Takeshi!
Will you get up already?
How annoying! You're yelling in my ear!
I can't be going up and down the stairs all the time!
Is that so?
Madoka! Hurry and eat your breakfast!
I don't want any.
What do you mean you don't want any?
If you didn't want any, you should have told me...!
Takeshi! How many times do I have to tell you...?
Will you stop yelling?
I've had it! Azumino is covered in white with the "soba" (buckwheat) flowers that have bloomed.
It's a beautiful sight.
It makes you feel how good life is.
If you have a chance, be sure you go to see them.
This is from radio name, Azuminokko.
Life is good, huh?
Azumino, Nagano Prefecture
Is that the "soba" (buckwheat) field?
It's so beautiful!
What?
What!
[We have soba noodles.]
[Closed Today]
What?
They're closed?
Sunshine Chapter 1: "Mother's Tears" Episode 1
Sudo Yoko: INOUE Mao
Yoko (as child): YAGI Yuki
Sudo Hiroko: HARADA Tomoyo
Sudo Ryoichi: TERAKAWA Yasufumi
Haraguchi Fusako: SAITO Yuki
Sudo Yoko (Narrator): WAKAO Ayako
I'm sorry to barge in on your day off.
Not at all. Here you go.
Thank you!
- What is this place? - This place...?
It's a general store.
It started as a soba noodle restaurant.
Then I brought in vegetables grown in this area to sell...
And I started making bread and sweets.
Then I thought it would be nice to have a coffee shop.
If I was going to do all that, it would be nice if people could stay here, too.
Let me try this.
Go ahead.
- It's delicious. - Is it?
Thank you.
I don't mean to be rude, but... how old are you?
My age? I forgot.
I was just wondering how I could become an elegant woman like you.
Thank you. It makes me happy to hear a woman give me praise.
But I just lived a normal life.
A normal life?
You're wonderful, too.
You look adorable.
Were you born in Azumino?
No... I was born in Tokyo.
I moved here with my family when I was still a child.
Do you want to hear my story?
Yes, I do!
Do you?
But it's a long story...
September 1932
I came to Azumino with my family in 1932.
My father... mother... and two older brothers. [Father: Sudo Ryoichi]
And with me, we were a family of five. [Mother: Sudo Hiroko, Me: Sudo Yoko]
That's awesome!
Are you okay, Shige? [Eldest Brother: Sudo Haruki, Older Brother: Sudo Shigeki]
- I'm okay. - Okay.
My mother had a weak heart, so when we lived in Tokyo,
she spent most of her time in the hospital.
That's why I was so happy just being with my mother.
Hang in there... We're almost there.
- Okay. - Okay.
My mother knew that she didn't have long to live.
And she chose Azumino as the place where she'd spend her last days with her family and children.
My father had been an aircraft technician in Tokyo,
but he gave up his work for my mother's sake.
But at the time, I didn't know any of this.
Hello!
- Hello! - Hello.
Hello.
Hello!
- It's delicious. It's nice and cold. - Is it?
You're so cute, Yoko.
Really?
Shige calls me an ugly bag.
How rude!
It's probably because he finds you adorable.
That's why he says things like that.
Really?
You're going to grow up to be a beautiful woman.
After all, you're my daughter.
You think so?
It's so beautiful!
Isn't this wonderful?
Yoko... these are soba (buckwheat) flowers.
I didn't know soba had flowers.
I'm so glad we came.
I feel like this place is close to the sun.
The women from now on will be able to do anything.
You can do just about anything.
But in order to do that, you'll have to grow strong.
If anyone blames anything on you being a woman, you can fight them. I'll allow it.
So don't ever think that it can't be helped that you can't do something because you're a woman.
If you do that, you'll never be able to shine. Do you understand?
Shine?
Look at the sun.
The sun doesn't borrow strength from anyone,
and shines using its own strength, doesn't it?
Yes.
So it's able to shine it's light upon everyone and brighten the world.
That's why...
No matter how painful things are,
just smile. Don't forget to smile.
I won't.
Girls are the sun.
The "yo" in your name comes from the "yo" in "taiyo" (sun).
I understand.
Umphhh!
The grade school principal used to live here,
but the principal now commutes here from Matsumoto.
It's a pleasure making your acquaintance.
It's our pleasure. If you need anything, just tell us.
We put the big things inside. [Miyamoto Takeo, Haru, and Jiro]
Thank you.
Thank you!
Takeo! Don't just stand there. And greet them properly.
You, really.
You must be tired. Go to bed already.
Okay, but I'll work for a little while longer.
You promised you wouldn't overdo it, didn't you?
I did.
I want you to live as long as possible...
Even if it's just a day, an hour or a minute longer.
I'm really a lucky person, Ryo.
Go to bed.
Okay.
When I think about it now, my oldest brother must have known everything.
But I didn't know anything.
I remembered what my mother said about smiling.
When something painful happens, I should be like the sun, and shine my light over everyone.
Good morning!
Good morning.
No longer what happens, it'll be okay as long as I'm here because I'm Yoko, the sun.
If you're the sun, wake up earlier.
Breakfast is ready already.
Yoko, the slowpoke.
What's ahead for Yoko, the sun?
Just imagining what's ahead makes me so excited.
In 1932, my family and I came to live in Azumino.
- Hello! - Hello!
No matter how painful things are, just smile.
Don't forget to smile.
- I won't. - Girls are the sun.
The "yo" in your name comes from the "yo" in "taiyo" (sun).
I understand.
Sunshine Chapter 1: "Mother's Tears" Episode 2
October, 1932
♫ Festival, festival, come! ♫
Takeo!
Do your best Takeo!
Takeo!
It used to be a festival for boys,
but lately, the girls are a part of it, too.
I guess it's just a sign of the times.
Yoko...
Let's paint together.
Go ahead.
It's been a month since we moved to Azumino,
and I'd become one of the town's children already.
Here you go.
But my father and mother still somehow looked like they were city people.
My father who worked as the head of a silk-reeling factory was very handsome,
and my mother was as beautiful as an actress.
My oldest brother, Haruki's dream was to be a doctor.
He made top grades in school, and was good in sports, too.
I was so proud of him.
Oh! Oh no...
I think it was up until then that my mother was still in good health.
♫ The moon shone over the desert ♫
♫ we went ♫
This was my mother's favorite song...
She was always humming it.
♫ travelling afar. ♫
The reason I had my mother all to myself during our walks
was because my brother refused to come even when we invited him along.
Shige? Do you want to join us for a walk?
No, I don't.
I see...
We'll see you later.
But I knew...
...that he really wanted to come with us.
Here!
It's over here, Mom.
Are you okay?
I'm okay.
It's the god of water.
Put your ear against it.
You'll hear the sounds...
Really?
Can you hear it?
You're right.
This is awesome.
Isn't it?
The water from the snow that melts on the mountains in the Alps runs under here.
Yuki told me about it.
People can't live without water, can they?
That's why this is where life begins, and it runs through here, and connects everything.
I see...
This is awesome.
Life is wonderful, isn't it?
I'm home.
Welcome home.
Where's Mom, Shige?
She went for a walk with Yoko.
Why didn't you go?
Because...
Here!
Wow!
I'll teach you to play baseball.
Okay!
Ready?
That was good.
Shigeki! Yoko!
Don't snicker while you're eating.
Okay.
Good morning!
"A suspicious looking ship approached Mochimitsu's boat,
"A suspicious looking ship approached Mochimitsu's boat, ..."
" ...and the terrifying pirates jumped on board... "
"...and surrounded Mochimitsu." [Takahashi Natsuko]
"Mochimitsu had nowhere to run, ..."
"...so he had to..."
- That hurts! - You're hopeless, Takeo!
It's nothing!
Tanaka Yuki... please continue reading.
Okay.
"I can't fight all of you..." [Tanaka Yuki]
"I've resigned myself, ..."
"...so since you'll take my life, let me play one song as I bid farewell to this world."
"He played his flute like he was in his own room..."
"He couldn't see death or life in front of him."
All right.
Thank you.
Reading and writing is very important,
but the most important thing is thinking.
What do you think of the main character of this book, Yuki?
I...
I think the main character had a lot of courage...
But...
But?
I don't have courage like the main character, and I'm not strong either,
but I want to be.
I don't want to give up what I really love even if I know I'm going to die. That's what I thought.
Thank you.
I thought exactly the same thing.
That's awesome!
Shall we all go to the cosmos field? We'll take our lunches.
Yeah!
♫ This is the road that ♫
♫ I walked along before. ♫
My teacher, Takahashi Tatsuko was a really wonderful teacher.
Everyone loved Ms. Natsuko.
♫ The acacia flower... ♫
Wait!
I caught you.
I loved Yuki.
I longed to be like her and respected her.
Shall we have lunch?
Okay!
I wanted to be together with Yuki always.
But I guess I was a child who knew nothing about the world.
Let's share our lunch, Yuki.
But...
I want to eat with you. If we eat together, it'll be twice as delicious.
Okay? Please... share with me.
Okay.
I'm so glad.
It's good.
Really?
Did your mother make this?
No... my mother hasn't been feeling well lately.
So I do the cooking.
Oh, wow!
Is it really good?
It is.
I'm glad.
Thank you.
Thank you for the food.
Haruki! That looks delicious.
It really does.
It's really good.
Stop it.
What is it?
- Are you okay? - I'm okay.
What do you want to be when you grow up, Yoko?
I don't know.
What about you, Yuki?
I... want to be a teacher.
I want to be a teacher like Ms. Natsuko.
I know you can, Yuki.
Thank you.
You'll be Ms. Yuki... I know you can be a teacher.
I can't.
Why not?
After you graduate from grade school, you'll go on to a girl's high school, wont you, Yoko?
Probably...
I...
My dad won't let me.
He says girls don't need an education.
He told me to quit school, and go to work.
So I can't become a teacher.
This was the moment when I first found out what it was like out in the world.
I thought it was wrong that someone like me could go on to a girl's high school while someone like Yuki who loved to study so much couldn't go to school. I thought that was wrong.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry...
I'm sorry!
Why are you apologizing?
- I'm sorry. - You mustn't cry!
You're Yoko, the sun. So it's strange if you cry.
Okay.
The athletic meet is coming up, so let's both do our best.
Let's do our best.
Here.
Wipe your tears.
Smile, okay?
Yuki didn't become a teacher.
Did your mother make it for you?
No... my mother hasn't been feeling well lately...
So I do the cooking.
It's good.
Really?
I want to be a teacher like Ms. Natsuko.
You'll be Ms. Yuki... I know you can be a teacher.
No, I can't.
Why not?
You mustn't cry!
You're Yoko, the sun. So it's strange if you cry.
Okay.
Sunshine Chapter 1: "Mother's Tears" Episode 3
Subtitles brought to you by NHK Timing brought to you by The Sunshine Lovers @ Viki
Azumino, Nagano Prefecture October 1932
It was the day of the athletic meet...
Mom?
Good morning.
It looks good on you.
Should you be up?
Today is your athletic meet, isn't it?
I was looking forward to it, and I was resting my body so I'd be well enough today.
Really?
Dad, Haru and I will go to watch you, so... Do your best.
Okay.
Oh!
I'm making rolled sushi.
You like this, don't you?
That's great.
It's delicious.
I'll help you.
No, it's okay.
You just watch today.
I want to make this today.
I'm sorry...
Thank you for always helping me.
Here...
Is it okay?
It's a reward for waking up early.
It's delicious!
Is it good?
It's good.
Dried herring fillet, simmered mushrooms, pumpkin cakes.
It's all of my favorite foods.
That's right.
Shine bright!
Be the best weather in all Japan.
[Fall Season Athletic Field Day]
Thank you.
Are you feeling okay?
Isn't it great that the weather's so nice?
After all, our family has Yoko, the sun, don't we?
That's true.
There's Yoko.
Look at Shigeki.
[5th Year Students, Footrace] Do your best!
Do your best.
It's Shige's turn next.
Excuse me... My son is going to run.
Where's Shigeki?
Ready...
Set...
Go!
Do your best, Shige!
Hang in there!
Go, Shigeki!
Yes!
Wow!
Shige did it...
He has spirit, doesn't he?
[4th Year Students, Footrace]
Everyone!
Don't be nervous
and let's do our best!
Okay.
Yoko...?
Yeah?
No... it's nothing.
Let's do our best.
Let's go.
- Okay! - Run...
It's Yoko, Mom.
We made it in time. We just made it!
- Takeo! - Where? - Over there!
Ready... Set... go!
Takeo!
He did it!
- Takeo! - He's fast.
Get ready...
Set...
Go!
Yoko!
Yoko...!
Go!
First place... Kikuchi!
Second place... Sudo!
- That was so close. - It's too bad.
Darn! Ouch!
Yoko tried really hard, didn't she?
She did.
Ready...
Set...
Go!
Yuki!
Do your best!
Just a little more, Yuki!
Hang in there! Yuki!
You did it!
You did it! I'm so glad!
Congratulations! You did it! You did it! Hurray!
She forgot all about herself. Look at how happy she is for her friend.
- She's something else. - She is.
She's Yoko, the sun.
She's growing up to be a good girl.
A good girl...
She's going to be okay.
She'll be okay, won't she? Even if I... Even when I'm...
Take good care of her.
Please! Take care of her.
♫ the road that I walked before ♫
♫ oh yeah, that's right ♫
♫ the acacia ♫
♫ flower is blooming ♫
Congratulations on winning first place!
Thank you very much!
As expected!
- Tanaka Yuki... - Yes...
Congratulations on winning first place!
Please treasure it.
I will.
This was the last day that I saw Yuki at school.
Let's exercise!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
All rise!
Bow!
- Good morning! - Good morning...
Be seated.
Today... I have some sad news...
Tanaka Yuki won't be coming to school from today.
What?
Because of her family's circumstances, Yuki will have to go to work,
so she's going to Nagoya.
I'm sorry I didn't tell you.
She asked me not to tell anyone because it would be too sad for her to say goodbye to everyone.
But she wanted to be at the athletic meet before she left school.
Yoko?
Yuki...
Yuki!
Yuki...
Are you ready?
Yes...
I'm ready to go.
Yuki!
Yoko!
Yuki!
Stop! Stop!
Please! Please stop!
Yuki...