A college in Tokyo?
That's fine and all, but why do you want to go there?
A production company?
Is that really the kind of work you want to do?
Find your dream, Akira. Biggest one you can.
A man without a dream is nothing more than a jellyfish.
Like you know anything.
You're just...
a country farmer.
Man! We're almost at Akira's hometown!
I sure hope your parents are all right.
They'll be fine!
My parents wouldn't go down that easily!
As your best friend, I have to introduce myself to them!
I'll entertain them with a one-liner!
I'll draw them in by getting naked.
It's been three years since you visited your parents, right?
You're not nervous, are you?
No! Not at all!
Well, honestly, it's gonna be kind of awkward.
Now that I've quit my job, I don't know what I'm gonna say when I see him.
Akira!
What's going on?
I'll go check it out!
Zombies.
Your village is past this tunnel, right?
- You don't think... - The villagers have...?
No. I don't recognize anyone in there.
Anyway, since we can't get through the tunnel,
there's only one other way to continue.
We'll cut through the forest, and go over the mountain.
Don't worry.
The entrance and exit of the tunnel were sealed.
They probably managed to seal out the zombies who came from the cities.
I'm sure the villagers are safe.
- A scream? - Where is it coming from?
Out of the way!
A zombie boar?
Please get down!
Oshite mairu!
Are you all right?
Man, you really did me a solid back there!
My name is Masaru Kumano! Nice to meet you!
Mr. Kumano, what are you doing so deep in the forest?
What am I doing? The cities are overrun with monsters, aren't they?
I was looking for a safe place and ended up settling here!
That monster boar was unexpected, though!
Home is where you make it! I understand!
But you can't live in the middle of the forest!
This is...
Could it be?
It's a treehouse, of course!
Despite how things seem, I'm a master carpenter!
No house? No problem, I can just build one!
Based on how things have been going...
23. BUILD A TREEHOUSE
Japanischer Tischler!
This is an oak tree!
Oaks have large, thick branches so they make perfect host trees.
Southern trees rot too easily!
But you can find some northern trees in this area!
This is an amazing and rare forest
that's quite unusual from a global perspective!
Mr. Kumano, another zombie boar might attack before it's completed.
This is a race against time. It'd be better if you had help, right?
Well, sure...
Aren't we racing against time to see if your parents are safe?
I can't believe you'd ignore someone in danger!
Have some heart, Shizuka!
Your own secret base where you can stretch your wings and leave the world down below!
A building at one with nature,
where you can embrace the power of the trees!
No limit to what you can design!
A treasure trove of imagination and playfulness!
A dreamhouse suspended in mid-air!
A treehouse!
Can we?! We only live once. Can we build a treehouse with our hands?
I think that's a great idea.
I don't understand what's going on, but I'll be counting on you!
ENTRUST - AFFECTION - REVEAL
Affection. Sympathy.
Honestly, why are men always so...
I did it!
A hose?
It's difficult to judge how level things are between trees by eyeballing it.
You measure it by checking the level of a hose filled with water!
Amazing!
I see. You're right!
Eyeballing it, I thought it was level, but I was completely off!
If you place your nails and bolts in the right locations,
you won't damage the tree.
- I see! - I see!
It's best to leave a five cm gap between boards,
so fallen leaves won't get stuck in them!
- I see! - I see!
Treehouses are built differently from tree to tree.
The tree itself will tell you how to build it,
and what kind of house it'll be.
If you're not sure of something, ask the forest.
The forest?
That's right!
The foundation of a treehouse is the tree itself.
If the host tree dies, the house is done for.
When you think of a tree, think about the other trees and the earth around it.
By doing that, you'll become mindful of the entire forest.
And that's how you'll hear the voice of the forest.
I feel like I just learned something really profound.
When you think of a tree, think about the other trees and the earth around it.
By doing that, you'll become mindful of the entire forest.
And that's how you'll hear the voice of the forest?
Does that mean...
if you think of yourself and others around you,
you'll become mindful of the whole world?
So, when the day comes when I can hear the voice of the world...
What will I write in my bucket list then?
You know, you've got quite a knack for this!
What? Really? Thank you very much!
I've always dreamed of having a treehouse since I was little.
That's great to hear!
Come to think of it,
my son used to pester me to build a treehouse for him when he was a kid.
I see!
Where is your son right now?
Mr. Kumano?
My son was bitten by my wife right before my eyes.
So, I had to deal with them with my own hands.
I thought I could take my time
and build a tree house with my son when he was bigger and I had retired.
People say when you're ready to repay your parent, it's already too late.
Turns out, it works the other way around too.
Sorry.
You have my support. Let's finish this together.
Thank you.
All right! Just a little more until it's complete!
Let's give it our all!
The treehouse is complete!
This is the best house ever!
This canned food is very delicious!
It was the right call to grab these from the store!
23. BUILD A TREEHOUSE
Mr. Kumano, it's been great working with you.
I'll be in the forest.
If there's trouble, give me a holler, and I'll give you a hand.
Okay!
How unusual.
I thought you would say, "I got to spend the night in a treehouse."
Yeah, well...
I kinda got a strong urge to see my mom and dad.
That was close!
Aren't there any other routes we can take, Akira?
This place used to be called the "Hungry Gorge"
because of how many people died here.
Until they opened the tunnel, this was the route to and from the village!
They also say my village started out as a penal colony.
Enclosed by steep mountains and valleys, it's like a remote island on land!
Hey!
We somehow managed to cross it.
You sure grew up in a pretty wild place.
Would you believe I was a wild child myself?
Yeah, I believe it.
But thanks to all this...
It's very likely that everyone in the village is still safe!
We're here.
That's my home, where I was born and raised!
Have I given anything back to my parents since becoming an adult?
Their birthdays and my first paycheck...
I had plenty of opportunities,
but I never really thought about it until now.
Dad... Mom...
I'll be home soon!
No way.
Where's everyone from the village?!
Dad. Mom!
Akira!
This can't be happening. This can't be happening, right?!
Please! I'm begging you! Please be safe!
Dad! Mom!
Drink! Dance!
What's this?
Aren't you Akira, Tendo's kid?
Teruo! Akiko! Akira has come back!
What?
Akira? Akira, is that you?
Dad...
Dad! Thanks for working hard everyday, non-stop,
to put me through college!
Mom! Thanks for packing me lunch everyday and washing my rugby club uniforms!
I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for the both of you!
I've just given you nothing but troubles and worries.
And...
I've never done anything for you!
I used work as an excuse to not visit you for the past three years.
I'm sorry! I'm really sorry...
That hurts! What was that for?
You return just to spill that nonsense?
The world's a mess. Think a little before you act.
Nonsense?
Are you all Akira's friends?
You must've had a tough time crossing that dangerous path.
We've got plenty of empty rooms, so get some rest for now.
- Yes, sir! Thank you! - Thank you very much!
I leave the rest to you, dear.
I'm off to the fields.
Your dad's not the man I'd pictured.
- All right, we should get to work too! - All right!
We forage wild plants in the mountains and vegetables from our fields.
We're a small village with nothing fancy, but please make yourself at home.
Thank you very much, ma'am!
Thanks for the food!
Wow! This is so good!
So this is tempura?
Have you been locked down here sustaining yourselves
all this time in the village?
Yes, we're a remote village
that's pretty much sealed off every winter, anyway, with all the snow.
We've always survived the winter by farming and hunting.
So, this spot of trouble isn't trouble at all.
I see.
If I may ask...
The zombies in the tunnel...
A lot of people from the city tried to take shelter here
when they heard rumors that this village was safe.
But some of them were infected, and they were spreading the infection.
We had no choice but to seal the tunnel.
That stopped the infection in its tracks.
I'm really glad you and the others are safe!
Anyway, a number of people from the city managed to survive.
The village has been losing residents for a bit, so there are many empty houses.
We let them use those and live with us.
Wunderbar!
Akira!
We should add historic home renovations on your list!
That's a good one!
Hold on now!
There was a reason why I came back to my parents' place!
I haven't repaid Mom and Dad!
I have to be a good son!
31. GO HOME AND SPEND TIME WITH MY PARENTS
This is truly a glimpse of old Japan.
I wasn't even born here, but I feel like I've returned to my hometown.
What's this feeling of nostalgia?
- Right? - Right?
You don't need to do that!
I'll wash the dishes for you. You can just sit back.
Really?
Anyway, look, I got you a souvenir! It's Biyoko Tweats, a Tokyo specialty!
Thank you.
Are you tired? Want me to massage your shoulders?
I'm all right.
Then how about I take you on a trip? How about a hot spring?
I found a really amazing spring in the mountains recently.
Akira, thanks for worrying about me.
But aren't you exhausted from your long journey?
I can do the dishes myself, so get some rest.
Hey, Akira.
I could use your help if you're free.
How have you been lately?
Have your backaches gone away?
No. It's the same as always.
Dad, you've really been doing this by yourself?
Working the fields sure is hard work!
It's not that bad.
But now that I'm here, I can help you with anything!
You can count on me for...
Everyone in the village must work together to do their part.
Everyone knows that.
That's true.
I'm having trouble making Mom and Dad happy.
This is so difficult!
How do you repay your parents?
I don't expect I've got much time left.
Dad!
The green beans were ready to harvest. This should be enough for dinner.
Dad?
- Is something... - No. It's nothing.
I see. Those guys came from the city.
That guy... I've seen him before.
- Are we really doing this? - Of course we are.
JOB SEARCH
Just 230,000 yen for contract work? And no bonus?
Do they think I'm stupid?
I guess working really is for losers.
Damn it!
I should've had that old lady get me more.
What a pain!
When and why did I start falling behind those around me?
A life of being unwanted by society and by others.
I wish I could go back to summer break
in grade school when I didn't have to think about anything
and I could go to the pool with my friends every day and do whatever I wanted.
Help me!
Stop it!
What the hell is that?
Yes!
I'm free!
I was unwanted by those guys and society!
And they've all... They've all been destroyed!
From now on, it's summer break every day!
Going to the public pool by yourself during summer break is pretty lame.
Hey, you three.
Do you wanna have some fun together?
TRY OUT DRUGS
Fire a real gun...
Blow something up with dynamite.
Burn down the company that insulted me.
I wanna force my tongue down a girl's throat!
Slap my bitch of a wife!
We've all been rejected by society.
It's our turn to have fun and do whatever we want.
Our last summer break!
We're all just waiting to become zombies.
But while we're waiting...
might as well do what we want.
It'd be a shame not to.
Next time: Hometown of the Dead I.