Goshu the Cellist
From the story "Sero-hiki no Gooshu", by Kenji Miyazawa Calligraphy by Seiroku Miyazawa
Adaptation supervised by Seiroku Miyazawa Seishi Horio Taijirou Amasawa
Producer: Kouichi Murata Planning: Kazuo Komatsubara, Kouma Yonekawa
Music: Yoshio Mamiya
Concert: Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 "Pastorale"
Yoshio Mamiya conducting the Tokyo Chamber Music Ensemble Hiroyuki Iwaki conducting the NHK Symphony Orchestra
Music by Yoshio Mamiya: "The Indian Tiger-Hunt," "The Merry Coachman," others Cello soloist: Mitsuo Yashima
"Melody on the circling of the stars" Lyrics and music by Kenji Miyazawa Sung by The "Tomato" Children's Choir
Character Design and Layout: Shunji Saita
Artistic Director: Takamura Mukuo
Director of Photography: Toshiaki Okaseri Recording Supervisor: Yasuo Urakami
Written and directed by Isao Takahata
The cello was behind.
Let's start again from the "pum-para."
Goshu! Get your act together.
It's the strings.
Your strings aren't tuned right.
Oh... what a pain.
I don't have time to go through the simple scale with you.
I'm sorry.
Okay, again from the second forte!
Oboe! Your rhythm is sluggish. Put more into it.
That's not a piccolo stuck between your lips.
All right, let's try it from the "pum-para" again.
It's no use. We're not even close.
This is the heart of the piece. And we're making a complete mess of it.
My friends.
There are only ten days left until the recital.
How can we look anyone in the eye if we professional musicians lose...
to some amateur congregation of apprentice chefs and blacksmiths?
And you, Goshu.
You're quite a problem.
You seem to have no sense of expression.
No anger, no joy -- nothing at all seems to come out.
No, perhaps it's more fundamental than that.
You simply won't stay quite in tune with the others.
It's as though you were always trailing behind everyone else, dragging along an untied shoelace.
Please get your act together.
I'd feel sorry for everyone in our illustrious Venus Orchestra...
if we got a bad reputation just because of you.
That's all for today.
Be in the orchestra box at the cinema at six o'clock sharp.
The picture is Matsunosuke's "Jiraiya"; the music is "Nature the Beautiful."
Well, then...
Boy, today was the wringer.
The rain has stopped.
Oh, how nice.
Shall we go eat?
Come on.
Who is it? Hoshu?
Whew! I'm worn out. Carrying things is tough.
What was that?
Here's a gift for you. Please eat them.
Who in blazes asked you to go and bring me tomatoes?
First of all, what makes you think that I'd want to eat anything brought by a cat?
And besides, those tomatoes are from my garden.
Look at that. Picking them before they're even ripe.
It's you who's been nibbling and scattering my tomato stalks, isn't it?
Get out, you damned cat!
Now, now, now, now, sensei. Don't get so angry; it's bad for your health.
Ludwig van Beethoven!
Don't your shoulders get stiff playing nothing but Beethoven all the time, sensei?
Once in a while you should play something easier.
I know. Play Schumann's "Träumerei"; I'll be your audience.
You're certainly impertinent for a cat.
No, don't be modest, sensei. Go right ahead.
I can't get to sleep without hearing your unique style of music.
Enough of your nerve! Enough! Enough!
Very well. I'll play it.
What did you say to play?
"Träumerei," composed by Schumann the Romantic.
"The Indian Tiger-Hunt"
I see. So does this "Träumerei" go like this?
So? How's my "Träumerei"?
Sensei, that... is not... "Träumerei".
"Träumerei," you see, sensei, is a--
Shut up!
Sensei! That's enough. Please stop!
Please! I'll never try to be your conductor again.
Shut up! We're almost to the part where they catch the tiger.
There. I'll let you go with that. Now get out of here.
Sensei, there's something about your performance today. It's all disjointed.
Oh, is that so? So... are you okay? You didn't hurt yourself?
Oh, no. It was really good exercise.
Let me see your tongue for a second.
Hmm. It's a little rough, ...isn't it?
I'll let you go now. Don't come back, stupid!
"Jiraiya" / "Chuukichi's Great Adventure" Hi-no-de Theater
Eek! A mouse! A mouse!
A mouse!
Haven't you had enough, cat?
Of all the... now a bird?
What do you want?
I would like a music lesson.
"Music?"
All you ever sing is "cuckoo, cuckoo."
Yes, that's true. But, you see...
it's really quite difficult.
What's difficult about it?
Maybe singing it over and over is hard, but the song has nothing to it.
On the contrary... it is hard.
For example, if I...
...like this, and if I...
...like this, they even sound quite different, don't they?
No, they don't.
Then you cannot understand.
When we birds sing "cuckoo" ten thousand times, each and every one is different.
Suit yourself. If you know so much, why did you bother coming to me?
But, you see... I want to learn to sing the scale correctly.
What would you know about the scale?
I need to hear it once before I travel to a foreign country.
What would you know about a foreign country?
Sensei!
Please, teach me the scale. I'll sing along with you.
Please, sensei.
What a pest.
All right, but three times and that's it.
And after that, you'd better leave.
No! No! No!
That's not what I mean at all.
If you're so picky, then why don't you show me?
This is what I mean.
Oh, that's the scale?
To you guys the scale and the Sixth Symphony must sound the same.
By no means.
How so?
It's more difficult when "cuckoo" is repeated many times.
In short, something like this, no?
Yes. That's it.
Would you cut that out?
All right, bird. If that's all you wanted then go away.
Please play it just once more.
Your playing seems promising, but it's not quite right.
What did you say? I'm not the one receiving the lesson here.
Get out!
Please, just once more. I beg you.
Please, I beg you.
All right, but this is the last time.
Then please play it for as long as possible.
I give up.
Hold on a second.
Hmm? What's the matter?
Could you do it?
Argh! Any more of this nonsense and I'll turn into a bird myself.
Why did you stop?
Even the most timid among us would cry out until blood came from his throat.
Mr. Goshu! Why did you stop?
Why, of all the cheeky--! Do you expect me to continue this ridiculous mockery forever?
For the last time, get out!
Look! The sun's coming up.
Then just once more, until the sun rises. It won't be long.
Shut up! Don't push your luck, you damn fool bird! Get out! Or I'll eat you for breakfast.
You dummy, there's glass there.
I'm opening it, so just wait a second.
Thank you very much.
Sorry about that.
Cello!
Flow with the rhythm.
Not again. I can't help you any more today!
Hey, raccoon.
Do you know what raccoon stew is?
I've never heard of raccoon stew.
Then, I'll tell you. This is what raccoon stew is.
I take a raccoon like you, boil him with cabbage and salt and eat him for supper.
But, my dad said you were a good person and that there's nothing to fear, so I should come learn from you.
Learn what from me? I have things to do.
Besides, I'm going to bed.
What's that?
Hmm? Oh, this? It's raccoon stew.
No, it's my supper.
After I eat it, I'm going to bed.
I play the drum, you see, and my dad told me to come play along with your cello.
I don't see a drum anywhere.
See these?
Oh, I get it. You play them on your belly.
Then what do you do?
Please play this.
"The Merry Coachman"...?
What a strange tune.
All right, here goes.
Then, if you would...
Right, right.
Mr. Goshu, you're always later than I expect on that second string.
It made me feel as though I was stumbling.
Yes, maybe you're right. It's this bad cello.
I wonder where the problem is?
Well... Could you play it once more?
Of course. Here goes.
Oh, it's morning.
Thank you very much.
Sensei!
Please, sensei. This child is very sick. He's at death's door.
Please take pity and cure him.
This isn't a hospital. If you want a doctor, try across the river.
No, sensei! I beg you.
How am I supposed to be a doctor?
Sensei, you don't mean that. Every day you so skillfully cure our illnesses.
I don't know what you're talking about.
But, sensei, thanks to you not only did Madam Rabbit get well, but Papa Raccoon got well, too.
And even that nasty old Mrs. Owl got better.
And then to refuse to cure this child -- it's just too cruel.
Now hold it. This is some kind of mistake.
I've never cured any owl of anything.
Though last night a little raccoon did come over and act like he was in a band.
Oh, if this child was going to get sick no matter what, why couldn't it have happened sooner?
To think that until just a short time ago you were thundering away so marvelously...
but the instant he gets sick the sound stops...
and now you won't play for us no matter how many times I ask. What an unfortunate child!
What? You mean when I play my cello it cures the owls and rabbits, and you all?
How can that be?
Whenever creatures from around here fall ill, they enter under the floorboards of your house to recuperate.
And they get better?
Yes. Their circulation improves greatly...
and they feel so contented that some of them get better immediately...
while others get well after returning home.
I see. Oh, I get it! The sound of my cello is like a massage to you...
...and as a result it heals your illnesses.
Yes. Yes.
All right, I understand. I'll play for you.
I'll come along with him. Any hospital lets you do that.
Hmm? So you're going in too, then, are you?
Yes.
Are you okay down there, dear?
Did you fall the way I taught you to, with your legs together?
Yes, I fell right.
Look, he's okay. So stop crying out like that.
That's...
That's plenty.
Please let him out now.
What, that's enough?
Are you all right, dear?
How was it? Are you feeling any better?
He's better.
Thank you. Thank you.
Hey, do you guys eat bread?
Eh?
Yes! Yes! Yes!
If by bread you mean that stuff made by kneading dough and letting it rise, it sounds delicious...
but we've certainly never gone near your cupboard, and I hope you wouldn't think we would do so now after all you've done for us.
No, I wasn't talking about that. I was just asking if you want any.
Yes.
Then you'll have some?
Yes, of course...
Go ahead. Eat up.
Thank you! Thank you!
How can I ever express my gratitude for all you've done.
Come, come. Let's eat it when we get home.
Talking to mice is pretty tiring.
12th Annual Civic Concert
Maestro!
Umm.. Maestro? I wonder if you could play a short piece for the encore.
No. That won't do. Anything we perform after a great piece like that... wouldn't even begin to satisfy me.
Then, Maestro, please go out and say a few words.
No! Absolutely not.
But sir, listen to the applause.
Goshu! Where's Goshu?
Yes?
Hey, Goshu, go out there and play something.
What? You-- You want me to--?
You're the one.
Go on, now. Get out there.
Give it your best, Goshu.
I can't do this.
How dare they make a fool of me like this.
You just watch! I'll play "The Indian Tiger-Hunt."
Goshu!
That was great, Goshu.
You had everyone listening intently, even to a piece like that.
You've come far in a week and a half.
If you were a baby ten days ago, you're a soldier now.
I knew you could do it if you tried.
Good for you, Goshu.
It was splendid.
I was impressed.
It's because of your youthful strength that you can even do something like that.
It'd be the death of anybody else if they tried.
Absolutely.
Maestro! Did I really...
Did I really...?
It's the cat.
It's the bird.
It's the raccoon.
It's the mouse.
Yes, I see. I see now.
Thank you. I'll be going then.
Hold on, Goshu!
There will be a meeting held today to review today's performance. All members are to attend.
It will be at...
...the Wildcat House, second floor!
All right. Let's all drink to our success.
Come on, let's go, Goshu. We'll celebrate with a few beers.
To our successful concert and the health of our Maestro. Cheers!
Thank you, thank you.
Oh, what a pretty sunset.
Oh, Cuckoo...
I'm sorry for what happened earlier.
I wasn't really angry with you.
Voices
Goshu: Hideki Sasaki Maestro: Masashi Amemori
Girl with viola: Keiko Yokozawa Orchestra members: Youichi Mitsubashi, Saburou Yoko'o, Atsuko Mine
First cello: Junji Chiba Concertmaster: Ryuuji Enji Master of ceremonies: Kouji Yata
The cat: Fuyumi Shiraishi The cuckoo: Kenta Kimotsuki The raccoon: Kazue Takahashi The mother mouse: Ayako Takamura