just like that guy Ginko.
I can see the colors of the mist too.
It doesn't matter that
I'm not real family, right?
None of us are related by blood.
Grandpa decides who comes with us.
I'll ask him. Come to
the fall tomorrow morning.
The mist is pure white.
There's definitely something wrong.
This never happened before.
Where's Isaza?
He left already.
You're lying! He...
It can't be helped since the light
vein began to move during the night.
Isaza asked me to tell you, "I'm sorry."”
They cannot defy the light vein.
Watari is a group
where those who were kicked out from
their villages due to mushi end up.
If you're like that,
you'll someday meet again.
You mean someone like you?
Hey, you. It's time to go.
I was kicked out once again, though...
Oh, he had something
else he had to tell you.
He said, "You'd all better
get away from here, too."”
From that day, the mountain's
mist was no longer colored.
Then half a year later...
The mountain spouted fire,
and those who had places
to go abandoned the village.
The mountain burned.
The waterfall dried up.
But the fall basin remained as a marsh.
One time, I saw the shadow
of a large catfish.
But I could no longer see the crown
of grass it once had on its head.
It's been a decade and a few years.
I've cleared the ash and planted trees.
The mountain recovered slowly, but
without the richness that it used to have.
And many of our children were born weak.
Isaza and the others would
probably know something.
It probably has something
to do with the light vein.
But how do I save them?
I don't even know how to find
Isaza and the others at this point.
The sound of footsteps on the grass
on the mountain still makes me twitch...
making me think that
they may have come back.
Taku!
Taku, good news!
There's someone at the lower house
who says he can cure our children.
All you have to do now is prepare
the medicine as I showed you
and have him take it once a day.
You're...
This land used to have
the path of the light vein,
but has since been abandoned.
Many mushi also moved with it,
but those who stay close
to people remained.
Could that be why
our children are weak?
Whoa... you seem to be quite
knowledgeable. That's about it.
You guys were born healthy with
the benefit of the light vein,
but your children weren't.
That medicine is mushi repellent
as well as nourishment.
They'll need it for a while.
I see.
Say, you don't seem to remember,
but I've met you before.
Huh? Sorry, ll don't remembervr.
Do you remember Isaza?
Yeah. Are you a friend of his?
He's still an acquaintance.
I heard about this place from him.
He said that you guys might
need medicine about now.
He's doing the same as usual.
I see... Then it's all right.
It's fine as it is.
Hm? A large catfish and
the shape of this marsh...
I've been here before, haven't 1?
Oh. It's him.
He and the mountain have changed
quite a bit, haven't they?
Don't you agree...
Mr. Ex-Guardian?
This world is full of life unknown to man.
-