Chapter 58 Umehara Daigo's First Time
In late July, in a small seaside town in Aomori Prefecture, the afternoon sun, carrying the salty scent of the sea, lazily spilled onto the old streets.
Cicadas chirped themselves hoarse, and the air was almost stagnant.
Several young boys in shorts, their skin tanned dark, were chasing and playing in an open space, sweat sticking to their hair.
One of them was six-year-old Umehara Daigo.
He was drawn to the sounds coming from the only decent electronics store on the street corner; the owner was animatedly chatting with a few young people who had returned from Tokyo, gesticulating wildly.
"...Tokyo's gone crazy!"
"Sega's competition, what was it called? fatal fury?"
"Yes, yes! The prize money is huge, the champion gets 5 million yen!"
"Really? You can make big money just by being good at games?"
Vague words drifted into Daigo's ears, carrying an incredible sense of wonder.
Tokyo, so far away, he had never been there.
Game competition?
He didn't quite understand the complex terms, nor could he imagine the specific scenes, and 5 million yen meant little to him, only that it could buy many, many snacks and toys.
But the excitement in the adults' voices, that unusual fervor, struck his calm heart, rippling out circles of curiosity.
What was it that could make adults so excited? Even the electronics store owner forgot to greet customers.
"Hey, Daigo, what are you staring at! Why are you standing there like an idiot!"
His friend pushed him hard, almost making him stumble.
"Let's go check out 'over there,' shall we?"
Another child's eyes sparkled, and he slyly pointed his chin towards the end of the street.
"Over there" was the town's only arcade, smoky and noisy, reeking of sweat and cheap cigarettes, a "forbidden zone" that little kids like them would never dare approach.
It was said to be filled with older boys who didn't study and some fierce-looking uncles.
But today, it seemed different.
Several teenagers were gathered at the entrance, craning their necks to look inside.
Half-coaxed by his older friends, Daigo clutched the few coins in his pocket, his palms a little sweaty, his heart beating a little fast, a mix of fear and an indescribable anticipation as he, for the first time, summoned the courage and carefully stepped into that dim world filled with electronic sounds.
A large external television, bigger than the one at home, hung at the entrance, displaying the screen of one of the machines inside.
It was "fatal fury."
On the screen, a small figure in a red hat and blue vest was jumping up and down, shouting "Power Wave!"
Another large man with an eye patch was being pushed back repeatedly.
Although he didn't understand the complex moves and tactics, he could see the two constantly decreasing health bars at the top of the screen.
The little red-hatted figure suddenly jumped up, spun his body, and delivered a kick; the screen flickered, and the opponent fell to the ground.
"K.O.!"
A huge cheer and sighs of regret erupted around him.
So amazing.
Just as he was watching intently, his friends, unable to contain themselves, excitedly called out to him.
"Come on, come on! Let's pool our money and play a round!"
He and his friends emptied all their pockets, barely gathering enough 100-yen coins, which they jingled as they dropped them in.
The colorful characters on the selection screen dazzled them, and they ended up randomly picking two that looked the most impressive.
The game started, and they gathered around the machine, haphazardly slapping the buttons and rattling the joystick, which squeaked loudly.
The characters on the screen completely ignored their commands, either jumping in place or standing still and taking hits.
"How do you do that Flame Punch!"
"Press this! Press this!"
"No! You pressed the wrong one!"
In their fumbling, the screen quickly turned black and white.
"Continue?"
The coins were gone.
Although they lost quickly, even a bit awkwardly, the feeling of holding the joystick and watching the screen change with their actions was novel and captivating.
Still not satisfied, they squeezed back to the entrance, gathered around the big television, and continued to watch others play.
This time, they watched more carefully, imitating the characters' movements on the screen while muttering to themselves.
"Flame Punch!"
"Somersault Kick!"
Although their movements were clumsy, everyone's face was beaming with excitement.
It wasn't until sunset, when the sky was dyed red, and after the first friend was dragged home by an angry parent pulling his ear, that Umehara Daigo and his other still-unsatisfied friends left the arcade that had made his heart race.
On the way home, his steps felt light.
In his mind, the flashing images, the noisy sound effects, the red-hatted figure's victory, and the huge roar of the crowd at the moment of defeat replayed repeatedly.
Though still very naive, a vague longing—for games, for victory, for becoming the center of attention—like a tiny seed, quietly fell into his six-year-old heart.
He wondered, if he could play that well, would many people cheer for him too?
The next day, in an inconspicuous corner of a local Aomori newspaper, a short news item was published.
The headline was "New Electronic Game Competitions Attract Attention, Youth Prone to Addiction Need Guidance."
The content roughly stated that the town's arcade had become unusually lively recently due to some competition from Tokyo, attracting many young people, even elementary school students, and advised parents to monitor their children's activities to prevent excessive addiction.
The accompanying image was a slightly blurry photograph of the crowd gathered outside the arcade, and in the corner, one could see the profile of a small boy peeking out, who was Umehara Daigo.
The report's tone carried observation and a subtly undetectable hint of worry, focusing on the novelty of the phenomenon rather than the value of the competition itself, more like a piece of social news filler.
Meanwhile, in distant Tokyo, the scene was completely different.
The entertainment sections, and even the social pages, of major mainstream newspapers prominently reported on the event. Sega had clearly invested heavily this time; their public relations department had long since arranged everything with various media outlets, providing generous writing fees.
"Summer Frenzy!
"Over Ten Thousand Participants on Day One! Sega Creates a New Game Culture for Everyone!"
The accompanying photos captured the overflowing crowds at popular arcades in Shinjuku, Shibuya, and other areas, close-ups of players in deep concentration, and the lively scene of people raising glasses while watching the matches in bars, all shot with a strong sense of atmosphere.
The slightly unfamiliar term "esports" appeared so frequently in the public eye for the first time, carrying a trendy and avant-garde aura.
In the reports, the names and nascent stories of some players began to appear, embellished by reporters.
"...Player Shirano from Chiba, a dark horse who defeated strong opponents, this high school student's calm play is impressive, it is said he only practices two hours a day..."
On television news, a reporter stood outside an arcade, with a seemingly endless line in the background, excitedly reporting on the grand event and interviewing players who were passionately discussing the competition.
The camera even specifically showed bars that had hooked up the competition signal to their televisions, calling it a "new trend in viewing," with scenes of people clinking glasses and drinking, creating a lively atmosphere.