#because jin renamed the shuffle members

[lunawings]

Young of Prism #08 Joji

Read the Original Japanese: http://www.pashplus.jp/anime/128837/?body_dsp=1 Previous: Minato

Translator’s Notes: This story references both the Japanese holiday of Setsubun, and the traditional Japanese story of Momotaro. To explain them as briefly as possible, Setsubun involves throwing beans at demons to drive them out and bring in good luck, and Momotaro is about a boy born from a peach who offers sweet dumplings to some animals so they will come with him to fight demons on an island. Since Setsubun is in February, this story was off season when it first came out for Joji’s birthday in September. However, the online version was released in February. I don’t know if that was planned or not, but it’s neat. The Momotaro story is related to Joji because it originated from Okayama, where Joji is from. The English translation I see most often is “Peach Boy” (momo = peach and taro = a old timey popular boy’s name ending) which is why Joji thought it sounded delicious. Also the foods Joji likes are very specific local specialties. (I generalized it a bit. So many references.)

<#08 Joji>

“More!”

Joji was born at 4646 grams, and, as soon as he could walk he already knew this word well.

“More!”

It began with milk. Then he moved on to baby food, peaches, sardinella sushi, ramen noodles, red bean buns, pork cutlet bowls with demiglace sauce, fried noodles... 

“More!”

He’d eat and eat until he could take no more, then sleep it off soundly. The round body he was born with grew ever chubbier. 

* * * *

One day in February, at preschool. 

“Everyone, today is Setsubun!”

The teacher handed out small bags of beans divided up for the children. 

“Today a bad demon will come, so we have to drive him off by throwing these beans... Hey, HEY!”

“More!”

“Augh! Those were for throwing!”

Joji had already gobbled down all of his beans before his teacher could even finish her sentence. 

”You better not eat them this time.”

But of course Joji had no intention of listening and quickly his hand found its way inside the bag again. 

“Eheheh.”

“RAAAAWR! The bad little child who has been eating my beans... Is it you?!?!”

”Eek!”

There was a thunderous roar. It was just then that the principal appeared wearing a demon mask. The children in the classroom suddenly froze. 

”I’m coming to get you! GRRRRR!!!” 

The principal was dressed as a red demon twirling a foam club. The children shrieked as he came to attack them.

“WAAAH!!”

“I’m gonna eat you up!”

“No! I want my mama!!!”

”Everyone, quickly! Throw the beans!”

“Eeeeek!”

The children all began to run around in circles throwing the beans as they cried out. All of them except for one. 

“Hey there little fellow... Hand over those beans!!”

“I will... destroy you....”

“Hm?”

Quivering where he stood, Joji began to take out the beans he had tried to hide in his mouth...

“I will... DESTROY YOU!”

“Woah... Woah... Ohhh!”

With a glint in his eyes, Joji began to throw the beans with incredible force. And not just his own beans, but the beans of all the other children as well which he scooped up and threw once more. 

“It’s... the real Momotaro....”

“...Momotaro?”

The red demon slipped on the beans, fell on his bum, and surrendered. 

“Momotaro... sounds delicious....”

Joji had never heard this name before, but it sure sounded good. 

“Momotaro-san is a boy who went to defeat the demons with his followers,” explained the teacher kindly. 

“Followers?” asked Joji, was was now sweaty and out of breath. 

“That’s right. He had a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant.

“What do followers do?”

”Hmm, well... Momotaro-san’s followers fought beside him and listened to everything he had to say.” Joji’s pineapple-yellow eyes were sparking.

“I want my own followers like Momotaro!”

* * * * *

On that day Joji went home without playing with his favorite building blocks nor making his favorite mud pies. His afternoon snack was his favorite sweet melon dumplings. He loved them so much he could barely help drooling just at the thought of them.

“Ahhh... no, I can’t! I can’t!”

Joji bit down on his lip and shook his head. Taking his sweet dumplings with him, he ran from his room. This was the first time Joji had ever held back from eating something. 

“I’ll give you a sweet dumpling, so become my follower!”

But the dog Poochie from next door just jumped up and howled at the promise of sweet dumplings. 

“Be my follower!”

Joji’s stuffed gorilla could only play the tambourine. 

“Follower!”

Joji did his best to warm up the egg he got from the refrigerator, but it did not hatch into a pheasant. 

“Darnit! No one will be my follower!”

Sulking, Joji began to pick at his leftover sweet buns.

“Someday I will definitely get followers...!”

While his dreams and aspirations still running wild through his head, somehow Joji managed to fall asleep.

“Oh ho, the little one is asleep again.”

“Haha. He looks like he’s dreaming about something fun.”

In his dreams Joji was surrounded by followers of all colors, and was handing out his sweet melon dumplings to them as he walked along. 

Next: Hiro

#king of prism #young of prism #joji takadanobaba #so at one point i believe i read that joji is not his real name #because jin renamed the shuffle members #he's referred to as joji in the story but no one actually calls him that name #they just call him little guy etc