Hell Teacher Nube 66

Of all creatures, the cat remains one of the most mysterious and elusive to understand. Unfortunately, Makoto is about to discover that his cat may be more mysterious than he thought...but could it actually be...evil!?

#66: Nekomata

131.
Makoto: (narrating) In my home, we have my cat Tamako (female), who we’ve already raised for 15 years. She’s already completely old and, outside her yawning occasionally, she was a cat with nothing unusual but…
Mr. Kurita: Makoto, sorry but can’t you buy my cigarettes? Here’s 100 yen.
(TN: Um…a kid buying cigarettes…yeah)
Makoto: Uh~~it’s cold!
SFX: Nya~~nya~~nya~~

132.
Cat 1: That was a masterpiece, kukuku…
Cat 2: It was.
Cat 3: Really?
SFX: Hin hin hin

133.
Makoto: The cats…the cats are talking…It…it’s a lie; it is, has to be, should be.
Makoto: Further, all their tails are…two or three…are they youkai!?
Cat 1: My master is 36 and has failed with 50 miais.
Cat 2: My Atsushi-kun hid a 0-point test.
Voice: Ahaha
Makoto: That’s!
“Five-Tails”: Well, while watching this horror movie, Makoto-kun ended up peeing during it again. Nothing he could do.
Cat 1: Ahaha, that’s amusing, Tamako-sama.
Cat 2: Eww, that Makoto-kun.
Makoto: That noticeable cat with five large tails is…

134.
Makoto: Tamako!
Makoto: Hii
SFX: Da | Paki
SFX: Tatata

135.
Kyouko: The cat you raise is a Bakeneko!?
(TN: As I mentioned in the recent encyclopedia entry, “Bakeneko” = “Monster Cat”)
Nube: Hahaha…
Makoto: Don’t go hahah! I saw others! This town is filled with bakeneko.
Nube: No—well—perhaps you had a dream.
Makoto: Teacher! Seriously comment on this strange phenomenon!!
SFX: Pon
Miki: Makoto, I’ll explain it.
Miki: The true identity of the bakeneko is they’re Nekomata.
Miki’s Book: Youkai of Japan: Gegege Library
(TN: The “Gegege” line is possibly in reference to the pre-eminent Shigeru Mizuki horror manga/anime: “Gegege no Kitaro” (Hakaba no Kitaro). Strangely, though, this title is rather close to the 2008 autobiography “Gegege no Nyobou” by Mizuki’s wife, which has since been changed into a J-drama and movie, with even the “bou” kanji the same)
Makoto: A cat crotch!
(TN: This is a weird pun/joke that shows how warped Makoto’s mind is. Miki obviously is mentioning “Nekomata” as in a certain youkai we’re going to find more about with a literal translation as “Further Cat”, but Makoto literally translates it as “neko mata”, which translates into “cat crotch”)
SFX: Gu—n

136.
Miki: Nekomata appeared in many old books like “Mimibukuro” and “Nansou Satomi Hakkenden”, but their characteristics are speaking human speech, possessing various supernatural powers and have several tails. And they say that they kill people who keep them, particularly the elderly who are weak in power and then change into that person. It’s a cruel story. It’s scary because they say that cats don’t feel obligations.
(TN: Miki refers to a couple of stories here, both of which I have to explain:
-“Mimibukuro”, which literally translates into “Ear Sack”, is a collection of tales collected in 100 volumes written by many Japanese through the 19th century.
-“Nansou Satomi Hakkenden”, a 106 novel by Kyokutei Bakin, is a saga of 8 loyal samurai better known by the English name of “Eight-Dog Chronicles”)
Makoto: They eat the elderly!?
SFX: Pokari!!
Nube: Really, wh—y are you just scaring people like that…
Miki: But~~~
Kyouko: This isn’t a “but”!!
Makoto: Tamako is a Nekomata…and eats the elderly…!?

137.
Sign: Kurita
Makoto: I’m home—huh? Those zouri…
(TN: “Zouri” are flat, thronged Japanese sandals which are similar in style to the American “flip-flop” sandal with it’s holding by it’s toes)
Makoto: My grandmother from Chiba has come!?
(TN: “Chiba”, in reference to Chiba Prefecture, is the prefecture on the Boso peninsula, 40km from Tokyo)
SFX: Dota dota
Grandmother: Well well, Makoto, you haven’t gotten bigger even with how long it’s been.
Makoto: I wanted you to say I’ve gotten bigger even if it’s flattery.
SFX: Gogogogo

138.
Makoto: Get away, don’t interfere with grandma—
Grandmother: Makoto
SFX: Buki~~
Grandmother: Wh…what’s the matter, Makoto: don’t torment Tamako.
Mrs. Kurita: What are you doing? Tamako is equal to family.
Makoto: Grandma, we’re sleeping together.
Grandmother: Good heavens, that’s an amazing appearance. Are you always like this?
Makoto: Grandma, let’s talk about something.
Grandmother: Alright, then we’ll talk of my first love…
Makoto: ……
SFX: Ha—ha—ha—

139.
Makoto: !!
Tamako: Ha—ha—ha—
Makoto: Waaaaaa
Makoto: Y…you cat—
Grandmother: Makoto!?
Makoto: Bakeneko—get away, get away—
Mrs. Kurita: Makoto, what’s wrong!?

140.
Makoto: Tamako is a youkai! She’s going to eat grandma!
Grandmother: Eh?
Mrs. Kurita: Why is our child saying this stupid thing?
Nube: Namu Daiji Daihi Kyuugu Kyuunan Koudai Reikan

141.
Nube: Be calm: I’m not doing anything. I’m…
SFX: Bari bari
Nube: A friend.
Tamako: As it’s been said since long, long ago, when a cat lives over ten years, they gain youryoku and become a Nekomata. We’re merely a section of cats. With feed good and illnesses healed with pet hospitals recently, it’s not unusual for cats to live ten years and, naturally, even the Nekomata have increased.
Tamako: Human sciences only see the surface. They differentiate animals by the largeness of their brains. We higher forms of life that are high spiritually in spiritual power and youki can’t reveal our true natures.
Caption: Nekojita…
(TN: “Nekojita”, which is literally “cat tongue”, refers to a person having difficulty dealing with hot food, akin to the sensitivity of a cat’s tongue.)
Can: Shiruko
(TN: I mentioned before: Shiruko = a hot red bean soup that can be sold in a can at a vending machine)
Nube: Even if it’s just Makoto, wouldn’t it be fine to reveal your true nature? He has kept you for a long time.
Tamako: I can’t. Makoto-kun is a human; I’m not confident in them.

142.
Nube: Do you think that boy would stumble with a cat attacking a human?
Tamako: I may have had that sort of ability long ago. Now it’s just an ability that has already degenerated.
Tamako: Ah, yes yes: earlier I understood a scent that was gnawing at me, but it was Makoto’s grandmother. This is my foresight ability but…
Tamako: No…this is human destiny. It’s best they don’t know…
Makoto: See you, grandma.
Grandmother: Be well, Makoto.
Grandmother: From now on, treat Tamako as important.
Makoto: Eh…but
Grandmother: When a cat becomes old, they gain wisdom and seem suspicious. It’s poor to see them as youkai.
Makoto: But…grandmom…
Grandmother: Cats are truly animals who don’t really forget their obligations. It seems blunt but that cat wouldn’t have a reason to attack your grandmother.

143.
Grandmother: See you again.
Makoto: Yep.
Makoto: I love my grandma. Now I’ll meet with her someday.
Tamako: Makoto

144.
Tamako: Nya—
SFX: Zoku
SFX: Da…
SFX: Da
Makoto: Grandma…
Makoto: After all that…that Tamako will take grandma…
Makoto: It can’t be…it can’t be…
SFX: Kan kan kan kan

145.
SFX: Kan kan kan kan
Makoto: Grandma, what are you doing? You’re in the middle of the rail crossing!
Grandmother: Ah, my leg got caught in the track and I can’t move.
Makoto: It can’t be…you knew this…
SFX: Buaa—n
Makoto: Aah, the train is already coming.
Grandmother: Makoto, run quickly; your grandma will be fine…
Makoto: No, no—
Grandmother: Run, Makoto!!
SFX: Gooooo

146.
Tamako: I have no choice, Makoto.
SFX: Suta
SFX: Fu~~

147.
SFX: Ga
SFX: Kikiki—Gagagaga
Makoto: Tamako

148.
Makoto: Th…thank you, but are you alright? Doing this.
Grandmother: Who is he talking to?
Tamako: I’m fine; I don’t any other people.
Makoto: So cats not experiencing obligations was a lie.
Tamako: Right—I’m awkward in saying that.

149.
Makoto: This will be our secret to everyone.
Tamako: That’s particularly fine. No one will believe it.
Makoto: (narrating) And thus, Tamako is kept in our home even now. Since then, she’s been an ordinary cat whom I don’t hear a single word of.
Nube: Yo!
Tamako: Don’t talk to me.
Makoto: Perhaps the cat kept by you may have already become a Nekomata.

150.
RETURN OF THE GREAT YOUKAI ENCYCLOPEDIA

#6: Mermaid

What’s called a mermaid has us think by all means of a western youkai (?) due to Anderen’s fairy tail “The Little Mermaid” coming to mind, but mermaid legends remain in great numbers even in Japan.

Naturally, a Japanese mermaid, whichever it is, seems to have many beings who have an appearance like a human-faced fish (Jinmengyo). The flesh of a mermaid has the benefit of eternal youth and immortality; one who was said to have eaten this and been young and beautiful even after 800 years is Priestess Happyaku. For their instructing of the coming of a tsunami to villagers and their calling of fish causing big catches, many mermaids seem to be drawn as favorable youkai in regards to humans.

According to records, the confirmation of the first mermaid in Japan was said to be the era of Empress Suiko; there may have been some since there isn’t a record, it’s not definite. A mermaid mummy, said to be extraordinary these days, are left in temples and shrines in various places, but in general it’s a fake where the top-half of a monkey is attached to a fish.

(TN: A few things:
1. Again, this entry is before the chapter it’s supposed to be. However, this is actually in conjunction to the next chapter so you’ll be finding out more next time...yeah, we’ll be finding out a lot.
2. There are some areas where the Japanese style of mermaid goes with the Japanese word of “ningyo” (or “man-fish”), but due to the specific connection where Japanese mermaids are seen alongside the Western kind (not to mention that the mermaid we will meet is more a Western-style mermaid with various Japanese attributes), I will merely call them “mermaids” so we won’t get confused. Japanese and Western mermaids do seem to be rather interchangeable in popular culture there; consider as well Hayao Miyazaki’s “Ponyo” using a more Japanese styled “girl-faced fish” for its lead heroine.
3. A few chapters ago, I mentioned that Hans Christian Andersen’s “Thumbelina” had a different name in Japanese of “Oyayubihime” or “The Thumb Princess”. “The Little Mermaid” likewise has a different name in Japanese, simply being “Ningyouhime” or “The Mermaid Princess”.
4. I added an extra “Jinmengyo” comment along with “human-faced fish” due to the previous discussion of “Jinmenken”, where we saw that animals with human faces aren’t unusual and can be applied to any creature.
5. While I could go a bit into the legend of Happyaku Bikuni (literally translates as “The 800-Year Priestess” and which I will refer to as “Priestess Happyaku”), that will be brought up further in a later chapter.
6. Emperess Suiko, ruling between 593 to 628, was the very first “empress regent” of Japan, making her the first woman to rule the nation and only one of 8 ruling empresses)

TN: First of all: the Encyclopedia entry just got my charged for the next chapter. Yeah...I know I have to talk about this chapter but...let's say that I'm all ready to encounter that "mermaid" we've been working our way to for a while.

As for this chapter...I guess it just feels weird that Makoto suddenly has a cat after the whole situation with the Kamaitachi a few volumes back. Yeah I get that Makoto probably wanted his own personal pet even with Tamako...but if we knew of Tamako, we probably wouldn't have worried or cared about him losing his other pet leading to the whole situation with the kamaitachi trio. The chapter on its own though wasn't bad: it's obvious that Tamako isn't an evil cat but Makoto gets so spooked by everything (blame Miki, who has become somewhat of a youkai researcher as of late when Nube can't/doesn't know what's going on) that he just couldn't help his paranoia. It was a tad ironic though that his grandmom would show up just as he finds out about the whole fear of it "eating the elderly" but it was mostly just to give conflict in the tale so the whole matter is negligible in the long run. Tamako though was strange...I couldn't get my finger on why, she just was. Yeah she was good but...it's like the whole conversation with Nube made her feel like a cat version of Tamamo for some stupid reason. (maybe not as arrogant but more along the lines of "humans know nothing") But...at least we have the next chapter to wait for...