The Convenience Store: Konbini Monogatari

Open 24/7 and restocked constantly, Japanese convenience stores supply a lot of what you need to survive, from nutritious food (and not-so-nutritious snacks) to clean socks. After an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor meltdown on March 11, 2011 struck northern Japan, people in Tokyo rushed to hoard food, emptying shelves everywhere in the city, but my local 7-11 continued to stock fresh bread and milk, which the friendly owner told me arrived every morning at 5:00am. I began to see it as oasis in the urban desert and this gave me the idea for a story: What if you found yourself in a world where only a convenience store existed? And not just any store, but one that gave you what you wanted, not just needed, including a new romance -- and a new appreciation for life? Director Satoshi Miki adapted my story, "The Convenience Store," for his latest film, "Convenience Story," changing plot points, but remaining faithful to its spirit.