【EN】 Watching the Life-Reel

By Senon Wakamiya
【EN】

“You saw the life-reel, Senosan.”

I didn’t expect it to screen in broad daylight.
And I definitely didn’t expect to watch it with you—
the one I call my previous life.

“How was it?”

Ridiculous. Beautifully ridiculous.
I’ve never seen a life this entertaining.
Like a pathetic version of Forrest Gump—
but somehow even more real.

“It’s a miracle, isn’t it?”

Fifty-two years of pure improvisation.
A story made of impulses, detours, accidents—
and yet the narrative keeps moving forward.
That’s the unbelievable part.

“There were scenes that weren’t funny.
But somehow… it felt like a beloved film.”

Yeah. I don’t know why.
I’m like an animal, honestly.
My reflexes when something happens—
it’s absurdly funny.
Halfway through I thought,
Is this some kind of animal kingdom documentary?

“But you were always helped.
Someone always saved you.”

…Wait a second.

“Hm?”

If I’m seeing the life-reel…
does that mean I’m dying?

“Yes. And you already know how it works, don’t you?”

When a person faces death,
the brain scans the entire archive of memory in an instant—
searching for any pattern, any method,
anything that might help you survive.

“Did you find an answer?”

The music was good.
Especially that Caetano Veloso
playing on the highway bus from Hiroshima to Osaka.

“Not that.”

No.
Nothing.
No escape route. No solution.
Only the feeling that the film was near its ending.

“What song played during the ending?”

I haven’t heard it yet.
Because it didn’t end.

“But if you stay like this, it will.”

…Yeah.

“Senosan. What was the last sentence you touched?”

“Problems cannot be solved
on the same dimension where they occur.”

“One question. Just one.”

Go ahead.

“If you’re already in the Fifth Dimension…
why do you cling to Third-Dimensional methods?”

…

“I told you.
You’re already there.
At this point, forcing yourself back is unnatural.”

Unnatural like a Tokyo guy visiting Osaka
and suddenly speaking Kansai dialect.

“Senosan.”

So that’s it, right?
If I’m going to live in the Fifth Dimension,
I shouldn’t only play the lead role—
I should write the script, direct it,
and become the whole production.

“You’ve written a script before.”

Once. Long ago.

“Start filming. Now.
Write. Direct. Everything.”

Hey.

“What?”

I want Ryūhei Matsuda as the lead actor, though.

“It’s your film.
Start already.”

…Alright, then.

Note (EN): In Japan, “seeing the life-reel” refers to the sudden “life review” some people report in moments of near-death—memories flashing like a film.

(End)

SENON ARCHIVE -まとめのまとめ-

Contents (EN)
① Gogyouka (Five-Line Poems)
② Transformation Begins in the Body (walking / meals / notebook)
③ Sergei (dialogue series)
④ Dialogues & Inner Comedy
⑤ Declaration / Meta

Index (EN):

GOGYŌKA-EN

他言語版 / Other languages

【JP】Japanese:

【FR】Français：

【ZH-简】简体中文：

【ZH-繁TW】繁體中文（台灣）：

【PT-BR】Português (Brasil)：

【ES】Español：