04x28 - Dawn of the Computer

[bunniefuu]

I think it must have been about eight years

since we were petrified again.

I can't keep up with counting off all the seconds like Senku,

but still I want to stay awake for them.

Because I know Senku

Taiju

and the rest of them will be here as soon they can.

They'll come to revive us.

I'm 10 billion percent sure.

This boat rules.

It won't be long before we're back in Corn City.

Right you are. It's so fast.

And they'll be glad to see us.

Perhaps you should have paid more attention in your science classes.

I suggest you clean out those ears, Mr. Technician.

A voice has been screaming at us from the heavens this entire time.

So why did all you folks come back here?

Look.

OK, here's what's going on.

Senku and Xeno decided to work together to build a spaceship.

But just as they were really getting started on it,

Why-man sent us this creepy message asking if we want to die.

It's freaky, but it's not like I'm really scared of him or anything.

That said, we decided we should take the spaceship

up to the moon and stop Why-man before he petrifies everyone again.

I had hoped to share a toast with my fellow technicians.

Is Kaseki somewhere nearby?

He's still back with Senku and his team in India.

India?

I assume they're working on some big project there?

Yep, they are.

Just try not to freak out when I tell you what it is.

Yeah, we're gonna be making a computer.

Say what?

We won't freak out too much.

The Kingdom of Science's azy-cray crafting projects have really come a long way.

I mean, I remember when making a single light bulb was a big deal.

That's impossible!

Problem, Sai?

I was under the impression you had a burning desire for a computer.

Am I wrong?

Well, yeah. I mean, I do, but how's that even possible?

Good point.

How exactly would one go about manufacturing an actual computer in the stone world?

Seems trickier than previous crafts.

Computers aren't all that complex.

A switch is either on or off.

On equals 1 and off equals 0.

So that means we find a way to indicate and recognize ones and zeros,

and we're in arm's reach of our computer.

Yeah, whether it's the side of a playing card

or a flag being held up or down.

You can really make a computer by raising a flag?

I'm feeling lost here, Senku.

The guys' white flags represent numbers.

I think I see.

Up is 1 and down is 0.

And the ladies' red flags represent the answer.

Suika, the only thing you need to do

is to watch them and raise your red flag if the guys' flags are in opposite positions from each other.

Pretty simple, actually.

So what am I supposed to be doing here?

And what's the deal with my flag?

It's a little bigger than theirs.

When both white flags are raised,

that'll be your cue to raise yours.

That's all there is to it.

That's the foundation of computer science.

Now, let's give it a try with some addition.

But how?

We're supposed to add with these?







OK, I get it.

That big flag of Kohaku's indicates a 2.

Yes, let's go.

That is so cool.

We're adding up all these numbers without even trying.

But I mean, it's not like those weren't super obvious answers, you know.

Circuits will produce those kinds of obvious answers perfectly,

and there are lots of ways to put 'em together.

This is basically just baby stuff.

All a half adder needs is an XOR and an AND gate.

Yep, just one sentence out of your mouth and I'm completely lost again.

Not just you.

I'm from the 21st century, and I can't follow him either.

Don't you realize it's pointless unless you can make that happen rapidly and electronically?

You said yourself that semiconductors are 10 years away.

We're stuck in the stone world.

How would you make--

We're making them with donuts.

What'd you just say?

They're cheap, fast, and sturdy.

It's an obscure but useful component from Japanese computing history.

Some call it the donut computer,

the parametron.

All you got to do is wrap a wire round and round a tiny donut made out of copper and zinc,

and then you'll end up with this bad boy.

So fast!

And I suppose you'll want us to make, like, 800 of them, won't you?

Let's just do five for now.

No way!

What's up, guys? Mecha Senku's back.

Basically, think of a parametron this way,

like a tiny electric swing.

The electric oscillations are constantly swinging back and forth.

If you have some going forward and some going backward,

the direction of the swing is always decided by majority.

And that's the idea behind the parametron.

Yeah? Well, I'm still confused as hell by the science of it.

But when you add 1, the output increases by 1?

And that's how it can do basic addition, right?

Senku's going to teach us how to make those little thingies so we can help out, too.

No way. That's impossible.

Don't be like that.

We were able to make those diamonds, now, weren't we?

It's like he says,

anyone can do science with a good road map.

Hey, do you mind if I try it?

Do I mind?

Actually, I insist on it. Because you need to get acquainted with the machine

since you're heading up our computer squad.

Yeah, that's easy.

I don't know why we need something special for that.

I mean, we can all figure out 1 plus 1 is 2 or whatever, right?

But if we manufacture and connect a bunch of these parametron adder circuits together,

it'll take time.

But little by little, we'll be able to work with bigger numbers.

Keep doing that,

and it'll surpass...

human ability.

I can't wait to build them.

We'll finally have my beloved computers again.

This is so exciting.

So, um, we're gonna be connecting a whole bunch of them, huh?

I've got a feeling that this is gonna get ridiculous immediately.

What's the catch?

That we're gonna have to crank out, like, 800 of them?



We'll be making some machines to manufacture tons of those donuts.

So welcome to the age of automation.

That said, it'll take a bit of grunt work to wrap the wires around them.

Perfect job for Yuzuriha and her crafts team.

Of course, we can wake up a bunch of people in Corn City to increase our manpower.

The computer is the pinnacle of human crafting,

and to build it, we'll need machines,

plus good old manpower,

meaning we're gonna need everyone working together on this.

So what do you say?

I say yeah!

Yeah!

We're going to bake a metric crap ton of donuts

and craft our own handmade computer.

He means metal donuts.

We're enlisting our team in Corn City.

It'll be a ridiculously grueling job.

Each outer circuit can only count up to 1.

But put a whole bunch of them together, and--

So bad!

Total cable kraken.

Yes, time for Dragon Quest.

Though I'm guessing our maiden voyage will have to be something a bit simpler.

Maybe chess?

We're not that advanced yet.

It's still a level 1 computer.

You guys are way too excited about that thing.

I can't believe we can add up to 255.

Take a look.

Here's our circuit diagram.

Right.

I have no idea what it means, but it looks impressive.

How will we teach the folks in Corn City to make this contraption?

It's a lot more complicated than anything they've ever made before.

I don't think Morse code is going to do the trick this time.

Not gonna lie, it def seems like one of those "pics or it didn't happen" situations.

Indeed.

Yet there's an elegant solution to our conundrum.

We can send photos and circuit diagrams online.

Don't tell me you want us to be human fax machines.

It would be adistic-say to send a whole photo like that.

I'm referring to an actual fax machine.

It will be indispensable in this battle.

The only logical way to coordinate across the entire world.

That is precisely why I sent instructions to North America with Taiju's team.

Senku, be honest, will you be needing me to hold your hand

and instruct you on how to craft a real fax machine?

I assume you're joking.

Just tell me the setup we're using and I'll handle the rest.

I brought some handy dandy sphalerite for you.

These babies are how I made my kite so shiny!

Boil it up and coat some paper with it.

That's how you make old-school fax paper.

Burn it with electricity to make a mark.

The side that scans is a bit more complicated.

It checks whether the part that's lit up is white or black

and creates an electrical signal.

We send those signals across the world as radio waves

and etch them onto the paper at the same speed.

I like it!

You know what that means.

We can let our team in Corn City build the computer,

freeing us up to set sail to our next destination.

That's great. We should head out right away.

The sooner we get going, the sooner we'll be able to save everyone.

You're always on board with charging ahead.

Well, everyone, I wish we had more time together,

but I'll be toiling away here in India making those circuit diagrams for us.

I'll be sure to fax it to you as soon as I--

I don't think so.

Sai, you're smart enough to know that you're coming with us.

Wait, what?

Make it make sense.

He's totes invited, but he said nah?

Those math skills will be invaluable as we continue our travels.

Hell, no!

I'm never, ever going with you, Ryusui, and you cannot make me!

Why is my brother like that?

He wants everything--

money, power, the world and everything in it.

And he's always trying to boss me around.

I finally got away and escaped to India.

How could this happen?

Getting the scanning side and the printing side perfectly synchronized is harder than hell.

And if we mess it up even the tiniest bit,

the image will show up looking all jagged and deformed.

We're getting some kind of message.

Must be from our friends in Corn City!

That's an epic group pic.

They got the whole g*ng together to mark the occasion, our teams from both the US and Japan.

They look like they're doing well.

I love it.

A group photo.

This is bad!

Now we should send them a picture.

Good idea.

What to do?

I'd love to pry for answers to my burning questions,

but it's a tricky ituation-say.

Looking at that picture clearly upset them.

And past trauma calls for a delicate touch.

Maybe if I dance around the topic.

Oh, hi!

Do you have a grudge against group photos?

And how come you don't want to be anywhere near your little bro?

Settle your kettle already.

We need you.

It opened an old wound.

They always excluded Ryusui and I

from every group photo the Nanami Conglomerate ever took.

I can't blame the family's matriarch.

After all, we weren't her children.

Back it up a minute.

How could your mom not be your mom?

My father and his side of the family trained me from a young age to focus on my math studies.

I was expected to be their obedient soldier.

As for Ryusui, no one in the family was able to control him.

He'd tell me--

Hey, Sai, I want that great big brain of yours!

No means no!

My brother, he only ever thinks about how he can use the people around him.

And he's wrong.

I'm no mathematician!

Sai, it's time to teach me how to play chess.

Brother?

I'm super sorry I made you spill that tea.

You bros are too pure for this world.

No, we're not.

Were you even listening to my anecdote?

Ryusui only cares about himself.

If you ask me, it sounds like your little brother just wanted to spend time with you.

I would guess that's why he followed you around.

You're certainly right that he wants everything,

and that includes a true brother.

Tell me something, Sai.

Did he issue orders, or was he just a bit overly eager?

Hey, Sai, I want your math expertise.

We're gonna build a racetrack together!

Slow down!

We're gonna make a sail together.

You're obviously coming with us, Sai.

Sai, I've got some time before I leave.

So train me in the meantime.

Play chess with me!

N-O, got it?

Sure.

Let's play.

You're unbeatable, just as expected.

You're peerless when it comes to games of pure logic like chess.

Sai!

Sai!

Sai!

Hey, Sai!

Sai!

I'll be bored out there

without a worthy opponent to play against

you know.

Steady.

That should be the last one.

Hey, the cargo's loaded up, so we should be ready to go.

Is that everyone?

Are we sure?

We'd better get going.

Ready?

Let's go.

Together.