Kyuu - The An Cafe Movie



(Translator's Note: If you have the seen the movie Nana (based on Ai Yazawa's manga of the same name, you may notice some similarities to Kyuu. Like the script. There are lines taken directly from Nana, and the movie, Kyuu, is obviously meant to be like it. Nana is about two girls who meet by coincidence and share the same name, Nana (which means 7), and Kyuu has two people meeting by coincidence who share the name Kyuu (which means 9). Anyway, if you watch Nana and Kyuu back to back, you'll notice the scenes and lines that they share. Just thought you'd like to know.)



Scene 1
(The movie opens with footage from their performance in Shibuya O-EAST.)

Scene 2
Two Years Later
(Kanon/Kyuu walks into a guitar shop and looks at the basses.)
KK(VO): Hey, Kyuu, do you remember how we met? Because I believed strongly in things like destiny, I thought our meeting was destined. It’s okay to laugh.
(The screen goes to black and “Kyuu Bonds ~Kizuna~” appears on screen in big letters)
A: Kyuu!
(The music store employee (Teruki) jams out to his tunes, playing air guitar. He has a tattoo of a skull with Nyappy written on top. An Café posters decorate the counter. Kanon/Kyuu walks over to him.)
KK: U-Umm….　
(The employee doesn’t hear him.)
KK: Um…Excuse me!　
(The employee looks over at him finally.)
KK: E-Excuse me.
E: Huh?!
KK:　Ah!　U-Um….I’d like that bass over there please.
E:　Ah, that bass?
KK:　Y-Yes.
E:　 It’s expensive, you know. Can you afford it?
KK:　Uh…I’d like to pay in installments.
E:　Okay.　
（The employee takes out a piece of paper and hands it to Kanon/Kyuu.）
E: Right, fill this out. 　
KK:　Y-Yes. I’m sorry.
（Kanon/Kyuu starts filling out the form. Miku/Kyuu enters.）
MK:　Hey!
E: Oh.
MK:　 What’s the deal with my guitar?
E:　I’ve done it. Wait a second.
（The employee goes into the back, leaving Miku/Kyuu with Kanon/Kyuu. Kanon/Kyuu looks over at Miku/Kyuu as though impressed with his coolness, then goes back to filling in his form. Miku/Kyuu looks over and sees Kanon/Kyuu’s form, which has his name, Kyuu, on it.）
MK:　Huh? Your name’s Kyuu?
KK:　H-Huh? Oh, yes. My name is Kyuu.
MK:　Wow…. Are you going to buy a guitar today?
KK:　Ah, no, I’m humbly buying a b-bass.
MK:　Ah, I see.
（Miku/Kyuu looks away, but Kanon/Kyuu still wants to talk to him.）
KK:　Um, I’m sorry, but….
MK:　Huh? Why are you apologizing?
KK:　What? Ah. No, nevermind. Are you a guitarist?
MK:　No. I’m actually-
（The employee calls and returns, ending the conversation.）　
E:　Thanks for waiting!
MK:　Whoa! Thanks!
E:　Here you go.
（He hands Miku/Kyuu a guitar.）
MK:　Oh, it’s great.
E:　First of all, I switched the pegs on this. After that, since the jam balance got bad, I fixed that.
KK:　It’s really amazing, huh?
E:　What’s that, you? Aren’t you still writing?
KK: I-I’m sorry.
E: 　Do you want to buy that bass or not?
MK:　What’s kind of customer service is that? He said he’s going to buy it so it’s fine. You’re a really unpleasant guy!
（Kanon/Kyuu looks gratefully at Miku/Kyuu and pushes up his glasses. When Miku/Kyuu heads for the exit, Kanon/Kyuu rushes to catch him.）
KK:　U-Um.
MK:　Yeah?
KK: 　I-I’m very sorry.
MK:　It’s fine, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.
KK:　No, no, no.
MK:　See you. 　
（He turns to go and then stops and turns back.）
MK:　Oh, right. My name is Kyuu too. Kyuu-kun.
（Kanon/Kyuu smiles and then bows repeatedly as he and Miku/Kyuu talk to each other.）
KK(VO):　Hey, Kyuu, do you remember how we met? I was timid and afraid, but you saved me. I just kept apologizing, and I couldn’t properly convey my gratitude.

Scene 3
（Kanon/Kyuu is practicing bass in a studio space. He is not doing well, and it is frustrating him.　He stops and sighs frequently.　There is a shot of a pretty, blond girl (Bou) at the counter. Kanon/Kyuu walks into the lobby area to take a break and have a drink. The pretty girl enters and goes to post a bulletin.　Kanon/Kyuu notices her legs clad in fishnet stockings and pushes up his glasses as he stares.　He starts taking pictures of her. She notices the clicking and looks toward him, but he aims his camera elsewhere. She goes back to posting the bulletin.　He starts taking shots of her legs and then notices a bulletin on the board.）
B:　Looking for a bassist!! Would you like to join our band? Right now we have Vocals (20 year old male), Guitar (20 year old male) and Drums (20 year old male). For details: September 9 (studio 9 9:00~)
(***Translation note – Kyuu is also the word for the number 9, which is why there are so many nines on the sign.)
（Kanon/Kyuu turns his attention back to the girl.　She is coming up to him, looking none-too-pleased.　She raises her hand and the screen goes black.　The sound of a slap and Kanon/Kyuu’s cry at being hit are heard.　The picture comes back up.　Kanon/Kyuu walks up to the bulletin board and writes down the info from the bulletin.）

Scene 4
（Teru and Bou/Kyuu are talking in a rehearsal space.）
T:　The new song from that time.
BK:　Right.
T:　The intro,
BK:　Right.
T:　The rhythm,
BK:　Right.
T:　Go by 1, 3,
BK:　Right. Right.
T:　From the fourth bar,
BK:　Right.
T:　Put the accent,
BK:　Right.
T: 　On the first note.
BK:　Ah, ah, ah.
T:　Tap, tap, tap.
B: Right.
T:　Can we try?
B:　Try it? Okay.
T:　1, 2, 3-
（Kanon/Kyuu enters hesitantly.）
KK:　U-Um….
（Teru and Bou/Kyuu ignore him and go back to what they were doing.）
T/BK:　1, 2, 3….
（They sound out the music of the song while air-playing their respective instruments. Kanon/Kyuu comes forward.）
KK:　U-Um…I’m sorry to intrude. I came to talk to you about joining your band.
（A chime sounds and Teru and Bou/Kyuu stand.）
BK:　Ah, is that so? Nice to meet you.
（Bou/Kyuu looks at Teru.）
BK: 　But, uh…
T:　Yeah, yeah.
BK:　I feel bad saying this before you’ve played for us, but there are certain things we’re looking for. Your fashion style isn’t what we’re looking for so-
（Miku/Kyuu enters.）
MK:　Hey!
BK/T:　Good morning.
MK:　Good morning.
KK:　O-Oh! Uh, thanks for the other day.
（Kanon/Kyuu bows to Miku/Kyuu.）
BK:　Huh? What?
MK:　Huh?! Who’re you? 　
（Miku/Kyuu leans in to inspect Kanon/Kyuu and then smiles.）
MK: 　I’m kidding, I’m kidding. You’re Kyuu-kun, right?
BK:　What? You know each other?
MK:　Yep. We know each other. 　
（Miku/Kyuu talks to Kanon/Kyuu while Bou/Kyuu makes fun of him quietly to Teru, who laughs but also quietly tells Bou/Kyuu to stop.）
MK:　But what are you doing here, Kyuu-kun?
KK:　I-I-I’m sorry.
MK:　Why are you apologizing? 　
（Miku/Kyuu looks over at Bou/Kyuu and Teru who stop what they were doing.）
MK:　No way. You want to join?
（Bou/Kyuu and Teru nod.）
MK:　Oh…I see. Well, you went through all the trouble of coming. Can you play for us?
（Bou/Kyuu looks worriedly over at Teru and shakes his head.）
KK:　Y-Yes!
（They all walk into a studio space.）
MK:　Alright. You can play for us here.
KK:　Huh? Wow. I’m playing in this big room?
（Kanon/Kyuu stands before them ready to play.）
KK:　Ah. Well, I’m honored to play for you.
（Kanon/Kyuu bows and then begins playing.　Bou/Kyuu stops him after only a few moments.）
BK:　Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s enough, that’s enough, that’s enough, that’s enough. Don’t you think you need more practice?
KK: 　I-I’m sorry.
MK:　Well, you just started after all. That can’t be helped.
BK: Thanks for coming.
（Bou/Kyuu and Teru turn away from him.）
KK:　U-Um…I made a s-song.
BK:　You made a song?
KK:　I’m sorry.
T: (silly voice)　Well, won’t it be okay to try listening to it?
（Teru is inexplicably struck by lightning and blackened out for a moment. He then returns to normal.）
MK: 　Well, since you went to all that trouble, let’s hear it.
KK:　Thank you so much.
（Kanon/Kyuu puts a tape in the player and a song (Bonds) plays.　The others start nodding along and getting into the music.　Bou/Kyuu jumps out of his seat.）
BK:　Whoa! It’s an amazingly good song!
T: (silly voice)　It’s ridiculously cool!
（Teru is pixelated out for a short time and then returns to normal.　Bou/Kyuu picks up his guitar and starts to play. Miku/Kyuu takes the mic.）
MK:　Good evening. We’re Antic Café. Kyuu, I’m going to make this a night you’ll never forget.
（Miku/Kyuu starts singing “na” to the rhythm.）
KK(VO):　Even now, I haven’t forgotten that night. Because even though my song didn’t have lyrics yet, Kyuu sang out to it. I felt as though I was bewitched by a mysterious spell, and that voice captivated me.
（Miku/Kyuu leaves the mic and goes to Kanon/Kyuu.）
MK:　Welcome, Kyuu.
KK:　Ah, I-I’m sorry. 　
（Kanon/Kyuu bows and then realizes he didn’t need to apologize.）
KK:　No, I mean.... Thank you very much.
MK:　You’re apologizing again. I’m Kyuu. Welcome once again.
KK:　Please take care of me.
（Kanon/Kyuu bows and then shakes Miku/Kyuu’s hand. Bou/Kyuu comes over.　He pats Kanon/Kyuu on the head.）
BK:　You can also call me Kyuu. Welcome.
（Teru gets up to come over too.）
T: (silly voice)　Yeah, my name is-
MK:　From today on, you’re Kyuu too. I’m going to call you Kyuu as a punishment.
(***Translation note – Miku says, “Okyuu no kyuu de kyuu da” because there are three “kyuu”s in it. Kyuu is a treatment where plant extract is boiled and placed on one’s back. It’s like acupuncture without needles. And sometimes it hurts (kyuu also means punishment). So, as you can see, it was very difficult to translate.)
T:　No. I’m Teru.
（Teru turns blue for some reason and then returns to normal.）
MK:　Why don’t we just call everyone Kyuu?
KK:　Uh, um, e-everyone, thank you for letting me into the band.
（Kanon/Kyuu bows.）
MK:　So, is there a bassist that you admire?
KK:　Huh? Oh! Yes.
（Kanon/Kyuu pulls out an magazine with Kanon on the cover.）
KK:　It’s Angelic Coffee’s Kanon-san.
（The others are strangely silent, much to Kanon/Kyuu’s confusion.）
MK:　I have one requirement for you.
KK:　Y-Yes!
MK:　If you can’t fulfill it, then refuse to join the band right now.
KK:　Yes.
MK:　Surpass Kanon, Kyuu.
KK:　Yes.
（Miku/Kyuu gives Kanon/Kyuu a piece of red string.　He sees that Bou/Kyuu and Teru also have red string around their wrists.）
T: (silly voice)　Yes. 　It’s vivid.
（Teru's eyes are censored with a black bar the way people on TV in Japan are shown to protect their identity.　He then returns to normal.　Kanon/Kyuu holds the string up triumphantly.）

Scene 5
（The four are rehearsing together in a studio.）
MK:　Stop! Stop it! What’s the deal with that bass? Do you even want to do this?
BK:　Hey, hey, hey, hey.
MK: 　You, shut up!
BK:　What?!
T: (silly voice)　Fighting is bad, you guys.
（A nyappy face is placed over Teru’s face, but then it goes away.）
MK:　You think you can surpass Kanon like that?
KK:　I-I-I’m sorry.
MK:　If you have time to apologize, how about practicing a little! 　
（Miku/Kyuu pushes Kanon/Kyuu.）
MK:　I’m going home!
（Miku/Kyuu leaves angrily.）
BK:　Man, he left. It can’t be helped. Because you said you admire Kanon.
T: (silly voice)　That happened quite often in Africa.
（Teru is blurred out like static on a TV and then returns to normal.）
KK:　U-Uh…what are you talking about?
BK:　Originally Kanon was a member of our band. Because of that, we’re expecting you to be like him.
KK:　H-Huh, huh, huh? I-Is that so?

Scene 6
（Kanon/Kyuu is sitting on a stairwell crying softly.）
KK:　Ah…today is going to be another disaster at the studio. I don’t want to go. I didn’t know that something like that happened. I’m ashamed to see them. Should I just quit?
(He sighs.)
KK:　Ah, but everyone has been counting on me. But I…I….
（Kanon/Kyuu takes the red string necklace off his neck and throws it down the stairwell. Miku/Kyuu comes down the stairs and sits next to Kanon/Kyuu.）
MK:　Sorry about before. Really.
KK:　N-No. It was my fault. I didn’t know how everyone felt. I-I’m very sorry.
MK:　Don’t apologize anymore. Antic Café needs you. Let’s take it slow.
（Bou/Kyuu comes down the stairs.）
B:　That’s right. You’re going to surpass Kanon, aren’t you?
（Teru comes down the stairs.）
T: (normal voice)　We need you.
（Miku/Kyuu and Bou/Kyuu look at him to see if something strange will happen. Teru looks away as though embarrassed. They turn back to Kanon/Kyuu.）
MK:　Let’s do our best together!
KK:　Y-Yes!
MK:　Well, let’s go practice, okay?
KK:　Y-Y-Yes!
（There is a shot of the discarded red string necklace.）

Scene 7
（A livehouse.　A band has cancelled so Antic Café is taking their place. Kanon/Kyuu is waiting backstage to go on. The others are not around.　He looks very nervous. He tries smoking a cigarette, but coughs violently and puts it out quickly.　Miku/Kyuu enters to bring him to the stage.）
MK:　Alright. Well, let’s go.
KK:　W-W-Wait a second please.
MK:　Huh?
KK:　N-No. I’m n-nervous.
MK:　Nervous? It’ll be fine. You’ve been practicing alot, right?
（Bou/Kyuu and Teru enter to join the others.）
BK:　It’s time! Are you okay? What’s wrong?
MK:　He’s nervous.
BK:　It’ll be fine.
MK:　Ah! That’s right. I have something I want to give you.
（Miku/Kyuu reaches into his pocket and pulls out the red string necklace Kanon/Kyuu threw away.　Miku/Kyuu puts it around Kanon/Kyuu’s neck.）
KK: 　A-Ah! Th-This is…. Th-Thank you. Alright. Shall we go everyone?
（They all stand and put their hands in.）
MK:　Let’s go. Let me hear your fighting spirit!
BK/T:　Woo!
KK: 　W-Woo.
MK:　What are you doing? You’re so slow even now!
KK:　I-I’m sorry.
MK:　How about we try one more time? Let me hear your fighting spirit!
KK/BK/T:　Woo!
（They walk to the stage to great big cheers from the crowd. There is graffiti on the wall.）
G:　Antic Café is here!!
（The screen goes black. ）

To be continued….