Homunculus Volume 2 Part 1 - Page 3 - Homunculus Hideo Yamamoto - Page 4 - Volume Two - Page 5 - Phone: (beep)(beep)(beep) (beep) Nakoshi: I'll only get humiliated... (shff) - Page 6 - Nakoshi: What the hell... is THAT... - Page 7 - Car: (brumm) - Page 8 - Nakoshi: I'm finally back. But Jesus... What the hell happened to me...? - Page 9 - Nakoshi: (sa) - Page 10 - Nakoshi: Guess I'm just seein' things... - Page 11 - Ita: Well, if it isn't Car Boy. Nakoshi: Oh, Ita. Good evening. Ita: Hup... Man, it's still freezing. Nakoshi: (wink) Yes. It sure is... (peek) ...isn't... ...it. - Page 12 - Ita: (plish plinka plink) You weren't at the park yesterday, buddy. Nakoshi: Ah... right. I had to take the car in for repairs... - Page 13 - Hole: (vwip) (weeen) - Page 14 - - Page 15 - Nakoshi: (hahh)(hahh)(hahh) - Page 16 - - Page 17 - Nakoshi: Hmph... - Page 18 - Nakoshi: Go ta sleep! A good's night sleep cures what ails ya... - Page 19 - - Page 20 - Ito: Mr. Nakoshi. Nakoshi: (stir) Ito: Ah, you're awake! Nakoshi: Oh. Hey... - Page 21 - Ito: What's wrong? Nakoshi: What the...? What's that around your eyes...? Ito: These? Aren't they nice? They symbolize progress! - Page 22 - Ito: Let's have some lunch and discuss today's proceedings. You don't look very good, Mr. Nakoshi. Nakoshi: Yeah... Ito: Did something happen? Nakoshi: You bet. Ito: What was... - Page 23 - Ito: Was it...? - Page 24 - Top-Right (mostly covered): Missing back of head inorganic Right: Silver egg. Eye sta- (sm- Bottom-Right: Head is a penis Top: (right-side) Body split in two. Sides reversed, holding hands. (left-side) Arms on the outside as well. Covered by Top/Top-Left: Headless Top-Left: Salaryman-type (extremely fat) Totally flat, maybe 2 cm thick? Covered by Top-Left/Bottom-Left: Tree Bottom-Left: (right-side) Girl, split into six round slices. (left-side) Hipster. Only waist rotates. Center: Boy inside a robot? Cutting his left pinky finger with sickle-shaped right hand. - Page 25 - Nakoshi: Isn't it ridiculous? Ito: Yes. Nakoshi: Did your damn experiment drive my mind bonkers...? Ito: Yes, yes. - Page 26 - Nakoshi: Yes is not the answer I'm looking for. Am I hallucinating when I close my right eye and look with my left?! Ito: Wait... just a minute. Let me hear more. Nakoshi: Do you really believe all that...? Paper: Head of a fish. Body is- (flap) Ito: Mr. Nakoshi... - Page 27 - Ito: Let's start by believing. And the only monster you physically interacted with was this robot... a yakuza boss? Nakoshi: Yeah... There was a kid inside the robot, trying to cut off his scarred pinky finger with a big sickle thing. I can still imagine him on the verge of tears... Ito: And then, the boss himself began to cry... - Page 28 - Nakoshi: Yeah. In retrospect, I had to have gone mad. He was a yakuza, with a knife. Why did I say those things...? I just couldn't take my eyes off the kid... I knew it was stupid, but I treated him the way I saw him. - Page 29 - Nakoshi: Why... was he trying to cut off his own finger...? - Page 30 - Nakoshi: What are you grinning about? You think this is ridiculous, too...? Ito: Oh, no, no... Not at all... Now, you said there were people who looked like monsters, and people who looked normal. Nakoshi: Yeah... Ito: What ratio? Nakoshi: About fifty-fifty, I'd say. Ito: Were there any kind of common features about the monsters? It's hard to tell based on these pictures. Nakoshi: Common features...? Ito: For instance, shape, or color, or feel... Anything. - Page 31 - Nakoshi: Hold on a sec... Ito: Huh...?! - Pages 32 + 33 - Ito: Th... There are some in here, too...? Nakoshi: Yeah... There sure are... - Page 34 - Nakoshi: Let's see... If I had to name one commonality, it would be... their inorganicness... No... They were less monsters turning into humans... than they were humans taking the form of monsters... That's what it seems like. - Page 35 - Ito: You can see them... right now, can't you...? Nakoshi: Yeah... Like those two gaudy old hags over there. Ito: Yes? Nakoshi: The closer one... with short hair... She's normal... The one further away... With glasses... (scribble) - Page 36 - Nakoshi: Looks like this. Paper: No neck! - Page 37 - Nakoshi: It's a big farce. Ito: Mr. Nakoshi... I have a basic trust in you, you understand... This isn't a lie or a joke, is it...? Nakoshi: Dunno... I don't really understand either... I don't understand the things I'm saying... If they're true or fake... - Page 38 - Ito: I mean, this just looks like Jamira... (Note: Jamira is a monster who appeared in Episode 23 of the original Ultraman TV series.) Nakoshi: It looks like it, but it feels way different. It's like... she's protecting her neck... That's how it feels. - Page 39 - Ito: Neck...? Ohhhh. My neck HURTS! Woman: (glare...) - Page 40 - Women: What's wrong, Mrs. Takahashi? Oh, dear, I'm sorry. I was just gazing off... Paper: No neck! - Page 41 - Ito: Mr. Nako... Nakoshi: (twitch) - Page 42 - Nakoshi: (twitch)(twitch)(twitch)(twitch) Ito: What's wrong? Nakoshi: Nothing... I think my vision's getting blurry from only being used on one side... - Page 43 - Ito: Last of all, Mr. Nakoshi... What do I look like...? Nakoshi: Well, I've been watching you all this time... - Page 44 - Nakoshi: But I see nothing different... - Page 45 - Nakoshi: You're normal. (tug)(tug) Normal. Ito: Come on, which is it? Nakoshi: Trust me. - Page 46 - Nakoshi: Bottom line, have I just gone crazy, or what...? That's all I want to know. Am I seeing illusions? Or is it real...? Do something, before I go neurotic. Ito: Mr. Nakoshi... - Page 47 - Ito: Don't you think illusion and reality are just two sides of the same coin? Nakoshi: Oh, no you don't. You did this, you take responsibility for it. Ito: As simple as it is for reality to turn into illusion, it is equally easy for illusion to become reality. Leave it to me! Leave it all to me... - Page 48 - Nakoshi: If I get the feeling you're not being serious, I'm going to skip out on your program. Ito: Whatever you want to think. You cannot leave my side. - Page 49 - Woman: (clunk) Ito: Aha! Mr. Nakoshi, I'll call you tonight. Give me a bit more time. I'll look over the past materials and find a new explanation. Nakoshi: Hey. What's the big rush? Ito: I'm going to talk with our Jamira. Nakoshi: (fwip) Ito: Ahem... Woman: What is it? - Page 50 - Nakoshi: That woman... Man: Here's your present, as promised. Woman: Ooooh! - Page 51 - Girl: (crack) Thank youuu! Oh my god, thank you so much!! - Page 52 - Nakoshi: Shit... - Page 53 - - Page 54 - - Page 55 - Nakoshi: Whew... Elevator: (ding) - Page 56 - People: Whoa! Hey... How reckless... - Page 57 - Nakoshi: (hahh)(hahh)(hahh) - Page 58 - Nakoshi: Too many monsters here... (scrunch) Car: (chui-ui-ui-ui) (VROOOM) - Page 59 - Nakoshi: Gotta go somewhere isolated... - Page 60 - Nakoshi: (sip...) - Page 61 - - Page 62 - Phone: (rinnggg) (ringgg) (ringggg) - Page 63 - Nakoshi: Hello...? Ito: It's me, Mr. Nakoshi. Nakoshi: What's up? Ito: I figured it out!! I know what those monsters are! - Page 64 - Ito: They're homunculi! Nakoshi: Homunculi...? Ito: I can tell you all the details the next time we meet. Where are you now? Nakoshi: I'm a bit out of the way. I'll call you back when I get closer to town. (beep) - Page 65 - Nakoshi: (poke poke) Homun... what...? Pff. Whatever you say... How the hell did he find that out... - Page 66 - Nakoshi: (fwit) (beep) - Page 67 - Nakoshi: Hey, now there's... ...an old favorite. (tap)(tap) - Page 68 - Nakoshi: {Everything was on the street back then... The street was my space. I'd make friends on the street... Play on the street... Dream on the street. Kick the can, Choro Q, skateboarding...} (Note: Choro Q are those little square-ish cars that you wind up on the ground and then let go.) Nakoshi: (stop) Skateboarding... - Page 69 - Nakoshi: I wonder what Ken's doing now...? - Page 70 - - Page 71 - - Page 72 - - Page 73 - Nakoshi: Wh... What kinda face is that...? I look like that boy inside the robot... - Page 74 - Nakoshi: Maybe... - Page 75 - Nakoshi: Maybe I ain't just imaginin' things. That yakuza was crying in response to the things I said... - Page 76 - Nakoshi: (beep) - Page 77 - - Page 78 - - Page 79 - Yakuza: Aha. Nakoshi: Oh... You're one of the... Yakuza: I FOUND HIM!! Nakoshi: Ah... - Page 80 - Yakuza: (heh) The boss is lookin' for you. - Page 81 - Nakoshi: Why me? Yakuza: I dunno, but he's damn frantic about it. You're in for it, buddy... (shwup) You're losin' a finger tonight. Trust me. - Page 82 - Yakuza: Our boss is famous in Shinjuku... as the "Finger-Taker." Heh heh heh... Nakoshi: The finger-taker...? Yakuza: Look, he's waitin' for you. - Page 83 - - Page 84 - Sign: President - Page 85 - Nakoshi: Why... Why, were you looking for me? Boss: I don't know! Nakoshi: I was actually looking for you, too. Boss: Why? - Page 86 - Nakoshi: I don't... really know, either... Boss: What...? Nakoshi: ...I just, wanted to see you again. Boss: (twitch) What... Did you do to me, yesterday...? - Page 87 - Nakoshi: I didn't do anything... I just... Boss: Just...? Nakoshi: Saw. Boss: Saw?! Saw what...? Nakoshi: Hmmm... Many things. - Page 88 - Boss: What... Ghosts? Stuff like that...? Nakoshi: No... Not quite. If I had to put in words... I'd say I saw... you yourself. Boss: Quit beatin' around the bush. What did you see?! Can you see it now...?! - Page 89 - Nakoshi: Yes. I can. Boss: What... do you see...? - Page 90 - Nakoshi: A robot. - Page 91 - Boss: A robot?! Nakoshi: Yes... Boss: Are you touched in the head, boy?! You covered your eye like that yesterday... And started saying a bunch of crap like "sickles" and "don't cut off your finger." - Page 92 - Nakoshi: Does that ring any bells? Boss: What? Nakoshi: "Pinky finger," or "sickle"... Boss: Pinky finger... Sickle...? Hmmmm... Not at all. Nakoshi: Excuse me... May I see your left hand? Boss: Yeah... - Page 93 - Nakoshi: I'm going to feel it now. - Page 94 - Nakoshi: It even... Feels like a robot... (squeeze) Strange... This finger should be robotic too... J... Just a moment. (tug) (tug)(tug) - Page 95 - Nakoshi: PINKY!! Boss: Huh...?! - Page 96 - Nakoshi: SICKLE! KID!! COME OUT, LITTLE BOY!!! Boss: (stare) Nakoshi: Hmmmm... Boss: What the hell are you talking about? Nakoshi: Huh?! - Page 97 - Boss: Are you all right...? Nakoshi: Aha!! Boss: (pshunk) - Page 98 - Nakoshi: That's right, the face part should open up... - Page 99 - Boss: (squeeze) - Page 100 - Boss: No more jokes... Punk. Nakoshi: Do I look like I'm joking...? I'm not into men, I wouldn't be touching one without good reason. I think... I can figure this out. - Page 101 - Nakoshi: May I... touch you a little more? - Page 102 - - Page 103 - Nakoshi: (grab) (grab)(grab) (sniff sniff) - Page 104 - Nakoshi: (twitch)(twitch)(twitch) Huh?! (sniff sniff) What's this smell...? (twitch)(twitch) - Page 105 - Boss: Hey. Whoa. Nakoshi: (sniff sniff) (sniff sniff) (sniff sniff)(sniff sniff) Where's it coming from...? - Page 106 - Door: (click) Yakuza: Boss, here's your tea... OH! - Page 107 - Nakoshi: Aagh! Yazuka: Uh... Uh... um... Boss: How dare you walk in... without being called... - Page 108 - Boss: You're going to pay. Yakuza: Eeep... I... I won't tell anyone, I swear... - Page 109 - Yakuza: Forgive me... Boss!! Boss: I don't think so... PUT OUT YOUR PINKY!! - Page 110 - Nakoshi: Ah... - Page 111 - Nakoshi: There it is! Boss: This is coming off. Yakuza: Please, no! Please, no! Nakoshi: STOP!! Boss: YOU STAY OUT OF THIS! - Page 112 - Nakoshi: Too bad. - Page 113 - Nakoshi: Look. There. Like I told you already... Stop trying to cut off your own finger! Boss: There you go again... - Page 114 - Nakoshi: Give me your hand. Boss: You presume too much... Nakoshi: Look how scarred it is... - Page 115 - Boss: Ouch...!! Nakoshi: Ah... Whoops, sorry. That hurt, didn't it? Boss: I'll stab you. Right here and now. - Page 116 - - Page 117 - Boss: Ugh... I'll stab you... Nakoshi: You can't... I won't... let you...! - Page 118 - Yakuza: Uh... Aaahh... Boss: How long... are you going to keep up this act...? - Page 119 - Nakoshi: Don't worry... just put down the sickle! Boss: I told you... Knock if off... Hnng... - Page 120 - Nakoshi: (sniff sniff) Huh...? It's that smell again... Where's it coming from? (sniff sniff) (sniff)(sniff)(sniff) - Page 121 - Nakoshi: Here! - Page 122 - Nakoshi: (twitch)(twitch)(twitch)(twitch) It reminds me... - Page 123 - Nakoshi: Is... this feeling... guilt...? - Page 124 - Boss: H... hey. Nakoshi: Huh...? - Page 125 - Boss: Wh... What the hell... is that look for...? Nakoshi: I knew it... You too. - Page 126 - Boss: You... too...? (twitch)(twitch)(twitch) Nakoshi: What kind of guilt have you borne...? Boss: (twitch) Guilt... - Page 127 - Nakoshi: The sickle... in the kid's hand... Boss: Hey... Grr... - Page 128 - Boss: Nggg... Ack... I can't move... Nakoshi: HEY! - Page 129 - Nakoshi: What happened when you were a kid... With a sickle... and a pinky... WHAT HAPPENED?! Robot: (psh)(psh)(psh) - Page 130 - Nakoshi: Aha! Open up! - Page 131 - Nakoshi: (poke) Boss: AAAAAGH!!! - Page 132 - Nakoshi: Huh. - Page 133 - Boss: Grr... Why you... - Page 134 - - Page 135 - Boss: What are you smiling about...? Nakoshi: When I was a kid... My best friend's name was Ken... Boss: Friend...? - Page 136 - Boss: What are you talking about...? Nakoshi: Yes, my friend. - Page 137 - Nakoshi: And one day... I did... something terrible to my friend... - Page 138 - Nakoshi: We were skatin' together, and I pushed him. It was just a joke. But Ken fell backward... And there was a truck... Boss: S... - Page 139 - Boss: Sickle... Nakoshi: Ken's right leg... Boss: P... Pinky... Nakoshi: Got run over! Boss: Oh- - Page 140 - - Page 141 - - Page 142 - Boss: Kazuo... Nakoshi: K... Ken couldn't walk normal anymore... - Page 143 - Boss: Yes... Me, too... I cut off... Kazuo's pinky! I remember... Nakoshi: I ruined Ken's life...!! - Page 144 - - Page 145 - Nakoshi: But... I didn't mean to, y'know? Boss: Yeah. - Page 146 - Nakoshi: It wasn't on purpose... It was an accident! Boss: Yeah, yeah. Nakoshi: I just didn't know how to apologize... Boss: Sniff... Sniff... Nakoshi: It's not your fault!! - Page 147 - - Page 148 - - Page 149 - Boss: I'm sorry... Kazuo... I'm sorry... Kazuo... - Page 150 - Boss: I'm so sorry, Kazuo... Nakoshi: K... Ken... - Page 151 - Boss: I'm sorry... Nakoshi: Oh... - Pages 152 + 153 - Boss: I'm sorry... - Page 154 - Boss: Sob... Sob... - Page 155 - Nakoshi: Same with me... I couldn't say a word of apology. I just, left Ken there... Boss: Sob... Sob... <