宇宙のひみつ　/ Uchuu no Himitsu / Secrets of Space

Uchuu no Himitsu is part of the Himitsu series of generally educational comics by the label 学研 / Gakken. Because it's intended for young readers, it has relatively few kanji and lots of furigana.　　Although this particular title appears to be out-of-print, the Gakken company still has some titles in the Himitsu series such as 食べ物のひみつ, The Secrets of Food.

Cover

学研	まんが	ひみつ	シリーズ
gakken	manga	himitsu	shiriizu
Gakken (company name)	comic	secret(s)	series

The word manga is commonly written with Kanji. The fact that it's written in hiragana reinforces that the target age range for this book is quite young.
The company name of the publisher is Gakken, which is composed of the kanji 学 / gaku, meaning school or learning; and 研 / ken, meaning research.

Gakken Manga - Secrets Series

宇宙	の	ひみつ
uchuu	no	himitsu
space	(poss)	secret(s)

Under the title there is a long series of details including an endorsement from the Japan PTA.

Secrets of Space

Pg. 1 - Cast of Characters

ジュリ	ふしぎ	と	星	に	強い	小学生。
julie	fushigi	to	hoshi	ni	tsuyoi	shougakusei
Julie (name)	mysterious	and	star	at/in	strong	elementary school student

Julie - a mysterious and strong at star (???) elementary school student.

少し	ウーマン	リブ
sukoshi	uuman	ribu
a little/slightly	woman's	lib

She's a little bit of a woman's libber.

自分	で	は、	美人	と	思って	いる。
jibun	de	wa	bijin	to	omotte	iru
oneself	at/with	as for	beautiful woman	(quot)	thinking	is

In her own mind, she's beautiful.

オーストラリア	生まれ。
osutoraria	umare
Australia	-born

-umare is a suffix for the place someone was born, so "Tokyo-umare" means "Tokyo-born".

Australia-born.

ちょっと	あわてもの	で	研究	ねっしんな	小学生。
chotto	awatemono	de	kenkyuu	nesshinna	shougakusei
somewhat	rash person	is-and	research	eager	elementary school student

de is the continuative form of desu, here being used to connect two clauses.

Seiichi - a rash elementary school student who is eager to learn.

スーパー	テレビ	の	大ファン。
suupaa	terebi	no	daifan
super	television	(poss)	big-fan

"dai-fan" combines the kanji 大, for "big", with the katakana rendering of the word "fan".

A big fan of super television.

ピコ	ジュリ	と	いっしょ	に	宇宙	を	回る。
piko	juri	to	issho	ni	uchuu	o	mawaru
Piko (name)	Julie (name)	with/at	together	at/in	space	(obj)	go around.

Going around space with Julie and Piko.

ピコ	宇宙	の	は	て	を	さがして
piko	uchuu	no	wa	te	o	sagashite
Piko (name)	space	(poss)	as for	hand	(obj)	search-and

アンドロメダ	星雲	から	光子	ロケット	で	きた	宇宙人。
andoromeda	seiun	kara	koushi	roketto	de	kita	uchuujin
Andromeda	galaxy	from	photon	rocket	with/at	came	spaceman

andoromeda seiun kara koushi roketto de kita is a complete phrase ("came from the Andromeda galaxy by photon rocket") modifying the noun uchuujin to make a noun phrase ("the spaceman who came from the Andromeda galaxy by photon rocket").

Piko - a spaceman who came from the Andromeda galaxy by photon rocket and is searching for space's "hateh".

知能指数	二	百
chinoushisuu	ni	hyaku
intelligence quotient	two	hundred

IQ 200

Pg. 4 Title

A Letter to Spacemen

Pg. 4 Side text

光子	ロケット	は、	光	出して	飛び、
koushi	roketto	wa	hikari	dashite	tobi
photon	rocket	as/for	light	leaving-and	flight

ひかり	に	近い	スペード	が	でる。
hikari	ni	chikai	supeedo	ga	deru
light	at/in	near/neighborhood	speed	(sub)	is/are

The photon rocket emits light and is flying almost at the speed of light.

Pg. 4 Panel 1

宇宙人	へ	の	手紙
uchuujin	e	no	tegami
spacemen	at/towards	(poss)	letter

A letter to spacemen

Pg. 4 Panel 2

Aaaaaa-

Pg. 4 Panel 3

二百年?	アンドロメダ	大星雲	から	飛び	たった
nihyakunen	andoromeda	daiseiun	kara	tobi	tatta
two hundred years	Andromeda	big galaxy	from	flight	taken

光子	ロケット	は	地球	近ついて	いた。
koushi	roketto	wa	chikyuu	chikazuite	ita
photon	rocket	as/for	earth	drawing-near	was

For 200 years or more, flying from the Andromeda galaxy, the Photon Rocket had been getting closer to Earth.

The photon rocket that had been flying from Andromeda for 200 years was drawing closer to Earth.

Pg. 4 Panel 4

ロケット	に	は	地球人	より	はるか	すぐれた	頭のう	を
roketto	ni	wa	chikyuunin	yori	haruka	sugureta	zunou	o
rocket	at/in	as for	earthing	more/better than	far away/long ago	surpassed	brains	(obj)

もった	宇宙人	ピコ	が	のって	いた
motta	uchuunin	piko	ga	notte	ita
held	spacemen	Piko (name)	(sub)	riding	was

Riding that rocket was Piko, a spaceman whose brain long ago surpassed those of earthmen.

Pg. 5 Side text

いま	の	科学	で	は、	光	より
ima	no	kagaku	de	wa	hikari	yori
now	(poss)	science	with/at	as for	light	more than

はやい	もの	は	考えられない。
hayai	mono	wa	kangaerarenai
fast	thing	as for	cannot think

Current science can't think of anything going faster than the speed of light.

光	の	はやさ	は	一秒間	に	三十万	キロメテール。
hikari	no	hayasa	wa	ichibyoukan	ni	sanjyuuman	kiromeetoru
light	(poss)	speed	as for	one seconds' time	at/in	300,000	kilometers

The speed of light is 300,000 kilometers per second.

Pg. 5 Panel 1

Aaaa~

Pg. 5 Panel 2

Aa_

Pg. 5 Panel 3

Fuuuu.....

Pg. 5 Panel 4

ぼく	は、	宇宙	を	光	の	はやさ	で	二百万円	も
boku	wa	uchuu	o	hikari	no	hayasa	de	nihyakumannen	mo
I	as for	space	(obj)	light	(poss)	speed	with/at	200,000 years	already

	とんで	いる。
	tonde	iru.
	flying	am

I've already been flying through space at the speed of light for 200,000 years.

だが、	まだ	宇宙	は	つづいて	いる。
da ga	mada	uchuu	wa	tsuzuite	iru
but/however	yet	space	as for	continuing	is

But still space goes on.

Pg. 5 Panel 5

あっ	たいくつ	だ	な
aa	taikutsu	da	na
Ah	boring/tedious	is	isn't it

Oh, so boring...

Pg. 5 Panel 6

きゃあっ

kyaa

ouch

Pg. 5 Panel 7

なにか	に	ぶつかった	よう	だ	ぞ。
nanika	ni	butsukatta	you	da	zo
anything/something	at/in	collided against	looks-like	is	(emph)

Looks like I hit something!

Pg. 5 Panel 8

あっ	宇宙人	だ！！
a	uchuunin	da
ah!	spacemen	is/are

The small tsu after the exclamation indicates it is cut off sharply.

Aa! Spacemen!

Pg. 6　Side text

まめ	ちしき	宇宙	で	は、
mame	chishiki	uchuu	de	wa
hard-working?	knowledge	space	with/at	as for

昼	も	夜	も	ない。
hiru	mo	yoru	mo	nai
daytime	also	night	also	is-not

Hard-working knowledge: In space, there is no day or night.

暗い	空	に	星	が	いつも	かがやいて	いる。
kurai	sora	ni	hoshii	ga	itsumo	kagayaite	iru
dark	sky	at/in	stars	(sub)	always	twinking	are

The stars are always twinkling in the dark sky.

Pg. 6 Panel 4

たすけて	くれて	ありがとう。
tasukete	kurete	arigatou
helping	giving-to-us	thanks

kureru means "to give"; kudaru, is a more polite equivalent. Both Seiichi's and Julie's speech is informal.

Seiichi: Thanks for helping us.

地球人	の	星一	です。
chikyuujin	no	Seiichi	desu
earthmen	(poss)	Seiichi (name)	is

"I'm earthman's Seiichi." -> "I'm Seiichi of the Earthmen"

Seiichi: I'm Seiichi from Earth.

わたし	は、	ジュリ。
watashi	wa	Julie
I	as for	Julie (name)

Julie: I'm Julie.

よろしく	ね。
yoroshiku	ne
well/nicely	isn't it

yoroshiku ne is a shortened and informal form of the polite introduction phrase, doozo yoroshiku onegai shimasu, which literally means "I humbly request that you treat me well."

Julie: Glad to meet you.

ぼく	は、	ピコ。
boku	wa	piko
I	as for	Piko (name)

boku is a rough/informal word for "I" used mostly by males.

Piko: I'm Piko.

ちょうど、	たいくつ	して	いた	ところ	な	ん	だ。
chooudo	taikutsu	shite	ita	tokoro	na	n	da
just/exactly	boring	doing	was	place	is	(explan)	is

na n da is a complete modifier indicating that the preceding sentence is an explanation. Piko is explaining how he came to pick them up.

Piko: I was just being bored here.

Pg. 6 Panel 5

きみたち	の	月	ロケット	は、	だいぶ	軌道	を
kimitachi	no	tsuki	roketto	wa	daibu	kidou	o
you (plural)	(poss)	moon	rocket	as for	quite	track	(obj)

はずれて	いた	よ。
hazurete	ita	yo
missing	was	(emph)

Piko: Your rocket was way off track.

ぼく	と、	ぶつなかったら、	永久	に	地球	に	は
boku	to	butsunakattara	eikyuu	ni	chikyuu	ni	wa
I	with	if-hadn't-bumped-into	eternal	at/in	earth	at/in	as for

	もどれなかったろう	よ。
	modorenakattarou	yo
	would-not-have-been-able-to-return	(emph)

Piko: If you hadn't run into me, you would never have been able to get back to Earth.

Pg. 6 Panel 6

ん！	それ	は	なに？
n!	sore	wa	nani?
huh/hey	that	as for	what

Piko: Hey! What's that?

Pg. 6 Panel 7

きゃあっ

kyaa_

eek

The small tsu indicates that the noise is cut off sharply

Piko: Eek!

Pg. 7 Title

宇宙人	へ	の	手紙	アンドロメダ	星雲
uchuujin	e	no	tegami	andoromeda	seiun
spacemen	towards/to	(poss)	letter	Andromeda	galaxy

A letter to Spacemen (Andromeda galaxy)

Pg. 7 Side text

アメリカ	に	ある	パロマ	天文台	の	望遠鏡	は
amerika	ni	aru	paroma	tenmondai	no	pouenkyou	wa
America	at/in	exist	Palomar	observatory	(poss)	telescope	as for

直けい	五	メートル	の	大反しゃ	鏡	で
chokkei	go	meetoru	no	daihansha	kyou	de
diameter	5	meters	(poss)	big reflection	-scope	with/at

星	を	しらべる。
hoshi	o	shiraberu
stars	(obj)	examine/investigate

The Palomar Observatory telescope in America investigates the stars with its 5-meter-diameter reflecting scope.

Pg. 7 Bottom box headline

宇宙人	は	いる	か
uchuujin	wa	iru	ka
spacemen	as for	exist	(qu)

Do Spacemen exist?

パロマ	天文台	の	望遠鏡	で	うつした
paroma	tenmondai	no	bouenkyou	de	utsushita
Palomar	observatory	(poss)	telescope	with/at	photographed

宇宙	の	すがた	です
uchuu	no	sugata	desu
space	(poss)	shape	is

This is the shape of space photographed by the telescope at Palomar.

This is what space looks like, as photographed by the Palomar Observatory.

まっ暗な	空	に	星	だけ	が	かがやいて	います。
makkura	sora	ni	hoshi	dake	ga	kagayaite	imasu
pitch-dark	sky	at/in	stars	only	(sub)	twinkling	exist

Only the stars are twinkling in the pitch-dark sky.

まん中	に	見える	の	が	アンドロメダ	星雲。
mannaka	ni	mieru	no	ga	andoromeda	seiun
the middle	at/in	able to see	(nom)	(sub)	Andromeda	galaxy

Although "no" is usually treated as indicating possession, in this sentence it functions as a nominalizer, taking the entire preceding verb clause (can-be-seen-in-the-middle), and turning it into a noun-phrase that can be the subject of the sentence.

The object that can be seen in the middle is the Andromeda galaxy.

雲	と	いって	も	雨	に	かんけい	ありません。
kumo	to	itte	mo	ame	ni	kankei	arimasen
cloud	(quot)	saying	also	rain	at/in	related	is not

The -te form of a verb followed by mo often means, "even though the preceding is true..."
The wordplay this sentence is based on is that the Japanese word for galaxy is formed from two kanji meaning "star" and "cloud."

Even though it's called a cloud, it's not related to rain.

これ	は	たくさん	の	星	の	あつまり	な	の	です。
kore	wa	takusan	no	hoshi	no	atsumari	na	no	desu
this	as for	many	(poss)	stars	(poss)	gathering	(nom)	(explan)	is

This is a cluster of many stars.

この	中	に	宇宙人	の	いる	星	が	ある	か
kono	naka	ni	uchuujin	no	iru	hoshi	ga	aru	ka
this (one)	middle	at/in	spacemen	(poss)	exist	star	(sub)	exists	(qu)

まだ	だれにも	分かって	いまぜん。
mada	dare ni mo	wakatte	imasen
yet	no one	knowing	is-not

Whether a star with spaceman exists in it, no one yet knows.

Pg. 8 Title

A letter to spacemen

Pg. 8 Side text

地球	を	まわる	人口	衛星	の	はやさ	は
chikyuu	o	mawaru	jinkou	eisei	no	hayasa	wa
earth	(obj)	circle	manmade	satellite	(poss)	speed	as for

一	秒	に	やく	八～十一	キロメートル。
i	byou	ni	yaku	hachi-juuichi	kiromeetoru
1	second	at/in	about	8-11

Hard-working Knowledge: The speed of satellites orbiting the earth is 8 to 11 kilometers per second.

Pg. 8 Panel 1

へへ。	これ	は	地球	に	いる	クモ	だ	よ。
hehe	kore	wa	chikyuu	ni	iru	kumo	da	yo
ha ha	this	as for	earth	at/in	exists	spider	is	(emph)

Seiichi: Haha! This is a picture of a spider from Earth.

Pg. 8 Panel 2

きみ	の	悪い	生き物	だ	なあ。。。
kimi	no	warui	ikimono	da	naa
you	(poss)	bad/evil	living creature(s)	is	(spec)

Piko: You have bad creatures, don't you?

これ	わたしたち	が	つれて	きた	の。
kore	watashitachi	ga	tsurete	kita	no
this	us	(sub)	taking	came	(explan)

Julie: We brought this.

宇宙	で	もす	が	はれる	か	どう	か
uchuu	de	mosu	ga	hareru	ka	dou	ka
space	with/at	???	(sub)	gets better	(qu)	how	(qu)

実験	用	な	の	よ。
jikken	you	na	no	yo
experiment	sort of thing	coupola	(explan)	(emph)

Julie: It's a sort of experiment to see whether it does better or how it does in space.

Pg. 8 Panel 3

地球人	が	月旅行	を	する	まで	に	は、
chikyuujin	ga	tsukiryokou	o	suru	made	ni	wa
earthmen	(sub)	moon trip	(obj)	do	until	at/in	as for

いろんな	生き物	で	実験	した	の	よ。
ironna	ikimono	de	jikken	shita	no	yo
various	living creatures	with/at	experiment	did	(explan)	(emph)

Julie: Up until the moon trip, earthmen did various experiments with living creatures.

へえー。	ジュリ	って	よく	知ってる	ん	だ	な。
heee.	jyuri	tte	yoku	shitteru	n	da	na
huh	Julie	(quot)	well/really	is-knowing	(explan)	is	isn't-it

shitteru is a contraction of shitte iru, the -te (continuitive) form of shiru (to know) plus iru, so "is knowing"

Huh. The one called Julie really knows, huh?

Seiichi: Huh. Julie really knows her stuff!

Pg. 8 Panel 4

宇宙	を	めざす	地球人
uchuu	o	mezasu	chikyuujin
space	(obj)	to aim	earthmen

Aiming-at-space Earthmen

Title: Space-focused Earthmen

もしもし	ハロウ
moshimoshi	harou
hello	hello

"moshimoshi" is the standard way to begin a telephone conversation in Japan. When answering the phone, it is typically followed by announcing your own name or company.

Scientists: Hello, hello.

もし	宇宙人	の	すむ	星	が
moshi	uchuujin	no	sumu	hoshi	ga
if	spacemen	(poss)	to live	star	(sub)

あれば	信号	を	だして	いる	はず。
areba	shingou	o	dashite	iru	hazu
if-exists	traffic light/signal	(obj)	emitting	is	supposed/expected

If stars where spacemen live exist, they should be putting out a signal.

If there are inhabited stars, they should be putting out a signal.

電場	望遠鏡	で	しらべてみた。	（アメリカ	オズマ	計画）
denpa	bouenkyou	de	shirabetemita	amerika	ozuma	keikaku
radio wave	telescope	with/at	try-and-study	America	???	plan

They tried to investigate this via radio telescopes (The America SETI plan).

どう	やら	ぱく	は	、	す.し.	されて	いた	よう	な。
dou	yara	paku	wa	,	mu-shi	sarete	ita	you	na
how	what with	counter for nights stayed	as for	,	disregard	doing (pol)	was	look-like	isn't-it

Piko: How many nights did I accidentally do that, huh?

Pg. 8 Panel 5

Title: In 1957

地球人	は、	はじめて	人工	衛星	.
chikyuujin	wa	hajimete	jinkou	eisei	(stop)
earthmen	as for	first	man-made	satellite	(stop)

スプートニク	一号	を	うちあげた。
supuutoniku	ichigou	o	uchiageta
Sputnik	I	(obj)	was launched

As for earthmen, the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, was launched.

The first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, was launched.

この	年、	ライか	犬	を
kono	toshi	raika	ken	o
this	year	Raika (name)	(suffix for dog)	(obj)

のせた	人工	衛星	も	成功。	（ソ連）
noseta	jinkou	eisei	mo	seikou	soren
was given a ride	man-made	satellite	also	achievement	(U.S.S.R.)

Also, the first satellite to carry a dog, Laika, into orbit was achieved that year (by the U.S.S.R.).

ルーマニア	の	切手
roomania	no	kitte
Romania	(poss)	stamp

Caption: Romanian stamp

かわいそう	に、	地球	に	もどれなかった。
kawaisou	ni	chikyuu	ni	modorenakatta
pitiful	at/in	earth	at/in	did not return

Sadly, Laika didn't return to earth.

Pg. 9 Title

A letter to spacemen

Pg. 9 Side text

まめちしき	月	は	どこ	の	国	の	もの	でも	ない。
mamechishiki	tsuki	wa	doko	no	kuni	no	mono	de mo	nai.
hard-working fact	moon	as for	anywhere	(poss)	country	(poss)	thing/object	is yet	not

The moon doesn't yet belong to any country.

地球	に	すむ	みんな	の	ため	の	もの。
chikyuu	ni	sumu	minna	no	tame	no	mono
earth	at/in	live	everyone	(poss)	sake	(poss)	thing/object

common usage is "~ no tame ni" meaning "for the sake of ~".

It's for everyone living on earth.

Pg. 9 Panel 1

１９５９	年
issenkyukyakugojyukyu	nen

Year: 1959

ルナ	二号	を	うちあげ、	月	に	命中	させた。	（ソ連）
runa	nigou	o	uchiage	tsuki	ni	meichuu	saseta	soren
lunar	no. 2	(obj)	launch-and	moon	at/in	hit	was-made-to	(U.S.S.R.)

saseru, either as an independent verb or as a suffix, means that someone/thing was made to do, or sometimes allowed to do, the previous action.

Lunar No. 2 was launched into the moon (by the U.S.S.R.).

SFX: gonn!

アメリカ	でも、	いろいろな	ロケット	を	うちあげた。
amerika	demo	iroirona	roketto	o	uchiageta
America	but	various	rockets	(obj)	launched

demo as a conjunction often means 'but', however, here it has more the feeling of 'meanwhile'.

America, meanwhile, was launching various rockets.

Pg. 9 Panel 2

１９６１年

issenkyuhyakurokujyuuichinen

Year 1961

Year: 1961

地球人	が	はじめて	宇宙	飛行。
chikyuujin	ga	hajimete	uchuu	hikou
earthmen	(sub)	first	space	flight

Man's first spaceflight

乗った	の	は	ガガーリン	さん。	（ソ連）
notta	no	wa	gagaarin	san	soren
rode	(poss)	as for	Gagarin	Mr.	(U.S.S.R.)

The person riding was Mr. Gagarin.

The man aboard: Yuri Gagarin of the U.S.S.R.

わたし	の	そんけい	する	人	よ。
watashi	no	sonkei	suru	hito	yo
I/me	(poss)	respect/admiration	do	hito	(emph)

Julie: This is definitely the person I respect.

Julie: My idol

ウヒョッ	ジュリ	より	美人	だ。
uhyou	jyuri	yori	bijin	da
o-ho	Julie	than	beautiful-woman	is

Seiichi: O-ho, much more beautiful than Julie.

女性	宇宙	飛行	士た	ん	生。
josei	uchuu	hikou	shita	n	shou
woman	space	flight	did	(nom)	came forth/produce

The production of the first female to have flown in space.

The first female astronaut.

テレシコワ	さん	（ソ連）
tereshikowa	san	noren
Tereshkova	Mrs.	(U.S.S.R.)

Valentina Tereshkova (U.S.S.R.)

１９６３年

issenkyuhyakurokuejyuunen

Year: 1963

Pg. 9 Panel 3

1969年

issenkyuhyakurokujukyunen

Year: 1969

ほんとう	の	こと	を	いった	から	って
hontou	no	koto	o	itta	kara	tte
truth	(poss)	fact/matter	(obj)	said	from	(quot)

おこる	な	よ。
okoru	na	yo
lose one's temper	(explan)	(emph)

You got mad because a true thing was said.

Seiichi: You got mad because I said something true, didn't you?

地球人	は	アポロ	十一号	で	月	に	むかい...。
chikyuujin	wa	aporo	juuichigou	de	tsuki	ni	mukai
earthmen	as for	Apollo	11	with/at	moon	at/in	departure/head for

Humans head for the moon on Apollo 11...

Pg. 9 Panel 4

はじめて	月	に	着陸。
hajimete	tsuki	ni	chakuriku
first	moon	at/in	landing

The first moon landing.

Seiichi: Ouuuch

月	の	石	を	おみやげ	に、
tsuki	no	ishi	o	omiyage	ni
moon	(poss)	stone	(obj)	souvenir	at/in

地球	に	かえった。	（アメリカ）
chikyuu	ni	kaetta	amerika
earth	at/in	returned	America

They returned to earth with moon rocks as souvenirs.

Pg. 9 Panel 5

おっ！	なにか	近づいて	くる	ぞ。
o_!	nanika	chikazuite	kuru	zo
Oh!	anything	approaching	come	(emph)

The small tsu after the exclamation indicates the sound is cut off sharply.

Piko: Oh! Something's coming!

Pg. 10 Panel 1

よし、	スピード	を	おとして	見て	みよう。
yoshi	supeedo	o	otoshite	mite	miyou
well	speed	(obj)	reduce-and	see	try

the -te form of a verb followed by a conjugation of miru (to see) means to try-the-verb-and-see. So, mite miru would mean "we'll try to see" or "we'll see and find out what happens."

Piko: Well, let's lose speed and try to see it.

Pg. 10 Panel 2

SFX: gun~n

Pg. 10 Panel 3

Julie and Seiichi: uwa~

Pg. 10 Panel 4

地球	で	も	よく	ある	こと…
chikyuu	de	mo	yoku	aru	koto
earth	with/at	also	often/well	exist	fact/matter

宇宙	で	も	同じ	な	ん	だ	よ。	ハハハハ。
uchuu	de	mo	onaji	na	n	da	yo	hahahaha
space	with/at	also	same	is	(explan)	is	(emph)	Ha ha ha ha

chikyuu de mo yoku aru ("It also often exists on earth") is a complete thought modifying "koto", fact.
n desu is an explanatory form and n da is the plain form of it. Adjectival nouns like onaji take na before the n desu form.

Piko: This happens all the time on Earth... it's the same in space! Haha!

Bus SFX: kkikiki (screech of brakes)

Taxi SFX: kya_ (frightened)

Pg. 10 Panel 5

なん	だろう？	あの	飛行	物体	は？
nan	darou	ano	hikou	buttai	wa?
what	is-wonder	that	flying	object	as for

Seiichi: I wonder what it is, that flying thing?

Pg. 10 Panel 6

そう	だ。	あれ	は
sou	da	are	wa
so	is	that	as for

たしか	パイオニア	十号	と	か	いった	な。
tashika	pionia	juugou	to	ka	itta	na
possibly	Pioneer	No. 10	(quot)	(qu)	called	wondering

Ending a sentence with na often gives it the feeling of "is it, I wonder?" similar to darou.

Piko: Yeah. Possibly, it's the spacecraft called Pioneer 10.

Pg. 10 Panel 7

へんな	望遠鏡
henna	bouenkyou
strange	telescope

hen is a -na adjective, meaning that when used directly before a noun it takes the suffix -na.

Side Text: Strange Telescopes

イギリス	切手
igirisu	kitte
England	stamp

An English stamp

電波	望遠鏡
denpa	bouenkyou
radio wave	telescope

Radio Telescope

宇宙	から	くる	電波	を、
uchuu	kara	kuru	denpa	o
space	from	come	radio waves	(obj)

大きな	おわん	アンテナ	で	集めて	しらべます。
ookina	owan	antena	de	atsumete	shirabemasu
large	bowl/dish	antenna	with/at	receive-and	study/investigate

Radio waves from space are received and studied by large dish antennas.

人口	衛星	や	宇宙船	から	の	通信	も	とらえます。
jinkou	eisei	ya	uchuushin	kara	no	tsusshin	mo	toraemasu
man-made	satellites	and	spaceships	from	(nom)	communication	also	capture

It also receives communications from spaceships and satellites.

名まえ	は	電波	望遠鏡。
namae	wa	denpa	bouenkyou
name	as for	radio	telescope

It's name is Radio Telescope.

It's called a Radio Telescope.

もし、	宇宙人	の	すむ	星	が	あって、
moshi	uchuujin	no	sumu	hoshi	ga	atte
if/in case	spacemen	(poss)	live (verb)	star	(sub)	exist-and

地球	に	電波	を	おくって	きたら、
chikyuu	ni	denpa	o	okutte	kitara
chikyuu	at/in	radio wave	(obj)	send-and	if-come

キャッチ	して	くれる	でしょう。
kyacchi	shite	kureru	deshou
catch	doing	(favorable)	perhaps

If there are inhabited stars sending radio waves to Earth, it may receive them.

Pg. 11 Title

宇宙人	へ	の	手紙	（パイオニア	１０号）
uchuujin	e	no	tegami	paionia	jyuugou
spacemen	towards/at	(poss)	letter	Pioneer	10

A Letter to Spacemen (Pioneer 10)

Pg. 11 Side text

まめ	ちしき	電波	の	強さ	は、
mame	chishiki	denpa	no	tsuyosa	wa
hard-working	fact	denpa	(poss)	strength	as for

きょり	が	二ばい	に	なる	と	四分の一、
kyori	ga	nibai	ni	naru	to	one-quarter
distance	(sub)	two times	at/in	become	and	one-quarter

三ばい	に	なる	と	九分の一	に	なる。
sanbai	ni	naru	to	one-ninth	at/in	becomes
three times	at/in	become	and	one-ninth	ni	naru

tsuyosa is the noun form of the adjective tsuyoi, strong
In Japanese, fractions are expressed by giving the number of possible parts (the denominator) followed by no and the number of actual parts (the numerator). Thus, one-quarter is yonbun (four parts) no ichi and one-ninth is kyubun (nine parts) no ichi.

As for the strength of radio waves, when the distance becomes twice as much it's one-quarter, if the distance becomes three times as much, it's one-ninth.

The strength of radio waves is one-quarter as much at twice the distance, and one-ninth as much at three times the distance.

Pg. 11 Panel 1

宇宙人	へ	手紙	を？
uchuujin	e	tegami	o
spacemen	towards/at	letter	(obj)

A Letter to Spacemen?

パイオニア	十号
paionia	juugou
Pioneer	10

Pioneer 10

いま、	右	に	見える	木星	の	そば	を	通る	ところ	です。
ima	migi	ni	mieru	mokusei	no	soba	o	tooru	tokoro	desu
now	right	at/in	able to be seen		(poss)	side	(obj)	go/pass	place	is

Here you can see it's passing to the right of Jupiter.

おわん	の	ような	形	を	して	います	が、
owan	no	youna	katachi	o	shite	imasu	ga
dish-shaped	(poss)	-similar to	shape	(obj)	doing	is	but

これ	が	パラボラ	アンテナ	に	なって	います。
kore	ga	parabora	antena	ni	natte	imasu
this	(sub)	parabola	antenna	at/in	becoming	is

-you is a suffix meaning "-like" seems to be", and it takes na to turn it into an adjective.

The shape (right in front of the planet) is the parabolic antenna.

地球	から	もの	すごく	はなれた	場所	から
chikyuu	kara	mono	sugoku	hanareta	basho	kara
earth	from	thing/object	amazingly	was able to speak	place	from

通信	する	ため	です。
tsuushin	suru	tame	desu
communications	do	sake-of	is

Amazingly, it's able to hear communications from Earth.

左がわ	の	２本	の	うで	の	さき	に	は、
hidarigawa	no	nihon	no	ude	no	saki	ni	wa
left side	(poss)	2 pointy things	(poss)	arm	(poss)	end/tip	at/in	as for

原子力	電池	もつ	いて	います。
genshiryoku	denchi	motsu	ite	imasu
atomic energy	battery	hold	being	is

The ends of the two arms on the left side are holding atomic batteries.

パイオニア	十号	は、	これ	から	広い	宇宙	を、
paionia	juugou	wa	kore	kara	hiroi	uchuu	o
Pioneer	10	as for	this	from	spacious	space	(obj)

何万年	も	何百万年	も
nanmannen	mo	nanhyakumannen	mo
how-many-10,000s-of-years	also/even	how-many-millions-of-years	also/even

旅	を	つづける	でしょう。
tabi	o	tsuzukeru	deshou
flight	(obj)	continues	perhaps

From here, Pioneer 10 will continue its journey into wide open space for tens of thousands or maybe even millions of years.

Pg. 12 Title

A Letter to Spacemen

Pg. 12 Side Text

まめ	ちしき	宇宙	から	見れば	地球	も	星	の	一つ。
mame	chishiki	uchuu	kara	mireba	chikyuu	mo	hoshi	no	itsu
hard-working	fact	space	from	if-can-see	earth	also/even	star	(poss)	one small thing

Seen from space, Earth is also just one small thing.

じぶん	で	光らない	が、
jibun	de	hikaranai	ga
oneself/myself	with/at	not shine	but

太陽	の	光	を	反射	する	ので	わかる。
taiyou	no	hikari	o	hansha	suru	node	wakaru
the sun	(poss)	light	(obj)	reflect	do	therefore	understand

It doesn't shine by itself, but we know it from reflecting the sun's light.

It doesn't shine by itself but we can see it because it reflects the sun's light.

Pg. 12 Panel 1

あれ	は、	たしか	地球人	が	打ち上げた	の	じゃない	か。
are	wa	tashika	chikyuujin	ga	uchiageta	no	janai	ka
that	as for	possibly	earthmen	(sub)	launched	(nom)	isn't	(qu)

Piko: Maybe that wasn't launched by humans then?

無責任	だ	ぞ。	メッ！
musekinin	da	zo	me
irresponsible	is	(emph)	hmmph

Piko is implying that Pioneer 10 is space garbage.

Piko: That's irresponsible! Hmph!

ごめん	ごめん。	よわい	なあ。
gomen	gomen	yowai	naa
sorry	sorry	weak	isn't it

Seiichi: Sorry, sorry, it's weak.

Pg. 12 Panel 2

ところ	で、	これ	は	スーパー	テレビ	と	いって、
tokoro	de	kore	wa	suupaa	terebi	to	itte
place	with/at	this	as for	super	television	(quot)	said-and

地球	の	テレビ	の	は、
chikyuu	no	terebi	no	wa
earth	(poss)	television	(nom)	as for

だいぶ	ちがう	もの	だ。
daibu	chigau	mono	da
quite/very	change	thing/object	is

Piko: This over here is called Super Television, and it's completely different from earth television.

のう波	を	感じて、	見たい	もの、	知りたい	こと、
nouha	o	kanjite	mitai	mono	shiritai	koto
brain waves	(obj)	sensing impressed	want-to-see	thing/object	want-to-know	fact

なんでも	つして	くれる	テレビ	な	んだ	よ。
nandemo	tsushite	kureru	terebi	na	n da	yo
anything	project-and	do-for-you	television	is	(explan)	(emph)

The -te form of a verb plus kureru (give-down-to, only used with respect to others) combine to mean "do the verb for my sake", so tsushite kureru = project for you.

Piko: This can show you anything -- brain waves you want to sense, things you want to see, facts you want to know.

へへへ…	おもしろい	テレビ	だ。	たれ目	だ	ね。
hehehe	omoshiroi	terebi	da	tareme	da	ne
hehehe...	interesting	television	is	droopy-eyed	is	isn't it

Seiichi: Ha ha ha. That's an interesting television, droopy-eyed, isn't it?

Pg. 12 Panel 3

じゃあ、	さっそく	あの	パイオニア	十号
jaa	sassoku	ano	paionia	juugou
well	immediately/promptly	that	Pioneer	10

の	こと	を	しらべて	みよう。
no	koto	o	shirabete	miyou
(poss)	fact/matter	(obj)	investigate-and	see (command)

The te form of a verb followed by a conjugation of miru (to see) forms a compound verb meaning "try to do the action and see (what happens)"

Piko: Well, right now, let's try to find out about Pioneer 10.

そう	だ	ね。
sou	da	ne
so	is	isn't it

Seiichi: Sure.

Pg. 12 Panel 4

SFX: Mu (sound of neck snapping to attention)

Pg. 12 Panel 5

お答え	します。
okotae	shimasu
answer (hon)	do

Super TV: Answer

Pg. 13 Title

A letter to spacemen

Pg. 13 Side text

まめ	ちしき	本	や	映画	など	で
mame	chishiki	hon	ya	eiga	nado	de
hard-working	fact	books	and	movies	sort-of-thing	with/at

見る	宇宙人	は、
miru	uchuujin	wa
see	spacemen	as for

ぜんぶ	人間	が	考え	だした	もの。
zenbu	ningen	ga	kangae	dashita	mono
all/entirely	human being	(sub)	thoughts/imagination	came out	thing/object

The spaceman we see in books and movies are all from human imagination.

まだ、	だれも	会って	いない。
mada	daremo	atte	inai
yet	no one	meeting	is not

The question words (nani, dare, doko) can be combined with mo and then used with a negative verb to mean "nothing", "no one", "no where", etc.

No one has met one yet.

Pg. 13 Panel 1

パイオニア	十号	は	月	へ	いく	の	で	は	ない。
paionia	juugou	wa	tsuki	e	iku	no	de	wa	nai
Pioneer	10	as for	moon	towards/at	go	(poss)	with/at	as for	is not

Super TV: Pioneer 10 did not go to the moon.

一九七二年	に	アメリカ	から	うちあげられた
issenkuhyakunanajuuninen	ni	amerika	kara	uchiagerareta
the year 1972	at/in	America	from	was able to be launched

Super TV: It was launched from America in the year 1972.

人間	は、	乗って	いない。
ningen	wa	notte	inai
human beings	as for	riding	is not

No human beings were riding it.

Super TV: No humans were aboard.

地球	から	木星	に	向かって	飛行	して	いる。
chikyuu	kara	mokusei	ni	mukatte	hikou	shite	iru
earth	from	Jupiter	at/in	heading for	flight	doing

Super TV: It's taking a flight headed for Jupiter.

宇宙のひみつ / Uchuu no Himitsu / Secrets of Space

宇宙のひみつ　/ Uchuu no Himitsu / Secrets of Space