Original subtitles

In the beginning, there was nothing.

Nothing, except God.

How long has God existed?

No one’s old enough to know.

God’s surroundings weren’t exactly crowded.

Which was fine, since God looked at nothing and wanted nothing.

God wasn’t interested in anything.

Not even being God excited Him.

We can think of God as... a tube.

Yes, a tube.

I’ll explain why.

God’s only activities were ingesting, digesting, and excreting.

His divine food just passed through Him.

God kept nothing. Like a tube.

People’s eyes have an incredible trait.

They’re spectators.

But ears aren’t listeners.

And nostrils aren’t smellers.

But eyes are spectators.

What’s the difference between eyes that see and those that don’t?

That difference has a name: life.

God had no spectators.

Your daughter’s a little sprout.

Disturbing, isn’t it?

But God’s parents were optimistic.

So they liked the situation for the time being.

They already had two other children who were as alive as could be.

So they didn’t say no to a peaceful little sprout.

And that was God’s greatest strength: God was unshakable.

The many pilgrims who visited God — tickles, volcanoes...

eloquent symphonies...

...didn’t disturb Him.

Many envied that power.

The power of calm.

Still, everyone wanted to hear God’s first sound.

See His first gesture. Witness His first anything.

But God kept doing His first nothing.

And slowly, interest faded away.

God was almost completely forgotten.

Days, weeks, centuries passed.

JAPAN, AUGUST 13, 1969 Stop. It’s here.

What happened that day remains a mystery.

They say coincidence doesn’t exist.

They want to explain everything.

Even so, a tiny substance can make a difference.

A speck of dust...

...can change everything.

Many years of life...

– Can I blow now? – It’s my turn.

– What’s happening? – I’m scared.

Stay calm. Earthquakes are common in Japan.

Under the table, kids.

God finally had a gaze. And a body.

What could He do with it?

Was that good news?

My baby. You okay?

Baby?

Who’s “baby”?

God isn’t a baby.

God immediately spoke to set the record straight.

He spoke in His divine voice...

Exactly, yes.

It’s a miracle.

What a wonder, darling.

No. It’s not good at all.

His lips form words. God’s lips only make sound.

What do we do now?

– I know. I’ll call Mom. – What? Patrick!

No matter how hard God tried, He could only scream His despair.

This body was His cage.

She threw the toys out the window again.

André, stop.

– When she stops too. – Mom, she takes my stuff.

Please, Juliette.

I’m tired of these girls.

Ohayou gozaimasu.

Arigatou, Kashima-san. Would you like to come in?

Sorry, it’s been hard lately.

It’s mine.

Stop it, stop yelling.

I can’t take it anymore. This can’t go on.

I can’t even rehearse anymore, and you...

You look like a stranded consul.

– Guess who brought this back. – No way.

Yep. Our lovely landlady.

She scared me. She was waiting behind the window.

She saw the window? What must she think of us?

She offered me help from a woman

whose family used to serve hers.

How shameful.

Great idea. Call her.

Stop or I’ll throw your stuff out the window.

– Patrick, can you get that? – Coming.

Ohayou, Ni... Mom?

Well yes. I’m so happy to see you.

Though I think you were expecting this young lady.

Nishio-san.

– Grandma. – My darlings.

– You’ve grown so much. – My tooth is wobbly.

– What a dazzling smile. – Who’s that lady?

Mom, kids, this is Nishio-san.

She’s here to help us.

Come in. Douzo. Don’t stay outside.

Leave it to me.

– Grandma, did you bring chocolate? – Yes.

– And comics? – Of course I did.

You don’t look so well.

We weren’t expecting you anymore.

I had to prepare for this event.

Look at this beautiful suit.

But six months...

Nice to meet you, I’m Danièle. Thank you so much for your help.

Mother-in-law?

Hello, dear. You look exhausted too.

There’s my little miracle.

I’ll show you the house. It’s changed since your childhood.

Look on the bed.

Wait here, kids. I’ll take care of it.

Hello.

I’m your grandma. So happy to finally meet you.

What a little thing. I know just what you need.

I always carry a treat.

It’s Belgian white chocolate. Your homeland.

Try it.

And the miracle happened.

– Mom, come see. – Dad.

What is it?

Through the joy of white chocolate, I realized: I was God.

This is my great friend Amélie.

That’s how I was born, at two and a half...

in the Kansai mountains,

before my grandmother, through the miracle of white chocolate.

Should we open some champagne?

I was the pleasure.

From now on, I’d be wherever pleasure could be found.

Pleasure made my body finally move.

The chocolate awakened my senses.

In a few days, I made up for lost time.

Though I hadn’t wasted it.

A two-and-a-half-year-old should be able to walk.

Walking’s not so hard: fall forward,

put one foot ahead, and repeat.

But...

Running...

Running sets you free.

It’s what villains and heroes do.

And it’s more tiring.

But at two and a half, one must especially speak.

What was that long-necked beast?

And what was the wondrous power that replaced “something”...

...with “nothing”?

That was the miracle of a God.

What could be more divine than that destruction?

That day, I met a brother.

– Come, Amélie. Let Nishio-san... – “Vacuum.”

I want my snack.

Patrick, Amélie said her first word.

– Amazing. What was it? – “Vacuum.”

Vacuum?

What a divine word. Well done, Amélie.

Try something else, Amélie. Try “ma-mom.”

Clearly, it meant a lot to them.

– Mom. – Very good, Amélie.

– That’s me, your mom. – My turn.

“Da-dad.”

– Dad. – Exactly, great. Dad.

What a strange response.

As if I had to name them to confirm they existed.

Stop.

– Juliette. – She said my name.

– Grandma. – Darling. What a miracle you are.

My brother loved teasing me.

He read comics all afternoon behind my back.

– She won’t say your name. – She’s just a baby.

She only knows a few words.

No, I know many more.

– You can talk? – I’ve always known how.

She speaks like an empress.

What a child. She chooses her words.

Darling, don’t sulk. Champagne.

Good thing you were there, Grandma. You were the only one who saw me.

We’ll miss you, Grandma. You’ll be back soon, right?

Yes, but next time, you’ll have grown more.

Take care of your parents, they need it.

– Where’s Amélie? – Right, where is she?

– I want to say goodbye. – I’ll go find her.

Get in the car, we’re running late.

Jesus!

– What are you doing here, you rascal? – Where are you going, Grandma?

To the land of white chocolate.

I’ll miss you so much.

I didn’t find her—oh, there you are.

Come on, Grandma’s going to miss her flight.

Step on it, driver.

Mom, is Grandma coming back soon?

Not right away. She’s going to Belgium. It’s far.

– All the way to the end of the world. – The end of the world?

I don’t want that.

Why can’t she stay? It’s not fair.

She has to go home. Don’t be a baby.

Ow.

That’s not nice, André. And Amélie, no kicking.

– My braces almost broke. – She doesn’t know, she’s little.

Stop it! Enough!

To your room, now!

They didn’t understand.

That damned Belgium gave me white chocolate,

but took my grandma away.

The only one who didn’t see me as a baby.

It was unbearable.

I’m a youkai.

Come.

This is Otoroshi.

A youkai who protects the gods.

He usually lives in an abandoned shrine.

And when someone misbehaves there...

...he makes a thunderous sound.

He might even leap from a high place to crush the person.

His job is to teach a lesson.

– Again. – There are lots of youkai.

Later.

Help me?

Arigatou, Ame-chan.

Bloom.

Bloom, all of you.

The first spring of my existence.

Nature celebrated my arrival.

The plants bloomed at my command.

Nishio-san. Nishio-san.

What are you doing up so early?

I wanted to keep reading. But the book’s in the kitchen.

Let’s go get it.

Hello, Kashima-san. Good to see you.

I wanted to thank you for this job.

Hello, Nishio-san. What are you doing with that child in the garden?

We were by the lake. Amélie was looking for me.

Don’t waste your time on her.

You must uphold the honor of my house.

By doing what my tenants can’t manage.

Don’t forget that.

You’re right. But caring for Amélie helps them too.

That lady looked so sad.

Go home. I’ll be right there.

What was wrong with her?

Such a stiff mouth, such a gloomy gaze.

I saw only one explanation: she didn’t want to love me.

She should follow Nishio-san’s example.

Loving me was good for her.

Poor Kashima-san.

She probably suffered from containment disease.

Amélie, where were you?

What’s that, Daddy?

A carp. It’s the symbol for boys. May is boys’ month.

Why May?

I don’t know.

– Why boys’ month? – Good question.

– And when’s girls’ month? – I don’t think there is one.

Why a carp?

Why do babies always ask “why”?

I’m ready, Daddy.

Let’s go. Sweetie, we’ll be right back.

It wasn’t fair.

Why not a girls’ month?

No day or flag for us.

And why a carp?

I want to see them for real!

We can figure something out.

Nishio-san must know a place for that.

I left my sanctuary reluctantly, but I had to.

I had to know why carps felt more like my brother than me.

How beautiful.

We’re almost there.

So this was the carps’ home?

Come with me, Juliette.

– Where are the carps? – Hurry, Dad.

Wait, Juliette. I don’t know, sweetie.

Look over there.

Come on, Ame-chan. This way.

Thanks, Nishio-san. See you later.

Some of these carps are over a hundred years old.

You okay, Amélie?

Carps are really ugly.

I don’t like them much either.

That’s why they’re the boys’ symbol.

The dumbest fish.

Or maybe because they have big whiskers.

That dumb fish was a fitting symbol for the ugly sex.

Amélie, Nishio-san.

– Let’s go back, it’s raining. – Just a minute.

Come on, Amélie, you’ll melt.

Not yet. I want to stay in the rain.

I’m not surprised. You are the rain.

The first part of your name, Ame, means “rain” in Japanese.

That name suited me so well.

Like the rain, I was precious and dangerous...

harmless and deadly, quiet and loud.

And above all, I felt invincible.

If we go now, I’ll teach you how to write it.

I was the rain.

Last one in’s a slowpoke.

Get those socks off!

Nishio-san, teach me to write my name in Japanese.

How about changing first?

You said once we got home.

True, I did. Well... lift your finger.

– Like this? – Yes, very good.

Stand by the window and give me your hand.

First, a horizontal line for the sky.

Then you draw the start of a square...

and a vertical line between air and earth...

and now, four little drops.

That’s how you write “ame,” the ideogram for rain.

– I can’t see well. – Hold on.

Better now? Come on, let’s get changed.

I’d always known. Now I had proof.

I was Japanese.

I’d never seen my dad cry before.

He looked like a giant baby.

Why are you crying, Daddy? Are you scared of the storm?

Sweetie...

Daddy’s crying because his mom, your grandma, left us.

She went to Belgium, but she’ll come back.

No, Amélie. It’s different. Grandma is gone for good.

She died, Amélie. I’m sorry.

Died?

Yes. You don’t understand that yet.

Go play. We’ll talk later.

Death. I knew what it was.

Oh, my love...

But that’s not why I understood.

My grandma had freed me from her, and soon after, it was her turn.

Like a trade.

But why?

What’s this?

A koma. It means “spinning top” in Japanese.

Try it with yours.

See, that’s how it’s done.

Heavy rain is expected in the south...

with possible flooding in the Kobe area...

Nishio-san, why do we die?

Why do we die?

Maybe because God wants it?

God? But I never wanted my grandma to die.

What? Your grandma died?

Yes, Mommy said so.

Oh my. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know, Amélie.

Okay, but why do we die?

When we live a long time, like your grandma, we get tired.

It’s like going to sleep.

That... sounds nice.

And if we die young?

Well, you see...

I saw many people die during the war.

Tell me about the war.

I don’t think you want to hear stories like that.

I do. Please tell me.

All right. I’ll try.

...families in mourning...

It was a long time ago. I was little.

I was having breakfast with my parents and sister,

when the bombs started falling.

Not for the first time in Kobe.

But that day, I felt the bombs were meant for us.

And I was right.

Right beside me, there was a huge explosion.

By a miracle, I was alive.

I tried to move my arms and legs, but I couldn’t.

Only then I realized I was buried.

Strangely, I felt safe.

Then the air grew thin.

I started digging and digging.

Not knowing where to go.

I started listening.

I thought: where there’s sound, there’s life.

But no — death ruled there.

That day, I lost my family.

I didn’t scare you too much, did I?

Are you sad like my daddy?

Yes. But time heals many wounds.

And their memory stays with me and guides me through life.

Do you still see them?

Not like you see me now.

They follow a different path.

Maybe they become something new.

I try to imagine them and talk to them.

It helps me.

Soon there’ll be an important celebration.

A big event in Japan.

We place candles in the river, like a birthday.

To honor those we no longer see and guide them on their way.

Can I come with you?

Maybe.

If Mommy agrees.

Then help me get ready.

How long will Daddy stay in Belgium?

Two months. But it’ll go fast.

– She can’t handle it. – Here.

– No, here. – Take it, Juliette.

Arigatou.

– Can you bring us chocolate? – No, I want nougat.

Okay, I’ll bring both.

Don’t you have anything else to say?

– Get lost. – You didn’t let me speak.

Amélie’s not here?

She just left. She went to the river with Nishio-san.

They’re placing the candle in the water.

Ah yes, the festival of the dead. Nice that she gets to experience it.

Thank Nishio-san for sharing it with her.

Yes, they love being together. They’re very close.

Your flight’s tomorrow, right?

Thank God. It’s sad without you.

Once I arrive, we’ll go to the sea.

– Let’s go. – We’re in a hurry.

– Where are Dad and Amélie? – Be patient.

I want to stay with you.

You can’t miss this.

And your dad’s back from Belgium. He wants to see you too.

So why not come along?

You know, long ago I was on that beach with my family.

It was beautiful.

I was just a bit older than you.

It’s like the end of the world. You have to see it.

Come here, sweetheart. I missed you so much.

I’ll wait for you here.

Bye, Nishio-san.

– See you soon. – Itte rasshai.

A sunny day to enjoy Tottori Beach

Here’s “Love Vacation” by The Peanuts

Too bad Nishio-san wasn’t there.

Mom, can I get the glass jar?

The glass jar? Of course, sweetie.

Could this be the end of the world?

Was my grandma there?

Mom.

Dad.

It’s over, everything’s fine.

André came to tell us. He saw your jar by the water.

If it weren’t for him...

Thank you, André.

She said my name.

I saw my brother as a math equation.

Without him, I wouldn’t be here.

Would I have liked that?

Well... there’s no way to know.

– Good night, Nishio-san. – Good night, ma’am.

Can I help, sir?

Yes, thank you. Can you take Amélie out of the car?

– It’s been a long day. – Of course.

What a beautiful jar.

It’s for you.

You can open it.

Thank you.

Nishio-san, come quickly. Hayaku oide.

Ame-chan, arigatou.

Juliette, wake up. It’s my third birthday.

Hello, Kashima-san. Thank you for having me.

It’s too late for explanations.

Forgive me. I spend a lot of time with Amélie and...

That’s exactly the problem. She’s dulled your senses.

They had a death. She asked about death.

It’s not your place. You can’t mix our cultures.

Forgive me, ma’am. I meant no disrespect.

It was disrespectful to our ancestors

that you took her to the river.

I was just caring for a child.

You don’t understand. Getting attached betrays your people.

– Have you forgotten what they did to us? – It’s not their fault.

I’m trying to help them. And I love that child.

How dare you say that?

So you’ve forgotten everything? After the war, they took everything.

Amélie, what are you doing here?

It’s my birthday.

Forgive her, Kashima-san. I’ll take her back.

Getting attached to her is a mistake.

The war ended, Kashima-san. Thirty years ago.

– Her parents were children. – My husband...

And my son.

You accept that your father, your mother, and your little sister...

Don’t scare her.

You should never have come. Go, I don’t want to see you again.

One day she’ll grow up and forget you. Just like you forgot everything.

Whose side are you on?

Nothing will remain of your vile attachment.

Forgive me, Amélie.

– Nishio-san... – Nishio-san, Nishio-san.

– No, Nishio-san. – Nishio-san, wait.

Nishio-san, no.

Nishio-san, come back.

These are grown-up problems. It’s not your fault.

Kashima-san was mean to Nishio-san.

They’ve lived through things you don’t understand yet.

But it’s not about you.

I’m sorry, Amélie. I couldn’t stop her.

– Happy birthday, Amélie. – Sit down, Juliette.

We have candles to blow out today. Three years is no small thing.

– We’ll make a delicious cake. – First, to the kitchen...

– I’ll take a photo. – I’ll light the candles.

Move, André.

How sweet.

Daddy, Daddy.

Happy birthday, Amélie.

Blow. Blow.

Can I blow?

Congratulations.

Happy Birthday.

A surprise awaits you, sweetheart.

Here you go, darling.

You can open it.

Surprise.

We saw how much fun you had with the carps.

You got one for each year.

Careful, you have to feed them every day of their lives.

Patrick, those beasts live for centuries.

Until we return to Belgium, then.

Go back to Belgium?

Yes.

We’re Belgian, sweetheart.

But I’m Japanese.

We don’t always do what we want.

Daddy works for Belgium.

If Belgium calls us back, we have to go.

He shouldn’t listen. Belgium is far.

I want to stay here. It’s my home.

No, Amélie. Belgium is our country.

We’ll have to go there. It’s our home.

On my third birthday, everything changed.

Everything I loved, I would lose.

But for now, we stay here.

You can still enjoy it and get ready.

Was I bad?

Was it punishment?

Or does everything just vanish one day?

Would I forget everything too?

Nishio-san, my sanctuary, Japan...

...the flowers, all of it?

Is that what life is?

A ravenous mouth that swallows everything?

Carpe diem.

Carp day.

Kashima-san.

I’m starting to understand your sorrow.

You lost everything.

I’ll never feed the carps again.

I’ll never leave Japan.

At three years old, I returned to the beginning.

When there was nothing.

What are you doing here, rascal?

I think I’m dead.

Not yet.

Almost, because I can see you.

That’s true. But this isn’t your place.

It’s boring here. The world is so big.

And sad.

Everything disappears, everything goes.

I’m not here anymore, but you see me, right?

Memories remain.

Since I’ll leave Japan...

I’ll lose Nishio-san and the mountains...

I’ll be cast out of my garden...

and everything I have will be lost...

...I must remember it all.

You said once we got home.

True, I did. Well...

– Lift your finger. – Like this?

Ame.

...and now, four little drops.

Amélie, come back.

Darling, look. Amélie’s waking up.

– Hi, Amélie. – Are you okay?

You scared us again.

She must have a sore forehead.

Quiet, kids.

You hit your head at the bottom.

– Do I have a hole? – Yes, they stitched it.

– With needle and thread? – Yes.

Careful, sweetheart, or it’ll bleed.

Someone special came to see you.

Are you happy, my love?

Kashima-san saved you.

Kashima-san?

And she called Nishio-san, who came right away.

Ame-chan.

Thank you for coming back.

You came back too. Will you stay

I’ll stay with you while I’m here.

– Amélie, where are you? – Let’s go.

Come on, Amélie.

There. You okay?

At three years old, we notice many things and understand none of them.

After how many swallows

can we believe spring will return?

Do scars vanish like snow in the sun?

My dear Nishio-san, my sun.

Wherever I go, I’ll always keep

these precious years by your side.

I want to see everything, feel everything. Give all the love I can.

Full of passion, write every chapter of my life.

With eyes wide open.

Well, then I’m not God.

And believe me: it’s much nicer that way.