Announcing...Goemon fanfic #2

This news is a bit late, but almost a year after starting my last fic, I've finally overcome my writer's block (with a little help from Sarahsuke, of course) and started working on my next one. It's called "A Promise Worth Keeping" (another strange title, I know), and the first chapter was published on July 22, 2008. As of this writing, 3 chapters have been uploaded, and the 4th one is a little less than halfway done.

The main focus of this story is on the relationship of Goemon and Omitsu, childhood friends from the first day she moved to Oedo Town and they made a fateful promise to each other (yes, the one that's alluded to in the title). Although Omitsu is far from my favorite character, I still feel like she's unfairly criticized and horribly underrated; thus, I feel it's my duty as a just "artist" of sorts to shine some much-needed positive light on her.

Anyway, it also involves Bismaru the cross-dresser, and if you're patient, Jurokubei himself may make an appearance. I'm not planning on having any major OCs in this story, nor is it going to be as long or epic as AVD. However, I will be attempting to portray characters that are more "real" and easy to relate to, hopefully redeeming myself for any OOC-type behavior that was in AVD.

Enjoy the story! Feedback of any kind (as long as it's comprehensible and at least somewhat helpful...tell me specifically what you liked or didn't like!) is greatly appreciated, as always.

GG4 - Ending

Ganbare Goemon 4 Ending in English

...Wow, where have I been? Well, suffice it to say that I had other important things to take care of over the past month and a half or so. I apologize for the long hiatus, but I'm back to say a few things about the ending to GG4. This video was released on May 13, 2008, and rushed in its completion due to a faulty computer and that vengeful fiend known as laziness. Anyway, here's the script.

Seppukumaru: Son of a bitch! I think it’s time for...the Seppuku Challenge! AAAAHHH! YOOOWCH! This is the ultimate sport! I have to perform seppuku!
Goemon: Oh no! He’s still got a bomb in his body!
Ebisumaru: Planet Impact will be destroyed!
Impact: I’ll take care of this! Everybody get ready to disembark! Shuwatchi!
Goemon: Impact...I think he’s going to die...
Ebisumaru: Couldn’t we have eaten something first? I don’t feel well...
Sasuke: I’m filled with regret, too...
Yae: No, don’t say that! I’m sure he’ll come back!
Impact: Seppukumaru! I won’t let you do this!
Seppukumaru: D-Damn it!
Impact: And now Seppukumaru and I are going to the sun! Thank you so much for everything, everybody. And...goodbye...
Seppukumaru: Ah! Seppuku, the ultimate sport...I never thought it would be this painful...
Impact: Seppukumaru! Let me give you some advice...Seppuku is not a sport!
Seppukumaru: What did you say?! You idiot!
Impact: WHAAAT THE--?!
Narrator: Seppukumaru hit Impact so hard, he miraculously made it back to Goemon’s location...
Ebisumaru: Ha ha ha! What’s up with your hair?!
Sasuke: My stomach’s all twisted from laughing so hard!
Yae: Oo hoo hoo...It really fits you! Right, Goemon?
Goemon: Ah...ha ha! He can be a great dancer and tour the whole universe!
Impact: D-Dancer?!

The first thing I should do is explain the "Shuwatchi" reference. It's a reference to Ultraman, namely the sound effect of him taking off. Looking up the phrase on Google was like rediscovering a lost part of my childhood. I remember seeing books about Ultraman at my grandmother's house, but I don't remember anything about him at all...

Ebisumaru complaining about not having anything to eat is another pun, though this one was a lot easier to handle than some of the ones I had to deal with in the past. "Shinuki" (dying) vs. "meshinuki" (can't eat). If you look carefully at the Japanese text, you'll notice that these two words are in quotes, so you can see the difference between the two words for yourself.

One thing I had no idea about until beating the game this time around...You unlock another minigame for beating the game with 100% completion. It's called "Time Pilot", and it's a pretty fun, though insanely difficult, shooter. I used the videos on this guy's Youtube channel during the translation process. Use those videos if you want to get 100% completion.

And that concludes Ganbare Goemon and the Sparkling Journey: The Reason I Became a Dancer...well, sort of. There's still that Omitsu scene. Well, fear not, because I have a rough draft of that scene complete, and I'm currently waiting for it to be proofread. Look for it soon.