Jun. 17th, 2013 10:21 pm
Amachan: Week 12 (Episode Guide) Part 1
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earth_colorsWeek 12."I'm going to Tokyo!" Part 1
"I have no intention of letting her go."
Episode Summaries:
Ep. 67. Natsu the Narrator: "Since she arrived in Kitasanriku a year and a month ago, the day has come at last for Aki to leave this place." She has reached the main station where Yoshida is singing a song about Tokyo(1) while closing up. Aki tries her best not to be seen by him. But as she tries to exit the building, she spots Hiroshi at the Tourism Office, keeping an eye out on the nearby bus terminal like a hawk, using a pair of binoculars...
Up at the Tourism Office, Shiori tells Hiroshi that the two will not likely run way at this time of the night. Sugawara: "Yeah. Of all things, why would they use a late-night bus." Hiroshi: "It could be Yui's way to outsmart us." Shiori: "You do think of your little sister, huh?" Hiroshi says he's not thinking of Yui. "Is she wants to go, she can go. But Aki-chan... This town needs her." Hearing that, Shiori, feeling heartbroken, tries to hold back her frustration by biting on her hankie. Sugawara: "Look Adachi-kun! Kurihara-chan is so jealous she's biting her hankie like crazy!" Hiroshi ignores it and refuses to look away from the window. "But I really don't want Aki-chan to go!" Meanwhile, Aki retreats back into the station, tiptoeing carefully so as not to attract Yoshida who is inside his booth. Aki hears a soft female voice behind her: "Is he still watching?" It was Yui, hiding in one corner wearing dark shades. "Jeh!" "Hush!" Yui pulls her inside her hiding place. Yoshida singing another Tokyo tune, locks up his booth, turns off the lights at the station's lobby, and goes inside the Rias shop. Haruko and Yayoi are manning the Rias shop, with Atsushi, Daikichi and Ben as customers. Yoshida, coming in, declares that the last train has arrived and he is done locking up. Yayoi: "Yes! We now can only worry about the late night bus after this." Daikichi says Hiroshi is keeping an eye in that area. But Yoshida says not to worry for he believes that Yui, the Miss KitaTetsu, will not resort to riding the bus, "the evil symbol of motorization." The others notice that he's in a good mood today. "Because my mom called and says (giggles) we're having maki-sushi (hand-rolled sushi) for dinner tonight." Everyone becomes quiet all of a sudden and stares at him. Yoshida: "Areh? Why the sudden mood shift? Don't you guys like hand-rolled sushi?" Daikichi: "No, we like it." Yoshida: "Right? Somehow, there's no one who doesn't like it." Haruko: "You live with your parent, Yoshida-kun?" Yoshida: "Yes. There's three of us, me, Mom and my sister." Ben: "You have a sister?" Yoshida: "Yeah. She's ugly though." Awkward silence. Yoshida: "And! Her name's Yui! LOL! So funny!... Ah! (He suddenly stands up) I forgot to buy radish sprouts lol!" Outside, at the darkened lobby, Yui asks Aki if she's hungry. Aki: "No, just ate unidonburi. Oh, I ate yours, too. Sorry." Yui (laughs): "Unidonburi huh. Wonder if I won't be eating it anymore..." There's a strange look on Aki's face, as Yui's remark sinks in. They stop talking as Yoshida comes out of the shop. He passes without noticing them while singing Yoshi Ikuzo's famous 1984 song about wanting to go to Tokyo. Yui: "I hate that song". Aki: "Are we going to hide here throughout the time?" Yui: "But if we go out, he'll spot us." At the Tourism Office, the guys are still at it: Hiroshi guarding the bus terminal; Shiori gnashing her teeth on her hankie; and Sugawara calling on Hiroshi to take a look at Shiori. "Look, Adachi-kun, so funny! (To Shiori) Knock it off! A hankie is not food. Well, here's some mayo if you're gonna eat it anyway." Yoshida comes back, passing the two girls again, this time singing Boφwy's "No.New York". He's bringing in a case of beer and disappears inside the shop. Yui: "Thought he'd be singing another song about Tokyo." Aki: "Hey, Yui-chan..." Yui: "No. If you're not going, then I'm not leaving either." Aki: "I'm going, too. Don't worry." Yui: "Sorry... You know? Our highschool had a field trip in Tokyo before." Aki: "Jejeh! So you went to Tokyo before?" Yui: "I slipped in the bathtub and had a fracture. I wasn't able to go. But on the contrary I'm glad I didn't. Going to Tokyo for the first time on a school trip, isn't it lame? Going there with all those hill-billy high school kids who don't know the difference between Komazawa and Komaba(2)... it's rude to Tokyo." Yoshida (suddenly comes out): "Oh, c'mon, Yui!!" He is apparently talking to his sister on the phone. Ben had also come out and went inside the men's restroom. The girls try their best to hide. Yoshida continues: "At this late hour, you're gonna change it to chirashi-zushi(3)?! Don't just change your mind like that! Put Mom on the phone!" He goes back to the shop. Yui: "What was I saying? Oh, right... Well, Tokyo is special for me." Aki: "It's exactly the opposite for me. I'm gonna tell you this early on, that when I go to Tokyo, I'll be a different person... I won't be talking much. I won't be saying 'Jejeh'! Basically I will speak very formally! I'll only eat once a day! My walking speed will increase by 150% and become constipated! I'll write negative kind of poems. I'll be talking to trees and flowers everyday." As Aki is talking, Ben had come out of the toilet and discovers them. Yui and Aki look at him and implore him to not say anything using their eyes and hand gesture. Ben reluctantly nods. He is so surprised and confused on what to do, he wordlessly goes back to the shop, and furiously polishes his amber. Aki: "He saw us!" Yui: "It's okay. It's almost 9 already. Let's go... (She stops) But before that, can you call Stove? We can't get on the bus as long as that guy's watching." Hiroshi's phone rings. It is Aki on the other end. "I have something to ask you..." Hiroshi: "Where are you right now?" Aki: "Home, home, I'm at home!... Um, can you please turn on your TV?" Hiroshi: "TV? Why?" Aki: "There's a program I want you to see." Hiroshi, not moving away from the window, asks Sugawara to turn on the TV at the office. Hiroshi (To Aki): "It's on." Yui who has been watching Hiroshi up from the window of the station says, "No use, he's still looking over here." Next, Aki asks him to get some mayo from the fridge. Hiroshi: "Mayo?" Coincidentally, Shiori has mayo with her and gives it to him. He tells Aki: "Yep, got it." Yui: "No good, he didn't move an inch." Hiroshi, finally sensing something fishy asks Aki, "Are you really at home?" While the phonecall was happening outside, the guys inside the shop are consoling a disappointed Yoshida who was really looking forward to eating makisushi at home. The others: "But chirashi-zushi is not that bad, right? And maki-sushi is like 'short-cut cooking', isn't it?" Yoshida: "Our maki-sushi is not made by hand." Yayoi: "What? What do you use then... Your feet? lol." Yoshida: "A rolling machine. You put the rice, and ingredients on the nori, then you place them on a conveyor belt and it'll roll it up automatically... There IS a machine like that, you know!" Haruko: "Then it's not a "hand-rolled sushi" lol!" Yoshida notices Ben is not saying anything. "What is it, Ben-san? If you have something to say, spit it out, Ben... Ben Affleck!" Ben (still furiously polishing amber): "Out... Side... Outside." Others: "Outside?" Back to the girls, Yui tells Aki to give up persuading Hiroshi. "Just before the bus leaves, let's try to chase it and jump in." Then to her surprise, Aki shouts on the phone. "Stove-san! I don't wanna go to Tokyo! I want to stay here forever! (Yui tries to grab her phone) Please help me! The truth is I really don't wanna run away from home!" Hiroshi: "Don't worry, Aki-chan. I'll be right over! Where are you? Are you alright?" He rushes out to go to her. Aki sees him finally leaving the window, and calmly says to Yui: "Let's go." Yui: "WHAT?!" They head out the door and dash towards the bus terminal. They jumped in a bus that's about to leave. Just then, Daikichi comes out of the shop. He looks at the empty lobby and says "Don't tell me..." At the shop, Haruko receives a call from Natsu to inform her that Aki is missing. "I've looked! In her room... in the workshed!... Yes, Ama Cafe? No, no, I called but nobody's answering. Can you try looking for her there?... I'll also go out and see." Then, Daikichi comes back inside the shop with Hiroshi, shouting: "They ran away! They jumped in the bus and left!" Inside the moving bus, Yui is jubilant. "Aki-chan, we did it!" Aki smiles and sits down. Yui: "You surprised me, thought you didn't want to run away but you were just acting. You're amazing, Aki-chan. You CAN become an actress!" But Aki, sensing something off, stands up. Yui asks her what's wrong. Aki: "Is this bus really going to Tokyo?" The bus driver answers, "Huh? This is not bound for Tokyo. Its final stop is the old Sodegahama Fishing Cooperative." Meanwhile, Natsu is at the Ama Cafe, looking for Aki. She sits in the dark, sadly thinking that Aki had already ran away from home.
(1. In this episode, Yoshida is singing several songs about Tokyo: Pizzicato Five's "Tōkyō wa yoru no shichiji kashi" ("It's 7pm in Tokyo" or "The Night is Still Young"); Maekawa Kiyoshi's "Tokyo Sabaku" (Tokyo Desert); and Yoshi Ikuzo's "Ora Tōkyō sa iguda (Imma headin' to Tokyo)")
(2. Komazawa is Komazawa University while Komaba is where Tokyo University is located)
(2. Chirashi-zushi = vinegared rice with thin strips of egg, pieces of raw fish, vegetables and crab meat arranged on top)
Ep. 68. Members of the K3NSP converge for a meeting to discuss the recent running away incident of Yui and Aki. "By bus, of all things," Daikichi the moderator says, "The late night bus!" Yui is there, along with her father, Isao. Daikichi continues: "It was Yui-chan's second attempt... And this time, even Aki-chan had sided with her in running away from home. Fortunately, the bus they got on was bound for Sodegahama." Isao: "Somehow, I'm sorry." Haruko (standing up, mad): "'Somehow'?" Sugawara tells Haruko not to blame their former teacher. Rokuro who is sitting next to Ben says, "Yeah. It's the fault of this here Ben-san's fake disciple," and Yoshida agrees. Ben, while polishing his amber, apologizes: "Somehow, I'm sorry." Rokuro: "Don't say 'somehow'! Apologize properly! And stop polishing that amber!" Haruko: "By the way! Where's Aki?" She's told that Natsu had asked to borrow Aki. Haruko: "Why?" Daikichi: "She says this is also the problem of the Ama Club. If you're in the meeting with Aki, you might hit her again..." At the Ama Cafe, Aki's seniors are gathered, assuring her that she has nothing to be worried about. "Your mom is at the Tourism Office. We know you're in a great deal of shock." Natsu says if she runs away, it will be a big blow, not just for the Ama Club but for the Tourism Assoc. too. "And above all, you have broken the trusting relationship among Ama members by running away! It's a serious penalty!" Sugawara asks Shiori to compute the estimated loss if Yui and Aki leave town. However, the figure is probably so shockingly high, that instead of saying it, a painful, scrunched up look appears on her face. Sugawara gives her a consoling hug: "Ah! Enough, Kurihara-chan! We understand!" Isao: "The depth of the wrinkles between her eyebrows says it all." Daikichi: "70% of the KitaTetsu's passengers are tourists. If we lose them (looks over at Haruko) it'll be painful." Haruko: "Hey, don't look at me." Rokuro: "The damage will also affect the Fishery Co-op. We don't have enough yet to pay for the monthly loan for the 20 million we borrowed to renovate the Ama Cafe." Yoshida and Daikichi look again at Haruko: "It's painful!" Haruko: "Quit looking at me when you say 'painful'!" Ben tries to say something about amber but Rokuro cuts him off. "Amber doesn't matter in this case! (He stands up to address everyone) Anyway, with the part-time rookie Amas, our payments have also piled up. This year we have to increase the price of one uni to 600 yen. It's imperative that we increase the share to the Fishery Co-op!" While he's talking, Ben slips lots of pepper (probably cayenne) in Rokuro's tea. Back to the Ama-sans, Aki answers her seniors' questions. She tells them she was going to Tokyo to become an idol. Tamako somehow laughs at the thought. They tell Aki not to get her hopes up just because a scout had given her a business card. Aki: "But the president of that office spoke to the two of us on the phone." Amas: "Jejeh!" At her end, Yui is also telling them about Futomaki's phonecall to them. "That's why I decided that we go. We had no time to explain the situation to everyone, so in a way, I planned to explain it all later and get an approval once it's been done... I'm sorry." She bows her head to them. Natsu to Aki: "We understand if you want to run away to Tokyo. But about being an idol... even us oldies in the countryside can understand, so you should have talked to us. I don't understand why you kept quiet about it, Aki." As Aki seems silent at her end... Yui meanwhile isn't having difficulty explaining herself. "It is my childhood dream, I will not give up even if you stop me." The others tell her how important she and Aki are to the town. "'Shiosai no Memory' is our third billboard sign aside from the Northern Ama and the KitaTetsu!" Yui: "I have thought about it! Certainly, if we leave, the tourists will decrease temporarily. But I think we can do PR for the town even when we're in Tokyo. Kitasanriku will instead become even more popular! Rather than waiting here for tourists, it would be more effective if we go to Tokyo and invite people from there." Sugawara: "Dammit, she has a good point." Yui: "When Aki and I are in Tokyo, we will actively promote Kitasanriku to the whole country." Others: "Jejejeh!" Aki: "Jejeh alright! But instead of us saying 'Jejeh, Jejeh', it'll be Tamori-san or Akko-san who'll be saying 'jejeh'! And to make them love eating our mamebu and sea urchins! Put the sea urchin on my shoulder ready to be eaten any time..." Yoshida: "That doesn't sound like an idol." Yui: "With our name the JJ Girls, we will make 'jejeh' win the grand prize for buzzword of the year. So please, allow us!" Isao: "My child is one formidable negotiator." Aki finally speaks up. "I'm a bad person... Because I changed my mind... I said I won't return to Tokyo, then I'm saying I'm going back..." Katsue: "You also wanted to be an Ama, and then a Nambu Moguri." Aki: "But I AM serious. But, if I say it, you might get mad..." Natsu assures her they won't. "I like doing Ama but... if not now, then I won't be able to be an Idol. If Yui-chan and I go to Tokyo, I don't know if I can become an idol.. but now's the only time to find out if I can do it!" Misuzu: "What will happen if you do become one?" Aki: "Of course I will return and go back to diving! I AM an Ama! But it's not for the town or the people. It's because I want to dive. That's why I dive. Just like what Grandpa said. He goes on a voyage for a long time so he can tell Natsu-bappa that this is the best place in the whole wide world. 'This is the best place in the world.' I’m going to Tokyo to tell everybody that." The Amas tell her to go for it. "You should dive because you want to dive. We wake up early in the morning, bearing the cold sea... we tell ourselves we're doing it for the town or for our families but it's a lie. We dive because we love it! That's basically it." But Aki says: "But if I go, the tourists will..." Tamako: "Right. At least dive until September." Katsue: "No, she should go now." Tamako reminds them that they still have to pay the loan for the renovation costs. But the Amas say they'll work something out, and that one person missing will not make the Ama Club disappear. "We've lasted for 40 years! And besides, Aki's not the only Ama, we've got other successors! Plus Hanamaki-chan's daughters, too!" Tamako's daughters Suzu and Koto declare that they, too, want to be an Ama like Aki. They finally turn to Natsu who has been quietly listening for some time. "We ask you to let her go." Natsu nods and says, "Aki, you can go to Tokyo. I will persuade the people of the town." Back at the Tourism Office, Haruko has spoken. "I do understand Yui-chan's feelings to join the entertainment world. You should go to Tokyo if you want to." Daikichi: "Haru-chan!" Haruko: "However, I don't want you to involve Aki. When she came to the countryside, she was finally able to break out of her shell. If she returns to Tokyo, she'll go back to her plain, gloomy self who lacks ambition, coordination..." "Aki-chan!" Daikichi notices Aki, standing by the door. "Is your meeting with the Ama Club over? Come in, come in." She comes in followed by the rest of Ama-sans in full uniform. "Jejejeh! Wha-what's happening?" Natsu: "We are the Sodegahama Ama Club." Rokuro: "We already know that, what do you want?" Natsu: "We came in support of Aki." The moment of truth has arrived. "Among these greedy grown-ups," Natsu the Narrator says, "...in the middle of all of them... standing tall like a boss-character... the Mom who has a look as cold as ice... Can Aki tell all her feelings to her mother?" Then, the tense moment is broken by gagging cries from Rokuro, who had just drank his pepper-spiked tea. "Arrgh~! Spicy... so spicy!!"
Ep. 69. "Continue! Please continue!" Rokuro says, with tears in his eyes. Hiroshi and Yoshida tell Aki that everyone here is shocked that's why Rokuro is probably feeling 'emotional.' "He's like the 'Naita Aka Oni'(1)." Rokuro drank even more of the tea and he went out of the room, screaming. "AAARGH~!!" Aki feeling sorry to see the Fishery President, says: "I didn't know he'd cry like that!"
Asked by Natsu, Aki and Yui apologize again to everyone for trying to run away that night. Natsu: "Now, Haruko, apologize properly to Aki for hitting her." Haruko: "What, now?" Natsu says such a thing will remain lingering badly in the air if not addressed properly. "So you should apologize in front of everyone." Haruko: "Sorry." Natsu: "Can't hear you." Haruko: "I am very sorry." Aki nods at her mother.
Natsu then asks Daikichi what had transpired so far in their meeting. Daikichi says they have explained the situation to Haruko and Congressman Adachi. Haruko: "Yeah. We understood very well that what's important for everyone is the immediate profit, and that somehow Aki and Yui-chan's future doesn't matter." Daikichi: "Stop it, Haru-chan! We're not using the two to make money!" Haruko: "You're not?" Daikichi: "No, we're no-- (Natsu is glaring at him) Okay, we are! But please think about it!" He explains by way of a 'Jejeh' analogy. That when Yui had made the struggling railway a popular line, it became a 'Jeh!' When Aki transformed Sodegahama from a slow business to a famous tourist spot, it became a 'Jejeh!" "But we shouldn't be satisfied with just 'Jejeh!'... We should all aim for 'Jejejejeh!'" Isao: "The greed of humans knows no bounds."
Haruko: "I said to her this should have ended in the parlor train last March." Natsu: "So you hit her right?" Haruko: "I just want her to live a straightforward life. What I say may not sound convincing but... I don't want to see her get hurt when she goes out to the finicky world of show business."
Natsu: "So to summarize: Haruko is thinking of her daughter's future; For Daikichi, it's for the money. (Turning to Isao) What about you, Sensei?" Isao: "Well, both me and my wife have discussed that we want her to finish high school. Afterwards, since it's her life, she can do what she likes so she won't have any regrets." Hiroshi (muttering): "You didn't say that about me during MY time." Isao: "You be quiet."
Everyone begins arguing again and trying to reiterate their respective stands until Natsu tells them to shut up. "All of you are only thinking of yourselves! You guys should repay these two girls. Their future should not be sacrificed by a bunch of greedy grown-ups."
Haruko slow-claps Natsu's speech, and laughs bitterly. "Nice speech, Natsu-san. I wish you've told me that when I was leaving... They were there back then, too, right? All these greedy grown-ups..."
The Ama-sans: "Haru-chan!"
Haruko: "If you told them that, at that time, my life would have been different now."
Natsu: "Haruko, are you gonna bring that up again?"
Haruko: "Or if you said, 'Don't go!' or tried to stop me, my life would also have been different."
Natsu: "You can say that now... You can look back and talk with hindsight... That’s why you can say that... Back then, you were only looking forward. You would never listen to me back then, right?"
Haruko: "Maybe you're right. Maybe not. But I will stop her. If she wants to leave, I'll go after her with all my might! I can't let her go knowing she will be hurt. I'm not laid back like you!"
Natsu: "You and Aki are different."
Haruko: "What?!"
Natsu: "Enough. That's all I wanted to say. Let's call it a night. Let's all go on home."
Before the Amas could go, Aki thanks each of them profusely for everything they had done for her. "If Yui and I go to Tokyo, we'll be alright!" Natsu and the others smile and leave.
At the snack bar, Daikichi feels miserable and insists on drinking alcohol (Oolong High). Ben hears someone beside him order for coffee and looks to see who it is. It is Takuma, polishing amber beside him like nothing happened. But the others don't hear or notice him at all. Haruko says she's leaving early because she's going to have a proper talk with Aki about her future. Isao comments that Aki's thank you speech earlier was pretty good. Hiroshi: "She has grown to be more resolute this past year." Haruko: "Yeah. Well, it IS frustrating. But I should also say thank you. Daikichi-san! Thank you." "Mmm, me?"
Meanwhile, Ben is trying to tell the others that Takuma is present but they ignore him. Finally Sugawara and Yoshida see him too. "Jeh!" Just then, Misuzu comes in saying sorry she's late. Haruko: "It's okay. Be leaving now, take care of things. (Whispering) Give him (Daikichi) only Oolong Tea." She goes out the door while Daikichi who thinks he's drinking Oolong High orders some more. Misuzu: "Sure! Who else wants to order anything?" She spots Takuma. "Taku-chan!" Everyone looks at Takuma. Haruko peeks from outside the window: "Did I just pass by Mizuguchi?!" Takuma stands up and bows to them. "Good evening." Daikichi, standing up all wobbly says, "You bastard, how dare you come here!" He tries to hit him but his fist could not somehow connect. "How are you dodging my punches?!" Takuma: "I wasn't dodging." Yoshida (to Daikichi): "Told you not to drink alcohol anymore." Haruko: "He wasn't drinking! I only gave him Oolong Tea!" Finally realizing he's not drunk, Daikichi at last gives Takuma a knockout punch.
Hiroshi calls Aki (who is with Yui at home) to tell her that Takuma is at the Rias, and got punched by Daikichi. Aki: "Is he here to pick us up?" Hiroshi: "I don't know yet. I'll call you later once we talk to him."
Misuzu is applying ice on Takuma's face. He gets up and says he's fine. Daikichi also apologizes to him for hitting him. Takuma says he has come in behalf of his boss, Futomaki. "Rather than an audition, he wants to talk to them about becoming talents under Heartfull Agency." Haruko asks why didn't Futomaki come over here instead.
Takuma: "He saw the Amasonic the other day and really liked them even more. He was impressed with the climax of the event... It's exactly like our GMT47 project..."
Haruko: "GMT? (Takuma says it stands for 'Jimote') Oh, it's a pun. Continue."
Takuma: "Currently, we've gathered 16 idol groups throughout the country... Is it okay if I tell you who they are?.. From Shizuoka: Chabashira Pinpin Musume(2)"... From Fukushima: Akabeko, Aobeko(3)"... From Fukuoka, Oyafuko Dolls(4)..."
The others (uninterested): "Never mind."
Takuma: "The chosen members are already in Tokyo, receiving training at the theater in Ueno. So as members of GMT..."
Haruko: "GMT?"
Takuma: "It's a lousy pun, I know."
Haruko: "You know, you say you’re here to apologize and discuss but you'll reply with a snappy comeback so quick. You have no personality... You're no good!"
Takuma: "lol People often say that about me."
Haruko: "(mockingly laughs) That's not the point! You're really a shady guy who cannot be trusted at all!"
Misuzu: "Oh, well, I'm okay with that." Haruko gives an irritated "Tsk!" and glares at Misuzu.
Takuma: "I know you don't trust me but I am also serious. I can't step back now."
Haruko: "I'm going to talk to her today. She is planning to go to Tokyo no matter what. I have no intention of letting her go. I wonder who will win~?" She leaves.
At home, Aki and Yui await anxiously for any news.
(1. "The Red Ogre Who Cried" = 1933 children's storybook by Hamada Hirosuke)
(2. "Chabashira Lively Daughters" = Chabashira is good luck sign of a tea stalk floating erect in one's cup; as mentioned earlier, Shizuoka is famous for their tea)
(3. "Red Cow, Blue Cow" = Akabeko is a traditional toy of a cattle or ox from the Aizu region)
(4. "Oyafuko Dolls"= named after famous street in Fukuoka, that teems with shops and clubs; the girls in the anime are dressed up in the costumes of local delicacies: pork ramen, cod roe, yuzu pepper, Niwaka crackers)
Next: Week 12 Part 2
Previous: Week 11 (Part 2)
Episode Index: Link
Character Guide: Link
"I have no intention of letting her go."
Episode Summaries:
Ep. 67. Natsu the Narrator: "Since she arrived in Kitasanriku a year and a month ago, the day has come at last for Aki to leave this place." She has reached the main station where Yoshida is singing a song about Tokyo(1) while closing up. Aki tries her best not to be seen by him. But as she tries to exit the building, she spots Hiroshi at the Tourism Office, keeping an eye out on the nearby bus terminal like a hawk, using a pair of binoculars...
Up at the Tourism Office, Shiori tells Hiroshi that the two will not likely run way at this time of the night. Sugawara: "Yeah. Of all things, why would they use a late-night bus." Hiroshi: "It could be Yui's way to outsmart us." Shiori: "You do think of your little sister, huh?" Hiroshi says he's not thinking of Yui. "Is she wants to go, she can go. But Aki-chan... This town needs her." Hearing that, Shiori, feeling heartbroken, tries to hold back her frustration by biting on her hankie. Sugawara: "Look Adachi-kun! Kurihara-chan is so jealous she's biting her hankie like crazy!" Hiroshi ignores it and refuses to look away from the window. "But I really don't want Aki-chan to go!" Meanwhile, Aki retreats back into the station, tiptoeing carefully so as not to attract Yoshida who is inside his booth. Aki hears a soft female voice behind her: "Is he still watching?" It was Yui, hiding in one corner wearing dark shades. "Jeh!" "Hush!" Yui pulls her inside her hiding place. Yoshida singing another Tokyo tune, locks up his booth, turns off the lights at the station's lobby, and goes inside the Rias shop. Haruko and Yayoi are manning the Rias shop, with Atsushi, Daikichi and Ben as customers. Yoshida, coming in, declares that the last train has arrived and he is done locking up. Yayoi: "Yes! We now can only worry about the late night bus after this." Daikichi says Hiroshi is keeping an eye in that area. But Yoshida says not to worry for he believes that Yui, the Miss KitaTetsu, will not resort to riding the bus, "the evil symbol of motorization." The others notice that he's in a good mood today. "Because my mom called and says (giggles) we're having maki-sushi (hand-rolled sushi) for dinner tonight." Everyone becomes quiet all of a sudden and stares at him. Yoshida: "Areh? Why the sudden mood shift? Don't you guys like hand-rolled sushi?" Daikichi: "No, we like it." Yoshida: "Right? Somehow, there's no one who doesn't like it." Haruko: "You live with your parent, Yoshida-kun?" Yoshida: "Yes. There's three of us, me, Mom and my sister." Ben: "You have a sister?" Yoshida: "Yeah. She's ugly though." Awkward silence. Yoshida: "And! Her name's Yui! LOL! So funny!... Ah! (He suddenly stands up) I forgot to buy radish sprouts lol!" Outside, at the darkened lobby, Yui asks Aki if she's hungry. Aki: "No, just ate unidonburi. Oh, I ate yours, too. Sorry." Yui (laughs): "Unidonburi huh. Wonder if I won't be eating it anymore..." There's a strange look on Aki's face, as Yui's remark sinks in. They stop talking as Yoshida comes out of the shop. He passes without noticing them while singing Yoshi Ikuzo's famous 1984 song about wanting to go to Tokyo. Yui: "I hate that song". Aki: "Are we going to hide here throughout the time?" Yui: "But if we go out, he'll spot us." At the Tourism Office, the guys are still at it: Hiroshi guarding the bus terminal; Shiori gnashing her teeth on her hankie; and Sugawara calling on Hiroshi to take a look at Shiori. "Look, Adachi-kun, so funny! (To Shiori) Knock it off! A hankie is not food. Well, here's some mayo if you're gonna eat it anyway." Yoshida comes back, passing the two girls again, this time singing Boφwy's "No.New York". He's bringing in a case of beer and disappears inside the shop. Yui: "Thought he'd be singing another song about Tokyo." Aki: "Hey, Yui-chan..." Yui: "No. If you're not going, then I'm not leaving either." Aki: "I'm going, too. Don't worry." Yui: "Sorry... You know? Our highschool had a field trip in Tokyo before." Aki: "Jejeh! So you went to Tokyo before?" Yui: "I slipped in the bathtub and had a fracture. I wasn't able to go. But on the contrary I'm glad I didn't. Going to Tokyo for the first time on a school trip, isn't it lame? Going there with all those hill-billy high school kids who don't know the difference between Komazawa and Komaba(2)... it's rude to Tokyo." Yoshida (suddenly comes out): "Oh, c'mon, Yui!!" He is apparently talking to his sister on the phone. Ben had also come out and went inside the men's restroom. The girls try their best to hide. Yoshida continues: "At this late hour, you're gonna change it to chirashi-zushi(3)?! Don't just change your mind like that! Put Mom on the phone!" He goes back to the shop. Yui: "What was I saying? Oh, right... Well, Tokyo is special for me." Aki: "It's exactly the opposite for me. I'm gonna tell you this early on, that when I go to Tokyo, I'll be a different person... I won't be talking much. I won't be saying 'Jejeh'! Basically I will speak very formally! I'll only eat once a day! My walking speed will increase by 150% and become constipated! I'll write negative kind of poems. I'll be talking to trees and flowers everyday." As Aki is talking, Ben had come out of the toilet and discovers them. Yui and Aki look at him and implore him to not say anything using their eyes and hand gesture. Ben reluctantly nods. He is so surprised and confused on what to do, he wordlessly goes back to the shop, and furiously polishes his amber. Aki: "He saw us!" Yui: "It's okay. It's almost 9 already. Let's go... (She stops) But before that, can you call Stove? We can't get on the bus as long as that guy's watching." Hiroshi's phone rings. It is Aki on the other end. "I have something to ask you..." Hiroshi: "Where are you right now?" Aki: "Home, home, I'm at home!... Um, can you please turn on your TV?" Hiroshi: "TV? Why?" Aki: "There's a program I want you to see." Hiroshi, not moving away from the window, asks Sugawara to turn on the TV at the office. Hiroshi (To Aki): "It's on." Yui who has been watching Hiroshi up from the window of the station says, "No use, he's still looking over here." Next, Aki asks him to get some mayo from the fridge. Hiroshi: "Mayo?" Coincidentally, Shiori has mayo with her and gives it to him. He tells Aki: "Yep, got it." Yui: "No good, he didn't move an inch." Hiroshi, finally sensing something fishy asks Aki, "Are you really at home?" While the phonecall was happening outside, the guys inside the shop are consoling a disappointed Yoshida who was really looking forward to eating makisushi at home. The others: "But chirashi-zushi is not that bad, right? And maki-sushi is like 'short-cut cooking', isn't it?" Yoshida: "Our maki-sushi is not made by hand." Yayoi: "What? What do you use then... Your feet? lol." Yoshida: "A rolling machine. You put the rice, and ingredients on the nori, then you place them on a conveyor belt and it'll roll it up automatically... There IS a machine like that, you know!" Haruko: "Then it's not a "hand-rolled sushi" lol!" Yoshida notices Ben is not saying anything. "What is it, Ben-san? If you have something to say, spit it out, Ben... Ben Affleck!" Ben (still furiously polishing amber): "Out... Side... Outside." Others: "Outside?" Back to the girls, Yui tells Aki to give up persuading Hiroshi. "Just before the bus leaves, let's try to chase it and jump in." Then to her surprise, Aki shouts on the phone. "Stove-san! I don't wanna go to Tokyo! I want to stay here forever! (Yui tries to grab her phone) Please help me! The truth is I really don't wanna run away from home!" Hiroshi: "Don't worry, Aki-chan. I'll be right over! Where are you? Are you alright?" He rushes out to go to her. Aki sees him finally leaving the window, and calmly says to Yui: "Let's go." Yui: "WHAT?!" They head out the door and dash towards the bus terminal. They jumped in a bus that's about to leave. Just then, Daikichi comes out of the shop. He looks at the empty lobby and says "Don't tell me..." At the shop, Haruko receives a call from Natsu to inform her that Aki is missing. "I've looked! In her room... in the workshed!... Yes, Ama Cafe? No, no, I called but nobody's answering. Can you try looking for her there?... I'll also go out and see." Then, Daikichi comes back inside the shop with Hiroshi, shouting: "They ran away! They jumped in the bus and left!" Inside the moving bus, Yui is jubilant. "Aki-chan, we did it!" Aki smiles and sits down. Yui: "You surprised me, thought you didn't want to run away but you were just acting. You're amazing, Aki-chan. You CAN become an actress!" But Aki, sensing something off, stands up. Yui asks her what's wrong. Aki: "Is this bus really going to Tokyo?" The bus driver answers, "Huh? This is not bound for Tokyo. Its final stop is the old Sodegahama Fishing Cooperative." Meanwhile, Natsu is at the Ama Cafe, looking for Aki. She sits in the dark, sadly thinking that Aki had already ran away from home.(1. In this episode, Yoshida is singing several songs about Tokyo: Pizzicato Five's "Tōkyō wa yoru no shichiji kashi" ("It's 7pm in Tokyo" or "The Night is Still Young"); Maekawa Kiyoshi's "Tokyo Sabaku" (Tokyo Desert); and Yoshi Ikuzo's "Ora Tōkyō sa iguda (Imma headin' to Tokyo)")
(2. Komazawa is Komazawa University while Komaba is where Tokyo University is located)
(2. Chirashi-zushi = vinegared rice with thin strips of egg, pieces of raw fish, vegetables and crab meat arranged on top)
Ep. 68. Members of the K3NSP converge for a meeting to discuss the recent running away incident of Yui and Aki. "By bus, of all things," Daikichi the moderator says, "The late night bus!" Yui is there, along with her father, Isao. Daikichi continues: "It was Yui-chan's second attempt... And this time, even Aki-chan had sided with her in running away from home. Fortunately, the bus they got on was bound for Sodegahama." Isao: "Somehow, I'm sorry." Haruko (standing up, mad): "'Somehow'?" Sugawara tells Haruko not to blame their former teacher. Rokuro who is sitting next to Ben says, "Yeah. It's the fault of this here Ben-san's fake disciple," and Yoshida agrees. Ben, while polishing his amber, apologizes: "Somehow, I'm sorry." Rokuro: "Don't say 'somehow'! Apologize properly! And stop polishing that amber!" Haruko: "By the way! Where's Aki?" She's told that Natsu had asked to borrow Aki. Haruko: "Why?" Daikichi: "She says this is also the problem of the Ama Club. If you're in the meeting with Aki, you might hit her again..."
At the Ama Cafe, Aki's seniors are gathered, assuring her that she has nothing to be worried about. "Your mom is at the Tourism Office. We know you're in a great deal of shock." Natsu says if she runs away, it will be a big blow, not just for the Ama Club but for the Tourism Assoc. too. "And above all, you have broken the trusting relationship among Ama members by running away! It's a serious penalty!" Sugawara asks Shiori to compute the estimated loss if Yui and Aki leave town. However, the figure is probably so shockingly high, that instead of saying it, a painful, scrunched up look appears on her face. Sugawara gives her a consoling hug: "Ah! Enough, Kurihara-chan! We understand!" Isao: "The depth of the wrinkles between her eyebrows says it all." Daikichi: "70% of the KitaTetsu's passengers are tourists. If we lose them (looks over at Haruko) it'll be painful." Haruko: "Hey, don't look at me." Rokuro: "The damage will also affect the Fishery Co-op. We don't have enough yet to pay for the monthly loan for the 20 million we borrowed to renovate the Ama Cafe." Yoshida and Daikichi look again at Haruko: "It's painful!" Haruko: "Quit looking at me when you say 'painful'!" Ben tries to say something about amber but Rokuro cuts him off. "Amber doesn't matter in this case! (He stands up to address everyone) Anyway, with the part-time rookie Amas, our payments have also piled up. This year we have to increase the price of one uni to 600 yen. It's imperative that we increase the share to the Fishery Co-op!" While he's talking, Ben slips lots of pepper (probably cayenne) in Rokuro's tea. Back to the Ama-sans, Aki answers her seniors' questions. She tells them she was going to Tokyo to become an idol. Tamako somehow laughs at the thought. They tell Aki not to get her hopes up just because a scout had given her a business card. Aki: "But the president of that office spoke to the two of us on the phone." Amas: "Jejeh!" At her end, Yui is also telling them about Futomaki's phonecall to them. "That's why I decided that we go. We had no time to explain the situation to everyone, so in a way, I planned to explain it all later and get an approval once it's been done... I'm sorry." She bows her head to them. Natsu to Aki: "We understand if you want to run away to Tokyo. But about being an idol... even us oldies in the countryside can understand, so you should have talked to us. I don't understand why you kept quiet about it, Aki." As Aki seems silent at her end... Yui meanwhile isn't having difficulty explaining herself. "It is my childhood dream, I will not give up even if you stop me." The others tell her how important she and Aki are to the town. "'Shiosai no Memory' is our third billboard sign aside from the Northern Ama and the KitaTetsu!" Yui: "I have thought about it! Certainly, if we leave, the tourists will decrease temporarily. But I think we can do PR for the town even when we're in Tokyo. Kitasanriku will instead become even more popular! Rather than waiting here for tourists, it would be more effective if we go to Tokyo and invite people from there." Sugawara: "Dammit, she has a good point." Yui: "When Aki and I are in Tokyo, we will actively promote Kitasanriku to the whole country." Others: "Jejejeh!" Aki: "Jejeh alright! But instead of us saying 'Jejeh, Jejeh', it'll be Tamori-san or Akko-san who'll be saying 'jejeh'! And to make them love eating our mamebu and sea urchins! Put the sea urchin on my shoulder ready to be eaten any time..." Yoshida: "That doesn't sound like an idol." Yui: "With our name the JJ Girls, we will make 'jejeh' win the grand prize for buzzword of the year. So please, allow us!" Isao: "My child is one formidable negotiator." Aki finally speaks up. "I'm a bad person... Because I changed my mind... I said I won't return to Tokyo, then I'm saying I'm going back..." Katsue: "You also wanted to be an Ama, and then a Nambu Moguri." Aki: "But I AM serious. But, if I say it, you might get mad..." Natsu assures her they won't. "I like doing Ama but... if not now, then I won't be able to be an Idol. If Yui-chan and I go to Tokyo, I don't know if I can become an idol.. but now's the only time to find out if I can do it!" Misuzu: "What will happen if you do become one?" Aki: "Of course I will return and go back to diving! I AM an Ama! But it's not for the town or the people. It's because I want to dive. That's why I dive. Just like what Grandpa said. He goes on a voyage for a long time so he can tell Natsu-bappa that this is the best place in the whole wide world. 'This is the best place in the world.' I’m going to Tokyo to tell everybody that." The Amas tell her to go for it. "You should dive because you want to dive. We wake up early in the morning, bearing the cold sea... we tell ourselves we're doing it for the town or for our families but it's a lie. We dive because we love it! That's basically it." But Aki says: "But if I go, the tourists will..." Tamako: "Right. At least dive until September." Katsue: "No, she should go now." Tamako reminds them that they still have to pay the loan for the renovation costs. But the Amas say they'll work something out, and that one person missing will not make the Ama Club disappear. "We've lasted for 40 years! And besides, Aki's not the only Ama, we've got other successors! Plus Hanamaki-chan's daughters, too!" Tamako's daughters Suzu and Koto declare that they, too, want to be an Ama like Aki. They finally turn to Natsu who has been quietly listening for some time. "We ask you to let her go." Natsu nods and says, "Aki, you can go to Tokyo. I will persuade the people of the town." Back at the Tourism Office, Haruko has spoken. "I do understand Yui-chan's feelings to join the entertainment world. You should go to Tokyo if you want to." Daikichi: "Haru-chan!" Haruko: "However, I don't want you to involve Aki. When she came to the countryside, she was finally able to break out of her shell. If she returns to Tokyo, she'll go back to her plain, gloomy self who lacks ambition, coordination..." "Aki-chan!" Daikichi notices Aki, standing by the door. "Is your meeting with the Ama Club over? Come in, come in." She comes in followed by the rest of Ama-sans in full uniform. "Jejejeh! Wha-what's happening?" Natsu: "We are the Sodegahama Ama Club." Rokuro: "We already know that, what do you want?" Natsu: "We came in support of Aki." The moment of truth has arrived. "Among these greedy grown-ups," Natsu the Narrator says, "...in the middle of all of them... standing tall like a boss-character... the Mom who has a look as cold as ice... Can Aki tell all her feelings to her mother?" Then, the tense moment is broken by gagging cries from Rokuro, who had just drank his pepper-spiked tea. "Arrgh~! Spicy... so spicy!!"Ep. 69. "Continue! Please continue!" Rokuro says, with tears in his eyes. Hiroshi and Yoshida tell Aki that everyone here is shocked that's why Rokuro is probably feeling 'emotional.' "He's like the 'Naita Aka Oni'(1)." Rokuro drank even more of the tea and he went out of the room, screaming. "AAARGH~!!" Aki feeling sorry to see the Fishery President, says: "I didn't know he'd cry like that!"
Asked by Natsu, Aki and Yui apologize again to everyone for trying to run away that night. Natsu: "Now, Haruko, apologize properly to Aki for hitting her." Haruko: "What, now?" Natsu says such a thing will remain lingering badly in the air if not addressed properly. "So you should apologize in front of everyone." Haruko: "Sorry." Natsu: "Can't hear you." Haruko: "I am very sorry." Aki nods at her mother.
Natsu then asks Daikichi what had transpired so far in their meeting. Daikichi says they have explained the situation to Haruko and Congressman Adachi. Haruko: "Yeah. We understood very well that what's important for everyone is the immediate profit, and that somehow Aki and Yui-chan's future doesn't matter." Daikichi: "Stop it, Haru-chan! We're not using the two to make money!" Haruko: "You're not?" Daikichi: "No, we're no-- (Natsu is glaring at him) Okay, we are! But please think about it!" He explains by way of a 'Jejeh' analogy. That when Yui had made the struggling railway a popular line, it became a 'Jeh!' When Aki transformed Sodegahama from a slow business to a famous tourist spot, it became a 'Jejeh!" "But we shouldn't be satisfied with just 'Jejeh!'... We should all aim for 'Jejejejeh!'" Isao: "The greed of humans knows no bounds."
Haruko: "I said to her this should have ended in the parlor train last March." Natsu: "So you hit her right?" Haruko: "I just want her to live a straightforward life. What I say may not sound convincing but... I don't want to see her get hurt when she goes out to the finicky world of show business."
Natsu: "So to summarize: Haruko is thinking of her daughter's future; For Daikichi, it's for the money. (Turning to Isao) What about you, Sensei?" Isao: "Well, both me and my wife have discussed that we want her to finish high school. Afterwards, since it's her life, she can do what she likes so she won't have any regrets." Hiroshi (muttering): "You didn't say that about me during MY time." Isao: "You be quiet."
Everyone begins arguing again and trying to reiterate their respective stands until Natsu tells them to shut up. "All of you are only thinking of yourselves! You guys should repay these two girls. Their future should not be sacrificed by a bunch of greedy grown-ups."
Haruko slow-claps Natsu's speech, and laughs bitterly. "Nice speech, Natsu-san. I wish you've told me that when I was leaving... They were there back then, too, right? All these greedy grown-ups..."
The Ama-sans: "Haru-chan!"
Haruko: "If you told them that, at that time, my life would have been different now."
Natsu: "Haruko, are you gonna bring that up again?"
Haruko: "Or if you said, 'Don't go!' or tried to stop me, my life would also have been different."
Natsu: "You can say that now... You can look back and talk with hindsight... That’s why you can say that... Back then, you were only looking forward. You would never listen to me back then, right?"
Haruko: "Maybe you're right. Maybe not. But I will stop her. If she wants to leave, I'll go after her with all my might! I can't let her go knowing she will be hurt. I'm not laid back like you!"
Natsu: "You and Aki are different."
Haruko: "What?!"
Natsu: "Enough. That's all I wanted to say. Let's call it a night. Let's all go on home."
Before the Amas could go, Aki thanks each of them profusely for everything they had done for her. "If Yui and I go to Tokyo, we'll be alright!" Natsu and the others smile and leave.
At the snack bar, Daikichi feels miserable and insists on drinking alcohol (Oolong High). Ben hears someone beside him order for coffee and looks to see who it is. It is Takuma, polishing amber beside him like nothing happened. But the others don't hear or notice him at all. Haruko says she's leaving early because she's going to have a proper talk with Aki about her future. Isao comments that Aki's thank you speech earlier was pretty good. Hiroshi: "She has grown to be more resolute this past year." Haruko: "Yeah. Well, it IS frustrating. But I should also say thank you. Daikichi-san! Thank you." "Mmm, me?"
Meanwhile, Ben is trying to tell the others that Takuma is present but they ignore him. Finally Sugawara and Yoshida see him too. "Jeh!" Just then, Misuzu comes in saying sorry she's late. Haruko: "It's okay. Be leaving now, take care of things. (Whispering) Give him (Daikichi) only Oolong Tea." She goes out the door while Daikichi who thinks he's drinking Oolong High orders some more. Misuzu: "Sure! Who else wants to order anything?" She spots Takuma. "Taku-chan!" Everyone looks at Takuma. Haruko peeks from outside the window: "Did I just pass by Mizuguchi?!" Takuma stands up and bows to them. "Good evening." Daikichi, standing up all wobbly says, "You bastard, how dare you come here!" He tries to hit him but his fist could not somehow connect. "How are you dodging my punches?!" Takuma: "I wasn't dodging." Yoshida (to Daikichi): "Told you not to drink alcohol anymore." Haruko: "He wasn't drinking! I only gave him Oolong Tea!" Finally realizing he's not drunk, Daikichi at last gives Takuma a knockout punch.
Hiroshi calls Aki (who is with Yui at home) to tell her that Takuma is at the Rias, and got punched by Daikichi. Aki: "Is he here to pick us up?" Hiroshi: "I don't know yet. I'll call you later once we talk to him."
Misuzu is applying ice on Takuma's face. He gets up and says he's fine. Daikichi also apologizes to him for hitting him. Takuma says he has come in behalf of his boss, Futomaki. "Rather than an audition, he wants to talk to them about becoming talents under Heartfull Agency." Haruko asks why didn't Futomaki come over here instead.
Takuma: "He saw the Amasonic the other day and really liked them even more. He was impressed with the climax of the event... It's exactly like our GMT47 project..."
Haruko: "GMT? (Takuma says it stands for 'Jimote') Oh, it's a pun. Continue."
Takuma: "Currently, we've gathered 16 idol groups throughout the country... Is it okay if I tell you who they are?.. From Shizuoka: Chabashira Pinpin Musume(2)"... From Fukushima: Akabeko, Aobeko(3)"... From Fukuoka, Oyafuko Dolls(4)..."
The others (uninterested): "Never mind."
Takuma: "The chosen members are already in Tokyo, receiving training at the theater in Ueno. So as members of GMT..."
Haruko: "GMT?"
Takuma: "It's a lousy pun, I know."
Haruko: "You know, you say you’re here to apologize and discuss but you'll reply with a snappy comeback so quick. You have no personality... You're no good!"
Takuma: "lol People often say that about me."
Haruko: "(mockingly laughs) That's not the point! You're really a shady guy who cannot be trusted at all!"
Misuzu: "Oh, well, I'm okay with that." Haruko gives an irritated "Tsk!" and glares at Misuzu.
Takuma: "I know you don't trust me but I am also serious. I can't step back now."
Haruko: "I'm going to talk to her today. She is planning to go to Tokyo no matter what. I have no intention of letting her go. I wonder who will win~?" She leaves.
At home, Aki and Yui await anxiously for any news.
(1. "The Red Ogre Who Cried" = 1933 children's storybook by Hamada Hirosuke)
(2. "Chabashira Lively Daughters" = Chabashira is good luck sign of a tea stalk floating erect in one's cup; as mentioned earlier, Shizuoka is famous for their tea)
(3. "Red Cow, Blue Cow" = Akabeko is a traditional toy of a cattle or ox from the Aizu region)
(4. "Oyafuko Dolls"= named after famous street in Fukuoka, that teems with shops and clubs; the girls in the anime are dressed up in the costumes of local delicacies: pork ramen, cod roe, yuzu pepper, Niwaka crackers)
Next: Week 12 Part 2
Previous: Week 11 (Part 2)
Episode Index: Link
Character Guide: Link
