Hell Teacher Nube 107

As mysterious as he is, there are certain facets that even Tamamo refuses to let anyone know of. But when a mysterious woman he's never met arrives with a shocking announcement, the youko may have worse problems than expected!

#107: Youko: The Past Name

47.
Package: Onsen Manzuu
(TN: A couple things
-“Onsen” is the traditional Japanese hot spring
-“Manzuu” is basically “manjuu”, the popular Japanese pastry made with flour and usually filled with an red-bean anko filling, but in certain Japanese areas it is given a reading of “manzuu”)
Sign: Best if Eaten By: 92 – 2 – 12
(TN: Incidentally, the chapter was released around late October/early November, 1995, so the manjuu are only over 3 years old)
Nube: ?

48.
(Title page…yeah, I have no idea what expired manjuu have to do with Tamamo…but the title of the chapter does infer to him)

49.
Voice: You’re an idiot~~~
Sign: Doumori Hospital
Hiroshi: Why are you eating manjuu from 3 years ago; do you want to get killed!
SFX: Goro goro
Nube: No~~sorry, they appeared when I was cleaning my shelves. They can’t be from three years ago…but I’m completely fine.
Kyouko: We’re not together with you, Nube, we’re human!
SFX: Pi~~
Nube: Um—we have stomach aches, but is Tamamo-sensei here?
Sign: Reception
Receptionist: Tamamo-sensei is in surgery.
Nube: I know that but I thought he would merely give us medicine, with him as our acquaintance…
Receptionist: Wha!? What did you say!?
Kyouko: Is he drunk…
Receptionist: Next person.

50.
Nube: Oh, she’s a beauty!
Hiroshi: Nube
Tamamo: Iwasaki Tomoe-san…you’re a new patient. What’s wrong?
Tomoe: Akihiko-san…
Tamamo: What?
Tomoe: I’ve wanted to meet you, Akihiko-san!! Where had you gone until now!?

51.
Tamamo: Akihiko…? This woman…
Voice 1: Wh…what is this woman!?
Voice 2: To our Tamamo-sensei!
Tomoe: I’ve been searching for you all along. If you were alive, then why haven’t you called?
Person: What is this , what is this?
Tamamo: You’re mistaking me; I’m not this name of Akihiko…
SFX: Zawa zawa
Tomoe: You’re lying!!
Tomoe: You shouldn’t be mistaken that we didn’t have that much of a deep love. You are Nagumo Akihiko…my lover!!
Tamamo: She’s bothering the other patients. Please take her away.
Tomoe: Akihiko-san!
Nube: Hey, Tamamo, take the proper duty! There’s nothing you can do about those you’ve done it with; you’re a crafty guy, falsifying even your name. Acknowledge it!
Tamamo: Wh…what is this man saying…

52.
Tamamo: “Akihiko” is my other name.
Container: Powerful Kawamoto
Tamamo: A youko takes the form of a human by placing a skull in their head and performing a jutsu from the power of the god of Ursa Major…I too have gained this form now by this.
Nube: From where did you obtain this skull?
Kyouko: It can’t be you killed him?
Tamamo: No, it was a mountain climber who had collapsed dead. As I understand with his possessions, his name was Nagumo Akihiko, a college student who was researching folklore.
Tamamo: My form now is like two peas in a pod with Nagumo Akihiko, who was this skull’s possessor. It isn’t impossible that I would even be mistaken by that woman…
(TN: The expression “two peas in a pod” is sort of close to the Japanese version, which is “urifutatsu” or “as similar as two melons”)

53.
Nube: Right, understood. This is your trick but…
Nube: On top of that, you’re going to become that long-ago lover and do “pi—“ and “pu—“ with that girl. (Kya~~lecher~~perver—t)
Hiroshi: Nube
Kyouko: That spasm again…
Tamamo: I do not have interest in human women. However that woman
Tamamo: If she had a relationship with a deep love of that extent…at any rate, she’s recognized that I’m different from the real one. If…she knew my true identity…
Tamamo: That moment was…
SFX: Gugu…
SFX: Baki
SFX: Gacha
Tamamo: !

54.
Tomoe: Welcome home, Akihiko-san!
Tamamo: …How did you get in!?
Tomoe: I got a duplicate key from the manager. He was suspicious, but when he saw that picture, he believed me.
Tamamo: Picture?
Tamamo: What is that?
Tomoe: I’m sorry; I decorated it as I pleased. Do you remember? It was when the two of us had gone on that trip…
Tomoe: It was immediately after that when Akihiko-san went missing…I believed you were alive for certain but…how could it be that you became a doctor…

55.
Tamamo: You’re a person who doesn’t understand…I am Tamamo Kyousuke! I accidentally resemble another person; please go and leave!
Tomoe: You poorly have come to have memory loss…you’ve forgotten even your own name. But it will be fine, because I’m going to have you remember…
Tomoe: Hey, this is folklore research material. Only an eccentric like you would collet this strange thing…
SFX: Gacha
Tamamo: Don’t touch that!!
SFX: Ga
Tomoe: !

56.
SFX: Fu~~~ | Goki goki goki
Tomoe: Kyaaaa
Tamamo: Wait!
SFX: Dadada
SFX: Ba!
Tamamo: !!

57.
Nube: I was worried and when I came here, it had come to this after all…
Nube: You should have said “I wanted to understand human love”. And yet are you going to kill a person? Were those words a lie…after all you deceive a person with just your mouth. You’re merely a fox-person…
Tamamo: Hmm…you’re in a position to want to give an opinion naturally, Nueno-sensei. Ignoring that woman will come to not achieve my purpose of understanding humans…!
Tamamo: If this is for my purpose, then don’t choose my means…
Tomoe: What was....that…!? He’s not human…? Akihiko-san…!!

58.
Tomoe: He said he had a project of fox legends in folklore…
Tomoe: Fox!!
Tomoe: Even on that last day, he was seeking a youko legend and had gone into that mountain…it can’t be; he’s really been possessed by a fox……!!

59.
Tamamo: It can’t be: you’ve come again? Come into the car; I have the story.
SFX: Burororo…
Nube: He can’t, that state of Tamamo yesterday…he’s planning to kill that woman to silence her. If I don’t stop this…!!
Caption: —Doumori Harbor—

60.
Tomoe: Tell me…what is your story!? What’s wrong with the real Akihiko-san!?
Tamamo: Do you want to know?
Nube: No…he’s seriously going to kill her!!
Tomoe: I…really love Akihiko-san…he was a person who is my life…I dedicate everything, my body and my heart, to Akihiko-san…
Tomoe: Please…it doesn’t matter even if you’re a monster or whatever. But do you know about Akihiko-san!? Tell me.
SFX: Su
Tomoe: Is he…alive…?

61.
Tamamo: Akihiko…is dead.
SFX: Ban!
Tamamo: !
Nube: Wh…what…!?
SFX: Gya gya gya
Tomoe: Akihiko-san…if you’re not alive, then I’ll…
Sign: Warning: Flammable
Barrel: Combustion at High Heat
SFX: Vaaa~~~
Nube: Watch ou~~t!!

62.
Nube: Tamamo…!?

63.
Tamamo: Don’t…be crude with life.
Tamamo: Akihiko…had an accident on the mountain and died. I am the youko Tamamo. I am borrowing his form for a reason.
Caption: Fire-Ring Tail Jutsu: Youko can manipulate flames freely.
(TN: “Hiwao” = “Fire-Ring Tail”)
Tamamo: I’ve brought you here for this story and to hand over this article of the deceased.
(TN: “Article of the Deceased” is a simple word of “Ihin” in Japanese)
Tamamo: A thing called a soul can never rest in peace when there is a person who feels strongly for them on the surface. That says nothing that if you commit suicide, become a Jibakurei and remain on the surface, his soul can’t rest in peace for eternity.

64.
Tammao: Forget…and then find a new love. That is for Akihiko…
Nube: Tamamo…saved her…
Nube: Yo, lady-killer.

65.
Nube: Have you come to understand this thing called a human heart a bit?
Tamamo: Not particularly…I just chose the safest of plans…I decided it would be better to have her persuaded and give up on him over killing the woman and raising your anger. I am a fox; seducing people with my mouth is my specialty…
Nube: Right.
Nube: Tamamo…amidst not knowing, you may be just a bit closer to human…

66.
NUBE’S WEIRD FILES

#2: Folklore

If I say “ethnologist”, the first thing to float to mind is Yanagita Kunio. Along with being an originator of the study of “Folklore”, he’s the author of non-fiction known for the novel “Mahha no Kyoufu”…though saying that’s a lie. That Yanagita Kunio is a different person with a different character.

Well then, what exactly is this thing that is researched in the study called folklore that appeared many times even in this story? Generally, it’s deduced that they have a study of researching the indigenous beliefs and the manners of customs of people, but what’s worthy of special mention is that they’re the only scholarship that has a research theme in “Youkai”. Even in the literary works of the aforementioned Yanagita Kunio, youkai have appeared in plenty. Starting with “Nochi no Kari Kotoba no Ki”, “Toono Monogatari” and “Ishigami Mondou”, I can say that there are stories which you can’t miss for knowing of youkai, such as “Santou Mintanshuu”, “Youkai Dangi”, “Hitosu-me Kozou Sono Ta” and “Minkan Denshouron”.

Of course, the research of folklore isn’t just youkai, but if all of you readers are thinking that they want to research much deeper about youkai, then it would be fine to investigate their books or make a major subject of folklore at university. Generally they should be near the literature department. (Incidentally, Nube-sensei graduated from the education department. If he hadn’t, then he wouldn’t be a teacher of a grade school.)
(TN: A few things:
1. Though I translated “Minzokugaku” as “Folklore”, the first word in the Japanese explanation is “Minzokugakusha”, which is literally “Folklore person” or, as translated here, “ethnologist”.
2. You may be a tad confused regarding the “Yanagita Kunio” joke and the “different character” bit. Honestly, both Yanagita Kunio’s have the same name, but both of them have one differing in their character set-up: the “kuni” kanji which is the kanji for “home country” in the ethnologist/folklore and the “kuni” for “country” for the other “Kunio”.
3. Now I guess you have to explain the differences between both “Yanagita Kunio” so we don’t get confused further:
-The “non-fiction” Yanagita Kunio is a non-fiction writer known best for the book “Mahha no Kyoufu” (The Terror of Mach), released in 1971 about various jet accidents reported on by him when working for the NHK in 1966 and the winner of a notable non-fiction award.
-The “scholar” Yanagita Kunio is the father of native folkloristics, also known as “minzokugaku” (which is what I merely translate as “folklore” in my script and this entry. Living between 1875 to 1962, he traveled through Japan and did research of local oral traditions and the lives of commoners in making a concept of Japanese history.
4. Now we know a bit regarding the scholar Yanagita Kunio, it’s time to go over every one of the books that are mentioned here as listed…but be warned: a lot of these have little info in English and a lot of this is based on what I am able to pull out from Japanese sources, usually at a glance:
-Nochi no Kari Kotoba no Ki (An Account of Words of Hunting in the Back) – a log of Shiiba, Miyazaki Prefecture
-Toono Monogatari (Tales of Toono) – a record of folk legends of the town of Tono, Iwate Prefecture. Is notable for the appearance of kappa and zashiki warashi.
-Ishigami Mondou (Dialogue with the Stone God) – a research into a religion known as “Ena”
-Santou Mintanshuu (Santou Folk Story Collection) – Details the folklores and histories of an area of Yamanashi Prefecture
-Youkai Dangi (Youkai Lecture) – A collection regarding the various youkai throughout Japan.
-Hitosu-me Kozou Sono Ta (The One-Eyed Youngster and Etc.) – Another collection about various youkai, including “Hitotsu-me Kozou”)
-Minkan Denshouron (Discourse of Civilian Folklore) – A collection of national folklore)

TN: Ever had one of those feelings where a story seems to be a really good and telling one and could be great...except something completely throws it off making you contemplate what went wrong? I probably have had deja vu regarding that, but somehow this Nube chapter just felt really interesting...but ended in a way that just didn't feel right at all. Of course, I'm talking about Tomoe being completely brainwashed and wiped clean of the memories of Akihiko so she would leave Tamamo alone and move on with her life. The whole concept regarding why it was done was completely based on the Japanese spiritualism that this series is based around and nothing more. Not really wanting to make an arguement regarding religion but somehow this has to be said: while I typically like the concepts of how spirituality is used in this series, it just didn't feel right with how the whole argument of "Tomoe must forget Akihiko or else he won't rest in peace and she'll have a ruined life" just like that. I mean, there have been many cases of "lover's suicide" where someone dies to go after someone else and be "reunited" akin to a Romeo and Juliet scenario. Sure Tomoe driving into flammables was utterly reckless but considering her mind-set with what was suddenly happening to her, it was the only way she could find escape unfortunately, even with the factor of Tamamo being a flame controller due to his youko powers.

Honestly the only real reason as to why they did it was simple: it was a simple means of solving the Tomoe problem with just this one and only chapter with her. They wanted to show that Tamamo had another identity through the skull he's used since descending to the surface and show how it nearly ruins his and her life before resolving it in such a manner that makes it quick and easy. Honestly, just forcing Tomoe into a brainwashing scenario just doesn't feel right. If she had stuck around learning about Akihiko's death, then either accepting Tamamo (or having him accept her) or even accepting Akihiko's death, what Tamamo is doing with his memory and ultimately moving on, it would have felt stronger. Maybe it would have taken more chapters, but just having a character like her appear just to disappear doesn't feel right. Honestly the scenario really could have gone two ways based on some similar ones we've seen in this series:

-The direction akin to Yukime, where we have a weird confession, a chapter where we think it's dealt with, but then she returns and both sides slowly comes to grips with their situation.
-"The direction akin to Hiroshi's "mom", where we have a weird confession and a chapter that deals with it, but is dealt with in a clean and efficient manner that works.

In this case, I rather it went the Yukime manner since love is really a situation which takes a lot more to understand, even for a youko who claims he isn't interested in "human females". (sort of like a certain teacher who claims he isn't interested in a yukionna) Instead it went the other way...and while it worked in Hiroshi's mom's case (since it was just a well-made chapter and allowed for both sides to come to terms), this one just feels like a cheat due to the ending. I sort of wished Tomoe did stick around and maybe we could have had a more mature coming to terms with her new scenario and ultimately moving on...heck maybe even Tamamo could have learned from her. But...heh, it wasn't meant to be. Tomoe is a one-and-done character and there's nothing more we really can say about this...even if we wished we could.