Those who love their race cars,
those who love racing,
those who died on race tracks,
here's your requiem.
DIRTY HERO
Produced and Directed by Haruki Kadokawa
Based on the Novel by Haruhiko Oyabu
Screenplay by Shoichi Maruyama
Photographed by Seizo Sengen
Art Direction by Riku lmamura
Music Direction by Masato Kai
Starring
Masao Kusagari
Rebecca Holden
Nana Kinomi
Atsuko Asano
Mayumi Asaka
Eiji Okuda
Hiroshi Katsuno
Now, everybody. This is the main race.
International Class A, 500 cc race.
Japan's best racers are here for the 8th round.
After 2 years of absence, Akio Kitano is back like a phoenix.
He's an independent racer,
racing against the big teams.
With 96 points, he's the point leader.
3 points behind him...
is the champion of last 2 years,
Keishi Oki of Yamaha.
On this race, Oki has a new bike.
He's aiming at a 3rd championship.
These are yesterday's test times.
And today's start positions.
No.1, Akio Kitano.
1 minute, 1 second 29.
No.2, Keishi Oki.
1 minute, 1 second 52.
The 3rd place.
At the age of 21, now on a good position in this 8th race,
the genius racer, Ken Kashima.
1 minute, 1 second 85.
Kazumi.
Go to your dad.
So what?
Kazumi.
Kazumi, come here.
"2 minutes to start"
"1 minute to start"
"30 seconds to start"
Go! Go! Go!
Akio Kitano
Keishi Oki
Ken Kashima
The 500 cc race, after 27 laps,
1st place: Akio Kitano. 2nd: Keishi Oki.
No change since the beginning. A duel of destinies.
An update.
Wow! In the 26th lap,
Kitano broke the lap record.
Everybody listen. 1 minute, 0 seconds 007.
Average lap speed, 158 km/h.
Yes! 005!
Damn! Oki tricked us! Yesterday he wasn't on full speed!
Kashima is in 3rd. He was in 5th just then.
Oki overtook Kitano!
On a straight course, Oki overtook him.
It's now the final lap.
Oki. Kitano. Kashima.
What a great race!
Akio! Fight for it!
The winner is Keishi Oki!
Oki won the 8th round.
Now Oki and Kitano are even, with 108 points.
Same place.
The final round is in 2 weeks' time.
See you at the Grand Prix.
The winner. Keishi Oki.
2nd, Akio Kitano.
3rd, Ken Kashima.
Now you're here.
See you at the final round.
Kitano. Let's shake hands.
Mr. Kitano.
May I sit down?
I'm representing Mr. Mikimoto...
of the Mikimoto Group. My name is Kamedani.
Ms. Naoko, daughter of Mr. Mikimoto,
would like to have dinner with you.
Are you available tomorrow?
Where?
At a club house.
Akio.
A UPI reporter told me. I'm sorry.
I'll be at the final round.
Congratulations on your New York show.
Thanks.
I'll open a store on 5th Avenue.
Great.
But I feel tired.
Be with me.
- Welcome home. - Thanks.
So young. The sole heiress ofa US$ 1 billion fortune.
The owner of an international conglomerate with 100,000 workers.
She's like something from outer space.
Beautiful. This oil princess.
You've met her?
At the world championship's cocktail party 3 years ago.
I see.
- And you? - She came to my New York show.
Kyoko.
Hi! How are you?
Fine. And you?
_ Hey- _ Yes?
What?
‘H..-
try designing menswear.
Oh.
I hope to ask you about it.
Sure. Your designs are guaranteed successes.
Thanks.
I'll use a new brand name for that.
I just came up with one.
Akio Adams.
Did Christine give it to you? Her room key.
Excuse me.
Oh... you...
The world's Kyoko. I've heard a lot about you.
Nice compliments from you, the king of hotels.
This is Naomi.
Nice seeing you here.
- You were at the party? - Yes.
Cheers.
Mr. Kitano.
May I tell you something?
I first met you at the world championship 4 years ago.
I've never seen a faster motorcyclist than you.
Since then you've been on my mind.
Ever since I went pro, you've been my target.
Mr. Kitano.
I'll beat you at the next round.
At the next round,
Akio will stake everything. Are you determined?
Yes.
If I can beat him,
I have no more interest in this field.
Wow, junior.
Well,
you're just lucky. You don't see how terrible it could be.
For once,
see hell.
- Hi hero. - Hi baby.
The reverse action of the cylinder is now fixed.
You've just heard it.
The muffler?
So-so. I tested it.
Amamiya. Phone call.
From her.
He drank.
He's having trouble with his girlfriend.
Same disease?
He's serious this time. She's a blues singer.
This time it's for real.
I always told you so - but it is, this time.
I like blues.
She's a real singer.
So I drank too much.
I lost.
Don't worry.
It's so hot. You should rest.
She said she misses me
and wants to see me again.
Go.
Fix the muffler tonight.
Thanks.
Kazumi was up to something yesterday.
So I checked on him.
He was posing with his dad's champion trophy!
Kazumi also has a disease.
I don't.
But you want to be a racer like him?
No, I don't.
Why not?
He got scared and quit after one accident.
Call.
I lost.
- I'll fix the tires. - Thanks.
He didn't quit because he's scared.
His legs couldn't run anymore.
Go apologize.
Time for you to go to the studio.
For tomorrow, it's Fuji speedway. At 10.
It's now been 6 years.
When I first met you.
He was rushed to the hospital,
and I was very pregnant.
You wiped off his sweat endlessly.
And I was told his right leg was crippled.
An hour later, Kazumi was born.
I was 18.
Just 18.
3 days later you left the hospital because you had a race.
That was the first time you talked to me.
Just one sentence. Remember?
No.
"|'m Akio Kitano, nice to meet you." That's it.
Only that within 3 days.
No. I talked more then.
Kazumi.
- I'll teach you cornering. - Really?
You want to challenge Akio in 10 years?
- Will I win? - Yes.
- 7, 8 years ago, I was faster than him. - No way!
He was!
- Oh... Wow! - Come.
The strength of his bike was obvious last time.
Your bike isn't good enough.
Fate of independent racers.
You're a typical factory rider.
- But... - Akio.
Say no more.
Come back to us.
Oki.
By winning,
I'll go on to the world circuit. That's what I want.
Does a factory allow that?
If you stay independent,
your capital and staff will be stretched.
I see.
During your absence,
I'm the champion.
When you're back, I'm 2nd.
What did I do during these 2 years?
We'll settle this at the next round.
Let's do the last shot.
Kitano, please go closer to Oki.
As close as you can.
Here we go.
Kazumi.
Setting is bad.
Any problem with the power?
It's not the underside.
It got lighter, didn't it? More power.
- You did get faster. - Everything isn't OK.
I thought we made progress.
But we can't win the new bike with this.
Do the best setting and I'll do the rest.
Just 1 more week.
The next session?
- What? - Here.
Starting at 3 pm, the day after tomorrow.
Can you make it?
I'll start working on it at once.
Amamiya, things got bad with her?
Next time.
- Bye. - Bye. - Bye.
It's your mum's birthday.
Mum!
Happy birthday.
Thank you, hero.
From Paris and New York.
Go ahead, both of them.
Very well.
Oh yes. Any message from Akio?
No.
Hey.
You like it?
Can you take me back?
Training?
Yes. The race is almost here.
- How was that? - So-so.
Lap time is faster.
Some wavering during cornering.
- I'll change the tires. - Yes, and recheck the suspension.
OK.
He'll fix it before the race.
No. There are still problems.
Where's Amamiya?
She...
the blues singer...
"Sorry."
"I've got a man."
I laughed.
Before hitting her.
I... want to work with you.
One of the parts for a perfect race.
Akio.
I can't be of help when you need me most.
Good luck on your race.
Thanks for your work.
Eat it while it's warm.
Will you make it?
You didn't bring a change of clothes.
It's very important to choose the right tires for tomorrow.
Please...
come OVGI’.
Our contracts will be over tomorrow.
Who will you choose for the world races?
I'll choose over there.
Oh.
These 2 years...
were fun.
I wanted to stay with you.
I lost my parents when I was small.
My uncle raised me.
He had a repair shop in Shitamachi.
I had to spend more time at the shop than at school.
I couldn't go swimming in summer.
Busy at the shop.
I could only go when it rained.
It was summer, but...
deserted,
cold,
dark.
Over the years I swam all alone in the sea.
So,
now I'll never swim when it's sunny.
Adieu.
Conversation in 6 Languages
In this 9th round of Japan Championship,
There will be 75 laps, a total of 200 km. A very long battle.
The final battle.
It's time.
Win it, also for Kazumi and Azusa.
"30 seconds to start"
Akio!
Go!
Too fast! The tires weren't warm enough!
Long Way to go!
20 minutes from start. It's now the 18th lap.
Kashima is 1st. Oki is 2nd.
Kitano is 5th, but the difference is small.
The pit time will make a difference.
Kashima. Oki.
Oh! He's up to the 3rd. Akio Kitano!
We're into the 2nd half, 38 laps to go.
Akio!
What is he thinking? Too fast! That's crazy!
Everybody listen. An accident.
A sad accident.
Kitano was down at the hairpin.
Listen!
Like a phoenix, Kitano has gotten up.
36 laps to go.
10 laps to go!
Oh god!
The Sugo race course is on fire!
The hottest race here, ever!
Final lap! Burn, everybody!
Final lap! Go!
Go!
- I'm impressed. - Thanks to you and Kashima, I got better.
Akio!
Did you see hell?
Come back.
Bye.
Thanks for these 2 years.
Be the world champion.
Thanks.
- Goodbye. - Take care.
Kazumi.
He's sulking, he thinks he won't see you again.
World Championship 500 cc class, Akio Kitano.
1st round France. Retired.
2nd Round Austria. Retired.
3rd Round Britain. 15th.
4th Round Spain. 6th.
5th Round Italy. 2nd.
6th Round Holland. 1st.
7th Round Belgium.
Jul 2nd, 3:11 pm.
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
Akio Kitano died.