2001 The Children of Bottle/Dialogue Between Isaac and Miria, Immortals

2001 Summer

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Synopsis
Isaac & Miria realize that they are not aging, nearly seventy-one years after becoming immortals in 1930. Isaac recalls the common trope in fictional stories about immortals in which immortals are doomed to watch their loved ones die and thinks the same thing will happen with them, much to Miria's grief.

Isaac points out that normal people see their loved ones die anyway, and opines that being miserable about it is not fair to those who have died. If one is sad about their loved one's death, it means the deceased was responsible for brightening one's existence while they were alive.

So saying, Isaac says that there is a tradition in Asia called Bonnou in which people ring bells one hundred and eight times on NEw Year's so that people will reincarnate. Therefore, he suggests that he and Miria look forward to all the new people who will be born, rather than look back at those who have died. The two of them decide to sew one hundred and eight bells onto their clothes – fifty-four each – as a demonstration of their resolve. In doing so they will be reborn constantly, and Miria, interpreting this to mean that every day is their birthday, wishes Isaac happy birthday.

Cultural References

 * In one of his usual misunderstands, Isaac is referring to the Shinto custom of ringing a large bell one hundred and eight times on New Year's Eve, once for every impure thought leading to Nirvana. These earthly desires are called 百八煩悩 (hyakuhachi bonnou) in Japanese.
 * Isaac's references to rebirth are also connected to the Buddhist belief in reincarnation; if a soul cannot purge all one hundred and eight earthly temptations, it will continue to be born in the mortal world rather than passing on to Nirvana.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Isaac & Miria