Wa! 8

[Scanlation with this translation reserved for otakami]
[notes at end]
[It may have been a bit confusing, but I made “NAME mutter:” be something they say aside outside of speech bubbles and “Mutter:” for stuff inside the bubble of the line preceding it. Also, page numbering uses volume numbers.]

Wa! (Kojima Akira)
Chapter 8


p.127
Nickname 1
[Top left] Chapter 8

KIKU: Asagiri-san, so you and Riko got close enough to start using nicknames?
MIZU: I suppose so.
MIZU: At this point it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call us lovers.

KIKU: No… I think that’d be an exaggeration…
KIKU: But it’s a good opportunity. Can I use a nickname for you, Asagiri-san?
MIZU: That’s fine.
MIZU: But what’re you going to call me?

KIKU: Hmm… How about~…
KIKU mutter: ehehe
KIKU: “Mizukichi” [note that it’s supposed to be “Midzuki”(+chi) but the d looks ugly in there. I believe the joke is that “kichi” is for boys.]
KIKU: …or something?

[none]


p.128
Nickname 2

[none]

KIKU: …Alright!
KIKU: There seems to be no objections, so “Mizukichi” it is!!
MIZU: ……!?

KIKU: You know~
KIKU: I came up with all sorts of ideas, but “Mizukichi” really is the best~

KIKU: Or maybe “Zukkhini” or “Micchonchon” would have…
MIZU: Mizukichi!
MIZU: Mizukichi da bomb!!


p.129
Nickname 3

MIZU: Then, Kikukawa-san, I’ll also call you by nickname from now on.
KIKU: Yeah, bring it!
SFX [above]: excited
KIKU: I wonder what’ll it be?

MIZU: ……
MIZU: “Okiku-san” [from a famous ghost story][1]
MIZU: …How’s that?

[none]

KIKU: It’s great!!
MIZU: It is, huh…


p.130
Break 16

UME: Let’s think of “Words that leave the opposite impression if you change one syllable!” [actually one “character,” in this case a kana, which is basically a syllable]
UME: I’ll start!
SAKU: Ya~y
SFX: clap clap

UME: “Standup,” and
[ワハハ]: Hahaha
(LIGHT): Manzai

UME: “Holdup!”
(DARK): Hanzai
[They were actually “manzai,” Japanese slapstick standup routine, and “hanzai,” crime. Might have been better to leave it in Japanese…]

UME: …How was it?
SAKU: Opposite, totally opposite


p.131
Break 16.5

UME: Now it’s Sakurai-san’s turn
SAKU: Umm…

SAKU: “Going home call,” and
I’m going home now, honey
I’ll be waiting, darlin’
(LIGHT): Going home call

SAKU: “Go home call!”
Go~ home x 4 [chanting]
(DARK): Go home call

UME: …
UME: Don’t some make “going home calls” since they have no other choice?
SAKU: The verdict’s ruthless!


p.132
This is a work of fiction

KOUTA: …Don’t you ever play any games besides eroge?
ISSHIN: I do.

ISSHIN: I like stuff like Po—mon.
KOUTA: Po—mon!?
Mutter: How surprising!

ISSHIN: You torture a target that you’ve taken a liking to just to the brink of death, then use “tools” to bind its freedom of movement and enslave it…
ISSHIN: Subsequently you can take it around as a loyal “pet” that won’t disobey any of your orders…

ISSHIN: *snicker* You won’t find another game as fun as this…
ISSHIN mutter: chuckle
KOUTA: Apologize!
KOUTA: Apologize to everyone!


p.133
It has no connection to actual persons, organizations, or occurrences.

KOUTA: Po—mon is not that sort of game!
KOUTA: It’s a game where you raise cute po—mon with tender love and care!!

KOUTA: You are wrong!!
ISSHIN: I see…
ISSHIN: Since you’re going that far, let’s settle this.

KAKITSUBATA
VS
TOBIRA

KOUTA: All right! Goooo!!
SFX: beep beep
ISSHIN: *snicker* How naïve.
SFX: Kaboom
MIKA: Don’t play those in the student council room!
Mutter: Not you too, Kakitsubata-kun!!


p.134
Break 17

UME: Sakurai-san, I’ve discovered another of the world’s deceptions.
SAKU: Deception?

UME: A knee pillow,
[localization failed. Japanese call it a “hiza-makura” where hiza technically means knee.]
UME: Is not a “knee” pillow!!

UME: It’s a “lap” pillow!!! [she actually uses thigh]

SAKU: You’re right!


p.135
Gacha-gacha 1 [2]

KIKU: …Oh, they’ve got new ones
MIZU: That toy dispenser?
Machine: Beauty Bear (part 2)

KIKU: The feeling of it clanking when you turn it is so addicting~
SFX: clank, clank
MIZU: Is that so?

KIKU: “Is that so?”…
KIKU: Mizukichi, have you, by any chance, never tried one?
MIZU: Not really
MIZU: It’s odd you know,

MIZU: To get what you want, they make you buy things you don’t.
SFX: shove
MIZU: Not much different from an underhanded product bundl…
KIKU: It’s like a raffle!
KIKU: You enjoy it like a raffle!!


p.136
Gacha-gacha 2

KIKU: You have that twisted view because you’ve never actually done it.
KIKU mutter [top]: geez
KIKU: Here, I put money in so try it for yourself.
MIZU: Sure…

MIZU: Like this?
Machine: clank, clank
Toy: plop

KIKU: Oh, a special color
KIKU: Nice going, Mizukichi!

KIKU: …Mizukichi?


p.137
Gacha-gacha 3

MIZU: …One more time…
Machine: clang clang
KIKU: Whoa, hey!
KIKU: You’re gonna break it like that!

MIZU: …But it turned last time…
SFX: dejected
KIKU: Well duh!
KIKU: It won’t turn if you don’t put money in.

[none]

MIZU: ……
SFX: glance
KIKU: Hey, even if you look at me like that…


p.138
Gacha-gacha 4

KIKU: …Use your own money next time…
SFX: snivel
Machine: clank, clank
SFX: mesmerized
MIZU: Ooo…

KIKU: …Oh, secret rare?
KIKU: You’ve got good lottery luck, Mizukichi
Mutter: Though it’s my money…
MIZU: …
MIZU: How much is this?

KIKU: Hm? Well, it’s 200 a pop…
MIZU: No, not that…

MIZU: This.
KIKU: The whole machine!?


p.139
Gacha-gacha 5

KIKU: Wait… These things are fun ‘cause you only do them once in a while…
KIKU: Buying something like that’s a total waste of money…
Mutter: Even though I don’t know how much it costs…
SFX: shock
MIZU: W…
MIZU: Waste of money!?

[none]

SFX: quiver x 4
KIKU: …?
KIKU: Mizukichi?

MIZU: ……
SFX: cry x 4
MIZU: Huuuh?


p.140
I’ve done it now

KIKU: I… I’m sorry, Mizukichi…!
KIKU: I didn’t think you’d get so hurt by calling it a waste of money!!
MIZU: …This…

KIKU: Huh?
Mutter: What is this…
(15): Pen-shaped video camera
Huge discount thanks to popularity!!
[￥18,900 is about $227 and ￥9,800 is about $118, 10/5/10]

[none]

KIKU: …Did you buy this at the crossed out price…?
MIZU: Th…
SFX: Waah
MIZU: This is too much…!!


p.141
Break 18

UME: There’s something I’ve always wondered about…
SFX: Mmm x 2
UME: Why do you close your eyes when you kiss?

SAKU: Maybe ‘cause it’s awkward to keep them open?
SFX: Stare x 2
SAKU: …It’s not like I would know, though…

UME: Whaaat!? Sakurai-san, you’ve never kissed!? Even though we’re in high school!?
UME: Seriously!? Isn’t that bad!?
SAKU: …Have you, Ume-chan?

UME: No, why?
SAKU: Whaa?


p.142
Break 19
UME: This is the male end of a video cable.
UME: This is the female end of a video cable.

SFX: click

UME: …It’s kind of perverted!
SAKU: Perverted!

SAKU: And for thinking that, you are
SFX: straight up [as in direct… but it’s funny when put together with the next line :)]
SAKU: Perverted!!
SFX: shock
UME: Perverted!?


p.143
Happiness

RIKO: Here Mizuki-chan, it’s today’s bento [Japanese-style lunchbox][3]
MIZU: Thanks for doing this all the time…
KIKU: Us eating lunch together is starting to be a daily routine now~

MIZU: I’m… glad I entered this school.
KIKU: Hm? Why so suddenly?
MIZU: ……

… I didn’t have many friends in middle school,
So it was natural for me to eat my lunch alone.

MIZU: …And now it’s so lively, and fun, and blissful…
MIZU: It’s like I’m in a dream…
SAKU: ……


p.144
Thanks

MIZU: That’s why I’m so grateful to you, Okiku-san,
SFX: rustle
MIZU: Who started talking with me.

MIZU: …Thanks, Okiku-san…

KIKU: Mizukichi…

MIZU: …Oh, I’m about 30 times more grateful to you, Riko-tan!
KIKU: ……

(Wa)! (1) (E)(N)(D)


~~notes~~

[1] Okiku is from the Japanese ghost story “Banchō Sarayashiki” (you can wiki or google either of the terms). Short version: some might remember references to a ghost that counts plates up ‘til like 9 and then screams. There were 10 super expensive plates and someone broke one, putting the blame on Okiku who was a maid.

[2] “Gacha-gacha” refers to a Japanese dispensing/vending machine for toys exactly like a simple gumball machine, named after the “clanking” onomatopoeia.

[3] I remember seeing an internet argument about weaboos and subbing and loan words. I had always thought bento was a legit loanword (it frickin’ is), but in general they argued against it but for kotatsu. What the…