Inochi no Chikyuu: Dioxin no Natsu

Here's another project that has been stuck in limbo for a very long time: the 2001 movie Inochi no Chikyuu: Dioxin no Natsu (Life on Earth: The Summer of Dioxin). This is a very earnest, quasi-documentary look at the 1976 industrial accident in Seveso, Italy, which resulted in the highest level of dioxin exposure by a residential population in history.

On July 10, 1976. an industrial accident occurred at the ICMESA chemical plant in Meda. ICMESA was a subsidiary of Givaudan, itself a subsidiary of the giant Swiss conglomerate Hoffman-La Roche. A reactor producing tetrachlorobenzine (TCP) overheated when it was shut down (improperly) for the weekend, as required by Italian law. When the reactor reached a critical temperature, the reaction became exothermic and began generating its own heat. The further rise in temperature started producing dioxin in significant quantities. Eventually, the pressure relief valve blew, releasing six tons of chemicals, including a kilogram or more of dioxin, into the air. 

The toxic mixture settled over almost seven square miles, on the towns of Seveso, Mesa, Dessa, and others. ICMESA said nothing about dioxin being released for a week, delaying the start of emergency measures. Eventually, the worst-hit areas were evacuated, and more than 80,000 animals were slaughtered to prevent dioxin from entering the food chain. Many people were treated for skin rashes (chloracne) and eye irritation. The disaster eventually resulted in the European Union adopting tough new safety rules for chemical plants.

Inochi no Chikyuu tells the story of that horrific summer through the eyes of a group of local children. Their normal lives are interrupted when a "white powder" falls out of the sky. The locals develop headaches and rashes, and small animals begin to die in large numbers. The children aren't satisfied with the vague explanations from the plant's managers. Aided by a convenient (fictional) Japanese journalist, they enlist help from a local (fictional) technical institute. When they learn that the powder contains dioxin, and that their food, water, friends, and pets have been poisoned, they take their findings to wider and wider audiences, eventually confronting Hoffman-La Roche's continuing evasions at a press conference. While all ends relatively well (no human deaths were attributed to the accident), the children draw solemn lessons, for themselves and the audience, about the need to protect the environment on behalf of all "life on Earth."

Inochi no Chikyuu falls squarely in a line of earnest and well-meaning fictionalized anime documentaries, such as Junod, Bakumatsu no Spasibo, and Yume Kakeru Kougen. All of these tell worthwhile stories, but they forfeit some ability to shape events into a more compelling narrative. The movie tries to add a little drama by focusing on the dilemma of an expectant couple, but it's really very linear: accident, coverup, exposure, morals drawn.

The Seveso disaster has been extensively studied over a 40 year period. A 2018 summary by NIH concludes:

• The area around Seveso was divided into three zones: A (evacuation required); B (caution required); and R (okay). The zones were well chosen, but exposure varied by three orders of magnitude, or more, within a zone. Thus, a person in Zone B could have received a higher dose than a person in Zone A.
  
• The human body can eliminate dioxin. It takes a long time. Half-life is 7 to 9 years, so 21 to 27 years to get close to 90% out, but it is eventually removed... if the person exposed lives long enough.. The movie says it is impossible to get out of the human body.
  
• Dioxin exposure did not increase the birth defect rate among unborn children or the miscarriage rate among pregnant women.
  
• Dioxin exposure did increase fertility issues and long-term liver disease and cancer rates.

The ICMESA plant was decontaminated over many years. After several questionable attempts by ICMESA and Givaudan, Hoffman-La Roche assumed responsibility for disposing of the contaminants. Ultimately, Hoffman-La Roche and Givaudan spent more 300 million Swiss francs on remedial work. Five ICMESA executives were arrested. Two were convicted and spent a small amount of time in jail. Neither Hoffman-La Roche or Givaudan ever admitted wrongdoing. Zone A was bulldozed, and the rubble and contaminated soil buried in a concrete sarcophagus topped with layers of clean soil. Today, it is the Seveso Oak Forest Park, and development there is forbidden.

The voice cast includes well known seiyuu in the adult roles and some of the children's roles.

• Sakuma Nobuko (Giulia, one of the children) appeared in Marshmallow Times and Happy Birthday Inochi Kagayaku Toki.
• Kobayashi Sanae (Marco, Giuilia's little brother) starred as Lucy in Elfen Leid, Allen Walker in D.Gray-man, Maya in Glass no Kamen (2005), and Touya Akira in Hikaru no Go. She had a recurring role as Natsume Reiko in the Natsume Yuujincho franchise. She played Scarlet Church in Cosprayers and Smash Hit, both Orphan releases.
• Mizutani Yuuko (Anna, Giulia's pregnant older sister) played Pinoko in all the Black Jack properties, as well as Hiromi in Milky Passion: Dougenzaka - Ai no Shiro, Rika in Sei Michaela Gakuen Hyouryuuki, Lila in Eien no Filena, and Dr. Uematsu Kikue in Yume Kakeru Kougen, all Orphan projects.
• Shiratori Yuri (Maria, Giulia's classmate) played the title roles in the Kiko Lala and Angelique franchises, Cherry in the Saber Marionette franchise, Aki in Boys Be..., and Hatoko in Angelic Layer. She appeared as Lilith in Megami Paradise, an Orphan release.
  
• Sasaki Shizuka (Angelo, Giulia's classmate, likes Maria) appeared under her real name in Ayashi no Ceres, Ateru, and Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch.
• Murozono Takehiro (Antonio, Giulia's classmate) had featured roles in numerous shows, including the Macross 7 franchise, Vampire Miyu, Fullmetal Panic, Hanada Shounen-shi, Monster, and Tsurune.
• Orikasa Ai (Enrico, Giulia's classmate, Mayor Carlo's son) made her debut in Shoukoushi Cedie. She played the title role in Romeo no Aoi Sora, Fee in Planetes, Seguchi Touma (the record company president) in Gravitation, Quatre in Gundam Wing, and Ryouko in the Tenchi Muyo franchise. She also played Carrie in Ziggy Sore Yuke! R&R Band, Sara in Eien no Filena, Toryune in Al Caral no Isan,  Katchan's mother in Tako ni Natta Okaasan, the narrator in Boku no Boukuugou, Made, Ayuuru's sister, in B.B. Fish, and young Mars in Fire Emblem, all Orphan releases.  
• Baishou Chieko (Grandma Sonia, Anna's neighbor) is mostly an actress. She starred as Sophie (old) in Howl's Moving Castle and was featured in Weathering with You.
• Honda Takako (Lucio, Giulia's classmate) had featured roles in numerous shows, including the Psycho-Pass franchise, the Queen's Blade franchise, Kara no Kyouki, and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
• Inoue Kazuhiko (Ando Shiro, journalist) starred as Yamaoka Shirou in Oishinbo, Yuki Eiri in Gravitation, the title role in Cyborg 009, Gorou in Moonlight Mile, Tachibana no Tomomasa in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou, and my favorite role, the irascible, sake-swilling Nyanko-sensei in the Natsume Yuujichou franchise. He also played Saiki Haruka in Tobira o Akete, Iori in Tomoe's Run!, Kanuma Hayate in Akai Hayate, Ryousuke in Daishizen no Majuu Bagi, Kitten Smith in Starship Troopers, Liu Bei Xuande in both Sangokushi TV specials, Ayako in Lunn Flies into the Wind, Nakatsugawa in Boyfriend, Jinpachi Nezu in Sanada 10, Katsuhiko in Hiatari Ryouko, Minamoto no Yoshitsune in Genji (Part One), Hisui in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2, and Kajiwara Kagetoki in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 3, all Orphan releases.
• Genda Tesshou (Mayor Carlo) played Colonel Muto in Joker Game, Moloch in Yondemasu Azazel-san, Rei in the Urusei Yatsura franchise, Moguro Fukuzou in New Laughing Salesman,  and "Oyaji" in Mitsuboshi Colors. He also played Akauma in Fire Tripper, Jin Kiryu in Blue Sonnet, Zigong in Eiyuu Banka Koushi-den, Paul Rusch in Yume Kakeru Kougen, Jim Hyatt in AWOL Compression Remix, the loyal lieutenant Galbreath in Next Senki Ehrgeiz, the dragonman Baguda in Greed, the narrator in Akai Hayate and Meisou-ou Border, Dog McCoy in Dallos, Hebopi in Wild 7, rebel leader Oosukune in Izumo, Miyoshi in Sanada 10, and Rikiishi's trainer Kuroki and Kirishima in Eguchi Hisashi no Kotobuki Gorou Show, all Orphan releases.

The director, Dezaki Satoshi, is the older brother of Dezaki Osamu and directed some of the Urusei Yatsura OVAs and movies, as well as Yume Kakeru Kougan, Bakumatsu no Spasibo, Boyfriend, and Time Slip Ichimannen Prime Rose, all Orphan releases.

The project started eight years ago. M74 translated and timed, based on an AnimeGorodok raw with Russian subtitles. I could not get a translation checker, so the project stalled out until this year. Then, two Discord colleagues, NoraInuG and Perevodildo, independently checked and heavily revised the original script. I edited, using pieces from both of them, so it's difficult to apportion translation credit. I revised the original timing, edited, and typeset (not much there). Rezo and Topper3000 QCed. I'm glad it's finally seeing the light of day.

Inochi no Chikyuu: Dioxin no Natsu is a somber reminder of the environmental dangers posed by toxic chemicals. The Seveso accident was followed by the far more catastrophic Bhopal disaster in 1984. Chemical contamination continues to be an ongoing threat, as demonstrated by the recent derailment in Palestine, Ohio. And "forever chemicals" (PFAS) are in drinking water just about everywhere.

You can get this movie from the usual torrent site or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #new on irc.rizon.net.