Again, there might be a better way to get that pun through, but this works for now.
Meh, you don't really have to fret with the pun for this one.
the main focus in TL goes more towards "why is satono singing into kitasan's fist? oh because of the TL in the second panel" TL-ing JP puns are a drag but I personally don't really waste time in it if it's not the main focus. This artist does have some other bits where the pun really needs to be explained for people to get it tho.
Except in Nonco they almost always are the main point, as in the joke is centered on a language pun with a direct visual link (meaning you can't even use a looser translation half the time.)
As a translation of things like this the aim is 'to have the same feel as the original', the pun should be made to work in translation if at all possible, leaving a direct translation with a note as a very last resort.
I actually really like TL notes explaining the original joke, because I don't get cucked from getting the point of the Japanese pun while also enjoying the work of a great TLer.
People say "TL notes bad", but honestly I think it's just that people aren't willing to learn something about the language of the thing they are reading comes from. English may be my first language, but I lived surrounded by Arabic, Filipino, and French as well for a decent chunk of my life. I appreciate the complexity of other languages, though actually understanding/learning every single thing by myself is honestly terrible. Viva la TL notes
with that out of the way... NONCO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BABY DIA?! I LOVE HATE IT!!
Aww... I can't get the score up at all...Kita-chan, do you have any ideas as to what I should do?Smile!Like this!Well, how about working on getting the intonation spot-on?Really grab the note with both hands!dokidokidokidokiThe heck is all this!?Grab with both of my hands, yes?AhhhHHhHHhHhhhShe's grabbing my arm with her hands!? As a microphone replacement!?
kobushi
拳 /kobushi/ - 'a fist'
小節 /kobushi/ - 'undulating melodic ornamentation or embellishment, esp. in folk and popular songs'
Kitasan said that Satono should (make) use (of) 'kobushi' to improve her intonation and improve the scoreOkay, I understand now.It's not her score but my heartbeat that's going up!!