Flashing Before My Eyes (走馬灯) (Script) lyrics

CUT TO: TRAIN STATION/TRAIN TRACKS

Satoru is getting off of work. Flashes of scenes of his daily returning-home routine entail.

SATORU: (Narrates) I'm scared. I'm scared to get to the heart of my own mind.

Train passes by in front of Satoru's neutral figure.

CUT TO: OUTSIDE OF SATORU'S RESIDENCE

Ripped paper bits whirl in the sky. Cut to Satoru ripping up the paper. Cut to the fragments in the river, revealing that they are ripped up manga. Flash to Satoru's face.

CUT TO: MANGA PUBLISHING COMPANY

Cut to Satoru's face

EDITOR: sighs I think you're doing good work here. But, how can I say this...(Cut to editor's face) If you don't dig deeper, the readers won't be able to see you in the work. (Cut to Satoru's face) You're 29, right? Ah, that's kind of a tough fit for our magazine.

CUT TO: SATORU'S RESIDENCE

Cut to art supplies and manga panels.

TV in background: 26 more days until the 2006 World Cup begins in Germany...

SATORU: (Narrating over TV) Everyday, the words cross my mind. "If I had done this back then..."-- But they don't take the sincere form of regret. The words are just an excuse that come to mind, then disappear. I'm scared to get to the heart of my own mind.
CUT TO: TITLE

CUT TO: OUTSIDE OF OASI PIZZA

SATORU: I'm going out on a delivery.

MANAGER: Okay, be careful.

AIRI: I'm going out on a delivery, too.

MANAGER: Okay, be careful!

AIRI: (While walking out of the shop's automatic doors) Fujinuma, don't eat any pizza on the way.

SATORU: (Narrating while loading delivery car) I don't get it. What is that, a Gen Y joke?

Wasn't planning to.

CUT TO: BUSY ROAD

Satoru is on his delivery car, waiting for the stoplight. He continues driving.

SATORU: (Narrating while driving) That girl says the same thing to me every time I see her. In fact, it's the only thing she's said to me. It doesn't seem like she has any special feelings for me. Weird girl...Well, not like I'm interested in high school girls...

Satoru looks up and sees a blue butterfly ghost. A negative shock-scene comes. Satoru makes a disturbed face.
CUT TO: SAME BUSY ROAD AS BEFORE

Same scenes Satoru passed while driving pass again.

SATORU: (Narrating) I'm positive. It happened again. Where is it? What seems out of place?

Truck drives by slowly. Satoru makes a hard turn and follows the truck.

SATORU: Hey, trucker! Stop! Hey! Driver!

Cut to rearview mirror that reveals the passed out truck driver. Satoru continues to follow the truck. He passes by Airi without noticing.

AIRI: F-Fujinuma-san? What are you...

Cut to Satoru, who continues to follow the truck. Cut to a child crossing a road that the truck is approaching.

SATORU: (Narrates) Damn it! I shouldn't have gotten involved!

Satoru bangs on the driver's window.

SATORU: (Narrates) But...

CUT TO: SATORU'S CHILDHOOD MEMORY

A red ranger pats a young Satoru on the head.
CUT TO: SAME BUSY ROAD AS BEFORE

Satoru continues to bang on the truck's window as it approaches the kid in slow motion.

SATORU: (Narrates) But...

Satoru grabs on the unconscious driver's arm to steer it away from the kid. The truck just misses the kid.

WOMAN: (to the kid) Are you okay?

MAN: That was close!

Cut to: Satoru following truck. A red car crashes into him. Scene fades to black.

CUT TO: SATORU'S CHILDHOOD MEMORY

Grey smoke comes out of chimneys in a grey sky. Snow falls.

SATORU: (Narrating) What the hell is this?

Scene from a festival with young Satoru and his mother fade in and out.

SATORU: (Narrating) That thing where my life flashes before my eyes...

Scene of young Satoru fades in and out.

SATORU: (Narrating) There, see? Nothing good comes from getting involved with strangers. Oh well...My dying doesn't make any difference.

Young Satoru walks in the snow. He turns and sees a girl, Hinazuki, in a red coat.

SATORU: (Narrating) Huh?

Zooms in on girl's scarf.

HINAZUKI: His eyes opened.

CUT TO: PRESENT DAY HOSPITAL

Satoru, bandaged and on hospital bed, wakes.

AIRI: Good morning, Fujinuma! You were out for two days!

Camera blinks and turns to Airi.

SATORU: Katagiri?

AIRI: Do you know who you are and why you're here?

SATORU: Satoru Fujinuma, 29 years old. I was chasing a truck and got into an accident.

AIRI: Good! The doctor said you hardly suffered any injuries. It's a miracle. Do you want me to call someone? A friend or a girlfriend?

SATORU: Nah. There's nobody I want to bother telling.

AIRI: (Points scissor hands towards him) Snip-snip

SATORU: What's that? A Gen Y joke?

AIRI: It's like you're covered with a thin membrane. You don't seem like the type who opens up to people. You never laugh either. But, I do kind of see you in a new light.

SATORU: How's that?

AIRI: You saved a kid's life, right? I was there. They say the truck driver died of a heart attack while driving. I'm surprised you noticed it.

SATORU: I just got lucky.

AIRI: After that, the truck crashed into a warehouse, so you and the driver were the only casualties.

SATORU: (Narrates) Casualties...

AIRI: After I explained everything to the manager, he said, "Tell him not to worry about the bike or the car he hit, just come back to work."

SATORU: Thanks.

AIRI: Heh, you smiled for a second there!

SATORU: pauses...Katagiri, why do you work there?

AIRI: I'm surprised you got right to the heart of it.

SATORU: Did I?

AIRI: Yeah, no one's ever asked me that before. I have a dream.

SATORU: I see.

AIRI: That's all you're going to ask me?

Cut to Satoru drawing. Cut back to Satoru on hospital bed.

SATORU: Hey, when you tell other people about your dream, don't you think, like, "But what if it doesn't happen?"

AIRI: I'm not especially embarrassed to talk about it. I feel like if you way the words over and over, it'll actually happen somewhere along the line.

SATORU: (Narrates)Those words...For some reason, they resonate with me.

AIRI: But I'm not going to tell you what it is, Fujinuma. It's not like we're close or anything.

Airi walks to the door and opens it.

AIRI: Well, I'll tell the nurse you're awake, then I'm going home. Bye-bye.

Airi walks out.

SATORU: sighs (Narrates) Weird girl...

CUT TO: ROAD

Green car drives. Satoru is in its backseat.

SATORU: (Narrates) I call the phenomenon "Revival". Even though I know it's not beneficial for me, I always get involved.

CUT TO: SPINNING BALL OF FILM IN HIS CONSCIOUSNESS

SATORU: (Narrates) I usually go back between one and five minutes, where everything is the same as before. It's always right before something bad happens.

Ball of film zooms in on scene with the kid and Satoru.

SATORU: (Narrates) I find myself searching for the thing that doesn't feel right, as if someone put me there with the order to prevent it. As a result, I've kept trouble from happening again and again. In most cases, negative incidents just come out even. Once in a while, it turns negative for me.

CUT TO: OUTSIDE OF SATORU'S RESIDENCE, PRESENT DAY

Satoru walks up stairs to his apartment. He stops and looks in his window. He opens the door, revealing his mom cooking.

SACHIKO: Welcome home, Satoru.

SATORU: Mom...

SACHIKO: I went to the hospital, but you were still sleeping, which was boring, so I came here. Is your head alright?

SATORU: Fine.

Satoru walks away into his room.

SACHIKO: I was shocked. I mean, they said it was a head-on collision. I'm going to stay with you for a while.

Sachiko brings a tray of prepared food on the table. Satoru returns.

SATORU: Why would you do that?

SACHIKO: My adorable son's head hit a moving vehicle. The least I can do is watch over him.

SATORU: I said I'm fine. And I only have one futon.

SACHIKO: There's a sleeping bag in the closet. That works for me.

SATORU: Go to a hotel.

SACHIKO: It's a waste of money.

SATORU: Oh, that's right! I'll reimburse you for the hospital charges!

SACHIKO: Keep it. We'll use it to pay for my room here.

Sachiko puffs smoke from her cigarette

SATORU: (Narrates) I'm her son, but even I can't believe she's fifty-two years old, because the woman never changes.

SACHIKO: Satoru, can you get to Ueno without changing trains?

SATORU: No. Figures. You're here for sightseeing, aren't you?

SACHIKO: I have come all the way from Hokkaido. Besides, I'd get bored having to look at your face everyday.

SATORU: (Narrates) You haven't even seen me for a day yet.

SACHIKO: Come on, let's eat.

CUT TO: OUTSIDE OF SATORU'S RESIDENCE, PRESENT DAY

It's night time. Cut to Satoru's mom on his futon. She puts down empty cans of beer while watching a small television.

SACHIKO: Sorry. I took your futon and TV.

SATORU: Yeah, don't worry about it. (Narrates) I'd rather have that than try to be quiet if I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

SACHIKO: Look, you don't have to tiptoe around me if you use the toilet in the middle of the night. I won't wake up.

SATORU: (Narrates) Yokai...

NEW BROADCASTER ON TV: On to our next story. The first-grade girl from Saitama who went missing yesterday evening was found safe and sound this morning on a road in Yokohama.

Sachiko fills a cup of water from sink.

SACHIKO: Hey, Satoru...Do you remember?

NEWS BROADCASTER ON TV: She was taken to the hospital, but suffered no injuries.

SATORU: What?

SACHIKO: What happened in the neighborhood when you were in fifth grade. Your memories are probably hazy. Sips water

NEWS BROADCASTER ON TV: The Ina Police Station has reported that an unemployed man from Nishi-ku, Yokohama was with the girl at the scene.

Zooms in on Satoru's face.

SACHIKO: We tried desperately then to get you kids to forget even a little of what happened.

NEWS BROADCASTER ON TV: He has been arrested on suspicion of abducting a minor.

Cut to Sachiko.

SACHIKO: Your life was in danger.

Cut to Satoru lying in sleeping bag

SATORU: (Narrates) When I was in fifth grade...An abduction...

CUT TO: SATORU'S CHILDHOOD MEMORY

Same scenes of smoke and snow fade in and out. Sirens and young Satoru playing soccer fade in and out.

CUT TO: SATORU'S RESIDENCE, PRESENT DAY

SATORU: (Narrates) Two of my classmates went missing.

CUT TO: SATORU'S CHILDHOOD MEMORY

Kids are playing baseball, laughing. Camera moves to young Satoru, sitting atop a hill. A paper plane flies to him. A shadow approaches him. Yuuki shows him how the plane works.

SATORU: (Narrates) When I was little, a local guy, Yuuki, often played with me.

Cut to young Satoru chasing after the paper plane

SATORU: (Narrates) His name really wasn't Yuuki, but that's what I called him, because he'd always say, "Yuuki, yuuki! Courage, courage..."

Fades to Yuuki and young Satoru sitting on hill.

YUUKI: W-want me to guess about the most popular kid in your class? He's cheerful and good at sports. He speaks his mind and sometimes screws around, but is serious when it comes to one thing.

YOUNG SATORU: That's incredible.

YUUKI: Popular people are usually that guy. W-what if you tried intimidating him? In one or two areas. Just as much as you can, without being embarrassed, but with courage.

Yuuki's face turns black. Fades into Yuuki sitting in a jail cell.

SATORU: (Narrates)Six months after the disappearances, Jun Shiratori was arrested as a serial kidnapper and murderer. It was Yuuki.

CUT TO: EPISODE TITLE

CUT TO: SIDEWALK, PRESENT DAY

Satoru and his mom walk out of a supermarket carrying shopping bags.

SATORU: You bought way too much.

SACHIKO: Is it too heavy for you? Well, you can have curry for days.

Cut to a kid crying over his dropped ice cream cone.

KID'S MOTHER: Ah, see? This is why I told you not to run. Let's go back and get you another one.

Cut to kids accidentally releasing balloons into the sky and panicking. Satoru watches. A negative shock-scene comes. Satoru and Sachiko walk out of a supermarket carrying shopping bags.

SACHIKO: Satoru, what's wrong?

SATORU: Nothing...

SACHIKO: Is it too heavy for you? Well, you can have curry for days.

SATORU: (Narrates) Revival?

Cut to a kid crying over his dropped ice cream cone.

KID'S MOTHER: Ah, see? This is why I told you not to run. Let's go back and get you another one.

SATORU: (Narrates) Crap, I don't know what it is! Come on...what's going to happen? Mom...would you look around? Don't you...have a weird feeling?

SACHIKO: What're you talking about? Come to think of it, you once told me the same thing a long time ago.

SATORU: Did I?

SACHIKO: It was about a small fire back then.

Cut to kids accidentally releasing balloons into the sky and panicking. Cut to Sachiko noticing a man holding the hand of a girl

SACHIKO: (Narrates) Was he...looking at me?

Man and girl enter a blue minivan as Sachiko observes. He drives away, leaving the girl with an ice cream cone.

SATORU: (Narrates) Nothing happened?

Satoru sees Sachiko take out a cellphone. She snaps a picture of the minivan.

AIRI: Hey, Fujinuma!

Airi waves at Satoru and Sachiko.

CUT TO: SIDEWALK

Satoru is walking a bike. His mother is walking ahead. Airi is behind.

AIRI: I don't believe it! Your mother? I thought that she was your older sister!

SATORU: Do you believe in yokai?

AIRI: I do from today. But are you fighting?

SATORU: No

Sachiko stops and faces Satoru and Sachiko

SACHIKO: Hey, your name is Airi? I'm making curry for dinner. Would you like to come over and eat?

Airi salutes

AIRI: I am Airi Katagiri! Thank you for inviting me! I'll help you make it too.

Airi runs towards Sachiko

SATORU: (Narrates) She's coming over?

AIRI: I'm starving!

Scene zooms out to the windshield of a man watching the three. His glasses glare.

CUT TO: SATORU'S RESIDENCE

Satoru and Airi are sitting at his table. His mom is cooking

AIRI: You drew manga?

SATORU: You're surprised?

Airi pulls out her phone

AIRI: No, not at all. It's true, you have your own Wikitanika entry.

SATORU: Don't look me up.

AIRI: Why not? It's great!

Sachiko joins them with her plate

SACHIKO: Well, let's eat.

Sachiko sits down.

SATORU: (Narrates) It's not great. That's why I don't want you to do it.

AIRI: Thank you for the meal!

The three start eating.

AIRI: Mmm, it's delicious!

SACHIKO: Thank you. At first I thought you were too young to be his girlfriend, but you're not his girlfriend. Too bad though, you're a good cook.

AIRI: Sorry we're not dating. To me, Fujinuma is, how can I put it?...A friend I can respect.

SACHIKO: (To Satoru) What? Is it too spicy?

SATORU: No, it's good.

CUT TO: OUTSIDE OF SATORU'S RESIDENCE

AIRI: Thank you again!

CUT TO: INSIDE SATORU'S RESIDENCE

Airi bows

SATORU: Well, I'll give you a lift to the station.

SACHIKO: You're going home already? You should spend the night.

SATORU: Katagiri is a high school student.

CUT TO: ROAD

Satoru is riding his bicycle with Airi sitting in the back

AIRI: Thanks for having me over for dinner, Satoru.

SATORU: No problem. Just keep an eye out for cops.

AIRI: Yeah.

Satoru and Airi bike away

CUT TO: INSIDE SATORU'S RESIDENCE

Satoru's mom puffs a cigarette at the table. Satoru enters.

SACHIKO: Welcome home.

SATORU: She's my co-worker. Don't look at her as potential wife material.

SACHIKO: You're dense. You have a chance with that girl. She says she respects you.

SATORU: I'm telling you, it's not like that! She was just being polite-- Don't take it seriously!

SACHIKO: That Airi girl isn't the diplomatic type. Oh, by the way, the landlady came over for the rent.

SATORU: Is that right?

Satoru walks away

SACHIKO: Satoru, about this afternoon...(Satoru stops) In the supermarket parking lot...

SATORU: What about it?

SACHIKO: The abduction case was never solved.

SATORU: What?

SACHIKO: I'm obviously kidding.

CUT TO: BOOKSTORE

Satoru is reading a book flipped to a page about Jun Shiratori. The book reveals to be "Nippon: Showa's most shocking crimes". Satoru gasps at the name of Kayo Hinazuki.

SATORU: (Narrates) I remember...

CUT TO: SATORU'S CHILDHOOD MEMORY

In the snow, young Satoru sees Hinazuki in her red coat.

SATORU: (Narrates) That girl was one of my classmates, one who was abducted 18 years ago. Kayo Hinazuki. She was always at the park alone. It's not like we were friends, but...

Young Satoru stares at her, then walks away.

SATORU: (Narrates) That was the last time I saw Hinazuki.

CUT TO: HINAZUKI'S FUNERAL PHOTO, SATORU'S CHILDHOOD MEMORY

CUT TO: POLICE STATION, SATORU'S CHILDHOOD MEMORY

Young Satoru is sitting next to his mom.

YOUNG SATORU: I could've saved her! If I'd said, "Let's walk home together," Hinazuki would still be...

CUT TO: BOOKSTORE, PRESENT DAY

Satoru closes the book.

SATORU: (Narrates) That's the thought I wanted to forget the most...and Mom probably did try to erase it from my memory.

CUT TO: MANGA PUBLISHING COMPANY, THE PAST

EDITOR: If you don't dig deeper, the readers won't be able to see you in the work.

CUT TO: BOOKSTORE, PRESENT DAY

Satoru approaches checkout, carrying the book

CUT TO: INSIDE SUPERMARKET

Sachiko walks across aisles carrying a red shopping basket.

SACHIKO: (Narrates) "Wa" on the licence plate means that it's a rental. That was definitely an attempted abduction.

CUT TO: ROAD, THE PAST

The scene of the man holding a girl's hand from before fades in and out

SACHIKO: (Narrates) Did he change his mind because he saw me?

CUT TO: SUPERMARKET, PRESENT DAY

SACHIKO: (Narrates) He hid his face when our eyes met.

CUT TO: ROAD, THE PAST

SACHIKO: (Narrates) He knew me...

CUT TO: SUPERMARKET, PRESENT DAY

Sachiko picks up a bundle of green onions.

SACHIKO: (Narrates) And I know him from someplace. It's on the tip of my tongue...Where? When?

Flashes of the man's eyes fade in and out.

CUT TO: SACHIKO'S WORK PLACE

Sachiko has an opened book out that reads: "Serial Abductions and Murder, One Culprit Responsible for Kidnappings".

SACHIKO: (Narrates) I remember! That man, he...The killer...It may not have been Shiratori after all!

CUT TO: SIDEWALK

Sachiko opens a pocketbook with a slip of paper inside. She holds her phone up to her ear

SACHIKO: Hello? It's been a while since we've talked. It's Sachiko Fujinuma.

CUT TO: OUTSIDE OF SATORU'S RESIDENCE

It's night time. Sachiko is walking up to Satoru's door

SACHIKO: (Narrates) Eighteen years ago, so the statute of limitations is up...But...(Sachiko enters)...I'm positive he committed the same crime with the same basic M.O. over and over.

Sachiko turns on the lights and puts down the keys along with the slip of paper.

SACHIKO: (Narrates) That case isn't closed yet. I have to talk to Satoru. The time has finally come to talk to him about it.

Sachiko hangs her coat and turns around

SACHIKO: Satoru?

A man in a black suit stabs her from behind with a kitchen knife. Sachiko falls, bleeding. She looks at her assaulter.

SACHIKO: (Narrates) I was right...have to...call Satoru...tell him not to come home...and I have to apologize.

Sachiko desperately reaches for her phone.

CUT TO: POLICE STATION, THE PAST

YOUNG SATORU: (cries) I could've saved her! I'm sure it wasn't Yuuki! It wasn't Yuuki, Mom!

CUT TO: SATORU'S RESIDENCE

Sachiko still tries to reach for her phone.

SACHIKO: (Narrates) I should've believed him back then. Even if the police didn't...I should've believed him.

The assaulter grabs the phone. Sachiko slumps to the ground.

SACHIKO: (Narrates) Satoru...

CUT TO: SACHIKO'S MEMORY, THE PAST

Satoru puts on a red ranger mask

CUT TO: SATORU'S RESIDENCE, PRESENT DAY

SACHIKO: (Narrates) I'm sorry...

A tear falls from her cheek

CUT TO: SACHIKO'S MEMORY, THE PAST

Satoru puts on a red ranger mask. The scene fades into baby Satoru wrapped in a blanket, him walking for the first time, then him playing in fields. Scene fades to black.

CUT TO: OUTSIDE OF OASI PIZZA

SATORU: Well, I'm off! See you tomorrow!

MANAGER: See you tomorrow!

AIRI: See you!...Oh yeah, Satoru. How about I guess what you had for breakfast this morning? Curry!

SATORU: You're right...

AIRI: Yes!

SATORU: (Narrates) With as much as she made, of course I'm gonna eat it for breakfast, too.

AIRI: Hey, ask your mom if I can put in a request. That curry was so good!

SATORU: Alright, alright. See you.

Satoru exits. The phone rings

CUT TO: OUTSIDE OF SATORU'S RESIDENCE

Satoru walks up to his apartment. Blue lights flash. A man in a suit walks by him. His eyes flash red as he puts on his fedora. Satoru continues walking. He opens the door.

SATORU: Jeez...huh? Gimme a break...

Satoru picks up the slip of paper on the floor.

SATORU: Mom! What are you doing? This isn't your house back in Hokkaido. At least lock the door.

Satoru enters his living room, revealing his mom's corpse.

SATORU: Hey, mom...Hey...Answer me. No way...cut it out. Wake up, Mom!

Satoru walks towards her. He turns her around and sees the knife stabbed in her. He yells and stumbles backwards. Landlady enters with an empty pot.

LANDLADY: Mr. Fujinuma, last night your mother shared curry with me...

Landlady notices his bloody hand. She screams and drops the pot.

SATORU: Wait!

CUT TO: OUTSIDE OF SATORU'S RESIDENCE

Police cars are parked. A police officer is asking the landlady for her eyewitness account. Sirens wail.

LANDLADY: Mr. Fujinuma had blood on his hands...

Two officers run to Satoru's apartment. They approach Satoru.

OFFICER: Are you Satoru Fujinuma? I need to take you down to the station

SATORU: (Narrates) What is this? Wrong. You're wrong. It wasn't me! It wasn't me!

Satoru sees the blue translucent butterfly fluttering. Sachiko's dead body flashes. Satoru turns away and runs.

OFFICER: Hey, don't run!

CUT TO: 18 YEARS AGO, HOKKAIDO

SATORU: (Narrates) Did I...have another Revival? But where am I? I know I've seen it before...but somehow...

KAZU: Yo, Satoru! You're gonna be late!

Kazu runs off in the snow

SATORU: (Narrates) Huh? Who's that again? A backpack?

Satoru approaches his elementary school.

YOUNG SATORU: 1988?!

END OF EPISODE