After last episode’s oddities, we’re back on track with the plot and the quest to get into the Red Castle turns into a drag race, while Karuta gets the chance to show off his culinary skills. Add a smidgen of the Terminator’s “I need your bike” speech from Kuro into the mix, and what results is the answer that has plagued mankind for centuries: what does it look like when someone plants a motorbike wheel in your face. Answer:

There are only a handful of notes for this episode, so no need for a .pdf this time. As far as we can tell, the anime series referenced in a few of the scenes is a made-up one, so don’t try looking for it! Other translation contextual issues include:

Sukiyaki: a Japanese meal that consists of thinly-sliced beef and vegetables cooked in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar and mirin, a type of rice wine.
SDF (Japan Self-Defence Forces): the Japanese military forces.
Kantou: the Kantou region is situated in the middle of Honshuu island and is home to cities like Tokyo and Yokohama.
Kasumigaseki: a district in Chiyoda Ward in Tokyo.
Kasha: A chariot of fire that ferries spirits to Hell, akin to Charon’s boat in Greek mythology.

And with all that cleared up, enjoy Episode 9 of Kurozuka!

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As the episode opens, after the usual avian digression, Inumaru and his inamorata, Maroko, find themselves working in a snack kiosk on the godforsaken shores of Oarai Beach, under the watchful eye of loan shark Murota Bunmei, in order to repay the debts of Inumaru’s father. There are no customers, no prospects, and no hope; they can only wait and see what happens. Are they waiting for Godot? for Lefty? for episode 5? No! They’re waiting for the return of Inumaru’s parents, which triggers a series of fourth-wall-shattering monologues that carry the absurdity of this series to new highs, new lows, or new irrelevance; judge for yourself.

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//MSG a_loli XDCC SEND 214

To sum up episode eight of Kurozuka, all I can say is: wtf?

I’m usually quite good at following plots (even in anime series) but the directors seem to have leapt ahead of themselves and spend most of this episode filling in gaps in the moth-eaten exposition. The episode starts with Kuro meeting a guy in a mechanised wheelchair who spends most of the time just talking shit. Then, one of the bad guys decides she’d make a great one-woman-show, apparently acting out events that have happened between episode seven (where we left our heroes confronting two Red Army bad guys) and this episode. The obtuseness of certain parts of this episode has led me to make a supplementary .pdf for translation notes, which can be found here: [ureshii]_Kurozuka_-_08_supplement.pdf

Well, hopefully you’ll understand this episode more than I did, and if not, at least it has some good action at the end!

 
Kurozuka 08 SD
Kurozuka 08 HD

After last episode’s awe-inspiring battle, the Haniwa are on the run with Kuro in tow, heading towards the village of Kagura. However, the Red Army are in hot pursuit after their latest defeat - will Kuro and gang be able to get away?

Again, no .pdf file for this episode again. Enjoy!

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Kurozuka 07 HD

Did you think we’d forgotten about Skip Beat? Nevah! After an initial mishap cleaning a corridor, Kyoko gets her first big assignment as sole member of LME’s “Love Me” Section: helping one of LME’s idols, Matsunai Ruriko-chan, with the difficulties of an outdoor film shoot. Kyoko approaches the assignment with her usual selfless attitude, but selflessness is not what the situation calls for, as she soon finds out…

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Zoiks, episode six of Kurozuka already?

In this episode, the Red Army are attacking the Haniwa’s base, leading to some spiffy action scenes that ooze blood from every corner of the screen. We also learn what the mysterious Miitsu actually is and how devastating its influence can be. And let’s not forget, the Red Emperor is closing in on Kuro…

Again, no translation notes for this episode and the lack of any real historical background in these last few episodes has dissolved the need for pdfs. Enjoy!

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Kurozuka 06 HD

After the previous episode’s flashback to WWII, we’re back in the future for episode 5, where Kuro is taken to meet the mysterious Saniwa, an old woman who seems to know all about Kuro’s past and his relationship with Kuromitsu. Will she be able to lead Kuro to his beloved?

No pdf for this episode again as there aren’t enough notes to warrant it. The only two parts that need any real explanation are:

Haniwa: terracotta figures that were placed on top of funeral mounds, dating from as far back as the Yayoi Era (500BC-300AD). It is thought that Haniwa are containers for the soul after death, and are often equipped with weapons and armour. However, in the context of series, Haniwa most likely refers to the faction group that Kuro is currently in league with and that the connection to the terracotta figures is a metaphorical one.
White Deadnettle: Also known as “Lamium album” in the latinate. An alternative Japanese name for this plant is “the flower of Komusou”. Komusou refers to a school of Zen Buddhism, implying that the flower metaphorically represents solitude and silence.

Darwin’s Origin of Species is pretty much required reading for this episode as well, as we meet another wordy villain with ambitions of advancing the human race through enforced evolution. Anyway, mad scientists aside, enjoy the visual spectacle that is Kurozuka episode 5!

Kurozuka 05 HD
Kurozuka 05 SD

I admit this is kind of a redundant post since its “purpose” is just to tell you that - as promised - we made two batch torrents for you; one for the XviD encodes in “standard” resolution and the other for the AVC encodes in 720p (note that there is a v2 of the 720p version of 25 included):

Batch AVC 720p

Batch XviD SD

That’s all… but to tell you the truth: I make a separate post out of this because once again I wanted to post a screenshot of my favourite character in that show, haha

So this is the final post on Real Drive with a screenshot of Holon in all her beauty ^__^

With this episode, Real Drive comes to an end. Fittingly, the ending is mystical, almost magical. The protagonists reach their goals, or fulfill their destinies. Realistic? Not in the least. But fitting, to my view at least.

Real Drive has been a collaboration with Saizen, and it has been a pleasure to work with them throughout the project. Like our other “R” series (Rescue Wings), Real Drive was done in two parts, with a rather long break in the middle. Staff changes due to Real Life events brought the project to a temporary halt after episode 8. Happily, new staff was recruited, and the project restarted in late August, finishing 17 episodes in 12 weeks. It’s time to thank the many people who contributed to the successful completion of this project:

> Translation: Jiru-kun, with checking by CelesAurivern (episodes 1-9); serika (episodes 10-26)

> Editing: Mael, Blue_Mage, FalseDawn, AMS, TGEN (episodes 1-9); Collectr (episodes 10-26)

> Timing: sangofe (most episodes), mreweilk, L1oyd

> Typesetting: Borjoyze

> Quality Check: Rathann, Raziel666, U238Willy (most episodes), Kazuki, lillink, muyg, scab, snip, wineax

> Encode: BlueLotus

> Raws: `House

> Special thanks to ArabianSwan, who filled in whenever needed, however needed.

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P.S. The batch torrents are now out; they include a v2 for the H.264 version of episode 25!

Literally and figuratively. It’s raining where it shouldn’t, in dangerous amounts. Fires burn in the sea, where calm should prevail. There’s only one card left to play: an impossibly deep dive to reach the depths where Kushima has buried his consciousness, and his secrets. It’s a dangerous, perhaps even suicidal mission that Haru-san must undertake, and everyone knows it. That includes Minamo-chan, whose feelings for Haru-san have changed into something more than an adolescent caregiver’s dutiful affection for her patient…

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