The Life of Budori Gusuko
Budori Gusuko was born in northern Ihatov, in a large forest.
His father was a well-respected woodcutter by the name of Nadori Gusuko.
Budori, his father and mother...
and his sister Neri...
...lived happily together as a family of four.
I'm off!
Right. Off you go.
Big Brother, come home soon, 'kay?
I'll rush home as soon as school is over.
Then it's off to the woods.
Careful not to trip in all the hurry.
I'll be fine.
Wow, they're gleaming!
They're fresh off the vine, after all.
Good morning!
Oh, good morning.
Good morning.
Hey, good morning.
Good morning.
Oh, Budori, I need a word with your pops.
Which mountain is he at today?
He said way up north.
I see.Thanks.
Let go!
'Morning.
Oh, Budori!
Hey, wait up!
Budori!
Wait up!
Good morning!
Budori!
Wait up!
All right, everybody. For today's class, we'll read poetry out loud.
Listen quietly.
"Never beaten by rain"
"Never beaten by wind"
"With a body strong against snow and the heat of summer"
"Free from desire, never in rage"
"Always a quiet smile on my face"
"Content to eat four cups of brown rice, some miso, and a few vegetables a day"
"Unbiased in observing, listening, and understanding all things"
"With impeccable memory"
"Dwelling on a meadow in the shadow of a pine grove,
in a small hut with a thatched roof"
"If to the east, a child falls ill, I shall go to care for him"
"If to the west, a mother is weary, I shall go bear her bundle of rice stalks"
"If to the south, a person lies dying, I shall go dispel his fear"
- See you. - "If to the south, a person lies dying, I shall go dispel his fear"
- Bye-bye! - "If to the south, a person lies dying, I shall go dispel his fear"
- Bye. - "If to the south, a person lies dying, I shall go dispel his fear"
- Okay, see ya! - "If to the south, a person lies dying, I shall go dispel his fear"
"If to the north, there is fighting or dispute, I shall go to discourage such foolishness"
- Bye! - "Shedding tears in times of drought"
"Shedding tears in times of drought"
- Bye! - "Shedding tears in times of drought"
"Shedding tears in times of drought"
"Stumbling at a loss in summers cold"
"Called useless by all"
"Never praised, never a burden"
"That is the type of person I wish to become"
I'm back now!
Neri! Neri! Let's go to the woods.
Big Brother, welcome home!
My, you're back early.
The teacher's going to a Forestry Association meeting this afternoon, so we got off early.
Is that so?
Right, let's go!
Okay.
I'm going to write "No cuckoos through here" in charcoal on the hops gateway.
I wanna write, too.
All right.
Dad! Welcome home!
Neri!
Oof.
Right. Shall we, then?
Yup.
Time for some grub.
Okay.
Welcome home.
All right, let's eat.
There.
Looks yummy!
Here.
Dad.
I went to the mountain out back today with Neri,
and we saw a big white bird in the woods.
Yup, Yup
That so? You know why?
Probably because the black kite slacked off, and forgot to dye its feathers.
The owl's sure to be mad about that.
That must be it.
I like it better white.
I see, I see.
You like white birds, eh, Neri?
- Yup. - You like white birds, eh, Neri?
- Yup. - Come, hurry and eat while your food's still warm.
Come, hurry and eat while your food's still warm.
Okay!
I just love tomato soup!
Then help me pick some again tomorrow.
Me, too! I love tomato soup!
At this rate, we'll be having tomato soup every night for a while!
But one year, springtime saw the sun grow a strange, fiery white...
and none of the usual white flowers bloomed on the Kobus magnolia trees.
Come May, the sleet still came slushing down.
Even in late July, the temperatures never rose,
- Even in late July, the temperatures never rose, - I'm sure your fathers and mothers are having a tough time. Do your best to help them out.
I'm sure your fathers and mothers are having a tough time. Do your best to help them out.
- and most fruit plants lost their flowers without ever bearing fruit. - I'm sure your fathers and mothers are having a tough time. Do your best to help them out.
- and most fruit plants lost their flowers without ever bearing fruit. - Now, that's all for today.
- and most fruit plants lost their flowers without ever bearing fruit. - Okay.
and most fruit plants lost their flowers without ever bearing fruit.
- and most fruit plants lost their flowers without ever bearing fruit. - Let's go.
Time to go home?
Yeah, okay.
They say five times more ice than usual remains in the northern sea.
That being the case, our work is shut down for now.
Everybody will have to make do on their own for a while.
Make do? How can we do that without any work?
Rumor has it there won't be an oryza harvest, either.
When is this cold spell going to end?
Mom and Dad are late coming home.
They'll be home soon.
I'm hungry.
Why don't I teach you some letters?
I'm hungry.
I'm sure they'll bring back something from the village.
Yup.
But I'm hungry.
Neri...
Oh! They're back!
Things can't go on like this.
What are we to do?
All we got are these tiny black potatoes.
That's still better than what many other families have.
How much longer do you think this cold spell will go on?
Who knows?
Still, they made it through that winter somehow and spring came again,
but that year was exactly like the year before.
And by the time fall came, it was a full-on famine.
Roots as hard as these won't be edible no matter how we stew them.
Dear!
Dear, stop it! Dear!
I'm gonna go out to the woods for a bit.
Dear!
Wait, please!
Mom, where did Dad go?
Big Brother...
Hm?
I'm hungry.
Budori.
I'm going to the woods to look for Father.
I'll go with you!
Me, too!
You two stay at home.
Budori, there's a little flour left in that cupboard there.
Mom!
Mom...
You two share what's left and make it last.
Wait, Mom!
Big Brother!
Mom?
Mom!
Neri?
Big Brother will go to the woods again and find something to eat, okay?
Hmm?
No, I'm okay now.
I'm all full.
Neri?
Oh? I hear a whistle.
Hm?
It's not a whistle.
It's the wind.
No, it's a whistle.
See? There's a trumpet, too.
Neri?
You can sleep a bit if you want.
I'm not... sleepy...
Neri? Neri!
Hmm?
I have come to bring salvation from the famine to this region.
You two are good children.
But just being good children won't help you any.
You, girl.
You have nothing more to eat here.
Come along with me.
Neri!
Big Brother...
Thief! Thief!
Ho, hum hum.
- Thief! Thief! - Ho, hum hum.
Thief! Thief!
Ho, hum hum.
- Wait! Thief! - Ho, hum hum.
Wait! Thief!
Ho, hum hum.
Big Brother...
Ho, hum hum.
Big Brother!
Ho, hum hum.
- Neri! - Ho, hum hum.
Neri!
Ho, hum hum.
Neri...
Hey. kid!
You're finally awake.
Why don't you get up and help?
Help? What with?
Hanging nets, of course.
"Hanging nets"?
That's right. Everybody here hangs nets.
What is the point of hanging nets?
To keep silk worms.
Now, you go throw these too.
But, I...
It's fine if you help us here, but I can't have you stay otherwise.
Not that you'd have anything to eat anywhere else, though.
If you help, I'll make sure you get to eat.
Then I'll help. What do I have to do?
You take this.
And work it like so.
Right, now you climb up this thing, you hear?
I climb this?
That's right.
Climb and hang the nets like everybody else.
Hurry up and climb!
No dawdling! Climb higher, hear?!
Now, climb!
Climb higher! Higher!
Even higher! Come on, get going!
Hurry it up and climb!
Good!
Now toss that ball nice and good!
Don't cry out like that! What a coward.
Look how flimsy you are.
If I hadn't caught you, your head would have squashed open by now, like "smash!"
Now, get back there and do your work!
Here ya go.
Oh.
Thank you.
Good! You're doing much better.
Now, there are plenty of balls. Don't slack off!
I'll be at the factory.
"Factory"?
Look, there's no time to space out.
Hurry up and get hanging.
Oh, right.
All right, take a break!
We'll rest a bit and get going again soon!
Once we've hung the nets, we've got to hang the flat boards quickly!
"Ihatov Silk Factory"?
This isn't your house anymore.
It's my silk factory.
Green leaves will grow under the nets you've hung.
There, a whole bunch of tiny lives will grow and make cocoons.
We turn those cocoons into silk, and hang nets again with that silk.
That work keeps everyone fed here.
That's why you need to work with all your might.
Now, hurry, hurry!
They're becoming cocoons! They're becoming cocoons!
No time to lose!
Gather those cocoons!
Hurry, hurry!
Hurry now! Put the cocoons in the vat!
Hurry, hurry!
Hurry up! We have no time!
Hurry up! Hurry up!
Quickly! No time to lose!
They'll take off! They'll take off!
No time-
The cocoons!
Quick! Hurry now!
The cocoons! The cocoons!
The cocoons!
Neri...
Alone now, Budori had no choice but to leave the forest and head down the mountain.
Say what you want, I'm taking my chances!
Quit it. You'd better listen to an old man's advice.
If another cold spell comes like that one last year, it'll come to nothing!
Naw, I'm doing this!
This year's sure to be hot enough to make up for the past three years!
I'll make three years' worth in one!
I won't hear of it!
I'll bury all these flowers and add sixty beds of fertilizer pellets
plus a hundred horse packs of chicken manure!
All that fertilizer and you'll get straw, but not a single grain!
I'll get grain, just watch!
Um...
I've never seen you around these parts.
Where you from?
From the mountain.
Ah, one of the forest kids, huh?
I see, I see, I see!
The forest will be no good for a while.
Right, you come with me, then!
Huh?
Now!
Sink or swim, watch how I do until the fall!
Off we go!
Right.
Let's go, let's go!
Things're so busy, I'd gladly take help from cowpea vines, even!
Right.
Let's go, let's go!
Welcome home.
Oh, and whose kid is this?
I've got a helping hand now!
There!
You use that cottage over there.
- Hello. - My son used to use that room.
My son used to use that room.
Right.
Put your stuff down and then we're off to the fields!
Hurry, hurry!
Go! Keep at it!
Heave-ho, heave-ho!
Keep yourself together, big guy!
Right.
In the village, Budori became a helping hand for this man named Redbeard.
Budori! Budori!
Budori! You gonna sleep forever?! We're off to the fields!
Right.
There we go.
There, just look!
My oryza fields have grown three times more than any of the others!
Wow, you're right.
Is something the matter?
It's the sickness.
Does your head hurt or something?
Not me.
It's the oryza!
See?
They're all ruined.
Is it true that the oryza crop is sick?!
Yeah, they're ruined.
How could this happen?!
I TOLD you to stop with your speculating!
Grandpa kept warning against it, too!
Yeah...
It's because of all that fertilizer you put in!
Oh, can't we do anything?!
This is all because you tried to hurry and make up for our loss in one go!
I'm Redbeard, one of the very best farmers in Ihatov!
I won't let this get me down!
Right, I'll show you a neat magic trick!
All right!
Hey, Honey!
We'll steam the sickness away with petrol.
There!
The petrol will kill the pests?
What wouldn't die with its head dunked in petrol?
True.
Hey!
Huh?
What're you doing?!
Yo! Why would'ya put oil in the water?!
It's all flowin' down my way!
Why would I put oil in the water?
Because the oryza is sick, that's why I put oil in the water.
Then why would'ya let it flow over my way?!
Why would I let it flow over your way?
Because water flows, so the oil flows with it.
Hmph!
Then why didn'tcha close the sluice so the water wouldn't come my way?!
Why didn't I close the sluice?
Because that sluice isn't mine, that's why I didn't stop the water!
Letting oil flow into my fields...
He's a difficult man.
If I stop the water, he'll get angry that I did, so I made him stop it himself.
I see.
Now, Budori, it's about time.
The petrol's pooling up!
How are they?
Speculating fails sometimes, eh?
Do you like buckwheat noodles?
Yes.
Listen.
We're going to quickly plant some buckwheat after this to make up our loss!
This winter, all we'll eat is buckwheat at our house!
Got that?
Yes.
After eating buckwheat noodles everyday, buckwheat dumplings are all right by me!
Eh, Budori?
Right.
This year, we've lost a third of the marsh fields.
Work will be that much easier, though.
Instead, you take my dead son's old books and start studying hard,
and surprise all those naysayers who made fun of my speculatin'
by figuring out a way to make some really good oryza.
Right!
I have no knack for reading, but do you like it?
Yes.
That's good.
I'm counting on you to study up on oryza farming and fertilizer and all that.
Right.
Plant cells are made up of the nucleolus, nucleus, cytoplasm, and membrane,
and excessive nitrogen fertilizer will...
I see.
Too much fertilizer caused that sickness, after all.
The Professor Kubo Lecture Notes...
This professor's book is so interesting.
So he teaches at a school in Ihatov...
And that summer, Budori made a major breakthrough.
Around the same time as the previous year, the sickness appeared on the oryza again,
but Budori stopped its spread using wood ash and salt.
You did good, Budori.
I may have failed speculatin' with oryza before, but this will reap four years' worth in one!
Not bad at all, eh, Budori?
Right.
Hey, hey, hey!
I'm so glad! So glad!
But the following year did not go so well.
The rains stopped falling during planting season, the marshes cracked dry,
and the fall harvest barely got them through the winter.
The drought continued the next year, and the next.
Budori.
Yes?
I used to be one of Ihatov's greatest farmers, and made quite a fortune in my day,
but the repeated cold spells and droughts have reduced my marsh fields to just a few.
I have no fertilizer for next year, either.
As things are, there's no knowing when I can repay you for the work you've done.
I don't mind at all.
Truth is, I don't think I can keep you fed next year, either.
And I feel bad that you're wasting your best years living here with me.
I had a talk with the wife, and...
Here you go, Honey.
I'm sorry, but take this and go somewhere that will bring you better fortune.
Budori, you worked so hard for me, like a real son.
If you're doing well, remember to write.
I will. You were so kind to me.
Thank you, for everything.
Budori, take this.
Thank you.
I intend to go to the train station.
I can't even give you a ride what with the tractor broken.
I'm fine.
I'll be off then.
Be well!
Galaxy Station, Galaxy Station.
Gil sat there, all pale.
- Gil sat there, all pale. - Gil sat there, all pale.
Gil sat there, all pale.
Eyes wide open like this,
- Eyes wide open like this, - Eyes wide open like this,
Eyes wide open like this,
- Eyes wide open like this, - but she didn't seem to see us at all.
but she didn't seem to see us at all.
- but she didn't seem to see us at all. - but she didn't seem to see us at all.
but she didn't seem to see us at all.
- but she didn't seem to see us at all. - Nagara stared with eyes so red,
Nagara stared with eyes so red,
- Nagara stared with eyes so red, - Nagara stared with eyes so red,
- and slowly squeezed the ring smaller, like this.
and slowly squeezed the ring smaller, like this.
- and slowly squeezed the ring smaller, like this. - and slowly squeezed the ring smaller, like this.
and slowly squeezed the ring smaller, like this.
- and slowly squeezed the ring smaller, like this. - Shh, break the ring.
Come, put out your hand.
- Shh, break the ring. - Come, put out your hand.
Come, put out your hand.
- Gil looked so pale, almost transparent. - Come, put out your hand.
Gil looked so pale, almost transparent.
Hey, ho, hey, ho.
- Excuse me, have you seen my sister? - Birds, lots of them, flew by, like when we sow seeds.
- Birds, lots of them, flew by, like when we sow seeds.
- A little girl. - Birds, lots of them, flew by, like when we sow seeds.
Birds, lots of them, flew by, like when we sow seeds.
But Gil said nothing.
- I'm looking for my sister. - But Gil said nothing. - The sun was such a strange amber color.
The sun was such a strange amber color.
Gil wouldn't look at us at all.
That was so tough for us.
Wait.
That was so tough for us.
- She was frolicking so, just now around the arrowhead plants. - That was so tough for us.
- Excuse me. - She was frolicking so, just now around the arrowhead plants.
She was frolicking so, just now around the arrowhead plants.
- Wait! - Why wouldn't Gil look at us?
Why wouldn't Gil look at us?
- Wait! - Why wouldn't Gil look at us?
Why wouldn't Gil look at us?
Has she forgotten us?
Wait, please!
Has she forgotten us?
- When we played together so often? - Has she forgotten us?
When we played together so often?
Wait! Wait, please!
Wait!
Here, binoculars.
That way.
They go even higher?
It's a town.
He's all the way down there.
Wait!
THEATER OF ILLUSION
Neri...
Ihatov, Ihatov!
Where can I find the university?
The university?
That way.
This is it.
Hello?
So it might look like wind or water or the wide open sky.
Therefore, what I am trying to say is as follows:
What I mean is, if we look from the present in the direction of the past,
the past indeed looks something like this.
It seems certain that it can't be anything else.
But looking at the past from another perspective looks something like this,
which is quite a significant difference.
And it seems it can't be anything else, so now they say the previous interpretation is false.
But looking at it now from yet another perspective makes it look like this,
and nobody can say what interpretation is true.
- I read that in the book before. - Proving that kind of thing in another way...
Proving that kind of thing in another way...
- It's a lecture called "The History of History." - Proving that kind of thing in another way...
And that also means this!
Is that teacher Professor Kubo?
That's right. That's Professor Kubo.
I see!
That's him.
Evening fast approaches.
We have finished all that this lecture has to offer.
I do believe those of you who wish to should follow the usual routine and present your notes to me
for a final check before taking leave.
Uh...
Mm-hmm.
Uh-huh.
Okay.
Uh-huh.
Right, next.
There.
Here.
This is very well written.
What is your name?
My name is Budori Gusuko.
Budori Gusuko, eh?
Are you a student here?
No, I just arrived in town today, but I couldn't resist the chance to hear you lecture.
And what do you want to do here in town?
I came to find work.
What kind of work do you prefer?
Any kind of work will do.
I just want to do something that will really be of use.
Go to the place written there, straight away!
"Ihatov... Volcano Bureau."
I'm off, then!
Oopsie daisy!
Professor!
Students! If you will excuse me!
So you're Budori Gusuko.
I received word from Professor Kubo and I've been waiting for you.
I understand your situation.
I'm Naam Pennen, the director here.
I'm at your service. I'll do whatever you need me to do.
All right. Do come in.
Thank you very much.
Sure.
Here, we observe volcanic gas and levels of magma all over Ihatov
and display them as numeric data and charts.
Uh, will you take a look at that one?
One mistake and our work here could put many lives in jeopardy, so we must be incredibly careful.
Right.
Understanding volcanic behavior through academic research is difficult.
Deciphering those numbers is a tricky task.
Good luck learning as you work here.
Right.
There's nothing but machines here and I can't offer you a proper room, but get some good rest tonight.
Yes, sir. Thank you.
And for the next half year,
Budori learned how to investigate magma and gas behavior at the Volcano Bureau.
San Mutri showed no significant changes as of yesterday.
The magma is rising rapidly, too.
We must take action quickly before it's too late.
Right, let's go to San Mutri. Get yourselves ready.
Yes, sir.
10 kilometers north of Mt. San Mutri lies San Mutri City.
An eruption would cause terrible damage.
Fortunately, San Mutri has a wide crater and its magma has low viscosity.
There's still time before it erupts.
Let's do some proper research and get everything prepared.
Yes, sir.
Hello, Director.
Good work.
How are things?
There have been a lot more small tremors.
Gas temperatures are going up, as well.
Hmm, that's very high.
The eruption seems imminent.
This is worrying.
But San Mutri isn't the type of mountain that will cause a huge explosion.
That being said, if the magma starts to rise, lava will blow out of the crater.
We should open a vent on the volcano's south side while we can to make a path for the lava to flow.
We can't let it flow towards San Mutri City to the north.
You, contact the operation unit at the foot of the mountain to have them start preparing right away.
Right!
Will we make it in time?
We can't afford not to.
Right.
I'm counting on you all.
Now, let's leave work on the mountain to the operation unit for a while,
and brew up some tea, Budori.
All right.
Ah, that'll be Professor Kubo.
You invited me to tea?
Hup.
By the way...
How are things looking?
The operation unit is there right now.
It's time we do something about building all the geothermal plants.
If we can do that, when something like this happens...
...we can draw lots of electricity up the mountain, making work a lot faster.
That will benefit our work too, but it will also make the lives of everyone in Ihatov better.
Will it help protect us from drought and the cold as well?
That's certainly a possibility.
Is that so?!
Director, the tremors are getting more frequent.
That's not good.
The city below will be getting anxious about now.
I'll take my leave now.
Right.
Given the situation, the activity's still probably several kilometers underground.
Easy does it!
Please give my best to those in town.
Understood!
Well then, Budori. Shall we get back to work as well?
Yes.
How are those numbers looking?
Budori, please bring me those seismograms on the table there.
Sure.
So, how are things on your end?
Are these it?
Yes. I see.
- Thank you. Can you show me the ones from an hour before? - Yes. I see.
Thank you. Can you show me the ones from an hour before?
That should be fine.
- Right. - That should be fine.
Director, the magma's starting to rise again.
We're almost out of time.
Chief, will things be okay?
Look, this one's still sleeping soundly.
We're still okay.
Are you done over there?
Everyone, it seems they're pretty much done up top.
So let's get going to the foot of the mountain, too.
Get your things together right away.
Right!
Now if the blast goes well, we'll be able to break down the south wall of the crater.
The lava should flow south, avoiding damage to San Mutri City.
Hello?
Yes, they say we're ready here. Send us a sign if you are.
All right.
We're ready. Please begin.
Right.
It's a success!
As planned, the lava is flowing towards the sea to the south.
Wow...
Wow!
Time passed, and numerous geothermal plants were set up as planned across Ihatov,
and the Volcano Bureau intensified their volcano investigation.
Along with Pennen and the others, Budori went from volcano to volcano,
setting up extra observation stations on unstable volcanoes
and conducting geological surveys.
And so for several years, Budori enjoyed life and work.
Silence!
You forget where you are!
The honorable judge is now presiding!
Why am I on trial?
Quiet down! You forget where you are!
Silence! Silence!
Boy, you have trespassed over this way several times without permission.
Your resulting crime is boundary infringement, and for that you must be punished.
Huh?
That's because you stole my sister away!
Where did you take Neri?!
Give her back!
Quiet down!
Silence! Silence!
You forget where you are!
Your sister was not stolen away.
We welcomed her into our realm.
You lie!
Neri... Where is she?!
Let me see her!
Give Neri back! Give her back!
Give her back!
Silence! Silence!
Neri... Give her back!
Give Neri back! Give her back!
Give her back! Give her back!
Silence! Silence!
Give Neri back! Give her back!
Give her back!
Budori? Budori?
Budori!
Oh, yes?
The Director's calling you. Please come right away.
Yes, I'll come immediately.
Sorry to keep you waiting. Did you need something from me?
Oh, Budori.
Actually, about Mt. Carbonado that Chief Nakata's team is monitoring...
Yes?
It seems to have awoken for the first time in 300 years.
We haven't observed any volcanic tremors yet, but we've begun seeing some tectonic activity.
So Budori, won't you join Chief Nakata's monitoring team and assist them?
Yes, I will.
Rather, I would be honored.
Carbonado is a volcanic island located 200 kilometers offshore from Ihatov City...
A huge volcano with carbonic magma.
I see.
Now that it's active again, we must monitor it in minute detail.
Please help us.
Yes.
From that day on, Budori's work got busier than ever before.
It was about a year after that.
The weather station predicted that another severe cold spell would strike Ihatov.
That terrible cold is coming again?
No! No!
That kind of tragedy can't ever happen again!
Before long, based on the sun and the ice in the northern sea,
it seemed the oncoming cold would be worse than the one before,
and researchers and agriculturalists gathered in the Ihatov conference hall to discuss matters.
Soon afterwards, the cold spell approached,
and June went by with no signs of milder weather.
We have to do something.
Horrible things will happen at this rate.
Whatever it takes, we have to stop this cold spell.
Excuse me.
Why hello, Budori.
What brings you here at such a late hour?
Professor, will increased carbon gas in the atmosphere warm the air?
My, my. What is this all of a sudden?
In any case, come on in.
True, just as you say, as long as the Earth has existed
its temperatures have supposedly been determined by the amount of carbon gas in the air.
And what of that?
Professor, if Mt. Carbonado were to erupt right now,
would it expel enough carbon gas to change the climate in Ihatov?
Mt. Carbonado's magma is getting increasingly active.
Hmm. I see what you're getting at.
Seems that volcano has expelled carbon gas many a time in the past.
If it erupts again now, the gas will immediately mix into atmospheric circulation,
covering Ihatov to prevent heat loss from the ground, warming Ihatov by about five degrees.
Professor, is there any way we could make it erupt right now?
"Right now," you say? Budori...
If we could do that, we could save Ihatov from this cold.
In short, you mean we should blow up Carbonado to induce an eruption.
That's right!
No, no. I'm not the one to talk to about this.
Discuss it with Pennen!
E-erupt Carbonado?!
That's right, Director.
True, the magma in Mt. Carbonado is starting to rise up the vent.
If we can erupt Mt. Carbonado, we can reverse this terrible cold!
Still Budori, I've never heard any cases of artificially inducing a volcanic eruption.
Still, considering all possibilities...
If we pared down the volcano's height somehow, it would reduce the pressure being placed on the magma.
Or...
Stimulate the magma somehow so that it effervesces all at once, inducing an eruption.
Director, please let me do that job!
Now, calm down, Budori.
That might be possible in a laboratory, but hardly realistic with an actual volcano.
As you well know, volcanic activity is a tricky beast.
We might be able to study it, true,
but it's extremely difficult to predict how such powerful natural forces will behave.
Such an involved operation at the mouth of a volcano poses an unpredictable risk to the operators.
We can't possibly take that risk.
Budori, I've heard how hard the year of the cold spell was for you.
So I understand how you feel.
We all feel the same way.
But the cold spell is a difficult problem...
The cold persisted throughout the year and into the next.
We do this and it goes, like so!
- Agricultural engineers and meteorological experts attempted all kinds of countermeasures, - We do this and it goes, like so!
Agricultural engineers and meteorological experts attempted all kinds of countermeasures,
but there seemed to be no solution against the severe cold.
"If to the east, a child falls ill, I shall go to care for him"
"If to the west, a mother is weary, I shall go bear her bundle of rice stalks"
"If to the south, a person lies dying, I shall go dispel his fear"
"If to the north, there is fighting or dispute, I shall go to discourage such foolishness"
"Shedding tears in times of drought"
"Stumbling at a loss in summers cold"
"Called useless by all"
"Never praised, never a burden"
"That is the type of person I wish to become"
I owe my life to so many people.
If I can use my life for the sake of many others, I don't care what happens to me.
I'd do anything.
Wh-what do you want?
Boy, I came because you called me.
I never called you.
Boy, you wish to go to Carbonado, do you not?
The reason...
The reason I want to go is because I have to do whatever it takes to make Carbonado erupt!
That task is up to you.
I can only take you there.
Would I be able to make Carbonado erupt?
That I do not know.
I have to make Carbonado erupt, whatever it takes!
To do that... This body of mine...
can be reduced to dust in the atmosphere for all I care.
Boy.
Then let us go.
Ho, hum hum.
Ooku no ayamachi o boku mo shita youni Like the way I made so many mistakes
Aisuru kono kuni mo This land I hold dear
Modorenai mou modorenai Cannot return, ever return
Ano hito ga sono tabi ni yurushite kita youni Like the way he forgave each mistake
Boku wa kono kuni no ashita o mata omou Time and again I think of the future of this land
Hiroi sora yo bokura wa ima doko ni iru Oh, broad sky, where are we now?
Tayoru mono nani mo nai With nothing to rely on
Ano koro e kaeritai I wish to return to the old days
Not long after, the climate quickly became warmer,
and that fall the harvest was back to normal.
- Hey! Hey! - and that fall the harvest was back to normal.
And that fall the harvest was back to normal.
And things returned to how our story began,
with many fathers and mothers like Budori's,
and many children like Budori and Neri
spending a happy winter together with warm food and plenty of firewood.
Hiroi sora yo bokura wa ima doko ni iru Oh, broad sky, where are we now?
Umare kuru kodomo tachi no tame ni nani o katarou What shall we tell the children coming into this world?
Nani o katarou What shall we tell?
Kimi yo aisuru hito o mamori tamae You must protect those you love
Ookiku te o hirogete Spread your arms wide
Kodomo tachi o idaki tamae And embrace the children
Hitori mata hitori tomo wa atsumaru darou One by one, friends will gather round
Hitori mata hitori hitori mata hitori One by one, one by one