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shinigami / death mark 2 spoilers

I can’t stop thinking about ojisan singing :’)

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We’re back to talk about Yashiki / Mash*ta as a pairing once again. Quick note, I’ve heard the less than positive feedback on the translation from players who played the Japanese version and I’ve tried searching for any translations that can help add to the context. Unfortunately the only context we’re using in this analysis is the official English version and fan translation for one of the DLCs. Thank you all so much for the interest and support on the first part! I knew I wanted to make another as it serves to archive their moments as well as analyse each scene. I’ll be going chronologically through the chapters so it's easier to follow. This is a long one! As always MAJOR SPOILERS for Death Mark 2 (And DM1) below.

Link to Part 1 <-

Starting out with a small tangent, the theme of Death Mark 2 or Shibito Magire (死噛) with The Departed brings up a subject that seems to be a pattern within this series, no matter the universe.

Something that reoccurs in the games and extra content is Yashiki’s negative experiences with women and being forced into some form of marriage. I’m wondering if it's an address on the pressures Yashiki must have felt as Masamune or still feels being the heir and sole survivor of the Kujou bloodline. You notice in Death Mark that Yashiki wasn’t particularly on the best terms with women, namely Christie and Hiroo, but they both did warm up to him and seemed good friends during Death Mark 2.

In the Red Riding Hood DLC, Hiroo is a target and becomes possessed in an attempt to seduce Yashiki, where the bad choices are a result of not trying to pull her out of it.Death Mark 2 has The Departed declaring Yashiki as their future husband, displaying intense possessiveness and jealousy over his close relationships with the Mark Bearers, while also repeating that they will exchange vows and be bound.

In Chapter 3 with Kashima, Yashiki has to pretend to be the beloved teacher of a besotted student - again - and reciprocate their feelings with the flower sketches in order to save them. The two girls Douryou and Kinukawa, cursed and possessed by The Departed make him increasingly uncomfortable with their advances and forcefulness in the game, also trying to entice him. Yashiki has to constantly reassure everyone around him that there is nothing going on and harbours no feelings other than that of a teacher and an adult watching out for the safety of the young students. Because of that, the teacher and head of Academic affairs, Sakamoto, is begrudged to help him in the investigations and holds hostility towards him. Enough to withhold information that would help the case and save the student body. Yashiki also has to inhabit the role of the groom in the final fight against The Departed and apply the ink to complete the ceremony.

Even in the “Blue End” CD Drama, Yashiki becomes possessed by the entity known as the “Master Of The Mark”, who aims to make Mary and later Rose when she tries to intervene, as their consorts, exclaiming that they must exchange vows.

All this in mind, it’s no surprise why many question Yashiki’s preferences (he’s also just a morally good man) and gravitate towards Yashiki and Mash*ta’s relationship. Their bond is natural and grounded, it’s not aggressively forced upon Yashiki or us as the player. He tends to have more chemistry with the male characters in general, to what feels to us as his closest relationships, specifically Mash*ta and Daimon. Now onto the game itself.

Death Mark 2 begins with Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 revolving around Hanako Of The Toilet and the relationship between her and her best friend Horikoshi when she was still alive. Although they are ultimately killed off, the introduction of Akai and Horikoshi’s romantic love feels like an important detail. Namely, a love that grew between two best friends. Where one was more confident, rough and unapologetically blunt, the other was more gentle, kind and reserved. That sounds familiar. It also introduces how with Izumi blackmailing Horikoshi, that it likely wouldn't have been accepted at the school due to the prestigiousness and more likely because of the time period. Still, with the first appearance of a queer couple in the series, could this potentially be a stepping stone towards exploring Yashiki and Mash*ta’s relationship in a similar direction? Foreshadowing of another love forming between two best friends? The chance of this happening definitely seems more possible now.

However, Yashiki still wondering about the nature of their feelings between the two girls despite uncovering their diary entries and sensing it while singing the song lyrics, gives an impression that he would be oblivious to any developed feelings from Mash*ta if it happened. Also if a relationship did happen, it would likely be kept a secret, at least for as long as possible.

In Chapter 3 Yashiki reunites with Shou, who asks where Mash*ta is since this investigation involves spirits, practically calling them inseparable. Unlike other Mark Bearers, Mash*ta receives his own introductory CG. While this could just be something for the fans as Mash*ta is the most popular character and he was not present in the scene, it’s something to see Shou describing them as a package deal right before Mash*ta is singled out in the character introductions with his own dramatic CG, looking wistful in the rain. You’d be forgiven for thinking Yashiki is daydreaming about this man, here. Though I’m wondering if this is meant to be Yashiki’s perspective from a memory. Then Yashiki informs us that they were on a phone call the night before, but surprisingly we don’t get to see nor hear that conversation, besides that Mash*ta is currently indisposed and unable to join the others just yet.

There’s also a tiny detail in the character file that you unlock as more characters join the investigations. The other Mark Bearers are described as becoming friends with the protagonist after he saved their life during the Mary incident, then you read Mash*ta’s to find he’s formed a “deep bond” with the protagonist due to the number of cases they’ve worked on together. In the previous game there were dropped hints of how their specific relationship stood out among the rest and it applies even more so in the sequel. Although, I’ve heard in the Japanese release they were referred to as “nakama=friends” in the file, which is curious how and why it was translated to “deep bond' in the English version.

Mash*ta makes his first appearance in Chapter 5, asked to aid Yashiki by Yasuoka like in Red Riding Hood and tries to treat it as just a job. Yashiki is surprised but relieved by his arrival, placing a lot of trust and confidence in his capabilities and methods that he’s quick to jump on his help. At this point Yashiki was isolating himself from the Mark Bearers over fear of losing them after what happened with Ai, Shou, Daimon and now potentially Hiroo, and while displaying the same worry, he knows he can’t afford to turn away Mash*ta. He does however plead with Mash*ta to not draw attention while investigating, where the detective responds with a mischievous grin and no promises. In their first interactions, Mash*ta is shown to be comfortable with teasing Yashiki, even proceeding to call him Mr.Yashiki or “Yashiki-sensei”, much to the man's displeasure. He is not enjoying his time as a temporary teacher.

This can be taken with a grain of salt due to translation, but certain dialogues and dialogue options showed some influence from the other. For example, Yashiki’s dialogue options can sometimes grow very blunt and curt. The one for Suzu in the hospital made me laugh due to hearing Mash*ta’s voice so clearly. Another is at the conclusion of Kokkuri where if you partner up with Mash*ta and head to Fox Forest to return the laccata, Mash*ta comments on Yashiki empathising with the spirits again, but then addresses the late teacher as well, stating he’ll report everything to the police, make sure the investigation reopens and to wait until then. A similar reassurance that Yashiki is known for, hoping to give closure. Whereas if you bring Hiroo, Yashiki takes the role and reassures the spirit instead. It feels as though the purpose of that dialogue was to show Yashiki has rubbed off on him somewhat through working together. Mash*ta also reminds him there won’t always be someone around to save him when he gets too wrapped up in a spirit’s suffering, heavily implying Mash*ta’s referring to saving Yashiki’s life in the finale of Red Riding Hood.

Once again, Mash*ta half surprises us all by sneaking another gun to Yashiki, no longer his own, but instead pulls something behind the scenes to get his hands on another just so he has protection. The man is risking a lot of potential jail time again and being very hypocritical for someone still straight-edge with the law, only to keep tossing it out the window to ensure Yashiki’s safety. Particularly when in the same chapter, he chastises Hiroo for trying to obtain the petri dish for research purposes and plans to confiscate it from her. This seems to be the most effective method he thinks to protect Yashiki, only it’s more reckless this second time as the safety has been removed! Just another display of Mash*ta’s unhinged actions when focused on Yashiki. Also while this could be a simple gag and more on the type of person Mash*ta is, literature studies I’ve written in the past have made it difficult for me to not see the topic of guns in their scenes as euphemisms and symbolism.

For example, Mash*ta is always the one to supply the gun - Someone who feels more comfortable or enlightened to their sexuality, a popular fanon theory in the fandom. Meanwhile Yashiki always takes the gun with hesitance, then returns it - Someone still discovering that part of themselves after having everything about them essentially wiped. Additionally in Death Mark, Yashiki doesn’t use the gun but instead entrusts Mash*ta with it, whereas he uses a gun alongside Mash*ta in Death Mark 2 on three occasions.

Further with the guns as symbolism is during the confrontation in The Departed’s Wedding. As the spirit focuses their attacks on Mash*ta, in order to survive the scene Yashiki must use the gun given by Mash*ta and shoot The Departed, framed in a way to show rejection as the spirit becomes upset and repeats the word “liar”. After wrapping up the story of Kokkuri, Mash*ta demands the gun back, although jokes that Yashiki can keep it if he so wishes. You’re given the option to be cheeky with him by attempting to keep it, but Mash*ta doesn’t allow it, saying you have seconds to hand it over.

In the opening of Chapter 6 while in the infirmary, you can access a voicemail left by Shou. He expresses frustration that Mash*ta was adamant in keeping him away for his own safety, unless the worst should happen to the two of them. However he believes he won’t have to get involved and views Yashiki and Mash*ta in such high regards that he practically calls them unstoppable as a team, something I’m sure Yashiki needed to hear. Shou’s comment brings up a point that really highlights itself in Death Mark 2.

Yashiki and Mash*ta cover each other’s flaws and weaknesses. Yashiki is not as objective and too trusting so there were signs he would miss, like the amount of coincidences surrounding Douryou and Kinukawa and how they misled him. He’s also not confrontational. Yashiki’s issue was that he was very tunnel visioned on the victim in each notice and the spirit tied to it, hardly given the time to investigate The Departed between everything that was happening. He is the compassionate and emotional half that focuses on uncovering the dead’s grudge, their regrets and desires in order to appease them, which in turn saves the lives of those affected, whereas Mash*ta is the more direct, tactical and logical half. Mash*ta from years in the profession is tenacious and prioritises getting information and results, allowing for less emotion to get in the way. Not just for a lack of spiritual power, but he would not be as attune to clearing a spirits resentment, nor possibly the patience. But he immediately noticed that Yashiki was being led around to get distracted, rather than focusing on the source and even figured out The Departed’s identity. This brings us back to what happened in Death Mark with the Mary reveal, but the stakes were higher as Yashiki was directly affected and on borrowed time.

The Departed case would have come to a close much sooner if Yashiki and Mash*ta had teamed up from the beginning, which is possibly why Mash*ta was absent for most of the story. While I don’t believe Yashiki lacks the skills and intelligence on his own, though he can sometimes be endearingly dense, he does get stuck in conflict with his head and his heart often. It makes me curious about all the various cases they’ve worked on together. In short, if it weren’t for Mash*ta arriving and voicing his suspicions of the two girls and directing Yashiki to investigate Kinukawa’s room to paint a clearer picture, Yashiki would still have been manipulated down the wrong path.

It seems Mash*ta’s role in Death Mark 2 is putting pieces together where Yashiki fell flat, steering him in the right direction and confirming what the player has already deduced. It takes Mash*ta’s appearance in the two chapters to get Yashiki to start suspecting the two students especially. Mash*ta's shown as protective over Yashiki and is a very reliable character at a crucial point in his state of mind, despite the latter’s perception that Douryou and Kinukawa are deemed trustworthy.

He states he could care less if Yashiki gets closer to the girls for the sake of gathering information, but tells him to watch his step from doing anything else, implicates Kinukawa as the culprit immediately after the man confesses to a very serious crime, then mildly threatens Douryou on her equally suspicious behaviour towards Yashiki. Volunteering himself instead of Yashiki to investigate inside the remains of a shrine on the verge of collapsing - with Yashiki immediately worrying when Mash*ta cries out when he merely smacked his hand. Mash*ta being the one to suggest the two separate while fleeing The Departed as he is the target, so Yashiki has a chance of escaping. He constantly reminds Yashiki to stay on track of his original goal, drags him back when he gets too deep in his thoughts, tells him to stop blaming himself for the incidents that were out of his control and even comforts him in his own way. At this stage, perceived as romantic or not, Mash*ta has made it very apparent that he is ride or die with Yashiki.

Also it’s not often we see Mash*ta address Yashiki by his full name -

In Chapter 7, Mash*ta is the partner that is taken to the wedding grounds of where the wedding ceremony took place and where The Departed’s resentment began. Seeing the unfortunate fate of Sakamoto in the Good Ending, Yashiki begins despairing, blaming himself for her death, to which Mash*ta steps in to shut down quickly. He then pauses to console him that he did save her at the end, as she regained a sense of self and shared one final clue for them.

Learning about the origin of The Departed’s grudge, the spirit suddenly appears. Yashiki desperately tries to get answers but Mash*ta snaps his attention back before he can get sucked in. This is where Mash*ta sees The Departed for the first time in their grotesque, final transformation with the appearance of a spider - which we’ve seen previously in Death Mark’s DLC. An infamous symbol of sex and fertility. And he wastes no time hurling insults at it for trying to appear attractive to Yashiki. While The Departed has displayed a pattern of abducting the Mark Bearers to feast upon, still giving Yashiki an opportunity to save them and announcing so, there is instead murderous intent with Mash*ta immediately and begins attacking. Potentially due to the spirit gradually becoming more unstable through its transformation as the game progresses and the location, but to suddenly become enraged at Mash*ta standing beside Yashiki while they’ve had less issue with characters like Ai or Hiroo standing too close, it’s interesting. A literal or symbolic sense. Standing next to each other as partners? As equals? As lovers? The Departed is thought to observe and learn Yashiki’s closest connections, so it’s left a guess how their relationship might have been interpreted.

When the two part with Mash*ta luring away The Departed, Yashiki assumes the worst and feels hopelessness and loss, lingering on Mash*ta while escaping Fox Forest. Returning to the infirmary, Yasuoka comforts him that Mash*ta always lived life to his own rules and recklessness and to not hold himself responsible. There’s even a moment where Yashiki steers himself and vows to do what he can to finish the case, for Mash*ta’s sake. It’s a touching, little moment.

I think it’s also worth pointing out that Yashiki’s presumably closest relationships at this moment are “removed” all the way up to the final confrontation. Even if previous Mark Bearers have survived or died, it doesn’t change the outcome of Daimon collapsing into a coma from a curse and Mash*ta being attacked and chased down by The Departed themselves. There’s no mercy for these particular men. After escaping The Departed, the first person Mash*ta thinks to contact is Yashiki because he knows he’s in a fragile state. The self-sacrificial man’s resolve has been tested throughout the entire game and he must not give in at the final hurdle.

In the Good Ending, breaking the news that he’s alive while passing a comment at Yashiki not sounding as relieved as he should be is laughable when Mash*ta didn’t even say a word and is currently using a public phone. He attempts to cheer him up, saying he should be proud of himself for saving The Departed, and assuring that no one thinks differently of him for what he must’ve had to do. Mash*ta may never approve of Yashiki’s methods but he understands the physical and mental toll it takes on him.

At the end of it all in the True Ending, Yashiki and Mash*ta are destined to go for drinks with Hiroo and Daimon, thanks to the latter giving an invitation, which is a fun disaster of a scene I’d very much like to see. Undoubtedly a lot more snark compared to the outing with Ai, Shou and Hiroo. Though I’m sure Mash*ta will not be pleased to hear Douryou and Kinukawa barged into the mansion and regained their memories, being not the best at dealing with “brats”.

In one of the games DLC “Mary’s Makeover / New Colour” only available in Japan, but fan-translated by Generic Weeb Content, Moe, Eita and Suzu aid Yashiki in searching the mansion for a number combination, where one of the rooms available is the investigation room. Yashiki comments that this is where the Mark Bearers usually meet for spiritual investigations, so a few of their belongings are scattered around. Only two of them are of note. One is the small shrine Moe brought for protection and the other is the large green coat belonging to Mash*ta hanging on a coat rack. That’s been there the entire game and now we know. According to Yashiki, Mash*ta had forgotten it one time and it’s remained ever since. He speculates he must keep multiple, similar coats.

This immediately raises questions and shows a lot without telling. One important implication being how frequently Mash*ta visits the mansion, which we get an idea of from a certain coffee making Voice Drama - and yet according to the game in those four months prior, Yashiki has never once set foot in Mash*ta’s office. I’m very sceptical that someone observant like Mash*ta can forget they’re not wearing an oversized coat weighing on their shoulders. Furthermore, it’s a very plausible theory that the coat belonged to Mash*ta’s late senior as it is oversized and hangs loosely on every art sprite. Then there’s the inclusion of it on a singular panel from the manga where Mash*ta talks about him. Given he still carries the old lighter, he is at least somewhat of a sentimental person, so it's entirely possible he would keep it also as a memento. In other words, something treasured that he wouldn’t misplace. And why is it still there? Yashiki must have contacted him about it, so perhaps Mash*ta shrugged it off and never bothered to collect it. If we want to dive deeper, it sounds vaguely like the behaviour of leaving more and more belongings behind one does with a partner until they’ve practically moved in, leaving his mark on the mansion so to speak. Or it’s because Mash*ta views the Kujou mansion as another place to call home. Either way, Mash*ta is very casual about it and Yashiki allows it.

The DLC ends on a final scene with Yashiki and Mash*ta on the phone discussing Mary and the Death Parade. Parallel to the first game’s DLC, Mash*ta parts with some advice, warning him to be cautious around Mary and to watch out for himself. Yashiki reassures and thanks him, to which Mash*ta responds in the way one expects. After the call however, Yashiki addresses that while Mary is obsessed with him, he feels obsessed with her in return. In both instances in the DLCs, Mash*ta expresses open concern for Yashiki’s wellbeing and has the last word, setting up to be the voice of reason to pull Yashiki back from the brink. Knowing him too well that he needs to make him realise how dangerously empathetic he is and will be if Mary awakens or pulls some strings. Not to diminish the other friendships Yashiki has, as they are also important, but the devs specifically show in moments like these how much of an important piece Mash*ta is in Yashiki’s life. The balance that he needs. This ominous ending could be hinting at a build up to where Mash*ta saves Yashiki similar to Red Riding Hood or Yashiki’s mental state deteriorating, that everyone bands together to pull him out of that darkness.

Overall, I think this game perfectly demonstrates why they would work well as a couple. Canonical wise, it’s clear the two men have grown closer between the events of the games and keep in regular contact. They continue to have chemistry, address each other more casually, openly joke with one another, have wacky moments like hissing at a rock and shooting guns in the forest whilst on a mushroom trip, and are even called inseparable and unbeatable as a duo. Which leads into a moment in the Kokkuri case, where Mash*ta mentions again that Yashiki would make a good detective. Whether a praise or a jab, it’s another nod at his business proposal as partners from the previous game. They’ve already crossed the line of being partners in these cases, and even more so in NG, so that might end up being inevitable. Especially from Death Mark 2’s ending where Yashiki discovers what his role will be from now on and his motivations behind pursuing further spiritual cases.

It bears repeating that this isn’t meant to take away from their friendship, but the subtle (or less than subtle) implications of something romantic are all there in a lot of ways in Death Mark 2 - despite the overarching theme of thrusting Yashiki into a teacher-student romance scenario. There’s even more of an influx of art and fanfictions of the two men from old and new fans introduced to the series, as a result. And with the addition of LGBT+ characters - minus the doomed, buried trope - it could be seen as something positive for where their relationship could go. It certainly opens up the possibility.

If a sequel is in the works or if they are testing interest with the latest DLC, it’ll be interesting to see where they take these two in the next installment. One thing is for certain, if there was ever a decision to plan a Yashiki and Mash*ta spin off series or something that centered on them as protagonists, it is guaranteed a large audience. Next part we’ll be looking at CD Voice Dramas currently available and fan translated by amazing people in the fandom, including “Blue End” and more. If I’ve missed anything from the game, please do feel free to add! Thank you so much for reading!

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許されよ。許されよ。我の罪を。許されよ。 自由を愛する妖精たち。愛を守った妖精たち。 貴方たちのブリテンは栄えるでしょう。沢山の死を積み上げて、永遠に。永遠に。 でも、どうぞいつまでも忘れずに。 世界が新しくなるほど根は古び、誰も知らないまま、この通り。 取りに足りない、小さな虫のひと噛みで崩れるのです。 ���されよ。許されよ。我らが罪を、許されよ。

Fairies who love freedom. Fairies who protected their love.Your Britain will flourish. Accumulate a lot of deaths, forever. eternally.But please don’t forget forever.The newer the world, the older the roots are, and this street without anyone knowing.It crumbles with a bite of a small inadequate insect.Forgive us. Forgive us. My sin. Forgive us.

--FGO Lostbelt 6 Epilogue? Trailer: Coronation’s first narration

Under the cut is possible outline for the Part 3 plot for Avalon LB6.

You’ve been warned below the cut is also containing spoilers, proceed at your own risk.

Note: Kanji for the Beast is still unknown if it’s the same and if Chaldea will really be encountering another Beast Class here in Avalon.

Actually second thought... That hole reminds me of a certain blond-haired yandere who wants her prince charming where that is she’s currently at now....

And by the narration of a small inadequate insect.... I think for a very long while and now confirmation, a certain Sakura going currently by the name of Muryan is now going to be the main star of this“epilogue”.

But in summary, yep... We’re now at the true face of what Avalon is like behind the farce the‘mirror’ aka the illusion that has been shown to Chaldea from Part 1 and 2

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[Kurosh*tsuji Collab] 5★ William T. Spears (Normal) Translation

第５話　遅れは迅速に取り戻してChapter 5: Backlog, cleared as soon as possible

“Towards you, who was late for the appointed meeting time, he...“

CV: 杉山 紀彰 (Sugiyama Noriaki)

*Spoiler free: Translations will remain under cut*Name will remain as my normal ( ラン )

ウィリアム『15分21秒の遅刻です』William: "You are 15 minutes and 21 seconds late."

━━━━━━━∘◦ ✰ ◦∘━━━━━━━

ドアを開けた途端、ウィリアムさんの生真面目な顔が目に飛び込んできて…－。William’s dead serious expression entered my line of sight as soon as I opened the door.

私はしばらく、何も言えずに立ち尽くしていた。I stood there for a while, speechless.

ウィリアム「……」William: …...

ウィリアムさんは眉をひそめて、こちらに大きく一歩近づく。William furrowed his eyebrows and took a big step forward.

黄緑色の瞳が、私の目前で怒りを湛えて揺れた。His yellowish-green eyes glinted with anger.

（こ、怖い……！）(H-He’s scary!)

ウィリアム「遅刻は許しません。小さなミスが大きな残業に繋がるのですから。　それは、貴女がいかに高貴な身分であろうと関係ありません。　勤務時間は厳守していただきたい」William: I cannot forgive those who are not on time, for even the smallest of mistakes make for lots of overtime. It doesn’t matter how high your social status is; I’d like you to strictly adhere to the work hours.

彼の勢いに圧倒されながら、私は小さく口を開く。Overwhelmed by his sudden barrage of words, I opened my mouth to speak.

ラン「す、すみません……」Ran: I-I’m sorry!

ウィリアムさんは、そんな私を見て呆れたようにため息を吐いた。He sighed in exasperation as he watched me apologize.

ウィリアム「まったく。　協力関係を結んだ以上、今、貴女は私のパートナーなのですから」William: Honestly. You’re my partner now, since we’ve established the fact that we’re going to be cooperating with each other the day before.

（パートナー……）(Partners…)

その言葉の響きに、胸にふわりと微かな温もりが宿る。The sound of that word made my heart feel all fuzzy.

（そんなふうに、思ってくれてたなんて）(So that’s how he thinks of me.)

私は勢いよく頭を下げた。I bowed my head with renewed vigor.

ラン「ごめんなさい！　この分は今日の調査で取り戻します」Ran: Sorry! I’ll make up for it in today’s investigation!

朝の日差しが満ちた廊下に、私の声が響き渡る。My voice echoed through the sun-lit hallways.

ウィリアム「……」William: …...

その沈黙がとても長く感じて、私は恐る恐る彼を見上げた。The silence that ensued was deafening. I looked up at him, fearing the worst.

ウィリアムさんは、私に視線を落としたまま眼鏡をくいと押し上げ…－。He shifted to adjust his glasses whilst looking down at me.

ウィリアム「その謝罪で、更に2秒無駄にしました。早く調査に向かいましょう」William: And you’ve wasted another 2 seconds with that apology. Let’s hurry and continue our investigations.

やはり毅然と、抑揚のない声でそう告げる。Like always, his words were said in an emotionless, yet decisive manner.

（あれ……でも）(Hm…? Something’s different.)

その表情が、私にはわずかに和らいだように見えた。The expression he had on his face was softer than anything I’ve seen before.

その時…－。And then, at that moment...

？？「大変だ！」??: Big trouble!

男性の声が聞こえたかと思えば、ロビーの方が突然騒がしくなった。I heard what sounded like a man’s voice before the lobby burst into chatter.

ラン「……何があったんでしょう？」Ran: ...Wonder what happened?

ロビーから走ってくる壮年の男性に、何ごとかと尋ねる。I asked a middle-aged man about what was going on.

すると…－。And then,

壮年の男性「事故だ！　近くの鉱山で落盤事故が起こったらしい！」Middle-aged Man: An accident happened! It seems like the mine nearby has collapsed!

ラン「え……！」Ran: What!?

壮年の男性「早く助けに向かわないと……おい皆！　手を貸してくれ！！」Middle-aged Man: We have to hurry and help them! Hey, everyone…! Lend me a hand!!

男性は慌ただしく宿の中を走り出した。The man rushed into the inn.

ラン「ウィリアムさん、私達も行きましょう！」Ran: William-san, let’s head over there too!

ウィリアムさんを振り向くと……However, when I turned back to look at him...

ウィリアム「何故ですか？」William: Why?

彼は実に興味のなさそうな顔で、私を見た。He looked at me, uninterested.

ラン「なぜって……」Ran: What…?

ウィリアム「貴方は、さっきの言葉をもう忘れたのですか？　我々はこれから調査に向かう予定です」William: Have you already forgotten what you, yourself said earlier? We’re to continue our investigations right now.

ラン「それは…－」Ran: That’s because-

いたたまれなさと申し訳なさを感じつつも、無視することはどうしてもできない……I felt a sense of helplessness and felt bad for shirking my promised duties, but there was no way that I could just ignore the plea for help.

ラン「放っておくことなんてできません……！　ウィリアムさん、お願いです。私達も…－」Ran: There’s no way I can ignore this! Please! Let’s head the-

必死の思いでウィリアムさんに訴えかける。I desperately tried to sway him.

けれど、ウィリアムさんの表情は微塵も変わることはない。However, he didn’t budge even an inch from his stance.

ウィリアム「死神による人間界への生死に関わる干渉は、ルール違反…－」William: It is against the rules to interfere with life-and-death issues in the human realm as a Reaper-

ため息交じりのその言葉に、私は奥歯を噛みしめる。I gritted my teeth as he sighed in explanation.

ラン「……っ」Ran: …...

考える間もなく、私はウィリアムさんに背を向けて走り出していた…－。I turned my back on him and ran off without thinking twice...

つづく…To be continued…

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Nuclear Gypsies (生きてるうちが花なのよ死んだらそれまでよ党宣言), 1985 dir. Azuma Morisaki

status: completeddownload here

translation notes (includes spoilers):

・The film’s english title is“Nuclear Gypsies” after the central subject matter, but the Japanese title is, as you may have noticed, much longer. The Romaji reading of the absurdly long title is“Ikiteru uchi ga hana na no yo shindara soko made yo to sengen”, which roughly translates to,“Declaration by the Being Alive is the Best - If You Die, That’s It Party” - “party” meaning a political party or faction. Going even deeper, the way“being alive is the best” is phrased alludes to the Japanese way of saying“silence is golden”,“言わぬが花” (iwanu ga hana), which in itself directly translates to“not saying is a flower”. Saying something is a“flower” in this way means that it’s“the best”, so in another way the first part of the title could be directly translated to“being alive is a flower”.It is never made explicit why this is the film’s title.

・Rafute is a signature Okinawan dish, usually consisting of cubed pork stewed in awamori (very strong Okinawan alcoholic spirit), soy sauce, dashi and sugar. Nearly all the body parts of a pig are more or less commonly eaten throughout Okinawa, which explains Barbara’s quip about the pig ears.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafute

・The Okinawan song first sung by Shimabukuro (the character almost only seen on screen playing a sanshinand singing) and then referenced several times throughout the movie is“Juku no Haru” 十九の春 (”Spring of My 19th Year”). Commonly misthought of as a traditional Okinawan folk song (perhaps because it was “adapted” from a much older village song whose composer is unknown), the first recording of the song was released in 1972 and has since been one of the most widely known folk songs representative of Okinawa.Though the lyrics tell a story from multiple perspectives, which make it a bit hard to comprehend, the song is about an older married man who plans to leave his wife for a younger woman from a brothel. The first 3 verses are sung from the perspective of the wife of the older man, and then the 4th and 5th verses are thought to be from the perspective of the man’s younger lover. The film only references the 1st verse and the 4th.

・There are a few things to note when the Captain says“This is the best place in all of Japan. The Peoples’ Republic of Okinawa, settled on the waves”. The first is that he may be referring to the Ryukyu (former name of Okinawa) independence movement, which has been present since the US occupation after WWII; the second is that “settled on the waves” is a play on words from the name of the eatery that Barbara’s family (?) runs,“Nami no Ue” 波の上、or“on the waves”.

・The Eisa festival is one of Okinawa’s biggest annual traditional festivals, held in late summer.https://www.visitokinawa.jp/information/eisa

・”Tokoyo-no-shima” is a mythological place from ancient Japanese folklore which conjures images of a “distant, otherworldly land”, and has the same connotation as“Heaven”, or at times,“Hades”. I believe the name comes from the story of Tokoyo, who sails to far off islands to search for her banished father.“Tokoyo-no-shima” is likely closely related to“Tokoyo-no-kuni”, which is the land beyond the living (like the afterlife, but not really sinister).

・Miyazato making a joke about wrapping things up in old newspaper and exchanging them for tissues refers to an old system in Japan where people could exchange things for tissue/toilet paper.

・Tadashi, an aspiring yakuza underling, refers to Miyazato as“aniki” 兄貴 which is a common way to politely address someone older or above you in rank (sometimes also of the same rank) within yakuza gangs. It translates literally to“(older) brother”, but I have avoided directly translating it to complicate the character relationships.

・A goza mat is a cheap mat made of rush, common in old Japanese houses.

・Kokusai Street (Kokusai-dori) is one of the main streets in downtown Naha, Okinawa.

・Many references are made to a“hanba” 飯場 which can mean a construction camp, bunkhouse or living quarters for workers depending on the context. In Nuclear Gypsies, they refer to the poorly kept living quarters that plant workers live out of, so translations of the term stem from“plant workers’ living quarters”, shortened when necessary.

・Aiko tells the story of how she was named by referring to words used when playing Japanese rock-paper-scissors, “Jan-ken-pon”じゃんけんぽん. I won’t go into the details of the language used in Jan-ken-pon, but the phrase“aiko deshou!”アイコでしょう！is what you say when the first round yields no winners, and so another round is required (usually in quick succession). The phrase“aiko deshou” literally means“it’ll be a tie, won’t it!”, which ties in to Aiko’s story about her name.

・There is a section in the film where Aiko reminisces about all the people she’s met, beginning with the people at the living quarters she was at. The rhythm of her pattern of speech gradually starts to follow a simple possessive grammar that is easy to say in Japanese but difficult to capture in English - for example, “tsume-kami no Takeuchi sensei”爪噛みの竹内さん puts together the verb/noun - “nail-biting” - with the name of someone -“Mr. Takeuchi”, more or less indicating that the thing that represents that person the most is said verb/noun; an easier example is “Sawa from Shinonome” - “Shinonome no Sawa san”. These get very complicated and Japanese-centric as Aiko goes on, and while I have tried to capture the bizarre nature of her monologue, there is not enough subtitle space to fully translate the multitude of strange expressions she uses to describe all these people, all of them unique. Moreover, her dialogue begins to multiply around 2-3 times and overlap over one another, making it near impossible to transcribe all the things that are being said. Where possible I have included 2 simultaneous dialogue lines in the subtitles, but otherwise I have chosen to only transcribe and translate the lines that can be heard more or less prominently.

・“Distribution of mementos” refers to“katami-wake”形見分け, a Japanese custom of giving away the belongings of someone that has recently passed away to family members or others close to the deceased.

・A fox’s wedding is a Japanese expression used to describe a sun shower. Where the term “kitsune no yomeiri” 狐の嫁入り is used, I have chosen to leave it in its literal translation rather than translate it as“sun shower”, as later in a pivotal scene where a sun shower happens, the characters refer to it using a different expression.

・At Aiko’s wedding, the“exchanging of nuptial cups” refers to“san-san kudo” 三々九度, a Shinto marriage ritual of exchanging sake cups between a newly wedded couple.

・When Ginko talks to Barbara about Maria’s future, she actually says something along the lines of her“living like a dog who’s being kept alive beyond its useful life”. This somewhat disheartening expression is“kaigoroshi” 飼い殺し in Japanese, whose kanji literally means“killing by owning”. The expression has come to mean someone who is being kept on a payroll despite not being utilized for their skills. I have tried to reflect this in the subtitles.

・When Miyazato mentions“hateful uranium”, the Japanese being spoken is“uraminyumu” 恨みニューム, which is a portmanteau of“urami” 恨み or“grudge, resentment, malice”, and the Japanese pronunciation of uranium. I couldn’t think of any appropriate ways of reflecting this play on words in English, so I have translated it normally.

・I could not find any reference to the Okinawan expression about hands and elbows mentioned by Tamae’s mother at the end of the film, so I’m unsure as to whether it’s real or not. Similarly, I could not locate any references to Shimabukuro’s ominous response“Higan-jirai jishiki, ichigan-jira ishiki”, so I am unable to translate it. It sounds vaguely Buddhist, or it may be some uncommon idiomatic expression - I have no idea, unfortunately. If anyone knows, feel free to get in contact and fill me in - I would love to know!

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oh... you made an oopsie

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| I'm still not over hearing through that voicemail just how much Shou looks up to Mash*ta and Yashiki, calling them an unstoppable force against spirits. He's so proud, it makes my heart go squishy.

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A small thought regarding Michiho and Douryou as characters. DEATH MARK 2 SPOILER below:

I'm curious how well recieved Michiho and Douryou were in the Eastern fandom and if another game is made, whether they'll bring them back or not. Death Mark 2 definitely tried to make the player care about them, but I'm not sure if it landed. Because based on what I've seen from the West, a number of people do not like them - mainly because of how they acted towards Yashiki, possession and post possession, along with the themes and tropes surrounding the game. We only really spend time with the real them in the True Ending for five minutes or so in the closing scene. I won't go too into my own thoughts but for me, so much with the girls felt forced and was very noticeable that I wonder how different it is for others.

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