Hell Teacher Nube 74

Although Nube is an expert in the spiritual, there are many families that are way more experienced than he is. Unfortunately, one young and dangerous member is about to make a massive impact on the Tokyo scene with some little friends...

#74: The Spiritually-Powered Beautiful Itakogal: Izuna

112.
Narrator: Doumori-town’s Center Street: here is the shopping district with the most numerous pedestrian traffic! Those of Doumori Elementary are banned from visiting this vicinity!
Narrator: My goodness, Nube-sensei is in this area…
Nube: It’s because there are rumors of students visiting this area recently. Today I’ve put on a disguise and come to investigate.
SFX: Ui—n
(TN: Note some of the cameos in the crane game, including Zashiki Warashi, A, the anatomy doll, Gakidama, the Kamaitachi kit, even…a representation of one of the mangaka?)
SFX: Poto!

113.
Caption: Because the Oni no Te is a spiritual body, it can penetrate objects.
Girl: Kya—
Nube: !
Miki: It’s true: whatever it is, she’s greatly successful.
Nube: Them…it can’t be: students from my class…
Nube: Where are they going…

114.
SFX: Kucha kucha (chew chew)
Miki: Big sis Izuna—as I’ve promised, I’ve come bringing my friends--!
Izuna: Aah, grade-school customers again?
SFX: Pop
Izuna: That’s because grade schoolers don’t have money…I don’t want to do it for them much.
Miki: Aww (heart) Don’t say that, big sis~~
Nube: What is that girl…she’s wearing make-up in spite of being a middle-schooler…it can’t be: is that a “kogal” that are spoken of in society…?
(TN: As I mentioned before, a “kogal” was a major 90s fad involving girls (usually middle schoolers) dressing up in high socks and high-school uniforms.)
Izuna: So? What do you want to ask?
Miki: Actually, the answers for tomorrow’s tests…
Kyouko: I got into a fight with Noriko; I’m worried that she’s still angry.
Hiroshi: We have an important match next week. Will it be clear or not…
Katsuya: Big sis’s three sizes…

115.
Izuna: That’s cheap business.
SFX: Su…
Nube: What? She’s taken out lip balm tubes…
SFX: Buwa
Nube: Those are Kudagitsune.
(TN: I’m not quite sure I mentioned these creatures before in another chapter, but “kudagitsune” will be further explained now…and translate literally into “tube fox”)

116.
Nube: Kudagitsune…spirit animals that are said to be used by Itako (spiritualists) of the Tohoku region. They carry them within tubes like bamboo pipes and use them, where they can exercise various abilities.
*Itako…their specialty is an art where they can be possessed by the spirit of the deceased in their own body and speak as them (Necromancy). The Itako of Mt. Osore is famous.
Nube: They can look at far-away things
Nube: Read a person’s heart
Nube: Predict the weather…
Caption: 10,000m in the sky
Nube: The abilities of Kudagitsune are said to vary for each one and have come to seem to be used for various means to the extent of being many in number.
Caption: Can’t be seen by ordinary people

117.
Izuna: The questions for the math test will be written as such.
SFX: Sarasara
Izuna: For the rest: Noriko isn’t angry at you anymore.
Izuna: Well, 500 yen per thing.
Hiroshi: What about what I asked?
Izuna: Strange, it hasn’t come back.
Nube: Are you searching for thing, miss?
SFX: Jita bata jita
Hiroshi: Nube!
Izuna: Eww, what is that oldie who doesn’t seem popular?
Kyouko: He’s Nube-sensei, our homeroom teacher.
Miki: Even so, he is a spiritualist.

118.
Nube: Is this a spirit-beast used by Itako? Can this be handled by a child like you?
Izuna: What!? Are you complaining!?
SFX: Kachin!
Kyouko: Nube, well—well—
Izuna: If I said that I’m of a hereditary Itako lineage from Tohoku, then that makes me an Itako thoroughbred! (Different from a workhorse like you)
Nube: So you’re an Itako Kogal? Then, you’re an Itakogal. (Hahaha…)
(TN: That pretty much defines the title…and Izuna’s main title: a fusion of “Itako” and “Kogal”, thus leading to her being an “Itakogal”)
Caption: Old man pun…
(TN: Honestly I tried but couldn’t find a translation for the word “kitogu”, but considering Nube’s little “pun” just now…it seemed the best option at the time)
Izuna: F**k you!
(TN: Obviously Izuna sort of does curse now, with an expression for “zaken na yo!”, which generally stands for “f**k you”, but also can be taken for an obvious inflammatory comment towards the directed target such as “don’t f**k around”. I tried to make it a bit more constructive considering how “f**k you” can just be said in “English” in Japan, but it seemed the simplest and obvious one.)
SFX: Kachi
SFX: Bote

119.
Izuna: I don’t know if you’re a spiritually-powered teacher or what, but you’re a 100 years early to be preaching to me--!!
SFX: Dotedote
Nube: You all! Keeping company with that delinquent!
Miki: But…it’s because that person’s fortune telling is really successful…
Kyouko: It can’t be: she’s in conflict with Nube…
Izuna: I’m home—
SFX: Gacha

120.
SFX: Nyoro nyoro
Izuna: Ahaha: alright, alright. You were lonely. Have you been good children?
SFX: Nyoro nyoro nyoro nyoro nyoro
Narrator: Kudagitsune breed in an Itako’s home said to increase up to 75.
Izuna: I’ve saved up a lot.
SFX: Charin
Narrator: The ability of the Kudagitsune differs for each one. Again, its power is decided by the spiritual power of the using spiritualist. In short: a strong Kudagitsune will be born to the extent of an owner with strong spiritual power.

121.
Nube: Yo, made a profit already? (Want some?)
Izuna: You again? You’re stubborn.
Nube: Hm—m: so then, you were born in an Itako home, skived out partway through Itako training and came down to Tokyo?
(TN: Weirdly “skive” is a term that is hard to understand for some because it’s a British term for “avoiding responsibility because you want to do something more fun”, which sounds perfectly like Izuna. Another translation of this word, which is “Hopporidasu” in Japanese, is “to be truant”, but somehow “truancy” really didn’t work in my head since that or “playing hooky” seem to be more temporary, but translate it as it works to get the basic idea)
Izuna: That’s right: I came to the home of a relative saying “so I could take the Tokyo high school exams”. Kudagitsune are silent and I brought them from home.
SFX: Ga ga ga
Izuna: In truth, I’m not taking the exams. My head, at any—rate, isn’t that decent…however, I do want to make use of the talents I possess and was born with. I’ll be a spiritualist in Tokyo, make my name and become really rich.
Imaginary Izuna: Hohohohoho
Nube: Hm—m…you do have dreams for the moment…
SFX: N ga gu gu | Ton ton

122.
Nube: If that’s them, then all the more you should return to your home and resume your training. You can’t deal with those Kudagitsune with your spiritual power now.
SFX: Muka
Izuna: My spiritual power is immature!? Why must that thing be said by a bungler like you?
Izuna: No—this guy is selling my sailor fuku for 50 thousand yen—
SFX: Jiro jiro jiro
Nube: Eh? Ju…just a moment…
Izuna: What’s with that teacher; he made me super-irritated…!
SFX: Butsu butsu butsu
Izuna: N? What’s wrong everyone. Since you’re in that corner…

123.
“Kudagitsune”: Shaaaaaaa……
Izuna: Ah, a newly born child. It’s extremely poor…
SFX: Zuru zuru
Izuna: What spiritual power do you have?
SFX: Giro
“Kudagitsune”: Shaaaaa!!
SFX: Bashi
Izuna: Kya
Izuna: What…? It won’t listen to what I say.
SFX: Shu
Izuna: This is the first time that happened…

124.
SFX: Shu
Boy: ?
Boy: Shaaa~~
Izuna: Possession…that’s it’s ability…
Boy: Gaaaaa~~
SFX: Goki
Students: Wa—
SFX: Hyun! | Su
Girl: Gaaa!
Izuna: Please stop! Return to your tube! Listen to what I say, hey!

125.
Boy: O wow ow—
SFX: Gaji gaji gaji
Izuna: Stop that!! Why aren’t you listening to what I say; please return!
SFX: Shu
SFX: Zugo | Kiki--| Dogaa

126.
Voice: Hey look: that’s why I couldn’t let it alone…
Izuna: !?
Nube: Step aside, I’ll take this somehow.
Izuna: That’s impossible. That strong thing is…
SFX: Sa
Nube: This is a Kudagitsune you forgot about the other day. First of all, I’m returning it.
Izuna: You were keeping it!?
Nube: And this is a new Kudagitsune born in my house from that Kudagitsune. It’s somewhere a Kudagitsune for my personal use that was brought up with my spiritual power…
Izuna: Eh!?
SFX: Byu
Voices: Kya—it’s coming—
SFX: Shupo

127.
(An oni Kudagitsune…freaky but appropriate!)

128.
SFX: Baku! | Mugyu | Jitabata
Nube: Alright, that’s fine. Return!
SFX: Shi—shi—
Izuna: The ability of a Kudagitsune is proportionate to the spiritual power of the user…He…he produced that powerful Kudagitsune.
Izuna: Er…but, that powerful Kudagitsune is being handled as if it was the monkey of a showman…what exactly is that person…
(TN: “Showman” here in particular was the Japanese word “Sarumawashi”, which is in particular a “showman who trains performing monkeys”)

129.
SFX: Petan
Izuna: I…was conceited, planning to come of age with this immature ability…
Nube: Do you understand: return to your home and resume your training.
Izuna: No: I’m training in Tokyo! But…to have met with this amazing teacher!
Nube: Eh!?
Izuna: I, Itako-sensei, will be an apprentice to Nube! Treat me kindly, tea-ch-er!
Nube: Ye…yes, do you have the talent…(to himself) Who is Itako-sensei, hey?

130.
RETURN OF THE GREAT YOUKAI ENCYCLOPEDIA

#12: Izuna Users

Izuna can also be written as “Idzuna” or “I-Dzu-Na” and are a sizable spirit-beast that are like small mice. Because they go into and kept in slender tubes like bamboo tubes, they are called “Kudagitsune” in Niigata region. The people who use these spirit-beasts and freely use various black magic and sorcery are “Izuna Users”; also they are called “Kuda Users”.

The Itako of Touhoku Region is well known as Izuna Users. However, since it is necessary to have a large-extent of spiritual power and training to tame spirit-beasts, it’s almost impossible to ordinary people. Homes that raise Kudagitsune are called “Kudatsuki” but these Kudatsuki homes at first prosper at earth-staggering force, but collapse at similar force afterwards. Kudagitsune who over-multiply run through the fortunes of a household. Therefore Kudatsuki homes have come to have no socialization. This comes to be a kind of ostracizing condition and before long perish. Those who become misfortunate is overwhelmingly many. If you think you want to raise Kudagitsune, then you must train thoroughly. Understand, Izuna-kun!

(TN: A couple things:
1. I ended up having to write “Izuna” several times due to it having three different readings as displayed here, even though the general reading remains “Izuna” or “Idzuna”.
2. “Kudatsuki” simply stands for “tube-possessors”, thus a nice nickname for the homes with Kudagitsune)

TN: Izuna, Izuna, Izuna...what more can I really say? Possibly one of the more lively members of the cast (and a certain lead character of a seinen-spinoff now running in Japan) finally joins the series with this chapter (well you can't really say "join" since this is only her first chapter...and we won't see her again for a few more volumes) and...you can obviously see she has a huge impact from the start. While probably not the only or the most famous itako in manga, Izuna just has this weird spark about her that just seems to draw trouble to her every time she shows up, sort of akin to Miki...only a middle schooler and with little foxes in lip balm tubes. You sort of can see she essentially has star material even from this chapter, from her "dealings" with Nube (smashing him with a giant kudagitsune while cursing him off) to the climax where she ends up discovering that maybe the "greenhorn who isn't from an itako family" may actually know a bit more than the idiot youngster who just came down from Touhoku. (weird so many characters are tied to Touhoku, first Yukime and now the itakogal...) Though strangely, I have this weird hunch of somehow Izuna being a satire/shout-out/parody of the concepts and ideals of one Reiko Mikami from a rival "spiritual manga" running in Sunday at the same time as Nube...but don't quote me on that. (just look at that picture...it was like "Ghost Sweeper Izuna"!) I guess to those of you reading this, you're either going to anticipate...or dread Izuna's next appearance...but get used to her because she's going to be a part of this franchise for a long time to come...