The Tatami Galaxy

Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei
四畳半神話大系

Sequel

Tatami Time Machine Blues
Yojouhan Time Machine Blues· 四畳半タイムマシンブルース
novel

From Harpercollins: During a scorching August in Kyoto, our protagonist and his worst friend, Ozu, are locked in a glaring contest in a four-and-a-half-tatami-mat room. Ozu has spilled Coke on the air conditioner’s remote control, the only AC in Shimogamo Yusuisuiso, their famously shabby sweatbox of an apartment building. Vengeful and despairing, our protagonist discusses countermeasures with his secret crush, the reliably blunt Akashi, when Tamura, a strange young man with a bad haircut, appears. Tamura claims to be a time traveler from 25 years in the future, and shows off the time machine he uses to travel. Our protagonist has a brilliant idea: the sweetest revenge would be to go back one day in time and retrieve the functioning remote control. His simple fix is complicated by Ozu and several others who are also eager to take a ride back in time. But in attempting to alter the past, our protagonist foresees the world's extinction. Even more troublingly, Akashi mentions she’s bringing someone to the upcoming bonfire and it's not him. Only one thing remains certain: it's going to be a very long month. Obliteration? Salvation? Coca-Cola? Castella cake? What does the time machine hold for our (not quite) heroes? It all depends on which one gets there first.

Side Story

The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl
Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome· 夜は短し歩けよ乙女
novel

From Yen Press: A college student spends an evening out, unwittingly attracting the attention of various men whose paths she crosses. One in particular, an upperclassman who has been nursing a crush on her for some time, has chosen this night to make his true feelings known. Will the two come together, or will this girl just keep on walking?