Meet the World Script

Goofy: Thousands of years ago, volcanoes started to emerge from the Pacific Ocean forming the Japanese islands.

Selena: How do you know all of this stuff?

Goofy: I had studied Japan's history during the Colleage History!

Selena: Hey, while all this was happening, what were the people doing?

Goofy: Well, they were doing something. I just don't know what.

Selena: Look! A Crane! Where Did You Come From?

The Crane: From You Imagination! What's far more important is that you know where you've come from.

Selena: Were from California!

The Crane: (chuckles) It's important to have some sense of your country's beginnings.

Selena: Goofy told me a lot of it. But what I don't understand is while all the volcanoes were erupting, what were the people doing?

The Crane: Good question; come on, I'll see if I can answer your questions.

Selena: Who are They?

The Crane: They're Jumon people, early ancestors of yours.

Goofy: Were they here when our islands broke away from mainland Asia?

The Crane: There were people here, then. But this was many centuries after that.

Goofy: Gawrsh! That was still hundreds of years ago.

The Crane: Watch.

Goofy: Huh?

(The Jumon grunt and attack their prey.)

The Crane: They already know the importance of bonding together to survive.

Goofy: As Fisherman?

The Crane: Certainly for the ocean has plenty of nutritious fish. As farmers, too.

(The Crane does some sort of illusion with a fiber-optic magic effect.)

Selena: How Did He Do That?

The Crane: (chuckles) You haven't seen anything yet for this is only the beginning.

Selena: Of your tricks?

The Crane: Of what the world now knows as Japan.

Goofy: Gawrsh! That's Prince Shōtoku!

Selena: That's Prince Shōtoku? Who's he?

The Crane: He made Japan's first constitution.

Selena: Now there are ships.

The Crane: The prince also sent official ambassadors out to meet the world.

Selena: But with just sailing ships, where can they go?

The Crane: Come on, I'll show you!

("Meet the World" is now heard with a female lead.)

Faith Hill: Born from the Great Mother Sea, The outside world was a dark mystery. We lived on our islands alone, 'Til our first brave sailors explored the unknown.

The Chorus: Reaching out, friendly hands, to meet the world around us. Friendly people of Japan, to meet the world with love. We meet the world with love! We meet the world with love! Reaching out, friendly hands, we meet the world with love!

Goofy: Where are we?

The Crane: On one of Prince Shōtoku's missions to China.

Selena: China!? I've always wanted to visit China!

The Crane: Your Wish is Already Coming True!

But, you're in the Tang dynasty, more than 1,000 years before your time.

(A Going is Heard)

Selena: What's That?

The Crane: Just watch for he is the official ambassador from Japan.

Prince Shotoku: One again, excellency. We must sail many days and nights, this time to return to our own shores.

Local 1: Go safely for the sea can be a very stern teacher.

Prince Shotoku: So we have learned over the years, sir. But it is what we have learned here: the knowledge we gained of those that lie beyond the sea. That is what we so greatly value.

Local 2: These parting gifts are for you. They're given with our greatest respects.

Prince Shotoku: You too shall have gifts: extraordinary gifts.

Goofy: Well what kind of gifts?

The Crane: I thought you'd never ask!

(Images of the gifts are projected onto the screen.)

Goofy: It's the Great Buddha!

The Crane: See what a lasting effect these early encounters with the Chinese had on Japan? Now, watch very closely for you'll see your countrymen are not merely being influenced.

Selena: But I thought you said that they were.

The Crane: They're being stimulated and excited. it's like we're taking seeds from across the land and cultivating them into our own Japanese garden.

(Chinese writing is shown only to be covered by water. After the water washes away, the writing has become Japanese.)

Goofy: I Am Getting Confused! All that came from our meetings with other people?

The Crane: Culture doesn't just come. It develops slowly, richly. Generation after generation has to digest to refine these marvelous influences.

Selena: What's Happening!

The Crane: Don't be frightened for this is Tanagura, Fukushima in 1543.

Local 1: He's called a Spaniard. He comes from very far away.

Local 2: Span-ee-ard?

Local 1: Spaniards come from Spain. It's a country.

Spaniard: Estoy encantado de estar aquí. Yo y mi pueblo son los comerciantes.

Local 1: He's delighted to be here! He and his men are traders.

Spaniard: Quiero ser tu amigo.

Goofy: All that over some old weapon?

The Crane: Some new weapon for they had never been seen in this Japan of the 1500s. But its not weapons alone for this is also a time when the Japanese are eager for exchanges with people from other nations. And not just here.

Selena: You mean our people will travel, too?

The Crane: Yes, to Europe, throughout Asia, and even to the Western Hemisphere. great things are happening at home for travelers are arriving with new tools, scientific knowledge, and Christianity. Finally, the leaders find these influences to be too disruptive, almost dangerous.

Goofy: Due to the priests?

The Crane: Perhaps. There are many other reasons: government reasons, money reasons, and even military ones.

Selena: But what's going to happen?

Goofy: Hmmm! Does that mean no more trade with foreigners?

The Crane: It means that the rulers of Japan insist on regulating trade. The real truth is Japanese commerce with the Chinese throughout this time will continue to flourish and Dutch traders will continue to visit. Through them and the Chinese, your people will learn of European scientific advances.

Selena: That's good, isn't it!

Goofy: So our doors really do stay open! Ha-Yuck!

Billy Ray Cyrus: Japan turned away from the west, our ancient readers decreeded so fast. And so from within us we prove, of philosophy, culture, and art that was new.

The Chrous: Samurai, haikus, and kapunio, and sumo. Like the cherry blossom tree, our culture came to bloom. Philosophy, and art, our theatre plays it part. For three centuries, our culture came to bloom.

The Crane: This is a time of great artistic and economic development for Japan. For almost 300 years, Ja-Oh no!

Selena: Who are They?

Goofy: I Don't Know!

The Crane: Not Those Two Again! Please, kids, don't pay attention to these two! Maybe they'll go away. Forget them. But watch the screens. They'll tell you much about this exciting time.

(During this conversation, The two men perform the moving screen scene)

Goofy: The Great Black Ships!

The Crane: That's right for we're in the 19th Century. It's time for Japan to meet the world.

US Navy Seal: Should we fire a volley to demonstrate our strength?

Matthew C. Perry: No, for we haven't come all this way to fight.

US Navy Seal: Yes, sir.

Matthew C. Perry: We've com to trade, to be friends! if we can convince these people to open their doors to us, exchange will be profitable to all.

US Navy Seal: Excellent plan, sir

Local 1: I've just notified Edo. Now, what should we do?

Local 2: Go up to their ship and tell them, as always, they should go to Nagasaki.

Local 1: But Sir!

Local 2: What is it?

Local 1: Suppose we're driven away. What shall we do then?

Local 2: In that case, I'll handle it. I'll go and meet them personally.

Local 1: But Sir!

Local 2: Go!

Goofy: But they are going to trade, aren't they.

The Crane: You see, it doesn't matter how brave a samurai may be for he can still win the war against time. This is a time when Japan is going through great change.

Goofy: You mean like a revolution?

The Crane: Yes, it's a kind of revolution.

Selena: But, isn't that dangerous?

The Crane: Anything worthwhile has its risks. But fortunately for Japan, this is a time when there are a great number of brilliant leaders.

Selena: Look! He has swords!

Goofy: Of course, he's a real samurai.

The Crane: He's the sort of man I was talking about.

Mr. Sakumoto: At least we never became a colony. It was difficult. But, we kept Japan an independent nation. My only regret is that I never saw our new Japan with my own eyes.

Professor Fugazowa: I understand how you feel, Mr. Sakumoto. Always remember, the cost at which you dedicate it, much of your life was with founding the new Japan.

Mr. Sakumoto: You know, Lord Edo, I always wanted to give the new Japan a sense of pride to make a country that was respected throughout the world.

Lord Edo: I feel the same way. But, I knew that before we could ever be respected, we had to become civilized. That is why I traveled throughout the world, Professor Fugazowa, to learn all I could of accidental civilization. But, the result was that Japan developed a government with great centralized power and the motto, "Make the nation rich and the military strong." Is that civilization? No, for people need food, shelter, and a sense of human dignity. Civilization isn't power. It's the progress of knowledge at the virtue of people.

Goofy: They seem like good people.

The Crane: They were the sort of men that urged that the ocean should never again be a wall, but rather an open door, a gateway to Japan and from japan to the rest of the world.

The Chorus: Time and the tides open doors. Once more, we welcome the West to our shores. We shared, and we learned, and we grew. Our recognized, modernized world had come true.

Selena: It's awfully dark.

The Crane: Yes, it was dark. But that's all over now.

Goofy: Oh, there you are. I wanted to ask you something.

The Crane: Yes?

Goofy: Are you the Spirit of Japan?

The Crane: (chuckles) No. I'm not the Spirit of Japan. You are. Your family, your friends, your neighbors, everyone together, the people. Don't you see? The people are the Spirit of Japan.

Goofy: But, where are the people?

The Crane: Look!

(Images and video of modern-day japan and its people are shown.)

The Crane: There are people: studying, working with their hands, building. The people aren't gone nor are their spirits. People are like dreams. If they're basically good, they can only grow and become stronger.

(During this line, images and video of the Japanese people working in other countries are seen.)

The Crane: And when those dreams develop well and people from other lands gorw to appreciate them, then it's only right to share them.

The Chorus: Japan of today leads the way, Dynamic dreams and great hopes on display. And each year, our efforts increase. For we know the world over with friendship and peace.

Reaching out, friendly hands, to meet the world around us. Friendly people of Japan, to meet the world with love. We meet the world with love! We meet the world with love! Reaching out, friendly hands, we meet the world with love!

(During this verses, the Rising Sun is seen while The Crane magically turns into into a hot air balloon. The balloon then turns into a moving set piece with Goofy, Selena & The Crane riding on it across the stage.)