Long Shoot Oneshot : Long Shoot

When you're skilled at a sport, you may get everything from it from popularity to the perks of the school. But sometimes, you may not realize why you are so good at it until it's almost too late! From famed artist/mangaka Takeshi Obata comes a one-shot early in his career about a basketball player...and the girl who may be his greatest inspiration.

Note: The following one-shot can be found in the 4th (and final) volume of "Cyborg Grandpa G" (which I mistakenly called "Cyborg Grampa G") It's at the very end if you want to read it, and it won't bite.

One-Shot: Long Shoot

164.
WARNING
Part III
“Long Shoot”, which starts next, is not a Gag Manga.

165.
(Title Page)

166.
Caption: Higashi High School Gym
Teammates: Go—Tatsu--!
Girl: Ah—Ta-chan, shoot shoot!

167.
Tatsu: O—K, hold on Miya! I’ll end this now.
Girls: Tanada-ku—n, you—can do it----!
Tatsu: Sh…shrill encouragement……
Player: OK! There’s Tatsu’s energy source.
Tatsu: Sh…shrill encouragement.
Tatsu: NUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

168.
Tatsu: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Announcer: The game is over, Higashi High wins, 66-6.

169.
Player 1: You did—it.
Player 2: Really, you’re great.
Opposing 1: Wh…what is that? That guy……
Miya: Yaay, Ta-cha—n
Girls: Tanada-kuu~~~n.
Miya: FUGYUU
Tatsu: PHEW—
Tatsu: Miya, here.
Miya: Here’s a tonel.
Tatsu: Here.
Miya: And a sports drink.
Player 1: Miya-chan….really understands his “here”.
Player 2: She is a famed manager.
Player 3: ……From this, she’s more like Tatsu’s manager.

170.
Miya: Hehe—
Tatsu: Say you’ll be mine if I treat you to ice cream.
Miya: Haha…
Players: Ah—I’m tired today…
Miya: Ta-chan has really changed.
Miya: Ta-chan was skilled in basketball. But since that happened, he’s strangely become skilled. (out loud) Uha—you read me.
Tatsu: You’re quite—heavy.
Miya: It’s the encouragement of girls. He hears that and he gets encouraged like his personality changes. (out loud) Ehehe.
Miya: Everyone says that this is like a unique special ability
Tatsu: O—K, increasing speed! HIHI
Miya: But saying that of Ta-chan is ordinary for boys.
Tatsu: Wheelie—
Miya: FUGYA—(internal) I really love that Ta-chan.

171.
Tatsu: Well—you should comb your hair as a girl!
Miya: Huh—I was late—
Girls: Kya—Tanada-senpa—i.
Tatsu: He—y!
Miya: OK
Tatsu: FUHIHIHI
Teacher: So, what happened to you Tanada?
Tatsu: I ran around dribbling earlier…
Tatsu: MUNCH MUNCH
Miya: Eh, today’s the Kita High match? ……Ah, I forgot.
Tatsu: O—K, I ate, let’s go practice.
Miya: Don’t get reckless~~

172.
Boy: Ah?
Tatsu: That’s how you do it, basket boy? If I can steal from you, then look where you’re holding.
Miya: Ta-chan really loves basketball. He has the most fun playing basketball.
Tatsu: That’s good, Miya-chan is relieved.
Boy: Ah? What does that mean? You’re matched well.
Tatsu: You two are still kids.
Boy: Rea—lly..well, then you’ll do my thing.
Tatsu: Huh, some weird hobby.

173.
Tatsu: If I were him, those girls would come to school with “wake-up faces”. They’d always be frivolous. (Ehehe…)
Boy: He’s got weird desires.
Boy: You don’t understand. You don’t realize the one close to you.
Boy: There isn’t really a girl like Miya-chan today……she’s always cheerful with her smiling face……while outwardly unconcerned, she’s expressing what she thinks. There are many girls these days who think they have to show they’re pretty on the outside.
Boy: I think I consider that the most pretty but.
Boy: Huh…I’m stupid to talk to someone like him.

174.
Tatsu: O—K, that’s a good pace.
Miya: Ta-chan, can I tell you something nice?
Tatsu: N?
Miya: If we get two more wins including today’s match……we’ll have 50 straight wins!
Tatsu: Really, Miya? You remember well.
Miya: Hehe
Tatsu: I’ll show them I’m full of shots!
Referee: Game start!!
Player: I’ve got it!

175.
Tatsu: Hu~~h, sorry!
Miya: Yes—Kita High is done----!!
Tatsu: O—K, I’ll do this!
Boy 1: OK now, captain.
Boy 2: Now now, girls, scream—it out, do it—
Girls: Leave it to us!
Girls: KYA—TANADA-KUU~~~N, YOU CAN DO IT~~~
Girl: N~~
Tatsu: Uh…!

176.
Tatsu: GEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Player: Wh…what is this guy!?
Player: HII
Tatsu: Hahahaha
Tatsu: Dunk sho—t!
Miya: He did it!
Tatsu: Look, it’s my super golden special shot!
Boy: ……

177.
Tatsu: !
Tatsu: Hey hey, do you know that elegantly cute girl standing over there?
Player: Ah—it’s Hitomi Miyamura from class 1. She really catches everyone’s eyes.
Tatsu: I’ll do it~~~oooh!!
Player: ………
Announcer: GAME OVER
Tatsu: An 82-0 blowout.
Player: Hey hey Tatsu! You had great rhythm today.
Tatsu: Hee hee, well.
Tatsu: He~~y, Hitomi-chan, were you always watching me?
Miya: Ta-cha~~~n.

178.
Miya: HUH
Player: Hey, that Tatsu…
Player: Mi…Miya-chan.
Miya: Eh? Ah…all of you are tired.
Miya: Ah, how bad. I have to hurry home today. Sorry.
Miya: Ba…bye-bye.
Girl 1: Hey, Miya, what happened to Tanada-kun lately? You were always with him.
Miya: Well.
Girl 2: It’s Hitomi Miyamura in class 1. Recently, Tanada-kun always seems to be with her.

179.
Girl 1: Wh what, weren’t you and Tanada-kun friends who had gone together to the bathroom!
Miya: Ac…actually I say we’re friends.
Girl 2: Right! Miyamura-san is Miyamura-san, but Tanada-kun is mean.
Miya: It’s fine, it’s fine. Whomever Ta-chan goes out with………Ta-chan and I will always be friends.
Miya: At least I thought that………………about Ta-chan…
Crowd: Going home, going home.
Miya: Ta-chan didn’t come today either…
Tatsu: He—y, Miya, let’s go to the club.
Miya: ! Ye—s! Ye—s ye—s ye—s!
Miya: Ye…
Tatsu: Let’s go, let’s go.

180.
Miya: Ehe…
Girl: Hey hey hey, that guy’s Tanada-senpai, he’s really great.
Miya: I’ve caught a cold.

181.
Tatsu: Miya, can you ride a bike too?
Miya: I…I can’t ride.
Tatsu: Huh—you can’t ride!?
Tatsu: Hahaha—you’re that type!
Miya: Ah…if you’re heavy, it’s fine. I’ll walk.
Tatsu: You were good from training, but you’re really acting strange.
Miya: Hehe…
Tatsu: Huh, a cold?
Miya: Yes…it’s not important.
Tatsu: I’m happy, Miya! I’ve finally got a girl! I’ve discovered love.
Tatsu: Hehe—she’s Hitomi Miyamura.
Miya: Eh….well—great.
Tatsu: She’s a spring like me and I’m going to see her~~
Tatsu: Huh, aren’t you happy?
Miya: Huh, well…

182.
Miya: BANZA—I, TA-CHAN GOT A GIRL, YA—Y, YA—Y!
Tatsu: He…hey!
Miya: Ehehe…
Tatsu: Well, when you’ve get a man, you’ll be the same as I am now!
Tatsu: Miya! Tomorrow is Sunday. If we win against Minami High, that’s 50 straight! We can do this!
Miya: Ah…yes!
Miya: …………
Caption: SUNDAY

183.
Tatsu: Eh……Miya’s on break?
Player: Yes—she called earlier. She’s caught quite a cold.
Tatsu: Hahaha, I thought she she’s one who couldn’t catch a cold.
Boy 1: Hey, Minami High is famous for using dirty tricks—
Boy 2: What’s that? With Ta-chan we’ll get them with the girls! (Wherever they are!)
Minami Player: Heh.
Tatsu: Miya, here…
Tatsu: Of…course. She’s not here……(out loud): My…wrist motions!
Announcer: And now we’ll have our practice match between Higashi High School and Minami High School.

184.
Minami Player: HIHI
Referee: Game start!!
Player: OK, let’s go Tatsu!
Tatsu: Got it!
Tatsu: !
Tatsu: That’s dirty---! You stuck your leg out. That’s foul!
Tatsu: Ku…right. Those big striking duo did this by using the ref’s blind spot!

185.
Tatsu: Hahahaha…if you’re using that hand, then here I’ll use my hand! I’ll show you.
Tatsu: Kya—Tanada-ku—n, please get a sho—t! Fu…fufu…
Tatsu: Fuhahahaha, here it comes! The cheers of the girls!
Tatsu: Hyahahahaha
Fans: O—K, go, Tatsu, counter!!
Announcer: Is…this dumb? Tatsu’s ball was stolen.

186.
Player: That dribble, I’ll take it even if I can’t.
Higashi Player: GU…
Higashi Player: Uh…
Minami Player: Hehe…
Higashi Player: Did you see, he kicked him!
Referee: No…I didn’t see that…
Tatsu: Those guys…

187.
Minami Player: Ke……aren’t you supposed to be a team? It’s funny that I’ve heard that guy needs special care!
Higashi Player: Tatsu……what’s wrong?
Tatsu: It’s nothing until now.
Hitomi: Hmph.
Tatsu: What’s really happening? It’s not what it’s supposed to be now…There’s something different…today………something…
Tatsu: Miya……what’s happened to me…
Tatsu: MIYA……?

188.
Referee: Halftime!
Player: Are you OK, Tatsu………What will we do in the second half?
Player 1: We’ve been mistaken too. We’ve relied on only Tatsu until now. Sorry…
Tatsu: Mya, you’re always by my side…………In middle school, when I joined the basketball club…every time.
Voice: Mi…Miya-chan…wh…what’s wrong!
Tatsu: Miya!?
Miya: I’m…sorry, Ta-chan. That I’m late…

189.
Tatsu: You…idiot—you came here with that fever!
Miya: But...this is Ta-chan’s crucial match.
Tatsu: You were necessary, Miya……I didn’t realize it until now…(out loud) You’re really a strange person.
Tatsu: How’s this, Miya: go to sleep in the infirmary. I’ll get our 50th straight as a present!
Miya: Yep!
Tatsu: O—K, let’s smash that Minami High!

190.
Tatsu: Take this, you small eyesores--!
Minami Player: Heh, you’re hopeless---! Take my upper to the stomach.
Minami Player: Huh!?
Player 1: N…
Player 2: Huh?

191.
Tatsu: The habit of the power I had until now wasn’t from the girls cheers or anything………it was because of Miya.
Tatsu: Down two points…no time left………The only turn-around is to shoot for 3!
Tatsu: Go in!
Minami Player: Will it go!
Tatsu: No! We need time or it’s over.

192.
Tatsu: S**t…
Tatsu: S*……
Tatsu: 5 seconds left…will it go in from this far…!?
Tatsu: S**t, it’s the only way. Please…Miya!

193.
Tatsu: Do it…
Tatsu: Do it!

194.
Miya: The game is over…
Miya: Ta-chan…
Miya: Ah……the game……
Tatsu: 38-36, Minami lead. I took a long shoot with 5 seconds left………
Tatsu: HYU~~5 seconds
Tatsu: 4…3…
Miya: Ah…
Tatsu: Bam!
Miya: Eh?

195.
Tatsu: 2…1……
Miya: Ah.
Tatsu: Zero! Beep—
Miya: We…won! We won, Ta-chan.
Tatsu: Hehe
Miya: Congrats on 50 straight---!
Miya: I saw that Ta-chan was different somewhere that game day……
Tatsu: Comb your hair!
Miya: Afterwards, Ta-chan was the usual Ta-chan………
Girls: TANADA-KU~~~~N
Tatsu: HAHAHAHAHA
Miya: But, I really love that Ta-chan.

TN: I really debated on translating this one-shot at first when I came across it in the last Jiichan-G volume. It was a silly little basketball story prior to the sport really growing popular with WSJ series Slam Dunk (this one-shot was '87, Slam Dunk started in '90). However, considering it was there, I didn't know if anyone would notice and I didn't quite know if anyone would read it, I decided to release it anyway just because...well, I'm a completist sometimes. I can't say whether or not if it would have worked as a series, though, but it was a nice little story. I admit, I'm not a sports manga fan except for Eyeshield 21, but this had more than that to make a captivating story. Probably the main key to the story was the character Miya, a strange little slob who was possibly the key to why Tatsu was so good as basketball. In a way, she reminded me a lot of Suzume from "Konjiki no Gash": a cheerful girl who sometimes doesn't use her mind to realize what she's doing is crazy, but doesn't care because she cares for the lead. There really aren't too many of these types of weird but sweet girls from the manga I've seen so it's nice to see her in here and as the key. Tatsu...I didn't know if I would like him considering he was on an unstoppable basketball team, but he was given enough good humor and his "perverted power" getting inspired by the girls rooting for the team. I did like the girl he went out with too...but somehow she was intentionally made shallow so Miya would look good, so she was more or less a device. Somehow if the series actually was made from this I could have seen her as the third part of a love triangle but...as is, she was just there for her purpose. My only other real complaint was probably that the team was just too invincible for the story's sake...but considering it was a one-shot I'll let it slide. Overall, it was a sweet little one shot that not only showed off Obata's art but that he wasn't too bad a storyteller back then. But then again, you can't really predict the future and what would have come later...whether it be cybernetic old men, deadly notebooks or spirits playing go, so you can't say whether or not Obata would have lasted as both artist and author...but it's nice to dream.