Sket Dance 52

1
[insert text: Momoka's henchmen have come to the clubroom! And it looks like something serious...?!]
Himeko: Sorry there's not much room...
Henchman1: Oh, no!!
Henchman2: We're the ones who should be apologising, Nee-san... suddenly imposing on you like this...
Henchman3: We really don't want to trouble you or anything...
Himeko: So... what's up, then?
Henchman2: The truth is... // Well, it's about Momoka-san. // She just hasn't been hanging out with us lately...

2
Henchmen: I mean, we know she's busy with her work and everything... // But recently, she's just been acting really kind of... different. // She's become kind of difficult to approach... so we just seem to have lost contact with her.
Himeko: Hmmm... // But isn't that just kinda inevitable? / I mean, she may still be a student, but people do change when they start a career... // An' Momoka sure did seem pretty damn serious about the whole thing.
Bossun: It's not that big a deal, surely? I mean, she's doing her best, and that's the important thing. Anyway...
Henchman2: Nee-san!
Henchman3: What should we do, Nee-san?!
Bossun: Ummm... huh? ...Uhh...
Henchmen: We just want to get the good old Momoka-san we knew back...
Himeko: You shouldn't be so selfish. // Momoka has her own world now.
Switch: She's correct. Kibitsu Momoka is now the name of a famous seiyuu.

3
Switch: She's practically at the level of a true celebrity. She may have more than enough to deal with already simply handling it all. // You shouldn't expect to be able to go back to how things were before.
Bossun: That's right. // As a person enters the world of work, they begin to associate with different people. // She's managed to achieve some real success. / The job of a true friend in this situation is to cheer her on from the sidelines, making sure not to get in her way. // But I know Momoka won't forget about you guys. // She'll be sure to come back to you when she's ready!
Henchman1: All right, Nee-san, / Switch!
Henchman2: Yeah, the two of you are right! // In fact, the truth is... / ...Momoka-san wants to see you all tomorrow; she's going to bring round her new anime DVD.
Henchman3: She may have changed a little, but I'm sure you can all get on just fine with her regardless of all that!
Switch: But of course.
Himeko: Damn right we will!
Bossun: Leave it to us!
Henchmen: Thank you! / Nee-san! // Switch!
Bossun: ...............

4
Sket Dance
Chapter 52: Just A Little Image Change~!♡
[insert text: Ah, we haven't seen Momoka in a while... wait, whaaaat?!]
Momoka: Heyyo, everyone~!

5
Switch: Heyyo there.
Momoka: Heyas~~!
Bossun/Himeko: .........
Momoka: Nee-tama...
Himeko: "Nee-tama"...?
Momoka: Bosstass...
Bossun: "Bosstass"...?
Momoka: I'm so happys to see yas again!☆
Himeko: "Happys to..." / Oh, forget it!! / What the hell is this girl even sayin'?!!
Momoka: Nice to see yas, Pun-Pun-Head!☆
Himeko: Oh, screw that!! / I don't even know where to START!!
Bossun: Are you... really Momoka?
Momoka: Oh, yeppers~!
Bossun: ...What?
Momoka: And today, Momotan's brought yas all her new Liberty Maji DVD~nyora!
Switch: Hm... / Is it the limited edition? // I want a signed copy!
Momoka: Sure thing~!
Bossun: ...So this is what they meant by "changed", huh...?
Himeko: ...Nothing could prepare us for this...

6
Himeko: Okay, I think you've got some explainin' to do... // What the hell happened to you...?
Momoka: Oh, nothing really happened~! / Momotan's just nice and bouncy like always, yays~!
Bossun: ...What's with this girl...?
Himeko: Chuu-san better not have been feedin' her any crazy potions or anythin'... // Anyway, what's up with those clothes, huh? / Even if they do kinda suit you... // Before it seemed like you put more, you know, spirit into it... / You tryin' to be cute or somethin'?
Momoka: I's cuteseriffic~!
Himeko: Are you lookin' for a knuckle sandwich, huh?!! / That sure ain't no word I know!!
Switch: Mega cuteseriffic.
Momoka: Yays!
Himeko: YOU JUST KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT, FOUR-EYES!!!
Bossun: Y - / Yays...?
Himeko: OH, NO YOU DON'T!! // YOU'RE NOT GOIN' OVER TO THEIR SIDE!!!

7
Himeko: Seriously, what kinda way of talking is that?!! / It's creepy! It pisses me off! // Hell, what language is that anyway?!!
Momoka: Momotan-speak.
Himeko: IT HAS A NAME?!!
Switch: It originates from terms that Momoka began using on her blog... / ...and is an amalgam of netspeak and anime characters' catchphrases~nyon!☆
Himeko: YOU STOP USING IT!!
Bossun: Wait, since when does she even write a blog...?
Himeko: Wait, you knew about all this, Switch?
Switch: Naturally. // Momoka's blog is possibly the most popular blog on the internet.
Bossun: Seriously?! / Why don't you try telling us these kind of things already?
Himeko: Hm? / What're you doin' now, Momoka?
Momoka: There we goes~!☆
[blog:]
Nee-tama and Bosstass
lookies, it's Nee-tama, from my precious Sket-dan~! she's mega-strong, and cuteserriffic to boot~!♡ momotan worships her~! (^ω^)
they're like SUPER inflerences to me~!
[/Blog]
Himeko: DON'T BLOG US~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!!
Switch: Incidentally, your series of updates yesterday on the Momotan♡Blog were rather entertaining.
Momoka: For reals~?! Thankies for commenting all the time, Polunga-tan~!
Bossun: Hey...!! / I've got my eyes half-shut in this picture!! You gotta take it over!!
Himeko: Ugh, I can't take this... / ...This whole situation is just killin' me...

8
Switch: So essentially... // I think this is a case of "super inflerence".
Himeko: ...An' here he goes again with the words that make no sense...
Bossun: What's an "inflerence"...?
Switch: The majority of the anime that Momoka is involved in are bishoujo-centred works, and she herself plays mainly moe characters. // In her enthusiasm for her job, Momoka has evidently been getting a little too "into" her roles, and the roles have been exerting a powerful influence upon her. // And the Momotan-speak for exerting a "powerful influence" would be "super...
Bossun: ..."Inflerence", yeah, okay. / We get it already... // So basically what you're saying is that Momoka's getting way too serious about this, yeah?
Himeko: Even so, this is kinda ridiculous... // I mean, c'mon - you used to be a tough delinquent girl with a great long skirt... / ...who'd say stuff like "If you make me mad, you're gonna pay", an' all that...! // You remember, right?
Momoka: ............ // Momotan didn't says that~.
Bossun/Himeko: WHA - ?!!

9
Bossun: Whoa, whoa...!! She's actually making out like that stuff never even happened?!!
Momoka: Momotan came from the planet Peach, nyora!
Himeko: Ah, crap!! She's tryin' to bury her past completely!!
Momoka: Momotan can't stands nasty delinquentses!
Himeko: Ah, shut it!! / You used to be a world-class delinquent, dammit!!
Switch: Well, it is difficult to blame her. Momoka has, after all, become something of an idol to an enormous number of people. // It only makes sense to hide such scandalous things away.
Bossun: ...Yeah, I bet that's exactly what your managers say. // Am I right? // Momoka.
Momoka: ............

10
Momoka: Yes. // That was just what my manager said... // He told me that becoming a seiyuu meant becoming an idol as well...
Flashback!Manager: And the most important thing of all is your own character! / Do you understand? // If a seiyuu voices moe characters... / ...then the seiyuu herself has to be a moe character! That's the world we live in today!
Momoka: And so that's what I did... / I did everything I could to do what they wanted... // ...until before I knew it, I ended up acting like this all the times~...
Bossun: I understand that you want to give this your all. / But you know, Momoka... // You can't just forget your own past. // If you reject your past... // ...that means rejecting all the people you cared about back then, as well.

11
Bossun: And, well, that would really kinda suck!
Momoka: Yes... // Yes... // You're right.
Henchman1: !! // Who's there?!
Henchman: Gahhhh!!
Bossun/Himeko: !!
Bossun: What the - ?!

12
Himeko: Ahh!! / You guys...!
Henchman1: Nee-san!
Henchman2: This guy... / He's a magazine photographer!
Himeko: Huh?! // What's goin' on here?! Whaddaya think you're doin'?!
Photographer: Heheheh... // Well, you know... a little birdie told me that Kibitsu Momoka used to be some crazy delinquent... // Oh... you wouldn't be her friends, would you? // Hahah, I see, I see... / Let me just get a few shots, yeah?

13
Photographer: Aahh!!! // My camera...! / !!!
Himeko: Hey, old man. // Is it really that much fun poking about in people's business?

14
Himeko: 'CAUSE IF YOU SCREW WITH ME, THEN I'LL RIP YOUR GODDAMN EYES OUT, PUT 'EM ON STICKS, AND FEED YA FUCKIN' EYEBALL-FLAVOUR LOLLIPOPS, YOU GOT THAT?!!
Photographer: Aaaaaghhhhhh!!
Momoka: ......... // You guys...
Henchman1: Sorry 'bout that, Momoka-san...
Henchman2: Just when we were tryin' to make sure we didn't get in your way, an' all...
Henchman3: What do we do...? // If anybody finds out you've been hanging around with the likes of us, it'll be terrible...!

15
Momoka: ......... // No... // I was in the wrong here.
Henchman1: Momoka-san...
Henchman2: Do you mean...?!
Momoka: ...I really was kinda pushing myself too far there. // Watching Nee-san put that punk in his place just now... / ...made me realise that it's this world that I care about more than anything else.
Henchmen: Momoka-san!
Momoka: I'm going to be on a talk show tomorrow lunchtime. // I'd like you all to watch it if you can. // I'll sort this whole thing out my own way.
Bossun: Sure.
Himeko: We'll be watchin'.
Momoka: It's a promise~nyon! / - Ahh...
Bossun: I guess it's gonna take a little time to get rid of that...!

16
Teruko: Good afternoon, everyone! // And welcome to "Teruko's Room"! // Our special guest today is cute as a button, a little doll of a girl. / As only seventeen years old... // ...still a second-year high-school student, she's already a famous seiyuu! / And I hear she's receiving an awful lot of support from the younger male viewers in particular! // You may know her... / ...from her work in anime and the like... // ...so give a warm welcome to today's guest - it's Kibitsu Momoka-san!
Bossun/Himeko: Pfft!!

17
Chuu: Is something wrong, Bossun?
Bossun: No, uh... Momoka, she...
Teruko: And may I say what a pretty face you have to match your wonderful voice. / But that certainly is an interesting outfit you are wearing... Why, you look almost like one of those "gang girls"... do they still call them that nowadays...? / I suppose this is some kind of promotional stunt, or...?
Momoka: ......... // N... No, it's not. This is the real me. // Th - The truth is...
Teruko: Ehhhhhm... / So, let's talk about the show everybody knows you for - Liberty Maji. And you write that with the kanji for "serious", yes? // I'm sure everybody would enjoy it if you could give us a little performance here today -
Momoka: Ah - Teruko-san, if you could just listen to what I have to say. // The truth is... // I was originally a delinquent.
Henchmen: Momoka-san!
Momoka: Oh, I don't do anything bad these days! // But in the past, I did hurt a lot of people. // I just want you all to know the truth.

18
Momoka: I certainly enjoy my theatrical work. // I think I'm suited to it... / ...and I can honestly say that I enjoy what I do. // But even so, I can't pursue a career that forces me to hide who I really am. // That's why as of today, I quit being a seiyuu. // From this day onwards, I'm going to live a full and proud life, as the person who I really am! // You just watch!!
TV: ...And now, a commercial break.

19
TVGuy: Hey! // Did you see that on "Teruko's Room" just now?! // Kibitsu Momoka... // I've found her! / The star for my next drama series!!
[Text: And so...]
[Headline: "Delinquent Detective" Lead Role Confirmed!]
[subtitle: Kibitsu Momoka - from seiyuu to star!]
[quote: "It was destiny."]
Himeko: JUST HOW FAR ARE YOU GONNA GO?!!!
[insert text: This girl just never stops! It's a Cinderella story!!]