YAE NOGUCHI
Coming!
Here.
It's cold, huh?
Thank you very much!
S…
Sw…
S…
Hm? Hm?
S…?
Oh, Switzerland!
Thank you for coming.
Coming!
It's cold, isn't it?
Thank you very much.
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.
Come on.
Oh, found it.
DECEMBER 18, 1997 WEDNESDAY
"You can now send your name to Mars."
NAME PLATE TO MARS ORBITER
"On the 17th, the MEXT science research center…"
"Launching scheduled for next summer…"
Miss A student, when things are tough, just look up at the sky.
Another version of yourself is traveling through outer space.
Good morning.
Good morning, sir.
Earlier today at 3:12 a.m.,
ISAS, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
successfully launched a M-V-3 rocket…
Good morning.
How are you?
…this is very impressive footage.
This M-V-3 rocket carries Japan's first Mars orbiter Planet-B…
Do you think that Martians can read?
Of course not, love. Martians don't exist.
Are you sure they don't?
…Nozomi.
And on board Nozomi, there are name plates
of over 270,000 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.
…it will head toward Mars's orbit.
AVAILABLE / UNAVAILABLE
It's gotta be the Napolitan.
Right this way.
SPECIAL NAPOLITAN
-Yeah. -Sorry for the wait.
Thanks so much.
-Enjoy your meal. -Thank you.
Thanks for this dish.
Oh.
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?
Totally.
I've gone five times already.
Five?
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 11TH IS PASTA DAY FREE UPGRADE TO LARGE
You can upgrade to large for free every month on the 11th.
You should come then.
WE SHOULD GO TOGETHER THEN
Sorry.
Sorry, sorry.
Sorry.
YES! I LOOK FORWARD TO IT
Creepy, creepy, creepy.
Ow, this hurts so much.
Mr. Namiki.
You should go to the hospital.
Shut up already.
Get back to work.
Yes, sir.
Namiki.
The number you've dialed cannot be reached
as the phone is either turned off or out of service area.
Yae!
I would really like it if you let her be for a while.
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.
What do you wanna do in Tenjin?
Look at clothes.
Clothes? I haven't bought clothes in forever.
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.
YAE NOGUCHI
Shoes.
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.
I have tons of stuff I'd love to forget.
You're gonna get better once you rest, you know?
Now, let's go!
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!
I missed you!
Oh.
Glad you're here!
Hello.
Ah. Your best friend, Nonko.
She's been worried about you.
Oh, come on in.
Thank you so much.
I brought you a little something.
That's very sweet of you.
-It's nothing. -Come in.
Thanks.
-This looks delicious. -Yeah.
Here you go!
Here's something I made for you guys. Ready?
Ta-da!
-Hope you like it. -It looks amazing!
-How about that? -Sure.
Yeah, come on.
-Cheers, girls. -Cheers.
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 5.5. Crazy, isn't it?
You gotta be kidding me.
-That's hilarious, 5.5? -Really.
Em…
So Yae, this guy Hiroshi Abe. He's handsome and attractive.
Yeah, very handsome.
Very handsome, yeah.
Have you seen…
Namiki, by any chance?
-Well… -Yeah.
See you later then.
Feel free to call anytime, all right, Yae?
See you.
YAE SCHOOL DAYS
2001 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.
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…
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?
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?
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!
Any numbness or dizziness?
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.
Oh.
Yes.
Okay.
Good.
I thought I lost my memory again.
Oh.
I'm really sorry about it.
I'm somewhat impatient.
Yeah.
YAE NOGUCHI
HARUMICHI NAMIKI
I'm home.
Welcome back.
How was it? Hmm?
Fine.
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 15th.
And he's had Dotour's C set every day for breakfast over the last ten years.
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!
You have been talking about this doctor of yours for a while now.
Huh?
No, I haven't really.
Yes, you have.
I said no!
YAE NOGUCHI
TSUNEMI ONE NEW MESSAGE
HAVE YOU EATEN?
NOT YET
MR. NAMIKI
Yes?
Oh.
It's Noguchi again.
Sorry, were you at work?
Oh.
No.
It's okay.
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 15 years.
It was on the news.
You there?
Sorry, I was rambling to myself.
It's fine.
MARS WILL MAKE ITS CLOSEST APPROACH IN 15 YEARS
STARGAZING GAZE AT MARS
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.
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.
What a reply.
"Please pick one by 4 p.m. tomorrow and contact me."
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?
-Off I go! -Off I go!
Off I go!
Thank you, sir.
I want to see you again.
If I safely pass…
Clear.
I will come see you.
MARS-ECHO 3, Hofu Tower.
Wind, zero-eight-zero at seven.
Runway one-two. Cleared for takeoff.
Runway one-two. Cleared for takeoff. MARS-ECHO 3.
Namiki!
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
Here.
Take these with you.
YAE NOGUCHI
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--
NOZOMI MISSION TERMINATED FAILS TO ENTER MARS ORBIT
CARRIER DETECTED
CARRIER LOST
Japan's first Mars probe headed towards the orbit.
On it are engraved the names of 270,000 people.
You know how Earth and Mars have different orbits?
So, it won't be until 2035 that we'll be close again.
Really?
Which means we'll be…
fifty-three?
That's scary.
You think we'll have the same conversations
or brag about how we only slept for three hours?
Definitely, definitely.
And certainly I'll mistakenly call Christel Takigawa "Crystal,"
that's for sure.
I think that would be cute.
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.
That's so true.
Huh? What about you?
About Martians?
I believe they exist.
Oh, as I thought.
I'd love to go to space someday.
Yeah, I'd love to go as well.
What?
Are you going?
Oh, yeah.
-Huh. -What?
Ready?
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 1998.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
It's fine.
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.
Let's see.
Right.
Go ahead.
What?
You wanted this?
Uh-huh.
Here.
GRAINY CORN POTTAGE
So…
Harumichi?