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December 18th, 2009 | in drama cd, manga, 水城せとな

I finally had a chance to listen to the 俎上の鯉は二度跳ねる Drama CD part 1 based on the 俎上の鯉は二度跳ねる - A Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice manga by 水城 せとな (Mizushiro Setona).  Absolutely delighted drama.  So much emotions!

And the good news that  Drama CD part 2 will released 23/12/2009.

I'm SO looking forward!!!

December 11th, 2009 | in Words, anime, drama cd, manga, 高尾滋


I love this situation in ゴールデン・デイズ vol. 2 by 高尾滋 (Takao Shigeru), page 5.  A boy from 21 century finds himself in Taishou Japan.  Not knowing how to use a fundoshi, he finds himself on the receiving end of a friend's joke who assures him that this is actually a napkin.  Hence, they wear fundoshi as napkins at the table.  The butler is not amused, though ))))
前掛け --まえかけ -- (n) apron
下着--したぎ-- (n) underwear

下着 has a katakana reading of  ふどし which I believe refers to
--ふんどし-- (n) (1) loincloth; breechcloth; breechclout; traditional Japanese male underwear; (2) sumo wrestler's ornamental apron

October 15th, 2009 | in Words, drama cd, manga, 中村明日美子, 加藤絵理子

Dragons, dragons! That's an important character for so many Japanese storoes

I collect beautiful title of the Japanese mangas.  There is so much feeling and meaning in the way they title their books - just so extravagant for my non-Japanese mind and so helpful for learning new words and structures.  So two of my favourites with dragons:

  • やさしい竜の殺し方 - story by 津守時生 (Tsumori Tokio), art by 加藤絵理子  (Katou Eriko).  This is the manga serialization of the novels with the same title and there is Drama CDs based on the novel.

優しい --やさしい -- (adj-i) tender; kind; gentle; graceful; affectionate; amiable; suave

竜 -- りゅう -- (n) dragon (esp. a Chinese dragon)

殺し -- ころし -- (n) a murder

方 -- かた --  direction; way

The Killing Methods of a Kind Dragon.

黒い --くろい -- (adj-i) (1) black; (2) dark

二度 -- にど -- (n)  two times; twice;

誓う -- ちかう -- to swear; to vow; to take an oath; to pledge;

The Black Dragon Swears in Twice.

++

Western dragon is different from the Eastern dragon, hence - a different word:

ドラゴン -  dragon (as depicted in Western myths)

And related expression:

ドラゴンボート  - dragon boat

October 13th, 2009 | in Words, drama cd, manga, 鳥人ヒロミ

Manga 彩おとこ vol.1 by 鳥人ヒロミ (Toribito Hiromi) is set in Taishou era 大正時代 - (1912 -1926).  Overall very a  lovely manga with fantastic historical setting and clothes,  but what I found very amusing - a misplaced reference in ch.1 page 8.

The character Suo (すおう) makes a witty remark in relation to the name of another character Godou (ごどう) -   ゴドーを待ちながら  which is a Japanese translation of the French play En attendant Godot by Samuel Beckett (the première in 1953).  If the manga is set in Taishou, Sou makes one hell of a future-teller by quoting the name of the play that will not be seen for the next 25 years ^__^

The Drama CD makes the interraction even more exciting.

October 11th, 2009 | in Words, drama cd, manga, 水城せとな

The manga by 水城 せとな - Mizushiro Setona consisting of 2 tankoubons with the most beautiful titles I've ever seen.

窮鼠はチーズの夢を見るThe Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese

Kyuuso wa chiizu no yume o miru

窮鼠 --きゅうそ--  cornered rat or mouse

俎上の鯉は二度跳ねる - A Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice

Sojou no koi wa ni do haneru

俎上 --そじょう-- (n) on the chopping board

鯉 --こい -- (n) common carp; koi carp

The Mouse Drama CD is already out and it is a must-hear.  

The Carp Drama CD is upcoming in the 25.11.2009

I absolutely love the concept of comparing the emotional/physical condition to animals, and I want to start collecting the saying related to the animals/fishes/birds alike.

Jim Breen offers more about cornerned mouses and carps:

  • 窮鼠噛猫 -- きゅうそごうびょう-- (exp) A cornered rat will bite the cat; One who is cornered will fight like a devil.
  • 窮鼠猫を噛む --きゅうそねこをかむ -- (exp) a cornered rat will bite a cat; despair turns cowards courageous.
  • 俎板の鯉; 俎の鯉 -- まないたのこい-- (exp) confronted with a hopeless situation; about to be cut off (e.g. in a battle) and unable to do anything

More to come when I find new expressions that feature animals.

October 8th, 2009 | in Japanese lesson, Words, drama cd, manga, 宝井理人

Intermediate Lesson #2 - Meet Hideo and Mel!

まさか --- unbelievable

The first time I noticed this expression was in manga: セブンデイズ―MONDAY→THURSDAY story by 橘紅緒 (Tachibana Vineo) and art by 宝井理人 (Takarai Rihito)

page 45:

Drama CD: Seven Days Monday - Thursday
track 1 MONDAY   ---  16'17''-16'20''

how awesomely 中村悠一 (Nakamura Yuuichi)  says this   まさか 、  .... ね ....  [!!!!!!]

manga vol.2 セブンデイズFRIDAY→SUNDAY .

August 23rd, 2009 | in drama cd, manga, あき

according to THIS manga オリンポス by あき will have a Drama CD. Release date 16/7/2009.

オリンポス seems to be ongoing manga with only vol.1 released so far

あき 's another manga   歌姫 --- うたひめ ----already has a Drama CD. A very lovely thing!

and あき is a very unfortunate pen-name for a mangaka ... very difficult to track down...  (((