YAE NOGUCHI
Coming!
Here.
It's cold, huh?
Thank you very much!
S…
Sw…
S…
S…?
Switzerland!
Thank you for your long journey.
Coming!
It's cold, huh?
Thank you very much.
How are your high school exams?
Knowing you, I'm worried you're pushing yourself too hard.
I sent a certain postcard after reading an article in the newspaper.
Found it.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1997
"Your name to Mars."
NAME PLATE TO MARS ORBITER
"On the 17th, the MEXT science research center…"
"For the launch next summer…"
Ms. Hard-worker, when things are tough, try looking up at the sky.
Your other self is traveling through outer space.
Good morning.
The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
successfully launched a rocket from the Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima…
'Morning.
Good morning.
…at 3:12 a.m. this morning.
This M-V-3 rocket carries Japan's first Mars orbiter Planet-B…
Do you think Martians can read?
Martians don't exist.
Really?
Nozomi is carrying plates with names
of over 270,000 people who sent them in.
Nozomi will approach the Moon,
and use a lunar swing-by to accelerate its speed twice.
And in December…
Good luck.
…it will head toward Mars's orbit.
It's gotta be the Napolitan.
Right this way.
SPECIAL NAPOLITAN
Here's your food.
Thank you.
Enjoy your meal.
Thank you for this food.
MR. NAMIKI, I BET YOU'D LIKE SEIYOKEN'S NAPOLITAN IN CHIYODA
The pasta thickness and the ketchup is just perfect, right?
Totally.
I've gone five times already.
Five?!
I tend to really dive in.
Would you like more water?
-Thank you. -Excuse me.
There you go.
Thank you.
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
I'm sorry.
YES! I LOOK FORWARD TO IT
Creepy.
Ow.
Mr. Namiki.
You should see a doctor.
Shut up.
Do your work.
Yes, sir.
Namiki.
The number you have dialed
cannot be reached as it may not be in service or has been turned off.
Yae!
I'd like you to leave her be for a while.
Can I do anything?
Please leave it to me!
I…
I'll protect her.
You can barely wipe your own ass. What do you think you can do?
Just…
Just focus on your own life.
Any plans 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, I'll pass.
Okay.
Later then.
YAE NOGUCHI
Oh. That's something he--
I know.
It's a souvenir from Kathmandu I got in fourth grade.
This is from Helsinki.
Tanzania.
Buenos Aires.
I still have my old memories.
I just can't remember anything from the last few years.
Remember what the doctor said.
You don't have to force it.
I have tons of stuff I'd love to forget.
You'll get better once you rest.
Now, let's eat!
What's up with that? You didn't need to say that!
-To be honest, I can't… -What's up with that?
-No, no… -You're too cruel.
You said it.
Yae!
I missed you!
Welcome!
Hello.
Your best friend Nonko.
She's been worried about you.
Come on in.
Thanks.
I brought something.
That's so generous.
-It's nothing. -Come in.
Thank you.
It looks delicious.
It's ready!
Here's our main course.
-Eat up. -It looks amazing!
-Let's make a toast. -Let's.
You too, Yae.
-Cheers. -Cheers.
By the way, I saw Hiroki Abe at Memanbetsu Station.
What? No way!
When I looked closer,
he was about 158 centimeters tall.
Are you serious?
That's hilarious.
-158? -Yeah.
Hiroshi Abe is an actor.
He's pretty tall.
And handsome.
Very handsome.
By the way,
have you seen Namiki?
Maybe later then.
Call me whenever you want.
Bye.
2001 HOKKAIDO KITAMI HIGH SCHOOL
YAE NOGUCHI
NOZOMI SHIGETA
Well, summer-caught salmon is the best.
They're young and supple.
The fat content is different too.
Sorry, I couldn't eat it all myself.
Give my regards to your mother.
Will do.
Nasu.
What do you usually think about during the time between
shampooing and conditioning?
Shampooing?
Like my cuticles or something?
Well, lately…
when I'm alone with my thoughts,
I keep thinking about this certain person.
Or like…
when I see words…
with certain letters like in "harumph,"
and in "Michigan,"
and "dynamic,"
and in "kiosk."
When I see them,
I catch myself staring at them.
Isn't that…
Go on, say it!
What?
You've got a crush.
No, that's not it.
I'm old enough to know what's sensible.
That kind of thing…
will kill love.
Love?
No.
Okay, let's assume it's that.
I'm divorced with a son.
If I were salmon, I'd be kelt.
Kelt?
Old, shriveled up salmon who have already spawned, and taste bad.
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…
Show the world what a kelt can do!
Oh? I thought I smelled something good!
And it's summer-caught!
Young salmon tastes the best.
So? What were you two talking about?
Just eat some salmon.
Can I? Thanks a lot!
Any 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 common.
Some may experience mood swings or memory regressions,
but try to live your life normally.
Also, no exercise.
Any questions?
Doctor.
Yes?
Isn't it still May today?
Yes.
Okay, good.
I thought I lost my memory again.
My apologies.
I'm somewhat impatient.
I see.
YAE NOGUCHI
HARUMICHI NAMIKI
I'm home.
Welcome back.
How was it?
Fine, I guess.
So that new, younger Doctor assigned to me…
He's actually a bit… or actually, pretty 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 10 years.
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.
Also, when he gets irritated, he fidgets with the chart.
And he eats rice balls with chopsticks!
You've been talking about this doctor a lot.
No, I haven't.
Yes, you have.
No, I haven't!
YAE NOGUCHI
TSUNEMI ONE NEW MESSAGE
HAVE YOU EATEN?
NOT YET
MR. NAMIKI
Yes?
It's Noguchi.
Sorry, were you at work?
No.
It's okay.
It's really no big deal.
But if you have time, take a look at the sky in the south.
Mars will make a close approach tonight.
It will be the closest in 15 years apparently.
It was on the news.
Mr. Namiki?
Sorry, I was rambling.
It's fine.
MARS WILL MAKE ITS CLOSEST APPROACH IN 15 YEARS
GAZE UP AT THE RED PLANET
Yae, how are you?
I hope you haven't caught a cold.
Mars looks especially bright this year.
It's the closest it will be this century.
When I see a bright star,
I feel you close to me.
It's almost been two years since the accident.
The way a turbo jet engine works,
it sucks in air from the front and pressurizes it.
Tomorrow will be my first solo flight as a cadet.
It's the first step in becoming a fighter pilot.
…is used for maneuvering.
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.
…then I'll 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 by some chance you decline,
please have them sent to the address below within seven days."
"Cash on delivery is acceptable."
Who proposes like this?
Off I go!
Thank you, sir.
I want to see you again.
If I pass…
I will come see you.
Namiki!
Coming!
Who is it?
It's been a while.
Um…
Is Yae…?
She's out right now.
Then…
I'll just wait out here.
Wait one second.
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 have a hard life like I did.
No, I--
Yae…
She's pregnant.
She found a good person and they'll be getting married soon.
He's rich and wonderful.
So forget about her.
If you care about Yae…
please try to forget about her.
No, wait--
NOZOMI MISSION TERMINATED FAILS TO ENTER MARS ORBIT
YAE NOGUCHI
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 ramble on and on
or brag how we only slept for three hours?
Definitely.
I bet I'll mistakenly call Christel Takigawa "Crystal" instead.
That sounds cute.
Yes…
Do you believe that Martians exist?
Of course.
If there's a colonization mission announced, I'm totally in.
Even if it's one-way?
Fine with me.
David Bowie should be arriving soon.
True.
What about you?
Martians?
I think they exist.
Oh, of course.
I'd love to go to space someday.
Yeah, I'd love to go as well.
This way?
It's beautiful.
It feels like a time machine.
Huh?
Starlight…
takes years and years to finally reach Earth.
Being able to see distant stars…
is like looking at a past that doesn't exist anymore.
Then they seem even brighter.
Have you heard of Nozomi?
The first Japanese Mars orbiter launched in 1998.
I think it was in a textbook.
Back then,
I honestly thought that…
Nozomi might change the world.
What about now?
The mission failed.
It fulfilled its role,
and is now drifting through space.
And my name is traveling with Nozomi.
It might not have a purpose anymore,
but it's out there.
It has a purpose.
It does.
Some kind of purpose for sure.
Back to what we were talking about,
Ms. Christel.
Yes.
Were you talking about your mom?
Yes, exactly.
She's just always a little off.
She'd call bagna càuda aioli vader.
Or say Yoshimura instead of Shimamura.
How is your mother?
She was panicking that she had cancer the other day,
but it turned out to be a gum infection.
And recently, a friend of hers gifted her
a talking vacuum cleaner.
She named it Masao.
After the actor Masao Kusakari.
That's so like her.
Masao's a hard worker.
Wait.
Did I mention my mom to you before?
No.
I was just asking.
I'm glad she's doing well.
Sorry it got so late.
I don't mind at all.
I'm sorry, too.
It's no trouble for me, I live right there.
Nobody's stopping.
People get cabs at Susukino around this time.
Then I'll use an app.
That's not necessary.
I'm totally fine waiting.
I'll call one.
It's here.
Thank goodness.
Thank you.
Hm? Ms. Noguchi?
I'm fine.
I'm okay.
I'm sorry!
I'm suddenly feeling a bit thirsty.
Yeah, but Harumichi is busy with work.
He told me he's got overtime to do.
Mister! Two please.
Don't say that.
He was looking forward to meeting you and Mom.
It's true.
So don't worry.
Yes, extra please.
It's fine.
We'll have the wedding as planned.
Yeah, okay.
I'm hanging up now.
Give Mom my love.
Okay.
You poor thing.
Yeah, all they do is complain!
Let's see.
Right.
There you go.
You wanted this?
Here.
GRAINY CORN POTTAGE
Um…
Harumichi?
Subtitle translation by: Zensho Yamamoto