Everyone, we're answering popular demand today
by bringing you two very special stories...
...full of laughs!
And tears!
Action!
And suspense!
So let's go-go-go!
Episode 32: Thief Dance, Plus
What?!
Chuu-san, your daughter was kidnapped?!
Correct.
Some stupid lord...
Bravo!
...spirited her away without even asking for my permission.
Heh. I think I get the gist.
Very well.
The Thief-dan will get her back for you!
Mmm, I don't mind if she got married...
...but buying an engagement present would be a pain, so bring her back.
What the hell is that?!
So what's your daughter like?
Oh, that's right. I still haven't shown you.
Daughter
That's Yabasawa-san!
Whoops, wrong drawing.
This one.
Her name is Roman.
Mmm...
Mm? What's wrong? What are the grimaces for?
Oh, no, no, no...
No, nothing...
The security at the lord's castle is tight.
I'll send one of my own bodyguards to aid you.
You can rendezvous with him along the way.
Where's the rendezvous point with that rounin?
Just up ahead a little... believe it!
Huh?!
You added those words at the end!
You totally wedged it in!
There's no need to try and sound like a ninja!
Yeah, yeah...
You gotta criticize me every chance you get, huh?
A ninja don't get no respect these days.
Quit muttering to yourself!
Guess he's not here yet...
Hey, Bossun... Why am I wearing such a plain outfit?
What's the difference?!
Besides, more threads would just be more work for the artists!
Exactly...
Ninjas must wear clothing that allows them to blend into the shadows.
Damn it, you look too cool!
Stop changing costumes when our backs are turned!
Lucky! No fair you're the only one who get to look good!
With you wearing those threads, it makes us look like genin!
And what's with the computer?!
That doesn't exist in this day and age!
No, this is proof positive that there were wooden computers!
Made of wood doesn't make any sense!
You're making this whole period thing implausible!
So, what? Are you sayin' the CPU and LCD
and battery are all made from wood, too?! Huh?!
My apologies...
Takemitsu Shinzou, bodyguard of the Chuuma family, at thy service.
Thanks for coming...
What is this?! What is this?! What is this?!
This lukewarm reaction!
I don't know, but for some reason, I feel disappointed.
Whatever art thou talking about?!
Do you wish to see what I am capable of?!
We didn't say that!
Well, it is a period piece...
You have to expect he'd be psyched about it.
It's like putting a fish in water.
It seems some information about the castle has leaked onto the Net.
Apparently, the Hitsuke Tozoku Aratame will be on guard duty tonight.
Elite Edo-era anti-arson and robbery police force
Seriously?!
The Hitsuke Tozoku Aratame... Southpaw Tsubaki, eh?
This is gonna be a pain in the ass...
Pain in the Ass
Worry not!
I shall be with thee!
How annoying...
Ten Friskes will serve to freshen me up this evening!
What the hell was that about?!
Just leave him!
Strategy meeting!
Before that, time out! Time out!
I'm a little thirsty...
Oh! There's a well!
How conveni... ent...
What is it?! Tell me!
G-Ghost... There was a ghost!
It's coming out!
You've done nothing wrong, but...
...repent!
Why?!
Good evening, everyone.
You with the glasses, how do you do?
I'm Yuuki Reiko, and I'm playing the role of a ghost.
Don't say it's a "role", damn it!
To be honest, I wanted to play the part of a ninja too,
but this role was all they had.
This is my identity...
Yeah, I don't really get it, but whatever...
Okay, just stand over there...
The role of a translucent dead person suits you, Yuuki Reiko-san.
You didn't have to put it like that!
Enough already! Let's have a strategy meeting!
Listen up. Roman is being held somewhere in this castle.
Right.
I'll try calculating the room she's most likely in.
We're counting on you!
We have to rescue her from there as fast as we can.
I bet she's in tears right now...
Poor thing...
Help!
Hang in there! We'll save you before you know it!
Okay, thanks! I'll be waiting!
Huh?! She answered!
No! No! No! Don't do that!
My calculations have yielded a result!
The odds are that she's in this room...
Wrong answer, sorry.
My room is deeper inside the castle.
You turn right here...
Somebody stop her!
You're ignoring way too many conventions!
Here?
No! More over here...
Just a second. I'll climb over there and show you...
You can come over?!
What the hell is going on?!
She's like demolishing the fourth wall!
Is there still any point to rescuing her from there?
Here she comes!
She's falling realistically?!
Sorry to keep you waiting!
What was that thing she just did?
She was drawing something!
You drew some picture, didn't you?!
This saves me even if I fall!
Hiko...
Let me tell you something!
There are some things you just don't do!
There are some rules you just don't break!
I'm sorry. Tee-hee!
She doesn't get it at all!
In the first place, you're just a normal girl from the town...
No problem!
See?!
To focus on the tempo, I skipped a couple bits.
It's "ninpo scene-cutting"!
You can't just cut out the scenes!
What happened in those spots?!
Okay, maybe I should put them back in?
Although including the training scene, that's 136 pages...
She means to hang on to manga space-time to the bitter end, doesn't she?
I can't believe she means to cut all that...
I'd like to be reincarnated as a ninja...
Oh, the ghost is still hanging around?
Do you think even I could become one?
Should I try editing you?
This is...
This is just getting out of hand...
What's a captive townie girl, a ghost and an unconscious ronin doing here?
I've been edited.
That's too much freedom!
What the hell's wrong with you people?!
Knock it off! That's too capricious!
Others have been added to the party!
Have I been fired?!
God, you're so annoying!
Go back to sleep, would ya?!
Just give me one more chance!
Hey, Tsubaki...
The Thief-dan is obviously a no-show for tonight.
No, my information is rock solid.
The man called Fujisaki appears easygoing, but he's actually extremely cunning.
If we don't strike now, he'll eventually become a powerful enemy.
Tsubaki-chan is as serious as always...
That's his good point.
ITS:
(Ishiatama, tofu no kado ni butsukete shine) Rockhead, run into the corner of a piece of tofu and die.
They're kids, too.
Bet you anything they're off having a good time somewhere.
You mustn't underestimate them!
They will come!
How was that? You see my shuriken technique?
You don't see your "instant ninjas" doin' stuff like this!
I can do that, too!
You can?!
I did train for 136 pages!
How would I know?
You know, shurikens are pretty heavy.
You shouldn't overexert yourself...
Watch closely...
Balloon Flash!
See?!
What do you mean, "See?!"
Although that was incredible. Really amazing!
I didn't think word balloons were so tough...
Excuse me...
If possible, I'd like to try a ninja trick too...
What...? Just go do whatever you want!
I know a ninja technique you'd probably be able to do, Yuuki-san.
Do you want to try learning it?
By all means!
Raiton...
Lightning Flash!
She threw in a background effect!
Does this actually work?
Shinzou?!
I-I'm sorry...
I wonder if I can do that technique...
You can't! You can't!
It takes a maiden with an overactive imagination!
Overactive imagination...
Maiden...
I'll do it!
You're gonna do it?!
Picture it! Imagine a scene with a lot of impact!
Don't have her bite off more than she can chew!
No normal person could do that!
Lightning Flash!
She can do it?!
Part Two!
Quit loitering around!
Switch, what the hell are you doing?!
Let me be part of the hijinks, too!
What are you jealous of?!
You couldn't have just held on?!
How could I have stood by silently and watch another second?!
Don't try to compete with this crap, idiot!
What's happening, Bossun?
Huh? You're quiet all of a sudden...
Well... It's nothing...
But, um... I thought maybe I'm not needed here...
Oh, nuts! It's the down-and-out Bossun...
You're the leader, remember?! The main character, right?!
You guys can just keep on screaming and making jokes...
I'm gonna rest for a while.
Even though it's a special episode,
he's throwing himself a pity party like always...
He's lost his sense of fitting in again!
Hey, we can't do anything without you!
Everyone is counting on you!
We're just like a bunch of pigs who can't even move without getting orders!
It isn't good to get gloomy.
Prince! I want to see that panel where you always focus on the problem!
Bossun! Bossun! Bossun!
Okay, give me a second.
Bossun!
However...
...and it somewhat pains me to say this...
...but why would we go to the castle now?
Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines.
I mean, Roman is already here, so the mission is long over...
Um, maybe I did something I shouldn't have...
Yeah. You sure did.
Or more than "shouldn't have", you did something that was impossible.
Himeko-dono!
Bossun-dono is desperately working out a plan to break into the castle!
Yeah. I get it, but...
Bossun!
I'm sorry! I really am sorry!
This time, seriously, just leave me alone...
Sorry I couldn't read the mood...
Bossun!!
They're not coming...
Sket Dance!
So bored...
So bored! So bored!!
Anywhere you go, it's just SPACE SPACE SPACE!
I can't STAND it anymore!
SWITCH! How much damn longer 'til we get to Earth?
3 months and 15 days.
Crew, assemble!
Himeko, Switch, assemble!
Man, what's your problem? Bring it down a notch.
We much prefer you not use us to kill time.
Look at yourselves! Why else would you be on board than to help the Captain kill time, huh?
Come on, guys, humor me!
And anyway, this ship is too damn slow.
Peeling
Exhaust
You never see ships with these old fashioned warp engines any more.
Rust
The Stinky Bit
The latest models are like ten times faster.
Slow
Well, excuse me if I'm bored.
Come on, let's do something.
Like what?
An epic game.
We shall connect words which begin with the same letter and the previous ends.
I call it the "Word Relay Game"!
That's just shiritori.
Why are you making it out to be something cool?
I believe we have already exhausted themes for playing shiritori.
And thus I have thought up a very special theme...
Titles that you could totally imagine being shounen manga!
You could totally imagine?
Like, "Yeah, I could see that."
Not that I care, but where did that whiteboard come from?
This is supposed to be set in space, but we're doin' the same crap we always do.
Then I'll start!
We'll start from the "ri" in shiritori!
Ri... Ri...
Is this really a time to use your concentration mode?
Lethal Crusher Kai!
Lame! Lame and old!
You can imagine this, right?
Not sure about your taste, but that could be a shounen manga, yes.
Fine, whatever. But it smells like "early cancellation" to me.
Okay, next! Your turn with "i", Himeko...
I... I...?
Now!
I'm leaving now!
Huh? You're going? Going where? For what?
Are you a soba delivery boy? Haven't I heard this somewhere before?
This, I don't think so.
Wait, hold it... This could totally work!
Just so you know, this is a romantic comedy!
Those words are the very last ones.
It's set up where these words show the main character's determination!
Way to explain after-the-fact!
Can you do that? Putting in the tempura last? Nice and crispy, eh?
For me, I prefer to put it in first to make the tempura nice and gooshy!
Enough with the irrelevant info!
Next, Switch!
"Su"!
With a computer for a brain...
...shiritori is trivial!
Speedy Boy, Me!
Whoa, I don't think so! No way!
I bet when he introduces himself, he's like "I run fast" and that's it!
Definitely a no.
Totally.
Wait!
You can tell from the use of language that this is the sequel to "Lethal Fighter Kai"!
You just made that up on the spot, didn't you?
That's not crispy, that's barely wet!
What?
We hit something?
Emergency Announcement! The ship is in danger of colliding with something!
The ship is in danger of colliding...
We already rammed it!
Too slow!
We totally rammed it.
Crap! The other ship is totally dented!
Um... What should we do in times like this?
Don't make any sudden movements and call the police.
Afterwards, don't forget to notify your insurance company.
Yeah, we're obviously ignoring the whole space thing.
Police?! I'm gonna be arrested! I'm gonna hafta pay a fine!
Same as always, are you?
You're the Captain, get it together!
We're being contacted by the other ship.
Okay, leave this to me.
In times like this, the first one to apologize is screwed over!
Hey, you! Keep yer eyes on the road, idiot!
You bashed up our ship!
We're gonna whup you good!
How you gonna make up for this, huh?
She's like a space-punk...
What?
Translating
He said, "I'm sorry." He seems to be a Papeppu Alien.
Pape...
...Alien?
What'd he say?
"This was completely my fault."
Wait, that's not his character! He's way too different!
What?
"Please take me to planet Papeppu."
Well, sorry about that...
But with that kind of damage we'd have to call the dealer and it'd take a week to fix up.
"That won't do."
"I have an important mission.
I must return to my planet at once.
I apologize for not mentioning earlier, but I am the Prince of Papeppu, Tsubaaki."
God, that "pipopipo" thing is a pain!
If yer gonna be an alien, at least talk normal!
You're nuts.
"P-Please stop!"
...he said.
Oh, actually, I pretty much got that one.
I can't stand this! We can't communicate like this!
Keep interpreting!
No. Actually, I have just the thing.
"Translation Cognac"!
What's that voice?
And that round hand... It's so obvious...
If you drink this, you can understand other people's words as if they were translated.
Isn't it brandy?
No need to worry! All that's inside is medicine.
Robot's shouldn't drink!
You'll rust!
Is everything okay?
I could understand that!
This Translation Cognac is amazing!
Explain to us, please.
Right...
This all started when I was on another planet, studying abroad.
Planet Papeppu was hit by space pirates,
and the castle's been taken over.
They've taken my fiancée hostage,
and are waiting for me to return!
Please! Take me to Planet Papeppu!
(You're 100 years too young to beat me!)
Captain Aagatta!
So, he's the boss?
And we got another guy with a freaky way of talking.
Captain Aagatta seems to be from planet Nanunne.
So it's just whatever now? Their images are totally ruined!
If you drink the Translation Cognac, you should be able to understand Captain Aagatta.
Yeah, sure...
Seriously, look at the hand. Just look at it.
So there you are... I've been looking for you, Prince Tsubaaki!
I had an accident, and am on board the ship I hit.
I'll return shortly.
Tsubaaki! Let me give you our demands...
What we are after is the treasure kept here in this castle!
The prince here has the key to the vault, it seems.
If you hand it over, we won't do anything you'll regret.
However!
If you don't listen to our demands, your fiancée will be in grave danger!
Help meee!
You heartless bastards!
Wait, Aagatta! I'll be back soon.
I'll meet all your demands!
Just don't you dare lay a finger on her, or any of the citizens!
I like the look in your eyes, with those long eyelashes.
I've taken a liking to you!
No need to worry! We'll be good until you return.
Time is of the essence! Come, we must leave at once!
You're going to do exactly as they say?
I can't sit here and let you wave the white flag...
The people of Papeppu are a people of peace!
If there is any other way, we prefer it.
I have a duty to protect the people!
Because... I'm the Prince!
Guess we gotta do it... It's boring if we're just used as some makeshift taxi.
Let us do things our way!
W-What are you planning?
Just sit back and watch.
We're a poor scout group.
But when it comes to battle, we're the most powerful in the world!
Rocket Dance!
May the blessings of the Papeppu god be with you!
We're off!
Roger!
We'll cut off your ship since it can't move.
Okay, let's head to planet Papeppu!
Engines, full power!
And thus they headed off toward planet Papeppu,
taking back with them a little thing called "friendship".
Are you sure about this?
That was an incredible performance-gene!
You were totally like a real space pirate-hype!
Thanks so much for helping me with this-dudun dudun!
This is the final test for him to become a truly great son-wong!
Until he manages to clear this challenge, please keep it up-ta!
No problem! Just make sure you pay me.
In that case, you can have as many of his keys as you want-demolish!
Hypepe!
Switch, what's the distance to planet Papeppu?
About 30,000 elica.
Okay!
What did you just say?!
30,000 elica.
Isn't that like... really far?
How long until we arrive?
1 year, 2 months, and 19 days.
A year?! It'll take that long?
Yeah... This ship's engines are like, totally old.
Then wouldn't it be faster to have repaired my ship?
Yeah, I kind of cut it off before...
Might not be in such great shape now, yeah...
Anyone up for a game of shiritori?
Next time: Man of Glass
(He's not coming.)
(Anyone up for a game of shiritori?)