Hell Teacher Nube 194

The threat of the unknown is ne that causes much trouble, particularly if you don't even know what you're facing. Yet this time around, Nube and his class may be facing a terror so unknown...that even looking at it may lead to doom!

#194: If You See It, You’ll Die! Kainan Houshi

175.
Miki: Ufu (heart) This time is a tale of the sea (heart)
Kyouko: Can I lose to her!
Nube: Hey~~you two are grade schoolers!!
(TN: That’s never stopped them before)

176.
Narrator: Nube has been badgered by his students and has come to the sea this year as well.
Caption: Here is the seaside resort of Okinoshima, two hours by boat from Doumori
(TN: While there are several islands in Japan that possess the name of “Okinoshima”, including in Fukuoka Prefecture on Kyushu and Kouchi Prefecture on Shikoku, this is not related to either of them and should be treated as a fictional island. Its literal name is “Open-Water Island”)
Students: Waa—ahaha…kya kya
Sign: Umi no Ie (Sea House)

177.
Nube: Al—right, shall we gradually get started—
SFX: Sukku!
Hiroshi: Start what?
Nube: Didn’t we decide this? We’ve used up most of our budget in just our fair for coming here.
(TN: Nube uses a term here of “funachin”, which is literally “boat fee”, but can have a translation of “passage” or “shipping charge”)
Hiroshi: Decide what?
Nube: To get provisions for dinner, of course. Oh, these are huge corn barnacles. We can eat these if we bake them. (Saruganseki ate them too). Wouldn’t this sea cucumber be good raw? N—even fried sea anemone would seem good too.
(TN: Obviously Nube is crazy to think of what he wants to eat, but here are some bits of information regarding the “food” he is suggesting:
-Corn Barnacle: known as “fujitsubo in Japanese, they are barnacles of the family Balanidae of the Sessilia order. They’re generally barnacles that cling to hard surfaces like rocks.
-The comment about “Saruganseki” refers to a Japanese comedy troupe that was active between 1994 and 2004 made up of Tsukkomi Moriwaki Kazunari and Boke Ariyoshi Hiroiki.
-Sea cucumbers are echinoderms of the Holothuroidea class. Strangely enough, they are used as food in many parts of China, Southeast Asia and Australia and as a medicinal supplement in Japan.
-Sea anemone are predatory animals of the Actiniaria order that attach themselves to hard surfaces and capture food with their cysts and various poisons before eating them. Like the barnacles and unlike the sea cucumbers, these can’t be eaten.)
SFX: Unyo unyo | Ozozo~~
Hiroshi: You’re joking; we’re eating that?
Kyouko: I hadn’t had expectations for the condition of Nube’s purse but… (to this point?)
Katsuya: It was good that I brought a fishing rod for this concern.
Katsuya: Let’s go to that rocky area over there. It should be nice for fishing.
Kyouko: Alright.
Nube: I’ve wanted to eat starfish too. And sea slug afterwards…

178.
Salesman: He…hey—you ca—n’t go near that rocky area!
Kyouko: Why?
Salesman: Over there is the Shinto shrine of Kainan-sama!
(TN: While “Kainan-sama” will be explained soon enough and with the Supplemental, I can explain that “Kainan” has a translation with the kanji as “shipwreck”)
Kyouko: Kainan?
Salesman: Kainan-sama is a vengeful spirit that is born from the gathering of thousands and tens-of-thousands of the souls of humans that died at sea. It returns about now in the Bon Festival. With that, Kainan-sama already possesses a terrifying form. If there is one who sees this form, then they will be cursed at once…
(TN: The “Bon Festival”, also known as “Obon”, is the Japanese festival of Buddhist origin where the dead returns to visit their families on this plain and has since become a holiday of family reunions in general. The word used for “Bon” here in Japanese is “Kyuubon”, which refers to the old numbering of “bon” which is in regards to the “7th month” of the calendar which, as we’ve seen prior, usually starts around February; thus placing it in the “15th of the 7th month” makes it around August 15th, which is generally when Bon is celebrated, though there are many other times when it is celebrated, including July 15th for those areas that celebrate according to the Gregorian calendar)
Salesman: (out loud) To die immediately! You’ll die by just looking at it! (calmly) The people of the island never go near there at this time!
Man: Old—man, do you have the yakisoba yet--?
Salesman: Fine then; absolutely don’t go there!
Kyouko: Nube, what do you think?
Nube: Hmm, Kainan Houshi, a famous sea youkai.
(TN: The “Houshi” in the name of the youkai is Japanese for a “Buddhist Priest”, thus the best translation for the youkai’s name is “Priest Kainan” or “Priest Disaster”)

179.
Nube: Its shrine seems to be real and…we shouldn’t be going to a place that was called dangerous by a local person.
Nube: It would be terrible if it really appeared. You die the moment you see it. I can’t lay a hand on that.
Miki: Wha? What—will we do for dinner!?
Nube: That’s why I’ll be making these tasty things. (Electric Man O’ War with sea hares…)
(TN: A couple silly notes about these creatures in particular:
-First off, the “electric Man O’ War” refers to the “Portugese Man O’ War” (Physalia Physalis), a siphonophore (which isn’t a jellyfish) that is a colonial organism made up of many zooids. Its Japanese name is typically “Katsuonoeboshi”, but it has a nickname of “Denki kurage” or “electric jellyfish”. I decided to combine both to make it work as “electric Man O’ War”
-Sea Hare is a gastropod of the Aplysiomorpha clade, a marine gastropod mollusk)
Miki: Who would eat that!
Kyouko: What do we do? Should we quit it?
Katsuya: I’ve decided to go.
Hiroshi: If we return immediately, we’ll be fine.
Kyouko: That’s the shrine…
Miki: Amazing~~it’s a crumbling bridge. It seems to be falling even now.
Hiroshi: Oh, there’s a road that descends to here.

180.
Miki: No~~o, this narrow road. It’s chafing my chest.
Kyouko: That gaudy girl…
SFX: Kara…
Hiroshi: Hey, look. There’s a salt pool.
(TN: This was a tad tough to translate but the word that “salt pool” started out as was “shiodamari”; “shio” obviously is “salt”, but “damari” is a reading of ‘tamari’, which usually is “collected things” or “gathering place”, but also is the start of the word “tamarimizu” or “stagnant water”. Since a stagnant water puddle is usually a small pool of water, I decided to make “shiodamari” as a “salt pool (of water)”)
Hiroshi: Hyaa!
Katsuya: Amazing, it’s a treasure of fish and shellfish.
Kyouko: There are turban shells here too.
Miki: Hey~~hey~~this is abalone.
Makoto: There’s shrimp too.
Hiroshi: !?
SFX: Gobo…gobogobo…
SFX: Zaza~~
Hiroshi: Kya—

181.
Nube: Hay! Ai told ya nat ta cam (Hey, I told you not to come)
(TN: Yeah, Nube is muffled…and obviously this is the translation)
SFX: Zaba—
Hiroshi: Wh…what, Nube came too?
Nube: Ai was warrid since all of ya waren’t there (I was worried since all of you weren’t there)
Miki: He’s talking while taking the fish.
Nube: It’s dangerous to lust too much. Well, let’s go while Kainan Houshi hasn’t come.
SFX: Gasa Goso
Seagull: Sui~~
Kyouko: And yet you’re the most lustful.
(TN: It was tough to translate this part, but the basis of it is the Japanese word of “yokubaru” which is the verbal of “to covet” or “to lust after”, which is obviously about the fish in this pool)
Seagull: !
SFX: Basa basa basa
Hiroshi: These seagulls have…?
Kyouko: Suddenly…died?
Nube: There’s no external wound…did they die of shock? What exactly did they see…
Nube: …It…can’t be…
SFX: Gii…gii

182.
SFX: Gii—gii—
Nube: No…don’t look! Close your eyes---!! It’s Kainan Houshi!
Katsuya: Hi!
Kyouko: Kya—

183.
SFX: Bicha
SFX: Zuru…bicha…zuru…bicha…
Makoto: Uuuh, it’s coming closer~~
Hiroshi: We absolutely can’t open our eyes…if we see it, we’ll die!!
Nube: A…an amazing aura…this is Kainan Hoshi…tens of thousands of spirits that died at sea have become vengeful spirits and gathered…
SFX: Biri biri biri
SFX: Nuru~~
Miki: Hii~~
SFX: Haa--…haa--…
Kyouko: N…no~~don’t come here~~

184.
SFX: Haa~~…haa~~… | Zuryuu | Puru puru puru puru
Kyouko: Noooooo
Nube: Kyouko—Namu Daiji Daihi Kyuugu Kyuunan
SFX: Bari bari bari
Nube: !?
SFX: Bashu
Kyouko: Hi~~…

185.
Nube: No response…!? Right! It’s a vengeful spirit that has gathered countless souls like coral…could I make it fall even if I cut at it…!
SFX: Shuuu~~
Kyouko: That’s!? Then you can’t defeat it with the Oni no Te!?
Nube: I can only have it rest in peace with one body a piece with a sutra but…that would take months!
Kyouko: Isn’t there another method!?
Nube: The shrine! If it goes over there, there should be a thing that will seal it!
Nube: Let’s go!
Kyouko: Eeh, while our eyes are shut!?
SFX: Goro goro goro…
Nube: Yes. This is the only way.
Miki: Ju…just a moment, it’s following~~
SFX: Zuru bicha zuru bicha
Nube: By all means open your eyes and have your soul pulled out in your own place.
Kyouko: Don’t mind him, ignore that.

186.
SFX: Hi~~… | Gara gara
Miki: N…no~~~I can’t walk to that place with my eyes shut~~
Kyouko: We’ll fall~~
Nube: You can do this! If you open your eyes, you’ll die!
SFX: Zoku zoku~~sawa sawa
Katsuya: Aah~~theeere~~
SFX: Chiro chiro
SFX: Hyooo—
SFX: Za za za za za
Hiroshi: Gyaaa, what are those?
Miki: Some bugs are crawling on us!
Kyouko: No~~this feels gross—
Nube: Endure this—

187.
Katsuya: Haa…haa…somehow we climbed it.
SFX: Chi…
Nube: There truly should be a suspension bridge in this area. If we cross it, we’ll be at the shrine.
Kyouko: Eeh!? We’re crossing it while our eyes are closed!?
Hiroshi: That’s! I’m scared of bridges; do I have to get on~!?
SFX: Haa~~haa~~~|Esa esa | Gura gura gura
Katsuya: Waa—
Kyouko: Kya—
Nube: Don’t shake it—
Makoto: I can’t do this anymore—I’m scared—
Nube: Stand firm, Makoto
SFX: Baki
Makoto: Waa~~
Nube: Makoto!?

188.
Makoto: Hiii~~
Hiroshi: Ma…Makoto, are you alright!?
Nube: Hold on firmly! You can’t open your eyes—
Makoto: Waaa!? Wh…what is it!!
SFX: Nura nura nura
Makoto: Wa—what exactly are you doing to me!? I can’t do this anymore—I’m opening my eyes—

189.
Nube: Stop, Makoto; if you see it, you’ll die! (to himself) S**t, if it’s come to this, then its sink or swim. Are my legs faster or is Kainan Houshi?
Nube: Match!
SFX: Katsu
Kyouko: Nube!?
Nube: Come on, Kainan Houshi!! I’ve opened my eyes.
SFX: Byu
Nube: It’s chasing me. It intends to turn to in front of me and show its form.
Nube: Inside…inside here is the thing that will seal Kainan Houshi. I was on time…
SFX: Gacha | Byu
Nube: !!

190.-191.
([in Peter Gabriel voice] Hi there…)

192.
Nube: …This…it’s a Chinkon Statue that was modeled after Kainan Houshi. It’s a thing that a virtuous priest of antiquity carved.
(TN: “Chinkon Statue” or “Chinkon no Zou”, is based around the Japanese term of “Chinkon” or “repossession”, as in the quieting of souls. I didn’t know if “Chinkon Statue” or “repossessing statue” is the correct term, so I went with the former)
Kainan Houshi: !!
Kainan Houshi: U…ga…ga……I’m be…ing sucked…in.
Kainan Houshi: Gyaaaa~~~
Nube: Ha ha ha…
Kyouko: …You did it…!

193.
Kyouko: Did Kainan Houshi vanish with this?
Nube: No. It is an assembled spirit of the dead. It will appear newly again.
Nube: Well—you can choose from fish, shrimp or turban shells. Eat, eat; tonight is a great feast.
Tent: Doumori Elementary
Students: Ya—y.
Kyouko: Why are there sea anemone and starfish in here?
Nube: Well, since I’ve caught them at great pains, it would have been wasteful. Eat it without reserve.
Katsuya: He…should we sink him in the sea…
(End of Vol. 22)


194.
Nube-sensei’s
(Useless) SUPPLEMENTAL EXPLANATION

#32: Kainan Houshi

Medusa, the Gorgon monster who was introduced in Greek myth, was a sea youkai who possessed the magical power of changing those who see its form to stone. Kainan Houshi resembles that as well; it’s an evil spirit that makes people die by just looking at it.

Incidentally, where Kainan Houshi appears is said to be restricted to the Seven Islands of Izu even in Japan.

Why? The origin of this was in Kan’ei 5 in the Edo period. An evil magistrate called Toyoshima Tadamatsu was said to have tormented islanders and was hated by everyone. For the people of the island there to kill Tadamatsu, they chose a day where the sea was rough on purpose and encouraged him like they were giving him an island tour. Tadamatsu, who successfully fell into their trap, went out to see as they told him to, was swallowed by a wave and died.

Since then, when it came to be the 20th of the 1st month on the old lunar calendar every year, the spirit of Tadamatsu becomes Kainan Houshi and goes around the islands. Therefore, the people, without ever going outside just on that day, are said to quake while they must confine themselves indoors.

He continues to torment people even since his death; he’s an extremely troublesome evil magistrate.

(TN: A few things:
1. It’s really tough to explain the concept of how or why Medusa is considered a “sea youkai”, but she does possess many attributes that tie her to the sea. Her parents are said to be ancient sea deities Phorcys and Ceto in some sources, while others show she slept with Poseidon when once beautiful, before being mutated by Athena into the snake-haired monster we all know of.
2. The Seven Islands of Izu (also known in Japanese as “Izu Shichitou” or merely the “Izu Seven” or “Izu Islands”, are a set of 12 (not 7) islands that are currently under the administration of Tokyo and which stretch out into the Pacific and towards the Philippine Sea.
3. “Kan’ei” is a Japanese era that existed between February 1624 and December, 1643, during the reign of three emperors: Go-Mizunoo-tennou, Meishou-tennou and Go-Koumyou-tennou. Therefore, “Kan’ei 5” would be the year of 1628.
4. The term of “magistrate” was actually based on the Japanese term of “daikan”, which is an Edo-period prefectural governor.
5. As I explained prior about the “lunar calendar” or “Kyuureki”, the first month of this year would be during the month of February, thus it would be the period around February 20th which would be the day of Kainan Houshi.)

195.
Ayumi: Best regards for Vol. 23!
(TN: I sort of wonder why it’s her heroine garb for this…but who cares, Ayumi is Ayumi. Honestly though, both this and the side-cover for this volume used Ayumi in her heroine garb instead of…well, the cute nerdy book-lover that was much more interesting. Nothing against her being a “heroine” like in vol. 19, but Ayumi is a student in Nube’s class too so she should be treated as such…maybe with the heroine side as part of the picture somehow. Just suggesting)

TN: First of all: with the recent changes going on, it took me a lot of time to even get to this chapter. Trust me on this, I was really working to getting to doing it. But this and the next one will be the last ones before a bit of a slowdown...not sure how much of one but it will get slower and mostly on weekends from here on out.

As for the chapter...yeah, I think this has been the freakiest that this series has been in a while now. Facing a youkai that essentially has to be ignored no matter what happens and which even looking at it kills you really made this chapter probably one of the few scary ones we've had in a long time. Probably the most interesting aspect regarding the showdown with Kainan Houshi isn't merely the fact that it had to be faced while being completely ignored...but the showdown of Nube and his class literally acting blind before it as it threw everything that it could, including various sea creatures and bugs, just to force them to open their eyes and make them partake in it's visage (which isn't horrifying but that's because it isn't about how horrible it really looks like but more the whole "one peek is fatal" aspect) The way that Nube was able to stop it, particularly with Makoto at the critical moment of deciding to open his eyes regardless of Nube's warnings, was a nice gamble and worked out somehow...but somehow it almost didn't work considering how close Makoto was to opening his eyes! But hey...if they just listened to Nube and ate starfish and sea anemone with him (yeah it sounds gross but that's Nube's iron stomach for you...and probably the funniest part of a pretty much scary chapter), then maybe none of this would have happened!