Hell Teacher Nube 164

Since running away from her ancestral home, Izuna has had one thing on her mind: using her spiritual abilities to make as much profit and get as famous as possible! But that dream may finally come to fruition...

#164: Izuna: When Her Dream Came True

109.
Caption: Izuna’s Apartment: 7:30 AM
SFX: Pori pori
Kudagitsune Flag: In the Midst of Reader (Fan)Service
Kudagitsune Flag: Reader (Fan)Service
Kudagitsune Flag: Service Service
Izuna: …Alright.
Izuna: Well, today I’ll make my day’s earnings—(heart heart heart)
Kudagitsune Flag: …And school?
SFX: Dota bata dota

110.
(Title page…well at least the Kudagitsune are getting more respect…though the fact that Izuna’s first page involved a lot of fanservice…this isn’t going to end well)

111.
Narrator: Doumori Town Center Street
Izuna: Well, well, come right here and see it. It’s the Spiritually-Powered Beautiful Itakogal Izuna Show!!
Nube: N
Izuna: Today somehow I’ll be taking spirit photography with a Polaroid Camera! Seems so. If I skillfully take a spirit, please buy—it.
Nube: That girl…she’s making money with immature spiritual power again.
Nube: Some—how she won’t photograph a spirit. I think no one will buy it but…

112.
Izuna: U~~n u~~n n~~n~~
Izuna: Noo~~
SFX: Sa
SFX: Kasha
Izuna: Yes, great success--! A jibakurei was magnificently captured in the top-left of this photograph—how’s that!?
Audience: Uoooo
Man 1: I’ll buy it!
Man 2: I have a thousand yen!
Man 3: Here’s 5,000 yen!
SFX: Gabi—n

113.
Izuna: Thanks every time—(heart)
SFX: Pi
Nube: Are you doing this again? Stop randomly making money with immature spiritual arts! Didn’t you leave from the countryside with a dream?
(TN: The term I translated “spiritual arts” is actually “reinougei”; “reinou” is “spiritual ability” while “gei” is the kanji for “art”, thus I tried to make it work with the “spiritual arts” term)
Izuna: Ri…right…I will become a famous spiritualist—and appear on TV—and make money—will take make me adorned in my old hom? Seems so.
Nube: Hmph, becoming skilled only in the manner of making money without even training. You’ll just be laughed at even by the people of your old home. With low spiritual power, you’ll be a waste as a spiritualist.

114.
Izuna: Hmph: however strong in spiritual power you are-it’s far better to be a person that only eats cup ramen being eternally poor.—seems so.
Nube: What?
Ah! A thousand-yen bill is flying in the wind!
Nube: Eh, where where!?
SFX: Dobu—n
Nube: Wa—
Izuna: A~~h, no no, I don’t want to be like that.
Voice: No no, not at all, no.
SFX: Pan pan pan (clap clap clap)
“Glasses Man”: I saw you, I saw you. No no, you were magnificent, no no.
SFX: Gyu
Izuna: Wh…what are you--? If it’s for the sailor outfit, I won’t sell it—

115.
Watanabe: I’m this sort of thing, no no. If you’re good with it, won’t you appear on my program?
Card:
TV Denasa Producer: Watanabe Tetsuya
Nube: T…
Izuna: A TV channel---!?
Kyouko: Heh---! Izuna-san is going to be on TV with that!?
Nube: Aah, it’s an immediate reply
(TN: “Immediate reply” is actually “Futatsuhenji” which is not just an immediate reply but an immediate “happy” reply)
Miki: That’s a…maz…ing: she’s already a super-famous spiritualist!
Miki: Though—it’s—co—ming fro—m—be—hind—it—is pas—sing—me—(Kekeke…)
(TN: Miki is singing a song here that appears to be tied to a kid’s song, but I couldn’t really find the song anywhere. The Japanese version goes as: “A—to ka—ra ki—ta—no—ni—o—i ko—sa—re—)
SFX: Hoji hoji
Nube: Well, there is no reason that I want to be famous.

116.
Nube: Not that I care, there is a story that she’s appearing on a special program from 5 but
SFX: Puchi
Miki: Wa, we’ll watch.
SFX: Jan jan ja~~n
TV Caption:
Spiritually-Powered Sailor-Fuku
Izuna-chan
Debut!
SFX: Ooh.
Izuna: Seems so—(heart) I’m collecting puriku—ra(heart)
(TN: “Purikura” refers to a photo sticker booth popular in Japan which creates photos as stickers to put on things. “Purikura” is actually short for “Print Club”, the registered trademark of the booth which first appeared in 1995 and began to really boom in 1997 [just around the time of this chapter])

117.
Hiroshi: What, she hasn’t changed from always.
Miki: Dummy, she has aiming eyes.
Announcer: Usually, she’s a normal girl middle-schooler like what’s everywhere. However…that girl possesses an outrageous talent.
Announcer: Right! This girl is a spiritualist!
Izuna: Well then—I’ll be summoning the Shugorei of Uchimura Yuuki-san, our guest idol.
SFX: Jara
Izuna: Uu…h, u…uuh.
Izuna: This person’s Shugorei is…..a master swordsman of the Meiji Period……
Announcer: Eeh

118.
Izuna: Uuh, he…he’s coming…! I’ve been possessed…
SFX: Kaku
SFX: Ka
Izuna: Dorya—Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryuu: Kuzu-Ryuusen...Oro-
Surrounding Kanji (Clockwise From Top): 1 | 3 | 9 | 8
Bottom Caption: I’m sorry, Watsuki-sensei
(TN: For the few of you who don’t know [and trust me, I don’t know it as much as I probably let on having seen so little of it or read none of it], Izuna’s impression here is of Himura Kenshin, the lead character of the massive mid-90s WSJ series “Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Roumantan” [“Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story”] by Nobuhiro Watsuki, running in the magazine between 1994 and 1999. In regards to the Kenshin homage being done here, there are several things to take note of with how it is done here to understand the joke:
-First of all is the technique that Izuna uses in her Kenshin guise: “Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryuu: Kuzu-Ryuusen” (“Flying Heaven Honorable Sword-Style: Nine-Headed Dragon”) Said to be one of the most powerful techniques of the Hiten Mitsurugi style, it has infamy of being able to attack 9 different points on the body at the same time when one is attacked by it.
-The kanji used in reflection of the usage of “Kuzu-Ryuusen” are old-style numbers as opposed to more modern depictions of numbers in Japanese, thus reflecting the Meiji-era style that Kenshin takes place in.
-Izuna’s appearance when in Kenshin form includes his trademark cross-scar on her left cheek, which is an important piece of his appearance due to his background, where the scar was left as tied to his own past turmoil as the “Hitokiri Battousai” who killed people during Japan’s warring period and forces him to stay on a path of non-violence due to his previous trauma.
-Finally, the “oro” at the end is a comedic aspect of Kenshin’s character, usually appearing whenever some sort of blunder occurs that throws him off.)
Announcer: Our…our guest is the famous spiritualist Mugenkai Jikuu. Wa…was that now for real?
Sign: Mugenkai Jikuu
Jikuu: Hmm. I’m certain it was real.
(TN: Yeah, way to play the audience…DAD!)

119.
TV voices: Ooh—it’s for real. It’s the birth of a spiritually-powered idol!
Narrator: From then on, Izuna…
Izuna: Ye—s, there is a corpse in this area. Many spirits that have been killed are imprisoned and saying “I’m in pain, I’m in pain”.
Announcer: It’s terrible, and this mass-killing incident is!
Izuna: O…over there.
Narrator: Came to appear on TV steadily, always distinguishing whether spiritual power was real or not.

120.
Sign: Performer Swim Meet
SFX: Poro
Narrator: And thus over a period of a month…that character who was called the spiritualist that wore a sailor-fuku came to be a mark for rumors in society.
Watanabe: No no, it’s guaranteed, no no no.
(TN: The “guarantee” refers to the expression of “gyara”, which is “guaranteed money for a performance”)
Izuna: !! With this……
Izuna: Wh…what is this. With this, I’ll be a first-class spiritualist. Fufufu…I’ve surpassed Nueno-sensei!!

121.
Magazines:
Left: Weekly Wide
Right Bottom: Weekly Gentai (Decline)
Right Top: Weekly Potato
Kyouko: Amazing popularity; at this rate, she’ll be the 2nd Amuro.
(TN: “Amuro” refers to here “Namie Amuro”, a Japanese pop singer and actress who broke through into the mainstream during her teenage years in the mid-1990s, both with the group “Super Monkey’s” and a solo career and exploded on the scene. Strangely, she semi-retired from show business in 1997 to concentrate on marriage and a child, but since has gained to renewed success as of the mid-late 2000s.)
Nube: Hmph, worthless.
Miki: Once again—you’re jealous, Nube.
Kyouko: Ara
Crowd: Wai wai
Voice 1: Ah, look, they’re filming.
Voice 2: Izuna-sa—n

122.
Kyouko: Amazing, she’s so cool—
Miki: A crowd has appeared to this extent.
Izuna: Today I’m going around the spirit spots of the town of Doumori. Ah, these children are my friends.
Watanabe: No no, are they? Then, can’t they be filmed together with you? No no.
Kyouko & Miki: Eh, seriously--!?
Izuna: Heey—can’t you be on TV too, teacher? With a word, you too can be famous.
Izuna: Hmph…what’s with that. He’s jealous and not charming.

123.
Man: Hey, no, wait!
Woman: Izuna-san, Izuna-san, I beg you!
Izuna: N?
Woman: I beg you, please…please save this child with spiritual power!!
SFX: Hara

124.
Izuna: Kyaaaa!
Woman: I beg you, if you’re the famous Izuna-san of TV, then I’m certain…I’m certain…
Crowd: H~~ | A monster | Kya-- | I’m sca—red.
Izuna: …An “Otoradzuki”. That’s a reishou from antiquity in Mikawa Province that is a kitsunetsuki where an Otoragitsune attaches to just the left.
(TN: We’ve got a few things to go over here since this chapter is a mess of Japanese terms that really can’t be translated. Going through them one at a time:
-“Otoradzuki” is connected to the “Otoragitsune” mentioned in the last supplemental and has a translation of “Otora-Attachment” or “Fallen Attachment” as explained last time. Refer to that in order to find more about Otoragitsune.
-Mikawa Province is the eastern area of current Aichi Prefecture on Honshu.
-As I mentioned previously “reishou” is “spiritual harm” and really doesn’t have an English translation, thus I kept it in Japanese)
Watanabe: No no, give up Izuna-san. Take him to a hospital and let’s go.
Izuna: What are you saying? This is reishou: it’s impossible to take it to a hospital.
Izuna: Turn the camera! You’ll see that I’m a first-class spiritualist.

125.
Izuna: Kanji Zaibosatsu Gyoujin Hannya Hara Mita Shikisoku Zekuu Kuusoku Zeshiki Shikifu Ikuu Kuufu Ishiki
Watanabe: It can’t be: that girl is really doing an exorcism!? No no no.
Miki: That’s obvious!
Izuna: !!
SFX: Zazan
Otoragitsune: Gyaaaa!!
SFX: Bishi

126.
Otoragitsune: Kekekeke
Boy: Hii.
Izuna: Ku…The sutra wasn’t effective…how stupid is that!?
Izuna: Kotoku Anoku Tara Sanmyaku Sanbodai Maka Hannya Hara Mita!!
Otoragitsune: Guhihihihi
Boy: Gyaaa!
Woman: Pl…please stop already! That child will die!
Izuna: B…but I still…
Izuna: (Haa…haa…) Is…is it no good? Why…?

127.
Izuna: My power is…no good. Nothing can be done…nothing can be done…
Voice: Out of the way!
SFX: Don!
Izuna: Ah
Izuna: !
Nube: A sutra is unwise with an Otoradzuki opponent. It gets taken down like this.

128.
Nube: Namu Daiji Daihi Kyuugu Kyuunan: Otoradzuki…an Otoragitsune dislike Inugami.
Nube: Therefore, when you take them down, you summon Inugami and they’ll feed on them.
Nube: Ha!

129.
Otoragitsune: Gyaau!
SFX: Gag a gag a
Boy: Ma…Mama…
SFX: Shuuu…
Mother: My boy!
Mother: Thank you very much……thank you very much!
Izuna: ………

130.
Izuna: What…was I doing? I forgot the most important thing as a spiritualist…
Izuna: A spiritualist has much work in helping people. That’s not a show. I now was a mere actor……with this distress, I can’t make money.
Izuna: I must…study and gain in power.
Izuna: I’ll make money from then. Seems so--…

131.
Watanabe: Um…no no, with that there’ll be a hole in the program.
Izuna: Alright, I’ve already decided—
Izuna: You can use me once again in five more years. (Bye-bye)
Watanabe: This is due to brats these days…I won’t use you ever again.
Izuna: Al—right, then I’ll rapidly treat all of you to steak with the money I made!!
Nube: Eh, really!? Let’s go, let’s go.
Kyouko: Aa-h, he’s being treated by a kid—

132.
Nube-sensei’s
(Useless) SUPPLEMENTAL EXPLANATION

#12: Dreams

There are said to be two kinds of sleep. One is REM Sleep (Rapid Eye Movement)…if literally translated, it is “eye-turning sleep”, the other is Non-REM Sleep (Not-REM Sleep = sleep where the eyes don’t move). REM Sleep is “shallow sleep”, and those in that condition have their eyeballs moving around and around as indicated by the name and it can be confirmed even from the eyelids on top. If you awaken when in this condition, there you seriously will awaken well and will wake up refreshed. Conversely, Non-REM Sleep is “deep sleep” and by awakening forcibly in this condition, then you’ll come to awaken with a bad feeling, already in ill humor. These two sleeps generally visit repeatedly in periods of an hour and a half. That’s why there are many people that do work on a sleepless night like a mangaka that seem to nap in multiples of an hour and a half. (For example, there are conditions that seem to be for an hour and a half, three hours or four hours and a half) Doing as such, there is a reason to open your eyes in the REM-sleep period of shallow sleep and gain an awakening of good feeling. (That may be a sad trait…)

Well then, when speaking of which sleep you see dreams, it is during the shallow-sleep of REM-sleep. As such, people have many dreams in one night, but they remember when they awaken the last REM-sleep—in brief: just the last dream they had just before they awoke. That’s why a true first dream—the dream you see first in the year—actually can’t be remembered. (Except for situations where your eyes awaken in the middle of the night)

Also, the saying of “First: Fuji, Second: Hawk, Third: Eggplant” is said to be the best 3 of a lucky dream, but that doesn’t have a basis with just the selection of the famous items of the Suruga region, where Tokugawa Ieyasu built his castle. Well, since things aren’t the basis in a way of thinking itself that says it decides luck of the year in the first dream, don’t worry about it at all even if you have a bad dream.

(TN: “First Dream” or “Hatsuyume” is a tradition of Japan where the luck of the year is determined by the first dream that is had in the year. Usually the dream is said to be had on January 2nd, since the 1st is the first day and the sleep from there to the 2nd is the first night, and thus the first dream, of the year. The “Fuji/Hawk/Eggplant” dream that is said to be the luckiest dream for a new year, has many sources, both in early Edo as well as in Tokugawa Ieyasu, who is said to say that the three favorite things of the shogun were Mt. Fuji, falconry (where hawks are used) and eggplants. Other explanations state that since Tokugawa had a major connection to Suruga Province and had a home there after retiring from being shogun, these three items are the three most connected to the area, thus making them lucky due to their connection likewise to Tokugawa. Suruga Province, BTW, is modern Shizuoka Prefecture)

TN: First of all, a slight complaint: I really wish I wasn't having all my problems as of late with my internet service. I actually wanted to get this up last night so I could perhaps have something referring to Kenshin (most likely a link to "Heart of Sword" or "Tactics"...I'd use another song but that better fits with a chapter coming up much later...yeah, a Kenshin song for a Nube chapter, that will be understood when we get there) but at least the script is going up now finally.

As for the chapter...well, it really is tough to determine what Izuna wanted from the scenario that she had in getting fame off her spiritual ability. It seemed like she mostly wanted to be a skilled spiritualist/exorcist but have the fame and fortune that is more seen with the likes of parlor tricks. In other words: she wanted to be another Jikuu. (and as we know, Nube really doesn't like those types since his dad traded in his respect for the money) The problem is that while Izuna has some skill, she isn't up to the level of a Jikuu: the best she can be was exploited as an idol with some spitiual ability but not enough to handle something as tough as the Otoragitsune near the end, where Nube had to save her yet again from doing something stupid. I think somehow that Izuna sort of imagined herself as being powerful and famous, but let it go to her head and ended famous, but not to the power that can rid of the worst situations like Nube or his dad. That's why I sort of like the way the chapter ended: yeah Izuna is sort of done with fame and fortune...but only on the scale of media obsession: she still wants it but wants to be powerful enough to handle the big problems as well as the little ones. It's completely wrong to Nube's perspective but this is who Izuna is...and it's really tough to change someone who has been so greedy for the limelight for so long with only a bit of power to back herself up. Although...was the spirit photography she did at the start more about the youkai that appeared...or her cleavage? (Izuna just is too easy to have with that sort of fanservice, isn't she?)