Chips (Potechi)

"CHIPS" Film Partners

Produced by smoke/ dub

What did you want to talk to me about?

Well...

Does your boss have a job for me?

We call him 'The CEO' now.

He has a company?

A company of thieves? No way!

You're right.

Mr Kurosawa, why do you hate working in teams?

Would you have three batters in the batter's box?

Burglary is a solo sport.

Don't you know?

There's one batter in the batter's box.

You're right.

- Regards to the CEO. - Wait!

I need to talk to you.

So...

Isn't that a gasman's uniform?

Yes.

Say you're seen outside a place you've robbed...

A simple greeting will pass you off as a gasman.

- You bought it at a shop? - You wanted to talk about this?

No...

I had a medical check-up the other day...

That's when I found out...

something incredible.

What?

Then I... visited Mom's place.

I wanted her to have a check-up too.

Then...

Yes?

When I was relaxing on the porch, an apple fell from the tree.

You know...

There's a pulling force at work...

that's why things fall.

Know what I mean? It's that pulling force...

at the centre of the Earth, that makes things fall.

Ever heard of Newton?

What's that...?

"New... tone"?

Never mind.

CHIPS

- What're you doing? - Pumping iron...

You know, I tagged along to see you work.

I even agreed to wear this!

These uniforms help us avoid suspicion if we're seen...

What if the tenant comes home and finds you pumping iron?

Don't worry: he's still at the game.

Sendai Kings lead by 1 point, at the bottom of the 3rd.

- He's at the game? - No, he's on the team.

Which one?

- Ozaki. - Which one's he?

Wakaba, are you saying you don't know him?

- Is he famous? - He was a star high-school player!

He hit five homeruns before his team lost the quarter final.

Which one is he? What number is he?

- He's not a starting player. - He might come home!

He won't. He's on the roster, so he's in the ballpark.

Oh, he's a reserve.

The manager has a grudge against him...

Ozaki broke his homerun record in the high school tournament.

So now he won't give Ozaki a chance.

The manager's a womanising asshole!

Oh, how disgusting!

Count 3-2 and here comes the pitch.

It's a hit and it's a long-fly ball.

It's away.

A homerun is just when the ball flies far. What's the big deal?

Wakaba, that's not the point. You see, baseball...

I'm having a feeling of deja-vu here...

Like how?

Check out the showy decor...

This guy scams women, but guys like him never get caught.

The law might not punish him, but we will, right, Boss?

Right. We didn't break in here for his cash...

- Let's think of it as poetic justice. - Yes, Boss.

I've told you before not to call me 'Boss'

- What then? - How about my name: Mr Nakamura.

No way! That's far too informal.

- 'Deputy Manager' - Of what?

- The Burglars' Union. - No.

- 'The CEO' - The CEO...

Hello, I'm Nakamura, the CEO.

Great! Now that's different.

Please leave your name and message after the tone...

Have you gone out?

I called now because I guessed you were out.

I've had enough, so I'm going to kill myself.

I'm jumping!

I wrote about you in my suicide note!

You womanising asshole, I'll kick your ass!

Boss...

What was that about?

I guess the guy who lives here duped her.

Do you think she'll jump?

I dunno.

Let's just pretend we never head that.

Good idea.

We could retrieve her number and call her back...

We may as well.

Maybe she's already dead...?

Is that wishful thinking?

Hello! Where are you?

On a building roof.

It's a bit late to worry. I'm about to die.

Just a minute, I'm coming right over!

You sound serious. Is it my suicide

I'm coming.

I'll ride on a giraffe.

What?!

I'll ride there on a giraffe's back.

Don't you want to see a giraffe on a building roof right here in Sendai?

I wouldn't miss it for anything.

How about you?

You should see it before you die.

Where's the giraffe? Who the hell are you?

- I'm Tadashi Imamura... - Who asked you? - You did.

Mind your own business, or I'll kick your ass!

Someone with your spunk shouldn't die.

- How come? - Your parents will be sad.

Yeah? They wouldn't care if I lived or died.

There's a second reason why you shouldn't die...

Dying here feels wrong.

- To who? - Me.

- Who are you, anyway? - I told you. My name's Imamura...

That's enough! I'm jumping.

Oh, wait!

You think jumping will make it OK, but you're wrong.

I'm not saying it will make it OK...

My boss is waiting down there.

- Why's he there? - To catch you when you fall.

Catch me from a 10-storey high fall?

- Is he Superman?! - He's an ordinary guy.

He just became a CEO.

Who cares! This is the end of my life,

and I'm not colliding into some CEO! I'll kick your ass!

The CEO played high-school baseball.

He was an outfielder.

He's never once caught a fly-ball.

- He'll miss me, then. - He won't.

You're much bigger than a ball.

He hates baseball, because of those missed fly-balls.

But that will change today, when he catches you.

Go ahead and jump...

Today, the CEO will catch a flying object for the first time in his life.

I don't care anymore...

That's my story.

Yes, and this is how it began.

I can't come to the phone right now.

Leave your name and message after the tone.

Uncle?

It's me.

That guy's been demanding to see me.

I didn't want to bother you, Uncle, but...

- Who is she? - I don't know.

I have to go now. I'll tell you where I'll be.

I'll be at a cafe called 'Meals', on Bansui Avenue.

Bye.

What's your theory, Dr Imamura?

Some girl wants something from Ozaki.

She probably wants his help.

It's none of our business.

Let's pretend we never heard it.

The girl wants Ozaki's help, not ours.

If we'd turned our backs on you, you would be dead.

- Men are suckers for girls like you. - Excuse me?

- Japanese men love baby-faced girls. - What's this about?

- Now, now, let's keep this nice. - Who are you two?

- I'm a pinch hitter for Batter Ozaki. - What Batter...?

You just called Ozaki for help, didn't you?

Oh, I guess so...

You didn't know he was a pro ballplayer?

Uncle Ozaki is a ballplayer?

- How old is Ozaki? - Same as me.

'Uncle' makes him sound old.

What's Ozaki to you?

Uncle Ozaki saved me about a week ago.

There's this guy who's been stalking me...

and he was following me on that day, too.

Uncle Ozaki was walking by and...

- He saved you. - He's the man.

Those stalkers are relentless.

Uncle Ozaki said that when he gave me his number.

He said, "Feel free to call me anytime."

- He's smooth. - No, he's heroic!

Maybe you shouldn't trust strangers so easily.

I know, but...

- Is that the stalker? - I think so.

Stay here. We'll go and harass him.

Wait! This has nothing to do with you!

Tadashi Imamura is pinch hitter for Ozaki, batting order #4.

- Don't act crazy! - What?

You think I'm not good enough to replace him?

What's going on here?

Sendai registration...

It's Sendai, Ro-38...

You want to find a car owner from a license plate?

- Don't you know how? - Is it possible?

Is it going to be illegal?