The Miracles of the Namiya General Store (ナミヤ雑貨店の奇蹟)

Wanna play?

- Let's play baseball. - I'll get a ball.

Summer, 1969 - Bring your bat. - OK. Where?

The usual.

A bargain sale!

Cool!

- Lots of bananas! - By the kilo!

- I want some. - At a discount.

Come on!

"What do you call cold hotcakes?"

"From Pun Boy"

"If they're stolen, they're still hot cakes. Mr. Namiya"

Come again.

Hi!

- Hello, how are you doing? - Good.

Let's go!

"Namiya General Store"

"I get sick on buses, can I become an astronaut?"

Apollo 11 lifted off with 3 astronauts

on July 16 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

It was launched by the Saturn V.

On July 21 at 5:17, 40 seconds, Japan Standard Time

the lunar landing took place.

It was televised live from the lunar surface

to over 60 million anxious viewers.

"Astro..."

"Astronauts..."

"Sailors..."

- Bye, Mr. Namiya! - Bye, kids.

THE MIRACLES OF THE NAMIYA GENERAL STORE

"Even astronauts and sailors get sick at first. Don't give up!"

Hurry!

2012

Oh, come on!

Battery's dead.

Piece of crap!

- We'll walk. - What if the cops stop us?

I found a vacant house when I checked out the area...

For real?

Is it far, Shota?

I'm tired.

It's too far!

We're here.

What a mess...

What's this box for?

Milk. Never seen one?

A milk box...

Hold this.

It's open.

Give me that.

It's messy.

Unbelievable!

Look at this cash! That's what it means to be loaded.

- Gimme! - There.

And for you.

Do you think she'll be OK?

Who cares? She wanted the orphanage to become a love hotel.

I guess so.

We can hide among the commuters in the morning.

- There's no food! - It'd be old anyway.

What a dump!

Namiya general store has everything!

We could sell it off.

What's this?

What?

What's it say?

"Akiko, March, 1927"

She's hot!

Show me.

That's creepy.

- But... - It is.

What's that, Kohei?

I looked over and saw it drop.

No one was there.

"Dear Mr. Namiya"

Here! Namiya General Store.

"General Wisdom"

"Yuji Namiya" "At a general store in Tokigoe city"

"people post personal questions through the shutter at night."

"Mr. Namiya puts his advice in the milk box the next morning."

The milk box...

He's still doing it?

Impossible. The magazine's from 1973.

Right.

"To my mentor, John Lennon died yesterday..."

Wait.

"John Lennon, died December 8, 1980"

So this letter was written 32 years ago?

It must be a prank.

Someone wants to spook us coz we broke in.

What kind of prank is that?

Forget that. Someone must have come.

The police?

We might get caught. We better go!

Come on!

"From Fishmonger/Musician"

Stop!

We passed here before...!

What?

Did you see that?

What's going on? We're back where we started...

What's going on?

You're the one who brought us to this dump!

Lay off!

I'll reply to Fishmonger/Musician.

To a letter from 1980?

I'm never in the position of giving advice.

Give me a break...

I found it.

Have you ever written a letter?

No. I have no idea!

Just copy the musician guy.

Right.

Show me.

What's "mentor" mean...?

Write it your way.

Yeah.

"Dear..."

"Fishmonger/Musician."

1980

Hi, Katsuro. Sorry about your grandma. I'll pay my respects later.

I thought you wouldn't show up.

Mom and Dad are already there. You have a suit?

I borrowed one.

See you there.

You came.

Of course he did!

Dad collapsed the other day.

Hi, Katsuro. Let me pour you a drink.

How old are you now?

I'm 22.

So you're graduating?

I dropped out.

Sorry?

I quit university.

Why would you want to do that?

He's a musician in Tokyo.

A musician! Can you make a living?

Not yet...

Big bro, you spoiled him! Who'll take over your fish shop?

Mind your own business.

Come on! I'm worried about your health.

Come back and help your dad.

Be quiet!

It's mom's funeral. Show some respect!

Dad!

What am I saying that's so bad?

I'm worried about your husband's health.

Sorry, everyone...

It's here!

"How can I score 100 points on every test? 100-point Kid"

"Get your teacher to ask you about yourself."

"Any answer you give will be correct."

"You'll score 100. From Mr. Namiya"

That's bogus advice!

You're a wise man, Mr. Namiya.

You can pay me by buying a notebook!

It's bogus!

"Dear Alley Kid. My advice is in the milk box."

You won't buy one?

Katsuro, the bath is ready!

Hey, bro.

Bath.

Is Namiya General Store still open?

It closed. No one's there.

What happened to the old man?

He closed the shop and went to live with his son's family.

Remember the advice he used to give?

The more personal advice went in the milk box.

Did other kids look in the box?

No.

Not even the bad kids. We had an agreement.

Dear, Mr. Namiya.

To my mentor, John Lennon died yesterday.

I don't know what you think of the Beatles but

I was one of the impressionable fans who got a guitar.

3 years ago I quit school to take up music.

I've come to a crossroad.

"Dear..."

"Fishmonger/Musician"

Then what?

Go for it!

That's stupid.

This dreamer needs a reality check for his own sake.

You write it, Shota.

OK.

Are you satisfied?

Dear Fishmonger/Musician.

I read your letter where you sought advice.

With your family trade to fall back on, it's a luxurious problem.

Not many people can make a living from music.

What can I get you?

4 dried fish.

Right away!

My family's fish shop barely makes money.

So investing in myself seems sensible.

God, he's clueless.

I know nothing about your music but I sure know that you have no talent.

You worked on your music for 3 years and got nowhere.

I'm not doing this as a hobby.