War and Youth (戦争と青春)

~ SENSOU TO SEISHUN ~

Uncle!

Hi!

Hi, Yukari!

Is that for Sunday lunch?

Bingo! How's Aunty?

You know... the same.

It's coming!

Sure is. I'll go see.

Our portable shrine parade is famous for being wild.

It thrills me to see it coming.

I'm Yukari Hanabusa a high school student.

This is my "neighbourhood" in the vast city of Tokyo.

It's a small district, but in my opinion the people here are really nice.

Step aside! Out of the way!

Damn thing in the way! Remove it!

The title will be "War Experience".

Ask your parents and neighbours about it.

Make it at least ten pages.

Wow! "War"?

Why write about war now?

Ten pages is too much.

During our vacation as well!

Quiet, girls!

Summer vacation in your grade is very important.

Are you going to learn something... or simply loaf around?

What will you do?

I know you think it's old news...

It's been nearly 50 years since the war ended.

But I want you to remember that today's prosperity, the good things you enjoy...

was created inspite of suffering the greatest form of hardship: war.

This district was completely leveled by American B29s.

Understand?

Get the facts from your parents and grandparents.

Remember... to learn about experiences as they were felt by others...

and write how you feel about them now, in your way...

I mean, you should try to understand for youself.

How you feel about it... personally.

You can do it.

Try your best. If you need help, I'll make myself available.

Rise!

Bow!

Wait up!

"War Experiences"? What awful homework.

I'll get sick.

My folks don't know the least thing about the war.

My grandpa just brags about it...

and then blames me for not knowing anything about it.

Not only you. - You're not the only one!

I'll ask my aunt in the park.

"That" aunt?

Sure. Let's go.

"Fly... fly... fly here fireflies..."

Hi, Aunty!

Want to eat candy? Like some?

Why, is that for me?

Aunty, do you remember about the war?

Yes, I do.

They say this district was destroyed by a US air raid?

"Fly... fly... fly fireflies..."

She'll never get anywhere.

No kidding. Let's shove off.

We're going! See you later.

Sorry. I'll call you. Bye bye.

Uncle! Good afternoon.

Hi, Yukari! You're here? You look well, huh?

So do you, Uncle.

I have to push myself to keep up and look well.

It seems like Aunty's getting even worse.

Yeah. I try to come and see her often.

She seems a bit dazed. She's always looking over there...

like that old pole is somehow important to her.

They want to get rid of it just because it's in the way.

There a bunch of bloody fools!

Will they take it down?

They'll try. They'll try... but we can't let them.

That pole stands witness to the hell experienced here.

And if they take it away...

Sakiko will lose her will to live.

It's the one thing she lives for.

Did you come to see me?

I sure did. It's time to go home.

Ok Yuka-chan... I'll take her home. Give my best to your dad. - Sure.

Hi there... I got a watermelon for you. - Oh... lucky me!

That half-burned pole in the park...

are they really going to take it down?

Half-burned pole?

Oh, that one...

The one Aunty's always staring at.

What... you object too, don't you?

Can't be helped. It's progress.

That reminds me...

I have to talk to you about my homework later.

What homework?

I have to... - We'll talk while we eat the watermelon.

What? Aunty's war experiences?

Yah... I have to write an essay.

About war?

That's the assignment. My teacher said...

"Write how you feel about it, in your own way."

This whole district... was bombed out during the war, no? You must remember what it was like.

It was a long time ago.

Sakiko's in no condition to talk about such things.

You should realize that?

Forget about the air raids.

But that's why I'm asking you.

"Aunty's youth. The half-burned pole..." It sounds really interesting!

I said forget it!

It's not a subject anyone wants to blab about.

Then... who can I ask?

You want me to ask that burnt out pole?

Yah, do that if you like.

You said you don't care if they cut it down.

Some contradiction!

That thing's no use anyway.

People ridicule it. Better it's gone!

That's how I feel.

He's tired.

He was even too busy to eat lunch.

What's more, those who suffered in the war...

often find it very hard to talk about.

Then, will you tell me Mom? Pretty please!

I can't. I was too small then.

Still... I remember the food shortages after. I could tell you how terrible that was.

That's just it. It's worth knowing. That's what we're supposed to write about.

Dad clams up and won't talk. How am I going to find out?

He's acting so strange today.

He has his reasons. He's only human.

The vacation started.

I belong to the folk-dance club... We meet to keep folk-dance alive.

We're dancing in the autumn school festival. We have to practice hard.

Chin up!

Chin up!

This is the last part. Concentrate. Try hard!

Don't throw your horse! Horses throw people!

Turning into a real clutz!

Okay... take a break!

"Clutz"? - It fits you.

You're mean!

How about your essays?

I'm getting nowhere.

Try hard. I expect good results.

Miss Yukari Hanabusa!

That would be me.

We just got a message... Phone your mother at Central Hospital.

Thank you.

Hospital?

How's Aunty doing?

I'm not sure. She's still unconscious.

She'll be all right, won't she? She'll get better.

She hit her head. But we're hoping she'll pull through.

Dad!

Sakiko!

Are you awake?

Sis! - Aunty.

Did she try to say something?

Dad... what happened to her? Where?

By the park. Come out for a minute.

The park where she always stays?

Yes. At the corner near that pole.

It didn't happen because she was in a daze.

Somebody who saw it... said a little kid ran into the street.

She ran out to stop him and was hit by a car.

Like that?!

The kid's okay. He wasn't even scratched. But...

when it happened... she yelled, "Keiko, watch out!" and ran out.

"Keiko"? Did she know the kid?

Aunty lost her child... her daughter disappeared in the fires after the air raid.

Her name was Keiko, meaning "fireflies".

Then...

To Aunty, the kid must have appeared to be Keiko.

I see.

That's why she sits on the bench by the pole...

She's waiting... for Keiko to return.

Yukari.... in Aunty's mind, the war's still going on.

She's not the only one. There are lots like her.

You too?

You can't even imagine now, what happened back then.

It was a very black time.

Early summer 1943

Dad... I'm going.

Where's Sakiko?

Combing her hair.

Yuta! Here... your lunch!

Thanks, Sis!

I've made everything ready for you. Just heat the soup... I'm off.

NOW'S THE TIME TO BEAT THE USA AND ENGLAND

We make no concessions to America and England.

We fight till we win! You have to do the same in 'sumo'.

Never give up! Understood? - Yes!

Next!

Next!

Coward! How can you serve your country? Useless fellow!

Hey, you...

Ever hear this...? "Win by losing."

There are other ways to win. Don't give up, okay?

Teacher...

Don't look so sad.

Kind teachers like him are rare these days.

And... did you wash his towel?