"What should we do for KOMA's 20th anniversary event?!" It was Kamei, one of the founding members, who said this. "What? 20 years? Has it been that long already?" What do you think about the 20th anniversary? The person who asked me this question was a reporter who came to interview me. "What? 20 years? Are you serious?" Since the end of last year, many people have told me this many times, but I always forget about the 20th anniversary. Then the other day, a young staff member asked me to write down what I'm thinking now that it's our 20th anniversary, but I kept writing and erasing. It's not that I don't think about it, but nothing comes to mind. It must have been a very meaningful time, but it's the kind of thing I'll forget in a flash. I understand that time is an ambiguous concept, and that although it seems equal, it is completely unfair. Was something built up, or was it simply the passage of time? What was the case with KOMA, even though it was the same 20 years? I didn't have the time to plan to expand the company or increase sales, and it feels like I was just trying to avoid going bankrupt, and before I knew it, I was blessed with nearly 20 talented colleagues. I feel like it was an important time for me, but others might scoff at it. I guess that's just how time is. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to talk to a Buddhist monk and he told me that life is a training for the soul. Souls that want to attain enlightenment but have not yet practiced enough must be reborn again and again to practice. This is why rebirth is apparently not a happy thing. I have no particular interest in religion, but I remember thinking it was an interesting way of thinking that put me at ease. And somehow, I selfishly fantasize that 10 years for a human is just one hour for the soul. A long 80-year life may feel like about 8 hours in terms of the soul's time, and it may be something like, "I'm tired, but I'm going to work for 8 hours down below." When I think about it that way, I feel like I might as well choose the more difficult option over the easier one, since I'll only have to endure it for eight hours anyway. Furthermore, I will let my delusions continue until after my training is over and I have become a soul. The time when you and your loved ones die may vary, but if 10 years is like an hour, then we will soon be reunited as souls. "Sorry I left first, but you guys were super hot after that!" "That's right! It was fun from there, but don't go ahead and do it!" What a great time this soul-reflection session could be. And I think it would be interesting if it started anew with something like, "I need to do a bit of training, so come right away!" If that's the case, I want to cherish my family and friends more so that my soul reflection meetings are incredibly exciting, and I'd like to try something even bigger. For the 20th anniversary of KOMA, the motto was "HERE'S TO THE CREW!", which means "Let's all work hard together, have a toast to our fun results, and have a nice drink!" I think we'll all come together and have a blast.
