(January, 1957)
(Coast guard patrolling boat Soya, weighted at 2497 tons)
(It had gone past the storm and is proceeding toward Antarctica)
(Showa Base, Ongul Island)
The Showa Base is
the first base being built by the Japanese
after participated in The International Geophysical Year
In order to be successful at the campaign,
the team is staying in Antarctica during the winter.
This is also a fight against the cruel nature of Antarctica.
Hey, it's time for supper!
Come, Ricky.
Taro, here you go.
Good boy.
Come, Jiro.
Come, Furen.
Hey, Ankie, Taro.
You guys are spoiled too much!
Aren't you guys supposed to be brothers?
And you also grew up in Antarctica.
If we start too late, the ice might get too loose.
Then we can't travel inland.
But looking at that engine,
we can't really go far.
The first car needs to be fixed also.
Aye, such poor performance.
The second team may bring a better sleigh.
Because we have already told them
what parts need to be improved.
I really want to get to Botsnnuten.
Because you have already arrived at Antarctica?
I can understand your feeling.
But looking at the Observation team's previous missions,
we have already accomplished ours.
Hey Shiota.
What is it?
How much luggage weight can a dog sled pull?
Well...
If we are looking at something really heavy,
the standard should be around half the dog's weight.
then it should be...
Jiro, it's 34.5.
Alright.
Mr. Shiota, which dog should we weight next?
Taro. Sure.
Let's take a photo with Taro, hurry hurry.
Come, Taro, such a good boy.
Come on.
Okay, ready, come on.
It is decided that dog sleds should be used
to travel around Antarctica.
the strongest team of dog sleds.
The goal is to
arrive at Botsnnuten, which is on the inland of Antarctica.
The team will survey its actual position, its elevation
and its geology.
Akatsuki Shiota is responsible
for geology measurements and also looks after the dogs.
Responsible for meteorology measurements,
is Ochi Kenjiro, who will too look after the dogs.
The one who is experienced in mountaineering, is Ozaki Yuzo.
These three guys have been chosen to be the team members.
Go...
Go on...
Ricky, go, Ricky.
Go...
Let's go...
Let's get moving.
Jake, come on.
We are almost there.
Keep going, it will get easier once we get past this ditch.
Good, doctor, keep pulling hard.
Are you okay?
Jake.
Good...
Good.
Jiro.
Good, hurry up, let's get moving.
Jiro, Oguma.
Good...
Good, let's make a stop...
Doctor, how are you doing?
Ochi,
If you don't change your socks soon you are going to get frostbites.
Of course.
Let's stop here...
We should already be on Padda Island by now.
That's strange, what is that over there?
It's a whale.
It seems the corpse has been pushed to the surface by the ice blocks.
God, what a mess.
Jake, do you know
what kind of noise is it?
That is not the wind whistling, for sure.
That sounds like ice blocks collapsing
on each other.
What is it, are you scared?
If you are scared by this,
How are you going to withstand the journey ahead of us?
The reason why I am pushing you guys so hard,
is that I am hoping you guys will become tougher.
Here it is different than Japan, this is Antarctica.
Only the strongest can survive.
Got it?
I have never expected a harsh trainer like you
to have a soft side.
Oh come on,
I was just woken by the doctor's horrible snoring.
Then I heard that guy
whining outside.
I just couldn't help myself.
Me too.
If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have heard that.
The wind has gotten stronger.
Go and check the strings on the tent. Then go back to sleep.
Good, have a good night.
Go...
Go, Ricky, go on.
Rickey seems a little abnormal.
Good, let's stop here...
Stop, now...
Good, let's put Jiro at the front to lead the team.
Sure.
Terry should stay back too.
Move Furen and Taro to the front.
Of course.
Go...
Are you okay?
I am fine.
Stop here...
Ochi. What is it?
One of the dogs is bleeding.
Which one is it?
It's Taro.
Is it serious?
Not really.
Can't believe that Jiro is hurt too.
Good, time to pull, move it.
Pull harder.
Come, let's hurry up.
Let's start pulling.
Hurry and pull.
Let's get on moving.
Good, stop here.
Let's stop here...
Okay, stop...
Alright, Furen's stronger. Let's move him to the front.
It should be fine,
shouldn't it?
Go...
Let's stop.
Goro, what is it?
Aren't you the most experienced in the team?
Come on, let's push it.
Ochi.
It's my turn.
Okay.
Time to go.
Get ready.
Pull...
Okay, stop.
Good, we are going downhill from now on.
Ochi, let's go.
Excellent.
Doctor? Sure.
Good, let's go.
Ochi, let's be careful. Right.
Doctor.
Stop here...
Goro, are you okay?
It's all because you haven't
run fast enough.
Hey, how are you doing?
I am fine.
I wasn't asking you, I was asking the dogs.
The dogs and I are fine.
Go...
Come... let's go...
Let's stop...
It's time to eat!
Come.
Hey, Whitey, do you want some of this?
Go ahead and eat!
Thanks.
This is our food.
A young fellow like yourself must be starving.
Gosh, this is so harsh.
It's okay, I can tolerate this
Because this is Antarctica, the land of my dream.
Good, we are almost there.
Hey. Yes?
Can you bring Goro over here? Of course.
Goro, Goro is leaving.
Goro...
Go...
Goro...
What do you want?
Do you know who's feeding you?
Come on.
Go... Goro.
Come on, let's go.
Come on, let's go, come on.
Come, let's move, so useless.
Let's go, such a useless worm.
Goro...
Goro, hurry and come back.
Hurry up and come back.
If not, we are leaving you.
Please, come back here.
Please, I beg of you.
Do you know who is feeding you?
Please, I'm begging you.
You get it now, don't you?
You seem to understand me.
Come, let's go.
Let's get on, follow my lead, Goro.
Go...
Hurry...
Very good...
Very good... Go...
What is it?
Botsnnuten...
Wait.
This is something...
wrote by the students
from Hokkaido University, who got and trained the Huskies
and Mr. Moriiwa.
Let's put them all in.
Okay, that's good.
On the road back from Botsnnuten,
The expedition is surrounded by a very thick fog.
In such a windless environment,
Their vision is entirely blocked.
The world becomes white.
The eyes of the three team members,
are all damaged by strong ultraviolet ray.
They all got snow blindness as a result.
The expedition did not bring any radio transmitters
due to weight constraint.
They are as good as dead.
Hey let's stop here. Ochi, are you okay?
I am fine.
I am surprised that the team has been stopped by snow blindness.
How embarrassing.
Mr. Shiota.
What is it?
Can you see anything at all?
Only a bit.
Where are we now?
We left almost two hours ago.
I think we should be somewhere,
like twenty to thirty kilometers away from the base.
Only if the dogs are on the right track.
What can you see?
Nothing, the fog is too thick. Can't really see anything.
I was just thinking.
What is it?
We should cut Taro and Jiro loose here.
Right here?
Yes.
I think if we let them go back to the base,
Chief Ozawa will send us a rescue team.
But the priority is that
those two need to get back to the base safely.
I think they will be fine.
Do you really think so?
Mr. Shiota.
I understand your feeling, but...
I agree with Ochi's opinion.
If Taro and Jiro can't find their way,
we would have been lost a long time ago.
If that's the case,
it would be the same if we let them go.
Then it is decided.
Okay then, let's do this.
Taro, good.
Good, go on now.
Taro and Jiro were brought to Antarctica when they were puppies.
A pair of siblings who grew up on the base.
Taro, Jiro.
Mr. Ozawa.
Such good boys.
Ochi, is everything fine?
His condition is serious.
Are you guys alright?
Ozaki, are you okay?
I am fine.
Why don't you guys ride the sleighs back to base.
Leave the dogs to us.
We are hoping to go back to the base
with the dogs altogether.
Where is Soya, hasn't it arrived already?
Soya can't move, sir.
Mr. Ochi, are you okay?
Yes, I am fine.
My eyes are just stinging from the cigarette smoke.
But isn't it great?
You three are doing fine.
Hey good news.
Whitey had just given birth to some puppies.
That's great.
Are they out already?
Still can't get too close to them yet.
Soya entered the glacier carrying
the second observation team.
But when next year arrived,
the weather has worsened considerably.
Soya was stuck inside the solid glacier
and couldn't get close to the base.
On February, Soya finally called the USA
Ice breaker 'Barton' for help.
Sleigh? What did you say about the sleigh?
Barton,
We are stranded and require urgent assistance.
Barton? You said Barton, what is it?
Hello...
What is it with Barton now?
Magnetism storm again?
Yes.
Chief.
Did he mean that
Barton is stranded in a dangerous situation?
It sounds like it. Yes.
Am I hearing right?
Even the Barton is unable to move.
It looks likes that
this team isn't able to move either.
Taro...
I will go and get him. Good.
Wait a second.
Mr. Shiota.
If he goes on acting like such a spoiled child,
the guy who is in charge of the dogs on the second team
will have a hard time.
Good.
Alright.
Should we take a photo? Yes or no?
Everybody, let's gather outside, let's meet outside.
The Showa has arrived.
We are safe now.
Hey.
Hurry up and lead the plane here.
Is it here?
Hey, we have waited for a long time.
Hey.
We have waited for a long time.
It is here...
Hey...
Hey.
It's wonderful.
Mr. Nonomiya.
This has been a rough year for you guys.
I get to see you at last.
How is Mr. Horigome?
He's fine.
To be honest, it has been decided that
everyone in this place needs to leave today.
Leave?
You're not waiting until someone else takes over?
This is the same as abandoning the base and retreating.
This decision had been made after Chief Horigome,
Captain Iwakiri and the planning headquarter discussing the issue.
It has been decided.
I am terribly sorry, but can you all please hurry up?
I will be of your assistance.
Unfortunately, we can only withstand this type of weather for one day.
We will transport the equipment with a beaver plane.
Three of the team members will go with it at the same time.
Hasegawa and Takei will stay.
And they will be responsible for communication and machinery.
Everyone, please hurry and pack up.
Ikeuchi why don't you go with them?
Sure.
Come.
Good, then it is decided.
Act quickly, there isn't much time.
Okay.
Be good, boy.
Ankie, I will treat you very well.
Good boy.
Taro, Ankie.
Taro, hey.
Taro, Ankie.
Ankie, come here.
Taro, even at the final moment,
you are still troubling me.
Good, Jiro, listen up.
From now on
you can't treat your new boss like you did to me or Ochi.
Ankie.
Ankie, stop here...
Stop here...
Mr. Shiota, you must check
these collars thoroughly.
When the second team comes,
it would be embarrassing if the dogs get loose.
Good point.
Good boy... good...
You like to bite.
Can't really do that from now on.
You must behave nicely like Jiro.
Got it?
Be good.
Good.
Please act quickly.
Mr. Shiota, please hurry up.
Mr. Ochi.
(Coast Guard Patrolling Boat Soya)
(USA Marines Ice Breaker Barton)
Thank you very much...
Second and third observatory team,
hurry up and come to the deck.
The landing deck is ready.
The plane has landed.
Thank you...
Please, please come over here.
Where are the dog handlers
Mr. Tokumitsu and Mr. Toda?
The chances of the weather getting any better now look slim.
My advise is that you guys should not stay for the winter.
No way, we are here
to replace the observatory team.
We are not giving up.
Kamikaze spirit?
No, I'm afraid you are wrong.
We are only saying
We try to make the most of the last chances we have,
taking in the situation correctly.
These are such fine documents.
A dog who likes to bite people?
This one is the leader, Ricky.
This one here is a loner, Oguma Furen.
Can I really keeping these?
Please go ahead, this is what the documents are for.
Is it really?
Thank you very much, I will keep them well.
Anything else I should be paying attention to?
Watch the neck collars.
Collars?
Yes, the collars should never be removed.
Hasegawa and Takei, I am worried about you two.
Mr. Hasegawa, thank you for you work.
Thanks, I know it was tough work.
Seriously. Really thank you.
I repeat, hurry up and take in Showa.
About the base...
How are the other dogs?
The second observatory team will proceed as planned.
It's okay to leave the dogs there.
How about their supper?
I left each of the dogs
enough dried herring and sardines to last them a few days.
This mother dog and puppies are pilots.
We dump the reserving fuel in order to bring them over.
Attention, at seven in the morning this boat and The Barton
will retreat to the open sea temporarily.
Once the weather gets better we will return to the glacier.
Soya, which went to the open sea in order to evade the storm,
is now back at the glacier,
trying hard to bring the second observation team
to the base.
The explosive is ready.
Do it.
Let's go back at full speed.
Engines run at full speed.
Mr. Shiota.
The collars, I wish to speak with you about the collars.
We shouldn't have tightened their collars
because something like this might happen.
If Ankie couldn't get the collars loose in time...
Ochi. Yes.
It will clear up, it should be time.
It will clear up for sure.
Although you are so confident,
These ice blocks are huge.
The ice blocks have not split at all.
Engines proceed slowly.
It should be fine this way.
Attention, the crew members of the Soya
and the observation team.
I feel terribly sorry to say that
the weather is not getting better.
In addition, Soya has reached its full capability.
We must terminate the mission of
the second observatory team.
The Showa base must be abandoned at once.
Soya will withdraw its mission regarding the glacier.
And it will head back.
Like everyone of you,
I did my best to accomplish this mission.
Nevertheless we have done everything we can.
Mr. Shiota.
All our efforts have been wasted.
I am sorry.
We have been through
everything all along
we should encourage each other, and go back to our country.
Captain.
He is in the map room.
Captain... you, you are giving up on the dogs?
Ochi, please stop.
We have done our best.
Please, two more trips.
Please let the Showa go two more times.
Then we can bring back all the dogs.
It is impossible in this weather.
Then we fly there once.
Can we let the plane fly once more?
Flying once is not enough.
I am going regardless.
I will poison them.
There's no other way to be responsible.
Your name is Mr. Shiota right.
If we do not terminate the mission today,
then we are going against the order of the headquarter.
Moreover...
Moreover?
This boat is short of fresh water supply.
We cannot waste
anymore fuel for the water generator.
Shiota.
The blades and the rudder are damaged.
Soya is in a bad shape, and there is no more fuel.
Even returning to Cap Town is no easy task.
Please cut the nonsense.
It's not fair to the crew members.
Drinking water?
If there is no drinking water,
then there is nothing left to do.
Mr. Shiota.
I...
I should give this back to you.
Actually, we are carrying something very important.
This is what the fans of Karafuto all over the nation
gave us to decorate the dog's home.
We are leaving.
Good.
Get a shave, it will loosen you up a bit.
Mr. Shiota.
There is nothing I can do.
What do you think I can do?
The first to break the chain was Ankie.
The second one was Jake.
Then it was the leader Ricky, who broke free from his collar.
Then came Jiro.
Whitey was free at last.
The loose dogs have gone back to the base.
Taro and Jiro, the brothers,
they have always stayed together.
Ricky and other dogs went back and forth inside the base
in order to look for humans.
Bess, Moses and the rest...
A few of them went down.
The leader of the dogs, Ricky
brought Ankie, Jake, Whitey, and Jiro
outside of the base to look for food.
Oguma Furen has taken off also.
Taro and Oguma followed
the track of their friends.
Then Jiro appeared.
Jiro came back because he was worried about Taro.
(Ricky)
(Jake)
(Ankie)
(Whitey)
(Oguma Furen)
(Taro)
(Jiro)
The dogs are trying hard to find food.
The last one is here.
Terry broke free from the chain at last.
He followed his friend.
Then they all came together.
The chasm of the glacier
are all over the place on the ice field.
From these gaps we can see the darkness of the sea.
These gaps will open and close
according to the tides of the sea.
The creatures in the sea
will be pulled up to the ice field because of this force.
Then they would freeze.
Ricky and Oguma Furen,
they all know that.
However, the edges around the gaps
are very dangerous to the dogs.
(Terry, six years old, was born in Asahikawa.)