Welcome to the first chapter of Tsugihagi Hyoryu Sakka by Nishi Kouhei. Since this is the first chapter of a new manga, I thought there are some things I should explain about my translation.
First, the title of the manga is ツギハギ漂流作家, and the proper romanization of the title would be "Tsugihagi Hyouryuu Sakka". However, I chose to spell it "Tsugihagi Hyoryu Sakka" (taking out the extra 'u's) for two reasons: A) it's what professional publishers (like Viz) would do, and B) it looks better in text bubbles when scanlated because the word would not be as wide. Within this manga, you will come across words from the title a lot. A "hyoryu sakka" is a wandering writer, and the word "tsugihagi" means patched up, or full of patches. "Hyoryu Sakka" are responsible for writing "hyoryu roku", records of their travels. In my translation I left these as Japanese as I believe they would look more proper in a scanlation (with italics, of course).
Furthermore, a lot of names are written in katakana, leaving me to decide how they should be spelled in English. If you disagree with the way I spelled those names, tell me quick, because they will get harder and harder to correct as the manga continues.
Text on Top: 新連載！「ツギハギ漂流作家」！！！！ New Series! 「Tsugihagi Hyoryu Sakka」!!!!
Text on Left: 果てなきフロンティア！そこにあるのは。。。謎と危険と未知なる生物、そして無限の冒険ロマン！ The endless frontier! Therein lies uncharted dangers, unclassified organisms, and an infinite world of adventure!
未知との遭遇の感動を and unfamiliar emotions,
Panel 3 ペン先に込める流れ者たちがいる それがー the heart of a vagabond flows from the tip of this pen.
Boy: やはり肉と着替えは生に限るなぁ Nothin' beats eatin' some raw meat after a fresh change of clothes!
Boy: また　こんなに食べてしまった I ate too much again!
Boy: 血糖値高すぎるって言われてんのに I was told that my blood sugar level was high too...
Muchimaro: まだ本屋巡り続けるのかぁ？ How long are we gonna wander around lookin' for bookstores?
Mitsune: ムチマル　私のことは Muchimaro, how many times do I have to tell you,
Mitsune:　編集長と呼べって言ってるでしょ To refer to me as the Editor-in-Chief?
Panel 2
Mitsune: "売れ筋のリサーチも編集屋の大切な仕事よ Its very important for a publishing house to properly research potential retailers.
Mitsune:　大きな書店は全部まわらないと We have to scope out each and every bookstore!
Muchimaro:　ここもすごい人だなぁ There sure are a lot of people here too.
Muchimaro:　これ全部漂流録目当てかぁ Could they all be here to read hyoryuroku?
Panel 4
Mitsune:　そりゃそうよ Of course!
漂流録 Hyoryuroku, the wanderers' records,
現在　全出版物の９５％以上を占めるそれは Today comprise over 95% of all publications.
人々には娯楽を They are read both for people's amusement,
学者達には貴重な学術的資料を and for scholarly research.
漂流作家には印税による富と"未開の地に立つ名誉を与え With the royalty rights to their records, successful wanderers are able to obtain great wealth and recognition.
Left Side
時として Through their efforts,
この世界地図の空白を埋める The holes in the world map are slowly being filled, one by one.
まさに時代を動かす力を持った書物！！ These books have the power to change the world!!
国中の老若男女が夢中になるのも当然よ！ All around the country, people of all ages are feeling the magic of these books!
Panel 2
SFX: rustle rustle
Mitsune: でも But,
Mitsune: これが今の売れ線？ Are these really all that's available now?
Mitsune: どれも物足りないわね～　フヒトの足下にもおよばないわ All of these are no good~ they don't even begin to compare with the works of Fuhito.
Mitsune:　あんた　それでもうちの社員？ Are you really one of our employees?
Mitsune:　フヒトったら漂流録の神様『フジワラ・ノ・フヒト』のことに決まってんでしょ Fuhito is the GOD of hyoryuroku! 『Fujiwara・no・Fuhito』! How can you not know that?! You idiot!
Mitsune:　フヒトの作品はヒットするだけじゃない Fuhito's works didn't just become hits,
Mitsune:　未開での事件をつづった　その文章は人を喜怒哀楽のうずに　まき込み They were masterpieces that moved their readers' hearts and souls with their depiction of unimaginable events on the frontier!
Mitsune:　何度も世界地図を描きかえさせた！ Thanks to his work, the world map was able to be revised many times over!
Mitsune:　だから　いつか。。。　フヒトみたいな作家を育てて My dream is to one day bring up a writer like Fuhito,
Mitsune: 『本物』を読者に届けるのが私の夢ー And deliver the 『real deal』 to the readers-
Boy:　先日　森で倒したソロモンタイガーが食べきれなくてな I wasn't able to finish eating the Solomon Tiger I killed in the forest a few days ago.
HandFX: DROP-
SFX: koron
Boy:　残りはタッパーにつめきたのだ So I stored the leftovers in some tupperware.
Mitsune(THINK):　街の子じゃないようだけど。。。。 This kid doesn't seem like he's from around here...
Panel 5
Mitsune(THINK):　つぎはぎの服　それに。。。 Tsugihagi clothes... (tsugihagi means full of patches)
Mitsune(THINK):　鞘に傘。。。 An umbrella on his back...
Mitsune(THINK):　何この子。。。？ Who is this kid..?
Mitsune:　まぁ　とにかく私が悪かった謝るわ Well, that was my fault. Sorry!
Mitsune:　それじゃここで See ya later.
Boy:　まぁ　待て Hang on.
Panel 2
Boy:　お近付きにどうだ？　一口 How 'bout a bite?
SFX: muwaa...
Mitsune:　どうって。。。　生で。。。？ Um.. isn't that raw..?
Mitsune:　第一　それいたんでるわよ First off, it's rotten.
Panel 3
Boy:　やはり　そう思うか You think so too, huh?
Boy:　ぼくも最近調子悪くて。。。 Lately I haven't been feeling very well.
Boy:　ケツのまわりに排卵されてる気がする I get the feeling that something is breeding around my butt-hole.
Mitsune:　それは寄生虫でしょ Those would be parasites.
Panel 4
Boy：　じゃ　なおさら食べ方がいい Oh! All the more reason to eat this!
Boy:　寄生虫ダイエットだ I'm on a parasite diet.
Boy:　虫が宿主の養分を横取りするから食べながらやせられるぞ Parasites feed off of nutrients from the host, thereby one can lose weight while eating!
Mitsune:　あれは　かかわっちゃいけないタイプの人間よ That's an example of someone to stay away from.
Boy:　話の途中で失礼なやつだ How rude! We were in the middle of a conversation!
Boy:　貧乳は隠せてもセルライトは隠せんぞ　 You can hide your flat chest but not your cellulite.
Mitsune:　どっちが失礼だ！！ WHO'S being rude now!?
SFX: SLAM
Panel 2
Boy:　何を　そんなにイライラしてるのだ Why're you so mad?
Boy:　あ Ah!
Boy:　わかった！ I know!
Panel 3
Boy:　月に一度のブルーデーか It must be that time of the month.
Panel 4
Mitsune:　原因はお前だ I'm mad because of YOU.
Panel 5
Muchimaro:　ま　待てよミツネー！ W..wait up Mitsune!
Mitsune:　編集長と呼びなさい！ That's EDITOR-IN-CHIEF to you!
Mitsune:　変な奴にあっちゃってさ I came across this weirdo.
SFX: dosa-
Panel 2
Mitsune:　どうゆう教育うけてんのかしら最近の子どもは Kids these days... what kind of education are they getting?
Mitsune:　ここで何をしているの？ What are YOU doing here?
Boy:　どうせならヒールで踏んでくれミツネ編集長 I didn't come to get stomped by your heel, Editor-in-Chief Mitsune.
Mitsune:　！
Panel 4
Mitsune:　どうして。。。　私の名前を。。。 How do you... know my name?
Man:　ご友人ですか？　編集長？ Is he a friend of yours?
Mitsune:　そう見えるなら私　社会人やめるわ If it looks that way, I'll never show my face in public again.
Panel 5
Boy:　お前が編集長ということは。。。 If you're an editor-in-chief...
Boy:　ここは出版社か Then that means this is a publishing house, right?
Mitsune:　そーだけど　だったらどーなのよ　セクハラ小僧 Yeea.. but that doesn't explain why you're here, you vulgar little punk.
Panel 6
Boy:　なら話ははやい！ That's just what I wanted to hear!
Mitsune:　まだ名前を聞いてなかったわよね You haven't told us your name yet.
Panel 2
Boy:　名前？ My name?
Boy:　ぼくは゛人の心に波風立てる男〟 I'm "the man who stirs discord in people's hearts"
Mitsune:　そう。。。　真備 I see... Makibi.
Mitsune:　それで　なんで私があんたに。。。 Now, could you explain to me...
Panel 4
Mitsune:　鍋を　ごちそうせにゃならんのだ！ Why I am treating you to nabe?
SFX: SLAM!!
Makibi:　昼間の肘打ちの賠償だ It's compensation for elbowing me in the face earlier.
Mitsune:　じゃあ私のストレスの慰謝料あんたに請求するわよ！！ Then you won't mind if I file a claim for the damages you've caused to my stress!
Muchimaro:　小ジワが増えるぞ You'll get wrinkles on your face.
Mitsune:　あのね～ Now look here~
Panel 2
SFX: zawa
Man:　ところで　きみ　「漂流録を書いてきた」って By he way, you said you've written a hyoryuroku,
SFX: zawa
Man:　"待ち込み"に来たんじゃないのかい？ So you must be here to do some "machikomi", right?
Mitsune:　新人が　その才能を編集に　認めさせるために It's when new writers go around town,
Mitsune:　力作を持って出版社をまわることよ looking for publishers to publish their work.
Panel 4
Makibi:　ふーむ Oh...
Makibi:　ぼくも　まぁ　そのつもりでいたんだが。。。 Yea that was the plan...
SFX: rustle rustle
Panel 5
Makibi:　さっき原稿を水たまりに落としたせいで文字が識別できなくなってしまった But I dropped my manuscript in a puddle and the words became illegible.
SFX: wilt
Mitsune:　なんやかや落とすのが久癖のようね Looks like you have a habit of dropping things.
Mitsune:　常識もどこかに落としてこなかった？ Did you drop your common sense somewhere and forget to pick it up as well?
Makibi:　クソー　ぼくを完全に侮辱してるな～ I don't appreciate the insults, you know~
Mitsune:　じゃ　言わせてもらうがフジワラ・の・フヒトはしってるだろ？ Well then, I suppose you know who Fujiwara・no・Fuhito is, correct?
Makibi:　ぼくはフヒトの弟子だぞ I'm his apprentice.
Panel 3
Mitsune:　下らんウソをつくな As if I'd believe such a cheap lie.
SFX: clap clap
Panel 4
Mitsune:　フヒトが行方知れずになって何年たつと思ってんのよ Do you even know how long Fuhito has been missing?
Mitsune:　あんたには素質のかけらも感じないけど一応説明しとくと You probably won't understand, but I'll explain it to you anyway.
Panel 5
Mitsune:　もし　今あんたが傑作を書いてきたとしても Even if you were to write a masterpiece,
Mitsune:　出版は不可能！ it will NOT get published!
Makibi:　？
Panel 6
Mitsune:　編集者になるには In order to publish something,
Mitsune:　免許が要ってね You need a license.
Mitsune:　倍率３ケタを超える適性試験をパスした物だけが Only those who have passed a three-stage aptitude test
Mitsune:　正式に"編集者"として認められるの will be acknowledged by the publishing houses to be an editor.
Mitsune:　なぜなら編集者には編集作業ともう一つ。。。 This is because, in addition to editing,
Panel 2
Mitsune:　『漂流作家の旅に同行し Editors have another duty they must fulfill.
Mitsune:　漂流録の内容に虚偽が無いことを証明する』という重要な責務があるから！！ And that is to 『accompany hyoryu sakka on their journeys to ensure that their records are genuine』!!
Makibi:　つまり？ Which means?
Mitsune:　つまり編集の同行してない作品は紙クズ同然ってこと Which means that anything written without an accompanying licensed editor is scrap.
Makibi:　なるほど I see.
Panel 2
Makibi:　じゃあ　ここにいる二人も免許持ちか？ Are those two also licensed?
Panel 3
Mitsune:　え？　いや　持ってるのは私だけで Eh? Nope, I'm the only one with a license.
Mitsune:　イモコは何度も落ちてるし Imoko failed the test many times.
Mitsune:　ムチマロなんてとる気も無いみたい And I don't think Muchimaro even wants to take it.
Thug 1:　オレは確か I asked for,
Thug 1:　"店で一番強え酒持って来い"っつったよな。 Your strongest drink, specifically.
Thug 1:　てめーが頭の両脇にぶら下げてんのは餃子かなんかか？ Do you have dumplings for ears?
SFX: ZUI!!
Thug 1:　誰が薄めた酒注文したよ Why did you give me such a watered down drink!?
Panel 2
Waiter:　そんな！　　薄めたなんか！ It... It wasn't watered down at all!
Manager:　ただ今　新しいのと取り替えますので I'll have another drink brought to you immediately.
Manager (WHISPER):　機嫌を損ねて暴れられたらどうする！　我慢だ！ We can't afford to have him get pissed off enough to trash the place! Bear with it!
Thug 1：　フン。。。 Hmph!
Panel 6
Thug 1:　わかったらさっさと持って来い！ Then hurry up and bring it!
Mitsune:　いやな奴と一緒になっちゃったわね We found ourselves some trouble.
Makibi:　誰だ？ Who is that?
Mitsune:　元　漂流作家よ！ A former hyoryu sakka!
Panel 3
Mitsune:　デビュー作でいきなりヒットを当てたんだけど His debut work was a hit,
Mitsune:　次の漂流先で怪物に右眼の視力を奪われたらしくてね But during his next journey his right eye was injured by a beast.
Panel 4
Mitsune:　今じゃ　ああして飲んで荒れるだけのゴロツキよ Now he's just rogue who spends his days drinking.
Semimaru:　まったく　どいつもこいつもよぉー Man- just look at these fools...
SFX: PUHAa
Semimaru:　漂流作家に対する畏敬の念が欠けてるぜ！！ They don't have enough respect for us hyoryu sakka at all!!
Panel 2
Semimaru:　このメニューに載ってる山海の珍味を見つけたのは誰だ？ Who do you fools think discovered all these delicacies that are on the menu?
SFX: GATA-
SFX: doyo doyo
Semimaru:　命懸けで有用な資源を発見したのは誰だ？ Who do you think provided you with the stuff you take for granted every day?
Semimaru:　漂流作家だ！！！ The hyoryu sakka, that's who!!!
Panel 3
Semimaru:　今の豊かさの代償によぉ And in spite of today's plentiful resources,
Semimaru:　このセミ丸様も犠牲を払ってるってことを誰もわかっちゃねぇ！ There isn't a single person out there who recognizes the sacrifices of me, the great Semimaru-sama!
Panel 4
Waiter:　お客様 Um, sir,
Waiter:　もう少し。。。 Could you please...
Mitsune:　作家を敬う心なら持ってるわ！ If you're looking for someone with respect for writers, I'm right here.
Panel 4
Semimaru:　あ？ Huh?
Panel 5
Mitsune:　あんたが　それに値しないだけよ But you're not one of the people who've earned it.
Imoko:　編集長～　よしましょうよ！ E.I.C.~ not a idea..!
Semimaru:　どっかで見た顔だと思ったら No wonder I thought your face looked familiar.
Panel 2
Semimaru:　国一番のボロ出版の編集長じゃねぇか If it isn't the E.I.C. of the crappiest publisher in the country!
Imoko:　売り上げはビリ争いしてます！ Our sales are always in last place!
Panel 4
SFX: DON
Semimaru:　能無し編集はすっこんでな！ Useless editors should stay out of this!
Thug 2:　へへ　なんだぁコイツ？ Hehe, what's up with her?
Semimaru:　フン Hmph!
Semimaru:　そうかこのボロい本が大事か It seems like this crappy old book has some value to you.
Semimaru:　返してやるぜ I'll give it back to you.
Panel 4
Semimaru:　ハッハッハッ八ハッハッー！！ HA HA HA HA HA HA -!!
Semimaru:　解せねぇな。。。　なんだ？　その執着は。。。 I don't get it... why're you so attached...
Panel 3
Semimaru:　それに妙だ Now that you mention it,
Semimaru:　オレもフヒトの本は全部読んだがそんな表紙のやつは。。 I've read all of Fuhito's books, but I don't recall ever seeing that cover...
Panel 4
Semimaru: !!
Semimaru:　いや　待て。。。！ No, wait..!
Panel 5
Semimaru:　フヒト作品で市場に出まわってねぇもんなんて If Fuhito hasn't re-entered the market,
Semimaru：　あれしかねぇ。。。！！ Then there's only one explanation...!!
Semimaru:　フヒトが姿を消す直前に記したってゆう Right before Fuhito disappeared, he wrote one final masterpiece,
Semimaru:　幻の漂流録！！！ The illusionary hyoryu roku!!!
Panel 2
Thug 2:　ま　まさか D.. don't tell me..
Thug 2:　あの本が　そうだってのか？ That book is it?!
Panel 3
Semimaru:　噂じゃ刷られたのはほんの数冊。。。！ According to the rumors, only a small number of copies were printed..!
Semimaru:　しかもフヒトと親しい人間だけが持ってるって聞いたぜ！なんでこんなやつが！？ And they were only distributed amongst close friends of Fuhito! Why would someone like HER have one!?
Mitsune:　これは私のじゃない It's not mine.
Mitsune:　死んだ父親がフヒト本人から受け取ったもの It was given to my dead father by Fuhito himself.
Panel 2
SFX: Grab
Mitsune:　！
Panel 3
SFX: sneer cackle
Semimaru:　そんなことはどうでもいい I couldn't care less about that.
Semimaru:　状態が悪くても Is that this book,
Semimaru:　この本大金を積む奴が星の数ほどいるってことだ even in bad condition, is coveted by as many rich people as there are stars in the sky.
Semimaru:　ハッハッハッ　必死になるわけだ！ HAH HAH HAH No wonder you're so desperate!
Panel 2
Semimaru:　こりゃ安くみても１０億にはな This thing at the very least is worth 1 billion.
Mitsune:　値なんかつくか！！ How dare you price it!!
Panel 3
Mitsune:　月に届くほど札束を積まれても Even if you pile up enough bank notes to reach the moon,
Mitsune:　私は売らない I would never sell it.
Panel 4
Mitsune:　それは父さんの形見て That's a memento given to me by my father,
Mitsune:　私に情熱をくれる本だから！！ a book that inspires me more than anything in this world!!
Panel 5
Thug 2:　クックッ　 Kuku
Thug 2:　せいぜい吠えてろ Bark all you want,
Semimaru:　この　つぎはぎ着たガキは Who's this kid with the tsugihagi clothes?
*Remember tsugihagi means full of patches
Panel 2
Makibi:　ぼくはボロ出版に持ち込みに来た新人作家だ I'm a new writer trying to get my work published by that crappy publisher.
Panel 3
Thug 2: あぁ！？ Haah!?
Thug 2:　あそこに！？　やめとけ　やめとけ By THEM!? Bad idea!! bad idea!!
SFX: A-HA-HAH-HAa
Semimaru:　あのスタッフじゃヒット作はムリだ You'll never produce a hit with them!
Semimaru:　芽ぇ　つぶされるだけだぞ They'll just waste any potential you might have.
Makibi:　やる気の出るようなこと言うなよ Don't try to make me lose my motivation.
Panel 2
Mitsune: !
Panel 3
Makibi:　お前 Say,
Makibi:　漂流録は好きか Do you like hyoryu roku?
Semimaru:　あ？ Huh?
Panel 4
Semimaru:　そりゃあ好きだったぜ？ Oh yea, sure I liked them,
Semimaru:　印税が入ってたうちはな Especially when their royalties started comin' in.
Panel 5
Semimaru:　だが　漂流録に本気で感動してるやつはバカに見えてしょーがねぇ。。。 But ya know, fellas who get moved by hyoryu roku are nothin' but idiots.
Semimaru:　あんな文字が並んでる紙がなんだってんだ The only thing all that paper bundled together is good for,
SFX: PIRA
Semimaru:　物に換わる"魔法の紙"の方が人を動かす力を持ってるぜ is to be exchanged for this "magic paper" that has the power to REALLY move people.
Mitsune(THINK):　父さんが。。。 When father was sick...
Mitsune(THINK): 病床で　よくきかせてくれた。。。！ I heard this story many times...!
Panel 3
Father:　漂流作家には During the travels of a hyoryu sakka,
Panel 4
Father:　雨風ん中執筆するなんてことも taking breaks from writing due to poor weather conditions,
Father：　ザラにある was unheard of.
Panel 5
Father:　フヒトのやつぁどんな長旅にも傘一本！ Fuhito would always carry an umbrella on him through all his journeys.
Father:　他にはナイフ一つ身につけなかった But as for other weapons, he refused to carry a single knife.
Father: "本物"は重たい武器なんざ持ち歩かねぇ Carrying around a real weapon would make it difficult to travel.
Panel 2
Father:　旅を続ける中で自分に最適な道具と出会い During one's travels, one must find the most suitable tool for oneself,
Father:　その技を極めていく and master every aspect of it.
Panel 3
Father:　オレはフヒトと共に旅をしこの目でみた While I was travelling with Fuhito, I saw it with my own eyes.
Panel 4
Father:　あいつが身にかかるどんな火の粉も When the sparks of battle ignited,
Father: 傘一本でなぎ払う様を！！ he would mow down all his enemies with just his umbrella!!
(End Flashback) Panel 2
Mitsune(THINK):　その子。。。。 That brat...
Mitsune(THINK):　まさか　ホンとに。。。 Could he really be...
Makibi:　漂流録に感動してるやつはバカ。。。か "Fellas who get moved by hyoryu roku are nothin' but idiots", eh?
Panel 4
Makibi:　だが。。。 But you know,
Panel 5
Makibi:　漂流録は　ただの文字が並んだ紙じゃない Hyoryu roku aren't just pieces of paper bundled together.
Makibi:　それは人を笑わし They have the power to make people laugh,
SFX: KO-
Panel 2
SFX: chaki
Makibi:　涙させ to make them cry,
Panel 3
Makibi:　時に　情熱の導火線に火をつける And sometimes, they can even inspire passion.
SFX: piku
Panel 4
Makibi:　人の心を動かす紙だぞ！！ Those pieces of paper have the power to move the HEARTS of their readers!!
Makibi:　この世から I am the man,
Makibi:　未開を無くす男だよ who will conquer all the frontiers of the world!
Panel 2
Mitsune(THINK):　。。。　ついにみつけたかも。。。 Maybe... I finally found it...
Panel 3
Mitsune(THINK):　ソガノを崖つ縁から救う The one that will save Sogano from bankrupcy,
Mitsune(THINK):　原石を。。。！！ A diamond in the rough...!!
Panel 4
Mitsune(THINK):　漂流作家に For a hyoryu sakka,
SFX: BOTO BOTO (more things are dropping from Makibi's jacket)