Marmalade Boy
Volume 2, Chapter 5
"From Wataru to You II"
pages 163-171
Written and illustrated by Yoshizumi Wataru

Translation & editing by :  Craig Nishida
Additional translation by : Paul Hirose
                            Yutaka Sasagawa
Additional editing by:      Jeanne Hedge

Last revision : 02-01-96

Comments?  Corrections?  Suggestions?  Please send them to:

          mboy-trans@soyokaze.biosci.ohio-state.edu

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p 163--TITLE PAGE
1
[Our beaming manga-ka stands in tennis sweats and grasps a racket in her right
 hand.  Two tennis balls lie at her feet.]

Title:  [in English] FROM WATARU TO YOU II

Yoshizumi Wataru:  Hello.  Yoshizumi here.  In this 2nd volume, a tennis match
                   makes an appearance...  And since I think there are a lot
                   of people who don't know the rules, I'll explain a little
                   abou-u-ut it.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  But I won't check in any particular books and just write
                   the information that's inside my head...  So even if I
                   might be a bit wrong, or the explanation isn't sufficient,
                   please overlook it, 'kay?  <heart symbol>
caption at bottom:  By the way, this isn't softball tennis; it's hardball
                    tennis.
<Commentary (YS):  In "softball" tennis, they use this rubber ball that's
 mostly made of air.  The ball is very slow because of this; you can hit it
 as hard as you want, and it'll still be much slower compared to a shot with
 a normal tennis ball.>
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p 164
1
[Our manga-ka's head appears up beyond the bottom of this panel.]
caption at right:  First, in regards to scoring.
narration:  Points are:  Love...0 points
                           15...1 point 
                           30...2 points
                           40...3 points  ...counted like that.
notation at bottom (with arrow):  <--- Why isn't it 10, 20, and 30?!
                                       ...is what you might be thinking,
                                       and I'm sure there's some basis for
                                       this.
narration:  If either player gets 4 points and leads by 2 or more points, then
            1 game is over.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  In calling scores, you say the service side's first.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  For example, 15-love, love-30, 30-40, 30-30, etc...
2
narration:  40-40 is not "forty-all"; instead, you say "deuce."
3
narration:  For example, a case where Yuu and Ginta play a match and it
            becomes deuce...
[Ginta and Yuu stare daggers at each other.  Both hold tennis rackets.]
4
[Ginta pumps his fist.]
narration:  If Ginta gets the next point, then...
umpire:  [off] Advantage Suou!
notation with arrow pointing at <adobanteeji> in the line above:
         Means that it's advantageous.
Ginta:  Right!!
5
narration:  If Ginta proceeds and gets the following one too, then...
umpire:  [off] Game!  Game won by Suou!
narration:  ...is what it is, but...
[Ginta raises both hands in joyous victory.]
crowd:  [off] Wahhh!
6
narration:  ...if Yuu gets it, then...
umpire:  [off] Deuce!
girls:  [off] Kyaaaa! <heart symbol>
[Yuu flashes a "V" for his fans as Ginta trudges off.]
Yuu:  Heh!
Yuu:  I won't be taken so easily.
Ginta:  Shi-i-it...
7
narration:  In that way it goes on and on until someone leads by 2 points.
umpire:  [off] Advantage Matsuura!  Deuce!  Advantage Matsuura!  Deuce!
               Advantage Suou!
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p 165
1
[Our cute and smiling manga-ka points up at a diagram of an overhead view of
 a tennis court.  A stick figure stands at one service line and four possible
 ball trajectories radiate from him.  Only one is a fair serve.]
narration:  Service alternates after each game.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  Incidentally, you can hit up to 2 serves.  Even if you miss
                   your first serve (fault), it'll be okay if you drop in your
                   2nd serve.
diagram notation:  Sizes in this diagram are awfully haphazard (sweat bead>.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  If you miss your 2nd serve as well, it becomes a double
                   fault, and your opponent gets 1 point, so you have to be
                   sure to put your second serve in.
notation at bottom left:  That's why a second service is usually weaker in
                          power than a first one.
2
[Yuu smiles back at us, index finger raised to make a point.]
narration:  In tennis (in matches of a certain high level of standard), the
            side that serves has a decided advantage, so while you make sure
            you get your service games, that means whatever you get in your
            receiving games is also important.
Yuu:  When you get your service game you've kept serve; and you say you break
      serve when you get your opponent's service game.
3
narration:  And then the side that first scores 6 games, leading by 2 or more
            games, takes that set.
[Ginta rests his head back against both hands and addresses us with wide eyes.]
Ginta:  In calling out the game scoring--for example, 3-love, 4-1, 5-5--you
        say the winning side's score first.
notation (with arrow):  Probably a little uncertain <sweat bead>.
<Commentary:  In actuality, what Ginta's saying up above is untrue.  During a
 match, the game scoring is cited with the *serving* side's score given first.
 So you *do* hear scores like 0-4, 3-5, etc.  When the match is over, the
 entire set scores are listed with the match winner's score listed first.
 Hence, "Graf wins 6-2 4-6 6-3.">
Ginta:  And so, after that, you tack on who is winning and what set it is.
        Suou leads in first set, and such...
4
narration:  But, in cases where true abilities are evenly matched, it isn't
            easy to lead by 2 games.
            "6-6, 6-7, 7-7, 8-7, 8-8..."
            There is the possibility that, no matter how much time passes, it
            won't come to an end.  And so, in order to reduce the time...
umpire:  [off] Tie-break!
narration:  ...is the system that was created.
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p 166
1
[Our manga-ka stands and talks to us.  Her speech bubbles crowd in against
 her on either side of her.]
narration:  This means that when it's 6-6, the next game is played in a
            special way, and the match will be settled accordingly.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  What do I mean by "special?"  So that things aren't unfair,
                   they alternate every 2 serves, and also switch courts every
                   6 points.
comment at end of arrow (from "alternate"):  ---> This is slightly inaccurate,
                                                  but...
<Commentary:  To be exact, the first side to serve gets only one serve, and
 then it alternates 2 serves apiece thereafter...  Also, by "switch courts,"
 our manga-ka means to switch sides of the court, but that's probably obvious
 to you all.>
Yoshizumi Wataru:  Getting cramped <sweat bead>.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  And then, the side that first scores 7 points, leading by 2
                   or more points, wins.  Scoring is kept in the form of
                   1-love, 3-3, 4-3.
2
narration:  And then, (if it's a 3-set match) the first side to win 2 sets
            becomes the winner in the eyes of all.
[Ginta, tears streaming from both eyes, raises both hands in victory.]
crowd:  [off] Wahhh!  Wahhh!  Wahhh!
3
boxed caption on right:  Next, in regards to types of play...
narration:  First of all, <utsu no> (i.e., "hitting") is "service," and
            opposing that, <henkyuu> (i.e., "returning ball") is "return."
<Commentary:  That is, Yoshizumi Wataru is just defining the English terms
 for her Japanese readers.>
top caption:  Hitting on one bounce is a "stroke."
[Yuu demonstrates.]
bottom caption:  Hitting on no bounces is a "volley."
[Yuu demonstrates.]
left caption:  Hitting overhand like a serve in this sort of way is a "smash."
[Ginta demonstrates.]
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p 167
1
narration:  With stroking and volleying, respectively, there are 2 types--
            "fore" and "back".
[Ginta demonstrates each type.]
right caption:  Hitting on this face of the racket is a forehand stroke/
                forevolley.
left caption:  Hitting on the opposite face of the racket is a backhand
               stroke/backvolley.
2
narration:  There are 2 ways of hitting--single-hand and double-hand.  You can
            hit the ball double-handed with amazing power, but your footwork
            must be good (because the racket won't reach as far as
            single-handed.) With pro tennis players, it is often the case that
            they use one hand for forehand shots and two hands for backhand
            shots (Agassi, Ivanisevich, etc.), but Seles and others use two
            hands for both and their shots are awfully powerful.
3
[Yoshizumi-san smiles and raises her index finger to raise a point.]
narration:  Powerful double-hands are nice, too, but I like those who hit
            one-handed backhands that are beautiful in form (Graf and Edberg
            and such).
Yoshizumi Wataru:  Yuu and Ginta hit one-handed backhands, while Rokutanda's
                   is two-handed.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  I wonder if there was anyone who noticed?
4
narration:  Getting back to the basis for this talk...  What's called a "lob"
            is something like this.
[Oblique view of a tennis court.  Two stick figures with rackets play, and one
 sends a high lob over the surprised head of the other, who is playing at the
 net.]
lob FX:  <plo-o-op>
narration:  If you hit it too deep it will go out, and if too shallow, you'll
            fall victim to a smash...  Putting up a good lob is difficult.
            What's called a topspin lob is a lob that was hit with a powerful
            spin put on it, so that it bounces high, and it's awfully hard to
            get.
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p 168
1
narration:  What's called a "drop shot" is done this way...
[Another oblique view of a court with two stick figures.  The player on the
 right taps the ball just over the net.  His opponent, standing at his
 baseline, sweats in surprise and dismay.]
dropshot FX:  <tap>
notation at bottom:  If you take it too easy, it'll be overtaken and hit back.
narration:  You deaden the ball's momentum and drop the shot just over the
            net.
2
Yoshizumi Wataru:  [smiling] I wonder if I'm now finished with explaining the
                   main points?
Yoshizumi Wataru:  If that was hard to understand, I'm sorry...
3
[Yuu stands in a flashy tennis outfit, hands in his pockets and with a soft
 smile.  Various portions of his outfit are captioned with arrows.]
Yuu captions (with arrows):  --->  Flashy bandanna
                             <---  Flashy shirt
                             <---  Flashy wristband
                             <---  Flashy cycling pants(?)
narration:  I drew this look of Yuu's with the intention of doing a "Matsuoka
            Shuuzou look."  Since Matsuoka-san often appears in commercials
            too, I think that a lot of people know him, but he's a super-
            person who has the best tennis skills in Japan, a good face,
            stylish clothes, and on top of that, is the son of the president
            of Toho, the motion picture company.  There is quite a lot
            standing in his way, but I want him to do his best and go higher
            and higher.
4
[Our manga-ka shows just her head over the bottom edge of this panel.  She
 smiles and waves tiny Japanese flags in her hands.]
narration:  After all, I'm glad when Japanese players play an active role.
            Lately, the women have become strong, and I'm absolutely delighted.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  Date-san and Sawamatsu-san and everyone, do your best
                   <heart symbol>.
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p 169
1
[She becomes serious, crossing her arms while addressing us.]
Yoshizumi Wataru:  Well, about that shaved head penalty that Ginta proposed...
notation at bottom:  This time, I drew myself a little too cute, huh...
                     <sweat bead>
Yoshizumi Wataru:  In the tennis team at my college, there was a rule that
                   said heads would be shaved for tardiness and playing hooky.
                   (Just the men's team.)  For male college students, a shaved
                   head seems like an extre-e-emely unpleasant thing and the
                   men were ne-e-ever tardy.
2
narration:  Since the women's team was unlike the men's team and was
            easygoing...
[Wearing an embarrassed smile, our manga-ka holds up a box in one hand.]
Yoshizumi Wataru:  Sorry-y-y.  I overslept.  So I went and bought something
                   for you.  Forgive me!  'Kay?!
box:  Donuts
narration:  ...it was settled with things like this...
notation at left:  That sometimes incurred the men's wrath <sweat bead>.
3
narration:  But being that no matter how earnestly they exerted themselves, or
            whether or not they were tardy or absent, there was a pitfall--
            that if they dropped to a lower division in league play, there was
            an unfair custom that ALL THE TEAM MEMBERS, from 1st year to 4th
            year, would jointly SHAVE THEIR HEADS...
4
narration:  This "team failure," which hardly ever happened...  That is, until
            I was in 3rd year, when the team fell from 3rd to 4th division!
[A herd of unhappy men stand with shaven heads.]
men FX:  <in a row!>
men:  (How come we have to do this...?)
men:  (It isn't fair...)
narration:  It was a magnificent spectacle...  <sweat bead>
notation below panel 4:  There were about 40-50 guys on the men's team...
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p 170
1
[A guy with a shaved head glares at an embarrassed guy with a short haircut.]
narration:  There wasn't a single person who wasn't unwilling to shave his
            head...  But there were those who manfully had their hair cut
            short, and those who were poor losers and deceptively got sports
            cuts...  It was amusing to see the various kinds of human nature.
sports cut guy:  Heh heh!
2
[Tsutomu portrait, after he got his hair cut.]
narration:  Incidentally, ever since Rokutanda shaved his head, his popularity
            zoomed!
narration:  Even though, in the beginning, he was disliked...
Tsutomu:  Hmmph.
3
Yoshizumi Wataru:  [beaming] Oh!  That's right.  When it's over, it's
                   customary to shake hands with your opponent.  In doubles
                   matches, you first shake hands with your partner, and then
                   with your two opponents.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  Therefore, that Ginta and Yuu shook hands wasn't because
                   they were being emotional over their victory and didn't
                   mean to, but that it's customary.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  To make sure...
4
narration:  Changing the topic...  This year as well, I bought tickets to the
            April 9th quarterfinal matches of the Japan Open, but...
narration:  JAPAN OPEN AT Ariake Coliseum.
5
[Our manga-ka closes her eyes, tears streaming from them.]
Yoshizumi Wataru:  (I couldn't go after all...  Because of work...)
Yoshizumi Wataru FX:  <sob sob>
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p 171
1
[Our beaming manga-ka and her beaming female friend stand amidst the crowd
 and throw their arms wide.]
narration:  But I certainly went to a "Dreams Come True"* concert on the same
            day.
crowd:  Kyaaaa!  Kyaaaa!  Miwa-cha-a-an!  TADASHI-cha-a-an!  Eek!
<*Commentary (YS):  Yoshizumi-san uses a shortened form, <dorikamu> for the
 name of this popular band.  Yoshida Miwa is the lead singer and there are
 two other guys whose names I can't remember.  I guess one of them is a
 Tadashi.  ^_^>
tag:  Yazawa Ai
narration:  Six days before a deadline...  Still hadn't completed the name
            stage...
notation at lower left:  It was almost finished, though...
narration:  I'm sorry, Mr. Editor.
2
[Our manga-ka clenches a fist.]
Yoshizumi Wataru:  Well, this year, Edberg didn't come either, and Chang and
                   Courier both lost early, and things didn't get lively, so
                   that's okay.
Yoshizumi Wataru:  GUTS!
Yoshizumi Wataru:  I'm definitely going next year!  No, before that there's
                   the Seiko Super Tennis in October!
Yoshizumi Wataru:  Why is it always at deadline time?
3
narration:  And so...  No matter how well-received baseball is in Japan, or
            whether the J-league is booming, or whether basketball is booming,
            I'm a tennis fan <heart symbol>.
[She stands in tennis sweats as before, holding a racket up high and looking
 to practice her swings.]
notation at bottom:  But I'd like to go see the J-league once...  And I like
                     basketball, too...
Yoshizumi Wataru:  I don't just want to watch, but I want to play, too...  I
                   haven't been able to at all lately...
Yoshizumi Wataru:  But I want to play golf, too, and...  Anyway, I wanna keep
                   acti-i-ive.
4
P.S.:  I've been trying to collect angel marks of Morinaga chocolate balls,
       lately.  (I want "Kyoro-chan," that comes in a toy can...)
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