Narutaru (Shadowstar) Manga

[tsurumaru]

Well I decided to revive this thread. (its a slow burner)

I recently finished this series, having read all 12 volumes of Kitoh san's interesting work. Those of you who were around before the forum incident will know I didn't like the ending, but I still think this is a unique series nonetheless which touches on some important topics in society. Therefore fans of the series can post here with their thoughts and any requests you may have. :)

One day I hope to get around to building a website but untill then I'll post any relevant info here.

:D

[Quarkboy]

I've started reading the manga too (after watching the anime series) since I loved the anime so much, but I kindof don't read japanese yet (I just started taking japanese this year). It's slow going (looking up basically every kanji as I go), but I've gotten through a chapter and a half (25 & 26)!

Does anyone know if there are translations available for the later volumes (not scanlations, just translations)? I think this was asked before in the old thread...
At this rate, I'll maybe finish volume 6 in about a year....(I started on volume 5 since the english versions are almost up to that part).

[Koshiba]

I *really* want to check out the manga but sadly, I can't read japanese. Plus I heard the english version was "censored", I tend to stay away from anything censored. ^_^;

[tsurumaru]

Hey guys,

As far as I can tell there hasn't been any real censoring of the English Language manga version yet (possibly some slight alterations regarding conversational topics).
Dark Horse should be in the middle of translating Volume 5 at the moment and it is only in the infamous Vol 6 that will probably need to make some changes to a few frames (The events of EP 13 in the Anime).
These scenes in the original manga are pretty graphic (and therefore shocking) and I don't think that they could get away with publishing them in the US without some form of censorship. I believe the original author has also agreed to redraw the few affected frames, you can easily see the originals on the internet if you really want to.... :heh:
I can't see any other points in the story that might be censored until Volume 10, and the translated release of that is a long way off..... :)

As for online translations of the later volumes, sorry I haven't managed to find any :(

[Quarkboy]

I've noticed that the volumes of the english version don't correspond to the japanese volumes. Specifically:

English:
Volume 1: Prologue, Chapters 1-4
2: 5-10
3: 11-15
4: 16-20

But I know that japanese volume 5 (the first one I own) starts at chapter 24. So to those who own the japanese volumes, how do they correspond to the english versions?

Also, at this rate, the notorious "Volume 6" will be the notorious "Volume 7" in america. Also, since the japanese volume 6 was one BIG chapter (29), the english publishers are either going to have to split it over two volumes or make an extra short volume 6. Whoops! Bad planning on their part.

[tsurumaru]

I've noticed that the volumes of the english version don't correspond to the japanese volumes. Specifically:

English:
Volume 1: Prologue, Chapters 1-4
2: 5-10
3: 11-15
4: 16-20

But I know that japanese volume 5 (the first one I own) starts at chapter 24. So to those who own the japanese volumes, how do they correspond to the english versions?

Also, at this rate, the notorious "Volume 6" will be the notorious "Volume 7" in america. Also, since the japanese volume 6 was one BIG chapter (29), the english publishers are either going to have to split it over two volumes or make an extra short volume 6. Whoops! Bad planning on their part.

Hmm, I don't have the English Language versions, but here's a breakdown of the chapters in the Japanese versions:

Vol 1: Prologue and Chapters 1-5.

Vol 2: Chapters 6-13.

Vol 3: Chapters 14-20.

Vol 4: Chapters 21-23.

Vol 5: Chapters 24-28.

Vol 6: Chapter 29.

Vol 7: Chapters 30-38. (Anime series ends here with altered chapter 34, having skipped chapters 30-33)

Vol 8: Chapters 39-44.

Vol 9: Chapters 45-48.

Vol 10: Chapters 49 & 50.

Vol 11: Chapters 51-61.

Vol 12: (When its released) Chapters 62-68.

If I get really bored I'll try to translate the chapter titles and add them here :).

I might also get around to adding a Volume synopsis and also possibly a spoilers section........ :twitch: :heh:

It depends if there is a demand for it........ :)

[durrem]

Well, Darkhorse is putting out, what, two books a year. So we should see the end of this series in about 6 years.

[Mazus]

I might also get around to adding a Volume synopsis and also possibly a spoilers section........ :twitch: :heh:

It depends if there is a demand for it........ :)

I would love a volume synopsis. I am dying to know what happens after the anime ended.

[Nagare Ryouma]

Off topic but, this manga called Wings of Vendemiaire.... Is it by the same author of NaruTaru? I heard it's as gruesome as NT...... The only difference is that it's got lot's of short stories. Anybody?

[Flash_Squirrel]

Yeah, Wings of Vendemiaire is from Mohiro Kitoh, the same artist who did Narutaru.

[Flash_Squirrel]

Ok, its not really double post since I just want to do some reviving.

This is mainly directed to tsurumaru.. ^^;
Well, Im utterly clueless right now.. Im just after the scene where Amapora morphs and fights with shiina (when the little princess blows away the new formed Amapora).
Why the hell is there a... private.. scene with Satomi? Is that something connected to the fact that the new Amapora got blown away?
Just shed some light on that, WITHOUT spoilers..

Ah, and why Tsurumaru is so obsessed with Shiina?

[gravitation]

today i was up London in a comic shop and they had shadow star(narutaru), they only had about 2 volumes but i noticed that it was a bit priceyer than mangas usually cost over here (normally about £8, but this was about £12 or summin) is it like that elsewhere? *i plan on buying it sometime coz the anime was kool*

[tsurumaru]

Ok, its not really double post since I just want to do some reviving.

This is mainly directed to tsurumaru.. ^^;
Well, Im utterly clueless right now.. Im just after the scene where Amapora morphs and fights with shiina (when the little princess blows away the new formed Amapora).
Why the hell is there a... private.. scene with Satomi? Is that something connected to the fact that the new Amapora got blown away?
Just shed some light on that, WITHOUT spoilers..

Ah, and why Tsurumaru is so obsessed with Shiina?

Hey Flash, answers are below:

Heres my conjecture. This has to do with the fact that when Norio "Tazered" Satomi her conciousness remained in Ampoora instaed of her link being severed (as her link level was so high at the time). When the Otohime saved Shiina the damage to Ampoora was so much that her conciousness fled back into her original body and at this point she "flashbacked" to important events (in the past) which lead her to behave the way she does. ie those sex scenesscene are flashbacks from events in her past which have molded her into the screwed up person she has become.
As for Tsurumaru well Shiina is damn cute, and he does have a bit of a Lolicon, but perhaps there's more to it? Its unlike Tsurumaru to attach feelings to any of the girls he has (which has been shown in the series), he doesn't seem to really understand the difference between "love" and "sex" which is why he usually treats his girlfriends as little more than sexual objects.......for some reason though he has grown attached to Shiina and is therefore puzzled by his feelings towards her.....
Won't say anymore but you'll find out why in a couple of volumes.....

On a separate note gotta love it when Hoshimaru creates that gun...:D Thats going into my sig at some point! :)

Grav - Yeah for some reason Dark Horse's graphic novels are damn expensive! (Out of all of the American imports) However definitely recommend you get Volume one for the extra story parts they left out of the Anime. :)

[Flash_Squirrel]

But how did Hoshimaru managed to create such a powerful gun? Isnt the level of the guns related to the dragonchild's knowledge?

[tsurumaru]

But how did Hoshimaru managed to create such a powerful gun? Isnt the level of the guns related to the dragonchild's knowledge?

If you note earlier Hoshimaru took the Gun that Norio had created with his dragonchild. When Hoshimaru reappeared he didn't have it and I would assume that he absorbed it. In desperation he recreated to use against Ampoora version 2 but it looks like the ammunition was replicated incorrectly (there is no explosive force to the ammo that Hoshimaru uses). This probably means that Hoshimaru's link level is not as High as Norio's and Vagina Dentata's.

[Xiandu]

Hey I want to buy the Japanese version of the manga and was just wondering if there is a website that does translations(not scanlations). I don't know japanese so I would need to have it translated. Reason I want the japan version is because the american version will be censored. This series is too deep to be censored imo, so I want to read it in its entire glory.

[tsurumaru]

Hey I want to buy the Japanese version of the manga and was just wondering if there is a website that does translations(not scanlations). I don't know japanese so I would need to have it translated. Reason I want the japan version is because the american version will be censored. This series is too deep to be censored imo, so I want to read it in its entire glory.

Hi Xiandu,

Sorry dont know of any online translations of such as of yet, I believe there were a few chapters scanslations until the series was licensed by Dark Horse but these run only into the first few chapters (and you'd be better off with the official Dark Horse version).
As for the "censoring" well the German version wasn't toned down all that much.... I'm not sure about the American version though, as some of the conversational topics that the series has, have already been subtly toned down. Hmm.....

[Wolki]

As for the "censoring" well the German version wasn't toned down all that much.... I'm not sure about the American version though, as some of the conversational topics that the series has, have already been subtly toned down. Hmm.....

some of the controversial topics were toned down in the German version too, a certain dialogue in vol. 1 for instance... but not as much as I remember from the DH version, you can still figure out what it means o_O
I'd say wait until the Dark Horse version is released, I hope they won't change that much... the German version was slightly censored but that didn't affect the effect of vol 6 in any way, and I can live with that.

wolki

[Flash_Squirrel]

Let's revive this thread, since it seems like there is a new interest concerning Narutaru.

[TronDD]

Well, in an effort to revive the thread... :)

I have read up to Vol 3 of the English Manga. I'll pick up 4 and 5 once 5 is released in a couple of days. So far, I don't notice any censoring of anything. I am curious what was toned down in Vol 1 of the German version. Does anyone know of any changes so far to the American release?

I also bought the Japanese versions, though I haven't recieved them yet, so I'll at least have all the correct artwork. Maybe I'll learn Japanese and translate it too. :)

Oh, and I loved Wings of Vendemiaire. I can't even describe what it's like. It's very eerie and strange. I have high hopes for Bokurano. The first volume seems very lighthearted, similar to most people's impressions of Narutaru's first episode.

[Flash_Squirrel]

I have high hopes for Bokurano. The first volume seems very lighthearted, similar to most people's impressions of Narutaru's first episode.

I was reading the chapters 2 and 3 a while ago, and it doesn't exactly looks like a cute and fluffy manga up 'till now.

Kitoh managed to create another cute mascot.. ^^;.

[TronDD]

The first volume set it up like something I'd want to watch when I was 8. Bunch of school kids getting to control some big robot. How this could turn into something like Narutaru, I'm not sure. It should be good, though.

You're reading the Japanese version? I can't find anything but vol 1 scanlated to English. :(

[Flash_Squirrel]

The first volume set it up like something I'd want to watch when I was 8. Bunch of school kids getting to control some big robot. How this could turn into something like Narutaru, I'm not sure. It should be good, though.

Remember how many people though that Narutaru was just a pokemon clone?
Do you expect Kitoh to be obvious? I don't think so.. :D

You're reading the Japanese version? I can't find anything but vol 1 scanlated to English. :(

I got them from someone connected with the manga translation project. I will check Win** for more details later maybe.

[TronDD]

Remember how many people though that Narutaru was just a pokemon clone?
Do you expect Kitoh to be obvious? I don't think so.. :D


That's exactly what I'm saying. I expect it is starting out by making the wrong impression so it can shock and delight me later. :)

[tsurumaru]

First of all a couple of very minor spoilers for Bokurano:

Kokopelli is revealed to be "not from this Earth" yet still a man.
The kawaii new mascot Flash_Squirell mentioned is called "Dung Beetle", he has an attitude and seems to be slightly evasive (changing the subject when asked about piloting Bokurano "we can't be hurt right?" for example).
Kokopelli doesn't care about the lives of anyone else.

[tsurumaru]

Ok I'm going to have to split the next post (As its too long!) :heh:

Narutaru Volume 7 synopsis Pt 1:

OK now onto the main event:

Narutaru Volume synopsis' Volume 7 (more to follow)

My Japanese is still fairly basic so some of this info might not be exactly 100% correct.
I will also write a small non spoiler synopsis of each volume followed by an in depth spoiler ridden one. WARNING: Do not read the spoiler synopsis unless you want the story ruined for you!

Narutaru Volume 7:

Life continues "as usual" for the main characters following on from the shocking events of Volume 6 (Anime episodes 11-13). Shiina must face starting a new school where unbeknownst to her the "dark" Satomi awaits her, meanwhile Sudou and Kuri explore the consequences of murder and become incvolved with the shady government agency that has been tracking the Dragonchild users. What has happened to Akira following the murder of her father and will tsurumaru be able to open Shiina's eye's to Satomi's true character in time?

Spoiler Synopsis Vol 7
The volume starts during the winter following Hiroko tragic fate, Miyako and his government agency have conspired to cover up the true nature of the event and have managed to get their hands on Hiro's (now defunct) dragon child.
Tsurumaru meanwhile is chasing a bounty for a runaway girl in the north of Japan and encounters some Yakuza ruffians in the process but a "Knight in shining armour" he ain't and we get to see that he doesn't seem to have a bone of chivalry in his body, however mission completed he heads home with the girl in tow.
Norio on the other hand is busy doling out money to Tsurumaru's ex's and children :heh: to support them through the winter. They cannot understand why "Noririn"(a nickname for him) would stay with someone like Tsurumaru, however following a brief flicker of kindness Norio's rough abrasive character returns and he returns home swearing he'll never have a child.
Sudou-san meanwhile has been called to a reunion of classmates, in his absence Satomi and Bungo try to figure out what kind of person he really is. Sudou at the reunion, is cornered by one of his old sempai's/sensei's and asked about his thoughts about what he will do with his life. This turns into a discussion about humanity and Sudou's aims in general. "What would happen if the worlds supply of oil was cut off for just one year?" he speculates, a breakdown of modern society, and the death of over 100 million people almost immediately, he concludes, noting that Humans are overpopulating the earth and ignoring the limited amount of resources that are available to us. When asked if this is what he will do he replies that it was a joke as no-one has that kind of power, when asked if he would do that if he did have the power he replies "That it is an interesting plan but wouldn't be the most effective way" as we cut to a scene of his dragonchild "Trickster" flying through the air.
The scene then switches back to our heroine Shiina and how she has been affected by the events surrounding Hiro-chan. It appears that she lost herself in her schoolwork and has achieved a scholarship to "Banda" Highschool (where Hiro was due to start and Satomi goes!). Her father has bought her a new bike as a present for passing the entrance exams and remarks how she has really grown when he see's her in her new School Uniform (with her new bob haircut) he enquires about her "backpack" (Hoshimaru) as she hasn't worn it for a while and she comments coldly that she gave it to a friend as she isn't a child any more.
Banda High School's entrance presentation for all new students doen't go well for Shiina when she is distracted by the sight of both her mum and dad together at the assembly, and she slips off the platform! However this immediately means she is well known at the school :heh: in the school car park Tsurumaru turns up (give her dad a nod) and congratulates her on becoming part of the school, Shiina looks very proud, happy and shy until he adds "Make sure you make lots of friends and bring them round" at which point she storms off telling her dad "He's no acquaintance of mine!" alomost immediately she bumps into Sudou-san (who is there to "meet an acquaintance") and as Shiina and her father leave we are left with a face off of Sudou and Tsurumaru, once tsurumaru leaves we see that Sudou has enrolled Kuri at Banda Highschool too! At home we see Shiina's fragile side as she wants to be close to her father and remembers what happened to Hiro-chan her father buying into the government cover up remarks that he is sure "Hiro-chan will be found safe" and we see the real distress that this causes Shiina, we also see that Hoshimaru has been thrown out and is gathering dirt.
Sudou and Kuri are walking home and Sudou explains that there is someone interesting at the school he would like Kuri to meet (not Satomi :p) they then spot a gang of youths throwing rubbish into the river, when Sudou-san asks them to jump in and retrieve it thay laugh and get an attitude until he pulls out a gun and shoots one without a flicker of emotion, one of the gang retrieve the rubbish and Sudou shoots dead the other two telling the surviving one to make sure he disposes of it responsibly he then comments to Kuri as the Police arrive that of course here are the consequences of murder.....

[tsurumaru]

OK part two of the spoiler synopsis for narutaru Volume 7:

Shiina has made a lot of new friends and they are drawn in by her hyper genki nature (although she seems pretty naive to them) although things are about to get much more complicated for her when Satomi spots her walking through school and tries to remember where she knows her from. Finally doing so she calls Shiina over (who doesn't remember the time when she was with Hiroko that she had made fun of Satomi and Satomi ad slapped her) however when reminded and just as Satomi is asking if she has one of "them" Shiina returns a light slap and says "ok so now we're even." This sends Satomi into a rage and she remarks that she will kill Shiina just before being one of the teachers sends them both to the Head teachers office.
Back in class Shiina's reputation has increased 100 fold and her classmates think she really cool however Shiina is thinking back to what Satomi said and what she meant when she referred to having one of "THEM" then suddenly Shiina realises that Satomi probably has a dragonchild too (although she doesn't know its Ampoora!) In order to rememdy the situation Shiina heads to Satomi's home which she is suprised to find is an apartment like her own where she lives with her mother (most of the Banda students some from rich households). Shiina spots that hoshimaru has been trailing her and tries to lose him.
Sudou-san is being interviewed by the Police who cannot believe he shot someone over littering. They ask him if he thinks the rules of society don't apply to him and he plays his trump card, "Please call the number on this card as I am legally obliged to make one phone call." "Whose number is this?" they respond.
"Its for Military Intellengence's Miyako Tatsumi" he responds to the shocked detectives.
Meanwhile Shiina has introduced herself to Satomi's mother and is told that Satomi will be home soon and that she should wait for her as she doesn't get many guests :heh: at which point Satomi and Bungo walk in and are shocked to find Shiina. Shiina wants to apologise and Satomi takes her aside to ask what the hell she is doing here. Shiina apologises profusely for slapping her at which Satomi responds "I forgive you, we have been opponents for too long, lets be friends instead" !!! Shiina is introduced formally to Bungo and Satomi's mum by Satomi and Satomi's mum decides they should all go out for a meal (much to the feeble protests of everyone). Over dinner the topic of Shiina's parents crops up at which she explains her mother is a universtiy lecturer but she is not sure in which subject whereas her father is a Pilot at which the look of shock on Bungo's face is priceless. Shiina notices this and then watches as Bungo goes all cool and collected again. Satomi's mum drops Shiina off home and apologises for putting Shiina on the spot so much, but laughs over the fact that Shiina lives in an apatment too.
Miyako finally has a living Dragonchild bearer in his possesion in the form of Sudou-san, but exactely who will be manipulating who???
Shiina cycles round to Tsurumaru's and finds out that Norio is going to have an exhibition of his sculptures! Shiina is keen to go too ("as long as she brings her cute schoolmates along too" <- Tsurumaru :heh:). Tsurumaru also casually drops into the conversation that he has discovered the identity of their opponents back at The East Fuji incident (Where Satomi and Bungo unleashed havoc on the JSDF (army) and local town) he tells Shiina that he wont tell her who they are yet though :p, we also see that Hoshimaru is till following Shiina and is perched a top of Norio and Tsurumaru's place.
Satomi meanwhile takes out an entire American naval fleet with the use of her Dragonchild and some pretty awesome weaponry. We then see that her link level has become very high and her conciousness exists almost fully within Ampoora now when she is linked. We also see that she alongwith Bungo and Sudou are now "working" for the Japanese government and by deliberately allowing one US plane to escape she her actions can be confirmed as to a fantastic potential of Dragons as military weapons, amongst those assembled for the demonstration is Shiina's mother! Sudou meanwhile congratulates Satomi on the mission and tells her not to worry about the governmant "Minders" that now follow them all around although he doesn't explain his full plans thing are better like this for the moment.
The scene then cuts to the next day and Shiina her schoolfriends, and Satomi, all turn up at Norio's exhibition to be greeted by Tsurumaru who immediately gets in there with Shiina's school friends much to Shiina chargrin, however Shiina soon spots something that shock her (and Satomi) Tsurumaru is sporting a new backpack...its Hoshimaru! Shiina asks Satomi if Bungo will be coming along at which she replies she doesn't care, he might be along later. Tsurumaru remarks is that her boyfriedn to which Shiina replies "Yep" :p and Satomi "No way!" On being introduced to Norio evryone is shocked by both his usual rudeness and the fact that he is actually a guy and he wanders off almost immedately as their level is too low for him...Shiina and Tsurumaru do their best to remedy Norio's rudeness. They then enter the gallery and look in wonder at the sculpturs of dragons untill they walk under some "Curtains" which turn out to be the wings of Norio's Angel sculpture and Satomi remarks "Bungo's?? Why??". At this point all becomes clear to Shiina who knocks Satomi to the ground with a powerfull punch.
I thought it was so, you lot are MURDERERS she exclaims almost in tears, Satomi starts to get angry but Shiina is not finished, "you murdered my uncle too!" she screams grabbing hold of Satomi's collar (who know looks scared again) with everyone but Hoshimaru and Tsurumaru looking on in shock. At this point Bungo turns up to see his beloved Satomi having been knocked to the ground he quickly kicks Shiina off Satomi and restrains her when she tries to attack him too. Satomi meanwhile starts to move Ampoora from her flat where she has been hiding it! Just as the tension looks unbearable Tsurumaru tells Bungo "Thats enough!" and that he is her protector and that this isn't the right sort of place to settle this. Too which Bungo grudgingly agrees, and hands Shiina over to Tsurumaru who keeps her close and then gags her with his hand when she looks like she is going to flip out again. He tell her she said enough and brings her to her senses saying "Hiting someone won't bring back a loved one". He tells Bungo to leave and to take Satomi with him as she passes Shiina she remarks "I bet you were the one who killed Hiro-chan" and remarks "Ah, I thought so" when the look of grief and guilt flashes across Shiina's face. Back at tsurumaru's (having taken her friends home) Shiina looks forlone and says she wants to see Akira...En Sof again, Tsurumaru passes her a sealed cardboard box and tell her that it would be best not to open it for Akira's sake. Shiina Hugs the box and asks Akira what she should do to which we she a shot of Akira doing hard time at a detention centre pause and look into the distance.
Satomi is discussing her desire to kill Shiina and tells him she will definitely do it and he should not interefere she will do it on her own. Bungo is worried about Shiina's mother being part of the government team but says that she probably isn't aware about her own daughter to which Satomi replies "then its ok". The last shot is of Shiina sitting on the roof of Tsurumaru; place alone....staring into the distance......
Vol 7 end.

[Flash_Squirrel]

Weee, can I do the synopsis for Vol 8 now? :P

[Griffith]

Weee, can I do the synopsis for Vol 8 now? :P

Please do! ;)

[TronDD]

Gah! Cut it out. It's hard enough to wait for the next volume to be released without having discussions and spoilers I can't read. :(

You guys are cruel. Don't make me sic my dragonet on you a la Hiro.

[Flash_Squirrel]

Please do! ;)
Will do.. *Reads the Volume for a little*

Ok Let's go!

Interesting volume dedicated mainly to Satomi and the relationship with Tsurumaru and Shiina.
In the first few pages we get to know that Shiina is going to have some kind of Orienteering test with her school, and Tsurumaru seems a little concerned about this fact, since Satomi will perform this test too (And we know Shiina and Satomi just had a little catfight in the museum where Norio was exposing his dolls). Tsurumaru decides to send Norio and Vagina Dentata to stalk Shiina and Satomi to avoid any kind of trouble (Since Shiina doesn't know that Satomi got Amapora too). So he forces Norio to use some female clothings from Shiina's school and attach a Radio on Vagina Dentata's back to talk with Norio in the meantime. (Priceless the face Norio makes while trying the clothing).
The group of Shiina moves in the forests, stalked by Amapora, and they suddendly find an house (I'm not sure if they were looking for it or not :heh: ).
They stops by the house and start playing cards.
One of the Shiina's Upperclassman asks her to talk with Satomi to fix the problems because they feel that Shiina is somewhat close to Satomi. In the meantime Amapora start spilling a strange gas and this gas reaches the group in a room. Shiina feels that the gas is poisonous and breaks a window with a chair and run aways outside. Amapora follows Shiina and Vagina Dentata enters in the fight. V.D. shoots Amapora with a weapon that looks like a heavy bolter and hits it in the shoulder. After that V.G. runs to Amapora and kicks her in the... lower parts and shoots it in the head, but Amapora manages to create a rocket launcher and sends Vagina Dentata in the space :P . Hoshimaru then picks up the Bolter but amapora morph a wing into a chopper's wing (I don't know the exact word, It's one of the things that they use to fly :D ) and sends Hoshimaru in the same space as Vagina Dentata.
Dispatched Hoshimaru and Vagina Dentata, Amapora moves to Shiina and give her a caress on the cheek. After that Amapora punches Shiina in the face. Shiina flies a few meters away and Yui (Shiina's senpai) sees the scene. Yui then runs up to Amapora and grabs one of the poles in it's body. amapora moves up in the sky and Yui manages to swish from the hold she had on Amapora and hits the ground. Shiina, angry as hell, starts yelling at Amapora, telling Satomi to stop it. Tsurumaru asks Norio (That moved near Satomi's group) to use one of those electric gun on Satomi. Norio manages to snap Satomi and Amapora loses the hold it had on Shiina.
Hoshimaru saves Shiina and picks up Yui to bring her to the hospital. Tsurumaru in the meantime runs to Shiina and grabs her+Yui and carry them on him car.
Interesting thing here, Amapora morph into a new form (Even though Satomi is sleeping after the shock) and starts following the car with Tsurumaru and Shiina. Amapora2 reaches the car and engages with Hoshimaru. H. pulls out the gun Vagina Dentata was using and shoots Amapora2, but the gun was imperfect, and the bullets had no force. Amapora2 pulls out an automatic rifle and shoots the back of the car. Tsurumaru loses control over the car and Amapora2 falls out of the car. Tsurumaru then raises the speed and run away with Shiina. Amapora2 catches on them but Shiina was already away with Yui and Hoshimaru. Tsurumaru hits Amapora2 with his car but Amapora2 picks the car with Tsurumaru inside and drops it away (In the space again ^^).
Amapora2 catches up to Shiina and picks her. Shiina tells Hoshimaru to bring Yui to the hospital and faces Amapora2 by running away. Amapora2 chases her and start fighting with her. Shiina is knocked by Amapora2 and when she thinks she is going to die, the lLittle Princess appears and "Tazerize" (Shoots with a beam) Amapora2 and Satomi (Who was sleeping soundly) pukes and feels the pain of Amapora2.

I'm up to page 113 on the Japanese volume 8.
PART 2 COMING SOON :P


Also, Sorry if my english is not as good as tsurumaru's one. :(

[Griffith]

Your English was fine. :) I can't wait to see what happens next, I'm gonna end up buying the import manga because I want to see the pictures.

[tsurumaru]

Hey not bad Flash! Your English is pretty good! :D

Thought I'd add a short non-spoiler summary:

Narutaru Volume 8:

Whilst Shiina's school is involved in an orienteering exercise, Tsurumaru and Norio must battle to protect her from a relentless Satomi, intent on revenge and the extermination of Shiina!

The only other noteworthy points I'd like to add to the spoiler edition are:


Norio creates a GPS system to allow Tsurumaru to track where V.D is.
Satomi deliberately gets Shiina's team lost by creating various items like fences where they shouldn't be etc and lures them to the abandoned house. The valley where the orienteering exercise is taking place becomes really misty reducing visibility a lot.
Satomi uses CS gas on Shiina's team (so she's not completely callous) however she doesn't care when Yui (her classmate) is injured when she knocks her from Ampoora (ok so maybe she is a bitch :p) . She seems to be 100% focused on killing Shiina!
Norio complains like hell to Tsurumaru about having to disguise himself as a schoolgirl (much to the amusement of Tsurumaru) and actually does an incredibly convincing job of being a hyper genki kawaii schoolgirl (which really amuses Tsurumaru!).
Satomi has some serious weapons at her disposal including AK 47's and AIM 9 Sidewinder Missiles (that she uses against V.D)! Hanging around the military obviously has some advantages..... :heh: Whilst being taken out by Norio's stungun part of her subconcious appears to remain in Ampoora much to Tsurumaru and Norio's suprise. This leads to the creation of Ampoora 2 (in a more humanoid form) and the continuation of Satomi's plan (ie the murder of Shiina).
Norio rushes to Tsurumaru's location and discovers him a little battered but ok, Tsurumaru looks horrified when Norio tells him he doesn't know what has happened to Shiina.
Ampoora 2 brutally hits Shiina over 13 times before snapping her arm like a twig whilst Hoshimaru desperately searches for her location. Just as Shiina thinks she is going to die the "Virgin Princess" that rescued Shiina in Volume one when she was battling Pushdagger appears (Anime EP 1 - Shiina only meets the "painted girl" with the large dragon). This Virgin Princess uses her Dragon to blast a large hole through Ampora 2 with a laser like shot (Just as she did with Pushdagger in Volume one).

Ok I'll let Flash continue from here! :)

[Quarkboy]

Might I just say that I love you guys the best!

(Just recieved volume 12 in the mail....)

[Flash_Squirrel]

Ok I'll let Flash continue from here! :)

Really mean you are. Trying to help people I am! Nitpicker :P

[Griffith]

Can't wait for the next part, the suspense is killing me! ;)

[tsurumaru]

Can't wait for the next part, the suspense is killing me! ;)

Oh OK I'll put you out of your misery!

I spoke to Flash and he's still far too traumatised after reading Volume 10 to continue......

:p

Narutaru Volume 8:

Spoiler Summary Cont.



As Satomi is blasted by the Otohime's dragon we see her snap back to consciousness and scream with pain and her mind drifts back to the past......
We see how she was bullied and treated badly for being brought up by a single parent and we also see a very young Bungo protecting her with all his worth with the scene shifting to them both making love for the first time, this then shifting to the very recent past and we see that behind all the attitude they do seem to care for each other on some level (at least when they're making love :heh:).
We then cut to Shiina's mother Misono having a discussion about Dragons and their existence in this world to one of her colleagues whilst they are driving to work. Misono wonders about the purpose of Dragons and how in history the world over thay have been depicted similarly. Dragons, Faeries, Werewolves, Monsters, Mermaids, and Demons, all of these mythical creatures are projected with a certain "image" and could be explained as creations of the human subconcious but they are not "real" unlike the Shadowdragons and Dragonchildren whose "image" is also projected by the mind of their bearer. But are these Dragons alive? What part do they play in the cycle of this universe? Why is it they can recreate matter with apparently limited energy stores? (We see a shot of Sudou's dragonchild Trickster creating a copy of the white Mazda sports car he used earlier in the series) Why do they require to be linked to a living being, and why children? What does death mean to them? Misono's colleague then explains that they analysed the body of the "Oni" dragonchild (Hiro-chan's) and found it to be made of an intricate design, they also could not explain how it could move (when it was bound to Hiro-chan) but did discover that a sectional slice of it resembled that of the Earth itself with different "layers" lying on top of each other. Misonio looks shocked at this, as her colleague explains they are arriving at their destination.
We then focus on the "Black ones" and see how the government has provided them with living quarters and their own "Base" of operations, where they can store their Dragonchildren if required. (only Ampoora 2 is here, sitting against the walls with its head in its hands.) Tatsumi and Sudou discuss how Satomi is doing and Tatsumi decides to see her himslef. She is with Bungo and looks very timid and withdrawn Tatsumi wants her to visit the medics but she doesn't want to leave Bungo's side at all and gestures without speaking, Tatsumi decides that he can wait a little longer and takes Sudou to the main office where they are told that Tamai Misono is waiting to see Sudou! Sudou and Misono are introduced and both try to figure out the others trues intentions (Sudou looks smug when it is mentioned that Satomi goes to the same school as her daughter) Sudou says he finds her amusing and looks forward to working with her in the future.......
Next we see Norio teasing Tsurumaru at what a bad job of protecting Shiina they did. Norio says he has never seen Tsurumaru so worried or scared about someone as he was when they couldn't find Shiina, and that she must be pretty "special" to him. This galvanises Tsurumaru to go and visit her in hospital (he is resting his own injuries a concussion, and some minor scrapes and bruises) When asked if Norio would like to come too Norio answers "you've got to be kidding right?" :p). Meanwhile at the hospital we see Shiina in bed with her plastered arm, her bruised face covered in bandages. Her schoolfriends have come to visit and brought her a cake (Hoshimaru is lying on her beside table in backpack form). Her friends look really embarrassed and apologise to her, she says shes fine and that they should eat the cake together. We then see that Shunji is being told that her injuries were not caused by an accident like she said, and that they were the result of being beaten, is there anything else they should know? (Shunji looks shocked and devastated). Shiina asks about Ui-sempai (Satomi's friend who was injured) But her friends don't know how she is and they question her as to how she felt when she had her accident, was she scared? She says no, and that it was actually pretty funny..... Tsurumaru arrives at the hospital just in time to see them going they question him about his own injuries and he says he was in a little accident (which they find a little suspicious) he offers them a lift but their mother is waiting and his plans look dashed :heh:. So he visits Shiina and finds her really glad he is ok...however she then breaks down in tears telling him how scared she was, how very scared......
We then cut to Shiina' schoolfriends discussing her situation (and the most naive telling how they would like to have been in accident so they could have time off school too!) They also discuss how Shiina's mother doesn't live at home and the oldest wonders what kind of a parent could name their child "Shiina" she explains this means "The empty body, (like a husk of corn)" What kind of name is that to give a child she wonders aloud?
Shunji is at work and a colleague tells him he has a visitor (Its Misono!) She asks him how Shiina is and explains that she heard he will have to go to Russia to test the SU27's that Motoki airfield is trialling for the Airforce, she wonders if he would pass Shiina's care to her but he says that that would be up to Shiina, she then explains to him that she is worried about Shiina's safety, Shunji looks grave.....
We then see Shiina at Tsurumaru's looking a little pissed off, Tsurumaru wants to know whats he's done wrong but all Shiina will says is "I'll be living here from today" , Norio just looks perplexed, he starts to question what the hell is going on but Tsurumaru sweeps away all his questions with " Later, Later" Norio refuses to help clear some space for Shiina untill he hears the noise they're making and sees Shiina sweeping away a load of his gear (But Tsurumaru told me it was garbage she tells him) cue Tsurumaru's innocent face "But Norio said he wouldn't help" :p. With a space cleared Shiina wonders about food and Norio and Tsurumaru look at each other (and the pile of take away rubbish - what guys!) Shiina says she will cook but then is reminded by Tsurumaru about the state of her arm (which she had forgotten about!). Tsurumaru says he'll order them Pizza and Shiina looks really happy. Norio says he guesses he can trust the situating and tsurumaru says "me?" to which Norio's reply is "No, Shiina you idiot!". He also says it might be ok for a place to sleep but what about baths and the toilet? Tsurumaru looks slyly and says "leave it me, thanks for your trust!". Tsurumaru then takes Shiina (who is sitting on the roof in the cold evenings moonlight) a blanket and she looks happy and embarassed, she wonders why her life became so diffcult since she met Hoshimaru and Tsurumaru explains that somethings cannot be chosen (like a parent cannot chose how their child will turn out) Tsurumaru offers her a cigarette and she Says she doesn't smoke to which he replies "Ah me neither!" handing them to Hoshimaru (!) He then talks about how she will cope with her father being away and if she trusts him, "having a child changes your perspective on the world" he tells her at which point she thinks he's trying it on (Hoshimaru is busy looking at the stars cigarette in mouth!) However he goes on to ask her seriously if she has ever thought about her soul, this piques her interest and he divulges to her that Dragonchildren "desire" souls.......

End of Volume 8

[Griffith]

Thanks for these. ;) Hopefully I'll be able to get the import manga soon, so the summaries you and Flash have done and (hopefully) keep doing will help the manga make a lot more sense, since I know no Japanese at all unfortunately. :twitch:

[tsurumaru]

Narutaru Volume 9

Double posting due to post length :heh:

Summary:

Whilst Shiina's father is in Russia (testing Motoki Airfield's SU30 fighter jets) he becomes embroilled in the mystery of a Missing Russian pilot. However The FSB (KGB's sucessors)
misconstrue his intentions and he finds himself involved in a deadly game of cat and mouse. What has happened to the pilot who claimed to have seen a Witches house when he was a child, and is there a connection to the strange things he has seen himself? How are Shiina and Akira handling there lives after the past few months and what are Kuri-san's intentions spying on Shiina?

Spoiler Summary Part 1

Ok so my knowledge of Russian is pathetic so apologies in advance!

Shiina's father is in Russia, testing the SU30 fighter jets that are based at Motoki airfield where he works. He is accompanied by the Co-pilot (Mihara-san) of the Aircraft to the island where Shiina's Grandparents live. On some time off they get around to discussing the incident in volume one of the manga where Shiina's aircraft was attacked by Komori's Push dagger and saved by the Otohime and her Dragon and Mihara draws a picture of the Dragon which seems pretty familiar to Shunji. Mihara tells Shunji he must think he is crazy but Shunji tells him that he himself saw an "Angel"whilst out on a patrol flight last year and it was this that killed his Nephew (he brings a photo out of his backpack to show the co-pilot and we see that this backpack is Hoshimaru in backpack form!).
Just a short while later Shunji is robbed of Hoshimaru by a mugger who runs off! Shunji tries to get the Police to help but all they do is get suspicious about him and just when he looks like he is in trouble (his passport was in Hoshimaru) he is "saved" by an old lady who bribed the Police with a watermelon. She also hands Hoshimaru back to him! Thanking her they agree to visit her home where she tells them about her family's proud history in the airforce and especially about her son Yulia who went missing on a mission in the local area. The Airforce covered up his disappearance and she never got to find out his fate. Looking at the photo's on the wall of the family he spots a strange picture of a small log cabin in the air that has a birds legs! He asks the old lady what this strange picture is and she explains that it is of a well known local legend its the house of a witch who is said to live in the middle of the large forest nearby. She also explains that when he was a child Yulia claimed he actually saw this house flying through the air!
Shunji and Mihara look a little suprised and disbelieving but then they both remember their earlier discussion about Angels and Dragons! The next day more flight tests await them yet unknown to the Russians there is to be a change of flight plans. Mihara has swapped his navigators seat for the Old Lady they met and Shunji and her intend to fly her son's final flight path to try to see if they can find out what happened to him.
The plan goes well untill the Russians notice that Shunji's flight is going way off course at which point the FSB (Federal Security Bureau? The sucessors to the KGB) get involved. Mihara is eventually found hiding at the base which makes the FSB very suspicious of Shunji's motives and who he has with him, things take a very serious turn when they order their own aircraft to shoot Shunji down!
As the Russian aircraft open fire we see that Hoshimaru is trailling Shunji's aircraft under the tree canopies and out of sight. Shunji manages to use chaff to avoid a missile fired at him but the dispensors are damaged by shrapnel and it looks like a second missile will kill him and the old lady untill Hoshimaru (out of site to Shunji) creates the infamous metal girder out of the front of his "head" and rams the missile at full speed. It is detroyed and Shunji watches a strange small object fall to the ground in flames........Distracted by this Shunji's Su30 takes cannon fire damage to one of the wings and Shunji realises they will have to crash land, checking on the old lady he sees that she is staring in shock over the starboard wind and he follows her gaze to a GIANT Log cabin (this looks weird, disturbing, instead of amusing...) The Log cabin starts to rise into the air and we see that it has part of the ground attached to it and three deformed Birds legs protruding from its underside.... cruising close to it they see the "roof" is covered by a forest, and in a small clearing is a crashed MIG! Before Shunji can do anything the old lady has grabbed the control column and aimed the jet at the clearing. They manage to make an emergency landing and go to investigate the wreck of the Mig they saw from the air. Fearing the worst Shunji checks the cockpit thankfully finding to his relief there is no corpse inside. Looking back to the old lady he sees that a young "painted" girl has appeared (Its another Otohime! A blond tomboyish girl of about 10-12 years old). The old lady says "You...." as if she recognises her........
They all suddenly hear the sound of helicopters approaching, its a Russian assault team sent by the FSB. As these commando's prepare to rappel onto the surface of the "house's roof" Shunji notices the sky change to a strange shade and we see a spherical sheild envelope the Giant Witches House. Whilst the assault team prepare a rocket attack the Otohime leads them to a small log cabin where they find Yulia! After 18 years he barely recognises his mother but the two are tearfully reunited. Yulia explains that this house is like a self contained "universe" it contains a sustainable ecosystem of its own, as for the tomboyish girl she never speaks but he assumes that she likes him for some reason and it might be because they knew each other from when he was a child himself and he saw this place.
The Russians meanwhile have tried attacking the sheild with bullets and rockets only for them to see these weapons be absorbed by the sheild. Yulia and his mother have lots to talk about and Shunji is suprised and confused when the young girl gives him his backpack! (Hoshimaru).
Yulia is sorry for making his mother worry all these years and says that he has decided to stay where he is. The "house" will soon leave the domain of this world and travel on its own voyage. Would she like to stay too? If she doesn't they may never meet again, but his mother is just grateful to know he is alive and with that knowledge will live the rest of her life back home in happiness. The Dragon then heads to the nearest town (followed by the Assault 'Copters) and to the amazement (and shock) of the locals touches down a "foot" briefly.
Shunji and the old lady then watch in wonder as it rises out of view. Later after a major debriefing by the FSB Shunji, Mihara and his Russian hosts from the airfield visit the old lady, where Shunji and her discuss being a parent, she explains that someone must protect this world and that one day her son may return to it with the ecosystemm that the Witches house contains. It is then revealed much to the shock of the Russian staff that the old lady was an ace pilot herself "Inna Ivanova" and that the FSB could not risk going against her reputation in their attempts to cover up this incident, in exchange for her silence she bargained for Shunji and Mihara's release. We then cut to the Witches House Dragon sailing through the stars.....

[tsurumaru]

Narutaru Volume 9

Spoiler synopsis part 2


Back in Japan Shiina is in high spirits! Her plastercast has been removed from her arm and she is in a great mood, she decides that tonight she will cook for the guys (to their applause and delight :p) Tsurumaru prepares to drive her to her house to get some cooking gear with Norio guarding them with Vagina Dentata (Tsurumaru warns Norio that later they'll be going "upstairs"....:heh:) when one of Tsurumaru's girls turns up (almost running over Shiina) and telling him shes been waiting for hours. Shiina watches as he tries to squirm his way out of it and the girl gets upset until Shiina annouces loadly to Norio that she'll be going alone to her place. (Tsurumaru looks wounded :p). As Shiina arrives at her place she notices Mizushima (guy who liked her, then Hiro-chan) talking to some girls, She exclaims "Better not make them cry Mizushima" at which he pipes up "Who these guys?" "Like I care" at which point the girls come close to tears (Doh!) and he has to try to rescue the situation!
Shiina meanwhile is thinking about Takaya (Mizushima) and what a jerk he was being "He can't have one surely" she thinks (about a dragonchild) then busys herself getting her equipment. Mizushima meanwhile has salvaged the conversation and the girls ask him if Shiina is his "Special" girl (to which he gets defensive and) he answers no, his "girl" (Hiro) has gone missing............. The girls leave and Takaya questions Shiina when she is leaving about how strange she has become, he wants to ask her about Hiro-chan and Shiina tells him however long he waits Hiro won't be coming back :(. She then thanks him for the phone call (He telephoned Hiro's place when she had gone nuts and was strangling Hiro herself, this call snapped her out of it) Mizushima of course cant understand this and is puzzled by it and she starts to cycle back to Tsurumaru's.
Back at Tsurumaru's she thanks Norio for giving her a ride in a car back and asks where Tsurumaru is? Testing her he tells her that Tsurumaru went out for some fun and looked really happy (Shiina's face is a little pensive) at which point Tsurumaru comes back in berating Norio for such a blatent lie! :p Shiina looks really happy but then grabs a whiff of Tsurumaru, he stinks! "Its sweat" he complains (I wonder what from.....:heh:) at which point Shiina orders him into the bath, Tsurumaru asks her if she would like to join him at which she looks a little embarassed and says only if Norio comes too (Much to Norio's disdain!) Ignoring Norio's protests Tsurumaru sweeps him up and they all head "upstairs" onto the onsen/bath they have on the buildings roof.
Whilst bathing Shiina remarks that guys are strange (in general) which interests both Tsurumaru and Norio (for different reasons :heh:). Tsurumaru wants to know if she has started to have thoughts (and feelings) for guys and Norio warns her that Tsurumaru doesn't understand the difference between sex and love. ("There's a difference??" he asks, "Of course!!!" Norio replies). Shiina wanders off along the roof (naked) until Tsurumaru points out that people could see her from below! Later that night Norio admits that he hasn't had such a good meal in a long time and that Shiina seems to have grown feelings for Tsurumaru, trying to look cool he says its not like he's trying or anything....:heh: Norio then points out that at the moment Shiina's feelings are more like those to her father than to a lover and if Tsurumaru want to pursue that course he must take his time and for now ensure that she continues to have pleasant dreams.....

Akira-chan is flying...she can see the houses below, she can see Shiina looking at her parents now closed down restaurant what a strange dream.....until she realises that it isnt quite a dream and she is falling........again. She wakes with a start and her room mate comforts her, she isn't the only one to have bad dreams here in the detention centre....

Miyako Tatsumi the government organisation's head (and associate of Sudou-san and co) and his associate Akiko are briefing an official, they want to gain custody of someone that the state is holding and they need this persons help.....

Meanwhile Akira is meeting her mother...... its a cold conversation as both try to find out how the other is doing, Akira's mother still cannot understand Akira's motivtion and tries to provoke a response with some blunt statements of the facts however we are still left pretty clueless why she did it.
The government representative meanwhile is busy "persuading" (more like subtle threats) the dentention centre's head that one of the inmates "Sakura Akira" would in fact be better in their hands.....
Akira's room mate tries to comfort her telling her that at least her mother came to see her.....she will be ok......

Back at the Government head quarters Miyako and Sudou are running through a list of people he suspects may be dragonchild bearers, he has found three, with a further possible two of them "whereabouts unknown" at the moment. Sudou asks Miyako what he wants to do about it and he replies if possible he wants to "recruit" them for his organisation. Sudou isn't sure if that is possible for all of them but then runs through two on the list: (I assume Akira is no. 1)

"Tsurumaru Takeo" He's pretty sure that this guy does have a dragonchild that they haven't seen yet but is pretty sure they wouldn't be able to recruit him because of "incompatible motives", What about "Kuri Mamiko" Miyako asks? Sudou replies "Yes you'll understand oneday......." :heh:

Shiina is at school and is being wound up by her friends about living with guys at the moment (some of them didn't know) and couple say they'd like to live with guys themselves (Shiina tries to explain this is pretty dangerous!!) One of them says especially that guy with the perverted look in his eye (I'm pretty sure she means Tsurumaru :heh:) but another says that thats the guy Shiina likes so I'm sure Shiina doesn't mind her situation (She looks embarassed and tries to protest) when shes spots Ui-sempai (Injured friend of Satomi from Vol 8).
Saved by this she makes her excuses and talks to Ui (who has almost finished rehabilitation, but still has to walk with the aid of a stick) she is doing well (she cant remember what happened) but is concerned about Satomi's disappearance (much to Shiina's chagrin). She hopes Satomi is forgiven for anything that may have happened to her.....:twitch:
Shiina then heads back to class only to spot a strange girl with black hair and no shoes staring at her (Its Kuri!) she turns around and when she looks back she has disappeared! She tries to explain to her classmate about her "stalker" but they take this completely the wrong way and it becomes a big joke! Later whilst she is cheering on the sports team we see Kuri standing on the school buildings roof-edge again "observing" Shiina, a teacher challenges her, warning her that its dangerous to stand so close to the edge at which she simply leaps off! By the time he has reached the edge to look over she has vanished!

End of Volume 9

[Griffith]

Things seem to be getting interesting.. ;) But from what I've gathered from another thread, Volume 10 is going to be tragic. :sad:

[tsurumaru]

Things seem to be getting interesting.. ;) But from what I've gathered from another thread, Volume 10 is going to be tragic. :sad:

Volume 10 has got everything and more including:
SPOILERS THIS BIG!
When I do get around to it I would seriously suggest considering whether you want to spoil the series yet or wait until you have the books. :p

[Griffith]

I'll keep that in mind.. I'll most likely be too tempted not to look though, lol. :p

[Griffith]

I had hoped to have the actual manga by now, but things haven't worked out. :frustrated: Looks like I'm going to end up reading the summaries when you post them. Not that I mind, since I'll get the manga eventually.

[Urashima]

Great work on the summaries, guys. Can't wait for the next one!

I for one wouldn't mind having the entire series spoiled by a summary of Volume 10 as I doubt I'd ever be able to find out what happens by any other means.

Note: Griffith enjoys drinking Tang.

[tsurumaru]

I'm hoping to post the summary for Volume 10 this week. (and then post some Guyver ones before returning to finish Narutaru).
Unfortunately I was away at the weekend (when I'd usually do it) at a Karate seminar and even more unfortunately have picked up a wrist injury (so typing isnt easy..........).

(I'd also like to state the fact that the injury is Karate and not Hentai related :heh: :p :))

[tsurumaru]

OK Double posting to give you the Volume 10 Synopsis (so be nice ok!) :p

Narutaru Vol 10 Summary:

Following the crash of a US military transport, Shiina and Hoshimaru investigate the area in southern Japan which seems to also have been the source of a mysterious vision Shiina had. With Tsurumaru and Vagina Dentata secretly trailing her for her protection Norio faces an agonizing decision as the deadly consequences of Tsurumaru's actions become apparent. Meanwhile Miyako Tatsumi (of the Japanese government) and Sudou-kun smell a rat and try to get to the truth of the matter, coming to a shocking conclusion the US military will stop at nothing to retrieve one of their own escaped dragon children. What plot have they hatched to take advantage of the situation? Who is the rough and ready Jen Franklin, and what is her connection to the escaped Dragon Child? Will she be Shiina's ally or enemy?

Narutaru Volume 10 Spoiler Summary:

Part One

OK, Stop right here! No seriously! I've tried to give you more than adequate summary above, only read this if absolutely must! I can accept no blame(!) for ruining your enjoyment of the series......



Still reading? Dammit! Well don't say I didn't warn you :p

Shiina's father has returned safely to Japan and things seem to be back to normal for Shiina, it’s almost the summer holidays and this year her father plans to accompany her to visit her grandparents! (Has it been only a year since she was saved by Hoshimaru on her grandparent’s island?) .

Meanwhile the blonde haired driver of a van is almost falling asleep at the wheel, she wakes only to find herself just metres away from a busy school crossing, to onlooker’s horror a group of children are run over and the van disappears from sight.

Miyako and Aiko (The Japanese governments agents) are pondering over the recent TV News story surrounding the earlier "Hit and Run" incident and especially the details of the driver a "Jen Franklin" just what was she doing to be involved in such an incident and what are her connections to the US establishment in Japan? Tatsumi tells of his keen desire for the US military to be completely ejected from his beloved country and they decide to call Sudou-kun to help them out with their investigation.

As this is occurring, in the southwest of Japan a US Air force C65 "Galaxy" transporters crashes into a residential area causing massive damage.

Shiina completely unaware of the unfolding drama has an unpleasant encounter when her mother comes to pick her up from school, little is said in the ride home with Shiina showing her obvious disdain for her mother.

At the plane crash site the American army have invoke a sort of Martial Law and to Miyako Tatsumi’s disgust seem to be on the move everywhere in the area…they have set up roadblocks and are performing vehicle searches much to the annoyance of the locals. Sudou-san tells how he thinks that this is not the usual acts of people dealing with simply an air crash and that this incident may be a smokescreen for something else. After analysing US air traffic directed towards the area (which includes an EC8 (Electronic Jamming Aircraft) and an AC130U “Spectre” Gunship) Sudou concludes that their target is probably a dragon child, Miyako is impressed and wonders how they can use this lie against them.

Misono drops Shiina off at home simply telling her not to put herself into any more danger and upset her father (Shiina looks suitably unimpressed as well as worried that her mother might suspect something about her.) She then tells her to say Hi to her Grandfather and mother for her.

Shiina mopes around at home momentarily after her encounter with her mother but then forces herself back into her Genki usual self and decides to head out with Hoshimaru to have some fun. Just as she’s heading out she gets a worrying call from Tsurumaru…..
Over at the guys place Tsurumaru shows Shiina the box that they were keeping Ensof (AinSoph – Akira’s dragon child) in, it’s been cut open from the inside sometime in the past two days and there is now no sign of its occupant! Shiina is worried about Akira and wants to visit her, however Tsurumaru reminds her how dangerous it would be to do so, Shiina looks reluctant but acceptant of this advice when suddenly and shockingly she receives a “vision” of a (western looking!) dragon standing atop a burning building. Shiina is shocked but manages to point to the direction of the vision and to the direction that the voices she can “hear” are apparently coming from. Tsurumaru conjectures that it’s coming from the west-south-west (only for Norio to state that this is fairly obvious). When Tsurumaru asks her if she’d like to go check it out she tries looks slightly uncomfortable and pretends she was only joking (pretty badly) she then tells them she is going home and takes her leave. Tsurumaru completely unbelieving of her excuse and slightly concerned decides to trail her and asks for Norio to back him up with Vagina Dentata, Norio complains that he is being used again but Tsurumaru tells him how he has always been the best at that sort of thing and that he would trust no one else (Norio looks pretty chuffed).

Shiina grabs her purse, jacket and the goggles that Ezumi Jun gave her (in Volume 5) and wearing Hoshimaru like a jet pack rises into the sky. Once she reaches a sufficient altitude she hugs Hoshi tightly and tells him to go full speed.

At the scene of the Aircraft crash we see that the US military are out in force…..

As the sun sets Shiina asks Hoshimaru to stop for a short rest, she apologises to her dad only to cut to a little later having arrived at the city at the focus of the events to be really apologising to her dad as it is getting really dark! She suddenly finds her way blocked by a US military roadblock and asks a local lady what’s going on only to be told she must be really out of town not to know about what has happened.

Shiina manages to sneak into the sealed off area with Hoshi’s help and starts scanning the rooftops for the “Dragon” of her vision, Hoshimaru spots a US military patrol and they just make it out of sight before it reaches where they were a moment ago. Try to make some distance Shiina accidentally knocks a flowerpot off a bench only for Hoshi to just catch it in time by elongating his arm to 6 feet in length!
Shiina continues on only to hear it smash to the ground, whirling around she follows Hoshimaru’s gaze to the building side above them and the huge form of the Dragon that Shiina saw in her vision! She identifies this as the source of the voices in her mind….
The US patrol has spotted it the dragon too and Shiina manages to duck out of sight whilst they are distracted, the dragon above them making a quick escape across the roof tops.
Shiina surfs Hoshimaru across the rooftops trying to catch up with the dragon and as she draws closer to her surprise spots that its main body is made out of a collection of pipes and tubing, house within this centre is the body of a young boy in a hospital gown his blank eyes stare outwards without a flicker of recognition.
The dragon makes another exit before Shiina can act, and as she is about to give chase a voice calls out from behind her “Don’t Move!” Jen Franklin roughly manhandles her to the floor where she is searched at gunpoint. Hoshimaru looks on with impenetrable eyes…
Jen threatens to Shoot Shiina if she tries to escape and tries to get her name and purpose out of her (with Shiina keeping understandably quiet). Shiina does tell Jen that she know about this Dragon child and that it is calling to her, Jen tells her that she is lying but secretly wonders to herself if this could be true…..She asks Shiina if she knows where it is and demands to be taken there, Shiina begrudgingly obliges. On the way Jen looks tired but refuses to rest, when asked by Shiina what will become of the dragon. Jen replies that they will see. Up ahead they spot a large group of US forces and have to hurry to the scene where the dragon has been cornered on a bridge over the local river, marksmen are preparing to take out the boy at the centre of the dragon with a head shot and Jen remarks that things are bad, Shiina realising that Jen is about to provoke a fire fight with the US troops to try to save the dragon thinks of a plan of her own and just as the killing shot is taken a loud splash to the dragons left distracts it the movement of its head enough to deflect the shot by a couple of crucial centimetres, we then see that Hoshimaru was the cause of the splash and before the second round from the sniper can hit the Dragon folds its wings around itself like a shield protecting the boy in its centre. It then proceeds to go berserk, throwing one of the US Humvee’s in its way at a circling helicopter bringing it down with devastating effect as the chopper explodes, crashing into the bridge the dragon escapes out of sight by jumping into the river (much to Jen’s surprise).

Whilst the US army are searching in vain Jen and Shiina are holed up in a local office, Jen finally believes Shiina may be telling the truth and thanks her for helping. Jen explains that “Tarask” (the dragon) has escaped from the hands of the US military in the east of the country and come here, as a rather soggy looking Hoshimaru turns up Shiina explains to Jen that she is not afraid of her and could escape anytime she wishes, she asks exactly what is Jens connection with that boy?

Tsurumaru has finally arrived in town, as he approaches the US exclusion zone he gets out of his van and notions to Norio (through Vagina Dentata) for them to split up for now.

Shiina meanwhile has lost Tarask’s location, she can’t seem to “hear” where he is anymore and wonders if he followed the river out to sea, Jen tells her that this isn’t case as he’s never left this road before…

[Oiseau]

Did you forget Part Two or are you deliberately cranking up the suspense ? ^_^

[Shokushu]

tsurumaru,

I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to make these summaries/"spoilers" of the manga. They are very detailed and you have done a very great job on them.

Keep it up!!!

[tsurumaru]

Did you forget Part Two or are you deliberately cranking up the suspense ? ^_^

Nah I just realised that it had gotten to 4am and I should really be getting some kip!
:p

But sorry for the suspense......

Narutaru Volume 10 Spoiler synopsis

Part 2



Jen breaks into a local convenience store and tell Shiina to get some food (much to her protestation that she isn’t a robber) however hunger gets the better of her and she and Hoshimaru snack on some cartons of drink and meat buns (Hoshimaru opts for a box of Calorie Mate!). Jen asks Shiina how long she has had Hoshimaru and Shiina tells her its almost been a year, Jen then tells her that Hoshimaru’s appearance is a reflection of its heart, she wonders about Tarasks appearance, Tarask is a Haribote dragon (Haribote = Papier Mache or ornamental architecture???) Is this form a reflection of that boy’s heart? She wonders if it is in fact just a result of Spaghetti syndrome (The process where a patient in critical care becomes surrounded by a mass of tubing just to sustain their life).. Shiina doesn’t quite understand, but Jen breaks off and tell her to get ready to look for Tarask again. Shiina insists on leaving money for the food they have taken and Jen remarks that she must have amazing parents (much to Shiina’s embarrassment).

Back at Shiina’s home its now 9:35pm and Shunji looks worried, he even calls Misono but only gets through to the answerphone…..just as he is walking away from the phone it rings! Its Koga-kun (Norio) from Tsurumaru’s place explaining that Shiina has gone out with Tsurumaru so not to worry (? :p). Shunji is relieved and Norio looks content but then wonders what the hell he did that for……

Shiina’s managed to locate Tarask, he is in a local childrens play park, the Dragon is literally sitting on the frame of the swings and Jen approaches telling Shiina its ok.

“Robert” she calls to him, telling him that she has found him and things will be ok, he will be just fine. But Tarask runs again and Jen doesn’t know what to do as she explains that Robert is her son…

Miyako has also found out this info and how they moved to Japan when Robert was very young, Jen explains how he used to play in the very park they are in when he was younger as Miyako and Aki reel off all the information they can gather and to what effect they can use it. Jen explains how the military wanted a sample of Robert Brain after they found out about his dragon child and how the operation left Robert in a vegetative state…..therefore having never forgiven them she helped Robert escape yesterday but cannot explain his current behaviour.

Shiina thinks hard and then suggests that he may simply be playing a game of “tag” and not realise the full extent of the situation, Jen is pleased with this but warns Shiina it is a very dangerous game of tag, Shiina tells her that its OK as Hoshimaru will help and then realises she has given away his name, Jen quickly tells her that she is “Jen Franklin” but Shiina can call her “Jen”, Shiina then hesitantly lets her know her own name and the introductions are finalised..

Shiina, Jen and Hoshimaru then proceed to chase Tarask all over the town with no luck in catching him up, eventually shattered they take rest in department stare and Shiina sleeps.

Only to find she is having “that Dream” again, she is lying in darkness with someone calling her name…..”SHIINA”, she wonders if it is Hoshimaru, her dad, or perhaps Tsurumaru, is it Tsurumaru?
“Shiina….” She brought awake by Jen calling her name, they’ve got trouble……..

The US have brought in their big guns, circling overhead is a spotter helicopter and an AC130 Gunship (equipped with both cannon and miniguns). Jen and Co can see Robert & Tarask on one of the nearby building’s roofs and call to him to escape but the AC130 opens fire with a minigun and obliterates the rooftop, it then follows up using one of its cannons and the local neighbourhood is reduced to rubble, Shiina and Jen desperately seek cover as Hoshimaru protects Shiina from falling shrapnel and rubble.

Jen’s desperate to find Robert but Shiina won’t let her go out into the hail of incoming fire. She asks Hoshimaru if there is anything he can do, perhaps with an Iron girder and Hoshimaru obliging creates one as the shocked Jen looks on. Hoshimaru scores two direct hits to one of the AC130’s port engines causing an engine fire and the aircraft to halt its offensive pattern.

Straight away Jen runs out into the rubble to look for her Son with Shiina cautiously chasing after her. The AC130 being unable to ascertain where they were taking damage from has ordered the scout helicopter to investigate the area and Jen and Shiina come face to face with it. Jen quickly empties a clip of ammo into the locality of the cockpit forcing it to retreat and Shiina unwilling to see any more people get hurt tells Jen she know’s where Robert is, leading her away from the area. Jen tells her that the infantry will be on their way to this location and Shiina wonders what they can do, Jen looks at Hoshimaru thoughtfully……..

A US patrol enters the area only to spot a figure in a raincoat fleeing from the scene, they give chase and eventually manage to corner to figure in an alleyway as they advance warning the figure not to make an sudden moves the humanoid shape dissolves, the raincoat falls to the ground and we see the familiar contours of Hoshimaru zooming into the sky.

Jen and Shiina have stopped, out of breath Jen asks which way Robert is and When Shiina looks sorry realises she has been tricked, Shiina apologises while Jen slumps to the ground. She slowly picks herself up and starts to trudge back in the direction that they came from Shiina asks where she is going and she replies “I’m going back”.

Shiina looks worried but as Jen slowly walks off new chatter starts up in Jens radio earpiece, at the same time Shiina’s eyes open wide and she tells Jen that Robert and Tarask are OK! She can “feel” them again. Hoshimaru jets back to the group and they set off again in pursuit of Tarask.

They finally spot Tarask on top of a nearby building and as they approach Jen starts to wonder to herself what the US military will send next now that they have disabled the AC130 Gunship.

They ascend the Building and Jen is able to start to reassure Robert when they are both startled by an approaching sound. Jen & Co look up to see an F16 fighter roaring in and dropping a bomb onto their location, Jen’s eyes widen with horror as the bombs casing opens and she shouts in shock that it’s a cluster bomb!

We break away to Tsurumaru & Norio’s place to be shown a couple of vehicles pulling up outside, some dangerous looking characters get out. Norio is inside wondering how long he will have to help out Tsurumaru when he hears a noise outside he goes to investigate. Opening the door he is met with a kick to the stomach that knocks him to the floor and gets him really riled until he find a Katana just inches from his throat. The guy wielding the blade wants to know where “That foolish bastard is” and Norio (correctly assuming they are after Tsurumaru) tells them he is out, The guy orders the others to search the place and tells Norio he better not be lying slicing into Norio’s ear with his Katana until one of Norio’s earring’s fall out..

The group of yakuza reassemble shortly later to confirm there is no sign of Tsurumaru and we then see that this is the same group that Tsurumaru “rescued” the young runaway girl from in volume 7. Clearly they want payback for their loss of “merchandise” and face.

The Katana guy signals to his Boss what should be done (about Norio) and as the boss answers “anything you like” Norio tries to make a run for it, Katana guy swings his blade and cuts Norio’s right ankle deeply, the tendons are severed and Norio crumples to the floor, Katana guy remarks “Do you want to die?” Norio looks really worried.

We cut back to the rooftop which has become a firestorm, Shiina and Jen have been blown off the side of the building with the force of the initial explosion, all around them cluster bomblets are reducing buildings to flying rubble. Hoshimaru just manages to get to Shiina in time and slows her fall whilst protecting her from rubble and glass that is raining down on them. Shiina has spotted Jen falling too but before she can order Hoshi to help her out Tarask rushes past, he gently catches Jen in his arms and Jen catches a flicker of recognition in Robert’s eyes as they stare at each other. Tarask lands, places Jen on the ground gently and then runs off again with more F16’s closing in on his position.

[tsurumaru]

Narutaru Volume 10 Spoiler Synopsis.

Part 3.

Warning: not for the weak of constitution!


We then cut to Tsurumaru and Vagina Dentata, Tsurumaru briefs Norio on what he’d like him to do, each F16 is only armed with two cluster bombs, if Norio can remove the seeker unit from the tip of the bomb it will be unable to deploy, and they will have effectively neutered the attackers.

VD in flight form catches one of the F16’s and literally absorbs one of the cluster bomb heads into its hand, however the pilot notices and pulls off some evasive maneuvers however Norio is able to keep up and disables the other bomb, “Norio now the next one” Tsurumaru urges.

Back where Norio is the Yakuza chumps have discovered Norio is a guy (he gets a swift kick to the head for it but things don’t look too bad) Norio debates what he is to do if Vagina Dentata was here he could easily take care of all of these guys, however Shiina and Tsurumaru are now in danger, he must eliminate the threat there and then bring VD back to him as fast as he can, can he do it? He must try…..
One of the Yakuza chumps complains that he is bored and the boss tells Katana guy to phone “Butakui” (Lit Pig eater?) From here on I’ll refer to him as Porky (as he is). The boss says Porky would like this kind of thing and that he will make a good video, the boss heads home. Norio has his eyes closed and his face is full of concentration.

Back in the south Norio has managed to take out another cluster bomb and Tsurumaru urges him that he is nearly done it! Shiina catches up to Jen who is frantically looking for Robert again. Jen tells Shiina to go, she will look for Robert alone but Shiina follows her anyway. Overhead an F16 flashes past with a familiar shape in pursuit “Norio” Shiina calls out filled with hope. She also thinks that that means that Tsurumaru will have come too and catches herself being pleased by that thought.

Jen wants to know what the hell that strange thing was that was pursuing the F16 and Shiina answers “My friend”. Tsurumaru is really urging Norio on now, only one bomb to go and its all done, when suddenly he is distracted by something.

The large imposing figure of “Porky” bears down over Norio. He wants to know who hit Norio in the face and one of the chumps gleefully owns up. Porky begins to beat the crap out of him and then turns to Norio saying “This guy doesn’t appreciate you like I do”. Norio realises that this guy is real trouble and then realises that Tsurumaru is in trouble.

Tsurumaru has been distracted by the sounds of another 2 F16’s flying overhead these are operating at a higher altitude and have already launched their payloads directly overhead. Just as the bomblets start to go off Vagina Dentata arrives encircling Tsurumaru with its protective arms.

A video camera is now recording Porky as he defiles Norio, Porky has a sick look in his eyes and is taking intense pleasure from raping Norio, Porky also has a knife and starts to use it…The chumps looking on don’t seem to be so keen on revenge now.

Norio’s mind is racing, his situation is bad but Tsurumaru is still in danger, should he abandon him to save himself? He realises that there is no way for him to let Tsurumaru know he is in trouble himself and he decides that whilst he still can, he will aid Tsurumaru to the best of his abilities.

Tsurumaru unaware of what is happening to Norio tells him to protect Shiina, Don’t worry about him protect Shiina! Norio is upset that he must leave Tsurumaru to help Shiina, Tsurumaru obviously cares (romantically) more about Shiina (than him) and he realises that he must be a pitiful character in this situation. He isn’t able to let Tsurumaru know how he feels in the current situation.

Vagina Dentata creates a large multiple rocket launcher and decides he must continue to help Tsurumaru as this is the only way that Tsurumaru will understand. Porky asks him why he wont say anything as it must really hurt, “Its ok to cry, its ok to call out”. F16’s are being blasted out of the skies now… Tsurumaru urges him on “Just 3 left now”. As Porky tells him to do his best there is a little more left yet, he brings his knife down to bear viscously….. Norio wonders if Tsurumaru really has someone special he cares for…Norios eyes go wide with pain…..Porky tells him again “It hurts eh? Its ok to cry its ok to beg”…Norio's next shot completely misses the F16 with Tsurumaru looking on in anticipation……..Porky tells Norio he’s only got a little more to do, wont he let him hear his cute voice? The Yakuza Chumps are busy puking in the background in reaction to what has been done (which thankfully we dont see).
Norio flashes back to his college days “What are you doing? What are you making?” Tsurumaru asks him, it’s the first time they met…..Another F16 is downed…Tsurumaru in the present calls out “Just one left, I’m counting on you”…Porky asks if Norio is OK? Is he going to faint? Norio blacks out and Vagina Dentata drops from the sky like a stone.
Norio flashes back to his college days again, Tsurumaru is asking Norio if he would like to help him, together they could build a new world, Tsurumaru then asks him why he is blushing. In the present Porky tells him his face has lost its colour he’d better be quick as he prepares an injection.
Tsurumaru in the present reaches the prone form of Vagina Dentata just as Porky is giving Norio the injection, “What’s wrong Norio?” he calls to him. Norio is jerked back to conciousness but is confused, where is he? He can see the corrugated roof of tsurumaru’s place above him but also Tsurumaru himself anxiously calling his name, then Porky telling him “Just a little more” and then back to where Tsurumaru is, he realises that he has little time left and must be decisive, He is not a girl, but that’s ok, Tsurumaru does have a special girl and that is Shiina, he must do his best to protect them both, Vagina Dentata rises to its feet slowly with a worried Tsurumaru looking on, an F16 flashes overhead its deadly cargo still intact, then Porky’s face filled with pleasure as the Knife comes down again. Norio tells himself yes, just a little more and Vagina Dentata changes, grows taller, over 150 feet tall, Tsurumaru calls out in shock “A dragon”. Norio mentally apologises to Vagina Dentata, “It doesn’t look like I will be able to give you my soul anymore, I’m sorry” he thinks.
Porky’s blood stained hands are clasped around Norio’s head “Isn’t there anything you want to say?” He cajools. Norio's mouth drools from the drugs and his eyes start to glaze over.
Tsurumaru looks on in shock as Norio mentally apologises to him, “I’m sorry Tsurumaru, it doesn’t look like I will be able to help you anymore from here on”
The last F16 is too close to avoid the huge dragon and crashes into it, the pilot ejecting just in time. Revealed in the centre of the dragon is the form of a baby an umbilical cord linking it to Vagina Dentata, “Something I want to say” Norio thinks.
As the scene shifts from Vagina Dentata to Norio’s blood stained body his lips start to move the Yakuza looking on withdrawn, even Porky looks a little shocked. “I wasn’t able to say anything, was I ?” says Norio a wry smile forming on his lips as the life drains from his eyes and we see Tsurumaru watch in horror as the dragon form of Vagina Dentata Breaks and falls to the ground letting off an eerie light. 

Tsurumaru is racing to Shiina’s location a grim look on his face, “Shiina” he calls out, “Tsurumaru!” she replies delighted to see him. “Norio, What happened to Norio?” she asks, Tsurumaru doesn’t know, “Its crazy” but he seems really worried now.

Another 2 F16’s fly overhead, Tsurumaru looks amazed “Again, more of them?”.
He tells Shiina that they must escape as more cluster bombs will be heading their way. Shiina looks at Jen now at the other end of the street and stammers “Bu, But, That Dragon’s Girl?” Tsurumaru replies “The Otohime?” “She won’t come to help, because our opponents are Human”

Cluster bombs are raining down again, Hoshimaru is protecting shiina from rabble with Tsurumaru just behind, Tarask is enveloped in a maelstrom, “Jen!” Shiina calls out running after her again. Tsurumaru calls out for her to come back but she is rushing oblivious to the danger now. Tsurumaru thinks to himself “Hold on just a little longer Norio.” and rushes after Shiina.

Shiina catches up to Jen and asks her if she is OK, but Jen replies “Do you want to die?” referring to the carnage going on around them. Tsurumaru arrives and Jen eyes him suspiciously until he identifies himself as Shiina’s guardian they discuss the current situation and Tsurumaru tells them that this is not a “game of tag”. Jen has an idea and they rush back to the playground by the river, she says that this wasn’t a game of tag and they find Roberts (true) body hidden in the childrens playpark. He doesn’t look good and Jen urges then to get him to a hospital quickly. Shiina remarks that the voices she could hear have disappeared. We see Tarask in another part of the city its head raised in mourning with the limp (copied?) body of Robert lying in front of it.
With F16’s still flying overhead Shiina puts a hand on her own chest and tells Jen that she can now “feel” Gentleness, peacefulness and happiness instead. Jen enquires if this is Roberts emotions and she replies probably.
Tsurumaru and Shiina ride Hoshimaru back to back with two of Hoshimaru’s “limbs” providing a platform for Jen and Robert. Tsurumaru tells Shiina he knows where there is a local hospital but first they must get to his car. As Shiina looks down at the world rushing by she spots two isolated figures. Looking closer it appears to be Sudou and Akira! She begins to shout Hoshimaru’s name in surprise but is interrupted by Tsurumaru asking her what’s wrong? Looking at her situation she instead urges Hoshi onwards.

[tsurumaru]

Narutaru Volume 10 Spoiler Synopsis:

Part 4

Warning: REALLY BIG SPOILERS!

Everyone clambers into Tsurumaru’s car and Shiina enquires why they can’t continue onwards using Hoshimaru, Tsurumaru explains that they would be seen and then found! He heads off at top speed as a crowd of people are gathering to look at the smoke rising from where they have come from. Jen is comforting Robert she tells him that she now understands, after two years in his state he has made a decision, before he had no option either to live or die, but was stuck in a limbo somewhere in between, She tell him that she has been a bad parent, but before she can explain to him notices his hand has gone limp and eyes blank. Tsurumaru tells them they are nearly at the hospital as the car speeds through town but Jen asks them gently to stop the car. Tsurumaru, Hoshimaru and Shiina look back and Shiina hugs Hoshi as Jen explains that its ok she has been waiting for this day. Jen wonders what she will do from here and Tsurumaru offers her his car (the number plates and engine chassis number are fakes so he can’t be traced). Jen apologies to Shiina for ever looking at her with suspicion and Shiina tells her that Robert didn’t hate her in fact he loved her. She asks if this is what Shiina “felt” from Robert and she says yes, Jen hugs and thanks her. Shiina and co watch as she drives off.

Jen drives straight to the nearest Police Station where she hands herself in for her earlier hit and run incident. The police seem concerned when they find Roberts body but she explains that it is her son and they show sympathy, they also let her know that the casualties from her hit and run are ok and she thanks God as she breaks down into tears.

Tsurumaru is eager to get Shiina home but Shiina explains she is going back (to the area they just came from). Tsurumaru asks what the hell she is saying, and she explains that Akira-chan was there Tsurumaru looks shocked but as she urges Hoshimaru to head off he tells her that he is going back to check on Norio..and she is coming with him. Shiina tells him that she is worried about Akira and Tsurumaru tells her this isn’t a decision she can make he can’t allow her to return to such a dangerous place. Shiina tells him that its OK as she has Hoshimaru with her and Tsurumaru tells her to listen to what he is saying. Shiina beckons Hoshimaru to head off but instead he floats down to Tsurumaru’s side.
Tsurumaru says “He won’t go………..” Shiina looks on in shock and puzzlement as both Tsurumaru and Hoshimaru look at her Tsurumaru has a serious look on his face, Shiina wonders “Huh?” and then Hoshimaru darts behind her and cocoon’s her in a new form (that looks a little like the Otohimes Dragon). Tsurmaru tells her “You are somehow special……” (That’s my Quote line!) and it all comes crashing down on Shiina, “Tsurumaru you are…… “. Yes Hoshimaru is Tsurumaru’s Dragonchild!!!

Tsurumaru joins her inside the new form of Hoshimaru and it launches into the sky, Shiina is angry and Tsurumaru is restraining her. She wants to go back and be let out of there but Tsurumaru is ignoring her pleas and heading back home. Suddenly from behind a cloud the Otohime’s dragon appears, Tsurumaru thinks it’s a joke that he is considered an enemy curse as the otohime’s dragon punctures Hoshimaru and “steals away” Shiina. Hoshimaru reverts to his normal form and Tsurumaru pursues the Dragon. The Dragon is heading straight back to the area the US military have blocked off and is making no attempt to hide itself several televison crews and most of the general public notice it. Tsurumaru is doing a stealthy pursuit dodging in and out of roof top billboards and is sure that the Dragon will be spotted by the US military. An F16 pilot spots something strange approaching…….

Meanwhile the US military are giving a press conference (and trying to cover up what has been happening - the plane was carrying ammunition etc etc) when a shocked looking US aide rushes on stage and whispers in the speaking Generals ear.
The Otohime’s dragon lands Shiina back amongst the ruined building and she thanks it and starts off at a run. Her head is full of thoughts, up until now Tsurumaru has been controlling Hoshimaru…..that means that the person that actually killed Hiro-chan was…..if this is the case then what the hell am I?

The F16 pilot has the strange object in his sights and then spots a figure running away he strafes the figure hitting both it and the Dragon. Shiina looks up at the aircraft and then down at her own body to see that her torso has been shredded apart Shiina’s body falls to the ground……in pieces……..

Tsurumaru has seen what has happened being just to late to help, he screams out Shiina's name as the Otohime’s Dragon merely looks on impassively.
He rushes to where the pieces of her body are now spilling blood only for the glass in the windows around him to melt, a blinding light emanate from the horizon, and the shockwave from a nuclear detonation envelope the area.
He and Hoshimaru as well as Cars Buses, F16’s and buildings all become simply objects in the air being propelled outwards by the force of the explosion. Further out, both the crowds of onlookers, US Soldiers, and Jen and the Police, look on in horror as a mushroom cloud forms. Within the rubble are many injured US soldiers and bits and pieces of recognisable objects.
Hoshimaru has been partially crushed by rubble but Tsurumaru has been saved by a piece of wall that stood up to the impact and protected him from the rubble. He slowly gets to his feet and simply stares upwards at the forming mushroom cloud, blood is running from his many injuries and radiation flashburns have marked the right side of his face and his right arm but he simply stares upwards in disbelief and shock……

Volume 10 End.

[Griffith]

Wow, that's.. pretty fucked up heh :( I had heard some of what happened before, but I didn't think it would be this bad. How graphic is the violence? And are the next two volumes even more disturbing? I'll definetly be reading the summaries to those as well, even if I get the manga before then as I'm enjoying these very much. Thanks for providing them to us!

[Flash_Squirrel]

How graphic is the violence?

You can see Shiina's innards, and a few other interesting things.

[Kotonoha]

How graphic is the violence?

http://www.geocities.com/half_pain/nt_fun.htm

Don't worry, everyone! It looks far worse than it really is.

[tsurumaru]

http://www.geocities.com/half_pain/nt_fun.htm

Don't worry, everyone! It looks far worse than it really is.

Thanks for the image Kotonoha - Slightly understated caption ! :p

I like your avvy :D

Have you seen this sketch on Kitoh-sans homepage by the way?

http://www.geocities.jp/nahoowner/mono/scrap/ouro.htm

I guess Sudou-san is meant to encompass the Thanatos, and Tsurumaru the Eros aspects of the human condition.......

Although I'm starting to agree with you on certain aspects of the authors outlook on things.

[Quarkboy]

I have a question about what happens at the end of volume 10:

Is it clear that it is the US that nukes the site, because I would think that they would clear out their own firepower before doing such a drastic measure. Furthermore, what exactly is the US's motive here? Are they trying to recapture Robert's dragon (which shouldn't exist anymore since he finally died), or simply cover up what went on? (Which is horribly dumb... cover up military aggression with even greater military aggression? How exactly DO you spin a nuclear explosion in a populated area anyway...) If it wasn't the US, then who? Japan is not supposed to have nuclear weapons... (technically, anyway).
I've read all 12 volumes, but my Japanese is lacking so I don't get these details properly...
One more question, while I'm at it.... what were Noriko and Tsurumaru doing on Shiina's island back in the first chapter? The manga seems to imply they know something about Shiina already that makes her interesting to them (major spoiler-Do they know about Shiina's true nature at this point?)

[tsurumaru]

I have a question about what happens at the end of volume 10:

Is it clear that it is the US that nukes the site, because I would think that they would clear out their own firepower before doing such a drastic measure. Furthermore, what exactly is the US's motive here? Are they trying to recapture Robert's dragon (which shouldn't exist anymore since he finally died), or simply cover up what went on? (Which is horribly dumb... cover up military aggression with even greater military aggression? How exactly DO you spin a nuclear explosion in a populated area anyway...) If it wasn't the US, then who? Japan is not supposed to have nuclear weapons... (technically, anyway).
I've read all 12 volumes, but my Japanese is lacking so I don't get these details properly...
One more question, while I'm at it.... what were Noriko and Tsurumaru doing on Shiina's island back in the first chapter? The manga seems to imply they know something about Shiina already that makes her interesting to them (major spoiler-Do they know about Shiina's true nature at this point?)



Ok my understanding is not that great either but:

SPOILERS



In Volume 12 when Shiina is linking to her Dragonchild, there are a couple of panels that show some interesting things, One shows Sudou-san in a basement using Trickster to create a nuclear warhead, I'm pretty sure that this along with Miyako's statement that they will use the US's lies against them means that Sudou created and set this bomb off to pin the blame on the US and put them in an intractable position. (Remember they had already admitted that the crashed aircraft was carrying weapons/ammo to cover up the explosions that were occuring and secure the immediate area - this is my conjecture).

As to why the US were so desperate to recapture Robert I'm not sure, I cant translate enough to tell what his dragonchild was like before they operated on him to gain a "sample" of his brain and whether the creation of Tarask's dragon form was a dramatic sudden event or something that happened over some time (after he was in a vegetative state). They probably rate possessing a dragonchild (for its military benefits) just a highly as Miyako does so this would seem their motivation to get Robert back.

As for Norio and Tsurumaru being on Shiina's grandparents island, I can't pick anything up that would explain why they went there unless they were following up leads on Adult Dragons (because of the sighting in the prologue). During Shiina's battle with Pushdagger, Norio and Tsurumaru are suprised by an Adult dragon appearing though and Norio remarks that its the first time he's seen an Otohime before so perhaps not. :heh: Perhaps Tsurumaru was just searching for a new supply of more young girls? :heh: :heh: :p

Strangely enough Shiina seems to know her own destiny more than anyone else as when she is drowning in Volume 1 one of the things she says is:

"If I die will the world disappear? Am I the world???" :twitch:

Doesn't this seems a strange thing to say...... :heh:

[TronDD]

I just got the rest of the Japanese Narutaru manga that were on back order, including volume 6.

I though the anime was violent! Holy crap. It'll be interesting to see what Dark Horse does.

P.S. Yeah, I'm a little behind the times but I just had to react. :)

[Briareos]

Speaking of being behind the times, I just got the first Dark Horse TPB last Thursday.

The anime was my first real exposure to this series, and I have to say that after reading the first English volume that I'm actually a little disappointed at the way the anime version was written and directed. Specifically, well, there's much more to the story than the anime covers (at least at first). Tsurumaru has mentioned this before, but early appearances of various characters and Shadow Dragons were cut out of the anime or changed, and the manga just works better for me all around.

I loved how......Shiina attacks Push Dagger mid-air and the Dragon's sharp edge cut through the metal plane part (Shiina was using as a weapon) like paper. Then after stairing Push Dagger in the eye at point blank range, she smiles nervously and screams for Hoshimaru to "Run Away! RunAway!" LOL. This makes Shiina's run-in with Push Dagger later on much more interesting because by then we already know what it can do.

The bigger surprise for me was who was on the plane when it was attacked, i.e. Tsurumaru and his male friend (who looks like a girl with his long hair) who makes the Dragon dolls.Now that I've read the manga, it's clearer to me what happened to Akira and why she......killed her father. The discussion that Akira has with Shiina in chapter 2 or 3 (sword practice) pretty much tells me that her father beats her. Her pregnancy later on (if she really is pregnant) is likely the result of her sleeping around in search of love. I do not think it is the result of her father sexually abusing her as some people think. Unfortunately, she's probably attracted to the same abusive type of guy that her father seems to be. My guess is that when her father went to hit her one last time, Akira struck out with the (chibi) push dagger she'd been given earlier. Poor Akira, unable to escape the circle of violence.I'll most certainly be buying the rest of the DH collected volumes as they become available. (1-4 have already been released with vol 5 right around the corner, although the English volumes do not line up with the Japanese volumes chapter-wise.)

[Griffith]

That's an interesting point of view. I still think that her father has been molesting her, though. A couple arguments for that: When she returns home after her parents think she had been kidnapped. Her father puts his hand on her shoulder and she pulled away. Also, in episode 11, when he's looking at the photo album and reminiscing about how she was "Daddy's little girl". I don't think they ever said that she was pregnant, though I haven't gotten the chance to buy the manga yet myself. I've read the summaries Tsurumaru and Flash Squirrel posted however and this wasn't mentioned.

I guess we'll find out as the rest of the summaries are posted, though I don't think that she was.

[Quarkboy]

That's an interesting point of view. I still think that her father has been molesting her, though. A couple arguments for that: When she returns home after her parents think she had been kidnapped. Her father puts his hand on her shoulder and she pulled away. Also, in episode 11, when he's looking at the photo album and reminiscing about how she was "Daddy's little girl". I don't think they ever said that she was pregnant, though I haven't gotten the chance to buy the manga yet myself. I've read the summaries Tsurumaru and Flash Squirrel posted however and this wasn't mentioned.

I guess we'll find out as the rest of the summaries are posted, though I don't think that she was.

There is conclusive evidence in volume 6 (which tsurumaru didn't summerize):
In the manga, volume 6 page 9 (japanese) or english super manga blast volume 38 (not yet anthologized) Akira's father is reminiscing over pictures of Akira as a cute little kid wondering what went wrong: Quote:
"Everything was so much easier in those days. She was such a good little girl..." ... "Was it me? Did I... DO something wrong as a father?" Akira's Mom: "M-Maybe you were... TOO "close" to her." Then she leaves the room.
I think this is pretty convincing evidence of some past molestation as it has an extra line then the anime which makes it pretty clear.

[Griffith]

Yeah, that's pretty convincing. I don't think I was too clear on my opinion though..
When I said "I don't think she was, though", I meant that I didn't think she was pregnant. I agree with the common theory that she was molested/sexually abused, though.

[Briareos]

There is conclusive evidence in volume 6 (which tsurumaru didn't summerize):
In the manga, volume 6 page 9 (japanese) or english super manga blast volume 38 (not yet anthologized) Akira's father is reminiscing over pictures of Akira as a cute little kid wondering what went wrong: Quote:
"Everything was so much easier in those days. She was such a good little girl..." ... "Was it me? Did I... DO something wrong as a father?" Akira's Mom: "M-Maybe you were... TOO "close" to her." Then she leaves the room.
I think this is pretty convincing evidence of some past molestation as it has an extra line then the anime which makes it pretty clear.
The confusing part for me is that......Akira's father doesn't know what he did wrong as a father. He'd have to be pretty "not there" mentally to be asking those questions honestly if he had molested her (unless he's just perpetuating a ruse). At least in the anime, he seems to honestly not know what went wrong, and that's always thrown me off the path of molestation.

To me it would make more sense if he beats her, as a form of punishment. Mentally he would be able to justify that it's for her own good.

Her family always seems to be complaining about her in the resturant, and she feels little love or acceptance from her family now. Her desire to find love has led her down a path (i.e. sleeping around or wanting to sleep around) that has made her father wonder exactly where he went wrong.

In the dojo conversation that Shiina first has with Akira, Akira seems to have a fixation on hitting. "Aren't you angry with the person who hits you?"

I don't fully know how to interpret the "too close to her" line, but it may still be a line that's up for interpretation. Or, maybe Akira's father is so disfunctional that he can't figure out that molesting his daughter is wrong. I really doubt that his conscience is so broken that he would have no remorse about that act though.

[eiri]

i finished waching narutaru recently...
could someone tell me what was going on in ep 10? :heh: i didn't quite understand. think it's vol 5 of the manga; about Ezumi Jun. what's with the dragon things at the end? :confused:

[Quarkboy]

i finished waching narutaru recently...
could someone tell me what was going on in ep 10? :heh: i didn't quite understand. think it's vol 5 of the manga; about Ezumi Jun. what's with the dragon things at the end? :confused:

Actually, I was confused by this ep too when I first watched it. I think actually that Triad didn't translate this one so well, or maybe the anime itself just didn't translate from the manga, so it came out a bit more confusing then it was supposed to be. Well, on second viewing it makes sense...

I'm not quite sure what your question is, but the basic plot goes like this: Shiina meets up with random girl on Broom (Jun), who happens to be a friend of Boy in Coma (Kyouji). Friend of boy in coma (Shouko), comes to visit Kyouji, but meets up with Jun (who she hasn't seen in a long time, only exchanged letters). Jun tells Shouko off, and basically calls her a bitch and a weakling. Kyouji dies, and Shiina meets up with Jun carrying Kyoji's body away on her broom. Jun then reveals that she is not actually Jun, but a copy created by Kyouji (whose body IS still alive, though dying). He created a copy to leave in the hospital, and that's why everyone thought he died. Jun, it seems, died years ago in a car accident, and Kyouji has been writing letter's in her place to keep the truth from Shouko. Since kyoji didn't want shouko to be hurt by finding out about Jun's death, that's why he pretended to be Jun to get Shouko to accept her feelings and move on.
In the final scene, Shiina takes Shouko to the old school where Jun, Shouko, and Kyouji used to go, and they see Kyouji, now reborn in full adult dragon form. Note that the face of his mermaid dragon looks a lot like Shouko, which represents how much he really cared for her. Shouko decides to move on with her life, and all is good.
As for specifics on why exactly Kyouji was reborn into a dragon, and how the whole dragon life cycle works, it is left unclear at this point in the story.


By the way, in my opinion this is the happiest story in the whole Manga/Anime. I think that putting it right before Hiro's story was just Kitoh's way of lowering your defenses to make the next bit that much more impactful.

[TronDD]

By the way, in my opinion this is the happiest story in the whole Manga/Anime. I think that putting it right before Hiro's story was just Kitoh's way of lowering your defenses to make the next bit that much more impactful.

I agree. He does a damn good job at creating contrast. Like, isn't Hoshimaru so cute...as he murders someone in cold blood? :)

[eiri]

In the final scene, Shiina takes Shouko to the old school where Jun, Shouko, and Kyouji used to go, and they see Kyouji, now reborn in full adult dragon form. Note that the face of his mermaid dragon looks a lot like Shouko, which represents how much he really cared for her. Shouko decides to move on with her life, and all is good.
As for specifics on why exactly Kyouji was reborn into a dragon, and how the whole dragon life cycle works, it is left unclear at this point in the story.





okie... so the 'dragon' with the long tail that flies around is Kyouji? what about the girl with the lines on her body, is that Jun then? - it kinda looks like her... did she have a dragon too? i've only seen the anime, so this is based on that.


if it's not too much trouble, could i find out the names of Bungo and Hiroko's dragon child? thanks :heh:

[Quarkboy]

ok so the 'dragon' with the long tail that flies around is Kyouji? what about the girl with the lines on her body, is that Jun then? - it kinda looks like her... did she have a dragon too? i've only seen the anime, so this is based on that.



If you mean the girl you see in episode 1, then no, that is not Jun. Jun is simply dead. The identity of the Virgin Princess, as she is called, is a big mystery until really really late in the manga.

[spoiler]
if it's not too much trouble, could i find out the names of Bungo and Hiroko's dragon child? thanks :heh:

Bungo's dragon child is named "Hainuwere" (I'm not sure I know what language this one is from at all, help anyone?), according to a chart in manga volume 5 (I don't think it's name is mentioned in the anime). Hiroko's dragon child is called, simply "鬼": "Oni" or demon, according to the japanese web page. Interesting note: It is spelled with one kanji, the same kanji as is used in Kitoh's name, 鬼頭.

[Griffith]

In episode 8 I believe it was, Bungo refers to his Dragonchild by name as "Hainvelle". I'm looking forward to the rest of the manga summaries, hopefully it explains who the Virgin Princess is and some other things that are left hanging at the end of Volume 10.

[tsurumaru]

Whoa 3000 reads, erm guess I'll summarise Volume 11 this weekend if I get the chance :heh: , Volume 12 is going to be pretty difficult to summarise in places as it does have some pretty Kanji intensive parts that focus around resolving and explaining things, I think I understand the general gist of things (but I could be completely wrong with some assumptions) perhaps Kotonoha (or someone else with a better understanding of Japanese) would be kind enough to elaborate when I get to that volume. :)

[eiri]

If you mean the girl you see in episode 1, then no, that is not Jun. Jun is simply dead. The identity of the Virgin Princess, as she is called, is a big mystery until really really late in the manga.




no, there was another girl in episode 10. she appeared towards the end, with the Kyouji dragon.

and the narutaru pg, http://www.narutaru.jp/story10.html

[Quarkboy]

no, there was another girl in episode 10. she appeared towards the end, with the Kyouji dragon.

there's a picture at http://www.geocities.com/intergalacticdebris/narutaru-10_1.jpg

and the narutaru pg, http://www.narutaru.jp/story10.html

I think you mistaking Kyouji's dragon (which has the face as a human and looks like a green mermaid) for a second dragon. The only full grown dragons that appear in the pictures you posted are the dolphin one in the beginning of the episode, and Kyouji's at the end. Kyouji is riding on the mermaid's back, as seen in the picture on the lower right.

I just had a thought:
I was wondering why when Kyouji dies he is reborn into a full dragon, but when Norio is killed she AND her dragon-child just die. I think this is because to be reborn into a full fledged dragon you have to be in physical contact with you dragon-child when you die, otherwise it doesn't work. Any thoughts on this? This might also explain something that happens in Volume 12 (which I won't go into any more until Tsurumaru does all the work and summerizes it for us, thanks Tsurumaru!)

[tsurumaru]

I think you mistaking Kyouji's dragon (which has the face as a human and looks like a green mermaid) for a second dragon. The only full grown dragons that appear in the pictures you posted are the dolphin one in the beginning of the episode, and Kyouji's at the end. Kyouji is riding on the mermaid's back, as seen in the picture on the lower right.

I just had a thought:
I was wondering why when Kyouji dies he is reborn into a full dragon, but when Norio is killed she AND her dragon-child just die. I think this is because to be reborn into a full fledged dragon you have to be in physical contact with you dragon-child when you die, otherwise it doesn't work. Any thoughts on this? This might also explain something that happens in Volume 12 (which I won't go into any more until Tsurumaru does all the work and summerizes it for us, thanks Tsurumaru!)Yep this is right, Kyouji has become an Otohime (painted person) and his adult dragon took the form of a mermaid (with his cousins face).

Also Quarkboy:

I'm pretty sure that to become a full dragon (and therefore an Otohime yourself) you must give your body and soul to be absorbed by your Dragon, in the story a number of people mention that Dragons seek "souls" or "Spirit" (the exact Japanese is Tamashii) but it is also mentioned by Kyouji that he needs his original body to give to his dragon (I'm assuming for this purpose). Norio (a guy by the way :p ) was not only a long way from his dragon but also had his perception mucked up by the Drugs he was injected with and didn't seem to know where he was at the end, in his own body or in his Dragons, this increased the link level he had with his dragon so he was able to change his dragon into its adult form, but he was not able to fuse his soul (and body) before he died and there both he and his dragon died :( )

Thats probably more conjecture than exact facts but it is what I have worked out so far.

Also:

Norio's Dragon Vagina Dentata appears to be carrying a child, whether this child is a non complete form of Norio's Otohime form or rather an expression of Norio's love for Tsurumaru (which I believe to be more likely) its tragic, I have noticed that most of the Narutaru characters are lying to themselves, Norio says he never wants a child (but secretly wishes for one), Tsurumaru remains emotionless (apart from Shiina) and also tells Shiina quite significantly in Volume 7 that "Hitting a person won't bring back a deceased loved one" (as she is hitting Satomi over Bungo's murder of her Uncle), You'll see the irony of this statement in Vol 11.......

[eiri]

makes sense now!

thanks

[Griffith]

While this isn't exactly manga-related, it does have to do with Narutaru: I was browsing the official Narutaru website last night, and I noticed that they're re-airing the anime for a third time. Maybe interest in it is high enough that they'll do a second season? I'd love for this to happen, but I guess it's probably just wishful thinking, as they would need to edit/change some of the graphic things that happen (volume 10 especially from the sounds of it).

[tsurumaru]

While this isn't exactly manga-related, it does have to do with Narutaru: I was browsing the official Narutaru website last night, and I noticed that they're re-airing the anime for a third time. Maybe interest in it is high enough that they'll do a second season? I'd love for this to happen, but I guess it's probably just wishful thinking, as they would need to edit/change some of the graphic things that happen (volume 10 especially from the sounds of it).
Not only Volume 10....... :heh: Things start to go even more downhill in 11......as you'll see.....

[Briareos]

I was browsing the official Narutaru website last night, and I noticed that they're re-airing the anime for a third time. Maybe interest in it is high enough that they'll do a second season? I'd love for this to happen, but I guess it's probably just wishful thinking, as they would need to edit/change some of the graphic things that happen (volume 10 especially from the sounds of it).They did Volume 6 very tastefully without removing much of the violence. (Much of the graphic violence in the anime was done just off-screen, or on-screen in silhouette.) If they're careful and creative, I'll bet they can get away with a lot (or at least preserve most of the events of the manga).

I guess the question is, does a third airing of the season denote audience interest (i.e. a cult hit) or contractual obligation? Is the station just re-airing the show because they can, or is there something more to it?

Or is it possible that with enough showings, the ad revenues (and DVD sales) will generate enough money to produce a second season?

We can hope. :)

[Griffith]

This is somewhat offtopic, but has anyone read Wings of Vendemiaire or Bokurano? Wings of Vendemiaire was Mohiro Kitoh's first work before Narutaru, and Bokurano is his latest. Wings of Vendemiaire is a collection of short stories, and I'm almost finished reading it, I'll most likely read the rest later today. Bokurano is on chapter 4 right now and it's pretty interesting in my opinion.

[Briareos]

This is somewhat offtopic, but has anyone read Wings of Vendemiaire or Bokurano? Wings of Vendemiaire was Mohiro Kitoh's first work before Narutaru, and Bokurano is his latest. Wings of Vendemiaire is a collection of short stories, and I'm almost finished reading it, I'll most likely read the rest later today. Bokurano is on chapter 4 right now and it's pretty interesting in my opinion.Wings of Vendemiaire was mentioned in an earlier version of this thread. It's awesome -- highly recommended.

Thanks for the heads-up on Bokurano.

[TronDD]

I read "Wings" I loved it.

I'm currently reading Bokurano, also, I'll have to grab the latest chapter. Manga needs to come out at a faster pace. :)

[tsurumaru]

Yeah I know I'm slacking.. :heh: Volume 11 synopsis coming soon! I'll see if I can do part one tonight at least. ;)

Wings was really good, certainly Kitoh-san can catch a variety of raw emotions and bind them to his story telling (although he does seem to favour tragedies on the whole). Bokurano is starting to shape up nicely, I think the 15 are in for a shock................. ;)

[tsurumaru]

A day late, but more is on its way!!!

Narutaru Volume 11 Summary:

Things go from bad to worse as the characters must all face up to the consequences of last volumes events. A mysterious occurrence takes place on a familiar island, whilst Tsurumaru must battle unfamiliar feelings and Sudou reveals the truth around a long forgotten character to Akira. Will Sudou’s plans come to fruition? What is the true form of Kuri’s dragon Sheol? What is Shiina’s connection to the Dragons and the Otohime that helped her? Is there any hope for the fate of the world?

Narutaru Volume 11, Spoiler Summary. Part 1

Narutaru Spoilers Below;

Do not read unless you absolutely must!!!

I can accept no responsibility for your continued enjoyment of this series if you read on……

You have been warned! :p

Volume 11.

Shunji is at home watching the television when to his astonishment the pictures of the Shadow Dragon that took Shiina back from Tsurumaru in the south of Japan are broadcast. He immediately phones Misono to tell her that he has seen that Dragon before at his Parents’ (Shiina’s Grandparents’) Island. She tells him that its not safe to talk over the phone and they should meet up. Shunji is a little concerned that Shiina hasn’t returned yet but is not overly so since he trusts Tsurumaru and his friend.

Misono and Shunji meet and she spills some info, Shunji isn’t the only person in the military who reported seeing strange creatures in the sky, Shunji appears shocked by this news (and that Misono has access to this info) and we see a flashback to 14 years previously and a JSDF F4 phantom tailing a HUGE dragon.
Misono then enquires about whether Shiina saw the dragon on TV and Shunji explains that she is not at home at the moment. Misono is concerned and when Shunji divulges that she is at a friends place (who isn’t a school mate) Misono shows signs of Panic, Shunji tells her the guys name is Tsurumaru to which she replies “Tsurumaru..., Takeo?”.
She demands that he call her and Shunji calls but gets no answer she then asks to be taken there immediately Shunji is starting to worry too now.

Misono breaks into Tsurumaru’s place, a hesitant Shunji following however after Shunji takes a sniff of the place he takes the lead becoming very serious, she tries to kid with him about being worried but he tells her with a deadly seriousness that that no its because there is a bad smell to the place, its Misono’s turn to look worried now. Shunji pushes open the door to the main room but its very dark so he turns on the light to be confronted with the sight of Norio’s head forced onto the body of his Angel’s doll its wings having been snapped off. He orders Misono not to look but too late she is horrified and turning around they are confronted by Tsurumaru arriving on the scene. He looks in a bad way……both mentally and physically, shell shocked eyes stare out from his scarred face and take in the new horror in front of him. He lowers the duffel bag he has been carrying to the ground and he calls out “Norio” softly as he approaches the grotesque mannequin in front of him. His shaking hand reaches up to touch the side of Norio’s face only to hover inches short and then return useless to his side.

Shunji interrogates him straight away, “Where is Shiina?”, “You were together right?” In desperation he grabs Tsurumaru’s shirt. Tsurumaru’s haunted eyes look into the distant and then lower as he tells them that Shiina died……….
Shunji and Misono’s attention is drawn to the duffel bag Tsurumaru was carrying and they notice some small bloodstains on it. Shunji with great fear slowly opens it to be presented with a harrowing site, parts of Shiina jutt out at unnatural angles, a foot here a hand here, a hand with a small round scar that could only be that of their beloved daughter, Shunji drops to his knees in despair as Misono covers her face in horror…….

[Griffith]

Ack.. That's horrible. :sad: You weren't kidding when you said volume 10 wasn't the worst part.

[tsurumaru]

Ack.. That's horrible. :sad: You weren't kidding when you said volume 10 wasn't the worst part.

I'm deliberately messing with you a little too ;) , the pacing is a bit off in this volume, as so far that its just chapter 1 that I have summarised above. You'll see what I mean by reading below...........

Narutaru Volume 11 Spoiler Summary Part 2:


SPOILERS!!!!

The scene cuts to a familiar island, we see the ocean, the fish living in it, and then a disturbance underwater. The sun shimmers through shallow water and then we see a familiar temple gate rising above the ocean, a small naked figure walks out of the sea onto the beach, it is Shiina!
Her eyes seem unfocused and she collapses onto the sand. A passing motorist spots something strange on lying on the beach in the distance, she gasps when she realises it’s a figure of a girl…..

Back in Tokyo Shunji and Misono look devastated, they weakly discuss what they must do and just a it seems Misono has outstayed her welcome Shunji receives a phone call from his Mother, “Shiina!” he can hardly believe what he is hearing, his face and Misono’s filling with hope at the news their eyes catching again the Duffel sack that lies in the corner its contents seeming to indicate a miracle is taking place. They had believed everything that Tsurumaru had told them about what had taken place and were resigned to the loss of their daughter, but now this. Shunji prepares to leave at once for the island and Misono enquires whether it would be alright to let Tsurumaru know of this news, Shunji begrudgingly accepts that this would be the right thing to do.

Shiina wakes, she is lying in bed and her memories are fresh, what is she doing here? She thinks back but is only presented with her last memory, the vision of her own body beneath her split into pieces, she quickly cuts off that image as she wonders if that was her death….. Her Grandmother enters asking if she is ok, she has found some old clothes for Shiina to wear and passes them to her. Shiina wonders who they could have belonged to and spots a name, She reads the Kanji as “Tamai Mi….uma?” it doesn’t seem to quite make sense and she wonders who that person was.

Elsewhere on the island word is spreading that Shiina was washed ashore and one of the young boys who had but last year watched her almost drown races towards her grandparents.

Shiina is staring at the scar on her arm as if she cant quite believe that her body is real when she spots something from the corner of her eye, it looks like a fleeting glimpse of the top of Hoshimaru’s head and she runs outside instinctively following it. Rounding the corner she finds herself face to face with Tsurumaru, still bearing the scars of his obvious misfortune he tries to tell her that he does not know how but is glad that she is alive. Shiina can’t bring herself to look at him in the eyes and tells him that she doesn’t think that she will be able to forgive him for what he has done, he apologises and she repeats herself, he tells her he will visit again and begins to walk away, a look of almost anger crosses Shiina’s face and she asks him how he knew she was here, was it Norio? Tsurumaru’s expression is haunted by this and he replies that Shiina’s mother told him, Shiina’s parents were together when her Gran phoned Shunji. Shiina’s expression is a mixture of disbelief and longing at this statement as she watches Tsurumaru walk away into the forest.

There is a rustling in some nearby bushes and the boy that was eager to see her emerges, “Who was that guy?” he asks, “He’s not from this island…” Shiina is staring blankly into the distance again and doesn’t even acknowledge him, ignoring his futher comments about it being almost a year since they last met, he starts to become further angered and ends up telling her to hurry up and die before storming away in a rage, as he reaches a distance he hears Shiina call out in pain. Looking back and with concern he asks her if she is ok but she is kneeling now and calls back for him not to come back almost hysterically. He curses her again and runs off, as Shiina looks down at the inside of her leg, a small trail of blood trickling onto the ground.
Back at her grandmothers she is instantly comforted, her grandmother hadn’t realised that it was that year for Shiina and Shiina sobs hysterically at what is happening to her.

Shiina is again staring out at the ocean until she hears the noise of a jet aircraft in the distance. We see a frantic Shunji, land the jet and start off at an almost run towards his parents. Where he rounds the bend at the end of the road he catches a glimpse of his daughter in a beautiful dress he seems to recognise “Mishou” he calls out in surprise before correcting himself “Shiina!”. Shiina races inside and Shunji tries to be follow but is stopped by his mother, Shiina doesn’t want to see him at the moment he is told to his distress but his mother tells him that it is not because of him, it is because his daughter is becoming a woman…….


I've decided a little, often, is probably the best approach to take so I'll leave you with these two chapters for now to be updated soon with the next two chapters featuring Sudou & Akira (and the further adventures of Tsurumaru).

[Quarkboy]

The first largish censoring has occured in the Super Manga Blast version of Narutaru:

In the scene (Volume 6) where Akira tries to have sex with her classmate that likes her in the nurses office, she is now wearing underwear (bottom only). Actually, in this case, I think it was done pretty unobtrusively. Without seeing the original, I don't think you'd be able to tell there was any kind of editing.

My problem is that this sets a bad precedent. What are they planning to do, for instance, in the scene we just heard about in Volume 11 where:
Shiina walks out of the the ocean after being "ressurected". She HAS to be naked there.... you don't get reborn with clothes on dammit! Or what about the very, very end of the manga, where...... stuff happens. What about that?

I really don't know WHAT they are planning to do if they have a "no nakedness below the waist" policy. I bet they will follow standard american sensibilities and edit out all nudity, but keep the hideous disturbing violence unedited. I just don't get it.

Actually, now that I think about it... Do you ever see any underwear in Narutaru? Does Kitoh seem to have something against underwear?

[tsurumaru]

Well in place with my little often policy below is Chapter 3 of Volume 11 of Narutaru:
I will also aim to post Chapter 4's summary later tonight:

Narutaru Volume 11 Spoiler Summary part 3

Usual Spoiler warnings, you know the drill.....

The American General (who was briefing the press in volume 10) is furious; “What the hell happened to them?” he demands, his staff members report back that not only is there no sign of the adult dragon that appeared or its “pilot” but that they have been unable to locate either Tarask or Jen and Robert Franklin. Pressure is also being brought on them by the Japanese interior Ministry to explain the detonation of a Nuclear device within Japans sovereign territory. The General muses that this is indeed a very bad scenario.
News reports are tracking the radioactive fallout and warning people about the dangers of being exposed to it either directly or through the rain that is carrying some contaminants. They are also showing non stop footage of the mushroom cloud that resulted and we see some young people entranced by its image remarking how “beautiful and awesome” it looks they are quickly scolded by others who know what deadly results it will bring.

Tatsumi of the government/military is also viewing these images (looking rather pleased) he mentions to Aki that it exploded right in the centre of the American militaries positions and she queries why “he” hasn’t returned yet. Tatsumi says that “he’ll” be back but says that they should still be wary of Sudou’s group.

Akira’s eyes are wide with shock, her face pale, she hugs “Ensof” tightly. Sudou-san returns to the bus stop where they are resting “Trickster” watching out from its shadowed eyes. Sudou-san offers Akira a drink he has brought from a vending machine asking her if she is thirsty, but all she can think of are the people that died Sudou-san reminds her that the American military also killed a lot of people. He says that Miyako-san understood exactly the consequences and that he knew that the radiosctive fall out would also spread wide killing more innocents, such is the sacrifice that someone who wants to bring around change must make. Akira looks more and more shell shocked, Sudou continues that he understands her own internal struggle and her use of “the Knife” in the case of her father and how she listened to what Komori-kun told her.

He then tells her that shouldn’t return yet as he has something he wants to show her and changes “Tricksters” form into a 2.5 metre tall cylinder. He then asks Akira to get in and an oval opening appears, Akira wants to known why and Sudou-san tells her that they will be getting to their destination by travelling underground.
The cylinder form of Trickster is now underground travelling at some speed (Akira is in Awe), Trickster’s cylindrical form is now on its side and it seems to be travelling rather like an earthworm does (albeit a LOT faster) everything that the front of the cylinder touches is absorbed and recreated by the rear of the cyclinder. Akira enquires to where they are going and Sudou-san replies that it is an underground medical research centre.
The next scene we see a perfect circle opening in what looks like a hospital corridors wall and Sudou and Akira emerge followed by Trickster who seals this hole exactly leaving no trace of it ever existing. Sudou tells Akira to wait here for a moment whilst he checks that the coast is clear and then calls Akira back telling her that its ok “Here it is…” he tells her as he opens some doors to a room.
Her eyes widen with recognition and shock and she stifles a low scream. Komori-kun lies strapped to a medical bed. His eyes have been taped and bound shut whilst a variety of tubes protrude from his body, both from his stomach (which bears a vicious looking scar), wrists and throat. Worst of all he has no legs, from just below the pubis bone his body has been absorbed and consumed by his dragonchild Pushdagger both looking a fused mockery of human and dragon. Pushdaggers sole eye looks up blankly, heavy strapping keeping the blade secure to the bed too.
Sudou explains to her how it is only the machines that are keeping him “alive” and that the process of being absorbed by his dragon was halted by such interference.* He reminds her why Komori gave her that knife and how he wanted to “Carve the world” himself. Sudou also asks her if she thinks that this current world is a fair one and that Tatsumi Miyako may have been using them, but they have also been using him and he asks Akira if she will lend him her power to go against Miyako-san, he tells her to consider this carefully but that she doesn’t have much time. With that he urges her that they should return and they leave the thing that was once Komori-kun/Pushdagger where it is, Akira staring back one last time with despair and revulsion as the doors swing shut

*I’m pretty sure.

PS Quarkboy, I think Kitoh-san might have a pychological aversion to underwear or something :heh: :p

[Griffith]

Hmm, things are definetly getting interesting quickly. I can't wait for the next part, I'm somewhat eager to learn more about Kurii Mamiko as not much about her has been revealed.

[tsurumaru]

OK here you go two chapters for the price of one, The pace really starts to pick up from chapter 5 so expect some usual (for Narutaru) seriously shocking things

Narutaru Spoilers Narutaru Spoilers Narutaru Spoilers

Narutaru Volume 11 Spoiler Summary Parts 4 & 5

Usual spoiler warning, read at your own risk...........

A very cute young blonde girl riding a scooter is introduced, she bounds into Tsurumaru’s place calling his name and “Lets play” “Lets play” :heh: she notices a strange smell but continues inside and spots Tsurumaru lying down. She hugs him and continues to urge him to go and have fun with her, when she notices the large bandages that cover the right side of his face, “What happened to your face?” she asks. “Just one of those things” Tsurumaru brushes her off with, she seems completely unconvinced by explanation but lets it go, She asks him if Norio is out and with pain in his eyes Tsurumaru quickly changes the subject asking her why she isn’t at school. She informs him that she is already on her summer vacation and Tsurumaru wonders how she got here, “By Scooter” she tells him. “Scooter?” he replies and seeing it spots a very obvious screwdriver poking out of the ignition key slot. Tsurumaru looks completely nonplussed and remarks how she must have been hanging around him too much, to which she merrily agrees. She then asks him to play with her (literally) “Hey, lets make out ok?” but he tells her that he has to go out and attend to some business (much to her surprise and chagrin) and as he gets into his car she asks him where he has to go, and he replies that they have to go see someone about a scooter with which she replies “Yay! Lets go!”
After making sure she has put back the Scooter she stole he asks her if its been done to which she replies “yep” and he shows her the screwdriver to which she sneakily shows him some additional tools some pliers and a hammer “these too” she says. Tsurumaru rests his head on his steering wheel in disbelief as she says “Well I might need it again”.
As they travel along in Tsurumaru’s car he tells her that she might not be at School at the moment but that doesn’t mean she should make trouble for people, and she responds that its ok, and again asks if they can have sex as she wants to have his baby. A faraway look is in his eyes as he tells her that he is sorry but that can’t happen. She thinks he’s kidding and tells him its ok and that , Tsurumaru looks down sadly. She then asks him why it can’t happen, has he begun to hate her? Tsurumaru explains that it is not that at all but that it’s a problem with his body (over exposure to radioactivity = sterility), she thinks about it and saying that she doesn’t really understand says that its ok and that since he is with her they should have some fun and go on a date. Tsurumaru looks really touched and asks her where they should go, next we see she is leading him into a local temple and Tsurumaru wants to know what kind of date this is…… :heh:
“What are you saying?” she replies, “This visit is for your benefit” and he looks surprised and touched, she goes on to explain that her grandmother often told her if she made an offering that it could heal peoples ill health, she urges him “Come on Tsurumaru, quickly” at that point Tsurumaru looks at her and sees a person, not a sexual object, and not a vessel for his offspring. He tells her that she is a good person and she thinks that he’s trying to chat her up in some cheesy way, but then turns around and notices tears are running down his face, she reaches up and places her hands on his head tells him its ok as the other visitors mill around them.

Next Chapter.

Tsurumaru is behind the wheel of his car, his appearance has changed dramatically he still bears the bandages on the right side of his face but now he has no hair at all on his head and no eyebrows either (another effect of radiation exposure) his eyes look out intently from behind the dark sunglasses he is wearing. We see that he is following a car, its driver is Porky, the man that tortured, raped, and killed his Norio. Tsurumaru’s car follows Porky’s closely and passes a car heading in the other direction, its occupants are one of Shiina’s school friends Chou-chan and her older Brother, he is sorry for having to drive her everywhere but explains things are getting a little out of hand (as they pass a large street demonstration protesting about the US) he’s worried about what will become of Japan and she replies that she thinks it would be best if the US army were not there at all (a police car zooms by sirens blaring).

We switch back to Tsurumaru trailing Porky who is still wearing a ridiculous Hawaiian shirt that just stretches around his fat stomach his gimp sidekick tells him that the car behind has been following them for a long time and as they turn around to look at the driver Tsurumaru looking straight back fishtails their car off the road and into a flood plain the road they were on was running parallel to.
They both jump out and angrily ask Tsurumaru what the hell he thinks he is playing at and in response Tsurumaru starts to beat the living shit out of Porky’s yakuza associate right in front of Porky. Porky wails at the sight of the beating his associate receives and tries to run, but Tsurumaru easily catches the overweight scum and trips him to the ground, Porky flips over onto his back and yelling “You bastard” pulls out a revolver and points it at Tsurumaru’s chest as he towers over the prone Porky.
Porky pulls the trigger shooting Tsurumaru just under his heart, blood seeps from the wound. Tsurumaru doesn’t even flinch.
Porky now looks panicked and aims the gun again, but Tsurumaru kicks his arm away causing the shot to fire overhead. Porky drops the gun and cries out in pain and Tsurumaru grabs him by the collar and focuses his rage into his fists he then begins to punch Porky in the face….hard. The sound of each punch echoes back from the distant train lines that rise above and over the flood plain embankment.

Shiina’s school friend Chou-chan has arrived at her destination, her brother tells her that they have arrived but she can’t quite believe it, “here?” she wonders. She climbs the stairs to Shiina’s apartment and rings the bell, looking nervously around she wonders if there is anyone there.

Kuri Mamiko stands in the centre of Banda high school she seems confused that no one is there and wonders aloud “No one is here?” (Kuri obviously doesn’t understand the concept of school vacations :heh: ). We cut to the agents that the government has had trailing her, “We’ve lost sight of Kuri Mamiko” they call in, she can’t have disappeared their boss urges them search everywhere.

We then cut to a Yakuza building, the man who ordered Norio’s death, the boss, is being informed of some sort of situation occurring involving Porky, he listens on with vague interest…..
Now we cut back to Tsurumaru who is staring down at the body of Porky, blood drips from Tsurumaru’s fists, Porky’s face has been practically excised from his head by the beating Tsurumaru has inflicted on him. Tsurumaru calls down to him not to worry he won’t give the Yakuza the privelge of finding their colleague. Hoshimaru appears behind Tsurumaru as he gazes upwards at the sky.

Shiina opens the door of her apartment with a little trepidation only to excitedly find Chou-chan her school friend standing there, they catch up briefly as Chou-chan passes Shiina some stuff she missed out on at school. Shiina invites her in but Chou-chan makes some rather hasty excuses and leaves Shiina both disappointed and alone…..

The Yakuza turn up at the site of Tsurumaru’s carjacking of Porky. They search frantically as beaten associate of Porky’s directs them to the exact site. “Where are they?” the leader asks as the shot pans up to show Porky floating above the Earth his still body drifting into space.....

Tsurumaru sits in quiet contemplation in a narrow alleyway between two anonymous buildings, Hoshimaru rests at his side.

More to come this week including some revelations about Kuri, which should answer some of your wishes Griffith

Incidently this marks about the halfway point of Volume 11...............

[tsurumaru]

Ok guys here you go with an update: :)

Narutaru Spoilers Narutaru Spoilers Narutaru Spoilers

Narutaru Volume 11 Spoiler Summary Part 6

Usual spoiler warning, some very graphic and adult themes…………

Tsurumaru’s place, Kuri Mamiko still dressed in her school uniform is standing alone in one of the large workshops. She is looking around when the Tsurumaru’s blonde girlfriend (see above) strolls in “Tsuruma….ru…..” she voices catching sight of Kuri-chan, “WHO are you?” she demands (to which Kuri remains completely impassive) but now she doesn’t care who Kuri is as she starts a monologue wondering if this is again another new girlfriend of Tsurumaru’s before finishing that he said that he wouldn’t do that…..
Then with shock she realises Kuri-chan is wearing a Banda high school uniform and is in great dismay that Kuri could be from that school (which Tsurumaru has mentioned before). She asks Kuri if Tsurumaru is in but Kuri again just stands there impassively rather bemused by the situation.
There is that sound of a car outside and she bounds up to the door in excitement calling his name only for the door to be opened by several strangers who stroll in, it’s the Yakuza once again, their boss is with them this time. One of the gangsters says he can’t believe they’ve missed that bastard again and remarks that he has two beautiful young girls here waiting for him. The Boss orders his chumps to search the place and Tsurumaru’s blonde realises that these guys could mean serious trouble. Having had no luck in finding Tsurumaru the Boss tells his men to get hold of the girls and hearing this Tsurumaru’s blonde starts to make a run for it warning Kuri-chan to escape too (She is still watching the whole proceedings impassively). One of the guys manages to grab the blonde telling her she’s “Cuuute!” but she manages to stab him with a screwdriver (Kuri is being held and making no effort to escape). After telling the guy to *!*% off the yakuza chump knocks her off her feet with a blow to the face after standing over her with an evil look in his face he starts to lay into her again and again until the Boss intervenes telling him not to damage her too much. Kuri’s eyes continue to watch the unfolding scene impassively, one of the particularly stupid looking Yakuza guys starts to get excited about what is about to occur, but the Boss orders him outside to watch the entrance, much t o his disappointment. While Tsurmaru’s blonde is molested on the sidelines the Yakuza guys take it in terms to rape Kuri (Who puts up absolutely no defence). One of the guys asks her why she wasn’t wearing panties and states that she “must have been up for it”, Kuri is completely impassive her mouth making silent words. They discuss if they should start on the Blonde yet and decide not until they’ve finished with Kuri. One of the Yakuza guys then slaps Kuri in the face to try to get some response out of her (uh oh!) after coming he asks her why the hell she won’t say anything until interrupted by a large noise behind him…….
Looking behind them they see that one of the Yakuza guy’s torso has been separated from his legs, he is now lying on the floor looking at where his legs should be in complete shock, his entrails slowly sliding out onto the floor from the gaping hole in his body.
The other Yakuza guys are stunned and then the guy who just raped Kuri sees a movement from the corner of his eye, it is the last thing he ever sees as an imperceptively fast shape rips his head off at the neck. Tsurumaru’s blonde girl screams at what she is seeing and Kuri slowly rises to her feet “I shall return you to Sheol” she proclaims.
The Yakuza guys voice their concerns about what is going on. The chump that was sent on look out makes a run for it……
Tsurumaru’s car pulls up outside as he gets out he notices a number of things in quick succession;
his blonde girl’s bike, a Mercedes parked outside and as he approaches the entrance a guy running out in terror.
Tsurumaru grabs the guy and is about to beat him up when he is distracted by the sound of gunshots coming from inside, letting the guy go he rushes inside (Hoshimaru now at his side). His shoe knocks against something and he sees it is the blonde girl’s screwdriver; he rushes forward to the workshop to be presented with a scene that could be out of a horror movie. Kuri Mamiko stands in the centre of the room wearing only her school top her right arm looks in a bad way like it has been severely damaged at the wrist, Tsurumaru’s blonde girl sits in the corner looking terrified, an assortment of body parts litter the floor slowly spilling blood including some dismembered hands still holding guns.
“Kuri….Mamiko” Tsurumaru voices with surprise……. “Tsurumaru!” his blonde girl cries out, rushing to his side. Kuri looks at her injured arm in interest a bullet wound having nearly ripped it off. Showing no pain she holds her arm out straight and a large blade rises coming out of the ground it slices into her arm, rather than cutting the arm off though her upper arm and lower arm is now intersected by the blade which moves quickly down the length of her arm replacing the damaged area’s with completely new material (Tsurumaru notes to himself how fast this is). Kuri looks at her “new” arm and remarks that she has finally gained control of her (dragon) “Sheol”. She walks slowly across the room remarking that the body is a strange thing doesn’t Tsurumaru think? A mixture of blood and bodily fluid’s are dripping down the inside of her legs. She remarks that she thinks they all look strange, turning to Tsurumaru she says especially he looks different, probably because he can not remake the appearance of his head (to before the nuclear blast). She wonders if this is a form of punishment and then thinks to herself that this is probably because of Shiina…… Two small claws rise from out of the ground and dress Kuri with her skirt that had been taken from her earlier. Kuri urges Tsurumaru to do his best to protect Shiina, until she “becomes aware”……. She wonders about the mess she has left but Tsurumaru tells her not to worry that he will deal with it since it is his fault, as she slowly leaves she considers this aloud “Is that so?”, “That is so isn’t it” she then tells Tsurumaru that she likes his way of thinking as we glimpse Hoshimaru hiding out of her sight, Tsurumaru takes off his sunglasses to watch her leave as his blonde girl still clings to his arm in shock and confusion…….



|Double post coming up for part 7 (Gomen :heh: )

[tsurumaru]

Narutaru Spoilers Narutaru Spoilers Narutaru Spoilers

Narutaru Volume 11 Spoiler Summary Part 7

Ah heck, you know the score ………… :p

Motoki airfield is the site of advanced trials of the SU27’s (the ones they tested in Russia), there are a lot of the general public gathered outside the airfield, as apparently the base airfield staff are viewed as some kind of "heroes" as they are not reliant on the US military for support. Shunji and his boss wonder why this is the case as they discuss the current public mood and their testing schedule for the Flanker’s.
Meanwhile Suzuki-san (who co-piloted the plane in volume one that took Shiina to the island and accompanied Shunji to Russia) appears to be spilling the beans on everything he knows about dragon’s to a lady who has crutches (she looks like a reporter) we see that she has taken sketches, of Pushdagger, the Ikatchi Otohime (Shiina’s helpful adult dragon) and as the discussion turns to Tamai Shunji it is mentioned that the incident with the “Oni” (Demon – Hiro-chan’s dragonchild) wasn’t the only one that affected him directly and Suzuki tells her what happened in Russia.
She thanks him and asks if she may use what information he has given to try to get to the bottom of the mysteries as she turns to leave she accidentally knocks one of her crutches against the table edge and cries out in pain. Suzuki-san concerned, asks her if she is ok and she replies that she should have died in a car crash but didn’t, there are some things she must do……..
Meanwhile under heavy protest Shiina’s mother Misono is taking Akira out of the government headquarters, as they drive off she introduces herself to Akira formally as Shiina’s mother and asks if Akira to confirm she was a friend of her daughters, she says that it is OK because she “knows” about Shiina…She also heard that Akira won’t stay or eat with the “others” and that that is bad…. She asks if Akira has seen Komori-kun (and Akira’s face widens with surprise). She goes on to say that it doesn’t matter, he has been there for almost a year without change and that they can do nothing more for him. She then asks Akira what she will do about Sudou-san and his proposition, Akira does not know, and Misono asks her if she will lend Sudou-san her power. Akira is adamant that she has no such thing but Misono tells her that she thinks that deep down she must have (and Sudou must need her for something). Akira wonders what will be done with her (that the situation is known about) and Misono tells her nothing… She just wanted to let Akira know that there can be no unlinking with a dragonchild, once you have been “possessed/entranced” by one, and that Akira must come to accept this.
She is doing this for her daughters sake, and she then confides in Akira how stupid she has been, and that she has been a really terrible mother. She rests her head on the steering wheel in quiet despair......

Sudou and Bungo are looking at Ampoora’s still form as they discuss Ozawa Satomi’s situation, she is making a slow recovery and Sudou wonders aloud what Takano will do from here on. He explains that Kuri’s dragon has surpassed his own, Takano wonders “Sheol”? and Susou confirms that it has become "Huge" and that soon will be the time to act, Bungo asks him what he will do, will he stay with Miyako? Sudou replies that he won’t be doing that anymore, and Sudou sounds out Bungo’s future plans with Satomi, he also goes on to what happened to Komori-kun and his views on the world as it, Komori had a view that only the strongest should survive but Sudou has a much better plan. He whispers this in Bungo’s ear who replies “Really?” looking at Sudou with surprise.
Bungo tells him that’s crazy and audacious, Sudou tells him it’s also what must be done and will Takano-san help him…..

This series really needs a current body count now…. :heh:

Ok this section is really been approaching the limit of Japanese comprehension skills so I’ve had to summarise some sections fairly heavily (Sorry). I hope I’ve still got the main gist of the story and events through to you though (even if I am missing some details).

Coming soon...........the last two chapters of Volume 11, expect a few more OMGWTF moments as usual, including the true shocking form of Kuri’s dragon and Sudou’s plan revealed……..!

[Griffith]

Thanks for the detailed summaies as always. :) I'm glad that Bungo and Satomi are back in the picture as they've been gone for a while it seems. I really need to buy the manga as I want to see some of this stuff myself. :twitch:

[Quarkboy]

Here's a pet project of mine I've just finished: Tsurumaru's summeries are nice but...
he doesn't translate the chapter titles! So here are translations of all the chapter titles for volume 7-12, done by me. Note that I am not very good at this, and a few I really don't think I got right. Corrections are appreciated. No real spoilers here, btw, as the chapter titles are so completely enigmatic as to be meaningless without the actual manga.

Volume 7
30. Heartfelt Bouqet
31. And then, lies
32. Koga Norio's bedroom
33. What it's worth
34. Spring
35. Warnings are commonplace
36. Ostentatious flower garden
37. Calmly sitting next to someone
38. Filled Cup
Volume 8
39. Rancor that leads to death
40. Chariot of the God of Fire
41. Limited Power
42. Sheep
43. All the reasons
44. 2 people, leaving home
Volume 9
45. Mother Russia
46. Japanese children
47. Dream of failure
48. Black and white/Right and wrong
Volume 10
49. The beggining of the weekend
50. Light of decay
Volume 11
51. The homecoming of what's inside the sack
52. My body's first stripe/My body is but one island
53. Underground is where summer sleeps
54. Pangs of conscience
55. Those who are searching, and those being searched for
56. The place we return to
57. Then came the day
58. A short trip together before a long trip together before
59. The child was entranced by the star
60. Things that soar
61. Together we fly
Volume 12
62. Summer of winter
63. 13th years since you died
64. Dad
65. That gentle voice that calls to me
66. Possibly the ending
Final Chapter. The star becomes a corpse; the children, jewels
or officially: ...and from a dying world shall come the children of light

Note about 52: The "stripe" I figure is talking about Shiina getting her first period. I don't know if that is a common japanese expression for it, though.
Also, I don't like my translation for 66 or the final chapter much. But maybe that's the best one can do.

[tsurumaru]

Hi all,

Iam back from my easter vacation so just a quick message to let you know I hope to put up the summaries for the final chapters of Volume 11 soon.

Also I notice Quarkboy has very helpfully posted the chapter titles for volume 7-11

Thank you!

Here's a pet project of mine I've just finished: Tsurumaru's summeries are nice but...
he doesn't translate the chapter titles!

( :heh: Its cause they're so damn hard! :D ) Thanks for this though Quarkboy! :)

I put a couple of thoughts below:

38. Mature Glass
"Mature Cup" I get Koppu as a "Cup" you drink from, as apposed to Kappu "a (trophy style) cup".

50. Light of ruin
"Eating away at the light", "Decaying Light" <- This one is really hard lit to be eaten by maggots

52. My bodies first stripe
"My body is (but) one island"

63. "13 years since you died" hmm again hard to translate appropriately

65. "That gentle voice that calls to me...."

Final Chapter. Studio Proteus translate this (the full title of the series) as

"...and from a dying world shall come the children of light"

Additionally I picked up the latest issues of SMB at the weekend to see that Dark Horse have censored a whole page out of Hiro-chan's test tube ordeal....... I really wonder how they are going to deal with some of the later content......

[Griffith]

Bah, I'm not sure I even want to buy the American versions of the volumes now. :mad: I realize that some of the stuff that happens is pretty horrible, but it becomes obvious before the things that happen to Hiro that the series is not for children. As long as they put some sort of warning label on it (like they've been doing with Berserk), it should be uncensored, in my opinion. At the very least, they could censor the content in SMB and leave the novels uncensored.

[TronDD]

I agee. I don't understand why they aimed it at a demographic it wasn't written for.

"Carve yourself to fit the world, or carve the world to fit you" I guess we know which they're doing to Narutaru.

[Quarkboy]

50. Light of ruin
"Eating away at the light", "Decaying Light" <- This one is really hard lit to be eaten by maggots

I think that he's talking about the light (or radiation) from a nuclear attack in this title, thus the "decaying" property of the light.


52. My bodies first stripe
"My body is (but) one island"

"shima" can mean stripe OR island, and since Kitoh chose to write the title in hirigana, I think that both meanings are implied (I chose "stripe" because of the picture that accompanies it).


63. "13 years since you died" hmm again hard to translate appropriately

Yes, that's better.


65. "That gentle voice that calls to me...."

whoops! your right.


Final Chapter. Studio Proteus translate this (the full title of the series) as

"...and from a dying world shall come the children of light"

Doh! You know, I never even realized this was the full name until when I was thinking about this in bed:
mukuro_naru_hoshi tama_taru_ko

hence: narutaru (for those who didn't know where the name comes from).

BTW, my translation is literally correct:
mukuro - corpse
naru - to become
hoshi - star
tama - pearl or jewel
taru - short for de aru - "comes into existence from"
ko - child

I don't know where proteus came up with "light" from... actually I would simply say that it is wrong, considering some of the things that Kuri says in Vol 12 ("I am the shadow of your light, you are the light of my shadow*- page 175 Vol 12.)


Additionally I picked up the latest issues of SMB at the weekend to see that Dark Horse have censored a whole page out of Hiro-chan's test tube ordeal....... I really wonder how they are going to deal with some of the later content......

I noticed that too. In the end, the scene wasn't damaged much by the edit: the test tube rape is now simply _implied_. But I am waiting till the next issue to see what they do with the next, and most grusome scene.

[Quarkboy]

An amusing contrast:
Here is the description of Shadow Star on the back cover of Volume 1 by Dark Horse - "Shadw Star is ... filled with imagination, excitement, and delight."

Here is the description of the series on the cover of the latest Super Manga Blast- "Shadow Star - Writhes with angst and horror!"


Oh and BTW, the editor of the english version has a nice little essay on their web site promoting the release of the 5th english volume: here (http://www.darkhorse.com/zones/manga/index.php)

it makes me more hopefull that they will actually finish the series to completion.

[tsurumaru]

I think that he's talking about the light (or radiation) from a nuclear attack in this title, thus the "decaying" property of the light.

Hmm I understand what you're saying here and its also interesting that the chapter titles don't always stay the same from those that were in the Monthly Afternoon magazine. This chapter specifically was originally made up of "Decaying Light" parts I, II & III and "Decaying Darkness" when it was released in Afternoon magazine.

In this context I took it to mean that the "Light" people were being slowley reduced (Norio...Shiina) but like you say it could be referring to the Nuclear blast.

Its also a shame that the secondary strap lines of each chapter title seem to be lost in the tankouban releases too as some of these turn out to be quite poignant.

I'll have to look up a few examples when I get back home for your reference.....

:)

[tsurumaru]

"shima" can mean stripe OR island, and since Kitoh chose to write the title in hirigana, I think that both meanings are implied (I chose "stripe" because of the picture that accompanies it).

I chose island because I thought it might be in the context that her body is merely a vessel for her "being". :)

Doh! You know, I never even realized this was the full name until when I was thinking about this in bed:
mukuro_naru_hoshi tama_taru_ko

hence: narutaru (for those who didn't know where the name comes from).

BTW, my translation is literally correct:
mukuro - corpse
naru - to become
hoshi - star
tama - pearl or jewel
taru - short for de aru - "comes into existence from"
ko - child

I don't know where proteus came up with "light" from... actually I would simply say that it is wrong, considering some of the things that Kuri says in Vol 12 ("I am the shadow of your light, you are the light of my shadow*- page 175 Vol 12.)


I've also seen "Mukuro naru hoshi tamataru ko" translated as "Precious children bound to dying stars"


I was also thinking about what Akira says to Shiina in Volume 12 "Dragons/Otohime's become memories of the world"

In this sense it could indeed be something like "Precious children at the end of the world". Which would make a lot of sense from the outcome of the final chapter.......

I noticed that too. In the end, the scene wasn't damaged much by the edit: the test tube rape is now simply _implied_. But I am waiting till the next issue to see what they do with the next, and most grusome scene.

Hmm I still think it reduces the justification for Hiroko seeking vengeance and in this respect her self justification for her actions (although still abhorrent) would be missed by the readers leading them to think she was overeacting a little......

But as long as it allows them to continue releasing it I can live with it (especially as I have the original versions) :p

[Griffith]

I was browsing Dark Horse's website, and it says that Volume 6 will be out on August 11th in the USA. I also found a 4 page preview of Volume 5 on there. One odd thing, though: on this page (http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/preview.php?theid=12-571&p=2) Satomi calls Bungo "Kazuyuki". Did some of the names get changed for the US release? If so, that's rather lame.

[Quarkboy]

I was browsing Dark Horse's website, and it says that Volume 6 will be out on August 11th in the USA. I also found a 4 page preview of Volume 5 on there. One odd thing, though: on this page (http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/preview.php?theid=12-571&p=2) Satomi calls Bungo "Kazuyuki". Did some of the names get changed for the US release? If so, that's rather lame.

Hmmm, I have no idea? In the original japanese, she say's "Bungo". Maybe a mistake? Why in the world would they change Bungo's name?

[Briareos]

Is Kazuyuki his sirname?

[brightman]

Is Kazuyuki his sirname?

Kazuyuki doesn't sound like a last name to me. It's probably Bungo's first name, and Bungo is the surname.

I guess they want them on more familiar terms since in English you generally don't call friends by their last names.

[tsurumaru]

Kazuyuki doesn't sound like a last name to me. It's probably Bungo's first name, and Bungo is the surname.

I guess they want them on more familiar terms since in English you generally don't call friends by their last names.

Bungo's first name is Takano....hmm odd, if I remember correctly the guy in Akira's class who fancies Akira is called Kazayuki (Volume 1 when Akira is having an "episode" after linking to Ensof the class bitch says something like "Bechya Kazayuki would lick it up" ). He also featured in the recent SMB storyline (Volume 5~6) where Akira wants him to make love to her in the school medical office... :heh:

Damn I know too much about this series.... :heh: :)

[brightman]

Bungo's first name is Takano....hmm odd, if I remember correctly the guy in Akira's class who fancies Akira is called Kazayuki (Volume 1 when Akira is having an "episode" after linking to Ensof the class bitch says something like "Bechya Kazayuki would lick it up" ). He also featured in the recent SMB storyline (Volume 5~6) where Akira wants him to make love to her in the school medical office... :heh:

Damn I know too much about this series.... :heh: :)

Sounds like whoever translating screwed up majorly then by remembering the first names wrong...

[Griffith]

Does anyone happen to know where to find Narutaru wallpapers by chance? I figured this would be the best place to ask, since most of the fans of the series post on this thread :heh: I've checked every anime wallpaper site I know of and none of them have any. :(

[tsurumaru]

Does anyone happen to know where to find Narutaru wallpapers by chance? I figured this would be the best place to ask, since most of the fans of the series post on this thread :heh: I've checked every anime wallpaper site I know of and none of them have any. :(

I'm currently recovering from a nasty bout of the Flu at the moment (and hope to post updates to the summaries soon). I used to have some wallpapers on my website that I got from Afternoon magazine's free disc's but sadly my website hosting company folded (damn you free-host! :p ) . However I was cunning enough to get someone to mirror the Narutaru themed ones :D.

Enjoy:

http://www.peko-peko.net/dragons/extras.htm

Be sure to check out K-chan and Razzy's websites, they are one of the only English Narutaru fansites out there! ;)

[TronDD]

Does anyone happen to know where to find Narutaru wallpapers by chance? I figured this would be the best place to ask, since most of the fans of the series post on this thread :heh: I've checked every anime wallpaper site I know of and none of them have any. :(

I found a Narutaru poster similar to Tsurumaru's first wallpaper at a convention. www.asylum-anime.com had it. I snatched that up as the only Narutaru merchandise I've ever seen. :)

I wish they had some cool posters of Hiro and her dragonet and the Dragon Princess or whatever they call the cool naked chick. :)

A Hoshimaru backpack would be pretty neat, too.

[Griffith]

Cool, I'll be saving those to my hard drive. ;) I agree, a Hoshimaru backpack would be awesome, it's too bad the series didn't get popular enough for much merchandise to be made. :(

[tsurumaru]

Hmm the Javascript at the above site that was linked to caused my browser to crash so I lost my initial post about merchandise:

I'm assuming that poster was the one that promoted the release of the Anime series.

On my travels in Japan and on the web I have found the following Narutaru merchandise:

3 Japanese Artwork Telephone cards (see links below)

http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/tel1.jpg
http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/Image122.jpg
http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/telc.jpg

Plushies of Hoshimaru and Ain Soph/En Sof (I have a Hoshimaru one see below for an image)

http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/Hoshiplushy.jpg

The Narutaru 2004 Calendar (which I sadly still haven't been able to get my hands on :( ) [If you're a Winny user could you search for this please! I'm desperate to see the artwork!!!]

Also there are a few fan model kits of Shiina/Hoshi, Akira/Ain Soph and The Virgin Princess and her Dragon. (I've also seen a rather disturbing model of Hiro-chan's Oni and her unfortunate victim) :heh:

Oh yeah and lastly Kitou-san himself has a Hoshimaru packpack!

See the image below (which used to be hosted on his website)

http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/canno01_s.jpg

If anyone else knows of anything feel free to let us know :)

[TronDD]

I'm assuming that poster was the one that promoted the release of the Anime series.

Yeah, this (http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b42059676) is it. (Yahoo Japan auction)

[Quarkboy]

OK, I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes, but I've waited long enough for summaries to the rest of the manga, and I can't wait any longer! So here they are, written by me.

Maybe this is obvious but:

Major Spoilers!

Chapter 58 (A short trip together before a long trip together before):

Shiina is cooking, her dad smoking. He asks her if she is going to class today, and she say's that she probably won't. He then suggests that tomorrow they go to an amusement park. Shiina says that's out of the question since he's testing the new jet, but he says he gets Sunday off so it's OK. Shiina agrees, but doesn't seem too happy about it. Shunji then asks how her stay at her grandparents place was... Shiina reassures him that she is fine. After he leaves for work, Shiina is lounging around the apartment, and looks around. She puts on her shorts, and leaves on her bike to go to the library. She picks up a dictionary and looks up the Kanji she saw written on the clothes her grandparents gave her to wear the kanji "Mishou". The dictionary defines it as "Something which was raised from a seed: A seedling". On her way back, she passes by Akira's restaurant, and notes that it is now for sale. She then goes to Tsurumaru's place, but gets nervous and leaves, only to be confronted by Kuri. Shiina seems to remember her, and Kuri addresses her by name "Tamai Shiina-san"

Chapter 59 (The child was entranced by the star):

Shiina and Kuri are riding their bikes (Kuri's is just a plain old single gear bike with a basket on the front: Kuri has no shoes on). Shiina asks if it's OK to call her Kuri-chan, and then asks if she goes to Banda-academy. Kuri replies "From time to time", provoking a nervous giggle from Shiina. She goes on to explain that she isn't actually a student. Kuri asks Shiina where they are going, and asks if Shiina is running away from home. Shiina denies it, of course. Shiina asks if Kuri wants to go home, but Kuri explains that she doesn't have one.... or so they say. She says that the whole world is her home. Shiina asks what happened to her mother and father, and Kuri explains that she has none. Shiina apologizes but Kuri says not to worry about her, as she does what she pleases (??). They continue biking along. Shiina asks Kuri if she wants to take a break, and if she's hungry. Kuri is a little confused (perhaps about the concept of hunger?), and explains that she doesn't have any money. Shiina produces a bento (only some onigiri, actually), however, and they sit down by a fence to eat. Kuri seems hesitant to eat, and Shiina asks her if she doesn't like it, but Kuri tries a bite and says it’s good. (Most likely she simply didn't know how to eat it and was watching Shiina to see how she did it first). Back on their bikes, the sun now setting, Kuri asks again where they are going, and whether Shiina is running away from home. They stop at some abandoned house, and Shiina asks if Kuri is tired. She says no, and asks why Shiina won't go home. Has she started to hate her father? She says of course not, but Kuri doesn't think that's really the truth. Shiina asks Kuri how she knows her father, and Kuri replies that she knows about Shiina because she knows about herself. Shiina, confused, asks her to explain. Kuri asks whether Shiina is ok with her being so unaffected (weak). Shiina is a bit shocked, and Kuri goes on to explain that Shiina's really just worried about Tsurumaru since he was so close to the center of the nuclear explosion. Shiina is silent, and then asks if Kuri has a Dragon. Kuri replies that she does. Shiina asks if its here, and Kuri, surprised she doesn't understand, pauses for a second, and the ground between Shiina and her begins to glow. Kuri then explains: "Everything, this star, this world, everything is my dragon-child Sheol". Shiina is shocked, and looks a little scared. Kuri then says that Sudou-san has begun to move, giving Shiina another shock: "You know Sudou-san?!". Kuri: "Of course. He is a performer, I am an observer. And judge." Kuri: "Well, at any rate your dragon-child has yet to awaken". At which point petals of some sort emerge from the ground, surround Kuri, and suck her into the earth. Scene change: A hiker is lost, and stumbles upon an abandoned amusement park. A bright light suddenly shines on the horizon. At Cheyenne Mountain (a top-secret military installation located deep in the Colorado Mountains... featured in the 3rd Terminator movie sorta) all sorts of alarms are going off, it seems like there are some incoming missiles.... Switch to the president of the US, being awakened by a phone call. He asks where the missiles are coming from, and is shocked to hear that they are coming from Japan! (Hmmm, whether these are American missiles that were stationed in Japan or Japanese missiles that they aren't supposed to have is left ambiguous).

Chapter 60 (Things that soar):

Miyako is complaining that they can't find Shiina or Tsurumaru, when Satou gets a phone call. She informs him that ICBM's are headed toward America, eta 15 minutes. He asks where they are coming from, and when Satou explains that they are from Japan, he breaks into laughter (probably nervous laughter, remember that Miyako is fiercely nationalistic, so he's kind of torn here). Shiina is still shocked that Kuri just vanished. Shunji arrives home on his bike, only to find the place empty. Before he can panic, two people from Miyako's organization (presumably) arrive and demand to know where Shiina is. At first Shunji gets mad, but then the guy (since he never gets a name, I will call him the "agent"), the agent explains the situation to Shunji, and how his daughter's power is vital. We see an orbiting warhead platform launching a warhead, falling to the ground, the empire state building, more falling warheads, what I believe is a palace in London (help Tsurumaru?!), and the Eiffel tower, followed by a gigantic explosion, destruction, shots of various children: American, Hindu, Islamic. Shiina is in pain, and wonders what this feeling is. Then a full grown dragon appears before her. Back at the apartment, Shunji and the Agent are interrupted by the appearance of a dragon. Shots of people around the world, dragons are appearing everywhere.

Chapter 61 (Together we fly):

Scenes of worldwide destruction: New York, Sydney, Beijing, and some other places I can't identify. A bloody child with empty eyes staring at a dragon, high in the sky. The sky is filled with dragons, including the Otohime (the girl who keeps saving Shiina). All sorts of dragons, an antelope, monkey, snake, something that looks like a piranha, even a sea fern all have the telltale stripes/markings of a dragon-princess/prince. Shiina wonder's what's happening, then bikes off until she runs into a policeman. He informs her about the attack on New York (I guess that's all they know about) and the strange dragon sightings, and tells her to go home. Shiina remembers what Kuri said about Sudou-san starting to move, and puts two and two together. She wishes that Hoshimaru was there and begins to bike home as quickly as possible. Sudou and Bungo are in a silo, and simultaneously turn the launch switch (which, now that I think about it, are labeled in English: which answers my previous question). They suggest going to the next silo. Sudou and Bungo are flying (Each riding their respective Dragon-child), and Sudou asks if Bungo is scared. He says a little. Sudou continues: "Mankind is an arrogant imposter. The earth's existence is expiring, this wonderful star, due to mankind's values." (The rest of the conversation I'm not too sure about... I think it's basically Sudou commenting on how what he's doing is both wonderful and horrible.) Shiina is still biking furiously, when a low passing dragon causes her to pause. Hoshimaru appears, and beckons her to come: Shiina gets on, thinking about Tsurumaru, and flies off into the distance...

End of Volume 11.

Corrections? Comments? Questions? Always welcomed.

[Griffith]

Yay, I was waiting for this. ;) It sounds like Sudo and company are acting on their plan to destroy the world.. or so it sounds like to me, I'm probably wrong :heh: Either way, I can't wait to see how things turn out.

[Quarkboy]

Massive Spoilers:
Volume 12:

Chapter 62. Summer's Winter

Evacuation orders are blaring over loudspeakers over the Tokyo area. People are franticly evacuating to their designated shelters. Shunji (Shiina’s father) gets a phone call. He answers “Shi...” but it isn’t who he hopes, it’s actually his copilot at Motoki airfield, Suzuki-san. She tells him to come to the airfield on his bike immediately. Shunji agrees, and mutters to himself “Shiina, not again...” Meanwhile, Shiina is hurriedly flying home on Hoshimaru, and remembering that Sudou-san was that guy he saw with Akira-chan while flying back from the site of the nuclear-blast (the first one). Combining that info with what Kuri said and the policeman’s story about the nuclear attack, Shiina figures that Sudou must be behind it all. Back at Shunji’s apartment, the Agent and his buddy are staked out front. Takaya-kun (the guy who likes Shiina from school) is fighting with his sister (I think), she is chiding him to hurry up, but he wants to go upstairs to check on Shiina (I never realized he lived right next door, but I guess he does!). As he runs up the stairs, he sees Shiina flying in on Hoshimaru! Shiina is also surprised to see him, and before he can barely stammer a “you were flying...” the Agent and Shunji appear. Shiina asks him if he knows where Sudou is, but he doesn’t. Takaya’s sister appears and yells for him to hurry and leave. Shunji reassures him that they will be fine, since the designated shelter just HAPPENS to be Motoki airfield! Takaya’s sister storms downstairs, angry and very scared, followed by Takaya. Back in the apartment, Shunji confronts Shiina about Hoshimaru: “So, that’s your friend, eh?” Shiina says she calls him Hoshimaru, but that he’s really Tsurumaru, which Shunji finds very amusing. Shinji thanks Tsurumaru for protecting Shiina all this time, but asks her not to overdo it. The Agent barges in: “What the hell are you guys doing?! Are you ready yet?” They explain to him that they didn’t really have anything to do for preparations, which frustrates him quite a bit. (Some more humor I don’t totally get). In the Agent’s car, Shunji asks about some more details behind the attacks. The Agent explains that though he doesn’t know the size of the warheads, it seems that New York, Washington, Ottawa, Paris, Berlin, London, Cairo, Moscow, Sydney, New Deli, Singapore, Kuala Lompor, Peking, and Geneva have all been attacked. He mumbles something about nuclear winter, and Shiina asks what that is. Shunji explains that “it's when dust and ash from many large scale explosions combine and blow up into the stratosphere, blocking out the light from the sun and cooling the earth.” The Agent explains that worst case scenario the earth would cool below freezing for many months, causing worldwide famine. He goes on to predict the collapse of government, massive looting, and the deaths of billions. Shiina is, to put it lightly, upset. (She hadn’t truly comprehended the scale of what was happening until now). Shunji tries to comfort her, however, by saying that the Agent’s predictions were really worst case, and that they should be more optimistic. The Agent wonders for what purpose Sudou has done this, since Japan as an island nation wouldn’t be able to simply support itself. “In any case, we have to stop any more bombs from falling”. Shunji tells Shiina not to blame herself. Motoki Airfield is packed full of refugees. The owner lady is trying to direct the set up of tents and generally get the place ready, when the Tamai’s arrive: “Great, more craziness!” she says. She immediately puts Shunji to work, and Shiina volunteers to help too, to the chagrin of the Agent. Satou informs Miyako that the prime-minister in on board his private jet. They wonder why the television crews are still broadcasting, risking their lives. Miyako asks about Satou’s fiancée (she has a fiancée?!), and she explains that she knows what shelter he is in. Miyako complains about how his dream to unite the world under one nation was such a short lived dream. “Oh, but my paradise will be left unfulfilled!” “Or was it more like hell?” Satou then confirms the appearance of a new warhead. Miyako wonders how it came to this... Back at the airbase, Shiina and the Agent are hard at work distributing food. Shunji finds them, and they all take a dinner break. Shiina asks Tsurumaru to come there when he can. The Agent eats in his car with his buddy, and wonders aloud if this will be his last meal. Shiina and her dad eat quietly, until Shiina starts to ask him about Mishou (the name written on the pajamas she was given at her grandparents house). But before she can speak, she is struck by some sort of pain. Agent, Shunji and Shiina all run outside and star at a glow on the horizon. The Agent confers with his partner (who is on the phone), and explains that Mt. Fuji has just been attacked. He then explains that it’s not jut Mt. Fuji, but dormant volcanoes all around the world are being targeted. It truly seems that Sudou is trying to cause a nuclear winter! (I.E. attacking dormant volcanoes causes them to erupt, spewing EVEN more dust and ash into the atmosphere then with a normal nuclear attack. Recall, for example, the dust cloud after the Mt. St. Helens explosion here in the state. And that was simply ONE volcano.) Shiina suddenly proclaims that she knows where Sudou is. She claims that Akira will guide her, and you see now that Ain Soph is Shiina’s backpack (She is holding Hoshimaru in her arms). (Note, it is unclear when Ain Soph appeared. I guess that it appeared sometime between when Shiina was in pain and when when went outside).


Actually, I did a full translation of this chapter, line by line. But without the manga something like that is pretty useless.

[Griffith]

Interesting.. :twitch: Thanks for providing these, you're doing a good job!

[Quarkboy]

Incredibly Massive Spoilers:

Chapter 63. 13th year since you died


The title page picture for this chapter is Shunji, dressed in a black suit, holding a framed picture of... the picture is covered up by glare. A US Military transport chopper arrives at the airfield, and out comes Miyako, Satou, and some US top brass. Miyako addresses Shiina (she remembers him from the time at the community center class), and asks her to help them. He wants Shiina to lead them to where Sudou is and to provide escort to the US military strike force. Before she can answer, Shunji erupts into anger. He can’t believe that Miyako would let Shiina take such a risk. But Shiina calmly says that it’ll be ok, and that this is something she has to do for herself. Something she wants to do. Shunji, realizing his daughter’s determination, volunteers to go to as part of Shiina’s escort in the new prototype jet. Miyako agrees. Preparations are made for the excursion. Hoshimaru expands into a full canopied flight thingy, and Shunji is ready in his jet. Just as Shiina is getting on the transport plane Misono (Shiina’s Mom) drives up to the base. Shiina is in the back of the transport holding Ain Soph and Hoshimaru, and catches a glimpse of her mother running towards the plane. Shiina instinctively hides behind the door. As the plane powers up to take off, Misono screams something at the plane, but Shiina doesn’t hear it (Well, if she does, WE don’t). Misono watches Shiina take off, then runs over the Shunji’s jet (which hasn’t left yet). She catches him in the cockpit ready to go, and cries out that when he gets back they need to talk... about Mishou. Shunji just gives her a salute, as she tells him to bring Shiina back. At altitude and airspeed, Shiina jumps out of the plane, Hoshimaru catches her, and transforms into flight-mode with canopy. Ain Soph points in a direction and off they all go, Shiina, Shunji, and Shunji’s wingman Suzuki. Next we see a scene where the reporter who has been investigating into the dragon sightings and various matters is talking to some TV guys (I’m not sure what exactly was said here...). After a bit of radio chatter between Shunji and Suzuki, a nearby US radar plane alerts them to an approaching large object. It’s the Otohime, here to help protect Shiina again! Shiina seems happy to see it, and Shunji seems to recognize it as one of the drawings “at the time of childhood” (whether this refers to HIS childhood or someone else’s is unclear). Remember the drawings that Shiina discovered at her grandparents house? Yeah, that’s the one. From the front spire of the dragon, the form of the girl oozes out, taking full shape. When Shunji sees her face, he gasps “Mishou!”. Flashback: Mishou’s grave; Mishou in school outfit: “Otou-san”. Suzuki snaps Shunji out of his memories, asking what is wrong. He explains that he’s OK, and that the dragon is here to help us. Shunji then tells Suzuki to prepare, because the enemy is coming... Waiting for them, is Bungo’s dragon-child Haimeuere, or as I will refer to it from now on “Angel”, ‘cause I can’t pronounce nor spell its actual name. Next time: The final showdown!

Chapter 64. Dad

This chapter starts with a flashback. We see Misono and Mishou at a kitchen table. Mishou pesters her mother: “Will it be a boy? A girl?” She tells Shunji that he probably wants a boy, but Shunji is doesn’t make trouble and says that either will be fine. You see a brief glimpse of Misono in the present, remarking on how Mishou acted strange. You see another picture of Mishou in what looks like a Banda academy uniform. Misono has just had a baby, and Mishou is holding it. She tell Shunji and Misono to make sure to give the baby a cute name. Then she tells Shunji that she will be ok now. Shunji, imploring a doctor for information on Mishou’s condition. He tells him that she died from wounds inflicted by a kitchen knife (Accident? Suicide? I can’t tell). Toddler Shiina is trying to walk, when Shunji tells her not to start smoking. Then Misono (cigarette in hand) tells Shunji that she is leaving him, in order to devote herself to her research and understand what happened. Back in the present, Shunji awakens from his memories. He realizes now that Misono knew what had happened to Mishou, and that he never asked her about it. He figures he’ll need to apologize to her when he gets back. In the distance, shrouded by clouds a strange object appears. Sitting on this white surface is Bungo with Satomi in his lap. Satomi is using Amapora as a kind of radar, and tells Bungo there are 4 objects approaching. The Otohime (Mishou) holds out her left arm, and Angel buzzes by Shunji’s left wing. Shunji instantly recognizes his former foe, and orders Suzuki to protect Shiina while he tries to draw it away. Angel creates a Vulcan cannon and fires at Shunji, forcing him into evasive maneuvers. By the time Shunji regroups, Angel has left and is going after Shiina and Hoshimaru. Hoshimaru plunges toward the sea at top speed, followed closely by Angel (Shiina suffers from the air pressure differential). Angel fires it’s cannon and barely misses, but up behind comes Mishou to protect Shiina. Angel tries and go above Mishou and shoot, but she raises one of her dragon’s arms vertically and begins to shoot the energy beam that’s been seen before. However, before it takes full impact (or perhaps Angel dodged, it’s hard to tell), a gigantic hand rises from the sea and grabs Mishou’s dragon (Really, I kid you not: a gigantic hand attached to a weird elongated arm-like thing). It smashes the dragon into the sea. Shiina wonders if that was Kuri. Angel comes back and shoots a few holes in Hoshimaru’s outer wings. Just as it’s going for the kill however, Shunji comes speeding in and clips Angel hard with his left wing. Shiina implores Tsurumaru to take her back to her father, but Hoshimaru speeds away. Angel chases after Shunji, and manages to shoot a few holes in his right wingtip. Shunji realizes at this point what he needs to do, and makes peace with himself. With Angel right behind him he creates a smokescreen blinding Bungo’s Angel, gets behind him, and then accelerates again drawing Angel into one of his air intakes. As Angel is being sucked in, it’s Vulcan cannon tilts upward, and shoots into the cockpit right as Shunji ejects. Bungo falls unconscious (dead?), Shiina looks on in horror. Back at Motoki airfield, the Agent and the owner look in shock as a news report on the TV features pictures of Shiina and Hiroko.


More to come...

[Griffith]

Wow, so the Otohime is Shiina's sister. I wonder if she killed herself? I don't know though, since she most likely knew what she would become when she died..

Looks like the story is almost over, I'm kinda sad in a way. I'd love to see this stuff animated, but as more time goes on, the chances of a second season become increasingly less likely. I'll have to settle for buying the import manga once I get the extra money.

[Quarkboy]

Insane Amounts of Spoilers:

Chapter 65. That gentle voice that calls to me

Shiina (and Mishou, in the distance) look out on the flaming trail left by Shunji’s fighter. Satomi tries to desperately calling Bungo’s name to no avail. Hoshimaru begins speeding away from the scene, again going towards Sudou, but Shiina screams at Tsurumaru to go back...Eventually, she simply lapses into tears. Satomi brings Amaporo over and holds Bungo in her arms. Then uses Amaporo to lift him to his feet. Meanwhile, Hoshimaru has arrived at the strange thing along the horizon, which is now revealed to be a truly gigantic hand, palm facing up with its fingers slightly curled, projecting up into the clouds. Hoshimaru drops Shiina and Ain Soph off. Shiina gazes out into the eerie, cloudy landscape, with the upturned fingers making shadowy monoliths in the distance. Out of the mists appears Akira. Akira bursts into tears and embraces Shiina. Akira and Shiina approach one of the great fingers and at the base sits Sudou-san, looking very ill. He seems glad that Shiina came. Shiina immediately asks him why he has done such things, to which he replies “For your sake, Shiina. Or more accurately, for you and Kuri’s sake.” He then goes on to explain how this world is dying and that humanity is undeserved (or something like that), and that his group and Tsurumaru’s group both represented different types of changes: chaos, disorder, catastrophe. (This section I don’t understand very well at all... any help?). But, he says, I am only a performer. I am not the one that will judge. He explains that he hasn’t eaten in about a week. Shiina asks why, and Sudou explains that he hates himself the most of all. He doesn’t want to become a full dragon. From now on, Shiina will... At this point, Sudou dies. Shiina screams and shakes him (she’s just as frustrated as we are about not knowing what he was about to say), but receives no response. Shiina sits brooding at the edge of the hand, Akira comes up behind her and asks her where she will return to. Shiina says she has no where to go, she can’t go home, back to that place. Back at Motoki airfield one of the girls from Shiina’s class (the one with the glasses) is frantically searching. On the TV we see a glimpse of Miyako. She arrives in a room with two other classmates. (This is a little side I don’t totally get yet). Back on “the hand”, Akira tells Shiina that she thinks she should go back. Go back to her mother’s place. The look of anger in Shiina’s eyes is vivid, as the scene shifts to Misono, still waiting in a hanger in Motoki airfield (smoking). Misono thinks back on Mishou, and Shiina. She knew Shiina was lonely, but she wanted to see if returning Mishou would be possible. Here follows Misono’s best guess at the nature of dragon’s (poorly translated, as this is really tough stuff): The young ones are dragon-childs. The have yet to call the full body (???). My own dream became to search for the circuits of thought (lit. probably referring to the neural pathways of the brain). The nervous systems of animals, even of plants it seemed we knew nothing about. My hypothesis is this: The place a soul escapes to, the "tamashii no jyuyoutai" (means, place of reception for souls), the soul's "obligation symbol" (??? yorishiro, not in my dictionary), the soul's nest. Their bodies take in souls. Dragons... they become the memories of this star. And now, what kind of timing is this? The world is... once taken in, the brains were lost. Once again, the dragon's bodies became the star. And their wishing souls. The earth's "otohime" (Virgin princess) must become the ciruit, and choose. (My best summary of this is: Life lives, accumulating it’s memories of existence in dragons. At some point, the planet dies, and these accumulated memories are reborn into a new form a life renewed. It is the Otohime which is the key to this renewal somehow.) Akira is still trying to convince Shiina to go back to her mother, she asks her if Shiina loves her mother, and Shiina lashes out at Akira, saying she’s a lier, and it’s only her father that... but she stops, as Akira explains that she never had a good relationship with her mother. It was easier that way, but she doesn’t want Shiina to be the same. Shiina stops, then decides to go back. She orders Hoshimaru to go back... to her father. A glazed look has some over her eyes. She wonders what kinds of side dishes he’ll want for dinner tonight. Akira stands in shock. Shiina invites Akira over to dinner tonight, thinking “maybe I’ll invite Hiro-chan too”. Akira, seeing that Shiina has totally snapped, slaps her hard across the face, then bursts into tears apologizing to Shiina, leaning on her shoulders. At just this moment, large explosions rock the “hand” behind Akira from tomahawk cruise missiles (I’m pretty sure Satou planted a tracking device on Shiina before she left). Akira and Shiina are blown back, and out of Akira’s back stick four large pieces of shrapnel. Shiina cries out to Akira, and another round of missiles strike. Shiina calls to Hoshimaru, but he doesn’t seem to be around. Shiina pleads for Akira not to speak, but with dying breath she asks Shiina to go to her mother. For Mishou is Shiina’s older sister’s name. And she became the Otohime. That is how Shiina got her name. Back at the airbase, the three girls are discussing Shiina’s name. They explain how Shiina (written the Kanji that it is) means “empty shell”, or “lifeless husk”. It is a fancy name for the outer casing which a seed casts off as it sprouts. They seem to think it is a cruel name to give a child, but one of them remarks that it probably reflects the feeling of the mother at the time of birth. Shiina asks Akira what she means, and she explains that the name reflects her mother’s feelings for her. Akira then says she is glad she got to see Shiina’s name. Shiina hears a voice from within herself: “Shiina, that is my... my name!” Various panels: Misono , Shunji, and Mishou shopping, Mishou facing some dragon, Misono with baby Mishou, Hiroko, Trickster replicating an ICBM, Norio’s head on the angel puppet. Shiina is staring at a naked version of herself, saying to her “So you can finally hear me”, and reaching out with her hand. Back in reality, another giant hand explodes out of the sea, swats a few cruise missiles out of the sky, and destroys all the US planes. It should be noted that the hand has the same scar as Shiina has from her fight with Hiro-chan’s Oni. Shiina looks on in amazement/horror: “I did that?”. Kuri then appears beside them: She explains that Shiina’s dragon child is finally awake. Her dragon is the entire world. You see, the world is composed of two dragons. Kuri: “You are the light of my shadow. I am the shadow of your light.”


Chapter 66. Possibly the ending

Shiina, holding Akira with Hoshimaru on her back, suddenly appear on the tarmac at Motoki airfield. They quickly rush Akira to the hospital (she’s not dead! Yay!) and Misono approached Shiina, asking about Shunji. Shiina bursts into tears, and collapses in her mother’s arms. But Misono faints from the shock of Shunji’s death. At the medical room in the building, a doctor tells Shiina that her mother just fainted from the shock, and that she’ll be ok. Shiina apologizes to Misono, and then asks if she can be excused. She has to go see someone. At that, Shiina disappears into the floor (exactly as Kuri disappeared before), to the surprise of the three classmates in the room. Shiina appears at Tsurumaru’s place, and finds him very ill looking and hairless in a kind of reclining chair. She cries out his name, and he holds her. She says that she doesn’t want him to die, and he replies that soon he will become a dragon, and that he is but one part of... Shiina cuts him off with a kiss, and tells him she loves him (“suki” specifically). They hug, and Shiina asks if there’s anything he wants to do, except for ecchi things. He replies that she shouldn’t worry, he could handle it. Shiina is taken aback at first, but then says, let’s do it, and precedes to undress and, well, they have sex. Kuri stands on the roof of some building glaring out over Tokyo.

[Quarkboy]

This is the Final Chapter, do I really need to spell it out?:


Final Chapter. ...and from a dying world shall come the children of light

(Note, time flows kind of freely in this final chapter, so if things feel a bit disjoint, its because they are presented that way).

We see a ruined partially flooded landscape. Among the wreckage are cars, jagged pieces of concrete, and about half of the building where Shunji’s apartment is sticks up out of the rubble. A small figure of Shiina sits on top of the building, smoking. Shiina, wearing her stomach band, is cooking breakfast for her mother (in a scene purposefully dual to those with her father instead). Misono says good morning, and Shiina asks her if she wants to smoke. Misono lights up, and Shiina asks if she can go visit Akira today. Misono says its not safe to go alone, and that there should be enough gasoline in the car to make the trip. Shiina thanks her mother. As they leave the house, there is graffiti all over the walls (“demon”, “witch”, “die”, etc...). Driving along, her mother tells Shiina not to worry about such things when another car drives out right in front of them and they crash. A man with a shotgun gets out of a van, and Misono pushes Shiina out of the car just as he fires. Shiina looks back in horror. The ruined landscape again. Shiina stands in rubble, staring at half of a rusted out vehicle perched upon so concrete structure, smoking. A window, Akira on a ventilator, Akira falling out of the window, 4 stories onto the sidewalk. Miyako is approached by the glasses girl and some guy. They ask if he is Miyako Tatsumi, and when he replies yes, the man stabs him, and the girl says that it is revenge for her father (I have no idea who her father is either, so don’t ask). Back to Shiina, running frantically away from the horrible scene with here mother, squats down in an alley, and disappears into the ground. She goes to the only place she has left, Tsurumaru’s. The ruined landscape again: Shiina smoking, staring at the ruined husk of Tsurumaru’s building. Present: Shiina runs inside, calling for Tsurumaru, and finds him collapsed on the floor in a pool of blood. Hoshimaru appears, and begins to scream on the floor next to Tsurumaru’s body: One of his arms extends and connects with Tsurumaru’s head, but then quickly goes limp. Shiina stands back, aghast. As she cries out his name, three men appear (one with a shotgun), and Shiina puts her head down and does not protest. As the shotgun is fired, however, a sheet of something comes up out of the floor and stops the bullets (This looks very similar to how Gaara’s sand shield works, to get a mental picture, but a bit more clay like). Kuri appears on a chair of tendrils, and says that it’s regrettable that Shiina can’t simply let this world go. Kuri: “It’s OK to let it die!” At this point, a hand rises up and crushes the head of the man with a shotgun. Gigantic hands explode out of the surface of the earth everywhere, gigantic, fleshy hands attached to amorphous arm like tentacles which begin sweeping the landscape, destroying everything, everyone. A picture of the planet itself shows half the earth writhing with extruding, undulating hands the size of continents. The sky; Shiina, smoking, staring at the ruined sign for Mutsu’s Meals (Akira’s home). Shiina is dressed in a simple white dress, with no shoes. Kuri appears behind her, in a black dress, and says that she told her that you shouldn’t smoke, because it’s bad for the baby. You see now that both Shiina and Kuri are pregnant. Shiina puts of the cigarette, and they go back. The arch out in the bay at Shiina’s grandparent’s island is slightly crooked. Shiina sits under a makeshift shelter. Kuri appears, and complains that Shiina hasn’t eaten anything. Two onigiri (identical to the ones Shiina shared with her in Vol. 11) appear on a table the emerges from the ground. Kuri continues to say that she worried about the baby, and that there isn’t anything here because Shiina hasn’t created anything. Kuri then asks Shiina what she is confused about. Shiina says, “About, how to make the world, am I ready, the situation...” Kuri holds up a drawing, Shiina is shocked to see her summer homework assignment that she drew way back in chapter 1. Kuri says that yes it is her drawing, and we see that it is a crude drawing: A house with a chimney, a table filled with food. Behind it, Shiina, her father, and... her mother. Kuri tears the picture up into small pieces: “It's ok, it doesn't suit you. That's why I will destroy this world, and raise it. The dragon's otohime is various (lit: "thoughts of circuits") methods of thought. If you should send that message, life will be listening for it's substitute. With life, it’s possible.” (This last few lines are very hard to translate... unfortunately). Kuri and Shiina, Black and White, Ying and Yang, stand on the beach looking out at the arch. The sky is filled with dragons. The arch is now half collapsed. A black haired boy is chasing a light haired girl on the same beach, both naked. The arch is now a pile of rubble out in the ocean. The stars shine brightly in the sky. The two children, small shadowed naked creatures, are on hands and knees, kissing in the darkness.

[Quarkboy]

Well, there you have it folks. Anyway, the main reason I did this was because I have a number of questions on my mind, and most of them are global things that would only be appropriate to ask once the whole thing was summerized.

So, if anyone can help me understand these things, I would be most greatful:


1. Who are the father's? The obvious choice would be Tsurumaru and the guy that raped Kuri. But wouldn't Tsurumaru be totally sterile after such a large amount of radiation poisoning? And having the father of all of humanity be some punk gangster kind of pisses me off.
2. What exactly happened with Mishou? Did she kill herself? Did she purposely do so in order to become the Otohime? Why was she chosen to be the Otohime anyway?
3. Who the heck is Kuri? Shiina was a normal person (presumably) before her dragon awakened, so does Kuri also have a normal family somewhere? Did she simply materialize when Shiina was born?
4. What is this judge/performer buisness? If Tsurumaru's gang and Sudou's gang were the performers, and Kuri and Shiina were the judges, what exactly were they judging?
5. How was Shiina ressurected? By what mechanism. It was already explained that if a dragon creates a copy person, it is a souless being (see Volume 5), so if the earth (Shiina's dragon) created another Shiina, wouldn't she be souless?
6. Why was Shiina the other half of the earth's dragon? Was she born like that? Was she chosen at some point, like, say when she first met the Otohime?
7. It is mentioned at least twice that the Otohime has some kind of important choice to make about something. What is this choice? To decide on what kind of life there should be (I thought that was Shiina's choice)? Or maybe to decide on who would make that decision?
8. What happened to Bungo and Satomi? We never actually see them die...
9. Why did Akira kill herself? Maybe she was murdered by Kuri?
10. What exactly happened with Hoshimaru and Tsurumaru when Tsurumaru dies? It looks like he tried to become a full dragon, but failed for some reasons.
11. What happened to Sudou's family? What was his terrible backstory? It was hinted at many times that he has some terrible past that I don't know.


And now you see why I did what I did today... Dammit, I need answers! Help me understand this wonderful manga so I can sleep at night.

[tsurumaru]

Well, there you have it folks. Anyway, the main reason I did this was because I have a number of questions on my mind, and most of them are global things that would only be appropriate to ask once the whole thing was summerized.

So, if anyone can help me understand these things, I would be most greatful:

Thanks for this Quarkboy, I have been slacking lately :heh:


1. Who are the father's? The obvious choice would be Tsurumaru and the guy that raped Kuri. But wouldn't Tsurumaru be totally sterile after such a large amount of radiation poisoning? And having the father of all of humanity be some punk gangster kind of pisses me off.

Yeah I wondered about this too, we dont even know which punk guy it was that was the father of Kuri's child.......and perhaps Tsurumaru has "magic sperm" :p
However I'm hypothesising here that since Shiina and Kuri appear to be "special" (Kuri's general weirdness and Shiina's rebirth etc) they literally are the world and already part of their respective dragons therefore they could make themselves pregnant (possibly triggered by having sex) as their bodies are not "truely human"
???????

2. What exactly happened with Mishou? Did she kill herself? Did she purposely do so in order to become the Otohime? Why was she chosen to be the Otohime anyway?

Erm you're guess is as good as mine on this one, except that it seems that some of the characters that go on to become Otohime's do themselves in (Volume 5 and the whole Jun incident for example).

3. Who the heck is Kuri? Shiina was a normal person (presumably) before her dragon awakened, so does Kuri also have a normal family somewhere? Did she simply materialize when Shiina was born?

I think that when Shiina and Kuri are having their conversation about themselves Kuri states that she doesn't have any family....although this doesn't help explain anything, presumably they are simply both "special" Kuri may have been born of the world as the opposite of Shiina born of man, I think that Shiina isn't "normal" though she already has an inkling of herself (as she says in volume one when she is drowning "Am I the world? Will the world disappear?" I think that she is always linked to her dragon (as it calls to her in her dreams) it is just that it is lying dormant.

4. What is this judge/performer buisness? If Tsurumaru's gang and Sudou's gang were the performers, and Kuri and Shiina were the judges, what exactly were they judging?

The world? Humanity? Hmm
I got the reference that Sudou-san was meant to represent order, and also the Thanatos aspect of humanity (its desire to bring an end to all things) and that Tsurumaru was meant to represent chaos and also the Eros aspect (humanities desire to continue life through procreation :heh: ) - this from Shiina and Sudou-sans conversation before he died. I'm pretty sure that the Judge was meant to be someone else (not Kuri or Sudou) perhaps Shiina???

5. How was Shiina ressurected? By what mechanism. It was already explained that if a dragon creates a copy person, it is a souless being (see Volume 5), so if the earth (Shiina's dragon) created another Shiina, wouldn't she be souless?

Erm again not sure except that as Shiina is special (She's already linked to her dragon (the world) it just hasn't awakened yet) Therefore her soul doesn't reside in her body but in the world? This might explain how she can later "feel" the pain of the world.....again just rambling thoughts

6. Why was Shiina the other half of the earth's dragon? Was she born like that? Was she chosen at some point, like, say when she first met the Otohime?

Erm again I'm unsure, I guess it was her and Kuri's "destiny", I'm guessing she was born "special" and that Misono somehow knew this, perhaps through Mishou?

7. It is mentioned at least twice that the Otohime has some kind of important choice to make about something. What is this choice? To decide on what kind of life there should be (I thought that was Shiina's choice)? Or maybe to decide on who would make that decision?

????? You got me......

8. What happened to Bungo and Satomi? We never actually see them die...

Aha a bit of a cop out here, In amongst all the dragons shown in the second to last frame is a suspicously familiar one it appears to be a blend of Bungo's and Satomi's Dragons (Haimvelle and Ampoora) although this goes against much of the logic of the series.

9. Why did Akira kill herself? Maybe she was murdered by Kuri?

Again from the few frames that we see it appears that Akira was pushed (she seems to be falling awkwardly) but who knows, after that state she was in when the Americans tried bombing Kuri's hand "I couldn't fly....again....." perhaps she finally got the nerve to actually kill herself (perhaps she saw the end of everything coming?)

10. What exactly happened with Hoshimaru and Tsurumaru when Tsurumaru dies? It looks like he tried to become a full dragon, but failed for some reasons.

Yeah this peeved me just a bit :p , firstly he gets shot in the stomach which is a notoriously slow way to die (yet happens almost instantly), secondly where the hell is Hoshimaru? He just sort of drops out of thin air (he also goes awol from volume 12 quite a bit if you follow the airport scenes he simply disappears) in fact in the original Afternoon magazine chapters there were quite a few consistency errors in these last chapters that the author had to correct for the graphic novel release which makes the whole ending seem very rushed :( .
Secondly just before Shiina jumps him he says he can try to become a dragon if anything were to occur (like him dying) and that he will be part of Shiina (ie the world if he does so). Why couldn't he do this?????? Again confused, I mean If I was Shiina in this situation, having lost everyone close to me I don't think I would have been able to go on....

11. What happened to Sudou's family? What was his terrible backstory? It was hinted at many times that he has some terrible past that I don't know.

Yeah again clueless.....

Well here are my own gripes about the ending......

1. Why didn't Shiina do anything to stop Kuri/Save everyone she cared for???? I mean with all that power she could have physically healed Tsurumaru and possibaly her mother too. She could have also prevented Kuri from killing everyone else she cared for friend of her and her father too including Miyo-chan for example.

2. Why did Kuri literally smash the world up? I mean she could have absorbed everything with the dragon ability of the world instead she simply spread radioactive debris everywhere.........

3. What was the significance of Shiina and Kuri's children? Were they the new Adam and Eve? If so wouldn't this just result in the same world being created (eventually) or is this what Shiina and the dragons have to change?

Lastly after following the series for so long I felt it was a very disapointing ending for anyone who got to care about the interesting and deep characters in this great series, I mean a three frame ending for Akira? Come on......

(Especially grating is the rear cover of Volume 12 it shows all of the minor characters in the series in a big group (obviously before they were ripped asunder by Kuri) :heh: :( )


And now you see why I did what I did today... Dammit, I need answers! Help me understand this wonderful manga so I can sleep at night.

I feel your pain! :p ;) Time to change my avatar quote back to my original I think.

Group therapy anyone? :p

Only Kotonoha can save us now from our misery!

[Griffith]

So it's finally over. I'm somewhat disappointed in the ending.. I'm assuimg those guys with guns killed Tsurumaru and not Kuri, correct? It sucks that Shiina lost everyone who was remotely important to her. I was wondering about a lot of the things you guys had questions about, also. Namely about Sudo's past, and how he came to be the leader of the group. I didn't suspect he'd kill himself, though, because his original goals were to create a better world where people considered each other's feelings and thoughts, and where the thinking people survived. I was hoping he'd live and achieve his goal, but it wasn't to be, I guess. Kuri's importance came as somewhat of a shock to me as well, because even though they made her come off as mysterious and such, for a good chunk of the story she wasn't featured.

I may end up adding to this post or making another one later, as I'm still kinda tired and I'm going to re-read all these summaries in cased I missed anything I wanted to comment on.

[TronDD]

Well I guess I'll go ahead and read these summaries. I was going to wait for all the English releases but that'd take too long. I have all the Japanese versions so I might as well read the summaries and look at the pretty gory pictures.

Plus I want to see what's so dissapointing about the ending. Why wait around just to be let down anyway. :)

[Briareos]

Nausicaa took ten years to finish (and that was merely the Japanese version). I can wait. Meanwhile there's more anime than I can watch already on R1 DVD, let alone in fansubs.

Never forget that good things take time to make (which doesn't mean that all things that take time to make are good). :) Just because you can get a burger and fries in less than a minute doesn't mean you should. Anyhow, I see I'm getting on my "patience is a virtue" soap-box, so I'll stop now.

[tsurumaru]

At one point in the series I actually considered that Shiina might not be the focal character when she was killed in volume 10 I thought that this might have been a master stroke and that the story might actually have been about Tsurumaru/Hoshimaru all the time and how he is basically redeemed by Shiina (through her he comes to know love and understands empathy.)
Actually I have another question I should have added above,

Do we ever find out why Tsurumaru is so damn hard??? Sudou mentions that the person Hoshimaru is linked to must be "good with pain" in Volume 4 but Tsurumaru gets shot at point blank range by "Porky" without even flinching (I'm assuming Tsurumaru then uses Hoshimaru to repair the damage (and yet he cant repair the radiation damage???) It looks like a fairly big hole where his heart should be! Hmm more questions than answers.

[Quarkboy]

OK, so in search of answers to my questions, I corralled one of my students in my Graduate Quantum Mechanics class who happens to be Japanese. I forced him to translate Narutaru in exchange for help on his midterm....

Revelation #1: I translated the doctor's explaination of Mishou's death incorrectly: He explains to Shunji that the knife wounds were inflicted AFTER Mishou died, and that the actual cause of death is unknown. Egads! Now it's even MORE mysterious!

Revelation #2: Sudou-san's speach on page 133: He explains to Shiina that originally he planned to just kill everyone indescriminantly. He says that his group represents nothingness, and Tsurumaru's group represents Chaos. Then he says "Destruction gives rise to nothingness, creation gives rise to chaos". Meaning? Well, it means SOMETHING.

Revelation #3: Misono's explanation of the Dragons- BTW my Japanese friend had a hard time with this too. A translation of page 147 (far better then my previous one): "The young ones are the dragon-childs, the dragon-corpses are lacking something. The do not have the neural activity (lit. thought circuit) which lets you dream. Animals have this neural activity, for plants we are not sure. The dragon-corpses are a receptical for souls (repeated three times all meaning essentially the same thing). When the dragon-corpses absorb the souls, they become dragons. Dragons are the memories of this planet. (p.148) At some point, this planet lost its neural activity, and has become a dragon-corpse. The earth's Otohime, and the circuits of life are chosen."

Revelation #4: I didn't get the true meaning of Shiina's name: It SEEMS like a horrible name (and means exactly as I said in the summary), but Shiina's classmate figures that Misono named her that because of a different meaning: "Mishou" means something which grew from a seed. "Shiina" means an empty lifeless husk. But what Misono was getting at was that the empty husk never grows. She didn't want Shiina to leave, like Mishou did. She named her that so that she would never grow up and stay with her forever.

Revelation #5: The very very last page I mistranslated the first line: Kuri, after showing Shiina her school picture says : "It's ok, if the world you create doesn't suit you, I'll just destroy it..." The rest was basically as I said before. Actually, the final few lines my Japanese friend couldn't understand either very well.

Does this answer any of my questions? Not really. Is it interesting? Sure.

[Quarkboy]

Some responses to Tsurumaru's gripes:


Well here are my own gripes about the ending......

1. Why didn't Shiina do anything to stop Kuri/Save everyone she cared for???? I mean with all that power she could have physically healed Tsurumaru and possibaly her mother too. She could have also prevented Kuri from killing everyone else she cared for friend of her and her father too including Miyo-chan for example.

I don't think Shiina ever really had control over her power: I think it acted more as a second personality: ("So you finally decided to hear me...") Shiina never once used her power of her own conscious volition.

2. Why did Kuri literally smash the world up? I mean she could have absorbed everything with the dragon ability of the world instead she simply spread radioactive debris everywhere.........

I think Kuri just liked the destruction, frankly. And dragon's so far haven't seemed to be able to absorb things, only create things. (I think anyhow...)

3. What was the significance of Shiina and Kuri's children? Were they the new Adam and Eve? If so wouldn't this just result in the same world being created (eventually) or is this what Shiina and the dragons have to change?

Yes, in fact I interpret the final kissing scene as representing both the tenacity of life to sustain itself, as well as the viscious cycle which such a thing requires and the repetition of the mistakes of the past. In many ways I would say Kitoh's work is a commentary on Nature vs. Nuture - How mankinds instinctive urge to procreate conflicts with our desire to destroy and conquer (Summerized poetically by Sudou-san on page 133). As for the world Shiina created, I think it is unknown. All that we need to know about it is that there are still men and women, and that life will go on.

Lastly after following the series for so long I felt it was a very disapointing ending for anyone who got to care about the interesting and deep characters in this great series, I mean a three frame ending for Akira? Come on......

(Especially grating is the rear cover of Volume 12 it shows all of the minor characters in the series in a big group (obviously before they were ripped asunder by Kuri) :heh: :( )

I will personally give 10 dollars to anyone who can identify all the characters in that drawing (by name, or by location in the manga). Challenge!


Personally, I thought this manga was masterful. Perhaps the ending could have been fleshed out a bit more, but to me the final chapter is all that really matters. This is not a manga which stands just on its character interactions, or a manga which is a coming of age story, or a manga that relies on characters reactions to things out of their control. It is ALL those things, and more, for it is about human society and the self-conflicting nature of our own existance. If you focus on just one aspect of the manga, say character developement, you will be dissapointed. Look at Akira, or Bungo, or most of the characters. The changes they go through are all very subtle. What about plot? While exciting at times, in many cases the stories are awkward and unevenly paced. All in all, I thought the ending was unavoidable, and necessary to make Kitoh's point.

[Quarkboy]

(Especially grating is the rear cover of Volume 12 it shows all of the minor characters in the series in a big group ...


Actually, I just noticed something about that picture which is kindof cool/morbid:

I was wondering why Satou was in the group but Miyako wasn't... Aren't they about the same importance to the story? Also where was Hiro-chan or her tormentors, etc etc. Then it hit me: The picture isn't of minor characters, its of ALL characters that DIDN'T explicitly die in the manga. Yup, everyone that isn't pictured was killed before Kuri went nuts. With the exception of Shiina and Kuri of course. So on the back of the cover are all the people that survived Narutaru... basically none of the main characters at all. Sheesh. Maybe I'm wrong about this though and just haven't found a counterexample.

[tsurumaru]

Actually, I just noticed something about that picture which is kindof cool/morbid:

I was wondering why Satou was in the group but Miyako wasn't... Aren't they about the same importance to the story? Also where was Hiro-chan or her tormentors, etc etc. Then it hit me: The picture isn't of minor characters, its of ALL characters that DIDN'T explicitly die in the manga. Yup, everyone that isn't pictured was killed before Kuri went nuts. With the exception of Shiina and Kuri of course. So on the back of the cover are all the people that survived Narutaru... basically none of the main characters at all. Sheesh. Maybe I'm wrong about this though and just haven't found a counterexample.


No you're right its everyone who made it to the end (only to be killed by Kuri) which I kinda took as an insult, a blatant face rubbing for anyone who cared about them. Anyhow, take off the back cover and you can see that some of the sketched characters are labelled, Tsurumaru's blonde girlfriend is only noted as "Doraiba-da" I'm guessing this is "Driver person" as in "Screwdriver" which she seems to wield a lot. Also you get to see all Tsurumaru's "women" :heh: and kids..... :p

I guess what really gets to me are the rumours that Kitoh-san was forcefully rushed into the ending by the producers of Afternoon magazine due to the low sales figures of the Narutaru tankoubans, Volume 6 was the result of him having been told to "hurry things up" by the editors as they thought the pacing of volume 5 was particularly slow (which wasn't such a bad thing) but you can definitely notice plot holes starting to creep in in the last 2 volumes where before there was an extremely high level of consistancy and accuracy.



As far as I'm aware dragons do absorb things, to make a copy of something the "dragon bearer" or dragon itself must only come into contact with the item.
For examples of absorbtion, Norio's Vagani Dentata absorbs the F16's Paveway laser guided bomb's guidance systems in volume 10 or Hiro's Oni absorbs Hoshimaru's metal poles in Volume 6 and though its never explicitly shown this would be a useful way of simply disposing of items like corpses or weapons...... The ultimate form of this ability is perhaps the Otohime (whose entire body is a replicated copy of the original host), Sudou's Trickster tunneling underground is also quite imperessive or Kuri's arm regeneration feat. Also how about Komori-kun's unfortunate situation......

[WTTrinity]

:bow: Many thanks to tsurumaru and Quarkboy for the translations, they were really appreciated! I only just recently got the final volumes, basically just in time to see the visuals before reading Quarkboy's finale. It would have taken me a while to properly translate everything, so the timing was perfect :)

In any case, I'm not in the least dissapointed with the finale. Even from the anime (which I saw before seeing any of the manga) it was clear that this story was not about to pull its punches. I can understand your empathy for the characters, tsurumaru, but I think this is the way it had to end.

Narutaru and Gilgamesh have been two of my most favorite series of recent times, and both have endings that a compassionate person is likely to rebel against. Yet, one of the main reasons why I love these series so much is that they end on a note that was fully expected from how things unfolded. Too many series (maybe fewer in the manga, I'm not an avid reader) try to cater to the emotional needs of the fans and don't remain true to themselves to the end, so I'm glad that these two did. Maybe this makes me sound like a pessimistic fatalist, but actually I'm pretty much the opposite. I just have to balance out somehow, and this kind of material is perfect for that :heh:

Hmm, would what I said above be considered a spoiler? I don't think so, but if you guys do, let me know and I'll put tags around it.

[tsurumaru]

:bow: Many thanks to tsurumaru and Quarkboy for the translations, they were really appreciated!

You're welcome, its a series that certainly deserves more attention than it currently has. I don't know about Quarkboy but I was personally moved to write these synopsis' by the lack of information available on the series and author.

I can understand your empathy for the characters, tsurumaru, but I think this is the way it had to end.

Narutaru and Gilgamesh have been two of my most favorite series of recent times, and both have endings that a compassionate person is likely to rebel against.


Yeah I thought that Gilgamesh's ending was dissapointing too, (although it (kind of) made sense and I enjoyed the series overall), I think it must just be my outlook on the world... :heh: :p :)

The concept of such efforts and acts for in the end nothing, seems to really grate me (perhaps this is a rebellion against "life" itself and like the character of Tsurumaru I tend towards eros rather than thanatos, [which I also understand]) hmm anyway enough overanalysing I'm glad you found these useful.

Now if I could only find a copy of the 2004 Narutaru Calendar..........

Oh yeah, I know, I'll post some special colour spoiler images here from the monthly Afternoon issues later today.

[Briareos]

Hmm, would what I said above be considered a spoiler? I don't think so, but if you guys do, let me know and I'll put tags around it.From someone who hasn't read the series to the end, I think your discussion is way to vague to be considered a spoiler. "It ended the way it had to end" gives less away for me than "I'm a little disappointed in the end," which is still just a vague unobjective opinion. :)

[tsurumaru]

Ok people:

Here are some images a I have taken that were released in the Monthly chapters that came out in Afternoon magazine. Apologies for the quality, I dont have a scanner (yet) so these are digicam shots. If I get a chance to rescan them I will.

They do not feature in the Japanese tankouban releases or the actual story itself (which makes them fairly rare). So please enjoy.......but beware they do contain spoilers as to the direction the series takes later on.......

Shiina, Hoshimaru and Mishou

I'm pretty sure if these had been the last people left in this world Tsurumaru wouldn't have been too disappointed :heh:

http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/Shiina-Hoshi-Mishou2.JPG

Otohime's Shiina & Kuri


Mind you Tsurumaru probably wouldn't have complained about this combination either :heh: :p

[IMG]http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/Shiina-Kuri-Otohime2.JPG


Hmm I'll have to try to resize these at some point :heh: apologies for that!

[Griffith]

Wow, nice pictures! The quality on the first one is really good. I think the second one is an appropriate image of the outcome of the story. After thinking about what happened, I agree that the story had to end on a dark note, as a happy ending wouldn't do the series justice. I tend to share the ideals of Sudo more than Tsurumaru, so I wasn't surprised that something like this happened. I wish Sudo would have survived, though. :/

[tsurumaru]

Anime opening spoiler:


Here have some fun rewatching the Anime opening to try to spot the hidden spoilers...

Here's the biggest one:



Here's Hoshimaru in the Anime OP, but whose Silhouette is that behind him???

http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/Hoshi%20Appears.jpg

Here's a clearer shot:

http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/Background.JPG

:)

Anyone spot that before?

See what else you can find...... :p

[Quarkboy]

You're welcome, its a series that certainly deserves more attention than it currently has. I don't know about Quarkboy but I was personally moved to write these synopsis' by the lack of information available on the series and author.



I'd just like to say I was definitely motivated by Tsurumaru's work, and the fact that I just wanted to know what was going on! Once I got into it though, there wasn't really any turning back.

On a side note, does anyone know where I could get a hold of issues of IKKI, the magazine in which Kitoh's new work Bokurano is being published? (I know it's being scanlated...) I tried to find it on the common US importer's sites but I think it isn't mainstream enough...

[stpehen]

I'm not sure where you could get issues/subscriptions of Ikki, but if it helps, the release date for the first volume of Bokurano is June 30th. It will probably be easier to find that than the magazine itself.

[Griffith]

I wonder if Bokurano has a chance of being turned into an anime. I've only read the first four chapters, but it's pretty interesting so far, in my opinion.

[TronDD]

I wouldn't hold your breath, but who knows? Chapter 5 was just released. :)

[Quarkboy]

Ehh... I doubt it. From what I gather the readership of the magazine it's published in is far less then Afternoon KC, so it simply wouldn't have the exposure to make it as an anime. That is, unless the tokuban sales are really high...

Anyway, this thread is about Narutaru, so I apologize for pushing it :topicoff: .
Maybe I'll start a new thread for Bokurano...

[JLG]

Hello.
Hi! New 'round here.
Narutaru is one of the few manga I really like, and I've been following it intensely in SMB. In many ways it's my favorite comic, period.

Because of this, I'm livin' in dread here of this horrible ending you're all talking about. I'm wondering if I can resist the temptation to read these spoilers for six years while waiting for the whole story to be officially translated. I've skimmed over them at light speed, and even that revealed a little more than I should have let myself know. (Although I already knew what happens at the end of "the notorious volume 6")

I guess I just want to ask you guys one particular thing about the ending...without revealing too much. Since the ending is obviously so tragic, I've been wondering if it's meant to deliberately nullify some of the character's points of view in earlier chapters (particularly the ones in Hiro's story, where the translation is at now.) I'm referring in particular to Hiro's words before she snapped and changed her mind---that a "survival of the fittest" kind of world is horrible and meaningless. Also, Akira's early attitude toward violence and killing--especially her shock at Shiina's even mentioning such a possibility. Basically, if I didn't know that disturbin' stuff was 'round the corner, I would have thought a theme of the story was just that--that violence and death are futile. It would seem especially so in the chapter with the first military confrontation. ("Watch and never forget...") It sounds as if later developments deliberately stress this kind of thinking as clueless and mistaken. Is violence ultimately shown to be the only reality?

One reason I'm curious about this is that I read something about a younger generation of Japanese, too young to remember the horrors of governmental militarism that led to WWII, eager to reintroduce a strong offensive element. Don't think I'm a U.S.-control freak---I don't like it that *anybody* has to have a large military---it's only that the last thing we need is yet *another* nation going gung-ho nationalistic on us. Lord knows the US is bad enough. I was wondering if Kitoh ultimately emerges as a militarist. Hope not. I'd be very disappointed.

Insecurities aside, I love Kitoh's pacing and structuring---it's changed the whole way I think about comic creating.

[Quarkboy]

Hello.
Hi! New 'round here.
Narutaru is one of the few manga I really like, and I've been following it intensely in SMB. In many ways it's my favorite comic, period.

I guess I just want to ask you guys one particular thing about the ending...without revealing too much. Since the ending is obviously so tragic, I've been wondering if it's meant to deliberately nullify some of the character's points of view in earlier chapters (particularly the ones in Hiro's story, where the translation is at now.) I'm referring in particular to Hiro's words before she snapped and changed her mind---that a "survival of the fittest" kind of world is horrible and meaningless. Also, Akira's early attitude toward violence and killing--especially her shock at Shiina's even mentioning such a possibility. Basically, if I didn't know that disturbin' stuff was 'round the corner, I would have thought a theme of the story was just that--that violence and death are futile. It would seem especially so in the chapter with the first military confrontation. ("Watch and never forget...") It sounds as if later developments deliberately stress this kind of thinking as clueless and mistaken. Is violence ultimately shown to be the only reality?


Hmm. This is my opinion, and I'm sure that other's will have different ones as well. I interpret the ending of the story (really the last two volumes about) in this way: Kitoh seems to be saying that humanity in it's current state is inextricably linked to violence and survival of the fittest. That is the point that sudou-san and friends seem to make, and is embodied by Miyako. But the resolution Kitoh proposes is not one of _fixing_ humanity. She seems to say that we have already progressed beyond the point of redemption, and that the world itself can only be revived by first wiping the slate clean, and starting from scratch. Kind of like when your windows registry get's mucked up, and the only way to really fix it is to completely reinstall windows (or, maybe, just maybe, abandon windows all together and switch to linux. Which raises the crucial point: Is Shiina l33t?)


One reason I'm curious about this is that I read something about a younger generation of Japanese, too young to remember the horrors of governmental militarism that led to WWII, eager to reintroduce a strong offensive element. Don't think I'm a U.S.-control freak---I don't like it that *anybody* has to have a large military---it's only that the last thing we need is yet *another* nation going gung-ho nationalistic on us. Lord knows the US is bad enough. I was wondering if Kitoh ultimately emerges as a militarist. Hope not. I'd be very disappointed.


I don't really think Kitoh is proposing militarism. In fact, it is the very prescence of the American military forces in Japan that allows many of the horrible things to happen. In some ways, Miyako's quest for military power is one of the things that ends up causing the complete downfall of Japan.

Oh, and if you've been following SMB, I am thinking of putting up a web page with scans of any pages that have been cut or seriously censored from the english additions. I'll post a link if I put it up.

[Griffith]

I just finished re-reading all of the summaries.. and I noticed that I somehow managed to forget to read chapter 66 until now. :heh: Don't know how I managed to pull that off, but it answered one of my questions: I knew from the last chapter that Shiina had become pregnant, but she and Tsurumaru hadn't had sex any other time, so I was wondering when that took place. One other thing.. Tsurumaru was killed by those thugs with shotguns, wasn't he? Unless it was Kuri..

[Quarkboy]

One other thing.. Tsurumaru was killed by those thugs with shotguns, wasn't he? Unless it was Kuri..

In my mind there are 3 ways Tsurumaru might have been killed:
1. Shot by shotgun in gut/chest.
2. Killed by final stages of radiation poisoning (in which the blood on the floor underneath him he vomited up himself (a sympton of severe radiation poisoning).
3. Killed by Kuri.

3. is pretty much ruled out from Kuri's MO: she likes to crush heads and sever limbs, not slice open guts. 2. seems kindof unlikely: It would require somewhat coincidental timing with Hoshimaru's subsequent death... 1. Is probably what happened.

We should stop talking about this, it's probably making Tsurumaru uncomfortable...

[tsurumaru]

[spoiler]

We should stop talking about this, it's probably making Tsurumaru uncomfortable...

Wahh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :( :upset: :upset: :upset: :upset: ;)

[JLG]

Kitoh's a woman? How did you find that out? I can't find anything on the web about the guy...er, person.

I had been wondering about the gender of the author, largely because of Hiro's story. Whether the author is male or female would lead one to speculate on which side of the drama is based on personal experience or on speculation. (i.e. would personal experience be Kazuyuki and the other boys scratching their heads over female pubescent cruelty, or the cruelty itself?)

[tsurumaru]

Kitoh's a woman? How did you find that out? I can't find anything on the web about the guy...er, person.

As far as I am aware Mohiro Kitou is a guy, Its extremely difficult to find pictures of him (I know he attended a book signing on behalf of Kodansha back just after Narutaru finished in Japan [last October?]). Also he has a picture posted on his website:

http://www.geocities.jp/nahoowner/mono/snap/self_i.jpg

Usually he pens an image (in the borders of magazines) of himself similar to the "mask" that is obscuring his face in this shot. (The beard on this mask leads me to the conclusion he is actually male)

You can find his official website "The puzzle piece is missing" here (Japanese only I'm afraid):

http://www.geocities.jp/nahoowner/mono/p_top.htm

[JLG]

Hmm. He's not the first author to use that "mysterious masked man" gimmick. Anyone know those kids' books "Series of Unfortunate Events"?


Tsurumaru, how would you interpret the ending as regards my earlier question?

[Spooky-Electric]

Why the heck is the Narutaru manga so expensive? Dark Horse is charging like $15 a volume! I want to support this manga so that Dark Horse will finish releasing the series in the U.S. but their pricing is making it very difficult! I could buy 3 other manga volumes for the price of 2 Narutaru volumes. :(

[WTTrinity]

Why the heck is the Narutaru manga so expensive? Dark Horse is charging like $15 a volume! I want to support this manga so that Dark Horse will finish releasing the series in the U.S. but their pricing is making it very difficult! I could buy 3 other manga volumes for the price of 2 Narutaru volumes. :(
:thinker: Censorship costs? :naughty:

(Yeah, I know, I know... Just being silly. ;))

[Spooky-Electric]

Seriously though, have there been censorships in any of the volumes released so far?

[TronDD]

Seriously though, have there been censorships in any of the volumes released so far?

I don't know if censorship is the right word, but, yes, there have been edits.

A naked young Shina given a towel, so far. I assume the next couple volumes will have panties where there aren't any in the original manga, even the anime did that, though.

[Quarkboy]

Seriously though, have there been censorships in any of the volumes released so far?

I beleive this has been addressed already in this thread... however for simplicities sake I'll simply repeat what has already been discussed in one place:

The english versions of Narutaru has so far had a few graphical edits, one page completely cut, and who knows how many subtle tweakings of language.

Specifically, there have been a few instances of people suddendly being clothed when otherwise naked (Shiina with a towel, or with a shirt on around the house with her father), the main edit of this nature being a scene with Akira who is now wearing panties (still with no bra though). The page that was cut was from the infamous "test tube" scene from volume six... hell I'll just post the page WARNING, GRAPHIC DISTURBING CONTENT

http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~samuelp/images/052.jpg
Note the cut page is the one on the left... it comes directly after the page on the right... FYI. Also, a translation of the text:
B1: Eek!
B2: Ready?
B3: No... Oww!
B4: It hurts!!! Owwwww!
B5: My my, such a racket and I've hardly even started....
B6: Uh.... *Gulp*.


Oh, I should say that this cut is not in any of the published volumes, only in the serialized versions in Super Manga Blast (since there have only been 5 volumes published so far (covering 4 volumes of the Japanese version, just to be confusing, again see previous posts in this thread). So far the volumized versions have had all the edits from the SMB versions (they are not, "uncensored" or anything) so we could expect this cut to also be in the volume when it is published...

Other than that, there has been no other censoring to my knowledge (please correct me if I'm wrong). Note however, that I fully expect this month's issue of SMB to be edited in some way, since it covers the much much more graphic scenes with Hiro-chan's Oni.

[JLG]

Hm. The censored page has a little forshadowing that was SMB's loss. (The panel of the closet door.)

I wonder what Dark Horse would have done if the actual "act" weren't entirely contained in one page like this. They might have had to do a little cutting and pasting.
Just luck, in this case.

*Man*, that's depraved.

[Spooky-Electric]

So are the Dark Horse volumes worth getting still even though there are scenes and dialogue edited?

[TronDD]

If you can read Japanese, then no. If you can't, what other choice do you have?

I also bought the Japanese versions. Can't read a word of it but I wanted the unchanged work. I'll be reading the English ones though. Other than painstaking translation on my own, I have no other choice.

[Spooky-Electric]

Bah, that sucks. I can't read Japanese. This isn't exactly making me excited to get the manga. :(

[Quarkboy]

Bah, that sucks. I can't read Japanese. This isn't exactly making me excited to get the manga. :(

Look, it's all about your personal priorities, it's not something I (or most) people can be objective about. I'm probably going to buy the english versions as they come out even though I also have the japanese version, but that's me, I'm a big fan.

And as for why Dark Horses manga is priced so high, I hypothesis this: Dark Horse is not a major manga publisher, and their manga division is small (but growing) compared to their other comic buisness. Their pricing structure is probably the same as with their domestic products for this reason, and they simply can't compete with the higher volume, low price manga importing assembly lines of Tokyopop etc... This might change in the future, especially if Dark Horse starts liscensing a lot more manga, but for now they are a pretty small player in the market and can afford to keep their prices high since manga isn't their primary thing anyway. What you might hope for is that Dark Horse will decide to sell off it's manga division to a competitor and get out of the buisness entirely, which would surely lower prices, but if I were them I wouldn't do that and would instead produce a long-term niche quality reputation style model that would make lots of money in the future.

[Spooky-Electric]

Look, it's all about your personal priorities, it's not something I (or most) people can be objective about.

You have a point. I just don't like supporting things that get censored and edited like that. But I guess I have no choice if I want to read the manga..

[Griffith]

I still plan to get the import volumes when I get the money. (I know, I've been saying that for a while :heh: ) With the detailed summaries that Tsurumaru, Flash Squirrel and Quarkboy did, not being able to read it really won't be as bad since I know the general idea of what is being said. I'll probably end up getting the domestic releases as well, just to have.

[Quarkboy]

I just reread a post of mine, and yup, I did refer to Kitoh-san as a "she". Sorry! You see, for some reason I always thought the manga-ka was female, so even though I now know that he's a guy, I sometimes slip up with my pronoun use. Didn't mean to spread nasty rumors or nothin'
Maybe the lack of any fanservicey art made me think it had to be a woman...

[Spooky-Electric]

Hey, what's a "Shogakukan" ??

I was reading Bokurano and at the beginning it says "His first Shogakukan publication!!!"

Is that a type of magazine or something?

[Griffith]

disregard this post.

[brightman]

Umm... No, Shogakukan is a Japanese publisher. They publish manga magazines like Shonen Sunday and Big Comic.

[Griffith]

Ah, I thought there was a magazine by that name too. My mistake.

[brightman]

No problem... FYI Bokurano is serialized in another Shogakuken magazine, Ikki.

[Quarkboy]

Yeah! I got SMB issue 42 in the mail today: As expected, there were some major edits in this issue... A total of 3 pages were completely cut, and there were some subtle graphical changes to others. I'll maybe post a more detailed comparison later... Specifically pages 132,133 and 136 from the Japanese volume 6 were cut, and on page 134 Oni's hand has been redrawn so that it has not yet penetrated, but the slicing frame is left intact.

Actually, overall I feel like Dark Horse did an excellent job with how they went about editing volume 6: They managed to make it slightly less horrifying, but didn't change any of the plot or characters. It is very similar to the way the anime presented these scenes, actually (and it is still more graphic than the anime).

Also, the cuts this month explained the reason for the cut last month: It was for consistancy. The two scenes are purposefully symmetrical, so if they cut out the "Itai Itai Itai!" part from this month, they HAD to cut it out of the last issue to keep the symmetry of the presentation. (This tells me that they are really thinking about this too...)

And on another note, I just bought Volume 5 of the english version "A flower's fragrance", and it really does seem like they have changed Bungo's name to "Kazuyuki". Why they did this is anyone's guess... maybe they though Bungo sounded too much like bong? Or Bingo? Is is Bungo slang for something that I don't know? Maybe I should actually email Dark Horse, wonder if they'd respond...

[tsurumaru]

Yeah! I got SMB issue 42 in the mail today: As expected, there were some major edits in this issue...
Hmm I haven't had a chance to see this yet, were there any replacement pages/panels drawn? I know that Dark Horse were keen to work closely with Kitoh-san on any (visual) edits.

PS the end of Bokurano chapter 5 seems to be moving the story towards a darker vein. I'm looking forward to the next chapter and how the story progresses.

[tsurumaru]

Hello.

Arragh its my evil arch nemisis! :p

I am by the way a proud owner of the limited 2004 Narutaru calendar.

See!!!

If you are still interested in it, Tsurumaru you might want to check out this (http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h11176456) auction on Yahoo! Japan. Since sellers normally don't ship outside Japan, you would have to use auction service. :)

Hey maybe not so evil! :) Erm how does this work exactly? I haven't ever bought anything off Ebay normally, never mind by auction service (whatever that might be). I'm assuming this means that it goes through some sort of third party who would then ship it to you (for a handling fee), I am pretty desperate though. Could you post some scans of the images that feature in the calendar (even just photo's like my previous ones) so I know what I'm bidding for!

Thank you! :D

[Griffith]

If anyone is interested what was censored in the German edition of volume 6 you can see a comparison on this page (WARNING VERY DISTURBING CONTENT). It might be a better alternative to the American release if you don't know Japanese, but German. I, however definitely prefer the Japanese tankoubon since there are not few mistranslations in the German edition and the wording is sometimes awkward.


Wow, you weren't kidding! That was significantly more graphic than the anime version, heh. Thanks for sharing that though, I will definetly buy the Japanese volumes (from 5 onward, at least), since if they censor that I can't imagine how they'll handle Norio's brutal death/torture, Shiina being ripped in half, etc. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of censorship in the first five volumes of the American releases from what people have said, so I'll most likely pick those up. It annoys me that they changed Bungo's name, though. Kazuyuki just doesn't seem right, ya know?

[TronDD]

Are you kidding me? I have been passing up that auction for over 2 weeks because all I saw was a cardboard box.

If I knew what it was, I'd already own it.

Tsuramaru: I'm gonna buy it then sell it to you for an exorbitant price. :)

[WTTrinity]

Exactly. It's quite easy. You just have to mail an auction service like M-World Service (http://www.m-world-service.com/auction.html) or Celga (http://www.celga.com/order.html) and tell them the auction (url) you want them to bid on for you. :)
I've had good experiences with Anime Chaos (http://www.animechaos.com/deputy/) myself. (No, they aren't paying me to say that :)) You can basically do your own Y!J bidding through their interface and unlike with most of these services you can pay with a credit card.

[TronDD]

I use Anime Chaos, also.

[Quarkboy]

Where's light, there's shadow. :cool:
March (http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/february%20and%20march.gif) : never seen this art before, either: Akira with Ensof on her back in the calm night sky


That picture is actually used as the cover art for the new english volume 5...

[Quarkboy]

OK, for all those curious - I made a little web page with comparisons between the english and japanese versions. Sorry for the terrible web design, I put it together in like 10 minutes so cut me some slack.

Again, you should be highly warned: Explicit Sexual and Violent Content

Narutaru Censoring Comparison (http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~samuelp/Narutaru.htm)

[Griffith]

Interesting... I wonder if there's a chance they'll leave the volumes themselves unedited? I know SMB is geared more towards a younger demographic, but maybe they won't edit the individual volume releases. Unless they already have, of course (I haven't gotten a chance to buy any of them yet to see for myself.)

[TronDD]

Yes, they already have.

I'm pretty sure the volumes will be edited the same as SMB.

[Griffith]

I see. Yeah, that's what I figured. :( Thanks for confirming my suspicions though heh.

[Spooky-Electric]

Wait.. looking at those images it looks like the U.S. release of Narataru is flipped?!?! :(

Man, it looks to me like Dark Horse didn't do any research on this series when they licensed it. Why the heck would they put it in a magazine geared toward a younger audience? I would have rather they just put it in plastic and release the graphic novels at bookstores like they do for Berserk without cuts and edits. :(

[Quarkboy]

Wait.. looking at those images it looks like the U.S. release of Narataru is flipped?!?! :(

Man, it looks to me like Dark Horse didn't do any research on this series when they licensed it. Why the heck would they put it in a magazine geared toward a younger audience? I would have rather they just put it in plastic and release the graphic novels at bookstores like they do for Berserk without cuts and edits. :(

Yes, Shadow Star IS flipped. And the sound effects are translated too.

I think you are right, but this latest issue of SMB has an interesting note in the end of it:

They say that the next issue is going to feature a full redesign, and be more "cover-to-cover" like the Japanese manga magazines, whatever that means.
(Also, the release date for the next issue is July 28! Crap, no new issues until August...)

I think that SMB is being redesigned to appeal to a more mature audiance, as most of the series in it are really more mature then they originally thought. Currently, they are running Shadow Star, Seraphic Feather (This is very ecchi... but not nudity), Club 9 (I don't know why anyone would enjoy this...), What's Michael (Actually this is totally hillarious, but trivial), and the new series that replaced 3x3 Eyes, Cannon God Exaxxion (which in this issue had fully uncensored upper body female nudity in it this month...)

Anyway, I think that Dark Horse has realized that SMB's content has diverged with it's image, and is trying to fix that. We'll see what happens, I guess.

[Briareos]

What I really don't understand is why they cut the last page showing the severed corpse. They didn't edit out the head-crushing sequence, nor the girl sitting up next to the headless body of her brother/lover, which IMO is just about as graphic. BTW, did they indeed change brother to lover, or was "brother" just a mistranslation?

While it is true that Studio Proteus didn't do a lot of research on where Narutaru was going (or read Wings of Vendemiaire for an idea of the dark tone of his work), it seems that not even the original publisher knew about the title's dark path. To be fair, Wings of Vendemiaire doesn't come close to the shock value of Narutaru, in part because the "dolls" in Wings are made of wood.

As for Narutaru being flipped and SFX translated: It wasn't that long ago that ALL manga was flipped when published in the states. (It also wasn't long ago that Dark Horse and Viz were the industry leaders importing manga.) Shadow Star has been ongoing for some time now in Super Manga Blast (before the big boom of TokyoPop and its followers). When Toren Smith retires from the industry, then Dark Horse will probably put out all titles in right to left format, unless they are simply going for consistency at this point (which is okay by me). I do wish that they would have gone the route of unchanged graphic novels though.

[tsurumaru]

Exactly. It's quite easy. You just have to mail an auction service like M-World Service (http://www.m-world-service.com/auction.html) or Celga (http://www.celga.com/order.html) and tell them the auction (url) you want them to bid on for you. :)

Cool thanks! :)

I'm a bit busy so I scanned only the images that weren't published in the manga.

Thank you!!!! Its greatly appreciated!!! (Actually bit of a shame neither you nor I appear in any of the pictures but oh well!) How many votes for a Mohiro Kitou Artbook?





P.S.: My dragon child is better than yours. :p

Define better ;) :p

I have to admit Sudou changes him into some cool forms, shame we never got to see full dragon forms of Hoshimaru or Trickster.


Tsuramaru: I'm gonna buy it then sell it to you for an exorbitant price. :)

No Dammit!!!! :p

Actually I cant get the link to the auction Sudou-san gave to work now :( :( :(

Thanks again to Quarkboy for providing scans of Volume 6 vs the Dark Horse Version. Any one who has read Volume 10 will know that the Norio scenes are not exactely graphic (but are extremely sickening) I wonder how they will deal with the content as well as Shiina's fate.......

PS - I'm considering putting a Hoshimaru plushy construction kit together from the original I have................

[TronDD]

Actually I cant get the link to the auction Sudou-san gave to work now :( :( :(



Probably because it ended. You need an account to view auctions after they close. It went to Doujin_box (another deputy service, a subsidiary of Celga that is supposed to only deal with doujinshi) for 3000 yen.

[Griffith]

I just sent an e-mail to Dark Horse about the censorship of the manga and a couple other things. Here it is if anyone cares to see:

I have a few complaints regarding Narutaru (aka Shadow Star), my favorite manga. First of all: Why did you change Bungo's name to "Kazuyuki"? This makes no sense at all to me, what's wrong with the name Bungo? Second, why are you censoring it so much? Entire pages are being altered or left out altogether. Shadow Star is NOT a children's manga, so I don't see why it's featured in Super Manga Blast. If you were to edit its content in just SMB, I wouldn't mind as much. But it's being edited in the stand-alone volume releases, too! Why not wrap it in plastic like Berserk, clearly marked with a "17+" rating or something like that? Things like this make me not want to buy your releases, and instead purchase the original Japanese volumes and follow along with summaries posted online. I think you're marketing the product to a demographic it's not suited for. Lastly, why are the images being flipped and not retaining the Japanese right-to-left order? That's not as much of a complaint as my previous comments, but I still felt the need to mention it. I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm needlessly bashing you, because that's not my intent. I'm glad that the manga is being exposed to a larger audience, because I feel it's very under rated. I just feel that it is being mistreated, that's all.
I'll let everyone know if/when they respond, and what they have to say.

[Griffith]

I got a reply already, I'm impressed. From what the person who answered me said, they do at least care about the series and have the fans' interest in mind. I'll paste it here, along with my response.

Hi,

I recieved your message from our computer help department and thought
I'd address your concerns. First, Shadow Star comes from what I'd
call Dark Horse's previous era in manga thought. In the past, we've
had to adapt manga to the direct market (comic book stores) because
there wasn't a book market as there is now, so the theories going
into that series and others in the past is that we've had to avoid
legal troubles when publishing in the comics format, which is
considered a "children's medium" by some court systems. Because of
this, we've had to make some changes. Other than that, there are some
elements in Narutaru that truly border on what would be considered
obscene by the American federal government. So, we've worked closely
with Kodansha and Kitoh to be as sensitive with the works as
possible. With the Kazuyuki character, I can't answer that. The
series started with Studio Proteus, who contracted the translation
and rewrite of the series, and may have made changes they thought
suitable or necessary. But again, I can't fully answer that question.

Had we started this series in the books market, as we've been doing
lately, there would have been some major differences in how we do it.
For one, we likely would not have changed the name to Shadow Star.
Also, we'd be publishing it in the Japanese format, most likely with
unretouched sfx (possibly with small overlaid fx on or near existing
fx), and in the tankoubon size. And it's likely that many of the
changes made would have not been necessary in the books market. For
the most part, we try to change things back when the book goes to
print.

And regarding Super Manga Blast, it's really not intended to be
marketed to children (despite the fact that comics are a "children's"
medium), and we think Narutaru is a good fit with such titles as
Seraphic Feather and 3x3 Eyes. In fact, we plan to eventually change
Super Manga Blast into a manga magazine in the future, and hopefully
we'll be able to market that magazine to older teens. However, even
on a newsstand, we'd likely have to make some adjustments.

Unfortunately for fans like you, because we've invested in the series
deeply, we'll likely have to see it through in this format. However,
there is a very good chance that eventually we'll republish the title
in an unflopped, unretouched format (as mentioned above), and maybe
try to leave it alone (as much as possible. It's still questionable
whether we can legally show kids under 18 having sex. Especially with
the current administration watching over America.)

Anyway, I'm glad you like the series. I do too. I wish it was
untouched as well, but we do what we can with what we have, and we're
listening and making adjustments every day. For this reason I thank
you for sharing your opinions with us.


My reply: Wow, thanks for the quick reply. I'm glad that there are people like you who
are actually fans of the manga working on it. :) I realize I may have come
across as being harsh, but that really wasn't my intent. I applaud you guys
for listening to the concerns of fans and considering republishing it in the
future. After reading your response I've decided to go ahead and get the
volumes that Dark Horse is putting out, in addition to the Japanese
tankoubons. There's more controversial content coming later in the series,
as I'm sure you're aware of, so I'm interested to see how it will be
handled. Again, thanks for the reply, and hopefully in the future the
volumes could be release slightly quicker if possible? ;)

[TronDD]

That's interesting. It sounds like a "new Dark Horse" will be more able to preserve the original works in the future.

I can understand their legal concerns having previously decided to market Narutaru to the "direct market". That leaves the current volume collections being purchased by those fans, so they too have to be edited in the same way.

I would love for them to republish Narutaru in the original format. I think I'll send them an email in support of it. Did the person who replied give a name? Did you give one, I'll mention I heard it from you so they know word is getting around. :)

[Griffith]

That's interesting. It sounds like a "new Dark Horse" will be more able to preserve the original works in the future.

I can understand their legal concerns having previously decided to market Narutaru to the "direct market". That leaves the current volume collections being purchased by those fans, so they too have to be edited in the same way.

I would love for them to republish Narutaru in the original format. I think I'll send them an email in support of it. Did the person who replied give a name? Did you give one, I'll mention I heard it from you so they know word is getting around. :)

The guy's name was Tim Ervin. I just signed my name as Sudo in the comment box on their website originally (since he's my favorite character and that's the name I use online everywhere but here :heh: )

[TronDD]

Sent. Be cool if a rerelease ever really happens.

[Quarkboy]

I also just sent a long winded email to Dark Horse (well, it IS me after all... only the most verbose person on Animesuki). I didn't mention anyone else, that way they don't think that a bunch of people that know each other all decided to send identical emails...

Here is the text of what I sent: (Sorry, but there are major spoilers in here... don't read if you don't want the ending spoiled):

This is not an email where I am going to whine and moan about the censoring that has occured in Shadowstar lately. In fact, I would like to compliment you on the care you have taken with the editing, and to make some suggestions about future edits that you might feel are neccesary.

I was concerned last month (issue 41) when a page was cut from the somewhat infamous "test tube" scene, however I now see that that cut was made for consistancy because of this month's cuts. Your efforts to preserve the symmetry between the scenes which is an important part of the presentation clearly shows me that you are taking great care in what edits you are making for this series. Though I would prefer an unedited, unflipped version, I understand that at the time you started this series your manga division was really only a small part of dark horse, and thus had to conform to the more "American" style of comic publication.

I have a few comments however, and perhaps some suggestions on decisions that will need to be made in the future.

1. Why has Takano Bungo's name been changed to Takano Kazuyuki? Changing one japanese name to another doesn't seem to serve any purpose...
2. In Volume 8 (of the japanese version) on page 120-124, there is an important scene explaining the backstory of Bungo and Satomi. It is interleaved with images of them having sex. If you feel it neccesary to cut these pages because of the legal implications of showing two minors engaged in sexual activities, PLEASE leave the other frames intact, as they present crucial character information. This might require some serious graphical workarounds however. DO NOT simply cut these pages completely, or later actions in the series will not make sense.
3. In Volume 10 (Japanese) there is an extended, horrific scene of sexual based violence on Norio. He is raped, drugged, and killed in an extended simultaneous (i.e. interspersed within the frames) scene with highly important action and text. Luckily most of this happens off the page, because cutting any pages here would ruin the climax of this volume. Be very careful if you make any cuts here.
4. In Volume 11 (Jap), page 26, when Shiina emerges resurrected at her grandparents place, you must leave her totally naked for this simple reason - You don't get ressurected in the ocean WITH clothes. Anything else would simply not make any sense. Also the next scene in which she gets some (important) hand-me-down clothes wouldn't be properly motivated.
5. Again Volume 11, page 127. Kuri's rape (?if you can call it that?). This also must be left intact, at the very least implied. Otherwise the reader will be left wondering why she is pregnant during the final chapter.
6. Volume 12 (Jap), page 194-195. Shiina has sex with a dying Tsurumaru. You absolutly cannot cut this scene, I forbid it. It is the climax of the entire manga. Kitoh has been building this immense nature vs. nurture argument throughout the manga, and in this climactic scene Shiina finally gives in to that most basic, maternal urge which she had patently rejected throughout the entire series. It is so foreign and shocking to her character, it shows us that she has trully changed after all the events in volume 11-12. It also explains her pregnancy in the final chapter, as well as being the link between the Shiina we knew before and the one that sits, broken, in the final pages.
7. Volume 12 pages 236-237, the final 3 pages. Again, you cannot add clothing to these children, it wouldn't make sense and it would ruin the "Adam and Eve" implication. It represents that purest of nature over nurture, and clothing would ruin that. Perhaps you could simply touch up the pictures a bit to remove some "detail" that isn't appropriate.

Narutaru (Shadowstar) is one of my favorite manga's I've ever read. It is beautiful and horrible, fun and ghastly. It is truly a battle of chaos and nothingness. As Sudou-san says in Volume 12 - "Birth gives rise to chaos, destruction gives rise to nothingness". I hope and pray the Dark Horse will continue to release the series, and will take care to preserve the original intent of the author as much as possible within the law of the United States.

Sam Pinansky (aka Quarkboy)


Let's see them reply to THAT.

[Griffith]

Nice letter there, Quarkboy. I agree with the things you brought up, as editing them too much/removing them would utterly ruin the manga. The whole thing with Norio, especially, as it is the motivation for Tsurumaru's anger when he hunts down and kills Porky.

[Spooky-Electric]

I like the response from the Dark Horse guy. I liked what I read about there being a "very good chance" of re-releasing Narataru unflipped without edits to the point where it would be as legal as possible.

It's too bad as he said that Narutaru wasn't a recent license of theirs, because as he said it would have kept its unflipped format, kept SFX with little overlays, the name would be Narutaru and not Shadow Star, and it would probably be in bags at the store next to Berserk with the least amount of edits possible.

[tsurumaru]

I like the response from the Dark Horse guy. I liked what I read about there being a "very good chance" of re-releasing Narataru unflipped without edits to the point where it would be as legal as possible.

It's too bad as he said that Narutaru wasn't a recent license of theirs, because as he said it would have kept its unflipped format, kept SFX with little overlays, the name would be Narutaru and not Shadow Star, and it would probably be in bags at the store next to Berserk with the least amount of edits possible.

I'm trying to remember back to when SMB first started out, I'm pretty sure that
Pat Duke from Radio Comix did all the mirroring and retouch using a computer (that goes for all the series that were originally appearing in SMB!). Then I gather there was a falling out and he left, I guess you could look at it both ways yes Dark Horse may have mirrored and even edited the series, but if it wasn't for them then we may never have seen an English language release of Narutaru or the popularity that it has today in the west. :)

[Spooky-Electric]

I actually went and bought a couple volumes of Dark Horse's release of Narutaru, because I figure I want to help support this as much as possible in hopes that they'll re-release it unflipped and without edits.

I've read the first two volumes so far and I haven't really encountered any edits that I can see (besides the obvious art being flipped backwards). One part I noticed though was that one of the characters was holding a gun but you just see an outline of the gun, but in the next scene there is someone holding a gun and it's not edited, which I found really weird.

So far the manga though is much better than the anime simply because there's more, where the anime had to make cuts. That whole scene with Shiina flying home was sorely missing from the anime, and that little scene where Momori splits that plane in half.

[TronDD]

I guess you could look at it both ways yes Dark Horse may have mirrored and even edited the series, but if it wasn't for them then we may never have seen an English language release of Narutaru or the popularity that it has today in the west. :)

I was sure to thank them for that in my letter. Even if it's edited, at least it's here and in English. I'm not holding my breath for the re-release, but if they do it, I'll be there money in hand. :)

[tsurumaru]

Slightly :topicoff: but most people here probably wont mind :p

Kitoh-san updated his website today with an interesting snapshot of his "Offline Mukutama Volume 2" notebook (Mukutama is the name of his backup website).

For fans of Bokurano it shows his creation process in some depth:

http://www.geocities.jp/nahoowner/mono/own/040525y2000.htm

:)

I find it fascinating, if only I had a fraction of his talent! :heh:

[stpehen]

Thanks for that little link, tsurumaru. Too bad the things he says there are already pretty apparent by this point in the series (or at least easily surmisable).

[tsurumaru]

Thanks for that little link, tsurumaru. Too bad the things he says there are already pretty apparent by this point in the series (or at least easily surmisable).

Yes, I must go DL chapter 6 now! :)

[TronDD]

Yes, I must go DL chapter 6 now! :)

I'm trying to find it now. Couldn't find it on any IRC bots in their channel. :(

[Quarkboy]

I actually have the raw scans of chapter 6 and the text translation from
here (http://stephen.swoo.net/bokurano/bokurano.html)

I got the raw scans off winny, BTW. I was searching for raws and was just curious what I would find searching for Kitoh's name... So I saw chapter 6 'bout a month ago, Buwahahaha! Anyway, now I know what is being said too.

I can't seem to find an fserve with chapter 6 on it either. I think that Mangascreener might be purposefully only releasing it in a limited way, since they are probably going to release a higher quality version in a month or so when the tokuban is published. So everyone should just be patient. Except for me, I'll be scanning winny the day the new Ikki is published.

[tsurumaru]

I managed get hold of Bokurano chapter 6, "petr`afk mangascreener" is serving it in the #mangascreener channel on irchighway.

I will be training til 8:30pm British Summer Time (GMT +1) after which I'll lurk in the #animesuki IRC channel and will DCC it to anyone who wants it :).

[TronDD]

Nice. 3rd in the queue. :)

[JLG]

Tsurumaru----where and how are you downloading Bokurano? The only place I've found has a format that I've never heard of and that my computer won't recognize. :confused:

I yam incre'lly ankshus t'see this kommikusu.

[TronDD]

Tsurumaru----where and how are you downloading Bokurano? The only place I've found has a format that I've never heard of and that my computer won't recognize. :confused:

I yam incre'lly ankshus t'see this kommikusu.

Getting it off of IRC. irc.irchighway.net #mangascreener

What format did you find it in? They are usually distributed in zip files (some groups are in rar format, with either jpeg or png images inside).

[settsimaksimin]

it's been great seeing other people who are also excited about this manga!

i haven't seen any mention of the v.6 "censorship" details that were mentioned in the question and answer section of Studio Proteus' website a while back. i'd link to the specifics, but SP's website seems to have gone away after the sale to Dark Horse.

basically, people wrote in expressing concerns about the graphic nature of parts of v.6 and were wondering how SP/DH were going to deal with it. if i remember correctly, the plan was to work with Kitoh and alter some of the art (adding articles of clothing, etc.) as well as omit a few of the problematic pages for Super Manga Blast and then reinstate some of the pages (but not all) in the subsequent DH collections. i don't think there's any way of knowing how DH is going to deal with the material now that SP is out of the picture.

on a related note, i also remember questions from people worried when a european publisher dropped the series after seeing the graphic bits in v.6. Toren Smith of SP said that he was fully aware of the later content when he began working on the American version for DH.

anyway, take me with a grain of salt since the information i'm refering to isn't out there on the web anymore and it was a while back. i just want to see the whole thing in English and as close to the original intent as possible. it's very encouraging to see that there's only a four month wait between DH v.5 and v.6 after the entire *year* between v.4 and v.5.

[JLG]

TronDDD---

I've never been in IRC and don't know how it works. What is meant by a "channel"? Do you have to join them? I need an "IRC For Dummies" here.

Is there a specific URL to to find "Bokurano"?

[TronDD]

TronDDD---

I've never been in IRC and don't know how it works. What is meant by a "channel"? Do you have to join them? I need an "IRC For Dummies" here.

Is there a specific URL to to find "Bokurano"?

Take a look at the Bokurano thread Tsurumaru started. There are links to direct downloads of the first 5 chapters.

http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=14490

Then, for IRC help, check this thread:
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=3892

Any questions you have about IRC should be put in the Tech Support forum. Then if you have questions specifically about obtaining Bokurano, ask in the Bokurano thread. This Narutaru thread is getting way off course. :)

[JLG]

TronDDD------------

Thanks!

[Mankool]

OK, I am very new to manga. I have watched anime for a while, but I know pretty much absolutely nothing on manga. I have a few questions for anyone to answer :

I have watched Season1 of the NaruTaru series (hoping maybe there will be a second season even though I know thats not likely)

I was wondering how I would buy the NaruTaru manga in English. I have heard of the manga magazine type thing called "Afternoon", and I was wondering if that is the major source for the manga in English, since it is by Dark Horse or whatever?

Also, I was wondering... I hate censorship on the mangas when they bring them in and translate them and stuff, and put them out in the U.S. but... I was wondering... The storyline will remain almost untouched correct? and... If I wanted to see the various changes in the manga series (censorship edits that is).... I could probably find them on various websites now or in the future correct?

Last question, Is the NaruTaru manga series over in Japan?

I know I'm extremely new to manga, so some of these might sound like stupid questions, but please answer them. I take it you were all knew at one time, lol, so help me out here, I think maybe I will like manga!!! YaY!
THANKS A LOT FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS!

[Mr_Paper]

Okay, first off, Afternoon Magazine publishes the original Japanese language and text while Dark Horse publishes the English versions. So far the edits in the Narutaru manga by Dark Horse are very minor with one understandable exception. While is the television series it is illuded to and strongly suggested that Hiroko is raped with a test tube, in the manga is was graphically depicted. Dark Horse removed/skipped that chapter as one can understand what happened without having to see a 6th grader being raped and abused.

To find out more about the manga, I'd suggest dropping by and reading this thread: http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=491

[Mankool]

Thanks! I am still wondering as to whether the Japanese manga for NaruTaru has ended or whatever, so if anyone has that answer, feel free to share it with me... thanks!

[tsurumaru]

Thanks! I am still wondering as to whether the Japanese manga for NaruTaru has ended or whatever, so if anyone has that answer, feel free to share it with me... thanks!

Check your PM or read the first post in the link in Mr Paper's post above, I've given the answer there! :p ;)

[abubo]

I won't recommend NaruTaru if you're new to manga. It's a lot darker than the anime and there's a lot of sexual situations that's uncomfortable for people raised in the West.

If you are more versed in Japanese cultural norms, then I'd say you may want to try it.

[Kyuven]

NaruTaru: published as Shadow Star in the US
12 total volumes, as of 6/5/2004, 5 of them have been released
dark horse sucks, tho, so each volume runs about 15 bucks each

[Mankool]

Thanks everyone! I loved the anime, and I will probably start purchasing the manga soon... I'm sure I will love it... Thanks again!

[Kyuven]

Thanks everyone! I loved the anime, and I will probably start purchasing the manga soon... I'm sure I will love it... Thanks again!
i haven't read the manga yet myself, but as mentioned above, it's supposedly a LOT more graphic than the anime

[Sessoumaru's girl]

I want to say that I have seen NaruTaru for sale at Borders, over among the other manga's or graphic novels as they are called in teh bookstore. I could be wrong though and totally imagining it, so don't be suprised if they aren't there if you go and look.

[Binary]

There's a torrent of volumes 7-12 in Japanese here: http://bt.hongfire.com/torrents-details.php?id=888

At the moment I'm the only seed on it and I don't have a very good upload.

[Griffith]

Hey everyone, long time no see! :heh: I finally bought the manga (volumes 6-12 in Japanese for now since I wanted to see what happens myself, not sure if I'm going to get 1-5 in Japanese or not.) I really like it, though the novels are a little smaller than I thought they'd be. I guess this thread kinda died eh? :( It was active for quite a while though at least, longer than I thought it would be. I've been addicted to Final Fantasy XI and doing some other stuff lately since I got my new PC so I haven't really been posting on boards or anything much.

[TronDD]

I guess this thread kinda died eh? :( It was active for quite a while though at least, longer than I thought it would be.

Well Dark Horse is taking their time getting the next Graphic Novel out. :( I suppose there will be some more posting once that comes out in August.

[tsurumaru]

Yeah we had such fun here in the old days...... ;) :p :heh:

Actually since I have all the Japanese volumes I've DL'ed the raw manga scans given in the post above. I'm considering editing some of the pictures annd posting them here. I'd love to be able to colour some of them, but my l337 photoshop skills aren't that good yet :heh:

[Griffith]

Is there much edited from the first 5 English volumes to warrant buying the Japanese ones too? I just have the imports of 6-12 for right now, but I'll buy 1-5 too if Dark Horse edited a good amount.

[TronDD]

Um...I don't think it's necessary to buy the Japanese volumes 1-5. THey edited a little bit but nothing major really happens.

The only edit I KNOW of is them putting a towel on the young Shiina going to take a bath. Originally she's nekkid.

[tsurumaru]

For those Narutaru fans still around here's a bit of fun for you:

From the Autumn Afternoon Magazine wallpaper collection, Toru Fujisawa draws Shiina and Hoshimaru:

Reduced size image:

http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/21small.jpg

Click link below for fullsize JPG (reduced from Bitmap image but still large!)

http://free.one.picturehost.co.uk/21.jpg

[TronDD]

That's Shiina?

What in the hell happens later in the manga? :)

[tsurumaru]

That's Shiina?

What in the hell happens later in the manga? :)

LOL yes very O_o, sadly only a one off wallpaper.............

I also have Mohiro Kitoh draws Exxaxion and Minoru Toyoda (Love Roma) draws Blame!

[Griffith]

Nice wallpaper, I saved that. ;) I haven't been able to find volume 6 of the American version of the manga online anywhere, despite Dark Horse's website saying that it's out. Does anyone know a site that has it in stock? I checked Amazon, the store on Dark Horse's website and Animenation, but none of them have it. :(

[TronDD]

I usually buy from animecastle.com they say it's not out until...well now it says Aug 31st. When I made a purchase last friday it was the 25th or 26th. :) It's been getting pushed back all month. :(

I already pre-ordered it from them so now I just have to wait. Boo to waiting.

[tsurumaru]

Hmm I was thinking about the end of Narutaru again......

When Kuri tells Shiina that she should hurry up and decide what type of world to create for their children, we see a shot of all the dragons assembled, then in the final pages we see Shiina and Kuri's children frolicking in the same (very wrecked) world as before, was Shiina's new world one without Dragons? (or herself?) or did she simply decide not to chose (I mean I'm surprised she wasn't catatonic after what happened to her).... :(

[Kyuven]

Hmm I was thinking about the end of Narutaru again......

When Kuri tells Shiina that she should hurry up and decide what type of world to create for their children, we see a shot of all the dragons assembled, then in the final pages we see Shiina and Kuri's children frolicking in the same (very wrecked) world as before, was Shiina's new world one without Dragons? (or herself?) or did she simply decide not to chose (I mean I'm surprised she wasn't catatonic after what happened to her).... :(
creating one's ideal world may mean creating a world that isn't entirely different from the original

[Griffith]

Hmm, I didn't even think of that. I'll have to look at the last book again tomorrow, but I'm leaning more towards her not choosing. It didn't really seem like she wanted that much of a responsibility, that's what I gathered at least.

[tsurumaru]

creating one's ideal world may mean creating a world that isn't entirely different from the original

Hmm

In this case surely, if you had the power, you would replicate a copy of the world before the catastrophe? By leaving everything as it is and making no choice isn't she;

Spiting Kuri and the Dragon's desires to remake the world as something "better".

Leaving everything down to the remaining children, thus putting the choice back into the hands of humanity.

Lastly I have to say that I forgot about an extra couple of survivors, Yulia and The "Russian Witch" Otohime. Though I'm not sure that that Dragon even counts as a part of the Earth anymore.

[Griffith]

I got my English volumes 1-5 in the mail earlier, and it seems they changed quite a bit from the beginning of the story when they made the anime. I didn't know Tsurumaru and Norio were on the plane. It seems weird thinking about the anime now, since in that Shiina didn't know them till a bit later. Same for Komori, attacking the two planes and all. In the anime, when he says he's an "aquaintance" of Shiina, it really doesn't make much sense, since that was the first time we were introduced to him. Another thing, he tells Akira that he plans to kill his "friends", obviously referring to Bungo, Satomi and Sudo because they think differently than him, which he didn't say in the anime. I guess they had to change that piece of the plane Hoshimaru throws at Komori to a copy of Push Dagger, since a normal piece of steel wouldn't have made sense in the anime. One thing I wonder about: Why was Hoshimaru there under the water in the beginning? Tsurumaru was obviously linked with him before that, did he have Hoshimaru go there intentionally so Shiina would find him?

I'm liking the manga a bit more so far, except the fact that they changed Bungo's named to Kazuyuki for some reason. I found it kinda funny when Satomi commented on Bungo missing her "old self" and offering to give her a picture so he could jerk off to it and leave here alone. Also, her disgustedness with how his dragonet looks. Akira's parents, especially her father, seem to hate her moreso in the manga than in the anime. I've only read partway through volume 3 for now, as I don't want to read it all right away, so I'm not sure how much else was changed. I've had volumes 6-12 in Japanese for a while now, so I wish Dark Horse would hurry up and release those here, too. :/

[Quarkboy]

Someone mentioned something about coloring pictures from the manga, so I took a shot at it. I've never actually done anything like this before (art is NOT my forte), but my sister almost made it an industry back in the day of colorin other people's line art, so I know a bit about how to go about it. what do you guys think? I present to you, Shiina w/ Sunflower (the cover to chapter 62, Summer's Winter)


http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~samuelp/images/Shiina.jpg

[tsurumaru]

Hey, Quarkboy thats not bad at all for a first attempt!

I suck majorly at art but thought about doing this myself so maybe you will inspire me to develop my photochop skills. I guess trying to translate the screentone textures and shading to actual colours and lighting must be very difficult.

Hmm maybe when I have finished the Guyver synopsis' I will get around to having a go. Anyone else have anything they'd like to submit?

[Kyuven]

Someone mentioned something about coloring pictures from the manga, so I took a shot at it. I've never actually done anything like this before (art is NOT my forte), but my sister almost made it an industry back in the day of colorin other people's line art, so I know a bit about how to go about it. what do you guys think? I present to you, Shiina w/ Sunflower (the cover to chapter 62, Summer's Winter)


http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~samuelp/images/Shiina.jpg

isn't that actually Akira?

[tsurumaru]

isn't that actually Akira?

LOL, no thats post Volume 7 Shiina (she also cuts her hair after the events of the end of the anime series)....... ;)

[Griffith]

Nice coloring, better than anything I could do :heh: About that thing I said the other day, since I found out Tsurumaru and Norio were actually on Shiina's plane in volume 1 of the manga (which the anime didn't show), why was Hoshimaru under the water to begin with? Tsurumaru was obviously linked with him before that, did he know Shiina would go there and purposely send Hoshimaru there?

[tsurumaru]

Nice coloring, better than anything I could do :heh: About that thing I said the other day, since I found out Tsurumaru and Norio were actually on Shiina's plane in volume 1 of the manga (which the anime didn't show), why was Hoshimaru under the water to begin with? Tsurumaru was obviously linked with him before that, did he know Shiina would go there and purposely send Hoshimaru there?

Erm spoilers maybe?

Anyhow we never really find this out, it could be that Tsurumaru is searching for Kuri's counterpart since it is later revealed that he knows Kuri or it could be they were investigating the rumours of a full Dragon seen in the area.

[Griffith]

Yeah that probably makes the most sense when you think about it. I edited my post to hide the spoilers in case people haven't read all of the manga yet.

[Griffith]

On the subject of that Shiina picture, where did you get such a big version of the image? The import Narutaru volumes I have are rather small in size, did you just blow up the image itself after scanning it?

[Kyuven]

On the subject of that Shiina picture, where did you get such a big version of the image? The import Narutaru volumes I have are rather small in size, did you just blow up the image itself after scanning it?
scanning in images can make them REALLY big (filesize wise) so blowing up the image with photoshop is no big deal (i've done it myself and i'm all thumbs when it comes to art)
anyway, the artist loses some points for originality concerning Shiina and Akira looking way too similar to one another...probably another reason they'll never animate the second half...
and yeah Tsurumaru was probably somewhere on the island and was having Hoshimaru hide and/or search the waters, i remember that all of the kids hid their dragons in one way or another, prolly because it'd be a little bizarre to be holding it all the time in Akira and Tsurumaru's case (plus all the others like Satomi and Hiro's which are much too large and/or conspicuous to keep anywhere near themselves)
i wish Dark Horse would release the volumes quicker (screw that "Super Manga Blast" thing they're running it in, no one i know reads it and i've never seen an issue in my entire life)

[Quarkboy]

In actuality, I didn't scan the image I used at all... Though I own all the import volumes, I also have a complete scan of them all I got off of winny.

However, from the standard import volume size very high quality scans are possible. I actually think the scan I used wasn't really that great, and it would have been better scan the picture myself and keep it larger until the end.

As for the spoiler question, I raised that very question a long time ago. I personally think that Norio and Tsurmaru were on the island investigating rumored sightings of the Otohime around the area, trying to learn more. As to why Hoshimaru was under the sea where Shiina was, it's still a mystery. I hate to say it, but I think it was probably a relic of Kitoh's original concept "Girl almost drowns, but is rescued by a strange starfish like creature out under the sea..." that was only later fleshed out into the larger work's scope. So trying too hard to tie it into something consistant with the overall plot probably is meaningless.

[Griffith]

Hmm that theory makes sense, I guess it doesn't really matter too much in the end though. One thing I've noticed about the English manga is the somewhat inconsistent use of first and last names.. Sudo is usually referred to by his last name, Naozumi, but his first name is on his mailbox I noticed after reading through the volumes again out of boredom. Seemed kinda odd to me, since they usually use the first names in the English version, except in Bungo's case where Sudo addresses him as Takano.

[tsurumaru]

Hmm that theory makes sense, I guess it doesn't really matter too much in the end though. One thing I've noticed about the English manga is the somewhat inconsistent use of first and last names.. Sudo is usually referred to by his last name, Naozumi, but his first name is on his mailbox I noticed after reading through the volumes again out of boredom. Seemed kinda odd to me, since they usually use the first names in the English version, except in Bungo's case where Sudo addresses him as Takano.

Remember Surname's in Japan usually come first when a full name is given, and whether you would use a forename when referring to someone depends on your respective relationship to them and social levels etc.

Tsurumaru is a family name, his forename is Takeo but as far as I'm aware only one of his girlfriends ever uses it (and just once at that). Naozumi is a forename and again everyone defers to his family name Sudou. I'm not really sure what it is that determines exactely how you refer to your peers, but I guess it relates to respect and social standings.......

Therefore here are the names of the main characters listed Japanese style (Family name - Forename)

Tsurumaru Takeo
Koga Norio
Tamai Shiina
Sakura Akira
Kaizuka Hiroko

Sudou Naozumi
Kuri Mamiko
Takano Bungo
Ozawa Satomi
Komori Tomonori

[Griffith]

Yeah, I knew about the last name usually coming first in Japanese culture, but I thought Sudou was his first name and not his last. Guess I was wrong :heh:

[hooliganj]

At least in the anime, when the teacher calls role in the class, he asks for Tamai. Also, she writes the name 'Shiina' in katakana, which isn't something you would ever do with a family name. And I recall her full name being used several times as 'Tamai Shiina', and since it's a Japanese person speaking, I assume that it's in the family name/given name order. I think you have that one reversed.

[Griffith]

Disregard this post, I'm an idiot and read it wrong ;)

[tsurumaru]

At least in the anime, when the teacher calls role in the class, he asks for Tamai. Also, she writes the name 'Shiina' in katakana, which isn't something you would ever do with a family name. And I recall her full name being used several times as 'Tamai Shiina', and since it's a Japanese person speaking, I assume that it's in the family name/given name order. I think you have that one reversed.

Also Volume 1 of the manga shows more strongly how much Shiina hates her own name (because of its meaning - see some posts above), Shiina always writes it in Katakana and in fact when every character in the series speaks to her they "speak" it in katakana , bar one person, her mother who always "speaks" her name in the Kanji (as she was the one who chose it and knows its "true" meaning).

[Quarkboy]

Also Volume 1 of the manga shows more strongly how much Shiina hates her own name (because of its meaning - see some posts above), Shiina always writes it in Katakana and in fact when every character in the series speaks to her they "speak" it in katakana , bar one person, her mother who always "speaks" her name in the Kanji (as she was the one who chose it and knows its "true" meaning).

The other character who speaks Shiina's name in Kanji is.... the other Shiina... in both the first volume and the last... which maybe gives some clue as to the nature of the hidden personality...