The year was 1889.
At sea, ship after ship met with tragedy due to sea monsters.
It was also the year the Paris World Exposition,
representing the cream of scientific civilization, was held.
Jean, who loves new inventions, befriended King, a baby lion,
and Nadia, a girl who is a circus performer.
Nadia also possesses a marvelous gem called the Blue Water.
An evil trio who want to steal this gem, kidnapped Nadia,
but Jean managed to rescue her unharmed.
Nadia and King can no longer return to the circus,
and have decided to go with Jean to Le Havre.
What is the secret that lies behind Nadia's Blue Water?
Nadia, don't worry. They can't do anything now we're this far away.
They must have given up by now.
Don't worry so much!
When we reach Le Havre, I'm sure Auntie will help us.
I know.
Catch up with those kids quickly!
If we don't hurry, it's going to get dark.
Leave it to me!
Of all things, being pushed around by those kids.
Nadia, if we could fly....
If you could really fly, where would you want to go?
I...
I'd like to go back to the country where I was born.
The country where you were born? Where's that?
I don't know.
Do you mean you've forgotten?
Yes, I don't remember.
But King keeps telling me it's Africa.
I have a feeling he's right.
But Africa is so far away,
and it's so big.
King wants to return to Africa too, don't you?
Africa?
That is far away.
King, what's the matter?
What's that?
What can it be?
Amazing, a ship covered with iron plates!
But it looks familiar somehow.
It's them! They've found us!
I knew it!
It flies through the air and floats on water. What a vehicle!
Come on, we've got to get away!
I guess you're right.
Jean, they'll catch up with us!
Don't worry.
Looks like they caught sight of us.
It's too late for them. They can't get away from us.
Engines, full power!
Aye, aye!
We've got them now!
The game is over. You'd better give up!
Jean!
Don't worry! I guess it's time to use our final weapon.
Separation of aft section!
Hydrofoil ship Emeraude ll, take off!
That's unbelievable!
How's that? We must've left them miles behind.
The foils lift the ship and lower water resistance.
That's the secret to its speed.
It's remarkable, Jean! What a great invention!
I think so too. The idea belongs to another Frenchman.
I just improved on it.
To think a young boy like you could make an invention like this!
I think I have a knack for mechanical things.
Just incredible! You're a do-it-yourself genius!
I'm better than that!
I'm sorry! I'm better than that!
I'm sorry!
What's that?
What happened?
The mechanism was not tested for endurance.
But what went wrong?
It just broke down.
What a lousy invention! And l thought it was so wonderful! It just broke down.
What a lousy invention! And l thought it was so wonderful!
I'm sorry.
Is that another invention of yours?
Yes, it's a flashlight.
It has a small hand driven generator for power.
It takes a lot of work though.
It certainly does.
This is Auntie's house.
Wait just a minute.
Oh, it's you, Jean.
I'm home, Auntie.
Welcome home. Where's your uncle?
Uncle is still in Paris.
Is that so?
Probably out living it up!
That lazy good-for-nothing!
Auntie, there's a favor I want to ask of you.
Could you take care of a young girl for a while?
What did you say? Who is that child?
We became acquainted in Paris. Bad guys were after her, and...
Jean, come inside.
It won't take long.
What is it?
Jean Rocque Raltique!
Do you intend to take in a girl who is a complete stranger?
She's colored too. And on top of that, she has an ugly looking cat!
Who knows what trouble they may cause!
Nadia's not that kind of a girl!
She must have you really fooled.
Furthermore, Jean, do you intend to spend the money
my brother left you making a pile of junk?
Of course not.
You're spending money left and right on crazy inventions!
This time I'm going to make it. I feel confident.
You've got to be kidding!
Selling a farm to build an airplane that won't even fly! It's crazy!
Now, you want to take care of that girl?
There isn't much money left. We have to keep some for schooling.
Now you want to feed a girl, a colored girl,
and her big cat? Well, l refuse to help you!
Excuse me, Auntie. I'll be back again. Bye!
Wait, Jean! Wait, I said!
Wait!
Nadia, wait! Wait!
Nadia, wait!
Why did you leave?
Thank you.
But it's all right. I can take care of myself.
Don't be like that. Just wait a moment. What's come over you?
I can't impose on you anymore.
Goodbye.
You're not imposing! Not at all!
I know!
Let's go to my house.
Your house?
Yes, it's still quite early, and we'd be by ourselves there. Your house?
Yes, it's still quite early, and we'd be by ourselves there.
We're very close now. Are you tired?
No, but it certainly is a long road.
Eventually, this road will become a runway.
A runway?
That's right, a runway for an airplane. A runway?
That's right, a runway for an airplane.
Whose grave is that?
Etoile de la Seine I through Vl are lying in that graveyard.
Those are the iron graves of aircraft that could not take off.
I see...
That's my house over there.
It's quite strange.
Yes, it's my pride and joy!
Good morning, Nadia.
What?
She must have left.
Good morning, Nadia!
You're an early riser.
Good morning!
I'll get the tea going. Wait downstairs.
All right.
This is quite a collection!
You live here all by yourself?
Yes, you see my father was a sailor and rarely at home.
He left some money for me with my uncle,
since a sailor can never tell what may happen to him.
What a nice father!
So, Uncle and I can continue our inventions and studies.
And these are your inventions?
Yes. Of course, we made some mistakes.
But one day I'll build an aircraft that can fly around the world.
Around the world?
Right! And I'm going to go look for my father. Around the world?
Right! And I'm going to go look for my father.
Your father?
Yes, my father was lost at sea a year ago while crossing the Atlantic,
along with his ship.
Because of the sea monsters?
I'm sorry.
Don't be! There's no real proof that the ship sank. I'm sorry.
Don't be! There's no real proof that the ship sank.
That's true! I'm sure he's still alive and living somewhere.
Of course he is! He's the best sailor in the world!
Goodness, a moving stairway!
I saw one at the Expo.
Unfortunately, somebody was ahead of me in this.
Now then, let me show you my great invention.
It's upstairs.
Here, step on.
All right. Here, step on.
All right.
Here I go.
What happened?
It broke down.
Sorry! It was too weak to support two people.
Another lousy invention, I think.
I should've expected it.
This is incredible!
Did you make this?
This aircraft can fly through the skies.
Aren't all aircraft supposed to do that?
Actually, no aircraft has really flown yet.
Oh yeah, those six iron crosses in the graveyard, right?
I didn't mean those, I meant in the whole world.
Oh, is that so?
What's the name of your airplane?
Etoile de la Seine Vlll.
What happened to Vll?
It sank in the Seine yesterday.
I'm sorry.
I'm not! It was to rescue you!
Thank you!
Oh?
I've found her!
You'd better not let her get away this time!
Change! Land operation mode, switch on!
Vertical mode!
What's wrong, Nadia? You've been just standing here.
It's nothing.
Nadia...
Yes? Nadia...
Yes?
How much do you weigh?
Your weight?
How rude! How can you ask a lady such a question?
Is that right?
You're hopeless. Anyway, I'm lighter than you.
Really? That's great! Then it's all right.
As I promised you, I'm going to take you into the skies.
Let's fly to Africa together!
But...
Thank you.
What can it be?
I don't know. What can it be?
I don't know.
Hey, kids, you can't get away from me now.
Give me the Blue Water!
Or else something terrible is going to happen to you. I'm not fooling!
It's no use trying to hide! Give up!
Sanson, teach them a lesson!
Yes, Ma'am! Stand by to fix on target!
Roger!
Let's see. That should do it.
Jean, what shall we do?
Get away in this.
Fire!
They've really started shooting at us!
Jean, are you sure you want to do this?
Of course. I was planning to fly it with Uncle anyway.
What are they trying to do?
You're not going to get away like that!
Why don't you just surrender?!
I'm depending on you my Etoile de la Seine!
Are you sure this will carry two people?
In theory, yes.
Hey, what do you think you're doing?! I told you it's no use!
Take off!
What's wrong?! We're not flying!
It has to gain enough speed to take off first.
But we're just speeding over that long road.
This is odd. The road should be long enough.
We're going to crash!
Just a little more!
It's useless I tell you! Stop right there!
If you don't, I'm going to put a shell in you!
Leave it to me, please. I'll blow them to bits!
Climb!
Sanson, who told you to fire?!
It's flying!
I can't believe this!
What a pair of kids! I have to give them credit.
But we have to do something.
Sanson! Hanson! Let's go after them!
Ain't that something!
Come on, climb!
We made it! We made it! We're flying! We're really flying!
It's just as I calculated! Nadia, see? We're flying!
This is amazing. We're actually flying through the skies!
Naturally! My theory is perfect.
You're a true genius!
We're going to fly straight to Africa!
Let's!
But maybe we'd better fly along the shore.
You may be right.
What's wrong?
I don't know. But something's wrong. What's wrong?
I don't know. But something's wrong.
What happened?
It broke down.
Not again! Can't you do something?
I'm trying to.
Your inventions are all lousy!
And I thought you were a genius.
I'm sorry! I don't think we can make it to Africa.
You can't fix it?
We made it!
How long can we stay afloat?
Don't worry. We can stay afloat until help comes.
You see, it's completely waterproof.
You won't get wet this time!
Maybe not from the sea, but what about the rain?