Twilight Syndrome: Deadly Theme Park (トワイライトシンドローム　デッドゴーランド)

Arai Moe

Hoshii Nanase

Baba Tooru Saito Takashi

Yoshikawa Maria Izumisawa Toshiki

Kanai Yuta

Toda Masahiro

Directed by Asato Mari

TWILIGHT SYNDROME Dead-Go-Round

Participants should wait in front of the stage

I see...

"Twilight Park"

Hey, got a signal on your cell phone?

This is such a small town I can't get a single reception bar...

Your fingernails...

They match my rhinestones. Cute, huh?

So?

No service on mine, either...

No way! I can't believe this!

Hey, do you have a cell phone?

You smell of chips!

July, 24th. Fair weather.

I'm taking part in a Video Game Release Event

in a small amusement park outside of Tokyo I'd never heard of, Yuhigaoka...

I've got no signal on my cell phone, but my portable video game works fine.

I'm really looking forward to...

What's that for?

This? It's for a university assignment.

I'm researching video games.

I'm recording because I'll write a paper on this event.

What are you researching?

I don't mind saying...

The social role of video games regarding the behavioralism of the anomic youth

That's my research topic...

That's Greek to me...

but you did seem different from the others...

the others look like geeks

I'm quite a geek myself...

To tell the truth, so am I!

Looks like there are seven of us...

Seven?

Seven?

Ah! It's true...

Have you heard? Makino set up today's event.

Who?

Makino! You don't know him?

The man who created "Twilight Syndrome".

Exactly...

Makino's a genius. This is probably his new game.

Mr. Yue Taichi, Mr. Yue Taichi...

We've got a message for you. Please come quickly to the office.

The event will begin.

Well, well, players... Hello!

I'd like to begin today's event

The people who were invited today were carefully chosen

among those who got to the end of my latest game, "Twilight Syndrome",

after further selections took place.

You're the elite of video game players!

It would please me very much if all of you,

who know all about video games,

were to try the new game I'm developing and working very hard on.

It has a whole new feel, and is in a completely new platform.

It's still being perfected,

so I'd love to hear your sincere opinions

and use them to further develop it.

Now, have you realised?

In fact, the game has already started!

This whole amusement park is part of the game!

Look! Over there!

Those you saw moments ago were all hired extras!

So? I bet you're surprised!

I'm glad. I didn't wanna play with children...

But it's kind of eerie...

Weirdo!

What about the other participant who was here a minute ago?

Yes.

He broke the rules, so I had him leave the game.

Broke the rules?

As one of the conditions to take part in this game

you've been asked to keep absolute secret about it.

However, I guess he was excited about being chosen,

and I've found he had written about it on the internet...

So I had him leave the game.

Of course, I expect you to thoroughly enjoy today's event...

But I expect you to refrain from telling any outsiders about what you've seen or heard.

After all, it's an important trade secret...

We won't tell...

We get it.

So, when will the game begin?

I don't see any monitors or displays...

That's what it seems.

All righty, then...We shall now stop talking

I bet you're all itching to start playing.

I know, I know.

Then... Shall we begin?

Here's your first mission:

You should find the baloons hidden around the park.

They have cartridges in them.

If you insert one in your game console, you've completed your mission.

However, there are valid and invalid baloons, so be careful...

For real, that's the game?

I expected a computer game...

This is a hands-on game which will require stamina, intelligence and emotional strength.

Was it really created by Makino?

Absolutely! Makino Shuzo is the man who gave you "Twilight Syndrome",

and this is his latest creation!

Now, you have 15 minutes...

You can only hold one valid cartridge each.

For those who don't make it, the game will be over.

And never cross the red lines inside the park.

The areas beyond them are forbidden!

Let the game begin!

I'll be the first to complete the task.

Guys, we should start looking... We only have 15 minutes...

You, there...Don't you think we should form a pair and search together?

Let's go, the two of us. That should save time.

O.k. by me...

We'll start looking. We don't have much time, so let's share whatever we learn.

Who made him leader? What a jerk!

How come he didn't ask?

It has begun. The greatest game in history:

Twilight Park

We expect a lot of action from the players

The most promising is player number 6, who has a very good Character Chart

He is studying sociology at the university

Not only that, he's also done research on games!

How far will he get?

"Not Valid"

Shit!

Dammit!

What the...?

It seems nobody has found a valid cartridge yet.

As for player number 5, he's wasting precious time riding the roller-coaster.

He's currently a job-hopping part-time worker. Hasn't society taught him anything?

The numbers on the Character Charts seem to be very reliable.

"Mission Complete"

He completed the mission!

The first one to do it was player number 2.

He didn't do well in the stamina charts, but had a surprising performance.

I showed you!

However, he has just quit the Vocational School he had started this spring.

A textbook case N.E.E.T., living off his parents

A geek that has the money and the free time

Player number 2 really is THE KING OF GEEKS!

What's it to you?

Hurricane!

Got one!

Mission Complete

Done!

What's that? Number 3 has just stolen her way out!

Number 7 didn't have a chance!

Number 3 attends a hairdressing school.

And this could be because she is the youngest of three sisters,

But she's self-centred and only cares about clothes and cell phones

On the other hand, number 7 is your average high school senior

but her anthropophobia only gets worse, so she doesn't attend school and locks herself in all day

A good example of a really dark person!

I really don't think they'll get along!

You should hurry and find one.

10 minutes have passed, 5 minutes left.

I found one!

I found a valid one, too.

-Hey, Did you see my panties? -No, I did not!

-Yes, you have! -Never mind that, let's try it!

"Mission Complete"

Hey, you've looked again!

I'm telling you I haven't!

The players are completing their mission one after the other.

Numbers 6 and 4 did it with such ease, too.

Number 4 is a well-to-do student at a famous private university

She's smart and has made it to national gymnastics competitions

She really has it all, folks!

The only thing she's not happy about is her breast size.

On her way to becoming a perfect woman, she's now considering a boob job.

How did he know...?

A very feminine, praiseworthy concern!

Those are lies!

Would you like some help?

Jerk!

Stick it in!

"Mission Complete"

Th - Thank y-y-you

I shouldn't have come...

I'm so bored...

I wanna go home...

One minute to go...

Only player number 5 hasn't finished yet.

Why only me?

Damn!

30 seconds left.

I don't think he'll make it.

Hey, I found one!

Take it!

I don't want it.

Don't you wanna stay in the game?

10 seconds left...

9... 8... 7... 6... 5....

4... 3... 2... 1...

Time's up!

"Mission Complete"

We've all made it!