Mister Ajikko 38

Mister Ajikko Volume 5 Chapter 3 Where are the Customers?!

Page 44

Competitor: There's one more hour until the first train arrives!
COmpetitor: JUst one more hour until the first customers start rushing here!

Competitor: After that, just thirty minutes! Thirty!
Competitor: Thirty minutes for their shop to go out of business!

Competitor: Kikuchi-Ya!
Competiror: And that boy!

Competitor: Brace yourselves!
Competitor: Tomorrow, your shop will be the second branch of Oikawa!

Part-timer: We're done bringing in all five hundred boxes!
Competitor: Alright!!

Competitor: Go back to the shop and finish up the preparations!
Competitor: We'll sell out all our stock today!
Part-timer: Ye...Yes!

Competitor: Kukuku...!!


Page 45

Competitor: No matter how many times I look at it, it still looks beautiful.
Competitor: Tonkatsu, salmon teriyaki, pickled vegetables, rice, all taste delicious.

Part-timer: Five hundred cups of tea have arrived!

Competitor: ANd there's the tea.
Competitor: This was your idea, wasn't it, Yamaguchi!

Yamaguchi: Hehehe, of course.
Yamaguchi: There hasn;t been a bento that provides high-quality tea together.

Yamaguchi: In the process of packing high-grade tea leaves into teabags, there's tea leaves that get cast away, right?
Yamaguchi: It may not look nice, but the taste is the same as the high-grade tea!

Yamaguchi: I tracked down a supplier who could provide these tea leaves cheaply.
Competitor: Ahh, so that's how we got this tea at such a cheap price!

Competitor: Oikawa's tea is better than anywhere else's.
Competitor: HAving said that, there are even people who come here just to buy tea!

Competitor: There's no way we'll lose today!
Competitor: Let's see what you got, boy!


Page 46

Big Vertical sign: Anywhere, anytime hot-hot bento
Big Horizontal sign: Kikuchi-Ya
Little signs: New Product

Youichi: Phew, that's five hundred bento boxes.
Youichi: Now we'll just wait for the customers!

Female Helper: Kikuchi-san!
Dad's Acquaintance: Yes?

Female Helper: There is a large jar of pickled vegetables in the kitchen...
Female Helper: Are we doing something with it?

Youichi: Oh no---!!
Youichi: I completely forgot!

Youichi: Mum! Mister! Part-time lady!
Youichi: Please return all the bento boxes into the kitchen!

Dad's Acquaintance: Ehh?!


Page 47

Youichi: This is it!
Youichi: If we don't put any pickled vegetables into the bento, the bento isn't complete!

Dad's Acquaintance: Of course!
Dad's Acquaintance: The pickled vegetables!

Youichi: It's only a small serving in each bento box, but it serves as a palate cleanser!
Youichi: Oikawa's bento uses turnip and salted cherry blossoms that have been pickled overnight to add a vibrant flavor!

Dad's acquaintance: I never thought this far!
Dad's acquaintance: There's only one hour left till the match starts, what do we do, Youichi!

Youichi: I've already given it some thought!
Youichi: Take a look at this!


Page 48

Crowd: It's beautiful!
Crowd: White turnip with red and black colors added to it; it looks like a flower!

Dad's acquaintance: This turnip was pickled in sweet vinegar?!
Dad's acquaintance: And in the center, you put capsicum and konbu!

Dad's acquaintance: It's...
Dad's acquaintance: Delicious!!


Page 49

Dad's acquaintance: Adding these colors to the bento...
Dad's acquaintance: Not only that, adding salty and sweet flavors as well is a stroke of genius!

Dad's acquaintance: It won't be a problem to put these in in the short time we have!
Dad's acquaintance: Great work, Youichi-kun!

Youichi: Ehehe

Youichi: Okay, only have forty minutes until the first train arrives!
Youichi: Let's do like an assembly line and put in the pickled vegetables!

Youichi: Here it comes!
Youichi: The first train is arriving!


Page 50

Youichi: Okay---!!
Youichi: The fight starts now!

Passenger 1: Man, I'm hungry! I haven't had anything since yesterday!
Passenger 2: Are you going with Oikawa's bento again?

Passenger 1: Course I am!
Passenger 2:Nothing starts a morning like eating Oikawa's bento!

Passenger 3: Ehh, they're selling a new kind of bento...
Passenger 4: Don't worry, it'll definitely be tasty!
Passenger 5: It's Oikawa after all!

Competitor: Okay Okay, please line up!
Yamaguchi: Thanks for buying Oikawa!


Page 51

Competitor: Wahahaha!
Competitor: Look at that! We're selling lots from the get-go!

Competitor: ...Haha, look at them over there!
Competitor: THere's not even one person buying from them!

Competitor: This is also the difference in our abilities!

Dad's acquaintance: Damn him!
Dad's acquaintance: If we just get one person to try our bento, then the word will spread!

Dad's acquaintance: People are only flocking to Oikawa because of advance reviews!
Dad's acquaintance: There's no point to a delicious bento if no one wants to come over to buy it!

Mum: You're right.
Mum: In such a short time, the difference in popularity is clear to see.

Mum: But it's only been thirty minutes since the first train.
Mum: The true match begins now!

Youichi: Begins now...?!
Youichi: WHat do you mean, Mum?

Mum: Soon.
Mum: The flow of people will change.


Page 52

Dad's acquaintance: ...I get what you mean!
Dad's acquaintance: Of course!

Dad's acquaintance: The first train usually carries passengers who all know about Oikawa.
Dad's acquaintance: But...the passengers on following trains are tourists, and they won't know about Oikawa at all!

Dad's acquaintance: The passengers on the next train will flow differently!
Dad's acquaintance: The battle is turning to one of taste!

Dad's acquaintance: It's the special limited express for the spring vacation! It's full of tourists!
Dad's acquaintance: Furthermore, this train will stop here for twenty minutes!

Dad's acquaintance: The passengers will sample bento from both sides and compare the flavor!


Page 53

Assistant Coordinator: I'm starving----
Coordinator: Now, I wonder if there's a place for a meal here.

People in Train: Hey, Mister Coordinator, don't forget to buy for us too!
People in train: There's one hundred and twenty people in the group!
Coordinator: OKay, okay, I get it!

Assistant Coordinator: Eh?
Assistant Coordinator: But, there's two bento shops here.

Coordinator: Well, then we'll just buy one from each and decide.
Coordinator: Then, we'll buy all we need from one of them!

Coordinator: I'll have one bento!

Youichi: Okay!
Youichi: Thank you very much!

Coordinator: He surprised me!
(Tiny bubble) Coordinator: Where did I see him before?
Coordinator: That bento shop gives me the creeps!

Coordinator: So now...
Assistant Coordinator: We find out which bento tastes more delicious, right?


Page 54

Assistant Coordinator: First up...
Assistant Coordinator: is the bento from Oikawa!

Coordinator: Wow---The bento is tightly packed with dishes and rice.
Assistant Coordinator: It looks delicious, doesn't it!

Assistant Coordinator: First, I'll taste...
Assistant Coordinator: the main dish: the tonkatsu!

Assistant Coordinator: Hmm, it's delicious!
Assistant Coordinator: The coating is crispy, like a flower in bloom!

Assistant Coordinator: There isn't much oil...
Assistant Coordinator: and the tastiness of the meat is accentuated!

Coordinator: Hoo...
Coordinator: Then, what about the salmon teriyaki?

Assistant Coordinator: Yum! It's good!
Assistant Coordinator: The tare sauce is exquisite!


Page 55

Assistant Coordinator: This subtle flavor is...ginger!
Assistant Coordinator: The ginger really adds a tingling flavor to the sauce!

Assistant Coordinator: As for the tamagoyaki...
Assistant Coordinator: Ohh...they have fish cake inside it.

Assistant Coordinator: It's bouncy and light.
Assistant Coordinator: Another wonderful flavor!

Assistant Coordinator: NOw...
Assistant Coordinator: the rice.

Assistant Coordinator: Delicious!
Assistant Coordinator: It's really good!

Assistant Coordinator: It's not gluey at all, but somewhat firm...
Assistant Coordinator: fluffy, and has a really good taste!

Coordinator: This fragrance is the turnip and salted cherry blossoms, huh?
Coordinator: Nothing beats such elegance.

Coordinator: Furthermore, the flavor is deep...
Coordinator: and it adds color to the bento.

Assistant Coordinator: Wow...
Assistant Coordinator: It's all delicious!


Page 56

Assistant Coordinator: I have no criticisms about any of the dishes!
Assistant Coordinator: Not only that, there's not much steam for the flavors of the dishes to be affected!

Assistant Coordinator: Now, after a meal...

Assistant Coordinator: Ehh!
Assistant Coordinator: This is delicious!

Assistant Coordinator: Although it's just tea...
Assistant Coordinator: this is the first time I've tasted tea this delicious!

Assistant Coordinator: What admirable thoughtfulness!
Assistant Coordinator: Subara-san, we'll go with Oikawa's bento, right?!

Coordinator: Hold on.
Coordinator: First, we have to try out Kikuchi-Ya's hot-hot bento, right?

Assistant Coordinator: But, the name says that the bento is hot, right?
Assistant Coordinator: This bento is cool already.

Coordinator: That may be so but...
Coordinator: They also gave me this skewer.

Coordinator: ...Insert it here?
Note on box: Please insert the skewer here


Page 57

Everyone: Ahh!
Everyone: What!

Coordinator: Just a moment ago, the bento was cool...!
Coordinator: In the blink of an eye, the hot-hot bento is changing!

Coordinator: This is amazing!
Coordinator: So this is how we can eat a hot bento any time!


Page 58

Coordinator: ...Delicious!

Coordinator: The meat juices are gushing out...
Coordinator: the coating of the tonkatsu is packed with flavor that it doesn't need sauce to be delicious!

Coordinator: Moreover, there's no even one bit of oil or greasiness.
Coordinator: This is probably...done by pan frying!

Coordinator: What about this thing wrapped in foil?

COordinator: Uwaa!
Coordinator: That's a lot of steam!

Coordinator: This is...salmon!
Coordinator: It's foil-roasted salmon!

Person 1: They put a foil-roasted salmon into a bento?!
Person 2: This is a first!


Page 59

Coordinator: Yum!
Coordinator: Delicious!

Coordinator: The salmon is so soft it melts on my tongue.
Coordinator: The soup is also packed with flavor!

Coordinator: But...
Coordinator: This nose of mine detected something fragrant...

Coordinator: It's shimeji and shiitake mushrooms!
Coordinator: These two mushrooms add body to the soup and at the same time, gives off a wonderful aroma!

Coordinator: More than anything, the thing that makes it delicious is heat!
Coordinator: This side dish really makes the most out of the bento's reheatable feature!

Coordinator: What about the tamagoyaki?

Coordinator: What a rich flavor!
Coordinator: It has volume and is refreshing to eat!

Coordinator: This is...avocado!
Coordinator: Cooking tamagoyaki with avocado inside, what an idea!


Page 60

Coordinator: What is this?

Coordinator: Ahh, it's salad.

Coordinator: Delicious!
Coordinator: Wonderful!

Coordinator: It's a gouged-out tomato stuffed with the salad!
Coordinator: I get it! It's so that the dressing won't spill all over!

Coordinator: Also, the tomato is chilly and delicious.
Coordinator: ...?!

Coordinator: ...But, how can that be?!

Coordinator: Everything else is warmed up...
Coordinator: How did the salad remain cold?!

Assistant Coordinator: Look at the box!
Assistant Coordinator: Loot at the bottom of the salad, Subara-san!

Coordinator: What?!
Coordinator: There's thermal insulating styrofoam under the tomato!

Coordinator: The dishes and the soup become warm while the cool items stay cool!
Coordinator: The creators really paid close attention to the details!


Page 61

Coordinator: The pickled vegetables look astounding...
Coordinator: Furthermore, the sweetness and saltiness flavors shine through!

Coordinator: And...
Coordinator: What is this?!

Coordinator: ...Miso soup!

Coordinator: Fuah
Coordinator: Hot miso soup inside a container that's part of the bento box!

Coordinator: Oh? What's on the other side?

Coordinator: What!
Coordinator: There's tea inside!

Assistant Coordinator: They thought of miso soup and tea to have after a meal!
Assistant Coordinator: Moreover, it's reheatable and delicious! This is the first time I've seen such a bento!

Coordinator: Br...

Coordinator: Bra...

Coordinator: Bravo!!

Coordinator: We'll buy Kikuchi-Ya's bento!
Coordinator: There's no other bento that's as amazing as theirs!!


Page 62

Customer: Is Kikuchi-Ya's bento really that amazing?

Customer: We should try...
Customer: other shop's bento once in a while, right?

Customer: Which way to Kikuchi-Ya?!
Customer: If we don't hurry, there won't be any left---!

Competitor: Oi, where are you going!

Competitor: I...
Competitor: I can't believe this!

Dad's Acquaintance: Thanks, Youichi-kun!
Dad's Acquaintance: With this, the shop is safe!

Youichi: Ehe, I did this...
Youichi: because I didn't want Dad's bento to be lost forever!

Youichi: There's still a lot left!!
Youichi: Please buy a lot!!