Shitamachi Rocket (下町ロケット)

President Tsukuda,

Although I know I should've contacted you sooner, I didn't have the courage,

and it took me all this time to do so.

Once again, I apologize for what I did 3 years ago.

You idiot. I'm not mad at you anymore.

After I left, Chief Yamazaki referred me to a job

with the Advanced Medical Research Institute.

I found out later that it was the President who actually

asked around and found me a vacancy.

I'm truly, truly grateful.

The university professor who I met at that time asked me to join him

at Hokuriku Medical University in Fukui

Fukui Prefecture Hokuriku Medical University

and currently, I'm spending my days absorbed in a new research and development project.

Today for sure, let's hope that they'll agree to manufacture the prototype.

Let's have faith. In our Gaudi.

Yes, indeed!

I thank you for giving me the opportunity to

encounter such a worthwhile research and development.

If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I'd like to meet with you soon

and consult with you on a certain matter.

Mano Kensaku

3 years after the jubilant success of the rocket launch,

Tsukuda Manufacturing was boosting their business thanks to their part in that achievement.

ROCKET QUALITY, TSUKUDA PRIDE

But now, yet another difficult problem was about to be thrust upon them.

Party for business affiliates of Teikoku Heavy Industries

Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in a toast.

- Cheers! - Cheers!

Zaizen-san.

I'm sorry I've been out of touch.

I finally came back to Japan yesterday.

Uh...we sent you some data for the new valve the other day.

- Did you have a chance to look at it? - Yes.

It would be wonderful if those specs could really materialize.

- But actually... - Well, if it isn't Tsukuda-san.

- And Director Zaizen too. - Director Ishizaka.

- How have you been? - Just the person I wanted to see.

There's someone I want you to meet today.

Shiina-san, do you have a minute?

Teikoku Heavy Industries Director of Material Procurement Dept. Ishizaka

I'm Shiina with Sayama Manufacturing.

President Sayama Mfg. Shiina Naoyuki

I've heard a lot about you.

I'm Tsukuda with Tsukuda Manufacturing.

Pleased to meet you.

You were previously at JAXS, right?

Well...yes.

President Shiina started out at NASA too.

NASA? That's impressive.

I'm just an owner of a small factory now.

I came back to Japan 3 years ago and took over my father's company.

As I recall, you have a similar background.

You're well informed.

I took the liberty of studying up a bit.

About Tsukuda Manufacturing, our future rival.

Rival?

Oh, my. Haven't you told him yet? Director Zaizen.

Actually...

From next time, the valve system will be will be decided by competition.

- Competition?! - Tsukuda-san.

Please go easy on us.

After Shiina Naoyuki-shi took over as president, Sayama Manufacturing

has been producing results rapidly.

NASA technology seems to be their selling point, but

they actually seem to have high technical capability and have a good reputation.

President Shiina, using his personal connections, negotiates directly with the top executives

Sayama Manufacturing

and has been getting one contract after another from major manufacturers.

On the other hand, there are those in the same industry who say he uses forcible means to

steal their jobs and speak quite badly of him.

If that's true, it's also possible that Teikoku Heavy Industries is

holding a competition merely for appearance sake

and in actuality, they already decided on Sayama Manufacturing to be the supplier.

Surely that can't be. There's no way Zaizen-san would do that.

Ever since the success of the Stardust Project,

Zaizen-san's apparently busy expanding business overseas and he's hardly ever in Japan.

In his place, the Director of Material Procurement Dept., Ishizaka-san, may become the person in charge.

We have yet to get our return on investment for the valve system.

If Teikoku Heavy Industries forsakes us now, we may end up with a major deficit.

Excuse me... May I interject?

Actually, just today we received a new order from Nippon Klein.

- Nippon Klein? - Yes.

- What kind of order is it? - That's...

A butterfly valve, huh? It's awfully small.

- What's the part for? - The thing is...

I asked, but they wouldn't tell me.

Are they trying to tell us that suppliers shouldn't think and just do as we're told?

President, what do you think?

It certainly doesn't feel right to make something without knowing what it's for.

- Plus, the material is pylorite carbon. - A 90-day performance warranty

could be quite troublesome too.

It would be pretty easy if the material was harder.

I'd really like to know what it's for.

As compensation for that degree of technical difficulty,

I think this estimate is too low.

If production should get delayed, we might even incur a loss.

Wasn't there any talk of mass production?

Producing the prototype alone is out of the question.

Of course, they said with the possibility of mass production.

It may not be profitable, but above all else,

Nippon Klein is a major corporation listed with the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

This may be a big break for us.

President, we won over the business to supply valves to that Teikoku Heavy Industries.

Let's grab this opportunity to do business with yet another major corporation.

Okay... Let's give it a shot.

But in regards to the cost, we'll calculate our own estimate

and submit it to Nippon Klein. Tono-san,

- is that okay? - Yes.

We can't lose the Teikoku Heavy Industries competition either.

Nomura, I want you to continue working on the new valve.

It might be pretty tough for a while, but

if we can get this new business with Nippon Klein,

the reputation of our company is bound to rise even more.

Let's work together and seize this opportunity.

That this was the beginning of big troubles for Tsukuda Manufacturing,

Tsukuda had no way of knowing.

This is way too much!

We're saying we'll let you do the mass production.

Nippon Klein Technical Research Division

Can't you somehow do it at the original cost?

But this amount is a bit...

At least during the development phase,

- can't we ask for a fixed cost? - Listen, Tsukuda-san.

Kusaka's saying that he'll give the mass production to you.

In order to meet the schedule, we'd like for you to get started on it as soon as possible.

Or are you saying that you don't think you can do it?

Nippon Klein Toudou Tamotsu

Wait a minute.

- We never said anything like that. - Now, now. Don't get so worked up.

We have faith in the high technological capability of Tsukuda Manufacturing

Nippon Klein Director, Production Dept. Kusaka Hiroyuki

who supplies rocket engine valves to Teikoku Heavy Industries.

If I may ask...

What is this part for?

Ah...that's, well...

Anyway, we're looking for a manufacturer who can

produce these specs at this price.

Tsukuda-san! I promise you won't regret it.

If the development of this product succeeds,

it will most certainly lead to bigger business!

Subsequently, Tsukuda decided to undertake the development.

1 month later

- Artificial heart? - Yes.

Over these past few years, Nippon Klein, in collaboration with Asia Medical University,

has been working on the development of an artificial heart called "core heart."

- Core heart? - If it materializes,

it will be the world's smallest and lightest revolutionary artificial heart

that can greatly lighten the burden on patients. More than likely,

- that valve we were asked to develop... - Is the key part for that?

If that's the case, the requirement for that size and material is understandable.

But how were you able to find that out?

Well, an acquaintance of mine just happened to be involved in it.

According to him, the chief development of core heart

is a professor at Asia Medical University called Kibune,

who's a prominent figure in the academic society and is very influential in various circles.

From the beginning of the developmental phase, Nippon Klein was

backing up Professor Kibune technologically and financially,

Asia Medical University Professor of Heart Surgery Kibune Tsunehiro

and they finally reached the stage of animal testing.

But recently, they ran into a problem with the durability of the valve.

- And that's why they came to us? - It's going to be a pain.

If it's for an artificial heart and there's a mishap,

we could be held accountable in the worst case scenario.

Development of medical device always comes with that risk.

That's why more than a few companies are adverse to taking it on.

That's probably why they didn't want to tell us that it was a part for an artificial heart.

President, is it too late to back out of the order now?

However, we've already incurred quite a bit of cost in this past month.

What shall we do, President?

Let's continue.

However, this is a matter of life or death.

We've got to take it on with great precaution

or we'll end up committing a fatal blunder.

What's being sought here

is precision greater than that of rocket quality.

And so? When will the prototype by this Tsukuda something-or-other be ready?

The deadline for delivery is in 2 months.

Okay. Have them hurry.

Actually, the Board of Trustees is starting to make noises.

- The Board's making noises? - Yeah.

There seems to be quite a delay from the original plan.

How are you doing for the development expense?

I hope you're not running short because we have absolutely no additional money to spare.

If it can't be done, wouldn't it be better to quit now

and keep the loss to a minimum?

I tell you, those people.

They don't have an ounce of devotion to medical science.

All they think about is money.

You're absolutely right.

So that's why we need to produce results with clinical trial as soon as possible.

Please leave it to us. The approval of core heart

will be sure to further solidify your reputation.

That would assure you of the next president's seat.

Look...

I'm not developing core heart to further my career, you know.

Please don't say things that may cause any misunderstanding.

I apologize.

By the way, Professor,

I've invited one more person today who wanted to meet you.