1. Many Japanese players are active in
the American Major Leagues today.Copy !req
2. However, few are aware of the following episode,Copy !req
3. which occurred in Japan during
the early days of baseball.Copy !req
4. This is a story of men whose souls
burned with a passion for baseball.Copy !req
5. "Baseball BluesCopy !req
6. My original reason for visiting this placeCopy !req
7. was to investigate reports of a foreign shipCopy !req
8. that had been spotted from
time to time in the area recently.Copy !req
9. Oh, and pardon the belated introduction,
but I'm Manzou the Saw,Copy !req
10. a secret policeman who was
transferred to the area just recently.Copy !req
11. What did you say?Copy !req
12. Let's see... How much
farther do you think it is?Copy !req
13. We came this way along
the Nagasaki highway, so...Copy !req
14. We'll reach Saga soon. It won't be
long before we reach Ikitsuki Island.Copy !req
15. Here you are.Copy !req
16. Huh? Excuse me, we didn't order all this.Copy !req
17. Don't worry about it, I ordered for us.Copy !req
18. Hey, what're we gonna do about the money?Copy !req
19. Don't sweat it.Copy !req
20. Do you have a secret stash
you haven't told us about?Copy !req
21. I said, don't worry about it!Copy !req
22. Delicious.Copy !req
23. Hey, don't start without me!Copy !req
24. Oh, that was so good... How long
has it been since we ate this much?Copy !req
25. Still, are you certain that
you can take care of the bill?Copy !req
26. You bet.Copy !req
27. He's skipping out on his bill!Copy !req
28. Come back here!Copy !req
29. He didn't!Copy !req
30. Damn, this guy is fast!Copy !req
31. Ow...Copy !req
32. Who threw this?Copy !req
33. Hey, there.Copy !req
34. It was you, huh?Copy !req
35. You're pretty good.Copy !req
36. How 'bout it? Wanna play some ball?Copy !req
37. Play ball?Copy !req
38. Listen, if you play in the game that's
gonna be held tomorrow, I'll pay your bill.Copy !req
39. Or would you rather work your butts off
here for a month to pay it off yourselves?Copy !req
40. All right, take the heat for what you did.Copy !req
41. You guys shoulda made a break for it, too.Copy !req
42. What're you talking about?Copy !req
43. A month is a harsh sentence.
Surely your only option is to play.Copy !req
44. What the hell is this ball deal about, anyway?Copy !req
45. Baseball. It's a sport from across the sea.Copy !req
46. Basically, I throw this ball, and you try
to hit it with this stick that's called a bat.Copy !req
47. What, it's just a stick game?Copy !req
48. This is no game. This is a battle
that our country's future is riding on.Copy !req
49. —Say what?
—Well, it all began about a week ago.Copy !req
50. Who's in charge here?Copy !req
51. Hey, where can we find the
person in charge around here?Copy !req
52. I'm the town consul, if that's what you mean.Copy !req
53. This is Commodore Alexander Joy Cartwright,
commander of the U.S. East Indies Fleet.Copy !req
54. I'm Doubleday, his interpreter.Copy !req
55. We Americans have come here because
we want to open trade with this country.Copy !req
56. Y-You can make all the outrageous
demands you like, but I can't help you.Copy !req
57. Besides, there is an official edict that all
foreign ships are to be driven off immediately.Copy !req
58. Fuck them!Copy !req
59. Please don't get the wrong impression here.Copy !req
60. We didn't come here to make
a request. This is an order.Copy !req
61. Or would you prefer to go to war against us?Copy !req
62. Whoa! Baseball? Sonuvagun!Copy !req
63. Baseball, on a little island in the Far East?Copy !req
64. Incredible! The sport of gentlemen
comes to the country of savages!Copy !req
65. All right, you're on.Copy !req
66. In this peaceful country, there's no need
for either one of us to throw our lives away.Copy !req
67. What?Copy !req
68. We'll settle this with baseball!Copy !req
69. And so, that's how we got stuck
playing a game against the Yankees.Copy !req
70. But why did those Americans come
all this way to do something like that?Copy !req
71. What a bunch of troublemakers!Copy !req
72. Don't you have any other players?Copy !req
73. Well, I did, but...Copy !req
74. Listen up! This is gonna be
one seriously tough game!Copy !req
75. Get it into your heads that if we don't win,
there will be no tomorrow for us!Copy !req
76. Have I made myself clear, you sons of—Copy !req
77. Hey!Copy !req
78. Look, if it's that tough,
I'd rather not be in it...Copy !req
79. Seriously. Leave me out of it.Copy !req
80. Um, I have some errands
to run, so see you later!Copy !req
81. Get back here, damn it!Copy !req
82. So that's how it went, and everybody ran away.Copy !req
83. So tell me something.
Are these Yankees really that tough?Copy !req
84. You bet.Copy !req
85. All right, I'll do it!Copy !req
86. Well, give it your best shot.Copy !req
87. What're you talking about?
We don't have enough people.Copy !req
88. All three of you are gonna play!Copy !req
89. So, they came all the way to this
little port to catch us by surprise...Copy !req
90. What should we do, sir?
We have to report this to Edo at once.Copy !req
91. Hold your horses. Before we do that,
I'm gonna sneak aboard that ship.Copy !req
92. But that's... that's too dangerous!Copy !req
93. Don't worry about me.Copy !req
94. I just need to cleverly disguise myself as
an American, and it'll be a piece of cake.Copy !req
95. Okay...Copy !req
96. You said your name was Kagemaru, right?Copy !req
97. How did you know about this baseball stuff?Copy !req
98. For generations, we've worked as
secret agents for a certain feudal domain.Copy !req
99. No way! You mean you were a ninja?Copy !req
100. That's right. Kyushu has always had a
lot of dealings with foreign countries,Copy !req
101. so we've been researching
those countries for generations.Copy !req
102. But then the national isolation
policy went into effect,Copy !req
103. and our domain was crushed, too.Copy !req
104. And so, they learned the rules
of the game in a single night,Copy !req
105. and were given a crash course
in baseball through the night.Copy !req
106. However, this part is boring,
so I'll skip over it.Copy !req
107. Freeze!Copy !req
108. Who are you?Copy !req
109. Who are you?Copy !req
110. Oh! American! American!Copy !req
111. Shut up!Copy !req
112. Nooo!Copy !req
113. "Samurai Champloo"Copy !req
114. It's finally beginning!
The matchup of the century is underway!Copy !req
115. In this battle, the national prestige
of America and Japan is on the line!Copy !req
116. My name is Ichiemon, and I will be
acting as your announcer today!Copy !req
117. Aren't we a few people short?Copy !req
118. It's okay. Don't worry about it.Copy !req
119. Hey, look!Copy !req
120. They let the dogs play baseball here?Copy !req
121. Fantastic! That's the mystical orient for you!Copy !req
122. What did you just say?Copy !req
123. They're full-fledged players, too.Copy !req
124. It doesn't say anything in the rules
about animals not being allowed.Copy !req
125. Okay!Copy !req
126. It's the first at-bat! Play ball!Copy !req
127. Doubleday is on the mound, and he lets it rip!Copy !req
128. It's a bunt!Copy !req
129. No!Copy !req
130. Ninja baseball...Copy !req
131. The next batter in the lineup is Jin.Copy !req
132. Oh, my! He's using a gedan sword stance!Copy !req
133. Can he successfully apply
this technique to baseball?Copy !req
134. He nailed it! The ball is
heading for short center field!Copy !req
135. That was great!Copy !req
136. The next batter up is Mugen, with no
outs and runners on first and second.Copy !req
137. And this new batter is using
a two-sword technique!Copy !req
138. Come on!Copy !req
139. The pitcher winds up for his
first pitch, and... What's this?Copy !req
140. They're going to load the bases.
They're intentionally walking him.Copy !req
141. No way!Copy !req
142. Out!Copy !req
143. Oh, no! He passed the runner
in front of him! He's out!Copy !req
144. No way...Copy !req
145. The next batter up is Fuu,
the lone girl on the team.Copy !req
146. —Let's do it!
—Strike!Copy !req
147. Strike!Copy !req
148. Strike three! Batter's out!Copy !req
149. Tragically, she was struck out.Copy !req
150. The next batter is the village consul,
the oldest on the team at age 80.Copy !req
151. Mister!Copy !req
152. Listen, step over my corpse and
move on to a brighter tomorrow...Copy !req
153. Mister!Copy !req
154. Now, then, the next batter up is... the dog?Copy !req
155. Hey, there's no way that
an animal can hit the ball!Copy !req
156. It'll be fine. He won't have to.Copy !req
157. Ball! Ball!Copy !req
158. Ball!Copy !req
159. Oh, my! The pitcher can't seem to
get anything into the strike zone!Copy !req
160. Exactly. An animal's strike zone is tiny.Copy !req
161. All he has to do is stand there,
and he'll get walked.Copy !req
162. And here comes the fourth pitch!Copy !req
163. He ran away!Copy !req
164. Momo!Copy !req
165. Damn, I guess they're just animals, after all.Copy !req
166. What's this, then? Why's a ball game
being held in secret like this?Copy !req
167. Who are you?Copy !req
168. I could say that I was just a
baseball fan who was passing by,Copy !req
169. but I guess that would be a lie.Copy !req
170. We're short on players,
so you're gonna play, too.Copy !req
171. A pinch hitter has come in! A perfectly innocent
baseball fan who happened to be passing by!Copy !req
172. Oh, my! It's his first at-bat,
and he's calling a home run!Copy !req
173. Who is this player? Where did he come from?Copy !req
174. "Bunt!"Copy !req
175. And Doubleday throws the first pitch!Copy !req
176. Strike!Copy !req
177. That moron...Copy !req
178. "Wrong!"Copy !req
179. "Didn't you understand me?"Copy !req
180. "I said bunt!"Copy !req
181. "Bunt!"Copy !req
182. Okay, here's the second pitch!Copy !req
183. Strike two!Copy !req
184. That dumb son of a bitch!Copy !req
185. "Moron!"Copy !req
186. "Dumbass!"Copy !req
187. "Bunt, damn it!"Copy !req
188. "Bunt!"Copy !req
189. "Or you're dead!"Copy !req
190. The batter's in a hole! And here
comes the pitcher's third throw!Copy !req
191. No!Copy !req
192. The Japanese team is playing unexpectedly well!Copy !req
193. The American players are
currently gathered on the mound.Copy !req
194. Son of a bitch!Copy !req
195. Fucking Japs!Copy !req
196. Time to teach these savages how we do things.Copy !req
197. An eye for an eye.
The American way, all the way!Copy !req
198. Play...Copy !req
199. Ball!Copy !req
200. Shit! They're playing dirty!Copy !req
201. Here it comes!Copy !req
202. Amen.Copy !req
203. No, I'm still alive...Copy !req
204. Manzou is dead, but freedom will never die...!Copy !req
205. That was dirty! Umpire!Copy !req
206. So, they're in cahoots.Copy !req
207. Now, here comes the first pitch to Jin!Copy !req
208. Holy cow, he's fast! Will he go
for an in-the-park home run?Copy !req
209. What the—?Copy !req
210. I... am ashamed...Copy !req
211. Out!Copy !req
212. That's three! Change sides!Copy !req
213. I want you to stay out of this.Copy !req
214. Hey, I ain't dead yet...Copy !req
215. Nobody else is gonna use that
mound until my arm falls off.Copy !req
216. The American team is finally on the offensive,Copy !req
217. but the opposing Japanese team
only has a pitcher and a first baseman!Copy !req
218. What in the world do they hope to do?Copy !req
219. Out!Copy !req
220. God damn!Copy !req
221. Their next batter is Commodore
Alexander Joy Cartwright!Copy !req
222. Don't try it! Get out of there!Copy !req
223. Come to papa!Copy !req
224. I die with no regrets...Copy !req
225. Out!Copy !req
226. Things have gotten serious!Copy !req
227. The Japanese team now has
only one player remaining!Copy !req
228. How in the world does he intend to keep
fighting when the odds are 1 against 9?Copy !req
229. This is no contest at all!Copy !req
230. Against a bunch of pansies like you...Copy !req
231. one of me is plenty!Copy !req
232. Mugen is full of spirit as
he winds up his pitch, and—Copy !req
233. What in the world is he doing?Copy !req
234. —Shit!
—That's a balk! Balk!Copy !req
235. Ball!Copy !req
236. Ball! Ball!Copy !req
237. Ball four!Copy !req
238. His plan has gone to pieces.Copy !req
239. Not only does the pitcher have no
control, he also seems to be dizzy!Copy !req
240. All right, then. I guess I'll throw it normally.Copy !req
241. N-No human being could
possibly hit a pitch like that...!Copy !req
242. Nooo!Copy !req
243. D-Dead ball!Copy !req
244. God help us... This isn't baseball!Copy !req
245. This is madness!Copy !req
246. What an amazing turn of events!Copy !req
247. The American team's bench is
now piled high with corpses, too!Copy !req
248. They are down to one player!Copy !req
249. This game has become a battle of
one against one! Man against man!Copy !req
250. I'm not going to lose!
America can't afford to lose!Copy !req
251. I can't believe it! Both players are down!Copy !req
252. What will become of this game?Copy !req
253. Will it end as a suspended game?Copy !req
254. Jesus...Copy !req
255. Friggin' kamikaze!Copy !req
256. All right, you damn Yankees...Copy !req
257. Hurry up and haul your asses
back to your own country!Copy !req
258. He's on his feet! The American
team has no players left!Copy !req
259. The game is over! The game is over!Copy !req
260. "Japan"
"America"Copy !req
261. and the Americans went home with
a profound fear of Japanese people.Copy !req
262. They didn't return to these shores until
the arrival of Commodore Perry in 18oo.Copy !req
263. One morning, I lay stretched
out in the grass by the riverCopy !req
264. A butterfly tickles my nose,
and the predawn sky is infinitely far awayCopy !req
265. What is projected on this gradually darkening
blue screen is the continuation of my dreamCopy !req
266. I yawn and stretch, the character for "big"
standing alone among the sounds of springCopy !req
267. Snow lingers on the distant mountaintops
as my path carries me across the seasonsCopy !req
268. A swallow brushes my cheek as it flies pastCopy !req
269. And looking back, calls out
"Good morning!" to meCopy !req
270. It's time to be off, and with a "Heave ho"
I get to my feet, but where am I off to?Copy !req
271. As to that, as to that,
as to that, as to that...Copy !req
272. Yeah, right now, it's early spring,
and my journey has just begunCopy !req
273. In other words, we travel westwards,
wandering hoodlums who think we're samuraiCopy !req
274. The souls accompanying us drift up to the sky
If they flap their wings, they can flyCopy !req
275. In other words, we travel westwards,
wandering hoodlums who think we're samuraiCopy !req
276. The souls accompanying us drift up to the sky
If they flap their wings, they can flyCopy !req
277. I knew from the day I was born that
I would set out on a journey one dayCopy !req
278. With a knapsack on my tiny back,
I heard a voice calling out behind meCopy !req
279. As I walked home from school along
the little path lit by the setting sunCopy !req
280. I was overwhelmed each day
at how familiar it seemedCopy !req
281. The journey finally begins to seek out and
awaken the me that I'm sure lived long agoCopy !req
282. Your world is far bigger than what
you read about in the history booksCopy !req
283. That sensation reverberating up
from beneath your sneakersCopy !req
284. Is the history lying beneath the asphaltCopy !req
285. As I travel from the present
to the past, will I meet myself?Copy !req
286. Also, my future self will find me,
so I'll wait here a while for himCopy !req
287. In other words, we travel westwards,
wandering hoodlums who think we're samuraiCopy !req
288. The souls accompanying us drift up to the sky
If they flap their wings, they can flyCopy !req
289. In other words, we travel westwards,
wandering hoodlums who think we're samuraiCopy !req
290. The souls accompanying us drift up to the sky
If they flap their wings, they can flyCopy !req
291. And so, he himself had no idea that
he had inadvertently saved this country.Copy !req
292. His thoughts were turned to the distant land
to which the black ships were returning.Copy !req
293. My thoughts aren't really turned
anywhere. Stop making stuff up!Copy !req
294. Who the hell are you, anyway?
Shut your damn mouth!Copy !req
295. Yes, sir...Copy !req