Gintama 353

Sorry if this makes no sense everyone, I really didn't understand most of the jokes in this myself. Not that it makes the translation any easier when I DO get them, but at least I don't have to spend six hours trying to figure out what a Sayounaraion is.



(Side text- Been a while, sign board!)

(Sign- Please don't look.)

(Side text- The TV anime is currently airing!)

GINTAMA.

Katsura: Although you can clearly see what was written...

I found this in Elizabeth's room.

Although I was asked not to look, this in itself is perplexing.

I'm not told what I shouldn't look for. Or what it is I can't look for....

Or if it's something that when I am looking for it, I won't be able to find it, hense something that I'm looking for that cannot be found. So I guess if that's the case, I will find someone who can seek what I cannot. While that person will have someone searching for them, all the while keeping me from searching for what it is I cannot look for.

But if even that is something I must not look for, for the thing that I must not look for, I must search for people who'll search for people who'll search for people who'll search for people who'll search for people.

002

Gintoki: You hurt my brain.

(Sfx- Gofuuh thok)

Shinpachi: How'd you get so lost in a maze of not looking in the first place?

Katsura: Please don't look.

Gintoki: We aren't.

It's obviously that, right?

You know, running away from home.

Katsura: E---Elizabeth ran away from home you say?!

Gintoki: Dude, it happens all of the time. It probably got tired of hanging out at your place and ran off. So now it says not to look for it and....

Well here we are.

Katsura: Th—that cannot be!!

We've become nothing but closer during this time we've been together! What could possibly be the origin for such behavior?!

Why the lat time I saw Elizabeth, we were....

….....!!

003

Katsura: ….Last time...

Hm...come to think of it,

when WAS the last time I saw Elizabeth?

Shinpachi: YOU DON'T KNOW?!

Kagura: You would do well to notice immediately when she is gone, yes?

Katsura: Well, I would have, but I was far too busy trying to figure out who was sending that spam message about joining us patriots with that obviously photo shopped image....who was that on there anyway?

(Spam- {Do you want to bring happiness with the patriots?// Join us in support of fortune by supporting the Patriot happiness act.// What, the idea of becoming a patriot sound too hard? But as a patriot you can find and seize happiness! Hear the testimony of E-san who was just a housewife!//Housewife E-san.//The first step is simply removing the foreigners.})

Gintoki: Of course she'd run away then!!

Shinpachi: Hm. There's a small date written on the bottom of the poster board....

It's a small lead, but was that the last day you two were together...?

Wait a second, isn't that today?

(Date- May 24th.)

Gintoki: It's May 23rd.

(TN- The calendar says the same thing.)

Gintoki: What the....I mean I could understand if the sign had been written yesterday, but why's tomorrow's date written on it? Was there some sort of mix up?

Kagura: It is for the future. It was meant for later.

Shinpachi: No way that could be it...

Gintoki: You know..

Maybe it's not for the future,

but something written one whole year ago?

004

Gintoki: After thinking about it,

It's only really been around during that whole character popularity charade.

After that, it appeared during the new years card thingy, and in pictures and crap. No one's actually seen it since then.

Since we sorta follow the Sazae-san method in the Gintama world, we wouldn't notice or care, but to the readers, it's been about two years since they woulda seen it last, right?

Katsura: A---a moment, please!!

Are you trying to tell me that Elizabeth ran away from home a year ago?!

That I've been living a life for a whole year without even noticing she was gone?!

Gintoki: Well dude, it's not like you remembered.

Katsura: Enough with your foolishness!! You want me to believe that the readers, the mangaka and even myself have forgotten Elizabeth's existence?!

As if something that ridiculous could.....I can't remember!!

How come it's only memories of Elizabeth that are so unstable?!

Shinpachi: They're not unstable...but you know what they say...out of sight, out of mind.

Katsura: How have I let one year get between us?! What's happened to you, Elizabeth?!

ELIZABEEEEEEEEEETH!!!!

005

(Side text- The TV anime airs each Monday at 6pm, only on TV Tokyo!! Jump NEXT is now out everywhere, with a special cover!! And the hotly anticipated volume one of the anime on DVD hits stores on July 27th!!)

(Side text- A fantasy of racing through space....)

GINTAMA
SORACHI HIDEAKI
Lesson 353: The end of a picture story show and a show of dreams.

(TN- Er...Well in Japanese Kamishibai is 'picture story show' Yumeshibai is 'dream story show' and then the rest of the title reads 'Kore de oshimai' which means 'this is the end.' They all sorta rhyme, so maybe they make more sense in Japanese.)

006

Katsura: For now, let us search for clues in our dwelling.

Quickly now, so we may find Elizabeth's whereabouts.

Although my memories are vague...

I'm positive that she couldn't have just disappeared into thin air for over a year.

(Sfx- Paaan slam)

(Sfx- Zuraaaaaah dooooom)

Katsura: Not Zura, but Katsura.

(TN- He's referring the SFX above.)

Shinpachi: Uh..you do know that no one said anything right? More like, how did we get dragged into helping you?

Kagura: What are these, Zura?

Katsura: Not Zura, but a poster board.

Do you all remember this?

(Sign- Little girls need to go home and watch Ainori!!)

Shinpachi: Ah, yeah...that was from the character popularity poll arc. I think she said something like that then.

Katsura: Yes, I know this as well. Elizabeth doesn't use word bubbles to communicate, instead she prefers to use these poster boards.

It seems that she has kept all of her poster boards that she's used up until now in this place.

Maybe if we look through these, we will find the reason for her running away from home, and perhaps where her current location is.

Shinpachi: Here's the thing. She ran away because she wasn't noticed for a whole year.

007

Gintoki: Hey now...how are we even going to know where to start?

Katsura: Well as of now we don't have any clues...

But no need to worry. Elizabeth is just as much a samurai as I am, if not more. There's rarely a wasted word in her vocabulary.

For example, this phrase is easy to understand if you just read it.

Shinpachi: But..wait, who is she talking to with this one?

(Sign- Nah, anyone will do.)

Katsura: That's simple....

TV: Shall we repeat it?

(Sign- Nah, anyone will do.)

Katsura: AC~~~

Shinpachi: WHO'S GOING TO UNDERSTAND THAT?!

(TN- AC in this case is an educational commercial.)

Katsura: This commercial finished, and we were supposed to combo with 'AC~'. Normally that's how things go...however,

Even now she hasn't chosen to repeat or return...

(Handwritten- Sniffle, Elizabeth...)

Shinpachi: How is that Samurai like?! Do the two of you exchange pointless conversation like this all of the time?!

Kagura: However, at that time, it had yet to run away. That we can be sure of.

Gintoki: The problem from here on in is finding something weird to start with. Do you guys see any weird phrases here?

Huh? This is...

Sudden thanks...?

(Sign- Thank you.)

Shinpachi: Hey look at this one!

(Sign- Good bye.)

Shinpachi: This has to be it! This strange farewell seems to indicate that she's decided on something!! But what is...

008

TV: The magic words are 'fun friends'....!!!

Katsura: DING DING DING!!

(Sign- Ding ding ding!)

Shinpachi: THIS IS AC TOOOOOOOO!?!

Katsura: I assume this must have been the commercial with Arigatousagi and Sayonaraion taking part...

You see, there's Konichiwan and Konbanwani as well, with their lessons with 'wa'. Strictly stpeaking, they are usually written as 'ha' but in this case we still have them written as such.

(TN- Okay. Um...Arigatousagi and Sayonaraion are well...Thanks Bunny and Goodbye lion. The last vowels of the words and first vowels of the animals names. I THINK Konichiwan is 'Hello bark' and Konbanwani is 'Goodnight Gator'. Which again have names that overlap. Katsura is talking about how Konichiwa and Konban wa have the hiragana for 'ha' written, but they are still pronounced 'wa'.)

Katsura: However at the time, I had no idea that this would happen...If I had known, I would have never let Sayonaraion go...

Shinpachi: To what extent do you let AC run your life?! If you don't find it deep in yourself to grow up and knock this off, we're all going sayonaraion!!

Gintoki: It looks like these are from that commercial as well.

(Sign- No, Kefia.)

(Sign- No, Ayataka.)

Shinpachi: HOW MUCH TV DO YOU TWO WATCH?! DO YOU HAVE ANY TIME TO BE PATRIOTS?!

Gintoki: If we keep this up, we're never going to find where Elizabeth is.

(Sign- Sorry, Eli's standing up.)

(Sign- Is that the same barber that Kato Tokiko uses?)

(Sign- What kanji do you use to write Renhou?)

Shinpachi: She's showing a LOT of interest in this Renhou thing!!

(TN- Lotus moor? That's what the kanji for Renhou reads...)

Shinpachi: Moreover, what kind of situation was going on here?! The only thing we learned from these poster boards is something about the Renhou!!

Katsura: Hmm....I too would like to know what good would come from knowing 'If that is the same barber that Katou Tokiko uses?' Though, wait...I think I may have remembered something.

009

Katsura: Certainly this phrase has to do with that time...

{On a day where the winter chilled us to the bone...}

Shinpachi: STOP IT!! HOW COULD ONE PHRASE TURN INTO A FLASHBACK?!

{We had finally lost our pursuants, but while doing that we had also lost our way.}

Gintoki: I'm almost 100 percent sure that this flashback isn't going to get us any useful information.

Katsura: It was at this time that the battle between the old in years young at heart Ishihara was fighting at the end of his first year against the candidate Renhou, in a mano a mano showdown.

(TN- Oh so Renhou is a NAME.)

Shinpachi: The TV again?! Just put an end to this already!! More like, you've forefully imposed Renhou into this haven't you?!

Katsura: I see...so it's those two...

Shinpachi: You don't need to act out this play any more! See!? Renhou's hair as grown! You can find out what barber Katou Tokiko goes to from him!

Katsura: I wonder who will be able to save the world from all this chaos? Will it be Ishihara or Renhou?

(Sign- No, it's Katsura.)

Shinpachi: IS THIS AN AC ARRANGE VERSIOOOOON?!

WAIT A SECOND!! THIS ISN'T ABOUT FINDING OUT HOW RENHOU CUTS HIS HAIR?!

{Rather than worry about such trivial arguments, we decided to set out and satisfy our hunger.}

Shinpachi: SO THIS FLASHBACK IS POINTLESS?!

010

Katsura: After all, we cannot let this country rot away any further, so we have to act quickly.

{Feeling giddy, we continued walking, until something flew right before our eyes.}

(Handwritten- I'm Renhou, Nice to meet you. Please vote for me.)

(On car- Renhou, bringing peace to Edo!)

Shinpachi: Ah! That's!!

Renhou! The real Renhou!!

His hair is cut!! And she's looking awesome! Now I think I understand all these phrases!

So she was thrust into this to explain everything earlier....

Katsura: Ma'am, are you okay? Would you like me to hold your bags?

Shinpachi: THIS IS AC TOOOOOOO?!

WHY ARE YOU CONCERNED WITH THIS?! RENHOU IS RIGHT BEHIND YOU!! YOU COULD HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE HAIR CUT!!

Old lady: Thank you so much. To think there are still people with kindness in Edo like you..

Shinpachi: Sure it's kind to help out the elderly, but the kindest thing you could do for all of us is to stop this flashback!!

011

{And that's how we met old lady Fumiko.}

Shinpachi: We REALLY don’t want to hear about the old lady's back story!!

{Old lady Fumiko would often perform plays for the children on the stairs in the public park.}

Shinpachi: You've completely lost your chance, you're not going to get another.

{Unfortunately, the children have no interest in her plays.}

{So she'd have to carry all of her props upon her aged back while ascending the stairs.}

{Only one couldn't stand to watch her.}

{So Elizabeth would go the park each day and help her out.}

Shinpachi: Geez, the story's completely shifted gears! There's no way Renhou's going to come back!!

{On the rainy days..}

{The windy days}

{And the Renhou days.}

Shinpachi: THERE'S RenhouUUU!!!

{And the days where old lady Fumiko would just sit and watch the children play, Elizabeth would keep her company.}

Shinpachi: It's a miracleeeeeeee!! Renhou's cut her hair and is waiting right there!!

And besides that, Renhou's eating something!!!

012

{Finally after some time of being with Fumiko, Elizabeth finally decided to ask the question she had been holding.}

(Sfx- Mochi mochi chew chew)

Shinpachi: Gin-saaaan! she’s eating potato chips! Renhou's eating chips!!

Gintoki: Hey!! Look behind you dammit! Renhou's standing there eating!!

(Sign- Why do you always come here?)

Gintoki: SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING!! YOU WANT TO ASK ABOUT HAIR CUTTING RIGHT?!

Fumiko: Is it strange?

For someone who preforms plays, to come out here during the day and watch children at play?

Gintoki: Forget it! They're not going to even bother to acknowledge that Renhou's there!!

Shinpachi: Look! Renhou's throwing something at them!!

BUT THEY STILL DON'T NOTICE!!

Fumiko: After all, it is a playwright's job to bring the smiles to children.

But it seems that they've got their own means of amusing themselves.

So I guess my job now is to simply watch over these children as they grow up and protect those smiles.

(Sfx- Gari gari gari grnnnnnnnnd)

Shinpachi: RENHOU'S CUTTING HER HAIR THERE NOWWWW!!

Kagura: Go for it Renhou!!

(Sfx- Gar gari gari grnnnnnnd)

(Sign- I watch your plays, ma'am.)

Shinpachi: SOMEONE PLEASE SAY SOMETHING!!

Fumiko: Hehe..so you like them, huh?

Gintoki: YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A BETTER CHANCE TO SPEAK UP THAN NOW!!

(Sfx- Gari gari grnnnnd)

Fumiko: It can't be helped then...I’ll do my 18th show then..

Shinpachi: Please, someone just end this already!!

013

Fumiko: And now to begin the 'Is that the same barber that Katou Tokiko goes to?' show~

(TN- The sign on the box says the same thing.)

Everyone: THAT'S ITTTTTTTTTT?!

HOW DOES THAT EVEN WORK!?

Gintoki: Elizabeth's sign had nothing to do with this!!

We didn't get any information or Renhou from that story dammit!

Shinpachi: Moreover, what's with that play?! No WONDER the kids had no interest in it!!

Katsura: I don't remember the minor details at all...

I tried to remember the title of the play, but as soon as I did, my memories were burned into cinders...

(Handwritten- My whole body shivers just thinking about it.)

Shinpachi: Just how scary is it to remember this?!

Kagura: Why did Elizabeth want to wait for the old lady's plays?

(Sign- Sorry, but I'll have to take a stand.)

Katsura: Perhaps this phrase here will explain it....but I have to remember...

Shinpachi: NO!! You don't need to remember anything! Please!!

{I'm fairly sure this phrase...}

Shinpachi: We've already entered the flashback!! Please can we just get to the point?!

014

Fumiko: Oh Eli, you went too far....I can't even stand up now.

Elizabeth: Sorry, I have to take a stand.

Gintoki: THAT'S TOO DAMN FAST!!

Shinpachi: THAT WAS TOO FAST IN VARIOUS WAYS!! WHAT'S WITH THAT SUDDEN DEVELOPMENT?! WHAT THE HELL DID THEY DO!?

IS THIS SERIOUSLY A CONTINUATION OF THE LAST STORY?!

Katsura: There are certain things that you don't inquire about between a man and a woman. Though I should tell you that Elizabeth is an omnivore.

Gintoki: This is BEYOND the level of being an omnivore!! How'd you even find out about that scene anyway?!

Shinpachi: Waaaaaaait you found another phrase in this madness?!

(Sign- How do you write Renhou in kanji?)

Shinpachi: And it's about Renhou again?! Maybe using these, we can find out where Elizabeth is?!

Katsura: Ugh....

Kagura: Hey, Zura!!

Katsura: M---MY HEAD!! NOTHING GOOD CAN COME OF REMEMBERING THIS!!

IT'S AS IF MY INSTINCTS ARE WARNING ME NOT TO UNCOVER THIS!!

Gintoki: Can it really be worse than another love scene between the old woman and Elizabeth?!

Katsura: GUAHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Shinpachi: We're entering another flashback!! Is this one going to be filled with nothing but mosaics!?

015

Fumiko: It's snowing...

it's so cold...

(Sfx- Gabahhh fwipp)

(Sign- Hold on.)

Fumiko: Don't push yourself.

I wouldn't want you to catch a cold...

Moreover...

What I was borrowing....

Is something I already have.

Fumiko: You've already noticed it, right?

Though I guess I have been wearing this earthling disguise the whole time.

(Sfx- Bishiiii fwssssssh)

Fumiko: You couldn't have forgotten....

The caress of your former girlfriend's body, right?

016

Fumiko: You should already know why I approached you in the first place as well...

Even if you've forgotten your orders, the rule is that traitors have have to be dealt with....and that's my duty.

How surprising...

You still carry around those poster boards and live this cute little lie...

You should already know,

that this play of yours has to end.

Though, I've experienced so many people here on this planet...

Their smiles...

And even found my true mission...

I want to keep preforming this play where I protect their smiles....

You're the same way right?

If you didn't,

You would have never taken an elderly earthling woman upon your back.

017

Fumiko: So why do you still take on that appearance?

Why do you still use posterboards to talk?

You know full well why we're on this planet...

What we're going...

(Sfx- Don thok)

(Sfx- Dosa thud)

Fumiko: You're a cruel man...

Do you intend to keep running from the truth...? From me...?

Please, just stop doing this...

You have to...

Stop preforming in this play by other people...

And open up your own show...

(Sfx- Zah tmp)

(Sign- Are you finished?)

(Sign- You are to return to the mother ship at once. Your observation of earth ends here.)

018

(Sign- Let us go commander.)

(Sfx- Koku spin)

(Sfx- Zah zah tmp tpm)

Katsura: E---E....

(Sfx- Kasaaah dsssh)

Katsura: ELIZABETHHHHHH!!!

WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE?!!

(Sfx- Buru buru shiver shiver)

Katsura: There's one Elizabeth, two Elizabeth's, three Elizabeths.....

Four...

(Sfx- Dosaaa Thud)

Katsura: Z.....

Z....

???: It seems that his erased memories have finally returned...

019

Fumiko: My memories have returned as of now as well..

You've all been fooled up until now...

That man has been our cute little pet....

You see,

We intend to invade your planet.

Our secret investigation unit has been investigating you as enemies for this long long time...

We've been operating in the shadows of the other aliens...The Dakini, the Shinra, and the Yato, the phantom corps...

Once feared as the white demons....

(Sfx- Topu topu plup plup)

Fumiko: Our names are..

Katsura: Elizabeth...

Just what on earth are you? Mnya mnya...

(Sfx- DON doom)

(Sign- How do you write Renhou in kanji?)

Everyone: THERE'S THE PUNCH LINEEEEEEEE?!

(Side text- For serious?!)

GINTAMA LESSON 353...........END.