Wednesday, December 21, 2011
I Should Never, Ever, Write the Christopher Hitchens Movie. . .
That said, after reading Hitchens obits in greater number than can justly be linked to, I'm now wholly convinced that his life story must and will be made movie.
Wednesday Homicide
Before The Wire, there was Homicide: Life on the Street. Based on a book by Wire creator David Simon, Homicide was in many ways a spiritual ancestor to Simon's later series. At least. . . that's what I've heard. I'm kind of a Luddite when it comes to downloading TV shows over the internet, so if I can't find DVD's of a given TV show available for rent, I'll end up not watching it. Homicide, unfortunately, is one of those shows.
What I do know is that at least one joke from Homicide eventually made its way onto The Wire. First, the Homicide version:
For the Wire version, click here.
What I do know is that at least one joke from Homicide eventually made its way onto The Wire. First, the Homicide version:
For the Wire version, click here.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Japanese Journal #7
十一月七日（月曜日）天気：雨
前々回のにっきに、僕は、『セーラームーン』のとくさつが好きだと書きました。きょ年、日本にいた時、沢井美優さんに会いました。沢井さんは、『セーラームーン』になりました。
二千十年に、沢井さんは『白雪姫』のミュージカルを演じました（沢井さんは白雪姫になりました）。僕は、日本橋の『ＭＩＴＳＵＫＯＳＨＩ』のデパートでミュージカルを見ました。楽しかったですが、たくさんの子どもがいましたので、ちょっとはずかしかったです。
ミュージカルが終わった時に、かんきゃくはげきじょうの出口から出る時に、げきじょうのあんないがかりは私達に「ちょっとまって下さい」と言いました。そうして、沢井さんとミュージカルのはいゆうが来ました。子ども達ははいゆうと写真ととりました。とてもはずかしかったですが、そのうちに、はいゆうとあくしゅしてはいゆうにかんしゃしました。僕は、沢井さんともあくしゅしました。沢井さんと話すつもりでしたが、「ありがとうございます」と言って出てしまいました。
でも、カメラをもって来ませんでしたので、写真がありません。かなしいです。でも、『セーラームーン』と会った事あります。
English Translation:
Two journals ago, I wrote about how much I liked the live action "Sailor Moon" tokusatsu. Well, last year, while I was in Japan, I met Miyuu Sawai, the actress who played Sailor Moon.
In 2010, Sawai performed in a "Snow White" stage musical (playing Snow White). So, I went to the Nihonbashi* "Mitsukoshi" department store where the the musical was playing and attended a performance. It was fun, though a little embarrassing, what with most of the audience being children. (ed: Yeah, this ain't exactly literal translation anymore. Fuck it.)
After the musical ended, and we, the audience, we heading out the door, we were instructed by the theatre's manager to "please wait a moment." At that moment, Sawai, along with other actors from the musical, came out into the hall. The kids then took pictures with all the actors. I was really embarrassed now, but eventually, I approached the actors, shook their hands, and thanked them. Then I came up to Sawai. I shook her hand, and intended to talk with her a little bit, but instead I just said "thank you" and walked away.
Unfortunately, I didn't bring a camera with me, so I don't have any pictures, which is sad. Nevertheless, I can now say that I've met "Sailor Moon".
*A part of downtown Tokyo.
Click here for a more detailed version of this story.
前々回のにっきに、僕は、『セーラームーン』のとくさつが好きだと書きました。きょ年、日本にいた時、沢井美優さんに会いました。沢井さんは、『セーラームーン』になりました。
二千十年に、沢井さんは『白雪姫』のミュージカルを演じました（沢井さんは白雪姫になりました）。僕は、日本橋の『ＭＩＴＳＵＫＯＳＨＩ』のデパートでミュージカルを見ました。楽しかったですが、たくさんの子どもがいましたので、ちょっとはずかしかったです。
ミュージカルが終わった時に、かんきゃくはげきじょうの出口から出る時に、げきじょうのあんないがかりは私達に「ちょっとまって下さい」と言いました。そうして、沢井さんとミュージカルのはいゆうが来ました。子ども達ははいゆうと写真ととりました。とてもはずかしかったですが、そのうちに、はいゆうとあくしゅしてはいゆうにかんしゃしました。僕は、沢井さんともあくしゅしました。沢井さんと話すつもりでしたが、「ありがとうございます」と言って出てしまいました。
でも、カメラをもって来ませんでしたので、写真がありません。かなしいです。でも、『セーラームーン』と会った事あります。
English Translation:
Two journals ago, I wrote about how much I liked the live action "Sailor Moon" tokusatsu. Well, last year, while I was in Japan, I met Miyuu Sawai, the actress who played Sailor Moon.
In 2010, Sawai performed in a "Snow White" stage musical (playing Snow White). So, I went to the Nihonbashi* "Mitsukoshi" department store where the the musical was playing and attended a performance. It was fun, though a little embarrassing, what with most of the audience being children. (ed: Yeah, this ain't exactly literal translation anymore. Fuck it.)
After the musical ended, and we, the audience, we heading out the door, we were instructed by the theatre's manager to "please wait a moment." At that moment, Sawai, along with other actors from the musical, came out into the hall. The kids then took pictures with all the actors. I was really embarrassed now, but eventually, I approached the actors, shook their hands, and thanked them. Then I came up to Sawai. I shook her hand, and intended to talk with her a little bit, but instead I just said "thank you" and walked away.
Unfortunately, I didn't bring a camera with me, so I don't have any pictures, which is sad. Nevertheless, I can now say that I've met "Sailor Moon".
*A part of downtown Tokyo.
Click here for a more detailed version of this story.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Japanese Journal #6
十月二十四日（月曜日）天気くもり
前回にっきはちょっと長すぎたので今回のにっきに俳句が書きたいです。
『秋の俳句』
西の風
鹿振り返る
落ちた葉や*
*『や』は切れ字です。
（にしのかぜ
しかふりかえる
おちたはや）
ちょっとみじかすぎるがむずかし書いた。
English Translation:
October 24th (Monday) Weather: Cloudy
My last journal entry was a little too long, so this time, I decided to write a haiku.
"Fall Haiku"
Wind blows from the west
A deer snaps its head backwards
A leaf has fallen
(More literal: )
West wind
A deer turns it's head
A fallen leaf
(Romaaji version: )
nishi no kaze
shika furikaeru
ochita ha ya*
*"ya" is a cutting word.
It's a little too short, but it was hard to write.
前回にっきはちょっと長すぎたので今回のにっきに俳句が書きたいです。
『秋の俳句』
西の風
鹿振り返る
落ちた葉や*
*『や』は切れ字です。
（にしのかぜ
しかふりかえる
おちたはや）
ちょっとみじかすぎるがむずかし書いた。
English Translation:
October 24th (Monday) Weather: Cloudy
My last journal entry was a little too long, so this time, I decided to write a haiku.
"Fall Haiku"
Wind blows from the west
A deer snaps its head backwards
A leaf has fallen
(More literal: )
West wind
A deer turns it's head
A fallen leaf
(Romaaji version: )
nishi no kaze
shika furikaeru
ochita ha ya*
*"ya" is a cutting word.
It's a little too short, but it was hard to write.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Japanese Journal #5, wherein I reveal things you've known for years
『えいがかんに日本語がある』 十月十五日（土曜日）
時々、友達は「ジェルミーさん、どうして日本語を勉強しているか」と言う。僕のほんとうのりゆうはばかです。だから、はずかしいので、僕は「日本語のぶんかはおもしろいです」や「日本はきれいな国家です」やよく言う。
でも、ほんとうは、書きたいです。たんべんしょうせつと本とえいがのシナリオが書きたいです。とくに。。。『セーラームーン』のえいがのシナリが書きたいです。ばかですね。僕は二十八さいでカナダの男の人です。でも、『セーラームーン』のえいがが書きたいです。
へんな物語です。十五年前くらい、『セーラームーン』のアニメはカナダに来た。僕とたくさんのカナダの子は『セーラームーン』を見てわすねた。そうして、僕は二千六年に、インターネットで『セーラームーン』のとくさつをはっけんした。そのテレビばんぐみで、女子学生は、せい服と色きさいにとんだかつらをきてたたかう事のふりを悪くした。すばらしくて楽しかったです。
その年、僕はぶん学のクラスもとうろくした。そのクラスで、『ゆうこく』と言うほんやくしたたんぶんしょうせつを読んだ。日本のさくしゃでうよくの三島由紀夫は『ゆうこく』を書いた。だから、日本のきょく右はみりょうくてきになった。きょく右は好きじゃないですが、みりょうくてきです。
『セーラームーン』ときょく右はへんなくみあわせですね。それにもかかわらず、二千十年にえいがのシナリオを書き事を始めた。シナリオの「しょう」は『kyletookabulletforme.blogspot.com』と言うブログにある。今までに、日本人がシナリオを読んだ事がない。日本人のいけんしりたいです。でも、したがきですので、シナリオはまだちょっと悪いです。
僕は、日本語をシナリオに使うので、日本語を勉強している。でも、日本はおもしろい国家です。そうして、三島もおもしろいですので、日本語を勉強します。（ちょっと長すぎるね。）
Translation:
"Japanese at the movies" October 15th (Saturday)
From time to time, my friends ask, "Jeremy, why are you studying Japanese?". My real reason is actually pretty dumb, so I usually say things like "Japanese culture is interesting" or "Japan is a beautiful country."
However, the truth is I want to write. I'd like to write short stories and books and movie screenplays. More to the point. . . I want to write the "Sailor Moon" movie screenplay. Yeah, it's stupid-- I'm a 28 year old Canadian man. Nevertheless, I want to write the "Sailor Moon" movie.
There's a weird story behind all of this. About 15 years ago, the "Sailor Moon" anime came to Canada. I-- along with a lot of other Canadian kids-- watched "Sailor Moon" and then pretty much forgot about it. But then, in 2006, thanks to The Internet I discovered the "Sailor Moon" tokusatsu (ed: tokusatsu is the name given to "Powers Rangers" style shows in Japan). In that TV show, schoolgirls dressed in sailor suits and donning colourful wigs (poorly) pretended that they were really fighting. It was amazing, and I enjoyed it.
That same year, I enrolled in a literature class. There, I read a short story called "Yuukoku" (Patriotism). "Yuukoku" was written by right-wing Japanese author Yukio Mishima. Because of "Yuukoku", I became interested in the Japanese far-right. That's not to say that I like them, but I do find them fascinating.
"Sailor Moon" and the Japanese right are a pretty strange combintion, no? In spite of this, in 2010 I began writing my screenplay. "Chpaters" from my screenplay can be found my blog, "kyletookabulletforme.blogspot.com." Nobody from Japan has read my screenplay yet. I'd like to know the opinion of a Japanese person. (Ed: Yes, I know exactly what this looks like. Shut up.) However, because it's a rough draft, the screenplay is still kind of bad. (Ed: See? See? It's not all shameless plug!).
I hope to use Japanese in my screenplay; that's why I'm studying Japanese. However, Japan really is an interesting country, and I also do like Yukio Mishima. For those reasons (Ed: and more) I want to learn Japanese. (This was a bit too long, wasn't it?) (Ed: This was, in fact, my longest journal entry. . . and the one with the lowest mark).
時々、友達は「ジェルミーさん、どうして日本語を勉強しているか」と言う。僕のほんとうのりゆうはばかです。だから、はずかしいので、僕は「日本語のぶんかはおもしろいです」や「日本はきれいな国家です」やよく言う。
でも、ほんとうは、書きたいです。たんべんしょうせつと本とえいがのシナリオが書きたいです。とくに。。。『セーラームーン』のえいがのシナリが書きたいです。ばかですね。僕は二十八さいでカナダの男の人です。でも、『セーラームーン』のえいがが書きたいです。
へんな物語です。十五年前くらい、『セーラームーン』のアニメはカナダに来た。僕とたくさんのカナダの子は『セーラームーン』を見てわすねた。そうして、僕は二千六年に、インターネットで『セーラームーン』のとくさつをはっけんした。そのテレビばんぐみで、女子学生は、せい服と色きさいにとんだかつらをきてたたかう事のふりを悪くした。すばらしくて楽しかったです。
その年、僕はぶん学のクラスもとうろくした。そのクラスで、『ゆうこく』と言うほんやくしたたんぶんしょうせつを読んだ。日本のさくしゃでうよくの三島由紀夫は『ゆうこく』を書いた。だから、日本のきょく右はみりょうくてきになった。きょく右は好きじゃないですが、みりょうくてきです。
『セーラームーン』ときょく右はへんなくみあわせですね。それにもかかわらず、二千十年にえいがのシナリオを書き事を始めた。シナリオの「しょう」は『kyletookabulletforme.blogspot.com』と言うブログにある。今までに、日本人がシナリオを読んだ事がない。日本人のいけんしりたいです。でも、したがきですので、シナリオはまだちょっと悪いです。
僕は、日本語をシナリオに使うので、日本語を勉強している。でも、日本はおもしろい国家です。そうして、三島もおもしろいですので、日本語を勉強します。（ちょっと長すぎるね。）
Translation:
"Japanese at the movies" October 15th (Saturday)
From time to time, my friends ask, "Jeremy, why are you studying Japanese?". My real reason is actually pretty dumb, so I usually say things like "Japanese culture is interesting" or "Japan is a beautiful country."
However, the truth is I want to write. I'd like to write short stories and books and movie screenplays. More to the point. . . I want to write the "Sailor Moon" movie screenplay. Yeah, it's stupid-- I'm a 28 year old Canadian man. Nevertheless, I want to write the "Sailor Moon" movie.
There's a weird story behind all of this. About 15 years ago, the "Sailor Moon" anime came to Canada. I-- along with a lot of other Canadian kids-- watched "Sailor Moon" and then pretty much forgot about it. But then, in 2006, thanks to The Internet I discovered the "Sailor Moon" tokusatsu (ed: tokusatsu is the name given to "Powers Rangers" style shows in Japan). In that TV show, schoolgirls dressed in sailor suits and donning colourful wigs (poorly) pretended that they were really fighting. It was amazing, and I enjoyed it.
That same year, I enrolled in a literature class. There, I read a short story called "Yuukoku" (Patriotism). "Yuukoku" was written by right-wing Japanese author Yukio Mishima. Because of "Yuukoku", I became interested in the Japanese far-right. That's not to say that I like them, but I do find them fascinating.
"Sailor Moon" and the Japanese right are a pretty strange combintion, no? In spite of this, in 2010 I began writing my screenplay. "Chpaters" from my screenplay can be found my blog, "kyletookabulletforme.blogspot.com." Nobody from Japan has read my screenplay yet. I'd like to know the opinion of a Japanese person. (Ed: Yes, I know exactly what this looks like. Shut up.) However, because it's a rough draft, the screenplay is still kind of bad. (Ed: See? See? It's not all shameless plug!).
I hope to use Japanese in my screenplay; that's why I'm studying Japanese. However, Japan really is an interesting country, and I also do like Yukio Mishima. For those reasons (Ed: and more) I want to learn Japanese. (This was a bit too long, wasn't it?) (Ed: This was, in fact, my longest journal entry. . . and the one with the lowest mark).
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Japanese Journal #4
二十二日（日曜日）
天気：はれ
プリンスジョージにおもしろくてしゃれた料理は少ないですがバンクーバーにその料理はどこにでもあります。
先週、バンクーバーへ行きました。僕は、一度でもアフリカ料理を食べた事ありませんので、母とおばといとことエチオピアのレストランで夕食に行きました。
レストランに切れ物がありませんでしたがさらの上に大きくてたいらではっこうしたサーラードーパンがありました。そのパンで食べ物をつかみました。私達はからいぶた肉と鳥肉とこひつじの肉野さいを食べました。私達はマンゴジュースも飲みました。おいしかったです。
今、アフリカ料理を食べた事があります。バンクーバーのレストランは楽しいです。
Translation:
In Prince George, there's little in the way of tasty, fasionable cuisine; in Vancouver, though, you can find it anywhere you look.
Last week, I went to Vancouver. Since I had never before eaten African cuisine, I decided to have dinner with my mom, aunt, and cousins at an Ethiopian restaurant.
At this restaurant, dinner was served without cutlery (ed: I originally wrote だいどころようひん, "kitchenware", instead of cutlery); instead, on top of our plate, there was a large, flat piece of fermented sourdough bread. We used this bread to pick up our food. We ate spicy [chunks of] beef, chicken, lamb, pork, and vegetables. We also drank mango juice. It was delicious.
Now, I can say that I've eaten African food. Vancouver restaurants are quite nice.
天気：はれ
プリンスジョージにおもしろくてしゃれた料理は少ないですがバンクーバーにその料理はどこにでもあります。
先週、バンクーバーへ行きました。僕は、一度でもアフリカ料理を食べた事ありませんので、母とおばといとことエチオピアのレストランで夕食に行きました。
レストランに切れ物がありませんでしたがさらの上に大きくてたいらではっこうしたサーラードーパンがありました。そのパンで食べ物をつかみました。私達はからいぶた肉と鳥肉とこひつじの肉野さいを食べました。私達はマンゴジュースも飲みました。おいしかったです。
今、アフリカ料理を食べた事があります。バンクーバーのレストランは楽しいです。
Translation:
In Prince George, there's little in the way of tasty, fasionable cuisine; in Vancouver, though, you can find it anywhere you look.
Last week, I went to Vancouver. Since I had never before eaten African cuisine, I decided to have dinner with my mom, aunt, and cousins at an Ethiopian restaurant.
At this restaurant, dinner was served without cutlery (ed: I originally wrote だいどころようひん, "kitchenware", instead of cutlery); instead, on top of our plate, there was a large, flat piece of fermented sourdough bread. We used this bread to pick up our food. We ate spicy [chunks of] beef, chicken, lamb, pork, and vegetables. We also drank mango juice. It was delicious.
Now, I can say that I've eaten African food. Vancouver restaurants are quite nice.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Wednesday Wire, Back by Popular Demand!
. . .yeah, I'm know. I'm sorry.
Here's the real one. Be warned, though: it's even more NSFW than usual.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Japanese Journal #3
九月二十五日（日曜日）
天気：雨
僕は食べ物と食べる事が好きです。和食も洋食も楽しいです。
金曜日、夕ごはんは母がいためたぶた肉とにたごはんでした。土曜日、昼ごはんは寿司とラーメンでした。そうして、夜、りょうしんは中か料理が好きなので、チャイナセールレストラーンでワンタンスープを食べました（僕も中か料理が好きですよ。）でも、一日の食事の中で朝食が一番じゅうようです。土曜日の朝、いためた卵とたまねぎを食べました。それはいい朝ごあんだったが、今日の朝、ホットケーキといちごとさとうを食べました。これはあまりよくないメニューです。
でも、食べ物はおいしくて色々ですので、楽しんですね。
Translation:
September 25th (Sunday)
Weather: Rainy
I like food, and I like to eat. I enjoy both Japanese and Western cuisine.
On Friday, I ate some of my mom's homemade pork fried rice. On Saturady, I had sushi and ramen noodles for lunch. Then, that night, because my parents like Chinese cuisine, we went to China Sail Restaurant and ate wonton soup. (I also like Chinese cuisine.) However, the most important meal of the day is breakfast. Saturday morning, I ate fried eggs and onions. That was a pretty good breakfast, but this morning (ed: Sunday, Sept. 25th) I ate pancakes with strawberries and sugar. All in all, this menu wans't all that great. (ed: That last sentence was suggested by my Japanese teacher, possibly as a polite expression of humility. Or maybe she just wasn't all that impressed.)
Nevertheless, I quite enjoy the diversity and deliciousness of food. Don't you?
I'm trying make my translations a bit less literal -- my first two posts have shown me just how poorly the flow and structure of Japanese translates into English. Hopefully, my translations will sound less awkward as I go on.
Also, these journals do get more interesting. I promise.
天気：雨
僕は食べ物と食べる事が好きです。和食も洋食も楽しいです。
金曜日、夕ごはんは母がいためたぶた肉とにたごはんでした。土曜日、昼ごはんは寿司とラーメンでした。そうして、夜、りょうしんは中か料理が好きなので、チャイナセールレストラーンでワンタンスープを食べました（僕も中か料理が好きですよ。）でも、一日の食事の中で朝食が一番じゅうようです。土曜日の朝、いためた卵とたまねぎを食べました。それはいい朝ごあんだったが、今日の朝、ホットケーキといちごとさとうを食べました。これはあまりよくないメニューです。
でも、食べ物はおいしくて色々ですので、楽しんですね。
Translation:
September 25th (Sunday)
Weather: Rainy
I like food, and I like to eat. I enjoy both Japanese and Western cuisine.
On Friday, I ate some of my mom's homemade pork fried rice. On Saturady, I had sushi and ramen noodles for lunch. Then, that night, because my parents like Chinese cuisine, we went to China Sail Restaurant and ate wonton soup. (I also like Chinese cuisine.) However, the most important meal of the day is breakfast. Saturday morning, I ate fried eggs and onions. That was a pretty good breakfast, but this morning (ed: Sunday, Sept. 25th) I ate pancakes with strawberries and sugar. All in all, this menu wans't all that great. (ed: That last sentence was suggested by my Japanese teacher, possibly as a polite expression of humility. Or maybe she just wasn't all that impressed.)
Nevertheless, I quite enjoy the diversity and deliciousness of food. Don't you?
I'm trying make my translations a bit less literal -- my first two posts have shown me just how poorly the flow and structure of Japanese translates into English. Hopefully, my translations will sound less awkward as I go on.
Also, these journals do get more interesting. I promise.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Japanese Journals #2
九月十七日（土曜日）
天気：はれ
今日、日本の学生とフォートジョージ公園へ行った。学生は五人だったので、いっしょに僕の車で行けなかった。それから、三人はバスで行った。でも、僕は公園のバスていのいちをしらなかったので、たいへんてはずかしかった。
九月十八日（日曜日）
天気：雨
母のオフィスを私達はかいぞうした。でも、母がのこぎりを使ったので、けむりを作って火さいほうちきをはっした。しょうぼうしは来た。
My Translation:
September 17th (Saturday)
Weather: Sunny
Today, I went to Fort Geroge Park with (a group of) Japanese students. Because there were five students, we couldn't go together in my car. Therefore, three of them (lit: three people) went by bus. However, I didn't know where the bus stops at the park were, which was troublesome and embarrassing. (lit: Because I didn't know where the park's bus stops were, it was both troublesome and embarrassing)
September 18th (Sunday)
Weather: Rainy
At my Mom's office, we (me and Mom) were doing renovations. However, because Mom was using a saw, smoke was created and a fire alarm was activated. Firemen came.
Babelfish Translation:
September 17th (Saturday) Weather: [re] It went to the student and the fort George park of today and Japan. Because the student was five, it was and the [tsu] did and could not go to the [yo] by my car. Then, three people went by the bus. So, as for me the bus [te] of the park to be, to do the [chi], because and others it was not, the serious [te] expectation oak you applied. September 18th (Sunday) Weather: Rain As for us the [u] it did or the office of the mother. Because so, the mother used the saw, making the [ke] excessiveness, fire occasion the [tsu] it did the one [chi] coming. It did and the [yo] [u] [bo] [u] did and came.
Okay, Babelfish isn't funny anymore. It's just sad.
天気：はれ
今日、日本の学生とフォートジョージ公園へ行った。学生は五人だったので、いっしょに僕の車で行けなかった。それから、三人はバスで行った。でも、僕は公園のバスていのいちをしらなかったので、たいへんてはずかしかった。
九月十八日（日曜日）
天気：雨
母のオフィスを私達はかいぞうした。でも、母がのこぎりを使ったので、けむりを作って火さいほうちきをはっした。しょうぼうしは来た。
My Translation:
September 17th (Saturday)
Weather: Sunny
Today, I went to Fort Geroge Park with (a group of) Japanese students. Because there were five students, we couldn't go together in my car. Therefore, three of them (lit: three people) went by bus. However, I didn't know where the bus stops at the park were, which was troublesome and embarrassing. (lit: Because I didn't know where the park's bus stops were, it was both troublesome and embarrassing)
September 18th (Sunday)
Weather: Rainy
At my Mom's office, we (me and Mom) were doing renovations. However, because Mom was using a saw, smoke was created and a fire alarm was activated. Firemen came.
Babelfish Translation:
September 17th (Saturday) Weather: [re] It went to the student and the fort George park of today and Japan. Because the student was five, it was and the [tsu] did and could not go to the [yo] by my car. Then, three people went by the bus. So, as for me the bus [te] of the park to be, to do the [chi], because and others it was not, the serious [te] expectation oak you applied. September 18th (Sunday) Weather: Rain As for us the [u] it did or the office of the mother. Because so, the mother used the saw, making the [ke] excessiveness, fire occasion the [tsu] it did the one [chi] coming. It did and the [yo] [u] [bo] [u] did and came.
Okay, Babelfish isn't funny anymore. It's just sad.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Japanese Journals #1
Today marks the end of INTS 221, the first of UNBC's two intermediate Japanese langauge courses. This is the third Japanese course I've taken-- I took UNBC's introductory Japanese courses (INTS 121 & 122) back in the 2009/10 semester to prepare for my trip to Japan. After a year-long hiatus, it was fun being back in Japanese-- I ordered food over a pay phone, wrote a recipe for Haluski dumplings, and made a mock commercial. I also met with two exchange students from Tokyo once a week as part of a language partnering program.
And in addition to all that-- and more to the point of this post-- I wrote weekly Japanese journals. Since it's been a long time since I've posted anything new (Jesus, how many of my posts have begun with those words?) and since I have that neat label "ニホンゴゴをしています" just sitting there waitng to be used, I thought I'd post up my Journal entries. Aside from corrections pointed out by my instructor, these will be the exact entries that I submitted in class. In addition to the original Japanese, I'll also include my own English translation (which I'll try to make as literal as possible) and, just for fun, an autotranslation from Babelfish.
Now, the problem with a posting stuff in Japanese is that most computers aren't set up to display Japanese characters. Every operating system and/or browser has its own way of changing language settings, so unfortunately I can't just tell you what I did to get Japanese support on my computer. Hopefully, these links will be of some help:
http://japanese.about.com/od/fonts/ss/setup.htm
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sheaa/projects/genki/computer_support.html
http://thejapanesepage.com/beginners/japanese_on_computer
http://www.yesjapan.com/install_japanese/
With that (hopefully) out of the way, here's my first Japanese journal entry:
二千十一年九月七日(水曜日)
天気：はれ
今日、大学は始まった。（｢始まる｣は、「はじめまして」になりますか。）昨日、僕のコンピューターはびょうきになりましたので、今日、僕は、しあわせじゃなかったです。
九月十日(土曜日)
天気：はれ
コンピューターは元気ですよ。昨日、まあやさんとみなさんと会った。来週、公園へ行く。今日、 パーティーへ行った。にぎやかだった。
My Translation:
2011, September 7th (Wednesday)
Weather: Sunny
Today, university started. (Does "start" ("hajimaru") become "nice to meet you" ("hajimemashite")?) Because yesterday my computer became sick, today I was not happy. (Ed: I got a nasty computer virus around this time.)
2011, September 10th (Saturday)
Weather: Sunny
My computer is healthy! Yesterday, I met with Maya-san and Mina-san (Ed: My Japanese partners) Next week, we go to the park. Today, I went to a party. It was lively.
I didn't realize how primitive this stuff was until I translated it just now. Christ, I sound like a bloody five year old; usually, I sound at least thirteen or fourteen.
Finally, as promised, the Babelfish version:
2011 September seventh (Thursday) Weather: [re] Today, the university started. (“It starts”, “beginning,” it becomes? Because) yesterday, my computer became the rivet coming, today, happiness there was no I, is. September tenth (Saturday) Weather: [re] The computer is vigorous. It met yesterday, well and with everyone. Next week, it goes to the park. Today, it went to the party. It was bustling.
Oh, computers. You're so vigorous.
And in addition to all that-- and more to the point of this post-- I wrote weekly Japanese journals. Since it's been a long time since I've posted anything new (Jesus, how many of my posts have begun with those words?) and since I have that neat label "ニホンゴゴをしています" just sitting there waitng to be used, I thought I'd post up my Journal entries. Aside from corrections pointed out by my instructor, these will be the exact entries that I submitted in class. In addition to the original Japanese, I'll also include my own English translation (which I'll try to make as literal as possible) and, just for fun, an autotranslation from Babelfish.
Now, the problem with a posting stuff in Japanese is that most computers aren't set up to display Japanese characters. Every operating system and/or browser has its own way of changing language settings, so unfortunately I can't just tell you what I did to get Japanese support on my computer. Hopefully, these links will be of some help:
http://japanese.about.com/od/fonts/ss/setup.htm
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sheaa/projects/genki/computer_support.html
http://thejapanesepage.com/beginners/japanese_on_computer
http://www.yesjapan.com/install_japanese/
With that (hopefully) out of the way, here's my first Japanese journal entry:
二千十一年九月七日(水曜日)
天気：はれ
今日、大学は始まった。（｢始まる｣は、「はじめまして」になりますか。）昨日、僕のコンピューターはびょうきになりましたので、今日、僕は、しあわせじゃなかったです。
九月十日(土曜日)
天気：はれ
コンピューターは元気ですよ。昨日、まあやさんとみなさんと会った。来週、公園へ行く。今日、 パーティーへ行った。にぎやかだった。
My Translation:
2011, September 7th (Wednesday)
Weather: Sunny
Today, university started. (Does "start" ("hajimaru") become "nice to meet you" ("hajimemashite")?) Because yesterday my computer became sick, today I was not happy. (Ed: I got a nasty computer virus around this time.)
2011, September 10th (Saturday)
Weather: Sunny
My computer is healthy! Yesterday, I met with Maya-san and Mina-san (Ed: My Japanese partners) Next week, we go to the park. Today, I went to a party. It was lively.
I didn't realize how primitive this stuff was until I translated it just now. Christ, I sound like a bloody five year old; usually, I sound at least thirteen or fourteen.
Finally, as promised, the Babelfish version:
2011 September seventh (Thursday) Weather: [re] Today, the university started. (“It starts”, “beginning,” it becomes? Because) yesterday, my computer became the rivet coming, today, happiness there was no I, is. September tenth (Saturday) Weather: [re] The computer is vigorous. It met yesterday, well and with everyone. Next week, it goes to the park. Today, it went to the party. It was bustling.
Oh, computers. You're so vigorous.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Sailor Moon No More-ish
I've decided that I'll no longer be posting script snippets for my Sailor Moon screenplay.
Just to be clear, this is NOT because I'm giving up on the screenplay, or because I haven't been able to write new material-- in fact, I've got lots of new material scribbled slipshod across multiple ramshackle old notebooks.
The reason I've decided to stop posting the script is that. . . well, it's a really bad idea, both creatively and from the standpoint of publishing and selling my work. When I started out on this, I was under the impression that this screenplay would never go anywhere anyway, and that putting it on my blog was the only way that this silly idea would ever be read. In fact, that's still almost certainly true. . . but that doesn't change the fact that it's lousy way to do things. Regardless of whether this goes anywhere or not (and whatever its artistic merit), I've put a lot of time and effort into this project. It's time to start taking it more seriously, to start treating it like something that I will, one day, actually try to sell and get on the screen. And that means NOT self-publishing a spoiler riddled first draft for everyone-- including potential buyers-- to see.
On top of that, it's a really shitty way to create something. While I did, and do, have many aspects of the story (including the ending) planned out, a lot of what was published in the script was stuff I made up as I went along. Now, there's nothing wrong with just sitting down and writing, seeing where the process will lead you. There IS a problem with letting your readers see that process unfold, and having to live with sometime egregious mistakes seen in hindsight when, really, you should just be revising those mistakes and pushing forward. I've lost so much time agonizing over how a published snippet will look, how the words will flow, whether it will make sense given what came before, etc. instead of just writing it and revising it later, when I have the whole thing in front of me to examine and fix. Publishing online was motivating once-- now, it's just counter-productive.
Besides. . . I do have a life outside of this screenplay. There are other things I'd like to write about. Like excitons, or Japanese, or cooking, or travel, or how I would've written Enterprise. Yeah. . . I've been think a lot about that last one recently.
So stay tuned.
Just to be clear, this is NOT because I'm giving up on the screenplay, or because I haven't been able to write new material-- in fact, I've got lots of new material scribbled slipshod across multiple ramshackle old notebooks.
The reason I've decided to stop posting the script is that. . . well, it's a really bad idea, both creatively and from the standpoint of publishing and selling my work. When I started out on this, I was under the impression that this screenplay would never go anywhere anyway, and that putting it on my blog was the only way that this silly idea would ever be read. In fact, that's still almost certainly true. . . but that doesn't change the fact that it's lousy way to do things. Regardless of whether this goes anywhere or not (and whatever its artistic merit), I've put a lot of time and effort into this project. It's time to start taking it more seriously, to start treating it like something that I will, one day, actually try to sell and get on the screen. And that means NOT self-publishing a spoiler riddled first draft for everyone-- including potential buyers-- to see.
On top of that, it's a really shitty way to create something. While I did, and do, have many aspects of the story (including the ending) planned out, a lot of what was published in the script was stuff I made up as I went along. Now, there's nothing wrong with just sitting down and writing, seeing where the process will lead you. There IS a problem with letting your readers see that process unfold, and having to live with sometime egregious mistakes seen in hindsight when, really, you should just be revising those mistakes and pushing forward. I've lost so much time agonizing over how a published snippet will look, how the words will flow, whether it will make sense given what came before, etc. instead of just writing it and revising it later, when I have the whole thing in front of me to examine and fix. Publishing online was motivating once-- now, it's just counter-productive.
Besides. . . I do have a life outside of this screenplay. There are other things I'd like to write about. Like excitons, or Japanese, or cooking, or travel, or how I would've written Enterprise. Yeah. . . I've been think a lot about that last one recently.
So stay tuned.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Because One of You Asked For it!
I've created a new label, SM Script, for all script snippets posted to this blog. I've also posted links to every script snippet entry below, in chronological order from top to bottom:
I'm Actually Doing it!!
THIS is the best Tuxedo Kamen motivational poster parody I could find. . .
What Follows is Boring, but Neccessary
There's Something Here For All You Dawson's Creek Lovers Out There!
Flashes V for Victory! Every week a Fantastic Story! It's Hard to Think of Things That Rhyme With "V"! She is the One Named Sailor V!
There's One Place Where I Could Have Really Easily Made A "Cat Got Your Tongue?" Joke, but I Didn't, and I'm Proud of That.
Every Day I Get in the Queue. . . To Get on the Bus That Takes Me to You.
More Rei-cism
In the Cosmological Justice System, the Universe is Represented by Two Sepearte Yet Equally Important Groups. . . CHUNG CHUNG!
Just To Be Clear, Evolution Doesn't Really Work This Way
The Same Thing We Do Every Night, Pinky. . .
I Should Not Write the Sailor Moon Movie (but I'm going to anyway. . .)
What Follows is Again Boring, but Again Neccessary
Wherein I Parody the Entire Sailor Moon Franchise in Under Five Minutes!
Did I Mention That I'm Picturing George Takei as Dr. Tomoe?
Let the Fun Begin!
I'm trying to get one of these out per day.
Did You Know That the Actress Who Played Sailor Mars in PGSM was in Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift? Well, You Do Now!
Yeah, It's Three Days Later. Whatever.
These Are Getting Shorter and Shorter. . .
The Stuff of Legend
More First Draft Badness!
Insert Your Own Witty David Lynch Reference!
I hope I haven't given too much away. . .
Why is it That So Few Saturday Morning Cartoon Villains Have a Catchy Name for Their Lairs?
You Can Use Music from Sunshine to Make Anything Badass.
You Can Also Use Music from Inception to Make Anything Badass. . . But I Won't This Time.
The "Sunshine" Post Went Over Really Well With My Mom So Here's More Music I Like
Just in Time for Mother's Day: The Ongoing Soap Opera of People Who Technically Don't Have Mothers
Yes, I HAVE Injected Backroom City Politics into your Escapist Magical Shoujo Fantasy!
No, Makoto Don't Want no Scrubs. A Scrub is a Guy Who Can't Get No Love From She.
There's actually a major plot point here! Foreshadowing! Ooooh!
They Said the F-word in the Manga Too, Y'know.
If You Start Hearing "Eye of the Tiger" in Your Head as you Read This, Then You Have Missed The Point
More Important Foreshadowing. Trust me!
This may be the shortest script snippet yet.
I'm on a Boat!
Can You Believe I Only Just Now Started Watching Battlestar Galactica?
You know, one of the first films I remember seeing in theatres was Searching for Bobby Fisher. . .
Yeah. . this'll come WAY earlier in the second draft.
I couldn't just make up an African country that didn't sound really silly. . .
The Nuances of Japanese Job Interviews = Comic Gold!
I'm Actually Doing it!!
THIS is the best Tuxedo Kamen motivational poster parody I could find. . .
What Follows is Boring, but Neccessary
There's Something Here For All You Dawson's Creek Lovers Out There!
Flashes V for Victory! Every week a Fantastic Story! It's Hard to Think of Things That Rhyme With "V"! She is the One Named Sailor V!
There's One Place Where I Could Have Really Easily Made A "Cat Got Your Tongue?" Joke, but I Didn't, and I'm Proud of That.
Every Day I Get in the Queue. . . To Get on the Bus That Takes Me to You.
More Rei-cism
In the Cosmological Justice System, the Universe is Represented by Two Sepearte Yet Equally Important Groups. . . CHUNG CHUNG!
Just To Be Clear, Evolution Doesn't Really Work This Way
The Same Thing We Do Every Night, Pinky. . .
I Should Not Write the Sailor Moon Movie (but I'm going to anyway. . .)
What Follows is Again Boring, but Again Neccessary
Wherein I Parody the Entire Sailor Moon Franchise in Under Five Minutes!
Did I Mention That I'm Picturing George Takei as Dr. Tomoe?
Let the Fun Begin!
I'm trying to get one of these out per day.
Did You Know That the Actress Who Played Sailor Mars in PGSM was in Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift? Well, You Do Now!
Yeah, It's Three Days Later. Whatever.
These Are Getting Shorter and Shorter. . .
The Stuff of Legend
More First Draft Badness!
Insert Your Own Witty David Lynch Reference!
I hope I haven't given too much away. . .
Why is it That So Few Saturday Morning Cartoon Villains Have a Catchy Name for Their Lairs?
You Can Use Music from Sunshine to Make Anything Badass.
You Can Also Use Music from Inception to Make Anything Badass. . . But I Won't This Time.
The "Sunshine" Post Went Over Really Well With My Mom So Here's More Music I Like
Just in Time for Mother's Day: The Ongoing Soap Opera of People Who Technically Don't Have Mothers
Yes, I HAVE Injected Backroom City Politics into your Escapist Magical Shoujo Fantasy!
No, Makoto Don't Want no Scrubs. A Scrub is a Guy Who Can't Get No Love From She.
There's actually a major plot point here! Foreshadowing! Ooooh!
They Said the F-word in the Manga Too, Y'know.
If You Start Hearing "Eye of the Tiger" in Your Head as you Read This, Then You Have Missed The Point
More Important Foreshadowing. Trust me!
This may be the shortest script snippet yet.
I'm on a Boat!
Can You Believe I Only Just Now Started Watching Battlestar Galactica?
You know, one of the first films I remember seeing in theatres was Searching for Bobby Fisher. . .
Yeah. . this'll come WAY earlier in the second draft.
I couldn't just make up an African country that didn't sound really silly. . .
The Nuances of Japanese Job Interviews = Comic Gold!
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Nuances of Japanese Job Interviews = Comic Gold!
Last time. . .
We Now Continue.
CUT TO:
EXT, Sidewalk, Day
Long shot of USAGI, sitting on the opposite end of the sidewalk from a PHONE BOOTH. Usagi’s hair has been fixed up, her uniform has been cleaned, and subtle make-up has been applied by Makoto; she wants Usagi to look good-- why, we don’t know. The sidewalk is noticeably bare of people. Inside the phone booth, we see MAKOTO talking on the phone, her hand covering the mouthpiece. She glances nervously at USAGI from time to time. USAGI, bored and anxious, looks around. She spots a BLACK CAT in the distance, walking toward her. USAGI holds her gaze on the cat—then she hears MAKOTO raising her voice angrily into the phone. After a moment, Makoto calms down, and after a few more words, hangs up the phone and opens the booth door. We now see that she is wearing a dark green dress suit.
MAKOTO
(sighs)
Sorry ‘bout that.
(beat, then gestures to the booth)
Beats a phone bill every month.
(Ed: Yeah. . . I’m just gonna forget about her cell phone. Another great/frustrating thing about first drafts.)
USAGI briefly glances toward the black cat, just in time to see it run down a back street. Usagi laughs bitterly at herself.
MAKOTO
My, uh. . .
(dissembling)
My interview’s been bumped up to noon. So. . . Whaddaya wanna do ‘till then?
USAGI
Makoto, I . . .
(beat)
Why am I coming with you, again?
MAKOTO
Well. . .
Makoto hesitates—she really doesn’t have a good answer.
MAKOTO
Usagi. . . look around.
(beat)
It’s a bad idea to be alone right now.
USAGI
Oh. Okay.
Usagi stands up.
USAGI
And. . . what, it’s a perfect day for a job interview?
MAKOTO
Look, I didn’t want to leave you sitting in the apartment, okay? And I’m not staying up there all day.
USAGI
Fine.
Usagi starts to walk off, but briefly turns around.
USAGI
Look, thanks for dinner and. . . and everything. But. . .
MAKOTO
Usagi!
(sighs)
All right-- you want to know why you’re coming with me?
(beat)
Moral support.
USAGI
(incredulous)
“Moral support”?
MAKOTO
Yeah, “moral support”!
(beat)
Can’t you tell? I’m a nervous wreck.
USAGI
. . . Makoto, I watched you fight off three people with your bare hands.
MAKOTO
Well, I can see you’ve never had to go through a Japanese job interview. Here, I’ll give you a taste.
Makoto retreats back into the phone booth. Makoto knocks on the phone booth door from the inside. Usagi has no idea what this means.
MAKOTO
(peeking through the door)
Say “come in”!
MAKOTO closes the door,
USAGI
(confused; looks around)
. . .Doozo?
MAKOTO exits the phone booth, carrying an air of Japanese feminine humility so extreme its jarring.
MAKOTO
(soft, barely audible, little eye contact)
Shitsuree itashimasu.
Makoto bows demurely. Usagi, confused, bows.
USAGI
. . . Ohayoo gozaimasu?
MAKOTO breaks character, placing her hands on her hips and pushing out her chest—a Japanese caricature of authority.
USAGI
(mimicking the gesture in confusion)
. . . O. . .hayoo?
MAKOTO
(whispering, never breaking her polite facade)
You don’t greet me.
USAGI
. . . Oh.
MAKOTO
. . . You invite me in to have a seat.
USAGI
Oh! Uh. . .
(gesturing to imaginary seat)
Doozo?
MAKOTO makes the authority figure gesture again.
MAKOTO
“Okakekudasai”!
USAGI
(hands on hips)
Okakekudasai!
MAKOTO
Shitsuree itashimasu.
Makoto gently closes the door to the phone booth, gracefully walks up to Usagi, and bows once more.
MAKOTO
. . . See, I have to apologize to you for making you invite me in--
USAGI
(abruptly)
Makoto. . .
(sighs, then seemingly upset)
What is this?
(pause)
My office is a sidewalk. This company has no future. Get out while you can.
MAKOTO breaks character and laughs, relieved to see Usagi is (slightly) better spirits.
CUT TO:
INT, Mundy Residence, Usagi’s Room
LUNA pops up from underneath Usagi’s bed to check whether she’s returned. The bed is empty.
CUT TO:
EXT, Mundy Residence, Day
LUNA walks down the lawn, taking one last look at the house. She’s torn—on the one hand, she may have finally found proof that Sailor V, the one she’s been searching for her whole life, really is still out there. On the other hand, Usagi is still missing, and Luna knows that on some levels, it’s her fault. After a moment, Luna forces herself onward.
CUT TO:
INT, Crown Arcade
With school cancelled, the arcade is packed with teenagers. MOTOKI is literally run off his feet.
MOTOKI
(to another employee)
Cancel school. Keep kids safely indoors, at home, until the state of emergency is resolved.
(beat, looks at the hordes of kids)
I think it worked.
CUT TO:
Usagi leading Makoto through the arcade.
MAKOTO
I really don’t know if I this is for me—
USAGI
You’ve gotta you’re options open! You may not get that other job.
Makoto glances sideways, as if hiding something.
USAGI
Besides. . . I got connections.
CUT TO:
Motoki at work on some chore. Usagi appears behind him.
USAGI
Motoki!
MOTOKI winces.
MOTOKI
(gritting teeth)
Oh joy.
(facing Usagi, with insincere grin)
Usagi!
USAGI
Motoki, there’s someone I want you meet.
MOTOKI
Usagi, I really am busy right--
Usagi disappears behind a video game machine.
MOTOKI
--and I’m letting this happen. That’s management material.
A second later, Usagi pulls out Makoto from behind the game machine.
USAGI
Motoki, this is Makoto Kino.
Makoto bows, putting on her feminine act. Motoki, love-struck idiot that he is, takes a moment to process the opportunity he has been handed.
MAKOTO
Shitsuree itashimasu.
MOTOKI
(abrupt)
Ah!-- Ohayoo Gozaimasu!
Motoki bows. Makoto, noticing Motoki made the same mistake as Usagi, tries not to laugh.
MOTOKI
Hajime—uh, well, we. . .
Usagi walks up behind Motoki, still facing Makoto.
MOTOKI
We’ve already. . . kind of--
USAGI
(to Motoki)
She’s young. . . energetic. . . and looking to join the workforce.
MOTOKI
That’s. . .
(claps hands)
Great! That’s really. . . yeah, we need. . . young people, with energy. . . working.
You could cut the awkwardness with a knife. Makoto pretends to look through her bag.
MAKOTO
(faking)
Ah!
(beat)
Whaddaya know. . . forgot to bring a resume!
MOTOKI
Oh, *pfft*. . . “resumes”. . .
(waves his hand)
Relics! . . . what with the. . . Facebook. . . Who needs ‘em?
Makoto glances at Usagi, standing behind Motoki. Usagi gives the thumbs up.
We Now Continue.
CUT TO:
EXT, Sidewalk, Day
Long shot of USAGI, sitting on the opposite end of the sidewalk from a PHONE BOOTH. Usagi’s hair has been fixed up, her uniform has been cleaned, and subtle make-up has been applied by Makoto; she wants Usagi to look good-- why, we don’t know. The sidewalk is noticeably bare of people. Inside the phone booth, we see MAKOTO talking on the phone, her hand covering the mouthpiece. She glances nervously at USAGI from time to time. USAGI, bored and anxious, looks around. She spots a BLACK CAT in the distance, walking toward her. USAGI holds her gaze on the cat—then she hears MAKOTO raising her voice angrily into the phone. After a moment, Makoto calms down, and after a few more words, hangs up the phone and opens the booth door. We now see that she is wearing a dark green dress suit.
MAKOTO
(sighs)
Sorry ‘bout that.
(beat, then gestures to the booth)
Beats a phone bill every month.
(Ed: Yeah. . . I’m just gonna forget about her cell phone. Another great/frustrating thing about first drafts.)
USAGI briefly glances toward the black cat, just in time to see it run down a back street. Usagi laughs bitterly at herself.
MAKOTO
My, uh. . .
(dissembling)
My interview’s been bumped up to noon. So. . . Whaddaya wanna do ‘till then?
USAGI
Makoto, I . . .
(beat)
Why am I coming with you, again?
MAKOTO
Well. . .
Makoto hesitates—she really doesn’t have a good answer.
MAKOTO
Usagi. . . look around.
(beat)
It’s a bad idea to be alone right now.
USAGI
Oh. Okay.
Usagi stands up.
USAGI
And. . . what, it’s a perfect day for a job interview?
MAKOTO
Look, I didn’t want to leave you sitting in the apartment, okay? And I’m not staying up there all day.
USAGI
Fine.
Usagi starts to walk off, but briefly turns around.
USAGI
Look, thanks for dinner and. . . and everything. But. . .
MAKOTO
Usagi!
(sighs)
All right-- you want to know why you’re coming with me?
(beat)
Moral support.
USAGI
(incredulous)
“Moral support”?
MAKOTO
Yeah, “moral support”!
(beat)
Can’t you tell? I’m a nervous wreck.
USAGI
. . . Makoto, I watched you fight off three people with your bare hands.
MAKOTO
Well, I can see you’ve never had to go through a Japanese job interview. Here, I’ll give you a taste.
Makoto retreats back into the phone booth. Makoto knocks on the phone booth door from the inside. Usagi has no idea what this means.
MAKOTO
(peeking through the door)
Say “come in”!
MAKOTO closes the door,
USAGI
(confused; looks around)
. . .Doozo?
MAKOTO exits the phone booth, carrying an air of Japanese feminine humility so extreme its jarring.
MAKOTO
(soft, barely audible, little eye contact)
Shitsuree itashimasu.
Makoto bows demurely. Usagi, confused, bows.
USAGI
. . . Ohayoo gozaimasu?
MAKOTO breaks character, placing her hands on her hips and pushing out her chest—a Japanese caricature of authority.
USAGI
(mimicking the gesture in confusion)
. . . O. . .hayoo?
MAKOTO
(whispering, never breaking her polite facade)
You don’t greet me.
USAGI
. . . Oh.
MAKOTO
. . . You invite me in to have a seat.
USAGI
Oh! Uh. . .
(gesturing to imaginary seat)
Doozo?
MAKOTO makes the authority figure gesture again.
MAKOTO
“Okakekudasai”!
USAGI
(hands on hips)
Okakekudasai!
MAKOTO
Shitsuree itashimasu.
Makoto gently closes the door to the phone booth, gracefully walks up to Usagi, and bows once more.
MAKOTO
. . . See, I have to apologize to you for making you invite me in--
USAGI
(abruptly)
Makoto. . .
(sighs, then seemingly upset)
What is this?
(pause)
My office is a sidewalk. This company has no future. Get out while you can.
MAKOTO breaks character and laughs, relieved to see Usagi is (slightly) better spirits.
CUT TO:
INT, Mundy Residence, Usagi’s Room
LUNA pops up from underneath Usagi’s bed to check whether she’s returned. The bed is empty.
CUT TO:
EXT, Mundy Residence, Day
LUNA walks down the lawn, taking one last look at the house. She’s torn—on the one hand, she may have finally found proof that Sailor V, the one she’s been searching for her whole life, really is still out there. On the other hand, Usagi is still missing, and Luna knows that on some levels, it’s her fault. After a moment, Luna forces herself onward.
CUT TO:
INT, Crown Arcade
With school cancelled, the arcade is packed with teenagers. MOTOKI is literally run off his feet.
MOTOKI
(to another employee)
Cancel school. Keep kids safely indoors, at home, until the state of emergency is resolved.
(beat, looks at the hordes of kids)
I think it worked.
CUT TO:
Usagi leading Makoto through the arcade.
MAKOTO
I really don’t know if I this is for me—
USAGI
You’ve gotta you’re options open! You may not get that other job.
Makoto glances sideways, as if hiding something.
USAGI
Besides. . . I got connections.
CUT TO:
Motoki at work on some chore. Usagi appears behind him.
USAGI
Motoki!
MOTOKI winces.
MOTOKI
(gritting teeth)
Oh joy.
(facing Usagi, with insincere grin)
Usagi!
USAGI
Motoki, there’s someone I want you meet.
MOTOKI
Usagi, I really am busy right--
Usagi disappears behind a video game machine.
MOTOKI
--and I’m letting this happen. That’s management material.
A second later, Usagi pulls out Makoto from behind the game machine.
USAGI
Motoki, this is Makoto Kino.
Makoto bows, putting on her feminine act. Motoki, love-struck idiot that he is, takes a moment to process the opportunity he has been handed.
MAKOTO
Shitsuree itashimasu.
MOTOKI
(abrupt)
Ah!-- Ohayoo Gozaimasu!
Motoki bows. Makoto, noticing Motoki made the same mistake as Usagi, tries not to laugh.
MOTOKI
Hajime—uh, well, we. . .
Usagi walks up behind Motoki, still facing Makoto.
MOTOKI
We’ve already. . . kind of--
USAGI
(to Motoki)
She’s young. . . energetic. . . and looking to join the workforce.
MOTOKI
That’s. . .
(claps hands)
Great! That’s really. . . yeah, we need. . . young people, with energy. . . working.
You could cut the awkwardness with a knife. Makoto pretends to look through her bag.
MAKOTO
(faking)
Ah!
(beat)
Whaddaya know. . . forgot to bring a resume!
MOTOKI
Oh, *pfft*. . . “resumes”. . .
(waves his hand)
Relics! . . . what with the. . . Facebook. . . Who needs ‘em?
Makoto glances at Usagi, standing behind Motoki. Usagi gives the thumbs up.
Monday, August 1, 2011
I couldn't just make up an African country that didn't sound really silly. . .
Last time. . .
We Now Continue.
CUT TO:
INT, Mamoru's Bedroom
Mamoru rises out of bed, peacefully. A rarity these days. He looks. . . dissappointed, somehow.
CUT TO:
INT, Mamoru's Condo, Hallway
We follow Mamoru, now in his usual sharp attire, as he walks toward the kitchen. As he goes down the hall, he passes by a large window, revealing a small but professional RECORDING STUDIO, complete with a PIANO, HUNDREDS OF RECORDS, MIXING STUDIO, the works. Now we know how the "Chiba family" makes their money.
BANDANA(V.O.)
Guess what? I have a son!
CUT TO:
INT, Kitchen
We see BANDANA talking, solemnly, into a phone down another hallway. MAMORU observes from a distance, in the kitchen.
BANDANA
(into phone)
Yeah. . . didn't see that one coming, did you? Mamo-- that's his name, Mamoru--
(sighs)
-- well, he was in a car wreck, and--
MAMORU takes a look around the kitchen-- it's a mess. There are dirty dishes and pieces of garbage everywhere. He starts to pick up some of the garbage. He's sullen-- this isn't what he wanted to do with his morning.
BANDANA
(into phone)
. . . well, it's a long story, but. . . I adopted him!
(pause)
Listen, there's something I really--
(Pause-- we can barely hear a voice from the other end now)
Hello? . . . Shingo?
MAMORU stops and turns toward BANDANA.
BANDANA
(into phone)
Shingo! Hi!
(pause)
No. . . no, Shingo, please--
(pause-- then crying)
Don't do this, please! I need to--
We hear a click. Bandana, looking as if she's been punched in the stomach, slowly hangs up the phone and walks off, without noticing Mamoru. Not having any idea what to do, Mamoru goes back to picking up the pieces.
CUT TO:
INT, Living Room
Mamour sits down on the couch, and takes a look at his watch.
MAMORU
(whispering)
Dammit!
Mamoru starts putting on his socks when--
HINO(O.S.)
Who was that?
MAMORU turns around, shocked to see TAKASHI HINO, cabinet minister and father to his girldfriend, standing in his living room, smoking a cigarette.
HINO
(gesturing to hallway)
On the phone. Who was she talking to?
HINO slumps onto the couch.
MAMORU
Oh, that, I. . . I wouldn't, uh. . .wait, what are you doing here?
HINO turns on the TV.
HINO
Hell, you wouldn't know, would you.
MAMORU
Why you're here, or --?
HINO
(looking at Mamoru's socks, changing the subject)
School's cancelled today.
(sarcastic)
In light of the tragedy.
HINO flips through channels. Most of the channels are playing footage of Tokyo Big Sight.
HINO
Christ. You just can't escape it.
Suddenly, the channel flipping stops. We see a shot of a crystal shard-- one that bears resemblance to the crystal we saw in the CRYSTAL CHAMBER.
REACTION SHOT of Mamoru-- he recognizes that shard from his dreams. (Just go with it)
HINO
(to BANDANA)
Good morning, sunshine!
MAMORU turns to see BANDANA standing in the hallway. Her forced smile can hardly conceal her fuming rage.
BANDANA
Good morning, Mamo-kun.
(to Hino)
Minister.
HINO
"Minister?"
Hino points to Mamoru, who's torn between the TV screen and the soap opera unfolding before his eyes.
HINO
(sarcastically)
Oh. . . I get it. THIS why you asked me to leave at six in the damn morning.
BANDANA, about to explode, turns and walks back down the hall.
HINO
(yelling down the hall)
You called me!
(beat, then raises the remote)
Jeeze!
Hino is about to change the channel, just another image of the crystal shard comes onto the screen. Mamoru, as if snapping out of a trance, stops him.
MAMORU
Wait!
HINO
(indignant)
What?
MAMORU fixates on the screen, as if it holds the meaning of life itself. Hino looks back and fourth between Hino and the screen.
HINO
You recognize it?
(beat)
Mamoru?
At that moment, we hear a J-poppy tune being played on a piano in the background.
HINO
I guess Rei must've told you about it, huh?
(beat)
That. . . is the Imperial Silver Crystal.
Mamoru snaps his head toward Hino.
HINO
(looking back into the hall)
Incredible. She leaves the door to her sound-proofed studio wide open while she plays the piano. THAT, Mamoru, is a lesson in feminine subtlety.
MAMORU
Wait-- THAT'S the Imperial Silver Crystal?
HINO
Oh, yeah. One of the national treasures of Sierra Lione. Imperial-- . . . or Imperium. No-one seems to be quite sure what it's called.
MAMORU
You said. . . Rei told me?
HINO
Didn't she?
(beat)
Well, that's where you're going on Friday night. You, me, Rei, and some of Japan's most powerful men, will be the honoured guests as "Princess Diamond" herself--
(quieter, sarcastic)
--that's what all the lefty do-gooders call her--
(loud again)
-- presents the Imperial Silver Crystal to a group of Japanese researchers.
MAMORU looks at the TV again. Suddenly, things are starting to make sense. Then--
REI
Dad?
Mamoru turns to find REI standing in the living room, shocked to find her father at Mamoru's place. We then turn to Hino. He's shocked to find her there too. For a moment, he loses his sense of smug composure.
REI
What are you doing here, Dad?
Hino's shocked appearance doesn't last. He turns to MAMORU.
HINO
Well. . . You're up to your eyes in Hinos today, aren't you?
(pause)
Wait--
(turns to REI)
How did YOU get in here, anyway?
CUT TO:
INT, Hallway Outside Mamoru's Condo
MAMORU and REI in the hallway.
MAMORU
You could've buzzed, Rei.
REI slams the door shut, still disgusted at what she saw.
MAMORU
So what's going on?
REI
I need a witness.
REI starts down the hallway.
MAMORU
Wait, what?
REI stops and turns around.
REI
I need someone to follow me, to see everything that I do and everything that I see, and tell me that I'm NOT completely insane.
MAMORU
(sarcastically)
Oh, sure. This is all incredibly sane.
REI continues on her way.
MAMORU
Rei, I can't just--
MAMORU glances back toward the door, and thinks twice about whether he really wants to stay in the same apartment as BANADA and HINO this morning.
MAMORU
(sighs)
Jesus, wait up.
We Now Continue.
CUT TO:
INT, Mamoru's Bedroom
Mamoru rises out of bed, peacefully. A rarity these days. He looks. . . dissappointed, somehow.
CUT TO:
INT, Mamoru's Condo, Hallway
We follow Mamoru, now in his usual sharp attire, as he walks toward the kitchen. As he goes down the hall, he passes by a large window, revealing a small but professional RECORDING STUDIO, complete with a PIANO, HUNDREDS OF RECORDS, MIXING STUDIO, the works. Now we know how the "Chiba family" makes their money.
BANDANA(V.O.)
Guess what? I have a son!
CUT TO:
INT, Kitchen
We see BANDANA talking, solemnly, into a phone down another hallway. MAMORU observes from a distance, in the kitchen.
BANDANA
(into phone)
Yeah. . . didn't see that one coming, did you? Mamo-- that's his name, Mamoru--
(sighs)
-- well, he was in a car wreck, and--
MAMORU takes a look around the kitchen-- it's a mess. There are dirty dishes and pieces of garbage everywhere. He starts to pick up some of the garbage. He's sullen-- this isn't what he wanted to do with his morning.
BANDANA
(into phone)
. . . well, it's a long story, but. . . I adopted him!
(pause)
Listen, there's something I really--
(Pause-- we can barely hear a voice from the other end now)
Hello? . . . Shingo?
MAMORU stops and turns toward BANDANA.
BANDANA
(into phone)
Shingo! Hi!
(pause)
No. . . no, Shingo, please--
(pause-- then crying)
Don't do this, please! I need to--
We hear a click. Bandana, looking as if she's been punched in the stomach, slowly hangs up the phone and walks off, without noticing Mamoru. Not having any idea what to do, Mamoru goes back to picking up the pieces.
CUT TO:
INT, Living Room
Mamour sits down on the couch, and takes a look at his watch.
MAMORU
(whispering)
Dammit!
Mamoru starts putting on his socks when--
HINO(O.S.)
Who was that?
MAMORU turns around, shocked to see TAKASHI HINO, cabinet minister and father to his girldfriend, standing in his living room, smoking a cigarette.
HINO
(gesturing to hallway)
On the phone. Who was she talking to?
HINO slumps onto the couch.
MAMORU
Oh, that, I. . . I wouldn't, uh. . .wait, what are you doing here?
HINO turns on the TV.
HINO
Hell, you wouldn't know, would you.
MAMORU
Why you're here, or --?
HINO
(looking at Mamoru's socks, changing the subject)
School's cancelled today.
(sarcastic)
In light of the tragedy.
HINO flips through channels. Most of the channels are playing footage of Tokyo Big Sight.
HINO
Christ. You just can't escape it.
Suddenly, the channel flipping stops. We see a shot of a crystal shard-- one that bears resemblance to the crystal we saw in the CRYSTAL CHAMBER.
REACTION SHOT of Mamoru-- he recognizes that shard from his dreams. (Just go with it)
HINO
(to BANDANA)
Good morning, sunshine!
MAMORU turns to see BANDANA standing in the hallway. Her forced smile can hardly conceal her fuming rage.
BANDANA
Good morning, Mamo-kun.
(to Hino)
Minister.
HINO
"Minister?"
Hino points to Mamoru, who's torn between the TV screen and the soap opera unfolding before his eyes.
HINO
(sarcastically)
Oh. . . I get it. THIS why you asked me to leave at six in the damn morning.
BANDANA, about to explode, turns and walks back down the hall.
HINO
(yelling down the hall)
You called me!
(beat, then raises the remote)
Jeeze!
Hino is about to change the channel, just another image of the crystal shard comes onto the screen. Mamoru, as if snapping out of a trance, stops him.
MAMORU
Wait!
HINO
(indignant)
What?
MAMORU fixates on the screen, as if it holds the meaning of life itself. Hino looks back and fourth between Hino and the screen.
HINO
You recognize it?
(beat)
Mamoru?
At that moment, we hear a J-poppy tune being played on a piano in the background.
HINO
I guess Rei must've told you about it, huh?
(beat)
That. . . is the Imperial Silver Crystal.
Mamoru snaps his head toward Hino.
HINO
(looking back into the hall)
Incredible. She leaves the door to her sound-proofed studio wide open while she plays the piano. THAT, Mamoru, is a lesson in feminine subtlety.
MAMORU
Wait-- THAT'S the Imperial Silver Crystal?
HINO
Oh, yeah. One of the national treasures of Sierra Lione. Imperial-- . . . or Imperium. No-one seems to be quite sure what it's called.
MAMORU
You said. . . Rei told me?
HINO
Didn't she?
(beat)
Well, that's where you're going on Friday night. You, me, Rei, and some of Japan's most powerful men, will be the honoured guests as "Princess Diamond" herself--
(quieter, sarcastic)
--that's what all the lefty do-gooders call her--
(loud again)
-- presents the Imperial Silver Crystal to a group of Japanese researchers.
MAMORU looks at the TV again. Suddenly, things are starting to make sense. Then--
REI
Dad?
Mamoru turns to find REI standing in the living room, shocked to find her father at Mamoru's place. We then turn to Hino. He's shocked to find her there too. For a moment, he loses his sense of smug composure.
REI
What are you doing here, Dad?
Hino's shocked appearance doesn't last. He turns to MAMORU.
HINO
Well. . . You're up to your eyes in Hinos today, aren't you?
(pause)
Wait--
(turns to REI)
How did YOU get in here, anyway?
CUT TO:
INT, Hallway Outside Mamoru's Condo
MAMORU and REI in the hallway.
MAMORU
You could've buzzed, Rei.
REI slams the door shut, still disgusted at what she saw.
MAMORU
So what's going on?
REI
I need a witness.
REI starts down the hallway.
MAMORU
Wait, what?
REI stops and turns around.
REI
I need someone to follow me, to see everything that I do and everything that I see, and tell me that I'm NOT completely insane.
MAMORU
(sarcastically)
Oh, sure. This is all incredibly sane.
REI continues on her way.
MAMORU
Rei, I can't just--
MAMORU glances back toward the door, and thinks twice about whether he really wants to stay in the same apartment as BANADA and HINO this morning.
MAMORU
(sighs)
Jesus, wait up.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Yeah. . this'll come WAY earlier in the second draft.
Last Time. . .
We Now Continue.
CUT TO:
EXT, Hikawa Shrine, DAY
REI walks along one of the shrine's mossy and worn stone paths, in full miko garb. A visitor walks by on the same path, on her way to perform her morning prayers. Rei bows. Aside from that one visitor, Rei is alone. We hear a loud CROW'S CAW as we--
CUT TO:
PHOBOS and DEIMOS, the shrine's resident ravens, each pecking away at a thin, bloody slice of beef.
REI (O.S.)
I hope you're happy, because this. . .
CUT TO:
A shot of Rei, kneeling down, watching the crows as they tear ravenously away at their meat.
REI
This is pollution, right here.
(points to the meat)
I've just brought meat-- raw, bloody, soiled meat-- onto the grounds of a Shinto shrine.
PHOBOS caws at DEIMOS, and drops his meat momentarily.
REI
Aw. Don't like it? Not quite rare enough for you?
Phobos picks up the piece of wet meat, now covered with pebbles and soil.
REI
(more serious)
Why won't you talk to me.
(pause)
It's been eight years. Say something.
Nothing.
REI
No-one else has to hear it. Just me.
DEIMOS caws. Rei lowers her head, and we
CUT TO:
The outer fence. Rei, still in her miko uniform walks along the fenceline. She passes by two women, one elderly, one middle aged. The middle aged woman is holding onto a photograph. The old woman seems on the verge of tears. Something bad happened here. Rei tries to pass the two women by without being noticed, but then. . .
OLD WOMAN("O.W.")
Excuse me? Excuse me, pristess?
Rei turns around.
REI
(humbly)
Oh, no. No, I'm not a priest--
MIDDLE AGED WOMAN ("M.W.")
Mother, please--
O.W.
Please, forgive me, I know I'm imposing myself on you--
M.W.
Mother--!
O.W. takes the photograph out ot M.W.'s hands and shows it to Rei. It's a little boy, five years old. Rei knows what this is about, and really doesn't want to see it.
O.W.
He went missing from here around a year ago. His name is Daichi.
Rei, in spite of herself, looks at the picture.
O.W.
(depserate)
If you could just offer a prayer--
M.W.
(whispering, mildly patronizing)
It's alright, mother. It's alright.
M.W. tried to pull O.W. away.
M.W.
(to Rei)
I'm so sorry.
O.W.
(to Rei)
Just a simple prayer for his safe return--
M.W.
(whispering to O.W., again patronizing)
Mother, please! You're embarrassing her!
O.W. walks away, absent mindledly.
M.W.
(to Rei)
I'm so sorry. My mother's. . . old fashioned. She takes all this. . .
(gestures at the shrine, dismissively)
. . . seriously.
REI
(trying to ignore the implicit insult)
Imagine. . .
M.W.
I used to volunteer at a shrine like this.
(to O.W.)
Her idea.
(glances at the shrine)
Actually. . .
(closes in on Rei, whispering)
Is it true?
REI
What?
M.W.
That Takeshi Hino owns this shrine?
(beat)
You know, that politi--
REI
(cuts in)
Yes, my-- Minister Hino's family does own this shrine.
M.W.
(glances at shrine, sniffing)
No wonder they've never looked into it.
(to Rei)
There have been three child dissappearances from near this shrine. Daichi was the latest, last year. How much investigating do you think police have done, hmm? None. Big shock, huh?
(sniffs with contempt at the shrine)
His mother won't even leave the house. One whole year, hasn't left the house. Still, what do they do? Nothing. All thanks to that assh--
(backs off, just as she's really starting to fume)
I'm sorry. . . I know you aren't connected to all this. Not really.
M.W. bows, and rejoins her mother. Rei just stands there, trying to take all of this in. It's not what M.W. said that really stunned Rei, as much as the fact that she did said it, that shocked Rei the most. After a moment, Rei turns around and continues on her way, striding forth with a new sense of purpose.
We Now Continue.
CUT TO:
EXT, Hikawa Shrine, DAY
REI walks along one of the shrine's mossy and worn stone paths, in full miko garb. A visitor walks by on the same path, on her way to perform her morning prayers. Rei bows. Aside from that one visitor, Rei is alone. We hear a loud CROW'S CAW as we--
CUT TO:
PHOBOS and DEIMOS, the shrine's resident ravens, each pecking away at a thin, bloody slice of beef.
REI (O.S.)
I hope you're happy, because this. . .
CUT TO:
A shot of Rei, kneeling down, watching the crows as they tear ravenously away at their meat.
REI
This is pollution, right here.
(points to the meat)
I've just brought meat-- raw, bloody, soiled meat-- onto the grounds of a Shinto shrine.
PHOBOS caws at DEIMOS, and drops his meat momentarily.
REI
Aw. Don't like it? Not quite rare enough for you?
Phobos picks up the piece of wet meat, now covered with pebbles and soil.
REI
(more serious)
Why won't you talk to me.
(pause)
It's been eight years. Say something.
Nothing.
REI
No-one else has to hear it. Just me.
DEIMOS caws. Rei lowers her head, and we
CUT TO:
The outer fence. Rei, still in her miko uniform walks along the fenceline. She passes by two women, one elderly, one middle aged. The middle aged woman is holding onto a photograph. The old woman seems on the verge of tears. Something bad happened here. Rei tries to pass the two women by without being noticed, but then. . .
OLD WOMAN("O.W.")
Excuse me? Excuse me, pristess?
Rei turns around.
REI
(humbly)
Oh, no. No, I'm not a priest--
MIDDLE AGED WOMAN ("M.W.")
Mother, please--
O.W.
Please, forgive me, I know I'm imposing myself on you--
M.W.
Mother--!
O.W. takes the photograph out ot M.W.'s hands and shows it to Rei. It's a little boy, five years old. Rei knows what this is about, and really doesn't want to see it.
O.W.
He went missing from here around a year ago. His name is Daichi.
Rei, in spite of herself, looks at the picture.
O.W.
(depserate)
If you could just offer a prayer--
M.W.
(whispering, mildly patronizing)
It's alright, mother. It's alright.
M.W. tried to pull O.W. away.
M.W.
(to Rei)
I'm so sorry.
O.W.
(to Rei)
Just a simple prayer for his safe return--
M.W.
(whispering to O.W., again patronizing)
Mother, please! You're embarrassing her!
O.W. walks away, absent mindledly.
M.W.
(to Rei)
I'm so sorry. My mother's. . . old fashioned. She takes all this. . .
(gestures at the shrine, dismissively)
. . . seriously.
REI
(trying to ignore the implicit insult)
Imagine. . .
M.W.
I used to volunteer at a shrine like this.
(to O.W.)
Her idea.
(glances at the shrine)
Actually. . .
(closes in on Rei, whispering)
Is it true?
REI
What?
M.W.
That Takeshi Hino owns this shrine?
(beat)
You know, that politi--
REI
(cuts in)
Yes, my-- Minister Hino's family does own this shrine.
M.W.
(glances at shrine, sniffing)
No wonder they've never looked into it.
(to Rei)
There have been three child dissappearances from near this shrine. Daichi was the latest, last year. How much investigating do you think police have done, hmm? None. Big shock, huh?
(sniffs with contempt at the shrine)
His mother won't even leave the house. One whole year, hasn't left the house. Still, what do they do? Nothing. All thanks to that assh--
(backs off, just as she's really starting to fume)
I'm sorry. . . I know you aren't connected to all this. Not really.
M.W. bows, and rejoins her mother. Rei just stands there, trying to take all of this in. It's not what M.W. said that really stunned Rei, as much as the fact that she did said it, that shocked Rei the most. After a moment, Rei turns around and continues on her way, striding forth with a new sense of purpose.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
You know, one of the first films I remember seeing in theatres was Searching for Bobby Fisher. . .
Last Time. . .
We Now Comntinue.
We hold on this shot of black for a few seconds-- just long enough for the pause to be noticable-- before we
CUT TO:
INT, Makoto's Apartment
A close up of USAGI lying on Makoto's couch. She snaps awake just as we cut to her. We think it might be from a nightmare, until we see her close her eyes and groan groggily.
CUT TO:
Usagi, standing at a window. The sun is only just coming up; for Tokyo in early April, this means its only around 5:30. Usagi looks down to the bare street below, and then up to the Tokyo Sky Tree in the distance. Somehow, in the light of day, the scene has lost its lustre. Usagi turns around, and sees that there's light coming from the bottom of the bathroom door.
CUT TO:
Bathroom. MAKOTO stands in front of the mirror, doing something we never thought we'd see her do-- applying eye-liner. She's wearing a white t-shirt and a dark-green skirt; behind her hangs the top part of a dress suit of the same color as her dress. She's puts down the eye-liner and reaches for a packet of lipstick in a metallic case, but hesitates. She closes her eyes, and we
CUT TO:
INT, Juuban High
A flashback from a few months earlier. Makoto, now sitting in class, is applying lipstick and fixing up her her hair-- she's trying to hide what she's doing, given the cultural taboo in Japan of applying make-up in public. She turns around and spots SEMPAI, hanging out with some friends. Her face flushed, she looks down to something in her hand-- a button. She looks back up to Sempai as we cut to a close-up-- we see that one of the buttons on his uniform jacket is missing. We pan up to reveal SEMPAI looking over to Makoto and smiling.
CUT TO:
INT, Makoto's Apartment
The present. This memory has clearly infuriated MAKOTO. She looks down at the lipstick, the music builds, and then, as if focussing all her anger onto it, Makoto reaches out and GRABS THE LIPSTICK. She holds on to the lipstick, gazing at it-- whatever she was expecting to happen, hasn't. After a moment, she pulls herself together and starts applying the lipstick.
CUT TO:
USAGI, lying on the couch, looking at the bathroom, unable, or unwilling, to go back to sleep.
CUT TO:
INT, Mizuno Residence, Bathroom
AMI enters the washroom. As she approaches the sink, she sees something in the garbage container. She looks inside and takes the object out-- it's an empty pill bottle. Ami takes a closer look at the label: "Zotepine". Ami knows what this is, but has no idea what it's doing in her apartment.
CUT TO:
Dining room. Ami brings out a small, homemade breakfast and sets it on the table. She's all dressed up for school -- uniform, backpack full of books, all ready-- so she's shocked to see the message left for her on the dry-erase board by Saeko:
MESSAGE
School's been cancelled today.
It looks like something has been erased next to that message, but we can't tell for sure. Ami's dissappointed by the news. But there's something else written on the board-- a chess move: "Bxa4". Beneath the chess move is a text address-- whoever wrote down that move want Ami to send her next move there. AMI moves to the board and makes the move. She then analyses the board-- this was a surprisingly challenging move, and AMI has to think for a moment about her response. Then, in AMI'S eyes, we can see a flash of inspiration.
CUT TO:
A moment later. AMI sends a text message containing her (unseen) move.
CUT TO:
AMI sitting at the TV. She's jubillant. . . until the ongoing news of the attack at Big Sight snaps her back into reality. After a moment, we
CUT TO:
AMI pulling out papers from her drawer-- these were the same papers that AMI was working on yesterday, which SAEKO took down. As Ami is looking them through, she gets a text message.
MESSAGE
School's out, but we're not.
AMI reads what the message as we--
CUT TO:
. . .
We Now Comntinue.
We hold on this shot of black for a few seconds-- just long enough for the pause to be noticable-- before we
CUT TO:
INT, Makoto's Apartment
A close up of USAGI lying on Makoto's couch. She snaps awake just as we cut to her. We think it might be from a nightmare, until we see her close her eyes and groan groggily.
CUT TO:
Usagi, standing at a window. The sun is only just coming up; for Tokyo in early April, this means its only around 5:30. Usagi looks down to the bare street below, and then up to the Tokyo Sky Tree in the distance. Somehow, in the light of day, the scene has lost its lustre. Usagi turns around, and sees that there's light coming from the bottom of the bathroom door.
CUT TO:
Bathroom. MAKOTO stands in front of the mirror, doing something we never thought we'd see her do-- applying eye-liner. She's wearing a white t-shirt and a dark-green skirt; behind her hangs the top part of a dress suit of the same color as her dress. She's puts down the eye-liner and reaches for a packet of lipstick in a metallic case, but hesitates. She closes her eyes, and we
CUT TO:
INT, Juuban High
A flashback from a few months earlier. Makoto, now sitting in class, is applying lipstick and fixing up her her hair-- she's trying to hide what she's doing, given the cultural taboo in Japan of applying make-up in public. She turns around and spots SEMPAI, hanging out with some friends. Her face flushed, she looks down to something in her hand-- a button. She looks back up to Sempai as we cut to a close-up-- we see that one of the buttons on his uniform jacket is missing. We pan up to reveal SEMPAI looking over to Makoto and smiling.
CUT TO:
INT, Makoto's Apartment
The present. This memory has clearly infuriated MAKOTO. She looks down at the lipstick, the music builds, and then, as if focussing all her anger onto it, Makoto reaches out and GRABS THE LIPSTICK. She holds on to the lipstick, gazing at it-- whatever she was expecting to happen, hasn't. After a moment, she pulls herself together and starts applying the lipstick.
CUT TO:
USAGI, lying on the couch, looking at the bathroom, unable, or unwilling, to go back to sleep.
CUT TO:
INT, Mizuno Residence, Bathroom
AMI enters the washroom. As she approaches the sink, she sees something in the garbage container. She looks inside and takes the object out-- it's an empty pill bottle. Ami takes a closer look at the label: "Zotepine". Ami knows what this is, but has no idea what it's doing in her apartment.
CUT TO:
Dining room. Ami brings out a small, homemade breakfast and sets it on the table. She's all dressed up for school -- uniform, backpack full of books, all ready-- so she's shocked to see the message left for her on the dry-erase board by Saeko:
MESSAGE
School's been cancelled today.
It looks like something has been erased next to that message, but we can't tell for sure. Ami's dissappointed by the news. But there's something else written on the board-- a chess move: "Bxa4". Beneath the chess move is a text address-- whoever wrote down that move want Ami to send her next move there. AMI moves to the board and makes the move. She then analyses the board-- this was a surprisingly challenging move, and AMI has to think for a moment about her response. Then, in AMI'S eyes, we can see a flash of inspiration.
CUT TO:
A moment later. AMI sends a text message containing her (unseen) move.
CUT TO:
AMI sitting at the TV. She's jubillant. . . until the ongoing news of the attack at Big Sight snaps her back into reality. After a moment, we
CUT TO:
AMI pulling out papers from her drawer-- these were the same papers that AMI was working on yesterday, which SAEKO took down. As Ami is looking them through, she gets a text message.
MESSAGE
School's out, but we're not.
AMI reads what the message as we--
CUT TO:
. . .
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Can You Believe I Only Just Now Started Watching Battlestar Galactica?
Last Time. . .
We Now Continue.
CUT TO:
Black. We hold on this until we see some grainy VIDEO FOOTAGE CUT IN.
(Note: We'll be seeing footage cutting in and out quite a bit throughout the next scene. Each cut in of footage, in true magnetic videotape fashion, will be accompanied by wavy lines of white static snow and distorted humming in the soundtrack.)
CUT IN TO:
A fuzzy, black and white, wall-camera feed of THE COLLIDER-- we see just one part of a massive device resembling a particle accelerator. Two tubes (one labeled with the Greek letter Alpha, the other, Omega) converge from either side onto a smaller vertical TUBE, just large enough to hold a person-- it almost resembles a coffin. There is a small window on the top of the tube; it's too dark to see what's inside. On the top corner of the screen, we can see a twenty-four hour clock, measuring time down to tenths of a second. There is no audio feed coming from the camera, and we only hear the random, almost subliminal hum and buzz of the video. Then, a voice, spoken through a microphone, recorded directly onto the soundtrack:
KAO LING(V.O.)
We're at 80% power. Preparing for intermix cycle.
At this, alarm lights on the ceiling turn on.
KAO LING(V.O.)
Initiate.
Like hoses suddenly filled with fluid, the two massive tubes start to buckle. It's an intimidating sight, given how big the tubes are.
KAO LING(V.O.)
We have interface.
Whatever is happening in the tubes, it's generating just enough light to see inside the window of the vertical coffin: it's a face. White and waxy, with eyes closed, its almost like a death mask.
KAO LING(V.O.)
Bio-support systems. . . stable.
A bit more light, and we see that the face is that of CYPRINE & PTILOL.
KAO LING(V.O.)
Ninety percent. Radiation levels outside chamber increasing, but well within tolerances.
The light is now blinding. A purple blob of magnetic distortion begins to form at the centre of the tape, as if the light is trying to burst through the very screen itself. If the image resembles that which formed after the collision of ORDER and CHAOS in LUNA'S story. . . that's just fine.
KAO LING(V.O.)
Ninety-five percent. Full power in ten seconds. Ninety-six. . . Ninety-seven. . . Ninety-eight--
CUT IN TO:
The blank, tacky blue title screen of a DOCUMENTARY. As we'll see, this film looks like it was edited on 1980's video editing equipment. It has music to match:
Then, a cheap, grey TITLE flies onto the screen, twirling around itself in with a special computer effect you might expect on an 80's corporate training video.
TITLE
Dark Energy
Then, a subtitle fills in at the bottom via an equally cheap de-pixelating effect.
SUTITLE
Progress and Paradigms in Energy Extraction.
The titles fly off the screen, followed by the blue background, transitioning to footage of D-Point. SAILOR V and EUDIAL are battling with a half-dozen or so strange creatures, the Dark Kingdom's lesser minions.
MIMETE(V.O.)
(pretentious)
We stand at a crossroads.
We WIPE to:
A massive field-- a zoo-- holding thousands of similarly exotic creatures. The camera looks down at the field a safe distance away.
MIMETE(V.O.)
At the precipice of a new horizon.
The camera zooms in, panning across the field.
MIMETE(V.O.)
Even now, we are slowly unravelling the secrets of D-Point--
CUT TO:
EUDIAL and TELLU hauling vats containing the creatures from the zoo onto large trucks, specially equipped with tracks to help navigate the snow. EUDIAL glares into the camera, as if to suggest to whomever is holding it to put it down and do some real work.
MIMETE(V.O.)
--and its strange and exotic inhabitants. Once a scientific mystery, the natural endothermic properties of these creatures are now--
CUT IN TO:
Interlaced combination of footage: The D-point Documentary, and the Collector. The light from the Collector footage is near blinding.
KAO LING (V.O.)
Neuron activity increasing, I'm-- hold on. . . Brainwaves!
(laughing joyously)
My God! I'm detecting--!
CUT IN TO:
A sharp cut this time, to a digital hand-held video camera following EUDIAL into MARIE-SENSEI'S house. The remains of MIMETE'S earlier confrontation linger: smashed-in picture frames, broken ceramic figures, potted plants lying on the floor with dirt sprawled everywhere, etc..
EUDIAL
Unbelievable, Mimete. You couldn't even clean up your own mess?
(beat, then sarcastically)
No. . . wait, that's MY job.
EUDIAL bends down and picks up a ceramic ARTEMIS toy and puts it on the shelf from which it appears to have fallen.
EUDIAL
There. No--
EUDIAL rotates the toy.
EUDIAL
There.
EUDIAL turns to the camera.
EUDIAL
Jesus! Mimete, turns that thing--!
CUT TO:
MARIE, sitting on the couch, staring out into space, as EUDIAL tends to her.
MIMETE(O.S.)
-- Just some old videos I pulled off tape. I'm sure the original is somewhere.
EUDIAL
And if "somewhere" is nowhere to be found? Will we miss it?
MARIE
(faintly)
What makes me so special?
MIMETE(O.S.)
(frustrated at Eudial, murmuring)
Jesus.
MARIE
That's what she said. O-sama. "What makes you so special? I've been writing for twenty years straight, and you want--"
EUDIAL
She's getting pretty chatty, Mimete.
MARIE
"-- a break? You think you can take a break after one lucky hit?"
(tearing up)
"You think you're special?"
EUDIAL
(worried)
Mimete?
MARIE'S face suddenly contorts with rage.
MARIE
You think you're SPECIAL?!
EUDIAL
MIMETE!
We hear a hand slam down on a button, and MARIE relaxes. Eudial turns to the camera.
EUDIAL
Jesus, Mimete! Pay attention! Are you trying to get me killed? Again?
EUDIAL turns back to MARIE, putting some finishing touches on her.
EUDIAL
(sighs, trying to calm down)
Okay. . . that should do it. Alright, let's start with--
MIMETE(O.S.)
Actually, could we--
MIMETE stops. EUDIAL turns around.
EUDIAL
What?
MIMETE(O.S.)
Nothing.
EUDIAL
(sharply)
What, Mimete?
MIMETE(O.S.)
I just thought. . . if we moved her to the side a bit. . .
EUDIAL gives MIMETE a look.
MIMETE(O.S.)
It would just look. . . better. More cinematic.
EUDIAL
Mimete. . . I happened to choose this position for optimal visual--
(she stops herself)
We're scientists, Mimete. Scientists! Do you understand that?!
MIMETE(O.S.)
You asked.
At that moment, the two hear the front door opening. They were not expecting this.
MIMETE(O.S.)
What the hell?! He supposed to be in San Fr--
BAISHAKU(O.S.)
I'm home!
MIMETE(O.S.)
Oh. . . no.
EUDIAL
Oh yes!
MIMETE
What?
EUDIAL
Science, Mimete. Turn that thing off for--
CUT IN TO:
The Documentary. A close-up of the CRYSTAL, from the CRYSTAL CHAMBER. It somehow looks less complete than when we last saw it.
MIMETE(V.O.)
We've already obtained four of the seven shards of the linking crystal.
CUT TO:
D-Point. We see a bright light fly up out of a large structure (at once Gothic and alien) and into the sky, and then split apart into seven multi-colored pieces, flying over the horizon.
MIMETE(V.O.)
Two of the remaining three have been located, and its only a--
CUT IN TO:
Marie, on the couch. She has been moved slightly to the side.
EUDIAL(O.S.)
(calling out)
Mimete!
MIMETE(O.S.)
Perfect.
EUDIAL(O.S.)
Mimete!
MIMETE(O.S.)
What?
EUDIAL(O.S.)
I'm taking him upstairs. Bring her too.
MIMETE(O.S.)
(under her breath, exasperated)
Oh, for fu--!
Cut to:
Bedroom. The camera is fixed on BAISHAKU, laying on the bed, half-conscious, his arms and legs bound by tied up pieces clothing. Eudial stands at his side, gazing down on him with detached curiosity.
MIMETE(O.S.)
Okay.
EUDIAL
(as if reciting notes)
Subject Baishaku, Marie. Date 18 March 2014. Time, thirteen fifty-three. Location, Baishaku residence, Yokohama. This is ahead of schedule, but we're going to attempt a feeding. This will NOT be a standard feeding, however, as we will be feeding an injured party to the subject. It is our hope to examine the creatures endoantentropic properties--
MIMETE(O.S.)
Wait, "endoantentropic"--?
EUDIAL, frustrated, pauses.
MIMETE(O.S.)
I-I just thought. . . it was "endothermic."
EUDIAL holds her tongue, holding back her rage.
MIMETE(O.S.)
(nervous)
D-do want to start ag--
EUDIAL
(sharply)
TO EXAMINE. . . the endoantentropic properties of the subject when presented with injured feed. Previous tests have all assumed healthy and uninjured feed, which is, to put it lightly, a bit optimistic given the nature of our enterprise. Therefore, we will be presenting to the subject one injured human. Namely, the subject's husband, Mr. Baishaku, seen here.
(to Mimete)
Get her ready.
EUDIAL turns back to BAISHAKU.
EUDIAL
And by the way, "endothermic" means "heat absorbing", dumbass.
MIMETE(O.S.)
So. . . what's the injury? The concussion?
BAISHAKU starts to stir, moaning.
EUDIAL
(still examining Baishaku)
No.
BAISHAKU moans louder.
EUDIAL
Absorption is most effective when the feed is focused on something, when its concentrating its energy onto the subject harvester in some way. I wanna see what the limits are to harvesting from unfocused feed.
EUDIAL turns her eye toward Baishaku's leg.
EUDIAL
There we go.
EUDIAL, in one quick movement, removes the pant leg from BAISHAKU'S left leg, exposing his shin.
MIMETE(O.S.)
(scared)
Wait, y-you haven't--?
BAISHAKU
(faintly)
What. . .?
EUDIAL
Feed is regaining consciousness. Okay. We'll test on unconscious feed later on as a control.
EUDIAL places her forearm above BAISHAKU'S shin.
EUDIAL(O.S.)
I am preparing to administer injury.
MIMETE(O.S.)
W-wait--!
EUDIAL
What?
MIMETE(O.S.)
(scared of what Eudial is about to do)
Y-y-you can't do it like that!
EUDIAL
Sure I can.
(looks down to the shin)
Just like chopping wood.
MIMETE(O.S.)
Eudial, uh, t-t-the battery--
EUDIAL raises her arm.
BAISHAKU
(weakly)
Please. . .
MIMETE(O.S.)
(desperate)
Eudial, the battery is dy--
EUDIAL
(coldly)
Administering.
EUDIAL'S forwarm slams down on BAISHAKU'S shin. We see her arm just make contact with the shin before we--
CUT IN TO:
Interlaced footage of THE COLLIDER-- now back to normal lighting-- and the documentary. We hear BAISHAKU'S fuzzy, distorted screams as we--
CUT IN TO:
The documentary. Any relief we might have felt at having cut away when we did is dashed when we see a CONVULSING SCHOOLGIRL on a slab, recorded with a fuzzy wall-mounted camera much like the one used to film the COLLIDER. Juxtaposed is more of the same music that began the documentary.
MIMETE(V.O.)
--ester-human hybrids. . .
MIMETE holds, waiting for the scene to play out. Then after a second,
CUT TO:
Shots of crowded public places: subways; sidewalks in Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza; schools; etc.
MIMETE(V.O.)
. . .combined with energy obtained through passive enothermy. . .
We cut to a scene of candy being sold to children. Silence for a moment. Then--
CUT TO:
A MAP of Tokyo, highlighting various locations. . . the same ones seen on AMI'S map. Some of these locations are blinking, while others are not.
MIMETE(V.O.)
. . . will allow us to expand to Phase II: small scale extractions at various points throughout the Greater Tokyo Area. This will serve two purposes. First--
We cut to the video footage of SAILOR V at D-point.
MIMETE(V.O.)
--it is our hope to weed out the so-called "Sailor V". The sites of the extractions have been specifically chosen for this purpose. Second, with the energy obtained from these extractions, we can move on to Phase III: large scale extraction in a densely populated region.
Back to the map. We see a handful of locations highlighted.
MIMETE(V.O.)
We have selected various possible locations and events from which to undertake Phase III. If "Sailor V" is not found during Phase II, we will most likely undertake Phase III at the Tokyo Internation--
CUT IN TO:
The COLLIDER. The "coffin" has opened. The person inside-- Cyprine, Ptilol?-- steps out, gazing at her surroundings. . .
KAO LING(V.O.)
She's stepping out! I don't believe this. We did it! We-- wait. . .
Something is wrong. Cyprine/Ptilol appears to be rapidly shifting between two states, as though two different people are occupying the same space.
KAO LING(V.O.)
It looks like she's. . . I don't know. Wait, what did you-- entangled? What does--?
CUT IN TO:
The Documentary. We see the map of Tokyo, now with many locations highlighted, along with a mix of stock footage.
MIMETE(V.O.)
Phase IV: Multiple, coordinated--
CUT IN TO:
What looks like an interrogation room, seen from a grainy wall-mounted camera feed. Silence, apart from the usual hum, and maybe some background music for mood. We see CYPRINE and PTILOL, now fully separated for one another, sitting at opposite ends of a table, completely still. After a few seconds, we JUMP-CUT to the same camera a few moments later: CYPRINE is looking at the camera, her face just a few inches away from it; PTILOL looks at the camera as well, from the other end of the room-- we see her over CYRPINE'S shoulder.
CUT IN TO:
Handheld, shaky camera footage. We're in a car. Through the window, we MIMETE running through a streetlit alley at night.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
I don't know.
MIMETE is chasing after something. Zooming in, we see that it's a dog.
CYRPINE(O.S.)
I went with her to the auction.
The camera zooms out again. The dog is trapped in a corner, growling at MIMETE as she tries to approach it.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
And I TOLD her, "Mimete, we're here to BUY the crystal,"--
CYPRINE'S hand holds up a SHARD OF CRYSTAL, resembling that from the CRYSTAL CHAMBER.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
Well. . . no, that's not what I told her. That's what I tell YOU I told her. I tried to stop her, I tell you. And then, when she realized what a mess she made of things, AGAIN, she drove off, leaving me behind.
(insincere)
It sure is a good thing I grabbed the crystal, isn't it?
CYPRINE lowers the crystal. We see MIMETE slowly, cautiously, approaching the dog. It barks a couple of times, and MIMETE backs off.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
And that's not even the end of it.
(fake indignance)
Did you know she lost a Daimon?! It's true! Ran off from the blood drive. Of course, Eudial bears some blame for this. That tracking device of hers. . . well, not only that, she-- Mimete, I mean-- actually expected ME to help her make another Daimon, and try to pass THAT one off as the one she lost!
MIMETE approaches the dog again. This time it bites down onto her arm. It doesn't penetrate her skin, or cause her harm of any kind, but she still freaks out.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
I mean, yeah, I TOLD her I would help and, well yeah, I helped sneak out TWO whole Daimon 'cause, let's face it, she wouldn't have the foresight to use the damn DOG to harvest the people at the auction. Oh, by the way, my idea too. It's not just the Daimon you need to replace-- you need the energy too, remember?
The camera pans right, and we see PTILOL standing beside the car. As soon as she comes on camera-- without actually seeing the camera with her own eyes-- she starts fixing her hair and adjusting her clothes, as if trying to improve her appearance.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
No. . . I can't say I know what happened. I was walking home through the tunnels, my better half was manning her post. . .
PTILOL approaches MIMETE from behind as she wrestles with the dog, still latched onto her arm.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
Maybe she wasn't careful enough with her Daimon and it turned on her. Maybe she ran away. Yeah. . . that's it. She ran away. Just like number 2.
PTILOL creeps behind MIMETE.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
In any event, she's gone. You'll be gone too. Soon enough. And you'll never, ever find her, or her car, because she's crafty, that one is. What you WILL find out, soon enough, is how it feels. How it feels. . . when it FEELS.
(excited)
When it actually, really, truly feels. Just like I'm about to find out.
PTILOL reaches her hands out to MIMETE'S neck.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
But no spoilers.
The camera CUTS TO BLACK.
We Now Continue.
CUT TO:
Black. We hold on this until we see some grainy VIDEO FOOTAGE CUT IN.
(Note: We'll be seeing footage cutting in and out quite a bit throughout the next scene. Each cut in of footage, in true magnetic videotape fashion, will be accompanied by wavy lines of white static snow and distorted humming in the soundtrack.)
CUT IN TO:
A fuzzy, black and white, wall-camera feed of THE COLLIDER-- we see just one part of a massive device resembling a particle accelerator. Two tubes (one labeled with the Greek letter Alpha, the other, Omega) converge from either side onto a smaller vertical TUBE, just large enough to hold a person-- it almost resembles a coffin. There is a small window on the top of the tube; it's too dark to see what's inside. On the top corner of the screen, we can see a twenty-four hour clock, measuring time down to tenths of a second. There is no audio feed coming from the camera, and we only hear the random, almost subliminal hum and buzz of the video. Then, a voice, spoken through a microphone, recorded directly onto the soundtrack:
KAO LING(V.O.)
We're at 80% power. Preparing for intermix cycle.
At this, alarm lights on the ceiling turn on.
KAO LING(V.O.)
Initiate.
Like hoses suddenly filled with fluid, the two massive tubes start to buckle. It's an intimidating sight, given how big the tubes are.
KAO LING(V.O.)
We have interface.
Whatever is happening in the tubes, it's generating just enough light to see inside the window of the vertical coffin: it's a face. White and waxy, with eyes closed, its almost like a death mask.
KAO LING(V.O.)
Bio-support systems. . . stable.
A bit more light, and we see that the face is that of CYPRINE & PTILOL.
KAO LING(V.O.)
Ninety percent. Radiation levels outside chamber increasing, but well within tolerances.
The light is now blinding. A purple blob of magnetic distortion begins to form at the centre of the tape, as if the light is trying to burst through the very screen itself. If the image resembles that which formed after the collision of ORDER and CHAOS in LUNA'S story. . . that's just fine.
KAO LING(V.O.)
Ninety-five percent. Full power in ten seconds. Ninety-six. . . Ninety-seven. . . Ninety-eight--
CUT IN TO:
The blank, tacky blue title screen of a DOCUMENTARY. As we'll see, this film looks like it was edited on 1980's video editing equipment. It has music to match:
Then, a cheap, grey TITLE flies onto the screen, twirling around itself in with a special computer effect you might expect on an 80's corporate training video.
TITLE
Dark Energy
Then, a subtitle fills in at the bottom via an equally cheap de-pixelating effect.
SUTITLE
Progress and Paradigms in Energy Extraction.
The titles fly off the screen, followed by the blue background, transitioning to footage of D-Point. SAILOR V and EUDIAL are battling with a half-dozen or so strange creatures, the Dark Kingdom's lesser minions.
MIMETE(V.O.)
(pretentious)
We stand at a crossroads.
We WIPE to:
A massive field-- a zoo-- holding thousands of similarly exotic creatures. The camera looks down at the field a safe distance away.
MIMETE(V.O.)
At the precipice of a new horizon.
The camera zooms in, panning across the field.
MIMETE(V.O.)
Even now, we are slowly unravelling the secrets of D-Point--
CUT TO:
EUDIAL and TELLU hauling vats containing the creatures from the zoo onto large trucks, specially equipped with tracks to help navigate the snow. EUDIAL glares into the camera, as if to suggest to whomever is holding it to put it down and do some real work.
MIMETE(V.O.)
--and its strange and exotic inhabitants. Once a scientific mystery, the natural endothermic properties of these creatures are now--
CUT IN TO:
Interlaced combination of footage: The D-point Documentary, and the Collector. The light from the Collector footage is near blinding.
KAO LING (V.O.)
Neuron activity increasing, I'm-- hold on. . . Brainwaves!
(laughing joyously)
My God! I'm detecting--!
CUT IN TO:
A sharp cut this time, to a digital hand-held video camera following EUDIAL into MARIE-SENSEI'S house. The remains of MIMETE'S earlier confrontation linger: smashed-in picture frames, broken ceramic figures, potted plants lying on the floor with dirt sprawled everywhere, etc..
EUDIAL
Unbelievable, Mimete. You couldn't even clean up your own mess?
(beat, then sarcastically)
No. . . wait, that's MY job.
EUDIAL bends down and picks up a ceramic ARTEMIS toy and puts it on the shelf from which it appears to have fallen.
EUDIAL
There. No--
EUDIAL rotates the toy.
EUDIAL
There.
EUDIAL turns to the camera.
EUDIAL
Jesus! Mimete, turns that thing--!
CUT TO:
MARIE, sitting on the couch, staring out into space, as EUDIAL tends to her.
MIMETE(O.S.)
-- Just some old videos I pulled off tape. I'm sure the original is somewhere.
EUDIAL
And if "somewhere" is nowhere to be found? Will we miss it?
MARIE
(faintly)
What makes me so special?
MIMETE(O.S.)
(frustrated at Eudial, murmuring)
Jesus.
MARIE
That's what she said. O-sama. "What makes you so special? I've been writing for twenty years straight, and you want--"
EUDIAL
She's getting pretty chatty, Mimete.
MARIE
"-- a break? You think you can take a break after one lucky hit?"
(tearing up)
"You think you're special?"
EUDIAL
(worried)
Mimete?
MARIE'S face suddenly contorts with rage.
MARIE
You think you're SPECIAL?!
EUDIAL
MIMETE!
We hear a hand slam down on a button, and MARIE relaxes. Eudial turns to the camera.
EUDIAL
Jesus, Mimete! Pay attention! Are you trying to get me killed? Again?
EUDIAL turns back to MARIE, putting some finishing touches on her.
EUDIAL
(sighs, trying to calm down)
Okay. . . that should do it. Alright, let's start with--
MIMETE(O.S.)
Actually, could we--
MIMETE stops. EUDIAL turns around.
EUDIAL
What?
MIMETE(O.S.)
Nothing.
EUDIAL
(sharply)
What, Mimete?
MIMETE(O.S.)
I just thought. . . if we moved her to the side a bit. . .
EUDIAL gives MIMETE a look.
MIMETE(O.S.)
It would just look. . . better. More cinematic.
EUDIAL
Mimete. . . I happened to choose this position for optimal visual--
(she stops herself)
We're scientists, Mimete. Scientists! Do you understand that?!
MIMETE(O.S.)
You asked.
At that moment, the two hear the front door opening. They were not expecting this.
MIMETE(O.S.)
What the hell?! He supposed to be in San Fr--
BAISHAKU(O.S.)
I'm home!
MIMETE(O.S.)
Oh. . . no.
EUDIAL
Oh yes!
MIMETE
What?
EUDIAL
Science, Mimete. Turn that thing off for--
CUT IN TO:
The Documentary. A close-up of the CRYSTAL, from the CRYSTAL CHAMBER. It somehow looks less complete than when we last saw it.
MIMETE(V.O.)
We've already obtained four of the seven shards of the linking crystal.
CUT TO:
D-Point. We see a bright light fly up out of a large structure (at once Gothic and alien) and into the sky, and then split apart into seven multi-colored pieces, flying over the horizon.
MIMETE(V.O.)
Two of the remaining three have been located, and its only a--
CUT IN TO:
Marie, on the couch. She has been moved slightly to the side.
EUDIAL(O.S.)
(calling out)
Mimete!
MIMETE(O.S.)
Perfect.
EUDIAL(O.S.)
Mimete!
MIMETE(O.S.)
What?
EUDIAL(O.S.)
I'm taking him upstairs. Bring her too.
MIMETE(O.S.)
(under her breath, exasperated)
Oh, for fu--!
Cut to:
Bedroom. The camera is fixed on BAISHAKU, laying on the bed, half-conscious, his arms and legs bound by tied up pieces clothing. Eudial stands at his side, gazing down on him with detached curiosity.
MIMETE(O.S.)
Okay.
EUDIAL
(as if reciting notes)
Subject Baishaku, Marie. Date 18 March 2014. Time, thirteen fifty-three. Location, Baishaku residence, Yokohama. This is ahead of schedule, but we're going to attempt a feeding. This will NOT be a standard feeding, however, as we will be feeding an injured party to the subject. It is our hope to examine the creatures endoantentropic properties--
MIMETE(O.S.)
Wait, "endoantentropic"--?
EUDIAL, frustrated, pauses.
MIMETE(O.S.)
I-I just thought. . . it was "endothermic."
EUDIAL holds her tongue, holding back her rage.
MIMETE(O.S.)
(nervous)
D-do want to start ag--
EUDIAL
(sharply)
TO EXAMINE. . . the endoantentropic properties of the subject when presented with injured feed. Previous tests have all assumed healthy and uninjured feed, which is, to put it lightly, a bit optimistic given the nature of our enterprise. Therefore, we will be presenting to the subject one injured human. Namely, the subject's husband, Mr. Baishaku, seen here.
(to Mimete)
Get her ready.
EUDIAL turns back to BAISHAKU.
EUDIAL
And by the way, "endothermic" means "heat absorbing", dumbass.
MIMETE(O.S.)
So. . . what's the injury? The concussion?
BAISHAKU starts to stir, moaning.
EUDIAL
(still examining Baishaku)
No.
BAISHAKU moans louder.
EUDIAL
Absorption is most effective when the feed is focused on something, when its concentrating its energy onto the subject harvester in some way. I wanna see what the limits are to harvesting from unfocused feed.
EUDIAL turns her eye toward Baishaku's leg.
EUDIAL
There we go.
EUDIAL, in one quick movement, removes the pant leg from BAISHAKU'S left leg, exposing his shin.
MIMETE(O.S.)
(scared)
Wait, y-you haven't--?
BAISHAKU
(faintly)
What. . .?
EUDIAL
Feed is regaining consciousness. Okay. We'll test on unconscious feed later on as a control.
EUDIAL places her forearm above BAISHAKU'S shin.
EUDIAL(O.S.)
I am preparing to administer injury.
MIMETE(O.S.)
W-wait--!
EUDIAL
What?
MIMETE(O.S.)
(scared of what Eudial is about to do)
Y-y-you can't do it like that!
EUDIAL
Sure I can.
(looks down to the shin)
Just like chopping wood.
MIMETE(O.S.)
Eudial, uh, t-t-the battery--
EUDIAL raises her arm.
BAISHAKU
(weakly)
Please. . .
MIMETE(O.S.)
(desperate)
Eudial, the battery is dy--
EUDIAL
(coldly)
Administering.
EUDIAL'S forwarm slams down on BAISHAKU'S shin. We see her arm just make contact with the shin before we--
CUT IN TO:
Interlaced footage of THE COLLIDER-- now back to normal lighting-- and the documentary. We hear BAISHAKU'S fuzzy, distorted screams as we--
CUT IN TO:
The documentary. Any relief we might have felt at having cut away when we did is dashed when we see a CONVULSING SCHOOLGIRL on a slab, recorded with a fuzzy wall-mounted camera much like the one used to film the COLLIDER. Juxtaposed is more of the same music that began the documentary.
MIMETE(V.O.)
--ester-human hybrids. . .
MIMETE holds, waiting for the scene to play out. Then after a second,
CUT TO:
Shots of crowded public places: subways; sidewalks in Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza; schools; etc.
MIMETE(V.O.)
. . .combined with energy obtained through passive enothermy. . .
We cut to a scene of candy being sold to children. Silence for a moment. Then--
CUT TO:
A MAP of Tokyo, highlighting various locations. . . the same ones seen on AMI'S map. Some of these locations are blinking, while others are not.
MIMETE(V.O.)
. . . will allow us to expand to Phase II: small scale extractions at various points throughout the Greater Tokyo Area. This will serve two purposes. First--
We cut to the video footage of SAILOR V at D-point.
MIMETE(V.O.)
--it is our hope to weed out the so-called "Sailor V". The sites of the extractions have been specifically chosen for this purpose. Second, with the energy obtained from these extractions, we can move on to Phase III: large scale extraction in a densely populated region.
Back to the map. We see a handful of locations highlighted.
MIMETE(V.O.)
We have selected various possible locations and events from which to undertake Phase III. If "Sailor V" is not found during Phase II, we will most likely undertake Phase III at the Tokyo Internation--
CUT IN TO:
The COLLIDER. The "coffin" has opened. The person inside-- Cyprine, Ptilol?-- steps out, gazing at her surroundings. . .
KAO LING(V.O.)
She's stepping out! I don't believe this. We did it! We-- wait. . .
Something is wrong. Cyprine/Ptilol appears to be rapidly shifting between two states, as though two different people are occupying the same space.
KAO LING(V.O.)
It looks like she's. . . I don't know. Wait, what did you-- entangled? What does--?
CUT IN TO:
The Documentary. We see the map of Tokyo, now with many locations highlighted, along with a mix of stock footage.
MIMETE(V.O.)
Phase IV: Multiple, coordinated--
CUT IN TO:
What looks like an interrogation room, seen from a grainy wall-mounted camera feed. Silence, apart from the usual hum, and maybe some background music for mood. We see CYPRINE and PTILOL, now fully separated for one another, sitting at opposite ends of a table, completely still. After a few seconds, we JUMP-CUT to the same camera a few moments later: CYPRINE is looking at the camera, her face just a few inches away from it; PTILOL looks at the camera as well, from the other end of the room-- we see her over CYRPINE'S shoulder.
CUT IN TO:
Handheld, shaky camera footage. We're in a car. Through the window, we MIMETE running through a streetlit alley at night.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
I don't know.
MIMETE is chasing after something. Zooming in, we see that it's a dog.
CYRPINE(O.S.)
I went with her to the auction.
The camera zooms out again. The dog is trapped in a corner, growling at MIMETE as she tries to approach it.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
And I TOLD her, "Mimete, we're here to BUY the crystal,"--
CYPRINE'S hand holds up a SHARD OF CRYSTAL, resembling that from the CRYSTAL CHAMBER.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
Well. . . no, that's not what I told her. That's what I tell YOU I told her. I tried to stop her, I tell you. And then, when she realized what a mess she made of things, AGAIN, she drove off, leaving me behind.
(insincere)
It sure is a good thing I grabbed the crystal, isn't it?
CYPRINE lowers the crystal. We see MIMETE slowly, cautiously, approaching the dog. It barks a couple of times, and MIMETE backs off.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
And that's not even the end of it.
(fake indignance)
Did you know she lost a Daimon?! It's true! Ran off from the blood drive. Of course, Eudial bears some blame for this. That tracking device of hers. . . well, not only that, she-- Mimete, I mean-- actually expected ME to help her make another Daimon, and try to pass THAT one off as the one she lost!
MIMETE approaches the dog again. This time it bites down onto her arm. It doesn't penetrate her skin, or cause her harm of any kind, but she still freaks out.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
I mean, yeah, I TOLD her I would help and, well yeah, I helped sneak out TWO whole Daimon 'cause, let's face it, she wouldn't have the foresight to use the damn DOG to harvest the people at the auction. Oh, by the way, my idea too. It's not just the Daimon you need to replace-- you need the energy too, remember?
The camera pans right, and we see PTILOL standing beside the car. As soon as she comes on camera-- without actually seeing the camera with her own eyes-- she starts fixing her hair and adjusting her clothes, as if trying to improve her appearance.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
No. . . I can't say I know what happened. I was walking home through the tunnels, my better half was manning her post. . .
PTILOL approaches MIMETE from behind as she wrestles with the dog, still latched onto her arm.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
Maybe she wasn't careful enough with her Daimon and it turned on her. Maybe she ran away. Yeah. . . that's it. She ran away. Just like number 2.
PTILOL creeps behind MIMETE.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
In any event, she's gone. You'll be gone too. Soon enough. And you'll never, ever find her, or her car, because she's crafty, that one is. What you WILL find out, soon enough, is how it feels. How it feels. . . when it FEELS.
(excited)
When it actually, really, truly feels. Just like I'm about to find out.
PTILOL reaches her hands out to MIMETE'S neck.
CYPRINE(O.S.)
But no spoilers.
The camera CUTS TO BLACK.
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