Bakuman 97

To clarify, I got the raw for this on Friday night, almost 3 days later than usual. I had a life I was living on the weekend and didn't have any spare 10 hours to translate this. So I got little bits done at a time from Sunday to today when I had time, so that's why it's late. And somehow doing all that I managed to do SOME of the other translation/scanlation work I had to do. I'll hopefully get the next chapter's raw on time tomorrow and I'll make sure to get it done in one day.

I hope you understand the whole password thing.
Also, did you know Shinigami only eat apples?

[Bakuman 97 Translation by Kewl0210]
Page 1:
Hattori: Okay!
Let's go for a five-chapter arc! It'll be Takagi-kun's chance to show his skill as an original author!
Shuujin: Got it!
Top Insert Text: ☆With "Bakuman"on the cover, double-leaved,"Jump Next" gets rave reviews! On sale now!!
Middle Insert: With their backs against the wall, they won't hesitate in that battle!!
Title: Bakuman
Page 97 Last and Password
Original Author / Ooba Tsugumi
Manga / Obata Takeshi
Hattori: There are six more chapters to draw until chapter 25......... But chapter 25 is after the combined-issue for the Obon festival.
I want to avoid the last part of the arc occurring after a one-week blank, no matter what...... If we're gonna do this, we're using the five chapters up until the combined-issue!
Saikou: Then Takagi absolutely has to start writing next week.
Hattori: You still haven't thought of anything yet, right? Will you be all right?
意地でも作ってみせます
Shuujin: I'll make it no matter what!
I'll get the framework for all five chapters in 3~4 days! Then, I'll start right on writing chapter 1!
Hattori: Okay, then let's get to it!
Box: But...

Page 2:
Box: 2 days later
Saikou: ...
Shuujin: The series framework............. I finished chapters 1~3, but I haven't got 4 or 5, yet..........
Hattori: For now, just tell us about what you have finished.
Shuujin: Okay...
First, for the things that happened in school, particularly in the 5th year 3rd class, someone comes forward saying someone's setting them up.
Somebody: A rival!
Shuujin: Yes.
For example, when Aiba-san wasn't late anymore...
Or when Ooshita-kun was getting teased and became popular in class, this guy says that someone set it up.
He says he's he'll expose the culprit.
The one who said it was Akechi-kun, who has very good deductive reasoning skills.........
TL Note: The kanjis for the name Akechi (明知) mean "light" and "knowledge".
The PCP members are kind of uptight about it, and have a meeting to strategize on how to deal with it.......
犯行予告 はりだされる
The next day, an advanced notice for a crime is posted. For example, something like this......
Paper: At lunchtime today, something good will happen, only in Year 5 Class 3.
Shuujin: ..........And the first chapter ends there.
Hattori: An advanced crime notice? Isn't that deliberately exposing PCP's existence?
Shuujin: No, think about it carefully.
Saikou: ?

Page 3:
Shuujin: If there was an advanced notice of a crime like that in real life, what would happen?
Hattori: ?
Shuujin: If we use that "Lunchtime" example, say, if only Year 5 Class 3 gets pudding for dessert or something......
At that point, who would be the prime suspect?
Hattori: Who?
Shuujin: The one who said someone was setting it up, Akechi!
Saikou: Ah, I see.
Hattori: That's certainly true... That would be a good way to ensure that sort of rumor started.
Shuujin: And, the next crime can also be something good for Year 5 Class 3, which will spread the rumor even more...
They do the advanced crime notice once they have everything prepared.
Meanwhile, Akechi's trying his hardest to expose the ones who are framing him.........
But, for some reason, the more he moves or makes a fuss, it just makes him even more suspicious.......
So then, Akechi suggests the other classmates watch over him on 24 hour shifts. Finally, the second chapter ends with the members of PCP looking kind of stressed out, again.
[After that, they put the Death Note in a potato chip bag so he can still punish criminals while they're watching him...]

Page 4:
Shuujin: For the third chapter...
Since he's being watched, it should prove that it's not him committing the crimes, should another occur.
But, just as people start watching him, PCP stops committing crimes.
So the class believes it must be Akechi, after all...
Just as PCP expected.
At this point, Akechi stops saying it wasn't him, and says he is the culprit, so he's gonna stop searching.
Saikou: Eh?
He admits he's the one!?
Shuujin: But, this is all part of Akechi's plan......
Now able to relax, PCP starts up on perfect crimes again.........
Saikou: Because,t even if they keep happening, everyone will just think it's Akechi.
Shuujin: No.
Saikou: Why?

Page 5:
Shuujin: Akechi had a few people who believed he wasn't the culprit watching him the whole time!
Saikou: !
Hattori: Then, that would be prove he wasn't the culprit.
Saikou: Pretty good!
形勢逆転した犯行の手口から複数犯であること
Shuujin: So then, the situation's reversed. Akechi correctly guesses that there were multiple perpetrators by how the crimes were done...
And, the type of printer that was used to make the advanced crime notices.
And they also got 3-packs from 12 different stores, so the puddings that were put in the lunches wouldn't lead back to them.
And, although they don't like hearing it... They're forced to acknowledge Akechi's deductive power, all the while, feeling like he's getting closer to cornering them......
So, the first chapter is the introduction of Akechi and the reasoning how everything that's been happening has been done by someone.
Then, chapters 2 and 3 are PCP's advanced crime notices and execution. I can write the details for those, too.
Saikou: That sounds pretty interesting.
Hattori: Yeah, not bad.
Chapters 2 and 3 have perfect crimes like the other chapters up until now. That'll make them even more interesting, won't it?

Page 6:
Shuujin: However, I can't help but wonder, do chapters four and five....
Saikou: ! .........
Shuujin: For chapter 4, PCP could send a written challenge just to Akechi. Like, they'll announce a plan in advanced, and if he can stop it, they'll voluntarily reveal themselves, or something like that.
Saikou: Oh! A written challenge, that's interesting! We should go with that for the 4th chapter.
Shuujin: No, I can't think of what to put in the challenge, it's no good.............
Saikou: ? ,,,,,,,,,,
Hattori: .........
Yeah...How interesting this arc is will be based on what's written.
An arc is about how you build it up for the last part, so the most important thing is to come up with that essential ending.
Shuujin: That's certainly true... For this, a simple crime won't cut it. We need something with a showdown feeling, or something with a good presentation... or some big twist for a last part.
Hattori: What's best would be Akechi trying to stop whatever was put on the advanced notice from happening, and instead, it goes just as the notice said it would. Some development like that.
Shuujin: Th-That's good! Plus, it's flashy and cool!
Saikou: If we do could do that, PCP'd look cool..........
Shuujin: That's hard..........

Page 7:
[All the kanjis in the bubbles say "chapter"]
1: The rival, Akechi, appears, saying he'll catch the culprit, and PCP puts up an advanced crime notice.
2: It goes just as the advanced notice says, and everyone suspects Akechi. Akechi himself is watched.
3: The crimes stop. Akechi is suspected even more. Akechi declares his defeat? He proves his innocence. With Akechi's deductive power, he's cornering PCP.
4: An advanced announcement (written challenge) for a final, decisive battle. Then, go to a scene for a showdown.
5: With an unforeseen method, they achieve the cool advanced announcement and PCP is victorious.
Shuujin: I think it's a good way to organize the first to fifth chapters.
Hattori: Yeah. The problem is how the last part goes...
Shuujin: How should we do the final confrontation......?
A setup to make the readers roar...
Saikou: ..........
Well... Worst case scenario, we can write up to the 3rd chapter and think up the setup for the 4th and 5th chapters.............
Hattori: You can't do that!
In this case, every chapter is there for the sake of the end... No, in fact, you should make the last chapter first, and foreshadow it from the 1st chapter!

Page 8:
Hattori: This is a five chapter arc we're doing to surpass "+NATURAL" and "CROW".
It's unreasonable to do something like draw chapter 1 without even having the end finished.
If you're going to take that risk, then we should go back and clean up the first one or two chapters after they're completed, like we've been doing all along.
Shuujin: That's true.............
Think. A cool last part......
A cool ending.......? An advanced announcement and a showdown.
It's an issue that goes on sale mid-summer. How about I try to think of some kind of summary?
Saikou: If you're looking for a picturesque display, then how about an advanced to shoot off fireworks?
But, wouldn't it be hard to make it seem like they're not going to go off, then having Akechi's actions turn it around so they do go off?
Saikou: .........A situation where by Akechi has to shoot them off himself...... Yeah, there's really no way...
Hattori: ......And anyhow, because of fire safety laws, we couldn't make them purposefully launch big fireworks. "PCP" is strangely realistic, so it makes things difficult...
Saikou: .........
What about something like fireflies? An advanced notice to fill the classroom with fireflies at night...
Shuujin: And Akechi ends up bringing the fireflies himself?
Saikou: Nah. It's like something's fundamentally wrong with how we're thinking about this.........
Shuujin: No, I think the way we're thinking is right.

Page 9:
Box: 6 hours later.
Hattori: A pool... watermelon splitting... ocean... sunflowers... beetles...
Saikou: Summer festival, yukatas, the national high school baseball tournament.
Shuujin: The more we think, the harder it gets...
It's already this late............ I'm gonna go home and think about it some, myself.
Saikou: Well, I'll try thinking about it, too, but... thinking up the story is your job, Takagi. Try your hardest...
Shuujin: That's right... If I don't win with my own original story, it won't be a victory against Iwase...
Something where Akechi honestly admits his defeat...
Box: The next day.
Takagi: I graduated in 2006. My name is Takagi Akito.
Yes...
Yes.
Kaya: Where're you going?
Takagi: I'm not gonna get anywhere tearing my hair out at home, so I think I'll go to the elementary school to collect data.

Page 10:
Shuujin: Thank you so much, Kyoutou-sensei.
谷草市立 明草小学校
Sign: Tanikusa City [Right, small]
Meikusa Elementary[cut off][Larger on left]
Kyoutou: I'm the current principal. Put on this arm band, for now.
Anyway, Takagi-kun, you're doing manga, eh...? "Jump"? That's even popular with the kids, isn't it?
校内放送で卒業生が見学とだけ流しておくから1時間自由に見てまわってくれ
I put out an announcement that an alumni is going to be observing things for studying purposes, so you're free to look around for an hour.
Shuujin: Thank you very much.
Sign: Science Room
Shuujin: Pudding for lunch... I just said it casually, but maybe I can use it.

Page 11:
Shuujin: So, I took a trip to the elementary school. ...Sure was nostalgic.
Saikou: Heh. So, what did you get out of it?
Shuujin: I didn't really hit on anything big, but............
Saikou: Sorry, incoming mail.
Shuujin: Azuki?
Saikou: Yeah.
Shuujin: What about?
Saikou: Nothing really, a meaningless message.
Shuujin: Azuki sends you texts with no meaning?
Saikou: They don't come often, but...
It's something Azuki's done naturally since a long time ago.
Phone: Azuki Miho [Next to the "From" part]
Rainy Season [Next to the "Sub" part]
There are people who get worried if it doesn't rain. But, there are people that get worried when it rains too much, too, aren't there?
Shuujin: ......What is this?
Saikou: At times like this, I reply with something like "What's this mean?". And I get something like "Eh!?" right back, so I reply with "Oh, right!".
Shuujin: ........Well, ever since middle school, Azuki's had her odd little quirks............ Kaya-chan, on the other hand, is totally easy to understand.
Saikou: Yeah, Kaya-chan's really understandable.
Shuujin: !
Saikou, how many characters are there per line on your phone mails?
Saikou: Eh...... 12 characters... But most are like that, aren't they?
Shuujin: Yeah, mine's 12 characters, too!!

Page 12:
Shuujin: Yeah... If they send the advanced announcement via a text...
All right! I'm going home to make it on my PC!
Saikou: Eh? What?
Shuujin: A password! Azuki's mail that we couldn't understand gave me an idea.
See ya!
Saikou: ..........
Typing Sounds: Tata
Tan
Tata
Tata
Shuujin: This is pretty difficult.
Typing Sounds: Tata
Tata
Tata
Kaya: Akito-san, what about dinner?
Shuujin: Hm? Yeah, I'll eat.

Page 13:
Shuujin: Mm~~~~~ With setting off fireworks, there's plenty that comes with it...
It's earning me more letters...
Kaya: ?
Typing Sounds: Tatah
Tata
Tatah
Tata
Kaya: Akito-san, Goodnight---
Shuujin: Goodnight, I love you.
Kaya: Eh! ...Me, too...
Typing Sounds: Tata
Tah
Box: The next day
Shuujin: Okay! That's about right...
Saikou, I finished it. The contents for the arc.
Saikou: Ooh, how is it!?
Shuujin: It's hard to explain over the phone, so I'll head over now.
Saikou: Ooh.
Shuujin: This is in the range that can be done in a real elementary school! I'm pretty confident with this.
Though, most of it's still in my head and not down on paper, yet.
Saikou: That's fine, just hurry and tell me.

Page 14:
Shuujin: First, "PCP" has a private cell phone so they can't be tracked by phone number or email address, which I don't think seems out of place.
Saikou: It's a manga, so having something to that extent's fine.
Shuujin: I know, right?
Then, "PCP" find out Akechi's cell number and email. I don't think that seems unnatural, either.
Saikou: Yeah. He's their classmate, after all.
Actually, since Akechi thinks the culprit is very likely to be in the class, it wouldn't be going too far to have everyone exchange that information.
Shuujin: Exactly!
So, "PCP" sends Akechi the advanced announcement from the private phone via a text.
Saikou: Ooh!
Shuujin: For example,
"On July --th between the hours of 8 and 8:30 PM, we're going to set off fireworks in the schoolyard. If you're able to stop this, we'll willingly reveal ourselves. We will have one person doing this, and they won't shoot them off in the shadows, nor behind the gym."
Something like that.
Saikou: Oh, so you're going with fireworks, after all.
Shuujin: Ooh, and strangely enough, this July --th is in the middle of the city's big fireworks show and can be seen clearly from the schoolyard at the same time. So, this story can easily be made to be flashy and picturesque.

Page 15:
Shuujin: And, when Akechi isn't able to figure out who sent the advanced notice by the appointed day, what do you think he does?
Saikou: Of course, all he can do is stand guard over the schoolyard.
Shuujin: Yeah.
Something like this.
Top Text: Fireworks from the city fireworks show
Center Text: Schoolyard
Text in circle: Akechi
Text on School: School Building
Saikou: ......Yeah. I think I could give it a bit more ambiance when I draw it, though......
Shuujin: So, since he got an advanced notice, Akechi's going to be on constant watch for another text to come, right?
Saikou: Yeah, I guess he would.
Shuujin: So, at 7:55 while Akechi's standing guard at the schoolyard, he gets a text like this.

Page 16:
Paper: Akechi-kun, though we may be launching fireworks at the elementary school, they are not large, rocket fireworks. We have taken precautions so you will by no means find the location within the schoolyard, though you will see them launch, without fail. Show us you can guess where the fireworks launch! We'll be waiting in anticipation.
Even if you remove these below that appeared as reported on the advanced crime notice, I'll feel I have won emotionally.
Suika Purin Ikura[These are the romanizations of the words written in the middle with the big spacing.]
(Watermelon, Pudding, Salmon Roe) [These are the translations, but for this password to work I need to explain it using the romanizations, so just put these small above or below in parentheses.]
Akechi-kun, surely you really want to stop and expose us this time?
Think. How far will things go as calculated?
Saikou: .............This is the password you said you made before, right...?
This specially spaced "Suika Purin Ikura" line is suspicious, but......?
Shuujin: The hint is "Even if you remove these below"...
Saikou: Even if you remove these below...
Remove these "I" and "ka"............?
TL Note: The word "below" in Japanese is "ika". The password here is interpreted as "remove the characters 'i' and 'ka' from the words".
[The paper in the back is this panel is the same as the one on the right]
Saikou: Take out the "i's” and "ka's”.
Paper: Suika Purin Ikura [The "ika" in "suika" is scribbed out. The "i" in "Ikura" is scribbled out.]
TL Note: The remaining characters, "supurinkura" spell out "sprinkler" in katakana.

Page 17:
Saikou: Sprinkler!!
So this means they're shooting them off from the sprinklers!? The ones in the schoolyard.
Shuujin: Yep!
Akechi also deduces that there's a rocket firework prepared in the sprinkler.
And that it'll be shot off there.
Saikou: Eh... But, is it okay for him to figure it out?
Shuujin: He checks the locations of the three sprinklers in the schoolyard, but it doesn't seem like he can lift them up on his own. And, he also considers the possibility that the rockets will go off if he tries to take them out.
Saikou: So, it's like they'll actually end up going off because his own actions, huh?
Shuujin: If you were Akechi, what would you do, Saikou?
Saikou: Hmmmmm... Watch the switch that starts the sprinkles...? If you can see the sprinklers from the switch, it'd be best.
Shuujin: The switch to the sprinklers is usually in the staff room.
So, he asks the night guard and keeps an eye on both the switch in the staff room and the sprinkler.
Saikou: Eh!? ..........If he's even watching the switch, what does "PCP" do?
Shuujin: Saikou, once more... This time, make all of the words in the advanced announcement hiragana, and take out the "i's” and "ka's”. Then, read the last character of each line vertically.
Saikou: Eh?

Page 18:
[Ok, so for this part, leave all the original kanji there and write the romaji above it. For this, you need all the lines to match the original as well.]
Akechi-kun, hanabi no uchiage wo su [The "su" is circled]
ru towaie shou gaku sei. Ooki na [The "na" is circled. the "i" in "towaie" is scribbled out]
mono de naku roketto hanabi. Ba [the "Ba" is circled.]
sho wa koutei nai no kanarazu dokoka de [The "i"s in "tei" and "nai" and the "ka" near the end of the line are scribbled out. The "de" is circled".]
Shoutai wo abakarenai you ika [The "i" in "shoutai" is scribbled out. The "u" in "you" is circled, and the "ika" at the end is scribbled out.]
naru te wo tsukatte demo kanarazu uchi [The "ka" in tsukatte and kanarazu are crossed out. The "chi" at the end is circled.]
agete miseyou. Hanabi ga a[the "a" at the end is circled]
gerareru tokoro wo ateru kurai no ge [The "i" in "kurai" is scribbled out. THe "ge" at the end is circled.]
wa misero! Kitaishiteiru [the "i" in "tai" and "eiru" are crossed out.]
[They skip a line here]
Watashi no hankou yokoku doori kyuushoku ni de [The "de" at the end is circled]
ta, ika wo toriagete mo ki [the "i" and "ka" in "ika" are crossed out. The "ki" at the end is circled.]
bunteki ni wa watashi wa mou katta [the "ka" in "katta" is crossed out. The "ta" at the end is circled.]
[Skip another line here.]
Suika purin ikura [the ra at the end is circled. The "ika" in "suika" and the "i" in "ikura" are scribbled out.]
[Skips a line here.]
Akechi-kun wa, kondo koso soshishi [the final "shi" at the end is circled]
te shoutai wo abakitai koto deshyo [the "i" in "shoutai" is crossed out. The "i" at the end of "abakitai" is crossed out, and the "yo" at the end is circled.]
u [the "u" is circled.]
Kangaero doko made keisan douri ka[The i in "keisan" is crossed out. The "ka" at the end is scribbled out. the "ri" at the end of "douri" is circled.]
Saikou: Sunaba de uchiageru dekirara shouri (If we launch them in the sandbox, we win.)
!
Awesooome!
The real place they'll shoot off is the sandbox!?
Shuujin: Yes.
And, it's setup that way because the sandbox is as far from the staff room as you can get in the schoolyard.
From the staff room, he won't be able to see the sandbox clearly.
Makoto will send a text about the trick to the advanced announcement to Akechi from the sandbox............

Page 19:
Shuujin: And Akechi realizes he's been setup!
With time to spare, Makoto lights the rocket firework in his hand!
And only then, there's also a lighter on his strap.
Saikou: That's great! That's really interesting, Shuujin!
Box: Shuujin tested this setup the same way on Hattori-san...
Hattori: I see, sprinkler...?
Ooh, hmm.
Oh I get it, the sandbox!
This... is working well.
Shuujin: Yeah.
Watermelon... pudding... it even has the earlier crimes used as something earlier leading up to it.
It even brings out the feeling of Akechi's complete defeat, it's PCP's total victory! Okay! We can do this arc.
Shuujin: Okay. I'll hurry and get the script for the five chapters done.
Insert: The Akechi Arc is unleashed!!
Bottom: Bakuman
...Page 97 / End