#japanese goals may 2023

[tokidokitokyo]

2023年5月31日

TL;DR: Don't feel inadequate if your language learning journey is not the same as that of others. Your path is valid and you are doing great!

May seemed to just speed on by! And now it's time for my monthly Japanese study log. I think this month I felt a lot of shame for not having time to do the big goals that I have set for myself, and seeing people on langblr or studyblr accomplishing a lot of big goals makes me feel inadequate. It's important to remember that your language journey is your own, not someone else's, and there is no shame in going at your own pace. I try to focus on the things that I accomplish and not make the journeys that other people are on into some kind of impossible standard to hold myself to. Look at your own learning through the lens of how far you have come, and you will feel less like you are lacking.

つまり、自分なりに言語の勉強を続いてね。周りの人の道は自分とは違っても、自分でも成長していますね。これからも続きましょう！

5月はあっという間に終了です！今からは日本語の勉強日記を書こうと思います。今月は大きいな目標をなかなか進まなくて辛かったです。それに、タンブラーやインスタグラムの勉強垢をよく見てて、なんか自分が足りないって感じていました。日本語や言語の勉強は自分のやり方で自分のペースで進んだ方がいいと覚えた方がいいと思いますから、それを頑張って思い出そうとしています。他人の成長を見ながら自分の成長が足りないなと思うことはよくやりますが、それを辞めるように努力します。一か月や一年前の自分を見たら、今まですごく成長してきたと気づいたら、足りなくないとわかるかもしれません。

My 2023 Goals Progress

I laid out some broad goals for my Japanese study in my 2023 Japanese Language Goals post, so, as always, I start off my update with my progress towards these goals.

1. Read one page a day of 日本の歴史366 (にほんのれきし366) everyday in 2023.

How is it going? Good! I am finally getting back on track after setbacks from late work nights, illness, and vacation time. Since this is a page-a-day study book, I would have preferred to keep reading in order and to catch up on the days I missed reading, but that was physically impossible due to a lack of time in general. So I am continuing on even though I skipped some days because it's good reading practice and I still learn vocabulary and kanji daily.

2. Finish 日本語総まとめ N3 (にほんごそうまとめ N3) workbooks.

How is it going? Good! I have been doing one workbook daily entry per day for at least 2 days a week. There are 4 workbooks (Vocabulary, Kanji, Grammar, Listening) with 6 weeks and 6-7 daily entries per week. I am still on Week 5 out of 6 weeks, but I am progressing much more than I did last year (or the year before that lol).

I take my time with each lesson, reviewing the vocab/kanji/grammar points meticulously, so that I absorb the information rather than just rush through it. Sometimes I already know most of the vocab or kanji or grammar, but other days require more focus. I feel like I am retaining more information by doing it little-by-little, rather than just trying to get as much done as possible in one sitting. In May, I didn't review the lessons afterwards and throughout the week, so I might take some extra time to do that once I finish the series.

3. Review and learn the first 6 levels of the 常用漢字 (じょうようかんじ), specifically the 教育漢字 (きょういくかんじ) up to grade 6.

How is it going? Okay. I have been trying to focus on Joyo Kanji in my kanji reviews, so I went back to Grade 1 kanji to start my review. It helps me to figure out which ones I know well and where I am struggling. Goal: Review through at least grade 3 during the month of June.

4. Read at least one book every two months.

How is it going? Not great. I haven't had the time (nor the motivation) to pick back up the books I stopped in March, and I'm trying to be okay with that ^^; I would like to pick back up one book in June and try to finish it by July. One thing that I am continuing to read is the Gekkan Shojo Nozaki-kun manga series (in small chunks, usually before bed).

5. Improve my speaking and writing by finding a tutor.

How is it going? It could be better. I am going to set a deadline for finally finding a tutor. I just worry that if I find a tutor I won't be able to commit to a regular schedule and I'll just drop off like I have before. I keep thinking if I had more time to search for a tutor it'd be more permanent, but I think I am just procrastinating (shocked gasps from all). There's also a small worry about the financial commitment, but I am going to try to be frugal in other areas to allow for this luxury. Goal: I will find a tutor by June 30th (or at least start making regular appointments with tutors).

I've also added on to this goal that I would like to start writing sentences on HelloTalk so that I can get feedback without needing a tutor. This might help me to get motivated to improve instead of being terrified of making mistakes. Goal: Write one sentence a day on HelloTalk in June.

6. Study Japanese for at least 10 minutes every day.

How is it going? Good! Thank goodness I have been studying Japanese every day for so long that it's not even something I have to think about trying to fit into my schedule anymore.

May Study Log

This month my top study areas were Vocabulary, Kanji, and Speaking. I spent the least time studying Grammar and practicing Writing.

Study Methods I Used in May

Social Media

Not only did I use apps like renshuu.org (flash cards) and Easy Japanese (articles in Japanese) to study in May, I also used Instagram and started back up on HelloTalk. The idea is to interact with social media in a meaningful way by reading and writing in Japanese. I commented on other user's posts and reached out to some of them as well to start a conversation. The only drawback to this method is that you can get lost in endless doom scrolling if you don't focus on what you are there for (i.e. interaction) and just get lost in the algorithm.

Conversation

I speak Japanese daily (with my husband and son) and since my son is starting to speak in 3-4 word sentences and to copy our speech patterns, I am more mindful of what I am saying to him and how I am saying it (for example, using 大変 instead of やばい ^^;). However, when speaking with my husband it is easier to fall into a Japanglish routine with him, to drop formality and be lazy with sentence construction, and to speak in a more masculine way (because I tend to mimic the speech patterns of those I am speaking with). I have recently made a few Japanese mom friends with whom I can practice Japanese conversation. So I try to utilize our play dates by speaking both formal and casual Japanese, being mindful of my interactions, and trying to utilize new words or grammar points. Using Japanese is the best way to improve it, after all. The only drawback is that the conversation practices can be spaced few and far between, so spending time mindfully speaking at home is also important.

Reading

I have been doing far less reading than I was at the beginning of the year, but I still try to read something for just a few minutes a day to practice reading. Either an article, manga, or even just social media, just to keep myself practicing. Like conversation practice, the best way to improve my reading skills is to keep reading. The drawback is that if I try to read a book but then I have to put it down for a while, I forget what was happening or I lose my motivation to keep reading it because I feel like I am not making progress. If reading books is just not feasible due to a time crunch, I find it much better to read something shorter (articles or part of a manga), and I try not to be hard on myself for not reading a whole book when it seems like everyone else is reading tons of books every month.

Going Forward in June

Be continuous with 日本の歴史366

Focus on grades 1-3 of 教育漢字

Start regular italki tutor sessions

Write in Japanese on HelloTalk

Read one of the books I started earlier in the year by the end of July

I've been studying Japanese for a long time and I still feel inadequate a lot of the time. If you have studied Japanese for any amount of time, please be proud of yourself. You've done something that a lot of people only wish they could do. As always, I wish you much success in your language endeavors, and I hope we can continue on this journey together (no matter where our paths take us)!

長い間日本語を勉強しててもまだまだ足りないと思てます。今までちょっとでも長い間でも日本語を勉強している人に伝いたいことは、よく頑張ったね！日本語を勉強したくても勉強したことない人もたくさんいますので、勉強している人はすごいと思います。そして、自分なりにつづいてください。これからも、皆さん勉強の成功と成長を願っています。どんな道でも、一緒に勉強を続きましょう！

[englishotomegames]

Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling (キューピット・パラサイト -Sweet & Spicy Darling.-)

Release dates (Nintendo Switch) Japanese: November 30th, 2023 English: May 28th, 2024

"Los York, a glitzy trendsetting town, was where our heroine descended. Her true identity was that of the real goddess of love, Cupid.

While working for a major marriage agency named Cupid Corporation, she strived to become the top bridal advisor. She was assigned five hopeless clients known as the Parasite 5!

Even after guiding them through mock dates, matchmaking seminars, and the reality show "Parasite House," all five abruptly canceled their memberships!

Yet their departures brought all their personal challenges to the surface. As she confronted these issues with them, they overcame many unexpected obstacles...

And she fell in love with 'him.'

'I solemnly swear that I will love you so that you always smile. I will protect you for as long as I live.' This is the continued love story of the goddess of love, Cupid, experiencing love firsthand. It's the tale of when she becomes a goddess 'only' for him.

Marriage wasn't the end goal, but the start of a new chapter. Whether they began dating or got married, the only thing awaiting them is a series of unexpected challenges!

A mysterious new creature has appeared in Los York! Could it be a divine message or evidence of an unknown civilization?

A love story so sweet, it'll make your heart melt! The whirlwind of feelings taking the world by storm is far from over!

An endearing, joyful, and chaotic tale that's richer and more exhilarating than ever! This romance featuring a former goddess is so sweet and spicy, it'll make your teeth ache and set your soul ablaze!

And in Merenice Levin's route, her days as Cupid are far from over! A romantic and comedic story in the world of matchmaking is set to unfold!"

This is the fandisc for Cupid Parasite! You can buy the physical version here, or the digital version here.

[cocogum]

Bestiale: the show after Wakfu.

On June 14th, 2023, Animation Digital Network (ADN) released a teaser trailer for the upcoming series, Bestiale, following Wakfu.

Unlike Wakfu, the production of Bestiale has been entrusted to the Japanese team "Studio No Border" instead of the French team.

Here is the synopsis of Bestiale:

Yrehn, a brave and impulsive young Osamodas, protects a sanctuary for animals on Coqueline's island. One fateful day, the Elante, a mythical creature under her care, is abducted by the ruthless Gang of Viandards, a band of dangerous criminals. With the assistance of her new companion Tim, the young woman will confront formidable enemies determined to stop at nothing to accomplish their goals.

Based on the summary alone, we can quickly infer the content of the scenes revealed in the teaser.

In the first scene, Yrehn is shown eavesdropping on a pirate captain as he negotiates with a sram who may be the Gang of Viandards' head chef. The pirate captain appears to be striking a deal with the sram: if he and his crew can capture the Elante, he will receive a good bag of gold as a reward.

In the second scene, we see Yrehn meeting a new character who is supposedly the soon-to-be friend named Tim. He seems to have met her in a restaurant or tavern at best in this shot.

In the third scene, Yrehn is seen tending to the Elante on Coqueline’s island. This Elante, which was previously featured in Season 4, has now reached full maturity.

The Elante has been left unattended without Yrehn (and Coqueline) for some unknown reason and has been pursued by the gang's sram chef.

Luckily, Yrehn arrives on time and immediately starts fighting with the sram.

In the aftermath of a violent confrontation, Yrehn manages to rescue Elante and delivers the amputated hand of the sram chef to the pirate captain who had previously attempted to negotiate with the chef.

(We can tell Yrehn killed the sram chef because we can see that he wears the same skull ring and bracelet on the same right hand)

Here we see Yrehn walking around in town with her familiar, either looking for the whereabouts of the Gang of Viandards or if she’s looking for the Elante.

(This shot doesn’t indicate at what time in Bestiale this takes place or if that’s when she already beat the sram)

And that’s all we’ve got since then.

In addition to the synopsis and the teaser trailer, we got some character sheets of Yrehn made by Xam on twitter as well as an animation exercice.

Here is the Bestiale cover!

Based on the cover alone, there are characters we can already easily identify.

At the top of the cover, right above Yrehn, we can see the pirate captain and the sram chef, followed by a malicious iop who looks like he might also be after the Elante.

At the bottom of the cover, we see some animals and beasts and….ADAMAÏ?!??

Right behind Yrehn, we can see Adamaï in his full dragon form, with no clear explanation for his presence. It is possible that Adamaï may have encountered Yrehn during her quest to find the Elante, as suggested by the Bestiale synopsis. Alternatively, he may appear after Yrehn reclaims the Elante, indicating that Bestiale's plot extends beyond Yrehn’s initial mission. It's important to note that a synopsis usually gives a general overview of the plot and may not contain or present all the elements of the story.

The appearance of Adamaï in Bestiale offers some intriguing insights. Despite the catastrophic event of the big wave, Adamaï is still alive. He appears to be alone, as he is the only easily identifiable character on the cover, and there is no sign of Yugo. Additionally, Adamaï seems older, placing him in a different era. This is indicated by his full dragon form and the sort of hairy bush on his draconic chin, which is the first form we see of him on the cover.

In addition to Adamaï's complete dragon form and Ankama's confirmation of Bestiale being set in the new era, it is obvious enough to know that the series takes place in the Waven era due to the younger and smaller appearance of the last Elante we saw in Wakfu's season 4.

While in Waven, it now looks like a majestic beast in its prime.

The wide difference in the beast’s height, horns, and colors seemed to indicate that a lot of years had passed after the great wave that had marked the beginning of Waven which would suggest that Bestiale happens not at the beginning of Waven, but rather in a time when the twelvians have accustomed to the huge change that happened to their world.

Besides everything that we’ve discussed about Bestiale however, I would like to mention something important about the main character: Yrehn.

All we know about her so far is that she’s a female osamodas with seemingly no family members and has been tasked with being the guardian of a shelter for animals on Coqueline’s island.

We don’t know where she came from, why she had been chosen to be the guardian of the island we had a glimpse of in Wakfu’s season 4, and we have no idea what kind of relationship she has with Coqueline that has resulted in her becoming the guardian instead of simply having the demigod osamodas fill that role herself.

There’s also a very good chance that Yrehn could have been a child at the beginning of the Waven era because of the Waven game cover.

When we look at one of the covers for the game, we can see a little osamodas child with other adventurers and warriors, along with Yugo.

But strangely enough, that little osamodas girl does not appear on the official Waven cover when you enter the game.

Whether the other cover where she was in was an older version of the one we have now leaves us to speculate.

In addition to that, there is also another little osamodas girl who might be Yrehn. And that other osamodas girl is… also another guardian of Coqueline’s island.

Seriously why are there so many osamodas guardians-

This unnamed osamodas girl appears in the 10th chapter of the Lance Dur webtoon.

Lance Dur and his crew (in their prime) were looking for the Elante to kill it so they could take its horns and skin in exchange for a good sum of kamas.

Cadence: “I’m so excited to see this beast! She must be so beautiful!”

Lance: “We’re not here to give her some hugs, we got told to to take its horns and skin.”

And surely enough, they found it when it was much younger (which would mean this event occurred earlier in the Wakfu era).

That’s when they meet the young osamodas girl who has been staying in Coqueline’s island. Granted, the little girl never introduced herself as the official guardian of the island but it is still rather odd that she is staying here on her own without any supervision.

Unnamed osamodas girl: “I present to you all her majesty the Elante!”

Unnamed osamodas girl: “Last of her kind!”

Some people have already made the correlation that this little girl is Yrehn before the Waven era but I would have to disagree for multiple reasons.

When we compare the little girl’s and Yrehn’s designs side by side, we see a lot of differences.

1- The little girl has yellow eyes while Yrehn has blue eyes.

2- The little girl only has one horn situated at the back of her head while Yrehn has two horns in front of her head.

3- The little girl has bangs covering her forehead while Yrehn has a clear head (although this third point can easily be proven inaccurate since hairstyles change over time).

(They both, however, have the same round blue cheeks and eyelashes, I’ll give them that.)

I also don’t believe that this could be the same osamodas because this little girl has been alive since prime Lance dur which must’ve been at a time when the Brotherhood of the Tofu members hadn’t even met yet.

I’d personally prefer to think that the little osamodas girl we’ve seen on the Waven cover is Yrehn for the reasons below.

1- They both have horns situated in front of their heads. The only visual difference here is the younger osamodas girl’s horns being much smaller since she’s far younger.

2- They both have blue eyes.

3- They both have identical strands between their face and don’t have any bangs covering their foreheads.

4- They both prefer to tie their hair high up.

5- They both hold staffs and use them as their main weapons.

All those similar designs lead me to believe that they are the same girl but the waven crew must’ve taken the little osamodas girl out of the waven cover to preserve her for Bestiale only. And unlike the other osamodas girl from the Lance Dur webtoon, this osamodas being a child at the beginning of the Waven era matches perfectly well with how the timeline is supposed to be in Bestiale. Since Yrehn looks to be in her late teens in an era where people have gotten used to the wave’s collateral damages, it would make sense that she’d be a kid when it all began.

However, there is also another possibility to consider: the design of the osamodas girl in the Waven cover must’ve simply been Yrehn’s concept art and the crew decided to use that osamodas to make her.

So in short, here are three possibilities as to which osamodas guardian used to be Yrehn as a child.

1- Yrehn is the osamodas girl from the Lance Dur webtoon.

2- Yrehn is the osamodas girl from the Waven game cover.

3- None of the above. The osamodas girl from the Waven game cover has been removed because her design had been used for Yrehn’s.

Either way, finding out if she was indeed one of those little girls isn’t important, I just wanted to point out the similarities they all shared as well as how many girls Coqueline had given the guardian job to.

Looking back on what we've got for Bestiale so far, it all seems promising.

We do not have a release date for the series so far but we do know that it’s in production at the moment. The news of Bestiale has been known since 2023 so there's a good chance we won’t be seeing it anytime soon.

It just looks like we’ll have to wait and see what kind of new information we’ll be getting in the next ADN upload.

[the-conversation-pod]

Spring 2024 Teaser

And we're back!

This has probably been our longest recording season ever thanks to the scope of projects we wanted to feature here. Some of the projects started in 2023 while others only finished at the end of March.

This season is packed with guests! Beyond the usual appearances from @ginnymoonbeam and @lurkingshan, you'll get to hear from our friends @so-much-yet-to-learn, @wen-kexing-apologist, and @twig-tea as we talk about the continued presence of OffGun and TayNew, our first dedicated GL episode, a discussion of what may be the longest running BL project, a breakdown of shows that started strong but finished weak, and a massive two-part Grab Bag episode to cover a wide gamut of projects.

You're going to be with us for many weeks, so stay tuned for our releases.

Enjoy teaser for the season.

The Conversation Transcripts!

Thanks to the continued efforts of @ginnymoonbeam as transcriber, and @lurkingshan as an editor and proofreader, we are able to bring you transcripts of the episodes.

We will endeavor to make the transcripts available when the episodes launch, and it is our goal to make them available for past episodes (thanks to ongoing efforts from @wen-kexing-apologist). When transcripts are available, we will attach them to the episode post (like this one) and put the transcript behind a Read More cut to cut down on scrolling.

Please send our volunteers your thanks!

Ben

And we're back. We have missed you all. We are finally done with all the VIIB Awards. We're finally done with watching way too much shit this season. and we have so much to talk about. I'm very excited about this season because, finally, I won. We talked about way too much Japanese stuff this season.

NiNi

[laughs] Ben, at the end of last season in the year in review, he said definitely Japanese is where it's at going into this year. And so far looking back in the winter, some of the stuff that I have probably mostly enjoyed, to be fair, has been some of the Japanese work. So, I am on the ride, I'm on the train with you all. There will be a lot of JBL being talked about in here. A little bit of some other stuff, but yeah, a big chunk of it's going to be J-BL and J-BL-adjacent? So that's what you'll be looking forward to.

Ben

The season is one where we're talking about the history and evolution of the genre a lot. We're going to have an episode focusing on GMMTV continuing to work the OffGun and TayNew angle, and how we responded fairly positively to that. 

We're going to talk about the ongoing experience from Japan via Ossan’s Love. 

We're going to finally get to talk about GL in its own episode on the show, and it's not just going to be one project that we're losing our minds over here. 

We decided to properly reflect on some shows that were trying to do something and did not really deliver the way that we hoped, or maybe even the show hoped, they would. 

And then we're going to do two back-to-back grab bag episodes because, while there was a ton of stuff that happened in this season, we weren't able to organize them into a cute setting. So we're going to unpack some genre stuff in one episode and all of the extra Japanese stuff in its own episode because there is just that much of it. 

As always, some of you sent us some questions. Thank you. And we have a new segment with one of our friends that we're really excited for you to see in the back half of the season. 

I’m Ben.

NiNiI'm NiNii. Welcome to the Brown Liquor Podcast, AKA The Conversation about BL.

[jenctrl]

4221 - series - 4 2 2 1 profile✧˖*°

4 2 2 1 is a Japanese-Korean band under Mono and Hybe Labels. The band members consist of: Y/n, Eunki, and Yohan. They released their debut EP “kite” on March 6th, 2023, followed by their Japanese debut EP “物の哀れ” (mono no aware) on May 20th, 2023 before releasing their self-titled debut album “4 2 2 1” February 2nd, 2024.

4 2 2 1 Concept; 4 2 2 1 show off their ability to mix and play with different genres as a band without limiting themselves to one particular music style. Often doing so through lyrics that dwell in nostalgia for adolescence, love, yearning, heartbreak, melancholy and (questioning) the meaning of life. Their visual concept aims for a sense of nostalgia using anemoia (I.e: analog technology, dated brands, and 90s-00s) that culminate in a kind of cultural esoterism.

4 2 2 1 Members Profile and Info

Y/N

Stage Name: Y/n

Birth Name: Komatsu Y/n

Position: Vocal, guitarist, songwriter, front person

Birthday: June 30th, 2003

Zodiac sign: Cancer

Height: 5'8 (172cm)

MBTI Type: INFJ-T

Nationality; Japanese

More about Y/n...

EUNKI

Stage Name: Eunki

Birth Name: Lee Eunki

Position: Bassist, backing vocals

Birthday: January 11th, 1999

Zodiac sign: Capricorn

Height: 5'11 (180cm)

MBTI Type: ENFJ

Nationality: Korean

YOHAN

Stage Name: Yohan

Birth Name: Kim Yohan

Position: Drummer

Birthday: May 5th, 2001

Zodiac sign: Taurus

Height: 5'10 (178cm)

MBTI Type: INFP

Nationality: Korean

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

singles and EPs

EP title: kite

release date: march 6th, 2023

tracks:

- chum (orig. dosii)

- nouvelle vague (orig. wave to earth)

- just like a movie (orig. wallows)

- johanna (orig. suki waterhouse)

- let me go! (orig. the volunteers)

genre: jazz, lo-fi, and indie rock

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

EP title: 物の哀れ (mono no aware)

release date: may 30th, 2023

tracks:

- 共鳴 (空虚な石) (orig. lily chou-chou)

- 少女の官能基 (orig. tokenai namae) 

- virgin suicide (orig. uchu nekoko)

- グライド (orig: lily chou-chou) 

genre: shoegaze, indie rock, dream pop

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

single title: good looking (orig. suki waterhouse)

release date: august 11th, 2023

genre: dream pop

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

single title: more than words (orig. hitsujibungaku)

release date: september 1st, 2023

genre: original soundtrack (JJK), rock

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

single title: エロティック(orig. lily chou-chou)

release date: october 15th, 2023

genre; dreampop

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

single title: see you soon (orig. Wisp)

release date: december 8th, 2023 

genre: shoegaze

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

single title: love. (orig. wave to earth)

release date: january 5th, 2024

genre: indie pop

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

album title: 4 2 2 1

release date: february 2nd, 2024

tracks: ten (in the playlist below)

genre: Indie and alt rock, shoegaze

deluxe edition: four extra tracks in japanese and korean+bonus english track

☆Discography playlist☆

Miscellaneous;

Similar artists; wave to earth, wallows, whirr, lily chou-chou, tokenai namae, slowdive, wisp, weezer, suki waterhouse

Genre; Indie Rock, Alt Rock, Shoegaze, Dream pop

Average monthly listeners; 6.8 million

Top Tracks: Pleaser, 共鳴 (空虚な石), chum, good looking, francis forever, your face, love.

Label: Mono Labels is a new subsidiary under Hybe Co., which focuses on k-bands with the goal to expand globally. 4 2 2 1 is the first band to debut under the label, doing so with great success internationally and each day garnering more national fans. As of now there are no plans for any new bands to debut with all the focus being on 4 2 2 1' future projects.

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

Face claims; Y/n - Jurin (XG), Eunki - Jungmo (Cravity), Yohan - Beomsoo (xodiac)

[entertext]

HGSN 22-3

Chapter (Japanese)

(Please hit the green thumbs up at the end of the chapter to show support)

Rough translation by me

P1

Rie: How long has 'Hikaru'-kun been asleep for?

Rie: The medical examination turned up nothing, right?

Yoshiki: It's already been 2 days. It probably...takes time. For life-threatening damage

Yoshiki: So it sounds like you don't have any idea who that man was either, Kurebayashi-san?

P2

Rie: That's right... but it sure is strange~

Rie: From the sound of it, he came to cut 'Hikaru'-kun to check if he wasn't human...

Yoshiki: A spiritual medium... or someone like that?

Rie: Then someone in Kubitachi must have hired him, right?

Rie: If that's the case, it wouldn't be strange for word of 'Hikaru'-kun to have spread under the surface

Rie: Despite that, it's been two days without anything happening

Rie: What was his goal?

Yoshiki: Wasn't it to exorcise him?

Rie: Huh? No, no, you can't, you can't!! Ahaha

Rie: There's no exorcising something like him~

P3

Rie: Although he's much weaker, he's not at a level where humans can do anything to him.

Rie: Whether he can do anything to humans is a different matter, mind you...

Rie: What humans can do to him is to physically remove him from the village...

Rie: or perhaps lock him up?

Yoshiki: Oh, I see...

Rie: Stay on alert, and if it gets dangerous, you can take refuge at my place. I'll also look into that man

Yoshiki: "Look into"...how?

P4

Rie: People with the sight have our own ways of searching

Rie: (A medium...? or was it that company...?)

Yoshiki: (Just a housewife...?)

TV: {Male in his twenties reported missing...last seen at Kibougayama's Darumazuka* Tunnel...}

(* - 達磨塚 - "daruma" + "mound/grave")

P5

TV: {...a tunnel known as a famous paranormal hotspot. On the morning of the ■th, the man, a Ytuber, posted to social media, "I'm going to Darumazuka. If I make it back alive, I'll upload the video"...}

Yoshiki: (The patient in the next bed has their TV turned up so loud...)

Rie: Hey, do you know? What made Darumazuka a paranormal hotspot?

Yoshiki: It's a famous place...but I don't have a clue why

Rie: A long time back, they found bones here

Rie: A massive amount of ancient bones

P6

Rie: This was something that happened before you were born, Tsujinaka-kun.

Rie: The odd thing was that all of the bones were only from the torso

Rie: And in Udekari, they found only bones from the arms...

Rie: And in Ashidori, only bones from the legs

Yoshiki: Uh-huh...?

Rie: It was said that there was a practice of dismembering the body for burial, but...

Rie: The strangest thing was that for all of the remains

Rie: The skulls were the only parts never found

Yoshiki: (Skulls...)

Yoshiki: Ah

P7

Yoshiki: (The man I saw the time I was engulfed by 'Hikaru'...If you look closely, doesn't he look like Hikaru?)

Yoshiki: (A memory from Nounuki-sama of seeing the Indou's ancestor...?)

Yoshiki: ("The crime of the Indous" "A god that grants wishes in exchange for a particular kind of offering")

Yoshiki: (Severed heads?)

Yoshiki: (Now that I think about it, the monsters I've seen up til now...)

Yoshiki: (...have all been messed up above the neck)

P8

Yoshiki: (That man offered a severed head to Nounuki-sama and wished for something)

Yoshiki: (Is that connected to the mass deaths?)

Yoshiki: (The heads went to Kubitachi...)

Yoshiki: (And the other parts were buried elsewhere?)

Yoshiki: ....

Rie: Tsujinaka-kun!

Rie: 'Hikaru'-kun has woken up...!

P9

Yoshiki: 'Hikaru'...!!

===

Next chapter: 2023/12/19

Twitter Extra (link):

At this point...he's no longer surprised by much anymore...

==

Some of you may remember the Ytuber that went to Darumazuka Tunnel from the Vol 3 Promotional Riddle Game.

[gren-arlio]

May as well redo this. Hey everyone, the name's Gren, and I'm here to translate an entire Puyo/Madou route because why not.

Waku Waku Puyo Puyo Dungeon to be precise.

(This one.)

Yes, you read that right, I'm here to make a solid attempt of translating as much of the game as possible. Like in my very first post, we Puyo fans are kinda starving to death right now with the stuff we're given, Quest can only do so much. So why don't we try to take things into our own hands and make our own food?

As of writing this, (June 13th 2023,) I'm almost done with Schezo's storyline, least from the videos I was able to find thanks to YouTube being nice. You can find them here, though be warned, I'm not fluent in Japanese, so mistakes are bound to occur. If you want to help revise some things, please do. Any help would be great.

So, sounds cool, right? Before I dive into the real meat and bones of this game, I should give some context. All of it will be shown in the Read More if you're interested. If not, thanks for reading from here.

What is Waku Waku Puyo Puyo Dungeon?

Some people may not know this game, and that's fine. It's a game from the COMPILE Era of the Puyo world (Madou,) and it follows our ARS Trio (Arle, Rulue, Schezo) as they go through an amusement park to solve their own lil' things.

These guys.

The game itself is sorta like Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, where every movement is a "Turn," and the enemies move along with you. Each time you attack also counts as a turn. You go through floors (5 Early game, then 10, then 100 for the final place.) and fight a Boss at the final floor. If there's 10 floors, then a miniboss will be on the 5th.

There's small side quests to get items you want, though you can typically buy from Momomo or Fufufu. You get this quests by going to the Bulletin Board in the Info Center (where Kimimora is) and checking around. Speak to Kiki while you're at it.

This game is unfortunately not translated, and there seems to be no English rom or any translations in the internet due to this games semi-poor documentation. That's where me and possibly you come into play. We'll be the ones documenting this game.

Why this game of all games?

Well, because it's so unknown compared to the other Madou games, least what I've seen. I've never really even seen people attempt this, so I may as well try to do a single route for the fans.

And what's the end goal?

There's a couple, actually. One of these is to get the information on the Puyo Nexus (I have an account on there, Greñ.) to let people see what this game has to offer for plot and what the characters have.

The other is just because it's fun. Knowing this game isn't translated is pretty interesting, so I'd like to try. I love the franchise, so I may as well give back to it somehow.

This one's simple enough. I wanna know more about the characters. There's so much to uncover. To give a few examples for Schezo's route alone:

Schezo kinda gives Serilly therapy and she becomes a more confident person by the end of the game.

Draco accuses Schezo of being interested in men. First Rulue, now her.

Skeleton-T is just kinda vibing

Kikimora plays a pretty big role as the usher who helps people.

Witch has a huge wish...to get Schezo's clothing. And she chases him the entire game for it.

Schezo gets blasted by a Carbuncle beam and lives.

And Succubus becomes a tour guide by the end of the game. Yes. Succubus.

Game's pretty damn silly and I'm all for it. If you want to do your own translation, go off! It'll be fun to see and also help other routes if you want.

And finally. The artstyle is cool as hell. (Taken from Puyo Nexus.)

I'm a huge sucker for the artstyle, love it.

What'll happen when you're done with Schezo's route?

Easy. I'll do Arle's route, most likely. Unfortunately, Rulue isn't exactly my favorite so she'll be the one for last. If I ever get to her.

Extra Short Questions:

How long does each translation episode take to finish?

About a week or two depending on length. Typically posting on Weekends.

How about credit for the translation?

As long as I'm mentioned, it's okay. If it's your own thing, don't add my name, I ain't selfish.

What if I miss something?

After the final episode, I'll do Extras. Things I missed, things people send me, etc. Stay tuned.

Favorite COMPILE characters?

Thought I'd add this. Lagnus, Schezo, Witch as the top 3. There's like 6 Lagnus fans in America.

How to contact me:

Tumblr DM'S are open, and I guess Discord too if you want that also. I'll give the name in the DM.

With that, thanks for reading. That'll be all this time. Thanks for tuning in.

[astrologanize]

2023 october sun horoscope pt. 1

sun in aries: thankfully it is looking like this should be an easier month for y'all to jive with - the new energy from last month seems to be opening things up. this is a month that is going to allow you to dance with possibilities! who knows what could happen honestly, there may be some unexpectedness or surprises but regardless this should be an overall easygoing month that feels like one big "idk, maybe, let's see!" followed by a smile and a shrug. if you are in the dating scene or if you're in a relationship then romance will be highlighted, if you're single then maybe you meet someone or start meditating on the kind of person you want to meet. throughout october you're going to be taking chances, as an aries thrives to do so - it's like making the decision to do something or give something a try without letting doubt hold you back because you are going to be in a more lenient mood and willing to experiment, do be wary of overindulging/overspending/impulse buying tho. utilize this leniency and try to be more considerate, be open, be receptive, be direct and honest with your intentions. otherwise, you could be actin like a real scrub this month..."no scrubs" by tlc is in my head lol..."a scrub is a guy that thinks he's fly and is also known as a busta, always talkin' 'bout what he wants and just sits on his broke ass".

sun in taurus: rip to y'all for the bittersweet symphony that's been happening. last month brought you some sort of reality check and this is a month where you are going to know what needs to be let go of, it may be mournful at times but it is for the best as you learn to come to terms with a new reality. throughout october there will be endings - maybe literal ones or ends to your own habits/cycles, there will be a push towards resolve, maybe something in your life finally finds a solution, and there will be acceptance washing over life. something has to change!!! i guess this month songs are coming through because "something has to change" by the japanese house is in my head now. you need to properly assess your life and do what you sincerely need to do, not want to do - lol sorry taurus, because the way you've been maneuvering and the routine you have had is not conducive to your fulfillment. otherwise, this could be a month of being mindless and maybe even called out/penalized for such.

sun in gemini: last month's surrendering is bringing you to this month of forward movement in your life. this is a month of being stirred and restless for more and being able to make things happen, but not without the help and support of others, last month's theme of others is still prevalent so don't be surprised if you need to lean on others this month as well. throughout october you will be nurturing yourself and others more, you will be moving on from what you need to, you will be making strides and you will be following through on your intentions. you may also have notably positive interactions/feelings towards your mother or a maternal figure, or have something notable happen with your car or a car. let life happen this month, mingle and have good times with others - it's reminding me of going over to someone's house for a get together/cookout/something of the sort! you don't need to be in the driver's seat this month and you don't need to venture, you can find love and light with those around you. otherwise, this could be a month of putting your nose to the grindstone and being unfeeling towards others.

sun in cancer: all the introspection of last month has this month looking a lil somber, a lil despondent as you try to push through to the other side to what you're wanting. this is a month of needing to keep feelings in check, feeling low energy and needing to be mindful of your vitality but also a time of trying be more adult-ish and brimming with goals/achievements/material manifestations in mind. throughout october you will have moments of feeling unfulfilled, you may having a falling out with someone close to you, you will have a more aloof attitude, you will be focused on the material realm and plans you have, you are in a mode of being dedicated to your aspirations and persisting with such. there is no need to be unrelenting so try to keep in mind that slow and steady wins the race because we don't want to push ourselves to the point of crumbling, and it's important to note that not everything is worth persisting with and sometimes pulling back is the answer. otherwise, this could once again be a month of being stubborn, but in the most heartless way possible, it's giving ms. ariana's "7 rings" and not in a cute way.

sun in leo: last month you were getting things in order and this month is about putting forth action, you are going to be willing to put your pride aside and take chances, you may not be feeling at your best but you're still willing to try. throughout october you will be shaking off feelings of doubt, you will be letting some things go, you may have moments where you or others are not the most kind, you will be getting what you deserve - whatever that means, so if you are unkind then expect consequence and if others are unkind to you then it will bite them in the ass. at this time it's best for you to prioritize self-care and self-discipline because it will save you from letting ego issues get the better of you. have a chip on your shoulder but in a positive way that motivates you to be who you really want to be and achieve what you really want to achieve - it reminds me of starting a fitness/wellness journey or dedicating yourself to your studies, it's you really wanting to prove yourself in some way. otherwise, this could be a month of ego issues negatively impacting your connections.

sun in virgo: you're in new territory now and this is a month where you're just swimming along because you're not too sure what to think as you shed what you once knew, and the truth may start to look different as you wade through clearer waters. throughout october you will be feeling at ease and this is a chance for you to feel like a virgo in the most flattering way because you won't be coming from a place of critique or shrewdness - this month you will be committed, you will be accepting, and you will be prioritizing comfort. try to be productive this month, try your best to stay focused, try to be a virgo with a to-do list that you seek to finish, last month it was important for you to rely on others but this month you can and should rely on yourself - because you got this! otherwise, this could once again be a month of feeling lost and/or reverting back to old ways that no longer serve you because they are 'comfortable' for you.

[corvid-language-library]

2024 Plans and Goals

For me, 2023 was a year of change. I moved to the other side of the world. I started a new job. I made new friends. I learned about a new culture. I started new exercising habits. I left a 7-year relationship that wasn't right for me. It's been a very big year and I'm proud of myself for taking the steps I needed to break out of the rut I'd been stuck in for so long!

But I didn't really improve my languages or develop new skills. And so, I want 2024 to be a year of growth 🌱 I want to go into 2025 feeling like I levelled up. So, here are some goals for that:

Japanese

Reach ~N3 level (maaaaybe take the exam in December, but I'm undecided)

Learn 10 songs by heart to a level where I could sing them at karaoke

Finish reading another book of short stories

Finish both Minna No Nihongo books

Norwegian

Read at least 2 books in Norwegian

Maintain an overall B2/C1 level

Finish Enjoy Norwegian textbook

Non-language

Trigger warning for vaguely weight and food related goals.

Read 36 books (I may lower this to 30 or increase it to 40, we'll see!)

Complete a first draft of a novel manuscript

Tackle my diet soda and sugar addictions

Comfortable two-block oversplit with back bend

Consistently hold a handstand for 5 seconds

Noticeably improve my demi pointe

Slim down enough that none of my clothes are tight anymore (don't worry I won't post anything related to weight loss on this blog!)

I have some more Japan-specific goals too that I'll post about later 😊

[mariacallous]

In a speech last month marking the 79th anniversary of Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol called for the establishment of “a unified, free, and democratic nation, rightfully owned by the people … across the entire Korean Peninsula.” He argued that Korea’s liberation remains incomplete as long as North Koreans are deprived of freedom. This was a stark difference from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s recent statement about the issue in December 2023, when he renounced unification and said it was no longer viable.

The two Koreas now find themselves at a somewhat awkward crossroad on the issue of unification. On the surface, Seoul’s position seems benign, while the specifics of Pyongyang’s rhetoric appear aggressive and provocative. Upon closer examination, however, Pyongyang’s stance could suggest an attempt to coexist with the South—a two-state solution—whereas Seoul’s call for a unified, democratic Korea might be perceived by the North as a denial of the Kim regime’s legitimacy and an incitement of popular uprising. This could intensify the concerns that led Kim to renounce unification in the first place.

Ever since the peninsula was divided in the late 1940s, reunification has been a shared objective for both Koreas. During the height of the Cold War, the two governments refused to recognize each other as legitimate and competed to be the government that would unify the country. South Korean President Syngman Rhee stated in 1953 that it was his duty to unify the nation by force if necessary. Similarly, in 1968, North Korean leader Kim Il Sung sought to incite a communist revolution in the South, declaring that “a revolution in the South is a struggle to achieve sovereignty, and the only way to achieve this sovereignty is through force.”

The end of the Cold War opened the door for the two Koreas to discuss peaceful unification, eventually resulting in the 2000 Joint Declaration. In this agreement, both sides committed to ending hostilities, building trust, and pursuing peaceful unification through a confederation, in which North and South Korea retain their respective autonomous governments within a single state—a one-state, two-systems model—as a transitional step toward eventual unification. Whether by force or through peaceful means, unification had, until now, never been abandoned as an official policy by either side.

Kim Jong Un’s December announcement renouncing unification was a significant shift. Shortly thereafter, North Korea demolished the Arch of Reunification, built in 2000 to commemorate the Joint Declaration. At the July plenum of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, Kim directed the removal of goals related to “unification” and “grand national unity” from the constitution. In no uncertain terms, these moves signaled a decisive break from any aspirations of reunification, solidifying the regime’s commitment to a permanent division between the two Koreas as separate countries.

This shift has sparked both confusion and concern. Some have interpreted it as a transformation in Pyongyang’s perception of Seoul from “a dialogue partner or a separate entity to coexist with” to an adversary to be subjugated, as Cha Du-hyeogn, a former Blue House official, told NK News. However, if North Korea’s goal were truly to subjugate the South, it would make more sense to advocate for unification rather than renounce it. Subjugating the South is one way of unifying the peninsula, after all. Others suggest that this move may be an attempt to justify the use of nuclear weapons against South Koreans—something difficult to rationalize if they were still regarded as compatriots. But using nuclear weapons against the South would lead to a full-blown war, triggering major upheaval and likely the downfall of the Kim regime, at which point the justification for nuclear use would be the least of Pyongyang’s problems.

A more compelling interpretation is that this shift is driven by Pyongyang’s recognition that it has lost the “unification competition,” or the contest to be the legitimate government to unify Korea. North Korea lags far behind the South economically, diplomatically, culturally, and even militarily—except in the nuclear domain. More importantly, this disparity is now well known to North Koreans, largely due to the widespread influence of South Korean pop culture in the North. Exposure to South Korean lifestyles through movies, shows, and music may naturally prompt North Koreans to imagine how different their own lives could be, potentially breeding grievances and resentment toward their leadership.

For that reason, Kim sees South Korean pop culture as a significant threat to his regime and has cracked down on its growing influence in the North. In December 2020, North Korea enacted the Anti-Reactionary Ideology and Culture Act, imposing harsh penalties—including the death penalty—for watching or distributing foreign media. In April 2021, Kim issued a directive urging the prevention of youth from adopting South Korean speech, fashion, and hairstyles. This January, BBC Korean reported that two teenage boys had been publicly sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for watching and sharing South Korean television shows. Despite the risks, North Koreans continue to consume South Korean content.

Against this backdrop, Kim’s stance allows him to convey two distinct messages. The first is to a domestic audience: South Koreans are no longer considered compatriots, and emulating their way of life warrants severe punishment. The second is to the South: Let’s acknowledge our different political systems, ideologies, and ways of life and agree not to interfere in each other’s affairs.

In contrast, Yoon has put forth a markedly different vision for the future of the peninsula, which could be interpreted by Pyongyang as endorsing the eventual absorption of North Korea into the South. Contradictory to the 2000 Joint Declaration, Yoon’s vision for unification is not through consultation with Pyongyang but through encouraging the North Korean people to pursue liberal democracy—against the wishes of the Kim regime. North Korea’s democratization implicitly cannot occur without overthrowing the regime, since Kim is unlikely to give up power voluntarily. This vision can be more clearly understood alongside Unification Minister Kim Young-ho’s op-ed from April 2019, in which he argued, “Only when the Kim Jong Un regime is overthrown and North Korea is liberalized, bringing both Koreas under a unified political system, will the path to unification truly open.”

In order for North Korea’s liberalization to happen, Yoon pledged during his National Liberation Day speech to establish a government fund to support civic groups promoting freedom and human rights in North Korea, along with efforts to expand North Koreans’ access to external information via radio and television to “make them aware of the false propaganda and instigations” spread by Pyongyang. Yoon added: “If more North Koreans realize that unification through freedom is the only way to improve their lives and are convinced that the Republic of Korea will embrace them, they will become a strong, friendly contingent to support a freedom-based unification.”

Although its rhetoric may seem benign, this approach to unification is highly risky. Pyongyang is notoriously sensitive about the kinds of information tactics Yoon is promoting, and intensifying such campaigns will only exacerbate tensions and increase the risk of military confrontation.

Instead of encouraging revolt in North Korea, which could have catastrophic consequences for the peninsula, South Korea could consider a two-state solution of its own to ease North Korea’s fears of absorption and help reduce inter-Korean tensions. This would involve, in the immediate term, refraining from promoting unification by absorption and accepting the current reality of two separate states and, in the longer term, establishing diplomatic relations with the North and fostering cooperation, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence as neighboring states.

Admittedly, there are valid reasons that a two-state solution is not acceptable for many South Koreans. As some point out, the pursuit of unification is not only a policy preference but a constitutional obligation. Article 3 of the South Korean Constitution defines the territory of the Republic of Korea as encompassing the entire Korean Peninsula and its surrounding islands. Article 4 further stipulates that the “Republic of Korea shall seek unification and shall establish and implement a peaceful unification policy based on the principles of freedom and democracy.” Article 66 says in no uncertain terms that the president has a constitutional duty to pursue peaceful unification. These clauses remained unchanged through nine constitutional amendments since their inclusion in South Korea’s first constitution in 1948.

The issue of unification is also deeply emotional. Support for unification has declined, especially among younger generations who prefer a status quo due to fears of economic burdens and social disruption, but it remains significant. According to a recent survey, only 46.5 percent of South Korean millennials believe that reunification with North Korea is necessary. The majority of other age groups, however, still support reunification, with more than 73 percent of those who lived through the Korean War expressing strong support. The belief in a “unitary nation” that is “ethnically homogeneous and racially distinctive” is deeply ingrained in the national identity. Case in point, South Korean children grow up singing a song called “Our Wish Is Unification.” For many, abandoning the goal of reunification just doesn’t feel right.

On a more practical level, many argue that if Seoul renounces the goal of unification and permanently recognizes North Korea as a separate country, South Korea will forfeit its legal claim over North Korean territory and lose any standing to lead the reunification and rebuilding process in the event of a North Korean regime collapse.

However, this reasoning may not hold up to scrutiny. Even if North Korea were to collapse, South Korea’s refusal to recognize North Korea as a separate country would have no bearing on international law. The two Koreas joined the United Nations in 1991 as distinct countries, and the international community recognizes them as such. A total of 157 countries maintain diplomatic relations with both Koreas, clearly indicating they do not have a “one Korea” policy. This contrasts sharply with countries’ “One China” policies, as no country maintains formal diplomatic relations with both China and Taiwan. If South Korea were to enter the North following a regime collapse, it could be viewed as an illegal foreign intervention in violation of the U.N. Charter. Legally speaking, South Korea has no greater authority over the fate of North Korea than any other state, regardless of whether it refuses to recognize North Korea as a separate country.

Pursuing unification by encouraging regime collapse offers no tangible benefits and only heightens tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Given the risks of escalation, an official two-state solution is worth considering. However unappealing this may seem, it could be the least bad option in the long run. As long as there is only “one Korea,” each side will claim to be the sole legitimate representative, making the other a target for elimination. In such a scenario, mutual coexistence is impossible. As distinct countries, the two Koreas could coexist—not necessarily amicably but coexist nonetheless.

[tokidokitokyo]

2023年8月31日

お久しぶりですね！Hello, I'm still here! My study log has been on a hiatus since the end of May, but I am here to regale you with tales of my Japanese studies. Why the hiatus? The usual suspects: Work, real life (including vacation!) and family had to take some precedence, but I am still here studying behind the scenes.

I feel refreshed from having had to put down my pencil and focus on other things for a while during the month of August, and so I feel rested and refreshed and I don't feel overwhelmed to come back to my studies. I don't feel like I have to catch up or like I haven't been doing enough during my time off. Rather, I feel very excited to get back into my regular study routine.

お久しぶりですね！まだここにいますよ！日本語の勉強日記が五月の終わりからお久しぶりですね！まだここにいますよ！日本語の勉強日記が五月の終わりから休暇中でしたが、只今戻りました！休暇の理由は？いつも通りでしょうね。仕事や生活や家族ーバカンスも入れてー色々で忙しくて休まなければなれませんでした。しかし勉強の休みはなかった。

8月に色々に集中しないといけなかったので、その間リフレッシュができて今は勉強を続くのは楽しみにしています。バカンスが楽しくても、勉強についてがっかりしているわけじゃなくて、むしろまた勉強ができてわくわくしています。バカンスも大事だし、自分の時間を過ごすのも大事だし、これからまた頑張れると気がします。

Study Methods I Used in June, July, & August

In June through August I mostly studied Vocabulary, Kanji, and Listening. The areas I focused on the least were Writing and Grammar. The study tools I used most were mobile tools so I could bring them with me on my phone anywhere I went.

My pro study tool this summer was the mobile app for renshuu.org because I was able to use vocabulary and kanji flashcards to get in some practice even during busy work days and holidays.

Podcasts were my second pro study tool, especially the Let's Talk in Japanese podcast. I could listen during my work commute, on the plane, while the baby takes a nap, and just before bed.

ママ友 or mom friends are a great way to practice listening & speaking. My son just enrolled in a Japanese preschool and I've already made a few new friends for playdates. Playdates are useful for improving his Japanese and mine!

My 2023 Goals Progress

I laid out some broad goals for my Japanese study in my 2023 Japanese Language Goals post, so here is an update with my progress towards these goals.

1. Read one page a day of 日本の歴史366 (にほんのれきし366) everyday in 2023.

How is it going? Terrible! I did not bring this book on my vacation, so I have not kept up. But I will get back into reading the daily pages as often as possible. I am not going to finish the entire book this year, but that's ok. I still learn something new every time I pick it up, and even retain some of the information! Goal: Read as many entries as possible by the end of the year.

2. Finish 日本語総まとめ N3 (にほんごそうまとめ N3) workbooks.

How is it going? Good! I plan on returning to these workbooks now that things have settled down after my holiday, but I will only be able to do extensive practice on the weekends. I still have two weeks left of exercises in the books, so I think I am on track to finish it by the end of the year.

3. Review and learn the first 6 levels of the 常用漢字 (じょうようかんじ), specifically the 教育漢字 (きょういくかんじ) up to grade 6.

How is it going? Okay! Although I didn't have much time in August to review kanji during my holiday, I was able to get through reviewing Grade 3 of the Kyoiku Kanji during June and July. Goal: Review through at least Grade 4 during the month of September.

4. Read at least one book every two months.

How is it going? Terrible! I still haven't had the time (nor the motivation) to pick back up the books I stopped in March, and I'm trying to be okay with that ^^; I would like to pick back up one book in September and try to finish it by the end of the year. Books are a big commitment, and I have to prioritize my studies, so unfortunately books tend to be the first thing I drop.

5. Improve my speaking and writing by finding a tutor.

How is it going? Terrible! I have not begun to even look for a tutor, despite telling myself I would for the entire month of June. I am not sure if I am going to try to find a tutor at this point or if I will just continue with self-study, writing sentences on HelloTalk, and getting some help from my husband. I would like to try to write more and get my sentences corrected by native speakers. I'd also like to interact with native speakers, but finding the time is really tough.

6. Study Japanese for at least 10 minutes every day.

How is it going? Good! Although the rest of my goals have suffered greatly this summer, my goal of continuing to practice a little bit everyday has allowed me to persevere and to feel like I've accomplished something.

Going Forward in September

I am a bit sad to see the summer go as it's my favourite season, but the changing of seasons is always exciting and motivates me to try new things and continue moving forward.

Focus on Grade 4 of 教育漢字

Write in Japanese on HelloTalk

Read one of the books I started this year by the end of 2023

Read 日本の歴史366 as continuously as possible

Review N3 Grammar

What does everyone else have planned for Japanese study in the fall?

皆さんの秋の勉強予定は何でしょうね？

[verdantcrimson]

Masterlist + Terms of Use

• You may send in an ask correcting any of my translations or pointing out typos. My goal as a translator is to be accurate, so I take no issue with being corrected. Please don't keep it to yourself if you see something off. I use translation as a means to learn and do it as a hobby.

• You can screenshot translations to post and comment on. You may not use them for ship related quote bots without permission. You can cite them in casual discussions of the text, as long as wording/phrasing is not the subject of the discussion. Translating, especially with a heavily context based language like Japanese, is interpretive.

• Do not add any of my translations to a public masterlist.

• I accept translation requests for any 1-2 chapter stories/minitalks that involve AKATSUKI (and occasionally Yuzuru), even if they aren't featured characters. Longer stories are taken up at my personal discretion.

That being said, I am very slow. Please be patient!

Scout and Event Stories

Heaven and Earth

Gourmand Fragrance

Keito Hasumi

Feature Scout story: Lotus & Vows — 1 | 2

With: AKATSUKI, Anzu

Feature Scout story: Shutter Chance — 1 | 2

With: AKATSUKI, Tomoya, Anzu

Idol Story: An Exchange of Information between Instructors

With: Yuzuru, Ibara

Management stories:

With: Mao

With: Yuzuru

With: Kaoru

With: Madara

Kuro Kiryu

Feature Scout Story: Preparations for the Future — 1 | 2

With: Mao, Ritsu, Niki, Sora, Mitsuru, Nazuna, Anzu

Idol story: An Idol's life of Daily Study

Management stories:

With: Keito

Idol story: Let’s Play and Learn

With: AKATSUKI, Ra*bits

With: Shu

Souma Kanzaki

Management Stories:

With: Kanata

Other

8th Anniversary Heart to You FES!!

(1) With: Eichi, Wataru, Yuzuru, Tori

(4) With: Keito, Yuzuru, Souma, Mao

(10) With: Souma, Kanata, Ibara, Kaoru, Shinobu

(11) With: BUTOKAI (Kuro, Adonis, Tetora, Jun, Madara)

(12) With: Yuzuru, Subaru, Midori

(23) With: Keito, Wataru, Tsumugi, Nazuna, Hokuto

(26) With: AKATSUKI

(27) With: Chiaki, Nazuna, Kuro, Shu

(28) With: Souma, Mika, Natsume, Adonis

(31) With: Yuzuru, Ibara, Hajime, HiMERU

(40) With: Overnight Outdoors Party (Kuro, Leo, Mitsuru, Niki, Mayoi)

(42) With: Keito, Leo, Eichi, Madara

11/26/23 Tsukisuta Skit

With: AKATSUKI & Tsukasa

Memories of Ensemble 2023 (AKATSUKI)

Lyrics

ROCK ROAR Lyrics (Game size)

金色千夜夢舞台 Lyrics (Game size)

絲

Unpredictable Reincarnation (Keito Hasumi Solo)

[machiroads]

Machi's 2023 Year In Review

'23 was a bit of a wild one. A toast to the last twelve months (both in fandom and IRL) under the cut.

Fic

Here's what went out the door in '23:

Naruhata Noir

I started posting NN in December '22, about a month after finishing 9L. At one point last year I joked about finishing the entire thing in the week between Christmas and New years. Evidently, this did not happen for a variety of reasons:

A) A series of events occurring in my personal life that do not merit further detail that I will herein refer to as "the conga line of nonsense". That kicked off during last year's holiday season and bled into like...May. Which leads directly into:

B) Tears of the Kingdom came out. And;

C) A general loss of motivation in the project.

During the aforementioned Conga Line of Nonsense, I had a goal of finishing before TotK came out, but I only managed to cobble together another 4 chapters between January and May. After somehow managing weekly to biweekly chapters for 9L, NN was much more sporadic, and at one point I had people asking me if I was still alive. Which. sucked, since I generally strive to be a somewhat reliable person.

Once the TotK hyperfixation hit, I managed maaaaaaybe another 2 chapters before I finally got bored of grinding monsters to upgrade outfits. I did manage to meet the third self-imposed deadline of finishing before going to Japan for 2 weeks, so at least that's one W.

In addition to the distractions of Life, NN was more challenging to write for a few main reasons:

Aizawa is not the narrator. Look, I'm mature enough to acknowledge that he is Blorbo From My Shows, and everything I write wants to revolve around him. Taking a step back from that and trying to get into another character's head after spending 8 solid months on 9L was an adjustment. It took me a bit of time to find Shinsou's voice.

Most of the relationship dynamics in this fic are non-canonical, and pulled directly out of my ass. Shinsou's relationships with the Hottas are central to the back half of the fic, and his relationship with Mirko also becomes prominent at times. NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS HAVE EVER INTERACTED IN REAL LIFE I'M JUST SMASHING DOLLS TOGETHER LIKE I DID AS A 7 YEAR OLD.

Trying to parallel something I already wrote several months ago is hard. I wanted NN to make sense on its own, but also follow the relevant bits from 9L. This was next to impossible to accomplish without sounding clunky. Almost from the very beginning of the fic, the outsider's perspective of Aizawa's first steps, I felt the urge to change the dialogue because the story that I wanted to tell from Shinsou's perspective was different from the one I wanted to tell from Aizawa's perspective. I locked myself into that rigidity for a while, until I finally decided just to say fuck it at the end and modify the 9L dialogue slightly because the story had taken on a life of its own.

Erasermic took a major backseat in this one, but I still needed to scratch the itch, and I think that's why I ended up writing 2 emic one shots in between chapters.

I don't think a direct parallel spin-off is something I would try writing again, and the fic was probably a lot longer than it needed to be, but at the end of the day, I'm satisfied with the way it turned out, and I'm happy I was actually able to finish it this year.

Here's a collage of my inspo for Aizawa's apartment cobbled together from google maps and japanese real estate websites.

Being No One, Going Nowhere

The first of the 3 one shots that I put out this year, and a proof of concept that I can slap together 3k in a day and a half fever dream and call it a fic.

This one in particular was instigated by one of @o0fyuu0o's tweets that refused to leave me alone. And maybe also the two broken arms story from reddit, but you know, like, less incesty.

Mic was extremely pathetic in this one, which is immensely fun to write. Just a pathetic little meow meow. Sopping wet cat of a man.

College AU was fun to write, emboldened in part by @kyurilin's fic Stray. After being married to canon-verse for both 9L and NN, this was an exercise in just making shit up, and also living vicariously through the memories of the house I lived in for the better part of 2 years as an undergrad. I graduated 7 years ago and it is still crystallized in my memory.

A Tumultuous Sea, You and Me

I've been nursing a healthy crush on Pirate!Aizawa (or Paizawa, as the kids on JP Twit call him) since the Volume 35 character page came out in June '22. Paizawa even killed a 2 year long art block, that's how powerful he is. (Look!)

I do not remember what exactly spurned this one on, but it also got written in the span of about 2 days. I think I reread The Art of Drowning at some point this year, but I do not remember if it was during the writing frenzy, or sometime before it.

Aizawa gets to hold the meow meow card again in this one. His 2 sentence rivalry with Vlad is one of the best things I've ever written.

Of the 2 days I spent writing this, I probably spent 75% of that researching pirate ships. I used almost none of it, and have forgotten almost all of it by this point.

I feel like everyone that dips their toes into the realm of merpeople has a different interpretation on it, but I wanted to spend approximately 0 minutes on worldbuilding, so it's just kind of a chill coexistence between the pirates and the mermaids in this one lol. People were intrigued by said "worldbuilding" however and wanted more, but I think I've scratched the mer-pirate itch for now haha.

1966 Ford Nutstang GT350 Shelby

@kyurilin made a tumblr post that misspelled "mustang" as "nustang" and I skim-read it and saw "nutstang" and was like "you know what would be a terribad nickname for the car? Nutstang." At which point I immediately informed her, which led down the rabbit hole of a very loose RP (as it often does) and I decided YOU KNOW WHAT? I SHOULD JUST TURN THIS INTO A CRACK FIC.

At which point I had to sort of construct a loose plot around the entire bonkers concept. Nemuri held a key role in the pseudo-RP, but I ended up wanting to keep the fic tight and her role was mostly cut. But rest assured she is there in spirit, though, judging.

The plush nutsack is just a bastardization of a kangaroo ballsack coinpurse I saw in a Crap Souvenirs From Around The World calendar I had many years back that has imprinted on my memory. At no point did I seek out visual reference for it, and neither should you. It is up to the reader's imagination.

On the topic of bastardizations, the reappearing nutsack plotline is borrowed from the drawfee gnome saga.

Mic yelling GOOD MORNING and Aizawa banging his head on the underside of his desk is S tier slapstick.

PEOPLE MADE ART????

Some wonderful listeners readers are still making art for 9L, and we have been blessed with two beautiful new pieces this year:

Mic and Eri's selfie, from @kaleidoscopedrawsjpg

The Only One Bed scene, from @guiltyfixations

@obsessed-dragon also drew the photo of Shinsou holding Miso from Naruhata Noir, and Black Spider Eyes drew Aizawa dangling out the window from Tumultuous Sea.

Every time a piece of art drops on my dash, or I see my fic being recommended to other people, my brain does a lil short circuit and I have to go get up and walk around for a bit. I'm not sure words can express how much it means to me that people have enjoyed my writing enough to recommend it to other people, or sit down and create something of their own based off of it. It's humbling, and I'm truly grateful for every kind word or "sketch I should have maybe spent a little longer on" hahaha

Stats!

Look, I'm an engineer. I can't resist the thrall of Microsoft Excel. So here's A Chart.

I value Bookmarks the highest of all the stats that AO3 spits out. Views are pointless (skewed higher in the context of multi-chap fics). Kudos are an indicator of how many people read and liked enough to leave a kudos, but bookmarks are my indicator of how many people liked it enough to keep it around to read again, or recommend to others.

The bookmark-to-kudos ratio is (in my unscientific opinion) a measure of how many people loved the work vs how many people just liked it.

From the chart above, we can propose the following conclusions:

9L is still, far and away, the most popular, and most well-loved thing I've ever written. I'm fine with that.

The Nutstang fic was a certified cult classic, with a bookmark-to-kudos ratio of almost 0.3, second to only 9L.

NN is at a respectable ratio of 0.24 (middle of the pack), but in terms of number of kudos, is not that far ahead the mer-pirate fic. NN was not tagged as erasermic, so I do think this checks out in terms of sheer exposure.

Still Cooking:

FFXII AU

I started this one in March during the conga line of personal life nonsense. I somehow lured in Robbirdthe8th and @o0fyuu0o and @obsessed-dragon and got a solid month of drafting done before I was like "maybe I should work on NN again" and then it sat dormant until like. October.

It's up to almost 30k across 3 partially written chapters already, and I outlined 9 chapters. It is almost certainly overambitious, and I will almost certainly run into the same motivation issue I had with NN because it's a rooftop 4 fic and not just erasermic, and it has a demographic of approximately four people as an AU of a game that came out in uh........2006.

I thought I'd get at least some of it out in '23 but I'm taking it easy and just writing when inspiration strikes at the moment.

Fortuneteller AU

I started this one maybe a week-ish ago, in my quest for a pitch for the erasermic zine (surprise! they haven't made official announcements yet, but I'll be in it. this is an easter egg for those of you who made it this far). It's going to end up far too long for the 3k word limit for that, so I'm just co-opting it for another one-shot. Taisho era urban fantasy dabbling in some Violet Evergarden/FMA-esque post-war themes. Mic with pince nez. Aizawa in hakama. Gratuitous amateur tarot. It has gripped me by the throat.

More from the Nine Lives Extended Universe (canon-willing)

I've got 3 more spin-offs to 9L simmering, just waiting for canon to figure out its business. These are:

When The Battle's Lost and Won

A final battle post-mortem in 4 parts (if 3baka all make it out alive that is). Every few chapters of canon that come out, something gets added or tossed. Extremely fluid at this point, but there are some good quality blurbs and bullet points in there.

Kintsugi

The erasermic epilogue to 9L, from Mic's perspective. An exploration of their relationship beyond the final battle, with an overarching theme that I've borrowed from a Dorktown documentary on former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb: Not at all, and then all at once.

This one's just pure body worship, punctuated by an extremely casual marriage proposal. A lot of people still comment on 9L like "THIS CAN'T BE IT, WHERE'S THE REST OF IT?", so I hope this will satisfy those looking for some closure from a relatively open ending.

The Way of the Househero

With the impending graduation of the hell class, and a body that doesn't quite move the way it used to, Aizawa has a bit of an existential crisis and semi-retires so he can be a full-time parent to Eri while figuring out what's next for him. Mostly slice of life. No real plot to this one yet, mostly just vignettes. Aizawa finally gets cats of his own, makes mom friends, and becomes more of a knife slut (only its in the kitchen now instead of on the streets).

IRL

Painting

Every room in my home is painted some sort of bland pastel, and this year we managed to purge pastels from four rooms: my home office, our living room / dining room, and our bedroom. I am enormously pleased with how each of these have turned out.

Gardening

We moved to this house in January '22, and last year was mostly seeing what came up in the garden. This year we cleared out a lot of the decorative shrubs in our backyard (turns out you can hock shrubs on facebook marketplace), and planted a veggie garden. The extent of my gardening experience prior to this year was mowing the lawn as a teenager, so this year was a continuous learning experience, and likely will be for many more years to come.

We had some big wins (potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, cherries, squash, dear god the squash), and some losses (apples that were infested with tent caterpillars, arugula that bolted, and lettuce that got eaten by bunnies to name a few).

In addition to veggies, we also did a lot of general cleanup around the rest of the yard, including clearing out some invasive species and thinning out some partially dead shrubs. We mostly let the yard do its own thing last year, and the previous owner of our home died about 6 months before we moved in, so it was probably neglected for a while. I cut out a blackberry cane that was as long as our driveway. I bought a wood chipper and a compost aerator and am learning the art and science of turning yard trash into yard treasure. (I have not peed on my compost pile yet, as recommended by /r/composting. Maybe some day.)

I also adopted a clipping from my sister-in-law's monstera, which has done quite well (except for the parts my cat has taken a mild interest in nibbling on from time to time)

Travel

Probably too much travel this year ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

3 Weddings (4 if you count the one in December '22 that's included in the Conga Line of Nonsense). Got covid at 2 of them. Invited to a fifth next year. Wishing everyone of marriageable age I know IRL a very elope

Trips for work to Winnipeg and Calgary (to which I have never been before, but are both underwhelming). Also got to fly on a floatplane for the first time, which is noisy, but the views are unbeatable

I turned 30 this year, and after the Conga Line of Nonsense, I said fuck it, we're going back to Japan for my birthday. 2 weeks, 8 cities. L: Shimanami Kaido cycle (still somehow 30 degrees in September x full sun x forgot sunscreen x 80km = pain) (my husband has proofread this and insists that this is not an L but agree to disagree) W: Hokkaido (beautiful scenery, incredible food, not 30 degrees in September lmao)

Anyways

If you made it this far, thanks for reading, and thanks for your love in '23. I hope to provide you with more of the same nonsense in '24. Let me know if you want a spinoff cats + gardening + DIY blog, since that's just my life now. Happy new year 🍾

[sociopath-analysis]

Sociopath Profile: Makima

From the manga series Chainsaw Man (2018-present*) and its 2022 anime adaptation Voiced by Tomori Kusunoki (JP) and Suzie Yeung (EN) *Valid as of late February 2023*

I feel that she needs no introduction, but I'll still do my best. Makima is the head of the Public Safety Devil Hunters Bureau Division 4. I don't think it's much of a spoiler to mention that she is a sociopath considering how many red flags she sets off from the beginning. Her presence already comes off as very domineering in a subtle way. However, the extent to which she fits certainly will be a bit more surprising for those just starting out the series.

[SPOILERS FOR PART 1 BELOW]

To get this out of the way now for those who likely have read the series, she is later revealed to be the Control Devil. Which really does explain a lot about her sociopathic tendencies. Sociopaths tend to have a need to control others, so it explains a lot about Makima's thought processes and disposition. She can control anyone she believes is inferior to her and that seems to be most individuals in her mind.

The only way she can connect with other individuals is through manipulating them. While it is part of her nature as the Control Devil, the treatment she got from the Japanese government to be trained as a weapon forced her to develop relationships based on manipulation. This can range from subtle wording and threats to outright commanding people with her powers. She is very versatile in how she does this. Her treatment of Denji may be the biggest manipulation of Part 1 with her stringing him along with a happy life only to rip it away from him for a chance of obtaining the power of the Chainsaw Devil.

"Any source of happiness you [Denji] experience? I'll be the one to create and destroy it all. You helped me kill Power. There might have been a way for you to save Hayakawa, but you killed him too. You even murdered your own father. Someone like you has no right to wish for a normal life, do they?"

As mentioned before, her main concern is herself. She may say that she wants to use Pochita for improving the world, but it's only her vision of what she wants the world to be. She sees herself as a necessary evil to keep everyone safe by ridding the world of things like war, hunger, and death. However, Denji exposes how selfish she is when he asks her if her new world would still have crappy movies. When she says the world would be better off without them, that's when he knows she can't succeed if she just decides what trivial things she deems unnecessary. When she tells Kishibe that her goal is to make a world that is safe from Devils after he suspects her of setting up the attack on Division 4, his response is quite succinct and accurate:

"You're full of shit."

Makima displays flat affect since she rarely changes expressions from the calm stoic front. Whether she is brutally murdering people or having a casual conversation, she never changes. There have only been two times where she has shown any actual emotions. One is when she watches a movie with Denji and cries when she sees a happy family. Likely because she knows she can't ever have that for herself. The second is when she cruelly reveals that she was the grand architect of his happy life as well as its gradual destruction, revealing how sadistic she can be.

Even with her lofty goals, Makima can engage in some pointless cruelty. When she recruited Angel, she made him kill the tribe he was living with simply to see how his powers work. With his recruitment into Public Safety, she repressed his memories to make sure he only had loyalty for her and never thought about his loved ones ever again. And of course, she definitely makes a show of ruining Denji. As said before, her laughing in his face about how distraught he was is one of the only moments of genuine emotion from her in the series. And what it says about her is that while she will destroy everything you love in the name of the greater good, she'll still enjoy it all the same.

All of this leads to the primary trait, a lack of empathy. She doesn't see other individuals as beings worth acknowledging beyond being tools for her manipulations or obstacles to overcome to reach her goals. She says she has affection for humans, but she has no respect for them and only cares because they love her. Aki and Denji both respect and revere her as well as have a romantic attraction to her. Despite this, she never returns any of it. Denji specifically is an example since she can so casually build up his happy life for the purpose of ruining it and driving him to despair. Never once did she see him as a person and only wanted him for the Chainsaw Devil which was trapped inside of him. Even Pochita, who she essentially worships, is seen as a potential tool to be used for her own gain.

Makima is an example who shows how the effects of both nature and nurture came together to end up making her what we see her as in the series. With her growing up under government supervision, she never got the chance to figure out how to see people as anything else. While part of it comes from her inherent nature as the Control Devil, the lack of nurturing plays a part in how she turned out. This is why her reincarnation in Nayuta is hoped to turn out better under Denji's care. An early intervention to prevent her worst traits from manifesting.

Female Sociopath List

[tokwattoge]

Good evening everyone!

September 13, 2023. Araw na nawala lahat ng loans ko.

Magbabagong buhay na talaga. Sobrang motivated ako ngayon makaipon guys. Wala akong winiwishlist talaga. Kahit sa pagtatravel, tinatabangan ako. Kahit bagong labas yung iphone 15, tinatabangan din ako. Goal ko is bago matapos itong taon ay may 5 digits akong ipon.

Nawala lahat ng loans ko, pero ang laki ng pera na kailangan kong ibalik kay mama. Kailangan ko yun makabalik kasi para samin din, para daw if magstop na siya magwork at magkasakit siya may madudukot kami. Kaya eto trabaho maigi.

Alam niyo? Tumatak sa isip ko yung napanood ko sa tiktok na Japanese girl. Sobrang tipid niya as a person, nagipon siya for 9 years bumili siya ng bahay. Tapos tipid pa rin siya after that, tapos dalawa na yung source of income niya. After 5 years ata ulit nakabili na siya ng second property. Then after 2 years bumili ng third property. Bali ngayon mayaman na daw siya matatawag, matipid pa rin siya pero nagfocus na siya sa pagtatayo ng cafe for stray cats.

Siya ang inspiration ko ngayon para maging mas matipid for a bigger and better goal. Para din sa anak ko. Kailangan lang ng matinding disiplina. Nandito na ako sa age na dapat inaayos ko na talaga ang finances ko. In the end, kami naman ng pamilya ko ang magbebenefit sa paghihirap ko. Naging kasama ko kayo sa time na lubog na lubog ako, excited na ako na maging kasama kayo sa bagong goal ko. Fighting!!!

[mememanufactorum]

Things I’ve said out of context (June 2023 edition)

* FEEL FREE TO SHARE AS YOU PLEASE, NO CREDIT NEEDED. CHANGE PRONOUNS OR ANYTHING ELSE AS DESIRED.

The creature has finally appeared.

Hate this. Fucking hate this. Goddamn fucking hate this.

Yeetus deletus.

My room might be getting dangerously close to becoming 50% methane.

Don’t tell me you too are intimidated by the mcnuggies.

[name] literally so brain blunted that he doesn't even realize he's naked on a beach until someone specifically points it out to him. It’s perfect.

How are you supposed to prove you’re better than [name] by jobbing?

WHAT ARE THEY SCORING FOR?

AH I SEE. PUT YOURSELF INTO A POSITION WHERE IT DOESN’T MATTER.

[name] going for blocks like he’s playing in 800 ping.

It's only when a ball's flying towards his face that [name] remembers how to dodge.

[name] ACTUALLY DEFENDED THE GOAL? THE FUCK?

Shit’s lit.

Bruh got bullets put up his ass for saluting a fallen comrade.

RING FINGER. WHAT WAS EVEN THE POINT THEN?

How many times in a row can [name] get thrown through a glass display case.

How many times can [name] get hit by a car.

Although ACTUAL WATER BULLET PHYSICS had me thoroughly entertained at least.

So it's starting to get a little creatively bankrupt in the "Let's find new ways to physically hurt [name]" department.

So I might be making a little fucky wucky.

Oh holy shit. We actually have Korean BBQ.

If I die in the next 24 hours, you’ll know why.

I feel marginally more awake than I did before. Marginally.

PUSHING BUTTONS.

WAIT, BUT I THOUGHT YOU WERE EATING DONUTS. WERE YOU EATING, LIKE A MARTIN LUTHER OR SOMETHING? A BURGER SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO DONUTS?

This sounds like some SS13 shit.

I don't think the Bang did shit for me. I am right back to feeling like I did before I drank it.

I am also in the shrine. My shrine.

Everyone can’t wait to not play it.

Why can’t we get Gary Busey in DBD?

I hope she ass gets the poetic justice treatment.

I'm just trying to watch a Japanese man spend 3 days in a net cafe room. I ain't ask for a near 3 hour ad.

I offer you nothing more than the silence of shame at that pun.

Bros, you want a cheap ass Keurig with Pokemon stickers slapped on it?

This isn't even the weirdest Japan thing I've seen today.

I literally just watched a video about anime VN video games made about Uno.

I know I do literally no damage, but my self-sustain though.

[name] apparently made Clara so strong that she broke her internet.

Here's everyone's regular reminder that Lucina and Kaine have the same voice actress.

My source may be that I'm making this the fuck up, but how else do you explain it?

You don’t know what powers you invoke.

I just had to fucking double check to make sure I didn't just somehow make it up in my own head.

Let me just firmly root myself in reality for a moment.

This exists. We can all confirm this is a thing that exists.

The Jhammel’s just gonna grow its head into the giant voidgate on the moon, look Zeromus dead in the face, and call him a bitch.

Time to interrogate everyone you know.

For once, a batshit comedy anime gave me practical knowledge.

Time to fucking burn the chair.

Because when you steal from the criminals' monetary depository and then suddenly turn around and try to pay them back for the same exact amount that got stolen, they're going to most likely put two and two together.

WHO WANTED MORE SMALL SOLDIERS?

Things are beautiful just before they die, struggling until the very end.

Let me make something clear here: Just because 2 out of 3 of us aren’t a threat doesn’t mean I’m still not a threat.