Hell Teacher Nube 106

While possession by the supernatural usually only gives off mental or emotional trauma, occasionally problems reach into the physical. When Kyouko gains an unexpected passenger, her problems are just getting...larger...

#106: Youkai: Futakuchi-Onna

27.
SFX: Fura…
SFX: Gacha
SFX: Baku baku kucha kucha
SFX: Kucha kucha baku baku
(TN: Those…are useful pigtails)

28.
(Title page…yeah, midnight eating would do that to a girl, even to Kyouko)

29.
Miki: Hey, Kyouko.
Miki: Haven’t you gotten fat recently??
SFX: Doki! | Puku puku puku puku
Kyouko: E…excuse me; suddenly…you’re imagining it!
Miki: Yesterday—I saw a program on FATTY Arbuckle—he was a LARGE player in film industry, FATTY took a HUGE dive after a REALLY FAT lawsuit for killing a woman.
(TN: Obviously Miki is making a bunch of fat jokes here to peeve Kyouko off more, but this is one of those occasions where I literally had to make up a new segment in order to make the joke work in English. (Fatty Arbuckle is an actual actor of the silent era; while probably not the best way to make the joke considering I doubt Miki cares about old silent film stars, that’s how I decided to use it) However, just so I remain as authentic as possible [and reduce guilt on my translation ruining the bit due to several names that must be used in Japanese and make no sense here for the joke], here is Miki’s original dialogue:

Miki: Yesterday—on the Dave Spector program—there was a stage video of David Bowie; Dave presented us with a generous great service.

Obviously when she said that, Miki was using various “words” and “puns” with major emphasis, which include the “david” for both Dave Spector and David Bowie due to the word “debu” or “chubby”, as well as “butai”, which here is “stage” but emphasizing the “buta” for “pig” and the word “futobbara”, which usually should be “generous” as in the “generous great service” part, but is emphasized to give off the feeling of “fat stomach”. And while a lot of people probably should know of famous chameleon rock star David Bowie, Dave Spector is actually a notable foreign celebrity in Japan, living there since 1983, making celebrity of being a foreigner [a Jewish-American born in Chicago] in this strange land)
SFX: Pera pera pera

30.
Miki: I’ve found out; you’re fat, you’re fat
SFX: Tap-tap; pig-pig
(TN: The “tap-tap pig-pig” is a another weird pun: the “sumo” game that Miki is playing begins with Miki tapping on it, going “ton-ton”, but then the “ton” changes from a regular “ton” to the “ton” which is the kanji for “pig”)
Kyouko: I’m not fat!
SFX: Kuwa!
SFX: dotan batan | Gya—gya—
Kyouko: If I’m fat then what are you!
Miki: I’m buxom!
(TN: Miki’s “buxom” comment is in reference to the word “guramaa”, which could be used as “glamorous”, but also has a “buxom” meaning, which works here because all of Miki’s fat…is collecting in a place it isn’t for Kyouko)
Kyouko: Ah, Nube, Hiroshi, I’m not fat, am I!?
Nube: You’re fat—hahaha… (An unpopular man is honest)
Hiroshi: You’re—like skewered dango. (Zero delicacy)
(TN: “Dango” is a mochi (rice-flour) made sweet, usually served on a skewer)
SFX: Gara gara gara

31.
Kyouko: No more; I whose slimness is her worth can’t live with those being said. Goodbye: I give this manga’s heroine position to Miki.
Miki: Do it—
Nube: !
Nube: Kyouko! Come to the night-watch room tonight! I have to have an important talk.
Kyouko: Eh!
Miki: Does he feel sex-appeal with her nape!?
(TN: The “Nape” is in reference to the back of a person’s neck, just as where Nube saw that “mouth”)
Voice: I thought it couldn’t be but…this…bruise on your nape…
Sign: Night-Watch Room

32.
Miki: You’re saying this is the act of an evil spirit? That’s stupid.
Hiroshi: Oh, food, food.
Bag: Friend Mart
Kyouko: Right, it’s the fault of an evil spirit; I absolutely thought so!!
Bag: Senbei
(TN: “Senbei” are Japanese rice crackers)
SFX: Bari bari musha musha
Hiroshi: Is this really the fault of an evil spirit~~
Nube: Perhaps it’s active in the period where the person herself is sleeping.
Kyouko: Then, go to sleep?
Miki: Shall I put you to sleep?
Nube: No, this will be fine. It’s a weak spirit that isn’t hostile. I’ll simply exorcise it.
Nube: Namu Daiji Dahi Kyuugu Kyuunan…
SFX: Paaa…

33.
Nube: Koudai Reikan Byakue Kanzeon…
Miki: What, this is simple? That’s boring. I’ll ea—t this dorayaki.
(TN: “Dorayaki” is a sweet bun made of red bean paste surrounded by castella pancakes)
SFX: Shururu…
Miki: !
SFX: Baku baku musha musha

34.
Miki: Kyaaaaaa!! Hiii, a youkai~~
SFX: Baku baku
Miki: Die~~monster~~ Uorya
Nube: Calm down! This is eerie but it isn’t an evil spirit!
Nube: This is Futakuchi; it possesses just women. A person who is possessed by this is called “Futakuchi-Onna” and seems like a youkai, but…its true identity is…
(TN: “Futakuchi” is merely “a second mouth” and “Futakuchi-Onna” is “The Two-Mouth Woman”)
SFX: Paa

35.
SFX: Paku paku (opening mouth open and closed)
Nube: As you see, it’s the spirit of a child who is hungry and still 1~2 years in age.
Nube: Futakuchi possesses just women because it’s a very young childlike this. It seeks the love of a mother and possesses one it seems it can depend on.
Nube: It thought of it’s mother having seen what seemed like the kindness of Kyouko just that much and possessed her.
Kyouko: M…me? Ehehe…
Miki: Ke, it’s a lie. An ab—solute lie.

36.
Nube: So then…let’s detatch it. I’m sending it back to that world by force with the Oni no Te; because it’s too young and can’t understand even if I persuade it to go.
Kyouko: Eh, by force?
“Baby” : Mama—mama—
“Mother”: I’m sorry…we don’t have anything to eat…
Caption: Within an air-raid shelter
Voice 1: Silence it! What will happen if we’re found by the enemy!
“Baby”: Mama…
“Mother”: Uuuh…
Voice 2: Kill that brat!!
Kyouko: This child…is pitiful…
Nube: Eh? (to himself) Right: she’s connected to its spiritual body and can understand its heart…
Kyouko: I’m going to feed it until it’s full, as this child requests. And then, it can rest in peace.

37.
Nube: No, it’s…
Nube: How could you by force; it’s not an evil spirit!
Nube: Kyouko!
SFX: Da!
Miki: She’ll get fat like Konishiki!
(TN: Konishiki refers to Konishiki Yosokichi, born Saleva’a Fuauli Atisano’e, a Hawaiian born Japanese-Samoan notable as being the closest foreign-born sumo wrestler to approach the rank of yokozuna, the highest rank in sumo. [though he did actually make the second-stage rank, ozeki, yet regardless of how large and notable he became never made it to the yokozuna rank] Regardless, Konishiki remained popular and notable throughout and after his sumo career)
Nube: No...With her holding sympathy for the spirit, she’ll eat bottomlessly…continuing to eat until she dies!!
Hiroshi: Eeh?

38.
Kyouko: I’m certain…I’m certain I’ll get you full.
Sign: Oobanyaki
(TN: As explained in vol. 9, “oobanyaki” is a notable filling-filled treat made with a waffle iron usually found at festivals as a Kansai-type of Imagawayaki)
SFX: Musha musha Pe…!!
Kyouko: Is it tasty? Is it tasty?
Sign: Ramen Big-Eaters Discount!!
SFX: Zuru zuru…

39.
Nube: I’m going to Kyouko’s house. Hiroshi and Miki, you search back there.
Kyouko: Because she’s fast with her legs.
Sign: Inaba
Nube: so, she hasn’t returned to the house?
Mrs. Inaba: No, what’s wrong with Kyouko?
Caption: Kyouko’s Mother
Nube: How could this be…that her kindness is a pretense to misfortune?
Nube: That lot next door…are they building a house there?
Mrs. Inaba: Yes, they’ve been digging it up since a week ago.

40.
Nube: Remains of an air-raid shelter…?
Hiroshi: Is she there!?
Miki: She isn’t!
Hiroshi: That idiot. Where would she comfort-eat…
(TN: “comfort eat” is an expression in Japanese of “yakegui” or “comfort eating”)
Voice: Kyaaaaa!!

41.
Kyouko: Stop already~~My stomach is~~my stomach is~~
Sign: Candy
SFX: Gatsu gatsu musha musha

42.
Kyouko: Save me…this child won’t listen to what I say…this amazing power…
Hiroshi: Kyouko! Vomit! Vomit it up!!
Kyouko: Gee gee! No…my stomach is exploding!
Hiroshi: Damn, stop that you glutton.
Miki: No good. Cut her hair and give her a close-clip.
Hiroshi: Kyouko’s kindness has made the spirit arrogant. This can’t be managed by us.
Miki: Nube!!

43.
Mrs. Inaba: What are you doing, teacher, with this onigiri…
(TN: “Onigiri” is of course the classic Japanese riceball, typically with a nori-seaweed wrap and occasionally with a filling inside like a pickled plum or salmon roe)
Nube: Well, please show it to this.
SFX: Za za
SFX: Poko
Mrs. Inaba: Gyaaa!! A murder case!?
Nube: Ultimately…it burned to death by an air-raid in this place…
Nube: Futakuchi is not happy no matter how much is eaten by the person who it possesses.
SFX: Su
Nube: You must search for its real form and hold a memorial service…

44.
Voice: Mama…it was tasty…
“Baby”: My stomach is full.
SFX: Suu…
Hiroshi: We heard it would continue to eat until you died but…
Kyouko: Is it satisfied…?

45.
Kyouko: Hiroshi…thank you.
Hiroshi: Heavy.
Kyoko: Huh…
SFX: Tapun
Miki: Ah~~I’m roasting up. Each and every time. (Ke ke)
Sign: Right now I’m On a Diet
Narrator: Futakuchi-Onna is said to be a curse of children who were tormentedly killed by region. But generally they’re spirits of starvation, similar to Hidarugami or Gaki. Women need to have particular caution. If recently you’ve felt you’re suddenly fat, then it’s…
(TN: I assume that the “Gaki” here is in reference back to the “Gakidama” of vol. 3, but “Hidarugami” is another “hunger spirit” with a literal translation of “hunger god”. It usually afflicts travelers in remote locations and will make one starve to death unless mochi is applied to a person infected by “it”)

46
NUBE’S WEIRD FILES

This manga, which is continuing from the “Seven Mysteries of Campus” series and “Japanese Youkai” series, is going into its 13th volume and has come to generally deal with extraordinary phenomenon, increasingly enriching the contents with variety.

For this reason, the “Youkai Encyclopedia” too will be changing its title. At a glance, the cheap naming sense that gapingly understands this program is smart. (bitter smile) By the way, the contents aren’t changing as it had been up to now.

#1: Futakuchi-Onna

A youkai that has been introduced in a famous folktale. There are situations that say that the location of its mouth is at the scalp of the head, but it was right that we could have it near the neighborhood of the nape of the neck in the back of the head. This is larger than the mouth in front and a large quantity of many times is eaten while sticking it’s tongue out. Usually it’s hidden by head hair, but when it has modeled in front of it food that isn’t around anyone, the head hair becomes like it’s feelers and it eats it.

A legend handed down in Chiba Prefecture has brought down a story that says that a second wife, who killed the child of the former wife, became this youkai. Since she transformed into a youkai by the grudge of a child who was killed by its stepmother, it differs from what was established in this chapter.
(TN: For the most part the legend of the Futakuchi-Onna involves a miser who ends up marrying a “stingy eating woman”, who ultimately discovers that she is one through his rice stores being eaten away regardless of how much he had. Generally as stated, the youkai is notable both for the mouth behind the head and prehensile hair)

TN: I believe this song is probably the most appropriate for the first thing I have to say:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIkYfhXG0ho (just heard it today, it's epic)

Honestly, I feel really ashamed about everything that happened in my translation of that joke involving Miki's conversation with all the fat jokes, in particular giving blasphemy to the epicness that is David Bowie. When I try to translate a manga, I honestly try to make it as honest a translation as possible including every single reference and comment in a way to make the joke work in English while keeping the spirit of the Japanese. Whenever I see a manga, I want to know what they're saying in Japanese even if it's a cultural reference so I can get their experience and learn about as much of a culture as I can through their pop culture. The problem with Miki's little "talk" in this chapter though is simple: she intentionally used several words, including two names, in order to make the massive emphasis of Kyouko's weight problem. You can't just simply say something like "DAVID Bowie" in English and make it sound like she's obviously making a feel that Kyouko is getting fat and she just wants to rub it in her face. Honestly, if it was just one word, maybe two, I would have kept the whole chat for the most part and made necessary adjustments to make the joke work. But when you have that many different words all being used in a specific manner...then sometimes you have no choice for the sake of the script. All you can really do is cut your losses and find another way to make it work (thus the stupid "Fatty Arbuckle" comment I wrote above), but still try to explain what the original Japanese was and explain as best as possible why it worked in that language and not your own. It's the turmoil of a translator, sadly, and I try to make it work except when I have no choice in the matter and it just gets beyond my control.

With that said, this was for the most part a weird chapter where Kyouko's good intention nearly got her killed. Unfortunately when you see a spirit of a defenseless young child, you don't want to eliminate it for it's own sake, thinking that it deserves to be saved by other means. But this is a cultural thing...I honestly could be saying something else in regards to Japanese culture in other manners, but I don't want to get into an entire political debate regarding...yeah, let's just keep quiet on that. Honestly the solutions can get a tad too clean compared to how other places have it, but for a simple 18-page chapter, they usually tend to work anyway. Besides...somehow I wouldn't be surprised if certain fetish people find this chapter finally done...then again they're probably waiting for others anyway.