Re-reading books you read as a child.
It seems fewer people do that these days.
Old half-forgotten memories
that those books might uncover,
what effect will they have?
And how were those memories born?
A shop that sells photobooks?
Yes, and it has a gallery too.
Sorry we have to do this on your day off.
Don't worry, it happens all the time.
Besides, I always like coming here.
- As research? - Something like that.
A tour of bookshops?
It's part of Goura-san's training to see other places.
Really? Sounds like a date to me.
So, when are we going to go?
What do you mean by that?
Idiot. Don't get so upset.
Don't say stuff you don't mean.
It's only a joke. Why are you acting so stupid?
- You're the stupid one. - Huh?
You two seem pretty well matched.
Huh? No way. I'll never happen.
Do you like that photograph?
- Sorry for intruding. - Not at all.
Shinokawa-san. Look at this.
Akiho.
Been a while. How are you?
- You work at a bookshop now? - Yes.
The book-fearing Daisuke?
And why are you here?
Didn't you run off to Tokyo with that cameraman?
I'm here for two weeks exhibiting my work.
- You took these photos? - Yes.
Akiho. Just popping out.
- Sure. - Who's he?
Nogami-san. We're exhibiting our works together.
He's getting a lot of attention in the industry.
Soon, he'll move to Berlin.
Ah. I do apologise.
I'm Kousaka Akiho. School friend of Daisuke's.
I'm Shinokawa of Biblia Rare Books.
- Rare bookshop? - She's the manager.
So you have a lot of old books?
- Correct. - In that case,
can I come to your shop?
Please. I've been looking for a book ... about a raccoon.
- Episode 09 - A book about a lion, a dog and a raccoon
subtitles by ersby
Thank you for this. Here, please accept
- a copy of my first book of photos. - Thank you.
- Here's your coffee. - Thanks.
Anyway, about this picture book ...
- What's the title? - I forgot.
- Eh? Then why- - I really loved it.
That's the main thing I remember about it.
- Author? Publisher? - No idea.
How are we supposed to know?
But I want to find it. It's set in a foreign country
and the name was in katakana, does that ring any bells?
Am I asking too much?
First, please tell me anything else you can recall.
Well, there were lots of animals
but the one I remember most was the puppy.
It was still very young
when its owner threw him out.
Then he met a friendly lion.
Isn't that a little unlikely?
Exactly. At first the lion isn't sure about the puppy,
but they soon become friends.
So the story is about a lion and a puppy.
No, it's about a raccoon.
- Huh? - A raccoon?
- Hmm. - In a foreign picture book?
A raccoon?
Since ancient times, it's appeared in many Japanese folk tales.
It mostly lives in South East Asia.
It's not well known in Europe.
Like this. It's how I remember it.
- Yeah, that's a raccoon. - It is, isn't it?
I told you.
So what does he do in the story?
They decide to build a house
for lonely and sad children.
Large trucks bring the bricks
and they build it together.
- The animals build it? - With some people.
- People? - In the end, they build a zoo.
- Huh? What's that? - So what?
That's just how I remember it. So? Does that help?
- I think I might know it. - Really?
But I don't really recall.
Could you give me a little time?
- Perhaps I'll remember something. - Please do!
I feel like I got you mixed up in this.
- Eh? - She's always been stubborn.
She doesn't think much about other people.
Excuse me. I heard you met Akiho.
Eh? Yes ...
So, how was it?
Meeting your ex-girlfriend again?
- Ex-girlfriend? - What's she like?
She's assertive. Or a bit pushy.
Why did you split up?
After they graduated from high school
she went to Tokyo with a cameraman and Daisuke stayed here.
That's right, isn't it?
- It just fizzled out? - It happens.
Huh? "It happens"?
She's a bit odd, your ex.
- How? - She meets her ex,
- and immediately asks him for help? - Like I said, she's pushy.
- Is that all? - Of course.
- You cretin! - Huh?
- Let's imagine. - Let's not.
Trust me.
Imagine you have an ex-boyfriend,
and he works in a second hand bookshop.
You're looking for a book, but you don't know the title,
why do you ask him?
Because I really want to read that book!
- Wrong! - Is it because
I want to annoy my ex?
Even more wrong!
So, why?
Because she wants to get back together with you.
- Huh? - If you meet a man in a bookshop
and you want to start a relationship isn't this the best way?
That can't be right.
Do you think you'll find it soon?
- Well ... - Maybe that book
doesn't even exist. Made up by your ex-girlfriend.
As if.
- So, you think you can find it? - It'll be too difficult.
That's not like you ...
to give up so easily.
- You usually want to help others. - Really?
After we left high school, we lost touch.
She wanted to study photography
so she went to Tokyo without even telling me.
We had been dating two years
and she couldn't even talk to me about that.
She did not care if other people worried.
She only cared about herself.
Hello.
- Here you are. - Thank you.
Hey hey, these came out great.
Oh, they look tasty.
- Please, help yourself. - Thanks.
- But I'm fine. - Ah, you don't like them?
- Sorry. - I see, I see.
I came here today because I remembered something else.
What would that be?
- A rhinoceros. - A rhinoceros?!
A rhinoceros that ran around town.
She keeps adding animals.
And there was a crocodile too.
One more thing. A boy who had terrible grades at school.
What do you think?
- Sorry, nothing comes to mind. - Really?
Maybe you should just give up?
You don't have any more clues?
Maybe there's one more.
- My mother. - You haven't asked her yet?
We haven't been getting along.
If I can avoid it, I don't speak to her.
The thing is, yesterday I got a call from home.
- Eh? - Suddenly she decided
to throw out my old stuff.
"Wait a minute. Don't be so selfish."
"You think you can act as you want?"
"If you want it, come and pick it up."
"Wait, but ..."
It was so frustrating, like talking to a brick wall,
- You think the book might be there? - Maybe.
- So what now? - I don't want to meet her.
However ...
Could you accompany me?
To my family home. Please.
- Sorry for being late. - Thanks for coming.
- You too? - Shinokawa-san
felt awkward coming alone.
Well, shall we go?
- It's seen better days. - What?
This kennel. When I was in elementary school we had a dog.
- Really? - It had been abandoned in Kawahara
and when we first got it, we could hardly control it.
Mother never said a good word about it.
It's stupid, and it barks too much.
Ever since I left home, this has been neglected.
- "Com"... "The House of Comrades"? - That's the kennel's name.
- You named the kennel? - What's wrong with that?
"The House of Comrades" was from the book.
I told you about the house they built?
It's name was "The House of Comrades"
Come in.
How rare ...
that you find time to visit.
Being a photographer must be tiring.
I can see you're not eating well.
And these people are?
From the old bookshop in Kamakura, Shinokawa-san and Goura-san.
Never heard of it, but welcome.
Thank you.
- Nothing here. - It's not here either.
Shall we take a short break?
Finished?
Not yet.
You take any chance to sit down,
even when you have guests.
What are you looking for, exactly?
- Erm ... A picture book. - A picture book?
A raccoon, a lion and a puppy build a house together.
When Akiho-san was a child, she loved it.
Do you remember it?
It was so long ago, I can't recall.
So, you two are from a second-hand bookshop?
- Yes. - This is perfect.
I have some books you could take with you.
This is quite the collection.
It belonged to my late husband.
Ah, I can take these books today,
but I'll have to pay you the money some other day.
I don't mind.
Ah, please leave these four books.
As for the rest, take what you want.
Well, let's begin with this shelf.
- Please make a note of the titles. - Yes.
Ah. I forgot my notepad.
Please, use this.
Excuse me. Thank you.
Okay, let's go.
I'm really sorry about today.
That's fine.
I really don't like that person.
I guess it's a mother-daughter thing.
I don't understand it, myself.
So it was a waste of time?
What's with that face? You're in a weird mood.
- Eh? - Tell me all about it.
When Akiho and I broke up
I thought she was selfish, and I blamed it all on her.
Now I'm starting to think I was wrong.
I was thinking about us while she had issues with her family.
She wanted to be a photographer,
but her mother must've been against that.
She was trying to do it on her own.
The thing was,
maybe she wanted me to notice.
Even now, I still feel the same.
I feel like I'm not just looking for a picture book.
It won't be long before we leave.
As long as we're here, we should keep battling.
- Let's make this a real success. - Sure.
- Hey ... - Yes?
Oh, it's nothing.
Could you bring my camera?
- Good morning. - Good morning.
Well, shall we set off?
- But ... - Yes?
I heard from Akiho.
She said it was fine if we don't look for the book.
I see.
But, I want to find it.
I want to find it for her.
So today, I won't go on the tour of bookshops.
Sorry.
I think Kaihin Library is very good.
It has the largest collection of picture books in this area.
Thank you.
A picture book from the late 1980s?
- Yes, - If it was resale,
then it would be here. But there's quite a lot.
Thank you.
Lion, raccoon, crocodile. Raccoon ...
Ah. Nothing.
- It's all there. - Thank you.
But ...
Okay ... Sis, are these books for valuation?
Yes. Goura-san is out paying for them now.
Shall I put them in the storeroom?
"Ah. I forgot my notepad."
"Please, use this."
"Excuse me. Thank you."
Sis?
Are you sure you don't remember that book we spoke about recently?
- No. - Anything at all.
Even the smallest thing. Please tell me.
Akiho-san really wants it.
You used to keep a dog over there?
The name of that kennel comes from the book.
"A House of Friends."
It's silly to give a name to a kennel.
And that dog, Toubiku, was really dumb.
It's "The House of Comrades".
Not, "A House of Friends", but "The House of Comrades".
What difference does it make?
"The House of Comrades"
was a place where the lonely can gather together.
If you'll excuse me.
Is that Akiho-san's book? It's good, isn't it?
Is something wrong?
No. But when she took this photo,
I wonder what Akiho was feeling.
Her mother wasn't concerned about her.
"What difference does it make?" she said.
"Friends" or "Comrades"?
- Eh? - The name of that kennel.
She seemed to think it was "A house of Friends".
She didn't understand the true meaning behind
the kennel's name. She also said the dog was stupid.
Toubiku.
- Eh? - The dog's name.
It was Toubiku, wasn't it?
"And that dog, Toubiku, was really dumb."
How did you know that?
Goura-san, please call Akiho-san.
Ask her to come here tomorrow.
I know the book she wants.
- You found the book? - Yes.
- Eh? - But that's a DVD.
- Yes. - Huh?
But I think I've seen it before.
- "Cheburashka"? - Akiho-san,
do you know the story of Cheburashka?
I haven't a clue.
Cheburashka is an unknown kind of animal,
who arrived hidden in some luggage.
As soon as he sat down, he fell over.
An old word in Russian meaning "topple" is
"Cheburashka", hence the name.
At first Cheburashka was very lonely
but he slowly found some friends.
One of those friends was an abandoned puppy
called Toubiku. Cheburashka then introduced
Toubiku to a lonely lion.
The two of them became friends
and they had an idea to build some place for all lonely people
and they called it "A House of Friends".
- "A House of Friends". - He gathered his friends
and with their help, Cheburashka built "A House of Friends".
- Is this like your book? - Well, it's similar.
- But the hero is completely different. - Nothing like a raccoon.
Maybe I made a mistake?
No, you were not mistaken.
This is "Cheburashka"
the book you were looking for.
- "Cheburashuka". - "Shuka"?
And wouldn't you say this is Akiho-san's raccoon?
That's it! That's the book I was looking for!
- This book? - Yes.
"Cheburashuka and Comrades"
is the name of the book that this animation was based on.
But if the story is the same
why did they change the hero?
"Cheburashka" was written by Eduard Uspensky,
It was published in 1966.
Then in 1969, a film version was released
in the Soviet Union.
But the director, Roman Kachanov
added the big eyes and ears.
- And that's Cheburashka. - I see.
- I never realised. - The character design
wasn't the only change.
Akiho-san, do you remember you said
"A rhinoceros that runs around town."
"A boy who had terrible grades at school."
Those parts were only in the book.
It's not in the film?
The animation was only a short film,
it had to leave parts out.
I see.
Actually, I'd never read the book.
My brother told me the story.
Cheburashka was remade for Japanese audiences
by Nakamura Makoto.
In 2010 a new movie was released.
And Fumiya-kun saw it?
Right. And he told me all about it.
But what Akiho-san told me
was not part of the film's storyline.
So I didn't realise that it was "Cheburashka" at first.
So that's why.
Sorry for taking so long.
Don't be.
- I'm glad we found it. - Yes.
Is something wrong?
You're something else.
You were able to find this book, based a description of a film.
Not just that.
Also "A House of Friends".
When your mother spoke about the kennel
she called it "A House of Friends". That's how I found the book.
It said "House of Comrades" on the kennel.
So why did your mother call it "House of Friends"?
Ah! Because she had seen the film?
- Right. - You mother, quite recently,
must have watched the film "Cheburashka".
Recently? But why?
She was looking for the book.
"A raccoon, a lion and a puppy build a house together."
When we told her about the book
she probably remembered
but couldn't bring herself to say it.
Then after we left,
she tried searching for the book, too.
When she couldn't find it, she tried looking in shops.
"We don't have the book in stock"
- "Is that so?" - "Ah,"
- "but we do have the DVD." - "DVD?"
Since they didn't have the book, they suggested the movie.
Which is how your mother came to see the film of "Cheburashka".
That's where "House of Comrades"
is translated as "House of Friends"
which must have made an impression on her.
I don't think so.
She has not feelings for me. I have no doubt about that.
She would never have looked for my book.
I have to go. Thanks for this. How much is it?
Your mother is still your mother,
and she's trying to understand you.
When we bought those books from your mother
we used these pages from her note pad.
Here.
Yes, it's the gallery where you exhibited your work.
Your mother went to see your photographs.
Why would she do that?
Oguni Sakutarou "Flow of clouds"
Kawahara Tatsuya "Harajuku Fashion Snap"
Arimura Shunpei "Industrial Area" Mitamura Jun "Child of the alley"
What does that mean?
Those are all books I worked on as an assistant.
That's right ... Not only that,
those are the four books that your mother didn't sell to us.
I thought it was odd at the time.
"Ah, please leave these four books."
If she didn't care about photography
why wouldn't she sell them to us?
When I found this map, I knew.
Your mother has been following your career all this time.
I simply don't believe you.
Can I ask one more thing?
I'm only here for the book, thanks.
Why do you want that book?
I told you, so I can read it again.
- The smell of bread. - Huh?
You don't like the smell of bread.
"But I'm fine."
And you didn't touch your coffee.
- "Here you are." - "Thank you."
So perhaps you can't have caffeine.
And you're always wearing a coat,
- because your body mustn't get cold. - What is all this about?
My mother also couldn't stand the smell of bread ...
when she was expecting my brother.
That's what I think.
Looks like you know it all.
If he found the picture book, maybe I could tell him.
- Him? - Nogami-san, right?
But I can't.
"As long as we're here, we should keep battling."
"Let's make this a real success."
Even when the time seemed right,
I couldn't tell him.
So you thought this picture book would be a clue?
You shouldn't keep it to yourself.
I've made my mind up.
If I raise my child by myself it'll be lonely for me.
You can't have a child thinking like that.
I don't want my child to grow up like I did.
If he becomes someone like my mother, it would be terrible.
Mother and child don't always see eye to eye.
People have always said that.
And I agree.
But between a mother and daughter
shouldn't there be a special understanding?
Your mother already knows you're pregnant.
Seriously? How do you know?
What makes you say that?
When your mother went to the exhibition
she must have noticed your condition.
She wanted to talk to you about it
but since you weren't speaking, she didn't know how.
So she came up with an excuse to make you come home.
She was never going to throw away your belongings.
"Wait a minute."
"If you want it, come and pick it up."
When you came to her house, she knew she was right.
Remember that day
she commented on how you looked.
"Being a photographer must be tiring."
"I can see you're not eating well."
"You take any chance to sit down,"
"even when you have guests."
By now she was almost certain you were pregnant.
She was worried about your health
but she didn't know how to say it.
I think she really wanted to talk to you about it.
But, why only now? It's too late.
Not one word to show she cared,
like "Is everything okay?"
If she wanted to talk to me, she could have met me.
But yesterday when she called,
she wanted to ask you how you were
only you're both too stubborn to talk face to face.
That's how she tried to ask you.
Meanwhile, while I've been talking,
she's been waiting outside the shop.
Have you been to the hospital?
- I went. - So what will you do?
So irresponsible.
If you've made a mistake, it's best to face up to it.
Being a mother isn't all roses.
Talking about yourself! Is that all you can do?
All sorts of people manage it,
but you just ...
Just what?
Spit it out!
This is what I'm frightened of.
You're my mother, but I can't say what I want.
Can't you think about my feelings for once?
If this is going to happen to my child
then maybe I shouldn't have it. Wouldn't that be better?
Is that what you really think?
You always gave up easily.
I always thought, when I had kids,
they wouldn't be as lonely as I was.
"A House of Comrades".
A place were children could come and feel safe.
I'd make my own House of Comrades.
That's why you should always do what you think!
You've always been that way.
Always on your own.
It goes without saying ...
It goes without saying, I want to do it.
I'm having the baby.
Without a doubt in my mind.
I'll be going now.
- But, wait. - Goura-san.
Akiho.
Please come visit me at home.
Before that day, there was a lot I wanted to tell you.
I'll take it from here. Thanks.
Tell Nogami-san about the child.
I'm sure he'll do the right thing.
You're not alone.
Thanks. Bye.
Yesterday, I got a message from Akiho.
So?
Nogami-san proposed to her.
- Hmm. - Her mother's happy too.
- I see. - She's grateful for all you did.
Aren't you the good little helper?
That's not free, you know.
Fujinami-san. Are you threatening Daisuke-san?
I'll put it on your tab.
- Thank you. - But you know,
- parents can be difficult, can't they? - Yes.
Especially between women. Mother and daughter.
Fujinami-san, how's your family?
- Mine? Family? - Yes.
Didn't I tell you not to ask me that sort of thing?!
- I'm going surfing! - What?
So it turned out okay in the end.
Yes.
Parents and children,
their connection runs pretty deep.
That's what I think.
subtitles by ersby
srt reduction ~ Vultural