In early 1900s Hokkaido after the Russo-Japanese war, Saichi Sugimoto tirelessly pans for gold. Nicknamed Sugimoto the Immortal for his death-defying acts in battle, the ex-soldier seeks fortune in order to fulfill a promise made to his best friend before he was killed in action: to support his family, especially his widow who needs treatment overseas for her deteriorating eyesight. One day, a drunken companion tells Sugimoto the tale of a man who murdered a group of Ainu and stole a fortune in gold. Before his arrest by the police, he hid the gold somewhere in Hokkaido. The only clue to its location is the coded map he tattooed on the bodies of his cellmates in exchange for a share of the treasure, should they manage to escape and find it. Sugimoto does not think much of the tale until he discovers the drunken man's corpse bearing the same tattoos described in the story. But before he can collect his thoughts, a grizzly bear—the cause of the man's demise—approaches Sugimoto, intent on finishing her meal. He is saved by a young Ainu girl named Asirpa, whose father happened to be one of the murdered Ainu. With Asirpa's hunting skills and Sugimoto's survival instincts, the pair agree to join forces and find the hidden treasure—one to get back what was rightfully her people's, and the other to fulfill his friend's dying wish.

Following NERV's failed attempt to retrieve the Spears of Longinus and carry out the Human Instrumentality Project, the destruction caused by the Fourth Impact has been largely averted. In a state of disarray, Shinji Ikari, Asuka Langley Shikinami, and Rei Ayanami travel to Village 3—a survivor settlement free from Earth's ruination. There, Shinji slowly comes to terms with his past, developing an entirely different life from his days as an Evangelion pilot. Meanwhile, NERV makes preparations to continue the Instrumentality Project by means of a new Impact. When WILLE's main aerial battleship arrives at the village, Shinji decides to board, believing that he can help by piloting an Evangelion. As new secrets are uncovered and a battle between WILLE and NERV approaches, the future of Earth hangs in the balance. Can Shinji save humanity and the rest of the world one last time?

Yuusuke Yotsuya has always disliked Tokyo, but he especially hates the people who live in it. He would rather thrive in a virtual world than try to get along with those around him. At the end of one school day, he sees the popular athlete Iu Shindou talking to Kusue Hakozaki, who spends less time in school due to illness. But when he looks away from the two and back again, they have seemingly disappeared. Mere moments later, Yotsuya enters a state of free-fall, and the world begins to change around him. Dropping into a large pool of water, the first thing he sees when he comes to his senses is an assortment of enormous monsters. He soon finds out that he has been brought into a game world by Shindou and Hakozaki and that he must complete a quest within 14 days. There is one thing that separates this world from the real world: anyone who dies will be brought back to life in 30 seconds as long as one party member is alive. Tasked with numerous quests that increase in difficulty over time, Yotsuya, Shindou, and Hakozaki attempt to discover the mystery behind the perplexing game world.

After one of his coworkers fails to repay a debt, apathetic bum Kaiji Itou is pressured by loan sharks to settle the large sum of cash. Since Kaiji has little money and no future prospects of his own, he is unable to return what his colleague borrowed. Faced with massive financial burdens, Kaiji is given an offer to board the illustrious Espoir—it is said that one night aboard the ship, and all of your debts will be paid. What seems like a simple night of gambling quickly turns into a game of strategy and betrayal. With the losers of the tournament being subjected to a backbreaking life of indebted servitude, Kaiji must choose his actions—and allies—carefully. However, this is only the beginning of a series of gambles that will wager Kaiji's life, testing the full extent of his wits and will to survive.