Would you allow me to do this?
Please?
Yes, of course.
Course
I know this was my idea, but...
Is something the matter?
No, it's nothing.
Here.
Are you okay?
You seemed rather inebriated last night as well.
Inebriated?
The Great Passage
On a quiet dreamlike morning
The crimson sky shines through the window and reflects off my pen
In the vivid clatter of the night, I wander between cities like a cat
Deep thoughts
A flexible conception
Foreseeable aspirations
Distant memories
Unruly hair
A narrow mind
A large circle of friends
A long silence
A short greeting
Tone of voice
The light in our eyes that slightly differs
Traces of friendship that's not in the treaty
In the ocean that sweeps the sand of eternity
Swept and sunk in the waves with sparse opposites and similarities
Clashing and exact opposites become resolved and connected
Reference
Conclusion
I'll gather words
that have
scattered
over
many
months and years
With the fragrant sea breeze, the connection that rests on the seashore becomes one
Inebriated, inebriated?
Inebriated?
Inebriated...
Inebriated.... Inebriated!
"Affected by drinking too much alcohol. Drunkenness."
What? Why didn't he just say that I was drunk?
For internal use only
"Majime Mitsuya."
Nishioka wrote this?!
Dear Nishioka Masashi, this is Kishibe from the Dictionary Editorial Department.
I have discovered the secret file.
If you're willing, I would like to learn more about Majime.
This will greatly help me acclimate to my new job.
Your guidance would be most appreciated.
That was fast!
"Yoo-hoo. Thanks for your text.
Of course, I'll tell you anything you want! Star emoji."
Man, he's casual.
"I'm sure you're currently in the labyrinth known as Majime wondering which direction you should take.
If that's the case, I have a book I'd like to recommend.
It's called Night Flight.
Look for it on the bookshelf.
Well, ciao."
There it is.
Why this book?
"Nice, you found it. Congratulations.
Next, find Weekend Club from the archives."
What?
This is it.
What's this?
"Dear Madam, the bitter throes of winter are almost at hand.
I pray that life has found you well."
From Majime Mitsuya
Huh?
What is this? It's full of Chinese.
"There is also the princess that's said to have descended from the moon,
and the day I met you, I felt the tightness in my chest much like one would feel on the moon.
Breathing has become impossible."
Is this...
a love letter?!
Honestly, why doesn't he just write that he likes her?
Did you find something interesting?
Mr. Matsumoto.
So this is what he would write then.
It's amazing how she understood what he meant.
But this letter is very like Majime.
Huh?
He may know many words, but he lacks the ability to express what he's feeling.
He said I was inebriated earlier.
That was Majime doing his best in his own way.
He chose his words carefully to get closer to you.
Words...
Majime told me yesterday that I put great importance on words.
But I don't really understand what he meant.
What does it mean to place importance on words?
Let's see.
For example, let's say you're speaking with your friends,
and you're having difficulty conveying your thoughts on a certain topic.
Okay.
You're trying your best to explain,
but your friend isn't understanding.
So, what do you do?
Let's see.
I would try to think of ways to say my thoughts in different ways.
Right?
How would I do that?
Right?
Right. Right.
Right!
Oh, I see.
Kishibe.
You're a fellow word lover.
Huh?
Selecting your words to be more understandable is proof of that.
Oh, I'm not.
But...
I'm happy our family is growing.
Majime.
Huh?
Yes?
What do you believe a dictionary is?
Well, that's a...
Why the sudden interest?
I'd like to know your thoughts.
Let's see.
It's an item that assists people to understand each other better.
When we're talking,
or when we're reading a book, we come across many words, don't we?
Behind each of those words is the person who expressed them.
What was that person feeling?
What did they want to communicate?
It's an aid to help you understand.
That's what I believe a dictionary is.
But dictionaries aren't perfect.
Huh?
They're made by people, and it's impossible to be able to gather every word there is.
Besides, words are alive.
Alive?
Yes.
The way words are used changes with the times.
New meanings are added.
For example...
Like "subtle"?
Or "awful."
Yes.
There are some words that have been wrapped with new meaning,
and their original meaning has long since been lost.
That's why new dictionaries can be made.
Words that change. Words that disappear. Words that are newly born.
It's to ensure that we're all able to understand throughout the ages.
Majime and I can't do it on our own.
We need the sensibilities of young people like you to incorporate into our Great Passage.
Yes!
Dear Nishioka Masashi,
Thank you for your help!
I'm going to do my best here!
Kishibe Midori
Teach me!
The Dictionaries!
Kai, you're finally going to be finished soon!
I see it's right in the middle like it should be.
What do you mean?
They say that dictionaries are well balanced when words that start with "m" are in the middle.
In English, most words start with "a," "s," or "t."
Here's m
They're finally starting to teach us things in episode 9!
That was very informative!
They're finally starting to teach us things in episode 9!
So ending words with a "x" or "z" in the word-chain game is a good strategy?
All right, let's play, then!
Okay... Daijirin!
Kojien!
Daijisen!
It's important that dictionaries have a good balance of entries!
Dictionary Editorial Department
We've finished with the fourth pass.
We'll now be proceeding to the final pass.
The length and layout have mostly been decided.
We need to adjust the positions where we insert the figures.
No further changes will be made with the entry words.
However, if there are any words you feel should not be included,
or words you feel strongly about including,
this will be your last opportunity to bring it to our attention.
But limit the number as much as possible.
Okay.
Let's get to work, everyone!
Fourth Draft
The stickiness is much better,
but the strength concerns me.
I apologize! We will readjust it again!
Dictionary Editorial Department
I know we'll be able to do this together.
Thank you.
Good work, everyone!
I come bearing gifts.
Yay!
Thank you very much!
That was delicious.
Right? Come on, have another.
You know, I've felt this for a while now, but you really are thoughtful, Nishioka.
I got a compliment!
This is fantastic!
Excuse me.
The Great Passage will be a good dictionary.
Thank you very much.
When will you be able to begin production?
We can start anytime.
Then please begin immediately.
I look forward to our continuing work.
Yes, of course.
Let's do our best till the end.
Oh, Miyamoto!
Thank you for creating such wonderful paper for The Great Passage.
We'll strive to make The Great Passage great and worthy of your paper.
Kishibe.
To be honest, every time he'd criticize the paper, I felt quite discouraged.
But when I see everyone on the editorial team working so hard after all these years,
it really helped motivate me to come this far.
So really,
thank you very much!
You don't...
If you'd care to, would you like to grab a meal together sometime?
To celebrate the paper being finished...
You mean just the two of us?
Is that a no?
No, it's not! Let's do it!
But please let me treat you.
Huh?
I mean, it's to celebrate after all.
You really have me cornered here.
Don't you think these numbers are too high?
I can't possibly think demand would be that high.
No.
Other mid-sized dictionaries from our competitors all have an initial print run of 200,000.
The Great Passage should be able to do a similar number.
If a book of this price gets stranded in our warehouses, do you have any idea what our losses would be?
That won't happen.
They'll sell.
The Great Passage will become an iconic item for Genbu Publishing
as a dictionary made for these modern times.
So please, lend us your support.
Good job!
Come on, eat up.
I'll never get used to those meetings.
I'd like to pay now.
Okay. Please wait one moment.
If only I were a good talker like you, Nishioka.
Oh, stop that.
You're finally almost done.
I used to think back then that it'd never end.
I'm sorry for the wait.
But we still can't relax yet.
We're currently in the last pass.
There's so much we need to reexamine.
That's right! There's also marketing!
Leave that to me.
I have a secret plan.
Welcome!
Over there!
Okay.
That's not bad either.
Mr. Matsumoto, that's enough for today.
No, my eyes are just a little tired.
I'm still okay.
I want to stay here and make sure we're not shorthanded.
Of course.
How is the word balance?
Perhaps you should take a break until you're feeling better.
There's no need to push yourself so hard.
But...
I promise to contact you as soon as something comes up.
Please come back once you're feeling healthy again.
Very well, then.
I suppose I'm acting impatiently knowing we're so close to the end.
But we shouldn't be hasty.
We have to finish this soon.
But we mustn't be hasty.
We mustn't lose focus.
Not until we're finished.
Genbu Publishing
Course?
I didn't know it could be an intransitive verb too.
Huh?
Majime!
Chief!
What is it?
It's missing!
There's a word missing.
Huh?
This must be some sort of mistake.
Could there be others?
Course
to run or pass rapidly along an indicated path "Blood courses throughout my body"
Course
to run or pass rapidly along an indicated path "Blood courses throughout my body"
"Hey, it's a full moon tonight"
I tell you softly as you sleep
Your gestures, attitude, and way of life
Mean so much more to me than any word
So please stay the way you are
I & I = You & I feel it
Here with you, forever by your side
I've loved you
Since the day we met
They're taking a while with our drinks, aren't they?
Now that you mention it, where could our sake be?
We have to make sure Kishibe doesn't drink any alcohol, got it?
We know.
Their date depends on it.