Close-Knit
Ah. Kill me.
I'm leaving.
Hey, did you hear? Haruna and Shimizu are dating!
No way!
She went after a boy from another school?
Who's Shimizu?
From cram school.
You should go, Tomo!
Nah, she's too poor! And no father!
- Shut up! - Go away, fattie!
- I'll eat you, pig! - Gross!
Shut up, you dog!
You're gross and pathetic!
Whatever.
Where do they date?
At the park. Sometimes at a theme park!
Just them?
No way! Isn't that weird?
I know. Crazy, right?
Wanna play my new game?
Kai, don't look at me at school. Everyone will think I'm like you.
- I wasn't looking at you. - Yes you were!
Thank you. Please come again.
Next in line?
Not again.
It's OK. I'll pay for them.
Damn her.
So irresponsible.
When do you finish?
At 5:00.
She quit her job.
Where'd she go this time?
I don't know.
Who with?
I don't know.
You poor thing, to have a mother like that.
Tomo?
You've grown.
When was the last time?
Summer of third grade.
Oh.
She'll get dumped and come back soon.
Whatever.
Hey, can I play Wii when we get home?
Sure.
Did anyone beat my high scores?
We'll have to see.
By the way...
I'm living with someone now.
Someone I really care about.
I told her about you. She's happy to meet my niece.
But...
How should I say it...
She's unusual.
Well, it's a little more complicated than that.
I thought I should tell you first.
We're home!
Hi.
Welcome, Tomo-chan.
I'm Rinko.
Come in.
Isn't my place better now?
More than just a TV and books.
Sorry to spring this on you, Rinko. My sister's always been careless.
HIGH SCORES
THE 15-STEP JUMP 1 RINKO 2 RINKO 3 TOMO
THE BALANCE BRIDGE 1 RINKO 2 TOMO 3 RINKO
I was so excited Tomo was coming, I made lots of food.
Come on, let's eat!
Oh.
Tomo!
Thanks.
Bon appétit.
Eat all you like!
Thank you.
Good, isn't it? Rinko's a great cook.
Oh, stop!
Anyone can cook. You just follow the recipe.
Tomo-chan, what foods do you like?
Oh, anything. It's all delicious.
That's not an answer! Tell me.
Um...
Sliced dried radish and clams in soy sauce.
Ha! Like some old dude at a bar.
You'll be a drinker!
Why all the bar food?
I promise to make you some while you're here.
Oh, now I want to eat clams in soy sauce! Taiwanese style.
Maki-chan, another beer!
OK.
Get up from there, Maki-chan!
Maki-chan! Go take a bath!
Isn't he so tacky?
Where does he find that ugly underwear?
Tomo-chan, help.
This OK?
Sure.
Sorry it's so tight.
It's OK.
How will you get to school?
By train?
No. It's a little far, but I can walk it.
OK.
But I'll take tomorrow off and get stuff from my house.
Alright, I'll make you a bento.
Don't worry about it. I'll just buy lunch somewhere.
Did Makio tell you?
About me.
What?
You see...
I was born a boy.
Oh, yeah.
The work on my body's done,
but I'm still a man on paper.
Oh.
You know there are people like me, right?
200 cc each.
E cup.
Wanna feel them?
Huh?
Go ahead.
No thanks.
That was fast, Makio! Did you wash yourself?
I did.
Your pee-pee too?
Scrubbed the top and bottom.
Are you sure?
Good night.
Hey, you'll catch cold!
Here you are.
Good morning.
Hello!
I'm Saito of Samejima Pharmaceuticals.
- It's nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you too.
Mr. Saito! Your meal's over there.
This hand...
belongs to an honest but stubborn person.
OK.
"LUNCH FOR YOU, TOMO-CHAN."
Tomo, you OK?
You weren't at school. You sick?
Wanna play?
Don't you have cram school?
No. I'm focusing on music lessons.
Oh.
Wanna play?
Can't today.
Tomorrow?
Can't tomorrow. Or the next day. Or ever.
I won't be back here for a while. Don't wait for me.
Why?
Wait, why?
It's nothing.
Did your mom leave?
I'm home.
Tomo-chan?
Are you OK?
What's wrong?
Oh no!
Take this.
You didn't have to eat it.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you.
You said you didn't need lunch.
That's not it.
You put eyes on the sausages.
I'd never seen such a cute bento.
I wanted to save it.
To take my time and enjoy it later.
Then it spoiled.
But I still wanted to eat it.
Oh Tomo...
You're so precious I can't stand it!
SEX AND YOUR BODY
What're you reading?
Don't talk to me at school.
Why not? No one can see us.
See the guy in the red shirt playing soccer?
That's Ono-kun. 6th grade.
When I think of him...
I feel all tingly here.
Gross.
What'll happen to me?
You didn't lock the door! What if someone came in?
You're Tomo-chan?
Keep the door locked when you're home alone.
Oops!
You're dead!
I'm Rinko's mother.
This is my husband, Yoshio-kun.
Hi.
Rinko's coworker is sick so she's filling in for her tonight.
Makio's working late too, so they asked me to come.
Where shall we eat?
How old are you?
11.
Are your boobs growing?
Not yet?
I'll bet your nipples are sore.
I made Rinko's first breasts when she was in 8th grade.
Just imagine.
How sad it would be
to be a girl inside but to just stay flat there.
Hey, Tomo-chan?
One thing.
I won't let you hurt Rinko.
I don't care if you're a child. I'll never forgive you.
Fumiko!
You're like a yakuza!
Am I?
Outer sweep. 1.
2.
Shoulder throw.
1.
Did you know, ma'am?
This whole year.
He lost his judo uniform. And his swimsuit.
And he's skipping class.
What?
Well, he's skipping PE.
He's going to his other classes.
Of course, you couldn't tell looking at his grades...
Is he blowing us off? Like PE's not important to him?
I don't think that's it...
We're at a loss over here.
Maybe...
he has his own reason.
It doesn't matter! PE is mandatory!
Rin-chan?
I talked with the PE coach in that ugly track suit.
What's wrong?
Mom...
I wish...
I had boobs.
Of course.
After all...
you're a girl.
Don't cry.
There's nothing wrong with you.
- I'm home. - Rin-chan?
Here.
Try it on.
Put these in.
They need more cotton.
I can't give you real ones.
But for now, here are your fake boobs.
Here.
Hello.
How do you do?
I'm Saito of Samejima Pharmaceuticals.
It's nice to meet you.
Hello, I'm Ogawa.
Mr. Saito!
The restroom's there.
Come in.
Ms. Ogawa? Makio's here.
She's doing great today.
She had a big breakfast.
Good. I really appreciate it.
Sure.
Take your time.
Mom, I brought Tomo.
Your granddaughter. Remember?
Hello Grandma.
How sloppy, Hiromi!
A woman should dress properly!
This isn't Hiromi.
It's Hiromi's daughter, Tomo.
I brought you some sweet potato cake.
Cake?
Did Grandma hate my mom?
Hate's too strong a word.
But...
Mom was always really hard on her.
It got worse after Dad died.
Parents and children
are still people.
Sometimes they don't get along.
But I don't think it means they "hate" each other.
In fact, maybe they love each other so much
that it all backfires.
Mom said she abandoned Grandma.
Kind of.
But if she hadn't, you wouldn't have been born.
Even I'm glad I could put her in this home.
After your mom left home,
Grandma made me a bento every single day,
and waited up for me no matter how late.
Honestly, it made me depressed.
I shouldn't say this.
But when I lived with her,
I constantly thought about how I could escape.
I wonder if Mom will abandon me too.
Your mom...
is someone who can't get her priorities straight.
Some people are like that.
It's a shame.
What's your first priority, Makio?
Rinko, of course! Isn't it obvious?
So how did you and Rinko start dating?
Well, it was...
love at first sight.
Really?
Yeah.
When I saw how gently
she washes Mom's body...
What can I say...
Her beauty
made me cry.
Of course, when I learned she used to be a man
I got really confused.
But I'd fallen in love, and that was that.
When you fall for someone like Rinko,
nothing else matters.
Man, woman...
None of that makes any difference.
I'm here!
Sorry I'm late.
You must be starving!
Thanks!
This is great!
Bon appétit.
Clean-up took forever.
Good job.
Tomo? What's wrong?
Tomo?
Just give her a rice ball and she'll be fine!
You love them, don't you, Tomo?
Come on, eat up!
Here.
Tomo-chan?
What's wrong?
It's OK.
It's alright.
This towel's a mess.
I don't care.
You're still a baby!
Here, baby!
Such a good little baby.
Let me hold you.
Hey...
Your boobs.
I wanna feel them.
Go ahead.
Compared to real ones,
they're a little firm.
Are they?
Yeah.
Maybe a little firm.
But they feel nice.
C'mon, Makio! Pass her!
C'mon, Makio!
You can pass her!
This is great!
Clams in soy sauce
and sliced dried radish.
Dig in.
- OK. - Thanks.
Bon appétit.
Good?
- Really good! - I'm glad.
Tomo, you didn't put away the Wii.
Come on. You know you're supposed to put it away.
OK, fine.
No "OK, fine"!
Shut up.
Ouch! That's abuse!
See you later.
Later.
- Does the next one go under? - No, it goes over.
Oh, thank you.
What?
You're looking gorgeous, Yuka.
No! Really?!
Your beauty is gushing out from within.
Like you can't contain it.
But my fiancé and I are so poor, it sucks!
We're trying to keep it simple but everything costs so much.
He said I should bake our wedding cake!
To save money! Can you believe that jerk?
I doubt we'll even make it to the big day.
You'll be fine!
I don't know. He's such a bonehead.
Tomo, anything you want to eat today?
Salted squid.
You really are an old dude!
Salted squid...
There's that girl!
Tomo?
Tomo.
Let's go.
Oh, go get me some dishwashing soap.
OK.
Tomo-chan?
Hello.
I heard your mom left.
Are you eating well?
You sure you're OK?
Who's that weirdo you're with?
Listen. If you need help, come over anytime.
Kai and I are on your side.
You're not alone.
Maybe it's not my business,
but you should stay away from people like that.
Stop!
One, a chick
In a basket "Dairoku-nenne"
Two, a boat
The boatman "Dairoku-nenne"
Three, Miyo-chan
Holding a toy "Dairoku-nenne"
The victim doesn't want to report it, either.
So just pay her cleaning bills, OK?
I am truly sorry.
You too, Tomo!
I apologize.
Let's go home.
I'm sorry.
Why didn't you
apologize to that lady?
Did she say something to you?
About me?
Hey, Tomo.
Whatever happens,
whatever people say,
you mustn't do that.
Just swallow it,
hold it in,
and wait for your anger to pass.
What if it doesn't pass?
I do this
when I'm really pissed off
or so depressed I want to die.
I just knit.
Instead of spraying people with soap.
"Stupid jerk!"
"Dammit! Dammit!"
With each stitch.
I do this,
and after a while my feelings are smoothed out.
Did you make Makio's belly-warmer?
I did.
I can make you something.
A scarf, a sweater, gloves.
What'll it be?
It's too warm to think about it.
Of course.
But you know, my mother
never bought me anything woolen.
Why?
I dunno.
What's this? You have so many.
Those are my...
worldly desires.
What?
When I had my surgery,
I felt really terrible.
It was so painful and itchy.
I wondered why I had to suffer so much.
Did I do something wrong?
But it wasn't my mistake. God messed up when He formed me.
This is for
my "manhood memorial service".
Manhood?
So...
this is your...
My pee-pee.
You freak!
How rude!
Once I've made 108 of these, I'll burn them.
Why 108?
With sales tax?
Silly!
Buddhist teachings say we have 108 desires.
The temple bells ring 108 times on New Year's Eve.
And a chanting rosary has 108 beads.
After my "service,"
I'll change my family registry to female.
I wanna make one of those too.
OK, look here.
Take your index and middle fingers
and hold this thread like this.
OK?
Like this?
Your index finger, yeah.
Just like that.
Then this needle
goes up here
and then you put it through there.
That's it!
Hey, Makio?
To me...
Tomo-chan...
is just so precious I can't stand it.
So...
maybe...
if her mom doesn't come back...
do you think we could adopt her?
If I change my registry to female, and you and I get married...
could I be her mom?
I'm sorry.
You're not thinking of marriage.
I went overboard.
That's not true.
I'm not just playing around with you.
I accept your feelings. All of them.
Let's think what's best for Tomo.
Together.
She's here!
TOMO OGAWA FREAK FAMILY
You.
Mom?
Tomo, where have you been?
School said you weren't there today.
What were you doing?
We were worried.
Answer us!
You're not even my mother.
Tomo!
DO NOT FEED THE FISH
One, a chick
In a basket "Dairoku-nenne"
Two, a boat
The boatman "Dairoku-nenne"
Three...
Your hands! They're huge!
Let me see.
Wow, you're good!
I did this a lot.
My husband was never faithful.
He left to live with some woman
and never came home.
I was so distraught...
I had to keep myself occupied.
My kids' sweaters and scarves...
I knitted them all.
But...
Hiromi didn't wear a single one of them.
She hated them.
But she was a sensitive girl.
She must have picked up on my feelings.
But regardless...
you do so much for them,
and then they go off somewhere.
Children are so ungrateful.
Don't you think?
I couldn't throw them away, so I kept everything I knit.
I filled up five huge boxes in three years.
When my husband finally came back, he was dead.
We hadn't divorced, so they brought me his corpse.
In his coffin,
I stuffed everything I'd knitted.
Rest eternally with my fury. Ha ha!
Keep this all a secret.
Stay away from Tomo-chan.
Even at school.
Why?
You saw who she was with. That's not normal.
What is "normal"?
Normal is normal. Not strange.
I'm home.
Ah, I'm exhausted.
Whoever invented beer deserves a Nobel Prize.
Aren't you hot in there?
Here.
This is for you.
Tomo?
Let's share...
secrets.
Um...
First...
My special secret.
My name used to be...
Rintaro.
Oh gosh!
I changed my name and my body,
but I can't make these hands smaller.
Just like these hands,
there's something
I cannot do
no matter how hard I try.
I can't have Makio's baby.
Your turn.
Yesterday...
I saw my mom.
I'm going to go buy some yarn.
Put away the Wii, OK?
Can't she go home?
She hit her head. We need to do tests.
Can't you do something?
I'm afraid...
Please.
She just needs tests. Can't you manage for one night?
No, we can't. She's a woman. Isn't it obvious?
The insurance card says "male."
I can't accept this. Put her in the women's ward.
We have no beds.
So what?
There's a private room that costs $4,000 a night. Should I transfer?
This is a violation of her human rights. This is discrimination!
Please keep your voice down.
I'm sorry.
Don't cry.
I'm so mad!
You did good.
You held it in.
Whoever invented beer deserves a Nobel Prize.
You're fast!
I've decided to go through with my "memorial service"
and become a woman.
Let me try.
OK.
Take this...
Then...
Put this in between here.
Like this.
Here it comes!
Another hot pot?
Of course! Today calls for it.
So everyone can share.
I agree.
Eat up!
Let's toast.
Cheers!
Your plate.
Bon appétit.
Looks delicious!
This isn't just the usual chicken.
It's a special breed called Shamrock.
Shamrock.
Looks delicious!
Thanks.
Let me try!
This looks good!
Makio-kun?
How's your mother?
She's hanging in there. Rinko's taking good care of her.
Good.
I say, you are quite the lucky woman!
Why?
Just look!
I thought you'd never find a husband,
but Makio's so understanding.
That alone is amazing.
But his father's already dead! And his mother...
How should I say it?
Mother!
But it's all true!
If Makio's parents were healthy,
we'd have a hard time getting them to accept you.
I know it's terribly rude of me...
But aren't we lucky!
Cut it out, Mom!
Because nothing's more important to me than my daughter!
Thanks.
This is good.
So, Tomo-chan? Are your boobs bigger?
Mother!
Wanna play Wii?
Game over.
Let's do it again!
No! All this playing has made me hungry.
Let's get cake! You too, Kai!
Yay!
What year were you born?
2004.
That would be Heisei...
Year 16.
- You too, Kai? - Yeah.
Carrying a coin from your birth year brings good luck.
Really?
If that really brought luck, then the whole world would be happy.
Whether or not to believe it is up to you.
Oh, there's only one 2004!
No fair! You don't even believe it.
I don't. But I'll take it anyway.
Go to bed.
83.
84.
85.
86!
We need 22 more.
Did you knit this one, Makio? It's leaning to the left!
It was probably me.
It turned out like mine.
Shut up. Yours isn't this big!
Like this?
Mine isn't that small!
Don't make a mess!
- How about this? - That's huge!
Cut it out!
What a mess!
Ow!
Tomo.
Do you want to stay with us?
We'll move somewhere bigger.
Give you a room.
"PLEASE" DO NOT FEED THE FISH
Mr. Saito, there you are!
Time for your bath.
This hand...
belongs to a pure-hearted person.
"Dear Ono-kun I like you..."
I'll do the towels.
Then I'll fold your ugly underwear.
They're not ugly.
Yes they are.
No they aren't!
Yes they are!
Is that Rinko?
Good evening.
We're from Child Protective Services.
Yes?
How long has Tomo been living here?
About a month.
Her mother hasn't come home?
That's right. I'm her uncle and I'm taking care of her.
Good evening.
We were notified that this is not a good environment for her.
But...
May I talk with Tomo one-on-one?
Is anything bothering you?
Can I see your arm?
OK, now the other one.
Does anywhere hurt? Have you been injured?
You're OK?
That was close! Your mom almost saw me.
Must be nice to be rich! Is this room $4,000 a night?
It's not that much.
Hey, what's it like before you die?
They say a bright light pulls you. Did you see your dead grandpa?
I don't remember. And my grandpa's still alive!
You should remember! Bonehead.
I wrote Ono-kun a letter.
A love letter?
Yeah.
Did you give it?
Mom saw it first and ripped it up.
Crap. I'd want to die too.
I know. Why am I still alive?
Mom told me
I'm a very sinful boy.
Your mom is wrong sometimes.
Because that is totally not true.
Totally not true!
Toooooo...
tally!
So, Rinko?
What will happen to the pee-pee you cut off?
That's a bold question, Tomo.
We're knitting all these pee-pees, so I think it's OK to ask.
You don't have to answer, Rinko.
They didn't completely cut it off. They recycled it.
Recycled it?
They took out the insides...
turned the skin inside-out...
and stuck it inside the opening.
Awesome.
Tomo, get a big one.
- Here. - Thanks.
Ah, some went over there!
Thanks.
102.
103.
104.
105.
106.
107...
108.
Thank you. Please come again.
Next in line?
I'm home.
Hey. Been a while.
How've you been?
Why are you so quiet?
Where have you been?
Oh, here and there.
And now I'm flat broke!
I'd better start working again.
Let's go home.
Thanks for helping out.
We're going.
Hiromi...
Actually...
About Tomo...
We want to take her in.
Rinko and I
want to give her a good home.
What?
I'm serious.
So is Rinko.
Rinko really cares about Tomo.
She loves her.
You're joking.
Rinko wants to be her mother.
But that's impossible! I mean, that person...
Makio.
I won't say anything about your sexual orientation.
I mean...
It was a shock,
but I respect that. However...
Please.
We'll take good care of Tomo.
Please.
What are you talking about?! This is ridiculous!
She's my girl.
But this isn't the first time.
You abandon Tomo,
quit work and go off with some guy.
You're too irresponsible!
I just left her with you for a while.
I mean...
I'm a woman.
That comes before being a mother.
Come on!
I'm raising her all alone. I need a break sometimes!
Can't you accept that?
We can't.
Before you're a woman, a mother
must protect her child. As a human, as an adult.
What do you know?!
You're not a mother. Or even a woman.
Rinko is a woman.
Then tell me.
When Tomo has her period, can you help her?
Do you know what kind of bra she'll need first? No, you don't!
You can't be a mother.
Think about it.
You will never, ever be a mother!
Hey! Stop it!
Rinko made me meals. She made me a cute bento.
She did my hair for me.
She taught me to knit. She slept with me.
Stop it!
So what?!
Why won't you do that?
Why didn't you come to get me sooner?
Because I don't know how.
I wish I did...
But I don't.
And sometimes it kills me.
Mom!
Mom! Mom!
I'm going with you, Mom!
But you go ahead today.
Hiromi?
Tomo...
really hates...
convenience store rice balls.
Oh, thank goodness.
Huh?
The Wii...
clothes on the floor...
I'm so glad I don't have to put those away anymore.
Me too.
I'm glad you won't be pulling my hair anymore.
I'm sorry.
Don't apologize.
I'll be sad.
One, a chick
In a basket "Dairoku-nenne"
Two, a boat
The boatman "Dairoku-nenne"
You OK going alone?
Yeah, I'm fine.
Tomo, take good care of your mom.
I will.
Go ahead.
Toma Ikuta
Rinka Kakihara
Kenta Kiritani
Written and Directed by Naoko Ogigami
English subtitles: Kevin Glenz ©2017 "Close-Knit" Film Partners