Ikki V3.5 (00:00-42:15) (Full)

KT=King Text, ST=Screen Text, PT=Prince text, A=Arino, N=Narration, TJ=Toujima, S=Sasano, U=Urukawa, SF=Staff
00:00-05:00
A - This special feature is only for people who bought the DVDs, so at the start, we should have it say, (cut at 00:10)
“Please don’t spoil this for anyone,” the way the DVD of 'The Sixth Sense' did.

ST
A request to everyone

This DVD's special features contain a “certain secret”.
For those of you about to watch this DVD, be absolutely certain not to spoil this secret to friends and family who haven’t purchased the DVDs yet.

Shinya Arino (of Yoiko)

PT – It’s a secret for us only, okay?

ST – Chief
         Shinya Arino (of Yoiko)

A – This special challenge is only for those who purchased the DVDs!
(Cut at 00:59)
A - We have another wonderful game for you this time, too.

A - This...Well, I guess . . .
(Cut at 01:06)
it’d be a waste to spend an hour-long normal challenge on this one, so it became a special feature!

A – It's ‘Ikki’.

A – It’s finally time for ‘Ikki’.

A – I knew I was going to have to play ‘Ikki’ someday...


ST
Ikki
1985   Sunsoft Famicom (NES).

N – Ikki.

N – Set in the Edo era, the farmer protagonist, Gonbe, rebels against an evil magistrate in this action game.

ST – This time’s objective
         To see the ending screen

(from 01:36)
N – This audacious theme shocked gamers at the time, and even now it’s said that there’s no one who doesn’t know this game.

A – It’s a Famicom game, right? I think it’s probably simple.

(from 01:49)
A – I think I wanna make people laugh a bit, sail right to the ending, go home early, and make a really short special feature!

N – As always, he begins the challenge brimming with confidence.
But before that, there’s something that catches his eye.

A – Th...this thing...

A – For the woman opposite the main character, she sure is ugly!

A – Mario has Peach, right? This “Peach” is horrible! This game’s “Mario” won’t want to try very hard.

N – Refocusing himself, he begins the game.

A – Ah, it’s those guys who come out towards the end of 'Atlantis'.

A – This stooped-over guy was there, too.

N – The protagonist of 'Ikki', Gonbe, also appeared in the end screen of 'The Mystery of Atlantis' for some reason.

A – Did I beat it?

TJ – Yes.

A – Where’s the Master?

TJ – That’s him right there.

A – Isn’t that the guy from 'Ikki'?

N – Arino does a good job defeating the enemy ninjas while confirming how to control Gonbe, but...

A – Huh? Did he hit me right now?

A - That's mean. . .

ST (bottom) You lose a life when hit once
KT - Many difficulties lie ahead.
N - Gonbe doesn't have a life gauge. Instead, he faces the severe 'one hit, one death' system.

A - The view is so close, I wish I could pull away just a bit more.

N - The unique scrolling, not found in modern games, also presents him with trouble.

A - It's so close! I wish he didn't have to be so close to the screen edge to make it scroll!
I want it to move a little bit sooner.
N - However, as he continues to avoid enemy attacks and gather gold coins. . .

A - Hm? It's over. Wait, it's over?

A - What is this? Oh, you get all the gold coins to finish the stage.
How many did I get before?

ST - Gather eight gold coins to clear the stage.
KT - Money talks.
N - Gonbe's goal is to gather the gold coins scattered around the map.
When he gets eight of them, he clears the stage.

A - The maps are so small.

N - Arino hopes to ride the wave and keep clearing stages easily. However . . .

A - What's that? Oh, I picked it up.

A - Wha? Oh, I got shot.

N - He still isn’t used to the game world of 'Ikki'.
He picks up a mysterious item.

A - Oh, it's a daikon radish.

A - Whoa, I'm really fast! He's fast now!
Too close, too close! That's way too close!

A - Man, it's so close, the edge of the screen. Oh, I'm slow again.
You! Don't attack so suddenly, it's not fair!

N - He loses three lives and gets a game over. Back to the title screen.

A - Huh? This "uprising" only has three guys!

A – Ah, I knew it...from the start.

N - He starts over from Stage 1.

A - This'll be tough with no continues.

N - It's a strict condition on his journey to the ending.
He picks up a bamboo spear.

A – A bamboo spear? If this was Mario, would this be the same as a star?

N - He uses the item skilfully and easily clears Stage 1.

05:00-10:00

N – Stage 2. Arino’s getting used to the controls and smoothly gathers gold coins,
when a new enemy appears and attacks.

A – What’s this? Ah, watch out. Something came out.

I can’t move. What is this thing?

A – Ah, is it that ugly woman?

A – I bet it’s her!

KT – It’s a sin to be good-looking
ST – Chamber Maid – If she catches you, you can’t move

N – A character that latches on to Gonbe, the Chamber Maid.
If she catches you, you can’t move.

A – Some of these maps are really small.

N – A short while later, he finds the last gold coin.

A – Got it.

N – He safely clears Stage 2 and moves on to Stage 3.

A – Can’t get it. That one either.  Ah, it’s a maze!

It’s a dungeon! This is a dungeon crawler now!

N – Stage 3 is set outside of the evil magistrate’s mansion.

N - On this stage as well, that woman appears.

A – She’s here! That ugly woman is here!

A – She’s getting really worked up over there.

A – Ah, she came out again. Damn you, you ugly hag!

N – He escapes the Chamber Maid's grasp, only to meet another new enemy.

A – Ah, he’s fast! That guy’s cool!

A – That cool guy is too fast. . .

N – Attacked by the extraordinarily fast red-suited ninja, he unfortunately meets a game over.

A – Agghhhhh...

A – Waugh, even though I made it to Stage 3. . .

ST – Restart from Stage 1
A – Isn’t there any way to go back to three?
N – Faced with such a difficult game system, Arino begins to complain.

A – Shouldn’t an uprising be, y’know, more of a group effort?

A – This guy’s supposed to be some rebelling farmer, yet he's runnin’ all over these vegetable fields.
A – Ah! Something’s comin’! Something’s comin’! Watch out! Oh, I got it.

N – Even as he complains, he works desperately to clear Stage 2.

N - And so, Arino gets a reward.

A – Huh? What’s this? What’s happening?

A – This stage wasn’t here before...

A – What’s he catching?

KT – Rice ball reward
ST – If you collect the smoke item, you go to a bonus stage

N – If you collect the smoke item and clear that stage, you move to a bonus stage.

A – I’m throwin’ it!
I’m throwin’ it to ya! Here it comes!
(This is pretty much gibberish)

A – I don’t think God ever throws rice balls, though.

N – Stage 3. Arino wants to ride this momentum and clear the stage, but...

A – Ah, she’s here! This ugly...

N – His old enemy, the Chamber Maid, stops him for a long time.
A – I oughta kill that ugly hag.

N – Even as he steadily collects the gold coins...
A – Watch out! Ahhhh, he got my head. He hit my head with a shuriken.

N – One life left. As he proceeds upward, a new item appears.

A – Oh, I got a shadow clone.

N – When you collect a leaf, you gain a shadow clone and become invincible. However. . .

A – Huh? Ah, he appeared just as the shadow clone ran out.

A – Ah...
They’re really throwin’ everything they have at me.

N – The highly difficult Stage 3. Even when he rechallenges twenty minutes later...

A – Watch out, watch out! You ugly hag! Get outta my way, you hag! Ah, they got me.

A – Curse you, you ugly hag!

N – Despite this, he somehow manages to collect six of the gold coins.
As he carefully moves ahead, he finds another. One coin remains. However...

A – Huh? It’s not here!

N – Unable to find the last coin, he backtracks.
And then...

A – Ah, I was so close!

N – Having missed his chance, once again it’s complaint time.

A – Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure I submitted a request for childcare leave a while ago...

ST – Two weeks ago.

N – Two weeks before this shoot, (cut at 09:07)
Chief Arino submitted a request for childcare leave, and received a two-month vacation.

Newspaper article:
(Vertical yellow text) Arino’s daughter was born.
(Vertical red text) She’s cute! She looks like me and Fujio Akatsuka.
(Bottom white text) Sankei Sports, March 12th, 2006

A – So, just last week my daughter was born. Well, by the time the DVD comes out, this will be old news,  (cut at 09:24)
anyway, she was born on Friday last week, and she and my wife were hospitalized for a week.
Anyway, they’re both being discharged today!

ST – Chief Arino, Congratulations on the birth of your daughter!
From the Entire Staff

A – Woulda been nice to have a break during my vacation!

A – Jeez...

N – Giving up on his vacation days, Chief Arino continues the battle.

N – Thirty minutes later, he once again has a chance to clear Stage 3.

A – How many left? One more. . .ah!

A – He’s so fast...

N – He’s able to get the coin. Ahead of here, there should be one, too.

10:00-15:00

A – Got it! Alright!

A - Okay!
N - He clears the difficult Stage 3.

A - Oh? Stage 4.

N - Next is Stage 4.
A - Huh? It's a pyramid!

A - Oh, it's a Japanese-style room.

N - However, on this stage too...

A - Ah, that ugly hag is here! Ah, I was killed.

A - She's a damned stalker!

N - He desperately tries to gather coins, but...

A - So soon. Ah, it's over.

N - Regrettably, it's a game over.

A - This game's really got me.

N - Once again, he starts over from Stage 1.

N - As before, he gets stuck at the difficult Stage 3.

A - Ah, he got me.
Feels like I keep dying the same way.

N - His next chance comes forty minutes later.

A - How many more lives do I...ah, one more life.

N - He challenges Stage 4 with his last life.
N - He wants to proceed carefully.

A - This feels like the ending.

A - There's a lotta interesting stuff in there.

N - A stage that feels close to the end. Refocusing himself, Arino's movements become more controlled.

A - There was another one over here.

N - He collects the fourth gold coin.

N - Entering the mansion, he gets the fifth coin.

A - A daikon radish.

N - Increasing his speed with a daikon radish, he gets the sixth coin. Two more remain.

N - However, that woman appears!

N - The seventh coin.

A - Huh? The eighth one isn't here.

A - Where is it?

N - He can't find the last one.

A - Ahhh, where is it?

A - Ah, she latched on.

A - This is my last life, y'know!

A - Move!
A - Where's the last one?

A - Ah, she's here again!

A - Eh? I already looked here.

N - Arino's captured by his stalker again. He's in a pinch.
However, he miraculously manages to escape! And then...

A - Found it!

N - He finds the last coin!

A - Alright!
I made it!
Wonder if the next level is in the mansion?

N - Stage 5. An unbelievable sight was awaiting Arino.

A - Is it in the mansion? Or a boss fight?

A - I've seen this place before, right? I've seen this level before, haven't I?

N - Stage 5 is the same setting as Stage 1. For the time being, he continues playing.

A - It's the same as Stage 1. . .

N - The scenery identical to Stage 1 continues, and then...

A - Ah...

N...game over.

A - Didn't I already play through this once?
A - Huh? One, two, three. . .

N - Arino had hoped for a boss battle, but this development leaves him blank-faced.

A - ...five, six, seven, something like that.

A - Maybe because I was returned to Stage 1, now I can go to five and six?

N - He has no choice but to start over from Stage 1.

N - One hour later, he manages to reach Stage 5 again.

A - Ah, he got me.

A - There's a lot more enemies than before.

N - Although it looks the same as Stage 1, it's much more difficult.

A - If they'd stop coming out...ah.

A - It's over.

N - Arino suddenly has a question. And so...

A - Toujima.

TJ - Yes?

N - ...he calls for AP Toujima.

A - After I finished Stage 4, I went back to Stage 1. . .

TJ - Right.

A - Does this game not have an ending screen?
TJ - Well, you see, I was going to scout the game, but I figured "Since this time's a special feature, I don't have to" so...I didn't.
(cut at 14:05)
TJ - So I don't know if there's an ending screen or not.

A - Eh?! Y' didn't scout it?

TJ - Right.

A - What're ya doing?

N - The chief scolds his under-prepared subordinate.

A - What're you gonna do if you get asked "Don't let the level loop" at this screen?!

A - Did you get permission to skip doing the scouting?!

A - What're you gonna do if a super-strong bad guy comes out?

A - Are you sure you're taking care of the star here?!

N - The Chief's stern lecture takes five minutes.

A - You're supposed to look that up by scouting the game!

TJ - I'm sorry.

N - The current problem is:
Does 'Ikki' have an ending screen?

A - Y' gonna look it up?

TJ - Um...

A - Ask Sunsoft.

TJ - Okay.

A - You give 'em a call. I'd end up asking them, "What's up with this game?!", so you do it.

15:00-20:00

 A - I'd be all, "What's with this!"

TJ - You can't do that!
A - They'd get mad at me for that.

TJ - They'd ask you, "Then please don't play it, okay?"

N - Toujima goes to call the company that made 'Ikki', Sunsoft.

A - So he didn't scout it...

A - Not doing it because it's a special feature...it's like a special feature just for him!

N - Arino plays as he waits for Toujima to return.

N - However, as he waits, Chief Arino continues to lament over the young people of today.

A - In my company, Shochiku Talent, there's a new employee, Kontani, who's been there for about a year...
(cut at 15:47)

ST - Yoiko's Manager
        Kazunari Kontani

A - So, he says, "Next week, you're challenging a game for the DVD Box set."
(cut at 15:57)
A - So I asked him, "What am I playing?", and he goes, "It hasn't been decided yet."

(cut at 16:01)

A - So yesterday he tells me, "The game's been decided! Um..." and he starts looking for a piece of paper,

(cut at 16:07)

A - Then he goes, "Oh! Here it is! You'll be playing 'Itsuki'!"

A - So I'm all, "Itsuki?!", and he says, "That's right! Do you know about it?" And I say, "I have no idea what Itsuki is!"

N - Having finished his phone call, Toujima reappears.

A - I was just stabbing someone in the back right now!

TJ - So, I called Sunsoft...
A - Okay.
(cut at 16:28)

TJ - And I asked if 'Ikki' has an ending...
A - Right.
(cut at 16:30)

TJ - ...but since it's a game from twenty years ago...
A - That's true.
(cut at 16:34)

TJ - ...there was no one there who knew about it. . .
A - It came out in 1984.
TJ - Right.
(cut at 16:38)

TJ - ...so I don't know.
A - But it's a game, so it's gotta have an ending, right?

TJ - I think there's one, but I can't say for certain.

A - So, you wanna end the special features like this?
TJ - No, not at all.
(cut at 16:52)
A - Left wonderin', "Is there an ending or not?"
(cut at 16:56)

N - Toujima then reveals something about the game that caught his attention.

TJ - I was just thinking...
A - What?

TJ - Well, when you clear a stage, a... whatchamacallit, a secret letter from the alphabet appears.

A - Izzat so?
TJ - Right.

A - Hang on a second, I'll make it appear.

N - Just what is this "letter from the alphabet that appears when you clear a stage"?

A - Here I go.
TJ - Okay.

A - I did it.
TJ - That was fast.

A - There it is! Secret...'E' wasn't it?

A - A secret letter? What do they mean, these secret letters?

TJ - I think it's some kind of secret word.
N - Could it be some kind of password to reveal the ending screen?

A - Ah, if it starts with 'E' maybe it has something to do with the 'Ending'?

A - If I write this down and end up spelling ending, I wonder what we'll do?

A - If that happens, it'll look so cool!

A - Okay, I got it. I'll give it my all.
TJ - Okay, please do your best.

A - Good night!
N - Seeking to solve the mystery of the secret letters, Arino's Challenge restarts.

N - He smoothly clears Stage 2. The letter that appears is...
A - 'R'

A -  Alright. So it's 'R'. . .

A - 'ER'? What words start with 'ER'. . .?

A - Is it 'Erin'? Erin...

N - Could there be a mysterious woman in 'Ikki'?!

A - Ah, the hag came out!

N - He enters the highly difficult Stage 3. Yet another new enemy appears before Arino.

A - Ah, something appeared! Somethin' appeared? What is it?

N - An enemy different from the Chamber Maid appears.

A - Whoa! Even though I died, I still can't do anything! What is this thing?
N - Completely captured, he can't even throw his sickles.

A - It's like being turned into an eggplant in 'Kid Icarus'!

ST - Spectre: You lose the ability to throw sickles
KT - An unpleasant ghost

N - An enemy even more troublesome than the Chamber Maid, Spectre.
Until you touch a Jizou statue, it clings onto you.

A - How do I drive this jerk away?

A - Can't attack, either...

N - Unable to attack with his sickles, he waits for an opening in the enemy's movements to run away.

A - Now!

N - He successfully makes it through!

N - He somehow evades the enemy and makes it through Stage 3.
A - Alright!

A - 'A'

A - 'A'?
N - He gets the third letter, 'A'.

A  - 'A'? Error?
Error?
Are they tryin' to say, "There's no error in picking this game, thank you very much"?

ST - "There's no error in picking this game, thank you very much" (20 stages)
N - If he's right, then the road ahead is indeed a long one.

20:00-25:00

N – Putting his spirit into gathering letters of the alphabet, he easily clears Stage 4.

A – Alright, I got it. ‘W’

A – Ah, a bonus stage. I’m so busy!

A – You really get busy after you have a kid!

N – He gathers the fourth letter. What could their meaning be?

A – Erotic?

N – The riddle only deepens. He challenges Stage 5, but...

A – Ah, it’s over.

A – This part’s impossible if you only have one life.

N – As expected, with only three lives Stage 5 is his limit. And so...

S – May I play one life?

A – In what game?

S – May I play one life in Ikki?

N – Five hours have passed since the start of the challenge.

N – Sasano comes to Arino’s aid.

A – This game’s crazy hard.
S – Really?

N – Since the game wasn’t scouted, it’s Sasano’s first time playing.

A – Whoa, you’re really goin’ for it, leaving the bamboo spear behind!

A – Going without the spear, eh?

A – Just talkin’ to myself here!

S – It’s my first time playing this, so need to focus, sorry.

N – Sasano gives it his all in this battle. On to Stage 3.

N – However, he gets caught by a troublesome ghost,
and his promised ‘one life’ ends.

A – Wanna try two players?

S – Well, it I made with that feature.

A – Following Arino’s suggestion, they try two-player mode. However...

S – Huh? You’re going to play alone?!

A – Ah, I see.

A – Used to do that sort of joke back when I was a kid.

N – Refocusing themselves, they begin two-player mode.

S – I’m that sort of red guy.

A – He’s so lame!


ST – 2nd Player, Sasano
‘Tago’

N – Player two, Sasano controls the red Tago.

A – He’s so lame, he looks like an old-time messenger!

N – Even in two-player mode, they have to gather eight coins. Stage 1 is cleared in no time.

N - Dividing the work load is highly effective. However...

A – What happened?

S – You were probably just a bit too fast, so I got stuck behind a wall.

N – Arino selfishly plays without thinking of his partner.

S – Please don’t leave me behind!

A – What’s wrong?

S – I keep asking you not to leave me behind!

A – Why, what’s wrong?

N – However, Sasano gets his revenge in the bonus stage.

A – Got one!

A – Sasano, I think it’s about time you learn how to properly treat your boss!

N – They proceed smoothly and arrive at the un-cleared Stage 5.

A – Ah, it was over here.

N – The number of enemies is high,and the difficulty is high.

A – Whoa, it’s so difficult all of a sudden.

N – Even still, the effects of dividing the labor are great, and they clear Stage 5 for the first time.

N – The letter of the alphabet that appears is...

A/S – ‘T’

A – Erawt? Is there an English word like that?

N – The road leads to Stage 6. However, as expected, the layout is the same as Stage 2, with the difficulty raised.

A – Ah, he got me. Ah, it’s over.

N- Arino gets a game over here. It’s up to Sasano.

A – Got nothing’ to do over here...

N – Sasano holds out, and somehow clears Stage 6. The next letter is...

A/S – ‘F’

N – However, they still don’t understand what word it is.

A – If you look at it from four, five, and six, maybe it’s Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday?

N – The riddle continues to deepen.

N – And then, Sasano exhausts his power.

A – Ah, it’s over.

A – Wanna play one more time?

S – Yes, let’s do it.

N – They decide it’s advantageous to play together. Their challenge restarts.

N – However, it’s a long road from Stage 1.
(cut at 24:34)
And so, Sasano, who’s recently been appearing on T.V.,  tries to fill the dead air.

S – Oh, Arino, congratulations on the birth of your daughter.

A – Ah, thank you very much.

S – Is she cute?

A – She’s so cute!

S – Who does she resemble, you, or your wife?

A – Under her nose, she really resembles me!

S – It’s a girl, right?

A – It’s a girl.

25:00-30:00

A – Why? Do you feel bad for her?

N – And now, for some highly classified information you’d expect from special features!

S – Arino, this has nothing to do with games, but...
Urakawa got a girlfriend.

A – You’re lying! For real?!

S – Yeah.
A -  Where’d he get a girlfriend from?

S – Seems he met her at a cabaret club.

A – No way! Nice!

N – One year since coming to Tokyo, AD Urakawa has finally gotten a girlfriend.

A – But I kinda get it, he seems like the type to be popular at a cabaret club.

S – Ah, you get it?

A – Cause you sorta underestimate him.

A – He’s the kind to go “Wouldn’t you go out with me, even once?”
N – Their second attempt at two-player mode unfortunately ends on Stage 5.

N – Having revealed some secret information, Sasano leaves the room.

A – Thanks for the valuable information!

A – So Urakawa has a girlfriend...

A – What’d he come to Tokyo for?

A – Not doin’ his job, going to cabaret clubs, playin’ games...

N – Arino challenges the game alone from here.
He finally starts to understand how to play the game, and he clears Stage 6.

A – ‘F’. Alright, gonna get the next one soon. Let’s go!

N – Stage 7. No matter what, he wants to clear this stage and get the next letter. However...

A – Ah! He’s here! He’s here! Ah, he got me!

N – Caught by another monster, he’s unable to attack.

N – Even though he skillfully dodge the enemies and gets away from the monster...

A – Ah. Ahhhh! So close...
Even though I got six of the coins. . .

A – But y’know, while I was playing this morning, I was thinkin’, “Man, I really wanna wrap this up fast, go home and see my baby”...
(cut at 26:59)
...but even since this afternoon I’ve really been getting’ into it!

A – Guess I’m a gamer down to the bone.

N – Arino beings to get sucked into ‘Ikki’

A – I wonder if Koei or some company could make ‘Ikki 2006’?

A – With the kind of graphics you see in ‘Samurai Warriors’

ST – The Chief’s wish ‘Ikki 2006’
N – To all the game makers out there, how about it?

N – He continues to be beaten countless times,
but wanting to solve the mystery of the letter, he valiantly presses forward.

N – Seven hours have passed since the start of the challenge.

A – This time’s special feature really is an uprising! I don’t like this!
Not a bit!

A – Even the time is no good!

N – The Chief wants to quickly reach the ending and go home to his family, but he’s unable to beat his record.

A – Ah, it’s over

N – Sympathizing with this lonely struggle, this man makes a move.

U – Excuse me, Arino?

A – Yes.

A – Oh, congratulations.

U – Yes…

A – You don’t say ‘yes’ to something like that!

U – Would you let me play one life?

A – Huh? It’s okay.

U – I was thinking it’d be best if we played together.

A – That’s true, it’s be easier to get ahead in the game.

U – Would it be okay if we played together?

A – It’s okay.

N – They hope to clear Stage 7 using the advantages of two-player mode.

A – Don’t worry, we won’t leak the news about you getting’ a girlfriend to any message boards or anything.

A – It’ll just be on this special feature!

A – It’ll be like ‘The Sixth Sense’, where we tell people not to tell anyone.

A – At the start of the DVD we’ll have it say “Please don’t tell anyone about the contents of this feature“.

A – Somethin’ like that.

U – I understand.

ST – The ‘secret’ is only for people who watch this special feature (Urakawa)
U – I’m sorry, but please keep it a secret.

U – But she’s already quit working at the cabaret club, my girlfriend, that is.

A – Oh, really?

U – She’s really not the type to work at a place like that.
A – What does she do?

U – She’s usually an assistant with hairstyles and make-up for magazine photos.

A – No way.

U – No, really.

N – Despite having not done any scouting on the game, Urakawa steadily proceeds.
(this line begins at 29:26) A – When you grab that coin, she comes out. You okay? Ah, there he is!

A – It’s a hair and make-up lady! The hair and make-up lady’ here!

A – Didja call for the hair and make-up lady?

A – The Chamber Maid looks like your girlfriend!

U – She does not!

A – Ah! I’ve got a different wife!

N – Urakawa’s private life has been used as material for the show.
Although he’s a bit late in trying to change the topic, he reveals more new information.

U – This is just between us,
A - Right
(cut at 29:55)

30:00-35:01
U – but I’ve heard that Toujima has been going to cabaret clubs too.

A – What?!

U – A little while ago, at a cabaret club he’d gone to,
(cut at 30:04)
U – apparently he was invited to a movie by one of the girls.

A – Instead of him asking her?!

U – That’s right.

A – Awesome.

A – But, can I say one thing?
U – Okay.

A – All you guys are skippin’ playing games and just goin’ to cabaret clubs all the time!

A – What are ya’ thinking!?

A – Do the location scouting!

A – And what’s with “Just between us”?! I don’t give a crap about you!

N – While having a talk just between the two of them, they reach Stage 6. However, Urakawa dies…
U – Ah, I’m sorry.

N – …so Arino challenges the second half by himself. He makes it through.

A – Ah, there’s a letter on the next stage. I still have two lives.
U – That’s amazing.

N – Stage 7. It’s his chance to beat his previous record. However…

A/U – Agggggh!

A – I still have one life.
U – One more life…


N – Captured by a Spectre, his only choice is to run away.
(cut at 30:49)
Despite this, Arino shows off a power play.

N – One coin remains. Can he get it?

A – Alright, I made it.

A – I did it!
U – The next one’s ‘O’, it’s ‘O’
A – It’s ‘O’.

N – The new letter is ‘O’. They start trying to unravel the mystery.

A – Era wo te fo…

A – Is that the same as ‘teflon coating’?

A – Maybe you have to change their order?

N – Urakawa suddenly realizes something.

U – I think it’s probably that you go through Stages 1 to 4, than you go back to Stage 1, but it’s called Stage 5.

A – It looks like Stage 1, but it’s Stage 5, right?

U – Right. So, I think that Stage 8 will probably be the final stage.

A – After you do two playthroughs?

U – Right.

ST – Stage 4 – Stage 1 (Stage 5)
N – Urakawa’s opinion is that after you beat Stage 4, you return to a more difficult Stage 1 that’s called Stage 5.
(cut at 31:47)
ST – Stage 8 – Last stage?
Boss battle?
So if you clear Stage 8, there just might be some kind of new development.

A – So if we beat this, we might have some kind of boss battle at the castle?

U – That’s probably so.

A – Against the evil magistrate?

U – Probably.

A – Wonder if we can make it…

N – Arino refocuses himself and takes on Stage 8. Can he do it?

A – Ah, here he comes! Watch out.

A – Ah! He’s so fast
U – So close…

A – Ah, it’s over.

N – They restart from Stage 1. It’s a brutal fight.

N – From the beginning, they do their best not to lose lives and press ahead.

N – The only place they can relax and have fun is on the bonus stage.

A – I wonder, if you doing that kind of thing is how being gay starts?

A – I can’t control myself!

A – How embarassin’! Even though it’s just a game!

 N – The friendly duo clears Stage 7.

A – That was dangerous.

N – They then challenge a stage they want to clear to matter what, Stage 8.

N – They carefully gather gold coins, but…

U – Oh, I’m sorry.

N - …Urakawa quickly gets a game over.

U – I’m sorry.

N – All’s that’s left is to bet on Arino’s determination.

N – Soldiering on in place of Urakawa, he defeats enemies, gathers items, and collects coins in one fell swoop.

N – And then,

A – Oh! It was here!

A – Alright, last one! ‘S’.

N – The letter was ‘S’. What could the game have waiting for them next?

A – Got ten of ‘em.

N – The bonus stage ends. The tension in the room mounts.

A – Huh?

SF – It’s Stage 9.

A – There’s a Stage 9. Well, it’s called Stage 9 but it’s really Stage 1.
U – So there’s a Stage 9…
A – Were back to Stage 1 again. Huh?

N – They’re still unable to solve the secret letter code.

A – What could it be?

A – For the time being let’s just play.
SF – Stage 9.

N – With no choice, he challenges Stage 9.

A – Huh?
U – The letters might still increase.

A – That’s true.

N – Stage 9. As expected, the difficulty has again increased.

A – Lotta enemies here.

N – With great difficulty he collects the coins, but…

U – But you still have one life left.

A – One more?
U – One more.

N – He entrusts his hopes on his last life.

A – Whoa, those shurikens are amazin’.

N – One coin remains.

U/SF – You can make it.

A – Ah, I made it.

A – Huh? There’s no letter.

A – There was no letter no, right?
U – Right.

A – There was no secret letter?
U – No, there wasn’t.

ST – There were eight secret letters.

N – Is he approaching an unending fight? Or is he approaching the end?
A – Watch out.

U – Excuse me, Arino?
A – Hn?

U – Well then, I’ll leave it to you.

35:01-40:00

A – For real?

U – Yes.

ST – Urakawa leaves as if fleeing.
N – It’d be troublesome for Urakawa to stay any longer, so he leaves.

N – Arino tries hard to get as far as he can.

N – Stage 10. Picking up a 1-up item from the road…
…he somehow makes it through the stage.

A – It’s exactly like Stage 1.

N – As expected, the secret letter doesn’t appear.

N – He arrives at Stage 11. Being based on Stage 3, it’s a difficult challenge.

A – Ah, jeez…

N – However, he makes it though with his ‘Run Away’ strategy.

A – Alright.

A – 12.

N – He then moves on to Stage 12.

N – Through his hard work Arino has miraculously made it this far, but…
…unfortunately, he’s unable to make it through.

A – Ah, ‘End’! Just couldn’t get through.

N – He decides to try and solve the mystery of the secret letters.

A – This is an amazin’ arrangement of letters.

A – If you start from 6, it’s Fo-Se-Raw.

A – Foseraw! Foseraw-t! What the heck is foserawt!

N – He’s incapable of solving the puzzle.  With no other choice, he returns to playing.

A – Let’s try one more playthrough.

N – The long road stretches on. He won’t allow himself to lose any lives early on.

N – Arino repeatedly presses reset. He begins to show signs of fatigue.

TJ – Arino?
A – Hm?

N – And so, he’s given this kind present.

TJ – You look like you’re tired…
A – Right
TJ - …so how about drinking this and taking a break?

A – What is that?

TJ – It’s a ‘Final Fantasy’ soda.

A – A potion?

TJ – Right.

TJ – You’ll recover 100HP

A – A whole 100?!

N – Drinking the potion, he recovers 100 HP against his fatigue. And then…

TJ – This is just between the two of us, but…

A – What is it?

TJ – What Urakawa was saying before, about being invited to a movie by a girl from a cabaret club.

A – You were, right?

TJ – Right. Well, the thing is, I didn’t go.

A – You’re lying. Why not?

TJ – Well, she texted me, but it was kinda annoying…
A – Who was annoyed?
TJ – I was.

A – For real?
TJ – Yes.

A - Quit  tryin’ to look so cool! You liar!
SF – He’s lying!

A – Got your phone right there, don’t you? If you really turned her down, lemme see the message!

TJ – No don’t!

A – Lemme see!
TJ – No!

A – I bet it was a really dirty text! C’mon, lemme see!
TJ – No!

A – Lemme see! Gimmie your phone already!
TJ – You’re touching a different place!

TJ –Well then, excuse me.
A – Good work.

A – Damn it, he ran away.

N – He resumes playing.

A – Ah, he got me.

 N – This is as far as he can make it.  He aims for Stage 14, however…
(cut at 37:55)
…he can only get game overs and repeatedly press reset.

N – An hour with no progress passes. Toujima then makes another appearance.

TJ – Arino?
A – Yes?

TJ – So I read the instruction manual, and this was written there.

A – Huh?

N – The key to solving the mystery of the secret letters is written there.

A – Eight letters will come out, oh, I have all eight.

A – If you line these letters up in the opposite order that they appear, you’ll get a word that’s connected to Sunsoft.
(cut at 38:34)
A – If you write this word on the questionnaire postcard and send it to this company, the quickest replies will receive the prize pictured below.

N – He quickly reverses the order of the letters.

A – Soft-broken?
It says soft-broken, right?

A – How does this have anything to do with Sunsoft?
N – Arino is unable to understand, so his subordinate explains.

A – What the heck is soft-broken?

TJ – It says ‘software’.

A – Oh, softWARE.

A – So that’s what it says!

A – What about the ending?
TJ – About that, I was thinking ‘maybe there isn’t an ending?’.

A – What?!

TJ – What should we do?

A – There probably isn’t an ending?

TJ – Right.

N – Does ‘Ikki’ have an ending screen or not?

A – Are Urakawa and Sasano still here?
TJ – Yes.

N – The chief has all of his subordinates assemble.

A – This is a DVD special feature, so we want to show the ending screen, but maybe there isn’t one,
(cut at 39:43)
I think that makes Game Center CX look really lame!

TJ/U/S – Right.

A – That’s why I want everyone to do their best, combine the power of all three of you, and…hmmm…
(cut at 39:56)
 …make it to about Stage 50! I think then we can see the ending.

ST – Chief Arino’s Order To The Three #1
Combine their power, clear Stage 50 and show the ending.

TJ/U/S – F…fifty?!

A – And if there’s no ending, than make one!

ST – Chief Arino’s Order To The Three #2
If there’s no ending, than draw what you think the ending would look like.

A – A picture or something, draw the ending!

A – The opening looks like this.
He’s like ‘Let’s do this!’, that’s where it starts.
So, think of what the ending would be like, when peace returns.

A – Is that okay?

TJ/U/S – Yes.

N- After giving the three of them an order, Arino’s Challenge ends.

ST – An Inspection
Does ‘Ikki’ really not have an ending screen?

N – After Chief Arino left, our long challenge began.

N – Of course, we went with the advantageous two-player mode.

N – At first we took turns,
(cut at 40:48)
but if you don’t play continuously you lose your sense of how to control,
(cut at 40:54)
so for the time being, I left it to Sasano and Urakawa.

N – Two hours after starting.

N – We beat  Arino’s record and cleared Stage 12,
(cut at 41:07)
but as expected, a stage with vegetable fields the same as Stage 1 appeared.

N – Not having any continues was truly harsh.

N – From the fourth playthrough onward, the ferocity of the enemy’s attacks also increases.

TJ – The bottom! The bottom!

N – Even then, we continued our battle, believing the ending screen would appear.

N – Around the time an entire day had passed, we finally reached Stage 26, but…

N - …we ended up with a game over there.

N – After this, unable to beat our record, and at the limit of our physical and mental strength,
(cut at 41:50)
we decided to give up.

ST – Gave up after extending the record to Stage 26 (Challenge Time: 27 hours)

ST – Because Chief Arino’s lectures are scary…

N – However, knowing that if we ended like this Arino would get angry and scold us,
(cut at 42:04)
That day, I stayed behind alone and began drawing a picture.

N – I think that ‘Ikki’ would probably have an ending like this.