01x03 - Episode 3

[bunniefuu]

[heavy rainfall]

[Yumi] Don't mind the mess.

[Ichito] Uh, looks fine to me.

[lock clicks]

[wistful jazz music playing]

[Ichito] Uh…

[Yumi] You're all wet.

Let me put this in the dryer.

Okay.

[song lyrics in Japanese]

[undoes zip]

[music fades]

[rush of distorted sounds]

[wind gusting]

[shivers]

[gasps]

[breathing hitching]

What's going on?

I'm sorry…

[sobs]

[sighs]

[sniffles]

I-I just can't do this.

[poignant music playing]

Please forgive me.

[lightbulb buzzing]

[laughing]

So, not a lot happened.

I read it all wrong.

I thought for sure we were
going to have sex, because,

when we were kissing in the rain,

I could hear "Love So Sweet"
playing in my head.

-[sighs]
-[Sion laughs] Very romantic.

[Yumi sighs] I must have turned him off.

I suppose it's a turnoff
for a woman to be so forward.

I pushed it.

That is not true at all.

Don't let yourself be swayed
by society's idea

that having a strong sex drive
isn't feminine.

Or that women have to be
submissive during sex.

You got that?

Women have every right to enjoy sex.
It's nothing to be ashamed of.

Unfortunately, in Japanese, the word
"masturbation" has a negative connotation.

It literally means, "to comfort yourself."

And there's absolutely nothing
wrong with "self-pleasure."

Self-pleasure?

Self-pleasure. [chuckles]

The most important thing
is to trust your feelings.

Remember that, Yumi.

You like him, right?

-This, um…
-[Yumi] Mr. S.

[Sion] Mr. S.

Yeah.

[laughs] I've liked him
ever since we were kids.

He, uh… can be
a bit of a nerd sometimes,

and I don't always know what's
going on in his head, though…

He's such a great listener, you know?

I wish I had done a better job
of really listening to her.

Like I used to back then.

I thought a man and a woman could
be together without a sexual relationship.

That's why I met up with her
in the first place.

[mouths]

[train passing]

[Ichito sighs]

[sighs]

But I guess I…

I ended up hurting her.

[sighs]

This brutal flashback just hit me.

[sighs]

[Sion] Okay, then…

It wasn't actually her that you rejected,
was it?

What you really rejected was sex.

So the next thing
you have to do is tell her that.

[sighs]

[Sion]Right now…
she's thinking you rejected her.

Think about that.

[wistful pop music playing]

[phone rings]

PROFESSOR TOYOHARA

Hey, there, I was just about to call you.

[sighs]

I have to say,
things are getting pretty interesting.

[engine revving loudly]

[tires squeal]

[inaudible]

[engine switches off]

Nothing like
a midnight blue Porsche. [chuckles]

Welcome, sir. Uh…

Uh, this way, please.

-[lock clicks]
-[man] Great.

[Kurusu] Whew!

[Marin]Doctor!

He's gonna be here any minute.

-Huh? Who's that?
-[Marin groans]

Argh! I don't believe this. I told you!

This guy, this guy right here!

The CEO!

CEO

-Oh!
-Professor Kurusu just called.

-Uh, great, okay.
-[sighs]

You've gotta get your act together,
doctor.

-That goes for you too, Yuta!
-Huh? What?

I heard that he, uh… donated

a ton of money to Professor Kurusu's lab.

If the treatment goes well,
there might be more where that came from.

-[Kurusu] Hello?
-Oh!

Ah… Aah! [laughs]

Coming!

[door slams]

[helicopter hovering]

I made some rosemary and lemongrass
herbal tea. It's kind of my specialty.

I hope it's to your liking. There you go.

[chuckles]

So, uh…

[Yoshiki sighs]

I'm addicted to virtual sex, doctor.

Did you say virtual sex?

Um… what exactly is virtual sex?

You put these goggles
and sensors on and you, uh…

go into a virtual world
and have sex with avatars.

VIRTUAL SEX

I TRIED SEX IN A VR WORLD

[computer-generated female voice gasping]

[moaning and panting]

-[turning volume down]
-Sorry.

Let me see that.

Huh?

[whimsical jazz music playing]

Oh. Right.

Excuse me.

[Yoshiki] Yeah. This is the exact world
I go to all the time.

[Ichito] World?

It's a virtual world where people like me
gather to have sex with each other.

And there can be other worlds
people go to just to talk.

Sometimes it's a bar…
or someplace where people go to sleep.

There are all kinds of places.

Aah…

[Yoshiki] I spend
hours and hours here every day.

Last week, I missed a board meeting,
and now it's affecting my work.

I see how this could become addictive.

[Yoshiki] I was speaking
with my friend Professor Kurusu,

and he recommended I come here.

-[rattling]
-Oh, I just don't…

You don't get it at all, do you?

Instead of freaking out, why don't you
just think about it for a minute?

This guy might become the biggest client
Shimotori Clinic has ever had.

-[lively music playing]
-[Yuta] Whoa, are we talking big money?

[Kurusu] Mm, pretty much.

And here we go.

-[Yuta] Thank you.
-[Kurusu] Yeah. [chuckles]

[Marin] Isn't virtual sex
basically just masturbation?

I mean, you're doing it yourself.

[Yuta] That's what I thought.

There might be someone
behind that avatar,

but you can't touch them or anything.

Yeah, and that
is what they call "phantom sense."

Apparently, it feels as though
you're really being touched.

[Yuta] Come on, there's no way.
I don't see how that's possible.

[Kurusu] What flavour is yours?

[Yuta] Hm? Tastes like strawberry.

-[Kurusu] What's yours?
-[Marin] Lemon.

Hmm. Well,
here's a well-known fact for you.

All so-called flavors
of ice syrup taste the same.

-[Yuta] What?
-[Marin] Oh!

So the colour and smell makes us
think they taste different?

Uh-huh.

Your sense of smell and sight fool you
into thinking you're tasting something.

Just like in virtual sex,
your senses of sight and sound

make you think you're feeling
something you're not.

So did you make this shaved ice
just to make that point?

-[snaps fingers]
-[Marin laughs]

[Ichito] Hmm.

You know, there's…

a lot of things we don't understand
until we experience them firsthand.

[ice machine rattling]

The, uh…

equipment, uh… costs so much.

VR PRO III


[music fades]

Yeah, well, um… it's a business expense.

[ice machine rattling]

Hey. Why am I doing this, huh?

Because I'll be observing your reaction.

So don't hold back.

[Yuta sighs]

So I've thought about
this whole thing and…

this isn't a nurse's job, you know that?

But I think it's extremely important

to know what the patient is feeling,
don't you?

[sighs]

Whoa-oh!

-Whoa!
-[techno music playing]

-[Yuta]Whoa-h*-oh, h*-h*! Oh!
-[lively chatter]

Whoa!

Whoa! Oh-oh, oh! Oh!

Ooh! Whoa!

Man, there are a lot of girls here.

All right, now, don't forget,

this is a world where
people go to have virtual sex.

Once you hook up with someone,
you go to a room together.

[Yuta chuckles]

Oh. Oh. Whoa!

-Oh, wow, I'm walking! I'm walking!
-[women laughing]

Go and talk to someone.
And take them into the playroom.

-Right.
-Ah!

[chuckles] I wonder
what I actually look like.

[heavy techno music continues]

[Yuta]Aah.

[music continues through headset]

Hmm.

[bleep]

YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR AVATAR LATER

Oh… This guy looks like you, doctor.

-Huh?
-[chuckles] Oh!

Ah![laughing]

-I'm gonna hit on babes looking like you.
-What?

-[Yuta laughs]
-[Ichito]Huh?

[Yuta]All right, I'm in.

[laughter]

[Yuta]Oh.

Hey, there.

Uh, you look pretty hot. Um…

Love the hair!

-[male voice]Glad you like it!
-[both yelp]

Hm? What? What's going on?

That looked like a girl. But it wasn't.

-Oh, gotcha.
-What the hell do I do now?

Get back in there and apologize.
You were the one who approached him!

I wonder what kind of avatar
Mr. Kito chooses to play with.

Uh… [chuckles]

Uh. So…

I'm sorry. You caught me off guard.

[man]This is your
first time here, isn't it?

[Yuta]Yeah.

-Okay. Yeah, that explains it.
-[Yuta chuckles]

Yeah so, most of the girls you see here
are actually guys in real life.

Eh? They are?

Yeah.

Not everyone uses their real voice like
I do. Many people use a voice changer.

-Oh.
-There probably are some girls in here.

But why not just go with the flow
and have fun?

Oh… Is that how it works?

Yeah. So what do you say?

-[Yuta]Hm?
-Feel like having some fun?

-[Yuta]Huh?
-Hmm?

Aah! Oh, oh!

-Ooh! Wow!
-Oh?

It feels like someone just touched me!
Whoa. Oh my god.

Oh! Hey, hey, hang on, wait a minute.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey, hey, hang on!

-[distant siren blaring]
-[crickets chirping]

[echoing hum]

[footsteps echoing]

[crickets chirping]

[echoing hum]

[crickets chirping]

[echoing hum]

[chimes]

[children playing]

[crickets chirping]

[children playing]

[electronic whoosh]

[crickets chirping in VR scene]

[silence]

[crickets chirping in VR scene]

[eerie music playing]

[voices and laughter echoing]

[phone ringing]

[breathing shakily]

[ringing continues]

DAD

[yelps]

[gasping]

[music fades]

[gasps]

[panting]

Oh…

You going for a world record?

[laughs]

[Yumi] I just needed to clear my mind.

You stressed out?

[Yumi sighs]

A bit. [grunts]

I used to make candles to relieve stress.

-Candles?
-[chuckles]

Yeah, I made a candle every time
something upsetting would happen.

-[both chuckle]
-It just helped me focus.

Then… I was running out of room
at my place to put them all.

So I decided to take up swimming.

[both laugh]

[colleague] That's a lot of stress
for one person to handle.

[chuckles]

I try not to dwell on it.

[colleague chuckles]

Oh!

And how about eating food?

Does that help relieve stress?

Huh?

Let's go eat.

I don't know what's bothering you,
but let's grab a bite and forget about it.

Yeah, all right.
That might just do the trick.

[colleague] How's Friday for you?

After the show.

[laughing]

How'd you like it?

Did, uh…
did you get a little action with it, then?

Ah, no. I wasn't there for that.

But he did touch me everywhere.

It gave me the chills and
felt really weird, if I'm being honest.

[Yoshiki chuckles]

But then,
the avatar froze all of a sudden.

Kinda… hung there and stopped moving.

Ah… Yeah, that's usually
because they take off the sensors

and just decided
to get off with themselves.

[Yuta] Oh!

-[Ichito] Oh!
-[Yuta] Oh.

-You're right!
-[gentle music playing]

-[Yuta] That makes sense.
-[Ichito gasps]

[Yoshiki] When tuned
into that phantom sense,

you can have an orgasm
without touching yourself.

But at first, you have to do it manually.

And what about you?

No, I don't have to touch myself.

I understand.

And that's why you refer to it
as sex and not masturbation.

Precisely! You've got it! It allows you
to have sex without physical contact.

It doesn't matter what you look like,
or even what gender you are.

And what does your avatar look like?

[Yoshiki] Here it is.

And why… would you choose this avatar?

Hmm…

Well, it's not like I have some
secret desire to become a woman.

But when…

I came across her,
I just felt a kind of connection.

So… when I first tried it,
it just felt right.

When I'm her,
I just feel this inner peace.

I know how strange that must sound.

[music fades]

Hmm. Uh…

Can you remember what it was
that made you try virtual sex?

[sighs]

I think it must be all the stress at work.

[laughter]

[Yoshiki]I may be the CEO,
but I always feel like an outsider.

Once the company became successful,

and we hired more staff
and made more money,

my partners weren't the same anymore.

They all feel like strangers to me now.

Wait…

On second thought…

I think it might've been my wife.

[gentle music playing]

Yes, Atsuko has changed a lot too.

[typing]

-[Atsuko] Mm?
-Thanks, hon.

[Atsuko] Are you coming to bed soon?

-Yeah, I just have to finish this tonight.
-[Atsuko laughs]

Looks like some sort of secret code!

[laughs]

I don't get what you do at all.

-[giggles]
-Hmm!

[Yoshiki]She used to laugh all the time.

[Atsuko] Yoshiki,
are you sure you're not a spy?

[Yoshiki]She was out of my league.
I was a computer geek, after all.

[Atsuko] Aww! [laughs]

-I was thinking that…
-[Atsuko] Hmm?

[Yoshiki]When I told her I wanted to quit
my job and start my own business,

she supported me from the very start.

She said, "This is gonna work!"

It didn't matter
that she didn't understand it.

[sighs]

But then everything changed.

[buzz of voices]

[man 1] That sounds fantastic.

[laughter]

[man 2] Well, you can speak…

[man 3] …for a trip somewhere too…

I think you could help.

-What, me?
-Yeah, of course, why not?

[Atsuko] I mean, that's nice.

[Yoshiki sighs]

[Atsuko sighs]

[Yoshiki]She started going out alone
and coming home drunk.

[groans]

-[Yoshiki] Hey, can we talk?
-[Atsuko] Huh?

I'm exhausted, can it wait?

[melancholy music playing]

[Yoshiki]As you might have guessed,

we haven't had sex in years.

When I got lonely,

I started getting into virtual sex.

The more successful I became,

the more people close to me
started changing as well.

[sighs]

This is my wife.

How would you feel about
bringing your wife in next time?

Yeah, it's worth a try.

HOW TO GET OVER SEXUAL REJECTION

SIGNS HE DOESN'T SEE YOU AS A WOMAN

DO WOMEN LOSE APPEAL IN THEIR THIRTIES?

[sighs heavily]

YUMI ICHINOSE SEX APPEAL

IS YUMI ICHINOSE UNSEXY?
HERE'S WHAT WE FOUND

[sighs]

BEAUTIFUL, BUT SOMEHOW DISAPPOINTING

WHY YUMI ICHINOSE LACKS SEX APPEAL

NEWS ANCHORS WHO LACK SEX APPEAL

[sighs]

WHY ARE THERE NO DATING RUMORS
ABOUT YUMI ICHINOSE?

YUMI ICHINOSE SHUN KAZUMA PERFECT MATCH

KAZUMA
HERE'S THE RESTAURANT

[Shun] Hey, there.

[Yumi] Oh.

Just sent you the place.

[Yumi] Yeah, I got it.

-Is sushi all right?
-Yeah.

Oh, wow… high-end sushi.

-[Shun] Hm.
-[chuckles]

[Miku] See ya. I'm taking off now.

-[Yumi] Oh.
-[Shun] See ya.

[Yumi] Have a good one.

[Shun sighs]

You mind if we meet there?

I've got a quick meeting
after the show today.

[Yumi] Oh. Yeah, sure, no problem.

Great.

[sighs]

Sushi.

[Ichito, echoing]Thanks for doing this.

I thought it would be beneficial for
us to do our session this way today.

This is the form I chose.

[Yoshiki]Well… thank you.

It would have been a real hassle getting
to the clinic today. So this is great.

Glad I could help.

The other day, you wanted to know
why I chose this avatar.

Yes?

I've been thinking about it ever since.

[robot vacuum humming]

I think the main reason…

is that I feel like my real
body is more like an avatar.

[gentle music playing]

In the real world,
I have to look like a CEO,

appear successful and dress appropriately.

I wear designer clothing,

and drive an expensive car.

I have to wear the mask of success.

But…

when I take this form,
I can take the mask off.

I can break free of that role,

and feel like the person I really am.

[Ichito]Confronting your own troubles
is the first step in treating addiction.

Have you ever considered,
sharing these feelings with your wife?

I don't think I can do that.

I wish I could.
I wish I could spill my guts

and tell her everything, but…

it's just not something she wants to hear.

I already told you.

She basically ignores me when I talk.

The other day…

as I was driving home from my office,

I remembered when
we decided to get married.

The business was up and running
but barely scraping by.

And I had depleted almost
all of my savings.

I'm sorry.

[music stops]

There's no way you can marry
a total screwup like me.

[Yoshiki]I mean, how could
any woman be expected

to marry a man who didn't have any money
and who couldn't support her?

You should just leave.
I'm a loser. You can do better!

I felt weak and pathetic.

[Atsuko] I never said I needed
you to provide for me. [chuckles]

Huh?

Marriage isn't only
about supporting your spouse.

I'm perfectly capable
of making my own living.

Oh. But I won't sit around
taking care of you!

Well, I… I wouldn't want you to. [laughs]

I can't tell you how happy that made me.

[Atsuko's voice]If you have such
fond memories about those times,

why are you allowing yourself
to be miserable now?

Huh?

I'm asking why you keep doing things
that make you so miserable!

[whimsical music playing]

Oh!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

[yelps] Oh!

[birdsong]

[phones ringing]

[bellowing]

[Atsuko]Wait!

I can't!

[Atsuko] Hang on a minute!

[crossing alarm bell ringing]

[siren blaring]

[Atsuko]Stop running away!

[Yoshiki]I can't do this!

[loud banging]

[Yuta] Oh, uh…

Why can't you just listen?

Hah! Stop this!

Ugh. Shut it down!

-[Atsuko] Ah!
-[both] Uh…

You were the one who
wasn't listening to me!

[yelps]

[smooth jazz music playing]

-Ah!
-[Yuta and Ichito] Whoa, whoa, whoa!

[crunching]

[Atsuko]You want to know
why I didn't want to listen?

Because I knew what was coming
after "Hey, can we talk?"

It'd be all about the dreams
you were chasing.

Or complaining about something.

I don't wanna hear another
"Hey, can we talk?" ever again!

-I get it, but as CEO, I have to…
-[Atsuko]Do you even want to be CEO?

You don't, do you?

Didn't you really want
to create some software

that would solve the world's
complaints and anxieties?

And what about you?

Are you okay with me quitting as CEO?

Are you all right
with going back to a simpler life?

-Don't you like being rich? Parties?
-Stupid! Shallow! Boring!

That was socializing,
which you clearly hate!

You always looked so miserable at those
functions and it put everyone on edge.

I had to work like hell
to lighten the atmosphere!

I'd be so happy if I didn't have
to do that stuff anymore!

So you're fine with me quitting?

Because there's something I want
to develop that's completely different.

Then do it!

Go ahead and create another secret code.

But this time,

when you say, "Hey, can we talk?"

I want to see that sparkle in your eyes
when you have a dream to chase.

[music stops]

And, uh…

I knew you were into this sort of thing.

[gentle music playing]

[Atsuko]I'm not gonna lie,
I was a bit freaked out.

But after I tried it, I kinda liked it.

And that look, it kinda suits you.

[sighs]

I should have spoken to you sooner.

[Atsuko laughs]

Oh, you think?

[laughing]

Please accept my deep apology.

[sighs]

[sobs]

[sniffles]

[Yoshiki sobbing]

[music fades]

Thank you so much.

[door opens]

[door closes]

You were a lot of help on this one,
Yuta, I gotta tell ya.

Huh?

I came really close to,
um… hurting Atsuko and…

Thank you.

[gasps]

Well… this sure proved
I'm more athletic than you are, doc.

-[chuckles]
-[loud bang]

No way!

Did you seriously just give it to her?

Do you know how much those
goggles and sensors cost?

It's not like we need them anymore.

Then why, uh… didn't you
sell them online or something?

-[lively pop music playing]
-He'd better give us a donation!

Well, he said he was stepping down as CEO,

so things might get tight
for them for a while, huh?

-[Yuta] Huh?
-Eh?

-[sighs]
-[Yuta chuckles]

[song lyrics in Japanese]

How are we gonna treat them
going forward, then?

Just keep doing it.

I will say, I don't see why they shouldn't
continue having virtual sex, though.

As long as it doesn't get out of hand.

I made them promise me only
to do it when they're together.

Sexual pleasure involves
both physical and mental capabilities.

The mental aspect is much more prevalent
when it comes to virtual sex.

But my hope
is that through that connection,

it could ignite their passion
for each other again.

What I've taken away

is that you have to face your troubles.

[heavy rainfall]

[sniffles]

Talk more… about your feelings.

[Yumi sighs]

SUSHI YUKIAKARI

[Ichito] Hi, Yumi.

[music stops]

[Ichito] Sorry, I hope I didn't scare you.

[Yumi sighs] No.

But… I am surprised.

[both chuckle]

Look, about the… other day.

[Yumi] Mm.

I want you to know
I wasn't rejecting you.

[sighs]

[car horn blares]

[sighs]

[shuffling]

[Ichito] It's just that…

I can't have sex.

-What?
-Yeah.

It's a problem I have,
and I wanted to tell you that.

[sighs]

[sighs shakily]

I like you a lot, Yumi.

[warm, upbeat music playing]

Would you

go out with me again?

[upbeat music continues]

[lyrics in Japanese]