📚📚 Read every day challenge - Winter 2023 ☃❄

[Sylph]

February 27

Finished the Week 1 reading for 僕が愛したすべての君へ and decided to officially join the club for this round. Also played B$ for like 15 min, just a little extra scene that got unlocked.

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Can’t believe it’s the last day of the challenge already!

[MissDagger]

February 27 + 28
Home Post

Komi-san
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Decided yesterday that I wanted to have a manga I was reading whenever I didn’t want to dive into reading a VN, but I didn’t want to add more currently reading books to my list: Orange, Komi-san, BU$TAFELLOWS, and Loopers. I think four is about the max I want to deal with.

And because I’ve been following along with the Orange book club (and lead it) for months now, I didn’t want to read ahead of that. So Komi-san it became.

Is it just me, or is Komi-san pretty text heavy for a manga? I read in a review it is a 4koma, but I don’t know if that is true. Flipping through the first couple of chapters shows several pages with more than four boxes that all were together. But honestly, I barely know what a 4koma is, except they tend to be more text heavy. Maybe because this is a gag manga?

In any case, it means I actually stop reading because I get tired. Although it isn’t hard, it just feels rather dense. I’d personally slot this in the same place as Yotsubato for me. Funny, and a nice break. Very episodic. The last one would normally drive me away, but I think I can enjoy this one despite that, same with Yotsubato.

Man, I should get back to Yotsubato sometime.

Also, me and another have decided to pick back up with Loopers together. I’m a chapter ahead, so I probably won’t start reading again until next week, but it’ll be good to get back to it. Gives me time to get on top of B$ in the way I mean to.

I’m skipping the first route for now, and I’ll join in with the second route and hopefully squeeze in time for the missed route later. So I have some lighter time with B$ over the next week and a half.

Anyway, I definitely plan to continue in March with the challenge. I might do a write up on Jan and Feb, I’ll see if I feel like it tomorrow. Otherwise I’ll just keep going on as I have. (If nothing else, I’d continue because I’d like to have more finished than only two manga volumes during the challenge, xD.)

[pm215]

@MissDagger

Is it just me, or is Komi-san pretty text heavy for a manga? I read in a review it is a 4koma, but I don’t know if that is true. Flipping through the first couple of chapters shows several pages with more than four boxes that all were together.

Mmm, looking at the bookwalker preview it’s not what I’d call 4koma, which I think of as manga where the typical page has two columns of 4 vertically aligned panels, and each column is a self-contained setup-and-punchline joke or scene.

[MissDagger]

Agreed. That is what I understand 4koma to be. Since I haven’t read any, I don’t know if there is variance. But I’m guessing the reviewer was just wrong.

[nyxqueenofshadows]

home post

28th feb

i kind of wish i was ending this with a bang and not a whimper but ah well, 蟲師 threw a tricky chapter at me lots of fishing vocab with strange readings, some (dated) dialectal stuff, the usual. i took a short break halfway through (even though it was a short chapter to begin with) and that helped, so i’ll go back through it later i think, maybe with the english translation.

words that stood out: 囀る (さえずる, to sing, to chirp), 海士 (あま, male seashell diver), 養殖 (ようしょく, aquaculture, cultivation)

and that’s the end of the challenge! i’m gonna miss making these posts i think. i’m pretty proud of myself for getting through five (and a bit) volumes of 蟲師, it’s definitely above my level but it’s definitely gotten easier as the weeks have gone on thanks to pushing through with it!

congrats to everyone for getting to the end (regardless of how many days you did) and i’m looking forward to the next one

@DIO-Berry

not a fan of this start

i was also very wary after the first chapter or so but it does get better! especially once the side characters get some breathing room. there’s definitely things it could handle better, but i was having a much better time by the end of the volume than when i started!

[DIO-Berry]

That’s very promising! Thank you for sharing

[Zakarius]

The Tanuki Kotatsu Reading Den

February 28th
新書太閣記 progress: 14.02% // Volume II: 58.88%

Even Oda Nobunaga looks forward to nap time

Words found under the kotatsu

夢枕「ゆめまくら」ー At the bedside where one dreams

Character Name List

Probably some spoilers, but this is a historic novel, so can spoilers really exist for things that have (for the most part) actually happened

Volume I: 1535 - 1555

日吉「ひよし」- Hideyoshi (as child)
Nicknames: 猿「さる」/ 針売り「はりうり」
Name serving Nobunaga: 木下 藤吉郎「きのした とうきちろう」

Family
木下弥右衛門「きのした やえもん」- Father
– – 乙若「おとわか」- Old friend (serves under 織田)
筑阿弥「ちくあみ」ー Step-father
大政所「おおまんどころ」// also お奈加「おなか」ー Mother
おつみ - Older sister
小竹「こちく」- Baby brother
加藤清正「かとう きよまさ」// also 弾正「だんじょう」- Ojisan (only distantly related (before marriage))
– Married to: おえつ (sister of お奈加)

Friends & Acquaintances
仁王「におう」- Big kid friend
於福「おふく」(Nickname - full name: 福太郎「ふくたろ」) // 楊景福「ようけいふく」(Chinese name/birth name) - Timid kid friend (older than Hideyoshi)
– 五郎大夫 「ごろ だゆう」// 祥瑞「しょうずい」(Chinese name) - Father
– 梨琴「りきん」- Mother
捨次郎「すてじろう」- Previous servant to 五郎, later the adoptive father of 於福, and owner of a tea ware shop - and employer of, and master to, Hideyoshi

Hachisuka Clan
蜂須賀小六「はちすか ころく」(also 正勝 「まさかつ」) - Head of the Hachisuka clan
– 七内「なない」- Younger brother
– Married to 松波「まつなみ」
– – 亀一「かめいち」- Son

Retainers:
稲田大炊助「いなだ おおいのすけ]
青山新七「あおやま しんしち」
長井半之丞「ながい はんのじょう」
松原内匠「まつばら たくみ」

Others:
国吉「くによし」- Gunsmith/blacksmith
渡辺天蔵「わたなべ てんぞう」- Deserter - Nobushi (Nephew to Koroku)
難波内記「なんば ないき」- Spy disguised as a Komuso
仁田彦十「にった ひこじゅう」- Subordinate

(蜂須賀正利「はちすか まさとし」- previous head of the Hachisuka clan)

Saito Clan
((questionable) Alliance with the Hachisuka clan)
斎藤 道三「さいとう どうさん」- Head of the Saito clan
– 斎藤義龍「さいとう よしたつ」(also: 高政「たかまさ」) - Son

明智 光秀「あけち みつひで」(common name: 十兵衛「じゅうべい」) - serves under Dosan
– 又市「またいち」- Underling / foot soldier

堀田 道空「ほった どうくう」- Chief retainer
弥平治光春「やへいじ みつはら」- Retainer (cousin to Jyubei)
– 明智光安「あけち みつやす」- Father
春日丹後「かすが たんご」- Military commander

Oda Clan
織田 信長「おだ のぶなが」- Leader of the Oda clan (Married to the daughter of Saito Dosan)
– 卯月「うづき」- Nobunaga’s faithful, old horse
– 織田信秀「おだ のぶひで」- Father and previous leader of the Oda clan
– – 織田与三郎「おだ よさぶろう」- Younger brother
– – 織田信行「おだ のぶかつ」(Other name: 信成「のぶなり」) - Son (half-brother to Nobunaga (different mother))

Retainers (Under Nobuhide rule):
平手 政秀「ひらて まさひで」
– 五郎左衛門「ごろうざえもん」(nickname: 五郎左「ごろうざ」) - First son
– 監物「けんもつ」- Second son
– 甚左衛門「じんざえもん」- Third son
– 雨宮勘解由「あめみや かげゆ」- Servant
林 秀貞「はやし ひでさだ」(common name: 新五郎「しんごろ」/ nickname: 佐渡「さどう」) (served under Nobunaga too)
– 美作守「みまさかのかみ」- Younger brother
青山 信昌「あおやま のぶまさ」(common name: 与三右衛門「よそうえもん」)
内藤 勝介「ないとう しょうすけ / かつすけ」

Retainers (Under Nobunaga rule):
柴田勝家「しばた かついえ」(Nickname: 権六「ごんろく」)

Others:
市川大介「いちかわ だいすけ」- Archery master/instructor
平田三位「ひらた さんみ」- Master of military strategy
浅野又右衛門「あさの またえもん」- Military commander
– 寧子「ねね」- Daughter
がんまく - Former worker/servant, friend of Hideyoshi

Shiba Clan
斯波義統「しば よしむね」- Head of the Shiba clan, at Kiyosu castle
– 斯波義銀「しば よしかね」- Son

Imagawa Clan
今川義元「いまがわ よしもと」- Daimyo

Retainers:
松下之綱「まつした ゆきつな」(common name: 加兵衛「かへい」)
飯尾豊前「いのお ぶぜん」
多賀能八郎「たがのう はしろう」(nickname: 能八「のうはち」)

Takeda Clan
太郎義信「たけだ よしのぶ」- Commander
(Married to the daughter of Imagawa Yoshimoto to tie the clans)

Non-affiliated
上泉 信綱「かみいずみ のぶつな」(also: 上泉 伊勢守「かみいずみ いせのかみ」) - Founder of the 新陰流「しんかげりゅう」school of Kenjutsu
– 疋田小伯「ひきた しょうはく」- Disciple
– 神後五六郎「かんご ごろくろう」- Disciple

塚原 卜伝「つかはら ぼくでん」- Kensei; legendary swordsman

Historical People

• 阿倍仲麻呂「あべ の なかまろ」ー Japanese scholar & poet (700s)

• 白楽天「はく きょい」ー Chinese poet (Bai Juyi / Bo Juyi) also known as: 白楽天「はく らくてん」in Japan. (Late 700s)

• 道元「どうげん」(or 道元禅師「どうげん ぜんじ」ー Japanese Buddhist Priest, writer & poet (also known as 栄西禅師「えいさい ぜんじ」) (Early / mid 1200s)

• 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 / early 800s)

• 源頼政「みなもと の よりまさ」ー Prominent poet and warrior (1100s)

• 平 重盛「たいら の しげもり」ー Military commander and court noble, claimed to be an ancestor of Oda Nobunaga (Mid-1100s)

• 桓武（天皇）「かんむ（てんのう）」ー 50th Emperor of Japan, claimed to be an ancestor of Taira no Shigemori, thus ancestor to Oda Nobunaga (Mid-Late 700s)

Volume II: 1555 - 15??
(currently 1561)

Oda Clan
織田 信長「おだ のぶなが」- Head of the Oda clan
– 織田 信広「おだ のぶひろ」- Older brother
– 織田 信行「おだ のぶゆき」(also: 信勝「のぶかつ」) - Younger brother
– 織田 お市「おだ おいち」- Younger sister

木下 藤吉郎「きのした とうきちろう」- Hideyoshi
– 木股 権三「きまた ごんぞう」(Nickname: ごんぞ) - Servant

Military Commanders
浅野 又右衛門「あさの またえもん」
– 寧子「ねね」- Daughter
柴田 勝家「しばた かついえ」(nickname: 権六「ごんろく」)
池田 恒興「いけだ つねおき」(Common name: 勝三郎「かつさぶろう」)
林 秀貞「はやし ひでさだ」
佐久間 盛重「さくま もりしげ」(also know as: 大学「だいがく」)
山口 守孝「やまぐち もりたか」(also known as: 海老丞「えびのじょう」)
柘植 友顕「つげ ともあき」(also known as: 玄蕃「げんば」)
梶川 一秀「かじかわ かずひで」
佐久間 信辰「さくま のぶとき」

Retainers
佐久間 盛政「さくま もりまさ」(nickname: 玄蕃「げんば」)
森 可成「もり よしなり」(Other name: 三左衛門「さんざえもん」)
– 蘭丸「らんまる」- Son

Others
山淵 右近「やまぶち うこん」- Magistrate
– 山淵 義遠「やまぶち よしとお」- Father (Chief Vassal)
戸部 新左衛門「とべ しんざえもん」- Castle commander
水野 帯刀「みずの たてわき」- Castle Guard
服部 一忠「はっとり かずただ」(also called: 小平太「こへいた」) - Samurai

Maeda Clan
Military Commanders
前田 利家「まえだ としいえ」(childhood name: 犬千代「いぬちよ」)
– 佐脇 良之「さわき よしゆけ」(also known as: 藤八郎「とうはちろう」) - Younger brother

Saito Clan
Military Commanders
斎藤 義龍「さいとう よしさつ」(also: 高政「たかまさ」)
– 孫四郎「まごしろう」- Brother
– 喜平次「きへいじ」- Brother
– 斎藤 道三「さいとう どうさん」- Father

Akechi Clan
Military Commanders
明智 光秀「あけち みつひで」(common name: 十兵衛「じゅうべい」)
明智 光安「あけち みつやす」- Also the adoptive father of Jyubei
– 明智 秀満「あけち ひでみつ」- Son, and retainer to Jyubei

Imagawa Clan
今川 義元「いまがわ よしもと」- Daimyo
– 今川 氏真「いまがわ うじざね」- Son, and heir to the Imagawa clan
– 太原 雪斎「たいげん せっさい」- Uncle, military advisor and monk

Military Commanders
伊丹 康直「いたみ やすなお」(also known as: 権阿弥「ごんあみ」)
庵原 忠縁「いはら ただより」(also known as: 将監「しょうげん」)
斎藤 利澄「さいとう としずみ」(also known as: 掃部介「かぶのすけ」)

Others
徳川 家康「とくがわ いえやす」(Childhood name: 竹千代「たけちよ」// Other name: 元康「もとやす」) - Soldier
– 築山「つきやま」- Wife
– 榊原 忠政「さかきばら ただまさ」- Vassal
– 石川 数正「いしかわ かずまさ」- Loyal follower
朝比奈 主計「あさひな かずえ」- Samurai

Takeda Clan
武田 信玄「たけだ しんげん」- Daimyo

Asakura Clan
朝倉 義景「あさくら よしかげ」- Daimyo

Sakai Clan
Military Commanders
酒井 正親「さかい まさちか」(also known as: 与四郎「よしろう」)

Matsudaira Clan
Military Commanders
松平 親俊「まつだいら ちかとし」(also known as: 左馬助「さまのすけ」)
杉浦 吉貞「すぎうら よしさだ」(also known as: 八郎五郎「はちろうごろう」)

Non-affiliated
鵜殿 甚七「うど (の) じんしち」- Mountain priest (Yamabushi)

[polv]

Feb 28, Tue of Week 10 of Winter Q1 2023

• ふしぎの国のバード Vol.7 Ch.31-35 (end volume)

Not much time to read today, but some chapters are quite sparse and easy.

Words of the day

• ちやほや = making a fuss over
• 余暇(よか) = leisure time. Second Kanji is 暇(ひま)
• 追伸(ついしん) = post scriptum
• 回診(かいしん) = doctor’s round
• 根回(ねまわ)し = laying the groundwork
• 負荷(ふか) = burden; load
• 赴任(ふにん) = moving to a new post. First Kanji is 赴(おもむ)く.
• 叙情(じょじょう) = lyricism; expression of feelings
• 出自(しゅつじ) = origin. Perhaps like 出身(しゅっしん).
• 長雨(ながあめ) = long spell of rain
• 飼育(しいく) = breeding. On reading of 飼(か)う.

[Midnightblue]

February 28th

Home post

Card Captor Sakura volume 12 – progress report
Yesterday: Continued up to page 142, finished chapters 46, 47 and 48.
Today: Read up to page 187, finished chapter 49 and volume 12. Thus, I have finished the (original) Card Captor Sakura series. (Clear Card Arc excluded)

Word or expression of the day:
裁縫 - (さいほう) - sewing, needlework

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Phew, I have made it to the end of the challenge and the end of the series I was reading in time.

Volume 12 was on almost all accounts wholesome which extended to the ending. (The latter was a bit too fast-paced for my liking, however: Shaolan being gone, returning literally 3? pages later – speaking from a physical book structure and manga panel sense – and saying ‘well, my business in Hong Kong is done, now I’ll just stay here in Japan’ was almost comical).

I’ve just remembered that I had a rant on Card Captor Sakura cooking up but I don’t have the mental energy to exhaust myself by ranting right now, so this one will have to wait for another day. Or rather I’ll let it slide because I’ll probably run into equally annoying things that I might rant about instead once I get to reading some other of my reading material in future reading challenges.

So much for that.

This marks the end of my second read-every-day-challenge. This time, I read through 10 manga volumes and managed to finish one of the series I had started reading in November 2022 (Card Captor Sakura). I think that my reading speed got a little bit faster again but I still struggle with understanding things properly.

I won’t join the next challenge, meaning this will be my last read-every-day-post for a while. I plan on joining this challenge during summer/early autumn again, though. I don’t think I’ll have it in me to read every single day from now on without relying on this challenge, but I’ll try reading regularly (a few times a week) to keep some of my immersion up.

I hope that everyone who joined this winter challenge had a good time with some satisfactory results – again, regardless if you’ve never done this challenge before or if you’re a regular and regardless if you read every single day or every few days. Hopefully, I’ll see some of you again when I get back to this challenge. Until then, happy reading!

Btw, I may or may not be lurking in the next reading challenge thread(s) nodding in satisfaction over all the progress the participants will make.

[Twelvewishes]

Day 59, 28th of February

Back to my Home Post

Did a lot of Genki exercises, not much time for leisure reading.

And that’s it for the reading challenge for me this time. I only managed 44 out of 59 days, a bit less than last time. Most of that is because of other commitments that took up my time. I’ve also been in a bit of a plateau for a while, so without visible improvement it’s hard to keep motivated.

Hopfefully this monthlong break from the challenges will help me recharge my drive for improving my Japanese reading skills.

[Redglare]

Home post // Feb 28

・この本を盗む者は (4% → 7%)

Got to read a bit in the morning. Not long until I’m done with chapter 1

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Winter challenge is officially done How did I do? I’ve read 2,5 books ^[1] in these two months which totals about 1100 pages. Not record-breaking, but also not bad for it being busy times. I’ll continue reading and posting here until the Spring challenge starts.

Feel free to continue/join during break until the next challenge~ Either way, I hope I’ll see you wonderful people around in another challenge!

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1. See home post for more information ↩︎

[Natsuha]

Day 57
Continued reading the Tsugumomo manga. It was one of my favorite arcs in the manga, for once I wasn’t bored reading it.

4026 pages read

[Greti33]

February 27th & 28th (Days 58 & 59)

Home post

この本を盗む者は (16 - 17%)

Very tiny reads these past two days because I needed a little break from reading. Spent that time playing Octopath instead (it’s such a damn vibe). But anyways…

I made it to the end of the challenge!

Challenge achievements: I’ve completed my very first Japanese book, and then another (if I can count 1Q84 Book 1 前編 as a book). Although I feel like I could’ve definitely done more (too many lazy days with small bits of reading), I am incredibly happy with my progress :3 I mean, this is two Japanese books more than I’ve ever read. Finding it a little hard to believe. Third time really was the charm

Wall of Shame: I planned to read Russian every day, too. But I just… Forgot I wonder if I can still read Cyrillic after all these weeks… Oh boi…

I am planning to continue in March, as I fear I may just forget to read altogether if I don’t continue every day I’m excited to continue this journey with those who are sticking around, and looking forward to seeing everyone else in another challenge :3

[lucylavelle]

February 28th!

Today I read Chapter 10 of God Bless the Mistaken, and finished Volume 2.
It was nice to finish off the challenge with another finished volume.

(Home Post)

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End of Challenge Summary: 100%

			Jan
月	火	水	木	金	土	日
						01
02	03	04	05	06	07	08
09	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30	31

			Feb
月	火	水	木	金	土	日
		01	02	03	04	05
06	07	08	09	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28

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Books Completed

• Happiness - Volume 8-9
• Shadows House - Volume 4
• Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun - Volume 1
• Cells at Work - Volume 1
• Orange - Volume 6
• Teasing Master Takagi-san - Volume 10
• God Bless the Mistaken - Volume 2

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How is it the last day of the challenge already!? It’s gone by so quickly!
I’ve finished 8 volumes of manga so far this year, which feels like a good number.
So far this year I’ve learned that there IS a limit to how many bookclubs I can juggle at once… But also that I can stubbornly push forward when faced with a mountain of reading to do, even when some of it feels very difficult!

Its been a great start to the year, and I hope everyone else has had as much fun as I have. Thanks, as always, to @windupbird for hosting, and to everyone for sharing your updates, it’s really motivating, and my to-read list is forever expanding from your recommendations!

I’ll be continuing to post throughout March, but for those who aren’t, I look forward to seeing you again for the Spring Challenge.

[saidahgilbert]

2023-03-01T01:12:00Z

I only read one complete volume of manga [会長はメイド様！１] in this reading challenge. I ended up selecting a manga [ヤンキー君とメガネちゃん １] that turned out to be too hard for me to read so I haven’t yet finished the replacement option [FAIRY TAIL 1]. This year, I seemed to have picked mostly wordy manga so far. It’s been quite a challenge but I’ve managed to push through most of it. I’ve been reading much more slowly as a result which is why I’m only on the brink of finishing my second volume for the year. I skipped three days as well, one to attend my sister’s birthday party and two separate days because I didn’t want to stop reading the English book I was reading at the time.

[ChristopherFritz]

Day 58: February 27th

からかい上手の(元)高木さん Volume 11 (45% ➨ 52%)

Busy week so far. Looks like I’ll be just barely getting my reading in later tonight as well.

[windupbird]

Summary post

Day 57: February 26th
What did I read?: ペンギン・ハイウェイ
How much did I read?: 7 pages
How long did it take me?: 35 minutes

Day 58: February 27th
What did I read?: ペンギン・ハイウェイ
How much did I read?: 4 pages
How long did it take me?: 14 minutes

Day 59: February 28th
What did I read?: ペンギン・ハイウェイ
How much did I read?: 5 pages
How long did it take me?: 22 minutes

Limping across the finish line here HAHA QUITE LITERALLY BECAUSE I STUBBED MY TOE ON A CART TODAY AND TOTALLY BROKE MY TOE NAIL/MADE MYSELF BLEED SOMEHOW, but I did manage to slightly pull it together and read something for the last few days of the challenge I feel bad I kind of went MIA for this second half Overall, I read 44/59 days, which isn’t terrible for this time of year but also not the best lol. I finished 3 manga volumes and read ~140 pages of Penguin Highway (which is a little less than half the book - honestly not bad considering I only started it about a month ago and my reading days have been less than consistent in this second half of the challenge). Looking back at what all I read made me miss my sweet magic man Rei I want another volume of that to come out

Anyway, that’s a wrap on the Winter Challenge! Congratulations to everyone who’s made it this far - whether you read a little or a lot, I hope you got something out of the challenge and enjoyed your time in the thread :3 As usual, I’ll be taking a break in March (I think I might try to focus on English reading, actually ), but I’ll still be around lurking and liking posts from those of you who are continuing on! As usual, everyone can feel free to post in this thread until the next challenge starts on April 1st - hope to see you guys again in the spring

[pocketcat]

I did the week one reading for レベル７ and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Very mysterious set up - looking forward to how it plays out! It’s a faster read than I was expecting, partially because it’s paperback (so any words to look up takes a smidge more time) and partially because my last 宮部みゆき book had a decent number of lookups, but it’s been smooth!

There’s something so satisfying about a physical book, and an older copy especially Aged paper just smells good.

Edit: Oh and happy end of challenge! I’ll probably stick around with any stragglers who just like posting about their reading every day

[enbyboiwonder]

Home

• through the end of vol 3 of アタック!! This series began in 2007, and volleyball terminology must have changed between then and 2012 when HQ and 2.43 began, because there are some terms they use in addition to or instead of the ones I’m used to. They’ll still say “receive,” but they’ll also call them “cuts.” I have yet to see ワンタッチ abbreviated as ワンチ. Middle blockers are called centers, and (wing) spikers are called (side) attackers. In this, they say that the opposite hitter (right wing spiker) is the pillar of the team and is known as the super ace, whereas usually it’s one of the two left wing spikers who’s the ace and the pillar of the team—and a super ace is just, well, an ace who’s a cut above the rest. A genius ace, if you will. I have two more volleyball series; I wonder where they’ll fall, terminology-wise.
• 22 pages of この本を盗む者は, leaving off on pg 88. Finished ch 1 and started ch 2!
• played a bit of ねこ島物語 and きみのまち ポルティア

Some vocab of note:

方針 (ほうしん) [n.] policy; course; plan (of action); principle. From the original meaning of “magnetic needle” (I’m assuming from the kanji a compass needle).

[javerend]

２月２８日 (Home Post Link)

Welp! We did it! Another challenge in the books! Congrats, everyone! Whether you managed to read every day or not, I hope you feel like you got some good practice in! I’ve loved reading everyone’s updates, and it really really is true that having a group of people working on the same sorts of goals can be motivating; It definitely was for me this challenge. More than a few days where I dragged myself out of bed to go read my chapter of 三ツ星カラーズ, do some anki, and post a quick update.

Missed no days, and ended up reading 12 volumes of manga (and change), 3 children’s books, 1 short story, and 1 short visual novel.

Read:

• 夜カフェ pg 145 → 169 DONE! - oh man it feels good to finish this finally, it feels like I’ve been nibbling on it forever. Wanted to end off the challenge proper with a bang though
• 三ツ星カラーズ ch 25

Word of the Day:
呼び捨てにする 「よびすてにする」ー to address (someone) without using a suffix such as “-san” or “-chan”; to refer to (someone) without a title suffix

February Goals

Finish 夜カフェ vol 1
Finish ホリミヤ and pick a new easy manga before the ABBC and BBC
Pass the ９級 full mock test in the kanken game
Finish parts 1 and 2 of 新完全マスター N3 reading book

I did, finally, at long last, finish ホリミヤ. Originally a stretch goal to try to finish in December, I managed to stretch it out until February It took a little bit of extra work on the last day, but I also managed to finish 夜カフェ volume 1! For manga this month I read about 5 volumes in total, as well as joined the ABBC and BBC book clubs and start with those readings.

I didn’t end up deciding to work too much on the 9級 test, because I was still struggling with some stuff on 10級, but I did manage to do some writing practice every day, and passed the full 40 minute 10級 test last week! Definitely getting easier to work with. Current in game time is about 8 hours + a few extra hours of writing practice outside the game. Level 10 might “only” be 80 kanji, but at the end of the day that’s still going from not knowing how to write any kana to being able to comfortably do hiragana, katakana (less comfortably), and those 80 kanji, so I’m still pretty happy with my progress here.

Then for the 新完全マスター series… I basically dropped the ball on this one. I did about 5 days worth of lessons, which isn’t nothing! But it’s definitely not as much as I’d hoped to get done.

Overall Challenge Goals

Now, when I wrote my goals in my original post, I was envisioning the end of March as a time frame, since I was planning to not take that month off (like I did with december in the winter challenge), so here’s progress towards those:

• Finish every volume of manga I currently physically own in 2023 - I have read 12 volumes of manga this year, which still puts me ahead of pace for completing this by the end of the year!
• I want to transition into reading more stuff which is pure text. - This one is an unqualified success already. Read 2 magic treehouse books, 1 japanese original childrens book, a short visual novel, and also a short story!
• finish working through the 新完全マスター読解N3 - again, I have sort of dropped the ball on this one, but there’s still time for march! I don’t know about finishing the whole book by then, but I could certainly make a sizeable dent in it.

March Goals:
I think both trying to read 夜カフェ and work on 新完全マスター ended up being a little too much for me this month, so I think I’m going to take march off from trying to read a book book and just focus on those.

• Do some 新完全マスター N3 reading every day - Not going to set a hard goal on this because some sections are wildly different difficulty depending on how familiar I am with the concepts already
• Pass ９級 kanken test
• Keep up the manga streak - I was hoping to do 3月のリオン in ３月, but I think that might be a bit much to bite off for me right now, so I’ll keep going with the book clubs and with 三ツ星カラーズ. I think I’d like to finish that series in March, though, so I can actually do 四月は君の嘘 in 四月

I’ll still be hanging around through march again, but for everyone who’s taking a break I hope to see you all again in April!