Original subtitles

PLEASURE KILL

THIS SWORD...

- Come in.

Why are you here so early in the morning?

- Well, you see...

So, Mom...

You're doing the live trial today, right?

Forthat new tranquilizer.

Can I watch? I promise I won't be in the way.

- Sorry, but no.

We can't let just anyone come and watch, even if you are my son.

Hello.

Yes, that's right.

Got it. I'm on my way.

Good bye.

I'm just stepping out. Are you staying here?

- I may as well go if I can't watch.

- Okay. Sorry about that.

FOR SEPT. 13 TRIAL. DO NOT REMOVE FROM LAB.

TEST SUBJECT: EIKO TABATA

TEST SUBJECT: TOMOKO NAKAJIMA

TEST SUBJECT: RIKA MIKAMI

The tranquilizer you'll be given today

is expected to go on sale next year.

This trial is the final step in its development.

It's been extensively tested on animals, so I can assure you it's safe.

There are no side effects to worry about.

So please don't be anxious about participating in the trial.

Thank you for coming today.

We collected a lot of valuable data.

As promised, here's your pay.

- Thanks.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- I'll contact you to make an appointment for a week's time

to check for side effects.

- Okay.

- Thank you again for coming today.

- Thank you.

- Hey, now we've got the money, let's hit up Roppongi.

- Yeah, I haven't been out for ages.

- How about you, Rika?

- I think I'll go home.

I'm a bit tired.

- Really? That's too bad.

I get sick if I go a day without partying.

- That's just you. - Hey!

- You're up all night these days. What are you studying?

- To put it simply,

it's a physiological study of mental and physical pain.

- What do you mean?

- Pain and mental anguish are unnecessary for human life.

Rather, they hamper the human instinct to seek happiness.

So it would be better if they didn't exist.

I want to change

the structure of the brain

so that the senses are connected to the nerves that detect pleasure.

- Hang on a second.

Is that really what you think?

- Well, it's not like I can test it on anyone.

It's just theoretical.

- Eiji, you know what happened with your father, right?

His research was deemed unethical and he was fired from the university.

He had a nervous breakdown and took his own life.

- I'm not like Dad.

I'd never use a human as a guinea pig.

- I'm worried about you.

Just recently,

you really remind me of your father.

- Hey, it was you, right?

You were peeping from the roof of the university, weren't you?

- I wanted to observe the trial.

- That's a weird hobby.

- My mother wouldn't let me watch.

- Your mother?

Can't see the resemblance, myself.

- What's that got to do with anything?

- Forget about it.

It's no fun getting hit on in the normal way.

YUKO, WELL DONE. YOU MADE IT, THIS IS THE DREAM WORLD

Want an apple?

Kind of childish, right?

- I read in a book somewhere

that human brains emit alpha waves when we get absorbed in a video game.

- "Alpha waves"? What are those?

- Waves we emit when we meditate or enter a trance-like state.

In other words, playing video games develops the brain.

It can unlock new abilities.

- Hello.

Oh, hi Papa. Yeah, I'm fine.

Yeah, I'm only halfway through, though.

Yeah, I know.

Okay, then. Bye.

- Was that your father?

- Yeah, his company made this game.

I designed it, though.

If you can change people's brains through video games,

then I guess it'll start with me.

Do you ever feel like you want to go home?

- All the time.

- We're alike, aren't we?

I felt it the first time I met you.

Nothing can keep us apart.

- Ouch!

Just a little.

- No!

VALIS

- Tomoko!

What are you doing?

What's going on?

Pull yourself together!

Hey, Tomoko!

Are you okay?

- Rika!

I'm scared of what I'll do to myself.

The sensations in my body...

- Get hold of yourself.

I'll take you to the hospital tomorrow, okay?

- Rika, you've got to help me.

- [TV Audio] Eiko Tabata and Tomoko Nakajima

both took part in a medical trial for a new drug

developed by Jonan University's cerebro-physiology department.

The police believe their suicides may be connected to the trial

and are questioning Dr. Kureyuki, the researcher in charge,

along with others involved in the project.

In other news...

- Eiji...

You didn't have anything to do with this, did you?

- Mom...

Let's start over, from the beginning.

Mom!

It wasn't me, Mom. - Eiji!

- I didn't do anything, Mom.

- Eiji!

No!

- It wasn't me.

It wasn't like that.

I'm starting over from the beginning.

- Stop it! Stop!

- Shut up!

Good bye.

They're all crazy.

They're crazy.

- Now we're the same.

Through playing the video game, I came to know my true self.

I thought of myself as dispassionate.

But in the game,

I was an unyielding warrior drenched in the scent of blood.

As I slaughtered my enemies,

pleasure flooded by body like a wave of electricity.

I felt fear and sadness on my skin.

I could sweat and shed tears.

CAST:

NANAKO FUJITANI

NARUTOSHI ISHIKAWA

ASAMI YUKI, YUI HOSHIKAWA, KIYOMI ITO

YUTAKA IKEJIMA

BU NMEI TOBAYAMA

PRODUCED BY SHISHI PRODUCTION

SCRIPT BY TAKETOSHI WATARI CINEMATOGRAPHY BY TOSHIHIKO URIU

MUSIC BY SO HAYAKAWA

DIRECTED BYA H ISAYASU SATO

THE END

English subtitles by Hayley Scanlon