Suddenly, because of a mischievous spring breeze...
Ooya-san once again lost consciousness.
I could only tremble with fear at the return of that "Saki-chan," but...
The one who appeared was...
Momono: Nanako-chan!
[Nanako--Kozue's third personality--kneels silently, pointing to herself.]
Momono: This person is called Shiratori-kun.
3. Important Place
Momono: He'll be living here from now on, so make friends w...ah...
[Nanako's face has gone bug-eyed, and she stares intently at Shiratori.]
Momono: Great...she's gotten like that... (1) Somehow, she's taken a real interest in Shiratori-kun...
[She shrugs.]
Momono: Can't be helped! Shiratori-kun, I'll leave the rest to you!
Shiratori: What?! Hey!
Momono: I have to go shopping. Anyway, do your best until Nanako-chan gets glossy! (2)
Shiratori: G...glossy...
I would soon learn...
~DING-DONG~
Voice: Good morning! I'm with Suzuki Shipping...
...exactly what that meant.
[Shiratori grunts as he sets down a table.]
Shiratori: As I thought, the low table should go a little over here...
[He stands up, and wipes the sweat from his brow.]
Shiratori: All right, this should do for now!
[He steps back to look at the room. We can see the table, a bookshelf (mostly empty) and a few boxes.]
Shiratori: When you put the luggage in here, it suddenly feels like a "room" after all...
[Nanako, stuffed animal in hand, wanders over to one of the unopened boxes.]
Shiratori: Now, then! With the luggage set around here for the moment, I need to hurry and finish my project.
[Nanako pulls the box open and gleefully turns it over, spilling out all the books that were inside.]
Shiratori: If I forgot, Shirogane-sensei would...
[He glances over, and sees what Nanako's gotten into.]
Shiratori: ...O...Ooya-san, what are you...
Nanako: ...
[She pitches the empty box over her shoulder, and picks up one of the books that was spilled out.]
Shiratori: OOYA-SAN!
Nanako: ...?
[Puzzled, she looks first to her left, then to her right.]
Shiratori: THAT'S YOU!
[She cocks her head to the side, still puzzled.]
Nanako: ? Nanako doesn't have a name like that. (3) Nanako is Nanako! Nanako is Nanako, because Nanako is Nanako. If Nanako weren't Nanako, then Nanako wouldn't be Nanako, so because Nanako is Nanako...
[She pauses for a moment, having lost track of her train of thought.]
Nanako: ...?
Shiratori: [thinking] I don't really know what she wants to say, but...anyway, what a troublesome personality! Just like Momono-san said, her mental age appears to be 6...
[Nanako has opened the book she picked up earlier, and gone bug-eyed again.]
Shiratori: [thinking] What amazing eyes...
Nanako: ...!
[Beaming, she walks over to Shiratori, holding out a book with the title, "To the Other Side of the Sky."]
Nanako: Onii-chan! (4) Um...yeah...Nanako wants you to read this book...!
[Neither speaks for a long moment. Shiratori stares uneasily at Nanako.]
Nanako: Book...
Shiratori: No...er...I have something I have to do right now...
Nanako: Book...
Shiratori: So...anyway, I can't right now, but I'll be sure to next time, OK? Next time...
Nanako: ...oh...
[Tears form at the corners of her eyes, and Shiratori freezes.]
Shiratori: [reading] Then, a big wind began to blow. "Now, everyone! Ride this wind to a far, far-off place," Mother said. All at once, Roy and the others were whirled up into the sky. "Wow, it's light and feels good!" But Mother's figure rapidly dwindled into the distance. Roy noticed, and began to cry, "Aah, Mother's getting so far away! No! I don't want that!"
[He sighs.]
Shiratori: [thinking] What am I doing? I don't have time for this...but when Ooya-san made that face at me...Well, anyway, I'd better finish this then do my project...!
[He glances over at Nanako as he reads.]
Shiratori: [reading] The wind rapidly carried Roy away from Mother. By the time he'd cried himself out, he couldn't see Mother anym--GAH!
[Shiratori abruptly cuts off as Nanako leans over into his lap to see the book.]
Shiratori: [thinking] O...OOYA-SAN...?!
[Shiratori's face flushes deep red.]
Shiratori: [thinking] F...for her to cuddle up like this...what in the world is she...?! No, I understand...right now, Ooya-san has the mind of a 6-year-old...she just wants to see the picture book...but...BUT...
Nanako: ...Onii-chan?
[Nanako has turned in Shiratori's lap, and is now looking up at him.]
Nanako: What's wrong?
Shiratori: !!!!
Nanako: Won't you keep reading?
Shiratori: [thinking] Th...this is bad...!!
Nanako: Come on, come on!
Shiratori: [thinking] This is bad in so many ways...!! I have to do something-- (5) [out loud] Ro...Roy's travels will now continue!
[Shiratori continues the reading--as fast as he possibly can.]
Shiratori: Many of his siblings each found their respective place and landed on the earth--Roy now continued his travels alone--"Just like my mother told me, I'll go far, far away--No matter where, far away--Roy will continue to fly--Crossing over mountains, over rivers--" [thinking] If I can finish it swiftly...!!
[Last page...]
Shiratori: ...And thus, Roy's travels finished--THE END! It's done! The book's finished!
[He pushes himself away from the low table--and Nanako--with great force.]
Nanako: ...
Shiratori: [thinking] S--somehow, I made it through...! That was a cruel mix of heaven and hell! I nearly lost sight of myself, but... [out loud] Is...is this OK?
[Nanako's face has taken on a bright sheen as she beams at him.]
Nanako: Yep! Thanks, Onii-chan!
Shiratori: [thinking] She's...she's gone glossy...! I see, so this is what Momono-san meant...she certainly is glossy...
[He stares at her for a moment before vigorously sitting back down at the low table and taking up a pen.]
Shiratori: Ah, no good, no good!! I didn't have time to stand here doing nothing--I have to get this project done!
Nanako: ...
[Shiratori glances over at her--and freezes. She's gone bug-eyed again.]
Nanako: ...Onii-chan, do you like drawing?
Shiratori: Eh? Ah, yeah...
Nanako: Really?! Nanako loves drawing, too!
[She claps her hands gleefully.]
Nanako: Together with Onii-chan--I'm so happy!
Shiratori: ... [thinking] If I stay calm and think about it, "Nanako-chan" is a childlike personality, but she's unexpectedly docile...she might be a good girl...
[He hands her a sheet of paper.]
Shiratori: Well, then, let's draw together!
Nanako: OK!
Shiratori: [thinking] Even the way she treats me--if I'm not mistaken, there's nothing evil in it...Well, at least she's a lot better than that violent "Saki-chan" from yesterday...she was cruel! [out loud] What are you drawing, Nanako-chan?
Nanako: A snake!
[Shiratori glances over--and his jaw drops. Nanako's paper is filled with a squiggly line...one that continues off the page, off the table, across the floor, and up onto the wall.]
Shiratori: Uwaa?!
Nanako: A BIG snake!
Shiratori: NO!
[Shiratori dashes over and angrily snatches the pen out of her hands, while rubbing out the "snake" with a cloth.]
Shiratori: DON'T DRAW OFF THE PAPER!
Nanako: Eh?
Shiratori: DON'T "EH" ME!
[He turns away from her, and heaves an aggrieved sigh.]
Nanako: ...Onii-chan...are you angry...?
Shiratori: ...
Nanako: ...*sniffle*
[She begins to tear up.]
Shiratori: Erk!
[He hurries over to her with a forced smile on his face.]
Shiratori: Of...of course I'm not angry! See?
Nanako: ...really?
Shiratori: Really, really! So...don't cry...OK?
Nanako: ...OK...
[Shiratori sighs in relief.]
Shiratori: [thinking] I'm exhausted...this "Nanako-chan" is an extremely troublesome personality, after all...
Nanako: Eh-heh!
Shiratori: Ha-ha... [thinking] If I'm not careful enough how I treat her, she can start crying, and that's worse than being hit!
[The two return to the low table.]
Shiratori: Say, Nanako-chan...for now, could you stop drawing, and play by yourself for a little bit?
Nanako: Eh?
Shiratori: You can read any of the books I have...and when this drawing's done, we can play togther...you're a good girl, Nanako-chan, so you can wait quietly, right?
Nanako: ! OK! Nanako's a good girl, so I'll wait!
[Nanako flops onto her belly, and begins to read.]
Shiratori: [thinking] ...Oh? Those words seem to have been effective. Well, it looks like she'll be all right for a little while.
I've always been...
Shiratori: [thinking] Now, then--here goes!
...just a little naïve...
FOUR-PANEL (6): "Like this?"
[As Shiratori gets busy, Nanako looks up from her reading and glances over at his backpack. Curious, she wanders over, opens it up, pulls out a pair of boxers--and then, to Shiratori's horror, puts them on her head.]
FOUR-PANEL: "That's...!"
[As a very embarrassed Shiratori replaces the boxers in his backpack, Nanako is already looking elsewhere--in this case, the bookcase right behind him. A book on the top shelf titled "The Cat Devil" catches her attention, and she leaps for it with great enthusiasm--bringing the bookshelf, and all the books in it, down on top of herself and Shiratori both.]
FOUR-PANEL: "I won't be exposed"
[As a visibly miffed Shiratori sets the bookcase upright, something else catches Nanako's attention, and she crawls off. Shiratori glances behind him, and is alarmed to see that Nanako is gone! There's no sign of her in the room--just the table, some books, and an overturned box. Shiratori looks away, puzzled, and Nanako peeks out from under one end...and quickly gets back underneath when he looks back at her.]
FOUR-PANEL: "I'm right here!"
[Shiratori sits back down at the low table. He glances back, spots Nanako under the box, and breathes a sigh of relief before going back to work. Suddenly, a stuffed cat appears on the table, startling him; he looks up and sees Nanako, who somehow got from under the box to the other side of the table in front of him without him noticing.]
Nanako: [singing] ...Meow, meow, meoooow...
Shiratori: ...
Nanako: [singing] ...Mya-mya-meoooow...Mya!
[Shiratori slumps down in defeat.]
Shiratori: ...would you give me a break, already...
Nanako: Meow...? Ah! Onii-chan, are you crying? Does it hurt somewhere?
Shiratori: ...
Nanako: Hey, Onii...
Shiratori: Look...I'm sorry, but I don't have time to play with you (7) right now. Could you please play outside for a little while...?
Nanako: But...
Shiratori: I'm begging you, please get out...
Nanako: ...Onii-chan...
[Shiratori glances over--and sees, to his horror, that Nanako has once again begun to tear up.]
Nanako: Do you hate...Nanako...?
Shiratori: Wh...what are you saying?! Of course not! It's just that right now...
Nanako: Then...do you like Nanako?
Shiratori: [thinking] Wha... [out loud] Eh...?
Nanako: ...do you like me?
Shiratori: [thinking] WHAT IN THE WORLD...?! [out loud] We...well, of course... [thinking] Why am I acting so awkward...?
Nanako: REALLY?! Thank goodness! Nanako loves Onii-chan, too!
Shiratori: [thinking] U...
[And she wanders away, unconcerned...]
Shiratori: [thinking] ...Uwaaaaaaaaaaaa...!! (8)
[...as Shiratori's brain goes "Tilt."]
Shiratori: [thinking] To be told that by the child personality...I DON'T need this! (9) Up until now, I've never even had a girl tell me she likes me...ah! Th...that's it--it was just a case of her making merry, wasn't it?
[He looks over at Nanako.]
Shiratori: A...anyhow, could you go outside for a little while...?
Nanako: Eh...
[She begins to tear up again.]
Nanako: ...Nanako wants to stay by Onii-chan...
Shiratori: [thinking] THIS AGAIN...!! [out loud] ...All right. But you be absolutely quiet, got it?
Nanako: OK!
[Shiratori goes back to work, while Nanako sits next to him, staring at him.]
Shiratori: ... [thinking] ...She's certainly being quiet, but...it's hard to work when you're being watched steadily like this...
[Slowly, Nanako's eyes begin to grow heavy...]
Shiratori: [thinking] Well, as long as she doesn't get in the way, it should be OK...
Nanako: ...
[Nanako leans over, resting her head on his arm.]
Shiratori: Wha...hold it, Nanako-chan! You promised you'd be--EH...?
[Shiratori's eyes go wide as Nanako--fast asleep--slips down into his lap.]
Shiratori: [thinking] Hey...don't go to sleep in this position!!
[He tries to scoot away, but Nanako, still fast asleep, wraps her arms around his waist, not letting him escape.]
Shiratori: [thinking] Wh...why is she going to sleep in broad daylight?! Or could she possibly be inviting me...am I being invited...?!
[He sighs heavily.]
Shiratori: [thinking] ...What am I thinking...I know it's nothing like that...
[He looks down at her sleeping face.]
Shiratori: [thinking] ...even so...even if the personality's changed, Ooya-san really is cute...
Momono: HEY, SHIRATORI-KUN! HOW ARE YOU DOING?
[Yep...Momono's back, and she barged straight into Shiratori's room--with the other tenants right behind her. Shiratori can only look on with horror, Nanako still asleep in his lap.]
Momono: WOW! Once again, we come across you in a great spot!
Shiratori: Wh...what are you saying?! This is a misunderstanding!
[Tamami gleefully raises a camera and snaps a picture.]
Tamami: My, Shiratori-san has unexpectedly fast hands!
Shiratori: No, I--WHAT ARE YOU TAKING A PICTURE FOR?!
Tamami: Ah, this is just a commemoration photo!
Shiratori: Liar! That's an absolute lie!!
Kozue: ....oooh....?
[Kozue sits up, disoriented.]
Kozue: ...huh? Where...?
Shiratori: !!
Momono: Ah, you're up! This is Shiratori-kun's room.
Kozue: ...? Why was I sleeping in Shiratori-san's room...?
Shiratori: Ah...um...
[Momono covers Shiratori's mouth.]
Momono: After you helped tidy up Shiratori-kun's luggage, you got tired and fell asleep, didn't you?
Kozue: ...Ah...now that you mention it, it looks like that did happen, didn't it...
Shiratori: [thinking] Eh...?! Wh...What in the...?
Kozue: I'm sorry! To fall asleep midway like that...
Shiratori: [thinking] What's Ooya-san saying...? [out loud] O...Ooya-sa--
Momono: Shiratori-kun... [whispering] Kozue-chan doesn't have any memories from when she turns into another personality...somehow, she seems to compensate for those memories... (11)
Kozue: ?
Shiratori: [whispering] Compensate for the memories...?
Momono: [whispering] In short, she fills the times while other personalities are out with fake memories...well, because of that, she doesn't know that she has multiple personalities...
Shiratori: [whispering] Ah...so Ooya-san isn't conscious of it, after all...
Kozue: Um...what are you two talking about?
Momono: Ah, we're just talking about today's welcome party!
Shiratori: Ye....yeah, we're--WHAT?!
[He looks at Momono in horror.]
Shiratori: We...welcome party...today...??
[In the background, the young girl from earlier takes Kozue's hand.]
Girl: Onee-chan, (12) let's sit together!
Momono: Well, yeah! I promised last night, didn't I?
Tamami: Momo-san, preparations are complete!
Momono: Oh, good work!
[Shiratori stares at shock at his low table, now completely covered with food.]
Shiratori: WH...WHEN DID YOU...?!
Momono: Now, then...everyone's here, so let's get started!
Kozue: What's everyone gathered for?
Tamami: Well, that is...
Shiratori: What?! You're going to have a party in broad daylight?!
Momono: ? Isn't that normal?
Shiratori: It isn't normal at all! Besides, I have a project to--
[Momono covers Shiratori's mouth with one hand.]
Momono: Kozue-chan! We're having Shiratori-kun's welcome party now. Can we get you to participate, too?
Kozue: A welcome party? That's great! If it's OK with Shiratori-san, then certainly!
[Every person in the room turns to look at Shiratori.]
Shiratori: [thinking] ...well, I'll just have to pull an all-nighter for the project... [out loud, and not very enthusiastic] Yay...I'm happy too...
[Momono pulls a karaoke microphone out of nowhere.]
Momono: All right, then! The first thing at a welcome party is self-introductions! Introduce yourselves one at a time!! First up is Tama-chan!
Tamami: All right! [stands up] I'm Chanohata Tamami. I live in Room 1. I'm in my second year of high school, (13) and am 16 years old! I go to the same school as Kozue-chan.
Shiratori: Ah, really?
Kozue: That's right! We always go to school together.
Tamami: Yep!
Shiratori: [thinking] Her way of talking makes her sound kind of slow...But she might be a little cute...
Tamami: Shiratori-san!
[She holds up the camera she took his picture with earlier.]
Shiratori: !!
Tamami: From here on out, in various ways--yoroshiku!
Shiratori: [thinking] She's not cute after all!
Momono: All right! Next is...Sayo-chan, all yours!
[The young woman from before stands up. She has long black hair bound near her waist, is wearing a long gray dress, and--for some inexplicable reason--is holding a length of rope in her hands. She stares straight forward with a gloomy expression.]
"Sayo-chan": Kurosaki Sayoko...Freelancer (14) ...Age: Secret...No hobbies...
Shiratori: [thinking] Wh...what a dark person...and what in the world is with that rope...?
Young girl: Sorry, Shiratori-san, Mom's not very good at this sort of thing, so...
Shiratori: "Mom"?
Tamami: Ah, Sayoko-san is Asami-chan's mother.
[She stands up as Sayoko shuffles over.]
Tamami: Sayoko-san is reticient, unsociable, lethargic, clumsy, haphazard...well, in short, the prototypical worthless human!
Sayoko: ...
[Silently, and with the same gloomy expression on her face, she tugs at Tamami's cheek.]
Shiratori: I...I see...
Momono: Well, moving right along...Asami-chan, yoroshiku!!
Asami: Ah, right!
[The young girl stands up. She's wearing a school uniform, and has short hair a shade lighter than Kozue's, gathered up into pigtails.]
Asami: I'm Kurosaki Asami! I'm in my first year of middle school, age 12. I live together with Mom in Room 5.
[She gets an embarrassed look on her face.]
Asami: For the time being, my hobby is cooking...but I'm not very good...
[She gestures over to Kozue.]
Asami: So now, since Onee-chan is so skilled at cooking, she's teaching me many things! Onee-chan's cooking is really good!
Kozue: [embarrassed] It's not that good...
Shiratori: [thinking] Ah...that's a nice smile... (15)
Asami: [bowing] Along with Mom, yoroshiku, Shiratori-san!
Shiratori: Ah, yeah... [thinking] Even though she's small, she's a very capable girl...
[He looks over at Asami standing next to Sayoko.]
Shiratori: [thinking] ...but really, isn't there...isn't there SOMETHING...?
[Box pointing to Shiratori: "Doubtful demon" (16)]
Momono: And now, and now--the oldest {17} (?) of the previous residents, Haibara-saaaaaan!
[Haibara stands up. He has a faint mustache and beard; he wears a darkish robe, glasses, and has a lit cigarette in his mouth. He says nothing...however, the dog puppet on his left hand isn't so quiet.]
Dog: I'm Room 6's Johnny! The shooting star, Johnny! And this guy is Haibara Yukio!! He's my servant!
Shiratori: ...a ventriloquist...?
Johnny: WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!! I'm the real thing! He's an extra! Besides, this guy's occupation is...
Momono: All right! Self-introductions are mostly done!
Johnny: HEY!
Momono: I did mine yesterday. (I'm Momono Megumi.) Which leaves...Kozue-chan!
Kozue: Eh...
Momono: It's decided--the last round is yours!
Kozue: Right...um...that is...I...I'm the Ooya, Aoba Kozue...
[She pauses.]
Kozue: I...I love this place...Narutakisou...
[Cut to a shot of outside.]
Kozue: I've lived here a long time...I inherited it from my beloved grandfather...but those aren't the only reasons...
[Cut to shots of each of the residents.]
Kozue: The things that are here...the people that are here...I really...love them all...and, Shiratori-san...I will do my best as Ooya to see that it becomes such a place for you, too...
[She bows.]
Kozue: So, Shiratori-san...from here on, yoroshiku onegai shimasu...
Momono: ...well, it didn't feel much like a self-introduction, but for now, it's good enough! (18)
Kozue: Th...thanks...
Shiratori: ... [thinking] To Ooya-san, this is really an important place...
Momono: Now, at last, it's the lead actor's turn! Shiratori-kun!
At that time, I thought...
Shiratori: Ah, right! [stands] I'm Shiratori Ryuushi, age 18. I'm a vocational student. My hobby is drawing pictures. This is my first time living on my own, and I won't know left from right...so I'll be counting on your guidance. Fr...from here on, yoroshiku...
...it would be nice if this became an important place to me, like Ooya-san said...
Momono: All right, let's have a toast!
Tamami: Yeah!
Kozue: Everyone, take a glass!
...at least, that's what I thought...
Kozue: Shiratori-san, here's a glass!
Shiratori: [reaching over without looking] Ah, thank...
[He grabs something round, soft, and definitely NOT a glass.]
Kozue: ...
...but...
[Kozue's face turns red, and she tips over.]
...eventually, this welcome party...
[Kozue(?) groggily sits up as the other tenants huddle nervously in one corner.]
...with the return of the dreaded "Saki-chan"...
[Saki begins to laugh uproariously...and Shiratori freaks out.]
...as a matter of course, continued until morning.
[Saki has a glass in one hand, and Shiratori in a side headlock with the other. Tamami and Momono return her toast, while Asami looks on and Sayoko hides, trembling, behind her daughter.]
Saki: All right! Today, we'll drink to the end!
Shiratori: Ahhhh!
Saki: Hey, Shiratori! You get intense, (19) too!
Shiratori: Yaaaaaaaa!
...really.
Asami: Ah, we have to go home!
Saki: What, already?!
Will the day ever come...
[Shiratori's room, come morning--finally empty. There are empty bottles and food wrappers everywhere; Shiratori is a shivering heap, lying in the pool of sunlight streaming in through the window.]
Shiratori: Ooooogh...my...my project...
...when Narutakisou becomes an important place to me?
1 くりくり ("Kurikuri"): I have no idea what this means. :P BACK
2 つやつや ("Tsuyatsuya"): Glossy, bright, slick. In the anime, this was changed to "kirakira" (glitter, sparkle). BACK
3 In Japanese, referring to yourself by name, rather than pronoun, is a childish affectation. BACK
4 お兄ちゃん ("Onii-chan"): Older brother. In Japanese, one customary form of address is older brother/sister (if the person is younger) or aunt/uncle (if the person is older). This is how Nanako addresses Shiratori throughout the series. BACK
5 この状況を打破するには ("Kono joukyou wo daha suru ni wa"): lit. "In order to abolish this situation." BACK
6 Every so often, the manga goes through a series of episodic events around a common theme. (In this case, Shiratori's foolish expectation that Nanako would be all right by herself for awhile. :) ) Each of these events is portrayed, usually with little or no dialogue, as a four-panel comic strip. BACK
7 相手をしてる ("Aite wo shiteru"): lit. "Be a partner." BACK
8 Literal transliteration would be "Uooooooooooo," but I thought that sounded a little too close to wolf-whistle. ^_^; BACK
9 これはクるな ("Kore wa kuru na"): I'm very ambivalent about this one, because there's several different verbs pronounced "kuru;" on top of which, the verb stem is in katakana, which might mean emphasis or, possibly, an unexpected homophone. At any rate, I decided to use the most common "kuru," which means "come here;" here it's used in a very informal/rough negative imperative--which still doesn't make much sense with the topic noted. Literally, this would be rendered, "As for this, don't come!" (I just hope it isn't as awkward in the Japanese as this rendition was in the English. :P) BACK
10 Just a reminder for those who've forgotten--Kozue reverts to herself when she next wakes up. BACK
11 I went over this several times, because from what I know, no one else's translation matches up with mine here. I'm pretty sure I'm right, though; Momono clearly says that Kozue seems to compensate for the memories (as opposed to the other tenants definitely compensating for her), which would in turn mean that Kozue, rather than the others, is the one creating the fake memories. (I'm of the opinion this also makes the other tenants much more sympathetic characters than if they were deliberately keeping knowledge of Kozue's illness from her.) BACK
12 お姉ちゃん ("Onee-chan"): Older sister. See footnote 4. BACK
13 The last six years of sub-collegiate schooling are broken down into three years of middle school (grades 6-9) and three years of high school (grades 10-12). So, in American terms, Tamami is in her junior year of high school. BACK
14 フリーター ("Furiitaa"): someone subsisting on part-time work. Jim Breen's WWWJDIC claims the word is a combination of "freelancer" and "arbeiter" (whatever that is). BACK
15 Lest anyone accuse Shiratori of something...inappropriate...I'm reasonably certain he's talking about Kozue here. BACK
16 疑心暗鬼 ("Gishin Anki"): Four-character compound. The characters mean, in order: "Doubt," "Heart," "Dark," and "Devil." It IS kind of hard to believe they're related. :) BACK
17 白一点 ("Haku Ichi-ten"): lit. "One-point white," which I assume is a reference to hair color as a measure of age. BACK
18 合格点 ("Goukaku-ten"): lit. "Passing mark." BACK
19 ガンガン ("Gan-gan"): One meaning of this "intense." Another is "pounding headache." :) BACK