It’s embarrassing to mention something that’s selling so well, but no one knows minor works. One could say that a book around this level is indeed the masterpiece that truly could help everyone’s communication. There are jokes about all sorts of current events included, and it’s extremely useful for helping young people think about the present times. It could even be said that if you read this book, you’ll be able to understand the feelings of young people who live in our society today. Older people will be surprised, thinking, “Oh, really? Young people nowadays are like this?!” And those of the same age as the characters in the book will sympathize, thinking, “I understand! I understand! This sort of thing happens all the time!” and can enjoy reading it. At least, I think this book has as much value as its price. I promise that it would take first place in a ranking of “books that you won’t lose anything by reading.”

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. <<

[2] Heated tables used in the winter for warmth, as most apartments do not have central heating. <<

[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. <<

[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. <<

[5] Kyokushin (ultimate truth) karate is a full-contact style of martial arts, founded in 1964 by Masutatsu Ohyama (1923-1994), a Koreanborn master reputed to have trained alone for years on Mt. Minoubu and Mt. Kiyosumi. <<

[6] Tatsuhiko Shibusawa (1928—1987) was a scholar, novelist, and essayist. <<

[7] A classic Gainax anime based loosely on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. <<