From now on, Yoko, women
will be able to do anything. Anything they want.
Reading and writing are very important,
but what's most important . . . is to think.
It was her dream to be a teacher.
But my husband wouldn't allow it.
You wanted to be a teacher, too, didn't you, Mom?
Ladies! Enjoy your lives!
I'm . . .
going to be a teacher!
Sunshine Chapter 7 "THE SUN IN THE CLASSROOM" Episode 37
Written by: OKADA Yoshikazu
Music by: WATANABE Toshiyuki
Sudo Yoko: INOUE Mao
Takahashi Natsuko: ITO Ayumi
Mr. Nakamura: Pierre TAKI
Mr. Fukuda: Dankan
Principal Umeda: AYATA Toshiki
Haraguchi Fusako: SAITO Yuki
Narrator: WAKAO Ayako
Ow! It's hot!
Here, Madoka, it's ready. Have this.
Madoka . . . Madoka!
Fusako . . . Fusako?
Oh, gee . . . I have to go to Azumino.
Listen . . .
Oh, this is an email from Yoko.
I don't know what that's all about, but forget it.
How can you tell me to forget it when you don't know what it's about?
You'll drop it soon, like your yoga and the Argentine tango.
It's nothing like that.
You always say that it's different.
What are you saying?
Yoko . . . Yoko?
Fusako . . . did you get my email?
The email you sent is like a telegram, isn't it?
Is it?
Look! "When are you coming? Yoko." And all written in katakana.
I just can't get used to writing emails.
But I'll admit it's like telegrams from the past.
But I was happy to get it.
Can you teach me how to put in those
cute little characters?
Sure! I'll be glad to. You just...
Not right now. Let's get to the story.
All right.
I have a serious question for you, Yoko.
Go ahead.
I wanted to learn more about the period you lived through,
so I got my daughter's history book,
and pulling it open I saw
that it was a pitifully clean textbook. As if it had never even been opened a single time.
But never mind that . . .
You entered teaching school in 1939, didn't you?
And then you became a teacher in 1941.
Isn't 1941 the year
that World War II started? In December.
And then, it said that ordinary elementary schools
were converted to national elementary schools, but
what's the difference?
- Fusako . . . - Yes?
You're a good student, aren't you?
You prepared and reviewed your lessons, didn't you?
That's great.
Let's see . . .
Between 1939 and 1941,
the world seemed to turn cloudy with gloom.
The economy just kept getting worse.
The elementary schools converted to national elementary schools,
and the students were called "children of the nation."
To put it simply, when they became national elementary schools,
they became a place to train the children to be
the nation's future military power.
Good morning!
But my heart was filled with the joy of fulfilling
my dream, and the anticipation and anxiety of what
was ahead of me as a teacher.
Yoko!
Natsuko Sensei!
I've been waiting for you.
I'm so happy that one of my students will be teaching with me.
I did my best so I could become a teacher like you, Natsuko Sensei.
You did?
Yes!
I'm counting on your help from today.
You haven't changed, have you? You're still Yoko, the sun.
There's the enemy. Let's go!
But you became a teacher at an awful time, didn't you?
I wonder what's going to happen with the school.
What?
Don't ever say anything about that. Just when we're alone.
Okay.
Also, women teachers who graduated from teaching school are thought to put on airs,
so you just have to be friendly and smiling all the time.
As long as you keep smiling, you won't go wrong.
As for me, I even smile and greet the dogs.
At that time, there were shrines
called "houanden" built at all the schools.
The teachers and the students were told to bow deeply
whenever passing in front of the shrine.
It would be a serious matter if you were in a hurry, and forgot to do that.
Good morning!
Good morning.
Were you always here at this school?
No, I transferred once to a school in Omachi, and came back here last year.
Is that right?
I'm so happy that I have someone to talk to now.
I'll be teaching here from today.
This school has been designated a national elementary school now,
so the school has become a place
to train people to serve the country.
So, I'm sure you'll have questions, but
please be careful not to cause any trouble.
I'll do my best.
Takahashi Sensei, you'll be in charge of guiding her, so please take care of that.
- I will. - I'll depend on you.
Everyone, I'm pleased to meet you all.
Pleased to meet you.
Here you are.
So . . .
you were one of Takahashi Sensei's students, Sudo Sensei?
Yes.
Takahashi Sensei, you've been a teacher for a long time.
Yes, thanks to you all.
How admirable!
Not getting married, and devoting your life to education,
unlike us substitute teachers.
I have to agree!
I don't know what you learned in teaching school, Sudo Sensei, but it was
- all a waste, wasn't it? - Huh?
The most important thing to teach the children of our nation
is to be useful on the battlefields.
Right now, all the people of our nation must become one.
What do you think, Sudo Sensei?
Yes. As one of the people of this nation,
I love our country as much as anyone else.
I realize that a teacher's responsibility has become even more important.
I want to teach the students the joy of living, and of learning,
and to make them smile.
Don't you think that's dangerous?
What?
Learning the joy of living isn't useful.
Our job is to make them one of these.
They don't need to smile to be one of these. (foot soldier)
So . . .
even if they're just foot soldiers,
they can still do this.
Checkmate!
Hey . . .
you got me!
I'll do this . . .
- Sudo Sensei . . . - Yes?
Shall we go to the classroom now?
Okay. Let's.
Good morning!
Good morning.
Ow!
Don't make that kind of face.
Did you come here to have fun in the staff room?
No.
Attack!
Bang! Bang!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
No matter how much the school changes,
or the world changes,
children are still children. That's how I feel.
Try and remember . . .
Your students are waiting
in your classroom for you.
They're waiting with excitement and nervousness
wondering what kind of teacher you'll be.
Go . . .
to the classroom where your students are waiting.
All right. I'm going.
Not that way!
This way.
I'm sorry.
Fourth Grade White Class
I'm sorry.
Sensei!
I'll give this to you, so cheer up.
Thank you.
Quiet down!
Here you go. Thank you.
So these children were going to be my students.
I thought they looked so adorable with their eyes just sparkling.
I thought children were children after all, weren't they?
Sudo Yoko
I'm Sudo Yoko.
Please call me "Yoko Sensei."
three . . . go!
Yoko Sensei!
Good! I'll be your teacher from today.
Okay!
I don't know what you learned at the teaching school, Sudo Sensei,
but it was all a waste, wasn't it?
Our job is to make this - a foot soldier. You don't need to smile for that, do you?
Ow!
Don't make that kind of face.
Your students are waiting for you in the classroom.
I'm Sudo Yoko.
Please call me "Yoko Sensei."
Yoko Sensei!
Good!
Sunshine Chapter 7 "THE SUN IN THE CLASSROOM" Episode 38
Ariakeyama National School
Back then, the female teachers were so busy.
We were really busy.
It's unthinkable these days, but
back then, all the miscellaneous duties at school were left to the female teachers.
Excuse me . . .
They're so pretty!
Aren't they?
- They were blooming on the banks of the Hotaka River. - Really?
But at that time, it was accepted as normal.
- Here you are. - We may have thought about how busy we were,
but we didn't think any deeper than that.
♫ They say that spring has come ♫
♫ although the wind is rather cold ♫
♫ The nightingales in the valley ♫
♫ are getting ready for their song. ♫
"Our fathers and brothers are
across the continent to the southern islands.
risking their lives as they do their job.
It's a big, big job
and takes a very long time.
Eventually, the day will come when we will take their place,
crossing the continent, and taking over for them."
After classes were over, we'd straighten up the staff room,
and then clean and get the bedding ready
for the male teachers who were on night duty.
We did just about everything.
Are you okay, Yoko?
Yes, I'm fine.
You take care of everything at home too, don't you?
It must be rough.
It is, but I'm used to it.
That's right . . .
your mother was beautiful, wasn't she?
She was.
Being a teacher was my mother's dream, too.
Is that right? So you fulfilled your mother's dream.
You're a filial daughter, aren't you?
Not at all.
Even so, you won't be considered a filial daughter
just by becoming a teacher. You'll have to be a good teacher.
Yes.
Natsuko Sensei . . . what makes a good teacher?
I don't know.
I think it's for the students to determine whether you're a good teacher or not.
If they remember something their teacher said when they're all grown up,
and think that their teacher was a good teacher,
that's when you know you were a good teacher.
I see . . . it's going to take some time, isn't it?
It will.
Then, you're a good teacher aren't you . . .
to me.
- I'm so happy to hear you say that. - Ouch!
Sensei, that really hurt.
I'm sorry.
I wonder if I can become a good teacher.
I don't know.
What?
Ah . . . did you think I was going to tell you that you'll be a good teacher?
No, I wasn't thinking that.
You're lying. I know that's what you thought. Confess!
I don't think that.
- Hello! - Welcome back.
Welcome back.
I'm home!
Welcome home. You worked hard. You must be cold.
No, I'm sorry, Dad, you must be hungry. I'll fix dinner right away.
Yoko . . .
Yes?
I can do it. It must be hard for you to do it every day.
No way!
I'll have it ready right away.
Thank you.
If I really get into a bind, I'll take you up on that.
All right.
After that, I finally had time for myself.
Okay?
These are the fields and rice paddies near Doso-ji temple.
Do you all know where that is?
Then, everyone will answer, "Yes!"
Today, we'll learn about land measures.
First of all . . .
look at this picture of a standard size field.
The upper length is 27,3 meters, and the lower is 45,5 meters.
As a new teacher,
I wondered how I would teach the children,
and get them interested in learning.
I hardly had time to sleep.
Do you understand?
Take your seat, Kanta . . . we're starting now.
Good morning!
Bang! Bang!
Bang! Bam! Bam!
Take your seat, Kanta.
Okay!
But no matter how hard it was,
it all disappeared when I saw the children's faces.
Good morning!
I thought I could do anything if it was for the sake of these children.
I might have been feeling like a mother.
Abe Satoshi!
Here!
- Ishii Keiko! - Here!
That's the spirit. Ueda Kanta!
Here! I have even more spirit!
Yoko Sensei!
How did it go? Did she have the baby?
Yes, she just had it!
I'm so glad. Everyone, the baby was born!
Congratulations!
My dad said it might be dangerous,
so I didn't know what I'd do if she died.
Hanako really hung in there, didn't she?
"Hanako" was the name of Hiroshi's family's cow.
Stop crying now, and take your seat.
Okay.
Okay, then, let's get started. Open your textbook.
Today, we'll start on page 19.
There were a lot of poor families, and one of the girls,
Hana, always came to school without any lunch.
So I quietly put some rice balls in her desk.
Okay, okay.
How did you get that, Hana?
Yoko Sensei gave it to me.
What?
Why? That's not fair.
- It's not fair that you're the only one, Hana. - Give me one.
No! It's mine! She made it for me.
Please! Please!
But the next day . . .
What? You mean none of you brought lunch today?
Right!
Really?
What are you going to do?
Yoisho! (an expression of effort or strain)
So that day . . .
turned out to be a most unexpected supplemental lesson.
Yoisho!
We gathered wild herbs that everyone could eat to make rice gruel.
Sensei, I found it! Here it is.
Thank you.
Nanten (Nandina domestica)
But this is nandina, which we can't eat.
Really?
Sensei! How about this?
Let's see . . .
So, these are allium. We can eat them!
Oh boy!
Let's eat!
How is it? Is it good?
It's good!
I'm so glad.
Let's not bring lunch again tomorrow.
No! Be sure you bring lunch tomorrow.
Okay.
I don't know about that . . .
it's like they're on an excursion.
I agree!
She doesn't seem to understand the current situation at all.
That's why female teachers from a teaching school are no good.
I don't see what's wrong.
- Huh? - What do you mean?
I'm sure if they go to war, it'll come in handy.
I think it's important to be able to tell the difference between wild herbs you can and cannot eat.
I think it's a wonderful thing for girls, too, at a time we all have to economize.
- I'll have another bowl! - Me too! Me too!
All right. Line up! Line up!
Here you go.
Listen, there's lots left, so take your time and eat.
Here you go.
My Dream
Okay. What is everyone's dream?
- To be a soldier! - Me too! Me too!
- A nurse! - A soldier!
Okay, I can't understand if you all talk at once. One at a time, raise your hand.
Me!
Okay, let's see . . . Keisuke!
Yes. My father is on the battlefield now.
I want to become a military pilot, and fight with my dad from the sky.
My dad is on the battlefield too.
Mine too.
He is? Thank you.
So, next is . . .
Me!
- Keiko! - Yes! I want to become a military nurse,
and help the injured soldiers.
Me too! Me too!
You're all great, aren't you?
What's your dream, Sensei?
What? My dream?
My dream is . . .
that when I grow old . . .
and you'll all be grandmas and grandpas then too . . .
I hope we can all still be friends.
That's my dream.
Sensei . . .
Is that you here, Kanta?
Right. That's my dream.
I hope I'll be able to see all of you like that someday.
Sensei, I don't think that's possible.
Why not?
Since we're all prepared to give our lives for our country,
we probably won't live that long.
I can't forget the sparkle in his eyes.
They were such nice eyes.
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . huh?
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . .
eight . . . one . . . two . . . three . . .
Sunshine"THE SUN IN THE CLASSROOM" Episode 39
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . .
Wrong . . . one . . . two . . . three . . .
Good morning.
Good morning! Breakfast is almost ready.
Okay.
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . .
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . .
Do you want more rice?
No . . .
- Are you practicing a dance or something? - What?
This . . .
Dad . . .
Do you think we'd be doing something like that in school in a time of crisis like this?
Oh, that's true. I'm sorry.
They're naval exercises to toughen the body. We're really strict about it.
I see . . . oh!
So does that mean those strange moves before were to toughen the body?
I'll have another bowl.
Okay.
- Yoko . . . - Yes?
Are you having a hard time at work?
What's wrong?
How long has it been since you started working?
What?
Let me see . . . it's been quite a long time.
I'm sure you had some hard times, too, didn't you?
Of course.
But you never once said anything to Mom or us
about how hard your work was.
So I won't say I'm having a hard time either.
I see.
All right. Do your best.
I will.
I'd better be going.
We have to clean the staff room, too.
It's so hard.
I'll pretend I didn't hear that.
Thank you.
Dad . . .
I respect you.
Thank you.
I'm leaving.
Have a good day.
She said she respects me.
We're going through a terrible time now, Hiroko.
I think it's rough being a teacher, too. Especially for a girl like Yoko.
One . . . two . . . three . . . no, that's wrong.
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . wait . . .
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . .
Let's get started!
Ready . . .
Begin!
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . .
seven . . . eight . . . Two . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six
Next!
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight
Two . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . .
Next stretch!
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight
Two . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . .
Three . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . .
What do you think these exercises are?
Is it you again?
How long will it take before you do this right? Huh?
You don't have enough spirit!
Do you call yourself a child of this nation?
Are you a son of this country?
Okay!
Once more!
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . . wrong!
Yes!
Once more!
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight
Are you okay, Michio?
Yes.
I know you're trying your best.
What do you want to be when you grow up, Michio?
A military aviator.
You do? You told me that, didn't you?
My older brother is flying a plane. He's in naval training now.
Wow, that's awesome!
He's a graduate of this school, too.
Really?
But he didn't excel at all.
He wasn't a very good student.
All he did at home was build model airplanes.
He wasn't that cool.
That's our secret, okay?
Okay.
So . . . you want to be a military aviator?
In that case, you should learn to do it correctly, shouldn't you?
It's not good for just one person to do it differently, is it?
Right.
Okay . . . practice with me.
Come on . . . stand up. Let's do the hard part together.
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . .
You're doing it wrong, Sensei. It's like this. One . . . two . . .
Oh, is that how?
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . .
No, like this! One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . .
I'm sorry.
Watch me carefully, Sensei.
Okay.
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight
Two . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight
You're good at it, Michio!
You're good when you're doing it alone, aren't you?
Thank you for your hard work.
Subtitles adapted from original English subtitles created by Nippon Golden Network Timing brought to you by The Sunshine Lovers @ Viki
Are you okay, Yoko?
Is something troubling you?
Well . . .
no, it's okay.
Is it?
I'll put this away.
Okay. Please.
Natsuko Sensei . . .
Yes?
I respect you.
She respects me.
One . . . two . . . three . . .
four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . .
Takeo!
This is perfect! Do you have a minute?
Huh?
five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . . Two . . .
What do you think, Takeo?
Well, it would make me nervous
to do it with everyone.
Thinking I have to do it like everyone, and not fall behind, makes it worse.
The beginning . . . the first move is the most important in things like this.
If you fall behind right away and try to catch up, it will mess you up.
That's right!
Yes.
Were you nervous when you were little, Takeo?
What?
Your movements were always a little strange when we did exercises and things like that.
Were they?
Yes, they were strange.
Is that why you asked me?
Yes. I thought you'd understand how he felt.
I see.
Why were you nervous?
Was the girl you liked somewhere near you?
Huh?
three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . .
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . hands back!
Don't be ridiculous! Our group didn't even have one cute girl.
How rude!
I'm home!
Welcome home.
- Takeo . . . - Hello.
I was just asking him for advice.
If you like, why don't you join us for dinner?
It's always just Yoko and me.
Right. Why don't you do that, Takeo?
Uh . . . okay!
Is that right?
Takeo . . . the daikon is delicious.
Yes . . . okay.
Ohh . . .
What's wrong, Takeo? Why are you so nervous?
Huh? Oh, no, I'm not.
It's hot!
- Are you okay? - I'm fine.
Listen, Michio. The first movement is the most important.
Concentrate on not falling behind on the first move.
Don't think about the people around you. Understand?
Yes.
Don't worry. I know you can do it. Okay?
I'll do my best!
Good.
Do your best.
Attention!
At ease!
First stretch . . .
Begin!
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight
Two . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . .
Stop!
You!
Don't you know that just having you here is throwing everyone off?
Sunshine To be continued . . .