Gintama 386

After trying for about three hours to find a decent American band or songs to listen to while I translate this I realize only now that Circa year 2003 American music sucks.

....Seriously. Fuck American singing.




(Side text- Under a moonlit night...)

???: I detest that moon.

I'll allow that the moon and the night bring you when they arrive,

But the moment that dawn stirs all of you leave me alone.

I am of the firm opinion that it would be best if the moon were just to melt away and disappear.

If that were to happen I know that we could remain here in Yoshiwara together.

GINTAMA

???: You know that the night and the moon will come again together.

And there will be a dawn where you will be able to accompany me and leave from here.

The next time there is a full moon,

Wait for me in front of the sakura.

(Sfx- Pushhn pop)

(Sfx-Punn pop)

002

???: Do you promise?

???: Yes I do.

???: Definitely...

???: Definitely...

???: I will wait for you...

As long as there is a moon I will always wait....

(Side text- Various memories are exchanged on the streets of Yoshiwara...)

GINTAMA
SORACHI HIDEAKI
Lesson 386: The prostitute that turns the tables.
(TN- Well...the chapter title reads 'Keisei gyakuten' 'How the tables have turned, or now the shoe is on the other foot.'. Sorachi wrote the 'Keisei' with the same kanji as 'prostitute'. It's a joke that doesn't work in English. At all. Like usual.)
Gintoki: Huh?

The legendary escort?

003

Tsukuyo: Beats me too. There's one otha' daahlink in Yoshiwara...

Tha prostitute Suzuran.

Gintoki: And what legend is this? The one of Lot's descendants?

A prostitute of the finest firmament?

Hinowa: Did someone mention Flora?

Gintoki: Hell no. We're having a conversation about Bianca.

Hinowa: Don't forget Deborah.

Tsukuyo: Yeah...no one cares about any of 'em.

(TN- All of these ladies are brides from the Dragon quest series of video games.)

Tsukuyo: Suzuran is a courtesan who was Yoshiwara's pride 'n' joy back when things were lookin' good. She mighta even been more popular than Hinowa back then.

Gintoki: That's pretty impressive.

Hinowa(?): Not only was her beauty divine,

but it was said that she was accomplished in the arts. No one rivaled her in song and dance.

Many high ranking officials would flock to Suzuran with their wallets open but,

She wouldn't lift a finger for them -offering them tea and not much else before returning them home. Since that was normally the case there's not too much known about her either.

004

Gintoki: Oooh, so in the land of prostitution she'd be considered royalty.

Meanwhile you've got Hinowa here working as a lowly serf in the castle as her white facepaint cracks and falls off her face.

(Sfx- Doshasaah blssshhh)

Hinowa: Oopsie~ My hand slipped. I guess working in the country has got me all tired~

Gintoki: Well legends and shit are fine and dandy...

But I'm fine with just getting served here at the bar.

Hinowa: Why not have what you want and a bit more then?

Gintoki: ….Say what?

(Handwritten- Geez.)

Hinowa: You're such a dull man. Don't you understand it yet?

That prostitute is the one who called you here.

It seems she has an interest in meeting the messiah of Yoshiwara.

Which is to say the legendary courtesan isn't being called on, but is calling on you.

(Sfx- Shuh shuh sfft sfft)

005

Gintoki: I wonder if this will do?

No wait...

I mean if we're gonna do this for real, I guess this works.

No..wait how about right here like this?

(Sfx- Shu shu sfft sfft)

Gintoki: Naw it has to be...

(Sfx-Dooh thok)

Tsukuyo: Don't matter none.

Whatcha doin' getting all flustered by yerself?

Gintoki: Location is important! I mean the one Imma be with is the legendary courtesan you know..

I'd rather have the place looking just right or things will cool off down there. It'll be like Tsukiji, and I the cold and lifeless tuna on sale.

(TN- Sex joke, lol. Though Tsukiji is a port town known for it's fish.)

Tsukuyo: Don't you worry none. We ain't here to curtail yer expectations or nothin'.

Hinowa: That's right. After all Yoshiwara is all about men acting out strange fantasies with women.

Gintoki: That's not the problem here!!

More like, why are you two even here? Can you make like trees and leaf?

Gin-san's left the building. He doesn't want to see you two any more, because he wants to become Gingin-san.

The real 'Yoshiwara is burning arc' is about to begin. It'll be really dangerous so you'd better leave.

Tsukuyo: And it's cause you're so dangerous that we're gonna watch you.

006

Gintoki: Hoshit, no way...do you guys want a four wa---

(Sfx- Dosu thok)

Tsukuyo: Hinowa is he gonna be alright? He's already getting all riled up and ain't no one else here yet.

Hinowa: He'll be fine~ Boys his age can look at an anatomy text book and get riled up.

Tsukuyo: I get tha' idea that we ain't talkin' bout the same thing.

(Sfx- Bushaaah blllsssh)

Girl: Daahlink Suzuran has arrived~

(Sfx- Suhh sfft)

Hinowa: Ooh. Suzuran-san has arrived it seems.

(Sfx- Gubahhh fwoop)

{Well damn! I would have never expected this sorta development~}

{It actually wasn't a waste of time to become Yoshiwara's messiah!}

{Shinpachi, Kagura I'm sorry. I mean I know you guys did your part in saving Yoshiwara and stuff...}

{Buuut Imma take my reward first!!}

{I wonder what arts of seduction she's gonna use?}

{What's gonna happen to me?}

{Is it okay for me to keel over?}

{Is it okay that I stop drop and roll right into the land of pleasure?}

007

(Sfx- Doooon Thooom)

(Sfx- Gaaan thuuunk)

Gintoki: Ungh!

???: M—my deepest apologies...

(Sfx- Gata gata shake shake)

???: T—this is my first appearance on stage in a while...

I---I---I am..

(Sfx- Buru buru shiver shiver)

(Sfx- Gata gata clatter clatter)

???: Su—su—Suzu—ra...

Ah...

Wait...who am I again?

008

Hinowa: I'll introduce you two. This is the legendary courtesan,

Our beloved senpai...

The Daahlink Prostitute Suzuran.

(Sfx- Pikiihh crackle)

(Sfx- Gahh clink)

(Sfx- Shagaaahhh ssssssshhhh)

(Sfx- Gah clank)

Tsukuyo: Where ya off to?

Gintoki: To Tsukiji.

Hinowa: I know you might have heard me say prostitute, and I am sorry for the mix up..
But she is a hard worker so much so that she's achieved a miraculous angle.

(Sfx- Buru buru shiver shiver)

(Sfx- Gaku gaku shake shake)

Gintoki: I see. So she's the legendary Daahlink....Boomerang?

Tsukuyo: Daahlink Suzuran.

009

Gintoki: You guys suck and not in the good way. You made it sound as if she works along WITH you and not years BEFORE. I was totally fooled.

No where in the description you gave me of her did you mention her being a daahlink of yesteryear.

(Handwritten- You bitches are going to pay for messing with me.)

Suzuran: Um, I'm still full of pep and vigor even now.

Gintoki: Huh?!

Suzuran: I'm not trying to brag, but I'm still at the top of my game. There aren't other daahlinks that have people diving into the underground more than me.

Gintoki: Uh lady? Rather than diving underground into Yoshiwara someone needs to bury you deep underground immediately!

(Sfx- Geho gaho cough cough)

Suzuran: I may have many years on the others, but I'm still young at heart. With the techs I know, I'll never lose to...

chooo!!

(Sfx-Gubaah fwooof)

(Sfx- Gah clamp)

Gintoki: WHAT KIND OF TECHNIQUE IS THIS?!

Suzuran: Hinowa-chan, Tsukuyo-chan, thank you for preparing things, but I'll take over the lead role.

Now messiah, come over here and.....wait, who are you?

Gintoki: Sakata Gintoki!

Suzuran: I've wanted to convey my gratitude to you for some time now...please forgive my tardiness.
Today you're allowed to drink until you keel over. couhcohol~

(Sfx- Bicha bicha blorrsh blorrsh)

(Sfx- Gata gata shiver shiver)

Gintoki: Um Daahlink, I can't drink what doesn't make it into the cup.

Suzuran: Hm? There doesn't appear to be any more.

Gintoki: Daahlink! You should listen to people when they talk!!

Suzuran: Cough cough, Today you're going to drink until you keel over~

SooGUWAHHH!

(Sfx- Doshaaaah thuuud)

Gintoki: DAAAHLINKKK!!! GO BACK HOME BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY KEEL OVER!!

Hinowa: As expected of the mistress of dance.

Daahlink Suzuran, your break dancing is splendid.

(Sfx- Jita bata thud thud)

(Sfx- Beben twang twang)

(Sfx- Ughooooooh)

Gintoki: SHE AIN'T BREAK DANCING! SHE'S ACTUALLY BREAKING DOWN!! CAN'T YOU SEE IT?!

010

Gintoki: Heeey!! Are you okay?! Hey! Can't someone call an ambulance?!

Suzuran: Well aren't we in a hurry sir? I suppose we can consummate now then.

Gintoki: NEVEEEEER!!!

Suzuran: I'm ready to be consummated~

Gintoki: NOT LIKE THAT YOU AREN'T!! WHAT KIND OF CONSUMATION IS THAT?!

(Sfx- Gara gara clatter clatter)

(Sfx- Dossahh Thud)

Suzuran: T—today lets have a good time~

Gintoki: Hoooow?! That's not the kind of face that one associates with pleasure!!

(Sfx- Pih pih beep beep)

(Sfx- Zeh hyuuu)

Suzuran: Thank you for being a part of my final trip into the tatami room...

Gintoki: Don't say unlucky shit like that!!

Suzuran: You're a kind man.

To worry so much about an old Daahlink like myself...

(Sfx- puh poit)

Suzuran: How about we make a promise?

(Sfx- Suh shfft)

(Sfx- Kyuuh wnnd)

011

Suzuran: We shall meet again...

the next time the moon appears.

I will wait for you...

As long as there is a moon I will always wait....

Hinowa(?): I'm unsure whether this will be the last time or not...

For the legendary courtesan’s last trip into the tatami room...

But either way thank you Gin-san.

For caring for her...no all of the courtesans.

(Sfx- Pen pen twang twang)

012

Gintoki: ….Is this some sorta 'lovers suicide' pact or something?

(Sfx- Pepen ttwang)
Hinowa: A long time ago in Yoshiwara the customers and courtesans...

would often take pledges of mutual love.

'But of course a courtesan is a product...so fraternizing with the customer is a taboo.

Still I want to give all of my love to you.

I will never betray you.'

Such pledges would be honored with the courtesan tying their hair to the finger of the man they're with.

Sadly such matters rarely come to fruition

since a man needs to be wealthy in order to buy a courtesan's freedom.

Gintoki: I'll admit the old bat is as sly as the rumors...

Since she has some dude out there that has her hair wrapped to his finger.

Hinowa: In normal circumstances a courtesan retires her post at around 30 years old, and then helps groom the younger generation to replace her.

Yet, shes continued to take customers well after her age and well after Yoshiwara had been liberated.

She's done everything she could to remain here....even fooling Housen.

013

Hinowa: And so she's remained a courtesan.

And at this rate will remain one who never left Yoshiwara once in her life.

I've heard her mention something while conversing...

Apparently she had a promise she made back when Yoshiwara existed above the ground.

Together....

She'd escape Yoshiwara with someone she said.

Unfortunately as of now she doesn't remember the name or the circumstances around the promise...

So there's a good chance she's got you and the man she promised mixed up.

Tsukuyo: ….Hinowa...

Ya ain't sayin that she's been waitin' here in Yoshiwara for that man...?

Hinowa: Perhaps.

Though it isn't strange for men and women alike to deceive each other in Yoshiwara.

Everyone knows full well that dreams born here exist but for one night,

Yet they embrace that transience and live out an act of dreams.

The likelihood of anything real coming from such a play is miniscule.

Even though the daahlinks know that, it still happens over and over again.

014

Hinowa: Despite not wanting to remember....

that one-night-dream...

Within the gentle light of the moon....

That dream...

continues to sleep.

Hundred bloom: In any case sir we're looking for information in regards to an old story.

We're mostly investigating any leads on the former Yoshiwara....

Dude: Suzuran? Well my dearly departed and very perverted old man mentioned her once..

You'd probably have better luck investigating the generation above ours though.

015

Old guy: Ooh, yeah I remember her...she was a hell of a woman.

But she was a flower far outta the reach of poor guys like us.

If I had only been able to see Suzuki Ranran once..

Old guy 2: Oh yeah...she was a popular one back in the day. As soon as she took one step into the house she'd be flooded with fans. It became a chore for her to even walk around.

She shoulda gone back to being a normal girl.

But if I had to choose between Ran-chan and Miki-chan..

I'd go straight for the candies in one shot.

Old guy 3: I'd do big lady in one shot.

Musashi-like person: I'd do YOU in one shot.

Old guy 4: I don't care who it is...I just want one more shot...

(Sfx- Gaku thunk)

Gintoki: Me? I'd go with Ketsuno Ana...

Though I don't mean that ana, but the other...

(Sfx- Gopaaahh thooook)

Tsukyo: Tha 'hell ya doin over there?

Gintoki: The same could be asked of you. Why are you taking a survey of who wants to do who in one shot?

Tsukuyo: Thems those damn perverted dinosaurs that started talkin' nonsense!

016

Gintoki: Aww, are we trying to find out who the old bat made the promise with?

(Sfx- Pupuh snicker)

Gintoki: I see, so you dunno what kind of man she made the promise so you decided to do a sorta maiden check?

Tsukuyo: Ain't no one doin a maiden check!

Don'tcha start lookin' down on the head of tha hundred blooms!

I—I---I was just lookin' for a new pipe! And while I was lookin' round these here parts I got lost...yeah...

Hundred blooms: Boss! We dug up beneficial new info on Suzuran!!

Tsukuyo: Silenceee!

Gintoki: Eh? Silencee? Sounds like a fancy hair product. Gonna go buy some silenceerinse next and then do your hair so it's all nice and silky? You cute lil' maiden you.

Tsukuyo: Ain't like that! I'm gonna get silenceerinse to get my hair straight! Ya'll go buy me some!

Gintoki: That's women for you.

(Handwritten- Silenceerinse?)
Gintoki: You just couldn't keep your nose out of that old bat's promise and now you just don't feel right until you meddle around in her affairs. How very sad.

Shinpachi: Gin-saan! We got something!

(Sfx- Dah dash)

Kagura: We have found it! There is some good info on the old lady!!

Gintoki: Be Silencee!!

Tsukuyo: Ooh? What a coincidence. Yer buying silenceerinse for that mop you call hair?

Gintoki: It ain't silenceerinse, It's besilenceerinse!! I'm trying to fix this permanent perm dammit!

017

Gintoki: More like shutup! Besilenceeerinse!!

Tsukuyo: You silenceerinse!!

Shinpachi: C'mon you guys, don't fight! Let's make up already!

Kagura: Gin-chan, Tsukky. You want to do something nice for the old lady. You want to honer her last promise and find the man before she passes, yes?

Gintoki&Tsukuyo: Eh?

Shinpachi: ….That's not it?

Tsukuyo: Imma find tha guy who would dare to trample on a Yoshiwarian woman's heart and walk off. Once I find him i'll settle tha score.

When Suzuran passes so will that bastard.

(Sfx- Jakkki shiing)

Shinpachi: WHAT KIND OF SCARY THINGS IS THIS PERSON PLANNING?!

Gintoki: I made a promise too.

Once I meet this dude I'm due to inherit everything from Suzuran.

Shinpachi: YOU LIAR! WHY DID YOU COOK UP A FAKE PROMISE LIKE THAT?!

In the end you guys have purely evil intentions, right?!

Tsukuyo: What ya talkin' bout? I'm just gonna go clean up this fella.

Gintoki: I ain't gonna let you. Daahlink's inheritance is mine.

Shinpachi: WAIT A SECOOOOND!!

This just doesn't feel right, Gin-san!!

Hundred bloom: Boss we concur! This doesn't feel right at all!!

Gintoki: What the hell are you guys going on about?

018

Shinpachi: Well for one thing we did find out more information about Suzuran-san's customer...

Hundred blooms: But this customer is one troublesome fellow...

???: Considering she's the top courtesan in Yoshiwara it goes without saying that many wanted to purchase her for themselves.

Apparently even the high vassal of the shogun had even tried his hand in buying Suzuran-san from captivity.

But on a certain occasion this customer put an end to all of that.

Of course Suzuran-san had no intention of treating him any better than she had the ones before him...

And even the wallet size of the vassal wasn't enough to convince her otherwise.

So after that a rumor got out around Yoshiwara...

And Suzuran...

Caught his eye.

Tsukuyo: And who is this person?

019

Shinpachi: He lives over there in Edo castle...

Gintoki: Shinpachi-kun...you're saying..

Shinpachi: He is the previous...

Shogun-sama.

(Side text- No way! The Shogun?!)

GINTAMA LESSON 386................END.