Creepshow

The work of Ishido Tsuburaya,

a contemporary of such Meiji era horror masteries,

as Beguwa and Yoshi-Doshi.

Tsuburaya's renderings of Japanese ghosts and monsters

made all other artists look tame by comparison.

Oh, that's nasty.

Some say Tsuburaya's demons

depict man's inner cruelty. Or, perhaps his own.

Whoa, ew.

Your ancestor was not known for being a pleasant man.

Hmm, your reaction is much like the people of his time.

They were horrified, but they couldn't look away.

Tsuburaya actually reveled in their discomfort.

No kidding.

I'm assuming you're unfamiliar with his work.

I think I'd remember seeing that before.

And I'm supposed to be related to this guy?

Took some research,

on the part of Mr. Duclon and his legal team,

but they have determined that you are the last descendant

of Ishido Tsuburaya.

And as the last descendant,

Bobby, you are heir to an intriguing legacy.

Now the bulk of Tsuburaya's artwork

has been carefully catalogued.

Thanks largely, to Dr. Sato, and her team

at Tokyo's Ota Museum of Art.

However, there is one notable exception.

This final piece,

discovered in a monastery at the base of Mount Fuji.

Inside this crate is the fabled last Tsuburaya.

A painting never seen by anyone, except for the artist himself.

We consider this

a lost jewel of Japanese culture.

We've been able to decipher most

of this ancient text, only recently.

And in accordance to the artist's wishes,

on the hundredth anniversary of his death,

the painting is to pass to members of his surviving family.

If any. - Me?

Recent interest in the last Tsuburaya has been global.

Even from a certain notorious art collector in Moscow.

- Wow. - Bottom line,

some wealthy people will pay handsomely for this piece.

Well, my museum is very interested in acquiring it.

I hope we can come to terms.

This is crazy.

One second, I'm some guy

working at a Best Buy in Fullerton, then,

suddenly, I've got a pot of gold in front of me.

Chicken feed.

I can do much better, then that.

Excuse me, this is a private meeting.

Wade Cruise.

Mr. Cruise has a penchant for absconding with artwork

the museum had hoped to acquire.

- Hello, Mai. - Oh Gisa,

I heard you were Mr. Cruise's newest acquisition.

I mean your paintings, of course.

Well, you're lookin' good Mai.

I'm sorry you lost out on the Tsuburaya.

Oh, I haven't made my offer, yet.

Won't matter.

Whatever Wade.

Wait a minute, the Wade Cruise,

the tech mega-billionaire?

And for today only, the genie who's about to make your life

so much richer.

Probably want to thank me in advance.

No, seriously.

Gonna wanna do that.

Thank...you?

You're welcome.

If you know anything about the contemporary art scene, which,

I find unlikely.

You know the ground-breaking artist, Gisa.

Her pieces have sold

for hundreds of thousands of dollars until,

until I gave her a chance to create exclusively for me.

Good deal.

The man knows what he likes. -Yeah, well.

But let's talk about you. - Bobby.

Sure.

Now uh, you could auction off this precious windfall.

Watch the auctioneers and the lawyers

gobble up chunks of your good fortune.

But, why? Y'know, you seem like a,

smart guy.

I mean we can, we can handle this right now.

Cut out the middleman and all the rewards

go to you.

Gisa, if you please.

1-1-3-3-4 dash 1-8-2-4.

Wait, that's my bank account number.

Yes, it is. And with one click,

20 million, poof,

magically appears in your bank account.

And it's all yours.

- Just for this? - One provision.

You hand over the Tsuburaya, sight unseen.

Still in the crate.

- I don't get to see it? - Not a peek.

Deal?

It belongs in a museum, for all to see it.

Well that's, that's certainly,

certainly an option, Mai.

I'm sure your museum could scrape together enough to make

old Bobby here a decent profit.

If it's a painting the people want to see.

- What do you mean? - Tsuburaya was

renowned for the vivid monsters he captured on canvas.

Collectors have paid fortunes to own them.

Kappa, of Kappa-Buchi Pool, sold to a Russian investor

in 2018 for uh, 9, 9.3 millio- 9.3 million.

Cool.

- But what you didn't know is that Tsuburaya was also

renowned for painting butterflies, trees,

and glorious landscapes. Now, lovely.

But worthless to the hardcore Tsuburaya fan base.

Now, what you got here could be

a bloodcurdling demon, hello early retirement,

or a pagoda at sunset,

$100 tax write-off from Dr. Sato's museum.

Yeah, it's a, oof, it's a crap-shoot.

Right?

The only sure way you win

is to sell to Wade.

Fine. Good luck findin' someone else

to give you 10 million for your mystery box.

Didn't you say 20 million?

- Ask me again, and it's five.

I know the good doctor's museum couldn't come close to that sum.

Last chance, Best Buy.

Yes, yes take it.

- Domo arigato. It's Japanese for thank you.

- Oh, go to hell. - Aw, come on, Mai.

No hard feelings. Yeah?

You know, I uh, I'm having a private unveiling tonight,

and I would

very much like for you to attend.

You know, first and only chance for you to see the Tsuburaya

before I, lock her away, huh?

Think about it.

Pleasure's been all yours.

See ya tonight, Mai.

Quiet, please! Shh!

The master's work, revealed.

Please.

Private moment.

Magnificent. The power.

The daring.

The ultimate fusion of passion and of nightmare.

Without question.

Tsuburaya's masterpiece, the world has never,

ever, seen... its like before.

Nor will it ever again.

What have you done?

Uh, blow torch.

- It's irreplaceable. - That's kinda the point.

- I've waited my entire life to see the final Tsuburaya.

- Well, you uh, you missed a good one.

Um, I think...

Yeah, I-I think you can still see just a little bit

of the foot there, or, maybe that's not a foot.

- But why? - To have an experience,

only I can buy.

To be the one and only person

to ever see the last Tsuburaya.

It now exists in the most exclusive gallery of all...

my mind.

You know, for all your money,

for all the good that you can do,

how sad is it that you find joy through destruction, huh?

Well.

- Your inhumanity rivals that of Tsuburaya himself.

Well, I had a great time.

Thank you for comin'. Now, if you'll excuse me.

All right people, time to leave, let's go.

Let's go, party's over. Thanks for coming.

You guys were all wonderful, thank you so much.

Had a really great time. Thank you, thank you.

Thank you, door's that way.

That's some patron you have.

Can't wait to see your face,

when he starts burning your artwork.

M'lady.

Get outta here.

Oh, so good.

The look on those slack-jawed faces

were worth more than that painting.

Yea-almost, almost.

Woo, feel alive!

- You had to do it again, didn't you?

Buy something unique to destroy,

just so no one else could have it?

Always.

So, what's the masterpiece tonight?

- I'm trying to recreate the Tsuburaya

based on your vague description.

Good luck with that one.