I lift my eyes a little and look into the sky
All I do is mutter every time
I turn my back on this perfect everyday life
Where am I supposed to go
With you who are giving me a look like that?
Shadows on back streets
Hands of a clock
Repaint the time that has been stopped
Extended hands, puzzle pieces that don't fit
Until the abandoned two reunite
Something that has been lost
Recover the last piece
Let's start walking
Tatsuhiro? Stay calm and listen, okay?
Sure...
The truth is, I'm sorry, but...
Huh? I can't hear you very well.
Your...
My living allowance is cut in half?
NHK ni Youkoso! Welcome to the NHK!
HI
NHK ni Youkoso! Welcome to the NHK!
SAFETY
Welcome to the...
HI
Nippon Hikikomori Kyoukai Japan Social-Withdrawal Association
Shuukai! Assemble!
Hey, are you listening to me?
Umm...
Quit it, Mom.
Enough with that kind of bad joke.
It's not a joke at all.
This may be hard for you, but it's hard for me too.
But still, it's so sudden.
The truth is, your father got "restructured" as of the end of March of this year.
What?!
He's been doing all he can, going to an employment office, asking acquaintances and everything,
but he's having trouble finding a new job.
But even so, how can you suddenly cut my allowance in half?!
Until now, between unemployment insurance and your mom's nest egg,
we've fought to not cut back on this one thing, your allowance.
I've decided to increase the number of part-time hours I'm working.
So, you work too!
You've got a girl like Misaki who'll stand beside you. You can do that much, right?
Well, I guess...
Failure, failure, failure, failure of a man...
Sounds like your father is out of the bath.
I'm gonna hang up now.
What?!
Talk to you later. Do your best, Tatsuhiro!
Wait a minute!
Easy for her to suddenly say '"work."
I'm hikikomori and a NEET.
Huh?
Mita Chou Bank
I can't even buy a CD.
Welcome!
A hikikomori can't do customer service,
and I'd probably keel over after one day of physical labor.
As a college dropout, I probably can't get hired as a tutor.
And above all, I don't even want to leave my apartment!
I can't get a job!
Isn't there any way to earn money while tucked away in my apartment?
A person I met online is also hikikomori, and he's making a ton of money off of this game.
What? Off of a game?
He does R.M. T: "Real Money Trading."
He trades items and gold he acquires in the game for real money.
"Real money trading," huh?
Please enter password.
Cancel
There's still a means left for me to survive.
I can play the game for free for one month.
During that time I'll get the know-how to do R.M.T.,
then starting next month I'll sell items like mad and rake in the cash!
I mean, unlike a businessman or student, I've got nothing but time!
It'll be a piece of cake!
Long ago, there was a great battle between men and evil beasts...
An age of chaos, where swords and magic reigned supreme...
But mankind, without giving up hope, set out on a journey...
...to the land of Vina Teelo.
Twilight of the Pantheon
Apprentice Warrior Sa-To
So this is Vina Teelo...
Unlike normal games, somebody's controlling each of these characters.
Excuse me, do you need healing herbs?
That's no good.
I ran away without thinking.
That's... That's right, I have to fight.
That was fast. I got killed already.
So, there are monsters in the forest, huh?
Now that I know that, this time I'll move cautiously.
It was right around here...
He's here!
Take that!
Ah, damn it! I got killed again.
I'll get him this time.
Looks like I can't beat him with the equipment I've got.
I have to get a better sword and armor and stuff.
Whoa, they're expensive!
I can't afford a single thing.
Sato!
And even if I sell every item I have, it's still not close to enough.
Sato! Sato! And even if I sell every item I have, it's still not close to enough.
Hey, are you listening, Sato? And even if I sell every item I have, it's still not close to enough.
Yeah, what were we talking about again?
The game, our game.
What we put out at the summer Comic Stall was no more than a sample.
We have to put out a complete version at the winter Comic Stall.
The winter Comic Stall is in December, right?
That's still a long time from now.
What are you talking about?
If you take such a leisurely approach, the time is gonna fly right by.
That's what happened with the summer Stall too, right?
I get it, I get it.
Once I see the light at the end of the tunnel here, I'll get right on it.
The light at the end of the tunnel?
Sato, you're not playing by yourself?
Huh? Yeah...
Normally, you play with parties.
Parties?
You gather companions and adventure together.
If you get a party together with strong companions...
Did we get him?
In that way, it's possible to raise your level without hard work.
You have advanced a level.
Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!
Really? So, there's a secret method?
It's not a secret method or anything!
All right! I'll gather companions and increase my level!
Thanks, Yamazaki.
For today, I'm leaving,
but please don"t forget about making our gal-game, okay?
I hear you, I hear you.
I was too optimistic.
Even inside a game,
there's no way a hikikomori like me can casually strike up a conversation with total strangers.
What's more, if the person turns out to be a foreigner,
I can't speak English or anything.
I wonder if another option might present itself?
As things are, there's nothing for it but a solo charge!
This is no good.
I got killed again.
This game is too unbalanced. Why are the monsters so powerful?
Oh no! Is it that late already?
Ababa ababa dancing...
Sorry! Ababa ababa dancing...
Sorry!
I overslept!
Well, I guess I'll begin my lecture now.
People who neglect to make efforts or who don't take any action at all
are always the ones who dream that someday they will suddenly become wildly successful.
But the world is not such an easy place.
Our forebears left us wonderful expressions such as...
She's exactly right, I guess. Our forebears left us wonderful expressions such as...
She's exactly right, I guess.
"Using the pelt of a tanuki you haven't caught,"
As things stand, raking in the cash through R.M.T. is only a dream of a dream. "Using the pelt of a tanuki you haven't caught,"
As things stand, raking in the cash through R.M.T. is only a dream of a dream. Or "Those who do not work do not eat."
As things stand, raking in the cash through R.M.T. is only a dream of a dream.
Grabbing hold of a big success requires building to it bit by bit.
"A journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single step."
"Start small and keep plugging away."
"Start small and keep plugging away..."
That's right! I was forgetting about that!
I get it, Misaki!
You get what?
That's it, I just need to start with little things.
That's the foundation!
Huh?
Some business suddenly came up, so I'll have to call it a night.
Thank you, Misaki!
Uh, sure.
Yahoo!
"Thank you," huh?
He seems to be headed in a more positive direction.
Kodomo-damashi noo-uta wo utatte Singing a song to fool children
Dame dame otoko yo A failure, failure of a man!
Sokosoko ninki mo aru boku dakeredo l'm even moderately popular, but
Dame dame otoko yo Afailure, failure of a man!
Itsu mo kokoro ni kamen nootoko ga A masked man in my mind
Dame dame otoko yo A failure, failure of a man!
Toudai no ue de boku ni sakebu no sa Always yells at me from atop a lighthouse
Dame dame otoko yo A failure, failure of a man!
Ogoru koto nakare "Don't be proud"
Omae noomoi itte yarou "I'll tell you what you're thinking"
Dame ningen habikoru kono yo "Blow up this world, overrun with failed human beings
Maito ippatsu bakuhatsu sasete! "Blow up this world, overrun with failed human beings
Maito ippatsu bakuhatsu sasete! A dynamite blast!"
Three, two, one, zero!
Dame dame dame dame ningen Failure, failure, failure, failure of a man
Dame ningen, ningen Failure of a man, of a man
Dame dame dame dame ningen Failure, failure, failure, failure of a man
Dame ningen, ningen Failure of a man, of a man
Dame dame dame dame ningen Failure, failure, failure, failure of a man
Dame ningen, ningen Failure of a man, of a man
Mita House
Dame dame dame dame ningen Failure, failure, failure, failure of a man
Dame ningen, ningen Failure of a man, of a man
Pikyu!
You've appeared, have you?
That staple of RPGs, a small-fry monster!
First, I'll defeat you!
Take that! And that!
All right!
I'll defeat small-fry monsters just like this
and steadily increase my level.
"Operation: Start Small and Keep Plugging Away."
This is the way I'll get some items!
Good, good. It's working well!
Oh! My counseling with Misaki!
Ah, screw it.
Sheesh, that's a million-yen fine.
I can let it go. It seemed like he was working hard at something.
Oh! No, this is no good!
I wonder if he's writing the game script again?
You!
Damn, I didn't go up a level even by defeating an opponent this powerful?
I'm still only Level 5, and I only have 100 gold pieces for money.
I don't have any decent items either.
It's gonna be a long road to R.M.T.
Oh, they're awesome!
I'm gonna form a party after all, and...
No, I'm going through all this because I'm not capable of that, right?
Somebody save me!
Help!
Fires of Hell, burn away the one who stands in my way!
Cross Fire!
Oh, thank you!
Wow! So, you're a Warrior-Sorcerer, huh?
What? Uh, yes, I am...
You're awesome!
Huh?
Hey, if you like, shall we adventure together?
I don't look like much, but I'm a Healer.
A Healer, huh? That means she has the ability to restore hit points.
My name is Mia. What's yours?
Huh? I'm... Sa-To.
Nice to meet you, Sa-To!
I wonder if maybe he doesn't need my counseling anymore?
Sa-To!
Healing power...
Thanks, Mia!
Sa-To, the enemy's weakened! Now's the time!
All right!
Holy Lightning, reside in my hand and cut down the unclean one!
Thunder Blade!
We did it!
Yes! That finally broke me through to the Level 30 mark!
Sa-To, let's try and open the treasure chest!
Right!
This is a "Spirit Sword." If you buy it in a shop, it costs 10,000 gold!
I've always wanted this!
That's great, Sa-To!
I owe this to you too, Mia.
No, you don't! It was your own abilities.
No, really, since I teamed up with you, I've gone up levels really fast,
and I've become able to acquire items too.
I'm grateful to you, Mia.
No need to say that...
Oh! It's about time for me to go to work, so I'm out of here, okay?
Huh?
Catch you tomorrow!
Mia...
Um...
Is Sato doing okay?
Who knows? I haven't seen his face recently either.
Oh, you haven't? Sorry to bug you.
If you're concerned, how about paying him a visit directly?
Sorry I'm late!
Mia!
Huh? You didn't go up another level, did you?
Yeah, I kind of did, during the daytime.
Now that I've got this sword, things have become a lot easier.
Oh really...
Where are we going today?
I happened to hear that in the forest to the west, there's a dragon who has a Green Shield.
Huh?
What? What's wrong?
Oh, nothing.
Sato?
Sato!
What's the matter, Sa-To?
Huh? Somebody on the outside's being noisy here.
Outside meaning in the real world?
Well, it's no problem if I just don't pay it any mind.
Sato wouldn't have...
That can't happen! Absolutely not!
Sato, I'm coming in! It's okay, right?
Huh?
Sato!
Damn, she's loud.
Who? Someone in your family?
Just someone I know.
She still seems to think I'm hikikomori and a failure.
No way! Even though you're an amazingly-skilled Warrior-Sorcerer who's surpassed Level 30?
Sato!
That's right. I'm not hikikomori or a failure anymore.
I'm the young Warrior-Sorcerer Sa-To of Vina Teelo!
Episode 15
Welcome to the Fantasy!
He's worse than before.
Even if this world were going to end tomorrow
Since it's you
Would you take the curt attitude of
"If so, that's okay with me"?
There's no need to strain yourself
Just sometimes would be fine
So lift up your face and look this way
Look at me
Though it's a tiny world
For some reason it's too big for these two hands
Though it's an endless world
For some reason it's too small for these two hands
Hey, I want to laugh with you
In the irritating morning light
You'd be the ultimate NEET.
I have just one condition.
In this world, there are also true friends!
Next episode, "Welcome to Game Over!"
Next Episode
Welcome to Game Over!