A Beach Near the Southernmost End of Honshu Island Wakayama, Japan
Next stop Tokyo… Shibuya...Tokyo... Shibuya…
Hey pretty girl, wanna make some money?
I could make you a pop star, a model, or
even an actress!
It's too dangerous for a young girl to be alone.
I only talk to girls with potential.
Don't touch me.
Don't touch you? Wow! That accent, are you from the country?
Kobe? Osaka? Kyoto?
Wakayama? Wakayama? Where is that?
The Kansai area? Where the...?
You're the prettiest girl out of all of them! You'd make it so big.
Actress?!
We'll turn you into a star.
I can hook you up with some night time gigs to get you by.
I can hook you up with agencies too.
Just come with us! It's right down the street!
Wanna do it?
TA
MA
TAMAGO
Hey Sora.
Hi.
Took the long way home again?
It's been getting hot lately, yeah?
Looks good!
I'm starving.
Here. Kaito.
Thanks uncle!
Thank you for this food. -Thank you for this food.
“FUKURO Restaurant”
Hey Sora!
Oh my gosh, Sora! You've grown up! Long time no see!
..Hi.
You were always cute but look at you, you're a pretty young lady now.
What's with the bleached hair though?
It's Ms.Sonoko, remember? From the ballet class?
Aunty Sonoko?
Yeah, I was getting homesick, you know? I missed this ocean.
Oh, of course I missed this restaurant too, and I missed you, Sora.
Looks delicious!
Thank you for this food. -Thank you for this food.
Mmmmm, How I've missed this Bonito Gyoza. Hasn't changed. it's the best
So how you been Sora? How's school?
You're helping out the restaurant too right? Good girl.
Still dancing ballet?
You're so quiet, Sora. What's wrong?
Am I talking too much? Oh but I want to catch up with you!
Do you have a boyfriend yet?
How about Kaito right here?
You've become so handsome too Kaito, but maybe too handsome?
You need to be more manly too, though!
Hey Sora!
Hi.
How'd you do on your finals? Aren't you glad it's over?
Oh, OK I guess.
I think I did pretty good in Algebra. Oh remember Hinata?
I bet he probably got the highest score again!
No doubt he'll make it to a university in Tokyo.
Plans for the summer?
Going to watch the fireworks?
You can take the day off.
Yay! Wanna go together?
...I'll probably go with Rin.
Oh, can I come too?
Thank you for this food.
Hinata, do you have a phone I can borrow?
...I don't have a cell phone. What happened?
Remember Rin? I came with her but I lost her. Have you seen her?
Rin… Rin…, no sorry. I haven’t
Oh...
Want me to help you find her?
Really? Thank you.
Where did Rin go?
What am I gonna do?
She's probably with her other friends
I'm sure she's fine.
Yeah...
Hey Sora, wanna watch from a secret fisherman's spot?
Okay
Come.
"BENKEI Statue"
You looked so serious. What’s on your mind?
...um...
How was it? You like my music?
Oh, yes, it was good. I like it.
Yeah?
You wanna buy my CD?
How much is it?
Supposed to be 2500 yen but you're a high school student right?
And...
since you're cute
I'll give you a discount if...
If ?
Yeah a trade-off.
Hmm
What should it be?
For starters, you could spread the word.
Then, can you show me around?
Show you around?
Right.
Like a guide?
How about it?
But There's nothing around here.
What's your name again?
Sora Hirami.
With the characters for "blue sky", to read Sora.
You're Sho-san, right?
Just call me Sho.
Okay Sora, can you take me to your favorite spot?
Favorite spot?
It's a little ways from here but I guess the beach by my house?
I like beaches.
We can talk there?
Um, yes. I'd like to hear about Sho-san,
I mean Sho's stories.
Deal.
OK 1000yen then.
Here.
Thank you.
Mmm the beach. I'm excited.
Oh but um the train is coming
and I have to help out at my family's restaurant so I should go straight home for today.
Can we go tomorrow?
Huh? Well I have no other plans tonight anyway...
maybe I'll just come with you then.
Oh?
Oh, I'm sorry.
Good morning.
You really spent the night? Here?
It was so calm and beautiful in the morning.
I got an idea for a new song too.
This really is a special place.
Is that how you write music? By traveling all over?
Some things you don't know until you experience it firsthand.
I want to see the world with my own eyes, and feel it.
Instead of running on a railroad track,
I'd rather walk on my own path, even if I can't see what's ahead.
But isn't that scary?
What's your dream, Sora?
Well, whatever it is, don't be afraid of failure.
Trying is the first step.
A failure may lead to an opportunity. I guess…
How far are you going to go?
I think I was meant to come here
to find out where to go next.
Ai used to
come here a lot before she went
to Europe for her ballet performance.
She was torn because
people said how could she leave you and your father behind.
I was also afraid
to come back here.
I’ve made mistakes, failed, and Now I became all alone.
But I can't keep running away. I have to face my fears.
I saw you
still dancing over there.
“Life is a journey”
Ai said before she left for Europe.
Wherever she may go, there are always new dreams to be found.
And so she went on her journey of life.
It was so hard for
your father as well.
Actually, I don’t even think he wanted to let her go.
But he had faith in her dream.
He didn't want her to give it up.
Sora,
your mom's real purpose was
to show you
to follow your dreams.
She’s always been the type to act first instead of dwelling on it, so
she wanted to set an example.
She wanted to show you not to be afraid of whatever you believe in.
Mom
So you made up your mind then?
I don't know how far I can go
But I'm gonna do my best.
There's no easy way out.
And your dad?
I know he'll support me,
just like he did with mom.
Hinata, why did you choose to stay? You got a recommendation to college.
Because I found something
something certain to believe in.
Something certain?
" Congratulations on your graduation! "
< Students chattering >
Can you believe it's been 3 years already?
I almost cried during the ceremony.
I’m gonna miss Ms.Miyake.
I know, we're all going to be apart now.
Kaede's going to college in Kobe too,
I feel like I'm gonna be left behind.
You already got a job offer though, Haruka. That's so amazing.
Oh, what about you, Sora?
I heard you're going to Tokyo. Is it true?
Do you know where you're going to school? Or are you going to work?
What about your dad?
We'll turn you into a star. I can hook you up with agencies too. -Just come with us! It's right down the street!
Oh but you're so lucky, I've never been to Tokyo. I wish I could live there.
I'd be so scared. I couldn't do it.
“KINAN High School”
< Students chattering >
I knew you'd be over here!
It's such a beautiful sunset.
Sora,
can I come join you?
I know.
It's so beautiful.
I’ve seen it a million times but I hadn't really looked at it.
Rin,
thank you for all these years.
I made up my mind to go to Tokyo.
You only live once,
and I want to believe nothing's impossible.
Honestly I'm really scared and worried.
But I can't hide in my shell forever.
Even if I stumble, I need to keep moving forward.
From now on, I will always
follow my dreams.
Dear Father
…didn't understand at… …was too stubborn and…
… your smile close to…. Sora
Eat before you go.
There's still time. Right?
For Sora
Sora
Take care
of yourself.
.... Father ....
Dear Father
Thank you
... Sora ...
Dear Father
I won't die,
I won’t leave you by yourself.
I promise.
Hinata!
Isn’t this the right way?
I’m not wrong, am I?
Sora
…Give it all you've got…
…This is where I belong…
Sora: Mayu TSUYUZUME
Hinata: Hinato TEZUKA
Sho: Shono TEZUKA
Sonoko: Yuriko SHIMAMURA
Kaito: Michael HAZAMA
Rin: Shoka HAMAGUCHI
Taichi: Akihiko YAMASHITA
Music: Tomoo NAGAI
Producer: Naoko HIROMOTO
Hair & Make: Kazuya KUROSAKI
English Subtitles: Erika SHIBATA
Director: Screenwriter: Film Editor: Cinematographer: Koji HIRANO