ZETMAN from the single Zetman volume Translated by Sara Averardi Editted by Jim Zubkavich Brought to you by Jim Zubkavich and the Masakazu Katsura Shrine ----------Page 5 girl "NO! I beg you! I don't like this place!" guy "Come on, let's do it here..." girl "No, I don't want to! Oh" guy "but ...who..?" ----------Page 6 Zetman "I think that that girl has said no! You are a scoundrel!" ----------Page 9 Narration " The monster that has been appearing more and more in Akuno nowadays has two big horns and bat wings...Noone knows who he is...a justice messenger?A wicked demon ? Let's go a little bit back in time, before our main character became the monster that's called Zetman.... Thunder was echoing in the night..." hooligan 1 "Get the dough out!" hooligan 2 "If you want to pass through here, you have to pay!" 1 " And do you know why?Because we decided it should be so!Now hurry up!" Jin "I really don't understand why should I do it!" ----------Page 10 1 " Ah, yeah....well...all right... See? Now we have to take everything to the last penny!" 2 " Thanks for the wallet!" Jin "Bastards! I'm going to kill them..." ----------Page 11 computer " Get the dough out(x 3) Computer screen " You have two hooligans right before you." Jin "I'm going to shoot them down..." ----------Page 12 computer "My name is Zetman! I'm a justice messenger!" "This guy's name is Jin Kurono... He is 23 years old, and he is a video games author... This video game simulates the creation of a hero called Zetman. Zetman's abilities become greater by earning justice points,obtained by fighting against evil..." computer screen "You beheaded them." "The A.I.S.(superior artificial intelligence) he conceived gives every player the possibility to personalize the scores... This guy ...what kind of Zetman could create?" ----------Page 13 Sachiko "I'm sorry I wasted some time by trying to find the first aid box! Oh... you are still programming!? I had told you to lie down... Stand still... How much have you got to do in order to finish it?" Jin "I just have to get another few enemies ready and and fix it here and there a little bit..." Narration "Her name is Sachiko Shirai...she is 21 years old and she is the only person Jin trusts..." Sachiko "What!? So you already got the final monster ready!" ----------Page 14 Jin "A-HA...it's this one..." Sachiko "What a monster! And is it called Death? Our superiors don't agree with you...but I do! Nowadays the world is a melting pot made of vices and virtues... I think that such a video-game is going to sell a lot! But you are not a hero, Kurono, so don't wear yourself out...the police is going to take care of the criminals" Jin "I don't care much about this game sale...I just want to finish Zetman to have an answer about the true nature of justice!" Sachiko "It would be really nice to know about that, but this is not what I meant! I believe your sence of justice is developed way too much!" Jin "I've learnt it from my mother..." ----------Page 15 Narration "Jin's father disappeared when he was only a little child...as he grew only with his mother, he learnt to trust her...she was very strict when Jin committed some kind of fault, but she was as kind as an angel when he was good... Jin had just turned 12 when his mother was run over by road hog, still without a name..." Jin "The traffic light was green! My mother was right! The police has never been able to catch the damned one that killed her!" Sachiko "I'm sorry ...I didn't want you to remember that... What about having a drink to raise our spirits?" Jin "Human beings are not able to restrain vice because they are the same ones that generate it! Only someone that is superior to human beings can make justice! A hero! ----------Page 16 Sachiko "Jin..." ----------Page 17 Jin "If only I were strong... if I were a hero.... If only I were... What...?!" "Jin...Jin...You mustn't do it...you have to be always good...You have to become a man of justice...you must never lose your belief in justice..." Jin "Mom! MOM! UH?" ----------Page 18 Ice "You finally woke up!" Jin "W-who are you?" Ice "You don't remember me? I'm Ice, YOur A.I.S., Superior artificial intelligence, no?" Jin "But...I don't recognise you ...with this character..." ----------Page 19 Ice "Can't you realize what has happened? It was a bug!" Jin "GO AWAY! You think I'm so stupid to believe you?" Ice "You are really stubborn...look, without me you can't earn justice points!" Jin "What are you talking about??" Ice "I'm talking about Zetman, what else?! You have to improve yourself in order to get to the next level!!" Jin "Stop joking!" Ice "oh shit! Close your eyes and wish to be Zetman!" Jin "You..." ----------Page 21 Ice "You got it now? Come on, try to earn points! When you'll have earned enough, I'll augment the level! .....Or maybe I'll do it when I feel like it!" Jin "Ehi! Earning points? Well it won't be difficult in this condition!" ----------Page 22 Narration "So this is the reason...he felt at ease right away... all the rage that he had accumulated during years could finally be eased...by executing crime without any kind of distinction...or at least by persecuting those he thought to be part of it... without being able to stop anymore!" Jin "My name is Zetman, the last executioner...good is on my side!" ----------Page 23 Narration "A few days later..." Taxi Driver "It's always like this, as if sidewalks didn't exist..." Sachiko "Don't worry, I'm in no hurry!" Taxi Driver "Damn it!" Guy "Ehi, you! You can't get through here by car!" Guy2 "Get out, idiot!" Sachiko "Ehi!" ----------Page 24 Taxi Driver "Help me!" Guy "Stupid bastard!" Sachiko "Stop it!" ----------Page 25 Zetman "Who do you think you are?" Voices "Ehi, mask! You seem strong! What a show!" ----------Page 26 Narration "the next day..." "Yes, I saw him! He looks like a devil, but he smashed those guys' faces in! He must be some kind of vigilante!" man "Ehi, he's really agile! He's not just a man in tights..." ----------Page 27 news "Here at Hakuno many people are talking about the misterious hero..." newspaper "A real hero!" Sachiko "Kurono..." Narration "His sence of justice was becoming greater by every minute...more haunting...he noticed every crime, even the most insignificant..." ----------Page 28 Zetman "Theft is a crime!" Sachiko "Zetman! All this violence...do you think it's justice? Isn't there any mercy in the fight against crime? ----------Page 29 Sachiko I thought your sence of justice was born to help the weak...and that you were a good person deep in your bones...I was sure about that , Kurono... Why? Why did things go wrong?" ----------Page 30 Narration "A week went by after his first appearance...the name Zetman began to be more widespread thanks to the small thief, that reavealed it to a newspaper..." Jin "I always have a headache when I become human again...why does it happen?" Ice "I don't know...maybe you don't want to become human again...how did you discover where I was? Ehi, you are already at the fourth level! You are one of those that go on till they get to the end, right?" ----------Page 31 Jin "Now I can fly as well, but...what does this tail mean?I don't want it, it bothers me!" Ice "Come on...it's in fashion,isn't it?" Jin "It's all that bug's fault..." Ice "Not really... You do know that the A.I.S. over-develops the real character of each player...I'm only a mirror reflecting your real image...understood?" ----------Page 32 Jin "The way I'm developing leaves me a little bit perplexed....will I discover the true meaning of Justice?" Ice "And what do I know about justice?" Jin "It doesn't matter...I'll find the answer at the end..." Ice "Ehi! Now you can't earn any more points if noone shows up!" Jin "What? I didn't programme anyone...what can I do? Damn her!" "extraordinary news...today, at about 12:30 Akuno bank was robbed... Right now the robbers are barricaded inside the building with a few hostages..." guy "It doesn't matter, Zetman is going to arrive any minute now..." Zetman "Who...?" guy "Exactly!" ----------Page 33 police "You are surrounded! Give up!" robber1 "What are we going to do now? What if Zetman arrives?" robber2 "Calm down! You don't have to be afraid of him! He can't do anything till we have the hostages!" robber1 "Don't get any nearer! Shithead!" policemen "It's Zetman!" police insp. "Damned meddler! If anything happens to the hostages, I..." ----------Page 34 robber1 "Don't move! L-let me go!I-I'll give myself up to the police! I'll never do such a thing again!" Sachiko "All this violence...do you think it's justice? Isn't there any mercy in the fight against crime? No mercy at all?" ----------Page 35 Zetman "All right... give yourself... up to... the police..." Robber "AAAAHHH! Don't touch me bastard!" Police insp. "damn it!" ----------Page 36 Zetman "Damned ...human beings!" policeman "Oh my God ...he crushed him..." ----------Page 37 Narration "The crisis at the Akuno bank was solved thanks to Zetman, eventhough the police denies it...warning everyone to watch out for Zetman as a dangerous person!" man "Zetman? I think his overdoing it...his ways are those of warriors!" Jin "what does he think of it? You are wrong! There is no mercy for criminals! Mercy is just an obstacle in the fight against crime! Only with Will and Practice I can erase such feelings and get to perfection! If I don't have any more enemies...I'll make them up! It isn't difficult!" ----------Page 38 Zetman "Why have they disappeared? ----------Page 39 Zetman Hm...I got it...someone must have changed the programm... Just as I thought..." Sachiko "Be yourself again! What you are doing has got nothing to do with justice!" Zetman "Why have you erased the new enemies?" Sachiko "I also erased the final level monster...you are not going to go on anymore... you have no need to do it..." ----------Page 40 Zetman "Why did you do it?! (The) real justice is waiting for me!" Sachiko "It's untrue! you are getting it all wrong!" Ice "I don't think that the final monster has been erased!" Zetman "Ice! Where is it! Tell me!" Sachiko "I'm telling you I erased it!" Ice "You want to fight?" Zetman "Sure I want it!" Ice "The monster appears only at the fifth level....all right, I'll make you get there!" ----------Page 41 Zetman "But...what.?!" ----------Page 42 Death "My name is Death, if you are the messenger of justice, I'm the light that will extinguish you..." Zetman "Why... why Shirai?" ----------Page 43 Ice "Look, you are this story author! You are going to reach your goal even if you don't defeat Death... You wanna fight or not? What's your answer?" Zetman "Ah Ah...I understand... ----------Page 44 Zetman What...?! Why do you want to get into my way? I thought you were like my mother... Who goes against justice..." Death "HAVE A LOOK AT YOURSELF! You look like a demon! Do you think this is the aspect of a justice hero?! ----------Page 45 Death Try to find your human heart again...try to find love again...justice needs feelings...mercy! Wake up! It's human nature to make mistakes... We must hate the crime, not who commits it... You must learn to love more...try to receive love... it's going to be like coming to life again... ----------Page 46 Death justice exists apart from violence ...save your soul, before it's too late... and you are going to be a real human being... ----------Page 47 Death only when you will be able to share with others both your sorrows and your joys... you will know what's real justice... Do you understand what I mean?" ----------Page 48 Zetman "Sure...I understood that justice doesn't need all these beautiful words to be done..." ----------Page 49 Death "You are a fool...you don't understand that...by doing this you only denied your human nature...?" Zetman "It's what I wanted..." Narration "so the man that was once called Jin Kurono succeded in reaching the last level..." ----------Page 50 "The killer went on the roof taking a baby as an hostage!" police "Surrender and let the baby go!" killer "Shut up cop, otherwise I'm going to throw him down!" mother "AHH! Tsutomi!" killer "Who..?! It's you again?! Wasn't the death of one hostage enough for you? Try to take just one step forward and this brat will learn to fly! ----------Page 51 killer I had warned you!" mother "TSUTOMU!" ----------Page 52 Men "Look! The baby is safe!" mother "What?" Narration "By deciding to give up his human side, he managed to exclude his feelings from his heart...every kind of feelings... Now without any kind of emotional push, he began to fight crime in an impartial way..." mother "Tsutomu! Thanks...thanks, Zetman..." Narration "Maybe this is really justice true nature ...who will ever be able to comfirm it?" Ice "A perfect and boring justice machine...bah..." ----------Page 53 Narration "His name is Zetman, the last executioner!" ---------- END OF ZETMAN ----------