Again

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1

Play ball!

Based on a Novel by

Kiyoshi Shigematsu

Written & Directed by

Sumio Omori

Hey, Dad...

What does 'One Ball, One Ghost' mean?

It says 'One Ball, One Spirit'!

Your handwriting's terrible!

While I remembered that phrase"

I had no idea my dad

had ever played baseball.

Dad...

here I am at Koshien Stadium,

where you so much wanted to be.

AGAIN:

With a man?

An older university student.

Sanami hardly ever comes home.

She's always at his apartment.

You mean they're living together?

This is the address.

She's in university, so to some extent

she's free to do what she wants...

What do you want me

to do about it?

I don't know.

I just thought it was something

you should know, too.

She wouldn't see me

as her father now.

I've been out of her life

since primary school.

So you don't consider her

your daughter any more?

What do you mean?

Perhaps this isn't for me to say...

but...

it's like she didn't have a father.

You're right about one thing:

that isn't for you to say.

What do you mean?

Believe me, I've worried about her.

She may have wanted to see you...

and said nothing,

out of consideration for me.

Sanami can be like that.

Then pay more attention!

'Sanami'!

Does he mean Big Sister?

Yep, that's right.

Yes?

Mr. Sakamachi?

Yes. Can I help you?

Haruhiko Sakamachi?

Are you a friend of Sanami's?

Who would that be?

Who would you be?

Tozawa, from Kobe University.

A student?

Yes. I'm from

the Masters Koshien office.

You played high school baseball

at Kawagoe Academy?

Yes, I did.

Um...

would you be interested

in trying for Koshien again?

I'm son-y?

The Masters Koshien...

was begun by a professor

at our university.

I took a course with him,

and volunteered to help.

I'd really like Kawagoe

to field a team.

Go ask the school, then.

You're not interested?

No.

It starts with regionals...

I'm fine, thanks.

Let me tell you...

SorfY-

I've got a pot on the stove.

There's no one home?

You were just out, right?

Wait!

What?

I'm sorry.

You're in university now.

Don't be so familiar.

I wasn't trying to.

Anyway, there's nothing to discuss.

Just a minute!

Just look at these, please.

They're New Year's cards.

From Norio Matsukawa.

I'm his daughter.

He's dead.

In the tsunami last year.

What did he do?

He was a fishennan. He was in

the Volunteer Fire Department.

They were evacuating people,

and the truck couldn't get away.

The house was fine.

My parents divorced

when I was 10.

I never lived with him after that.

He was living alone.

When I was small, I remember him

writing those New Year's cards.

But he never mailed them.

One Ball, One Spirit

Cards for 27 years.

From when he dropped out of

Kawagoe Academy until last year.

Who are they to?

People from our year

on our baseball team.

I knew it!

But why didn't he mail them?

People had new addresses?

But he knew yours.

For some time I didn't live here.

This was my parents' house.

I moved back after my mom died

and my dad got sick.

So you live with him now?

He died a long time ago.

Now it's just me.

Is 'Sanami' your daughter?

She's not with you now?

I'm divorced, too.

You, too?!

Don't look so happy.

I'm not.

Anyway...

We were talking about why

my father knew your address.

Nori was here a lot

before he quit school.

He boarded at the school.

We'd all invite players

from out of town over for dinner.

That's probably why

he knew this address.

Then it's natural

he'd send a New Year's card.

But why keep on writing them

year after year?

I wouldn't know.

Do you know why

my father quit high school?

All right. Thanks.

Where are you going?

Like you said, to the school.

Sony to bother you.

Just a minute...

I'll come and introduce you.

Third!

Hello.

Last one!

Sprints.

Hi.

Busy?

No.

Hello.

This is the woman

from the Masters Koshien.

Tm Gide.

Mia Tozawa.

He's a coach now.

And he runs the alumni group.

I'm the guy who takes

all the phone calls.

Mr. Sakamachi told me about this.

Great idea.

Let's do it.

Really?!

Wait a minute!

I was already interested

in Masters Koshien.

You didn't say that on the phone.

You said you were coming.

Just hear her out, that's all.

Wait!

Why are you trying to stop him?

I'm just making sure

if he's really serious.

You're not playing?

Not me! Are you crazy?

Mr. Sakamachi!

Do you know who won

in this region last year?

No.

Tokorozawa!

They have a team?

Yes! How does that make you feel?

They had a class reunion

at the stadium in Osaka!

They were your biggest rivals!

You're supposed to be neutral.

That's just between us.

Oide, how do you know all this?

From the Masters website.

Thank you! We do that site.

Yeah?

I've never set foot on

the soil of Koshien.

I've always wanted to.

You must feel that even more.

Forget that now.

My father was on his team.

Yeah?

Let's talk about that later.

Why?

OK.

I can't be part of it,

but you go ahead.

Huh?

OK, we'll get the captains

from the different years...

to contact their players.

How's that?

Will you do that much?

I can't be part of it, I said.

But you were the captain.

You were?

Hey!

Sakamachi?

Hello! How have you been?

I'll get back.

Sony to interrupt.

Thank you!

No problem.

SorfY-

Coach?

Where's the meeting?

In the classroom.

After everyone gets changed

Faster!

Captain! What's going on?

I don't know yet.

The coach is over at the school.

Maybe the alumni are giving us

a barbecue before the final!

We're going to kill Tokorozawa

tomol1'ow!

Damn right!

We've waited three years for this.

Right?

Let's stop standing around

and swing some bats!

Assemble!

I want you all to stay calm

and listen.

Something':
happened.

A 3rd-year team member has been

al1'ested in a personal-injury case.

The school has had to contact

the High School Baseball Association.

This is not your fault.

As head coach, I am responsible.

As for tomol1'ow's final...

we have withdrawn.

I am truly sony.

Who was it?!

It was my father?

He kept you out of the nationals

at Koshien Stadium?

It was a long time ago. We still

hadn't won the Prefectural final.

Why did my father do it?

That...

I don't know.

I'll bet all of you hated him.

I'd like to help you...

but you see how it is.

I can't apologize for it, but...

That's right.

You can't.

This may sound harsh,

but it doesn't concern you.

I kept quiet so you wouldn't get

worked up over it.

That makes me want to see you

at Koshien all the more.

No.

I'll be back.

Forget it.

I can't forget it now.

Nice hit.

I'm glad we came to Grandpa's.

Here I can practice with you

every day.

I can't do it everyday.

It's too far from work.

Here goes.

Get ready...

Good.

Victory

Good!

Captain, have you seen Nori?

No.

He's not going to leave

without saying a thing, is he?

Like what, Takahashi?

I've got things to say!

He can't just run out on us.

He's from up north, isn't he?

Find out his address.

Forget it.

You want to play pro.

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