Kishibe Rohan wa Ugokanai: Mutsukabezaka

Thanks for coming, Mr. Rohan.

Nice weather today, eh?

Minoru Kaigamori (Age 23), Manga editor

Minoru Kaigamori (Age 23), Manga editor

Minoru Kaigamori (Age 23), Manga editor

Minoru Kaigamori (Age 23), Manga editor

Minoru Kaigamori (Age 23), Manga editor

Minoru Kaigamori (Age 23), Manga editor

What are you reading?

de Staël.

de Staël?

Is that a new band or something?

He's a painter.

A painter from Russia who passed away in '55.

Listen, Kaigamori.

While it's of course unacceptable for a working man to arrive late to an appointment...

Rohan Kishibe (Age 27) Manga author

Rohan Kishibe (Age 27) Manga author

Rohan Kishibe (Age 27) Manga author

Rohan Kishibe (Age 27) Manga author

Rohan Kishibe (Age 27) Manga author

Rohan Kishibe (Age 27) Manga author

Rohan Kishibe (Age 27) Manga author

Rohan Kishibe (Age 27) Manga author

Rohan Kishibe (Age 27) Manga author

arriving to a meeting with a manga author an entire 6 minutes early?

Isn't that rude for an editor to do!?

Isn't that rude for an editor to do!?

Oh!

S-Sorry. I shouldn't arrive early, either?

As long as you're dealing with me, then it's fine.

Now then, let's start discussing my next 61-page one-shot right away.

'Scuse me, Mr. Rohan, I'm a fan of yours!

Could I have a signature? Make it out to Otoishi, please!

No, no! No signatures, you two!

We're working right now. We don't have time for that!

I've already signed.

Huh?

I work fast, unlike some people out there.

A mere signature is easy. SPECIAL THANX!

Woah, when did he-!? A signature with drippings of coffee!?

Thank you, sir!

Oh my god, oh my god!

By the way, mind if I tell you about something quite recent before we begin?

Right.

To be blunt, it's about money. About payment. Okay?

Could I get an advance?

You see, I recently went bankrupt.

Huh?

While I haven't taken on any debt, I don't have a home right now.

Huh!?

I'm staying at Koichi's house, and I don't have a desk to draw on.

Huh?

My Sailor Moon figures, Led Zeppelin album covers, and Rurouni Kenshin, I've sold them all.

What!? You don't have any place to work!?

You're bankrupt!? But Mr. Rohan, didn't you just buy a forested mountain to build a vacation home!?

That's the reason!

I was there to conduct research for a manga about a yokai legend, see?

Note: "Yokai" is the word for supernatural beings in Japanese folklore.

And then this development company wanted to build a resort trail through it.

So, I bought six of the mountains in the region and stopped its construction.

I needed to buy as much area as possible, right?

Or else I couldn't stop that road.

And, since the resort trail was cancelled, the land price crashed, and now it might as well be a wasteland.

Those six mountains I bought are now worth dirt.

In other words, I'm broke. Can you give me an advance payment?

Wait a minute.

You bought those mountains as research material?

Yeah.

Not as an investment?

That's right. Reality is what I need.

You wanted research material for your yokai manga?

Enough already!

Just think about if they built that road. That might just make the yokai run away!

That would be a huge waste

Hey, hey, hey, hey. What's with that look?

Hey, hey, hey, hey. What's with that look?

Hey, hey, hey, hey. What's with that look?

Hey, hey, hey, hey. What's with that look?

Hey, hey, hey, hey. What's with that look?

You just averted your gaze, didn't you?

Hey! You're averting your gaze!

You think I'm not right in the head, don't you, Mr. Editor!?

Let me ask you!

Buying supercars or constructing game theaters in their basements aren't the only ways for manga authors to spend money, are they!?

And besides, they were there.

My research paid off handsomely.

Listen, I'm only going to speak of this to your editing department.

They were there?

What was there?

Are you even listening to me?

I saw it with my own eyes.

There are yokai on Mutsukabezaka even now.

It's still there, even now!

I'm sorry, Mr. Rohan.

Could you please say that again?

What was there?

Naoko Osato was a college student who was about to graduate the following spring,

but at the end of September, she killed her boyfriend.

Episode #02: Mutsukabezaka

Naoko Osato.

Her family had attained 300 years of success as miso producers in the town of Mutsukabezaka, and she was their only daughter.

Their mansion was built at the end of a single road.

In other words, the entire mountain was property of the Osato family.

Hey.

Can you leave for today?

Huh?

Put away your games too.

What's going on?

Did someone come over?

Just leave, okay? And use the back door.

Nao!

You've been kinda, like, cold to me these days

Now, I know you wouldn't, but it's not like there's another man-

If you already know the truth, then that makes it easy.

Let's remember each other fondly and move on.

My father would never approve.

You're just a part-time gardener.

I have to maintain the family's fortune as their sole daughter.

Nope, don't wanna!

You're kidding, right?

We can keep this going, can't we, Nao?

Let me go.

There's no reason why we gotta break up.

Let me go!

Why don't you just let me hold you like this while they come in?

Let's see how your dad and the other guy like that.

I said, let me go!

Wh-

What did you-!?

S-Sorry.

B-But you hit me first, got that?

I really do love you, Nao.

We can stay like this. Nobody else needs to know.

Leave! Get out!

Nao, hey-

Leave! Just take that money and leave!

Ah!

Ha ha ha ha!

Naoko might be surprised that you've come on such short notice.

Maybe she's frantically applying makeup right now.

Ha ha ha!

Oh no, they're coming over.

Please, take your stuff and go!

I'll tell you the truth.

You're a great guy.

But, he's my fiancé. We have to get married after I graduate in spring.

That's why it's over!

We can't see each other anymore!

Huh?

Gunpei?

Hey.

No...

This is just another joke, right?

Right?

Gunpei!

Don't mess around!

His pulse is... gone!

H-He's dead!

Naoko Osato wanted to at least treat Gunpei's wound first.

She took a nearby towel and pressed on Gunpei's wound.

This is just another one of Gunpei's pranks.

There must be some kind of mistake!

I just gave him a light shove!

Why are there golf clubs there?

Why!? It's like... like I...

like I hit him with that golf club!

Gunpei!

W-What should I do?

Doctor! I need to call the doctor!

If he's dead, then how can a doctor help?

Should I be calling the police instead?

Naoko, are you there? It's your father.

Shuichi came to visit.

He says he wants to see you.

I'm not here.

I am not here.

I'm nowhere!

The door's locked.

Is Naoko somewhere else?

Maybe I was seeing things, sir, but I thought someone was moving the windows.

I... I need to hide him!

S-Somewhere!