A bit late, but 新年おめでとうございます！ The newsletter went out a couple weeks back, and I wrote a little about 甘える (amaeru), a word that is extremely difficult to define in English absent of context. Give it a read! One additional … Continue reading →
Jan 30, 2023 • Subscribe
More like this
甘える
Brute forcing difficult words - How to Japanese - January 2023
Is it Wrong to Say いえ Instead of いいえ? #learnjapanese
Learn Japanese with Me - https://bit.ly/4drmyU2
The Hungry Lion / 飢えたライオン
Based on The Hungry Lion’s marketing campaign, which features images of teenage girls taking selfies, you might think that this is a Black Mirror-style parable about the dangers…
Sweet Secret / 甘い秘密 / Amai himitsu (1971)
Obscure Japanese Film #116 Tomomi Sato Eitaro Ozawa Yoko (Tomomi Sato) is a young woman living in Hokkaido who wants to be a writer. She p...
Japanese People Don't Say いいえ iie, What Do We Say?
Learn Japanese with Yuta: https://bit.ly/3OJTBGw Support me on Patreon: https://goo.gl/aiWNd5 Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThatYuta Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatyuta/ Facebook: https://bit.ly/381qpHS Blog: http://www.yutaaoki.com/blog/
Here Because of You (君たちがいて僕がいた, Ryuichi Takamori, 1964)
Post-war teens take on injustice in the form of a problematic parent at their school in Ryuichi Takamori’s cheerful youth movie.
Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna, Volume 3 (作りたい女と食べたい女)
In Volume 1, we met Nomoto Yuki, a contractor in an office. She finds society’s expectations for women confining and stress-cooks to relax. We then met Kasuga-san, her…
Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna, Volume 4 (作りたい女と食べたい女)
There are so many reasons that Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna, Volume 4 (作りたい女と食べたい女) is an amazing volume of manga, that I’m hard pressed to pick one thing.…
Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna, Volume 1 (作りたい女と食べたい女)
I am so excited to be able to review this particular book as my first review of 2022! Since I first read this on Comic Walker, I’ve been…
Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna, Volume 5 (作りたい女と食べたい女)
With more than two decades of reading, I am still absolutely amazed at the high quality of Yuri manga we have gotten in the last few years –…
Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna, Volume 2 (作りたい女と食べたい女)
Because I loved Volume 1 so very much, I ran out immediately after reviewing it, and bought Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna, Volume 2 (作りたい女と食べたい女) as a digital…
Futari ha Daitai Konna Kanji (ふたりはだいたいこんなかんじ)
In the Yuri world Ikeda Takashi is best known for Sasamekikoto / Whispered Words in English, from One Peace Books. That series made fun of every Yuri trope,…
Tsukurita Onna to Tabetai Onna Live-Action Drama (作りたい女と食べたい女)
Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna (作りたい女と食べたい女), the NHK live-action drama, may well be the very best adaptation from a manga I have ever seen in any media. Nomoto…
Hiragana Song あいうえおにいいさん (ft みーぽん CV @swimmy_music ) / YuTanP
Sign Up for My Japanese Lessons & Get the Lyrics PDF with Definitions and Grammar Explanations https://bit.ly/4aFRVb7 あいうえおにいいさん - Hiragana Song Written, Arranged, Produced by YuTanP Vocal: https://www.youtube.com/@swimmy_music Drums: Glenn Welman https://www.fiverr.com/glennwelman Guitar:…
"Can I Say 何食べたい？" #learnjapanese
Learn Japanese with Me - https://bit.ly/4drmyU2
Futari ha Daitai Konna Kanji, Volume 2 (ふたりはだいたいこんなかんじ)
Okay, so here’s a mood. You like a creator, so when they announce a new book or series, you’re cautiously optimistic at the least. You know it might…
Futari ha Daitai Konna Kanji, Volume 3 (ふたりはだいたいこんなかんじ)
One of the defining characteristics of an adult life is facing setbacks. You can work really hard, gambare with all you have and still not achieve the goal.…
Futari ha Daitai Konna Kanji, Volume 4 (ふたりはだいたいこんなかんじ)
In Futari ha Daitai Konna Kanji, Volume 4 (ふたりはだいたいこんなかんじ) Ikeda Takashi brings his specific brand of wacky slice-of-life to a fantastic conclusion. In the first three volumes of…
![Featured image for Visitors – Complete Edition 悪魔がはらわたでいけにえで私 (2024) Director: Kenichi Ugana [Nippon Connection 2024]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240624/1719206729.86135.125866.jpg)
Visitors – Complete Edition 悪魔がはらわたでいけにえで私 (2024) Director: Kenichi Ugana [Nippon Connection 2024]
Visitors – Complete Edition 悪魔がはらわたでいけにえで私 (2024), by director Kenichi Ugana, serves as an affectionate love letter to splatter horror of the 80s with lots of references to classics like Evil…
Lonely Girl ni Sakaraenai, Volume 2 (ロンリーガールに逆らえない)
The best romantic comedies, in my opinion, are ones that stop trying to be a comedy. In Volume 1, this series was definitely a comedy. Lonely Girl ni…
Lonely Girl ni Sakaraenai, Volume 1 (ロンリーガールに逆らえない)
Sakuraii is a model student but has a fatal flaw – she absolutely sucks at tests. If it weren’t for tests, she’d have no trouble at all getting…
Secret: A Hidden Score (言えない秘密, Hayato Kawai, 2024)
A dejected young man is enchanted by a mysterious young woman and her secret song in Hayato Kawai’s haunting romantic drama.
Struggling Man (私はいったい、何と闘っているのか, Toshio Lee, 2021)
A dejected middle-aged man experiences a crisis of masculinity when his home and work lives come under threat in Toshio Lee’s warmhearted comedy.
いい歳
How to Know You're in the Good Old Days - How to Japanese - May 2021
Kyou, Koshiba Aoi ni Aetara, Volume 2 (今日、小柴葵に会えたら)
In Volume 1, we met Sahoko, who had some kind of feelings about her classmate Aoi. In Kyou, Koshiba Aoi ni Aetara, Volume 2 (今日、小柴葵に会えたら) the story gets…
Kyou, Koshiba Aoi ni Aetara, Volume 2 (今日、小柴葵に会えたら)
In Volume 1, we met Sahoko, who had some kind of feelings about her classmate Aoi. In Kyou, Koshiba Aoi ni Aetara, Volume 2 (今日、小柴葵に会えたら) the story gets…
Yuri Manga: Kyou, Koshiba Aoi ni Aetara (今日、小柴葵に会えたら)
Never let it be said that I am immune to cheap marketing ploys. Well…I am *mostly* immune to them, having worked in advertising and possessing a health dose…
Lesson in Murder (死刑にいたる病, Kazuya Shiraishi, 2022)
A diffident student falls under the spell of a manipulative serial killer in Kazuya Shirashi’s intense mystery drama.
A Rainbow at Every Turn / 虹いくたび / Niji ikutabi / (1956)
Obscure Japanese Film #132 Machiko Kyo and Ayako Wakao Before I begin, I should point out that, although I don’t usually write a synopsis ...
Kita no Onna ni Tamesaretai （北の女に試されたい）
Hokuryuu Aya, who is a tall, cool woman, meets Kuromizu Suzuka who is also a tall, cool woman and both are surprised that the other is as tall…
Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 11 (#しゃちされたい)
AstroNerdBoy reviews Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 11. Fushihara, Yuurei-chan, & Myaako celebrate New Years with Satsuki and Lily.
Watashi ha Ongaku de Naguritai: Band Yuri Novel (わたしは音楽で殴りたい: バンド百合小説)
Watashi ha Ongaku de Naguritai: Band Yuri Novel (わたしは音楽で殴りたい: バンド百合小説) by Yuruico Vraisravana is the very last item I picked up in February 2019 when I was in…
いろいろ December 2023
I ran out of space over at the newsletter this month, so I thought I’d share the いろいろ section on the blog instead. Podcast link at the bottom!…
Dekisokonai Hime-tachi, Volume 4 (できそこないの姫君たち)
Fujishiro Nanaki, having been ostracized by her group of fashionable and popular girls, has found acceptance with the “nerd” group, Kurokawa’s friends Izumi and Iroha. Together th…
Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost (Series Review #しゃちされたい)
AstroNerdBoy reviews the anime Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost, better named Shachiku-san Wants to be Healed by a Little Girl Ghost
Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 12 (Finale #しゃちされたい)
AstroNerdBoy reviews Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 12. The oni mikogami Miko-chan warns Fushihara of impending misfortune.
Ai ni Airashi Itoshi Anata (愛に愛らし愛しいあなた)
Suzuki Yufuko’s Ai ni Airashi Itoshi Anata (愛に愛らし愛しいあなた) was not at all what I expected it to be. No, scratch that. It was exactly everything I expected it…
Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 10 (Christmas #しゃちされたい)
AstroNerdBoy reviews Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 10. Yuurei-chan & Myaako learn about Christmas and Santa-san.
い Particle
The i い particle in Japanese, found in phrases like nandai なんだい, sou kai そうかい, ganbaru zoi がんばるぞい, and akireta wai 呆れたわい.
Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
Dekisokonai no Hime-tachi, Volume 3 (できそこないの姫君たち)
In Volume 1, otaku and class loner Kurokawa Kaede is thrown together with school princess, Fujishiro Nanaki. In time-honored fashion, Fujishiro gives a radical makeover to the girl…
Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 02 (Too Adorable! #しゃちされたい)
AstroNerdBoy reviews Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 02. Yuurei-chan comes to Fushiharai's home. Fushihara's kohai gets freaked out.
Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 07 (Summer Activities #しゃちされたい)
AstroNerdBoy reviews Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 07. Fushihara celebrates Yuurei-chan, then takes her and Myaako to a festival.
Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 09 (Autumn Activities! #しゃちされたい)
AstroNerdBoy reviews Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 09. Yuurei-chan & Myaako go shopping. Tsukimi and Halloween arrive.
Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 03 (Enter the Kitten! #しゃちされたい)
AstroNerdBoy reviews Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 03. Fushihara and Yuurei-chan adopt an abandoned kitten, who has a humanoid form
Lonely Glory わたしの見ている世界が全て Director: Keitaro Sakon
Lonely Glory わたしの見ている世界が全て, directed by Keitaro Sakon, plays as part of the Japan Film Festival + 2023 season.
Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 06 (Adorable Yet Sad #しゃちされたい)
AstroNerdBoy reviews Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 06.Myaako tells a story about her brush. Yuurei-chan dreams of her mom.
Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 04 (Sisters of Sorts #しゃちされたい)
AstroNerdBoy reviews Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost 04. Yuurei-chan gets jealous of Myaako, but the two become friends in adversity.
Lonely Glory (わたしの見ている世界が全て, Keitaro Sakon, 2023)
A thoroughly unpleasant young woman gradually begins to realise that other people have feelings too and she has no idea what she’s doing with her life in Keitaro…
![Featured image for Just Remembering (ちょっと思い出しただけ, Daigo Matsui, 2021) [Fantasia 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220723/1658536740.40271.70023.jpg)
Just Remembering (ちょっと思い出しただけ, Daigo Matsui, 2021) [Fantasia 2022]
Former lovers are confronted by reminders of their failed romance amid the loneliness of the coronavirus pandemic in Daigo Matsui’s melancholy drama.
Howling (遠吠え, M Haris Sheikh, 2022)
A dejected 40-year-old man attempts to seize an opportunity to play the hero but soon discovers it may be beyond him in M Haris Sheikh’s ironic indie drama.