Again (アゲイン 28年目の甲子園)

Play ball!

Based on a Novel by Kiyoshi Shigematsu

Written & Directed by Sumio Omori

Hey, Dad...

What does 'One Ball, One Ghost' mean?

It says 'One Ball, One Spirit'!

Your handwriting's terrible!

While I remembered thatphrase..

I had no idea my dad had everplayed baseball.

Dad...

here I am at Koshien Stadium, where you so much wanted to be.

AGAIN

With a man?

An older university student.

Sanami hardly ever comes home. She's always at his apartment.

You mean they're living together?

This is the address.

She's in university, so to some extent she's free to do what she wants...

What do you want me to do about it?

I don't know.

I just thought it was something you should know, too.

She wouldn't see me as her father now.

I've been out of her life since primary school.

So you don't consider her your daughter any more?

What do you mean?

Perhaps this isn't for me to say...

but...

it's like she didn't have a father.

You're right about one thing: that isn't foryou to say.

What do you mean?

Believe me, I've worried about her.

She may have wanted to see you...

and said nothing, out of consideration for me.

Sanami can be like that.

Then pay more attention!

'Sanami'!

Does he mean Big Sister?

Yep, that's right.

Yes?

Mr. Sakamachi?

Yes. Can I help you?

Haruhiko Sakamachi?

Are you a friend of Sanami's?

Who would that be?

Who would you be?

Tozawa, from Kobe University.

A student?

Yes. I'm from the Masters Koshien office.

You played high school baseball at Kawagoe Academy?

Yes, I did.

Um...

would you be interested in trying for Koshien again?

I'm sorry?

The Masters Koshien...

was begun by a professor at our university.

I took a course with him, and volunteered to help.

I'd really like Kawagoe to field a team.

Go ask the school, then.

You're not interested?

No.

It starts with regionals...

I'm fine, thanks.

Let me tell you...

Sorry.

I've got a pot on the stove.

There's no one home? You were just out, right?

Wait!

What?

I'm sorry.

You're in university now. Don't be so familiar.

I wasn't trying to.

Anyway, there's nothing to discuss.

Just a minute!

Just look at these, please. They're NewYear's cards.

From Norio Matsukawa.

I'm his daughter.

He's dead. In the tsunami last year.

What did he do?

He was a fisherman. He was in the Volunteer Fire Department.

They were evacuating people, and the truck couldn't get away.

The house was fine.

My parents divorced when I was 10.

I never lived with him after that.

He was living alone.

When I was small, I remember him writing those New Year's cards.

But he never mailed them.

One Ball, One Spirit

Cards for 27 years.

From when he dropped out of Kawagoe Academy until last year.

Who are they to?

People from our year on our baseball team.

I knew it!

But why didn't he mail them?

People had new addresses?

But he knew yours.

For some time I didn't live here. This was my parents' house.

I moved back after my mom died and my dad got sick.

So you live with him now?

He died a long time ago. Now it's just me.

Is 'Sanami' your daughter?

She's not with you now?

I'm divorced, too.

You, too?!

Don't look so happy.

I'm not.

Anyway...

We were talking about why my father knew your address.

Nori was here a lot before he quit school.

He boarded at the school.

We'd all invite players from out of town over for dinner.

That's probably why he knew this address.

Then it's natural he'd send a New Year's card.

But why keep on writing them year after year?

I wouldn't know.

Do you know why my father quit high school?

All right. Thanks.

Where are you going?

Like you said, to the school.

Sorry to bother you.

Just a minute...

I'll come and introduce you.

Third!

Hello.

Last one!

Sprints.

Hi.

Busy?

No.

Hello.

This is the woman from the Masters Koshien.

I'm Oide.

Mie Tozawa.

He's a coach now. And he runs the alumni group.

I'm the guy who takes all the phone calls.

Mr. Sakamachi told me about this.

Great idea.

Let's do it.

Really?!

Wait a minute!

I was already interested in Masters Koshien.

You didn't say that on the phone.

You said you were coming.

Just hear her out, that's all.

Wait!

Why are you trying to stop him?

I'm just making sure if he's really serious.

You're not playing?

Not me! Are you crazy?

Mr. Sakamachi!

Do you knowwho won in this region last year?

No.

Tokorozawa!

They have a team?

Yes! How does that make you feel?

They had a class reunion at the stadium in Osaka!

They were your biggest rivals!

You're supposed to be neutral.

That's just between us.

Oide, how do you know all this?

From the Masters website.

Thank you! We do that site.

Yeah?

I've never set foot on the soil of Koshien.

I've always wanted to.

You must feel that even more.

Forget that now.

My father was on his team.

Yeah?

Let's talk about that later.

Why?

OK.

I can't be part of it, but you go ahead.

Huh?

OK, we'll get the captains from the different years...

to contact their players.

How's that?

Will you do that much?

I can't be part of it, I said.

But you were the captain.

You were?

Hey!

Sakamachi?

Hello! How have you been?

I'll get back.

Sorry to interrupt.

Thank you!

No problem.

Sorry.

Coach?

Where's the meeting?

In the classroom. After everyone gets changed

Faster!

Captain! What's going on?

I don't knowyet. The coach is over at the school.

Maybe the alumni are giving us a barbecue before the final!

We're going to kill Tokorozawa tomorrow!

Damn right! We've waited three years for this.

Right?

Let's stop standing around and swing some bats!

Assemble!