Jungle no Ouja Taa-chan 9

Ta-chan does do good even when he's not protecting the jungle, such as his work showing the wonders of Africa to others...and making sure it stays that way!

No. 9: Part-Time as a Guide

67.
Narrator: Ta-chan occasionally takes up a part-time job as a guide.
Jane: We’re expensive.
Caption: Italian Travelers
Jane: 4 Lira, 5 Lira, 6 Lira, 7 Lira
Narrator: The negotiations of guide fees are, for the moment, taken up by the intelligentsia Jane!!
(TN: “Intelligentsia” is based on the Japanese word “Interi”, which is a short for this. It also has an English meaning of “Egghead”)
Jane: What’s that?
Italian: Gorilla.
Jane: 6 Lira, 7 Lira, 8 Lira
(TN: This is a funny joke that only really works in Japanese: for starters, you have to know that the Italian currency is the “lira”, as stated prior. Second, you have to assume that, since this is a manga, Jane is counting in Japanese towards the Italian tourists. Thus, when she distracts them with the “gorilla”, it makes it sound like he’s saying “Go Lira” or “Five Lira”, allowing for Jane to continue on from “6” and beyond again. It’s a clever bit but unfortunately could get lost in translation with the Japanese and Italian used for understanding the English meanings)

68.
Jane: Heko heko
Narrator: Particular guests of honor are the TV teams from around the world who come to Africa for photographing animals.
Glasseses: Hello.
Narrator: They are extremely glad with the cash payment by the staff of the TV program of America’s MBC.
Jane: Heko heko heko
Ta-chan: Jane is weak with money…
Photographer: Is it fine to photograph that chimpanzee? Ah, make it together with it’s master.
Photographer: Hey, with this all-American animal program for children, we’ll have a monster program that gets 50% of the ratings.
(TN: I’m not sure if the photographer literally means “monster program” or “a program with monsters”, but I went with the former due to the 50% ratings comment. He referred to the program as “obake bangumi” for those who wish to try and clear this up)
Ta-chan: Wel—that’s how it is?

69.
Photographer: Ahahaha, give that up, since this is a kids program. I’ll go at it one more time.
Photographer: Ahahahahaha, I give up…
Ta-chan: Hey, aren’t you being bad, Etekichi!

70.
Photographer: Then we’ll go with this time.
SFX: Niko
Caption: His penis, which was played with and became completely large…
Narrator: As such, the photographing began.
Caption: Giraffe
Caption: Lion

71.
Caption: Nile crocodile
(TN: The “Nile Crocodile”, [Crocodylus niloticus] is an African crocodile found through many of the water basins throughout Africa)
Ta-chan: You’re approaching it extremely close and photographing it, but shouldn’t you be worried? That crocodile’s temperament is wild and it occasionally does attack people.
Mustache: Hey, Smith! Come here. It’s a newborn baby crocodile!!
Ta-chan: That can’t be: they can’t touch baby crocodiles…they’re professionals of an animal program; they have to have thorough knowledge of crocodile ecology but
Mustache: Here, it’s attached here…
Mustache: Lacoste
(TN: Lacoste is a notable high-end clothing brand founded by France’s Andre Gillier in 1933, notable from the start for the little crocodile placed on the shirt; even though that’s a literal baby crocodile)

72.
Mustache: Wa
SFX: Cha
Ta-chan: Stop, don’t shoot. Let that baby crocodile go!!
Ta-chan: You aren’t qualified to make animal programs!!

73.
Narrator: Since then, Ta-chan quit his guide part-time job.
Man: We…we came to make a video from Japan, but can’t you be our guide?
Man: The protagonist: Harumoto Tomomi-chan.
Tomomi: Nice to meet you—
Caption: White Rabbit
Caption: Civet
Caption: Real Acting
(TN: This is another joke that only really works in Japanese since the video moves through three different words htat begin with “Haku”:
-“Hakushoku Usagi” = “White Rabbit”
-“Hakubishin” = “Civet”
-“Hakushin no Engi” – “Real Acting”)
Filmmaker: When it’s complete, should I send it unmodified?
Ta-chan: Yep.
Narrator: But he is responsible as a guide who is pleased.

74.
Me and Animals: #6

Earlier, when I was walking in the neighborhood, a huge dog that was like an expensive Afghan Hound was walked with pride by a lady who had flashy clothing.
She specifically lead it to a large group of people in front of the station.
It was strange, like she was showing it off.
The dog was being unmindful about it.

Woman: Ehem ehem
Caption: A mischievous creature who let out poop in the middle of a good place that was on the edge of the street.

TN: This chapter seems to find interesting ways to go from hilarious to actually poignant to...um...yeah...in a matter of seven pages. It's tough to see very few other mangaka pull this off as often as Tokuhiro has, particularly in this chapter. The "Gorilla" bit was epic and I really did find sad how Ta-chan defended the crocodiles after how the one film crew killed the one and made it's baby part of their outfit. But...even with these epic moments...we still have parts like Etekichi's playtime (he really is a naughty monkey for daddy) and...um, can someone explain that ending?