A3!

My heart won't stop pounding.

Ever since that day, this is where I've wanted to be.

Up on stage--

a sacred space for actors and performers--

I'll have to swallow my nerves.

Dismiss fear and anxiety.

As the curtain rises,

I feel a tiny bud inside me opening up!

I want to laugh out loud!

I want to shout till I'm totally hoarse!

And I want my performance to be honest and truthful!

This is it. This is where I belong.

Yes, the show must go on.

And that bud inside me... can finally bloom!

"Thou seest.

We are not all alone unhappy.

This wide and universal theater presents more woeful pageants."

Oh, check this guy.

...than the... Than the scene wherein we play in.

"The scene wherein we play in"? Is that right?

Crap, where was I? Oh, yeah, "All the world's a stage."

All the world is a stage and the men and women are players.

They have their... What do they have?

Oh, right! "They have their exits and entrances,

and one man in his time plays many parts!"

It was pretty good last time.

Yeah, I thought so, too.

Tickets available for tonight!

Just tell me the truth!

I do have a terminal illness, don't I?

Cool, I love street acts!

That's not true!

Please don't lie to me.

I saw.

I saw you talking to the doctor before.

Tasuku...

I don't wanna die in the dark!

It's my life! Tell me so I know what I'm facing!

We'll attract attention here. Let's go inside.

Yeah.

Thanks so much for watching!

-- --

God Troupe's always worth watching!

Their acting really pulls you in!

Excuse me, is God Troupe accepting

any new members?

Actually, yeah, we should be soon.

Any experience?

No, unfortunately, I don't have much.

Oh, hey, do you guys have dorms there?

Uh... No, I wish we did, but we don't yet.

Oh, gotcha.

Um.

If you're looking for a dorm, I think I can help!

See, my troupe--

Oh, no! Bye! I gotta go! Sorry!

But please check out Mankai Company!

The heck was that about? Mankai Company?

I think this is the place.

The building looks like it has some history.

Uh, love that.

Dad...

Excuse me. You've got business at this theater?

Oh, are you the one who sent the letter--

Well?!

Dad, what's going on?

You don't owe this guy money or something, do you?

Wait, it's you.

Nope, not me!

I definitely didn't receive a letter or anything like that!

I'm just Passerby A!

Then I suggest you keep walking, miss.

Unless you happen to like danger.

Huh? Danger?

Oh, yeah! Check me out!

Look at my backhoe! Go, baby, go!

Nothin's gonna stop ya!

Hey, Boss! Can I bust it up now?

Yes, do it, Sakoda.

No, I'm begging you, please!

But just take the sign down.

I'm planning on turning the building into a bar.

Don't pretend you can't hear me!

Uh. Wait, what are you doing?

Ma'am, I warned you it would be dangerous here.

Please, Furuichi! You don't have to do this!

Look, I told you I'd repurpose the place

if you couldn't pay the debt off, remember that?

It's time.

But we're about to start a show!

If we make money, I can at least pay off some interest!

Sakoda, you can stand down.

You're the boss, Boss!

Matsukawa.

Uh. Yeah? Yes sir?

Any presale?

Not a one, sir!

Any tickets sold yet?

--None, sir! --And when's showtime?

In three minutes, sir!

Sakoda, it's all yours.

No, please, wait, it's our newest member's debut show!

That's just tragic! We got no place else to go!

Don't you get it?

Every actor remembers their debut!

I mean, how sad would it be to tear down the theater

right before he's supposed to go on?

You have zero audience. You call that a show?

But I'm here! Um...

I'm watching the show!

Hope you don't regret this.

You won't get these hours back.

-- Uh. --

Hey! My name's Romeo Kadota!

It's my first year in high school!

I have a huge crush on this beautiful girl in my class!

Oh, no! I'm gonna be late to school!

Guess I better get going, now!

I'm guessing he's the new member.

But where are the other--

Hey, wait up, Romeo.

How 'bout you take me with ya?

Wait, there's a parrot?

Let's go, I want to see the girl of my dreams!

A little fall like that is nothing

compared to the happiness I feel in this moment!

Although, I would definitely be a lot happier

if she decided to like me back!

Nothing discourages this guy.

Looks like he's elated just to be up there on the stage.

Oh! How wonderful!

I'm going to the ballgame at the castle, after all!

To the ball!

Huh?!

My first play was fun, too.

I was so immersed... it was over before I knew it.

It seems like forever ago, but I was so happy.

Thank you for being here today!

Finally.

Uh?

Demolition time.

Seriously?!

Only a monster could say that after seeing how hard he worked!

How hard he worked?

Absolutely! He just got up there and acted his butt off!

You think this is a school play?

Where kids get to show off that they can memorize lines?

This is a business.

These are professionals being paid to entertain.

You're not wrong. That's fair.

Someday, if he keeps trying--

In this world, it takes more than hard work to succeed!

It's not going to matter how much you

practice. The fact is, you have no acting talent.

This troupe is being shut down.

End of discussion.

Wait, please!

So, we really won't have this place anymore?

That's correct.

Well, that just sucks, I only joined yesterday!

Which you prob'ly guessed from watching.

I'm still not any good at acting yet, but I love theatre,

please don't tear this down!

Aw, that's so sad.

That's it?

Huh?

No way. The show must go on.

Please, wait!

I'm begging you from the bottom of my heart!

I really need this place!

I've already decided.

I won't let you!

Manager.

I'm sorry, sir,

but I'm determined to protect this space at all costs!

Matsukawa, I have given you more than enough chances.

But--

There's no more room for negotiation.

But there's still a chance things'll turn around.

In your dreams.

Where is Yukio?

I wish he'd come back and make it like the old days.

By Yukio...

Do you mean my dad? Sorry, I mean, Yukio Tachibana?

Hold on. Are you actually Yukio's daughter?

Hey, that's the letter I sent!

But where's Yukio?

Well, to be blunt, I haven't seen him for eight years,

nor have I even heard from him once during that time.

Oh. I'm sorry to hear that.

You continue to reach and you've still got nothing.

You know, there's no need to be so rude about it!

I mean, who knows, there might be another way to fix this!

The fact that you just said that tells me

that you know nothing about this theater.

Believe it or not, this space is used exclusively for one troupe.