Hell Teacher Nube 114

Everyone is entitled to a little happiness in their lives, especially around the holiday season. But when Miki discovers a little youkai who can cause amazing things to happen, will she share the wealth...or just be a Scrooge about it!?

Vol. 14: The Enigmatic Human Combustion Phenomenon
#114: The Kesaran Pasaran of Happiness

8.
SFX: Kesara—n…Pasara—n…
Voices: Merry Christmas!!
(TN: I probably should go into the whole aspect of Christmas in Japan at this point, so I’ll make it brief: while Japan isn’t really a country who believes in Judeo-Christian religion outside a few people, the people there generally do accept Christmas as a holiday. However, unlike New Years’, which is the big holiday for the Japanese, Christmas is more seen a holiday for children [due to the presents they receive] and lovers [many Christmas TV shows in Japanese media seem to focus on Christmas Eve as a crucial turning point for young lovers.] To the Japanese, Christmas is a secular holiday, even with the tiny Christian minority who see Christmas as it is seen in the West)
SFX: Pan pan pan pan
Hiroshi: Hyo—that’s a huge cake! Let’s eat it quickly!
Blackboard: 5-3 Christmas
Miki: Ja—n, this cake is an extra-large cake made in cooking practice.
(TN: Another factor I sort of forgot to mention above is the Christmas cake notable with Japanese celebrations of Christmas: Generally it’s a sponge cake with whipped cream frosting, strawberries and other garnishes on it. Some say that it was a slow evolution to the modern Christmas cake: it was originally devised by confectioner Fujiya Co. in the 1950s originally with butter-cream icing, but switched to whipped cream in the 1960s with many Japanese now owning refrigerators; likewise strawberries are usually used since they can be grown in Japan year round)
Miki: Is this fine!? We’ll all blow out the candles simultaneously!
Caption: Control Freak

9.
Miki: Understood!? Simultaneously, simultaneous! Whoever blows on it ahead even by a second will put wooden chopsticks in their nostrils, put on tree decorations, hold a kettle and do Awa Odori in the hall.
(TN: “Awa Odori” or the “Awa Dance”, is the largest dance festival in Japan, held every year in Tokushima Prefecture on the island of Shikoku during the Obon Festival. The dance is done to a song “Awa Yoshikono”, speaking of all people being fools and that if dancers and watchers are both fools and the dancers are dancing, then the watchers, who are also fools, should also dance.)
Kyouko: Yeah, yeah.
SFX: Fuwa fuwa
Miki: Here we go: 5!! 4!
Miki: 3
Miki: 2, O…
SFX: Fuwa
Miki: ACHOOO! KACHOOO BUWACHOO—O
Nube: N?

10.
Miki: Jinguru Be—Jinguru Be—
(TN: Yeah, Miki sort of sings “Jingle Bells” in Japanese, and I decided to keep it as such since she’s not doing it in a literal sense)
“Miki’s Grafitti”:
Left Arm: Dunce
Right Arm: I’m an Idiot
Chest: F | Cup
Left Leg: Dummy
Right Leg: Clumsy
Nube: ……
Nube: Oh.
Nube: Oooh.
Nube Isn’t this Kesaran Pasaran?
SFX: Kesa kesa Pasa pasa
Miki: Kesaran Pasaran? (What is that?)
Nube: Aah.

11.
Nube: Kesaran Pasaran (also Keseran Pasaran) is a puzzling creature (object?) that became a super-topic among grade schoolers in the first-half of the 70s. It even was introduced on TV. It moves as it pleases lightfully as a white hairball that’s like a ping-pong ball that falls from the sky. And thus, when you catch it in your hand, you’ll come to have happiness.
Miki: In spite of this not being a scary story, he’s put in the shadows.
Captions:
Top: Branched Hairs
Right Caption: About 1-3 cm
Bottom: Ring-Shape Nucleus
Bottom-Left: Can’t be seen by the eye actually.
Nube: Another opinion has spread a story that says this is a hairball of an angel and grade schoolers in those days would all look up and search the sky after school or during gym period.
(TN: The term “hairball” isn’t literally a “hair ball”, but it is the Japanese word “kedama”, which typically has the translation of “piling”, a small ball of wool that usually comes off a piece of clothing)
Caption: Your fathers and mothers
(TN: Considering this chapter was released in 1995, I doubt this really applies to anyone reading this anymore…could be their grandparents by this point)
Nube: As a mysterious part of this: when placed together with face powder, they unawaringly would seem to multiply.
Caption: *In truth, it’s correct to raise them in a paper box. Also, if you don’t place an air vent for them, they’ll die!
Nube: That’s great; I’ve wanted that too.
Miki: Hm—m; right, I’ll come to have happiness with this.
Miki: I’ve done it—I’ve made a killing---!!
SFX: Dopyu~~

12.
SFX: Koro koro…
Miki: Ufufu, a Kesaran Pasaran of happiness—God’s giving me a Christmas present after all due to being too good a girl. I’ll put in face powder and it should increase.
Miki: If it increases, I’ll force a sale of them to everyone. (Mutter mutter)
SFX: Koki…koki…
SFX: Pon!
SFX: Pon pon popopon

13.
Miki: Ooooh~~
SFX: Kesa kesa pasa pasa
Caption: The next morning
Miki: Amazing, amazing, it really multiplied. I’ll be super-happy with this! A good thing probably would be if I maybe find money…
SFX: Pon!
Miki: ?
SFX: Kasa
Note: 1000 Yen
SFX: Zuri zuri zuri

14.
Miki: This can’t be…this may be quite effective…no, it can’t be. Alright, one more test…I want to meet a celebrity, a celebrity…
SFX: Pon! Pon Popopon!
“Man”: Ow!
SFX: Don!
Miki: I’m sorry
Kimutaku: Are you alright? I’m sorry. (I’m sorry…I was trying with all my might for the image power of netting her…
(TN: I really didn’t quite get the weird caption that is here, it seems like either an apology by Okano or something said by the speaker here…but it is such a small and tough to read expression that I had to make the best that I could of it)
Miki: Waa, its Kimutaku!
(TN: Kimutaku [real name Kimura Takuya] is a member of the Japanese super-group SMAP (whom we sort of knew Miki liked back in Vol. 11), notable not just as a singer but also a major actor in J-Drama, including as of that time the teen drama “Asunaro Hakusho” and the film “Kimi wo Wasurenai”. In the year after this “cameo”, Kimutaku would actually appear in the J-Drama “Long Vacation”, one of the most popular J-Dramas ever released and later would be tied to similarly popular 2001 J-Drama “Hero”. To anime fans, he is also notable as the VA of Howl in the Hayao Miyazaki animated movie “Howl’s Moving Castle”)
Kimutaku: I’ll give you my autograph as an apology.
SFX: Sara sara
Kimutaku: Please remember my new single: “Hajimete no Chuu: Kimutaku Version”. (See ya)
Caption: A lie.
(TN: “Hajimete no Chuu”, which translates literally into “My First Kiss”, is a song released in 1990 by the group Anshin Baba, originally to be the theme song of the anime version of Fujiko Fujio’s “Kiteretsu Daihyakka”. However, its popularity surpassed it’s usage in a kids anime and has been covered by a lot of Japanese artists, including Kimutaku...the reason why his mention of it being a lie will be explained during the Weird Files)
SFX: Tatata…
Page: Kimutaku
Miki: ……He’s a nice guy…

15.
Miki: Th…this power is for real after all! (Yeah yeah) I want to eat a full-course breakfast…would—that be impossible?
Voice 1: Hey, the reservation was for thirty portions! You’ve made this for fifty.
SFX: Boka!!
Sign: High-Class Restaurant
Voice 2: I’m sorry.
SFX: Pon pon
Sign: Big Service: Full Course Special Sampling: Go ahead,as you please.
Miki: Hi—ccup. Magnificent; they surely are hairballs of happiness.
Miki: But a lot of them popped. They become extinguished when a wish is granted. And it seems it decreases by many with a difficult wish. Well, it’ll be fine if I buy a large volume of face powder and they increase.
SFX: Ki—n Ko—n

16.
SFX: Gara
Sign: Timetable
Nube: Oh, Miki.
Hiroshi: How did it go, did your Kesaran Pasaran multiply!?
Makoto: Split them with us.
Miki: Ke, what are all of you saying…the Kesaran Pasaran are mine. All of them are being used for my happiness. Can I give them up?
Miki: Ah~~huh! I can’t, no way. They didn’t multiply!
Nube: Ri…right—
Kyouko: Disappointing.
Nube: By the way, Miki, today Hayashiya Pe and Paako are coming for a Christmas Show at Doumori 30 Building. Go along with all of us.
(TN: Hayashiya Pe and Paako are a notable Japanese duo for both their appearance in showbusiness and for being photographers.)
Kyouko: You’ll get an autograph.
Miki: Ah, I’ll pass.
Miki: Ke, what is with Hayashiya Pe and Pa? That’s no interest to me!
Miki: I’ll buy a large volume of face powder today, increase my Kesaran Pasaran, become really rich and come to not even boast it to all of you.

17.
Narrator: Doumori 30 Building: a building constructed with 30 floors, the tallest in the town of Doumori.
(TN: While there is no real Doumori 30, this building is more likely a parody of the Sunshine 60 building in the Ikebukuro section of Tokyo, which at one point was the tallest building in Tokyo and even East Asian for a time. It is a building of mix usage, with the bottom 9 floors for commercial and social spaces, 10-57 for office building, restaurants on 58-59 and an observation deck on the 60th floor)
Nube: What’s that, Miki: you’ve come after all?
Caption: Viewing Elevator
Miki: You’re mistaken: I’m going to the cosmetics store.
Nube: Cosmetics!? You!?
Kyouko: You can’t be: this is suspicious business…
Miki: Shut up—
SFX: Chi—n
Miki: See—ya—bye-by—e, every—one.
Nube: In spite of this being big stars—
Makoto: Wa--! We’re so high--!!

18.
Caption: Chinese Paradise Restaurant
SFX: Kacha | Shu—
SFX: Ka
SFX: Dooon
Makoto: What!?
Hiroshi & Kyouko: Kyaaa
Voice: It’s a gas explosion!
SFX: Zuzuzuzu…
SFX: Zawa zawa zawa

19.
Nube: Don’t let go!!
Miki: Nube!! Everyone!!
Miki: Really, what am I doing? I get dragged into trouble every single time.
SFX: Ta ta ta…
Miki: Haa haa haa
Voices: Wa—wa0-- | Please take shel—ter.
Sign: Hayashiya Pe—Pa—
Miki: Kesaran Pasaran, save everyone.
Miki: !!
SFX: Pon pon pon

20.
Miki: Th…there’s come to be none…
Miki: No! The wish was too large and it can’t come true!
Miki: Aah, enough! They aren’t helpful at all even if I just have this powder! I can’t use them for some stupid wish if there’s this!
SFX Gasha
SFX: Hyuuu…
Miki: God—
Miki: !!
SFX: Gogogo…gogogo…

21.
SFX: Kesara—n…Pasara.—n…

22.
Miki: Kesaran Pasaran!! (to herself) The face powder was carried by the wind…and reached the sky!!
Nube: Ku…I’m already…at my limit. Sorrry…everyone…
Kyouko: Nube
Nube: !!
SFX: Zu
Nube, Hiroshi, Kyouko & Makoto: Waaa
SFX: Zazazazaza

23.
Makoto: We…we’re floating. We’re slowly descending.
Hiroshi: The Kesaran Pasaran, somehow they seem to be small youkai that have no will who possess a small quantity of youryoku one-by-one.
Cook 1: My wounds are healed.
Cook 2: ?
Kesaran Pasaran: Pon pon!
Miki: Thank you, Kesaran Pasaran. I’m certain…if I had just this mady, I could become really rich, but…
Miki: With everyone…everyone in class by my side…that’s the greatest happiness. Therefore…this happiness that remains left will be a Christmas present from me that I give to everyone in town.

24.
Miki: Merry Christmas!!
SFX: Pon
Letter: To Santa-San, please give me a stuffed toy.
SFX: Pa
SFX: Pon pon pon | Charin Charin
SFX: Pon pon
Sign: Christmas Cake
SFX: Pon pon
SFX: Chi—n jara jara jara

25.
Hiroshi: Somehow there seems to be happiness throughout town.
Nube: The Kesaran Pasaran is making everyone happy little by little.
Miki: Nube! Everyone!
Nube: Hahaha…having them fall like this doesn’t have worth even for you.
Miki: I’m fine with that; Merry Christmas!

26.
NUBE’S WEIRD FILES

#7: Kesaran Pasaran

This is the testimony of N – R-san, who is one of the drawing staff for “Nube”, as a mangaka who resides in a metropolitan area:

“This was when I was in grade school, but I had seen a friend raising Kesaran Pasaran. Whatever it was, when I had come home from school, they were on top of his desk. They well-resembled dandelion fuzz but there was surprisingly few hairs and were hollow. Since it pleasantly flew and ate when face powder was placed by its side, he thought it was a living thing.”

N – R-san afterwards wanted them himself by any means and kept open the window of his room and waited for a Kesaran Pasaran to enter, but he didn’t obtain one after all. Afterwards he said that he completely forgot about them due to the boom going away.

By the way, the first half of the 70s, which the Kesaran Pasaran was a fad in, was an era where air pollution reached its peak due to pollution. Cities had incidents of a poisonous gas called photochemical smog and children couldn’t even go out and play outside. Possibly Kesaran Pasaran may have been a new variety of creature that ate the polluting substances and purified the atmosphere. If you mention that, then face powders of long ago seem to contain lead, which is one polluting substance…They haven’t been seen very much recently may be because there is somewhat less pollution than long ago. That was my imagination to the end. If I was making a mistake, then I’m sorry……

This is a digression, but “Hajimete no Chuu – Kimutaku Version” was actually sung in concert. He hasn’t released a CD of it but.
(TN: The only thing I can really further explain here is the information on photochemical smog, which may have lead to the Kesaran Pasaran myth. Originally seen in the 1950s, it was found to be a combination of various chemicals, including nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, being hit by sunlight. The nitrogen oxides were usually sent to the atmosphere with various means including fossil fuels, coal plants, paints, solvents, pesticides and certain plants including the emition of pine and citrus trees. Usually it is seen a problem of sunny, warm and dry cities but is a major problem with all industrialized areas)

TN: I guess this is probably the most appropriate song for this chapter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYMZFyD7-N8 (I'm a bit surprised that an anime theme song would end up being covered by a Japanese pop idol, especially with the previous Kiteretsu Daihyakka references in Nube. BTW: the original version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUKHetnXsfQ)

I know some people are going to be feeling this chapter to be a bit hokey...or predictable...or silly...but honestly, it's a Christmas chapter and...these things happen on Christmas. Even someone like Miki, who sometimes seems like a girl who has a heart two sizes too small can have her heart grow three sizes when realizing what the true meaning of Christmas...and small white fuzzballs...are. Heck, I just imagined when translating this chapter some sort of weird sequence where the Kesaran Pasaran multiply with Miki asleep to Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" and either Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" or Handel's "Messiah" playing when the little guys rain down and save Nube and the other students from the exploding elevator. In other words, this chapter just felt like the perfect Christmastime story: one that shows hope, joy, an appreciation for the season and even a little bit of...well, Miki naughtiness turned to redemption in the end. For a time of year where these types of stories are typical, I think it fits in perfectly...sure it may never be known outside Nube readers, but I think it deserves to be respected for what it is and for what it does.

BTW: personal admission: I have no care or interest in SMAP whatsoever...but I've seen "Long Vacation" with this Kimutaku in it. (it was on the International Channel in 1997...back when Comcast here still carried it) Wasn't that bad a series and...the theme song rocked (even if you pretty much have to realize that the BG girl is model Naomi Campbell...and she's probably as freaky as Miki...nah, Miki's just mischievous, Naomi Campbell is creepy)