There was a book club here for it I believe, and I and some others have read it outside of that. It’s a heart warming and calming book. The writing style is really nothing special, though, and perhaps the pacing could be better. I greatly enjoyed the audiobook and I’ve heard other people loved the movie - and IIRC it was actually based on a stage play.
17 Likes
January 7
Home Post
BU$TAFELLOWS 
Finally had a chance to get back to Bustafellows, in the middle of a very long scene I stopped in before because I got fatigued on figuring stuff out. After quite some more talking it finally ended. 
The end of chapter one nowhere in sight yet. I haven’t even gotten to all the choice points in chapter 1 yet, and I seem to remember people talking about there being quite a bit after them too.
I knew I’d fall behind on the VN clubs (I haven’t even had a chance to start 9-nine- yet…) in the first half of January, but I had thought I’d at least finish chapter 1 of Bustafellows before chapter 3 begins next week, but… I’d be surprised if I did with how busy I will be. 
And it is quite early here yet, so I will probably end up reading some more of the English novel I’m reading later. But I wanted to post right now. ^^
Hurray! Well done! 
What is this “technically” I hear? If you in any language bought a trilogy in a one volume set, would you then say that you hadn’t finished a book when you finished the first book of the trilogy?! Shame on you. 
Congratz on your first book! 
33 Likes
Jan 7, Sat of Week 2 of Winter Q1 2023 
- はたらく細胞 Black Vol.2 Ch.9-10 (end volume)
I thought the 身体 was going to end.
- うたわれるもの
Interesting words
- ドヤ顔 = self-satisfied look
- 刺々しい = biting (words). Like a barb (棘).
- 浮上 = rising to the surface. ふ is an On reading of barely introduced of 浮く (Level 30).
- 非凡 = extraordinary
- 凌駕 = surpassing; outdoing
- 牽制 = keeping in check
- まとめ役 = manager; coordinator; consensus builder. Full Kanji form is 纏め役.
- 彩色 = coloring
- 有給 = paid holiday
- 代休 = compensatory holiday
- 破綻 = breakdown; bankruptcy. The latter Kanji is also in 綻びる (which I had confused with 滅びる).
- 好転 = changing for the better. Probably like 改善. Then, I learned about 暗転.
- 三尖弁 = tricuspid valve. For mitral, 二尖弁 is OK, but 僧帽弁 seems to be more common.
-
心室細動 = ventricular fibrillation. 心室 is ventricle.
- A counterpart is 心房細動, where 心房 is atrium.
- 細動 is fibrillation (fine movements?) So, 除細動器 = defibrillator.
- 開発者 = developer (of a computer application / game)
- 常在菌 = normal flora
- 家督 = heir; inheritance / family estate
- 子煩悩 = doting one’s children. 煩悩 is just worldly desires. (In contrast with Mandarin = worries)
- 分不相応 = beyond one’s position
- 本末転倒 = pulling the cart before the horse. Probably, tip (末) before the main body (本).
- 立ち往生 = brought to a standstill (a deadlock). 往生 is passing to afterlife; so probably will die anyway…
- 質実剛健 = simplicity and fortitude (strong mind).
- 爪に火をともす = to light a fire on one’s fingernails; to lead a stingy life
- 命に別状はない = life is not in danger; not life-threatening. 別条 is acceptable too, and suggested by IME; while the former is in context.
SFX
- コクコク = nod
Kanji
-
綻
- ripped open
- タン
- 破綻
- 綻びる
-
駕
- palanquin horse
- ガ
- 凌駕
- 駕籠
-
牽
- harness; rein
- ケン
- 牽制, 牽引, 牽牛星
- 牽強付会
-
凌 (Level 58)
- リョウ
- 凌駕, 凌雲
- 凌ぐ (in Wanikani)
- リョウ
-
浮 (Level 30)
- フ
- 浮浪者 (in Wanikani)
- 浮上, 浮遊, 浮力, 浮沈
- 浮腫
-
浮腫む
- 浮腫
- フ
26 Likes
I suppose “technically” in the sense that I can’t check it off as done on natively or bookmeter (I did mark it as read and put it on my goodreads japanese shelf though, so you got me there 
)
17 Likes
Well, I can see that. *nods sagely* But in reality you still finished your first book and in this challenge we don’t care if you can check it off on natively/bookmeter. xD
So party!
23 Likes
The Tanuki Kotatsu Reading Den
January 7th
新書太閣記 progress: 00.53% // Volume I: 06.10% 
I said it yesterday but again, the descriptions are really good. It’s impressive how much emotional weight Yoshikawa can express in such few words, really makes the scenes feel very real.
Also managed to finish the chapter.
Words found under the kotatsu
旗指物「はたさしもの」ー The small flag that some samurai carry on their back in battle
騎「き」ー Counter for horsemen
荷駄「にだ」ー Pack; horseload
野薔薇「のいばら」ー Multiflora Rose / Japanese Rose
兵馬「へいば」ー Arms and cavalry; troops; military affairs
前線「ぜんせん」ー Weather front; the front lines; action zone
床几「しょうぎ」ー Folding stool; camp stool
籠手「こて」ー Gauntlet; bracer
颯々「さつさつ」ー Rustling; murmuring; whistling
恍惚「こうこつ」ー Rapture; ecstasy
Forms
酬いる ＝ 報いる「むくいる」(to reward; to recompense; to repay)
Alt Meanings
駒「こま」ー Shogi/chess piece // But has an archaic meaning: horse; foal
Character Name List
for easy referencing later, because these will take some remembering
Also probably some spoilers, but this is a historic novel, so can spoilers really exist for things that have (for the most part) actually happened 
Main
Hideyoshi: 豊臣秀吉「とよとみ ひでよし」// 豊太閤「ほうたいこう」
Volume I Characters
日吉「ひよし」
(Hideyoshi as a child)
Friends
仁王「におう」- Big kid friend
於福「おふく」- Timid kid friend
Family
弥右衛門「やえもん」- Father
加藤清正「かとう きよまさ」- Ojisan (only distantly related)
Others
織田信秀「おだ のぶひで」(Daimyo) (Foreshadowing drum noises)
– 織田与三郎「おだ よさぶろう」(Younger brother)
今川義元「いまがわ よしもと」(Daimyo)
五郎大夫 「ごろ だゆう」// 祥瑞「しょうずい」(Goro’s Chinese name)
– Servant of Goro: 捨次郎「すてじろう」
– Mother of Goro’s child: 梨琴「りきん」
– Rikin’s & Goro’s child: 楊景福「ようけいふく」
Historical People
-
阿倍仲麻呂「あべ の なかまろ」ー Japanese scholar & poet (around 700AD)
-
白楽天「はく きょい」ー Late 700s Chinese poet (Bai Juyi / Bo Juyi) also known as: 白楽天「はく らくてん」in Japan.
-
道元「どうげん」(or 道元禅師「どうげん ぜんじ」ー Japanese Buddhist Priest, writer & poet (Early to mid 1200s) (also known as 栄西禅師「えいさい ぜんじ」)
-
空海「くうかい」ー The one and only Kukai or Kobo Daishi - a Buddhist monk. Posthumously given the title of: 弘法大師「こうぼう だいし」born as: 佐伯 眞魚「さえき の まお」(late 700s to early 800s)
Replies
Congrats! This is great!
Congrats this is also great!
28 Likes
January 7th progress update
Home Post
Finished the first 20 pages of よつばと！- vol. 1
This was probably the most exhausting reading experience I ever had due to this being the first ever manga I read, not to mention barely reading anything in Japanese recently. I must admit though that getting through just these 20 pages feels great because I’ve revised grammar I nearly forgot, learnt some new words and expressions. Time to take some notes of the new vocab I gained then relax for the day.
This is called a challenge for a reason and I’m happy to be a part of it, looking forward to finishing the first chapter tomorrow. 
Congratulations, that is an awesome feat!
31 Likes
Day 7, 7th of January
Yesterday was a migraine day, so no reading. But today I read this DrDru story, which was some facts about Spain.
In the next, we play Tic-tac-Toe, 三目並べ.
27 Likes
Day 4
Continued reading Your Lie in April manga Vol.2. It must be really rough what happened to the protagonist being on a stage and starting to panic. But they somehow managed to save the situation but were still disqualified. In my opinion that really doesn’t matter as an artist it’s more important to give your best every time and to make people smile.
Started the next short story in ボッコちゃん 5 pages.
470 pages read 19530 to go
26 Likes
January 7th!
Today I started reading Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun. I read chapter 1-2 and so far I’m really enjoying it. It’s pretty funny 
31 Likes
Day 7: January 7th
What did I read?: 夜の名前を呼んで Vol 3
How much did I read?: 36 pages
How long did it take me?: 1 hour 20 min
Wow, I was struggling today in the reading department, I feel like there were a lot of words I didn’t know and kanji I couldn’t remember how to read so it slowed me up a bit. But nevertheless, I read two chapters today and finished off this last volume when are there more I need them
In the second-to-last chapter, a butler man randomly shows up in their garden and engages Rei’s magical doctor services for a young girl who apparently can’t be in the sunlight. I think her and Mira are going to become friends somehow - idk how, but I can sense it 
And then the last chapter. THE LAST CHAPTER WAS THE CUTEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE 
It’s a flashback to young Rei, Karutos, and Stela being in magical med school together.
Spoilers, but cute spoilers ;_; And they're not really related to the main story I don't think, just this particular chapter
Stela decides she’s going to be an inventor, and the first thing she invents is…No. ワン
Rei LOVES it Please, have you ever seen anything more cute in your entire life
Crying sobbing on the floor 
But then - tragedy - we find out that Rei is allergic to puppy so he can never pet the puppy again
But then, but then
Stela invents him this little space helmet thing so he can play with puppy again ahhhhh
THE CUTESTTTTT
dkfshdls I feel like I had to put that in spoilers but I think this image alone is spoiler-free enough
Look and let your heart be healed 
Replies!
Yay!! Congratulations to both of you!
32 Likes
January 7th
What did I read?: にわにはににん
How much did I read?: 12 pages
(Continued 4th Story: にわにはににん )
How long did it take me?: 46 min
This story’s getting really interesting! The main character has been trapped in a miniature garden and has a doppelganger of him running around the house! I’m a big fan of doppelgangers in stories, so this is a fascinating development~
28 Likes
Day 7: January 7th
シャドーハウス Volume 4 (13% ➨ 33%)
Too much coding and not enough reading today. But my plan to get caught up with the Shadows House book club is…sort of getting there. Back to coding.
29 Likes
１月５日～８日
I’m pretty sure I missed a day somewhere here if you don’t count reading a Japanese guest’s message
But somewhere down the line, I got a couple pages of 世界から猫が消えたなら read, and I took advantage of the coin back sale on Bookwalker to finally get かがみの孤城 and get a couple pages in. It’s interesting that it’s rated lower on Natively compared to the former book because the former feels like it’s much easier to read, in my opinion. But we’ll see how they compare down the road.
I also got chapter 5 of 夜カフェ3 read, and thankfully this chapter was better than the last two. But honestly, if it wasn’t a book I could literally just read anywhere at any time, I probably would put it on hold. It’s just far less interesting compared to the other books I’m reading.
Thanks all for the birthday wishes! 
Funny! Mine was the day after, the 4th.
And look it all these early January birthdays! Happy (belated) birthday guys! 
One of our guests from Belgium came on the 4th and left on her birthday on the 6th, too. Such happy timing!
31 Likes
1 月 8 日
からかい上手の高木さん Volume 1 Chapter 2 
So I’ve read another chapter of Teasing-master Takagi-san, but have to say that there were so many things I couldn’t understand today. I can get the gist of the story from words I know and of course the drawings but my low level of grammar is really hindering me from being able to fully understand or even attempt at making translations which I’ve seen other readers do in the book club thread.
I’m beginning to wonder if I’m ready for my first ABBC at all! But paraphrasing from this chapter: 別にいいけど… Ready or not, I’m just gonna do it since the next two in line are both mangas I voted for and look super cute!
Replies
@javerend i was just thinking how strange that is but then I thought about how I pick books to read. I guess I don’t really give that much consideration for titles. Usually I heavily base my selection on the blurb and genre. Unfortunately, based on my reading progress for today, it’s only until the title for now…
@nyxqueenofshadows thank you for the reply to my question related to the feminine speaking styles! And for prompting others to respond! Very useful inputs.
29 Likes
January 7 Home Post
More 山猫! I was determined to make progress and read 49 pages so guess I succeeded 
I’m enjoying all the mysterious happenings and trying to figure out what’s going on, but mostly I’m enjoying all the ridiculous things 山猫 does and everyone around him being like “why are you like this” 
poor 勝村 lmao, he’s gonna be so mad when the crossword puzzle 山猫 was messing with inevitably ends up being the key to the clues 今井 left for him, rip. There are also still interesting side characters being introduced, I have no idea if anyone other than 山猫 will end up actually being a recurring character in the series so we shall see!
Ooooh that’s very exciting, congrats!!
30 Likes
softlyraining’s snowy book stack 
January 7th
ラストで君は「まさか！」と言う 冬の物語 (48% → 52%)
Only one short story today (8 pages, 19 minutes and 48 seconds). My spouse was playing Lego Star Wars, and it was hard not to stop reading to watch the cut scenes…
Today’s story once again involved a runner. However, I had an easier time understanding what was going on, so it was an all-around better time. That said, it was just so-so.
I see that a couple of people finished their first book/manga in Japanese! This is probably my favorite aspect of the reading challenge. Congratulations! For those still on the journey to that first finished book, keep at it! A little bit goes a long way!
29 Likes
Home post // Jan 7
・ 本好きの下克上 16 (37% → 42%)
Was too tired to post last night, so here goes instead. I did not read Saikawa and Moe I watched the last few episodes of Bocchi the Rock instead. I hope there will be a season 2 
Honzuki spoilers: I can’t help but ship ローゼマイン and フェルディナンド, they have an interesting chemistry together. I don’t want her to be married to ヴィルフリート I know the two of them are just engaged for political stability right now to counter unwanted attention from the noble people, so I guess there is room for other developments further ahead
30 Likes
8th jan
another chapter of 彼女とカメラと彼女の季節 and we’re only in chapter two but things are heating up! there’s still cute moments tho so i feel comfortable carrying on.
no words jumped out at me, but that’s okay. back to 蟲師 tomorrow!
26 Likes
I technically started this challenge on the first, but I was so busy with it being イッテンヨン week in Japan and all, plus having family visiting, I wasn’t able to be around the forum much, and just quietly got my reading done on my own .
But I am here now!! 
| Jan | 月 | 火 | 水 | 木 | 金 | 土 | 日 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 52 | |||||||
| Week 1 | |||||||
| Week 2 | |||||||
| Week 3 | |||||||
| Week 4 | |||||||
| Week 5 |
| Feb | 月 | 火 | 水 | 木 | 金 | 土 | 日 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 5 | |||||||
| Week 6 | |||||||
| Week 7 | |||||||
| Week 8 | |||||||
| Week 9 |
= Japanese
= Japanese and Spanish
As usual, I’m aiming to read in both Japanese and Spanish every day if possible! I also have an ambitious new goal that I outlined in my 2022 retrospective/2023 goals post…
Basically, I’m going to try to get a full 365 day streak of either reading or listening every day (I typically do the reading challenge for two months and then the listening challenge on the off-month) with both Spanish and Japanese. I honestly got pretty close to accomplishing that last year without even planning on it from the outset, and since I’m freshly unemployed, I figured I might as well aim extra high.
What I'm reading in Spanish:
I’m currently reading Sí, sí es contigo by Calle y Poché, which is a book I had earmarked for adding to the library’s Spanish language collection. I saw it on recommended lists of LGBTQ books in Spanish, and it looked like it would have a lot of everyday vocabulary and be a bit less, well, literary, for lack of a better term, haha, which might make it more accessible to me, since I’d mostly just been reading kids books before.
What I'm reading in Japanese:
As usual, my main priority will be translating post-match comments for Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling! This still counts as reading haha because I’m still heavily dependent on typed transcripts of the comments and don’t have good enough listening comprehension to translate from video yet.
The TJPW comments are very time-sensitive and have to take priority, but whenever I have extra time, I have some Shakespeare deathmatch wrestling shows from over a decade ago on some rare DVDs that I bought recently, and I’m trying to translate the card/cast list for those shows, as well as other materials, like the really cool program that Romeo vs Juliet came with (and I’ll be getting the guidebook for Macbeth hopefully soon…). It can be a somewhat research-intensive process haha because I have to look up a lot of names and such.
As far as, like, normal reading goes, I’m still hoping to finish 大海原と大海原 volume 3! I’m pretty sure I started it during last year’s winter read every day challenge, but, well, life had other plans for me that year, haha, and I ran out of time for reading manga after taking on a huge translation workload. But I still want to finish it!!
I also started reading 女装してめんどくさい事になってるネクラとヤンキーの両片想い recently, after reading the first two volumes in English and getting curious enough to try reading the third in Japanese. I’m reading this series much more extensively than everything else I’m reading, so sometimes I find myself gravitating toward it when I want something a little lower effort.
In addition to that, pro wrestling’s greatest epic gay love story, the Golden Lovers (who are the entire reason I got into wrestling and ultimately the reason I started learning Japanese), have recently gotten back together, and it’s likely that things are going to ramp up a lot with that story in February (when Kota Ibushi’s contract is up), so I’ll probably have tweets and interviews and such from them to read, too. I’m hoping, at least! The first week of January has already been very generous in that regard…
31 Likes