Hell Teacher Nube 175

There are mysteries in past civilizations, some of which make them greater than anything thought possible in modern times! But what can Nube and his class learn from an advanced object from the past?

#175: An OOPARTS Discovery!

152.
Narrator: Advanced Ancient Civilizations: In the history that everyone learns, it is taught that civilization developed as with the humans who evolved from apes went up the stairs of tools of stone -> tools of bronze -> tools of iron, but actually, there seemed to exist civilizations which were more surpassing, surprisingly, modern man in ancient times.
(TN: The term “Advanced Ancient Civilization has a Japanese name of “Choukodai Bunmei”. “Kodai Bunmei” is typically “Ancient Civilization”, but the “Chou” at the start seems to infer it is a “Super-Ancient Civilization”, which just made no sense whatsoever. Thus I translated it as an “advanced ancient civilization”)
Caption: England: “Stonehenge” of Salisbury: called a giant astronomy observatory
(TN: It is rather difficult to figure out the true purpose of Stonehenge, which as stated is on the Salisbury Plain, 2 miles west of Amesbury and 8.1 miles north of Salisbury. Though some have identified it as a burial site, its image as an observatory emerged from allowing for the accurate prediction of celestial events according to an ancient religion, including eclipses, solstices and equinoxes)
Narrator: Relics and ruins that have become proof are dotted throughout the world (of course in Japan as well) and are left without an explanation.
Caption: The Masuda Stone Boat of Asuka, Nara Prefecture
(TN: The “Masuda Stone Boat” is a mysterious object near current Kashiharashi in Nara Prefecture. It is unknown what it is, but it is near the area where, according to Japanese legend, Jimmu, the first Japanese emperor descended to Earth; thus it has many rumors regarding its true purpose)
Narrator: Those there are primarily a megalith civilization; it’s been made clear they are man-made objects. They’re objects they would have immense skills even for just manufacturing them in stages.
Caption: The Pyramid (?) of Mt. Ashitake, Hiroshima Prefecture
(TN: The “pyramid of Mt. Ashitake” is a strange ancient artifact discovered in 1934, stated to be 23,000 years old. It was stated as “the first pyramid” of Japan, with others possibly found since then)

153.
Narrator: And they also exist on a mountain of the town of Doumori.

154.
Narrator: These may be valuable national inheritances.
SFX: Jo~~~
Hiroshi: Hey, go: pass them!
SFX: Joro joro joro
Katsuya: Don’t lose, my urine!
Makoto: Surpass them!
Makoto: Ah, ah—
Hiroshi: Al—right, number o—ne!

155.
Hiroshi: I’ve done it--! Treat me to a nikuman at a convenience store later.
(TN: “Nikuman” is a Japanese style of Chinese steamed bun/baozi that are meat-filled buns made of flour dough. It is notable that nikuman are sold at Japanese convenience stores during the winter as a winter snack, with many “specialty versions” released based on the convenience store, including those with sweets)
Katsuya: Damn it--!
SFX: Doga bako
Makoto: I feel sick!
Narrator: This may be a momentous point that will repaint the history of mankind.
SFX: Shu—
Graffiti: Take this: Uni no Te.
(TN: The “Uni” in Katsuya’s graffiti is Japanese for ‘sea urchin’…and admittedly, it’s a clever pun)
Hiroshi & Makoto: Ahahahaha
Hiroshi: N
Hiroshi: This is a Japanese yam. I saw it as the house of a relative in the country. I’ll dig it up.
(TN: “Japanese yam” (Dioscorea japonica) is a Japanese plant of the yam family, also known there as “yamaimo” (mountain yam))

156.
Hiroshi: Dig here, wan wan! (Woof woof)
SFX: Zaku zaku zaku
Hiroshi: Uwa, it’s huge—
SFX: Zaku zaku
Katsuya: Al—right, let’s sell it for 200 yen to Nube.
Hiroshi: !?
SFX: Gachin!
Hiroshi: Wh…what is that?
SFX: Goro…!

157.
Katsuya: Is it stone? Is it earthenware?
Hiroshi: It’s sparkling. I’m certain it’s treasure.
Hiroshi: This may be a major discovery. I’m certain we can sell it high.
Voice: Hm—m…
Nube: A magatama…? A musical instrument…? I really don’t know…It clearly is a man-made object but…
(TN: A “magatama” is a curved bead originally found in Japan since the Joumon period, found in the mound graves and seen as offering to deities. They usually are made of various stones, including jade, agate, quartz, talc or jasper. In modern times, it is seen as the common representation of a “hitodama”, the “human spirit”. It also has shamanistic symbolism in Korea)
Hiroshi: What do you think it is?
Makoto: An ancient health utensil?
SFX: Gori gori
Nube: U~~h, it’s effective on that point.
(TN: Nube’s comment of “point” refers to the concept of “tsubo”, a nickname for a point in acupuncture used for the release of energy)
Katsuya: It’s used for ancient S&M goods.
Hiroshi: Is our long-awaited great discovery going to be made for that thing!

158.
Narrator: At the same time in the classroom…
Kyouko: Hey, haven’t you seen Hiroshi?
Matsui: Dunno.
Kyouko: Really, what is he doing though it’s day-duties. Hiroshi! Hiroshi--!!
(TN: The “day-duties” is the duties that each student has to do every day, such as cleaning the classroom or the bathroom)
Nube: !!
SFX: Pikiiiiin…
Nube: Wa…wawa….it’s glowing! It’s ringing!
SFX: Bibibibibibi
Ritsuko: ?

159.
SFX: Bibibibibi
Nube: S**t, stop! Stop! Stop—
SFX: Bibibibibibibi
SFX: Pita
Hiroshi: It…it stopped……
Nube: Wh…what a sound. The inside of this staff office was going to be destroyed. Were those supersonic waves…N……?

160.
Nube: Ancient characters have…surfaced!?
SFX: Gogogogo
Nube: This isn’t an ordinary stone…! There’s some mechanic…!
Hiroshi: Yes.
Nube: Do you know of what’s called “OOPARTS”? This isn’t a test that Hiroshi makes up every day.
Sign: Library (Room)
Nube: It has a meaning of “Out of Place Artifacts”…if translated literally, “a handicraft that isn’t of this place”. A relic that an advanced civilization that hasn’t been thought of within the study of histories left behind; an unbelievable relic beyond history. For example: the form of an accessory that emerged from the historic ruins of the Zenu culture of Columbia of around 500 A.D. that, however you look at it, is an airplane.
(TN: The “Zenu”, also known as the “Sinu”, are a tribe of American Indians of Columbia which live around the rivers of Sinu and San Jorge, as well as the coast of the Caribbean. The culture is most well known both for its advanced waterworks and its ornaments of gold)

161.
Nube: A relic of 65 BC that was discovered from the coast of Antikythera was a computer that knew exactly the movements of the planets of the Solar System.
(TN: The “Antikythera mechanism” was a device stated to be built around 150-100 BCE that was discovered in the “Antikythera wreck” of 1900-01. (a shipwreck from the 1st-2nd century BC found off the coast of Antikythera) The mechanism was stated to be as sophisticated as a Swiss Clock of the 19th century and wasn’t developed in Europe until the 14th century of that sophistication.)
Nube: As well, they discovered some sort of battery from the ruins of Parthia in Iraq 2,000 years ago. In short: they were already using electricity 2,000 years ago.
(TN: The “Partian Empire”, also known as the “Arsacid Empire”, is actually an Iranian-based empire that existed between the 3rd century, BC and 3rd century, AD. They were a culture that combined many aspects of Greco-Roman and Persian culture and became a major cultural stopover in the Silk Road between Rome and the Han Dynasty of China. The “Parthian Battery”, also known as the “Baghdad Battery”, was found in 1936 in the village of Khuyut Rabbou’a, and stated as a galvanic cell that may have been used to electroplate gold onto objects of silver using terracotta pots and a copper cylinder.)
Hiroshi: Then…then this is a mechanic of an advanced ancient civilization too?
Katsuya: Amazing—
Nube: Yep. I can’t be clear of it, but there could be a place where we can investigate it.
Caption: Doumori University
Professor: This doesn’t have any worth in history.
Sign: X-Ray Room: Danger
Nube: Eh!

162.
Professor: I did take an X-ray but it was merely stone inside.
Nube: That’s…
Professor: Besides, there isn’t such a stone tool of that form within the studies of history.
Nube: It’s no good because it isn’t recognized in the studies of history?
Hiroshi: You blockhead!!
Hiroshi: Really…I’m certain it’s an amazing thing for sure and yet; I was going to sell it and buy Buyo 3 and yet.
(TN: As stated before, “Buyo” is a parody acknowledged tied to the “Puyo Puyo” series of games. In this case, Hiroshi is lamenting he can’t get “Buyo 3”, which is tied to the release of “Puyo Puyo Sun” (3), which first came out as of December, 1996 in the arcade and in February, 1997 for the Sega Saturn, around the time of this chapter)
Katsuya: But, what then is it?
Hiroshi: Hm~~m.
Hiroshi: That destructive power…it’s a weapon for certain; with the extent of destroying a whole nation with one of these.

163.
Kazama: Hey, where’s Hiroshi?
Soccer Player: He forgot because he has morning studies today.
Kazama: Nothing—we can do—on it. Hey, Hiroshi! Hiroshi—
Hiroshi: ! Hrioshi: Wa, it’s doing it again!
SFX: Bibibibibibi
Hiroshi: Stop ringing, stop ringing. Hey.
SFX: Bibibibibi
SFX: Burun!
Hiroshi: Wa…wa…wh…what? Now I’m starting to tremble.
SFX: Puru puru puru…

164.
Hiroshi: U…Uwa…
SFX: Bububububu | Byu
Students: Kya—uwa—
SFX: Gan | Doka | Gachan

165.
Student: Uwa—it’s coming this way.
Hiroshi: Waa—
SFX: Go
Hiroshi: !
SFX: Puku~~~Bachi bachi
Hiroshi: It…it’s expanding!? It’ll explode.
Kyouko: Hiroshi—
SFX: Bari bari bari bari

166.
Nube: Hiroshi---!!
SFX: Gakiiiin
SFX: Goro goro goro
SFX: Gan!
SFX: Shuu…
Nube: It wasn’t photographed on the X-ray but…this, for certain, has a mechanic.
SFX: Zawa zawa zawa
Hiroshi: But it’s merely stone inside…
Nube: Saying it’s mechanical isn’t limited to having gears or electric parts inside. There may not have been a necessity for this thing in today’s civilization and certainly another civilization…

167.
Nube: --Alright, we’re going to confirm that.
Nube: Is it here…the place you discovered this stone………understood…
Nube: This megalith formation has been arranged to seemingly be able to well concentrate natural ki.
Hiroshi: !
Nube: There is culture where such like Feng Shui of China draws on this flow, but if you can well manipulate the ki of the earth, the atmosphere and of life, it may be able to use a power that is the same…no, greater than the mechanics of the modern age…
(TN: As explained, “Feng Shui” is a Chinese aesthetic that uses the laws of Heaven and Earth to enforce positive qi/ki/energy.)

168.
Kyouko: Then, this civilization can operate objects with the power of ki without using machines or electricity?
Nube: That’s right.
Nube: This stone too flows the flow of ki within the stone with complexity. It was made seemingly to do some role. It’s an amazing technology.
Nube: This megalith formation is also some sort of apparatus. Let’s test it.
Hiroshi: Eh.
Nube: Perhaps a Shinto priest stood on top of this stand and sends their ki. This is the switch of the apparatus. Namu Daiji Daihi Kyuugu Kyuunan…
SFX: Bo bo bo bo
Nube: !

169.
SFX: Guooooo
Kyouko: A…amazing, what is this…
Hiroshi: L…look, the light is gathering in the center.
Nube: Something is coming out. It seems this apparatus is one that’s like a television.
Hiroshi: Television!?

170.
Kyouko: A…amazing; that’s a 3-D movie. That’s an ancient TV program, I’m certain.
Hiroshi: Just a moment: that ancient resembles Hirosue Ryouko.
(TN: Ryouko Hirosue is an pop and movie star best known in the west form films such as “Wasabi” and the Oscar-winning “Deaprtures”. Around this point, she was mostly known for her TV roles, with her film career not starting until 1998)
Kyouko: Ah, that’s in her hand.
Hiroshi: Ye…yes, it is. It’s that stone.
Nube: We’re finally solving the mystery.

171.
SFX: Bibibibibi
Nube: Wa
Katsuya: It…it’s that sound.
SFX: Puchi
“Ancient”: It’s from him.
“Ancient Male”: Hey.
“Ancient Female”: Were you waiting--?
Nube: …
“Ancient Female”: With this DoDoMo Call Stone, you’ll know immediately from the sound steadily getting louder. It will catch ki with just calling your name anywhere and ring out.
(TN: “DoDoMo” is a parody of “DoCoMo”, the nickname of NTT’s cell phone service which literally translates into the English expression (Do Communicate over the Mobile network) The kanji used for it literally translates into “Earth – Earth – Duckweed/Algae”)
SFX: Bibibibi
“Ancient Female”: Further is its handy message function, OK up to 30 characters.

172.
“Ancient Female”: Further is the convenient vibrate function: it’s oscillations become stronger little by little.
SFX: Buru buru buru buru
“Ancient Female”: Even with those, we’ve added in a heat generating – lightning – become-giant function for those merrymakers who don’t realize.
“Ancient Female”: It’s easy for both appointments and calls with this. It’s cheap by all means. Buy it here at Chakra-Mart.
(TN: “Chakra-Mart” is an English translation of “Shakuraya”, the name of the “store” where to buy this…pager thing. “Shakura” is a literation of “Chakra”, while the “ya” is the ending used for any sort of store in Japanese)
SFX: Pikyun…
Nube: ……So then…this stone was…

173.
SFX: Hyuu~~~…
Narrator: Advanced-Ancients…they’ve developed a civilization that has a completely different way of thinking from foundations that are here.
Narrator: Perhaps this may have objects more magnificent than the present mechanical civilization…

174.
Nube-sensei’s
(Useless) SUPPLEMENTAL EXPLANATION

#19: OOPARTS

Handicrafts not of their place, which are made possessing techniques that are completely unsuitable to the place or era they are discovered of—these are called OOPARTS. This word is a coined word made by Ivan Sanderson, an animal scholar of British origin.

The existence of OOPARTS indicates that the progress of human civilization was not a simple graded development. It’s a phenomenon as such where in a certain period, civilization which progressed to advance entirely became ash by war and aggression and relapsed into a primeval period, but it’s illuminated that it has occurred many times in the past. I want you to look at the illustration on pg. 151 (the opening). The stone sphere in the top-right is a real sphere that is 2.6m in diameter and 25 tons in weight, discovered in the jungles of Costa Rica. The era of its production is thought to be the period from the 4th to the 9th century, but it is a complete mystery in by how these giant stones were whittled into perfect spheres in this era. Next, the earthen figure that is like a dinosaur in the top-left was an object made in Mexico about 2,500 BC. Technically, it isn’t a great deal, but the question is this: “what did they use for the model?” for the people who made it. The first confirmation of the existence of dinosaurs was in the 19th century. Did they know of the existence of dinosaurs already 4500 years ago, or did dinosaurs live up to that time?

Finally, there’s the famous “Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull”. This is an actual-sized skull polished up with a magnificent technique in an unusually hard crystal mass as an object that was excavated from a Mayan ruin. If this was made with just the techniques of the period, it is said it would take 150 years until it was completed.

Due to the many mysteries of OOPARTS, it is easy to have an occult-like explanation when doing so. (…It seems like that with this manga but) However, if you research this seriously, isn’t it true that there is large potential to rewrite the history of humanity?

(TN: With the mentioning of these three OOPARTS here, I might as well make mention of the ones that were on the cover as stated in this supplemental:
-The Stone Spheres of Costa Rica: 300 petrospheres found on the Diquis Delta and Isla del Cano, known also as “Las Bolas” or “The Disquis Spheres”. Many of the spheres are no longer in the correct location as they were when found and appear to be connected to similar spheres made by the Aguas Buenas culture, which existed between 200 BC and 600 AD. Little is known at this time on what they were for, but there is current attempts to make this a UNESCO heritage site.
-The Acambaro Figures: found in 1944 in Acambaro, Guanjuato, Mexico, they were found to be of dinosaurs leading to some, particularly of the Creationists, to state that dinosaurs lived with humans and that as proof to their philosophies. There are also those who claim the dinosaurs to be an elaborate hoax and artificially aged to make them seem older than they are.
-Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull: discovered by Anna Le Guillon Michell-Hedges (the daughter of a British adventurer), it appeared to be a perfect skull representation found in a temple in Lubaantun, Belize. Like many other potential OOPARTS objects, there are many rumors this too may be a hoax. Many of the known Crystal Skulls do have potential as such, considering their shady origin being sold by shady merchants or forged in creation in Europe.)

TN: (First of all: this chapter is the first of the three fill-ins between 174 and 178. Read this after 174)

So...all that for an ancient, ki-powered pager? Not even something useful? Well...maybe the idea that it was something so silly and stupid that was left behind in the past was a funny idea and really did fit the punchline...but somehow you sort of expected more. If an advanced civilization had ruins around Doumori, then why the heck would they leave their pager and a commercial behind and not something more worthwhile? Of course, the fact of something so worthless being so dangerous does bring back the whole Encyclopedia idea of the novelette "Roadside Picnic", so it's not at least without literary merit...even if a good chunk of Doumori Elementary was destroyed just because of a ki-powered pager. (now all we need is some magatama-wearing girl saying "mitai na" akin to Izuna...) The chapter wasn't bad but somehow you sort of just get left wanting more regarding the OOPARTS and whatever ancient civilization existed around Doumori. But then again...keep this chapter in mind: it may have major implications volumes down the line...