What's the matter?
Nothing... nothing at all.
Oh...
It's really nothing at all.
Then let's hurry up and start. It's cold here.
Now I'll begin the lecture.
Tonight's theme is...
"The Final Words of Famous People."
What?
"More light!"
Huh?
Whose words are these?
What's this, a quiz?
You don't know? It's a famous person.
That's that... that one guy...
Three...
You know, who's really famous...
Two...
One...
Bzzz.
The correct answer was Goethe. The famous literary master, that is.
That's it, Goethe. I was just about to say that.
Here's the next one:
"I want to eat something."
Huh? He said that before he died?
Hint: This person is also a literary master.
Then it must be that...
You know, that foreign author, uh...
Three...
...who wrote that work called something or other...
Two...
One...
Bzzz.
The correct answer is Mr. Soseki Natsume.
He was a big eater, you see.
Here's the next one.
"Mr. Ibuse is a villain."
Well...
Osamu Dazai.
Ding ding! That's correct.
What?!
But writing bad things about somebody is a bizarre final testament, huh?
I wonder what on earth this guy Mr. Ibuse did?
That's all for the "Literary Masters" series.
Next is the "Sportsman" series.
First...
"The New Year's grated yam was delicious."
Oh! That's the suicide note of Tsuburaya, the marathon runner, right?
Ding ding ding ding! Right! Well done!
I got it!
I'm impressed you knew that, Sato.
It's because it's a famous last testament.
It also said other things, like the sushi, wine, and squid were delicious, didn't it?
Right, right. It's impressive that you know that!
Apparently, Tsuburaya returned to his hometown just before he died,
and ate grated yams with his mother and father.
Oh?
I guess maybe everyone wants to go home before they die.
Oh, now that you mention it, Misaki, are you from this area?
No, I'm not.
That's Cassiopeia, so the North Star is around there...
It's that way, a small town looking out on the Sea of Japan.
Ah...
There's a beautiful promontory,
which apparently ever since a certain famous person threw himself off of it,
has unfortunately become a well-known suicide spot.
Wow...
But when you're little, you don't know things like that,
so I played out on that promontory a lot.
Even now, I still dream about it sometimes.
Or I guess it's possible it was just a dream from the beginning.
I wonder if New Year's grated yams are good?
Couldn't say...
It's sudden, but we're having an exam tomorrow.
Last year's final exam that got postponed, right?
No, a graduation exam.
What?
It looks like I'll end up going someplace far away.
Really...
Aren't you going to ask where I'm going or anything?
Where are you going?
To a faraway town that no one knows about.
Oh...
We'll meet tomorrow at 12 in front of the station, rain or shine, okay?
Sure.
Goodnight.
We're still on even if it snows!
Now I will announce the exam result.
Ta-da!
You passed with flying colors! Congratulations, Sato.
With this, my project is successfully completed.
You've done good work over this long period.
Misaki...
Why was it me?
That you selected for your project?
You already know that both this park and your apartment, Sato, are visible from my room.
I was looking outside from my window and I found him,
a person even more worthless than me.
That was you, Sato.
So, that was it.
Here, sign this.
"Tatsuhiro Sato, (hereafter Party A), and Misaki Nakahara, (hereafter Party B),
hereby agree to the following contract:
1. Party A will not grow to dislike Party B.
2. In short, Party A will grow to like Party B.
3. He will not have a change of heart along the way.
4. He will never change his feelings in the future.
5. He will always be at her side when she is lonely.
6. That said, Party B is always lonely,
so in short, Party A will always be at her side.
7. If he does this, life will probably proceed in a good direction.
8. I think the suffering will go away.
9. If he breaks his promises,
the penalty is millions and millions of yen."
It's a simple thing.
Treat me kindly, and I'll treat you kindly too, Sato.
I've tried my very hardest in order to save you, Sato.
By now, you're crazy about me, right?
I can't do this.
Why?
You have nobody else but me, Sato!
If you don't sign it, you'll be all alone forever!
I can't!
This kind of thing is just too empty!
Sign it! If you don't, I feel like I'll fall to pieces!
You'll be fine!
You'll be fine, Misaki.
Do dry-cloth friction rubs or something to toughen your body and spirit.
Then you'll stop coming up with these kinds of silly ideas.
A pretty girl like you can definitely have a terrific life.
Look up when you walk!
Hey! Aren't you lonely?
No, I'm not!
But...
I-I'm lonely!
I'm not lonely!
Liar!
Um, Sato...
You're not lonely~?
I'm not lonely.
Really?
I am lonely!
Why didn't you sign the contract~?
Because she called you a worthless human being?
Because I don't have a right to save Misaki.
That's really the only reason?
Sato...
Human beings don't want to admit that they're worthless.
So, they're constantly seeking someone more worthless than themselves.
That's also why the Internet is overflowing with insults to others.
People who couldn't find anyone more worthless than themselves around
brand somebody they've never met a worthless human being,
because they want to believe they're better than someone.
It's hollow, isn't it?
It's because while they're badmouthing somebody else,
they can feel comforted that they themselves are all right.
But that doesn't actually help.
Don't you think that if, instead, one would just acknowledge that one is a worthless human being,
it might make things easier?
What?
That you're just a NEET, a worthless human being pitied even by a girl younger than yourself.
That's right, let's just admit it, Sato.
Let's just admit it, Sato.
Let's admit it.
Who are all of you?
Here, Sato, say "Aah."
Aah...
"Aah."
Aah... Aah...
"Aah."
Hey, hold on! Let me eat that!
"Aah."
Hold on! Wait for me! Let me eat it! Wait for me! Let me eat it!
Let me eat it! Let me eat it!
On a certain day in January,
my living allowance from home was cut off completely.
I'm sorry, Tatsuhiro.
Your father's going into the hospital,
so your living allowance will have to...
And my final hope, the assistance from Yamazaki too.
About what we talked about before, my sending extra cheese and stuff.
Apparently, there are just a lot of problems with doing that, so I'm calling that off!
It's nothing to "ha-ha" about!
Wonder how many days it's been since I had a real meal?
I want calories. Anything will do.
I want to eat something.
Ramen...
Curry and rice...
Hamburger...
Cutlets and rice...
Tuna and rice...
It's because the compound DHA found in tuna stimulates brain activity.
I believe that eating tuna will unquestionably have a positive effect on your creative activities.
...unquestionably have a positive effect on your creative activities...
Question: Why can one keep living as a hikikomori?
Cut it out!
Wait for me!
Answer: Because one's food, clothing, and shelter are assured.
It's because one is permitted a lukewarm bare minimum of a life
that one can keep living as a hikikomori indefinitely.
Being able to live as a hikikomori was, in itself, very much a luxury.
Without the assurance of food, clothing, and shelter,
unless you're prepared to die, there's no other way but to work.
Congratulations, Sato.
You've finally escaped from being a hikikomori.
Misaki, hang in there! Misaki!
My, I wonder what on earth happened to her.
There is a lot going on with the Chiba family.
Apparently, she collapsed in the bathroom.
Oh, the poor girl...
You're...
...Sato, from the Mita House, aren't you?
What?
So, the landlord for Mita House is you, Misaki's uncle?
We've met once, at the lease signing.
Oh, that's right.
So naturally, that's how Misaki knew where I was from and what college I went to and stuff.
Umm, how is Misaki?
She got dizzy and collapsed in the bathroom, and that's when she got injured.
I see...
That girl was my younger sister's only daughter.
The poor girl...
Her real father died right after she was born, and after a while my sister remarried,
but that husband was a terrible guy.
Don't! Please stop!
He hardly worked,
And stuff like his getting drunk and raising his hands to his family were everyday occurrences.
Don't! Come on, stop it!
Don't!
Then the girl's mother...
In the end, it was never clear if it was a suicide or an accident.
The girl she left behind was alone with a father she was unrelated to,
and apparently had a very hard time of it.
Please... Please stop...
Thanks to that, she turned into a very socially inept girl.
Even when I took her in and she started school here,
she couldn't adapt, and before long she quit.
She may be feeling like she's a burden on my wife and me.
Even though she's at the age where she probably wants to goof off and wear nice clothes and such,
she doesn't indulge herself at all.
Sure, she does things like accompanying my wife, and working at the manga café I own.
But you know, since meeting you, Sato, she'd grown much more cheerful.
When that girl talked about you, Sato, she really looked like she was having fun.
It's weird that I should be requesting this,
but could you please be a friend to the girl?
Misaki Nakahara
Huh? Misaki!
Kazuko's not here either?
If they're together, there's nothing to worry about, but...
Kazuko! Kazuko!
Nationwide Railway Timetable
The New Year's grated yams were delicious. So to everybody,
The New Year's grated yams were delicious. So to everybody, goodbye.
She really was sound asleep!
I told you not to take your eyes off that girl, didn't I?
Misaki?
Where's Sato?
I guess maybe everyone wants to go home before they die.
You know I'm broke, right, Misaki?
Episode 23
Welcome to Misaki!
So to everybody, goodbye.
The Japan Social-Withdrawal Association.
The Japan Frailty Association.
The Japan Hysterics' Association.
The Japan Pessimism Association.
"Welcome to the N.H.K.!"
Next Episode
Welcome to the N.H.K!