Schools sure start late these days.
Today is a school holiday, Madam.
Isn't that right, young lady?
My, fancy me not knowing these things. Some foster-mother I am.
No! Not at all!
By the way, Chizuko-san, why don't you accompany me on a trip sometime?
It's getting nice and green out. Let's go breathe in some good, fresh air. Maybe next week.
No thank you.
Chizuko-san...
I have to be going out.
Please excuse me.
Ah, I'll help you get ready.
My, my, my, my, my! Are you going to a friend's house?
Y-Yeah.
Oh, my! Wait just a second, OK?
You need to bring a gift! A gift!
She wasn't interested in the least. What a detestable girl.
An accidental death while on vacation.
It would've been a perfect opportunity.
The company that manages all of the Mikamo family assets is going to transfer most of the rights into her hands.
Thanks for seeing that a formal heir was never named and that the only blood relative, your husband, passed away.
It was a bit early for him, to be honest.
But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine she'd come back still alive after being abducted by Twenty Faces.
That's certainly true.
Let's think of another way.
My, my, you brought such large gifts. So polite!
I can't thank you enough.
You're not used to visiting friends, are you?
Actually, this is the first time Miss Shunka has ever had a friend over!
So this is what other girls' rooms look like.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
What did you want to show me?
The true identity of Twenty Faces.
These are pictures of actors that my mother collected.
Here, look at this picture.
This is Namikawa Koheiji, a star actor from the Tenkaiza theater.
He's performed flawlessly as everything from old men to women.
Apparently they called him the "Man with Seven Faces".
Hey, are you listening?
Y-Yeah.
So, apparently this Koheiji-san person went missing after the war.
He looks a little bit like him.
Want to go? To the Tenkaiza theater?
Why would we be looking for him?
I've...
...fallen in love. With Twenty Faces.
I understand that I'm journeying into a dangerous world by seeking him out.
But I, Chizuko, long to be together with him!
S-Stop that, Koito-san!
I knew it!
You're in love with Twenty Faces.
Th-That's not true!
Seeing you so flustered is all the proof I need. It's just as I thought.
I told you, it's not like–
Twenty Faces, the man who stole your heart and passed away.
We're going to follow the path that he trod.
There's no way he's dead!
See? You really believe that, don't you?
That's why we have to search for him.
OK? OK? Let's go look!
All right, that's the last of it.
Ah, so boring! Ah, so boring!
These are our seven tools of the trade. We're going to form the Detective Girls.
Detective Girls?
Exactly. Searching for someone who has gone missing.
It's a splendid job for a detective!
Then from this moment forth, you're a detective.
Is something the matter?
Nope. By the way, what is all this?
A radio.
Some rubber to tie up bad guys.
Tiddlywinks to help us retrace our path.
A hand-mirror.
And this here is...
A disguise, right?
Precisely!
You should take some of them too, Mikamo-san.
Sure.
I'm bored out of my mind.
That's Pippo, my carrier pigeon.
Kyuu-chan! Good morning.
Kyuu-chan!
A pigeon...
No! From today on, you're Pippo.
OK, Pippo? Let's hear you say your name.
You're Pippo.
Kyuu-chan!
No! It's Pippo!
Kyuu-chan!
Damn it! Say Pippo already!
Kyuu-chan!
We're heading out!
We'll be back before supper.
Take good care of yourselves.
My nanny is such a worrywart.
What's wrong? You'll miss the train.
Right.
I can't believe there'd be a well here.
Wow, such clear water. This is great!
Anything can be a clue. Ready to go?
Yeah.
These paper candies...
These things are impossible to bite through.
Yeah.
You need to chew them like this to get to the flavor.
W-We knew that!
Right, Mikamo-san?
W-Wow.
Wow.
Looks like I win.
Darn it.
Look at these, Mikamo-san.
They're pretty.
Half of these are yours.
Thank you.
OK, let's get going.
Yeah.
Good-bye. Thanks for everything.
Yeah. See you later, Oneechan!
Sign: Tenkaiza Hall
So that's Koheiji.
I heard that attendance is way down ever since he disappeared.
Koheiji is dead.
Koheiji is...
...gone.
Note: These are famous lines from the play "Kunisada Chuuji・Mt. Akagi" which tell the story of the famous
Edo-period gangster, outlaw, and champion of the poor as he prepares to leave his mountain hideaway.
"From this night forth, we shall leave Mt. Akagi."
"Abandon our kingdom we shall, along with our hometown of Kunisada Village."
"My dear men, we will disband along separate paths."
Excuse me, can you tell us about Koheiji-san?
You girls there! Can we help you with something?
This is second-hand information, but apparently Koheiji returned here once after the war ended.
"I'll never get up on stage again."
With those parting words, he vanished.
But the old man said that Koheiji-san had died.
That geezer doesn't know what the heck he's talking about.
He's completely worthless but the troupe leader takes care of him for some reason.
Hey! What are you just standing around for?!
Ah, crap.
Go get the stage prepped!
Th-These two girls were asking about Koheiji.
Please take it from here, sir.
Watch out!
Keep going!
I'll be killed if I fall!
No! I can't dishonor my men!
No! I must march on!
It's all right. This is a playhouse.
You have nothing to worry about.
Kill me! Kill me now!
I won't join your P.O.W. camp!
Calm down. I'm here with you.
It's fine. Everything's fine.
This is Tenkaiza.
Koheiji-san?
Koheiji is...
...gone.
Koheiji is dead.
That's right. That's the man who used to be the master of the stage, Namikawa Koheiji.
Hold on a second.
He should only be in his 30's.
Where will I go tomorrow?
Where my heart leads me... Where my feet lead me...
The war killed Koheiji the actor.
I don't know what happened out on that battlefield,
but whenever he hears a loud noise it pulls him right back into the war.
The war changed everything.
The fact that Tenkaiza is even here today is all thanks to him.
Now it's my turn to take care of him!
Man, I really thought he'd be Twenty Faces.
Hey, no need to get so depressed just 'cause we were a bit disappointed.
The war...
Hey, are you listening?
What is it?
We're being followed.
Koito-san, run and get away.
Who is it? An evil organization?
Nothing that exciting.
So? Which one of you is the daughter of Twenty Faces?
That'd be me. What's it to you?
H-Hey...
Where's that legacy and stuff?
She has nothing to do with that. I'm–
Be quiet, you impostor.
Which one's the real one, bro?
Who cares? We'll take both of them together.
Here we come!
Stop that!
Ouch!
Y-You jerk!
You think you're funny?!
My turn!
Sorry!
Heh. I'll get this one.
Wow, I guess that's why they call you the daughter of Twenty Faces.
So what's more important to you, your schoolmate's life or the legacy?
I'll cut out this liar's tongue.
M-Mikamo-san...
Very well.
I'll give you the map to the treasure.
Awesome! You're making good use of the tools.
Damn it. Don't screw around with me!
Hurry!
Son of a...
Geez, he's persistent.
I told you the seven tools of the trade would come in handy.
You're right.
Detective Girls, our mission is completed.
Take that girl and the fatty to the hospital.
We'll take their statements afterwards.
Come on. Get in, get in.
Ah-ah! Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
Don't be so pushy. I'm not injured.
No, no!
H-Hey, Chizuko-kun. Can you talk to them for me?
Chiko.
I'm glad she's safe.
OK, you guys take it from here.
Boss?
That was the boss, wasn't it?
He was watching over her.
Boss, take good care of Chiko.
This is it.
It's supposed to be a really good movie.
Let's go.
You're slow, Boss.
How many days has it been?
Hey, Kai-nii?
He wouldn't be here.
Chiko?
In Japan?
I can't believe they brought her back to that two-faced family.
Shit!
What are you doing, Boss?!
Why haven't you and Chiko come back?!
You couldn't have...
...left me here.
I don't need you around.
With you gone, I'd be able to...
Ma... Mama...
With you gone, I'd be able to...
There's no one here.
It happened again.
I was abandoned again.
Coming this summer, a truly epic film: Eternal Love.
Another preview?
When's the main feature going to start?
This film is being shot entirely on an uninhabited island in the Sea of Japan.
The entire staff and cast will be stationed there for a long period of time. Filming has just begun.
The film centers around this necklace.
It contains a radiant gemstone sometimes called the "Fairy of the Night".
Even if you traversed the entire globe, you'd never find another one like it.
Twenty Faces had that.
It's a radiant gemstone that sparkles in the night.
Men can become lost in its mysterious glow.
Why is his gemstone in this movie?
H-Hey. Where are you going?
Nagaishi Island, right?
Thank you very much.
Hey...
I apologize for what I said before.
Is it too late to talk about going on that trip?
Why the sudden change of heart?
But this is quite convenient.
My, I'm so glad to hear that.
I see you thought it over.
Yes.
It'll be a great trip.
I'm looking forward to it.
Yeah, me too.
You've got so many things surrounding you.
Family, friends.
Why do you want to go to Nagaishi Island again?
I want to see a movie shoot.
I see. Actually, I know some people at this film studio.
That's great!
But, young lady, what about school?
I'll speak to the headmaster.
My sincere apologies.
I shouldn't have been so forward.
Well now, I'll go reserve our tickets.
Thank you, Auntie.
Tome, you should come along as well.
To look after Chizuko-san.
What?
Are you sure?
You have no idea that this will be the last vacation of your life.
Young lady...
Mister...