Bartender Chapter 20 – The Table of Stubborn People
Happy Chinese New Years! Hope everyone will have a great “Tiger” year!!
Links:
Drink of the Day:
Moscow Mule
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Fresh-squeezed Lime Juice
- 4 oz Ginger Beer
Thoughts (Spoiler Alert):
This chapter didn’t flow as well as the others for me. Although it’s ok when I read it through at a casual pace, when I had to read it carefully line-by-line, the conversation between Sasakura and the customers seem a bit “disconnected” at times. For example, when Sasakura asked them to quiet down, the next thing Asami did was ask for a second drink. That felt kind of odd to me. Also, how Sasakura explained the difference between old Moscow Mule and new Moscow Mule was very confusing. I had to read it about 5 times to understand what he’s actually saying. I tried to alter the translation to make it easier to understand, but not sure how successful I am. Another weird part is the ending. I’m not really too sure what Sasakura’s trying to convey when he opened the window and said that summer breeze can reach the basement. It was just weird and I have no idea what’s the point of that.
In terms of story, there’s no progress in this chapter. Sasakura didn’t really show off, nothing new really happened.
But anyways, it’s still a very nice story, which teaches us all a good moral. For me, I see two different levels of explanation. On one side, it is saying that it is never too late for people to work together towards their dreams. This was stated literally in the chapter, but another moral that this chapter contains is that there’s always a place for somebody. Even if he is stubborn and couldn’t work well with others, there are still people who can appreciate you and work with you. Something like that.
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Cityshrimp's Scanlations (and stuff) 
Thanks for your work!
MT Link: http://www.mangatoshokan.com/read/Bartender/CityShrimp/20
It was alright, I felt it was lacking too but the story was pretty well thought out. Thanks again for the scans.
Thanks for the work on this chapter. 🙂
Thanks for your hard work.
I think the summer breeze part could be explained as ‘even though you are in a difficult situation (or in a struggle, etc) at the moment, there is still hope (or luck will eventually shine on your efforts)’
Well that’s my 2cents. lol
Thanks for the new chapter! I thoroughly enjoyed marathoning the Bartender anime last weekend. Then I discovered the manga and I was even more impressed! Now I have a budding interest in hard liquor.
Thank you for the scanlations! I always enjoy your work at onemanga. Good luck
Great work on the chapter. Btw, the megaupload link goes to mangahelpers instead.
I meant to say that the megaupload link is broken, it goes to mangahelpers instead of megaupload.
Thanks for catching that. Fixed the link.
you should scanlate Team Medical Dragon…
Does this flow better?
Not trying to say you did a bad job, I thought your first one flowed just fine, but I got board and saw the challenge in re-editing it.
ITO
Page 2:
Hello everyone and welcome to the Shuuei High School Class Reunion.
Page 3:
Wow, how long has it been since the three of us got together?
Kume, weren’t you working as a designer in London?
Oshida, I thought you were a popular commercial photographer working in Paris, I did not expect to see you back here.
[sigh] I would not have come if I had known you were going to be here.
You took the words right out of my mouth. (altenate: Hey that’s my line.)
Hey, Asami, let’s go somewhere after this is over.
Ok!
Page 4:
That’s great Kume wants to go too, we can hang out together.
Eh…
The three of us?
Look, I am an editor,
Oshida is a photographer and…
Kume is a designer…
Don’t you think it is interesting we all three went into the same industry and we were the only three school mates to stay in the same class all the way from middle school? We should all get along.
Page 5:
Welcome, what would you like to drink.
Page 6:
Asami, you decide.
Ah..then… three Moscow Mules, please.
Moscow Mules? But that is just vodka and ginger ale!
Shouldn’t we be drinking champagne or some other high class drink?
The Moscow Mule contains ginger ale, do you have a preferred brand?
Pick one for us.
Here is your Moscow Mule, please enjoy.
Page 6:
We used to drink these all the time; it is very sweet and goes down smoothly for hard liquor.
Yeah, remember that time in high school we got suspended for drinking these at KTV lounges?
…Only because you told the teacher about it, with that story about it being legal in Paris to drink at 16.
A toast to our glory days.
Back then…
Page 7:
..when we your young, even without any confidence we still had dreams.
Our youth made us so stubborn and we didn’t listen to anyone else’s advice and argued with those that offered it.
What is going on Asami?
Yeah, you are acting strange.
So compared to how we are now…
..we have matured right?
That was rhetorical…
.. we all know how it is.
Page 9:
Damn it!… How dare you crop my work without asking?
[Oshida, went off on a designer at Saitou Youichi, and it cost him his job]
You went off on Saitou Youichi? But he is a famous commercial designer!
What about you Kume?
I could take better pictures than these crappy photos, even if I used a digital camera.
…and he said it to Shinoda Yoshihiru!
Are you out of your mind, he is the photographer for the institute of art!? !?
It’s not like I have the right to be judgmental…
Page10:
I was fired for punching my boss.
Huh? Punching?
You don’t expect me to work for a man that turns into a pervert every time he gets drunk do you?
(Alternate: I agreed to work for him, not sleep with him,)
(Alternate: Yeah, being drunk is no excuse for fondling your subordinates.)
Hahahaha… That means all three of us…
..are at the end of our ropes.
(Alternate: … have hit rock bottom.)
That table is too noisy, should we ask them to tone it down?
Page 11:
It’s alright…
.. I will handle it.
For a bartender it is very important to monitor the customer’s activities.
Aside from taking orders and replacing ashtrays, they also worry about the overall atmosphere.
Extra care must be given to customers seated at tables, because they are harder to observe.
Excuse me, would you mind quieting down just a bit?
Page 12:
Sorry, we have not seen each other in a long time.
Yeah, and we don’t have a lot of happy memories to share.
We would like something else to drink, what do you recommend?
Would you mind if I surprised you?
Thanks for waiting.
This is a real Moscow Mule.
Page 13:
A Moscow Mule?
But that is the same drink!
How can you call yourself a bartender, is that the only drink you know how to make?
No…
This, is the original and we bartenders see as the real Moscow Mule.
I hope you enjoy it.
The real Moscow Mule?
Ahh let me take you back to 1946 to a bar in Hollywood on Sunset Blvd…
..that was over stocked on ginger beer that had become a headache…
Page 14:
..and one day a salesman who had just come to American walked in. He had a headache of his own and had not been able to meet his quota.
As the story goes the salesman and bartender were discussing their problems whena women who was a retailer, and happened to be overstocked and copper mugs, joined them for a drink.
Over drinks their three problems became one solution…
..and that solution was this cocktail?
Yes. Does everyone now what Moscow Mule means?
Page 15:
Moscow is capitol of Russia where they have great pride in their quality vodka.
..and mules are notoriously stubborn, I bet you can figure out the rest.
Hey, are you telling stories because you think we are dunk?
When you get down to it, it’s still just vodka and ginger ale, it’s no big deal.
Page 16:
Wow…this…this is a real Moscow Mule?
There has got to be some mistake, there is a ginger taste but its mellow it’s like…
..the flavors are mingling then blend of finish as one.
This is the real one?
Then what were we drinking before?
The real Moscow Mule is made with ginger beer, but over time the ingredients changed and so did the taste.
[In the past if they did not have ginger beer they would just use ginger ale.]
[In England beer is also called ale so ginger ale seem like the logical thing to use.]
[But using different types of ginger ale would also have different flavors.]
Page 17:
Aside from ginger ale some bartenders would add squeezed ginger juice and soda water…
.. but I you want the original Moscow Mule, then you have to use ginger beer.
[Especially now that real ginger beer is available.]
Not only does it have the strength of the vodka, and the bite of the ginger, but it also has a very mature taste.
…hmmm three troubled people working together.
Sorry about being too loud…
..but we were are glad you were the one to say something.
It’s nothing.
Hey…
Page 18:
..lets work together!
We may be stubborn like mules but it’s because we take pride in our work.
Yes, it’s not too late to work hard toward the dreams of our youth.
While I understand what Asami and Kume are getting at, is it really ok to make up stories?
Make up stories?
Page 19:
This may come as a surprise but I am a certified sommelier with lots of experience, and a sharp palate and…
..this Moscow Mule does not contain any ginger beer.
What did you really put in it?
Hmmm…I added.
[56 ml of Smirnoff Vodka and 15 ml of lime juice]
[and…]
Page 20:
..I filled it to the top with ginger beer made from water, mashed ginger, sugar, and egg white.
Ehh.. you made ginger beer?
Sure, if you let it sit for a week, it will be finish nicely. Our bar tries to keep the original Moscow Mule flavor.
No… no…way.
There are bartenders willing to go that far?
Bartenders won’t lose in terms of stubbornness.
Page 21:
Ha ha ha, he got you Oshida.
Well, if that is the case, then one more please.
Me too. (watashimo)
One more round coming right up.
Asami before the next round there is something I have to ask.
Ye..yeah, me too and I have wanted to ask you since middle school.
Page 22:
Which one of us do you like the most?
Yeah, that is what I wanted to ask too, and have worked hard so I would not lose to him.
Baka! We have been friends since childhood; you are like brothers to me.
We may have started late, but our goal is clear…
..thanks to you.
Page 23:
Did he just benefit…
..from our dispute?
It’s great three different problems can find at new solution and common goal…
..and it is never to late to follow your dreams.
Although we are in the basement, there is a way for the gentle summer breeze to find us.
Wow, this is awesome. It definitely flows a lot better than what I have. But the timeless dilemma of translation is whether to stick to the original meaning as much as possible or to change it so it can better fit the target language. There are phrases that you used that would’ve made the scanlation a lot better. Made me realize that I should spend more time with it. hahaha
I have fought that too, and in the few scans I have done I lean towards the side of flow and story telling and not so much in being an exact translation.
Thanks for your scans BTW I am a big fan.
ITO
I do accept as true with all the ideas you have
presented on your post. They are very convincing and can definitely work.
Nonetheless, the posts are too quick for starters. May you please prolong them a bit from next time?
Thanks for the post.