The taiko drums pound in the distance
You're mine now.
Quit horsing around.
Forgive me.
Sure, they were junkies but they didn't look like criminals.
Whatever you can remember is fine.
Come to think of it, when I went to clean the bath...
How's the water?
There's no God. Your nuts hurt?
Pulling on your lover's nuts is bizarre.
"Such a bizarre lad."
I'll say the line like that.
Want a banana?
Yes, yes, yes.
Suck it. Suck it.
Excuse me.
What?
Excuse me.
What now?
Bearded Courtesan's Best Hits!
Already?
My bad. This one.
Wait! Show me that.
I liked the cover.
Don't let it happen again.
Yaji Kita!
What?
It's them. Yaji and Kita.
Criminals putting out a record?
They've got nerve offending a playboy like me.
Eureka! Non-no.
Too tall! Stand down!
Perfect size!
Let's have a listen.
Yes sir.
Not that one.
Play the Bearded Courtesan.
How cute? I love her.
Court, Court
Courtesan
Courtesan, the bearded courtesan
Courtesan under the Sun
My son is a courtesan
You can't sing.
A courtesan In a school uniform
A decomposing corpse courtesan
Meet my perverted fan club
Court, court, courtesan
Night, night, night courtesan
I was singing harmony.
Look at that.
Non-no.
Calm down.
Inspector?
- What happened? - Oh no.
A mass suicide.
Don't guess. Investigate.
It's murder.
How'd you know?
Evidence.
Look.
YAJIROBE
He's a cold-blooded serial killer.
I'm scared.
Calm down.
- I'm scared. - It's okay.
- Inspector. - Non-no.
DINNER SHOW
Damn it.
Oyuki!
It's you.
Take a good look. Tomorrow you sing there.
Oh you want Kita? I'll go wake him up.
I...
Please use this.
Why ever?
Huh?
Ya-za... Ya-ji-san.
Oh me?
Thanks.
Like this? Yo baby.
Where's Kita's?
Nothing?
I can't accept this.
Kita and I are lovers.
Two hearts entwined.
I know.
Oyuki.
Yaji-san... tomorrow...
please... sing...
a duet...
with me.
What's a duet?
Why ever? Why ever?
What in the world?
Yaji-san, Yaji-san.
Look. Mt. Fuji's red.
Yep.
How beautiful. Mt. Fuji in all its glory.
It's only a mountain.
You say something?
Nothing.
- Kita-san. - Yaji-san.
What?
Sorry but... can you plug your ears?
Sure.
I love Oyuki.
Done?
You finished?
No echo.
There's no echo.
Screw you Fuji. You're no fun.
I love Oyuki. There's your echo. Let's go.
Go on ahead.
I love Oyuki!
Let's go, Kita.
I love Oyuki!
Stop it.
Where's the echo?
Answer me Fuji!
Have you forgotten that you're a gay junkie?
I love Oyuki!
Aren't you coming to Ise?
Go by yourself.
My gay and drug problems will be solved...
with Oyuki by my side.
To me...
Oyuki is my Ise!
I want to express my feelings for you
Why ever?
You can take away my make up but never take me away.
Oh no!
I want to express my feelings for you
Oyuki.
Did you hear me?
You did? Of course, you did.
I'm madly in love with you.
After the show tomorrow, I'm hitting the road.
No, I'm not.
Off to Ise...
with Yaji.
I -
Wait.
Wait, wait.
It's my first time.
The sunset or the mountains and their beauty.
It's all new to me.
I can't.
I want to be closer.
Help me.
I love you so, so much.
Reality... scares me.
I...
I... love... Yaji-san.
Forgive me... Kita-san.
I'm sorry.
Kita-san, I...
feel... in... l-l-love with Yaji...
and... can't... get... back.
Kita-san. Hold out until Ise.
How fab. You found lots and lots.
But I'll never eat all these...
magic mushrooms.
What if I?
Like Alice...
down the rabbit hole.
You don't say?
Wanna try?
No, thank you.
But he will.
Our bones are aching
But when our bones are aching, we fall to sleep
Oyuki learned to sing.
Did she?
So that's why Fuji is clear today.
Yes. Not a cloud in the sky.
Yaji-san.
Oyuki.
That ain't my reality.
Why ever?
Kita-san!
You're late.
The dinner show's rockin'.
Let me introduce...
our vocalist. Ouch!
Ouch! That hurts.
What are you doing?
Tasty?
He's so happy his eyes are dancing.
Hey Kita-san. I want some too.
You okay? Get up on stage.
Get a move on.
KING'S INN
Wow. I'm glad we came.
More tea bitch!
Come on... music.
Stop singing every time.
I've had it up to here.
You've had 10 cups.
Hey master. Ochin!
Yeah, yeah?
I heard Fuji is most beautiful from here.
What's that?
It was beautiful.
But those hooligans...
Hooligans?
Yeah. Yaji and Kita, the Midnight Pilgrims.
Ah! Yaji and Kita!
Non-no. No, no, no.
Yaji and Kita were here?
Were they?
She won't speak because of them.
Hey.
Inspector!
What's a lady doing listening to the radio in the Edo period?
Radio head Granny.
Radio head Granny?
She talks like a radio so we call her that.
One in 50,000 suffer from this.
You crusty, dying hag.
Look who's talking!
Good luck. Oh a youngster. What's your name?
Uh, Yajirobe.
- Who's he? - Kitahachi.
If you're going then eat some yam juice.
Really.
It'll liven you up.
Eureka! Non-no!!
Yes sir.
You framed out.
We're off.
Mariko is this way. This way.
Non-no, my manly throne.
Bring it!
My manly throne!
How careless of me. Wait for me.
Yaji-san, Kita-san.
Kita-san...
Damnit. I messed up the order.
Do the wave.
Why ever? Why ever?
It came back.
Look alive Kita. Let's go.
Cheer up.
Come on. We're attached at the wrist here.
Behold King Arthur!
King Arthur!
Behold King Arthur!
King Arthur!
Good morning.
I'm King Arthur, knight of the round table.
Behold the legendary sword that severs DNA...
Excalibur.
Who will extract the sword?
Me.
- Name? - Kata#$%
- What? - Katagai.
- Mr. Katagai? - Yes.
- Impossible. - Too bad, Mr. Katagai.
He lacks spirit.
Ignorant peasants! Drink my yam juice and be revived!
Vitality!
Grow strong, grand ma.
Drink up!
What do you say, Kita-san?
I hate yam juice. Makes me itch.
What'd you say?
My juice won't make you itch.
Gimme some, King Arthur!
Don't piss me off boy.
Hey, it's delicious Kita. Real tasty.
It'll liven you up.
What?
Itchy.
He's itching.
You didn't drink any.
It itches.
Stop laughing. Kita, you okay?
Hey! Stop it! Calm down.
Hold out until Ise.
Shut up.
Kita-san...
You're always meddling with people. Pretending you know them.
But we're one in the same.
You ain't me!
You... don't know shit about me.
What?
Everybody says, Yaji-san and Kita-san, Yaji and Kita.
Can't just one of them call us Kita and Yaji!
You'll ruin everything.
Bloody fool!
Screw you!
He did it.
Stop.
What -
Yaji-san?
Why?
You dead?
Hey, Yaji-san.
King Arthur!
Do something!
I'm just a humble yam farmer.
Shit.
THE END
What gives?
You got a complaint?
Yeah, a big one.
That ain't my reality.
'Course not. It's a movie.
Next in the double feature is Ben-Hur.
Back it up!
Rewind and show it again.
Not staying for Ben-Hur?
I love Yaji-san.
Oh Oyuki!
Oyuki, you're so cute.
Kita-san, I...
feel... in... l-l-love with Yaji-san...
and... can't
get... back
She can finally sing.
Kita-san. Hold out until Ise.
Fuck off.
You're always meddling -
It's different from before.
It's the director's cut.
This is how you killed him.
It's a lie.
It's no lie.
You were too high to remember.
Everybody says, Yaji-san and Kita-san or Yaji and Kita.
Can't just one of them call us Kita and Yaji!
No way.
I don't believe you. It's not my reality.
Boring. Reality is boring.
Poor baby.
Without realizing he was dead...
he kept traveling with you.
He loved you that much.
Yaji-san.
Forgive me.
Wanna see him?
Yes.
I want to.
Then trick yourself.
Convince yourself he's alive.
Then you'll see him.
For a junkie like you...
it'll be easy, right?
Take the drugs and you'll ruin everything.
Hey... that's deep. Really deep.
You can't come over here.
Why not?
You're dead. You died.
Stop messing with me.
Who are you anyway?
Datsueba: The clothes thief demon.
Datsueba?
You got killed by Kita.
You lie. Kita-san would never do that.
This is the famous River Styx. Go over there and rest in peace.
Don't cry.
I can't rest in peace. I can't.
I promised. I promised Kita-san we'd go to Ise.
I want to travel more and more with him.
You can't cheat death. That's the rule.
Death?
Hey Kita, over here!
Forgive me Yaji-san. Forgive me.
Yaji-san, traveling alone is too painful.
Yaji's alive. Yaji's alive. He's alive, alive, alive.
Can February March? No, but April May.
You with me?
Hang on to your hat.
What?
We're at Ise.
No, it's Shinjuku.
It's like heaven.
For pedestrians, right?
There it is. Ise-san!
That's... Ise-tan department store.
Oh, sorry.
Yeah, it's Ise.
Ise-tan... I mean Ise-san.
Let's go inside.
- Huh? You got better? - Yep.
Huh?
We're here. Let's go.
Come on, Kita-san.
This ain't Ise-san.
It's phonier than Edo.
You're funny. I'll back you up.
- Bloody fool. - Screw you.
Bloody fool.
Screw you.
You ain't Yaji-san.
Get real.
Out of drugs, huh?
Get high. Get high.
Yaji-san would never say that.
Sorry. I'm not really Yaji.
Then who are you?
Four-ji.
Bloody fool.
Are you awake?
What'll you have?
Yaji-san.
Yaji-san, Yaji-san, Yaji-san...
Sorry, we don't serve that drink.
Not a drink. He's my lover I killed.
A rendezvous?
Rendezvous?
Oh, yeah. Waiting for someone.
I won't move until he comes.
Oh, Kita-san.
Kitahachi.
Kita Kita.
Kita Honey.
Kita Baby.
Wanna ride?
A ride? Where to?
The source of the River Styx.
The source?
You don't want to cross.
And you can't go back. So how about going up?
Check the map?
Look here.
The river divides life and death, right?
So if we go to the source, life and death might be connected.
Whatever you say. You're smart.
Datsueba of the River Styx.
A regular Saibaba.
Wait for me, Kita-san!
Between night and morning
Between men and women
How beautiful.
Between reality and dreams
Between this world and that world
There are various "betweens" but
For your dead lover... A butterfly cocktail.
Or between me and you
Damn it.
All is darkness, all is dark
Yaji and Kita, the Midnight Pilgrims
Shit.
Walk?
It's dark. And scary.
Dark and scary.
Scary. Scary. And dark, dark.
What's that?
Nirvana Harbor. Otherwise called Nirvana Un-healthy Spa.
SOUL'S INN
WELCOME
You don't see that everyday.
How many kids are in their family?
They're not people. They're souls like you.
Souls, huh.
The same as me?
Souls separated from their flesh.
They cross the River Styx.
And vanish in the darkness.
Cheers!
Before that...
they have fun one last time.
I did It my way
Here's your chicken.
I didn't order.
But...
Icky!
You'll be like them soon.
I'll go look for the source.
Don't move a muscle.
I won't.
Darn. I lost weight again.
Rule violation!
30 grams?
Bless my soul. Yaji-san?
Yeah. Who are you?
Can't you tell?
No. You all look the same to me.
That makes me sad.
No way.
Mind blowing.
Hot, hot, smokin' hot.
Oh, Master Hot.
How's life?
My body got burned but my soul is fine.
Hot, hot, smokin' hot.
Meet my partner.
Partner?
We're doing stand up together.
Check our act?
Show me.
Go for it.
Mind blowing. Naniwa Hot here.
Go Hot!
Mind blowing. Who am I again?
You're Cool.
Cool.
You ordered the chicken, right?
And who are you?
I'm Hot. Who's on first?
Huh?
Who's on first?
I'm sorry I messed up.
Darn. I gotta find a new partner.
Are we gonna vanish like that too?
Not me.
I don't wanna vanish.
Hey bartender, this drink is damn strong.
Is it now?
Yeah... I can see my dead lover.
Kita-san.
Are you Yaji-san?
No, I'm a fake Yaji-san.
You're dreaming of your lover.
Fine with me.
Give the fake Yaji-san whatever I'm drinking.
And some pretzels and chocolates.
Chocolates and then some...
Sir.
Listen carefully.
Bringing back your lover takes great concentration.
If you lose focus over chocolates, he'll disappear.
Now concentrate.
Think only about your lover.
Screw you!
- Hey. Yaji-san! - Screw you!
- Yaji-san! - Screw you!
Yaji-san?
Screw you!
Yaji-san.
Screw you.
Why ever? What in the world?
I made the fake Yaji come to life by concentrating.
That you did.
I'll have that drink now! Bartender! Gimme a round of -
What's with you?
Actually, I died a while back.
So somebody must be thinking about you, huh?
My wife.
Magic mushrooms.
Is she asleep?
Mayumi, Mayumi, you okay?
Pick up some tofu and eggs on your way home.
Sure honey.
Who's he?
A customer.
I don't wanna.
Even after I died, she kept believing I was alive.
Thanks to her thoughts, I can run my bar.
She's half mushroom but... She dreams about me.
So, you should keep giving your lover cocktails.
He fell asleep.
He's zonked.
This way. This way.
OK.
Hold on a sec.
Hmm...
Oh, that way. This way, sir.
Hey, Non-no?
Some Tokaido Highway.
Uh-huh.
If you say, "How careless of me" I'm gonna be pissed.
Stuff it and walk you faggot.
What'd you say?
How careless of me.
Huh?
How careless of me!
Non-no. Non-no.
Don't do that. Don't throw my manly throne.
You sure? What about this expensive book?
I told you "don't move".
This is my pleasure team.
Who goes there?
Poor girls.
They died because of me.
Hey, Datsueba.
Can they come back to life like me?
Idiot! The walls have ears.
Back to life?
Bath towel?
Why ever? Be quiet.
Let's go.
What in the world?
Get back! Back! Hey Datsueba.
I don't want to disappear.
Forgive me!
Why do you get to come back to life?
Run.
Get back! Back! Back!
What in the world?
- Stay back. - Come here.
What the fuck. Get back!
Say something.
No thanks.
Magic trick?
No thanks. Hit me again.
Who are you thinking about?
Why Kita of course.
Yajirobe, Kitahachi!
You're under arrest for killing Ohatsu and suspicion of other stuff.
Police business.
Louder.
Police business!
Yeah, official biz!
Ohatsu?
Who's she?
My wife I left back in Edo.
Non-no?
Yes sir.
Yajirobe and Kitahachi...
our warrant says... What's that say?
It says "wife".
Wife Ohatsu.
Be careful. Remember... you're his dream.
I understand.
Think only of Kita.
You told him Inspector.
Back off!
Kita-san... Darn it. I can't get Ohatsu off my mind.
Honey.
Ohatsu.
What's she doing alive?
What the -
What's that?
The source of the River Styx.
How could... so you're the source, huh?
No wonder I can't get past.
Do you recognize me?
Of course.
A man never forgets his wife's face, no matter how she changes.
For real?
You're my wife.
Honey.
Long time, no see.
It's been a while.
Is this maggot your lover?
He is.
Spiteful turd.
Mushroom face husband stealer.
Stop.
Back off.
Stop it.
We're both part of his dream.
If he dies, we vanish too.
Who cares!
Besides, you died long ago.
He's half mushroom.
He won't die if you cut him.
Behold the legendary sword that severs DNA, Excalibur.
I'm totally lost.
This is the big scene.
I know. I know.
Ohatsu.
Honey.
Choose.
If she stops crying, the border between life and death will dry up.
But, if she keeps crying, you can't cross over.
I see.
I'll create a diversion and you run over.
Impossible.
Why?
Well...
she's too big.
Besides, it's my fault she's crying.
What are you doing? It's midnight.
Washing rice.
Why don't you wash it tomorrow morning?
Morning's too late. I have to do it now.
Women... can't live with them.
Can't shoot them.
Will you stop it!
I have to wash the rice.
Why now?
I always do it at night.
You were either staying out until morning...
or asleep. You never noticed.
But this way makes the rice taste good.
You lie.
Here's your rice.
Ohatsu.
I'm washing rice.
I'm in love with a man.
But I'll always love you.
But I fell in love.
Sorry, Ohatsu. Forgive me.
I'm...
What?
I'll make miso soup.
Stop it.
Stop.
Let go.
You let go.
Let go. No.
No!
No!!
Stop.
Honey.
What?
Don't leave me.
I never said I would.
I can't live without you.
Oh! Yeah. Me too. Me too.
Really?
Really.
Really?
Really.
I saw your life vanish right in front of me.
I couldn't do anything...
except watch.
It was scary.
Shameful.
I cried and cried.
So I hit the road.
To stop being serious and live wildly and die wildly.
But I got too wild, and Kita killed me.
Serves me right.
You're selfish.
I'm selfish.
You're a coward.
And a coward.
Ohatsu.
Do you hate me?
Do you hate Kita?
How could I possibly.
On the contrary, I want to keep traveling with him.
Telling you this is strange but...
I want to keep traveling with Kita-san.
Forgive me.
Then I don't hate you.
Don't wake up.
Ohatsu.
Honey.
Kita-san.
What fake Yaji-san?
It was fun...
while it lasted.
Sir.
- Outta the way. - She stopped.
We can leap frog to life!
Go for it.
Yeah.
Damn! What the heck?
Take the shortcut.
I have to cross your butt?
Hurry. I still have lots of crying to do.
Datsueba.
Don't ass me.
Phew!
Stinky!
Raunchy!
That stinks!
Phew!
Shit, for a soul, how could you fart on me?
Phew. Stinky.
Ohatsu.
What's wrong? You got old.
I was just imagining my death.
That's a bad omen.
You're older too.
Really?
I was dreaming.
Enough to last an entire lifetime.
At last I...
can't make heads or tails of dreams or reality.
Drink up.
No, I'm done dreaming.
I'll die someday and have to go to the other side.
But you know...
death with Yaji wouldn't be so bad.
Sir, sir.
Your friend is here.
Yaji-san.
Oh, Kita... long time, no see.
How've you been?
Where were you?
I was...
A lot happened after you killed me.
But I'm fine now. We can travel together again.
You're a mess.
Yeah. I fell down.
You stink.
I fell. I fell in a cesspool.
And got bit by a dog.
Yeah, it hurts.
Why the snake?
Thought I'd eat it.
Bloody fool.
Screw you.
Bloody fool.
Screw you.
Gimme that hair bun.
Hug me tighter, tighter.
You sure you want me?
Ouch.
Does it hurt?
Ouch.
Does it hurt?
Ouch. It hurts.
Yaji-san, you're my only reality.
Screw you.
Bloody fool. Don't eat me.
That's how much I love you.
Does it bother you?
It doesn't bother me but...
those are magic mushrooms.
What?
Hey Inspector.
Whatcha thinkin' about?
Elephants.
Elephants?
Everybody in Edo knows about elephants from the land of barbarians.
Oh, elephants, eh?
Yaji-san?
Yeah, Kita-san?
Are we there yet?
We're close.
We'll make the Oi River soon.
You sure?
Don't know.
Don't know at all.
You're no help.
Who cares.
Don't know where we're going or what we're riding.
You know, right?
Of course. Elephants, eh?
Their fins are tasty.
Do you really know?
You pest! Elephants, right?
Big ears, long nose.
With a place for your hands.
Wheels in front and back. And goes vroom, vroom, vroom.
That's a motorcycle!
Screw you!
Bloody fool!
STARRING Tomoya Nagase, Shichinosuke Nakamura
Eiko Koike, Sadawo Abe, Tasuku Emoto
Aiko Morishita, Ryo Iwamatsu Itsuji Itao, Riki Takeuchi
Tomomitsu Yamaguchi Yumi Shimizu
ARATA Yoshiyoshi Arakawa
Kankuro Nakamura
From Edo to New York
Thousands of lights lead the way
A journey to find yourself?
Reality is nowhere out there
I wanna be
I wanna be... be your fuck
8 or 9 cases out of 10
I wanna be... be your fuck
Katsuhisa Namase, Susumu Terajima Nao Omori, Arata Furuta, Suzuki Matsuo
Kazuo Umezu, Sandayu Dokumamushi Satoshi Tsumabuki, Kumiko Aso
Naoko Ken
Oh honey...
I wanna be... be your fuck
With samurai compassion
I wanna be, be, be, be be your fuck
In all frankness...
Who goes there?
A journey to find yourself?
Reality is nowhere out there
Original Works by Kotobuki Shiriagari
Yaji and Kita, The Midnight Pilgrims published by MAGAZINEHOUSE, Ltd.
Yaji and Kita in DEEP published by Enterbrain, Inc.
Yaji and Kita, The Midnight Pilgrims; the novel KAWADE SHOBO SHINSHA, Publishers
Music by ZAZEN BOYS
Executive Producers Yasushi Shiina, Julie K. Fujishima
Masashi Shimamoto, Hiroaki Yoshida Makiko Nagasaka
Chief Producers Masao Teshima, Shinji Ogawa
Producers Mitsuru Uda, Yoshinori Fujita
Cinematography / Toshiyasu Yamanaka
VE / Hiroyuki Utsuno
Gaffer / Yoshitaka Shiihara
Art Director / Katsumi Nakazawa
Stylist / Daisuke Iga
Sound Recordist / Kazunori Fujimaru
Sound Mixer / Kazuharu Urata
Editor / Soichi Ueno
VFX Supervisor / Hiromasa Tanaka
VFX Producer / Fumihiko Sori
Music Producer / Shin Yasui
Musical Songs / Taku Tomizawa
Casting / Isao Terano
Assistant Directors Akinori Igarashi, Takeo Sugawara
Production Coordinator Yusuke Wakabayashi
Produced by Asmik Ace Entertainment, Inc. J Storm Inc. / CULTURE PUBLISHERS INC. TYO Productions Inc. / OTONAKEIKAKU, INC
An Asmik Ace Entertainment Production
In Association with FELLAH PICTURES Co. Ltd
Written and Directed by Kankuro Kudo
Subtitles by Christian Storms