July 18, 2017

Kasane [Chapter 96 - Barefooted Footprints]


Kasane looks up to the bridge where she and her mother fell on that fateful day. It is currently low tide. She looks at the side and ‘sees’ a ghostly figure of her mother wearing a miko [shrine priestess/female shaman] outfit.

While holding a tamagushi [I assume; offering made from sakaki-tree branch], ghostly Izana points her kagura suzu [bells used in Kagura dance] at Kasane. Kasane walks towards her as Izana seems to lead her somewhere. Narration: “It has already been four months since Kasane went missing---”

Lying on the sofa, unshaved Kingo curses since he is already so tired after searching for Kasane everywhere... “I also don’t know if she’s dead or alive... *looks at the newspapers* but, until now, there are still no reports about finding that kind of corpse so perhaps, she is still alive...”
He is startled when his cellphone is vibrating. It is a phone call from Yoshio. He looks tense but in the end, he answered it, “Hello.” In his library, Yoshio says that he finally answered it. Kingo says that if it is regarding ‘Saki, well, always until now, she still cannot come back to work.

After a pause, Yoshio says that in the end, he still wants to see her face to face for them to talk. After a pause, Kingo says that cannot be done. Yoshio asks if her health condition is still not well. Kingo says no...as he said before, it is because of the shock that she suddenly cannot perform so she is feeling down.

“So, right now, it is better...to temporarily let her be.” Yoshio says that he understands. Narration: “For that Fujihara Yoshio to be exceptionally concerned, it proves that her talent possesses a big future [/he taken a fancy on her talent]. It obviously ought to be that but, Kasane, that woman...”
Kingo grinds his teeth. After some pause, Yoshio tells him that there is one other thing. “Actually, several days ago, there appeared this strange woman.” Kingo’s eyes widen and he repeats, “Strange woman...? Yoshio says yes. “At that time, I had just finished worked at the theater. Just when I was about to ride the car to go home--”

Flashback: It was a rainy day. When Yoshio and his companion are about to open the door to the car, he saw a woman holding an umbrella. She is wearing a face mask. Yoshio asked is there a problem? His companion told him that yesterday, she was also here.

“She said that she wanted to see Fujihara-san. I felt that it is too weird so it is better not to mind her...” Yoshio looked at the woman and saw Saki’s image juxtapose with the woman. He scowled. His companion asked if they can go.
Yoshio told him to wait for him in the car. The companion said okay. Yoshio approached the woman and said that even if he doesn’t know what she wants but she ought to first introduce herself and let him see her face or else, this is quite rude. Tense Kasane looked down.

Yoshio asked if she can’t. “Forget it, if you want something, let me hear you say it.” With a longing look, Kasane covered her mouth and said that she is really sorry. “About that... *looked down* ...there is something that I want to ask for a while...

...it is about regarding ‘Fuchi Sugeyo’s sudden retirement from the stage. *Yoshio looked surprised* Fujihara-san...please tell me everything that you know.” End flashback. After recovering from his surprise, Kingo smiles and thinks that it is ‘Kasane’!!!

“Based on the outfit [/external appearance], one can guess that it is definitely her but what is she thinking...” He asks Yoshio, afterwards, how did he answer her?
Yoshio says that he always didn’t know the reason for ‘Fuchi Sugeyo’ sudden retirement. “...so, I can only tell that person, the last time I saw her before she retired.” Narration: “It was during the last performance day of the Kaidou directed play ‘Macbeth’...

...After the final performance, because I wanted to try to ask her, whether or not she’ll accept an invitation to perform [for my play]. I looked everywhere in the theater for her---” Flashback: Younger Yoshio is walking around the backstage when he saw ‘Sugeyo’ curtsying on stage.

He wondered why she isn’t practicing in the room...but then, what is she doing on the bare [packed up] stage... While barefooted, ‘Sugeyo’ walked about then hold both arms up in front of her. She started to move forwards and then backwards.
Narration: “Below the [spot]light in that dusky gloomy place, her feet that are slightly glowing white as snow in the light [/those white feet messily projected into my eyes], jumped.” Thud. Yoshio nervously wondered what kind of dance is that.

“The act of stamping one’s feet on to the floor is also a bit similar with Noh [performance] but the movement’s range is a bit too big [/it is more exaggerated compared to Noh...]” *In real time, Kingo looked surprised and wondered if it is ‘Kagura’*...

Then, as if wearing a miko robe, ‘Sugeyo’ held one hand upwards as if she is holding a kagura suzu. Then, the other hand is held in front holding a tamagushi. Narration: “Actually, that dance is too divine and stately. That stage that was bare just now had become a holy ground that a human cannot infringe into...
...*it seemed as if the stage had become a temple stage as ‘Sugeyo’ happily danced* It is simply like a god had descended on earth [/a god is playing around]. Even if I was enchanted by it but it also made me shudder all over.” End flashback.

Yoshio tells Kingo, “–In the end, I wasn’t able to say a word and I just left. It seemed that I have seen something that I shouldn’t have seen. Always until now, I haven’t told anyone about that incident. You and the other people said,...

...‘Sugeyo Fuchi was swallowed and destroyed by her role as Lady Macbeth’. If you only personally saw that vivid and lifelike dance with such expressive power, then you’ll definitely know...at that time, her heart as an actress has not yet died!! *Kingo looks surprised*...
...those are the only things that I know. After the nameless woman finished hearing all of that, she bowed, said goodbye and left. *Kingo looks tense* So, I’m thinking whether or not you know who that woman is... Ha? Habuta?” Kingo looks stunned and tense.

Since Kingo had hanged up, Yoshio looks at his phone and says, “...geez, you too. Your heart as a director has also not died yet, right... For how long do you plan on being depressed all by yourself?” The scene changes to the bridge. Kingo walks on the bridge and sees a bouquet of flowers laid at the side.

Narration: “I don’t know why Kasane would avoid me as she traces back her mother’s footsteps. *lights up cigarette* But, if it is like that, I can more or less guess where she is headed. So, it is also good that I also trace back Izana’s footsteps in order to restart my confidence---” Kingo walks towards the town.
Comment: This chapter starts the last arc. From the looks of things, Kasane is going to find out how to do the permanent switch. What Yoshio mentioned is a huge clue. The kagura dance which Izana did in her hometown might have something to do with it.

It was what Izana was last seen in public doing before the permanent switch and from how Yoshio saw it, it seems like she is practicing. According to wiki, kagura dance is like a ritual to communicate with a god. Iirc, the god here is a snake which reveals ‘beautiful self’ after shedding its skin.

I’m not too sure why Kingo was in a stagnant stage as a director. Perhaps, something happened that put a dent on his confidence so he hopes that Kasane performing in his play since it is his hope to recover it. Things are moving again. So, in this arc, we’ll know if Kasane will be successful or not in getting that elusive permanent beautiful face. Scans by RAD汉化组

Quote of the day:
Learn from the past, prepare for the future, [and] live in the present. ~ Thomas S. Monson

4 comments:

  1. Thank you for your job!
    So, from what we have seen Izana wasn't destroyed by Lady Macbeth's role but she choose willing to stop acting, maybe to prepare herself for the permanent switch and to not let things halfway in case she died from it.

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    1. Thanks for reading, Sua ^-^

      Most likely.

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  2. Maybe the Kagura dance really is the secret to the permanent face swap. It could involve the dancer (receiver) and the participant/watcher (giver). The participant (Sukeyo) would have to be alive in order for the permanent face swap to actually work, which could explain why Izana was unable to keep Namino's face even after she did the dance.

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    1. That's possible, Anonymous. Perhaps, a kiss in the last part of the dance?

      But regarding Namino, I think it wasn't permanent because, iirc, it was just using the lipstick.

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