Shitamachi Rocket (下町ロケット)

7 years ago, Tsukuda Kohei,

who developed the engine for the new rocket model Seiren,

quit the Space Science Development Agency to take responsibility for the unsuccessful launch,

and took over as President of Tsukuda Manufacturing which his father left behind.

For the further growth of the company, Tsukuda invested a large amount of money and

concentrated his effort on the R&D department.

However, among the patents that were obtained through that effort were...

Patented goods that don't reap profit are nothing but junk.

Some people in the company were starting to question

Tsukuda's ways of pumping money into

what appeared to be useless developments at first glance.

As if to add insult to injury, they were sued by a major rival company, Nakashima Industries,

for patent infringement against their main product.

Compensation for damages in the amount of 9 billion yen.

What the hell is this?!

Tsukuda Manufacturing, who lost one client after another,

due to harmful rumors caused by Nakashima's dastardly scheme,

was even forsaken by their bank,

and would be driven into bankruptcy in a year.

But his divorced ex-wife Saya introduced him to Kamiya, an attorney said to be

top class in cases related to intellectual property, and

ventured to fight Nakashima in court.

However, being financially strapped,

Tsukuda realized that continuing the trial would be difficult,

and convinces himself to accept Nakashima's settlement proposal to acquire them.

But, just then...

There still may be one thing we can do.

If it goes well, we can thoroughly crush out Nakashima

in a short period of time.

- What is that method? - It's counter claim.

We're going to sue Nakashima too.

In the meantime around that same time, Teikoku Heavy Industries' Zaizen,

who had been pushing forward with the Stardust Project in an effort to

launch the first purely domestic rocket,

overcame the ordeal

and finally perfected the valve system which can be said to be

the keystone of a rocket engine.

However, just when they were about to start constructing the rocket,

an incredible truth came to light.

- Are you positive? - Application for a patent

with the same content as the valve system we developed

was already submitted 2 weeks before us.

What's this company called Tsukuda Manufacturing.

Yes, among the products that were ridiculed as "junk"

and called useless patents by the bank,

there existed that valve system already.

And the people at Tsukuda were not aware of that yet.

Now again, Tsukuda Manufacturing was about to be

swallowed by a tidal wave over another patent.

Do you know their president?

The man by the name of Tsukuda Kohei.

He's the man who was in charge of

developing the engine for Seiren, rocket launch that ended in failure 7 years ago.

- That guy... - Do you know him?

No, at the time I was in charge of an experimental satellite to mount on a rocket.

I never met this man called Tsukuda who was involved in engine development.

I see.

Is that right... The man in charge of developing that, huh?

What shall we do?

Don't tell anyone about this yet.

I'll tell General Manager Mizuhara when the time is right.

If word gets out that

the world-renown Teikoku Heavy Industries was left in the dust by a town factory level small business like that

to perfect the valve that took an all-out effort by our Development Department,

it's not just a matter of being the laughingstock.

The President will lose face.

To self-manufacture all key technologies of a rocket is the President's long-cherished wish.

We'll need to do a little more research on Tsukuda Manufacturing.

This is a short term risk-all decisive battle.

Fighting two lawsuits concurrently means

more expenses piling up, and an increase in financial risk.

And the time limit the company can hold out is shortened.

Are you prepared for that?

Please do it.

Counter claim be damned! Fine, bring it on.

I'll teach them they're premature by a million years

to pick a fight with us on intellectual property lawsuits.

- Isn't that right, Sensei! - Mita-san.

To get right to the point, this isn't good.

Tsukuda is claiming that the structure of your company’s main product, Elmer II,

is extremely similar to the one side maintenance technology they developed and patented,

and filed a lawsuit for patent infringement.

If you should lose the lawsuit,

not only will you have to pay 7 billion yen for damages,

but the sale of Elmer II will be prohibited

and your company will suffer a severe blow.

We're not going to lose.

In fact,

we didn't give a damn about winning or losing to start out with.

We'll just have to take our sweet time with both trials

and wait for Tsukuda to self destruct.

It's the starvation tactic. Starvation tactic!

First Public Trial

The first trial for the counter lawsuit filed by Tsukuda Manufacturing

against Nakashima Industries for patent infringement of Elmer II was held.

There are numerous ambiguous parts in the application details for the subject patent...

- Even now, they're still stalling for time. - Don't worry.

I'm sure Kamiya Sensei will bring down the other attorney like the last time.

- Your Honor! - Here it comes.

The argument made just now has no relevance to the point in dispute.

This kind of argument is thought to be unnecessarily...

Counsel for the Plaintiff.

The Court does not think so.

Counsel for the Defense, please continue.

Who the heck is that judge?

That Judge Tabata

is famous as a supporter of large corporations.

- What?! - In similar trials from the past 3 years,

18 out of 21 cases,

80 percent were in fact were ruled in favor of large corporations.

- How can that be! - Furthermore,

I have more bad news.

Judge Murata who has handing the Stella engine case

is apparently moving to the provincial district due to staff reassignment,

and Judge Tabata will be handling both of our cases.

A judge like that?

Was it really a good idea to file a counter lawsuit?

Making enemies of the bank, refusing to accept Nakashima's settlement proposal.

Is the President really doing the right thing?

All I want to do is work normally for a company where

I won't have to worry about things like bankruptcy and layoffs.

- Is that asking for too much? - No.

If only the company had a little more capital.

Hello. Tsukuda Manufacturing.

Pardon me? Teikoku Heavy Industries...

What does Teikoku Heavy Industries want from us all of a sudden?

Don't know. They said it's an important matter so they'll tell us when they get here.

What the heck is it this time?

- Have we done business with them before? - No.

As far as I know, we've never dealt with them from the time my dad was running the show.

Tea. We only have the usual...

- Chief...Chief! - What?

Don't you have other things to worry about!

If they're filing some kind of a claim, you've got to think of a countermeasure.

- You're right. - Tsun-san.

What department of Teikoku Heavy Industries? Is it small vehicles?

- Or marine vessels? - I think he said

he's from the Space Development Business Division.

Uh...that its Managing Director will be coming.

- Space Development Business Division... - President!

Must be the hydrogen engine.

Do you suppose they want us to let them use our patent?

No, that can't be it.

The paper said their combustion test was a success.

Maybe they're coming to hear your failure story of the rocket launch.

So that they won't fail to make the same failure for their failure.

Don't keep saying "failure." You're bringing back bad memories.

Sorry. But maybe for real, you know.

President! It's about time for their arrival.

- Take the big boxes first. - I'll go greet them.

- I'm coming too. - Hurry!

Stop in front of the gate.

We, at Teikoku Heavy Industries, Space Development Business Division,

as you all know, are currently

pushing forward to manufacture a purely domestic rocket to be launched in a year.

Recently, however, we found ourselves in a situation where

our patent application for the valve system,

which is the most crucial key device of a hydrogen engine, was denied.

Upon review, we found out that your company had beat us to it.

Frankly, I'm surprised.

Tsukuda-san, I'll come right out and say it point blank.

Won't you let us have your company's patent?

Naturally, we will pay you fair value.

Won't you give it some thought?

- It's so sudden, I don't know what to say. - I believe that your patented technology

will live up to its full potential all the more in our rocket engine.

It would be a great shame

if that wonderful patented technology remained buried in obscurity.

- Buried in obscurity? - With all due respect,

does your company have any products that can fully utilize that valve system?

Are you implying that for a small business like us, it's wasted treasure?

No...that's not what I'm saying. That's not what I'm saying, but

Excuse me.

We didn't develop that to sell it to start out with.

- Whether we sell or not... - How about for 2 billion yen (approx. $16.5 million)?

Excuse me!

Tsukuda-san,

please sell us your valve system patent

for 2 billion yen.

Misaki.

Hey, how were things going upstairs?

- 2 billion... - 2 billion?!

- 2 billion... - What do you mean 2 billion?

Rocket...

- R-rocket? - Rocket.

It's got to be hydrogen engine. Hydrogen engine, right?

Zaizen-san,

that valve system was

finally perfected after many years of trial and error.

In a manner of speaking,

it's like a child we raised with tender care, and

we have an emotional attachment to it.

It's not something that we can let go that easily.

Then, for how much would you let us have it?

It's not a matter of money. Isn't that right, President?

Rather than a transfer,

is it possible, for example, to sign a patent licensing agreement?

A patent licensing agreement transfers less than ownership rights in a patent, which grants certain rights to the licensee

No.

In that case, if you provide that technology to another company,