Blue Literature
Run, Melos!
Dazai Osamu published "Run, Melos!" in 1940.
Host Sakai Masato
At the time,
Dazai had married Michiko Ishihara
after they were brought together by Masuji Ibuse.
They even had children.
It's said to be the most stable period in his life.
Right after the marriage,
Dazai spoke of his determination as a writer in a letter addressed to Ibuse.
"I will surely become a good writer too.
I will do my job. I will not play around.
I shall do my best to make the world just a bit brighter."
Dazai's firm determination had a great influence even on his works.
The style differs from books he later wrote like "No Longer Human".
Starting with "Run, Melos!",
his works from this period were bright and kind.
The masterpieces are blue.
This is the last episode of "Run, Melos!".
Run, Melos!
I thought I had been deceived by Melos.
He was so ridiculously simple.
He was so utterly reckless.
He wanted to be connected with people.
He thought that everything was in his hands.
Everyone is like that when they're young.
But the older you get, the duller you become.
Both hope and passion slip through your fingers like overflowing sand,
and a new vast gap of darkness stretches out before your eyes.
People are all alone.
Oh, Zeus!
Calm this raging stream!
If I cannot make it to the royal castle before the sun sinks,
my good friend will die for me!
But I have no better option than to jump right now!
May heaven be my witness.
The great power of love and sincerity shall not lose to this muddy stream!
Melos jumped into the stream with a splash
and started a frantic struggle in the squirming and raging stream.
He slashed his way through the surging stream with all his might.
Even the gods might have been moved to pity the shape of this blind, furious child.
Melos finally managed to reach the opposite shore.
Wait!
What do you want?
I must get to the royal castle before the sun sinks.
Give us all you possess.
I possess nothing besides life.
And even this life, my only one, shall be given to the king.
We want your life.
Are they following the king's orders?
I am sorry, but it is for the sake of justice.
Selinuntius was...
Melos, do you know?
Do you know how Selinuntius feels as he waits for you?
Now he could not even advance like a caterpillar.
He slumped upon the grassland of the roadside.
"I don't care anymore."
This sulky temper unfitting of a hero haunted a corner of his heart.
The true hero, Melos, is now miserable, exhausted and unable to move from here.
Your loving friend trusted you,
and now he shall be killed!
Traitor...
Traitor!
I ran until I was unable to move.
Not even a single part of me thought about breaking the promise.
If I could, I would cut my chest open and show my crimson heart.
I want to show the heart through which runs blood of only love and sincerity.
But, at this most vital moment, I have run out of both spirit and persistence.
I don't care anymore.
Maybe this is my fate.
Forgive me, Selinuntius.
You have always trusted me.
I have never deceived you either.
The two of us were very good friends!
The dark cloud of doubt has never dwelt in our hearts.
Even now, you must be innocently waiting for me.
Waiting for me!
Thank you, Selinuntius.
For trusting me.
I can't even bear the thought.
The sincerity between two friends is the proudest treasure in this world!
You'll write and I'll perform it.
Selinuntius, I've been running.
I had no intention to betray you.
Trust me!
Lies!
Lies! Lies!
Lies! Lies...
Takada!
I'm really sorry for calling at night.
How is the manuscript coming along?
Yesterday was the deadline, and since you usually hand it in around this time...
Hello?
Melos won't come.
Huh?
Melos will not come.
Huh?
Um...
Ah, I get it.
You always...
He won't come!
Because he didn't come either!
I told you, Takada.
Don't waste manuscripts.
So what happens next?
You haven't written it yet?
Hey, can you hear me?
I can't write!
Thanks to you!
Thanks to me?
Yes, yes!
It's your fault!
Why?
Why didn't you come back then?
We made a promise...
Didn't we make a promise?
We were friends.
I trusted...
I trusted you...
I valued that promise more than I valued my life...
Take this.
I swear that I'll be there.
Wait for me.
"Let's go to Tokyo together!"
We made that promise...
Didn't we make it?
We made a promise...
Just write.
Keep writing till the end.
I'm looking forward to it.
I don't want to!
I'll wait.
I'll be waiting.
Mister Takada.
Please forgive me for contacting you like this.
I found out your address from your publisher.
I'm Joshima's wife.
My husband has fallen ill with a heart disease,
And doesn't have much longer to live.
He said he wanted to see you for the last time.
Would you mind granting his last wish?
Joshima's going to die?
Hey!
Melos woke up to the sound of water.
He rose unsteadily,
looked and saw spring water gushing forth copiously from a crack in a rock.
I can walk.
I shall go.
There is still time left before the sunset.
There is a person waiting for me!
He trusts me.
My life does not matter.
I must reward his faith.
That's all I can do now!
Run, Melos!
Faster!
Much faster!
He pushed people away and knocked them down.
Melos ran like the black wind.
He ran straight through the middle of a field where a feast was being held.
He kicked away dogs, jumped over small rivers.
He ran ten times faster than the sun that sunk little by little.
Ah, Melos!
My name is Philostratos!
I am an apprentice of your friend Selinuntius!
It's hopeless now!
It's no use!
Stop trying to go there!
You cannot save him anymore!
No, the sun has not sunk yet.
He is about to get executed right now!
You are too late!
I am in despair!
If only you came just a bit earlier!
No, the sun has not sunk yet.
Did you manage to write it?
That "Run, Melos!" thing.
Traitor!
Don't you know?
I've been waiting!
I've always been...
Always since that day...
Always...
I believed that if I just kept writing...
Someday, I would meet you...
Do you know how I've felt these past 15 years while I waited for you?!
Do you know?
Sorry.
Hey.
Won't you let me hear it?
The ending of Melos.
It's trash.
It's not something I would tell to you.
I want to hear it.
Melos...
Melos was both physically and mentally exhausted
and had given up on going to Selinuntius for a moment.
But he changed his mind.
Because there was someone who trusted him and was waiting for him.
Because there was someone waiting for him who entrusted him with his life.
Melos drew on his last remaining willpower
and ran to the royal castle.
And then...
It's sunset.
It's a pity, citizens.
I am so disappointed.
This man trusted his friend and became his substitute.
I too foolishly believed those words.
This man is innocent.
However, the promise must be fulfilled.
On with his punishment!
Wait!
Wait...
That man must not be killed!
Melos has come back!
Just as promised!
Melos is back now!
It's me, executioner!
I'm the one who is to be killed!
Melos!
I, who made him a hostage, am here!
My husband has had a chronic heart disease since birth.
His father died of the same illness.
As I heard, when he was still a student and his father was still alive,
he said he wanted to go to Tokyo,
and had a quarrel with his father.
I see.
I did not know this.
Don't you find words curious?
You suddenly remember them, even when you have long forgotten them,
and they either hurt you or cheer you up.
Thank you, Mister Takada.
Ah, it's nothing.
Come on.
Here.
I wonder what this is.
Could you accept this as a memento?
I tried to give it to our child as a toy since it's broken,
but my husband got very angry.
When I asked him about it,
he said this watch was yours.
I see.
So that's what Joshima said.
Thank you.
I've been looking for it... For a very, very long time.
May 1950
Is it more painful to wait?
Or to keep someone waiting?
In any case,
there was no need to wait anymore.
That was the most painful thing.
Yes?
Takada!
I was worried since I couldn't get in touch with you.
So how is the manuscript coming along?
It's done.
Just as planned.
Really? Great!
I knew you could do it!
I'll tell the others here that you're done.
Thank you!
Actually, Takada, I have another job for you.
What's the job?
Run, Melos!
End
In order to find something...
Even if we oversleep,
we still wake up every day.
It's not too late.
We say "hello".
Put on a smile,
no matter how small it is.
Every waking moment,
this world needs you.
It's not too late.
We say "hello".
Next Time
The Spider's Thread