The Laughing Salesman Season 2, Episode 35: Elm Tree of the Valley

1

Kefir

Scriptwriter, Nashiya Sutami, is addicted to energy drinks and Moguro offers him Kefir instead, but he must care for the culture and keep it alive. Sutami's health improves, but he develops a writer's block. He blames the kefir and destroys it. Before he can apologize, the kefir consumes him.

10 min

2

Man Who Looks Down

Kazuo Uwame is a middle-aged company man who is always apologizing for his behavior. Moguro takes him to the top of a skyscraper to live for a week so he can look down on everyone else instead of always looking up at others. His attitude changes and he gains more respect at work, however when he returns home, his domineering wife beats him back into the submissive man he was before.

10 min

3

Golf Freak

Company man Kyouichi Shiratama is obsessed by golf, but he is a terrible player. Moguro offers to make him a super golfer, and gives him a magic golf club, but he must not let anyone else use it. However, after Shiratama's boss insists on using it, Shiratama's next ball hits a gangster in the head and his associates take their revenge on the unlucky Shiratama.

10 min

4

Old Face, Young Body

Company President, Izumo Wakashi is 73 year old and feels his age, but he looks much younger. Moguro gives him special dumbbells for training which he must use with a special incantation to recover his youthful strength. However, it only works if he sticks to golf and does not pursue women. Wakashi ignores the warning and spends the night with a young woman, which does not effect his muscular body, but causes his face to decay rapidly into that of an old man.

10 min

5

The Chair-Man

Printer Anraku Kazuhisa often works late and sleeps on uncomfortable office chairs at work. Moguro offers him a large comfortable bed above the Demon's Nest Bar and he takes the bed home for his family. However, his family all sleep in the bed so he goes back to the factory to sleep and Moguro turns him into an armchair.

10 min

6

Decision Stick

Mayoi Oushi, a 25 year-old company man has difficulty making decisions and exasperates his co-workers. Moguro gives him a "decision stick" with an arrow head to help him make decisions, but he must always follow the stick's decision. Things go well when he follows the stick, however when he goes against its decision, the next time he throws the stick into the air, it kills him when it falls.

10 min

7

Hot Spring Eccentricity

Company man Kibara Shisao decides to take a side trip on his way home from a business trip, and Moguro takes him to a Mystery Onsen. They spend the night drinking with geishas, but to Kibara they look like his wife except a beautiful young woman named Chi. Moguro arranges for Kibara to spend the night with her, but in the morning he awakes with a geisha who looks like his wife and an expensive bill.

10 min

8

Security Capsule

Company man Heiichi Uranari (from episode 2) feels more comfortable living in his old car than staying at home, but the car breaks down so Moguro takes him to a capsule hotel. Uranari sleeps badly because of hearing others snoring, so Moguro takes him to another hotel with security capsules that seals out the outside world. Uranari sleeps so well, that when he emerges he finds a post-apocalyptic world where he is the only survivor.

10 min

9

Pride in My Work

Ban Moriyasu is a struggling artist and Moguro takes him to the wealthy Mr Narugane who commissions him to paint a van Gogh replica for his office. Narugane then sponsors Moriyasu to paint, but Moguro warns Ban that he must not lose his artistic integrity. However, Ban reluctantly agrees to copy a Gauguin painting rather than lose his sponsorship and Moguro condemns him to be like van Gogh. Ban severs his ear and spends the rest of his life painting self-portraits.

10 min

10

Home Vegetable Garden

Company man Deri Keita is extremely fussy and always brings his tea and food from home. He is asked out for a business dinner but he finds the food inedible and drinks too much. Moguro offers Deri a device which will detect if food contains harmful substances and sends him fresh organic food which soothes his conscience. However, Deri becomes suspicious of the quality and Moguro condemns him to survive alone by turning his apartment into an organic farm.

10 min

11

Mean Drunk

Company man Yotte Sourou is meek and incompetent, but after drinking alcohol he becomes loud and obnoxious. Moguro shows Yotte video footage of his behavior and Yotte vows to give up alcohol. Moguro does not trust him, and gives him a bag into which Yotte can vent his pent up rage. The arrangement works fine until he arrives home late one night. A an angry drunk accosts Yotte and pulls open the bag to receive a tirade of abuse. Insulted, the drunk pushes Yotte down a flight of steps and he ends up in hospital.

10 min

12

Paradise Bath

Yuami Yoshio is a waterworks agent who enjoys bath houses and Moguro promises to take him to one of his favorite ones, the Edo style ukiyo Paradise bath house. Moguro gives Yuami a free entry pass, but warns Yuami that he will be banned if he takes any modern devices inside. One day Yuami takes in his pager and Moguro gives him the choice of never going again or never leaving. Yuami chooses never to leave and he becomes an attendant in Paradise

10 min

13

Rental Girlfriend

TV production staff member, Tsunei Kazuto, is invited to a function with the other crew members and must bring a girlfriend, but he doesn't have one. Tsunei asks Moguro to find him a partner for the night and he agrees, although Tsunei must not fall in love with her. On the night, Eri, a beautiful woman in a sports car picks him up and takes him to the dinner, making his colleagues jealous. Tsunei pleads with Moguro for a chance to see Eri again, but this time she arrives with her pushy manager who demands money for the service.

10 min

14

Memory Bar

Ageing company man, Kaikou Sumitarou, longs for his younger days out at night before bars became dominated by noisy karaoke. Moguro takes him to the Taishō era Akaneko bar where he meets the beautiful hostess Etsuko. Kaikou becomes a regular, but Moguro warns him not to fall in love. Unfortunately, Kaikou falls for Etsuko and when he visits again, he discovers that the bar is a ruin after being abandoned for decades, and the Etsuko who greets him is undead.

10 min

15

My Wife's Lunch

Wagatsuma Tsuyoshi's wife Hanako always prepares lunch for him. Although her cooking is inedible, he does not have the courage to tell her and instead, he always eats sandwiches bought from a store. Moguro offers to provide a delicious lunch in exchange for Wagatsuma's at a jizo statue each day. The arrangement is successful, but Wagatsuma is not allowed to know who eats Hanako's lunches. One day, Wagatsuma sees that it is a homeless man who eats the lunches which breaks the deal. When Tsuyoshi returns home he finds the homeless man in his place, being fed by Hanako.

10 min

16

Divorce Club

Bon Fukumizu is a hotel banquet host, but has a lifeless and miserable married life himself, living with his wealthy wife and her mother. Moguro offers to help him with a divorce, and introduce him to a divorce club where he must choose someone regardless of looks or wealth. The club is on a cruise ship and he meets a beautiful woman and they marry, even though his wife is a cross-dressing man.

10 min

17

Dream My Home

Moguro offers to help Ikko Tateo find his dream home, but finding something suitable within his price range proves impossible. Eventually he finds the perfect home for Ikko's family, a free concept home which is modern, spacious, close to transport and the sea. The only drawback is that it is built out from the side of a cliff.

10 min

18

Love's Parting Gifts

Moguro catches up with married travelling salesman Uwaki Shirou who, three years earlier, met and became infatuated with the attractive Ubuna Yoshiko. Moguro reminds Uwaki that he helped him woo Yoshiko, but Uwaki was supposed to reveal that he was already married. instead, Uwaki deserted Yoshiko and now as his punishment, Uwaki discovers that Yoshiko has moved in next door to his family, and she has a baby.

10 min

19

The Ideal Family

Moguro meets company worker Yanai Samushi who is unhappy at home with his wife and son and he suggests that Yanai change families. Initially Yanai refuses, but after another fight at home, he agrees. Yanai finds himself outside another house with his name, and is welcomed home by a woman and daughter he met previously at a blood bank. Yanai's wife and son begin to miss him, so Moguro takes them to his other home where they find him being sucked dry by a vampire mother and daughter.

10 min

20

Love Across the Glass

Computer programmer Kouda Kametarou is obsessed by turtles and Moguro offers him a chance to swim with his favorite sea turtle Kamejirou at the local aquarium. Moguro releases Kamejirou but Kouda takes it home against Moguro's instructions, so Moguro turns Kouda into a turtle.

10 min

21

Barhopper

Novelist Koshiba Shousuke is an inveterate bar-hopper, but he has trouble meeting his deadlines. After a night on the town, Moguro introduces Koshiba to his attractive drinking partner Sakai Nomiko, but warns Koshiba that he must not make a pass at Nomiko. They agree on a bar-hopping expedition along the Yamanote circle, and Nomiko outlasts Koshiba who ends up a drunken wreck.

10 min

22

Long-Term Break

Mature company man Nagai Yasumi is forced to take four weeks vacation, but has no idea what to do with his time so he rides trains and sits in parks during the day. Moguro offers to help by introducing him to volunteering, however Nagai must expect nothing in return or become personally involved with the people he helps. He helps with the rehabilitation of a young woman which he enjoys, but he becomes attracted to her. When Nagai returns to the apartment, instead of the young woman, he finds an aged version of himself needing home care.

10 min

23

House Lady

Wagama Machiko is a fashion designer, but never has time to tidy her apartment, so she is reluctant to let her boyfriend Bonchi see the mess. One evening when Bonchi arrives to pick her up, Moguro has the apartment tidied beforehand by the housekeeper Catherine Baker. Catherine proves invaluable, but Machiko thinks Bonchi finds her attractive so Machiko fires Catherine. However, Bonchi realizes that it was Catherine who cooked and cleaned so he dumps the messy Machiko and marries Catherine.

10 min

24

Sleep Pillow

Muneri Kiyoshi is a company man supervisor who has trouble getting a good night's sleep. Moguro gives him a small electronic pillow to attach to his neck which will allow him to sleep while appearing to be awake. However, Muneri must remove the device when a buzzer sounds to avoid overuse, but he ignores the buzzer and it overloads during a business meeting. He then finds his inability to sleep ideal for his new position, as night watchman.

10 min

25

The Mystery Star

Moguro restores Katte Ryouzou, the former film actor known as Hoshi Shinzaburou, to stardom, but another actor emerges claiming that he is the former actor. They both appear on TV for the audience to identify the real star, but Katte loses and Moguro sentences him to acting out his role in his retirement village.

10 min

26

Germaphobia

Young female office worker Seike Tsuzuki is health conscious and obsessed with cleanliness. Moguro offers to help her find a boyfriend and she encounters an unpolished, capricious man. She is attracted to him, but Moguro warns her that the relationship may become physical. When her boyfriend tries to kiss her, she is revolted and pushes him away, and condemns herself to living in an antibacterial suit.

10 min

27

Switched Organizers

Young married freelance writer, Memo Matarou, notes everything he finds interesting in his electronic organizer, but loses it after a night out drinking. Moguro returns one to him, but it although it is not his, Memo finds the data inside useful, especially the contact details of many women. Moguro later returns the original organizer, but Memo had already downloaded the address book and begins a series of sexual encounters with the women listed in it. Moguro punishes him for his transgression, so when he returns home, Memo finds that Moguro has switched his beautiful wife Tsukiyo for an unattractive woman and her demanding son.

10 min

28

Red or Black?!

Photographer Kakei Kazuya enjoys playing roulette in games parlors so Moguro encourages him to play for real money. Moguro takes Kakei to a secret illegal casino for a once only experience and Kakei has a good win. However, Kakei's work suffers because of his desire for easy money, and he returns a number of times to the casino with a chip that remained in his pocket. However, Kakei loses all his money, including some he borrowed from a loan shark after he does not bet on the winning number suggested by Moguro.

10 min

29

Sunday Club

Uchinaki Yousuke has developed a loathing for Mondays after many years as a company man. Moguro takes Uchinaki through a building site to a secret Sunday Club where he spends a relaxing day instead of going to work. Moguro makes him promise to go only once a month, however Uchinaki returns sooner so Moguro condemns him to stay there forever.

10 min

30

Life in the Woods

Moguro distracts the busy company man Richigi Momoru on his way to work and takes him into the woods for a day off, gathering mushrooms, vegetables and fish and cooking them on an open fire. As the weeks pass, Richigi wants to return home. Moguro send him back, however Richigi also takes some of the psychedelic mushrooms they found which helps him readjust to the city life.

10 min

31

Mangania

Moguro buys the company man and manga addict Chuunen Takuji a valuable classic manga by Osamu Tezuka for which he is extremely grateful. Moguro then asks Chuunen to appraise an old manga titled Last Utopia by a little known artist, Ashizuka Mushio. Chuunen discovers that it is extremely rare but he offers to buy it from Moguro for only 10,000¥. Because Chuunen lied to Moguro about the value, Chuunen returns home to discover that his wife has given his entire manga collection to waste recyclers in exchange for rolls of toilet paper. Note: The rare comic Last Utopia is a reference to the manga UTOPIA the Final World War (UTOPIA 最後の世界大戦) by Fujiko A. Fujio.

10 min

32

Sandlot in the Sky

Company man Gaki Hiromasa visits the sandlot where he used to play as a child. He recalls that he left a box of his treasures in a disused pipe, but the land is scheduled for redevelopment. Moguro offers to take Gaki to a very special sandlot which is located on the roof of a skyscraper. The place is filled with adults playing in children's clothes as they recapture their childhoods. Moguro warns him that he must not take any "adult impurities" there. Gaki makes friends with Shizu, but then he meets her later in the street. He is shocked when she says that she works as a prostitute to pay her father's debts. Gaki embezzles money to help her, and takes it to the sandlot for her which breaks his promise to Moguro. Gaki then loses access to the sandlot, and the money. Meanwhile, Shizu is revealed to not only have a boyfriend — but also be lavishly wealthy.

10 min

33

Homeless Proposal

Moguro promises to take stressed company man Sudoh Reiju to a stress free environment and takes him to spend time with some homeless people. Sudoh enjoys the change and abandons his family and job. He begins to live a carefree life with his new friends and refuses to return to his former life. Instead, he sells his house and goes to live on an island with his wife and son who also embrace the carefree lifestyle.

10 min

34

Super Luxury Solution

Unmarried factory worker Tomariba Nashio has trouble finding free parking spaces for his car and often parks illegally. Moguro offers to provide a free parking space, in a condominium in which the tenants park their cars inside their apartments, but he must not take anyone else there. However, Tomariba breaks Moguro’s rule and takes a woman to his condominium for the night so Moguro condemns him to never be able to park his car again. He now he has to share his small rented room with his car.

10 min

35

Elm Tree of the Valley

Artist, Kigami Mamoru, is confronted by a land owner who wants to cut down an old Japanese elm tree. Moguro scares them off and he encourages Kigami to live in the tree and the artist promises to defend it to the end. Kigami becomes a local celebrity and he has an exhibition of his woodland paintings which enables him to earn enough money to stay in the tree. The landowner returns and makes Kigami the offer that if he lets the tree be cut down, the developer will provide a comfortable studio and Kigami can paint an everlasting mural of the tree on the side of the building. Kigami agrees, but Moguro cannot accept his change of heart, and makes Kigami part of the tree which is about to be cut down.

10 min

36

The Pinkie Ring

Company man Ishii Hirowaka is a heavy drinker, but must quit to avoid liver damage. However, he succumbs to pressure from his workmates and goes out drinking again, ignoring the paper pinkie ring on his finger from his wife to remind him not to drink. Moguro offers to help him quit and gives him a gold ring that painfully squeezes his finger if he drinks alcohol. initially it is effective, however Ishii is invited to drink with his boss and a client, so he removes the ring. When Ishii puts it back on, Moguro makes the ring shrink so tightly that it severs Ishii's finger.

10 min

37

The Illusionary Amusement Park

Middle-aged unemployed man Yuchi Shuuruo is unable to find work, and spends a day at an amusement park trying to distract himself from the stress of unemployment. Moguro introduces him to an adult amusement park so that he can enjoy himself before dedicating himself to his job search. Against Moguro's instructions, Shuuruo sneaks back for another visit so Moguro sentences him to stay at an amusement park for the rest of his life by turning him into a carousel horse.

10 min

38

IV Patient

Salaryman Amae Taiji is put off by hospitals, but after being mistaken for a patient and being comforted by a nurse starts he appreciating the experience. He's admitted several more times after collapsing from overwork and becomes addicted to hospital life. Moguro lets him spend the rest of his life in a hospital being cared for, by reducing him to an infantile state of mind.

10 min

39

The Billboard Girl

Moguro arranges for the illustrator, Yumemi Douta to meet Linda, his dream billboard model. They spend the evening together in his apartment where he produces many illustrations of her. Later his boss sees the illustrations and uses one for a magazine cover. Douta wants to see Linda again and Moguro agrees as long as Douta keeps the situation platonic. Unfortunately Douta tries to grab Linda and she leaves. Douta next wants to be with a different woman on a new billboard and Moguro so inserts him into the poster.

10 min

40

After 5 Club

Salaryman, Temochi Fusata is bored with his life in a corporate town where everyone is forced to use the company facilities for recreation. Moguro takes him to the exclusive underground "After 5 Club" wearing a disguise where he meets a co-worker Michiyo who he has been wanting to date. They get on well, but whenever Temochi returns to the club, Michiyo is always with another client and he becomes jealous. He confronts her in the office and reveals the existence of the club, so Moguro turns Temochi into a hostess so that he can stay in the club forever.

10 min

41

Golf Domino Toppling

Company CEO, Awate Taizou, is invited to a pro golf tournament but is anxious about his game and hitting bystanders with a wayward shot. Moguro helps him gain confidence, but he must only use the five iron supplied by Moguro. On the day of the game, under peer pressure, Awate switches to a driver, and hits the ball astray, knocking down the bystanders like dominos.

10 min

42

Silver Bank

Salaryman, Katei Nobumitsu, wants to enter a grandfather and son home video competition but his father is dead. Moguro offers to provide an old man for the video from the "Silver Bank" of elderly volunteers. The aged Mr Ohkubo fills the position too well, and Nobumitsu's son Tarou wants him to stay on which is against Moguro's rules. Ohkubo then takes ill and Nobumitsu has to care for him for the rest of the man's life.

10 min

43

Lamp in the Valley

Salaryman, Usagi Oishi, finds his house too small for his growing children. Moguro offers him a vacant house in the countryside, but they are warned not to enter a foggy valley. His family like it, so they move there and he visits on weekends. However when he stays in the city on weekend, his family are lured into the valley. When he arrives home his family are gone, but he joins them on a farm in the valley which exists in the past where life was much more simple.

10 min

44

Eternal Residence

Middle aged salaryman, Hakaba Motomu, collapses at work and begins to think about his own mortality. Unfortunately, he cannot find an affordable burial plot in the city, so Moguro provides a solution where Motomu and his wife move into a combined apartment building and graveyard on the outskirts of the city.

10 min

45

The Man in the Food Section

Salaryman, Ukai Yorimichi, likes window shopping in food sections. However, he is criticized by his wife if he spends money on pre-prepared food after she has spent time cooking for him. Moguro offers Yorimichi free use of an apartment where he can indulge his food desires, but his wife tracks him to the apartment and makes a scene. Moguro decides to switch their residences, so the wife enjoys store-bought food in the apartment while Yorimichi is left at home, suffering malnutrition from eating only store-bought food instead of home cooking.

10 min

46

Blue-Eyed Japanese

Kent Pincarton, an American trading firm worker in Japan, is having trouble balancing time with his wife and the work demands of after hours socializing. Moguro offers to teach him how to be more like a Japanese businessman, but Moguru only makes the situation with his wife even worse. However, one evening when he brings some co-workers home late, he finds his wife has fully embraced Japanese culture and has become the perfect Japanese hostess.

10 min

47

Night Train

Salaryman Komiya Tomoo takes Moguro's advice to take a spontaneous train ride out of the city to leave his oppressive life behind. Stopping for a drink at the end of the line, he meets a beautiful innkeeper. She invites him to stay with her and help out at her business and he agrees instead of leaving. Some time later, Moguro tells Tomoo to call home and he learns that his wife has been hospitalized, prompting him to return. As he tearfully catches the train home, the innkeeper stands on the platform crying as she watches him leave.

10 min