Tug of War! (綱引いちゃった！)

"Oita City"

Students of Third Hiroshima Junior High.

Welcome to Oita City.

"Flowery feast in spring high up in the castle."

"Cups were passed with moonlight reflected on the surface of sake."

You know this song, don't you?

"The Moon over the Ruined Castle" by Taki Rentaro.

"The Moon over the Ruined Castle" by Taki Rentaro.

Yes, that's correct.

The composer of this song is Taki Rentaro.

He died at the tender age of twenty-three in Oita City.

Much time has passed since then.

Both the city and its songs have grown more modern.

"I love you, oh so much. I really love you."

"I'll love you until the end of time."

"As long as the sun is up in the sky."

Funai Castle is also known as Oita Castle.

Construction of the castle started in 1597.

Fukuhara Naotaka, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's retainer was responsible for the construction.

Here's a question.

Who knows where Oita Prefecture and Oita City are?

I do.

Here.

That's Saga Prefecture.

Pay attention!

Fukuoka.

Nagasaki.

Kumamoto.

Kagoshima.

Miyazaki.

Oita Prefecture.

This is Yufuin, and this is Beppu.

Oita Prefecture, Oita City is here.

Memorize it!

It's hard to remember.

That's students from lousy schools for you.

"I love Oita City"

Oh, no!

Stop following me!

"Tug of War!"

You call this travesty a PR video?

In spite of being a prefectural capital...

Oita City is pretty much unrecognized.

We need to promote our city across Japan to attract more tourists.

We must attract companies to set up business in our industrial estates.

It's our priority to create job opportunities to revitalize the economy...

to raise the living standards of our citizens.

Not to mention, your approval ratings.

What we need is PR by the people and for the people of Oita.

But you told us to make a PR video!

I've got a better idea.

It just occurred to me.

We don't have to spend all this money.

We can just let the people of Oita help to make our city famous.

This is it!

"Oita Cosmo Ladies"?

"Cooking with love. Keep our kitchen clean."

Let's go!

Three-time world champions.

This is awesome!

It's just rope pulling...

But they've had so much media coverage. This is good PR.

The women all worked in the gardening industry.

Why did they disband?

You know how it is with women when they get together. The politics.

You know women well!

First, we need to recruit the athletes.

Say no to layoffs!

Say no!

Mayor, show your face!

Show your face!

Say no to the privatization of school meals!

Say no!

Let us meet the mayor!

We want to negotiate directly!

That's not possible.

Then make it possible!

Please calm down!

We would if we could!

How will we live if you lay us off?

Who will take responsibility if I starve to death?

Calm down, everybody. Take it easy.

If you have a petition, I will see that the mayor gets it.

We want to see him!

The only time he ever shows his face is when election comes around!

Mayor, show your face!

Show your face! Come out right now!

Oh, give me a break.

Tug-of-war. Do you know it used to be a recognized Olympic sport?

The city's three school meal centers are on the verge of being closed down.

And he's talking about forming a tug-of-war team?

What on earth is that idiotic mayor thinking?

I understand how you feel, but times are hard for our city.

Times are harder for us!

With kids to raise and housing loans on our backs...

the layoff is going to affect the livelihood of so many cooks!

You're not the only ones who are having it tough.

How could you be so callous?

No wonder you can't get a boyfriend!

I'm putting my career first.

Don't you want to get married?

Not anytime soon. I'm not even dating now.

Don't you ever get all giddy when you see handsome men?

Get all giddy?

Oh come on, you know what I mean.

-I'm not interested. -Liar!

I'm too busy working on behalf of the citizens of Oita City.

-I've got to work. -What? Now?

Leave the dishes in the sink. I'll do it later.

There's no way you're going to revitalize the city by having a tug-of-war team.

It's worth a try.

They sure grow up fast. When did she learn to talk back to me like that?

All right.

Here we go!

Bringing...

Oita together...

with the pull...

of a rope!

Sounds good!

-Zero? -Yes.

No one responded?

Zero.

"Looking for tug-of-war team members!"

Your wife just quit dance class...

She wouldn't be interested.

-Okay. -Of course she wouldn't.

How about offering an incentive?

One million yen if they become Japan's best.

We don't have the funds.

You've got to do something.

After all, tug-of-war is a pretty obscure and unglamorous sport.

Well, the Cosmo Ladies were really cool.

They were world champions, that's why.

That's true.

Be honest with the mayor.

Tell him his plan won't work without volunteers.

Say no to layoffs!

They're here again.

Save handmade lunches!

"Mayor's Office"

Come in.

Excuse me, sir.

Oh, it's you. Miss...

Nishikawa.

That's right! Nishikawa.

I have a proposal for the women's tug-of-war team.

"Oita City Tug-of-War Team Briefing"

If our tug-of-war team can represent Oita Prefecture and make it to the nationals...

our mayor will reconsider the privatization of school meal centers.

By joining the team, you can save each other's livelihood...

and contribute to the city.

It's killing two birds with one stone.

Are there any other women's tug-of-war teams in our city?

Not at the moment.

So it won't be too hard for us to become the prefectural representative?

That...

depends on your effort.

Where will we practice?

The city will provide the training space and equipment.

There will be two or three practices a week.

I will take your work and family commitments into consideration when coming up with the schedule.

Well, if that's what we have to do to save our jobs.

Does everyone agree?

Chiaki.

Is it true? Did the mayor promise to reconsider keeping school meal centers open?

Yes.

-And that's the truth? -Yes.

Everyone!

Let's watch a video about the Cosmo Ladies, who were six-time national champions and winners at the World Championships.

Like you, they were humble housewives.

They started from scratch and worked their way up...

to become the world's best team.

"Once upon a time, in our city of Oita..."

"there lived eight ladies who dazzled the world."

"The Oita Cosmo Ladies."

"This is their story to glory!"

"Oita Cosmo Ladies: Their Path to Glory"

"It was the year 2002. The Seventh Tug-of-War World Championships was being held in Ireland."

"The team had first won the World Championships two years before."

"This was their second participation in the tournament."

"The Cosmo Ladies had fought their way through the qualifying rounds."

"In the semi-finals, they defeated the strong American team..."

"and met their arch rivals, Holland, in the finals."

"The first out of three rounds went to Holland."

"But the Cosmo Ladies won the remaining two rounds."

"Once more, they dazzled the world."

"This courageous team of eight humble housewives..."

"went on to win their third World Championships in the next year."

Oh my God!

One, two, three, four...

five, six...

No smoking.

I don't believe this.

I work for the city hall.

Why do I have to be on the tug-of-war team?

They're so hot!

I just need one more volunteer.

I love muscular men!

I'm really turned on!

Me, too!