Fuu: I can't believe it, this hot bath feels so good... It's like heaven.
Mugen: I'm just saying, don't you think it's a little bit fishy?
Jin: How do you mean?
Mugen: Like, what the hell do we wander around for?
Jin: We're searching for the samurai who smells of sunflowers, as I recall.
Mugen: That's exactly what I'm sayin'. I mean, if you stop and think about it, we really don't know jack shit about this sunflower dude, do we?
Jin: That's true...
Mugen: Yeah. Remember that one time?
[Rewind]
Mugen: Oh yeah, the smelly guy. I've been meaning to ask you about that...
Fuu: Huh?
Jin: Who is this samurai who smells of sunflowers?
Fuu: Well, he...
Mugen: What the hell is a sunflower, anyway?
Fuu: Wait a minute...
Jin: You don't know?
Fuu: It's a flower!
Mugen: So what do they smell like?
Jin: Do you have any other leads?
Mugen: Like a picture or something?
Jin: What makes you think he's around here?
Fuu: Aaaaaah, stop!
Mugen: You ever notice she gets weaselly when we bring that stuff up?
Jin: Mmm.
Mugen: And this latest shit, now she expects us to go all the way to Nagasaki!
[Fast Forward]
Jouji: I am sorry, but there is only one thing that I can tell you: Nagasaki [is where you should] look. I'm sure you might be able to find answers there.
Fuu: Nagasaki...
Mugen: So we're just supposed to believe this idiot and go all the way there?
Jin: Still, the man was the chief merchant of the East India Company's Japan branch. I doubt his information would be unreliable.
Mugen: Are you sure?
Jin: What's the difference? With no other leads, we haven't got much choice.
Mugen: That's exactly what I'm sayin'! There's no way in hell she doesn't know more than she's lettin' on. [ ] hiding something from us!
Jin: Mmm.
Mugen: Okay, then...
Jin: What are you doing?
Mugen: Well, she's busy taking a bath. I'm gonna snoop around a little.
Fuu: (humming)
Mugen: Hmm?
Here we go...
Jin: You shouldn't go through other people's belongings.
Mugen: Hey, chill out, will you? It's her own fault for not telling us anything. (gasp)
Jin: What is it?
Mugen: I can't read.
Jin: Give me that. I see. It looks like a diary.
Mugen: That's a diary? Jackpot! There's gotta be some information ‘bout that sunflower dude in there somewhere!
Jin: Yeah...
Mugen: Go on, read it to me, you mook!
Fuu and Jin: The 10th of July. Sunny. It's been almost a year now since Mom died.
Fuu: (voice-over) I had always told myself that one day I would set out on a journey. Only I never had the courage. So in the meantime, I've been working and living at this nice old guy's teahouse. But now I decided it's time. I don't want to forget this journey, and so I decided that starting today, I'm going to keep this diary until I find the samurai who smells of sunflowers. And there you have it, I've kept my word and started my diary. I have now filled out the very first page.
#12
温故知新
The Disorder Diaries
Fuu: (V.O.) I have to admit that the teahouse bringing down helped motivate me, because I didn't have any choice but to start my trip. Parentheses, smiley face. And as weird as this may sound, the fire was caused by a couple of crazy guys.
Both: !? ......
Fuu: (V.O.) The first one to come into the teahouse was a crude and vulgar guy with wild hair.
Mugen: She talkin' about me?
Fuu: (V.O.) The second saw him, I thought he was a bad guy. The kind who commits all sorts of crimes, the type of person I never want to be friends with in a million years!
Mugen: Say what?!
Fuu: (V.O.) Of course, once I talked to him...
Mugen: Hmm?
Fuu: (V.O.) ...I realized I was absolutely right.
Mugen: Shut up, you little bitch!
Jin: You're shouting at a diary.
Fuu: (V.O.) I'll admit that I needed some help. The stupid governor's son had come in and thought he could do whatever he wanted. But even so...
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) Once he got started, he didn't know when to stop. I mean, he totally went overboard. If I'd known he was going to do that, I would've taken my chances with the governor's son.
Mugen: Why, you little...!
Fuu: (V.O.) In the middle of all this, another man appeared. One with long hair and glasses.
Mugen: She talkin' about you now?
Fuu: (V.O.) I actually thought he was kind of attractive, not like the first one.
Mugen: Hm?!
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) But once the new guy got into, he refuses to stop fighting, too. They don't seem at all alike, but maybe deep down they're two of a kind.
Jin: How rude. Don't compare me--
Mugen: --to a guy like him!
Fuu: (V.O.) Anyway, one thing led to another and before I knew it, I had set out on my journey with these two attendants, Mugen and Jin. The end.
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) July the 11th. Sunny. Something lousy happened because of those two going crazy yesterday. A guy showed up, saying something about Mugen cutting his arm off.
Ryujiro: Hey there.
Fuu: (gasp)
Ryujiro: I think you should go back to sleep for a while.
Fuu: (V.O.) And so all of a sudden, I'm this guy's hostage. Geez! Well, I was a little drunk at the time, so I don't remember too much. The end.
Mugen: That's it?! The end?!
Jin: Very brief...
Fuu: (V.O.) P.S. The Yaki-manjuu we had in Joushuu were yummy.
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) July 14th. Sunny, then cloudy. I had another rotten day today because of those two. It all started when they ditched me and ran away! Thanks to that, I ended up in a whorehouse this time! A pervert was about to have his way with me, but thanks to an old fortune teller's advice, I was saved.
[Fast Forward]
Fortune Teller: I would beware of vases if I were you.
Fuu: Vase?
Fuu: A vase...
Fuu: It's like a little vase...
Fuu: Go a-way!
Fuu: (V.O.) July 19th. Out of the blue, I was kidnapped and held prisoner... This is ridiculous! Don't you think my life is a little too eventful? You know, I have to wonder sometimes, why did these things keep happening to me even though I have two bodyguards? Those bozos are pretty useless for the most part. I'm really starting to think that I may have picked the wrong guys. I first realized this when we had to earn money for the ferry boat to cross the river.
[Fast Forward]
Moronobu: My name's Moronobu Hishikawa. And I'm a struggling young artist. Pleased to meet you.
Fuu: (V.O.) I thought he was kinda cute, even if he was a bit of a poser. Maybe that's where I made my mistake... I went ahead and modeled for his Ukiyo-e painting, but now that I think about it, I don't know what I ever saw in that guy... Still, he did say nice things to me, which is more than I can say for those two jerks. Yeah, that mess was definitely all their fault, too.
Mugen: Hey, don't blame your screwups on us!
Fuu: (V.O.) He said that he was going to get on a ship and go to Holland, but I wonder whatever happened to him? I wonder if he's on that ship right now? Or who knows? Maybe he's even arrived there already.
Manzou: (V.O.) He, meaning Moronobu Hishikawa, was caught even before he had a chance to leave port, and never made it to Holland. The fact is, he still resides in that area. However, there was no way she could have known that the man she met that day would be recognized by future generations as the father of Ukiyo-e painting. In this world of ours, talent and character are often discovered in inverse proportions.
Fuu: (V.O.) P.S. The fried squid he treated us to was totally delicious.
Mugen: Something just occurred to me that I didn't think of before.
Jin: Like what?
Mugen: Like, what the hell are we even doin' to go to Edo, anyway?
Jin: No idea.
Mugen: Take a look already! What'd she write?
Fuu: (V.O.) Today was the first time in ages I was able to eat all I wanted. I'm so happy! I figured I might have to go without food again after this, so I ate enough to tide me over.
Jin: Is she an animal?
Fuu: (V.O.) Some of the items on yesterday's menu includes eel rice bowls, loach stew, and Edo-style sushi. They were all yummy. You hear lots of people say, "There's always room for dessert," but in my case, I think it should be something more like, "There's always room for free food." I wonder if everybody is like that?
Mugen: Just you, porky!
Jin: Mmm.
Fuu: (V.O.) I also got to see kabuki and fireworks, which was really neat. The end.
Mugen: C'mon, wait a minute! Isn't there anything about the sunflower samurai in there?
Jin: Mmm...
Mugen: All she's writin' about so far is food!
Fuu: (V.O.) Oh, that reminds me. We're leaving today and going to Nagasaki. I pretty much figure it's a long shot, but the reason I came to Edo was because I'd heard rumors that he was here. It's not like I had any hard evidence or anything.
Jin: You're kidding me...
Mugen: That little bitch! She dragged us there because of a stupid rumor?
Jin: I can't believe it.
SAMURAI CHAMPLOO - 12
Fuu: (V.O.) I got taken hostage again! Geez! Is there anyone in the whole world who's been taken hostage as much as me? To top it off, my wallet got stolen, and I couldn't buy anything to eat.
I dreamed about Mom last night. It was the first time that I'd thought about her in a long time. It seems strange, I know, but so much has happened to me on this journey that I haven't had any time to miss her, so I haven't felt this way for a long time.
It's hard for me to find the right words to write about Shinsuke. I just couldn't bring myself to say anything to his mother, either. ...But once some time has passed and I've had a chance to sort out my feelings, I definitely want to sit down and write her a long letter. I want to tell her all those things that I wanted to say back then, but couldn't.
Manzou: (V.O.) It is difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to predict what the future holds. Incidentally, this is a prediction of the lives of people in the future, taken from Mudaiki, a speculative work of fiction by Edo dime novel author Harumachi Koikawa. As you can see here, predicting the future is something of a tricky business. A case in point: what the hell were they thinking with those dumbass hairstyles?
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) We left Edo and started out for Nagasaki. Well, we tried to, but we're still in Edo. We can't make any headway at all 'cause we've got no money. At least we managed to get a meal thanks to the money we got when we pawned Jin's glasses. It was yummy. But then, those two went crawling away after some older woman. What scumbags! Hey, don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm jealous or anything. It's just that it makes things a lot more difficult when my bodyguards don't carry out their duties. Well, I guess she was kinda sexy. She did have a nice set of hooters. Is that the kinda women they go for? Aw, who cares? I got hit on today, too. Although, admittedly, the guy didn't make a whole lot of sense...
[Fast Forward]
Ngamitsu: It takes time to crack a pearl. That's all right. It just makes that jewel a lot more desirable.
Ngamitsu: Hi there, honey. Who am I? I'm gonna be big! My name is Nagamitsu Sakon Shogen!
Fuu: (V.O.)(sigh) I'm starting to get the feeling that I only attract weirdos... What's a girl to do? In the end, we picked up a little money with a street performance, and we were able to leave Edo. But with every passing day, it feels like I'm losing sight of what I'm really after. We're supposed to be looking for the samurai who smells of sunflowers, but we always ends up spending all our time scrounging up enough money to survive. I guess the point I'm trying to make here is, "Getting by in life sure is hard." The end.
Fuu: (V.O.) P.S. The pear was yummy.
[Fast Forward]
Manzou: (V.O.) As a side note, there has been a recent uproar over rampant sexuality in the country's youth. However, keep in mind the Japanese people had a rather open-minded view of sexuality, and it was especially liberal during the Edo Period. They only became prudish in the Meiji Era after the influx of Western culture. So put this in perspective, one could say that they merely returned to the values of the Edo Period. And if you take the time to delve into world history, then you'll discover the Japan's Edo Period can be placed right alongside the civilization of ancient Greece. And in that it was an era in which gay love flourished, and homosexuality was considered to be more noble a pursuit than heterosexuality. Incidentally, please forgive my extremely delayed introduction. My name is Manzou the Saw. I'm an officer with the secret police. And I fight night and day in the name of peace.
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) I got taken prisoner again! We finally left Edo and got as far as the Kanto Checkpoint when we got conned by a scalper. It seems like I've been scammed a lot since I started on this journey. I dunno, am I too naive? Maybe I ought to be more suspicious of people... Am I a bad judge of character? I had a lot to think about today. Of course the worst part of it all is that jerk, Mugen. I believed in him, thinking he'd come back for us. What kind of rescuer ends up needing to be rescued? Anyway, I've finally decided never to trust him again.
Mugen: Yeah? Well, that suits me just fine! Go ahead and don't trust me, see if I care!
Fuu: (V.O.) By the way, I spent a lot of time with Jin because that jerk Mugen didn't come back. Now that I think about it, I guess that was the first time I'd ever spent any time alone with him.
Mugen: Huh?
Fuu: (V.O.) I thought to myself, "We're finally going to have a heart-to-heart conversation," but Jin kept his mouth shut the whole time. It was like he'd taken a vow of silence. I'd always thought at times like that, guys were supposed to open up and tell you all sorts of stuff. I tried to break the ice, but all I could get out of him was a "Hmm," or an "Ah"! What's his problem, that's what I'd like to know! Does he hate me or something? Or is he just shy? I mean, after all, we've been on this journey for quite a while now. How long is it gonna take before he finally gets round to opening up to me? It's kinda sad, really. The end.
Mugen: Hey, Jin. Man to man, what do you really think of her, anyway?
Jin: Mmm...
Mugen: (sigh) This guy's hopeless.
[Fast Forward]
Manzou: (V.O.) The 1950s, San Francisco, California. A time in which the youth of the so-called Beat Generation were profoundly influenced by Zen. And that influence, in turn, was passed on to the Hippies of the 1960s, also known as the flower children. They turned away from civilized society, tripped on psychedelic music, expanded their minds in search for true freedom. It is said among the Hippies there were those who approached Zen as a counterculture, chanted Buddhist mantras, burned incense, and practiced meditation. Elsewhere, during the Edo Period in Japan... Although they aren't searching for anything in particular, here we find three people deep in mediation. And if one were to ask why these people are doing this... Well...
Mugen: Hm?
Jin: I'm sorry, friend, but we don't even have money for a place to sleep. We don't have anything to give you for charity.
Zuikou: Well, that's wonderful. I'm glad to hear that.
All: Huh?
Fuu: (V.O.) Starting today, we'll be staying at this Zen temple for a while. The monk in charge of the temple is giving us free room and board while we're here. It's more than we could have hoped for! But in return, we have to follow the strict rules of the temple. I've been working hard since the crack of dawn again today. Boy, am I beat...
Jin: Since the beginning, man was born into a state of freedom. He was not born so that he might submit to rules or to a master. This thought has occurred to me. My question is this: The duties of a warrior, does this philosophy not contradict them?
Zuikou: No. Because freedom cannot be forced into existence, nor can it be won through painful struggle. Freedom cannot be bought or sold. It has nothing to do with one's social status; one's profession is of no consequence. In order for you to accept yourself as you are, and live with your soul at peace, you must simply teach yourself to let it be. Only then, we discover freedom.
Fuu: Those idiots. A lot of terrible things happened to me lately, and that's all because of them. I have to wonder at times, did I pick the right two men to go with me on this journey, you know?
Zuikou: All encounters happen but once in a lifetime. There is no right or wrong. If you have met these two men and are traveling with them now, then that is your destiny. For better or worse, whatever the outcome of your journey may be...
Mugen: Hey, master chrome dome, I'm lookin' to make myself stronger here. You got any brilliant ideas? I wanna beat that freaky bastard. Hey, you listenin' to me, baldy? How the hell am I supposed to beat this guy? Come on! Start talkin', cue ball!
Zuikou: Katsu!
Mugen: Ow!
Fuu: Look at the moon, it's so big tonight...
Mugen: I'm headin' out for a bit.
Fuu: Hey, you haven't forgotten your promise, have you?
Mugen: Huh?
Fuu: The samurai who smells of sunflowers, remember? Don't forget, you said you'd help me find him.
Mugen: I won't forget.
Jin: One other thing.
Mugen: Hmm?
Jin: I shall be the one who gets to slay you.
Fuu: (V.O.) Looking back now, sure a lot of crappy stuff has happened, but I've experienced all sorts of new things, too. If Mugen and Jin hadn't wandered into the teahouse that day, then chances are I'd still be working there right now. When I think of it that way, maybe it's like Father Zuikou says, it was a once-in-a-lifetime, chance encounter. I have no idea what stands between here and Nagasaki, or how much longer it will take us to get there. I just hope the three of us can keep traveling together to the very end. I'm positive that those two are thinking the exact same thing. Yep. That's the path I chose to take.
Mugen: You don't make up other people's minds for them... Right?
Jin: Hmm...
Fuu: (V.O.) Just kidding! I figured those two might try and peek at my diary without asking, so I decided to make all that stuff up. Serves you right, you jerks!
Mugen: I'm just saying, don't you think it's a little bit fishy?
Jin: How do you mean?
Mugen: Like, what the hell do we wander around for?
Jin: We're searching for the samurai who smells of sunflowers, as I recall.
Mugen: That's exactly what I'm sayin'. I mean, if you stop and think about it, we really don't know jack shit about this sunflower dude, do we?
Jin: That's true...
Mugen: Yeah. Remember that one time?
[Rewind]
Mugen: Oh yeah, the smelly guy. I've been meaning to ask you about that...
Fuu: Huh?
Jin: Who is this samurai who smells of sunflowers?
Fuu: Well, he...
Mugen: What the hell is a sunflower, anyway?
Fuu: Wait a minute...
Jin: You don't know?
Fuu: It's a flower!
Mugen: So what do they smell like?
Jin: Do you have any other leads?
Mugen: Like a picture or something?
Jin: What makes you think he's around here?
Fuu: Aaaaaah, stop!
Mugen: You ever notice she gets weaselly when we bring that stuff up?
Jin: Mmm.
Mugen: And this latest shit, now she expects us to go all the way to Nagasaki!
[Fast Forward]
Jouji: I am sorry, but there is only one thing that I can tell you: Nagasaki [is where you should] look. I'm sure you might be able to find answers there.
Fuu: Nagasaki...
Mugen: So we're just supposed to believe this idiot and go all the way there?
Jin: Still, the man was the chief merchant of the East India Company's Japan branch. I doubt his information would be unreliable.
Mugen: Are you sure?
Jin: What's the difference? With no other leads, we haven't got much choice.
Mugen: That's exactly what I'm sayin'! There's no way in hell she doesn't know more than she's lettin' on. [ ] hiding something from us!
Jin: Mmm.
Mugen: Okay, then...
Jin: What are you doing?
Mugen: Well, she's busy taking a bath. I'm gonna snoop around a little.
Fuu: (humming)
Mugen: Hmm?
Here we go...
Jin: You shouldn't go through other people's belongings.
Mugen: Hey, chill out, will you? It's her own fault for not telling us anything. (gasp)
Jin: What is it?
Mugen: I can't read.
Jin: Give me that. I see. It looks like a diary.
Mugen: That's a diary? Jackpot! There's gotta be some information ‘bout that sunflower dude in there somewhere!
Jin: Yeah...
Mugen: Go on, read it to me, you mook!
Fuu and Jin: The 10th of July. Sunny. It's been almost a year now since Mom died.
Fuu: (voice-over) I had always told myself that one day I would set out on a journey. Only I never had the courage. So in the meantime, I've been working and living at this nice old guy's teahouse. But now I decided it's time. I don't want to forget this journey, and so I decided that starting today, I'm going to keep this diary until I find the samurai who smells of sunflowers. And there you have it, I've kept my word and started my diary. I have now filled out the very first page.
#12
温故知新
The Disorder Diaries
Fuu: (V.O.) I have to admit that the teahouse bringing down helped motivate me, because I didn't have any choice but to start my trip. Parentheses, smiley face. And as weird as this may sound, the fire was caused by a couple of crazy guys.
Both: !? ......
Fuu: (V.O.) The first one to come into the teahouse was a crude and vulgar guy with wild hair.
Mugen: She talkin' about me?
Fuu: (V.O.) The second saw him, I thought he was a bad guy. The kind who commits all sorts of crimes, the type of person I never want to be friends with in a million years!
Mugen: Say what?!
Fuu: (V.O.) Of course, once I talked to him...
Mugen: Hmm?
Fuu: (V.O.) ...I realized I was absolutely right.
Mugen: Shut up, you little bitch!
Jin: You're shouting at a diary.
Fuu: (V.O.) I'll admit that I needed some help. The stupid governor's son had come in and thought he could do whatever he wanted. But even so...
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) Once he got started, he didn't know when to stop. I mean, he totally went overboard. If I'd known he was going to do that, I would've taken my chances with the governor's son.
Mugen: Why, you little...!
Fuu: (V.O.) In the middle of all this, another man appeared. One with long hair and glasses.
Mugen: She talkin' about you now?
Fuu: (V.O.) I actually thought he was kind of attractive, not like the first one.
Mugen: Hm?!
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) But once the new guy got into, he refuses to stop fighting, too. They don't seem at all alike, but maybe deep down they're two of a kind.
Jin: How rude. Don't compare me--
Mugen: --to a guy like him!
Fuu: (V.O.) Anyway, one thing led to another and before I knew it, I had set out on my journey with these two attendants, Mugen and Jin. The end.
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) July the 11th. Sunny. Something lousy happened because of those two going crazy yesterday. A guy showed up, saying something about Mugen cutting his arm off.
Ryujiro: Hey there.
Fuu: (gasp)
Ryujiro: I think you should go back to sleep for a while.
Fuu: (V.O.) And so all of a sudden, I'm this guy's hostage. Geez! Well, I was a little drunk at the time, so I don't remember too much. The end.
Mugen: That's it?! The end?!
Jin: Very brief...
Fuu: (V.O.) P.S. The Yaki-manjuu we had in Joushuu were yummy.
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) July 14th. Sunny, then cloudy. I had another rotten day today because of those two. It all started when they ditched me and ran away! Thanks to that, I ended up in a whorehouse this time! A pervert was about to have his way with me, but thanks to an old fortune teller's advice, I was saved.
[Fast Forward]
Fortune Teller: I would beware of vases if I were you.
Fuu: Vase?
Fuu: A vase...
Fuu: It's like a little vase...
Fuu: Go a-way!
Fuu: (V.O.) July 19th. Out of the blue, I was kidnapped and held prisoner... This is ridiculous! Don't you think my life is a little too eventful? You know, I have to wonder sometimes, why did these things keep happening to me even though I have two bodyguards? Those bozos are pretty useless for the most part. I'm really starting to think that I may have picked the wrong guys. I first realized this when we had to earn money for the ferry boat to cross the river.
[Fast Forward]
Moronobu: My name's Moronobu Hishikawa. And I'm a struggling young artist. Pleased to meet you.
Fuu: (V.O.) I thought he was kinda cute, even if he was a bit of a poser. Maybe that's where I made my mistake... I went ahead and modeled for his Ukiyo-e painting, but now that I think about it, I don't know what I ever saw in that guy... Still, he did say nice things to me, which is more than I can say for those two jerks. Yeah, that mess was definitely all their fault, too.
Mugen: Hey, don't blame your screwups on us!
Fuu: (V.O.) He said that he was going to get on a ship and go to Holland, but I wonder whatever happened to him? I wonder if he's on that ship right now? Or who knows? Maybe he's even arrived there already.
Manzou: (V.O.) He, meaning Moronobu Hishikawa, was caught even before he had a chance to leave port, and never made it to Holland. The fact is, he still resides in that area. However, there was no way she could have known that the man she met that day would be recognized by future generations as the father of Ukiyo-e painting. In this world of ours, talent and character are often discovered in inverse proportions.
Fuu: (V.O.) P.S. The fried squid he treated us to was totally delicious.
Mugen: Something just occurred to me that I didn't think of before.
Jin: Like what?
Mugen: Like, what the hell are we even doin' to go to Edo, anyway?
Jin: No idea.
Mugen: Take a look already! What'd she write?
Fuu: (V.O.) Today was the first time in ages I was able to eat all I wanted. I'm so happy! I figured I might have to go without food again after this, so I ate enough to tide me over.
Jin: Is she an animal?
Fuu: (V.O.) Some of the items on yesterday's menu includes eel rice bowls, loach stew, and Edo-style sushi. They were all yummy. You hear lots of people say, "There's always room for dessert," but in my case, I think it should be something more like, "There's always room for free food." I wonder if everybody is like that?
Mugen: Just you, porky!
Jin: Mmm.
Fuu: (V.O.) I also got to see kabuki and fireworks, which was really neat. The end.
Mugen: C'mon, wait a minute! Isn't there anything about the sunflower samurai in there?
Jin: Mmm...
Mugen: All she's writin' about so far is food!
Fuu: (V.O.) Oh, that reminds me. We're leaving today and going to Nagasaki. I pretty much figure it's a long shot, but the reason I came to Edo was because I'd heard rumors that he was here. It's not like I had any hard evidence or anything.
Jin: You're kidding me...
Mugen: That little bitch! She dragged us there because of a stupid rumor?
Jin: I can't believe it.
SAMURAI CHAMPLOO - 12
Fuu: (V.O.) I got taken hostage again! Geez! Is there anyone in the whole world who's been taken hostage as much as me? To top it off, my wallet got stolen, and I couldn't buy anything to eat.
I dreamed about Mom last night. It was the first time that I'd thought about her in a long time. It seems strange, I know, but so much has happened to me on this journey that I haven't had any time to miss her, so I haven't felt this way for a long time.
It's hard for me to find the right words to write about Shinsuke. I just couldn't bring myself to say anything to his mother, either. ...But once some time has passed and I've had a chance to sort out my feelings, I definitely want to sit down and write her a long letter. I want to tell her all those things that I wanted to say back then, but couldn't.
Manzou: (V.O.) It is difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to predict what the future holds. Incidentally, this is a prediction of the lives of people in the future, taken from Mudaiki, a speculative work of fiction by Edo dime novel author Harumachi Koikawa. As you can see here, predicting the future is something of a tricky business. A case in point: what the hell were they thinking with those dumbass hairstyles?
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) We left Edo and started out for Nagasaki. Well, we tried to, but we're still in Edo. We can't make any headway at all 'cause we've got no money. At least we managed to get a meal thanks to the money we got when we pawned Jin's glasses. It was yummy. But then, those two went crawling away after some older woman. What scumbags! Hey, don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm jealous or anything. It's just that it makes things a lot more difficult when my bodyguards don't carry out their duties. Well, I guess she was kinda sexy. She did have a nice set of hooters. Is that the kinda women they go for? Aw, who cares? I got hit on today, too. Although, admittedly, the guy didn't make a whole lot of sense...
[Fast Forward]
Ngamitsu: It takes time to crack a pearl. That's all right. It just makes that jewel a lot more desirable.
Ngamitsu: Hi there, honey. Who am I? I'm gonna be big! My name is Nagamitsu Sakon Shogen!
Fuu: (V.O.) (sigh) I'm starting to get the feeling that I only attract weirdos... What's a girl to do? In the end, we picked up a little money with a street performance, and we were able to leave Edo. But with every passing day, it feels like I'm losing sight of what I'm really after. We're supposed to be looking for the samurai who smells of sunflowers, but we always ends up spending all our time scrounging up enough money to survive. I guess the point I'm trying to make here is, "Getting by in life sure is hard." The end.
Fuu: (V.O.) P.S. The pear was yummy.
[Fast Forward]
Manzou: (V.O.) As a side note, there has been a recent uproar over rampant sexuality in the country's youth. However, keep in mind the Japanese people had a rather open-minded view of sexuality, and it was especially liberal during the Edo Period. They only became prudish in the Meiji Era after the influx of Western culture. So put this in perspective, one could say that they merely returned to the values of the Edo Period. And if you take the time to delve into world history, then you'll discover the Japan's Edo Period can be placed right alongside the civilization of ancient Greece. And in that it was an era in which gay love flourished, and homosexuality was considered to be more noble a pursuit than heterosexuality. Incidentally, please forgive my extremely delayed introduction. My name is Manzou the Saw. I'm an officer with the secret police. And I fight night and day in the name of peace.
[Fast Forward]
Fuu: (V.O.) I got taken prisoner again! We finally left Edo and got as far as the Kanto Checkpoint when we got conned by a scalper. It seems like I've been scammed a lot since I started on this journey. I dunno, am I too naive? Maybe I ought to be more suspicious of people... Am I a bad judge of character? I had a lot to think about today. Of course the worst part of it all is that jerk, Mugen. I believed in him, thinking he'd come back for us. What kind of rescuer ends up needing to be rescued? Anyway, I've finally decided never to trust him again.
Mugen: Yeah? Well, that suits me just fine! Go ahead and don't trust me, see if I care!
Fuu: (V.O.) By the way, I spent a lot of time with Jin because that jerk Mugen didn't come back. Now that I think about it, I guess that was the first time I'd ever spent any time alone with him.
Mugen: Huh?
Fuu: (V.O.) I thought to myself, "We're finally going to have a heart-to-heart conversation," but Jin kept his mouth shut the whole time. It was like he'd taken a vow of silence. I'd always thought at times like that, guys were supposed to open up and tell you all sorts of stuff. I tried to break the ice, but all I could get out of him was a "Hmm," or an "Ah"! What's his problem, that's what I'd like to know! Does he hate me or something? Or is he just shy? I mean, after all, we've been on this journey for quite a while now. How long is it gonna take before he finally gets round to opening up to me? It's kinda sad, really. The end.
Mugen: Hey, Jin. Man to man, what do you really think of her, anyway?
Jin: Mmm...
Mugen: (sigh) This guy's hopeless.
[Fast Forward]
Manzou: (V.O.) The 1950s, San Francisco, California. A time in which the youth of the so-called Beat Generation were profoundly influenced by Zen. And that influence, in turn, was passed on to the Hippies of the 1960s, also known as the flower children. They turned away from civilized society, tripped on psychedelic music, expanded their minds in search for true freedom. It is said among the Hippies there were those who approached Zen as a counterculture, chanted Buddhist mantras, burned incense, and practiced meditation. Elsewhere, during the Edo Period in Japan... Although they aren't searching for anything in particular, here we find three people deep in mediation. And if one were to ask why these people are doing this... Well...
Mugen: Hm?
Jin: I'm sorry, friend, but we don't even have money for a place to sleep. We don't have anything to give you for charity.
Zuikou: Well, that's wonderful. I'm glad to hear that.
All: Huh?
Fuu: (V.O.) Starting today, we'll be staying at this Zen temple for a while. The monk in charge of the temple is giving us free room and board while we're here. It's more than we could have hoped for! But in return, we have to follow the strict rules of the temple. I've been working hard since the crack of dawn again today. Boy, am I beat...
Jin: Since the beginning, man was born into a state of freedom. He was not born so that he might submit to rules or to a master. This thought has occurred to me. My question is this: The duties of a warrior, does this philosophy not contradict them?
Zuikou: No. Because freedom cannot be forced into existence, nor can it be won through painful struggle. Freedom cannot be bought or sold. It has nothing to do with one's social status; one's profession is of no consequence. In order for you to accept yourself as you are, and live with your soul at peace, you must simply teach yourself to let it be. Only then, we discover freedom.
Fuu: Those idiots. A lot of terrible things happened to me lately, and that's all because of them. I have to wonder at times, did I pick the right two men to go with me on this journey, you know?
Zuikou: All encounters happen but once in a lifetime. There is no right or wrong. If you have met these two men and are traveling with them now, then that is your destiny. For better or worse, whatever the outcome of your journey may be...
Mugen: Hey, master chrome dome, I'm lookin' to make myself stronger here. You got any brilliant ideas? I wanna beat that freaky bastard. Hey, you listenin' to me, baldy? How the hell am I supposed to beat this guy? Come on! Start talkin', cue ball!
Zuikou: Katsu!
Mugen: Ow!
Fuu: Look at the moon, it's so big tonight...
Mugen: I'm headin' out for a bit.
Fuu: Hey, you haven't forgotten your promise, have you?
Mugen: Huh?
Fuu: The samurai who smells of sunflowers, remember? Don't forget, you said you'd help me find him.
Mugen: I won't forget.
Jin: One other thing.
Mugen: Hmm?
Jin: I shall be the one who gets to slay you.
Fuu: (V.O.) Looking back now, sure a lot of crappy stuff has happened, but I've experienced all sorts of new things, too. If Mugen and Jin hadn't wandered into the teahouse that day, then chances are I'd still be working there right now. When I think of it that way, maybe it's like Father Zuikou says, it was a once-in-a-lifetime, chance encounter. I have no idea what stands between here and Nagasaki, or how much longer it will take us to get there. I just hope the three of us can keep traveling together to the very end. I'm positive that those two are thinking the exact same thing. Yep. That's the path I chose to take.
Mugen: You don't make up other people's minds for them... Right?
Jin: Hmm...
Fuu: (V.O.) Just kidding! I figured those two might try and peek at my diary without asking, so I decided to make all that stuff up. Serves you right, you jerks!
Mugen: You... You little bitch!
Fuu: ......?