Ann, You Got Rejected Again Today 🍙 Episode 0: Drama Plot, Reiwa's Tora-san Comes by Bicycle
Hey there, I'm Ann the Shiba Inu.
Today, I'm going to write about a new story I'm currently thinking of,
"Ann, You Got Rejected Again Today 🍙"
and share some thoughts on it.
It's not just a travel story.
It's not just a dog story.
It's not just a human-interest story.
This is a story about a man whose heart was worn down by a black company, who travels across the country by bicycle with his Shiba Inu, Ann, leaving behind a little bit of peace in every town they visit.
In other words,
a Reiwa-era wandering human drama.
That's what it is.
Honestly, I'm thinking of a work that is innovative and heart-pounding, exactly what TV Tokyo is looking for in the 2026 Creative Awards.
I don't know what Ann considers innovative, but I thought that a human-interest love story might actually be fresh for young people.
The human kindness and heartbreak of "Tora-san".
The laid-back humor and the feeling of valuing life over work from "Tsuribaka Nisshi".
The rice balls, wandering, and simple gaze of "Hadaka no Taisho Horo-ki".
I want to take the best parts of those and give them a new life, tailored to Reiwa-era loneliness, social media, gig work, mental health, and regional issues.
And there, you have Ann the Shiba Inu.
A Shiba Inu wearing a red bandana, catching the wind on the back of a bicycle.
Just that alone makes you want to watch it, right?
The core of this work
At the heart of "Ann, You Got Rejected Again Today 🍙" is the story of a man who ran away from his company and, in the places he fled to, saves someone's tomorrow just a little bit.
The protagonist is Futaro Yamato.
34 years old.
From Osaka.
Former sales employee at a black company.
A man who was chased by numbers, yelled at by his boss, terrified by smartphone notification sounds, and unable to sleep.
One day, Futaro quits his job.
From society's perspective, he might be a man who ran away.
But in this work, we don't deny that.
It's okay to run away.
It's okay to run away from places that grind down your life.
However, Futaro changes during his journey.
He ran away from the company.
But he becomes a man who
does not run away
from people in need right in front of him.
This is the most important core of this story.
Futaro travels around Japan by bicycle with his Shiba Inu, Ann.
He scrapes by doing odd jobs like Timee or Uber in various places.
Carrying cargo at the port.
Washing dishes at an inn.
Helping with the harvest at a farm.
Making deliveries in a hot spring town.
Working as a vendor at a roadside station.
Basically, he sleeps outdoors.
But the townspeople can't just leave him be.
"It's cold outside with a dog, isn't it?"
"You can sleep in the shed if you'd like."
"It's just leftovers, but do you want to eat?"
And so, Futaro and Ann become a family for just one night in that town.
A family for just one night
I think this is an important phrase for this work.
The Role of Ann the Shiba Inu
Ann is not just a pet.
She is a travel companion, the conscience of the story, and a compass that senses the pain in people's hearts.
Ann makes witty remarks in Kansai dialect.
Although she is usually in charge of the comedy, she notices the scent of human lies and the pain of people who are forcing themselves to smile.
Before Futaro notices, Ann stops.
She sits at the feet of someone who looks like they are about to cry.
She tilts her head in front of someone who is angry.
If Futaro gets carried away, she steps on his leash.
If he tries to look cool in front of a Madonna, she looks at him with cold eyes.
This person is actually having a hard time, isn't he?
This town is hiding something.
This old guy is angry, but he's actually lonely.
Ann's gaze becomes the entrance to the incident.
Futaro says,
"What is it, Ann? Are you telling me to go over there?"
Ann starts walking.
Futaro follows her.
From there, the story begins.
Futaro as the Reiwa-era Wanderer
Futaro is not a character who just mimics the wanderers of the Showa era.
He is a Reiwa-era wanderer.
He doesn't work remotely.
He doesn't open a laptop in a cafe to play the part of a glamorous free spirit.
He is more down-to-earth.
He is hungrier.
He is more pathetic.
But that's what makes him good.
He has few possessions.
A bicycle.
A sleeping bag.
A small pot.
A fishing rod.
Rain gear.
Ann's food.
A few changes of clothes.
A smartphone.
Wisdom for living anywhere
He can fish.
He can camp.
He has knowledge of hunting.
He can identify wild vegetables.
He can fix a bicycle.
He can fillet fish.
He can make a proper warm meal in a small pot.
On the other hand, he also uses modern tools
He uses his smartphone to look for one-off jobs.
He checks maps.
He checks the weather.
He checks ferry times.
But he is not
controlled by his smartphone
He has no interest in SNS likes
He eats his rice ball before taking a photogenic picture.
This is the interesting thing about Futaro.
While living on the periphery of the digital world, he also possesses a wild origin.
He is a man who rides his bicycle between Reiwa society and old-fashioned human kindness.
Kansai dialect is a weapon
Futaro's Kansai dialect is not just for characterization.
It is a weapon to open a hole in the atmosphere of a town.
A closed-off town.
A workplace where endurance has become the norm.
A family that cannot speak their true feelings.
A community that is wary of outsiders.
Futaro enters that space.
At first, he makes them laugh with light banter.
"Excuse me. My wallet is light, but my stomach's growling is top-notch."
"Ann is more popular than I am. I'm just her escort."
He uses laughter to help people relax.
But in the end, he speaks to the core.
"I don't think helping people means reaching out from above. It means getting into the mud together."
"Work is important. But if it's work that you have to sacrifice your life to protect, you should just throw it away."
"In front of a crying child, listing adult excuses won't make their meal warm."
Futaro's Kansai dialect becomes words that draw a line as a human being, rather than a lecture.
I want to cherish this.
"Tora-san" (It's Tough Being a Man)
What is inherited from it
What I want to greatly respect in this work is the structure of "It's Tough Being a Man."
A man who travels.
He enters a town.
He touches upon human kindness.
He falls in love with a Madonna.
He does something unnecessary.
He gets his heart broken.
But he doesn't hold a grudge against the other person and sets off on a journey again.
This pattern is truly strong.
However, in the Reiwa version,
the Madonna
will not be just an ideal woman
Depict the Madonna as a person living her life, too.
A young proprietress wavering over whether to take over the inn.
A woman trying to close down the local diner.
Someone whose dreams are on hold due to caregiving.
Someone whose heart was shredded by an SNS firestorm.
Someone who returned home after a divorce.
Someone isolated as a transplant to the area.
Someone supporting foreign workers.
Someone exhausted by matching apps.
Futaro falls in love with her.
But he does not possess her.
He doesn't take a condescending attitude of 'I'll save you,' either.
He gives a little push to her back as she chooses her own life.
And, he always gets dumped.
There is a fiancé.
There is a husband.
There is someone they can't forget.
There is a dream of going abroad.
There is a resolve to stay in that town.
Futaro laughs.
But he is a little lonely.
'Ann, you got dumped beautifully again today. My love life always ends as a local limited edition.'
Ann doesn't comfort him.
She is looking at the rice ball wrapper.
This laughter and poignancy become the flavor of the work.
What is inherited from 'Tsuribaka Nisshi' (Free and Easy)
What I want to inherit from 'Tsuribaka Nisshi' is the sense of valuing life over work.
Company titles.
Career advancement.
Evaluations.
Numbers.
Rather than those things, go fishing.
Eat a meal.
Laugh with people.
I think this set of values is needed more and more in the Reiwa era.
Because Futaro is a man who was nearly broken by a black company, he knows the terror of work.
That is precisely why he can say this to people in town who are working so hard they are about to collapse.
'Look, even if you quit a company, you can find another one. But if you quit on yourself, it's hard to come back.'
Also, the 'friendship beyond titles' typical of Tsuribaka is important.
Futaro does not
treat important people in town
as important people.
Company president.
Town mayor.
Chairman of the tourism association.
The big boss of the inn group.
Wealthy sponsor.
Influencer.
Futaro doesn't know their titles and talks to them as just an old guy.
'What's wrong, old man, are you hungry too?'
The people around turn pale when they realize the person is actually a big shot.
But the person himself just laughs.
'It's been a while since someone talked to me without using my job title.'
There is a Tsuribaka Nisshi-like pleasantness here.
Humans can connect not through titles, but through the sound of their stomachs and how they laugh.
What is inherited from
'Hadaka no Taisho Horoki' (The Wandering Artist)
What I want to inherit from 'Hadaka no Taisho Horoki' is the wanderer's pure eyes and the power of rice balls.
Rice balls will be the central item of this work.
Futaro's favorite food is rice balls.
When departing from each prefecture, the locals give Futaro rice balls to take with him.
The ingredients are the local specialties or regional cuisine.
If it's Osaka, lightly pickled Senshu water eggplant and salted kelp.
If it's Hiroshima, simmered oysters.
If it's Ehime, fish cake with ginger soy sauce.
If it's Okinawa, Andansu (miso pork).
If it's Ishikawa, Ishiru-grilled squid.
If it's Hokkaido, salmon roe marinated in soy sauce and kelp.
If it's Wakayama, Nanko plum and pickled mustard greens.
Futaro eats them on the side of the road.
He takes a bite.
Then, the faces of that town come to mind.
The hands of the lady at the shop.
The fisherman's laughter.
The Madonna's back.
The child who petted Ann.
The steam from the morning diner.
Rice balls are a hometown you can carry with you.
Futaro says,
'Rice balls are like small inns made in the palm of your hand.'
This phrase will be the signpost for this work.
Poems on colored paper
Just as the 'Naked General' leaves behind paintings, Futaro leaves behind short poems on colored paper.
They aren't great poems.
But they contain the scent of that town.
The steam of a meal.
The sea breeze.
The mountain soil.
The hands of working people.
A smile that looks like it might cry.
The place where Ann sat.
He leaves those things behind in short words.
On the wall of a diner.
At the entrance of an inn.
At a fishing port rest area.
On the bulletin board of a children's cafeteria.
Next to the register at a roadside station.
After Futaro leaves, the townspeople look at that colored paper.
'I wonder where that strange guy is riding to now.'
This becomes a comfort that remains in the town.
The golden pattern of the story
This work values the conventions of every episode.
1. Crossing the prefectural border
Futaro rings his bicycle bell, 'ding'.
He hums a song associated with that land.
Ann looks annoyed and flattens her ears.
2. Entering the town
He is hungry.
He has no money.
He looks for work.
3. Entering the inside of the town through gig work
He works at ports, inns, farms, roadside stations, deliveries, festival preparations, etc.
4. Being helped by local human kindness
He is fed.
He is lent a place to sleep.
Ann is treated with affection.
5. Meeting the Madonna
She looks cheerful, but has worries in her heart.
6. Social issues become visible
Tourism exploitation, depopulation, caregiving, SNS firestorms, foreign labor, poverty, loneliness, lack of successors, vacant house problems.
7. Futaro sticks his nose in
He says something unnecessary and gets yelled at.
But he doesn't run away.
8. A strange friendship is born
He becomes friends with important people and strange old guys, beyond titles.
9. Futaro listens
He listens to the Madonna's worries until the end.
10. He states the core in Kansai dialect
Not a lecture, but showing a line as a human being.
11. The town changes a little
It's not a complete solution.
But someone's tomorrow becomes a little better.
12. Futaro gets dumped
He celebrates the other person's life and steps aside.
13. He leaves behind a poem on colored paper
Words remain in the town.
14. On the morning of departure, he receives a rice ball
Futaro is about to cry.
15. To the next prefecture
Futaro doesn't look back.
Only Ann looks back a little.
Because of these conventions,
readers can follow the journey with peace of mind.
Tora-san, Tsuribaka, and Hadaka no Taisho all had the charm of being formulaic.
Even though it's the same mold, you can meet different people every time.
This is the strength of a series.
Humming at the prefectural border
Humming at the prefectural border is not just a small quirk.
It's a ritual for entering that land.
Before entering a new prefecture, Futaro rings his bicycle bell.
Ding.
"Ann, we're at the prefectural border. Time for the ritual."
Then, he hums a local song.
For Osaka, it's 'Osaka de Umareta Onna'.
For Hiroshima, it's 'Soreyuke Carp'.
For Okinawa, it's 'Shimauta'.
For Hokkaido, it's 'Kita no Kuni kara'.
For Tokyo, it's 'Tokyo Boogie Woogie'.
For Wakayama, it's 'Wakayama Blues'.
It's not to explain the lyrics at length.
The melody brings the atmosphere of the land with it.
Futaro sings a little off-key.
Ann tilts her ears.
But Futaro is in a good mood.
"Travelers need an entrance theme, you know."
This little ritual becomes a signature feature of every episode.
Route and Visual Highlights
Departing from Osaka, he travels around Japan counter-clockwise.
A major highlight in the early stages is the Shimanami Kaido.
From Onomichi in Hiroshima to Imabari in Ehime.
Bridges.
The sea.
Islands.
Bicycle.
Ann with her red bandana.
This is incredibly powerful as a visual.
Futaro says while riding on the road above the sea.
"Ann, look. The road continues over the sea. The hallways at the company led to hell, but this road truly leads to tomorrow."
This line can serve as a symbol for the entire work.
A man who ran away from his company
finds tomorrow on a road above the sea
Here, the reader becomes willing to follow this journey.
Reiwa Social Themes
This work looks like a heartwarming travel story.
But the themes it handles are the realities of the Reiwa era.
Exploitative companies.
Gig work.
SNS backlash.
Damage from online reviews.
Nursing care.
Young carers.
Foreign labor.
The shadiness of regional revitalization businesses.
Labor shortages in tourist spots.
Vacant house problems.
Lonely deaths.
Discrimination against migrants.
Matching app fatigue.
Mental health.
Diversity.
It's quite heavy.
But it doesn't portray it too heavily.
Ann is there.
There are rice balls.
Futaro's stomach growls.
The local auntie makes a witty remark.
Create an entry point through laughter
and touch upon human pain at the end
This is the way this work does it.
Distance from SNS
Since it's the Reiwa version, SNS is important.
But it doesn't make SNS just a villain.
Futaro has no interest in SNS.
He doesn't post himself.
He doesn't want to go viral.
But the people he meets on his journey
post about him on their own
"A Shiba Inu with a red bandana and a bicycle man came to our town."
"He was humming a weird song at the prefectural border."
"He looked like he was going to cry when I gave him a rice ball."
"He called the mayor 'old man'."
Before he knows it
Futaro and Ann
become like an urban legend on the internet
Only the person himself doesn't know.
This sense of distance is interesting.
SNS can hurt people.
But it can also connect people.
There are episodes where a shop suffers from reviews.
There are episodes where a children's cafeteria is saved by a post.
Without leaning to either side, it depicts digital life as part of Reiwa living.
Chosen Family
In this work, I want to depict a family that is not just about blood ties.
Futaro does not have a proper home.
But every time he travels, more people say to him, 'You're back again?'
The lady at the diner.
The guy at the fishing port.
The young proprietress of the inn.
The staff at the roadside station.
The guy at the bicycle shop.
The vet at the animal clinic.
The people at the children's cafeteria.
A former colleague from a black company.
A loose-knit family is being formed all over the country.
He has no address.
But all over Japan, there are people who say 'Welcome home' to him.
This is the answer to loneliness in the Reiwa era.
Strength as an IP
'Ann, You Got Dumped Again Today 🍙' is quite easy to expand as an IP.
First of all, he can travel to all 47 prefectures.
This is strong.
Each prefecture has famous sights.
There are local songs.
There are local rice balls.
There is a Madonna.
There are social issues.
There are poems on colored paper.
In other words, it can naturally be turned into a series.
It is also suitable for anime.
It is also suitable for manga.
It is also suitable for live-action drama.
It can also be made into a movie.
Convenience store projects for local rice balls are also possible.
Tie-ups with local governments are also possible.
Tourism campaigns are also possible.
It goes well with roadside stations and service areas.
Ann's red bandana, stickers, colored paper-style cards, rice ball wrapping goods, bicycle bells.
Merchandise is also easy to create.
But it must not just be local PR.
What is important is the scent of life in the town.
The hands of the people working.
The steam from the diner.
The morning at the port.
The sound of the register at the roadside station.
Ann's footsteps.
Because I depict that,
the reader thinks,
'I want to return to this world.'
Things to protect in production
There are also things you must not do in this work.
Do not solve things with Showa-era guts theory.
Do not end it with 'Do your best'.
Do not settle it with 'It's all about spirit'.
Because Futaro himself is a man who was on the verge of breaking, you must not say careless things to people's wounds.
Do not make the Madonna just a woman to be saved.
They walk on their own feet.
Futaro just gives them a little push on the back.
Do not depict SNS as simply evil.
Digital can also hurt people.
But it can also help people.
Do not make the countryside a paradise full of good people.
The countryside has problems.
There are also entanglements.
There is also fatigue.
But there is also the warmth of the people who live there.
And do not treat rice balls lightly.
The rice balls in this work are not just food.
Memories of the town.
A home in the palm of your hand.
A small hometown handed to you on the morning of your departure.
The scene where Futaro eats it is close to the climax of every episode.
Finally
'Ann, You Got Dumped Again Today 🍙' is a story about a man who ran away.
But it is not a story of just running away.
A man who ran away from his company encounters people's pain on his travels.
They become a family for just one night.
He falls in love.
He gets his heart broken.
He receives a rice ball.
He leaves a poem on colored paper.
A little peace remains in the town.
A little loneliness remains in Futaro.
Ann shakes his red bandana and heads to the next prefecture.
I think the catchphrase for this work is this.
Love does not bear fruit,
but a light remains in the town.
A man who ran away from his company saves someone's tomorrow a little bit wherever he runs to.
With just one rice ball, people can start running again.
Reiwa's vagabond comes by bicycle.
He brings a dog, eats rice balls, gets his heart broken, and leaves after warming up the town just a little.
Ann thinks.
This story is not about a flashy hero.
He is not a brave hero who saves the world.
But it is a story about sitting next to someone who is smiling even though they want to cry.
The bicycle bell rings.
Chirin.
Futaro hums a tune.
Ann's red bandana puffs up in the wind.
Surely, someone is waiting in the next town too.
Plot Material Collection
Planning Document
Japan Round Trip Route
The 'Osaka-start, West-bound counter-clockwise' Japan round trip route in 'Ann, You Got Dumped Again Today 🍙' is as follows.
Part 1: Seto Inland Sea and Shikoku
1. Osaka Prefecture (Sakai City): Departure
2. Hyogo Prefecture (Himeji City)
3. Okayama Prefecture (Kurashiki City)
4. Hiroshima Prefecture (Onomichi City)
5. Ehime Prefecture (Imabari City): Cross the Shimanami Kaido and enter Shikoku
6. Kochi Prefecture (Shimanto City)
7. Tokushima Prefecture (Naruto City)
8. Kagawa Prefecture (Kotohira Town)
Part 2: Kyushu and Okinawa
9. Oita Prefecture (Beppu City): Take a ferry to Kyushu
10. Miyazaki Prefecture (Takachiho Town)
11. Kagoshima Prefecture (Ibusuki City)
12. Okinawa Prefecture (Nago City)
13. Kumamoto Prefecture (Aso City)
14. Nagasaki Prefecture (Sasebo City)
15. Saga Prefecture (Karatsu City)
16. Fukuoka Prefecture (Kitakyushu City)
Part 3: San'in, Hokuriku, and the Sea of Japan side
17. Yamaguchi Prefecture (Shimonoseki City)
18. Shimane Prefecture (Izumo City)
19. Tottori Prefecture (Sakaiminato City)
20. Kyoto Prefecture (Uji City)
21. Shiga Prefecture (Hikone City)
22. Fukui Prefecture (Tsuruga City)
23. Ishikawa Prefecture (Wajima City)
24. Toyama Prefecture (Kurobe City)
25. Niigata Prefecture (Sado City)
Part 4: Tohoku and Hokkaido
26. Yamagata Prefecture (Yonezawa City)
27. Akita Prefecture (Semboku City)
28. Aomori Prefecture (Hirosaki City)
29. Hokkaido (Hakodate City): Cross by Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry
30. Iwate Prefecture (Hiraizumi Town)
31. Miyagi Prefecture (Matsushima Town)
32. Fukushima Prefecture (Aizuwakamatsu City)
Part 5: Kanto, Chubu, Kii Peninsula, and Return
33. Tochigi Prefecture (Nikko City)
34. Ibaraki Prefecture (Tsukuba City)
35. Chiba Prefecture (Narita City)
36. Tokyo (Hachioji City)
37. Saitama Prefecture (Kawagoe City)
38. Gunma Prefecture (Kusatsu Town)
39. Nagano Prefecture (Matsumoto City)
40. Yamanashi Prefecture (Fujikawaguchiko Town)
41. Kanagawa Prefecture (Kamakura City)
42. Shizuoka Prefecture (Hamamatsu City)
43. Aichi Prefecture (Toyota City)
44. Gifu Prefecture (Takayama City)
45. Mie Prefecture (Ise City)
46. Nara Prefecture (Asuka Village)
47. Wakayama Prefecture (Shirahama Town)
Return: Osaka Prefecture (Sakai City/Osaka City)
Rice Ball Fillings
In "Ann, You Got Dumped Again Today 🍙", the list of "local rice ball" fillings that locals give to him on the morning of his departure is as follows.
Part 1: Setouchi and Shikoku
1. Osaka Prefecture: Senshu Mizunasu (pickled eggplant) and salted kelp
2. Hyogo Prefecture: Ikanago no Kugini (simmered sand lance)
3. Okayama Prefecture: Mamakari (Japanese sardinella) in sweet vinegar
4. Hiroshima Prefecture: Simmered oysters
5. Ehime Prefecture: Jako-ten (fish cake) with ginger soy sauce
6. Kochi Prefecture: Katsuo Namabushi (dried bonito) with yuzu miso
7. Tokushima Prefecture: Sudachi chicken mince
8. Kagawa Prefecture: Soy sauce beans and chicken mince
Part 2: Kyushu and Okinawa
9. Oita Prefecture: Toriten (tempura chicken) with sweet and spicy sauce
10. Miyazaki Prefecture: Chicken Nanban-style sweet vinegar chicken (tartar sauce served separately)
11. Kagoshima Prefecture: Kurobuta (black pork) miso
12. Okinawa Prefecture: Andansu (oil miso)
13. Kumamoto Prefecture: Stir-fried Aso Takana (mustard greens)
14. Nagasaki Prefecture: Braised pork belly
15. Saga Prefecture: Saga nori and Saga beef simmered in soy sauce
16. Fukuoka Prefecture: Spicy cod roe (mentaiko)
Part 3: San'in, Hokuriku, and the Sea of Japan side
17. Yamaguchi Prefecture: Shredded fried pufferfish
18. Shimane Prefecture: Simmered Lake Shinji freshwater clams
19. Tottori Prefecture: Simmered tofu chikuwa (fish cake) in sweet and spicy sauce
20. Kyoto Prefecture: Chirimen Sansho (young sardines with Japanese pepper)
21. Shiga Prefecture: Simmered Omi beef and red konjac
22. Fukui Prefecture: Shredded Heshiko (salt-cured mackerel)
23. Ishikawa Prefecture: Ishiru-grilled squid
24. Toyama Prefecture: Masu-zushi style shredded trout
25. Niigata Prefecture: Grilled and pickled salmon
Part 4: Tohoku and Hokkaido
26. Yamagata Prefecture: Imoni (taro and beef) stew
27. Akita Prefecture: Hinai Jidori chicken and burdock miso
28. Aomori Prefecture: Scallop miso butter
29. Hokkaido: Salmon roe marinated in soy sauce and kelp
30. Iwate Prefecture: Sanriku seaweed and shredded salmon
31. Miyagi Prefecture: Beef tongue miso mince
32. Fukushima Prefecture: Kozuyu-style simmered dried scallops
Part 5: Kanto, Chubu, Kii Peninsula, and Return
33. Tochigi Prefecture: Nikko yuba (tofu skin) miso
34. Ibaraki Prefecture: Natto miso with bonito flakes
35. Chiba Prefecture: Shredded Sangayaki (fish patty)
36. Tokyo: Fukagawa-style simmered clams
37. Saitama Prefecture: Fukaya green onion miso pork mince
38. Gunma Prefecture: Shimonita green onion miso
39. Nagano Prefecture: Nozawana (pickled greens) with bonito flakes
40. Yamanashi Prefecture: Hoto-style pumpkin miso
41. Kanagawa Prefecture: Odawara dried horse mackerel with plum
42. Shizuoka Prefecture: Sakura shrimp tempura bits with salted kelp
43. Aichi Prefecture: Hitsumabushi-style eel with Japanese pepper
44. Gifu Prefecture: Hoba miso and Hida beef mince
45. Mie Prefecture: Simmered Matsusaka beef
46. Nara Prefecture: Kaki-no-ha sushi style shredded mackerel
47. Wakayama Prefecture: Nanko plum and Mehari Takana (pickled greens)
For Futarou, these local rice balls are not just food; they are depicted as a "portable hometown" that allows him to recall the face of the town (the smile of a Madonna, the hands of a fisherman, etc.) with just one bite.
Futarou's Humming
In "Ann, You Got Dumped Again Today 🍙", the "local songs" that Futarou hums when crossing prefectural borders are as follows. The songs themselves are composed only of those connected to the land, place names, and local culture.
In the setting, it is a customary ritual for Futarou to enjoy humming "local songs" in a slightly off-key manner.
I will introduce them in the order of the route so far.
Part 1: Setouchi and Shikoku
Osaka Prefecture: "Osaka de Umareta Onna" (The Woman Born in Osaka)
Phrase example: "Dancing until tired, on the way home from the disco..."
Reason: Mentions Osaka by name. Strong as the protagonist's origin.
Hyogo Prefecture: "Rokko Oroshi"
Phrase example: "With the Rokko wind, dashingly..."
Reason: Strong association with the Rokko and Koshien area. Adds momentum to entering Hyogo.
Okayama Prefecture: "Momotaro"
Phrase example: "Momotaro-san, Momotaro-san..."
Reason: Directly linked to the image of Okayama. Also strong with children.
Hiroshima Prefecture: "Soreyuke Carp"
Phrase example: "Carp, Carp, Carp Hiroshima..."
Reason: Overwhelming regional association with Hiroshima. Can also be used when entering Onomichi.
Ehime Prefecture: "Mikan no Hana Saku Oka" (The Hill Where Mandarin Flowers Bloom)
Phrase example: "Mandarin flowers are blooming..."
Reason: Compatible with the climate of Ehime. Fits the brightness of the Shimanami Kaido.
Kochi Prefecture: "Yosakoi-bushi"
Phrase example: "At Harimaya Bridge in Tosa's Kochi..."
Reason: Directly linked to Kochi's festival culture. Stronger sense of place than Anpanman.
Tokushima Prefecture: "Awa Odori"
Phrase example: "The dancers are fools, the watchers are fools..."
Reason: Tokushima itself. Adds rhythm at the prefectural border.
Kagawa Prefecture: "Konpira Fune-fune"
Phrase example: "Konpira boats, setting sail with the wind..."
Reason: Directly linked to Kotohira-cho and Konpira-san.
Part 2: Kyushu and Okinawa
Oita Prefecture: "Kojo no Tsuki" (Moon over the Ruined Castle)
Phrase example: "The flower banquet at the high tower in spring..."
Reason: Strong association with Taketa and Oka Castle. Fits the quiet episodes around Beppu.
Miyazaki Prefecture: "Phoenix Honeymoon"
Phrase example: "The sky is clear, Phoenix..."
Reason: Brings out the bright tropical feel of Miyazaki tourism.
Kagoshima Prefecture: "Kagoshima Ohara-bushi"
Phrase example: "Flowers are in Kirishima, tobacco is in Kokubu..."
Reason: Mentions Kagoshima by name. Strong feeling of having come south.
Okinawa Prefecture: "Shimauta"
Phrase example: "Deigo flowers bloom and call the wind..."
Reason: Strong association with Okinawa's islands, prayers, and the sea. High name recognition.
Kumamoto Prefecture: "Antagata Dokosa"
Phrase example: "Where are you from? From Higo..."
Reason: Has a place name association with Kumamoto. The rhythm is also suitable for humming.
Nagasaki Prefecture: "Nagasaki wa Kyo mo Ame datta" (It Was Raining in Nagasaki Today Too)
Phrase example: "Ah, it was raining in Nagasaki today too..."
Reason: Mentions Nagasaki by name. Strong atmosphere of a port town.
Saga Prefecture: "Saga-ken"
Phrase example: "Saga Prefecture... Saga Prefecture..."
Reason: Mentions Saga by name. Can also include humor.
Fukuoka Prefecture: "Hakata no Onna" (The Woman of Hakata)
Phrase example: "Calling for you, raised in Genkai..."
Reason: Mentions Hakata by name. Easy to use in Fukuoka's human-interest episodes.
Part 3: San'in, Hokuriku, and the Sea of Japan side
Yamaguchi Prefecture: "Otoko Nara"
Phrase example: "If you're a man... if you're a man..."
Reason: Can be used as a Yamaguchi folk song. Fits the manliness of Shimonoseki and Choshu.
Shimane Prefecture: "Yasugi-bushi"
Phrase example: "Izumo specialty, it doesn't become luggage..."
Reason: Famous as a Shimane folk song. The image of the loach-scooping dance also stands out.
Tottori Prefecture: "Tottori Sakyu" (Tottori Sand Dunes)
Phrase example: "The pattern of the wind on the sand dunes..."
Reason: Mentions Tottori by name. Strong in terms of name recognition.
Kyoto Prefecture: "Onna Hitori" (A Woman Alone)
Phrase example: "Kyoto, Ohara, Sanzen-in..."
Reason: Strong association with Kyoto's famous places. Fits Uji and ancient capital episodes.
Shiga Prefecture: "Biwako Shuko no Uta" (Song of the Lake Biwa Voyage)
Phrase example: "I am a child of the lake, wandering..."
Reason: Lake Biwa itself. This is the most natural for Shiga.
Fukui Prefecture: "Echizen Misaki"
Phrase example: "Echizen Cape is a cape of love..."
Reason: Includes the place name Echizen. Fits the wind along the Sea of Japan.
Ishikawa Prefecture: "Noto Hanto" (Noto Peninsula)
Phrase example: "The Hokuriku Main Line near late at night..."
Reason: Strong travel sentiment for Ishikawa. Also fits Wajima episodes.
Toyama Prefecture: "Kokiriko-bushi"
Phrase example: "The bamboo of Kokiriko is seven sun five bu..."
Reason: Folk song of Gokayama. Brings out the mountain village feel of Toyama.
Niigata Prefecture: "Sado Okesa"
Phrase example: "To Sado, to Sado, even the plants lean..."
Reason: Directly linked to the itinerary to Sado City.
Part 4: Tohoku and Hokkaido
Yamagata Prefecture: "Hanagasa Ondo"
Phrase example: "Congratulations, congratulations, Wakamatsu-sama..."
Reason: Directly linked to Yamagata's festival. More natural than cherries.
Akita Prefecture: "Akita Ondo"
Phrase example: "Yatose, kora, it's the Akita Ondo..."
Reason: Akita itself. It has a festival feel and is easy to use for the prefectural border ritual.
Aomori Prefecture: "Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki" (Tsugaru Strait Winter Scenery)
Phrase example: "From the moment I got off the night train from Ueno..."
Reason: Overwhelming Aomori feel with the Tsugaru Strait. No complaints.
Hokkaido: "Kita no Kuni kara" (From the North Country)
Phrase example: "Ah, ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah..."
Reason: Strong memories of Hokkaido's vast land and the drama. The scenery stands out just by humming.
Iwate Prefecture: "Kitakami Yakyoku" (Kitakami Nocturne)
Phrase example: "The scent is gentle, white lilies..."
Reason: Has the travel sentiment of the Kitakami River. Fits the sunset of Iwate episodes.
Miyagi Prefecture: "Aobajo Koika" (Aoba Castle Love Song)
Phrase example: "The shore where the Hirose River flows..."
Reason: Strong association with Aoba Castle and Sendai. Representative of Miyagi.
Fukushima Prefecture: "Aizu Bandaisan"
Phrase example: "Mt. Aizu Bandai is a mountain of treasure..."
Reason: Excellent compatibility with the Aizu-Wakamatsu route. Both place names and local culture appear.
Part 5: Kanto, Chubu, Kii Peninsula, and Return
Tochigi Prefecture: "Watarasebashi"
Phrase example: "The sunset seen from Watarase Bridge..."
Reason: Connected to the scenery of Ashikaga. Strong for Tochigi sunset episodes.
Ibaraki Prefecture: "Aa Jinsei ni Namida Ari"
Phrase example: "Life has joy, and also suffering..."
Reason: Strong association with Ibaraki as the theme of Mito Komon.
Chiba Prefecture: "Omoide no Kujukuri-hama"
Phrase example: "Somehow it will work out, Kujukuri Beach..."
Reason: Chiba's sea stands out with Kujukuri Beach.
Tokyo: "Tokyo Boogie Woogie"
Phrase example: "Tokyo Boogie Woogie, rhythm is exciting..."
Reason: Tokyo itself. Can cross the prefectural border brightly.
Saitama Prefecture: "Nazeka Saitama"
Phrase example: "For some reason, Saitama..."
Reason: Mentions Saitama by name. Can be used for humor episodes.
Gunma Prefecture: "Ii Yu dana"
Phrase example: "What a good hot spring, what a good hot spring..."
Reason: Strong association with hot spring prefectures like Kusatsu and Ikaho.
Nagano Prefecture: "Shinano no Kuni"
Phrase example: "The land of Shinano is in ten provinces..."
Reason: A song that sings about Nagano Prefecture itself. The local feel is the strongest.
Yamanashi Prefecture: "Fujisan / Fuji no Yama"
Phrase example: "Putting its head above the clouds..."
Reason: Directly linked to the Kawaguchiko and Mt. Fuji route. Since it's a nursery rhyme, it also reaches children.
Kanagawa Prefecture: "Minato no Yoko Yokohama Yokosuka"
Phrase example: "What are you to that girl..."
Reason: Strong Kanagawa feel because Yokohama and Yokosuka are included.
Shizuoka Prefecture: "Amagi-goe"
Phrase example: "I want to cross with you, crossing Amagi..."
Reason: The place name Amagi is strong. There is a sense of conviction as a representative of Shizuoka.
Aichi Prefecture: "Moeyo Dragons!"
Phrase example: "Go for it Dragons, burn Dragons..."
Reason: Strong regional association with Aichi and Nagoya. Also has the momentum of humming.
Gifu Prefecture: "Gujo-bushi"
Phrase example: "When leaving Gujo Hachiman..."
Reason: Strong sense of place for the Gujo Odori dance. Also fits the old townscapes of the Takayama area.
Mie Prefecture: "Ise Ondo"
Phrase example: "Ise is held by Tsu, Tsu is held by Ise..."
Reason: Directly linked to the Ise route. Fits the prayer chapter of the journey.
Nara Prefecture: "Nara no Kasugano"
Phrase example: "On the green grass of Nara's Kasugano..."
Reason: The atmosphere of Nara Park and the deer stands out.
Wakayama Prefecture: "Wakayama Blues"
Phrase example: "I want to meet you, I want to see you, I want to cling to you..."
Reason: Mentions Wakayama by name. Also fits the heartbreak episode in Shirahama.
While humming these songs, Futarou enters a new prefecture and pedals again, saying, "Alright. A new prefecture. Here too, there is someone who is laughing even though they want to cry." It is set as a very important specialty production that enlivens the journey.