Read 13 pages for かがみの孤城 🪞 Week 19
The kids (or マサムネ at least) are really starting to speculate about what is going on 
Some nice words:
Yes, feel free to join in! Late starters are definitely also welcome!
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Natively putting this at a guesstimated 38 seems way off to me fwiw. ロクヨン is currently at 36 and these are some example sentences I pulled just now from my review of the book to give a comparison to 三毛猫ホームズの推理:
警務部長室と記者室の間で、そして刑事部と記者室の狭間で、翻弄され続けた広報室は消耗し、疲弊し、嘆息の巣と化していた。
and
灯のせいもあろうが、顔には皺の数だけ疲労の影が落ちていた。
Keeping in mind that “N1” tops out at 40 I kind of assume anything past that is any of these things:
- very poetic (resulting in being harder to understand, even for native speakers. Think the stuff you might have read in high level literature classes)
- incredibly old, to the point of being hard to understand (IMO 遺書 is this)
- intentionally difficult to understand (incredibly unreliable narrator, breaking language rules, etc).
My opinions, yours may vary, but that’s why I think 38 is way off 
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I think the current Natively level is just the system taking a blind guess. We’re the first users to read it. The level will probably shift a lot once we finish and grade it. I agree with @pocketcat that 38 seems too high. Still…
Same here. I can read this, but it isn’t what I’d call “simple.”
I wonder if 赤川’s style changed over the years. After all, 三毛猫ホームズの推理 is from 1978, and is one of his earliest published works as a young author.
A few months ago I read three 三毛猫ホームズ short stories from 1988-ish in a Tsubasa Bunko compilation, and the writing styles seem very different. At that time I checked the 試し読み for 三毛猫ホームズの推理 and just reading the prologue it was a totally different vibe, with a more complex sentence structure, broader vocabulary, and just generally more atmospheric overall. I assumed the difference was some combination of 赤川 focusing more on the bare bones of the plot since these were short stories, and also Tsubasa Bunko maybe having selected these stories because they would be more approachable for young readers. But maybe it’s also that he was writing in a plainer and more direct style by then. It’s a big difference in vocab level. In 40 pages of this 1978 book I’ve hit nearly as much new vocab as I did in all 150 pages of those short stories from 1988.
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I really like the dichotomy in that sentence! Is this representative of his style in the book so far? 
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Today I read 40 pages of 終わりのセラフ 一瀬グレン、１６歳の破滅 manga vol.2 it’s the prequel to Seraph of the End. What should I say it’s way better than I anticipated it. It’s awesome seeing the younger version of some of the characters from Seraph of the End.
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April 3
Final Fantasy VII
Vocabulary
- 修行 = しゅぎょう training, practice, discipline.
- 境界 = きょうかい boundary between zones.
- 検問 = けんもん inspection, examination.
- 路線図 = ろせんず route map (trains, etc).
- 発動 = はつどう initiation, putting into operation.
- 本番 = ほんばん the actual take/performance of something (as opposed to rehearsal or testing).
- 警報 = けいほう alarm, warning.
- ダクト = duct.
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That’s awesome, good luck! The first thing I read in the last challenge was the first Ace Attorney game, although I had it on PC and was using Game2Text to make lookups easier. Love that series, though. Looking forward to updates on your progress 
Oh now that you mention it, I’m the same way. It takes some real effort right now for me to focus my brain on anything in Japanese that isn’t something I feel sufficiently committed to.
Daisoujou sleepiness update: I sure am still sleepy. My cat has decided that she’s in the mood to start yelling all night again, and I perform particularly poorly with pretty much any interrupted sleep or sleep loss at all. So I misread a bunch of words, had to shake off the approaching migraine feeling a few times, and was slow all around… but I made it to 5000 characters (385 lines) before stopping. My streak of hitting that goal remains unbroken.
Today's image of Ao sums up how I'm feeling, but I'm hiding it because her outfit is a very mild spoiler for the direction her route takes
The plot itself is neat; I’m getting into the meat of the route and things are taking a more serious turn. There’s an oblique reference to Tsumugi’s route that kind of ties up a loose end there; I’m really glad I read them in this order so that didn’t just feel like a random thing. One little bit I appreciated about reading in Japanese is that a perspective shift was signaled like 75% through shifting from 俺 to 僕, and catching that was cool.
My favorite new word is an idiom: オブラートに包む (オブラートにつつむ), meaning to say indirectly so as to not upset someone. オブラート is a sort of thin wafer, so the idea is wrapping ones words to make them not so hurtful.
Oh and last night I sat down and read all of chapter 1 of 佐賀のがばいばあちゃん for the intermediate book club! The chapters are quite short but it’s kind of a new experience for me to be reading in a regular chunk like that and not just tapping out at random spots when I have to, heh.
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oh yeah, I agree with both you and @basilsauce that it seems on the high side, I was really just referring to it being higher rated than すべてがｆになる - which does seem accurate, rather than on the accuracy of the level itself (if that makes sense) if it really was what a level 38 probably should be then I probably would have given up on the first page lol.
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2.4.
I didn’t post yesterday, but I did my 11 minutes of audio+book. Since I felt like doing a bit more, but not up to a chapter of le petit nicolas, I cracked open the grade reader I got in preparation for this challenge last week instead. Super short chapters, very straightforward, short, simple sentences. Like a breath of fresh air. 
(I really like how le petit nicolas has all these interconnected thoughts - it fits the pov perfectly - but I can’t always deal with it.)
3.4.
I did my 11 minute audio+book thing again. The day before I thought I caught quite a bit more than the 1st day, but today was a step back again. Still better than day 1. I’m assuming it really depends on the content. ^^ And then I read that chapter of Nicolas that seemed to daunting the day before and it was a great chapter. Lots of fun. 
My progress since last time
Le petite Nicolas (80→87/148p)(47→49%)
La quête d’ewilan: d’un monde à l’autre (11→34/334m)(3→10%)
A1 5 Minuten-Lektüren Où est le thym (1/20 stories)
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April 3rd 
Went to the bookstore today, and happened upon this gem of a book:
So obviously I had to buy it >:3 The first story is called 夜中の汽笛について, あるいは物語の効用について by 村上春樹. It’s only two pages, however because it’s quite late I’ve only managed to go through the first page. I struggled much less with this story than with the ones I attempted previously - and I’d say it’s due to the fact that I am very familiar with his writing style (I can somewhat infer what sort of nonsense he’s on about at times 
). Didn’t write any of this down, may try tomorrow - otherwise just hoping to finish the story, and potentially re-read it. Enjoying it very much so far and can’t wait to see how it ends.
One thing I’ve noticed that while I could read a signifficant chunk of the words, some of them (which were from lower WK levels) have completely eluded me. It’s so easy to forget this stuff if you don’t use it… 
Sum vocab
どれ位 (どれくらい) - how much
暫く (しばらく) - for a moment
くらい - about/approximatelly/to the extent
黙る (だまる) - to be silent
違いない (ちがいない) - for certain
きっと - surely
あるとき - on occasion
覚める (さめる) - to wake up
時刻 (じこく) - time
兎に角 (とにかく) - anyhow
ぼっち - solitude
いいかい - (familiar way of saying) listen!
刻む (きざむ) - to tick away
だって - even, too
かも - may, might
隔てる (へだてる) - to separate
沈める (しずめる) - to sink
頷く (うなずく) - to nod
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Day 3
Today I read the second chapter of 透明カメレオン！The story mood suddenly shifted, it got really funny! There’s still mystery, and at the same time the main character made a choice that put everyone in a really awkward and funny position. I could explain it…but you wouldn’t laugh. It’d be better just to read it 
Today’s words and phrases:
• 突っ伏す — (つっぷす) to fall prostrate
• 見かねる — (みかねる) to be unable to let pass unnoticed, unable to just watch
• 呂律が回らない — (ろれつがまわらない) speaking inarticulately; slurring, lisping, etc
• 津々— (しんしん) overflowing, gushing
• えずく — to throw up
My Home Post
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Oooooh I’ve definitely run into that before and completely forgot about it, I like it too! It feels like sugarcoating kinda? Anyway I searched it for funsies and I found this cool post where they made it literal: 本音を本当にオブラートに包む :: デイリーポータルZ
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\huge\color{ #F5B7B1}\mathrm{🌸Day 3🌸}
\huge\color{ #F5B7B1}\mathrm{🌸Day 3🌸}
\small \color{ #D1F2EB}\mathrm{★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★}
Today I translated 2 pages of よつばと！The TV has been claimed 
And I’m recognizing a lot more words now than at the start of the winter challenge. Progress for Koiwai, progress for me. All is good.
\small \color{ #D1F2EB}\mathrm{★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★}
Tooltip
The flowers above the “Day #” links to my post for the previous day, and the flowers below link to the next day, except for the latest day ofc, they link somewhere special 
edit: I caught an embarrassing mistake
at least I felt embarrassed by it for long enough to edit in this comment, 5 seconds later I now feel embarrassed that I felt embarrassed about it and advertised that. What is this. It’s 1:22am. I’m going to sleep now.
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Day 3
Read 18 pages of こぐまのクーク物語: はじめての海とキャンプ, which brings me to 31%. Still encountering a lot of new words, I keep adding them to the spreadsheet for now.
Word of the day (aka thank you Wanikani for helping me learn kanji): 一口大に切ったメロン
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第１６話 超やわらか～い
Thanks for the tip. It works. Now I just have to edit my home post and see if it works there as well.
Edit: Nope. It didn’t work as I wanted. Well, that’s alright. At least, I learnt how to do the hidden furigana. Thanks again.
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Day 3: April 3rd
What did I read?: ふしぎ駄菓子屋銭天堂 Vol 2
How much did I read?: 5 pages
How long did it take me?: 38 min
As usual, our customer of the chapter found exactly the thing he was wanting in Zenitendou…now how will this go bad hahaha xD
Lots of fun expressions and cool words today!
- 食い入るように (くいいるように) - with intense concentration; eagerly; intently; devouringly
- さぐる - to feel around for; to fumble for; to grope for; to search for; to look for (can also mean to explore (parts unknown); to enjoy (natural beauty) - I love that)
- 上まわる (うわまわる) - to exceed (esp. figures: profits, unemployment rate, etc.); to surpass; to be more than; to be better than
- 変幻自在 (へんげんじざい) - phantasmagoric; protean; shape-shifting; kaleidoscopic; capable of ever-changing appearance (what a neat word)
- しのび歩き (しのびありき) - I absolutely read this is “walking around like a ninja” without looking it up and that is essentially what it means
Per Jisho: travelling incognito (traveling) or quiet steps; creeping around - ルパン - shoplifting; shoplifter
- がぶり - emphatically (bite, gulp, chew, etc.)
- もっちり - springy (texture); puffy
- きびすを返す (きびすをかえす) - to turn on one’s heel; to turn back; to return
- にんまり - with a complacent smile; with a smile of satisfaction
- こおどり - dancing or jumping for joy
- 鼻をあかす (はなをあかす) - to outwit; to get the better of; to overcome a superior opponent and leave him speechless
- 胸がすく (むねがすく) - to feel relieved; to feel satisfied; to feel refreshed
Oh do I
They’re almost all light かわいい shark manga though hahaha, idk if that’s exactly what you were looking for, but I will say that I really enjoyed サメーズ -サメとアザラシ-, which is a 4-koma manga about…some sharks and a seal It’s very funny and I love the illustrations (there are two other サメーズ books by the same author, but those are a bit more picture-bookish in style). In the last challenge, I read おでかけ子ザメ, which is a manga that centers on the cutest baby shark in the history of the world and his tiny adventures and the friends he makes along the way (very little text, though, so good for enjoyment of cuteness but not very intensive for reading practice ). I also read a manga called 海のどうぶつが可愛すぎて! which was a bit more like “facts about various sea creatures told in manga form” the sea creatures were really cute though, the title did not lie I liked that one a lot as well, and would definitely recommend if non-fiction sea creature manga is of interest to you ^^
Man, I am really overusing the emoji lately, like what is that
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i don’t have hte space I don’t have the space I don’t have the space I don’t have the space
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㋃3日 – Day 3
- おじさまと猫
p.104-end (~155?)
It didn’t make me cry again and hopefully there won’t be any further upsetting content. Yesterday’s reading was pretty great in solidifying 任す・お任せ for me. I’ve learned that irl, if I want to say, “You’re the expert, so please do what you think best,” that I can use 任す to defer to the expert’s expertise. Very handy and I feel like it’s a social level up.
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There’s so much I wanna read lol it’s difficult not to do it all at once. Or to not just read and let the rest of my studies fall to the wayside (which I definitely can’t let happen yet at this point). I also got sleepy earlier than usual today because of work this morning, so that, too, kept me from reading as much as I wanted.
I read Seed 2 of GREEN. It takes place some time after Seed 1, as Wako-chan says, “(誠さん)と初めて出会ったのは去年の秋” in the exposition, but I don’t know how long, exactly. It’s time to harvest cucumbers and tomatoes now, which is apparently late summer to early fall. She’s helping out only on the weekends now, as she has class at the culinary school she’s attending on weekdays. Since she’s 22, I assume this is her last year, though.
Some spoilers and speculation:
When she arrives at the house on Friday night, she finds Makoto already asleep, having gone to bed early as usual, so she checks his clock to see that he has the alarm set for 5 a.m. and decides to set her own for the same time. She ends up waking up at nearly 7 and finding her clock broken and with the batteries taken out. I suspect it was the grandmother’s doing. She doesn’t seem particularly charitable toward the idea of Wako learning how to properly help out around the farm, much less spending time with Makoto, and steers her toward doing other tasks. She thinks the only thing Wako is good at/for is cooking. Either she’s not actually against Wako marrying Makoto at all (just doesn’t want her getting in the way of Makoto’s work on the farm, as she definitely does as a beginner), as she’s the one who brought up that she would make a good wife, “don’t you think, Makoto? ♡” at the end of Seed 1, just against her learning to help out on the farm, or she goes back and forth between wanting and not wanting Wako around, as at the end of this chapter as well, she seems happy that the two of them are getting along and chides them not to “fight like a married couple before you’re actually married ♡”
Today I finally tried out Satori Reader, which I’d downloaded months ago but never used, and got a subscription. I read ch 1-5 of コナの大冒険. I’d assumed, since the other cat’s name is Mocha, that Kona’s name comes from Kona coffee, but nope, it comes from the district on the island of Hawai’i! (Which is the origin of the coffee name, granted, and the coffee may have influenced them choosing that name, but he was named specifically because he looks like cooled lava when he sleeps.) Anyway, I’m enjoying the story so far, and I also like that I can add to the kanji that I’ve learned on WK, though it was a little annoying constantly going back and forth between Preferences and the story lol
I only read 2 pages of 2.43 today before unfortunately getting to tired for my brain to really parse what I was reading. I left off on pg 36.
Today on 2.43…
Ochi injured his right knee during practice the summer of his first year, just before Inter-High. Soon after that is when Hata-kantoku approached him about making the switch to manager. Their current manager was a third-year named Honda who was retiring after In-High regardless of whether they got a ticket to Nationals in order to focus on his studies, and he had also been a player before getting injured and becoming manager; even though Hata approached Ochi more because he has the brains to be manager than because of his injury, I’m sure Honda’s circumstances made that more difficult to believe, made it hurt more. Ochi would rather quit altogether than stay on but not as a player, until Subaru convinces him otherwise and promises to make him a manager who gets to stand at HaruKou’s center court. I’ll be reading that part tomorrow.
Ideally, I could read a full sub-chapter a day, but some of them are over a dozen pages long (this one I’ve still got 13 pages left of), and this book is at a level where much more than about 10 pages gets really difficult, so the average of 4 pages/day is good for that reason, too. I can easily read a full chapter of 夜カフェ in a day—heck, I could probably read more—but not 2.43. Much to my disappointment. And frustration. I love this series so much.
Some vocab of note:
嘘くさい (うそくさい) [い-adjective] contrived; false-sounding (“That stinks of a lie!”)
馬の骨 (うまのほね) [expression, noun] [derogatory] person of doubtful origin
手に職がある (てにしょくがある) Judging by the phrases 手に職を持つ “to have a trade/vocation” and 手に職を着ける “to learn a trade/vocation,” as well as context, I’m guessing it means “there’s a trade/vocation (for you)”
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Oh hey, I used Satori Reader too. I might be misinterpreting, but do you mean the feature to omit furigana from words using kanji you’ve learned? Cause if it’s that, you can actually feed it your API and have that all happen automatically.
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