Hell Teacher Nube 195

Death may be the end of the line for many, but some refuse to let go of their connections to the departed! When a girl decides to bring her friend back after her departure, she may end up creating a mess that is much, much worse...

Vol. 23: The Person Hidden in the Wall
#195: “Mud”

8.
Sign: Ozaki Family Funeral Service
“Girl”: Nobuko!

9.
Ritsuko: Ozaki Nobuko of Class 6-1, she was in a traffic accident yesterday…
Nube: Pitiful.
Ritsuko: Sachiyo-chan of the same class seems to really have been a friend of good relation.
Man: Sachiyo-chan…since we’re steadily going to the funeral procession.
(TN: The term here of the “funeral procession” also has the Japanese word of “shukkan”, which translates as well into the “carrying out of the coffin”)
Sachiyo: No! I don’t want to be separated from Nobuko!
Nube: Please stop, I understand your pain but…being restrained like this by a person left behind won’t let her rest in peace.
Sachiyo: Wh…what does someone like you understand!? Nobuko and I were close friends…we made an oath to not separate our entire lives!!

10.
Caption: Crematorium
SFX: Go~~…
Woman: Uuh, Nobuko…
Director: Will those of the bereaving family please each obtain a bone for your funerary urn. Sachiyo-chan, you do this too.
(TN: While cremation is a common aspect of many funerary rituals, the Japanese urn, also known as “kotsutsubo” or “bone urn”, usually keeps a bone of the deceased within as opposed to their ashes.)
Sachiyo: Nobuko…you’ve taken this form…
Sachiyo: …Since I…will keep our promise…
SFX: Sa

11.
Caption: Before dawn the next day…
SFX: Zakku zakku zakku
Sachiyo: Nobuko…
SFX: Zakku zaku
Nobuko: Do you promise that the two of us will be close friends our entire lives…
Sachiyo: Yes…
Nobuko: If either of us dies before the other…we shall revive the other.
Sachiyo: I’ll use “The Secret Art of the Golem”…that is in this book!
(TN: More about the “Golem” will be written about in the supplemental aside this chapter)
Sachiyo: The secret art of the Golem...a talisman that has written “emeth”, which means “truth” in Hebrew and…a human bone…

12.
Sachiyo: Place them in a doll made of mud. The bone in the heart. The talisman in the mouth.
Sachiyo: Bagabi Raka Bakabe Ramari
(TN: I really don’t know or couldn’t find the Hebrew readings for the Japanese here, so we’re just going to be stuck with the katakana reading as it is stated at this point)
Sachiyo: Blood is rain, flesh is mud, change it to a living being. Change my words into god’s and give it power.
SFX: Gagaga~~~

13.
SFX: Goro goro goro…
Sachiyo: So then…this…isn’t going to be successful…
Sachiyo: Uh…uuh…
SFX: Gyorori
Kyouko: Hey—hey—did you see yesterday’s SMAP x SMAP--?
(TN: SMAP x SMAP [called by its short name of “SumaSuma” here] is a variety show hosted by the popular band SMAP that has aired on Kansai TV and Fuji TV in Japan since 1996 and still airs to this day. Aside from their own musical performances, the show includes various sketches, comedy and even a cooking segment where the band members make food for their guests that week.)
Miki: I did, I did: Kimtaku did Taikan Elevator…
(TN: “Taikan Elevator”, or “Bodily Sensation Elevator”, was a notable sketch done by SMAP during this period of the SMAP x SMAP program in 1997. As for Kimutaku…I actually mentioned him a couple times in references in chp. 90 and 114)
Kyouko: N
Miki: Eh

14.
Kyouko: It’s filled with mud?
Miki: Ye—s. This evidently was the act of a mudslinger, wa—sn’t it?
(TN: The gag here is one that I tried to make work in English and I think was made rather funny, but somehow the original Japanese gag was probably even funnier. The Japanese word for “mud” is “doro”, which is what Kyouko says is currently in this hall. However when Miki responds regarding the mud, she says this was the act of a “dorobou” (with the same “doro” kanji), which is the Japanese word for “thief”. Since the “thief” bit obviously wouldn’t work with the English word for “mud”, I decided to make Miki’s pun into “mudslinger” for some context in the joke)
Kyouko: Don’t say that low-grade gag. We must notify the teacher immediately.
Nube: Hm—m. Mud…this evidently was the act of a mudslinger, wa—sn’t it?
Voice: Kyaaa!!
Girl: The goldfish of our class have~~a~~h.
Nube: This is cruel…was it a cat?

15.
Voice 1: Wa—our hamster has—
SFX: Wa—hi—
Voice 2: Kya—our parakeet is—
Nube: This is seriously awful…was our school invaded? Let’s report this to the police immediately.
SFX: Zuzu
Nube: Was that a hallucination…? I felt that the mud was moving now.
Kyouko: What’s wrong, Nube?
Voice: Nobuko…
Sachiyo: Nobuko was revived.

16.
Voice: Kyaaa!
Kyouko: That now was from a class of 6th graders on the 3rd floor.
Nube: What’s wrong?
Student: It’s…that…
Nube: !! Nobuko…!
Nube: Ridiculous…That girl had a funeral yesterday…
Sachiyo: Nobuko, she’s been revived, Nobuko.

17.
SFX: Gigigigi | Boko
SFX: Gero
Sachiyo: !!
“Nobuko”: Sachiyo. Flesh…give me…your…flesh…
SFX: Gishi…gishi…
Sachiyo: Eh...No…Nobuko, just a moment…
“Nobuko”: I want to eat it!!!
SFX: GAri
Sachiyo: Kyaaaa!!
Nube: Ha!
SFX: Bashi

18.
“Nobuko”: Ke ke ke
SFX: Bitan!
SFX: Gobo
Nube: Mud!?
Sachiyo: Uuuh…Nobuko…
Nube: The Secret Art of the Golem!? What is called a Golem is a mud doll that was set in motion by a rabbi of Judaism. Then, you’re saying that was a Golem that you made!?
(TN: Strangely “rabbi” is never used in Japanese here, only merely the term of “Yudaya-kyou no Sonshi”. Since “sonshi” is a generic Japanese term for a “guru” or a “holy leader” and “Yudaya-kyou” is Japanese for “Judaism”, I ended up translating it into “rabbi of Judaism” to make it make sense)
Sachiyo: That book was received by Nobuko…from an old man at an old bookstore…
Nube: This seems like a literal translation book of the Taisho era but…amazing, it was knowingly written like this.
(TN: The comment of “literal translation book” or “chokuyakubon” is actually in reference to books literally translated from another language into Japanese. In particular, the late Meiji and Taisho eras were really active in the translation of literature as Japan attempted to catch up with the works of the rest of the world, thus leading to the existence of many literal translated literature of this period)

19.
Sachiyo: Nobuko and I made a promise…if either of us died, we would obtain their bone and bring them back to life with this technique. Well…both of us were great friends who had an oath to not separate even if we died.
Nube: I understand your feelings but…you’ve done an outrageous thing…a Golem is ultimately merely a mud doll…it isn’t a revival technique.
Nube: Thus, Nobuko-chan can’t be revived. That Golem is unrelated to Nobuko-chan. It’s truly a separate monster.
SFX: Za—za—
SFX: Gobo…
Nube: If you’ve read the book, it says that a Golem over-desires true flesh and eats flesh that is alive…
SFX: Gobo gobo gobo

20.
Students: Uwaaa, what is that!?
Student 1: What’s going on: mud is rising up!
Student 2: The corridor is filling with mud.
Teacher: Please take shelter in the gym immediately.
Kyouko: Nube.
Nube: That thing, is it attacking humans without discrimination? It’s dangerous here. You two take shelter too!
Sachiyo: Nobuko… (to herself) I don’t believe this…though I truly put in a bone…it’s a separate monster. It is Nobuko…I’m certain. Her heart is instable with just what’s still been done.
Sachiyo: I’ll find out.
SFX: Tatata…
Nube: He…hey, stop. It’s already filled with mud there!

21.
Sachiyo: Haa…haa…
Sachiyo: Nobuko—
“Nobuko”: Sachiyo.

22.
Sachiyo: You are Nobuko. Please, return to sanity! Aren’t we friends!? Huh!?
“Nobuko”: Friends…yes…
“Nobuko”: Thus I will eat your flesh~~
SFX: Zubyuu
Nube: Namu!
SFX: Bari bari bari
Nube: How many times will I say it for you to understand? That isn’t Nobuko. It’s coming! Run!

23.
“Nobuko”: Flesh~~flesh~~
SFX: Gobo gobo
Nube: S**t, it’s chased us to the 2nd floor. It’s an insistent thing.
SFX: Bisha
Sign: Art Lab
Nube: Our opponent is mud. Even entering here is a matter of time.
SFX: Gacha
Nube: I can’t use the Oni no Te on it. There’s only one method for defeating the Golem; that’s…
SFX: Zuzuzu…
Nube: !

24.
SFX: Oooh—ooooh—

25.
“Nobuko": Sachiyo~~
Sachiyo: Nooo!!
Sachiyo: I was wrong! That isn’t Nobuko! It’s a monster! Merely a monster!
Nube: Do you finally understand? Right; that is the Golem: a sad living doll made by man.
“Nobuko”: Gi~~ve~~me~~your~~flesh~~
SFX: Pari—n

26.
Nube: It’s weak point it!
SFX: Ba!
SFX: Zuha!!
Nube: Cut the “e” of the talisman with “emeth” (truth) written on it, rewriting it into “meth” (death).
“Nobuko”: Gyaaaaaa—

27.
Nube: If you’ve read the Old Testament, it says that God kneaded mud and made Adam, the first human…so it says, Adam was the first Golem.
(TN: It is really tough to figure out if/how God in the Jewish tradition created the first man based on the sources. In Genesis, it merely says that God “created man”, but didn’t say how, just that it was created amidst all the other creatures that it created. It is only in the Talmud that states that Adam, the first man, was dust that was “kneaded into a shapeless husk”, thus leading to the concept of using mud to create artificial life such as through the Golem)
SFX: Zubu zubu…
Nube: Since then, humans have imitated this and made these, but, ultimately, the manufacturing of life by a person can’t be done.
Nube: Nobuko-chan I’m certain is happy in heaven. Isn’t the only thing that can be done by a person who is alive is to give prayers to them?

28.
Nube-sensei’s
(Useless) SUPPLEMENTAL EXPLANATION

#33: Golem

Long ago, Daiei had a series called “Daimajin”, which were film dramas of the Tokusatsu era which were produced. There was a tale where a giant haniwa became an angry devil when struck with a stake in its brow and fought samurai which was tormenting the villagers. Furthermore, the anger of this devil was failed to be recognized and it killed and killed samurai and villagers without distinction! But in the end, it crumbled with the tears of a pretty miss and returned to mud. (The transformation scene of the devil is famous and has become even a party trick)

This “Daimajin” is obvious to readers that have read this chapter as a Japanese-made Golem.

In a Prague ghetto in the 16th century, there was the legendary devil Golem, which was said to appear every 33 years and work for the poor Jews. The origin of this concept is within the “Old Testament”. For reference, I’ll explain its descent.

In “Genesis” of the “Old Testament”, the God Jehova created Adam, the first human, from mud. Both Adam and “Eden”, the paradise he lived in, both have etymology in the word of “Edom” (Mud). And Eve, the first woman, was made from Adam’s rib.

By the way: though God made Eve, why didn’t he use mud similar to Adam?

According to a theory, in truth God was said to make Lilith, the first woman, from mud before Eve. However, the woman was a failed work who possessed an evil soul, abandoned Adam and became an underling of Satan. (That woman is called by an alias of “The Queen of the Night”)

(Further, on the strip of paper that was introduced on the chapter was written characters in Romaji, but essentially writing it in Hebrew is correct. However since it has generally come to be usual in writing it in Romaji, we emulated that.)

(TN: A few things:
1. The “Daimajin” series by Daiei were all created in 1966 as a trilogy: “Daimajin” (released in the US as “Majin: The Monster of Terror”), “Return of Daimajin” (Daimajin Ikaru) and “Wrath of Daimajin” (Daimajin Gyakushu). The story mentioned is about the very first film in the sequence, where the stone golem came to live and rampaged on the people before a girl’s tears finally made it collapse. Though based on the concept of the Golem, it is also based upon the concept of dharmapala, a spiritual “protector” who takes a fearsome attribute when awakened.
2. The “classical story of the Golem” regarding the Prague ghetto refers to the tale of Judah Loew ben Bezalel, a rabbi of the late 16th century who created the creature out of clay to protect the Jews of the city, but the creature became violent for an unknown reason, killing everyone without discern for Jew or gentile. In some versions, it became crazy because of love, akin to the evolution of certain aspects of modern Golems such as the story of Frankenstein. According to some, the Golem still exists in the attic of the synagogue where the rabbi who created it preached.
3. The story of “Lilith” is really tough to make out, considering she has only been part of the Jewish mythology since the Babylonian period and commonly stated as a demon and the “mother of demons”, possibly imported from Mesopotamian lore. There is still debate on if or whether she truly exists in actual literature, but some have noted that the closest that she may was in the book of Isaiah, which refers to her as the “night bird”, one of eight unclean animals stated to have demonic connections; in this case, it is tied to the “night bird”.)

TN: Alright, question time: was I the only one who had these images of Sachiyo and Nobuko being something "more than friends"? Yeah, they were 6th graders and I may have thought way too much about it, but the way those two were depicted didn't seem to suggest them as mere "friends". I know this series sometimes makes the students act way older than their supposed age...and I'm probably thinking way too hard about this...but all I can think of is that they're just as much "friends" as Haruka and Michiru in Sailor Moon are "cousins" in the stupid dub interpretation. (and speaking of Sailor Moon: why do I just have this weird Ami vibe from Nobuko?)

With that said (and yes, it had to be said regardless of what others think), I'm surprised that at this point in the run that Nube would have two straight "freaky/scary/weird/disturbing" chapters like this, first with Kainan Houshi and now this one with the legends of the Golem. Heck, I'm even surprised that the Golem would be a Nube focus considering that it is more or less a legend that tends to get forgotten or misinterpreted, but the whole idea of "bringing life to the unliving" really did bring home the idea of the Golem in this sense being used to make a monster as opposed to bringing Sachiyo's "friend" back to flesh. There were some real nightmarish moments all around though, from the scene where the Golem Nobuko eats the flower after turning its head to the multi-headed Nobuko emerging from the mud to the giant mud monster in the finale before Nube brings a stop to it. Somehow you do get some feelings of sympathy from Sachiyo for thinking she could save her friend, but the problem is a typical one in this series: if you don't let go, you can't make others rest in peace and you just end up making monsters or causing horrible things to happen. At least though with the fact we've had these scary chapters consecutively, it does prove one thing: even with all the lighter things going on as of late, Nube still has it's base as a horror series...and there are a lot of freaky things that go on amidst all the comedy and fanservice and such. (well...aside from the whole "6th grade girls holding hands and being "really good friends"...but as I said: interpret as you may)