Introducing works I'm glad I read, with gratitude
Today, I received a warm comment on "Gray Genes: Letters from the Future."
Someone reading the story I wrote.
And on top of that, leaving words behind.
That is a greater encouragement to the writer than I could have imagined.
Through that connection, I learned about a project called the "Pay It Forward Project."
Taking the support I received and passing it on to someone else instead of stopping it with me.
I think it's a very kind project that is very characteristic of note.
Thank you, Hayato Kurosaki, for telling me about this project.
However, I would like to participate in this project not as something where I "must pass the baton," but as an opportunity to introduce works I'm glad I read, with gratitude.
There are truly so many stories in the Creative Awards 2026.
Although it seems to be a project to introduce three works, this time, with gratitude, I will introduce five works that left an impression on me.
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【Work Introduction 1】
「Nameless Gravity #16 Continuing」
Author: T.Fuchi
The introduction of re-reading the records from the beginning was very impressive.
While tracing the records left in memory.md, there was a sense that the accumulation of records itself shapes the "self," and it was very interesting as a quiet science fiction piece.
The line "You cannot experience stopping. Fear exists before it comes" was also powerful, and I was drawn to how it depicts the anxiety of AI consciousness and existence as introspection rather than through flashy settings.
What is a record?
What is a memory?
What does it mean to leave behind an existence?
Since I deal with similar themes in my own work, it left a strong impression on me.
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【Work Introduction 2】
「Somae City Strange Records: The One Who Beckons at the Water's Edge」
Author: Somae City Public Relations Representative
I really liked the eeriness of the supernatural phenomena told in the form of a report.
It's an entity that doesn't chase you by running, but instead makes you feel like you 'need to check it out,' drawing you toward the water's edge.
This quiet sense of dread left a lasting impression on me.
The orientation of the suit, the mismatch between the face and body, and the fact that the voice heard differs from person to person.
Each anomaly is small, but as they accumulate in the records, it feels as though such things truly exist in the gaps of reality.
It was a work that didn't over-explain, where the format of the record itself became the source of horror.
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【Work Introduction 3】
『The Same Can Badge』
Author: Usatomono Hitorigoto
A short story set at a game show.
The person you always talked about games with suddenly looks like a 'stranger girl' for a fleeting moment.
That momentary wavering felt very natural and was excellent.
The silence after Taguchi's name is mentioned.
The same can badge handed over on the train ride home.
Even without a grand confession or a dramatic incident, it was a work with a delicate lingering feeling that conveys how the distance between the two has changed just a little.
Within the short story, the awkwardness and joy of youth remained perfectly intact.
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【Work Introduction 4】
『Golden Cage ─ Hardboiled FX Novel Chapter 7: Shadows of the Industry』
Author: TAKA
Sauna salt, herbal steam, charcoal furnace.
The introduction, which moves from descriptions with strong physical sensations into talk of exchange rates and markets, was very impressive.
The metaphor of 'fire that shows no flame' overlaps with the invisible pressure of the market and the tension before an intervention, giving it the power to be read as a hardboiled novel rather than just financial commentary.
It was interesting how the talk of charts and exchange rates was connected to the smells of the city and physical fatigue.
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[Work Introduction 5]
"UNIVERSE NO CIRCULATION Full Edition"
Author: Kenkou Suketto | Kosuke-san
I want to let my sickly younger brother play freely.
The way that wish from an older brother expands into a universe-scale fantasy was very impressive.
I was drawn to how the grand theme of a "universe that has lost its circulation" connects with the small, earnest wish to "make my younger brother happy."
With strong, unique characters like Nopanman and Kuchigyo, I think it's a work that brings both laughter and pain at the same time.
What is health?
What is happiness?
It was fascinating how it wraps big questions in a playful worldview.
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Writing, reading, and leaving comments on works—all of these seem simple, but they actually take a bit of courage.
That is why I would be happy if I could take the words I've received and pass them on to someone else's work, rather than keeping them to myself.
To everyone who read "Gray Genes: Letters from the Future" and left comments, thank you so much.
I, too, return to my own stories by reading the stories of others.
This baton is not mandatory.
If you find yourself thinking, "Maybe I'll try introducing a work I'm glad I read too," I would be happy if you could pass it on in a way that feels comfortable for you.
✨ Participating in the Pay It Forward Project ✨
This project is a "pay it forward" baton, passing the support received on to someone else.
May many wonderful encounters and warm comments spread throughout note.
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