"300)\p1}m 0 0 l 200 0 200 200 0 200 2000)\a5\i1}Taketomi Island this island has experienced many times" "2000)\a5\i1}when typhoons would leave its land so barren 2000)\a5\i1}that even rice couldn't grow." "the residents help each other in dire times." "2000)\a5\i1}is still very deeply ingrained in them." "It's so big!" " Again!" " Even bigger!" "Make it really big." "We picked it!" "We picked it!" "We picked a flower like this!" "You're going into the ocean!" "The ocean!" "Snow!" "So much has fallen!" "Snow!" "Snooow!" "It snowed here!" "Snow!" "Snow!" " Fuuki." " Yeah? they say there's a utopia called Nirai Kanai where God lives." "Waaaay out there." "Fuuki." "I will" "okay?" "Make sure you eat." "Have a lot of fun." "Be good and wait for me." "Okay?" "Fuuki!" " Be safe!" " Take care!" "Fuuki!" "Fuuki!" "Fuuki!" "Mom!" "Mom!" "Mom!" "Mom!" " Where is your mom?" " Where is she... where's Mom?" "Fuuki." "Happy 7th birthday." "Are you well and going to school?" "I will be..." "I will be staying in Tokyo a little longer." "okay?" "Listen to your grandpa and everyone else on the island." "okay? From Mom." "Tokyo" "Asato Masami" "Asato Fuuki" "261.2)}Aoi Yuu" "What has happened?" "Please help me do this." "Let's all help her." "261.2)}Taira Susumu" "Grandpa." "Mom" "261.2)}Minami Kaho good work as always!" "Iwasaki-san?" "Is nobody home?" "Grandpa!" "Thanks!" "happy 10th birthday!" "haven't you? if something comes up that is hard to ask Grandpa okay?" "Fuuki." "from Mom." "2000)}Letters from Nirai Kanai" "Are you stupid?" "Kijinuma don't exist." "23.6)}[Kijimuna are mythological creatures in Okinawa]" "They do!" "Grandma Hanashiro told me so!" "She said they live in the banyan trees on Taketomi Island!" "it will be fine." "I don't believe you." "Grandma Hanashiro always tells lies." "Your mom isn't even coming back!" "Misaki!" "Kaiji." "but I'll be back." "Counting on you." "Got it." "what is it?" "It's nothing." "Grandma!" "are you a liar?" "is my mom never coming back?" "Fuuki?" "Your mom hasn't been able to come back so there are people who might say things. you should believe what you want to believe." "Then it will be true for you." "then she will come back." "Kaiji!" "A little left!" "Here?" "Your hand!" "I can see your hand!" "Come down!" "Not a chance." "Climbing back up is too much work." "Kaiji!" "Are you okay?" "Are you okay?" "good morning." " Good morning." "so be careful." " Okay." "Let's eat." "the garlic." "This is great." "we're going!" "Hold on!" "Be careful!" "Be careful!" "We'll be fine!" "We'll miss the ferry!" "We'll make it." "Hurry up!" "Hurry!" "I said we'll be fine!" "you know..." " Yeah?" "haven't you gotten heavier?" "Maybe my hair is longer." "You also have a lot in your bag!" "I've got a lot classes today." " Hold the ferry!" " Wait for us!" "Wait!" "Thank goodness!" "Good morning." "Chiyo-san." "What is it?" "These documents came for me from town hall." "I don't really understand them..." "I thought I was getting some money." "that's not it... this is the type that takes money from you." "Oh... then I'll deal with it later." "well... so come in." "Choumei-san." " Hi." "are you not going to the shop?" "the teacher called for me!" "if we don't hurry they'll run out of taco rice!" "26.6)}[taco fillings on rice" " Okinawan dish]" " See you later." " Bye!" "we'll make it even if we don't hurry." "Why did you hand this in blank?" "What do you plan to do after you graduate?" "I'll stay in Taketomi. but are you really okay with that?" "it always looks like you're holding yourself back." " Hello." " Hello." " I'm heading to the post office." " Thanks." "Hello." "How is your back?" " It's getting better." " Really?" "right?" "thank you." "Congratulations." "Fuuki." "is it?" "No." "I'm... returning a book." "right?" "you're going to get into a university in Naha?" "with Kaiji." "I decided to go with him." "I see... do your best!" "Do you not have anything?" "Things you want to do?" "Or things you like?" "I'm heading out." "I'm coming." " Then..." "I'm out." " Okay." "go ahead." "Bye!" " I'll take this." " Okay." "How much is it?" "300 yen." "24.2)}[2-3 dollars]" " What did you buy?" " This photograph." "Welcome!" " Hello." " Hello." "Reina." " It's a good one." " Thank you very much." "what about school?" "There's only extra classes in the afternoon." "right." "Entrance exams are soon." "So... did you talk to Grandpa?" "Fuuki." "Here you go." "Fuuki-chan." "Thanks." "eat this." "thank you as always!" "I just got this." "Let's have it for dinner!" "carry these off." "Okay!" "Were you at Reina-san's place again?" "you know!" "My photographs were" "I need you to help around here more." "Come here right after school." "You can stop for today." "Fuuki!" "Kaiji?" "What is it"?" "Are you..." "I had no idea what I'd do if I couldn't get this to you today." "your birthday present for this year." "you know!" "Huh?" "Is it?" "Crap!" "Dammit!" "Thank you." "Hand it here..." "look at this." "See?" "I bought it on the internet." "that you wanted to see snow." "Thank you!" "I wonder if I'll see real snow after I go to Tokyo." "So you do want to go to Tokyo?" "For your mom?" "You're going to Tokyo to see your mom?" "No." "Fuuki." "Is it that you can't rely on me?" "That's not it." "If you say you need to see her" "I can go to Tokyo and find her for you." "I said that's not it! I thought so many times that I wanted to go to Tokyo to see her." "But it's been more than ten years since I saw her!" "I know that she has her reasons for not coming back." "Do you hold it against her?" "right?" "I did... before." "I've even torn up her letters before." "But they come every year." "They come without fail." "It's a very warm feeling." "Reading those letters... somehow... makes me feel unsure about things." "she wrote me a letter telling me she would explain everything when I turn 20." "So I decided that until she explains it all to me" "I won't get hung up on the details." "I see." "Buuut I... want to go to Tokyo if it's to study photography." "I knew it was about photography!" "Yeah!" "That's it!" "I get it!" "I'll cheer you on." "Whaaat?" "!" "I can't do it!" "I can't say it to Grandpa." " It'll be fine!" " Ow!" "he'll understand." "too!" "But it'll be really hard to convince my mom..." "Grandpa?" "good morning." "Where were you yesterday?" "A village meeting." "Fuuki." "you are to help out with Kaiji's family's water buffalo business." "26.514)}[water buffalo are a tourist attraction in Taketomi]" "It was decided at yesterday's meeting." "either." "everyone here has to help each other." "Here." "happy birthday." "Thank you!" " Good work." " Thanks." "happy 18th birthday!" "You'll be graduating from high school soon." "I wonder what kind of path you'll choose after that." "I'd like you to walk that path." "you can live your one and only life without regret." "I am always cheering you on." "I believe in you." "from Mom." "Yeah." "It'll be fine." "Yes." "I'll let her know." "then." "Grandpa." "Matsutake has asked for a package to be picked up." "Can you go get it?" "I'm..." "The bike's tires are running out of air." "stop at Tomohachi-san's place and put some in." "Grandpa." "I want to go to Tokyo." "I want to go to Tokyo and study photography." "Reina said that she will introduce me to a cameraman she knew well when she was a model." "so my housing" "Don't cause Reina-san any trouble." "I told you that you can't leave this island until you turn 20." "Grandpa..." "No means no!" "Why do you never listen to anything I have to say?" "!" "you know!" "I know you secretly hid and never delivered the letter I wrote to her when I finished elementary!" "please... tell me the truth." "your tea." "It's fine." "I asked him to pick you up at Haneda." "Reina." "I'm sorry I can't go with you." "we'll get rid of the business." "Kaiji." "Thank you." "Fuuki." "Misaki." "it's time to depart." "make sure to eat well." "Take care!" "now!" "Have a good one!" "Fuuki!" "Take care!" "Bye!" "Good luck!" "She'll be fine." "The Gods of Taketomi will be sure to protect her." "This is NTT Docomo." "24.2)}[major Japanese phone provider]" "The number you have dialed is currently out of our service range so your call cannot be completed." "This is NTT Docomo." "The number you have dialed..." "Hello?" "Hello!" "Asato Fuuki-san?" "Yes." "but I can't get away at the moment." "Can you get here on your own?" "yes?" "then change to the JR line... right?" "Right?" "Come in." "The bathroom is on the second floor." "so it might be a little dusty." "though." "Come quickly." "You can do what you like with whatever is around." "He's pretty messy with everything but his photographs." "Where is Sakiyama-sensei at the moment?" "This is the first time I've met someone from Okinawa." "You've got a cute way of talking!" "but he said he'll be back in a couple days." "You can ask him in person when he's back." "Alright... bye." "Uh..." "What?" "Uh... well... you are...?" "me?" "I'm Aiba Sachiko." "I was his assistant until last month." "But I got a call this morning asking me to come in." "It's such a pain... too." "But hang in there." "Bye." "Umm..." "What?" "Um... is Shibuya close to here?" "Shibuya?" "26)}[a recipe for pickled garlic]" " Umm..." " Welcome." "I'd like to know the address of the person who sent this." "right." "Hmm..." "Getting you the address might be a little..." "And this postmark isn't from this post office." "But this is Shibuya... there are a lot of post offices here." "It says here which branch it came from." "what should the exposure be?" "1/125th exposure at ISO 100 and an aperture of f/11." "The lights are off!" "one more." "OK!" "Let's change the film." " Hold on a second." " The film!" "Hurry up!" " How many times do you need to be told before you get it?" "!" "Forget it." "I'll do it." " Sorry." "Hold on a second." "Asato!" "How many times do I have to tell you?" "!" "Parcel for you!" "please." " Okay." "Can I borrow your pen?" "Yeah." "Please sign right here." "Thank you very much." "Suzume!" "[sparrow] 31.4)}[Shiritori: game where last sound of a word is first sound of next word]" "Medaka!" "[killifish]" "Kamera!" "[camera]" "Hello!" "From camera." "Rakkyou. [leek]" "What's "rakkyou"?" "get in position." "Not there!" "Where were you looking?" "Closer!" "A little more." "There." "22.8)}[Kaiji]" "Turn off your phone while you work!" "Sorry." "Hello!" "Fuuki?" "How is it there?" "Yeah..." "I'm doing well." "Yeah?" "That's good to hear!" "Reina..." "Hm?" "What?" "Is everyone doing well?" "too." "will you be able to come back for the festival?" "27.8)}[the pickled garlic recipe]" "do it." " Okay." " The other way!" " Sorry." "Get in position." " When are you going to figure it out?" " Sorry." "then." "She's fine." "you must be worried." "Fuuki will be fine." "she must be fine." "Yeah." "She's fine." "one more!" "change the film." "Fix her hair up a bit." "Long time no see." "You're still here?" "Good work." "add another light." "Okay." "Fuuki-chan." "That Sensei... he's a little hard on his helpers." "Fuuki-chan." "You can't even do that." "Are you taking pictures for yourself?" "but you can have this." "but take some pictures when you can." "You can carry that around easily." "you should go back home." "Aiba-chan!" "Ah!" "Long time no see!" "You're all dolled up again." " How are you?" " I'm well." "Do you remember her?" "She was working as an assistant here before." "Yes?" "Oh." "Uh... my name is Uchimori." "Is this..." "Asato Fuuki's...?" "Huh?" "But..." "Tokyo sure is hot." "so hot." "How's everyone on the island?" "The same as always." "Thanks." "before I forget... here." "Fuuki?" "Did you forget your own birthday?" "But why did you...?" "I asked Grandpa to just send it here." "I dunno." "I wonder why." "It must be that he's worried about you." "haven't you?" "too." "Because I don't really go outside very much." "Is your work that busy?" "Fuuki..." "I quit university." "Huh?" "anyway." "I was always just thinking about the island and the buffalo." "though." "Reina made it really clear not to say that to you." "Well..." "Maybe I'll go back..." "Being in Tokyo... just... makes time feel like it's just passing me by." "Sometimes..." "I wonder what I'm even doing." "Why am I here?" "Have you given up on being a professional photographer?" "If that's the case... keep up it a little longer." "Even milking a cow has to wait 3 years." "though." "[grunting]" "Here you go." "My present to you for this year." "Thank you!" "Did you manage to tell her?" "I can't!" "You're totally hopeless!" "Let's go grab a drink!" "Reina... happy 19th birthday! you must be working hard to reach your dreams. you can do it." "you'll be 20." "You'll finally become a full-fledged adult." "Do you remember? I wrote that I'd explain everything when you turn 20. please come to Benten Bridge in Inokashira Park in Tokyo at 10 in the morning." "Fuuki." "From mom." "There's so many of them!" "Look!" "can I take your photo?" "go ahead." "Can I have you stand here?" "Is here fine?" "Yes!" "Please." "Here we go." "Thank you very much." "Excuse me." "I'd like to take one of you holding this ball." "Can I have you crouch a little bit?" "Just like that." "smile!" "Hold it over your head like this." "There!" "That's good." "Huh?" "Hey!" "Huh?" "Here we go!" "Fuuki-chan!" "Oh!" "Keeping busy?" "Is that all?" "thank you!" "Thank you very much!" "Excuse me!" "I live over there." "I want to make the ball glow a bit." "Like... the ball itself is glowing." "But somehow it hasn't been going well." "I... am thinking about going back home." "how are you able to work this hard?" "I couldn't take any photos when I was an assistant." "I'm going to see my mom soon." "Your mom?" "I want to show her pictures I've taken." "But they're just not turning out the way I want them to..." "Do you know a way to make it glow?" "Hm..." "Can't you just raise it high?" "But... they've been doing that." "uh..." "Could you let me take your photo?" " Sure." " Is it really okay?" "Sorry." "Well then..." "Then... can you move a little closer?" "And now can you face eachother a little?" " And now... can you smile?" "Sorry." " Sure." " Now... at the ball." " Okay." "What's up?" "Have you been well?" "Yeah." "What is it?" "Have a look." "24.8)}[Camera Life]" "Asato." "Yes?" "I hear?" "yes." "I'm leaving." "24.8)}[photography exhibition with prize of ~8000USD]" "26)}[Benten Bridge]" "Alright." "Good." " Last 2." " Alright." "like that." "Stay like that." "Here we go." "Alright!" "Good!" "A little more... a little more!" "Good luck today!" "Aiba-chan?" "Fuuki asked me to help." "She said she has something she has to do today." "Aiba!" "Exposure settings?" " Everything is set for an aperture of f/16." " Okay." "26.6)}[Camera Life]" "Mom..." "Grandpa..." "Look at this." "I was able to take this photo thanks to Mom." "Because she encouraged me." "Grandpa..." "I won't complain about whatever kind of life she's leading." "I just want to see her and thank her." "I want to show her this photo." "I can't even do that?" "Grandpa... say something." "Forget it." "I'll find her myself." "Welcome!" "Is there a manager in?" "There is." "What is it?" "I want to know where this Asato Masami lives." "That's not something... but I really want to know." "Please." "She's my mother." "Please!" "What's going on?" " Are you the manager?" " Yes." "Um..." "Fuuki-san?" "But... why are you here?" "was confused at first. your grandpa asked me to do this no matter what." "as well." "you were only 7 years old." "Grandpa!" "Grandpa!" "28.4)}[to Asato Fuuki]" "Fuuki?" "do you know where Grandpa is right now?" "He said he would be coming home today." "Hello?" "Fuuki?" "Welcome!" "here?" " Yes." "Asato-san." "Fuuki-chan was here just a while ago." "Fuuki was?" "And I told her what you asked of me..." "I see." "too?" "I'm truly sorry." "Don't worry about it." "It's my fault for not finishing the job." "thank you very much for your help all this time." "that's..." "You should give her this letter." "is it not?" "I'm sorry!" "I really need to go to Taketomi!" "I'm sorry!" "I'll come back soon." "I get it." "How many more?" "We're on the last 2." "Yes?" "I understand." "so I'll be back." "Yes?" "Grandpa!" "Huh?" "Fuuki?" "Where's Grandpa?" "I have no idea." "Grandpa!" "Grandpa!" "Fuuki!" "What is it?" "Did something happen?" "Mom..." "Mom..." "She was dead!" "Kaiji!" "M" " Mom was dead!" "Fuuki came home. but I'm on your side." "I know." "I'm seriously on your side." "26.709)}["Asatoya Yunta"]" "In the Asato family there is a girl named Kuyama. lovely maiden." "welcome home." "Eat this and cheer up." "Thank you." "Here." "Thank you." "and hang in there." "Thank you." "Hang in there." "Fuuki." "Thank you." "happy 20th birthday. but I am... writing this letter from my hospital bed." "I've done something so very roundabout." "You might even be mad at me." "But..." "I just wanted to... stay alive inside your heart." "Have you heard from your grandpa already?" "your grandmother died to illness when I was 6 years old." "Around the same age you were when I left you." "Your grandpa and everyone else on the island did their best to raise me with care." "But I... just wanted my mom to still be alive." "That's why I... always thought I would say all of the things to you that I wanted my mom to say to me." "But the doctors told me that I wouldn't be able to do that." "I cried every day." "I cried every single day." "your grandpa said to me:" "Write letters that say the things that you want to say"." "I'll deliver them to her for you every year on her birthday"." "But if he did that... it would mean he will always be lying to you." "I didn't know what to do at first." "But..." "I just couldn't ever give up on going on living to cheer you on until you're an adult." "That was the only dream I ever had." "Did you see the sakura at the park?" "When spring comes so many white petals fall and cover the ground beautifully like snow." "I made the decision because I wanted to show you the scenery I loved here in Tokyo." "I'll be going to Nirai Kanai soon." "I am and forever will be watching over you" "from far off in the oceans in Nirai Kanai." "Always." "happy 7th birthday." "Are you well and going to school?" "I will be..." "I will be staying in Tokyo a little longer." "happy 9th birthday!" "Are you getting along with your friends?" "Something that you all work together to do is more precious than anything else." "I'm always cheering you on." "do your best!" "From Mom." "happy 14th birthday." "Have you been having arguments with your grandpa?" "Fuuki." "I don't need any." " Eat quickly before you go." " I don't need any!" "but he really loves you." "I will explain everything to you." "Fuuki." "From Mom." "happy 16th birthday." "Do you already have a boy that you like?" "My first love was in my first year of high school." "I graduated before I ever told him how I felt." "I think I might still be regretting that a little." "So if there is a boy that you like be brave and try telling him how you feel." "Fuuki." "He will understand your feelings." "Fuuki." "from Mom." "To 7 year old Fuuki" "To 8 year old Fuuki" "To 9 year old Fuuki Fuuki..." "Fuuki..." "My precious Fuuki." "Please forgive me." "I will be watching over you." "From far off in the oceans in Nirai Kanai." "Always." "From the person your mom." "Thanks for the food." "It's delicious." "24.8)}[To Asato Shouei]" "25.4)}[From Asato Fuuki] [original Japanese subtitles and timing provided by ericf at asiandvdclub.org]"