Mangahelpers Translationshttps://mangahelpers.com/translators/rss2009-06-05T04:31:18+00:00/favicon.icoMangaHelpers Adminsadmin@mangahelpers.comhttps://mangahelpers.com/t/serizawa/releases/12927[English] [Translation] Shinobi no Kuni 1 by serizawa2009-06-05T04:31:18+00:00serizawaadmin@mangahelpers.comOkay, I have translated the first chapter of "Shinobi no Kuni".
I liked the art of the manga and some lines are cool, so I decided to give it a try :)
It's a rather long chapter and I was half asleep in the last half of the translation :P
Enjoy!
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[1] Once, there were men who thought nothing of human beings; who loved wanton killing rampages; who lived their lives only to indulge in pleasures. Feared by men, they were cursed as the "Band of Despicable Beasts" and shunned from society. They were... [T.N.: Literally, their nickname would be "Clan of Wolf and Tiger". I translated as "Band of Despicable Beasts" in order to convey the meaning behind those words. The author seems to like this "Wolf and Tiger" stuff.]
Side note: Once, there were--- "monsters" living in this country...
[2 and 3] Box: ... the "Iga Shinobi", men who hid in Iga, the most secluded place in Japan. [T.N.: Iga is now a region of Mie Prefecture. "Shinobi" is another way of calling a ninja. Those who owned a Master System and/or a Genesis will certainly remember the "Revenge of the Shinobi" game :D]
Right splash: A most remarkable author who is subject of much controversy in the literary circles is met by a keen new manga writer!
Left splash: A super heavyweight new series!!
Lower Splash: Shinobi no Kuni Chapter 1 Original work: Wada Ryu ("Shinobi no Kuni", edited by Shinchosha) Artwork: Banno Mutsumi
[4] Year 4 of the Tenshou Era (1576) Sengoku period Country of Iga Fortress of Shimoyama Kai, at Kami Hinachi, region of Hinachi [T.N.: the region of Hinachi, now city of Nabari, in Mie, was actually home to many of the Iga ninja branches.]
[5] Man 1: Damn! Those Momochi are pretty tough! Man 2: Hey! We have ran out of gunpowder! Man: Gah!
[6] Heibe: Hey! Are you all right!? ... damn! (What are we warring for...?!)
[7] ---now, in many regions of Japan, powerful warlords have risen to power, and newborn forces are attempting to extend their dominion and conquer yet more lands. 'tis a world engulfed in chaos and blood. But Iga, despite its small size, has neither a ruling lord nor a man powerful enough to take over Iga. No less than sixty six "Jizamurai" fought among themselves day after day, in pursuit of power and riches... [T.N.: Jizamurai was a low rank samurai.] There was not a single war in Iga that was unavoidable... No, not wars. Nothing but petty skirmishes!! Still, more and more people are dying and the number of casualties are on the rise. This is foolish... father!
[8] Kai: Feed your guns! Bring more arrows!!
Box: Shimoyama Kai Jizamurai from the country of Iga [T.N.: Shimoyama Kai was a real shinobi from Iga.]
Kai: Do not allow that idiot Momochi to enter our fortress!!!!
Sandayu: ... heh heh. Fear not! The gate will soon be open.
Box: Momochi Sandayu Jizamurai from the country of Iga [T.N.: Momochi was also a real shinobi from Iga, and Momochi clan was one of the three high rank ninja clans of Iga, along with Hattori and Fujibayashi]
Sandayu: Show that stupid Shimoyama what we are made of!
Kisaru: Hey, hey, boss... Don't you think it's time for a retreat...? Two of our men have already been slain, and...
Sandayu: What? Do you want to mourn their death?
Kisaru: Hah! Of course not. The problem is that we have extra work now to make up for their death! (That's really hard on me!!)
Sandayu: Hyahyahya! You are getting too old!
Bungo: Kisaru is totally right!
[9] Bungo: I will go home if that damn gate doesn't open! I am standing here doing nothing at all so far! I... I am dying to kill them!
Sandayu: Feh. Kisaru, Bungo, your tempers are just too hasty.
Man: Oh, no, another one...
Sandayu: I told you, the gate will open. I have already sent "him" to open it...!
Jirobe: Brother! [T.N.: Elder brother.]
[10] Heibe: Jirobe...
Jirobe: What? Why are you carrying that... What a nuisance!
Heibe: !? Jiro...
Jirobe: Hey, brother! Let us go out there for the fight! If we, the Shimoyama brothers, join our forces and fight, it will be easy to kill all those men of Momochi!!!
[11] Heibe: ... Jirobe.
Jirobe: What?
Heibe: Even though they are our enemies, they have parents. They have children. They are human beings. And we have no right to kill them for nothing...!
Jirobe: ....? (Uhm...) What a weird thing you say, brother.
[12] ... is it so? I am the one who is weird here...?
Heibe: !?
Jirobe: !! What??!
[13] Man: ... huh? WHat? Gaaah! !? Gah !?
Jirobe: Hey! What hap...
Man: Boss, we have trouble!!
Kai: What is it?!
[14] Man: THE GATE HAS BEEN OPENED!!!!!
Sandayu: I told you so.
Men: Ooh!
[15] Jirobe: Damn! When did they...!! There are too many shuriken flying around here! How many people are attacking us?! [T.N.: Shuriken is the throwing weapon of the ninja. (obviously, this is too simple an explanation, but I won't delve into further details.)]
Heibe: ... just one man.
Jirobe: !? You must be joking! How can a single man do all this...?! It's impossible!!
[16] Heibe: Yet, there is one man... One only man who can do it...
Bungo : !? Can't be...!!
Men: I can't believe!! So, it's him!!
Kisaru: (whisper) I didn't expect to see you at the battlefield... How long since you've last showed up in a place like this...?
Mumon: Cough! Cough!! Cough!!!
[17] "Mumon"---!!!
Mumon: Hate smoke.
[18] Mumon: Well, then... Time to go back.
Men: The gate is open!!! Hey!
Mumon: Hey, you guys. You are really stupid...
Men: !? What!? Huh!? How dare you say that to your allies!?
Mumon: Hey, if you go for an all-out attack like this... you will be forced to gather at that narrow bridge to cross it.
Man: Damn! I can't see a thing!
Mumon: And the defenders aren't so stupid to let that pass by... ... in other words...
Kai: FIRE!!!
[19] Mumon: ... you will get plenty of arrows flying your way, perhaps?
[20] Mumon: So, watch out. ... oh. (Whoops) Too late?
Bungo: Hah! Thanks for being a shield for me!
Mumon: Hey, it's you, Bungo. A less than bright guy like you was able to foresee this rain of arrows? Wow, so that's why...
Bungo: Sh- shaddup!! And go home!!
Mumon: Oh, don't worry. I'll go home. My job is over now.
[21] Bungo: I hope you mean it! Don't dare come this way! They are my prey!!!
Men: ....
[22] [No text]
[23 and 24] [No text]
[25] So... This was doomed to happen once again...
Kai: Heibe!! What happened? You are the only one who hasn't drawn a weapon.
Heibe: Fath...
Kai: Draw your weapon! THIS! IS! A! WAR!!
[26] Men: Huh? Hey, he has no weapon in his hands!? Hahahah! Who's that idiot!?
Heibe: Don't come closer!! I don't want to ki---
Men: DIE!!!!
Heibe: .....!!!
[27] Jirobe: Good! Ten men already! I think I've killed the most in this battle as well! Perhaps I should try to break my personal record and... Oh?
[28] Men: Wha...? Gaaaah!!! G... d... damn... that's a... A faceless mask!! Damn you! You are Heibe, the scion of Shimoyama!!
[29] Jirobe: If my brother put his mask on, that means that now he's fired up! I have no time to lose. I have to... ... oh?
Bungo: (Gah! Our eyes met!)
Men: Wait! We can't fight against that!!
Kai: ... feh.
Men: Boss!
Sandayu: What?
[30] Sandayu: ... what? I see. Hm. Call the "Assembly of the Twelve Houses". Hm...
Mumon: ....... uhm.... boss? My job is over and I'd love to go home... (You are strangling me...)
Sandayu: Now, now, calm down. It's been a long time since you've last gone to a battle. Do one more job for me.
Mumon: Job?
Sandayu: Kill Jirobe, the second son of Shimoyama Kai.
Jirobe: (WAIT!)
Bungo: (No way, idiot!!)
[31] Mumon: So long.
Sandayu: Hm?! Now, wait! I'll give you 100 mon!! [T.N.: "mon" was a currency unit of that time.] How's that sound?!
Mumon: .... Hm.
[32] Mumon: Kisaru, I'll borrow this.
Sandayu: Feh... the problem is, he is just too lazy. And without money, he doesn't obey the orders of his master. However, he is worth the money I pay him.
Heibe: !? What...?! Something is coming...?!
[33] Kisaru: Hah! Can't believe he jumped that high so easily! No wonder that they call him "Mumon", that is... "No gate can hinder him"...! [T.N.: "Mumon" literally means "No gate".]
[34] Heibe: So, it was Mumon indeed... But why he is here today?
Mumon: Is there anybody named... ... Jirobe?
Bungo: (Told you not to come!) I was saved by your arrival, but...
Jirobe: Yeah! It's me!!
[34 and 35] Mumon: Oh, really?
[36] Jirobe: ...?
Sandayu: His name is just too famous. Not only in my Momochi clan, but in the whole country of Iga.
[37] His skills dreaded as supernatural, his abilites sung as supreme--- He is the strongest of the Shinobi!!!
Heibe: Ji...!!!
[38] Heibe: Jirobeee!!! Men: ...! Gah... Im... Impossible... (What's this...!?) (The energy coming from this guy... he seems like...)
[39] THE GOD OF DEATH!!!
Mumon: ... well. I'm leaving.
Heibe: A-- --Aaaaah!!!
[40] Heibe: MUMON!!!!
[41] Mumon: What? You use two weapons too?
Heibe: You will not be forgiven!!!
[42] Bungo: ...!
Mumon: !
[43] Bungo: !? That guy was able to hit Mumon!!
Mumon: ... (This guy...!)
Heibe: !!
[44] [No text]
[45] [No text]
[46] Kai: Hey, Sandayu! Did you hear!??
Sandayu: Oh, yes! It's the "Assembly of the Twelve Houses"!! The war is over!
[47] Bungo: (Sigh) Men: (Dang) (This hurts!) (Let's get up) (Hey, are you okay?) (Today was one hell of a battle as well!) (It's the Assembly of the Twelve Houses again?)
[48] Sandayu: What about going together to the Heirakuji temple?
Kai: That would be nice. Wait a second!
Men: (Okay, let's go home) (How about a drink?) (Hahahaha)
Heibe: .... --- The Assembly of the Twelve Houses...!! ... yes. It is a "military alliance" formed by the Jizamurai of Iga. Whenever Iga is invaded by forces from a foreign country, twelve chosen Jizamurai are gathered in an assembly.
[49] When the calling bell is tolled, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, they must head immediately to the Assembly, gathering at the Heirakuji temple...
Heibe: Everyone knows that. I know that too. And up to now, it was something quite obvious... ... but...
[50] Kai: Heibe! What are you doing! You have to come as well!!
Heibe: ...b... but... Father!
Kai: What?
Heibe: Your son...! Your son has been killed!!
Kai: ... And?
[51] Heibe: ...... what?
Kai: He was nothing but a second offspring, a mere servant! Why are you so upset at the death of a servant?! You fool!
Hebe: What...? No... There's something wrong... What's this?! What... What are these people...!?
Mumon: Oh, my, this guy seemed fairly cool. (it's a pity)
[52] Heibe: GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM!!
Mumon: ! ? What? (You scared me...) The war is over, didn't you know that? You are weird...
Heibe: A "fool"...?
Bungo: Hey, Mumon!
Mumon: Oh, Bungo. Shall we go back?
Heibe: ... indeed... I am a fool. Only now did I realize that at last...
[53] Kai: That boy is a queer boy. He is good as a shinobi, but he is too stupid to understand the common sense of Iga. And he can only fight after putting on his mask. How flimsy he is!
Sandayu: Heh heh. However... he may be very useful as a "piece" for the game...!
Heibe: ----... those men...
[54] Heibe: Those men are not human---!!!
Splash: In the next number, another "devilish being" approaches the land of the Shinobi!!
Box: To be continued in the July issue, on sale June 12th.