Yell (エール)

In 1937, the Second Sino-Japanese war began.

The Japanese army began invading inland China.

Good morning. - Good morning.

At first it didn't have a big impact on Japanese people's lives, but...

Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!

What are they doing?

Those men are going to fight for their country.

It's a fine thing.

You're not going?

I don't know yet. How long is the war going to last?

Let's go.

Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!

Hana-chan, What are you writing?

Finished! - What is it?

Wow! You're good at it!

Look Mom! - That's very good! It's great you can write kanji already!

That's great, that's great, Hana!

Except if you emphasize your stops and sweeps, it'll look even better.

You're looking at trivial details. - Eh?

- Yeah. I'm not being that detailed. I just said--

Hana, would you like some watermelon? - I would!

OK, wash your hands please.

I'm happy for you. - Yay! Yes.

Huh?

What is it? "The Bivouac Song"

The lyrics were chosen by a public contest. It's a song for the men going to war.

It's tough to leave family behind and go to war.

Yes. I think it's hard for the families left behind too.

Mom, I washed my hands. - Shall we cut it up?

Yay!

OK, let's cut it up!

Watermelon! Watermelon! Watermelon!

What about Ushijima-sensei? - He's not available.

Why isn't there anyone around? At a time like this.

Hello, Hatsukaichi-san.

Ah! - Umm...actually... Oh, you'll be good!

I've got something to ask you. - Eh? Yes?

I need a tune written as soon as possible!

I can't get hold of a composer. - Ah. Are the lyrics finished?

Yes. Here.

Look at this. ( - Eh?! How?

I saw it in the paper, and when I read it a melody just came to me.

You're on the ball!

Right now the music industry is all about

Uplifting national prestige. Loyalty and patriotism.

We have to ride the trend!

Huh?

A minor key? Why?

When I thought about soldiers going to war, that's what naturally came to me.

Shouldn't it be more cheerful? - No, umm...

"As the clouds roll in this morning"

Cheerful isn't it? - Right. I think this is good.

Eh? Is that so?

Well we could put it out as a B-side. - Ah!

We don't have much time. - Right! We've got no choice but to go with this.

Thank you! - Now we need to pick the singer.

Kumajiro Torada's available. - No way!

Then there's the research student Hisashi Sato.

He's a great pick!

Oh well, it'll be a B-side anyways.

What captured the people's hearts wasn't the cheerful A-side,

but the sorrow-tinged minor key B-side, "The Bivouac Song".

"Let's boldly exclaim we're going to win!"

"Once we leave our hometown"

"We'll fight and die without caring about credit"

"Every time the marching trumpet toots"

"The flag flies in our mind"

"As the dirt and the plants..."

Soldiers leaving for war started singing "The Bivouac Song".

It was a huge hit.

With this song, Yuichi was caught up in the wave of the times.

Hello Madam, sorry not to keep in touch. This is just a small thing.

Hatsukaichi-san, thanks for coming all this way. Come in. - Thanks.

I'll go and call him, please wait here.

Thanks. - Sure.

Yuichi-san!

Oh? Who's this little lady?

Aren't you cute!

What's your name? How old are you?

Are you shy?

Hello, Hatsukaichi-san. - Oh hey, it's the Sensei!

What's going on? - Please Sensei, take a seat, take a seat.

The truth is, Sensei... - Ah.

"The Bivouac Song" has sold over 500,000 copies!

Five... - Five hundred thousand?

Eh? It sold that many? - And counting.

It's an unprecedented hit!

I always believed you'd do it sooner or later though, Koyama-sensei.

"Sensei"? - And Hisashi Sato was the right choice too!

He'll be joining the ranks of the popular singers.

Thank you.

Have you had the phone installed?

Ah yes, the telephone man installed it at noon.

That's great. I arranged to get you the phone.

Thank you so much.