Blueprint of Murder (暗黒街の弾痕)

BLUEPRINT FOR MURDER

Screenplay by Shinichi Sekizawa.

STARRING

Tatsuya Mihashi, Makoto Sato, Yuzo Kayama.

Saburo Kawazusei, Mickey Curtis, Mie Hama, Kumi Mizuno.

Directed by Kihachi Okamoto.

A 30% reduction in gasoline consumption

from acceleration and deceleration.

How was the previous test?

We took it to 120kph, and the engine didn't skip a beat.

Komatsu, things seem to finally be coming together.

But other companies aren't going to sit around sucking their thumbs.

They've already heard all about what we're up to.

I'm sick of hearing about acquisitions.

They've been harassing us ever since we turned them down.

Did something happen that I was unaware of?

We'll talk about that later.

The 20 degree climbing efficiency test is in the bag.

Don't let your guard down. Smoke and mirrors won't fool anyone.

CURVES AHEAD

Triangle Peak.

Don't forget that the blindfold is to nurture your sense of intuition.

Not everyday will be as clear as today.

Target Sperm Whale straight ahead. Distance of 80. Hold steady.

Up. A little higher. Right. Right.

A little more to the right.

Fire!

Direct hit!

Mr. Kusaka, a telegram.

A telegram?

Your brother died, come home immediately Komatsu.

Was my big brother responsible for the accident?

The scene of the accident would suggest as much.

Given the circumstances, that's the conclusion the police will arrive at as well I imagine.

Oh, I should introduce you to my baby sister, Kyoko.

This is Jiro, Kusaka's little brother.

I'm Kyoko.

I'm Jiro Kusaka.

Drink up.

There are unfortunately a lot of accidents at that spot.

In fact, truck drivers call it "deadman's curve."

But...

But what?

I don't think it was an accident.

Then... what...

He was a casualty of covert ops.

Covert ops?

Spies.

Mr. Komatsu, I'm not fooling around here.

I'm not joking either. It's industrial espionage.

Industrial espionage?

Spies are for war.

Modern industry is far more brutal than warfare.

New products are the result of massive financial outlays and research.

If companies aren't careful, they can lose everything.

This kind of a small operation is the perfect target.

I need not mention cameras, textiles, steel,

pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and fashion.

No company is safe from

industrial spies.

Mr. Komatsu, was this rust bucket really worth killing my brother over?

The problem is the engine. Air cooled and 19 horse power.

It can run 30km on a liter of gas and it's cheap to produce.

Simply put, it would be

a domestically produced vehicle under Y300,000. It's revolutionary.

Where's the proof of espionage?

There is none. But other companies were after it.

True World, Inc.

Is Sudo here?

Mr. Sudo?

I received a telegram.

True World.

What? Libel?

There is no truth to BG wanting a showdown in the nude?

But I checked it before I put the story out.

Who wrote it?

It is our company's policy not to divulge our sources.

Look, Mister...

He hung up.

He's just like a hungry shark, snapping at anything he sees.

Whatta lark.

About Sudo...

Oh, the CEO... Are you a bill collector?

This isn't a joke.

Oh, he's here. Mr. Sudo is out of the office!

Out? Again?

What are you going to do? You only have a week left.

We're not just a publishing house. We also do printing and paper.

Employees' salaries haven't been paid yet.

If you don't pay in a week,

your creditors will put a lien on True World.

You've been warned.

Good grief, dead in a week.

Where's Sudo?

He's missing in action.

Missing in action?

I imagine he's out gathering news somewhere.

You still want to complain?

Look, that's not what we discussed.

The money in question...

What!?

I don't want to squeal, but Triangle Peak...

You blundering imbecile, what are you talking about?

The... the motorcycle!

What do you want, Sudo?

That's "Mister Sudo..."

you low-rent hood.

If you're sniffing around for a story, look some place else.

What's this?

The Nonaka Syndicate must be pumping this into their veins.

What?!

It produces a sweet juice.

It probably has a street value of at least a hundred grand.

I don't have to listen to this.

Be careful where you point that.

It was in the paper.

The story of a fella who injured himself, or didn't you read it?

Now are you convinced?

Your unilateral judgment doesn't prove a thing.

Unilateral? There's nothing funny going on here. Unless you have some basis for that comment.

Call it the instinct of a whale hunter.

A whale hunter?

"You can always smell a whale before it surfaces.".

This is a police department, not a whaling company.

I'm leaving.

What a hot head.

Mr. Azuma, is something the matter?

A whale's intuition...

So... did you find your whale?

Like the report said, his speedometer was stopped at 65km/hr.

There's no way he could navigate that curve at such a speed...

No matter how you slice it.

Why did you come here?

A whale's intuition.

No, more like a detective's intuition.

We went over the case with a fine-tooth comb.

No witnesses?

Just the driver of the dump truck.

Boshu, tell me about Triangle Peak.

I don't know nuthin'.

You can trust me. I'll see to it that your name doesn't come up.

What did Nonaka put you up to?

I just...

Jiro!

Pretty cold hearted considering you sent me a telegram.

- Hey get us drinks. - A friend?

From university.

I got kicked off the team midway, but I made quite a name for myself.

I batted first, he was stuck at fourth.

And now you're the editor-in-chief, Ken.

Cut with the lame puns.

Where are you sneaking off to?

Give me a break!

Boshu!

I... haven't...

Shut up and get over here!

He has unfinished business here.

Take a number and stand in line.

Shut yer mouth!

Who the hell are you?

Who the hell are you?

Even babies don't cry when the Nonaka Gang's around. You can't win.

This isn't about winning.

A wiseguy, eh?!

Mistress, you better tally the damages to your bar!

Put us both on the same tab.

Doggone it, you ain't seen the last of me!

Pay for the damages!

Broken utensils, Y1,400. Repairs, Y5,000.

Tonight's drinking tab, Y960. Ken's running tab, Y2,880.

His running tab?

I wonder if there's a fire somewhere.

It's game over, buddy boy.

Sir, sir.

You need this, don't you?

- You can keep it. - But...

A photograph is of no use to me.

But this is the real deal...

Maybe if it was the actual design specs, but nobody is going to buy a blurry photo.

What's up with him? I already took his stupid photos.

Tomorrow is the final test.

I am confident about the results.

I have decided to talk to you about the blackmail letter once I finish the test.

If I had talked to Komatsu about it beforehand, he might have decided not to take the test.

You're with Sudo? We have to talk.

Wake up.

Damn.

Mr. Azuma.

I'd like you to come to the station.

Not another ban on publication.

No, it's about Fusakichi Nakae.

Fusakichi Nakae...

Never met him.

He goes by "Boshu." I bet you've heard that name.

Is Boshu in some kind of trouble.

He died last night... hit by a motorcycle.

Estimated time of death: 1:00am. No witnesses and no suspects.

You were with him at "The Peach Tree."

Still, I have no idea who killed him.

I hear you're pretty plugged into a lot of different information sources.