A great and vast ocean of words.
Standing in front of this ocean, without a means to cross the ocean,
we can only stand and watch.
However, when a ship is completed,
you will be able to embark on an unimaginable journey.
You can express these words and feelings inside you,
freeing them from deep within you.
And then you can go on a journey to receive the thoughts and words of another.
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
Compile
Really?
Here?
Dictionary Editorial Department
No, that's not it.
Excuse me.
Is there anyone here?
Oh, we've been waiting for you.
I'm...
We know.
Chief. Chief Majime.
Yes, I'm over here.
She's here.
What?
The girl starting today.
Oh, that's right!
Please hold on one moment.
I'm so sorry.
I'm Majime Mitsuya.
A business card?
I'm Kishibe.
I'm from the Northern Black Editorial Team.
I'm transferring into this department starting today.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you.
Let's see, we should first...
This is the Dictionary Editorial Department.
The only company employees here are me and you, Kishibe.
I'm Sasaki.
I'm a contract worker.
Um...
Then are there only three people here?
Occasionally, we have a professor who is supervising the dictionary, as well as another part-time worker.
Occasionally?
Is there a problem?
No, I'm just surprised.
Feel free to take any desk you like.
That's all right, isn't it, Majime?
Yes, you can use any desk.
Thank you very... much...
Um...
Where should I...
Oh no!
I'm so sorry to ask you after just arriving, but could you start with clearing them off?
Yes, I understand.
I'll be in the archive room. Come get me if you need anything.
Okay.
No, that's not right
Time to roll up my sleeves!
The out-of-placeness is strong here.
Kishibe.
What does "out-of-placeness" mean?
You just used this phrase "out-of-placeness," didn't you?
Yes.
What is this?
What is that?
Do you mean the meaning?
Like you don't belong.
Or it's like you're a little lonely.
Or a feeling of alienation?
So it's "out-of-place" with "-ness" as an adjective suffix. Is that right?
That's right.
What other meanings are there?
Other?
Other...
Y-You feel like you're in the middle of the enemy camp.
Enemy camp.
Or like my situation now.
You're wrong, Kishibe.
Oh, I don't mean you're wrong about the meaning of the word.
In any case, this isn't the enemy camp—
But I've been at a fashion magazine my whole career.
Now suddenly I have to make a dictionary?
I can't imagine I'm even cut out for it.
There doesn't seem to be anything I could even do.
That's not true.
You're very suited to editing dictionaries.
See?
It's incredible.
I think anybody could do that.
Um, how do I say this?
It's so tidy and neat.
Dictionary making is about keeping things in order.
It's a job about organizing words in a specific order, so I'm sure you'll—
I'll just continue with the rest.
I'm here again today.
Excuse me!
We've been looking forward to this.
Kishibe.
This is Miyamoto from Akebono Papers.
Could you also come here for a second?
Yes, of course.
I made this to match the total number of pages for The Great Passage that we chose.
Please look through and check it.
Thank you.
What is that?
I just transferred here yesterday.
Oh, is that so?
I was wondering why I hadn't seen you around before.
What Majime is looking through now is a sample for The Great Passage.
The Great Passage?
Yes.
That's the new mid-sized dictionary being made here.
This paper was specially developed just for The Great Passage.
A new type of paper is created just for a dictionary?
Yes.
The Great Passage is going to contain 240,000 entries.
But the book must be held under eight centimeters.
By developing a special new paper, you can have more pages while keeping the same thickness,
meaning you can include more words.
I see.
230,000 entries was the limit previously, but with some innovation we were able to increase that by 10,000.
Amazing.
Just making it thin will result in paper that tears easily.
But this paper is thin yet still strong while staying light weight.
What's more, you can't see through the pages.
It took us some time to get to this place, but I'm very proud of it.
Paper has just been something you picked from an existing lineup,
but you made it from the ground up.
This won't work.
It's lacking a stickiness.
Stickiness?
Excuse me!
Kishibe.
Please thumb through the Kojien we have there.
Doesn't it feel like the paper just sticks to your fingers?
It sticks to your finger, yet it doesn't stick to the next page either.
That's the stickiness.
What's so wrong with this?
I think this sample is plenty easy to thumb through.
It's not good enough.
Dictionaries are thick books.
Flipping through them shouldn't feel stressful.
I'm terribly sorry.
It does lack sufficient stickiness.
I will remake it right away.
Please.
Thank you.
I will have our technicians go over it right away.
We will make a new sample.
Dictionaries are so...
Teach me!
The Dictionaries!
Wow, things sure have changed.
Things generally look better after 13 years.
Although, you haven't changed much, Kai.
That's right. I actually haven't been completed yet.
Still?!
You'll need to review and check that you don't have outdated words, then.
That's true, but...
I mean, look how polished the desk is.
They're sure to do the same with your content.
But isn't the out-of-placeness pretty strong here?
Yeah.
Am I going to be this sparkly of a dictionary?
Northern Black Editorial Team
Wait, we're in the wrong place!
You're right!
This is where we belong.
You can't write a dictionary in a day!
Thank you for this meal.
This is for you, Tigger.
I got this asparagus from the market.
How is it?
Micchan?
Oh, I'm sorry.
I was just doing some thinking.
About which definition?
Oh, it's not about a definition.
I was just wondering what I can do to help me understand young women better.
What?
She's a new transfer.
You know. I mentioned her before.
So she finally came.
Did you throw her a welcome party?
Not yet.
Of course! A welcome party.
Will your VIP room be free tomorrow?
It will.
Please reserve it.
Got it.
But, Micchan...
Yes?
I'd try to phrase stuff in a way that doesn't lead to any misunderstandings.
Not that I think you can.
What?
Oh! I'm sorry.
This is very good.
I forgive you.
And that's how The Great Passage was started.
Far Side of the Moon
Kishibe, we're very honored to welcome you to our family.
Though, I'm the only employee...
Why is your speech so long?!
Why are you even here?
Why wouldn't I be?!
I have to check out the new girl for myself!
Thank you all for this party.
Kishibe.
This is Mr. Matsumoto, the professor we mentioned yesterday who is supervising our dictionary for us.
I'm Matsumoto.
I'm Kishibe.
And this is Araki.
He was originally an employee, but he comes part-time now.
Nice to meet you.
It's nice to meet you.
And this is Nishioka.
He'll show up for dinners like tonight.
That's all my introduction is?!
Oh, was that not right?
You could mention so many other things.
Like being the hottest guy in PR.
Right, Kishibe?
Are you used to dictionary work yet?
No, since I haven't done anything yet.
This guy's a bit off in the head, you know?
Anyway, there will surely be challenges, but good luck.
What do you mean that I'm off in the head?
You're off in the head!
You were told the Socket Boom Encyclopedia they forced on you could be something simple.
But you turned it into a real character encyclopedia.
Socket Boom? You mean the game?
Yes!
We're doing that all for The Great Passage.
Kishibe, the company sees us as a real money pit.
That's why we have to do things like revise other dictionaries and character encyclopedias in parallel.
Because of that, The Great Passage isn't progressing at all.
It's been 13 years already.
Thirteen years?!
We would like to make it to the end from here.
We're already up to our third pass of proofreading.
It's almost done.
Mr. Matsumoto, are you still not over your cold?
Yes, I'm having a bit of trouble kicking this cold completely.
Please don't strain yourself.
I'm sorry to worry you.
Well, I'm going to go walk Mr. Matsumoto to the station.
Wait here until I get back, okay, Kishibe?
Huh?
I'm sorry. Thank you.
No prob.
Excuse me.
Thank you so much for coming to our restaurant today.
I'm Majime's wife and owner of this restaurant, Hayashi Kaguya.
I'm sure my husband has been quite the handful.
Huh? What?!
You're the chief's wife?!
Yes.
I'm Kishibe.
Majime has been really looking forward to you joining the dictionary team.
Huh?
I'm sure he might prove quite troublesome from time to time, but please take good care of him.
Oh, um, me as well.
Wow, this is pretty good.
I tried adding ginger.
I'm sorry.
I don't think I can do this.
I'm sorry.
What do you mean?
The dictionary!
My entire career, I've worked on fashion magazines.
But now I suddenly have to work on dictionaries?
Well...
I knew I was disliked!
Every time I got criticized for an article, I would complain to the editor-in-chief.
And I got into so many fights.
That's why they pushed me out.
That's not true.
The Northern Black editor-in-chief told me you had a certain talent with words, and that you're exceptional.
It did seem there was some conflict over your articles,
but that's because you placed a lot of importance on the words, isn't it?
I placed a lot of importance on words?
Yes.
That can't be true.
The editor-in-chief would always...
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring this up.
No, it's okay.
I'm sorry!
Please excuse me!
Kishibe!
I couldn't get through to her.
Even when you want to say something, it doesn't come across.
Words are hard.
But I think Kishibe is just like you.
It'd be nice if you could make this dictionary together.
Yes.
Huh? Kishibe?
Shoot, did the welcome party end?
Araki just goes on forever, you know?
Huh?
What?
You place a lot of importance on words, huh?
I was just doing the best I could.
I wanted to get across the kind of fashion I liked.
But it often didn't go very well.
I don't know anything anymore.
You used to be in the Dictionary Editorial Department, right?
What does it mean to place importance on words?
I have no idea.
What?
Hey, so if I asked you to explain what right is, how would you answer?
Right?
Yeah.
How would I do that?
Right?
The hand you don't put your wedding ring on?
Oh, but maybe some people do put it on the right.
When you look at the northern sky, it's the direction the sun and moon rises from?
When you point your body to the north, it's the side that's on the east!
How was that?
You're perfect for dictionaries.
I can guarantee you that.
I'm not going to give up yet.
All right, sounds good.
Majime Mitsuya
Subject
Let's go drinking again
You got a good newbie.
All right.
Dictionary Editorial Department
Chief, do you have a moment?
Yes?
I had a chance to look through this.
Would you ever consider looking over the fashion words again?
Huh?
Some have old definitions, and there are some recently established words that are missing.
Overall, I found it lacking.
It is, isn't it?
Would you allow me to do this?
Please.
Yes, of course.
Kishibe, I also have a favor to ask.
Yes?
I'd like you to address me as Majime instead of Chief.
Oh, okay. I can do that.
Well, I'll check this immediately, Majime.
Good.
Compile
to compose out of materials from other documents "Compile a dictionary"
Compile
to compose out of materials from other documents "Compile a dictionary"
"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
Stickiness...
I don't get it.
Oh, that?
Nishioka!
I mean, smart phones have that stickiness where I can flick the screen easily.
I see! So this is another stickiness too!
That's completely wrong.