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Another Monday, another page! For those caught unawares, there was also an extra update on Friday, this page having continued the previous page’s conversation. As a ninja, Matrix is pretty cavalier about removing her mask, but how else is she gonna get her smokes!

So a couple notes:

The kickstarter is OVER 7k!!!! There’s a little less than 3 days to go, so if you want a piece of this rad book we’re making, time is getting short!

We started posting the reworked Volume 2 pages in the archive, which mean’s we’re totally George Lucasing this thing. The original versions of the pages will cease to exist! Some people may be nostalgic for the lost memories. I, for one, welcome our reworked pages into the NN4B canon, because, unlike the Star Wars Special Editions, we’re very confident these new pages far surpass the originals in the quality of their writing and layout. So far the first ten pages of Volume 2, starting at page 111, have been added into the archive, and we intend to add five reworked pages every day from this point forward until all 225 have been uploaded! We also have an extra purpose for doing this, we’d like you, THE READERS, to help us spot any grammatical errors we may have missed! So please check these pages out, let us know if there’s any glaring issues that need correcting!

Also wanted to mention (or re-mention) that Joe and I were on the The Canned Air podcast! Even though Joe and I consider our opinions and thoughts on pop culture of no actual value, maybe you’ll find some amusement in them.

Published on January 4, 2015 by Alex Kolesar

IDPounder

“All I care about right now is lighting up. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had a smoke? Damn ninjas and their no-smoking secret hideouts…”
http://www.fennecfoxpress.com David A. Tatum

Evidently, Matrix failed to realize that Fujio and Fumio have personal problems, too. Like… uh… well… their two bandit friends who died on page 6 — surely they haven’t gotten over that! Yeah, that’s it….
- Sunwu
  
  Fujio Silently weeps into his helmet every night
  - http://www.fennecfoxpress.com David A. Tatum
    
    I think you mean Fumio. Fujio is the one who is drinking himself to death in order to forget….
    - Sunwu
      
      It’s all they can do To put on a face and keep it together.
Hfar

Clearly Ina’s on the low pathos diet. It helps her keep that trim figure.
Flaming Squirrel

Matrix uses EMPATHY.
It’s super effective!
Ina is stunned.
Ina uses DENIAL.
Matrix blocks with APATHY and escapes.
- John Smith
  
  Alright, let’s review!
  Daisuke Clan: Not Ina’s fault (she was too young)
  Yorikiro: Likewise, not Ina’s fault (Yori made his own decisions)
  Cho: Likewise, again (blind monk with a bad sense of direction and a lot of stubbornness)
  
  So, Ina is only responsible for her own predicament (with a lot of help from Yori’s dad and that greedy ninja clan). Still, it wouldn’t hurt to have her be more aware of her friends’ problems and maybe try helping them out. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
  - jwkovell
    
    It’s not the accusation she deserves, but it might be the accusation she needs.
    
    Truth be told, this isn’t the first time Matrix has told Ina she was self-centered. The first time it resulted in Ina spilling the beans to Yori about running way. Makes you wonder what it’ll make her do this time, hmmmmmmm?
    - John Smith
      
      Interesting! I like this idea, and I’m looking forward to Ina’s next crazy-ass actions.
    - charles81
      
      I’m still waiting for the reveal of Ina’s sister’s fate.
      Best guess is she’s married into another clan.
      - John Smith
        
        OMG, I totally forgot about her! Thanks for reminding me.
      - jwkovell
        
        You’re going to like the rewrite of that page, then. You’ll finally get to learn their (yes, there are several) names.
    - Ryan Thompson
      
      Interesting. She kind of sounds like Enoch Root from Neal Stephenson’s books. (Let’s see if anyone gets this reference.)
      - http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
        
        I’m going to take this as a book recommendation.
      - Ryan Thompson
        
        OK. The particular books in question are Cryptonomicon (Takes place during WW2 and present day) and the Baroque Cycle series (takes place around 1700s). Enoch Root appears in both books. Be warned: they’re pretty big books.
      - http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
        
        Sir, big books are my favorite type of books. 1000 pages? I’m in.
      - Ryan Thompson
        
        Actually, you sound like you would definitely enjoy them. Also, I can tell you that at least one of the main characters in the Baroque Cycle is a ninja. Another main character is Isaac Newton. Also, Cryptonimicon will teach you the optimal method for eating Cap’n Crunch.
      - Flaming Squirrel
        
        In that case, I’ll go ahead and recommend anything by Brandon Sanderson. He’s my favorite author. Since you like 1000+ page books, I’ll put special emphasis on his Stormlight Archive series.
      - http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
        
        Guess who my favorite author is as well, Flaming Squirrel? GO ON GUESS! For seriously, I love Stormlight Archive, love it to death. In fact, I’ll just say I love every book Sanderson has written, even the Alcatraz VS series, even Wheel of Time’s finale books. I SUFFERED through Wheel of Time just because Sanderson finished up the series! Oh, and let’s not forget how great Mistborn is, it’s so great. I also can’t wait for the second Rithmatist book, although that’s apparently going to be a while. Even saying that, waiting ‘a while’ for a Sanderson book is equivalent to a waiting a couple minutes when compared to waiting for a GRR Martin book… Sanderson is PROLIFIC.
      - Flaming Squirrel
        
        Haha, awesome! I’m still working on getting all his stuff read. Just finished Way of Kings, waiting for the paperback of Words of Radiance before I buy it. Have Hero of Ages and Steelheart on my shelf, waiting to be read. I enjoyed Rithmatist, Elantris, and Warbreaker. Mistborn is still my favorite, though. Haven’t read any of his Alcatraz books yet. It’s my goal to read the Wheel of Time books, but I struggled just to get through Eye of the World. But you’re right, he’s an amazing writer. He’s the one who got me obsessed with high fantasy
      - Dylan
        
        I’ll go ahead and add to this, even if I’m a few years late: anything by Neal Stephenson, but especially Snow Crash. It takes place in the future, hopping between the real-world detritus of the USA and the online VR world of the Metaverse. It stars a katana-wielding rogue hacker named Hiro Protagonist (who starts out delivering pizza for the Mob), a skateboarding courier who goes by YT, and a nuclear mutant assassin named Raven. There are ancient Mesopotamian artifacts, a cult-run mega-raft built around an aircraft carrier, and computer viruses that work on human brains. It’s among the best things I’ve ever read.
  - SlugFiller
    
    It’s not that she cause any of their problems, it’s that she constantly recruits them to help solve hers, thus simultaneously not helping them with their problems, and draining their own resources for dealing with their issues. What more, she’s more or less come to expect them to help her, even though they don’t owe her anything.
  - Neska
    
    Well, Matrix isn’t saying that she caused everyone’s problems, only that she hasn’t been paying attention to those around her, except in regards to how what they do affects her. She’s lived the sheltered life of a spoiled princess, even running away to avoid an arranged marriage is very spoiled princess behavior, but it’s time to snap out of it. Certainly, she’s gotten better (she hasn’t been a damsel in distress for a long time!), but she’s still not aware of all the heavy stuff her companions are dealing with. But then, they haven’t exactly been forthcoming (especially Cho). Yori has told her things when it became necessary, Cho mentioned the prophecy, and she knows Ken wants to kill all the Wataro, but she doesn’t really have any details.
    - animalia555
      
      To be fair it’s hard to deal with problems that people don’t tell you about.
charles81

One of these days we’ll see how she lights those cigs
- Nameless Marauder
  
  she learned from baba yaga, she probably can conjure her own smokes too
  - jwkovell
    
    You might be onto something there… or we’re just lazy and have no explanation.
    - charles81
      
      Ultimately I’m under the impression she has some elemental control over fire, much like Lex appears to have air/wind at his disposal. Presumably she need only think the end of the cigarette is on fire and then it is so. Don’t even need to get fancy and have a flame emitted from her fingertip or such.
      - John Smith
        
        She’s got a Zippo hidden in that outfit.
Ryan Thompson

Well, for just having come through several major battles, I’d say they’re doing pretty dame peachy.
AmberOne

As much as I love the pages, and please believe I do as my love for them is a furious burning thing, I am almost always more entertained by the comments below left by regulars who shall not be named (and I mean John Smith, Sunwu, Suburban Samurai and Hfar)
- John Smith
  
  Awww, that’s so sweet!
- KungFuKlobber
  
  See, this is why you shouldn’t name them. You tend to leave out super-awesome people like charles81, Mike, and KungFuKlobber.
  - AmberOne
    
    aaaaawwww don’t be an ass, I think the last one’s pretty special too. however I’m just a reeeeeeeealllllly lazy so and so. One day I will go through this webcomic again and give props for the best comment on each page (in my opinion). Just let me finish university first.
    - http://myanimelist.net/profile/OrlahEhontas OrlahEhontas
      
      So…sometime in the future, when you have nothing better to do.
      - AmberOne
        
        well…yes. that about sums it up.
  - Sunwu
    
    How Dare you! Kung Fu Klobber Is one of the Finest commentators on NN4B we would not be where we are with out him
- jwkovell
  
  If only we could print an extended copy of the comic that includes the comments… but it’d be 800 pages per volume.
  - Sunwu
    
    maybe that could be a kick starter stretch goal for vol3
    - Flaming Squirrel
      
      Heck, I’d pay for that.
- Hfar
  
  I dunno. That last guy seems like kind of a ham to me.
  - AmberOne
    
    What is it with all you self-deprecating people? Haven’t you heard humility is overrated?
    - KungFuKlobber
      
      Hfar was just copying me because I’m so great. 😛
      - Hfar
        
        What’s worth doing well is worth improving upon. 😉
        
        *bang*
    - Hfar
      
      Bu self-deprecation is so much fun! It’s like seeing if you can hit yourself with a water balloon by throwing it straight up in the air.
Nameless Marauder

time travelers pfft! That’s not really insight if you already know the supposed outcome
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  The best part about being a time traveler is the ease with which you can fake insight!
John Smith

What the heck is Matrix after, anyway? First she helps Yori with a new sword, and now she’s guilt-tripping Ina. Does she want those two crazy kids to hook up or what? Inquiring minds want to know!
- charles81
  
  Well… All we know is that she seems to have some game or wager going with the other guy who’s name I can’t recall (white coat). She seems to be focused on Yuri most of all. Its difficult to tell if the others factor into some plan or if they’re just considered support for Yuri to do something that may or may not benefit them as well. She’s watched him, saved his life from a ninja, acted as nurse when she thought he was dying and set him up to get her sword which she appears to have replaced. Supposedly, she shouldn’t have be interfering at all with him but now she’s supposedly only restricted from directly saving his life.
  
  Whitecoat appears to be wagering some other goal that could simply involve Yuri’s death or his failure at something. He seems to have set the Cho’s friends on the path to deal with him, possibly to weaken Cho’s support for Yuri, and was at the docks observing the arrival of the Guru and Christian priest together with the gun shipment. Its unclear if Genchu plays a part in his schemes but I’m willing to bet his angle is more closely aligned with the world ending prophesy.
  - jwkovell
    
    You’ve done an excellent job of gathering the clues so far. It’s just too bad we haven’t provided more. Maybe that’ll change… soon.
    
    White coat’s name is Lex. It actually makes more sense than Matrix’s name.
    
    Also, contrary to what Ken says, Yorikiro’s nickname is “Yori”. Ken only gets it right once or twice in the entire comic… “Yuri” is one of his go-to insults. It’s sort of like Dr. Cox calling John Dorian “Sally” in Scrubs.
    - charles81
      
      Yeah but I’d rather insult Yorikiro than correct Ken 😉
    - Sam DunKley
      
      You know, when I wrote my comment, this one was hidden. Disqus, why did you not load the whole conversation? I made a right fool of myself.
      
      Oh well. At least I was mildly clever.
  - Sam DunKley
    
    That’s insightful and well-founded observation. There’s just one thing undermining it.
    
    His name is YOri. Wataro Yorikiro, in full. He has nothing to do with voice actors, Action RPG protagonists, Russian gangsters, or Japanese lesbians.
    
    Beyond that, spot on.
    - http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
      
      Don’t feel too bad, your comment made me chuckle.
Sunwu

Theory time : so you know how everything is historically messed up in the Nnfb universe? maybe Matrix and the other time traveler is the reason why!! Maybe one is trying to fix it while the other is trying to change it for unknown reason and the collateral damage and cost of time travel is what we see with the inaccuracies in this Japan’s time line. Wibbly wobbly timey whimey!
- John Smith
  
  It’s “Quantum Leap”…WITH SAMURAI! AND NINJA! And of course, everything’s better with PRINCESSES!
- jwkovell
  
  It’s a fun theory. The next question is… if that turns out not to be the case, is it because you were wrong, or is it because I couldn’t stand that someone guessed it and rewrote the backstory accordingly?
  - Sunwu
    
    Well Joe I guess I’ll have to hope that you and Alex are so busy with the kickstarter stuff there’s no possible way you could have time to rewrite it!!!
    - White Rice
      
      We’re talking about time travel, of course the guys making the comic will have the time to change the universe; THEY HAVE TIME TRAVEL! It’ll be like in Bill & Ted, where they’ll just give themselves a reminder to eventually go back & change something, as so long as they do it in the future it’s already gone into effect in the past and they can do it when it’s convenirent for them (best “linear-single timeline” time-travel movie featuring Napoleon at a waterpark)
      - http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
        
        It’s my third favorite time travel movie! (assuming we count back to the future trilogy as one movie).
Jonathan B

I was looking at the kickstarter page, and the NN4B banner beneath the sales comic, and at first glance thought “NN4B.COM” was “In b4 bacon”. Now I’m trying to remember if bacon has appeared in the comic up to this point. Am I in fact in b4 the bacon? This might all be evidence that I need to go get some sleep, so I’ll stop now.
- Ryan Thompson
  
  Sounds more like evidence you need to eat bacon. Or maybe evidence of a stealth marketing campaign by the pork industry.
  - John Smith
    
    Mmmmmm…bacon…*drool*
noisyparker

“It’s not like I care or anything…BAKA!”
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  How anime!
  - noisyparker
    
    *ponders*
    7.
    It’s 7 much anime.
Insane Disciple

Your smile says otherwise

Features these Characters

Belongs to these Storylines

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