Welcome to the N.H.K. (2006) s01e17 Episode Script
Welcome to Happiness!
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
Sato, where did you go?
Sato!
Kobayashi
Maybe you don't remember me.
I was on the class committee and stuff.
Oh, the Class Rep?
I know it's sudden, but I have
something to talk to you about.
Any chance we could meet up?
Meet up?
Yeah, I live over here now. Can't we meet?
We'll arrange a time and place
by what works for you.
Would now be all right?
Sure.
The truth is, I just didn't want
to be in my apartment.
I wanted to forget about the online game,
so I wanted to go where there were no computers.
Any excuse would do.
Welcome.
She's not here yet, huh?
Sato?
So, it is you!
Huh?
Bazaar:10
Cafe: 6
Haunted House: 3
Class Rep?!
My big brother moved to Tokyo first,
so I enrolled in a college here too.
What I'm doing now is, well
I guess it's a volunteer kind of thing.
Oh? Volunteering, huh?
So, just like before, you're heading committees?
What's that supposed to mean?
That's a harsh way to say it.
You were always like that, weren't you, Sato?
Always with that cool gaze,
and that condescending attitude.
At first, I thought you were that way
towards everybody,
but after a while I realized that was
only your reaction to me.
Sato, you hated me, didn't you?
No, I didn't, not really.
Truth is, though, the way you talked
did sort of rub me the wrong way.
You took things too seriously, as Class Rep.
Yeah, that. That's the same thing you said before.
I did?
During the culture festival our
last year in high school.
Sato, you're lazing around again!
The culture festival is tomorrow!
Do you realize that?
Take things more seriously.
Darn it
Ms. Class Rep, don't you get tired,
straining yourself like that?
What?
You take everything so seriously.
Maybe that's fine for you,
but if you can't consider other people's
pace of doing things,
isn't it all just about your own ego?
Did I say something like that?
Yes, you did.
The truth is, it was only later that it sank in,
after I graduated from high school and
experienced a bunch of things.
So, what are you doing these days, Sato?
I asked your family, but they wouldn't
give me a clear answer.
So, did you get held back from graduation?
Or are you still looking for work?
I'd be better off if it were either of those.
Huh?
What are you doing?
Sato went off somewhere.
There's no reason to be so worried.
He has nowhere to go anyway.
He'll come home when he gets hungry.
But
If his foot slips from the cliff
Huh? What the heck are you talking about?
Nothing.
Hikikomori? You, Sato?
I'm not going to school. I'm not working either.
In short, I'm a NEET.
Funny stuff, huh?
It's not known what causes hikikomori.
I can't laugh at that.
Huh?
Hold on, would you like to meet a mentor of mine?
A mentor?
All of them are wonderful people.
It was by meeting them that I was able to change,
so that I could have my own words and not be
swayed by the words of strangers or other people!
Oh
I mean, each individual person
has amazing potential!
I'm positive even your hikikomori
condition will be cured.
Your very life will change!
This is perfect!
I was just going to go see that mentor now!
Come with me, Sato.
Now?
You've obviously got time, right?
Since you're hikikomori and all
What sort of person is this mentor
we're going to meet?
Well, let's see.
In a word, I guess he's someone who
made his dreams come true.
His dreams?
His name is Sagawa.
He's a legend. He acquired a "supercar"
in less than a year!
A "supercar"?! What the hell
kind of work is he doing?
I'll explain the details after we get there,
but it's work that really contributes to society!
Sato, do you play online games and such?
Huh? Why would you ask something like that?
Well, they say a lot of times people who are
hikikomori are into stuff like that, right?
As if I'd ever play an online game again.
People who are into that world of bullshit
are the dregs of humanity.
Sato, you can get on a train, so your hikikomori
condition isn't that serious, is it?
That's where you're wrong.
Until about six months ago, just going out
to shop late at night took all my effort.
So, that means now your symptoms
have gotten better?
How did you do it?
H How? Who can say?
A lot has happened recently
and it's because of that.
Hmm
That's right. It's not because of her or anything.
How could it be?
We're going pretty far, huh?
We're almost there.
I came because I got carried along by her talk,
but just where are we going?
Let's go.
Huh?
Mr. Sagawa's home is a
thirty-minute walk from here.
Thirty minutes?! Walk?!
I can't see anything but pampas grass.
Hold on a minute! It's the home of a legend, right?
I'm not lying to you.
Look! It's there, isn't it? The supercar.
It certainly is, but
Some something's not right.
Well, let's not stand around; let's go inside.
Mouseroad
Susukigahara
Merchandise
Explanatory
Meeting
Sagawa
Hello? It's Kobayashi.
"M Mouseroad"?
The company that produces superior merchandise
that celebrities worldwide swear by!
We are honored members of Mouseroad.
Is this by any chance
Huh? Oh, Ms. Kobayashi.
We We're all set up.
Is that this Sagawa guy?
No, it's not. That's Kurokawa.
He's a normal member like me.
Mr. Sagawa went out for the closing after he
finished the merchandise explanations.
A life of wonder
Mouseroad Japan
Come in.
Yay!
Ooh, that's good.
Yes! It has the intrinsic good taste
of nature, doesn't it?
Class Rep?
That's right.
It is safety that Mouseroad suggests to others!
Our job is to provide products that everyone
from allergy sufferers
to children and the elderly
can use with confidence.
Well, now, let's demonstrate just how
superior the merchandise we sell is,
compared to commercially available products.
This time I'm going to explain about this household
detergent made from 100% natural materials!
Here we have prepared another
company's synthetic detergent.
Let's try putting these two into
separate containers of water.
Look, Mr. Kurokawa!
Mouseroad's is clear,
but this one is murky, isn't it?
That's right. The other company's detergent has
extra additives in it which make it this murky.
That's right. The other company's detergent has
extra additives in it which make it this murky.
Wow
If I shake them both up, I'm sure the
difference will be very clear!
Oh! There's no sound whatsoever
from the commercial detergent!
That's right! The commercial detergent has
foamed up too much, so it makes no sound!
Doing laundry uses the force of the water's impact
and the friction of cloth rubbing together,
but with this detergent, it's all meaningless!
Yeah, for that reason, it's very clear that
Mouseroad's product is superior!
Would you look at that?
That's really something!
What do you know?
Amazing! Bravo!
I never would've dreamed our class rep
would end up doing something like this.
Well, now that you all understand
how good Mouseroad's products are,
let's have the "Super Supplier,"
Mr. Sagawa, come on out!
Sagawa! Sagawa!
Sagawa! Sagawa!
Sagawa! Sagawa!
Sagawa! Sagawa!
Sagawa! Sagawa!
Hey, everyone!
Since you've been given a life as a human being,
don't you want to try driving a "supercar"?
Ooh
I made my dreams a reality with Mouseroad.
It's possible for you too!
For those who want to make their dreams reality,
I recommend that by all means you take
in the lecture that's coming up.
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad!
Even though I put my lots in so my chances
were up to more than 50%
You weren't able to draw a bonus?
Nope; I pulled out a lot of "draw again" tabs, but
Sato!
You're not going to take in the lecture?
They'll want money, right?
Well, yes
You purchase the products at the same time,
so they can't do it for free.
But it's not much.
If all goes well, you can recover
your costs in one month,
and above all, it's work that's
meaningful to society!
It all comes down to "buy the products here, and sell
a ton of them to others to make money," right?
Yes, yes! You really get it, don't you?!
And if you build your circle of '"friends,"
you move up the ladder.
It's that kind of system, right?
Yeah, uh-huh!
This is
Huh?
This is
one of those so-called "multilevel marketing"
schemes, right?
You see, I'm hikikomori,
so I watch a lot of television.
So, I happen to know that this kind of thing
often makes for trouble.
What's wrong with it? It's not like it's illegal.
Screw you!
Sato!
Treating me like a sucker!
Damn Damn! Damn!
Everyone I run into is just messing with me!
Sato!
Sato, listen to me.
Go back there!
I'm not a sucker like the bunch that were in there!
You're wrong. That's not how it is.
I'm not wrong!
Ms. Class Rep just wants to get her hands on a
neat car or something like that old guy,
so people will fawn over you, right?
So, you called up an old schoolmate like me,
to try to turn me into a pawn, right?
Am I wrong?!
No, you're right!
I was trying to trick you into buying more detergent
than you could use in ten years, Sato.
Not just detergent, natural food products,
and pots and kettles too!
So what's wrong with that?!
I got corraled into this by an older friend,
and they've gotten me to buy a mountain
of these products!
That's your own fault though, right?!
Don't get me involved!
Yes, yes, it is all my fault, but
But I
I don't want to be the one who gets tricked
by other people anymore!
What?!
Class Rep
Right after I moved to Tokyo, my father keeled over.
Huh?
I was forced to earn all I needed for
my school and living expenses.
To make money, I couldn't be choosy
about the work I did.
You're not saying, Class Rep
It was dressing up in costumes to sell jewelry.
I was on a commission, so I worked really hard,
and I climbed all the way up to number one.
But I didn't ever even get paid properly for my work.
In the end, the owner took the money and ran.
All I could do was just resign myself to accepting it.
That was when it happened,
when I got invited into Mouseroad.
But thanks to that, I ended up burdened
with even more debt.
What about you?
Are you going to keep living as a hikikomori your
whole life, at the very bottom of society?
You're smart enough, Sato, to already be aware of
how people around you look down on you, right?
Garbage you suck
A failure as a human
Hikikomori loser!
You're hikikomori, right, Sato?
Are you listening, Sato?
Everyone is using you.
Society wants unemployed hikikomoris to exist,
because people always need someone they
feel confident looking down upon!
JAPAN
SOCIAL-WITHDRAWAL
ASSOCIATION
CONSCY
CONSPIRACY
Conspiracy
Conspiracy
You get it, right?
The world is, after all, take or be taken,
despise or be despised.
It's a zero-sum game!
Since it is, we should side with the exploiters!
Look down on the people around you!
That's right, relationships between people
are rotten to the core anyway,
so you should just trade them
for money and start over!
That's what Mouseroad is for!
Let's rise to the top together with Mouseroad!
If we do, my debt will be gone,
and your dreams can come true too, Sato!
My dreams?
Yes! There are no dreams that can't come true!
A success story is waiting for you!
You have to use everything for that purpose!
Yume to inbou no
Dreams and conspiracies
Yume to inbou no
Dreams and conspiracies
That's right
You have to use everything you can use.
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Sato!
You're still here, huh?
How about just going on home?
Hey-hey-hey-hey!
I am a super supplier
Sato?
I am a super supplier
Sato?
I am an amazing success story
I am an amazing success story
Huh?
Yamazaki, what are you doing?
That's my line.
What were you doing until this time of night?
Sato, what's that?
Well, I thought I'd sell you guys some
wonderful merchandise, so I stocked up.
Products?
You stocked up? Where did you get
that kind of money?
An acquaintance introduced me to loans!
Loans?!
What, there's no need to worry.
Once I sell all this, I'll be able to
pay it back immediately.
My success story has just begun!
Sato, can I talk to you a minute?
Huh? About what?
That wouldn't be a typical bad
"multilevel marketing" scheme?
Don't be stupid!
How would I get sucked into
Sucked into
Episode 17
Welcome to Happiness!
I got sucked in!
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
The cause of that is also starved brain matter!
This is really good detergent, you know.
Next episode,
"Welcome to No Future!"
Next Episode
Welcome to No Future!
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
Sato, where did you go?
Sato!
Kobayashi
Maybe you don't remember me.
I was on the class committee and stuff.
Oh, the Class Rep?
I know it's sudden, but I have
something to talk to you about.
Any chance we could meet up?
Meet up?
Yeah, I live over here now. Can't we meet?
We'll arrange a time and place
by what works for you.
Would now be all right?
Sure.
The truth is, I just didn't want
to be in my apartment.
I wanted to forget about the online game,
so I wanted to go where there were no computers.
Any excuse would do.
Welcome.
She's not here yet, huh?
Sato?
So, it is you!
Huh?
Bazaar:10
Cafe: 6
Haunted House: 3
Class Rep?!
My big brother moved to Tokyo first,
so I enrolled in a college here too.
What I'm doing now is, well
I guess it's a volunteer kind of thing.
Oh? Volunteering, huh?
So, just like before, you're heading committees?
What's that supposed to mean?
That's a harsh way to say it.
You were always like that, weren't you, Sato?
Always with that cool gaze,
and that condescending attitude.
At first, I thought you were that way
towards everybody,
but after a while I realized that was
only your reaction to me.
Sato, you hated me, didn't you?
No, I didn't, not really.
Truth is, though, the way you talked
did sort of rub me the wrong way.
You took things too seriously, as Class Rep.
Yeah, that. That's the same thing you said before.
I did?
During the culture festival our
last year in high school.
Sato, you're lazing around again!
The culture festival is tomorrow!
Do you realize that?
Take things more seriously.
Darn it
Ms. Class Rep, don't you get tired,
straining yourself like that?
What?
You take everything so seriously.
Maybe that's fine for you,
but if you can't consider other people's
pace of doing things,
isn't it all just about your own ego?
Did I say something like that?
Yes, you did.
The truth is, it was only later that it sank in,
after I graduated from high school and
experienced a bunch of things.
So, what are you doing these days, Sato?
I asked your family, but they wouldn't
give me a clear answer.
So, did you get held back from graduation?
Or are you still looking for work?
I'd be better off if it were either of those.
Huh?
What are you doing?
Sato went off somewhere.
There's no reason to be so worried.
He has nowhere to go anyway.
He'll come home when he gets hungry.
But
If his foot slips from the cliff
Huh? What the heck are you talking about?
Nothing.
Hikikomori? You, Sato?
I'm not going to school. I'm not working either.
In short, I'm a NEET.
Funny stuff, huh?
It's not known what causes hikikomori.
I can't laugh at that.
Huh?
Hold on, would you like to meet a mentor of mine?
A mentor?
All of them are wonderful people.
It was by meeting them that I was able to change,
so that I could have my own words and not be
swayed by the words of strangers or other people!
Oh
I mean, each individual person
has amazing potential!
I'm positive even your hikikomori
condition will be cured.
Your very life will change!
This is perfect!
I was just going to go see that mentor now!
Come with me, Sato.
Now?
You've obviously got time, right?
Since you're hikikomori and all
What sort of person is this mentor
we're going to meet?
Well, let's see.
In a word, I guess he's someone who
made his dreams come true.
His dreams?
His name is Sagawa.
He's a legend. He acquired a "supercar"
in less than a year!
A "supercar"?! What the hell
kind of work is he doing?
I'll explain the details after we get there,
but it's work that really contributes to society!
Sato, do you play online games and such?
Huh? Why would you ask something like that?
Well, they say a lot of times people who are
hikikomori are into stuff like that, right?
As if I'd ever play an online game again.
People who are into that world of bullshit
are the dregs of humanity.
Sato, you can get on a train, so your hikikomori
condition isn't that serious, is it?
That's where you're wrong.
Until about six months ago, just going out
to shop late at night took all my effort.
So, that means now your symptoms
have gotten better?
How did you do it?
H How? Who can say?
A lot has happened recently
and it's because of that.
Hmm
That's right. It's not because of her or anything.
How could it be?
We're going pretty far, huh?
We're almost there.
I came because I got carried along by her talk,
but just where are we going?
Let's go.
Huh?
Mr. Sagawa's home is a
thirty-minute walk from here.
Thirty minutes?! Walk?!
I can't see anything but pampas grass.
Hold on a minute! It's the home of a legend, right?
I'm not lying to you.
Look! It's there, isn't it? The supercar.
It certainly is, but
Some something's not right.
Well, let's not stand around; let's go inside.
Mouseroad
Susukigahara
Merchandise
Explanatory
Meeting
Sagawa
Hello? It's Kobayashi.
"M Mouseroad"?
The company that produces superior merchandise
that celebrities worldwide swear by!
We are honored members of Mouseroad.
Is this by any chance
Huh? Oh, Ms. Kobayashi.
We We're all set up.
Is that this Sagawa guy?
No, it's not. That's Kurokawa.
He's a normal member like me.
Mr. Sagawa went out for the closing after he
finished the merchandise explanations.
A life of wonder
Mouseroad Japan
Come in.
Yay!
Ooh, that's good.
Yes! It has the intrinsic good taste
of nature, doesn't it?
Class Rep?
That's right.
It is safety that Mouseroad suggests to others!
Our job is to provide products that everyone
from allergy sufferers
to children and the elderly
can use with confidence.
Well, now, let's demonstrate just how
superior the merchandise we sell is,
compared to commercially available products.
This time I'm going to explain about this household
detergent made from 100% natural materials!
Here we have prepared another
company's synthetic detergent.
Let's try putting these two into
separate containers of water.
Look, Mr. Kurokawa!
Mouseroad's is clear,
but this one is murky, isn't it?
That's right. The other company's detergent has
extra additives in it which make it this murky.
That's right. The other company's detergent has
extra additives in it which make it this murky.
Wow
If I shake them both up, I'm sure the
difference will be very clear!
Oh! There's no sound whatsoever
from the commercial detergent!
That's right! The commercial detergent has
foamed up too much, so it makes no sound!
Doing laundry uses the force of the water's impact
and the friction of cloth rubbing together,
but with this detergent, it's all meaningless!
Yeah, for that reason, it's very clear that
Mouseroad's product is superior!
Would you look at that?
That's really something!
What do you know?
Amazing! Bravo!
I never would've dreamed our class rep
would end up doing something like this.
Well, now that you all understand
how good Mouseroad's products are,
let's have the "Super Supplier,"
Mr. Sagawa, come on out!
Sagawa! Sagawa!
Sagawa! Sagawa!
Sagawa! Sagawa!
Sagawa! Sagawa!
Sagawa! Sagawa!
Hey, everyone!
Since you've been given a life as a human being,
don't you want to try driving a "supercar"?
Ooh
I made my dreams a reality with Mouseroad.
It's possible for you too!
For those who want to make their dreams reality,
I recommend that by all means you take
in the lecture that's coming up.
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad!
Even though I put my lots in so my chances
were up to more than 50%
You weren't able to draw a bonus?
Nope; I pulled out a lot of "draw again" tabs, but
Sato!
You're not going to take in the lecture?
They'll want money, right?
Well, yes
You purchase the products at the same time,
so they can't do it for free.
But it's not much.
If all goes well, you can recover
your costs in one month,
and above all, it's work that's
meaningful to society!
It all comes down to "buy the products here, and sell
a ton of them to others to make money," right?
Yes, yes! You really get it, don't you?!
And if you build your circle of '"friends,"
you move up the ladder.
It's that kind of system, right?
Yeah, uh-huh!
This is
Huh?
This is
one of those so-called "multilevel marketing"
schemes, right?
You see, I'm hikikomori,
so I watch a lot of television.
So, I happen to know that this kind of thing
often makes for trouble.
What's wrong with it? It's not like it's illegal.
Screw you!
Sato!
Treating me like a sucker!
Damn Damn! Damn!
Everyone I run into is just messing with me!
Sato!
Sato, listen to me.
Go back there!
I'm not a sucker like the bunch that were in there!
You're wrong. That's not how it is.
I'm not wrong!
Ms. Class Rep just wants to get her hands on a
neat car or something like that old guy,
so people will fawn over you, right?
So, you called up an old schoolmate like me,
to try to turn me into a pawn, right?
Am I wrong?!
No, you're right!
I was trying to trick you into buying more detergent
than you could use in ten years, Sato.
Not just detergent, natural food products,
and pots and kettles too!
So what's wrong with that?!
I got corraled into this by an older friend,
and they've gotten me to buy a mountain
of these products!
That's your own fault though, right?!
Don't get me involved!
Yes, yes, it is all my fault, but
But I
I don't want to be the one who gets tricked
by other people anymore!
What?!
Class Rep
Right after I moved to Tokyo, my father keeled over.
Huh?
I was forced to earn all I needed for
my school and living expenses.
To make money, I couldn't be choosy
about the work I did.
You're not saying, Class Rep
It was dressing up in costumes to sell jewelry.
I was on a commission, so I worked really hard,
and I climbed all the way up to number one.
But I didn't ever even get paid properly for my work.
In the end, the owner took the money and ran.
All I could do was just resign myself to accepting it.
That was when it happened,
when I got invited into Mouseroad.
But thanks to that, I ended up burdened
with even more debt.
What about you?
Are you going to keep living as a hikikomori your
whole life, at the very bottom of society?
You're smart enough, Sato, to already be aware of
how people around you look down on you, right?
Garbage you suck
A failure as a human
Hikikomori loser!
You're hikikomori, right, Sato?
Are you listening, Sato?
Everyone is using you.
Society wants unemployed hikikomoris to exist,
because people always need someone they
feel confident looking down upon!
JAPAN
SOCIAL-WITHDRAWAL
ASSOCIATION
CONSCY
CONSPIRACY
Conspiracy
Conspiracy
You get it, right?
The world is, after all, take or be taken,
despise or be despised.
It's a zero-sum game!
Since it is, we should side with the exploiters!
Look down on the people around you!
That's right, relationships between people
are rotten to the core anyway,
so you should just trade them
for money and start over!
That's what Mouseroad is for!
Let's rise to the top together with Mouseroad!
If we do, my debt will be gone,
and your dreams can come true too, Sato!
My dreams?
Yes! There are no dreams that can't come true!
A success story is waiting for you!
You have to use everything for that purpose!
Yume to inbou no
Dreams and conspiracies
Yume to inbou no
Dreams and conspiracies
That's right
You have to use everything you can use.
Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Mouseroad! Mouseroad! Mouseroad!
Sato!
You're still here, huh?
How about just going on home?
Hey-hey-hey-hey!
I am a super supplier
Sato?
I am a super supplier
Sato?
I am an amazing success story
I am an amazing success story
Huh?
Yamazaki, what are you doing?
That's my line.
What were you doing until this time of night?
Sato, what's that?
Well, I thought I'd sell you guys some
wonderful merchandise, so I stocked up.
Products?
You stocked up? Where did you get
that kind of money?
An acquaintance introduced me to loans!
Loans?!
What, there's no need to worry.
Once I sell all this, I'll be able to
pay it back immediately.
My success story has just begun!
Sato, can I talk to you a minute?
Huh? About what?
That wouldn't be a typical bad
"multilevel marketing" scheme?
Don't be stupid!
How would I get sucked into
Sucked into
Episode 17
Welcome to Happiness!
I got sucked in!
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
The cause of that is also starved brain matter!
This is really good detergent, you know.
Next episode,
"Welcome to No Future!"
Next Episode
Welcome to No Future!