Hara & Ishikawa Lab. is a group specializing in materials, surfaces, chemistry and catalysis

As the years go by, my memory keeps getting fuzzier—I forget a lot of the fun things I thought were cool. So I decided to start keeping a little memo series! Even should I lose my memory, perhaps reading this memorandum will allow me to recall it once more.

Episode 26 Saint Nicholas = Odin = Santa Claus?
—The Man Who Breaks In on Christmas Eve

Most people are aware that Santa Claus is modeled after Saint Nicholas.
Saint Nicholas, whose default mode of charity was anonymous good deeds, is traditionally depicted as an elderly man with white hair and a long beard covering his entire chin, dressed in a white robe with a red cape. When one thinks about it, this appearance is essentially that of Santa Claus himself.

However, there is one detail that does not quite sit right.
The feast day of Saint Nicholas is December 6, the date of his death. This is clearly some distance away from Christmas Eve.

The key to understanding this discrepancy lies in the winter solstice festivals that have been celebrated in Europe since ancient times.
For the peoples of ancient Rome and Germania, the winter solstice marked the point at which daylight hours began to increase again, and was therefore regarded as the beginning of “rebirth.” In fact, no document—including the Bible—allows us to identify the exact date of Jesus Christ’s birth. We know the day of the week on which he was executed, but not the date of his birth.
As a result, the day of the winter solstice festival was later designated as the day commemorating the birth of Christ. It was not so much a birthday as a symbolic memorial.

Seen in this light, the figure of Santa Claus—who flies through the sky on a reindeer-drawn sleigh and visits houses on the night before the winter solstice festival—seems likely to have roots in pre-Christian European customs, traditions, and myths.

The most frequently cited candidate is Odin, the chief god of Norse mythology.
That said, the similarities are largely limited to the image of an elderly man with a long white beard, and the overall impression is quite different. Odin is a one-eyed old man who wears a wide-brimmed hat pulled low over his face, and he is also a god who governs “frenzy” and madness. Riding an eight-legged horse, he leads spirits and the dead through the skies from Halloween to the winter solstice. This phenomenon is known as the “Wild Hunt of Odin.”
In Japanese terms, it would be comparable to the Hyakki Yagyō, the night parade of one hundred demons—an ominous and unsettling spectacle.

From this perspective, the equation “Odin = Santa Claus = Saint Nicholas” feels rather forced. It is simply too violent and grim.

Is there, then, some other connection?
There is: the tomte.

The tomte, wearing a red cap and sporting a long beard, looks like a miniature version of Santa Claus. In Nordic countries, he is known as a small household spirit who protects homes and barns. In films and popular culture, it is often the tomte who makes toys for Santa Claus to deliver to children.

There is also a custom of offering rice porridge to the tomte during the winter solstice festival as a gesture of gratitude.

Yet here, too, something feels odd.
Strictly speaking, it is tomtes who should be grateful. We are not supposed to be the ones receiving gifts.

When considered in this way, it seems that we have lost sight of something essential in the traditions surrounding Santa Claus. The question is: what exactly has been lost?
Reconnecting such small discrepancies and lingering discomforts is precisely one of many tasks of the humanities.
It is, once again, a reminder of how important this field truly is.

Episode 25 Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon
I recommend reading the final chapter on the eve of a day off.

People often cry when they are moved.
Personally, I do not tend to weep simply because a story has a tragic ending, but I am remarkably vulnerable to depictions of human kindness. Analyzing myself this way may make me sound almost villainous, yet Flowers for Algernon is a novel that utterly defeats me with its final, single sentence.

The novel is classified as science fiction and has received both the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award, honors given to outstanding works of SF. Even so, it would not be an exaggeration to say that this book transcends the boundaries of the genre.

For the record, Algernon is not the protagonist. He is a mouse who, through biological brain modification, acquires extraordinarily high intelligence and learning ability. The science-fiction element of the story is largely confined to this experimental procedure. Algernon does not speak human language, nor does he seek revenge on humans, so readers need not worry on that account.

The protagonist is a young man with a developmental disability who works at a bakery. He is portrayed as earnest, simple, and genuinely kind-hearted. After consenting to undergo the same brain surgery performed on Algernon, he is transformed into a genius with an IQ of 185.

Daniel Keyes depicts this rapid rise in intelligence with remarkable skill. One particularly striking scene occurs when the protagonist takes the Rorschach test after the operation. His doctor tells him that his answers are completely different from before, but the young man insists that they have not changed. The doctor then plays a recording of his pre-surgery responses.

In it, the earlier version of himself answers that there are no pictures hidden in the inkblots, revealing that he had not even understood the question asking what the image resembles. He is forced to confront, with painful clarity, what he had once been incapable of understanding.

As his intelligence increases, he becomes troubled by truths he could not previously perceive and by emotions he had never experienced before. This constitutes the “development” of the story. From the turning point onward, however, the narrative grows increasingly heavy.

Having become a genius, he learns—through Algernon’s behavior and subsequent research—that the intelligence gained through the surgery is only temporary and will inevitably decline over time. In the end, his condition deteriorates to a state even worse than before the operation, leaving him unable to control his own body.

Upon realizing this fate, he quietly begins to put his affairs in order. As his intelligence fades, he writes a farewell letter to the person he once loved and eventually returns to the bakery. There, the bakers welcome him back with kindness. Moved by this, he writes, “Being smart is not happiness.”

The novel then closes with a postscript—a single line that distills the full measure of this young man’s gentleness.

This work is a classic that consistently ranks among the world’s most widely read novels. If you have not yet read it, I encourage you to do so. Just one word of advice:
read the final chapter on the eve of a day off.

Episode 24 Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
An Awkward Genius

Dante Alighieri, the author of The Divine Comedy, is widely regarded as a pioneering figure of human-centered thought, one who illuminated the inner life of the individual and the salvation of the soul while posing profound questions about the meaning of human existence. In doing so, he helped lay the intellectual groundwork for the Renaissance. He also constructed a grand and systematic vision of the afterlife—Limbo, Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven—thereby shaping a foundational model of the Christian worldview. Moreover, Dante demonstrated that the highest form of literature could be created not in Latin, but in the language spoken by ordinary people.

Seen in this light, Dante may appear to be an almost unapproachable giant. Yet when one actually reads his writings, he feels unexpectedly close and familiar. Few writers embody the saying “the style is the man” as vividly as Dante.

The protagonist of The Divine Comedy is, remarkably, Dante himself. At one point in the narrative, he is told that his mission is to record all that he witnesses on his journey from Hell to the heavenly realms. Stunned, Dante wonders whether such a monumental task could possibly be entrusted to him. At this moment, Virgil, the ancient Roman poet who serves as his guide, rebukes him sternly: “Only one endowed with unparalleled talent can fulfill this mission. No one but Dante possesses such gifts. Will you still flee from it?” In effect, Dante openly declares his own genius.

To understand this scene, one must consider the circumstances under which The Divine Comedy was written. Dante had once held a leading political position in Florence, but after losing a power struggle, he was exiled from the city and never allowed to return. It was during this period of loneliness and wandering that he composed his great work. He needed, above all, to encourage himself. Through the act of creation, he managed to survive a desperate situation in which even his life was at risk.

The appearance of his first love, Beatrice di Folco Portinari, transformed into “Beatrice” at the very heart of The Divine Comedy, also requires explanation. Born the daughter of a banker, married, and the mother of several children, she died at the age of only twenty-four. Without The Divine Comedy, she would have remained merely one among countless others lost to history.

Dante fell in love with her at the age of nine, and his feelings only deepened over time. Yet here his awkwardness becomes painfully evident. Fearing that his love might trouble her, he chose not to express his feelings directly. Instead, for reasons known only to himself, he composed love poems addressed to two entirely different women. Predictably, those around him assumed that Dante was romantically involved with them. When these rumors reached Beatrice, she stopped even greeting him.

What an astonishingly clumsy way to live. And yet, even if she disliked him, even if she became another man’s wife, bore children, and died young, Dante could not help but resurrect his uniquely precious Beatrice as “Beatrice” within his work. The genius who opened the path to the Renaissance and shaped the foundations of modern culture may well have been, at heart, a profoundly awkward human being.

Episode 23 Iron Is the Strongest Catalyst for Ammonia Synthesis—A Story Where Textbooks, AI, and Experiments All Converge—
1. A Story That Begins on a Cosmic Scale
Let us start with a glimpse of cosmic history.
Among all metals, iron is the one most abundantly produced through nuclear fusion and fission.Heavier elements—cobalt, nickel, and precious metals—are created only during rare cosmic events such as supernova explosions or neutron-star collisions.
Thus, the universe is fundamentally filled with iron. Even Earth consists of 30–40% iron by weight, which explains why human civilization has relied on iron for millennia—it is abundant, widespread, and inexpensive.
And yet, in modern ammonia synthesis research, catalysts based on ruthenium or cobalt are fashionable, while iron is often dismissed as “outdated” or “low-performance.”
But is this perception actually correct?

2. What Middle-School Textbooks Tell Us: Ionization Tendency
The greatest barrier in ammonia synthesis is breaking the strong triple bond of molecular nitrogen (N₂).Metals that release electrons more easily can assist in this dissociation more effectively.
According to ionization tendency, the order is:
Iron > Cobalt > Ruthenium
If we follow this logic, iron should theoretically be the strongest catalyst for ammonia synthesis.
It seems middle-school science was not wrong after all.

3. What Happens When You Ask AI?—A Simple Question Without Complex Calculations—
There is a question anyone can try—even on a smartphone:
“Suppose we have iron, cobalt, and ruthenium metal particles of the same size.
Which one will exhibit the highest ammonia synthesis activity?”
When I asked this question, AI immediately responded:
“Iron. Without question. Iron ≫ Cobalt ≈ Ruthenium.”
Even the latest models incorporating expert knowledge and theoretical frameworks arrived at the same conclusion.

4. Finally, the Experiments
—Our Technology Enabled a True Comparison—
Until recently, it was impossible to prepare pure metal nanoparticles of iron, cobalt, and ruthenium under identical conditions, making a fair comparison unattainable.
Our new technology has finally made this possible.
The particle sizes were:
Iron: 75 nm and above
Cobalt: 40 nm and above
Ruthenium: 20 nm and above　(purchased)

And the conclusion:
Iron ≫ Cobalt > Ruthenium
The predictions from middle-school textbooks and AI were beautifully confirmed by our experiments (see below).

5. What This Conclusion Means
Iron possesses inherently high ammonia synthesis capability even without any special modification. Other metals, in contrast, must be “heavily engineered” before they can exhibit high performance.
It may be fair to say that the former and latter are a racing car and heavily modified family car. Personally, I love a wildly modified family car. But if someone tells me to enter a race, the answer is obvious. What would happen if we “heavily modified” iron? For that, please refer to our open-access paper—or to this article.

A Final Note
I hesitated to write this here,
but this discovery is something I never want to forget.
However, having suffered serious illness in the past, I do not fully trust my memory.
That is why I leave this as a personal record.

Episode 22 Yamate: A Unique Enclave

Did you know that this area—covering only 0.8 square kilometers—is actually a remarkably unique enclave? Its charm is not limited to well-known sightseeing spots such as the Harbor View Park or the Foreigners’ Cemetery.
Yamate is home to a concentration of historic Christian-derived schools, including Ferris Girls’ School, Yokohama Futaba, Yokohama Jogakuin, and Yokohama Kyoritsu Gakuen. If we also include international schools founded by religious orders, Saint Maur International School should clearly be counted as well.
Descending the Yamate hill brings you to well-known neighborhoods such as Motomachi and Kotobuki-cho, and crossing Motomachi leads directly into Chinatown. The closest station is JR Ishikawachō Station, named in honor of the Ishikawa family who hosted Commodore Perry during the arrival of the Black Ships. Although JR Yamate Station lies nearby, a quick look at the map reveals that no part of the surrounding area is actually called “Yamate.”

Why, then, are so many Christian schools clustered in this small district?

The commonly known reason is that, during the opening of the Port of Yokohama, a large influx of foreign residents led to the establishment of numerous churches. But there is more: for many decades afterward, the area continued to offer an environment where Christian expatriates could comfortably live.

For example, if you go down the southern slope of the Yamate hill, you reach Honmoku, which once housed a vast residential area for U.S. military personnel. This area even appears in Haruhiko Oyabu’s novel The Resurrection of the Golden Wolf, and includes a real street called “America-zaka” (“America Hill”). In the southwest of Yamate, another large U.S. military housing area remains to this day.

Because of this geographical and historical background, Yamate has long maintained a strong connection with Christianity and church culture—even though most current residents are not Christians themselves.

Yamate is also dotted with various historical curiosities: the site of Japan’s first beer brewery lies within an elementary school campus, and both active and former consulates stand throughout the district.

Altogether, Yamate is a fascinating nexus of history and culture, and with its convenient access, it makes an excellent destination for a leisurely walk.

Episode 21 Tyrant Nero
As his birthday approaches, I would like to write a few words about Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus—better known as “Nero the Tyrant.”

He is commonly portrayed as the embodiment of cruelty, brutality, and folly. It is widely believed that the “Beast” represented by the number 666 in the Book of Revelation refers to Nero, who executed large numbers of Christians. Though not historically confirmed, it was under his reign in Rome that Peter, a disciple of Jesus, is said to have been put to death. Nero caused the deaths not only of his own wife, the tutor-adviser who had supported him, and his generals, but even of his own mother—the very woman who had gone as far as assassinating the previous emperor to place him on the throne. It is hardly surprising that he is spoken of unfavorably.

One of the most infamous episodes of his tyranny is the so-called “Nero Recital.” On one occasion, in order to showcase his magnificent singing voice, he gathered nobles and commoners alike into the Roman arena. Once he began singing, the arena gates were shut, and no one was allowed to leave until he finished. Those who dozed off during his passionate performance were reportedly whipped awake by soldiers. Whenever I hear this story, I am reminded of karaoke outings with my boss at a company—and cannot help but laugh. The difference from a “Nero Recital” was not all that great.

And yet, whether he was truly a “tyrant” is not so easy to judge. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that Nero’s reign saw a number of good policies. One of the nations subdued by Rome was the Parthian Kingdom. Even after Nero was declared a “public enemy” in Rome and driven to suicide at the young age of thirty, the Parthian king petitioned Rome for permission to continue holding thanksgiving ceremonies in honor of Nero, to whom the eastern kingdoms—including Parthia—owed great favor.

Queen Boudica did raise a rebellion in Britain, but thanks to Nero’s appropriate postwar measures, a long peace followed on the island. Flowers were constantly placed at his tomb by Roman citizens, and in the Orient, incidents of impostors claiming “I am Nero” were frequently recorded. Indeed, while Nero brought cruelty and brutality to a portion of the upper class, he was, for the majority, a ruler who administered good governance. As for the story that Nero set fire to Rome and burned the city down—remember that it is a tale passed down by the victors.

Human beings are multifaceted creatures. For that very reason, there is someone whose perspective on Nero I would dearly love to hear: Claudia Acte, a former slave. She became Nero’s young mistress and lived through a turbulent era. She was the one who recovered Nero’s body and buried him. The fact that even Rome’s ruling elite—who hated Nero—never laid a hand on her, and that many of the slaves she freed inscribed her name on their tombstones, speaks volumes about her character. What, I wonder, did she see in Nero?

Episode 20 Starship Troopers — Robert A. Heinlein
One person jumps in to save a drowning man—and both die. The numbers don’t add up, but isn’t that profoundly human?

Many people know Starship Troopers through the film. If so, why not try reading the original novel by America’s pride, Robert A. Heinlein? Modern readers may sense a certain unique atmosphere throughout the work, but considering that it was written in the midst of a world war, that tone is hardly surprising.

This masterpiece by the grand master of science fiction is filled with remarkable qualities. First, the advanced gimmicks. This novel is the first to present the concept of what we now take for granted: the powered suit. The protagonists, the Mobile Infantry, wear armored spacesuits that deliver astonishing strength and speed through mechanical assistance. By simply moving their bodies, every motion is amplified—no cumbersome controls required. Rather than the movie’s Starship Troopers gear, you may find it closer to the exoskeletons in Tom Cruise’s Edge of Tomorrow. The powered suits themselves are heavily armed, and a fully equipped Mobile Infantry trooper wielding weapons in both hands becomes a terrifying engine of mobility and destruction—the very origin of their name.

The section where the protagonist explains the details of the powered suit is a moment that makes you want to exclaim, “That’s Heinlein for you!” He clearly describes how crucial the feedback mechanism is: the sensations of touching, gripping, or stepping are transmitted directly to the wearer, enabling precise movement. Through casual banter between comrades, Heinlein even highlights the suit’s greatest flaw: “You can’t scratch an itch.” This humorous touch grounds the fiction in a sense of reality.

The battle scenes are nothing short of brilliant. The view during a solo dive from the sky to the surface, the close-quarters fighting on the ground, and the extraction from planetary surfaces by drop ships—all are depicted with vivid immediacy. Heinlein’s experience as a former naval lieutenant shines through.

What makes this novel truly compelling, however, is the content of its philosophical questions. At military school, an instructor asks the protagonist:
“Ten civilians’ lives are threatened by the enemy. Should our forces rescue them?”
“Yes, sir!” he replies.
The instructor continues:
“What if it’s only one civilian?”
“Of course, we should rescue them.”
“Even if that person is worthless? Even if many soldiers die to save such a person?”
Heinlein never provides a direct answer. My favorite passage follows shortly after:
“A man saw someone drowning and jumped in to save him—but they both drowned. The numbers don’t make sense. But isn’t that deeply human?”

Because only those with military experience hold the right to vote in this world, and considering the era in which the book was written, its evaluation has been mixed. Even so, I believe this work is well worth reading.

Episode 19　Pippi Longstocking — Astrid Lindgren
A free-spirited, fun-loving girl with superhuman strength who hates being constrained

There are very few people who do not know Pippi Longstocking. She is a character from the children’s literature of Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. Swedish children’s books have long been beloved around the world, with works such as Vicky the Viking  and The Wonderful Adventures of Nils also originating from this country.
Many may know that the creation of this work is closely tied to the early history of Japanese animation. When Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki, and others proposed an animated adaptation of Pippi Longstocking, Lindgren declined. As a result, Heidi, Girl of the Alps was produced instead—an anime masterpiece that moved countless viewers and became a milestone in the medium.
When I asked people about Pippi’s personality, the most common answer I received was that she is a “wild, unpredictable girl.” One day, Pippi suddenly appears in a town carrying a bag full of gold coins, accompanied by a monkey and a horse. It is no surprise that the adults’ first impression of her was not exactly favorable. A natural-born free spirit, Pippi can be described positively as innocent and cheerful—or more plainly, a child unfamiliar with social norms and manners. When adults tell her, “At least learn your multiplication tables,” or “Studying at school is important,” she retorts, “I’ve managed to live for nine years without knowing any of that.” She did attend school once, but only for a single day—it must have been unbearably boring for her.
One might wish to meet the parents of such a child, but her mother passed away long ago, and her father fell overboard and went missing. One might assume she carries a tragic past, yet it turns out that her shipwrecked father survived, washed ashore on an island, and became its chief—a formidable man indeed. And it’s not that he forgot about his daughter; he loves her enough to intend to come back for her.
Many will remember Pippi’s extraordinary strength. She can lift a horse without the slightest effort. Yet her strength is used only to help others, and that is one of her most admirable traits. Her kindness, courage, and imagination also define who she is. Another crucial quality is her sense of humor. Watching Pippi confront any hardship with humor brings to mind the words of Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist who, despite being Jewish, survived Auschwitz. In one of his writings, he states: “Those who survived were not necessarily the strongest; humor was essential.”
When facing difficulties, people tend to panic, despair, or grow angry—such is human nature. In our harsh and demanding modern world, perhaps Pippi reminds us of something important that we often forget.
Episode 18 Mountain Woman: mountaineer≠mountain princess≠mountain hag

In Japanese, the word yama-otoko (mountain man) is almost always understood to mean a mountaineer. On the other hand, the term yama-onna (mountain woman) has an extremely broad range of meanings. Because it refers to women whose occupations or activities involve the mountains, it can categorize female alpinists, recreational “mountain girls,” women ascetics, and women working in forestry. However, it seems inappropriate to include folkloric beings such as Yamahime (mountain princess) and Yamanba (mountain hag) in the same category.
If one forcibly translates Yamahime and Yamanba into English, they become “mountain princess” and “mountain old woman,” but these translations are far too mild. A more accurate rendering would be evil young witch for the former and evil old witch for the latter. Both are yokai—supernatural beings—who delight in killing or eating humans. At first glance, Yamahime seems preferable because she appears as a beautiful woman with hair that reaches the ground, but she exhibits abnormal behavior, such as drinking blood and laughing loudly. She is certainly not a creature you would want to meet in the mountains.
Incidentally, Japanese mountain deities are traditionally regarded as female. The central deity of the Hakusan faith is Kukurihime-no-Mikoto, and Mount Fuji is associated with the great goddess Konohanasakuya-hime. Considering these examples, the idea of female mountain gods is quite convincing. Some mountains even prohibit women from entering, but this is not due to misogyny; rather, it is said that the mountain goddess becomes jealous when other women enter her domain. Seen from this perspective, it appears that in Japan—whether deity, yokai, or human—women and mountains share a deeply intertwined relationship.

Episode 17 Der Zwerg Nase
The original kitchen-battle fairy tale woven by a dwarf and a goose

One of the fairy tales that is almost completely unknown in Japan is Der Zwerg Nase (“Little Longnose”). I read it when I was a child, but since it was neither a Grimm tale, nor Perrault, nor Andersen, I kept wondering what that mysterious story actually was. It was AI, of all things, that finally solved this long-standing puzzle for me.
This story was written in the 19th century by Wilhelm Hauff. Fairy tales fall into two categories: those based on traditional folklore and those that are purely original. Grimm and Perrault belong to the former, while Andersen belongs to the latter.
Hauff’s tale is an example of an entirely original creation, and as such, its plot is quite complex.
The story begins with Jacob, a 12-year-old son of a German shoemaker. One day, he scolds an old woman who is making a mess in his mother’s shop. The old woman takes Jacob to her home and offers him a bowl of soup. After drinking it, he falls asleep and dreams for seven years that he is training to become a master cook. He eventually wakes up, prompted by the scent of an herb he encountered in his dream, and returns home—only to find his family refusing to let him in. Jacob has transformed into a dwarf with an enormous nose.
With no choice, Jacob begins working in the palace kitchens. There, he showcases his culinary skills and quickly rises through the ranks, earning fame among the nobility. Misfortune turns into opportunity, and he becomes known as “Little Longnose,” gaining his own chef’s success story.
One day, having risen to prominence in the kitchen, Jacob purchases three geese to prepare for a meal. Suddenly, one of them starts speaking human language, begging not to be cooked. The goose is actually Mimi, daughter of a sorceress from Gotland in Sweden, who has been cursed into this form. She explains that for Jacob to regain his original body, he must find the herb whose scent he experienced in his dream.
From here, the story shifts toward an herb-related quest. During a banquet held by Jacob’s master, a guest complains about the pâté, insisting that a vital herb is missing. Deeply insulted, the master threatens to behead Jacob unless he recreates the pâté with the correct herb.
Once again, Mimi comes to the rescue. Together they search for the herb, and when Jacob finally smells it, he regains his human form—now as a young man, since many years have passed. After various twists and turns, Mimi also returns to her true form, leading to a happy ending. Incidentally, because Jacob does not return to the palace afterward, a war breaks out between the master and the guest—appropriately named the “Herb War.”
One reason I love this story is that Jacob and Mimi possess no supernatural powers whatsoever. They are simply human. Jacob’s cooking skills are the result of his own training. Mimi is just a knowledgeable girl with no magic of her own. Watching these two struggle and persevere despite their inconvenient circumstances is irresistibly heartwarming.
What becomes of the two of them?
If you’re curious, you may enjoy these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cdDnKMJiQM&pp=ygUZZGVyIHp3ZXJnIG5hc2Uga2luZGVyZmlsbQ%3D%3D
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl2B8Bgshk0&pp=ygUZZGVyIHp3ZXJnIG5hc2Uga2luZGVyZmlsbQ%3D%3D

Episode 16 Hsinchu Part 2 

Episode 15 Oscar Wilde

A poet and novelist labeled as decadent and cynical—yet perhaps a man of pure-hearted clarity?

When I was a child, I mistakenly believed that The Happy Prince was a story by Andersen. I still vividly remember my shock when I learned that this masterpiece was written by the Irish ironist Oscar Wilde.

To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.

She lacks the indefinable charm of weakness.

Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.

These sayings pierce through to the truth, yet I must confess: people who can utter such things with complete nonchalance fall quite firmly into the category of those I’m not very good with.

His play Salomé is also well known. In it, Princess Salome, daughter of King Herod, becomes consumed by her desire to kiss John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus Christ. When John refuses her completely, she begs her father for his head. Then comes the shocking scene: she kisses John’s severed head laid on a silver platter. Witnessing this, Herod has Salome killed, and the story ends there—a tragedy in which no one finds happiness.

Given this, I think it is not entirely my fault that I found it unbelievable that the author of such a gruesome tale could also be the creator of the deeply moving ending of The Happy Prince.

Let us return to The Happy Prince.
The story begins with a statue adorned in gold and jewels—within it resides the soul of a prince—quietly gazing upon the suffering of the townspeople. To ease their hardship, he pleads with a swallow, the only one who can move, to deliver his precious adornments to those in need.

The swallow is what moves me to tears no matter how many times I read the story. At first, the swallow is reluctant to join the prince’s plan. Naturally so—human lives have nothing to do with a swallow. Yet even when it becomes certain that staying will cost him his life, and that he has missed the time to fly south, he says nothing of this to the prince. He simply continues to fly, helping those in need.
And in the final moment, when the swallow dies of the cold, we finally understand why he worked so devotedly for the prince.

Oscar Wilde made a dazzling debut and lived flamboyantly. The Happy Prince was written at the height of his glamorous success. Yet he ultimately lost everything due to his freewheeling lifestyle—ruin, bankruptcy, imprisonment—and died abandoned by all, in a shabby hotel during his wandering years.

And still, I cannot help but feel that his true essence lies in the final scene of The Happy Prince:
the dead swallow and the prince’s leaden heart, discarded in a rubbish heap.
When the angel is commanded by God to bring back the two most precious things in the world, he goes straight to that very rubbish heap.

Episode 14 Hsinchu

Because of my job, I often travel abroad, but I usually return home feeling unwell. This time, however, I came back in perfect condition, so I would like to introduce Hsinchu, Taiwan.

I arrived at night and was astonished to see that the enormous skyscrapers consisted of spacious residential units. The restaurant I was taken to afterward was a completely full Din Tai Fung, crowded with many families and couples. The stir-fried sweet-potato leaves I had there were absolutely superb. Of course, the familiar dishes such as xiaolongbao were delicious as well, but the stir-fried sweet-potato leaves alone were enough to make me fully satisfied. Din Tai Fung exists in Japan as well, so if I could enjoy that same dish in Japan, I would be delighted. The sour and spicy noodle dishes recommended by the professors in Hsinchu were also outstanding.

The next morning, still feeling unusually excellent, I looked up at the hotel where I was staying. I was reminded once again that Taiwan is a place where one feels absolutely no stress about hotel services or facilities. Hsinchu is a region at the forefront of academic and technological innovation, home to two prestigious universities standing side by side.

Episode 13 The All-Star Epic “The Prophecy of the Seeress”

Let me introduce  Völuspá — The Prophecy of the Seeress — a true all-star gathering of gods and heroes familiar even in Japan: Thor and Loki from Marvel Comics, Freyja from Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, the Norns from Ah! My Goddess, and of course the Valkyries. This poetic masterpiece of Norse mythology is woven with irresistible, chūnibyō-esque keywords: the World Tree Yggdrasill, the Twilight of the Gods Ragnarök, the monstrous wolf Fenrir, and the world-serpent Jörmungandr.

Although the tale is often described as the words of a “seeress,” völva simply means “female prophet” and is not her name. Her name is thought to be Heiðr, who is sometimes regarded as identical with the goddess Freyja herself. In this poem, the seeress recounts to the chief god Odin everything from the creation of the world to the distant future where nearly all gods meet their doom. Völuspá not only condenses the vast cosmos of Norse mythology but also hints at lost myths, making it a work of endless fascination.

For instance, the poem tells how the gods’ peaceful age ended with the appearance of three mighty giantesses—believed to be the Norns: Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld. As these three decide the fate even of the gods, they are portrayed as beings surpassing the divine order itself. Just as in modern comics, the youngest, Skuld, is quick-tempered and impulsive; her short temper even inspired the well-known tale of “Norna-Gest.”

At Ragnarök, Odin, who has been listening to the seeress’s prophecy, is devoured by Fenrir. Thor fights Jörmungandr, and though he slays the serpent, he too perishes. In the end, flames engulf the world, and the realm of the gods is reduced to ashes. It is said that after hearing this prophecy, Odin returned home with his shoulders heavy in despair.

In preparation for that final battle, Odin commands the Valkyries to gather the spirits of fallen heroes and keep them in Valhalla. The famous Ride of the Valkyries vividly evokes the scene of these maidens soaring through the sky to collect the souls of the slain.

What intrigues me most, however, is the seeress Heiðr herself. If she truly is Freyja—the goddess of love, beauty, and passion—then perhaps Freyja possessed another forgotten side: one that knew the tragic fate of gods and men alike.

For those who wish to read The Prophecy of the Seeress in Japanese, visit
https://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~aw2t-itu/onmyth/poeticedda/volspa.htm
and for those who wish to enjoy the original Old Norse text alongside English translations, https://books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp.0308/ch1.xhtml provides them as well.

Episode 12 Aesop
Let me introduce Aesop — a real historical figure, a world-famous man whom everyone knows, yet no one truly understands.

Most people have heard the name Aesop, the supposed author of the famous Aesop’s Fables. When you look him up, you will likely find a portrait of an indescribable middle-aged man. Despite his fame, almost everything about this person remains shrouded in mystery.

To begin with, Aesop was a genuine historical figure, so well known that even Herodotus, in his Histories, clearly recorded him as having been born a slave. The founder of all learning, the philosopher Aristotle — who later tutored Alexander the Great — also wrote about him. And yet, none of the so-called Aesop’s Fables can be definitively attributed to him as their author.

Adding to the mystery, Aesop’s lover is said to have been a beautiful woman named Rhodopis. Her existence only deepens the enigma surrounding him. According to legend, she too rose from slavery to become fabulously wealthy and later dedicated an astonishing number of iron skewers to the temple at Delphi.

Aesop — a real man, surrounded by mysteries and enigmatic figures — continues to fascinate us to this day.

Episode 11 Rugrats


This time, it’s Rugrats!

Believe it or not, babies actually understand human language — and they even talk to each other! Up until around age three, kids can still understand “baby talk,” so they’re basically bilingual — fluent in both Adult and Goo-Goo-Gaa-Gaa. Rugrats is an American cartoon built entirely on this hilarious premise.

Of course, these tiny tots don’t have much life experience, so whenever they try to interpret grown-up language, it often goes spectacularly wrong. One minute someone’s talking about “having a baby shower,” and the next the babies are literally preparing an indoor storm. But somehow, through a mix of courage, creativity, and friendship, they always save the day — and their diapers.

The show is often filmed from a baby’s eye view, and honestly, it’s impressive how well it captures that world. Who among us doesn’t remember when the dining table looked like Mount Everest, and the family dog seemed like a woolly mammoth? Rugrats brings back that sense of wonder right from the opening sequence.

Each character has a distinct charm that grows on you episode by episode. There’s Tommy, the brave little leader in diapers — the youngest, yet the heart of the group. His appearance might seem a bit unusual to those used to Japanese anime style, but before you know it, he’s irresistibly cute. His cousin Chuckie, a bit older and battling allergies, adds depth and empathy to the story. This kind of emotional detail is what makes American animation so memorable — you end up caring deeply about these characters without even realizing it.

One unforgettable scene shows Tommy standing all alone in the middle of the schoolyard at noon — and from his tiny perspective, it feels like he’s stranded in a vast desert of despair. It’s surprisingly powerful for a cartoon about crawling humans.

And then there’s the scene where Tommy’s parents prepare a nine-branched menorah.
This is a sacred symbol in Jewish tradition, used during Hanukkah to commemorate the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days. For Japanese viewers, the meaning may not be immediately clear, but for Western audiences, this single moment speaks volumes about the family’s cultural and spiritual identity.

So yes — Rugrats is a comedy about baby chaos, but maybe… just maybe… it carries a deeper message about growing up, belonging, and understanding the world — one diaper change at a time.

Episode 10 Sara Paretsky's V. I. Warshawski
When it comes to hard-boiled women, the first person who comes to my mind is V. I. Warshawski.

If I were asked to name hard-boiled women, I might list Grand Duchess Sofia, Caterina Sforza, and Tomoe Gozen—but their ways of life are almost otherworldly. Compared with them, the fictional V. I. Warshawski feels far more real, as if she were a living, breathing person.

V. I. Warshawski, created by Sara Paretsky, is a former lawyer and a divorced private investigator. When she is hired to look into a case, she often finds herself entangled in outrageous crimes and murders, ultimately confronting the culprits head-on. Armed with a pistol, tall, and trained in karate, she is no stranger to danger—but she frequently ends up battered and half-dead. Even so, she never bends her principles; she always rises again to face evil, and that indomitable spirit has won her the admiration of countless readers.

Some may say, “Well, that proves she’s fictional after all.” But it is precisely Paretsky’s vivid portrayal that makes V. I. Warshawski seem so real. She enjoys cooking, she’s perfectly capable of doing housework—but she’s terrible at keeping things tidy. After a day of grueling investigations and violent confrontations, she returns home exhausted, sighs at the sight of the clothes and clutter scattered around her room, and carries on. She gets disheartened after scoldings from an ex-boyfriend or her father’s old friends.

At first glance, V. I. may seem like a brash, unapproachable, hard-boiled detective—but through such intimate details, she becomes someone you simply cannot dislike.

Episode 9 Runer Jonsson's Vicke Viking
This time, I would like to introduce Vicke Viking (Vicky the Viking), written by Runer Jonsson, a story that had a great influence on One Piece’s creator during his childhood.

This work stands as a monumental classic of maritime adventure tales and has been loved around the world. It is such a famous story that it hardly needs an introduction, yet considering its historical background and lasting impact, it remains endlessly fascinating—so I would like to revisit it here. For overseas readers curious about the details of Vicke Viking, which greatly influenced the creator of One Piece, I suggest simply asking ChatGPT in your native language. Interestingly, the German–Japanese co-produced anime version was broadcast globally, yet—curiously enough—never aired in its country of origin, Sweden, though today they can enjoy the animation by Netflix. 

First, although Vikings are sometimes referred to as pirates, it would be more accurate to describe them as a brave and seafaring people. With their strong spirit of adventure, advanced navigation skills, sophisticated ships, and extraordinary physical endurance, they built trade routes stretching from Scandinavia to the Black Sea and Constantinople, even reaching the Mediterranean, Greenland, Iceland, and North America. When the Vicke the Viking series aired, I remember seeing an episode where Vicke and his crew landed in North America and interacted with the locals. As a child, I thought, “That can’t be true.” But I was wrong—thanks to the discovery of the L’Anse aux Meadows site in eastern Canada in 1960, long before the show aired, it was proven that Vikings were the first Europeans to reach the Americas—centuries before Columbus.

Incidentally, the term “Viking” doesn’t refer to a single group. They can be broadly divided into three: the Danes (Daner), the Norwegians (Norsemen), and the Swedes (Sveans). Our hero Vicke is most likely one of the Sveans from the author’s native Sweden—especially since the antagonists are Norwegian Vikings.

True to the quality expected of a German co-production, the anime characters were designed faithfully based on the original book’s illustrations. Vicke is a quiet, adorable boy of early-teen age or younger. Physically, he is weaker than other boys his age, but his strength lies in his mind—his intelligence, ingenuity, and ability to put his ideas into action. He is the only son of the Viking chieftain, loved and cherished by the adults. The fact that he alone wears a scale armor shows how precious he is to them. The adult Vikings, by contrast, are usually depicted in ordinary clothes—even in battle scenes. That might be an exaggeration, since in reality, even the bravest and strongest warriors wore chain mail during combat.

Vicke and his companions embark on adventures that span territories greater than those of the Roman Empire. They face formidable natural forces and powerful enemies. In desperate situations, Vicke—courageous but not strong—uses his wits and imagination to overcome crises alongside his companions. Vicke Viking follows the grand themes of “voyage,” “friendship,” “companionship,” and “adventure,” yet it would not exist without Vicke’s uniquely un-Viking-like charm. Perhaps such a story could only have been conceived by someone from a Viking nation.

Let me close by introducing one episode that I found especially interesting: the story in which Vicke and his crew punish Viking raiders attacking Britain. As depicted also in the film The Secret of Kells, Britain and Ireland suffered greatly from Viking invasions. Some people from those countries might be tempted to say, “Aren’t Vicke and his friends invaders too?” However, Runer Jonsson likely wrote this tale based on his belief that the Swedish Vikings (Sveans) did not raid Britain or Ireland. In fact, the Sveans are thought to have expanded southward through Russia across the Eurasian continent, rather than taking part in those western invasions. Those raids were mainly carried out by the Norsemen, which is why the Norwegian Vikings are portrayed as the villains in the story. Even in such details, one can sense the subtle dynamics between neighboring nations—and I find that quite delightful.

Episode 8 The Eastern Campaigns of Alexander

This time, let us turn to The Anabasis of Alexander — the chronicle of a young leader who built one of the greatest empires in human history. Though based on the records left by Alexander the Great’s own officer, this work is far more than a simple log of military conquests.

We have all heard stories of wise rulers who become tyrants, or of beloved leaders who, over time, grow estranged from those who once adored them. Many readers, upon finishing The Anabasis of Alexander, may find themselves reflecting on that very transformation.

Enraged by the repeated Persian invasions of Greece, the young commander Alexander resolved to unite the Greek world. He first eliminated those who stood in the way of unity—city-states that refused cooperation—and forged Greece into a single power. Even the Spartans, famed for their ferocity, could not resist his advance.

Then came his campaign eastward. Alexander swept across the Near East, tearing through territories long under Persian control. At Gaugamela, he devised the first recorded mobile encirclement strategy in history—defeating a Persian army of 250,000 with barely 50,000 men. That revolutionary tactic remains a foundation of modern military doctrine, still taught at war colleges around the world.

Driven by a dream to reach the far eastern shores of Eurasia, Alexander continued his conquests through Western Asia and into India. Yet there, the fatigue and disillusionment of his Greek soldiers finally overcame him. Forced to abandon his march east, he returned to Babylon, where he soon died—only thirty-two years old. One cannot help but wonder: had his men not rebelled, might he have reached the eastern edge of China—or even Japan?

This is the story preserved in The Anabasis of Alexander. The original record, written by his general Ptolemy—founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt—was later compiled and restructured by Ἀρριανός, granting the work immense historical value. (Incidentally, Ptolemy’s descendant was none other than Cleopatra VII.) Sadly, the original History of Alexander the Great was lost when the Great Library of Alexandria burned—a fire ignited, ironically, during the civil war between Cleopatra and her brother, in which Julius Caesar, her ally, played a fateful role. History, it seems, delights in such tangled ironies.

Yet the worth of The Anabasis lies not only in its historical precision. It captures, with striking clarity, the emotional and moral transformation of Alexander himself—his arguments with subordinates, the defection of lifelong companions, and his increasingly volatile responses to dissent.

As the commander of the Greeks, Alexander led not as a distant monarch but as a comrade. He called his soldiers “friends.” When the defeated Persian king Darius III fled the battlefield, leaving his wife and family behind, Alexander treated them with respect and dignity. One anecdote tells of Darius’s queen mistakenly thanking an older general, believing him to be Alexander. When she realized her mistake and blushed with embarrassment, Alexander laughed and reassured her, “Think nothing of it.” Moments like these reveal the charm of a leader once tutored by Aristotle himself.

But tragedy arose from the clash between East and West. In Greek thought, gods and men were separate; even the children of gods were still human, and no living man was worshiped as divine. The East, however, followed different customs—men knelt before kings, seeing them as gods. Midway through The Anabasis, this cultural divide becomes painfully clear. “The defeated people,” Ἀρριανός writes bitterly, “fell to their knees and worshiped Alexander.” And Alexander, growing accustomed to such reverence, began to demand the same from his Greek companions. From that moment, quarrels multiplied, blood was spilled, and plots to assassinate the king emerged.

The book mentions the infamous sack of Persepolis only in passing: “After the burning of Persepolis, the army marched on.” Such restraint in description chills the reader more than any detailed account could. Thereafter came the Indian campaign, the mutinous soldiers, the reluctant return, and the inevitable death of the conqueror. Somehow, all of it feels tragically preordained.

The Anabasis of Alexander is, without question, a masterpiece. The exhaustion one feels upon finishing it may well be proof that Alexander III—conqueror, visionary, and flawed human being—was, after all, only a man.

Episode 7 Alf Prøysen’s Mrs. Pepperpot

This time, I would like to introduce Alf Prøysen’s Mrs. Pepperpot — a fairy tale that many Japanese readers know under the title “Mrs. Spoon.” The modern Norwegian title is Teskjekjerringa, so the Japanese translation is in fact quite accurate.
It is not often that Japanese readers have a chance to encounter Norwegian literature. However, Mrs. Pepperpot once gained worldwide fame, and thanks to that, Japanese children, too, were fortunate enough to enjoy it. In recent years, the story has become less familiar, which is precisely why I would like to reintroduce it here.
In the tale, this remarkable old lady suddenly shrinks without any warning or reason and gains the ability to talk with animals. Since she eventually returns to her normal size, she remains calm, thinking of it only as an inconvenience — “Now I can’t do the housework.” Yet in that state, she boldly faces and resolves all sorts of problems, either on her own or together with animals. That is the indomitable Mrs. Pepperpot.
There is someone who understands and helps her—a “mysterious girl who lives near the forest.” Throughout the entire story, the girl’s true identity is never revealed. If you were to ask Alf about her, he might simply smile and say, “Just as you imagine.” Incidentally, when this story was adapted into an animated series by Japan’s national broadcaster, the girl appeared as a semi-regular character. Yet even in the anime, her true nature was never disclosed.
This fairy tale offers few of the usual moral lessons; instead, it captivates the reader with the sheer delight of the old lady’s adventures. It is a story that speaks directly to the child’s heart, pure and unadorned.
Born into humble circumstances, Alf Prøysen went on to achieve great success as both a writer and a singer-songwriter, yet he never distanced himself from ordinary people. I have recorded this note in the hope that readers will come to know and appreciate Norway’s beloved Alf Prøysen through Mrs. Pepperpot.

Episode 6 Things That Make One Envious

While I was taking shelter from the rain, a group of high school students next to me was having the time of their lives. And get this—they were laughing over a joke based on Makura no Sōshi (“The Pillow Book”), specifically the essay called Things That Make One Envious. I mean… wow. That’s next-level nerdy.

The Pillow Book is an essay written around the year 1000 by Sei Shōnagon, a legendary lady-in-waiting to the Empress and later hailed as one of Japan’s “Immortal Poets.” It’s such a cornerstone of classical literature that Japanese high school students almost always encounter it in their textbooks. But here’s the thing: the text isn’t exactly “light reading.” The grammar is ancient, the vocabulary is tricky, and it’s basically like deciphering Shakespeare while juggling kanji flashcards. And yet, these kids are cracking up over it. Either they’re geniuses—or their teacher is.

The essay Things That Make One Envious describes Sei Shōnagon’s personal pilgrimage to Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its endless rows of bright red torii gates. Even though she was part of the imperial court, her rank was low enough that she had to go on foot. Poor woman had no stamina whatsoever—palace life doesn’t exactly build leg muscles. She trudged out before dawn, walked over five miles to reach the foot of the mountain, and then started climbing toward the shrine at the summit. Of course, faster people kept overtaking her. Exhausted and tearful, she muttered, “Why on earth did I pick such a blazing hot day to come?” Suddenly, everyone else looked unbearably enviable.

And here I am, chuckling at the thought: over a thousand years later, in a crowded shrine or a crowded classroom, Sei Shōnagon still feels so… relatable.
To finish, let me quote the famous opening lines of her essay, the ones every Japanese student knows: “Haru ha Akebono….” Even in English, her murmurs sound beautiful.

“In spring, the dawn — when the slowly paling mountain rim is tinged with red, and wisps of faintly crimson-purple cloud float in the sky.” (Meredith McKinney 2006)

Episode 5 "HEY ARNOLD!"

Today I’d like to introduce Hey Arnold!—and especially Season 1, Episode 18, “Arnold’s Christmas.” In my opinion, this episode is one of America’s greatest treasures, a heartwarming masterpiece that deserves to be celebrated worldwide.

Back when I was a postdoc at Penn State, I’d often come home in the evening, turn on the TV, and there it was: Nickelodeon’s cartoon Hey Arnold! At first glance, the art style screams comedy—Arnold and his quirky friends constantly stumble into trouble, get dragged into more trouble, and somehow manage to solve it all.

But what really impressed me was the depth of the characters. Arnold is a genuinely kind and honest kid, but he carries a heavy backstory—his parents are missing, and he lives with his eccentric but lovable grandparents, who run a boarding house. His best friend Gerald is the definition of loyalty, always sticking by him no matter what. And then there’s Helga, the queen of “tsundere” before the word even existed! (Fun fact: “tsundere” only entered Japanese media vocabulary around 2005–2006, yet Hey Arnold!—which debuted in 1996—was already giving us Helga, the ultimate prototype. That’s groundbreaking!)

Now, every episode is fun, but “Arnold’s Christmas” is something else. It’s even recognized on Wikipedia as a classic. The story centers on Mr. Hyunh, a Vietnamese immigrant living in Arnold’s building, who was separated from his young daughter during the war. Arnold, together with Gerald, decides that the best Christmas gift he can give Mr. Hyunh is the chance to reunite with her. The premise was so heavy that production itself was difficult—but thanks to the creators’ persistence, the episode was released and instantly became an unforgettable masterpiece.

Of course, the reunion plot is deeply moving on its own. But the moment that elevates this episode to greatness is Helga’s final line. With that one act, the story ascends to a level I would compare to Violet Evergarden’s legendary Episode 10, “A Loved One Will Always Watch Over You.”

Growing up in Japan, I knew Christmas mostly as a time for gifts, but without the same deep cultural weight it carries in the West. That’s why I found it so powerful: Arnold and Gerald are overjoyed just to give Mr. Hyunh the gift of reunion, and Helga—well, she quietly gives them the greatest gift of all. That mix of comedy, kindness, and sacrifice? Absolutely cool.

I hear this episode is already well-known in the U.S., but honestly—it deserves to be celebrated everywhere. It’s not just a cartoon episode; it’s one of those rare works that proves animation can touch the heart as deeply as any great drama.

Episode 4-3　Gaius Iulius Caesar "The Gallic War"3

The Gallic War is also the record of Caesar, who ranged freely across Western Europe. First, in Switzerland, Caesar resolved a conflict that had begun as a refugee problem. Next, he fought a great war in Belgium, then suppressed a maritime conflict on the Atlantic coast, crossed the Rhine, and sought to intimidate the Germanic tribes. To swim or sail across the Rhine was, in Caesar’s view, beneath the dignity of civilized Romans. Instead, by a curious logic that “Romans should build a bridge and march proudly across into Germanic lands,” he had an enormous bridge constructed across the wide Rhine. Satisfied with this feat, he exulted, certain that “the Germans must be trembling.

Afterward, he crossed the sea and landed in Britain, engaging in battles with the Britons. During the Second World War, British Prime Minister Churchill declared that with Caesar’s landing, the history of Britain had begun. From these British campaigns onward, the grand spectacle—replete with countless infantry battles, cavalry charges, chariot clashes, and naval engagements, rivaling the scale of The Lord of the Rings—moved toward the great Gallic revolt and its climactic finale, the “Battle of Alesia.” There, the Romans besieged the fortified city of Alesia, where the Gallic leader Vercingetorix had taken refuge, only to find themselves besieged in turn by the Gallic relief forces. This became the first large-scale double-envelopment battle in history, and it was Caesar who triumphed, holding off enemies to his front and rear alike. The account of the battle closes with a single, stark line: “Vercingetorix voluntarily gave himself up.” And Caesar’s own Commentaries on the Gallic War ends in the same subdued tone: “Upon learning of the year’s victories, Rome decreed twenty days of thanksgiving to the gods.

With this account, as if it were a grand work of fiction, we close our introduction to Caesar’s Gallic War. In the end, Caesar was assassinated, and his body was cremated on the banks of the Tiber. As the flames died down and the mourners moved to gather his ashes, a sudden, violent downpour scattered them into the Tiber, washing them away. Was he truly a man?

Episode 4-2　Gaius Iulius Caesar "The Gallic War"2
The Gallic War is, at its core, a series of reports Caesar submitted to the Roman Senate. For this reason, he refers to himself in the third person, adopting a style such as “Caesar judged that—” or “Caesar attacked—.” It was an unsettled age: the Celts and the Germanic tribes were striking at Roman territory and at allied cities across western Gaul. To stabilize the region, the Senate dispatched Caesar. Thus, as in modern times, it was his duty to deliver an annual report.

The default form of The Gallic War is that of a clear and orderly record: an overview of the state of Western Europe, the causes of each disturbance, the strategy and movement of the legions, descriptions of the battlefield, preparations for combat, the battle itself, and the aftermath—each rendered with an exceptional, objective style. The accounts of terrain, fortifications, and siege equipment read almost like an academic paper: dispassionate, yet detailed. But when the battles begin, the narrative comes alive. “Caesar, seizing a shield from one of his own men, raised it and ran to the front line, calling out the names of the centurions.” Soldiers cheer as two rival centurions, competing for glory, narrowly escape disaster by joining forces. A reckless unit, overconfident and nearly annihilated, is rescued by Caesar—who both commends their courage and sternly rebukes their arrogance before leading them once more into battle. Such breathless passages draw the reader in so completely that one forgets the passage of time, until suddenly the fighting is over.

From time to time, special digressions appear: cultural and social observations comparing Gaul and Germania, or even scientific notes such as measurements of the length of a day on the island of Britain.

Ever calculating, Caesar knew his reports would reach the ears of the Roman people, and so he wove into them elegant strands of self-praise. They are too numerous to list, but let one example suffice: “The Senate, in recognition of Caesar’s achievements, decreed a public thanksgiving (supplicatio) of fifteen days (the longest such observance until then had been only seven days, in honor of his rival Pompey).” What Caesar truly wished to emphasize, of course, was the parenthetical—the contrast with Pompey. Yet, disdaining crude boasting, he left the comparison unwritten. On this point, I find myself in agreement with the historian Nanami Shiono.

Episode 4-1　Gaius Iulius Caesar "The Gallic War"

Episode 4 features The Gallic War, written by Gaius Iulius Caesar (BC 100-BC 44), commonly known as Julius Caesar. It is the story of a superman overflowing with human charm, conveyed through the reports he sent to the Roman Senate.
The author of The Gallic War, Caesar himself, was a man of inexhaustible fascination. Nanami Shiono devoted two full volumes to him in her monumental fifteen-volume series The Story of the Romans, which traces the twelve centuries of Rome’s rise and fall. The boy who once rode a horse bareback down the slopes of Rome with his arms folded behind his head would later distinguish himself brilliantly in many fields.

Debt: Caesar taught us that when one’s debts become overwhelmingly large, the debtor effectively turns into an indispensable asset for the creditors. Before he departed for a foreign posting, a throng of creditors besieged him, blocking his departure until he repaid them. The one who calmed the creditors was none other than Crassus, the man to whom Caesar owed the greatest sum.

Romantic Affairs: Many senators’ wives were Caesar’s mistresses. Since this fact was publicly known, it seems not to have been regarded as adultery. Remarkably, though he had many mistresses, none are recorded to have resented him. The absence of any scandal with the celebrated beauty of the age suggests that Caesar was not a man who pursued every beautiful woman he encountered. Notably, the mother of Brutus—who would later assassinate Caesar—was among his mistresses. One wonders what feelings passed through her mind when she heard of his death.

Politics and Institutions: Caesar managed to pass the volatile agrarian law—long a source of turmoil, bloodshed, and regime change in Rome—through a form of bipartisan agreement. He introduced the Julian calendar of 365 days with a leap year every four years. He ordered the immediate publication of Senate proceedings, which had previously been decided behind closed doors. He also laid down laws governing public officials.

Commerce: Quite impressive. Somehow, Caesar shifted from being a debtor to becoming a creditor. At his triumphal procession, his legionaries erupted in a comical chant: “Romans, lock your doors, guard your purses if you have no money!” In triumphs, it was customary for soldiers to mock the general to prevent the gods from becoming jealous of his glory. At one point, Caesar protested, “Isn’t this too cruel?” But his devoted soldiers dismissed his complaint, claiming it was their rightful prerogative.


War: Caesar was not an undefeated general. He lost when circumstances dictated. Yet no matter how dire the situation, at the decisive moment he always found a way to win. At Pharsalus, though outnumbered, he defeated the “double envelopment” tactic—first invented by Alexander the Great, rediscovered by Hannibal, and perfected by Scipio—revealing his genius.

Literature: Before Caesar, Latin was considered rough-hewn compared to Greek, and the upper classes and scholars often preferred to write in Greek. Caesar, however, achieved in Latin an extraordinary blend of objective and concise narrative, vivid descriptive power, and subtle political intent. This is The Gallic War. Remarkably, even more than two thousand years later, this work continues to be reprinted across the world. To fulfill not only the roles of general and statesman but also the dreams of every writer—this was Caesar, the superhuman.

Episode 3:Haruomi Tomotsuka "Dara-san in the Reiwa Era (令和のダラさん)"


People sometimes ask me, “Do university professors actually read manga?” Of course we do! The only problem is, I don’t visit bookstores as often as I used to, and when I do, the manga shelves are wrapped up tighter than a bank vault in plastic covers. You can’t peek inside. Even with e-books, the “free preview” usually ends just before the story gets good. Under these tragic circumstances, stumbling upon a manga I truly enjoy feels like winning the lottery.

That’s why I was thrilled to discover Dara-san in The Reiwa Era (令和のダラさん) by Haruomi Tomotsuka-sensei. It’s the tale of a shrine maiden who fights a monstrous serpent—only to be tricked by the villagers she’s protecting, lose her life, and come back as the very snake monster she once battled (KanKanDara(姦姦蛇螺)) . Yeah, cheerful stuff. Needless to say, I felt a lingering sadness reading about her fate. Zero happy endings in sight.

But then comes the modern-day horror-comedy spin: Reiwa no Dara-san reimagines this ex-miko monster living among us today. Sure, a few evil humans show up, but they’re rare. Even the descendants of those treacherous villagers appear—yet now, everyone surrounding her turns out to be absurdly kindhearted, almost suspiciously so. Admittedly, some look shady with menacing glares… but don’t worry, they’re all sweethearts at heart. And according to Tomotsuka-sensei, this is a “beautiful-girl manga, drawn by a beautiful girl, starring only beautiful girls.” ????

Anyway, I personally feel relieved that through this work, even Kankandara is finally saved.


Episode 2: Anne McCaffreey "The Ship Who Sang"

Anne McCaffrey’s The Ship Who Sang is set in an era when interstellar travel is commonplace. In this world, parents of newborns with severe disabilities that make natural life impossible can choose to let them live on as cyborgs. Protected within a thick titanium shell, these infants grow up normally, connected through terminals to sensors and actuators that allow them to develop just like healthy children. For this reason, they are called Shell Person. Interestingly, Shell Person tend to view non-cyborgs as “slightly inconvenient folk.”

Helva, one such Shell Person, is a teenager who, thanks to her extraordinary abilities and aptitude, chooses to operate as a starship for the interstellar federated state. These starships are run as a two-person team: the Shell Person serves as the “Brain,” while the human partner provides the “Brawn.” Such vessels are therefore known as Brain-Brawn ships, or 2Bs. Helva quickly falls in love at first sight with a mischievous young astronaut named Jennan, who becomes her Brawn, and together they set out across the stars.

Helva loves to sing as she roams the galaxy, but many who intercept her songs mock her as a strange “singing ship.” When she grows disheartened, Jennan reassures her: “It’s beautiful. Don’t ever stop.” And when the two of them singlehandedly defeat a band of space pirates, the ridicule turns to admiration. Yet just as everything seems to be going well, tragedy strikes: during a refugee transport mission, Helva loses Jennan before her very eyes.

At this point, some may think I am giving away spoilers. Rest assured—this is only the introduction. To help her overcome her grief, the interstellar federation assigns Helva various temporary Brawns and a succession of missions. This is not cold-hearted policy but rather an act of kindness. Though she grumbles, Helva works with her Brawns, struggling alongside them and carrying out her duties with determination. Through many incidents, encounters, and farewells, she grows stronger.

What strikes me after finishing the novel is that it is, at heart, a pure love story of a working woman, with science fiction providing a stage and details that give the tale breadth and depth. It is one of those works that allows you to feel genuine satisfaction at the happy ending, thinking, “I’m truly glad.”

What is astonishing is how fresh the novel feels, even though it was written between 1961 and 1969. Some may argue that science fiction is naturally timeless, but even the works of great masters often reflect the era in which they were composed. In The Ship Who Sang, however, there is little, if any, sense of such period-bound elements. The saying “a masterpiece never fades” seems perfectly suited to this novel.

The Ship Who Sang is thought to have had a major influence on Japanese manga, anime, and light novels—especially in shaping the archetype of the heroine with a mechanical body. Since its publication, works with similar premises have become commonplace.

One final note: Helva’s code name is The ship who sings, while the title of the novel is The Ship Who Sang. Even in this small detail, one can sense the author’s refined sensibility. Truly, this work deserves to be counted among the proud achievements of American literature.

Episode 1 H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937)

H. P. Lovecraft is a name known to nearly all who once passed through the so-called “adolescent delusion” of youthful fascination with the dark and the arcane. In a letter to a friend, he once wrote: “To me, creatures such as Frankenstein or the werewolf do not seem truly frightening.”
Upon reading Lovecraft’s works, one recognizes him as a pioneer and a genius who revealed how terrifying it can be to refrain from rendering the object of fear in concrete form. His legacy resonates in the dread conveyed by the film The Blair Witch Project and the novel Ring.
A prolific correspondent, he also confessed to a friend in another letter: “I love to travel. Yet when I have money, my health fails me; and when my health is strong, I have no money. Thus I cannot enjoy the journeys I so desire.”
Lovecraft passed away in obscurity and hardship. Yet today, his writings are read by countless people across the world, and games inspired by his works are released almost every year. This enduring legacy may be regarded as his ultimate solace.