Aoi Bungaku
Run, Melos
Dazai Osamu published "Run, Melos"
Navigator Sakai Masato
in the 15th year of Showa (1940).
Around then,
thanks to Ibuse Masuji's matchmaking, Dazai married Ishihara Michiko.
Married Ishihara Michiko
Moreover, they had a child.
This was thought to be the most stable period of his life.
Soon after his marriage,
Dazai wrote a letter to Ibuse about his determination to be a writer.
"I will definitely become a good writer too.
I will work. I will not play.
In order to make the world a bit brighter, I will do my best."
Dazai's firm determination can be seen in his work.
Compared to later works like "No Longer Human," the works from this period
employ a different style, starting with "Run, Melos."
They are bright and gentle.
Bright
Gentle
They are evergreen because they are masterpieces.
They are evergreen because they are masterpieces
"Run, Melos," final chapter.
Run, Melos
I thought I'd been destined to write the story of Melos.
It was ridiculously simple, wholehearted, and reckless
in its desire to connect with people.
I thought I held all the threads in my hands.
Everyone is like that when they're young.
But as you get older, you become dull.
Hope and passion slip through your fingers like sand...
and in front of you lies a vast stretch of darkness.
Everyone is alone.
Zeus! Calm this maddening flow!
If I can't reach the castle before the sun sets,
my good friend will die for me!
But now I can only jump!
Help me, you gods!
This muddy river must not defeat the great power of love and trust!
Melos jumped into the river.
He battled desperately against the raging waves.
Using all his strength,
he fought against the pressure of the stream.
At the sight of a mortal charging like a reckless lion,
perhaps even the gods felt pity.
Melos was finally able to reach a tree trunk on the opposite shore.
Wait!
What are you doing?
I have to reach the castle before the sun sets.
Leave everything you own behind.
I own nothing but my life.
And even that I'm about to give to the king.
I want your life.
The king ordered you to wait for me here.
I'm sorry, but this is for justice!
Selinuntius...
Melos, do you understand?
What does Selinuntius feel as he waits for you now?
Melos could no longer go forward, even at a caterpillar's pace.
He slept on the grass by the side of the road.
Unbecoming thoughts — that nothing mattered anymore — ate away at our hero's heart.
A true hero you are, Melos!
It would be shameful if you were too tired to move now!
Just because he believed in you, your loving friend will eventually be killed!
Traitor.
I...
ran until I couldn't move anymore.
I had not the slightest thought of breaking my promise.
If I could, I'd cut out my heart and show you its red purity.
I want to show you that my heart holds only love and trust.
Nevertheless, at this critical moment,
I have lost my will to live.
Nothing matters anymore.
This might be my assigned fate.
Selinuntius, forgive me.
You always believed in me, and I didn't want to deceive you.
We really were good friends.
We harbored not the slightest doubts about one another.
Even now, you're probably waiting for me unsuspectingly.
You're waiting.
Thank you, Selinuntius.
You believed in me.
When I think of that, I'm unable to bear it.
Because trust between friends is the most precious thing in this world.
You write. I'll perform.
Selinuntius.
I ran.
I never intended to deceive you.
Trust me!
You're lying!
You're lying! You're lying!
You're lying! You're lying! You're lying!
You're lying!
Takada-sensei.
Sorry for calling you so late.
How's the script coming?
The deadline was yesterday, so I thought you must be almost done, as usual.
Um... hello, Sensei?
Melos isn't coming.
Huh?
Melos isn't coming.
Huh? U-Um...
Ah, I understand.
I said he isn't coming!
Even he didn't come!
I told you, Takada.
Don't waste your drafts.
Run, Melos
What happens next?
You didn't finish it?
Hey, can you hear me?
I can't finish it!
It's your fault!
My fault?
That's right. It's your fault!
Why?!
Why didn't you come back then?
We promised each other.
Didn't we make a promise?!
We were friends.
I believed in you!
Even though I believed in you...
My promise with you...
I thought it was more important than my life.
Take this.
I'm definitely going.
Wait for me.
We promised we'd go to Tokyo together.
Didn't we make that promise?
Even though... we promised...
Write it.
Write it to the end.
I'm looking forward to it.
I can't write it!
I'm waiting.
Even now, I'm waiting.
"Takada-sama, I'm sorry to interrupt you.
I got your address from your publisher.
I'm Joushima's wife.
My husband has heart disease and is not expected to live long.
He said he wanted to meet you before the end.
Will you please fulfill my husband's last request?"
Joushima... is going to die?
Wait.
Melos awoke to the sound of water.
He got up unsteadily,
and when he looked around, he saw a small fountain running from cracks in the rock.
I can walk.
Let's go.
There's still time before the sun sets.
Someone is waiting for me.
He believes in me.
My life does not matter.
I must repay his trust in me!
That's the only thing I have now!
Run, Melos!
Quickly.
Faster.
Pushing past people in the street, jumping through,
Melos ran like a black wind.
He ran through a banquet in the fields.
He kicked away dogs and jumped across small rivers.
He ran ten times faster than the slowly setting sun.
Melos-sama! I am Philostratos.
I'm a student of your friend Selinuntius!
This won't help!
It's useless! Please don't go!
You can't save him anymore!
No.
The sun hasn't set yet.
He's about to be executed!
You're too late!
I hate you! If only you'd been faster!
No.
Not yet.
The sun hasn't set.
Were you able to finish it?
"Run, Melos."
Traitor!
Traitor! Traitor!
Do you understand?
I was waiting.
For the whole time, I...
Since that day... I always...
If I continued to write, I thought I would meet you one day.
Do you understand?
For fifteen years, how I...
How I felt...
How I felt as I waited for you?
Do you understand?!
I'm sorry.
Say, will you let me hear it?
The ending to Melos.
It failed as literature.
It's not worth listening to.
I want to hear it.
Melos...
Melos was totally worn out in body and mind,
and once he actually gave up on returning to Selinuntius.
But he changed his mind.
Because someone who trusted him was waiting for him.
Because someone was risking his life to wait for him.
Melos drew on his last ounce of strength
and ran to the castle.
And...
It's sunset.
My citizens, this is regrettable.
I think it's truly regrettable.
This person believed in his friend's promise and took his place.
Even I foolishly believed those words.
This person is innocent.
But the promise must be fulfilled!
Execute him!
Wait!
Wait.
You must not kill him.
I'm back,
as I promised.
I'm back now!
Kill me!
I'm the one who should be executed!
Me!
I'm the one who made him be a hostage!
My husband was born with heart disease.
His father died from the same illness,
but when my husband was a student and his father still lived,
they had a big fight because he wanted to go to Tokyo.
Is that right?
I didn't know that.
They're mysterious, these things we call words.
Words long forgotten are suddenly remembered,
and they hurt or encourage people again and again.
Takada-sama.
Thank you very much.
Uh, it's nothing.
Show him.
This.
What is it?
Will you take it as a memento?
It's broken, so I thought I'd give it to the child as a toy,
but my husband was surprisingly angry.
When I asked,
he said that this watch belonged to Takada-sama.
Is that right?
Joushima said that?
Thank you.
I've... been searching for it constantly.
25th year of Showa (1950), May
Is it painful to be the person who waits?
Or is it more painful to be the person who makes others wait?
Either way, there's no need to wait anymore.
That's what is most painful.
Yes.
Takada-sensei.
I was worried because I wasn't able to reach you for a while.
How's the script going?
Fine. It's done,
just as originally planned.
Is that right? I'm glad.
Just what I'd expect from you, Sensei.
We'll create a good ending together.
Thank you very much.
By the way, Sensei.
Actually, there's another script I want you to do.
What is it...
this time?
Run, Melos
End
bokutachi wa nanika wo sagashite mitsukedasu tame ni
In order to find something,
osoku okita asa demo
we open our eyes every day,
mainichi me wo samasu da
even if we wake up late.
it's not too late
It's not too late.
we say hello
We say hello.
chotto demo waratte
Smile, even for just a bit,
itsudatte konosekai wa anataga hitsuyou dakara
because this world will always need you.
it's not too late
It's not too late.
we say hello we say hello
We say hello. We say hello.
Next Episode
The Spider's Thread