I feel not even the slightest pang of guilt over giving you the above sales pitch. That’s the honest-to-God truth, although these are days when I can’t hold onto any sort of conviction that God actually exists.
Let’s get back on track. It’s already spring. It’s already warmed up. Birds come to the tree outside my window. In light of that natural cycle, a deep belief that one day, all my daily troubles will be solved boils up inside my chest.
Identity … Love … Existence … Space … God … The time must come, someday, when we will be granted a final answer regarding these great mysteries. With that warm feeling buried in my heart, I keep living. Hoping that this feeling of gratitude will reach all of you who are reading this work, I now close my laptop.
Tatsuhiko Takimoto
April, 2005
Notes
1
One measure of Japanese room size uses the number of tatami (straw mats) needed to cover the floor.
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2
Heated tables used in the winter for warmth, as most apartments do not have central heating.
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3
New Year’s celebrations often include o-zouni, a special soup of rice dumplings and vegetables. Although New Year should be happy, the narrator remains depressed.
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4
The Japanese Ministry of Health defines hikikomori as individuals who refuse to leave their house and isolate themselves from society and family in a single room for a period exceeding six months; typically, it's a young person or a “nerd” who feels cut off from society.
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5
Kyokushin (ultimate truth) karate is a full-contact style of martial arts, founded in 1964 by Masutatsu Ohyama (1923-1994), a Korean-born master reputed to have trained alone for years on Mt. Minoubu and Mt. Kiyosumi.
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6
Tatsuhiko Shibusawa (1928-1987) was a scholar, novelist, and essayist.
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7
A classic Gainax anime based loosely on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
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8
Although otaku is an honorific of the word taku, or home, it has an extremely negative meaning in Japan. It suggests an overzealous anime or video game fan who does nothing but stay at home and pursue his hobbies.
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9
The more literal meaning of the Japanese proverb is “the name reveals the body”, but its import is closer to the Latin proverb: Nomen est omen, meaning name is an omen (of that which is named).
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10
Japanese Broadcast Association.
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11
As is probably evident, Japanese Hikikomori Association.
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12
Released in English as Magical DoReMi, it’s a children’s show about magical witch girls.
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13
Tower of Druaga is an old NAMCO game for the NES.
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14
The name of his apartment, apparently located in the Mita area.
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15
Japanese expression for young people, not including students or housewives, who lack full-time employment or are underemployed.
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16
Technical, gimmicky school for people who want anime/manga/ game industry jobs. Pretty much anyone can get in.
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17
A Japanese Order (decoration) established in 1937. The order has only one class and may be awarded for contributions to Japan’s art, literature, or culture; recipients also receive a lifetime annuity.
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18
John 3:20.
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19
John 3:36.
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20
Romans 6:23.
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21
Holiday week in Japan, April 29-May 5.
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22
The rainy season usually lasts from June to July in Japan.
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23
Company that makes erotic fiction.
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24
In Japanese, erotic game often is called eroge, which is why this lie is plausible.
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25
Gakken Mu is a group of people obsessed with the supernatural and strange, based around the magazine of the same name.
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26
Ruri Hoshino is a character from Martian Successor Nadesico.
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27
An energy drink.
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28
Katsushika Hokusai, the legendary printmaker.
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29
Three-Day Tororo is a dish of grated Japanese yam (tororo) that is eaten on the third day of the new year, hence its name.
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30
Ping pong is the conventional Japanese onomatopoeia for both doorbells and game show success indicators.
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31
1274-1281 A.D.
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32
Tetsuhou later became teppou, which means gun, rocket, etc.
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33
At movie theaters in Japan, they often sell official pamphlets with information about the movie.
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34
Used to put a family stamp/seal on documents. The Japanese use these seals more often than signatures.
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35
Called Dragon Warrior in English, it's a very old Nintendo RPG game.
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36
The Japanese Self-Defense Forces, established after World War II, are Japan’s military branches.
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37
In Japanese erotic games, you have to go to the right “flags”, or key scenes, to get any specific ending.
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38
The Japan Weakling Association.
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39
The Japan Pessimist Association.
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40
The Japan Hostage Exchange Club.
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41
A more socially acceptable term for hikikomori that has sprung up in the past few years.
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FB2 document info
Document ID: pavel_v-lib.ruc.ec-20100101
Document version: 1.2
Document creation date: 01/01/2010
Created using: OOo Writer, ExportToFB21, vim software
Document authors :
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Document history:
1.1 - Pavel_V: clearing in Writer, export in fb2, fine-tuning in vim
1.2 - Pavel_V: initial reading
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