national language; Japanese language (often as a school subject in Japan); native Japanese words (as opposed to loanwords)
teacher; instructor; sensei; title or form of address for a teacher, master, doctor, lawyer, etc.; intimate or teasing form of address; (arch.) one's elder
showing one's face in public; facing another person
(fictional) character; character; personality; persona
voice actor or actress (radio, animation, etc.)
familiar; well-known; regular (e.g. customer); old stand-by
(having) same family and personal name
charge; cost; generation; age; era; a representative of; on behalf of
stern; grim; rough; rugged; forbidding; overbearing
audacious; daring; bold; throaty (voice); rough; deep
if anything; if pushed I'd say; if I had to say
Ootsuka Akio (1959.11.24-)
to strive; to endeavour; to endeavor; to make an effort; to be zealous
kendo; Japanese martial art using bamboo swords
step; stair; grade; rank; counter for breaks in written language (or speech, etc.); dan
physical education; PE; gym (class)
sports-minded; sports-oriented
incomprehensible; nonsensical; puzzling; mysterious; meaningless
straight-laced person; stubborn person
junior high school; middle school; lower secondary school
entering a higher-level school, esp. going on to university
to jump up; to start up; to leap to one's feet; to fly away; to take off
young person; youth; young
bird; bird meat (esp. chicken meat); fowl; poultry
graduation; completion (of a course); moving on (from); outgrowing (something); leaving (a group, company, etc.)
the point just before; the point of doing; the verge of happening
writing implement; writing tool
textbook; coursebook; schoolbook
serious; grave; dignified; solemn
letter (of alphabet); character; writing
closely (packed, lined up, etc.); tightly; densely; (work) sufficiently
to write; to compose; to pen; to draw; to paint
handmade; homegrown; hand-crafted; homemade
book; booklet; story book; pamphlet; notebook