Produced by FUJI TELEVISION NETWORK. TOHO. S-D-P
Shining Boy and Little Randy
1989 CHIBA
Ogawa Animal Trainers
That's my sister, Maki.
And her twin brother. Smile.
Twin?
Identical. Right?
No need for you to follow.
Where are you going, mister?
Is your father home?
You look like a monkey, too.
They're everywhere.
That's not funny!
What's your problem?
Stop laughing!
Good morning, ma'am.
Your hair's a mess.
We paid on time last month.
Just interest. Please pay down the debt, too.
That'll have to wait. I keep telling you.
But I hear your husband keeps buying new dogs.
That's why money's tight.
You bought this place with your own money, right?
Because we were kicked out of our last place.
Then can't you spare us a little more...
A little more what?
Or sell some of the animals...
Feed alone must be a fortune.
Shouldn't you be at school?
I'm on my way.
See you later.
Look. I give them unsold stuff from the market.
We're doing our bit. Now it's your turn.
Wait a minute.
I'm going to feed the tiger.
Or would you prefer to do it?
Thanks for helping.
So young, yet so much to look after...
Plus her man has no idea how to run things.
She didn't fall for him but for these animals.
To became queen of the jungle.
She wouldn't drag her kids here if she didn't like animals.
That wasn't his kid?
Only the youngsters are.
See you around, mister.
To be brought up in a place like this
must be great fun, huh...
Someone get a clean ball.
He's made it all dirty.
With his animal stink.
You can smell it from here.
Hurry up.
We always appreciate this.
It's fine. All past the sell-by date, anyway.
I never knew animals ate noodles.
They love them.
Wow.
This is so delicious.
Thank you.
Not eating?
Not hungry.
Where's Saori?
Still in the office perhaps.
Here she is.
Come on, have some supper.
Mama, Tetsu is bullied at school.
Shut up, Sis.
Really...
That's all you can say?
It's tough being a kid.
Gets you ready f or adulthood. I was bullied, too.
Were you?
Yes, but I shut up and got over it.
Don't let it get to you.
More importantly, we've booked a TV show.
We need a new animal though.
What's wrong with my dogs?
Enough with dogs, already.
We're going to buy an elephant.
An elephant?
Pretty cool, huh?
Hang on. What's this all about?
Regular work... weekly appearances on a show.
But, an elephant is an elephant...
I know.
It'll be expensive. We won't find a stray one.
I know. I'm figuring out a way to do it.
Besides I always wanted an elephant.
Why?
I just love them.
You always criticize my love of dogs.
This is different.
In what way?
It's already going to pay for itself.
Stop it you two.
Saori, you're mother to f our children.
Do you have the time for this?
It'll be fine.
Having an elephant has always been my dream.
It's finally coming true.
I'm starving.
Hey, Smile.
Amazing, huh?
A real elephant.
You're up there again.
Yours is all battered, right?
You got me a new cap?
Throw it up here.
Thanks, Granny.
Tetsu!
I'm home.
About time. Where were you?
Getting stale bread.
She isn't a damn bicycle.
Give her to that gentleman.
Get your sister down.
What's going on?
Shinbo!
Where are they going?
It's all f or the elephant.
Mom's elephant.
Don't take it out on her.
It's tough for her to let them go.
I know.
Don't move.
Don't show your fear.
Their eyesight's bad, so they check you out by smell.
Mickey's trying to figure out who you are.
Your name's Mickey, huh?
Good job, Mickey.
This is the keeper from the safari park.
Nice to meet you.
Hello.
He's talking!
Is that right...
Scared to be away from your buddies...
Well done. That's exactly how he feels.
Because he just told me.
He really spoke to me then.
Dinner's ready.
Granny, Mickey's on TV.
Let me see.
Come on elephant! Come on, guys!
Come on. Come on!
Hi there.
Come see, you're on TV.
That's you, look!
Come on, Mickey!
The elephant wins!
Shall we eat then?
I saw that TV show last night.
It's your elephant right?
Did he come from Africa?
No, from a safari park.
African elephants are ferocious. He's Asian; they're really smart.
Something stinks around here.
Urgh, it really does!
You can smell him a mile off.
Shut up, guys.
But it's true...
he does smell of animals.
People stink too, don't they?
A baby elephant, too?
That's right. And we've no time.
Importing one could take a year and we'd miss the filming.
Don't move.
What's the matter?
I lost a cricket I'd found for a client.
Forget your damn cricket.
Any idea how scarce they are out of season!?
It was a damn miracle.
I called every zoo I know but...
baby elephants are extremely rare.
There he is!
Where?
I'm home.
Tetsu, you idiot! Mind your feet.
What is it?
Thank goodness.
I hate those jumping cockroaches.
Mother, for Chrissakes...
Hello, Ogawa's Animals.
How are you?
You found one?
In a circus?
The circus went bankrupt.
Seems they have a young elephant.
Is he still there?
Be careful. He doesn't trust people.
He's Randy.
Nice to meet you Randy.
Be really careful.
He's just hungry.
He's such a chatterbox.
I can hear him miles away.
What are you talking about?
These look like stars.
Was that you?
Good job, Mickey!
Your turn, Randy.
Come on, Randy. Can't you do it?
You've got really close to them.
Not really. Wish I could be friends, like you.
I'm nothing. Just a keeper.
Y'know in Thailand. They have "mahouts".
Mahouts?
Trainers who ride them, steer them,
talk to them and everything.
Talk to them?
Mickey was trained there before he came to Japan.
That's why he picked up Japanese quickly.
But Randy doesn't remember anything.
How do I become a mahout?
The training starts around your age.
When you're still flexible enough to learn.
There are special mahout schools.
Mahout schools?
Right. You should hire a Thai trainer, here.
You can't work elephants without one.
Good boy, Randy.
That's so kind, Mickey.
Why can't I go?
Why?
Why do you have to become a mahout?
So I can help with Randy more.
You're a junior high school student.
You have to start training early.
Are you serious about this?
Of course I am!
Mom, elephants talk to me.
On Mickey's first day, I understood what he said.
Same with Randy.
Stop this nonsense.
I want to learn all about them.
I'm home.
Is this because you're being bullied?
You're looking for an escape?
Want to get away from school, right?
That's pathetic.
Saori.
They pick on you because you're so quiet. Bad grades, too.
That's nothing to do with this!
Nothing? Are you sure?
How can you say that? It's nothing to do with school.
He's not running away.
He wants to go abroad by himself.
That's much harder than just staying put.
That's why your mother's worried.
Since when did you worry about your kids?
You're too busy working ever to care about him.
Let him do what he wants.
If it has to be now, let him go.
I'm totally on his side.
Making me the bad guy...
Saori.
You should listen to Tetsu a little more.
Why are you all ganging up on me?
Since you remarried, you've been all work...
No time to talk to your children.
I've always been like this with them.
I've been too busy keeping everything going.
Don't tell me this is any different.
All right. If you say so.
Just don't forget that you always had your own way, too.
"Pai", I said.
Not that way..."Pai"!
Wait. "Hao". "Stop!"
What's wrong?
Hearing elephant's talk... Is he imagining things?
They do say that elephants give off low-frequency sounds
to talk with each other across distance.
Maybe Tetsu picks up on this.
No way...
I wish I could do it.
Tetsu.
Wait.
You really think you can manage on your own?
Don't get carried away with this elephant thing.
Just forget it.
I said wait.
Go, if you want.
If you're that upset... go for year or two.
Do you mean it?
Sure. Just go.
Wait for me, Randy. I'm going to become a mahout.
Are you sure about this?
He's got to get it out of his system.
CHIANG MAI/THAILAND
We're all done for today.
Every night we return them to the forest.
In the morning we go get them.
It's okay, don't worry.
Hello.
I'm Boulien, the principal.
Did you study Thai?
Just a little.
You're our first foreign student.
Don't worry.
That's wonderful. A sign of good luck for you.
This way Tetsu.
This is our school.
This is Tetsu, a new student.
He came from Japan.
You all look after him.
Come here.
We were waiting for you.
Try this.
Eat, you must be hungry.
Elephant dung beetles. A seasonal treat.
Very lucky for you.
Try it, they're delicious.
Go on, please.
Treat this with great care. Every mahout's essential tool...
Thank you very much.
Bring the baby elephant.
Keep his mother there.
Take her back to the mountains.
Elephant training begins
with the separation of a mother and her baby.
It's the cruelest of traditions.
To train them, the babies must be parted from their mothers.
You adopt his mother's role from now on.
His name is Farr.
Farr.
Tetsu. Calm him down.
Hold him here.
Quiet, boy.
Stop.
Farr. Don't be scared.
He's useless.
Wait. Farr!
Farr, stop!
Farr, why won't you talk to me?
Are you sad to leave your mom?
Or is it because I'm Japanese?
What hell are these?
Ouch! This is disgusting!
They'll suck you dry!
Dear Sister...
Dear Randy...
What am I doing here?
Farr is too sad to be able to trust people.
I haven't heard elephants speak since I got here.
Where are you?
I'm here.
Tess, try riding him.
Wait. Farr.
Wait!
They're done.
You can't be a mahout unless you eat it.
That baby elephant is no good.
It's been over two months and nothing.
Dump him back in the forest.
He's right.
That's not true.
Then it's your fault.
If the elephant won't accept you, you don't have what it takes.
Stop it, Po.
Do you know of the white elephant?
No, I don't.
We believe Buddha was his reincarnation.
That's why elephants are so precious to us.
We worship them everywhere.
If you pray, I'm sure Farr will hear it.
Don't let him go!
That's his mother!
Go after him. Tess!
Why didn't you tie him properly?
If he goes back to the wild,
he'll just end up as dead meat.
You didn't bind your heart to his.
That's why he ran away from you.
Farr...
Farr?
It can't be true...
Tess.
Do you want to join us?
Do you really want it?
Yes, of course I do!
If so, you will die young.
Then be reborn as an elephant.
Do you mind this?
I don't mind.
I still want to join the elephants.
Very well.
I will grant your wish.
Tess.
Not 'Tess'. It's 'Tetsu'.
Even the holy elephant got it wrong.
Do you have elephants at home?
Yes. We do.
How about you?
Of course not. I don't even have family.
I didn't know.
Only rich people own elephants.
But mahouts get to work in the mountains and make good cash.
Why do you want to be a mahout?
Why not give up and go live an easy life in Japan?
Tess!
Farr is nearby!
Where's Tetsu?
Is this it?
Am I going to die?
Farr!
Help me.
Here's Tess!
He's with Farr.
Pick it up, Farr.
Put it on.
Good boy.
Sis' elephants are really amazing.
They sense friends in danger miles away.
Farr helped me so many times.
Now I've got many friends.
I'm sorry.
What is it?
Nothing.
Cheers!
It's delicious!
So what do you know about the elephant?
They're big and they're heavy
With a long nose and tusks
But their eyes are full of kindness
I've been here a year and a half.
I finally broke the ice with the holy one.
Are Makl and Smile well?
Does the baby remember me?
I wonder if Mom is still against me becoming a mahout?
Anyway, I'll be home soon.
You're welcome back here any time.
You and all elephants in Japan have a home here.
Thank you, Sir.
I wish elephants in Japan had a refuge like this.
You become their home. Tetsu.
So long. My son.
Thank you very much.
Where are Po and the guys?
I looked but I couldn't find them.
Tetsu!
Take care. Farr.
We'll look after your baby, Farr.
I made this for you. Use it.
Thank you, Po.
Don't forget about us.
Goodbye, everyone.
SPRING 1992/CHIBA
Horticultural High School
Wake up.
Randy, come here.
Come here.
Try to learn something.
'Mah' means go, okay?
Stay away from us!
Enough Tetsu. Randy won't get it.
He definitely will.
Poor thing's not enjoying it.
It's no use just loving them.
You mustn't spoil him.
If we don't drill him the Thai way,
he'll end up no good at all.
Stand up, Randy.
Come on. Stand!
He was doing well when you were away.
What if he gets upset when he's working?
Elephants can kill people easily.
Then what'll happen to him?
Who'll help him then?
You understand me, Randy?
Communication is a two-way street.
We need rules to all get along.
You must learn with me.
Stand up, Randy.
Stand up.
You did it. Good boy.
What's this?
Doodling in my class?
It's a design plan.
What?
My dream for the future.
What dream? Spit it out.
In Thailand working elephants retire at sixty
then live quietly in the forest.
I want to build a refuge, a kind of paradise
for elephants that come to Japan.
Apparently it's a paradise...
An elephant paradise.
Forget the old elephants, start worrying about your exams!
Thank you very much.
You can take your break now.
It ran out in front of the van.
You jerk!
Just get rid of it, quick.
I'm sorry.
Dump it, idiot.
I can't believe it!
Are you okay?
What's wrong?
Nothing.
Doesn't look like nothing. What is it?
This is Randy. We were in the parade.
You like animals?
You like making money off them?
You pro's don't give a damn about their lives, do you?
When they stop making money you just dump them.
He just kicked the dead flamingo
like a pile of dirt.
I hate people like that.
But don't underestimate animals.
I don't.
They can tell what's going on.
They know what we're thinking.
Are you this elephant's keeper?
I'm his "mahout".
Mahout?
That's great.
Do you want to try?
Give him this?
How do you get him to open his mouth?
Just hold it out and he'll do it himself.
You're right.
Sorry about what I said earlier.
Good luck with your work.
Would you like to come to our zoo?
Let's go on a date.
How cute.
So many elephants.
We never planned on so many.
You met Randy. This is Mickey, our first one.
The rest are from bankrupt zoos.
Are they mahouts too?
Mom brought them from Thailand.
I'm really impressed.
Good f or you for becoming a mahout.
Don't they look like stars?
Stars?
Orion's Belt.
You're right.
I look at this like it's the whole universe.
The universe...
When we understand each other I feel a great power inside me.
We all live within that power.
Oh heck.
It's my Mom. Hide quick.
Why?
Why all the grinning?
Nothing.
I won't let you quit high school, do you understand?
We can't always do what we want in life.
You don't want to end up like that.
Don't you love him for what he is?
Incredible to think he went to vet school.
Never got his license, though...
I don't want to waste time.
I want us all to put on an elephant show.
Why in such a hurry?
There are other things for you to study.
That's why I hired those guys from Thailand.
I'm already a mahout, too!
If it means quitting school
then I won't let you work here.
What are you doing, Randy!
You've been too busy to spend time with him.
Don't be afraid. Want to know some elephant words?
Anyway, I got school leave for you.
Whatever.
Nobody cares how hard I work.
Talking about your dreams all day.
Dreams don't provide a living.
Not like you to be doing nothing.
I've been thinking about Tetsu.
What about him?
He's getting more and more unusual.
Can't be helped... not with your genes.
It's my fault he turned out this way.
I've never been a typical mother.
He hates me and turned to elephants instead.
That's what you think, right?
Even so, you've no choice but to allow it.
You've just got to put up with it.
Just like I did with you.
I'm sorry. Please forgive me.
Military orders.
In case the zoo is bombed and you escape.
Not that you'd hurt anyone.
Forgive me.
Go on. Eat it.
Have a bite for me, please.
He ate the poison potato.
It's no damn good.
I'm truly sorry.
Take after take, he always eats it.
It's no use unless he throws it back to the keeper.
I'm sorry.
Ogawa-san, sort it out. Don't leave it up to a kid.
I'll put some medicine on the potato.
He wouldn't eat it when we needed him to.
No. I'll make him act properly without it.
Could we please have more time?
You can't ask an elephant not to eat.
I can.
Listen to me!
I give you one more day.
No more.
You made a promise
and I'll hold you to it.
I understand. Let me at him.
Get off. Your technique is old-fashioned.
I've got my way. Stay out of it.
Who do you think you're talking to?
You're not my kids but I look after you.
Don't you dare forget that.
One. Two.
Three, four, five.
Hey, no cheating!
I'm home.
Hi, there. How come you're so late?
Dad's been back for hours. He's in the bath with baby.
He's not my damn Dad!
Tetsu!
What's up with you!
Did you have fight with him?
None of your business.
If it's about work, yes.
I told you, you're still too young.
I don't know what happened, but he's been upset too.
Says you've been distant recently.
Don't act like you know everything.
Since when did you care how people f eel.
Randy watch carefully.
Do it just like Mickey.
If you throw it you get an apple.
Well done, Randy!
Try it with a potato now.
Tonki. Eat it. Please.
I'm sorry.
So sorry but please eat it f or me.
I beg you.
Please, Tonki.
Okay, great.
Good job, buddy.
Thank you.
You can't out-act kids and elephants.
Well done.
Thank you, Sir.
Well done.
"Japan's First Ever Elephant Show"
Tetsu.
Thanks for coming.
There's a big crowd, I'm really impressed.
I'm nervous.
A mahout can't let himself be down.
Here, have something to eat.
I know you didn't have breakfast.
Isn't there anything we can do?
Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to our show.
It's our honor to present to you
our very first elephant show.
To be honest, I'm nervous.
Elephants have an amazing ability
to communicate, understand and help one another.
Compared to them
I think we find it very difficult.
It's hard to know what someone thinks.
Personally, I'm incapable
of communicating with my mother and father.
Sometimes I wish I were an elephant.
In Thailand, to begin training,
baby elephants are forced apart from their mothers.
When we carry out this cruel separation
the mother goes wild with rage and
the baby desperately tries to get home.
We go to such extent to be with them
so we mahouts,
feel a heavy responsibility for them.
We share their happiness and sadness
help each other out and share our lives.
I hope you all manage to share with us
and enjoy the show today.
Dismount.
Mount.
Say hello.
Where're you going?
Tetsu.
I've got a meeting.
Here's your lunch.
Don't worry, I'll grab something.
I know you won't. I made it especially.
Forget it.
I insist.
Okay, thank you.
Drive safe.
See you.
See you later.
10 NO V. 1992
Tetsu...
SPRING 1993
Excuse me.
Are you Tetsu's mother?
My name is Emi.
Are you all right?
I'm sorry to make you come up here.
That's okay.
Are you moving?
Yes, making a fresh start...
We cleared everything out.
I forgot to introduce myself.
I know.
He told me about you.
He did?
It's so hard to believe.
One minute you know everything...
Then you lose sight of it all.
Here.
Tetsu drew this.
I forgot to give it him back.
I wanted to give it to you.
He told me of his dream to create this refuge.
I didn't know anything about him.
I never even tried to understand.
You know why he loved elephants so much?
He made me promise not to tell you.
He said.
The reason he loved them so
is because you were obsessed with them.
He must have really loved you.
He wanted to follow your dream.
I'm sorry.
SUMMER 2005
How's Tetsu doing?
He's good.
Come here. Tetsu.
Let's go, Farr.
Come along, Tetsu.
YUYA YAGIRA
TAKAKO TOKIWA
KATSUMI TAKAHASHI
YU AOI
MITSUKO BAISHO
TETSUYA TAKEDA
Executive Producer CHIHIRO KAMEYAMA
Co-Executive Producers: KAZUYOSHI SEKI, YOSHISHIGE SHIMATANI. YOSHIRO HOSONO
Producers HIRO YOSHI KOIWAI. KAZUTOSHI WADAKURA
Based on the story by SAYURI SAKAMOTO
Screenplay: SUMIO OMORI
Music: RYUICHI SAKAMOTO
No animals were harmed in the making of this film.
In association with Cine Bazar. MATCHING MOTION PICTURES
Directed by SHUNSAKU KAWAKE
English subtitles by Aya Futam & Kennedy Taylor ©2005 FUJI TELEVSON NETWORK. /TOHO/ S-D-P
Ripped by: SkyFury