Hell Teacher Nube 140

Not all those with spiritual powers in Doumori use their power honestly: some who should have the power would rather use it for more selfish means! But sometimes when these types emerge, they end up reaping what they sow...

#140: The Worldly Priest and Onmoraki

178.
Noriko: U…um…best regards in volume 17… (I’m in a swimsuit for some reason)
Miki: Ki~~In spite of you being Noro-chan!!
(TN: Told you so…thanks to the “Pawci incident”, Miki and Noro-chan’s friendship is now essentially down the drain. I love Noriko and it’s great she’s finally getting note…and getting in Miki’s ire…but somehow you have to hope things get better…maybe…but hey, Noriko’s cute even if her chest is large and not massive)

179.
Oshou: Koushou Raigei Yaon Kinshitsu Ryoumou Jintou Shuugun Fukukou…
SFX: Poku poku poku poku
Oshou: Ryouriki Gakou Myoujinchuu… (to himself) Yawn~~I didn’t sleep because I was making merry until 4 with karaoke last night.
Oshou: This sutra is long and I’m unable to handle this. I personally don’t understand its meaning, I’ll forget it partway and I’m really grateful that I have this thing.
SFX: Click
“Sutra”: Kyoushou Kaiki Jinmou Sejin……so on so forth…
(TN: I don’t know if it was right but “pokupoku” is said at this point, which makes me think that the sutra is like “and so on and so forth’ with it’s muttering…unless it’s the crackling of the tape Oshou uses for the sutra)
SFX: Gu--…Gu--… | Shiku shiku shiku
SFX: Shuu…shuu…

180.-181.
See Nube on the Internet!
Currently you can see news on the “Nube” anime on the Toei Animation Homepage on the internet! As long as the airing of this anime hasn’t ended, you can see it since I think they’re making it! (Of course it’s not just Nube, it also has news on the other Toei anime)
Toei Animation Home Page Address
 HYPERLINK "http://www.toei-anim.co.jp" http://www.toei-anim.co.jp
(Please correctly input the address)
*In reference to the Internet Home Page, those in charge of the Toei Animation Institute Home Page are at 03(5281)2730
(TN: A bit of history: the internet was starting to really explode into popular culture around the world around the mid-1990s and, admittingly, Nube was one of the first Toei anime to get a webpage due to airing around this period. Of course, you’re going to have to dig a bit if you want to find the website for the anime now since it has been close to 15 years since this; it has been updated with the release of the DVD box-sets though)

182.
SFX: Wai wai|Gaya gaya
Sign: Doumori Temple
Caption: Makura Sect – Guutara Faction – Doumori Temple
(TN: A couple silly notes about the caption here:
-“Makura” is in reference to Shou Makura, the main writer of the series.
-Though it uses kanji which literally translates into “Accidental Savior”, “Guutara” is a Japanese word that has a meaning of “lazybones” or “good-for-nothing”)
Nube: Huh, what’s with this crowd?
Nube: ………
Sign:
Major Presentation
Kappa Mummy
Entrance Fee: 200 Yen
Nube: This is shady—
Kyouko: Is it for real?

183.
Sign: Kappa
Oshou: This kappa seems to have lived in the Doumori River. We found it when we were cleaning the cellar.
SFX: Hoho~~ | Zawa zawa zawa
Oshou: Well, so then, the entrance fee is 200 yen.
Nube: Is this some monkey—
Oshou: Ah, hey, don’t touch that!!
Nube: This saucer has written “gyouza restaurant” on the back.
(TN: “Gyouza” are a fried dumpling with meat, generally pork but sometimes chicken, and vegetables inside)
Kyouko: The beak seems like an angler’s; the remainders of its bond are…
(TN: “Angler” refers to the Japanese word of “ankou”, which links to a type of angler called a monkfish or goosefish of the “lophiidae” family. All angler fish are part of this family)
Oshou: He…hey!
SFX: Hastily
(TN: It wasn’t really a SFX, the word in the background is “atafuta”, which literally has that meaning)

184.
Oshou: Nueno-sensei, you’re bothering me. You’re getting in the way of commerce. (I can’t arrange~~this already~~)
Nube: What commerce?
Nube: Generally the preaching of the way of Buddha is…
Oshou: Well, well.
SFX: Guru guru
Oshou: Well! Come forth and see: presented for the first time in this country: this is the Oni no Te, directly imported from hell---! 300 yen Entrance Fee!
(TN: I debated whether or not to have Oshou make his sale by calling it the “Oni Hand”, but since “Oni no Te” has been used so often by now, I’d assume even Oshou would just use that in his pitch)
Audience: Oooh---!
Nube: Uh~uh~
Nube: What are you doing, you worldly prie—st!!
(TN: The expression that Nube uses here and is used in the chapter is “Namakusa Bouzu”; the “namakusa” is connected to the world “namakusai”, which is a word used for a stench, usually of fish, blood or meat. In general, this would lead to a translation of “stinking priest”, but “worldly priest” works due to the concept of a priest who is corrupted by the world and its connections instead of teaching of the path of Buddha and his means of disconnections leading to enlightenment)

185.
Oshou: Well, well, that’s because money-making is my hobby. Didn’t they say that even your state in hell is of your monetary circumstances?
(TN: Oshou’s expression here is a literal translation of “Jigoku no Sata mo Kane Shidai”, which I translated here. It’s basically a Japanese version of the English expression “Money makes the world go round”, which speaks of how monetary value determines everything in the world and can gain everything…which really aren’t words of someone who is supposed to be about detachment from the material like a Buddhist priest)
Nube: I didn’t think those were words of a clergyman!
Nube: You’ve installed a computer?
Oshou: They’re in every temple. It’s understood as one revenue from parishioners.
Kyouko: Those vending machines?
Oshou: Those?
Oshou: They sell *offering flowers, *incense, *candles, beads and even sutras.
*They actually seem to exist.
(TN: The “*” are just captions here regarding things that actually are sold as of 1996 in vending machines)
Machine:
Top: All Sorts of Sutra
Bottom: Under 18 Not Accepted
Oshou: What’s popular recently is when you take a picture, you will certainly project your ancestor and it will become this cute sticker…
Sign: Paradise Club
Nube: Stop it, stop it---!!

186.
Oshou: You may think that this sort of modern rationalization is strange, but it can actually be done in the world. (Ohon)
Nube: Huh?
Oshou: For example, a temple in a metropolitan area where they were worried about an insufficient cemetery settled it with an ID Card.
Card: OX Temple
Nube: A card?
Oshou: The cemetery building will become like a 3-D parking lot and will be accepting thousands of funerary urns. It’s a system where when you put in the card, you will come to meet with the designated funerary urn of the deceased.
(TN: The “3-D” is actually “Rittai”, which generally has a meaning of a “solid body” but also stands for a 3-D space)
Nube: But…it’s insipid to not have any tombstones…
Oshou: Eeh—well then, I thought as such too. My temple will be as such.
Oshou: We’ll have a cemetary where just funerary urns on a 1:10 scale will be put inside~~it’s like Tobu World Square.
(TN: Tobu World Square, located at the Kinugawa Onsen in Nikkou, Tochigi Prefecture, is a UNESCO Cultural/Heritage Site that consists of hundreds of 1:25 scale buildings from around Japan and around the world)
Kyouko: What are these dolls?

187.
Oshou: Further, these super-magnification “surprise-vision” sunglasses will be loaned out at the entrance to make them full size…
Nube: That’s a curse!
Ghost: I am hateful~~
Oshou: It’ll be fine; the ghosts are 1:10, so they’re not scary or anything.
Nube: I’m going home. (Stupid--)
Oshou: If you want to talk about making money, I’ll tell you how—
Dog: Wao—n
SFX: Jio—Supi~~
SFX: Goto goto

188.
“Ghost”: Kieeee!!
Oshou: Huuuh!?
SFX: Gari gari gari gari
Oshou: Hii

189.
Oshou: Y…you’re O…Ootani-san, who had that funeral yesterday…
Ootani: Ha—ha—
Ootani: Kieee!
SFX: Suu—
Oshou: I am a man callled Oshou. If I’m puzzled on a parishoner who isn’t resting in peace…I take responsibility…
Oshou: I have 3 thousand yen! (He~~y, I have this, you thief!)
Oshou: What, not enough? In that case, I’ll add in this chest bracket for earthquakes. At any rate, save me Nu-chan!
(TN: I had a tough time figuring out what the word was, which was in Japanese “tansu taorezu”; while “tansu” is obviously a “chest of drawers”, “taorezu” appears to be tied to a bracket of something to hold down the chest, in case of an earthquake as stated by Oshou)

190.
Nube: That’s impossible. Your opponent is Onmoraki.
Oshou: Onmoraki?
Nube: Yes.
SFX: Kachi
Miki: Onmoraki: written as “On-Mo-Ra-Ki”; a being who has changed into a youkai with the soul of the dead without resting in peace due to a mistaken sutra or chanting a sutra with irresponsible feelings. To have it rest in peace, the priest himself who chanted the sutra must chant the sutra once more with a righteous, pure heart.
(TN: A couple things:
-The part about “written as” speaks about an “onmoraki” through the kanji that it is written with; in this case, it translates into “Shady Mara Demon”, with a “Mara” as an “obstacle to the practice of Buddhism”.
-Generally based on the book “Qing Zun Lu”, an “onmoraki” is a fire-breating bird-like demon that geneally resembles a black crane, with the face of a human. Many times the youkai in images takes the appearance of a roast chicken due to Toriyama Sekien’s depiction in “Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki”)
Nube: That’s what it is. Having it rest in peace can only be done by you; I can’t help you.
Miki: I hate this position already…
Nube: If you think everything can be resolved by the power of money, that is a big mistake.
Oshou: Th…that’s…

191.
SFX: Shun…
Oshou: Wait…Nueno-sensei would plausibly say that, but…he may have told me a lie that would seem to give warning to me with my doctrine of money-making…no, I’m certain he did.
Oshou: Hmph: that’s fine. I’ll ask another person. I know of another spiritually powered person in the town of Doumori.
SFX: Pipopa
SFX: Pipipi…
Voice: Hi, hello there.
SFX: Pi
Izuna: Ah, what is it papa—(they’re not really connected by blood) what is it today? Are you going to buy me something? I feel that I really want a Chanel bag—huh? Can’t I want that? Eh? Part-time work.
Caption: Izuna: Middle-School Itako
Caption: Night—

192.
Oshou: --For that reason, can you exorcise it?
Caption: Actually a fake
Izuna: OK—king—thanks for designating Izuna for today. I’m much more useful than that 0-ability teacher.
Oshou: Well—can’t you come here and come into my futon together? (to himself) I won’t lay a finger on you in just financing you…you fox girl!
(TN: I didn’t know whether or not to call Izuna either a “fox” or a “fox girl” by Oshou’s word: he calls her “megitsune”, which literally is “fox girl” but could be tied somehow to the English expression of calling an attractive woman a “fox”)
Izuna: No no, if I don’t concentrate on the exorcism (to herself) Who is someone like you…you bald tanuki!
(TN: “Tanuki” of course refers to the tanuki dog notable for it’s sly nature)
SFX: Goto goto
Izuna: !! That’s surprisingly strong youki
SFX: Ja
Ootani: Oooooh…

193.
Izuna: Spiritual Power: Spontaneous Combustion!
SFX: Bou
Ootani: Gieee
Ootani: Giee!!
SFX: Bashu bashu
Izuna: You’re kidding…it’s rejecting it!? That’s—
SFX: Go
Izuna: Kyaaa!!

194.
Oshou: Izuna-chan!!
Voice: Namu Daiji Daihi Kyuugu Kyuunan…!
SFX: Do
Oshou: Nueno-sensei!!

195.
Oshou: You’ve come to save me after all—
Nube: That’s yours; leave me be on your worries!
Nube: By the way…what sort of relation are you two?
Izuna: Um, this papa…no, Oshou is… (This is bad…)
Oshou: Sh…she’s merely a friend. She just comes by to play occasionally.
Ootani: Giee!!
SFX: Gafu
Nube: Guaaaa!
Izuna: Teacher!

196.
Izuna: What are you doing? Tear it off with the Oni no Te!!
Ootani: Gieee!!
Nube: Dummy…can I do that? This spirit is, rather, the victim…
SFX: Gakun
Nube: Oshou! Your irresponsible sutra has changed this spirit into a youkai. Having this spirit rest in peace can just be with a righteous sutra that implies your heart.
Oshou: Even if you say that, I haven’t chanted a righteous sutra in 20 years already…
Nube: Hu…hurry, Oshou…
SFX: Ja

197.
Oshou: Kousho Raigei Yaon Sanshitsu Ryoumou Jintou Shuugun Fukukou
SFX: Shuuuu…shuuuu…
Oshou: Ryouriki Gakou Myoujin Chuuu…
SFX: Shuuu…
Oshou: ………
Izuna: Th…that’s good, Oshou, there’s a bit more effort, huh…?
Oshou: …I forgot the rest……
SFX: Da--…
Izuna: What are you doing: you needed a bit more effort! Remember, hey, remember---!!
SFX: Poka poka poka poka
Oshou: Uuuh, I’m sorry~~it‘s no use—
Nube: It’s alright.
SFX: Shuuu…
Oshou & Izuna: !
Izuna: How…

198.
Nube: It was incomplete and you made mistakes, but…with it resting in peace, you had read the sutra by putting in your heart. That’s what’s important.
Nube: Isn’t this that if you do, you can…Oshou…
Izuna: Ke
Oshou: ……..I…did an exorcism…me, on my own…
Oshou: --For that reason, it’s a special price of 2,000 yen for a documenting video of this moment!
Banners:
Far Right: Oshou Video vol. 1
Right: Now 2,000 yen!
Board:
Oshou of Justice Helps Nube!
Watch Out! The Sailor Fuku Beautiful Girl
Kyouko: He seemed to secretly film it…
Hiroshi: Further, he compiled it, as you say, for his own convenience…
Nube: That’s no good…that Oshou’s love of money-making is hardcore…
(End of Vol. 16)

TN: Let me be one to admit this: while obviously Oshou is a massive jerk, a greedy bastard, an utter coward and someone who probably is the last Nube character you'd expect a focus chapter on, he is still a hilarious foil and one of the reasons why this chapter was a load of fun to do. Considering how most of the main spiritualists (Izuna not included) seem to be more honest in the work they do and in making sure the town remains running, the factor that the clergy is so corrupt as a contrast shows probably one of the reasons why someone like Nube is needed: because without him, the town would go to hell in a handbasket with idiots like Oshou. To him, doing his job is the last thing he wants and he rather prefer living a life as easy as possible making as much money as he can using his position of power and the spiritual concepts that entail with it. Of course, with his obsession with greed, it leads to messes like Onmoraki...sort of one of those things that, in a way, is a means to keep him in line in doing his job right...well on occasion. If Oshou did his job right, then these things like Onmoraki wouldn't pop up...but being the jerk and the greedy idiot that he is (let alone not knowing the whole "the one who screwed it up must fix it...and since it's a priest who does last rights at a funeral, it's their job"), he had to learn it the hard way through Nube nearly getting himself screwed and holding his ground to the end. Obviously it's not Nube didn't want to do it, it's more just it has to be done by said Priest...and Oshou is it. At least he gets credit for something...well that and it was his fault so he had to do something about it. BTW: Izuna being connected to him...well, as they say: birds of a feather...steal each other's money.