Hell Teacher Nube 176

The traumas within life could cause withdrawl...but how much is too much? When a potential soccer star arrives in Doumori with soccer not on his mind, Hiroshi may need Nube's help to get him to his old ways!

#176: Youkai Therapy

175.
Right Top Caption: FW (Forward): Tateno Hiroshi
Right Bottom Caption: As you know, he’s the man who surpassed 100 0-point tests!
(TN: Only Hiroshi…)
Left Top Caption: DF (Defensive Forward): Kazama-kun
Left Bottom Caption: Of Ritsuko-sensei’s class: the sexiest male in Doumori Elementary!
(TN: Um…since when?)
Center: So, this boy is? A transfer student…!?

176.
SFX: Pi—
Voice: O—K, morning practice is done—
Hiroshi: Fu—the feeling of the water is good.
Girl: The soccer club is cool.
Hiroshi: No—this is completely the best.
SFX: Basha basha
Girls: But there are idiots in it too.
(TN: Hey watch it: that idiot is your best player! Let him have his Beckham/Lebron eccentricities!)

177.
Kazama: Hey, Hiroshi, do you know of him?
Magazine: Soccer Junior (can’t read the rest)
Hiroshi: N?
Kazama: This 5th grader called the genius sweeper at the Kanto Junior League finals.
(TN: A sweeper, also known as a “libero”, is a center back who sweeps the ball away if an opponent breaches the defensive line, with them as one of the most fluid of players, even if defensive)
Newspaper:
Top Caption: Anticipated Star
Bottom Caption: Kitamura Kaoru-kun (5th Year)
Kazama: Actually, he came to transfer into class 6 a week ago.
Hiroshi: Eh! That’s amazing. But why hasn’t he joined the soccer club?
(TN: They asked that question to you too when you transferred in, Hiroshi…remember that bug that made you rip 6th-years heads off?)
Kazama: That’s, well…

178.
Book: The Sky-Flying Horse
(TN: Alright, this is a weird reference but pay attention: the book that Kaoru is reading, “Sora-tobu Uma” (The Sky-Flying Horse), is the first novel by a real Kaoru Kitamura, originally released in 1989. Thus…they both share the same name)
Boy: Kitamura? Yes, he hasn’t asked anything to anyone since he transferred in.
Girl: He’s so—me dark boy—
Hiroshi & Kazama: ………
Kazama: He seems to have come to not talk to people. My cousin went to the same school as him. I heard this from him but…
Kazama: The origin was that he hurt a close friend in the same soccer club during a practice……it seems that this friend came to not play soccer for the rest of his life.
(TN: I’m not quite sure if “rest of his life” is the best translation but it does state “Isshou sakka dekinaku nacchamatta” or “he came to not play soccer for his entire life.” Since I assume the friend is still alive, I assume that it isn’t merely for his entire life but just for the rest of his current life)

179.
Kazama: It seems this friend forgave him, but this person who felt responsible quit soccer……since, he’s come to even talk to people little and is hiding in his own shell…
Hiroshi: That’s…
Kazama: He…hey, Hiroshi…
Hiroshi: Yo, Kitamura.
SFX: Bomu!
Hiroshi: You love soccer. Then, let’s play—soccer—with—out hesitation.
Hiroshi: I’m certain…that friend you hurt didn’t think that he wanted soccer to be quit by you.

180.
Hiroshi: The ball is your friend. Remember that.
(TN: Hiroshi’s line of “The Ball if My/Your Friend” is a similar variation of the trademark line of Tsubasa Oozora from the long running Youichi Takahashi soccer saga “Captain Tsubasa”, originally starting in WSJ in 1981)
“Hiroshi”: He—y, I am your friend. Remember that. Let’s play—play with me—
SFX: Paku paku (Tweet tweet)
Caption: Ventriloquism
Kazama: Cease that.
Voice: --So that’s—the reason.
Sign: Staff Office
Kyouko: You want that Kitamura-kun to join the club for that?
Hiroshi: It’s stupid that he doesn’t play soccer though he loves it. Can’t you do anything, Nube…

181.
Nube: A method to return him to his former bright condition? Hm—m…that’s difficult.
Hiroshi: Right, it’s impossible after all. For words outside spirits.
Caption: Easily
Nube: Really! Can’t you rely on me a bit? Enough!
Kyouko: What? You have some method, Nube…
Nube: Fufufu, well, watch.
SFX: Ki—n ko—n ka—n ko—n
Nube: Kitamura-kun…are you?

182.
SFX: Su
Caption: Seal
Nube: Namu Daiji Daihi Kyuugu Kyuunan: Dubiousness sealed within…
(TN: “Dubiousness” is based on the word “Ayakashii”, which usually is just “dubious” or “suspicious”. While it is usually tied to something like “youkai” or “yousei”, I chose to just go with a semi-literal translation as in making it a “dubiousness” instead of a mere “monster” or “youkai”)
Kyouko: Wh…what: a youkai came out?
SFX: Boooo…

183.
Nube: Possess this person---!!
SFX: Bashi
SFX: Da
SFX: Tatata… | Nyari
Kyouko: You dummy—what~~are you doing possessing him with a youkai?
SFX: Bago
Nube: Ow.
Nube: Wa…wait, you’re making a mistake.

184.
Nube: That is called “Satori”. It’s a youkai that can penetrate the interior of a person’s heart.
(TN: While more will be explained in the Supplemental, “Satori” has a literal translation of either “understanding” or “enlightenment”, including the enlightenment of the Buddhist sense)
Kyouko: ?
Nube: It will open a hole that is cute into the wall of his heart……
“Voice”: …ut--…
“Voice”: Come out--…
Satori: Come out~~~…from your shell~~…

185.
SFX: Shu…
Nube: Originally, Satori was a youkai that lived in the mountains, reading the hearts of people and playing tricks on them…a year ago, I sealed it for possessing a student, but to gain its freedom, it has to possess Kitamura as a condition.
Kyouko: Can he be healed possessed by it?
Nube: This is a thing called “dolphin therapy”. A dolphin makes conversation and knows of another’s location with the release of super-sonic waves from its head as it’s underwater, but…they put in a child like Kitamura is now in a pool with a dolphin.
Nube: Thusly, in a way, a child whose heart hasn’t opened up to now improves little by little.
Nube: Communicating to the dolphin within opened them up. In a similar way, I should be able to do it too with Satori.
(TN: It’s really tough to explain but dolphin therapy is an actual training method, usually used with children with physical, emotional and mental needs to open them up. As the dolphin contacts the child in question, the child seems to slowly open up with an opening of their nervous system.)
Kyouko: Will it really be effective?

186.
Nube: --Well, I’m testing it out. Seeing its worth…
Hiroshi: He—y, Kitamura--! Let’s play—soccer.
Hiroshi: If you have your true strength, then I have no doubt you’ll be on the regulars immediately! Currently, the 5th-Year Regulars are just myself and Kazama. (The rest are all 6th-Years) Hey! Let’s do it together! Soccer!
Hiroshi: He—y, Kitamura—Heading, Heading.
Hiroshi: Ahahaha, here, here—

187.
Nube: Hm—m…it seems it will take still much more time for his heart to open up…
SFX: Za—za—
Hiroshi: Ahahaha, he—y.
Satori: Hey…get it over with. You’re planning on hiding in your shell forever.
SFX: Nu
Satori: Hiroshi is eager to be together this much, with you……
SFX: Bashi!

188.
Hiroshi: He—y, Kitamura---!
Hiroshi: How about it—Kitamura. Today, we’re having a practice match with Chikakuno Elementary of the next town. Over there is a rival school we’ve competed with since long ago.
Hiroshi: I think this will be quite—a good match. Come and watch it. If you do, you too will come to want to do this again…
SFX: Burururu…
Hiroshi: Watch out!!
SFX: Don!
Hiroshi: !
SFX: Gasha

189.
Hiroshi: Guu…
Biker: I…I’m sorry, are you alright!?
Biker: That’s severely bloody. I’ll take you to the hospital immediately.
Hiroshi: It’s fine. It’s a scratch.
SFX: Wa—wa—
Kyouko: So ultimately wasn’t it that nothing was effective with it being a week today?
Sign: You can do it, Hiroshi
(TN: I think there was an “and Kazama” but the scan was cut off)
Nube: Hmm…were you disappointed?
Kitamura: ……
Students: You can do this—don’t lose to Chikakuno Elementary—

190.
Coach: N? What’s wrong, Hiroshi? Are you alright with that bandage?
Hiroshi: Ah, I just skinned it a bit. It’s nothing.
Chikakuno Bald: Hey, look. It seems #10 of the opponent got hurt.
Chikakuno Square: He’s Tateno, the FW.
Chikakuno Square: Shall we go for him?
SFX: Nyari
Chikakuno Bald: Natu—rally.
SFX: Pi—
Chikakuno Square: Ah, so—rry.
SFX: Ga
Kitamura: !

191.
Chikakuno Player: Oops there.
Chikakuno Bald: Guhehe
SFX: Mishi mishi
Hiroshi: Guaa
Kyouko: Hiroshi!
SFX: Pipi—
Student 1: That Hiroshi, what’s wrong with him?
Student 2: Attacker Hiroshi and Defender Kazama are the pivots of Doumori Elementary and yet.
Student 3: With that, they’ll lose.
SFX: Zawa zawa zawa zaa
Satori: Is that fine? Are you fine abandoning Hiroshi?
Satori: Hiroshi got hurt for you. Will it occur again? Will you get timid with the misfortunes of a friend again?

192.
Satori: Go!
SFX: Wa—wa—
SFX: Wa—
SFX: Wa—wa—

193.
Voice: Doumori Elementary has a change in rear-guard player.
Hiroshi: A change in the back? Who? Haa haa. Haa, from doing that, haa…haa, s**t, I can’t pass the ball no—w. Haa.
Hiroshi: Haa, it hurt…my leg…haa (out loud) Damn it, haa. It’s no good…
SFX: Shu
Kitamura: Leave this to me!
Hiroshi: Eh…?

194.
Kitamura: I am Kitamura the Sweeper--!!
Hiroshi: Kitamura!
SFX: Wa—wa—

195.
SFX: Wa—wa—wa—
Nube: Fufufu, thanks for the effort, Satori. You should go home to the mountain.
SFX: Suu—
Kyouko: Oh brother: men ultimately are friends in sports.
Miki: They’re simplistic.
SFX: Wa—wa—wa—
(End of Vol. 20)

196.
Nube-sensei’s
(Useless) SUPPLEMENTAL EXPLANATION

#20: Satori

Satori is actually the same youkai as Yamako, who was introduced in #173. It’s a youkai who is said to have the power to read the hearts of people.

It was long ago, in the recesses of a certain mountain, when a sole man was making wooden buckets in the middle of the night. A crowd of Satori came by and started to make uproar in the circumference of the man. When the man thought within his heart “They’re annoying guys”, the Satori had “He thinks we’re annoying guys”. When he thought “How will they drive me out?”, they entirely saw through to within his heart as “He’s thinking ‘How will they drive me out?’” Since there was nothing he could do, when he thought “I won’t think of anything”, there was a condition where he said “I’m thinking that I won’t think of anything”.

Since the man was at his wits end, he continued to make his buckets silently. Then, suddenly without thinking, the hoop became disconnected and the flying board hit a Satori’s muzzle. The Satori, who was surprised with a “Gya!”, said “Humans are quite dreadful creatures. They do actions where they aren’t even thinking” and ran back to the mountain.

(There is a theory that this story wasn’t with a bucket and was done with an axe.)

Furthermore, according to ethnologists, they say that Satori are already extinct, but possibly they’ve assimilated with humans and there may be those who are living in human society. There are said to be people with quick perception who frankly guess right a person’s thoughts occasionally, but perhaps this person may be a descendant of a Satori…?

197.
Caption: Notice of the Next Volume
Shizuka: Vol. 21 will have the first starring work of me, Kikuchi—Shizuka!
Caption: For those people who are saying “Who is this girl!?”…Though she has been introduced since the period of the one-shot before the start of serialization, she’s a character who hadn’t had a even one leading role up to now. (Even so, somehow she is followed by maniac fans…)
(TN: Well let me say this: it’s about time! Shizuka has been around for so long that her being held off for so long in getting a starring chapter is just rather shocking and surprising. Sure you could say that about a lot of other Nube characters, but considering Shizuka these days is less a character and more “A BG character who was friends with Noro-chan”, she deserves this. Besides, this will probably help her get rid of that “Ichimatsu Doll look-alike” comment she keeps getting…)

TN: (Again, this chapter comes before #178, but like the one before and after, it's being done now because of the unique circumstances...)

You know...this chapter really could have been much worse than I expected. Somehow having a kid join the school we're really never going to see outside here and being another possible "bishonen-esque silent type" could have made this a complete disaster in my head. But the way the chapter turned out actually wasn't too bad with the concentration being on his withdrawl problems and Nube's unique usage of Satori to fix the problem. Probably the sealer of the deal was the comparison of the "Satori therapy" to the actual usage of dolphins in some places to sort of allow for kids to open up and become more interactive whether by their physical or mental turmoil. It made the whole situation feel more like something that could happen in this realm of supernatural in a stranger sort of way. The ending was a tad cliche...but the whole aspect of Hiroshi being hurt was sort of the breaking point that made Kitamura wake up and realize that he was doing nothing while Hiroshi sacrificed so much just to make him get back to the game he loved. Of course...in some ways you could say that there are people who just change and find new ways of outletting their energies, but Kitamura was for the most part a lump and wasting his potential so at least they got him back in the game...sort of.