Pilot
Westward
Episode 1.1 “Love and Theft”
Scene 1.
EXT. Pacific
We begin here, in the endlessness of the Pacific. A small dot appears at its edge, as the camera zooms closer, it becomes apparent it is some sort of scientific ship. The camera pans slowly down from its eagle-eye view, towards the ocean and follows the direction of the waves towards the ship. It is sunset over the western horizon, which lies beyond the ship. There are poles protruding from the side of the ship towards the west, as well as satellite dishes. When we zoom towards the ship, we cut to:
INT. Lab
Everyone is facing west, towards where the sunset would be. The camera shot is facing east, at the faces of four Japanese scientists. Their gender, at this point, is not important. They are working at control panels. The scientists are numbered 1 through 4, number one being closest to the camera.
SCIENTIST 1:
(In Japanese, subtitled)
Is it working?
SCIENTIST 2:
(In Japanese, subtitled)
It appears to be. Have you stabilized the field?
SCIENTIST 3:
(In Japanese, subtitled)
We’re working on it.
SCIENTIST 4:
(In Japanese, subtitled)
There!
SCIENTIST 3:
(In Japanese, subtitled)
Well, this deserves a congra---
SCIENTIST 2:
(In Japanese, subtitled)
What the???? What’s going on?
SCIENTIST 1:
(In Japanese, subtitled)
What have we done?
The camera moves forward slowly, past the first scientist.
SCIENTIST 2:
(In Japanese, subtitled)
I didn’t do shit.
The camera passes him.
SCIENTIST 3:
(In Japanese, subtitled)
This is worse than Godzilla.
The camera passes him.
SCIENTIST 4:
(In Japanese)
Oh fuck.
We cut to a large black wall that destroys the poles previously protruding and extends beyond the shot, it engulfs the ship almost immediately. The camera zooms into the black, and we cut to:
OPENING CREDITS (“We’ll meet again” - Johnny Cash)
The opening credits show a dance of black and white/colored particles. Black particles are chasing the others, and as they collide they create black particles. In every episode, it will zoom in and out between this and shots of the characters. In this episode, the final zoom out of the particles is an aerial shot through the Pacific ocean and into Japan, where it criss crosses through skyscrapers and lands on:
Scene 2.
Note: This entire scene is one shot, continued from the last opening credit shot.
EXT. A market place
The theme song is still playing. It is a scene of an everyday market in Japan. Children are playing, men are playing Mah Jong, and old women are buying fruits. A little girl runs up to a man selling apples
JAPANESE SCHOOL GIRL
(In Japanese, subtitled)
How much?
MERCHANT
(In Japanese, subtitled)
Three yen. Two for you, sweetie.
GIRL
(In Japanese, subtitled)
Thank you.
She drops a coin into his hand and runs to her grandmother to hand her the apple, she takes a bow and smiles. The scene slowly grows faster, and we see the shadows of the clouds speed up. Time is passing. The mood becomes more frantic, until we suddenly realize the camera is going back to real time but people are moving just as quickly. At some point, the 3 Yen sign for the apples turns into 17 Yen. We also see the black wall in the background
EXT. Japanese street
The camera returns to real time and as it begins to move we see people running in all directions; towards the camera and away from it. At one point, a man frantically bumps into the camera and it shakes. The camera follows a certain point into a makeshift house of ill repute. The sign, in Japanese (but translated in subtitle) says: “Paradise Home”, and below it “Sucky Sucky Buddha Licky Licky” and there is an anime-type drawing of a smiling Buddha receiving a kiss from a provocatively dressed young girl. It is a harem that the camera is taking us into.
INT. Harem
The same camera shot follows down the hallway, occasionally turning left and right for various scenes of debauchery, including a Buddhist monk being fed grapes by a scantily clad hooker, businessmen popping champaigne and lowlifes coming for a quick fuck. On one wall there is graffiti smeared in lipstick, it says: “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” The camera pokes into a bathroom with an open door, and we see TOSHIRO WATANABE having sex with an older Japanese hooker. He is smoking a cigarette and has one hand raised up.
TOSHIRO
Be cool, bitch, be cool!
HOOKER
(In Japanese, subtitled)
Stop, that’s not allowed.
As he takes out his cellphone to check the time, he says:
TOSHIRO
(In Japanese, subtitled)
Shut up, whore. I pay to sex, I sex.
HOOKER
Kuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrami!
A large Japanese bouncer walks in, grabs Toshiro, and the camera follows him as he carries Toshiro and throws him face down on the pavement.
EXT. Japanese street
Toshiro stands up and wipes the dirt off his clothes. He takes one last drag of his cigarette and throws it out. He takes out his cellphone and checks the time again. He is in a hurry to get somewhere: the camera follows him as he darts through the running people, looking into stores. There is a casino up ahead and he goes towards it, and looks through the window. The camera is following him the entire time. He takes out a cigarette and lights it again. He smokes either “Lucky Strikes” or “Hiroshimas”. He takes a look inside, and sees two guys staging a robbery. The camera leaves him and goes into the casino.
INT. Casino
There are a few people in the casino, all Japanese except two Americans crouched in a corner: JACK and ANANDA. There are two thugs who are holding guns, one is pointed towards the cashier, who is filling a bag with money, the other points his gun towards the crowd. There is also a man to the other side who seems nervous. He is a plains clothes cop. The camera focuses on Jack and Ananda
ANANDA
Great idea, walking into a casino filled with money for cover.
JACK
Thanks, I come up with the best ones.
ANANDA
I’m scared, Jack.
JACK
Don’t be. It’ll be over in a bit and we’ll be on our way.
ANANDA
On our way where?
JACK
Out of here.
ANANDA
I wanna go home.
JACK
We’re going home, don’t worry.
The camera darts 180 degrees to Toshiro taking a breath and jumping through the door.
TOSHIRO
Friends!
He walks up to the two thugs, with joy in his stride.
TOSHIRO
How’s it hanging?
CROWD CONTROL
Huh?
BAGMAN
Toshiro?
TOSHIRO
What up old friends?
Toshiro grabs the two of them to hug. The two thugs are bewildered, but before realizing what is happening, Toshira punches the bottom of the bagman’s hand, catching his gun and pistol whipping. Before the other man has a chance to bear the situation, the gun is pointed at him and his friend is on the floor.
TOSHIRO
Give me the gun.
He crouches down to the bagman.
TOSHIRO
Ever been pistol whipped in the face?
He grabs the bag and stands up. His left hand has a bag and a gun in it, his right hand a gun. The plains clothes officer now pulls out his badge and says.
STUPID COP
(In Japanese, subtitled)
Good work, friend.
TOSHIRO
Uh-uh, drop the gun or I shoot.
He points his right gun at the cop and the left one at Jack and Ananda. He grabs them as hostages around their necks, and walks out facing the cop.
TOSHIRO
Bye bye piggy.
STUPID COP
(In Japanese)
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.
The camera follows them outside.
EXT. Japanese street
Toshiro takes Jack and Ananda, his arms still around them, outside. Jack takes a deep breath. Toshiro. He drops his bag and puts one of his guns in his belt. Jack and Ananda begin to leave.
TOSHIRO
Uh-uh, you’re not going anywhere, hold on.
He grabs Ananda by the arm; she squirms but acquiesces. He begins to pull something out of his pocket. Jack and Ananda step back instinctively, considering it a gun, but it is in fact a pack of cigarettes.
TOSHIRO
Ha ha. Scared ya! You smoke?
JACK
No.
ANANDA
I’ll have one
JACK
(To Ananda)
You don’t smoke.
ANANDA
(To Jack)
I don’t get taken hostage either. Things change.
JACK
You should stay the same.
Toshiro smiles as he lights Ananda’s cigarette, to Jack’s displeasure.
He grabs a guy running down the street, and takes out and opens his cellphone.
TOSHIRO
You take picture. I pay.
He gives the guy the cell phone and a wad of money from the bag, but points the gun menacingly at him.
TOSHIRO
But you watch out!
He grabs Ananda and Jack as before, holding them within his arms, a bag of money in one hand, a gun in the other and a cigarette in his mouth. Ananda is holding the cigarette awkwardly in her mouth.
TOSHIRO
Now smile!
The camera is at this point facing the three of them, with the passer-by in front of it as well. There is a camera click sound and it cuts to a cell phone shot of the scene.
Scene 3.
This scene continues from the last.
EXT. Japanese Street
Toshiro is facing Jack and Ananda now.
TOSHIRO
Pardon me. Pardon me. Where are my manners? I’m Toshiro! I’m the man with the gun
He extends his hand to Jack.
JACK
(confused)
I’m… Jack.
TOSHIRO
Ah, Jack. Jack. Jack the Ripper. Jack Kennedy. Jack Black. Jack Chi-rack. Good, good American name! And you are?
He turns to Ananda.
ANANDA
Ananda.
TOSHIRO
Amanda?
ANANDA
No, Ananda.
TOSHIRO
Ah. Ananda. Ananda. Haha. Buddha saftra follow me around, Ananda! He he. There’s no American Buddhists. (He pauses, and smiles) I’m Toshiro! I’m the man with the gun!
Jack looks at him disapprovingly.
The camera cuts to the scene around them; mayhem. People running around, grabbing senselessly, jumping, screaming, out of control. The camera circles around away from them, taking in the scene. Slowly, the sounds disappear and are replaced by a deep breathing; in and out, in and out, it is methodical and accentuates the silence of the shot. The camera changes it move to come back to Jack, and circle him. He is the one breathing. A hand jerks him from the left and the sound comes back. It is Ananda.
ANANDA
Toshiba says to go.
JACK
I thought it was Toshiro.
ANANDA
Whatever. It’s Japanese.
JACK
So what are you going to do with us?
TOSHIRO
Me? Do I look like a bad guy?
JACK
Well…
TOSHIRO
Wait, don’t answer. It’s ok. Look!
Toshiro points at an old man, he is trembling in his place. Someone has bumped into him and his cane fell. As he tries to pick it up his glasses fall off. He is deftly afraid. He begins to tremble, and there is urine going down his pants.
TOSHIRO
Haha. Look at the old man.
Toshiro goes up to the old man and picks up his glasses, putting them on, and grabs the cane. He holds a gun in his free hand, waving it around.
TOSHIRO
Look at me! I’m an old man, I’m scared.
TOSHIRO
(In Japanese)
Shit like this.
He goes up to the man and takes of his glasses, handing them to him, and hands the cane back.
TOSHIRO
(In Japanese)
Shit like this, you gotta watch out old man.
He turns around and jumps in Jack and Ananda’s direction, raising his gun up and shooting.
TOSHIRO
Y’all ready??
Scene 4.
The caption reads: Meanwhile in Russia…
EXT. Open field
The shot cuts to an open field in Russia, in the background there are telephone poles and railroad tracks. It rushes through wheat as tall as a man and towards a small shack, where there is a decrepit Russian sitting, sipping on Stalin Vodka. It is Vanya, a recurring cameo role. He leans back and says:
VANYA
(slowly and deliberately)
Life is simple.
There is a short chord riff and we:
Scene 5.
Cut immediately to:
EXT. Japanese Street
Jack and Ananda remain in Toshiro’s thralls. They are zipping through the streets, and the camera follows shortly behind them, trying to stay with them. Toshiro stops suddenly.
TOSHIRO
We need to find a way to go faster
JACK
(To Ananda, whispering)
Who the hell we?
ANANDA
(To Jack, whispering)
Shhh. We gotta get away from him. Or we’re gonna be stuck here. And I wanna go home.
TOSHIRO
You worry too much.
EXT. Japanese Road
He grabs them again and runs through the road, cars zipping out of the way. He stops at the median, and says:
TOSHIRO
Wait here.
He runs into the street again, and points a gun at a car, that stops after this.
The camera now cuts between Toshiro’s exchange with the driver and Jack and Ananda’s.
ANANDA
Let’s go. This guy’s crazy, we gotta go.
JACK
(Takes a deep breath)
Let’s wait. He’s the one with the gun.
ANANDA
So I hear.
Cut to Toshiro.
TOSHIRO
(In Japanese, subtitled)
Out! Out of the car, friend.
DRIVER
(In Japanese, subtitled)
Don’t shoot, please. Don’t shoot.
Cut to Jack and Ananda.
ANANDA
This is no good. He’s gonna kill us.
JACK
Why would he?
ANANDA
Cause he’s nuts.
Cut to Toshiro
TOSHIRO
(In Japanese, subtitled)
I said, out! Out! Out! Out! I have no time.
He grabs the man and throws him into the street, kicking him. He gets into the car and:
INT. Japanese Car
He drives it over to the median, to Jack and Ananda and opens the door.
TOSHIRO
Kennedy! You in back. Buddha girl sit in front.
ANANDA
He’s the Buddhist, not me.
TOSHIRO
Haha! Okay, Buddha man, in the back. Annie, you in front. Come on!
They enter the car and Toshiro begins to drive.
JACK
Where are we going?
TOSHIRO
Where do you think?
ANANDA
To your underground lair where you’re going to have your way with us?
TOSHIRO
Aww… do I look like that type of person to you?
ANANDA
Yeah.
TOSHIRO
Some Japanese, yeah. But not me! I’m a nice guy.
JACK
Yeah, taking us hostage and all.
TOSHIRO
Hey, they don’t make ‘em as nice as me anymore.
JACK
So where are we going?
TOSHIRO
Out. Away. This is ridiculous. Shit’s going down.
ANANDA
What is it?
TOSHIRO
Something. I don’t know. Godzilla maybe? But your best bet’s away from this city. Away from Japan is even better. You like music, Buddha Kennedy?
JACK
Huh?
TOSHIRO
Music, you like it?
JACK
Sure, I guess.
Toshiro turns on the radio and flips through the station. Johnny Cash’s “The Man Comes Around”, from the intro.
TOSHIRO
Johnny Cash! Good American man!
JACK
I suppose.
TOSHIRO
He’s dead now.
JACK
That he is.
TOSHIRO
But we’re gonna stay alive! Look, there!
He points at the airport.
TOSHIRO
We go there.
EXT. Japanese Airport
The camera zooms to a riot on the fences, people are screaming and yelling. The civilian airport workers are on the other side, trying to contain them. There are also military personnel.
JACK (V.O)
How? It looks pretty impenetrable to
TOSHIRO (V.O)
Looks pretty weak to me.
There is an off screen smash and the camera turns around to see the car Toshiro jacked rammed through the fence and driving by. A couple of cops notice and begin to chase.