Torajiro and Shinji: A 'Tora-san' Side Story

In the evening, a man with a square face walks aimlessly through Taishakuten in Shibamata, Katsushika, Tokyo. He is dressed in an outfit rarely seen these days: a fedora, a haramaki belly warmer, and a trunk.
The tolling of a bell can be heard from the nearby Taikyoji Temple, and a single crow flies across the sky.
"...This neighborhood has completely changed since I last saw it."
Even though it is spring, the evening is still cold.
Torajiro sits on a park bench, takes a One Cup Ozeki from his pocket, opens the lid, and takes a sip. As he looks around, he notices a boy sitting on the next bench.
"Hey, kid over there. You'll catch a cold sitting in a place like that."
"..."
The boy, wearing a white dress shirt and black trousers, keeps his head hung low and does not answer.
"What's with that? I'm trying to be nice to you."
"...Who are you? I'm feeling down right now."
"Me? I'm Torajiro Kuruma from Shibamata, Katsushika. What's your name, kid?"
"I'm... Shinji Ikari."
"Huh, Shinji Ikari. That name sounds familiar. So, Shinji, what are you doing in a place like this? Running away from home? If you've got troubles, I'll listen."
"You wouldn't understand even if I told you, mister."
"What's with that cheeky attitude? You look just like Mitsuo when he was young."
"Who? Who's Mitsuo?"
"My only nephew. He used to say cheeky things all the time, but he's turned over a new leaf and is working as a doctor on a remote island in Okinawa now."
"Is that so? That has nothing to do with me, though."
"Oh, right! You must be sick or something. If you let Mitsuo examine you, you'll get better in no time."
Torajiro approaches Shinji and grabs his shoulder.
"Please, stop it. I'm not sick at all."
"What's with that pale face? Is it that? Lovesickness?"
"..."
"Why are you blushing? I guess I hit the nail on the head."
"That's not it."
"What is it then? If it's not that, tell me the real reason."
"..."
Eventually, Shinji gives in and begins to speak bit by bit. Torajiro listens intently.

"...I don't really understand what you're saying, but you don't have anywhere to go, right? Come on, let's go."
"Please leave me alone. Besides, where are we going?"
"To a dango shop called Kurumaya. Go straight down this street and it's on the right. It's an old-fashioned place, though."
"Mister, that place probably doesn't exist anymore."
"What are you talking about? How could it not exist?"
"Because I caused the Near Third Impact, and most people died."
"What? Died? Don't tell jokes. Does that mean everyone I've met until now is a ghost? Huh? That can't be right."
"...I think that's probably because you're a ghost, mister."
"What? I'm a ghost?"
Torajiro says this while pointing at his own face.
"Kid, once you say that, it's all over."

In the end, Shinji had nowhere else to go, so he decided to follow Torajiro.
"Hey! I'm home. Is Sakura there?"
At Kurumaya, the shop manager, Sanpei, wearing a bowtie and dress shirt, was just finishing up with the last customer.
"Oh, Tora-san. You're back. Please wait a moment. I'll call the missus. Please, you and your friend have a seat at the table."
Just as Torajiro and Shinji sat down to catch their breath, Sakura came out from the kitchen wearing an apron and a triangular headscarf.
"Oh, brother! You're back? You just wandered off a while ago without even calling. I was so worried."
"Sorry, Sakura. I made you worry."
Torajiro made a praying gesture with one hand and handed Sakura a box tied with paper string in a cross pattern. Shinji, sitting in the next chair, bowed his head shyly.
"Oh? Who's that boy?"
Shinji is looking down, feeling embarrassed.
"This kid here. I found him hanging his head on a bench in the park behind Taishakuten. I thought he was a runaway or a stray, so I asked him what was up, but our conversation just isn't clicking."
"Brother, don't call him a stray."
"Well, we'll talk about the details later. Sakura, give him some dango. He looks like he hasn't eaten anything."
"Yes, yes, I'll bring some right away."
Sakura went back to the kitchen with a wry smile and immediately started preparing. Sanpei thoughtfully poured some roasted green tea and set it in front of the two.
"Here you go. Don't be shy."
"...Thank you very much."
After Shinji took a sip of tea, his stomach growled loudly.
"You really were hungry, weren't you?"
Shinji nodded.
In no time, Sakura brought a plate of dango and set it in front of them.
"Here you go, sorry to keep you waiting."
"Here, eat up."
"...Thank you for the meal."
Shinji said in a small voice and took a bite of the dango. His stiff expression softened.
"How is it?"
After swallowing the dango, Shinji shed tears.
"...It's very delicious."
"See?"
After finishing the plate in an instant, Torajiro gave his own portion of dango to Shinji. Seeing this, both Torajiro and Sakura smiled.
"You must have had a really rough time. You haven't eaten anything decent for a while, have you?"
"...Yes."
Sanpei, who brought a refill of tea, said with a thoughtful look.
"But Tora-san, whose kid is this anyway? There's no one like this in the neighborhood."
"That's the thing. We can't communicate. He says he doesn't know Shibamata, Katsushika. He claims he lived in Tokyo-3."
"I've never heard of a city like that."
Shinji spoke up timidly.
"Um... is it safe here?"
"Safe? What do you mean by safe?"
Sakura tilted her head.
"...Um, does it not turn bright red?"
"What do you mean by bright red?"
Shinji shook his head and said.
"I mean... is the Anti-L System active?"
"What did you say?"
"That's strange. Because I caused the Near Third Impact, the world should be uninhabitable."
"See? This kid is talking nonsense. Did he hit his head on the corner of a tofu block and go crazy?"
"Brother, don't say such rude things. Anyway, it's almost dinner time, so eat up, Shinji-kun. You can stay the night if you want. Hiroshi will be home soon, so let's talk again later."
"That's right. That's a good idea. You got that, Shinji?"
Shinji nodded.
"Oh, and Sakura."
"What?"
"I heard through the grapevine that Tako-shacho is still alive."
"Yes, he's 102 this year, but he's still working to pay off his debts."
"Is that so? That's good. Alright, then go call Tako too. Two heads are better than one, but five are even better."
"Yes, yes."

That night, when Hiroshi came home, the four of them—Torajiro, Shinji, Sakura, and Hiroshi—ate dinner together. Shinji delighted them by saying how delicious Sakura's home-cooked meal was. For Shinji, this kind of family gathering was a first.
After finishing all his clam soup, Shinji said.
"Thank you, Sakura-san. This is the first time in my life I've eaten something this delicious. And everyone's stories were so interesting, it made my heart feel warm."
"Is that so? That's good to hear. But you must have grown up in a really poor home if you think this is delicious."
"No, it's not that we were poor, but in the apartment I lived in before, I only ate retort-pouch foods."
"Oh, doesn't your mother cook?"
"My mother died in an accident when I was young. For a while, I was left in the care of a woman named Misato and lived in an apartment."
"What? Is that Misato-chan?"
"Tora-san, do you know Misato-san?"
"Know her? I met her at a bar when I went to space on the Galaxy Express. Because of that connection, I acted as her matchmaker."
"Really! So Misato-san is in space."
"Wow, so Shinji-kun was Misato-san's roommate. It's a small world," said Hiroshi. Sakura and Hiroshi had gone to the North Cross Station on the Galaxy Express after receiving an invitation from Torajiro, and met Misato at 'Café Ville & Izakaya Ginga-tei'.
"Hiroshi-san, you met Misato-san too?"
"Yes, I went with Sakura."
"I see. Misato-san is in space..."
Shinji couldn't help but shed tears.

After dinner, when Tako-shacho, whose real name is Umetaro Katsura, arrived after being called by Sakura, he and Torajiro celebrated their long-awaited reunion.
"Shacho! You're still alive!"
"That's my line! Tora-san, I had a serious illness at 74 and almost died. But it felt stupid to die without ever receiving a pension, so I stubbornly turned back from the Sanzu River."
"I see, I see. You wouldn't kick the bucket that easily."
"You're the one to talk, Tora-san. You haven't come home for years, so I thought you must have died in a ditch somewhere."
"Same as always, I see. You've become quite the old man. You're nothing but skin and bones with a shiny head."
"Well, you lose weight if you work until this age. But you know, I went to the doctor the other day and they told me, 'There's nothing wrong with your body.'"
"So they meant the only thing wrong is your head? Hahaha."
"Stop joking. But really, I'm happy to see you again."
The two embraced, moved to tears. Torajiro narrowed his eyes to slits, and the Shacho had a beaming smile.
"Alright, Shacho. Tonight we're going to drink until we drop. Sakura, bring more booze!"
"Wait, brother. You called the Shacho tonight to discuss Shinji-kun, right?"
"Darn it. I completely forgot."
Torajiro scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
"Who's that? Who's Shinji-kun?"
"That boy over there. Hey, Shinji. Tell everyone what you told me at Taishakuten earlier."
Urged by Torajiro, Shinji told his story bit by bit.
...About riding a giant robot called Eva and fighting Angels. About how he caused a great disaster called the Near Third Impact when he tried to save Rei Ayanami, who had been swallowed by the 10th Angel... About how 14 years had passed before he knew it. About how he wandered aimlessly and found himself at that temple...
Everyone listened with serious expressions while drinking the tea Sakura had poured.

"...So that's how it is. This Shinji's old man is a terrible guy. He left his son alone for years, and then suddenly called him up and told him to fight for humanity—a man with no blood or tears. And what's more, they say he caused a great disaster using his son's feelings for the woman he loved as an excuse. He's a terrible villain. I'm going to find him and punch him once."
"Punch him? Brother, that person is the head of a huge organization called NERV, right? You can't just meet him that easily."
"That's why I'm gathering everyone to borrow your wisdom. Hey Shacho, what do you think?"
Tako-shacho, who had been listening silently, opened his mouth while keeping his arms crossed.
"Tora-san. I don't understand what you're saying at all. What exactly is this NERV? How do you write it?"
"It's obvious, Tako. A bunch of intellectuals get together, and since they have nothing to do, they say they're bored and sleep. So you write it as 'sleep' and the 'fu' from Fuchu, making it 'Nerufu'."
"I see! So it's 'Nerufu'. You've got a way with words," the Shacho said, clapping his hands.
"How about that, Shinji? I'm right, aren't I?"
When Torajiro happily patted Shinji on the shoulder, Shinji kept his head down, trying to hold back his laughter.
"The characters don't matter. We have to think about what Shinji-kun is going to do now," Sakura said, knitting her brows in concern.
"That's why I said, it won't start until I find that old man Gendo and punch him! Hey Shinji. Hiroshi here, too. He was originally the son of a great scholar in Okayama. He had a huge fight with his old man and ended up at Tako's factory."
"Uh..."
"So, I'll punch that Gendo guy for you."
"Why does it have to be that way? Hiroshi-san, say something to him."
When Sakura turned to Hiroshi with a troubled look, Hiroshi pushed up his reading glasses and said with a difficult expression.
"...Brother-in-law, I understand how you feel. But if Shinji-kun's story is true, that NERV is an organization as big as an army. It's not an opponent that a mere street vendor can just barge into."
"What's with you? You're saying the same thing as Sakura. So what? Are you saying I should just give in to the powerful and give up?"
"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that if we're going to do it, we need to have a proper plan and think about it logically."
"Hah! Logic, shmogic! Anyway, I'm going to go punch that Gendo guy now. Shinji, you wait here quietly."
Torajiro stood up, grabbed his trunk, and stepped down to the entryway. Sakura grabbed Torajiro's hand on impulse.
"Wait, brother. Where are you going?"
"It's obvious! To NERV, NERV!"
"So where is this NERV?"
"I'll ask at the police box."
"The police won't know either. Come on, just come back."
Torajiro, pulled by Sakura, reluctantly turned back. He sat down heavily on a cushion with a difficult expression, closed his eyes, and crossed his arms.
Hiroshi took a Town Page phone book from the bookshelf and was looking at it intently. Tako-shacho was taking advantage of the chaos to have a drink.
After a while, Hiroshi said.
"...Well, brother-in-law. Let's think about this calmly. I just looked it up in the Town Page, but neither the Tokyo-3 Shinji-kun mentioned nor the organization called NERV is listed anywhere."
"What? Then did Shinji come from a foreign country?"
"No, listen to the end. I suddenly remembered something. I read it in a physics book before, but it seems there are parallel universes in this universe. And before, brother-in-law, you traveled through space on the Galaxy Express. That Galaxy Express connects to some other universe, and for some reason, Shinji-kun rode it and came to Shibamata Station. If we think about it this way, doesn't it make sense?"
Torajiro clapped his hands in delight.
"Great! As expected of Hiroshi. You really are smart."
"No, it's still just a hypothesis."
"Um..."
Shinji, who had been looking down silently until then, raised his head.
"What is it, Shinji-kun?"
"Before I came to that temple, I feel like I was having a very long dream. I remember being rocked on a train at dusk in that dream."
"See! Shinji really did ride the Galaxy Express to Shibamata Station."
"If we assume that's the case, maybe we can return to Shinji-kun's world if we ride the Galaxy Express."
"Alright, if that's decided, I'll go to the Galaxy Express right away."
"Brother-in-law, do you know how to get to the Galaxy Express? What about the timetable?"
"I can just call Tokyo Station and ask. Hiroshi, make the call for me."
"...Understood."
While half-doubting, Hiroshi flipped through the Town Page and looked up the phone number for Tokyo Station. When he dialed the rotary phone, Torajiro signaled with his eyes, so he handed him the receiver.

"...Yes, this is the Tokyo Station Customer Service Center."
"Hello. Is this Tokyo Station? I'd like to ask you something. How do I get on the Galaxy Express from there?"
"Unfortunately, there is no transfer to the Galaxy Express at this station."
"There's no way that's true. I definitely rode the Galaxy Express the other day. Are you hiding it somewhere?"
"Even if you say that..."
"You're no help. Put the stationmaster on."
"Understood. Please wait a moment..."
"...Sorry to keep you waiting. This is the stationmaster, Reiji Matsumoto."
"Oh, stationmaster. Sorry to bother you while you're busy."
"No, no. You're calling about the Galaxy Express, right?"
"Yeah, you're quick to the point."
"Customer, there is no Galaxy Express, but there is the IGR Iwate Ginga Railway. Is that what you're referring to?"
"Yes, yes, that's it."
"In that case, it's not from Tokyo Station, but a line that goes from Morioka Station to Aomori. Please take the Tohoku Shinkansen from our station and transfer at Morioka Station."
"Oh, thanks."

In the end, Torajiro decided to head to Morioka on the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station the next day.
The next morning, after the four of them finished breakfast, Torajiro quickly got ready, put on his fedora while holding a toothpick in his mouth. Sakura, wearing a kitchen apron, looked sad at the premonition of parting while cleaning up.

"...Well, Sakura. I'm just going to pop over to that place called NERV. Get along with Hiroshi."
"Brother... We haven't seen each other in a while, so why don't you stay for four or five more days?"
"I can't do that. I have to find a place for Shinji to return to as soon as possible."
"But you don't even know if you can really get there. And you said it's a world where people can't live. There's no reason for you to put yourself in danger..."
"...That's the hard part of being a traveler. ...Well then. Take care of Shinji." Torajiro said this and stepped over the threshold.
"Um, please wait a moment."
"Hm? What is it, Shinji? You can stay here as long as you like."
"No, I'm going too. Tora-san, please take me with you."
Sakura crouched in front of Shinji and said.
"Listen, Shinji-kun. Nothing good ever happens when you follow my brother. We don't even know if you'll be able to come back, so why don't you rethink this?"
"It's fine. I've been running away my whole life, so this time I don't want to run. Please. Please take me with you."
"If you put it that way, I have no choice. Alright, let's go together, Shinji."
"Yes, thank you very much."
Shinji bowed his head with a smile.
The two left Kurumaya and started walking toward Shibamata Station. Shinji was carrying the box of dango that Sakura had prepared... Sakura stood in front of the shop for a long time even after seeing them off.

*This is a parody of 'Otoko wa Tsurai yo' and 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'
*Images were created by ChatGPT