[electronic bleeping]
[ethereal synth music playing]
[narrator]
Tokyo, the point where points converge.
This is a city where all shared data is optimized.
Humans, cars, streets, bridges.
Everything that matters is tracked as a cluster of points in the cloud.
Other regions, capitals, even countries are irrelevant here.
Data points are constantly flowing in and out of Tokyo.
They are like bees collecting honey.
The more efficient the routes they take, the more honey they can collect.
[boy gasps] Whoa.
Oh! [gasps]
[giggles]
[continues giggling]
[momentous music playing]
[girl] Mommy, I wanna have cake.
-[mother] I'm not taking any detours. -[girl] Wait, it's doing it.
[computerized voice] Your route has been optimized.
[girl] There. See?
Well, who am I to argue against the machine?
[girl giggles] Yeah.
[gentle electronic music playing]
[music swells]
[man] Yeah-heh-heh!
[woman] You need to slow down.
If you get hit the Wall before the Blind does, you'll have to shake trackers again.
It's not a race, but if we play our cards right,
it definitely could be.
Just stay outta my way.
Ha! So serious.
[woman] Hey! I said to slow down.
[mellow music playing]
We're near the Wall.
The Blind should activate in 20 seconds.
Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three, two, one.
[intense music playing]
[computer beeps]
[music fades]
[girl] Look, a dragonfly!
-Let it be! -Whoo!
-[girl laughing] -[woman chuckles]
[girl] Aw, it's flying off!
[woman] Wait, don't chase it. We're not meant to stray from the route.
[girl gasps]
[mysterious girl] Here.
Uh… Uh…
[door hisses]
[sighs]
[bleeping]
[sighs]
[electronic voice] served with all the usual toppings
in a piping hot broth.
[mysterious girl] Ah-ah-ah. Ow.
[electronic voice] Thank you for your business!
[distant engines revving]
[narrator] collide catastrophically,
and some connect in serendipity.
This is the story of a non-optimal cluster of points
trying to survive in an optimized network.
♪ Ya, ya ♪
♪ Ya-ah-ah ♪
[bleeping]
As Tokyo recovered from the Great Tokai Earthquake,
it took on a new form.
It's now divided into three districts by way of digital walls.
[lecture continues on video] Original Citizens live in the West.
New Citizens, be they from our nation not, live in the East District,
and the Mid District is home to a mixture of citizens from the East and the West.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
[mysterious girl] I'm in class. Aren't you in class too?
IN CLASS…
Oh.
Playing hooky again.
YOUR AUTOPILOT GOT ME ZERO ABSENCES. YOU FREE?
OUT OF THE QUESTION! 98%
YES
[lecturer] have a high quality of life,
ensured by the basic income system.
The needs of individuals are tracked by way of devices,
which are linked to digital tags.
Countless optimizations are made daily
to support our interests and our lifestyles.
These optimizations are only possible because of Traceability,
a powerful new location-sharing technology.
This technology enabled the Mobility Reforms,
which brought about a post-scarcity, post-privacy society.
Now anyone and everyone can enjoy a life of freedom and happiness.
OPTIMIZING ROUTE…
-[girl] Kai. -Huh?
That was way close. I've got literal helicopter parents.
I mean, they're constantly tracking me.
So, unfortunately, I can't stay too long.
But, listen. I'm really glad you're here.
Hmm. So am I.
You're good with two, right?
What? No way! You really managed to get them?
-I'm so happy! -[Kai] I don't get what the big deal is.
[girl] Well, this is for you.
-And… -Huh?
…so is this. Here.
Oh.
-Do you… wanna come? -[gasps]
You and me, right?
I guess we could. Do you really think your parents will let you go?
You're kidding. Why would you say that? Shut up about my parents.
They're the worst. I'll be fine. [huffs]
So do you need anything else or what?
Oh. Right, right! There is one thing.
I hate to ask, but, uh, I could use another favor, Kai.
You're the only person I can count on for this stuff.
[sighs] Forget I asked.
Tell me. I wanna know.
Curious?
[chuckles] 'Kay!
[whooshing]
I wanna use… Highway.
[mysterious music playing]
But Highway's, like--
-No lectures, okay? I know it's a drug. -[Kai] It's just…
[girl] Look, it used to be pretty easy to get some in the West,
but the guys who used to bring it from Mid stopped coming.
There's been a crackdown, so I guess they lost their nerve.
Do you keep up with police stuff?
Apparently, the whole narcotics unit might get disbanded before long,
so they're all working like crazy to try and save their jobs.
It sucks. They're a real nuisance.
But you could run circles around them, right?
OCCUPIED
[musical jingle plays]
[beeping]
[Kai] So you want me to go to Mid for you?
Yeah! I'd go myself if I didn't live with control freaks.
If my parents caught me leaving West,
I bet they'd chain me to a toilet or something.
But you live solo. You're totally free. Must be nice.
I guess so.
There's my dad. See? They're, like, always keeping tabs.
[softly] Go away.
Look. You're rich enough that you get chauffeured around in a private car.
Why not have your dad help you?
Huh? What kind of a freaks-how daughter asks her parents to take her to buy drugs?
Ideas like that get families destroyed.
Well, I'll be counting on you.
Bye-bye.
[distant clanging]
[gasps softly]
[man] Hmm?
My friend said that you might have a hookup.
Ah. [tuts]
How many?
Twenty thousand.
[man] Hmm.
Huh? [chuckles]
Here. Thanks.
My stuff's quality.
Yeah, I don't doubt it.
I'm surprised it was this easy to get, that's all.
So long as you have the points, you can get anything you want in Mid.
Huh!
Hmm?
-Oh! -[Kai groans]
-Damn it. It's the narcs! -Huh?
[suspenseful music playing]
-Huh… Uh! -[narc 1] Hold it!
[whirring]
[grunting]
Ah! Huh?
-[chuckles] -[Kai strains]
-Ah! -[narc 2 grunting]
Let me go!
[narc 3] Stop resisting.
[narc 1 sighs] Tough break, kid.
[panting]
[narc 1] Let's see what we can find out about you.
-Scan her. -[narc 3] Yes, sir.
-[bleeps] -[whirs]
[narc 1] Kai Koguma.
Tell me, Kai,
why would a West District citizen be skulkin' around
in a dingy place like this?
[Kai grunts]
TRANSITION HISTORY
[narc 1] Uh! Ah!
[grunting]
[man] Mmm! So far, so good.
Oh yeah. That's the stuff.
-[panting] -[whirring]
[man] Mmm.
-[device whirs] -Huh? Did I get hacked?
My watch just flipped out. She hacked me!
[dramatic music playing]
[Kai] To the West District!
[computerized voice] Thank you for riding with us.
No, we're not! Uh!
What the…
-Vehicle will stop shortly. -Wait.
The West is where I wanted to go.
Huh?
[man grunts]
Why, hello there.
UNLOCKED
[man] Hmm.
You done screwed the pooch.
[yelps] Yah!
So you were being chased by the narcs, is that it?
Hate to lecture, but drugs are bad for your health.
[Watari] That punk's health is the least of our worries.
-If Father finds out about this-- -[man] I know, right?
The second he took his eyes off you, you got hacked.
Old man Yukio's gonna have a field day with this one.
I will beat you.
So what do we do with her?
[Watari] What can we do?
Once we've processed this data, we'll turn her in.
-Hold on. -[man] Mm?
[Watari] Hmm?
I promise to keep quiet about you, so, please, just let me go.
Are you trying to bargain?
I'm pretty sure the Container Truck we're sitting in was illegally hijacked.
I don't know what you people are up to, but if you get caught,
they won't just suspend your business license.
You might get banned from the city.
[scoffs] This mouthy brat.
[Watari] Mm.
[laughs]
Okay. Sounds like we should let her go.
-And why is that? -It's our best option.
We're not about to imprison someone against their will now, are we?
-[Watari] It's not that simple, Hugo. -[Hugo] Hmm.
Take it.
[chuckles] Kick back!
We can't drop you off till we take care of some business first.
-Should be pretty fun. -Huh?!
-We're bringing her? -We have to. We're on a schedule.
But, hey, no road is too long with good company.
We've been flung together by fate. Right?
[somber music playing]
Good grief. I still need my tag if you're done with it, you know?
I can't! I don't have time. We can't have duplicates.
The system will flag us for sure!
Great. Guess we've got no choice.
[airy music playing]
[Watari] Snip.
Ah.
Cool, right? That digital Wall's got nothin' on us.
Huh?
Huh? Father, why are you here?
Oh. Uh, I was just passing by on my way home.
Thought I'd check on you.
-In what world is this "on your way home"? -Ha ha!
Look, Father, I told you we would be fine, and we are.
Yeah, and I believe you, but, uh…
Hmm? You got a kid now?
[grunts] When did this operation become a pickup service for stray cats?
She appeared like a magician's rabbit. Ta-da!
[sighs]
-[woman] Right on time, I see. -Well… Hmm?
-Who's that? -Her name's Ieuji.
She may be the one official in the city's Digital Department
who cares about human rights.
[Watari] Ms. Ieuji, thanks for coming to meet us.
So are we going with the usual today?
No, I'm afraid not.
-[Ieuji] Everyone… -Hmm?
[Ieuji] …gather over here please.
[kids laughing]
Huh? Ah…
-[kid] Are you gonna save us? -Children?
-And there's five of them? -[Father] Come on, kids!
Yes, that's right.
They all came the capital legally thanks to the Human Rights Relief Program,
but that program was abruptly cut.
So the kids are only here because they were invited,
and yet the city's left them stranded with no place to go.
If we leave them to the law, they'll all be deported,
but if they can hide out for a few weeks in a Human Rights Relief Shelter,
I can help them apply for tags.
Hence why you're asking our special delivery service to save the day.
[Ieuji] It may go against my duty as a government official,
but can't justify throwing these kids to the wolves.
Thing is, we don't have enough room to transfer this m--
-It's all right! Leave it to us. -What? Hugo!
We'll just throw a couple kids in the back of your car.
If we take two vehicles, we'll get flagged for sure.
If that happens, we'll just have to race our way out.
Ain't that right, Spoke?
-[kid] Hey! -Stop talking to me.
Also, I'll be glad to pay any additional costs incurred.
You're too kind. Uh… Thank you for all your support.
Cool? Cool! Then let's get zoomin'!
-[groans] -[Hugo] All right! Hop on in.
Well, for the record, I'm impressed.
Officials don't help the tagless often. It's good to see.
It's all thanks to your team at the Suma Garage
that they have a shot at freedom. We're all counting on you.
-[Father] All right, you runts, move it. -[Watari] Hey, wait a sec! Ugh!
I can't begin to express my gratitude.
[Hugo] All good. Later!
-So cool! -Quiet down.
-Cool! -Stop with the racket!
-Yeah, yeah! -Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Roll that window back up! You'll fly out or somethin'!
Cool, right? Yeah, Tokyo is one of a kind.
-You understand what we're saying, right? -Mm.
Kids invited to come to the capital tend to prepare for the move
as if their lives depend on it.
But if the tags that they were promised get revoked,
they'll be deported all the same.
Little guys go through all the trouble of coming in through official channels
only to end up tagless anyway.
-[boy 1] -[Kai]
-[boy 2] -[Kai]
[boy 1] without a tag!
-[Kai] -[boys laugh]
[Hugo] Want one?
-Huh? Wait, is that Highway or-- -It's just a candy.
And just for you.
Go on.
-[Hugo chuckles] -[Kai sighs]
[whirring]
All right, Father, we're closing in the Wall now.
-All good? -[kids all talk at once]
[Watari] Blind will activate in five,
four, three, two, one.
-[kids exclaiming] -Ah!
-Hang on, kids! -You're okay!
[rock music playing]
-We got caught! -Yeah.
-Maybe they'll start listening to me now. -Yeah, right!
[suspenseful music playing]
-[Watari] Crap. They're on us. -[Kai] What do we do?
-One more move. Are you ready for this? -Yeah. Of course.
What move? Huh? Ah!
Grab something sturdy and hold on!
You okay?
-[Watari] Go! We'll catch up! -Understood!
-You be careful! -[tires squeal]
[Kai and boy panting]
[gasps]
[engine revs]
[rock music playing]
-So, uh, kid is yours, Watari. -[Watari] Okay.
Spoke, you got the bots.
And… catch. Hmm!
Congrats. You're with me!
Ah!
[coughs]
-Ah. Missed you too, baby girl. -What?
[Kai and boy yell]
Huh?
It was you.
-[rock music continues] -♪ Ya, ya ♪
♪ Ya-ah-ah… ♪
[Hugo] Nice, right?
♪ Ya ♪
♪ Ya… ♪
Would anyone be okay here?
-We got company. -[Hugo] Yep!
-Forming some core memories? -Huh?
Today's delivery is freedom!
[Kai and Scott] Stop trying to sound cool!
No one's impressed, okay?
Watari.
[boy whimpering]
Hey! Can you get us right next to her motorcycle?
Yeah!
[Hugo] Watari, on your left!
[gasps] Thank you!
-Gun it! -Well, who's trying to sound cool now?
-Yeah! Let's gun it. -[screams]
[Kai grunting] Ah! Uh!
Ah!
-Hang on real tight, okay? -Uh…
[music fades]
[Kai groans]
[tranquil music playing]
[Kai] has nooks, crannies, cracks…
and people slipping through them.
SUMA GARAGE
[Kai] of the perfect system.
[somber music playing]
But the cracks in that system are starting to show.
[narc 1 exhales]
A tagless.
[dramatic music playing]
We don't even know where this kid came from.
Regardless, this out of our jurisdiction.
Hmm.
Hmm?
Huh?
Well… think our first clue is on the sweet side.
Mmm.
[dramatic musical flourish]
["Cryptogram" playing]
♪ Cryptogram, ooh ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ We'll never solve it ♪
-♪ We try to fight it ♪ -♪ Fight it ♪
[lyrics in Japanese]
-♪ I decided ♪ -♪ Decided ♪
♪ Everything is in between ♪
[lyrics in Japanese]
♪ It's not the same, I know that ♪
[lyrics in Japanese]
♪ Cryptogram ♪
[lyrics in Japanese]
♪ Cryptogram ♪
[lyrics in Japanese]
♪ Beside your cryptogram ♪
[lyrics in Japanese]
♪ Cryptogram ♪