Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

Hello,
I've just read TPB 20 for the n-th time, and I came across something that puzzles me a bit:
In the story "After the rat", Inspector Ishida has to explain why he couldn't catch Nezumi the night before. The person he has to give his report to is first called "Chief Inspector Ito", but just a few panels later (in fact, during the very same conversation), Ishida adresses him as "Magistrate Ito"; does that mean Ito holds both positions or is it just a minor confusion on Sensei's behalf?

Ok, it is not vital, but since I have to translate the stories for my daughter (and since she can be really good at asking questions about details.. ), I would just like to know...

Thanks in advance for any help offered

Well, a "magistrate" is a high-ranking official who has a juridictional or administrative authority. For instance, a mayor in France and several other countries of Europe is often referred as the "first magistrate" of his city.

As police high officials, in 17th century were named directly from the bakufu, I a priori see no objection to refer a "chief inspector" as a "magistrate".

Cosmo wrote:Well, a "magistrate" is a high-ranking official who has a juridictional or administrative authority. For instance, a mayor in France and several other countries of Europe is often referred as the "first magistrate" of his city.

As police high officials, in 17th century were named directly from the bakufu, I a priori see no objection to refer a "chief inspector" as a "magistrate".

Well, yes, but as far as I have understood it (not necessarily thoroughly, though) there is a mayor, the official head of the town and then there is a chief inspector of the police; in the first story introducing Ishida, he had a superior named "Chief Inspector Ogawa" who was later killed, leaving a vacant position in the police force of that town.

Has there been a promotion for Ishida, so that his next higher ranking official would be the magistrate or has someone else been appointed "Chief Inspector";

Maybe I'm thinking along completely misleading tracks, have lost myself in the branches of unbeknown woods....

no one is the superior of ishida, they may only think they are.

here's a simple explanation:

Ishida > All

Dr5trange wrote:no one is the superior of ishida, they may only think they are.

here's a simple explanation:

Ishida > All

Co-signed.

I never notice the change from "chief inspector" to "magistrate". It was either unintentional, or I had a very good reason for it. Perhaps I was thinking of a "police magistrate", which is pretty common.