The Laughing Salesman

Kent Pincarton, an American trading firm worker in Japan, is having trouble balancing time with his wife and the work demands of after hours socializing. Moguro offers to teach him how to be more like a Japanese businessman, but Moguru only makes the situation with his wife even worse. However, one evening when he brings some co-workers home late, he finds his wife has fully embraced Japanese culture and has become the perfect Japanese hostess.

Middle aged salaryman, Hakaba Motomu, collapses at work and begins to think about his own mortality. Unfortunately, he cannot find an affordable burial plot in the city, so Moguro provides a solution where Motomu and his wife move into a combined apartment building and graveyard on the outskirts of the city.

Salaryman, Katei Nobumitsu, wants to enter a grandfather and son home video competition but his father is dead. Moguro offers to provide an old man for the video from the "Silver Bank" of elderly volunteers. The aged Mr Ohkubo fills the position too well, and Nobumitsu's son Tarou wants him to stay on which is against Moguro's rules. Ohkubo then takes ill and Nobumitsu has to care for him for the rest of the man's life.

Salaryman, Temochi Fusata is bored with his life in a corporate town where everyone is forced to use the company facilities for recreation. Moguro takes him to the exclusive underground "After 5 Club" wearing a disguise where he meets a co-worker Michiyo who he has been wanting to date. They get on well, but whenever Temochi returns to the club, Michiyo is always with another client and he becomes jealous. He confronts her in the office and reveals the existence of the club, so Moguro turns Temochi into a hostess so that he can stay in the club forever.

Salaryman Amae Taiji is put off by hospitals, but after being mistaken for a patient and being comforted by a nurse starts he appreciating the experience. He's admitted several more times after collapsing from overwork and becomes addicted to hospital life. Moguro lets him spend the rest of his life in a hospital being cared for, by reducing him to an infantile state of mind.

Company man Ishii Hirowaka is a heavy drinker, but must quit to avoid liver damage. However, he succumbs to pressure from his workmates and goes out drinking again, ignoring the paper pinkie ring on his finger from his wife to remind him not to drink. Moguro offers to help him quit and gives him a gold ring that painfully squeezes his finger if he drinks alcohol. initially it is effective, however Ishii is invited to drink with his boss and a client, so he removes the ring. When Ishii puts it back on, Moguro makes the ring shrink so tightly that it severs Ishii's finger.

Unmarried factory worker Tomariba Nashio has trouble finding free parking spaces for his car and often parks illegally. Moguro offers to provide a free parking space, in a condominium in which the tenants park their cars inside their apartments, but he must not take anyone else there. However, Tomariba breaks Moguro’s rule and takes a woman to his condominium for the night so Moguro condemns him to never be able to park his car again. He now he has to share his small rented room with his car.

Company man Gaki Hiromasa visits the sandlot where he used to play as a child. He recalls that he left a box of his treasures in a disused pipe, but the land is scheduled for redevelopment. Moguro offers to take Gaki to a very special sandlot which is located on the roof of a skyscraper. The place is filled with adults playing in children's clothes as they recapture their childhoods. Moguro warns him that he must not take any "adult impurities" there. Gaki makes friends with Shizu, but then he meets her later in the street. He is shocked when she says that she works as a prostitute to pay her father's debts. Gaki embezzles money to help her, and takes it to the sandlot for her which breaks his promise to Moguro. Gaki then loses access to the sandlot, and the money. Meanwhile, Shizu is revealed to not only have a boyfriend — but also be lavishly wealthy.

Moguro distracts the busy company man Richigi Momoru on his way to work and takes him into the woods for a day off, gathering mushrooms, vegetables and fish and cooking them on an open fire. As the weeks pass, Richigi wants to return home. Moguro send him back, however Richigi also takes some of the psychedelic mushrooms they found which helps him readjust to the city life.

Photographer Kakei Kazuya enjoys playing roulette in games parlors so Moguro encourages him to play for real money. Moguro takes Kakei to a secret illegal casino for a once only experience and Kakei has a good win. However, Kakei's work suffers because of his desire for easy money, and he returns a number of times to the casino with a chip that remained in his pocket. However, Kakei loses all his money, including some he borrowed from a loan shark after he does not bet on the winning number suggested by Moguro.

Young female office worker Seike Tsuzuki is health conscious and obsessed with cleanliness. Moguro offers to help her find a boyfriend and she encounters an unpolished, capricious man. She is attracted to him, but Moguro warns her that the relationship may become physical. When her boyfriend tries to kiss her, she is revolted and pushes him away, and condemns herself to living in an antibacterial suit.

Muneri Kiyoshi is a company man supervisor who has trouble getting a good night's sleep. Moguro gives him a small electronic pillow to attach to his neck which will allow him to sleep while appearing to be awake. However, Muneri must remove the device when a buzzer sounds to avoid overuse, but he ignores the buzzer and it overloads during a business meeting. He then finds his inability to sleep ideal for his new position, as night watchman.

Mature company man Nagai Yasumi is forced to take four weeks vacation, but has no idea what to do with his time so he rides trains and sits in parks during the day. Moguro offers to help by introducing him to volunteering, however Nagai must expect nothing in return or become personally involved with the people he helps. He helps with the rehabilitation of a young woman which he enjoys, but he becomes attracted to her. When Nagai returns to the apartment, instead of the young woman, he finds an aged version of himself needing home care.

Computer programmer Kouda Kametarou is obsessed by turtles and Moguro offers him a chance to swim with his favorite sea turtle Kamejirou at the local aquarium. Moguro releases Kamejirou but Kouda takes it home against Moguro's instructions, so Moguro turns Kouda into a turtle.

Moguro catches up with married travelling salesman Uwaki Shirou who, three years earlier, met and became infatuated with the attractive Ubuna Yoshiko. Moguro reminds Uwaki that he helped him woo Yoshiko, but Uwaki was supposed to reveal that he was already married. instead, Uwaki deserted Yoshiko and now as his punishment, Uwaki discovers that Yoshiko has moved in next door to his family, and she has a baby.

Bon Fukumizu is a hotel banquet host, but has a lifeless and miserable married life himself, living with his wealthy wife and her mother. Moguro offers to help him with a divorce, and introduce him to a divorce club where he must choose someone regardless of looks or wealth. The club is on a cruise ship and he meets a beautiful woman and they marry, even though his wife is a cross-dressing man.

Ageing company man, Kaikou Sumitarou, longs for his younger days out at night before bars became dominated by noisy karaoke. Moguro takes him to the Taishō era Akaneko bar where he meets the beautiful hostess Etsuko. Kaikou becomes a regular, but Moguro warns him not to fall in love. Unfortunately, Kaikou falls for Etsuko and when he visits again, he discovers that the bar is a ruin after being abandoned for decades, and the Etsuko who greets him is undead.

Yuami Yoshio is a waterworks agent who enjoys bath houses and Moguro promises to take him to one of his favorite ones, the Edo style ukiyo Paradise bath house. Moguro gives Yuami a free entry pass, but warns Yuami that he will be banned if he takes any modern devices inside. One day Yuami takes in his pager and Moguro gives him the choice of never going again or never leaving. Yuami chooses never to leave and he becomes an attendant in Paradise

Company man Deri Keita is extremely fussy and always brings his tea and food from home. He is asked out for a business dinner but he finds the food inedible and drinks too much. Moguro offers Deri a device which will detect if food contains harmful substances and sends him fresh organic food which soothes his conscience. However, Deri becomes suspicious of the quality and Moguro condemns him to survive alone by turning his apartment into an organic farm.

Company man Heiichi Uranari (from episode 2) feels more comfortable living in his old car than staying at home, but the car breaks down so Moguro takes him to a capsule hotel. Uranari sleeps badly because of hearing others snoring, so Moguro takes him to another hotel with security capsules that seals out the outside world. Uranari sleeps so well, that when he emerges he finds a post-apocalyptic world where he is the only survivor.

Mayoi Oushi, a 25 year-old company man has difficulty making decisions and exasperates his co-workers. Moguro gives him a "decision stick" with an arrow head to help him make decisions, but he must always follow the stick's decision. Things go well when he follows the stick, however when he goes against its decision, the next time he throws the stick into the air, it kills him when it falls.

Company President, Izumo Wakashi is 73 year old and feels his age, but he looks much younger. Moguro gives him special dumbbells for training which he must use with a special incantation to recover his youthful strength. However, it only works if he sticks to golf and does not pursue women. Wakashi ignores the warning and spends the night with a young woman, which does not effect his muscular body, but causes his face to decay rapidly into that of an old man.

Kazuo Uwame is a middle-aged company man who is always apologizing for his behavior. Moguro takes him to the top of a skyscraper to live for a week so he can look down on everyone else instead of always looking up at others. His attitude changes and he gains more respect at work, however when he returns home, his domineering wife beats him back into the submissive man he was before.

Company man Tanami Kazuhito is relocated to a remote branch office but he misses his wife and home back in Tokyo. Moguro takes him to a friendly bar with the charming young hostess Tsuyu and he begins to frequent the establishment. Moguro encourages Tanami's friendship with the lonely Tsuyu and end up spending a night together. However, the next morning Tanami wife visits his hotel and discovers his transgression.

Struggling company man Kurume Hoshio is saving for his wedding, but he yearns to eat at three star restaurants. Moguro treats him to dinner at a high-class restaurant, then offers him a membership card but warns that it should be used in moderation. However, Kurume becomes addicted to the point he becomes obsessed so Moguro condemns him to enjoy eating garbage.

Mimizu Kunio is a photographer obsessed with owls, but Moguro suggests that he photograph "night owls" in the city to support his family and fund his hobby. Mimizu becomes financially successful, but is still obsessed with owls so Moguro turns him into an owl.

Freeter Ubuna Yatsuda has a crush on Megumi, a girl working in a flower shop, but he is too shy to speak to her. Moguro offers Ubuna a Queen of the Night flower to woo Megumi. She accepts, and As Ubuna and Megumi wait for the flower to bloom during the night, Megumi's boyfriend arrives home and pushes Ubuna over the balcony and into a pond.

Photo lab worker Kako Shinobu shows around a photo of his attractive young wife and son, but the photo is quite old and his home life is unhappy. Moguro lures him back to his old apartment where he meets his wife and son as they were 15 years ago and he is finally happy.

Taxi driver Ooi Takushi does poorly because he seems to only pick up short fares and he is too meek to refuse the client. Moguro gives Ooi a paper tiger which he says will bring long fares, but he must never refuse to pick up a passenger. Ooi begins making more money, but on night he refuses to take a woman a short distance to hospital. Moguo causes him to have an accident, and then no taxis stop to pick up the injured Ooi.

Married company man Hande Oshita is enticed by a woman sitting above a bar he sees from the train each evening. One night, Moguro convinces Hande to leave the train and meet het. He enters the bar but he is drugged and then presented with a huge bill. Moguro bails him out, but when Hande catches a taxi home, he finds his house has gone, leaving him stranded.

Young company employee Ikuji Naiya is extremely shy and lonely, and spends his spare time and money using a phone message service. Moguro gives him the message phone number of a lonely young woman and they happily exchange messages. Moguro tells Naiya that he must never contact her in person, but Naiya succumbs and arranges to meet her, only to find that she's a little girl.

Overworked company executive, Higama Hoshiya, is envious of Madobe, a company man in the adjacent building who has no work to do because he is approaching retirement. Moguro arranges for them to exchange places, but warns Higama that he must not do any work. Unfortunately, Higama travels to Kyushu on a business and pleasure trip and when he returns he finds that Madobe has died while in his job. Higama is thus seen as an impostor and is condemned to spend the rest of his working life in Madobe's job.

Office worker Musai Toshio leads a dull life and women ignore him, so Moguro gives him a makeover but Moguro makes him promise to be prudent in his relationships with women. Musai finally dates a woman at work, but then takes another woman out to lunch. Moguro then calls Musai's girlfriend who turns up at the restaurant and makes a scene.

Middle-aged company man, Kaeri Takunai, has an unhappy home life, so spends his evenings aimlessly killing time. Moguro offers him an apartment as long as invites no women there, however he lets a female neighbour in, and so breaks his promise. Kaeri's family finds out and he is thrown out, but then is also prevented from entering the new apartment. Eventually he is back home, in the doghouse.

Moguro saves the young company man, Karasumori Kiichi, from being beaten by thugs and convinces him to learn karate every day with a tough master. Karasumori finds it difficult but perseveres for a few lessons. When he meets the same thugs in an alley, he tries to fight them, but is badly beaten up.

Company man Ishino Takashi calculates how much he has lost playing mahjong and decided to quit. Moguro offers to protect him from ever playing again, but Ishino relapses and Moguro finds him playing mahjong again. The next night when Ishino comes home, he finds Moguro has turned his wife into a mahjong addict.

College student Tsutsui Shinichi is offered high-paying part-time jobs by Moguro and takes one offered by an old man to go out and have a good time on his behalf, as long as the money is not spent on something pointless. Unfortunately Tsutsui loses a fortune to some thugs at a mahjong club and when he goes back to the old man's house with the thugs to get more money, they find that he's gone.

Trainee hairdresser Demuno Fouta is too scared to hold a razor, so Moguro gives him a box of medicated cigarettes to increase his confidence. Demuno improves his shaving skills, but is distraught when the other hairdressers smoke them all during a mahjong night, not realizing that only the first cigarette was medicated. When called on to shave the boss, he makes a fatal slip.

Unconfident company man Maido Chiyorou feels left out at work, so he tries to learn golf after hours. He improves after lessons from Moguro where he learns to imagine the ball as someone he hates. Later, Maido joins in the work golf competition but under pressure he hits the co-worker he hates instead of the ball.

Struggling manga writer Hikage Hisatoshi is having trouble creating and paying his rent. Moguro offers to move in to his apartment as long as Hikage stays in the closet. Hikage is so happy in the closet that he creates very popular and successful manga. Moguro then moves him to a purpose-built closet. Eventually, Hikage wants to leave and enjoy his success but finds that he can no longer live in the sunlight.

A dull young banker falls in love with a woman wearing a medical face mask he sees every day on the train. Moguro arranges a meeting, but demands that he does not love her only for her looks. The banker agrees, but then is horrified when she reveals her true disfigured face that is the result of failed plastic surgery.

A slothful salesman is very unsuccessful so Moguro offers to help. Moguro sells many properties on his behalf, however he keeps the deposits, causing the salesman to have a breakdown and really behave like a sloth

Moguro encourages a student to observe life from the top of a building and he falls in love with a woman he sees in an apartment building. Moguro sets up a meeting between them, but also tells her husband, a gang boss, who arrives and beats up the student.

Moguro sets up an unpopular and lonely salaryman with a lady by correspondence. When they meet in a park at night frequented by perverts, she turns out to be a mannequin whom Moguro causes to scream for help. The salaryman is then beaten up by citizens and arrested.

A handsome man crumbles under the pressure of the expectations of those around him and eventually seeks comfort in the bosom of a Buddha-like woman.