Week 7 俺物語! ・ My Love Story! 🍰 (Absolute Beginner Book Club)

Welcome to Week 7 of 俺物語!! ・ My Love Story!! :shortcake:

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Week 7 October 18 2025
Start page 57
End page 71
End phrase たけおくん
Last week Week 6
Next week Week 8
Home Thread 俺物語!!

Page numbers may differ between digital and physical copies.

Last panel

Vocabulary

Vocabulary list (Google sheets)

Please read the guidelines on the first page before adding any words.

Discussion Guidelines

Everybody should feel free to post and ask questions–it’s what makes book clubs fun! But please do not post until you are familiar with Spoiler Courtesy!

Spoiler Courtesy

Please follow these rules to avoid inadvertent ネタバレ. If you’re unsure whether something should have a spoiler tag, err on the side of using one.

  1. Any potential spoiler for the current week’s reading need only be covered by a spoiler tag. Predictions and conjecture made by somebody who has not read ahead still falls into this category.

  2. Any potential spoilers for external sources need to be covered by a spoiler tag and include a label (outside of the spoiler tag) of what might be spoiled. These include but are not limited to: other book club picks, other books, games, movies, anime, etc. I recommend also tagging the severity of the spoiler (for example, I may still look at minor spoilers for something that I don’t intend to read soon).

  3. Any information from later in the book than the current week’s reading (including trigger warnings that haven’t yet manifested) needs to be hidden by spoiler tags and labeled as coming from later sections.

Instructions for Spoiler Tags

Click the cog above the text box and use either the “Hide Details” or “Blur Spoiler” options. The text which says “This text will be hidden” should be replaced with what you are wishing to write. In the case of “Hide Details”, the section in the brackets that is labelled “Summary” can be replaced with whatever you like also (i.e, [details=”Chapter 1, Pg. 1”]).

Hide Details results in the dropdown box like below:

Example

The “Blur Spoiler” option will simply blur the text it surrounds.

This is an example of the “Blur Spoiler” option.

Posting Advice
  • When asking for help, please mention the page number, and check before posting that your question hasn’t already been asked. As the threads get longer, it becomes more convenient to use the Search function, which is located in the upper right corner of the forum. It is the magnifying glass which is near your profile picture! The best way to search is usually to type part of the sentence you are confused about, and select “in this topic”. This will show you all posts within the current thread which has that string of text.

  • Be sure to join the conversation! It’s fun, and it’s what keeps these book clubs lively! There’s no such thing as a stupid question! We are all learning here, and if the question has crossed your mind, there’s a very good chance it has crossed somebody else’s also! Asking and answering questions is a great learning opportunity for everyone involved, so never hesitate to do so!

Proper Nouns

Name Reading Image Notes
剛田 猛男 ごうだ たけお Main character
大和 凛子 やまと りんこ Main character’s love interest
砂川 誠 すなかわ まこと Main character’s best friend

Discussion Questions

What surprised you about the reading this week?

Participation

Will you be reading along with us this week?
  • I’m reading along
  • I have finished this part
  • I’m still reading the book but I haven’t reached this part yet
  • I’m reading this book after the club has finished
  • I’m no longer reading the book
0 voters
6 Likes

I will be a bit late this week I think, moving a bit and I dont think I will have enough focus to read it sadly.
Best I will do is one episode of satori each day

3 Likes

In case anyone’s curious this week, the play that Suna and Takeo act in as children is based on this:

“Red Oni Who Cried is a story of two oni, one red, the other blue. The red one wants to befriend humankind, but they are afraid of it, making the red oni cry. Knowing what the red oni wants, the blue oni devises a plan to make himself the villain by attacking the houses of the humans and allowing the red oni to save the humans from the blue oni, making the red oni a hero to the humans’ eyes. After the humans see the red oni protect them from the blue oni, they determine that the red one is a good oni whom they would like to be friends with, which is what the red one wanted. Seeing this exchange, the blue oni decides to leave so as not to cause any misunderstanding with the humans. When the red oni decides to go home to his friend the blue oni, he notices that the blue oni is gone and realizes what the blue oni has done for him and cries from being touched by the blue oni’s thoughtfulness and wonderful friendship.” from Wikipedia

It shows up pretty often in Japanese pop culture from what I can tell!

6 Likes
Page 58

I’m struggling a bit to understand what this sentence means 「他に何か。。。協力というのはどうしたら。」Is he… brainstorming other things to tell her about Suna? The “cooperation” (協力) part is tripping me up I think :sweat_smile:

5 Likes
Page 60

What is Yamato talking about when she says「うちこういうのきっちりしないときもちわるいから」? Does she mean that it’s bad for Suna to not take her money properly?

Also, is 「もらっとくわ」a conjugation of もらう and the 「ておく」form?

4 Likes

Finally participating in a book club! Have been practicing on some older ones, but happy to be able to join live.

Attempted a translation of the first pages; tried to keep it closer to literal so the english is pretty painful.
Included links for unfamiliar grammar points.

Page 57
  • 青鬼役の砂川は子供らしからぬ名演技で

  • 母ちゃん達号泣

    • Our moms were sobbing
  • オレは若干アホ

    • I acted a little idiotic
  • 小学一年の時オレはトイレにギリギリにいくので

    • As a first grader, there was a time I had to pee and was at my limit
  • そうじの時間に漏らしたんだが

    • During the cleaning period, some leaked out
  • 砂川はグラグラ笑ったか

    • Suna was cracking up
  • その後一緒にバケツの水をかぶってくれて

    • After that, we poured a bucket of water over our heads
  • 皆にはバレなかった

    • No one found out
Page 58
  • 遠足で浮かれて弁当をひっくり返したんだが。。。

    • While fooling around on a school trip I overturned my lunch and…
  • 砂川はグラグラ笑ったがその後

    • Suna cracked up at me, but after
  • 自分のを半分以上分けてくれた

    • He gave me more than half of his own lunch
  • 砂川のいいところを話そうとすると

  • どうしても自分の恥ずかしい過去を後悔しなければならない

    • Without fail becomes about my own embarrassing past
  • 砂川は体操のお姉さんが好きで女性に興味わあるそうだ

    • Suna likes athletic older women. He seems interested in women
  • あー そうなんだ

    • Ah, is that so?
  • 他に何か。。。 協力というのはどうしたら

    • Is there anything else… how else to lend my support…
  • ん? 今 チョコ以外の味がしたような。。。

    • Huh? Just now, it tasted like something something other than chocolate
  • あ! それ あたり!!

    • Ah! That’s it!
Page 59
  • あたりを1コ入れておいたの

    • I put a prize in one cake.

    • The meaning seems clear in Japanese, but I was struggling with how to phrase あたり here in english

  • あたり!

    • You got it
  • あたり?

    • A prize?
  • 。。。うん あたり。。。

    • yeah… the prize…
  • あたりなだけなんだけど

    • It’s just a prize is all…
  • そうかあたりか

    • I see, a prize huh?
Page 60
Page 61
  • 大丈夫だ

    • It’s okay
  • お似合いだぞ大和

    • You’re a good fit, Yamato
  • じゃあ

    • Then
  • ごちそうさま

    • Thank you for the cakes
  • えーと あの

    • So uh
  • メール したりしてもいいかな

    • Is it alright if I email you again?
  • ケーキの好み聞きたい時とか

    • I want to hear about you cakes you like (missing part of this one)
  • 大丈夫だ

    • It’s okay
  • わかってるぞ大和

    • I understand you, Yamato
  • いいぞ!

    • Sounds great

I had a question for Page 61:

What function is “時とか“ serving in Yamato’s dialogue here?

5 Likes
page 58

The 協力 here is referring to Takeo, he is the helper/collaborator who is supporting her romance with Suna and trying to get them together. Previously on the page, he’s telling her other stuff about Suna (in order to get her interested in Suna). Then he thinks:

他に何か

Something other than that

協力というのは

I’d say というのは here is functioning as emphasis for 協力

どうしたら。。。

What should be done…

Together, something like “Other than that (the other stuff he said about Suna), how else can I help/collaborate (with this romance)”

6 Likes
Page 60

うち means someone’s family or themselves. So she’s saying (rough translation) “In our family it feels weird if we don’t do this properly”.
The meaning is more so that, for her it’s uncomfortable or doesn’t sit right if she doesn’t properly pay someone back. Does that help, or is there still a piece missing?

ピンポン!Yup! You got it :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: :+1:
Tofugu article on ておく

Page 61

とか is used when listing things off, and alluding that there are other things not expressly mentioned. In this sentence, from our reader’s point of view, we know that she would love ANY message from him, so she’s trying to hint that.
Without the とか it would give more of a vibe of “Can I text you to ask what you thought about the cake?” Rather than what she meant when she used とか, which meant: “Is it okay if I text you again? Like, if I want to ask you about how the cake was, or something…?”

I think it’s very similar to the way we use “like” or “or something” in English

6 Likes

I am falling so behind this week from not being home!
I hope to be able to catch up this weekend, I might have to read less intensively

5 Likes

page 66 , not been able to read a lot but I should not fall far behind :slight_smile: . Grammar is really not easy! Thank god for easy pages (not so easy situation for takeo though)

4 Likes
pg57

青鬼役の砂川は子供らしからぬ名演技で

Suna as the blue demon, gave a superb performance beyond that of a child

母ちゃん達号泣

The moms were bawling

オレは若干アホ

I was a bit of an idiot

小学一年の時、オレはトイレにギリギリに行くので

When I was in first grade, I barely made it to the bathroom

そうじの時間にもらしたんだが

And I peed myself during cleaning time

砂川はゲラゲラ笑ったが

Suna roared with laughter , but..

その後、一緒にバケツの水をかぶってくれて

After that, he poured a bucket of water on himself to be soaked with me

皆にはバレなかった

And no one noticed

pg58

遠足で浮かれて弁当をひっくり返したんだが…砂川はゲラゲラ笑ったが、その後自分のを半分以上分けてくれた

On a field trip, I got excited and dropped my lunch box. Suna laughed it up, but after that he shared half his lunch with me

砂川のいいところを話そうとすると、どうしても自分の恥ずかしい過去を公開しなければならない…

It seem when I try to talk about Suna’s good points, I have to share my embarrassing past too

砂川は体操のお姉さんが好きで女性に興味はあるそうだ

Suna likes athletic women, and seems to be interested in women…

あ、そうなんだ

Oh, I see…

他に何か…協力というのはどうしたら…

Anything else… how can I help…

ん?今チョコ以外の味がしたような…

Huh? That tasted like something other than chocolate…

あ!それあたり!!

Oh! That’s right!!

pg59

あたりを1コ入れてあいたの!

You got one right!

当たり!

It’s a hit!

あたり?

Right?

うん、あたり

Yeah, you got it right

あたりなだけなんだけど…

Just one right though

そうかあたりか

I see, a hit?

pg60

また作ってきてもいいかなあ

Maybe I’ll make it again

あ、ありがとう

Oh, thanks!

お金これ

Here’s some money

いいよ、いつもケーキつくってもらってるし

It’s fine, because you always make us cake and stuff

うちこういうのきっちりしないときもちわるいから

It’s just that I don’t feel right if we don’t handle things properly

あそうじゃあもらっとくわ

Oh ok, I’ll have some then

pg61

大丈夫だ

It’s ok

お似合いだぞ、大和!

You’re well matched, Yamato!

じゃあ、ごちそうさま

Well then, thanks for the meal

えーと、あの、メールしたりしてもいいかな、ケーキの好み聞きたい時とか…

Umm, well, is it ok if I email you? To ask about cake preferences and such?

大丈夫だ

Sure

わかってるぞ、大和!

Got it, Yamato!

いいぞ!

Great!

pg62

オレはおまえの味方だ!

I’m your ally!

砂川のメアドも教えてやれ!

Get Suna’s email too!

え、なんで?ていうかいいの?

Uh, what for? Is that ok?

べつにいいけど…

Whatever…

あ、じゃあ…

Oh, alright then…

それじゃまた

See ya later

大和!!またな!!

Yamato!! See ya!!

pg65

早くいけ

Hurry up and go

まかせたわ

You got this

そうか

Right

pg66

オレはここで鉄骨に行ってしまうから、ダメなのか

I’m going to the steel frame, is it useless?

王子様になれないのか

Why can’t I become a prince?

まぁ、いいだろう

Well then, it’s alright

それでも、あの子は助かるんだから

Even so, that girl will be saved

いいんじゃねぇか

Isn’t that good?

pg67

気をつけてよ

Be careful!

これこいつじゃなかったら死んでるから

You’d be dead if this guy wasn’t here

じつは

Actually…

うちけっこー力あるしっ…

I’m quite strong…

pg68

たけおくん、血がっ

Takeo, you’re bleeding

ああ、これくらい

Eh, it’s not much

まって!あるかな

Wait! Do I have it?

あると思うんだよ

I think I do

やった!持ってた!

Yes! Here it is!

pg69

なんか

What the heck

いっつも助けてもらってるね私…

I always end up being the one who is helped

ありがとう

Thanks

pg70

電柱にぶつかってるぞ

He hit a utility pole

猛男はまってるぞ

Takeo is stuck

それ人じゃねぇぞ

That’s not a person (?)

死ぬぞさすがに

He’s going to die for sure

おい、猛男

Hey, Takeo!

ブタゴリラ

Pig gorilla!

おっさん顔

Old face!

pg71

大和さんの今日のケーキ

Yamato’s cake today..

あれおいしかったな

It was delicious, right?

おいしかったか

Delicious?

うん、そうか!

Yeah, it was!

I didn’t notice it before, but it seems like the author intentionally uses hiragana instead of kanji sometimes for Suna. I noticed it on page 60 where it has 作って and on the same page つくって said by Suna. I understand katakana can be used to express emphasis, like putting something in all caps, so I’m wondering if the author is intentionally using more hiragana for Suna for the opposite effect, like showing a calm casual tone of voice. Any thoughts on this?

4 Likes

I didnt notice it but that makes sense to me. I only started to read in end of september, I found a lot of creativity used by mangakas in this kind of things

4 Likes

Finally caught up, had to read fast so I had not much to say. I just enjoyed seeing the japanese version differences vs the translated english one.
I really like encountering てもらう, てくる, they feel like very useful grammar to learn, so I hope I will encounter more, and reading is really a nice way to learn grammar.

4 Likes

I barely remember these being covered in my grammar textbook but they seem to come up in manga all the time lol

Feels like あげる got a lot more attention but shows up in my actual reading less often.

4 Likes

Damn I would have thought those were common in general language (from slice of life reading) ?

4 Likes

Sorry for the late reply - this was very helpful! Thanks!!

3 Likes