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BASED ON THE MANGA BY JIRO TANIGUCHI AND BAKU YUMEMAKURA
Walking.
Climbing.
More climbing.
Always higher.
And for what?
My name is Fukamachi Makoto.
I take photos for magazines.
That year, I was following a Japanese team up the southwest face of Everest.
This is base camp. Do you read me?
This is Tanaka. I read you.
A major front is approaching. Turn back.
We're almost there, we can't turn back now.
You're behind schedule. The storm will arrive before you.
We'll take our chances.
Too risky. You're too far behind schedule.
Do you hear me? Tanaka?
No summit this time. A waste of time.
-What? -They didn't make it past 8,000 m.
Even with oxygen?
They were ill-prepared. That's not how the southwest face is done.
-Where did they get to? -Just after camp 5.
Tanaka and Goto did well, but couldn't stay on schedule.
Conditions on the ridge weren't great. They had to turn back.
Got enough for a double-page spread?
-This is the last time I'm doing this. -Stop whining.
You're outdoors, seeing the world.
I'm wasting my time. My photos are worthless.
-See you in the newsroom on Monday. -Yeah. Bye.
Fukamachi, your beer's getting warm.
-Yeah. -You're a round behind.
Okay, coming.
Hey.
Hello.
Journalist?
Yeah.
Looking for a scoop?
How about Mallory's camera?
Look.
Mallory's camera, I said. Look.
Authentic. It came from up there.
You know the story?
That's a scoop, right?
I'll give you a good price.
What are you on about?
10,000 rupees, 200 dollars. A bargain!
Forget it!
Poor bastard.
No idea what you're missing.
-Hello-- -You've reached Nepal Airlines.
All our lines are busy. Please call back later.
I know you can't strike gold every day.
That's how it is.
But I was starting to wonder what I was doing there.
-I'd never do that. -What did you do with it?
No need to get angry.
I'll explain!
Stop!
-Hey. -Give it back.
Okay, wait.
Here.
Hey, wait!
Habu.
Come on!
The summit of Everest was reached in 1953.
But that wasn't the first attempt.
In 1924,
on June 8, at 12:50,
Englishman George Mallory and his climbing partner were last seen
on the north ridge, near the summit.
They never returned. Nobody knows if they succeeded.
But we know they had a camera to take home proof if victorious.
A Vest Pocket Autographic.
If someone were to find the camera and develop the film,
they'd have the answer to the question that's been asked for years.
Was Mallory the first person to conquer Everest?
But…
there was only one problem.
YU PUBLISHING COMPANY
I searched the whole neighborhood, asked shopkeepers. Nothing.
The guy's a ghost.
But I'm sure it was him.
Habu Joji?
-The Habu Joji? -Is there another?
The guy disappeared years go. He suddenly resurfaces with Mallory's camera?
Right under your nose?
He was good climber.
He may well have found the body near the summit and taken the camera.
People have looked for Mallory for 70 years.
If he'd been found, we'd know. You aren't sure it's Habu.
-What about this? -He's not the only one to lose fingers.
That proves nothing about the camera.
The Vest Pocket is common.
You know that.
No. So why would Habu have been fighting with that guy?
Why didn't you ask him?
I looked everywhere, but you know Kathmandu.
Well, in the meantime,
I'll take this one for the cover.
This one isn't bad, but it needs to be reframed.
If Mallory made it, it could change the history of mountaineering.
The first man on Everest.
We can't let this go.
I have to find Habu.
People here knew him, they could help.
Listen, the camera's buried in the snow with Mallory.
No one cares about Habu.
Forget it.
If I get them, can I get the exclusive on Mallory's photos?
And a cut of the copyright royalties.
Okay, sure.
It was going to be tough to find Habu.
He no longer had an address, family, or friends in Japan.
-Hello? -Yes, hello?
My name is Fukamachi Makoto. I'm a journalist.
-I wanted to talk to you about Habu Joji. -Who?
Habu Joji.
Yet, during the 1960s, he had a certain notoriety.
Because of his speed and unique style, he was considered a prodigy.
He'd accomplished some firsts, winter ascents, speed records.
In mountaineering circles, his career looked promising.
People even said he was one of the best of his generation.
Then one day, he disappeared. Just like that.
Vanished. What happened to him?
-Grab this bag. -It's okay. I've got it. Thanks.
-Anyone got the bag with the carabiners? -Under the seat.
Who coiled this rope?
-Shall I carry your bag? -Anything else?
It's okay.
Go on, come with me. It's only a week. There are great routes to do.
I can't Habu. We just got back.
It's a new job, it's important. I can't just take off.
I can talk to your boss. Tell him you're more productive after climbing.
-As if. -Fancy bowling on Saturday?
-Yeah. -Good idea.
I'll thrash you.
Guys, bowling on Saturday. You coming?
Sure. I'm the strike king.
We're going running on Saturday. You haven't forgotten?
No, of course not.
Sorry, we can't Saturday.
It's been planned for ages.
Good news, gentlemen.
Toshiro's been fired?
-We're getting a new truck? -Even better. We're going to Nepal.
I found a sponsor for the Annapurna expedition.
But they only cover half the cost. You'll have to cover the rest.
-Yes. -Okay.
I'm aware that not everyone can afford to go.
If we're successful,
the next expedition will be better financed.
As for visas, don't forget to apply before next month.
We have a lot of equipment to buy. I'd like us to discuss it together.
-Toshiro, take care of the accounts. -Yes, no problem.
I'll hand out the forms for the climbing permits.
Things take time, so don't hang about--
They aren't skilled enough to go.
They don't train enough. They're always partying.
They don't even climb 50 days a year.
We should be going. We're better!
Just because they can afford to pay.
Do you think that's right?
Throw that thing away!
That's why you struggle to breathe at high altitude.
Money, sponsors…
if we were famous, we'd have sponsors.
We'll make a name for ourselves. Do something no one's ever done.
-Are you game? -Yeah. What do you have in mind?
Demon Wall.
In winter? You're crazy. It's impossible. No one does that.
Exactly.
You're still here? You're the last one.
The first winter ascent up Demon Wall. Not bad for the time.
Yeah. Have you made any progress? Do you have any leads?
I called the embassy.
Habu arrived in Nepal eight years ago, but his visa's expired.
He's in hiding. That's why he ran when I recognized him.
-What's that got to do with the camera? -I'll find it.
Okay.
Have fun.
The other club members who went to Annapurna had failed.
Everyone returned safely, but no one reached the summit.
I'm raising my glass to Inoue and Habu.
-Yes, thank you. Cheers. -Bravo.
Habu got his revenge.
Well done, boys.
Lucky you're here to redeem the club's image.
Others should take note.
-We were being careful. Safety first. -Yeah, just being professional.
Still, the Demon Wall, that's incredible, and with that weather!
Hey, they got lucky is all.
It wasn't luck.
We set up the bivouac and waited for the right moment.
You need a nice day. The sun melts the snow and clears the route.
An overnight freeze to set the snow that's left
so that it doesn't fall on you. Then you go.
Only it started snowing during the day. We took a hammering.
The powder snowfalls were a real pain.
-We had to be quick. -We didn't hang around!
The hardest part was the icefall and the overhang.
You should've seen it, a real barricade!
But I found a way through.
It wasn't easy to see, but we had to try. I went for a reason.
So where were you then, Inoue?
Come on, cheers.
Hang on.
Inoue handled things very well, but I was always out ahead so…
It's like you climbed the wall alone.
Well no, but in some ways, yes.
Habu.
What? It's true. I was in front the whole way.
-What were you thinking? -What?
Learn to be less hard on your partners. What about team spirit?
I wasn't trying to criticize Inoue. It's just that…
But you get why he's hurt?
I explained what happened. I can't help it if that's upsetting.
He looks around, panicked.
He can't find his keys.
We looked everywhere. An hour later, he found them in his pocket.
You believe that?
Speaking of the team, Buntaro won't stop talking about climbing with you.
No, no way. He's too young. He'd slow me down.
I know some young climbers who do pretty well.
One even sought me out one day,
wanting to join the club, but he was underage.
What was it he said again?
"Mr. Ito, please say yes. Let me join your club."
Come on, think about it. He'd love it.
There's always risk.
Imagine you're tied together.
Your partner is hurt or unconscious. He can't climb back up.
He's swinging at the end of the rope.
It's pulling you over. You're in big trouble.
What do you do? Do you cut the rope or not?
Just like that? I don't know.
If you don't act quickly, you both fall. You have to make a choice.
I wouldn't cut the rope. No way. I couldn't.
If you were on the other end, I wouldn't hesitate.
I'd cut the rope.
No point in both of you dying.
What if you were at the end of the rope? You'd want your partner to think twice.
No, because there is no other solution.
If I fall, don't think twice. I wouldn't hold it against anyone.
Another round?
Yeah, sure.
Habu?
I wanted to congratulate you on Demon Wall.
Hase. Hase Tsuneo.
Yes…
The Takizawa Passage last summer?
A new speed record? Well done.
I'm glad to have run into you. I'm curious…
There aren't many rock faces like that, even in Europe.
How did you go about it? Tell me.
Ever done a winter ascent?
I didn't want to rush it.
I set up the bivouac and I waited.
I needed a nice day. The sun melts the snow and clears the route.
The last passage is technical.
You mustn't slow your pace, but well, you know all about speed.
Thanks for the advice.
Gonna attempt Demon Wall?
Yeah, I leave tomorrow.
That's good. With who?
No one. I'm going alone.
And now, the sporting event of the week.
Yes, and that's no exaggeration.
The up-and-coming young climber, Hase Tsuneo,
has just scaled the notorious Demon Wall, in winter, alone.
A first.
The Demon Wall alone? That's incredible!
I don't think he'll stop there. You'll be hearing a lot more about him!
Hase Tsuneo, the climber to watch.
Now the baseball results.
The Osaka Buffaloes have just qualified for the Pacific League
with two exceptional strikeouts by Sakamura, the new recruit…
HABU JOJI
A week?
Just out of the blue like this?
Are you crazy? And to do what exactly?
To go to the mountains. Please.
To the mountains? I must be dreaming.
No. I need the manpower here. No way.
Back to work. There are three trucks to unload.
I quit.
-Tell him I'm in a meeting. -Very well, sir.
No, I did like him.
But he was so… How can I put this?
He didn't know when to stop. He always had to be climbing.
I almost got fired because of him once.
Is that why you stopped going with him?
No. Over time, I finally realized something.
His climbing partners didn't count for much.
Me no more than anyone else.
We were there to help him climb higher. That's all.
I didn't want to spend my whole life behind him.
So I stopped.
After that,
there weren't many people left to climb with him.
Mr. Habu!
Mr. Habu.
Buntaro, how are you?
Hello, Ryoko.
Sorry, Mr. Habu. I didn't want him to bother you.
Off to climb the Wind Walls?
Let me climb with you. I'll do whatever you say!
What will Inoue say if you replace him?
He'll be here soon.
I know you don't have a partner.
Let me come, please.
You're not ready for a route like this. It's too technical. I can't take you.
I've been training for weeks. I've improved.
The holds are barely visible. The rock is friable. It's too dangerous.
Be sensible and go home. Your sister's waiting for you.
I'll go alone, then.
Hey, Buntaro!
Ever climbed a climbing wall?
You have a hold on your right. Higher!
There you go!
Keep going, that's it.
You have improved.
-Thank you, Mr. Habu. -No, really.
You managed well. It wasn't easy.
I have a good teacher.
I think I could climb anywhere with you.
The Alps, even the Himalayas!
We could climb Everest together!
Yeah, we have to get past this overhang first.
Can't loll if we want to be home early.
You're a bit too young for a bivouac.
Well done. You're past the worst.
I managed to get all but two. I'm sorry.
We have enough left.
There's another small slope then it gets easier.
Want a break?
No, I'll be fine. We'll rest afterwards.
Okay, back to it.
Here.
Give me some slack!
Buntaro!
Buntaro, can you hear me?
Buntaro, answer me!
I'm here!
Are you hurt?
My leg!
Can you reach the rock face?
Sorry, Habu. I'm sorry.
Can you reach the rock face?
No.
It's too far away!
Okay. Can you climb back up with a Prusik knot?
Right.
It's okay. We're both secured.
Buntaro! Can you hear me?
Yes!
I'm sorry.
It's my fault.
I'll try and pull you up.
Buntaro, the rope is fraying against the rock.
If I keep going, it'll break.
I'm sorry! I wasn't good enough!
Stop talking nonsense! You're doing really well!
We'll find a solution. You'll see.
When this is over, we'll go to the Alps.
Both of us.
Yes, we'll go.
We'll go, yes.
I promise.
Forgive me, Buntaro.
Forgive me.
Buntaro!
No!
Buntaro!
Come with us, madam.
There was no name, just money.
-But I knew right away that it was him. -He felt guilty.
For what? My brother's death?
At the time, I wanted him to.
It was easier, but I realized that no one was to blame.
Buntaro insisted on going with him.
You can't stop someone from doing what they want.
Even if it's senseless. Even if it's dangerous.
He was fascinated with Habu.
He wanted to do everything he did. He was like him, actually.
He always had to be climbing, going higher,
and for what?
Anyway, the letters kept coming for a few years.
First from Japan, then from Nepal. But nothing for three years.
From Nepal? Do you have an address, anything that could help me find him?
Never an address, never a note, never a signature.
I'm sorry, I can't help you.
Well…
Actually, you never said.
Why are you looking for Habu? For an article?
He might be able to give us important information about…
About?
You know the first ascent of Everest was in '53?
No.
Well, anyway,
there's another mountaineer who may have…
Forget about it.
I hope you find what you're looking for. Goodbye.
I hope so, too.
Oh, yeah.
There was a note with the last letter. It was the only one.
And he said that he wouldn't be able to continue from where he was going,
and that he was sorry. There.
Back then,
one of the biggest challenges in mountaineering,
was to scale the three great north faces of the Alps, in winter, alone.
The Eiger,
the Matterhorn
and the Grandes Jorasses.
The famous winter trilogy.
Habu had left for Europe to take on the challenge.
But he wasn't the only one.
Hase Tsuneo was also there.
This time, Habu had a head start on his rival.
After conquering two summits,
he was on the Walker Spur, victory within reach.
Hey! Is there anyone there?
Hey!
Come and get me!
Habu?
Mr. Habu?
Take me with you.
No, you aren't really here.
Please take me.
-I'm sorry. -Please.
I'm sorry.
-Are we going to the Alps? -No!
No! Go away!
Come on, Habu!
Hey! Habu!
When mountain rescue arrived,
Habu had spent three days and five hours on the rock face.
The cold would've killed anyone else long before, but not him.
Hase's team spotted him while out scouting.
THE STORY OF THE RESCUE OF JAPANESE MOUNTAINEER ON WALKER SPUR
He owed his life to his rival. Ironic, right?
Habu had lost this leg. It was a miracle that he was still alive.
TV YUHI NEWS KNH NEWS
KNH NEWS 1985, 12, 20
Now to the world of mountaineering.
Tragedy struck yesterday on Everest.
The Japanese mountaineering star, Hase Tsuneo,
died in a terrible avalanche
while attempting to scale the infamous southwest face alone.
After hours of searching,
rescue teams finally located the mountaineer's lifeless body,
at an altitude of more than 6,000 m, in the west valley,
whose nickname, "Valley of Silence," tragically resonates today.
That didn't change anything for him. It was as if the competition hadn't ended.
That's why he left, to also complete the southwest face.
-Seriously? No one can do that in winter. -He can.
Maybe, but he hasn't.
And you haven't found the camera.
He's not the type to give up.
He's too old now. And no one would sponsor him.
I called the Kathmandu tourist office. They issue the climbing permits.
-Habu applied three years ago. -For the southwest face?
I don't know, but the application was denied.
They forbid him from doing something dangerous.
-What are you playing at? -What?
No one's seen you in a month.
You're shut away with your papers, your records, making calls left and right.
You know everything about him, but you'll never find him.
-He must be somewhere, right? -You have no leads.
Do me a favor, forget Habu and this camera business.
Stick to what you know, taking great photos.
That's what people want.
Hello?
Yes, it's me.
Sure. I can be there tomorrow.
Was my Everest story intriguing? Want the rest?
You told it so well.
No, I found Habu's last letter. The one with the note.
Turns out I did keep it. And…
-Do you have an address? -No, but I noticed something.
Look.
The other letters came from Kathmandu, but this one came from somewhere else.
I thought it might be of interest to you.
Namche Bazaar.
Do you know it?
It's the last village before Everest.
He may still be there, three years later.
To reach Everest, there's only one road
and a week's walk across the Khumbu valley.
Sherpa country.
Habu had vanished. No one knew what became of him.
But if he was still in the area, I would find him.
Anyone there?
Hello, is anyone there?
What are you up to?
Hello, I'm a journalist. I work for a Japanese magazine.
I'm Fukamachi.
-Go away, Fukamachi. -I won't be here for long.
-I want to ask some questions to prepare-- -Nothing to say.
I saw you in Kathmandu with that guy.
The camera's a Vest Pocket. Did you find it on Everest?
-Because that means it's-- -What? Leave me alone.
This winter you plan
to climb Everest's southwest face.
I just want to cover the ascent.
Let me follow you. I'll hang back.
You won't even see me. I'll just take photos.
If you go alone and you succeed, no one will ever know.
Is that what you want? You need proof of the ascent.
You need me.
I don't need anyone. Now, clear off.
Let me climb with you. I'll do whatever you say!
You're too late. I stopped long ago. That's all over now.
No, wait. Don't do that.
It's over. Got it?
-But-- -Get lost!
Okay.
I know you still climb.
You can't stop me from coming. I'll be there. You hear me?
I'll be waiting for you at base camp this winter.
Mountain climbing was long a competition for climbing the highest.
Once the summit is reached, you might think the competition's over.
It doesn't work like that.
A mountaineer always finds new challenges.
If not higher, they'll seek the most difficult route,
they'll climb faster, solo, without oxygen.
Basically, it never ends.
Everest was conquered in '53 from the Nepalese side,
without oxygen in '78,
two years later, solo via the Norton Couloir.
In the winter of '85, Hase tackled the dangerous southwest face.
He would never make it back.
So the southwest face in winter remains unconquered.
Habu was going to tackle it alone, without oxygen.
An exploit I wouldn't miss for the world.
-What's the weather forecast? -We must wait.
With the wind, the clouds are gathering on the peaks.
It'll snow again soon.
We can't leave for three days. Maybe four.
Plus another day for it to settle. We'll wait.
How long do you think the ascent will take? A week?
-Three nights and four days. -Is that possible?
That's the only way it's possible.
Do you know the rules of a solo climb? No communication, no interventions.
You take your photos, that's it. If I'm having trouble, you stay put.
If you're in trouble, don't count on me. Got it?
Yes.
Okay, good night.
Don't be too quick to judge him.
He'll have been here for eight years soon.
He's been preparing for eight years. It's all he lives for.
This ascent is everything to him.
He won't let anyone stand in his way.
I don't intend to.
I know.
It's good you're here.
He'll never admit it,
but he'll need your photos if he does succeed.
But you're not like him.
Your limits aren't his limits.
Don't try to follow him at all costs.
If you feel you can't go on, don't. Come back down.
You know, from 7,500 m because of a lack of oxygen, you'll have headaches
and find it hard to keep going.
That's normal.
Above 8,000 m, you're in the death zone.
The body wasn't made to survive at that altitude.
You have to move quickly or you won't come back.
Understand?
I understand.
Are you ready?
What about you?
I think so.
What you're doing is risky.
There'd be no point if it wasn't.
Why are you doing it? Hase is dead, the competition's over.
Why do you insist on following me?
For a few photos in a magazine? For the price of an article? Why?
There's more to it.
Once you get a taste for it, nothing else matters.
That's how it is.
Did you find it here?
Was the camera on Everest? Is it really the camera…
You're pissing me off with your questions. It's no one's camera.
Prepare your bag. We leave tomorrow.
Come on.
Habu.
Oh no.
Come on.
Habu, how are you? Sleep well?
I'm fine. It was a peaceful night.
Lucky. There were strong gales here.
Are you on schedule?
I leave at 6.00 a.m. as planned.
If the weather holds,
I should pass Warship Rock easily and be at the Grey Tower by nightfall.
Okay. Let me know of any changes. Good luck!
Habu, do you read me?
I read you. What is it?
The weather's turning.
A storm's building at the southern pass with gusts of 200 km.
-It's headed for you. Don't hang around. -Copy that.
Shit!
Come on!
Come on, move!
Fukamachi!
Hey! Fuckamachi! Wake up!
How are you feeling? Do you think you can climb?
-Leave me. -Don't argue. Take off your rucksack.
-No! -Give me your ax. It's in the way.
Take off your ice crampons. Leave things to me!
Stop, you won't make it! We'll both get stuck here!
Hold on tight. It'll be okay.
Drink.
Sorry, it's my fault.
Drink, you need to rehydrate.
Why did you come to save me?
We said no interventions.
You're not saved. You still have to get down.
If it doesn't ease off, it'll be hard.
So it's over?
We lost too much time. The window is too short.
The only way is to take the Yellow Band.
No. It's too exposed at this time of year.
And the rock is fragile.
You don't have enough rope. It's…
Impossible.
We stop here.
Draw your legs in.
I found it up there.
Near the ridge.
The camera.
I attempted the southwest face several times, but always failed.
Last winter, conditions were bad. After the Grey Tower, I lost my bearings.
The summit was so close, but it was impossible to find a route.
I was exhausted. I was searching for somewhere to take shelter.
He was there.
And you think that…
That he reached the summit? You'll be disappointed.
He was last seen at around 8,700 m.
I found him a little higher up. Can't say whether he was ascending or descending.
We could find out from the film.
What does it matter?
Thank you.
Shall we head off?
Be careful.
The storm may return, gusts might strengthen after the couloir.
And I won't be there.
Wait, you're not going to…
You need to reach the valley by noon. Don't hang around.
Are you okay?
I'm okay. Has Habu come back?
Not yet.
Did he make it?
I don't know. The last radio contact we had was yesterday morning.
He was going to tackle the summit. He sounded well.
Nothing since then.
Something's not right.
He might be stranded by the bad weather. We have to wait.
One more day.
Just one.
There's no point. It's over.
Come on.
He asked me to give you this.
If you're reading this, I didn't make it back.
Keep the camera.
It may tell you what you want to know about Mallory
so you can see your work through to the end.
But if you're wondering why he did it,
why I'm doing this,
you won't find the answer there.
As you're here, you must have an idea.
Whatever brought you here is the same thing that drives me to climb.
I don't know what it is.
I stopped asking myself that when I realized I couldn't live without it.
Some people search for meaning in their lives. Not me.
Climbing is the only thing that makes me feel alive.
So I did it right to the end.
No regrets.
Habu was right.
I had the answer to the Mallory mystery, and yet it wasn't enough.
Why ever climb higher?
To be the first?
Why risk death? Why do something so futile?
I know why now.
There doesn't have to be a reason.
For some, the mountains aren't a goal, but a path.
And the summit, a step.
Once there, all that's left is to keep going.
Subtitle translation by: Jaclyn McLoughlin