Hell Teacher Nube 147

And now, without further ado...a chapter of Hell Teacher Nube that was already done...as translated by StrangerAtaru.

#147: Long Cung Dong Tu





























































(Test signal begins to play, annoying everyone in the room. It continues to play for several minutes before the screen goes black.)

(TN: Um…well…a bit of an explanation: according to Mangafox, this is the next chapter of “Hell Teacher Nube”. This was the title of the chapter, it’s been there for probably a few years now and I’m probably expected to give a complete script for said chapter since…well, it’s been on Mangafox forever. Well…you’re mistaken on two accounts. First of all, the infamous “Long Cung Dong Tu” chapter (translated from the Vietnamese edition of Nube…isn’t chp. 147. In fact, we’re not even going to reach that chapter until vol. 22! We’re still on vol. 17 so…just bare with us. Secondly: THIS is the real chp. 147…sure it probably doesn’t have the same things as the contents of “Long Cung Dong Tu” (which I too sort of want to get too…but in due time), but as I said: that chapter [and it’s real title] will be around five volumes from now. So without further ado, our real feature presentation:)

#147: Youkai Kerakera-Onna

134.
Top of Page (Left to Right):
Math | 5-3 Kurita Makoto | 15 points
Makoto: …I’ve got…this score again…
(TN: A weird thing that I really hadn’t mentioned until now since Makoto had been out of view for a while but with this chapter it sort of becomes more obvious and prevalent with him the lead for the first time since vol. 15: the “no ra” that Makoto prior used as his ending has, without warning, changed into “no da”. While some would think that is nothing to speak about, in actuality it is a major change: the “no da” ending that Makoto has now is the exact same one that the Makoto of Kazuo Umezu’s “Makoto-kun” uses! Considering that Makoto’s appearance and some of his manners are somewhat homaging that Makoto, this is a major change that just has to be mentioned)
Nube: The test this time had an average score of 70. You all did your best.
Makoto: Ge…everyone did well like that…I’m certain I had the lowest score…

135.
Makoto: I am…the most useless person in the class…
SFX: Gusu
Hiroshi: Ahaha a—haha
Katsuya: Hi—hi hi
Miki: Special move: Huge-Boobs Batting Formation!
SFX: Kaki—n
Hiroshi: Makoto—it’s there--!
Makoto: A~~ah, somehow I’m depressed. Useless person, useless person…
(TN: A weird thought: the word Makoto uses as the verb here is “ochikomu”, which either can be “to fall” or “to be depressed”; considering that Makoto is depressed and the ball is falling for him, it’s actually a nice little double meaning that could get lost)
SFX: Doko
Hiroshi: Clumsy! Stupid! Why were you oblivious to it!
Makoto: I’m sorry, I’m sorry.

136.
Makoto: Ehen…I’m no good no matter what I do. I really am a useless person.
SFX: Tsuru (slip) ! | Gasha—n!
Nube: God damn you--! Those Karaage that I’ve been looking forward to since a month ago are~~
(TN: Karaage is a style of frying where meat, specifically chicken but other meat can be used, are marinated in a sauce, coated in a wheat flour or potato starch and then deep fried.)
Hiroshi: Hit your head on a tofu cube and die—
(TN: Just a slight note: considering the softness of tofu, it would be silly or strange for someone to die by having their head hit on a tofu cube)
Kyouko: Just a moment, even if you spoke to that point, it’s no good for people to come to not have friendship and student-teacher love with what happens over food…
Makoto: I really am a useless person. I want to be kicked by a horse and die.
SFX: Guzu guzu uuh…

137.
SFX: Baki
Makoto: Uuuh. Useless person. Useless, useless useless. A useless person have bad things happen no matter what they do.
“Voice”: Kerakera Kerakera
(TN: “Kerakera” is an onomotopia for a cackling laughter; since it’s really tough to translate that through an English word unless I go something like “hyuck hyuck”, I’m going to leave it in Japanese)
Makoto: Wh…who’s there? Is being a useless person that amusing? So then it’s wrong to live…
“Voice”: Kerakera kerakera
SFX: Nu~~
Makoto: That kerakera…a person who has that kind of laughter is unusu…
Makoto: Uwaaaa

138.
“Giant Woman”: Kerakera Kerakerakera

139.
“Giant Woman”: Kerakera Kerakera
SFX: Unyo~~
SFX: Guhyo~~
“Giant Woman”: Kerakera kerakera
Makoto: Bu…bu…bu…
SFX: Dobyo~~~~~n
“Giant Woman”: Ke~~ra Kerakerakera

140.
Makoto: A~~hahahahahahahahaha
“Giant Woman”: Kera kera
SFX: Su…
Makoto: Hahaha…huh, she vanished…
Voice: Understood.
Miki: That’s the Kerakera-Onna for certain.
(TN: As stated in her name, the youkai name “Kerakera-Onna” literally means “The Kerakera Woman” or merely “The Laughing Woman”)
Kyouko: Know of it?
Nube: As in it’s name
Nube: She was a beautiful laughing woman who was in vogue in the Edo Period…in other words: the feelings of this person, who fascinated people with her smiling face that never exterminated it’s laughter and was called a beauty, changed into a youkai. Therefore, the Kerakera-Onna is a youkai who gives laughter to people she meets and is enjoyable.

141.
Kyouko: Gives laughter? What meaning does that have?
Nube: Oh well. Don’t think of it as a youkai with too much meaning. It’s as if she’s a person like a comedy actor in the midst of marketing themselves…hahaha…
Nube: Well then…that’s as far as I’ll go with that conversation; we’re doing a pop quiz.
(TN: “Pop quiz” is literally in Japanese “Nukiuchi Tesuto” or “Nukiuchi Test”, with “nukiuchi” being “drawing a katana and attacking on the same stroke”, literally just doing something without prior warning. Since “pop quiz” is the proper term in English, I just went with that)
Students: Eh~~~!
Nube: ?
Makoto: Ahaha hahahah.
Test Paper:
Pop Quiz
Name: Kurita Makoto
Kyouko: What’s the matter, Makoto; you got over half of the O/X answers right.
Makoto: (Ahaha…) If I wrote them at random, I get them right.
Hiroshi: That’s good luck!

142.
Makoto: Ahaha A—haha
SFX: Kaki—n
Kyouko: Hey, Nube, Makoto’s been in a good mood at random but?
Hiroshi: Amazing—an out-of-the-park home run.
Nube: Because he’s saying he’s reached good fortune in the gate of laughter. Whatever it is, he’s gained a result that’s beyond his true power when he relaxes without being tense.
Makoto: Ya—y, I can take home my C-Fighter Kabutoni that I made in manual arts. This will decorate my room.
(TN: A few notes to try and understand the joke of the latest of Makoto’s hero obsessions:
-“C-Fighter Kabutoni” is based on a Toei hero, but isn’t based on Super Sentai like many of Makoto’s other obsessions but on their Metal Fighter series of heroes. In particular, it is a direct reference to “B-Fighter Kabuto” (Beetle Fighter Kabuto), a live-action series that ran around the time of this Nube chapter between 1996 and 1997 involving heroes with insect motifs and metallic armor. This series was the sequel series to the previous year’s “Juukou B-Fighter” and both series were seen in the United States as part of the “Big Bad Beetleborgs” franchise, with “B-Fighter Kabuto” as the “Beetleborgs Metallix” line
-A “Kabutoni” is a style of fish preparation, generally involving boiling and serving boiled fish head.
-The “C-Fighter” part of the title is obviously a pun with “C” referring to “Sea”; while I could have had it as “Sea Fighter”, it would take away the pun of the gag.)
SFX: Ki—n ko—n ka—n
Makoto: Ah.
SFX: Gasha
Makoto: Ah…ah…it’s in pieces. I thought it was going to be an heirloom that would be inherited for eternity and yet.
SFX: Gusu gusu
Kerakera-Onna: Kerakerakera

143.
Kerakera-Onna: Kerakera Kerakera
SFX: Unyo~~~
SFX: Gunyo~~~
Narrator: Since then, whenever Makoto felt depressed
Narrator: He would go to meet the Kerakera-Onna.
Kerakera-Onna: Kerakera

144.
Kerakera-Onna: Kerakera Kerakera
Makoto: A—haha Hi—hihi
Narrator: …And thus several days later…
Ayumi: Ah—Makoto-kun, sorry.
(TN: And thus several days later…Ayumi was finally remembered in Nube’s class! j/k)
SFX: Gochi—n
Makoto: I’m fine—Ahahahahaha

145.
Kyouko: Makoto has become unperturbed just a bit.
Nube: Yes. The prior Mkaoto, who would immediately cry and get depressed, is greatly different.
Kaneda: Chi, he’s been laughing no matter how much I ridicule him. I can’t ridicule him anymore.
Katsuya: That’s somehow lucky.
Principal: Makoto-kun, you’ve taken the silver prize in the Prefectural Calligraphy Tournament. Congratulations.
Makoto: Ya—y, ahahahaha.
Kyouko: Good things are coming one after another in proportion…
Hiroshi: Amazing--! You’ve gained good fortune in the gate of laughter.
Kyouko: We have to meet this youkai too.
Miki: Monopolizing good fortune is unforgivable.
Nube: Yes: she seems like a good youkai who is harmless to man and beast.
Makoto: I want to show her without fail.

146.
Makoto: Huh, she’s always here.
Nube: That wall is for that old and familiar mansion place…
SFX: Gagaga…
Miki: They’re demolishing it.
Makoto: She’s not here. Is she going on a vacation overseas for a break?
Nube: No.
Nube: Its youki is weakening, but it’s here. Namu Daiji Daihi: being that is here, show yourself.

147.
Nube: !!
Miki: Kya—what is that…
Makoto: What’s wrong, you’re weak like this…
Kerakera-Onna: Kera…kera…kera…
SFX: Suu~~~
Nube: It seems that that’s a youkai that is connected to the mansion.
Makoto: Eh, then she’ll die with the demolition?

148.
Makoto: She can’t; Kerakera-Onna-san, don’t die—
Nube: That’s dangerous, Makoto! I’ll stop the construction work now…hold on!
Makoto: Kerakera-Onna-sa—n, where are you--!?
SFX: Kibaki… | Gagaga…
Makoto: A mirror…?
SFX: Baki baki baki
Makoto: Ah!!
SFX: Nyu | Dogasha
Makoto: Hii

149.
Kerakera-Onna: Kerakera: I am…the large old mirror of the house-kera.
Makoto: Kerakera-Onna-san!
Kerakera-Onna: My owner was the greatest “Smiling Beauty” in the town of Edo-kera. Her smiling face brightened up the people and even opened up the life of the woman herself-kera. The woman changed her smile and moved up to the castle as the shogun’s mediator-kera.
Kerakera-Onna: I am a youkai for which the feelings of the woman became confined in my soul. Therefore, I teach to people the importance of laughter.
Makoto: Ah…understood. Laughter is great. I’ve been taught that by Kerakera-Onna-san.

150.
Kerakera-Onna: Thank you, Makoto-kun, kerakera…kerakera…from here on, never forget that smiling face.
SFX: Shuuu | Shuu
Makoto: Right, ahaha.
Makoto: Ahahaha
Kerakera-Onna: Never forget-kera…
Makoto: Right.
Makoto: Ahaha…ahaha aha…

151.
Makoto: Aha…haha
Makoto: Uwaaaaaah
Nube: Don’t cry anymore, Makoto…Laugh for the Kerakera-Onna…
Kerakera-Onna: Never forget your smiling face, Makoto-kun.

152.
Commemoration of 3 years of serialization:
NUBE-SENSEI’S ACCUSATION TRIAL
Defendant: Nueno Meisuke
Nube: Why is it just me...

(Evidence #6)
In Vol. 15’s #129, “Bukimi-chan”, when Nube had to leave from the 4th window, he went out saying it was the 5th window. Why was that? When I asked my big brother, he said he made a mistake. If I said that Nube shouldn’t make a mistake, we got into a fight. Please tell me your reason for accuracy.

Caption: This is the proof
Caption 2: In spite of being right
Caption 3: Hey hey...

Nube: Do all of you know of the proverb “Even the teachings of Buddha made an error in it’s writing brush”?
Kyouko: That’s?
Nube: There are those such as “Even monkeys fall from trees” and “A Kappa can be carried by the current” in words with similar meanings.
Hiroshi: Therefore?
Nube: In other words, it was...that. I’m sorry! I made a mistake!
Hiroshi: This is a problem you’re clearing with “I’m sorry”!
Kyouko: Right! That story was a story where you wouldn’t have emerged from within that dream for eternity in the end if he made a mistake!
Nube: Uuuh, I’m sorry~~~.
Kyouko: Further, the child who wrote the letter had believed in Nube. That’s...
Nube: I have no dignity...it was inexcusable...I don’t have words to take it back.
Hiroshi: Right, the sentence.

Judgment:
Life Imprisonment
(Actually we received rebuking letters from many readers. That was, again, a complete mistake. We’re sorry. We thought we would fix it by the later printings, but it’s like this for an example...we’re truly sorry about that...)

TN: So...I doubt anyone other than me liked that little joke in the intro. It just feels strange that this one Nube chapter would have been done and identified as 147...when it isn't. It probably is TLed way better than my version will be...but that we'll get to in vol. 22 when its supposed to be.

As for the actual chapter at hand: somehow it was a tad strange but it wasn't too bad. The whole concept of the chapter, involving a beautiful woman who ended up imparting her mirror with the power to become a youkai that makes people laugh and happy is one that probably resonates with a lot we have seen before but wasn't too bad with how it was depicted. Maybe one could say Makoto took too much of an advantage from it, but it was something that worked so well on him and that only he came across that he just had an easy time using it to cheer him up with the depressed life he had before that moment. (though he still scores way better than Hiroshi or Katsuya on tests...how the heck can negative scores exist anyway?) Some of the whole "he gets luckier the more he becomes amused" did feel a tad strange considering Makoto has previously encountered Zashiki Warashi and got a lot of assistance from that, though...heck, he even did well in yet another calligraphy contest this time around! But I guess sometimes when facing a Nube chapter, you just have to let the good times roll and let it all slide...well maybe not some of Kerakera-Onna's performance measures but it's a well meaning youkai so we'll let it pass.