YAE NOGUCHI
[buzzing]
[sad piano music plays]
[piano music continues]
[plane buzzing]
[piano music continues]
- [door opens]
- [gasps]
Coming!
Here.
It's cold, huh?
Thank you very much!
[piano music continues]
[gasps]
[gasps]
[classical music plays]
[gasps]
[classical music continues]
S...
Sw...
S...
S...
Hm? Hm?
S...?
Oh, Switzerland!
Thank you for coming.
[giggles]
[car stops]
Coming!
[sighs]
[postman] It's cold, isn't it?
Thank you very much.
[Akihiko] How are your high school
admission exams going?
Knowing you, I'm worried
the overachiever in you
is pushing yourself too hard.
I'm sending you this postcard
after reading an article in the newspaper.
[piano music continues]
Come on.
Oh, found it.
DECEMBER ,
WEDNESDAY
"You can now send your name to Mars."
NAME PLATE TO MARS ORBITER
"On the th, the MEXT
science research center..."
"Launching scheduled for next summer..."
[Akihiko] Miss A student, when things
are tough, just look up at the sky.
Another version of yourself
is traveling through outer space.
[upbeat music plays]
Good morning.
Good morning, sir.
[news reporter]
Earlier today at : a.m.,
ISAS, the Institute of Space
and Astronautical Science
successfully launched a M-V- rocket...
Good morning.
How are you?
...this is very impressive footage.
This M-V- rocket carries
Japan's first Mars orbiter Planet-B...
Do you think that Martians can read?
[laughs] Of course not, love.
Martians don't exist.
Are you sure they don't?
[news reporter] ...Nozomi.
And on board Nozomi, there are name plates
of over , people who registered
and sent them to ISAS.
Nozomi will soon be approaching the Moon,
and use a lunar swing-by
to accelerate its speed twice.
- And in December...
- You can do it.
[news reporter]
...it will head toward Mars's orbit.
[exciting song plays]
[exciting music continues]
AVAILABLE / UNAVAILABLE
It's gotta be the Napolitan.
Right this way.
SPECIAL NAPOLITAN
[indistinct chatter]
- Yeah.
- Sorry for the wait.
Thanks so much.
- Enjoy your meal.
- Thank you.
Thanks for this dish.
[giggles]
Oh.
MR. NAMIKI, I BET YOU'D LIKE
SEIYOKEN'S NAPOLITAN IN CHIYODA
[quiet music plays]
[cell phone vibrates]
MR. NAMIKI, I BET YOU'D LIKE
SEIYOKEN'S NAPOLITAN IN CHIYODA
The pasta thickness and the degree
to which the ketchup is cooked
is just perfect, right?
[Yae] Totally.
I've gone five times already.
[Harumichi] Five?
[Yae] I get persistent
when I get into something.
Would you like more water?
- Yes, please.
- Excuse me.
There you go.
Thanks so much.
RESTAURANT SEIYOKEN
EVERY TH IS PASTA DAY
FREE UPGRADE TO LARGE
You can upgrade to large for free
every month on the th.
You should come then.
WE SHOULD GO TOGETHER THEN
[gasps loudly]
Sorry.
Sorry, sorry.
Sorry.
YES! I LOOK FORWARD TO IT
Creepy, creepy, creepy.
[loud thud]
[Harumichi] Ow, this hurts so much.
Mr. Namiki.
You should go to the hospital.
Shut up already.
Get back to work.
Yes, sir.
[downbeat music plays]
[indistinct chatter]
[cadet] Namiki.
[downbeat music continues]
[operator] The number you've dialed
cannot be reached
as the phone is either turned off
or out of service area.
Yae!
Yae!
I would really like it
if you let her be for a while.
[downbeat music continues]
Is there anything I can do?
Leave it to me, okay?
I'm gonna...
I'll always protect her, all right?
A kid who can barely wipe his own ass
shouldn't be declaring such things.
Just...
Just do what you should be doing.
[downbeat music continues]
[sighs]
What do you wanna do in Tenjin?
Look at clothes.
Clothes?
I haven't bought clothes in forever.
- [all laugh]
- Does Fukuoka have that...?
Huh? You're not going out, Namiki?
No, thanks. I'll stay here.
Okay.
I'll just see you later then.
[downbeat music continues]
YAE NOGUCHI
[downbeat music continues]
Shoes.
[downbeat music continues]
Oh. That's something he...
I know.
It's a souvenir from Kathmandu
I got in fourth grade.
- Yeah.
- This is from Helsinki.
- Yeah.
- Tanzania.
Buenos Aires.
I still remember things
from a long time ago.
I just can't remember anything
from the last few years.
Yeah.
You know, the doctor said it too.
You don't have
to force yourself to remember.
[laughs]
I have tons of stuff I'd love to forget.
You're gonna get better once you rest,
you know?
Now, let's go!
[TV host]
This is Mr. Suzaki from Minami Ward.
To our guests from the first segment,
and all those here,
thank you for your hard work.
Yae! [laughs]
I missed you! [laughs]
- Oh.
- [laughs]
Glad you're here!
Hello.
Ah. Your best friend, Nonko.
[giggles] She's been worried about you.
Oh, come on in.
Thank you so much.
[Nonko] I brought you a little something.
[Kihako] That's very sweet of you.
- [Nonko] It's nothing.
- [Kihako] Come in.
[Nonko] Thanks.
- This looks delicious.
- Yeah.
Here you go!
Here's something I made
for you guys. Ready?
Ta-da! [giggles]
- Hope you like it.
- [Nonko] It looks amazing!
- How about that?
- [Nonko] Sure.
Yeah, come on.
- Cheers, girls.
- [all] Cheers.
[Nonko savors]
You know what? I ran into Hiroshi Abe
at Memanbetsu Station, of all places.
What? Serious?
- Really?
- When I realized it was him,
I noticed he was actually . .
Crazy, isn't it?
You gotta be kidding me.
[laughs out loud]
- That's hilarious, . ?
- Really.
[Kihako keeps laughing]
Em...
So Yae, this guy Hiroshi Abe.
He's handsome and attractive.
[Kihako] Yeah, very handsome.
- [Nonko] Very handsome, yeah.
- [Kihako laughs]
Have you seen...
Namiki, by any chance?
- Well...
- Yeah.
See you later then.
Feel free to call anytime, all right, Yae?
[snaps fingers]
[chuckles]
See you.
[sad music plays]
YAE SCHOOL DAYS
[sad music continues]
HOKKAIDO KITAMI HIGH SCHOOL
YAE NOGUCHI
NOZOMI SHIGETA
Well, summer-caught salmon is the best.
They're young, so their meat is tender.
The fat content is completely different.
Sorry, I couldn't eat it all myself.
Give my regards to your beautiful mother.
Okay.
Nasu.
What do you usually think about
during the time between
shampooing and conditioning?
Shampoo...? Oh, interesting.
Feeling clean and fresh, I guess.
[laughs]
Well, lately...
when I'm alone with my thoughts,
I keep thinking about this certain guy.
Oh.
Or like...
when I see familiar words...
like...
like "regular portion" for beef bowls,
or "Thursday," or maybe...
- Oh.
- Or even "sunny" weather,
or the character for "road."
When I see them,
I catch myself
following them with my eyes.
Isn't that...
[moans]
Just say it already, you know?
What?
You're interested.
Not at all. Let's not even go there.
I'm old enough to know what's sensible.
That kind of thing will destroy love.
Love?
[assents]
Okay, put it this way.
Okay, hypothetically,
let's assume it's that.
Well,
I'm actually divorced with a son, you see?
If I were salmon, I'd be kelt.
Kelt?
Old, shriveled up salmon who has already
spawned, grown thin, and is tasteless.
That's a bit much.
They say that aged meat tastes good.
Even kelt might taste good if you try it.
Good enough, you know?
[laughs] Still...
You gotta show the inner power of kelt.
Oh? I thought I smelled something good!
And it's summer-caught!
Young salmon tastes the best, you know?
So? What were you two talking about?
Just eat some salmon.
Can I? Thanks a lot!
[doctor] Any numbness or dizziness?
[Yae] No.
Your MRI results were good.
And school?
I'll be taking some time off
and staying here a while.
Regain any memories?
No.
It's very common.
Some may experience
mood swings or memory regressions,
but try to live your life normally
without worrying about it.
Also, no workouts at all.
Any questions?
Doctor.
Yes?
We're in May, and your calendar says June.
[doctor] Oh.
Yes.
Okay.
Good.
I thought I lost my memory again.
[chuckles]
[laughs]
[laughs]
Oh.
I'm really sorry about it.
I'm somewhat impatient.
[laughs]
[laughs]
Yeah.
[laughs]
[sighs]
YAE NOGUCHI
HARUMICHI NAMIKI
[Yae] I'm home.
[Kihako] Welcome back.
How was it? Hmm?
Fine.
[Kihako assents]
So that younger doctor assigned to me...
He's actually... He's kind of strange.
He's so impatient,
he flips the calendar on the th.
And he's had Dotour's C set every day
for breakfast over the last ten years.
[Kihako] Hmm...
Because making a decision every morning
costs time and energy.
His favorite words are
"efficiency" and "logical."
He hates lines, romantic games,
and things not based on science.
He doesn't believe in fate.
He doubts anyone who believes
in fortune-telling or prayers, you see?
Hmm?
Also, when he gets irritated,
he fidgets with the chart like this.
And he eats rice balls with chopsticks!
[laughs]
You have been talking about
this doctor of yours for a while now.
[encouraging music plays]
[laughs]
- Huh?
- [assents]
No, I haven't really.
Yes, you have.
I said no!
[quiet music plays]
YAE NOGUCHI
[pants]
[pants]
[pants]
[quiet music plays]
[message alert]
TSUNEMI
ONE NEW MESSAGE
HAVE YOU EATEN?
NOT YET
[pants]
[indistinct chatter]
MR. NAMIKI
[ringing tone]
[Harumichi] Yes?
Oh.
It's Noguchi again.
Sorry, were you at work?
Oh.
No.
It's okay.
[chuckles]
[stutters] It's nothing,
no big deal at all.
But if you have time,
take a look at the sky in the south
today, if you can.
Mars will be making
a close approach tonight.
It's the closest in years.
It was on the news.
[indistinct chatter]
You there?
Sorry, I was rambling to myself.
It's fine.
[chuckles]
MARS WILL MAKE ITS CLOSEST
APPROACH IN YEARS
STARGAZING
GAZE AT MARS
[sad music plays]
[Harumichi] Yae, how are you?
I hope you haven't caught a cold.
Mars looks especially bright this year.
Apparently, it's the closest it will be
this century.
When I see a star shining brightly,
I feel you close to me.
It's almost been two years
since the accident.
The way a turbo jet engine works,
it takes in air from the front
and pressurizes it.
[Harumichi] Tomorrow will finally be
my first solo flight as a cadet.
It's the first step
in becoming a fighter pilot.
...in balancing the wings.
You told me long ago that if you win
at Sazae-san's rock-paper-scissors,
something good
will definitely happen in that week.
Just so you know, I just won with rock.
...enter the upwind leg
and prepare for landing.
Namiki.
Yes, sir?
Go have fun.
Yes, sir!
Are there any non-combat zones
in Iraq right now?
Mr. Prime-Minister, please tell me
where there might even be
one non-combat zone.
Of course I can't answer what area is
a combat zone and what isn't right now.
[Kan] What a reply.
[Yae] "Please pick one
by p.m. tomorrow and contact me."
[giggles]
I like this one.
"Also, if you decide to turn down
this proposal,
please send them to the address below
within seven days."
"Cash on delivery."
What kind of proposal is this?
[laughs]
[m*llitary music plays]
- [pilot ] Off I go!
- [pilot ] Off I go!
[Yotsumoto] Off I go!
[sighs]
[m*llitary music continues]
Thank you, sir.
I want to see you again.
If I safely pass...
Clear.
I will come see you.
[engine turns on]
[m*llitary music continues]
[plane buzzing]
[air traffic controller] MARS-ECHO ,
Hofu Tower.
Wind, zero-eight-zero at seven.
Runway one-two. Cleared for takeoff.
[Harumichi] Runway one-two.
Cleared for takeoff. MARS-ECHO .
[exciting music plays]
[quiet music plays]
[sighs]
[triumphal music plays]
[triumphal music continues]
[plane buzzes]
[music continues]
[exhales]
[Yotsumoto] Namiki!
[exhales]
[doorbell rings]
[Kihako] Coming!
Who is it?
It's been a while.
Uh...
Um...
- Is Yae...?
- Oh.
She's out right now.
Well...
Then...
I'll just wait around here.
Wait.
Wait one second.
Okay.
FOR NISHI-MEMAMBESTU STATION
MATERNITY NOTEBOOK
NOZOMI MISSION TERMINATED
FAILS TO ENTER MARS ORBIT
[sad music plays]
Here.
Take these with you.
YAE NOGUCHI
[sad music continues]
I don't want Yae
to struggle like I did, you know?
- No, I...
- You understand?
She's got a baby inside her now.
She found a good person,
and they are getting married soon.
He's rich and wonderful.
So forget about her.
If you really care about Yae,
please, forget about her.
No, wait...
[sobs]
[gasps]
[sobs]
NOZOMI MISSION TERMINATED
FAILS TO ENTER MARS ORBIT
[sad music plays]
FAILS TO ENTER MARS ORBIT
CARRIER DETECTED
CARRIER LOST
[male announcer] Japan's first Mars probe
headed towards the orbit.
On it are engraved
the names of , people.
[sad music continues]
[sad music continues]
[Yae] You know how Earth and Mars
have different orbits?
So, it won't be until
that we'll be close again.
Really?
Which means we'll be...
fifty-three?
That's scary.
[laughs]
You think we'll have
the same conversations
or brag about how we only slept
for three hours?
[giggling] Definitely, definitely.
And certainly I'll mistakenly call
Christel Takigawa "Crystal,"
that's for sure. [laughs]
I think that would be cute.
[hesitates]
Yes...
Do you believe that Martians
really exist out there?
Of course.
If there's a colonization mission
announced,
I'll be the first to raise my hand.
What? Even if it's a one-way ticket?
Fine with me.
David Bowie should be arriving soon.
[laughs]
That's so true.
Huh? What about you?
About Martians?
I believe they exist.
[Harumichi] Oh, as I thought.
I'd love to go to space someday.
Yeah, I'd love to go as well.
[romantic music plays]
[laughs]
[hesitates]
What?
Are you going?
Oh, yeah.
[chuckles]
- Huh.
- [laughs] What?
Ready?
[romantic music continues]
[music fades]
It's beautiful.
It kind of feels like a time machine.
What?
Did you know that
starlight takes years and years
to finally reach Earth?
Being able to see distant stars
is like looking at a past
that no longer exist unfortunately.
Oh.
Then it's even brighter, I guess.
Have you heard of Nozomi before?
The very first Japanese Mars orbiter
that was launched in .
I think it was in a textbook.
Back then,
I naively and honestly thought that...
Nozomi might change the world.
What about now?
The mission completely failed.
It fulfilled its role though,
and is now drifting through space
somewhere.
And you know,
my name is traveling with Nozomi too.
It might not have any purpose
whatsoever now,
but it's out there.
It has a purpose.
It does.
It definitely has one.
Yeah.
Back to what we were talking about,
Ms. Christel.
[chuckles]
Yes.
Were you talking about your mother then?
Yes, about my mom.
She's just always a little off.
She'd call bagna càuda, "aioli vader."
Or say Yoshimura instead of Shimamura.
[chuckle]
How is your mother doing?
She was panicking that
she had cancer the other day,
but it turned out to be a gum infection.
And recently, a friend gifted her
a talking vacuum cleaner.
So she quickly named it Masao.
After the actor Masao Kusakari.
[chuckle]
That's so like her.
Yeah. Well, Masao's
an incredible hard worker.
Wait.
Did I mention my mom to you in the past?
Not really.
I was just asking.
I'm glad she's doing well.
Sorry it got so late.
I don't mind.
Not at all. I'm sorry, too.
It's no trouble for me,
I live really close.
Oh.
Ah... [sighs]
I can't get one at all.
Everyone gets on at Susukino
this time of night.
Then I'll use an app.
That's not necessary.
- I'm fine, I'm totally fine waiting.
- Just in case, I'll call one.
[chuckles]
It's fine.
[quiet music plays]
[quiet music continues]
[quiet music continues]
It's here.
Thank goodness.
Thank you.
Ms. Noguchi?
- Hmm, I'm actually fine after all.
- What?
I'm okay.
I'm sorry!
I suddenly became thirsty.
Yeah, but Harumichi is busy with work
as you know, so...
He told me he's got so much to do.
Yeah.
Uh-huh.
Mister! Two please.
Don't say that.
He was looking forward to meeting you
and Mom the other day.
It's true.
So don't worry.
Mmm.
Yes, extra please.
It's fine.
We'll definitely have the wedding
as planned.
Yeah, okay.
I'm hanging up now.
Please, give Mom my love.
All right.
Parents, right?
True, they complain.
[sighs]
Let's see.
Right.
[sighs]
Go ahead.
[giggling] What?
You wanted this?
Uh-huh.
[laugh]
Here.
GRAINY CORN POTTAGE
[quiet music plays]
So...
Harumichi?
[quiet music plays]