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Author Archives: J Sensei
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai: Anime Review
Better Than I Expected When I first started watching “Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai,” which I mentioned before in saying that “haganai” as a nickname had to do with reading “wa” as “ha” (though in this grammar role it is … Continue reading
Ni no Mai wa Gomen Da: Won’t Repeat The Same Mistake
I’ve read the phrase “ni no mai wa gomen da” before (二の舞はごめんだ). This hails from the Japanese expression, “ni no mai o enjiru” (二の舞を演じる), which basically reads “dancing the same dance twice” and means “making the same mistake twice”. So, … Continue reading
Sugoku Hayai: Incredibly Fast
凄く速い Most casual viewers of anime and learners of Japanese are familiar with the word sugoi (すごい), roughly equivalent to “tremendous”. However, as a matter of grammar, it’s not good to write “sugoi hayai”. That’s hayai (速い) for the adjective “fast”. The … Continue reading
Fukushima Daiichi: Shocking Disaster Relief Micromanagement
My Most Cynical Suspicions Confirmed The Japan Times has published an article regarding a post-mortem on the Japanese government’s handling of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. I have every sympathy for the people who were scrambling to resolve the problems on … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, News
Tagged Daiichi, disaster, fail, Fukushima, Japan, management, mismanagement, relief
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Mouretsu Uchuu Kaizoku: Early Bird Review
“Bodacious Space Pirates” I’m not sure whose idea it was to translate the title as “Bodacious Space Pirates,” and perhaps it’s from the Japanese studio, but that’s OK. “Mouretsu” usually stands for something more like marauding, or at least that’s what … Continue reading
Itsumo: Always, Without Exception
何時も（いつも） While “itsudemo” was about something happening “anytime”, “itsumo” is all about something being always true, being the norm, and so forth. Again, I’ll use a brief example from a video game just to help absorb the usage.
Tiger & Bunny: Anime Review & Opinions
An Impressive Show Long story short, Tiger & Bunny is an unlikely “bromance” anime viewed through the “Amerikomi” (American Comic Book) superhero genre. Superheroes capture crooks and save civilians live on HeroTV, all sponsored by major corporations. Yet a strong … Continue reading
Dokodemo: Anywhere You Are
何処でも（どこでも） Dokodemo (anywhere) is a kindred spirit of itsudemo, a companion that frequently appears in similar contexts. The “doko” represents “What place?” and the “demo” represents “regardless,” so it means regardless of location. That is, anywhere.
Itsuka: Someday, Maybe Far Away
何時か（いつか） Just like I mentioned with nanika, the “ka” in “itsuka” demonstrates uncertainty. That’s because it’s part of a word, not a particle at the end of a sentence. In a way, “ka” always projects uncertainty; we just usually interpret it … Continue reading
Only 5% of Tsunami Debris Cleared So Far
According to the Japan Times, only 5% of the debris in the Tohoku region from last year’s tsunami has actually been disposed of (generally meaning incineration). Apparently even debris outside the Fukushima area has a radiation stigma attached to it. … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, News
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