Original subtitles

Sensei, please have the Cessna fly out. Please.

How can it, in this blizzard?

Those guys are still at the station!

At this rate, they may be marooned.

The Cessna can't fly out in this condition.

The screw's damaged and Soya is unable to move forward. We're up against a brick wall.

All we can do is evacuate to a safe place where there's no ice.

Soya has on board more than 100 expedition and crew members.

-Please understand. -Mifune-han...

How far out do we have to go before we're safe?

The coastline is under thick ice and is impenetrable.

Our only option is to escape to the open sea about 100km from the continent.

-That's the observation from USS Burton Island. -100km...

The second expedition may not be able go ashore too.

This is the only choice left for Soya.

People should've been sent to the station to start out with....

It's too late to do anything about that now. That was the government's policy.

I'll go talk directly with USS Burton Island.

Assuming the worst case scenario,

I'll negotiate for more time to evacuate the dogs to the ship.

-This isn't the time to be... -That's my decision.

Sensei.

Iwaki-san, please check to see how much fuel

-Soya has left. -Shirasaki-san.

Sensei, is it true that USS Burton Island is leaving?

-It's true. -In the first place, why did all of us

pull out of the site without even transitioning over?

This means, in the worst case, only the dogs will be left in Antarctica, right?

We didn't have any other choice. With the unpredictable condition of the ice,

we didn't have any choice but to do that.

Soya's screw is damaged and can't get out under her own power.

However, there's the possibility that the dogs will be marooned...

-All the responsibility is on me. -Shirasaki-han.

But I'm not giving up until the very end.

We'll have to rescue the dogs, whatever it takes.

I wonder if those guys are eating properly.

-In the worst case, they... -Let's wait for Sensei.

I wonder if Riki's working hard.

He's coming home soon, so we have to clean his house.

I can't wait to see Riki again.

Okay, scrub, scrub, scrub.

Taro and Jiro would always come to get their picture taken together

whenever I pointed my camera at one of them.

They'll be alright, won't they?

Yeah.

Captain.

All we need is just enough time to

pull the dogs out of there.

Won't you wait for us? Please.

The fuel consumption from Cape Town to the point where we got stuck is 300 tons.

It's been at least 50 days since we first got stuck. What about during that time?

-Himuro, is Sensei back yet? -No, not yet.

-I see. -Boss.

-How's the food situation for the dogs? -We left a week's worth, just in case.

One week's worth...

-Udon, large. -One week's worth, he said.

Hey! Udon, large!

Hey, can't you hear me? Udon, large!

How can you eat

at a time like this!

Worrying about the dogs has nothing to do with our meals.

How can you say it has nothing to do with you!

You guys from the second expedition are gonna be helped out by those dogs too!

Calm down. They know that.

-I'm telling them 'cuz they don't know. -What are you doing?

Sensei.

We're leaving?

This ice took a lot out of USS Burton Island as well, and

there was no room to negotiate.

Soya has already suffered damage to the screw,

and the best she can do in sea ice is follow the USS Burton Island.

But what about the dogs we left behind?

I haven't given up on

the dogs or the wintering over plan.

The strategy is to follow the USS Burton Island out of this sea ice, and

once we're out on safe waters, we'll airlift the essential supplies

and the second expedition to the station.

The operation will be scaled downed considerably, but

-Iwaki-san, is that alright with you? -We don't have a choice.

But Sensei,

in the worst case, there's also a possibility that the expedition members can't get there either.

All we can do is hope that this strategy works.

Our challenge begins after we're out in the open sea.

How many days will it take to get out to the open sea?

-It should only take 2 to 3 days. -Are we okay on the fuel?

Deducting the fuel to the nearest port, Cape Town,

-we should be fine for one more week. -Alright.

Then Soya will leave once and head for the open sea without ice

following the lead of the USS Burton Island.

We have not given up on

the second expedition or the dogs.

That's all!

So we can't go back there after all.

I forgot my shop curtain there.

If we had known this would happen, we should've taken their collars off.

That way, if worse came to worst, they'd be able to

run freely and look for their own food.

Inuzuka-han, don't give up hope.

I'm sorry.

What's wrong?

Nothing...

We just received word from the USS Burton Island that they are departing ASAP.

Soya will leave immediately as well.

We'll bring you a new dog handler right away.

It's getting loose. Don't run away, okay?

Sensei.

Please have the Cessna to fly out after all.

Let me stay with the dogs until

the second cross-winter expedition gets there.

I understand how you feel, but in this weather... -But still!

Kuramochi-kun, it's not over yet. It's not over yet.

What's wrong? Looking serious so early in the morning.

The Sakhalin Huskies alone at the station...

What about the Sakhalin Huskies?

Did they say anything about Riki?

Yes, that Riki's working hard.

Is that right? Riki's working hard, huh?

I can't wait to see Riki.

We'll have to finish making thousand cranes before we see Riki.

In order to escape to safer waters,

Soya left the continent of Antarctica

led by the USS Burton Island.

Are the dogs in Antarctica gonna be left behind?

That's what Mom was saying this morning.

Of course they won't be left behind.

We made a thousand cranes for the dogs, remember?

It's not looking too good.

Excuse me.

Looks like it's taking longer than we expected to get out of the sea ice.

We may have to give up on transitioning over at the station.

I know.

Oh, that's right.

I was asked by Takaoka Miyuki-san to give this to you.

Did you see her?

She said the children made them

for the dogs.

Thank you.

Right now,

all we can do is have faith, right?

200 tons? How much fuel did we go through when we were stuck?

We burned 5 tons after we got here.

5 tons?! Calculate one more time.

-From where? -From the beginning, all over again!

-Bye, Miyuki Sensei. -Bye.

-Bye, Miyuki Sensei. -Sensei, bye.

What happened?

These were posted on our house.

"DOG KILLER"

They worked so hard for Japan for a whole year,

and now when they're finally coming home,

why did it turn out like this?

But nothing's been decided for sure yet.

Let us, at least, believe that everything will be fine.

What's the matter?

Is Riki going to be left behind?

Why?

She heard about the Sakhalin Huskies at school.

Their food's all gone by now, isn't it?

Can't we get out of the sea ice yet?

-Kuramochi-san, in the worst case... -There won't be a worst case.

-But... -Don't say "but"!

Sorry.

That's alright.

We recalculated from the very beginning.

-How can this be? -Extra fuel was burned

-for the extra time it took to get out. -At this rate, even airlift...

We're swaying sideways.

We are now out of the sea ice and Soya is safely on open sea.

We're finally out.

It's farewell to Burton-han here.

Connection's been made with the USS Burton Island.

Sensei.

Do you have a minute?

-What's the matter? -Truth is,

we don't hardly have any reserve fuel left.

-The fuel? -I thought we were good for 3 more days.

It appears more fuel was consumed than we expected.

We can only stay here one day, tomorrow.

Vice Minister, Soya finally made it out to the open sea.

They did? Thank goodness.

Also, we've received letters and telegrams for the dogs from all over the country.

-For the dogs? -Yes. Come in.

"IF YOU'RE LEAVING THE DOGS TO DIE, NONE OF YOU SHOULD COME HOME EITHER."

"DOG KILLER" "BRING BACK THE DOGS" "JAPAN'S DISGRACE"

These...

It's really warm when you sleep with Riki.

You really want to go back to the station, don't you?

All the space should be used to send members of the second expedition.

Boss...

If I had known this,

I should've said my proper good-bye to those guys.

Just one day tomorrow...

Leader Shirasaki, a telegram from Japan.

What is it?

It appears the Ministry of Foreign Affair's been receiving tons of letters and

telegrams from people all over Japan worrying about the dogs.

We are to do everything we can

and don't leave them there to die.

What are they saying now? All this time, they only saw them as equipment...

Shirasaki-han.

Please gather everyone.

Soya doesn't have much fuel left.

-What do you mean no fuel? -To tell you the truth,

a lot of fuel was consumed to get here,

and Soya can only remain in Antarctica

tomorrow,

for just one day.

-But that means... -Does that mean if we can't

fly out tomorrow, the dogs will be marooned?

What the...

I

most definitely

have not given up.

I'll be damned if I give up!

For the sake of the lives of the dogs who fought with us for a year

and for the Japanese Antarctic expedition,

we must to everything within our power to win this fight.

Our only consolation is that

the blizzard has died down.

I'm sure we can go tomorrow.

We'll start the airlift as soon as day breaks.

Okay, let's go over the supplies to be sent over.

Kuramochi-san.

Tetsu and Bekku's keepsake collars.

Bekku and Tetsu are rooting for us from heaven too, don't you think?

So that we can fly out tomorrow.

We're not leaving them behind..

Riki too. We promised Ryo-kun and Haruka-chan.

Ryo, Haruka. Let's eat.

Mom, Haruka isn't here.

Write these down. First squad, meteorological equipment,

Fortin-type mercury barometer, also snow sampler,

bimetal thermograph, communication equipment...

Iwaki-san,

can you please reconsider

and take me on the Cessna?

I know. I know, but still...

I'm sorry, but

we're at our utmost limit with our survey equipment and crew.

I understand how you feel, but

please leave it to us here.

We don't even know how many flights we can actually make tomorrow.

Yes, of course. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry too.

I'll go over it one more time.

First squad, meteorological equipment, Fortin-type mercury barometer

Haruka, Haruka~!

Haruka!

Haruka. Haruka.

Haruka, Haruka!

Ayako, did you find Haruka?

I can't find her anywhere.

Mom~ Mom~

Be good and wait, okay?

It's getting loose. Don't run away, okay?

I...

I tightened their collars before I left.

With these hands,

I tightened their collars.

So that they won't run away.

If I had known...

The wind's picking up. Not a good sign.

Please.

Thank goodness.

So this is where she was.

Haruka, Haruka.

Mom?

It was cold without Riki.

Come.

Do you think Riki's cold too?

Don't worry.

Riki's alright.

Is he really?

The wind's getting stronger.

If the weather continues to deteriorate...

Stop it.

In the worst case,

if that happens,

what can we do for the dogs...

Why are you giving up by yourself?

I don't want to think about it either, but...

-You were lost? -Yes.

On our way back from Botnnuten.

The ones who saved us at that time were the dogs.

The dogs?

I couldn't believe it at first too.

But

the dogs are the reason I'm alive.

And the one who went all over Hokkaido getting those dogs together,

and then trained them and raised them is Kuramochi.

I heard that before he left the station,

he went around tightening the dogs' collars, one by one.

He did that because he believed Iwaki-san and your crew

would be there right away. That's what I think.

Yes.

Oh, Kuramochi-san.

What's the matter?

Do you have a minute?

You're still up?

A lot of things happened

in this past year.

From setting up the station to

the caboose burning down to

the accident in the snow.

From the time we left Japan on this Soya

until today, it's been a

continuous battle, hasn't it?

We somehow managed to overcome all that

and came this far.

Oh, you're all here.

We must all be thinking the same thing. Please have a seat.

Everyone.

Tomorrow is

truly our final biggest battle.

Hey, Finance Ministry, you can't sleep either?

And it's not just me.

What are you all doing here?

Kuramochi-san.

For the past year,

we put all our efforts into preparing ourselves

for this expedition.

Our feeling for Antarctica is just as strong as yours.

That's what we believe.

So at the end,

we want you to help us.

Kuramochi-san.

Will you come with us tomorrow on the first flight?

But...

Because of the unstable weather condition, he postponed transporting the survey equipment,

and decided instead to conduct the necessary transitioning over.

Our thoughts are the same.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

A group of ice floes is floating straight towards us. How is it starboard?

Nothing unusual detected.

-What about the bow? -Nothing unusual detected.

At least,

at least, for just one day tomorrow.

0-6-0-0. It's now 6:00 am.

No...

The remaining fuel's...

Is this it?

Leader Shirasaki has an important announcement to make.

Please assemble in the dining room.

I'm sorry.

In this condition,

I cannot have the Cessna fly out.

The fuel is getting close to the bottom of the barrel as well.

We have no choice...

but to give up.

We are abandoning the plan for the second-cross winter expedition

and Soya will now

head back to Japan.

How can you allow this to happen?

My life was saved by those dogs.

The fact that I'm alive now,

-I owe it to those guys. -Himuro-han.

-And yet! -Himuro-han.

Why is it that can't we go save the lives of just 15 dogs!

Himuro-han.

I'm sorry.

Sensei,

please have the Cessna fly out.

Just once.

Let me go to those guys.

Just once is all I'm asking for!

Please have the Cessna fly out!

I'll go end their lives with this.

-Kuramochi, you... -If we can't save them anyway,

rather than making them starve to death all chained up,

I want to

-let them die without suffering. -That's wrong.

Even if it's wrong, it's the only thing I can do!

Sensei, please

Please have the Cessna fly out.

Please!

Antarctic Constitution Article 2.

No one shall die.

That's what we all decided, remember?

Kuramochi-han.

I can't let you do that.

I'm so

terribly sorry.

Soya

doesn't have

the power anymore.

I'm sorry.

Then the dogs...

Kuramochi!

Both sides, full speed forward!

Riki~!

Kuma!

Taro!

Jiro!

Deri, Jakku!

Shiro

Anko, Aka, Moku, Kuro!

I hope Riki comes home soon.

I wonder if Riki grew?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry!

Soon thereafter, the continent of Antarctica

once again went into its long severe winter season.