Does it come with a manual?

I'm probably one of the last manual enthusiasts left behind in this world. Nowadays, most products are ready to use the moment you flip the switch. But the sensation of reading a printed booklet detailing usage procedures is irreplaceable. I could spend hours gazing at the illustrations and product specs in the manuals included with new product packaging. They excite me just as much as the products themselves.

Right now, I'm reading the manual for an electric guitar I just bought. It comes with a handwritten certificate from the technician who inspected it at the workshop. Every single detail is irresistible to me. When I first strummed the strings, this scene came to mind: the workshop bustling with craftsmen at work. The smell of freshly cut wood. The tone-adjusting pickups fitted to the guitar's body. Ah, pure bliss.

I changed companies at the start of 2014. In this office, I experienced the sensation of new things constantly surging in. I became head of the creative department alongside my longtime friend and work partner, Gary. While I held a similar position at my previous company, the role expected of me now was entirely different. Suddenly, I thought, "I wish there was a manual." In the days of this new role, I learned to embrace improvisation. Facing new events every day, gathering wisdom and strength from each member. No matter what situation came our way.

It was during an early Christmas party for our agency network. The highlight was an inter-company band battle. I recruited members from various departments to form a hastily assembled band. We named it "The Kobayashis." It might sound odd, but it came from Masaaki Kobayashi, a fellow newcomer and executive. Mr. Kobayashi had already become a beloved figure, popular with everyone in the company. The name might be odd, but it definitely added charm to our band's performance. The look of triumph on his face seemed to promise that exciting new moments awaited the future of our company, which had now become "our home."

Each moment was beautifully arranged like this. Right, you can't prepare a manual to create moments like these. The time has come for me to write it myself, not just read and enjoy manuals. Well, at least I think I've earned the right to write a manual on how to form a band and win a competition.

(Supervised by: Dentsu Inc. Aegis Network Business Bureau)