Haru Polish 1

p5

haru
haru
i'm haru!!

i've become an highschool student!!

p6

oh haru,
its great you came

did you come over to show us how you look in your school uniform?


grandpa
grandma
i wanted to show you as soon as possible

aren't you happy..
it looks great on you

you're already an highschool student..you've really grown

though my height haven't changed this year

oh, grandma haru went through the trouble of coming over..

i'll get her some allowence

nah, i don't need any money.

more importantly..

what is it haru? is there something else you want?

ohh even though you already know that...

p7

i've grown.. i'm already an adult..

ah...

we've made a promise that you will give it to me once i become an adult..
t-h-a-t <3

that...

p8

itadakimasu~ <3

ah!!

wait haru!!

fugi!!

katana! katanaaaaa!!

you said you'd give it to meeeee!!

hey calm down!! haru!!

to think she'd actually remeber it though

=12 years ago
kyaaaaaaaaa!!

p9

what are you doing haru

its dangerous having something like that

let go of that!!
come on, quickly!!

aaa

grandpa! you can't leav something dangerous like that somewhere a child could reach

oh, sorry sorry

strange, it was closed with a string so it would not be possible to draw it

gimmeeee!
gimmeeee!

show me your hand!
are you hurt anywhere?!

p10

idontwanto!!!!!

i want that!!!

don't say stupid things!

haru, that is something children musnt touch

then, once i get older it'll be ok?

hm.. thats right. once you become an adult

then once i become an adult

give it to me!!

ah....
sure sure, once you become an adult

hmm, well what shall i do now...

p11

thats right Haru, listen carefully

highschool students aren't adults yet..

hmph, just a second ago you said "aren't you an adult.."!!

idontwanna i wanna get the katana
i want to get it
i want it
aaaaaa

an adult?! where?!


what is it, why do want the katana so much Haru?

cause...

its really pretty...

again, i want to hold it like the last time

p12

ha ha ha

i see, because its pretty, eh?

here, look carefully Haru
hm

wait
a bamboo sword?

you were little, its no wonder you though it was a real katana

no way.. but

definetly back then...

it was

nt a katana....?

p13

if you still want it i'll gladly give it to you as a present for entering school

even though i went though the trouble of coming all this way and wearing this uniform and being in high spirits

even though i went though the trouble of coming all this way and wearing this uniform and being in high spirits

its so much shock she's just saying everything she's thinking

take care on your way back

p14

sorry

Haru

what i saw back then
it was definatly real

he must have sold it because he needed money.
theres an economic depression so it cant be helped

p15

it was somewhat blue
and gave a shomewhat black radiance
and it glowed somewhat suspiciosly

when i watched that ligh it felt like ill get sucked in

i was shivering to the depths of my heart. and i was completly frozen

once you see something like that its impossible to forget it

definatly..

p16

hi Haru

it sure would be nice to be in the same class

good morning

what happened,?you don't look too well.

even though i planned to supprise everyone today.. i didn't get it..

i didn't bring it

p17

katana

you...
even if you do get it, you can't bring it to school.

Haru
lets go see the table arrangements i the class


sorry

go ahead, ill come later

p19

katana?!

p20

katana!!

who?!

what are you doing here?!

katana!?
why?!
why is there a katana at school?!

she's not listening

obviously its not real
this is a Mozoutou

an Imitation Sword

a Mozoutou..
it really is

once you look closely you can tell

p21

a skilled craftsman custom made it so its details and the brilliance of the blade are different

woah~
then it’s a high class item isn't it?


i'm okamoto haru
i'm a new student here

you're my senpai right?

right.. i'm katayama wakana, a 2nd year student


more importantly, is it ok?

isn't the entrance ceremony is starting?

but even though it’s an imitation how come you can bring it to school?
why are you swinging it over here?

i get it. she’s not someone who listens to other people

i used it as part of a club

because it’s the last time I felt like swinging it over here..

p22

a club..
you're leaving it?

no.. the club itself is being dissolved

what!
I’ll join the club so please continue!

the japanese sword appreciation club

thats wrong!

iaido

the club i was in was the iaido club

p23

if I’m not mistaken iaido is

the thing in which masters cut straws or something like that

a club like that existed

because she couldn't use a real sword she used an imitation sword

you.. erm

you can call me haru

haru chan, do you love katanas?

yes!
since a long time ago it has always been one of my favorite things!
some day I want to have MY katana

and what do you want to do once you get your own katana?

p24

i'll make a shrine for it and use it to decorate my room
as well as pray to it every morning and every evening.

and once I a while I’ll take it out and look at the light coming of it

I’ll enjoy that and write haikus about it.

...there’s nothing to talk about

p25

a katana is

a tool born for cutting people down

and not for anything other than that.

it’s nothing like a decoration

that is my philosophy


p26

its different
she's not imitating moves

she is really cutting

p27

even though it’s not a real sword

even though is a mozoutou which can’t cut anything down

and even though there shouldn’t be anything before her

she is definitely cutting something down

p28-29

iaido

a butojutsu type martial art which uses japanese swords were used

different from other martial arts in that instead of fighting other opponents, you cut down imaginary enemies on your own.

in worldwide perspective its a very special kind of martial art in which a technique sarts by drawing the sword and ends when it is returned to its scabbard

p30

everyone else in the club were just like you...


they all joined the iaido club because of the looks of the katana without giving any though to its true nature


they just wanted to hold a katana in their hands
to show it off

because it was cool

right,
except for the one who taught me iaido

i probably too should have said my goodbyes to this club when he quit it

p31

now that my seniors are Graduating i am left as the only member..

that opportunity is now over

if you really want to you are free to open up a japanese sword appreciation club yourself

well then

umm

katayama san

if you may...

could you let me swing that katana a couple of times


p32

uwa

its heavy

even though its a mozoutou handle it properly considering its weight

oh

yes

place your left hand a bit lower

yes

p33

otototo

swing from the start
and properly stop it.

this..
is expensive right....

150000

one hundred and fifteen....!!!

keep that in mind while you swing


ye..
yes!!


i mustnt damage it..............

its heavy so i shouldn't swing it around..

something is wrong


forcefully stopping its the katanas movement is

somehow
not beautiful

p34

more, like..

ah, a band of light..

pretty

i get it

instead of forcefully stopping it, i should let the katana more how it wants

the katana should be a part of me

no

i should move like i became a part of the katana

p35

that might be good swing

but that way is no good, haru san don't you remember what i just said

a katana is a tool made for cutting people

swing as if there is an opponent standing before you


p36

an opponent...


hmm
even though its imaginary killing a person is a bit..


i know

something which is not human..
something else


something like a monster from a game


monster
monster
......

what the hell

what and where am i supposed to cut in something like that



something with a bit more..
of a human form...

should be at least 2 legged
.....

p37

yes
a zombie

p38

why?

it should be her first time swinging a katana

her form is all over the place, but

there is no spec in her cuts

its natural

ah

i remembered

back then

i was called

p39

it wanted to be swung

ah

that kid

is the same

as that person

p40

haru is so looking forward to holding the katana

after all your father's ...

isn't it..

when haru was born

during a night in a spring storm

she was born really small and weak

looking like she could just disappear any moment


looks like tonight is the climax

is that so..

its late so it'd be best if you two head back


p41

how is yoshiko san?

she's not in danger, and is sleeping right now

you two don't need to worry. try to think of a name for your grandchild

right..
a name fitting to a girl born in the spring

aah

p42

father..?

and what appeared over there was my father

in other words
haru's grand grandfather

p43

what happened that you're here..
all the way from gifu

the child?

ah.. she was born

but she is really weak

this

i've forged it for her

forged it, you can't be..

a katana?!

weren't you retired

it was necessary so i forged it

a katana is for killing people
but

at the same time it is also a tool for protecting people


p44

i've forged it for this newborn

that glow shold give her power and protect her

father
are you alright?
forcing without regarding your age

but be careful
for such a small child that power will be too much

it is also possible she will be taken by it

p45

well then

give my regards to everyone

ah
father

thank you

p46

isn't it great she's gotten stronger

yeah, and drinks lots of milk
even though she was so small, its like its not real

what is that?

father brought it

its something like a?charm

but its not allowed to look inside

p47

it must be what saved her

that workaholic that never looked back to his family

not to mention forging a sword for his family’s sake

the day after haru became energetic the next day father passed on

i guess that in the end he did leave something to his family

i'll give this katana to haru once she get a little bigger.
until then i'll hold on to it

as this devine protection is a bit too strong for her


p48-49

this kid too

can touch the katana's soul

its bad

she got too engrossed with the katana

if this goes on she might not be able to go back

haru sa-

p53

wha

the zombie is?

hey, katayama san what happened?

p54

katayama san?

haru san, you..
would you like to try iaido?

eh?

high leveled iaido practicers (jouidansha) need to use real swords
in other words they are allowed to use real swords for practice


p55

real swords?!

awesome! i'd like to do that

if we find another member the iaido club will be able to continue
do you have someone?

i don't! but i'll find someone for sure!

i've come to want to see it

her polished form

yosh!
i'll do it

being able to touch the katana's soul

though it might be very dangerous


but if its the real nature of a katana...

p56

by the way, are you sure its ok?
the entrance ceremony


aaaaa
i forgot

it already started

wait

the katana

sorry i'm late!

p57

good that its only the school newspaper