Afterword
Afterword:
Does anybody really know what time it is?
…is a really long, confusing English title to give this book, but it’s the name of a song by a band called the Chicago Transit Authority. Not that it matters.
So. Have you ever wished you’d never been born? Gawd, Kadono, there you go again…! I’m sure you’re all sick of it, but just bear with me a moment! Let me be clear, whether you’re three years old or eighty-eight, you have encountered the kind of joy that makes you feel like it was worth being born any number of times. We all have. You’ve just forgotten it.
So. Have you ever had a bad fight with a close friend, and never spoken to them again? Maybe not that close, maybe not even someone you’d known that long. But someone you think about occasionally and wonder if things could have ended differently. If you say there’s no one, well, that’s fine. But if you’re saying “Oh yeah,” or “Definitely”…it’s not too late! Go ask them if there’s anything you can still do! And if they’re no longer reachable (often the case) then at least try not to repeat that same mistake with those still close to you. Or have you forgotten how painful and awkward and unbearable that break-up was?
…You forgot, didn’t you? We all do. Oh, yeah. I’m here writing this and I’ve forgotten sooo much, honestly. “You know, that one guy sat next to me in cram school once, we whispered to each other the whole time, what was his name again? I’m sure he told me… tip of my tongue…” Tons of stuff like that, and it was super fun at the time but now it’s just a hazy memory. And the kind of joy that makes you glad you were born is just like that, nothing special at a glance, not at all the sort of thing you’d particularly remember… you know what I mean? Doesn’t need to be a fated encounter or a torrid love affair or billowing pleasure or whatever, nah, much more like, “You know the thing, ain’t it so?” “Yeah, totally.” Simple little agreements like that, a smile and a nod, little stuff like that—that’s what gives us a ‘reason,’ don’t you think? A meaning to our being born? That’s all it is, that’s what it is, yeah?
…If you’ve totally forgotten everything like that, oh well, you’ll just have to go do it again. But if you have genuinely never encountered anything like that, then, oh well, you’ll just have to do what the weirdo in the black hat says.
“That’s your job.”
(I say this, but aren’t I just starting fights all the time?)
(Whatever.)
(No, seriously, though…)
BGM “LIFE SAVER” from CHICAGO VII
About the Author
Born in 1968, Kouhei Kadono grew up uncertain about his direction in life. He spent a considerable portion of his early years frittering away his youth before somehow ending up writing novels.
In 1997, Kadono-sensei’s first Boogiepop novel, Boogiepop and Others, took First Place in the Media Works’ Dengeki Game Novel Contest. Early the following year, the novel was released to widespread acclaim and ignited the Japanese “light novel” (young adult) trend. Since that time, Kadono-sensei has written thirteen Boogiepop novels and several related works such as the Beat’s Discipline short story collection and the two Boogiepop manga series entitled Boogiepop Doesn’t Laugh and Boogiepop Dual. In its entirety, the Boogiepop series has seen over two million copies in print and spawned a live action movie and a hit anime series.
In addition to the Boogiepop universe, Kadono-sensei’s body of literary work includes a wide array of fantasy and mystery novels such as the Jiken, Soul Drop, Limited World and Night Watch series.
About the Illustrator
Born in 1970, a native of Osaka, Kouji Ogata spent his early twenties struggling to get enough credits to graduate from Osaka Design School. In late 1996, Ogata-sensei was commissioned by Media Works to illustrate the first Boogiepop novel, Boogiepop and Others.
At the time, Ogata-sensei was simply a rising star with a distinctive, eye-catching art style, but he was gradually able to further hone his artistic skills with each subsequent work. His watercolor-style paneling seen in the two-volume Boogiepop Doesn’t Laugh manga series was a particularly high point of his early career.
In addition to providing illustrations for novels and manga, Ogata-sensei has been involved with supplying character designs for anime productions including Boogiepop Phantom, Spirit, and Gin-iro no kami no Agito.
In his free time, he enjoys motorcycles, tennis, and remote-controlled models.