#nihongo lets go

[nihongo-lets-go]

Lesson 1, Pt. 2: 仮名 - Stroke Order

In part 1 of lesson 1, we were introduced to the Japanese writing system and its many different applications. In this part, we will delve more into 平仮名 and 片仮名 to cover the stroke order of the characters.

Like with any language that has a written system, writing in Japanese takes some practice. Below are charts that show the 平仮名 and 片仮名 stroke orders:

HIRAGANA

平仮名 is a bit more complicated than 片仮名, in the sense that there are more strokes to much of the characters. Hiragana is based on the brush strokes of 漢字, so many 平仮名 characters may already look familiar.

Here are a few words, written in 平仮名. Practice writing them, and remember the stroke order! 1. ひらがな [ hiragana ]

2. かんじ [ kanji ]

3. わたし [ watashi - "I" ]

4. せんせい [ sensei - "teacher" ]

5. こんにちは [ konnichiwa - "good afternoon" ]

6. ありがとう [ arigatou - "thank you" ]

７. おとうさん [ otousan - "father" ]

８. おかあさん [ okaasan - "mother" ]

９. ともだち [ tomodachi - "friend" ]

10. がくせい [ gakusei - "student" ]

KATAKANA

片仮名 has much in common with 平仮名, as its characters are drawn from the same root, 漢字. However, it's clear there are differences in appearance. While 平仮名 has curved lines and loops, 片仮名 has many sharp lines and hooks, and fewer strokes over all. It is arguably the easier of the writing systems to learn.

Like before, here are some words written 片仮名. Give them a go! １．ラメン [ ramen ]

２．トイレ [ toire - " toilet" ]

３．アメリカ [amerika - "America" ]

４．イギリス [ igirisu - "the UK" ]

５．コ���ヒー [ ko-hi - "coffee" ]

６．ドライバ [ doraiba - "driver" ]

７．デート [ de-to - "date" ]

８．コーラ [ ko-ra - "cola" ]

９．ボールペン [ boorupen - "ball point pen" ]

１０．パン　[ pan - "bread" ]

BONUS PRACTICE

Now that we've looked more closely at the 平仮名 and 片仮名 writing systems, and gotten in some brush stroke practice, let's try a reading comprehension exercise. Below are two crossword puzzles. Using the list of words that were provided above, see how many words you can spot. See if you recognise any bonus words as well!

That will do it for lesson 1, part 2! If you have any additional questions, feel free to click/tap that 'Ask Me Anything' button <3

Have fun practicing!

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Japanese dictionary

jlptsensei katakana word list

FluentU katakana word list

[cheriladycl01]

Maybe a Pinot? - Pierre Gasly x Chef! Reader

Plot: There’s nothing more you love than cooking for your boyfriend, despite it being your day job

Warnings: Google Translate used, if i have Italian, French or Japanese readers please feel free to correct me in the comments or DM's!

"Do i have to cook us dinner again, babe its all i've done all weekend, today's my day off" you groan snuggling into him on the sofa. Today had been one of those days at work where you'd felt the heat, no pun intended.

It was a busy weekend afternoon shift that meant all kinds of people were coming to the restaurant you were working in. It was also an F1 weekend in Milan so it was very busy with lots of tourists and people on holiday so you were using all 6 of the languages you spoke throughout the night.

"Ah hello, how are you tonight" you smile at an English speaking family who'd come from the states. They had big grins and wanted an audience with the chef.

"You're the chef?" she asks looking over you. You smile with a small nod before she takes your doughy hand in hers.

"It was fabulous! Will you be here tomorrow, oh we want to come back and try more off the menu tomorrow!" she offers and your own grin widens.

"Amazing! Thank you guys and I'm glad you enjoyed it!" you nod before rushing off back into the kitchens.

Two hours later, two very rich Italian customers had come in, they were regulars in the restaurant and always asked for you to come out and serve their food.

"Grazie Mille, Y/N! Come sempre è spettacolare" They say speaking their usual Italian.

"C un onore cucinare per lei, signore!" you compliment, it was an pleasure to cook regardless of the customer but you'd always get satisfaction from regulars.

And then not even an hour later, Rosa one of the newer waitresses came running in looking rather flushed and embarrassed.

"Cosa c'è che non va, Rosa?" you ask the out of breath girl, concerned for her.

"Ci sono due clienti giapponesi, non posso prendere il loro ordine" she cries letting you know that she cannot communicate with the Japanese customers that just came in.

"I'll take the order!" you smile at her tapping her shoulder in a friendly manner before washing your hands and making your way out onto the dining floor.

You always loved coming out on the floor, you imagined it was how your boyfriend Pierre felt when he was walking through the paddock.

"Konnichi wa, watashi wa shev desu !" you introduce and they both look up at you in shock.

"Anata wa nihongo wa hanashi masu ka ?" the young girl asks making you nod, and crouch down leaning on the table.

"Hai watashi wa nihon de watashi no gijutsu wa manabi mashi ta" you explain that you'd actually studied in Japan learning to cook.

They ordered their food after you gave them your recommendations before a french couple called you over. You handed the pad to Rosa, asking her to call for you if they have any troubles.

"Bonjour comment ça va?" you offer to the three glaring French ladies.

"Votre uniforme est en désordre ! Pas professionnel !" she argues with a huff making you giggle a little, before poitning at your chef hat. She reddens as she realises whose she's insulted.

"Je suis désolé!" she apologises making you nod you head and let her know it's fine.

After that tiresome weekend, Pierre had the cheek to see if you were going to cook the pair of you dinner on a Monday night. That was definitely not happening.

"Please, your cooking is the best!" he demands with a groan, lazing against you on the sofa.

"Pierre! I've been on my feet all weekend, i don't even want to look in the kitchen right now!" you whine, looking down at him his face lifting off your chest to look at you.

"Wait, Yuki's coming tonight! We can force him to cook!" Pierre grins.

"Yuki's coming?" you exclaim sitting up looking round at the unkept house, showing that both you and you're boyfriend had had zero time over the race weekend to clean.

"Yeah, whats wrong with that? He always comes over!" Pierre asks and you nod.

"Yes he does but with notice, the house is a mess!" you cry looking around.

Pierre looked at you with an eyeroll, he looked at the house and didn't see anything wrong with it. Yeah there was a unfolded blanket on the armchair. Yes there was two coffee mugs that had been sat there sicne this morning but it was your home and you guys lived there ... there would be mess.

"It's Yuki, come on he basically lives here!" Pierre tries to reason.

"And you were going to try and force the poor boy to cook! You are a horrible person Pierre!" you cringe slapping his side before jumping up.

"Pierre!" you gasp as his arms come and wrap round your waist holding you still beside him.

"Don't go! Was so warm and comfy cuddling" he whines trying to pull you back on the sofa but you don't budge.

"No, need to clean Pierre!" you try and tell him, moving away starting to go around the living room. Pierre shortly joins you, not after a few grumbles of fake annoyance and pouts came from him.

After around an hour of you and Pierre cleaning up with music in the background a soft knock sounds of the living room door. Pierre kisses your forehead before running over to greet his friend.

"Hi!" Yuki grins, hugging Pierre before quickly getting off him and coming right for you. He pulls you into a huge hug before the yapping starts. Yuki was the biggest yapper you knew, once he started he wouldnt stop.

"So i wanted to try out this new dish, it looks so good and i think you did it at school and i was wondering if you'd help me. Obviously, you're probably so tired from working all weekend so we can do it a different time!"

"Yuki's its okay i'll help!" you smile softly but he shakes his head seeing how tired his eyes are.

"No no, let me and Pierre cook a meal for you. Promise it'll be good!" he says as he looks over at Pierre a grin on his face before he makes himself in your kitchen.

"Yuki! It's fine!" you run after him.

However, he didn't let up. Him and Pierre were in the kitchen, Yuki stealing your chef whites and starting up on a meal that he knew you'd appreciate.

"What wine does this call for Yuki!" you ask opening the cabinet where you stored it all.

"Mmmm white i think maybe a Pinot?" he says not looking over his shoulder as you go to your section of whites.

You guys talked about the race that had just been and the upcoming season. Yuki had cooked an incredible meal, with your boyfriend as his sous chef.

"Thank you for cooking guys!" you smile as you dig into the food.

"My best chef" Pierre grins looking over at you.

"Not me?" Yuki looks at him with an angry expression.

"Come on ..." he says as he gobbles the food him and Yuki prepared.

"It's your fault the food doesn't taste as good as it normally does, you are a horrible sous chef!" Yuki exclaims and you watch them both bicker as they also continue to eat the food prepared.

As exhausting as your job could be you wouldn't change the fact that it made you find people like these who you related too and bonded really well with.

This was your life and you were beyond satisfied.

y/user

Liked by pierregasly, yukitsunoda0511 and others

y/user: Yuki and Pierre cooked a meal for me after race weekend …

Tagged 2 People

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pierregasly: if you get sick we blame it on Yuki 🧐

-> yukitsunoda0511: absolutely not!

-> y/user: Yuki’s food was incredible … yours on the other hand ✋🏻

-> pierregasly: OI 😡🤬

user1: wait Yuki looks so cute here!

user2: who is this girl?

user3: she’s like Pierre’s lowkey off the grid girlfriend 🥺 she’s a chef at a chain restaurant in Milan.

Instagram Story Caption:

Cooking for Yuki and Pierre, I think Yuki is jealous of my career … and talent 🍳👩🏻‍🍳🥘

Taglist:

@littlebitchsposts @hockey-racing-fubol @laura-naruto-fan1998 @22yuki @simxican @sinofwriting @lewisroscoelove @cmleitora @daemyratwst @lauralarsen @the-untamed-soul @thewulf @itsjustkhaos @purplephantomwolf @chasing-liberosis @summissss @gulphulp @starfusionsworld @jspitwall @sierruhhhh @georgeparisole @youcannotcancelquidditch @tallbrownhairsarcastic @ourteenagetragedy @peachiicherries @formulas-bitch @cherry-piee @spilled-coffee-cup @mehrmonga @curseofhecate @alliwantisadonut @dark-night-sky-99 @i-wish-this-was-me @tallrock35 @butterfly-lover @barnestatic @landossainz @darleneslane @barcelonaloverf1life @r0nnsblog @ilove-tswizzle @laneyspaulding19 @malynn @landosgirlxoxo @marie0v @yourbane @teamnovalak @nikfigueiredo @fionaschicken @0picels0 @tinydeskwriter @ironmaiden1313 @splaterparty0-0 @formula1mount

[karasukarei]

Boufuurin Chat Talk vol. 5

Nirei's POV.

For all other translations, see this post!

General t/n: Sakura texts exclusively in hiragana, which really shows how bad he is at texting wwww

*Tsubaki has added Sakura, Suou, and Nirei into the chat*

Tsubaki: You guys~! I'll be lettting you guys know the place and time for our date here, looking forward to seeing you all!

Nirei: Thank you! Looking forward to it!

Suou: Thank you very much. I'm glad we can hang out together. (t/n: he actually says it in a really formal manner but I couldn't figure out how else to phrase this lol)

Sakura: don't call it a date... (Thanks @/t-fa !) don't say that (t/n: I'm unsure if this is correct; Sakura likes to use contractions a lot when he speaks and my nihongo is not jouzu enough to catch the full meaning of some of them ;-;)

Tsubaki: Ohh you're all so well-mannered! Except for one~! lol

Anyway is there any place you guys wanna guy to?

Amusement park? The movies? Aquarium?

Nirei: If it's somewhere Tsubaki-san wants to go, we'll follow along!

Suou: I don't have any particular preferences too. What about Sakura?

Sakura: amusement park

Nirei: !

Suou: !

Tsubaki: !

Sakura: i didn't mean that, it was the predictive text

Tsubaki: Sorrryyyy! I know I asked you guys, but there's actually a place I wanna bring you guys to!

Sakura: you got it wrong

Tsubaki: So the next time when we go out together let's go to the amusement park <3

Suou: Let's go <3 (t/n: wtf)

Nirei: Let's go! *sends sticker of bear saying "got it!"*

Sakura: no you guys got it wrong...

(source)

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 02x22 - The Brave Evolution! XV-mon / Davis Cries Wolfman

Previously on Digimon Adventure: Chimeramon came back for another go but Wormmon killed them with kindness. Unfortunately, in the process, Chimeramon also killed Wormmon with excessive violence. Nonetheless, the Chosen Children completed their mission and the Ken was given a new mission of his own: Go touch grass.

Apparently this is NOT the episode that goes into Ken's past. That will be next episode. So the Dub Narrator was wrong when he said we'd find out today what Ken will do with the Crest of Kindness, and I was a fool to trust him.

Uh, content warning for extensive involvement of urination. If you're squeamish about that, this one's gonna be gross.

With the Digimon Kaiser at last overthrown, we open on another normal day at Odaiba Elementary. Iori's in class reading a thematically relevant passage from a textbook.

Iori: Thus, the country was saved. The king was overthrown and the country was saved. The king was overthrown but a great sadness remained in the people's hearts. The great sadness remaining in the people's hearts became a legend that will never fade.

Each line contains a piece of the previous line and makes a new statement out of it. It's a language exercise, not a literary one. But it's hard not to think of the Digital World when reading it.

Upamon, hiding in Iori's desk, wipes a tear from his eye.

Upamon: Native Language class always makes me want to cry-dagyaa!

Nope. None of that. Iori pushes Upamon deeper into the desk to silence him.

Yes, it's called Native Language class. The word 日本語 Nihongo refers to the Japanese language while 国語 Kokugo means the native language of the region you are in. So, in 日本 Nihon, Japan, the 国語 Kokugo would be 日本語 Nihongo. But if you went to 英国 Eikoku, England, then 国語 Kokugo would be 英語 Eigo, English.

In Japanese schools, the study of Japanese is 国語の授業 Kokugo no Jugyou, Native Language Class. Most places with a robust education system have some form of 国語の授業 Kokugo no Jugyou; It's just that the 国語 Kokugo we study in different regions are different languages.

It's like how Americans sometimes call it "Language Arts class" instead of "English class". It's a better, more universal terminology.

In the dub:

Cody: And so the kingdom was saved. But there was no joy in the land that day for the king had died. In his effort to save his people, he mistakenly stood on the wrong side of the cannon as it was being fired. The people watched in shock as the king flew overhead. Upamon: Gee, Cody, you couldn't be a little more depressing, could ya? Cody: Shhh! (Cody stuffs Upamon in the desk)

Cody is reading a literary textbook. A hilariously morbid one, at that. Holy shit.

"There was no joy in the land that day because of the hilarious Looney Tunes demise of their lord. Royal blood and viscera rained down upon all who came to witness his glory. One man got hit in the face with a femur and let out a yelp."

Obviously, this does not bear any sort of thematic resonance to the recent victory against the Digimon Emperor.

Next, we turn to Miyako in chemistry class, holding up a flask.

Miyako: Take this fluid. Add it to the other chemical in the beaker and then heat them over an alcohol lamp.

She pours the solution in and heats them.

Miyako: There! Now we just have to wait three minutes.

Outside the window, Poromon is watching her. He has concerns.

Poromon: Uhhh, that seems kind of dangerous....

Suddenly, the boiling fluid starts putting out purple smoke.

Poromon: Huh?

The smoke then turns to smoke rings. Miyako stares at the rings, transfixed, but the rest of the class is smart enough to run.

Poromon: EYEEEEEEGH!!! Students: LOOK OUT!!!

The concoction explodes right in Miyako's face, covering her in soot.

Miyako: Errors have been made.

Don't worry, Miyako. It's not your fault. It's the fault of the Coalition of Fictional Chemistry Teachers who make it standard practice to let children mix dangerous chemicals unsupervised.

In the dub:

Yolei: Pay attention, everybody! I take this tube of hydro-something stuff and add it to this beaker of a few things I threw together. I let it simmer for a bit. Now the experiment is almost complete! I'm thinking of doing some tutoring in chemistry after school if any of you boys are interested.... (Beaker starts to smoke) Poromon: Uh-oh! Boy: Is it supposed to smoke that much!? Yolei: Uhhh, of course! It's just the fluorodicarbonate polyethylene. (Smoke rings; Everyone screams and runs, followed by explosion) Yolei: Ehehehe....

I like that they roped in Yolei's love-starved trait. She tries to use her volatile concoction to flirt only for it to literally blow up in her face. I don't think any of those boys will be taking her up on that offer.

So that's what they're doing in 3rd and 6th grade. Time to check in on the 5th-graders. In the gym, Hikari is doing ballet. Chibimon, Patamon, and Tailmon watch from the rafters.

Tailmon: I want to dance too. Patamon: Will you dance with me? Tailmon: Yeah!

Neither of them know how to do ballet but they flop around and have fun. Beneath them, Chibimon feels left out.

Chibimon: You two have fun, then! Hmph!

Here's our first hint at what's going to be a driving source of conflict for this episode. That's right, it's time to talk about the Takeru/Hikari/Daisuke triangle.

The girls' ballet lessons end almost as soon as we get to the gym, though, and now it's time for boys' basketball. We see a few practice shots taken at the basket. Two balls whiff the basket while a third one goes in.

From their body language, it seems Daisuke sunk the successful shot; Takeru and another boy look distraught while Daisuke proudly spins a basketball on his finger. Then the whistle blows.

Daisuke: Hehehe.... Chibimon: (excited) The boys' basketball game is about to start!

The boys square up against each other, with Daisuke and Takeru on opposing teams. The girls file off to the side. Hikari and two other girls watch eagerly as the match begins.

In the dub:

Patamon: Kari is such a graceful dancer! Gatomon: She should be. I taught her everything she knows! Patamon: Teach me! Gatomon: Okay! (They start dancing) DemiVeemon: I forgot my dancing shoes! Hmph!

The dub's take on the ballet scene cuts out the romantic connotation to Patamon asking Tailmon to dance. So it's not really clear why DemiVeemon is suddenly acting so pissy.

The dub uses extra dialogue to clarify that it was Davis who made that shot.

Davis: You guys are lame! Watch me! (Ball sinks) Davis: Nothing but net! Not only am I the best soccer player in school; I'm the best basketball player too! (Davis spins the ball on his finger) Davis: Hehehe.... Chibimon: Is there anything in the real world that Davis isn't the best at? Gatomon: Yeah. Being modest.

All this extra dialogue is setup for the impending match between Davis and T.K. There are other players on the field, but comparing Daisuke/Davis and Takeru/T.K. is the purpose of this scene.

At the serve, Takeru claims the ball and dribbles around the opposing players.

Patamon: Keep it up, Takeru!

Daisuke moves in to stop him, but Takeru's incredible footwork allows him to dart around Daisuke and move in on the basket.

Patamon: SHOOT!!!

Takeru takes the shot and sinks it.

Patamon: YIPPEE!!! Tailmon: NICE SHOT!!! Chibimon: Daisuke could do that too, y'know. Hikari: TAKERU-KUUUUUUN!!!

With everyone cheering him on, Takeru high fives his other teammate.

Takeru: Yes! We did it!

A fantastic play by Takeru. Daisuke may be a strong soccer player but he's in Takeru's thunderdome now.

In the dub, Kari announces the start of the match since they changed DemiVeemon's dialogue.

Kari: The basketball game's about to start. GO T.K.!!! Referee: (whistles) Jump ball! (T.K. claims the ball and dribbles down court) Patamon: Air T.K.! T.K.: Try to stop me, Davis! If you can! (T.K. dribbles around Davis, then goes up for the shot) Patamon: Don't pose for pictures; Shoot it! (The ball goes in) Patamon: Two points! Gatomon: YAY!!! DemiVeemon: I guess anybody can get lucky against Davis once! Kari: NICE SHOT!!! T.K.: Teamwork, baby! (T.K. high fives his partner) T.K.: Yeah!

"Don't pose for pictures" is an Abridged Parody riff on the animation. They hang dramatically on that shot of Takeru preparing to fire, and Dub Patamon accuses him of actually doing that diegetically.

I really like the "Teamwork, baby!" line as he high fives his partner. That's good sportsmanship.

But one person isn't impressed.

Daisuke: That smug Takeru thinks he's so cool. Alright!

Determined to prove himself, Daisuke gets back in the game. He catches the basketball and dribbles past an opposing team member.

Chibimon: DAISUKE, SHOOT!!!

Against an opposing team member, Daisuke finds himself blocked the way he tried to block Takeru. He tries to slip past, trips over his own foot, and crashes face-first into the floor. The ball goes flying.

Tailmon & Patamon: Ahahahahahahaha-- Chibimon: STOP LAUGHING!!!

Daisuke, embarrassed, picks himself up off the court and glances over at the girls, who are all stifling laughter of their own.

Hikari: (snicker) We should go start our dance routine over.

Hikari herds the girls away from Daisuke's shame. Takeru approaches him, offering a hand up.

Takeru: Are you okay, Daisuke-kun?

Daisuke ignores the offered hand and picks himself up.

Daisuke: Obviously, I'm not okay. Takeru: What's wrong? Daisuke: Hmph!

Refusing to answer, Daisuke turns away from Takeru just in time to take a basketball to the face. He's not having a good day.

Yesterday, he vanquished the Digimon Kaiser once and for all. Today, basketball butt monkey. It's not easy being Daisuke.

In the dub:

Davis: Guys, we need to learn to pass the ball! Now let's do it! (Davis catches the ball and dribbles down court) DemiVeemon: GO DAVIS!!! (Davis trips over his own foot and faceplants) Gatomon & Patamon: Ahahahahahahaha-- DemiVeemon: IT'S NOT THAT FUNNY!!! (All the girls are laughing) Kari: Come on, I think Davis needs a little more time to practice. (T.K. offers Davis a hand up) T.K.: Hey Davis, do you need a hand? (Davis picks himself up) Davis: No, I need a team that knows how to pass the ball! T.K.: I think they're starting to learn. Davis: Hm? (Davis turns around and takes a basketball to the face)

This version doesn't have the symmetry of both Patamon and Chibimon respectively cheering for their Partner to shoot.

Hikari tries to spare Daisuke's feelings by driving the girls away, while Kari mocks Davis.

Daisuke is jealous and spiteful of Takeru for outperforming him in basketball. This, again, sets up a significant conflict for this episode. Davis is fine with T.K., but mad at his team over insufficient ball passing. This sets up the gag of the ball hitting him in the face, but is an odd thing for him to complain about in context when what went wrong was him tripping over himself.

So the dub traded out setup for a core theme of the episode to try and make an existing gag funnier.

The ringing of the school bell heralds the end of the day. Time to hit computer club.

Miyako and Iori meet in the stairwell.

Iori: Ah! Miyako-san! Miyako: Iori!

Together, they sprint down the hall and into the clubroom, where the fifth-graders are waiting for them.

Daisuke: You're late! Miyako: Huh? Takeru: Miyako-san, Daisuke-kun's been in a bad mood for a while now. Please just hurry up and open the Gate. Miyako: Hrm.

Miyako goes to the computer and pulls up the Digital Gate.

Miyako: DIGITAL GATE, OPEN!!! CHOSEN CHILDREN, LET'S ROLL!!!

Crossing over, the Chosen Children arrive in a forest in the Digital World.

Iori: (contemplative) Even with the Digimon Kaiser gone, we can still enter the Digital World.... Miyako: What's that supposed to mean? The Digital World is finally at peace! We can just enjoy the Digital World from now on, right? Takeru & Iori: Eh... Well.... Miyako: You're with me, right, Hikari-chan? Hikari: Uh, sure....

Iori raises a valid concern. Last time the Chosen Children were needed, the Digital World basically told them to hit the bricks as soon as the task was complete. So the fact that we can still come and go from the place is a little concerning.

In the dub:

Cody: Oh, I'm late I'm late I'm late! I'm late! I'm late I'm late I'm LATE!!! (Yolei and Cody meet in the hall) Yolei: (cheerfully) We're late.

The dub has the school bell ring here. Which is an odd place to put it. If they were on their way to a class, then this would support how late they are because the bell means class has started. But since it's the end of the school day, doesn't that mean they skipped the last few minutes of their classes and are in fact early?

(Cody and Yolei sprint into the clubroom) Davis: LOOK WHO'S HERE!!! T.K.: Davis is in a bad mood. Let's hope things are better in the Digital World. He's already had one nasty trip today! Yolei: Hrm. Is everybody ready? (Yolei pulls up the Digi-Port) Group: YEAH!!! Yolei: Then let's do it! DIGI-PORT, OPEN!!!

"He's already had one nasty trip today!" Goddammit, that got me. XD Good passive-aggressive burn, T.K.

The dub takes its first commercial break as the kids are crossing over. We return to find them in the woods.

Cody: You know, I'm surprised that now, with the Digimon Emperor gone, we're still able to come to the Digital World. Yolei: Of course we can still come here! I don't know about the rest of you but with the Digimon Emperor gone, I plan on having a little fun in the Digi-Sun! Don't you think we deserve it!? Cody & T.K.: Well, yeah! Yolei: How about you, Kari? Do you agree with me? Kari: Uhhh....

This is almost perfect, but they seem to have missed that Iori and Takeru are not onboard with Miyako's assertion. Cody and T.K. deliver their lines like they're in full agreement, though their faces clearly suggest otherwise. But they did catch that Hikari was only humoring her.

There is one person willing to cast his vote in Miyako's favor, however. And that should probably be reason enough to rethink her stance.

Daisuke: You're right, Miyako. However, we didn't come to the Digital World to play today. Miyako: I know that! We're volunteering to help with the reconstruction. Daisuke: We're partly responsible for the damage that's been done to the Digital World, after all.

Daisuke has a stronger sense of international responsibility than many actual world leaders. We won the war against the Digimon Kaiser and that's great and all. However, we left several places in ruin while we were having fun kicking his ass and knocking down his Dark Towers. So we now have an obligation to help rebuild what our conflict with him destroyed.

That the Kaiser was himself a Chosen Child only heightens that responsibility. If an English general went rogue and annexed Romania and then the English army bulldozed several Romanian cultural sites to drive him out, Romania would reasonably expect some restitution from England.

Iori: Miyako-san, what is the damage report for the Digital World? Miyako: Let's see... I'll check the D-Terminal.

Apparently the D-Terminal can give you sitrep now. That's a new function.

Miyako: There's the mountain region....

Brief cut to a group of Gotsumon knocking down trees and excavating the mountain for materials.

Takeru: We'll go there. Patamon: Sounds good, Takeru. Daisuke: Alright, Takeru will handle the mountain region.

Makes sense to send one of the fliers up that way.

In the dub:

Davis: There'll be plenty of time for rest and relaxation later, Yolei! But that's not why we came to the Digital World today. Yolei: I know, I know. We're here to restore the Digital World to the way it was before the Digimon Emperor took over. Davis: That's right! There's a lot of areas that are in pretty bad shape and we're part of the reason for it. We have to get to work! Cody: Alright, Yolei, give us a damage report on all the different areas. Yolei: Okay, let me pull it up on the D-Terminal. (Yolei takes out her D-Terminal) Yolei: The mountain area is pretty bad. (Brief cut to Gotsumon working) Gotsumon: Let's get back to work, boys! Don't leave any stone unturned even if it's your cousin! (Back to the kids) T.K.: I guess then... We'll take it. Patamon: The Gotsumon rock! Davis: Okay, Patamon and T.K. will handle the mountains.

They add a couple gags with the Gotsumon but they follow the script perfectly. Despite the foul mood he's in, Davis even refrains from the running gag of saying T.K.'s name wrong on purpose; The dub understands that now that we're here, he's in Serious Business mode. There are bigger things happening than his petty rivalry.

What else have you got for us, Miyako?

Miyako: Next up is the city. That place was hit pretty hard.

Cut to a ruined metropolis. Buildings line in rubble, some knocked over entirely or bombed out. RedVegiemon is there running a soup kitchen, providing curry to Gazimon refugees.

Armadimon: AHH LET'S GO LET'S GO LET'S GO-DAGYAA!!! IORI!!!

Armadimon runs off without another word, forcing Iori to run after him.

Iori: Ah, wait up, Armadimon! Daisuke: Aw, crap! They already took that one.

City region is assigned to Iori. Better luck next time, Daisuke.

Miyako: Next up is the rural countryside.

There, we see Gekomon tilling the rice paddies. Otamamon gather around a river, though it's unclear what exactly they're doing. I assume they're irrigating. A group of Bakemon show up carrying a log, adding it to a bridge under construction across the river.

Daisuke: Guess it's our turn now. Hikari: Wait! I want that one too. Tailmon: Yeah. Daisuke: Alright, then let's play Rock-Paper-Scissors for it. Hikari: Sounds good. Daisuke: (chanting) Starting at Rock! JAN KEN PON!!!

最初はグー Saisho wa guu is a customary phrase to begin a match of じゃんけん Janken. Players all begin with the closed fist of Rock. The three syllabic steps of じゃんけんぽん Jan Ken Pon then serve as a rhythmic countdown to when the players will throw their signs, delivered in the same cadence as 最初はグー Saisho wa guu.

English-speakers have similar countdowns with "Rock Paper Scissors!" or "Rock Paper Scissors Shoot!' but the melodic nature of the Japanese language makes their countdown exceptional.

Daisuke throws Rock to Hikari's Paper, so Hikari wins. Daisuke groans while Hikari high fives Tailmon.

Daisuke: Augh, I lost! Hawkmon: Next is the lake, right? Daisuke: V-mon and I will take the lake!

Once that's decided, Hikari, Takeru, and Daisuke scatter in separate directions. There is no glimpse of what's happening at the lake this time.

Miyako: All that's left is the coastal region. Hawkmon: Then I guess that one is ours, Miyako-san.

Similar to the lake, there is no glimpse of the coast. They just take it.

Just like that, the map is divvied up. Again, despite the bad day he's having, we can see how serious Daisuke is about this reconstruction. He loses out on the region he wants twice but he just rolls with the punches and takes what he can get with minimal complaint. This isn't about him.

In the dub:

Yolei: Next is the city. Wow, that looks in pretty bad shape too. (Cut to destroyed city) RedVegiemon: Form a single line, everybody. And no cutting in! Today's entree will be tuna surprise. Unfortunately, we didn't have any tuna. THAT'S THE SURPRISE!!! (Back to the kids) Armadillomon: Didja hear that, Cody? You get a free lunch. Let's go! (Armadillomon runs off with Cody chasing after) Cody: Wait for me! Davis: Aw man, he beat me to it!

Armadillomon doesn't quite match Armadimon's explosive enthusiasm but the idea is still there.

Yolei: Let's take a look at the farmlands. (Cut to farmlands) Gekomon: Alright, you Bakemon, a little to the left! ...now a smidge to the right! That's it! Easy does it! (The Bakemon add their log to the bridge) Gatomon: Haha, yeah! (Back to the kids) Davis: Okay then, we'll take that one. Kari: Wait! I wanted that area. Gatomon: Me too! Davis: The only fair thing to do is Rock-Paper-Scissors. Kari: Let's do it! Davis: Just so you know, I was champion in the fourth grade! HUAAAAGH!!! (Kari wins) Davis: Aggggh! Gatomon: Yay!

Davis does not offer any cadence and just expects Kari to know when to throw. He set himself up for failure with that one.

Hawkmon: The next area is the lake. Davis: Veemon and I will take that one! (Everyone scatters) Yolei: The only area left is the beach. Hawkmon: Alright, it's settled then! You and I are headed to the beach!

Overall, this is another pretty good adaptation. They stay on point and resist the urge to shit on Davis any harder than his No Good Very Bad Day already is.

Just like that, all assignments are divvied up. A map of the region shows us where each Chosen Child is assigned to work.

The map is followed by a montage of Chosen Children working through the day. Takeru and Patamon up in the mountains are helping with crops. Takeru plants while Patamon flies around the field with a watering can.

Over at the coast, Miyako and Hawkmon are helping dredge up debris. A team of Gizamon push a broken canoe up from the water, while Woodmon on shore pull it with a rope. Miyako and Hawkmon have joined in the pulling, though Hawkmon is contributing nothing to this exercise.

Hawkmon: I CAN'T PULL!!!

Miyako is helping. Hawkmon is dangling. But at least he tried.

In the dub, there's more dialogue to the montage.

(T.K. plants a sprout) T.K.: Okay, Patamon. (Patamon waters; Cut to coast) Yolei: Woodmon, you pull, and Gizamon, you push. Get it right this time. Go! (Yolei and Hawkmon help pull)

They take out the gag of Hawkmon lamenting his uselessness and instead blame the Woodmon and Gizamon for some reason. That's just good old-fashioned American nepotism right there.

In the city region, Iori helps RedVeggiemon stir the cookpot. Armadimon shows up with a bundle of kindling tied to his back, collapsing in front of the pot.

Armadimon: Ugh, if you don't work, you don't eat-dagyaa.

At the lake, Daisuke and V-mon help a group of RedVeggiemon carry cut logs. Unfortunately, a group of Numemon have taken up residence on top of the stack.

Daisuke: Move, Numemon! You're in the way!

The Numemon depart from the log pile, but leave poops behind. Thanks. That's great. Assholes.

And finally, Hikari and Tailmon help the Gekomon harvest water from the river.

In the dub:

(Armadillomon collapses in front of the cookpot) Armadillomon: Ugh. This is hard work. So much for a free lunch. (Davis and the others bring a log for the pile) Davis: Come on, Vegiemon! Lift! You've got to put some backbone into it! Oh. I forgot you don't have one.

Again, the dub has the kids chewing out the Digimon they're helping for inadequate work performance. Something about that rubs me the wrong way.

For Davis, it's used as a replacement for the Numemon poop bit, which the dub snips out the footage of. -1 Poop joke, +1 Digimon anatomy joke.

As Hikari and Tailmon pull up the water bucket, they suddenly hear someone calling for them.

Patamon: TAILMON!!! Girls: Huh? Takeru: HIKARI-CHAAAAAAN!!!

Takeru and Patamon come running over the log bridge that the Bakemon recently built. Which is quite a feat given that they were on opposite ends of the map from Hikari and Tailmon. Do we think Takeru Solid Snaked it past Daisuke? Or did he go the long way through Iori or Miyako territory?

Either way, what he's not doing is his fucking job. He and Patamon planted like three crops and then booked it. For shame.

Hikari: Takeru-kun? Tailmon: What's wrong, Patamon? Patamon: Takeru's worried. There's something weighing on his mind. Hikari: What are you worried about? Takeru: That we can still enter the Digital World. Hikari: That's because we're still needed in the Digital World, right? Takeru: That was certainly the case three years ago. Hikari: So how about now? Patamon: Are we still needed here? Tailmon: We're needed to help with reconstruction for the destroyed Digital World, aren't we? Hikari: Ultimately, we're just volunteering for the reconstruction effort.... Takeru: The fact that we can enter the Digital World means that the Digital World still needs us. A crisis is approaching. Hikari: You mean a new enemy? Takeru: I don't know, but I think we should tell the others about it. Hikari: Yeah.

The veterans remember the escalation from the first series and then whoops none of those guys were actually the guy, THIS is the guy.

I'm glad Takeru spent half an hour slowly moving past Daisuke under cover of a cardboard box so he could deliberate with Hikari about whether to tell Daisuke that they're in danger. He didn't even really consult her on anything. He just came here and told her, "This is what I think. Anyways, let's brief the team."

I think he just wanted to get out of planting crops.

In the dub:

Patamon: GATOMON!!! Girls: Huh? T.K.: KARI!!! (T.K. and Patamon come running) Kari: What's wrong? Gatomon: Patamon, is a dog chasing you? Patamon: No! Listen up. T.K. has a theory that I think we should all listen to. Kari: What is it? T.K.: I was thinking about what Cody said about still being able to come to the Digital World. Kari: I thought we figured out that we can come here because we're still needed for something, didn't we?

We did not. I don't know where you got that impression. This is the first mention of us still being needed for something. Figuring that out is the purpose of this conversation we are having right now.

T.K.: That's the reason we were able to come here the first time. Patamon: You're right. There must be a reason this time too. Gatomon: The reason's as plain as the whiskers on my face; We're here to clean up the mess left by the Digimon Emperor. Kari: The only problem with that theory is that we volunteered for the work. It's not like we were drafted. T.K.: Exactly! That's the part that's been bothering me. We're not meant to be here as a cleanup crew. There's something else out there that we don't know about yet. Kari: T.K., you mean... a new enemy!? T.K.: I'm not exactly sure what it is yet but I think we should be prepared for whatever's out there waiting for us. Kari: Mhm.

Apart from Kari bizarrely thinking we've already had this conversation, this is pretty good.

Setting out to collect the others, Takeru and Hikari find the lake region vacant. Daisuke is nowhere to be found.

Patamon: Huh? There's no one here. Hikari: That's weird. Where did they all go? Patamon: HEEEEEEY!!! COME OUT OF HIDING!!! Takeru: DAISUKE-KUUUUUUN!!! Tailmon: V-MOOOOOON!!!

But no answer comes. What dire fate might have befallen--

Oh, no, scratch that. Daisuke and V-mon went for a walk in the bamboo forest. They're fine. Daisuke's just a little out of it.

Daisuke: Hey, V-mon? You've probably noticed already but... why are Takeru and Hikari-chan so tight-knit?

What exactly does Daisuke mean by that? Well, the language used here is あんなに仲がいい an'nani naka ga ii. 仲がいい Naka ga ii means two people who get along very well. They can be friends, lovers, coworkers, peers; The term does not define a particular type of relationship. What matters is that they support each other with minimal conflict.

あんなに An'nani basically means "like that". To that extent.

So Daisuke isn't specifically defining any sort of relationship for them, though he does have suspicions. But with this line, he is questioning how it is that Takeru and Hikari get along that well. They're two peas in a pod. They support each other relentlessly and are totally on the same page all the time, and it's weird.

Daisuke flashes back on the way Hikari cheered for Takeru at the basketball game. This is a rare instance of a flashback with dialogue.

Hikari: TAKERU-KUUUUUUN!!! Takeru: Yes! We did it! (End Flashback) V-mon: Patamon and Tailmon too....

V-mon flashes back on Patamon and Tailmon dancing.

V-mon (V.O.): They get along really well....

The boys let out a mutual sigh.

In the dub:

Patamon: Uh-oh. Everybody's gone.... Kari: That's really strange. They were all here just a minute ago. Patamon: Okay! If you're hiding, we give up! You can come out now! Ollie Ollie Oxenfree! T.K.: DAVIS!!! VEEMON!!! (Cut to bamboo forest) Davis: Hey, Veemon? Have you noticed how chummy T.K. and Kari are together? Why do you think that is? Veemon: Maybe they're identical twins that look completely different! Davis: For example, did you see how Kari was openly rooting for T.K. when we played basketball? Huh.... (Flashback) Kari: I!!! LOVE!!! YOU!!! T.K.!!! T.K.: YEAH!!! (End Flashback) Veemon: Funny, I don't quite remember it like that. (Flashback) Veemon (V.O.): I was too busy watching Gatomon. (End Flashback, collective sigh)

Obviously, Kari didn't say that in the original scene. But for once, that's on purpose. We're seeing Davis's jealous interpretation of that scene rather than a literal flashback.

Daisuke: V-mon! V-mon: What is it, Daisuke?

Daisuke crouches down and grabs V-mon's hands.

Daisuke: We have to work together. V-mon: Work together? Daisuke: We'll come up with something really cool! V-mon: Really cool! Daisuke: And that will bring me closer with Hikari.

Daisuke fantasizes about doing a slam dunk while Hikari cheers for him. Then he front-flips over in front of her and throws up two V for Victories.

V-mon: And I'll get closer with Tailmon.

V-mon fantasizes about waltzing with Tailmon while holding a rose in his mouth.

V-mon: (singsong) TAILMOOO~OOON!!!

With both boys drunk on their fantasy, we return to reality.

Daisuke: The only way this happens, V-mon, is if you evolve into your Adult form. V-mon: Evolve to my Adult form? Daisuke: Something like UltraAngemon.

THAT'S RIGHT, FUCKOS. Remember UltraAngemon? It's an evolution Daisuke pulled straight out of his ass in a jealous fervor. He invented the concept of UltraAngemon way back in episode 7, the Andromon episode, after witnessing Patamon evolve into Angemon for the first time. With the Digimon Kaiser defeated, it's finally time for UltraAngemon to make his debut!

The boys take a moment to picture what UltraAngemon will look like. It's basically Angemon if he flew through a rainbow and got tie-dyed.

V-mon: Got it! Are you ready for me to become UltraAngemon!?

Daisuke laughs and claps at V-mon humoring him. I don't think they're really serious about this UltraAngemon thing; They're just venting some of their stress by goofing around. Daisuke is serious about V-mon evolving to Adult, though.

In the dub:

Davis: Augh.... Veemon: We're not that popular. (Davis crouches down and grabs Veemon's hands) Davis: If we want Kari and Gatomon to like us, we've gotta change. Veemon: What do you have in mind? Davis: We have to be better at the things they like. Veemon: Like what? Davis: I have to learn to become a better basketball player. (Fantasy Davis dunks) Kari: Yay! Davis: KARI LOVES ME!!! YEAH!!! (End Flashback) Veemon: And I have to learn to be a better dancer. (Veemon flashback) Gatomon: (swooning) Veemon.... (End Flashback) Davis: I got it! Just Digivolve into a Champion Digimon who happens to be a great dancer! Veemon: A regular twinkletoes! Davis: Yeah, right? I can just picture it now! (Imagine spot of UltraAngemon) Davis: Angemon would have nothing on you! Veemon: Here goes! VEEMON DIGIVOLVE TO CHAMPION MEGADANCERMON!!!

The dub didn't quite lay the groundwork for UltraAngemon. It sort of did; Davis did tell Veemon to Digivolve into "AngeSomething" in their version of that scene. But it seems they found it easier just to break away from that gag entirely here, inventing the new hypothetical form of MegaDancermon.

In the original, Daisuke just suggests that they need to "do something cool". The fantasies are them expressing their respective jealousies; Daisuke fantasizes about Hikari cheering for his basketball prowess like she did for Takeru and V-mon fantasizes about Tailmon dancing with him instead of with Patamon.

The plan is:

Step 1: Evolve V-mon into a super cool Adult form that impresses the girls so that they like US now!

Step 2: And then we'll be the ones they do these specific things we're salty about with instead of Takeru and Patamon!

The dub tries to merge those into the same step. Davis describes these activities as "things they like", which he and Veemon must improve at. Then they joke around about evolving Veemon into MegaDancermon to achieve that goal for him.

And, for Veemon, that makes sense. But. Uh. I don't think his logic follows for Kari. Kari wasn't cheering for T.K. because he's good at basketball. She was cheering at the basketball game to support T.K. So that's awkward, but in a way that can just be the character's mistake. Daisuke/Davis is meant to be off his rocker here either way.

Suddenly, Daisuke and V-mon's jubilation is interrupted by a presence nearby. Alerted by the scattering of birds, they whip around to see a horrifying creature emerging from the bamboo forest.

A creature that is clearly a bunch of Numemon in a trenchcoat but we'll humor them. After a commercial break, the creature lunges forward and reveals itself to be of a colossal height.

They kind of look like they're wearing a makeshift Monzaemon outfit.

Daisuke: HELP ME, V-MON!!!

Daisuke pushes V-mon forward towards the creature and darts to the side, out of the way.

V-mon: DAISUKE!!! Daisuke: V-mon, evolve into your Adult form! V-mon: S-Sure...

V-mon spins in place while trying to call out his evolution phrase.

V-mon: V-MON SHINKAAAAAA-YA-YA-ya-yaaaaa....

He successfully dizzies himself and falls over. Victory for FakeMonzaemon.

Daisuke: Ugh, he can't evolve.

Oh well. Looks like we're doomed by the very real threat bearing down on us. Sucks.

Honestly, it's for the best. This kind of disingenuous shit is how you get SkullGreymons. Do you want SkullGreymons, Daisuke?

The dub also takes its commercial break here before commencing the attack. When we return, Davis and Veemon drop some quips in before starting up the script.

Davis: That Digimon needs a new tailor! Veemon: He must have a hard time finding eyeglasses! Davis: LOOK OUT, A MONSTER!!! (Davis pushes Veemon towards it and runs) Davis: Don't just stand there! Try to Digivolve into a Champion! Veemon: VEEMON DIGIVOLVE TO... Doooyagh....

Even in the context of Davis staging this attack, the way he suddenly jumps from snarking on the creature's design to screaming and running for his life feels really awkward and inorganic.

With V-mon vanquished, it is time for the wrath of the fake Monzaemon thing!

Creature: Um, are we done here? Daisuke: Yeah, we're good. Thanks. Creature: You're welcome.

The monster tilts forward and its head comes off, spilling countless Numemon and RedVeggiemon out into a pile.

Daisuke: And after all the trouble you went to. Sorry about that. Group: Bye.

Daisuke and V-mon wave as the Digimon depart.

In the dub:

Creature: Can we stop now, Davis? It's getting really hot in here. Davis: Yeah, guess so. Nice job, guys. Creature: Gee, thanks, Davis. Everybody out! (Creature comes apart) Davis: Aww, you ripped your costume. And it was really good too. Group: Adios / See you later!

Davis compliments the costume instead of apologizing for the wasted effort.

Once they're gone, Daisuke turns on V-mon.

Daisuke: That was all your fault, V-mon! V-mon: How was that my fault!? Daisuke: It just is!

Daisuke punches V-mon in the top of his head.

V-mon: OW, WHAT THE HELL!?

V-mon breaks a bamboo stalk with a chop and then turns furiously on Daisuke.

V-mon: Now I'm really getting mad.... Daisuke: Uhh, sorry!

Daisuke turns and runs from his infuriated Partner. V-mon chases after him, roaring at him.

V-mon: COME BACK HERE, DAISUKE!!!

No dice. Daisuke flees from V-mon until he reaches a rope bridge. Once there, he stops and waits for V-mon while explaining his plan via internal monologue.

Daisuke: (thinking) Hehe... Next plan: Enrage V-mon and then break this suspension bridge and cause it to fall, thus putting me in a dire situation. Then, as a result of my brilliant plan, V-mon will have to evolve into his Adult form!

Okay, I joked about it earlier, but this is literally the SkullGreymon episode of the first series. Daisuke really is just doing the SkullGreymon plot again.

In the dub:

Davis: This is all your fault, Veemon! If you would have just Digivolved into a Champion, I never would have had to trick you!

The dub removes the part where Daisuke punches V-mon in the head.

Veemon: So that's it! (Veemon breaks a bamboo stalk) Veemon: You tried to scare me! (Davis runs for it and Veemon gives chase) Davis: WAAAAUGH!!! WELL, YOU USUALLY DIGIVOLVE WHEN YOU'RE SCARED!!! AHHHHHHH!!! (Davis reaches the bridge) Davis: Come on, Veemon! You're slower than the U.S. mail! I hope your Champion form runs faster than you do! Davis: (thinking) Hehe... And now it's time for Part 2 of Operation: Make Veemon Digivolve. I make Veemon mad and then, as I'm crossing this bridge, it breaks! And in order to save me from the fall, Veemon has to Digivolve to the Champion level. Perfect!

I would have gone with "Plan B" instead of "Part 2". The phrase "Part 2" implies that Davis intended to fail with the Monzaemon costume earlier. In the original, it's more clearly asserted that the bridge plan is a contingency for if the Monzaemon plan fails.

Additionally, losing the punch to the head makes Veemon's reaction seem more irrational here. He's chasing Davis with clear intent to do violence over what was basically a prank. Still a dick thing to go but not necessarily one that needs to escalate into physical violence.

Daisuke puts his plan into action by ripping the cord holding the bridge together. The now unstable bridge begins to shake.

Daisuke: AHHHHHH!!! SAVE ME, V-MON!!! V-mon: DAISUKE!!!

All thoughts of retaliation gone, Daisuke sprints across the bridge, screaming Daisuke's name with fear in his voice. Unfortunately, the shaking of the bridge proves too much for him and he falls on his face. The bridge snaps in half, forcing V-mon to leap across in order to reach the segment that Daisuke's holding onto.

Daisuke: V-MOOOOOON!!! V-mon: DAISUKEEEEEE!!!

Hanging onto the cord of the now destroyed bridge, Daisuke hits the cliffside hard but keeps a firm grip. V-mon manages to grab onto Daisuke's legs.

Daisuke: V-mon! You have to evolve into your Adult form! V-mon: V-mon... shinka....

Then all of a sudden, like magic....

...V-mon loses his grip and plunges into the river below. Daisuke follows shortly after.

I sure hope that isn't one of the bridges we just rebuilt or else Daisuke's going to have some explaining to do. In fact, just in general he's going to have a hard time explaining why he wandered off from a volunteer reconstruction assignment to go wreck things further.

Forget what I said earlier about Daisuke knowing there are bigger things happening here than his petty rivalry. This is kind of awful, Daisuke.

In the dub:

Davis: AHHHH!!! VEEMON, HELP ME!!! Veemon: Davis, hold on! (The bridge gives way) Davis: WHOAAAA-OHHHH!!! Veemon: DAVIS!!! (The boys end up dangling) Davis: Now, Veemon! You've got to Digivolve! Veemon: Veemon... Digivolve... To.... (The boys fall in the river) Veemon: (floundering) Was! This! Another! Trick!? Davis: (floundering) I would never! Do! Something like that!

The boys get a little extra dialogue at the end over what is, in the original, the both of them gasping for air while struggling to keep their heads afloat.

Washing up on the shore, Daisuke comes clean to V-mon.

V-mon: Huh? This was a practice exercise to get me to evolve into my Adult form? Daisuke: The plan was that if I put myself in danger, you would evolve into your Adult form and save me. V-mon: But it doesn't seem like it worked. Sorry, Daisuke. Daisuke: It's not your fault, V-mon. V-mon: No? Well then, we should probably head back to the others soon! Daisuke: Yeah.

V-mon bounced back from that pretty fast. Daisuke stands up, then offers V-mon a hand and helps him to his feet. Suddenly, they hear the sound of rumbling rocks nearby. Looking up, they see several rocks rolling down the cliff towards them.

Daisuke: Run, V-mon!

Daisuke starts running, but V-mon watches the rockslide curiously.

V-mon: This is another practice exercise to make me evolve into my Adult form, right? Daisuke: IT'S NOT PART OF THE PLAN!!! V-mon: WAAAAAAAUGH!!!

Now appropriately freaked out, V-mon books it before a massive boulder lands where he was standing. The boulder hits the ground rolling, pursuing Daisuke and V-mon.

Honestly, I'm surprised it took V-mon this long to realize something didn't smell right. The fact that Daisuke kept yelling "Evolve to your Adult form!" instead of yelling "DIGIMENTAL UP!!!" is a dead giveaway.

In the dub, Veemon already knows Davis has been trying to trick him so their discussion is a little different.

Veemon: But Davis, why did you want me to Digivolve into a Champion? Davis: Well, I thought that maybe Kari would like me more if my Digimon could reach the Champion level like T.K.'s can. Veemon: That's silly. Gatomon wouldn't like me more if you could Digivolve. Davis: Well, it couldn't hurt; She doesn't like you now! Veemon: Hey! That's not nice. I really wish you wouldn't rub it in. Davis: (conciliatory) Okay.

It feels a little awkward that Veemon's suddenly confused by this when they were just talking about MegaDancermon.

But it actually does make sense; They'd only been talking then about how Digivolving would benefit Veemon. That Davis is actually personally invested in Veemon Digivolving was not a topic of conversation before.

In the original, Daisuke clearly stated that V-mon becoming UltraAngemon would impress Hikari and Tailmon into liking them both more. But that idea had not been conveyed to Veemon in the dub until this moment.

Davis does come out of this conversation looking more like an asshole than Daisuke does, however, due to the "She doesn't like you now!" exchange. For Daisuke and V-mon, this is just a sweet reconciliation scene.

(Rockslide) Davis: RUN, VEEMON!!! (Davis runs) Veemon: This isn't another one of your tricks to get me to Digivolve into the Champion level, is it? Davis: NO!!! THIS TIME IT'S FOR REAL!!! RUN!!! Veemon: Waugh! (Veemon starts running too)

This part's perfect. No notes.

Fleeing from the boulder, Daisuke and V-mon run afoul of a Digimon that is clearly and unambiguously urinating on the ground beside the river.

Sure, that might as well happen. We've had so much poop so I guess it's about time. Thanks, show. Also, the spiky-shelled Digimon is laughing riotously about his pissing. I'm not sure what's so funny.

Digimon: Hehehehehe AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Daisuke and V-mon come running, pursued by the boulder.

Boys: AHHHHHH!!!

Upon reaching this Digimon piss puddle, they screech to a stop and then leap over it. They may be fleeing for their lives but stepping in that would just be gross.

Spotting the incoming boulder, the Digimon headbutts it up into the air. It lands and shatters on their hard shell.

V-mon: Awesome! Daisuke: Yeah, but we just saw them... peeing....

The Digimon whips around, letting out a furious roar.

Daisuke: And they seem mad about it!

Tortomon is an Adult-stage Vaccine-attribute Reptile Digimon. It's technically トータモン Toutamon but it's based on the English word トータス toutasu or "tortoise".

This is another rare instance where I feel like the dub actually gets the name right and the Digimon Reference Book gets it wrong. Officially, this Digimon is called "Tortamon" according to the Reference Book but. Like.

If we're going to correctly interpret トー tou as "tor" in this context then why wouldn't we extend that same leverage to タ ta? Tortomon's name is literally トータス toutasu with the ス su cut off and a モン mon glued on, so it feels arbitrary to interpret トー tou with the original word in mind but then take タ ta literally.

The dub goes with "Tortomon" for the English name, and that feels correct and natural.

In any case, new Digimon! Tortomon is from the Nature Spirits release of the Digimon Pendulum V-Pet. They were the other Vaccine Adult alongside Kabuterimon for Tentomon, Gotsumon, and Otamamon to evolve into.

Narrator: Tortomon! A tortoise-like Reptile Digimon with a sharp spiked shell. Their special attack is Shell Phalanx!

As an aside, their most notable feature is not being what Armadimon evolves into even though that would totally make sense. V-mon, Armadimon, and Hawkmon are all designed in a way that feels like new Child forms to existing Digimon (V-dramon, Tortomon, and Garudamon) but are all going in a separate direction with their Adult evolutions.

Though V-mon did evolve into V-dramon in the V-Tamer manga. And it's worth noting that Garudamon is a Perfect so it would still seem natural for Hawkmon's Perfect form to be that Digimon. Plus, Digimon evolutions being what they are, nothing's stopping them from branching that way, I suppose. Still, point is, it makes sense for them to evolve that way but in this show, they do not.

The dub has some editing to do in order to remove all shots of Tortomon's onscreen urination. As the boys approach, we get a closeup of Tortomon's face looking at them in surprise and then splice in a shot from later of Tortomon rearing up and trying to body slam them.

The impression is that the boulder chased us right into the clutches of an already hostile Digimon. Then, from there, we get the awesome moment of Tortomon destroying the boulder.

Veemon: That was close! Davis: It's a good thing he was here to block it. You were great, pal! (Tortomon turns around and roars) Davis: He doesn't take compliments well! Tortomon: (rundown) I am Tortomon! I'm a turtle-type Digimon but I hide my head from no one. I use my Strong Carapace attack to be hard on my enemies!

Lacking the urination bits, Davis has no reason to suspect Tortomon's hostility. Though you'd think Tortomon trying to body slam him a moment ago would be a clue.

Once the rundown's over, the boys are left having to unpack this awkward situation they've found themselves in.

Daisuke: Ack, I knew he was mad! V-mon: Who wouldn't be upset if someone walked in on them while they were enjoying a good piss? Daisuke: But it's not like we wanted to see that! Do you think they'll forgive us if we apologize, V-mon? Tortomon: NRRRRRRGREEEEEEEGH!!! V-mon: (flatly) Don't apologize. (cheerful) Oh, is this another plan to make me evolve?

Tortomon rears up on their hind legs, roaring furiously.

Tortomon: HRRRRRUUUUUUGH!!! Daisuke: IT'S NOT A PLAN!!! RUN!!!!

The boys bail before Tortomon slams back down onto the ground where they were standing. This is the shot that the dub used for the body slam earlier.

Yes, this really is what the third-act conflict is predicated on. Between Wormmon's death and the backstory of how the Digimon Kaiser came to be, this is a tension-relieving shenanigans episode.

In the dub:

Davis: Wow! This guy looks pretty angry! Veemon: I'd be pretty angry too if I had a boulder come at me like that! Davis: We didn't throw it! Veemon: He doesn't know that! Davis: Well, I'll just explain it to him and everything will be fine. Listen, you seem like a reasonable fellow. Let me tell you what happened. Tortomon: HYRRRRRGH! Veemon: Smooth move. Hey, how do I know that's not some Digimon in disguise trying to scare me? (Tortomon rears up) Tortomon: HRRRRRRUUUUUUGH!!! Veemon: Never mind! Davis: WAAAAAAUGH!!! (The boys bail before the body slam)

For their part, the dub credits the boulder itself as the source of Tortomon's ire. Which, to be fair, is a valid reason to be upset. Dub Tortomon feels under attack and is defending himself.

Back at the lake, all those Numemon and RedVeggiemon explain things to Hikari and Takeru.

Takeru: Huh? Daisuke and V-mon are practicing evolving to the Adult level? Hikari: Oh, Daisuke-kun... What is he thinking? Daisuke & V-mon: HELP US!!! Hikari: Daisuke-kun!? Tailmon: V-mon!

Daisuke and V-mon come running, joining the others before stopping to catch their breath.

Takeru: What has you so freaked out? Tortomon: RRRRRRRUUUUUUGH!!! MRRRRRRRMEEEEEEGH!!!

Despite Tortomon loudly storming through the woods, the embarrassing debrief continues.

Takeru: You said you "saw Tortomon while they were enjoying a good piss"!? Daisuke & V-mon: Yeah.... Hikari: Then this is all your fault, Daisuke-kun and V-mon. Tailmon: I think so too. Patamon: No argument here. V-mon: I knew you guys would say that.... Daisuke: (aside, bitterly) It's not like we could have avoided it! Who would want to see something like that? V-mon: (sigh) If only we hadn't-- Tortomon: RRAAAAAAGH!!!

Time's up. Tortomon's caught up and comes running.

In the dub:

T.K.: Let me get this straight. Davis is trying to trick Veemon so he'll Digivolve to the Champion level? Kari: Why does he always have some hair-brained scheme he's trying to pull off!?

...does he? I'm gonna have to drop a Citation Needed on Davis being a Bugs Bunny-esque troublemaker.

Davis & Veemon: WHOAAAAAA!!! Kari: What's the matter, Davis!? Gatomon: Veemon! (Davis and Veemon stop to catch their breath) T.K.: You guys look like you've seen a monster. Tortomon: NROOOOOOGH!!! HRAGH!!! HRAAAAAAGH!!! T.K.: So you think this Digimon is mad at you because he thinks you threw a boulder at him? Davis & Veemon: Uh-huh.... Kari: Why don't you guys just explain the situation to him? Gatomon: Start with Davis's lame plan. Patamon: And finish by saying you're sorry. Veemon: We tried that already!

They did. Unlike their Japanese counterparts, they have in fact tried that already.

Davis: (aside, bitterly) Of course, if Veemon would have Digivolved to the Champion level in the first place, none of this would have happened! Veemon: Again with the Digivolving thing? Tortomon: HRAAAAAAGH!!!

Here again we see a lot of pragmatic writing around the censored topic of Tortomon's urination. The most notable part is having to come up with a new reason for Davis to look off to the side and gripe.

This has the knock-on effect of again making Davis more of an asshole than Daisuke. After the bridge plan failed, Daisuke came clean to V-mon and dropped it. But here Davis is, dredging it back up to whine about it and shift the blame for his stupid plan.

As the furious Tortomon barrels towards them, Daisuke and V-mon scream and start running again. Hikari and Takeru take cover behind the log pile with the Digimon.

Tortomon: MMMMEEEEEERRRRRRGH!!!

As the creature storms off, Hikari and Takeru emerge.

Takeru: (amused) Everyone has times when they don't want anyone to see them, huh? Hikari: (serious) But are they going to be okay? Takeru: What do you mean? Hikari: We can't just leave them like this! Tailmon: Don't worry about it. They'll be fine! Patamon: Tortomon doesn't seem like such a bad guy.

Smash cut to Tortomon bearing down on Daisuke and V-mon, roaring and snarling all the while.

This conversation. XD Takeru says, "Oh those wacky kids." Hikari looks him dead in the eye and goes, "THEY'RE GOING TO DIE." And then the Digimon cut in like, "Nah, I like the cut of Tortomon's jib!"

Tortomon is going to trample Daisuke to death and Hikari is the only person who has a problem with that. XD

In the dub:

Tortomon: HRAAAAAAGH!!! (T.K. and Kari take cover while Tortomon stomps through) T.K.: Have you ever noticed that Davis always gets himself into these things?

I have not. What are you talking about?

Kari: Should we help them? T.K.: Nah. Kari: But how do we know that they'll be okay? Gatomon: Somehow, Davis always lands on his feet. Patamon: Besides, I don't think Tortomon is really that angry with them anyway.

Nonetheless, this conversation is just as hilariously unreasonable as in the original. T.K.'s short and simple "Nah" sent me.

In the city region, Iori's teaching kendo to the Gazimon because of course that's what he's doing.

Armed with sticks, Iori demonstrates an overhead strike, which the Gazimon then repeat.

Iori: MEN!!! Gazimon: MEN!!!

They repeat, calling out their strike and swinging a total of four times before they hear Daisuke's voice.

Daisuke: IORIIIIII!!! Iori: Daisuke-san and V-mon? Daisuke & V-mon: SAVE US!!!

Daisuke and V-mon take cover behind Iori, who brandishes his makeshift shinai.

Iori: I see! Tortomon: HROOOAAAAAAGH!!!

Then Iori actually sees what he's committed to fighting off. The Gazimon scream and scatter.

Iori: AHHHHHH!!! I... I don't think my kendo skills are up to this task. I'M SORRY!!!

Iori throws his stick on the ground and runs for it, abandoning Daisuke and V-mon to their fate. Tortomon crushes the stick underfoot while Iori and the Gazimon take cover inside a nearby stack of culverts. Armadimon cowers atop the culverts making his best attempt to just not be noticed; It works.

As Daisuke and V-mon flee with their pursuer once more, Iori peeks out from the culvert.

Iori: It's a good thing I backed down. There's no way I could have won that. Armadimon: No argument here-dagyaa!

Sorry, guys! Good luck!

In the dub:

Cody: Ready, 1! And 2! And 3! And 4! Davis: CODY!!! Cody: Huh? Hey Davis, what's the big hurry? Davis: We need help! (Cody brandishes his makeshift shinai) Cody: Ha! Hiyah!!! Tortomon: HRAGH!!! HOORAAAAAAGH!!! (Gazimon scatter) Cody: I've just remembered I've got to study for a big math test next Monday! Seeya! (Cody throws the stick down and hides until Tortomon passes) Cody: Boy, Davis sure has some strange ideas about how to have fun. Armadillomon: You can say that again!

The gag is the same in both versions. Iori/Cody initially acts tough and commits to defending Daisuke/Davis only to instantly fold once he lays eyes on the adversary. But the dub presents it in a quippier fashion.

At the coastal region, Miyako and Hawkmon are on a break. Miyako's checking her D-Terminal while Hawkmon knocks back some bottled water.

V-mon: SAVE US, HAWKMON!!! Daisuke: MIYAKOOOOOO!!!

Looking down the beach, Miyako holds up her D-Terminal.

Miyako: Iori sent me an email! Hawkmon: We don't have time to mess around! Daisuke: WE'RE NOT MESSING AROUND!!! V-mon: NO MESSING AROUND HERE!!! Miyako: (eyeroll) You guys are in the way so BUZZ OFF--ACK!!!

It's at that moment that the boys and Tortomon come into view. Upon recognizing the severity of the situation, Miyako and Hawkmon hide in one of the canoes they dredged up. Daisuke, V-mon, and Tortomon pass by.

Daisuke: "Buzz off"!? V-mon: That's so mean! Tortomon: HRAURGH!!!

As Tortomon passes, their size causes their heavy footfalls to slam down into the surf, drenching the boat Miyako and Hawkmon are hiding in. Once they're gone, Miyako and Hawkmon peek back out of the canoe, completely soaked and utterly speechless.

This scene's a little difficult to parse because when Miyako turns and looks at them, holding up her D-Terminal, and then Hawkmon berates them? It feels like they're supposed to be able to see the boys at that point. But then she clearly lays eyes on them and Tortomon for the first time at "Buzz off", when she suddenly reacts and hides.

In the dub:

Veemon: HAWKMON, YOLEI, HELP!!! Yolei: Cody sent me an email and said you had a small problem! Hawkmon: I. Would. Not. Call that. Small. Davis: YOLEI, QUICK!!! DO SOMETHING PLEASE!!! Veemon: YEAH!!! HELP US!!! HURRY!!! Yolei: While you guys are running around playing games, some of us are working. Now--ACK!!! (Yolei and Hawkmon hide) Davis: WE'RE NOT PLAYING GAMES!!! Tortomon: HRARGH!!!

The dub is just as awkward. Hawkmon explicitly sees Tortomon only for Yolei to suddenly notice a few lines later and for the pair to hide.

Continuing onward, Tortomon chases Daisuke and V-mon up a hill.

Daisuke/V-mon: HEEEEEELP!!! / STOP CHASING US!!!

Their luck finally runs out as they reach the edge of a cliff. With nowhere left for Daisuke and V-mon to run, Tortomon stops and catches their breath.

Daisuke & V-mon: Ugh, no more! Tortomon: RRRRRRG-- Daisuke: Wait, Tortomon! Tortomon: Hrm? Daisuke: Before you attack us, there's something I want to say. V-mon: What, our last requests?

Daisuke bows down low to Tortomon. V-mon quickly does the same.

Daisuke: We apologize for seeing you pee. V-mon: It's too late to apologize now! Daisuke: But before you attack us.... V-mon: Before? Daisuke: ...you should wash your hands. V-mon: WHAT!?!? Tortomon: NYRRGH!?

Goddammit, Daisuke. XD

Tortomon's as taken aback as V-mon at that. They rear back and look at their front paws in shock.

Daisuke: If you're going to attack us, wash your hands first. V-mon: WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, DAISUKE!?!? Daisuke: It's more hygienic that way, don't you think? V-mon: I do. But this isn't the time to be worrying about hygiene! Tortomon: MRRRRAAAAAAGH!!! V-mon: LOOK, YOU MADE THEM ANGRIER!!!

Good job, Daisuke. Way to further embarrass the furious murder turtle.

Anyways, that's the story of what ever became of Daisuke. He was never seen again after this point. Only Hikari missed him.

The dub adds some lines as they're running up the hillside.

Veemon: Davis! Please tell me this is just another trick! Davis: Do you think I'm smart enough to think up something like this!? Veemon: Good point!

V-mon/Veemon has brought up the possibility of Tortomon being another trick before, but only Daisuke answered that question definitively. Veemon retracted the question, so this is the first time Davis has actually answered it.

Davis/Veemon: Help! Please! Anybody! / SOMEONE HELP US!!! (Tortomon corners them on the cliff's edge) Davis: This is the end of the line, pal. (Tortomon gasps for breath) Davis & Veemon: He's got bad breath! Tortomon: RRRRRRGH!!!

Right where Daisuke interrupted Tortomon's attack, the dub takes its third commercial break. They roll back the footage on return and we start again from Davis and Veemon delivering their mutual line.

Davis & Veemon: Goodbye old friend! Tortomon: RRRRRRG-- Davis: Hold on! Tortomon, let me just say one thing. Tortomon: Hrm? Davis: I have one final request. Veemon: (hisses) What are you doing, Davis!? (Davis kneels in supplication) Davis: Shut up and get down here! Veemon: Oh boy. (Veemon does the same) Davis: I-I've always considered myself a very clean person. Veemon: Oh, really? It's a good thing he's never seen your room! Davis: Before you destroy us, could you do me a bit favor? Veemon: What? Davis: Would you mind washing your hands? Veemon: HUH!?!? Tortomon: NYRRGH!? (Tortomon looks at their hands) Davis: I don't want to get any bad germs or anything. Veemon: I wouldn't be worried about germs right now! Davis: If you've got a better idea, I'd be glad to hear it right about now! Veemon: Uh, Davis is right! Germs can be very dangerous, especially right-- Tortomon: MRRRRAAAAAAGH!!! Veemon: (flatly) I don't think he buys the whole germ theory.

Without the context that Tortomon was draining the lizard a moment ago, Davis asking him to wash his hands comes right out of left field. The dub plays it off by recontextualizing it; If you read between the lines, Davis is clearly attempting to trick Tortomon as a last-ditch plan to get away.

Whereas for Daisuke, this moment is pure comedic absurdity. He is entirely sincere. Yeah, we're gonna fight, but your hands are icky so can you wash up first?

It's also worth noting that Davis says Tortomon is going to "destroy" them while Daisuke only admits as much as 襲う osou, which means to attack or strike or assault. Davis says "Before you kill us" and Daisuke says "Before you try". He has two Digimentals in his back pocket and he's seen uglier.

Infuriated, Tortomon finally attacks.

Tortomon rears up and slams their left front paw down. Daisuke and V-mon split up, Daisuke breaking left while V-mon goes right. Tortomon turns to follow Daisuke, exposing their flank to V-mon.

Though he doesn't call the attack, V-mon dives in with a headbutt. Tortomon thwacks him with their tail, knocking the wind out of him as he hits the ground.

Daisuke: (worried) V-mon.... V-mon: (pained) Daisuke...!

Once they're satisfied that V-mon is down, Tortomon turns their attention to Daisuke.

Tortomon: RRRGH!!! Daisuke: V-mon! You have to evolve, V-mon!

When Daisuke holds up his D-3, holy light emanates from its screen. Getting his second wind, V-mon climbs back to his feet.

V-mon: Daisuke!

This time, it's sincere. Daisuke has the power now only because he genuinely means it.

In the dub, Veemon calls the attack.

Veemon: VEE HEADB--OOF!!! (Tortomon tail whips Veemon to the ground) Davis: VEEMON!!! Veemon: Why do I have a headache...? (Tortomon turns his attention on Davis) Tortomon: RRRGH!!! Davis: Teach this guy a lesson, Veemon! (Davis holds up his D-3) Veemon: Wow!

The difference is minor, but Davis sounds just a little too secure in his ability to do something that has not successfully worked before.

In any case, despite Daisuke's false starts before, it is now finally time. V-MON SHINKAAAAAA!!! And the first ever instance of Show Me Your Brave Heart playing for one of the three new kids.

Daisuke: V-MON EVOLVED TO THE ADULT LEVEL!!!

XV-mon is an Adult-stage Free-attribute Mythical Dragon Digimon. Like the letter V, the letter X is not a sound that comes naturally to the Japanese language and has to be phonetically spelled out. This means that the relatively simple XV-mon has to be named, in katakana, エクスブイモン Ekusubuimon.

Narrator: XV-mon! An Adult-stage Mythical Dragon Digimon that V-mon evolved into using his own innate power. His special attack is X Laser!

The narrator specifies that this evolution comes from V-mon's own power, as opposed to the Digimentals which borrow on the power of the others. This isn't Daisuke walking in the shadow of Taichi or Yamato; This is Daisuke, pure and unfiltered.

As XV-mon charges into battle, Tortomon lands the first hit. A headbutt to XV-mon's gut knocks him on his back. Tortomon follows up by stomping on his gut.

Before another stomp can be delivered, XV-mon counters with a kick to the head. His kick knocks Tortomon over onto their back. XV-mon scrambles to his feet and grabs Tortomon's tail, spinning him in the air before tossing him.

Tortomon hits the ground hard but recovers quickly and turns back around towards XV-mon.

Tortomon: SHELL PHALANX!!!

Yep! Despite being largely non-verbal, this Digimon actually does call attacks in the Japanese version! That's rare.

Shell Phalanx sounds like it'd be a defensive move but it's not. It's a rapid-fire spike shot from Tortomon's shell. But XV-mon's ready for it. He punches any spikes that come too close out of the air, ending with a side kick for the last spike.

In the dub:

Davis: YOU DID IT, VEEMON!!! YOU REACHED THE CHAMPION LEVEL!!! ExVeemon: (rundown) I feel like a new 'mon! Davis, wait 'til you see my Vee Laser attack! It'll make my Vee Headbutt look like a tap on the shoulder!

I don't know why they spell it like that. Or why they decided X Laser should be Vee Laser. He is no longer Vee. By the dub's admission, he is an ex-Vee.

The dub uses Let's Kick It Up for their insert song here. When ExVeemon kicks Tortomon to get him off, he calls that as an attack.

ExVeemon: EXVEE PUNCH!!! (ExVeemon gets Tortomon off and then throws him) Tortomon: STRONG CARAPACE!!!

Strong Carapace also sounds like a defensive move to me, so both versions are equal on that. ExVee Punch is a weird name for a kick.

When Shell Phalanx fails, Tortomon charges in for another tackle.

XV-mon leaps over the incoming Tortomon, kicking them in the back of the neck before hopping entirely over them. Tortomon crashes down on their face into the dirt.

Capitalizing on this opportunity, XV-mon whips around and lets loose with his special attack.

XV-mon: X LASER!!!

Exactly what it sounds like, the attack is an X-shaped beam emanating from the X/V symbol on XV-mon's chest. It hits Tortomon dead on. Tortomon pulls into their shell and tries to resist it, but the beam picks them up and carries them off the clifff. Tortomon plunges helplessly onto the beach far below. This battle is over.

In the dub, ExVeemon calls the kick he delivers to the back of Tortomon's neck.

ExVeemon: EXVEE KICK!!! (ExVeemon bounds off Tortomon) ExVeemon: VEE LASER!!!

At least this kick was an ExVee Kick and not another ExVee Punch. Though the existence of ExVee Kick and ExVee Punch only make the naming of Vee Laser all the more confusing.

With Tortomon bested, Daisuke takes a moment to celebrate.

Daisuke: YES!!! You're the best, XV-mon!

I love that Daisuke doesn't care even for a second that this is not UltraAngemon. That was a jealous whim. XV-mon is real, and that makes him a million times cooler than UltraAngemon could have ever been.

Suddenly, Tortomon down below starts rapidly spinning and charging up something.

Tortomon: hroooooAAAAAAUUUUUURGH!!!

And then they stop, emerge from their shell, and start giggling and pissing again. Daisuke and XV-mon quickly cover their eyes.

Daisuke: Don't look! Tortomon: Ehehehehe! AHAHAHAHA!!! Daisuke: We're not looking--huh?

Daisuke peeks through his fingers only to realize that Tortomon's finished. Tortomon washes their hands in the ocean.

Tortomon: Ehehehe! Daisuke: Tortomon properly washed their hands! They're not such a bad person when you get to know them. XV-mon: Yeah.

Okay, Daisuke. At least we know that Daisuke takes bathroom hygiene very seriously.

Tortomon departs, laughing to themself all the while. I wish I enjoyed anything half as much as they enjoy peeing.

In the dub, Davis trades Daisuke's unapologetic praise of XV-mon for a punny quip.

Davis: Tortomon has got to learn to come out of his shell! Tortomon: SPINNING ATTACK!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

Obviously, this footage of Tortomon peeing is removed too. We go straight to Davis and ExVeemon covering their eyes.

Davis: I can't watch! ...do I hear splashing? (Tortomon washes his hands) Davis: What do ya know? The big lug washed his hands after all! That's a good habit to get into!

This rapid spinning right before peeing isn't really explained. The dub compounds the confusion by having him call it as an attack only to never launch the attack.

Again, without the urination context, this resolution lacks any sort of rationale for why this would be how the fight ends. Though the original only makes marginally more sense.

With that settled, Daisuke and XV-mon return to the others. Daisuke rides on XV-mon's shoulder as they approach the team.

Hawkmon: So, are you done goofing off yet? Daisuke: I told you we weren't goofing off. Check it out! V-mon evolved into his Adult form XV-mon! Iori: That means we can rebuild much faster now. Miyako: We can work XV-mon and Daisuke extra hard! Team: YEAH!!! Daisuke: EH!?!?

Daisuke's so startled by this response, he slips off of XV-mon's shoulder and lands hard on his butt. We close on the team laughing merrily at Daisuke's expense! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

In the dub, Davis and ExVeemon get extra dialogue as the scene transitions.

ExVeemon: So this is what it feels like to be a Champion! Davis: Kinda like a great boxer, huh? Only with all your teeth.

OUCH. That was fucking harsh, Davis. XD

Davis: Everybody, I'd like you to meet ExVeemon! Champion Digimon Extraordinaire! Cody: I've always been fond of Veemon and I'm sure I'll like you as well. Yolei: Now our cleanup of the Digital World will go a lot faster! Let's put them to work! Team: ALRIGHT!!! Davis: HUH!?!? (Davis falls off and everyone laughs) Group: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Davis: Ha... haha... ha... What are you laughing at, ExVeemon!? Just because you're a Champion now, doesn't mean you know how to dance yet! Narrator: Is T.K. right about the DigiDestined having a new enemy? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters!

We might. I know next episode is Ken's big backstory reveal but I don't remember if we meet the new enemies there or not. I dunno. Gonna hold you to that one, Narrator.

Assessment: Like I said earlier, this is a breather episode. Shit was just very real for the last five episodes and it's going to go right back to being very real next episode, so this was an opportunity to dial it back and get into some low-stakes shenanigans.

Daisuke unlocks the first evolution that truly belongs to him of the series and it's oddly fitting that it's in such a goofball of an episode. I've said it before but Daisuke could totally rock the Digimental of Purity. For better and for worse, he wears his heart on his sleeve.

[kaynk8]

Winter falls

Lee Know x reader

💜Warnings: slightly dom Lee Minho, inexperienced reader, eventual smut, a bit of discomfort in this chapter, slightly suggestive

Okay, I have to say a few words about the age of my characters — I was thinking if I should put age gap as a warning, but I feel like this thing is relative, I don’t see it as a huge age gap. Lee Know here is his age (26) and the reader is between 20-22 (let’s say 21, to be on the safe side). I guess in Korea that would be considered as age gap, but in any case everything’s legal here :D

Chapter 1 👈 here, masterlist to my other works 👉 here

@mythicmochi ❤️

Chapter 2

Snow slipped beneath your collar, sending a shiver through you as you stepped out of the studio, still warm and sweaty from the class.

Lee sunbaenim gestured for you to follow, walking ahead while pulling his keys from his coat pocket. In the distance, you caught a glimpse of flashing car lights.

He grabbed your bag and tossed it into the backseat as you slid into the front.

He turned on the heat, warmth enveloped you instantly. You glanced at the bus stop crowded with people, the road ahead hopelessly congested and unmoving.

Lee Minho noticed your gaze.

‘Told you.’

Both of you sat in silence, still at the parking lot exit, unable to drive into the main road. Surprisingly, it was not uncomfortable. He was focused on the traffic and as cars inched forward, he boldly squeezed between two of them. The driver behind you honked, and Minho raised his eyebrows in irritation.

Once you were finally out of the parking lot, you moved for what felt like only a few seconds before traffic stopped again.

‘You missed practice today...’ he said suddenly, his voice stern but softer than usual, not as demanding as it was in the studio. ‘Why?’

You shifted uncomfortably in the seat.

‘I had an exam at uni...’ you mumbled.

‘Hmm. What are you majoring in?’

‘Economy,’ you said, rolling your eyes. He noticed that, raising an eyebrow.

‘What? You don’t like it?’

You shook your head.

‘Not much... my parents made me.’

He hummed, nodding as if understanding.

‘And you want to be a dancer?’

You glanced at him, unsure if he was asking you for real or mocking your dancing skills. But his expression seemed serious.

You nodded.

‘Look, I don’t remember you here last year... when did you start attending classes?’

‘I guess about six months ago,’ you replied with a shrug. ‘We moved here last summer.’

‘From Japan?’ He glanced at you briefly before returning his attention to the road.

‘How does Sunbaenim know?’

‘Your name. It’s Japanese, isn’t it? I know ‘ko’ means child, but ‘ren’? Not sure about that one.’

‘It means lotus.’

You couldn’t help but ask, ‘Does sunbaenim know Japanese?’

‘Nihon he go-rokkai itta aru,’ (I’ve been to Japan five or six times) he replied suddenly in Japanese. ‘Lotus, huh? I have no idea how to write it, I’ll look it up.’

‘A...? Suge —!’ (A...? Cool!) You exclaimed, surprised. ‘Sensei wa, nihongo ga jyouzu irrashaimasu ne! Yoku owakari ni naru ka?’ (The teacher is good at Japanese. Do you understand it well?)

‘Chyotto,’ he nodded hesitantly, a hint of a smile breaking through for the second time today. ‘I was there on tour with my dance group twice and then visited Japan with friends. I really like Hokkaido in winter. Where are you from?’

‘Um... a small village actually... not sure if sunbaenim knows it... Kawaguchiko? But we haven’t lived there for years, we moved to Tokyo when I was like... six. My Obaa-chan (grandma) still lives there, and we visit her every summer.’

‘Are you serious?’ He turned to you with an amused expression.

‘Does sunbaenim know it?’

‘I spent some time there last year when we visited Fuji. There’s this Isahaya café — best Japanese food I’ve ever had.’

‘Yes!’ You turned to him excitedly with a smile. ‘That’s run by my friend’s Oba-chan (aunt)! I love that place!’

‘Seriously? Ishida-sama? Next time you’re there, say hi from me. She fed us rice balls for free when we helped her fix the door.’

‘You fixed the door?’ You laughed in disbelief. ‘It’s been broken my whole life!’

***

Not that you hoped that after this drive his attitude towards you would change. And it didn’t. Everything just went back to normal — if what was happening in the practice room while Kim sunbaenim was away could even be called normal. He was as demanding as ever, never satisfied, and always making us do parts over and over again.

But all hell broke loose when Kim sunbaenim’s team advanced to the second stage of the competition and Lee Minho was appointed to lead your group, representing the dancers in your age category. And he made it very clear that this, that is your group, was not on his plans for his flawless portfolio.

You used to think he pushed all of you to your limits. But turned out, you didn’t even know what your limits were. Most days, you had no clue how you even made it out of the practice room alive.

By the end of today’s rehearsal, he was furious. Not that. He was beyond furious. You’d never seen him this pissed.

‘If you screw up this performance, you’re out of here. Believe me, I’ll make sure of it,’ he snapped, pacing back and forth in front of your group.

You just stood there in the dead silence as he was taking it all out on you. Even the most carefree among you, and a couple of girls who never missed a chance to bat their pretty eyes at him, were staring at the floor, completely crashed.

‘All of you,’ he said, pointing to the left side, including you, of course. ‘Stay behind. We’re practicing until you get this right. I don’t care if it takes all night.’ His jaw was clenched, eyes shadowed with frustration. ‘Dismissed,’ he waved off the rest of the group. They hurried out, relieved to escape the line of fire.

You swallowed hard. The room felt smaller with fewer people in it, and all of his attention now zoomed in on you.

He slammed the play button on the laptop. The music started playing and we — dancing.

Seconds in — pause.

Again.

From the top.

Stop.

Again.

He sat in the chair leaning forwards, elbows resting on his hips, his eyes darting from one dancer to another.

Again.

Then he stood up abruptly. ‘You,’ he pointed at the girl beside you. ‘Do the chorus part.’

Crap. Here it came. The solo breakdowns. One by one.

She started dancing. And then started over. And over. And again. For the tenth time already. Still not good enough.

The second guy: a bit better. Still not enough to earn even a nod from Lee Minho.

Your turn.

Every move you’d practiced flew right out of your head. You tried to trust you muscle memory, but in this atmosphere, your body betrayed you, and instead of muscle memory you got a total muscle amnesia. You started but messed up nearly from the first step.

His jaw tightened with visible rage.

After your multiple attempts to get something decent, suddenly he walked to you in a few strides, grabbing your shoulders, shaking you like a rag doll.

‘Relax your body,’ he snapped. ‘Just relax. You’re stiff as h—’ He tsked in frustration, then demonstrated the move, his body fluid, moves exaggerated, making you do the same. You were sure if he were with his group, he would have finished the sentence. And no doubt he had much more words in his head to comment on your performance.

And then the drills began again. Again. And again. Until your limbs were jelly, until your lungs burned, until you didn’t know what time it was, or even what day.

You all were exhausted and stressed. Every one of you felt like a walking failure.

You felt absolutely talentless. Like you didn't belong here — like you were just occupying someone else’s spot in this studio, someone who could actually make something of it. Someone who wasn't you.

Then under his gaze, in that horror of the evening, something inside you just... snapped. You wished you could have controlled it, hold it in, but you couldn’t. You couldn't hit the moves. You were tired and hungry, as you hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast, your knees were screaming. You were frustrated beyond words.

No matter how hard you tried, it was never good enough.

Your reflection in the mirror, each misstep, each wrong move suddenly became blurry with your tears. Your body gave up and you sank to the floor, hands covering your face, shoulders trembling in silent cry.

The room fell still and quiet. No one said anything, but they all felt it — that mutual, unspoken understanding.

Lee Minho walked over and crouched before you, watching as you completely fall apart in front of him.

‘Get up,’ he said, tugging you by the arm. ‘Pull yourself together, right now — and give me your best. You hear me?’ His eyes steady, intense.

You nodded, swallowing hard. ‘Yes.’

He clapped his hands once, sharp. ‘Alright, five-minute break. Then we run it again — and you’re free.’

He walked out of the room slamming the door behind him.

You wiped the tears off your face with the back of your hand. Minju, who’d been going through this hell right alongside you, pulled you into a soft hug, and it became quiet again. No one spoke, but the silence said it all — if that weren’t you to break down first, it would have been someone else soon enough.

You lowered yourself back on the floor, your chest rising and falling as you tried to catch your breath.

Then the door creaked open, and Lee Sunbaenim was back.

When the practice ended, and all of you were barely standing. Every step felt heavy, like your legs were made of stone.

You were stumbling out of the room when Lee Minho called out.

“Renko?”

You turned, dreading a conversation you were absolutely not ready for — not emotionally, and definitely not physically.

‘I’ll take you home, yeah?’ he said, standing just a few steps away. Up close, you could see it — he was tired too. Worn out, just like the rest of you. You sighed in relief, already having gone over all possible scenarios in your head about losing your place here.

It was not what you wanted. Not because you were mad. You were just… embarrassed. You made a scene. And now the thought of sitting in silence with him, after all that, felt unbearable. Too awkward.

But you were so exhausted, you didn’t even have the energy left to argue.

You nodded, barely. ‘Okay.’

‘I’ll be in the car,’ he said simply, then turned to leave.

‘Okay,’ you echoed. Your voice flat, but not cold. Just... drained. You knew you probably sounded a bit rude — but it was past eleven, and honestly, he didn’t look like he was in the mood for niceties either.

***

You returned to the changing room, drenched in sweat, your hair damp and clinging to your neck. You patted your face and neck dry with a tissue, half-functioning.

‘What did he say? You’re already kicked out?’ Minju joked, shooting you a grin.

Your lips twitched into a tired smile as you waved her off like it was not worth talking about. What would Lee sunbaenim talk about, anyway? Dancing, improvement, technique — nothing personal. He’s a robot, everyone says it, deprived of all empathy.

And you definitely couldn’t tell her he gave you rides home sometimes.

You took your time changing, dragging out every motion until you were sure the others had all left the studio. Only then did you pull on your coat and head outside. His car was parked where it always was. He was already in the driver’s seat, tongue pressed into his cheek as he scrolled through his phone. He only glanced up when you slipped in and buckled the seatbelt.

***

It was snowing again, but because it was late, the streets were nearly empty.

You drove in silence.

He focused on the road. You leaned back, watching the blur of lights and snow through the window. The world slid by in a soft, drowsy haze.

‘Hungry?’ he asked suddenly.

You blinked out of your daze. ‘Huh?’

‘You mind if I swing by Lotteria? (a Korean fast-food cafe)’ He was scrolling through the app on his phone now, already halfway through the menu.

‘Lotteria?’ You repeated, a disbelieving smile tugging at your lips.

‘What’s up with that?’ he asked, glancing at you with a puzzled expression.

‘I just thought... sunbaenim was all into healthy eating...’

He let out a low chuckle, the corner of his mouth twitching upward but not quite forming a full smile.

‘I’m human too, you know. Want something?’

‘Oh... no, thank you, Sunbaenim. I’m good.’ You answered quickly, even as your stomach twisted in betrayal at the sight of all the fries and burgers on the screen.

He scoffed. ‘Pick something. My treat.’ He held the phone out to you.

You fidgeted in your seat. ‘No-no, no need, really. I can pay for myself...’

‘It’s on me,’ he said firmly, leaving no room for protest.

‘Um... I’ll have a coleslaw (a cabbage salad),’ you mumbled. It was the only thing you could have.

He raised a brow. ‘Coleslaw? Are you trying to starve yourself on purpose?’

You gave him a half-shrug and a pressed-lip smile.

Ten minutes later, you were at the drive-through. He thanked the cashier, pulled into an empty spot at the parking lot, and started unpacking the food in the car, handing you the coleslaw... and a Tornado Strawberry (soft ice cream).

‘No-no-no, I can’t...’ you protested.

‘Come on, you’ve had enough stress for tonight. You've earned it.’ He turned towards you, and this time he did smile, but you couldn’t tell if it was sarcasm or genuine kindness hiding in there.

‘I can’t... I mean, I’m on a diet...’

He scowled. ‘You are? That’s probably why you underperform,’ he muttered. ‘You don’t eat properly. And look, about earlier...’ He sighed, his shoulders dropping slightly. ‘I’m sorry. Guess I was too hard on you.’

‘Ah...no, sunbaenim, it’s not that. It’s really my fault. I should work harder...’

He nodded, seeming satisfied with that.

He leaned forward, taking a huge bite of his burger, head tilted down to avoid spilling.

‘You know what your problem is?’ he said mid-chew. ‘You’re always stiff. Your moves are technically solid, but you’re all tensed. Which is weird, considering your flexibility. You’ve gotta work on that, okay? And your diet... You don’t need one. You look... good.’

And that’s when it happened. Your mouth moved faster than your brain.

‘Sunbaenim says that only because you’ve never seen me without clothes,’ you blurted.

Your eyes widened in horror. You meant your clothes hide your imperfections — not that.

The silence fell, the most awkward in your life.

He glanced at you, lips twitching with amusement. He let out a low whistle.

‘I didn’t mean it... oh my god,’ You groaned, sinking into your seat. ‘That came out so wrong... I didn’t mean to put it that way…’

He started laughing — really laughing this time.

‘In any case,’ he said, still grinning, ‘I’m sure I there’s nothing too bad. With or without clothes.’

Your entire face burned.

‘Look…’ he started suddenly, when he pulled over at your apartment complex. ‘I promise it’s not about that whole ‘no clothes’ thing…’

You blinked, unsure where this was going now — or if you even wanted to know.

‘But…’ he continued, casually drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, ‘Tomorrow’s Saturday. Any plans?’

Your throat went dry. You gulped. ‘Um… studying.’ You bit your lip, wishing you could disappear into the seat.

He hummed. ‘Studying, huh? Studying on Saturday sounds boring...’ He glanced over, raising a brow, his tone light but layered with something you couldn't quite decode. ‘A movie sounds better. Don’t you think?’

You stared at him for a second. Okay. That was smooth.

You coughed to cover your confusion. ‘Yeah… probably’

You didn't even know why you agreed. Maybe because saying no would make things weird.

He chuckled. ‘And it’s Minho, alright? You calling me sunbaenim would give me wrong ideas.’

You snorted quietly. ‘Okay, sunb... Minho,’ you corrected yourself, stumbling a little, and you could feel the heat rising up your neck. Hopefully the darkness of the car was hiding most of it.

He smirked. ‘See you tomorrow, then?’

He leaned slightly toward you, not enough to invade your space, but just enough to hold your gaze as you reached for the door.

‘Yes,’ you replied.

You stepped out and shut the door behind you, then practically sprinted toward your building, your heart pounding louder than your footsteps.

What the hell just happened?

[kikikokonihongo]

🌲🏕️🌳ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ🌳🐅🌲 It's always good to know exactly where you're going. And, these particles will help you get where you're going on your Japanese language learning journey! -📚 ー 📝𝐉𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 に+へ(𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘)

-💬ー (๑⁠・ω・๑⁠)[・▿・](๑⁠・ω・๑⁠) Particles に and へ may seem too similar to differentiate at first, but with some explanation and examples, you'll be on your way to Japanese sentence creating success!

[my-japanese-corner]

Japanese word of the day

いってらっしゃい (Hiragana)

行ってらっしゃい (Kanji)

pronunciation - itte-rashai

Meaning - have a good day or see you later.

Used with - family members leaving house, colleagues going for work trip, meetings etc.,

If you want to learn a bit more about the history of this word, please read more!

いっしょに日本語をべんきょうする！がんばってください！

Translation: let's study Japanese together! Let's work hard together!

Romanji: issho ni nihongo o benkyou suru! Gambatte kudasai!

I recently found out that this word which has come to mean have a good day, literally translates to "Go and come back!"

Basically the 行って (pronunciation: itte) means Go (or Journey, you will see this 行 Kanji in almost every sentence where something is leaving, going somewhere for example 行ってきます meaning "I'm going!') and (い) らしゃい (pronunciation: irashai) means come or welcome back

Basically,

行って + (い) らしゃい = Go + come back

Ko-San on Instagram explained it very well. The explanation goes like this -

In ancient Japan since there was no world order, anyone leaving on a work trip, or anything else from the village could die for various reasons. And Japanese people were firm believers of the power of words, this belief is called Kotodama. Therefore, by saying "Go and come back!" they are wishing their loved ones or colleagues a good journey.

[yuuta-no-yuu-yuu-nihongo]

Welcome to Yuuta no Yuuyuu Nihongo! "Leisurely Japanese with Yuuta"

If you're like me; learning Japanese, a Buck-Tick fan, and have access to Yuuta's blog through the mobile subscription service for fans, Love & Media Portable; please feel free to follow along and check my posts for vocabulary and references. ^_^

Yuuta's blog seems like the right fit for late beginners / early intermediates, so I think it may be best to have at least a little Japanese behind you already. If you're working from existing lists out there, the N5 and N4 vocabulary lists should be sufficient.

If you're learning Japanese and a Buck-Tick fan but not a subscription member, I would recommend joining, simply because for about $4 a month, you have access to a ton of reading material at a good level (A2-B1) for your specific interest: a combination that is extremely difficult to find at these early levels!

Yuuta's blog is called Yuuta no Yuuyuu Jiteki, literally, "Yuuta's Leisurely Comfort [Zone]," but I prefer to localize it to "Yuuta's Corner" for that comfy feeling!

Yuuta's language is polite (teineigo) and humble before the audience (tenjougo), so knowing your "-masu" endings as well as "itadaku" and "itasu" is necessary. He often uses words that appear much later in JLPT lists, if at all, but you might also see the same words in interviews with other members and on Imai's instagram.

No posts on tour dates, as Yuuta's posts go into overdrive and it's a bit overwhelming!

〜 2025 Post Calendar (from April) 〜

Welcome! Now let's see what Yuuta has been up to recently!

〜　most common phrases & words below　〜

ありがとうございます arigatou gozaimasu thank you very much

ありがとう arigatou thank you

Note: gozaimasu does not mean "very much," but its inclusion does show more respect, and depending on the context, more emphasis.

よろしくお願いします。 yoroshiku onegaishimasu lit., "I request, if you please."

This set phrase does not have any single translation in English and varies by context. At the end of a post or letter, it acknowledges a request of the reader (e.g., "Please let us have fun together at the concert this evening") and is a standard for polite invitations.

致す・いたす itasu to do; humble (kenjougo) version of する

〜たい思う -tai omou "I would like to [verb]..."

頂く・いただく itadaku to [humbly] receive

Example:

Your support gave me the strength [to perform]. みなさんの応援のおかげで、パワーをいただきました。 Mina-san no ouen no okagede pawaa wo itadakimashita.

I'm grateful from the bottom of my heart for your coming to see me from all over Japan. 全国各地のみなさんにもお越し頂いたこと心から感謝致します。 Zenkuni kakuchi no mina-san ni mo o-koshi itadaita kokoro kara kansha itashimasu.

お過ごしください osugoshi kudasai please spend your time [in a particular way (e.g., staying healthy, relaxing, having fun, etc.)]

[rigelmejo]

Japanese Comprehensible Input, How Many Hours of Content:

As a companion to my last post, this post is going to link a ton of comprehensible input lessons and other resources that can be used as comprehensible input, and how many hours of content it adds up to. I'd like to shout out r/ALGhub that has a list of Aural Resources for Japanese, and CIJapanese has a Resources Page of other materials besides their own lessons that can be used for getting comprehensible input in japanese. CIJapanese.com has more videos on their site for a paid subscription, and a free youtube channel with lessons, I've only counted the youtube lesson hours in this estimate. I appreciate the cijapanese.com website and teachers, and may pursue using their paid video lessons in the future.

ALGhub Aural Resources for Japanese: https://www.reddit.com/r/ALGhub/wiki/index/auralresources#wiki_aural_resources_for_japanese

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yPzDDRQD6o (ALG demonstration class for Japanese)

https://cijapanese.com/ (Japan) (147 hours and 49 minutes - 2024/08/09 - all videos, taken from this: https://youtu.be/NebtveWRFGM&t=11m46s )

https://www.youtube.com/@cijapanese/featured (Japan) (27 hours and 45 minutes - 2024/09/02 - all videos)

https://www.youtube.com/@easyjapanesewithyuri2033/featured (Japan, some videos have coverable text on the right side) (13 hours and 6 minutes - 2024/09/02 - all videos)

https://www.youtube.com/@JapaneseTomato/featured (Japan, some videos have coverable text on the bottom) (0 hours and 57 minutes - 2024/09/02 - all videos)

Hours of CI lessons listed above (I have excluded links on ALGhub that were in the list below, I counted only full hours of the sources above): 187 hours Note that not all of the lessons on the channels listed above are beginner lessons.

Listed Resources on CIJapanese (Videos): https://cijapanese.com/resources (I highly recommend this page for finding videos, audio, and reading materials) Note that the resources list on the CIJapanese website lets you sort by level (Beginner, etc) so you may want to sort it by level then pick material to use.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_lynzl0m1QQD3ggIDgYCEw (Akiko_Japanese_Conversations, 8.96 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm0_bMpdJ8966au9PvrNaRw (Chienowa Japanese, 13.19 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMNVKIaw8hV8ln3dDE5z-hA (Daily Japanese with Naoko, 8.42 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC16-9M0osgdFbLKXvCwpXaw (Easy Japanese Podcast, 240.03 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj9JcUbwQt86EIbI9HimAIw (Fuji Japanese School 富士日本語学院, 9.83 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCauyM-A8JIJ9NQcw5_jF00Q (Haru no Nihongo, 172.82 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIciBLpZ6BP2XNYTFXb6eRQ (Japanese Immersion with Asami, 36.36 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKxpbf50vI49HF8GSRhz7bg (Japanese with JUN, 11.05 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0h7U8zQwWpR1LyNSZVGJ1g (Japanese with K, 3.37 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu6sZrHyl4hSS2PvlUo2XZA (Japanese with Shun, 106.97 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJBvtvWM9-PdqTIO6mmgmIQ (Japanese! わたしの いろいろな はなし, 1.64 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtUGSWuUfiTjvSTNzwb9xPw (Kiraku Japanese, 3.82 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTogTfvAp2KrCW2-9vuoFpQ (Kotsu kotsu Nihongo, 29.87 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFvMt22k_CAIcx6MIJGiHkw (Mei's Nihongo Classroom, 6.69 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Xtu6v_op552SsOr5_jWrg (Nihongo-Learning, 12.18 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx1pODtr3fv_WtVKst7mwYQ (OkkeiJapanese, 20.63 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc8dYnHr_xJsZGndDz1vTig (pekopeko vlog, 4.93 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqMY-cp1He6IAi1cIz-gX1g (Sakuri Saying, 73.28 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW2voLcEvpmicxRufe4s5tA (SeikaのJapanese Room, 29.40 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2fAVBdw5_dCArVba3grDzg (Simple Japanese Listening with Meg-めぐ-Smile, 8.99 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/@SpeakJapaneseNaturally (Speak Japanese Naturally, note there are many non-japanese language videos on this channel and the hours estimate includes those videos, 38.76)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRaqPghoTEqqhqKA5n88mgQ (Yui's minano nihonngo, 1.52 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaYX_KdvYlylMr2wZ03DMfA (優花 Yuka chan, 27.12 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCFixPTSdtURBJJPST3ClxA (【桜の間　日本語ルーム】 @yukijapanese00, 70.51 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh-GhnQ7qDQmS6Bz3pGc1Mw (あかね的日本語教室 @Akane-JapaneseClass, 125.19 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkwJXqFl-9VVvK9udYCFjMw (【アニメ】あたしンち公式チャンネル [Anime] Atashin'chi Official Channel, 52.58 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7LVTjJJuDB_Qo0BAOQ8NFg (しのせんせい Easy Japanese Audiobooks, 43.32 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdaFyOoPLyKwW8kvEvbHCwg (杏/anne TOKYO, 31.95 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI8UzOZ2NreKl5BaehyIm7w (hukumusume, 28.66 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdW9Xi-leDtqqF6D-IkNJH2UPt3Wbls3Q (Peppa Pig in Japanese, 21.16 hours)

Hours total of the CIJapanese website recommended video resources (excluding their own videos): 1,243.20 hours

Total of combined hours in this list: 1,430.20 hours

I would suggest that in addition to all of these video resources, you supplement using audio-only resources like the podcasts listed on https://cijapanese.com/resources, https://comprehensibleinputwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page#Japanese, and any other podcasts you can find and understand.

Other options to get more comprehensible input: children's cartoons if there's visual context clues, vlogs especially if they're vlogs about what they do in a day/the visuals directly relate to what's going on, audio books of graded reading materials you're reading (or TTS of the graded reading material if that's the only option available) - an app like Satori Reader with graded reading material and audio would work well, rewatching shows in japanese that you've seen before (japanese dubbed shows, anime in japanese dub, jdramas), replaying games in japanese that you've played before, watching let's plays of games you've played/seen before, new shows in japanese if your level of comprehension is enough to follow the main idea (shows where the visual context is related to what they're saying will be easier - such as romance shows, slice of life shows, some reality shows, cooking shows, action shows where they talk about what they're doing, crime solving shows where they talk about the objects in the scenes).

[82mitsu]

{18Trip} The 18 Questions Corner - Shiramitsu Toi

This is a translation for the 18 questions interview uploaded on the official Youtube channel. I suggest to read this translation alongside it!

Note: P stands for "Player", this series has a voiced male & female character for the player. The interviews are conducted by the male player in this case.

TL note:

Toi calls Ryui by 兄様, pronounced as “Ani-sama”. Now, I try my best to keep all honorifics and nicknames as is but I feel like “Big Bro-sama” did not look good, and I am intent on keeping the older brother aspect. “Ani-sama” I wouldn’t consider an option either due to it being the colloquial name for Animelo Summer Live, and overall can be confusing if your nihongo is not jouzu enough desu. (Neither do I think it looks good, either.) It has been translated to “beloved Big bro” instead.

P: 18 questions for the Tourism Ward Mayors! We look forward to your cooperation!

Toi: I-I’ll be in your care!

What’s your name?

I’m Shiramitsu Toi! 

How old are you?

I’m 21 years old!

Tell us about your occupation!

I’m the owner of Fortuner Teller Angel Eye.

What’s the first thing you do when waking up in the morning?

Saying good morning to my beloved Big bro!

Anything you’re particular about with lunch?

I chew my food thoroughly!

What pops up in your mind when it comes to “evening”?

The evening glow in the sky?

What’s your routine before bed?

Writing in my secret exchange diary. 

Where do you start with washing your body?

Um... my right upper arm!

What’s essential when leaving for a trip?

Um… a change of clothes… I think?  

What do you check before traveling somewhere?

What the local sweets are!

What’s your favorite method of transportation for traveling? 

Because I don’t usually go on these, I’d say the train!

What’s one item you’d bring to a deserted island?

Anything will do as long as I’m with my beloved Big bro!

Please give us some fanservice! 

Be glad mortal, for I shall provide you entertainment… Ehehe, just messing around. 

Who’s someone you’d lean on for support? 

Has to be my beloved Big bro, I’m sure. 

Who would you swap bodies with for a day?

Um…! Evening Squad’s Natsuyaki Chihiro… -san…

What would you want to do as them?

I wanna be like Chii-sama and try to shine like him while dancing…!! Waah I didn’t mean to say that! How embarrassing~!!

Pass on a message to your roommates!

My beloved Big bro, thank you for always being there. Netaro-san, let’s play a new game again sometime!

Tell us from the heart, what’s a “journey” to you? 

Something that broadens your horizons, I think. 

P: Thank you, those were all 18 questions!

Toi: Thank you very much!!

Toi: I'm Shiramitsu Toi and the HAMA’s 15th Ward Mayor together my beloved big bro. Please feel free to drop by Fortune Teller Angel Eye whenever you’d like! 

[nihongo-lets-go]

Lesson　１, Pt. 1　：仮名［かな］

『　Scroll to the bottom for a glossary and resource links！ 』

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

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A brief summation of Kana 仮名:

Almost every language in human history has a written form. Romance languages and Germanic languages have the Roman alphabet. Ukrainian, Belarusian, Kazakh, and Russian have the Cyrillic alphabet. Korean has 한글. Japanese is, of course, no exception to this.

仮名［かな］are the syllabaries used for the Japanese written language. Each kanji, hiragana, and katakana character represents a word or sound in Japanese. Although each 仮名 has a different purpose, when combined they make up the whole of written Japanese, and are a must-know for everyday life, especially if your goal is to live in , work in, or visit Japan.

From reading menus, to shopping, to navigating transportation, to reading housing and apartment contracts, it is essential to learn the written language in order to fully grasp Japanese as a whole. (Side note: 仮名 can refer to solely hiragana and katakana.)

As stated before, the whole of the Japanese writing system is a combination of two kinds of 仮名:

～ Kanji (lit. “Han characters”), derived from written Chinese

～Hiragana and Katakana (the syllabic kana)

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KANJI

漢字 ［かんじ］ ー The original 仮名, or 真仮名 [まがな］(lit. “true kana”).

汉字 [hànzì] (Chinese characters) that are used to phonetically transcribe Japanese. The most prominent is 万葉仮名［まにょうがな］, from which hiragana and katakana are derived. Although certain 漢字 retain their meaning in 汉字, many more are used in a purely phonetic context, and thus the original meaning does not always hold. (Although, you'll have a great head-start if you're learning to read Mandarin!)

There tens of thousands of 漢字 used today, but the minimum number that learners are encouraged to remember is 2000-2200 (I would actually recommend learning closer to 3000).

『　Six 漢字, and their meanings. Only 1994 more to go!　』

Because the amount to be learned is so extensive, it's often easier to become comfortable reading and writing in hiragana [平仮名] and katakana [片仮名] before moving onto tackling 漢字 en masse. Although, it never hurts to learn a few in the beginning, especially those written for commonly used words!

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HIRAGANA

平仮名［ひらがな］ー The writing system used for native Japanese. It is used to write 送り仮名［おくりがな］, which are kana suffixes following a kanji root (e.g. to inflect nouns and verbs); to write particles; written for emphasis, and for misc. native words with no kanji, or with kanji that is too obscure or formal for writing.

平仮名 is also used to write 振り仮名［ふりがな］, also known as 読み仮名［よみがな］, and rubi ［ルビ ］. 振り仮名 is written above 漢字 to indicate proper pronunciation. Books aimed at children often include 振り仮名 .

平仮名 can be broken up into three sub-categories:

~Chart 1 includes all of the base 平仮名, including the a, i , u, e, o vowels ［あ、い、う、え、お］and the n/ng［ん］consonant.

~Chart 2 includes the dakuten and handakuten characters. Dakuten [ ﾞ] and handakuten [ ﾟ ] are marks that modify the sound of the 平仮名 they are placed after. For example: a dakuten after the character ha [は], changes the sound to ba [ば]. Adding a handakuten after は changes the sound to pa [ぱ].

~Chart 3 is a combination chart that includes 平仮名 , dakuten, handakuten, and 促音 [そくおん] . Sokuon [促音], known more casually as chiisai tsu/chiisai kana [小さいつ | 小さいかな] or chiisana tsu [小さなつ] , are the small 平仮名 that aid in altering the character's sound. For example: take は, ば, and ぱ, and add a smaller version the character ya [や] after them. By doing this, や becomes the sokuon , [ゃ］, turning は, ば, and ぱ into hya［ひゃ］, bya [びゃ] , and pya [ぴゃ] .

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KATAKANA

片仮名［カタカナ］ ー　This writing system has many uses, primarily for foreign loan words ( 外来語［がいらいご］) and onomanopoeia. It is also used for technical and scientific terms; for the names of plants, animals, and minerals, and for Japanese companies.

As with 平仮名, 片仮名 is also used for word emphasis.

Other than the differences in appearances, 片仮名 are functionally identical to 平仮名. There are the base characters, the dakuten/handakuten characters, and the combination characters, all which produce the different sounds of Japanese.

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The Japanese writing system can seem overwhelming at first, especially if your native tongue is part of a completely different linguistic family. Just remember that learning anything new takes time. Practice makes for a practiced person!

To round out this lesson, included below is a glossary of all the words mentioned. If you have any questions, feel free to use that 'Ask Me Anything!' button.

Happy learning!

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LESSON 1 VOCABULARY LIST:

仮名 ー　Kana［かな] , the name for the Japanese writing system. Kana can also refer to only hiragana and katakana.

真仮名 ー Magana [まがな］literally translates into “true kana”. Another term for kanji.

漢字 ー Kanji［かんじ］, the character system based off of the Chinese written characters 汉字 [hànzì］. Kanji is also known as man'yōgana ( まにょうがな [万葉仮名 ] ), the magana writing system that hiragana and katakana descended from.

平仮名 ー Hiragana［ひらがな］, the writing system used for native Japanese.

送り仮名 ー Okurigana［おくりがな］, hiragana suffixes following the kanji stems of written Japanese.

振り仮名 ー Furigana［ふりがな］is small hiragana that is written above kanji to indicate proper pronunciation. Furigana also known as yomigana ( 読み仮名［よみがな］), and rubi ［ルビ ］ .

片仮名 ー Katakana［カタカナ] is the writing system used for foreign loan words, the names of Japanese companies, and much more.

外来語 ー Gairaigo［がいらいご] is the term for foreign names and loan words--essentially any non-native Japanese words.

Dakuten [ ﾞ] and handakuten [ ﾟ ] ー written marks that alter the sound of the hiragana or katakana they are placed after.

小さいつ 、 小さいかな 、小さなつ ―　chiisai tsu, chiisai kana, and chiisana tsu are all terms used for small hiragana that, like dakuten and handakuten, alter a kana character's sound.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

WIKIPEDIA:

Kana

Hiragana

Katakana

Furigana

Sokuon (chiisai tsu)

OTHER SITES:

Dakuten, Handakuten

Origins of Gairaigo

[seaemberthesecond]

Let me say how much I adore and am in awe of your writing! I find myself going back to your work again and again. With that, what are the chances of you ever returning to write more about Gojo and Megumi because wow did that fic just break my heart in so many good ways.

Thank you!

asdffhdhsjshlsfjdgs I'm SO flattered by this, you have no idea. You've inflated my ego to a dangerous size XD Thank you so much, I'm so incredibly pleased you like my writing <3

That being said, you sent this ask at the right time lmao. If you'd asked me even a week before, I'd have said that while I like jjk, its really not my primary fandom and I got what I needed to out of my system with Baby Mine. BUTTTTT, it's not a week ago and I have been in a jjk kind of mood lately and actually started writing a little bit of a fic even before you sent in this ask. Will it ever be finished? Who knows, but I sure hope so.

And because your incredibly kind words motivated me so much, here's 1k and change of a snippet. I hope you like it!

Warnings: Unbeta'ed and also Gojo's unhinged childhood

Gojo Satoru is a god.

On December 7th 1989, the heavens crack open and he rips his way out of his mother’s womb; his blessed, divine eyes open and blazing.

The world swings off its axis.

When he takes his first breath, the surge of cursed energy is so strong it kills the woman whose body he’s been pulled from and all her midwives. Her name is erased from clan records, her husband’s too – the man’s throat slit before he can lay an eye, much less a finger, on his baby. Before he can despoil that godly flesh with his mortal hands. 

Gods are not begotten. They have no mother and they have no father. He is Gojo Satoru of the Six Eyes and the Limitless. He is Exalted.

He sits alone at an elevated podium during mealtimes, the rest of the clan arrayed below him. They wait for him to begin, even the Clan Head. The servants prostrate themselves when they pass him in the hall, foreheads pressed to the tatami, lips moving in ecstatic prayer. When he is ten, the Clan Head’s children and their families present themselves before him and commit seppuku so he may ascend to his rightful place as heir. Their blood runs red and their cursed energy gutters and goes out, forgive us Rikugan-sama, for trespassing against you.

 He is raised by attendants and elders and tutors – the best of the best of the best. He can mould his cursed energy before he can talk, is taught theoretical mathematics before he loses his first tooth, learns Nihongo and Kugo and Putonghua and English till he can switch between them in his sleep.

But more than anything else, he is taught about jujutsu – about curses and cursed techniques; about the history of their world; about the great clans, of which they are the greatest, and the weaker ones that were exterminated for daring to cross them. Strength, his teachers croon, is the lifeblood of the universe Rikugan-sama. And he will be the strongest. It is destined, they tell him, it is ordained, written in the very stars. He is what they have been waiting for for so long – the first Six Eyes and Limitless user to be born in five hundred years. He will reclaim the glory of days past, remind the Zen’in and the Kamo what it is to quake beneath the might of the Gojo, take their clan to heights greater than any ever imagined.

He is Gojo Satoru, between the heavens and the earth, he alone is the Honoured One. He has no equal –

Except –

The Ten Shadows.

His teachers speak of it with pursed lips and tight voices. They assure him that the prized technique of the Zen’in holds no candle to his majesty in one breath, and in the same, drill him relentlessly on its capabilities. Something about the Ten Shadows worries them, though they try not to show it. Fools. There is no hiding from his eyes.

At night, when they think he is asleep, he sneaks from his room to the library – that grand collection that holds in its recesses all the secret and profane knowledge of the jujutsu world – and seeks what his caretakers don’t want him to know. The Ten Shadows is the anti-thesis of the Six Eyes, he learns – its counterbalance. Through time and space, history and myth, they are tied together. Where one appears, the other follows not long after. They find each other, always.

Where the Six Eyes is a supernova, the Ten Shadows is a black hole.

Where the Six Eyes is the blinding light of all the universe’s knowledge, the Ten Shadows is the dark seething underbelly of which nightmares are made.

Where the Six Eyes can manipulate the very atoms that make up the fabric of existence, the Ten Shadows deals with the absence of matter entirely.

Yin and Yang. Matter and Dark Matter. Equal and opposite forces, that together, balance the world.

He becomes obsessed. He plumbs the depths of the Gojo’s extensive collection for anything even tangentially related to the Ten Shadows – he pores through tomes of history and genealogy, researches the shikigami and their abilities like a boy possessed and comes up with strategy on strategy on how to defeat each one, memorizes the names and biographies of each user of the technique ever recorded, turns them over in his head till he feels like he knows them. And maybe he did. In another life. When he dreams, he dreams of wolves the size of horses with teeth like swords, of snakes large enough to swallow the sun, of the creak of an eight-handled wheel turning turning turning. He wakes, shivering with anticipation, a smile burned across his face.

 Somewhere out there exists his match, the only person who can truly challenge him. Someone the universe has crafted for him specifically. The thought settles the gnawing hunger in his chest that eats at him whenever the wind carries the laughter of the other clan children to the cold and quiet training salles where he spends his days. It soothes the splintering fractals of pain that race along his nerves when it all becomes toomuchtoomuchtoomuch and even candlelight blinds him till he’s throwing up and his head feels like its collapsing in on itself. Soon¸ he reminds himself, soon we’ll find each other. It is destined.

But years go by. There is no news of the Ten Shadows. Not even the wind brings any secrets to their walls.

At first, the elders gather in their dark rooms and hiss in worried whispers about Zen’in plots – they must be hiding him, they argue, raising him in secret to become the ultimate weapon against Gojo supremacy; plans must be hatched, contingincies must be made. No threats to Rikugan-sama’s safety will be borne, they insist in furtive murmurs as they hire spies and assassins and saboteurs. They all return empty-handed.

More seasons pass. Paranoia recedes like the ebbing of the tide. The elders no longer talk in hushed whispers. They no longer feel the need to. Naobito doesn’t have the prescience to pull off a long con, they agree smugly over cups of tea and rice wine, still in their dark rooms. The Gojo have triumphed once again. It is to be expected, of course, victory is their birthright. But still, it is good to be proven right so definitively. The cycle of reincarnation must have broken when the last Rikugan-sama killed their Ten Shadows, one speculates. The Zen’in have been punished by the heavens, another crows. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: there will be no Ten Shadows to challenge Gojo Satoru. Outside, with his ear pressed to the wall, he listens as they laugh and congratulate themselves. His all-powerful eyes burn and he rubs at them as he slinks back to his room.

He feels scraped clean – hollowed out. There is something that feels strangely like betrayal sitting heavily in his gut, like a cherished promise has been reneged upon. How could you? he thinks, turning over on his side, tears wetting his pillow, blanket clutched tightly to his chest. How could you? I was waiting for you.

He is Gojo Satoru. He alone is the Honoured One. He is unequalled, inimitable, peerless. He is a god.

He grows stronger than his teachers, bats aside curses that kill men thrice his age, masters techniques faster than any of the Six Eyes and Limitless users who came before him. Even measured against them, he is something else – the shining star of the Jujutsu world. A world that will be forever out of balance, tipped too far out of equilibrium by the weight of his power.

Mere weeks after his thirteenth birthday, he wakes with a jolt, gasping. It is the darkest, coldest hour of the night. Something pulls tight at his chest. His attendant shuffles in from the antechamber, asks if he needs anything. He shakes his head and falls back into uneasy slumber.

It is December 22nd 2002.

Gojo Satoru doesn’t know it at the time, but the world just swung back onto its axis.  

[waitmyturtles]

Turtles Catches Up With Old GMMTV: The Bad Buddy Rewatch Edition, Part 0.5 -- The BBS Meta Series Preamble

[What’s going on here? After joining Tumblr and discovering Thai BLs through KinnPorsche in 2022, I began watching GMMTV’s new offerings -- and realized that I had a lot of history to catch up on, to appreciate the more recent works that I was delving into. From tropes to BL frameworks, what we’re watching now hails from somewhere, and I’m learning about Thai BL's history through what I’m calling the Old GMMTV Challenge (OGMMTVC). Starting with recommendations from @absolutebl on their post regarding how GMMTV is correcting for its mistakes with its shows today, I’ve made an expansive list to get me through a condensed history of essential/classic/significant Thai BLs produced by GMMTV and many other BL studios. My watchlist, pasted below, lists what I’ve watched and what’s upcoming, along with the reviews I’ve written so far. Today, I'm preambling a series of posts that I'll be publishing throughout November and December about my OGMMTVC rewatch of Bad Buddy and Our Skyy 2 x Bad Buddy x A Tale of Thousand Stars.]

After nearly a month of rewatching Bad Buddy and Our Skyy 2 x Bad Buddy x A Tale of Thousand Stars -- TWICE, holy shit! -- I'm finally putting pen to paper on a four-part series of BBS meta that I've been looking forward to writing nearly all year.

Before I start the series, I'd like to offer a not-so-quick preamble of how I got here. Before the birth of this Old GMMTV Challenge project, I was flitting and floating, enjoying a dalliance with Thai BLs here and there, while still mostly watching Japanese BLs, my entrée into overall Asian BL content. I started with KinnPorsche in the late summer of 2022, picked up The Eclipse after that on the recommendation of a dear mutual (@the-nihongo-adventure, I hope you're well!), and then picked up A Tale of Thousand Stars in order to prepare for my first live GMMTV fandom experience on Tumblr in early January with Moonlight Chicken.

That was the exact order by which I came to Bad Buddy, which I watched for the first time in January and February of this year, after MLC ended. I was so blown away. I thought I was a drama girlie before Bad Buddy, but it was like Bad Buddy had made me see facets of drama-making that I had never known or appreciated before. The act structure of episode 10 alone just sat me the hell down, let alone the brilliance of the overall story arc vis à vis Pat, Pran, the themes and motifs of intergenerational trauma and filial piety that I related to, down to my bones and bloodstream, and the millions of layers on this show that we could spend a lifetime parsing.

My first piece about Bad Buddy, published in February, is the post on Tumblr that I am the most proud of writing, my first post (as a relatively new Tumblr-ite) that I took days and drafts to work on. In that post, I worked out what I saw as the major theme of intergenerational trauma dominating the story landscape of Bad Buddy, framed in what I interpreted as a reflection of David Hegel's thesis-antithesis-synthesis modality of change in philosophy and art, as most poignantly reflected in Herman Hesse's Siddhartha.

In other words, y'all: I became a BBS girlie, lol.

And, partly in conversation with @miscellar, and partly by way of the just TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS amount of meta on Bad Buddy on Tumblr (whew, the MASTERS, @telomeke, @grapejuicegay, @dribs-and-drabbles, @airenyah, @dudeyuri, @dimplesandfierceeyes, oh my gosh, so many many more, I can't list them all!), I came to learn that Bad Buddy was a home to so many other themes, motifs, and references that honestly, my mind was blown.

For me, personally, it was ABL Sensei's original post on the newer landscape of GMMTV BLs answering to Thailand's seminal BLs, as well as @miscellar's post on BL tropes referenced and reshaped in Bad Buddy, that served as the original inspiration for the creation of the Old GMMTV Challenge project.

I needed to watch older Thai BLs to understand the landscape of how this genre was born and how it's changed and developed over time, to truly and deeply understand the impact that Bad Buddy had on me personally and artistically, and how it stands in the echelon of the Thai BL genre today, particularly by way of the influence of BBS's director, the brilliant Aof Noppharnach. I needed to know about the food that fed Bad Buddy to make Bad Buddy what it was as its own seminal drama.

So, after 32 shows and movies watched on the OGMMTVC list, I get to this moment -- my turn, my time, to pound out some BBS meta, knowing what I know now about the history of the Thai BL genre up to 2021-2022.

My four-part series of BBS meta will focus on the following:

Part 1: A look at how previous GMMTV BLs spoke to Bad Buddy in their own development, and to Bad Buddy itself. I'll take a look at the BL tropes that Bad Buddy references and reshapes. I'll touch upon Theory of Love, A Tale of Thousand Stars, Still 2gether, and many more older shows. I'll also take a look at themes in BBS that I didn't touch upon in my first BBS thesis from February 2023.

Part 2: In conjunction with my Big Meta series on themes of pain in Asian dramas, I want to take a look at the themes of pain, trust, and separation (sometimes voluntary, sometimes forced) in some Asian dramas, including Bad Buddy, Still 2gether, A Tale of Thousand Stars, Until We Meet Again, and I Promised You The Moon.

Part 3: I have had the extremely GREAT luck to engage in lengthy discussion about Bad Buddy with a number of Asian Tumblr bloggers, to discuss how we related to BBS as Asians, and what themes we could analyze from our culturally attuned and lived-in perspectives. In this meta, I'll take a look at Asian cultural touchpoints including inherited and intergenerational trauma; competition amongst one's peers; the nature of secret-keeping and what's "acceptable" to explicitly talk about in Asian family systems; and much more. (I may need to split this post into two, we'll see!)

Part 4: I'll offer some thoughts, based off of the Pain, Trust, and Separation Big Meta and the BBS Asian Cultural Touchpoints meta, on Pran leaving for Singapore, and how Thai vs. international audiences may interpret his decision to leave Thailand for two years.

I'm late to the BBS meta game, but there's no time like the present to catch the hell up. I'm happy to celebrate Bad Buddy's two-year anniversary this way, and I'm really excited that the OGMMTVC allows me to do so.

Part 1 drops later this week. Meet me at Wai's bar for a chit-chat -- and thank you for reading along!

(Tagging @dribs-and-drabbles by request! If you'd like to be tagged, please let me know! <3 )

[Here's the complete OGMMTVC watchlist as it stands today. For a more accurate look at what I've watched, please mosey over to this link!

1) The Love of Siam (2007) (movie) (review here) 2) My Bromance (2014) (movie) (review here) 3) Love Sick and Love Sick 2 (2014 and 2015) (review here) 4) Gay OK Bangkok Season 1 (2016) (a non-BL queer series directed by Jojo Tichakorn and written by Aof Noppharnach) (review here) 5) Make It Right (2016) (review here) 6) SOTUS (2016-2017) (review here) 7) Gay OK Bangkok Season 2 (2017) (a non-BL queer series directed by Jojo Tichakorn and written by Aof Noppharnach) (review here) 8) Make It Right 2 (2017) (review here) 9) Together With Me (2017) (review here) 10) SOTUS S/Our Skyy x SOTUS (2017-2018) (review here) 11) Love By Chance (2018) (review here) 12) Kiss Me Again: PeteKao cuts (2018) (no review) 13) He’s Coming To Me (2019) (review here) 14) Dark Blue Kiss (2019) and Our Skyy x Kiss Me Again (2018) (review here) 15) TharnType (2019-2020) (review here) 16) Senior Secret Love: Puppy Honey (OffGun BL cuts) (2016 and 2017) (no review) 17) Theory of Love (2019) (review here) 18) 3 Will Be Free (2019) (a non-BL and an important harbinger of things to come in 2019 and beyond re: Jojo Tichakorn pushing queer content in non-BLs) (review here) 19) Dew the Movie (2019) (review here) 20) Until We Meet Again (2019-2020) (review here) (and notes on my UWMA rewatch here) 21) 2gether (2020) and Still 2gether (2020) (review here) 22) I Told Sunset About You (2020) (review here) 23) YYY (2020, out of chronological order) (review here) 24) Manner of Death (2020-2021) (not a true BL, but a MaxTul queer/gay romance set within a genre-based show that likely influenced Not Me and KinnPorsche) (review here) 25) A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021) (review here) 26) A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021) OGMMTVC Fastest Rewatch Known To Humankind For The Sake Of Rewatching Our Skyy 2 x BBS x ATOTS (re-review here) 27) Lovely Writer (2021) (review here) 28) Last Twilight in Phuket (2021) (the mini-special before IPYTM) (review here) 29) I Promised You the Moon (2021) (review here) 30) Not Me (2021-2022) (review here)

31) Bad Buddy (2021-2022) (thesis here) 32) 55:15 Never Too Late (2021-2022) (not a BL, but a GMMTV drama that features a macro BL storyline about shipper culture and the BL industry) (review here) 33) Bad Buddy (2021-2022) and Our Skyy 2 x BBS x ATOTS (2023) OGMMTVC Rewatch (watching) 34) Secret Crush On You (2022) [watching for Cheewin’s trajectory of studying queer joy from Make It Right (high school), to SCOY (college), to Bed Friend (working adults)] 35) KinnPorsche (2022) (tag here) 36) KinnPorsche (2022) OGMMTVC Fastest Rewatch Known To Humankind For the Sake of Re-Analyzing the KP Cultural Zeitgeist 37) The Eclipse (2022) (tag here) 38) The Eclipse OGMMTVC Rewatch For the Sake of Re-Analyzing an Politics-Focused Show After Not Me 39) GAP (2022-2023) (Thailand’s first GL) 40) My School President (2022-2023) and Our Skyy 2 x My School President (2023) 41) Moonlight Chicken (2023) (tag here) 42) Bed Friend (2023) (tag here) (Cheewin’s latest show, depicting a queer joy journey among working adults) 43) Be My Favorite (2023) (tag here) (I’m including this for BMF’s sophisticated commentary on Krist’s career past as a BL icon) 44) Wedding Plan (2023) (Recommended as an important trajectory in the course of MAME’s work and influence from TharnType) 45) Only Friends (2023) (tag here)]

[ikuzeminna]

Hi! How did you learn to read Japanese? If I'm not wrong that you do, is the Japanese depiction of the GW characters' personalities different from their Western depictions?

Hey! Learning how to read Japanese is definitely an adventure in and of itself. For me, I had learned how to read and write hiragana and katakana from the Yoshida Institute’s site long before smartphones existed, along with a few kanji. I would use hiragana for my cheat sheets at school. (Yes, I learned a whole different alphabet just to cheat at history and geography instead of simply studying for my exams like a sensible person, even though I realized it was way more effort. I'm not exactly smart.) I started learning kanji properly years later with the kanji learning app Japanese Kanji Study, which I can't recommend enough, then took a brief language course and then accidentally ended up studying Japanese in college for 1.5 years, which is where I learned all my beginner's grammar (みんなの日本語 anyone?) and, as is totally apt for a beginner, hentaigana.

It’s funny when you can't string five sentences together without issue, but can make out Nobunaga's scribbling, something many natives are incapable of. Great, balanced education you thought up there, folks.

At least I got a laugh out of one Ranma ½ episode where Ranma found Kuno’s journal entry and couldn’t read it because of course that doofus would write it in the most archaic manner possible. 

Anyway, as far as reading aids go, I’m just gonna plug everything I’ve used over the years for anyone interested. The Firefox extension 10ten reader has been a lifesaver, as has been Jisho. When it comes to comprehension, Google translate is dog crap. I’d recommend Papago, which must have been trained specifically on East Asian languages as the results are much better. Not perfect, but better in my experience. Google translate has long incorporated OCR (image to text) so it may be less useful, but I’m very fond of the no-install Capture2Text which can convert manga speech bubbles to text, provided the scans are clean enough to read the kanji.

For grammar, I stuck to Minna No Nihongo. Bought all the books and slowly work through the lessons now.

The most valuable asset though is having a fluent or native speaker you can ask. Nuance is impossible to grasp if no one explains it to you. Even with vocab, you’ll run into plenty of words with the same meaning. Dictionaries often don’t distinguish in those cases. Having someone you can ask makes learning a lot easier.

Now for the Gundam Wing part of your question.

I’m not exactly sure what you mean by Japanese and Western depictions, or rather who you mean. If we’re talking official sub vs. dub then yes, there are a few differences. Heero isn’t perpetually constipated in the original (he actually has a sense of humor!) and Duo is a lot less flirty than his dub version. But it’s nothing grave. Certainly not Seto Kaiba levels of the dub rewriting his character to make him rant about not believing in destiny every time he opens his mouth.

Or Saber Rider being the leader of the Star Sheriffs. wtf I grew up with a lie D:<

Now, if you’re referring to fandom spaces, I am, without a doubt, the wrongest person to ask as I have never seen what the Japanese Wing fandom is up to and have never really been in touch with what the West is doing either. Have I seen fanfics and do I know 1x2 is the most popular ship? Yes. Have I spent 10 minutes looking at a manga panel, trying to figure out what is going on, only to hit the back button as fast as I could once I did? To the detriment of my poor eyes, yes. But when it comes to fandom differences, I think @muwi-translates could give you a proper answer. I can’t really say much as I’m not involved in the fandom in a way that lets me know such things.

I just sit here in my bubble, talking to myself most of the time.

[max1461]

i have been asked by a friend w/o a tumblr acct to relay the following information: coloquially most japanese people express “i can speak japanese” as “nihongo wo dekimasu” (i can do japanese) or sometimes butcher it as “nihongo de OK” (japanese is OK by me) rather than “nihongo wo hanasemasu” (literally i can speak japanese) in bio

or i guess you see “eigo de OK” more often

as in “english is fine if you want to speak english”

Oh, thank you for conveying this!

Yeah, I know about these phrasings. I have it as “nihongo sukoshi hanaseru” (I can speak a little Japanese) instead of “nihongo de OK”, which would definitely be more colloquial, because I want to emphasize that I only speak a little Japanese. Like I think “nihongo de OK” kind of suggests “you can speak to me in Japanese if you don’t know English, etc., Japanese will be fine, I can do Japanese”. Which I’m not sure is true. I mean for some types of conversation sure, but I’m hesitant to put out the impression that someone could like... respond to one of my longposts in Japanese and I’d be able to respond back and not make a fool of myself. You know. For many of my activities on here, my nihongo is not OK!

I suppose I could go with “nihongo sukoshi dekiru”, and perhaps that would be more colloquial and convey the same thing? Idk, any Japanese native speakers please let me know.

[kikikokonihongo]

🌳🌞🎶ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ🪩٩(ᐛ)و🎶☁🌳

📅Warning: May be 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆-𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒕-𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈. Take once every weekday for one month. Continue as necessary.

-📚ー

📌𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰//𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐙𝐁𝐎™ 【習慣づける】 ʀᴇᴀᴅ&ʟɪꜱᴛᴇɴ ʜᴇʀᴇ:

-📝ー

(๑・ω・)[๑･▿･๑](・ω・๑) When forming a positive habit, it's important to keep going even if you don't succeed at first!

🌟七転び八起き 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜ー 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚞𝚙 𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝