Huh?
You going somewhere?
Kitami.
I thought you didn't have school today.
I told you I was taking a mock exam.
All the way in Kitami?
My teacher said I should get used to other environments so I don't fail the real one.
So,
how's your confidence?
I'm so nervous I could die.
It's just a mock exam.
Yeah, but…
You're my special little daughter.
You'll be okay.
Okay.
You should sleep in your bed.
I'm off.
MEMANBETSU
Thank you for riding with us, now arriving at Kitami.
Please make sure you have all your belongings.
Now arriving at Kitami.
Hey.
Your ticket?
I can't right now.
-Where's your ticket? -Let go.
-What's up? -He's got no ticket.
I've got something important…
Place your exam admission sheet on your desk.
Entry sheets will be collected last,
so please ensure there are no mistakes.
Hey! We're done with sign-ins.
Get to your seat.
Your sister is applying to a private school in Sapporo.
Must be nice not having to worry about money.
You want to go too?
Not really.
And I don't have a sister.
PRIVATE SCHOOL FIRST CHOICE: SAPPORO SACRED HEART SCHOOL
HIKARU UTADA CIRCUIT LIVE 2000
YAE NOGUCHI HARUMICHI NAMIKI
BOUND FOR KITAMI
GRADE: A
I'm home.
-Welcome back. -Oh? You're still up?
Yeah.
-Yae! -Hm?
This is amazing!
It says A!
Right here.
SAPPORO SACRED HEART SCHOOL
You can choose either school!
Your mom will do her best.
I'm not going to a private school. I just wrote it down.
I'm going to a local high school.
That's my Yae!
I'm gonna frame this!
Why? It's just a mock exam!
I want to commemorate it!
BOUND FOR KITAMI
Huh?
Ai…?
CONGRATS ON MIRACULOUSLY GRADUATING
BYE-BYE SEE YA!
Yae.
Ready…
There it is!
"KIITE KUDASAI WATASHI NO JINSEI"
I'm leaving for Tel Aviv tomorrow.
So that means?
I'll be going on a world tour as a member of the company!
I owe it to you.
No way.
But it's true.
I mean, if I had never found a taxi and got to the airport two minutes later,
I would've missed the audition.
Just like mascara, fate will change with just a little nudge.
But it's so impressive especially at your age.
You said you're heading to Tel Aviv so casually!
Do you travel?
No interest?
Not that at all.
I mean, I'm rather interested actually.
Sometimes I take imaginary trips using street view.
The other day, I met a nomad in a meadow leading his herd of 108 sheep.
We got on camels and sang
and ate stew with mystery meat.
I totally get that.
I gave him a Hokkaido cookie as thanks.
Yeah, they're really good.
And just like that, I feel as if I'm going places on my sofa.
It's really not that hard.
You just need a book to entertain you on the road, and a little pocket money.
I had a dream.
I had some opportunities and obstacles.
But I stopped trying after a while,
stopped thinking, and found myself unable to move.
I just told myself
I was happy with my life having done nothing.
You know the law of inertia?
An object at rest remains at rest.
As long as gravity exists on Earth, once an object stops,
it won't move again.
Pushing on this supposedly immovable object
are dreams, curiosity,
or someone you love,
don't you think?
Hopeless desires that spring from your heart
can sometimes move boulders!
It's a famous law.
I'm pretty sure Newton proved it 300 years ago.
What? I didn't mean to.
I can't sing this! Oh, no!
Okay, fine.
You can sing it? Wow, go, Uta!
"Wanna come over?"
I'd love to!
MOM TWO NEW MESSAGES
I HAVE SUDDEN NEWS UTA IS GOING ABROAD TOMORROW MORNING
Hurry!
Here. Just get in!
Seatbelt.
You're a rough driver.
How rude, I always follow the rules, and strive for safe and--
The hell was that, jeez.
However, there are times when I have to brake suddenly.
I figured.
Okay.
Yes?
-Oh, Outaro? -Yes?
I could use some assistance.
Okay.
I'm currently taking a detour from Otaru to the airport.
Uh, let's see.
There's a big congestion in North Sapporo, apparently there was an accident.
-Okay! -You might want to take the new road.
Copy that, thank you.
I almost forgot. This is from Uta.
Here.
What is it?
Welcome.
-Hello. -Your ticket and passport, please.
Maybe you got your artistic side from your grandpa.
Huh?
My dad is handsome and stylish,
and a romantic who recited poetry by Yates to woo your grandmother.
I wouldn't be so cheesy.
He wanted to be a poet when he was young.
Grandpa did?
He's a CEO now, right?
Not many can do what they love for work.
You don't need to live up to expectations.
You have the right to believe in yourself.
Even if it's a mistake or even if it fails,
it will always serve some purpose in life.
NEW CHITOSE AIRPORT TAXI STOP
Made it.
Thanks!
Good luck!
You can only have four.
It's fine, they're light.
Weight's not the issue, it's the size!
-They're just too big. -They're gifts.
We don't have time. Look at this line!
Look, we don't have time!
What can I get you?
Cream soda, please.
Very well.
Uta!
Tsuzuru?
I…
I like you.
No matter what I did,
even giving up 100 times,
I still liked you.
Even if you love someone else,
I still liked you that way as well.
Here.
If you want.
Is it cheesy?
This song is in three sections.
Thank you, Tsuzuru.
By the way, where's your boyfriend?
Boyfriend?
He was flirting with some other girl, so I knocked him out and dumped him.
Show me.
Thank you for waiting.
-Your cream soda. -Thank you.
Enjoy.
Thank you.
Go on.
I have.
Really? How nice.
Excuse me, could you give me directions the rest of the way?
Pardon?
Could you give me directions the rest of the way?
I was in Tokyo until yesterday on a business trip.
-Oh, I see. -That's why…
My brain's still centered around national route 246.
When I was younger, I was hitting it and quitting it.
It was like going from one cab to another.
Y-You're Mr. Ariyoshi, aren't you?
You're close.
That's mostly right.
I'm sorry, was I wrong?
I'm Matayoshi.
Right! Of course! Mr. Matayoshi. Pardon me.
It's totally fine.
Um, could you make it out to Tsuzuru?
Tsuzuru?
-I can spell that for you. -Okay.
Oh, it includes the "mata" kanji from your name.
Oh, like this.
He sits in his chair, holding his chopsticks in both hands.
I'm not thinking.
What are you talking about? You're hopeless.
You're always like this.
How are you?
Last night, I bought some Icelandic smelt from the local supermarket.
They process smelt from Iceland in Vietnam,
then distribute them from Wakayama.
Makes you feel how small the world is.
70,000 years ago,
just as our ancestors harrowingly scattered around the world,
it could be that humanity must constantly be on the move.
-Thanks. -Thank you very much.
-Here you are. -Thank you.
What is the weather like there now?
What kind of scenery are you looking at?
Are you staying healthy?
I very much…
would like to see you.
CANCEL
SAVE DRAFT
DRAFTS TO MR. NAMIKI
TOP INDIVIDUAL EARNERS YAE NOGUCHI
Time off?
That's fine, three days? Five days?
I would like to use all my paid time off and take off 40 days.
Well…
That's a bit…
You have to be prepared to face some penalties.
How scary.
This company really said that to one of their hardest workers
when she asked for time off for the first time since joining.
Hm? What was it again? Labor…
Hm? Standards Act.
Tell 'em, Nasu.
Article 136.
Employers are not allowed to reduce the wages
of a worker using paid time off or subject them to other disadvantageous treatment.
That's right! Don't be so stingy!
Stop being a drag!
Okay, fine!
Stamp it!
Thank you very much.
The laborers win!
On the 11th, the WHO's Director-General Tedros
declared the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 a pandemic,
and urged countries to take preventative actions.
In a press conference, Director-General Tedros said
the number of patients outside China increased 13 fold in the last two weeks.
And countries affected tripled.
In 2020…
a historic disaster threatened humanity.
And a new way of life nobody could have predicted began.
I am declaring a national state of emergency.
…the pandemic. We stand at the start of…
So?
Nope.
Nobody's taking cabs.
No point in going out.
I'm taking a part-time job next month.
Asparagus harvesting.
Asparagus…
The people were kept at a distance,
their movements restricted,
and the borders between nations actually became invisible walls.
Hello?
Are you doing well?
Yeah, I'm fine.
That shirt looks good.
Thanks.
Eating and talking with close friends,
the warmth of a loved one,
we realized what we once thought was a given
turned out not to be the case.
Due to the lockdown from the declaration of emergency
a decline in personal spending such as travel and food
and the large drop of exports due to economic crises abroad,
Japan's GDP has shrunk by 20% compared to this time last year.
Financial experts are calling for the gradual easing of--
It made me think, living in this uncertain world.
When the time comes, who is it that I'd want to see again?
Hello, today's guest is a 19-year-old track maker and current sensation Tsuzuru.
Hi.
First, let's discuss your track "U"
which has more than fifty million views on YouTube.
Dr. Kosaka.
Yes?
Um…
Could I…
get Tsuzuru's autograph? I'm a big fan!
Hey, no fair!
Um, me too.
Okay.
How many?
Ten.
Ten?!
Fifteen for me, please.
That many?
Ten and--
-Actually, could I get 20? -Twenty?!
There's my mom, my dad…
Oh! That reminds me, I've got big news.
Look at this.
Here.
What? For real?
To my beloved Yae Noguchi ten years from now,
since we are putting our respective treasures in a time capsule,
I have decided to fill mine with a precious memory.
It was the day I met Yae Noguchi.
But I'm guessing you don't remember it.
To be frank, I was a good-for-nothing before I met you.
Which one's Mizukoshi?
He's over there.
Hold on.
Wanna go?!
Shut up!
You're next!
Bastard!
Wait!
Who the hell are you?!
Stop it!
Hey, Namiki!
You again?!
I am truly sorry for my stupid son!
Honestly, why'd you throw the chair?
The desk's too heavy.
That's not what I'm asking!
Ow!
What?
He'll be punished when we get home.
Please calm down.
It seems like the boy teased your daughter for her hearing.
That night,
my parents begged me to go to high school.
They'd pay for the broken glass
if I promised to take a mock exam.
Shut up.
But it didn't matter how hard I tried,
I wouldn't get into a good school.
Don't squeeze.
On the most melancholic morning of my life,
I had the greatest encounter I ever had.
I fell in love.
It was laughably easy.
I suddenly realized she fell asleep.
The book she was reading was about to close.
What could I use for a bookmark?
VIDEO
I found one in my pocket.
BOUND FOR KITAMI
Thank you for riding with us, now arriving at Kitami.
Please ensure you have all your belongings.
Now arriving at Kitami.
Thank you.
Hey.
-Your ticket? -I can't right now.
-Where's your ticket? -Let go.
-What's up? -He's got no ticket.
-I've got something important to do. -Then show your ticket.
-Can you let me off this once? -No.
I'm begging you!
Then find your ticket.
…so please ensure there are no mistakes.
Hey. We're done with sign-ins.
Get to your seat.
I went to the exam room in the worst mood,
when I found her there.
I knew it then.
That this was fate.
NAPE, NAPE, NAPE
Pencils up!
Turn your answer sheet over and pass them forward.
Those in the back row, make sure to collect the entry sheets.
I'll do it.
But--
Yae Noguchi.
KITAMI HIGH SCHOOL
Her first choice was a good school the next town over,
and a super elite girls' school in Sapporo.
That moment, I knew what I had to do.
That day forward, I studied so much my eyes would have bled.
This is crazy.
-Did he eat something funny? -Stop…
My teachers told me to reconsider.
You can do it!
My family thought I went crazy.
I wished I had taken school more seriously.
Our last kiss was
The flavor of cigarettes
A bitter taste
Around this time tomorrow
I wonder where you will be…
Hell yeah!
…you will be thinking of
You are always gonna be my love
If one day, I fall in love…
So, what she like?
To put it mildly, a goddess.
For real?
But what if she goes to the girls' school?
This'll all be for nothing.
No,
it'll be fine.
I know we'll meet again.
Stop being so nervous, there's no way!
It's not there.
There!
He made it!
346!
-It's there! -Where?
Three months later,
I got into the public high school I wanted.
Everyone said it was a miracle.
…is about to start moving
So many things I don't want to forget
'Scuse me.
…this time tomorrow
I know I will be crying
I will be thinking of you
You will always be inside my heart
There will always be a place…
This is my treasure.
The story of my first love.
That day, you gave me a reason to live and taught me the path I needed to follow.
My dream is to make you happy.
March 11, 2001.
Harumichi Namiki.
Namiki, let's go.
-Yeah. -Everyone's waiting.
-My bad. -Let's go!
Hurry it up!
…fall in love with someone again
I'll remember to love You taught me how
P.S.
I'm glad you were well.
If we ever meet again…
I'd love to hear your story.
Good luck.
Thank you.
Thank you!
Harumichi!
My heart beating too loud
My legs frozen…
Yae?
…so unlike me
The tear running quietly down my cheek
They tell me
That this is my first love
I need you, I need you
I need you
I thought it was a given
That human beings
Naturally fall in love, but…
Harumichi…
you're my first love.
If I had never met you
I can't fathom that anyone would have ever
Made me feel like this
My heart beating too loud
My legs running against my will
The tear surely running down my cheek
They tell me
That this is my first love
I need you, I need you
All this time
I was blaming things
Tastes like cigarettes.
I told you.
Call it flavor.
If I had never met you
I might have gone on living
Without even knowing why I was given life
This fragile me that one word can break
I want to dedicate to you
A season that will never return…
Appaushi…
Was announcing its end
Awkwardly…
Would you like some?
Thank you.
Right there within reach
How can I possibly not chase it?
Whether it is the right thing to do or not
Nobody really knows
A young branch trembling in the wind
Slowly grows towards the sun
Little things brought us joy
Little things caused us pain…
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
BAKKI AIRPORT
…beating in my chest
The rain that gently falls on my shoulders
The tears I can't hold back
They tell me…
That this was my first love
I need you, I need you
I need you
I'm off to service the plane.
-I just forgot one thing. -Hm?
Subtitle translation by: Zensho Yamamoto