About

Events on the Tuna Boat Immediately after departure to the first few days - The ship begins to pitch violently, and from day one, it's seasickness hell. Vomiting repeatedly on deck. Food won't go down, and they reach the brink of dehydration. - The interior is cramped, with two or three-tier bunk beds. The roar of the engine and the sound of waves make it impossible to sleep properly. - The veteran fishermen leave them alone, saying "get your sea legs first," while making them do simple chores (cleaning, organizing ropes, preparing bait). Once the actual fishing begins - In the case of longline fishing: Hundreds of hooks with bait are attached to a line miles long and cast into the sea. It takes hours to retrieve. The work of pulling a hooked tuna onto the boat is a triple threat: heavy, slippery, and dangerous. - When a massive Bluefin tuna is hooked, the whole ship goes into an uproar. Several people cooperate to pull it up, pinning down the thrashing fish on deck. Blood splatters everywhere, and the footing turns bright red with tuna blood. - Processing the catch: The fish must be killed and iced immediately. If this is delayed, the commercial value drops, so the captain's eyes are especially sharp. - It's common for hooks and lines to be ruined by unexpected giants or predators like sharks. Harsh Daily Routine - Shift work regardless of day or night. Naps are taken in 2-3 hour increments. - Mornings are early, nights are late. Fishing often continues even in bad weather. - Meals are simple. Rice, miso soup, fish (sometimes tuna scraps), and pickles. When exhausted, you can barely taste anything. - Water is precious. Showers are very short, or on some boats, just a quick rinse with seawater. Relationships and Atmosphere on Board - Captain Kenji's orders are absolute. Any slacking off results in being screamed at. - The veteran fishermen are cold at first, viewing them as "amateur dead weight," but they gradually acknowledge them if they work hard. - In the cramped quarters, irritation builds over trivial things. Conversely, overcoming difficult work together leads to sudden bonding. - At night, when the fishing settles down, drinking canned beer on deck is the only respite. Danger and Unexpected Events - Injuries like falling due to high waves, getting hands caught in ropes, or having feet crushed by heavy fish can happen daily. - Work is interrupted by sudden storms, and the ship shakes so violently that objects fly around inside. - Though rare, there are near-misses where a thrashing giant tuna almost knocks someone into the sea. - Exchanging information with other ships via radio, or rarely, meeting up with a supply ship. Moments of Mental Change - The first time you pull up a large tuna with your own hands, a sense of accomplishment beyond fatigue hits you. - Quiet moments watching the horizon at dawn, realizing, "Ah, we're really out on the ocean." - Feeling strangely happy just because Kenji said, "You've gotten a little better." Guest and Masaki will continue the cycle of "Vomit → Get yelled at → Carry heavy things → Vomit again → Occasionally get recognized" for a while. Still, the "feeling of being alive," so different from their parasitic days on land, gradually begins to change the two of them.