"The 4th PFF Scholarship Film" "Produced by PIA Co., Ltd." "ANCHORS PRODUCTION" "My favourite artist never used the brakes." "He was 44." "Reckless Jack crashed into a tree and died." "I'll be 22 tomorrow, but I'm still stuck here for three more years, repeating the same things." "My birthday is January 1st..." "The first day of the calendar, right, Katako?" "10 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa." "I was born here." "10 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa." "Listening to the matches." "My sister was born here too, but she had polio." "Her legs were bad, but she got over them." "10 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa." "My street, my town." "On your marks, get set... go!" "Katako cured her legs by training every day." "10 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa." "Katako began delivering newspapers." "We've been lagging here for 20 years." "Like Katako, we began delivering newspapers." "But she suddenly quit..." "And she hasn't ridden the bicycle since." "Shiro!" "Use your legs!" "My life hasn't advanced since I was 18." "Time stopped when I graduated high school." "10 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa." "My time has stopped." "10 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa." "My street, my playground." "There used to be an open lot..." "Just the bulldozers now." "Let me ask..." "Tamura?" "Is he absent today?" "What's wrong with him?" "10 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa." "Keita and I were always together." "When we were 18 years old, we made films together." "It was indeed our very last stronghold." "10 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa..." "Toyokawa High School Film Club 1st Base" "Starring..." "I starred in that film..." "It was never completed... and was abandoned for three years." "He, of course, was the director." "Jerk!" "This is how it begins..." "A neighbourhood baseball team... played baseball every Sunday." "Always the same members." "There were only five of us." "Whenever someone hit a base run... we had to have an invisible runner." "We called 'him' Taro or Yoshiko... or any name at random." "One day, the invisible runner appeared... or rather, we could see him." "He looked weird." "When he first appeared, a gust of wind shook the branches." "At first, he seemed bewildered." "With time, he became very friendly." "He began to talk to us... and take part in our practise sessions." "He would also steal a base." "Imagine an invisible runner stealing a base." "When we began playing and hoped for him to come... he was there on the base." "When dusk came, he was gone." "We were no longer able to play without him." "One day, he came late." "He was dressed for a journey." "We looked at him and laughed." "He said the first base should be beyond that... the second base further away, and the third base should be far yonder." "But we didn't understand what he was trying to say." "When he knew we didn't understand him... he looked sad and disappeared." "We discovered the white line... passed the first base and continued far beyond." "We could picture him with a line-marker, drawing the white line beyond the first base." "Nobody knew where he went, nor where the first base was." "Didn't know where he went... nor where the first base was." "Let's go!" "Keita, tomorrow's my birthday." " So what?" " Birthday present?" " Who cares." " Our last race." " I'll win." " Try it." "You'll be sorry." "Hurry up, slow poke!" "You're too fast." "Hurry up." "Attaboy!" "Let's go!" "BICYCLE SIGHS 1904?" "Russo-Japanese War." "630 AD?" "Mission to China. 792 AD?" "Heian capital abolished." "889 AD?" "Emperor Kammu." "672 AD?" " The Jinshin Rebellion." " Perfect!" " Oh, yeah!" " See ya!" "Katako!" " 89 more to go!" " 95 more to go!" "Jackson Pollock was here!" "Good morning..." "Good morning..." "Good morning..." "Where're you going?" "A place far, far, far away." "Really far away." "Wanna come along?" "Is Keita?" "Of course he's coming." "This is for Keita." "Meet you at the park." "Shiro!" "1 hour, 5 minutes and 13 seconds..." "That makes it 213 wins and 52 defeats." "What's that?" "Keita, let's begin that again." " Begin what?" " 'First base'." " What's that?" " The film you made." " What film?" " Don't kid me!" "The one we made in high school, the one we never finished and abandoned, 'First Base'." " When?" " You moron!" "I wrote the screenplay yesterday." "I'll read it." " Did you masturbate al night?" " Shut up!" "Keita, this is it." "Listen..." ""Even after the invisible runner was gone," ""we continued playing baseball."" "Look!" "I was going to give you the milk, but I quit." "Hey!" "Just watch..." "Look!" "Third base can be here." "And... here's the home base." "And... here's the first base." "When Sunday came, we got together and played baseball." "Watch..." "It's gone." "As before, there were only five of us." "We had to get another invisible runner." "Hey, Keita, I'm going to pitch..." "I'll bat." "All right, pitch." "Come on." "Wham!" "I did it!" "Hooray!" "But the invisible runner was..." "Huh?" "So we got another invisible runner, and soon there were more invisible runners..." "One, two, three..." "Are you listening?" "A hundred, a thousand..." "invisible runners." "An amazing number." "Keita, do you understand why?" "I'm serious, you know." "What's that outfit?" "For your film." "I kindly wrote the screenplay for you." "Do you know what time of the year it is?" "The college entrance exams are coming up." "And you're going to make a film?" "The hero wanted to know why." "As he investigated, he discovered a conspiracy." "The town committee wanted to make all the inhabitants invisible." "Fired 'invisibility' rays." "All became clear..." "We began to see the invisible runners... because we ourselves were becoming invisible." "Nobody noticed the change, since it was done in secrecy." "And soon they decided on... the location of their headquarters." "Believe it or not, the place they chose..." "Keita, look." "That's it." "What the hell are you doing?" "I'm a very patient person." "This is it, Keita." "This!" "He was the only one who knew of the conspiracy." "One night, he set out... to the enemy headquarters, to destroy the device." "Shiro!" "Stop this nonsense!" "Think twice, Shiro." "Never too late in college." "Let's get into college." "Keita, let's do it together." "Come on, get up." " Please, Shiro." " Wake up..." " Try for the exams!" " Let go, damn it!" " Give me a break." " Shiro, please." "Our hero overcame countless obstacles and headed for the top." "But as he got nearer to the device, he became transparent." "Our hero gradually became invisible." "His gun fell from his hand." "He could no longer fight or destroy the device." "Pathetic!" "Not finished." "Our hero went back to his only friends, his old baseball mates." "But his friends didn't accept him as one of their own." "He could only join the game... as an invisible runner." "He was deeply hurt and thought of... the first invisible runner." "Why so persistent with this film?" "Why now?" "I want to see the rest." "I don't!" "We never made such a film." "We did." "When?" "Was it out first or second?" "I forgot." "Besides, I don't want to take part in such a film." "Listen." "It continues..." "Our hero thought about him." "He had forgotten him for a long time." "He kept on running." "He ran and thought..." ""What did he feel?" "Where did he go?"" "He missed him." "And then he... remembered his words:" ""It's too small." ""First base should be beyond that." ""Second base further away." ""Third base should be far yonder." ""It's so far away." "So far away." ""Shining bright under the flag." ""We shall go tracing his trail..." ""on an endless journey," thought our hero." "And then?" "He followed the invisible runner... and went far, far away." "Katako!" "Not fit for delivery..." "Can't load newspapers." "The problem now is, can you ride this?" "Shiro..." "What's the matter?" "Not on the bicycle." "Keita, help me dig." " Katako, what're you..." " A burial." "Where to?" "Shall I?" "Kyoko's coming back." "She's coming back." "I knew it some time ago, but didn't tell you..." "Thought you wouldn't come if you knew, so I didn't." "Don't want to listen to the Year-End Bells in Toyokawa!" "Tomorrow's my birthday." "I wanted to go somewhere, just you, me and Katako." "Give it back." "Kyoko doesn't give a damn about you." "Why're you so hung up on her?" " Why's Kyoko so special?" " Shut up!" "Three years!" "We're stuck here for three years!" "Shut up!" "Damn Kyoko!" "You sissy!" "Get up!" "Shut up!" "What do you know about me?" " Your cap." " Damn you!" "Get out of my life!" "I never want to see you!" " Fuck off!" " Damn!" "Fuck off!" "Damn it!" "Shiro..." "Katako..." "Ask Katako to play with you." "Play with us!" "What're you doing?" "She's making something." "Go play with Katako." "Katako?" "Me" "Why're you climbing?" "What're you doing?" "Katako, what're you up to?" "Katako!" "Don't do anything dangerous." "Come down." "Isn't that dangerous?" "Shouldn't climb!" "Yes, it's dangerous." "Come down, come down!" "I'm Katako Kita, age 17." "I was born on February 9, 1970." "'Kita' means 'north'..." "'Kata' is 'direction'..." "'Ko' means 'child'." "Katako, come down." "It's dangerous." "You too, Shiro." "I'm Katako Kita, age 17." "Katako, stop it!" "Shiro!" " I hate you!" " Come down!" "Go away!" "Come down." "Just come down." "Go away!" " I hate you!" " Come on..." "Go away!" "I'm Katako Kita, age 17." "I was born on February 9, 1970." "'Kita' means 'north'..." "'Kata' is 'direction'..." "'Ko' means 'child'." "Katako, aren't you going to come down?" "Come down..." "Damn you!" " I'm Katako Kita..." " Shiro, stop her." "OK..." "I was born on February 9, 1970." "'Kita' means 'north'..." "'Kata' is 'direction'..." "Be careful!" "Go away... go away!" "I hate you!" "Go away!" "Please be careful!" "Go away!" "I hate you!" "I hate you!" "Go away!" "He came down." "Katako, come down!" "Test results..." "Keita Tamura" " A*, 2nd place" " I'm back!" " Welcome home." " You're early." " The traffic was light..." "Come on, kitty... kitty..." "Been well?" " Where's Dad?" " He'll be late." " Really?" "Going to watch a film?" "May I watch, too?" "Keita, Dad wants to talk to you." "Dad?" "I'm coming." "Sit down." "If you intend to be a doctor and take over my hospital... quit the paper delivery." "Concentrate on your studies." "Your grades aren't bad." "Your younger brother thinks you're going to Tokyo." "Shouldn't linger in a small town like this." "Hello!" "Good evening!" "Yes?" "Hi." "Been well?" "I called you today." "Come on in." "Who is it?" "Hello." "I remember you." " I forgot your name." " He's Keita Tamura." "We made films together in high school." "Now I remember..." "Still making films?" "Come on in." "We shouldn't talk out here." "Please come on in." "Come on in." "Please, this way..." "This is Mr Nonomura, from Tokyo." "Kyoko's friend at college." " Hello." " Mr Tamura..." "Kyoko's high school friend." "Ah, nice to meet you." "What's Kyoko doing?" "Excuse me." "Do you watch Year-End TV?" "There's still lots of time before your father returns..." "Why don't we serve the cake Nonomura brought?" "Good idea." "Put it here." "You scared me!" "The bathroom... was it there?" "A bit strange..." "There's cake downstairs." "Me" " Looks good." " It really does." " From a classy confectioner's." " I'm sure it is." " The usual place, right?" " That's right." "We often go there." "Thanks." "Here, Keita." "Their icing is super." "You don't mind this piece, do you?" "No, give him a better piece." "It's OK." "Don't worry." "Here, mom." "We still have more." "Thank you." "Thanks." "Let's eat..." "This is delicious." "Yes, it really is." "May I... have that?" "Please... give me that." "Nonomura, give it to him." "The cake." "Here." " What's wrong?" " I'll go see." "Where's mine?" "Where's mine?" " Idiot!" " Where's mine?" "Where's mine?" "Where's mine?" "Where's mine?" "Me" "The coins..." "There are one, two, three..." "seven 100-yen coins..." "One 5-yen coin..." ""New Year's Greetings"." ""Happy New Year"." "Happy New Year!" "Happy, Happy New Year!" ""Asahi Barber Shop"." ""Traffic Zone"." "Happy New Year!" ""Toyokawa Credit Union"." ""Toyokawa Station Parking Lot"." "Happy New Year!" "Jackson Pollock Was Here!" "Happy New Year!" "Happy New Year!" "Happy New Year to you, too." "Right, Keita?" "On your marks, get set... go!" "On your marks, get set..." "Kawai Prep School" "Happy New Year..." "Greetings." "How're you...?" "Fine, thanks." "I'm fine, thanks, and you?" " Happy New Year." " Happy New Year." "Long time... no see." "Been well?" " Making a film?" " I guess so." "Is that so..." "Where's Keita?" "He'll come." "Shiro, roll it!" "Roll it!" "Toyokawa High School..." "First Base" "Starring:" "Shiro K, Kyoko..." "Director:" "Keita..." "Are you serious?" "Can you do it?" "Hey, get down." "Get down!" "Let go!" "Get off..." "I said, get off!" "Shame on you!" "Keita..." "I'm coming in." "This is only the third floor." "You can't die." "Are you listening?" "There's no place for me." "There's no place for me..." "in this world." "Keita, stop it..." "Stop hiding." "Nothing's left." "0 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa... 0 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa... 0 Chi Street, Nakamachi, Toyokawa..." "Tamura Hospital" "Hi, Keita." "I'm coming in." "Hit your head, huh?" "This is 'Dream Walk'." "You may never recover..." "'Pedestrian Bridge In the Rain'..." "The final scene became so long..." "And this is..." "I can't find 'First Base'." "Wonder where it went..." "Forget it." "Shiro..." "Keita, this is the last match." "Fly!" "Fly!" "Fly!" "Fly!" "Fly away!" "Fly away!" "Fly away!" "Fly away..." "Keita, we're going!" "Here we go!" "Keita, here we go...!" "Streets are now open to cars." "Will all pedestrians please keep to the sidewalks." "The cars are coming in." "Will all pedestrians please keep to the sidewalks." "Executive Producer:" "Koji Takeda" "Producers:" "Takashi Nishimura Yutaka Suzuki" "Screenplay by Sion Sono Hisashi Saito" "Director of Photography:" "Hiroyuki Kitazawa" "Sion Sono as Shiro Masahiro Sugiyama as Keita" "Hiroko Yamamoto as Kyoko Hiromi Kawanishi as Katako" "English translation by Jeanette Amano Subtitles transcribed/timed by lordretsudo" "Director:" "Sion Sono"