Ge-ge-ge no nyobou 5/8
aka How can I help?
This episode started with Shigeru drawing, hunched over his work table, sweat dripping. Then the upstairs guy walked into the kitchen to get water. Fumie was ironing, with the windows shut. He recoiled from the heat, and said, "What are you doing?" Fumie explained that Shigeru said he needed it hot to draw this part. The upstairs guy said, "But... you don't need to..." Fumie said, "He draws, and corrects, and works so hard. I just want to help."
the theme ran...
A glass windchime rang in the window. Fumie was grilling eggplant (the small dark ones that Japan prefers) on a small grill. The voiceover explained that they didn't have much food, but she was trying to make a good meal. Then she went to the doors and called, "Dinner's ready." There was no response. After a moment, she slid the doors open and peeked in.
Next, Fumie was sitting outside, leaning against the wall. Inui, the strange fan, greeted her, and said, "I just heard! Kitaro again! Congratulations." Then he looked at Fumie and said, "Is something wrong?" Fumie said, "Shigeru... he works so hard. He holds the paper down with his stump, his back is twisted, and his face... he looks as if he is being tortured."
A cicada rested on a tree. Shigeru sat at the kitchen table, and Fumie massaged his shoulders. "You're so stiff. I'll get a masseuse..." Shigeru said, "No, no, you do fine."
Later, he was at work again. Fumie came in, and said, "Can I help? Is there something I could do? Ink the pens, or get paper?" Shigeru looked at her. "What? Are you crazy? It's my work."
After a while, Shigeru got up and stretched. He said, "How late is it?" and walked into the kitchen. He found Fumie at the sink, and said, "Are you still up? You should go to sleep. What are you doing?" She continued grinding ginger, and said, "I'm making a hot ginger wrap. It used to help my mother with stiff shoulders. I can help, too."
Next, Shigeru was in the work room. Fumie was putting hot towels on his neck. "Is it too hot?" He groaned, "No, no, it's good." Fumie started to leave, and Shigeru said, "Wait. Sit down over there. Here, fill in the parts marked black." He put a sheet of drawings in front of her, and handed her a paintbrush. She looked at the drawing, and at him. "But what if I ruin it?" He said, "No, you can do it. Please help?" She started painting in the dark areas, and Shigeru watched for a moment, then said, "Pretty good!" He returned to drawing.
Later, Fumie handed him a sheet. He glanced at it, then gave her another sheet, and said, "Here, add dots in this part." He gave her a pen, and she added speckling.
The voiceover explained that this was the first time Shigeru worked with an assistant. And they showed the two of them asleep at the worktable.
Two weeks later, Fumie was in the market, buying vegetables. The shopkeeper said, "You're buying more than usual. Is there something special?" Fumie said, "Yes! Today the book comes out." As she bicycled away, the shopkeeper and her friends looked at each other and said, "Book? What book?"
When she got home, Shigeru was in the kitchen. She said, "Oh, you're back already." He said, "I've got good and bad news, which do you want to hear first?" She said, "First good news." He got out a copy of the new book and handed it to her. "The book's out." She looked at it, and he said, "Don't just look at the cover. Look inside." She opened the book, and found a dedication to her. He said, "You and I did that book. That dedication is my present to you." She started to get excited. He said, "Wait, there's bad news. It's a new book, new market, so... there's no pay yet." Fumie said, "Well, we can do it. Today, let's not worry about money, let's just enjoy the good news."
Shigeru smiled, and said, "There's one more good thing. The publisher wants more Kitaro!"
Fumie caressed the cover, then jumped up and danced around the kitchen. The voiceover told us that she began to understand the attraction of drawing manga that day.
This episode ended with another teaser medley. Among the bits were Fumie announcing that she is Mizuki's wife, and an old street story teller.
to be continued...
This episode started with Shigeru drawing, hunched over his work table, sweat dripping. Then the upstairs guy walked into the kitchen to get water. Fumie was ironing, with the windows shut. He recoiled from the heat, and said, "What are you doing?" Fumie explained that Shigeru said he needed it hot to draw this part. The upstairs guy said, "But... you don't need to..." Fumie said, "He draws, and corrects, and works so hard. I just want to help."
the theme ran...
A glass windchime rang in the window. Fumie was grilling eggplant (the small dark ones that Japan prefers) on a small grill. The voiceover explained that they didn't have much food, but she was trying to make a good meal. Then she went to the doors and called, "Dinner's ready." There was no response. After a moment, she slid the doors open and peeked in.
Next, Fumie was sitting outside, leaning against the wall. Inui, the strange fan, greeted her, and said, "I just heard! Kitaro again! Congratulations." Then he looked at Fumie and said, "Is something wrong?" Fumie said, "Shigeru... he works so hard. He holds the paper down with his stump, his back is twisted, and his face... he looks as if he is being tortured."
A cicada rested on a tree. Shigeru sat at the kitchen table, and Fumie massaged his shoulders. "You're so stiff. I'll get a masseuse..." Shigeru said, "No, no, you do fine."
Later, he was at work again. Fumie came in, and said, "Can I help? Is there something I could do? Ink the pens, or get paper?" Shigeru looked at her. "What? Are you crazy? It's my work."
After a while, Shigeru got up and stretched. He said, "How late is it?" and walked into the kitchen. He found Fumie at the sink, and said, "Are you still up? You should go to sleep. What are you doing?" She continued grinding ginger, and said, "I'm making a hot ginger wrap. It used to help my mother with stiff shoulders. I can help, too."
Next, Shigeru was in the work room. Fumie was putting hot towels on his neck. "Is it too hot?" He groaned, "No, no, it's good." Fumie started to leave, and Shigeru said, "Wait. Sit down over there. Here, fill in the parts marked black." He put a sheet of drawings in front of her, and handed her a paintbrush. She looked at the drawing, and at him. "But what if I ruin it?" He said, "No, you can do it. Please help?" She started painting in the dark areas, and Shigeru watched for a moment, then said, "Pretty good!" He returned to drawing.
Later, Fumie handed him a sheet. He glanced at it, then gave her another sheet, and said, "Here, add dots in this part." He gave her a pen, and she added speckling.
The voiceover explained that this was the first time Shigeru worked with an assistant. And they showed the two of them asleep at the worktable.
Two weeks later, Fumie was in the market, buying vegetables. The shopkeeper said, "You're buying more than usual. Is there something special?" Fumie said, "Yes! Today the book comes out." As she bicycled away, the shopkeeper and her friends looked at each other and said, "Book? What book?"
When she got home, Shigeru was in the kitchen. She said, "Oh, you're back already." He said, "I've got good and bad news, which do you want to hear first?" She said, "First good news." He got out a copy of the new book and handed it to her. "The book's out." She looked at it, and he said, "Don't just look at the cover. Look inside." She opened the book, and found a dedication to her. He said, "You and I did that book. That dedication is my present to you." She started to get excited. He said, "Wait, there's bad news. It's a new book, new market, so... there's no pay yet." Fumie said, "Well, we can do it. Today, let's not worry about money, let's just enjoy the good news."
Shigeru smiled, and said, "There's one more good thing. The publisher wants more Kitaro!"
Fumie caressed the cover, then jumped up and danced around the kitchen. The voiceover told us that she began to understand the attraction of drawing manga that day.
This episode ended with another teaser medley. Among the bits were Fumie announcing that she is Mizuki's wife, and an old street story teller.
to be continued...