New Release: Sakae Kusama, Constellation, Chapter 4, and Setona Mizushiro, Mouse, 2nd Edition Extra

Hi everyone,

New releases can be downloaded at their respective web pages. Please read the FAQ before posting info or sharing in other places:

Sakae Kusama, The Constellation Shine in the Sky, Chapter Four
Setona Mizushiro, The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese, 2nd Edition, Extra

So, finally, we have a new chapter from Sakae Kusama’s The Constellation Shine in the Sky. It’s a oneshot called Summer Landmarks. I thought it was quite sweet. A good way to close off the summer. Like the first chapter in this collection, this story has a page of notes that will probably be helpful, especially if you don’t read kanji (or only know the easy ones, like me. ^__^) This story assumes you know kanji, or at least understand how it’s read, so you might be a little confused at the end. My notes are fairly brief, but there’s plenty of information online if you’re interested in how Japanese is written. I think it’s fascinating, personally, but I don’t want to overwhelm anyone with boring details.

Speaking of kanji, I want to talk a little bit about the title of the Mouse Extra and Carp, Chapter 3. As you know, Carp, Chapter 3 is called “Owl.” Why? Other than the fact that all the chapters are named after animals, I had no idea… until I saw the second edition of Mouse. The new extra is called “The Mouse, Thinking at a Dead End.” The interesting thing is, the word for “dead end” in Japanese is “fukuro.” The kanji for “owl” in Japanese can also be read “fukuro.” Coincidence? Maybe… but I’m guessing not.

I think she used the kanji for “owl” so that the chapter title would continue her animal theme. However, because that particular kanji sounds like “fukuro,” it implies the meaning of “dead end,” even though “dead end” is written with a different character. (Unfortunately, my website won’t allow me to use Japanese characters, so I can’t show you the difference.) Chapter 3 is called “Dead End” because, well… if you’ve read it, you know why. ^__^

So, basically, they’re homophones, two words that are written differently, but sound the same. If I just said the word “fukuro,” and you couldn’t see how it was written, you wouldn’t necessarily know whether I meant “owl” or “dead end.” In this case, she meant “dead end,” but wrote the word “owl.” Maybe, something similar would be, if I used a deer (the animal) as a mascot for my website since it’s called PresenceDear.

This might apply to the word “koi,” as well. “Koi” means “carp” and “love,” but the words are written differently.

Thanks, everyone, who contributed to this! GB, Txilar, Reppu, Y-san and all of you who have been sending moral support… ^__^

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daemoneko’s avatarThanks so very much for the wonderful scanlations.Sakae Kusama and Setona Mizushiro have become two of my favourite mangaka since my stumbling across your site. Extra thanks for the translation notes - always so interesting!

elisegrey’s avatarWhat daemoneko said! I love that a) you’re scanlating series by such wonderful mangaka, and b) that you’re doing it so *well*. Thanks!

Poshul’s avatarAwesome! I can’t wait until the next chapter of Carp ^^

ctomes’s avatarWow! Thanks for explaining the owl and dead end homophones. This really improves my reading experience. I guess she call it hat to give you the feeling of a hunted mouse. I wonder who the mouse is…
Anyway, I don’t find the details about the kanji dull. Its fascinating to learn about and it helps me understand what I’m reading better.
Thanks again for the releases.

mizuqueen’s avatarthank you for the lovely releases and the kanji lesson. like mentioned above it really does improve the reading experience. quite clever really. i anticipate and dread the next chapter of carp because i fear it will be unhappy, but like a cat i want to know the end. thank you for releasing such interesting projects.

Daniela’s avatarThis is the most beautiful chapter of Constelation so far! Really lovely.
Thanks for the details about the kanji, I am always interested in know more about japanese language. And I can’t wait to read the next Carp chapter!

Mangamadness’s avatarThank you so much for the new release and for the interesting kanji translation notes. Thanks for all your hard work. (^_^)

Squizzz’s avatarThanks a lot for the new release and the explanation, for a person who doesn’t understand Japanese like me (sigh) it’s really interesting to know what’s behind translations =)
Thanks again!

Izuna’s avatarThank you so much for all the hard work and for the translation notes!

ampersand’s avatarI think language is fascinating. It’s a continually evolving form of communication that is so nuanced. There always seems to be something new to learn. Thank you very much for the new chapters and for the kanji explanations. ^_^

Minelauva’s avatarThank you very much for the new release and the explanation. It makes things clearer. ;)

Martha’s avatar??? dead end
? owl
? carp
??? love
thank you for the explanation !!!

Razberry’s avatarThank you for taking the time to now only scanlate such wonderful works by such wonderful mangakas, but also to provide us with such interesting explanations about the meaning of the title! Thank you thank you!

Reita’s avatarThanks for the releases and that explanation. It was interesting to read.

arnoria’s avatarThank you so much! I appreciate your extra notes, they are most enlightening to read ^^

Cinabre’s avatarAwesome releases, your work is really impressive, I adore Sakae Kusama & Setona Mizushiro! Thanks so much!! <3

army_kitten’s avatarthank you for this! i loved the extra for carp. and really appreciated your extra notes! <3

jazz’s avatarthank you so much for the update on cheese~

also checking out the constellation one, it sounds good. :D

Barbara’s avatarCongratulations on your releases! I’m looking forward to reading them <3

Rachel Lynn’s avatarThank you for the new releases! The notes on the kanji were rather interesting as well. : )

grooveygirl’s avatarThanks for the extra for Cheese.

shi_en_ta’s avatarhii thank you so much for pick this manga and continued it till the end,
i,ve already post on some thread, hope u wouldn’t mind if i post them almost every where in this site Teehee

well somehow i think this Owl maybe not connected w/ the extra chapter (mouse thinking at dead end)

as we know, in this manga
imagase represent in this manga as a black cat (especially since his clothes always black)
kyouchi as a mouse
tamaki butterfly
i also think that carp in this manga represent imagase n kyouichi love, jumps twice at the chopping board, maybe potray their struggle to make their relationship work out, even tough it’s almost dead (like carp still jumps even it will be chopping soon)
and the Owl, i think it represent imagase n kyouchi that didn’t sleep before their break-up, just like nocturnal creature : Owl
and the last, the serpent paradise i think it represent Mizuno
(the married woman who seduces Kyouichi) like serpent of paradise that seduce adam n eve ^^