BANDAI VISUAL, TV ASAHI, TOKYO THEATRES,
WOWOW and OFFICE KITANO Production
Ponder this question.
Yes, master.
Fast runner Achilles races with slow Tortoise.
Tortoise runs only 1 meter per second.
Achilles runs 1 0 m per second.
If Tortoise starts 9 m ahead of Achilles,
will Achilles ever catch up with Tortoise?
Of course, he will.
Can he really?
It will take 0.9 seconds for Achilles to reach where Tortoise started.
By then, Tortoise will have run 0.9 m further.
Indeed.
Then it would take another .09 seconds for him to reach where Tortoise was.
But Tortoise will have already run another .09 m further.
Indeed.
In order to reach the point where Tortoise was,
Achilles would need another .009 seconds.
Tortoise will have again run another .009 m further.
Thus the chase goes on infinitely...
and Achilles can never overtake Tortoise.
ACHILLES AND THE TORTOISE
Let me hear
those sweet words
Tell me
your old stories
Say these words
over and over
"Je vous aime"
I'm home!
Come on in.
Bring me the wine!
We're back.
- How many days did it take? - Nine days.
So tiring!
Terrible food.
Was it cold there?
Freezing.
I hate cold weather.
Maestro, you painted this 10 years ago.
Remember?
Of course, I do.
Frankly I didn't know what I was doing at the time.
Didn't know if I wanted to be Picasso or Matisse.
You really helped me out then, buying my paintings.
I was dead broke then.
Mr. Kuramochi even took you to France.
You were so lucky.
I appreciate that.
Maestro, in the art world,
the talented need patrons to support their rise to fame.
Behind every genius is someone understanding.
Artists can't live without people like you.
That's right.
Thank you so much, Mr. Kuramochi.
What's Machisu doing?
He's painting in his room.
He's painting again?
He must have inherited my passion for art.
- What kind of paintings? - The usual.
He's only a kid.
Could I see them?
- Really? - I'd love to!
Might be a good experience for him.
They're amazing!
So free and powerful for a kid!
At this rate,
he'll soon be better than me.
Machisu, who's this?
Her.
My goodness!
Stop fooling around, son.
Machisu,
a flounder's eyes are vertical, not horizontal.
Observe closely when painting.
Oh yes.
Machisu...
A gift for you.
It may be too big now,
but you can wear it when you're older.
Aren't you glad, Machisu?
A gift from the maestro!
Lucky you, Machisu.
Machisu had a dream of becoming a painter.
Or rather he was made to have one.
FUKUMI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Have a good day.
Okay.
...and make the denominators even.
2 times 2 is 4.
1 times 2 is 2.
We now made denominators the same.
Then add up just the numerators.
Not the denominators, only the numerators.
This is very important.
The denominator remains at 4.
The numerator adds up to 3.
So the answer is 3/4. Understood?
Yes.
Next.
1 /2 plus 1/3.
Teacher!
Kuramochi is drawing again.
Don't mind him.
His father will take him to France and make him a painter.
Is this my portrait?
How courageous!
This kind of courage makes a good painting.
Where are you going?
Outside to paint.
Class, work on that.
Maestro, how should I sell this?
Sell to Kuramochi. Say it's an Impressionist.
He wouldn't know.
Right.
Bye.
Stupid ass, what are you doing?
That's dangerous.
Move!
That's Mr. Kuramochi's son.
Junior...
Could you paint somewhere else?
It's not safe there.
Junior, can we pass?
Kuramochi,
you have to let them pass.
Okay.
A flounder's eyes are vertical, not horizontal.
Is this really Blue Mountain blend?
Yes.
It doesn't taste good at all.
That coffee guy must have added something extra.
He doesn't understand coffee is culture itself.
I hate that pathetic hick.
What's Machisu doing?
He's out painting.
Junior!
It's hard to make chickens cooperate.
Look at him and stay still. Junior is trying to draw.
Maestro brought this from France.
This guy needed quick cash so I arranged the money for him.
This is what I got in return.
What's his name?
I can't tell you now,
but he'll be famous very soon and the price will surely rise.
Really?
Yes, sir.
All the silkworms are dead?
We have to shut down all the factories?
Can't a French trader send us the silkworms?
We tried, but they are out of season.
Now what?
What are we going to do?
Bank President!
Mr. Chairman, what shall we do with our bank tomorrow?
What about it?
Shall we open?
Why wouldn't you?
People will storm the bank!
Complete havoc!
We don't have any choice, do we?
"Cocoon Wipe Out"
"Kuramochi Silk Stock Drastic Drop"
"Kuramochi Bank on Verge of Bankruptcy"
I guess it's over for us.
I must have put you through some hard times.
We're not through yet.
Don't be a wimp.
Drink up, Manager.
We've identified the bodies.
Risuke Kuramochi, male. Michiyakko, a geisha.
Double suicide.
Kuramochi's company just went bankrupt.
Good evening.
Excuse me.
My condolences.
Take anything that looks valuable.
There are four paintings in the living room.
What else is there?
The widow's ring.
Show me your hands.
Only this for the wife of Kuramochi?
- What's in there? - Kid's room.
Nothing valuable.
Kid's paintings.
Not worth shit.
Of course not.
Nothing of worth here but tin toys.
Forget it.
Idiot!
Those could bring in money.
Art dealers trick people into buying them.
Move it, brat!
I forgot something.
That's what you went back for?
Yes.
Don't cry.
I'm sorry.
How selfish can you be?
I'm his brother, yet he refused to lend me money.
He even ignored my calls.
I'm sorry.
And you...
Didn't you marry for money?
He's not even your own kid.
Now what?
He went bankrupt, so you want out?
And you want us to raise him?
I'm so sorry.
Why not give them a break?
They're in trouble.
He's still a young child.
Just for a couple of years.
That's all!
Listen.
Do what your uncle tells you. Be a good boy.
I promise I'll come back for you.
His belongings.
Thank you very much.
Don't just stand there!
Clean the front yard.
We've got a lot of work.
Then feed the chickens.
Is that clear?
What an annoying brat.
Who told you to draw chickens? I told you to feed them.
We give you food and shelter.
Be grateful and do some work.
Useless bastard!
He's still unknown.
But he's a master.
He tragically died at age 1 2.
Now the prices are rising.
What's his name?
I can't tell you now. It's complicated.
How so?
Sir,
the greater the mystery, the more valuable the painting.
Matazo.
Let's go home.
It's getting cold.
It's time for dinner.
The landscape will be there tomorrow.
Thanks for the meal.
Clear the table when you finish, idiot!
What about his schooling?
He doesn't need it. He will only be here temporarily.
Why should I tend to that?
We can't afford it.
Let's go.
Hey you!
Do as you're told.
Clean up the kitchen. Hear me?
Let's play.
I'm Matazo.
What's your name?
I'm Machisu.
Machisu? Strange name.
What's this?
The rain will wet it.
What's this? He hasn't cleaned up.
Didn't I say to clean the kitchen?
You haven't done a thing.
Stupid brat!
Honey, come and see.
The kid really loves to paint.
Why don't you let him?
We should let him go to school too.
Why should I?
He's weird.
It's freezing but he wears shorts.
What a weirdo.
A new friend to our class... Machisu Kuramochi.
Nice to meet you.
Okay, first period is grammar.
Today we'll learn more about Chinese characters.
Take out your notebooks.
Yes.
First, let me give you a problem.
- How do you read this? - Mouth!
That's right.
Add one line and it makes a different character.
What is it?
Miss Aoi.
- Day. - That's right, 'day.I
- And adding two lines makes? - Eye!
That's right.
Adding lines to 'mouth' creates a different character.
Another example is the character for 'rice field.'
See if you can come up with other examples.
Mr. Okada.
Figure.
'Figure.' That's right.
Anything else?
Miss Aoi.
Add another 'mouth' and we have 'turn.'
That's right. 'Turn' as in turn around.
Anything else?
Mr. Ueki.
Four.
That's right, the number 'four.'
As in one, two, three, four.
You've all done your homework well.
What are you doing?
No drawing in class!
Not like that.
You're not good.
Look.
I want to draw trains and buses, but they pass too quickly.
They stop if you stand in front of them.
It's coming.
Assholes!
Don't stand in the way.
You're blocking the road!
Junior...
It's me, Aki.
Thank you for coming.
My duty because she has no relatives?
Even her burial?
My brother was a jerk!
Why should I pay for her funeral?
Terrible.
How could you? Selfish!
What do we do with that?
He should have arranged a decent tomb.
Then he wouldn't be buried in this dump.
He only cared about money.
At least his wife is beside him.
Let's go home before the sun sets.
Hurry up.
Come on.
Save electricity and go to bed.
Gross!
Honey, come up here!
What now?
Look at that.
You little asshole.
Drawing a picture like that!
Get out, you ungrateful bastard!
Got a grudge against me?
Don't blame me for her death!
Hear me?
How was it?
They told me to bring the kid right away.
It turns out that my rich jerk brother supported orphanages.
So why didn't he help us?
All he cared about was his reputation.
Well, I'm relieved.
You wrote the letter?
To Sunflower Orphanage
Here...
Give them that.
Don't paint all the time and do as you're told.
Asshole! What the hell!
Why jump out in the road?
He came out of nowhere.
Matazo from Watsuji Village!
The imbecile who painted everywhere he went!
Good morning.
MACHISU
Machisu reached young manhood.
He held on to his dream of being a painter.
We're back!
Eat breakfast quickly.
Thanks.
Hello.
What?
They're not delivered yet?
He left a while ago.
I'm sorry.
I've been telling him.
It happened again?
I'll be right there.
Kuramochi!
Kuramochi, I already told you.
Finish your deliveries then you can paint all you want.
We got complaints again.
Let's go. I'll help you.
Our fathers worked together for years.
It's interesting how relationships can be passed on.
No offense, but you can find landscapes like yours anywhere.
They're going out of style.
We want something with more impact.
Or they just don't sell.
Any painter with decent skills can paint like that.
Try something more unique.
You've studied art, haven't you?
No, only on my own.
You must go to art school unless you're a born genius.
You could learn a lot.
Realism, Impressionism, Cubism, Fauvism, Contemporary.
Art has changed throughout history.
Please seek proper training.
You can find those in any public bathhouse.
Even house painters can paint like that.
Learn more about modern art.
I'll keep that one,
in case someone wants it for their shop.
Excuse me,
I'm thinking of quitting.
Why?
I want to study art properly.
You can work here and study.
I'm thinking of going to art school.
I need to take a day job to pay for the tuition.
I see.
So you're an art student?
Yes. I want to be a painter.
But painting costs money.
Since I don't have any relatives,
I work to pay for tuition and supplies.
I admire artists so much.
If only I had talent.
I'm no different. I just love to paint.
That's why you always wear a beret.
I've always wanted to be a model.
Really?
Sure.
Call me anytime.
Is it any good?
He said it's Impressionism.
They make us pay and teach us nothing.
That teacher...
He was famous for living in France.
They finally realized he had no talent and he ended up here.
What's his name?
Takanawa, I think.
If you'll excuse me.
It's no use learning how to sketch anymore.
But it's the basics.
Aren't we supposed to learn the basics?
You can depict something as it is by taking a photograph.
Sketching is for making replicas.
That might have been needed before,
but today we have cameras and copiers.
Skilled sketchers aren't needed anymore for replicas.
Modern artists should be more creative.
It looks nothing like it.
Not at all!
You guys have no taste.
Check out how the Cubists painted faces.
Why paint that way?
They painted with their souls.
You sketch with your soul?
Hell yeah.
Not with charcoal?
Shut up, Mohawk!
Stop laughing!
What are you doing?
Sketching with my soul.
Shut up, Mohawk!