Overview Broadcasted on April 18, 1991, in the TV drama series "Tales of the Bizarre" as its 94th episode. A remake featuring a new script and cast was also broadcast on November 21, 2015.
"Zundoko Veroncho" Synopsis Set during the bubble economy era, the protagonist is Shuji Mikami (Masao Kusakari), an elite businessman living with his wife and daughter. Professionally and socially, he loves to display his vast knowledge, frequently using complex jargon to awe and command respect from those around him. He prides himself on believing, "There is nothing in this world that I don't know," and looks down on his bosses and subordinates who fail to understand difficult words, dismissing them as incompetent fools.
One day, Mikami overhears a mysterious word he has never heard before: "Zundoko Veroncho." Everyone speaks of it as if it's common knowledge, even implying that anyone not currently paying attention to Zundoko Veroncho couldn't possibly be considered an industry insider. When his subordinates suddenly bring up the topic and ask, "Did you see it, Mikami-san?", Mikami pretends he knows all about it, blurting out, "Oh, of course. Pretty something, isn't it? Quite impressive." Thinking to himself, "Unbelievable. To think there was something I didn't know—what an absolute humiliation," he immediately buys a current television magazine and visits the library to look through various dictionaries to find the meaning of Zundoko Veroncho, but it is nowhere to be found, and he remains completely in the dark.
Before long, "Zundoko Veroncho," or "Zunvero" for short, becomes the center of a craze. It constantly pops up in everyday conversations—"That Zundoko Veroncho..." or "It's all about Zunvero..."—and even Mikami's wife and daughter, Mika, are talking about it. Though Mikami strains to overhear their chats, he never manages to glean its meaning. When he tries to ask about Zundoko Veroncho, he ends up making his daughter cry or angering his wife, failing to learn anything from his own family. Naturally, people around him keep bringing up Zundoko Veroncho in conversation, but by now, he has passed the point where he can simply admit he doesn't know, leaving him with no choice but to awkwardly nod along. However, his misplaced nods occasionally miss the mark entirely, infuriating the senior managing director and store clerks.
His guesses about the meaning prove utterly wrong one after another. Convinced that everyone else must know, he starts frantically sketching what he imagines Zundoko Veroncho to look like out of sheer madness. When he simply asks for a Zundoko Veroncho at a toy store, security is called, he gets yelled at, and the police are even notified. Unable to figure out the meaning through any scheme, he slips into a half-delirious state, repeatedly missing golden opportunities to finally get to the truth.
Ignoring his plight, the company eventually launches a massive project called the "Zundoko Veroncho Project." To make matters worse, Mikami is handpicked as its chief and person in charge. Over the company's internal PA system, an announcement blares: "Shuji Mikami has been appointed chief of the Zunvero Project! When it comes to Zunvero, leave it to Mikami, no matter what. Zundoko Veroncho Mikami has you covered—three cheers for Mikami!!" This is followed by applause, cheering, and party poppers from his bosses and subordinates.
Cornered with nowhere left to run, Mikami finally tears up and whispers to everyone, "Tell me... what is Zundoko Veroncho?" At those words, the surrounding crowd lets out a synchronized gasp of shock and disappointment. Amidst the stunned silence, Mikami screams out at the top of his lungs, "PLEASE TELL MEEEEE!!"
Remake Remade with Naohito Fujiki starring in the "25th Anniversary! Autumn 2-Week Special: Masterpiece Revival Edition" broadcast on November 21, 2015.
Shuji Mikami, the president of an IT company, leads a fulfilling daily life in both his private and professional spheres thanks to his vast intellect. He believes that there is nothing he doesn't know, and that ignorance is a sin. However, one day, he begins hearing a mysterious word whispered around him: "Zundoko Veroncho."
Curious about what Zundoko Veroncho is, Mikami's pride prevents him from asking anyone, forcing him to fake knowledge about it. One day, this very habit leads him to misuse the word, ruining business negotiations with a foreign company. (At the time, Mikami incorrectly concludes that Zundoko Veroncho refers to "sushi" and replies, "I'm going to mold and eat some Zundoko Veroncho," which outrages the opposing party, who furiously yells, "That is blasphemy against Zundoko Veroncho!!")
Realizing things are getting serious, Mikami tries searching the internet. However, a Wikipedia-like site only lists a barrage of dense, impenetrable jargon that makes no sense. Subsequent searches on online shopping sites and bulletin boards yield no clues either. Refusing to give up, Mikami decides to try an online Q&A site as a last resort. To his relief, he finds another user asking the exact same question. Just as he feels a wave of relief, the answers to the post are a storm of abuse: "Are you an idiot for not knowing something so basic?", "Are you messing with me?", and "Stop playing dumb." Mikami plunges into despair.
Before he knows it, "Zundoko Veroncho" begins being used everywhere in society. Desperate, Mikami decides his only option left is to rely on conventional wisdom and travels back to his hometown to ask his grandmother about "Zundoko Veroncho." But the moment he brings it up, she suddenly becomes agitated, and he leaves without getting any answers.
Amidst all this, Mikami is appointed to a major role for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. During the live-broadcast appointment ceremony, the title bestowed upon him is none other than the baffling position of "Zundoko Veroncho Ambassador." When Mikami steps up to deliver his inaugural speech, he finds himself unable to talk about "Zundoko Veroncho" and breaks down. He finally blurts out, "...What actually is Zundoko Veroncho?", instantly drawing furious jeers from everyone in the venue. The incident becomes a global news story, sparks a massive firestorm online, and blows up into a massive scandal complete with mocking internet meme images ridiculing him.
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