January 27, 1999
January 7.1, 1999 "Dear Mom: Actually, I quit school one year ago,
"Dear Mom: Actually, I quit school one year ago,
"and led a life of complete uselessness.
"But not, now. Now I work for a catalog company,
"and I'm becoming more active than I could have imagined.
"Three weeks ago, I saved a man from killing himself,
"and two weeks ago, I retrieved an important company microfilm.
"Then, last week, I played Chopin at a company event.
"of a very famous Italian company
"heard my plain piece and was so deeply moved
"that, for the first time ever,
"he signed a contract to sell through our catalog.
"Mom, I might have more potential than I ever dreamed.
"By my own efforts, I'm going to see how far I can go..."
I don't believe you! Where am I in all this?!
"By my own efforts," he says! Without me, you'd be nowhere!
Will you knock that off!
Gee, sorry.
What's with that hair?!
This? It shows my new attitude of success.
Success is fine, but aren't you getting a weird attitude?
Not at all, Tendo-baby.
Ba by?!
Sure enough, a man has to challenge himself, Tendo-kid.
Kid?!!
I feel terrific... Like I can do anything!
Feeling positive is fine, but don't forget
you did all this since I came to you, you know.
Oh? Maybe it was coincidence...?
Why you...!
I wouldn't go there if I were you...
You mean this?
Don't stick yourself.
I'm Kato from Roberto, Inc. Sorry to come so early...
Our president would like to see you very urgently.
Would you make some time today...?
The president...? Well, of course.
Thank you. Would 10:00 AM be all right?
Certainly.
I will see you then. Thank you again.
What on earth...?
Don't you get it? Luck keeps coming my way!
I'm feeling better each moment... Amakasu Shiro!
Listen, you...
There it is! It's finally here!
Hey, who was that?! What are you fall up to?
That was God.
Drop dead.
What is it this time?
"If, by 6:00 PM on January 29 you don't shed real tears,
"you'll die instantly."
Today! That's today! You only have ten hours.
One question: What do tears have to do with my life?
I've told you over and over: how would I know?!
You're an angel, aren't you?
Angels don't know everything.
Huh... Pretty lame excuse. Okay, I'll do it.
It's a cinch! I can cry any old time I like.
Not just tears, real heart-felt tears!
Have you ever really, truly cried?
All the time! Right, Goro?
We watched "Princess Mononoke" the other night and cried...!
Idiot! That's not real feelings!
You really don't get it!
Real tears come when emotions well up
and overflow from your heart!
You can't get it from movies!
Anyway, this assignment is too easy for me.
Don't get arrogant, now!
Don't worry about it!
After all, it's me we're talking about.
YOU jerk!
Good morning!
What's with him?
As you all know, Mr. Amakasu brought us a huge contract.
We expect the Roberto, Inc. deal to mean no less than
500 million yen.
I'm giving you ¥500,000 yen bonus for your work.
I mean that to be an incentive for all of you!
Amakasu, a word...?
In these hard economic times,
you never know where the big chances may lie.
So go out, grab your chances and try! Thank you.
Cripes.
I can't stand it, I can't stand it...
Back to work, everyone.
Hey, that was amazing!
Yeah? I thought it was just normal...
Listen, I'd like your help with something.
This red ink? I thought we'd make it more portable
and include it in the next issue.
Got any ideas?
How much is this?
380 yen.
You're being so chintzy.
Think bigger! 380 yen? I brought in 500 million!
Hang in there.
Setoguchi! What on earth is that?
There might be a boom in posture-correction devices.
This is made of a memory alloy...
Who'd buy this, you idiot! It's probably bad for you!
Hey, this might be fun!
A little lax with your time, Sa-me?
You should be more forthright at your work.
Setoguchi, don't waste your time with him.
Why, you...! Let me at him!!
Owada-baby, how long you been working here?
Me? 18 years... What did you call me?!
You don't try. You'll come to regret it later.
Here you are.
Maki honey, thanks, but I'll take oolong.
Telephone! Someone get it!
I own a small printing company,
and I recently became a guarantor
for a friend's loan, then he just disappeared!
The next day, 100,000 pairs of all-purpose scissors
were delivered to my office with a demand for payment.
Of 100 million yen...
And?
If I don't get rid of them today, I'm bankrupt!
But we're a catalog company.
Please! Carry these scissors in your catalog!
Oh, dear...
Please!
Okay, listen: if we get 80% of the profit, we'll do it.
80%...?!
If you don't like it...
No!... It's fine.
If I don't take the contract to the bank by 3:00 today,
I'll be in big trouble...
Sure. Anyway, bring the stuff over here by 1:00.
Thank you. My name is Ueki.
Mr. Ueki... Anyway, don't worry about anything.
I'm Amakasu Shiro, you see.
Thank you! I'll never forget this!
Sure, sure. Later, okay.
That's three million...
Back to work, everyone.
Shiro! Congratulations on the Roberto contract.
Well, all of it is thanks to you, Koharu-baby.
Koharu-baby?
What do you think you're doing?!
Sir, he's here.
Ah, Mr. Amakasu, come in.
Smoke?
Thank you.
I'll get right to the point.
We want you to head up our Planning Division.
A chance like this doesn't come along every day.
Amakasu Shiro, born Dec. 23, 1977 in Fukuoka...
You had three brothers who went to Tokyo University...
Are you an angel, too?
And angel...? Yes, you could say I'm your angel.
And your answer is...?
Yes!!
Good. I'm glad.
Thank you so much!
Today at 5:00 our president Roberto arrives from Italy.
I'd like you to meet him.
Certainly.
We have am office prepared for you.
This is it.
This...? This is my office...?!
We want you to be able to think freely.
This...?
Well, then. At 5:00...
Thank you! I'll do my very best!
Wow, wow, wow!!!
Once you get on the fast track, look what happen!!
My chair!!!
Well?
Why are you here?
Are you really going to quit your job?
Sure, I'm quitting! My future awaits.
Asato got that job for you,
and you were just getting the hang of it!
So what? Asato will be happy for me.
He just might. But that's because he's nice!!
I'm thinking about him.
If I do well here, I'll bring him over.
Aren't you the big shot.
Sure am! I'm Division Chief!
Yet you wouldn't even help Asato out with ideas.
If you can't honor a debt, you can't do this work!!
That president here is badly mistaken...
His judgment must be off.
Is it possible you're a little envious?
I'm gaining success, and you're jealous?
What?!
Oh, dear! Oh, dear!
Here I am, worried about you, and you're fooling around!
Anyway, if you don't want to die, then cry true tears
by 6:00 PM tonight!
If you don't do it right, I can't get back into Heaven!
Your face says you let something slip out there!
Scary!
You are absolutely hopeless!
Why did I have to get a jerk like this to save?!
Nobody asked you to. You just showed up.
And I'm fine, so just leave me alone.
OPE“ Your eyes!
You make me nuts!!
I don't care what happens to you!
Asato!
Uncle? What's up?
Just come here a minute...
What's up?
Ah, shut up!
Ms. Ruri! I was telling this to shut up...
What are you here for?
To thank Shiro I've come to bring him a bag of mine.
He doesn't deserve such a wonderful thing!
Why not?
He's getting too big for his britches.
But Uncle, what are you there for?
Uncle...!
Ms. Tengenji!
Why don't you both come on in...?
You twit. What're you doing?
Sorry! Thanks for always being so good to Shiro!
I'm his uncle from Hakata, name of Tendo.
Oh, yeah. Hello.
I appreciate the help you give Shiro...
You're Mr. Samejima?
Where is Shiro?
He should be back soon...
I see. May I wait for him here?
Fine, fine! Let's wait here for him!
Please have a seat.
Ms. Ruri?
May I speak with you?
I'm stuffed! Lady, the check, please!
That's 980 yen.
I ordered the most expensive item, and it's only 980 yen?
Oh, well. Here, keep the change.
Mr. Amakasu...?
Ah! Are you Mr. Ueki?
You're very early.
I was told to come by 1:00 PM.
Oh? Well, Shiro should be back very shortly.
Everyone, let me introduce Mr. Ueki...
Pleased to meet you!
No, it's my pleasure.
My, my! Look at that!
How much longer will Mr. Amakasu be...?
What is that idiot doing!
Shall I give him a call?
If you would, please.
No answer...
I'm sorry. Can you wait a bit longer...
I have to be at the bank by 3:00...
Out with the ogre!!
Hey, go easy!
What's that about?
Every year they go through this tradition...
Boss, I'm about fed up...
Can't you be a little bit more devilish?
Like your wife?
Yeah, like... What?!
It's easy! The first one to answer wins!
If you know the answer, then say so!
Um... Excuse me.
Shiro is awfully late.
Yes. I'll try phoning again...
The last question!
Not now!
What is it, Asato? I'm about to win!
What're you doing? Get on back here!
Leave me alone!
Someone's waiting here for you...
All right. I know, I know!
You there! You know the answer...?
I'll be free...
Correct! The answer is "free!"
He's won! And your name is...?
Amakasu Shiro.
He's won a trip to Hawaii!
That's Shiro!
Shiro!!
What's he doing?!
With everyone waiting!
This camera?
For all you unlucky folks out there,
keep {Hugging away'.!
???
What...?!
Everyone, get behind me!
Boss!
Owada!
He looks like that murderer!
Bring down the security shutters!
Just do as you're told!!
Dad?
Bring him in here and close the shutters! Now!
Contact us at this address.
All right. Thank you.
Hawaii! I've never been to Hawaii.
Kamehameha... Waikiki... I don't know any more.
That's okay! I'm on my way to Waikiki!
My company is finished! It's all Amakasu's fault!
Wait! Why is it his fault?
You don't have to pick the boss as your hostage!
Shut up! You, come here.
That's not what meant.
Owada!
Dad? How did this happen?
Shut up! I believed Amakasu's words of comfort
and risked everything on this deal.
And two hours I sat here!
While he's fooling around on TV!!
How does this company operate?
You can't go around making fools of people!
Listen. Why don't you do this after he comes back?
Quiet! I can't wait any longer!
I was too nice and signed on for my friends loan...
I believe what people tell me, and look what I get...
Don't get upset...
Okay. Let's hear your demands. What do you want?
100 million yen, by 6:00 PM tonight.
Miss Tsuyuzaki, cut him a check...
Cash!!
That's not possible...
Don't move!
You were going for the police, weren't you?
If you move even a step, he's a dead man.
Samejima, if you antagonize him any more, you're fired.
All of you! Satoru, remember what I say.
Everybody, do as the man says!
Nobody move, not a single step!
We'll let Amakasu get the money.
Good. Let Amakasu do it.
When he comes, we'll show him what's going on
and have him bring 100 million yen.
No answer...
Give up?
Well, then I'll kill all of you!!
Bye, bye, Mr. President...
Stop!! You don't care who your hostage is, right?
Nakatsugawa...?
I'll change places with him.
Asato!
You want to die before the others?
Anyway, I'll be your hostage.
Sir, I tried to talk him out of it...
I'll remember this!
Mr. Ueki, let me call Shiro one more time.
3:57 PM...
Ow, ow, ow!
You don't have to cry about it...
Ah! Tears! Good job... What time is it?
Four o'clock.
Great! I'm outta the woods! I cried real tears...
Hello?... Oh, Asato...
Shiro, I have something important I need you to do.
What are you sounding so weird about?
Go to one of our clients and borrow 100 million in cash.
100 million! That's never gonna happen...!
Please! The company is in trouble...
It is absolutely essential you bring it by 6:00 PM.
That's only two hours!
I can't. I've got an important meeting at 5:00.
Please, Shiro! It's not the company, it's me...
My life is in danger.
Your life? Why?
Anyway, 100 million! Please! If you don't...
Hello? How rude! He just hung up.
Don't worry. He'll get the money.
You think so?
I trust him.
All right, everybody! Line up over there!
Such forcefulness...!
Do as he says!
Come on, hurry it up!!
Hey, stupid...
You, you little weasel.
I'm not a weasel.
Shut up! I want you to smack your boss.
How dare you!
Want to be my hostage?
Owada!
Pardon me!... Oh, that felt good!
Ow! Now, you really are fired!
You don't have to be such an ogre!
You're the ogre!
That's not nice!
An ogre wimp...!
You! Country boy!
Setoguchi...!
I mean you!
You're saying I'm a bumpkin...!
Imitate someone famous.
No way!
Same-chan, please!
I order you to.
I'll start with a song from Saijo Hideki...
Man, I'm hungry!
Enough already!!
That's fine.
You! Pretty girl...
Yes?
I said the pretty girl!
Pretty girl. Gotta boyfriend...?
Tell us his name.
Maybe it's time to come out with it.
What's wrong?
I can't tell you.
No fun...
You, the over-the-hill Romeo...
Not you!
I mean you with the big mouth!
Me? Over-the-hill?!
No one would believe that! Would you believe that?
Shut up!!
Tell us the name of the woman you love...
What does that matter?
Don't make an issue of it, just do it!
Everybody else is having to do something.
I told you I'll kill him.
Please!
Okay... It's Maryann.
Her? Are you nuts? She'd soak you!
She's your type...?!
It just slipped out!
Who cares?! Just stop this.
We'll stop when Amakasu brings the money.
He'll come. He's my good buddy.
Finally!
How come the shutters are down...?
Good thing I've got a key...
Well, everyone is here!
Not a good look for a manager.
And Ruri is here!
I thought you'd gone back to Heaven...
Idiot!
Idiot?! I oughtta whup you for that.
Shiro!
Asato...?
You know who I am...?
No.
I'm Ueki.
I've been waiting for you...
Where's the 100 million?
Did you go to our clients...?
Don't tell me...!
I didn't go.
Shiro!!
Pretty crappy friends you've got.
So this is what was going on...
What've you been doing all this time!?
What're you gonna do now? All this is your fault.
You got arrogant.
Murderer!
A little praise went right to your head.
Shiro...!
I...
Listen here, you!
Since you're such a big shot, hurry and rescue him!
What? What?... You've nothing to say?
Didn't you say you could do anything?
"Everything is easy for me because I'm me...!"
Didn't you say that, you little ****!
You never make any progress, do you?
Shall I tell you why you're such a loser?!
"Because you're you!!"
Shiro!
He'll never come up with the money.
He's got one hour...
5:00... 100 million by 6:00 PM... I've got one hour!
Today at 5:00, our president Roberto arrives from Italy.
I'd like you to meet him.
I'm sorry I'm late!
Amakasu, we don't excuse lateness here!
No problem!
Lend me some money!
By 6:00 PM, he must cry real tears...
I bet he's completely forgotten about that.
At 6.00, I'll start in the middle and kill you all...
The middle! Why not the edges...?
If you must do it, then start with me!
Sir, don't make fun of me. Sometimes I've got it in me.
Listen up, you...!
Shiro!
I was just on a roll...
Where's the money?
I'm sorry... I didn't get it.
I told you. His friendship is worth nothing.
Please! Don't kill him, kill me instead!
Three years ago, my mother made me come to Tokyo,
and made me go to a school I hated...
I had no friends, and I was so lonely...
Then, one day in the park, Asato said hello...
I was so happy. I'd been miserable until then,
but Asato saved me.
Shut up! Who wants to hear your life story?!
Please, Mr. Ueki!! Take me instead of him!
You can have all this, and this and this, too!
It's not enough!
Asato didn't do anything wrong! This is my fault!
Don't!
Quiet! I'm gonna kill him and then kill myself!
This is how it should be...
Die!!
Asato!
I didn't really mean to do it...!
Asato...?
Shiro...
Someone call an ambulance! Now!!
This was my fault! What was wrong with me...?!
How could I lose the thing most dear to me...?
I hurt my best friend, and acted like I was king of the world...
I must've been crazy.
People don't grow up by themselves.
They grow with the help of the folks around them...
Such a simple truth, and I completely forgot it!!
I'm so sorry, Asato!!
It's all over... For you, too!
Asato, open your eyes!!
Really?
Huh?! What...?
So long as you figured it out! Right, Uncle?
Great! Cut!! Just at 6:00 PM!!
What's this about...? Asato, your wound...?
I'm fine! It's Setoguchi's Posture Correction Device
made of memory alloy.
And then there's this... For a measly 380 yen!
Is it true...? I'm so glad! But why...?
Your head was getting too big, so we set you up.
It was your uncle's idea.
So... So, you all knew about this?
Even you, Koharu...?
And Ruri?
Your elder uncle told me.
Elder!!
And Satoru?
Mr. Samejima?
It was the boss's order. What could I do?
You were really acting very arrogant.
We couldn't let you continue to act like that.
This is like Candid Camera!
You just got that?!
I almost started laughing in the middle of it.
They started the performance even before you came back,
and I was amazed.
Maybe we started too early?
Mr. Tendo instigated it.
Well, Mr. Ueki was getting so into it,
we had to go along.
They even made me do a Saijo Hideki imitation!
Shiro, have you come to your senses?
What was wrong with me?
As long as you see it!
And you cleared the assignment again.
Yet again, it was due to my help!
I stuck with you. Are you grateful?
Everyone, thank you for your assistance!
Well, of course... Who would come head-hunting for me?
Head-hunting? What do you mean?
You mean that was real?
When I asked Mr. Roberto to lend me money,
he got mad and withdrew the job offer!!
What's all that about?
Here's your pay... How was I?
I used to be in Little Theater...
Hello! Sorry I'm late!
Who are you?
I'm Ueki from the talent agency.
I'm a bit late, but I got a call to come here
for a surprise party. What do you want me to, do?
A fake knife...?
Yikes! Yikes!
What is going on?
I... I...! We were really in danger!!
Anyway, it ended all right.
That again? Are you really an angel?!
It's cool! Anyway, you cleared the assignment.
It's not cool!!