The End is the Beginning | Jiro Kokuryo, Vice-President / Professor, Faculty of Policy Management
March 23, 2021
I missed the original broadcast and saw it as a rerun. It was before the movie version came out, so it must have been around 1996 when I first saw *Evangelion* (Eva), which has finally concluded after 25 years. I believe it has truly ended this time, and I think many people are satisfied with its conclusion. This is because Shinji has finally grown up, and the gentle expression on Asuka's face in the explanatory pamphlet that reveals the plot twists seems to symbolize a sense of "completion."
Still, there are few works whose endings have caused as much controversy as the final episode of the TV series or the end of the first movie. I imagine it must have been painful for Director Anno to constantly feel the pressure from unsatisfied fans. I want to express my respect for him, as it feels like he has taken full responsibility and given us an ending that brings a sense of closure to everyone.
It makes me think that I, too, must properly see through to completion what I have started.
Yesterday (March 16) was the completion ceremony for the Shonan Fujisawa International Student Dormitory . It was in 2007 that the plan to build an on-campus (*) dormitory began, following the proposal by the former dean for the residential education and research concept of the Miraisozojuku (Institute for Designing the Future) . However, just as we thought we were moving toward realization, construction costs soared due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Olympics, leading to an unexpected failure to secure a bid within budget. With the spirit of "making the best of a bad situation," we built a wooden facility with the help of students, the Student Built Campus (SBC) , but it was closed off due to COVID-19. Following a path that can only be described as full of twists and turns, it became an unimaginably long journey. Nevertheless, we persevered with the goal of developing facilities for long-term stays, and now the first phase of the facility is finally complete (we are here). We are now on track to complete the rest before I reach retirement age.
Once completed, the dormitory will provide long-term accommodation for just over 400 people. The rooms for short-term stays for 120 commuting or visiting students and the workshop space were completed last year and named Beta Village. Combining these creates a space where everyone can stay overnight to hold discussions or create their works.
I feel it is fate that this physical space is being born in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In that sense, I think it is symbolic that the online "Cho-Kamoike Festival" was a great success. It's not just an online event; "Gulliver Pond (Kamoike)" is what's important. Because there is a real, shared experience, we are able to form lifelong friendships that can be maintained anytime in a virtual space. I believe that the real and the virtual mutually amplify each other's waves, giving rise to new creation.
It was a difficult journey, so I've become sentimental, but while it may be a conclusion for me, it is only the beginning for the campus. New experiences will be born, new creations will be made, and a new community should emerge at SFC in this newly opened space. I hope it becomes a fun school where every day feels like a training camp. I want to take the next step forward while holding onto such a dream.
(*) Strictly speaking, the Shonan Fujisawa International Student Dormitory is built on land adjacent to the campus, owned by a landowner.