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FIRE VS ICE
The latest video, Gas flame vs Ice magic, seems unpopular.
The comments were harsh, like, "A pointless waste of resources."
We must tighten up our budget from today.
I will stop bidding on online auctions.
-What's that? -I got it at last.
This magazine listed the final result of SEGA SATURN readers' choice.
Unfortunately, I hadn't had the chance to see the results.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION
I couldn't die without knowing it.
Maybe this desire kept me alive in the harsh other world.
Such a silly thing kept you alive?
-Takafumi. -What?
The results are here.
The last page of SEGA SATURN's history is…
SATURN GAMES ARE THE WORLD'S #1
…in this magazine.
Stunningly, I don't care.
The very last game that came in the first place was…
Are you reading it already?
Oh, the winner was a bishojo game ported from the PC version.
I guess the results weren't what you hoped for.
No, I'm not complaining.
I can agree with the ranking as I read the reviews.
But I feel sad, as if I were watching wild, macho high-school boys
-Not really. -What?
Guardian Heroes should have been number one!
It adopted the fighting game system into a side-scroller while maintaining balance.
Its innovation and perfection has got to be recognized!
197th place? What?
197th place?
YOU'RE FINE THE WAY YOU ARE
GET HOME
SOLD CHEAPER THAN A SCOURING PAD
One of the original SATURN RPGs was placed in second.
I didn't play RPG at all.
What?
The beginning went okay.
YOU NEED SALT TO KILL SLUGS
But I couldn't remember what I did the day before…
WHY DO I NEED SALT?
…and got lost.
Did you?
I mean, I had an encounter like an RPG game in the other world.
What?
Icuras elran.
You *** orc. I won't lose to a fugly pig like you.
What is this?
This was the time right after I arrived at the village.
Let's fast-forward it.
Uncle, whenever you got to a village, you found yourself in a battle.
Well, in the flame shrine at the west end of the village,
the legendary blaze dragon has roused.
The village will be burned down if we don't do anything.
The only way to slay the blaze dragon is using the Ice clan's god freezing sword.
However, the descendant of the Ice clan is a bit of a pain in the neck.
Her name is Mabel.
Unless we melt the ice, trapping her heart,
we can't break the seal of the god freezing sword.
When I was little,
I saw powa-powa blossoms with my mom at the top of Mount Marchid.
That was beautiful.
I went straight to the shrine of flame and slew the legendary blaze dragon.
How come?
Seriously, it was hard. But I killed it after I got its offensive strategy down.
Not like that! You should've gone to Mount Marchid for powa-powa blossoms.
I couldn't remember that.
It's not that complicated.
What? You defeated the legendary blaze dragon?
Thank you very much.
They were so grateful.
Yeah.
I got it.
SEGA SATURN Console and 20 games.
Takafumi, was that a package delivery?
Oh, well… this is…
It was a surprise gift for him, but he just said we've got to save up.
This…
What?
Huh?
Is he happy or furious?
It's a bit early, but happy birthday, Uncle.
Oh, by the way…
I found Guardian Heroes.
Want to play?
I worried in vain.
For my uncle, spending money on a SEGA console can't be a waste.
The town trampled down in Alien Storm looked like this.
When it is deserted and chilly,
I can feel the tension in the air.
Yeah. It's totally different from New Year's Eve in the other world.
What? Uncle!
-Do you want to know? -Yes.
"If aliens were to invade the earth now,
would you be an ordinary citizen who runs for your life, or"…
That was the tagline of the game.
-Players, as one of the Alien Busters-- -No, not the game!
Is that a comic magazine?
Yeah. I haven't spent New Year's Eve reading a manga in a long time.
Can you follow the story after a 17-year break?
KochiKame would follow the same plot all the time.
KochiKame's serialization is over.
Really? I never thought it would end.
You won't find it.
I'm more interested in the story of the other world than the manga.
Not on the contents page either.
Seriously?
Icuras elran.
It's not a big deal, but it's something like a New Year's Eve party.
It's a thanksgiving festival
for the gods' protection against the hardships of winter.
The lord would feed you a splendid dinner.
Cheers!
That's some feast.
The residents of the other world were pumped up for this festival.
For the festival, I also…
All right, we gonna have a great time!
Yeah!
Well, I wish I could be like that.
I couldn't be a totally different person from who I was.
I ate alone and went back to my room.
What?
It was great. I enjoyed the roasted chicken--
I'm not talking about the food. Was that all for the festival?
-Yeah. -Where was she? The tsun--
The bad-mouthing girl?
She was not there, and nothing happened after that.
Do you wanna play on the SATURN?
Let's do that!
Pew pew!
You'll break the buttons.
By the way, Mabel came to my room after the festival.
The protector of the god freezing sword.
Now, the battle begins!
I want to hear about that!
-I thought we finally finished talking-- -Hurry up!
Well… nothing really happened.
See?
MEMORY - SHOW A PIECE OF YOURSELF
Why are you here?
I wanted you to tell me.
You slew the dragon single-handedly. I want to be strong like you.
How can I stop being a coward?
"Stop being a coward"?
Who said that you are a coward?
-What? -Who said that?
The village mayor.
Live your life the way you want to,
not by someone else's ways.
I believe strength is the power to carry this through.
Great. That's so cool, Uncle.
Mabel being like this!
Like this, Uncle must have gradually built relationships in the other world.
How have you spent your life until now?
I have been a recluse and closed off my heart.
That's fine.
What? But…
That's completely fine.
No matter what people said, I never gave up being a SEGA user
and never will.
Is your role to be an ordinary citizen who buys a popular console?
Or…
Are you sure?
Yes, I'm sure.
Incredible!
-She chose her life and went back home. -I'm so happy to stay reclusive.
Oh, she gave me the sword.
-Please keep the god freezing sword. -Thanks, but no thanks. It's cold.
Really?
No, I declined the offer.
Well… that's about it.
Uncle, would you care for a bowl of soba noodles?
That's a good idea. Let's boil the water.
What did you do on New Year's Eve when you were a student? Play games?
Well, I watched TV. Something like an It's Okay to Laugh! special episode.
It was a special occasion as students couldn't watch daytime shows.
That show ended too.
Seriously? How is that possible?
Finito.
Well, it's been 17 years. No wonder.
But the show was on until three years ago.
It lasted that long? That's awesome!
-KochiKame ended last year. -What?
What kind of shows do you like, Takafumi?
I don't think you've watched it, but Not Okay to Laugh.
No way! What happened with Tamori?
It's not the sequel.
It seems like he'd watched TV a lot.
Playing games, chatting, and slurping soba…
and that's how the new year rolled in.
JANUARY, 2018
The breeze you just made was quite sharp.
Let's keep it that way all day today.
No way, you are kidding again.
I should avoid this street from now on.
Fujimiya?
Takafumi?
I thought so!
You can't be this tall!
I hit a growth spurt in high school. It's been such a long time.
Yeah.
How are you doing these days?
A lot happened, and I'm working part-time.
I see. I'm going to college.
It's chilly.
Do you wanna stop by my place? It's close by.
Your parents' house?
No.
I'll come by after dropping off the groceries.
Okay, here is the address.
30 MINUTES LATER
Takafumi?
I'M GRABBING SOME SNACKS.
GO INSIDE WITHOUT ME. THE DOOR'S UNLOCKED.
Hi, I'm coming in.
Stonagas resto rarbarum.
Icuras cuora.
Icuras cuora. Icuras cuora.
Gotta use Japanese.
-Spirits of memory, deliver unto oblivion. -Uncle!
Takafumi, the enemy… She saw it.
Erase-- Erasing her memory faster,
-means less impact on her mind. -She's my friend!
A… friend?
Thank you for being friends with Takafumi.
-Well, that was… -I cast in Granbahamal lingo.
Like a dialect?
So, Takafumi is supporting an uncle who hasn't worked for 17 years.
I am a YouTuber.
I saw him mumbling to himself out there.
Occasionally, I chat with spirits to sharpen my magic skills.
He's seriously crazy!
Yes, it's crazy.
Because he returned from another world and does magic.
I practice magic and my YouTube channel showcases it.
Then do the goddamn magic now!
Well… I can't do it for free. I'm a YouTuber with two million views.
-Right? -Yeah.
What is the basis of his professionalism?
Anyway, you shouldn't hinder Takafumi's life anymore.
Oh, I see.
You like Takafumi.
No, no, no, no, no. It's not that.
100% no. We are just friends.
It shouldn't be the case. I understand mature love.
I watched the entire Evangelion series when I was in junior high.
You watched Eva?
Yes, I did. Everyone did.
At that time, SEGA was one of the sponsors of Evangelion.
In the end, it's because of SEGA.
Well, then you know Asuka too?
The girl in the red suit, right?
Oh, *** Uncle may catch on to the tsundere concept!
Don't you misunderstand. You are indebted to me now.
That's not what I meant.
I didn't mean "together forever" or anything.
He may realize what that elfin girl really meant.
Did you know?
Actually, Asuka has a crush on Kaji.
Sorry, Takafumi, you may be too inexperienced
to notice her crush on Kaji.
What? Yeah.
SO SHALLOW…!!!
Stop fooling around already.
Don't make assumptions based on an anime's views on love.
You're right. Let's talk about real love.
Her name was Kaede Nanase.
The enemy stole her mind, and she lost her old self.
Her affection soon turned into lethal intention in battle.
However, after a long battle, she got a sure response.
Joy.
She regained herself under the bursting flash.
"Who did I kill?"
"What did I lose?"
There is no such a thing as "too early" to express your affection.
Oh, my God.
The resolution gap between anime and games is too big.
Hey, Fujimiya.
What?
That was just a story from a video game.
Wow--
-Just a fiction? -A fiction?
No, I experienced it firsthand.
You, shut your…
Spirits of memory, investigate now.
"Geez, he has a roommate. I feel stupid for being psyched and changing my outfit."
-What? -True, you're wearing a different outfit.
No, it's the same one.
You even took a shower.
No, I didn't.
Who is there?
A mind reader, or con man?
What are you?
I am just an uncle…
back from another world--
Mr. Shibazaki, I got a package for you.
-Mr. Shibazaki? -I'm coming.
Mr. Shibazaki?
You've got to cut ties, Takafumi.
Seriously, you need to get out.
If you can't afford the rent, I will cover it by taking on a job.
-Seriously? Want to be my roommate? -What?
-I see, that's definitely an option. -Well, I didn't mean that--
But I've got my uncle with me.
What's in there? This box weighs 15 kilograms.
-It's a bag of rice. -Rice?
Can you accept my scribbled signature?
One additional person now knows my uncle in real life.
He looked somewhat more cheerful than his usual self.
And I'll refrain from buying rice online…
I felt a lethal intent.