The Hibi Production Committee Presents
A Banmei Takahashi Film
HIBI: DAYS OF FIRE
Zungoe Kiln...
Mizuka?
He's dead
Ken-ichi's dead.
Your body, someday...
...may go in the wind...
...and vanish from people's hearts...
...far away in the sky...
.... in small bits of dust.
...and turn into clouds.
But if, in your heart...
...there is love...
Ken-ichi.
we're back.
The bonds between us...
...will never melt away...
...never, never, ever.
Ken-ichi, you're home.
Welcome home.
I'm back!
Mom! Come here!
Mom!
Hi, Ken-ichi. What is it?
The zinnias are out.
Yep!
They've been out for days!
From here
...to here. I planted those.
All those?
Sure! I remember.
Liars go to hell.
It's true!
Sensei...
...this looks good.
Yep, sure does! This is great!
Are these fired enough?
What?
If we've built a tunnel kiln, why fire them like it's chambered?
I knew I shouldn't let a woman in the kiln.
You're living in a fantasy!
It'll be more than a fantasy.
Wait a minute!
Manabu, what's going on?!
Wait!
You knew, didn't you!
You were laughing behind my back!
Weren't you!
What about you? Tell me!
I didn't think it was Yuki.
I thought it was the one from Kyoto.
What?!
You remember, Kiyoko...
...when you snuck some of your stuff in with your husband's...
...and he got so mad he hit you?
Women weren't allowed in the kiln then.
You said if you couldn't do pottey you'd kill yourself...
...so I said I'd let you use my kiln.
And what did you say?
'I don't want a chambered kiln. Build a tunnel one.'
'She's sure got her nerve, I thought.
I'm sorry.
Kiyoko...what's more important, your husband or your pottery?
Wasn't it to revive natural glaze you built your own kiln?
Now, listen...
...this is a very important decision that'll affect your whole future.
So think carefully.
That's right.
Your father has a good sponsor, so he'll get lots and lots of work.
You'll live well, and do whatever you want.
Compared to that...
...if you stay with Kiyoko you'll suffer in poverty all your lives.
That's what I think.
She hasn't even made teal
Yuki...
...may be young, but she's very mature for her age.
This is Dad's fault.
I'll never call another lady 'Mom'.
She's got you well-trained.
Record of Pension Payments
Invoice
'Mazda Luce'...
We move to the next item of business...
Kiyoko, we've asked you to come today...
...because the Zungoe Kiln Guild membership...
...is in your husband's name.
If he's left the kiln, we can't leave his name on our rolls forever...
and as far as putting in your name is cocerned...
...we've never had a woman kiln-master before...
...and a lot of the members are against it.
Hold it...
Meaning who?
This is pretty feeble.
Aren't you just afraid she's going to show you up?
Mr Ishii...those are hard words to just let go by.
Wait!
If I'm a problem for Shigaraki...
...take my name off the list of Shigaraki potters.
It'll be Shigaraki's loss.
Not bad.
Hello.
Cheap apples today...
Um...
...no, thanks.
Hey!
Eat it!
That's why you stole it!
If what I give you isn't good enough, go live with your father!
Don't waste it!
Oh, go easy on the boy!
I've never been so humillated in my life!
Stupid!
If it's no good, it's no good!
Sensei!
Don't get up.
I couldn't get through by phone so I came over.
In all this rain? The phone's been cut off.
I'm sorry.
That's all right.
I'm here because...
...I got a big order for coffee mugs.
It's working to a pattern, but it pays.
A thousand by next month.
Thank you.
The electricity's still on?
Ms Kohyiama!
Kainyoikro??
My mom's out right now.
Again?
I missed her last time, too.
This bill's long past due, you know.
What am I going to do?
Where'd she go?
Maybe the golf course.
Golf?!
She caddies part-time.
This would be the best thing that could happen.
Well, then...
But if we're going to get married...
...there's one condition.
Tell me what it is.
Become poor.
Sorry?
Give your house, and, and property to your daughter.
Bring nothing but yourself.
What? Are you crazy?
Why did you say no? This was a gift from God!
Can't you talk to him again?
You've got our futures to think about!
That's exactly why I said no.
Mom likes being poor.
I hate it!
I do that sometimes, too.
But it's a really horrible sound.
Go away.
Go away, I said.
Why? Those things are good enough.
'Good enough'?
Maybe our kiln just isn't good enough.
Come with me.
This is ancient Shigaraki ware they found up in Zungoe Pass.
That color wasn't done with glazing. That's natural, from the tunnel kiln.
My mission in life is to bring back that technique.
Hey, Kumiko!
Ken-ichi! Kumiko! Bring water!
Get more water!
Ken-ichi.
Throw more wood in!
Will that be safe?
Just do it!
Yes!
You did it.
Sensei...
What are you crying about? The battle's only just begun.
Yes...
Kiyoko Kohyama Natural Glazing
The Guild Executive Committee has recognized you...
...as Master of the Zungoe Kin.
Would you please come to the meetings from now on?
Thank you.
Ken-ichi, turn out that light, will you?
What'll you two do after high school?
I'm thinking of finding a college somewhere...
What do you need to do that for?
You need college now to get a job...
...or even just to get married.
I've got Grade 9.
Ken-ichi?
I don't know...maybe check out the Ceramics Research Center.
What do you mean, 'check out'? Do you want to do pottery or not?
'Find a college'...'check out the Research Center'...what is this?
Get to bed!
I've got things to do. You're in the way.
What's wrong with her?
Schools cost money.
But I'm going, no matter what.
OK, Mom, I'm going.
Where?
My entrance exam.
Oh...
Well, don't wear yourself out at it.
And why not?
What I mean is 'relax'. Don't get too tense.
Yeah, I'm sure you mean that.
Fai, then.
What are you doing?
No more debt!
It's the middle of the night!
We're out of debt!
Bad news, Mom.
What, you didn't make it?
Yes, I did.
My ticket out of Shigaraki!
Ah, me!
I hate this!
'Morning.
Kohyiama...
20 minutes till class.
You're late!
Sorry!
¥ 65,000...
That's a deal!
This one's like Tatsuya's...
That's cheap, too.
Ken-ichi.
Yeah?
If you've got something to say, then say it.
Like what?
I mean you should say what's on your mind.
If you want a motorcycle, why not just say so?
I want to buy a bike.
Idiot!
Where's the money coming from?
Where are we going?!
Your first time, huh?
I'm sorry. It was mine, too.
One more time!
Be a pachinko pro.
Winning Pins, Losing Pins
We'll go 50-50.
Ken...make me your apprentice.
You've got more talent than me.
Stop flattering.
Anyway, I wonder how you'd get along with my mother.
Is she that bad?
No, you're a lot alike, both of you.
That's scary.
A ike how?
Hard as nails.
Yeah?
Anyway, it's not like I'm asking to be her daughter-in-law.
You're not?
Oh.
Do I have to propose as well?
Midori!
My name is Midori Nagasaka. How do you do.
I'm Kohyama. Hello.
Come see the kiln.
Empty!
These are stale!
There isn't a damn thing in the whole house!
Relax, Mom. She's just going to be my apprentice.
Apprentice?
In what, pachinko?
Sensei! Are you all right?!
Midori it hurts!
It hurts!
No, I can't get up...
Ken!
It hurts!
Ow ow ow ow!
Well?
You're still trying to look good. You're putting on a show.
To find yourself, you have to throw it away.
It's when you've discarded everything that you're strongest.
Don't go trying to climb on your mother's coat-tails.
Ken! Hey!
Throw myself away? What the hell does that mean?!
Maybe while you still 'want'...
...you don't unite with the clay?
A lot you know!
Midori why don't you apprentice with my mom?
Then you can steal all her tricks...
...and be a woman potter.
Isn't that what you wanted?
Be a man for once in your life!
Leave, please.
No, you leave!
A girl slaps you and you won't even slap her back?
You big suck!
Sponging off me, doing everything by halves...
A grown man, and what have you done?
I've had enough of you.
Get out.
Go on!
Ken?
Ken-ichi? What's wrong?
Ken?
Ow!
Ken-ichi?
Ow!
Ken-ichi.
Come on, Ken-ichi!
I'm cold...
The tests have revealed an abnormality in the blood.
Ken-ichi has...
...chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Doctor...
...say that again?
Through a transplant, the patient's bone marrow...
...is replaced with healthy marrow...
...allowing its blood-forming function to revive.
However, not just anybody's healthy bone marrow will do.
The donor's 'human leukocyte antigens', or 'HLA', of the white bood cells...
...must match those of the patient.
So will Ken-ichi die...
...if we can't find a donor?
Midori...I'd like you to break off with Ken-ichi.
But we're not...
I know you are. I'm a woman.
Is it something about me?
Even if Ken-ichi gets better, he won't be able to have children.
What's wrong with him?
It's not a lymph problem? Was that a lie?
Leukemia.
Leu...
Does he know?
He will soon.
Did he do something bad? Did I?
If he dies...
...or even if they save him...
...I don't want you bearing a cross.
I'll talk to him.
Midori!
Ken, wake up...
Wake up!
What?
Ken...you've got...
...what you've got...
What is it?
Ken-ichi.
...you've got...
...leukemia.
What, you two want me to have leukemia now?
We don't 'want' it. It's the truth.
Ken-ichi.
...you're not scared of leukemia, are you?
Are you going to quit without a fight?
I'll just die anyway.
It's curable if we can just find a bone-marrow donor.
And if we don't, I die.
Sure, but you have to fight it tlll we can!
How long have I got?
Two and a half years.
Midori...
...you're fired as my apprentice.
I know.
I can't be with him.
I'll just make his cross all the heavier.
Use my marrow if by some whim of God it fits.
Don't tell him whose it is, of course.
Thank you, Midori.
Tell Ken for me... he's completely wrong.
He said that you and me were a lot alike.
We're not at all.
Forgive me.
This'll hurt a litte...
I'm afraid neither of your HLA...
...is a match for his.
I swear I will find...
a donor!
What has God done?
Hello, Sachiko?
Um, listen...
...I need a favor.
What?!
Why not?
Mine's no good. Nor is Kumiko's.
All right.
I'll make my HLA or whatever fit Ken's...
...if it kills me!
To die of a curable disease for lack of the right marrow...
That'd be a shame.
Damn right!
Maybe none of our HLA matches...
...but I'm sure we can find someone.
We'll do like that boy up in Niigata.
We'll get an office and form a committee.
How's that?
Looks good!
A Shigaraki potter named Ken-ichi Kohyama is fighting leukemia!
The bills are huge!
We ask for your understanding and support!
That's right!
If we could have the Mayor leading the campaign...
But Mrs Kohyama...
...I just don't do things like this!
Mr Mayor!
This is why we voted for you!
Yes, but...
Mr Mayor, when's the next election?
This is Akifumi Matsuno, Mayor of Shigaraki.
Good morning.
Good morning. Good morning.
I am here this morning to ask a favor of all of you...
He can come home?
His symptoms have stabilized.
He can bee cared for at home.
Isn't that nice!
The next thing is to find a donor right away.
I've arranged for the transplant at the Red Cross Hospital in Nagoya.
Thank you!
Stay well.