5 Billion Year Button: Sugawara Souta's Short Short

Aired: 2022

A TV anime produced by STUDIO SOTA, based on the legendary short manga "The 500 Million Year Button" by Souta Sugawara, originally published in 2001 as an episode of his manga "Minna no Tonio-chan." The manga sparked endless online debates about whether one would press the button, and the anime adaptation aired from July to September 2022 on TOKYO MX and other stations for 12 episodes. The premise presents the ultimate part-time job: pressing the 500 Million Year Button yields 1 million yen, but requires spending 500 million years in an empty void. However, once the time passes, all memories are erased and the person returns to the exact moment they pressed it—making it feel instantaneous. Five-year-old Tonio (CV: Masako Nozawa), 14-year-old Jaibi (CV: Suzuko Mimori), and 17-year-old Suneko (CV: Naomi Ozora) are three siblings desperate to pay for their hospitalized father's medical bills. Narration by Banjo Ginga. A unique production in which creator Souta Sugawara handled nearly all aspects—directing, writing, and animation—almost single-handedly. ©STUDIO SOTA