G P Zipang 16x264B948351C

In this place so unreal
I wait for dawn to come
Farther and farther, like the sky I saw that day
What a joke this hope is
I acted as if I had forgotten
Farther and farther, like the dream I saw that day
I just want to know the meaning of it
Within this scattered time
Along with the breath of ours
And of this pain that never goes away
Even though the roaring of the sea muffles the voices
Darkness engulfs everything ahead
The light that passes through our fragile hearts
Won't go away
We only relied on our compass
We believed you
While we stand here
We're searching for the unseen future
ZIPANG
Lieutenant Tsuda,
I heard there's a Navy Restaurant at Truk,
...that has its fair share of ladies. Is that true?
Yes. Well, it's a local restaurant...
...called Nankoku Ryo or Komatsu or something.
I've never been there myself but...
...I heard there are lots of charming ladies there.
Zipang Initiation
We'll enter Truk through the Everitt Waterway at 2200.
"Everitt Waterway." We'll enter Truk through the Everitt Waterway at 2200.
"Everitt Waterway." Following the leading pilot boat from Yamamoto.
Following the leading pilot boat from Yamamoto.
We're supposed to sail in silence and darkness.
If we entered the port in broad daylight...
...it would be like poking a hornets' nest with a stick.
[Weapons Officer] ...it would be like poking a hornets' nest with a stick.
[Weapons Officer]
[Weapons Officer] It may be Admiral Yamamoto's intention...
[Weapons Officer]
[Weapons Officer] ...to keep the knowledge of the Mirai to himself.
[Weapons Officer]
[Weapons Officer] I believe he'll lead us there in peace.
[Weapons Officer]
[Weapons Officer] - After all, we are his guests. - Yes!
- After all, we are his guests. - Yes!
Two destroyers sighted! 50 degrees port! Distance 100!
Target is signaling us!
Where are they leading us?
It would seem that the cards have been dealt.
"Pacific Ocean. Truk Islands" It would seem that the cards have been dealt.
"Pacific Ocean. Truk Islands"
"Pacific Ocean. Truk Islands" In the 11th Showa Year,
"Pacific Ocean. Truk Islands" the Navy used these islands as a base...
the Navy used these islands as a base...
"Everitt Waterway. Shiki Islands. Shichiyo Islands. " the Navy used these islands as a base...
"Everitt Waterway. Shiki Islands. Shichiyo Islands. " ...to counter the US Forces in Hawaii and the Philippines.
"Everitt Waterway. Shiki Islands. Shichiyo Islands. "
"Everitt Waterway. Shiki Islands. Shichiyo Islands. " They assembled a force of 9 fleets here...
They assembled a force of 9 fleets here...
"Getsuyojima. Hoshijima. Kaedejima. Fuyoujima. " They assembled a force of 9 fleets here...
"Getsuyojima. Hoshijima. Kaedejima. Fuyoujima. " ...and undertook construction of an airstrip.
"Getsuyojima. Hoshijima. Kaedejima. Fuyoujima. "
"Getsuyojima. Hoshijima. Kaedejima. Fuyoujima. " With the Yamato as leader, this is the Combined Fleet Base.
"Harushima. Akishima." With the Yamato as leader, this is the Combined Fleet Base.
With the Yamato as leader, this is the Combined Fleet Base.
They train, resupply, and regroup on Truk Island.
I didn't know that this island was surrounded by a reef.
It's so big.
That's Kaedejima Island.
And beyond it, Akishima Island.
This is the centre of the base, Natsujima Island.
Takejima's blocked by it, so you can't see it from here.
I guess it's a move to limit our observations.
In these Northern Islands here, however...
...there are a total of 50,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians.
That's unthinkable in our era.
I have to contact the rest of the engineers.
Please excuse me.
[Captain]
Everything alright?
Captain! Incoming message from Admiral Yamamoto...
...aboard Yamato!
- Turn on the mic! - Yes!
Attention.
This is your captain, Umezu.
Today, at 0700,
we received a message direct from the Commander-in-Chief...
Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku.
It reads as follows: Tomorrow, and the day after,
From 1800,
permission granted for Mirai's crew to go ashore Natsujima.
A welcome party will be held.
I would like to formally accept the Admiral's proposal.
We're going on land!
It's been 2 months since I was on land!
And it's not just a landing!
There'll be booze and women!
This is not a resort!
It's a military port!
Moreover, this is an invitation from a party we tried to attack.
You may be in the SDF, but don't forget that in this era...
...you're regarded only as soldiers!
What's more, there are still over...
...1000 engineers on Guadalcanal.
Trapped in the jungle and trembling from hunger and fear.
I want all of you to keep that in mind!
Yes!
I have dispatched 2000 elites from the Ichiki Unit.
They are onboard two transport vessels.
Our intent is to recapture Guadalcanal.
They're already heading to Truk from Guam!
They were supposed to take part in the battle at Midway.
But lost their chance when the operation failed.
They have been on standby in Guam.
The chance to recapture Guadalcanal...
...has raised their morale.
Captain Ichiki is heading the detachment,
...and is eager to land on the island...
...to take out enemy troops.
The liberation of Guadalcanal...
...is of utmost importance to the Army and the Navy!
As such, I ask the Navy...
...to dispatch two destroyers to transport my men there.
Once Ichiki's Unit arrives, the US Marines will be wiped out!
Watch as we destroy the Americans!
Officer Tsuji.
According to our information,
The American Division isn't just a simple recon party.
They are fully equipped with armoured units.
And boast an army of 11 thousand soldiers!
No matter how good Ichiki's unit is, it'll be tough.
It's naive to believe morale alone...
...will win the day in a modern war!
Was the attack on Pearl Harbor...
...a miracle or a divine mandate?!
Just how many men in the army...
...can match the courage of these great Navy commanders?!
If I had a choice, I would join the Navy!
If I can sacrifice myself under your service,
...it would be of utmost honour as a soldier of Imperial Japan!!
The god of War, Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku.
Surely you haven't forgotten our determination for victory!
The operation to liberate Guadalcanal...
...has already been approved by General Headquarters!
Opposition would be an insubordination!
That's a definite possibility.
That was the worst acting I've ever seen!
You call that an Imperial Soldier?!
I must say, however, he seems confident of himself.
He's a tough nut, so we should be on guard.
Knowing that the Ichiki Unit will be wiped out,
...do we still have to send those men in there?
He's pressuring us with a command from Headquarters.
What is the combined fleet for?!
We need that ship to prevent further sacrifices!
If we try to make them submit by force,
...we will suffer considerable damages too.
Go through all the information we have.
We must draw up a plan that's capable of convincing them!
Yes sir!
I must say, the Yamato certainly is beautiful.
At 1800 tomorrow,
the Admiral will be personally receiving some guests.
Admiral Yamamoto? Who are they?
I have no idea.
But he cancelled all appointments for this dinner.
They must be very important then.
Captain. I warned the crew via CPO to limit their contact...
...with the local population. But I'm still worried.
Well, you should let the crew relax a little today.
They've been on the ship two months straight.
Hey look! It's a girl!
Is she Japanese?!
Officer Sugimoto! You really shouldn't!
"Komatsu Restaurant"
"Komatsu Restaurant" Welcome!
"Komatsu Restaurant"
Oh, there you are.
Lieutenant Satake? Why the uniform?
You were here all along?!
Admiral Yamamoto arranged for it.
What happened to the Umidori?!
It's heavily guarded and kept inside Yamato's hanger.
I've been staying at the Yamato Hotel ever since.
You look just like an Imperial Navy Officer!
You've put on weight!
The result of 3 full meals a day, and minimal exercise.
Even my helmet feels tighter.
Welcome everyone!
Chief Kashiwada, you're going too fast!
I don't think it's considered an honourable death!
You're from Tateyama in Chiba Prefecture?
I'm from Choshi!
- I like ships so I joined... - Hey hey...
...we don't need to hear about that now.
Chief Sugimoto. How old do you think she is?
She's very young. Probably around twenty.
Right now, it's the 17th Showa year.
So if she's twenty now...
Then she was... born in the 11th Taisho year?!!
That's the same year as my late grandmother.
What?!
Here's some coffee. It's Mandarin.
Oh, thanks, Lieutenant Momoi.
Those guys must be having a good time right now.
It's good for them to unwind a little.
But I'm worried that it might make them homesick.
But I'm glad Chief Yanagi was admitted to a hospital.
Yes.
You're thinking about Lieutenant Kusaka, aren't you.
You're wondering how you should deal with him tomorrow.
You're sitting in front of me, but your heart's elsewhere.
My my, gentlemen,
I thought you came ashore to have a good time tonight!
Here, have a drink.
Yes. Thank you.
He should be turning 60 next year.
Yet he looks so youthful.
It's gotten quiet all of a sudden.
Japan is about 10 days by ship from here.
But our home might as well be a thousand light years away.
Japan, 60 years from now.
I found it hard to believe when Kusaka first told me.
But meeting you makes this all feel like a reunion.
By the way, Mr. Umezu.
Yes?
When am I going to die?
You don't have to answer.
Even if I survive this war, I'll probably...
...end up in exile in the mountains of St. Helena.
The 18th of April, 18th Showa year.
You'll die in the skies above Bouganville Island.
That's good.
So I'm at the frontline, in a plane, correct?
I suppose that would mean...
...that I have 8 more months.
The Ichiki Unit that will enter Guadalcanal...
...has already set off for Truk from Guam.
And I don't have the power to stop them.
There isn't much time left.
Aside from avoiding this useless and devastating battle,
Japan also needs...
...to shrink her battlefront in the Pacific Ocean and China.
And,
we'll need your help to obtain an early peace treaty.
Admiral Yamamoto.
I regret to say that the Mirai lacks a chain of command.
Yet, our strength is incredibly dangerous in this era.
There are no words to express our uneasiness.
That's why it's essential...
...that no one else gains control of the Mirai.
As captain of the Mirai, this is my foremost responsibility.
There is, however, something I need to clarify.
I cannot simply ignore the countless people...
...who survive on the belief that tomorrow will be better.
It would be selfish to think only of...
...ourselves and change history...
...as if we were moving chess pieces.
This is about Kusaka, isn't it?
Let's break in now. Press forward.
Uninvited guests pretending to be drunk are never welcome.
Please come with me, Lieutenant Tsuji.
A-And who are you?!
How dare you! I was sent here by the General Headquarters!
You were third in your class at the Army Cadet University.
You're a member of the "Imperial Sword Group."
They call you "God of Strategy",
...recognised by Prime Minister Tojo.
You commanded in...
...the Russo-Japanese War and the Nomonhan Incident.
During the Malaysian Incident,
...you created the Japanese "Blitzkrieg."
You're no civilian.
Let me take you somewhere more appropriate.
Please follow me.
Why did you bring me out to sea?!
Tsuji Masanobu won't go down without a fight!
Mr. Tsuji, have you ever used that excellent mind of yours...
...to imagine what the future will be like?
The future?!
Who cares! The Imperial Army will crush the Allied Forces!
Germany and us will be the dictators of the world!
What proof do you have?
My army has absolute faith in their vision of victory!
Your cowardice tells me you're from the Navy!
You should be ashamed, you hear?
I'm surprised someone so talented lacks foresight.
What!?
We've reached our destination.
This symbolises the fall of the Japanese Empire.
A cruiser? But the shape's very odd.
We're messengers from Japan, 60 years in the future.
S-Sixty years?!
She's called the "Mirai."
What are you talking about?!
Right now, it may sound like a fairytale...
...but in three years' time, the Japanese empire...
...will surrender unconditionally to the Allied Forces.
I should have died at Midway, but that ship rescued me.
I read about the future in their library.
Does he really think I'm going to buy this garbage?
But I do have to wonder if this was the unidentified vessel...
...spotted in the Malaysian waters near Anambas.
Fortunately for you, you will survive this war.
But, because of your persistent efforts in the Army.
And repeated aggression against the Allied Forces.
Countless lives will be sacrificed for nothing.
If you were to die here and now,
many would be spared a similar fate.
Why you!! Think of the soldiers fighting in China...
...and New Guinea and Burma! You should be ashamed!
We may not match them in raw materials...
...and military strength...
...but you can't win a war on those alone!
Unlike finite resources, the human spirit is boundless!
Our absolute faith in victory...
...is the greatest weapon that we possess!
If your absolute faith helps you dodge this bullet...
...then I too will believe in the human spirit.
I can empathize with Kusaka and his dilemma.
There is no going back to ignorance after truth.
When the pain of crisis becomes overwhelming...
...humans have only two choices.
The first is absolute denial.
The second is to attempt to correct mistakes...
...through one's foolish ideals.
You were adhering to your ideals...
...when you point your gun at the Yamato.
So, Admiral, you want me to trust Kusaka?
You have requested that we hand over Kusaka...
...but, I'd like to keep him here for the moment.
Of course, I support his idea of an early peace treaty.
He is, however, an impatient man.
Well then, what would you like us to do?
Mr. Umezu. A country is composed of its residents.
In order to rescue Japan from tragedy,
...we will have to change the thinking of its people.
Your existence will make a far greater impact...
...than all the cannons on the Yamato.
Convincing the upper authorities won't be a problem.
I can secretly arrange for your ship to dock here.
And provide accommodation for all your crew members.
It's important that a crew is well rested.
And a home port is necessary for maintenance and supplies.
You're suggesting Truk as a home port?
No, Yokosuka.
I'm suggesting the place you set out from.
I am alive though I should be dead.
You have just died once as well.
Since we're on equal ground, I have a request.
W-What is it?
I need to return to Tokyo.
I'll need your authorization for that.
W-What are you planning?!
There is someone whom I have to talk to.
Who do you mean?
The very same man who started this war.
Passing through the distant time
Just peacefully
Without losing your way, you walked towards me
How many times have I grasped tightly those small hands of yours?
Not being able to do anything
I kept on praying
Sorrow or agony isn't enough
That's why now as if I wanted to make up... I'm looking at you
If that's not the Guadalcanal Operation, what is?!
It's Kusaka who started all this!
To obtain his ideals, a man will betray his benefactors.
And sacrifice his most trusted subordinates.
We have to stop running away.
The time has come for us to face the truth.
No matter where you go, even to the ends of the earth...
I will hunt you down!
I will hunt you down! Next Episode: Reunion
Next Episode: Reunion
I will not let two thousand lives... Next Episode: Reunion
...be lost in vain. Next Episode: Reunion
...be lost in vain.
This story is purely fiction. The names of the characters and organizations that appear, have no connection with actual people and organizations.