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There's this nutty old man...
He painted a huge Dharma
on a huge sheet of paper.
And on the other hand?
He drew a pair of sparrows on a tiny rice grain.
His name is Tetsuzo. But maybe you know him as Hokusai the painter?
That nutty old man is my father.
Yech! I stepped in dog poop...
Bubbles! I sell soap bubbles!
Edo, summer 1814
- Who's there? - Me.
Oh, O-Ei.
I bought lunch.
Thanks.
I hear your father's not busy.
Says who?
It's what I heard. I wonder if you're eating right.
Of course we are.
With two brushes and four chopsticks, we'll get by anywhere.
Oh, I hear you went to see O-Nao.
I took her a new summer robe, and she said you'd just left.
And brought her some goldfish.
I did.
She watches them every day.
Even though she can't see them.
She can.
Mother, maybe I'll move in here.
I'd like that. But your father...
Tetsuzo doesn't care if he's alone or not.
Don't talk that way about him.
Crape myrtle's blooming.
"Scatter briskly, bloom heartily," huh.
The looong festival's begun.
MISS HOKUSAI
This is where me and Tetsuzo live.
We don't cook. We don't clean.
It gets too dirty, we move.
Tetsuzo's only interested in painting.
Doesn't drink or smoke.
He paints erotica though, so I guess he likes women.
It was finished, then ruined?!
Unacceptable. Get your father.
I wonder where he is...
Don't give me that!
He's not here.
He sure ain't.
Mr. Hokusai! The dragon?!
As soon as I finished it, it flew away.
The deadline's end of this month.
There's still a day left.
Come back tomorrow. The dragon might too.
And if not?!
Do your worst.
Beheading you won't satisfy my lord.
If it comes to that...
You'll slit your stomach?
That must hurt...
I'm not redoing it.
I know.
Let's not do this after all.
Huh? I said I'd introduce ya.
This drunk is Zenjiro.
He lives with us, and chases women.
He gave up being a samurai. Now he's a painter.
I met this guy at the publisher's.
Hey you, if you're a painter, you better be grateful.
This old fella's the great Hokusai.
Pleased to meet you.
I'm Utagawa Kuninao. Of the Utagawa school.
I know we're competitors, but I admire your work, sir.
Please don't hold it against me.
"Kuninao"?!
Why didn't ya tell me?
You didn't ask me.
So, you're Kuninao. You're a big deal.
Oh, not at all!
- Get in here. - Thank you.
- And you're 19? - Correct.
Four years younger, huh.
Eat up!
But...
Shut up and eat, you little runt!
Calm down, Zenjiro!
Sorry about the commotion.
Oh! The dog poop...
No, I mean...
Acquainted already? She's Mr. Hokusai's daughter, O-Ei.
You're O-Ei?
You don't say. I see you often at Ryogoku Bridge.
A dragon?
There's a knack to painting them.
Painting freehand weakens it. Thinking about it does the same.
You've got to just... wait for it.
When it comes, paint it all at once.
It's not like other beasts. And neither is painting it.
Oh, but those aren't my words. The Chinese say so.
What impudence!
Coming on to O-Ei in front of her father!
Not at all! I never meant to...
Mr. Big-Shot Painter's a real sweet talker.
Why you little...
How dare you!
Hey!
Get out!
Huh? She kicked you out too?
Mr. Hokusai, let's go for a walk.
Yeah, we'll drink it off!
Look, that foxy lady's beckoning us.
Hey, she laughed!
Dragons don't exist!
As a kid, I saw one.
Yeah, a tornado.
The wind hits mountains and valleys, falling and twisting. That's all.
I saw one too.
I spotted claws and scales in the clouds.
It's in your head.
That's why you're a crappy painter.
The people you draw are fake,
so as soon as they move, they crumple up.
But I like how your drawings smell.
It fills your room when they're lying about.
You're clever, and that's dangerous.
D-Dangerous?
Yeah, you're not safe.
Watch your back around your rivals.
I will.
You gents don't make any sense.
Hey, why's a fox like you trying to burrow in for?
What a nasty thing to say.
Don't you know? This here's the great Hokusai.
Don't tease me!
Just teasing!
How nasty!
Your companions left already.
They didn't wake me up, dammit.
Shoo! Shoo!
What?
You're crazy, hanging around here.
Just like me, huh?
O-Nao?
Sister!
I've got permission, so let's go out.
O-Nao was born unable to see.
O-Ei, you have ink on your face.
Did you get it?
Yeah.
Where to?
The bridge.
Again? You love bridges, don't you.
Hot, hot peppers!
Sweet dumplings!
There's so many sounds.
And smells.
It's fun, isn't it? I like bridges too.
Oh, rice brittle? Ishiwara rice brittle?
Yeah, from Tozaki's. Have some.
Father never comes to see me. I wonder why?
He's just busy with work. It's not that he doesn't like you.
The way I am, I can't be a good daughter to Father and Mother.
If I die, I guess I'll go to hell.
No you won't!
Tetsuzo, you weakling! You crybaby!
O-Ei?
Is she the youngest?
She's O-Nao. She lives with Sister Anju.
Yes, your father told me.
Hi O-Nao. I'm Hatsugoro, your father's pupil.
I paint under the name Totoya Hokkei.
Totoya? Like a fishmonger?
Yes, I used to be a fishmonger.
Why are you here?
The sights, the sounds, the smells... you know.
That's great. Bridges are fun.
That reminds me.
You paint women so beautifully now. I just can't compete.
That's not... true.
No no, Manjido said so too.
I'm off to the publisher's.
See you again, O-Nao.
Take this.
This smudge.
Clean it. It ruins your beauty.
Bye.
He seems nice.
Yeah, he's a nice guy.
You were acting strangely.
No I... wasn't.
Let's ride a boat.
Well? Feels good, huh?
Know what? We're under the bridge.
You scared?
How far does this boat go?
The sea.
The sea's massive. Bigger than Honjo or Asakusa.
Wow.
Tetsuzo paints it a lot. He likes the waves.
Big enough to swallow this boat.
Waves?
Ow ow ow!
Give me a break already, Maestro!
I guess I've painted enough dirty things.
That's nasty, after all I did...
See? Your face is filthy.
What's this?
Oh, that's a sketch...
The neck's pure Eizan. The layout's a complete knock-off of Utamaro.
Er, what can I say...
That's why O-Ei calls you "Brazen."
O-Ei's great at erotica.
I can't win.
That's why you get trampled.
Her women are great. Sometimes better than mine.
But when it comes to men, all she does is finish my work.
That fool messes up because she's naive.
By naive, you mean... I see.
So don't let her get to you.
You're awful for making her paint such things.
She thinks she can paint anything. Won't admit she can't.
Hello dear.
Say what, Brazen?
Nothing...
Going again?
Yeah. To paint Yoshiwara courtesans.
At the brothels? You?
Manjido suggested I give it a try.
Really. Which house and courtesan?
What do you care?
Well, I...
Sayogoromo of Kikyoya.
What, you know her?
Sayogoromo's the talk of Yoshiwara.
She is? What for?
"Woman: one"
Well, around dawn, her neck starts to grow...
It stretches?
Some customer said so. Didn't happen in my case...
He probably dreamed it.
She's aloof, but doesn't sleep well.
Her head slips off her pillow.
- Is that what you saw? - With my own eyes.
- Then her neck does stretch. - Oh, c'mon!
An unworldly rube like you wouldn't know a genuine monster.
Aren't they gorgeous?
Far more alluring than me.
You paint so beautifully.
I'll use these to make a proper design. For an eventual print.
I can't wait to see it.
Thank you for waiting. So, what can I do for you?
If you want cheap thrills, go to East Ryogoku.
This is Yoshiwara. Not a freak show.
Forgive me, ma'am.
Begone!
This ol' chap just had to see you. All he wants is to talk.
It won't take long. Have a seat.
I'm her father, and a painter too.
It happened before she was born. Must be 25 years ago now.
I was asked to paint goblins.
I finished at dusk, and laid down a while.
Then I heard tapping on the floor.
I looked and saw my hands, dancing wildly.
Suddenly, other hands grew from them,
and stretched out the window.
I couldn't see where they were going.
But I could feel the cold wind on my fingertips,
blowing like crazy.
That happened every night after.
It scared me at first, but I came to enjoy it.
They weaved through grass,
touched the tip of a pagoda,
passed under a bridge,
and I thought:
if those hands happened to tear off and fly away,
would my original hands still move?
I'm not done painting.
A priest friend told me to fear the worst.
He wrapped both my arms in sutras and prayer beads.
My hands never flew off again,
and I became the great painter I am today.
Isn't that wonderful.
If a bell rings, come to my room.
If it does not ring by morning, please take your leave.
Do not tell a soul. Understood?
This isn't very exciting...
You don't have to stick around.
Suit yourself.
Well, I guess it won't hurt...
Be quiet.
Huh? I didn't say a thing.
You've been sighing the whole time.
It's a long night, that's all.
Bugs?
See anything?
What?
It's trapped inside the net?
It's acting as a barrier.
It's good you had this net.
It can get out anytime.
If it does...
Should I put sutras and prayer beads on my face?
What if it doesn't return?
I'll deal with that when it happens.
I've never left that place so chastely before...
Anyway, that was a new one on me. Your stretching hands tale.
Idiot. It was a new one for me too.
It's one of Bakin's Chinese ghost stories.
There you go again.
If I hadn't told it, we'd never have seen that.
Nothing makes sense anymore...
It's not what I wanted to see.
That's why your paintings are crappy...
I just can't help myself.
When I hear fire bells, I can't sit still.
Move it, move it!
Don't let it spread!
Pull! Pull!
You lot, get over there! Hurry, hurry!
Hey, look! It's crumbling down!
When they clear the area,
and the fire collapses with nowhere to go, it's exhilarating!
Another fire?
What's so great about it?
You like women. Tetsuzo likes sweets. Same thing.
Makes sense.
Stupid girl.
The field to your right is covered in snow.
Cherry blossoms bloom on this riverbank in spring,
but the bare snow-covered trees are also beautiful.
Are you cold?
There's a shrine gate here.
It stands down the riverbank, so it's at your eye level.
Shrine gates are shaped like this.
Watch your step.
Wait a moment.
Why?
A camellia.
My favourite flower.
Hold out your hand.
What colour?
Red.
A gentle, warm colour.
Take it home. It can go in your sleeve.
There's no noise.
Yeah. It's quiet.
Snow absorbs sound.
Scared?
You're cold.
Two sweet sakes.
I'll go order them.
Excuse me.
Two sweet sakes.
Sure.
Throw this up as hard as you can.
Here, here! Come on, come on!
Come on! Come on!
Here, here!
O-Nao!
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, O-Ei.
Don't be. You got carried away. I should've noticed.
But I had fun. Snow is so much fun.
Want to come to my place? It's there.
Father might be home.
What'll it be?
If I turn up suddenly, it might trouble Father.
If it troubles Father, it troubles me.
- Next time, then? - Hmm.
My lady! Are you alright?!
I hear a voice, coming from that painting...
The wailing of the dead!
I told her it's a bird from the garden, but she won't believe me.
This painting of hell evokes the master's guilt,
praying for longevity and vowing penitence,
just as I commissioned you to do.
The master was very pleased with it, which made me proud, but...
Again, this time in broad daylight...
The white magnolia is nearing its end too.
Maybe she's gone funny in the head.
That painting struck a nerve.
I'm not finished.
The lady took ill, and became bedridden.
The master knew the painting was the cause,
but it was too dear to him.
In the meantime...
My dear!
The fire was extinguished, but the lady cannot be cured.
I wonder what can be done.
You've outdone yourself, O-Ei.
She's too good, that's her problem.
Huh. That's just proof she's not good enough yet.
Hey, show me her sketch.
I thought as much.
You always paint non-stop, but never tie up loose ends.
Loose ends?
Quick, take me to the painting.
I can't, it's late at night.
Hey Manjido. Next time, it'll be worse than a fire.
Stand it up.
Look.
See? This way, you leave no loose ends.
Sir, you'll have no more problems now.
My deepest thanks.
You've got a long way to go.
Maestro!
Look at that!
From then on, the lady never feared the painting again.
Tetsuzo! I hate to say it, but you're always beyond me.
I'll redraw it. Where did I go wrong?
You weren't wrong.
Don't be so self-effacing...
That's your problem. You're too earnest.
We all have different skills.
Take Zenjiro. His pillow pictures for spring went down well.
Skill-wise, he's no threat to you.
He draws people oddly, with big heads and thin limbs.
But for pillow pictures, that's strangely alluring.
It's as if they jump right out at you.
You're the opposite.
You draw people well, but no sensuality.
Not your fault, though.
Mr. Hokusai shouldn't ask a young maiden to do this job...
Hatsugoro!
Errands?
I was at Manjido's, now I'm going home.
I went to Suharaya. I'll walk you home.
It's too far.
No, I want to play go with Mr. Hokusai.
It's like a waterfall there.
That smell...
Hair oil?
Suharaya, the publisher... wants to meet Zenjiro.
Zenjiro? That hack?
He paints women well. There's something about them.
Sensuality?
Very much so... indeed.
I hate sloppy paintings like that.
I remembered something. I must go.
The scent of his skin.
Unlike Tetsuzo or Zenjiro...
His skin...
Welcome. Got a favourite?
No... I don't.
Please! Please! Come again.
Sure, sure.
Hey! Get off me.
Bye now.
- I'll be waiting! - See you again.
First time? Then make your choice.
I thought he'd never leave! Ow...
Hey! What's up, honey?
This is dumb. Bye!
Got to be dumb to have fun. Come!
Stop it! Moron!
Morons have more fun.
Hey Mama, no more customers today.
Strip.
W-What?
Those wet clothes of yours. You'll ruin the floor.
Here, put this on.
Posh stuff.
The name's Kichiya. It's a pleasure.
OK, let's go!
Hey you...
It's an Amida Buddha, by Tanyu-something...
Idiot! This garbage isn't Tanyu!
It's no good?
It's awful!
Huh. You know your stuff.
Why such an incense-smelling picture?
I get a lot of annoying monks, so it's to ward off bad karma.
Doesn't work though.
They don't have the fear of god in them.
No kidding.
Actually, I had a weird dream recently.
Gods popped up over a mountain,
and everyone was praying "Thank the Gods!"...
...but the gods squashed people and houses, and carried on.
Horrible, right?
Is there really a heaven?
Well? Want to quit?
Good! Let's do it!
Hey!
Sorry honey. Just for a little while... Count to 100 and let me sleep.
I promise...
...we'll have fun...
You're heavy.
Is there really a heaven?
Or a hell?
"Manjido Bookstore"
Right, that's it.
Excellent, thanks.
Oh, by the way.
How about some kabuki today? Danjuro's playing "Sukeroku."
I was going to go, but something came up.
I've only one token.
You won't regret it. It'll help you.
Thank you. I'll be going.
Hatsugoro will go too. I just gave him a token.
Well well.
O-Ei? So nice to see you!
S-Sure.
What's wrong? Worried about something?
No, not really.
Going somewhere?
No, just home.
What a coincidence. I just went to the publisher's.
Care to drop by Asakusa Temple for Kannon's fair?
I can't stand women who are clingy or weepy.
I like a lady with a little danger in her eyes.
The first time I saw you, I thought "Wow."
"This one's something special."
Er, I mean...
O-Ei, I...
Thank you sir!
What was your wish?
- A safe birth. - W-What?
Just kidding.
You've sure got a mean streak.
What's the time?
Huh? It was 12 noon before, so it must be 2pm.
Got something to do?
No, not really.
Fancy some tokoroten?
- Sure. - Great!
Tokoroten for two!
Yessir!
Sorry, I've got to go.
O-Ei?
What the...?
It's yummy, Mother.
It is? Then you can have mine.
Really? It's mine now.
No, I'll have it.
No way!
O-Nao isn't feeling well.
She was lying down at Mother's place.
They sent her home.
Mother says it's not serious. She'll get well soon.
Go see her. It'd cheer her up.
Yeah.
Her sickness scares you?!
You won't take time to visit your daughter?!
Birds, lovely birds. Birds for releasing.
Release these poor sparrows.
Lovely birds. Birds for releasing.
How many are in there?
Well, about 30.
Release them all.
Sure. Thank you ma'am.
Hey.
Oh.
You're all superstitious now.
That won't do a lick of good.
They've got clipped wings. They'll get caught again.
Really?
Well, a few lucky ones might get away.
Say, you'll stop by?
O-Nao'll be surprised. And I made bean cakes.
That's rare.
Let's share them.
Look at all these snacks.
She's asleep?
She was before.
Who's there?
O-Nao... How're you feeling?
Father?
Death is most fearsome and detestable.
It shall never claim me.
It shall never...
Hey, take this to Mother's tomorrow if you can.
To ward off evil spirits.
He has a brush-like beard and holds a sword.
It's a long sword to strike down sickness.
In his other hand, he seizes all sorts of pain.
His face is very scary, but he protects children.
Does Father hate me?
Why?
Because, Father hates sick people.
Tetsuzo fears sickness because he's weak.
You're different, and that's why he painted this.
They're so soft.
You're home now, so don't cut your hair, let it grow.
I'll style it for you.
Really?
Sure.
Your sister's talented. Her hair's always pretty.
She is? Talented?
I can't wait. I hope it grows quickly.
Yeah!
Maybe I'll stay over.
O-Ei, you should. We'll all sleep together.
Hey...
O-Ei, are you asleep?
Not yet.
Something's above the net.
It's there.
It was a big bug.
I took it outside.
A bug? A pretty one?
Yeah. Cold and thin, like a string bean.
Was it gentle?
It was gentle.
Was it cute?
It was cute.
Hey...
Yeah?
I'll go to hell when I die.
In hell, you have to stack stones on a statue of Monk Jizo.
Why?
Why? Because it's the rules. You have no choice.
Can I get you anything?
She's a good colour lately.
She is.
She's fine. It's not serious. She'll get better soon.
Say...
Bring your father to see her.
Tetsuzo's a crybaby.
What a fool. I'm a crybaby too.
The medicine's working well.
She ate gruel last night too. Could you go today?
You're a lousy liar. That's why you can't snag a man.
Huh? That's weird...
I thought a little girl was following me...
This... little girl... What was she like?
She had this kind of outdated bob haircut, you know...
Yeesh, it's blowing a gale.
She made it here by herself.
She's gone.
Maybe I was the one who stole her sight, and her life.
Huh?
Huh? That's weird...
No, I wasn't spinning a tale!
Somebody really did follow me... It's true!
Hey Brazen, something evil's behind you.
Sorry, Zenjiro!
K-Kuninao! You messing with me?!
I followed you all this way, but you never knew.
Mr. Hokusai, O-Ei, you're looking well.
Yeah.
You too.
And you.
Shut up! Shut up! Why are you here, jerk?!
Well, there's this peculiar girl in Fukagawa.
She can handle bootleg booze.
Better than you?
Who knows... I'm gonna try to drink her under the table.
What if you do?
She'll show me the amazing tattoo on her back.
Nobody's ever seen it.
Huh. Pathetic.
Who's for some noodles?
Hey, count me in!
Well, see you, O-Ei.
Manjido will come knocking. He'll lose face if it's late.
Never mind his face.
You can paint it. It's all yours.
I will not!
Hey! By the way, Manjido had a word.
It's about time you did your own paintings.
It's gonna be a long night!
O-Nao... How are things there?
I know that you didn't go to hell...
Things haven't changed here.
This life is nothing special, but we're enjoying it.
Right?
Tetsuzo kept painting, and lived until he was 90.
Zenjiro took the name Keisai Eisen,
enjoying some fame as a painter of beauties.
He died a year before Tetsuzo.
Stupid Brazen, as always.
I married once, but returned to Tetsuzo,
and lived with him till he died.
Tetsuzo wanted to live till 100, but 90 was as far as he got.
On his death bed, he said if he'd lived
10 more years, or even 5, he'd have become a real artist.
That old man was really something.
After Hokusai's death, O-Ei led an itinerant life,
and suddenly disappeared on one summer day of 1857.
The exact place of her death is not known.
Eleven years later, the Tokugawa shogunate collapsed
which spelled the end of the age of the samurai.
In 1868, the new Meiji government renamed "Edo" as "Tokyo."
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