01x06 - Asako

[bunniefuu]

Yoshiki.

The corner of that page is folded.

I know. It's my bookmark.

Ugh, is that the printout Masuda gave us?

Talk about weird taste.
You like this stuff?

Well...

I like it. It's fun. Philosophy, right?

Swampman... A guy gets struck by lightning
and transforms into someone else?

SWAMPMAN THOUGHT EXPERIMENT

That's not it. I think he...

He dies.

Then, another guy with the same appearance
and the same memories spawns.

He doesn't realize
that he's different from the dead guy,

so he just goes home like that.

What do you guys think?

'Bout what?

Do ya think the dead guy
and the newborn guy

are the same person?

Couldn't care less, really.

But I'd say they're different.

- Why?
- Just 'cause.

I'm not so sure.

The human body
replaces its cells all the time.

Our cells ain't the same
as they were a few years ago.

Same idea, right?

Good point.

But the real guy
is drowning in that swamp, ya know.

Then they gotta be different guys.

For a split second,
two of 'em existed at the same time.

Oh, you're right.

Maki said somethin' clever for once.

But they look the same
on the outside, don't they?

Ultimately, we can only judge others
based on how we see 'em.

I dunno anymore!

Who even cares? I sure don't.

Confusing, ain't it?

In their minds, Hikaru is still alive.

What makes people "themselves" anyway?

Their memories? Cells? Experiences?

Well, your singin's good enough for me.
It's nice, in a unique sorta way.

Monday's the big day. Practice hard, okay?

FRIDAY

What even defines the "death" of a person?

This pounding in my heart

Now...

THE SUMMER HIKARU DIED

THE SUMMER HIKARU DIED

EPISODE SIX: ASAKO

'Ey!

Mornin'!

Mornin'...

I washed this for ya. Thanks again.

INDO

You borrowed gym clothes from a guy?

So what? The girls' ones are too small.

You're sniffing 'em
right after I gave 'em back?

Smells real nice. All girl-ish.

Yeah, my mom's obsessed
with scents and stuff.

Girls always smell incredible, ya know?

So, why do guys stink?

Dunno.

Hey, do you guys
wanna hang out this weekend?

Need a break from choir practice.

Oh, heck yeah!

I wanna go on a trip.

Like to Didneyland or somethin'!

A little too ambitious, don'tcha think?

Best we can hope for
is a sleepover at one of our places.

Wanna do it at my place?

Huh? Really?

Ya sure this ain't too sudden?

Should be fine. I'll let my mama know.

Wow, thanks!

We oughta do fireworks!

I'll show you my fire dance.

Sounds super lame.

I'll bring a watermelon!

Hey, you sure that's a good idea?

Kubitachi's dull as dishwater, ya know.

Then let's do it together, Yoshiki.

Shut up. What even is that?

You don't know?

Sometime, somehow
Winter melts into spring

That night sky
Will become dawn tomorrow

Pour all of your wishes...

Hey, what are you two doin'?

Hey, Mr. Mikasa.

Looks like my bike got a flat.

I'll give you two a ride in the back.

Can ya load up your bikes?

- Yeah!
- Thank you.

It's hot!

It's hot...

KIBOGAYAMA HIGH SCHOOL

"Super Spark Demon King."

"Ultra Fun-joyable."

I wanna do this one.

Gimme this one.

Hikaru's place sure is roomy.

Ain't it?

Must've been a hassle comin' all this way
just to spend the night.

No big deal. It's the weekend,
so my folks drove me over.

Yoshiki, go to my room
and bring us a game or somethin'.

- Is Nashi-tetsu okay?
- Yeah.

Hasn't changed a bit.

MATSUSHIMA SAWMILL

Where have I seen this hat before?

Like it?

- Yeah.
- That's good.

MONJAYAKI
ICE-COLD SHAVED ICE

Ya know, we hold this festival
for the god who lives on that mountain.

Don't go climbin' that mountain, Yoshiki.

You'll get snatched up.

Hey! We were lookin' for ya.

Do you like that corn, Yoshiki?

Yeah.

Yoshiki!

They're gonna do fireworks today!
Let's go see 'em.

Yeah.

Toshi, everyone's drinkin' over there.
You'd better come too.

Count me in.

Dad never really talked to me about it.

I remember it so vividly, though.

Oh, right. Nashi-tetsu.

The heck is this?

This must've gotten wet. It's all crusty.

Hikaru's handwriting.

"Hichi"?

"The Indos' role"?

- Ain't it pretty?
- Right?

Awesome!

His English is actually good.

Fireworks are awesome, huh?

So cool!

You guys! Look over here.

What's that, Hikaru? A shed?

Oh, that? It's our temple.

Grandpa takes good care of...

My house has one of those mini shrines.

What's the difference
between temples and shrines, anyway?

Sorry.

- I dropped it.
- Huh?

- Quit horsin' around!
- Ow!

I just lit that, ya know.

How was I supposed to know?

It was the last one!

Fine, whatever. Take mine.

Apologize.

Aw, my lighter ain't lightin' no more.

It's our last one too.

I'll go to Yamahisa and get one.

- Hikaru.
- Hm?

I'll go with you.

Is it hot or what?

Yeah. While we're out,
let's buy some ice cream.

Okay.

I guess I'll trash this now.

You do that.

Hey, guys.

There's a massive fireworks festival
at the end of summer.

I heard. You going, Maki?

I'm thinkin' about it.

I'm gonna chase after those two
and tell 'em to get ice cream too.

Okay.

I think I will go see those fireworks.

Oh. Yeah?

Hey, is that the mountain
where ya disappeared before?

Yep, that's the one.
I don't really remember, though.

Oh.

Feels like everything
is back to normal now, huh?

Back then, we all thought you were dead.

I'm so glad you came back.

Yeah.

Listen.

If this don't make sense,
just forget about it, okay?

Who are you, really?

THE SUMMER HIKARU DIED

Grandma! Over there!

Do ya hear that?
It's like a bangin' sound!

Well, well, Asako.
You're able to hear 'em, eh?

Grandma can't hear nothin',
but she can see a little.

Our family can sense these things.

Asako,

our world overlaps
with the world of dead people.

They're right beside us.

People's souls cross over when they die,

but they eventually return to our world.

It's all part of the cycle
of life, death, and rebirth.

I don't get it.

Ah-chan!

I came to see ya!

Yu-chan!

I'm comin' over there, Ah-chan!

Look out.

Yu-chan, stop!

- Yuki!
- Oh, Yuki!

Oh, no!

Listen carefully, Asako.

Some o' them from that other world
are frightening, and some o' them ain't.

Ya can't assume that their world is "bad"
and ours is "good."

Okay.

But they are fearsome things, got it?
Try to stay away if ya can.

It tried to protect her?

Are you okay?

Never jump out into the road like that!

Are you hurt?

I'm fine. I just fell down.

Thank goodness.

Folks from that other world are scary,

but I don't think they're all bad.

Who are you, really?

What? She knows?

What? She knows? What? She knows?

How does she know?

Hey.

Asako!

Hey! You okay?

What did you do?!

I think she knows. I didn't mean to...

"Didn't mean to" what?

Probably shouldn't do that to Asako, huh?

Do what?

It'd be sad if she died, huh?

Did you...

try to k*ll her?

How could you?

This is a human life, ya know?

Life.

Are "dying" and "living"
really that different?

Is it better to be alive?

I ain't got a life.

Being dead, being alive,
it makes no difference to me.

Death ain't even that scary.

You just change shape a little is all.

Oh?

So you lied when you said
you don't wanna k*ll me?

No, I wasn't lying!

You... you're... special.

If you die, we won't get to
eat ice cream together no more.

What?

That's it? That's all it is?

But that's true for Asako too!

You're contradicting yourself.

You can't even comprehend life!
What makes me special to you?

That lady in our neighborhood.

Ms. Matsuura.
Are you the one who k*lled her?

Whoa, you're puking...

Huh? Was I sleepin'?

Smells like puke.

So you're okay, Hikaru?

I mean...

I know you've been possessed by a ghost!

Awkward...

KEEP THE RIVER CLEAN

I noticed after Hikaru came back.

His voice got weird sometimes.

So I kinda knew
that somethin' bad had possessed him.

But I got the sense
that it was protectin' you, Yoshiki.

At times, I even felt like
you'd be safer together.

So I tried talkin' to it.
I thought my voice might reach it.

The thing inside Hikaru.

I'm off the hook?

I bet y'all think I'm crazy
for sayin' all this!

Sorry, you guys. Just forget it.

Nah.

I believe ya.

Thanks.

I'm scared ya might faint again.
You should head back.

'Kay.

Yoshiki...

Is Yoshiki okay?
It's weird how he randomly left yesterday.

Must've been quite the bellyache.

Say, Asako...

Tell Yoshiki that I hope he feels better.

I'll tell him.

What is "life"?

Dying doesn't mean
you disappear from this world.

Your form might change,
but your soul stays here.

Yoshiki.

Yoshiki's sure got a pretty soul...

No, I can't. I don't want Yoshiki to die.

But why? Is that my own opinion?

Or is Hikaru's memory...

These feelings are eatin' away at me...

Heading out.

C'mon, Hikaru. Time for school.