Blogical Conclusion

ILL-GOTTEN GAINS

MAR 7, 2009 – THAT SUMMER’S DAY, KIKUJIRO (TAKESHI KITANO) HAS ONE PURPOSE – and that’s to function as grown-up escort to Masao (Yusuke Sekiguchi), as the little boy attempts to locate his mother. But even at the beginning of their journey, he manages to add to his to-do list the slightly shifty task of making a few yen on the side. With what appears to be Masao’s precociously accurate predictions, Kikujiro wins big at the bicycle races. The next day, he wants to win bigger, so he instructs Masao, “Okay, kid. Let’s do it again. Who bought you the shirt and cap?” Masao dutifully replies, “You, mister.” Kikujiro exults, “That’s right. Me! And here’s 10,000 yen. Okay. Which ones?” Masao thinks hard and proposes, “4 and 9.”

Kikujiro makes the bets, only to discover that rider No. 9 winds up on the turf, nursing a sore behind as others speed past. Kikujiro tells Masao, “Kid, don’t pick the ones who fall, only those who finish first. You chose the only two who fell.” In his next attempt at predicting the winners, Masao suggests 3 and 5. The scoreboard ends up with 3 and 9. “That was close,” Kikujiro mutters. Number 3 made it. We almost won.” Subsequently, Masao picks 5 and 3. Kikujiro is unlucky again – and yet again with 7 and 9. When the results are announced, Kikujiro yells, “You idiot! Why didn’t you say 9-7 instead of 7-9? Don’t mess with me, kid! Damn, I could’ve won 838,000! I would’ve bought you an Armani suit. What’s wrong with you?”

It’s time for the next race. Masao suggests 4 and 5. This time, Kikujiro is taking no chances. “4 and 5, meaning 4 comes first? 4-5. Sure 5 isn’t first?” Masao is certain. Kikujiro insists, “4-5 is the right order? You’re in trouble if the reverse wins. 4-5?” Then he tells himself, “Better buy the reverse, too.” That doesn’t help one bit. The scoreboard shows 3-7. Kikujiro is annoyed. He turns to Masao. “Stupid! You weren’t even close! Haven’t I been good to you? And you’re good for nothing! I’m running out of money! Think hard!” Masao comes up with 1 and 2. Kikujiro warns, “1 and 2? You sure?” Masao replies, “3 and 4.” A frustrated Kikujiro instructs, “Make up your mind. 1-2 or 3-4? Which is it?”

Masao replies as only a child could. “5 and 6.” Kikujiro is exasperated. “1-2, 3-4, 5-6! All in order, dummy?” But the temptation is too great. He tells himself, “Guess I’ll just buy all three combos.” The result is 3-9. Kikujiro is disgusted. “You’re no genius. Not even close! Give me back those clothes! And my 10,000 yen!” He brings his hand down hard on Masao’s cap. We wince at the sound of the slap. “Get out of my sight, you brat!” Masao replies, the voice coming from elsewhere, “Mister…” We note, with relief, that the child wasn’t physically abused after all. He wasn’t wearing the cap. He extends a stub he found on the floor. Kikujiro examines it. “You’re a whiz kid after all,” he exclaims and runs to collect his winnings.

He returns almost as quickly. “This is yesterday’s, you moron.” He throws the stub on the floor. “Hand over the 10,000.” He walks away. A little later, we catch him smoking at a restaurant, in front of a sizzling grill. Kikujiro holds up a skewer, “Hey, this is tough as hell. Is it dog or cat meat?” The man behind the grill replies, “That would cost you more.” Kikujiro mutters, “Smart-ass.” He walks out of the restaurant. He asks a cleaning man, “Where’s the kid?” The man looks up from sweeping the road. “He was just here! He left with some man.” Kikujiro asks, “What kind?” The cleaning man replies, “Middle-aged. Bald. Suit.” Kikujiro asks, “Where’d they go?” The cleaning man points in the direction of the park.

And in a dark corner of the park, we see – to our horror – that Masao hasn’t entirely escaped being abused. The bald man is in his undershirt, tugging desperately at the squirming child’s underwear. “Sonny, you want to see Mommy, don’t you? Take these off, and I’ll take you to Mommy.” Masao struggles to hold on to the elastic waistband. His tormentor repeats, “Take these off, and I’ll take you to Mommy. Hurry up. I’m a busy man.” He attempts to peek inside the child’s briefs. “Don’t have all night. Hurry up.” He looks up startled as he hears a sound. It’s Kikujiro. The next scene, we see Kikujiro escorting Masao outside, the child thankfully with his clothes back on. “Listen,” Kikujiro gently warns Masao. “Don’t go off with strangers, okay?”

Then he thinks of something. He hands over Masao’s backpack and instructs the child, “Hold this. I’ll be back.” He strides back towards the scene of the ugly incident, back to the bald man who is still bleeding from Kikujiro’s blows. Kikujiro drops his trousers and now in his underwear, his hands on his hips, he demands, “Yeah, and now what?” The bald man looks up. “Take them off.” Kikujiro spits out, “You dirty old pervert!” A brief struggle later – where the bald man attempts to do to this adult what he tried to do to that child – Kikujiro walks back towards Masao, even as we wonder what that was all about. And then we know. There is a wallet in Kikujiro’s hand. Having made up his losses, he puts a hand on Masao’s shoulder and leads the traumatised child away.

Kikujiro (1999, Japanese). Directed by Takeshi Kitano. Starring Takeshi Kitano, Yusuke Sekiguchi.

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