After the Quake (2025)

[bunniefuu]

When he opens the door, there's Frog.

When the man gets home,

there's Frog, a huge

man-sized frog, who says,

"A large earthquake will strike again.

This time in Tokyo."

"Help me stop it,

to save Tokyo from destruction."

To do so,

Frog must battle the worm

filled with hate under the ground.

So,

he wants the man to help him.

Will the two

be able to defeat Worm?

All we can do

is wait for the story to unfold.

Good morning.

The number of people dead

or missing has reached nearly 2,800.

This morning,

full-scale rescue operations have begun

Is that smoke still coming out?

Over a day has passed, right?

The epicenter was around Kobe City

and Nishinomiya City.

Many were k*lled or injured

when coastal apartments collapsed,

and over 8,000 damaged buildings

trapped people underneath.

One thousand eight hundred

and three people.

There are people still trapped

underneath a building

Still hard to believe.

The number of areas within Kobe City

and Ashiya City that is in need

of rescue work has gone up to 816.

The Self-Defense Force has been rescuing

You didn't eat yesterday?

I'll take that.

I had a dream earlier.

I haven't had one since we got married.

It was the first bad dream in a while.

What was it about?

I can't remember.

We're above Nagata Ward in Kobe.

The sky is getting lighter.

Fires are blazing down below.

Smoke from the fires

is reaching this altitude nonstop.

1,681 DEAD, 1,017 MISSING

The following are the newly confirmed

names of the deceased.

Hideki Takami.

Michio Tokaji.

Shino Ueno.

Kentaro Ninomiya.

Takeshi Morimoto.

Shinya Adachi.

Tomiko Adachi.

Next, Suma Ward, Kobe City.

Su-gwang Choi.

Nishinomiya City.

Sho Takai.

Takamitsu Kato.

Yuri Nakakita.

Ashiya City.

Miyo Mori.

Next, Higashinada Ward.

Haruka Kato.

Seiko Chujo.

Wataru Mori.

Jun Kudo.

Nada Ward.

Kengo Hashimoto.

Motohiro Kisoi.

I'm home.

Mimei?

"I don't intend to ever come back.

To be blunt,

there is nothing inside you

that you can give me.

You're sweet and kind,

but to me,

it felt like I was living

with a chunk of air.

But that's not just your fault.

I'm sure there are many women

who will love you more.

If any of my things are left,

please throw them away."

Hello. I'm Kamisu, Mimei's uncle.

Come in.

I'm sorry. I never knew

Mimei had an uncle.

No problem.

By the way, about that letter she wrote

I read it.

All right.

Then

Please fill this out.

DIVORCE NOTICE

The two witnesses have been filled in.

WIFE: MIMEI KOMURA

All you need to do is sign your name.

-As for property division--

-Wait.

This is all so sudden.

Let me talk to her directly.

Since I'm the one who came,

I'm sure you can take a hint.

Come on.

"Consider it as having had a bad dream."

That's what she said.

What was the reason? I don't understand.

You might be the only one

who doesn't understand.

What?

What was written in that letter

says it all.

The only truth

is this.

Sign it.

MIMEI

I heard you're taking

a long leave of absence.

Yeah.

You feel like going somewhere.

Why do you think so?

It's pretty obvious.

Have you ever been to Hokkaido?

No, I haven't.

Would you be willing to go?

Why?

Actually

there's a small package

I want delivered to Kushiro.

It's something personal,

and I don't want it treated roughly.

A small package?

This.

Meet my sister at Kushiro Airport

and give that to her.

Then she'll take care of your trip.

Oh, and

wait with that box in hand

just outside the airport's gate,

and my sister will know it's you.

All right.

-There she is!

-Thanks for waiting.

Long time no see.

GREAT HANSHIN EARTHQUAKE

FRAMEWORK OF RECONSTRUCTION HQ

5,244 DEAD

Hey.

Mr. Komura. Sorry. Did I make you wait?

Oh, uh

I'm Keiko Sasaki.

My brother works with you.

Hi. Nice to meet you.

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention.

No, it's my fault for being late.

And this is my friend Shimao.

Nice to meet you.

Shall we go?

I heard your wife passed away.

It must be hard for you.

Huh?

No, she didn't die.

But that's what my brother said.

We just got a divorce.

She's doing fine as far as I know.

Really?

Why would I lie?

There's no way I could have misheard

something that important.

I'm sorry for saying something so rude.

No.

It doesn't matter which it was anyway.

They're pretty much the same.

I'm truly sorry.

It's all right. Don't worry about it.

Oh yeah. Here.

Let me give you the package first.

Um

If you don't mind,

could you hold on to it for now?

Huh?

I forget easily.

If I lose it somewhere,

my brother will get mad at me.

-But

-That's true.

You really are forgetful, Keiko.

I'll give it to you later, then.

RESTAURANT MARSH UTOPIA

Is ramen OK with you?

Huh?

Oh, yeah.

Kushiro is so cold, isn't it?

It's common to see people

fall asleep drunk

and end up freezing

to death on the street.

Yeah.

Is that so common?

So, please be careful.

What?

What's your wife's name?

Huh?

It feels awkward

to keep calling her your wife.

Well

Her name's Mimei.

Mimei?

What's the kanji for that?

"Mi", as in "not yet",

and "mei", as in "name".

Her name means "doesn't have a name yet".

Are you serious?

Her father was a bit strange.

He intended to name her properly

when he came up with a real name.

"He just couldn't make up his mind,"

Mimei used to say, laughing.

Interesting dad.

Isn't it like being put on hold forever?

Here you go.

Even though I'm here, it doesn't feel

like I've come very far at all.

Strange, isn't it?

Did you want to go far away?

Yes.

I did.

But

you can't escape yourself,

no matter how far you go.

Same as your shadow.

Hey, could I ask you

a bit more about Mimei?

Go ahead.

When did she leave?

Five days after the earthquake.

So, about two weeks ago.

Did it have anything to do with the quake?

Probably not.

She's from up north and didn't have

any friends in the stricken area.

But things like that

could be connected in some way.

You just didn't notice, Mr. Komura.

Things like that happen.

Things like what?

I knew someone like that.

-You mean Mr. Saeki, right?

-Yeah.

He's a hairstylist who lives in Kushiro,

and his wife saw a UFO last summer.

A UFO?

She was driving alone outside of town

at night on a really hot day,

and suddenly a huge UFO landed

in the middle of a field.

Boom!

Yeah.

Boom!

And a week later, she left home.

Nobody knows why.

During the week before she left,

that UFO was the only thing

she talked about to anyone she met.

She didn't eat, didn't sleep,

and just kept talking.

Then, after that, she left home

and never came back.

That was the end.

Does staying in a motel bother you?

Someone I know owns this place,

and he gave us the best room.

No, it's fine.

Much better than a cramped

business hotel. Thank you.

Good.

Hey, you must be cold.

The bathtub here is pretty roomy.

Go take a dip.

What?

Oh

Keiko went home.

Oh, really?

Said she'll come pick you up

in the morning.

Keiko is your friend, right?

Yeah. We're peers.

What do you mean?

Is it awkward being with someone?

Should I go home now?

It's OK.

May I have one too?

Go ahead.

Hey.

If you don't mind,

may I take a bath too?

Oh, sure, of course.

Tomorrow is day 20

since the Great Hanshin Earthquake

struck southern Hyogo Prefecture

at 5:46 a.m.

on the 17th of last month.

The quake that struck the major city

registered a maximum seismic intensity

of seven, and the death toll

Hey, about that box

Will you hold on to it, Shimao?

Keiko probably took it home.

No, I didn't give it to her.

See? She took it home after all.

I guess so.

Yeah.

By the way,

how did you two know it was me

back at the airport?

You were supposed to find me

by looking for the box in my hand,

but at the airport,

I wasn't holding the box.

You weren't.

So, how?

It was pretty obvious.

Really?

You know what?

I think what you need right now

is to genuinely enjoy life.

Maybe an earthquake will strike tomorrow.

You might even be abducted by aliens.

Nobody knows

what might happen.

Don't worry. These things happen.

You were thinking about Mimei,

weren't you?

You said she left a note behind.

What did it say?

That living with me

was like living with a chunk of air.

What does that mean?

I think it means I have no substance.

Substance?

But

I have no idea

what that actually is.

I think you're pretty sweet, Mr. Komura.

That box I brought

I wonder what was inside.

You're curious about what's inside?

I didn't care until now,

but for some reason

Oddly enough, suddenly

Since when?

Just now.

Why did it start to bother you?

I don't know.

Inside that box

was your substance, Mr. Komura.

You brought it here without knowing

and handed it over to Keiko.

So, you'll never get your substance back.

Sorry, that was a joke.

I'm starting

to feel like I've come very far.

But it's only just begun.

Welcome.

Are those on the shelf all you have?

Oh, um

Are the ones over there all you have?

That's all.

Nothing else in the back?

Nothing.

Go check.

Don't you have any in stock?

Uh, no, that's not it.

That'll be 392 yen.

The exact amount. Thank you.

Thank you.

He used hard words.

He always buys milk, bread,

and a newspaper in the morning.

Green tea and bento for lunch.

-Too fast, too fast.

-At night,

he comes to buy two beers

and ready-made dishes.

Move.

Oh, hi.

Here. Expired stuff.

Awesome! Thanks.

You got a postcard from your mom.

She says to call sometime.

You haven't gone to see your folks at all

since we've been dating.

That's not OK, you know.

Don't read my mail.

I'm guessing you don't get along

with your dad, Junko.

Did something happen?

Getting along with your old man is hard.

Oh, lucky me. You brought pudding.

Enjoy some Japanese sweets in return.

So, you saw your parents.

Stopped by along my way to campus.

Let's go eat Korean barbecue tomorrow.

My treat.

Only one portion of short rib, though.

I'm not going.

Why not?

That's your father's money, right?

Pay half the rent with money

you made working part-time.

Preparations for tomorrow were underway,

and over 300 people, including volunteers

This pudding is good.

wrote words such as "prayer" on 10,000

bamboo lanterns and lined them up

in the shape of "1995 1.17",

indicating the day of the disaster.

Tomorrow marks the 16th anniversary

of the Great Hanshin Earthquake

that claimed the lives of 6,434 people.

In Itami City, memorial services

have begun in the parks

to mourn victims and to pray

for the recovery of the affected areas.

REST IN PEACE

Hey, you work at that store.

May I join you by the fire?

Oh, sure.

-Is this your way home?

-Huh?

I see you around sometimes.

Oh. Yes, it is.

Thank you.

You see the big log

in the middle of the fire?

That's like the How to put it?

The soul of this fire.

This fire exists to burn that.

Do you always build these fires?

It's like a disease at this point.

A lot of good driftwood washes up here.

Well

it's like I drifted here

to build these fires.

You thought I'm a weird guy.

I thought that was kind of cool.

What? You're a strange kid.

What's this? Some kind of sign?

That?

There's this fun pizza place in Kobe.

They serve pizzas with slips of paper

with the number they've made.

Eight hundred and eighteen?

You mean you've built this many fires?

I guess so.

Mind if I smoke?

Go ahead.

Were you born around here?

Why do you ask?

I thought you were from elsewhere

because you have a different air.

Don't answer if you don't want to.

Sorry, it's not like

I really have to know.

I

left home and came here two years ago.

I was a senior in high school.

I really hated school, of course,

but it was more like

I fell out with my dad.

From around when I was in junior high,

maybe? He began

How do I say it?

He began looking at me

like I was an alien.

I thought, "Oh, I definitely

can't be with this person.

It's impossible."

Anywhere would do.

I just wanted to go far away

on my own two feet.

But

I remember thinking,

"This isn't very far,

considering the time it took."

I see.

Hey, Junko!

Oh

May I come see your fire again?

Of course.

See you.

Who's he?

Let's go.

MONDAY, JAN. 17, 2011

-It's burning.

-It's burning.

Hey!

Well then, cheers.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

That's too big to use.

Why not? Use a big one for a change.

It's no good. Just leave it there.

It's freezing.

What's so great about a bonfire this late?

Better than rock music that's just noisy.

Don't underestimate rock.

It's made so many people

around the world happy.

Fans of bonfires have been around

for 50,000 years. Longer history.

I guess you could say that.

But the point is,

50,000 years ago and 50,000 years

from now have nothing to do with me.

What's important is now.

You never know when the Earth will end.

Now is important.

It's about being able to eat a proper meal

and how hard my d*ck gets. Get it?

OK.

So heavy.

Mr. Miyake, you're from Osaka, right?

Why did you come here?

Not Osaka. Kobe. Big difference.

Well, they're the same to us.

Is my accent still so obvious?

Too obvious.

How long have you been here?

Seventeen years.

Long time.

Why did you leave Kobe?

Well, things happened.

Do you go back sometimes?

Haven't gone at all.

Not once?

Here it comes.

This is the best so far!

Wow, it's so high!

Oh no, my stomach hurts.

Taking a sh*t will solve it.

Go home and do it, then.

I'll see Junko home, so don't worry.

OK then, thanks.

He got carried away and drank too much.

It's no fun if you're flawless

from a young age.

He has his good points, you know.

I guess so.

Being young can be tough, right?

Some things can't be helped,

even if you think about them.

Do you mind if I ask you

something personal?

It'll bother you until you ask, right?

Go ahead.

You have family in Kobe, don't you?

I got that impression

when Keisuke asked you why you left.

I see.

Do you have kids?

Yeah. Two.

I had kids.

Everyone in my family lived in a place

called Higashinada Ward.

Until 16 years ago

they lived there.

Why did I leave the house at that time?

Why couldn't I be with all of them there?

I still think about it.

I'm the king of idiots.

Why am I the only survivor?

Junko, have you ever thought about

how you'll die?

I think about it all the time.

I can't think about such a thing.

I mean, I don't even know

how I'm going to live yet.

I see.

But

there are ways to live by working it out

backwards from how you'll die.

Is that how you live?

I don't know.

Sometimes it feels like it.

How will you die, Mr. Miyake?

I'm going to die trapped in a fridge.

You hear about it sometimes,

kids being trapped inside and suffocating.

That kind of thing.

I'll suffer slowly for a long time

and end up suffocating.

I keep having dreams like that.

It feels so real

that I feel like I've died

many times over.

And someday I'll really die.

That's the premonition I have.

Premonition?

Premonitions are a kind of substitution.

In some cases,

they're far more graphic than reality.

It's almost over.

I'll see you home in a bit.

Hey. What are you doing?

The fire has two souls now.

Mr. Miyake.

I'm empty.

There's nothing in me.

I understand.

Do you really understand?

I'm knowledgeable about such things.

What should I do?

If you sleep well and wake up,

that usually does the trick.

It's not that simple.

Yeah.

How about

we die together now?

I wouldn't mind dying.

Seriously?

I'm serious.

For the moment,

let's wait until the fire burns out.

After all, it's the first bonfire

you made.

When this fire burns out

and it becomes completely dark,

then let's die together.

Yeah.

Eight hundred and twenty-seven.

The year 2011

March

11th.

Can I sleep for a bit?

Sure.

Wake me up when the fire is out.

Don't worry.

When the fire goes out, you'll be

so cold that you'll have to wake up.

When the fire goes out,

I'll be so cold that I'll have to wake up.

What you did was to test Our Lord.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

That isn't right.

Hello?

It's me.

I heard you were outside yesterday.

Mr. Tabata's farewell ceremony.

You came, didn't you?

I wouldn't have been welcome.

I'm an outsider now.

Don't be ridiculous.

Everyone knows you since you were born,

so it doesn't matter.

I was hoping to see you.

Yoshiya, did you speak with Mr. Tabata?

Huh?

You met him a while ago,

before he passed away, didn't you?

Yeah

I guess.

So

All right, all right.

I'm in a hurry.

Hold on.

Something might

happen again.

So, be careful.

See you.

Something might happen

Too close.

Sleep in your own bed.

MARCH 2011

We leave tomorrow morning.

Where to?

To Tohoku. Everyone here will go together.

To the stricken areas?

Yes.

I don't want to.

Don't you want to save them, Yoshiya?

It's arrogant to think we can save them.

You saw it on TV, right?

I saw it.

Then you know what it's like.

What could we do after seeing that?

I think probably what happened this time

is a sign that something terrible

is going to happen.

A sign?

Yes.

This world is full of the nasty malice

of human beings,

and it keeps hurting everyone.

I keep telling you, remember?

You're the only child of God

in this world,

so help people in need.

Hey.

Who is my real father?

I mean, like, biologically.

Real in that sense.

Your father is Our Lord.

We can't be together,

but He's always watching over you.

That's not what I mean.

But it's true.

Your father is Our Lord.

Never mind.

I'm not going to Tohoku.

I couldn't possibly do that.

I'm giving up my faith from today.

Wait!

There's something I want you to know.

It's about how you were born.

NINE YEARS SINCE THE 3.11 GREAEAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE. NEVER FORGENext one.

Thanks.

RELIEF SUPPLIES

Yoshiya.

Mr. Tabata.

Why did you tell your mother that you're

giving up your faith? It's wrong.

Is it really wrong?

People around you might say

we're a cult or that it's elitism.

But Yoshiya,

you're not like them.

Because I'm God's child?

Yes.

You're the chosen child.

No, I'm not.

I'm just a normal kid.

When I was a kid,

I was bad at catching fly ba*ls,

so I used to pray all the time.

"Dear God,

I'll continue to have faith forever.

So. please let me be able to catch

outfield fly ba*ls.

Please."

But my prayers were never answered.

It's not wrong to pray.

But Yoshiya,

what you did was to test Our Lord.

That isn't right.

We should pray for something bigger

and more far-reaching.

You mean the earthquake in Tohoku?

Yoshiya.

You were born right after

that earthquake in Kobe.

Our Lord knew this one would happen,

and He sent you into this world.

You should pray with your mother there.

No!

Yoshiya.

I can't go feeling like this!

Yoshiya.

I'm not God's child!

You may not understand it yet,

but Our Lord, who is your father,

will one day reveal Himself to you

as someone only you recognize.

You will meet Him

at a time and place you never expected.

There's something I want you to know.

It's about how you were born.

When I was still in my teens,

I was living in the depths of darkness.

My soul was in a state of confusion

and disorder,

like a sea of fresh mud.

And so, I had knowledge

of several different men

without love.

I first got pregnant

in my second year of high school.

I got my first ab*rtion at a women's

clinic a friend introduced me to.

The doctor told me

to use a condom properly,

but I was already very careful.

So, I thought it was weird.

Then, through a rather

strange turn of events,

I started going out

with that gynecologist.

That doctor had a missing earlobe

on the right side.

Apparently, a black dog bit it off

when he was little.

A short time later,

I got pregnant for the third time.

Even with perfect birth control.

That man accused me.

He assumed I'd had knowledge of other men.

That man embodied tainted malevolence.

I thought I'd die with you in my belly.

Wait a sec.

So, that means my real father

is that gynecologist?

That's not it.

I told you. My birth control

was always perfect.

It's no coincidence.

Yoshiya.

You're the child sent to this world

by Heaven's will.

Follow that taxi.

That taxi?

Hey!

A FEW DAYS AGO

It's been so long. Thank you for coming.

Sorry to call you in so suddenly.

I don't have long to live.

I have urethral cancer.

I wanted to speak with you one last time.

When was the last time you were here?

About ten years ago maybe.

Even in the last ten years,

many people who have lost their way

have come here.

I think that

someone needs to keep looking

at their pain alongside them.

And I'm hoping

that you'll help me do that too.

That's what I wanted to tell you

before I die.

I'm sorry.

I could never take your place.

I'm just an average guy.

I'm still that kid

who couldn't catch a fly ball.

That's not true.

You're the child sent by Our Lord.

I'll get someone.

Don't bother.

Water, please.

When you're really suffering,

for example, haven't you ever asked God

to make the pain a little bit easier?

Never.

Life is but a fleeting, painful dream.

This suffering is for the sake

of salvation after death.

We're only being tested.

How

How can something be so unfair?

If God tests us,

then why shouldn't we test God?

Mr. Tabata,

have you ever doubted God?

Not once.

Even if this world

continues to go downhill,

will you keep praying?

Of course.

Even if no one

sees your prayers,

can you still keep doing what's equal

to watering a wasteland?

What's your point?

Our Lord is always watching.

Why can't God

save this world that's going downhill?

Why does He always just watch in silence,

like this cold rock?

He won't protect my mother

from the violence of men.

He won't cure your illness.

Even so,

all we can do is keep praying.

So that one day the world will be better.

I pray too.

But to me,

you and my mother now are more important.

I don't know about

salvation in the distant future.

I was

happy to have met God.

That's all.

I'm grateful to you, Mr. Tabata.

You kept saying I was God's child,

but you always looked after me

properly since I was little.

How do I look

to you now, Mr. Tabata?

How?

For me, nothing has changed.

Just as you were

No way that would change.

Oh God.

Our stories

have been continuing

since that big earthquake 30 years ago.

Frog told the man,

"Let's go down underground in Tokyo

to battle against Worm."

The man asked from where he should go.

Frog answered,

"There's a deep, deep staircase

going underground

from the boiler room of the trust bank

where you work.

Go down from there."

And the man promised to go with Frog.

The day they go underground.

On that day of all days, the man

was involved in a tragic accident.

He was walking through Kabukicho

to be on time for his meeting with Frog.

Now he must go with Frog to where Worm is.

As the man hurried along,

a young man in a leather jacket

suddenly appeared.

It all happened in an instant.

The young man held up the small,

toy-like g*n in his hand

and fired without warning.

EMERGENCY PATIENT: SHOICHI KATAGIRI

ADMITTED ON FEB. 17, 1995

The man was dragged into a nightmare.

Thirty years later

KARAOKE, RHYTHM GAMES, VIDEO GAMES

Hello.

What's the matter?

I can't use my card.

Sorry. Could you use cash?

Oh, sure.

Do you have change for 10,000 yen?

Oh, yes.

Sorry, we don't have change at the moment.

What?

Security guard, what are you here for?

I can pay.

Oh, sorry, thanks.

Here.

You're no use.

Thank you.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

OUT OF SERVICE

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Hey, you.

Is it true you commute

from that Internet caf nearby?

Yes.

What, seriously?

But you're always wearing a suit,

like some banker. Why?

Don't just laugh.

TOKYO SECURITY TRUST BANK

Oh, Mr. Number 55.

Will you renew your stall

for two weeks again?

Yes.

Forgot about that. Sorry.

That'll be 28,000 yen, Mr. Number 55.

Here.

Hi. I looked everywhere for you.

I'm so happy to see you again.

As Charles Dickens wrote,

"The pain of parting

is nothing to the joy of meeting again."

Long time no see, Mr. Katagiri.

How do you know my name?

What are you saying?

How could I forget your name?

You don't remember me?

Do I know you?

I'm Frog. You and I

saved Tokyo together long ago.

That Frog.

Saved Tokyo? With me?

Yes. We prevented a huge earthquake

from happening in Tokyo.

Thirty years ago.

Thirty years ago?

Were you sent by a g*ng by any chance?

That's quite a sense of humor.

Even if they're short on manpower,

would a g*ng hire a frog?

I can't help you with loans.

I don't work at the trust bank anymore

and have no power.

The only time I appear before you

is when there's a grave situation

to address.

Please help me again.

That was so hydrating.

SHOWER

You're the only one who can see me.

Mr. Frog.

Call me Frog.

Frog.

Yes.

May I ask you something?

Yes, of course. It's important

to understand each other.

Ask away.

Are you a real frog?

Of course, as you can see,

I'm a real frog.

I'm no metaphor, citation,

deconstruction, sampling

That sort of complicated thing.

You really have forgotten me, haven't you?

I've never once forgotten your name.

Come in.

Excuse me.

Now, Mr. Katagiri,

do you remember there was

a big earthquake in Kobe 30 years ago?

Of course.

Shortly after that,

deep underground in Shinjuku,

we battled against Worm,

who tried to cause an earthquake in Tokyo.

Worm?

Yes, a huge earthworm,

about the size of a subway train.

When Worm becomes angry,

earthquakes happen.

But we were able to stop

the earthquake just in time.

It's because you cheered me on.

Cheered you on?

Your imagination helped me.

My imagination?

Yes.

You helped me squarely in your dream.

Watch.

The world is made up of things

you can't see.

The world can be changed in any way.

For example, you can change

the contents of that box

into anything you like,

according to your imagination.

The content of the box is you, as it were.

I need some fresh air.

BLANKETS AVAILABLE AT FRONT DESK

Are you OK?

Mr. Frog.

Frog.

Frog.

I sort of understand what happened

30 years ago from what you said.

And you came today

because something serious is up again?

Yes, Worm has become dangerous again.

What do you mean?

For the past 30 years,

after feeding on black soil soaked

with people's misery and hatred,

Worm is suffering.

If it keeps eating more black soil,

an earthquake

will really strike Tokyo this time.

So, will you help me stop Worm again?

I still don't get it.

I'm just an average

No, I'm a below-average human being.

Someone like me, fighting

There are stronger people out there.

People who do karate,

people in the Self-Defense Forces.

That kind of strength isn't necessary.

All you have to do is to cheer me on

from the bottom of your heart.

Cheer you on?

Yes.

I'll take on the role

of actually fighting.

Tokyo is big, but there's no one

I can trust as much as you.

We'll depart at 3:00 a.m.,

when all souls are asleep.

Hey, where are we headed?

The same place as 30 years ago.

Directly below and far underneath

the trust bank where you used to work.

Is the bank near here?

Right there.

That?

The bank itself has moved

to another location.

Working at a trust bank sounds good,

but in my case,

rather than helping people,

there were so many more instances

where I was resented by them or hurt them,

so I didn't have a very good time.

I wonder why, though.

I keep coming back here.

You must have been watching

over me and Worm from here.

That's why I approached you.

Is that right?

Hey?

Was that there before?

This must lead down into the underground.

Let's go.

The darkness will grow deeper from here.

Everything is connected by a dream.

The small box,

the refrigerator,

the subway.

Here, we look for traces of Worm.

Now, follow the wind.

I'm sorry, Mr. Katagiri.

We've been surrounded

by something already.

From here on, it's a world

like a nightmare

that's dangerous to see or hear,

with no landmarks to guide us.

Be careful.

It's all your fault.

The trust bank was my last hope!

You want me to die?

You're leaving me to die.

Mr. Katagiri, don't stand still!

Okay!

Don't think!

Money, money, money.

You encouraged me to take the loan.

-Banks are always like this.

-You said the bank exists for us all!

It's over for me.

"We're here for the community,

for you all." What was that all about?

Hey, this way. They're calling you.

You could've saved so many people.

We're short on funds!

You said to take out the loan!

You m*rder*r.

It wasn't the head office, it was you.

It's over for me.

Do you know how many lives

can be saved with this money?

I'll curse you!

Help me!

Give me back my father.

You m*rder*r.

Mr. Katagiri.

Mr. Katagiri.

Are you OK? Sorry.

Take a seat here.

No need to hurry.

Are you OK?

I'll raise your feet.

That look on your face

Did you have a bad dream?

What a relief.

You weren't at home

when I came over, so I was alarmed.

Sorry.

Don't leave home without asking.

Keiko will scold you again.

Keiko?

Your younger sister.

You're a bit tired, aren't you?

Your brother was worried too. Keisuke.

He came yesterday.

Oh, that's right.

Let's go.

Do you want to lie down?

I'm fine.

Okay.

KOBE NURSING HOME

Tomorrow's weather.

Clouds are likely to spread

over a wide area tomorrow.

Kobe will be cloudy with some sun,

chance of snow up north.

KOBE SECURITY TRUST BANK

Here you go.

Thank you.

Whoa, Mr. Katagiri.

You left the fridge open. Give me a break.

Hey, please just sit over there.

Okay.

You said you wanted to drink this.

What's wrong? It's not as good

when it goes flat. Drink up.

Frog

What?

I'm going home.

No, this is your home.

It's not.

I'm going home.

Please calm down.

I'm going home. I'm going home.

Where are you going? Give me a break.

-I'm going home.

-Mr. Katagiri.

I'm going home.

I'm going home.

Mr. Katagiri.

It's OK. Calm down.

Ow!

I'm sorry.

Are you OK?

Mr. Katagiri.

Do you really not remember me?

Huh?

Look at me carefully.

You recognize me.

I don't know you.

Really?

I don't understand. I don't remember.

You don't know.

You don't understand. You don't remember.

The world keeps going downhill

because you guys are always like that.

You've only ever thought about yourself,

haven't you?

How about I remind you?

If you had shouted louder that one time,

you could have saved that kid.

If you hadn't pretended

not to see that one time,

you could have saved that person's life.

That data you entered at random?

People fight

and are even k*lled over it.

When will you realize?

Making a big fuss every time something

big happens or pretending not to notice.

You people end up going nowhere.

Mr. Katagiri. You shouldn't go outside.

When he opens the door, there's Frog.

Frog told the man

"Let's go down underground in Tokyo

to battle against Worm."

I don't understand

what's happening anymore.

TUESDAY, JAN. 17, 1995

I went a bit overboard there.

This

is something like a drug

that will let you forget everything.

You did a fine job again today.

What people need the most to live

is the ability to forget.

You can look forward because you forget.

You'll go crazy

if you remember everything.

Here, drink up.

I want to go home.

Go home where?

It's better if you stay here.

If you stay, nobody will resent you,

you won't be in a traffic accident,

and no earthquakes will happen.

Still, I want to go home.

What will you do there?

There's nothing you can do.

Frog

is over there.

I want

to see Frog again.

Frog.

Frog.

No.

No, Mr. Katagiri.

Mr. Katagiri, are you OK?

Mr. Katagiri?

Long time no see

Frog.

So, you finally remember now.

Yes.

Frog?

Are you there?

Don't come.

I'll soon disappear

into the darkness.

Why?

A short while ago,

I battled against Worm.

You cheered me on

in your dream, Mr. Katagiri.

Thank you so much.

In my dream.

I see.

So, I was fighting alongside you.

Yes.

You were struggling in a nightmare

continuing for 30 years

and fighting.

Maybe I

should have stayed over there.

But

Frog, you weren't there.

So what if I'm not there?

It means I'm not there.

Thank you, Mr. Katagiri.

Yes,

I'm your shadow.

But it's almost time to say goodbye.

Please live out your life.

No matter what happens from now on.

Frog.

Hey.

You're still doing that?

Yes.

I'm still doing this.

BASED ON UFO IN KUSHIRO,

LANDSCAPE WITH FLATIRON,

ALL GOD'S CHILDREN CAN DANCE,

AND SUPER-FROG SAVES TOKYO,

BY HARUKI MURAKAMI