Manga
Description
A modern high school girl named Yukari Aoyama living in a Tokyo high-rise faces a sudden crisis when her deadbeat father disappears, leaving her with an immense debt of 30 million yen owed to the yakuza. On the verge of losing her home and with no way to pay for her tuition, she accidentally activates a mysterious clockwork device called the Deus Ex Machina, which had been gathering dust among her father’s collectibles. This device hurls her back in time to the year 1982, during the Showa era, where her futuristic apartment complex does not yet exist, as the area was still ocean before the massive Tokyo bay land reclamation projects began.
Realizing her smartphone still functions, Yukari records authentic footage of retro arcades and the daily life of 1980s Japan. Upon returning to the present, she uploads the videos to YouTube, where they become a massive sensation. Viewers eventually confirm the footage is genuine and free of computer-generated effects, allowing Yukari to earn enough advertising revenue to pay off the family debt in full. Although her father returns home immediately after learning the debt is gone, he remains unmotivated to work and instead asks for money to gamble, forcing Yukari to manage the household finances.
The story follows Yukari as she continues to use the Deus Ex Machina for irregular trips to the past. What begins as a desperate financial scheme evolves into various adventures solving problems for others and fulfilling nostalgic requests, such as hunting down rare collectibles like the first Licca-chan doll. The device carries the risk of preventing return if it is damaged or left behind, so Yukari carefully avoids traveling to eras before the post-war period. During her journeys, she meets a boy named Kenji who loves dolls, only to discover later that he grows up to become a world-famous fashion designer. Another mysterious owner of a similar time-slip device operates as an antiques dealer.
The narrative is set primarily between the present day in Odaiba, Tokyo, and the streets of Tokyo during the early 1980s. The manga balances the novelty of modern technology clashing with a pre-internet culture against the relaxed atmosphere of an era before Yukari’s financial troubles began. Key arcs include the initial debt repayment crisis, the adjustment to life with her parasite father, and specific missions to the past driven by the whims of collectors or historical coincidences. As the series progresses into irregular serialization, Yukari becomes an urban legend to her audience, who remain fascinated by how she captures such realistic historical footage.
Realizing her smartphone still functions, Yukari records authentic footage of retro arcades and the daily life of 1980s Japan. Upon returning to the present, she uploads the videos to YouTube, where they become a massive sensation. Viewers eventually confirm the footage is genuine and free of computer-generated effects, allowing Yukari to earn enough advertising revenue to pay off the family debt in full. Although her father returns home immediately after learning the debt is gone, he remains unmotivated to work and instead asks for money to gamble, forcing Yukari to manage the household finances.
The story follows Yukari as she continues to use the Deus Ex Machina for irregular trips to the past. What begins as a desperate financial scheme evolves into various adventures solving problems for others and fulfilling nostalgic requests, such as hunting down rare collectibles like the first Licca-chan doll. The device carries the risk of preventing return if it is damaged or left behind, so Yukari carefully avoids traveling to eras before the post-war period. During her journeys, she meets a boy named Kenji who loves dolls, only to discover later that he grows up to become a world-famous fashion designer. Another mysterious owner of a similar time-slip device operates as an antiques dealer.
The narrative is set primarily between the present day in Odaiba, Tokyo, and the streets of Tokyo during the early 1980s. The manga balances the novelty of modern technology clashing with a pre-internet culture against the relaxed atmosphere of an era before Yukari’s financial troubles began. Key arcs include the initial debt repayment crisis, the adjustment to life with her parasite father, and specific missions to the past driven by the whims of collectors or historical coincidences. As the series progresses into irregular serialization, Yukari becomes an urban legend to her audience, who remain fascinated by how she captures such realistic historical footage.
Comment(s)
Staff
- Story & Art