Slow Damage(2021)

Slow Damage takes place at some point during the 21st century in the fictional ward of Shinkomi, which is located in Tokyo, Japan and was previously a part of the Tokyo Bay City No. 13 subregion. The country is in the midst of a recession and, in an attempt to resolve these economic troubles, the government repurposed this area as a large-scale casino resort due to its historic prosperity. This ward is governed by the corrupt Takasato Group whose only interest is their own financial gain. The story follows Towa, a resident of Shinkoumi who lives his life in a carefree and apathetic manner, showing no concern for his future. The only thing that captures his interest is painting—more specifically, painting the innermost desires of other people.

Year 20XX, Japan. Shinkomi-a special ward developed as the country's largest casino resort in order to bring them out of a debilitating recession. The land, formerly part of a landfill in the Tokyo Waterfront City Center of Odaiba, now essentially existed as its own country governed by the Takasato Group, a private investor of casinos, and continued to thrive despite the recession. Uncertain of what tomorrow may bring, people flocked to Shinkomi with the hopes of striking it rich, or at least getting a second of reprieve from their miserable lives. Taking in the masses, the city's public order was in a state of unrest, corruption coursing through every vein of the city, crime a common occurrence. Our protagonist Towa, a resident of this town, lived rent-free in the hospital of his doctor acquaintance, Taku, leading a self-indulgent and transient life, not thinking about tomorrow. Towa had a hobby. He drew people's desires. Creating motifs inscribed with oil, desires from the depths of people's hearts the moment before they burst. Allowing the desire to crush into him, the experience of this flowing freely from the brush. His artist name is "euphoria". Whether the two involved were damaged and injured to the brink of death as a result of fulfilling these desires didn't matter. Because to the recipient...this was "happiness"...