Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 62

With the first gate overcome, the First-Years can finally continue their journey through the Paaron Long Castle. But can the victorious J really go on with them after a hard battle!? And...are there any other gaps they should be wary of!?

Chp. 62: Man-to-Man Suspension Bridge

106.
Matsuo: Wahhaha, he did it, he did it as we expected. J, you’re the greatest in Japan--!!
Tazawa: You idiot, J isn’t Japanese, he’s American. So if you say it, say he’s the greatest in the world--!!
First-Year 3: In this way, we’ll ask for you ahead too--!!
First-Year 4: Hey, we have to go ahead---!!
Toramaru: Yeesh, they’re at ease.
Togashi: Don’t say that. They’re cheering for us from the bottom of their hearts.
Momotarou: Are you alright, J………your complexion is quite bad.
J: Well……

107.
Togashi: J---! What’s wrong---!?
Momotarou: !!
Hien: He’s bleeding horribly. He’s done well walking together this far with these wounds.
Toramaru: You dummy, why would you hide that from us---!!
Wan Taaren: It’s best to leave him down. It’s suitable that he gets treatment. At this rate, he’ll die.
J: Don’t joke with me……………I’m going together with you……
Togashi: Hey, that’s obvious. How could we leave J in this place alone---!!

108.
Date: What are you saying? It’s as the oldie said: it’s a burden to carry along the wounded. He’ll be a danger to us all.
J: ……………………
Toramaru: Wh…what’s with Date; where would you come up with that speech---!!
Momotarou: Put that aside, Toramaru.
Momotarou: You don’t understand Date’s feeling. Don’t say as such: how could you think so even if J recognizes it?
Toramaru: Bu…but………
Date: I’ll leave J to you, but………
Date: If something happens to him, then even you will die.
Wan Taaren: We’ll do our very best.

109.
Momotarou: Don’t worry, J. We will truly win and truly meet up with you alive………
J: Aah, please do so.
Momotarou: ………K.
Toramaru: J, that’s a man-to-man promise---!!
Togashi: We’ll mutually certainly live and meet again---!!

110.
Toramaru: Damn, it’s horrific fog as usual.
Togashi: How much further do we have to continue on this long castle…………
Toramaru: Hey, oldie, are we at the 2nd Battle Gate yet!!
Togashi: Next is my turn. How much longer are we planning to walk---!!
Wan Taaren: If you want to go, then it’s best to go ahead. I’m not stopping.

111.
Togashi: Then I’ll be going. I’ll get ahead of this traffic to straighten up those 3rds.
Momotarou: Wait, Togashi---!!
Togashi: Hehhe, don’t worry.
Togashi: Huh……!!
Togashi: UWAAA----!!
Momotarou: TO…TOGASHI---!!

112.-113.
Togashi: ……………………!!
Togashi: Wh…where exactly are we………!?
Togashi: I…I’m sorry…………
Togashi: There’s a split in the long castle………
Toramaru: We’re terribly high. It’s not very difficult to fall.

114.
Matsuo: We’ve…gone and stopped. The ground has split…………
Tazawa: With that, Momo and the others won’t be able to progress any further.
Hidemaro: L…look, there’s a ladder right here. But won’t something happen if we climb it…………
Tazawa: Hm—ph………………so then, this is where I appear.

115.
Togashi: However you look, its 30 meters to the edge over there. And further, we don’t have anything we can use as a tool.
Toramaru: So then, Carl Lewis couldn’t jump this even if he had feathers.
Wan Taaren: The 2nd Battle Gate is beyond this valley. You don’t have the time to hesitate: your challenging opponent third years are already waiting.
Wan Taaren: Now go!! If you don’t cross quickly, then all of you will be determined here as defeated.
Togashi: Don’t talk so stupid. How are we going to cross this with you saying that--!!
Togashi: !!

116.
Togashi: It’s…it’s you---!!
Togashi: Wh…what’s with that appearance……………why exactly have you come up here……………!!
Tazawa: Leave it to me!!

117.
Tazawa: Well, here, right here.
Date: ………………!?
Tazawa: Oldie, don’t complain that we’re lending a hand. Because we’re not entering into the battles of the Paaren Seiha.

118.
Tazawa: Let’s go: Tazawa-style Special Secret Operation!!
Tazawa: It’s about thirty-meters distance; and even with this thick fog, the wind direction is favorable!! This is a match for the honor and the ups-and-downs of the Otokojuku First-Years! All of us will face this as one!!
Tazawa: First we’ll go with Hidemaro!!
Hidemaro: Uoo---!!
Tazawa: Right, next!!
Tazawa: Next!! Next!! Next! Next! Next!!

119.
Tazawa: Don’t get disorganized, don’t destroy the balance---!! Uoo—we don’t have enough yet. We need ten more---!!
First-Year: Tazawa, stand firm. You’re the cornerstone---!!

120.
Tazawa: O---shi, we’ve raised it up---!!
Tazawa: Balance—all of your breath will be one---!! Matsuo at the summit, are you alright---!!
Matsuo: Yeah, leave this to me---!!
Togashi & Toramaru: Th…they can’t, the…they’re…………

121.
Wan Taaren: I’ve noticed what this is……………but can this Banjin Bridge, said to be a special bridge-building technique, be admirably done………
(TN: “Banjin Bridge” or “Banjinkyou” = “Ten-Thousand Man Bridge”)
Commentary:
The Banjin Bridge……In the Sengoku era, as the battle of Takeda Shingen and Matsuyama Katsuyoshi broke out, the samurai General Kusunoki Kiyohisa spearheaded reinforcements so he could save Matsuyama Katsuyoshi, their leader who had fallen into a predicament. However, the bridge across Hiyoko Valley, enroute to Mt. Kourou where Matsuyama Katsuyoshi was held up, had fallen by the hands of the enemy. There Kusunoki Kiyohisa guided them on a plan to build a human bridge where he got from a hint from the Chinese War Strategy book “Bukan” (The Book of Heraldry) to cross the valley.

Thirty people who were in the human bridge at the time entirely ran out of strength after their ally soldiers crossed them, falling into the valley. Afterwards, Matsuyama Katsuyoshi praised those thirty brave men and erected the “High Thirty Mound” there. Even today, there is a custom of those related to construction to worship at this mound, praying for the safety of its construction when they build a bridge.
-From “Bridges Built on the Battlefield”, General Surveyor Nakatugawa, Jigenshutsu Publishing
(TN: The “High Thirty Mound” is in Japanese “Kourou Sanjuudzuna”)

Toramaru: Ho…hold on all of you!!
Togashi: You don’t need to do this, it’s too dangerous!!
Tazawa: You said this is danger or what………………don’t stand against this. We’re betting our lives on this Paaren Seiha together with you.
Toramaru: Ta…Tazawa………!!

122.
Tazawa: Go, everyone, fall forwards with all your life---!!
Momotarou, Togashi & Toramaru: St…stop, Tazawa--!!
First-Years: Nuuryaa----!!

123.
Tazawa: Th—ere, now go---!!
Matsuo: R…RIGHT---!!

124.-125.
Matsuo: Gua!!
Matsuo: Ugugu--!!
Tazawa: Do…don’t let go---!!
Matsuo: Now cross---! This is our suspension bridge of life--!!
(TN: A bit of a pun with this ending: the expression “Inochi no Kakehashi” is derivative of “Inochi no Tsuna”, or “thread of life”…only it’s a bridge of First-Years)

TN: This chapter really feels like either a make-up or the "perfect timing" for Tazawa in his usage alongside the other First-Years. Considering that we've seen the ability and courage of Matsuo and Hidemaro in the "Kyoura Daiyon Kyousatsu", the fact that Tazawa merely just inspired Hidemaro to hold out to the end was a great moment but not really befitting of his brains. So therefore seeing him "get in the way" of the journey to create a bridge of First-Years to bridge through the gap in the Paaron Castle finally uses him in the abilities he holds. Sure he's an Otokojuku man and he has the brawn, but at least he proves you have to be smart (sometimes, considering that he really doesn't have it on certain occasions) to be in this school too. The only other really notable factors of this chapter was watching J move back to get treated after his nightmarish battle...and the continuing peculiar "relationship" between the loudmouth Toramaru and the authoritative Date...