Kinnikuman 316

In an tag match to finish his semifinal showdown, Suguru has kicked his way into stopping Kinnikuman Zebra's first attack! Now as the match continues, he and Robin may have to worry about other matters...like a long layover!

Chapter 316: Scramble for the Kinniku Throne (43): The Brutal Fighting Expert!

127.
Narrator: Once upon a time, when the Choujin World was still just emerging
Narrator: A book of prophecy was left behind by a famous man of the Kinniku Clan…
Narrator: According to it, it had been written “In the 10th Month of 1984, when the Prince of Planet Kinniku is finally handed over the power of the Great King, five new Princes will appear to prevent it”.
Narrator: And then, hundreds of millions of years later, in October, 1984, on the coronation day when Kinniku Suguru, the current Prince of Planet Kinniku, was to inherit the Throne from Kinniku Mayumi
Narrator: Five Choujin who wore Kinnikuman masks fell from the sky with the lightning.

128.
Narrator: These five Choujin were each called: KINNIKUMAN BIG BODY
Narrator: KINNIKUMAN ZEBRA
Narrator: KINNIKUMAN SOLDIER
Narrator: KINNIKUMAN MARIPOSA
Narrator: And KINNIKUMAN SUPER PHOENIX
Narrator: And these five were as predicted by the ancestor of the Kinniku Clan many hundreds of millions of years ago. As predicted, the Fated Princes insisted that Kinniku Suguru was the Fake Prince and they themselves were the legitimate Prince descended from the Kinniku Clan.
Narrator: Suddenly, there were six Throne Succession Candidates of the Kinniku Clan, and the people were extremely perplexed…

129.
Narrator: In the end of various thoughts, the six Great King Candidates each created a team to hold a team wrestling match.
Narrator: The one who lead the team that won the championship would be recognized as the legitimate Throne Successor.
Narrator: Thus, this fight was named the “Throne Succession Survival Match” (Scramble for the Kinniku Throne when translated with “Kinniku-sei” or “Planet Kinniku” is added at first) and the 6 Throne Succession Candidates scattered to the famous castles throughout Japan, with heated matches rolling out every day…
Narrator: However, this battle was a thing devised by the Evil Gods, who had felt the menace of the power of Kinniku Suguru and who were going to smash him
Narrator: Yet those who realized this matter were none of them……

130.-131.
(Cover Page: I still don’t get why it’s Brocken with Soldier but the others sort of make sense with how things are now)

132.
(Filler page…mostly to fit the volume appropriately as originally published)

133.
Announcer: The Scramble for the Kinniku Throne Survival Match, which has developed into fierce fighting at the five great castles which are a representation of Japan, has had Six Fated Princes that equal as major players, but as we’ve gone through the battles of the 1st and 2nd rounds, gradually six have appeared with a difference in their true power.
Announcer: The teams lead by the Fake Princes has been unstuck from their pretense and quickly been eliminated from the tourney. First in the bout of Team Kinnikuman vs. Team Mariposa, which has occurred in Kumamoto Castle, at first Team Kinnikuman was just the duo of Kinnikuman and Alexandria Meat.

134.
Announcer: It was a terribly hard fight with the Killer Flying Techniques of Team Mariposa, but due to the activity of Terryman and Robin Mask, who rushed in as supporters since midway, they barely defeated Mariposa and advanced to the semi-finals!
Announcer: At the same time in the first round, in the match of Team Big Body vs. Team Super Phoenix which occurred in Aidzuwakamatsu Castle, Mammothman and
Announcer: Phoenix showed overwhelming strength, and somehow annihilated the five of Team Big Body, as expected moving to the semi-finals!!
Announcer: And then, the semi-finals which held the four teams of Team Kinnikuman vs. Team Zebra and Team Phoenix vs. Team Soldier…

135.
Announcer: Are currently being carried out at the Fighting Castle that was created on the battleground of Sekigahara with the fusion of Nagoya Castle and Himeji Castle!!
Announcer: This is the climax of the Throne Succession Survival Match!! Currently in the ring we have been holding the semi-final of Team Kinnikuman and Team Zebra: the progress of the match for both teams until now is 50/50.
(TN: Don’t try to make any sense of that board: according to it: Meat is still the Advance Guard [ignoring that Warsman took over for him], Ramenman is the Second Guard [yet again ignoring Terry] and Motorman beat…no one.)
Announcer: Both teams each have their Second-in-Command and Generals remaining. It is here that we hurryingly are holding a Tag Match of the Kinnikuman/Robin Mask team facing the Zebra/Parthenon team so they could conclude this at once!!

136.
Announcer: And with the rivals Team Soldier and Team Phoenix watching this over, which of these two teams will take this match!?
Announcer: Zebra has been smiting his own face with his own fist due to Kinnikuman throwing a kick at his precious right-straight----!!
Audience: AAH…

137.
Zebra: Uuh!!
Audience: WA—THAT’S GREAT---!!
Announcer: Zebra is dizzy facing Kinnikuman’s mental play of taking advantage of his opponent’s attack---!!
Audience: As expected of the smartest Choujin in the universe!!
(TN: Wait…what?)
Audience: You’re great, Kinnikuman!!

138.
Audience: You’re cool!!
Audience: Hey! Prime Minister!!
(TN: Yeah…Suguru here is called “Souri Daijin”, which is Japanese for “Prime Minister”)
Suguru: …………
Suguru: Uuh…though I’ve been stylishly enduring the cheers of the crowds, it’s because I’ve been continuing to hold the same stance for three months. (*) With my right-leg lifted, can’t I return it to normal…I curse you, that Shimada of Yudetamago--!!
(*) = When serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, it restarted from here after three months off due to a sickness of Shimada-sensei. Read it with that intention.
(TN: I guess we need a bit more to explain it here for foreigners who are reading this close to 25 years later: “Shimada-sensei” is in reference to Takashi Shimada, the writer of the Yudetamago duo. In 1985, Shimada became sick, forcing Kinnikuman into a hiatus that started after the previous chapter [which was in issue 37 of the year] and not returning until this chapter, which was in issue 50 of the same year, exactly 3 months later. Therefore…it’s a good enough excuse as to why Suguru would be complaining about being stuck in the same weird kick pose over what was essentially 3 months our time)
Suguru: PEA--CE PEA—CE
Audience: What’s wrong, Kinnikuman, are you going to be like that forever?
Audience: Its better that you lower your right leg already.
Suguru: No: amidst not understanding that I didn’t return my right leg to normal for the audience, I couldn’t do anything … (out loud) Right: for the moment, I’ll tag Robin…

139.
Suguru: WHA!!
Suguru: Korya—Robin~~~~!! You should be fighting while your partner is just getting hurt!! What are you doing sound asleep---!!
Robin: Ooh… sorry, very sorry: somehow I went to sleep since I’ve been standing in the corner for three months too.

140.
Suguru: Really—however, that shock now completely returned to normal my right leg which I couldn’t restore.
Robin: Kinnikuman, watch out behind you!!
Suguru: Wha---!!

141.
Suguru: What’s that: you’ve taken my trick where you squashed your face flat and are standing!
Suguru: …………
Zebra: Kinnikuman, that was effective. As expected for a kick by the Universal Wrestling Champion. For that, let’s have a good fight here on ahead.
Suguru: Wh…what: don’t Choujin in general be in rage and being throwing a fierce counter attack!?
Zebra: So, come at me!!
Suguru: Is…this guy angry? He’s challenging me in a contest of strength.

142.
Robin: These Choujin, both Kinnikuman and Zebra, aren’t rough hooligans like the other Throne Succession Candidates: they seem to merit an orthodox style.
Parthenon: Gyogyogyogyo: even if Zebra-sama doesn’t borrow on angry power, he just doesn’t rage due to managing you two by himself
Parthenon: However, when his anger does explode by a certain impetus, the ring will change into an illustration of hell.
Announcer: Kinnikuman and Zebra are in a contest of strength by solidly bringing together their four hands in the center of the ring---!!

143.
Caption: OSAKA CASTLE—
Mayumi: Nuoo~~Suguru—There it is—shouldn’t you put in much more power—
Sayuri: Dear, the Prophecy.
Caption: FIGHTING CASTLE—
Announcer: Well, which will truly have greater power, Kinnikuman or Zebra!!
Suguru: Uoo~~~!!
Suguru: S**t—if that’s your power, then I’m greater--!!
Announcer: Somehow, the contest of strength is going the way of Kinnikuman---!!

144.
Announcer: But Zebra is enduring it with a Bridge---!!
Suguru: I’ll quickly destroy that Bridge---!!
Announcer: Kinnikuman is trying to destroy Zebra’s Bridge---!!
Suguru: You s**t, you s**t!!

145.
Announcer: Zebra has destroyed his own Bridge, taking in the body of the falling Kinnikuman---!!
Announcer: And, like that, knocked him into the rear corner post—
Suguru: Wh…what leg power……

146.
Announcer: Kinnikuman is bleeding out--!!
Zebra: Sorya!!
Announcer: And as he stands right up, he grabs Kinnikuman’s back and into a lightning-speed German Suplex!!
Suguru: Escape it, Kinnikuman!!

147.
Suguru: Uo!!
Announcer: But Kinnikuman has gotten out of it!!
Announcer: Taking on Kinnikuman, who has escaped from his German (Suplex)

148.
Announcer: Is now doing a high-class Japanese Leg Roll Clutch---!!
Audience: UOO…
Soldier: Though he has the power, that technique was competent too!!
Phoenix: Kinnikuman Zebra: we should keep him under surveillance…
Announcer: And without resting his hands, into a Jumping Piledriver---!!

149.
Caption: HIMEJI CHOUJIN HOSPITAL—
Meat: Prince----!!
Terry: Get up, Kinnikuman.
Announcer: Well, what will Zebra’s finishing technique be to Kinnikuman!!
Robin: ………
Announcer: Is Zebra, who is facing the downed Kinnikuman, waiting for him to get up? Isn’t he going to attack him at all!!

150.
Audience: Great, Zebra---!!
Announcer: I’ve seen many Choujin over these long years, but this is the first that I’ve seen a Choujin who has this much dignity for his fans!!
Zebra: FUFU…
Audience: You’re cool, Zebra!!
Voice: You won’t win through this Survival Match by just being cool, Zebra.
Suguru: Actually, your power and techniques towers above even amidst all Choujin; however, while your genius-like wrestling sense may be effective in a single-match, it’s unnecessarily useless in a tag-match.
Zebra: Huh?
Zebra: Damn! Robin Mask was behind me…
Suguru: Zebra, you were intoxicated by your own genius-like wrestling technique, you’ve seemed to have completely forgotten

151.
Suguru: That this match is a tag-match!!
Announcer: Kinnikuman has escaped from the canvas---!!
Announcer: Robin Mask has undone his Sleeper and has attached his left elbow to the back of Zebra’s head---!!

152.
Suguru & Robin: JAPAN/ENGLAND CROSS BOMBER---!!
Phoenix: Aah
Announcer: The Cross bomber, which was the specialty of the Hell Missionaries of the Dream Tag Series, has been revived by the Blue Impulse team of Kinnikuman and Robin---!!
(TN: The “Blue Impulse” team is in reference to an acrobatic squadron of airplanes notable in Japan for their many shows they perform throughout the nation)
Zebra: Guho!!
Suguru: Ri—ght, I’ll finish it with a Thesz-style Navel-Throwing Backdrop.
(TN: “Thesz-stye” is in reference to wrestler Lou Thesz, one of the greatest wrestlers in history, most notable for holding the NWA title for the longest in the history of wrestling. I doubt I got the technique correct though but I tried to based on how it was noted by Suguru)

153.
Announcer: Well, now the situation has changed with the superiority of Team Kinnikuman---!!
Robin: Watch out, Kinnikuman.
Suguru: Huh…!?
Announcer: Suddenly like a hurricane, Parthenon has entered by rescueing Zebra---!!
Suguru: Pa…Parthenon……
Parthenon: Kinnikuman, you yourself have forgotten that I can always go in for Zebra-sama with this battle being a tag-match.

154.
Robin: The Acropolis of Athens, Greece has a building that enshrines Athena Parthenos, the guardian deity of ancient Athens. That is called the Parthenon Temple. This Choujin Parthenon has been said to have this form by the transformation of one of the buildings within the Parthenon Temple.
(TN: There are a few things brought up here that needs to be better explained: First, the “Athena Parthenos”, literally “Athena the Virgin”, is merely the statue of Athena that is enshrined at the Parthenon in honor of Athena being the guardian deity of Athens. Fans of “Saint Seiya” probably know of the statue better due to its connection to the mythos of Athena...but strangely enough, this chapter came out in Issue 50 of 1985…and Saint Seiya began in Issue 1, 1986: three issues later. Secondly, it’s sort of hard to explain that there really is “another building” that is within the Parthenon unless it’s sort of a smaller one that can fit inside, which probably would be strange considering it would be “a Parthenon within a Parthenon”)
Parthenon: As expected, the erudite Robin Mask would know that sort of thing……
Parthenon: When the humans created my body, young burly men who were sacrificed for their devotion to the goddess Athena Parthenos were buried into my pillars, making them human pillars…
(TN: Parthenon uses an expression of “hitobashira” here: it literally stands for “human pillars”, but also has a translation of “human sacrifice”)

155.
Parthenon: And over the many thousands of years since, the ground that was dyed with the blood of the men that were buried in the pillars haven’t dried out.
Announcer: Now the secret bloody story of the mysterious Choujin Parthenon has come to light……!!
Parthenon: And now I have come to from the distant Acropolis to Japan so my blood-smeared grudge and power of hatred can be used for Zebra-sama’s succession to the Throne.
Zebra: Well, Parthenon, return me from being an orthodox technician to my original form: the incarnation of anger.

156.
Parthenon: Sun of the distant Acropolis, please lend me your power so I can add your punishment for these two foolish Choujin.
Buffalo: Wha, what is that light!?
Robin: Perhaps this is the light of the sun, but however, this is the first I’ve seen it this intense!!

157.
Voice: L…look, at the feet of Parthenon! The mysterious light is shining, making infinite shadow from his feet!!
Voice: It’s as if it’s the blood flowing from the sacrifices that became human pillars!!
Announcer: The infinite shadow that is being emitted from Parthenon’s body is creeping onto Zebra’s body---! It’s…as if it’s covering the white portions of Zebra’s striped body that is differentiated between black and white, like it’s hiding them…

158.-159.
Parthenon: Gyogyogyo: Zebra-sama originally was a brutal fighting expert that was colored the evil color black for his entire body, but he added the justice color of white to his constant color of black, counteracting it; making him striped in his entire body, it suppressed his brutal nature.
Suguru & Robin: What---!?
Zebra: Parthenon, thanks to your clothing of shadows that includes your grudge and power of hatred, somehow I’ve returned to being Kinnikuman Zebra, the brutal fighting expert.
Suguru: AAH!!

160.
(SCRAMBLE FOR THE KINNIKU THRONE ARC)
SPECIAL VTR XXXVI
KINNIKUMAN VS. KINNIKUMAN ZEBRA

TN: Let me just start with this: I was all ready to make a good speech about this chapter for once. And for the moment, I will be making good word about the good parts. Although this chapter is way longer than the typical Kinnikuman chapter (over 30 pages give or take a few), mostly due to the long waiting period after the sickness of the Yudetamago writer, it really seems to flow rather perfectly and easily like you don't notice it's length until it's actually over. The first few pages after the prologue (which mostly was a reminder of everything that had happened until then) was probably some of the funniest moments that the series had in a long time, harkening back to the early days from Suguru randomly wearing a ballet tutu in the ring to his interaction with the audience (instead of them randomly having reaction shots like they always do at this point) to Robin's "corner post nap". The whole first several pages just show what the series could have been if it didn't take itself too seriously at this point like it didn't for the whole period from the beginning to...well, probably either the second Choujin Olympics or the Seven Devils. (some would say the Gold Mask but by then it sort of was "taking itself too seriously" so I can't say that then) Likewise the chapter had some great actual "wrestling" with little gimmickry as we see Zebra's "clean side" at work acting a bit too honorable at time just like he was "the perfect face". I even liked the bizarre concept of Zebra' "actually being a Brutal Choujin but sealing away his brutality with the power of Justice"...even though it just feels like it negates everything in regards to why Zebra actually became "Zebra". To tell the truth, none of the five other Princes really was "that close" to their original guise when they got their Prince form aside from Phoenixman becoming Super Phoenix. In fact, when we first met Powerfulman (the Choujin who became Zebra), he actually appeared extremely generic with nothing that showed he had any "zebra-based sealing power" and the only zebra being the one behind him...therefore making him "Kinnikuman Zebra". Yet regardless of that, I still liked the concept of the "white sealing away the brutality" and I wasn't going really complain at...well, anything in this chapter!

And then...Parthenon showed up. I really don't want to talk about him, but the thing is...when he explained his true story, it just disturbed me away from any of the good feelings I had about this chapter, like it was all flushed down the metaphysical toilet. The whole part about him explaining that his pillars were all the sealed-away power of "young burly men" just made me think one thing: this is why it's hard to take Greco-Roman fighters seriously and makes you always think that they are...well, gay. Whenever you talk about trying to determine the manliness quotient of some civilizations, it's rather automatic and obvious...and even when Greece and Rome are done correctly, you can see them as badass. (see the Olympus team in Otokojuku) But when done utterly wrong, it can turn out like "300" or "Spartacus"...where it just feels less like manliness...and more like it was giving other sorts of overtones that make a man feel wrong if they're not into that sort of thing. (and let's not get started on the imagry of the shadow moving from him...eww...) I have nothing against those who pursue that sort of lifestyle and they should do what they want...I just question Parthenon and just have horrifying visions of him from now on, let alone his big, bulky self ruining what was for the most part an excellent, fun (though slightly frustrating) chapter.