Saike Once Again 141

Last Take: Bond

002
{One month after suppressing the volcanic reaction.}
(Sign- Mikan Karatachi's first exhibit “Tangerine show” Open from 9/21~9/27)
(Sfx- Gaya gaya gaya)
(Sfx- Pasha pasha fwash fwash)
Guy: I'd like to congratulate you for your first exhibition!
I'm Tanioka from the Kamitsuke newspaper.
Miss Mikan Karatachi,
May I get your feelings on this occasion.?

003
(Sfx- Doki doki throb throb)
Mikan: Y—yes!
Um..
I'm overjoyed!
Yes!
Tanioka: Then let's talk about your win in the 10th annual “Forest of the stars” art contest...
I believe your piece was called “Bond.”
You've been drawing live portraits since you were fifteen years old...
And this is the fifteenth in your “heroic” series...
What kind of feelings did you face your heroic series with?

004
Mikan: I have had a close friend since I was a child.
He's a little awkward,
but as gentle as they come.
The kind of boy who stands out among his surroundings.
Suddenly one day...
That boy became a “hero”.

005
Tanioka: A hero?
Mikan: Yes.
It's not that he sought to be a “hero”
so that he could be different or special in any way...
He just wanted to reach his hand out to people in need.
An unremarkable hero like that.
Perhaps it's both the easiest and...
most difficult thing for anyone to do.

006
Mikan: He taught me that there is “bravery” residing in each and every one of us.
We can all be heroes!!
I wanted to show everyone the way he lived his life....
So I kept drawing these pictures.
Tanioka: I see...


007
Tanioka: On that note where is this “friend” and what is he doing now?
Mikan: Ooh.
Uh, he's...
????: Heeeey! Mikan!!
Mikan: Ah!!
Ana: We're here!!
Hizu: Yo!
(Handwritten- Been a while.)
Mikan: Ana!! Hizu!!

008
Ana: You're amazing, 18 years old with an exhibition of your own.
Mikan: Hehehe..
Hizu: How much for this painting of Saike?
Mikan: Um....
Ana: She's probably not selling it no matter how much you offer.
(Handwritten- Have some shame.)
Mikan: What are you two doing now?
Ana: I'm in high school now!
(Handwritten- Ahem!)
Hizu: And yet you're not even 4'9 yet.
(Sfx- Hosooh whisper)
Ana: I'LL SHOOT UP 6 CENTIMETERS!! YOU'LL SEE!!
(Handwritten- I'm 4'8!!)
(Handwritten- Ugh!!)
Hizu: I started a company.
(Handwritten- Here's my business card.)
Mikan: Oh! What kind?
(Handwritten- A president!)
Hizu: An agency that dispatches oracle holders to support others.

009
Hizu: There are still a part of the populace that are prejudiced to oracle holders.
It might not be much but I want my agency to work toward changing that perception of society.
It probably won't be easy though.
Mikan: You'll do great.
I'm sure someday things will change.
After all...

010
Mikan: I love you two!!
Ana: On that note where is Saike?
He should have returned to Japan by now, right?
Mikan: Well...about that.
Ana: Huh!? He's still not back!?
Mikan: N—no...
Ana: It's been a whole bloody month!
What on earth is he doing....
(Sfx- Piroriin piroriinn riiing riiing)

011
{It's from Saike!!}
{I'm back Mikan!!}
{After the incident I went around the world thanking our allies and ran a little late.}
{Your exhibition opens today, right?}
{I'll be there in about 5 minutes!}
Mikan: WHAT!?
Ana: What's wrong Mikan?!
Mikan: S-S-S-Saike is coming here!!
Wh-Wh-Wh-What should I do?!
Ana: Calm down!! It'll be fine!
You're extremely pretty today.
He'll be overwhelmed!!
Mikan: Y—You think?
Do I really look okay?

012
Hizu: What about me, Ana?
Do I look okay?
Ana: I have no clue.

013
???: Over there, huh?
Child: Wait for me big bro!!
Bro: Hahahahaah.
Child: Ow!
(Sfx- Dochaa thud)
Child: Waaaah!!!
(Handwritten- Ah.)

014
Bro: You dummy,
I told you to watch where you're going!
Child: Waaaah!!!
Saike: What will you do?
Aren't you going to help him?
Ah but I guess you can't...
As soon as you returned to the country you had Kuroda erase your oracle.
It's a shame since if you could do the day over again you could have stopped that child from falling.

015
???: It'll be fine.
Have a look.
Bro: C'mon.
Pain, pain, go away!!
See? It doesn't hurt anymore right?
Child: Mhmm.
Bro: Good, that's a good boy.
(Handwritten- Let's go!)
(Handwritten- Okay!)
???: I've been thinking on this a while..

016
???: If I did things over again then I wouldn't be able to return to “this place” again.
Isn't true happiness being able to...
Live a good life in the moment you're given?
If I could do things over again what kind of life would I have lived?
It's something I've considered over these last three years.
When I think about a world without Mikan, Hizu and Ana in it....
I believe that perhaps it is best that I was “able to do things over.”

017
???: It's unfair, right?
I know it's wrong for me to think this way...
But if doing things over is what allowed me to get my happiness then I can't refuse it.
I'm not the kind of person who's cool enough to say...
Something like...
“Life is precious because you can't do it over.”
Saike: But is there really anything wrong with a redo?
I don't think so, anyway.

018
Saike: We just might have too much flexibility with the concept than most people do.
???: Heh...
Someone: Saike!!

019
Saike: Should you fail again...
I'm sure everyone will be there to provide their support.
???: Yeah...
You're right.
{Say, do you have a “dream”?}

020
{Should you stumble or become lost en route to your dream...}
{Just stop and look back.}

021
{See?}
{I'm sure it's right there...}
SAIKE ONCE AGAIN: END.

022
(Height)
Mikan: Saike you sure got tall!
Saike: Oh? Did I?
Mikan: You're almost the same as Hizu.
See?
Eventually you'll be even taller than him, huh?
Saike: Huh?
Hizu: Saike, you don't have to drink milk anymore, dude.
Ana: You don't like the idea of him outgrowing you, huh.
(Artist)
Mikan: Here you go! The picture I promised.
Saike: Wow!
(Handwritten- Thank you!)
Saike: This is my first time really getting to see one of Mikan's paitnings.
Ana: She's going to be an amazing artist in the future!!
Saike: An amazing artist huh...
(Handwritten- MY ART IS EXPLODING!!)
(Sfx- Hahah)
(Sfx- Pukukukuku heeeheee)
Mikan: Just what is he imagining over there...

023
(School visitor)
Mako: Yumewo, we're having school visits now....
But I totally understand if you're busy with work and can't come!
Don't force yourself!
{The next day.}
Kuroda: HOORAY, HOORAY MAKOOOOOO
Mako: This is so embarassing...
(Under panel- It's like this every year.)
(Johann's everyday life.)
Girl: U—um, Johann...!!
I love you!!
Please go out with me!!
Johann: I'm sorry,
But I already have someone I like.
Girl: I—I see.
(Handwritten- Oh no that Johann rejected her!//He's the worst!!//That Gigolo!//Poor thing//You big jerk!!//Curly haired hunk!!)
{Sumire...}
{The world of children is not one to take lightly...}
(Handwritten- Wait, is “curly haired hunk” an insult?)
(Under panel- Johann easily became popular as an adult.)

024
(Online)
Ana: Dammit, I lost again!!
Hitomi: What's wrong Ana?
Ana: Listen to this, Hitomi!!
I've been playing against this really strong guy online!!
His name is “Tagatame”!!
And he keeps talking smack about me?!
{Tagatame}
{Lololol get gud}
Ana: Screw yoooou!!
Who the hell do you think you are?!
(Sfx- Gacha gacha click click)
Hitomi: Ana's full of passion.
(Sfx- Fufufu teehee)
(Saike once again?)
Saike: I messed up!!
I'll have to do it again!!
(Sfx- Dofuuhhnn blooosh)
Saike: Hah!!
That's right I don't have my oracle anymore!!
I'm gonna droooooowbbbluuub.
(Sfx- Gobo gobo ghob bloop bloop)
Saike: Glurbleblurblurble
{For some time Saike struggled with nightmares.}
(Sfx- Jita bata jita bata whiffle whiffle)
(Handwritten- Help meeee)

025
(Time Capsule)
Saike: Sorry to keep your waiting!
(Handwritten- I overslept!)
Mikan: Do you have what you want to include in the time capsule?
Saike: Yes! A picture of our time in Nepal, a letter and...
This!
Mikan: Oh! That too!
Hizu and Ana: What's this?
Saike: You could call it a hero certificate?
Hizu: Yes but what is it?
Saike: Heheh...
Start: Saike, you'll be a great hero.
Even without me around.
(Precious friends)
Saike: All right!
We can bury it now, right?
Mikan: Yeah!
We'll dig it up 10 years from today.
If we're still “precious friends” then...
Ana: hey!!
You secretly put the ribbon I gave you in there didn't you?!
You're supposed to keep that on your body at all times!!
(Sfx- Gyah gyah)
Hizu: I mean...I thought I didn't need it anymore...
(Sfx- Gyah gyah)
(Sfx- Doki doki throb throb)
(Sfx- Hara hara)
Saike: Don't worry about it. This is how they get along.
(Handwritten- They'll be fine even in ten years.)

So that's it! 141 chapters --all translated by me. It took an extra year (almost) after the series ended to get all of this done but I'm glad I stuck with it. Saike is...well, I wouldn't say it's Fukuchi's best series since I still think I like Anagle more, but I do believe that it's Fukuchi's strongest series with the most powerful message about heroism and the right to make mistakes. I'll admit that things got a little weird from time to time, and Fukuchi himself said he only really planned about six volumes before filling in the blanks from there, but overall Saike is a series I can readily recommend to everyone. It was really emotional translating these last two volumes but I enjoyed every moment of it. I'll be stepping away from translating as much as I usually do (But I'll still be around!!) since I do like the craft. I'd like to thank all of you for reading through this long and hope you'll experience Saike once again via my translations. As always it's been a pleasure. See you again.

-BDR.