Blackboard - Jidai to Tatakatta Kyoshi tachi (ブラックボード〜時代と戦った教師たち〜)

Blackboard~Jidai to Tatakatta Kyoushitachi~ First Night (Mirai) Translators: aishizuki@LJ/subie06@DA | Japanese Subs: furransu@DA

Deep within your heart, is there a teacher that you will never forget?

The first thing that Japan, the defeated country,

focused on in order to start rehabilitation

was the reform of the educational system.

The things we take for granted today,

such as compulsory education, co-education, and school lunch system,

were then adopted for the first time.

At that time, all the adults worked hard

to preserve schools for the

children who would sustain the future.

Tonight’s episode is the story of

a teacher who, during the war,

taught his students to die for their country.

Together, teachers and students searched for answers

while being tossed around in that giant wave of the era called war.

This is their story.

When your grandfather and grandmother were children,

what were their teachers fighting against?

What words had they engraved on the blackboard?

Alright, close your textbooks.

Attention!

There’s something I have to tell you all today.

I finally received my draft notice.

Congratulations on your departure to the front!

Congratulations!

I will report to a regiment in Nagoya next week.

Which means this is my last class.

In one more month, you will be graduating.

I won't be able to see you off, but

go out into the world honorably as a man

with the spirit of a real Japanese male.

Do you understand?

Hey, don't cry, Hiroaki, Yoshio!

I'm going to war for my country.

Ever since the arrival of Black Ships,

the West has been forcing humiliating diplomacy on Japan.

America and England are historically our country's biggest foes.

Of course, unwilling to be outdone, Japan too has been building up its national strength.

We defeated the world power Russia in the Russo-Japanese War.

However, England and America, who considered Japan with military power to be a threat,

cowardly formed an alliance

and tried to isolate our country.

This war is to counteract that.

Was there no other way to

counteract without going to war?

Hey, you're going to be called unpatriotic.

But... I hear the war situation is getting progressively worse.

Takefumi, stop it. The military police will arrest you.

But all we hear about anymore is people killed in action!

I...

I don't want Sensei to die!

Stand up, Takefumi.

Do you consider yourself a Japanese male?

Clench your teeth!

Thank you.

I will gladly give up my life.

Certainly, war entails sacrifices.

However, this is a holy war.

By a "holy war", I mean an honorable, righteous fight.

Left with no alternative, Japan

drew the sword of justice for the future.

It's our right as humans to stand as equals

with the West.

We can only fight British-American contempt with our own power.

Or else, we will be swallowed up by the cowardly British-American states.

We will end up being treated like the slaves

who were brought to America from Africa

and are still suffering discrimination to this day.

Japan will do whatever it takes to win this holy war!

Without victory, Japan will have no future.

To protect your future,

I am offering my life to our country.

As a parting gift,

each of you, please tell me your dream.

How do you guys wish to support

the future of Japan that's sure to come?

- Yes, Sensei! - Susumu.

I shall give up my dream to be a baseball player

and go on foreign soil to fight the fiendish British and Americans on the frontline!

Alright. That's an admirable thought.

Sensei! I shall

join the Navy and become an admiral!

You can do it, Hajime.

I-I wanted to

carry on the family sweets shop, but

I shall go to the battlefield to fight the enemy in order to

protect Grandpa, Grandma, Pa, Ma, and my sisters.

I...

have bad legs, so I may not pass the physical to be a soldier, but

I shall defend the home front by making weapons at the factory!

As the son of an electrician,

I shall be a military radio operator and crack the enemy's code!

I, too, shall knock down the despicable British and American fiends!

- I, too, shall kill many enemies! - I shall offer my life!

Here, here, here! I shall

be like Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku*!

Hey, can you even do that?

I-I can! I can do it!

See, like this!

For victory, I vowed,

and gallantly left the country.

Without exploits, I cannot die.

Every time I hear the Army bugle

a wave of flags appears in my mind

Long live the Empire of Japan!

Sensei!

- Long live the Empire of Japan! - Long live!

- Long live! - Long live!

Under strict joint military operations,

today, in the early dawn of the 20th day,

with dauntless courage, our Army and Navy

have inflicted severe damage on the enemy ship lines and planes.

The war situation is in an extremely favorable condition.

However, our personnel loss is...

Ah...

Excuse me.

Please. There will be a lot of curves ahead.

- It will be dangerous for you. - Thank you, but I am fine.

Fake stoicism is no longer a virtue.

Where are you coming back from?

I'm coming back from Burma.

I was in Mindanao in the Philippines.

100th Division, 168th Independent Infantry Battalion.

We went through hell, didn't we?

Well, we're lucky just to come home alive.

The war is over now.

It's over.

It's over.

- Give me chocolate! - Give me chocolate!

What on earth...

Get outta my way.

What on earth?!

- A bowl for me too. - 10 yen.

- What?! - 10 yen.

You're telling me a bowl of dumpling soup costs 10 yen?!

If you don't like it, don't eat!

Move. Go on, move.

Please hold on to me.

No, I'm fine.

You must be a discharged soldier. The food shortage is worse now than during the war.

Almost everything costs ten, twenty times more.

twenty times?!

You can get it for 5 yen over there.

Here's a tip for your trouble.

Hey, give that back!

No, that's fine!

- But... - Watch it! Move!

What on earth...

What on earth happened?!

Dad...?

Dad?

Takashi!

- Shohei-san? - Ane-san. (Sister-in-law)

How wonderful... How wonderful it is for you to return safely.

Nii-san (Brother)...

You've really come home!

You're not a ghost, are you?

Nii-san, your arm...

Welcome home.

Thank you for your hard work.

Mother...

I have returned.

...Greet your father and brother first.

Nii-san...

When did Nii-san die?

In January of 1945.

In Luzon...

While we're on the subject, my husband died in April 1945.

In Okinawa.

I lost my home in the air raid, so I ended up back here again.

I see...

I'm ashamed to be the only one

to come home alive.

Stop it.

Shohei-san, too, sustained an honorable injury.

That's right. Where did you lose your arm?

I got it blown off on the battlefield in Mindanao.

With only one arm, I couldn't even properly kill myself.

I had no choice but to be taken prisoner.

There's nothing to be ashamed of, Nii-san.

It's a good thing you didn't do anything rash.

You've got to be alive to do anything.

Mother must be really happy too.

Right?

Are you angry with me?

Because...

I came home alive.

You fool!

What parent would be angry to see a son come home alive!

Mother...

Uwa~! It's osekihan*. Looks delicious!

- May I eat? - Here, sit down and eat.

Itadakimasu.

Amazing. Did you prepare all this after you got the telegram?

Mothers are definitely amazing. Why don't you just be honest and be happy?

Mother is deferring to Shizuko-san and I,

who lost our husbands.

Please eat, Shohei-san.

Itadakimasu.