The Summit of the Gods (Le Sommet des dieux)

NETFLIX PRESENTS

BASED ON THE MANGA BY JIRO TANIGUCHI AND BAKU YUMEMAKURA

Walking.

Climbing.

More climbing.

Always higher.

And for what?

My name is Fukamachi Makoto.

I take photos for magazines.

That year, I was following a Japanese team up the southwest face of Everest.

This is base camp. Do you read me?

This is Tanaka. I read you.

A major front is approaching. You'd best turn back.

We're almost there, we can't turn back now.

You're behind schedule. The storm will arrive before you.

We'll take our chances.

It's too risky. You're too far behind schedule.

Do you hear me? Tanaka?

No summit this time. A waste of time.

- What? - They didn't pass 8,000 meters.

Even with oxygen?

They were ill-prepared. That's not how the southwest face is done.

- Where did they get to? - Just past camp five.

Tanaka and Goto did well, but couldn't stay on schedule.

Conditions on the ridge weren't great. They had to turn back.

Got enough for a double-page spread?

- This is the last time I'm doing this. - Oh, stop whining.

You're outdoors, seeing the world.

I'm wasting my time. My photos are worthless.

- See you in the newsroom on Monday. - Yeah, yeah. Bye.

Fukamachi, your beer's getting warm.

- Yeah. - You're a round behind.

Okay, coming.

Hey.

Hello.

Journalist?

Yeah.

Looking for a scoop for your magazine? Would Mallory's camera interest you?

Look.

- Huh? - Mallory's camera, I said. Look.

Authentic. It came from up there. You know the story?

That's a scoop, right?

- I'll give you a good price. - What are you talking about?

10,000 rupees, 200 dollars. A bargain!

Forget it!

Poor bastard.

Don't know what you're missing.

Uh, hello...

You've reached Nepal Airlines. All our lines are busy.

Please call back later.

I know you can't strike gold every day.

That's how it is.

But I was starting to wonder what I was doing there.

- I'd never do that. - What did you do with it?

No need to get angry.

I'll explain!

Stop! Stop!

- Hey. - Give it back.

Okay, wait. Wait!

Here.

Hey, wait!

Habu.

Come on!

The summit of Everest was reached in 1953.

But that wasn't the first attempt.

In 1924,

on June 8, at 12:50,

Englishman George Mallory and his climbing partner were last seen

on the north ridge, near the summit.

They never returned. Nobody knows if they succeeded.

But we know they had a camera to take home proof if victorious.

A Vest Pocket Autographic.

If someone were to find the camera and develop the film,

they'd have the answer to the question that's been asked for years.

Was Mallory the first person to conquer Everest?

But...

there was only one problem.

YU PUBLISHING

I searched the neighborhood, asked shopkeepers. Nothing.

The guy's a ghost.

But I'm sure it was him.

Habu Joji? The Habu Joji?

Is there another?

The guy disappeared years go. He suddenly resurfaces with Mallory's camera?

Right under your nose?

He was a good climber.

He may well have found the body near the summit and taken the camera.

People have looked for Mallory for 70 years.

If he'd been found, we'd know.

- You aren't even sure it's Habu. - What about this?

He's not the only one to lose fingers. That proves nothing about the camera.

The Vest Pocket is common.

You know that.

No. So why would Habu have been fighting with that guy?

Why didn't you ask him?

I looked everywhere, but you know Kathmandu.

Well, in the meantime,

I'll take this one for the cover.

This one isn't bad, but it needs to be cropped.

If Mallory reached the summit,

it'd change the history of mountaineering. The first man on Everest.

We can't let this go.

I have to find Habu.

People here knew him, they could help.

Listen, the camera's buried in the snow with Mallory.

No one cares about Habu.

So drop it.

If I get them, can I get the exclusive on Mallory's photos?

And a cut of the copyright royalties.

Okay, sure.

It was going to be tough to find Habu.

He no longer had an address, family, or friends in Japan.

- Hello? - Hello?

My name is Fukamachi Makoto. I'm a journalist.

I wanted to talk to you about Habu Joji.

- Who? - Habu Joji.

During the '60s, he had a certain notoriety.

Because of his speed and unique style, he was considered a prodigy.

He'd accomplished some firsts, winter ascents, speed records.

In mountaineering circles, his career looked promising.

People even said he was one of the best of his generation.

Then one day, he disappeared. Just like that.

Vanished. What happened to him?

- Grab this bag. - Cool, I've got it. Thanks.

Anyone got the bag with carabiners?

- Under the seat. - Who folded this rope?

- Shall I carry your bag? - Anything else?

It's okay.

Go on, come with me. It's only a week. There are great routes to do.

I can't, Habu. We just got back.

It's a new job, it's important. I can't just take off.

I can talk to your boss. Tell him you're more productive after climbing.

As if.

- Fancy bowling on Saturday? - Yeah.

- Good idea. - I'll thrash you.

Guys, bowling on Saturday. You coming?

Sure. I'm the strike king.

We're going running on Saturday. You haven't forgotten?

No, of course not.

Sorry, we can't Saturday.

It's been planned for ages.

- Good news, gentlemen. - Toshiro's been fired?

- We're getting a new truck? - Even better. We're going to Nepal.

I found a sponsor for the Annapurna expedition.

But they only cover half the cost. You'll have to cover the rest.

- Yes. - Okay.

I'm aware that not everyone can afford to go.

But if we're successful,

the next expedition will be better financed.

As for visas, don't forget to apply before next month.

We have a lot of equipment to buy. I'd like us to discuss it together.

- Toshiro, take care of the accounts. - Yes, no problem.

I'll hand out the forms for the climbing permits.

Things take time, so don't hang about...

They aren't skilled enough to go.

They don't train enough. They're always partying.

They don't even climb 50 days a year.

We should be going. We're better than them!

Just because they can afford to pay.

Do you think that's right?

Throw that thing away!

That's why you struggle to breathe at high altitude.

Money, sponsors... Hmph!

If we were famous, we'd have sponsors.

We'll make a name for ourselves. Do something no one's ever done.

- Are you game? - Yeah. What do you have in mind?

Demon Wall.

In winter? You're crazy. It's impossible. No one does that.

Exactly.

You're still here? You're the last one.

The first winter ascent up Demon Wall. Not bad for the time.

Yeah. Have you made any progress? Do you have any leads?

I called the embassy.

Habu arrived in Nepal eight years ago, but his visa's expired.

He's in hiding. That's why he ran when I recognized him.

- What's that got to do with the camera? - I'll find it, I'll find it.

Okay.

Have fun.

The other club members who went to Annapurna had failed.

Everyone returned safely, but no one reached the summit.

I'm raising my glass to Inoue and Habu.

- Yes, thank you. Cheers. - Bravo.

Habu got his revenge.

Well done, boys.

Lucky you're here to redeem the club's image.

Others should take note.

- We were being careful. Safety first. - Yeah, just being professional.

Still, the Demon Wall, that's incredible, and with that weather!

Hey, they got lucky is all.

It wasn't luck.

It wasn't luck. We set up the bivouac and waited for the right moment.

You need a nice day. The sun melts the snow and clears the route.

An overnight freeze to set the snow that's left

so that it doesn't fall on you. Then you go.

Only it started snowing during the day. We took a hammering.

The powder snowfalls were a real pain.

- We had to be quick. - We didn't hang around!

The hardest part was the icefall and the overhang.

You should've seen it, a real barricade!

But I found a way through.