Marmalade Boy Volume 8, Chapter 2 pages 37-67 Written and illustrated by Yoshizumi Wataru Translation & editing by : Craig Nishida Additional translation by : Paul Hirose Additional assistance : Jeanne Hedge Last revision : 98-02-07 Comments? Corrections? Suggestions? Please send them to: mboy-trans@soyokaze.biosci.ohio-state.edu --------------------------------------------------- p 37 1 [A bullet train zips out of a tunnel and into the countryside.] bullet train FX: 2 [Inside, Miki sits tensely, hands clasped in her lap.] 3 [She closes her eyes.] 4 [Tight shot of her clasped hands.] Miki: (I'm scared...) clasped hands FX: 5 [Filler art. Miki decked out in sleeveless dress, choker, earrings and hat.] --------------------------------------------------- p 38 1 [A panel of swirls.] narration: I want to see Yuu so much I can't stand it. narration: So I decided to go to Kyoto on the spur of the moment... narration: But what should I say when I see him?! narration: What might Yuu say? 2 [Her face takes on a look of worry.] narration: I really want to see him! narration: But I'm afraid to meet him... narration: I wonder if Meiko also felt like this when she went to Hiroshima. 3 [Flashback pic of a wide-eyed Meiko.] Meiko: Shall I go with you, too? Huh? Are you sure? You'll go by yourself? Meiko: Will you be all right? narration: I thought that I couldn't very well take a married woman so far away, so I held back... narration: But I should have got Meiko to come along, after all... 4 [Miki clenches her eyes shut and shakes her head.] narration: Uh-uh! No, no! Mustn't lose heart! narration: I've decided to be brave. Miki FX: --------------------------------------------------- p 39 1 [We look through the train window at her, as she stares unfocused out the window.] narration: Anyway, I'll try and see him. All I'll tell him... ...is that I love him, even now. I'll tell him and see. narration: Though it probably won't lead anywhere... 2 [View of the main gate to a university.] sign: Kyoto Technical College 3 [Another view of the campus.] --------------------------------------------------- p 40 1 [Miki smiles softly as she walks and looks around the campus.] narration: This is the college that Yuu goes to... narration: A very nice and peaceful air to it. 2 [Tight shot of her right shoe.] narration: Ah. 3 [She looks up, off-panel.] narration: Yuu is leading a new life here. narration: One that's apart from me. 4 [She drops her gaze.] narration: Apart... Miki heart FX: 5 [Our pov shifts so we stand behind her. Miki faces a straight path lined with cherry blossom trees.] narration: Cherry blossom trees lining a path... --------------------------------------------------- p 41 1 [With hands clasped behind her, Miki smiles gently up at the tops of the trees. Our pov is from up high, so Miki appears to be looking up at us. Together with the first panel of the previous page, these have gotta be my favorite Miki panels.] narration: How wonderful... narration: I'll bet it's awfully pretty during the blooming season... narration: Come to think of it... narration: I wonder what happened to the small row of cherry blossom trees near home... I haven't gone by lately... 2 [Flashback. A smiling Yuu and Miki stand amongst trees. Both wear the high school uniforms of Touryou High. For the next several panels, we have a flashback.] narration: But before, I often walked with Yuu, taking a little detour on the way home from school, hmm? narration: What fond memories... 3 [Miki beams.] Miki: I lo-o-ove cherry blossoms! The happiest thing about spring is that I can see these flowers! 4 [Yuu returns the smile.] Miki: [off] But they fall so easily, huh... I hope it doesn't rain for a while... 5 [Miki has a sudden idea and she whirls to look at Yuu with bright eyes. Yuu is a bit surprised at what she says.] Miki: That's it! Hey, why don't we go gather cherries now? --------------------------------------------------- p 42 1 Yuu: Huh?! Miki: [wide grin] Because... Doesn't talking about "cherry blossom trees" make you think of "cherries"? I always wanted to eat a stomach-full of cherries. Ah, though picking strawberries is okay, too. Miki: When I talked about flower viewing it came to mind. 2 [Yuu sweats and lets out a puff of air.] Yuu: And yet, until just now, you were in high spirits over something light pink. Dango rather than flowers, huh... , or "dango (dumplings) rather than flowers," is a proverb akin to the English one, "pudding rather than praise." In this situation, though, Yuu is being more literal: "Food instead of flowers, huh?"> 3 Miki: Dango? Ah, somehow, now I've started wanting to eat dango. Let's drop by a sweets shop and return home! Yuu: Hey you... That's why you've gained another 2 kilos. 4 [Miki's face colors deeply. She sweats and her eyes contract to dots.] Miki: H-How come you know?! Miki FX: 5 Yuu: [smiling merrily] You were making a fuss in the bathroom the other day. Miki: [glaring] How cru-u-uel! Eavesdropping... Yuu: You were talking so loudly anyone in the house could have heard! Miki: Liar! 6 [Back to the present. Miki's expression grows wistful.] Miki: Tee...! --------------------------------------------------- p 43 1 [Another flashback. Miki is dressed in short-sleeve shirt and short plaid skirt. She stands under a tall tree and waves to someone off-panel.] Miki: Yuu, you come over here, too-oo. Miki: It's cool in the shade of the tree, and it feels good. 2 [Yuu saunters over, hands in pockets. Miki stops in her prancing to stare at him, in reaction to what he says.] Yuu: Better not go around trees too much! Miki: Why? Yuu: There are hairy caterpillars. 3 [Suddenly, Yuu's eyes widen and he points to her shoulder. Miki reacts in horror.] Yuu: LOOK! One fell on your shoulder! Miki heartbeat FX: Miki: ?! 4 [Yuu laughs. Miki boils.] Yuu: Ah ha ha! I'm kidding. Miki: Grr... Yuu! You surpri... 5 [She notices a caterpillar on Yuu's shoulder.] 6 [Yuu stands sweating as he watches Miki zip off into the sunset...] Miki: ! Miki FX: Yuu: Huh? Hey...? --------------------------------------------------- p 44 1 [Back to the present. Miki stifles laughter.] Miki: 2 [Then, she stops and opens her eyes.] 3 [A montage of memorable moments with Yuu, set against a bubbly background.] --------------------------------------------------- p 45 1 [Miki stares again at the row of cherry blossom trees.] trees FX: 2 [A white panel.] narration: Even though it was fun... narration: Even though we were happy... 3 [View of sky and trees.] narration: Can't we recapture days like that anymore? narration: Do we have to give up the things of the past as well? ===Sidebar=== FREE TALK (3): It's extremely silly if the original work continues on even after the anime ended and the riddle of the father question was solved (at this point, the riddle hasn't been settled). That's why the original work must end before the anime. But during the telecast serial publication has to continue. (When it doesn't work out that way, it's the demand of each of the companies involved that the effectiveness of the media mix fade out...) If that's the case, then there was no way but to end them at the same time (in the same month). I received quite a few letters that said that "Let alone if it were just the anime, it was a shock to hear that even the original work is ending at once," but it was for this sort of reason. And so. If you ask, why was it so hard to integrate it with the end of the anime...? ...it's because the length of the anime's run wasn't easily decided upon. What was originally supposed to be a 1-year plan, an extension was decided upon, and whether that length would be 3 or 6 months couldn't be settled on easily. (Continued in (4)) --------------------------------------------------- p 46 1 [She closes her eyes.] narration: No. I can't. Miki: (I can't. Yuu...!) 2 [A white panel.] Yuu: [off] Miki?! 3 [Surprised, Miki opens her eyes and looks off to her left.] --------------------------------------------------- p 47 1 [Her pov of Yuu, who stands with a bookbag slung over his shoulder. Behind him stands a girl, who looks on.] 2 Miki: Yuu... 3 [Yuu walks up to Miki, and she looks flustered, unable to meet his eye.] Yuu: How come you're here...? Did you come to see me? Miki: Ah... Uh-huh... --------------------------------------------------- p 48 1 [Tight shot of Yuu's wrist. He's wearing the wristwatch she gave him.] 2 [Miki notices it.] 3 Miki: The watch. You're making good use of it... Yuu: Yeah. 4 [A white panel.] Yuu: [off] Your hair... You cut it. Miki: [off] Uh-huh... 5 [The two stand in silence.] 6 Yuu: You should have given me a phone call or something! There was no way to be sure we'd meet here... 7 [Miki looks up at him off-panel. Her eyes are brimming with tears.] 8 [He looks at her off-panel with concern.] --------------------------------------------------- p 49 1 [A white panel.] Miki: [off] I was afraid you'd tell me not to come... So I couldn't phone you... 2 Miki: [crying] I wanted to see you. Miki: I wanted to see you, Yuu, no matter what...! 3 [He stands there, unsure of what to do. Miki clenches her eyes shut and the tears roll down. She puts her hands to her mouth.] Yuu: ...Miki... Miki: I think to myself that I have to forget, but I can't do it, no matter what... It hurts terribly... And I can't bear it. --------------------------------------------------- p 50 1 Miki: I have to have you around, Yuu. I need you. Miki: I love you...! 2 [Yuu looks at Miki off-panel without expression.] 3 [The girl who stands behind Yuu begins to turn, as if to leave.] Saho: Matsuura-kun... I'm going on ahead to class, 'kay? 4 [Saho's pov as Yuu turns to look back over his shoulder. Miki blushes and claps a hand over her mouth.] Yuu: Sorry. Wait just a sec. Miki: Ah... Miki FX: --------------------------------------------------- p 51 1 [A white panel.] Miki: [off] I'm sorry. I... You were with a friend but I didn't notice at all... 2 [Tight shot of his shoes and lower legs.] Yuu: ......... She isn't just...a friend. 3 [Miki's eyes widen.] 4 [He drops his gaze, and puts his left hand in his pants pocket.] Yuu: Takayama Saho-san, who's in the same class as me. We're in the same seminars, too, and have a lot of common interests... Yuu: I'm dating her now. ===Sidebar=== FREE TALK (4): It's delightful that it was extended, but if they don't quickly decide on the length for me, then I can't reach a decision on how much I can stretch out the story. If it's done by a manga-ka who has more talent, then even given a lot of conditions she can create something good, can't she, but it was hard for someone inexperienced like me... Well, anyway, it was possible to complete the original work at exactly the same time as the anime, so I'm really glad. Whew. That viewpoint--that I had a hard time of it--is all I wrote just now, but, in truth, there was also some stress concerning the contents of the anime. (^_^) That discrepencies in character personalities arise, or that a story develops which differs from my sense of it is only natural since a different person is writing it, and so, mostly, with the feeling that "well, it's something different," I didn't have any opposition to it, but... (Continued in (5)) --------------------------------------------------- p 52 1 [He tells it to her straight...] Yuu: I'm sorry, Miki. Yuu: I can't do anything for you anymore. 2 [Miki stares back at him, blankly.] --------------------------------------------------- p 53 1 [A cloudy panel.] narration: There's... narration: ...another person that Yuu likes. 2 [Miki's expression falls.] Miki FX: 3 Miki: I understand... 4 [Blushing, she can't meet his eye.] Miki: I'm sorry. Coming all of a sudden and bothering you... 5 [Saho is surprised by what Miki says.] Miki: [off] You, too, Takayama-san... Sorry to startle you. Saho: Oh, no... --------------------------------------------------- p 54 1 [Trailing tears, yet appearing oddly calm, Miki turns to leave.] Miki: I'm going home... ...Yuu. Miki: Goodbye... 2 [Miki walks away. Yuu and Saho watch in silence.] 3 [Sweating, Yuu's eyes open wide.] Yuu: ------ 4 [His pov of Miki's retreating back.] 5 [As the background turns to swirls, his face takes on a look of resolve.] 6 [Tight shot of his right hand.] Yuu fist FX: --------------------------------------------------- p 55 1 [Saho, still standing behind Yuu, watches him quietly. From our pov, in front of Yuu, we see that he's dropped his gaze.] 2 [A white panel.] Saho: [off] We're dating? I didn't know that. 3 [Yuu's eyes pop wide, but he doesn't turn around to face Saho.] 4 Saho: Who was he, who, even though someone went to the effort of confessing her love, simply rejected me, saying that he "can't forget his ex-girlfriend"? ===Sidebar=== FREE TALK (5): Even so, now and then, there were times when I secretly thought, "Ooo, I don't like this... Why don't they fix it?" We're at this point, so I'll write about it. To begin with, what I disliked the mo-o-ost was the extreme emphasis on kissing scenes. Because, there are a lot of them (they kiss in many pairings that don't exist in the original work); they are long; flashbacks occur many times and persistently. It's so terrible. To tell you the truth, I really didn't like this very much. When I told this to Furuya Touru-san, who plays Natchan, he cracked a smile and said, "if we didn't have that, then it wouldn't be done (ie, "frequently)!" (^_^) , which, as an adjective, means "often" or "frequent". is, of course, the abbreviated name for the TV series itself.> Miki's and Yuu's health room kissing scene lasted 12 seconds on the movie screen. I wrote it intending it to be a fleeting occurrence! Yuu, who only kisses Miki in the original work, also kisses 3 others in the anime--Arimi, Suzu and Jinny. (Continued in (6)) --------------------------------------------------- p 56 1 [He finally turns to face her.] Yuu: I'm sorry. Keeping quiet and going along with my story saved me. Saho: But, the one just now is that "ex-girlfriend," isn't she? Even though you both have the same feelings, why are you lying like that? 2 [A white panel.] Yuu: [off] ...... Can't be helped... Saho: [off] What's that? What do you mean? 3 [A sad expression comes to Yuu's face.] 4 [Yuu turns to walk away, much to the surprise of Saho.] Yuu: I'm heading home for the day. Saho: Huh?! But, the seminar... Yuu: Tell the professor something appropriate... 5 [Sweating, Saho calls out to Yuu as he starts running.] Saho: Wait...! That's not a good idea. Matsuura-kun! --------------------------------------------------- p 57 1 [Saho lets out a sigh.] 2 [Tight shot of an overhead sign.] sign: JR Kyoto New Osaka ---> Maibara 3 [Someone's pov of Miki, as she stands forlorn and alone at the train station platform.] 4 [View shifts. Back over Miki's shoulder, we see Yuu standing silently behind one of the platform pillars. He watches her.] --------------------------------------------------- p 58 1 [Closer view of Yuu.] narration: Miki. narration: I'm sorry... 2 [This and the next 3 panels are greyed-out, denoting the various flashbacks. Here, Yuu faces Miki.] Yuu: [flashback] "The special feelings I had have disappeared." Yuu: [flashback] "I don't dislike you, but I don't like you either..." Yuu: [flashback] "It's not your fault. I got cold on my own." 3 [Miki in anguish.] narration: I did something evasive like that so it left her with feelings half-done. Miki: [flashback] "I can't forget." Miki: [flashback] "I love you...!" 4 Yuu: [flashback] "I'm dating her." narration: By never allowing her to forget, it's turned into a situation where I've hurt her again... Yuu: [flashback] "I can't do anything for you anymore." 5 [Miki stares back in silent shock.] --------------------------------------------------- p 59 1 [She boards the train.] 2 [Through the window we see her seated, looking lost.] 3 [Yuu stands in silence, watching.] 4 [Closer view of Miki, through the train window. She closes her eyes.] narration: Would it have been better to tell her I hated her? narration: If I'd done that would she have been hurt just once...? 5 [A white panel.] narration: But... narration: ...I couldn't say something like that. 6 [The train slowly begins to move.] train FX: <...thunk> 7 [A white panel.] narration: Pretending that my feelings had turned cold took all I had. 8 [The train picks up speed.] train FX: --------------------------------------------------- p 60 1 [His final view of Miki through the train window. Her eyes remain closed.] 2 [Yuu now stands at the edge of the platform, staring after the departing bullet train.] narration: That I hate her... narration: Even if it's a lie, I wouldn't be able to say it. 3 Yuu: (Miki...!!) --------------------------------------------------- p 61 1 [Full page art. View from behind Yuu as he stands at platform's edge, watching the train depart.] --------------------------------------------------- p 62 1 [Satoshi holds a phone...] Miwa: ......... I see... 2 [...as does Yuu.] 3 [View pulls back. Yuu sits on his bed, back propped up against the headstand and pillow.] Miwa: [off, phone] Are you all right, Yuu? Yuu: Huh? Miwa: [off, phone] Koishikawa is, too, but aren't you rather mentally tired out as well? 4 [A white panel.] Yuu: [off] I'm...all right. Because my surroundings are different, I've been pretty much distracted... And there are a lot of lectures and pretty interesting things... And I'm living in peace and quiet. 5 [Miwa sits on the couch, holding the phone.] Yuu: [off, phone] But, if there are more days like today... ...sure enough, I'll fall apart... Miwa: ...... --------------------------------------------------- p 63 1 [A blank panel.] Miwa: [off] Though, I was thinking... Isn't there a chance that Koishikawa is Youji-san's child, rather than Jin-san's? Yuu: [phone] Eh...? 2 [Miwa still sits on the couch.] Miwa: You're the son of Chiyako-san and Jin-san... And Koishikawa is the daughter of Rumi-san and Youji-san. Miwa: If so, then the two of you aren't related by blood! 3 Yuu: ......... That's not right. Miwa: [phone] Why not? 4 [A blank panel.] Yuu: [off] During those newlywed years Jin-san was transferred to London for about 3 years. Of course, Rumi-san went with him. I've heard that Miki was born then... 5 [An apparent flashback. Rumi smiles at someone off-panel.] Rumi: It was pretty tough... Pregnancy and childbirth in an unfamiliar foreign country, right? --------------------------------------------------- p 64 1 [The flashback continues throughout this entire page. Here, an overhead view looking down upon the living room. Yuu and Miki sit on one couch; Rumi and Jin on another, facing the TV. Chiyako sits on a chair opposite Yuu/Miki. Youji stands behind Jin, leaning on the couch with one arm.] Youji: Childbirth, too? Rumi: Yup. Rumi: I'd even thought that I'd give birth after going back to Japan... But I'd heard that the system of anesthetization and painless delivery in foreign countries is advancing. 2 [Miki points to herself with glee. Yuu looks over at her with a droll look.] Miki: I'm a first homecoming child. Miki: Though it was until I was 1 year old. Yuu: It doesn't show at a-a-all. 3 [A blank panel.] Yuu: [off] And on top of that, those English grades... Zero persuasive power. Miki: [off] Shuddup! Grrrr!! 4 [Youji rests his arms and head on the couch back and closes his eyes. Jin looks back over his shoulder at him.] Youji: How lucky. Jin... To think that I, wanting to fly about the world, went to a business firm, but was assigned to a domestic post... And not even once was I told that I'm going on an overseas business trip, not to speak of an overseas transfer. Youji FX: 5 Jin: The world is like that, huh? All: --------------------------------------------------- p 65 1 [Back to the present. Yuu speaks into the phone.] Yuu: While Rumi-san was in London, father was here in Japan. Yuu: They couldn't have produced a child. 2 Yuu: [phone] Miki is the child of Rumi-san and Jin-san... 3 [Yuu's eyes widen at the sounds from the phone.] phone FX: Yuu: Ah. Call-waiting... 4 Miwa: [off, phone] I see. Then, see ya... Yuu: Yeah. Sorry, Satoshi-san. You're the only one I can have this gloomy talk with. Miwa: [phone] What are you talking about? Bye. 5 [Yuu presses a button to get the incoming call.] phone FX: --------------------------------------------------- p 66 1 [Chiyako smiles brightly, speaking into the phone.] Chiyako: Yuu! It's me! Chiyako: Ahh, I wonder how long it's been since I heard your voice?! 2 [View pulls back. Chiyako is surrounded by Youji, Rumi and Jin. Chiyako frowns into the phone.] Chiyako: Even though I told you that it's okay to call collect, you haven't called at all. Are you doing fine?! Are you eating properly?! Youji: Hurry up and let me have it, Chiyako! Rumi: Yeah... Rumi: We're waiting for our turn. 3 [Yuu sweats and has hairs sproing loose. He smiles weakly.] Yuu: ......... Mother, you and the others seem well as usual... Yuu: Huh? Summer break? So hasty... That's still a ways ahead! 4 [Chiyako shouts into the phone as the other 3 close in around her.] Yuu: [off, phone] On top of that, I have a lot of homework, so whether I can return home or... Chiyako: NO! When it's summer break you come back right away! Or else I won't forgive you! Jin: We're waiting!! Rumi: Please go and buy some yatsuhashi, 'kay? 5 [A white panel.] Yuu: [off] ...I got it. If I can, I'll do that. Yeah... Yeah. Yuu: [off] Bye... 6 [Hanging up, Yuu lets out a sigh.] --------------------------------------------------- p 67 1 [He touches the wristwatch he wears.] 2 [Another view as he stares at it.] 3 [A flashback picture of Miki as she turned to leave, saying "goodbye".] 4 [Yuu hugs his knees and buries his face in his arms.] Yuu: [off] How can I... ...possibly return home...? --------------------------------------------------- Scorecard: Miki <-/-> Yuu <--- Saho Kei <---> Suzu Meiko <---> Natchan Ginta <---> Arimi Rumi <---> Youji ^ ^ | | v v Jin <---> Chiyako ---------------------------------------------------