The Eccentric Family (有頂天家族)

Tanukidanisan Fudo-in Temple

Once upon a time,

in the Tanukidani Fudo Forest in Ichijoji, Sakyo Ward,

there lived a tanuki who was young and fresh as a peach

and carried herself light as a mountain hermit.

All the little tanuki in the neighborhood were awed,

and in reverence, they called her "Tousen the Step Climber."

One day, a group of mischievous boys, inspired by the tsuchinoko boom of the time,

who wrought havoc on the nearby mountains appeared.

They called themselves the "Tsuchinoko Expedition Squad."

It was then that the little tanuki of Tanukidani Fudo

and the Tsuchinoko Expedition Squad

began their battle over the long stone steps of the approach.

Fall Festival

Time passed...

And one day,

the captain of the Tsuchinoko Expedition Squad who yelled,

"Out of the way, you little shrimp!"

who was named Shimogamo Soichiro—

in other words, our father—

was bound to...

the tomboy who responded with, "What'd you say, you jerk?!"

who needless to say is our mother.

Were it not for this furry little love story,

not a single tuft of fur would have existed of the Shimogamo brothers.

What lay beyond the birth of the round,

little furballs was a furry story of love.

The Trick Magister, Shimogamo Soichiro,

dutifully split his great blood four ways.

I was born in the Tadasu Forest as his third son.

But unfortunately,

it appears that we fell a bit short of living up to our father's greatness.

And after his passing,

we, the Tadasu Forest Brothers,

were referred to as fools who failed to inherit their distinguished father's blood.

However...

As a tanuki whose father's "fool's blood" flows through my body,

how else could I live?

There is no path for me

other than that of a fool!

Episode One The Nidaime's Homecoming

So is this tsuchinoko thing anything like a bamboo shoot?

Not in the least, Mother.

So it's just a weird little snake.

I bet its flesh is all chewy.

Definitely not tasty at all.

Not at all!

Er, we aren't going to eat it.

Come to think of it, Sou-san searched for them when he was young, too.

Honestly, I have no words.

Weird little tanuki do get fixated on weird little things.

Stop chasing around something as dubious as tsuchinoko.

You should play shogi as well.

Tsuchinoko were one of Father's hobbies, too!

Quit your yapping.

I'm going to bring back the shogi tournament

that was put on hold when Father went in a hot pot.

The least you could do is help.

What the heck?

You don't even play shogi.

There are plenty of tanuki who like to play shogi!

Becoming the Trick Magister

means that I should always think of tanuki first.

There you go again.

This time I will definitely

become the Trick Magister!

Take care!

I guess I don't have a choice.

Yashiro,

I appoint you member number one of the Tsuchinoko Expedition Squad.

Yay.

"Member number one" sounds cool.

Crossroads of the Six Realms

So...

No one understands how cool tsuchinoko are.

But you know, Yasaburo,

if I did find a tsuchinoko,

it means that I'm going to be swallowed whole.

Because, you know, it's a snake, and I'm a frog.

That's true.

Which means

that I can't join the Tsuchinoko Expedition Squad.

Is Yashiro still working at the Trick Denki Bran factory as an apprentice?

Yup.

It is one of our family's sources of steady income.

Well, Nii-san, I'll be going now.

See ya.

Another boring day is about to come to an end.

By the way, have you received any letters from Benten-sama?

And why would you want to know that?

Why won't you tell me?

You talk too much.

How is my correspondence with Benten any business of yours?

I'm going to cross the sea.

A cruise around the world?

What brought this on?

Well, I'm bored.

Yasaburo, make sure you take care of Sensei for me.

I might write you a letter if I feel like it.

Benten...

Benten...

Good grief.

Oh?

Carefully... Carefully...

Benten...

Oh, Benten...

I hate the rain – Benten

To my master Near the edge of Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City

"I hate the rain."

Bored – Benten

Master's apartment in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City

"Bored."

To my master in Kyoto

Huh?

Wh-What the heck is this?

Nii-chan, it smells like spring.

Hey, keep your eyes peeled.

We don't know where they might be hiding.

I wonder if tsuchinoko actually exist.

The fact that we don't know if they exist is what's so great about them.

Yashiro, could you put even one percent

of that passion into searching for tsuchinoko?

Nii-chan, "Genius is one percent inspiration,

ninety-nine percent perspiration."

Incorrect, Yashiro.

Genius is one percent inspiration,

ninety-nine percent foolishness.

Then when are you going to try?

I will wait for my destiny.

I don't think that's right.

Why you shrimpy little Edison.

Shtop it, nii-hyan!

Look out!

Nii-chan, is this a tengu stone?

Apparently, there are some modern-looking tengu stones

falling through the skies lately.

A tengu dropped it, right?

Let's take it home.

Mother will be happy.

Well...

As long as the tengu who dropped it doesn't claim ownership,

there's probably no reason to return it.

Nii-chan, won't we get yelled at if we search

for tsuchinoko this far out?

Who's going to yell at us?

Isn't this the Kurama tengu's territory?

Well, the whole area surrounding Nyoigatake

belongs to our Akadama-sensei.

The Kurama tengu are just small fry compared to Akadama-sensei.

"Small fry," huh?

S-So heavy...

Well, you've got quite the mouth on you.

Where are you from, tanuki?

Oh, hello there, esteemed member of the Kurama tengu.

How are you doing this fine day?

Apparently, Kurama tengu are just small fry.

I humbly stand before you

as the third son of Shimogamo Soichiro, Yasaburo.

And this is my little brother, Yashiro.

Prestigious! Prestigious!

So you're Yasaburo from the Shimogamo family.

Apparently, he's Benten-san's favorite.

Can't say that I like him one bit.

Now, then...

I wonder how far we can throw this little one.

Let's take bets on whether he'll make it over the Kamo River or not.

What's the matter, Yasaburo?

I beg your pardon,

but when my little brother is being bullied,

my seizures start acting up.

"Seizures"?

What are seizures?

You mustn't, esteemed Kurama tengu.

Please stand back.

Huh?

Stop, stop, Yasaburo!

This is foolish!

Return to your normal form immediately!

Or else...

What's this?

Oh?

It's rare to see an elephant in Nyoigatake.

Ah, so it was a tanuki's transformation?

Splendid transformation.

Hello, my good sirs.

What might you be doing in these parts?

If it isn't Yakushibo's Nidaime!

Why have you come back now?

I've seen everything that I needed to see.

Is the leader of the Kurama tengu doing well?

By the way,

I had sent my luggage here, but...

Oh, that?

They were in the way, so we tossed them out.

Why would you do such a thing?

This mountain doesn't belong to you.

You're a bit late, Nidaime.

We've taken over Nyoigatake.

Oh, I see.

Understood.