Sket Dance 1

1
[Top insert text: No matter what the worries and troubles on campus, these guys'll take care of the lot! It's the Sket-dan!!]
[TN: "Dan" being the generic suffix for a club or group, which I'm sure most people should be familiar with from the SOS-dan. Or maybe even the Ouendan. There's a pun going on here, incidentally, worth noting because it explains the odd title of the manga... "It's the Sket-dan" is written as "Sket-dan 'su!!", which of course makes it a homophone for "Sket Dance".]
[bottom insert text: The second part of a new series!!]
[TN: "Second part"? Does that mean they're counting the one-shot as the first or something? Or are they just being weird? *confused*]

2
Teacher: Yeah... and so basically, like I promised in the first part of the story... // I'd like to introduce a new transfer student... Oi, shut up, all you extras!
Teppei: (Oooohh... I- I'm really nervous... Will I be able to make any friends...?)
Teacher: He'll only be saying his name once, so if you could all try not to miss it...
Teppei: (Why is that a one-chance thing...?) // My- My name is Sugihara Teppei!! // Pleased to meet you!!
Teacher: You heard him, his name's Sugihara Teppei... I hope you all make him feel welcome.
Teppei: (...he said it a second time...)
Teacher: Right, your seat's right at the back.
Teppei: Ah... / yes, sir.
Teacher: It's the row with the guy with the weird hat.
Teppei: Ummmm... / Weird hat...

3-4
Sket Dance
Chapter 1: Paint-Mask
[right-hand: NEW SERIES / 56 pages, complete with colour pages!!]
[right-hand insert text: Cutting an air hole in this brutal age!!]
[TN: Weird expression, I know... not sure how to translate it O_o]
[bottom author's name: Shinohara Kenta]
[Top-left, right of chapter title: The people who will tackle any problem with unwavering confidence!! The second instalment of the scorching new summer series!!]
[left-hand insert text: The helper heroes of the new century (though it's not really new any more) are off!]
[Top-right bubble: Whoaa...!! / What an incredible stare...!!]

5
Teppei: Ahhhh... Lunch break at last. // Time sure has been crawling by... // (Talking of which, where did those three from earlier vanish off to? // The way they were staring, it was like they wanted to catch and eat me...)
Himeko: Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!! // Someone heeeeeeeelp!!!!

6
Teppei: Huh?
Himeko: Someoooooone!!! // Like, you! Transfer studeeeeeent!!!
Teppei: Why me?!!
Himeko: There's an evil villain after me!!!
Teppei: An evil villain?!! // Huh?! Just a moment...!! You've got to be kidding!! This is a school, isn't it?!!
Himeko: He wants to take me to Hong Kong and sell me!!
Teppei: Are you listening?!
Switch: Ahahahahah... // There is nowhere left for you to flee, little girl...
[TN: Switch uses a mechanical voice; his font and speech bubble style reflect that.]
Teppei: (A WEIRD VILLAIN APPEARED~~~!!)

7
Teppei: Just a minute!! What kind of sick joke is this?!!! / Though I don't really get it...!!
Himeko: Honestly... // TAKE A LOOK!! I'M BEING HUNTED DOWN!! / CAN'T YOU TELL I'M SCARED TO DEATH?!!!
[TN: She falls out of character and switches to Kansai-ben for these lines.]
Teppei: (You're the scary one...!!!!)
Switch: I'm going to eat you up~~~~~
Himeko: What the hell?! / Who told you to ad-lib?!!
Teppei: (I don't really get it, but this little act sure seems to be wearing thin...)
Himeko: Wait up... this is useless... It's really starting to wear thin, this act...
Switch: Shall we start over?
Teppei: ........... // (Come to think of it, everyone else is just ignoring them... are they all used to it...?)
Bossun: AIYA~~ STAY WHERE YOU ARE~~!!

8
Bossun: YAIYAIYAIYAI!!! // OUOUOUOU!!! // WHAT MANNER OF VILLAIN IS THIS, PURSUING YOUNG MAIDENS THROUGH OUR FAIR STREETS?!!!
Teppei: (What is this, a period piece?!!!)
Switch: Ohoh!! And who might you be?!!
Teppei: He's playing along!!
Bossun: IEI~IEI~IEI~IEI!! / WOW~WOW~WOW~WOW!! // Who might I be, you ask~~~?!
Teppei: (Aren't you guys classmates?!)
Bossun: Allow me to introduce myself. / No matter what the trouble on campus, I will handle it! // No matter who the troubled person, I will come to their aid! / For I am...

9
Bossun: Leader of the Campus Support Group, also known as the Sket-dan... // Fujisaki "Bossun" Yuusuke!!!
All three: ............
Teppei: ............ / HUH?!
Bossun: Right~~! I am here to save you, young lady~!!!
Himeko: Aaaaahh!! My hero~~~!!!
Teppei: ...so it was just a publicity stunt after all...
Himeko: Honestly, your lines are too full of clichés!!

10
Bossun: Shaddup! It's you guys' acting that stinks!! / Your attempts at Standard Japanese make me sick!!!
Himeko: You're the one who told me to!! I practiced like hell, ya know!!
Teppei: I wish they'd stop shouting at each other...
Bossun: Well, anyway, all that was really just a publicity stunt for our group!! / Sorry 'bout that!! You look kinda shocked!!
Teppei: Uh... / I worked that out a long time ago... // Speaking of which... er, you called yourself the "Sket-dan", right? // What kind of activities do you do?
Bossun: Hm... What's this? // You're interested in the Sket-dan?
Teppei: Should you be making comments like that at this point?!!!
Bossun: Let me explain!! // We work to provide the students here with a peaceful and happy school life!! // Eliminating trouble in a flash! // We consult people about their worries! // Seeking out lost things, even cleaning the school grounds... We offer our clients total satisfaction! // We are the infinitely dependable campus supporter group!!
Himeko: Hey, don't go telling him things like that. / You know everyone says the Sket-dan are really just handymen.
Bossun: Huh.
Himeko: We're not exactly popular. / We never get any real requests, and just end up doing nothing every day...

11
Himeko: It's all because our chief's so useless!!
Bossun: Who're you calling useless?! You say that one more time! I'll beat you up!!!
Teppei: Err... / Is she another member of this "Sket-dan", then?
Himeko: Ah, now you mention it, I haven't even introduced myself! // My name-
Bossun: This is our vice-chief, the Amazon. // She's a highly dangerous creature, so I wouldn't get too close if I were you... / She has acid running through her veins, so you'll get dissolved, see?
Himeko: I told you to STOP telling him things like that!! // Look, you've gone and scared the transfer student out of his wits!!
Teppei: (Aaaahh...!! It was over so fast!! An instant kill!!)
Himeko: Th- there was a time when I used to be a little mischievous... / But you don't have to be afraid. // I've grown out of all that. / I'm as harmless as a hamster!

12
Bossun: I'd like to see you find a hamster that ferocious, dumbass!!
Himeko: Ri~~~ght, that does it, don't you move a muscle!! I'm going to freaking impale the two of you!!!
Teppei: EEHHH?! ME TOO? / WHY?!!
Switch: If we're doing introductions, allow me. / I have all the data you will need.
Himeko: Switch...
Switch: Onizuka Hime, nicknamed Himeko. / She was once known as "Onihime", and has passed into legend as an incredibly fierce "yankee".
[TN: Onihime, as I'm sure plenty of people could figure, literally means "demon princess".]
Himeko: H- hey, you don't need to mention all that...
Switch: Birthday: July the 7th, star sign: Cancer, blood type: B; favourite food: Perori Pop Candy, tako-wasabi flavour.
Himeko: That's enough...
Switch: Height: 162 cm, Weight: Bust: Waist: Hip:
[TN: The values for weight, bust, waist and hip are covered by Himeko's text bubble.]
Himeko: HOW DO YOU KNOW THOSE?! // Where have you been getting your info?!!! / Seriously, what the... stop acting so damn calm!!
Switch: Her bodily fluids possess a heavily acidic-
Himeko: LIKE HELL THEY DO!!!
Teppei: E- er... I've been wondering for a while, but... / That guy... is he using his computer to...?
Bossun: Yeah... / Creepy, isn't it?

13
Bossun: Usui "Switch" Kazuyoshi. // Dunno why, but he says he doesn't like using his own mouth to speak, so he speaks using his own speech sonthesis synthware.
Switch: It's "speech synthesis software".
Bossun: He's really good at uncovering personal information and stuff. / Wouldn't get too close to him either.
Switch: My birthday is February the 28th, star sign: Pisces, blood type: AB, favourite Espada: Aaroniero Arleri.
Himeko: Who cares?!!
Bossun: Well, we're the only three members right now. / That's about it. // If you ever run into any trouble, you can always call on us!
Teppei: Right... thanks for the advice. // (Thank God... I thought they might force me to join...)
Bossun: So, anyway... // You're joining, right? The Sket-dan.
Himeko: Here, we'll give you J-League tickets!
Teppei: (I knew it...!!!)

14
Teppei: Well... I haven't really thought about joining any clubs yet. / I mean, I'm not really that good at making friends, and...
Bossun: Eh?! We're your friends, aren't we?!
Himeko: Damn right!!!!
Teppei: Aaaaaahhh......!!!
Switch: Bossun, Himeko. / An e-mail has just arrived. // A witness to the "Hageitou Incident", with information on the culprit. / It's just as you deduced, Bossun.
Bossun/Himeko: !!
Himeko: Really?!!
Bossun: All right! Now we can finally identify the culprit!
Teppei: (Huh... they're surprisingly earnest about this...) // What exactly is this "Hageitou Incident"?
Bossun: Well, some idiot scrawled "Baldy Itou" in huge painted letters on the wall of the gym. / And now everyone knows that Itou-sensei wears a wig...
Himeko: Sensei was crying with this bitter smile on his face, and we all felt really sorry for him...
Switch: We've been investigating it under the codename "the Hageitou Incident".
[TN: "Hageitou" is the Japanese for a type of plant; it also sounds like the Japanese for "Baldy Itou".]
Teppei: Is... is that right... // (Dammit! This is kind of getting to me!)
Bossun: Hm? What, you interested?

15
Teppei: So, this is the gym... / And they have a pond over there, huh... // This is a pretty big school... / Seems to have a lot of clubs, too... // Clubs, huh? // Maybe I should try joining one of them... // One of them... // No, not a chance! // I have my own things that I want to do!
Jougasaki: Ah, dammit!! // This pisses me off!!

16
Jougasaki: How did they find out it was us?! // Screwing with us like that...!!
Thug2: Like I said, maybe we should just stop with the graffiti... // Honestly, we never do anything interesting, Jougasaki-kun...
Jougasaki: Shaddup!! // Ugh... / Still, the ones I'm pissed off at are the Sket-dan. / The sneaky little tattletales... / I'll definitely get them back for this...!!!
Teppei: The Sket-dan...?! // Oh... these guys must be the ones who...
Thug2: But, Jougasaki-kun... Isn't that Onihime part of the Sket-dan?
Jougasaki: Wh- what about it?! / You think I'm scared of some stupid girl?!
Thug2: Jougasaki-kun, your voice is trembling!!
Jougasaki: DAMMIT!! / Every single person's screwing around with me...

17
Jougasaki: ....AAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!
Thug2: Ahhhh... What on earth are you doing now?!!
Jougasaki: AGH! / This isn't even funny!!! // These shoes and this T-shirt are both brand-new!! // Argh... // Aaaargh... // // DAAAAAAMMIT! Just let me hit you!!!
Thug2: Why me?! Aren't you getting it all wrong?!!
Jougasaki: PLEASE JUST LET ME HIT YOUUUUUU!!! // It doesn't matter who, I just want to beat somebody up!!!!
Thug2: That's not even revenge, you're just distracting yourself... *sweatdrop*
Teppei: Hm?

18
Jougasaki: .............Was that...?
Thug2: Yeah, that was definitely the transfer student.
Jougasaki: Transfer student?
Thug2: From Class C. / Errr... I think he was called Sugihara or something.
Jougasaki: ............. // Huh... // Transfer student, eh...?
Bossun: Ehhh~~~~~ Damn, I'm so bo~~~~~~~red... / Hey, Switch, count, will you? // I'M SO BO~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~RED...
Himeko: Oh, shut UP!! Why don't you just go home?!!
Switch: Fourteen seconds.
Himeko: YOU AS WELL!!!
Bossun: Ahhhh... why won't something just come up? Like... A blood-covered victim, right? He could, like, SLAM the door open and stand there... / And, like, say "Please, help me!" or something, right?
Himeko: How would you even deal with something like that if it did happen?

19
Teppei: P... // Please, help me...
Bossun: AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!!! // HE'S COVERED IN BLOOOOOOOOD!!!!
Teppei: Ah- no, it's not blood! // This is just paint!
Bossun: Aaaahhh... Of course... It was just paint... / Don't scare me like tha... / PAINT?! // What's with that?! How did you end up like that?!!

20
Teppei: Well... // I was watching the carp in the pond in the grounds, and suddenly it came splashing down from the second floor of the gym...
Bossun: .............!!!
Himeko: What the hell?!! // What a screwed-up thing to do!!
Bossun: Who did it...?! / Did you not see his face?!
Teppei: Well... He ran away pretty quickly, but... // It looked kind of like he was wearing some kind of mask to hide his face...
Himeko: A mask...?! He went that far? / What a creepy guy...
Bossun: Hiding his face, throwing paint and then running... / "Paint-Mask", huh...
Himeko: Right, got it!! / You wait up, I'll go beat up this Paint-Mask guy...
Bossun: Hey, were you even listening?! // Who exactly is it you're going to beat up? / Just calm down and have a seat!!
Switch: Still, it is unlikely that a person who has just changed schools would already have earned a grudge against him. // If this was an indiscriminate attack, there is the possibility that more victims may be made.

21
Teppei: I thought the same thing; I thought it might be a good idea to keep watch on the area. // And then I figured that that could be a good job for the Sket-dan, so I came here.
Bossun: What's that?!! Sounds like you really get it, transfer student!!!
Himeko: I can do this!!! I can totally do this!!
Bossun: All right! // The Sket-dan will find this "Paint-Mask" for you!!
Himeko: And I'll rip it to shreds!
Bossun: ...Rip what?
Teppei: Er, just a minute...!! // I - I'm glad you're all so enthusiastic, but I don't really want to make a huge thing out of this...!! // I don't really want everybody knowing that I've managed to get caught up in something like this... // when I've only just... // arrived at this school...
Bossun: What're ya so worried about?! That shouldn't be a problem, just makes you well-known!! / You'll be the "Penki-kurai-man"!!
[TN: That's "Attacked-by-paint Man"]
Switch: P.Cry-man!
[TN: I love Switch :p]
Himeko: Don't say it like it's D.Gray-man!! / He was being serious!!
Bossun: Don't worry about it. // The Sket-dan operates for the sake of its clients! // If you want a secret investigation, hell, that's our specialty! / We'll do our search without breathing a word about the paint. // Leave it to us!! // Right! Y'all got that?!! Tomorrow we begate investigin... begin investigating!!
[TN: Converting his slips of the tongue into English is a bitch ~_~]
Bossun: Ahh, I said it all wrong... I hate it when I do that.
[TN: Not entirely sure if I've translated that last sentence properly... there might be a pun in there I haven't got or something :p]
Masatoshi: And so I said to her: / "I have already found my angel, and so I could never fly with your wings." / ...you see.
Yumi: Ooooohh... I don't really get it, but it sounds lovely~!
Bossun: Oi. // We've got a few things to ask you.
Couple: Aaaahh!!!
Masatoshi: Wh- wh- wh- what is it?!
Bossun: You two are always being all lovey-dovey over here, right?
Yumi: Ma-kun, I'm scared~
Masatoshi: Huh?
Bossun: I'm asking if you come here every day!
Masatoshi: Well, we only just got here today, but... well, we do come here a lot after school. / Just the two of us, right?
Yumi: Right! <3
Masatoshi: So that nobody gets in our way.
Himeko: The two of you haven't seen any pai- er, any suspicious people around here, have you?
Masatoshi: Huh?

24
Himeko: Have you seen any da~~~~~ngerous-looking, suspicious people... / hanging around here?! / WELL?!!
Masatoshi We - we~~~~~~ll...
Teppei: (She's the dangerous-looking one!!!)
Bossun: Basically, have you seen anyone carrying anything weird? Like, any red, paint-like stuff, for instance?
Teppei: (He calls this a secret investigation?!)
Masatoshi: Anything weird?
Yumi: I haven't seen anything but Ma-kun...
Masatoshi: We don't really see many people around here at all, right?
Yumi: Right!
Masatoshi: We'd appreciate it if you would stop invading our little two-person sanctuary.
Yumi: Right!
Bossun: Right! You two get up and stand just there.
Masatoshi: Y- you're not going to hit us, are you?! // Ah, speaking of which, there was somebody here yesterday! / I saw Jougasaki and his friend painting over the graffiti on the wall.
Bossun: Paint... // Jousagaki?
Switch: Jougasaki was told to remove the graffiti from before from the wall yesterday.
Bossun: I see, Jougasaki, eh? He's exactly the sort of suspicious person we're looking for... it's a possibility.

25
Bossun: Okay, that's all... see you, bakaple.
[TN: That's a combination of "baka" and "couple", if you can't figure ~_~]
Bossun: Oh, and you two should just get it over with. You're going to break up soon enough anyway, so don't build up the suspense, that's just cruel!
Masatoshi: But -
Himeko: He gets off on his snappy remarks, so just pay attention to the atmosphere, why don't you! That's just cruel!
[TN: I'm not at all sure that I've translated her sentence properly ~_~]
Masatoshi: Wait a minute! Why are you all making nasty parting comments?!
Switch: Kosaka Masatoshi - he has a silver tongue, and has experience in courting multiple girls at once. / Recently, he only targets unintelligent, easy-to-charm girls, and brags about it to his friends.
[TN: I haven't heard the expression before, and I can't find it directly reference anywhere so I'm not 100%, but I'm pretty sure that 三股をかける is an expression meaning to date multiple girls at once.]
Masatoshi: Aaaaagh!! Why do you know about that?!!
Yumi: Say... Ma-kun.
Masatoshi: Hm? // No... I don't - // Heheh... Even when angry, an angel is -
Yumi: MA-KUN.
Masatoshi: Yes...
Bossun: And why exactly are we suppose to resort to torture already?!! / What are you, Belmonde or something?!
[TN: I think this must be a reference to Belmonde le VisiteuR, a new Shonen Jump series; the Japanese Wikipedia page for Sket Dance suggests the same thing. I'm not familiar with that, though.]
Himeko: Well, whatever!! Why don't we just go and beat up Jougasaki?!
Bossun: It doesn't matter how much we question him, if we don't have proof it's not going to do any good. // We'll have to tail him and find the proof we need. / Switch, you can handle investigating his personal details.

26
Teppei: ................ // When you say "we", are you including me in that?
Bossun: 'Course we are, rookie!
Himeko: We're the Sket-dan!
Switch: All for one and one for all.
Teppei: Have I somehow become a member?! // A - actually, tailing seems like a pretty nasty job, so I think I'll just wait in the club room...
Bossun: Huh... just when I wanted to pass on my great tailing techniques to the new member...
Teppei: New member?! I'm not part of the group!!
Bossun: (Jougasaki really has shown up at the scene of the crime... // And my disguise is perfect... // I'll definitely be able to expose him.)

27
Bossun: Aaaaaaaaaaagghh!!!! // That's hooooooot!!!
Himeko: Why are you using an afro as a disguise to tail people?!! / You'll stand out like a sore thumb!! Stop messing around!!
Bossun: And that's a reason to set me on fire from behind?!!! // Why the hell do you do things like that so calmly?! / Can't you think a little?! I could die from something like that, you know?!
Himeko: And if you do?! Messing around like that, who cares if you die?!
Bossun: I'm not messing around!! This is camouflage so I can blend in with the grass!
Himeko: How's that going to hide you in the grass?! You just look like a hairy old guy!
Bossun: Ugh...
Himeko: It smells all burned... makes me feel sick.
Bossun: YOU'RE THE ONE WHO BURNED IT!! // Hm? // What's this? // Now you've made me lose him!! // You check over that way!
Himeko: Got it!

28
Himeko: Watch out, Bossun!!!
Bossun: !!!
Himeko: Are you all right, Bossun?!! // Bossun!!!
Bossun: You're... // strangl... / ...ing...

29
Bossun: *cough* / Just follow that guy!!
Himeko: Where'd he go?!!! // I won't let you get away!!! // !!!
Masatoshi: Agh!!!
Himeko: Owwwww... // Agh!!! It's you!!
Masatoshi: Agh! The Sket-dan!!!
Bossun: Himeko!!
Himeko: It's no good... he got away...!! // Tch... // You REALLY don't pay attention to the atmosphere, do you...?!
Masatoshi: Huh?! What?! // Did I do something wrong?

30
Bossun: You mean you've been here ever since we saw you before?
Masatoshi: Yeah... // After that (thanks to you guys) Yumi-chan dumped me...
Bossun: No way...
Himeko: Because Switch...
Masatoshi: Since that happened, I've just been staring at my own reflection in the pond... / At my love-drowned face there in the water... / And I have come to understand... // If a large fish manages to get away... // It's like this pond... I have lost "koi"...
[TN: "koi" means both "love" and "carp" - this is highly relevant, so don't miss it out or anything.]
Himeko: Do you have to keep saying all these stupid romantic things?!!
[TN: I'm not entirely sure on the translation of that line... the dialect's rather heavy... but I daresay that's the gist :p]
Bossun: ............. // Why wasn't this guy targeted?
Himeko: Hm?
Bossun: Why didn't he target this guy? // It's an email from Switch.
Himeko: Isn't that Bosshoot? What's with that ringtone?!
[Email:]
Switch
Good work~ (＊–▽–)／♪
fnshed invstgting Jougasaki ＼(^▽^)／
found plnty of info~~!
will giv rprt l8r~ (＊´∀`)b
“b((((≧▽≦))))q”
Shake♪Shake♪
[end email]
[TN: Japanese textspeak/emoticons are a wonder to behold ~_~]
Himeko: Seriously, why's he sending a mail like that at a tense moment like this?! / Though it does get me worked up...
[TN: I take no responsibility if the above line bears little to no resemblance to what she actually said... her dialect's so freaking thick I can barely understand a word of it sometimes. Not to mention that the things she actually says are usually odd enough too.]

31
[Email:]
heyhey (＊^o^)ノ”(––[noparse];)[/noparse]
dont get so heated up
(lets take it easy)
(。ゝ∀･)ゞ
[end email]
Himeko: WHY IS THIS TURNING INTO A CONVERSATION?!!!
[Email:]
to tell the truth
im standing nearby☆
｜・ω・＊)*peek*
[end email]
Himeko: YOU'RE RIGHT THERE!!!
[sign: Meeting in progress]
Switch: So, basically, when he was in primary school, Jougasaki used to play a sort of game where he would play pranks on people and then run away; this became popular, and it became an issue.
Bossun: I see... / Good work, Switch.
Himeko: So? // Have you figured anything out?
Bossun: ................... // No... / A bit further... // Just a bit further and I feel like it'll all fall into place.

32
Bossun: I think it's time to start... // connecting.
Teppei: (He's putting on the goggles...?) // Er... / Connecting... what, exactly?
Switch: You shouldn't talk to him right now.
Teppei: Huh?
Himeko: Concentration Mode. // When Bossun puts on his goggles, his ability to concentrate goes up like crazy. // Though it seems to be really tiring. // When Bossun does this, he's kinda incredible.
[Text: EQUIP!]

33
[Top-right: "I don't really want to make a huge thing out of this...", top-left: "I thought the same thing; I thought it might be a good idea to keep watch on the area.", centre vertical: "Why didn't he target this guy?", centre horizontal: "When he was in primary school, Jougasaki used to play pranks on people and then run away; this happened a lot", left faint: "This is camouflage so I can blend in with the grass!", right faint: "I was watching the carp in the pond in the grounds", bottom faint: "It's like this pond... I have lost 'koi'..."; the word "koi" is highlighted]
Teppei: Wow... / I'm tingling all over... I can feel this state of total concentration...

34
Bossun: Whew!!!
Himeko: Bossun!!
Bossun: Aaaahhh...!! / I'm so tired!! // Ahhh... // Right then... // Let's carry out this operation. // Everyone meet up back here!

35
Bossun: Hmm?
Flashback!Bossun: He won't attack anyone unless they're alone.

36
Flashback!Himeko: Will you be all right on your own, Bossun?
Flashback!Bossun: Yeah, leave it to me.
Bossun: Just kidding!

37
Himeko: Don't move!
Maskguy: !!!
Bossun: Right, Himeko!
Himeko: If you move, we'll tear the skin from your face-
Bossun: Don't say such scary things!! Just take the mask!! // I sorted out the real operation afterwards by email. // Prepare yourself, Paint-Mask. // No... // I already know who you really are.

38
Bossun: Transfer student.
Teppei: Y- // You're wrong!! // What are you talking about?!!

39
Teppei: I just came to see...
Bossun: You've got the paint, right?
Teppei: !!!
Bossun: You poured the paint on yourself. // Didn't you?
Teppei: .................!! // Ngh...!! // ............. // H- // How...?

40
Bossun: "Koi". // You said you were watching koi carp in the pond.
Flashback!Teppei: I was watching the carp in the pond in the grounds...
Bossun: But... / There are no carp in that pond any more!
Teppei: !!!
Bossun: You probably glanced at the sign by the pond and made a mistake...
[sign: Please do not feed the carp!]
Bossun: Since last year, there have been no carp kept in that pond. // I figured the one who wouldn't know that there were no carp in that pond would be the transfer student who just arrived. // The reason you came straight to the clubroom and suggested we keep lookout on the grounds... / was to lure us to that area, wasn't it? // Your target was the Sket-dan. // And the one you were taking orders from... was Jougasaki. / Right?

41
Teppei: ......!! // Jo... // Jougasaki? // I don't know anyone by that name!! // I mean, I only just arrived at this school...
Switch: We know about your past. // Sugihara Teppei. / You were living in this area when you went to primary school. // Jougasaki was a classmate of yours.
Teppei: I see... // Fine... // It looks like you've seen through everything. // Yes... I was trying to get you guys covered in paint. / Following Jougasaki's orders.

42
Teppei: I used to be... // I used to be bullied by Jougasaki. // Just like Switch-kun discovered, people used to play a game where they would play pranks on people and then run away. / Well, you can call them pranks, but they were malicious. // The one at the centre of all this was Jougasaki. He would never do anything himself, but he would order others to do it for him. // One day, he gave me an order, but I refused. // That was why... // he started to bully me.

43
Teppei: The bullying continued until I graduated. // Back then, I honestly used to dread each coming day. // At the same time as my graduation, I moved house. I was separated from this area. // But in middle school and then high school, I didn't make any friends; I spent my time alone, being inconspicuous. // And then I had to come back to this area. // I meant to use this as my opportunity to start over. // To make friends... // Enter clubs... // But... // That same Jougasaki was attending this high school.
Flashback!Jougasaki: Oi. // You're Teppei, right? // Sugihara Teppei. // See? It's me, it's me! // It's Jougasaki~! // I knew you in primary school, ya know? / Hah, hah...

44
Flashback!Jougasaki: I heard you'd moved away somewhere, ya know... / You came back, did ya? // Well, let's have some fun together again. / Hah, hah... // You can be our nakama. // I've been getting pissed off and kinda bored. / Let's have a little game to prove yourself, just like old times. // We used to do this a lot, remember? // Cover one of the Sket-dan members in paint. // You know what'll happen... / if you don't do what I say, right?
Teppei: And so I // covered myself // in paint.
[TN: If anybody here on MH doesn't know the word "nakama"... then shame on you :p But just for the record: "nakama" is a Japanese word for "friend" or "comrade" literally meaning something like "part of the group" and generally evoking a powerful sense of trust and companionship.]

45
Bossun: Covering yourself in paint was the "camouflage" for the whole thing. // If the same thing happens more than twice, // anyone could search for the culprit through his connection to the victims.
[TN: There's something a bit odd about this sentence... it looks like it reads "nobody would search for the culprit through his connection to the victims". But that doesn't make much sense in context ~_~ I'm pretty sure it can't be a negative sentence, but I can't figure out how come.]
Bossun: But if you yourself are the first victim, people wouldn't suspect you.
Himeko: Hmmm... so that's what he did.
Teppei: You're an incredible person, aren't you. // You got it all absolutely right. // I used your club activity... / used your desire to help people to try to create the right opportunity.
Himeko: But why? // I don't get why you just went along with what Jougasaki had said the whole time.
Teppei: I can see why you'd wonder that about something as stupid as this. / But... // For me, this was a huge issue. / I guess you're probably going to laugh.
Bossun: Hah. // I'm not gonna laugh. // It's not like it's funny or anything.

46
Himeko: Making this whole club was a pretty ridiculous thing in the first place, but that's what Bossun did. / He's a weird guy, you know? // But I think that was because he wanted to be able to help people like you out. // He's the kind of guy who can worry about something with a dead serious face and get really caught up in it even if it looks meaningless from where he's standing. // It's useless to just let something make you weak, transfer student! / Things like that, it's better to resist them!
Teppei: I can't do that!! // I can't resist it!! / If a person like me wants to live a peaceful school life, // he just can't stand up to things! // To stop things from escalating... // I have to avoid resisting uselessly... // avoid connecting with people where possible... / I just have to live through it as best I can.

47
Bossun: AAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!! // NNNNNNNNNNNGH!!!!
Himeko: Huh?!! / Bossun!!! // What the hell're you doing?! / It's scary!!!! // That red paint looks freaking scary!!!
Bossun: I won't go and say anything useless, like / "Pluck up some courage and stand up to these things". // You did all that stuff because that's impossible, right? // I get it. // But... / In that case... // Why don't you just tell me about it.

48
Bossun: If you want to cover me in paint, just tell me and that'll be fine!! // If a friend's in trouble, the Sket-dan will help them out!!
Teppei: A friend...
Bossun: If all I need is to cover myself in paint, that's what I'll do!!!!

49
Teppei: I... // Have I been deceiving my friends...? // I...!!
Bossun: There's no time to just stand around crying. / You wanted to start over, right?
Teppei: Huh?
Bossun: Friends... // Clubs... // And plenty besides... // There'll be all sorts of new things... // starting from now on!

50
Teppei: Yeah!!
Bossun: So anyway... // Oi. // You're watching all this from somewhere, right? // Jougasaki.
Thug2: Oh, no! I thought they were just hanging around... / But they've really found us out!!
Jougasaki: .....................
Bossun: Over there, huh?
Himeko: Huh? / Jougasaki's over there?!

51
Bossun: You went to the trouble of leading us all here... I figured it must be because the guy giving the orders was watching.
Teppei: Hahah...
Bossun: Right, then... // Shall we go and "sort this out"?
[TN: The kanji say "sort this out", the reading says "kick him".]
Bossun: Teppei. // Agh! / She's already rushed in!!
Himeko: JOOOOUUUUGAAAAAASAKIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!
Jougasaki: !!! // AAAAAAAAAAGHHH!!! // Th- the- the Onihime...!!!
Bossun: Couldn't you just have entered normally...?

52-53
Bossun: You know what we're here for, right, Jougasaki?
Jougasaki: Ah...... If it's about Teppei, that was all just a big joke, y'know? // I never thought he'd actually go and do it... / Never thought he'd take me.....
Bossun: Don't say such irresponsible things. // It's always a joke for the tormentor. // But for the one being tormented, it's always dead serious.
Himeko: I HOPE YOU'VE PREPARED YOURSELF!!!
[TN: Ouch.]
Himeko: You could try fighting a little too!!!

54
Bossun: What?! // He joined the basketball club?!

55
Bossun: But why?!
Himeko: Who knows...
Bossun: After we'd been through all that, wouldn't you think he'd join us?!
Himeko: Like I said, who knows?!!
Switch: It seems he was always interested in basketball. / He decided to do what it is that he enjoys, and resigned himself to joining a club based on that.
Himeko: Aw, he's resigning himself to stuff again... - No, actually, that's pretty impressive of him.
Bossun: Hey, hey, hey... D'you think it's too late for us to go and make him join us? / I mean, we should be able to, right? I mean, if Himeko just uses a bit of force, that should work, right? Should be easy, right?
Himeko: WHY DON'T YOU TWO EXERT YOURSELVES A LITTLE TOO?!!!
[TN: I'm not sure about those two lines... I'm not entirely sure of the meaning of the phrase 体張る.]
Bossun: Oh, yeah, by the way, did you say we've got another email with a request?
Switch: Yes. // It's from the school janitor, Yoshimura-san. He says he wants help fixing things around the school.
Bossun: What's with that?!! That's not something to ask students to do! There's gotta be something better than that! // No way, no way... we can't do it.
Switch: It seems that someone has damaged the storehouse behind the school.
Bossun: You can tell him we're not just common handymen!
Himeko: Storehouse behind the school... isn't that where we beat that guy up yesterday?
Bossun: Agh!!!
[Email:]
Request too annoying.
We ain't some kind of
common handymen, ya know~~~~!!
щ(゜Д゜щ)
[end email]
Bossun: Wait, wait, wait up, Switch!!!

56
Teppei: (Bossun...)
Basketballer: What's that weird wristband you're wearing?
Teppei: Oh... this? // (It looks like even I can find nakama.) // Somebody gave it to me. // (It feels like something's changed.) // It's a proof of friendship. // (There'll be all sorts of new things... // starting from now on...)
[box: Secretary, Switch]
Switch: Sorry, but I have to go home at 4:30. / I'm meeting up with someone.
Himeko: You just want to watch anime, don't ya!! / There's no way we're letting you leave!! // If you're going to lie, at least make it believable!!
[box: Vice-chief, Himeko]

57
Bossun: Aw, maaan... I think I might have a stomachach-
Himeko: YOU BIG FAT LIAR!!!
[box: Club Chief, Bossun]
Bossun: Anyway, you're the only one who was busting up the storehouse, so what've we even got to do with it?
Himeko: It - It's just a job, you know, a job...!!
Bossun: Er, excuse me... we're here about your request.
Yoshimura: Ah, you guys must be...
Sket-dan: We're the Sket-dan!!
[TN: It's the "Sket-dan 'ssu" pun again.]
[insert text: The Sket Story is just beginning!!]
[bottom text: Next issue, another request! The keyword is "Bomb and Monkey"?! What's with that?!]

EDIT: Gaaaaahhhh... Just noticed I'd somehow managed to miss three lines on page 17... they're in there now >.<
EDIT2: ...and another one on page 57 ~_~