Japanese in manga
Kanji anatomy
What the characters are built from, and why it matters.
81 notes
By kind of Japanese
- All174
- Honorifics & keigo17
- Role language19
- Register & tone35
- First-person pronouns9
- Second-person pronouns4
- Villain speech5
- Idioms55
- Body idioms48
- Four-character idioms18
- Proverbs7
- Kanji anatomy81
- Buddhist vocabulary39
- Language around death7
- Wordplay10
- Classical & archaic Japanese4
- No English equivalent40
- One word, many renderings34
- False friends5
- Cultural localisation6
By JLPT level
By series
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諦めろバカ息子コビーの覚悟は本物だぞ！！
“HEY, IDIOT-SON-OF-THE-CAPTAIN! KOBY MEANS IT!”
Seeing It Clearly Enough to Let Go: 諦める and the Buddhist Truth English Buries Under "Give Up"
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このまま…病で貴方は命を落とすでしょう
“AS A HUMAN, YOU WILL PROBABLY LOSE YOUR LIFE TO DISEASE.”
Too Polite to Say Your Name: 貴方 and the 'You' That Completes the Register Spectrum
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負傷すればする程動きが鈍くなる…足を引っ張ることになる
“...AND THE MORE I HOLD HIMEJIMA BACK.”
Not That Kind of Leg-Pull: 足を引っ張る and the False Friend VIZ Had to Dodge
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無礼者っ！！
“HOW DARE YOU!”
Know Your Place: 無礼者 and the Hierarchy VIZ Flattens into Anger
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茶番は終わりだ！！この町ごと吹き飛ばす！！！全て消し飛ばしてやる！！！
“TEATIME'S OVER, KIDDIES! WE'RE GOING TO LIGHT UP THIS TOWN!! UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT!!!”
The Tea Inside the Farce: 茶番 and the False Friend VIZ Turned into a Great Line
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昔の血が騒ぎ出しかねない
“...MY OLD BLOOD MIGHT START BUBBLING UP...”
Blood That Riots on Its Own: 血が騒ぐ and the Agency English Won't Give Up
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てめェにゃ血も涙もねェのかァ！！！
“HAVE YOU NO FEELINGS?! ARE YOU MADE OF STONE?!!”
No Blood, No Tears: 血も涙もない and the Stone and Heart English Reaches for Instead
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あァわがままな畜生だ
“WHAT A SPOILED BRAT YOU ARE.”
Born an Animal: 畜生 and the Buddhist Curse Word English Turns Into "&%$!!!!"
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こりゃあ縁起がいいなあ
“WHAT LUCK!”
Nothing Arises Alone: 縁起 and the Doctrine of Dependent Origination Flattened into "WHAT LUCK!"
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その縁起の悪りィ首飾り．．．もらうからな．．．
“THAT BAD LUCK NECKLACE AROUND YOUR NECK... I'M GONNA TAKE IT...”
The Necklace With a Body Count: 縁起が悪い and the Omen VIZ Flattens into "Bad Luck"
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腑に落ちねェ……！！
“IT JUST STICKS IN MY CRAW!”
Understanding Is Digestion: 腑に落ちない and the Organ English Only Sometimes Finds
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風前の灯火のジジィが！
“YOU OLD FOOL!”
Snuffing the Flame: 風前の灯火 and the Dying Man English Called a Fool
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狐の餓鬼は間合いの内側
“THE FOX-BRAT IS IN STRIKING RANGE!”
The Demons' Word for Their Own Kind: 餓鬼 and the Hungry-Ghost Hell Behind Every "Brat"
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誰が好んで海賊なんて外道になるか
“...AND IT DOESN'T INVOLVE BECOMING A STINKING PIRATE!”
Outside the Path: 外道 and the Buddhist Heretic English Turns Into "Stinking," "Brute," and "Fiend"
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何という極悪非道
“THAT'S POSITIVELY DIABOLIC!”
No Devil Required: 極悪非道 and the Off-the-Way Wickedness VIZ Turns Christian
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極楽
“*SIGNS: PARADISE”
Paradise in the Wallpaper: 極楽 and the Footnote VIZ Used When the Kanji Wouldn't Move
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ましてや社長の正体など言語道断
“AND ESPECIALLY NOT THE BOSS'S.”
The Road Where Words Are Cut Off: 言語道断 and the Buddhist Silence VIZ Turns into an Ellipsis
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お手並み拝見といくか．．．
“SHOW US WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF!”
I Shall Humbly Behold Your Skill: 拝見 and the Mock-Reverent "Show Us" VIZ Flattens to a Dare
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自分自身を囮に使ったのだあの腹黒は
“THAT WICKED MAN USED HIMSELF AS A LURE.”
A Black Belly, a Plain Villain: 腹黒 and the Truth-Organ English Trades for "Wicked"
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かたわらに潜む白にその戦いの一部始終を観察させていたワケだ
“HAKU, WHO WAS HIDING NEARBY, OBSERVED AND STUDIED EVERY ASPECT OF OUR FIGHT, FROM BEGINNING TO END.”
One Whole Book, Start to Finish: 一部始終 and the "Part" That Secretly Means "Everything"
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いやごくろう戦いの一部始終を見せてもらった
“I SAW THE WHOLE THING. WELL DONE.”
The Part That Means the Whole: 一部始終 and the Start-to-Finish VIZ Compresses Into Three Words
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船長一網打尽ですっ！！
“CAPTAIN! HE GOT THE WHOLE CREW WITH ONE SWEEP!”
One Cast, Every Fish: 一網打尽 and the Net English Swaps for a Broom's Sweep
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何の因果か知らねェが
“DUNNO WHAT YOU'RE AFTER, BUT...”
By What Twist of Karma: 何の因果か and the Bewildered Shrug VIZ Turns into a Question of Motive
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ケンカばっかしてるあの２人にそんな因縁があったとは…
“WHO'D A THUNK THAT THOSE TWO, WHO FIGHT LIKE CATS 'N' DOGS, HAD SUCH A BOND?”
One Word for Fate and Grudge: 因縁 and the Karmic Tie English Splits Five Ways
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クク…でもまぁ安心しろ全くの一心同体ってワケじゃない
“HA HA... BUT DON'T WORRY. WE'RE NOT COMPLETELY ASSIMILATED.”
One Body, Not One Heart: 一心同体 and the Bond VIZ Flattens Into "Assimilated"
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刃を向けてくる者は一刀両断にせねばならぬ
“...AND I MUST CLEAVE ANYONE WHO TURNS A SWORD UPON ME.”
One Stroke, Two Pieces: 一刀両断 and the Old English Verb That Keeps the Cut but Drops the Count
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何より邪念が強い…
“...FAR MORE MALEVOLENT...”
The Chakra's Own Readout: 邪念 and the Mindfulness English Turns Into a Mood
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あァ困るね武器は邪念と暴力しか生まねェ！！
“WEAPONS GIVE BIRTH TO WICKED THOUGHTS AND VIOLENCE!!”
The Thought Gone Off the Path: 邪念 and the Buddhist Mindfulness English Splits Into "Wicked," "Sedition," and "Distraction"
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そうだ自暴自棄になって大勢殺した
“YES, I KILLED MANY IN MY DESPERATION!”
Twice Against Herself: 自暴自棄 and the Mencius Idiom VIZ Always Renders as Desperation
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地獄の果てまで追いかけて
“I'LL FOLLOW YOU TO THE DEPTHS OF HELL...”
The Hell With Levels: 地獄 and the Eight Buddhist Underworlds English Flattens to One
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地獄へ．．．行くんだよォ！！
“...TO HELL!!”
Taking Him to Hell: 地獄 and the Eight-Tiered Underworld English Scatters Into Ten Different Words
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だから人は地に顔をうずめ神に慈悲を乞う！！
“THAT IS WHY PEOPLE BOW THEIR HEADS TO THE GROUND AND BEG FOR THE KAMI'S MERCY!!”
A False God's Mercy: 慈悲 and the Twin Compassions English Melts Into One Word
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縦横無尽に動くことが可能足場の悪い所での戦いに適しておりこの回転する部屋に相応しい技だと言える
“...MAKING IT PERFECT FOR THIS ROTATING ROOM. IT KEEPS ME READY TO MOVE IN ANY DIRECTION, AND IS WELL SUITED FOR A FIGHT WITH SUCH UNCERTAIN FOOTING.”
One Word for Every Direction: 縦横無尽 and the Four-Character Compass VIZ Flattens to "Any Direction"
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私の顔色は悪く見えるか
“DOES MY COMPLEXION LOOK POOR TO YOU?”
A Face Under Surveillance: 顔色 and the Complexion English Stops Reading
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罪なき人に牙を剥こうものならば
“...IF YOU BARE YOUR FANGS AT INNOCENT PEOPLE...”
Baring Fangs, Literally: 牙を剥く and the Idiom English Translates Perfectly by Accident
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弱き者をいたぶる鬼畜
“YOU BRUTES WHO TORMENT THE WEAK!”
Demon and Beast, in One Word: 鬼畜 and the Two Lowest Realms VIZ Squeezes Into "Brutes"
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貴殿ら何用かは知らぬが
“I DO NOT KNOW WHAT BUSINESS BRINGS YOU HERE...”
A Priest's Formal Challenge: 貴殿 and the Officer's "You" VIZ Prints as Plain "You"
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……？剣士殿……！！！貴殿の力を見こんで理不尽な願い申し奉る！！！
“MR. BUSHIDO! YOU'RE STRONG! PLEASE GRANT MY HUMBLE REQUEST!”
An Ostrich's Chivalry: 貴殿 and the Warrior's Formal "You" VIZ Trades for a Nickname
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いいか 肝に銘じておけ…
“LISTEN CLOSELY, AND INSTRUCT YOUR MUSCLES...”
Engrave It on Your Liver: 肝に銘じる and the Order VIZ Rerouted to the Muscles
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それだけでも内心肝を冷やしたものだが
“...AND THAT ALONE WAS FRIGHTENING.”
A Cold Liver, Not Cold Blood: 肝を冷やす and the Organ English Never Names
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肝っ玉の座った女だ！！
“YOU'VE GOT GUTS!”
One Organ Over: 肝っ玉 and the Liver English Relocates to the Gut
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おい貴様このおれを誰だと思ってる
“WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?”
From "Your Esteemed Self" to Fighting Words: 貴様 and the Pronoun System English Flattens Into "You"
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下忍のお前がいちいち口を挟むことではないからのォ…
“SO THE OPINIONS OF ONE JUNIOR NINJA DON'T REALLY COUNT...”
Speaking Out of Rank: 口を挟む and the Vote VIZ Never Lets a Genin Cast
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…どんな拷問や幻術にかけられたってボクは口を割らないしね…
“NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF TORTURE OR GENJUTSU YOU INFLICT UPON ME, I WON'T SPILL A SINGLE SECRET...”
The Mouth That Won't Crack: 口を割る and the Interrogation Verb English Loosens Into "Talk"
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俺たちには目もくれないで兄ちゃんだけ…
“...AND WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT US, IT TOOK MY BROTHER!”
Not Even a Glance to Give: 目もくれない and the Favor English Flattens into a Direction
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暗部に入って半年…最近のお前の言動のおかしさは目に余る
“IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS SINCE YOU ENTERED ANBU... WHAT YOU'VE SAID AND DONE SINCE THEN IS TOO STRANGE TO OVERLOOK.”
More Than the Eye Can Hold: 目に余る and the Overflow VIZ Renders as "Overlook"
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．．．んでオレ以外の優秀な奴って目星付いてんのか？
“SO BESIDES ME, YOU GOT ANY EXCELLENT GENIN IN MIND?”
Eye on the Star: 目星 and the Aim English Renders as Just "In Mind"
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たとえそれが冥土の土産でもだ！！
“NOT EVEN AS A DEPARTING GIFT TO HELL...”
A Souvenir for the Underworld: 冥土の土産 and the Hell VIZ Wrote Into Buggy's Threat
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サクラ耳を貸せ
“SAKURA, LEAN CLOSER.”
Lend Me Your Ears: 耳を貸す and the Shakespearean Idiom VIZ Chose Not to Use
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何の未練もなくお前たちを刻めるよ
“I'M SO IRRITATED THAT I CAN CUT YOU TO PIECES WITHOUT ANY REGRET!”
Not Yet Tempered: 未練 and the Attachment English Shrinks to 'Regret'
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問答無用じゃあぁ！！
“SILENCE!!”
Dialogue Ruled Useless: 問答無用 and the Four-Character Verdict VIZ Cut to One Word
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無一郎の無は〝無能〟の〝無〟
“THE "MU" IN "MUICHIRO" IS "MOO"... LIKE A BIG DUMB COW.”
Twins Named Being and Nothing: 無一郎の無 and the Cow Pun That Can't Turn Infinite
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武者震いだよ！
“I'M SHAKING WITH EAGERNESS FOR A REMATCH!”
The Warrior's Shiver: 武者震い and the Idiom VIZ Explained Instead of Translated
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とにかくこの蛇今…虫の居所が悪いせいで私達食べられたのよ
“THE SNAKE ATE US BECAUSE HE WAS PROVOKED.”
A Bad Address for the Body's Bug: 虫の居所が悪い and the Mood English Renames "Provoked"
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ここに居ればこの国と共に奈落の底へ落ちてしまうのだ
“IF YOU STAY YOU'LL SIMPLY FALL TO THE GROUND WITH THIS COUNTRY.”
Hell, Borrowed by Ear: 奈落 and the Buddhist Abyss VIZ Turns Back Into Plain Ground
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なんだってばよ！突き落としたのまだ根に持ってんのかぁ！？
“WHAT! ARE YOU STILL HOLDING IT AGAINST ME THAT I SHOVED YOU?!”
Where the Grudge Takes Root: 根に持つ and the Grip VIZ Reaches for Instead
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この二枚舌の大嘘吐きめ
“THAT TWO-FACED LIAR!”
The Tongue That Speaks Twice: 二枚舌 and the Body Part VIZ Traded for a Face
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その名を口にしましたね呪いが発動する…
“YOU SAID HIS NAME, THUS TRIGGERING THE CURSE.”
Say His Name and Die: 呪い and the Whole Native Sorcery Lexicon English Flattens Into "Curse"
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…なるほど…やはりか、あのサクラとかいう奴が言った首のアザとは…この呪印のことだったのか
“JUST AS I THOUGHT... ...THE SPELL MARK ON HIS NECK THAT LITTLE SAKURA WAS BLATHERING ON ABOUT IS THE MARK OF THE CURSE HE WAS PLACED UNDER...”
One Seal, Two Curses: 呪印 and the Sorcery Lexicon VIZ Squeezes Into "Curse Mark"
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この世を恨んで呪いながら死んだ姉さんの怨念をこの世に存在させ…残し…知らしめるため…！
“...A REMINDER OF HER HATRED, OF HOW SHE WENT TO HER DEATH LOATHING AND CURSING THE WORLD... REMIND THEM... AND SHOW THEM ALL...!”
The Grudge That Refuses to Die: 怨念 and the Vengeful-Spirit Charge VIZ Boils Down to "Hatred"
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たまたまオレがお前たちへの大切な伝令役を仰せつかったワケだ
“IT WAS JUST GOOD LUCK THAT I GOT TO BE THE MESSENGER FOR THE THREE OF YOU.”
It Wasn't Luck: 仰せつかる and the Command From Above English Turns Into Coincidence
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男気を持ち合わせとる女はそうおらぬからな……
“SO FEW WOMEN POSSESS SUCH STRONG SPIRIT...”
A Man's Spirit, a Dying Woman's Praise: 男気 and the Gender "Strong Spirit" Quietly Removes
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姉ちゃんは輪廻転生って信じるかよ
“DO YOU BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION?”
Ask Onee-chan, Not the Room: 輪廻転生 and the Sibling Address VIZ Erased
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三途の川を渡りかける
“...BEGAN TO CROSS THE RIVER TO THE AFTERLIFE.”
Not Japan's Styx: 三途の川 and the Three Crossings English Rounds Down to One
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正々堂々…勝負！！
“LET'S DO THIS... FAIR AND SQUARE!”
Two Old Friends, One Doubled Word: 正々堂々 and the Rare Case Where “Fair and Square” Really Fits
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介錯もつけずに
“THERE WAS NO SECOND!”
Borrow the Ritual, Translate the Mercy: 切腹・介錯 and the Duelist's Second English Sent Instead
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一か月間は各々更に精進し励むが良い
“EACH OF YOU MUST EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE HARD, LEARN SOME NEW TRICKS...”
The Discipline That Purifies: 精進 and the Sixth Perfection VIZ Reduces to "Practice Hard"
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こっからが正念場だ
“HERE'S WHERE THE FUN REALLY BEGINS.”
The Scene That Tests What You Are: 正念場 and the Grave Warning VIZ Turned Into Fun
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オレってばこんな修羅場はいくつもくぐり抜けて来たんだもんね…
“HERE I AM AGAIN... FACING THE WORST KIND OF ENEMY! TEACHERS DIDN'T CALL ME THE ALL-TIME DUNCE FOR NOTHING!”
The Dead-Last on the Asura's Battlefield: 修羅場 and the Veteran's Boast VIZ Flipped Into Present-Tense Panic
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まあそんなものは戦う為の大義名分だとも言えるがな…
“THOUGH I SUPPOSE YOU COULD SAY THEY USE IT TO JUSTIFY THEIR GOING TO WAR...”
A Cause With a Rank Attached: 大義名分 and the Confucian Doctrine VIZ Flattens Into "Justify"
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カシ神様の祟りだー！！
“IT'S THE CURSE OF THE GREAT KASHIGAMI!!”
Blaming the God You Just Killed: 祟り and the Curse Word VIZ Already Spent on 呪い
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この力に手を染めちまったら最後…オレがどうなるかすら分からねェ…でも…
“ONCE I UNLEASH THIS POWER... I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'LL HAPPEN TO ME, BUT...”
Dyed, Not Dirtied: 手を染める and the Hands English Gets Backward
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解毒薬を調合されて手を焼いた
“...COMPOUNDED ANTIDOTES FOR THEM, AND MADE A FOOL OF ME.”
Too Hot to Hold: 手を焼く and the Burn English Never Felt
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手前勝手な頼みとは承知しておりますが何卒御容赦を
“I KNOW THIS IS A SELFISH REQUEST, SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME.”
A Selfish Request, From Where I Stand: 手前勝手 and the Doubled Self VIZ Squeezes Into One Word
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私には何の天罰も下っていない
“...HEAVEN HAS NEVER PUNISHED ME.”
Nobody Up There to Punish Him: 天罰 and the Impersonal Heaven English Keeps Personifying
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５：油断大敵！！
“number 5: Pride Goeth Before a Fall”
The Chapter Title That Became a Bible Verse: 油断大敵 and the Proverb VIZ Swapped In
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図に乗るな！！
“YOU'RE GETTING OVER-CONFIDENT!”
Riding Your Own Hype: 図に乗る and the Nine Faces English Gives to Getting Cocky
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図星じゃねェかよ
“BULL'S-EYE.”
Dead Center for Once: 図星 and the Archery Metaphor VIZ Actually Kept
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親父は図体がでかい上にろくでもなかった
“MY FATHER WAS BIG BUT GOOD-FOR-NOTHING.”
Big for Nothing: 図体 and the Sneer VIZ Translates Into a Simple Fact
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ったく成長したのはその図体だけかァ！？見ちゃられねーのォ！！
“SHEESH! IS THAT HULKING BULK OF YOURS THE ONLY THING THAT'S MATURED?! I COULDN'T JUST KEEP WATCHING!”
All That Grew Was the Bulk: 図体 and the One VIZ Line That Kept the Sneer
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あァあの時の大猿達にゃ笑ったよ！！あの図体で
“THOSE MONKEYS WERE SO FUNNY! WITH THOSE COMICAL BODIES AND...”
Comical Bodies, Vanished Contempt: 図体 and the Punch Line VIZ Chose Instead of the Sneer