SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table

Hello.

Hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello.

Hello hello. Hello hello.

Hello hello. Hello hello.

Hello hello.

Hello hello. Hello hello.

Hello hello. Hello hello.

Hello hello. Hello hello.

Hello hello. Hello hello.

Hello hello.

Hello hello.

Hello hello.

Hello hello. Hello hello.

Hello hello.

Hello hello.

Hello hello. Hello hello.

Hello hello. Hello hello.

Hello hello.

Hello hello.

A wake up call.

I'm so sorry.

I didn't mean to.

It's OK.

Come here.

Sit.

Easy.

Are you hurt?

Why am I here?

And what is this place?

Does it matter?

Try to calm down now.

Just breathe, OK?

Deep breaths.

Me.

Sobs.

Hey, there.

It's nice to meet all of you.

I'm Yuki.

Nice to meet you.

Well, looks like I'm the last to show up.

Yeah, I guess you are.

Hope you weren't waiting long.

Uh-uh, not really.

It's been 20 minutes, maybe.

Sorry.

I'm a deep sleeper, so I'm always the last to wake up.

Always?

Yeah.

It's not my first time doing this.

It's my 28th.

I'm guessing this is everyone's first time.

Is that right?

Yeah.

It's my first time doing this.

My player name's Kinko,

and I'm here to repay a debt.

What debt?

My father's.

My name's Kokuto.

This is my second time.

My first time was two years ago, so I'm pretty

much still a newbie at this.

I guess I'm here cause working a 9:00 to 5:00

job started to feel pointless.

Mm-hmm.

Your turn.

My name's Momono.

Why are you here?

I don't know why.

I was tricked.

I shouldn't be here.

She didn't sign up for this like the rest of us did.

It's OK.

It's OK.

We'll get you home soon.

I'm Beniya.

I heard about games like this before,

but it's my first time playing one.

My reasons are pretty much the same as Kinko's.

I want to get my books in order because they're in the red.

Do you own a business or something?

You could say that.

Just need a bit of money is all.

And you are?

Uh, my name is Aoi.

What?

Uh, my name's--

Aoi.

This is my first time.

I'm here because I--

I didn't have a choice, really.

You all heard Yuki.

She has the most experience playing these games.

I'm doing what she tells me to.

Seriously?

Well, we need someone to be the leader, don't we?

This is her 28th time playing, so she's a veteran

and a survivor.

She's perfect to lead us, right?

Huh?

Oh, yeah, I guess so.

As some of you might have heard already,

this is the kind of game where if a player dies,

they die for real.

This building is dangerous.

Traps have been set all over it.

Don't go anywhere alone.

From now on, stick together.

So you're saying this is an escape game?

Yeah, I think that's what this is.

The goal is pretty simple.

Avoid getting killed by traps, and find

our way out of the building.

Can't we just sit here and wait for the game to end?

No.

There doesn't seem to be a time limit,

and we weren't given supplies to survive on.

We have to find the way out, or there is no prize money.

There's no going home either.

Um, what do you think the survival rate for players is?

It varies, but usually, hmm, about 70% or so.

Oh.

So one or maybe two of us won't make it?

I think that's the average for all players.

What about for newbies?

I'm sure the rate is way lower.

It is.

If you're a first time player,

the chances of surviving

are pretty slim.

But don't worry, I want my fellow players to survive.

And I'll do everything I can to make sure we all do.

Why would you bother?

I mean, what do you get by going and helping us?

Well, in the long run, it'll boost my odds of surviving.

If I help you now, maybe that'll

inspire you to help me later on in some future game.

A future game?

We don't know if any of us are going

to have a future after this.

That's true.

Still, I'd rather help someone than leave

them behind, as long as it doesn't cost me anything.

Either way, you should keep your guard up around me.

You never know.

I might be evil and want to use you all as meat

shields for the traps.

I can't control what you think about me,

so judge away.

Wait, should you be eating that?

It could be poisoned.

No, they're totally fine to eat.

We get hungry and they're here for us to munch on.

Sure, this is a death game, but poisoning our snacks

is a line they don't cross.

But you just said to keep our guard up.

You're right.

Don't trust me.

I might know how to tell which of these things

are poisoned and which aren't.

Hmm, yummy.

Fine, then I'll try one, too.

Uh!

Here.

You're so nice.

Thank you.

OK.

Wait, stop it.

Haven't you had enough?

Uh.

Huh?

No way.

Really?

Yup, there's people watching us right now

and betting on which of us survives.

And the prize money surviving players get totally

depends on the player's type.

What type gets the most prize money?

What do you think?

The cutest ones get the most.

Oh, oh, why are you looking at me?

Ah, of course, they do.

Same old story, no matter where you go.

What's up?

Where are you going?

To explore.

All by yourself?

Yep.

As soon as I find the way out of here,

I'll come back and show the rest of you.

Hold up.

I'm coming with.

You'll just slow her down.

She's got this.

You're just going to take her word