Ge-ge-ge no nyobou 5/20
May. 20th, 2010 04:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mbarkera.k.a. What's your professional opinion?
Inui, the strange fan, said, "I really think we can do it. And it should help your father's anxiety." Shigeru worried about what would happen if no one showed up, and Michiko, the bookstore owner, assured them, "I can get people there."
Then she thought about it, and said, "It would be great if we had flyers to hand out." Inui said, "Between now and Saturday? There's no time." Fumie said, "No, we can do this." She got out the old manual silkscreening machine. Michiko looked and said, "Oh, a mimeograph? Why do you have that?" Fumie said, "We got it for the military history club." Shigeru looked hesitant. "But will people come just because of flyers?"
Inui said, "No, no, we need a great slogan. How about Meet Shigeru Mizuki, the star of our town?" Shigeru said, "What? No, that's too much." Inui said, "No, you really need to be over-the-top for this." They looked at each other. "Let's do it." Michiko said, "Thank you."
The theme ran at this point.
Fumie and Shigeru walked Michiko and Inui out to the street. Fumie said, "I'll get the flyers to you soon." Michiko looked at Shigeru, and said, "Mizuki-sensei? Excuse my rudeness for asking, but did you lose your left arm in the war?" Shigeru nodded. "Isn't it a problem when you're drawing manga?" He raised his right hand and flexed it. "No, my right hand is strong. I can do almost everything with it." Michiko said, "My husband read your war stories. He was in the war, too. In Manchuria."
Next, Shigeru drew the mimeograph sheet. "There, I think that's ready." Fumie took it, and looked at it. She laughed. "Star of our town?" He said, "It's too much, isn't it. Give it to me, I'll fix it." She said, "No, I think it's fine." Then she read it again, and laughed. Shigeru tried to grab the sheet, and Fumie held it away from him. He grabbed for it again, and she giggled, trying to keep it away from him.
Meanwhile, in the bookstore, Michiko talked with her gang of store wives. "Saturday? Do you think we can get people by then?" Michiko was drawing a sign while talking to them. "Yes. Think positive, we need to do this for Fumie to convince her father." One of the wives read the sign. "Shigeru Mizuki, star of our town? I don't know..." Kiyo looked at them and said, "You are the speakers of this town. Just tell everyone." (I think there were overtones of gossips in there, but I'm not sure)
Just then, Fumie came in with a stack of flyers. "Here are the handouts." The women took the stack and started to split it up. "Just leave it to us!"
Michiko hung one large sign by the door of the bookstore. Kiyo came out with a long banner, and hung it across the window.
Elsewhere, the storekeeper's wives were busily stopping their customers and telling them about the signing party on Saturday. Fumie was handing out flyers, too, introducing herself and urging people to come.
Back at the house, Shigeru faced a frightening preparation. "Careful! Not so much! Do we really have to do this now?" Fumie said, "If you are going to sign books and maybe shake hands, I am going to cut your fingernails." Shigeru flinched as she snipped another nail. "But it's scary!" Fumie shook her head. "Adults don't get scared by cutting fingernails." Shigeru said, "But scary is scary." Fumie said, "There, it's done." He run his thumb along the nails.
Then he sat back, and said, "Why do you think Michiko is so worried about this boy, Taichi?" Fumie said, "Well, she's kind of the mother of the town." Shigeru said, "No, that's not it. There must be a reason, though."
By Saturday afternoon, telephone poles, storefronts, the entire town was plastered with flyers for the signing party. Outside the bookstore, Shigeru and Inui sat at two small tables, with brush and ink ready for signing. Inui said, "Why me?" Kiyo answered, "Two is better than one. Now sit still." She put a sign on the front of his table identifying him. Michiko came out with cups of sweet sake for them. The storekeeper's wives brought baskets full of cups ready for visitors. Inui looked around, "What about your father?" Shigeru said, "Fumie is going to bring him."
Michiko and the wives went into the store. A couple walked by, and Shigeru looked hopefully at them, but they passed on. Then a man came down the street, mumbling about pachinko. He looked at the two authors in front of the store, then planted himself in front of Shigeru. "So, you're Mizuki?" Shigeru nodded. "I'm Michiko's husband." He looked at the Shigeru's empty sleeve. "I read your war stories."
Just then, two of the wives came out with another table and set it up on the other side of the street. Michiko came out and said, "Oh, you're here. Great." Kiyo came out, looked at him, and said, "Everyone else is helping." The man said, "Ah, it's too noisy around here." He turned and walked off.
At the house, Fumie was in the street, looking up the road. She started to go back into the house, when Genbee, her father, called from out in the street. She walked into the street. Genbee looked at her and said, "Are you going out? Where's Shigeru?" She said, "Well, actually, he's already left for this." She handed him a flyer for the signing party.
At the signing, Shigeru was making a small drawing, with Kitaro's face in the corner and a fancy signature on the left. He swirled the brush, then handed the drawing to a young boy. The boy took it, looked at it, and said, "It's not very cute." He and his parents left. There weren't very many people waiting.
Inside the store, Michiko and the wives were talking. "There aren't very many people. We need something to get them here." They looked at Michiko and said, "Do you have a good idea?"
Fumie and Genbee walked through the shopping area. He looked at the flyers plastered everywhere about the signing. He smiled.
When they turned the corner near the bookstore, people were lined up around the corner. Genbee said, "Wow! All these people?" They walked up to the bookstore, and Shigeru started to stand up. Genbee waved him to keep signing. Fumie took Genbee into the store.
Michiko served Genbee tea. He said, "Thank you. But Fumie, you should have told me about this." Michiko said, "Oh, it's my fault, I asked him suddenly." Fumie picked up a copy of the book and handed it to him. "Look, here's Shigeru's book." He started to leaf through it, looking at the pictures.
Just then, Fukuzawa, the publisher, walked into the bookstore. He looked around and said, "Who's the owner here?" Michiko stood up and said, "I am. Why?" He smiled, and said, "I'm..." He started going through his pockets, looking for a business card, and finally pulled one from his shirt pocket. "I'm Fukuzawa Youichi, president of Sankai Publishers." Michiko looked at the card. "The publisher? Here? But..."
Genbee stood up and said, "You're a publisher? Can I ask you for your professional opinion?" Fukuzawa said, "Yes?" Genbee pushed the copy of the book into his hands and said, "Is this a good book? Will it sell?" Fukuzawa looked at the book, and said, "Honestly? Will it sell? I don't know." Then he smiled. "If the children like it, yes, it will sell explosively." He looked straight at Genbee. "But I can tell you one thing. This is a great manga." He flipped the book open. "Look, there's humor, a good story... other people can't make a manga like this. It takes time and genius. I'm confident in this book." He handed the book back to Genbee. "By the way, who are you?"
Genbee said, "I'm Shigeru Murai... no, Shigeru Mizuki's father-in-law." He put his hand on Fumie's shoulder. "And this is my daughter." Fumie nodded. "I'm Shigeru's wife." Then Genbee held the book up and bowed low. "Please, make this book a success." Fukuzawa bowed back, and Genbee and Fumie bowed lower.
Shigeru came in, greeted Fukuzawa, and looked at Genbee, bent over with a book held in his hands. He said, "What happened?"
<to be continued>
Inui, the strange fan, said, "I really think we can do it. And it should help your father's anxiety." Shigeru worried about what would happen if no one showed up, and Michiko, the bookstore owner, assured them, "I can get people there."
Then she thought about it, and said, "It would be great if we had flyers to hand out." Inui said, "Between now and Saturday? There's no time." Fumie said, "No, we can do this." She got out the old manual silkscreening machine. Michiko looked and said, "Oh, a mimeograph? Why do you have that?" Fumie said, "We got it for the military history club." Shigeru looked hesitant. "But will people come just because of flyers?"
Inui said, "No, no, we need a great slogan. How about Meet Shigeru Mizuki, the star of our town?" Shigeru said, "What? No, that's too much." Inui said, "No, you really need to be over-the-top for this." They looked at each other. "Let's do it." Michiko said, "Thank you."
The theme ran at this point.
Fumie and Shigeru walked Michiko and Inui out to the street. Fumie said, "I'll get the flyers to you soon." Michiko looked at Shigeru, and said, "Mizuki-sensei? Excuse my rudeness for asking, but did you lose your left arm in the war?" Shigeru nodded. "Isn't it a problem when you're drawing manga?" He raised his right hand and flexed it. "No, my right hand is strong. I can do almost everything with it." Michiko said, "My husband read your war stories. He was in the war, too. In Manchuria."
Next, Shigeru drew the mimeograph sheet. "There, I think that's ready." Fumie took it, and looked at it. She laughed. "Star of our town?" He said, "It's too much, isn't it. Give it to me, I'll fix it." She said, "No, I think it's fine." Then she read it again, and laughed. Shigeru tried to grab the sheet, and Fumie held it away from him. He grabbed for it again, and she giggled, trying to keep it away from him.
Meanwhile, in the bookstore, Michiko talked with her gang of store wives. "Saturday? Do you think we can get people by then?" Michiko was drawing a sign while talking to them. "Yes. Think positive, we need to do this for Fumie to convince her father." One of the wives read the sign. "Shigeru Mizuki, star of our town? I don't know..." Kiyo looked at them and said, "You are the speakers of this town. Just tell everyone." (I think there were overtones of gossips in there, but I'm not sure)
Just then, Fumie came in with a stack of flyers. "Here are the handouts." The women took the stack and started to split it up. "Just leave it to us!"
Michiko hung one large sign by the door of the bookstore. Kiyo came out with a long banner, and hung it across the window.
Elsewhere, the storekeeper's wives were busily stopping their customers and telling them about the signing party on Saturday. Fumie was handing out flyers, too, introducing herself and urging people to come.
Back at the house, Shigeru faced a frightening preparation. "Careful! Not so much! Do we really have to do this now?" Fumie said, "If you are going to sign books and maybe shake hands, I am going to cut your fingernails." Shigeru flinched as she snipped another nail. "But it's scary!" Fumie shook her head. "Adults don't get scared by cutting fingernails." Shigeru said, "But scary is scary." Fumie said, "There, it's done." He run his thumb along the nails.
Then he sat back, and said, "Why do you think Michiko is so worried about this boy, Taichi?" Fumie said, "Well, she's kind of the mother of the town." Shigeru said, "No, that's not it. There must be a reason, though."
By Saturday afternoon, telephone poles, storefronts, the entire town was plastered with flyers for the signing party. Outside the bookstore, Shigeru and Inui sat at two small tables, with brush and ink ready for signing. Inui said, "Why me?" Kiyo answered, "Two is better than one. Now sit still." She put a sign on the front of his table identifying him. Michiko came out with cups of sweet sake for them. The storekeeper's wives brought baskets full of cups ready for visitors. Inui looked around, "What about your father?" Shigeru said, "Fumie is going to bring him."
Michiko and the wives went into the store. A couple walked by, and Shigeru looked hopefully at them, but they passed on. Then a man came down the street, mumbling about pachinko. He looked at the two authors in front of the store, then planted himself in front of Shigeru. "So, you're Mizuki?" Shigeru nodded. "I'm Michiko's husband." He looked at the Shigeru's empty sleeve. "I read your war stories."
Just then, two of the wives came out with another table and set it up on the other side of the street. Michiko came out and said, "Oh, you're here. Great." Kiyo came out, looked at him, and said, "Everyone else is helping." The man said, "Ah, it's too noisy around here." He turned and walked off.
At the house, Fumie was in the street, looking up the road. She started to go back into the house, when Genbee, her father, called from out in the street. She walked into the street. Genbee looked at her and said, "Are you going out? Where's Shigeru?" She said, "Well, actually, he's already left for this." She handed him a flyer for the signing party.
At the signing, Shigeru was making a small drawing, with Kitaro's face in the corner and a fancy signature on the left. He swirled the brush, then handed the drawing to a young boy. The boy took it, looked at it, and said, "It's not very cute." He and his parents left. There weren't very many people waiting.
Inside the store, Michiko and the wives were talking. "There aren't very many people. We need something to get them here." They looked at Michiko and said, "Do you have a good idea?"
Fumie and Genbee walked through the shopping area. He looked at the flyers plastered everywhere about the signing. He smiled.
When they turned the corner near the bookstore, people were lined up around the corner. Genbee said, "Wow! All these people?" They walked up to the bookstore, and Shigeru started to stand up. Genbee waved him to keep signing. Fumie took Genbee into the store.
Michiko served Genbee tea. He said, "Thank you. But Fumie, you should have told me about this." Michiko said, "Oh, it's my fault, I asked him suddenly." Fumie picked up a copy of the book and handed it to him. "Look, here's Shigeru's book." He started to leaf through it, looking at the pictures.
Just then, Fukuzawa, the publisher, walked into the bookstore. He looked around and said, "Who's the owner here?" Michiko stood up and said, "I am. Why?" He smiled, and said, "I'm..." He started going through his pockets, looking for a business card, and finally pulled one from his shirt pocket. "I'm Fukuzawa Youichi, president of Sankai Publishers." Michiko looked at the card. "The publisher? Here? But..."
Genbee stood up and said, "You're a publisher? Can I ask you for your professional opinion?" Fukuzawa said, "Yes?" Genbee pushed the copy of the book into his hands and said, "Is this a good book? Will it sell?" Fukuzawa looked at the book, and said, "Honestly? Will it sell? I don't know." Then he smiled. "If the children like it, yes, it will sell explosively." He looked straight at Genbee. "But I can tell you one thing. This is a great manga." He flipped the book open. "Look, there's humor, a good story... other people can't make a manga like this. It takes time and genius. I'm confident in this book." He handed the book back to Genbee. "By the way, who are you?"
Genbee said, "I'm Shigeru Murai... no, Shigeru Mizuki's father-in-law." He put his hand on Fumie's shoulder. "And this is my daughter." Fumie nodded. "I'm Shigeru's wife." Then Genbee held the book up and bowed low. "Please, make this book a success." Fukuzawa bowed back, and Genbee and Fumie bowed lower.
Shigeru came in, greeted Fukuzawa, and looked at Genbee, bent over with a book held in his hands. He said, "What happened?"
<to be continued>
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Japanese words from the show...
Date: 2010-05-20 07:22 am (UTC)散らし 【ちらし(P); チラシ(P)】 (n) (1) scattering; (2) (esp. チラシ) (uk) leaflets; (P)
がり版 【がりばん】 (n) mimeograph
拡声機(P); 拡声器 【かくせいき】 (n) megaphone; bullhorn; loudhailer; (P)