It’s been nearly two weeks, but I finally have some time and energy to update what I’ve been reading for the last 11 days. I’ve been switching between 3-4 different texts, reading a chapter a day for the easier texts and a page or so a day for the more difficult texts.
I started volume 2 of Pocket Monsters Special and 恐怖授業転生. The former doesn’t disappoint but the latter is unfortunately not as interesting as its volume 1 version was. Then again, the stories are getting a bit predictable because they all follow the same pattern. It might be fun to read a story every once in a while, but I think it loses its charm if you read binge read it or read the series too often.
My copy of 獣の奏者１was also ready at the library, so I checked it out last week. It’s my second book I’ve tackled, and the difference between it and 夜カフェ are like night and day. 夜カフェ was fairly easy to get through, and I could easily understand everything even if I chose not to look up every single word. On the other hand, just looking up a page of words in 獣の奏者 takes over an hour, and the sentences can get a little more complex, and therefore take a little more time to decipher. Unlike the former, I feel like I have to translate the latter sometimes and it kind of ruins the experience.
It’s not like I’m going into the series blind either - I’ve seen the anime twice (rewatched about this time last year), and I got the Aoitori Bunko edition as well, so all the furigana are included. I couldn’t imagine having to read this book without the furigana. It gave me a dose of reality of how much more I need to develop my reading skills and not just improve my kanji recognition.
I also bought the full set of Buddha by Osamu Tezuka. Actually, my husband recommended the original anime to me many moons ago, but I could never find it, so I looked up the manga on Mercari recently and got it for a steal. The seller was also very kind and really treasured the series and wanted to pass it on to someone who could appreciate it, so I enjoyed a nice exchange with them letting them know why I bought it. Right now I pick it up when I want a little challenge - it’s the only text I have that has no furigana whatsoever, so I’ve decided to read and try to understand based on the kanji I know and can decipher from the radicals as well as hints from the pictures. But since I’m mostly scanning more than reading right now, I’m not really going to mark it as reading until later.
2月13日~23日 ~ Days 44~54 / Back to Home
Pokemon Special 2 (page 63 of 207 - chapters 15-18)
I was pleasantly surprised to see that volume 2 started off with as much excitement as volume 1 ended on. We’re introduced to a new main character, Blue, and we learn she’s a thief and a con artist but she’s very cute so how can we hate her?? She reminds me a lot of Domino from the Mewtwo Returns movie (technically, I think the Japanese version was just a special) who plays the role of an innocent and weak girl to hide her true badass abilities and the fact that she’s a top spy for Team Rocket. I wonder if Domino was inspired by Blue’s characterization in the manga?
In chapter 15, we find Blue observing Red whose Fushigidane evolves into Fushigisou (I love the puns in Bulbasaur’s evolution line). She soon approaches Red to awe and praise him on his Pokemon’s new evolution and sets right out to con him into buying fake Pokemon support items. After realizing very quickly that he had been tricked, he contacts Okido-hakase and learns that the Zenigame he was raising had been stolen.
Red finds Blue trying to trick other people and chases after her. She escapes on Kameil but not before Red’s Kabigon stops them. Blue changes tactics and tries to apologize lying that she didn’t realize the items were fake. When he lets down his guard, she immediately begins attacking him but he doesn’t fall for the same trick twice. He wins and recovers his money while she’s unconscious (isn’t this what happens when trainers win Pokemon battles anyway?). When he identifies his Pokemon, he also considers the fact that she may have been the one to steal Okido-hakase’s Zenigame but doesn’t press the matter. When Red returns to his hotel, he realizes his badges were snagged by Blue while she was seemingly unconscious. She’s got some sticky fingers! Maybe that’s why she wears gloves…
In chapter 16, Red decides that the only way for him to get his badges back is to join Team Rocket’s ranks and find Blue and catch her off guard. He steals an outfit from an unsuspecting Grunt and joins the meeting. He also finds an incomplete Mewtwo chained in a tank and learns that a sample from Mew is needed to create it. But in order to find Mew, they must get back the floppy disc that Blue stole!
They find Blue and the Team Rocket members surround her. Surprisingly, she’s able to hold her weight by manipulating them - using Kameil to hold the floppy disc so they can’t go all out in fear of destroying the data they need. Unfortunately, one of the Grunt’s Kentauros is powerful and can command the other Pokemon with a click of its tail. They double team Kameil and recover the data putting Blue in a tight position. She calls out Metamon and before Kentauros drives them off the cliff, Red pushes her out of the way. When Kentauros comes back up from falling off the cliff, the Grunt’s think they have the upperhand but it’s really Metamon who commands the others to attack Team Rocket. Blue also reveals Red’s identity, and they escape on Purin. Team Rocket thinks they recovered the data…
In chapter 17, we find out Blue had hidden the real data and gave Team Rocket a fake copy (how like her). She has Metamon transform into Mew to keep Team Rocket busy while they go after the real Mew. Using special goggles, Blue finds Mew via wavelengths and they team up to attack. Blue is also doing this purely for monetary reasons because Mew is so rare, so she isn’t much better than Team Rocket, lol.
They capture Mew but just before they get attacked by Team Rocket’s Rougela. Red encourages Blue to escape with Mew and tries to defend them, but fails. Mew helps out and stops Rougela before disappearing. Blue also manages to snap a photo of Mew beforehand, so she’ll get paid, therefore mission accomplished. She also returns to the badges to Red before escaping on Purin.
In chapter 18, we find Green at a pachinko parlor, erm, the Game Corner gambling for some good Pokemon. He exchanges his coins for Porygon who isn’t tamed at all, and he runs into some problems trying to control it. He finally manages to recover Porygon just as Red walks up to pick up his failed Monster Balls and walks off. A stampede of Pokemon chase a couple of girls and Red steps in to protect them but instead of his Pokemon, out pops Blue’s Pokemon instead. Him not being their trainer is unable to command them, and he fails, getting trampled in the process.
Meanwhile, Green reveals that he had their Pokemon switched on purpose so he could enter some new data. He also forces Red’s Pokemon into some heavy training because they’re lightweights and need a boost. Red takes a more personal approach having fun with Green’s Pokemon and teaching them to lighten up. In the middle of the night, a Kyukon approaches that Green is having Pikachu battle. He also learns a new non-electric move to give it some diversity. Kyukon escapes and runs into Red and Goriki. Nearly getting beaten, Goriki evolves into Kairiki at the last second and Green claims the Kyukon as his (his reasoning being that it was his Kairiki that defeated it). They switch back Pokemon and Green’s Pokemon are strangely more friendly towards him while Red’s Pokemon look serious or like they’re seriously ready to beat him up.
New Vocab & Kanji
第15話
行き止まり いきどまり dead end
不良品 ふりょうひん inferior goods; defective product; defective goods
身の程 みのほど one’s social position; one’s place; one’s standing
大金 たいきん large amount of money; great cost
第16話
しらみつぶし very thorough search (for contraband, escaped convict, etc.); fine-tooth-comb search; exhaustive search; scouring
無用 むよう unnecessary; needless
見失う みうしなう to lose sight of; to miss
忍び込む しのびこむ to creep in; to steal in; to sneak in
手がかり てがかり clue; lead; key; trail; scent; track
捜査 そうさ search (esp. in criminal investigations); investigation; inquiry; enquiry
情報分析 じょうほうぶんせき information analysis
以前採取 いぜんさいしゅ previously collected
細胞 さいぼう cell
遺伝子組み換え いでんしくみかえ genetically modified; GM
わずかながら only slightly; small amount
基盤 きばん foundation; basis; base; footing; infrastructure
再度 さいど a second time; again; once more; twice
捕獲 ほかく capture; seizure
手立て てだて means; method
総員 そういん the entire strength; all hands; all the members
集合 しゅうごう meeting up; gathering; assembly
随分 ずいぶん very; extremely; surprisingly; considerably; awfully; terribly
手加減 てかげん adapting to the situation (one’s strength, strictness, etc.); making allowances; using discretion; going easy (on someone)
指揮 しき command; direction; supervision
複数 ふくすう plural; multiple; several
群れ むれ herd
長 おさ head; chief; leader
踏み潰す ふみつぶす to trample; to crush underfoot
段差 だんさ difference in level (e.g. road, footpath); ramp; steps; bump (in road)
観念 かんねん resignation (to one’s fate); acceptance; preparedness
自由自在 じゆうじさい free; unrestricted; (with) complete mastery; completely in control
小癪 こしゃく impudent; cheeky
第17話
アジト hideout; secret base of operations; safe house
区別 くべつ distinction; differentiation; classification
兼指令室 けんしれいしつ combined command room
緊急 きんきゅう urgency; emergency
指令 しれい orders; instructions; directive; command
実行 じっこう execution (e.g. of a plan); carrying out; practice; action; implementation; fulfillment; realization
外見 がいけん outward appearance
念力 ねんりき telekinesis; psychokinesis
独特 どくとく peculiarity; uniqueness; characteristic
波長 はちょう wavelength
居場所 いばしょ whereabouts; place; location
凶悪 きょうあく atrocious; fiendish; brutal; villainous
現在 げんざい the present; present time; now
乱れ みだれ disorder; disturbance; unrest
位置 いち place; position; location
軌道 きどう orbit; trajectory
食い止める くいとめる to check; to hold back; to keep at bay; to stop; to prevent; to stem; to curb; to halt
怪物 かいぶつ monster
消滅 しょうめつ extinction; extinguishment; disappearance; vanishing; termination; lapse
増し まし better; preferable; less objectionable; least-wors
撮影 さつえい photography (still or motion); photographing; filming; shooting; (video) recording
上空 じょうくう sky; the skies; high-altitude sky; upper air
買い手 かいて buyer
第18話
景品交換所 けいひんこうかんじょ pachinko prize exchange shop; shop where pachinko prizes are exchanged for money
景品 けいひん prize (lottery drawing, pachinko, etc.)
手なづける てなづける to tame
郊外 こうがい suburb; residential area on the outskirt of a city; commuter belt
物騒な ぶっそうな dangerous; unsettled; troubled; disturbed; insecure
突っ込む つっこむ to thrust (something) into (something); to cram; to stuff; to shove
余裕 よゆう composure; placidity; complacency; calm
自主 じしゅ independence; autonomy; self-reliance
しつけ discipline; training; teaching manners
実戦 じっせん combat; battle; action; active service; actual fighting
一方 いっぼう whereas; although; but at the same time; meanwhile; in turn
慣らす ならす to tame; to domesticate; to train (an animal)
救い すくい salvation; solace; (source of) comfort; saving grace
手放す てばなす to let go of; to release; to drop
詰まり つまり in short; in brief; to sum up; ultimately; in the end; in the long run; when all is said and done; what it all comes down to; when you get right down to it; basically
認識 にんしき recognition; awareness; perception; understanding; knowledge; cognition; cognizance
鍛える きたえる to drill; to train; to discipline
まし better; preferable; less objectionable; least-worst
対決 たいけつ confrontation; showdown
どくどく gushingly; copiously; profusely; in a steady stream
芸がない げいがない lacking skill; uninspiring; unexciting; dull; unrefined; boring (from being too plain)
目つき めつき look (in someone’s eyes); expression (of the eyes); eyes
恐怖授業転生2 (page 73 of 200 - chapters 5-6)
I’m less invested in this manga, so I’m just going to type up my impressions of the two chapters. First off, the title of chapter 5 gives away the twist, to be honest. It’s an interesting story, but the twist didn’t feel as surprising as some of the others. Then again, I think it’s just easy to know what to expect from the pattern.
Chapter 6 was a little challenging to read because of the characters’ dialogue. They’re young high school(?) girls and they talk like… kind of like the equivalent of valley girl dialect in the U.S. but not exactly. It’s just definitely noticeable and not the simplest to decipher. The story too was a little bit on the boring side. I’m guessing if the next chapter fails to entertain me, it’s probably because the story’s patterns are too easy to recognize unfortunately.
New Vocab & Kanji
友達さまの言う通り
気強い きづよい reassuring; stouthearted
群れる むれる to crowd; to flock; to swarm
もたつく to be slow; to not make progress; to be inefficient
浮く うく to feel out of it; to be cut off (e.g. from those around you); to feel out of place
納得 なっとく understanding; satisfaction (e.g. with an explanation); being convinced
伺う うかがう to ask; to inquire; to hear; to be told
格好 かつこう suitable; fit; reasonable
文句 もんく complaint
居心地いい いごこちいい comfortable (to live in); snug; cozy; cosy
気の合う きのあう to get along
家来 けらい retainer; retinue; servant
相当 そうとう considerably; rather; quite; fairly; pretty
幻聴 げんちょう auditory hallucination
包帯 ほうたい bandage; dressing
処 どころ specialist
赤い風船
超 ちょう extremely; really; totally; absolutely
盛り もり prime (of one’s life); (one’s) best days; bloom
恋バナ こいばな talking about one’s love interests; girls’ talk; gossiping
むしむし hot and humid
損 そん disadvantage; handicap; drawback; unfavorable
写メ しゃめ photo taken with a mobile phone; taking a photo with a mobile phone
肌 はだ skin
がらがら empty; bare; uninhabited; vacant; unoccupied
閉園 へいえん closing of a park (e.g. theme park, botanical garden, etc.)
直前 ちょくぜん just before
浮かぶ うかぶ to float; to be suspended
夢中 むちゅう absorbed in; immersed in; crazy about; obsessed with; devoted to
獣の奏者１(pages 6-7)
I only read the first couple pages (really 3 pages, but I didn’t have time to record the vocab for page 8). The prologue introduces a little bit about Erin and her mother’s work with the Toda. They describe their dwelling in great detail as well as some of the Toda’s information in great detail. There were a few words that are original words like Toda, but surprisingly nothing too difficult yet. I think it’s just that there are so many new vocab I haven’t encountered before that I took the time to look up and write down that makes the book seem really hard in the beginning. I bet if I read more, they’ll be a lot of words that are repeated, and I won’t need to look them up anymore.
It’s also really interesting to see the kanji used for Toda: 闘蛇 meaning an alternative kanji for war or 戦 and snake. It makes sense because it describes the Toda’s serpent/dragon-like features as well as its use which is for fighting on the battlefield.
New Vocab & Kanji
間 ま period of time (during, while); duration; interval
時刻 じこく time; (the) hour
薄板 うすいた laminate; veneer
葺き ぶき roofing; roofed with; thatching; thatched with; shingling; shingled with
絶え間なく たえまなく incessantly; without a pause
土間 どま dirt floor; room with dirt floor
水場 みずば watering hole; watering place
ぼんやり idly; aimlessly
忍ばせる しのばせる to conceal; to hide
寝間 ねま bedroom
寝具 しんぐ bedding; bedclothes
滑り込ませる すべりこませる to slide into; to slip into
ふうっと suddenly; abruptly; without warning
漂う ただよう to waft (e.g. a scent); to hang in the air
戦士 せんし soldier; combatant; warrior
水流 すいりゅう water current
巨大な きょだいな huge; gigantic; enormous
鱗 うろこ scale (of fish, snake, etc.)
麝香 じゃこう musk
雄 おす male
ジャコウジカ Musk deer
香料 こうりょう fragrance; perfume
独特 どくとく peculiarity; uniqueness; characteristic
粘液 ねんえき mucus; mucilage; viscous liquid; phlegm
覆う おおう to cover; to hide; to conceal; to wrap; to disguise
跨がる またがる to straddle; to sit astride; to mount
戦 いくさ troops; forces
纏う まとう to put on; to wear; to be clad in
嗅ぐ かぐ to sniff; to smell
遠雷 えんらい distant thunder
吐息 といき sigh; long breath
漏らす もらす to let leak; to let out (e.g. light)
慎重 しんちょう careful; cautious; prudent; discreet; deliberate
撫でる なでる to stroke; to caress; to brush gently; to pat; to rub
浮かぶ うかぶ to come to mind; to have inspiration
見つめる みつめる to stare (at); to gaze (at); to look hard (at); to watch intently; to fix one’s eyes (on)
眼差し まなざし (a) look; gaze
先陣 せんじん vanguard; advance guard
敵陣 てきじん enemy camp; enemy line
食い破る くいやぶる to bite and tear; to bite a hole in
担う になう to bear (burden, responsibility, etc.); to take upon oneself
岩房 がんぼう
衆 しゅう great numbers (of people); numerical superiority; masses
腕 うで skill; efforts; ability
それ程 それほど to that degree; to that extent; that much
誇らしい ほこらしい proud; haughty; arrogant
はち切れる はちきれる to be filled to bursting; to burst
水汲み みずくみ drawing water
縫い物 ぬいもの sewing; needlework; embroidery
ほっぽる to abandon; to leave behind
虚 うろ hollow; cavity; hole
触れる ふれる to touch; to feel
堪らない たまらない cannot help (doing); cannot but do; anxious to do
鎌首 かまくび sickle-shaped neck (e.g. snake, praying mantis); crooked neck; gooseneck
もたげる to raise (one’s head)
噛む かむ to bite
裂く さく to tear; to rip up
飲み込む のみこむ to engulf; to swallow up
Nah, what I did was nothing compared to all the work you guys did to making the list more accessible and easier to search through! Tan-chan is 5 months now. 
She’s gradually shortening her nap time and extending her active time so it’s starting to get a little challenging finding ways to entertain her while working some reading time in haha.