Sarusuberi: Miss Hokusai

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There's this nutty old man...

He painted a huge Dharma

on a huge sheet of paper.

And on the other hand?

He drew a pair of sparrows

on a tiny rice grain.

His name is Tetsuzo. But maybe

you know him as Hokusai the painter?

That nutty old man

is my father.

Yech! I stepped in dog poop...

Bubbles! I sell soap bubbles!

Edo, summer 1814

- Who's there?

- Me.

Oh, O-Ei.

I bought lunch.

Thanks.

I hear your father's not busy.

Says who?

It's what I heard.

I wonder if you're eating right.

Of course we are.

With two brushes and four chopsticks,

we'll get by anywhere.

Oh, I hear you went to see O-Nao.

I took her a new summer robe,

and she said you'd just left.

And brought her some goldfish.

I did.

She watches them every day.

Even though she can't see them.

She can.

Mother, maybe I'll move in here.

I'd like that.

But your father...

Tetsuzo doesn't care

if he's alone or not.

Don't talk that way about him.

Crape myrtle's blooming.

"Scatter briskly,

bloom heartily," huh.

The looong festival's begun.

MISS HOKUSAI:

This is where me and Tetsuzo live.

We don't cook.

We don't clean.

It gets too dirty,

we move.

Tetsuzo's only interested

in painting.

Doesn't drink or smoke.

He paints erotica though,

so I guess he likes women.

It was finished,

then ruined?!

Unacceptable. Get your father.

I wonder where he is...

Don't give me that!

He's not here.

He sure ain't.

Mr. Hokusai! The dragon?!

As soon as I finished it,

it flew away.

The deadline's end of this month.

There's still a day left.

Come back tomorrow.

The dragon might too.

And if not?!

Do your worst.

Beheading you

won't satisfy my lord.

If it comes to that...

You'll slit your stomach?

That must hurt...

I'm not redoing it.

I know.

Let's not do this after all.

Huh? I said I'd introduce ya.

This drunk is Zenjiro.

He lives with us,

and chases women.

He gave up being a samurai.

Now he's a painter.

I met this guy at the publisher's.

Hey you, if you're a painter,

you better be grateful.

This old fella's the great Hokusai.

Pleased to meet you.

I'm Utagawa Kuninao.

Of the Utagawa school.

I know we're competitors,

but I admire your work, sir.

Please don't hold it against me.

"Kuninao"?!

Why didn't ya tell me?

You didn't ask me.

So, you're Kuninao.

You're a big deal.

Oh, not at all!

- Get in here.

- Thank you.

- And you're 19?

- Correct.

Four years younger, huh.

Eat up!

But...

Shut up and eat, you little runt!

Calm down, Zenjiro!

Sorry about the commotion.

Oh! The dog poop...

No, I mean...

Acquainted already?

She's Mr. Hokusai's daughter, O-Ei.

You're O-Ei?

You don't say. I see you often

at Ryogoku Bridge.

A dragon?

There's a knack to painting them.

Painting freehand weakens it.

Thinking about it does the same.

You've got to just... wait for it.

When it comes,

paint it all at once.

It's not like other beasts.

And neither is painting it.

Oh, but those aren't my words.

The Chinese say so.

What impudence!

Coming on to O-Ei

in front of her father!

Not at all!

I never meant to...

Mr. Big-Shot Painter's

a real sweet talker.

Why you little...

How dare you!

Hey!

Get out!

Huh? She kicked you out too?

Mr. Hokusai, let's go for a walk.

Yeah, we'll drink it off!

Look, that foxy lady's

beckoning us.

Hey, she laughed!

Dragons don't exist!

As a kid, I saw one.

Yeah, a tornado.

The wind hits mountains and valleys,

falling and twisting. That's all.

I saw one too.

I spotted claws and scales

in the clouds.

It's in your head.

That's why you're a crappy painter.

The people you draw are fake,

so as soon as they move,

they crumple up.

But I like how

your drawings smell.

It fills your room

when they're lying about.

You're clever,

and that's dangerous.

D-Dangerous?

Yeah, you're not safe.

Watch your back around your rivals.

I will.

You gents don't make any sense.

Hey, why's a fox like you

trying to burrow in for?

What a nasty thing to say.

Don't you know?

This here's the great Hokusai.

Don't tease me!

Just teasing!

How nasty!

Your companions left already.

They didn't wake me up, dammit.

Shoo! Shoo!

What?

You're crazy,

hanging around here.

Just like me, huh?

O-Nao?

Sister!

I've got permission,

so let's go out.

O-Nao was born unable to see.

O-Ei, you have ink on your face.

Did you get it?

Yeah.

Where to?

The bridge.

Again? You love bridges,

don't you.

Hot, hot peppers!

Sweet dumplings!

There's so many sounds.

And smells.

It's fun, isn't it?

I like bridges too.

Oh, rice brittle?

Ishiwara rice brittle?

Yeah, from Tozaki's.

Have some.

Father never comes to see me.

I wonder why?

He's just busy with work.

It's not that he doesn't like you.

The way I am, I can't be

a good daughter to Father and Mother.

If I die, I guess I'll go to hell.

No you won't!

Tetsuzo, you weakling!

You crybaby!

O-Ei?

Is she the youngest?

She's O-Nao.

She lives with Sister Anju.

Yes, your father told me.

Hi O-Nao. I'm Hatsugoro,

your father's pupil.

I paint under the name

Totoya Hokkei.

Totoya? Like a fishmonger?

Yes, I used to be a fishmonger.

Why are you here?

The sights, the sounds,

the smells... you know.

That's great. Bridges are fun.

That reminds me.

You paint women so beautifully now.

I just can't compete.

That's not... true.

No no, Manjido said so too.

I'm off to the publisher's.

See you again, O-Nao.

Take this.

This smudge.

Clean it. It ruins your beauty.

Bye.

He seems nice.

Yeah, he's a nice guy.

You were acting strangely.

No I... wasn't.

Let's ride a boat.

Well? Feels good, huh?

Know what?

We're under the bridge.

You scared?

How far does this boat go?

The sea.

The sea's massive.

Bigger than Honjo or Asakusa.

Wow.

Tetsuzo paints it a lot.

He likes the waves.

Big enough to swallow this boat.

Waves?

Ow ow ow!

Give me a break already, Maestro!

I guess I've painted enough

dirty things.

That's nasty, after all I did...

See? Your face is filthy.

What's this?

Oh, that's a sketch...

The neck's pure Eizan. The layout's

a complete knock-off of Utamaro.

Er, what can I say...

That's why O-Ei calls you "Brazen."

O-Ei's great at erotica.

I can't win.

That's why you get trampled.

Her women are great.

Sometimes better than mine.

But when it comes to men,

all she does is finish my work.

That fool messes up

because she's naive.

By naive, you mean... I see.

So don't let her get to you.

You're awful for making her

paint such things.

She thinks she can paint anything.

Won't admit she can't.

Hello dear.

Say what, Brazen?

Nothing...

Going again?

Yeah. To paint Yoshiwara courtesans.

At the brothels? You?

Manjido suggested I give it a try.

Really. Which house and courtesan?

What do you care?

Well, I...

Sayogoromo of Kikyoya.

What, you know her?

Sayogoromo's the talk of Yoshiwara.

She is? What for?

"Woman:
one"

Well, around dawn,

her neck starts to grow...

It stretches?

Some customer said so.

Didn't happen in my case...

He probably dreamed it.

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