The Last Himeyuri, ひめゆり — Uminai-gami’s Weaving
The title for this part of the story comes from the Okinawan Creator goddess Uminai-gami; who, along with her brother Umikii-gami, created all humans and the islands. I have yet to find if Uminai-gami was, in fact, a weaver of souls but it seemed plausible in the realm of story telling. I hope I have not offended anyone by taking such liberties.
Later in the film Ashitomi refers to herself and the other girls as being from “Ryukyu,” which is the name of ancient Okinawa back when it was an independent kingdom. Archaeological evidence points to a the island having been inhabited dating back to the Paleolithic era. Just because Japan conquered the island in 1609 does not necessarily mean it has also won over the hearts and souls of its people.
While helping to composing the music to go along with Uminai-gami's Weaving I decided to incorporate a constant static hiss in the background. I did this at first because I have no method of making the sort of ear-shattering explosions an endless rain of bombs might sound like. But the more I listened the more I liked it; static is the sound of pure chaos and that seemed fitting to what was happening. Whether it remains in the final cut has yet to be determined but I find it an interesting experiment.
[f/x: Sound of knitting. Uminai-gami weaving out fate; a sound heavy with rain and bombs falling in the mountains. Cut to: American pilots talking but the only sound is static. Cut to: line of explosions.]
Kohitsuji [fearfully]: Those bombs sound like they're getting closer.
Ashitomi [trying to change mood as noise fades away]: Kohitsuji-san, why are you looking so worried? Those bombs aren't for us, silly.
Katsuko: Ashitomi-san is right. If those bombs were for us they would have sent someone who wasn't so blind. I don't think Americans can see in the dark very well.
Kohitsuji: I know … it's just that this isn't what I was expecting.
Ashitomi: What? The bombs? Don't worry about the bombs. Himeyuri can do anything!
[In the distance the roll of falling thunder; a strange noise that never completely fades away, just grows distant for a time like waves.]
Kohitsuji: No, I know all that. It's just that so far what have we done? I do not know why they are having us work like soldiers … actually, all I did today was carry rocks out of the cave for their stupid surgery unit … but isn't that what men are suppose to be doing?
Katsuko [laughing]: Oh, lazy Kohitsuji-san! I'm still trying to get rock dust out of my underwear. I don't care what I have to do, I just wish those stupid Americans would quit shooting at us. The colonel said it was because all Americans hate Japanese so much.
Ashitomi: Okinawans.
Katsuko: What?
Ashitomi: I'm not Japanese, we're all Ryukyu! [ancient kingdom of Okinawa] I'm from Yomitan.
Tira: I'm from Ginoza.
Higa: I'm from Zamami.
Kohitsuji [laughing]: You are right! I guess no one here is Japanese.
Katsuko: Do you think the Americans will stop bombing us if they knew we aren't Japanese? After all, who wants to kill a star lily?
Tira: You know, I never understood why they call us that. We're not flowers.
Higa [laughing, striking a pose and talking in a posh manner like their Colonel]: Huh! Huh! We must protect the virtue of our pure Lilies! Huh! Huh!
[laughter from everybody]
Katsuko: I hate dirty old men. You thin you had it tough? Me and Ashitomi were put on bandage detail yesterday, cutting strips all day. That nasty doctor kept “bumping” into us. Let me dig in the dirt, at least no one tries to touch you then.
Katsuko: I heard someone say the Third Army Surgery will be safer if it is underground in caves.
Niigaki [airily]: In caves, outside of caves, it doesn't really matter to me.
Miyagi [suddenly, angrily]: Idiots!
[several girls jump up]
Miyagi: What were you expecting? That we're still in school? We can go home?
[Sudden rolling rumble of explosions not far off, lights flicker, girls fall silent staring at the ceiling]
[Cut to: endless bombs falling from bellies of aircraft, static of approaching death. F/x: sound of Uminai-gami's knitting mixed with rain and muffled explosions. Cut to: line of explosions]
Katsuko: Miyagi-san, I thought we were going to do what Himeyuri Student Corps nurses were trained to do … we'll all be working in a little tent with a red cross on it and wrap the men with big white bandages and give them shots like we've been trained to do.
Miyagi [softly]: I can't believe how naive you are. Look about you.
Niigaki: Miyagi-san, what do you think is going to happen?
[long silence]
[All heads to turn to Miyagi]
Niigaki: What do you think is going to happen, Miyagi-san? Miyagi-san?
Miyagi: I don't know but will simply telling dying men “don't give up please” really going to work?