Chapter 1: Visiting the Nohara Family
Kawakami Yuichi looked at Mew, who was currently eating salmon onigiri at the dinner table, and couldn't help but feel a deep sense of emotion wash over him. A week ago, he'd been a third-rate manga artist grinding away just to make ends meet.
Who could have guessed that he'd wake up one day to find himself transported into the world of Crayon Shin-chan by some unknown force?
Not only had his age been rolled back from thirty-two to twenty-two, but he'd also been given a Pokémon—Mew, no less—with whom he shared a spiritual bond.
As for his new identity, he was a recent graduate from Saitama University who'd just moved into the apartment next door to the Nohara family.
On top of that, whatever entity had brought him here had also downloaded basic information about this world directly into his mind.
The timeline of this world had been frozen ever since Shin-chan turned five years old. Although time still flowed and the seasons still changed, nobody aged, and no one noticed anything strange about their memories. It was essentially a form of immortality.
The current date was July 1992, and the overall environment was basically the same as his previous life. Japan in this world had also experienced the bursting of the bubble economy and entered the harsh winter of economic stagnation.
Over the past week, he'd gathered information from various sources and confirmed that the knowledge in his mind was accurate.
He really had been isekai'd.
Still, there was nothing to mourn. In his previous life, he'd been an orphan with no close friends or lovers.
Being transported to another world was just another way of living.
Besides, his research had revealed that many classic manga works from his previous life didn't exist in this world.
So he'd decided to become a cultural messenger, bringing these classics back to life here.
He'd charge for his work, of course—might as well make his new life more colorful.
————
After finishing his trip down memory lane, Kawakami Yuichi polished off his breakfast, cleared the table, and prepared to head out. Today, he was going to visit his last neighbor—the Nohara family.
He knew that in this world, he had to get along well with Shin-chan. Shin-chan was one of his favorite protagonists, after all.
Moreover, Shin-chan was the protagonist of this world, capable of overcoming any crisis.
As for a gift, he'd splurged on a box of Shin-chan's favorite Chocobi—those chocolate biscuits shaped like little hearts that the kid went absolutely crazy for.
Picking up the bag of Chocobi from the dining table, Kawakami Yuichi called out to Mew, who had already finished breakfast and was floating around the room. "Mew, we're heading out."
"Myu~"
Mew chirped at the sound of Yuichi's voice and immediately flew over to perch on his shoulder.
"No matter how many times I hear it, Mew, your voice is just so cute and precious. It makes my heart explode! Though I know it'll definitely explode again in the future."
Hearing Mew's soft, adorable cry, Kawakami Yuichi spoke affectionately to his partner.
Mew just tilted its head, looking puzzled as to why Kawakami Yuichi could be so sentimental despite being a guy.
"Hahaha, alright, let's go!" Seeing Mew's adorable expression, he couldn't help but laugh.
Walking out of the apartment building, turning left, and taking just a few steps, Kawakami Yuichi arrived at a two-story detached house.
The nameplate on the door read: Nohara—the center of this world's story.
Reaching the front door, he rang the doorbell.
Ding-dong~
"Coming, coming!"
A woman's voice called out from inside, and a moment later, a young, attractive woman opened the door and appeared before Kawakami Yuichi.
If he wasn't mistaken, this should be Shin-chan's mother, Nohara Misae.
"Hello. May I ask who you are?" Seeing Kawakami Yuichi, a complete stranger, Nohara Misae greeted him politely, though with a hint of confusion in her voice.
Seeing an anime character actually standing before him in the flesh, Kawakami Yuichi was momentarily stunned, but he quickly recovered and addressed Nohara Misae.
"Sorry to bother you so early. I'm Kawakami Yuichi—I recently moved into the apartment next door."
He then held out the bag containing the Chocobi.
"Please take care of me. This is just a small gift."
Hearing Yuichi's introduction, Nohara Misae visibly relaxed. Seeing a strange man at her door so early in the morning, she'd initially worried he might be some kind of suspicious character.
"Oh, so you're our new neighbor!" Nohara Misae's expression brightened as she accepted the bag from Kawakami Yuichi.
"Thank you so much."
"My name is Nohara. Please feel free to rely on us," Nohara Misae replied politely.
"Thank you for your kindness, Nohara-san," Kawakami Yuichi responded with equal courtesy.
Just then, a little boy with a distinctive potato-shaped head suddenly appeared by the door, complaining loudly.
"Hey, Mom! Why are you still chatting out here? Himawari pooped—hurry up and change her diaper!"
This had to be Nohara Shinnosuke. That signature head shape and those thick eyebrows were exactly like in the anime.
"Ah! I'm so sorry, I have to go!" Nohara Misae apologized and rushed back into the house.
Kawakami Yuichi didn't mind her abrupt departure and squatted down, planning to chat with Shin-chan.
"Hey there, little guy. What's your name?" Although he already knew perfectly well who this was, Kawakami Yuichi asked anyway.
"My name is Nohara Shinnosuke, and I'm five years old! Hey, Oji-san, what's that thing on your shoulder? It's so cute!"
As expected of the protagonist—he could actually see Mew. Mew only appeared to those with pure hearts.
If Shin-chan could see it, that meant he truly had a pure heart.
"Alright then, I'll call you Shin-chan from now on."
After hearing Shin-chan's self-introduction, Kawakami Yuichi reached out and ruffled Shin-chan's hair, then continued.
"And you should call me Onii-chan from now on, okay? As for this little one on my shoulder, this is your Onii-chan's important partner. Its name is Mew."
"Hmm... it's a new species discovered overseas. Pretty cute, right?" After a moment's thought, Kawakami Yuichi came up with an excuse about it being a foreign creature.
There was no way Shin-chan would know it was the legendary Pokémon Mew, anyway.
"Hey, Shin-chan, want to pet Mew?" After thinking for a moment, he asked.
"Yeah, yeah! I wanna pet it, I wanna pet it!" Shin-chan replied excitedly, bouncing on his toes.
"Go ahead, just be gentle." Kawakami Yuichi lifted Mew from his shoulder and handed it to Shin-chan.
Shin-chan took Mew and hugged it carefully.
"Good boy~ good boy~ oh~, ehehe." He stroked Mew's head and couldn't help but giggle that distinctive Shin-chan laugh.
Seeing Shin-chan's silly expression, Kawakami Yuichi felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him.
This scene had appeared so many times in the anime, but seeing it in person still hit differently.
"Onii-chan, can I show Mew to Himawari?" Shin-chan asked, looking up at Kawakami Yuichi with expectant eyes.
Those pleading eyes seemed to shoot out countless sparkles straight into Yuichi's heart.
"Of course you can. Mew, make sure everyone can see you properly, okay?" In the end, Kawakami Yuichi was defeated by Shin-chan's puppy-dog eyes and agreed to his request.
He even gave Mew a subtle hint, telling it to show its true form so that Nohara Misae would be able to see it too.
"Hima-chan! Look! Onii-chan brought something really cool!"
Shin-chan shouted loudly toward the bedroom as he ran inside, carefully carrying Mew.
[End of Chapter 1]
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