IWGP Denshi no Hoshi 1

Gorgeous art, compelling story-line, and it's a request long-standing.

Took me long enough because of the amount of research I had to do to get the cultural references. Hope you dig.

page numbers off the raw.

ATTN: The "client" has requested this reserved for two weeks, so please don't go using it for a scanlation until that time is up. Thanks!

03
box: Author - Hajimemashite-san / Ikebukuro's defender of justice?
bubbles: Ikebukuro
-Wonderful, wonderful Ikebukuro
-Seibu to the east, Tobu to the west*
(t/n - those are commercial stores, famous in the area. oddly enough, their names are opposite their locations, sei being west (but it's east), and tou being east (though it's west))
-And "Sunshine" soars up above

>Yep. He'll help search for people, or get you out of trouble

>But, we ain't got no cash. Think he'd take a job even if cops are involved?

04
>I'm telling ya, it's situations like these

05
>When you need to run and see Makoto

06 blank

07
-Woah....!
-This place is overcrowded...*
(t/n - interesting here he uses kanji to say this, after some research I've discovered he's using something kinda like hacker-speech, 人大杉 is a message you get if the server gets overloaded from too many hits (displayed in kanji). You'd never be able to tell otherwise if this hadn't been written down)

-Hmm...west gate, west gate...
-Toubu's department store is over there, so...
-West gate's over here?
(t/n - see, he's getting confused with the names too!)

-Aaah! That's the famous...
-Ikefukuro statue! (t/n - ikefukurou, play on the name of the area. The Ike means owl)
-Gotta get this on my cell!! (t/n - another techie term - 写メ cell phone email w/ pics attached)

08
-W-what the heck
-is that??

-60 stories!
-The Sunshine building, huh?

-Why am I acting like Sazae-san?? (t/n - reference to one of the oldest comics of the same name)
-I didn't come here to sight-see!

-Y-yosh!!
-bang bang
-Now this looks more like 'Bukuro fashion!

-Please, God...
-Let me meet this defender of justice!!

09
-Yo, peoples!! Anyone here know the all-around
-trouble-shooter, Majima Makoto??

10
-Granny, do you know Majima Makoto?
-Haah?
-Grandpa's on a blind date* and isn't back yet!
(t/n - *Actually says Neruton party, Neruton Beni-Kujira-Dan - famous show which sensationalized matchmaking. Don't know too much about it but eh, she's definitely delirious, the show's ended years ago(?))

-Hey...?
-She's my favorite...
-Into those kinds, huh?
(t/n - honestly, not sure what they're saying. It's too out of context)

-Um...
-Are you all alone too, kitty-cat?

-Yeah, I have a test tomorrow?
-I'm busy, tired, and broke
-Man! I can't decide between that ex-wife or single chick! (t/n - チャンネー possibly slang for neechan)

-Mom, dad...can you hear me?
-The air here in Tokyo is far colder than any wind from the Tsugaru straight
(t/n - 津軽海峡, tsugaru straight connects the main island to hokkaido. thus, very frigid winds blow over)
bubble: Guess I should go back...

11
-But this isn't right...Makoto is supposed to be well-known
-At least here in Ikebukuro

-Ah!
-Maybe--
-I should find some people in serious trouble, and maybe they'd know!

-Huh? What's with them? They keep staring at me
-I hate this place already

no bubble: Look the other way...

-Hey you
-Lookin' for Makoto?

12
-We might know a thing or two

-Eh? You really know him??
-Makoto-san, I mean
-Yep. The guy whose family runs the Majima Fruit store

-Come with us

-Mom, dad...can you hear me?
-The first people who've showed me kindness seemed a bit like delinquents!
bubble: Who's he talkin' to?

-First time here?
-Y-yes!! I got here on the very first bullet train today...
-That right?

13
-Lots of people've come askin' for Makoto like that

-We've been helped a bunch by him ourselves
-He's the type of guy who can't ignore people's problems

-Ikebukuro's
-Defender of Justice!

-Makoto lives up to his name!

-Hey, Makoto-kun

14
bubble: oh?
sign: Tangerine / 1 basket 30,000 yen (t/n - RIPOFF!)

-Who's this?
-huh?
-Not what I expected...
-Says he's got a job for you

15
-What job?
-My name is Sonobe Terunobu
-I found out about you on the 'net
box: using computer gestures
-I'm actually looking for a friend he--
-50 GRAND

-Huh?
-I SAID 50 GRAND!
-GYAHAHAHAHA

-E-erm, 50,000 yen??
-T-they said you don't ask for money...

-You've gotta be kiddin', kid. These guys work for me
-And they don't work for free, get me?
-Not paying up? Huh?
-I thought we made ourselves clear
-W-what're they doing??

-Didn't you bring enough cash?
-biku biku x2 (vein popping noise?)
-Fine, I'll lower it to 30 grand

16
-I-I can't pay
-that much money

-Hey Makoto-kun, this kid's got a laptop on him
-T-that's...!
-Heh! How much you think it's worth?

-Probably around 10 to 20
-H-how can this person be...

-Listen, punk
-Guwah
-This piece of junk won't even pay our travel expenses

-Better hurry
-crack
-And cough up some cash any way you can!

17
-A defender
-...ngh
-of justice!?

bubble: ka-ko
phone: Oi oi oi, you owe me, man! I ain't never seen her but my friend says she looks just like Katou Ai! You lucky guy! Don't pull any moves now! Laterz~
buttons: next / menu
left: Katou Ai!?

18
-Nice to meet you
-Katou Ai!?
-Makoto-senpai

-I'm Satou Ai!
-So many people say I look like Katou Ai
-More like Atou Kai! (t/n - you'll laugh when you see this: http://homepage.mac.com/ato_kai/ - compare the pic!)

19
-Truth is,
-There's something I'd like you to see

top right: Magic Diet Mushrooms
title: ??? (don't know)
below it: Make a killing!
spiky: Some are making over 50 grand a month!
lowest: Become a member now and introduce all the people you can for a huge rebate!

-This hag...
-Is not only butt-ugly but selling a pyramid scheme? (multi-level marketing corp)
-...and the people you introduce, Makoto-kun, will bring us even more!

-I've gotta go
-eh!?

-W-wait!! Stop! You don't understand!
-I'm not trying to push my products on you or anything like that!
-Uh huh

-Sniff...it was a friend I hadn't seen in a while...she promised me I could make serious money, and I fell for it...
-And before I knew it, I was deeper and deeper in debt!

20
-Please!!
-Help me, Makoto-senpai!

-I heard from a friend...
-That you'd be able to do something about it!

-You were the worst student in your hometown high school, wasn't that right?

21
-So?
-What's that got to do with your stupid pyramid scheme?

-grin

-Just give me the names of 4 or 5 dimwits you know...
-S-sir, please refrain from violence in this restra--!!

-S-STOP IT!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING??
-THAT'S MY BAG--!!

-Haaah?? Whose bag?
-I just found it here a moment ago

-Don'cha think we should call for help?
-Eh?

-N-nah, I won't
-You do it

22
-...huh?
-Extorting some poor kid?

no bubble: Not my business
-S-stop it, Makoto-san!

-What?

-Majima Makoto is a very busy man!
-He took time out just to meet with you
-You ought to show him some more gratitude!

23
-Hey...
-I know!
-Let's do it like Hana Hajime!*
-Eh?
*(t/n - famous comedian. known for a number of gags but the one they refer to here is the bronze statue gag where someone would dress up as a statue and the person would react suddenly to passer-bys or other things around them)

-We'll stick his lower half in some cement--

-And then paint him up like a bronze statue and stick 'im next to the Ikefukuro
-Great idea, huh?
-You're a genius, Makoto-san!

-Wa-hah! Maybe he'll even show up in Rurubu as a new attraction!! (t/n - rurubu is a well known travel magazine)
-a-ah...!
-Let's get started by crackin' his skull so he'll stop squirming!

24
-What do you think you're doing?

25
-...huh?
-biku
-Who're you?

-biku biku
-That's my line
-Who the HELL are you?!

-BIKU BIKU
-BIKU

-I-it's
-Sanda vs Gaira!?
(t/n - referring to the old 1966 "War of the Gargantuans", this one being "Frankenstein no Kaijū: Sanda tai Gaira". Basically, the gargantuans were these guys mutated from exposure to Frankenstein's corpse or something like that. They weren't lizards, rather just giant hairy guys. Check out wiki for more on the whole kaiju movie thing)

26
-Eeek!

-And you! Quit screaming so everyone can hear!
-If you keep using my name, it's going to hurt my image!
-uwah!

-S-s-
-sorry!!

-Yo, buddy

-Quit wreckin' my soon-to-be statue here!

-...hmph

27
-...are you
-satisfied?

-...wha?

-Quit staring
-and get lost already!
-biku biku

-Can't you hear?
-I
-SAID
-HANDS
-OFF
-MY ARTWORK!
-kasha (sfx bubble)

28
-I better not find you doing this again
3 middle bubbles right to left:
-Nngh...
-I-ikebukuro's wack
-cough
-Lesh go back to Akabane...

black letters not in bubbles:
-T-this
-looks like a crime scene!!

29
-Uh-uh...
-Erm...

-Thank you very much

-I know...this isn't much but please take it
-It's a bunch of apples from the countryside
-I don't need it

-My family runs a fruit store

-Eh?
-Man, I gotta stop doing this stuff
-Or maybe that's impossible...

-These friggin' bastards, using my name
-And starting all sorts of trouble

-E-excuse me,
-But your name is...?

-Huh?
-That was the day I met the Defender of Justice...

30
-It was as if I was gazing at Delacroix's famous Goddess of Freedom...
(t/n - this is a ref. to his most renown work, "Liberty Leading the People", circa 1830. It features soldiers dead on the battlefield with a goddess in bright colors leading the charge. you can easily google it for more info)
-Among the agonizing cries that made Ikebukuro seem like hell,

31
bubble bold: Majima Makoto
bubble: Ouch...
-He appeared to me as a savior who yields to no one

32
-T-this person is the real

33
-Majima Mokoto

34
-Ah...
-Um...

-M-makoto-san,
-I've been searching all over for you

-Huh?
-Makoto-san, please help me!!

-My best friend disappeared here in Ikebukuro!
-I beg you to help me find him!!

35
-First, that hag who looked like Atou Kai
-Then, these pieces of shit...

-Now you?
-Eh?

-There might be all kinds of crazy rumors about me flying around,
-But do I look like some kind of humanitarian to you?

36
-You do!!

-Please help me!
-There's no one left to ask but you!

-Forget it!

-Aah! Makoto-san!
-Are you hungry? Allow me to treat you to lunch!
-Don't follow me!
-Oh, here's a photo of what my friend looks like
-I said GET LOST!

37 (gorgeous pic)
-a-and then...
-beat it!

38
-This is the park you visit often, isn't it Makoto-san?
-IWGP!
-don
-don

39
-Just like it said on the 'net!

-IWGP?
-What the heck's that? Some political party?

-Ikebukuro West Gate Park!

40
-That's retarded

-Can I upload your pic to my homepage?

-Hell no!

-Do you have some kinda secret move to finish guys in one hit?

-Wanna taste it?

-Whenever there's an emergency, do you come dashing in on a 'bike?

-How 'bout I run you over with the delivery truck?

41
-Just tell me what the hell you want already!!
-You're pissin' me off!

-S-
-so sorry!

-I guess I'm always pissing people off...
-Please forgive me if I'm annoying

-Gasa-
-Well, getting to the point...

-This is my childhood friend
-Asanuma Kiichirou

-Kiichi moved here around spring
-He came because he was accepted to a film-making school here in Ikebukuro

42
-He's poor just like me
sfx - bounce
-So, he was working 2 jobs and on top of that paying for his own expenses

-Kiichi was always a really responsible guy
-Not the type to just disappear all of a sudden

-I lost contact with him about 3 weeks ago
-I tried letters, his cell phone, and email
-Nothing worked

43
-Um...did you get all that?
-What?

-What was your name, Teru?
-yes
-You mean to tell me you came all this way just 'cuz of that?
-Yes!

-They stop your cell phone service right away if you don't pay the bill
-Do you have any idea how many people get their phones cut off here in Tokyo?

-No need to worry, just go home
-W-wait! That's not the problem here!

44
-One day he had deposited into his postal bank account...
-Look! A full 3 million yen!

45
-That's why I can't explain his disappearance!
-Something HAD to have happened!
-...hrm...

-West Ikebukuro, 2nd block
-This is where he lived?
-Yes, and his place of work is nearby too

-Kiichi!
-bin-bong
-Kiichi, you there?

-Not at home after all

-Knowing him, he must have hid a spare key somewhere here...
-But...
-huh?

-haaaa

46
-M-makoto-san!!
-Ah?!

-I ain't the cops or the landlady, kid
-How else would we get in?

47
-Pretty darn clean in here

-W-why...?
-Hm?

-That's the laptop
-I got him for cheap in a net auction

-He always took good care of it, everywhere he went

-I can't believe he'd leave this behind
-I feel sick

-Anything to drink?

-Aw, man
-The fridge is empty

48
-It's like this place has been wiped
-Sure he hadn't picked up a chick and moved in with her or something?

-There's no way he'd do that
-Kiichi was always part of the few natural "winners" in our class

-Winners?

-People like me graduate high school but aren't able to find work
-Plus, I'm shy and give up easily

49
-I always looked up to him

-I was always weak since birth
-People would always pick on me because of that, and the fact I was a hick

-It was during those times that Kiichi always stood up for me

-That's why this time
-I want to be the one to help

-Ah!
-That's right!

50
-The laptop...

-Maybe...
-It has some clues...

-Kari
-karikarikari...

-Yo, Teru
-There an ashtray round here?

-He--

51
-UWA-
-UWAAAAAAAAH!!

-Kiichi!?
small bubbles all "haa"
-Is this him!?

52
-If you're watching this then that means you're here
-Mom, dad...
-Or maybe it's even you, Teru...

53
-This means, then, that
-I didn't make it back

-I'm scared to death of what might happen after this...
-haa (small bubbles)
-But I'm going

-It's about 5 right now so, everything should be over in two hours
-boro
-I'll do everything I can to make it back

-Mom, Dad, thanks for everything you've done to raise me
-po x2
-Ever since I got here, school and work didn't go too well

54
-I've been working without sleep, and my body's a wreck
-I'm about two months behind on the rent too

-Even though I graduated my program, there isn't really any work out there for me
-Kind of like, me and Tokyo don't mix

55
-I've decided to take one last gamble
-Kiichi... (no bubble)
-I'm just a loser to begin with, so it doesn't matter either way

-Please use that money I sent to get Shinya into a good college
-Unlike me, Shinya's a really good guy

-Shinya...?
-I don't care what happens to me if it can help him out
-Kiichi's younger brother

56
-The rest is up to you

57
-I gotta go now

58
-Don't go looking for me
-These people are dangerous

59
-sniff...
-uhoo...

-...hey!

-I think your friend's

60
-In some deep shit

-END-